This doesn't help tourism!

OurForever

Active Member
In 1977 a fully formed deadly hurricane tore north up the Sea of Cortez and didn't crap out until reaching Desert Hot Springs California. I was living in a desert house north of Indio California. It was late October and I was just packing up my gear for a five year tour in Iran. The torrential rains caused flash floods that took out almost every road in or out of the Coachella Valley. Boulders the size of houses rolled down the canyons on the sides of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Dozens of big bucks homes in Palm Springs, La Quinta and Cathedral City were crushed by the boulders and others filled to the roofs with sand and mud. The normally dry sand and rock Whitewater River developed into a record breaking flash flood that took out dozens of homes and golf course buildings from Palm Springs down to Indio. Every road that crossed it was washed out for weeks.

As I recall the water level of the Salton Sea was raised by four feet or more inundating every dock and marina for years afterward. Dillon Road north of Indio was washed out in at least twenty dips and culverts some of the drop offs were fifteen feet deep. Those raging flash flooded gullies destroyed the Los Angeles Aqueduct in a dozen places actually ripping the fifteen foot diameter concrete pipes out of their rock bound structure.

The shack that we lived in was just a few hundred feet off of Dillon Road. The winds blew out almost every window glass. The shearing wind and rain blew like hell northwards for several hours then the eye of the hurricane passed over us with an eerie dead still for and hour or more. Then the wind and rain resumed blasting southwards for several more hours.

We had no electricity for more than a week, luckily we had a five hundred gallon water tank on stilts that we survived on. I had two vehicles, a Volvo hot rod sedan and a Toyota Landcruizer. We were able to poke our way overland in the Landcruizer to get supplies in Indio. Interstate 8 was washed out in many places from Plaster City west to Jacumba. The traffic was routed through Mexicali BC then to Ensenada BC then back to San Diego.

By the way, this was not the 1000 year flood as being pitched by the media right now relating to the Death Valley rains. A storm like that could occur during any monsoon season especially if the hurricane gets itself into the Sea of Cortez with 90 degree water temps and 90% humidity which are ideal conditions for a killer storm to develop.

In 1977 Penasco was just a tiny fishing village probably not even one multi story shack in town. One can only imagine the devastation when such a storm like that comes barreling through...........and IT WILL mark my words!

"You can't fool Mother Nature"

JJ

JJ, I hope to share a cold beverage with you. Your stories are intriguing.
 

Tmecke

Active Member
I remember a Hurricane hitting PP in the late 60s when I was 4 or 5. We had a trailer about 200' north of the old Playa Hermosa concrete steps. I can remember it happening at night and seeing all the flood damage the nest morning. I also remember the trailer rocking back and forth for awhile.
WOULD LIKE TO POST SOME PHOTOS OF THE OLD BLUE TRAILER!!!
 

SunDevil

Well Known Member
So 45 years ago. Could be another 45 before another one comes north UP the sea of Cortez. Could be a year. A couple years ago a hurricane hit Baja and came east. By the time it hit the main land it was a tropical storm. Was still a mess but not nearly as bad as what a hurricane would do.

Cat V hurricane hit San Carlos in 2009
 

Jungle Jim

Well Known Member
After going over my journal I find myself one year and two months off on the hurricane story, oh well an old gleep is allowed some slack I hope.

It was hurricane Kathleen, August 1976. Another hit the same areas in September 1977. I missed that as I was in The filthiest shit hole on earth known as Tehran Iran. My wife had just been attacked and bitten by a rabid dog and had to be evacuated back to the USA for treatment.

Another long story.

JJ
 

GEEKMEISTER

Member
A short rant about my real estate nightmare.

My family has been coming to mexico for years, renting vrbos on beaches from encanto to miramar. all wonderful trips. 2 years ago, we took our retirement savings and jumped at the chance to chase a long time dream to buy a beachfront property. Using an experienced local realtor, we made an offer on a beachfront home that needed some TLC to bring it back to its former glory. Our realtor used an experienced real estate attorney to close the sale... Everything was completed as required by current Mexico law, specifically the transaction included each of the following components

Trustee Bank
Fideicomiso
Escritura
Public Registry number:
Special Trustee Representative:
Fideicomiso Beneficiary:

These are all notarized, stamped, recorded and filed.

