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 Editor Dorothy Bell

Guayabitos Artist Presents Bell with Painting

Sylvia Wilson Wood, 6 year Guayabitos winter resident and painter presented Bill Bell with her original painting based on Bill Bell’s photograph in the Sol online newspaper.

Working in all phases of advertising design and copy-

Working in all phases of advertising design and copy-writing, and acting as art director/owner of her own advertising firm helped to shape and sharpen Sylvia Wilson Wood's graphic art skills. Hard work and natural talent earned Wilson Wood a respectable number of awards in the advertising field, and resulted in a fulfilling and successful career.

Her years in the fast-paced world of commercial art contrasts sharply with the "paint for the pleasure of it" she feels free to do now. Although she works confidently in several media, she says she "loves the buttery texture of oil paint" and prefers to work with it instead of with acrylics, pastels or watercolor.

"Everywhere I look, I see a painting. My fingers itch to capture the illusion of light, color-the STORY- of a given place or person. For me, creating a painting is such a joyous adventure!"

Headline News

Mexico News This Week

Mexico News This Week

Mexico considers raising drinking age

Mexico may raise its drinking age from 18 to 21.

Mexico is looking at changing its legal drinking age from 18 to 21. That could impact spring break and other tourism traffic to Rocky Point, Nogales, Cancun and other destinations favored by college students and others.

For years, New Mexico State University students in Las Cruces have traveled to Mexico for vacations and long weekends. Part of that lure was Mexico's younger drinking age…..go to original article

Mexico's national voter IDs part of culture

Office worker Ana Martínez lined up at 7 a.m. on a recent Sunday to renew her voter credential, a document required at a polling station to vote. But voting was not the main reason she was getting it. The free photo ID issued by the Federal Electoral Institute had become the accepted way to prove one's identity — and is a one-card way to open a bank account, board an airplane and buy beer.

Voting was almost an afterthought to Martínez.

"They ask for it everywhere," she said. "It's very difficult to live without it."….go to original article

Canadians flocking to Mexico despite deadly drug war

A 37-year-old Alberta woman will have to undergo surgery in Mazatlan to repair shattered bones in her face after she was attacked over the weekend at an upscale Mexican resort.

Sheila Nabb, an office manager from Calgary, was in a medically induced coma until Tuesday, when she regained consciousness and was able to recognize her husband, Andrew.

The attack against Nabb is the latest on a growing list of Canadian injuries and deaths in the country over the last five years, which have started to cast doubt on Mexico’s safety as a place to live or visit….go to original article

A vacation to sunny Mexico? Safety-wise, you could do a lot worse

Mexico has an image problem.

The country does its best to promote itself as a magical place for vacationers to revel in sun-drenched beaches, archeological marvels, cultural delights and mouth-watering cuisine.

But lately, when many Canadians hear Mexico they think drug wars and the resulting bodies of police, judges and bystanders piled up in the streets. They think of the 2009 H1N1 swine flu epidemic, which prompted international travel bans. …go to original article

Riviera Nayarit is once again among the favorite romantic destinations

In Riviera Nayarit luxury means romance. This is the reason why Nupcias magazine has chosen us as one of their favorite five destinations for honeymoons in 2012, as Mexico’s Pacific Treasure and its wonderful landscapes inspires the best love stories and is the backdrop to the best weddings.

Last January 5, the prestigious publication shared with its readers its five favorite destinations for honeymoons in 2012. Riviera Nayarit took the 4th general place, and the 2nd place among beach destinations.….go to original article

Mexico arrests 2 in slaying of B.C. tourist

Two men have been arrested in Mexico and authorities are seeking a third in connection with the Jan. 3 homicide of Robin Wood, of Salt Spring Island, B.C., CBC News has learned.

The two 18-year-old suspects were apprehended by police Tuesday at the central bus station in the city of Cihuatlan, the local prosecutor’s office said Thursday.

Wood, 67, was shot to death during an apparent break-in by thieves at an apartment owned by a friend of in the town of Melaque, on Mexico’s Pacific coast between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.….go to original article

Best Selling Author to Speak at PV Writers

Bill Jory - BanderasNews.com

Best-selling novelist Jacquelyn Mitchard says she is looking forward to visiting Puerto Vallarta because she has heard it is a "place that can make writers dream."

