PenFed continues to invest in the future of Puerto Rico by providing financial education to over 4,000 public and private school students The students recently completed the "Tu Dinero a scalable digital financial education curriculum provided by PenFed through a strategic partnership with EVERFI the leader in powering digital financial education for K-12 schools across the United States and Puerto Rico "PenFed believes the best way to serve Puerto Rico is to continue to empower the next generation to achieve their financial dreams," said PenFed Credit Union President & CEO James Schenck "We remain committed to investing in the development of Puerto Rico's young future leaders and are grateful for the support of EVERFI and Carmen Belén Veiga High School as we promote financial literacy and encourage students to create a brighter future for themselves and their communities." PenFed and EVERFI have had a strategic partnership for the past seven years to bring critical financial education to over 4,000 public and private K-12 school students in 27 schools across Puerto Rico at no cost to the schools PenFed provides students with access to EVERFI's proven curriculum teaching them how to make smart financial decisions and achieve success in life The program teaches students about savings and checking including PenFed financial center managers and mortgage managers participated in a "speed networking" activity with students who recently completed the EVERFI financial education program students had the opportunity to ask PenFed leaders and community volunteers questions as part of small group conversations tying back to the critical skills taught in the curriculum This year's financial literacy event is the fifth PenFed and EVERFI have held in Puerto Rico PenFed held events at both private and public schools in San Juan PenFed announced two students were awarded a scholarship in the amount of $1,250 in recognition of their work throughout the Tu Dinero "PenFed's unwavering commitment to enhancing financial literacy in Puerto Rico is truly commendable Every student deserves access to quality financial education and the opportunity to build a secure financial future," said Ray Martinez we are empowering students to take control of their financial destinies and create a brighter We are honored to collaborate with PenFed in this transformative initiative ensuring that every student has the chance to achieve their financial dreams." PenFed currently serves members in Puerto Rico with financial centers in San Juan Mayaguez and on the United States Army Garrison Fort Buchanan PenFed opened a Bilingual Service Center in Guaynabo in 2022 and plans to open a new financial center in Humacao this summer We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer one of the nation's largest federal credit unions finished the first quarter of 2025 with increased earnings is offering a $200 bonusi for financing a PenFed auto loan and $150 for using .. Computer & Electronics Banking & Financial Services Education Trade Show News Do not sell or share my personal information: HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Puerto Rico One of the most colorful holidays in Puerto Rico is especially anticipated by children children in Puerto Rico prepare for the arrival of the Three Kings by placing a shoebox filled with freshly cut grass under their beds delighting the children with a touch of magic makes Día de Reyes—also known as Three Kings Day or Epiphany—a deeply meaningful celebration Día de Reyes commemorates the biblical moment when the Three Wise Men this day is marked with vibrant festivities and parades renowned for its spectacular processions and lively atmosphere The Magi parade in this southern town has over 135 years of history Fiesta de Reyes was initiated in 1884 by a Spanish priest The ancient village tradition was revived in 1985 and has become one of the most popular modern events in Puerto Rico Its highlight is the arrival of the Magi of Juana Díaz The procession starts at approximately 10 am This cherished tradition culminates in a festive "block party," bringing the community together in celebration Día de Reyes in Juana Díaz attracts over 25,000 people annually Juana Diaz also features the world's only thematic museum of the Three Kings Admission to the museum is only a few dollars per person and there is free parking available on-site The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday no celebration is complete without a joyful family gathering filled with music and lively conversation Essential to the festivities are classic holiday drinks like coquito and pitorro paired with a delicious menu of traditional favorites such as pernil Click here to read about the Christmas Eve celebration in Puerto Rico Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later at night The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) under the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC announced the approval and closing of a loan with FirstBank to finance the expansion of CooperVision's facilities in Juana Díaz This project represents a significant advance in the economic development of the southern region of Puerto Rico and the strengthening of the medical device industry on the island was approved by the Puerto Rico Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) under Section 207 of PROMESA Puerto Rico Industrial Investment Corporation (PRIICO) will secure the loan through a mortgage on the existing manufacturing facility and the expansion project The rental income derived from the 15-year lease agreement between PRIDCO and CooperVision will be sufficient to cover the debt thus ensuring the financial viability of the project “CooperVision has chosen Puerto Rico as a preferred business destination since its entry into the island Today we are very pleased to announce the signing of a loan for an expansion that positions Puerto Rico as the base for CooperVision's global manufacturing operation This momentous expansion involves an investment of over $104 million and the creation of 725 new jobs with an annual payroll of $32 million It will increase CooperVision's production capacity and positions its manufacturing operations in Puerto Rico as its global manufacturing hub,” said Manuel Cidre “This type of expansion in pharma has not occurred on the island in the past 30 years This announcement joins CooperVision's recent acquisition of Roche's Ponce facility for the expansion of its manufacturing line with the creation of 450 new jobs and an investment of over $125 million We are grateful for the confidence of the CooperVision board in Puerto Rico global COO of manufacturing and his local team because without their effort and commitment this great expansion would not have been possible The jobs in Juana Diaz and Ponce represent a significant economic boost for the entire southern region and Puerto Rico,” added Cidre Deputy CEO of PRIDCO and President of PRIICO expressed his conviction that by supporting the industrial sector with infrastructure projects such as this one Puerto Rico will continue to move towards a prosperous and sustainable future “This achievement is testimony to PRIDCO's continued commitment to Puerto Rico's economic development Collaborating with local financial entities such as FirstBank and attracting high-caliber foreign investment reinforces our goal of creating an environment conducive to growth and innovation This is the kind of project that PRIDCO can execute We have the capacity and the obligation to support expansions such as CooperVision's,” stated Rios financed through a loan agreement with the bank involves the construction of an additional 196,000 square feet to the existing plant which will make it its largest manufacturing center in the world Since its establishment in Puerto Rico in 1985 CooperVision has been a pillar in the medical device industry offering high quality products and generating hundreds of jobs has played a crucial role in the global production of contact lenses contributing significantly to the local economy The Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC announced the extension of the second p… 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 select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Add to Calendar Add to Calendar This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors 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 Global Sisters Report a project of National Catholic Reporter Sign up now in a selfie with people of the community in Pindaré-Mirim View Author Profile Follow on Twitter at @brianroewe For roughly eight and a half years, Sr. Juana Yakelin Vásquez Díaz (known as Sister Yacky) has lived in the Amazon rainforest of northeastern Brazil. A native Honduran, she entered religious life 19 years ago with the Oblate Sisters of the Heart of Jesus a state south of the equator known for its dense rainforests and beaches Jesuit missionaries were among the first Europeans in the 16th century to explore Maranhão is aware of the challenges facing the region's species and people many of whom are farmers and live near the river Rainforests have been cleared for cattle ranching and agriculture bringing with them problems related to land use water and health for local communities.  it violates the rights in every way of the people who live in this region," Vásquez told Global Sisters Report The situation is but one example of the challenges facing the Amazon basin as the Vatican begins a three-week special synod focused on the globally important biome Vásquez spoke with GSR by email with the assistance of a translator Juana Yakelin Vásquez Díaz is a member of the Oblate Sisters of the Heart of Jesus from Honduras GSR: How would you describe the place you live to someone who has never been there?  