Author: dave_02jcxb5r

Good day to all! Summer is here.   We hope all have found their own way to deal with the heat.  It is here to stay, but the summer rains will cool us in the afternoons. ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY Over the last several weeks, we have become more aware of break-ins.  In some of those break-ins, security measures may have been ignored.  With summer comes the influx of vacationers and the criminal element that follows them.  In the majority of cases we know that the criminal element is just looking for opportunity.  We encourage everyone once again to review your security measures and make sure your home is protected. There are many security tips detailed here on our website, beachareanews.com.  You should also review the updated police phone numbers and measures to take should you experience a break in.  All of that information is on our Security Brochure!  Download and print it, and keep it handy. WATCH THE WEATHER We are now in Hurricane Season.  We have been blessed over the past years with some mild storms, but avoided major direct hits.  The past does not predict the future in this case!  Ensure you have reviewed what steps you will take in case of this emergency, including your exit plan from the beach areas. Stay safe, stay cool, and stay positive for our great community. Bob Rentz, Speranza Avram, Karen Cloutier, Dave Bloch, David Nevers The BeachAreaNews Team

              Sunrise Through the Temple of the Seven Dolls, Dzibilchaltun

IN OUR SPRING EQUINOX ISSUE:

• Call for Interest: Yucatan 911 Center Tour
• Notes from the 19 March Merida US Consulate Town Hall Meeting
• RESULTS from the 2018-19 BeachAreaNews Expat Survey
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Call for Interest: Yucatan 911 Center Tour

In 2018, a contingency from the beach was invited by the State of Yucatan to visit their 911 Call and Monitoring Center in north Merida. (Read a brief article on our visit in Yucatan Expat Life.)

The State has invited us once again! To do the tour they need at least 10 people, with a maximum of 20. The tour will have to be arranged before Semana Santa (when things get much busier). If you are interested in being a part of this activity, please Email team@beachareanews.com no later than April 1 2019.
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Notes from the March 19 Merida US Consulate Town Hall Meeting

More than ninety US citizens visiting or living in our beach area came to La Cola del Cocodrilo in Progreso on 19 March to hear a presentation by representatives brought together by the US Consulate in Merida and to ask questions . After a welcome from Beach Area News team member Bob Rentz, new US Consul General Courtney Beale introduced herself and the other presenters:

• Lic. Enrique Alcocer Bastro, Proteccion Civil, State of Yucatan
• Chris Keenan, Regional Security Officer, US Consulate Merida
• Natalia Almaguer, American Citizens Services Chief, US Consulate Merida
• Ing. Maria Alejandra Aguilar Molina, Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) Merida
• Hilda de Hoyas, Social Security Administration Federal Benefits Unit, Mexico City
• Juan Alejandro, Guerrero, Social Security Administration Federal Benefits Unit, Mexico City

More information about services is available on the US State Department Website:

• US Embassy (Mexico city): https://mx.usembassy.gov
• US Citizen Services (provided by the Embassy and/or Consulates): https://mx.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/
• Merida Consulate: https://mx.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/merida/

American Citizens Services Chief Natalia Almaguer described the services provided by the Consulate. These include the routine services like Passport Renewal, reporting a birth to a US citizen while in Mexico, and Notary service. There are also special services, for example, creating a Consular Report when a US citizen dies, and coordinating actions when a US citizen goes missing.
The Consulate hours are 7:30AM to 4:30PM. There is a Duty Officer available 24/7 at (999) 942-5700.
The Consulate also has offices in Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
Natalia emphasized that the Consulate is a liaison between the US and local public/private entities. It does not take actions that are the responsibility of Mexican government agencies.

Security Officer Chris Keenan primarily pointed out this his office is responsible for the safety of Consulate staff and visitors to the building. He spoke about the perception that foreigners are targeted for theft and other crimes. “We are perceived as being more wealthy,” said Mr. Keenan. But we are targeted because of the view that we have more to steal, NOT because we’re from the US or Canada.
Mr. Keenan advised the attendees to report crimes to the Consulate at (999) 942-5700 after doing so to the Mexican authorities (e.g., the Fiscalia). The Consulate can advise you about steps that might happen in the process (for example, a pre-trial meeting you must attend for the prosecution to continue); the Consulate also keeps data on crimes to back requests for additional services.

