This work, 1st Mission Support Command Honors Veterans in Caguas, by SGT Jofenell RuizFebus, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Our Response to COVID-19 → Advances in ambulatory care services have revolutionized healthcare delivery by expanding access to high-quality care in outpatient settings and minimally invasive surgical techniques enable patients to receive adequate treatment without prolonged hospital stays Caguas ASC has emerged as a leader in ambulatory healthcare offering cutting-edge healthcare solutions for day surgeries across multiple specialities Recently awarded Gold Membership of the Medical Tourism Association Caguas ASC shares insights into its unique offerings and the future of ambulatory care in the global medical tourism space Caguas Ambulatory Surgical Center (Caguas ASC) began operations in May 2019 setting a new standard in surgical care with its state-of-the-art facilities Caguas ASC offers advanced medical technology and a team of highly skilled medical The center provides a wide range of specialties Caguas ASC is particularly proud to be home to Puerto Rico's first ambulatory Total Joint Replacement program a groundbreaking initiative that has revolutionized the field and successfully completed over 1,500 procedures The center is dedicated to delivering high-quality efficient care tailored to meet the needs of each patient By offering timely service and the latest in surgical and medical procedures We receive up to 10 international patients yearly in our facility Most of our international patients come from Caribbean islands as well as the west coast of the United States With the implementation of our medical tourism program Michael Anderson was one of our international patients visiting us from Canada he had the experience of participating in our Total Joint Replacement Program while working on a contract in Puerto Rico I was dealing with significant pain from old sports injuries Canadian doctors had informed me that my shoulder would need surgical repair and my hip required a total replacement due to years of long-distance running Although I was referred to specialists and placed on a waitlist in Canada the timeline for treatment was uncertain.” I decided to explore surgical options in Puerto Rico I was quickly referred to the Caguas Ambulatory Surgical Center From the moment I consulted with their specialists The team explained every detail of the procedures thoroughly ensuring I was comfortable with the process I was scheduled for surgery within days of my consultations.” my shoulder surgery was successfully performed followed by my hip replacement in July 2021 Every staff member I interacted with made me feel valued and prioritized They went above and beyond to ensure that both my wife and I were informed and at ease “The center’s state-of-the-art facilities and compassionate care made the entire experience seamless Recovery was swift; I was up and moving the day after each procedure when I was finally contacted for surgery in Canada thanks to the outstanding care I received in Puerto Rico Choosing to have my surgeries at Caguas Ambulatory Surgical Center was not only life-changing but also worth every penny.” the industry continues to evolve for the better and personalized care has driven significant improvements in practices across the medical travel sector These factors have enabled healthcare providers worldwide to deliver high-quality The outlook for our community is both bright and exciting as we remain committed to consistently prioritizing the needs and expectations of international patients as our primary focus stands out as a premier destination for medical tourism by offering U.S.-quality standards and highly trained We provide cost-effective solutions for high-cost procedures all within healthcare facilities regulated by the U.S Puerto Rico offers the convenience of bilingual staff and requires no passport for U.S ensuring seamless patient care and accessibility What sets Caguas Ambulatory Surgical Center apart is the personalized journey we provide for each of our patients From the moment you walk through our doors we are committed to delivering a tailored experience that prioritizes your comfort Our dedication to transparency and adherence to the highest standards of quality ensure that every aspect of your treatment is clear combined with our compassionate approach and attention to detail make us a standout choice among healthcare facilities in the region Our medical tourism program goes beyond clinical services—ranging from evaluation consultations We also offer comprehensive support to ensure a seamless experience and food coordination based on patient preferences and needs we can arrange private nursing services and post-operative physical therapy to further support your recovery journey Our clinical services include ambulatory surgeries across a variety of specialties We place special emphasis on the following procedures: With a focus on delivering high-quality care we ensure patients receive exceptional treatment tailored to their needs Better by MTA is revolutionizing the medical travel industry by promoting transparency and security and addressing the challenges previously faced in the medical travel experience The platform integrates all key sectors of the industry—hospitality and facilitators—fostering trust in its accredited participants and selected facilities This innovative approach drives growth and enhances global recognition of the medical travel industry known as the “voice” of the medical tourism industry provides members and key industry experts with the opportunity to share important developments topics and trends that make the medical tourism industry the booming market it is today Your browser doesn't support speech synthesis value-add real estate investment company based in Los Angeles has signed Ross Dress for Less (Ross) to a 26,000-square-foot lease to open a new retail outlet at the Plaza Centro shopping mall in Caguas Located on the southern outskirts of the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan Plaza Centro features more than 283,000 square feet of retail and is now more than 96% leased The addition of Ross further complements the mall’s diverse shopping experience which is already anchored by Burlington and neighboring tenants including JC Penney JLL Puerto Rico represented the BH Properties in the transaction With plans to open its doors to patrons in 2025 Ross will offer shoppers its well known selection of high-quality department and specialty store brands at bargain prices The addition of Ross is part of BH Properties' continued revitalization of Plaza Centro by bringing in a diverse mix of top-quality retailers that match the needs and wants of the Caguas community "Ross is a fantastic addition to Plaza Centro continuing our successful strategy of delivering a mix of international brands and local retailers that resonates with the greater San Juan community," said Jim Brooks President of Los Angeles based BH Properties "Ross’ commitment to providing quality brands at outstanding values aligns with our vision of making Plaza Centro a vibrant and essential hub for shoppers across the economic spectrum." Ross Dress for Less joins other new tenants at the shopping center These additions further diversify the shopping In addition to the more than 10 million square feet it owns and operates in the continental US BH Properties owns and operates more than 650,000 square feet of real estate in Puerto Rico including the ongoing redevelopment of two former Sears locations: one at Las Catalinas Mall PR; and the other at Plaza Carolina in Carolina "Since our founding more than thirty years ago BH Properties has remained dedicated to investing in the communities we serve," added Brooks "Through the revitalization of key retail spaces and attracting the high-quality tenants that our patrons want and need most we aim to create dynamic and thriving environments for residents For more information about the upcoming changes and leasing opportunities at Plaza Centro Armando Bustillo, Regional Asset Manager at BH Properties – armando.bustillo@bhproperties.comAndy Carlson, Managing Director Caribbean/ County Manager PR at JLL - andy.carlson@jll.com privately held BH Properties (http://www.bhproperties.com) is a vertically integrated real estate investment company focusing on the acquisition and management of a geographically and product diverse portfolio of assets with six regional offices in San Francisco continues to focus on value-add transactions Ross Dress for Less is the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States With a commitment to great values and an ever-changing selection Ross provides an exciting treasure-hunt experience for all shoppers insights and opportunities from global commercial real estate markets straight to your inbox Cover Page Legal HistorySports SearchMan charged for throwing his baby to the ground in CaguasThe San Juan Daily StarApr 101 min readBy The Star Staff The Caguas Prosecutor’s Office filed criminal charges on Wednesday against Luis Abreu Massa who is accused of throwing his three-month-old son to the ground “Charges were filed for child abuse and aggravated assault,” Janet Parra Mercado designated Justic Secretary said in a written statement when the defendant lost control after being unable to calm the baby’s crying according to the investigation by Agent Delianis Rivera Merced of the Sexual Crimes and Child Abuse Division Judge Carlos Capó Hernández found cause for arrest and set bail at $350,000 He also issued an ex parte protection order in favor of the child The preliminary hearing was scheduled for Monday © 2025 The San Juan Daily Star - Puerto Rico Choque De GigantesThe first edition of the tournament Choque De Gigantes will take place at loanDepot park featuring the top league teams from Venezuela This six-game tournament will run from November 8 - 10 come enjoy live music at loanDepot park's West Plaza featuring stars Adelmo Gauna y Sus Cokis For more information about Suites and Groups for Choque De Gigantes, please contact us at groups@marlins.com or (305) 480-2525. loanDepot park and the Choques de Gigantes are excited to provide fans with an easy way to pre-book a parking spot before driving to the game