A NOTE FROM CRAIG POTURALSKI...ROCKY POINT SAFETY

Hola Family and Friends,

Try to avoid driving late at night from the border to Penasco. A friend said he recently crossed the border into Mexico just before midnight and was followed just outside of Sonoita and they were flashing their brights trying to get him to pull over and the sped past him and turned around flashing their brights trying to get him to pull over a few times. Once they were out of sight he sped to Penasco and was very lucky nothing happened to him.

We all know Penasco is safer than most cities in the world but please be extra careful, we have been very fortunate for years coming and going to this wonderful town and let’s do what we can to keep it that way.

Craig Poturalski

The Coastal Group Penasco

MORE ON THE SWINFE FLU IN MEXICO AND PARTICULARLY ROCKY POINT

Tracking the progress of H1N1 swine flu

This map and the data behind it were compiled by Dr. Henry Niman, a biomedical researcher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, using technology provided by Rhiza Labs and Google. The map was compiled using data from official sources, news reports and user-contributions.Rhiza's web-based mapping product, Insight, is helping Dr. Niman get official and unofficial data into the tracking system faster while giving researchers and the public many options for viewing the data in a useful and understandable way. If you would like more information about how your organization can provide dynamic data visualization and analysis tools like this, please contact Josh Knauer at 412-488-0600

MYN says:

PS-The swine flu or H1 whatever it is is the FLU, not a flesh eating bacteria.

Thanks Bill Barvitski!

POST #1718 A DIRECT QUOTE FROM MARK MULLIGAN

"...And folks, please, don't let this swine flu thing keep you from coming down to San Carlos for any reason whatsoever....it's as far from us (in Mexico City) as New York City is from you. In fact, there's a greater risk of me catching it in Phoenix then there is of you catching it here. AND, I guarantee you will not be dragged out of your car by your hair by a drug trafficker and executed, like the anchorman on CNN wants to scare you into believing. I'm still waiting anxiously for the president of Mexico to stand behind a podium with a straight face and issue a "travel warning", alerting citizens not to travel to the U.S. because reportedly there was a carjacking in Cleveland yesterday. Ridiculous? EXACTLY. See you on the beach!..."

WHILE YOU'RE POLLING...

Check out the series on http://www.mexpatpolls.blogspot.com/ and give your input!

These will only be available until June 1st - please vote vote vote and pass on this link. You will be helping MYN and other expats that have banded together to write an article based on FACTS and real statistics, so do it for MYN!

IS ROCKY POINT SAFE? MYN POLL

Check out the results just after 3 days of me posting the poll question: Is Rocky Point safe? A large number know that RP is one of the safest places to be...keep voting!

Let's comment on this post and tell us WHY Rocky Point is safe! Let's start a dialouge to let people know just WHY our haven is safe...

ROCKY POINT POLL - IS ROCKY POINT SAFE?

Check out the new poll I added and vote on it!--------->

PS: I voted yes!

THE O WAS HERE...

Check out this article:

Obama Visits Mexico, Meets with Calderon on how to fight narcs

Don't read Spanish? You better highlight, copy, n paste to Google Translator! It's better than ever now...

ROCKY POINT IS SAFE, SAYS SUSIE FLINN

Susie Flinn, a full time Rocky Point resident local sent me this great info:

I do know a lot of you have visited our Paradise in Rocky Point, Mexico just recently and know that you did not have an unsafe situation. Please pass the word to your relatives and friends.
I have attached an article from Mexico Living that I thought you would enjoy ready the statistics;
Sunday, March 8, 2009

STATISTICS: Mexico is Safer than the United States

MEXICO IS SAFER THAN THE UNITED STATESInternational Crime Stats statistics show the United States as the country with the most crimes globally. According to Nationmaster, an International Statistics source the US is #1 in the world for crime and Mexico is #12.

Here are the latest statistics from Nationmaster (per capita refers to amount of victims per 1000 people):
Total Crimes:1. United States - 23,677,8002. Germany - 6,264,7233. United Kingdom - 5,170,8314. France - 3,771,8495. South Africa - 3,422,743
Here is the complete list:http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_tot_cri-crime-total-crimes

ROCKY PONT IS SAFE - DAVE SAYS...

