«Temporary» dumps by City Hall persist, according to neighbors of the community of San Luciano.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía: About ten tons of garbage has accumulated near the Guadalajara – Morelia ramp by the San Juan Cosalá highway, reported neighbors of the community.

According to those interviewed, City Hall personnel continue to dump garbage on the stretch about 20 meters before the ramp leading to Guadalajara from the Carretera.

«We have already reported it, but it seems that this will continue and it makes us sad,» commented one of the complainants who travels daily along the stretch and sees the gradual increase in garbage.

Those interviewed said that there is already about ten tons of garbage accumulated and that despite the reports, there has been no response from the municipality.

Residents of the community of San Luciano lament the clandestine dumping of garbage.

“Apparently, they have made it a temporary landfill,» one of the interviewees stated, and expressed his concern about the garbage collection crisis, which persists and, in his eyes, does not seem to be coming to an end. The situation has been going on for some time and is beginning to generate complications, such as the release of bad odors, as well as the contamination of the land and the landscape.

Although Semanario Laguna has not yet been to the site of the report, the neighbors claimed  with despair that this will continue, and urged the City Hall to take action on the matter.

This is not the first incident of clandestine garbage dumping:, one person interviewed recalled that Semanario Laguna had covered another incident in the community of San Luciano.

Neighbors of the community were concerned about the possibility that it will be another temporary dump.  The community is waiting to see what will happen with the waste generated by the Señor del Monte festivities, as they remain skeptical about the fate of the waste.

«Let’s just hope they already have a landfill to deposit all the garbage from the festivities, we don’t want them to come and dump it here,» urged the residents of the community of San Luciano. 

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

Maximiliano Macias Arceo’s priorities are sports, the proper functioning of all services and working hand in hand with the people of Ajijic

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jal.)- Three months after taking office, the head of the town of Ajijic, Maximiliano «Max» Macías Arceo, said that the unforeseen events that have occurred at the beginning of the administration (such as the landslide that affected mainly La Canacinta and the unexpected fall of a tree in the main square) have not distracted him from his goal. His intention is to improve public services for the population, such as street cleaning and the patching of cobblestones.

For Macías Arceo it is of utmost importance to optimally maintain services such as availability of drinking water, street lighting and street cleaning in addition to maintaining communication with the people of Ajijic to learn their needs first hand. 

«The work we have been doing is mostly maintenance. For example, repairs in the main square, in the services of the boardwalk, several cleanings in the creek of the cemetery, as well as in the streets,» he named as the work done in the last three months.

As for the projects that are coming up for Ajijic, he said that although sometimes people are looking to see big works, both he and the president of Chapala, Alejandro Aguirre Curiel, seek to prioritize works that really benefit the population and not projects that are just done for the sake of doing.

«Ones that will always continue to be done are, for example, patching potholes, for which I have always asked Public Works to use a sustainable material. Currently they point out that it is jal, when in reality it is composed of 90 percent of a volcanic soil called tepetate and 10 percent jal (pumice), in order to maintain the tradition and image of the town.»

On the other hand, he commented that they are already working on finishing the works of the Ajijic Sports Unit located in La Floresta in the area of Los Carriles, since the previous administration did not complete them. 

One of the projects is to finish the Ajijic Sports Unit, located in front of Los Carriles, in La Floresta.

He and the person in charge of sports in Ajijic, Alejandro González, are very enthusiastic about these works. They are also planning to maintain the soccer field located to the west of Ajijic in the area known as El Bajío, as well as the future construction of bathrooms in the area of La Cruz (at the end of Nicolas Bravo Street, where the Malecón corridor ends) and the cleaning of the lakeshore.

«We want to provide works that give good service to everyone, to have the areas of the square, the streets and the boardwalk ready and conditioned for everyone to go and enjoy, as well as to give attention to all Ajijic beyond the center. The president, the head of COMUDE (The Municipal Sports Council) Ajijic, and above all the people, are working together to achieve this,» declared Macias Arceo.

Colón Street, in the center of Ajijic, is a good example of the maintenance that the cobblestones of the streets of the Pueblo Mágico have received

Max added that for him, the most important thing is to reactivate sports and work with young people, carry out multiple cleaning campaigns and the creation of committees in the neighborhoods to have a more immediate communication.

