Puerto Rico News Digest For February 11, 2018

BREAKING:

POWER OUT ACROSS NORTHERN PR

FIRE AT MONACILLOS STATION LEAVES THOUSANDS IN THE DARK

Photo: John Mudd, via Twitter.

Many parts of northern Puerto Rico, including large swaths of the San Juan metro area, were plunged into darkness on Sunday night, seemingly due to a fire at the Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica's Monacillos substation in Río Piedras. The failure at Monacillos may have created a domino effect which knocked other substations out of service. Per AEE, the San Juan and Palo Seco power plants are currently offline. 

According to both El Nuevo Día and power utility customers on social media, sectors of the following municipalities have been affected: San Juan, Carolina, Trujillo Alto, Guaynabo, Caguas, Camuy, Hatillo, Manatí, Arecibo,  Río Grande, Barceloneta and Luquillo. At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown. AEE sources have stated that it could take as long as 16 hours for power to return to most of the affected areas. Follow our Twitter feed for the latest.

ROSSELLO AND GONZALEZ ANNOUNCE RECOVERY FUNDS

From Caribbean Business: 

"Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, along with Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González announced an allocation of $16 billion in federal funds for the island’s recovery after Hurricane Maria. This appropriation is part of budget legislation approved by Congress and signed Friday by President Donald Trump..."

MALL OF SAN JUAN TO MAKE $10M FOR 2018

From News Is My Business:

"Taubman Centers Inc., owners and operators of The Mall of San Juan, anticipated Friday that they will generate $10 million of net operating income (NOI) from that asset in 2018, some of which may come from sources other than sales activities..."

PR SENDS ATHLETE TO WINTER OLYMPICS

From Time: 

"Carrying Puerto Rico’s flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea, Flaherty beamed as the first representative for Puerto Rico at the Games since 1998, when it sent another alpine skier and two-man and four-man bobsled teams to Nagano, Japan."

Puerto Rico News Digest For August 20, 2017

CAUGHT IN THE ACT AND NEARLY KILLED

THUGS TRY TO ROB GAS STATION, GET SHOT BY COPS

A police officer who happened to stop at a Total gas station in the Corujo sector of Bayamón inadvertently walked in on two individuals who were in the process of robbing the establishment at around 10:00 AM today.  Sergeant Pedro Colón Burgos was soon followed by a municipal police officer and a member of the state police's canine unit. A gunfight quickly broke out between the two parties, and one of the criminals was injured by gunfire in several parts of his body. The man's uninjured accomplice ran off, but was soon arrested by the roadside as he tried to flag down a car to steal. Both men are now in custody, and a stolen vehicle was impounded at the scene. The police officers were not hurt.

ROSSELLO: PR WILL BE STATE IN 5 YEARS

From Caribbean Business:

"In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the New Progressive Party (NPP), Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares stressed that change is a constant in that party and predicted that in five years Puerto Rico will become the 51st state of the United States..."

CORRECTIONS OFFICER DIES DURING RIOT TRAINING

From Officer.com:

"A Puerto Rico corrections officer died after suffering a medical emergency while participating in riot control training this week. Corrections Officer David Torres-Chaparro began complaining of a strong pain in his chest during a training exercise

CHARBONIER PUSHES TO UPDATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAW

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"New Progressive Party (NPP) Rep. María Milagros Charbonier said Thursday that she is still pressing for several amendments to Law 54 of 1989, also known as the Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention Law, designed to prevent violence against women..."

PR BEATS BAHAMAS IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

From Tribune 242:

"The Bahamas couldn’t stop the up-tempo game from host Puerto Rica and ended up getting blown out  by 64 points. The only thing that the undefeated Puerto Ricans didn’t do in their near flawless feature  game on day three of the championships on Thursday night was reach the 100 century mark in pulling oftheir 99-35 massacre over the Bahamas..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For July 7, 2017

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE KILLS WOMAN

An as of yet unidentified 19-year-old woman was murdered by her boyfriend shortly after 6:30 this morning at the Juana Matos public housing project in Cataño. The victim had filed reports of domestic violence against her in the past, with the most recent one happening only yesterday. The 30-year-old male perpetrator attempted to commit suicide after shooting the woman, but was unsuccessful and was taken to hospital after being arrested by police. The killer had a record of previous domestic violence incidents.

PREPA RATE HIKE GETS POSTPONED

From Caribbean Business:

"The Puerto Rico Energy Commission (PREC) has granted the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (Prepa) request to postpone until Oct. 1 a permanent rate hike that was slated to go into effect this month..."

MEDICAL POT DISPENSARY OPENS IN GUAYNABO

From News Is My Business:

"...Clínica Verde inaugurated Thursday a clinic at the Borinquen Towers on Roosevelt Ave. in Guaynabo. The 4,000 square-foot property entailed an investment of more than $1.5 million, and will provide a variety of six different cannabis-related products..."

PR FACES OFF AGAINST ANGOLA IN WORLD BASKETBALL

From AllAfrica:

"The Angolan under19 men's basketball team, third in group D in the first stage of the world championship in Cairo are playing this Friday at 1 p.m Puerto Rico, for the consolation phase from the 9th and 16th place..."

GUTIERREZ BLASTS RIVERA SCHATZ OVER LGBT SLUR

From Windy City Times:

"Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez ( D-IL ) responded to Thomas Rivera Schatz, Puerto Rican Senate President, who used the masculine pronoun "señor" repeatedly to describe Ana Matosantos, the only female member of Puerto Rico's Financial Oversight and Management Board..."

USA Beats PR In World Baseball Final

Los Angeles (PRM) -- After an undefeated streak marked by some nerve-
wracking games, the Puerto Rican team fell to Team USA 8 to 0 in the to-
urnament final last night, missing its shot at Puerto Rico's first ever World
Baseball Classic championship. Puerto Rico also made it to the finals at
the last WBC in 2013, but was defeated that time by the Dominican Re-
public. The United States team had been beaten by Puerto Rico earlier
in this tournament, in the Pool F game on March 17th. The Boricua te-
am won that encounter 6-5. It then advanced to the semifinals, where it
defeated The Netherlands in another nailbiter, this one a 4 to 3, 11 inn-
ing game this past Monday night.

The Puerto Rican team, which gained notoriety not just for its perform-
ance, but also for its signature blond-dyed hair, will nonetheless receive
a hero's welcome in San Juan  later this morning. The team is expected
to arrive at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport at around 11:00 AM
local time. They will then lead a caravan from the airport to the Conven-
tion Center in Miramar, where a celebration will take place from 1:00 to
7:00 PM. WIPR TV will broadcast the event.

Six Awful Pro-Wrestling Deaths

Feature

by Pedro L. Vega

Pro-wrestlers dying young or in sketchy circumstances is sadly not uncommon. Many pro-wrestlers, managers and valets over the years have died before their time, mostly from drug overdoses or health complications caused by long-time drug and steroid use. But some wrestling deaths have been so shocking or unexpected that they stand out from the rest. Here are six of the worst cases...

1. Chris & Nancy Benoit

Probably the best known and most infamous wrestling related death. In June of 2007, Chris Benoit -- until then one of the most respected and admired figures in the business -- killed his wife and former wrestling valet Nancy Benoit (aka "Woman", and formerly Nancy Sullivan) by strangulation in their Georgia home. Sometime within the next couple of days, Benoit also strangled and killed his seven-year-old son, Daniel. A copy of the Bible was left next to each body. Within three days of the murders, Benoit comitted suicide by hanging himself using a weight machine in his home. Chris Benoit was known for his work ethic, and after missing a few WWE shows, police went to the house to conduct a welfare check, which is when the bodies were found. It is believed that the murders were the result of brain damage Chris Benoit suffered after years of performing high-impact wrestling moves, which led to a form of dementia. Tests conducted on the deceased wrestler's brain by West Virginia University indicated that "Benoit's brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year old Alzheimer's patient."

2. Bruiser Brody

Frank Goodish was a large, maniacal brawler who became famous as Bruiser Brody. While he was a big fan favorite, his difficulty in working with others and following direction led him to bounce around from promotion to promotion. In the 80s, he found himself working a lot for Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council. Before a show in the island in 1988, fellow wrestler Jose Gonzalez (better known as Invader I), lured Brody into one of the shower stalls, and stabbed him in the abdomen. Bruiser died shortly after in a hospital. Several wrestlers were in the same dressing room when the stabbing happened (Tony Atlas and Dutch Mantell, among others), but there seemed to be no eyewitnesses to the actual moment when Brody was stabbed. When time for Gonzalez's trial came, key witnesses either refused to testify or were not notified on time as to when to show up in court. Gonzalez claimed self-defense and was acquitted. He never spoke about the killing, and the exact motive for the stabbing remains unknown. Some blame pro-wrestling's code of secrecy for the lack of answers surrounding the incident.

3. Owen Hart

Canadian wrestler Owen Hart (brother of Bret Hart) played semi-comedic masked character 'The Blue Blazer' in 1999, and his character was scheduled to make a big entrance at the Over The Edge pay-per-view in Kansas City, Missouri that May. Hart was to have been lowered into the ring via a harness attached to a metal cable during the live PPV. As he was about to be lowered, a movement made by Hart may have triggered a quick release mechanism in the harness, which sent the wrestler plummeting 78 feet down to the ring in front of thousands of confused and horrified fans. The incident did not make it on air, but the show controversially went on after Hart was removed from the ring and taken to a hospital. He died of blunt force trauma and internal bleeding at age 34.

4. The Von Erichs

The Von Erich family (not their real name) was a legendary pro-wrestling real-life family from the Dallas, Texas area, led by patriarch Fritz. The Von Erichs, despite their fame and success, seemed to be cursed. Son David died in 1984 of enteritis in a Japanese hospital, although it has long been rumored he died of a drug overdose. Another son (and reluctant wrestler), Mike Von Erich, suffered from Toxic Shock Syndrome after a surgery. The illness debilitated him and greatly reduced his in-ring abilities. He had to retire from wrestling altogether, and killed himself by overdosing on tranquilizers in 1987. In 1991, Fritz Von Erich's youngest son, Chris, committed suicide by shooting himself, after years of being frustrated by his lack of success in wrestling and being depressed over Mike's death. And in 1993, Kerry Von Erich killed himself via a gunshot to the heart, after years of personal disappointments and a serious motorcycle accident that robbed him of one foot and led to him becoming addicted to painkillers. The family's seemingly bright future as a wrestling powerhouse was cut down by tragedy, again and again.

5. Dino Bravo

Canadian wrestler and former WWF tag team champion Dino Bravo was apparently involved in illegal cigarette smuggling, besides his wrestling career. He was also the nephew (through marriage) of a notorious Quebec mafia figure. At some point, Bravo may have crossed someone in the mob, or intruded on somebody's illegal cigarette sales territory. Whatever the case, the hulking wrestler was brutally gunned down at his Quebec home by unknown assailants as he watched hockey on TV. The 44-year-old was hit by 17 bullets, 7 of them to the head. The murder remains unsolved to this day.

