Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - There's always so much going on in Puerto Vallarta and around Banderas Bay, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. So we've put together a brief overview of several of this week's news headlines from local Spanish language publications, a few Mexico news stories, and some upcoming events you won't want to miss.

Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra Concert

Vallarta Cultural Institute Director, Sergio Zepeda, recently confirmed that the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing a free concert at Los Arcos Amphitheater on May 31st at 8 pm, as part of the city's anniversary celebrations. This year, Puerto Vallarta celebrates its 95th anniversary as a municipality and 45th year as an official city, and this concert is just one of the many events the tourism and culture departments have planned to commemorate the anniversary of Puerto Vallarta's founding as a city and as a municipality.

Slim No Longer World's Richest Man

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim held the title of the world's richest man for the past three years until a new president rolled into town with a vast economic reform agenda. Enrique Peña Nieto's push to overhaul the telecoms industry, a sector dominated by Slim, has weighed down on stock prices of the billionaire's America Movil phone empire, analysts say. Three weeks after Congress approved the legislation, and a boatload of dollars later, Forbes magazine declared Wednesday that Microsoft founder Bill Gates had reclaimed the wealth throne he bequeathed to Slim in 2010. Slim's $69.1 billion compared to $69.8 billion for Gates after America Movil shares dropped further - a spectacular reversal of fortune from just over a month ago, when Forbes put Slim on top of its 2013 rich list with a net worth of $73 billion. Read More »»

13 Distintivo "H" Awards in Vallarta

Last week, thirteen hotels in Puerto Vallarta were recognized for meeting the Distintivo "H" program's standards. The Distintivo "H" program, an initiative of Mexico's Health Department, is based on requirements established by the World Health Organization and aimed at food and beverage service providers looking to improve the quality of their offerings through better hygiene practices in the process of handling, storing, and preparing food and beverages. As one of Mexico's most attractive destinations, Puerto Vallarta's steady growth has been accompanied by improved services, an extensive expansion of its infrastructure, and an increasing number of cultural activities to better serve both the growing number of travelers who visit Puerto Vallarta every year, as well as the city's ever-growing population.

International Companies Investing in Jalisco

It looks like 2013 is going to be a good year for Jalisco. The Secretary of the Economic Development Bank announced that six international companies in the automotive, agribusiness, and high-tech industries are looking to open facilities in the state this year, representing millions of dollars in investments. He said that the companies are contemplating the option of utilizing existing industrial plants, wineries, and other privately owned properties in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area and in the La Barca, Cocula, Zapotlán, El Grande, and Lagos de Moreno industrial parks, rather than constructing new complexes. He went on to say that the companies are currently in the process of signing agreements so that they can begin the process of obtaining the necessary permits for the installations' construction and operations.

Upcoming Events in Puerto Vallarta and Around the Bay
Click on titles for more information

• Mexican Composer/Sound Healer Performs in PV

• VYC Organizes 2013 Día de La Marina Regatta

• Garlic and Mango Festival Returns to The River Café

• 9th Annual Texas Music Festival in Riviera Nayarit

Don't forget to vote for your favorite Puerto Vallarta restaurants in our 2013 Best of Banderas Bay Awards, right HERE on BanderasNews.com. We'll be collecting your votes in categories ranging from 'Best Breakfast' to 'Best Margarita' through December 31st, and the Puerto Vallarta restaurant with the most votes in each category will be named 'The Best of Banderas Bay' at an awards ceremony in early 2014. Click HERE to vote NOW!