Tapatios praise pope as he heads for retirement
Catholics in Guadalajara seemed stunned Monday after learning that Pope Benedict XVI has become the first pontiff in nearly 600 years to resign his position as head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Guadalajara Reporter
Guadalajara's Largest English Newspaper
The Chapala government started receiving payments for 2026 property taxes and SIMAPA water and sewage service fees on Friday, January 2, six days ahead of the announced end of...
In 1978, long before Ajijic became known as an epicenter of fine dining, Armando García Castro opened La Cabaña, a cozy restaurant located opposite the village plaza,...
Trying to compare the flu season in the U.S. and Mexico right now is like comparing a hurricane to a single raindrop. As a nasty new “super flu” strain slams the north,...
At last month’s International Book Fair in Guadalajara (FIL), amid Expo Guadalajara’s crowded aisles and the buzz of new releases, the story of a small rural town in th...


In an unprecedented milestone for road safety, the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area...
To fund a historic expansion of social welfare programs in 2026, the Mexican Con...
UK spirits giant Diageo will invest $US500 million to expand its tequila product...
Agents of the Jalisco Investigation Police, in coordination with the Public Pros...
A new galleon has arrived in Puerto Vallarta to replace the Mari Gallante, ...
Teresa Doreen Thrash
Teresa Doreen Thrash (nee Grayston) passed away o...
Vehicle registration (refrendo vehicular) fees in Jalisco will remain at 1,000 pes...
Foreign citizens, including Mexicans, requiring non-immigrant U.S. visas will fa...
The Astros de Jalisco, the current Pacific Coast Basketball Circuit (Cibacopa) c...
“Gratitude” may be the theme of Thanksgiving, but for many of us, ou...
“The Michael Hogan Reader” by Michael Hogan. US$14.95. San Dieg...
The Centro Educativo Jaltepec’s new tequila tour to benefit its students i...
As Guadalajara and Jalisco enter into their warm season, typically between April...
I have never understood why pizza has a reputation as a junk food—except f...
As we hang up our 2026 calendars, it seems a perfect time to recall that Mexico&...
The American Society (Amsoc) kicks off the new year with a fascinating first tal...
Open Circle
Steven Nousen will present “Ben Franklin Reflections” on ...
Bocce Ball Tournament
A few weeks after hosting an elegant dinner dance in late J...
Dragon dance
Sunday, January 26, experience the Chinese New Year with a presentat...
Recently, the Puerto Vallarta community lost an extraordinary soul. Many have ca...
In the Bahia de Navidad everyone is doing their part to stay safe and help each ...
Did you know that simply looking at flowers can boost happiness? So come, enjoy ...
Spring has a special vibe around Banderas Bay. This time of year, I live in deni...
Officials in Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta, in the face of Covid-19, are hoping fo...
For many years, my interest in finding caves took me to remote nooks and crannie...
U.S. President Donald Trump touts himself as a champion of peace, a man dedicate...
Well, like all things human, there’s a time to come and a time to toddle a...
December 12, in the rural villages throughout Jalisco — and Mexico —...
I had planned on writing a nice, lengthy, last column worthy of the place I&rsqu...
There is a certain body of water I have swum in, sailed on, and flown over at va...
The Ciclovía is an auxiliary corridor to the highway that connects the nort...
The historic sounds of New Orleans’ legendary 1920s jazz clubs are set to ...
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there ...
The Lake Chapala Orchestra (LCO) presents Symphonic Passion, a thrilling concert...
The historic sounds of New Orleans’ legendary 1920s jazz clubs are set to travel south.
“The Jazz Room,” a celebrated series of traveling musical experiences, will arrive in Guadalajara for a limited engagement early next year, offering locals what is described as “an immers...
Opera
NY Met Live screening of “I puritani,” the 1835 opera by Vincenzo Bellini.
Conjunto Santander de las Artes, Saturday, January 10, noon.
The Lake Chapala Orchestra (LCO) presents Symphonic Passion, a thrilling concert experience Saturday, January 31, under the baton of Artistic Director Michael Reason.