6. Rikidozan

Korean-born Japanese legend Rikidozan is one of the founding fathers of Japanese pro-wrestling, which he helped popularize after a career in sumo wrestling. While partying in a Tokyo nightclub in 1963, Rikidozan was stabbed with a urine-soaked knife by a member of the Yakuza. For one reason or another, the wrestler did not receive medical care right away, and he died of peritonitis in a hospital one week later. While the cause of the attack was never uncovered with any certainty, it was rumored that the stabbing was revenge for a match in which Rikidozan kicked wrestler Masahiro Kimura "for real", presumably causing the mob some kind of gambling-related monetary loss.

Del Valle arrives in Dallas; Ready to Shine Saturday Night

Press Release

Knockout Publicity


Dallas, TX (September 12, 2016) – IBF #8 super bantamweight Luis “Orlan-
dito” Del Valle and his team arrived in Dallas this afternoon after leaving Pu-
erto Rico earlier today.

Del Valle, who hails from Bayamon, meets unbeaten Diego De La Hoya, 15-
0 (9 KO's), Saturday evening over ten rounds in what is expected to be a cla-
ssic Puerto Rico vs Mexico slugfest. The bout opens an HBO PPV telecast
starting at 9 PM ET headlined by the junior middleweight championship fi-
ght between pound for pound superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and reigning
WBO champion Liam Smith. The card takes place a short distance from Da-
llas in Arlington, TX at AT&T Stadium, best known as the home of the Da-
llas Cowboys.

Del Valle, 22-2 (16 KO's), had grueling training camp to prepare for what
he calls the biggest fight of his career. With his preparation in the books, Del
Valle is supremely confident that the work he put in along with his signific-
ant experience advantage will guide him to victory.

“The work has been put in by myself and my team,” said Del Valle. “I'm fo-
cused and ready to fight. A win can change everything for me. De La Hoya is
undefeated and people are discussing him as a future superstar. His team belie-
ves I'm the guy he'll beat to get to the next level and that's a major mistake. I've
been down this road before and this was the best camp I ever had. Come Satur-
day night, everybody will see that Orlandito Del Valle is a serious player in the
122 pound division!”

Puerto Rico News Digest For August 30, 2016

PERELLO RESIGNS AS HOUSE SPEAKER

From Caribbean Business:

"Jaime Perelló resigned from his position as Speaker of the Puerto Rico House
of Representatives Monday afternoon. He announced his resignation in the Ca-
pitol rotunda next to an original text of the Puerto Rico Constitution...Perelló
left his position after meeting with 16 lawmakers at the Capitol to discuss a tr-
ial underway in federal court of three former House employees under his dire-
ct supervision who were charged in a pay-for-play scheme to benefit the form-
er speaker’s fundraiser, Anaudi Hernández. During the trial Monday, Hernán-
dez said he raised more than $60,000 in cash for Perelló as part of a pyramid
scheme organized by attorney Irvin Faccio in which he was required to raise
$75,000 for the House leader..."

PUIG HEADS TO US OPEN AFTER GOLD MEDAL

From Bloomberg:

"Tennis player Monica Puig, who won the commonwealth’s first Olympic gold
medal in Rio de Janeiro earlier this month, competes Monday in her first match
this year at the U.S. Open in Queens, New York. Puig’s Olympic victory comes
amid dire Puerto Rico headlines of escalating debt, a broke pension system, a Zi-
ka outbreak, and a 10-year economic recession. Thousands of cheering fans gree-
ted her at the airport in San Juan when she arrived on Aug. 20, a week after her
win..."

BERNABE: AGRICULTURAL REFORM "URGENT"

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Working People’s Party (PPT by its Spanish acronym) Rafael Bernabe said
late last week that the destruction of the island’s agriculture has been one of the
greatest tragedies in Puerto Rico’s recent history. Speaking at a forum sponsored
by the Puerto Rico Agriculture Association during its annual assembly, Bernabe
laid out some of the PPT’s proposals for the agricultural sector. “It’s a scandal that
today we import 85 percent of our food and that with the ability to export much
more and having a much broader food industry, we don’t do the first, and we don’t
have the second,” he said, according to an Inter News Service report. He added that
the reconstruction of island agriculture, with an agro-ecological emphasis, “is an ur-
gent and crucial task...”

LIBERTY GOES SOLAR AT LUQUILLO HQ

From News Is My Business:

"Oak Leaf Solar X LLC, a Yarotek entity, has installed 2,444 solar panels at Li-
berty Puerto Rico’s facility in Luquillo, making the provider’s operations more
sustainable and “reaffirming the companies’ respective commitments to Puerto
Rico and the environment,” the company announced Monday. Liberty entered
into a long-term power purchase agreement to buy its solar power from Oak Le-
af Solar X, an independent power producer and developer focused on solar energy..."

Del Valle On Bout With De La Hoya: “Expect Fireworks”

Press Release

Knockout Publicity


Bayamon, PR (August 23, 2016) – Super bantamweight contender Luis
“Orlandito” Del Valle is not one to waste time in the squared circle.

Currently the International Boxing Federation’s #8 ranked contender,
Del Valle scored 16 of his 22 victories by knockout including nine wi-
thin the first three rounds. Known for bringing the heat to his foes from
the opening bell, Del Valle is accustom to partaking in exciting fights and
most recently dropped hard-hitting Thomas Snow twice en route to a un-
animous decision victory.

On September 17, Del Valle faces unbeaten and highly touted Diego De
La Hoya in a ten round contest. The bout opens up the Saul Alvarez-Liam
Smith pay per view telecast from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. It is al-
so renewing boxing’s oldest rivalry as Del Valle represents Puerto Rico wh-
ile De La Hoya fights out of Mexico. The nephew of boxing legend Oscar
De La Hoya, Diego’s 15-0 with 9 wins by knockout. In May, he battered
previously unbeaten Rocco Santomaruo en route to a 7th round stoppage.

