Thanks Eddie,
I had heard about trouble down towards Ensenada but nothing about the cities and towns closer to the border. I do know that the stretch along the coast between the border and southern Ensenada has exploded with vacation homes belonging to gringos from SoCal, which are far more affordable than any coastal properties in Alta California.
I have not been inclined to venture too far into Mexico for many years now, but I thought Tijuana was relatively safe. At this point it sounds like there's no place safe in Mexico, which is really tragic. I've been to both coasts and several inland destinations, including attending summer school in Guadalajara after graduating from high school and hopping our way from the Bay Area down to Oaxaca in a single engine plane with a pilot friend and two others in late 1981. At least I have some great memories from my various travels and experiences down there.