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. We've put together a brief overview of some of this week's Mexico headlines, plus Puerto Vallarta news, community announcements and some of this weekend's events that you won't want to miss.

Vallarta Medical Center "Open House" February 1st

Boasting a highly qualified and caring staff and all of the latest medical equipment in modern facilities, Vallarta Medical Center is a new option for quality hospital care in greater Puerto Vallarta. Pamela Thompson of Healthcare Resources Puerto Vallarta will be hosting an "Open House" at this new hospital on Monday, February 1st from 9 am to 11 am, giving you the chance to meet the staff, chat with the nurses/nursing supervisor, meet some of the physicians, speak with the Admissions manager about your insurance and much more! Vallarta Medical Center (formerly Hospital Cornerstone) is located on the South side of Plaza Caracol on Avenida de Los Tules. There is plenty of parking on the West side of the hospital. For more information email Pamela at pamela(at)healthcareresourcespv.com.

Yahoo! Closes Mexico And Argentina Operations

Ahead of its Q4 earnings and news of a bigger restructuring, Yahoo is down sizing in its regional operations, specifically in Latin America. According to TechCrunch, Yahoo has closed its offices in Mexico City and Buenos Aires, Argentina. But it’s not pulling out of Latin America altogether: the company is keeping teams in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Coral Gables, Florida. Yahoo declined to say how many people are being impacted by the closure. It does not plan to out source any of its operations to third parties, which is one route that some tech companies have taken to building out and running commercial operations in the region. Yahoo has been down sizing operations in international markets for a while now, for example reducing staff or closing offices altogether in India, China, other parts of Asia and Europe and the Middle East.

Seats Available for February 3rd Purr Project Ranch Tour

They're going fast, but there are still seats on the van for the Wednesday, February 3, Purr Project Ranch Tour. Long-time cat-lover and loyal Purr Project supporter, Vallarta's Diva Amy Armstrong is coming along on this one, so it'll be a hoot The air-conditioned van will leave Superior Tours' office at Plaza Romy in Old Town at 9:00 am, or VIPS Restaurant by the Marina Walmart at 9:20 am. In addition to meeting all 150 cats and kittens up close and personal, we're now including a short stop in San Juan de Valle, a charming little Mexican town near the ranch. We'll have you back at your pick-up point by 1:30 pm. Reserving your spot is a breeze. Just go to PurrProject.com, and click on 'Shelter Visits' at the top of the page. You'll find all the info you need about visiting the ranch, or you can contact our Tour Director, Bob Doelger, at visit(at)purrproject.com. The cost is only $300 pesos if you pay on the van or $20 USD if you pay on-line by PayPal. Please note that these tours have been completely funded so every peso of your donation goes directly to the care of the cats residing at the ranch. Come out and pet, cuddle, hug, nuzzle, pamper, and snuggle to your heart's content! Can't make this date? There will be tours on February 10, 17 and 24; March 2, 16 and 30. You can sign up now for any of those dates.

Mexico Drug Use Survey Shows Steep Rise

Mexico opened a formal debate on marijuana policy on Tuesday after the country's latest drug use survey showed 17.2 percent of middle- and high-school students report having used drugs. Marijuana was the drug most frequently reported. The series of five public debates on marijuana policy started with a meeting in the resort city of Cancun attended by Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong. He appeared to voice support for medicinal marijuana. "There appears to a majority opinion internationally about its therapeutic benefits," Osorio Chong said The Health Department says 160,000 students were interviewed for the 2014 survey, and 10.6 percent of those said they had used marijuana, 5.8 reported sniffing glue or other substances, and 3.3 said they had consumed cocaine. The usage rate reported for males was 18.6 percent and 15.9 for women.

Weekend Events in Puerto Vallarta and Around Banderas Bay
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• XII International Migratory Bird Festival in San Blas

• Hedda Lettuce: Big Queen Small Throne in The Red Room

• Vallarta Cup Race Series on Saturdays in January