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 some of this week's headlines from local Spanish language newspapers, breaking Mexico news stories, and a couple of upcoming local events you won't want to miss.

Taste Restaurant Welcomes New Executive Chef

Taste Restaurant@Casa Cupula will reopen for the season on October 19th under the direction of Chef Juan Pablo Ramirez Luna, one of the best-known chefs on the Vallarta gourmet scene. Chef Luna was formally trained at the Culinary Institute of America, interned at Jean Georges in New York, and worked at Hotel Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott in New York. Locally, he is better known as Corporate Chef of Vista Grill and La Palapa in Puerto Vallarta. This season Taste is introduces Mediterranean food to its selection of three cuisines: Mediterranean, Mexican and Asian. Under the restaurant's unique concept, any dish may be purchased in a half-portion or "Taste" for under $130 pesos. Diners can sample one plate from each cuisine and take a gourmet trip around the world in one meal. A gourmet breakfast and poolside lunch menu are also available. Taste's legendary Sunday Mimosa Brunch is open to the public from 10 am to 2 pm beginning November 3rd.

Mexico Finds 10 More Bodies; Death Toll at 157

Searchers have found 10 more bodies of victims from twin storms that struck the country's Pacific and Gulf coasts at the same time last month, raising the death toll to 157, Mexico's government said Wednesday. Nearly 175,000 homes were affected by floods and landslides, mostly in the southern state of Guerrero. The biggest known tragedy was a mudslide that swept into a remote mountain village in Guerrero and left dozens missing. Only some of their bodies have been recovered. President Enrique Peña Nieto has ordered an investigation to find which officials gave permits for building homes in banned areas such as riverbeds, which put residents in danger during the storms.

Vallarta Prepares for Día de los Muertos

The city is preparing for Day of the Dead celebrations, and this years' festivities promise to be magnificent. In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the Vallarta Centro group has announced the installing of altars downtown from the 30th of October through November 2nd. In addition to all of the traditional celebrations hosted by various businesses and individuals, the city will host two major events. On November 1st, free Pan de Muertos and chocolate will be served at Plaza Lázaro Cárdenas, and on November 2nd, one of El Centro's busiest streets, Calle Agustín Rodríguez (in front of the Mercado del Cuale municipal market) will be closed to traffic so all can come and enjoy festivities which will include Mariachi music, a performance by the Xiutla folkloric dancers, jineteo riding, Charro, regional cuisine and crafts, and other fun activities.

Mexico Floods Will Not Affect Proposed 2013, 2014 Budget Deficits

Mexico's proposed budget deficit goals for this year and 2014 will not be affected by some of the worst storm damage in decades, the Finance Ministry said on September 28. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto had previously said Congress would revise its proposed 2014 budget in the wake of last month's storms, which killed at least 157 people and left large swaths of the country under water, buckling bridges and destroying highways. However, the Finance Ministry said the government would now shuffle existing funds to pay for the cleanup - estimated by Mexico's insurers' association to top 75 billion pesos ($5.7 billion USD), the highest bill ever from a natural disaster in the country. "The costs associated with reconstruction will be met with available resources through the reorientation of some funds, but without affecting in any way the public deficit proposed for this year, or next," the ministry said in a statement. The government has a 12.5 billion peso emergency fund, but will seek to divert 5 billion pesos from road-paving to spend on reconstruction, according to its finance ministry. Read more at Reuters.com.

Upcoming Events in Puerto Vallarta and around Banderas Bay
Click on titles for more information

• SETAC 'Hair Spray Night' at SKY Mandala

• 2nd Annual La Cruz International Fishing Tournament

• Encuentros to Host 2014 Heroes Calendar Launch Party