Marking 57 years since the historic, final Beatles “rooftop” concert on London’s Savile Row, the Rooftop Romeos will perform Fab Four music and more twice: Monday and Tuesday, January 26 and 27, on the shaded, second-floor deck at El Bar Co. restaurant. Doors open at 2 p.m., concer...
González and Family Art Show
The Efrén González and Family Art Show opened January 3 at the Centro Cultural Ajijic. A large crowd of friends and admirers attended the opening to view the huge collection of works by González and Reina Galindo, and their three offspr...
Siglos Pasados
The renowned early music ensemble Siglos Pasados comes to Ajijic with a unique concert featuring Cantigas de Santa María, Arab-Andalusian nubas, Sephardic songs, and repertoire from the courts of the Catholic Monarchs and Emperor Charles V.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there will be no second chances. Director: Emma Tammi. Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio. Rated: PG-13. Time: 1:44.
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Ethan Hunt and the IMF team continue their search for the terrifying AI known as the Entity - which has infiltrated intelligence networks all over the globe - with the world’s governments and a mysterious ghost from Ethan’s past on their trail.
For many years, my interest in finding caves took me to remote nooks and crannies of Western Mexico. While traveling through the backwoods, we would again and again come upon natural wonders known only to local ranchers.
Mexican long-distance thru-hiker Zelzín Aketzalli has an all-consuming goal she’s been working on for seven years.
Her mission: to connect the Pacific Crest Trail with the new National Trail of Baja California, “empowering the region’s most iconic mountain ranges and its na...
December 12, in the rural villages throughout Jalisco — and Mexico — early-morning prayers, hymns and celebration began long before daylight, honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Queen of Mexico.
On a recent chilly morning, I stopped at a nearby public market for some hard-crusted bolillos. It was an unseasonably squally January day-a brief drizzle, a slice of sun, then clouds and more chilling drizzle. On the muddy steps of the mercado municipal, I ran into Altagracia Mendez, dueña o...
There is a certain body of water I have swum in, sailed on, and flown over at various points in my life. For centuries, since 1550, everyone has referred to it as the Gulf of Mexico.
As we reflect on the tech news of the past 12 months, stories have ranged from virtual reality games to foldable smartphones. Yet, the topic dominating much of the conversation this year has been artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT.
U.S. President Donald Trump touts himself as a champion of peace, a man dedicated to ending wars and conflicts worldwide. But is that really the case?
Last week’s U.S. military strike on a drug boat allegedly tied to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua cartel was no routine operation. It marked a sharp escalation by President Donald Trump in his war on the cartels — a fight he says is about protecting Americans from deadly drugs and chaos...
I had planned on writing a nice, lengthy, last column worthy of the place I’ve had the pleasure of living in for the past two years.
The wool coat looks worse for the non-wear. It is wrinkled from being unworn and crammed in the back of a closet for two years; dotted with dust and dog hair from a dog that departed the family a year ago; in need of a lint brush that can’t be found in the pile of things to be thrown away, don...
The Ciclovía is an auxiliary corridor to the highway that connects the north shore municipalities of Chapala and Jocotepec. It was designed with two lanes for the safe transit of cyclists, protected with low-level cement dividers, and enhanced with green area planters and night-time lighting ...
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and there should be plenty of that going around at lakeside over the next couple of weeks. Pack away your cares and worries to get into the local spirit of Navidad and Año Nuevo.
Well, like all things human, there’s a time to come and a time to toddle along. Especially in these “toddle along” years when the emotional energy wears out and a job starts to feel overwhelming, and lacking the visceral push one needs to create something new and worthy over a...
Anger is a trouble-maker. It’s a question that should have been studied ages ago. We’ve made arrangements to talk to one of psychology’s foremost authorities on this subject, as well as the man most respected in Europe for preserving jams and jellies. Dr. Emmett Soldi of Catania Un...
The American Society (Amsoc) kicks off the new year with a fascinating first talk in its 2025 Speaker Series.
The American Society (AMSOC) Speaker Series on Wednesday, December 10 will welcome Dr. Andres Campos Mendez, speaking on stem cell therapy for joint pain relief.
Dragon dance
Sunday, January 26, experience the Chinese New Year with a presentation of the dragon dance, and other rituals, by the students and professors of Kung-Fu Dragón Inmortal, one of the most acclaimed Kung Fu schools in Guadalajara. The Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, January 25...
American School race
Think green – the sixth annual Eco Race and Green Market are scheduled for Sunday, March 31 at Guadalajara’s American School Foundation. Everyone is welcomed to this event meant to raise awareness about conserving the planet’s resources. Expect to learn a lot ...
Did you know that simply looking at flowers can boost happiness? So come, enjoy and be happy as you immerse yourself in an Ajijic home full of creativity and blooms at “A Festival of Flowers,” the Lakeside Garden Guild’s annual fundraising show, Friday, January 30, 2 to 5 p.m. at a...
Tuesday, January 6, 2026, marked the 11th consecutive year that “Operation Apple” brought gifts and goodwill to children in Chapala on Three Kings Day.
Open Circle
Steven Nousen will present “Ben Franklin Reflections” on Sunday, January 11, 10:15 a.m., at Open Circle at the Lake Chapala Society.
Dr. Benjamin Franklin (Steven Nousen) returns to Open Circle with a special presentation set in the Pennsylvania State House on July 4, 1776....
Giving back
Elaine Howardson of So Chic Boutique and Ana Cristina Palacios of OHana Assisted Living in Ajijic held a Christmas party for 17 local families with 46 children from Ajijic.
Thanks to the kindness and generosity of the customers of So Chic Boutique and OHana residents, 117 gifts were di...
Recently, the Puerto Vallarta community lost an extraordinary soul. Many have called him an icon, but he was more than that. Paco Ojeda was a bridge. He was a guiding light that brought comfort to so many who felt confused, powerless, and alone in uncertain times. His gentle presence and unwavering ...
Lakeside artist Efren González celebrated his 20th Meet the Artist reception at Galería La Manzanilla on Friday, January 17.
Spring has a special vibe around Banderas Bay. This time of year, I live in denial, as others speak of the season ending, I dig in my heals, “NO”!
Sometimes living in paradise feels like a fairytale and other times it feels like magic.
Bocce Ball Tournament
A few weeks after hosting an elegant dinner dance in late January, the Bocce Ball Committee and aficionados of the sport donned shorts and t-shirts to face off in the 6th annual Bocce Ball Tournament on February 15.
Otra Vez
Last November, a little thrift store named Otra Vez opened its doors to the residents of La Manzanilla and became an instant hit with both the Mexican and expat communities. Operating solely with donations and dedicated volunteers, it is now in its second year with no signs of slowin...
In the Bahia de Navidad everyone is doing their part to stay safe and help each other. As some businesses close down, others stay open to keep the community safe and supplied with basic essentials and information regarding Covid-19.
Four years ago, a small team of big-hearted Canadian and Americans decided they wanted to give something substantial back to the community.
Officials in Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta, in the face of Covid-19, are hoping for a little-quieter-than-normal Semana Santa, but that doesn’t mean Tapatios will resist the lure of the beaches of the Bay of Banderas.
Races
To celebrate the Día de Amor y Amistad (Valentine’s Day), two races, sponsored by the Municipal Sports Advisory Committee (Comude), will be held on Sunday, February 14 along two areas: the Malecon and the Rio Pitillal linear parkway.
“Gratitude” may be the theme of Thanksgiving, but for many of us, our ways of expressing it in Spanish are often limited to one word: “gracias.” As we celebrate a holiday centered around giving thanks, it’s the perfect time to discover how our neighbors in Mexico expres...
Mexico’s Days of the Dead coincide with the Christian All Souls and All Saints Day, November 1 and November 2.
The Centro Educativo Jaltepec’s new tequila tour to benefit its students is far and away something beyond the typical tours to the agave regions.
The Mexican Senate has approved reforms to the General Law of National Assets, increasing the fines for establishments or individuals that restrict access to Mexico’s beaches, to more than one million pesos.
I have never understood why pizza has a reputation as a junk food—except for its use of meats cured with sodium nitrate, identified by the World Health Organization in 2015 as a primary cause of colon cancer.
It is increasingly difficult to find a Mexican restaurant in Guadalajara that isn’t trying too hard to be “cutting edge” and innovative, or, on the other hand, that resorts to being very casual, loud, with television screens on every wall (looking at you, Casa Dolores), and frankly...
“The Michael Hogan Reader” by Michael Hogan. US$14.95. San Diego: Egret Books.
Reviewed by ColinCarberry
It is not always easy to find an alternative take on historical events that is also wise.
As Guadalajara and Jalisco enter into their warm season, typically between April and June of each year, residents and seasonal visitors should take precautions to avoid heat stress. What’s more, the University of Guadalajara’s Institute of Astronomy and Meteorology reports that eve...
Returning snowbirds should not be fooled by the warmer winter weather in this region. Big swings in temperature can play havoc with a person’s health and bring on cold symptoms in a flash.
In an unprecedented milestone for road safety, the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area reported zero detentions at the “La Curva” drunk driving holding center during Christmas Eve and early Christmas Day.
The Guadalajara metropolitan area water utility (SIAPA) will suspend service in 892 neighborhoods on Saturday, January 3. This interruption is due to maintenance and electrical reinforcement work at the Chapala pumping plant.
Agents of the Jalisco Investigation Police, in coordination with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Chapala municipal police, recently recovered and seized heavy-duty construction machinery reported as stolen during their execution of a search warrant at the Colinas de Montebello housing d...
As a result of the work carried out by the Deputy Attorney General’s Office of Investigation based in Chapala, a regional court judge issued an order to bring charges against a local man for his alleged responsibility in a case of aggravated homicide.
Vehicle registration (refrendo vehicular) fees in Jalisco will remain at 1,000 pesos for cars and 600 pesos for motorcycles in 2026, according to the state Ministry of Public Finance. The fee includes free vehicle emissions testing (verificación vehicular).
Thousands of pilgrims will swarm the rural village of Cajititlan de los Reyes on January 6 and 7 to pay devotion to the town’s religious patrons Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, better known as the Wisemen of the Orient.
To fund a historic expansion of social welfare programs in 2026, the Mexican Congress last year approved a new tax strategy focused on enforcement and selective tax hikes. The plan avoids broad reform and increased personal taxes, instead targeting fraud, digital platforms and specific &ldquo...
Farmers, merchants and small business owners, especially in Mexico’s provincial towns, have long been at the mercy of criminal protection rackets.
A new galleon has arrived in Puerto Vallarta to replace the Mari Gallante, which sank during a storm in the bay on October 10.
“Mar de Regalos” are the words on everyone’s lips in Puerto Vallarta this holiday season! It’s a joyful, citywide Christmas bash running from December 18 through January 1. This sun-kissed municipal celebration wraps the city in twinkling lights, music, tradition, and plenty ...
Foreign citizens, including Mexicans, requiring non-immigrant U.S. visas will face significantly higher costs starting next year.
Recent headlines from major U.S. media outlets point to a crisis of morale within the country’s diplomatic corps:
“U.S. Diplomats Are Hating Their Jobs Under Trump” — The Daily Beast
“U.S. Diplomats Report Broken Morale and Abandoned Careers” ...
UK spirits giant Diageo will invest $US500 million to expand its tequila production center located in the Jalisco municipality of Atotonilco El Alto and build one new distillery in La Barca, generating more than 1,000 direct jobs for Jalisco, company executives and Governor Enrique Alfaro announced ...
It’s been 75 years since the arrival in Mexico of the British Council, a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization that promotes a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language, while encouraging cultural, scientific, technological and educational understanding and co-ope...
Teresa Doreen Thrash
Teresa Doreen Thrash (nee Grayston) passed away on December 8, just a couple of months short of her 99th birthday.
Donato Guzmán Aguayo, founder of Chapala’s San Francisco funeral home, passed away on Monday, December 7, at the age of 95.
The Astros de Jalisco, the current Pacific Coast Basketball Circuit (Cibacopa) champions, are representing Mexico in the 2025-26 Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA), the premier club competition organized by FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Americas.
With the Mexican Pacific League (LMP) playoffs looming, scheduled to start January 1, 2026, the Charros de Jalisco are playing out the final games of the regular season.
Catholics in Guadalajara seemed stunned Monday after learning that Pope Benedict XVI has become the first pontiff in nearly 600 years to resign his position as head of the Roman Catholic Church.


