Issue 961, September 3-9, 2015

Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com

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Events garza blanca wine tasting

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September 3 - 9, 2015 Free Issue 961

Riviera Nayarit new firetruck

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Expats new voting rules

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Petr Myska Photography

BEACH FRONT at GARZA BLANCA

welcome

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Welcome to Puerto Vallarta

and Riviera Nayarit Here is some advice to make your trip a little easier and more enjoyable.

TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the southern part of the State of Nayarit starting from Guayabitos in the north.

BUSES: A system of urban buses with different routes can bring you from one end of the bay to the other and all the spots in between.

Current fare is $7.50 pesos per ticket and passengers must purchase a new ticket every time they board another bus. There are no “transfers”.

TAXIS: There are set rates within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver first. Price is per trip not person.

MONEY EXCHANGE: Although you may have to wait in line for a few minutes, banks will give you a higher rate of exchange than the exchange booths (caja de cambio). You will need your passport. Better yet, use your bank card to withdraw funds from any ATM machine. Note that ATM’s in the banks are the safest to use and generally charge lower fees.

DRINKING WATER: For the year 18 in a row, Puerto Vallarta’s water has been awarded a certification of purity for human consumption.

The quality of the water tested at the purification plant varies greatly from what comes out of the tap at the other end. So do be careful. If you want to be doubly sure, you can pick up bottled water just about anywhere.

EXPORTING PETS: Falling love with the street dog outside your hotel or a puppy on the Malecon doesn’t mean they can’t come home with you.

The process is fairly inexpensive and only takes a day or two. You need a certificate of health from a local vet among other things. The time of year that pets can travel in the cargo section of the plane may be your biggest challenge. For the most up-to-date information contact the Puerto Vallarta SPCA at spcapv@gmail.com.

COMMON SENSE: Just as you wouldn’t walk around your hometown drunk and beligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here. While Mexicans are a forgiving bunch, basic politeness is appreciated.

For the guys, peeing in public is a major faux pas and if you are caught, can get you tossed in jail or an expensive fine. Pay attention to your surroundings. Pay your bills. Be courteous. And have fun!

DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis are cheap and plentiful. Fines are as much as 10,000 pesos. You can be taken to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends and you will be asked to blow if they suspect you have been drinking.

LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not an valid excuse in Mexico or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation be aware that guilt is presumed until your innocence can be proven.

This is a very difficult lesson to learn if you are visiting from the United States or Canada in particular. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Calling in Mexico Calling phones in Mexico can be tricky as it is different than in the US or Canada. There are different codes you need to use depending if you are calling landlines or cellular phones and if they are local or long distance.

Long-distance calls from within Mexico For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number. For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (for the U.S. and Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

Calling Cell Phones (from a land line) If you are calling from a landline within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number dial 044, then the 10 digit number including area code. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. Cell phone to cell phone only requires the 10 digit number.

Phone Cards Phone cards (“tarjetas telefonicas”) for use in pay phones can be bought at newstands and in pharmacies in denominations of 30, 50 and 100 pesos. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a “tarjeta LADA,” because pre-paid cell phone cards are also sold in the same establishments.

Calling Toll-Free Numbers Some toll free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not.

You need to dial a different prefix. To call the following toll free prefixes, dial as follows: 800 numbers Dial 001-880-then the number 866 numbers Dial 001-883-then the number 877 numbers Dial 001-882-then the number 888 numbers Dial 001-881-then the number

PEACEAnimals peaceanimals.org

Rabbit will go with him to Oregon and will living a great life on 20 acres in the countryside with six other rescues and loving care.

by Gretchen DeWitt PEACEAnimal by Gretchen DeWitt Peaceanimals.org

PERMANENT AND FOSTER HOMES NEEDED:

GREAT DANE-GREAT HEART

RESCUED AND ADOPTED: “An emaciated six or seven-month old male albino Great Dane/Weimar, who is also deaf and blind, was found in an abandoned house in Tepic, Nayarit by members of “Adopta un Amigo Tepic.”

When I saw the photos and information on FaceBook, I immediately sent an email to Troy Valens, owner of Cheeky Monkey and Sea Monkey restaurants in Vallarta. A few years ago Troy had adopted “Albina,” now named “Bunny,” a two-year old female albino Great Dane who is also deaf and blind.

Troy, who has an enormous heart, emailed back at once saying, “With our history in taking care of Bunny and knowing the needs she has being blind and deaf, it would sadden me that another dog with the same conditions isn’t given a chance to be in a loving home. I would love to adopt him.”

Troy said he will probably name this dog “Rabbit, “as he looks almost exactly like his other dog Bunny, and has the same disadvantages.

Rabbit arrives in Vallarta September 1st with Yenny Modad and Leticia. He will be fostered by Gaby Ramirez, manager of one of Troy´s restaurants until Troy arrives the end of September.

Director Noemi Zamora noemizamorareynoso@gmail.com Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Sales Team Rebeca Castellón Rebeca.castellonn@gmail.com Information office ventastribuna7@yahoo.com Designer Cynthia E. Andrade G. cysandra@gmail.com cysandra@gmail.com cisandra@vallartatribune.com

For the thousands of dogs and cats on the streets here, for hundreds of cats and dogs in refuges and in foster homes, and for dozens of healthy and beautiful dogs and cats at the Centro de Acopio, the city´s pound.

The Acopio is open Monday-Saturday from 8 AM-2 or 3 PM. Local phone number: 293-3690 RIDES FOR RESCUE DOGS NEEDED for Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. All expenses for dogs paid for. Please contact MEXPUP or NOBARS - patty@mexpup.com; robin.nobars@gmail.com

HOMES NEEDED:

For the thousands of dogs and cats on the streets here, for hundreds of cats and dogs in refuges and in foster homes, and for dozens of healthy and beautiful dogs and cats at the Centro de Acopio, the city´s pound.

Dogs at the Centro de Acopio are only walked twice a week by volunteers organized by Friends of Puerto Vallarta Animals. Food is always needed.

The government contributes two weeks of food annually.

Foster homes are needed for cats and dogs.

Please contact the animal rescue organizations listed here. Most are found on Facebook or at www. peaceanimals.org

Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and merely publishes information as it is provided by the advertiser or event host. We do not assume responsibility in errors or omissions other than to correct them as soon as they are made known to us regarding event schedules, locations and/or prices. In addition, we do not assume any responsibility for erroneous inclusion or exclusion of information except to take reasonable care to ensure accuracy, that permission has been obtained to use it, and to remove it as soon as is practical upon receiving your notification of error. We recommend you always confirm prior to attending or visiting an event or establishment. Weekly publication edited, printed and distributed by Ediciones y Publicaciones Siete Junio, SA de CV Grupo Editorial Tribuna Calle 21 de Marzo # 1174 Col. Lomas del Coapinole Del. El Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco México CP 48290 Tel. 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

editorial

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Editor’s Note

Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

editor@vallartatribune.com

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eptember has arrived and with it the thermometer topping heat and humidity.

If you’re here on vacation it’s great to enjoy the pool, ocean and air conditioned luxury, but for many who live here year round now is the time to explore cooler climes.

There are some great nearby places to explore including San Sebastien del Oeste, Mascota, and Ixtlan del Rio to the east, El Tuito and the Presa de Cajon in Tomatlan in the south and to the north Santa María del Oro which is a lake in the crater of a long extinct volcano about an hour from Tepic.

Tepic is the capital city of Nayarit, and despite repeated visits, I find it challenging to see anything particularly charming but it does have a lovely historic centre with an excellent Huitcol and Cora market as well as a Fabrica de Francia store.

Priorities.

Locally there are some things going on around town that occasionally convince us to get out and socialize including foot tapping live music at Captain Don’s in the 5 de Deciembre neighbourhood. I stopped there a few weeks ago and caught the Zippers playing to a packed house. I went to the new Jazz bar off the malecon recently and it was cool hipster fun. Patio de mi Casa has regular live music and great food too.

So you know, many event notices are either supplied too late for publication or not at all.

We will happily publicize (for free) public events going on around town but so often they don’t get to us in time. Traditional marketers in the area tend to rely on the Spanish radio and flyers to spread the word, neither of which are particularly effective if you’re holed up relaxing in your air conditioning and can’t understand rapid fire Spanish.