Finally, he was asked if he would run in the town elections, to which he responded, «The future is uncertain and I could not say now if I would do it. If the people, because of my work, asked me to do so, I would do it. I would not make promises, I would base it on the actions and the work that has already been done. My stay in this position has always been to seek a positive change in Ajijic.»

Translated by Sydney Metrick

Cleanup of Emiliano Zapata street, where workers picked up debris, tires and an abandoned vending cart (Photo: Delegación Ajijic 2021-2024).

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jal.)- After  government workers  clean Ajijic’s streets and removed handbills, armchairs, tires and even an abandoned vintage vehicle, the Head of Office of the Ajijic delegation, Maximiliano Max Macías Arceo asked people to stop  discarding their trunks and garbage in the streets. 

Max commented that in the last stretch they cleaned, Zapata Street from its intersection with Revolución, within  two blocks the truck was full of tires, old chairs, and other junk thrown on the side of the street.  The workers also  cleaned the creek in the Ajijic Cemetery for the third time  because people throw so much garbage in it.   He  added that the cleanup work will continue over the next few days.  

Stream next to the cemetery before being cleaned (Photo; Delegación Ajijic 2021-2024).

«In the case of the cemetery, a budget has already been requested for a gate because the creek is always open and used as a dumping ground for debris, garden garbage, and  old furniture. The entrance of people will not be affected, only the creek will be closed, and  signs  posted with the number of the delegation for reports of this practice», commented Max.

He also e said that they have received many reports about the streets, requesting cleanings  so he asked for the support of the residents to  keep the streets clean for a long time.

«In some cases, it is cleaned, and a few days later, the garbage is back. This is because in some places the garbage bags are put outside  before the truck passes, like the night before, and the stray dogs break the bags.  So the next day the people from the truck only take the bags that are closed , forcing us to clean up garbage constantly. I ask for your support to remove the garbage in a timely manner,» he said.

Discarded armchairs in the street (Photo: Delegation Ajijic 2021-2024).

Max, said that if any inhabitant of the delegation needs to throw away tires, instead of taking them to the street, they should call the number of the delegation (33 3490 0382), so that they can be picked up for an amount of 10 pesos per tire,  and they will be sent to Ecology Chapala which pays 12 pesos per tire for them to be discarded.

Likewise, for large items, such as furniture, the delegation offers the service, because it has authorization from the landfill to pick them up and take them to their final destination. He commented that the service is free, and to request it, they also have to call the number of the delegation.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

El Módulo de Salud Mental Chapala ofrece apoyo psicológico a la ciudadanía de Chapala de lunes a jueves.

Redación.- El Módulo de Salud Mental Chapala que forma parte de la red del Instituto Jalisciense de Salud Mental (SALME) ofrece atención psicológica a la ciudadanía a través de consultas externas, intervención en crisis y urgencias.

La consulta externa ofrece atención psicológica, psiquiátrica y de trabajo social; mientras que la intervención en crisis brinda primeros auxilios psicológicos y contención emocional y contención emocional a personas en situación de crisis.

El servicio también cuenta con atención de urgencias en casos de agresividad, riesgo suicida, síntomas psiquiátricos agudos, trastornos graves de juicio o conducta, negativa a los alimentos por más de 72 horas, efectos secundarios graves a medicamentos psiquiátricos, entre otros.

Para recibir estos servicios, acude a trabajo social de lunes a jueves de 9:00 AM a 2:00 PM con los siguientes requisitos copia de póliza de seguro vigente, copia de CURP, copia de identificación vigente y un comprobante de domicilio.

Contáctanos al (376) 76 53 430, o escríbenos al correo msmchapala@outlook.com. Nos encontramos en la calle Lázaro Cárdenas 29 B, colonia Plaza de Toros, en Chapala con horarios de atención de lunes a jueves de 8:00 AM a 3:30 PM.     

Some of the houses on Zaragoza Street still preserve the typical architecture of Ajijic and  bright murals on their facades.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jalisco) – The 2022 Jalisco State Expenditure Budget allocates 15 million pesos for the nine Magical Towns of the state, ‘which would mean 1.666 million pesos for Ajijicif, as  it was last year, the  budget is split equally among Jalisco’s nine Pueblos Mágicos.