Del Valle, who is seven years De La Hoya’s senior, serves as a notable
step up in class. Del Valle respects De La Hoya’s ability and believes it
will be a classic Puerto Rico vs Mexico type battle while it lasts before
his experience ultimately powers him to victory.

“The fans can expect fireworks on the 17th,” Del Valle said of his upco-
ming showdown with De La Hoya. “We’re both warriors and know that
something bigger will follow if we win in a high profile fight like this. He
 is a good young fighter that has talent but I’m battle tested. I’ve fought
former world champions and learned from my past bouts where I was ma-
tched tough. My experience will be a key for me in this fight. I can’t wait
to put on a show for boxing fans all over the world!”

Monica Puig Wins First Ever Gold Medal For PR

NPR

Bill Chappell

Puerto Rico now has its first Olympic gold medal, courtesy of tennis star
Monica Puig, who beat Germany's Angelique Kerber in the women's sin-
gles tournament at Rio's Summer Olympics Saturday.

"I"m speechless," a smiling Puig said after her historic win. "I wanted it
so bad."

"I never imagined in my wildest dreams that this would happen," Puig ad-
ded — and she said her experience in Rio de Janeiro has been like a dream.
She's looking forward, she said, to waking up tomorrow morning and seeing
her gold medal sitting on her bedside table...[CONTINUE READING]

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 16, 2016

BERNIE SANDERS CAMPAIGNS IN PR

From Caribbean Business:

"The Vermont senator is expected to present an economic recovery plan for 

the island on Monday and talk about the crisis’ impact on its education and 

health systems. He will hold a town hall meeting at the Fundación Luis Mu-

ñoz Marín in San Juan at 9 a.m., go to the Juan Ponce de León School in Gu-

aynabo at 3 p.m. and then speak at an event at the University of Puerto Rico’s 

Río Piedras Campus at 7 p.m. His visit comes a day before former U.S. Presi-

dent Bill Clinton arrives to campaign for wife Hillary Clinton. The island “fa-

ces enormous problems,” with poverty and unemployment rates that are “much 

too high,” Bloomberg quoted the senator as saying. “And meanwhile, the vultu-

re capitalists on Wall Street are trying to get a hundred percent back on their 

bonds at a time when so many of the children and the people of this island are 

suffering...”

TEACHERS' UNION REJECTS EVALUATION PLAN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Members of the National Union of Educators and Education Workers (UNE-
TE by its Spanish acronym) on Thursday rejected the agreement the Teachers
Association had reportedly arrived at with the secretary of Education with res-
pect to using the results of the META-PR tests to evaluate teachers. “Recent
statements by the secretary of Education indicated that he would impose a per-
centage -- around 20 percent -- of the evaluation of the teacher based on the re-
sults of the tests, and has the approval of the Teachers Association,” said Virgi-
lio Vázquez, librarian and vice president of UNETE. “This is unacceptable be-
cause the Association must not arrive at an agreement with management that
will be used to fire teachers.”

IBERIA REESTABLISHES DIRECT CONNECTION

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico government officials welcomed Sunday the return of Spanish air-

line Iberia, which has resumed direct flights after a three-year absence. Iberia 

has scheduled three weekly direct flights between Madrid and San Juan through 

October, which will represent an economic boost for the island of $21.2 million, 

Tourism Co. Executive Director Ingrid Rivera-Rocafort said..."

BELTRAN 3RD PR PLAYER TO HIT 400 RUNS

From ESPN:

"Carlos Beltran belted career home run No. 400 on Sunday afternoon, which put 

the New York Yankees slugger in some rare company. The 39-year-old became 

the 54th player in major league history to reach that milestone and just the fourth 

switch-hitter. He joined fellow Yankee Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray and Chipper 

Jones...Beltran is only the third Puerto Rico-born player to hit 400, along with Car-

los Delgado and Juan Gonzalez..."

Six Awful Pro-Wrestling Deaths

Feature

By Pedro Vega

Pro-wrestlers dying young or in sketchy circumstances is sadly not uncommon. Many pro-wrestlers, managers and valets over the years have died before their time, mostly from drug overdoses or health complications caused by long-time drug and steroid use. But some wrestling deaths have been so shocking or unexpected that they stand out from the rest. Here are six of the worst cases...

1. Chris & Nancy Benoit

Probably the best known and most infamous wrestling related death. In June of 2007, Chris Benoit -- until then one of the most respected and admired figures in the business -- killed his wife and former wrestling valet Nancy Benoit (aka "Woman", and formerly Nancy Sullivan) by strangulation in their Georgia home. Sometime within the next couple of days, Benoit also strangled and killed his seven-year-old son, Daniel. A copy of the Bible was left next to each body. Within three days of the murders, Benoit comitted suicide by hanging himself using a weight machine in his home. Chris Benoit was known for his work ethic, and after missing a few WWE shows, police went to the house to conduct a welfare check, which is when the bodies were found. It is believed that the murders were the result of brain damage Chris Benoit suffered after years of performing high-impact wrestling moves, which led to a form of dementia. Tests conducted on the deceased wrestler's brain by West Virginia University indicated that "Benoit's brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year old Alzheimer's patient."

2. Bruiser Brody

Frank Goodish was a large, maniacal brawler who became famous as Bruiser Brody. While he was a big fan favorite, his difficulty in working with others and following direction led him to bounce around from promotion to promotion. In the 80s, he found himself working a lot for Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council. Before a show in the island in 1988, fellow wrestler Jose Gonzalez (better known as Invader I), lured Brody into one of the shower stalls, and stabbed him in the abdomen. Bruiser died shortly after in a hospital. Several wrestlers were in the same dressing room when the stabbing happened (Tony Atlas and Dutch Mantell, among others), but there seemed to be no eyewitnesses to the actual moment when Brody was stabbed. When time for Gonzalez's trial came, key witnesses either refused to testify or were not notified on time as to when to show up in court. Gonzalez claimed self-defense and was acquitted. He never spoke about the killing, and the exact motive for the stabbing remains unknown. Some blame pro-wrestling's code of secrecy for the lack of answers surrounding the incident.

