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.

Walk Planned for Kidney Day on March 9th

Rocky Point does have a dialysis center but it is still a work in progress. This project is so important, as the nearest location for the several people living here who need regular dialysis treatments is about 2 hours away in Caborca. In recognition of National Kidney Day and to raise awareness and donations for our local dialysis center, the civil association of the dialysis center sponsored a walk at 5:00 pm on March 9th. The walk began at the Plaza del Madre Park, by the baseball stadium and ended at the dialysis center.

Rocky Point Zipline was Ready for Spring Break Crowds

Spring break has come and gone, and the new zipline over Competition Hill near Cholla Bay was a big hit. Final touches and safety testing were completed the first of March, and the lines are in use.

Best to beat the crowds and reserve ahead of time. Call US# (928) 304-0953 for reservations.

First Al Capone Festival Met with Success

The first Al Capone Festival, organized by the City and held at Hotel Posada la Roca, was a warm evening of fiesta and fun where people could enjoy an air of the 30’s along with music, photo exhibits, and an antique car show.

Luis Altamirano, Municipal Tourism Director, detailed the goal of the festival was to recall the beginnings of Puerto Peñasco. People were asked to don 30’s and 40’s garb while taking in the several table games and activities.

“Proceeds from the evening will go toward student scholarships of the Municipal DIF system,” stated Altamirano, underscoring the commitment of Mayor Kiko Munro and First Lady Linda Pivac de Munro to education.

On behalf of the Mayor, Altamirano expressed appreciation to Mike LaBarge of the American Legion, and Jim Ringquist of Sonoran Resorts, as well as sponsors and all who helped in organizing this first Al Capone Festival.

City Council Approves Police Recruitment

The Puerto Peñasco City Council unanimously approved launching a call for the recruitment and selection of new police officers, by inviting interested individuals to enroll in academic training.

Mayor Kiko Munro reaffirmed his commitment to safety within the city, and therefore the importance of continued implementation of the “Puerto Peñasco Seguro” Safety Plan, along with recruitment of new police officers.

Council member Saúl Núñez Gordiano, Chairman of the Public Safety Commission, indicated individuals that meet recruitment requirements can enroll in the initial academic training and, in time, possibly become police officers in the department of Public Safety.

Puerto Peñasco Delights in Successful Alfonso Ortiz Tirado International Festival

The Puerto Peñasco extension of the 33rd Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Festival (FAOT) was a grand success, with total attendance of over 1,400 people over the 4 evenings of artistic and cultural performances.

Municipal Director of Art and Culture Nina Mier Nogales brought the local FAOT to a close on the final evening, thanking Sonora Institute of Culture Director Mario Welfo Álvarez for having taken Puerto Peñasco into consideration as a site for this year’s festival. She also thanked Mayor Kiko Munro for continuing to promote the goal of bringing international caliber events to the area.

On the final evening of FAOT in Puerto Peñasco, the rock group “Los Hijos de Frank” performed their unique style of country-pop and brought the public to their feet to sing and dance at the municipal auditorium.

The Puerto Peñasco satellite of FAOT 2017 also presented the Mariachi de la Armada de Mexico, and performances by soprano Gisela Machado, tenor Oscar Roa, and pianist Felizardo Andrade on the opening evening, in addition to soprano Isabel Lozano and Russian pianist Dmitri Dudin.

Mayor Kiko Munro and First Lady Present Therapeutic Equipment to UBR

Together with his wife, Municipal DIF President Linda Pivac de Munro, Mayor Kiko Munro presented equipment to the Basic Rehabilitation Unit (UBR), in addition to academic and athletic scholarships to persons with disabilities.

Dr. Victor Manuel Villegas Lopez, general medical personnel at the UBR, described that with this equipment, consisting of new 3 monochromatic machines, they will be able to treat several ailments including backaches, facial paralysis, EVC effects, and developmental delays, among other concerns. He noted this may reduce rehabilitation time by 40%,

Mayor Kiko Munro stated that, through coordinated work with the Municipal DIF, the Puerto Peñasco UBR has gone from last place in 2015 to third in the state.