through our preferred partner, ParkWhiz. A prepaid parking pass is the only method to guarantee on-site parking. Use the widget below to review parking rates and reserve on-site general parking prior to your visit. A prepaid parking pass is the only method to guarantee on-site parking for Choques de Gigantes at loanDepot park (see above for more information). Although not guaranteed, attendees wishing to park in a certain garage are encouraged to arrive early – parking spaces are not preassigned. Miami Police Department will direct cars to the garage that best supports traffic conditions during peak ingress times. On-site parking is limited, and spaces will be occupied on a first come-first serve basis. If you elect to drive to the ballpark, plan to arrive early. Heavy congestion around the ballpark should be expected and factored into commute times. All parking areas offer a full complement of ADA accessible spaces. View Valet Maps Other TransportationRideshareFans using a ride-sharing service must be picked up at East Lot 1 located at 1380 NW 6th Street, Miami, FL 33125. Rideshare applications will geofence to these areas and direct you within the app appropriately. If assistance is needed, please be sure to speak with an LAZ Parking Ambassador. View Rideshare Map Taxi StandFans using taxis can visit our Taxi Stand located at NW 16th Ave Skip the traffic and ride into the Choque de Gigantes action with Brightline Fans can ride down to Brightline MiamiCentral Station and enjoy complimentary round trip shuttle service to and from loanDepot park The Marlins and Brightline have partnered on the following offer for Choque de Gigantes to provide families a seamless transportation option to and from the event To purchase tickets or learn more information, visit gobrightline.com highlights the greatness of one of its most illustrious sons reminding us of the importance of honoring those who have raised the name of Puerto Rico the initiative to carry out recreational-sports educational and cultural activities every January 3rd guarantees that the memory of Miguel Cotto Vázquez and his father “January 3rd of each year is declared as the day dedicated to recognizing and promoting the sporting values ​​that the figure of the champion Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez embodies,” said the Mayor of Caguas Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page SearchCaguas turns out the lights as part of Earth Hour 2025 worldwideThe San Juan Daily StarMar 252 min readCaguas Mayor William Miranda TorresBy The Star Staff As part of the global effort to combat climate change held an event over the past weekend in conjunction with Earth Hour 2025 the global campaign organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature Saturday’s event at the Charlie Aponte Amphitheater William Miranda Marín City Hall and Abelardo Díaz Alfaro Paseo de las Artes included which was replicated in hundreds of cities around the world The Caguas event began several hours earlier and attendees participated in a series of educational and cultural activities designed to raise awareness about the importance of reducing human impact on the environment and a formal ceremony in which Caguas Mayor William Miranda Torres delivered a message highlighting civic responsibility in protecting the planet Meteorologist Suheily López Belén also participated delivering an awareness-raising message related to the event’s theme: “Our People … Our City: Raising Environmental Awareness in the Planet’s Greatest Hour.” One of the most significant moments of the evening was the lights out when City Hall and the Paseo de las Artes were darkened as part of the global call for climate action attendees enjoyed an artistic program under natural light fostering a connection with the environment “Earth Hour is more than just a blackout; it’s a reminder that our actions have an impact on the world,” Miranda Torres said “Turning off the lights for an hour is a symbolic gesture but real change happens when we integrate sustainable habits into our daily lives.” The event featured participation from organizations such as AODACE who offered information and activities to inspire concrete actions in the community Earth Hour takes place in more than 180 countries with iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building also turning off their lights in solidarity with the cause SearchCaguas captures National Superior Basketball titleThe San Juan Daily StarSep 2 20242 min readChristian López celebrates after the Caguas Criollos dominated Game 7 from start to finish to defeat the Manatí Bears by 15 points and win the National Superior Basketball championship on Friday night in Caguas.By The Star Staff The Caguas Criollos became the champions of the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) league on Friday night defeating the Manatí Bears 96-81 at Roger Mendoza Coliseum in Caguas “I just thank God for keeping us healthy and leading us here from top to bottom,” said Travis Trice after receiving the MVP award The Criollos dominated the seventh game from start to finish They effectively put Manatí to sleep in the third quarter outscoring the Bears 26-13 to set up the eventual 15-point margin of victory Christian “Cuco” López and Onzie Branch were key on both ends of the court during their team’s first three series victories who finished in double figures and had extremely important minutes helping the Criollos extend their advantage Alexander Kappos led the way for Caguas with 22 points Big man Akil Mitchell added another double-double to his personal tally with 17 points and 15 rebounds Louis King finished with 13 points and seven rebounds and Pizarro and Travis Trice scored 11 points each Alex Morales finished with 25 points and eight rebounds followed by Cheick Diallo with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds while Norris Cole had an offensive night to forget scoring 10 points on 21% shooting from the field SearchBroad participation is theme as Miranda Torres begins new termThe San Juan Daily StarJan 152 min readMayor vows to keep building strategic alliances to benefit Caguas Caguas Mayor William Miranda TorresBy The Star Staff ln an emotional ceremony held this past weekend William Miranda Torres officially assumed a new term as mayor of Caguas reiterating his commitment to the progress of the city by continuing the strategic alliances that have consolidated Caguas as the center and heart of Puerto Rico Miranda Torres highlighted the importance of those alliances as a key tool to face the challenges and enhance the opportunities that position Caguas as one of the main cities on the island there is no insurmountable challenge or unattainable goal,” the mayor said “This commitment drives us to continue strengthening the business turning Caguas into the true vibrant heart of Puerto Rico.” The municipal leader thanked the people of Caguas for their trust and reaffirmed his commitment to responsibility and transparency He also extended his gratitude to municipal employees external allies and community members who have worked hand in hand with his administration to position Caguas as an example of resilience innovation and criollo pride as a model for others who has served as mayor since taking office following a special election in 2010 called on citizens to continue to actively participate in the development of the city stressing that the success of Caguas lies in the joint effort of all its sectors “Governing is not a solitary act,” he added citizens and government organize and work together.” Miranda Torres began the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Caguas which throughout the year will include special projects gastronomic festivals and a mini-documentary that will capture the most important moments in the town’s history ACUDEN launch new 2 Gen Center in CaguasThe San Juan Daily StarNov 22 20243 min read“The 2 Gen Centers are something very special because they work with early childhood and the entire community,” said Caridad Pierluisi executive director of the Office of the Governor adding that the centers “are oases of peace.”By The Star Staff With the joy of expanding its services to some 500 families in the Caguas community Nuestra Escuela (Our School) this week inaugurated the new 2 Generations Center (2 Gen) which is part of an innovative program of the Administration for the Comprehensive Care and Development of Children (ACUDEN by its acronym in Spanish) “At Nuestra Escuela we do not only enroll boys and girls Here in this 2 Gen Center they will have a self-care center open to the entire community that will allow them to grow as families,” said Ana Yris Guzmán president and co-founder of Nuestra Escuela “It is a project full of details and beauty like those that Puerto Rico needs The spaces to serve our communities can be beautiful and this project achieves that It is a refuge and also a platform to enhance the development of our families We want what their eyes see to have that loving spark of healing and development of our families.” The 2 Gen Centers are an initiative aimed at early childhood development and learning that extends to parents or caregivers offering integrated services and resources to the entire family coordination of mental and behavioral health services financial training modules for parents and caregivers Guzmán was accompanied by several officials: Caridad Pierluisi executive director of the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico Family Secretary Ciení Rodríguez Troche and ACUDEN Administrator Roberto Carlos Pagán as well as by parents of the school community and by students of Nuestra Escuelita who were dressed in uniforms of different professions and trades Pierluisi noted that “each project at Nuestra Escuela has been done with a lot of love and we are very proud to support them.” “The 2 Gen Centers are something very special because they work with early childhood The ACUDEN administrator called the new center “another dream come true.” “Nuestra Escuela is synonymous with commitment with a history of loving services to children and families The 2 Gen Centers are a cornerstone to continue expanding services and providing guidance now not only with children but with their parents and the entire community,” Pagán