An apt description ....
Una descripción apropiada ....

"This (Tijuana) is not Mexico; it is a border town." Overheard

"Este (Tijuana) no es México; es una ciudad fronteriza." Oído por casualidad.

MEXICAN CRACK-DOWN ON ORGANIZED CRIME ALONG THE BORDER

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20050622-9999-6m22border.html

MEXICAN JOURNALISTS ARE IN A PITILESS LANDSCAPE

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=14153

Abuse by homeowner's association

On June 8, the City of Tijuana cut down and removed the entrance gates to Punta Bandera. The home owners' association had prevented certain residents from entering the development. Apparently the city has taken these steps because the roads to Punta Bandera are public, and the home owners' association has no legal right to erect gates on them.

This information appeared in the letters to the editor section of the northern edition of the "Gringo Gazette." Details at URL: http://gringogazettenorth.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=116

RENE’S 17TH ANNUAL CHARITY BLOCK PARTY
JULY 2, 12 NOON - 7 PM, K28 ROSARITO, BAJA CALIFORNIA

ENTERTAINMENT & TOMFOOLERY

• The Grimaldos - 2004 U.S. Karaoke finalists
• Emilio Caballo - Karaoke vocalist from Rosarito
• Carol Wahl - Vocalist
• Barbara Collins and “The Grannies” - Comedic dance troupe
• Las Sirenitas - Mexican Dance troupe
• Hugo Rosales-Barba - Mariachi Troubadour

FOOD * CASH BAR * RAFFLE PRIZES * BOOTHS * FREE ADMISSION

Donations – Rene’s Block Party, P.O. Box 433220, San Ysidro, CA 92143
For information and raffle gift donations, please contact Ruby Arteaga at 661.613.1049 or Email rubyandvince at yahoo dot com

Police Release Photo Of Murder Suspect
Woman's Nude Body Found Earlier In Week


UPDATED: 12:02 pm PDT May 20, 2005

SAN DIEGO -- Police in Mexico have released a photograph of the man suspected of beating a San Diegan to death at a tourist campground in Rosarito Beach earlier this week.

Photo URL and details: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/4513021/detail.html?rss=dgo&psp=news

More than 600 people have been killed in Mexico this year by drug cartels

Alejandro Dominguez, the police chief of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, was gunned down June 9, 2005, by men firing assault rifles from a convoy of Chevrolet Suburbans nine hours after he was sworn in.

Details are at URL: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3217908

and URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/15/AR2005061502553.html/?nav=yb-t2

Mexican troops and federal police took over the city on June 13 to curb a drug war that has spiraled out of control, killing dozens.

Audio post of SAN ANTONIO DEL MAR homeowners' meeting information - click on the button:

from Pat Mullen

SADM Homeowners Meeting, Saturday, 6/25/05

10 AM in the park

Bring your own chair

Some comments have been forwarded:

"1. Why do we have a STOP sign. I realize the purpose is to stop and look before proceeding, but very few of us obey the sign. The majority of the residents and ALL of the trucks and workers who come in here, buzz right past me. I have nearly been rear-ended several times because I take the time to stop. Either enforce or eliminate.

2. Getting on the highway, headed south, there is a very deep pot hole right under the over-pass. To avoid hitting it, you must swerve, endangering the traffic coming through at 65 miles per hour. Unfortunately, the other direction is identical. There is a pot hole just before getting off the highway headed north, right before you swing around to the right and go over the bridge. This may be responsibility of Caminos y Puentes, but nothing has been done and it is a real road hazard.

3. We are destroying our cars on our potholes here. Cantil (100 block) is very hard on my car. Mercedes told me I have shot one of my shock absorbers already, and I am just waiting to ruin the other before investing in unwanted replacements. My solution is simple. Charge a toll to all business vehicles (pick-ups as well as big cement trucks, etc. ) They all come in here and take over our roads; speeding in many areas, and doing harm to the stone roads. If we charged a toll according to size of truck, the monies earned would pay for the repair of our roads, costing us nothing more. Wouldn't that be a good deal? My principal at San Ysidro Middle School said never give a complaint without some sort of solution, so...that's mine."

Amy Valenzuela

Post replies by clicking on the "comments" link, or send them to:

patrick_mullen_kb6oxxxe2 at yahoo dot com dot mx

Additional SENTRI lane at San Ysidro Port Of Entry

The additional lane has reduced the wait time for north-bound travelers to a few minutes. A fourth lane is under contruction and is scheduled to open in the next few weeks.

