Cover Page Legal HistorySports SearchWork on mural to honor ‘Piculín’ Ortiz gets underway in CayeyThe San Juan Daily StarFeb 72 min readMuralist David Zayas pointed out the inspiration for the project: “The photo of Piculín’s victory [celebration] in front of the Parthenon in Greece after beating the United States [Olympic] team in Athens 2004 an image that transmits the glory well earned through work and effort.”By The Star Staff Gretchen Hau Irizarry and a group of municipal public servants welcomed the muralist David Zayas earlier this week to begin a project in honor of retired basketball star José “Piculín” Ortiz Rijos A mural 30 feet high and 80 feet wide will cover a wall in the largest building in Cayey which from now on will bear the name of the former Olympian “In Cayey we honor our athletes for their work in uniting the country and being an example for new generations and now we honor Piculín Ortiz with what will be the largest mural in Cayey,” Ortiz Velázquez said on Wednesday “From his city we send him a warm Cayeyan hug from his uncles and brothers so he knows that we are with him.” who underwent cancer surgery recently and is currently hospitalized after a relapse “This is a project that has been in the works for a couple of years,” she said and … last night David made a light projection on the wall to begin to draw the first lines of the mural.” who also created the Ramón Frade León mural in the acoustic shell in the Cayey public square pointed out the inspiration for the project “The photo of Piculín’s victory [celebration] in front of the Parthenon in Greece “That is an image that transmits the glory well earned through work and effort That is the message we are going to transmit.” Zayas estimated that the project could be completed in a month Ortiz Velázquez also announced that the José “Piculín” Ortiz Rijos building will house the athlete’s memorabilia and as the life of one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved sons,” the mayor said an International Basketball Federation Hall of Famer and former national team player played for the Utah Jazz for two seasons in the NBA Cangrejeros de Santurce and Capitanes de Arecibo in National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) He was a member of the Puerto Rican national team from 1983 to 2004 He is fourth and sixth all-time for rebounds per game and total rebounds He is also only the third player to win eight championships in the league Ortiz was the first Puerto Rican player to be selected in an NBA draft © 2025 The San Juan Daily Star - Puerto Rico 2024 at 9:43 PMYandel x Ewing SL33 CayeyYandel and Ewing Athletics are back for a second collaboration unveiling a special edition sneaker that marks the debut of Ewing’s new low-top model This latest collaboration pays tribute to Yandel’s hometown of Cayey a picturesque mountain town known for its famous twin peaks Yandel’s SL33 Cayey comes crafted in a mix of premium materials all elevated by reflective paneling for an extra pop The lace lock system is a standout feature allowing wearers to go laceless for a more streamlined look The tongue highlights a custom twin peaks logo that cleverly incorporates the letter Y The sneakers also come packaged with a range of extras including a special box with an English and Spanish comic strip printed inside that continues the storyline from their previous release Details don’t stop there—each pair includes a custom Ewing x Yandel straw bag and Puerto Rican flag wrapping paper connecting back to Yandel’s roots and the spirit of the collaboration Patrick Ewing spoke about the collaboration: "I’m excited about this new low-top model as it adds a new element to the brand The SL33 is a perfect combination of old and new and it’s been great working with him over the last two years so it was only natural for him to debut the SL33 “I’m counting down the days to present this new model to sneaker lovers around the world,” said Yandel and now we can add this incredible new style to our exclusive collection in honor of the city that I hold close to my heart with great pride a city that has witnessed my growth as a person and as an artist.” and more in the sneaker and streetwear world Release Date09/06/2024SKU1BM02523-908ColorwayMojave Desert/Mountain View-Fondue FudgeRetail Price$150Live Price$178Release infoImages via Ewing Athletics Enjoy all the latest sneaker raffle and releases and exclusive sneaker news in the palm of your hand Yandel x Ewing SL33 Cayey is an exclusive sneaker collaboration between the renowned reggaeton artist Yandel and the iconic footwear brand Ewing Athletics This limited-edition release showcases the synergy between urban culture and the music industry embodying Yandel's unique style and musical legacy featuring notable design elements that reflect the vibrant and dynamic essence of the region The SL33 model integrates high-quality materials providing not only a fashionable statement but also a tribute to Yandel's roots and the cultural richness of Puerto Rico Schmidt College of Arts and Letters and the University of Puerto Rico will study the experiences of vulnerable communities in the area known as “Hurricane Alley.” (Photo by Alex Dolce) Transformations in the global climate system are profoundly destabilizing ecosystems across the Caribbean, with South Florida and Puerto Rico experiencing notable impacts. To address this challenge, researchers from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Cayey immersive research method that involves observing and interviewing people in their natural settings has received a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for a project titled “Rhizomatic Nexus: Cultural Dimensions of Ecological Instability.” Researchers will investigate the cultural dimensions of ecological instability by studying the experiences of vulnerable communities in South Florida and Puerto Rico This approach will enable them to capture the nuanced ways in which communities are responding to ecological disruptions “Ethnography offers a unique lens through which we can understand the cultural and social adaptations that individuals and communities are making in response to environmental instability,” said Adriana Garriga-López, Ph.D., principal investigator and an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology within FAU’s Dorothy F we gain valuable insights into the interplay between ecological changes and cultural practices This knowledge is essential for developing and refining strategies aimed at mitigating harm and enhancing adaptability.”  The research also will result in the development of tandem ethnographic laboratories and research training hubs at FAU and UPR Cayey The award supports three years of research ending in October 2027 hospitals and other institutions in South Florida and Puerto Rico Researchers also will meet with key leaders and members of populations living in areas directly affected by ecological instability The Rhizomatic Nexus project will explore how people in various but interconnected regions of the Caribbean experience and respond to climate instability particularly in the area known as “Hurricane Alley.” The goal of the project is to understand how people from diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences deal with and respond to ecological volatility and highlights the challenges and opportunities they face in rapidly fluctuating ecologies alongside failing or damaged infrastructures “Our project is focused on building interdisciplinary networks and capacities,” said Katharina Rynkiewich co-PI and an assistant professor in FAU’s Department of Anthropology “We aim to be a central hub for scholars using ethnographic methods to study cultural responses to ecological instability in tropical and subtropical regions Our research also emphasizes community outreach and participatory action research centered on the Rhizomatic Nexus theme of everyday experiences with environmental change.” This research involves a partnership among faculty members in the FAU Department of Anthropology and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research at UPR Cayey The PI at UPR Cayey is Patria Celeste Lopez de Victoria an associate professor of English; and co-PI is Patricia Noboa Ortega “This collaborative research project funded by the National Science Foundation will generate new opportunities for students to engage in multidisciplinary research, learn from experts, engage in research design, data collection, and sample analysis, attend conferences, and connect with leading scholars across the region,” said Michael J. Horswell through the ethnography labs and training programs at both institutions students will develop valuable skills in qualitative research and analysis preparing them for careers in research-centered fields.”  Understanding cultural responses and adaptation to ecological instability can generate important and actionable insights that connect communities and individuals across and beyond the Caribbean including coastal communities and island societies around the world Documenting and analyzing how people enact cultural responses to ecological and social instability can help researchers generate and fine tune strategies to safeguard collective survival “By fostering collaboration and creating a strong support network the Rhizomatic Nexus project ensures that students and researchers are well-equipped to address the region’s urgent environmental challenges while contributing to a broader scientific understanding of cultural responses to ecological instability in the contemporary world,” said Garriga-López NSF funded this research specifically through the program Build and Broaden: Enhancing Social Behavioral and Economic Science Research and Capacity at Minority-Serving Institutions (B2) program which aims to generate critical research infrastructure and collaboration at universities deemed to be minority-serving institutions Tags: community | research | arts and letters | faculty and staff If you are experiencing difficulty accessing information on the Florida Atlantic University website due to a disability, visit the website accessibility page. THE BEST OF THE AMERICAN LATINO & MULTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE known for songs like “Me estas tentando” and “Abusadora” announced that he will soon launch his new SL33 'Cayey' sneakers with Ewing Athletics This would be the artist's second collaboration with former basketball player Patrick Ewing's brand.  “I'm counting the days to present this new model to sneaker lovers around the world,” Yandel expressed through a statement.  On their social media both the artist and the brand showed previews of the new shoes that have been designed with premium quality materials that inspire the mountainous place where the singer grew up.  “I feel very proud of our first edition and now we can add this incredible new style to our exclusive collection in honor of the city that I carry in my heart with great pride and that has witnessed my growth as a person and as an artist,” added Yandel.  This exclusive release will be available for purchase beginning September 6 (EST) on the ewingathletics.com and yandel.com websites a special event will be held at the Stadium Goods store in New York on the same day THE BEST OF THE AMERICAN MULTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE SearchBlood donors sought for ‘Piculín’ Ortiz after cancer surgeryThe San Juan Daily StarFeb 52 min readBy The Star Staff Gretchen Hau Irizarry on Tuesday joined the call to generate blood donors for former professional basketball player José “Piculín” Ortiz Rijos are attentive to his health progress,” Hau said of Ortiz we want to respond to the call for volunteers to donate blood.” The legislator pointed out that for Cayey citizens who need transportation to go to the nearest blood donation center she has coordinated with the municipality to provide them with transportation Those interested can call the Cayey Mayor’s Office during business hours at 787-738-3211 to coordinate the service People who can come and contribute on their own must contact the Servicios Mutuos Blood Bank directly at 787-751-6115 a former Puerto Rican national team star who grew up in Cayey underwent surgery as part of his treatment for colorectal cancer He was discharged from the hospital last Friday The legislator noted that it is very important to indicate that the donation is for José Rafael Ortiz Rijos expressed gratitude for the messages of support and prayers at this time Cayey Mayor Rolando Ortiz Velázquez announced last September that the largest building in the city who played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA for two seasons (1988-90) “For us it is a joy and we are very pleased that we can honor the career of this great Cayeyan who has generated so many glories in sport,” the mayor said in a written statement The Higino Figueroa Villegas in Maunabo and Miguel Meléndez Muñoz in Cayey won the first Baseball5 School Tournament in Puerto Rico The Education Department and the Baseball Federation of Puerto Rico (FBPR) involved the Intermediate (11-14 years) and Superior (15-18 years) schools on the islands The championship started at the municipal level The winners competed in the Regional Championship and qualified for the finals The Recreo Ramón Frade square in Cayey hosted the Final Four events for the titles Maunabo won the Intermediate finals defeating the Ponce Eugenio Le Compte School 7-6 in extra innings The Toa Baja Basilio Milán and Cidra Luis Iglesias Schools also qualified for the Final Four Cayey outscored the Ponce Juan Serrallés School The Morovis Josefa del Rio and Juncos Isabel Flores Schools competed in the Final Four FBPR started a Baseball5 development programme in August 2023 and contested the first-ever National Championship on 25 May 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 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 was nominated for election to the Little League® International Board of Directors There are nine positions for Regional Representatives to the Little League International Board of Directors to represent Little League’s five United States regions and four international regions including seven years of service as a District Administrator will assume his seat at the November 2016 Board of Directors Meeting who serves as the District Administrator for Guatemala as the representative for the Latin American Region and we are very much looking forward to working with him as a member of our International Board of Directors,” said Davie Jane Gilmour Little League International Board of Directors Chairman “His years of service to Little League as a coach league president and District Administrator give him profound knowledge of many of the important roles within the organization.” has spent seven years as Puerto Rico District 14 Administrator The Little League District Administrator is the highest-level volunteer position within the organization In addition to helping with day-to-day operations of the local Little League programs within their district and organizing district-wide tournaments D.A.s act as the liaison between Little League International and local league volunteers Gonzalez also serves as the team interpreter for the Caribbean Region Champion at the Little League Baseball World Series “It’s a pleasure to serve as a volunteer in an organization that supports children and families the way Little League does,” said Mr I look forward to continuing to contribute to the many successes of Little League International.” Gonzalez was president of the Roberto Rivera Miranda League in Cayey Puerto Rico for five years and was a five-year manager and four-year coach within that organization Gonzalez’s involvement with Little League began as a player where he played for 12 years at various levels Gonzalez is an Engineering Supervisor for the Municipality of Cayey He is graduate of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayague where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering He is a member of the Puerto Rico Board of Engineers and won the Emergent Engineer Award in 2010 In-depth analysis and commentary on today's biggest news stories as only the BBC can deliver BBC "Newshour" covers everything from the growth of democracy to the threat of terrorism with a fresh grassroots community groups are finding purpose and protection by making homemade mosquito nets Rosita Canboh and community members in Barrio Las Vegas Some of Hurricane Maria’s devastating effects on Puerto Rico have been well documented But the hurricane also caused some existing problems to get even worse Cayey is a small city nestled in the Cordilla Central the large mountain chain that runs east to west across the island The city is typically quiet and peaceful at night as Puerto Rico’s mountainous towns tend to be a new sound has filled Cayey’s evening air: the buzz of mosquitoes and there were these black mosquitos with orange heads that made our