(Deadline is Monday end of day.)

In two weeks’ time it is Mexican Independence Day (September 16) and the city will host a big event on the 15th at the main plaza including music and fireworks. There may be other events going on throughout the city but as of yet nothing has been announced. Expect lots of rockets going off in celebra-

Signature Residences at Garza Blanca to host Complimentary Weekly Wine Tasting

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tion. Next week we’ll have more details on the events planned, and some background on Mexico’s Independence.

Enjoy your week. Please get out and support local businesses. Reconsider your trip to

Walmart or Costco in favour of supporting those who truly need your support during these few weeks until the snowbirds begin to return.

Safe travels, Madeline

arza Blanca Signature Residences will be hosting complimentary weekly wine tastings at the exclusive south shore resort and spa in Puerto Vallarta at its Blanca Blue Restaurant starting in September 2015.

Wine aficionados and those interested in learning the art of wine tasting are invited to join one of Garza Blanca resort’s sommeliers for an eventful early evening event held each week at Blanca Blue Restaurant in the company of Signature Residences’ real estate director, Nicole Martin.

Blanca Blue’s award-winning wine cellar boasts more than 2300 labels with a wide collection of premium Mexican wines and the best labels from around the world.

Guests will learn how to distinguish the different flavors, textures and aromas of a variety of wines while meeting other like minded wine lovers. Reservation is necessary as spaces are limited each week.

“This is a super chance for our local residents to meet other people with similar interests in an elegant surrounding,” says Signature Residences’ real estate director, Nicole Martin. “I am really looking forward to the weekly events.”

This is an exclusive opportunity for those who have yet to visit the luxury resort and residences at Garza Blanca to experience one of the finest gated communities in coastal Mexico.

Note: Limited space and subject to reservation.

Dress code: Smart casual (collar shirt, no shorts or sandals permitted) Reservations via email Nicole.m@garzablancaresidences.com Direct 52 (322) 176 0728 Mobile (322) 137 3972 ABOUT GARZA BLANCA SIGNATURE RESIDENCES Located only 10 minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta, nestled at Km. 7.5 on highway 200 to Barra De Navidad from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Garza Blanca Signature Residences is a gated community offering full and fractional deeded real estate. The residences are located within a luxury resort and spa complex developed in conscious harmony with 85 acres of beachfront tropical jungle in a protected preserve. Ideal for families, couples, retirees, investors and snowbirds looking for chic, sophisticated relaxation by the beach. http:// www.garzablancaresidences.com/

news

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Mexico places second for expats: survey

Cost of living offsets concerns over safety and stability

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riendly people, beautiful beaches and tasty cuisine are among the reasons why expatriates are choosing Mexico as a place to live, ranking it second in a new survey.

The Ease of Settling In Index is the result of a survey by InterNations, a network and guide for expatriates, in which 14,400 people provided their feedback on life abroad in 64 countries.

This year, Ecuador held on to its first-place ranking for its low living expenses, affordable health care, friendly welcome and social opportunities, while Mexico moved up one to claim the No. 2 spot.

The cost of living and the ease of settling in overcame concerns over safety, political stability and peacefulness. More than four out of five expats viewed living costs favorably and more than three-quarters were generally happy about their financial situation.

Mexico ranked seventh against other countries on the survey’s cost of living index and third in the personal finance index. In terms of happiness, Mexican expats — like Mexicans themselves — rank right up there in third place after Ecuador and Costa Rica.

Three out of eight say they are very happy with their lives, almost double the worldwide average of 19%, a sentiment shared by many native Mexicans. The United Nations World Happiness Report put Mexico in 14th place out of 158 countries this year.

Other reasons to like Mexico were leisure opportunities and climate, but in terms of overall quality of life its ranking was just 22 as a result of low scores in two sub-categories, travel and transport, and health, safety and well-being.

While travel opportunities got a positive rating from 94%, only 56% had a positive view of transportation infrastructure

Personal safety earned a negative review from 24% of respondents, compared to a global average of 11%. Political stability was seen negatively by 29% compared to 16% worldwide, and peacefulness 23%, compared to 10% on a global scale.

Despite all that, Mexico has almost five times as many retirees as the global average: 23% compared to 5%. And 41% of expats in Mexico said they will probably never leave.

Working expats are somewhat less happy about Mexico due to long hours — on average 47.1 hours a week. Two out of seven expats work part-time and about 12% are self-employed.

But on the whole, expats working in Mexico are not dissatisfied — 73% said they were generally satisfied with their jobs.

However, the state of the economy was a concern for nearly a third.

The top three nationalities of expats in Mexico are American, 42%, Canadian, 10%, and British, 6%. Retirees constituted 23%, and the average age is 48.8 years.

The survey was conducted online in February and March by asking participants to rate diverse aspects of life. The study also revealed there were 10 types of expat, ranging from people who had relocated for employment to those looking for a better quality of life.

Other high rankings were Panama, which placed eighth; Canada, in ninth; Costa Rica 12th; and the United States 13th.

Mexico News Daily

Deadly lightning strike in Playa del Carmen

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he girls, 13, were playing in the water when the bolt 'suddenly came out of nowhere' Mexico records the highest number of lightning deaths than any other country, according to the World Health Organization, and it’s a record it appears to be in no danger of losing Two young girls were killed Friday in the Quintana Roo tourist destination Playa del Carmen, and a third narrowly escaped death.

Three 13-year-old girls were swimming in front of the Playacar resort area when a lightning bolt struck about 5:00pm, killing one instantly. A second died shortly after but the third survived.

All three were Playa del Carmen residents, spending time on the beach with their families. According to one report, it was raining at the time but otherwise calm while the three girls played at the water’s edge.

Suddenly there was a large bang following which all three girls were seen floating in the water.

The father of the surviving child said later his daughter was in stable condition and appeared to be recovering well. She suffered nervous shock after the lightning strike but remained conscious throughout.

“I’ve never heard of anything like it,” he said of the incident, saying “the lightning bolt suddenly came out of nowhere . . . .”

More people die from lightning in Mexico than any other natural, atmospheric phenomenon, according to the Center for Atmospheric Studies at the National Autonomous University, which has found that an average 230 people died each year from lightning strikes between 1979 and 2011.

The greater number of those deaths is recorded in areas with high poverty levels, such as the State of México, Michoacán and Oaxaca, a study by the American Meteorological Society found.

Source: Reforma (sp)

Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Stay Safe During Lightning www.cdc.gov

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s is the case during rainy season there are plenty of storms in Puerto Vallarta and with these storms come some spectacular lightening shows. Usually these events happen during the evening or early morning and we are safe in our homes, watching the show. But occasionally we get caught out during these storms and though very rare, lightning strikes do kill about 230 people each year in Mexico, which has one of the highest death rates for lightning strikes in the world. In comparison the US has on average 33 lightning strike deaths a year.

Here are some tips to consider should you find yourself out in a storm as supplied by the Centre for Disease Control.

You are in equal danger of a lightning injury outdoors regardless of whether or not you are standing near, carrying, or wearing any metal objects. Lightning is a largescale event that is not influenced by small objects on the ground, so distancing yourself from small metal objects will not make you safe from lightning. Metal objects like umbrellas, golf clubs, bicycles and fences will attract a lightning channel only if the strike is already a few feet away - in which case you would still experience an injury from being that close to begin with.

Protect yourself from lightning strikes You can protect yourself from risk even if you are caught outdoors when lightning is close by.

Safety precautions outdoors

• Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors. Find a safe, enclosed shelter.

• The main lightning safety guide is the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

• If no shelter is available, crouch low, with as little of your body touching the ground as possible.

Lightning causes electric currents

along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away.

• Stay away from concrete floors or walls. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.

• Stay away from shorelines, railroad tracks, and metal fences which could bring current from a 'far-away' lightning strike to you.

Although still not as safe as being indoors, dense woods provide a little protection due to the large number of trees that decrease the chance of lightning strike to a tree next to you. However in this (and any) case, don't stand close to any of the trees.

