Two police officers got injured Tuesday during a collision between a couple of patrol cars, according to police reports.
The incident was reported at 11:09 a.m. at Reforma Avenue and A Street.
Authorities said patrol cars numbers 1277 and 1281 were involved in the accident.
The police officers were transported by Red Cross ambulance to Clinic 30 of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, where they were reported stable.
Man found deceased in canal
The body of a deceased man was found Monday afternoon floating inside a canal in rural Mexicali according to media reports.
The man’s corpse was reported at the emergency dispatching center at 1:08 p.m., said La Crónica newspaper.
According to the report the body was located in a canal at Colonia 5 de Mayo neighborhood close to Ejido Pachuca rural town in Mexicali Valley.
The victim has not been identified by authorities.
Due to the condition the body was found authorities were unable to preliminarily determine foul play.
The body was transported to the State Coroner’s Office.
School officially resumes
The 2017-2018 school year officially began Monday during an event held at Carmen Calderon Cordova kindergarten at Fraccionamiento Residencias subdivision.
State Education System delegate in Mexicali Alejandro Bahena presided the event.
The official said 191,841 students and over 10,000 teachers were back to school in Mexicali's 1,096 schools.
Bahena said authorities kept special attention to the day due to the solar eclipse.
“A phenomenon of this magnitude must mean good expectations to begin school year,” he said.
Bahena highlighted the significance of having teachers at classrooms and principals at school grounds, as well as the parents at home taking care of their children's assignments.
Teachers held at the end of last school year a series of protests in order to press the state to pay salaries owed to interim teachers and to approve retirement benefits for thousands of union members.
According to Bahena the state seeks to facilitate team work and make sure every part complies with its responsibility to turn ordinary things into extraordinary.
The official said the state wishes that this year begins with enthusiasm for all.
“We are going to work to improve students performance”, Bahena said. “We want students to learn how to learn and that classes are attractive to stimulate in students the hunger for knowledge, the pursuit of getting along and to feel proud of being part of their schools.”
Youth warned against partying
A state agency held during the weekend an event to prevent youth from risking their lives during party.
State Youth Institute Director Manuel Garcia led the "Safe Party" event within the International Youth Day.
The event was held just across Mexicali's bar zone by Benito Juarez Boulevard.
Garcia said the event was organized by his agency along with the Health Department, Mexicali Police Department, Mexicali Fire Department and the State Council to Prevent Accidents and Injuries.
The event included a drill on a vehicle accident and was replicated in other cities.
Authorities seek to warn youth about the potential risks of driving under the influence.
The state also seeks to urge youth to use public transit in case of alcohol consumption or use a designated driver.
Authorities delivered condoms as well during the event.
Homicides in city remain high
The number of homicide victims in Mexicali during the January through July period was the second highest in the last decade, according to a report released by an independent agency.
The Citizen Public Safety Council said Mexicali reported 101 murder victims during the period, just below the 102 victims reported in 2012.
Vehicle theft, business robberies and robberies against individuals in the public way have also observed increases, according to the report.
At the same time, home burglaries, bank robberies and kidnappings have decreased in 2017 compared to the last two or three years.
Mexicali accounts 36.87 percent of the 8,828 crimes reported in July. However, the city reports the highest crime rate per 100,000 residents in the state — 309.
Most impacted areas by criminals are downtown, colonia Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood and colonia Nueva subdivision in the northern side of the city, as well as Civic Center and colonia Hidalgo in the city’s geographic center and González Ortega, Valle del Pedregal and Valle de Puebla in southeastern Mexicali.
The council said during the year 3,180 vehicles were reported stolen, an average of 11.94 vehicles per day.
Foreign investment breaks record
Direct foreign investment in Baja California broke records during the first semester of the year with over $1 billion, according to a report released by Mexico’s Department of Economy.
The state Department of Economic Development said Baja California was third nationwide just below the State of Mexico and Mexico City.
Secretary Carlo Bonfante said the investment represents an increase of 20.4 percent compared to the same period of last year.
The state was first among the states in the Northern border.
During the second quarter of the year foreign investment in the state was $574.7 million, the highest amount for a second quarter since 1999.
The state official said investments were made especially vehicle manufacturing, natural gas, financial services, air transportation, electronics, plastic and banking services.
According to the secretary 85 percent of foreign investment came from the United States while 4.9 percent came from Spain.
Investments also came from South Korea, Hong Kong, France, Netherlands, Colombia and Belgium.