In 2021 Ajijic  received 1.333 million  pesos for its Pueblo Mágico budget, some of which was returned unused to the State.  Part of the budget was  slated for  a festival that never took place due to the pandemic, some for a  mural contest, some for an as yet unopened information booth on the boardwalk, and  some for signage that has not been completed. 

The 2022 Expenditure Budget of the Government of Jalisco has prioritized  health, security, education and infrastructure but it has allocated 152 million pesos to tourism, of which 15 million are for the nine Magical Towns: Tapalpa, Mazamitla, Lagos de Moreno, Mascota, San Sebastián del Oeste, Talpa de Allende, Tequila, San Pedro Tlaquepaque and Ajijic. 

To learn more details about the Pueblos Mágicos in our state, visit the website: https://secturjal.jalisco.gob.mx/nuestro-estado/pueblos-magicos. 

Translated  by Patrick O’Heffernan

City Hall bets on community outreach to improve tax collection. Photo: Courtesy.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- The municipality of Jocotepec approved a general increase of five percent in taxes for the fiscal year 2022, said Marcela Jiménez Góngora, director of the Treasury.

The new revenue law proposed by the Plenary of the Jocotepec City Council was approved by the Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, through the secretary of the H. Congress of the State, under decree number 28644/LXIII/21.

The Public Treasury of Jocotepec projects the estimated collection of 205,661,384 pesos during the fiscal year from January 1 to December 31, 2022.

Water service, like other services, will increase by five percent, except for «some users in very specific cases, who will have a higher percentage because there was some update in their accounts,» commented the interviewee.

In this case, the director suggested approaching the potable water directorate to specify the charges, since the intention is to encourage the community to bring current accounts.

However, in order to reach the collection goal, the Jocotepec City Hall has implemented new measures to generate an approach to the community and encourage people to pay their taxes on time.

A new online payment platform is available where a bot will display a menu with the property or water bill and will generate a reference to make the payment in OXXO, payment at cash registers, even via WhatsApp.

Also, the City Hall announced the new expanded hours to pay taxes that will include Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

This after José Miguel Gómez López declared that the municipality was under a terrible administration of the collection issue, «there was chaos in the collection issue, such as water, many irregularities,» said the mayor.

While the new measures are expected to improve tax collection, the Treasury Director assured that they will wait until January 15 to have a comparison of how much the new measures helped the population to regularize and pay their taxes on time.

Translated by Kerry Watson

The remodeling of the restrooms at Chapala City Hall is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.

Jazmín Stengel –Director of Social Communication Elizabeth Oropeza announced today that the ongoing remodeling of the restrooms at Chapala City Hall will cost approximately  70 thousand pesos and should be completed in a few weeks.  She added that the facilities are being completely remodeled because they were left in very bad condition.

She said that the remodeling consisted of «gutting of the previous restrooms, unclogging and cleaning the  drains, replacing  drinking water pipes, tiling walls, installing  new wall and floor tiles, as well as new bowls, urinals and sinks. » 

In the next stage,  the doors  will be repainted, and the glass in  the mirrors will be replaced, and new screens installed. «Only the screens are contracted out; the rest  of the work is being performed by City Hall’s employees, » Oropeza pointed out.

The remodeling of the  bathrooms in the  Chapala City Hall does not require the supervision of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), because the building was constructed after 1900.The director of Municipal Patrimony, Antonio Velazco,  said that «the  law establishes that it (INAH ) protects paleontological, archeological, historical and artistic assets produced before 1900». Since the building  was constructed in 1908 as the Antiguo Hotel Nido de Chapala, it is exempt.

Callejón Azucena, used as a private garage by the Lomelí family, according to neighbors in the area.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala). A little more than 100 days into the 2021-2024 administration and despite the fact that it was a campaign promise of the new president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, the accesses to the Lake are still closed to the general public. No information has been given as to when they will be opened.

Laguna investigated the current situation of the accesses to the Lake from Hidalgo Avenue in the municipal capital. They were closed to the public in 2020 during the administration of Moisés Alejandro Anaya Aguilar (2018-2021) and have remained closed.

At the time, Moisés Anaya (who is now a councilman) declared, «if we remove the gates we could be involved in a criminal offense, therefore, we are investigating thoroughly so as not to incur criminal charges.”  The investigation remained open.

Callejón Las Palomas, according to former president Moisés Anaya this place was sold to private individuals.

Before the end of his administration, Moisés Anaya argued that the failure to remove the gates that prevented the fishermen of Barrio de Lourdes from entering was for the safety of the neighbors who had previously suffered robberies. 

The National Water Commission (CONAGUA) clarified in its visit on October 28, 2020 that the opening of the alleys with access to the Lake on Hidalgo Avenue is an action that is the responsibility of the Municipality of Chapala. The previous Director of Ecology and Sustainable Development, José Guadalupe Jaime Ibáñez was also informed that these alleys are not in a federal zone and the review work should be headed by the Municipal Government. To date, no action has been taken.

The first alley ‘Azucena’ is being used as a garage for a private house.  The cyclone mesh gate is next to an entrance, observed Laguna. According to neighbors, the alley is restricted by the Lomelí family, «they decide who has access and who doesn’t,» even though it is a public space. 

Callejón del Arroyo was closed by Villa Hamburgo.

The next privatized space ‘Callejón Las Palomas’ has an entrance marked with the number 41, a doorbell and a security video camera. According to the former president Moisés Anaya during his administration, the place was sold as private property.

A small alleyway identified by neighbors as ‘El arroyo’ was also closed off with cyclone mesh and barbed wire, about ten meters from the sidewalk, just behind the bushes that cover their easy view. «This alley was taken over by Villa Hamburgo which is located next to it,» neighbors assured.

The owners of Villa Marijo, marked 266 Hidalgo Avenue, took possession of the unnamed alley next to their property, installing a blue metal fence that prevents passage to the lake. Initially the fence was exposed to view, now it is covered by a handful of «decorative» trees in pots.

Villa Marijo’s invasion of the alley next to the property.

Finally, the University of Guadalajara, with the Villa Montecarlo hotel, which for many years has had an alley on its property, joins this list of landowners blocking the way to the lake.

«It is very bad that they are blocked, because these alleys have been there for years and years. They give people access to the lake, the fishermen, tourists and others. The authorities do agree that the inhabitants of these houses block these streets», said a neighbor.

There are other neighbors who do not look favorably on this type of action; however, they understand that access to these spaces have facilitated illicit activities in the past, including drug use, urination in the streets, and house burglary. 

Translated Nita Rudy

La laguna de Chapala. Foto: Héctor Ruíz. 

Por: Daniel Jiménez Carranza

Una vez rebasada la pandemia decembrina de celebraciones y la alegría de los pequeños por sus regalos de reyes, ahora nos corresponde emprender los cambios que nos hemos propuesto este año, para mejorar en todos aspectos, no solo el económico, que es  consecuencia de estos previos:  el familiar, político, social.   Los tiempos que nos corresponde afrontar como individuos y como sociedad, requieren del mejor desarrollo de una auténtica conciencia.

Los aspectos enunciados, empezando por el familiar, son piedra angular en la construcción de una nueva sociedad mejor preparada, más libre, más capacitada, a todos los padres nos incumbe la responsabilidad irrenunciable de formar adecuadamente a nuestros descendientes, no podemos delegar esta responsabilidad a los profesores, al estado, y ocuparnos egoístamente sólo de nuestro trabajo, de nuestros amigos, de actividades que se nos presentan y distraen nuestra atención de la tarea primordial y fundamental que es la formación de nuestros hijos dentro de una sana convivencia familiar.

El aspecto político, sin duda es otro de los elementos que debemos de fomentar a nivel de formación personal, e impulsar en nuestros descendientes el interés por la información crítica de los acontecimientos con los que convivimos diariamente, y que regulan nuestra vida en todos nuestros actos;  importante es el hecho de  crear una conciencia objetiva libre de partidismos o ideologías,  lo importante que debe impulsarse es la inquietud por la investigación y la formación de un criterio personal, que contribuya a la diversidad y evolución positiva de la sociedad, pues el círculo familiar es la semilla que engendra a la sociedad de un país.

El contexto social de formación, podemos decir que representa también un punto medular familiar, pues el individuo como tal, convive y se desarrolla en un ámbito en el que se relaciona con diferentes entes, al interior, lo que es el círculo familiar, y hacia el exterior, lo que es la escuela, los compañeros de clase, amigos, profesores, compañeros de trabajo, etc.    Todos ellos, individuos y espacios que requieren ser vistos como entidades autónomas en donde el respeto por la identidad de la persona, por lo ajeno, deben ser considerados elementos esenciales de la diversidad, con la aceptación de todo lo que involucra sus hábitos, sus costumbres, forma de vida, etc., evitando caer en el enjuiciamiento que divide a la sociedad; importante también es la consideración de apoyo a las personas en condición de necesidad, que no pueden valerse por sí mismas, o que atraviesan por situaciones de crisis, en donde cualquiera de nosotros puede contribuir a paliar su condición.