Although you should move into a non-concrete structure if possible, being indoors does not automatically protect you from lightning. In fact, about one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors.

Safety precautions indoors

• Avoid water during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through plumbing.

• Avoid electronic equipment of all types. Lightning can travel through electrical systems and radio and television reception systems.

• Avoid corded phones. However, cordless or cellular phones are safe to use during a storm.

• Avoid concrete floors and walls.

Lightning strikes may be rare, but they still happen and the risk of serious injury or death is severe.

So take thunderstorms seriously.

Learn and follow these safety rules to keep yourself safe from lightning.

Deforestation in Mexico butterfly reserve nearly triples reversing earlier gains

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llegal logging has almost tripled in the monarch butterfly’s wintering grounds In central Mexico, reversing several years of steady improvements.

Almost all of the loss occurred in just one rural hamlet in the state of Michoacan. Loggers cut down 47 acres (19 hectares) of trees in San Felipe de los Alzati over the

past year, while little was lost in 31 other communities. A total of 52 acres (21 hectares) of forest were lost overall.

That’s the highest figure since

2011, well above the 20 acres (8 hectares) lost a year earlier.

The forest canopy is a sort of blanket against cold for the masses of orange-and-black

butterflies that stage a multi-generation migration from Canada and across the United States, then roost on tree branches in Mexico.

Associated Press

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Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Mexico is a major battleground in the global food wars

By Don Quijones, Wolf Street

A Sympathetic Ear or Two

The response of the world’s agribusiness conglomerates was swift: within months they – and their ever-loyal lackeys in the Mexican government – had appealed Zaleta’s ruling on 93 separate counts.

By March, the legal collective had won 85 legal battles against the transnational seed corporations and many of the appeals, and challenges launched by Monsanto & Friends had been unanimously rejected by the courts.

However, it was only a matter of time before the behemoths of global agribusiness found a judge with a sympathetic ear, especially given the pressure being exerted behind the scenes by ranks of

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

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n the last two years, Mexico has become one of the major battlegrounds of the 21st century global food wars. On one side of the battle line is Demanda Colectiva AC, a collective of 53 scientists and 22 civil rights organizations and NGOs fighting to protect Mexico’s extraordinary wealth of food crop biodiversity; on the other is a coalition of the world’s GMO goliaths led by US agribusiness giant Monsanto.

Their ultimate goal is simple: complete control over the Mexican food chain. And in their bid to achieve it, they can count on the unwavering support of Mexico’s Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment.

On Tuesday they won a vital, albeit not yet decisive, victory when Mexico’s XII District Court overturned Judge Marroquín Zaleta’s 2013 ruling to suspend the granting of licenses for GMO field trials.

In his original ruling, Zaleta cited the potential risks to the environment posed by GMO corn.

If the biotech industry got its way, he argued, more than 7000 years of indigenous maize cultivation in Mexico would be endangered, with the country’s 60 varieties of corn directly threatened by cross-pollination from transgenic strands.

GMO lobbyists and Environment and Agriculture Ministry officials.

Now that Zelata’s original suspension has been overturned, the race is on to get GMO seeds planted in Mexican soil. AgroBIO, a lobbying association representing businesses and sectors interested in developing transgenic crops in Mexico, has stated that the government has effectively been given a green light to begin issuing licenses for GMO cultivation in Mexico.

But Mexico’s popular resistance is unlikely to yield quite so easily. Indeed, signs are that the fight could well go mainstream.

Demanda Colectiva AC has just launched apublic appeal for members of scientific, academic, artistic and civil society organizations to lend their support in its battle to safeguard Mexico’s crop biodiversity.

The collective is expecting a particularly strong response in the

days leading up to National Corn Day, on September 29.

And 78 high-profile gourmet chefs have already joined the struggle, El País reports. They include Enrique Olvera, the head chef of Pujol, a Mexico City-based eatery that is in sixteenth place on Restaurant magazine’s ranking of the world’s best restaurants; Mikel Alonso (Biko); Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores (Quintonil); Alex Ruiz (Casa Oaxaca); Elena Reygadas (Rosetta); Jair Téllez (Merotoro) and Mónica Patiño (Delirio).

In an open letter to the government, the chefs sharpen their knives against the court’s recent decision to overturn the moratorium. The cultivation of GMOs could pose an “existential threat to the diversity of Mexico’s native species of corn,” they argue.

They also caution that it is still unclear just how harmful trange-

nics can be to human health. For example, the World Health Organization’s cancer arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), recently reclassified glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s biggest selling herbicide Roundup, as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

Given that corn accounts for a staggering 53% of the average calorie intake and 39% of protein consumption in Mexico, even the slightest possibility that GMO varieties of corn could be damaging to human health should be reason enough, at least in a sane world, for any government to suspend its use until the nature and severity of the threat can be ascertained.

Power and Control

GMO cultivation would also exacerbate the concentration of land and seed ownership in Mexico, the letter warns, echoing similar

fears expressed by award-winning professor of Cellular Neurobiology David R. Schubert in a 2013 letter to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto: Once transnational corporations dominate the seed market of a particular crop (as has happened with Soy and is fast happening with Corn), they will continue introducing GM seeds for other crops and increasing their power over Mexico’s agricultural sector.

The gourmet cooks point out that an increasing number of countries, including Europe’s two biggest economies, Germany and France, have banned the cultivation of GMOs, with no tangible side effects. “What’s stopping Mexico from doing the same?”, they ask.

The chefs also defend the ancient right of smallholders and farmers to keep the seeds from their own harvest and exchange them among themselves, rather than have to buy new batches each year from copyright-protected mega-corporations like Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Bayer, Dow, and BASF. Although these six companies own roughly three-quarters of the world’s commercial seeds, whether genetically modified or not, they prefer to sell GMOs, for two reasons: first, they use a lot more agrichemicals, an industry in which the same companies have a controlling stake; and second, by patenting GMO seeds and getting governments to ban uncertified seeds, the companies can guarantee that farmers will have to come back for more, year after year, decade after decade.

And this act of locking customers that used to grow their own seeds into buying patented seeds forever, this act of controlling the global food supply via these patented seeds, aided and abetted by governments, just happens to be best, most lucrative deal out there for Monsanto & Friends, and it doesn’t matter what the consequences down the road may be.

Read the original article on Wolf Street.

Mexico’s Exports of Organic Products Hit $600 Million

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xports of organic products total some $600 million annually, the Mexican Agriculture Secretariat said.

Coffee accounts for 50

percent of organic exports, followed by aromatic herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables, cacao and grapes.

The states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Queretaro

and Guerrero are the largest producers of organic products.

The organics sector employs about 245,000 people and is growing at an annual rate of 8 percent, ASERCA agricul-

tural marketing service director Georgius Gotsis Fontes said.

One of the main markets for organic exports is the European Union, the official said.

Organic products, which

often sell at higher prices than regular comparable products, are produced without using pesticides, chemical fertilizers or genetically modified organisms.

local news

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Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

South Shore Temptations

by Nicole Martin

Find out what’s causing a stir on Puerto Vallarta’s south shore.

O AMResorts to Add Sunscape Resort in Puerto Vallarta www.travelpulse.com

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n mid-December, AMResorts will add a fourth property to its portfolio of resorts in Puerto Vallarta, with the debut of Sunscape Puerto Vallarta.

The resort, which currently operates as the Holiday Inn Puerto Vallarta, closed on Aug. 15 for an extensive facelift to its rooms and public areas.

“Expanding the Sunscape brand to an existing destination we know so well was a natural decision for Apple Leisure Group,” said Alex Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group (ALG), AMResorts’ parent. “With the addition of this property, ALG will have 30 open resorts in Mexico by the end of 2017, proving this market is extremely attractive to both travelers and hotel developers.”

When the resort reopens in December, AMResorts said it will feature all the bells and whistles that the all-inclusive,

family-friendly Sunscape Resorts & Spas brand is known for, including connecting guestrooms with in-room amenities for kids. It will also feature and Explorer Club facilities and program kids. In all, the resort, which features approximately 300 rooms, will feature six restaurants and bars, and a full-service spa.

“We answered the need of travelers seeking a fresh and new family-friendly product at a great value,” said Gonzalo del Peon, president of AMResorts.