No additional lanes are scheduled to be built at the Otay border crossing, which has one SENTRI lane. A SENTRI lane will be installed at the Calexico crossing later this year.

SENTRI is the acronym for Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection.

Additional information can be found at the following URLs:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20050611-9999-7m11sentri.html
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/05/20/fast_lane_slows_to_a_crawl_along_border?mode=PF

THE DIAMOND 320A TRIBAND MOBILE ANTENNA

Has anyone had problems folding this thing over? Kim, KG6UFN, and I have tried everything short of sprinkling sacrificial chicken blood on his. Any suggestions would be welcomed at:

patrick_mullen_kb6oxxxe2 at yahoo dot com dot mx

Also, I found a nice HAM radio blog site at URL:

http://k7vo.blogspot.com/2005/03/road-trip-on-222mhz.html#comments

Border Patrol travel agents

A popular prime-time soap opera in Brazil titled "America" depicts a character who is smuggled across the U.S./Mexican border who finds a job in Miami as an exotic dancer. Because of some rather curious decisions by the U.S. Government, there now exists a enormous loophole in illegal immigration enforcement at the nation's borders. The Brazilian "telenova" is becoming a mirror of fact rather than fiction.

There is space for about 19,450 people in the immigration detention system; this is far less than the number required. U.S. immigration officials are faced with the dilemma of detaining a migrant who has criminal record or detaining one who doesn't. Mexican detainees are returned to Mexico; however, since international law does not allow sending non-Mexican detainees to Mexico, they are issued a court summons, a "notice to appear." When a detainee is given the summons it allows them to remain in the U.S. pending an immigration hearing.

In the first eight months of this federal fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, more than 85,000 migrants were apprehended. Nearly all are no-shows at their court hearings (comprehensive federal figures are not available). In essence, the summons allows the migrants to continue their journey to anywhere they want to go.

For a more detailed description of this travel service provided free of charge by the U.S. Border Patrol, see URL: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20050604-9999-1n4texas.html

A Smuggler's Life

http://www.sandiegomag.com/issues/april05/featureb0405.asp

This note was received from John Alcorn, VK2JWA (vk2jwa at bigpond dot net dot au) of the Summerland Amateur Radio Club in eastern Australia:

* * FAKE EBAY EMAILS AFTER YOUR DETAILS

If you get ANY emails pretending to be from Ebay asking for your info etc. DO NOT ANSWER THEM. Ebay NEVER asks for this info by email. Forward them complete without any alteration or comment to -spoof at ebay dot com dot au. Ebay will immediately acknowledge receipt. The same applies to PayPal. Never respond to them.

Mexicali prison director shot to death in his car

Acribillan al director del penal de Mexicali en su automóvil

English account: sanignonsandiego

La cuenta en español : eluniversal

Luis Fonseca beaten and killed in San Antonio Del Mar

Luis Fonseca, and elderly widower who lived in San Antonio, was beaten and murdered late last night in his home at 840 Calle Arrefice. Rosarito police apprehended two “skin heads” early this morning when they observed an SUV driving erratically. When they questioned the occupants, they determined that the vehicle was apparently stolen and possible contained stolen property, which led to the discovery of Fonseca’s body in San Antonio.

The San Antonio Del Mar homeowners association is apparently determining how the assailants were able to enter and exit the community. There is a homeowner’s meeting in the park on June 25th, and all homeowner’s are urged to attend.

Luis Fonseca golpeado y matado en San Antonio Del Mar

Luis Fonseca, un viudo mayor que vivió en San Antonio, fue golpeado y asesinado tarde en la noche pasada en su casa en Calle Arrefice °840. La policía de Rosarito detuvo dos “cabezas de la piel” temprano esta mañana cuando ellos observaron un SUV que conduce irregularmente. Cuando ellos preguntaron a los inquilinos, ellos determinaron que el vehículo fue por lo visto robado y se lleva propiedad possible robada, lo que condujo al descubrimiento del cuerpo de Fonseca en San Antonio.

El San Antonio que la asociación de propietarios de marzo de Del determina por lo visto como los atacantees eran capaces de entrar y salir la comunidad. Hay reunión de un propietario en el parque el 25 de junio, e impulsan todo el propietario a asistir.

