In the previous three issues I have tried to give a recollection of my life as a horse owner in the horse breeding, raising, selling, and racing, all with the purpose of making a fortune. In reality I should have had a Gypsy read my palm and tell me to get out of the business and I would have been better off financially and more healthy for it.

I have been beat up, stomped on, have had all kinds of foreign particles that don’t taste very well in all parts of my body. Lost money, had a whole pasture full of horses in all different sizes eating up all the profit, if there was any to start with.

I have introduced you to Old Whats’ Her Name, my last wife that I don’t dare call by name so in these articles she is referred to as OWHN. You have read about her cousin Jan and her other half Brian, and how I had to extricate them from squatting in my basement.

Brian loved to go out into the pasture and play with the assorted animals, sometimes to his disadvantage because they were all bigger than him and some didn’t want to play.

Brian owed a lot of back support and he couldn’t hold a job so they were always broke, but not so broke that they couldn’t find a way to get some beer and drive five miles to my house and get there at dinnertime. But all in all he was a lot of help around the farm or ranch whatever you would call my place.

OWHN had made a decision to by some beef cattle to raise from a couple months old until they were a year or so and sell them to our friends , have them butchered and wrapped and with the profit we would buy some more and get one free for us. They eat more hay than the horses and where were the friends when I had to go get some?

We had two bought, fed, and ready to go to the meat place with commitments from two families to buy what ever we didn’t want. Will pay us when they are cut up and wrapped.

I came home from work and there was one of them a big white steer on his back, four feet sticking up in the air in the corral DEAD. Why couldn’t he have waited a couple more days? I tried to get a neighbor to come over with a tractor to lift him up into my pickup but no dice.

I called up the local towing company and the conversation went something like this:

Spar’s Towing can I help you? Yes I need a tow trunk to come out to ——. Make and model please. White cow. What? White Cow. Do you think AAA will cover this?

I’m not falling for this, I get these kind of calls all the time. No I’m serious, I have a dead steer in my corral and I need to get him loaded in my truck and I get him disposed of or he is going to start stinking. I finally convinced her and we got the job done. AAA wouldn’t pay for it though.

I called the prospective buyers and gave them the news. One said can we get half of yours and the other said oh well. I had about a thousand dollars in that steer by now and I needed to recoup my investment. After all this is a money-making business, right?

It got to be wintertime in Montana and the snow was extra deep at our hacienda and Brian had a job, finally, at a Bobcat dealership. I called and ask him to help me get rid of some of the snow, which was about three feet deep. He brought a bobcat out and started to plow. We had to take the snow out into the pasture and make a big pile of it. By this time we were back in the moneymaking business and had two steers, one had some pretty good sized horns and he didn’t like that bobcat. Every time Brian went into the pasture he would attack it. Pawing the ground and shaking his head and trying to butt it.

We had to quit as I was afraid he would get a horn stuck in it and we would have another Hold On Don’t Let Go situation.

Brian ended up stealing some money from me and I had to barr him from our place. We went to a horse sale with two of our yearling horses and got two hundred fifty for one and four hundred for the other.

I came home loaded the truck with all the horse stuff and took it to an auction. I called several horse people we knew and got them to buy all our horses. After all it’s a money making opportunity, Right?

Thank you all for reading my stories .I got it off my chest so now I can go have two Coronas. Hasta Mañana, enjoy your stay in Puerto Peñasco where you need to Hold On and Don’t Let Go.

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

We lived our first year in Peñasco in a nice condo, and being from the country I was used to quiet at night. In the condo it was quite noisy. Chairs moving around, people talking, kids playing, which is their right. They pay just as much as I do.

So starts the dream. Wishing on the first star I see at night and. On my wish list I want to be by the water. I joined the Navy at 15 and spent most of 6 years at sea. I loved the smells of the sea and the crashing of the waves.

Second on the list is a small enclosed area for our mini Schnauzer to play so she doesn’t have to be on a leash all the time.

Third on the list, I wanted a garage to keep at least one of our cars in and so I can tinker around.

And finally fourth, that I have a big kitchen. I love to cook and like room to move around and not step on my wife’s feet (she doesn’t like that).

My wish came true at the last minute. After looking at a bunch of houses and condos we got our dream place. Through a friend of a friend of a friend we got a call. We met with a property manager and she showed us three properties. The first two we didn’t like so she said she had one more. An older house that wasn’t ready to rent yet, but would we like to look anyway. So away we go.

