General News

Transport police are cracking down on drivers who break the law by speaking on their cellphones or texting. Since the initiative was launched on January 8, almost 700 drivers have been caught engaging in risky behavior behind the wheel. Each has been fined 195 pesos ($US13), equivalent to three days of the minimum salary.

A gray New Year’s Day pall hangs over Guadalajara. Air contamination in the metro area did not improve with the arrival of a new year.  On January 1, readings at four of the city’s nine monitoring stations registered pollution levels higher than 100 Imecas, considered “poor” air quality. The highest reading – 120 Imecas – was recorded at the Miravalle station in the southern part of Guadalajara.

Fashionable Avenida Chapultepec will be illuminated at night by a new system of multi-colored lamps. The fountains, sculptures, and trees of the area will be decorated by the lights, which gradually change colors. The project is part of the “Network of City Lights” scheme organized by City Hall. This project began with the illumination of the Metropolitan Cathedral in March 2013, and will extend to five other locations by February. Apart from the Cathedral and Chapultepec Avenue, the other sites to be illuminated are the Palacio Municipal, La Rotonda de los Jalisciences Illustres, la Biblioteca Iberoamericana, Plaza Universidad and the temples of San Agustin and Santa Maria de Gracia. The Chapultepec project costs 14.5 million pesos ($US 100,000) and is designed to promote local business and tourism.

Tragic new year

A family of three died from monoxide inhalation after preparing tamales for a New Year’s Eve party in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos. Juan Catalan Peña, Maria Leticia Alejo Simon, both 47, and Karla Ivonne Catalan Alejo, 24, were heating tamales in a pot on their farm when the flame went out, allowing gas from the cooker to fill the unventilated space. The bodies were discovered by a neighbor on New Year’s Day.

Long lines snaked around many government buildings in Guadalajara this week as Tapatios sought to get a head’s start on the year by paying their annual car and property taxes.

A promising young gymnast and a friend were shot dead in Guadalajara in the early hours of Saturday, January 3. 

t’s been a long-standing tradition in Guadalajara for city hall to celebrate Three King’s Day by sharing a giant a rosca de reyes (sweet bread)with the local citizenry.  This year’s offering was somewhat smaller than usual, measuring a mere 20 meters.  However, municipal authorities made up for the shortfall by summoning 350 family sized roscas to hand out to all and sundry.  Around 4,500 Tapatios got to enjoy the treat, which was accompanied by 750 liters of hot chocolate. Enjoying the outdoor feast most of all (right center) was Mayor Ramiro Hernandez and his wife Laura.

Dozens of political aspirants began campaigns Sunday they hope will lead to a promised land on July 7, when voters in Jalisco go to the polls to elect a full slate of state and federal representatives and 125 mayors.