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Friday, April 17, 2015

Puerto Rico News Digest For April 17, 2015


GIRL IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER SHOOTING

















As reported by El Vocero, a 5-year-old girl is in critical condition at Centro
Médico after having been injured along with her mother when  they were
shot as they drove down Road 188 in the San Isidro sector of Canóvanas
last night. Police are investigating whether the shooting was an ambush or
if the vehicle drove into a shooting between other parties. The child suffered
a bullet wound in the chest, while her mother is also in the hospital with
non-life-threatening injuries. The vehicle they were in was being driven by
a female friend, who was uninjured.


PREPA TAPS RESERVE FUND FOR PAYMENT


From Reuters:

Puerto Rico's troubled utility, PREPA, made another withdrawal from
its reserve account to make a quarterly bond payment on April 1,
according to a regulatory filing posted by the utility. While the  with-
drawal amounted to just $8.8 million, the filing posted on Wednesday
shows the utility is remaining current on it debt payments  ahead of a
much larger bond payment of around $400 million which comes due
on July 1 and that some analysts expect PREPA to miss.


PIERLUISI SEEKS SSI PARITY FOR PR



Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced on the floor of the  U.S. 
House of Representatives on Wednesday the filing of legislation to extend 
the Supplemental Security Income program (SSI) to Puerto Rico -- as well
as to the other territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin  Islands and American 
Samoa. “Of all the disparities that Puerto Rico  faces because it is a territory 
and not a state, few are as morally egregious and practically damaging as 
its exclusion from SSI,” Pierluisi said. “SSI provides monthly cash assis-
tance to blind, disabled or elderly individuals who have limited or no inco-
me. We are talking about the most vulnerable members of our society.” 
The resident commissioner said SSI applies in all 50 states and the District 
of Columbia. However, since the program’s inception in 1974, it has not 
been extended to Puerto Rico. 


USVI PESTICIDE ALSO FOUND IN PR



The toxic pesticide that poisoned a U.S. family on vacation in the Virgin 
Islands has also been improperly used in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency said Thursday after a federal investigation. Officials said 
documents suggest methyl bromide may have been improperly applied in 
various locations in Puerto Rico.  EPA regional administrator Judith Enck 
said the agency and Puerto Rico's Department of Agriculture are investigating 
where and when the pesticide was used and how much was applied.


PONCE SEES REVENUE SPIKE BEFORE JUSTAS



Ponce Mayor María Meléndez said municipal licenses and permits increa-
sed revenue for the municipality ahead of "Las Justas de la Liga Atlé
tica Interuniversitaria" intercollegiate sports competition (Las Justas), 
which kicked off Thursday. Meléndez said Ponce was ready to welcome the 
more than 180,000 people.




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