I can't tell you how thankful I am for my readers:

I always thougth americans were fairly smart, but come to find out there a bunch of sheep being lead to there downfall by the news media. Also it's fact that last year 6000 people were killed and only 18,000 were killed in the good old USA. 3000 killed in Tiajuna last year , 2,700 in L.A not even counting all of orange and san diego county. It only counts if your killed in mexico and you can pass this on!
DAVE

MYN WANTS YOU TO VOTE

Cindy just wrote me:

Hi...can you get this out on your blog ASAP...get the vote to count...YES...you still go to Mexico. Go to:

www.myfoxphoenix.com and place your vote...make it count!!!

Thanks

Well, you heard her - get your finger a clickin and vote YES if you still come to Mexico! I live here, does my vote still count??

ROCKY POINT IS SAFE

Dear MYN reader,

In light of all the bad press we are getting about Puerto Penasco, I’d like to offer my own bit of insight.

I have lived here for 4 years full time. I moved here (on a 2 month vacay) from Los Angeles, and I just never have gone back to the states. I feel safer here than I ever felt in the states. I would not live here if I didn’t. Check out a map of Rocky Point in relation to Nogales, Tijuana, and Ciudad Juarez. If you’ve ever driven to Rocky Point from Tucson or Phoenix, you know it takes 4 hours. Think of it like this: for us, we are 4 hours in ANY direction – north is AZ, east is Nogales, which actually takes like, 6 hours; south is Hermosillo, west is Mexicali.

The border crossing at Lukeville is almost laughable. There are 3 lanes, 2 of which are hardly EVER open. On the Sonotya side, there are 2. One of which is hardly ever open…it’s the easiest border crossing there is. It’s also one of the few that close!

Penasco is still a safe haven to (quietly) enjoy the beach, a pool somewhere, or the Malecon without worry of hassle or hustle (save for Mayan Palace OPC’s and kids with chicle)

Take into consideration the population of Americans here, as well. We just wouldn’t live here if it wasn’t safe. Yes, if you are in the drug business or are looking for it, you might get mixed up in the riffraff, but is that not true in ANY city in ANY country on the planet??

I’ll get off my soap box now; just know that Rocky Point IS safe!

ROCKY POINT IS SAFE

The Arizona Republic printed my letter this past Tuesday. It won't change the tide but at least may help provide some perspective and balance to the scared-y cats.

Memo to Mexi-phobes: Rocky Point is still pretty much the same safe place it has always been. While it is no longer a sleepy fishing town, it is still relatively quiet and very welcoming to spring breakers. The drug war problems in Tijuana and Nogales are nowhere in evidence. Having had a 2nd home in Rocky Point for 25 years, I feel safer in Puerto Penasco than most parts of Phoenix. Those who are cautioning folks to stay away need a geography lesson!
Jim Hamblin
Fountain Hills

ROCKY POINT CAR SAFETY

Ryan, the parasail guy got his avalanche stolen in the Old Port today about 1:00...it's white - don't know the plate number, but they're AZ plates - normal rims, medium tint on the windows - if you see it, please call him at 107 5922!!

It is relatively safe here, but ALWAYS lock your doors, and don't leave valueables in your car, no matter what!

PS: the emergency number is 066

THEY'RE GETTING THEM ONE BY ONE

Here's a true life story from a resident of Puerto Vallarta about their sighting of the Federal Police taking action against narco traficantes (drug lords)

"Yesterday when we passed the state line check point( i live in P. Vallarta, Jalisco) but cross state lines to Bucerias, Nayarit to my office...there were over 100 military police, federal and state police there surrounding a suburban that had one wheel off...we wondered if they finally got a big bust, but what happened is that the cartel kidnapped a policeman very close to marina in town, and were on a high speed getaway , shooting and throwing grenades IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN...they got as far as the Flamingos golf resort right down from us, took a dirt road and because of all the rain, got stuck in the mud, so they threw the policeman out the door and he walked to the highway to flag for help."

Mexico is getting safer, thanks to the federal government stepping in and taking control!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MEXICO LIVING MAGAZINE

From the article "Is Mexico Safer than the US"

-The US State Department issued a warning about the voilence in Mexico - it says there were 128 American deaths in Mexico between January 2005 and December 2007.

