municipio

Municipal President and SIMAPA officials during the announcement that the well would be connected to the potable water network. Photo: Government of Chapala.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- The well on the outskirts of Ajijic was put into operation at the end of last week, after approximately a year and a half of drilling, and will supply the areas from La Cristina to Alceseca, to the west of the town.

The person in charge of the Municipal System of Potable Water and Sewage (SIMAPA) Ajijic, Timoteo Aldana Pérez, said  that although it does not have the expected capacity, the water is suitable for consumption and sufficient to cover the needs of the area.

The wells shortly after being drilled in 2020. The well is located in the area of La Mojonera and will supply water from La Cristina to Alceseca. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

«The well produces less water than we expected. Normally the capacity of the other wells ranges from 33 to 16 liters per second, but this one gives between eight and ten. It is not what we expected, but it is enough water for the area. We hope that with the rainy season it can improve,» said Aldana Pérez.

He also said that the low capacity of the well could be due to the fact that the bentonite -material used to avoid or reduce landslides in the wells- that was used during its drilling has not yet been completely cleaned. «It’s a matter of waiting to get it all out,» he mentioned.

He added that this well is the deepest of all the wells in Ajijic and the drilling expenses were assumed by the past administration. This administration was in charge of the electrification and the placement of the pumping system, and although he does not know the total cost of the well, he commented that he estimates it could be approximately three million pesos.

Neighbors of the zone said that the operation of the new well is already noticeable. 

«Yes, there has been water for more days, although not all day. Before there was water two or three days a week, and now up to six days,» commented José Rosario, who lives in the Alceseca area.

On the other hand, one of the interviewees, an inhabitant of La Cristina, to the west of Ajijic, commented that she has noticed the change, however, the water has been more cloudy with a whitish color.

The well is located in «Rancho San Vicente», on the municipality’s borders. This was announced by the last administration (2018-2021), where the then municipal president Moisés Alejandro Anaya Aguilar stated in November 2020 that the well was already drilled, however, it was not  actually completed  in his administration.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Path of the channeled creek at Piedra Barrenada. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía  (Jocotepec).- Restaurant owners of the tourist-gastronomic zone of Piedra Barrenada, in San Juan Cosalá, demanded the authorities of Jocotepec take precautions in the creek near the area.

Although authorities assured that work had already been carried out to channel the creek to two outlets, one of the streams passes by the Las Gaviotas restaurant. This has caused the owners to “feel concerned.”

The owner of one of the most affected restaurants, who asked for anonymity, pointed out that after the October 5 downpour, he registered losses of more than 280 thousand pesos (approx. $14,200 US) due to the damage caused by the landslide, «it has been a poorly executed intervention,» he commented.

The restaurateur explained that the depth of the channel is barely over one meter in height so as soon as the rains begin, this section is prone to overflowing due to its shallowness.

«I even sent up a drone to capture what happened in the last storm. Due to the amount of water that fell, the channel became like a lagoon, when it could not hold any more water, all those liters and liters of water flowed out,» he said.

Other businessmen consulted also said they were worried about this coming rainy season. They fear a repetition of last October’s situation, where they not only lost real estate, but one of the restaurateurs was almost swept away by the waterspout.

«Everything, everything was filled with mud and stones. The bar was filled to the top, the kitchen the same. I had to smash the main door so that all the debris would flow out and, in the attempt, I was dragged by the current. Civil Protection had to throw me a rope so that it would not wash me into the lake,” he explained.

For these reasons, they urged the Jocotepec City Hall to act on the matter and conduct the appropriate reports on the stream to rule out another possible landslide, while there is still time before the storms begin.

Translated by Nita Rudy

Miguel Ángel M. is being held at the order of the Supervisory Judge. The photo is for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Internet. 

Staff.-The Regional Special Prosecutor’s Office captured Miguel Ángel M, charging him with kidnapping of a truck driver and the theft of the cargo truck he was driving.

On May 15, Miguel Ángel M, in the company of other individuals, allegedly intercepted the driver of a 2016 International tractor-trailer at kilometer 29 of the major highway in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos,in an attempt to steal the merchandise in the truck.

The complaint allowed the Public Prosecutor’s Office to carry out the investigation  which led to an arrest warrant being issued for the accused, who was captured by members of the Investigative Police.

Miguel Ángel M. is being held at the order of the Supervisory Judge, Prosecution, Integral Justice for Adolescents and Criminal Execution of the Fifth Judicial District based in Chapala.

Translated by Sandy Britton 

Delegation staff collecting abandoned street vending clothing. Photo: Delegation Ajijic 2021-2024.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- Due to the growing problem of accumulation of large items such as furniture, tires and debris in the streets of Ajijic, town staff have opted to help low-income people remove this waste.

The Ajijic acting delegate, Maximiano Macias Arceo, commented that they have already identified several areas of Ajijic, among them the streets Emiliano Zapata, Francisco Villa, or the northern part of Juárez, where oversized garbage is constantly discarded that the collection trucks do not take away.

«Armchairs, mattresses, other furniture, tires and debris, are taken out in the street, and they stay there several days. Sometimes the people who throw them away do so because they do not have the money to pay for a service to take the furniture, debris or tires, the latter are taken to specific and authorized places», commented Macías Arceo.

Because of this, he offers the support to remove them, as long as whoever requests it does not have the resources to hire a service of this type. Help can be requested at the phone number: 331-537-9134.

He added that they do not charge a fee, they only ask in exchange that, if possible, the debris be delivered in bags, and the area of the debris be clear so that it can be easily loaded onto the truck. In addition, a support «for the refreshment» of the workers because at times the workers do this work outside their normal working hours.

