November 2020 Newsletter
Feliz Día de Todos los Santos y Bienvenidos a Noviembre! Another month has gone by. October weather wasn't quite perfect as a bit of the heat and humidity seemed to hang on longer than usual, but it was still very nice and the town was full of visitors for most of the month. The weather really is perfect now with highs in the 70s or low 80s and lows at night in the 60s. Business has bounced back quickly as well, and we all hope that everything stays on the positive track that they're on now.

The USA presidential election is only two days away and I, for one, can't wait to put it behind us. Between covid-19, the protests/riots, and the chaos leading up to the election, 2020 has been one strange year. I do predict a fantastic 2021 though as we come out of the covid restrictions, the mini-recession caused by them, and we put the election and the animosity behind us. Can't we just take a little nap and wake up when it's over? At least, in my opinion, we're on the downhill side of it now.

If you haven't noticed yet, this is a new format for my newsletters. I can't say that I'm crazy about it, but I had to choose something and this one seemed to best fit what I was trying to do. Since it is a bit of work to set it up, I will probably just stick with it until or unless I find something else that works better. I don't doubt that there will be a few tweaks here and there though. Feel free to give me your opinion or suggestion if you'd like. I'm always open for suggestions.

This month begins our Annual Food Drive so if you're in town, please try to drop something off either at one of our sales offices or with another group collecting food or items to be donated. It is more important this year than ever. If you can't be here, but you still want to help, let me know and I will find a way to make it work. As always, we all appreciate all the support that we have gotten with our food drives over the years.

Enjoy this beautiful month, come to Rocky Point if you can. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask. Let me put my experience and expertise to work for you, and remember, as always, I've been here full-time for over 13 years and I am more than happy to help you with whatever you need, whether Sonoran Resorts related or not.
 
Just give me a call or send me an email any time and I will do my very best to help you. If I can't help you myself, I'm sure that I can point you in the right direction and help find you someone who can. 
   
Besides the links below, you can our listings at the following:
www.sonoranresorts.mx
www.sonoranresortsresales.com
AMPI Puerto Penasco MLS
Point 2 Agent Multinational MLS
Pick up a handout at any of our Sonoran Resorts
Barrett Jackson Show - Scottsdale and Las Vegas
Various Real Estate and Trade shows in AZ, NV, and CA

Our listings are also shared with the following:  
IMPORTANT: Some email providers cut this newsletter off before the end. If that happens on yours, please scroll to the bottom of this email and click "View Entire Message" to see the entire newsletter. 

Sincerely,
Jim Ringquist

Broker/Sales Director
Sonoran Resorts Spa - Sea - Sun - Sky
602-476-7511
rockypointjim@gmail.com
www.SonoranResorts.mx 

President/Volunteer
Tourist Assistance Unit Advisory Committee (Tourist Assistance Police)
602-774-1777
www.touristassistancerockypoint.org
touristassistancerockypoint@gmail.com

I hope that you enjoy my newsletter and continue to recommend it to your friends. Please feel free to give me thoughts, suggestions, or ideas for future newsletters. Puerto Peñasco is my home and I love to share the news and goings-on with you.

I do get email requests each month asking me to add someone to my list. While I certainly don't mind doing so, all you really need to do is click Join Newsletter Mailing List, add the email address, and it will happen automatically. Not to worry - I will not spam you or share your email address, and you will only receive one email-newsletter each month on the 1st.

Exclusively Serving the Sonoran Resorts

Buy & Sell Direct and SAVE!

19+ Years Experience on Sandy Beach

Four Fully Completed Beachfront Resorts

We Have Earned Our Stellar Reputation

Your Only Logical Choice when Buying
or Selling a Sonoran Resorts Condo!
Sonoran Resorts Begins 10th Annual Food Drive
The Sonoran Resorts host an Annual Holiday Food Drive each year. This year's collection efforts will begin within a few days as we place large gift-wrapped empty boxes outside of our sales offices in each of the Sonoran Resorts lobbies.

If you're in town, please drop off an item or two (or more) if you can. Then, each year in early January, we deliver all of the food collected to one of the groups in town who will distribute it to those in need. In past years, we have supported the senior citizens home, the local DIF municipal charity, and others. Besides food items, we will gladly accept school supplies or winter jackets and blankets if you could see fit to bring some along on your next visit. All donations are appreciated.

This year, with the devastating effects caused by the covid restrictions, it is especially important to help if you can. There are so many great organizations and individuals around town who will accept donations, so if you don't make it by one of our sales offices, please try to donate somewhere.
Mexico Will Not Restrict its Border Crossings and Never Has
During the morning conference of the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel López Obrador, the Secretary of Foreign Relations, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón, responded to questions about the current restrictions on border crossings between this country and the United States.

Ebrard commented that every week the information released by the Ministry of Health of Mexico is reviewed since every month there is a dialogue with authorities in the American country.

“There are different ways of looking at it, Mexico is not going to opt for imperative closure, that would have many consequences and that applies to the border. Recommendations are made, orientation is made, but we are not anticipating closure of activities, ”he said at the morning conference.