a few weeks after completing the sale, a local contractor that I know began some plumbing and roofing repairs. He called to say he was being blocked out on the main road at a guard shack by a local person. This is when I first heard of Omar Saenz. In addition to blocking me, my contractor, and our realtor, He gathered any signs our realtor had on other properties and threw them out in the desert. Assuming this must be a simple misunderstanding, I reached out to our realtor to clear it up. A few days later, I received a call from Omar asking to meet. I live northeast of Tucson. We agreed to meet in Benson Az. At this meeting, Omar and his brother informed me and my wife that if we wanted access to our property, he would sell it to us for $100,000 us dollars. Confused, we explained we had just bought it and that our bank trust has the title, we are the beneficiaries through our LLC, to which he stated that he owns the entire beach, and no sales are valid unless he approves them.
Walking away from this meeting confused, thinking either we were duped in the sale or trying to be duped by Omar. I hired a separate attorney to independently review the entire history of the property and deed. After several thousands of dollars, all records confirmed that everything was done correctly. This was in the summer/fall of 2019. These findings were taken to city hall and the administration at the time, declined to intervene to help me access my property. My materials disappeared from the home and no work could proceed as we are still physically being blocked from accessing the property. Now Omar is head of the tourism department in RP
I have come to discover that there are many active lawsuits against Omar Saenz for similar behavior... All slowly dragging along through the courts.
Approx 2 weeks ago, Omar saenz demolished my house to the ground! completely destroyed. My retirement savings hauled away in a dump truck. And to find out that the new mayor appointed this guy as head of tourism?!! Seems too ridiculous to believe. It's beyond brazen...I know quite a few people that were looking at property/ condos and houses in rocky point. My experience has them all putting this on hold. My friends and I take a lot of hard earned dollars to the restaurants and shops and tradesmen of rocky point, and its the citizens of RP that lose out when the city lets things like this go unanswered.

Maybe someone has some advice...thoughts...can commiserate.
Otherwise, thanks for giving me a few minutes to vent
Sorry for your problems and thank you for sharing. My dreams of living in RP are done. Looks like Punta Gorda Fl. is it!
 

Old55

Well Known Member
So 45 years ago. Could be another 45 before another one comes north UP the sea of Cortez. Could be a year. A couple years ago a hurricane hit Baja and came east. By the time it hit the main land it was a tropical storm. Was still a mess but not nearly as bad as what a hurricane would do.

Cat V hurricane hit San Carlos in 2009
Sun devil, those back to back oct 18 storms could have been way worse…we were lucky
 

corndog

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
Another true Florida escapade, should find on Netflix.. Learn the difference between a southern fairy tale and a northern fairy tale..
 

RP Life

Well Known Member
Maybe this can help you or someone else
221107BLACKMAN.pdf (azleg.gov)

NEWS RELEASE
Arizona House of Representatives
Representative Walt Blackman (R-6)
1700 West Washington  Phoenix, Arizona  85007​

Monday, November 7, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rep. Walt Blackman Highlights Constituent Concerns Involving Private Property Investment in Mexico​

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – State Representative Walt Blackman today held a news conference at the State Capitol and issued the following statement highlighting constituent concerns involving private property investment in Mexico:

I have learned of a shocking situation in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, which leaves me with alarming concerns for Arizonans who have, or will, purchase property in Puerto Peñasco.

Two of my constituents, local business owners Rick and Julie Hatch, recently contacted me to report what appears, by all indications, to be the fraudulent theft of a valuable oceanfront property they purchased in Puerto Peñasco. Over 9 years ago, in 2013, they acquired this property using a Mexican corporation (Coca & Hatch Properties). The Hatches erected fences and signs on the property and visited it regularly. In 2016, they learned that someone had taken down their signs and, when they traveled to Mexico to investigate further, they were shocked to discover that, without their consent, someone had recorded a loan and mortgage against their company the previous year. Furthermore, when the loan—which, again, the Hatches never took out—was unpaid, a new deed was recorded in 2015 that transferred the property to a new owner, in satisfaction of the purported debt.

What is even more shocking is that this transaction, by all indications fraudulent, involves the current Mayor of Puerto Peñasco, Jorge Ivan Pivac Carrillo, and his sister, Martha Herlinda. In June 2015, a notary public authenticated documents that reflected a meeting with various individuals associated with the Hatches’ company. However, all of these individuals have denied that they were actually present at the meeting, and instead testify that their signatures were forged. One of the board members allegedly present, Mercedes Coca, had in fact died years prior, on October 8, 2008. Another board member who was supposedly present at the meeting (who denies she was there) presented an identification card that had the name and picture of someone else.