We walked through the front gate into the courtyard and just looked at each other with our mouths hanging open. “This is our home “ was both of our feelings. And inside was the kitchen I had always wanted. HUGE. A large patio opening onto the beach so we can listen to the waves at night while having a cocktail in the dark. Sea Lions barking and Whales blowing. Plenty of room for the kids and grandkid’s visits. A front courtyard that is enclosed WOW !!!!

Then we find out that the house belonged to a lady that had recently passed away being the only fatality from the Fiesta Cruiser accident .

We never had the pleasure of meeting her but I sure can feel her presence when I look around at the furnishings in this home, I understand she liked to cook and entertain also and often had huge parties. Playing cards and spending time with her many, many friends. What a Lady she must have been and I just want her to look down on us and understand that we thoroughly enjoy the house and will safeguard what has been entrusted to us. We will have cocktails with the neighbors and listen to their stories of her. We will give a toast to her and ponder.

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

Rob and Nancy

Hope this sinks in!! This year, RP has been great–very welcoming as usual. Glad to see more people on the beach and the RV parks fuller. Please, please, people, be willing to spend a little money to help out some of those vendors we’ve known for years. They are truly struggling. Prices are still really reasonable, food and service is great, so ENJOY!!!!!!

John n Charlene

Here Here! Amen, to that!

Dear Rocky Point Times Team,

My family comes to RP about 30 days a year and our first mission is always to pick up a RP Times! We just left after our best spring break trip ever and, thanks to Linda Sharp’s volunteering article in your March 2012 edition, we have started a new tradition we are very excited about – making sandwiches for the families along the railroad tracks. We loved it so much we did it twice during our trip and we are already making plans on what to get the families for our next trip back. My husband, two kids and I served 80 sandwiches, and the smiles and gratitude we received in return moved us beyond words. Thank you so much for your article – our trips to RP are now even better! Over the years, we have made some friends in RP, two of which sell jewelry on Sandy Beach. After talking to Oscar and Leticia, we learned that business was not what it usually was during this time of year due to fear of vacationers of coming over the border. I have friends that see our vacation pictures and hear our fun stories of life in RP, but say they are afraid to come over the border…to them and anyone else thinking the same thing, I say “YOU ARE MISSING OUT.” For what it costs to go to San Diego for 4 days (hotel, food, etc.), you can come to RP for 8 days, rent a 2 bedroom, 2bath condo with a full kitchen, have a much better beach, amazing food and completely unplug (or not if you so choose). And if you are looking for quality time with the family, this is the place – our 7 and 10 year old kids save their money to contribute to more trips here. There are spas, incredible restaurants (shout out to Chef Mickey’s Place for dinner and KAFFEEHAUS for breakfast – the BEST!) and I got a 30 minute massage on the beach for $20. I pinch myself every time I come here and hope to retire here. Thank you for your newspaper – it is an awesome connection to this wonderful town. See you as soon as possible! Warm regards

Jennifer Schoennagel

Jennifer, I will pass this along to our contributing writer, Linda Sharp. I know she will be very happy to read this. Thanks for your letter.

SandyO

Thanks for passing the compliment along about my article, Sandy! Nice to know. It is really the coolest thing we do, and we don’t have to coordinate “our time” with someone else’s schedule — it’s good from sun up to sun down 365 days a year.

Linda Sharp

Hi Sandra, My granddaughter Rachel (who is now 5). Rachel is one of Rocky Point’s biggest ambassadors, she tells everyone what a great time you can have in RP, on the beach and in town.

Karen Adamski Bethune

Aaaahhh, we need more Rachel’s out there!

Hey Sandra, quick question?

Is there anything to be on look out for when putting money safely into a Mexican Bank here locally?

Any tips on who to use or who to avoid? Are all real reputable?

Kindest Regards: Jason

I interviewed the managers of the individual banks, as I think it’s a personality thing, to work with a bank. All of our banks are reputable, yes.

SandyO

Dear Mr. O’Hare,

We are hoping to go to Rocky Point this coming month and are concerned about not being able to take any food, etc across with us. Can you please inform us as to what is permitted? We don’t want to load up the RV and then have them fine us at the Mexican border for taking food and drinks that are not allowed. We appreciate any help or information you can give us.