Hilda de Hoyas from the Social Security Administration Federal Benefits Unit informed the audience that around 96,000 Americans receive benefits from the SSA in Mexico. Their Mexico City office is available for information, questions and applications for Social Security and Medicare; Email fbu.mexico.city@ssa.gov

Maria Alejandra Aguilar Molina (known simply as “Alejandra” by the crowd, who gave her a rousing ovation because of her many years providing excellent services in the INM Progreso office) talked about the services of INM, the Instituto Nacional de Migración. She is now in the office in Merida, but the Progreso office staff is there to help with around 30 different processes involving residency applications, address changes and extensions. She suggested visiting the INM Progreso office at the very beginning of any process to learn first hand exactly what documents you will need and what procedures to follow.

Lic. Enrique Alcocer Bastro spoke about the responsibilities of the Proteccion Civil office of the State of Yucatan. They coordinate response to natural disasters such as fires (fire season is from December 1 to May 31) and hurricanes (storm season is from June 1 to November 30). Proteccion Civil sets up emergency shelters and coordinates activities of other agencies, like the Bomberos and Police. Should an emergency require you to move to a shelter, they can help you communicate with family members about your situation.

After the presentations there were some questions from the audience. Some of general interest are included here:

• Can Social Security (SS) death benefits be sent to a spouse who is a Mexican citizen?  YES, but with requirements/restrictions; contact the FBU.
• Can SS payments go to a Mexican bank account?  YES, they need the CLABE. This long number is on your statement, or get it from your bank.
• I did not get my annual address confirmation statement from the SSA. What’s wrong?  You are ONLY sent this form if SSA has only a Mexico mailing address on file for you, and in that case it is up to you to watch out for it. They can send you this form by Email so you can have it ready to send every year. If you have a USA mailing address on file with the SSA, the form will not be sent to you and no annual confirmation is required.
• How do I vote in US elections?  Voting residency requirements and procedurles vary from state to state. The information for every state is at the Federal Voter Assistance Program Website.
• Is it OK to carry only a copy of my Mexican residency card with me, and leave the original safe at home?  NO, you must carry the original at all times.
• If you miss your Temporary Residency renewal date, do you have to start the process over?  YES, but you do have a 60-day grace period after the expiration.

After the information and question and answer period, representatives from the Consulate, INM, and the Federal Benefits Unit held one-on-one meetings with some attendees to address more sensitive issues. The individuals involved were extremely thankful for this special attention to their concerns.  We believe this contact continues to grow the strong connections between our Beach Area community residents and the support organizations.

Local resident David Wright attended the meeting; read his more detailed write up on his Life in Progreso site.

THANK YOU to the US Consulate for bringing this event together for us!
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RESULTS from the 2018-19 BeachAreaNews Expat Census Survey

Our BeachAreaNews Expat Census was opened in October, and closed last Friday. We received a total of 785 responses! We know there are many more extranjeros than that who visit and live here, but the data is still very interesting. We told you in our invitations that it would take about 1 minute; SurveyMonkey tells us the average time was 57 seconds. Please remember that these results only reflect data received from those who filled out the survey. We cannot make any claims about what this data represents except as it relates to those individuals who submitted the survey.

We have more number-crunching to do, but here are the highlights for each question:

1) How much time are you here on the Yucatan Coast each year?

49% of respondents (“The Expats”) live here at least 6 months, followed by 44% of “The Snowbirds” here 1 to 5 months. Only a small number of respondents come for a short vacation visit. (Of course, we did not get cruise ship visitors responding to our survey.)

2) Where do you live at the beach?

This bar graph really shows Progreso to be the ‘Big Apple” at the beach, with 31% of respondents living there. And more of the respondents live in Chuburna/Chelem (37%) than in the much longer strip from Chicxulub to Telchac (28%).

3) Do you own, rent or something else?

55% of respondents own our homes, while 43% rent. A bit more number-crunching revealed that 57% of the Homeowners have Permanent Resident visas, while 82% of Renters are here on Tourist visas. (See Question 5 for the “Status” data.)

4) Where are you from?

No big surprise here: 60% of respondents are from Canada and 38% from the USA. (Keep in mind that Americans have warm places within their country where they can go; Canadians are choosing to fly right over the States and land here instead!) The last two percent come from everywhere else.

5) What is your immigration status?

The largest contingent of respondents (47%) is here on Tourist visas, then Permanent Resident status at 34% and Temporary at 16%. Mexico is very generous with Tourist visas, allowing the 180-day stay that works perfectly for Snowbirds.

THANK YOU to everyone who responded to our survey! We’ll be sharing the summary results with the area agencies that serve the area in order to help them understand us better and improve their services.

To you Snowbirds, Buen Viaje! Have a great summer!

The BeachAreaNews Team
Bob Rentz, Speranza Avram, Karen Cloutier, Dave Bloch and David Nevers

Copyright © 2019 Beach Area News, All rights reserved.

 

IN THIS ISSUE:
• US Consulate Meeting March 19
• Walking Safely
• Carnaval in Progreso
• Coming up in our next Newsletter

US CONSULATE MEETING COMING TO PROGRESO MARCH 19
Beach Area News is pleased to be working with the US Consulate in Merida to host an informational meeting for US citizens living in our beach communities. Here is the invitation from the Consulate:

U.S. Consulate General Merida, Mexico
Message for U.S. Citizens: Town Hall Meeting in Progreso
Tuesday, March 19, 2019

The U.S. Consulate General in Merida invites all U.S. citizens to join us for a Town Hall event on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 in Progreso at 2:00 p.m. at La Cola del Cocodrilo Restaurant located on Calle 40 x 23 y 25. At this meeting Consulate staff will provide information on services provided by the Consulate.

The agenda for this year’s event is as follows:

• Message from Consul General Courtney Beale
• Remarks by American Citizen Services Chief Natalia Almaguer
• Remarks by Regional Security Officer Chris Keenan
• Remarks from Social Security Administration Officials from Embassy Mexico City
• Remarks from Mexican Immigration Officials (INM)
• Remarks from Mexican Civil Protection Officials (Proteccion Civil)
• General questions and comments from U.S. citizens attending the Town Hall

Please come and bring questions about issues that are important to you. Staff will be available after the remarks to answer individual questions. We look forward to seeing you there.

Please note that we will not provide any consular services at the town hall.

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WALKING SAFELY

There was a disturbing incident of indecent exposure by a male that occurred along the Calle 5 beach road in Chuburna between Calles 196 and 2A that our readers should be aware of. This incident happened the first week of March at approximately 9:15 in the morning. This is the first incident reported in this specific area.

A man in a red Kia Rio sedan pulled alongside a woman out for a walk. He got out of his car and exposed himself. She did her best to avoid him, and eventually found a group of construction workers; she stood with them awhile and he left.

This incident has been reported to the authorities. They informed us that sexual harassment (of which indecent exposure is an example) is a crime in Mexico. Specific evidence such as photos of the person, photos and/or the license number of the car is required for them to investigate the case.

Remember these safety tips when walking:
• Always carry your cellphone
• If possible, have a partner walk with you (or a dog)
• Avoid walking in isolated areas by yourself
• Be aware of your surroundings

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CARNAVAL IN PROGRESO

The Extranjeros “ELVIS” double-decker bus participated in the huge Carnaval afternoon parades on Sunday and Tuesday. The crowds smiled, laughed and waved at the expats on board. The Sunday parade also featured nearly twenty kids from the Ayalem School in Merida, who danced joyfully out front of the bus most of the way down the Malecon!

According to Progreso Director of Tourism Manuel Rosado, the police estimate of Sunday’s crowd was 200,000, the biggest ever. Carnaval is definitely growing in Progreso!

We have a few photos to share with you, many more are posted in social media including the Facebook Yucatan Beach Friends group.

The sign on the side of our Extranjeros bus

Elvis the King waves to the crowd

The Ayalem School kids leading the way

Bob Rentz (as Elvis) and Speranza Avram on the bus during the Sunday parade

COMING UP IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

• The final report from our Expat Census! If you’ve not yet taken the one-minute, 5-question anonymous survey to be counted among the visitors and residents of the beach area, please go to our SurveyMonkey page right now! We will close entries Friday March 15.
• Highlights from the US Consulate Town Hall March 19.
• …and other items of interest to the beach area

See you next time!
The Beach Area News Team
Bob Rentz, Speranza Avram, Karen Cloutier, Dave Bloch and David Nevers

Copyright © 2019 Beach Area News, All rights reserved.

State and Local Government Meets With Expats

On January 15, several representatives of the government of Yucatan came to Progreso for an informative meeting on the services their departments are offering to improve everyone’s lives here at the beach. The gathering was held at the La Cola del Cocodrilo Restaurant in Progreso.

