You Can Vote from Here (FVAP)

On July 4, millions of overseas citizens, Service members and their families will celebrate U.S. Independence Day — all over the world. Among the many freedoms citizens enjoy is the right to vote from wherever they are.

During this election year, Americans living away from their voting residence can easily make absentee voting part of their Fourth of July festivities — with resources from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).

“Registering and requesting a ballot is a great way for Service members and overseas citizens to celebrate July 4th,” FVAP Director Matt Boehmer said. “The holiday is a perfect reminder that Americans anywhere have the freedom to vote, and FVAP.gov has everything they need to do so.”

From June 27 to July 5, FVAP will observe the holiday by holding Armed Forces Voters Week and Overseas Citizens Voters Week with support from the Military Services and State Department. During the week, U.S. military installations, embassies, consulates and overseas citizens groups offer voter registration opportunities as part of holiday celebrations. FVAP recommends voters register to vote and request an absentee ballot by Aug. 1 to ensure they can participate in the General Election on Nov. 8.

The voting rights of the millions of U.S. citizens living overseas, as well as Service members and their eligible family, are protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). About 75 percent of the 1.3 million Service members are eligible to vote absentee through the UOCAVA process since they are stationed away from their voting residence and polling place.

The first step for overseas citizens and Service members to vote absentee is filling out and sending in a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) — the registration and ballot request form accepted by all states and territories — available at FVAP.gov. The sooner voters register and request their ballot, the greater the likelihood they can successfully vote. That’s because ballots must be sent back before individual state deadlines, which vary.

Voters can visit FVAP.gov for their state’s specific voter registration and ballot request deadlines, as well as information on completing their FPCA. Voters can fill out the form by hand or use the online assistant before they print, sign and send the FPCA to their election office.

For additional information, visit FVAP.gov, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 1-800-438-VOTE (8683).

Federal Voting Assistance Program

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) is a Department of Defense (DoD) organization that works to ensure Service members, their eligible family members, and overseas citizens are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so — from anywhere in the world.

FVAP assists voters through partnerships with the Military Services, Department of State, Department of Justice, and election officials from the 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. State and local governments administer U.S. elections, including those for federal offices. FVAP supports state and local election officials by providing absentee voting information, materials, training and guidance.

Voters can contact FVAP's call center at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683), DSN 425-1584 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Toll-free phone numbers from 67 countries are listed at FVAP.gov. Find FVAP on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Nearly 20 years ago ACMC-Granite Falls family medicine physician Dr. Darrell Carter took his family on a tropical winter getaway. Over the next several years he and his wife—and sometimes his family—traveled to Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.

This beautiful destination has hosted great films as it has endless natural attractions, which make it a very desirable spot to visit. Here are the 10 films that probably you didn’t know they were filmed here:

The new signage offers locals and visitors information regarding the biodiversity of native birds along four different routes: the San Pancho estuary, the Ahuacatal Las Calabazas stream, Las Clavellinas and the Capomo trail.

24-year-old patient gets new organ in operation at federal employees' hospital

Puerto Vallarta performed very well for the first quarter of 2016 for hotel occupancy and total airport and cruise ship passengers registered for 2015.

Eight separate medical, academic, tech, sports and cultural meetings and conventions will be taking place in the Destination’s hotels between May and August, generating approximately 8,500 attendees.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.- Study finds just 60 of the porpoises left, down from 97 in 2014

The vaquita marina, a porpoise found only in Mexican waters, is headed for extinction according to the latest estimate of their numbers.

The International Commission for the Recovery of the Vaquita and Semarnat, the Environment Secretariat, used acoustic devices to identify surviving vaquitas in the Sea of Cortés between September and December last year. The results were released yesterday: they found 60.

That figure is down from the 97 identified in 2014, which triggered a 1-billion-peso federal program primarily designed to pay fishermen not to fish. The vaquita has been a victim of the shrimp and totoaba fisheries, showing up as bycatch in gillnets.

The totoaba is also an endangered species but its swim bladder is a delicacy in China, and fetches a good price — as much as US $5,000 in the U.S.