Thank you

Hola, now that we have a health inspection station in Sonoyta (installed maybe 6 months ago) the laws have been enforced more diligently than before…but now for a couple of months, we have not had any complaints or questions about the border crossing with ‘food’. The ‘law’ is NO BEEF, for sure, and we have the best Sonoran beef, right here in Rocky Point! (and cheaper). If you want to bring a chicken or a turkey, ok. They don’t want any dairy products brought across the border. Basically ALL THE LAWS ARE THE SAME AS THE USA, no beef, no dairy, no fruit. You can bring your favorite coffee, sodas, beer, wine, liquor, crackers….. We crossed last time with wine and cheeses from the deli @ a Safeway (small amounts) with no problem.

Exactly WHAT ITEMS were you concerned about?

SandyO

My daughter and I, and 2 mom’s will be there in Rocky Point in 5 weeks… soooo can’t wait

Charmen Haag

Hello,

I was wondering what the new signs that are up, on the Hwy coming from Sonota to Rocky point. They are colorful and I believe they say Vivir Mejor? Not 100% sure on the spelling.

The signs definitely are new.

I look foward to you reply!

Thanks,

Terry

I just tried to read one as I was driving by, I know it is a State of Sonora government signs.. Live Better in Sonora

What is the water temp these days?

Judy Roads Pickrell

Wet-suit-warm? The storms have cooled off the water in the Sea of Cortez (mid-April) just like in our swimming pools. May will warm up, though!

I’ve always enjoyed reading the Rocky Point Times. Hell, was even featured once. I’ve got to tell you, the Lonesome Lui article in the April issue was touching. No, that’s not a tear, I just got something in my eye.

Ed Waters

I know, I got that same ‘thing’ in my eye, when I proofed his article.

Friday’s FRONT page center titled “IS SONORA REALLY SAFE?” with the condo’s & beach pictured in the background then goes on to half of page 7. It basically is a twisted rap on RP, …. You know same old double talking they have been using to scare people away once they start coming back down & the economy gets little pumped up. They want to rip it away from RP & hurt all the people that live & work down there. We just successfully brought 12 high school & college kids down for Spring break to our house in Cholla. Do you think their parents will let us do that again when they read this article?!!! It’s a shame they even used a picture of the policia with cones in front of the Peñasco del Sol, then used comments about the Feb. 8th travel warning! You need to look it up & pass it around the Rocky Point community so that they can all be ready to combat this when it makes ANOTHER rise to deter the tourists from coming down. We have owned & lived in Cholla Bay for almost 30 yrs, raised 2 daughters- one H.S., one college age there, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. My girls got to run around Cholla & be kids exploring. Now neither can get a friend to come down because of all this B.S. they spread, I just hate how they lump us in with Nogales & Juarez!

Libby Ellis

Hi everyone! Due to the tremendous success of our 5th Horseshoe Tournament, the CBSC decided to put out a:

Cholla Chatter Special Horseshoe Tournament Edition, April 2012. Our sponsors are the best!! Without all of you, we couldn’t have done it! The players LOVED their gifts and the raffle prize winners LOVED their prizes! All of us CBSC Members LOVE our sponsors too!!! The Peñasco Cruz Roja LOVES our sponsors as well! There are pictures from the tournament on our Facebook Page, CBSC Horseshoe Tournament. Unfortunately I couldn’t post the Chatter Edition for all to see on Facebook! Better yet, JOIN the Cholla Bay Sportsmen’s Club and get every issue of the Cholla Chatter e-mailed to you!! New members get a discount! Thank you again for all your help! Here’s to next year being as successful as this one! I hope you all decide to continue your sponsorship!

Thank you again!

Tammy Hicks

CBSC Board Member

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

Malintzin may have been afforded some privileges and education because of her status by birth. Unfortunately, for Malintzin her father died, her mother remarried and had a son; in order to pass Malintzin’s inheritance to her husband and son; her mother either sold or gave her to Mayan traders. Her death was faked by showing the townspeople the body of a dead child who had belonged to a slave.

There is no way to possibly know how she was treated while being a slave. I believe she may have been useful to the Mayan traders because of her ability to learn languages. Being quite beautiful and intelligent she was given as tribute to Cortez in 1519 upon the defeat of the Cacique of Tabasco Mayans; she was among 20 young women. Malintzin then became a gift from Cortez to Alonzo Hernando Puertocarrero, a well born member of his expedition. When Puertocarrero went back to Spain, Cortez took her for himself. Besides her native tongue of Nahuatl, the common language of the Aztecs, she also learned several dialects of the Mayan languages from the time she had spent with them. Another member of Cortez expedition was a priest who could speak Mayan, as well as Spanish. This made it easy for Cortez to communicate with the natives of Mexica; from Spanish to Mayan to Nahuatl.

