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The Delegation of Ajijic serves as a collection box to facilitate the process for senior citizens. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Sofía Medeles (Ajjic).– More than 100 people paid their property taxes at the Ajijic delegation on Feb. 19 and 26, instead of having to go to Chapala for their payments. Acting Delegado Maximiliano “Max” Macias Arceo said the measure was designed to make it easier for Ajijic residents, especially senior citizens, to pay taxes.

“It is difficult for some older adults to get to Chapala, take the bus, get to the line, sometimes they do not hear their number and miss their turn,” Macias said. “With payments in  Ajijic , it is more convenient for them and it doesn’t take so long to pay. They arrive, we write them down and pass them on. It takes less than five minutes.”

Macias said at least 50 people came on the first Saturday scheduled for the payments. About the same number took advantage of the opportunity the following Saturday.

“It was very orderly, and they arrived early,” he said. “Although the start was announced at 9:30 in the morning, at 9:00 there were already people there. Many people were arriving throughout the day.” He said the process was very fast.

Although the agreements are handled exclusively in the municipal seat of Chapala, senior citizen or widower discounts are also applied in the delegation. If taxes are paid in January or February, the discount is 15%. If paid in March, the discount would be 5%.

Macias said they hope to have more Ajijic dates in March. Those dates will be announced in the next few weeks.  

Ajijic residents consulted by Semanario Laguna confirmed that the measure has been favorable for the elderly, and even simplifies the process for the general population. 

“The way it is organized here is faster and easier than in Chapala,” said Blanca. “Overin Chapala, it usually takes all morning to make the payment. But here, it is just a matter of getting organized on Saturday and finishing the pending payment in less than half an hour. Hopefully it will continue this year, and also in the coming years.”

Translated by Mike Rogers

Niños liderando la comparsa, ondeando sin cansancio las banderas del desfile. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

Héctor Ruíz.- Se celebró con éxito, el Martes de  Carnaval “Confeti, Magia y Diversión” en San Juan Cosalá, en el municipio de Jocotepec.

Una de las comparsas alegóricas con temática futbolera. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

Entre fallas técnicas, carros alegóricos que no pudieron presentarse y más de media hora de retraso, el desfile en el que participaron más de 200 personas, entre ellas alrededor de 150 niños, arrancó casi a las 5:00 de la tarde desde la calle Cardenal Sur. 

El paso de la caravana del Carnaval a través de la céntrica calle Porfirio Díaz. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

El carro alegórico principal, ornamentado en alusión a un Pavo Real con dos jóvenes en sus costados arrojando confeti. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

Señor de mayor edad, disfrazado y sentado en la cabina de la pick up que cerraba la caravana del desfile. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

Niños sobre un carro, disfrutando el confeti que no deja de caer. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

Niño vestido del personaje conocido como la sayaca. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.

Eva Longoria in Mezcala de la Asunción. 

Eva Longoria, an American actress of Mexican descent, visited Mezcala de la Asunción, on the shores of Lake Chapala on February 24th.

Longoria is working on a project to film CNN’s “Buscando a México» , a series about Mexican food, which will premier later this year. During her visit to the Riviera, the actress was at the restaurant Paraje Insurgente and filmed some scenes on the island of Mezcala. 

She was also captured eating a torta ahogada in the city of Guadalajara as part of the production. The actress will travel much of the nation for the project. 

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

El lago más grande de México ha perdido 36 centímetros en lo que va del estiaje. Foto: Archivo.

Redacción.- En lo que va de la temporada de estiaje, el Lago de Chapala ha perdido 36 centímetros, por lo que se ubica en la cota 95.75, al 71 por ciento de su capacidad, según la Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA). 

70 new lamps light up Ajijic’s malecon. Photo: Sofía Medeles. 

Sofía Medeles: Personnel from the Ajijic delegation replaced the bulbs of 70 streetlamps To improve illumination on the malecon. 

The installation work, as well as the pruning of some trees, was carried out on Wednesday, February 16. The new bulbs are distributed between the walkway and La Amistad Park. 

Delegation personnel carried out the installation last February 16 on the malecon. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Maximiliano Macías Arceo, the acting delegate of Ajijic, stated that bulbs that were removed but still work will be placed in areas with lighting problems, such as Lázaro Cárdenas Street or La Canacinta neighborhood.

