Noticias en inglés. Dec 1

Christmas Is Coming

Progreso is preparing for Christmas as evidenced by the planned events and celebrations the city is planning.  Yesterday, the Public Works staff finalized the details of for the lighting of the Christmas tree on Friday at 6PM.

The children’s pilgrimage is this afternoon from la Purísima Concepción y San José to the Capilla de Guadalupe; tonight at 8:30PM it will be the pilgrimage of the Trade Union of oil workers.

The Municipal Directorate of Civil Protection reported that there will be strict control of fireworks that will be used by individuals during the marches.

 “The launching of rockets will be in controlled manner on certain streets” said the official who also added that the sale of fireworks is prohibited during this season.

Breaking the Law?

PROFEPA and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) are reminding anyone who is planning to build a summer home or add on to consult with them first.

 There have been many complaints from owners along the Uaymitún stretch at the entrance to Los Nicos about 1km from the SSP station.

One of the residents has begun to place sandbags to build a protective breakwater and prevent erosion on the beach.

"It must be someone influential as they are the only ones who would dare destroy the coastal environment by hiring an ignorant engineer, to build this monstrosity" said one of the anonymous complainants.

Both SEMARNAT and PROFEPA stipulate that any kind of construction that takes place on the coastal strip should have a licence endorsed by them following an environmental impact study.

"Any kind of structure needs a permit from PROFEPA" said a SEMARNAT official.

"This will report immediately to PROFEPA to see if there is a permit.  If not, this is punishable by a fine that can be up to 100xs the minimum wage" he added.

"PROFEPA is continuously doing rounds to ensure new buildings along the coast have permits according to the law and we also ask for the support of the public to report any anomaly that they might see".

Who Will Govern?

Mayor María Esther Alonzo Morales begins her countdown today towards her tour of duty for the Federal Deputy Felipe Cervera Hernández, who is leaving to run governor.

“If the Mayor leaves her position, the Deputy Mayor, would immediately be responsible for the Office position” indicated Joaquín Cruz Munoz.

Winter Coat Drive

 With the arrival of back to back frente frios and nortes there are many people who do not have warm clothing so the group Enlazados Progreso is collecting warm clothing for the less fortunate>

The group led by Yennely Nadal Trejo have received items such as blankets, socks, pants, sweaters and scarves that will be given to the most vulnerable groups in the community;

Donations can be dropped off at GLOBYFIESTA on calle 31 x 92 and 94 until Tuesday Dec.6^th

Attorney General Reaches Out

Through the citizen participation committee with the Attorney General’s Office is an initiative for citizens to use when making a complaint.  These citizen mailboxes can be found at the entrance to the offices in Merida, Valladolid and Progreso.

This initiative allows citizens to make an anonymous denouncement of federal crimes such as damage to the environment, theft of electricity, illegal sale of narcotics, illegal possession of firearms, robbery of sacred art, as well as acts of corruption committed by public servants.

The denouncements will be vetted by officers from the Attorney General’s office for follow-up.

This initiative comes from ongoing work between the Attorney General’s office and the citizen participation committee and citizenship to carry out actions in crime prevention.

The mailboxes will be cleared every month ensuring a timely follow-up.

Mailboxes can be found at km 46.5 on the periferico Umán-Susulá stretch, Mérida; in Valladolid on calle 38 #192-C between 33 and 35 in centro and in Progreso on calle 72 # 158 between 31 and 33 in centro.

If you prefer, use the website www.pgr.gob.mx, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Remains Discovered

During the restoration and revitalization work in the historic center of Merida, workers discovered skeletal remains and pottery in Parque Hidalgo; in the process of doing maintenance work to drainage areas at the intersection of calle 59 and 60 2 excavations more than 2.80 metres deep were found.  Rescue workers are calling the discovery “operación dos.”

Mayor Angelica Araujo Lara has planned with INAH a timely intervention of follow-up at each site so that these findings do not interfere with the project.  INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) has designated staff to monitor and record any findings during the reconstruction.

The first discovery was an urn with human remains and beside it was another set of bones; in the second excavation were fragments of a bowl. INAH has taken charge of the findings.

Archaeologists said that the findings appear to be from a pre-Hispanic Maya funerary custom and will be analyzed by experts at INAH.

After death a person was buried at ground level for subsequent retrieval to gather the bones and put them into an urn that was left at the family home.