lives impossible,” says Carmen Cotto “It’s very uncomfortable to sleep with a mosquito buzzing in your ears.” Fear of mosquito-transmitted diseases like chikungunya Cotto’s neighbors tell her they’re losing sleep She says that sleep deprivation has made it harder to deal with the everyday issues that come up among family partners and friends — all during a period of recovery when resiliency and collaboration are especially important Mosquitos have always been a problem in Puerto Rico but Hurricane Maria’s torrential rains and floods left pools of still water that are hard to access or drain It’s been difficult to determine the size of the mosquito population since the storm or how much of a health threat the bugs will be during the summer The Centers for Disease Control warned about a potential uptick in disease-carrying mosquitoes in the months after the hurricane Puerto Rico’s Department of Health hadn’t documented any cases of chikungunya doctors and scientists on the island are skeptical The Department of Health’s testing lab has not been fully functional since Maria It’s possible the island’s illness tracking systems may not reflect what people are experiencing in real time Whether or not people are contracting diseases the executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Sciences for Conservation (INCICO) has been working with communities around the island to help them deal with the mosquito problem Silva says the issue is going unnoticed because it largely affects poor “These aren’t the people that governing politicians respond to when it comes to advocating or making policy,” Fernando explains people have been over-using commercial chemical repellents that can irritate the skin or making their own home remedies Silva says people stuff the sweet meat from coconuts into aluminum cans and light them on fire The smell and smoke are supposed to chase mosquitoes away boricuas are starting to take matters into their own hands residents in Barrio Las Vegas were also struggling with mosquitos and heard that Fernando Silva was helping people deal with mosquitos She reached out to him a few weeks after the storm Barrio Las Vegas and two other barrios started to make mosquito nets which have been used in hot buggy places as a simple “It’s one of humanity’s most ancient technologies,” Silva says the loosely formed group was called “Las Tres Mosquiteras.” The name refers to both the mosquito nets and the three neighborhoods that first started making them Canboh says the nets are easy and practical to make especially during a time when the power comes and goes “It isn’t necessary to have electricity for sewing machines,” she says Fernando wants residents to able to make nets long after he’s gone he’s focused on educating residents about mosquito-borne illness and working towards selling the nets to generate income The group is now comprised of over 100 communities all over the island “[The community] does not have to wait for anyone to take care of a problem like this one,” says Silva  “It foments the sensation of feeling useful in this process of community-wide recovery Making the nets is Puerto Ricans caring for themselves — doing something WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. The change comes less than a year after Suburban Community Hospital was converted to a smaller “micro hospital” last summer which resulted in layoffs Jan Todd set a Guinness World Record with a 394.5-pound two-handed deadlift — but training was tough at a time when women weren’t expected to lift heavy We explore the proven and emerging benefits of pumping iron and why so many people say it’s changing their lives Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY. It’s how we live. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Procter & Gamble Co. says it is closing a manufacturing plant in Puerto Rico and laying off some 230 employees. A company statement Friday says the plant in the southern town of Cayey will close in the next nine to 12 months. Officials said the company will move operations to a plant in North Carolina as part of an overall restructuring. Procter & Gamble manufactures Olay skin care products at the Cayey plant, which it bought in 1985. The announcement comes as the U.S. territory pushes to diversity its manufacturing sector amid an economic crisis that has seen several plants close in recent years. 2022 2:42 p.m.A home is submerged in floodwaters caused by Hurricane Fiona in Cayey Hurricane Fiona has reached the shores of the Dominican Republic on Monday morning mudslides and an island-wide blackout in Puerto Rico the category 1 hurricane was 35 miles southeast of Samaná a coastal town in the northeast Dominican Republic according to the National Hurricane Center It had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph and was moving northwest at 8 mph The storm is forecasted to travel near or east of the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday the extent of the damage is still unclear as the island continues to see heavy rainfall and massive flooding But island officials have said that some roads bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged or washed away as a result of the downpour Most of the island also remains without power, according to utility companies' reports tracked by PowerOutage.us The island's power crews were able to restore electricity to about 100,000 customers living in the northeast region near the capital San Juan, Luma Energy, the island's private electric utility, wrote on Facebook Pedro Pierluisi said he could not give an estimate of when power might be fully up and running he added it would be a "matter of days," and not months to restore the grid — referring to the drawn-out power restoration after Hurricane Maria in 2017 Hurricane Fiona made landfall two days before the five year anniversary of Hurricane Maria which hit Puerto Rico as a category 4 storm that killed about 3,000 people and nearly destroyed the island's electricity system President Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico on Sunday authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts A worker cuts an electricity pole that was downed by Hurricane Fiona as it blocks a road in Cayey Nelson Cirino's home stands with its roof torn off by the winds of Hurricane Fiona in Loiza A road is blocked by a mudslide caused by Hurricane Fiona in Cayey A worker of the Loiza municipality calls on residents to evacuate due to imminent flooding due to the rains of Hurricane Fiona A flooded road is seen during the passage of hurricane Fiona in Villa Blanca A man stands near a flooded road during the passage of Hurricane Fiona in Villa Blanca People clean debris from a road after a mudslide caused by Hurricane Fiona in Cayey A river swollen with rain caused by Hurricane Fiona speeds through Cayey A road is flooded by the rains of Hurricane Fiona in Cayey Tags: Climate, Weather Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now The slow-moving Category 1 storm moved over the Dominican Republic on Monday From At the Casa Histórica de la Música Cayeyana — a non-profit house of music in Cayey — people come together on the weekends to sing Her company offered her a one-way ticket to be with family in New Britain She said that it was a round trip ticket or nothing "I went to New Britain for 10 days," she said saw her family and showed them that she was but she can't work without electricity and Internet equally distressing: She can stay and lose her job if the situation in Puerto Rico doesn't get normal," Rodriguez said Rodriguez tries not to think about it at all many Friday and Saturday nights she spends her time dancing and socializing at the Casa Historica de la Música Cayeyana It's a non-profit organization in the heart of Cayey that celebrates the history of the town's music and musicians Many Puerto Ricans still live without electricity and basic services three months after Hurricane Maria The house hosts free concerts for people like Rodriguez to come and but now they seem to have particularly special resonance it's like seeing them after a long trip," Rodriguez said Andrés Yambó is one of the founders of the music house He said they had to pack up and then unload everything twice this fall – once for Hurricane Irma musicians and friends came together here to sing by candlelight likening life after Maria to what happens when you lose a family member "You carry [the trauma] with you," he said "But you don't let the loss get in your way of what you have