Mitchard will be encouraging those dreams as keynote speaker at the Puerto Vallarta Writers' Conference in February where talks, seminars, and workshops will focus on how to keep writing short.

"It's my belief that we make our writing lean, short, clear, and correct because writing is a performing art, a dance that isn't complete until the readers take our hand," she said. "It's not something we do 'for ourselves.' If you want to do something for yourself, work on your abs. It's easier."….go to original article

Mexico cracks down on fraudulent 'miracle cure' ads

Mexico enacted tough new rules Thursday to ban advertising of "miracle cures" for weight loss, sagging body parts and more serious illnesses like prostate ailments, chronic fatigue and even cancer.

Mexico has a long history of faith healers and home remedies, but the problem has come to a head in the last few years with a constant stream of ads on television for more "scientific" sounding creams that supposedly lift or enlarge breast and buttocks, magnets that help users lose weight, or pills and powders that cure gastric problems or diabetes. ….go to original article

Whistle-blowing author fears death if deported back to Mexico

A Mexican journalist fears she and her family could be killed if they are forced to leave Canada.

Karla Berenice Garcia Ramirez, who sought asylum in Canada in 2008 with her husband, says threats again her life intensified after she wrote a book alleging corruption at a Mexican government ministry where she once worked. The book, called The Talent of the Charlatans, was published under the pseudonym Karla Lottini last October in Canada….go to original article

Congressional seat candidate advocates closing US-Mexico border

Jim Bridenstine, who is a Republican candidate challenging incumbent John Sullivan for the District 1 congressional seat, is also a member of the United States Navy Reserve, and flies counter-narcotics missions in South America. The candidate told Bartlesville Kiwanians that he advocates closing the U.S. border with Mexico.

Closing the border with Mexico needs to be a priority in the war on drugs, Navy Reserve Lt. Cmdr. Jim Bridenstine told the Bartlesville Downtown Kiwanis Club on Wednesday.….go to original article

Mexico Smuggling Probe: 4 Kids Show Sexual Abuse

Four of the 10 children seized in western Mexico as part of a child-trafficking investigation involving Irish couples show signs of sexual abuse, a Mexican official said Wednesday. Jalisco state Attorney General Tomas Coronado said the children were examined by doctors but offered no other details.

"There are four children who show signs of having been abused (sexually), perhaps not in a violent way but there are signs (of abuse)," Coronado told reporters. He said he couldn't elaborate because of the ongoing investigation and didn't say when the alleged abuse would have taken place. He said at least 11 Irish couples are involved in the case.….go to original article

In Mexico, false suicide reports shine light on Tarahumara plight

The Indians were hit by drought and a freeze that led to a food shortage. Aid starts flowing after reports that 50 had killed themselves because they were not able to feed their children.

It took false reports of mass suicide for Mexicans to rally in great number to the aid of the legendary Tarahumara Indians, who are facing a season of starvation. But publicity about their plight has exposed the chronic marginalization and growing perils, including drug violence, faced by many indigenous communities, activists say.

Members of the Tarahumara community "die every year from hunger; it's just that this year, it's worse," said Liliana Flores, a founder of the El Barzon organization, which works with poor campesinos and indigenous peoples.….go to original article

Mexico Seeks to Extradite Americans Linked to 'Operation Fast

And Furious'

Mexico's attorney general moved into a political hot seat by asking the U.S. government to extradite six American citizens suspected of smuggling guns during Operation Fast and Furious.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) "gun-walking" operation involved allowing about 2,000 guns purchased illegally at American gun shops to be smuggled across the border.

The sales in 2009 and 2010 included assault rifles.….go to original article

Puerto Vallarta makes top 12 destinations for the year 2012

itravel2000, a Travelzest company, and leading Canadian online travel retailer, has listed top 12 destinations for the year 2012, based on the online booking trends and consumer inquiries for 2012.

The list reveals a distinct interest in emerging destinations compared to last year. Traditional destinations such as Varadero and Orlando still feature, but destinations such as Aruba, Panama City and St Maarten have caught the attention of Canadian travellers this year. The top 12 destinations for 2012 are listed below:….go to original article

News Last Week

Mexico presses US House speaker on arms traffic

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has asked U.S. House Speaker John Boehner to crack down on weapons trafficking that has fueled drug violence in Mexico.