Translated by Sandy Britton

The portal contains fact sheets about the fauna present at Lake Chapala, one of them being the American White Pelican. Photo: Farid Bak. 

Editor.- The Program “Bosques+Agua+Gente para Chapala” (Forests+ Water+ People of Chapala) has created a website about Lake Chapala and its environmental importance to the region. 

The website’s goal is to inform the public about the wonders of, and challenges to, the Lake Chapala basin. This digital space presents clear, organized and solidly sourced information, aimed both at the public of the Lake Chapala shore, as well as those of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (ZMG).

The website discusses in detail the biological heritage of Lake Chapala. Information and photos are listed about the unique birds, animals, reptiles, fish and mammals found in the region.  Another area of the website discusses the value of vegetation, forests, mountains and groundwater. A chart of the 19 problems that affect the world’s lakes has been posted.  The 15 problems present in the Chapala basin are discussed in detail.   There is a map of the region listing the current projects addressing environmental concerns.  

This website is part of a program to conserve the beauty and natural wealth of the lake.  It will be an important, informative platform for anyone who loves or lives at Lakeside. 

It is funded by the Fondo Mexicano Para Conservacíon de La Naturaleza, A.C; Rio Arronte Fundación and the Corazone de La Tierra Institute de Desarrollo Ambiental.

The address for the website is www.lagodechapala.org. It is in Spanish only, but can be viewed in English with a Chrome browser and Google Translate plug-in.

Translated by Nita Rudy

Maximiliano Macías Arceo, acting Ajijic delegate. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- Semanario Laguna talked to a group of 29 Ajijic residents  last week, and found that  17  of them expressed their approval for the current  Acting Ajijic delegate, Maximiliano Macías Arceo. The conversations covered residents living between Six Corners, to the west of the town, and Flores Magón. Seminario Laguna interviewed 29 residents. The poll questions included:

1) Do you know the work of the delegate?
2) Do you like the way he has worked so far?
3) Do you think we need an election to choose a delegate?

Responding to  the first two questions, only two people disapproved of his work and management. As for the elections, 17 people preferred that Macías Arceo remain in the post, while 12 people said there should be an official vote.

Don Pepe, who lives on Álvaro Obregón, commented that, although he thought Macías Arceo’s performance was good, he also thought an election would be fair, «if the people have other options, it would be fair and legal to hold a vote, so that everyone feels heard,» he said. 

Another resident commented, «I like how the delegate has worked, the opportunities he gives, and the response his office has given to people who approach him asking for help. If there were an election, I am concerned that the person elected might not have as good a working relationship with the new administration in Chapala, and as a result, Ajijic might suffer. Or that the winner of the election might not work as hard.” We are fine with Max, and he is very supportive of the people,» commented another interviewee.

Eli, another respondent, believes that a vote is important. It is important that the delegate represents the different opinions of the population they represent. Although she thinks Macías Arceo does his job well, she would like to have the option to choose a delegate. 

Gaby, another resident, offered a different perspective, «it is important to vote, but in this case, I do not see another person more suitable or apt to do the job that Max is doing. He has respond to  several reports, regardless of the time, the place, or the person who is requesting. For example, the day the tree fell in the plaza, it was already about eleven o’clock at night; he and his wife were helping right away. Who else is going to offer that availability? The President will choose the best person for the job, but personally, I would like him to stay.»

Likewise, Adán added that he is very satisfied with the work. He believes Ajijic needs a proactive delegate. Previous ones have left much to be desired. «I don’t think an election is necessary since he has demonstrated that he can handle the position. It would be absurd to hold elections when we already have someone who has worked very well, and has demonstrated that he is up to the job.»

Municipal President, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel stated that all current delegates will remain in place until the end of pandemic restrictions. This applies to the delegates of all five towns in the Chapala municipality: Ajijic, San Antonio Tlayacapan, Santa Cruz de la Soledad, San Nicolás de Ibarra and Atotonilquillo. 

 «As of October 1st, there will be office managers or delegados in each town, and as we go along, we will see about the election, depending on the work done by the office managers,» mentioned Aguirre Curiel before the start of his 2021-2024 administration. 

During his previous administration, (2001-2004), it was stipulated in the Organic Government Regulations that it was essential to call for delegate elections during the first three months after the current administration started, however, with the changes made in 2018, there is now no specific deadline to call for elections.