to do in your life." The free concerts at the Casa Histórica de la Música Cayeyana have had a special resonance after Hurricane Maria as attendees find respite there on the weekends amid the recovery effort Yambó plays an instrument called the cuatro but his real job is working nights as a radiology technician The singer who started the night off is an accountant Didi Melendez is a regular audience member She spent the night dancing in front of her chair and she said friends in the diaspora — Chicago she said Puerto Ricans can't only live in sadness Become an NPR sponsor The Toritos de Cayey beat the Peces Voladores de Salinas in seven games to win the 2022 edition of the Superior Puerto Rican Double-A League It was the third consecutive time that the final series ended in seven games They took the lead scoring four runs in 2.2 innings against starter Yadier Rolon and didn't look back Left-hander José Carlos Burgos went 7.1 innings and earned the win Peces Voladores-Toritos 4-2 (15 innings)Peces Voladores-Toritos 7-4 Toritos-Peces Voladores 2-0Toritos-Peces Voladores 4-2Toritos-Peces Voladores 6-4Peces Voladores-Toritos 4-2Toritos-Peces Voladores 7-2 The Toritos won for the second time in the last four editions. They succeeded the Grises de Humacao Juan Igor Gonzalez managed both teams to the title becoming the second manager to win back-to-back titles with different clubs after Victor Vitin Melendez who led Manati (1972) and Vega Baja (1973) to the league honours "This final series was a great way to end a season full of wonderful stories," commented Puerto Rican Federation president José Quiles Rosas "This league showcased the level of baseball the Puerto Rican fans deserve." The baseball season has more to offer in Puerto Rico The women's Double-A league opened last weekend Eight teams are participating in the 2022 season First-year clubs Ladies Yankees de Guánica Petroleras de Peñuelas and Vejigantes de Ponce joined the defending champions Lobas de Arecibo Poetas de Juana Díaz and Cafeteras de Yauco Each team will compete in a 14-game regular season after which the top four finishers will advance to the play offs The semifinals and finals will be a best-of-three series The 2023 season of the Liga de Béisbol Superior Doble A in Puerto Rico is coming to a climax with the beginning of the final series between Arenosos de Camuy and Toritos de Cayey The best-of-seven-game series will open on Friday The second game takes place on Saturday at Juan ‘Cheo’ López stadium in Camuy The series will continue the following weekend with three more games (if needed) with two more games scheduled on 30 September and 1 October (if needed) a team that has participated in the competition since 1957 is appearing in the finals for the first time while Toritos aim to repeat last year's title win and complete their first ever back-to-back championship victories Arenosos reached the finals winning the semi-final series against Piratas de Cabo Rojo 4-1; while Toritos defeated Halcones de Gurabo Last year, the Toritos de Cayey beat the Peces Voladores de Salinas in seven games to win the 2022 edition of the Superior Puerto Rican Double-A League The final series will be broadcast live on TV The Puerto Rico Double-A Superior League is ready for the 2023 All-Star weekend. The Pedro Montañez Stadium in Cayey, home of defending champions Toritos will host the first-ever U-23 Double-A League All-Star Game on Saturday 50 of the most iconic former Double-A players will compete in the third Juego Leyendas (Game of the Legends) The Double-A Superior League All-Star Game is scheduled for Sunday Activities will start at 13:00 and will include a Home Run Derby "The All-Star Game gives fans a unique opportunity to see together the players who had the most impact in the first half of the season," commented José Daniel Quiles Rosas The Double-A post season will start after the All-Star Weekend This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Read our WAMU Privacy Notice This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Top Doctor in the field of Medicine and acknowledgment of his professional excellence in his role as an Electrophysiologist with Cayey Mennonite Medical Center.        http://www.continentalwhoswho.com Do not sell or share my personal information: The Superior Double-A League of Puerto Rico will open on Sunday, 12 February, at the Estadio Pedro Montañez in Cayey, with the defending champions Toritos facing Criollos de Caguas The first full day of games is scheduled for 17 February and the regular season will run through 19 May A total 45 teams participate in the 84th edition of the league the top competition organized by the Baseball Federation of Puerto Rico (FBPR) Seven of the managers are former Major League Baseball (MLB) players Juan Igor Gonzalez (Toritos de Cayey; he recently managed Puerto Rico at the U-23 Baseball World Cup) Tony Rodriguez (Patrulleros de San Sebastian) Jorge Padilla (Samaritanos de San Lorenzo) Cayey will also host the opening of the Copa de Campeones (Champions Cup) a warm-up tournament for the Double-A season The defending champions Toritos will face the 2022 runner-up Peces Voladores de Salinas Arenosos de Camuy and Azucareros de Yabucoa The Champions Cup will run from 27 January to 4 February Eight teams will participate in the post season of the Youth Double-A League (Carnival of Champions) Poetas de Juana Diaz and Ponys de Santa Isabel will compete for the South Division title Halcones de Gurabo will compete for the North Division title FBPR announced that the Hall of Fame of the Double-A League inducted 13 new members in the class of 2022 who had 905 career hits; pitchers Orville Batista Antonio Acevedo and Pedro Santos; position players José “Jochy” Pérez Carmelo Navas and Rey Bones; former president Anibal Lugo; writer Oscar Cruz; statisticians and historians Edwin Nieves and Angel Juarbe The Toritos de Cayey and the Peces Voladores de Salinas will compete in the best-of-seven final series of the Puerto Rico Superior Double-A League The series opens at the Pedro Montañez Stadium in Cayey on Friday The Toritos swept the best-of-seven semifinal series against the Libertadores de Hormigueros who led Puerto Rico at the WBSC Premier12 2019 and the Americas Olympic Qualifier He led the Grises the Humacao to the 2021 title The Peces clinched their final appearance in 65 years as they defeated the Guaynabo Mets in 11 innings in game five of the semifinal series Juan Carlos Montero will manage his first career final series The 83rd season of the Superior Double-A league opened in March and involved 43 teams and 1,200 players The Double-A League is the biggest baseball competition organized by the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation Hurricane Fiona roared over the Dominican Republic on Monday a day after knocking out power to all of Puerto Rico and causing damage the governor described as “catastrophic.” Many people were also left without water service Hundreds of people were evacuated or rescued across the island as floodwaters rose swiftly The wind and water from Fiona stripped the pavement from roads tore off roofs and sent torrents pouring into homes The storm also took out a bridge and flooded an airport runway Here are some photos of the devastation Hurricane Fiona has caused in Puerto Rico Video captures the moment surging floodwaters washed away a bridge in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Fiona on Sunday. The National Hurricane Center warned of "catastrophic flooding" and a "potential local maximum" of 30 inches of rainfall on the island. https://t.co/mwXaXh6RB5 pic.twitter.com/00YI0Po0m9 The entire island of Puerto Rico lost power today with the arrival of Category 1 Hurricane #Fiona.Continue joining us in prayer for the people of Puerto Rico, our leaders, local churches and volunteers as they wait out the storm and prepare for the coming response. 