Puerto Rico News Digest For July 17, 2017

WEEKEND BLOODBATH

12 DEAD BETWEEN FRIDAY AND SUNDAY ACROSS PUERTO RICO

Twelve people across Puerto Rico died in suspected homicides between Friday morning and Sunday morning, according to police. Three separate murders were registered in Río Piedras, Humacao and the Hato Rey area of San Juan on Friday. The Humacao victim has been identified as 27-year-old Luis O. Fontanez  López. On Saturday, one murder each took place in Toa Alta and in the Puerto Nuevo section of San Juan. In the Toa Alta case, three masked men in a white car gunned down Ángel Joel Vázquez Hernández age 34, killing him. The victim's 13-year-old daughter was also injured in the brazen attack. Later that day, a decomposing body was found in a field in Caguas, near Road 175.

On Sunday, two young men were executed just past midnight near the Liborio Ortiz housing project in Aibonito, while another man was shot to death less than two hours later at a basketball court in the Piñones sector of  the town of Loíza. The victim was identified as César Orlando González Correa, age 32. He had just left a niece's birthday party at the court; several individuals followed him out to the facility's parking lot and shot him with various firearms, including an assault rifle, over 70 times. Another murder took place at 3:28 that same morning in Ponce, where the bullet-riddled body of  Walter Sánchez de Jesús was found inside a car.

Daylight provided no respite from the parade of horrors, as a woman's body was found in a field close to 10:00 AM on the grounds of Maria Auxiliadora Church in Santurce's gritty Cantera neighborhood. The victim's body showed signs of head trauma, and a bloodied cinderblock was found nearby. Scarcely half an hour after this gruesome discovery, a bullet-riddled body was found inside a white Acura SUV in the Jardines de Country Club neighborhood of Carolina. The victim was identified as Eduardo Luis Mercedes Carrión, a 27-year-old man from San Juan. The murder tally for the year now totals 361, one more than at this time last year.

ECONOMIC CRISIS HITS MAYAGÜEZ ZOO

From Caribbean Business:

"The economic crisis afflicting Puerto Rico for the last decade has also taken a toll on the island’s only zoo, with critics saying it is sorely understaffed and struggling to care for its animals on a limited budget..."

EPA PROPOSES CLEANUP FOR UTUADO SUPERFUND SITE

From News Is My Business:

"The U.S. Environmental Protection is proposing a cleanup plan to address sources of chemical contamination at the Papelera Puertorriqueña Inc. Superfund site, a paper and plastic goods manufacturer in Utuado, the agency confirmed..."

BOARD APPROVES LIQUIDATION OF GDB

From Reuters:

"Puerto Rico's financial oversight board late on Friday approved a plan to wind down the island's Government Development Bank (GDB), bringing the defunct fiscal agent a step closer to settling more than $5 billion in debt..."

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..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 6, 2016

HIGH WINDS KILL MAN IN GUAYANILLA

From Caribbean Business:

"Authorities say heavy winds associated with a tropical wave moving through the
Caribbean region have killed a man in the island’s southwest region. Police said
Monday that winds ripped off a tree branch that hit 31-year-old Alvin Torres as
he cleaned a property in the coastal town of Guayanilla. Forecasters said the tro-
pical wave south of Puerto Rico was generating winds of up to 40 miles per hour
(mph)...The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Monday that shower and thu-
nderstorm activity associated with the wave had been decreasing. However, “stro-
ng winds, possibly to tropical storm force, could still be occurring in association
with this system” over Puerto Rico and Hispaniola Monday and Tuesday..."

NATL GUARD LANGUAGE CENTER OPEN THROUGH 2017

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced last week that the effort he
has led since 2014 to prevent the closure of the English Language Center opera-
ted by the Puerto Rico National Guard (PRNG) at Ft. Allen in Juana Díaz "appe-
ars to be on a successful path.” The English Language Center was scheduled to
be closed starting in fiscal year (FY) 2016, which ended June 30, but Pierluisi’s
efforts resulted in the Language Center continuing to operate..."

PR DEMANDS EPA CLEAN UP TOXIC LANDFILLS

From Washington Examiner:

"Puerto Ricans, disgusted with the Environmental Protection Agency's "willful
dereliction" of its oversight of the island's toxic landfills, are demanding that the
head of the agency close them, saying they have lost faith in an EPA deputy in
charge of the territory. The citizens' advocacy group Puerto Rico Limpio, which
means Puerto Rico Clean, is clamoring in a letter for EPA Administrator Gina Mc
Carthy to enforce federal laws by closing the "toxic landfills." Their Sept. 1 letter
spells out a "shocking pattern of willful dereliction of federal responsibility" by E-
PA Regional 2 Administrator Judith Enck, who in newly released documents was
dismissive of the group's concerns, saying the agency took care of the problem
over the last decade..."

PR BANKRUPTICES UP 8.14% IN AUGUST

From News Is My Business:

"The number of bankruptcy cases filed in Puerto Rico was up 8.14 percent year-
over-year in August, when 929 cases were filed. So far this year, 7,038 petitions
have been filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, representing a 4.25 percent jump
when compared to the same period last year, information provided by research
firm Boletín de Puerto Rico showed..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For July 8, 2016

ICE SEIZES COUNTERFEIT GOODS IN OSJ

From ICE:

"Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE)
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized $6.5 million in counterfeit
merchandise Wednesday in Old San Juan with assistance from U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service...During
the operation, HSI special agents and partner law enforcement officers target-
ed 14 retailers of counterfeit goods infringing on the trademarks of Gucci, Mi-
chael Kors, Prada, Channel, Ray Ban, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Oakley, Nike,
Ray Ban and the National Basketball Association. They also executed five sear-
ch warrants. The total manufacturer's suggested retail value (MSRP) of the sei-
zed goods is approximately $6.5 million. First time offenders of violating intell-
ectual property laws were served with a notification of a violation of law. In the
case of reoffenders, HSI will present their cases for prosecution..."

SCIENTISTS OPPOSE LA PARGUERA BILL

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Opposition to Senate Bill 1621, which would permit the permanence of summer 

houses illegally constructed on public land on the La Parguera shorefront in Lajas, 

is growing as more than 50 experts in oceanography, ecology, geology, planning 

and other disciplines related to natural and environmental science signed a letter 

directed to Gov. Alejandro García Padilla asking him to veto the bill that was pas-

sed by the Puerto Rico Legislature last week..."

MELBA ACOSTA RESIGNS AS GDB PRESIDENT

From Caribbean Business:

"On Thursday, La Fortaleza announced the resignation of Government Develop-

ment Bank (GDB) President & Chairwoman Melba Acosta, effective July 31. In 

her resignation letter dated July 6, she says it is time to refocus her professional 

career, after 12 years of public service, three of which took place under the Alej-

andro García Padilla administration...With Acosta’s exit, the GDB would have 

four of its seven director posts vacant. Although it didn’t publicly announce it,

La Fortaleza filled on May 17 two vacancies with the appointment of Rafael Vé-

lez Pérez and Carlos Bonilla Agosto..."

PRASA TO START SEEKING EXTERNAL FINANCING

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Executive Director Alberto Lázaro 

confirmed Thursday the agency is waiting for the governor to sign the law that 

will allow it to pursue external financing to begin talking to creditors next month. 

Once the PRASA Revitalization Act is signed, the public corporation will have 

the leverage it needs to approach potential creditors for some $900 million in new 

funding to cover infrastructure improvements, payments due to contractors and 

other expenses, Lázaro said, during the monthly luncheon sponsored by the Ass-

ociated General Contractors..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For June 13, 2016

CDC DIRECTOR VISITS PR OVER ZIKA

From US News & World Report:

"The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in Puerto
Rico to discuss the U.S. territory's response to an outbreak of the Zika virus. Tom
Frieden met with Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla behind closed doors Friday. It is
his second visit to the island in recent months. Puerto Rico is reporting 149 new
cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the past week. The island has more than
1,500 cases, including 182 in pregnant women. A total of 40 people have been
hospitalized..."

