El mural es dirigido por Juan José Becerra Hernández.
Jazmín Stengel.- El nuevo mural, que aún no tiene título, se extenderá a lo largo de la calle Niños Héroes por 148 metros lineales, comenzando en el cruce con la avenida Francisco I. Madero y es dirigido por el muralista Juan José Becerra Hernández, autor de ‘Prodigio del Agave’.
El objetivo de la pintura es «congelar en el tiempo» la forma de vida que se tenía alrededor del Lago de Chapala entre los años 1900 y 1920. Donde se incluye escenas representativas como el tren y la estación, ahora conocida como Centro Cultural González Gallo, la pesca, los cerros de Ocotlán y los barcos de vapor que antes transportaban la comida de punta a punta, son las escenas plasmadas
La meta será crear una curva que describa a la laguna de Chapala’, expresó el autor de la obra. Sin embargo, la magia de «Juanjo» como es su firma, consiste en una técnica que te hace sentir dentro de la pintura. En el proceso hasta ahora han participado diez alumnos, de los cuales solo siete perduran.
By Lety Trejo
When we don’t have the right information, it’s difficult to give the body what it needs to work properly. For example, one of the most important components for the well-being of the digestive system is found in microbiota, which used to be known as intestinal flora. Microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, aukaryotes and viruses, are present throughout our bodies, so it’s important to clarify that we’re talking about intestinal microbiota. Our second brain, the intestines, depends on a balance of these compounds to separate nutrients in the food we eat from the waste they generate.
A healthy intestinal environment is key to prevention of many diseases, including mental health. For example, saturated fats help increase microbial populations associated with obesity. In contrast, foods rich in insoluble fiber such as vegetables, whole-grain bread and seeds, boost the growth of beneficial bacteria that may help you lose weight. This is according to research in the journal Gut and Liver. Research conducted at the University of Zaragoza shows these microorganisms regulate the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter related to our mood. Higher production of serotonin can improve our feeling of well-being.
If you want to maintain a healthy microbiota, stay away from three types of foods:
Industrial pastries have too much vegetable fat, combined with low quality flours.
Ice cream also has too much vegetable fat, as well as too many additives that provide a creamy texture. This category includes mayonnaise from the supermarket.
Artificial sweeteners, particularly those with aspartame, which has been proven to alter insulin resistance and damage the kidneys.
It would be impossible to cut our close relationship with these foods, so I advise you to do it:
Gradually + with constancy + with a lot of patience.
The best way to take care of the digestive system is to know that we are whole beings. The mind affects the body and the body affects the mind. Both affect the way we connect with the universe, with our fellow persons and with ourselves.
Don’t see a nutritionist with the idea of losing weight or looking less fat – that’s superficial. Instead, talk with a nutritionist about how to have healthier intestines and produce more serotonin for a more positive emotional state. Have a great weekend.
Translated by Mike Rogers
Garbage fills Gonzalez Gallo Avenue in Chapala.
Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- After the party, the garbage appears. Trash such as empty bottles, cigarette packs and beer containers are littered on Gonzalez Gallo Avenue in Chapala every weekend.
According to neighbors, at night it is common for groups of friends to get together to drink and leave without picking up their garbage.
The city workers who typically clean up the area are not on duty on Sundays, and on Mondays the garbage truck comes later than usual. Chapala residents say that it is now customary to see a large amount of garbage after visitors pass through on weekends.
Translated by Christalle Dalsted
Although the statewide trend was of job recovery, in Jocotepec jobs went down. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.
Staff.– Jocotepec was one of the municipalities in Jalisco that lost the most formal jobs during the month of February 2022, according to data from the Institute of Statistical and Geographic Information of Jalisco (IIEG).
According to the IMSS database of insured workers, the Lakeside town ranked third on the list of the 125 municipalities in the state with the greatest loss of formal employment during the past month.
In first place was Zacoalco de Torres with 903 workers laid off, followed by San Gabriel with 550 and in third place was Jocotepec with 119 jobs lost.
In contrast, the three municipalities that generated the most formal employment during February were Zapopán with 4,488 workers, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga with 1,618 and Guadalajara with 1,106.
At the state level, Jalisco registered an increase of 13,463 formal jobs in February 2022, mainly from the processing industries.
Translated by Sandy Britton
On one of the sides of the kiosk, metal windows have already been placed that will serve as a work table for the vendors.
The kiosk located in the center of the main square in Jocotopec, one of the icons of the town, will be adapted to accommodate street vendors.
Construction work began last week, taking advantage of the space inside the kiosk, presumably to relocate the two stands that sell fruit next to the municipal DIF.
So far, only two openings have been made in two of the sides for the installation of a metal window on each side, which can be folded down to serve as tables to display the products. City Hall personnel working on the project explained that they also plan to divide the internal part of the kiosk in two.
