December 28, 2009
By ELLIOT SPAGAT, AP
December 17, 2009
SAN DIEGO — The federal government has begun replacing the nation’s busiest border crossing, promising shorter waits into California for tens of thousands of people who enter daily from Tijuana, Mexico.
Existing Tijuana - San Ysidro Border Crossing
The $577 million blueprint unveiled Thursday calls for increasing the number of lanes into San Diego to 30 from 24 and equipping each lane with two inspection booths instead of one. Six existing lanes into Tijuana will be moved slightly to the west.
Construction is scheduled to finish in September 2015, though the date hinges on money. Congress has funded about half – $293 million – none of it from the federal stimulus package.
Waiting times for the 50,000 vehicles that enter San Diego daily often reach two hours, clogging Tijuana roads. And as the Mexican government has beefed up inspections for guns and cash this year, motorists can wait more than an hour on California Interstates 5 and 805 to enter Tijuana.
Waits for California-bound motorists will drop significantly, but it’s too early to say by how much, said Oscar Preciado, the program manager for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. read more »
December 16, 2009
Monday Morning – 9:20 AM
December 14, 2009
Dear Friends,
A view of Calafia in Rosarito
In today’s LA Times Newspaper ‘Online’ – there was a brief article about U.S. Americans living in Baja-Mexico by Richard Marosi. A ‘fair & balanced’ article about what some U.S. Americans think is the ‘truth’ about living in Baja.
Highlighted were several Americans – including my neighbors, Bob & Carol Dawson of Las Gaviotas.
(links below)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-baja14-2009dec14,0,4471195.story?page=1&track=rss
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-baja14-2009dec14,0,4471195.story?page=2
What is ‘really terrific’ is the short 6 minute video clip – which you find ‘online’ showing more in-depth – the surrounding views with audio clips from several U.S. Americans now living in Baja. read more »
Posted in: americans living in mexico, baja communities, Baja Personalities, Baja Real Estate, baja real estate agents, Ensenada, Ensenada Real Estate, Living In Mexico, Mexico News, Mexico Real Estate, Mexico Tourism, retiring to mexico, Rosarito, Rosarito News, rosarito real estate, rosarito tourism –
December 16, 2009
Originally Posted on the L.A. Times.
By Richard Marosi
December 14, 2009
From the insulated safety of Baja’s luxurious seaside gated communities, American expatriates say reports of kidnappings and violent drug cartels seem a world away.
Beach in Rosarito
Reporting from Rosarito Beach, Mexico – Bob and Carol Dawson love living in Baja California, but the region’s violent reputation has put them on the defensive. They have been called delusional and reckless — all because they choose to live in an oceanfront gated community about 30 or 40 miles and a world away from the U.S. border.
Americans living in this part of Mexico are often grilled, half-jokingly, about their sanity. They get asked whether they’ve seen decapitated heads rolling down the street. Friends wonder whether they wear bulletproof vests or drive around in armored cars.
When the Dawsons moved here in 1999 to retire, they were enticed by the area’s charm and peacefulness. They bought an expansive home with ocean views for $175,000. “Live like a millionaire without a million bucks” is the local real estate mantra.
In recent years, the tranquility has been eclipsed by the mayhem of battles between the Mexican government and organized crime. Military trucks brimming with heavily armed soldiers have rumbled through the manicured grounds of luxury developments; gunmen pepper local police stations with automatic-weapon fire; and Baja California’s most notorious crime boss once eluded authorities by running through a beach popular among American retirees. read more »
Posted in: americans living in mexico, baja communities, Baja Real Estate, Ensenada, Ensenada Real Estate, las gaviotas, Living In Mexico, Mexico News, Mexico Real Estate, Mexico Tourism, retiring to mexico, Rosarito, Rosarito News, rosarito real estate, rosarito tourism, Stories, Tijuana –
December 8, 2009
Cuba Gooding Sr. Named Goodwill Ambassador, Receives Rosarito Key - Photo by Laura Wong.
ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO—Noted singer Cuba Gooding Sr., was presented a key to Rosarito and named a goodwill ambassador for the city by Mayor Hugo Torres at a weekend concert here.
“I am humbled by this, it means a lot to me,” said Gooding, who is best known for his 1972 super hit “Everybody Plays The Fool” as lead singer of the Main Ingredient. He also is the father of well-known actor Cuba Gooding Jr.