The mayor and First Lady also took advantage of their visit to the UBR to present 21 academic and athletic scholarships to individuals with disabilities.

How to Make Phone Calls in Mexico

Oral Contraceptive for Street Dogs is Tested

Students are working on food product with contraceptive properties

Valiant volunteer efforts to control the rampant growth of street dog populations are active in several places in Mexico. Now, a new oral contraceptive might make the work easier.

The contraceptive is the project of student Sheila Irais Peña Corona, who chose to base the thesis of her master’s degree on the creation of a food product with contraceptive properties.

Working in the molecular biology and endocrine regulation laboratory of the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) in Iztapalapa with her supervisor, professor Héctor Serrano, Peña has only been able to work with fewer than 20 female dogs. For that reason, she says, it’s too soon to announce the existence of a “contraceptive pellet” but she believes the results are promising.

Peña’s work is an extension of that of her supervisor, who has been researching a similar implementation of oral contraceptives on populations of bats, rodents and pigeons.

She explained that her intention is to inhibit one or two estrous cycles in female dogs with a minimal dosage added to the pellet-shaped dog food, preventing them from having pups for a year at least.

The oral contraceptive would be planted in areas where the dogs have become a public health issue, explained Peña, and their own natural quest for food would lead them to the pellets.

Other researchers at UAM and at the National Autonomous University of Mexico are also working to identify innocuous and non-invasive means to control dog populations.

No one knows how many street dogs there are in Mexico, but the Mexico City Health Secretariat estimates there are over 1.2 million in its 16 boroughs, while the non-governmental organization Animal Heroes has estimated there are about 23 million street dogs throughout the country.

Common contraceptive measures such as surgical sterilization require qualified specialists and pre and post-operative care, while hormonal contraceptives have negative side effects on female dogs.

Cuervo Goes Public, Raises 18 billion Pesos

World’s biggest tequila maker wants to be a global spirits company.

Tequila maker, José Cuervo, went public yesterday, raising 18.363 billion pesos, about US $910 million, exceeding expectations by at least 3 billion pesos.

Shares in the world’s biggest tequila maker were priced yesterday at 34 pesos, at the top of their expected range, and today rose over 8% to 37 pesos when markets opened.

The initial public offering (IPO) was Mexico’s biggest since Grupo Lala raised $938 million in 2013.

Mexican investors picked up 31% of the shares, according to the Mexican Stock Exchange.

Officially known as Becle SA de CV, Cuervo is controlled by the Beckmann family, which will remain the majority shareholder.

Founded in 1758, José Cuervo claims to be the oldest continuously operating spirits producer in North America. It enjoys 30% of the global tequila market.

The IPO had been under consideration for at least 10 years and was set to go ahead last fall but the company put it on hold after the election of United States President Donald Trump.

The company has said it wishes to transform itself into a global spirits company and plans to acquire other brands to grow its business. About 64% of its revenue comes from the U.S. and Canada, while its costs are in pesos.

The IPO gave the firm a second reason to celebrate this month. Last weekend, the José Cuervo Express, a luxury train that travels between Guadalajara and the Magical Town of Tequila, celebrated its fifth anniversary.

The two-hour ride takes passengers through blue agave plantations to La Rojeña, the oldest distillery in Latin America, in historical wooden train cars.

And, Since You’re Coming Anyway – Please Support the Rocky Point Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts

Please bring new or used camping gear (tents, lanterns, sleeping bags, etc. etc.) along to the Sock-Hop to donate to the local Scouts troops. This is another great cause that needs your help. I will add another story about the group and their leaders in an upcoming story. For now, suffice it to say, it is a great organization that is doing great things for kids in Rocky Point. Please take a look through your garage or storage shed and help if you can. Donations can also be dropped off at any of the Sonoran Resorts onsite sales offices.

This article is brought to you by the Sonoran Resorts Sales Team, www.sonoranresorts.mx, Jim Ringquist, Director of Sales and Marketing. Sign up for Jim’s Monthly Newsletter: www.tinyurl.com/JimNewsletter