🙏 🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/xKvxeSgX5w Les inondations à Puerto rico #fiona #puertorico pic.twitter.com/2whBIeZ9A5 #Utuado #PuertoRico #HuracánFiona (18 sept. 2022). pic.twitter.com/BXGvGwDiJZ Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Log In Manage My Account Customer Service Delivery Issues Feedback News Tips Help & FAQs Staff List Advertise Newsletters View the ePaper Order Back Issues News in Education Search the Archives Privacy Policy Terms of Service Terms of Purchase Work at Boston Globe Media Internship Program Co-op Program Do Not Sell My Personal Information Video captures the moment surging floodwaters washed away a bridge in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Fiona on Sunday. The National Hurricane Center warned of "catastrophic flooding" and a "potential local maximum" of 30 inches of rainfall on the island. https://t.co/mwXaXh6RB5 pic.twitter.com/00YI0Po0m9 The entire island of Puerto Rico lost power today with the arrival of Category 1 Hurricane #Fiona.Continue joining us in prayer for the people of Puerto Rico, our leaders, local churches and volunteers as they wait out the storm and prepare for the coming response. 🙏 🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/xKvxeSgX5w Les inondations à Puerto rico #fiona #puertorico pic.twitter.com/2whBIeZ9A5 #Utuado #PuertoRico #HuracánFiona (18 sept. 2022). pic.twitter.com/BXGvGwDiJZ The procedure for community aqueducts to legalize their franchises and maintain their operation is so complicated and devoid of technical support that it discourages communities from formalizing the systems that carries water to their homes because of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority’s (PRASA) inability to provide the service the Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI The Brisas del Torito community aqueduct in Cayey they operated outside government requirements during 30 years due to non-compliance with regulatory agencies its Spokesman Renato López said during a meeting held this summer between community aqueduct leaders from across the island and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan López’s remarks sounded almost like regret for agreeing to submit to state regulations he described the sacrifices involved in operating a community aqueduct and the challenges they represent for organizations like his that struggle daily to remain current with the documents and water quality standards required by the EPA and the Department of Health (DS “The experience is that they come both with a helping hand and a demanding fist They complicate one’s life,” the Cayey resident said reports and a bureaucracy that becomes a mess,” López said while Regan paid attention and listened with headphones to the English translation that someone from his staff was doing The spokesman for the Brisas del Torito aqueduct community contrasted the experience of the neighbors who before starting the process to legalize the franchise voluntarily and jointly put into operation the aqueduct that supplies water to 65 families to lay down pipes when they broke or when they were dragged away by the river we would get the money and fix it,” López said “But now they’re talking about papers to fill out and I don’t know English but they’re coming to ask for things that I don’t have or that I don’t know how to do,” said the Cayey community leader In Puerto Rico there are some 242 community aqueducts, mostly rural, that are recognized by the government although they are not connected to PRASA. They are systems that provide drinking water to no less than 25 people or 15 connections each, according to EPA standards provide water to sectors that the public corporation does not have the capacity to reach or adequately supply the resource It is estimated that community aqueducts provide water to about 125,000 people in Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has a population of 3.1 million In addition to the 242 registered aqueducts there is an unspecified number of community aqueducts that operate outside the government either because they don’t meet EPA standards or because they don’t comply with documentation and requirements established by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA Among the conditions imposed by the government is the Corporate Certificate of Validation from the Department of State being current with tax exemption documents providing information on who owns the land where the aqueduct is located and presenting evidence to prove that it complies with water quality standards PRASA did not confirm to the CPI if the public corporation would assume the administration of the water service if the community aqueducts ceased to operate in some of these rural sectors Neither they said how much it would cost the government to assume this responsibility does not meet the DS’s water quality standards president of that aqueduct that serves about 400 families explained how expensive it is for them to keep it current and provide maintenance the Department of Health came and reviewed us and it was practically [like asking us] to build a new aqueduct We fix a pipe today and three other breaks tomorrow Each family connected to the Zamas aqueduct is charged an $80 annual service fee The aqueduct’s community board manages the money González Torres pointed out that she has invested her own money to buy materials and to pay for maintenance work Last June, DRNA Secretary Anaís Rodríguez Vega signed a 90-day amnesty for community aqueducts that operate informally to normalize their situation without being referred to the agency’s Office of Legal Affairs and avoid being fined several leaders of neighborhoods that have community aqueducts told the CPI that the DRNA did not consider them when planning the amnesty nor were they informed about the process so they could benefit from it and legalize their status You call the person in charge of the amnesty in [the Department of] Natural Resources and they tell you that you must pay $200 up front plus you must pay off the debt [of the fines for using water without having a franchise] where’s the amnesty?” questioned Miriam Matos Díaz who chairs the Puerto Rico Non-PRASA Aqueduct Systems Organization (OSAN delegate of the Community Aqueducts Association agreed on the lack of clarity about the amnesty’s requirements and the alleged lack of will to reach agreements with the communities “The [DRNA] Secretary treats us like evaders That’s not true because 98% of the community aqueducts comply with the Department of Health with the CRIM [Municipal Revenues Collection Center] The noncompliance is only happening with [the Department of] Natural [and Environmental] Resources because they don’t foster the proper environment to want to help us,” said the association’s delegate The CPI contacted the DRNA to request guidelines and specific information on the amnesty announced on June 8. The agency responded by sending the Administrative Order establishing the amnesty The document establishes that each request must include: a $200 filing fee a certification from PRASA indicating that the public corporation “cannot provide the service or it is deficient,” a system flow diagram an affidavit indicating the origin of the well and the start of its operation a Corporate Validification Certificate from the Department of State issued to the entity that manages the aqueduct the amnesty contains precise language and argued that she has not received any complaint that the requirements are not understood “The order is quite clear,” said Rodríguez Vega who stressed that her agency’s staff has the willingness and knowledge to respond to any questions about the order when the amnesty expired this last Tuesday the DRNA had not received any request from any informal aqueducts asking to normalize their status The agency told the CPI that it will sign an extension of the Order that will last until Dec federal government cannot agree on land ownership requirement When the CPI questioned her about this requirement Rodríguez Vega said that “this is included in the requirements that are in the regulations The important thing here is that there’s communication how we can help and if there’s any other solution regarding that.” federal agencies do not always require ownership of the land to allow participation in their programs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does initiate a process for those who request funds from the Public Assistance Program This process includes organizations that manage community aqueducts and request recovery funds for the repair or replacement of infrastructure associated with these water systems FEMA explained that if the person claiming the aid for Public Assistance Program financing is not the landowner then they must establish their legal responsibility for repairs to the facility related to the disaster through documents backed by either a written agreement or other legal evidence “In the absence of an outright transfer of legal responsibility in a legally binding document FEMA believes that the owner of the facility has