Vásquez: It is a place with a lot of jungle and native plants Near it passes a river called the Pindaré River buriti [moriche palm] and cupuaçu [related to cacao] Here also passes the interstate road for this region What challenges does this part of the Amazon rainforest face The Brazilian state has no interest in defending life Companies do not respect international standards and treaties regarding the care of natural resources. When they request bids, they do not respect the ILO 169 treaty [a 1989 international law of the International Labor Organization that guarantees the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples] The bad faith of the companies that are outsourced by Vale deceive the people and divide communities How have you worked to address these challenges Justiça nos Trilhos [Justice on the Rails] and other NGOs are helping to do the work together And also to see the struggle of the people encourages them to do and be a companion on the way What does it mean for you that the Vatican is holding a special synod on the Amazon It's very important. Pope Francis has expressed his concerns to raise awareness in the world about the care of the common home. I think it is the result of all the work that REPAM [the Pan-Amazon Ecclesial Network] has been doing and the entities that are supporting it In several regions here in Brazil that are part of the Amazon The main actors of this Amazon region have been heard: indigenous riverside dwellers, quilombolas [descendants of Afro-Brazilian slaves] I really liked the request of the pope — to bring bold proposals — and here in our regional meeting came good proposals and concerns The concerns: Here in our regional meetings the bishops who will represent us have mostly not been present in the work and reflections that have been done Why do you think that the Amazon rainforest is important for the world This is a region that has the freshest water on the planet it is because there are men and women who have taken care of this Amazon region many of them have shed their blood to defend life and nature To defend the life of each of us and the Amazon and the life of the planet They are living and sharing day-to-day life I've heard stories of leaders who lost their lives for the sake of life itself I have learned to feel how God keeps walking with his people What is something that you would like people outside of the Amazon to understand better about this part of the world Inside this place that we know as the Amazon there are sacred stories held by men and women for thousands of years and they come to take care of this biodiversity Something interesting is the deep relationship they have with nature and animals They do not get carried away by consumerism and by the false ideas of "development and progress" that the media sell us by being less consumerist and not make use of disposable objects like plastic [Brian Roewe is a staff writer for the National Catholic Reporter. His email address is broewe@ncronline.org. Follow him on Twitter: @BrianRoewe.] A Twitter List by EarthBeatNCR Embed Interfaith Climate on your site | View More Climate Tweets then enter your email address and click "subscribe" Global Sisters Report Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker combined to prevent the kind of career that his undeniable talent promised Carlos Bernier Rodriguez was born in Juana Diaz the area produced rum from locally grown sugar cane the Puerto Rican sugar cane industry suffered a sharp decline Juana Diaz became known as La Ciudad del Mabi in honor of a fermented beverage made from the bark of the mabi tree There is no record of his having played high-school baseball He probably learned the game on the sandlots of his native area Early in his professional career he played in the Manitoba-Dakota League He claimed to be a teenager when his pro career started thinking his chances of making it in the pros were greater if he appeared younger than his real age He told baseball scouts that he was born in 1929 the Mandak League was not recognized by Organized Baseball Standard baseball references carry very little data on its teams or players The Sporting News did not cover the Mandak League. The first mention of Bernier in the self-proclaimed “Baseball Bible” came in a report of the 1948 Puerto Rico League championship series.2 With the score tied in the 10th inning of the seventh and deciding game Mayaguez left fielder Bernier committed an error that led to his team’s defeat mostly for Mayaguez in the winter league after spending the summers playing minor-league baseball in the United States but he was back in the Negro Leagues in 1948.) It was not just headaches that got him in trouble Jackie Robinson was able to endure the slurs and indignities that came with being a racial pioneer He was not one to take racial taunts lying down He was competitive and aggressive on the ballfield and was suspended many times throughout his career.  Ron Samford, a longtime teammate of Bernier’s, both in Puerto Rico and the Pacific Coast League, was quoted as saying, “Bernier had the ability to be a ten-to-fifteen-year major league career. His temper got the best of him.”6 Sportswriter John Schulian wrote, “Carlos Bernier had a temper as big as his chaw of tobacco.”7 During Bernier’s first season in the Colonial League, he drew his first suspension. League President John A. Scalzi meted out a six-day suspension and fined Bernier $25 for his part in a rhubarb with an umpire.9 Many more suspensions were to follow during Bernier’s career Port Chester won the 1948 regular-season title in 1948 and followed up by taking the final playoff series One highlight of the playoffs was an inside-the-park home run by Bernier at Poughkeepsie on September 19 He then returned to his native land to play for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rico League hitting two home runs in a game against Aguadilla on November 4 giving Bernier the distinction of having