Cortez required the 20 young women to be baptized; Malintzin took the name Marina. Later Cortez referred to her as Doña Marina, out of his respect for her. Cortez was heard saying that for the grace of God and Doña Marina he could not have conquered Mexico. The most common name she is known by, presently, is La Malinche.

Malintzin was more than a translator, her knowledge of the native forms of tribute, rules of the local government of the Aztecs, their cultural and religious traditions and her ability to mediate made her invaluable to Cortez. She was also his lover and mistress. She bore the first son of Cortez, Martin, who he later legitimized. She is sometimes referred to as the Mother of Mexico, by giving birth to the first Mestizo, the offspring of an Indian and a Spaniard. It is believed that she influenced each negotiation, knowing what would be best for both sides. By compromising, she helped to avoid excessive bloodshed. She helped teach the natives about Christianity; thereby initiated the end of the human sacrificial traditions of the Aztecs.

She was not Mexica, she had no love for Montezuma or human sacrifice nor the high tribute he demanded from his subjugated cities. This is evident from her loyalty to Cortez, as she could have sabotaged his conquest. Because of this loyalty to him, many Mexicans think of her as a traitor. Some say she is a scapegoat, others say she was caught in the middle and did her best. Some say she is the reason Cortez conquered the Aztecs by betraying her people, but the Spanish had an insatiable hunger for gold and the devastation caused by the small pox epidemic is what really destroyed their culture.

La Malinche is portrayed in many novels and movies, loved and hated. She is part myth and part legend. Was she a traitor, a heroin or a diplomat? You decide. I vote for the latter.

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

If you like, you can check your Facebook or emails on your laptop or latest tablet device, (there is Wi-Fi here) or you can forget the mad fast paced world of modern technology and social media and take a stroll on the soft caramel colored beach. Here is where you feel totally secluded, and you may find yourself asking, “What happened to all the people? Did a national disaster happen while you were sleeping and you were miraculously spared?” Because, even though you can see at least 15 beautiful resorts, condominiums and villas along the sandy shore, towering across the skyline behind you, the pace of life is graciously slower and not very crowded. Wait, you see a fishing panga skirting across the water and in the enormously far distance on the horizon, if you squint, you recognize a tall shrimp boat reminding you of a pirate ship. OK, the world is still alive. Yes, here comes a jogger… and others are slowly waking up ready for their steaming mug of joe.

Some mornings it feels like it’s a forgotten paradise. You can walk a mile down the honeyed beach, take a deep satisfying gulp of clean air and tally the number of folks you see on both hands.

Sounds great to me…sounds like my paradise. I like it slower, simpler.

Paradise does exist. You just have to find it.

My scene above, takes place on Sandy Beach in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico. Everyone has their own version. Of course, paradise versions can change from time to time and new paradise variations can be reinvented.

But, What if… your paradise existed and it was easier than you imagined.

I subscribe to a magazine called, International Living (IL). Perhaps you’ve heard of it or are a subscriber or perhaps you glanced through a friend’s issue. It is only available through a subscription, not available at a corner newsstand, on the iPad, kindle or nook, (or let me add the infamous tag line …not yet), although you can find their website on line atwww.internationalliving.com. (Of course everything will be available in electronic form in the not so distant future, we will become a paperless society unsure what to read when our batteries die out.)

Anyway, International Living motto or tag line on the website reads “Helping people live and retire overseas since 1978”. Their other common line you see often is “Retire in paradise for $30 a day.” Or “Retire at age 35” or “living the dream”. The magazine is screaming of international real estate deals, places to retire, how to stop working early, how to make money overseas in case you do choose to retire early and don’t want to stop working. It is heavy on detailing which countries to look at for relocating, and how to accomplish this.

In the September 2011, International Living special issue (just out) Mexico has been rated as the #2 World’s Best Retirement Haven. International Living conducts this report annually, where they rank 37 critical data points for each of their top 23 retirement havens. According toInternational Living 2011 retirement index report, “Mexico is rich in romance, as the one million-plus US and Canadian expats will tell you. But expats don’t live by romance alone. ..Mexico provides solid modern day comforts and conveniences.” So, it’s not just the beaches and romance that attracts people to retire in Mexico, or the cost, which IL states is “at least 40% less than what you’d pay in the U.S for a similar lifestyle.” Its many things, including cheaper healthcare, modern highways and road systems and of course the slower pace of life and (the occasional strumming of a guitar on the beach).

If you check out International Living website you will see the Editors and contributing writers marketing a variety of workshops, conferences and books to help you achieve your dream of living abroad. This is their business, teaching others how to become expats (big buzzword for IL). Expats, short for expatriate “is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person’s upbringing or legal residence” as defined by Wikipedia.

Typically, the editors or writers are speakers at these conferences and IL postcards will come to you regularly through email promoting relocation, residency, travel or some type of educational seminar to get you on your way to internationally living somewhere else. You would be amazed at the availability of books, seminars and memberships out there to investigate or read on becoming an expat.

Why? Well, its big business, and startling statistics are printed everyday regarding the cost of living in the United States and Canada and the cost of living increases expected in the years to come. Heard the statistics on the baby boomers lately?.. A report released in 2009 by the U.S. Census Bureau, shows there are 78 million members of baby boomer generation living in the United States.( born post War World II 1946- 1964) Wow! The same report states a Baby Boomer turns 50 every 8.5 seconds. So, where will they all go when they retire? My money is on somewhere affordable and near the ocean.

Internationally Living magazine has not yet focused on the quaint quiet little beach town of Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. Perhaps, we need to create our own expat conference “How to become an expat in Puerto Peñasco for cheap” Do they know you can buy a furnished one bedroom, even two bedroom beachfront condo for under $100k? Have they been to Super Ley grocery store to witness a week of groceries for $30, electric bills under $20 a month and depending on where you live in town, low monthly rental rates for under $300 a month. Do they know the convenience of location of Puerto Peñasco? Location, location, location. What if you need to go back to the United States? Well, it’s only a 3.5 hour drive to one of the top 10 largest cities in the USA. Yes, that sold me. Additionally, if you need to get proper documentation and immigration papers, there are several companies in town who will do this all for you. It has never been easier to establish residency or open a bank account. And in the meantime, if you are like me and not a baby boomer (yes, I’m proudly a generation x’er, I like to say this as my husband is a baby boomer) Puerto Peñasco is a great weekend getaway town to get everything set up and established until one day when you do retire or simply decide you’d rather be at the beach.

Reading about soft sandy beaches, gorgeous blue seas and living a different way of life is so contagious. It borders on escaping to your own little You Tube video, playing in your mind over and over again of life in a faraway exotic location sometime in the not so distant future. A favorite motto of mine, that I borrow from the beautiful island of St Lucia where it was printed on a tank top for sale on the beach that I bought from a local woman reads, “Live slow, work less”, the mantra instantly lets your mind wander… What if ……What if… I looked into a second home south of the border. What if… I decided to find my own little charming beach, my slice of sandy heaven. What if… I slowed down a little and decided to move to the picturesque fishing/beach town of Puerto Peñasco? What if?

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

Día de El Trabajo (Mexico National Holiday banks closed)

Tiburones Baseball

Wednesday 2nd

Tiburones Baseball

Thursday 3rd

Tiburones Baseball

Friday 4th

El Golfo Run

Tiburones Baseball

Saturday 5th

Chili Cookoff at JJ’s Cantina

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo Doggie fashion Show @ Paradise Beach Club at the Mirador

Cinco de Mayo Tequila and Mariachi Fest in Old Port

Tiburones Baseball

Sunday 6th

Tiburones Baseball

Wednesday 9th

5PM Las Conchas Annual Party At Las Conchas Fiesta Park

Thursday 10th

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Mother’s Day (Mexico)

Rocky Point Times Advertising Deadline

Friday 11th

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Mak Mulligan One-Night-Only, sponsored by SeaSide Reservations.

www.markmulligan.net

Saturday 12th

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Sunday 13th

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Mother’s Day (U.S.A.)

Tuesday 15th

Tiburones Baseball

Wednesday 16th

Tiburones Baseball

Thursday 17th

Tiburones Baseball

Uniting Nations Cup Golf at the Mayan Palace Resort

Friday 18th

Uniting Nations Cup Golf at the Mayan Palace Resort

Saturday 19th

Armed Forces Day (U.S.A.)