However, despite observing an outbreak of Covid-19 in the United States , which is not in the border cities, according to Ebrard, “the restriction has not been changed with different modalities to activities that are not considered essential. We do not estimate that this provision will be modified in the short term, but until this date we will not modify what is already established, ” said the Chancellor this Thursday.

In addition, when asked if Mexico would be stricter with foreigners who cross into the country, the Secretary said that “Mexico is not going to opt for an imperative closure”, since by not allowing their entry there would be many consequences due to the paralysis of activities at the border, “and probably the damage that we would do, imagine how many months we have been, could be enormous. We are not anticipating a closure of activities, ” added Casaubón.

At the moment, the Mexican covid-19 "traffic light" has also been adopted in the United States , with the same colors and similar meanings, which simplifies the dialogue between the two countries , as mentioned by Marcelo Ebrard.
Government Hopes to Begin Vaccinations Before the End of Winter
Worst-case scenario is Covid vaccine by March; best-case December

A coronavirus vaccine will be available by the end of March in a worst-case scenario, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday.

“What is the worst-case scenario? That there is not a safe vaccine until the month of March. What is the best-case scenario? That there is a vaccine that works at the end of December,” he told President López Obrador’s regular news conference.

Ebrard said the best and worst-case scenario predictions come from the European Union,“especially the Health Ministry of Germany, which sent us their own information.”
“Why the huge global investment and beyond the obvious why are they preparing all this? What is wanted is to limit the impact of the [northern hemisphere] winter, having the vaccine at some time in winter will mean an enormous change in the course this pandemic will follow,” he said.

Ebrard said that authorities in Mexico also hope to be able to start vaccinating people against the coronavirus before the end of winter, and provided an update on the progress of vaccine trials by companies with which Mexico has entered into purchase agreements.

Mexico is set to finalize agreements with two more suppliers, said Foreign Minister Ebrard.
The foreign minister noted that AstraZeneca, which has an agreement with Oxford University to supply its vaccine, has successfully restarted phase 3 trials that were paused due to a serious adverse reaction in a participant.

Those trials are now on the verge of being completed in Brazil, the United Kingdom and South Africa, he said. Ebrard also said that Mexico is making progress in preparing to produce the AstraZeneca vaccine here.

(The charitable foundation of Carlos Slim, a telecommunications mogul and Mexico’s richest person, announced in August that it would fund production of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Mexico and Argentina should it pass phase 3 trials.)

“Mexico has already made progress in the transfer of technology, which is very complex,” Ebrard said. “The goal is to have production ready [to go] in Mexico and Argentina so that we can have the vaccine ready … in March.”

The vaccine developed by the United States company Pfizer in collaboration with two other companies is also nearing the end of phase 3 trials. Ebrard said reports about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine will be published in the United States by the third week of November.

The foreign minister said Mexico would finalize its supply agreement with Pfizer by November 12 and stressed that there will be enough funds to purchase its vaccine should it prove to be effective and safe.

Ebrard noted that a vaccine developed in China has been approved by the Chinese military and shown positive results. It will be tested in Mexico starting in the first half of November, he said, adding that the government would finalize its agreement with the Chinese firm by November 12.

Russia announced last month that it had reached an agreement with Mexican pharmaceutical company Landsteiner Scientific to supply 32 million doses of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine but its use in Mexico has not yet been approved by health sector regulator Cofepris.

President López Obrador has pledged to make vaccines available for all Mexicans free of charge and offered to be the first person to be inoculated no matter where the vaccine comes from.
Dia de los Muertos Season Brings Urban Legend Stories of Terror
As November 2, Day of the Dead, approaches, various urban legends reappear year after year. Here are two such stories that are told throughout Rocky Point, and which are/were corroborated by the actual people involved in the original telling. Halloween is more akin to the scary story, as Dia de los Muertos is typically viewed as a time to remember and celebrate those who have passed to the next life, and not a holiday of witches and demons. However, there are stories throughout Mexico in which beings "from beyond" come to visit the living around this time of year.

The first story was told by Idelfonso Verdugo Villegas who had been traveling from Puerto Penasco to Sonoyta with his friend “El Burrola”, (RIP, he died some time later in a vehicle accident). While driving the highway at night, the saw a lady at the side of the road beckoning for a ride. She was carrying a plastic jug in her hand so the friends assumed that she had run out of gas.

They stopped their car about 30 meters in front of where the lady was standing and both men were startled when she was immediately standing at their window, gesturing that she would like to get into the car. While they were nervous and bewildered at how quickly she had moved the 30 meters to the car, they asked her to get into the back seat. Verdugo, who had been commander of the Red Cross first-aid corp in the mid 80's said in his telling of the story that both men were praying in silence as they drove, while the lady sat quietly in the back seat with a deathly blank look on her face.

As the men entered the urban area of Sonoyta they began to relax, says Verdugo. He then turned to the back seat to ask the lady where she would like to be dropped off. To his horrific surprise, she was gone! They had not stopped the car and had not heard the door open. Both men swear that this story is completely true.

Another oft-told legend is that of the chupacabra and the nightmares caused throughout much of Mexico.

