Festivities begin to pour in Baja grape harvest

ENSENADA – Great and small wineries of the region are beginning their festivities to celebrate the grape harvest. Here is sampling of events in the next week planned around "la vendimia," which celebrates the bounty of the fertile land of the Valle de Guadalupe, northeast of Ensenada. (The festivities will continue throughout the month). Wine […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:44 AM PDT

Baja police detain Bloods member wanted in murder

ENSENADA – State police agents captured on Tuesday an American gang member being sought in connection with a murder in Los Angeles, authorities announced. The Baja California Public Security Department identified the man as Nathaniel Alexander Smith, 25, from San Diego. U.S. authorities told the department that he is a member of the Bloods and […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:43 AM PDT

Two tunnels found next to border wall in Tijuana

TIJUANA – An anonymous phone call led authorities Tuesday morning to two tunnels in the border neighborhood of Mesa de Otay, northeast of the city. State and municipal police agents discovered the underground corridors separated by about 300 feet between Salvatierra and José Gálvez streets, both adjacent to the rusted wall that divides de United […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:43 AM PDT

Baja union vows to block border on Wednesday

ROSARITO BEACH – White-collar workers are promising to step up their contract dispute with the state by blocking the San Ysidro border crossing Wednesday afternoon. A leader for the union that represents the 19,000 state employees, about half of whom work in Tijuana, said that Gov. José Guadalupe Osuna Millán has left them no option […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:43 AM PDT

World War II tale to be made at Baja Film Studios

ROSARITO BEACH – English actors Emily Watson and Ben Chaplin will star in the movie "Little Boy," to be produced by Eduardo Verástegui at Baja Film Studios, where "Titanic" was filmed. Verástegui announced the $24 million film project Monday morning at the studio in the community of Popotla, flanked by Baja California Gov. José Guadalupe […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:42 AM PDT

‘Most wanted criminal in Baja’ escapes custody

Mexico's Attorney General announced that the alleged lieutenant of the Sinaloa cartel suspected in dozens of murders in Baja California has escaped from a Mexico City hospital where he was being held. The announcement said that Héctor Eduardo Guajardo Hernández, 33, known as "el Güicho," escaped through a hospital window Wednesday apparently with the assistance […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:42 AM PDT

‘Rabid’ fans cheer and jeer Shakira in Tijuana

TIJUANA – "There's nothing like seeing Shakira shake her hips in person," said Mara Mejía, who paid $213 to see the Colombian super star in concert Saturday night at Caliente stadium. "I do like her hips, but her performance left a lot to be desired," said her boyfriend, Enrique Prado. "I didn't like that she […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:42 AM PDT

Questionable foul helps sink Xolos in Monterrey

MONTERREY – Joaquin del Olmo rubbed his right hand across his face as he walked the sideline staring at the ground. The Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles head coach expressed his frustration Saturday night. He had just witnessed what could have been his team's first points in the Primera División evaporate in a 4-2 loss at Rayados […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:42 AM PDT

U-turn lane on I-5 at San Ysidro crossing is rerouted

SAN YSIDRO – The U-turn lane located at the extreme left-hand side of Interstate 5 near the entrance to Mexico will be closed for the next two years as part of the remodeling project at the port of entry. Mexico’s federal transportation department announced the closure, which it said took effect on Friday. U.S. border […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:41 AM PDT

Mexico loses to rival Argentina in U-20 World Cup

MEDELLIN, Colombia — Argentina won its opening match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament, outlasting Mexico’s squad 1-0 on Friday. Argentinian player Erik Lamela sent a powerful, left-footed kick at minute 70, scoring what would become the only goal of the game. Colombia is hosting the U-20 World Cup tournament, in which 24 teams […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:41 AM PDT