At this sham “meeting,” the company’s board members purportedly appointed Roberto Trahin Rodriguez as the company’s “general manager,” with authority to make contracts on the company behalf. However, Roberto Trahin has never had any position with the Hatches’ company. Shortly after this fraudulent meeting, Trahin executed documents that indicated the company had taken out a loan from, and granted a mortgage to, Mayor Jorge Pivac. Pivac wired about $300,000 to Trahin from a Bank of America bank account located in the United States—which was far less than the actual value of the property. Of course, the “loan” was never paid, as the Hatches had never 2 taken it out and were unaware of its existence. Several months later, in December 2015, Roberto Trahin executed a power of attorney in favor of the Mayor Jorge Pivac, which Pivac illicitly used to transfer to himself the Hatches’ property in satisfaction of the alleged “loan.”

Since learning of this fraud in early 2016, Rick and Julie have spent nearly 7 years and a tremendous amount of money trying to reclaim property that they purchased. In doing so, they have uncovered astounding evidence showing that the property was indeed stolen from their company. Some of that evidence is recounted above.

Significantly, the Hatches retained counsel in Mexico to sue the involved individuals and recover title to their property. After years of litigation, the Hatches’ attorney inexplicably withdrew all of the evidence they had submitted to the court in Mexico, to the detriment of the case. The Hatches have no idea how this egregious act of malpractice occurred, and there does not appear to be any non-corrupt explanation. Seven years after this fraudulent theft took place, the Hatches have now had to retain new attorneys to pursue further litigation against the responsible parties in Mexico. Jorge Pivac, for his part, remains the mayor of Puerto Peñasco. Moreover, it appears he is using his position as mayor to prevent the Hatches from learning material information about the fraud. Among other things, officials in Puerto Peñasco refused to give the Hatches information about a criminal investigation of Mr. Pivac that was ended abruptly and without explanation. Furthermore, as the Hatches have refused to give up in their fight to recover their property, individuals’ lives have recently been threatened.

Many Arizonans regard Puerto Peñasco as “Arizona’s beach,” and it has become very popular to purchase property there. With Jorge Pivac in place, Arizona citizens’ security and investments are at risk. I am accordingly demanding that we take measures to protect the investments and safety of Arizona citizens and businesses.

Specifically, I am calling on law enforcement authorities in Arizona to initiate an investigation of Jorge Pivac and his dealings. The information the Hatches uncovered shows that a U.S. bank account was used to facilitate at least part of the fraud perpetuated against them, and Pivac reportedly has property in Arizona. Thus, his activities directly endanger the citizens and residents of this State.

We are cautiously optimistic in that state and federal authorities in Mexico have expressed an interest in rooting out fraud and corruption, and that they will investigate this matter thoroughly and take steps to ensure that any fraud is undone, the Hatches’ property is returned to them and foreign investment is protected. However, given the impact on U.S. citizens and the involvement of U.S. assets, it is clear that this also needs to be a priority for law enforcement in the United States.

I’ve set up a hotline through the end of the year that people can call if they have experienced a similar situation. That number is (602) 926-3043.

Walt Blackman is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 6, which includes portions of Coconino, Yavapai, Navajo, and Gila counties. He serves as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and as a member of the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee. Follow him on Twitter at @BlackmanForAZ
 
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RP Life

Well Known Member
The full article is here but in Spanish
https://descierto.com/columnas/item/22187-entretelones-tranza


Thursday, 10 November 2022 07:46

By: Samuel Valenzuela Ortega ........... Serious problems are coming upon Deputy Ernesto Roger Munro Jr, better known as Kiko Munro, when he denounced numerous real estate fraud against citizens of the United States in Puerto Peñasco, illicit where his wife Martha Herlinda Pivac Carrillo and his brother-in-law, the current municipal president, Jorge Pivac Carrillo, are involved.

It is a dispossession of one hectare property that was duly deeded in the name of Rick and Julie Hatch, located in the area of greater hotel and condominium development on the so-called Arizona beach, whose market value is around five million dollars and that the Pivac Carrillo family appropriated with an investment of 300 thousand dollars through the simulation of legal acts, through the good offices of the notary 76 in charge of Chastre Alexandra Encinas Leyva.


Congressman Walt Blackman
The tranza was in the times of Kiko Munro as elected municipal president of Puerto Peñasco and it is until now that those affected appealed to Arizona Congressman Walt Blackman to make the complaint public, after obvious procedural irregularities and the fear of those affected, obviously aware of how such controversies are settled in Mexico and machincuepas who kept their complaint of dispossession in limbo.