Emprendiendo sanos propósitos, iniciaremos el camino hacia la construcción de una nueva prosperidad personal, familiar y de nuestro país, en todos los ámbitos.

La escasez de alimentos podría afectar a nuestra nación, como está sucediendo en Estados Unidos y Europa. 

 Abigail A. Correa Cisneros

Debido a la alta demanda energética; pero también al cambio climático, es que nos enfrentamos al aumento de precios en alimentos y básicos. Asimismo, la pandemia de Covid-19 propició que trabajadores tuvieran que parar producción y supermercados también se afectaron por problemas en la cadena de suministro. En el caso de México no ha sido así, pero ya vemos en el mercado los elevados costos de los productos.

Datos de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) muestran el aumento en carnes, lácteos, cereales, aceites vegetales y azúcares en 28.1 por ciento, desde el 6 de enero.

Los 58 productos de la canasta básica en México aumentaron 15 por ciento. De acuerdo con el monitoreo quincenal del Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), al cierre de 2021 para la adquisición de la canasta agroalimentaria un mexicano necesitaba desembolsar en promedio 2 mil 549 pesos, mientras que el año pasado lo hacía con 2 mil 207 pesos, es decir, requiere de 342 pesos adicionales.

Por otra parte, la Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, informó que, al mes de noviembre de 2021, la balanza comercial agroalimentaria del país (agropecuaria y agroindustrial) alcanzó un superávit de seis mil 333 millones de dólares.

Con base en cifras del Banco de México (Banxico), en los primeros once meses del año pasado el comercio total agroalimentario de México con sus socios comerciales alcanzó 74 mil 246 millones de dólares. El 54.3 por ciento correspondió a las ventas realizadas por nuestro país.

A su vez, la balanza agropecuaria y pesquera para dicho período presentó un saldo positivo de mil 24 millones de dólares, con ventas por 17 mil 809 millones de dólares y compras del exterior por 16 mil 785 millones de dólares, pese a un mayor aumento en estas últimas.

Agricultura indicó que, en el rubro de productos agroindustriales, las exportaciones alcanzaron 22 mil 481 millones de dólares y las importaciones 17 mil 172 millones de dólares, resultando así un superávit comercial de cinco mil 309 millones de dólares en el lapso enero-noviembre de 2021.

La dependencia refirió que las bebidas, hortalizas y frutas fueron los principales grupos de exportación, ya que concentraron más del 61 por ciento del total, con 23, 19 y 19 por ciento de participación, respectivamente.

La Secretaría de Agricultura anotó que más del 57 por ciento de las importaciones se concentró en cuatro grupos: cereales, con 21 por ciento; cárnicos, con 15 por ciento; semillas y frutos oleaginosos, con 15 por ciento, y lácteos, huevos y miel, con 6.0 por ciento. Habría que revisar las políticas en el sector porque, de acuerdo con expertos, estamos importando la inflación internacional al consumir productos que acabamos comprando al exterior, pero al mismo tiempo producimos en el territorio con la finalidad de exportar.

DESDE EL CENTRO

La Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural celebró un seminario virtual sobre la Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos (RAM), con el objetivo de concientizar a la población sobre los efectos adversos del mal uso de estos medicamentos para la salud pública y animal, así como para la sanidad vegetal y el medio ambiente. La RAM es un fenómeno natural de adaptación que desarrollan los microorganismos como bacterias, hongos, virus y parásitos ante la presencia de los medicamentos antimicrobianos. Este proceso genera la aparición de microorganismos resistentes a los fármacos utilizados para tratar las infecciones, lo cual ocasiona severos problemas en la salud pública y animal, ya que dificulta el control de las infecciones… La cantidad de infecciones por COVID entre los inmigrantes detenidos en los centros de detención del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de EU (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) ha aumentado en un 520 por ciento desde principios de 2022, según estadísticas del gobierno citadas por la cadena CBS, debido a la alta propagación de la variante Ómicron.