Stories of the chupacabra became famous in the late eighties, not only in Puerto Penasco, but in several cities throughout Mexico. Many people believed the stories and refused to leave their houses at night in fear of the chupacabra, a gruesome animal that seemed able to appear everywhere.

The little creature was documented in and around this city as killing goats, chickens, and sometimes even dogs. The animals were left whole but mysteriously had the blood drained from their lifeless bodies. Multiple local people at the time claimed to have lost animals in this way.

The stories of the chupacabra faded over time and it is still unknown if it even existed or was only an urban legend which arose from the vivid imagination of someone starting and spreading rumors. But, the fear was real and, supposedly, the bloodless dead animals were real as well.



Potpourri!

Short Shorts of All Sorts!


 Sometimes so much is going on in our little slice of paradise by the sea that we can't address the many short subjects with proper attention. To handle the hodgepodge of dangling subject matter, we invented the Potpourri Page. Here are a few "short shorts" to keep you up to date.

Border Restrictions Do Not Affect Tourist Travel To Rocky Point
US borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until November 21st.

The United States' land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to all non-essential travel until November 21, the US Department of Homeland Security said Monday.

The extension comes as the United States remains one of the most affected countries in the world by the coronavirus pandemic and is reporting the second highest number of new cases daily.

"To continue limiting the spread of COVID-19, the United States, Mexico and Canada will extend restrictions on non-essential travel until November 21," Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf wrote on Twitter.

In spite of the announcement, travel to and from Puerto Penasco remains unhindered for US Citizens.
Santa Claus Club Events Cancelled
Raffle to benefit the Santa Claus Club.

Due to covid-19 precautions, the Santa Clause Club has had to cancel all of our fundraising events for the second half of 2020. As an alternative, they are combining the prizes from their Auction and the prizes from the Cornhole tourament into one big raffle. Tickets are $2.00 each, 6 for $10.00, 13 for $20.00, or 40 for $50.00.

Prizes will include boat trips. hotel stays, rounds of golf, restaurant gift certificates, and certificates for many other Rocky Point activities. The drawing will be held on Thanksgiving weekend. To enter, please send a check to John Fowler, P. O. Box 5, Lukeville, AZ. 85341. 100% of the money raised will be used for the families in the barrios of Rocky Point.
Iconic Vasquez Liquors in Sonoyta Burns
Cactus Music and Art Festival November 28, 2020
Join the fin at the Cactus Music Festival and Artist Show on November 22, 2020 at Changos just outside of the entrances to the Sonoran Spa and Sonoran Sea.

The Artists Show begins at 10:00 and will feature several local artists and some very unique and original pieces to showcase their work.

Later in the day you can enjoy music from the very popular group, the Jons as well as others. This part of your fun begins at 5:00 pm and there is a $10 admission fee for the show.

The venue both during and before the show will be handled in a safe manner and the sanitary covid-19 protocols will be enforced, so bring your face mask and plan to have a great time.  .
In the early hours of this past Thursday, a roaring fire shook the community of Sonoyta, Sonora.

The big fire broke out in the heart of the city, right in the place where the long-time local icon and tourist favorite, Vasquez Liquors and Mercantile, is located.

The historic establishment, known by so many since the eighties when passing through Sonoyta, burned from the back (Obregón Avenue), also putting neighboring estabishments at high risk of fire.

So far the media and local authorities have not reported any victims or the total amount of estimated loss. The business is obviously a total loss for the owners and will be missed by many tourists.
Roger Clyne returns to Puerto Penasco November 20-22, 2020!
Following a successful, reduced capacity with multiple safety protocols weekend in September, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers will once again stage a weekend of outdoor shows at Banditos November 20-22. These shows will also be at reduced capacity with all ticket holders having temperatures checked at the door, hands sanitized and masks required entering and moving about the outdoor parking lot. Additionally, 80% of the attendees will be seated and spaced apart with the remainder being asked to either sit spaced on bleachers or stand in groups of 4 or less at raised tables.

Joining RCPM will be The Black Moods, Las Calakas, Neal Middleton from Royal Bliss, Jay Allan and Gail Lichtenstein, Natalie Merrill and Puerto Penasco's own Pedro Gomez. Schedules, line ups and tickets are on sale now at www.circusmexicus.net . Tickets are expected to sell out. Interested? Grab yours now!
Buen Fin - Mexico's Black Friday
El Buen Fin (short for "El Buen Fin de Semana," meaning "The Good Weekend") is an annual nationwide shopping event in Mexico. It began in 2011 and occurs the weekend before Mexican Revolution Day, which is observed on the third Monday of November. On this weekend, major retailers extend their store hours[1] and offer special promotions, including extended credit terms and price promotions. The event has been extended this year and will be observed from November 9-20.

The purpose of El Buen Fin is to stimulate the economy by encouraging consumption and to improve quality of life through promotions and discounts. It was inspired by the American tradition of Black Friday and emerged as an initiative of Council of Business Coordination, in association with the federal government and private sector organizations.

According to its official website, El Buen Fin is a discount promotion for goods and services that is carried out annually during the month of November with the aim of supporting the family economy, encouraging domestic market activity, increasing formal trade, and guarantee respect for consumer rights.
Landfill Fire
In case you were wondering where the smoke was coming from a few weeks ago, the landfill had caught fire which became a challenge to control. This problem has happened before and some say that it is scavengers who search for metal that start the fires in order to more easily locate it.

Mayor Kiko Munro conducted of the City's sanitary landfill and, given the serious problem it represented, issued an energetic but respectful call to Sonora Governor Claudia Pavlovich, with a request to release of resources already approved by the State Congress for the construction of a new Puerto Penasco landfill.

The Mayor of Puerto Peñasco noted that 17 million pesos have already been allocated for a new landfill in the state budget, however the funds have not been released to the local City Council as of yet.

Mayor Munro recognizes that the fires and smoke from the municipal garbage are a serious problem, but states that it is a situation inherited from previous administrations since the sanitary landfill has exceeded its useful life by several years. The Mayor emphasized that even with that fact, work continues to maintain the landfill and to generate a definitive solution for the disposal of the waste generated by Puerto Peñasco.

Kiko Munro added that he will continue to insist that the State Government proceed with the release of the 17 million pesos approved by the State Congress for the construction of a new sanitary landfill.

"Those resources were approved in 2019 but were not released, so they were approved again in 2020, but have still not reached the municipal coffers, and that is why the energetic and respectful call to Governor Claudia Pavlovich to expedite the delivery of that money was made”, he stated.

The Municipal President clarified that he does not intend to evade his responsibility in relation to the garbage issue, but he does want the public understand the situation.
City Receives New Equipment
As part of the third delivery of equipment and machinery from the resources of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT), Mayor Kiko Munro announced delivery of a model 2020 hydraulic tower for the surveillance and supervision of beaches and events specials.

Accompanied by César García, director of Zofemat, Alán Ontiveros, in charge of the office of the Civil Protection and Fire Department, as well as Carlos Bravo, director of the Tourist Auxiliary Unit, the Mayor of Puerto Peñasco gave his thanks and urged them to continue working to the benefit of the Puerto Penasco residents and visitors.

“In Peñasco we continue to do things well,” said Kiko Munro “That is why we were one of the first municipalities to reactivate its economy and to open the doors to its visitors, without lowering guard in terms of health and safety in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic ”.

The Mayor reported that the 2020 hydraulic tower has a surveillance camera system, mobile recording equipment, as well as a generator and autonomous electrical power generation system for its operation, which will support special operations and events for departments such as Civil Protection, Tourist Assistance Unit, and Zofemat.
Puerto Penasco's El Gallo Estrada Wins Bout to Retain Title
El “Gallo” Estrada lived up to his nickname in the ring in an electrifying duel against Carlos “Príncipe” Cuadras, who despite his delivery and technique for 11 rounds, fell to Juan Francisco Estrada, who retained his super flyweight title from World Boxing Council.

The bout, one of the most anticipated fights in national and international boxing, took place at La Casa del Boxeo, where Estrada arrived as a defending champion, after previously winning against Cuadras in 2017, when Estrada defeated him by unanimous decision.

At the TV Azteca facilities, the bell rang and the two warriors began to punish each other from the first round, leaving the so-called study round for another time. Cuadras showed that at 32 he had all the power to knock down Estrada, who on paper came as a favorite, but received a hard blow in the third round, falling uncontrollably against the ropes, and receiving shouts from his corner headed by Alfredo Caballero.

By the sixth round, Estrada had received the attention needed stopping the bleeding from above his eye as he fought back lacerating the forehead and cheek of Cuadras. Both corners did their job, tending injuries, motivating the boxers, giving instructions, and asking each fighter to give their all.

As the fight went on, fatigue began present in both fighters and that was when Estrada threw a combination at Cuadras, who tried to stay on his feet but could not avoid falling to the canvas.

With that, Juan Francisco Estrada celebrated, recognizing the end of the fight. After the fight, El Gallo stated that if the promoters were to agree, he would give Cuadras another rematch.
Fishermen Review New Markets for Product
Given the closure of the United States market for the export of marine products from the Upper Gulf of California due to the ban imposed on that region, there is the possibility that markets such as Europe may begin to open.

Ecologist Martha Román reported that Europe may be an alternative for fishermen in terms of point of sale, but there is a long way to go. "The European market is a very good possibility, and it should be explored as a market for products, such as shrimp or corvina".

She added that possibly, if a way is found to sell to them, the first years will probably not show great profits, but as export levels increase, the market should provide large dividends.

Roman added that the greatest obstacle that fishermen may have is post-capture management, since they have to taylor management to the items in order to comply with the regulations of fishery or animal health required by each export location.

“That is a potential problem, because there are large volumes and there is often no way to store it. If not properly handled and stored, it is detrimental to the quality of the product. ”.

She mentioned accomplishing this task requires time and money, again explaining that fishermen will not immediately see the fruit of their work.

"At some point it needs to begin though, and better soon based on the situation right now in terms of the embargo that the United States has on Mexican seafood."
Home Protection Law Changes
Last month brought the congressional approval of the absolute right to self-defense without being criminally prosecuted. The reform of the Penal Code allows that in the face of intrusion residents can defend themselves without being criminally prosecuted. This change strongly reverses the previous law which stated that a defender could only use "equal or lesser force" against the intruder, meaning that if an intruder had no weapon, the homeowner could be criminally charged if using a weapon for defense.

