Puerto Rico News Digest For July 15, 2017

WHO'S THE REAL ANIMAL?

Crazed dog-killer murders pooch in middle of road

File photo

Toa Alta resident David Mercedes, age 20, sits in jail after chasing a neighbor's pitbull which had entered his property out onto the street and brutally killing the dog. The pooch succumbed to injuries caused by a heavy wooden object which the disturbed perpetrator used to beat it over the head several times. Responding Toa Alta police were shocked at the scene when they arrived to investigate. The violent dog-hater remains at the Bayamón jail after having failed to pay a $10,000 bond.

AIBONITO, NOT SO BONITO...MAN SHOT TO DEATH 

Joseph Rosario Rivera, age 29, fell victim to a drive-by shooting near the entrance to the Las Flores neighborhood of Aibonito, on Road PR-722, on Thursday night. At about 10:35 that night, mulitple individuals with firearms shot at Rivera from inside the car, striking him several times. A good samaritan drove the victim to a local hospital, where he died. The bloody incident has been tallied as the 352nd murder in Puerto Rico for 2017, seven less than at this time last year.

PIP LAWMAKERS: STOP DUMPING TOXIC COAL ASH!

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Legislators Juan Dalmau Ramírez and Denis Márquez Lebrón of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) announced  Thursday the introduction of steps in the island Senate and House to stop the dumping of toxic coal ash and remedy the ineffectiveness of Law 40 of 2017..."

SENATE PRESIDENT TO FOCUS ON MUNICIPALITIES

From Caribbean Business:

"Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz has defined the course of the upcoming legislative session by pointing out that his priority, as of August, will be to address the fiscal and structural challenges of Puerto Rico’s  78 municipalities..."

RICH PEOPLE RUSH IN TO PICK PUERTO RICO'S BONES

From Bloomberg:

"Distressed-mortgage investors are descending on troubled Puerto Rico. There are big names among them: Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Perella Weinberg Partners and TPG Capital. What’s luring them is the opportunity to scoop up home loans and foreclosed properties for pennies on the dollar..."