retained all rights and obligations in connection with or arising from that property including any improvements to it,” the federal agency said the EPA Administrator explained that to request money from the $78 million budget item that Puerto Rico will receive for water infrastructure the federal agency will give a hand to help clarify questions related to the land ownership issue “Obviously we want to make those resources available and where the immediate land ownership may not be determined we want to provide the technical assistance so we can determine who owns the land,” Regan said when asked by the CPI  “If the water sources are located where the ownership of the land cannot be determined technical assistance can provide the guidelines to relocate that water source so that there can be continuity in the operation of that system,” he said Regan did not comment on the ownership requirement requested by the DRNA to benefit from the amnesty that would give way to formalizing a franchise he stated that the federal agency will look to help the community come into compliance “If land ownership is an absolute requirement we are making funds available to help these communities determine who owns the land freeing up resources to make sure that we are actually helping the communities,” Regan said Access to drinking water and sanitation is a human right recognized by the United Nations (UN) since July 2010 It is recognized as a right “essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.” In its resolution the UN urges States to step up efforts to provide the entire population with affordable access to drinking water and sanitation 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 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded nearly $14 million to the Mennonite General Hospital for repairs to its facilities in Aguas Buenas One of the projects being developed at Centro Médico in Cayey is for the acquisition and installation of a combined heat and power system that would provide backup electricity as well as a facility to treat and store water This figure is part of over $20 million for permanent projects that the agency has obligated to this nonprofit organization to address damage following Hurricane María “Hospitals are part of the essential services needed by communities before The repairs will restore the infrastructure to its pre-hurricane condition while addressing humidity problems and implementing mitigation measures to strengthen these buildings,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José G The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allocated funds for projects that seek to red… The Mennonite Health System was founded in 1944 in Aibonito and today has nearly 700 physicians and about 70 volunteers who provide services to the organization's various programs throughout its chain of hospitals in Puerto Rico The allocations for the four Mennonite hospitals seek to remediate mold problems Over $1 million of these funds were allocated primarily to mitigate high winds damages and rain infiltration in the buildings Mennonite Health System Executive Director Ricardo Hernández emphasized that as a health system that provides first response services in emergency situations and disaster events "it is a priority to ensure that our caring environment is adequate safe and effective to meet the health needs that may arise mainly in the mountain area where our facilities are located and where we receive over 300,000 visits a year.” Nearly $55.3 million in federal funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) we… the executive director of the Central Office for Recovery highlighted one of the projects being developed at Centro Médico in Cayey for the acquisition and installation of a combined heat and power system that would provide backup electricity we are working closely with hospital institutions to provide them with systems that increase their resilience in the event of any emergency or disaster we also announced other projects for the development of power generation and water storage systems we are providing redundancy of services for patients the sector that needs our immediate attention in the event of a disaster,” said Laboy Rivera FEMA has obligated over $32 billion for over 10,900 Hurricane María recovery projects over $7.4 billion is earmarked for repairing public buildings and equipment that provide a variety of services across the island As part of a strategic plan to take advantage of federal grant opportunities and maximize resources the Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) su… FEMA has approved more than $108 million for eligible mitigation projects due to Hurricane Fiona to date 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: Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Federal Emergency Management Agency March 25, 2024 David C. Cramer | For Anabaptist World Paul Brandeis Raushenbush | For Religion News Service Anabaptist World Andrea De Avila | For Anabaptist World Mary Ann Zehr | For Anabaptist World Yonat Shimron | Religion News Service Mennonite Church Canada Jenny Gehman | For Anabaptist World The ballpark cannot be used right now due to Hurricane Maria's destruction the team won the Puerto Rico championship and Caribbean Series in 2018 Un trabajador en el montículo del lanzador en el Parque Yldefonso Sola Morales El estadio no puede usarse ahora debido a los daños causados por el Huracán María el equipo ganó el campeonato de Puerto Rico y la Serie del Caribe en 2018 Elizabeth Bloomebloom@post-gazette.com Mike Gonzalez couldn’t get the old man out of his head He had seen many damaged houses in the mountainous streets of Cayey yet the man sitting in his roofless home stayed with him When Gonzalez arrived at the house carrying emergency supplies the man was sitting on a plastic lawn chair Surrounding the chair was about a foot of water The man’s other furniture lay in front of the house That was 15 days after Hurricane Maria tore through Cayey A horse stands in front of debris on a street in Caguas Roberto Clemente died off the coast of Puerto Rico while flying to aid earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua When Hurricane Maria descended upon Puerto Rico 45 years later the team held a hurricane relief collection outside of PNC Park a small delegation flew to Puerto Rico with Pittsburgh’s donations Their trip brought them to the cities of Cayey and Caguas where the Pirates’ extensive Puerto Rican connections run especially deep Gonzalez — the Pirates’ special assistant to the general manager for cultural initiatives who is best known to fans as the team’s Spanish interpreter — grew up in Cayey until he was 11 Third-base coach Joey Cora and his brother Roberto Clemente and the Pirates recognized that supplies were not getting to those who needed them the Pirates and the Clementes overlapped again last fall Manny Sanguillen and the Pirates provided generators batteries and other supplies to Clemente’s widow and he joined Joey Cora in Caguas to open boxes of supplies When Cora asked around about who could help the Pirates with the complicated logistics of their project the president of a pharmaceutical company in Puerto Rico who also owns a winter league baseball team called the Criollos de Caguas Former Criollos players include Ivan Rodriguez who also was the team’s general manager and whose number it recently retired Puerto Rico remains devastated by Hurricane Maria and the full extent of the damage is not yet known While the official death toll in Puerto Rico is 64 a recent survey from Harvard University estimates that the hurricane had taken 4,645 lives Raul Rodriguez is president of Luis Garraton Inc. a logistics company in Puerto Rico with which the Pirates worked to distribute emergency supplies after Hurricane Maria he directs a group of people packing relief supplies earlier this year at his warehouse in Caguas among others — arrived in Puerto Rico the Thursday after the 2017 season had concluded and the supplies were sent to one of Raul Rodriguez’s warehouses Gonzalez and Sean Rodriguez continued on to the warehouse to sort goods recovering from a minor procedure to remove a cyst and they were there until 2 in the morning,” Raul Rodriguez said ‘I want to be sure that that’s going to be taken to our people.’ ” the Pirates’ special assistant to the general manager for cultural initiatives stands outside of El Deportivo Rental in Cayey was a site of distribution for the Pirates’ relief efforts after Hurricane Maria Gonzalez and Sean Rodriguez stayed the night with Gonzalez’s grandfather then headed to the Cayey baseball stadium to start their distribution Gonzalez was surprised at the early-morning traffic; after all “This is for you guys,” his grandfather told him and Gonzalez saw thousands of people wrapped around the stadium The city of Cayey turned the ballpark into an emergency center in a small room perhaps intended for umpires A municipal employee would travel to San Juan early each morning to pick up newspapers pasting photocopies of the most important articles on easels in case they ran out “They weren’t selling newspapers because nobody had cash or nobody could go to the stores and get the newspapers so they would give them to us for free,” said Gretchen M the executive director of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association who worked with Ortiz and the Pirates on the relief mission The city also set up a restaurant so that the people could get a hot meal; it was eventually closed in an effort to spur demand at the local supermarkets All were welcome to the restaurant — even swarms of bees desperate for sustenance in the wake of the hurricane so they would see here food and they would find sugar,” Hau said because they’re the ones who make the vegetation bloom again.” Gabriela Gaviria Beltran stands inside of El Deportivo Rental in Cayey She is married to the grandfather of Mike Gonzalez The Pirates wanted to be sure their supplies went to the people who needed it but they also encountered examples of red tape corruption and looting that has dogged Puerto Rico since the hurricane they saw supplies that had been broken into and untouched containers filled with supplies waiting to be distributed One of the drivers told Gonzalez that his generator — a prized commodity after the storm — was taken in the middle of the night and replaced with a lawnmower that produced a similar noise Another driver told him that someone had siphoned the gasoline from his tank Outside of his wedding day and the birth of his son the trip was the most special experience of his life but there is one part Gonzalez tries to forget someone approached Gonzalez and asked for a generator saying he was a good friend of his grandfather’s and others in the vicinity were giving him mixed signals as to how to respond Gonzalez decided to take the request to the mayor who turned out to be a well known gangster and on the mayor’s advice they decided to give him a generator it’s better to give him the generator because if not a lot of this would have been affected and hurt because of this man,’ ” Gonzalez said “Our whole mission could have gone sour if we would have just said no to a generator.” Gonzalez and Sean Rodriguez distributed supplies door to door sitting in the bed of a pickup truck as it wound through the narrow and a sewage system already plugged by debris backed up again Their Clemente T-shirts became sopping wet so they gave them away and borrowed clean ones Gonzalez paid a visit to his other grandfather Nobody had heard from him since the hurricane if he went with someone else,” Gonzalez said who is also the leader of one of Cayey’s neighborhoods Bonilla had gone door to door to tell residents that the relief was coming and residents flocked to his store — something of a cross between a bar and a convenience store — to accept the supplies “Three or four guys just hopped on the truck and just started handing stuff out,” Sean Rodriguez said the people might have just started to lose it.” Shop employees cooked up meals for the residents Bonilla brought Gonzalez and Rodriguez two bottles of Heineken just so much more than just a simple cold beer.” is the site of the city's emergency operations A man requests help at Pedro Montañez Stadium in Cayey on Jan Caguas is known as the Centro y Corazon de Puerto Rico but even the center and heart of Puerto Rico was not safe from the eye of the storm which was leaking and had neither electricity nor water then the bench coach for the World Series-bound Houston Astros that he’d have to use his playoff money to fix things up “In the moment of more need and desperation The Caguas distribution took place at a volleyball gym multi-level line started forming at 3 in the morning and it was so long it had to be cut off in the afternoon who spotted one of his best friends in the queue the group brought three cars into the gym and turned on the headlights Caguas had received limited supplies from FEMA the Pirates’ relief effort felt like shopping at a supermarket “We were having a frustration about [how] things were moving,” Miranda said They had communicated once by text and with a long-forgotten rotary phone that was connected underground and Cora went home to beat the curfew established after the hurricane sub-director of sports and recreation for Caguas gives a tour of a sports facility that was ruined during Hurricane Maria A hurricane-damaged building stands on a road near Caguas in late January that the Puerto Rican baseball teams would play in the months after Hurricane Maria “He told us when we went there that they were going to try to play,” Cora said The hurricane shortened the season but did not impede it altogether Rodriguez’s Criollos de Caguas played just 18 games Cora watched the games online; admission was free “He was the one that came with that crazy idea ‘We need to play,’ ” Cora said of Rodriguez the team traveled to Mexico for the Caribbean Series and the Criollos defeated the Dominican Republic to win their second consecutive Caribbean championship This communications tower outside of Parque Yldefonso Sola Morales Luis Clemente and his family went to his mother’s house in Rio Piedras Vera went to Virginia to spend time with her son who was with Vera when she learned that her husband’s plane had crashed the Clementes would endure the storm together Puerto Rico looked as though it had endured a cold snap The storm had ripped the leaves off all the trees He saw houses in the neighborhood he didn’t know existed a bird stood underneath a bridge outside of Vera’s home “You see that he was very disoriented,” Clemente said “I guess he felt he had protection there.” Mike Gonzalez no dejaba de pensar en el viejo Por las empinadas calles alrededor de Cayey había visto muchas casas dañadas pero la imagen del señor sentado en su casa sin techo se le quedó grabada Cuando González llegó a esa casa con ayuda de urgencia el hombre se encontraba sentado en una silla plegable de plástico Al rededor de la silla había agua de unas doce pulgadas de profundidad Lo que quedaba de sus muebles estaba frente a la casa Eso fue 15 días después del día en que el Huracán María destrozó a Cayey Un caballo adelante de los escombros en una calle de Caguas murió Roberto Clemente cerca a las costas de Puerto Rico cuando viajaba en avion a Nicaragua repleto de ayuda para las víctimas del terremoto en ese pais Cuando el Huracán María revertió su furia sobre Puerto Rico 45 años más tarde inspirados por la bondad y el ejemplo de Clemente A principios de octubre el equipo realizó una colección de ayuda fuera del Parque PNC y dos días después una pequeña delegación se embarcó para Puerto Rico con las provisiones de Pittsburgh El viaje los llevó a las ciudades de Cayey y Caguas donde los extensos contactos locales de los Piratas son marcadamente profundas González—el asistente especial para iniciativas culturales del gerente general quien es más conocido a los fanáticos como el intérprete español-inglés del equipo—es oriundo de Cayey Bien conocidos en su Caguas nativo son el entrenador de tercera base Joey Cora y su hermano Alex Mientras la cifra oficial de muertes es 64 un sondeo realizado recientemente por la Universidad de Harvard estimó que el huracán cobró 4,645 vidas Las misiones tanto de Roberto Clemente como de los Piratas fueron motivados por el temor de que las provisiones de ayuda de emergencia no estaban llegando a los más necesitados dichas misiones estarían ligadas para siempre y su respectivo legado se reconectaron de nuevo en otoño pasado Manny Sanguillén y los Piratas suministraron generadores esperaba en el aeropuerto cuando los Piratas llegaron se pusieron a abrir las cajas de provisiones Cuando Cora preguntó quien podría ayudar a los Piratas con la complicada logística de su proyecto el presidente de una compañía farmacéutica en Puerto Rico quien también es dueño de un equipo de beisbol llamado los Criollos de Caguas de la liga invernal Entre los jugadores de los