Calderon's office says the president stressed the importance of stopping illegal trafficking of weapons and cash into Mexico.

The government says Mexico's drug cartels import much of their weaponry from the United States….go to original article

Mexico catches alleged key Zeta leader

Police have captured the man who allegedly ran the Zetas drug gang in three northern Mexican states and who is suspected in the killing of a U.S. immigration agent, authorities announced Friday.

Soldiers and local police captured Luis Jesus Sarabia in Garcia, a town in the northern state of Nuevo Leon, said Army spokesman Gen. Ricardo Trevilla.

Trevilla said Sarabia is a confidant of top Zeta leader Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano and Miguel Angel Trevino and was in charge of operations in the states of Coahuila, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi, Trevilla said….go to original article

Growing Catholic divide over Mexico drug war

A bishop is among those alleging human rights abuses by state, but the church stands behind President Calderón's military-led crackdown on the Mexico drug war.

Bishop José Raúl Vera López of Mexico has never shied away from controversy, defending unpopular minorities ranging from illegal migrants to prostitutes.

Now, as violence between Mexican drug traffickers and security forces pushes the drug war's five-year death toll over 45,000, the Roman Catholic bishop is taking on the government. He claims that corrupt officials are allying with criminals to skim drug profits and using the military to murder criminals who might reveal any collusion….go to original article

Durbin: American Drug Habit Fuels War In Mexico

The Mexican government says the war with drug cartels left 13,000 people dead through September of last year, meaning the war has killed almost 50,000 people in the last five years.

As WBBM Newsradio’s John Cody has reports U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says the drug war in Mexico is being fueled by the U.S. appetite for drugs.

“It is our consumption of these narcotics that is creating this lucrative opportunity that they’re willing to die for,” Durbin said….go to original article

Mexico expects millions to visit for 2012 solstice

Tourism officials said Thursday that 2012 will be a special year for Mexico, even though they don't expect the world to end Dec. 21.

The Tourism Department says it will spend $8 million promoting tourism to the "Mayan World," the southeast Mexico region where the Mayan culture thrived. The area extends into Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Doomsday prognosticators' belief that the Maya predicted the end of the world for December 2012 has brought attention to one of Mexico's great cultures. Officials reject the prediction but hope the attention will draw tourists….go to original article

Dates for Pontiff's Visit to Mexico, Cuba: March 23-28

Itinerary Includes Official Meetings With Both Presidents.The dates for Benedict XVI's visit to Mexico and Cuba have been confirmed and will include the feast of the Annunciation.

The March 23-28 trip will be centered in Leon, Mexico, and in Santiago and Havana, Cuba.

A note issued by the Mexican bishops' conference explained that the Pope will arrive at the airport of Leon in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato on the afternoon of Friday, March 23. He will be greeted there by President Felípe Calderón, members of the episcopal conference and the city's archbishop….go to original article

After huge Mexico City landfill closes, trash piles up

Mounds of debris piled up at illegal dumping sites around the city in recent weeks as the metropolis grappled with an avalanche of refuse after closing one of the world's largest landfills.

Garbage trucks queued up for more than six hours to dump loads at transfer stations, while overstuffed bags and other trash piled up even on the toniest streets over the holidays, when dumps in surrounding Mexico state refused to take the city's trash….go to original article

San Blas International Migratory Bird Festival Jan 29-Feb 5
 

noticiaspvnayarit.com
go to original

The International Migratory Bird Festival in San Blas will take place between January 29 and February 5, 2012. For more information, visit AvesSanBlas.uan.mx.

For the eighth consecutive year, The International Festival of Migratory Birds will be held in San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico between January 29 and February 5, 2012.

Each year in Riviera Nayarit thousands of migratory birds inhabit the landscape and fill them with magic. Ornithologists and 'birders' meet in the historic port to try to spot as many species as possible of the more than 500 species that live in this region.