Omar Vidal of the Mexico office of the World Wildlife Fund believes there are fewer vaquitas than the 60 counted in the survey. He told The Associated Press he believes the porpoise can be saved but “this is clearly our last chance.”

He said the Mexican, U.S. and Chinese governments need to take urgent and coordinated action to stop the illegal fishing, trafficking and consumption of totoaba products, and called on Mexico to ban all fishing in the upper Sea of Cortés, home to the vaquita.

Illegal fishing is believed to have continued despite funds allocated from the billion-peso program to pay for monitoring vaquita habitat. The program, initiated just over a year ago, has also been criticized for distributing unequally the compensation payments to fishermen.

-Alejandro Olivera of the Center for Biological Diversity said most of the 2,700 fishermen received $220 to $40 a month but some got as much as $63,000.

Persistence and perseverance continue to pay off with this truly huge event thanks to the groups involved in the cleanups.

Just one month shy of the two-year mark, the Riviera Nayarit’s Beach Cleanup Network (BCN) will celebrate its 24th event on Saturday, May 14, 2016 in over 15 villages along the coast of Nayarit, from Nuevo Vallarta all the way to the Isla de Mexcaltitán. Over 500 people will come together in coordination with the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to clean up the beaches and beyond.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.- On Sunday, Vallarta Pride starts its activities in the International AIDS Sunset Candlelight Memorial, an event sponsored by SETAC, linking Puerto Vallarta with marches around the world in memory of the AIDS victims. We invite you to join the march, dressed in white and with a candle, to remember, celebrate, honor the world and demand a sustainable response to AIDS.

Time: 8:00pm to 9:30pm
Location: From Lazaro Cardenas Park to Los Arcos, downtown

Confirm your attendance at our event on Facebook here

Download the complete Vallarta Pride 2016 calendar of events in English | Español

About the Memorial

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, coordinated by the Global Network of People living with HIV is one of the world’s oldest and largest grassroots mobilization campaigns for HIV awareness in the world. Started in 1983, the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial takes place every third Sunday in May and is led by a coalition of some 1,200 community organizations in 115 countries.

About Vallarta Pride

Recognized internationally as a LGBTTIQ mecca, Puerto Vallarta is ready to receive domestic and international gay visitors, creating a sophisticated culture, sheltered by a vibrant local community that is constantly evolving. This heritage was adopted by the Vallarta PRIDE Organizing Committee in order to work together with public and private partners, putting our city on the world stage of the yearly LGBTTIQ celebrations.

Vallarta PRIDE works towards a future without discrimination so that we all have equal rights before the law. We believe we can achieve this through the LGBTTIQ events we organize to inspire, to commemorate and celebrate our community.

For more information, please visit the website or the official Facebook page

Steve and Robin at SPCA Puerto Vallarta (PVCA)

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.- We are so pleased to announce that Steve Dale, renowned certified animal behavior consultant and friend to the SPCA here in Puerto Vallarta, has accepted an invitation to join our organization. Steve Dale has been appointed to the post of Advisory Board Member of the U.S. arm of our organization, Prevent Cruelty to Animals aka PVCA Animal Rescue.

Steve has been a great friend to the SPCA for a number of years, having been guest speaker two consecutive years at our annual fundraiser. He has been instrumental in spreading the word about our rescue efforts and in particular our sanctuary on his blog, in various publications and during his syndicated radio show increasing our visibility within the United States.

Join us in welcoming Steve to our family.

Steve Dale, CABC (certified animal behavior consultant), over the past few decades has reached more pet owners than any other pet journalist in America.

He is the host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, "Steve Dale’s Pet World" and "The Pet Minute" (together heard on over 100 radio stations, syndicated Black Dog Radio Productions, since 2005). He’s also a special contributor at WGN Radio, Chicago and program host, "Steve Dale’s Pet World" (since 1997), and he formerly hosted nationally broadcast Animal Planet Radio.