Mexican Police authorities encounter increasing criminal activities along international border

Rosarito, B. Cfa., Mexico - Rosarito Police Chief Carlos Bowser was was riddled with bullets on Saturday morning, May 21, 2005, as he left his house.

Authorities detained, and later released, five suspects, and confiscated three cars in the hours following the killing.

Police found guns and masks inside the vehicles.

Bowser had been named police chief in December and vowed to eliminate drug houses in the city. He also promised to establish order within the Rosarito police Department.

Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, May 21, 2005— A federal police officer was killed in a late-night shooting Friday which left three others dead, a Mexican newspaper reported.

At about 1 a.m. along the Las Fuentes colonia, a group of federal officers was confronted by armed men driving a white Dodge Ram, which led to a 30-minute shootout with federal agents.
Pedro Moreno Feria, the federal officer killed, received a bullet wound through his arm so severe that it ruptured his heart and lungs. He was taken to a local hospital but later died as a result of his injuries, sources said.

The events unfolded as the driver of the Dodge Ram led federal police on a high-speed chase, during which shots were fired from both sides. The chase ended in front of Taller de Transportes Garza Herrera, a commercial area of Reynosa.

Once the chase ended, federal agents, with the help of other law enforcement agencies, surrounded the truck and ordered those inside to surrender, officials said. When they did not give up, agents fired several shots at the truck, killing two. The driver of the Dodge Ram ran, leading agents on a second chase in which more rounds were fired. He was later slain by his pursuers.

U.S. authorities last month reissued a warning to U.S. travelers in response to a surge in violence linked to drug trafficking in Mexico near the U.S. border. Mexican officials have said they are working to improve security in the border region, while suggesting the United States overreacted.

The Law of Unintended Consequences - la Ley de Consecuencias no Planeadas

A Rosarito municipal official has apparently sparked a lively debate in the local expatriate community that will apparently last for a long time. He has openly addressed the issue of extortion, specifically the extortion of foreigners, and has proposed a remedy, viz., putting all foreign residents on a master list. Pick your poison:

Un funcionario municipal de Rosarito ha chispeado por lo visto un discusión animado en la comunidad de los expatriados local que durará por lo visto durante mucho tiempo. Él se ha dirigido abiertamente a la cuestión de extorsión, expresamente la extorsión de extranjeros, y ha propuesto un remedio, es decir, poniendo a todos los residentes extranjeros a una lista de patrón. Escoja su veneno:

Author: Lorena GARCÍA RAMÍREZ, of "El Mexicano"newspaper
Translated by Patrick Mullen

"PLAYAS DE ROSARITO - More than 6,000 foreigners live in Playas de Rosarito; the Municipal Public Relations Office seeks to involve them in the active life of the city and to make them feel part of the locality.

Marco Antonio Corona, a city official, explained that a total of 6,200 foreign residents are registered in the office of international visitors; nevertheless they look to create a more exact census and at that time offer benefits to the registrants.

For them (the registrants) a credential will be issued which will give them access such as a legal advisor, emergency, medical care, tourist information, notary public, immigration advice, and translation services, to mention a few.

'We want to conduct a more exact census to let the foreign residents know they can count on an office to help and support them 24 hours a day.'

Corona-Bolaños indicated that various expatriate organizations exist in Playas de Rosarito, and that they (municipal officials) will approach them to present the proposition and to look at the possibility of creating a census system.

'We want to distinguish the residents from the visitors, to make them feel at home.'

In time, the act of identifying them as 'Foreigners at home' will inhibit the comission of acts of extortion by such as those in authority.

When the program would mature, the Public Relations Office is confident that the foreign residents would benefit, in an indirect manner, as promoters of Playas de Rosarito, attracting more investors, potential residents, or simply more tourists."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYAS DE ROSARITO. Más de seis mil extranjeros residen en Playas de Rosarito, mismos que la dirección de Relaciones Públicas del gobierno municipal busca involucrar en la vida activa de la ciudad y hacer quese sientan parte de la localidad.

Marco Antonio Corona, titular de dicha dependencia, explicó que son un total de 6 mil 200 residentes extranjeros los que tienen registrados en la oficina de atención a visitantes internacionales, sin embargo buscan crear un padrón más exacto y que a la vez ofrezca beneficios a los inscritos.

