Localidades

The City Council seeks to regularize the service. Photo: Courtesy.

 Héctor Ruiz Mejía.– For at least 18 months, the Municipal Government will use the garbage dump located in the La Loma ejido, west of the Jocotepec headwaters.

 While the project to close the irregular landfill that has been polluting the area for more than 20 years is completed, around 27 thousand more tons of garbage will be dumped in the landfill, accommodating the 50 tons per day generated by the riverside municipality.

The closure is intended not only to save costs for the company Grupo Integral de Recolección y Reciclados de Occidente (GIRRSA).  It costs  Jocotepec 15,595 pesos per day to dispose of garbage in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, 467 thousand 850 pesos a month.  By shifting disposal to La Loma,  the county will save eight million 420 thousand pesos in 18 months.

 Once the La Loma landfill is closed, the construction of a new one will be sought in the Huejotitán delegation, municipal trustee Carlos Alberto Zúñiga Chacón said.

 «We want to close that space once and for all, to stop polluting the waters and to close the access  so that the cattle no longer graze near there, because it is harmful,» the official said.

 Zúñiga Chacón, also promised the  new facility will  meet the requirements of  NOM 083, as stipulated by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), to avoid another environmental impact such as the old La Loma landfill.

Translated by Amy Esperanto

Patrol of the prosecutor’s office of Jalisco.

Editor. – José Luis R. was arrested Feb. 14 in Jocotepec by officers  of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office due to his probable participation in the crimes of domestic violence and intentional injuries. 

According to prosecutors, José Luis R. assaulted his partner and accused her of stealing money from him. When the children tried to intervene, they were also assaulted. The victim’s sister was threatened with a machete.

An agent of the Public Prosecutor’s Office investigated the incident as a gender crime and gained enough evidence to request an arrest warrant against the man.

Translated by Mike Rogers

Lake Chapala. Photo: Arturo Ortega.

Commemoration of the State Day of Lake Chapala on February 2 went unnoticed by the community’s residents  this year. Despite being an official decree since 2014, authorities at both the municipal and state levels of government appear to have abandoned the State Day of Lake Chapala.

Originally, the State Day sought to highlight the importance of the lake for the residents of Lakeside and of Jalisco, as well as constituting another layer of  protection and conservation for the Lake.

«It is the obligation of the municipalities, in coordination with the Executive Branch of the entity, to celebrate the State Day of Lake Chapala through activities that enrich the knowledge, awareness of the protection and importance of the place through strategies, mechanism and actions necessary to bring to fruition the festivities of that day,» states the 2014 decree.

The law was presented by the local deputy of the 17th district, Jesús Palos Vaca of the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) and neighbor of Jocotepec. The initiative was published in the Official Newspaper of the State of Jalisco in December 2014. 

This State Day was enacted when Lake Chapala and its 114,659 hectares was named as a Ramsar Site on February 2, 2009, joining a list of wetlands of international importance under UNESCO’s Convention on Wetlands.

Translated by MaryAnne Marble

Niños Héroes street drainage system. Their problem of constant spills has been going on for more than a year

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).– For more than a year leaking sewage drains on Flores Magón, Francisco Villa and Niños Héroes streets in Ajijic have caused problems. The person in charge of the Municipal System of Potable Water and Sewage (SIMAPA) Ajijic, Timoteo Aldana Pérez, explained that this problem is due to a six-year lack of maintenance in the system of drainage collectors.

«The drains, the collectors, and the pipes have to receive maintenance at least once a year. Also, like anything else, they have a lifespan, so at some point they must be changed,» he shared. 

Aldana said that there are two factors that cause sewage to accumulate and overflow.  Waste that should not be thrown into the drain, such as sanitary napkins, clothes, bricks, and pieces of mattress. When pipes collapse, soil seeps into the drain and blocks the pipe. He has checked the state of the pipes from Flores Magón to Niños Héroes and plans to use a truck with a pressure pumping system, called a Vactor. He will also use a roto-probe to remove the debris plugs where necessary and to repair the collapsed pipes where needed.

«We have been aware of the problem since the first week we assumed office. Repairs have not been possible because the lake level was too high to intervene.  If we had tried, the water would have seeped into the drains causing them to collapse.  We could do it now, but the Vactor is broken. We hope that we will be able to start on Monday,» added Aldana.

Manhole on Flores Magón Street. What appears to be debris, is dry sewage

He also asserted that it is a complicated job that can take at least three days for cleanup alone and require 10 to 15 workers. It is a continuous job “making it more complicated.” Neither the showers nor the toilets can be stopped. Every day would require at least five hours.» 

«It is disgusting and even a source of infection.,” complained  one of the neighbors on Flores Magón Street., adding that, “the seepage has not stopped for a long time. In this drain even the sewage has dried up. That mud around the drain, it’s waste and filth. We’ve even lost hope that they can fix it, after they almost destroyed it with the work on the choked pavement, and they just left it there.» 

Aldana said that it is not only embarrassing, but it is also not good for health. «The system was made for another time, for another capacity, and now it is difficult to make any repairs, because much of the collector is under the seawall. Hopefully it will not be required soon, but if maintenance is not provided, it could collapse at any moment,» he concluded.

Translated by Nita Rudy

Sand and stone on the bridge in the Alceseca area obstruct the stream channel.

Sofía Medeles.- Several streams from La Canacinta to La Cristina in west Ajijic are still clogged with debris as a result of the landslides that occurred in October 2021.

When Semanario Laguna toured the  area recently, it was observed that there  are still boulders and debris, covered with earth blocking drainage channels and streets after the landslide.

In La Cristina, the creek bridge is filled with large stones.

Neighbors in the area said that they fear the obstructions could cause future flooding that could affect the houses closest to the watercourses.María, a resident who lives a few houses away from the creek that runs through La Canacinta was worried.

«Apart from the fact that the creek has been narrowed, it has not even been cleaned, on the south side of the road, it is very even, so, if several heavy rains fall, it could overflow. On the upper part of the road, it is not even a meter and a half wide for the water to flow. If the water flows strongly, it will move the debris, and God knows where it will end up, which could affect the people on the street of La Canacinta,» she shared.

Another neighbor, José, commented that he is not only concerned about the blockage, but also about the dust generated by the traffic, which should be another important point to be considered by the authorities in order to resume and speed up the cleaning works. 

«With this disease that we are going through (Covid-19), it is unhealthy that we are breathing dust, because it weakens our lungs even more, and can put us in a delicate health situation,» she said.  

Likewise, Lourdes, who lives next to the La Canacinta stream, and has a property in La Cristina, close to another of the disaster points, expressed that, although it seems that the rainy season is still far away, public works like this are not a one-day project, so they should get down to work.

La Canacinta creek, outside the Los Alebrijes subdivision, has less than five feet of opening.

«It is not just one creek that is like this, there are many and several with serious clogging. It is of little use to clean only the parts on the south side of the highway, if there is no water flow under the bridges,» said Lourdes.

Maximiliano Macías Arceo, the Ajijic acting delegate i, commented that some of the streams have already been widened, however, they are still in the process of getting permit approval so they can move in the machinery that will be necessary to clear the waterways in the town, especially in the western part of the delegation.

The director of Social Communication, Elizabeth Oropeza Silva, commented that since November, they have been pushing the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) to provide them with the appropriate machinery to carry out the clearing of the ditches, which she claimed, need to do the maintenance from the road to the foot of the hill.

Translated by Maryanne Marble

Authorities of Chapala, the Jalisco State Cycling Association, and the Rayo family announced the first mountain biking competition.

Jazmín Stengel.- The Municipality of Chapala, the Jalisco State Cycling Association, and the Rayo family,announced the competition «Serial Chapala Summit 2022» with prizes totaling 60,000 pesos, 

During the press conference, the organizers explained that the Serial consists of four stages to be held in the municipalities of Chapala, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos and Jocotepec, with the goal of selecting those who will represent Jalisco in national competitions.

The first stage begins in the municipality of Chapala on February 26 with the «Short Track» circuit at the maximum possible speed. The second will be «Cross Country» style and will take place on February 27 in the town of San Nicolás de Ibarra, on the road to the dam, with a route of almost six kilometers.

