Yucatan News: Progreso is another word for Progress
Progreso Begins Year-Round Free Spay/Neuter Program
After nearly two decades of working so hard to change the lives of street dogs and cats in Progreso and, indeed, to end the birth of unwanted pets completely, a magical headline has appeared. According to the Ecology Coordination Council, Progreso is taking the lead in providing free spay and neuter services that are conducted by the state of Yucatan year-round! With Progreso in the lead, this program is destined to eventually go statewide. It is hard to imagine such a miracle! Priority is given to low income families, but all are welcome. This is beyond wonderful news for everyone who has worked so hard for the animals. Please, Progreso, keep up the good work! The end of endless numbers of animals’ suffering is almost here. For more information, call (969) 103-9332 or visit the Municipal Ecology Office, one block from the Municipal Police of Progreso.
Urban Renewal Moves North in Merida
This is a bit of a “heads up” to residents of Merida who live north of the Gran Plaza. Beginning in February, and lasting until at least June, a new program of urban renewal will be put into place. This will include public lighting projects, the construction of storm sewers, the installation of road signs and irrigation equipment, paving and widening of streets, and the construction of an underground power grid. Reforestation of gardens and green areas will take place in a number of parks. Improving traffic flow into and out of subdivisions is also on this list of improvements, so residents may want to explore alternate ways of getting in and out of their neighborhoods while all of this is going on. We can’t wait to see the new and improved north side of Merida!
New 3 x 1 Program Begins
The 2016 3x1 Migrant Program has begun with a meeting of 40 mayors across the State of Yucatan. This program is made up of one part investment by migrant clubs in the United States, one part by the State of Yucatan, and the final part federal funding by Mexico. Once funds are allocated to specific projects in Yucatan, a number of agencies and organizations, including INDEMAYA and the Lions Club V in Valladolid, swing into action to improve roads and public works. From streets and sidewalks to projects in schools, the 3x1 Migrant Program is one of the most important ways that migrants remain connected to their homes, their families, and their culture. Everyone is looking forward to the list of projects they will carry out this year.
Yucatan Is a Leader in Housing in Mexico
The average housing deficit in Mexico is 28%. In Yucatan, the housing deficit is only 13.9%. All projections point to Yucatan being able to completely eradicate its housing deficit in a matter of nine to ten years. Although the current administration is aware that the majority of new homes need to be in the larger cities, so that they will be near jobs, it is also necessary to improve the housing situation in outlying municipalities so that each municipality will, ultimately, be able to achieve as much autonomy as possible.
CAPP Program Party
In January, the CAPP Program out of Progreso held a Meet & Greet so that sponsors could meet the exceptional students that are in the CAPP program. These students have graduated from Progreso Apoyo's program that helped them get through high school, and now they have gone on to college. It is reported that a good time was had by all and that the students were actually the last to leave. It was such a success that they have decided to make this a yearly affair. The Working Gringos have been sponsoring Vladimir (that's him in the ball cap on the right) since he was in the 6th grade and are very proud that soon he will be a nurse! Do you want to sponsor a deserving young Yucatecan? If so, contact the tireless organizer, Kitty Morgan at kbmorgan_99@yahoo.com.
Women Entrepreneurs in Yucatan
While the State of Yucatan throws its weight behind helping all entrepreneurs in Yucatan, the Mexican Association of Women Entrepreneurs (AMMJE), Yucatan Chapter, is providing special assistance in the creation of 50 new businesses led by women. The businesses are across the board, from culturally-based businesses to accounting, technology and scientific companies. These women in business will be provided with any number of support programs, including classes on taxes, investments, technology, and the value of networking. The ultimate goal is to create the largest network of support for entrepreneurs in Latin America. From the looks of it, the women of Yucatan are on their way to greater success than they ever dreamed.
A New Look at the Potato
New research on the effects of eating potatoes on pregnant women has at least one consequence that can potentially be extrapolated to the entire population. Sad to say, but potatoes, rich in Vitamin C, fiber and potassium, have a negative effect on glucose metabolism. Studies published by the British Journal of Medicine, going back as far as 1991, have shown a connection between pregnant women and the consumption of potatoes. The initial studies showed that even one boiled or baked potato per week raises the risk for diabetes by 20%, while eating fries and potato chips ups that another 50%. Recent Spanish research shows that eating potatoes in snack forms is as harmful to pregnancies as smoking because fried and roasted potatoes contain large quantities of acrylamide, a substance used in the manufacture of paper, metal mining, textiles, dyes and in the synthesis of polyacrylamides. Acrylamide is capable of crossing the placenta, resulting in low birth weight babies with a smaller than normal head circumference. This information is of value to a younger group of expats who are having babies in Yucatan, as well as to older expats who may be at risk for developing diabetes. Just remember “all things in moderation”, but especially (apparently) potato chips and french fries.
Progreso’s Public Transportation News
One of the leading causes of accidents in Yucatan is pedestrian vs. public transportation, usually a bus. As Progreso grows, there are more public transportation vehicles now than ever and the modernization of this agency is right on time with substance abuse testing and vehicle maintenance monitoring. While some lament the loss of the quaint, old days, the rest of society can be sure that public transportation drivers are moving them from place to place in total personal control of themselves and their well-maintained vehicles. This new office in Progreso is busy enough to have 15 employees and everyone is thankful for their service.
Where The Jobs Are
On Friday, February 4, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, there will be a Youth Employment Fair held at the offices of Merida’s National Chamber of Commerce Services and Tourism (Kanak-Servytur). During this fair, a total of 1,790 jobs will be offered to the young people of Yucatan. As of now, there are more than 45,000 workers in Yucatan who are between the ages of 16 and 24. In addition, there will also be 52 jobs available for operational, technical and business professionals, so there is something here for everyone. These new jobs will add significantly to the local economy and help to ensure Yucatan’s place as one of the best places to live and work in the world. Another place to find jobs (if you speak English) is of course Yucatan Living's Jobs section.
The Rescue of Merida’s Historical Center
The Mexican National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) is a subsidiary of Unesco that is currently working with the City of Merida to create a development plan that will rescue the estates, including houses, of the Historical Center of the City of Merida. In recent years, there has been a good deal of remodeling going on in Merida’s centro, but it tends to be one house at a time, and has no unified standards. This results is that some homes are being remodeled to a lower standard and can become a hazard to the public and to neighboring homes. Several buildings have collapsed in the past few years, dramatically proving this point. Since these estates and homes have enormous value, both monetarily and culturally, it is in the best interest of the community that they are remodeled to code. This is especially important when scientific specialists are needed to help protect monuments and natural resources. Unfortunately, some of the pueblos magicos in the interior have not developed an orderly plan to rescue their historical monuments either and, as a result, quite a bit of damage is occurring. Hopefully, Merida’s projects will provide a road map for others to follow.
Natasha’s Farewell
Following a memorial mass for long-time expat Natasha Paloma, friends went with Lupe to bury part of her ashes under the plant of her choice in her own garden. The rest of her ashes went to the Progreso Mangrove. When Lupe put the box down, the wind took up some of them and turned them to star dust in the glow of the flash light. Everyone who knew Natasha will miss her terribly, but the parting gift of this photograph will help to bring back a smile to our memories of her. Yucatan Living extends its heart-felt sympathy to Lupe, to Natasha’s family, extended family, and friends.
Posted By Khaki Scott