Para ello, expedirán una credencial que les dará acceso a servicios como asesoría legal, atención médica de emergencia, información turística, notarios públicos, asesoría migratoria y hasta los servicios de traducción, por mencionar algunos.

"Queremos disponer de un padrón más exacto para hacerles saber a los residentes extranjeros que cuentan con una oficina para ayudarlos y asesorarlos las 24 horas del día".

Corona Bolaños indicó que existen varias organizaciones de norteamericanos en Playas de Rosarito, a los que se acercarán para plantearles la propuesta y ver la posibilidad de crear un patronato.

"Queremos que el residente se distinga del visitante, hacerlos sentir que son de casa", comentó.

A su vez, el hecho de que se identifiquen como"extranjeros de casa", inhibirá la comisión de actos de extorsión por parte tanto de particulares como de autoridades.

Cuando dicho programa comience a rendir frutos, la dirección de Relaciones Públicas confía en que los residentes extranjeros fungirán, de manera indirecta, como promotores de Playas de Rosarito por lo que atraerán a más inversionistas, residentes potenciales o simplemente a más turistas."

URL:http://www.el-mexicano.com.mx/nota.aspx?idNota=120838&SeccId=4&esSecc=True(April 9, 2005)

Sr. Corona has a brave soul.

Revised entry and reentry requirements into the U.S. - bilingüe

Americans will need passports to reenter the United States from Canada, Mexico, Panama and Bermuda by 2008.

Similarly, Canadians will also have to present a passport to enter the United States. Canadians have been the only foreigners allowed to enter the United States with just a driver's license.

An announcement from the State Department, will specify that a passport or another valid travel document will have to be shown by U.S. citizens. These include a document called "Sentri" that is used for Mexico travel, or a "Nexus" for Canada travel.

Until now, Americans returning home from Canada have needed only to show a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification card.

Americans returning from Mexico, Panama, or Bermuda, currently need only a government-issued photo identification card plus proof of U.S. citizenship like an original birth or naturalization certificate.

The new rules, to be phased in by Jan. 1, 2008, were created in intelligence legislation approved last year by Congress.

These changes are being made to facilitate the identification process at U.S. Ports of entry and airports so Customs officials won't have to sift through different travel documents.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los americanos necesitarán pasaportes reingresar en los Estados Unidos de Canadá, de México, de Panamá, y de Bermudas, antes de 2008.

Del mismo modo, los canadienses tendrán que presentar también un pasaporte para entrar en los Estados Unidos. Los canadienses han sido los únicos extranjeros permitió entrar en los Estados Unidos con solamente un licencia de automovilista.

Un anuncio, del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, especificará que un pasaporte u otro documento de viajes válido tendrán que ser mostrados por ciudadanos estadounidenses.

Estos incluyen un documento llamado el "Sentri" que es usado para viajes de México, el "Nexus" para viajes de Canadá.

Hasta ahora, los estadounidenses que devuelven a casa de Canadá han tenido que sólo mostrar una licencia de automovilista u otro carnet de identidad de foto publicado por gobierno.

Los estadounidenses que vuelven de México, Panamá o Bermudas, actualmente necesitan sólo un carnet de identidad de foto publicado por gobierno más la prueba de la ciudadanía estadounidense como un certificado de naturalización o nacimiento original.

Las reglas nuevas, para ser sincronizadas en por enero 1, 2008, fueron creadas en la legislación de la espionaje aprobada el año pasado por el Congreso de E.U.A.

Estos cambios se hacen para facilitar el proceso de identificación en puertos de la entrada de EE.UU. y aeropuertos, así que funcionarios de Aduana no tendrán que examinar documentos diferentes de viaje.

Spring Break in Rosarito

I briefly visited Rosarito on my way back from the annual St. Patrick's buffet at Costa del Sol (south of town) Saturday afternoon. There was a huge traffic jam and hundreds of people on the sidewalks extending from the Rosarito Beach Hotel northward along Bulevar Benito Juárez as far as I could see. In the past, there have been crowds here during the holidays, but I have never seen everything come to a complete standstill like it did yesterday. If you are going to visit here during the Easter Season, please make appropriate plans.

BTW, comparisons were made between Irish food and Mexican food at the St. Patrick's event. I was told that the Mexican equivalent of corned beef is chorizo ;)