-In LA county alone, there have been 103 deaths in the last 6 months and in 2007, there were a total of 324.

It goes on to talk about how Felipe Calderon, the president of Mexico is facing the issue of corrupt policemen head on by testing the issued guns of the officers, lie detector tests, and other screenings, the honest policeman returned to work.

Pick up your copy to read the rest of this great article!

REAL ESTATE MARKET'S CRIPPLING EFFECTS...

This is so sad...I heard this morning that Las Palomas just laid off about 600 employees. Breaks my heart, but makes me think that the crime rate might be on the rise this weekend - keep your car locked up and don't park in obscure dark places...keep your valueables at home and your wallet close by!

MORE ON LAST FRIDAY'S AWFUL ACCIDENT

I talked to a guy that was only about 10 cars behind the wreck - he told me that:

A minivan (SUV?) had been flying past cars for a while, and basically driving wrecklessly...they went to pass someone else, though there was an on-coming car. The driver didn't know that there were actually two cars - the first on-coming car swerved off the road and into the ditch, and the second car didn't have the time and collided with the minivan (or SUV - I cant' remember which one) head-on. 

I don't exactly know how many fatalities there were, but I'm almost sure both drivers passed away. It's so unfortunate that this happened, but accidents can be prevented! Pass safely, and respect the speed limits, and PLEASE don't drink and drive!

THE WRECK ON FRIDAY

I'm sure everyone is aware of the horrible car accident that occured on Highway 85 on Friday afternoon...I heard the story from a man that got passed by the van that caused the wreck. It's so unfortunate, but so preventable!

Next time you're in a rush to get to Rocky Point (which isn't going anywhere) please please realize that you are out in the middle of nowhere for a good part of the drive, pass safely, wear your seatbelts, and don't drink and drive!

Life is great - don't miss out on it.

Have a safe trip back home!

ROCKY POINT WEATHER

Check out this TORNADO filmed out at Luna Blanca yesterday! Wow. Thanks to Kent White for alerting us!

ROCKY POINT TRIATHALON - ROAD CLOSINGS

We just received this email from Las Palomas advising No Reeleccion's closing:

DEAR LAS PALOMAS OWNERS,
THE PRESENT IS TO INFOM YOU WE HAVE RECEIVE A NOTIFICATION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT: THAT ON SATURDAY MAY 3RD. DUE TO THE TRIATHLON THE SANDY BEACH ROAD ACCESS TO LAS PALOMAS WILL BE CLOSE FROM 7 AM TO 2 PM BY THE POLICE AND TRANSIT DEPARTMENTS, WE WANT TO RECOMMEND YOU TO TAKE YOUR PRECAUTIONS, DUE THAT THE ACCESS FOR LAS PALOMAS, PUERTA PRIVADA, SONORA SKY, WILL BE CLOSE FROM THE NO RELECCION STREET ALL THE WAY TO BLVD. COSTERO. DURING THAT TIME IT POSSIBLE THAT POLICE WILL GRANT THE ACCESS GRADUALLY.

IN CASE YOU HAVE FAMILY OR GUEST PLEASE INFORM THEM ABOUT THIS.

EL PRESENTE ES PARA INFORMARLE QUE RECIBIMOS UNA NOTIFICACION DE PARTE DEL DEPTO. DE POLICIA QUE EL SABADO 3 DE MAYO, DEBIDO AL TRIATLON EL ACCESO A LAS PALOMAS ESTARA CERRADO DE LAS 7 AM A LAS 2PM POR EL DEPARTAMENT DE POLICIA Y TRANSITO, LE QUEREMOS RECOMENDAR EL TOMAR SUS PRECAUCIONES, DEBIDO A QUE EL ACCESO PARA LAS PALOMAS, PUERTA PRIVADA Y SONORA SKY ESTARA CERRADO DESDE EL LA CALLE NO REELECCION HASTA TODO EL BOULEVARD COSTERO. DURANTE ESE TIEMPO SE DARA ACCESO GRADUALMENTE.

EN CASO DE TENER FAMILIARES O INVITADOS POR FAVOR INFORMELES ESTA MEDIDA