Puerto Rico News Digest For May 20, 2015

COP GOES ON SUICIDAL RAMPAGE

As reported this morning by El Nuevo Dia, a 26 year old police officer

shot two fellow officers inside a house in the Santa Rosa neighborhood

of Bayamon early this morning, and then shot himself to death. According 
to police, the as of yet unidentified officer had an argument with an ex-
girlfriend, who is also a police officer in a different location. After the 
argument, the female officer went to the house that she was sharing with 
other police  officers. The man followed her to the house, where their ar-
gument escalated. The officer then shot at his ex-girlfriend and another
police officer who was present, injuring but not killing them. The shooter 
then immediately put the gun to his own head and shot himself. The inju-
red officers were taken to Centro Médico for treatment.

UPDATE: Heriberto González Padilla, one of the officers who was shot,
died this morning in hospital. The deceased shooter has been identified
as police officer José David Carrión Gómez.

GOVERNMENT TO PRESENT BUDGET TODAY

From Caribbean Business:

The administration of Gov. Alejandro García Padilla will present 

its fiscal year 2016 budget plan Wednesday. It will total $9.8 

billion and will include about $600 million in government spending 

cuts, La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Víctor Suárez said Tuesday. He 

added that Puerto Rico will seek to access the markets for tax-

revenue anticipation notes (TRANs) at the beginning of fiscal 2016, 

or July 1, to provide the commonwealth with much-needed liquidity 

to address cash flow issues during the first few months of the fis-

cal year. Suárez warned about the need to approve both the new tax 

bill and the budget plan “to provide certainty to financial markets.”

Absent TRANs funds, the chief of staff said such measures as fur-

loughing public employees would be discussed, as “the budget and 

the cash flow are two different things.”

RIVERA SCHATZ SEEKS SUPPORT FOR RUN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Although it is not offi cial, former Senate President Thomas Rivera

Schatz is reaching out to New Progressive Party (NPP) mayors and 

already has a jingle in support of his candidacy for governor.Sources 

said Rivera Schatz, who is known as the “White Shark” for his nonon-

sense personality, already has the support of several powerful mayors 

including Guaynabo Mayor Héctor O’Neill, but that information could 

not be confirmed. The former Senate leader spent the weekend on a jeep 

caravan around parts of the island to promote his candidacy.

P&G PLANT LEAVES PR FOR N. CAROLINA

From ABC News:

Procter & Gamble Co. says it is closing a manufacturing plant in Puerto 

Rico and laying off some 230 employees. A company statement Friday 

says the plant in the southern town of Cayey will close in the next nine 

to 12 months. Officials said the company will move operations to a plant 

in North Carolina as part of an overall restructuring.

NEW OLIVE GARDEN OPENS JUNE 15TH

From News Is My Business:

A year after the arrival of Olive Garden in Puerto Rico, Restaurant 

Operators Inc. announced Monday the company will open its second 

restaurant on the island, in Guaynabo’s San Patricio Plaza sector, 

June 15th.

Puerto Rico News Digest For April 27, 2015

PR MAN MISSING AFTER NEPAL QUAKE

As reported today by El Nuevo Dia, Francis H. González, a scientist
from Puerto Rico, is currently missing in Nepal, days after it was shaken
by a strong earthquake which has left thousands dead and injured. A
friend of the young man last heard from González via email on April 16,
two days after he arrived in Nepal during a tour of Asia which began last
year. González may or may not have left the country before the quake.
The Department of State will be holding a conference call with the Ne-
palese embassy in Washington DC today to discuss efforts to find the
scientist.

PERELLO: GOV'T SHUTDOWN OUT OF QUESTION

From The San Juan Daily Star:

House Speaker Jaime Perelló said Thursday that he doesn’t know
the exact date when the government could shut down operations
due to the lack of liquidity at the Government Development Bank
(GDB) “because we are working so that a government shutdown isn’t
even an issue under consideration.” “We are not willing to shut down
the government,” Perelló said. “We are not willing to fire one single
public worker. And we are going to approve what we have to approve
so that our public workers get paid on the 15th and on the 30th of each
month and for government services to continue operating. That is why
we are working with such seriousness.” Perelló was reacting to a letter
sent by the GDB board of directors warning lawmakers of a possible
government shutdown within the next three months as the bank is rea-
ching levels of insolvency with a  little more than $500 million left in
its portfolio.

PR DOWNGRADED TO CCC+ BY S&P

From CNBC:

Standard & Poor's downgraded Puerto Rico's general obligation rating
to "CCC+" from "B." The ratings agency said the downgrade - issued late
Friday and announced again Monday morning - was based on its view that
"the commonwealth's market access prospects have further weakened and
Puerto Rico's ability to meet its financial commitments is increasingly tied
to the business, financial, and economic conditions on the island." It also
placed the general obligation rating on CreditWatch negative.

CULINARY FEST TO BE HELD MAY 16

From Caribbean Business:

Universidad del Este's José A. (Tony) Santana International School
of Hospitality and Culinary Arts will hold its first food festival,
Gastroarte 2015. The event, which promises to exhibit the best of
Caribbean flavors, will take place May 16 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. in
Carolina. It will feature music, restaurant exhibitions, artisans, coffee
growers and mixologists, as well as presentations by renowned Puerto
Rican chefs. Gastroarte is the first event to be held with the aim of de-
monstrating the school's academic excellence as the best in hospitality
and culinary arts in Puerto Rico.

OLIVE GARDEN TO HIRE 250 FOR SAN PATRICIO

From News Is My Business:

Looking to promote local economic development and job creation, Puerto
Rican company Restaurant Operators Inc., announced it is looking to fill
250 slots at its second Olive Garden restaurant expected to open this
summer in San Patricio Plaza in Guaynabo. The company is looking for
part-time waiters, service assistants, cooks, hosts and bartenders, among
other employees.

Puerto Rico News Digest For January 26, 2015

FIVE MURDERS OVER THE WEEKEND

El Nuevo Dia reports that five murders were reported in Puerto Rico
between Friday night and Sunday morning, increasing the murder rate
so far in 2015 to 37, 10 less than at this time last year. Two of the
victims were killed in a double homicide in Santurce on Sunday
morning,  while another man was shot to death in Ponce on Saturday
night. A man was killed in Humacao and another man was shot to
death in Loiza on Friday night.

ATTORNEY SUES FOR RIGHT TO US VOTE 

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Attorney Gregorio Igartúa is pressing on with a constitutional
rights lawsuit that seeks to obtain for Puerto Ricans the right
to vote in Congressional elections as he opposed a U.S. Justice
Department motion to dismiss the case, contending that settled
law, international treaties and voting rights require the courts
to deal with his request. Igartúa, who in the past fi led lawsuits
seeking the presidential vote, wants the courts to follow the law
and appoint a three-judge panel to decide the controversy as sti-
pulated in the law, noting that the courts have the obligation to
deal with the request because it involves fundamental rights,
instead of allowing the matter to be decided by the political
process as the U.S. government wants.

ARECIBO OBSERVATORY TO STUDY ASTEROID

From Fox News Latino:

Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory, home to one of the world's largest
radio telescopes, will try to obtain information on asteroid 2004 BL86
this week, the Caribbean Astronomical Society said. The asteroid is
expected to pass relatively close to the Earth on Monday.

Asteroid 2004 BL86, which has a diameter of nearly 700 meters (2,295
feet), will be about 1.2 million kilometers (745,647 miles) from the
Earth on Monday, with the best viewing time around noon (1620 GMT)
in Puerto Rico.

OLIVE GARDEN TO OPEN 3RD PR LOCATION

From News Is My Business:

Restaurants Operators Inc., owners of the Olive Garden franchise in
Puerto Rico, announced Wednesday the start of construction of its
third restaurant, representing a $3 million investment in the
northern town of Barceloneta.

The eatery will have more than 8,000 square-feet of space — enough
for 250 guests — and will generate more than 300 direct and indirect
jobs during its development, construction and operational phases.

PR SCORES WINS AT WORLD SERIES OF BOXING

From World Boxing News:

Although the pedigree of Puerto Rican boxing is highly distinguished,
few boxing insiders were tipping the Puerto Rico Hurricanes much
success  in their debut World Series of Boxing season, but the new
Franchise remain undefeated after an away win against Argentina
Condors.

Their 3-2 victory in Buenos Aires comes after another win of the same
scoreline against Rafako Hussars Poland, while Argentina Condors are
still yet to taste victory in Group B.

Flyweight (52 kg) Jeyvier Cintrón Ocasio is one of Puerto Rico's most
promising boxing talents, and he won his WSB debut on all three score-
cards against Argentina's Cristian Alan Choque Chambi. The Hurricanes
roared in match number two, where Lightweight (60 kg)  Jose Rosario
won an even wider points victory over Brian Ivan Nunez.