MST CALLS FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

From Caribbean Business:

"The Socialist Workers Movement (MST by its Spanish initials), the Work-
ing People’s Party Youth, the National Hostos Independence Movement and
other individuals on Monday were calling for civil disobedience against leg-
islation by the U.S. Congress that would establish  a financial oversight board
for Puerto Rico. “With this activity, we express our strong opposition to the fis-
cal control board that is cooking in the U.S. Congress,” the MST, which was
demonstrating across from the José V. Toledo Federal Building & U.S. Court-
house in Old San Juan, said in a statement..."

CAYEY PEAKS NOW NATURAL RESERVE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Gov. Alejandro García Padilla offi cially approved the demarcation of the
Planadas-Yeyesa natural reserve (known as las Tetas de Cayey) on Thursday,
thereby converting it into one of the largest protected areas in Puerto Rico with
great importance for the southern aquifer, animal species and cultural resources.
The natural reserve is so named after the names of its two large peaks -- Plana-
das and Yeyesa -- both of an approximate elevation of 2,559 feet (780 meters)
above sea level..."

WATER RATE HIKE COULD BE PUSHED BACK

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Executive Director Alberto Láza-
ro said Sunday the chances of an increase in water rates could be pushed back
with the approval of House Bill 2786, which seeks to address the public corpo-
ration’s funding needs for capital improvements. The so-called PRASA Revita-
lization Act is slated to be approved today, delaying the possibility of a rate hike
next month, as Lázaro had warned was a possibility earlier this year..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For April 29, 2016

PR GOVT MAY DEFAULT ON MAY 1ST

From Forbes:

"Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla
said “there will be a default on Monday,” adding, “I don’t think there is a
deal on the table that avoids a default.” Puerto Rico’s Government Develop-
ment Bank, the island’s primary fiscal agent, owes creditors $422 million on
Monday, a payment Garcia Padilla has said the bank cannot afford. The loo-
ming default is part of a broader economic crisis in the Caribbean haven pla-
gued by $70 billion in total debt, a shrinking population and a 45% poverty
rate..."

ZIKA OUTBREAK GROWS, PREGNANT WOMEN WORRY

From USA Today:

"Nowhere in the U.S. has been hit harder by the Zika outbreak than
Puerto Rico, where 570 people have been diagnosed with the virus,
including 48 pregnant women. The true number of Zika cases in Puerto
Rico, where the virus is spreading among local mosquitoes, could be
much greater. Only about one in five people with Zika develop symptoms,
so most of those with the virus are unaware they've been infected,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..."

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS BACK BOTTLE BILL

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"The Sierra Club and the Basura Cero Puerto Rico (Zero Garbage Puerto
Rico) project are backing a bill in the island House of Representatives to
establish a five cent deposit on glass, aluminum and plastic containers to
prevent them from reaching Puerto Rico’s landfills. The bill, authored by
Rep. Víctor Vasallo and sponsored by Rep. José Báez, is called the Recep-
tacle Recycling Promotion Law, better known as the “Bottle Bill” in English,
and is under consideration by the House in the current session..."

PUERTO RICO RETAIL SALES DOWN 3.71% 

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico retail sales started 2016 in a slump, reflecting a 3.71 percent
year-over-year drop in January, or $113.3 million less than what was gene-
rated during the same month in 2015, Puerto Rico Trade and Export repor-
ted Wednesday. Total retail sales January totaled $2.9 billion, while in 2015
this figure was a little more than $3 billion, agency Executive Director Fran-
cisco Chévere said..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For October 5, 2015

TRACES FOUND OF MISSING SHIP

From Fox News Latino:

Aircraft and ships searching off the Bahamas islands for a U.S. cargo ship
that lost contact during Hurricane Joaquin have found more debris and clues
but no definitive word yet on the fate of the vessel or the 33 people on board.
The owner of the 790-foot El Faro said a container that appears to have come
from the ship was found, while the Coast Guard said it had located a debris
field that included what appeared to be pieces of container. Searchers have
also spotted an oil sheen and found a life ring from the El Faro. Chief Petty
Officer Bobby Nash said it was too early to come to any conclusion. Two
Coast Guard cutters, the Northland and Resolute, were expected to continue
searching overnight Sunday as the aircraft returned to their bases.