Criollos de épocas pasadas se encuentran Iván Rodríguez Este último fue el gerente general del equipo y su número fue retirado hace poco y no se sabe todavía con certeza el alcance de la devastación pero un recuento en base a un sondeo realizado recientemente por la Universidad de Harvard estimó que el huracán cobró 4,645 vidas Raúl Rodríguez es el presidente de Luis Garratón una compañía de logística en Puerto Rico con la cual los Piratas colaboró para la distribución de provisiones de urgencia después del Huracán María él dirige un grupo que empaca provisiones de ayuda en su bodega en Caguas La delegación de los Piratas—que incluyó a González entre otros—llegó a Puerto Rico el jueves después de la conclusión de la temporada de 2017 El grupo ayudó a descargar el avión y las provisiones fueron enviadas a una de las bodegas de Raúl Rodríguez González y Sean Rodríguez siguieron allí para poner las provisiones en orden quien se estaba recuperando de una operación para sacarle un quiste y estaban allí hasta las dos de la mañana,” dijo Raúl Rodríguez ‘Quiero estar seguro de que esto va a llegar a nuestro pueblo.’” el asistente especial para iniciativas culturales del gerente general de los Piratas La tienda fue el lugar de distribución de la ayuda enviada por los Piratas después del Huracán María González y Sean Rodríguez se quedaron la noche con el abuelo de González y luego se fueron al estadio de Cayey para empezar con la distribución González se sorprendió al ver tanto tráfico temprano en la mañana en vista de que nadie podía ir a trabajar y González vio que miles de personas estaban al rededor del estadio El gobierno municipal de Cayey convertió el estadio de beisbol en un centro de emergencia que hasta contaba con un banco de leche maternal durmió allí cada noche en una pequeña habitación que quizás fue construida para los árbitros Un empleado municipal viajaba a San Juan temprano cada mañana para recoger los periódicos y en caso de que no daban abasto colgaba fotocopias de los artículos más importantes en caballetes “No vendían periódicos porque nadie tenía dinero en efectivo o nadie podía salir a las tiendas a comprarlos la directora ejecutiva de la Asociación de Alcaldes de Puerto Rico quien colaboraba con Ortiz y los Piratas en su misión caritativa La ciudad también ofreció un servicio de restaurante para que la gente pudiera comer algo caliente Eventualmente lo cerraron a fin de incrementar la demanda en los supermercados locales Todos eran bienvenidos en el restaurante— inclusive los enjambres de abejas desesperadas que buscaban alimento después del huracán así que al ver la comida aquí venían y encontraban azúcar,” dijo Hau “No las puedes matar porque son ellas quienes permiten que la vegetación vuelve a retoñar.” Gabriela Gaviria Beltrán dentro de El Deportivo Rental en Cayey Ella está casada con el abuelo de Mike González el asistente especial para iniciativas culturales del gerente general de los Piratas de Pittsburgh Los Piratas querían asegurarse que las provisiones llegasen a los necesitados pero también encontraron instancias de trámites engorrosos corrupción y robo que han causado problemas en Puerto Rico desde que el ciclón golpeo a la isla En el aeropuerto vieron cajas de provisiones violadas y contenedores intactos y llenos sin distribuir Uno de los choferes contó a González que su generador—algo muy cotizado después de la tormenta—fue robado en la noche y el motor de una máquina para cortar el césped Otro chofer le dijo que alguien había sacado el combustible de su tanque Fuera de su boda y el del nacimiento de su hijo el viaje fue la experiencia más especial de su vida existe un episodio que González preferiría olvidar y otras personas cercanas le hacían señales contradictorias de cómo debía responder González decidió llevar la petición al alcalde ‘Mejor sería darle el generador porque si no este hombre hubiera afectado y dañado mucho a este esfuerzo,’” González dijo “Nuestra misión entera podría haberse estropeado si hubiéramos dicho que no.” González y Sean Rodríguez distribuyeron provisiones puerta a puerta desde la parte posterior de una camioneta pick up siguiendo las rutas montañosas de Cayey Comenzó de nuevo a llover y el sistema de desagüe ya congestionado por escombros Sus camisetas con la imagen de Clemente se empaparon así que se las regalaron y pidieron prestadas otras limpias Nadie tenia noticias de él desde la devastadora tormenta o si se había refugiado con alguna otra persona,” González dijo quien es también dirigente de una vecindad de Cayey Bonilla había ido de puerta en puerta para avisar a los residentes que la ayuda venía y la gente llegó a su tienda—que funciona como una cantina y bodega a la vez—para recibir las provisiones “Tres o cuatro hombres se montaron en la parte tracera de la camioneta y de inmediato comenzaron a repartir cosas,” dijo Sean Rodríguez en el sentido de que si no lo hacíamos nosotros la noche volvió a ser como cualquier otra noche de fin de semana Los empleados de la tienda cocinaron para los residentes Bonilla llevó dos botellas de Heineken a González y Rodríguez “En ese momento era tanto más que una cerveza fría.” El estadio es ahora el centro de operaciones de emergencia de la ciudad Un señor pide ayuda en el Parque de Beisbol Pedro Montañez en Cayey Caguas es conocido como el centro y corazón de Puerto Rico Esa noche Joey Cora se quedó en casa de su hermano que goteaba del techo y no tenía ni luz ni agua quien en ese momento era el coach del banquillo de los Houston Astros quienes estaban por clacificarse para la Serie Mundial que tendría que utilizar su bonificacion por los playoffs para poder arreglar la casa “En un momento de mucha necesidad y desesperación La distribución de viveres en Caguas ocurrió en un gimnasio de voleibol Una fila complicada de muchos niveles comenzó a formarse a las tres de la madrugada y era tan larga que tuvieron que cortarla por la tarde quien vio a uno de sus mejores amigos en la fila el grupo metió tres carros en el gimnasio y prendieron los faros para alumbrar Caguas había recibido pocos recursos de FEMA las provisiones de los Piratas parecía un supermercado y varios miles de familias fueron servidas “Sentíamos frustración por la manera cómo iban las cosas,” Miranda dijo Cora fue a casa de su hermana para descansar Se habían comunicado una vez por text y con un olvidado teléfono de rueda conectada bajo tierra y Cora regresó a casa para evitar el toque de queda establecido después del ciclón la directora asociada de deporte y recreación de la ciudad de Caguas durante una visita a una instalación deportiva arruinada por el Huracán María el lunes 29 enero Un edificio dañado en el huracán por un camino cerca a Caguas que los equipos puertorriqueños podrían jugar en durante los meses después de golpear el Huracán María pero Raúl Rodríguez no se daba por vencido “Nos dijo cuando estábamos ahí que iban a intentar jugar,” dijo Cora El ciclón acortó la temporada pero no puso fin a ella Los Criollos de Caguas de Rodríguez jugaron solamente 18 juegos y ninguno en su estadio que solamente tenía luz esporádicamente y nada de agua Cora miró los juegos por internet; la entrada era gratis “Él era quien inventó esa idea loca de que debemos jugar,” dijo Cora de Rodríguez los Criollos—el equipo que era en un momento u otro el de Alex Cora de Roberto Clemente y de Raúl Rodríguez—logró un balance de 11-7 En febrero el equipo viajó a México para la Serie del Caribe y los Criollos le ganaron a la República Dominicana y asi lograron el campeonato caribeño por segunda vez consecutiva Una torre de comunicaciones fuera del Parque Yldefonso Sola Morales La torre se dobló durante el Huracán María El estadio no puede usarse por el momento y el equipo Luis Clemente y su familia se refugiaron en la casa de su madre en Rio Piedras Quería acompañarla y en todo caso su propio departamento no tenía protectores contraventanas Vera (la viuda de Roberto) fue a Virginia para pasar un tiempo con su hijo Roberto quien estuvo con Vera cuando aquella se enteró de que el avión que llevaba su esposo se había caído los Clemente decidieron quedarse a enfrentar la tormenta juntos Luis Clemente dijo que después del ciclón Puerto Rico se veía como si hubiera pasado una ola de frío La tormenta había quitado todas las hojas de los árboles En el vecindario de repente aparecieron casas que él no conocía un pájaro estuvo parado debajo de un puente fuera de la casa de Vera “Se notaba su desorientación,” dijo Clemente “Supongo que se sentía algo protegido allí.”