According to Rocaportenses attentive to the events of that thriving community, there is no doubt that behind that ratchet is the now vassal of Vicente Terán in the State Congress, since as is well known, "El Mijito" is the owner in turn of the franchise called PES, where Kiko migrated after not having the support of his father Neto Munro from the state leadership of the PAN.

They tell us that all that remains is for the fraudulent deed with the endorsement to come out there, also notarized in favor of the now local deputy or that he has constituted a partnership with his wife and brother-in-law, and that it would cost him to put his father.


Jorge Pivac Carrillo.
The fraudulent plot was simple: Rick and Julie Hatch, both originally from the US and regular visitors to that resort, bought a valuable beachfront property in the Puerto Peñasco area in 2013 and to operate it they erected the company Coca & Hatch Properties.

They did not count that in mid-June 2015, notary 78 certified documents about an alleged meeting between people associated with the Hatch company, which was a crude simulation of a legal act never carried out, but that served as a façade for a few days later, a certain Roberto Trahin Rodríguez, appointed in said fictitious assembly as general manager, request a loan from the now mayor of Puerto Peñasco, putting as a guarantee of payment those 10 thousand square meters located in the vicinity of the unfinished Home Port.

Obviously, since it was a tranza, the loan was not paid and therefore, as they had planned, the ownership of the land passed into the hands of the now municipal president, who at that time served as director of several companies and real estate developments, an operation already completed in the exercise of Kiko Munro as mayor and his wife as first lady, who is involved in the notarial act of the assembly not held, where the name of a member who had died in 2008 also appears.

That is, through the falsification of signatures, simulation of legal acts endorsed by a Notary Public, they assumed someone else's property; they borrowed and put it up as collateral for payment; The loan was not covered and easy, they stayed with it, and do as you want.

Accused of illicitly transferring the property to himself, the now mayor alleges that he is also the injured party, because as he sees things, he will be left without the money he lent to Trahin Rodríguez and without the property, although he must know well where to find that character, if he did not invent it. although such a dilemma must be resolved by the State Attorney General's Office, since in a press release it reported that it is already investigating this mess and that it has even issued an arrest warrant, it is assumed against that ghostly subject, of whom the only thing that is known is that he is close to the old Munro.

The fact is that the Arizona congressman endorsed that litigation and his claim sounds very strong after the suspicious entanglement of file 0426/2016, in which they point out alleged responsibilities against the Pivac Munro family, Notaries Public 28 – Ivonne Corral Gaona – and 76, the person in charge of the Public Registry of Property and the Director of Municipal Cadastre of Puerto Peñasco.

To finish it off, the legal representative of the Hatch in Mexico, hired for the recovery of their property, after seven years of being paid for their services, withdrew all the evidence he had presented before the court that handles the matter and in passing the claimants were threatened with death, which we can imagine was the straw that broke the camel's back and cause for the complaint to be made public.

Not for nothing Mr. Blackman pointed out that there is evidence that Pivac Carrillo would be using his position as mayor to prevent the Hatches from having access to information about the fraudulent operation. In addition, he said that there is a criminal investigation against the mayor that "ended abruptly and without explanation."

And the complaint commented on is made public a few days after Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño accompanied the College of Notaries of Sonora in the assembly where the re-election of Julio Rascón Soria in the presidency was formalized and there summon them to transparency and that their exercise strictly adheres to honesty when intervening in matters between individuals.

Let's see what the prosecution does with this matter, given the great impact it has on investors on the other side that vivales take advantage of their positions of political power and government to take advantage of them, when Puerto Peñasco is a very important destination of capitals of that state in the southwest of the United States.
 

corndog

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
First article....Over 9 years ago, in 2013, they acquired this property using a Mexican corporation (Coca & Hatch Properties).

2nd article ,,,,,.It is a dispossession of one hectare property that was duly deeded in the name of Rick and Julie Hatch. First they should figure out who or what actually is or was on the deed.. This just seems like a big cluster F... If it involves a corporation there are shares of stock that have to be dealt with a some point with Hacienda (SAT) and various partners ( who by the way are mentioned, but never as victims of fraud, so what about them).. corporate gains or losses.. to get all those people to be involved in a conspiricy to defraud is a stretch.. There are 2 sides to every story.. I'm not defending anybody, but this is the grandaddy of cluster F^%$'s.
 
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