POLICE SEIZE $5.4 MILLION DRUG SHIPMENT

From Caribbean Business:

"Authorities are searching for three suspects who allegedly attempted to
smuggle $5.4 million worth of drugs into Puerto Rico from the Dominican
Republic. Police said they arrested Teófilo Tineo González, a 36-year-old
Dominican man, after seizing about 518 pounds (235 kilograms) of cocai-
ne and heroin and a 22-foot (6.7-meter) boat on the coast west  of San Juan,
but three other suspects got away. Police Superintendent José Caldero said
authorities were hunting for three others they believe were aboard the boat
that left the Dominican Republic for Puerto Rico on Wednesday night..."

RESERVOIR LEVELS GO UP OVER THE WEEKEND

Rains over this past weekend have raised the water level at the Carraízo and
La Plata reservoirs, both of which serve the bulk of the San Juan metro area.
La Plata went up by 47 centimeters from Sunday morning to Monday morn-
ing, for a level of 40.50 meters. La Plata's users, however, are  still a ways
away from being taken off the current 24-hour water rationing plan they are
currently under. The reservoir would have to reach at least 43 meters for ra-
tioning to be discontinued. The Carraízo reservoir saw its water level rise over
the weekend to 38.47 meters, staving off for now a return to a rationing plan
for its 160,000 users. Its level rose by 26 centimeters from Sunday to Monday.

EPA FINALIZES PLAN FOR CONTAMINATED WELL

From The San Juan Daily Star:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a plan to use
natural processes along with the continued use of a system that the federal
agency had already installed to treat contaminated groundwater at the Coro-
zal Well Superfund Site in Corozal, officials announced Thursday. Previou-
sly, the EPA installed a system that uses carbon to address pollutants as an
initial step to address the risks posed by people drinking contaminated gro-
undwater. Data collected since EPA installed the system confirms that there
are no levels of concern at the well. The system will remain in place as a sa-
feguard.

Pierluisi Announces Major Step Forward for Caño Martín Peña Project

Sep 12, 2015 

Press Release

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers publishes draft feasibility report and envi-
ronmental impact statement

San Juan, Puerto Rico—Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced to-
day that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has published the draft feasibility
report and environmental impact statement for the Caño Martín Peña environ-
mental restoration project.  These documents, which are over 2,000 pages and
divided into three volumes, propose a plan for how the project will be imple-
mented.

The public now has 45 days in which to submit comments to ENLACE, the
non-federal sponsor for the project, regarding the proposed plan. The public
comment period ends on October 26, 2015.  Once all comments are conside-
red, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Jo-Ellen Darcy, will
be in a position to make a final decision on whether to approve the project and
adopt it a formal part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ civil works pro-
gram.

ENLACE will also host two public meetings on Wednesday, October 14th,
about the project.

“Today’s public notice of the draft feasibility report and environmental impact
statement represents a major step forward in the planning process for the Caño
Martín Peña project.  For the past several years, ENLACE and the Grupo de las
Ocho Comunidades Aledañas al Caño Martín Peña—known as the G-8 - have
worked closely with the Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resour-
ces and other stakeholders, to prepare an excellent and thorough plan. The plan
prioritizes the interests of the community and balances environmental considera-
tions,” said Pierluisi.

“I congratulate ENLACE and the G-8 on this progress, and I urge all those inte-
rested in the restoration of Caño Martín Peña to file their comments in support
of the project and the proposed plan by the deadline,” added the Resident Co-
mmissioner.