«I am only making the two windows, but I understand that a wall will be erected to divide it in two and create two stores,» commented one of the workers.
Felipe Aguilar Montes de Oca, Director of Social Communication, confirmed that the project to relocate one of the stalls is being carried out.
«Work is continuing on inside the kiosk for the fruit vendor who has yet to be relocated. As far as I know, it is for the one who has been selling here in the plaza for the longest time.»
The director was asked for the budget to be used for the project, which is being managed by the General Secretariat in coordination with Public Services, but there was no response.
With this measure, the Municipality of Jocotepec seeks to improve the urban image of the center of the city, with the relocation of the street vendors from the vicinity of the square and the streets surrounding the market.
Jocotepec’s kiosk dates from the middle of the last century and was remodeled only once during the administration of Jesús Palos Vaca (2004-2006). Since then, it has remained as it is currently known.
Translated by Sandy Britton
17 residents receive visas at Jocotepec City Hall in the presence of representatives of the Jalisco International Federation and Club Huejotitán, March 4, 2022. Photo: Courtesy.
Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- At least 17 people from the municipality of Jocotepec received temporary visas to reunite with their undocumented family members in the United States, after years without seeing each other.
The temporary visas were obtained thanks to the «Uniting Families» program, promoted by the Jalisco International Federation, in coordination with the Huejotitán Club, and the municipality.
In a public event in the Jocotepec main plaza, on Friday, March 4, 2022, 17 visas were handed out to residents who left the following day for San Jose, California to be reunited with their undocumented family members after years of not seeing each other. The initiative provides full support for flight expenses to the United States, as well as lodging. The visas are valid for 10 years and are eligible for renewal.
While this is seen as a step in the right direction, more needs to be done as there are still more than 190 applications to be reviewed from other residents wishing to be reunited with their families.
During the emotional event, in addition to handing out visas, the municipality also gave recognition to the staff of the Huejotitán Club and the Jalisco International Federation, «for their important work» in fulfilling dreams.
In his address, the municipal president, José Miguel Gómez López, spoke about the situation that many Mexican families face when one or more family members leave in search of better opportunities. When this entails going to other countries, the result is often a breakup of the family unit.
Although the president himself was unable to accompany the beneficiaries to San Jose, California for their long awaited reunion, the municipal trustee, Carlos Alberto Zúñiga Chacón, attended on his behalf.
The spokesperson for the municipality, Felipe Aguilar Montes de Oca, told residents that applications were still being accepted for others looking for support.
The only requirements to be considered for the program are to be 60 years of age or older; have a valid passport; have at least one direct family member (such as a child or sibling) living undocumented in the United States, and have no criminal record in the United States or Mexico.
Translated by Rebecca Zittle
Singer-songwriter Juan José Ramírez Campos is the creator of the song «Jocotepec, la tierra de Dios.» Photo: María Reynozo.
By: María del Refugio Reynozo Medina
Juan José Ramírez Campos, a native of Jocotepec, is a chess player, teacher, and lawyer, but above all, a singer-songwriter.
His mother tells him that, as a child, when they were on their way to school, Juan José used to sing. “Why don’t you shut up,” he was told one day. – “I can’t,» he answered.
In high school, Juan liked to play the flute. He composed his first song while studying for a bachelor’s degree in Education at the Escuela Normal Superior.
In high school he also entered the world of chess. He would go over and watch a group of students who played chess. He spent about two months watching them; one day one of them was absent and they asked him if he wanted to play. He remembers that he played against the weakest player and lost.
“I’m really bad,» he thought. He took it as a challenge, and with the help of a friend he learned. Since then he has not let go of chess; he has participated in municipal, state and world tournaments. He teaches chess at Tecnológico de Chapala and Colegio Jocotepec. He has two diplomas in chess didactics certified by the Ministry of Public Education, and has won international awards.
As a teacher, he has taught philosophy, sociology, economics and history at the Technical University of Guadalajara (UTEG).
Juan José also studied law with an interest in the area of public service. He was secretary general of the Jocotepec City Council from 2015 to 2018. He served as trustee and interim president of this body from 2018-2021.
However, of all his interests, the one that is essential for him is singing and playing the guitar. –“I don’t just play the guitar, I caress it,» he says.
He has 160 songs registered with the National Copyright Institute (INDAUTOR) over a twenty-year career. «Jocotepec, la Tierra de Dios» is his most recent work, written in 2020. For “Juanjo,” nickname for Juan José, the municipality is made up of a diversity of colors. In this piece, the images of the towns that make up the municipality emerge. Each delegation of the municipality has something beautiful to show, he says. The sarapes of Jocotepec and articles made in San Cristóbal Zapotitlán with corn are only a few of the diverse crafts of the lakeside municipality.