The issue of legitimate defense was approved in the reform of the Penal Code, which will allow that in the face of the intrusion to the home (thief, criminal, or not) who threatens physical injury or property, a residents may defend themselves without threat of criminal prosecution.

The proposal, which passed by unanimous vote, will allow that in the case of an assault or robbery with violence, the victim may hit, injure, even kill the offender and will be protected by law. Dennise García Muñoz Ledo, a member of the commission, said that according to the approval, whoever is at home will be have the right to repel any aggression. "When an intruder reaches a house, whoever is in the house can repel that aggression, in any way under any circumstance and using the mechanisms or elements that are at hand and in no way can the defender be criminally charged."

García Muñoz Ledo clarified that the approved initiative only guarantees legitimate defense in homes and does not apply in businesses or cars owned by a victim, although it is expected that in the future it will also be applied to those locations as well. "The change applies only to houses, but includes surrounding areas such a patio, garden, roof terrace, fenced area, etc. Basically anything that is considered in the context of your home," he said.

The change to the law includes police who enter a home. Any police officer who enters homes taking advantage of the uniform to commit abuse of authority will not be exempt from the Law. "The great advantage of this reform is that when someone enters your home with the purpose of harming or robbing you, any defense mechanism may be used, even if it is an alleged police officer who enters to rob or harm you."
Sonoran Coast Sees Record Sea Turtle Activity
The reduced human presence on the beaches, due to the confinement and restrictions caused by Covid-19, has given rise this season to a historic hatching of olive ridley turtles in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora.

"In my community and in two nearby towns there never been anything like this, which is a majestic thing for me," said Mayra Estrella Astorga, coordinator of the Tortuguero of the Comcaac indigenous community (Seri).

This season, which runs from October 22 to November 4, some 2,289 turtles have hatched on Desemboque beach, on the coast of the Sea of ​​Cortez, near Pitiquito, in Sonora. This beach, where about 500 turtles are born in normal years, was closed at the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, which caused a drop in fishing and visitors, creating unique, favorable conditions.

" On the one hand, the pandemic did have some positives, because it was a benefit for us to see more turtles due to the fact that they did not allow boats or fishermen to enter the areas.

The hatching began about a week ago and to date 2,289 Lepidochelys olivacea turtles, a species included in the list of endangered species by the official Mexican standard, have already been born.

Astorga assures that 2020 has been the most difficult year for the Seri indigenous people who inhabit the region, since the Covid-19 has dealt a severe blow to its economy. However, the decline in human activity such as tourism and fishing are the main causes that led to an excellent year for the reproduction of this endangered species, she points out. The community recently organized a release of 720 turtles, in an event complete with live music and celebration.

"It is really very nice to see the Comcaac tribe showing the beautiful relationship they have with their environment. All of these native peoples have that connection and a deep knowledge about it. They are the ones who take care of these areas that give life to the planet. That is why they are the older brothers and we can learn from them, that awareness, that relationship they have to keep the environment safe, "assured Albarrán.

The main risks that threaten this species is the trafficking of their eggs and illegal and accidental fishing. Turtle eggs are illegally taken because they are considered an aphrodisiac delicacy and the accidental and illegal fishing has become a security problem on the coast of the Mexican state. The sale or possession of eggs from the olive ridley sea turtle are permanently prohibited based on the danger of extinction of the species.

In addition to Sonora, this species breeds on the coast of Oaxaca, where 700,000 olive ridley turtles have arrived since the beginning October to spawn, according to the National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (Conanp).

This species of tortoise is from the cheloniidae family. It is the smallest of the sea turtles. It measures up to 70 cm and weighs around 40 kilos. It feeds on a wide variety of marine invertebrates.
Economy Bounced Back 12% in Third Quarter but Year to Year was Down 8.6%
The Mexican economy recovered strongly in the third quarter of the year compared to the previous three months but GDP was still well below 2019 levels.

Economic activity increased 12% between July and September compared to the April-June quarter, according to preliminary statistics published Friday by Inegi, the national statistics institute.

However, on a year-over-year basis GDP was down 8.6% in the third quarter.
Still, the July-September result shows that the economy is heading in the right direction after suffering a record slump in the second quarter when GDP fell by almost 20% compared to the same period of 2019.

The 12% growth in the three-month period is the economy’s best performance from one quarter to the next in at least 30 years.

The second quarter included two full months – April and May – during which nonessential economic activities were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and the federal government urged people to stay at home.

Compared to the April-June period, the primary sector, which includes agriculture and fishing, expanded 7.4%. The secondary sector including manufacturing and mining grew 22% and the tertiary, or services, sector increased 8.6%, Inegi said.

According to the Latin American director for Moody’s Analytics, the strong performance of the economy is due to the recovery of economic activity in the United States, Mexico’s largest trading partner. “The strong rebound in the third quarter was driven by the United States recovery,” Alfredo Coutino said.

Despite the strong recovery, the head of economic and financial research at Banco Base, Gabriela Siller, said that it is “highly probable” that the economy will again contract on an annual basis in the final quarter of 2020. However, even if tighter rules become more widespread, the impact on the economy won’t be as big as earlier in the year, Economy Minister Graciela Márquez predicted this week.

During an appearance in Congress on Wednesday, Márquez noted that automotive, mining and construction are now considered essential activities and therefore won’t be forced to shut down – as occurred earlier this year – even if coronavirus cases spike considerably.

Finance Minister Arturo Herrera said a “full recovery” of the economy will occur once a coronavirus vaccine becomes available and widespread inoculation has occurred. “We hope vaccines will arrive at the end of December or the start of January,” he said.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said this week that a vaccine will be available by the end of March in a worst-case scenario but even if that prediction comes true, inoculation of the majority of the population would likely take months if not years.

Banco Base’s Siller said it will probably take six years for Mexico to get back to the GDP levels it had before the coronavirus-induced economic crisis.

But President López Obrador is more optimistic, asserting Friday that a V-shaped recovery is already underway. “We’re now growing, our economy is recovering,” he said, citing the Inegi data. “Our forecast that we were going to drop due to the pandemic but recover quickly is coming true.”
Mexico Expects to Pass Law Before December for Recreational Use of Cannabis
For Guillermo Nieto, a Mexican businessman who grew up smoking pot, the cannabis greenhouse on his family’s vast farmlands in Guanajuato state is part of a bigger dream. One that involves deep-pocketed pharmaceutical companies. Nieto and several Mexican businessmen have spent years positioning themselves for a time when the country opens up what would be the world’s biggest legal cannabis market in terms of population, where the drug can be lawfully cultivated and sold.

Mexico finally outlined rules in July covering cannabis for medical use, and the sign-off is expected in coming weeks. A bigger prize may also be close for Nieto and foreign companies; Senate majority leader Ricardo Monreal told Reuters he expected a law to be passed before December for recreational use of the drug, allowing regulated private firms to sell it to the public.

 “It’s going to generate a market,” said Nieto, wearing a smart blue shirt, blazer, and bright marijuana-leaf print yellow socks. “We are expecting to create jobs and revenue for the government. We think it could really help our economy.”

Indeed the legal cannabis industry is already a multi-billion-dollar global trade, and some big players, including Canada’s Canopy Growth and The Green Organic Dutchman, and a unit of California-based Medical Marijuana Inc, told Reuters they were eager to tap the new Mexican market.

Business aside, Nieto says the new regulations will have a profound social impact on the conservative nation of 126 million people, where drugs are a sensitive subject due to a long and painful history of violence perpetuated by feuding cartels. “The first thing that will happen is that no Mexican will die or go to jail because of this plant,” Nieto said. “With that, everyone wins.”

However Mexicans are by no means unified on this issue.

While a growing cannabis industry promises to be a money-spinner, it faces resistance from campaigners who are worried that regulations for both medical and non-medical cannabis will heavily favor big, often foreign corporations. The initial regulations covering medical use permit entrepreneurs such as Nieto to grow marijuana on behalf of pharmaceutical companies and allows foreign businesses to import medical cannabis products into the country.


However Mexico’s Supreme Court, which has effectively legalized cannabis by ruling prohibition is unconstitutional, has given the government until Dec. 15 to draft new legislation for the recreational use of cannabis. Monreal, Senate leader of the ruling National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party, told Reuters that lawmakers were currently ironing out the finer details of the legislation.

He said his party, which has a majority in both houses of Congress with its allies, should have no problems passing the law, which he added would decriminalize possession of a “certain amount” of marijuana. Monreal said the law would not allow Dutch-style cafes in the first stage of liberalization, but the public would be able to buy marijuana from privately run and strictly regulated “sales and distribution centers”.

However he added the Senate was divided over whether to allow industrial cultivation of hemp, a cousin of cannabis plants used in products ranging from food and clothes to building materials, citing opposition from industries that fear hemp will displace their goods.

Depending on what laws Mexico passes, Latin America’s second-largest economy could morph into a hot new frontier in the so-called “green rush” spreading across Canadian and American farmlands, spurred by growing global investment buzz around legal marijuana.

Globally the legal marijuana industry was valued at $17.7 billion last year by consultancy Grand View Research, and is expected to reach $73.6 billion by 2027. Large cannabis companies, which have pharmaceutical facilities to test products, said they were eyeing both the medical and non-medical marijuana sectors.

Canopy Growth, the world’s biggest pot company, told Reuters it aimed to contribute to “the responsible development of this new market” and would review the upcoming regulations.

The Green Organic Dutchman said it “looks forward to participating in the Mexican cannabis market” through its subsidiary, TGOD Mexico, adding it was monitoring the situation.

Raul Elizalde, co-chief executive of HempMeds Mexico, a distributor and subsidiary of California-based Medical Marijuana Inc, said it had held talks with some Mexican pharmaceutical companies about a joint venture about, initially, medical cannabis. However it may launch its own pharma business in the country should the new medical regulations require it. Elizalde said most companies would hold off making investment decisions until they see what laws the senate passed in December, in case they also amend the medicinal rules. “It’s much better to wait and see if this will change,” he said.