Translated by Amy Esperanto

El portal contiene fichas informativas sobre la fauna presente en el lago, siendo uno de ellos el Pelícano Blanco Americano. Foto: Farid Bak.

Redacción.- El Instituto de Desarrollo Ambiental “Corazón de la Tierra”, lanzó un sitio web sobre el Lago de Chapala y su importancia ambiental para la región.

La página “Chapala Lago Vivo” fue creada como un espacio virtual de información
y educación sobre el valor, riqueza y retos enfrentados por el vaso lacustre y su
cuenca.

En este espacio digital se presenta información clara, organizada y de fuentes
sólidas, dirigida tanto al público de la ribera del Lago Chapala, así como a los de la Zona Metropolitana de Guadalajara (ZMG).

La plataforma cuenta con cuatro secciones temáticas: Joya de agua, Las misteriosas Sierras de Chapala, Muchos problemas ¿de dónde vienen? y ¡Muchas manos aplicando soluciones!, con 52 fichas de plantas y animales de la región. También tiene dos secciones de orientación y un mapa interactivo de proyectos en marcha.

El portal se puede consultar a través de la dirección www.lagodechapala.org.

Los agentes encontraron nueve envoltorios con la droga conocida como cristal entre las pertenencias del joven.

Redacción.- Oficiales de la Secretaría de Seguridad del Estado (SSE) detuvieron a un hombre que fue sorprendido en presunta posesión de droga sintética en Chapala. 

El hecho se registró en el cruce de las calles Chacales y López Mateos, en la colonia Santa María, donde policías estatales que mantenían labores de vigilancia aplicaron los protocolos de seguridad a Braulio Esteban “N”, de 18 años, quien previamente había intentado evadirlos. 

Braulio Esteban “N”, fue detenido en la colonia San María de Chapala.

De este modo, entre sus pertenencias los agentes encontraron nueve envoltorios tipo ziploc con la droga conocida como cristal, por lo que fue remitido al Ministerio Público para ser investigado. 

Lago de Chapala. Foto: Héctor Ruíz. 

Por: Daniel Jiménez Carranza

En las actuales condiciones en que nos desenvolvemos, condicionadas por múltiples factores que nos someten a convivir en espacios limitados, es necesario considerar el incremento de entornos públicos de esparcimiento que permitan a la población despejarse del encierro en sus domicilios, cuyo resultado desemboca en considerables casos, en tensiones familiares como consecuencia del limitado entorno de convivencia, trátese de hogares amplios o reducidos, lo cierto es que la estrecha convivencia, genera fricciones entre sus ocupantes.

Dicha condición, obliga a las familias a buscar alternativas fuera de su vivienda, para oxigenar la relación entre sus miembros, encontrándose a su alrededor con reducidas posibilidades de espacios para este propósito, pues dentro del ramillete  existente, sólo existen espacios para el desempeño mecánico de movilidad como es la larga ciclopista, que pone en riesgo el acceso peatonal del individuo, y no se diga de grupos familiares, pues tratándose de este último aspecto,  sería necesario que cada miembro, contara con un instrumento de movilidad de este tipo, lo cual no es posible en muchos de los casos.

Es importante considerar este punto, como elemento fundamental el dotar de infraestructura recreativa  al Municipio enlazando sus Delegaciones, mediante un plan de desarrollo que considere la implementación de espacios recreativos y esparcimiento, aprovechando los recursos naturales que permiten la sana convivencia y estimulan la integración familiar, uno de ellos, sería la ampliación del malecón a lo largo de la ribera del Municipio, enlazando las distintas Delegaciones del Municipio, ampliando los limitados entornos existentes en cada Delegación, que también  atraería a otro tipo de turismo y no sólo el consumista depredador del entorno;  crear veredas claramente señalizadas y acotadas en las montañas y cerros del Municipio, en donde puedan caminar y ejercitarse, además de disfrutar de  la belleza de  los espacios naturales que constituyen una riqueza de la flora y fauna de la Región.

La construcción de la ciclopista ha sido sin duda, un  paso acertado en esta dirección, aunque aún no se encuentra en pleno funcionamiento, pues existen tramos en donde no se ha puesto en operación el alumbrado, así como los espacios construidos para sembrar árboles, están secos y descuidados; ahora toca hacer justicia al peatón, al hombre de a pie y su familia, que también  reclaman un espacio de esparcimiento que contribuya a la integración familiar, y por ende, social.