Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco): News Archives

Let's see if I can break the record for the longest Puerto-Penasco.com news post ever:

First up: Here's a new edition of De Frente:

Aerolitoral's First Hermosillo-Puerto Penasco Flight Makes History

Highway 85 And Lukeville's Checkpoint

Excessive Competition Is Detrimental For Beer Business

Penasco Inaugurates New Tourism Industry Academy

Local Fisherman Fight For Rights To Pier Concessions

PFP Intensifying Highway Patrols

Check 'em out over at defrente.puerto-penasco.com

Speaking of big news, the Border Governor's Conference kicks off September 25-27, 2007. Governors, businessfolk and other well-connected and cash-heavy individuals from all over the border states - Arizona, Baja California, California, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, New Mexico, Sonora, and Texas - will be meeting in Puerto Peñasco and discussing a wide, wide array of issues that will effect the border states for many years to come.

There's a lot of power about to amass in Puerto Penasco, and the sheer fact that this event is being held here means that Peñasco has entered a whole new level of influence and importance. A lot of attention is about to focus on this little town ...

I honestly wish I could be there. I never used to care much for politics, but I've come to realize that once you slog through all the bad parts, there's some good things that can happen. Plus, Felipe Calderon's supposed to be there, and I missed his last visit. (Also, I could use the excuse to get the heck out of the office, but unfortunately it ain't happening.)

If you are attending the Border Conference, and would like to share your thoughts and/or photos, please drop me a line.

p.s. 09.28.2007 - Here's some news coverage:

"Mexico criticises US border plans"

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Help Mark Raise Money For Puerto Peñasco's schools

Here's another neat fundraiser to put on your radar - Mark with RockyPointBoatTrips.com has started RockyPointClassroom.com, an "Adopt a Classroom" non-profit to help supply Puerto Peñasco's elementary schools. They're asking for supplies (see their supplies wanted list) as well as cash donations, 100% of which go to the schools.

Mark's also going to attempt to swim the entire length of Sandy Beach as a promotional fundraiser, so you may see him out there these days, doing laps. Say hello to him and pledge some cash, if you can.

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Puerto Peñasco Business Blogging

Here's some more neat reading: Paul Kingsley - a developer with Primestone Mexico - has been living in Puerto Peñasco and blogging about his various experiences with life and business south of the border over at puertopenascopost.com.

Paul is a lawyer by trade who now "spends a majority of his time in Puerto Peñasco ... developing real estate and enjoying the excellent late-night tacos". I have to say, I'm a bit jealous ...

Paul recently posted advance photos of the town's preparations for the upcoming Border Governor's Conference, and he's got a number of articles from an insider's perspective on things like business tips, lawyers, passports, and travel.

It's a neat blog - keep an eye on it.

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Rocky Point Motorcycle Ride & Dive - Oct 12&14th

And, lastly, in the 'two things I never really expected someone to combine' category, Joe with N-depth scuba emailed to let me know about the Rocky Point Motorcycle Ride & Dive happening on Oct 12th & 14th.

They'll be riding from the N-depth shop in Phoenix to Puerto Peñasco on Friday, and shore diving on Saturday. So, if you see a pack of bikes heading down the highway with scuba tanks strapped on the back, pay them no mind ...

(See also their flier art for the event, which, I have to admit, does in fact successfully combine a scuba-tank wearing, motorcycle-riding skeleton on a Harley. On fire. Somewhere out there, there's a graphic designer who earned his keep on this one, and I salute them.)

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As always, I'm available at info@puerto-penasco.com if you feel like dropping me a line. Adios!

As you may know, CEDO is in the middle of a fundraising effort to raise $250,000 to secure the property they've been sitting on for 27 years. If you don't know the backstory on this one, here are a few points of reference.

I'm now going to do my damndest to get you to donate to CEDO, and here's why:

In 1994, when I was a clueless new freshman at the University of Arizona, friends brought me to Puerto Peñasco for my very first visit. As a native Ohioan, I had already fallen, hard, for Arizona and the Southwest, and the same thing happened the moment we drove into Puerto Peñasco. From then on, it was all about Mexico.

My friends learned about Peñasco through CEDO, via a biology class at the U of A. They, like me, were introduced to the Sonoran region and the Sea Of Cortez and all the beautiful squishy aquatic lifeforms it had to offer from this class, which culminated in a weekend trip to CEDO.

Needless to say, I fell in love with the place, and CEDO became a bit of a touchstone over the years. On every trip down to Peñasco we'd swing by CEDO and check things out, say hello, check up on how much Las Conchas was growing, and hit the beach. Amidst all the construction and growth and craziness we watched over the years, CEDO was still there. And it always should be.

When CEDO hit their legal troubles with the encroachment upon their facility, it seemed to me like 'Step 1' from a manual titled "How to ruin Puerto Peñasco in 3 easy steps". If you've read my site for any amount of time, you'll know the issue hit close to home.

Now that CEDO has a negotiated agreement over their land, they need some financial help to lock in the deal. Right now they're trying to raise $100k by the end of October.

CEDO does valuable work, work nobody else can do, and it serves an increasingly important role in keeping Puerto Peñasco the kind of place you want to keep visiting.

To understand why this is, just check the newest issue of De Frente, in "Warning Signs In Our Local Ecosystem". Or read Mitra Taj's excellent article "Environmentalists vs. Luxury Developers". Or read about CEDO's work protecting Penasco's precious estuaries. The list goes on and on and on and on...

This is, of course, to say nothing of the introduction and education CEDO has given to countless students, visitors, and Puerto Peñasco lovers over their long 27 year stint.

So I'm sitting down to write them a check, and it would be awesome if you could do the same. Donations are tax deductible - so why not whack a nice fat chunk off of your 2007 tax liability and help CEDO - and Puerto Peñasco - at the same time?

The easiest way to donate is online, by going to: http://www.cedointercultural.org/aboutcedo.htm. Checks can also be dropped off at the CEDO field station from 9-5, Monday through Saturday - or mailed to:

CEDO
PO Box 44208
Tucson AZ 85733

You can also contact CEDO directly at (520) 320-5473 or info@cedointercultural.org for more information.

Thanks for reading. I hope you'll join me in donating to CEDO.

-bhance, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2007