More of Steve’s curriculum vitae can be located on his blog and be sure to find him on Facebook

This content was submitted by a member of the community. We'd like to hear from you, too! To share stories, photos, video or events for our calendar, please send them here.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.- Forget Cinco de mayo, the real May fiestas around here are the rodeo events at the Ferias de San Isidro. This patron Saint is known for protecting many parts of the Spanish-speaking world, the most famous being the capital city of Madrid, but more locally, the nearby village of Higuera Blanca.

Last month, I was happy to share my ranch enthusiasm with you. This month, I must continue in the same vein and share more ranchero tales.

Every year, in mid-May, all my ranch colleagues and friends meet for a three-day-straight party. It generally starts in the morning with a full cavalgata (cavalcade) and culminates in the evening with a Jaripeo.

The fun starts with a procession of horses
In this part of the world, the horse is a huge status symbol. The horse has long been revered for its part in agricultural communities around the world and Higuera Blanca is no different – the villagers are proud to show up on their mounts.

In previous years, over 2,000 riders joined together early on a Friday morning to escort the Saint and profess their allegiance to San Isidro. When the procession arrives in front of the Church, it stops and the priest blesses each rider with Holy Water. The procession then moves forward and the riders walk, dance and proudly show off their horses over the 5-mile promenade from Higuera to Punta Mita. It’s quite an experience to see so many attentive revelers on horseback in one spot.

Young ladies from the community vie for votes to become a “Queen of the Fiesta” which entitles them to a place of honor in the festivities. The “Queens” ride at the head of the parade with their royal gowns spread around them. Then come horses and riders of all shapes and sizes enjoying the camaraderie, the Banda (there is always an accompanying band walking alongside the parade) and the ever-flowing beer.

Once the group reaches its destination, everyone spends the best part of the day chatting, dancing, checking out each others’ mounts, enjoying the vibe…and drinking beer!

The long day turns to evening and everyone heads to the local bull ring for the Jaripeo.

What is a Jaripeo?
This sport is practiced mainly in Central and Southern Mexico as well as in rodeo events north of the border. It is a type of bull riding which dates from the 16th century. The sport began as a form of bullfighting where the rider rode the bull to death. Later, it evolved into a form where the rider tries to stay on the animal until it stops bucking.

Many things are not terribly well organized in Mexico – and the Jaripeo is no exception. But, it can be quite a feast for the eyes – and the senses – with a Banda band playing along keeping things nice and rambunctious.

If you are not familiar with Banda music, it is definitely the popular music of Pacific coastal Mexico. Although it can be quite an acquired taste, it is very diverse and features a wide range of musical genres and performance styles

The whole village comes out to watch. Mostly men, but you will also see very young children, women dressed in their tightest jeans, rancheros complete with sombreros and spurs, young boys with bull riding dreams, old folk… everybody in the village, in fact. And most of them are drinking beer.

Nobody appears to be paying much attention to what is happening in the arena – sometimes even the bulls. Everybody seems to have their own agenda but this is, in fact, the highlight of the village social calendar. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the patron saint of the village and a great forum for people to get together, have fun and drink beer.

Beer sellers are plentiful and do a thriving business throughout the weekend. It’s always amazing to me that so much beer can be so well-chilled for so long.

The Jaripeo usually culminates in a fireworks display. People then disperse for dancing and drinking in the town square. For many, the party goes on all night.

This is probably one of the best examples of rural Mexican culture in the Punta Mita area. There is nothing touristy about this weekend – although foreigners are always welcomed with smiles and…cold beers.

If you want to take in some local colour and flavor, contact our concierge department (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or call 322 245 1673. They will be happy to set you up with a true rodeo experience.

Come on down to Higuera Blanca for the Ferias and enjoy the flavors of Mexico. Let’s get together and have a cerveza fria!

Salud!

— Miguel C

Bon vivant, gastronome and all-around great guy – Miguel Neves de Carvalho brings you the best of what Punta Mita and the surrounding area have to offer. His passions include polo, horse riding, rugby, cigars and most recently … golf.

Miguel lives in Punta Mita with his youngest son, his fiancée, Lisa, and his two dogs “Tanqueray” and “Tonica”.