The published plan calls for the Corps of Engineers to dredge approximately
2.2 miles of the eastern half of the Caño to a width of 100 feet and a depth of
10 feet, with slight variations in channel width and depth at the several bridges
that cross the Caño.  The walls of the dredged Caño will be constructed with
concrete and steel.  The project, once constructed, will restore the natural tidal
connection between the San José Lagoon and the San Juan Bay, significantly
improving water quality and habitat in the Caño and the surrounding San Juan
Bay estuary.  Residents in the eight communities along the Caño would be able
to enjoy a healthy waterway, revitalized neighborhoods, and greater economic
opportunities.

“I continue to strongly support this project and will make every effort to secure
its incorporation into the President’s budget request to Congress as soon as the
planning process is completed and Assistant Secretary Darcy approves the pro-
ject,” said Pierluisi.

The Resident Commissioner has been working to build support for the Caño
Martín Peña project in Congress.  In June, Pierluisi led a congressional letter
signed by 15 Representatives and 5 Senators to Assistant Secretary Darcy and
Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick, the top civilian and military leaders of
the Corps of Engineers, urging them to expedite completion of the feasibility
review process for the Caño Martín Peña project.

Pierluisi has also personally met several times with Assistant Secretary Dar-
cy to discuss progress in the planning process for the project, and made visits
to ENLACE and the Caño, including a visit in February 2015 with Congress-
man Bill Shuster, the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over the Corps of Engineers.  Additiona-
lly, Pierluisi has secured language in the committee reports accompanying the
Fiscal Year 2016 appropriations bills for the Corps of Engineers and the EPA,
emphasizing the importance of the Caño Martín Peña project and urging the
two federal agencies to work together on solutions to fund the project.

The draft documents are available in both English and Spanish on the Army
Corps’ website at: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/DivisionsOffices/
Planning/EnvironmentalBranch/EnvironmentalDocuments.aspx#CMP

The documents are also available on ENLACE’s website at: http://dragadomar
tinpena.org/.

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 4, 2015

GANGS TURN AVENUE INTO WARZONE

65th Infantry Avenue Closed For Three Hours

As reported by El Nuevo Dia, Police had to close off a stretch of 65th

Infantry Avenue in Rio Piedras as gang members from  Monte Hatillo

public housing project and the Berwind apartment buildings across the

road traded gunfire on Wednesday night. No deaths or injuries have
been reported as a result of the gunfire. A local school had to be eva-

cuated yesterday due to threats of further violence in the area. Police

believe that the latest outburst of violence came about due to the recent

murder of Héctor Nussa Román, who was the stepbrother of the alleged

head of drug sales in Monte Hatillo. Shootings in the area are sporadic,

but have been happening for years.

CARRAIZO GOES TO TWO-DAY RATIONING

Puerto Rico's water utility, AAA, has announced that water levels at the
Carraízo reservoir -- which serves Trujillo Alto, Carolina and parts of San
Juan -- is now high enough that water rationing for areas served by Carraí-
zo is being cut back to two days without water and one day with water. The
change begins today, after several weeks of water users being restricted to
two days of running water a week. About 160,000 AAA customers would
be affected by the change. Recent rains have swollen Carraízo's level to 37.
14 meters. Users of the La Plata reservoir are still also under "phase two"
water restrictions, with water off for two days at a time.

PREPA DEAL CAPS RATE HIKE AT 8¢

From The San Juan Daily Star:

The hike that Puerto Rico consumers will see in their electricity bill, which
must be approved by the Energy Commission, is not going to be higher than
the eight cents estimated in a five-year business plan prepared by the Puerto
Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) following an agreement reached with
the Ad Hoc Group of bondholders. PREPA Chief Restructuring Officer Lisa
Donahue said the final rate structure will be determined by the outcome of
talks with the other PREPA creditors -- banks and the utility’s insurance com-
panies. Those talks are expected to be completed by Sept. 18, which is when
the forbearance agreement between PREPA and its creditors is expected to
expire. TheAd Hoc Group represents 35 percent of the debt.

