Puebla, Pue. - Students of basic education across Mexico will enjoy three extended weekends during March 2025, due to coinciding holidays and school activities. According to the official calendar from the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP), these breaks are intended to optimize educational schedules and administrative processes.
The first long weekend occurs on Monday, March 17, commemorates the birth of Benito Juárez, which is officially celebrated on March 21. This day has been moved to the nearest Monday to create a longer weekend for families and students alike.
Following this, Friday, March 21, is designated for grade recordings, which, though not officially recognized as a holiday, provides students with a day off to ease the administrative burden on teachers managing grades.
The third extended weekend will be on Friday, March 28, for the School Technical Council (CTE) session, where educators gather for training and planning activities, freeing students for the day.
“Estos días de descanso se han establecido para optimizar el calendario escolar y las actividades administrativas,” explained Emilio Avendaño from El Sudcaliforniano. This clarification came as local families expressed their excitement over the upcoming long weekends.
Meanwhile, residents of San José Tilapa, part of the Tehuacán region, reported the sighting of a gigantic snake on Wednesday, February 12. Locals are speculating this may be a boa constrictor, known for its sizable presence across Latin America. Although no official confirmation of the species exists yet, this intriguing event has ignited curiosity about the area’s wildlife.
The boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) is notable for its impressive length, commonly exceeding four meters. With its ability to blend seamlessly with surroundings, the boa mostly inhabits rainforests and semi-arid zones. The large snake's sudden appearance has drawn significant community interest, especially alongside several recent reports of wildlife encounters ranging from coyotes to pumas around urban areas like Tehuacán.
Public safety has recently become another pressing issue within the community. Early this morning at 5:39 AM, police responded to a serious accident on Calzada Zavaleta involving two vehicles: a platform taxi (a black Hyundai) and a luxury black BMW. Initial reports suggest the BMW driver was likely under the influence of alcohol and driving at excessive speeds. Consequently, the passenger of the taxi was sent to the hospital with various injuries resulting from the crash.
Witnesses shared their astonishment at the reckless behavior witnessed, with one bystander claiming, “I've never seen anything like it before. The driver of the BMW was speeding like crazy!” Authorities are now conducting investigations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
Separately, on March 11, at approximately 4:09 PM, another serious incident occurred at the Central de Abasto de Puebla, where both a mother and her infant were struck by an SUV, described as gray-sand colored with plate number NSY-45-17. Eyewitness accounts reveal the driver returned to the scene before proceeding to run over them again and fleeing toward Tlaxcala.
Witnesses were horrified by the scene. “It was chaos! We couldn't believe what we were seeing; it felt like something out of a movie,” stated one witness. Families of the victims are now calling for justice, hoping for the identification of the fleeing driver. Authorities are actively engaged in their investigation of the case.
While this month is marked by educational festivities, it also brings forth episodes of concern over human safety and local biodiversity. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and supportive of community initiatives aimed at protecting the local environment and enhancing road safety practices. The fascinating yet sometimes dangerous interaction with wildlife and the uptick of vehicle incidents serve as timely reminders of the need for community awareness and responsibility.