The International Migratory Bird Festival will also present the different routes for wildlife observation and a program of cultural activities. In addition, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) of Riviera Nayarit is preparing to receive national and international journalists that provide coverage of this festival every year

Click here to read the entire story

Jaltemba Cup builds computer lab for Plan de Ayala Secondaria

Golf organizers and golfers stand in front of donated computer equipment

When most golfers on the Nayarit Coast think of the Jaltemba Cup they think of an extremely competitive golf tournament that pits golfers from one community against the other in an annual classic that takes place at the El Monteon Field of Dreams nine hole golf course.

This year however, the Jaltemba Cup means a great deal more to the thousand students that attend La Peñita de Jaltemba’s Plan de Ayala Secondaria as the Jaltemba Cup organizers presented an entire computer lab to the school on Monday.

 

Larry Baron "Mr. Jaltemba Cup" is presented a thank you certificate by school director Eduardo Lopez

“We’ve donated computers to the school in the past because students attend there from Lo de Marcos all the way up to Chacala,” said Jaltemba Cup chair Larry Baron. “This year, two of the founders of the Jaltemba Cup, Bill and Dorothy Bell used the funds to put together an entire computer lab for the children of our communities.”

The Bell’s met with school officials and got their wish list of 10 computers, printers, scanner/fax, computer overhead projector and screen. This was in addition to the four computers that the Jaltemba Cup had already bought the school.

“When we traveled to Guadalajara to buy the equipment, we realized that the budget just couldn’t handle all of their needs,” Dorothy said. “My husband Bill, who has made a hobby of rebuilding computers, decided to buy the computer components and build the computers in order to afford all of the equipment for the computer lab.”

“For over two weeks we had computer parts all over the house.”

The school director, Eduardo Lopez, told the Jaltemba Cup organizers and golfers that the donation was “extremely important” as they had only six computers for over 1000 students who attend the school in two shifts. “Computers are a important educational tool and thanks to the Jaltemba Cup, our students have an opportunity to learn vital skills.”

Bill and Dorothy Bell are presented with a certificate from school director Eduardo Lopez thanking them and the Jaltemba Sol for their efforts

“When you see all of these children’s faces light up, it is truly wonderful to behold. You know that by giving just a little hand, you could be making a huge difference in their lives,” Bill Bell said.

The Jaltemba cup was started six years ago to allow golfers from Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta to compete in a fun and competitive manner, while at the same time raising funds for computers in the school system. It now has over 30 teams representing communities throughout Nayarit and Jalisco playing.

This year’s Jaltemba Cup takes place at the Field of Dreams – Campo de Enseueño - Golf Course in El Monteon on January 28 and 29^th. Deadline for Registration is January 22. To register email Larry Baron at clbaron6@gmail.com or visit us at www.jaltembacup.com. Special thanks goes out to this years major sponsors, Peter Vines PV fishing, Campos de Ensueno Golf Course, Jaltemba Sol and Vista Golf Course

 

 

 

Click here to view more great pictures from this event

 

 

 

New Reports of ATM Skimming at Local Bank Here is What the FBI says to watch out for

Taking a Trip to the ATM?
Beware of 'Skimmers'

Last fall, two brothers from Bulgaria were charged in U.S. federal court in New York with using stolen bank account information to defraud two banks of more than $1 million.

Their scheme involved installing surreptitious surveillance equipment on New York City ATMs that allowed them to record customers’ account information and PINs, create their own bank cards, and steal from customer accounts.

Skimming typically involves the use of a hidden cameras (top) to record customers’ PINs, and phony keypads (right) placed over real keypads to record keystrokes.

What these two did is called “ATM skimming”—basically placing an electronic device on an ATM that scoops information from a bank card’s magnetic strip whenever a customer uses the machine. ATM skimming is a growing criminal activity that some experts believe costs U.S. banks hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Enlarge Graphic How to Avoid being Skimmed - Inspect the ATM, gas pump, or credit card reader before using it…be suspicious if you see anything loose, crooked, or damaged, or if you notice scratches or adhesive/tape residue. - When entering your PIN, block the keypad with your other hand to prevent possible hidden cameras from recording your number. - If possible, use an ATM at an inside location (less access for criminals to install skimmers). - Be careful of ATMs in tourist areas…they are a popular target of skimmers. - If your card isn’t returned after the transaction or after hitting “cancel,” immediately contact the financial institution that issued the card.