said “I am starting out as a father and when I arrive at these 2 Gen Centers my perspective changes and I confirm that it is a place where I would take my son.” the facilities of a building adjacent to Nuestra Escuela were rebuilt and furnished which will serve some 500 families a year in the new center several attractive lounges and libraries with computers for community use The 2 Gen Center will be under the direction of Shanira Pabón “The success [of the 2 Gen Centers] is that we went outside the box and began to work directly in the communities,” said Rodríguez Troche “We hope that these centers become those spaces where families can come and apart from receiving guidance and services The 2 Gen Centers are subsidized by funds from the Child Care Project SearchCaguas priest meeting with gubernatorial candidates to discuss social problemsThe San Juan Daily StarAug 23 Pedro Rafael Ortiz of Caguas meets with Juan Dalmau Ramírez the Puerto Rican Independence Party and Alliance candidate for governor.By The Star Staff Pedro Rafael Ortiz of the San Pablo Apóstol Parish in Caguas has started a series of “coffee conversations” aimed at addressing Puerto Rico’s social problems inviting gubernatorial candidates and other political leaders to participate individually The initiative is part of the “social and community evangelization project” that the parish has developed over the past two years inspired by Pope Paul VI’s encyclical “Ecclesiam suam,” which promotes dialogue between the Catholic Church and society “The problems we face are everyone’s and affect everyone,” the priest said in a statement “The democratic way is to discuss them together and know that only together can these problems find a solution Ortiz said meetings have already begun with the participation of Juan Dalmau Ramírez the Puerto Rican Independence Party and Alliance candidate for governor and will continue with the other candidates “We hope to conclude at the end of October in line with the ‘8th World Day of the Poor 2024’ that Pope Francis celebrates in November of each year,” the priest said SearchGround broken on innovative home for seniors in CaguasThe San Juan Daily StarOct 3 20242 min readThe $5.5 million “Living in the City” project will consist of some 30 homes in the center of Caguas and will include “Nuestro Abrazo” (Our Embrace) a vocational school for the care and well-being of the elderly.By The Star Staff “Living in the City,” an innovative project of the alternative education organization Nuestra Escuela (Our School) will have around 30 homes in the center of Caguas that will include “Nuestro Abrazo” (Our Embrace) a vocational school for the care and well-being of the elderly and Caguas Mayor William Miranda Torres broke ground on the $5.5 million project Tuesday The municipality of Caguas contributed $3.1 million to the overall cost “With ‘Living in the City’ Nuestra Escuela expands its commitment to social justice by serving the growing population of older adults through vocational education with ‘Nuestro Abrazo,’ we are going to prepare young students interested in working to provide care and well-being services to our elderly,” Guzmán said “We want our elderly to be able to recover their joy and the ability to feel productive We want to change the narrative of loneliness among adults Older adults are closing the generation gap with young people.” Guzmán urged schools to get involved in working with older adults “so that we can have a more united more loving and better supported society.” The housing project is in the Ysern Building on Ruiz Belvis Street Its location guarantees residents access to restaurants The mayor thanked all “of the collaborators who have made this dream become a reality.” “This ambitious project not only represents the construction of a building that will provide a home for at least 30 families initially but is a significant step in the continued revitalization of our city,” Miranda Torres said “We aspire to integrate this space with our urban center commerce and community intertwine to create a welcoming and attractive environment We want to continue projecting Caguas as a central district a cultural hub and residential area that invites everyone to visit us to fall in love with our city and to settle in it.” Guzmán noted that the project’s design complies with all regulations established by the Americans with Disabilities Act with some of the rooms adapted for people with disabilities or reduced mobility Aguada open with victories in BSN quarterfinalsThe San Juan Daily StarJul 15 20242 min readAlexander Franklin (42) scored 16 points to help Carolina beat Quebradillas in a National Superior Basketball quarterfinal opener on Saturday night The Carolina Giants defeated the Quebradillas Pirates 103-91 to open the quarterfinals of the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) on Saturday night at Guillermo Angulo Coliseum in Carolina 13 assists and eight rebounds for Carolina which used an 11-1 run in the second quarter to take control Alexander Franklin opened the run with a floater drawing a foul and completing the three-point play JJ Romer hit a long-distance bomb that extended the score 36-31 and the Giants made it 41-31 on a 3-pointer from Goodwin and two free throws by Jonny O’Bryant The Pirates’ only point was a free throw by Phillip Wheeler after he was fouled by Romer Scottie James led Carolina with 20 points and nine rebounds and Franklin finished the night with 16 points AJ Slaughter had 10 points and four assists in the second half while O’Bryant finished with 16 points and seven rebounds Tai Odiase led the Quebradillas offense with 20 points and seven rebounds followed by 17 points from Wheeler and 12 from Emmanuel Mudiay who also had nine rebounds and five assists the Aguada Santeros beat the Caguas Criollos 92-89 led by native forward Jase Febres (22 points seven rebounds) and reinforcement John Meeks (21 points From the beginning at Roger Mendoza Coliseum host Aguada appeared poised for an upset on the road scoring seven straight points to go up 32-24 at the start of the second quarter led by Travis Trice (10 points in the second period 18 in total with 10 assists) won the rest of the quarter outscoring Aguada by nine points to take a 47-46 halftime lead with a basket by Louis King (15 points) that made it a two-point game with 46 seconds left in the game and a triple by Akil Mitchell (17 points nine rebounds) that put them down one with 13 seconds on the clock and although Febres missed his second attempt from the charity stripe the Criollos could not secure the rebound to have a chance to tie the Ponce Lions defeated the Santurce Crabbers 85-82 at Juan Pachín Vicens Auditorium in Ponce to secure a spot in the BSN playoffs Santurce led 66-62 to start the fourth quarter outscoring the Crabbers 23-16 en route to the win Jezreel de Jesús led the way for the Lions with 25 points Jordan Murphy and Christian Negrón had 10 points each Jared Sullinger finished his season with another double double William Barton scored 18 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists A man on Wednesday points to a home that was collapsed by Hurricane Fiona at Villa Esperanza in Salinas CAGUAS, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Fiona was on a track Thursday to menace Bermuda and far-eastern Canada after leaving hundreds of people stranded across Puerto Rico where it smashed roads and bridges and caused historic flooding Government officials have been working with religious groups thick mud and broken asphalt by foot to provide food but they are under pressure to clear a path so vehicles can enter isolated areas soon commissioner for Puerto Rico's emergency management agency estimated that at least six municipalities across the island had areas that were cut off by Fiona which struck as a Category 1 hurricane and was up to Category 4 power Thursday as it headed toward Bermuda Manuel Veguilla said he has been unable to leave his neighborhood in the north mountain town of Caguas since Fiona swept in on Sunday adding that he worries about elderly neighbors including his older brother who does not have the strength for the long walk it takes to reach the closest community Veguilla heard that municipal officials might open a pathway Thursday but he doubted that would happen because large rocks covered a nearby bridge and the 10-foot space beneath it Neighbors have shared food and water dropped off by nonprofit groups and the son of an elderly woman was able to bring back basic supplies by foot Wednesday A member of the National Guard delivers water to residents in Ponce Veguilla said that in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria a Category 4 storm that struck five years ago and resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths he and others used picks and shovels to clear the debris "I cannot throw those rocks over my shoulder," he said Like hundreds of thousands of other Puerto Ricans after Fiona, Veguilla had no water or electricity service but said there is a natural water source nearby Fiona sparked an islandwide blackout when it hit Puerto Rico's southwest region which already was still trying to recover from a series of strong earthquakes in recent years Some 62% of 1.47 million customers remained without power Thursday amid an extreme heat alert issued by the National Weather Service The executive director of Puerto Rico's Electric Energy Authority told a news conference that areas less affected by Fiona should have power by Friday morning But officials declined to say when power would be restored to areas hit hardest by the storm Our next step is now to focus on the critical load" — service to hospitals and other key infrastructure — said Daniel Hernández the director of renewable energy for LUMA Energy Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent hundreds of additional personnel to help local officials as the federal government approved a major disaster declaration and announced a public health emergency on the island Neither local nor federal government officials had provided any overall damage estimates from the storm which dropped up to 30 inches of rain in some areas More than 470 people and 48 pets remained in shelters "Our hearts go out to the people of Puerto Rico who have