Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - There's always so much going on in Puerto Vallarta and around the Republic, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. Here's a look at some of this week's Mexico headlines, plus Puerto Vallarta news, community announcements, and a couple of this weekend's 'Spooktacular' events that you won't want to miss.

Vallarta Cares! Over $10,000 USD Donated at Hurricane Patricia Fundraiser

Hurricane Patricia, which made landfall near Cuixmala at 6:15 pm CDT Friday with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, spared Puerto Vallarta - but it devastated families in the rural areas to the south and east of our city. Mexican authorities have so far reported at least 3,000 damaged homes, 8,650 acres of farmland with unusable crops and more than 250,000 people without power in the states of Jalisco, Colima and Michoacan. Thankful that our beautiful city escaped the wrath of Patricia unscathed, a group of Puerto Vallarta business owners and residents are lending our neighbors a helping hand. They are collecting emergency food and supplies, as well as monetary donations for their purchase and delivery, from the wonderful people of Vallarta. On Wednesday night, a Hurricane Relief fundraiser was hosted at the Signature by Pinnacle Lounge, where over 100 Vallartenses contributed more than $82,000 pesos, which will be matched by the International Relief Teams in San Diego and the David and Rachel Eidelman Foundation in Missouri Donations. That means a grand total of well over $10,000 USD was raised in just two hours! This just goes to show that Vallarta Cares! We care about our neighbors, we care about Mexico, and we care about her people. Mil gracias go out to the organizing committee, the host committee, the volunteers, and all the wonderful people in Puerto Vallarta who helped (and are still helping!) make this possible.

Chinese Construction Firm to Develop Industrial Park in Guadalajara

A state-owned Chinese construction company brokered a preliminary deal with government officials in the western state of Jalisco on Tuesday to build an industrial park, Reuters reported. The project could become China's largest investment in Mexico, which has the second-largest economy in Latin America. Liu Yueping, the Americas chief of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jalisco officials to launch a six-month feasibility study that will identify a location and determine which manufacturing companies will be involved. "This is going to be a key source of jobs that will have an impact not just in our state, but also nationally," Jalisco governor Aristoteles Sandoval said in a statement. "Capital goes where the market conditions are. Jalisco has the geographical zone, talent and human capital to be competitive in a global market." The site will fill approximately 1,235 acres in Guadalajara, the state's capital, with the cost of the land split evenly between the Jalisco government and the Chinese, according to Jalisco officials. But the Chinese will cover the full costs of the park's development, they added.

G6 Breaks Ground On New Estudio 6 Property in Puerto Vallarta

G6 Hospitality announced the ground breaking of its brand new Estudio 6 property in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. This is the second Estudio 6 property under development in Mexico. To celebrate the ground breaking, G6 executives hosted a special event that welcomed a unique blend of attendees, including high-ranking national and local authorities, local and national press, special guests from major businesses in the region, as well as members of the local community. "We are very excited to begin the development of our second Estudio 6 property in Puerto Vallarta, a destination known worldwide for its beautiful beaches and unique attractions. Our brands will offer travelers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this charming location at an affordable price," said Jim Amorosia, President and Chief Executive Officer of G6 Hospitality. The Estudio 6 in Puerto Vallarta is scheduled to open during the second half of 2016 and will be located in the heart of the Pacific coast destination known for its beaches, history and nightlife scene.

Mexican Bananas and Papayas Bear Brunt of Hurricane Damage

Thousands of hectares of banana and papaya farms have been affected across three Mexican states - Jalisco, Colima and Michoacan - by the recent hurricane. According to the Jalisco Social Development Secretariat, wind, rain and overflowing rivers has damaged 8,280 hectares of banana, corn and papaya crops in the state, putting 5,000 people out of work. More than 2,000 hectares of banana plantations have been destroyed in the El Rebalse area of Jalisco alone. In the neighboring state of Michoacan, 10,000 hectares of crops, mostly banana and papaya, are believed to be damaged. In the municipality of Coahuayana alone, 5,600 hectares of banana plantations had been affected, and 1,200 hectares of papayas were destroyed. On top of that, there was reportedly damage to mango, tamarind and corn crops. "This means that it's the biggest agricultural catastrophe in the history of the municipality," Coahuayana Mayor Porfirio Mendoza Zambrano was quoted as saying, noting that 4,000 families had lost their harvest this year. Meanwhile, in Colima – a small coastal state in between Jalisco and Michoacan – extensive damages have also been reported. The state's Governor, Mario Anguiano Moreno, told radio Grupo Fórmula that 12,500 hectares of agricultural land had been affected, including 3,500 hectares of banana and papaya plantations.

Weekend Events in Puerto Vallarta and Around Banderas Bay
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• Celebrating Life and Death in Puerto Vallarta

• Day of the Dead Hollywood Game Night at No Way José!

• Sayulita Celebrates The Day Of The Dead, Nov 1st & 2nd