In addition to Sunscape Resorts & Spas, AMResorts operates five other brands including Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas, Dreams Resorts & Spas ad Now Resorts & Spas.

Come December, Sunscape Puerto Vallarta will join AMResorts’ Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta, Now Amber Puerto Vallarta and Dreams Villamagna Nuevo Vallarta.

nce you leave downtown’s cobblestone streets, traveling south passed the Pemex station, you will enter the highway that locals consider to be the South Shore Corridor. Driving with your windows down (or up for the aircon in summer), listening to your favorite tunes, you will notice a wonderful mix of traditional, chic and flashy properties that include both modern and aging condos, million dollar beachfront homes and hotels; oh, and let’s not forget some of the best beaches in the bay like Conchas Chinas, Garza Blanca, Playas Gemelas and Mismaloya.

Puerto Vallarta’s South shore has long been the haunt of glamor hunters and Hollywood stars, from the flame-lit brat-pack parties of the 1960s held at the original Garza Blanca hotel (which is now home to Signature Residences’ oceanfront penthouses, the hotel lobby and Blanca Blue Restaurant), to the escapades of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton while filming Tennessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana. It is easy to see the allure: imposing jungle-covered cliffs, the cleanest, whitest beaches and the Los Arcos rock formations rising on the horizon. There is no doubt that the South Shore of Puerto Vallarta is packed with character, natural charm and history.

So, what’s new on the South Shore?

- The original Hotel Camino Real has recently been taken over by the Hyatt Ziva offering a lovely beach, 300 recently remodeled rooms, and an all-inclusive concept.

- Adults only, Hotel Mousai at

Garza Blanca Preserve officially opened in January 2015, setting the pace for a new generation of designer hotels and was recently awarded the AAA 5 Diamond Award 2016, offering fresh flirtatious aesthetics to its jet setting clientele.

- Grand Fiesta Americana is soon to inaugurate with their all-inclusive adults only concept. They will have an enormous conference facility that can accommodate up to 1,300 visitors with 10 breakout rooms, promising many events for our South Shore community.

Real Estate Options

The south shore offers a wide variety of prime real estate that has long been attractive for both for national and foreign investors and homeseekers. The unique charm of the area in terms of real estate is formed by an enchanting combination of cliffs, which provide optimum sea views, jungle covered terrain, rivers and waterfalls coupled with harmonious architecture.

Traditionally the areas of Concha Chinas and Amapas were the most popular hotspots for real estate, however, more and more exclusive gated communities have been developed further south along the highway during the past decade that compete in terms of luxury, location and price.

- Garza Blanca Signature Residences, located within a nature preserve has recently opened up

the panorama towers at the the multi use resort for full and fractional purchases in addition to its luxury penthouses, where you can combine the comforts of a five star hotel with the security of homeownership.

- A little further south, Sierra del Mar is a low density development “at Home with Nature” which originally offered grand designer homes on the mountainside, and has more recently developed beach front condos that include a private beach club with palapa lounge and snack bar.

- El Paredon is a low density gated community offering 12 custom designed ocean luxury residences in an unspoiled oceanfront community surrounded by thousand year old trees with great views of Los Arcos.

South is best!

No matter what kind of real estate you are looking for, the South Shore is better than ever with beaches certified for their cleanliness, respect for the local ecology, safety and a whole host of marvellous real estate options waiting to be discovered.

Where else can you enjoy jungle covered mountains that cascade down into an aqua-jade ocean while the sun shines more than 300 days a year!

This is the place to be! South Shore Puerto Vallarta!

P

uerto Vallarta officials and investors are planning on opening a new attraction in Marina Vallarta.

The aquarium will be similar to the one recently built by Grupo Inbursa in Mexico City. The final design is to be presented to investors in November.

Enrique Ramos Flores, Secretary of State Tourism, said that the investors could

build this new attraction in the Marina area of Puerto Vallarta.

This aquarium, “will provide Puerto Vallarta with an important alternative to sun and sand activities, “Ramos Flores said.

Ramos Flores said investors are still working on the final design and cannot comment on the total investment to be made, but by November plans will be announced.

The inspiration to build the new aquarium project comes from the desire to protect the local marine ecosystems and the need to raise awareness about these important issues in Puerto Vallarta. “ What is important is the benefits of this proposal, to protect the beauty of our destination and improve the tourism infrastructure,” said Ramos Flores.

Petr Myska Photography

Vallarta welcomes new attraction

local

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Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Paradise

and Parenting Leza Warkentin

T

his month marks my fifteenth anniversary of living in Mexico. Fifteen years ago I said goodbye to my family, friends and disciplined hair and stepped into a land of strangers and frizz. I said au revoir to bilingual product labeling and hello to shopping according to pictures and a bit of luck.

I bid farewell to reliable bus schedules, mold-free closets, and lizard-free cereal.

I had no idea that I was parting ways with most of these things, however, and that’s a good thing.

Because when I open the Cheerios at 6am and something scrambles out of the box and over my hand, I kind of wonder why I did.

But had I not, it would have been a tragedy. It’s true that I share this home with cockroaches, snakes, scorpions and other Old Testament scourges.

But I also share it with a family that would never have been if had I stayed in Winnipeg and stuck with the boring plastic cereal prizes.

Fifteen years ago today there was a lot happening in my life. Not only was I shocked at how much sweat one human body could produce, but I began to realize that the one Spanish sentence I knew (“yo quiero Taco Bell”) wasn’t going to get me very far and wouldn’t help me find the bathroom.

I also couldn’t understand why everyone thought my name was “Guerita” until someone told me that they were calling me “blondie”.

Furthermore, I was convinced that the bus drivers were taking some absurd pleasure from hitting the brakes suddenly and watching me fly from the back of the bus into someone’s ample bosom (I’m still of that conviction).

But that night, when my new colleagues and I went to the Club Roxy, I clapped my eyes on my soul mate playing the guitar solo in “Smooth” and my story began

Latina

By Marcella Castellanos info@wellnesslatina.com

mommyinmexico.wordpress.com

Fifteen Years an Expat

Wellness

to write itself, in Spanish and in glowing neon letters, all over my heart. I suppose anyone, given the right circumstances, could spend all day talking about what they would change about where they live. I certainly could.

But today I want to celebrate the choice I made so long ago, and thank that girl in her twenties who had no idea what she was getting herself into.

Had she known what would happen, I like to think that she would have a) taken a basic Spanish class first and then b) said yes all over again.

To celebrate my quince años as a Canadian living in Vallarta, here are just a few Reasons Why It’s Great to Be an Expat in Puerto Vallarta: 1) I no longer live in a place where I have to plug in my car into my house so it will start in the morning.

2) Two words: handmade tortillas.

3) I took my children to the dentist and spent the equivalent of eighty Canadian dollars for both of them to have a cleaning and check up.

4) People like it when you bring kids to restaurants. They fit right in among the mariachi, the laughter and everyone else’s kids.

5) Families are the most important part of life. On Sundays, which are held sacred as family days, you can always find huge, happy groups of dads, moms, grandparents, cousins, and some guy they are probably related to somehow.

6) When I actually went out to “El Centro” at night (somewhere in my pre-mother days) I never felt safer, something a Winnipegger would never take for granted.

7) A prairie girl will always find it wonderful and precious to live near the ocean, and will savor every moment of every beach sunset.

8) Love can certainly be found anywhere in the world, but it waited for me in Puerto Vallarta, and in return I call it home.

I’m a bilingual Certified Holistic Health Coach, and dance teacher who is passionate about natural health & wellness, sustainability, animal welfare, and eating avocados. I can often be seen doing a little salsa on the beach with my dog Mambo next to me ( I haven’t taught him yet). My mission is to empower you to look and feel your best so that you can do more of what you love. I work with clients to spice up their vitality with health & wellness workshops; group and individual programs and consultations incorporating whole, natural, plant-strong foods; emotional healing; movement; and natural solutions with essential oils. For my blog or a list of my upcoming programs and workshops, and for your free natural healthcare e-book visit www.wellnesslatina.com.

Have you had a tune-up?

J

ust like your car needs it's oil changed every now and then, so do you! Doing an internal body cleanse at least four times per year is common practice - once with every change of season. This allows our bodies to renew and cleanse as it helps to remove any toxins that exist from stress, lifestyle choices, and even environmental factors.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional holistic medicine of India, fall is the perfect time to cleanse and release the stored heat that the body has accumulated over the summer months. Otherwise, if the heat is not released in the fall, weight gain, poor digestion, fatigue, sickness, and flu is likely to occur in the winter months.

Emotionally, if the heat accumulates in the body and is not released, nervousness, stress, and feelings of irritability and anger are likely to occur.

In Chinese medicine, there is a similar principle. The fall represents a time of release and letting go it's best to cleanse the lungs and the large intestine as every organ is related to an emotion. The lungs represent grief and sadness while the large intestine represents guilt and regret.

You know how our taste changes and the foods we eat change with the turn of the seasons? We go from cold, fresh fruits and vegetables to more warm and hearty meals. In Vallarta, we mostly stay with the cold options,

but whether you're here, or travelling abroad, doing a cleanse or a clean eating program can help prepare your body for these changes and withdraw any toxins or build ups created from the hot summer months. No one wants to walk around feeling radioactive.

Some signals your body may alert you to let you know it is time clean out may include allergies, digestive problems, fatigue, acne or other skin issues, bad breath, bad circulation, headaches, bloating, and weight gain. Not fun. By doing a simple cleanse, detox or cleaning eating program you

should see immediate improvements and benefits including better sleep, more energy, improved digestion, clearer skin, weight loss, and even a reduction in cravings.

Tuning up with a cleanse will also help prepare your immune system for the exposures to come, especially with the hyped up kiddos going back to school. Typically the fall cleanse focuses more on the lungs and large intestine, which are important for circulation, heart health, and proper digestion.

Here are some general tips to help with your cleanse: 1. Try to eat primarily whole foods.

We need to remove processed and refined foods from our diet and focus on clean eating.

2. Check out some detox/cleansing teas and broths to amp your detox/ cleanse.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Focus on increasing water intake to flush out your systems.

4.

Go toxin-free with your soaps and cosmetics. Toxins are absorbed into the skin just as easily as they are consumed through your mouth.

5. Lower or reduce your stress levels through meditation, yoga, or some other form of exercise.

6. Reduce or eliminate alcohol from your diet.

That's it! If you're wanting to do something like this in a group setting, I've gotcha covered. The Fall in Love With Clean Eating Program starts Oct. 1st!

Check the details at wellnesslatina.com

MEN AND WOMEN’S JEWELRY AND ACCESORIES. CASSANDRA SHAW JEWELRY 223 9734 BASILIO BADILLO 276 OLD TOWN OPEN DAILY

events

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Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Rotary Cup Golf Tourna- The Puerto Vallarta Men's Chorus ment to support needed Presents “Celebración Mexicana” eye surgeries

T

he Riviera Nayarit holds the best golf tournaments—many with a social conscience. One example is the 2015 Rotary Cup Golf Tournament, taking place on Saturday, October 24, 2015, at the Flamingos Golf Club.

The Banderas Bay Rotary Club and the Careaga Foundation are the organizers, with the support of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. This event will benefit the community of Banderas Bay. The funds raised will be used towards an eye surgery campaign for the local inhabitants.

There are 120 players expected—local, national and foreign. The format will be the Scramble with Men’s and Mixed divisions. The first prize will be a late-model SUV for the hole-in-one and other prizes for the best O’Yes shots in every category.

The registration cost is $1,300 pesos for early birds and $1,500 pesos on the day of the event; registration begins at 7:15 a.m. with shotgun at 8:30 a.m. For more information call 01 (322) 297 07 29 or email coparotarygolf@gmail.com.

J

ust in time for Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations, the Puerto Vallarta Men's Chorus proudly presents “Celebración Mexicana” at Act II Stages, on September 6, 11 and 13 at 7 PM. The concert will feature voices from across the Americas uniting to bring a variety of Mexican music, from romantic Mexican boleros to Mexican gay anthems; in honor of the great country we call home, MEXICO! While there may be fireworks outside on the 15th, come see the stage explode with entertaining songs and choreography— there’s sure to be “BAILANDO” in the aisles with this program! The Chorus hopes to make this concert the kickoff for everyone’s Día de La Independencia holiday celebration this year.

PVMC is committed to being a year round chorus and partners with many local non-profits to

bring music and to build bridges of understanding to our diverse community and other organizations all year long. Working with organizations like the PuRR Project, the Bucerías Children’s Library, Pride Festival, and Bugambilia Festival, PVMC has brought its inspiring message of love and understanding through quality choral music

performed in Spanish and English to diverse audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Grab some friends and come join us for “Celebracion Mexicana” and help support the first gay men’s chorus in Mexico!

For more information check out our website www.pvmenschorus. org.

Vallarta to Celebrate World Tourism Day

O

n September 27th the city of Puerto Vallarta invites tourists and residents to celebrate World Tourism Day - an event showcasing the area’s art, culture, and food.

Director of Tourism for Puerto Vallarta, Oscar Perez Flores, announced this year’s celebration will run from September 26-27.

Begining on September 26 at

7pm in the courtyard of city hall with an awards ceremony for local businesses recognized for their exceptional service in tourism, including hotels and restaurants.

A ribbon ceremony and unveiling of new artwork and sculptures will be followed by a Food Fair with over 20 local restaurants offering their specialties.

At 8:30pm on Sunday

September 27 culture the International Assembly of Art, Culture, and Entertainment will be on display in the Malecon.

Additional activities will be held at the Los Arcos (the arches) on the Malecon, in front of the sculpture Rotonda del Mar, and at the lighthouse. In typical fashion, the event will close with spectacular fireworks over the Bay.

The world’s largest gay dance music festival is coming to Puerto Vallarta

T Emergencies: 060 Red Cross: 065 Non-Emergency Police 322.290.0507 Fire Department: 322.223.9476 Ambulance: 322.222.1533 Consulates American Consulate Nuevo Vallarta: 322.222.0069 24 hrs Guadalajara: 333.268.2145

Immigration: 322.224.7719 Consumer Protection: 01.800.468.8722 Tourism Offices Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006 Canadian Consulate 322.293.2894 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

he world’s largest gay dance music festival WHITE PARTY joins forces with Will Gorges and Latin Fever to launch WHITE PARTY PUERTO VALLARTA, Thanksgiving weekend November 27th thru November 30th, 2015.

Jeffrey Sanker’s WHITE PARTY Palm Springs started as a small celebration with only a few hundred people in the desert in 1989. It has evolved to become the world’s largest gay dance music festival, attracting more than 30,000 attendees from every corner of the globe.

WHITE PARTY PALM SPRINGS founder and producer Jeffrey Sanker says, “WHITE PARTY has become more than just a party. It is an institution. After 25 years, it’s time we bring the festival outside the US and what

better place to do it than in Puerto Vallarta during Latin Fever.”

Sanker joins forces with Latin Fever producer Will Gorges. The inaugural WHITE PARTY PUERTO VALLARTA will be headlined by two of the industry’s powerhouse DJsALEX ACOSTA and CINDEL alongside local talents DJ Ramses and Daniel Sandoval.

To keep with the WHITE PARTY PALM SPRINGS tradition, there will be big surprises unveiled along the way including top performers, WHITE PARTY signature Go-go Gods, and Andrew Christian giveaways.

Will Gorges produces special events around the world.

Will has built a reputation on meticulously produced parties at home in California and in some of the world’s

most exciting locations like Long Beach, San Diego, Laguna Beach, Malibu, Aspen, Salt Lake City, Amsterdam, Berlin, Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Rico. Will Gorges started Latin Fever in the late 90’s which has been a driving force in reshaping the Puerto Vallarta nightlife.

“I am so excited that Jeffrey and I are working together to make Latin Fever the Premier event to attend in Mexico!” exclaimed Will Gorges. With WHITE PARTY being a worldwide known brand with a long history of top caliber entertainment, it’s only fitting that that joining forces with Latin Fever will launch the premiere event the likes that has not been seen in Puerto Vallarta.