Tijuana beach hosts weekend of fun in the sand

TIJUANA – The city's beach community will host a summer festival Saturday and Sunday featuring a surfing competition, 30 bands and a seafood festival. Thousands from both sides of the border are expected to turn out for the third annual "Tijuana en la playa" festival on the west side. The beach community offers many popular […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:41 AM PDT

‘Supermercado’ celebrates three years in Escondido

ESCONDIDO – When Vallarta Supermarket opened here three years ago, the recession was picking up steam. Latinos, in particular, were hit hard by the economic collapse, which pushed many out of their jobs and, in time, out their homes. The family that owned the supermarket chain, however, saw opportunity in the city's 143,000-strong population, about […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:40 AM PDT

Xolos need to fine-tune play to win in Monterrey

TIJUANA.- Tijuana's professional soccer team is now running in a rougher pack, playing against Mexico's top teams, and the club showed it might just be competitive during the 2011 tournament. In its home opener Saturday in the First Division, the Xoloitzcuintles lost to Morelia 2-1 despite being the better team. It held possession more than […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:40 AM PDT

Profession with style fading in Tijuana

TIJUANA – The tailors in this city are virtually extinct. It's more difficult every day to find a tailor on the border, which once boasted more than one hundred of them who made suits and dresses to size, mainly for American clients and politicians and artists from Mexico. Some of the remaining craftsmen of the […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:40 AM PDT

Two U.S. gang members arrested in Tijuana

TIJUANA – State authorities arrested Tuesday two members of the Mongols motorcycle gang, one of them on "America's Most Wanted" list, who were being sought in the United States for attempted homicide, violent robbery, weapons trafficking, among other felonies. Alfredo Arenas Moreno, the international coordinator for the Baja California preventive police, said its agents mounted […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:39 AM PDT

Concussion sends ‘Chicharito’ to NJ hospital

HARRISON, New Jersey – One of the world's most popular soccer players, Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, spent Monday night in the hospital after suffering a concussion during a training session, according Manchester United, where he plays. Hernández, 23, and his team are on a pre-season tour in the United States and are scheduled to play Wednesday […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:39 AM PDT

$1.7 million worth of drugs found in secret slots

SAN YSIDRO – The imaging machine used by border authorities got big workout on Friday. They used the device to detect more than 950 pounds of narcotics, worth an estimated $1.7 million, hidden in dashboards, gas tanks, spare tires, tail gates, and other secret compartments in six different smuggling attempts. The first incident occurred about […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:39 AM PDT

Powerful quake strikes off Baja California coast

TIJUANA – An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck the Gulf of California on Tuesday morning. The quake at 10:54 a.m. hit about 50 miles southeast of Los Mochis, in the state of Sinaloa, and about 680 miles southeast of Tijuana, according to Mexico's National Seismological Service. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:38 AM PDT

Shakira brings tour to border this weekend

TIJUANA – Colombian super star Shakira is bringing her world tour to the border this weekend for two concerts. As of Monday, about 85 per cent of tickets have been sold for Saturday's concert in Tijuana at Estadio Caliente. Proceeds will go to Fundación Por Ayudar, presided by María Elvia Amaya de Hank, wife of […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:38 AM PDT

Wineries poised to uncork grape festivities

A sampling of vineyards and wineries (All phone numbers are as dialed from U.S.) LA Cetto: 011.52.646.155.2179, cettowines.com Casa Pedro Domecq: 011.52. 646.155.2249 Viña de Liceaga: 011.52.646.155.3281; vinosliceaga.com Adobe Guadalupe: 011.52.646.155.2094; adobeguadalupe.com Casa de Piedra: 011.52. 646.155.3097; vinoscasadepiedra.com Chateau Camou: 011.52.646.177-2221; chateau-camou.com.mx Monte Xanic: 011.52.646.1747055; montexanic.com.mx Bodegas Santo Tomás: 011.52.646.174-0936; santo-tomas.com Bibayoff: 011.52.646.177-2722; bibayoff.net Sampling […]

April 13, 2017 at 5:37 AM PDT