The meeting was sponsored by the Coordination of International Affairs of the Office of the Governor of Yucatan. Presenting at the meeting were (translated titles may not be exactly accurate translations, but are descriptive):
• C. Ariadne Morales Acevedo, Director of International Affairs, State of Yucatan
• Lic. Olivia Bakker Gómez, Liaison for the Foreigners Attention Window at the State of Yucatan
• Comandante Jorge Albert Camargo, Operations Director for the Integration Center for Public Safety, Secretary of Public Security (SSP), State of Yucatan
• Comandante Luis Várguez Chacón, Operations Director for the Coastal Zone, SSP, State of Yucatan
• Comandante Emilio Caamal Gutiérrez, Director, Progeso Municipal Police
• Lic. Luis Chan Correa, Fiscalia Specialist of Justice for Adolescents
• Lic. Juan José Góngora Puerto, Fiscalia Officer for the Crime Prevention in the City of Progreso
• Lic. Manuel Rosado Heredia, Director of Tourism and Commerce, City of Progreso

The representatives brought a Powerpoint presentation; the following information has been pulled from the slides:

OBJECTIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OFFICE:
To design programs, projects and actions aimed at promoting technical cooperation, resource management, technology transfer, exchange of experiences and, in general, the institutional development of the State of Yucatan, through decentralized international cooperation mechanisms.

OFFICE FUNCTIONS
• To be the link between the Governor’s Office and foreign institutions, such as governments and NGO´s
• To provide thecnical support to the Secretariats on issues related to their internationalization
• To provide assistance with the logistics and techinical support for the Governor’s international trips
• To be the link between the Governor’s Office and the foreign community living in Yucatan

FOREIGNERS ATTENTION WINDOW
A new service of the International Affairs Office.
FUNCTIONS:
• To provide information, assistance and support to foreign citizens
• Our role is to give advice to foreigners in order to link them with the corresponding authority in specific issues

CURRENT PROJECTS:

WEBSITE 
–Link to our Office from the Official website of the Government of Yucatan: www.yucatan.gob.mx UNDER CONSTRUCTION
–Assistance by email: UNDER CONSTRUCTION

BILLBOARDS
PURPOSE: To promote the Foreigner’s Attention Window
LOCATIONS: At strategic places in Progreso and Mérida, and at 5 State Police stations in the coast area

CONTACT INFORMATION
Address: Edificio Admnisitrativo Siglo XXI, 4th floor
Calle 20-A No. 284-B x 3-B, Colonia Xcumpich, Mérida.
Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Phone number: (999) 920 39 47 Ext. 47257
Email: olivia.bakker@yucatan.gob.mx

==================

Following the presentation, the representatives took written questions from the audience members. These questions covered several issues of safety and security. Nearly all of these issues are covered on various pages of BeachAreaNews.com, as well as in the downloadable leaflet “Your Safety and Security.”

A few new issues were raised and are summarized below:

Who can do alcohol breath testing on the federal highways?
Only State and Federal police, NOT Municipal police.

SECURITY TIPS:
• Call 911 if you see a suspicious person on your street, especially someone you see repeatedly walking up and down, possibly looking for times that homewoners leave the house each day.
• If you employ local people, such as repairmen or contractors, in your home, ask for their ID and take a photo or copy of their ID cards.
• Note that the police patrol the beach both on and offshore. They are always wearing reflective jackets or vests, and always use flashlights. If you see someone out there without these two things, call 911.
• There is information on BeachAreaNews.com about how to call 911 and reach a bilingual operator. Regardless, you can save valuable minutes if you know a few words of Spanish: the type of emergency you have (medical, fire or police) and your address (including the Colonia).
What if I don’t know my Colonia?
Most expats within the City of Progreso live in Centro (Calle 72 to 96) or Ismael Garcia (Calle 36 to 72). If you live in the villages, that name is enough. but also include “ciudad de Progreso” in your address. (There is a Colonia Chuburna in Merida; you don’t want any confusion.) Other clues are your CFE bill and the street signs around you. Ask your neighbors or your landlord, or a police officer.
• PEPPER SPRAY is legal ONLY IN YOUR HOME. It is NOT legal to carry pepper spray with you!
• If you have a car accident, call 911 and then call your insurance company. DO NOT move your car.

Do we ever tip the police?
NO. No police officer is ever allowed to accept money. If you are ever asked for money, note the officer’s name, badge number and car/truck number. Take photos if you can. You can call 911 from the scene and report this. It is important to get the name and badge number of the officer to make this work. Read what to do in case of a traffic stop on Beach Area News.