Early-bird tickets will go on sale September 1st, 2015

riviera nayarit

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Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Fun on the Riviera Nayarit

By Cat Morgan

www.rivieranayaritfun.com

H

ola a todos! This week is a bit of news and the Community Corner. There are so many interesting people here!

This Saturday, September 5th is the monthly breakfast Amigos de Bucerias meeting at Karen’s Place located on the beach. Starting at 9am, with a special menu for amigos and friends is 100 pesos all inclusive - and bring along a visitor or friend, non members are always welcome! Please reply to: amigosdebuceriasac@gmail.com – “we will assume you ARE wanting breakfast, unless you say otherwise”. All reservations will be acknowledged.

The Black Forest Restaurant offers young people an opportunity The German restaurant Black Forest, located in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, proudly announced that it has received the recognition of the International Labor Organization (OIT) as training restaurant for the new dual education system. The restaurant through its affiliation to the Asociación Restaurantera de Riviera Nayarit AC (ARRN) is participating in a pilot project, “Dual Education in the tourism sector of Banderas Bay,” with the objective to qualify their

employees and give young people an opportunity to learn new skills in a practical environment combined with an education at a vocational school.

This pilot project was launched at the Riviera Nayarit thanks to the interest of the Asociación Restaurantera de Riviera Nayarit AC (ARRN) and with the support of the OIT, SEP , STPS, CROC, CTM and the ITBB. As of August 31, the La Cruz restaurant Black Forest will now be the training center for a young person, who at the end of the course will be certified as “Operations Coordinator in restaurants SMEs” with the acknowledgement of CONOCER which will add a significant value to their professional development. For more information you can telephone them at 329 295 5203. Way to go Andrea, Winfred and the gang!

Community Corner - Harold and Sue Sokolove If there is one thing I love to write about is people that help people paying it forward. Paying it forward is the best way to allow your grace to shine out from within. And this is exactly how these two folks live their

lives. This week I would like to honor Bucerias residents Harold and Sue Sokolove. Harold and Sue moved to Bucerias about 10 years ago. They lived in Waco, Texas (a small town of 12,000 people) for 22 years before relocating to Bucerias. Harold was a USPS mail carrier and Sue worked as an industrial engineer for the M&M Mars Candy Company. Harold was also a volunteer for the Waco Fire Department as well as in Iowa for 17 years.

Sue and Harold had spent many years vacationing in Puerto Vallarta and fell in love with the area like so many of us have. Harold states, “Retirement meant that we could go anywhere we wanted. We met lots of people who vacationed here at the same time, and who were also planning to move or already had moved here.” Sue says she loves to live here, “because something unexpected always happens.”

And isn’t that the truth! Harold tells me that Sue speaks Spanish quite well, also commenting that he is too lazy to practice, but can minimally converse because he took a couple of courses from Sean at the former BBCC. They were volunteers in the Waco Texas city government and also volunteered with a major Waco charity bike ride in Texas. The energy of volunteering and paying it forward followed them to Bucerias.

Harold was the former president of the Amigos de Bucerias, (20062008), and the original person for the PEACE adoption table at Mega (the

former BBCC). They currently work with the Bucerias Children’s Library, Manos de Amor, Paraiso Felino Cat Shelter, and help with street repairs and clean-ups in Col. Las Palmas and Dorada, the reforestation project and the monthly Bucerias beach clean-ups, which are every second Saturday of every month. Sue also is a member of the Beta Sigma Phi service sorority.

Since their relocation Harold has been a volunteer firefighter/bombero for the Proteccion Civil Bahia de Banderas and the State of Nayarit, as well as Sue from time to time over the years.

How do you find a Free Fire Truck? The current director of the Proteccion Civil Nayarit, Martin Tapia Miranda contacted them about three months ago, explaining that he had a friend in San Jose, California who was a retired firefighter who bought and sold used fire trucks.

His friend offered the PCE (Proteccion Civil Estadal) a used fire truck for free, only charging for the equipment that it carries such as the hoses, nozzles, ladders, power generator and other miscellaneous tools. Martin contacted them about “supporting” the campaign to get the fire truck for the newly opened PC base in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, which at the time only had an ambulance and water tanker. Harold said, “The amount of money needed was not out-of-line for what came with the fire truck (a 1972 pumper), so after a

little discussion we said OK.” Some of the moneys they collected were donations of money that are distributed in lump sums to local community service groups and charities that have projects that need funding.

They also received permission from the local Fire Chief to offer fire truck rides as a means to raise more funds to purchase supplies and maintenance. It has all come together and the fire truck is now stationed in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and is also available to respond anywhere in the municipality. WOW! This is how you get a fire truck donated! ¬¬Harold and Sue keep busy “so we can really enjoy the times when we’re not busy. We have a good time; it keeps us from being bored and we hope it makes the community service organizations more successful.” When they do have time to relax they enjoy going to their newer home of three years in Guadalajara. They have some new projects coming up this high season and it will be interesting to see what develops!

Kudos to you, Harold and Sue Sokolove for holding the energy to help others, and doing what needed to be done to create such a success with this project and so many others.

Thank you so much for all you both do for our communities on the Riviera Nayarit. You are an amazing example of Grace in action.

Thanks for tuning in everyone. If you have any comments or questions please email me at Cat@ RivieraNayaritFun.com. If you are interested in how you can bring grace into your life, or would like an energy medicine healing session please contact me at Cat@NewEnergyConsciousness.com Blessing a todo!

riviera nayarit

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Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Tianguis Lo De Marcos – Looking forward to the Season Ahead!

C

oming Soon on Saturday November 7th The Tianguis Lo de Marcos will reopen its doors for the Season!

The Tianguis Lo De Marcos is set in a lovely courtyard and is a comfortable outdoor shopping experience with many unique vendors and lots of fun! Imagine being able to buy such items as Home Made Cookies, Custom Made Piñatas, Hand Blown Glass, Clothing, Unique Artisan items, Garden Fresh Produce, Freshly Baked Delicacies and more, all in Lo De Marcos, located in beautiful Riviera Nayarit commencing in November. ¨This Season we will see the addition of more Live Music Performances and a redesigned Food Court Area with great food¨ said Armando Contreras, the Event´s Organizer.

The tradition of buying and selling in temporary markets set up either on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.) is a strong feature in much of Mexican culture and has a history that extends far back into the pre-Hispanic period. It was the most important form of commerce in the pre-Hispanic era, and after the Spanish Conquest, the Europeans mostly kept this tradition intact.

For more on the Tianguis history click here – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Tianguis

"The Tianguis of Lo de Marcos instills a sense of pride to our community and we are proud to see people from all over the municipality come and visit every weekend. We are excited to see it return for the fall-winter seasons."

Stated Alonso Bravo the Delegado of Lo De Marcos.

The Tianguis is the brainchild of Armando Contreras of Galvan Real Estate and Services, the town´s Full Service Real Estate and Rental Agency. ¨I Live in Lo De Marcos and can attest first hand to our communities need to support our residents, farmers and craftspeople thru this venue while at the same time the Tianguis brings in items to the town that are not available locally¨ remarked Armando.

Held each Saturday from 9:00am until 2:00pm this weekly event expects to continue its growth and history of drawing visitors from around the Banderas Bay. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2015/2016 Tianguis Season in Lo De Marcos and if you would like to be considered as a Vendor or in an Advisory Role please send your Email to GalvanRealEstate4@gmail.com To follow Tianguis Lo De Marcos on Facebook, click here – https://www.facebook.com/ LoDeMarcosTianguis For more information please call The Tianguis Lo De Marcos office at (327) 275-0233.

Successful Mundo Golf Tour T here were 144 players on the course—more than were expected for this first edition of the tour in the destination. Next year Riviera Nayarit will host the grand finale of the Mundo Golf Tour 2016.

The organizers and participants agreed the third stop of the Mundo Golf Tour 2015 in the Riviera Nayarit was a complete success. The excellent conditions of the Vidanta Golf Course in Nuevo Vallarta, the wonderful weather and the top-notch service left all the participants very satisfied indeed.

“Basically we’re promoting tourism destinations, businesses, hotels and golf courses, meaning it’s a win-win for everyone.