endured so much suffering over the last couple of years," said Brad Kieserman vice president of operations and logistics at the Red Cross A bridge by Hurricane Fiona is seen in Salinas After Puerto Rico, Fiona pummeled the Dominican Republic and then roared over the Turks and Caicos Islands as it strengthened Officials there reported relatively light damage and no deaths though the eye of the storm passed close to Grand Turk the small British territory's capital island "God has been good to us and has kept us safe during this period when we could have had a far worse outcome," Deputy Gov Fiona was forecast to pass near Bermuda late Thursday or early Friday and then hit easternmost Canada early Saturday The Canadian Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for Nova Scotia from Hubbards to Brule Isle-de-la-Madeleine and the coast of Newfoundland from Parson's Pond to Port-Aux-Basques center said Fiona had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph) on Thursday morning It was centered about 410 miles (660 kilometers) southwest of Bermuda heading north-northeast at 15 mph (24 kph) A hurricane warning was in effect for Bermuda where Premier David Burt sent a tweet urging residents to "take care of yourself and your family Let's all remember to check on as well as look out for your seniors Become an NPR sponsor We champion people to be well and thrive every single day We’ve been earning people’s trust since 1913 Our commitment to corporate responsibility guides the business decisions we make Our commitments to social and environmental sustainability Find out why Clorox is the place you’ll love leer en español When I accepted the challenge of leading the zero-waste-to-landfill project I saw it as a long-term goal to help support Clorox’s commitment to a clean world With all the effort that goes into it — and the infrastructure challenges we have as an island — I thought it would take three to five years we achieved our status in less than a year Putting reuse and recycling into practice was made possible by teamwork and the commitment of our people This included the identification of materials to reuse negotiations with suppliers that provide us with raw materials identification of containers and the segregation of materials We know that we all have a responsibility to the environment But not everyone knows how they can contribute and the impact of their actions We motivated them by focusing on reuse and recycling not only in a work environment but also as a lifestyle The trainings were focused on our responsibility both as a company and as individuals This structure helped us foster awareness and culture in an agile way demonstrating the commitment of our people and the need to act now The second step was to identify the available resources of people and budget we designed the program and established responsibilities the impact areas and the collection center points In the collection centers we used bright and easy-to-recognize colors to avoid confusion when recycling materials Another important contributor to our success was openness to people’s unexpected approaches and clarifying doubts about the program as soon as possible our people demonstrated their commitment to the correct management of materials A craft contest with reusable material from the plant not only showcased creativity but also enthusiasm for recycling A Halloween campaign also generated a great impact featuring costumes made from waste generated in the plant operation But the campaign we loved the most was our most recent celebrating our plant’s achievement of zero-waste-to-landfill status our final contest was focused on messages of love and the theme of zero waste our teammates showed their passion for recycling and reusing materials This article was written by Thomas Van Hyning This article was published in Spring 2018 Baseball Research Journal The Caguas Criollos won back-to-back Caribbean Series crowns in 2017 and ’18 beating Mexicali 1–0 in 10 innings on February 7 and defeating Aguilas Cibaeñas from the Dominican Republic on February 8 The Criollos’ fifth Caribbean Series title puts them in elite company: Only the Dominican Republic’s Tigres del Licey have won more Caribbean Series titles Aguilas Cibaeñas from the Dominican Republic and the Santurce Cangrejeros from Puerto Rico have also won five Caguas has won 18 league titles in Puerto Rico and played in 14 Caribbean Series The Caribbean Series is now a five-team event between champions of the Cuban National Series the Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League and the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League The powerhouse Caguas Criollos of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League have won 18 league titles in Puerto Rico and played in 14 Caribbean Series including back-to-back championships in 2017 and ’18 BACKGROUND INFORMATION: CAGUAS AND ROBERTO CLEMENTE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE Its name comes from the Taíno chieftain Caguax “Criollo,” within the context of Puerto Rico refers to those who are natives of and indigenous to the island Native players representing Caribbean Series teams are “criollos,” a source of pride Luis Olmo was an original 1938-39 Caguas Criollo; Víctor Pellot (Vic Power) was a Caguas star and seven-time AL Gold Glover 18-game regular season in January 2018 was a result of damage from Hurricane Maria Table 1 highlights the five Caribbean Series title seasons Hank Aaron contributed to Caguas’s regular-season and league title series efforts but returned to the States after Caguas won Puerto Rico’s league title. Aaron’s two homers in the All-Star Game on December 23, 1953, duplicated Josh Gibson’s feat 12 years earlier. Vic Power recalled: “Aaron, Jim Rivera, Bob Buhl, Brooks Lawrence, and I were the key players that championship season.”5 Caribbean Series reinforcements were and are a common practice Aaron was replaced on Caguas’s roster by Bill Howerton Sr. a Mayagüez outfielder in 1953–54 after his release by a Cuban team Caguas also reinforced itself with two more position players—outfielder Carlos Bernier of Mayagüez and second baseman Jack Cassini of San Juan—plus four pitchers: Luis Arroyo and Jack Sanford (Ponce) Rubén Gómez (Santurce) and Corky Valentine (Mayagüez) had revenge on his mind: “I had been released by Cuba’s Marianao team early that season; but I could always hit.” receives the Puerto Rico League’s 1976–77 MVP trophy from Angel Colón President of the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Players Association Broadcaster Howard Cosell enjoys a behind-the-scenes moment with league and team officials at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium Roberto Inclán and Luis Rodríguez Mayoral ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CANCELLATION OF 1981 SERIES IN CARACAS Caguas won the 1976–77 and 1978–79 league titles but did not fare well in either Caribbean Series, finishing 1–5 and 2–4, respectively. Their 1976–77 club hit .307, with seven regulars surpassing .300. José Cruz Sr. won league MVP laurels with a .338 average, 14 homers, 40 RBIs, and a .615 SLG, the all-time single-season record for a native.22 Caguas’s 1976–77 rotation was Dennis Martínez also outpitched Jack Morris of Mayagüez in Game Seven of the 1978–79 finals finished fourth but bested first-place Bayamón in the semis and Mayagüez in the finals A strike by Venezuelan League players resulted in the cancellation of the 1981 Caribbean Series Teams to have faced Caguas in that series were host Leones de Caracas managed by Alfonso Carrasquel; Leones de Escogido managed by Felipe Alou; and the Yaquis de Obregón “We had a lot of big-leaguers in Puerto Rico,” recalled Ripken. “Our Caguas team, God, had at least six to seven good big-league players. A lot of the pitching was Triple-A, so the level was between Triple-A and the big leagues. So coming out of Double-A [in 1980], I had to compete at a higher level and learned quite a few things playing all those games.”23 Puerto Rico and Caribbean Series Champions Team photo taken prior to Caguas roster changes for the February 1987 Caribbean Series 1986–87 REGULAR SEASON AND 1987 SERIES: HERMOSILLO Caribbean Series Hall of Famers with a Caguas Connection González played in the 1995 Caribbean Series, hosted by San Juan. The “Dream Team” won this classic with a 6–0 record. Series MVP Roberto Alomar—with San Juan—was joined by Carlos Baerga, Carmelo Martínez, Carlos Delgado, Rey Sánchez, and Edgar Martínez; plus reinforcements González (Caguas), Rubén Sierra (Santurce), and Williams (Arecibo).40 JANUARY 2018 SEASON AND 2018 SERIES: GUADALAJARA The Criollos won their 18th league title prior to flying to Mexico for the Caribbean Series Their plane stopped in the Dominican Republic to pick up the Aguilas Cibaeñas The Opening Ceremonies before the Caguas-Culiacán game on February 2 featured an appearance by former US President Bill Clinton shaking hands and inquiring about players’ families in the aftermath of the hurricane Caguas won the opener; had a February 3 bye; lost to the Dominicans on February 4; rebounded with a 12–7 win over Venezuela’s Caribes de Anzoátegui on February 5; and lost to Cuba’s Alazanes de Granma 6–3 to end the preliminary round in third place stopping in the Dominican Republic to drop off the Dominican team The Criollos took part in a Governor’s Mansion reception honoring them on February 12 THOMAS E. VAN HYNING was US correspondent for the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame, 1991–96. He authored “Puerto Rico’s Winter League” and “The Santurce Crabbers.” Tom’s articles have appeared in “The National Pastime” and “Baseball Research Journal,” including pieces on Rickey Henderson He has written 10 SABR BioProject biographies A member of the Robinson-Kell SABR Chapter Tom is Tourism Economist & Data Analyst His BBA degree is from the University of Georgia for 2017 and 2018 Caribbean Series updates Caguas resident Nestor Duprey and historian Jorge Colón Delgado secured permission from Carmen Pérez http://www.beisbol101.com/2018/02/09/arrasa-anthony-garcia-en-la-serie-del-caribe http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/-/id/22375794/puerto-rico-wins-back-back-caribbean-series-titles-rally-dominican-republic http://en.granma.cu/deportes/2018-02-13/the-entire-team-has-been-present-here-in-spirit www.primerahora.com http://www.purobeisbol.mx/?noticia=criollos-hace-historia Thomas E. Van Hyning, “Hall of Famers Shine in Puerto Rico,” The National Pastime Thomas E. Van Hyning, “Dennis Martinez’s Winter League Career,” The National Pastime 1 Thomas E Puerto Rico’s Winter League: A History of Major League Baseball’s Launching Pad (Jefferson From 1938 through 1941 the Puerto Rico League formed part of the National Semi-Professional Baseball Congress 2 Thomas E The Santurce Crabbers: Sixty Seasons of Puerto Rican Winter League Baseball (Jefferson 3 José A. Crescioni Benítez, El Béisbol Profesional Boricua (San Juan, Puerto Rico: First Book Publishing of Puerto Rico, 1997), 87, 127, 153; and www.ligapr.com 4 Mickey Owen Owen was scouted by the Boston Red Sox in Puerto Rico and was able to qualify for an MLB pension after playing for Boston in 1954 and coaching for them in 1955-56 He suggested that Hank Aaron move from second base to right field early in the 1953-54 Puerto Rico season 5 Vic Power was the best Caguas team he ever played on 6 Bill Howerton Sr was eight at the time of his dad’s 1954 Caribbean Series heroics 7 Rance Pless Pless was a fan favorite in Caguas his three seasons there His best season was 1955-56 with a .336 average third in the league behind Power’s .358 and Santurce’s Bob Thurman at .348 Pless led the Puerto Rico League with 17 doubles in 1955-56 8 Vern Benson Benson managed Santurce to the 1961-62 league title after a seven-game semifinal series with Caguas Santurce won the 1962 Interamerican Series over Panama-Nicaragua Benson also managed Licey to a 1963-64 Dominican Winter League title 9 http://www.Caribbean_Series 10 http://www.Caribbean_Series 11 José “Palillo” Santiago 12 Pete Richert Caguas management and native players went out of their way to make the imported players feel at home The Dodgers sent top prospects to Caguas in the early 1960s: Richert 13 Frank Howard Howard was a coach with the Yankees at the time He played one season of winter ball in the Dominican Republic Howard spoke highly of his playing and cultural experiences on both islands befriended Howard in the Dominican Republic and took him fishing 14 John Strohmayer a Caguas starter: “That epitomizes the word ‘fan,’ root coming from the word ‘fanático.’ They really loved their baseball and I felt a lot of satisfaction when I was able to perform well—so much appreciation on the part of the fans 15 Héctor Barea when Roy Campanella and Luis Olmo paved the way for the team’s first title 16 Félix Millán He had a .289 BA in his 17-year Caguas career 17 Jerry Morales Morales was the “Teenager de Yabucoa,” a reference to his hometown and made his Caguas debut in 1966-67 at age 18 18 Bob Apodaca Apodaca fondly recalled the red-and-white Caguas uniforms 19 Mike Schmidt Schmidt’s 1972-73 Caguas teammates included Bob Boone Jay Johnstone went to Caguas via the Phillies in 1973-74 Bobby Wine was sent by the Phillies to Caguas,for Wine to get more managing experience Jim Bunning managed the 1974-75 and 1975-76 Caguas Criollos due to their working relationship with the Phillies 20 Otto Vélez Vélez noted Mike Schmidt was determined to have a good 1973-74 season after Schmidt’s sub-par season with the 1973 Phils 21 Crescioni Benítez He teamed with brother Héctor and Cal Ripken Jr in 1981-82 to give Caguas three players who hit over .300 with 40-plus RBIs Cruz’s 119 career regular-season home runs in Puerto Rico are second to Bob Thurman’s 120 22 Eddie Murray used the 1976-77 Caguas season as a launching pad for this major-league career 23 Cal Ripken Jr Ripken played in all 60 Caguas regular-season games in 1981-82 plus six semifinal series games against Bayamón with 123 hits in 411 regular-season at-bats with Caguas Ripken affirmed his Caguas seasons allowed him to get to the big leagues before age 21 and part of his goal in baseball was to reach the big leagues early and be able to play a long Ripken: “I don’t think I’d be able to do it without Puerto Rico.” 24 Francisco Oliveras Oliveras was Ripken’s teammate in 1980-81 and 1981-82 He hurled for Santurce in 1992-93 and 1993-94 when the Caguas franchise temporarily folded Oliveras recalled Don Mattingly’s 1983-84 batting race with Randy Ready Santurce’s Jerry Willard and San Juan’s Tony Gwynn 25 Vic Power Power’s league batting titles were in 1955-56 and chosen to the 1958 Caribbean Series All-Star team in addition to 1956 Caguas won seven league titles in Power’s 16 winter seasons Power liked working with the players who were on their way up to the majors and did all he could to help get them there 26 Bernie Williams Williams hit .417 with three home runs and four RBIs in the 1995 Caribbean Series for Puerto Rico’s undefeated Dream Team and led the 1995-96 Arecibo Lobos (Wolves) to a 1995-96 league title and 1996 Caribbean Series berth 27 Omar Olivares 28 Ellis Burks Burks went into Boston’s 1987 spring training drills “battle-tested” after his .291 BA for Caguas with seven home runs and 30 RBIs native had a solid 18-year major-league career following the 1986-87 Caguas season and league finals 29 Van Snider Snider returned to Puerto Rico in 1991-92 and played with league and Caribbean Series champion Mayagüez Puerto Rico League rules allowed up to 10 imports 30 Tim Foli Foli was OK with Caguas winning the 1987 Caribbean Series after his firing since Félix Millán and the Caguas management group wanted to win just as badly as he [Foli] did Foli played in Puerto Rico for the 1971-72 San Juan Senadores Foli was proud he played for winning Caribbean Series (1975) and World Series (1979) teams 31 Ramón Avilés Avilés played second base for two-Caribbean Series champs: 1978 Mayagüez Indios and 1983 Arecibo Lobos He helped Ponce win a 1981-82 league title and was 1989-90 league Manager of the Year leading Caguas to a 28-22 regular-season record Avilés earned a 1980 World Series ring as a utility infielder with the Philadelphia Phillies 32 Roberto Alomar 33 Juan Nieves Nieves became the first Puerto Rico-born MLB hurler to pitch a big-league no-hitter on April 15 He was the pitching coach for: 1995 Caribbean Series Dream Team; 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox; and the 2018 Miami Marlins 34 Héctor Barea 35 http://www.Caribbean_Series 36 Mario Mendoza 37 https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Caribbean_Baseball_Hall_of_Fame 38 Tracy Ringolsby “No Growing Pains—Rangers’ González Hastens Maturing Process in Winter Ball,” Dallas Morning News 39 Juan González González hit .375 with two homers and six RBIs for the Dream Team in the 1995 Caribbean Series and two homers as a San Juan reinforcement in the 1990 Caribbean Series González never played with Caguas in a Caribbean Series 40 Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico: Recuento Temporada 1994-1995 team Puerto Rico hit .346 and scored 49 runs in six games This was the first Caribbean Series where Puerto Rico was on the team’s uniform Uniforms used by Puerto Rico prior to 1995 were those of the winning league teams 41 http://www.Caribbean_Series 42 www.ligapr.com 43 Jesse Sánchez “Puerto Rico looks to make mark in Caribbean Series,” mlb.com Caguas native Alex Cora was the Puerto Rico GM 44 http://www.Caribbean_Series 45 “Puerto Rico tops Mexico 1-0 in 10 for Caribbean Series title,” Associated Press 46 Jesse Sánchez “Caribbean Series artifacts to be displayed in Hall,” mlb.com 47 Karla Pacheco Alvarez Los Criollos ya están en casa,” Primera Hora Luis Matos was a major-league outfielder in 2000-06 with Baltimore and Washington He has coached the Oklahoma City triple-A team in the Dodgers organization since 2016 48 Napoleón Reyes was the first manager to win back-to-back Caribbean Series events Luis Matos became the second manager to do so 49 Jorge Castillo 50 http://www.sabrhornsby.org/2017/08/serie-del-caribe-2018/ This homer gave Morales the series game-winner two years in a row The 1997 and 1998 Aguilas Cibaeñas had been the last team to win back-to-back Caribbean Series 51 Jesse Sánchez, “Puerto Rico captures Caribbean Series title,” mlb.com, February 9, 2018. Full site: https://www.mlb.com/news/puerto-rico-wins-2018-caribbean-series-title/c-266183340 The 2018 Caribbean Series featured the 1,000th homer in series play The 500th Caribbean Series homer was hit by Santurce’s Dickie Thon 52 Javier Sedano “Por las nubes Alex Cora con el triunfo de los Criollos de Caguas,” El Nuevo Día Alex Cora hired Luis Matos to a multi-year contract He says he is proud of Matos’s managerial skills was ecstatic after Caguas won the 2018 Caribbean Series He watched it on TV prior to his first spring training as Boston Red Sox manager Meet the Staff Board of Directors Annual Reports Inclusivity Statement Contact SABR Bayamón & Caguas exceeds national averageThe San Juan Daily StarJul 11 The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics released on Wednesday the results of the Cost of Living Index (COLI) for the first quarter of 2024 The data indicate that the urban portion of the Metropolitan Statistical Area (AEM) of San Juan Bayamón and Caguas is 2.3% more expensive than the national average The composite index of 102.3 places the urban area in the 82nd position out of 301 urban areas in terms of overall cost of living in the United States the average cost of living is set at an index of 100 Bayamón and Caguas is relatively more expensive The composite index is derived from six main categories of consumer expenditures The rankings for the urban area of the AEM San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas are as follows: • Miscellaneous goods and services: Index 92.1 The COLI allows the understanding of regional differences in the costs of consumer goods and services The indices are calculated from data collected quarterly by different entities in each participating urban area COLI has been calculated in urban areas of the United States since 1968 using the methodology developed by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (PRIS) together with the network of members affiliated with the C2ER is responsible for the collection of prices of goods and services established by the C2ER it has designed a comparative calculator for the cost of living between the urban area of AEM San Juan Bayamón and Caguas and the rest of the participating cities in the United States available at: https://apps.estadisticas.pr/coli/ The PRIS is an autonomous government entity with the task of coordinating the island government’s statistics production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems More information can be found by visiting the website www.estadisticas.pr or follow the social networks through the accounts of Facebook (@estadisticas.pr) LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) and Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) SearchCaribbean region’s largest water testing lab opens in CaguasThe San Juan Daily StarOct 2 Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia on Tuesday inaugurated the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority’s (PRASA) Central Laboratory in Caguas which was destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 Attending the ribbon cutting were PRASA Executive President Doriel Pagán Crespo; Central Office for Recovery Reconstruction and Resilience Executive Director Manuel Laboy Rivera; and Andrés García Martinó the deputy federal coordinator for disaster recovery at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) The laboratory helps test the quality of the island’s water which has been in the headlines due to high levels of metals we continue to take firm steps in favor of the safety and quality of our drinking water services throughout Puerto Rico Maintaining and repairing our water systems is a priority to maintain the water quality standards and all the essential services we provide to our people,” the governor said “The laboratory is essential because it guarantees compliance with state and federal regulations and standards for our water quality in Puerto Rico This is the only laboratory in the Caribbean certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health to perform critical tests on water quality.” The governor noted that the new laboratory is not just a facility it is a modern installation that establishes a point of reference in the monitoring of the quality and safety of the island’s water systems The project represents a total investment of $37.3 million of which $33.6 million was provided by FEMA while the remainder came from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program today is a great day for PRASA; this is the result of hard teamwork which led us to make our new laboratory a reality,” Pagán Crespo said our laboratory was destroyed; our commitment to our customers led us to look for other alternatives for temporary space to continue offering the service This building becomes the largest structure in the Caribbean for these purposes we receive more than 120,000 samples annually to be analyzed and validated in compliance with regulations and quality standards We are the only certified laboratory in the Caribbean to perform the Cryptosporidium/Guardia analysis García Martinó of FEMA said “the staff of our agency worked very hard to move this project forward.” “The agency’s funds covered the work on the infrastructure and contributed to replacing the technical equipment which allowed us to expand the number of tests carried out,” he said “The greatest satisfaction is knowing that these facilities will contribute to the health of a resource as essential as water for customers throughout the island.” Criollos de Caguas website Reggaeton music duo, Wisin & Yandel, purchased the Puerto Rican Baseball League team, the Criollos de Caguas, in 2022.  $2.8 million of FEMA funds led to a complete renovation of the stadium and field  The new owners had the artificial turf replaced with natural grass the word “Criollos” typically translates to “locals” or “natives.” Traditional “criollo” food is offered in several food stands:  assorted styles of fried chicken Hot dogs have traditional toppings but are finished with potato sticks on top   Ice cold Michelob Ultra beer is (sadly) the only beer offered at $4 Atmosphere 4We attended the league final championship series which likely affected the experience Most seats are plastic with comfortable backs The outfield background views are beautiful with gorgeous sunsets painting the skies in the evenings The fans all bring noise-making instruments and use them to the fullest He roars around on a golf cart and entertains the crowd between innings The scoreboard is a bit disappointing as it only shows the line score and the at bat player's name and photo Set in a mostly residential area with very good street lighting there are a few alternatives for a drink or a meal Popular restaurants within walking distance include Raices for traditional meals, the Jungle Burger and Grill, Winker’s Sports Bar and Grill, and PYP Restaurant.  Located on the north side of town, the Caguas Food Park is an excellent alternative for pre-game meals The Four Points Hotel and Casino by Sheraton is south of the stadium Music is played loudly throughout the game accompanied by fans with their bam-bams the stadium was full each night and it was VIBRANT The fans are knowledgeable and fully engaged with each pitch Several songs played on the PA system elicited fan chants No programs are offered – they would be very helpful to fans with limited Spanish knowledge The nearest airport is located in San Juan SJU Official – Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Puerto Rico and is a 45-minute drive to the stadium Traffic flow before and after games can be slow; fans can park in an adjacent lot south ($4) of the stadium but we recommend getting there a little early to park on the streets a relatively narrow walkway between the box seats and general admission seats can get quite crowded Updated restrooms are relatively clean but lines form later in the game though security staff do a quick body “pat down” at the gate Puerto Rico has a long history of honoring senior citizens who can purchase tickets at half-price All food and beverages are quite reasonably priced is well worth the price in this baseball-crazed island One point for the photos/descriptions of past players on the outside of the stadium and along the walkways parking and food/beverage prices earn a point the beautiful views behind the outfield fence all contribute to a great experience We were very fortunate to attend all four games of the 2024 league championship series We arrived early so we could sit in general admission seats behind home plate We got to know a few local (criollo) fans and had a great time but certainly less than Carolina's stadium If you are a baseball fan who visits Puerto Rico during the Liga PR league season Stadiumjourney.com SearchCaguas to play Manatí in BSN finals after ousting PonceThe San Juan Daily StarAug 14 20242 min readThe Caguas Criollos’ Onzie Branch gestures during a National Superior Basketball semifinal game in Caguas on Sunday night Caguas beat Ponce to advance to the finals.By The Star Staff The Caguas Criollos will face the Manatí Bears in the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) finals after defeating the Ponce Lions 75-70 on Sunday to win their semifinal series in six games Ponce took an early lead in the first 10 minutes of the game Even though Ponce was more efficient on offense Caguas outscored the Lions by 12 points from beyond the arc while the Criollos finished with a 24-11 advantage in free throws During the third period there was a clash between the Lions’ Jordan Bell and Louis King of the Criollos that ended in a fight After the review both players were expelled from the game and three more Ponce players -- Bryon Allen Luis Rolón and Wil Martínez -- had to join Bell in the locker room for entering the court from the bench at the time of the altercation The referees’ decision after reviewing the video was four free throws for Caguas and the ball Carlos “Yao” López and Aleem Ford had to take the role of big man against the Criollos’ Akil Mitchell eight rebounds and three assists for Caguas Collier finished with 13 points and seven rebounds only Jared Ruiz and Jezreel de Jesús scored in double figures Ruiz finished with 25 points and eight rebounds professes no allegiance to a particular major league team he had a straightforward way to decide who to root for come World Series time After talking with friends about whom they are rooting for he would often look at which team roster has more Puerto Ricans His calculation changed last December when the Boston Red Sox hired Álex Cora and especially what Cora and the Red Sox did for Caguas afterwards made choosing sides in the 2018 World Series between Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers rather easy “Willito,” as the mayor is affectionately known and the overwhelming majority of Caguas are rooting for Boston “I am a fan of the Cora family,” Miranda Torres said The Cora name has been synonymous with baseball in Caguas since the 1960s was a leading promoter of youth baseball in Caguas He also covered the Caguas Criollos of the Puerto Rican Winter League as a broadcaster and occasionally served as the official scorekeeper at games; his children grew up around Parque Yldefonso Solá Morales “By the time I started working in baseball in Puerto Rico José Cora was baseball royalty in Caguas,” recalls Luis Rodríguez Mayoral who worked stints as general manager of the San Juan and Guayama teams in the Puerto Rican Winter League all of Caguas loved him,” Rodríguez Mayoral said Miranda Torres can appreciate a patrilineal tradition as a native of Caguas and the son of a long-serving mayor of the city It’s with a measure of pride that he says the baseball league in the Villa Nueva community in Caguas is named Liga José M Cora in honor of the Cora patriarch’s work in building up baseball in Caguas A post shared by New Balance Gives Back (@nbgivesback) on Jan 30 he was just the fourth Puerto Rican to be named a manager in the major leagues and Dave Martínez—who the Washington Nationals had hired just two months before His hiring also changed the relationship between Caguas and Boston giving those from the Puerto Rican town a personal connection to the Red Sox through Cora Miranda Torres already felt a connection to Boston though I had lots of friends who went to college and university [there],” he said Mayor Miranda Torres and the residents of Caguas formed a deeper bond with the City on a Hill “De Caguas pa’l mundo” (From Caguas to the world) is an expression that Alex Cora likes to use a measure of hometown pride in the way his city prepared him for the world away from it Caguas may have exported some of its greatest baseball talent to Major League Baseball offers of assistance came from various corners of MLB Of particular note were the efforts of the Pittsburgh Pirates and their third base coach The Red Sox brought food and water to Caguas and made a $200,000 donation  Miranda Torres says this money is vital for Caguas’s efforts to rebuild and be better prepared for the next powerful hurricane Miranda Torres says the donation “will be used for community aqueducts powered by a photovoltaic system” – solar power – “so that in the case of another event [like María] families in our communities could have power.” the donation the Red Sox made to Caguas’s power needs is Cora paying it forward by paying the city back; Cora spent time as the manager of the Caguas Criollos in the 2015-16 season of the Puerto Rican Winter League He later took on the general manager role as Caguas won not just consecutive Puerto Rican titles but also claimed the Caribbean World Series All of this experience made the Red Sox manager much better prepared than your typical first-year big league manager and arguably helped Cora and the team get to this year’s World Series he sees Cora doing exactly the same things in Boston that he did in Caguas “The rapport he had with his players produced a different dynamic He has a way of interacting with people that is very agreeable and that produces good chemistry on a team,” Miranda Torres observed The baseball pride of Caguas was once the father and is now the son For the city can now claim that the it helped get Álex Cora “De Caguas pa’l Serial Mundial” (From Caguas to the World Series) Featured Image: Billie Weiss / Boston Red Sox © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved the world's largest indoor karting company is delighted to announce today the opening of K1 Speed Caguas - its second location in Puerto Rico and home to the island's largest indoor go-kart track This Puerto Rican expansion is thanks to the enormous success of K1 Speed Canóvanas the island's first K1 Speed that opened in 2018 this exciting new location takes its karting experience to new heights - literally but the only elevated indoor go-kart track on the island The track also features an elevated banked turn Guests who are 58" (4'10") or taller can race this incredible circuit with their latest all-electric go-kart: the OTL Superleggero These karts produce the fastest speeds in the industry and can approach 45 miles per hour taller guests aren't the only ones who'll enjoy the thrills of indoor go karting at K1 Speed Caguas this center also has Junior Karts that are suitable for children who are 48" (4') or taller These karts still reach respectable speeds of up to 20 miles per hour and are the perfect introduction for kids interested in the world of motorsports "We are immensely pleased that Puerto Rico now has two exceptional karting centers on their island to choose from," says Director of Marketing / Co-Founder Susan Danglard "The K1 Speed Caguas center and its track represent the very best of our company and I can't wait for everyone to experience this thrilling new location." K1 Speed Caguas is now open seven days a week from 10:00am to 9:00pm at Las Catalinas Mall, 400 Calle Betances. More information can be found at www.k1speed.com/caguas-location.html K1 Speed is the world's largest indoor electric kart racing operator with 74 locations in seven different countries and half of the United States K1 Speed is a unique upscale entertainment concept for casual consumers K1 Speed offers an International Franchise and is currently accepting applications the world's largest indoor go-kart racing operator is proud to donate $25,000 to Reach Out WorldWide (ROWW) in response to the devastating .. is proud to announce its donation of $104,169 to the American Society for the.. Entertainment Travel Retail Corporate Expansion Do not sell or share my personal information: Criollos de Caguas defeated Carolinas Gigantes 5-3 in the best-of-nine final series to claim their 21st title in the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC). They succeeded Indios de Mayaguez The Puerto Rican Winter League played its inaugural season in 1938 Gigantes-Criollos 3-2Criollos-Gigantes 13-4Criollos-Gigantes 4-2Gigantes-Criollos 10-4Criollos-Gigantes 3-2Criollos-Gigantes 4-1Gigantes-Criollos 5-1Criollos-Gigantes 4-1 played in front of a crowd of 8,920 at Yldefonso Solá Morales Stadium in Caguas six Criollos pitchers limited Gigantes to one run who has 92 Major League Baseball (MLB) games under his belt pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the win and 45-year-old Ricardo Gomez took care of the last three outs to collect his third save of the series Former major leaguer Vimael Machin went 2-for-4 with a home run Cuban-born Houston Astros prospect Pedro Leon added a solo shot The Criollos manager and former MLB superstar was ejected in the third after arguing on a pitch count with the home plate umpire Molina suffered his first LBPRC ejection on the night he celebrated his first pennant as a manager and Johneshwy Fargas (.350) led the Criollos offence RJ Martinez pitched 12.1 innings for the Criollos without allowing a run Sitemap Media Data Protection Contacts Avenue Général-Guisan, 45 CH-1009 Pully | Switzerland The WBSC is recognised as the sole competent authority in Baseball and Softball by the International Olympic Committee producer and “Despacito” singer Daddy Yankee joined volunteers in Caguas today to distribute shelter repair kits to families Yankee’s work with Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children is part of his commitment to help Puerto Rico rebuild following Hurricane Maria. He has pledged to donate $250,000 and raise an additional $1.5 million for the recovery “Puerto Rico has a long road ahead to recovery, and we need to work together to make sure families across the island get the support they need,” Yankee said. “I’m proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children as we distribute these kits that will help families make immediate repairs to their homes as we prepare for long-term repairs. Please visit habitat.org/daddyyankee to join this recovery.” Additional photos of Daddy Yankee working in Caguas are available online Photos may be published with credit to Habitat for Humanity International Yankee and other volunteers distributed the first 500 of 2,000 shelter repair kits, which are designed to help low-income families across Puerto Rico make interim repairs to homes damaged by Hurricane Maria. The remaining kits will be distributed in different cities on the island this month. Learn more about the kits © 2025 Habitat for Humanity® International “Habitat for Humanity®” is a registered service mark owned by Habitat for Humanity International Habitat® is a service mark of Habitat for Humanity International Habitat for Humanity® International is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law This article was published in ¡Arriba! The Heroic Life of Roberto Clemente (2022) Click here to read Part II of this article on Roberto Clemente’s Puerto Rico winter league career Jim “Junior” Gilliam and Roberto Clemente with Santurce (Photograph courtesy of Jorge Fidel López Vélez.) This essay focuses on Clemente’s 4½ winter seasons with Santurce his late-December 1956 sale to the Caguas Criollos It showcases his fine play in the memorable February 1955 Caribbean Series in Caracas and his all-star performance in center field for Caguas in the February 1958 Caribbean Series in San Juan Part II covers his seasons with the San Juan Senators who acquired him via a trade with Caguas before the 1959-60 season A 1952-53 ROOKIE SEASON WITH LINKS TO TED WILLIAMS AND JACKIE ROBINSON Each PRWL team was allowed eight “imports,” normally stateside players Quality imports could make the difference between winning a title or not qualifying for the postseason Clemente’s first outfield start was at Escobar Stadium against the visiting Mayagüez Indians on October 22. From left field, he watched Ted Williams throw out the first pitch from the mound, next to Zorrilla and starting pitcher Holloman. Williams was available for the occasion during a break from doing joint maneuvers between Vieques and Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba.11 Williams hit .407 with Boston (37-for-91) during August-September 1953 and did not sign a Santurce contract and George Crowe on a winter league dream team ONE OF THE BEST WINTER LEAGUE TEAMS EVER ASSEMBLED (1954-55) and Olmo were the only outfield trio on a Winter League team to all use the basket catch.) Thurman was proud of his role as a mentor to Clemente, who respected all Negro Leaguers on the 1954-55 club.34 The February 1955 Caribbean Series in Caracas resulted in Santurce’s third title in five years – after winning the 1951 and 1953 events Zimmer earned MVP laurels with a .385 average Here are Clemente highlights from the 1955 series: February 12 – First-inning homer off Ramón Monzant knotted the score February 14 – Two triples in an 11-3 win over Carta Vieja (Panamá).37 Clemente mostly played center field, flanked by Gerard in left and Thurman in right. His 85 hits in 278 at-bats gave him a .306 average; his seven homers were the most he ever hit in a PRWL season.40 Clemente met Carl Hubbell at Sixto Escobar Stadium after the latter arrived in Puerto Rico on January 9, 1956, to get a closer look at Gómez, Steve Ridzik, and Al Worthington. (Hubbell was the New York Giants farm director.) “I introduced Roberto [Clemente] to Hubbell,” noted Gómez. “Hubbell got to watch some of our games – he thought Roberto would eventually become a very good major league hitter.”41 Owen, now managing Ponce, opined that Clemente had “improved offensively and defensively” since 1953-54. “He just had one season [1954] in the minors, and 1955 Pittsburgh,” said Owen. “He was on his way.…”42 Santurce (43-29) faced Caguas (38-34) in the finals, and lost it, four games to two.43 Roberto Clemente in action at Caguas in the 1956-57 season CLEMENTE FLIRTS WITH .400 AND IS SOLD TO CAGUAS (1956-57) By late December of 1956, Clemente sported a .431 average (56-for-130), with Santurce.44 Zorrilla publicly announced his team was for sale45 and transferred team ownership to Ramón N for $30,000 in cash on December 30 to liquidate Santurce’s debt prior to a doubleheader that day in Mayagüez Ted Norbert took over managing duties for Santurce from Ramón “Monchile” Concepción The Crabbers (43-29) won their third straight pennant but lost to second-place Mayagüez (41-31) Prior to his sale to Caguas, Clemente got two hits off Caguas’s Sandy Koufax, in the young left-hander’s last PRWL start on December 16, a 2-0, seven-inning shutout of Santurce, in the second game of a twin bill.48 ABBREVIATED 1957-58 SEASON AND 1958 CARIBBEAN SERIES The 1957-58 Caguas-Rio Piedras Criollos waited until January 12, 1958, to see Clemente in action. The club had added Rio Piedras to the team’s name in 1956-57 to expand the franchise’s marketing base. Clemente’s debut came at Ponce’s Paquito Montaner Stadium.54 In nine games, he went 8-for-32.55 Teammate Canenita Allen won Rookie-of-the-Year laurels The 33-31 Criollos tied San Juan for second Caguas bested San Juan three games to one in the semis before sweeping Santurce Clemente pulverized Santurce pitching in the league finals, with nine hits in 17 at-bats, a .529 average. On January 31, at home, he doubled and hit two singles off Greason, in game two, a 5-0 shutout by Roberto Vargas. Rubén Gómez was in center field for Santurce, with Clemente in center for Caguas.56 Caguas-Rio Piedras hosted the February 1958 Caribbean Series at Sixto Escobar Stadium. Juan Pizarro fanned 17 Carta Vieja Yankees on Opening Night, an all-time Caribbean Series record.57 “I threw hard,” said Pizarro. “It was an honor to represent Puerto Rico, with Clemente and Vic Power playing behind me.”58 Clemente hit Caguas’s only series homer,59 off Marianao’s Bob Shaw, in game three on February 10, an eventual 5-4 win for Cuba. Caguas and Marianao faced off in the February 13 finale. Ninth-inning singles by Solly Drake and Minnie Miñoso, preceded an error and Ray Noble sacrifice fly to give Marianao a 2-0 win.60 Marianao became the first team to win back-to-back Caribbean Series. Caguas duplicated this 60 years later (2017 and 2018)61. Total attendance was 57,355, including 13,269 on Opening Night, and standing room 16,000 on the closing night.62 Escobar’s seating capacity was roughly 13,500 Clemente distinguished himself by being voted center fielder on the Series All-Star Team, with a .391 average (9-for-23) and .609 slugging percentage. Vic Power, an all-star at third, had a .458 average. Pizarro fanned 29 in 16⅔ innings.63 In 12 Caribbean Series games, Clemente went 16-for-49 for a .327 average, with one double, three triples, two homers, and six RBIs. He scored 14 runs. His .592 slugging percentage ranks fourth all-time, in Phase I, 1949-1960 of the Caribbean Series, for players with at least 45 at-bats.64 Clemente was posthumously inducted into the Caribbean Series Hall of Fame (aka the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame) in 2015.65 Overall, with Caguas and Santurce, Clemente played six winter seasons and posted a .325 batting average, 358 hits in 1,102 at-bats, with 55 doubles, 13 triples, 17 homers, 129 RBIs, and a .445 slugging percentage. He scored 173 runs and stole nine bases.66 He was fascinated by Winter League baseball he attended a December 1966 Roberto Clemente baseball clinic at Hiram Bithorn Stadium where Clemente played and managed between October 1963 and January 1971 Tom served as stateside correspondent for the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame He has written SABR bios and articles for The National Pastime and Baseball Research Journal A charter member of SABR’s Cool Papa Bell (Mississippi) Chapter Grateful acknowledgment to Marcial “Canenita” Allen Jorge Colón Delgado provided Clemente’s PRWL stats Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero (New York: Simon & Schuster Enciclopedia Béisbol Ponce Leones (Santo Domingo 1 Kal Wagenheim 2 Luis Rodríguez Mayoral Roberto Clemente aún escucha las ovaciones (Hato Rey 3 Rodríguez Mayoral phone interview with Thomas Van Hyning Muñoz Marín served four terms as governor (1948-1964) Rodríguez Mayoral confirmed that Clemente actively supported the PPD his adult life 4 Billy Hunter phone interview with Thomas Van Hyning All other phone and in-person interviews cited were with the subject and the author 5 Jorge Colón Delgado Pedrín Zorrilla: El Cangrejo Mayor (Colombia: OP Gráficas 6 El Mundo 7 Harvey Haddix phone interview 8 Colón Delgado 9 h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/robe​rto-c​lemen​te-3/ 10 h​ttps:​//sab​r.org​/biop​roj/p​erson​/bobo​-holl​oman/ 11 Williams had been called back to service during the Korean War 12 Thomas E 13 Vic Power in-person interview 14 Jorge S 15 Guigo Otero Suro in-person interview 16 Otero Suro in-person interview 17 h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/robe​rto-c​lemen​te-3/ 18 Van Hyning 19 José A 20 Tom Lasorda in-person interview 21 Mickey Owen phone interview 22 Owen phone interview 23 Jack Cassini phone interview 24 Luis Rodríguez Mayoral 25 h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/sam-​jones​-2/ 26 Don Zimmer in-person interview 27 Van Hyning 28 Colón Delgado 29 Hy Turkin “‘Good Prospects Fewer’ – Only 13 in Majors’ Draft,” The Sporting News the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Clemente for a $10,000 bonus 30 Víctor Navarro Puerto Rico: Navarro’s Publishing Services 31 The Sporting News 32 Bill Greason phone interview 33 Bob Thurman 34 Bob Thurman in-person interview 35 Crescioni Benítez 36 Pito Alvarez de la Vega “Zimmer’s 3 HRs Pace Santurce to Puerto Rico Title,” The Sporting News 37 The Sporting News 38 Colón Delgado 39 Colón Delgado 40 h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/robe​rto-c​lemen​te-3/ 41 Rubén Gómez in-person interview 42 Mickey Owen phone interview 43 The Sporting News 44 José Crescioni Benítez work papers 45 Jorge Colón Delgado 46 Rubén Gómez in-person interview Gómez was allowed to drive to away games in his Corvette 47 Marcial “Canenita” Allen in-person interview 48 The Sporting News 49 José Crescioni Benítez work papers 50 Tom Lasorda in-person interview 51 El Mundo 52 Héctor Barea Libro oficial béisbol profesional de Puerto Rico (Guaynabo 53 José “Ronquito” García in-person interview 54 El Mundo 55 h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/robe​rto-c​lemen​te-3/ 56 Pito Alvarez de la Vega “Clemente Paces Caguas Team to Sweep of Finals,” The Sporting News 57 The Sporting News 58 Juan “Terín” Pizarro in-person interview 59 h​ttps:​//www​.base​ball-​refer​ence.​com/b​ullpe​n/195​8_Car​ibbea​n_Ser​ies 60 The Sporting News 61 Thomas E “Caguas Criollos: Five Caribbean Series Crowns and Cooperstown Connections,” Baseball Research Journal (Phoenix: SABR 62 The Sporting News 63 Tony Piña Campora work papers 64 Thomas E. Van Hyning, h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/jim-​gilli​am-ba​ltimo​re-el​ite-g​iants​-agua​dilla​-alme​ndare​s-min​ors-a​nd-sa​nturc​e-​part​-i/ 65 Tony Piña Campora work papers 66 h​ttps:​//www​.beis​bol10​1.com​/robe​rto-c​lemen​te-​3/ El Profe examines the finer details of his Photo of the Year During the last few weeks I’ve been breaking down iconic Latino baseball photos such as Roberto Clemente tipping his cap after his 3,000th hit and Fernando Valenzuela looking up to the heavens They simmer in our souls and eventually become burned into our personal baseball archive What photo from 2018 will fans look back on 30 years from now and say We dreamed of this moment as kids – the return to our hometown and holding aloft the World Series trophy for all to see like a conquering hero Whether it was playing baseball on the street I certainly daydreamed of such a triumphant moment Álex Cora lived that dream this November in his hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico This photo captures that dreamed-about moment – the hero’s welcome A few drops of rain on this November day wasn’t going to stop Caguas residents—from the Mayor to the everyday baseball fan—from attending the day’s celebration They were there to celebrate Cora’s historical achievement as the first Puerto Rican to lead a team to a World Series title as a manager especially after what they had gone through over the previous year Hurricane María had dumped 38 inches of rain when it passed through Caguas in September 2017 Maria’s winds had ripped through the lush vegetation on the mountains that surround the city’s valley area “It looked like a movie where a bomb had been dropped on a town,” Caguas mayor William Miranda Torres told me of his initial reaction to the devastation Cora had looked out for Caguas from the start in his stint as Boston Red Sox manager In contract negotiations he asked for relief supplies for his devastated home town of 130,000 residents The first plane he brought from Boston transported much needed relief supplies The second plane Cora brought from Boston carried a World Series trophy this November day was going to be different their working together to overcome the devastating impact of a hurricane and the achievement of one their own who always spoke proudly of his hometown Cora had a Roberto Clemente-type moment in the postgame interview following the Red Sox clinching the World Series title On live television Cora shared his pride in being Puerto Rican and from Caguas and then he put Red Sox ownership on the spot asking “if we could take this trophy to my island.” This day was not just the fulfillment of Cora’s postgame question but also of a dream that so many had dreamt it was Cora who had accomplished it and was able to share it Many in the crowd are angling to take a photo of Cora on their phone or camera A few opted against umbrellas to hold banner celebrating their native son’s glorious achievement Cora had made it personal all along for them He constantly used the expression “De Caguas Pa’l Mundo.” Roughly translated He had claimed them all along the journey to the title had led a team to a World Series title as manager Featured Image: Red Sox Instagram