How do I report serious littering or garbage dumping?
Progreso has some tough new garbage/littering laws and enforcement. Although the city has hired new Ecology Officers especially for this, ANY police officer can enforce the garbage/litter laws, and it is OK to call 911 for this. If you can take a photo of someone throwing trash (like out of the window of their house) they can arrest.

What do I do if I witness any other ecological issue (for instance, damage to turtle habitat)?
Call 911 and ask for the police.

IN OTHER BEACH NEWS:
The Yucatan Department of Sustainable Development and the City of Progreso will present a morning of birdwatching and an Eco Rally on Friday, February 1. Details in the graphic below.

 

Enjoy the winter warmth!
Your Beach Area News Team:
Bob Rentz, Speranza Avram, Karen Cloutier, Dave Bloch and David Nevers

 

Important Happenings in January!Happy New Year!  The team at Beach Area News wishes you and your family a healthy and productive 2019! This edition of Beach Area News covers the following topics:

• An invitation to a meeting to learn more about state and local government services available to expats and snowbirds here in the Yucatan coast
• A message from the United States Consulate regarding services available from their office in Merida during the current partial US government shutdown
• Information on how you can get involved in an expat/snowbird float during this year’s Carnaval parades in Progreso
•  One more reminder to stand up and be counted in our Expat Census Survey!

January 15 Presentation by our Local and State Governments

Join us on Tuesday, January 15 at 3 pm to hear presentations from the Yucatan State Office of Foreign Affairs, Yucatan State and Municipal security forces and the City of Progreso about what services they have available for foreign residents and visitors. The meeting will be held in Progreso at the restaurant La Cola del Cocodrilo, Calle 40 x Calle 23 and 25. Please let us know you will be coming by clicking on this evite link: http://evite.me/JKNzPbMUnt

At the meeting, you will hear from the Director of the Yucatan State Office of Foreign Affairs Ariadne Morales Acevedo about the Foreign Service Window, a “one-stop shop” available to help foreign residents interact with the Yucatan State Government. In addition, the Yucatan Chief of Security Comandante Carmago, as well as the Municipal Police Chief Comandante Caamal will be at the meeting. They will provide information on services provided by the state and local police and updates on how to report a crime. Finally, City of Progreso Tourism and Commerce Director Manuel Rosado, our liaison with the Mayor’s office, will provide information on the services provided by his department.

Please note: There will not be time at this meeting to address individual problems or concerns regarding government services. Please write down any specific items you would like the city or state to address–such as garbage pick-up problems, road repair issues or specific security concerns in your neighborhood–and bring them to the meeting along with your contact information. This written information will be provided to the appropriate individual who will follow-up directly with you regarding your individual issue or concern. Thank you for your understanding!

US Consulate Offering Only Essential Services During Partial US Government Shutdown

Unfortunately, the town hall meeting with the US Consulate office that was also scheduled to be held on January 15 has been postponed until further notice. The Consulate staff has informed us that at this time, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico continue to provide routine and emergency consular services during the lapse in appropriations resulting in a partial federal government shutdown. If you are scheduled for passport, visa, or other consular services please keep your appointment. Please see their Website for contact information:
https://mx.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/

Progreso Carnaval Parades

The City of Progreso is offering to help expats and snowbirds organize a float for this year’s Carnaval parades! A number of individuals have already volunteered to help design, build, and decorate a float, and others have volunteered to be on the floats during the parade.

This year’s Carnaval theme is Las Vegas: Show, Magic and Fantasy. The parades will take place on March 1, 2, 3, and 5. If you are interested in being part of a group effort to help build and/or decorate the float, or to be part of the parade itself, please send an email to team@beachareanews.com including your phone number and we will add you to the volunteer list. You will receive information about an organizational meeting to be held later in January to kick-off the float building process.

Carnaval events in Progreso will be starting on February 21 – here is a link to the complete calendar of Carnaval events: http://beachareanews.com/?p=207

Have you been counted in our Census Survey?

We’re still trying to get the best number we can of how many foreign expats and visitors are here at the beach! Even if you are only here for a short time, please take a minute to fill our our very brief online survey! Your responses are absolutely anonymous; we do not ask for your name, Email address or anything else. Please have every adult in your household take the survey separately; it really does take only a minute to complete.

Just click this link, check those little boxes and you’re done:
http://tinyurl.com/expatsurvey2018

Thanks! Enjoy the great weather and all of the many events happening during this glorious winter season!

Your Beach Area News Team:
Bob Rentz, Speranza Avram, Karen Cloutier, Dave Bloch and David Nevers