Power outage this morning, New housing, More air service problems, Ecuador participates in New York fruit fair, Alianza Fracesa events

Miércoles, 10/1/2018

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming and ongoing agenda events –

Exposición – An exhibit of contemporary art by Erick Garciá Gómez from San Cristóbal de las Casa, Chiapas, México will open el viernes a las 19:00 in the Casa Azul Galería Café.

Concierto – There will be a rock concert el sábado a las 19:00 in “La Guarida” Centro Cultural with Vertigo, Los vuelos de Mariangula, Marizo, and Zura.

<As usual, if you don’t see information you want, it wasn’t in the article. Therefore, you are on your own for Googling the addresses.>

Taller – The “Taller de encuadernación con materiles reutilizados, estila japonés” (Bookbinding workshop with reused materials, Japanese style) will be el martes próximo from 17:00-20:00 in the “Lakomuna” collective (calle Coronel Tálbot y Presidente Córdova). Cost: $15.00. Spaces are limited.

Articles about –

School of Architecture – Researchers in the School of Architecture looked at the San Roque and El Vado neighborhoods to design and implement strategies for using their cultural heritages as a tool for development and as a model for managing historic areas.

Bienal – The new pedagogical curator for the 14th Bienal was introduced Wed. Félix Suazo will be responsible for directing classes for mediators <There’s enough conflict in an arts groups to require mediation?>, conferences, publishing processes, residencies, working together with artists, operational demands and more. <Sounds like he’s the curator for getting all the nitty-gritty stuff no one else wants to do, done.>

Concierto – Urpi Blanco, a well known Colombian singer, will perform Thurs. a las 20:00 in the auditorium of the Centro Ecuatoriano Norteamericano Abraham Lincoln. Her name, Urpi, means “paloma” (dove or pidgeon) <I’m picking Door A because who wants to be named after a rat on wings?>. She will be performing songs from her new CD, “Retrato” (Portrait). Cost: $5.00 pre-sale price and $7.00 on the day of the event.

Alianza Frances – Antoinne Lisourgue, director of the Alianza, presented the activities of the Alianza for 2018. They will start with a cooking class with chef Marc Cullin el sábado a las 9:00. Register at the Alianza. Cost: $15.00. The Alianza wants to have an internacional event each month to add to the local programs. Some things on its agenda are the Martes de Cine (Tuesday movies), French Film festival, and a Eurocine festival. They will have music events including in jazz fusion genres, the group Compañía Libre from the French island of Reunión, and the Fiesta de la Musica which will be el 22 de junio próximo.

Otras cosas –

Titular – El servicio aéreo no despega en Cuenca (Air service doesn’t take off in Cuenca) – Mayor Cabrera has asked MTOP (Transportation Ministry) to declare an emergency after both TAME and Latam reduced air services to Cuenca that were started last year. They cited lack of demand. TAME suspended its flights between Cuenca and Guayaquil, and Latam never increased the frequency of its flights to Quito. The two airlines each have 2 daily flights to Quito which carry 26,000 passengers per month. A new airline, Aero Regional with a Boeing 737-500 is interested in offering services at fares of $160 versus the current fares of $150-$400. Executive flights are available through Conecta Air which can carry 4 people at the coast and 3 in the mountains in a Cirrus SR 22 Turbo. Both lines are in the paperwork process. <Be patient – it will happen when it happens. If it happens. Remember what country you’re in.>

Houses – Through EMUVI EP (The municipal housing and urban development company) the city has delivered 216 houses of the 5,000 that Mayor Cabrera promised to build during his administration. The houses are in the Los Capulíes Development in Ochoa León.

Public announcement – There will be an electrical power shut off el jueves, 11/1 from 8:30-13:00 for Tranvía work. The area affected will be Gran Colombia entre (between – a word to remember) Av. De las Américas and calle Miguel Morocho and on Av. Tres de Noviembre entre Unidad Nacional y Simón Bolívar (bajada (where it slopes down) by the Sagrados Corazones School).

National emergency – The Red Nacional de Casas de Acogida (The National Shelter Network) and other social organications are asking for a declaration of a national emergency because of the increase in femicides which reached 153 cases in 2017. The rate increased from 1.41 per 100,000 population in 2016 to 1.8 in 2017. Data from 2017 showed an average age of 27 for victims with more than 9% of the victims being children and adolescents. The most common methods of the murders were women who were stabbed over 10 times, decapitated, buried in gullies and ditches, beaten, thrown into wells and rivers, and burned. <I have a feeling shootings would be more common in the US.>

Commerce – Ecuadorian growers of banana, pitahaya (dragon fruit – those bumpy yellow or red fruits that are shaped like a small American football), and mangos are participating in the “New York Produce Show.”

Electric rates – In 2018, there will be night time (22:00-8:00) electric rates which will be reduced between 13 & 19% and which will benefit the commercial, crafts, and industrial sectors. Street lighting rates will also be reduced about 50% which should benefit everyone. 97% of the country has electrical service, one of the highest rates in the region.

Panamericana Norte – Drivers are complaining about the poor state of the road including potholes, landslides, lack of signage and lighting, sidewalks and other things. The worst stretches are near two gravel quarries where the weight of the trucks has caused subsidence. One driver characterized the Pana Norte as “puro huecos” (nothing but potholes) <That wasn’t a literal translation.> The Ministerio de Transport y Obras Públicas (Ministry of Transport and Public Works – MTOP) used to be responsible for the maintenance, but it is now in the hands of the city which is looking at what work it needs to do which will mainly be patching. To do a comprehensive project would be very expensive and there are stretches that are in good repair.

Business page –

Ecoparque Chaullayacu – 56 spaces have been sold, but there are still 6 spaces available in the industrial park in Tarqui which was completed in noviembre, 2016.

Internacional –

Venezuela – the Asamblea Nacional of Venezuela, which is the only government branch controlled by the opposition, appealed to the Government to join the assembly initiative to confront the humanitarian crisis in the country. Maduro’s government denies that there is a humanitarian crisis and refused to allow the entrance of foods and medicines donated by foreign governments. The Government believes this would facilitate an “invasión encubierta” (covert invasion – your words for the day) by the countries who have offered help including the US. <I wonder what Venezuela would think an acceptable US import would be – political refugees?>

Descuentos y compras –

Colineal – 20-50% discounts on all home accessories – sábado, 6 al domingo 14/1 – 10-20:00.

Cuencauto – Chery Q – $12,990 incl. IVA – Av. España 831 y Barcelona.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne