False Alarm about Presa El Pedregal overflow

I've wanted to see the new dam up highway 80 called Presa El Pedregal (Stone Dam) but have not had the time or really known it's location.  With all the rain the unpaved roads have been bad and I didn't want to try.  I found this short article and fotos on an area website.

False Alarm Overflow Dam El Pedregal

Given the large amount of water that recent rains have left the coast of Jalisco, residents of San Patricio, Melaque were alarmed by the possibility that the Presa El Pedregal might overflow, thereby causing some panic.

In this situation , the Municipal Civil Protection Commander AC David Fregoso, told the media that the water levels of the Dam El Pedregal did not represent any danger to the population, since it's about 80 % capacity, which is about 1 million 300 thousand liters, Added to this, he said the dam is displacing water in a controlled and moderate manner.

La Presa El Pedregal, which recently opened in this rainstorm has gathered a considerable amount of water preventing areas in Melaque from flooding as they have previously .

Photos: David Fregoso

Costa Pródiga Article

Festival del Mar 2010

Melaque's first Festival del Mar this coming December 15th thru the 19th will be full of cultural and sporting events. Featuring folklorico, theater, music, ballet and painting.

Check it out on the web site

Beach cleanup in Melaque

After weeks of heavy rain (over 17" in August) they finally opened the lagoon for the first time this year. The lagoon was covered with lirio and resulted in more floating in the bay that I've seen previously. I've also never seen it reach the Barra lagoon the way it did this time. Lots of clean up and of course Melaque started on the calm beach (chicken beach) which is popular with tourists.

Back loader on the beach

Lots of garbage

Loading a dump truck

Enjoy the beach anyway

Bar Siboney Transvestite Show

Melaque has a 'red zone' botanero bar called Siboney that has a tranvestite burlesque type show twice a day on Wednesday and Saturdays at 5 and 7pm. I hear this is only during tourist season but I've not been enough to know. I'd be surprised if it's not open all year because it's always a mixed crown. For me the show is a once or twice a year thing but there are some that can go every week. It's fun and silly and worth a visit.

Siboney is in front of the Terraza Bar Corona which is the more wide open and open 'till all hours of the morning.

Daniella or Danielle that runs Siboney

Daniella

This video is really too long - but you get the idea

Villa Pinal Primary School

A group in the Melaque area that doesn't seem to need to broadcast it's good deeds to the Gringo community is San Patricio by the Sea, an interdenominational church located bewteen San Particio and Villa Obregon. This project particularly interested me because this school is about three blocks from the house I'm building in Pinal Villa. A link to their web site is below if you want to look further into their projects.

Villa Pinal Primary School:

The Community Support Fund task force, with church board approval, agreed to take on the 4 priorities that the 3 teachers at the school determined to be of high priority:

1. A consistent water supply. A new water pump was installed by the principal and a teacher

2. Ceiling fans for one of the classrooms. A new ceiling fan was installed

3. Paint for the existing classrooms. Paint was purchased and the actual painting was done by volunteers from the community

4. Improvements to the open, tin-roof, cardboard walled "classroom".

The task force and church board deemed the classroom unsuitable for repair and recommended replacing it with a new classroom.

Preparations, plans and permits made with the approval of educational authorities led to the building of a concrete, post and beam classroom, with a reinforced roof which will allow for a second story classroom at a future date.

Original classroom

Building the new one

Offical opening

Inside new classroom

Kids lined up for inauguration 
San Patricio by the Sea