So here’s a little tidbit that went almost unnoticed last week : meet Arizona HB 2387 — Chapter 174, which was passed into law about a week ago.
This law, in a nutshell:
“Enables a city, town or county to adopt an ordinance allowing local law enforcement officers to prevent a minor from entering Mexico. Allows the governing body of a city, town or county to adopt an ordinance to allow a peace officer or sheriff to prevent minors from entering into the Republic of Mexico if the minor is unaccompanied by or does not have the written consent from a parent or guardian. Stipulates that the sheriff or peace officer may only prevent entry and cannot detain the minor. Specifies that this legislation does not limit the authority of a peace officer and hold any city or town criminally or civilly liable for not adopting an ordinance relating to this section of law.”
The bill’s factsheet mentions Nogales in particular, along with some numbers from a similar program in San Diego / Tijuana border that cut underage cross-border drinking down by about 40%.
Note that the bill simply allows a city or town to adopt the ordinance. The question now becomes which cities and towns will do so.
(And, hey, look at it this way: getting back into the US may soon be harder than leaving … (even though, for land entry/exit, it’s been bumped back to 2009))
Only quasi-related: Note to all graffiti artists – The US Gov’t just bought you a $1.2 billion canvas. Enjoy! 
Next up: sad news from thezoniereport.org about those 80 sea turtle eggs that had been laid on Playa Encanto. Biologists checked them two weekends ago and found that all 80 had died — presumably from a virus. Poor little guys.
Also, Cross-border real estate boom article #400000 – this time from the San Diego Business Journal.
… and if you haven’t checked out the amazing photos that Bundid Nap Niyomtham sent me last week, you should. His photography skills make me jealous. 🙂