To start with, big Canadian companies are likely to see Mexico as a place to export their cannabis products, while U.S. players, hamstrung by federal laws that prohibit marijuana exports, may franchise their brands in Mexico, said Avis Bulbulyan, CEO at cannabis consultancy Siva Enterprise.

Further down the line, Mexico’s inexpensive land, relatively cheap labor force and favorable weather would likely make it a top destination for companies to grow and export cannabis raw materials and products. “It’s on a lot of people’s radar,” Bulbulyan added.

Not everyone is happy with how the new industry is shaping up, however.

The coalition that led the cannabis legalization drive through the courts, made up of pro-marijuana activists and parents of ill children seeking cannabis-based pain relief, say the new medical regulation helps big businesses rather than patients.

Lawmakers legalized the use of medicinal marijuana in 2017, while the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that recreational marijuana should be permitted.

As it stands, the medical regulation would bar people like Margarita Garfias from growing cannabis for personal use to relieve pain. Farmers could only cultivate marijuana through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies that can conduct product trials, tie-ups which are out of reach for most. Garfias, the mother of a wheelchair-bound 16-year-old son with multiple disabilities, said families who live in fear and have faced getting criminal records for trying to help their children feel short-changed. “The regulation doesn’t help with this, nor with social justice nor human rights for patients,” added Garfias, who said her home-grown cannabis-derived medicine had reduced her son’s epileptic fits and hospitalizations.

Mexico’s health ministry referred queries about the regulation to the regulator, COFEPRIS, which said the rules were focused on ensuring the population was not put at risk. “Medicines must have quality, safety and efficacy,” it said.
Monarch butterflies not alone: dragonflies too make long journey to Mexico
Some can travel as far as 14,000 kilometers

The 4,000-kilometer migration of the monarch butterfly from Canada and the United States to the forests of Michoacán and México state is well known.

But there is another insect that undertakes an equally impressive annual journey: the dragonfly also migrates, and some do so for even greater distances than the butterflies.

Dragonflies, which can fly at speeds of up to 97 kilometers an hour, are capable of crossing the ocean and can travel as far as 14,000 kilometers without rest, says dragonfly expert Enrique González Soriano, a researcher at the National Autonomous University (UNAM) Institute of Biology.

The Pantala flavescens species “makes tremendously large migrations, the most extensive for any insect, as they are capable of crossing the Indian Ocean, flying from India to the northeast coast of Africa,” said González, who has studied the insect for 30 years.

Although the dragonfly migration is not as well studied as the monarch’s, 11 species of dragonflies migrate in North America, six of which include Mexico in their path.

Dragonflies migrate at the end of summer or beginning of fall, following the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean. Less is known about the migratory phenomenon in the Pacific where there may be more species that arrive in Mexican territory, González says. Dragonflies are too small to track and do not travel in swarms, as monarchs do.

Biologist Carlos Velasco, president of Nuevo León’s Biodiversity Commission, pointed out that at least two species of dragonflies have been reported flying over Monterrey recently: the yellow striped dragonfly (Pantala flavescens) mentioned above, as well as the green darner, whose scientific name is Anax junius.

The green darner emerges from ponds and lakes in Mexico in the spring to journey 700 kilometers north to the southern and central portions of the United States where it will lay its eggs and die. The second generation will reach maturity and head south in the fall to return to Mexico.

“Dragonflies are predatory insects in the water in their larval stage and outside it, as adults. They feed on other insects, but they can also feed on fish fry, some types of mollusks, and outside the water they are also predators and feed on wasps, flies and mosquitoes,” González explains, adding that they can also feed on the larva of insects harmful to humans, such as mosquitoes that can transmit dengue or malaria.

Velasco says that dragonflies can also act as indicators of the health of the bodies of water or ecosystems where they develop.

“Unlike the monarch butterfly, dragonflies need another type of habitat, not like the oyamel forests we have in central Mexico. For dragonflies, it is extremely important that there are wetlands, that is, bodies of water, rivers, streams, where they can lay the eggs of the next generation of dragonflies, that is why the conservation and knowledge of these species is of great importance to all of us,” Velasco says.

He recommends that people consider becoming citizen scientists by recording their observations of dragonflies and other flora and fauna on platforms such as Naturalista, part of the iNaturalist.org network.

The website is a joint project of the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic in which more than one million people are participants in an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature.
2 Mexicans Help Lead LA Dodgers to Big World Series Win
Both Víctor González and Julio Urías pitched in Tuesday's win over the Tampa Bay Rays

Two Mexicans were instrumental in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win of their first World Series Major League Baseball title in 32 years on Tuesday.

Both Víctor González, a Nayarit native, and Julio Urías, originally from Sinaloa, pitched in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in game 6 of the series in Arlington, Texas.

The victory was the fourth of the best of seven series for the Dodgers, securing the team its seventh World Series title and its first since 1988.
González, 24, took to the mound in the fifth inning and secured the final out. He also struck out the Rays in the sixth inning without conceding a run.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on Urías, also 24, in the seventh inning and he got the final out. Urías also pitched in the eighth and ninth innings, keeping Tampa Bay scoreless in both and thus ensuring victory for the Dodgers.

The Culiacán native has played for the Dodgers since 2016 but González, born in Tuxpan, Nayarit, made his Major League debut for the team this year. Video footage shows residents of Tuxpan celebrating last night’s victory in the streets.

In a post-game interview, Urías described the three outs he threw in the final inning as the most important of his life. Draped in the Mexican flag, the pitcher told a television commentator that he was proud of his homeland and happy to receive support from Mexicans in the United States and at home.

Asked how he felt to share the victory with his fellow Mexican, Urías responded: “I’m extremely happy, he is my brother … and will be for my whole life. He’s a person who is very important for me and I’m a person who is very important for him. So we’re happy and enjoying this dream together.”

Urías and González now join a select group of just 12 Mexican-born baseball players who have won a World Series title.

The most recent winners prior to the Dodgers pair were Jaime García and Fernando Salas, both of whom were pitchers on the St. Louis Cardinals team that took the title in 2011.
Meet the Sonoran's Family of Beachfront Resorts
Sonoran Sky Resort


Sonoran Sun Resort


Sonoran Sea Resort


Sonoran Spa Resort



Marranitos - Mexican Pig-Shaped Cookies
Marranitos (or cochinos, or puerquitos, as are they are called in some Mexican-American communities) are often called 'Gingerbread Pigs,' although they don't actually have ginger in them - and no cinnamon either. In fact, traditional marranitos get their delicious spicy-brown goodness from molasses. This recipe is a trans-pecos region variation, it uses the non-traditional addition of cinnamon. You may wish to try also adding a bit of dry ground ginger, and you may use a milk wash instead of an egg wash.

Marranitos (Mexican Pig-Shaped Cookies)


Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
¼ cup shortening
1 egg
¼ cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup unsulfured molasses
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 15
Yield: 15 large cookies

Directions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2
In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and shortening until smooth. Mix in 1 egg, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, and molasses. Mix in flour until the dough is stiff enough to roll out.

Step 3
Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into cookies using a pig shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the tops of the cookies.

Step 4
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the centers of the cookies appear dry and edges are lightly browned.
Happy ending for boy who offered toys for sale to buy a tablet
He was given two tablets and gave away the second

A young boy who decided to sell his toys in order to buy a computer tablet to keep up with his school work has been given two tablets by kindhearted citizens after a newspaper published a story on his plight.

So he turned around and gave the second away to another student without a device to access the internet.

Mario Lara, 11, of Ciudad Madero in Tamaulipas, had been struggling with technology as he attends school online. When classes began in August, he used his mother’s smartphone, but that situation quickly grew complicated as his mother also needs the phone to run her business.


She struggles to make ends meet so purchasing a tablet for their son was financially impossible.

But Mario was determined to keep up with his studies, so he decided to sell off his toy collection, mostly action figures like Max Steel and Spider-Man and Star Wars characters.

He placed them on a plastic table in front of his house to which he affixed a sign reading “My toys are for sale. I need a tablet or a cell phone for my classes, help me with your purchase.”

Word soon spread on social media and Milenio published a story on Mario on September 23.

A non-profit called Movimiento Benito responded and gave Mario a tablet.

But so did a person from Guadalajara who was moved by the story. Mario gave the second tablet to another child in his same predicament.

“I am proud of my child for his noble heart,” his mother said.

Other Mexican children have come to understand that tough times can mean sacrifices have to be made.

Such was the case of a young man in Tampico named Dereck Peto Castorena, who in May decided to sell off his extensive collection of “The Simpsons” figurines to help his family survive economically.

The sixth-grader set up shop at his father’s mask and hand sanitizer stand where he sold the figurines for 15 to 70 pesos (US 70 cents to $3.27) each, using the money to help his family survive because “they have struggled a lot,” he said.

A child in Tijuana adopted a similar tactic in April. After his mother lost her job he began bartering his favorite playthings, placing stuffed animals, puzzles and balls on the fence outside his family home with a sign reading, “I’m exchanging toys for food. We want to help my mom.”
Sonoran Sales Group - The OFFICIAL sales team for Sonoran Resorts!

We are Rocky Point's one and only exclusive and dedicated team who have always, and will always, sell Sonoran Resorts and ONLY Sonoran Resorts!

If you are looking for a team of real professionals who specialize in Puerto Penasco's best family of "True Beachfront" resorts, you've found us, and we are here to serve you.

Whether Buying or Selling, no one can serve you better when it comes to the Sonoran Resorts. We have been here since the beginning, and we will be here for you when you need us.

Our In-House closing team will make things happen quickly and professionally and we will save you money. Our attorneys are on salary and no additional attorney fees are charged to our clients. Loyalty to the Sonoran Resorts Sales Team is both appreciated and rewarded!

We don't just sell the Sonoran Resorts, we ARE the Sonoran Resorts. We work directly with the Developers, the HOAs, and the Rental companies.

We really can help you in ways that no one else can.

Let me know if you would like links to any of the earlier ones. (Almost 10 years worth)
Just for the fun of it...

Jim Ringquist
rockypointjim@gmail.com