Next year we want to play in the

best destinations in the country and the Riviera Nayarit is one of the top spots we want to market and develop,” said Hiram Castillo, Mundo Golf founder and director.

This year there were 144 participants and a waiting list of players who wanted to participate in this tournament, where several professionals were present to show off their strokes.

Half of the participants came from the interior of the Republic, proof of the wide circulation of the event’s promotion.

“Everyone was very favorably impressed,” added Castillo. “We’ve seen that golf is a business proposition and an excellent medium for public relations, apart from the fact that in financial terms it’s a premium platform.”

“The idea is for the Riviera Nayarit circuit to tour through the interior of the country and end up in this beautiful destination,” commented Jesus Carmona, who collaborated with the organization of the tournament representing the Banderas Bay Hotel and Motel Association.

“It was an excellent tournament,” stated Eduardo Rodríguez, a member of the winning team from Sinaloa. “We’ve been to the Riviera Nayarit two or three times, it’s a beautiful locale especially for those of us who are into golf; the greens are excellent and they have an extraordinary culinary diversity.

It’s all top-notch, I would invite everyone who hasn’t played here before to come visit.”

Adorable Dog In The Spotlight... PEPPER

W

e think Pepper is a pretty majestic looking guy. He is a Dalmatian – Pointer mix, about a year and a half old weighing 34 pounds. He and his sister Spice were found by one of our Sanctuary

staff tied up underneath a bridge with no food and water. They are both safe now and ready to find their forever homes. Pepper is a fun guy, full of energy. He just wants to play all day. Pepper is good with other

dogs but not so much with cats. If you are looking for a terrific companion for long walks and runs along the beach, Pepper is for you.

Contact us at spcapv@gmail.com

culture

13

Maria Felix a great Mexican Actress

By Fred Jacobs Maria was born in 1914 in Alamos, Sonora. Her father had a Yaqui descent and her mother was Spanish. She was the icon of the golden era of Latin movies. Her nickname was “La Doña “and was also known as the Mexican Marilyn Monroe. No doubt Maria was one of the most attractive women of the world. She was a Mexican film star from 1941 to 1971 making over 47 movies.

Maria had three main film making periods. From 1941-1948 she made sixteen films in Mexico.

From 1948-1955 she made fourteen films in Europe, where she gained great fame. She returned to work in Mexico from 19551970 which lead to another run of seventeen films.

She was educated at a California convent. In the early years, Hollywood only offered her small rolls and she turned them down.

She did not want to be typecast as a vamp. She supposedly had remarked, “I was not born to carry baskets as a maid.” She became a star in Europe mostly Spain and Italy as well Latin America. She starred with Ives Montana, Jean Gabon and Rosario Braze.

Though she made movies all over the world she refused to learn English, but spoke French fluently.

To everyone’s surprise she agreed to co-star with her main competitor, Dolores del Rio, in the hit movie called “La Cucaracha” in 1959. It was a sensation for many years and it was inspired by the

Mexican Revolution.

Her love life was stormy. Her first husband was Enrique Alvarez (1931-1938). It lasted seven years and produced a son in 1934. After their divorce, Maria had custody, but Enrique fled to Guadalajara with his young son, after a scheduled visit in Mexico City. It was several years until she was able to recover the child.

The second marriage to Agustin Lara, the famous songwriter, lasted only two years (1945-1947).

Maria had told friends that he was the love of her life but he was jealous of her success. He was the writer of many popular songs such as; Granada and Maria Bonita.

After two failed marriages, Maria decided to be single and have

fun. Famous romances with a bull-fighter and an Argentine actor made headlines, but never lead to a walk down the aisle.

On her return to Mexico to make movies about the Mexican Revolution, Maria married husband number three-Jose Negrete. He had been ill already when they wed and he died the following year after marrying Maria.

Maria was not only a very talented, sexy leading lady but was also a talented singer who was popular all over the world. Over the years, she has had songs written especially for her by Juan Gabriel and others.

She was a stunning beauty at 57 when she started to become a jet-setting beauty.

T h e clothes she wore so well and the jewelry she sparkled in, were designed by the top French houses like Yves St. Laurent, Givenchy, Hermes and Cartier. Maria was the Elisabeth Taylor of Mexico. Her most talked about piece of jewelry was two crocodiles covered with 1000 Diamonds and a thousand Emeralds.

Her last husband was the French Banker Alex Berger. It lasted from 1956 to 1974 when Alex died. He left her a thoroughbred racing farm. Horses became the new passion for Maria. The stable had won many international races and it kept her busy while she mingled with the elite of society.

In 2002, on her 88th birthday, Maria passed away in Mexico City.

Her body was transported from her home in Polanco, Mexico City to lay in state at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The funeral procession was flanked by an escort of motorcyclists and thousands of spectators who accompanied her Maria’s only child, had passed away in 1996 and she ended up leaving her vast estate to her 28 year old assistant, Louis de Nada. Foul play was suspected and even resulted in her body being exhumed five months after her death, but nothing was ever proven. May she rest in peace after a life that gave pleasure to millions of her admirers.

Fred Jacobs has written 3 Books and is a full time resident on Puerto Vallarta.

María Felix and his son Enrique

Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Canadian expats to vote

I

n light of recent changes to the Elections Canada Act, Canadian citizens who reside fulltime out of Canada may no longer be eligible to vote. The federal election is scheduled for October 19th, 2015.

Here are the most up to date rules regarding voting from abroad.

Elections (voting from abroad) Canadians who are living or travelling outside Canada can vote by special ballot in federal elections, by-elections and referendums.

To vote by special ballot, you must be a Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older on polling day and have previously resided in Canada.

If you live abroad

If you live abroad, you may apply to be added to the International Register of Electors and vote by special mail-in ballot in future federal elections at any time.

To be included in the International Register of Electors, you must: be qualified to vote (i.e. a Canadian citizen at least 18 years old on election day) have resided in Canada at any time before applying confirm that you intend to return to Canada to reside by providing the date on which you intend to resume residence in Canada, and confirm that you have resided abroad for less than five consecutive years, or provide proof that you fall within one of these exceptions to the five-year rule: You are employed outside Canada in the federal public administration or the public service of a province – or live with someone who is; You are employed outside Canada by an international organization of which Canada is a member and to which Canada contributes – or live with someone who is; or You live with a member of the Canadian Forces or with a person who is employed outside Canada by the Canadian Forces as a teacher in, or as a member of the administrative support staff for, a Canadian Forces school.

To apply, complete an Appli-

cation for registration and special ballot for Canadian citizens residing outside Canada , available online through Elections Canada, in person at any Canadian government office abroad, or by calling Elections Canada at 613-993-2975.

Send your completed application and copies of your supporting documents to Elections Canada in Ottawa. Once your completed application has been approved, your name will be added to the International Register of Electors.

When a federal election, by-election or referendum is called, Elections Canada mails a special ballot voting kit to all eligible electors whose names appear in the International Register.

If an election has been called and you are not in the International Register of Electors, you may still apply. Your completed application must be accepted

by Elections Canada in Ottawa by 6:00 p.m. ET on the Tuesday before Election Day. When your completed application has been approved, Elections Canada will send you a special ballot voting kit. It’s important to apply as soon as possible to allow time for the kit to be mailed to you, and for your marked ballot to be mailed back to Elections Canada.

If you are travelling or studying abroad. If you usually live in Canada but are away to travel or study, you may apply to vote by special ballot once an election has been called – not before.

After an election call, complete an Application for registration and special ballot for electors residing in Canada, available online from Elections Canada, in person at any Canadian government office abroad, or by calling Elections Canada at 613-993-2975.

Deadlines for voting from abroad If an election has been called and you would like to vote by special mail-in ballot, you must apply as soon as possible. You are responsible for allowing enough time for Elections Canada to send you a special ballot voting kit and for you to return your marked ballot by the Election Day deadline.

According to the Canada Elections Act, ballots received after the deadline cannot be counted.

14

brain teasers

Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

SUDOKU

C

hallenge your brain! Sudoku is easy to play and the rules are simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain only one of each of the numbers 1 through 9.