These two competitions will have a prize purse of 60,000 pesos; 20,000 for the first day and 40,000 for the second. 

The purpose of this activity «in addition to attracting sports tourism, is to encourage young people to participate in healthy activities» added the president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, during the conference. 

For this reason, the organizers of the «Serial Summit Chapala 2022» decided to give free registration to all children from the municipalities where the competition is taking place.  During the first stage of the race. children under 14 years of age from Chapala will be able to participate free of charge.

Adults pay a general fee of 100 pesos for the «Short Track» race; while for the «Cross Country» race the registration fee is 350 pesos for adults and 150 pesos for children. The registration fee includes sports packages with t-shirt, competitor’s number, GPS for accident coverage and a  600ml  bottle of PC Bikes tubeless tire sealant.

For the third and fourth stages, tentatively to be held in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos in April and in Jocotepec in June, respectively, the validation of the Jalisco State Cycling Association is being awaited. For the closing event, a cycling marathon is planned between the towns of Atotonilquillo, San Nicolás and Santa Cruz de la Soledad. No information is available on the registration fee.

Registration is open now through the day of the competition, February 26 at 2:00 pm, at the Bicicletas Rayo at their Ajijic location on carretera poniente 9b (331 292-4228); and at their Chapala location on Juárez 588 (332 130-0393). A Bancomer account number 4152 3137 9395 6066 has been established for non-Mexicans who wish to register.  For more information call (332 791-6475).

Translated by Kerry Watson

Merchants have begun to throw away entire boxes of unsold products.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- After two weeks of being relocated to the interior of the Jocotepec Municipal Market, the merchants suffered a drop of up to 95 percent in their sales. 

For this reason, last Monday, January 31, a small group of those affected presented a document to the municipal trustee, Carlos Alberto Zúñiga Chacón, in which they expressed their dissatisfaction and concern about the situation.

The letter proposes the relocation of their stalls to the corridor that connects the DIF with the Main Plaza where there are still two fruit stands, permission to sell in the banquette of the same market, or relocation to the private street Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez.

These alternatives were presented with the intention of reaching a compromise between the plans of the municipal president, José Miguel Gómez López, to «free the streets» and the merchants to survive in the face of the declining sales.

Driven by desperation, some of those affected have opted to sell in the small plaza of La Campana where, according to those consulted, their average daily sales have remained at around 20 or 30 pesos. Although there were days when they did not sell anything and their expenses continue to accumulate. 

The vendors claimed that if the situation does not improve, they will look for other ways to survive. Photo: Courtesy.

«I have to pay my rent for Monday. It is 3,000 pesos and so far I only have 900 pesos,» said one of the newly located vendors, who  opposed the measure and is the breadwinner for four children.

«How am I going to do it, what am I going to do with 20 pesos,” said another of the vendors, who said that her family managed the business of selling in the streets of the municipality for more than 40 years and that now, she does not understand why she was evicted.

The same happened to those who remained in the stalls assigned to them by the City Hall on the second floor of the market, where very few people go because they have to climb stairs and the elevator is out of service. 

According to the vendors, the lack of accessibility has already caused an unfortunate accident. An elderly lady fell down the stairs when she went to get her «usual nopales,” Fortunately, the fall did not go beyond a «good blow and a scare.»

Finally, the merchants said that they will continue looking for ways to improve their income, since they are not willing to continue investing in fruits or vegetables that will end up in the garbage.

Translated by Sydney Metrick

Ramirez Campos  performing. Photo: Héctor Ruíz

Héctor Ruíz.– To mark his 20-year career as a singer-songwriter, Juan José Ramírez Campos, who is also known for serving as trustee and twice interim president in the past administration (2018-2021), appeared on January 28 at the Casa de la Cultura José Vaca Flores in Jocotepec, where he performed his most popular songs, such as Jocotepec Mágico. 

