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 upcoming events you won't want to miss.

Puerto Vallarta Mayor Launches Back to School Support Program
observatoriobahia.mx

On Wednesday, Puerto Vallarta Mayor Arturo Davalos Peña launched the city's Back to School Support Program, which will provide 52,000 kindergarten, primary and secondary school students with backpacks filled with school supplies, and 32,000 kids with school uniforms and shoes. With Mayor Arturo Davalos Peña, DIF President Candelaria Tovar de Dávalos, and Jalisco Tourism Secretary Enrique Ramos Flores leading the teams, the first installment of backpacks, supplies, uniforms, shoes and school insurance, were simultaneously delivered to the students enrolled in the program at 34 of the city's public schools. The Tourism Secretary personally delivered supplies to two of the schools: José Vasconcelos in Colonia La Aurora, and Ignacio L. Vallarta in Colonia Emiliano Zapata, where he expressed his satisfaction with the social program, saying it was one of the most important because of the great impact it has on the community. "We are working together with the State and we are all singing the same tune. The municipal government's conviction is very clear: [our job is] to help others, those who have less and who need it most," the mayor stressed. The Social Development Department estimates that it will take about a week to deliver all of the remaining Back to School supplies to Puerto Vallarta's school children.

Volaris Likes Where it's Going as DFW-Mexico Routes Take Off
Dallas Morning News

For the last 10 years, Mexican airline Volaris has been trying to get travelers off of buses and onto its planes. The budget carrier launched in 2006 with a focus on intra-Mexico travel - where buses still reign supreme - but over the last several years it has also been expanding its presence in the United States to cater to Mexican-Americans who want to visit friends and family south of the border. The strategy seems to be paying off, with Volaris now serving 22 destinations in the United States, including four in Texas. Last month, the company inaugurated a new route from DFW International Airport to Monterrey, adding on to its existing service from North Texas to Guadalajara. Now, with a revised air travel agreement taking effect this week that will lift restrictions on the flights between U.S. and Mexican cities, there's even more room for Volaris to grow. But they're sure to encounter stiff competition, as U.S. carriers like Southwest Airlines and other low-cost Mexican airlines look to grow their share of cross-border traffic. Click HERE to read the Dallas Morning News' interview with Volaris's chief commercial officer Holger Blankenstein.

Purr Project is Looking for an Airline Angel
PuRRProject.com

Four 4-month-old kittens have furr-ever homes waiting for them in Milwaukee - all they need is a cabin companion to accompany them (two to a carrier) on the flight. If you are flying to either Milwaukee or Chicago in the next month and would like some furry company on your flight, please contact Marilyn Khan at exkhan(at)usfamily.net or Suzanna Persa at suzannapersa(at)hotmail.com. All expenses will be paid and the kittens' new parents will meet your flight at the destination airport.

Canadian Tourism Up 34% in Mexico City
Mexico News Daily

Greater numbers of Canadians are traveling to Mexico City, according to data compiled by that city's Tourism Secretariat. During the first six months of the year, the number of Canadian visitors soared 34% over the same period last year, for a total of 71,000. And the figures for all of 2015 were up 17%, to 111,000, over the previous year. Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco Marqués said Canada is the sixth most important source of tourists for the city after the U.S., Colombia, Spain, Brazil and Argentina. They stay for an average of five nights and spend US $895 each. The surge in Canadian visitors was attributed to Aeroméxico's new flights to Toronto and Vancouver. Torruco Marqués reported on the number of visits while on a tour of Canada and the United States to promote Mexico City's Mis Raíces (My Roots) program, designed to encourage Mexicans who live in the U.S. and Canada to visit the country of their birth. It is targeting an estimated 35.4 million Mexicans in the U.S. and 96,000 in Canada. Source: El Sol de México

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

• Go Mediterranean in Vallarta at Kaiser Maximilian

• Last Chance to See 'La Ley del Ranchero' at Act II

• Trio Celebrates 19 Years of Serving Puerto Vallarta