3. Owen Hart

Canadian wrestler Owen Hart (brother of Bret Hart) played semi-comedic masked character 'The Blue Blazer' in 1999, and his character was scheduled to make a big entrance at the Over The Edge pay-per-view in Kansas City, Missouri that May. Hart was to have been lowered into the ring via a harness attached to a metal cable during the live PPV. As he was about to be lowered, a movement made by Hart may have triggered a quick release mechanism in the harness, which sent the wrestler plummeting 78 feet down to the ring in front of thousands of confused and horrified fans. The incident did not make it on air, but the show controversially went on after Hart was removed from the ring and taken to a hospital. He died of blunt force trauma and internal bleeding at age 34.

4. The Von Erichs

The Von Erich family (not their real name) was a legendary pro-wrestling real-life family from the Dallas, Texas area, led by patriarch Fritz. The Von Erichs, despite their fame and success, seemed to be cursed. Son David died in 1984 of enteritis in a Japanese hospital, although it has long been rumored he died of a drug overdose. Another son (and reluctant wrestler), Mike Von Erich, suffered from Toxic Shock Syndrome after a surgery. The illness debilitated him and greatly reduced his in-ring abilities. He had to retire from wrestling altogether, and killed himself by overdosing on tranquilizers in 1987. In 1991, Fritz Von Erich's youngest son, Chris, committed suicide by shooting himself, after years of being frustrated by his lack of success in wrestling and being depressed over Mike's death. And in 1993, Kerry Von Erich killed himself via a gunshot to the heart, after years of personal disappointments and a serious motorcycle accident that robbed him of one foot and led to him becoming addicted to painkillers. The family's seemingly bright future as a wrestling powerhouse was cut down by tragedy, again and again.

5. Dino Bravo

Canadian wrestler and former WWF tag team champion Dino Bravo was apparently involved in illegal cigarette smuggling, besides his wrestling career. He was also the nephew (through marriage) of a notorious Quebec mafia figure. At some point, Bravo may have crossed someone in the mob, or intruded on somebody's illegal cigarette sales territory. Whatever the case, the hulking wrestler was brutally gunned down at his Quebec home by unknown assailants as he watched hockey on TV. The 44-year-old was hit by 17 bullets, 7 of them to the head. The murder remains unsolved to this day.

6. Rikidozan

Korean-born Japanese legend Rikidozan is one of the founding fathers of Japanese pro-wrestling, which he helped popularize after a career in sumo wrestling. While partying in a Tokyo nightclub in 1963, Rikidozan was stabbed with a urine-soaked knife by a member of the Yakuza. For one reason or another, the wrestler did not receive medical care right away, and he died of peritonitis in a hospital one week later. While the cause of the attack was never uncovered with any certainty, it was rumored that the stabbing was revenge for a match in which Rikidozan kicked wrestler Masahiro Kimura "for real", presumably causing the mob some kind of gambling-related monetary loss.

Puerto Rico News Digest For November 23, 2015

ALVAREZ DEFEATS COTTO FOR TITLE

From Caribbean Business:

"Canelo Álvarez made a case for himself as boxing's next star Saturday
night, landing the bigger punches to take a unanimous decision over Mi-
guel Cotto and win a piece of the middleweight title. Álvarez took the fi-
ght to Cotto from the opening bell, winning rounds with big right hands
and uppercuts. Cotto tried to box and had his moments, but Álvarez was
clearly ahead as the crowd stood on its feet as both fighters traded pun-
ches in the final rounds. Álvarez won the WBC version of the title that
Cotto vacated days earlier for not paying sanctioning fees. His win set up
a possible megafight with Gennady Golovkin, the middleweight champion
who was watching at ringside...Álvarez won by scores of 117-11, 119-109
and 118-110. The Associated Press had him ahead 116-112..."

DORAL BANK EXEC. ASSSISTANT ARRESTED

From US Attorney's Office:

"Nancy Vélez-Arroyo, Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Offi-

cer and Board of Directors of Doral Bank was indicted on November 18, 2015, 

for obstruction of justice and knowingly making false statements while under 

oath and testifying before a federal grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney Ro-

sa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico. The indictment in-

cludes three perjury charges and two obstruction of justice charges. During 

her testimony before the grand jury, Nancy Vélez-Arroyo disavowed her in-

volvement in a vendor’s contract with Doral Bank, its terms, payment sche-

dule, and the participants involved in a scheme to defraud. However, e-mails, 

telephone records, and other evidence showed that Vélez-Arroyo had, not on-

ly knowledge, but played an active role and participated in those dealings. Ra-

ther than provide complete and truthful testimony before the grand jury, Vé-

lez-Arroyo endeavored to corruptly influence, obstruct, and impede the fede-

ral investigation..."

PUERTO RICO SEES 9% RISE IN HOMELESSNESS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Local communities in Puerto Rico reported that a total of 4,518 people, in-

cluding veterans, have experienced homelessness, representing a 9 percent 

increase since 2010, the year President Obama launched Opening Doors, the 

nation’s first-ever comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness, 

the U.S. Department of Hous-ing and Urban Development (HUD) announ-

ced Thursday. Puerto Rico is experiencing a fiscal crisis that has aff ected 

the economy as a whole, leading to home foreclosures and layoffs..."

TOURISM LOOKS TO POSITIVE WINTER SEASON

From News Is My Business:

"What with new airline connections, more cruise ships docking into port 

and demand for hotel rooms, things are looking up for Puerto Rico’s tour-

ism industry as the winter season goes into high gear next month. “The in-

dustry is forecasting a good season,” said Ingrid Rivera-Rocafort, executi-

ve director of the Tourism Co. and Puerto Rico’s premier marketer. Alrea-

dy for some hotels, she said, “there are sold out periods like Christmas...”

CREDITORS MAY SUPPORT DEBT OVERHAUL

From The New York Times:

"Some of Puerto Rico’s most influential creditors are for the first time sig-

naling support for the broad outline of a government proposal to overhaul 

the island’s crushing debts. The San Juan government, squeezed by $72 bi-

llion in debt and a stagnant local economy, has been weighing whether to

keep paying bondholders or  defaulting, a move that could trigger dozens 

of lawsuits by creditors  and drag out Puerto Rico’s fiscal problems for ye-

ars. A $354 million  payment is due on Dec. 1. Seeking to avoid protracted 

legal skirmishes, Puerto Rico officials have been trying to engage various 

creditors in  deals that would avert default. In meetings with advisers to cre-

ditor groups on Friday, the government’s chief adviser,  Jim Millstein, pre-

sented a proposal to exchange the island’s existing bonds for new debt that 

would be less burdensome to Puerto Rico..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 14, 2015

CARRAIZO RATIONING CUT TO ONE DAY

Alberto Lázaro, President of AAA, Puerto Rico's water utility , announced
that users served by the Carraízo water reservoir in Trujillo Alto will go back
to Phase I water rationing starting tomorrow. This means that water service
will only be interrupted for 24hours at a time, rather than the current 48 hours.
Carraízo serves Trujillo Alto, Carolina and parts of San Juan, Gurabo and Ca-
nóvanas. Lázaro stated that rains produced by the remnants of Tropical Storm
Grace raised the reservoir's level by half a meter.

PROPERTY TAXES COULD GO UP

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Mayors Association President Rolando Ortiz Velázquez said Thursday that if
funds are taken away from municipalities as part of the fiscal adjustment plan,
residents will pay for it through increases in property taxes. The five-year fis-
cal adjustment plan proposes the repeal of subsidies to the University of Puer-
to Rico, to municipalities and to non-profit groups. Ortiz, who is the mayor of
Cayey, said they are waiting for legislation that implements the fiscal adjust-
ment plan but anticipated a fight against the measures that could trigger the
dismissal of municipal employees and curtail direct services to citizens.

POLL: PUERTO RICANS FEELING PESSIMISTIC

From Caribbean Business:

According to a poll conducted by consulting company Gallup, 6% of Puerto
Rico residents believe economic conditions on the island are getting better.
This figure ranks the island far below “the least optimistic state,” West Vir-
ginia, where 24% say economic conditions are getting better. Puerto Rico
also fares poorly compared with countries in Latin America and the Caribbe-
an, where it ranks last in economic optimism, along with Venezuela, Gallup
found. Poll results reveal Gov. Alejandro García Padilla’s approval on the is-
land to be low as well. “Fewer than one in five Puerto Ricans (19%) say they
approve of the way García Padilla is handling his job,” Gallup said in a relea-
se on its findings.

PIRATES, MARLINS MAY PLAY IN PR IN 2016

From Sporting News:

Major League Baseball is headed back to Puerto Rico next season. The Pira-
tes and Marlins will play "all or part" of a scheduled four-game series on the
island in 2016, the Los Angeles Times reports. The teams are scheduled to
play in Miami from May 30-June 2, according to schedules released last week.
The games would be moved to San Juan to celebrate Pirates legend Roberto
Clemente, the island's favorite son.

CRUISE SHIP WORKER ARRESTED FOR RAPE

From Yahoo! News:

A Carnival cruise ship worker was detained Saturday in Puerto Rico on accu-
sations he raped a woman onboard, according to authorities. Police said the
alleged rape occurred in one of the cabins of the Carnival Liberty ship that is
docked in San Juan. The unidentified man has not been charged.

Puerto Rico News Digest For August 14, 2015

PIERLUISI SEEKS PR DROUGHT RELIEF

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi on Wednesday wrote
a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter formally requesting that
the Department of Defense (DOD) review all authorities in federal law and
all available federal resources that may facilitate helping the Puerto Rico
Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) restore water service in munici-
palities aff ected by the drought. “The drought has had many adverse conse-
quences.… Households and businesses in the greater San Juan metropolitan
area must live without running water for three days for every day their taps
are turned on,” Pierluisi stated in his letter to Carter...The letter also menti-
ons multiple ideas that have been brought forward in recent days about the
kinds of assistance that the DOD might be able to provide. This includes
deploying Navy ships to Puerto Rico that have desalinization capabilities,
and activating the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to drill new water wells
or provide a supply of emergency drinking water that would supplement
PRASA resources.

GOVERNOR SIGNS PRO-TRANSGENDER LAWS

From HRC:

Governor Alejandro García Padilla signed two pro-LGBT executive orders
in Puerto Rico on Monday.The first would prohibit discrimination in hospi-
tals based on gender identity. The other would allow transgender people to
change their gender on their Puerto Rican driver’s license. “My administra-
tion is committed to the eradication of all forms of discrimination,” the go-
vernor said is a statement. “The lack of this type of regulation in these areas
limits the full development of citizens belonging to transsexual and transgen-
der communities, lacerating their dignity, their access to health and quality
of life. This type of discrimination directly affects aspects of everyday life
such as employment, family and safety; and that is no longer acceptable in
Puerto Rico."

COTTO VS CANELO SET FOR VEGAS

From LA Times:

Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto and Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez announ-
ced Thursday they will fight Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Ca-
sino in Las Vegas, renewing a rivalry expected to be a slugfest. “I feel very
happy that Cotto and I will write our own story and continue the legacy of
great fights between Mexicans and Puerto Ricans,” Alvarez (45-1-1, 32
knockouts) told The Times in Spanish during a telephone interview with
his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, translating. “I’m embracing this rivalry.”
HBO will televise the bout on pay-per-view, and the catch-weight limit
will be 155 pounds, five less than the middleweight limit.

MORE THAN 100 OFFICIALS LOBBY FOR PR

From News Is My Business:

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on Thursday sent a letter, in
conjunction with more than 100 elected officials from across the nation,
demanding immediate action from Congress to enact legislation that will
allow Puerto Rico to enter bankruptcy. “The interests of the Puerto Rican
community, whether they are in Puerto Rico, New York, New Jersey, Ca-
lifornia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida or anywhere else are Ame-
rican interests,” the letter stated...In the letter, the officials asked Con-
gressmen Orrin Hatch, Charles Grassley and Bob Goodlatte — the law-
makers responsible for reviewing a pair of companion bills known as the
Puerto Rico Chapter 9 Uniformity Act of 2015 that seek to extend bank-
ruptcy protection to the island’s public instrumentalities — to “act imme-
diately and enact legislation.”

Puerto Rico News Digest For June 12, 2015

LAWMAKERS HALT VIDEO LOTTERY BILL

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Two of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who broke rank
with their party to oppose the governor’s original tax reform proposal --
Carlos Vargas and Ángel Matos -- said Wednesday that Treasury Secretary
Juan Zaragoza does not have the legal wherewithal to authorize and imple-
ment the video lottery gaming system. Zaragoza plans to put the system in
place by the first week of July with the goal of generating some $100 million
in revenues. Based on these premises, the lawmakers have filed House Con-
current Resolution 58 in which they “strongly” reject the executive branch’s
claim that the Treasury secretary has the legal power to establish the video
lottery game through regulations.

GOVERNOR AND MCCONNELL DISCUSS BANKRUPTCY

From Caribbean Business:

Gov. Alejandro García Padilla met with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc
Connell, R-Ky., and fellow Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., to discuss approval
of HR 870, the measure submitted to the U.S. Congress that seeks to include
the Puerto Rican government under Chapter 9 provisions of the federal bank-
ruptcy code. In addition, the governor promoted the bill to Senate Judiciary
Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-IA.

NEW COMPANY SEEKS TO MARKET LOCAL FOOD

From News Is My Business:

Viandharina, a new agro-industrial company based in Salinas, has opened for
business in the south following a $1.6 million investment in a plant that
seeks to substitute imports of several Puerto Rican food staples, including
sweet and green plantain and breadfruit “tostones.” During a news conference
at the plant located at the former Aguirre sugar plantation, company Presi-
dent René Soto-Torres said the goal is to “cut by 5 percent the importation
of manufactured agricultural products, which mostly come from Central and
South America.” He said close to 2.5 million pounds of frozen “tostones” are
imported monthly, and another $400 million in manufactured agricultural pro-
ducts are imported annually.

NBA STAR BRINGS NEW PRO SOCCER TEAM TO PR

From News West 9:

NBA star Carmelo Anthony announced Thursday that he is bringing a profe-
ssional soccer team to Puerto Rico for the first time in three years. The new
club, called Puerto Rico FC, will begin playing in the Division II North Am-
erican Soccer League in fall 2016. "It is an honor for me to bring back soccer
to Puerto Rico, my beloved island, birthplace of my father," Anthony, who
plays for the New York Knicks, said at a news conference in the U.S. territo-
ry. "To the thousands of fans in Puerto Rico that have been waiting for soccer
to come back, I can promise a world-class organization in a world-class league."

SEA TURTLE NESTS AT PEAK NUMBERS

From Fox News Latino:

The number of leatherback sea turtle nests spotted this year on San Juan's
beaches is the highest on record, thanks to monitoring and conservation e-
fforts by hundreds of residents and volunteers along the shores of Puerto
Rico's capital. So far, 22 leatherback nests have been located, compared to
the record 18 found last year, Deborah Feliciano, a leader of the 7 Quillas
community group, told Efe, citing Department of Natural and Environmen-
tal Resources, or DRNA, figures.

Puerto Rico News Digest For June 10, 2015

2-DAY WATER RATIONING STARTS TODAY

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Starting Wednesday, some 160,000 citizens who receive water from Lake
Carraízo will enter into the second phase of the water rationing plan, which
is two consecutive days without potable water followed by one day with it,
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Director Alberto Lá-
zaro announced. “This decision to extend to a second phase arises from the
dramatic reductions [in water levels] at Carraízo reservoir, due to the severe
drought many municipalities are facing, especially those whose rivers feed
the reservoir,” Lázaro said, adding that the level of the reservoir is at 36.34
meters, which means that during the weekend the water level went down by
more than .17 centimeters.

MAN SHOT DURING FACEBOOK MEETING

A Carolina man was shot last night at the Jardines de Montellano public hou-
sing project in Cayey as he was meeting in person a woman he had found on
Facebook. Shortly after arriving at the projects number 69 building, two males
approached the man and asked him what he was doing there, immediately after
which they opened fire. The victim was transported to Centro Médico in Río
Piedras with gun shot wounds to the chest. He is in stable condition, as repor-
ted today by El Nuevo Día.

NEW STORES DEBUT AT MALL OF SAN JUAN

From Caribbean Business:

The retail establishments offer a variety of products and services. BCBG
Max Azria offers women’s ready-to-wear and accessory collections; Evo-
cent has handcrafted jewelry and accessories; Lush Fresh Handmade Cos-
metics, a first on the island, sells hair and beauty products; Swiss-watch
manufacturer OMEGA ’s first local store; Perfume Plus; the first Brow Art
23 store on the market; watches and jewelry from Invicta’s only store in
Puerto Rico; and apparel and accessory store Zara’s second local store.

COTTO WANTS CANELO ALVAREZ FOR NEXT FIGHT

From International Business Times:

After Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico pulverized Daniel Geale of Australia in
just four rounds Saturday, Cotto wasted no time in calling out Mexico's Ca-
nelo Alvarez for his next fight. "Let's do it," Cotto told HBO commentator
Max Kellerman after the match with Geale. "Before that, I want to spend
some time with my family and enjoy them again, but then it's back to L.A.
and training for Canelo [Alvarez]." Cotto and Alvarez did not want to “do it”
earlier this year when negotiations for the fight broke down at the last minute.
Instead, the Puerto Rican faced an overmatched Australian -- just another
tune-up fight before the potential big money fight against Alvarez.

Do Puerto Rican ballplayers belong in a stateside or potential international MLB draft?

ESPN

Asking Puerto Ricans for their thoughts on how their young players are drafted by
Major League Baseball as part of the June first-year player draft is a little like po-
lling them about their political status with the United States: It’s complicated.

When considering their place somewhere between the spectrum of U.S. statehood
or independence, Puerto Ricans have generally voted for the status quo (a U.S.
commonwealth). But that could have been because those referendums, the biggest
ones held in 1998 and again most recently in 2012 (empty ballots notwithstanding),
were non-binding -- meaning that in political status, as with their place in Major
League Baseball, Puerto Ricans really have no right to self-determination. The
United States and Major League Baseball hold the cards.

Yes, it is complicated indeed...[CONTINUE READING]

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 13, 2015

LA PLATA RESERVOIR NEXT FOR RATIONING

Besides the recent imposition of rationing for water customers served by
the Carraízo reservoir, customers served by Lake La Plata may also be
seeing rationing within two weeks, as reported this morning by El Nuevo
Dia. 70,000 water customers will likelybe affected by a rationing plan
starting in June, due to low lake levels. La Plata sat yesterday at 44.26
 meters, seven meters below its optimal level, and 75-80 gallons leave
the reservoir daily. La Plata sits between the towns of Naranjito, Toa Alta
and Bayamón. Water rationing in the San Juan area begins today for Zone
A, while Zone B will see its first rationing day on Thursday.

MEDICAL POT PRODUCER COMES TO PR

From Caribbean Business:

Growblox Sciences Inc., a biopharmaceutical research and development
company with technologies in plant biology and cultivation designed to
produce medicinal cannabis, announced Wednesday it has established
Growblox Sciences Puerto Rico LLC (GBS PR), a majority-owned
subsidiary domiciled in Puerto Rico. "As widely reported, Puerto Rico
Gov. Alejandro García Padilla recently signed an executive order autho-
rizing the production of medical cannabis. We are very excited by the
timing of this announcement as it coincides with our continuing pre-
sence in Puerto Rico and our commitment to realizing significant fun-
damental growth this fiscal year," Growblox CEO & Chairman Craig
Ellins said.

GARCIA PADILLA PUSHES FOR 13.25% VAT

From News Is My Business:

Saying it “is the best option” to solve the government’s fiscal problems,
Gov. Alejandro García-Padilla re-introduced Tuesday a proposal to es-
tablish a value added tax system he said would generate more than $2.5
billion in net revenue for the cash-strapped administration. In a meeting
with members of the Puerto Rican media, García-Padilla appealed to
lawmakers and the general population to support the proposal, which he
said is the best option over the alternatives of increasing the sales and use
tax or going back to applying an excise tax on goods and services at the
points of entry.

GOV'T COULD BE BROKE BY SEPTEMBER

From The San Juan Daily Star:

An analysis conducted by the fi rm Conway MacKenzie Inc. on the
Puerto Rico’s budget concluded that the government may run out of
cash in September unless it obtains fi nancing and starts fiscal year
2016 with a deficit of $2.4 billion. The commonwealth is evaluating
the impact of certain short-term administrative measures to deal with
the projected liquidity shortfall. Conway’s analysis indicates, however,
that in the absence of new tax and revenue anticipation notes (TRANs)
or other cash flow financing for fiscal year 2016, the implementation
of such measures would not be sufficient, by themselves, to avoid full
cash depletion in the Treasury’s Concentration Account by September
2015.

SPANISH FIRMS EXPLORE PUERTO RICO

From Fox News Latino:

Five Spanish companies from widely differing sectors including
culinary training and organic solvent recovery presently are loo-
king for investment opportunities in Puerto Rico. "We've decided.
We want to open a Mediterranean gastronomy school here for foreign
students who want to get their training in Spanish and learn about
this subject," Angel Eduardo, the head of international development
for the Centro de Superior de Hosteleria Mediterranea. His company
decided to open a higher education institute in Puerto Rico in 2016
and now he is seeking a site for the school in the area of Santurce,
the nerve center of San Juan, which this businessman already knows
well, given that he lived in the island's capital for a number of
years.

SOCCER: BERMUDA FACES PR IN FRIENDLY

From Stabroek News:

Bermuda and Puerto Rico will gear up for their respective 2018 World
Cup second-round qualifiers by meeting in a friendly international
at the National Sports Centre here next month, officials have announ-
ced. Bermuda reached the second round by eliminating Bahamas 8-0 on
aggregate and will now face Guatemala, while Puerto Rico, who had a
first-round bye, take on Grenada.