Uniting Nations Cup Golf at the Mayan Palace Resort

Sunday 20th

Uniting Nations Cup Golf at the Mayan Palace Resort

Monday 21st

Red Hat Ladies Lunch at Xochitl’s in Cholla Bay

Thursday 24th

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Friday 25th

4th Annual Rocky Point Riders Beach Bikers Fest. Registration at the first (northernmost) PEMEX/Circle K you come to on the Hwy into Rocky Point. Camping on the beach next to Playa Bonita Resort.

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday 26th

4th Annual Rocky Point Riders Beach Bikers Fest.

CBSC Annual Fishing Derby

Sunday 27th

4th Annual Rocky Point Riders Beach Bikers Fest.

Annual FISH FRY at the Clubhouse in Cholla Bay

Monday 28th

Memorial Day

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

One thing that makes Rocky Point so excellent is there are so many choices. As much as I enjoy tacos, shrimp, and Sonoran-style hot dogs, trying something different is always a kick. For example, my long-time fishing pal, Louie, has opened El Greco’s Gyros, located under the Sunset Cantina, across from the Peñasco del Sol Hotel.

CAP’N GREG: I never thought I’d see a Greek restaurant in Peñasco.

LOUIE: I never thought I’d see a Sam’s Club here, either.

CAP’N GREG: Good point. Tell me, how do you pronounce “gyro”?

LOUIE: It depends where you’re from. In Greece, we pronounce it YEE-ro. In Mexico, some say GEE-ro, others say HEE-ro. In the U.S., there are those who insist it’s WHY-ro, and others say JY-ro. The important thing is, gyros taste great in any language.

CAP’N GREG: What’s a gyro made of?

LOUIE: It’s basically seasoned meat, onions, tomato and sauce, wrapped in bread.

CAP’N GREG: Sounds like a taco with a twist.

LOUIE: It is. If you like tacos, you’ll love gyros.

CAP’N GREG: You probably get this a lot, but where does your meat come from?

LOUIE: I use all top quality beef, a beef and lamb combination, and chicken.

CAP’N GREG: If someone is not familiar with Greek food, what should they try?

LOUIE: The gyro plate is a big serving, has all the flavors. Comes with fries and a drink.

CAP’N GREG: What else you got?

LOUIE: Besides charm and good looks?

CAP’N GREG: I’ll handle the comedy. You cook the food.

LOUIE: Sorry. My chicken kabobs are very popular, as well as the Greek salad and appetizers like olives and feta cheese. Even baklava for dessert.

CAP’N GREG: That sounds mighty tasty. How did you decide Rocky Point needed a Greek place?

LOUIE: When I was in Greece last year, one of the most popular new restaurants was serving Mexican tacos and burritos, so I figured, why not bring the taste of Greece to Mexico?

CAP’N GREG: Opa!

LOUIE: Olé!

CAP’N GREG: Let the feast begin.

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

I’d like to share with you a message of hope that is happening to the youth of Puerto Peñasco, Mexico because of Young Life (Vida Joven). Since 1941 Young Life has been making a difference in the lives of teenagers around the world. Young Life is in more than 70 countries around the world, offering hope with spiritual values to millions of teens each year regardless of ability, race, religious tradition, or culture. Puerto Peñasco is privileged to have the first YL Club in all of Mexico. The YL Club started with the efforts of some Arizona parents two years ago. They looked around the town and realized there were not many activities for the local teens, and decided to make a difference.

Young Life doesn’t start with a program. It starts with adults who are concerned enough about the local kids to go to them, on their turf and in their culture, building bridges of authentic friendship. These relationships don’t happen overnight. They take time, patience, trust, and consistency. With the leadership of Alberto and Loly Martinez the Puerto Peñasco YL Club has prospered.

In March of 2011 the second Young Life Vida Joven camp was held at the One Mission facility just outside of town. Of the 40 campers, 16 young adults made the decision to follow Jesus, while other students who knew about the Lord reaffirmed their commitment. Since the moment they arrived at camp there were smiles on their faces as well as questions as to what this weekend was all about. Rebecca, from the Dominican Republic, was the main speaker. She made an inspiring presentation to lead the campers into making a decision to change any destructive lifestyles, as well as sharing the hope they could have in Jesus. These camp experiences can be life changing. One teenager shared that if it hadn’t been for this weekend, she would have probably taken her life because her suicidal thoughts would not go away. Another camper stated, “I don’t need drugs to feel this way. I have answers to many of my questions and it’s all about Jesus.”

YL believes in the power of presence. Kid’s lives are dramatically impacted when caring adults come alongside them, sharing God’s love with them. Because their Young Life leader believes in them, the kids begin to see that their lives have great worth, meaning and purpose. Each week these kids meet at a local house for games, crafts, sports, and hanging out time with a positive message. Loly has recently started an off-shoot group called Young Lives which involves single teenage mothers. At a recent gathering she had twelve young mothers meeting and discussing issues related to childcare.

More than ever we need partners in the mission of Puerto Peñasco Young Life. Judging from the Christmas event in which over 95 students participated, we are anticipating an increase of teenagers for the March 2012 camp. Would you please consider partnering with us? If 30 families would commit to $25.00/month we would be able to meet all the expenses for the Puerto Peñasco Club.

Would you consider helping our kids have a life changing experience by making a donation to:

Young Life Puerto Peñasco X399,

PO Box 520,

Colorado Springs, CO. 80901

OR…Give on line at

www.younglife.org

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

In my professional practice, providing legal advice to foreigners who either permanently reside, or have a second home or condominium in a Mexican Tourist Development, I have come across a variety of Home Owners Associations, many of which are very well, efficiently and transparently managed and administered and, as a consequence, serve the purpose for which they were created. However, I have also seen so many others that greatly deceive such purpose by having poor administrators who tend to benefit themselves with the moneys they collect, to which they give little or no account at all to their members.

In certain instances, I have even come across two or more Home Owners Associations within the same development or community, with rules and regulations that greatly differ from one another. It would seem as if they were created for two totally different developments, as opposed to the same community.

In such poorly managed Home Owners Associations, that receive tens of thousands of dollars, and in some cases even millions of dollars to perform improvements or maintenance on the community´s infrastructure, I have seen a very strong retaliation towards such members who have refused to pay their monthly or quarterly or annual HOA fee´s simply because they have questioned the costs of the improvements, or they have requested some transparency as to the way the moneys given to the HOA administrators are administered or managed.

I have seen a big struggle for power and control of quite a few HOA´s, only because such administration sometimes means big business to whomever administers or manages them, well beyond the interest of the members of the development or the community.

In these situations, it must be understood and kept in mind that Mexico does have laws that protect the members of an HOA against poor management. Laws that allow the members of an HOA to seek proper information from the administrators as to how the moneys delivered and paid to the HOA have been managed by such administrators. As, under Mexican Law, such administrators have a fiduciary duty and responsibility to their members, and any mismanagement can indeed result in a civil or even a criminal responsibility. Those are the type of rights that the members of an HOA can have, and most likely can enforce, but unfortunately such circumstance is rarely known by such members. In most instances they don’t even seek any proper and competent legal advice from a Mexican Attorney, which leaves the door open for the administrators to keep benefiting from the moneys received with no accountability whatsoever.

If you are in a situation where the administrators of an HOA is not transparent as to the way they are managing and/or administering the funds received by the members of the HOA, please feel free to contact us for a free consultation and evaluation of your case at mtapia@internationaladvisors.com or by calling us at (602) 266-0225.

Miguel A. Tapia

Attorney At Law Licensed in Mexico with a Masters in International Trade Law for the University of Arizona

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.

Sunday February 19, 2012 well, we had another successful event at Thunder on the Beach race track watching the Sand Drags. We found lots of folks in the Pits and it was early in the day. Over 30 participants were already there and more were coming in. There was a diversified group of racers ranging from alcohol burning dragsters to rather calm looking machines you might see on the streets.

Entrants were from CA, AZ, San Luis, Caborca and other parts of Sonora. The number of racers from the US was reduced due to a big race at Firebird Raceway outside of Phoenix.

Early entrants were “revving up” and ready to go. We talked with Eddie from San Luis. Sitting in his shinny orange jeep he had just finished building, he was anxious to get out on the track and try it out. We watched him run once and he performed very well. I am sure he is pleased with his work!

The Sand Drags is always a popular event. We are looking forward to upcoming events, Monster trucks in March, a two day Desert race event April 13, and a Dirty Beach Mud Run on May 26. Watch for additional information in the Rocky Point Times or check out Thunder on the Beach web site at www.thunderonthebeach.mx.

©2012 Rocky Point Times. All Rights Reserved.