Mr. Gooding, who has a vacation home in Rosarito, said he is troubled because some in the U.S. have gotten the impression that Rosarito is unsafe because of the government’s crackdown on drug cartels and wanted to help correct that impression. read more »
Posted in: americans living in mexico, baja communities, Baja Personalities, Baja Real Estate, calafia condos, Ensenada, Ensenada Real Estate, Living In Mexico, Mexico News, Mexico Real Estate, Mexico Tourism, retiring to mexico, Rosarito, Rosarito News, rosarito real estate, rosarito tourism, Stories –
December 8, 2009
Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, 73, says he became a crime victim for the first time last Thursday.
En route to security summit, Rosarito mayor is crime victim
And the crime wasn’t in Mexico. Torres parked his 2008 GMC sport utility vehicle at San Diego’s Fashion Valley mall to do some shopping. He was on his way to the second Binational Mayors of the Californias Summit in Santa Ana.
His SUV, parked in a covered lot near Macy’s, was locked and the alarm was activated, but a thief still was able to get in and steal the mayor’s traveling bag, briefcase and two cell phones. Also missing was Torres’ portfolio and papers for the meeting he was about to attend.
One of the topics on the summit agenda was binational security — though security at U.S. shopping malls during the holiday season was not among the items scheduled for discussion. read more »
Posted in: Baja Personalities, Baja Real Estate, Ensenada, Ensenada Real Estate, Mexico News, Mexico Real Estate, Mexico Tourism, Rosarito, Rosarito News, rosarito real estate, rosarito tourism, Stories –
December 8, 2009
Mexican, U.S. Officials Meet In Santa Ana For 2nd Mayors of the Californias Summit
SANTA ANA, CA. Government and law enforcement officials from both sides of the border met at the Santa Ana Police headquarters December 4 for the 2nd Binational Mayors of the Californias Summit.
The goal of the meetings is to increase cooperation between officials from Southern California and Baja, a region that combined represents one of the world’s larger economies as well having many other shared interests.
Among cities represented were Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, Tecate, Santa Ana, Brea, South El Monte, West Covina, La Habra, Redondo Beach and Fullerton at the event co-hosted by Santa Ana groups and Rosarito.
Workshops at the daylong summit included ones on security, infrastructure and the economy. The importance of sharing information and efforts in the closely linked region was stressed.
“The border does not exist when we talk about air quality, when we talk about water quality,” said Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulito in explaining the need for increased cooperation. read more »
Posted in: Baja Personalities, Baja Real Estate, Ensenada, Ensenada Real Estate, Living In Mexico, Mexico News, Mexico Real Estate, Mexico Tourism, Rosarito, Rosarito News, rosarito real estate, rosarito tourism, Tecate, Tijuana –
December 3, 2009
Cherple™, the application that allows you to send text messages from your PC, to US cell phones without cost for you.
Cherple™, the application that allows you to send text messages from your PC, to US cell phones without cost for you
We all know the best gifts are not material. Like being able to send your best to family and friends across the border. This year, the best way to say “merry Christmas!”, Is through Cherple™, the application that allows you to contact loved ones in the US, from your own country, sending text messages to their cell phones from your PC…. without spending a single cent.
¿How? Simply, go to www.cherple.com, and download the free app in your computer. In a matter of minutes, you could be texting your friends and family in the US, from the comfort of your PC. All you need is a live Internet connection; the person you are contacting needs a US based and located cell phone.
Standard text messaging fees apply for the US based mobile user, there are no charges for the online user. Seize the opportunity of sending them a virtual hug, and keep on doing it all year long… read more »
December 3, 2009
First Group of Baja Tourist Police Set to Graduate on December 18
ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO—The first group of a new Metropolitan Police Force to help patrol Baja’s tourist corridor from Tijuana to Ensenada is scheduled for a graduation ceremony Dec. 18 at the San Diego Police Department.
The ceremony will be at 11 a.m. for the 15 officers, five each from Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada. The new uniforms for the special force also will be introduced at that time and the force will have specially marked patrol cars.
The duties of the Metropolitan Police Force, expected to be on duty by early 2010, will be to help other regional departments protect and assist the millions of visitors along northern Baja’s popular 70-mile coastal tourist corridor.
read more »