SPCA of Puerto Vallarta

W

e have temporarily suspended our weekly tours of the Sanctuary from now until November. We will be sure and announce which day of the week these scheduled tours will begin again. However, special arrangements can be made to accommodate anyone seriously desirous of visiting our Sanctuary. Please contact us in advance to make arrangements.

You can send us an email at spcapv@gmail.com To see our animals available for adoption, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ spcapv. Go to Photos where you

will also find individual Albums for all the animals available as well as a bit of their history.

To make donations via PayPal, select the “Donate” option on our Facebook page www.facebook. com/spcapv or on our website at http://spcapv.com/donate/.

If you would like to make a donation other than money to the SPCA, here is a list of items we can ALWAYS use: Kong’s or very hard rubber chew toys (we cannot use soft plastic toys anymore due to ingestion worries); Chuck it balls ... hard rubber; stuffed toys for puppies; BLUE BAG Costco dog food salmon – ONLY;

Janice Gonzalez

all natural dog treats; towels, blankets, Lysol, powdered laundry detergent; office supplies such as paper, pens, clip boards, scissors, plastic cups for water for our staff and volunteers.

You can drop off any donations for the SPCA at Hacienda San Angel located at Calle Miramar 336, above Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in El Centro. Get involved…rescue, adopt, foster, volunteer, donate or educate.

Contact us at spcapv@gmail. com. You can learn more about the SPCA Puerto Vallarta by checking us out at www.spcapv. com/home or on Facebook.

charities

15

Sept.3 - 9, 2015 www.vallartatribune.com

Non - Profit and Charitable Organizations

For visitors to Puerto Vallarta who wish to support the less privileged in our paradise, this is a list of some of the many organizations that could benefit from such kind gestures. If you would like your organization recognized here, please email details to editor@vallartatribune.com.

Acción En La Cruz aid residents of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle by providing provisions in exchange for community services performed.landon5120.wix.com/accionenlacruz Alcoholics Anonymous: In English Puerto Vallarta Alanon Club - Basilio Badillo 329 recoverpv.com Amazing Grace Missions Assisting families in Magisterio & Progreso with necessities and job training and English. slw2014nv@gmail.com American Legion Post 14: raises resources and manpower to improve facilities needing building maintenance americanlegion14.org Amigos del Magisterio - Food delivered directly to workers at the PV dump, their families and schools in Magisterio and Volcanes. Also, food to New Beginnings, Pasitos de Luz, and Caritas. 100% of donations to the people, no overhead.amigosdelmagisterio.com lysephilrioux@hotmail.com Asilo San Juan Diego Home for the Elderly - Contact: Lupita Sanchez Covarrubias 222-1257 or malupita88@hotmail.com or mexonline.com\asilosanjuandiego.htm Asociación Down - Assistance to persons with Down’s Syndrome – Contact: Ana Eisenring at 224-9577.

Banderas Bay Women’s Shelter - Safe shelter for women & children victims of domestic violence. compassionforthefamily.org Becas Vallarta, A.C. – Provides scholarships to high school and university students. Tax-deductible in Mexico and USA. Polly Vicars at (322) 223-1371 or Buri Gray at (322) 221-5285.

CANICA - Centre for Children with Cancer. Provides aid for treatment and services including transportation to GDL. Contact Director, Evelia Basañes 322-123-5688.

Casa Hogar - A shelter for orphaned, abandoned, disadvan-

taged or vulnerable children.

Luz Aurora Arredondo at 221-1908, Rita Millan (322) 141-6974. casamaximocornejo@gmail.com Centro Comunitario SETAC-GLBT – Services the GLBT community, including treatment and referrals, education, English classes, HIV testing and counseling.

Paco Arjona 224-1974 Clinica de Rehabilitación Santa Barbara - Rehabilitation of the handicapped.

Contact: Laura Lopez Portillo Rodriguez at 224-2754.

COLINA Spay and Neuter Clinic - Free and by-donation sterilization clinic in Old Town. Only open Sundays, Contact: cez@ rogers.com or 322-104-6609 CompassionNet Impact – Transforming the lives of people living in chronic poverty. Job creation, education, emergency & more. Tax-deductible. Cell: (322) 133-7263 or ric@4compassion.org Corazon de Nina A safe, loving, home-environment for 20+ girls rescued from high-risk situations. Donations & volunteers always welcome! Totally self-funded. www.corazondenina.mx Cruz Roja (Red Cross) - Handles hospital and emergency service in Vallarta. It is the only facility that is authorized to offer assistance to injured people on the street. Contact: 222-1533, 222-4973 Desayunos para los Niños de Vallarta A.C. Feeding programs, education programs, day care centers for single mothers. 2234311 or 22225 72 Discapacitados de Vallarta, A.C. (DIVAC) association of handicapped individuals dedicated to helping one another.

Ivan Applegate at 221-5153.

Families At The Dump: Supporting families living in the landfill or garbage dump thru education and sustainable opportunities. familiesatthedump.org Fundacion Punta de Mita LDG. Ana Lilia Medina Varas de Valdés. ana@fundacionpuntademita.org Tel. (329) 291 5053 Friends of PV Animals Volunteers working to enhance the

PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE TRIBUNE AT PUERTO VALLARTA TOURISM OFFICES A PAGE IN THE SUN - ZONA ROMANTICA FREDY TUCAN´S - ZONA ROMANTICA NUEVO VALLARTA RESORTS CONSULATE OFFICES

DECAMERON RESORT - BUCERIAS BREAKER´S BEACH BAR - BUCERIAS YO-YO MO´S - BUCERIAS MARINA RIVIERA NAYARIT - LA CRUZ OSO RESTAURANT - LA CRUZ

lives of shelter animals. For info and donations visit friendsofpvanimals.com Grupo Ecológico de Puerto Vallarta: Arq. Luz del Carmen Pérez A cayro_13@hotmail.com grupoecologico.com Horizonte de Paz: Welcoming shelter for men of all ages who are troubled w/alcohol & drug addiction.In great need of cash or material resources Contact MAYNOR Tel 281 0644 horizontedepaz@live.com La Brigada de la Basura: A weekly meeting of neighborhood children to clean Vallarta Streets. Contact Que?Pasa 223-4006 Mexico Ministries & Mission, Inc. raises funds to the poor in Vallarta. Contact Fr. Jack+ 044 322 229-1129 christchurchbythesea.org Navy League - assists in the transportation of donated medical supplies from the U.S., organizes work groups to paint and repair facilities New Life Mexico - Challenging Child Poverty with health and education programs. Philippa Vernon pvp@newlifemexico.com Paraíso Felino AC Refuge and Adoption Centre for cats and kittens in the Bay of Banderas. Luis Donaldo Cel. (322) 120-4092 Pasitos de Luz - substitute home for low income children with any type of handicap, offers rehabilitation services and more.

299-4146. pasitosdeluz.org PEACEAnimals - Free mobile spay/neuter clinic operating 48 weeks a year, primarily in Puerto Vallarta. Tax-deductible. peaceanimals.org Pro Biblioteca de Vallarta - Raises funds for Los Mangos Public Library. Tax-deductible Ricardo Murrieta at 224-9966 Proyecto Pitillal, Busca un Amigo, A. C. - Association created by underprivileged mothers of paralyzed children. Contact: 299-0976.

Puerto Vallarta Garden Club: Beautify and protecting the environment. vallartagardenclub.com PuRR Project - A no-kill cat shelter, a natural un-caged environment. www.purrproject.com Roma’s Kids - Educate the children of the Volcanes and surrounding area: Math, English and computer programs a priority. 100% goes to the kids. kids.romamexico.com The International Friendship Club (IFC) - Supports the Cleft Palate Surgery Program & families in need. 322-222-5466.

Toys for Tots Vallarta - Distributes toys and constructs playgrounds for Puerto Vallarta area during the Christmas holiday period. Jerry Lafferty 322 221 6156 or lourdes.bizarro@marriotthotels.com.

Vallarta Saludable (Healthy) – Healthy living through organics, stevias, cooking workshops, serums reversing dialysis and reality show. NAOTF.org Suzy Chaffee suzynativevoices@aol.com