Puerto Rico News Digest For August 8, 2017

FAMILY KILLED IN DORADO NIGHTMARE

Fall victim to shooting between crooks; Feds may take over

A young married couple, Zuleika Rivera Negrón, age 27 and her partner Angel Pérez Polanco, age 30 were killed along with three of their children last Friday in the town Dorado as the result of a shooting on the same road, with only the couple's 12-year-old daughter surviving. Jaime Joel Ferrer Rivera, a 38-year-old man with an extensive criminal record, was shot at by unidentified assailants as he drove his Land Rover, causing him to lose control of his vehicle, which then crashed into the family's 1992 Toyota Tercel. The family's vehicle then violently smashed against a tree, killing the five victims. Ferrer Rivera died at the scene due to the shooting, after which the perpetrators escaped. Due to Ferrer Rivera being a federal convict, having been sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2004 for stealing shipments of air conditioners, US Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Rosa Emilia Rodríguez stated that her office may take over the investigation.

PUERTO RICO SUED OVER CONTOL BOARD'S POWERS

From Caribbean Business:

"Puerto Rico was hit with two lawsuits Monday that for the first time challenge the constitutionality of a federal control board overseeing the island’s finances and its power to start a bankruptcy-like court process for some of  the U.S. territory’s more than $70 billion public debt..."

FEMA OK'S FUNDS FOR SALINAS AQUIFER PROJECT

From News Is My Business:

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved a $2.8 million hazard mitigation project for the island’s  southern coastal area, which considers its adaptive capacity, and uses surface and ground water to reduce the need for future water rationing in the town of Salinas..."

PPD PROPOSES UNITED FRONT TO FIGHT FURLOUGHS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Popular Democratic Party (PDP) President Héctor Ferrer announced on Friday that he is willing to join efforts and accompany Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares to the courts if he decides to sue the federal Financial Oversight and Management Board if the reduction of public workers is implemented..."

JOINT VENTURE TO MANUFACTURE POT PRODUCTS IN PR

From Area Development:

"Tropizen, a grower and manufacturer of medical marijuana in Puerto Rico, will partner with WonderLeaf, a Colorado company that makes raw cannabis concentrates and oils, to establish a cannabis manufacturing plant  in Puerto Rico..."

Puerto Rico Events For This Weekend

Friday, April 7

Noche En El Paraíso

Outdoor festival featuring music, gastronomy from various chefs and restaurants, alcoholic beverages and fashion. This Friday's theme is "Cuban Night"

Where: Plaza de Dorado, Dorado
When: 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Admission: Free

Mojo Culinary Fest

Local Salinas restaurants display their best dishes. Music, tapas, bar and refreshments available.

Where: Plaza de Recreo Las Delicias, Salinas
When: 5:30 PM - 11:00 PM
Admission: Free


Saturday, April 8

12th Sea Turtle Festival

Luquillo welcomes sea turtle nesting season and promotes natural conservation during this celebration featuring music, food vendors, artisans and childrens' activities.

Where: Luquillo Public Plaza, Jesus T Pineiro St., Luquillo
When: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Admission: Free

Purina Snacks Woof Cinema Easter Edition 2017

Come watch "The Secret Life of Pets" with your dog. Free admission with packaging from a Purina Snack or a donation of any Purina or Purina Snacks food product for the Pet SOS foundation.

Where: Bahia Urbana, Pier 6, San Juan
When: 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Admission: Free (see above)


Sunday, April 9

Puerto Rico North Fashion Week 2017

Three-day festival features several designers showing off their latest styles. Runs Friday to Sunday. For tickets, email northfashionweek@gmail.com.

Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton (Dorado del Mar Beach Resort), Dorado
When: 7:00 PM- 11:00 PM
Admission: $30 per night

Condado In Concert 2017

Enjoy classical and local musical favorites, played by Iván Rijos with Francisco Cabán on violin.

Where: Antonia Quiñones Plaza, Luchetti Street, San Juan
When: 6:00PM - 8:00 PM
Admission: Free

The Puerto Rico Monitor cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the 

above listings. They are based on the best information available at the time

of writing.

For more information on visiting Puerto Rico, read The Real Deal
Guide to Puerto Rico, only $3.59 in e-book format!

Puerto Rico News For September 22, 2016

LIGHTS OUT FOR PUERTO RICO

PLANT FIRE LEAVES ALL OF PR WITHOUT POWER

A fire of unknown origin broke out yesterday afternoon at the Central Ag-

uirre power plant in the southern town of Salinas, causing a massive failu-

re which left the entire island of Puerto Rico -- along with Vieques and Cu-

lebra -- without electrical service. The power failure also left over a quarter

of a million households without running water. Police were deployed acr-

oss the island to direct traffic at select interesections, with two officers,one 

in Guaynabo and one in Caguas, being hit by cars. Both received non-life-

threatening injuries.

Hotels all over the San Juan metro area and beyond were packed, as many

island residents opted for staying in air conditioned hotel rooms rather than

suffer the lack of power in their homes. Lines to check in at the Convention

Center Sheraton were reportedly over an hour long. 

Classes were suspended for today at all public schools, the University of

Puerto Rico, and at most private schools and universities. Non-essential

government employees were instructed to show up for work on Thursday

at 12 noon. While power has been reestablished for about 130,000 users a-

cross Puerto Rico as of this writing, over one million households are still
without electricity this morning. Ports, ferries and airports were operating
normally yesterday and this morning. No out of the ordinary flight delays
have occurred or are expected.

Yesterday's failure resulted in the largest blackout in Puerto Rico since 

1980.

----


For updates throughout the day, check out our Twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/ThePRMonitor

Puerto Rico News Digest For July 24, 2015

'SUPERACUEDUCTO' PIPE BURSTS IN ARECIBO

A breach in a pipe of the 'Superacueducto' water transport system, which brings
water from the center of the island to the San Juan metro area, is causing prob-
lems this morning on kilometer 69.7 of  the José de Diego Freeway. The rupture
was reported in the Domingo Ruiz district, and brigades from the Autoridad de
Acueductos y Alcantarillados were on their way to the site, according to AAA's
spokesperson Norma Muñoz. It is unknown how or if the broken pipe would aff-
ect water service. Puerto Rico and the Caribbean are going through their worst
drought in two decades.

UPDATE: AAA has stated that the malfunction has to do not with a pipe, but
with an air escape valve that is part of the Superacueducto. Water service to
the San Juan metro area will supposedly not be affected. Repairs are expected
to be done within six hours.

SALINAS AND GUAYAMA UNDER 'EXTREME DROUGHT'

From Caribbean Business:

The U.S. Drought Monitor has increased its classification of Puerto Rico as under
extreme drought when it introduced a new area Thursday, the municipalities of
Salinas and Guayama. Caguas, Juncos, Gurabo and San Lorenzo are also classi-
fied as experiencing extreme drought. The federal Drought Monitor indicates
that 2.66% of the island is under extreme drought (D-3), 17.95% in severe drou-
ght (D2), 24.26% in moderate drought (D-1), 32.46% unusually dry (D-0), and
22.68% is not affected.

PAULSON BUYS SAN JUAN BEACH HOTEL FOR $20M

From News Is My Business:

Hedge fund investor Paulson & Co. has bought the San Juan Beach Hotel in
Condado for $20 million, and plans to renovate the beachfront property that
shuttered earlier this year after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The most recent investment by Paulson & Co. is added to other hotel and real
estate properties the company has picked up in recent years, representing a to-
tal investment of some $2 billion that include the Vanderbilt Hotel, the St. Re-
gis Bahía Beach Resort, La Concha Resort and several office buildings in the
Hato Rey sector of San Juan.

DRAFT OF MEDICAL POT REGULATION AVAILABLE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Medical marijuana will most likely be legally prescribed in Puerto Rico by
doctors to patients with certain conditions within the next few months, after
Health Secretary Ana Ríus announced Wednesday that a draft of the new
regulation on the use, possession, cultivation, manufacturing, production,
fabrication, dispensation and investigation of medical marijuana is officia-
lly available for citizens to review and offer comment and suggestions before
public hearings begin in late August. Ríus said those interested in presenting
comments have 30 days to do so (starting Wednesday) and must submit their
suggestions at the Health Department’s Legal Office at the former Psychiatric
Hospital at the Río Piedras Medical Center in San Juan, Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Meanwhile, public hearings will be held in the same
building in the Guillermo Arbona Room at 9 a.m. on Aug. 27-28. Comments
and suggestions can also be emailed to mayramaldondado2@salud.pr.gov.

Maps For All Water Rationing Zones

Carraízo


These zones are under 48-hour rationing (running water is on for one day, off for
two days). Zone A is shaded in green. Zone  B is shaded in blue. PF Canóvanas
is in purple.



Rationing calendar



La Plata


These zones are under 24-hour rationing (water off every other day). North Zone is
in orange, South Zone is in yellow.



Rationing calendar



Guaynabo


These zones are under 24-hour rationing. North Zone is in purple, South Zone
is in pink.





Corozal / Naranjito


These zones are under 24-hour rationing. North Zone is in purple, South Zone is
in pink.





Eastern Puerto Rico

These zones are under 24-hour rationing. Caguas North Zone 1 is in blue, Zone
2 is green. Caguas South Zone 1 is yellow, Zone 2 is pink. Juncos Zone 1 is in
orange and Zone 2 in burgundy.




Río Grande, Loíza and Luquillo; high areas are in yellow.






Coamo, Salinas and Santa Isabel

These zones are under 12-hour rationing. Zone A is in green and Zone B is
in blue.




All information is from Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados.