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 Cover Page Legal HistorySports SearchCanóvanas will use $800,000 to host the Carolina Giants in its coliseumThe San Juan Daily StarFeb 142 min readBy The Star Staff The Carolina Giants will play at Carlos Miguel Mangual Coliseum in Canóvanas during the 2025 season of the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) league the team’s manager Héctor Horta confirmed earlier this week Horta said the decision was made after all resources were exhausted in the team’s efforts to persuade the municipal administration of Carolina and its mayor to reconsider their refusal to make Guillermo Angulo Coliseum available “We tried everything,” Horta said Tuesday in a written statement “We exhausted all resources in good faith to be able to talk but we never received communication from the municipality.” “This year our family will move to a new home Canóvanas,’ the manager said in a letter addressed to Giants (Gigantes) fans “This season the team will bear the name of the Carolina/Canóvanas Giants,” he added “We will be the bridge that will unite two towns the route that will unite a region from the Metro to the entire East season ticket holders and sponsors for their support throughout this process.” Horta expressed gratitude for the support of Canóvanas Mayor Lornna Soto Villanueva and all the entities that have supported the transition as well as district lawmakers in both chambers of the island Legislature “We are extremely grateful to the Municipality of Canóvanas and its mayor for opening the doors of Carlos Miguel Mangual Coliseum to us,” he said we extend our gratitude to the BSN Board of Directors and its president Ricardo Dalmau for approving this transfer in record time for the benefit of the League and sports in general.” celebrated the arrival of the Giants to her municipality “It is an honor to receive the Carolina Giants in Canóvanas,” the mayor said “We will work together to ensure that the team and the fans have the best possible experience in our coliseum.” the Giants administration and the Municipality of Canóvanas will work together to ensure that the sports venue is in optimal condition for the season that will begin in mid-March Among the planned improvements to the coliseum is the installation of new seats in the “courtside” and box areas installation of an air-conditioning system and lighting There also was an expansion of administrative offices renovation of food booths and installation of an audiovisual system The total investment amounts to some $800,000 The change of venue was unanimously endorsed by the BSN the league’s board of directors approved the freezing of Carolina’s position for an indefinite period as a show of support for Horta © 2025 The San Juan Daily Star - Puerto Rico a local Popeyes franchise owned by Restaurant Holding Company (RHC) announced the expansion of the Popeyes restaurant chain to the northeast region establishing its first restaurant in the area and its 21st on the island will be managed by a team of more than 45 employees Customers can conveniently place orders through two drive-thru lanes with dual windows (one for payment and one for delivery) to facilitate the ordering process "We are excited to expand Popeyes' presence beyond the metropolitan area This is our first restaurant in the northeast region and one of four additional restaurants under construction in Hatillo Juana Diaz and Fajardo scheduled to open before the end of the year We look forward to reaching every corner of the Island in our commitment to continue bringing the iconic flavors of Louisiana and conquering the local palate,” said Fernando Oliver Like the recently opened Popeyes in Guayama the new 3,059-square-foot restaurant will feature a contemporary exterior and interior design that includes an open seating concept to select from (booths contemporary furnishings in natural materials and décor that highlights the brand's history and values neutral-colored cement-look floor and different types of lighting complement the contemporary-industrial design The Puerto Rican market first tasted Popeyes' traditional Louisiana flavors in 2005 "Puerto Rico has been a phenomenal growth market Puerto Ricans have many things in common with the Popeyes brand including a love for bold and delicious flavors passion for music and much more,” said Carlos J president and chief operating officer (COO) of Restaurant Holding Company Popeyes is distinguished by a New Orleans style menu that includes the famous chicken sandwich marinated for at least 12 hours in Louisiana Cajun-style seasonings slow-cooked with proprietary seasonings and techniques The new Canóvanas restaurant is open daily from 10 a.m “This new restaurant is well accessible from Highway #3 and provides an opportunity for guests from the northeast region to sample our tasty menu given its accessibility and convenient location We look forward to welcoming our fans and new customers looking to try our unique and bold flavors for the first time,” concluded Oliver Popeyes has more than 50 years of history and culinary tradition Popeyes is one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurants in the world with more than 4,300 restaurants in the United States and around the world It is a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International Inc one of the world's largest quick-service restaurant companies with over $40 billion in annual system-wide sales and more than 30,000 restaurants in over 100 countries The continued growth of Uber Eats on the island has not only become an option for consumers to order food but also an opportunity for local m… Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: SearchInnovative Head Start center opens in Canóvanas with $5.6 million investmentThe San Juan Daily StarMar 282 min readGov and Canóvanas Mayor Lornna Soto Villanueva inaugurated the new federal Head Start program center Nidito de Amor which spans 10,000 square feet and represents a $5.6 million investment.By The Star Staff Jenniffer González Colón and Canóvanas Mayor Lornna Soto Villanueva on Thursday inaugurated the new federal Head Start program center with federal funding secured by the governor as resident commissioner which spans 10,000 square feet and represents a $5.6 million investment stands out as one of the most innovative on the island The two leaders had laid the cornerstone of the project together a few years ago “Our children in the Campo Rico sector will have access to a safe and excellent environment that facilitates their learning thanks to the appropriate use of federal funds which we secured as a congresswoman and which our mayor knew how to invest in favor of this community,” the governor said “The mayor brought us the conceptualization of this project and municipal and state representatives that we have fulfilled our duty to this community by making this federal Head Start program accessible and accessible to them.” González Colón added that the program “promotes school readiness for children from low-income families it assists in the comprehensive development of children from birth to 4 years and eleven months and it provides parents with the opportunity to join the workforce.” Soto Villanueva said “[a]s I mentioned at the time [of the groundbreaking] federal funds are not wasted; they are invested to benefit our people.” early education is essential to the development of our children who are the future of Puerto Rico,” she said The mayor emphasized that the project was developed over three years “This new facility will house three Head Start program groups with capacity for 50 children and one Early Head Start program group with space for an additional eight children,” she said the facility will feature a hub-type area for emergency use offering essential services such as internet Soto Villanueva also noted that the program was rescued by her administration in 2016 after a private entity failed to fulfill its mission the federal government approved 10 Head Start programs for us with 400 children and today we have significantly expanded that number,” she said adding that a recent analysis of child care services in Puerto Rico indicates the urgent need to promote such facilities “The study estimated that approximately 60,000 children could be deprived of these services a situation that worsened after Hurricane Maria and the pandemic,” the mayor said and thanks to the trust our team has earned in receiving federal funds we have promoted the development of these facilities.” This work, Canovanas, Puerto Rico Sailor Serves as Member of U.S. Navy in Horn of Africa, by PO1 Natalia Murillo, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright President Donald Trump will travel to hurricane-hit Puerto Rico next Tuesday Frustration is growing with his administration’s response to Hurricane Maria with millions of residents still without power and facing long lines for supplies Nine days after Hurricane Maria left them empty-handed residents of Canovanas are still removing mud Their community is only 30 minutes away from the island’s capital.  At least here we have many neighborhoods,” Elliot Velazquez said but no one has come to check if all basic survival needs are being met and now it’s more evident with Hurricane Maria,” according to Orlando Mejia through their military forces and personnel They get installations where nothing exists and it’s unbelievable that they haven’t been able to help with the electricity or at least improve communications.”  the medical clinic is in need of diesel for its generator “I only have diesel until one in the morning today,” according to human resources director Diana Moncia “We are the only operating clinic in the area and we need to get diesel.” Puerto Rico was an island dealing with financial turmoil But its agriculture industry was enjoying an economic resurgence While this precarious situation repeats itself in dozens of municipalities in the American territory Washington has a different perspective on how relief efforts are being deployed and distributed We have over 10,000 people in Puerto Rico right now,” President Donald Trump told the media She underwent an operation a few days before the hurricane hit Elliot took her to a shelter so she could recover while he and their neighbors find a way to rebuild all on their own SearchSoto embarks on a 3rd term as mayor of CanóvanasThe San Juan Daily StarJan 232 min readCanóvanas Mayor Lornna Soto Villanueva took the oath of office for a third time (Facebook via Lornna Soto)By The Star Staff Mayor Lornna Soto Villanueva was sworn in Tuesday night for her third term as the first executive of the Autonomous Municipality of Canóvanas “I took the oath to serve you with integrity and honesty complying with our state and federal Constitutions as well as with the laws and ordinances and the Municipal Code of Puerto Rico,” Soto Villanueva said “My spirit is renewed with the same emotion I felt back in 2014 when I took the oath to begin my duties as mayor I feel extremely honored by the trust that citizens place in our efforts and commitments as I am aware of and responsible for the current challenges that we all know But also full of faith as I look to the future with great optimism.” Describing the Old Sugar Mill of Canóvanas as a sign of economic power Soto Villanueva stressed that the facility today is a symbol of resilience that describes very well the lineage of improvement of Canóvanas and that the northern central town’s administration will turn it into a pillar of tourism development urban development and cultural development “The chimney that has faced the passing of time multiple natural phenomena and even the pandemic remains standing with aplomb,” the mayor said I feel the strength of the support and trust that has been delegated to me to lead the destiny of this beloved city A responsibility that we have fulfilled vigorously for the past 10 years with sincere humility and enormous satisfaction I can tell you that I have worked tirelessly in the face of challenges and goals; in the face of unsuspected circumstances such as the inclemency and roar of nature; in times of serenity and in times of controversy … and with the conviction of character I come determined to honor it for four more years with tenacity A true believer in youth and their leading role in a new paradigm of making Canóvanas a regional leader Soto Villanueva said she also believes that it is important for each demographic and social sector to participate in those efforts recommending solutions and collaborating in the execution of the government plan Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico is now estimating that Hurricane Maria killed more than 1,400 people far more than the official death toll of 64 in a report to Congress seeking billions to help the island recover from the devastating storm relying on updated statistics it first reported in June said there were 1,427 more deaths from September to December 2017 than the average for the same time period over the previous four years In a report to Congress detailing a $139 billion reconstruction plan the territory’s government said that the additional deaths resulted from the effects of a storm that led to a “cascading failures” in infrastructure across the island of 3.3 million people knocked out power and water to the island and caused widespread flooding that left many sick and elderly people unable to get medical treatment “The hurricanes’ devastating effects on people’s health and safety cannot be overstated,” the government said in the report seeking assistance from Congress to help rebuild an island that was already struggling from a deep economic crisis at the time of the storm Puerto Rican officials said the storm directly caused 64 deaths But they have long publicly said that far more people died due to indirect effects of the powerful storm The more exact number has been a matter of debate and the government itself released the 1,427 count in June But it said it would wait to update its official tally until receiving a report it commissioned from George Washington University The use of the higher death toll in the report to Congress was first reported Thursday by The New York Times Most of the deaths occurred not in the initial storm on Sept but in the ensuing days and weeks when the island-wide electricity outage and roads blocked by downed power lines and other debris made it difficult to move around and emergency services were stretched beyond their capabilities © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Among the countless Puerto Rico neighbourhoods battered by Hurricane Maria is one named after another storm: Villa Hugo The illegal shantytown emerged on a public wetland after 1989’s Hurricane Hugo left thousands homeless and built makeshift homes on 40 acres that span a low-lying valley and its adjacent mountainside their facades scrawled with invented addresses many are missing roofs; some have collapsed altogether 59-year-old Joe Quirindongo sat in the sun one recent day on a wooden platform - the only remaining piece of his home Soft-spoken with weathered skin and a buzzcut “I know this isn’t a good place for a house,” said Quirindongo “Sometimes I would like to go to another place Villa Hugo reflects a much larger crisis in this impoverished U.S where so-called “informal” homes are estimated to house about half the population of 3.4 million Some residents built on land they never owned often so family members could build on their lots which are constructed without permits and usually not up to building codes from one-room shacks to sizeable family homes The concentration of illegal housing presents a vexing dilemma for local and federal authorities already overwhelmed by the task of rebuilding an economically depressed island after its worst natural disaster in nine decades Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello has stressed the need to “build back better,” a sentiment echoed by U.S But rebuilding to modern standards or relocating squatters to new homes would take an investment far beyond reimbursing residents for lost property value It’s an outlay Puerto Rico’s government says it can’t afford officials say is beyond the scope of their funding and mission Yet the alternative - as Villa Hugo shows - is to encourage rebuilding of the kind of substandard housing that made the island so vulnerable to Maria in the first place “It’s definitely a housing crisis,” said Fernando Gil housing is by far the largest category of storm destruction estimated by the island government at about $37 billion with only a small portion covered by insurance That's more than twice the government’s estimate for catastrophic electric grid damage which was made far worse by the shoddy state of utility infrastructure before the storm Puerto Rico officials did not respond to questions about how the territory estimated the damage to illegally built homes Maria destroyed or significantly damaged more than a third of about 1.2 million occupied homes on the island Most of those victims had no hazard insurance - which is only required for mortgage-holders in Puerto Rico - and no flood insurance Just 344,000 homes on the island have mortgages Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) acknowledged the unique challenges of delivering critical housing aid to Puerto Rico Among them: calculating the damage to illegal often substandard homes; persuading storm victims to follow through on application processes that have frustrated many into giving up; and allocating billions in disaster aid that still won’t be nearly enough solve the island’s housing crisis By far the most money for Puerto Rico housing aid is expected to come from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HUD spokeswoman Caitlin Thompson declined to comment on how the agency would spend billions of dollars in disaster relief funds to rebuild housing or how it planned to help owners of informally built homes Two HUD officials overseeing the agency’s Puerto Rico relief efforts But the disaster aid package currently under consideration by the U.S Congress would provide far less housing aid than Puerto Rico officials say they need Governor Rossello is seeking $46 billion in aid from HUD an amount that dwarfs previous allocations for even the most destructive U.S That's nearly half the island's total relief request of $94 billion House of Representatives instead passed a package of $81 billion that still needs Senate and White House approval The money would be divided between regions struck by several 2017 hurricanes - including Maria Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida - as well as the recent California wildfires Congress could also decide to approve additional aid later was among the estimated 28,000 people displaced by Hurricane Hugo Neighbors helped her build a new home in what would become Villa Hugo still recalls her older brother grinning as he sawed wood for the frame of their self-built and her waterlogged wooden floorboards buckle with each step Vega Lastra has been staying with her daughter as the family waits on applications for FEMA aid The agency initially denied her application in December Vega Lastra is returning to her home this week uncertain if its condition has gotten worse Her daughter bought her an air mattress to take with her The island’s housing crisis long predated the storm According to Federal Housing Finance Agency data Puerto Rico’s index of new home prices fell 25 percent over the last decade amid a severe recession that culminated last May in the largest government bankruptcy filing in U.S plummeted from nearly 16,000 new units in 2004 to less than 2,500 last year according to consultancy Estudios Tecnicos A 2007 study by environmental consultant Interviron Services Inc commissioned by the Puerto Rico Builders Association found that 55 percent of residential and commercial construction was informal That would work out to nearly 700,000 homes president of the Puerto Rico Planning Society a trade group representing community planners But even a “very conservative” estimate would yield at least 260,000 illegally built houses Generations of Puerto Rican governments never made serious efforts to enforce building codes to stop new illegal housing current and former island officials said in interviews Past administrations had little political or economic incentive to force people out of neighbourhoods like Villa Hugo said he tried to help informal homeowners without policing them but rather improve those places,” Hernandez Colon said in an interview Subsequent administrations advocated similar policies; none made meaningful headway partly because of Puerto Rico’s constant political turnover informal communities provide a stark contrast to San Juan’s glittering resorts and bustling business districts San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz pointed to poor barrios like those near the city's Martín Peña Channel hidden behind the skyscrapers of the financial hub known as the Golden Mile but we hide our poverty here,” Cruz said in an interview The task of rebuilding Puerto Rico’s housing stock ultimately falls to the territory government which has no ability to pay for it after racking up $120 billion in bond and pension debt in the years before the storm The SBA offers low-interest home repair loans of up to $200,000 FEMA provides homeowners with emergency grants HUD is focused on long-term rebuilding efforts working directly with local agencies to subsidise reconstruction through grants FEMA’s cap for disaster aid to individuals is $33,300 FEMA eligibility for housing aid requires proving property ownership but the agency says it will help owners of informal homes if they can prove residency someone who builds their own home with no permits on land they own is more likely to be treated as a homeowner FEMA’s deputy federal coordinating officer Squatters who built on land they didn't own would likely only be given money to cover lost items and relocate to a rental Several Villa Hugo residents said they received money from FEMA but many didn’t know what it was for and complained it wasn’t enough plans to appeal the $6,000 grant she got for repairs to her flooded home showed a statement from FEMA saying he was eligible for $916.22 “to perform essential repairs that will allow you to live in your home.” most homeowners said they planned to combine the aid they might get from FEMA with what little money they could raise to rebuild in the same spot Code enforcement is left to the same local authorities who have allowed illegal construction to persist for years Quirindongo is planning to buy materials to rebuild his Villa Hugo home himself with about $4,000 from FEMA “I just want to have something that I can say Many others appear to have given up on FEMA aid because the agency’s application process is entangled with a separate process for awarding SBA loans to rebuild homes FEMA is legally bound to assess whether applicants might qualify for SBA loans before awarding them FEMA grants If an applicant passes FEMA’s cursory eligibility assessment they are automatically referred to SBA for a more thorough screening Applicants are not required to follow through on the SBA process - but they cannot qualify for FEMA aid unless they do FEMA only provides a grant when the SBA denies the applicant a loan FEMA said it has referred about 520,000 people out of 1.1 million total applicants so far to the SBA only 59,000 followed through with SBA applications I don’t want a loan - I can’t afford a loan,’” FEMA's Hernandez said SBA spokeswoman Carol Chastang said the agency is working with FEMA to educate flood victims on available benefits and the application process including sending staffers to applicants’ homes Puerto Rico already had about 330,000 vacant homes resulting from years of population decline as citizens migrated to the mainland United States and elsewhere Puerto Ricans are American citizens and can move to the mainland at will Puerto Rico and federal officials have considered rehabilitating the vacant housing for short- and long-term use along with building new homes and buying out homeowners in illegally built neighbourhoods has said the rebuilding plan must include a fleet of properly built new homes said the administration would like to build as many as 70,000 properties HUD officials declined to comment on whether the agency would finance new housing Its Community Development Block Grant program allows for local governments to design their own solutions and seek HUD approval for funding code-compliant properties to house people displaced by Maria could far exceed the available federal aid Making them affordable also presents a problem Puerto Rico’s subsidised “social interest housing,” geared toward low-income buyers typically provides units that sell in the mid-$100,000 range That’s beyond the means of many displaced storm victims Gil offered little detail on a solution beyond saying it will include a mix of new development buyout programs for owners of illegally built homes and other options The answer will come down to how much Washington is willing to pay He invoked the island’s territorial status and colonial history as a root cause of its poor infrastructure and housing stock before the storm “It is precisely because we have been neglected by the federal government that the island’s infrastructure is so weak,” he said Many Puerto Rico officials continue to advocate for bringing relief and legitimacy to squatter communities like Villa Hugo rather than trying to relocate their residents Canovanas Mayor Lornna Soto has been negotiating with island officials to provide property titles to Villa Hugo’s population “It’s long overdue to recognise that they are not going anywhere and their communities need to be rebuilt with proper services,” Soto said Diaz said she supports her mother's decision to return to Villa Hugo regardless of what aid the government ultimately provides Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More and sifting rings in a cadence over the rainforest-covered hills of Canovanas Almost two years after Hurricane Maria Noel Andres Gonzalez's family is still rebuilding They're working on a home they always wanted — but it's a home they had to begin working on sooner than planned but I never thought it would be like this,” Gonzalez says The shell of their old home overlooks the new house.  parents and grandfather work away together a lot of people see it like a negative thing "But when time passes and you reflect on what happened I have spent so much time with my family.' " Gonzalez sees the big picture of Maria.  “There are things in our life that come hard But it doesn’t mean that we are small in heart His family has been living up the road with his grandparents as they work on their new home They hope they will be able to finish it by the end of the year and that doesn’t mean that we haven’t finished and it doesn’t mean we are going to stop," Gonzalez says and that should be the vision of every Puerto Rican." Identities of 9 killed in C-130 cargo plane crash releasedAssociated PressSAVANNAH — The Puerto Rico National Guard has released the identities of the nine Guard members killed in a plane crash Wednesday in Georgia: from Puerto Rico and recently residing in Madison He is survived by his wife and two daughters America’s #1 buffet and grill opened its doors in Canóvanas Canóvanas, Puerto Rico  (RestaurantNews.com)  Golden Corral started serving its endless dining choices in Latin America for the first time when the iconic restaurant opened its doors in Canóvanas “Opening in Latin America is a significant milestone for us and it really demonstrates the broad appeal of Golden Corral,” said Lance Trenary president and CEO of Golden Corral Corporation “During these challenging times for the restaurant industry it is exciting to support our new franchisee and his team as they expand the Golden Corral brand We look forward to bringing our Golden Corral favorites to Puerto Rico and we can’t wait to serve the Canóvanas community.” The new restaurant, located at 18400 State Road #3, Ste. #122 is the brand’s latest design featuring a stone fireplace as well as an all-new buffet area with an enhanced carvery and tiled walls that look much like a residential kitchen “We are very excited with the positive reception the Canóvanas community has shown us in the short time we have been open and I can’t wait to continue to introduce Golden Corral’s wholesome food to Puerto Rico,” said Luis Albino “Our acclaimed buffet that features more than 100 options is something entirely new to the Canóvanas community we’ve hired an incredible team of outgoing individuals to join us in serving Golden Corral’s unmatched variety to everyone in the area.” The restaurant opened with a modified service model to comply with federal Golden Corral guests wear disposable gloves when selecting endless helpings of the restaurant’s most popular favorites Masks and gloves are worn by all team members and guests are required to wear masks while away from their table Additional enhanced sanitation and social distancing procedures are also in place Once dine-in capacity restrictions are lifted the 14,800-square-foot restaurant will seat over 400 guests Canóvanas’s new Golden Corral is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m Golden Corral’s legendary endless buffet features an abundant variety of quality Guests can choose from over 100 items including USDA grilled to order steaks seafood and shrimp alongside traditional favorites like pot roast Golden Corral is a restaurant where there’s something for everyone and guests can come together to eat as they please Contact:Cami StudebakerChampion Management972-930-9933cstudebaker@championmgt.com This work, Army Reserve engineers help local town restore their community center, by LTC Ruth Castro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. Cloudy skies. Low near 75F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Stensby: LUMA workers will be free to unionize, if they choose LUMA Energy company executives and government officials broke ground Thursday on the future LUMA College for Technical Training, a world class training facility being funded by LUMA parent companies ATCO and Quanta Services. The LUMA College campus is being built on a 24-acre plot in the San Isidro Industrial Park in the municipality of Canóvanas. During the construction phase, approximately 50 jobs will be created. “The construction of the LUMA College for Technical Training is an example of helping a community build its own future. Providing training and good, well-paying jobs is a foundation for growing the economy and improving the livelihoods of Puerto Ricans, one of the many ways LUMA will be an instrument for good,” said Nancy Southern, chair and CEO of ATCO during the groundbreaking ceremony. The first class of 16 employees will receive full scholarships at the LUMA College, funded by the parent companies. The Electrical Industry and Irrigation Workers Union (UTIER by its Spanish acronym) continues to rally against LUMA’s PPP contract. During the event, dozens of UTIER members protests, alleging that the LUMA contract violates employees’ rights, a charge the company denies. Stensby said during the event that LUMA workers will be free to unionize, if they choose. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 20177:21 PM UTCBill Clinton visits Puerto RicoThe former president visits the U.S territory two months after Hurricane Maria devastated the island [1/15]Former President Bill Clinton salutes a man while visiting with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosello (C) a school turned shelter for people who have lost their homes during Hurricane Maria in Canovanas Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello (R) and Mayor of Canovanas Lornna Soto hold a Puerto Rican flag with the names of people living at a school turned shelter in Canovanas [3/15]Former President Bill Clinton (C) and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz (R) play dominoes during a visit to a market in San Juan [5/15]Former President Bill Clinton (3rd L) and Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosello (5th L) visit a school turned shelter in Canovanas [6/15]People who lost their homes during Hurricane Maria in September rest at a gymnasium of a school turned shelter in Canovanas [8/15]Former President Bill Clinton (L) and Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosello visit a school turned shelter in Canovanas [9/15]A man does his laundry while sitting on a cot at a school turned shelter in Canovanas [10/15]A man who lost his home during Hurricane Maria sits in a wheelchair at a school turned shelter in Canovanas [11/15]A woman who lost her home during Hurricane Maria rests on a cot at a school turned shelter in Canovanas [12/15]A woman who lost her home during Hurricane Maria wears a Puerto Rico national flag signed by former President Bill Clinton (not pictured) in her hair in Canovanas [13/15]A man who lost his home during Hurricane Maria drinks a beverage while sitting on a cot at a school turned shelter in Canovanas [14/15]People who lost their homes during Hurricane Maria are seen at a school turned shelter in Canovanas President Bill Clinton hugs a woman as he visits a market after Hurricane Maria hit the island in September , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved or even three — is indispensable to deal with the unpredictability of the potable water service a resident of the Eva Flores sector of this neighborhood storm or a drought for the pipes to be empty for up to three days straight the roughly 10 residents who live in this area had to wait several weeks before water service was restored The situation is much worse in times of droughts since Cubuy and other neighborhoods in Canóvanas are among the first sectors to get rationed when the levels of the Carraízo reservoir — located in Trujillo Alto — drop which the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) operates was the hardest-hit due to the sediments carried by runoff during the hurricane three years ago according to an analysis the public corporation did and that was confirmed through a bathymetry study Photo by Víctor Rodríguez Velázquez | Center for Investigative Journalism Cisterns in the Cubuy neighborhood in Canóvanas It’s also one of the water reserves that is expected to be dredged with funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program The same is planned for La Plata and Cidra reservoirs these proposals are on the list of broad impact critical infrastructure projects that the government of Puerto Rico is claiming from the federal government but which are only just under FEMA’s consideration to decide how much money it will allocate it could take between two and three more years before sediment extraction begins in Carraízo the Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI in Spanish) confirmed in an interview with PRASA and after analyzing the evaluation processes in the pipeline for these projects A similar situation could occur with critical infrastructure projects for energy and flood control Negrón said water was out for two days the prior week she’s forced to fetch water in “buckets and gallons” at her mother’s house “The biggest drawback is not having water to wash or cook we always find some to bathe,” she clarified Although PRASA initially claimed these projects individually the public corporation later consolidated all of its claims for permanent works under FEMA’s Public Assistance program through a single docket through the Advanced Awards Strategy Initiative (FAAST) The Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) will take similar action seeking funds to rebuild pumping stations in flood-prone sectors in San Juan Both projects are still pending approval from the federal agency so they do not have a projected date for funding obligations said FEMA’s External Affairs Officer in Puerto Rico Lunessa Cruz and Jomar González live in the Los González sector of the Cubuy neighborhood in Canóvanas with their four children Sometimes some houses have water service and others don’t Lunessa and Jomar live on the first floor of a two-story house When the municipality or PRASA gives advance notice that there will be an interruption the family stores water in buckets and gallons the municipality parks tanker trucks at points in the Cubuy neighborhood and they go there to get their fill the Carraízo reservoir — which provides water to several sectors of Canóvanas — has lost 45% of its original capacity when it was built in 1953 The last time this reservoir was dredged was in 1994 when Puerto Rico experienced a protracted drought it caused an additional 12.5% loss of capacity at the reservoir according to an analysis hydrologist Ferdinand Quiñones did for PRASA Although PRASA asked FEMA for money to dredge Carraízo the public corporation has not yet decided whether this sediment removal will be done throughout the reservoir or in specific areas They don’t know either how the dredging will be done for the rest of the reservoirs for which the agency requested recovery funds PRASA began cleaning the surface of the Carraízo reservoir to control the growth of vegetative material $1 million contract to Caribbean Composting Inc executive director of Infrastructure at PRASA explained that the agency will contract four companies for design and engineering analysis as part of PRASA’s capital improvement plan These contracts will be awarded to Black and Veatch Puerto Rico PSC PRASA signed a contract with Black and Veatch Puerto Rico for $9,020,786 The official did not want to reveal how much the rest of the contracting will amount to because he said he prefers to wait for all the agreements to be signed to get the final total He said one of the first tasks the firms will get is to identify the most viable options to correct the low storage capacity in these reservoirs “There are currently several alternatives to control sediment flow from other activities that can help not only to remove them now but also to prevent them from returning to the reservoir when it rains All of these things must be analyzed to ensure the investment and that the money is well spent,” said Rivera Sanabria for which $700 million is being sought from FEMA specifically to dredge the three reservoirs “Don’t get carried away by those numbers because they were very preliminary,” Rivera Sanabria said referring to the data that currently appears on the Central Office of Recovery Reconstruction and Resiliency’s (known as COR3) Grant Portal platform “This information is a working document that doesn’t necessarily represent the reality of the eligibility determination or project formulation process per se,” he said He explained that FEMA created groups of projects to have all the inventory within the COR3 Grant Portal system PRASA claimed damages for all of its 4,000 assets although they had not confirmed whether Hurricane María had really affected all of them that PRASA will not necessarily prompt an evaluation of all claims he acknowledged that the public corporation submitted projects to FEMA that may not be obligated funding when we submitted the list of damages to FEMA damage had to be reported to be eligible for a funding allocation later it became tough to determine what the damages were it was accurate to say that everything had been damaged,” he explained projects that won’t be evaluated or won’t receive funds are still in the system creating a wrong impression about the money and the number of recovery projects that PRASA is expected to have The official explained that as long as FEMA does not approve and obligate funds to the consolidated project through the FAAST program individual projects “will remain in the system.” FEMA’s deputy director of external affairs did not specify when or how much the obligation would be for these water infrastructure projects Does PRASA have a specific date or projection of when these projects “First you have to analyze the alternatives and start the permission processes or if it has a greater environmental impact perhaps the environmental permission process will be more extensive than it would for a simpler action,” the PRASA official said who asked that his real identity be protected explained that Amparo Street in the Juana Matos neighborhood in Cataño is the first to flood when the water from the Las Cucharillas marsh overflows because gravity pulls the water to the area that the neighbors call “El Hoyo (The Pit).” receives runoff from nearby municipalities industrial areas in Cataño and other neighboring zones Juan said that the street where he lives with his wife is the last to dry up for the same reasons that water accumulates in the first place When the pumps are turned on at the La Malaria station in Cataño the water on Amparo Street dries up completely in three to five days leaving small pockets of water in the area he has to move his car outside the community to keep it from getting under water they are assisted out by a makeshift boat that Juan made from an old jet ski It took 17 days after that event for the water that collected on the street to completely drain out The standing water begins to stink as days go by remembering how the salty water covered Laguna Street and some of its homes during the hurricane Steps from her house is the Bay View pumping station in Cataño Although it has been more than three years since her neighborhood experienced a flood like the one caused by the 2017 storm Pont says she and other neighbors have contacted the DNER to clear the path behind their residences which provides access to the pumping station The Cataño resident fears that the collected material will interfere with the flow of water when the DNER does not respond to their requests the neighbors themselves clean a part of the area that is not restricted and we have personnel trained to look after the pumps One of the big problems with these pumps is that they weren’t turned on in time which is why Cataño was constantly flooded we had had people there constantly to turn on those pumps when it rained or there were flood warnings,” the mayor explained but Delgado said he is evaluating the possibility of an extension His main interest is for the DNER to transfer the full administration of these pumping stations to him which would also entail transferring the budget allocated from the government’s coffers for the upkeep of these structures to his municipality The transfer that Delgado is pursuing would also mean redirecting recovery funds that FEMA obligates to develop the pumping stations Delgado presented that proposal to the former DNER secretary That would be a recommendation that I would make to the central government: that they transfer those funds from the central government to the municipalities are given the responsibility for the pumps and we co-manage them as we have done all this time,” he said The current secretary told the CPI that he had not received any formal proposal from Cataño to fully transfer the management of the pumping stations to the municipality “I don’t remember that [Félix Delgado] made [the approach] I would have sat down with the mayor to evaluate it because I don’t think it’s an unreasonable and impulsive request,” Machargo said The DNER currently manages 14 pumping stations in the municipalities of San Juan Delgado accepted that he is aware of the residents’ complaint about the floods especially the residents of the Juana Matos community He told the CPI that one of his long-term proposals is to draw on funds from the Community Development Block Grant Program for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) to relocate about 44 families from this sector to other areas in Cataño demolish the structures and add that space to the La Ciénaga Las Cucharillas natural reserve Delgado said that project requires between $8 to $10 millions to execute The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awards CDBG-DR funds, which are administered by the local Department of Housing. This program currently has $20.2 billion allocated, of which Puerto Rico is only authorized to use 16% the government had only used 2% at the end of fiscal year 2020 Has the possibility of relocation been presented to those 44 families CDBG-DR funds have been a headache for everyone I’ve already gone through the community explaining what I want to do because they will later say: ‘El Cano (Delgado) promised and didn’t deliver.’ I want to have all the resources until they guarantee that I will have X amount of money for this I don’t think it’s wise to give them false expectations,” the mayor said or different neighborhoods in the Cataño area of their choosing because what’s important here isn’t to place them where the municipality wants but a house in Cataño for $80,000 or $90,000 Several residents of this community confirmed to the CPI that although they have heard of the possibility of families relocating to other areas of Cataño the mayor has not outlined the proposal directly to them It already has votes in favor and others against in the Juana Matos community He has not heard of the project to move people to other parts of town He lives in a two-story house painted light yellow Also on the lot is his 80-year-old uncle’s house a larger structure painted white and pale orange they all make the same gesture of placing their hand on their chest to explain how high the flood reached Solis said he would not like to move from where he lives but would prefer that the sewer system be fixed to prevent the floods from getting worse We know everybody here and we’re happy,” he said said the possibility of moving to a better place that does not have flooding issues “would be a hit.” Almonte has lived on Amparo Street since 1987 He confirmed that this street is constantly flooded although he said the flood control pumps have mitigated the situation “somewhat.” “When it rains here everyone has to move their cars out [of the community],” he said he said he has been “raising” part of his lot with fillers and concrete to try to keep water from reaching his property A situation like Cataño’s is also experienced by the nearly 150,000 residents of the Playita Luis Llorens Torres public housing complex and the Machuchal communities in San Juan and some sectors in Isla Verde in Carolina These sectors depend on a flood control pumping station located on Baldorioty de Castro Ave.’s marginal road at the mouth of the Los Corozos lagoon adjacent to the San Juan-Carolina city limit Ocean Park community leader Alfredo Coyard explained that these flood control pumping stations fill a need for an area where storm and sewer infrastructure was not developed in line with the addition of homes hotels and commercial spaces that have grown in the last 40 years where developers saw a potential to exploit the coastal areas and filled them in in the 1950s The sewage system that was developed was for family units the area eventually grew as a tourist and beach area and became what it is today was developed and became a high-interest area They began to build more properties and condos All of that with a sewer and storm drain system that was created for a 1950s development,” Coyard recalled Hurricane María in 2017 put residents under water caused significant losses to their homes and cut off access for them for several days three of the nine flood control pumps in that pumping house were out of service The other six did not work due to the collapse of the electrical system and the lack of alternative equipment to supply them with energy a community leader from the Shanghai community now there’s a lot of money [for recovery] but we’re still in the same place,” Ríos said The DNER has a contract with Tetrad Enterprises for the rental of portable flood control pumps for Cataño and San Juan This contract also covers the municipalities of Salinas and Juana Díaz the DNER has spent $26 million on this contract which also includes payment for diesel to keep this equipment running According to the Office of the Comptroller’s Contract Registry the agreement between DNER and Tetrad Enterprises became effective on March 26 of this year and ran through September 30 when FEMA’s approved project worksheet (PW) ended in visits to communities that use these pumping stations and after interviews with government officials the CPI confirmed that the company is currently still overseeing the operation of this infrastructure FEMA initially obligated $24 million to install these portable flood control pumps that amount may increase as the final documentation that the DNER submits complies with the federal agency’s Public Assistance Program Guidelines FEMA approved an extension of the DNER’s pumping stations’ PW until December 31 The DNER’s contract with Tetrad Enterprises was also extended until the last day of 2020 the same monthly fee as the previous contract This contract has an equipment rental fee and has a line item for fuel consumption When the rental fee and the fuel costs are combined the average has been about $2 million a month,” Machargo said of the amount that Tetrad Enterprises will receive until December 31 and that would be added to the $26 million that running the portable pumps has cost so far Ríos questioned why that money that has been earmarked for rent has not been used to move forward on repairing the permanent pumps “They haven’t been clear about the funds and where they are These types of projects always have a plan A or B But apparently the government cannot work like that They have to do studies and after conducting the study then they’ll see what they’ll do,” Coyard said The DNER’s acting secretary justified the contract with Tetrad Enterprise by stating that these communities cannot be deprived of this service during rainy seasons that could flood the area again He agreed that repairing permanent pumps will take longer due to the entire process involved in applying for recovery funds from FEMA the DNER will redesign the projects for the flood control pumping stations that had been claimed individually to consolidate them in a single project the projects to be consolidated include the pumping station on the Baldorioty de Castro marginal road In the case of the project related to the Guaynabo and Cataño pumping stations the structures located in the San Fernando and one near the public residential Juana Matos sectors were brought together in a single proposal The agency expects to present this consolidation plan for similar projects to FEMA in early December coupled with a hydrological and hydraulic (HH) study to determine the amount of water handled by these pumping stations and move on to the design stage from there “A request for proposals for hydrological and hydraulic studies of the hydrographic basins where these pumping stations are located was released in October These projects date back to the 1950s and 1960s That has to be identified by engineering professionals specialized in hydrology,” he explained these types of studies take about 90 days to complete Area community leaders expressed their uneasiness with this arrangement as it would mean spending money on rented pumps for a longer stretch it causes uncertainty of new emergencies if the communities’ streets flood again “[The need for a hydrological and hydraulic (HH) study] has been mentioned since the last hearing at COR3 you’re telling me that with so many environmentalists and experts on this island There’s some kind of deal here that’s benefiting someone with that rent which could be the same company that rents them,” Ríos said Coyard added that this contract is subject to the government’s compliance with the contractual clauses established with Tetrad Enterprises who refused to turn on the portable pumps because the DNER was late “several months” in rent During the recent storm (Isaías) the owner of the pumps didn’t want to turn them on because they owed him money That day I was calling Eddie Charbonier [legislator] and Rafael Machargo [DNER secretary] I told them: ‘what kind of contractor do you have there I’m going to have flooding again.’ They told me that that wasn’t possible he wasn’t going to turn on the machines,” he said Tetrad Enterprises has a contract with the municipality of Comerío to maintain and operate the Salto Uno and Salto Dos dams until 2057 at a rate of $50,000 per year The company has also had contracts related to electrical installations with the Puerto Rico School of Fine Arts and Design in Old San Juan The CPI sought a reaction from Tetrad Enterprises on this matter and more details about the contracts but the company was not available for an interview FEMA and DNER have not yet reached an agreement on the description and scope of damage in four of these five permanent works projects Díaz Torres are members of Report for America Maria: The Money Trail is a project of the Center for Investigative Journalism focused on putting the spotlight on the recovery process in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017 This initiative is possible with the support of the Puerto Rico Foundations Network Si tiene una solicitud de investigación, queja, aclaración, ‘orejita’, prueba, inquietud, u observación sobre alguna información publicada por el Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, escriba al correo electrónico [email protected] El CPI reconoce que el requisito fundamental para una verdadera democracia es que la ciudadanía esté bien informada y que existan entidades independientes con la capacidad de fiscalizar los poderes que accionan en la sociedad