ARECIBO INCINERATORS GETS FINAL PERMIT

From News Is My Business:

Energy Answers confirmed Wednesday that the Puerto Rico Environmental
Quality Board has granted the final permit to build a facility for the processing
of non-hazardous solid waste at the Cambalache Sector in Arecibo. The review
process of this permit began in 2012 under the administration of Gov. Luis For-
tuño and included two separate public hearings and extended periods of time for
comment in writing, ensuring broad public participation in the permitting pro-
cess. “The periods for written comments exceeded by far the established regu-
latory requirements and what is usual and customary for a facility handling so-
lid waste as proposed,” the company said.

USDA DESIGNATES 17 TOWNS DISATER AREAS

From Caribbean Business:

Although Puerto Rico has received much-needed rain in the past week, primari-
ly due to Tropical Storm Erika and a tropical wave, the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture has declared an additional 17 municipalities in Puerto Rico as natural di-
saster areas due to the ongoing drought conditions. These additional municipali-
ties are: Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Bayamón, Cataño, Ceiba, Coamo, Comerío,
Dorado, Guaynabo, Loíza, Naguabo, Naranjito, San Juan, Santa Isabel, Toa Al-
ta, Toa Baja  and Vega Alta.

Puerto Rico News Digest For August 17, 2015

WEEKEND RAINS RAISE RESERVOIR LEVELS

The rains that soaked much of Puerto Rico over this past weekend helped
raise the levels of several of the island's water reservoirs, including emba-
ttled Carraízo, which saw a rise of 31 centimeters. users of the Carraízo
reservoir, which serves much of the San Juan metro area, are still under
a water rationing plan which only gives them running water two days a
week, and which is expected to continue, according to the President of
AAA, Alberto Lázaro. The reservoir that made the biggest gains over the
weekend was Guajataca, which increased by 74 centimeters. However, La
Plata reservoir did not see any level rises during the period of rain. La Plata's
users are currently under a 48-hour water rationing plan, which may soon be
extended.

DOZENS TIE THE KNOT AT MASS GAY WEDDING

From Caribbean Business:

More than 60 same-sex couples are marrying Sunday in Old San Juan,
the first time an event of this nature takes place on the island after the
recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage, fo-
llowed by Gov. Alejandro García Padilla’s executive order to change
local laws accordingly. “It’s a historic day for Puerto Rico, since we
show diversity,” lawyer Ada Conde, a long-time civil rights advocate,
told Inter News Service. Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision
in Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage throughout the na-
tion, including Puerto Rico, where Article 68 of the Civil Code defined
marriage as the union “between a man and a woman.”

TREASURY COLLECTS $626.5M IN JULY

From News Is My Business:

The Puerto Rico Treasury Department announced Friday that General Fund
net revenues totaled $626.5 million in July 2015 — the first month of Fiscal
2016 — representing a $2.3 million increase when compared to July 2014.
Collections were $21.1 million above estimates, Treasury Secretary Juan Za-
ragoza said. Sales and Use Tax (SUT) collections totaled $154.3 million in
July 2015, a $40.6 million, or 35.7 percent, year-over-year increase and the
highest amount of revenues for any month since the inception of the SUT.

TURTLE EGG DESTRUCTION INVESTIGATED

From Fox News Latino:

Environmental agencies in Puerto Rico are investigating the destruction of 99
eggs of the endangered leatherback turtle that were found in a nest on a beach
in San Juan, activist Deborah Feliciano told EFE Friday. Feliciano, a member
of the government-sponsored 7 Quillas group that is charged with keeping wa-
tch on the beaches of Condado and Ocean Park, found that the eggs were rotten,
the nest was inundated with water, and there was a distinct smell of excrement
in the air. She said the group reported the situation to Puerto Rico's Natural Re-
sources Department, or DRNA, and to the Board of Environmental Quality.

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.

Map of Carraízo Water Rationing Zones

The map below can be found on AAA's website. The areas shaded in green
and blue fall under the water rationing plan which starts tomorrow. Zone A
is shaded in green, while Zone B is shaded in blue. Zone A will be the first
to have its water cut off for 24 hours every other day, starting Wednesday.

The map is interactive. You can move around or zoom in for more detail.

Puerto Rico News Digest For March 30, 2015

PR BANS SALE OF E-CIGS TO MINORS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Gov. Alejandro García Padilla on Thursday signed Senate Bill 924
into law, which prohibits the sale of electronic cigarettes, or “e-
cigarettes,” to individuals under the age of 18. “Today we take a
step forward for the welfare of our children,” the governor said in
a statement.” Given the increasing trend in the use of electronic
cigarettes in children, we are obligated to adopt legislation to pro-
tect children in our country from the clutches of nicotine and its
disastrous present and future consequences.” The governor was
accompanied by Health Secretary Ana Ríus, Sen. Cirilo Tirado
Rivera and Rep. Lydia Méndez, among other officials.

HOTEL SECTOR REPORTS STRONG GROWTH

From Caribbean Journal:

Puerto Rico’s tourism sector is showing strong growth in 2015,
according to new data from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. In
February, hotel occupancy grew by 4.8 percent compared to the
same period in 2014, rising to 86.1 percent. Average daily rates
also increased by 1.4 percent to an average of $189.59, while
revenue per available room rose to $163.24.

PREPA GETS $2 BILLION IN FINANCING

From Reuters:

Creditors of Puerto Rico's debt-laden power authority have
offered it $2 billion in new financing, including $1.2 billion
to fund a new natural gas operation, in exchange for assurances
that it would repay its debt, two people close to the matter
told Reuters on Saturday. While it remains to be seen if the
Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority will accept the proposal,
such a financing could stave off a messy default that would
reverberate around the U.S. municipal bond market, and allow
the utility to modernize its business, a key element in fixing
Puerto Rico's ailing economy. It would also go some way to re-
solving a major uncertainty for investors at a time when the
U.S. commonwealth is seeking to raise around $3 billion to
stabilize its finances.

NEW $13M MALL COMING TO BAYAMON

From News Is My Business:

The new $13 million renovation of the Bay Shopping City mall is
in its final stage, paving the way for the opening of the new
retail offering in Bayamón during the last quarter of 2015, mall
administrators announced. The reincarnation of what was known
as the Bayamón Shopping Center, one of the first shopping centers
to operate in Puerto Rico back in the 1950s, features an enclosed
design and European-inspired environment. The two-story, 252,000
square-foot mall is located on the corner of Routes 2 and 167.

Puerto Rico News Digest For February 19, 2015

THREE DEAD IN COROZAL SHOOTINGS

According to El Nuevo Dia, three individuals died last night as

a result of two separate shootings in the central rural town of 

Corozal. The town's mayor, Sergio Torres Torres, states that he

believed the shootings were related to a "quarrel among groups",

but no clear motive has emerged yet. Juan Eddie Rosado Burgos, 

age 28, was shot in front of a business in the Maria del Carmen

neighborhood at 9:11 PM, while a 24 year old man was wounded in

the same incident. Two hours later, another shooting broke out

in front of another business in the Enrique Landrón housing 

project. Jonathan Avilés Adorno, age 25, and Nuvia Vázquez 

Estrada, age 30, died as a result of that shooting, while two

others were injured. Police are investigating.

PR-CUBA FLIGHTS TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER

From Caribbean Business:

Puerto Rico Secretary of State David Bernier said a company involved 

in tourism is preparing to offer some 12 non-stop charter flights from the 

island to Cuba this summer. Bernier said Turismo Tony Pérez will provide 

charter flights to those who fit into the 12 categories established by the 

U.S., which include trips dedicated to culture, education and religion among 

others.

TOURIST DIES WHILE SURFING IN PR

From The Seattle Times:

A 28-year-old tourist from Washington state died while surfing 

along Puerto Rico’s west coast, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.

Travis Forney lived in North Bend and had flown to Puerto Rico on 

Feb. 15, according to his Facebook page. He worked as a construction 

manager for Huber Architects in Seattle, the company’s president, 

Kevin Huber, told The Associated Press.

HOUSE SPEAKER DEFENDS TAX REFORM

From The San Juan Daily Star:

House Speaker Jaime Perelló hit the airwaves Tuesday to defend the 

proposed Tax Reform and the implementation of a 16 percent value-

added tax (IVA by its Spanish acronym) “because the new tax system 

will bring much needed fi nancial relief to island’s salaried middle 

class.” In a radio interview, Perelló said that citizens’ various 

concerns, specifi cally private schools not being exempt from paying 

the IVA, will be considered during public hearings. Another concern 

is having to pay the IVA for a medical appointment, a cost that is

usually paid by health insurance providers, sometimes in total, while 

other times patients pay a low deductible.

FEDS ANNOUNCE GREEN ENERGY FUNDING

From News Is My Business:

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Tuesday that rural 

agricultural producers and small business owners across the mainland 

and Puerto Rico can now apply for resources to purchase and install 

renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements.

These efforts help farmers, ranchers and other small business owners 

save money on their energy bills, reduce the country’s dependence on 

foreign oil, support the clean energy economy, and cut carbon 

pollution. The 2014 Farm Bill makes the resources possible.

Puerto Rico News Digest For January 22, 2015

SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE CONVICTED BY FEDS

From the FBI:

A current Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge was convicted
yesterday by a federal jury in Puerto Rico of accepting bribes
to acquit a businessman of vehicular homicide charges.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice
Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia
Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico and Special
Agent in Charge Carlos Cases of the FBI’s San Juan Division
made the announcement.

Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernandez,
62, was convicted late yesterday following a one-week trial of
conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and receipt of
a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2015, before Chief U.S.
District Judge Aida Delgado-Colon of the District of Puerto
Rico.

According to evidence at trial, Acevedo-Hernandez presided over
a case involving Lutgardo Acevedo-Lopez, 39, a certified public
accountant in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. On June 30, 2012, a car
driven by Acevedo-Lopez collided with another car, resulting
in the death of the other car’s driver. Acevedo-Lopez was charged
with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the incident.
Acevedo-Hernandez, a supervisory superior court judge in the
Aguadilla judicial region of Puerto Rico, acquitted Acevedo-Lopez
of all charges.

DTOP GRANTS CONTRACT TO PDP DONOR

El Nuevo Dia has reported that the company that was recently
granted a contract for facilities to be used by the Department
of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) in Carolina,
Educon Management, is owned by a group that includes promi-
nent donor to the Popular Democratic Party Agustín Crespo
Rivera. Crespo Rivera's father Johnny has also been a  long-
time PDP donor. Governor Padilla's administration has denied
any conflict of interest, and has stated that the contract was
vetted by the courts and will save taxpayers money.

COP MASTURBATION PICS BEING INVESTIGATED

El Vocero reports that Police Superintendent José Luis
Caldero López has said that he will suspend an unidentified
female police officer that has allegedly appeared in pictures
seemingly masturbating with a police baton while wearing a
Police shirt. The pictures -- in which the woman's face
is digitally altered -- have made the rounds of social
media, and it has been said that the photos were taken
in a Carolina-area Police station.

ENDANGERED PUERTO RICAN PARROTS RELEASED

From  The Fresno Bee:

A group of scientists opened a cage at dawn on Wednesday and
reintroduced 15 endangered Puerto Rican parrots into the wild as
part of a conservation program. The birds flew away without
hesitation as they disappeared into a forest near Puerto Rico's
north coast, according to Natural Resources Secretary Carmen
Guerrero.

It was the ninth release at the Rio Abajo Nature Preserve since
2006. Another 204 parrots remain at the preserve, and an estimated
57 to 108 parrots are believed to live in the wild nearby, she
said.