After leading the field for three days, American Angela Stanford hung on to win the inaugural LPGA Lorena Ochoa Invitational at the Guadalajara Country Club on Sunday. 

Mexican Professional Soccer League

When Alfonso Rodriguez decided to lose an extra five kilos, the busy lawyer took some pills recommended by a friend whose physique he admired.

Thousands of Mexican consumers are up in arms after one of the nation’s leading laser hair-removal firm apparently vanished, fleecing its clients of more than just unwanted body hair.

Commenting only three days after the election of an African American as president of the United States, U.S. consular official Chris Teal underlined the significance of the biography he has written about America’s first black diplomat, Ebenezer Bassett.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a corporate executive or a modest housewife, increased prices are starting to play havoc with your budget.

CHAPALA - As hordes of curious shoppers stormed Lakeside’s new Wal-Mart outlet on opening day, the store’s competitors are bracing for a temporary dive in sales without losing optimism that they have plenty of potential to stay in the game.

If there was one place in Jalisco I had no interest in visiting, it was San Pedro Analco.

I sometimes volunteer at a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) serving the north shores of Lake Chapala.

Things are fast cranking up to that impossible level of activity that we always swear we’re not going to get into “next year.”

CHAPALA - The Feria Maestros del Arte wants to send out a huge thank you to the Lakeside community for the great attendance at the event, for those who hosted visiting artisans and to the hardworking volunteers who made it all happen.

CHAPALA - Guitarra, A.C. is a philanthropical cultural organization that presented concerts at Lakeside last year to benefit displaced victims of the San Juan Cosala landslide disaster.

ASA

The Ajijic Society of the Arts (ASA) will show off their latest works at their “Art in the Park” event on Sunday, November 16, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Ajijic Plaza.

GUADALAJARA - Music fans have unleashed a torrent of criticism at the organization of the concert given by singer Sarah Brightman at the VFG Arena outside Guadalajara on Thursday, November 6.

GUADALAJARA - The weight of tradition plus the enthusiasm of officials, alumni, teachers and parents combined again this year to make the American School’s Art Fest happen for the 20th time.

GUADALAJARA - The recently reborn Haus der Kunst in Guadalajara will be the venue for the inaugural Tonica Jazz Festival from November 21-23.

GUADALAJARA - Striking images by Jeronimo Arteaga-Silva, the winner of the 2007 Fernando Benitez National Prize for Cultural Journalism, can be seen at the Casa Escorza in Guadalajara.

GUADALAJARA - Cage of Fire comes to Guadalajara on Saturday, November 15, the latest step in director Francesco Noriega’s plan to replicate the meteoric rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in North America.

Dear Sir,

In last week’s Letters to the Editor there were well expressed concerns for the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) board.

Dear Sir,

Marianne Carlson, who just organized and oversaw another beautiful and successful Feria del Maestros del Arte at the Chapala Yacht Club, deserves a huge vote of thanks from all of us who love to see and collect examples of the never-ending creativity of Mexico’s multi-talented artisans.

Like it or not, Mexico has leaped into the 21st century and Wal-Mart is here to stay. Here’s what some Lakesiders have to say.

Pristine beaches

Beach cleanups held on October 4 and 31 proved to be highly successful, reports Miguel Aguilar Velasco, director of the Bahia de Banderas Office of Tourism.

CHAPALA - Traffic along the north shore’s main thoroughfares will be blocked early Monday, November 17 for colorful parades in celebration of Mexico’s Dia de la Revolucion.

AJIJIC - Ajijic is cranking up for a boisterous salute to spiritual patron Saint Andrew the Apostle that will run unbated from the end of next week through the last day of the month.

Important stuff

This is just a reminder that there is a blood donor list online at www.cruzrojachapala.com.

CHAPALA - The Lake Chapala Society Board of Directors has set a recall election and their annual membership meeting for Thursday, December 11, 10 a.m. on the Neill James Patio.

GUADALAJARA - Participants in one of several regular weekly night rides in the city must have been quite a sight for startled motorists last week, as they pedalled along decked out in Halloween and Dia de los Muertos duds.

High class

It may be short notice, but this one is well worth the effort: catch the 1950s style Orquesta de Enrique Reyes at the Salon Fiesta Guadalajara starting at 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 15.

Hugh Robertson, a longtime resident of Ajijic and Guadalajara, died November 5 in Medina, Ohio. He was 87.

GUADALAJARA - World number one golfer Lorena Ochoa could only manage a one-over par 73 in the first round of her own LPGA tournament on Thursday at the Guadalajara Country Club.

GUADALAJARA - With one round of games before the post-season knockout stage (la liguilla) begins, Guadalajara’s three pro soccer teams face an uphill battle to progress to the playoffs.

GUADALAJARA - After only two years of doing business Guadalajara-based discount airline Alma de Mexico has ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy. 

MEXICO - Researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) have happily stumbled on the discovery that a mix from the agave plant, the main ingredient of tequila, can be used to form diamonds.

MEXICO - The Mexican government may be forced to curtail its regular gasoline price hikes after pump costs this week neared U.S. levels.

MEXICO - Type the name Gomez Mont into Google and up pops pictures and profiles of a TV Azteca model in skimpy clothing – Ines Gomez Mont.

GUADALAJARA - The rainy season may be over, but the shadow of the recent Guadalajara metro-area dengue outbreak lingers on as state officials and independent experts provided excuses and explanations this week.

JALISCO - The famous “round stones” (piedras bolas) of Ahualulco del Mercado were once an exclusive port of call for explorers well-versed in the art of tracking down poorly promoted but fascinating sites of interest in provincial Jalisco.

ACAPULCO - Five months after closing its Guadalajara mission, the British government has opened a consular office in the Pacific Ocean coastal resort of Acapulco.

CHAPALA - Customers swamped Lakeside’s brand new Wal-Mart outlet within minutes of its doors opening early Tuesday, November 11.

CHAPALA - The Chapala government has pepped up its fight against criminal activity by hiring a new police chief and setting up a sophisticated video surveillance system to help keep the bad guys in check.

CHAPALA - The Veteran’s Day crowd attending ceremonies on November 11 was shocked to find, upon entering the section of the cemetery devoted to U.S., Canadian and allied veterans, that most of the bronze plaques had been removed from the memorial wall.