How skimming works

The devices planted on ATMs are usually undetectable by users—the makers of this equipment have become very adept at creating them, often from plastic or plaster, so that they blend right into the ATM’s façade. The specific device used is often a realistic-looking card reader placed over the factory-installed card reader. Customers insert their ATM card into the phony reader, and their account info is swiped and stored on a small attached laptop or cell phone or sent wirelessly to the criminals waiting nearby.

In addition, skimming typically involves the use of a hidden camera, installed on or near an ATM, to record customers’ entry of their PINs into the ATM’s keypad. We have also seen instances where, instead of a hidden camera, criminals attach a phony keypad on top of the real keypad ... which records every keystroke as customers punch in their PINs.

Skimming devices are installed for short periods of time—usually just a few hours—so they’re often attached to an ATM by nothing more than double-sided tape. They are then removed by the criminals, who download the stolen account information and encode it onto blank cards. The cards are used to make withdrawals from victims’ accounts at other ATMs.

Skimming investigations

Because of its financial jurisdiction, a large number of ATM skimming cases are investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. But through FBI investigative experience, we have learned that ATM skimming is a favorite activity of Eurasian crime groups, so we sometimes investigate skimming—often partnering with the Secret Service—as part of larger organized crime cases.

Some recent case examples:

·         In Miami, four Romanians were charged with fraud and identity theft after they made and placed skimming devices on ATMs throughout four Florida counties … all four men eventually pled guilty. More

·         In Atlanta, two Romanians were charged and pled guilty to being part of a criminal crew that stole account information from nearly 400 bank customers through the use of skimming equipment they installed on ATMs in the Atlanta metro area. More

·         In Chicago, a Serbian national was arrested—and eventually pled guilty—for attempting to purchase an ATM skimming device, hoping to steal information from ATM users and loot their bank accounts. More

·         In New York, a Bulgarian national referenced at the top of this story was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in prison for his role in a scheme that used sophisticated skimming devices on ATMs to steal over $1.8 million from at least 1,400 customer accounts at New York City area banks. More

One last note: ATMs aren’t the only target of skimmers—we’ve also seen it at gas pumps and other point-of-sale locations where customers swipe their cards and enter their PIN. (See sidebar for tips on how to avoid being victimized by skimming.)

 

Scholarship Fund for undocumented immigrant students

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Puerto Vallarta Medical Matters Conference, February 6

pamela Thompson - HealthCareResourcesPV.com

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Are you a Banderas Bay area resident or visitor interested in your health and wellbeing? If so, you won't want to miss the Medical Matters Conference on February 6 from 9 am to 7 pm at the Hotel Marriott CasaMagna Marina Vallarta. Meet physicians, ask questions, learn about local labs and diagnostic centers, hospitals – anything and everything to do with your health and well-being.

Sponsored by HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta, The US Consular Agency, The Hotel Marriott and Sharp Hospitals (San Diego), we expect this year's conference to be even bigger and better last year. (Last year we expected 200 attendees, and we had approximately 600!) It was a smashing success with rave reviews.

The day will feature a vast array of healthcare-related providers including international insurance representatives, local private hospitals, clinics, physicians, spas, diagnostic centers, labs – to name a few.

Click here to read the entire story

 

 

 

 

  

Amigos de Lo de Marcos is having another grand fundraising event.  This year, it covers two days.  On Friday, February 3rd, at 8:30am, our Second Annual Walkabout will guide people on a walking tour of Lo de Marcos.  We will visit sites where Amigos works with the town as well as explain the town's water from 'cradle to grave'.  You don't want to miss the new town-wide compost project.  After the walk, breakfast will be available in the plaza.  On Saturday, February 4th, at 4:00pm, we open the flood gates to our treasured silent auction, our bursting rummage sale, delicious baked good sale, and Taste of Lo de Marcos, complete with cold beer and marvelous margaritas.  From 7:00pm to 10:00pm, we'll clear away the tables and dance to the latin reggae sounds of  two local bands -- Mal Bichos and Rhythm Eleison playing Salsa Dura.  It's a great party that celebrates the joys of life in Lo de Marcos.  It all happens in the Main Plaza of Lo de Marcos. 

Click here to read more about this new insurance product