September 19, 2008, cont. from front page, Fiestas Patrias and San Miguel Fair schedule, Ettore Apollonio Stefani, New Driving Restrictions in Mexico City

Correa said that he feels proud that two new universities are coming to San Miguel. The “Universidad Tecnológica del Norte de Guanajuato,” UTNG, opened last year at El Pípila High School, conferring degrees in disciplines that complement San Miguel’s tourist economy.

The local government donated land on Salida a Dolores and, in coordination with the state government, is constructing a new building for the UTNG. Construction of a building for the ICEL (International College for Experience Learning) University will start on September 19 in the eastern part of the city. The institution will offer degrees in 34 subjects, also in accord with San Miguel’s tourism profile. “The local government has agreed to grant a certain number of scholarships,” said Correa.

The presence of UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) in San Miguel is also a source of pride for Correa. “In coordination with the UNAM Faculty of Economics and the Biblioteca Pública, the government has started the Centro de Educación Continua (Center for Continuing Education) so that San Miguel students and professionals can study online or onsite,” said Correa, who added that he has asked UNAM to include certification courses for teachers. “Due to education reform, teachers are now required to be certified in subjects such as computer use. The multimedia programs in schools are misused because many teachers do not know how to utilize them. With better prepared teachers, our students will be better prepared,” he said.

Correa announced that a new local library was opened at Fraccionamiento Insurgentes, near Salida a Querétaro, called Biblioteca del Bicentenario. It houses a lecture room for adults, a game room and a computer room.

Public security and civil protection

Correa said that public security is a priority for his government. “San Miguel is a safe place, and visitors comment on that,” he said. According to Correa, 10 new motorcycles and 8 machine guns were acquired for the Police Department; the State Police Department donated four pick-up trucks and one mobile police substation. The meet with citizens program Martes, Contigo es más Seguro (Tuesday, with you, is safer) encourages sanmiguelenses to bring their security problems or complaints to Police Chief Daniel Trujillo. Correa also announced that police officers attended courses during the year on different crime prevention and human relations issues.

Water and the environment

Correa said that the Ecology Department created the Green Fund (Fondo Verde) using fees collected by the department (currently more than 3 million pesos). The money will be used to fund studies and projects related to water and environmental conservation and use in the medium and long term. With the purpose of taking care of the environment, we have formed working groups that have ties to community and government organizations, even those in other municipalities, as well as with scientific institutions such as UNAM, the Universities of Querétaro, Guanajuato and San Luis Potosí and with Brandeis University in Boston.

According to Correa, more than 2 million pesos were invested in projects for bio-hydrological corridors, “which are the scientific basis for the integral management and sustainable development of the 91 microbasins that benefit the inhabitants of the whole municipality.”

“Currently, we are working on water harvesting systems in 10 rural communities, with a cost of more than 1 million pesos. They will benefit more than 3,000 people,” said Correa.

The System of Potable Water and Sewage of San Miguel, SAPASMA (Sistema de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado de San Miguel), installed water distribution systems in four communities and a well in another community. “We are about to begin the first stage of the sewage system in the community of Corral de Piedras,” he announced.

Economy

Correa reported that according to statistics from the Mexican Institute of Social Security, IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social), 1,600 jobs were created during the year.

He said that in a joint effort with UNAM, the local government performed an economic study called Gran Visión, with the purpose of analyzing the socio-economic status of the municipality and lending support to investors’ concerns about economic security.

Improving the city

Correa said that with the objective of improving traffic flow a study was undertaken to analyze the existing public transportation routes and prescribe the type of vehicles, routes and fees. “The study also suggests possible solutions to traffic problems, among them the widening of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. We currently have 89 city buses, 19 of which were recently replaced by minibuses. Another 16 have been taken out of service. Some routes were also modified to have better coverage,” he said.

Regarding the restoration and beautification of buildings through the program Pueblos Mágicos (Magic Towns), the mayor said that more than 20 million pesos were spent restoring the Oratorio, the Shrine of Atotonilco and the cemetery of San Juan de Dios, along with installing new lighting at the churches of Santa Ana and San Juan de Dios, the clock tower and the Santa Escuela. The funds were also used to complete the third stage of burying cables.

Things yet to be done

“There are too many things to do, and every day brings some frustration,” said Correa, who announced that beginning in October the pavement and sewage and water lines will be replaced on Calzada de la Estación .

This first stage will cost 6 million pesos and include 400 meters from Guanajuato Bridge to the first exit to Las Cuevitas. “I will not see the end of this project as mayor, but I would like to see it completed. It is a project that will end at the Plaza del Bicentenario (where Bodega Aurrerá is being constructed) and will include a glorieta (traffic circle) for moving the traffic more smoothly,” said Correa.

Other projects he mentioned were the improvement and widening of roads that connect San Miguel with other nearby cities such as Dolores Hidalgo, Celaya and Guanajuato, as well as the road to Doctor Mora, up to Highway 57. These projects are to be done as part of the commemoration of the bicentennial of independence and will be finished in 2012.

Where do the pesos go?

Vehicles for government departments 3,567,061

Medical services for government workers 2,577,472

Projects for bio-hydrological corridors 2,236,707

Water projects for rural communities 14,648,174

Restoration of buildings from Pueblos Mágicos 20,646, 581

Rescue equipment for Civil Protection 241,115

Widening of the emergency system network 97,860

Programs for rural communities 10,511,069

Housing in rural communities 3,000,000

Promotion for festivals 2,000,000

New local library 1,600, 000

Facilities for UTNG 2,300,000

Fiestas Patrias and San Miguel Fair schedule

September 19

9am, Salute to the flag
Jardín

6pm, San Miguel fair parade
Ancha de San Antonio, to Canal, Hernández Macías, Insurgentes to San Francisco & Jardín

8pm, San Miguel fair opens
circus, games, ice rink, rodeo, palenque (cockfights), live music
fairgrounds, Salida a Querétaro behind the presidencia;
Teatro del Pueblo presents pop-rock group Elefante

September 20

4pm, Traditional bullfight
Plaza de Toros de Oriente, calle Recreo,
Tickets avaliable at El Correo restaurant, Jardín and in the Plaza’s box office

4pm, San Miguel fair opens
Teatro del Pueblo presents romantic music group Los Ángeles Negros

September 21

9am, Local Championship of Mountain Bicycle
departing from El Cardo, through Guadiana, Colonia Allende, Ojo de Agua, Chorro, and southern part of the centro.
Midday, San Miguel fair opens
Teatro del Pueblo: show of singer Lyz Vega

September 22

4pm, San Miguel fair opens
Teatro del Pueblo presents “grupera”music group Mercenario

September 23

4pm, San Miguel fair opens
Teatro del Pueblo presents “grupera” music group Viento y Sol

September 24

4pm, San Miguel fair opens
Teatro del Pueblo presents tropical music group Sonora Dinamita

6pm, Talk for children; about the San Miguel insurgents the brothers Aldama, Juan de Umarán, Francisco Lanzagorta and Miguel Malo,
Biblitoca Municicpal, Pepe Llanos 14

September 25

4pm, San Miguel fair opens
Teatro del Pueblo presents comedian Evelio con “v”

6pm, Talk, The Royal Academy of San Carlos, from Manuel Tolsá toTres Guerras
Biblioteca Municipal, Pepe Llanos

Ettore Apollonio Stefani

Atención San Miguel extends its condolences to the family of Ettore Apollonio Stefani, who passed away on Monday, September 15, in Italy. Ettore was well-known and loved in San Miguel as the host of the Italian restaurant Fellini at the Carpa and as an great supporter of the local organic movement.

New Driving Restrictions in Mexico City

This information from the Mexican Government is provided as a courtesy to US citizens driving in the Federal District of Mexico. Beginning September 1, metropolitan Mexico City is subject to new rules aimed at reducing pollution. The new rules can be summarized as follows:

1. Vehicles with foreign plates and plates from other states of Mexico that do not have “zero” or “double zero” holographic stickers are restricted from driving in the city from 5am to 11am Monday through Friday.

2. This new rule does not apply to those vehicles that have “zero” or “double zero” stickers obtained through the voluntary verification program at the various Verificentros (emissions testing centers) in D.F., EDOMEX, and/or stickers from those states that joined the agreement (Hidalgo, Morelos, Puebla and Querétaro). Furthermore, this rule does not apply to public transportation vehicles.

3. For further information regarding the new regulation, please contact the following numbers:

HOY NO CIRCULA 01-800-831-4456

ECOTEL 01-800-232-0835

Citizens’ Consular Services
American Embassy Mexico City
Paseo de la Reforma #305
Col Cuauhtemoc; Mexico, D. F., Mexico CP 06500
Tel: (01)(55) 5080-2000, ext. 4905, 4440, 2260, 4780 and 4991
Hours: 8:30am–2pm & 3–5pm