Translated by Rebecca Zittle

The structure that was intended to be a pérgola for the restaurant.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jal). – On February 1 Ajijic residents reported an illegal gazebo that the Bonanza restaurant had just placed on public property on the Lakeshore, generating a quick response by the authorities who ordered it removed.

The complaint was generated by  a member of the group «Pueblos Unidos de la Ribera» and the activist of Ajijic, Sinuhé León, who publicized the placement of a wooden frame in front of the dock, a site known by the Ajijitecos as «la vieja posada» (the old inn) through social networks.

Sinuhé León also contacted the Ajijic town office manager, Maximiliano Macías Arceo, who quickly contacted the manager of the business, as well as the inspectors of the Regulations Department of Chapala, who resolved the complaint that same day, ordering the removal of the pérgola. 

Inspectors Julio César Sotelo Beltrán, Irving Cortés and Sergio Real arrived in the area and asked the restaurant administrators to immediately remove the wooden structure as well as to make modifications to the floor to leave some boxes for  the roots of each tree.

«Permission was not requested to place (the structure) and, in this case,  the natural flora also intervened because of the trees. Today it has to be removed», said Julio César, adding  that these types of irregularities are dealt with in coordination with other agencies such as Padrón y Licencias, Ecología, Obras Públicas and Desarrollo Urbano.

For her part, the owner of the restaurant, Laura Jiménez de Beltrán, said she did not intend to  gaining land in the Federal zone, so removing the gazebo did not bother or affect them and that,  because she understood the space in front of her restaurant, as well as those on one side, are for pedestrian passage, since it is considered a sidewalk.

«Our intention was not bad; on the contrary, with this business we stimulate local commerce, jobs for the residents and attracting tourists. We want to tell the people that we are not here to steal and that this part of this restaurant and the ones  nearby, is still a sidewalk, and if we get permits to put tables outside, everything will be with licenses and the passage will never be closed», commented the restaurateur. 

Likewise, Sotelo Beltrán, said that her work in the Federal spaces is done in conjunction with the municipal legal department, carrying out inspections and taking time to act in conjunction with the agencies that are responsible, in this case, the National Water Commission (CONAGUA).

The Acting Delegado, Maximiliano Macías, commented that it was a citizen’s complaint, which he appreciated, since he said that there are times when people do not realize the things that happen. He added that the manager of the business claimed to have no knowledge that the license was necessary, but did not put up any resistance when he received the orders from the regulations.

Translated Patrick O’Heffernan

 There is at least 40 tons of garbage generated daily by the municipality of Jocotepec. Photo: Archive.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- A total of 25 tons of garbage was generated during the patron saint festivities in honor of the Señor del Monte in the municipality of Jocotepec.

According to municipal authorities an additional two tons of waste was accumulated each day of the festivities, not counting the 40 tons that the municipality generates daily.

This represents that a single person in Jocotepec generates around one kilo of garbage per day, a worrying situation due to the collapse of the municipality’s garbage collection service. 

It is unknown how much effort City Hall made to get rid of the extra 25 tons of garbage accumulated by the festivities. Residents in distant neighborhoods were upset by the delays in their collection services. «They only picked up the garbage from the downtown area, to make it look nice, but around here we have been well abandoned,» commented one of the neighbors from a remote area of the city.

Although it has not yet been confirmed, users who travel daily along the highway that connects to the Guadalajara-Morelia highway, assured that at least a ton of garbage was dumped in a clandestine manner.

The 13 days of festivities for the Señor del Monte, generated 25 extra tons of garbage. Photo: Archive.

«It is clear to us that they are using this space as a provisional dump, but we are not sure if it is legal or not», explained one of the passers-by, who preferred to keep his name anonymous.

Although this newspaper requested information regarding the situation of the «clandestine» landfill, the City Council has not yet confirmed whether they have the corresponding permits to use this space.

This new dump is located approximately 60 meters before taking the Jocotepec freeway and the users themselves said that the garbage is «dumped there in plain view of anyone passing by».

So far, the fate of the garbage generated by the festivities is unknown. Residents of the municipality, such as «Conchita», have expressed concern about the sanitary situation and have had bins waiting to be picked up for days or even weeks. 

Translated by Christalle Dalsted