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotopec).- With fire, dance, and knives, the fourth edition of the traveling festival «Jalisco Suena», a program promoted by the Ministry of Culture of Jalisco, the Directorate of Operation and Cultural Programming, and the Head of Festivals and Artistic Groups, kicked off in the municipality of Jocotepec.

In the first stop, among six other municipalities, the festival presented a contemporary dance show with a gypsy theme, performed by the group Gipsy Dandys. For a little over an hour the group danced and interacted with spectators in the main square of Jocotepec on the evening of Sunday, May 22.

Translated by Nita Rudy

The body was collected by forensic medical service. 

Laguna Staff.- While walking on the bicycle path of the Chapala-Jocotepec highway, a man fell to the ground after suffering a heart attack. The man, an expat, was helped by people who saw him fall including a private security guard who assisted him with CPR. Unfortunately, even with an immediate response, nothing could be done to save his life. He died on May 23rd, at about 11:15 a.m. at the corner of Aquiles Serdán, just west of central Ajijic.

Translated by Amy Esperanto

Town ID letters’ initial location was at the traffic light on North Cardenal Street and the Chapala-Jocotepec highway.  Photo: File. 

Alma Serrano (San Juan Cosalá).- The Mexican town ID letters of San Juan Cosalá will be relocated by the City Hall of Jocotepec to the small square in the neighborhood of Fátima, on the Chapala-Jocotepec highway. The identity signage was initially placed on Cardenal Street in September 2018.

Making way for the town’s letters’ new locale on the small plaza on Zaragoza Street, in front of the Oxxo. Photo: Alma Serrano.

Last May 8, personnel of the municipal government began gathering support to move the colorful letters to the small plaza on Zaragoza Street, at the crossroads of the village. 

The delegate of San Juan Cosalá, Carlos Vázquez Reyes, said that the change in the location of the letters was made at the direction of the Department of Urban Image of the municipality of Jocotepec.

«The Department of Urban Image says that this small square looks very lonely,” he commented, “and the reason for placing them [the letters] there is to encourage people to visit the neighborhood of Fátima and to make the square look nicer.”

The huge decorated letters spelling out the town’s name are part of a nationwide government initiative promoting Mexican tourism. As such, their design captures characteristic aspects of the town such as its main square, the parish, the views towards Lake Chapala and the impressive landscape of the San Juan Cosalá mountain range. 

Translated by Mags Petela

 Vaccination module for children under nine, installed on Jocotepec’s main square was part of the health fair. Credit: Héctor Ruiz.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- As part of the First National Health Day (JNSP) 2022, Jocotepec held several health fairs. They began in Jalisco on May 16th and ran through May 27th. The municipality of Jocotepec held several health fairs in different parts of the municipality. Health fair locations included Jocotepec’s main square and San Cristóbal Zapotitlán. In San Cristóbal Zapotitlán, there was a health fair at the Centro Artesanal de Hoja de Maiz. 

According to Miguel Ibarra Garabito, coordinator of the Jocotepec Health Center, the health fairs featured different preventive and detection activities. Among them were questionnaires for the detection of chronic diseases such as diabetes, as well as glucose tests, hypertension, and certain types of cancer such as cervical and breast cancer. Anyone who received a test result requiring follow-up was referred to a private consultation, said Ibarra Garabito.

Routine vaccination schedules were completed for children under nine. Children received vaccines against measles, several types of rotavirus, smallpox, and others

«We are completing all the vaccination schedules for children under nine years of age, fortunately, we already have the vaccines and supplies,» said Ibarra.

Additional screenings included PCR or Papanicolau (Pap test) screening, as well as clinical breast screenings. Finally, health fair workers screened for potential domestic violence. Screeners aimed to identify both physical and psychological damage, as well as referring those who need help to resources in the community.

Translated by Amy Esperanto

The extortion attempt was registered in a store in Hidalgo Street, in Riberas del Pilar. Photo: District Attorney’s Office.

The young man who had supposedly been kidnapped was found safe and sound near a hotel. Photo: District Attorney’s Office.

Laguna staff.- A new extortion attempt was registered in the municipality of Chapala, this time in Riberas del Pilar, where officers of the State Security Secretariat (SSE) attended and thwarted the crime.

During a surveillance tour on Hidalgo Street, the state officers were stopped by a man who said that he was receiving calls from an unknown number asking for money in exchange for the release of an employee who was supposedly being held hostage.

The police officers accompanied the man and advised him to avoid making any payment and to continue providing information to the alleged kidnappers, they proceeded to search for the employee, who was found near a hotel, confirming that he was in good health.

Translated by Sydney Metrick

Sergio Herrera Robledo, director of the Civil Protection and Fire Department of Jocotepec. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- With the onset of the rainy season, work began on the clearing and cleaning of watercourses and streams in Jocotepec. 

The Civil Protection and Firefighters Unit of Jocotepec began the operation on May 15. The purpose is to address the factors that may pose a risk to citizens with the arrival of the rainy season.

Work is being carried out to clear obstructions, such as debris and trash from the watercourses under a plan of operations in coordination with the Parks and Gardens, Public Works and Rural Development departments.

Sergio Herrera Robledo, head of the fire department, said that in addition to the clearing work, flood prevention and other actions have also been carried out in different parts of the municipality.

The points considered at risk have already been cleaned by heavy machinery from the Rural Development Department.

Although the social communication department assured that «all year round, before, during and after the rainy season» they carry out clearing operations, there is no record of the amount of material removed to support this.

In contrast, residents of the community of San Juan Cosalá, such as Francisco, said that there are still points that the Civil Protection Unit should work on,  such as the channels at the height of Piedra Barrenada, as they have even removed dead dogs and considerable amounts of trash from there in the past.

Translated by Sydney Metrick