The first group to perform Juan José’s material was Banda Esmeralda («Por Ti Mujer»). «El Santo Cristo de la Expiración» has been recorded by Dina Buendia. An agreement is pending with a production company in San Luis Potosí to record «Que Nos Espera» and «La Flor del Edén.» In 2019 he recorded his album «Desde el Corazón de Mi Tierra» with eleven songs, nine of which he wrote himself.
The genres he sings most are huapangos, ballads and rancheras. His compositions are inspired by personal experiences or the issues he observes in society. The song «La Pobreza» came from watching a fire-eater and seeing a homeless man looking for food in the garbage.
Sometimes he is also commissioned to write compositions, like one that a friend asked him to write, «Make me a ballad.» The ballad came out between sips of beer.
His biggest dream is for his songs to be heard by more people.
A notebook and a pen are all he needs when inspiration strikes.
His grandparents taught him a taste for the voices of Agustín Lara, Armando Manzanero and Martín Urieta, and from them he also inherited the love for his land.
«Jocotepec is the land of my love,» he concludes.
Translated by Elisabeth Shields
Construction of the second stage is expected to be completed by mid-April.
Editor. A few weeks before finishing the second phase of the remodeling of the Auditorio de la Ribera in Ajijic, the Director of Planning, Linking and Sectorial Development of the State of Jalisco, Denisse Corona García, said that there is still no completion date or date for the beginning of the third and last stage of the project.
On March 9, state authorities gave a tour to a group of expat users of the auditorium, including course teachers, donors and cultural managers, to show off the work, which is 93 percent complete.
Corona García, together with the architect in charge of the inspection of the project, estimated that the work will tentatively begin in early 2023. However, for the last phase of the project there is still no authorization from the State Secretariat of Infrastructure and Public Works (SIOP). According to his projections, the second phase will have to be finished by mid-April. The last phase, which is the exterior areas, should not take more than six months.
The attendees questioned whether it is possible to use the completed phase of the Auditorio de la Ribera before the full completion of the project. Denisse Corona stated that it would not be feasible due to the risk of having people enter during the ongoing construction. Also, the decisions of the Secretary of Culture of the state depend on the resolutions of the SIOP.
The improvements included an increase in the number of seats, from 429 to 436; change of the carpet, installation of air conditioning and, soon, ramps for wheelchair access. In addition, the dressing rooms and classrooms are being remodeled.
During his last visit to Ajijic in September 2021, the Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, announced that the total cost of the project would amount to 58.5 million pesos (about US$2.8 million) as part of the project «Cardinal Culture», which aims to decentralize the culture of the state capital.
Translated by Christalle Dalsted
Norma Angélica Huerta García, 52, is the new director of CETAC 01 after receiving her appointment last February 21. Photo: Courtesy
Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- After almost five months in the position, Dr. Norma Angélica Huerta García received her official appointment as the director of the Center for Technological Studies in Continental Waters of Jocotepec (CETAC 01).
Huerta, 52 years old with more than 21 years of experience in the educational field, received her appointment along with 233 other directors of schools in 30 states of the country, on February 21 in Mexico City.
The new director has a degree in chemistry, as well as a master’s and doctorate in education. In an interview, she reiterated her commitment to young people in educational matters, assuring that they will always be the school’s priority.
«As an educational institution, our commitment is to provide the community with quality education, promoting the transformation of society; we will always promote learning excellence,» she said.
Huerta added that the academic commitment will be focused on the new trends of the educational system such as the New Mexican School, with a technological approach implemented in education.
The appointments of the 233 directors were delivered by Guillermo Antonio Solís Sánchez, head of the General Directorate of Agricultural Technological Education and Marine Sciences (DGETAyCM), for the period from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2025.
Translated by Christalle Dalsted
Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).– The new mural, (title unknown), will extend along Niños Héroes for 148 meters (about 485 feet), starting at the intersection with Francisco I. Madero. Muralist Juan José Becerra Hernández, author of Prodigio del Agave (Prodigy of the Agave) is directing the mural.
The objective of the painting is to show a snapshot of daily life at Lake Chapala between 1900 and 1920. Some of the scenes of daily life include: the train and the station (now The González Gallo Cultural Center), fishing, the hills of Ocotlán, and the steamboats that used to transport food from one end of the lake to the other.
The artist said that the goal is to create a piece of artwork that reflects Lake Chapala. The magic of «Juanjo,” (short for Juan José), is partly due to his signature technique that makes you feel as if you are inside the painting. Ten students have participated in the work so far; only seven are still working on it currently.
Translated by Amy Esperanto
© 2016. Todos los derechos reservados. Semanario de la Ribera de Chapala