played for championship clubs in both the summer of 1948 and the winter of 1948-49 Bernier missed a bunt sign in the previous night’s game and then was thrown out attempting to steal In the winter Bernier again played for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rico League and tied the circuit’s record for stolen bases in one season with 33 In 1950 Bernier was back with Bristol and got off to a great start. On May 4 he established a league record by stealing six bases in one game. He stole second base four times and third twice, but was foiled in his attempt for seven thefts when he was thrown out trying to steal home in the ninth inning of the game against Bridgeport.11 In 52 games for Bristol Bernier stole 53 bases and scored 67 runs On July 14 the financially struggling Colonial League disbanded Jean (Quebec) of the Class-C Provincial League Bernier was leading the Colonial League in both stolen bases and home runs He found the Canadian league to his liking giving him a total of 94 steals for the two clubs In 1951 Bernier played for the independent Tampa Smokers in the Class-B Florida International League His performance in Florida earned Bernier a big promotion In 1952 he leaped all the way up to the top of the minor-league hierarchy with the Hollywood Stars of the Open Classification Pacific Coast League Already known as “The Comet” for his speed on the basepaths Bernier lit up the Southern California landscape He hit .301 (third best in the league) and led the PCL in runs scored with 105 and stolen bases with 65 Once again he led his team to the league championship Pittsburgh promoted Bernier to the majors in 1953. He became the first black player to join the Pirates. (Some sources credit Curt Roberts with being Pittsburgh’s first black player classifying Bernier as neither black nor white as though Puerto Ricans were a separate race biologically nobody really is black or white Bernier considered himself black and deserves the distinction of being designated Pittsburgh’s first black player.) Bernier made his first major-league hit three days later at Connie Mack Stadium In the seventh inning he hit a single off Curt Simmons in Pittsburgh’s 7-6 loss to the Phillies Bernier’s major-league career was over at the age of 26 He finished with a batting average of only .213 During the winter of 1953-54, The Sporting News asked baseball writers to rate players on various characteristics. The scribes named Carlos Bernier Pittsburgh’s most temperamental player.12 Events of 1954 served to strengthen that impression The next day Rowland suspended Bernier for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. Hollywood president Rob Cobb expressed his disappointment over Bernier’s conduct: “I hope Bernier, whom all of us in the front office have repeatedly urged to control his temper, realizes the seriousness of the suspension and that he profits by his mistake. A player of his ability will be mighty hard to replace.”16 A few weeks later it was reported that Bernier had signed a contract to play with the Licey club in the Dominican Republic League, a circuit not affiliated with Organized Baseball. George M. Trautman, president of the National Association, the governing body of the minor leagues, reportedly wired Bernier that he would be placed on the disqualified list, barring him from winter league ball, unless he quit the Licey team immediately.17 on October 2 Bernier remarried his ex-wife The 1955 Puerto Rico League All-Star game was played in San Juan’s Estadio Sixto Escobar on December 12 Proceeds from the annual game go to a special fund to buy toys for the poor children of the island A series of track and field events preceded the 1955 game Bernier continued to star in the Pacific Coast League for several years Perhaps his reputation as a troublemaker deterred the big-league clubs from taking a chance on him Bernier led the PCL in batting average in 1961 Some of these accomplishments occurred while he was playing for Hollywood but most came after the club moved to Salt Lake City in 1958 He got off to the best start of his career that first season in Utah He had a streak of hitting safely in 35 consecutive games in April and May Bernier was selected to play in the Pacific Coast League All-Star game the National Association of Baseball Writers named him to their all-Triple-A All-Star team Bernier’s numbers declined slightly in 1959 Pittsburgh’s affiliate in the Triple-A International League After 35 games in Ohio he was acquired by the Indianapolis Indians a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate in the same circuit and he was back in the Pacific Coast League Bernier still couldn’t keep out of trouble He was fined $100 for threatening and abusive language directed toward umpire Cece Carlucci in a game at Portland on July 3 He won the PCL batting championship by hitting .351 for the Islanders He was selected by National Association of Baseball Writers to the 1961 Class-AAA All-Star team He followed this up with three more good seasons in the islands In 1965 Bernier plied his trade south of the border playing for the Reynosa Broncs in the Class-AA Mexican League In his final season he hit .281 in 87games and probably 19 seasons of winter ball in his native Puerto Rico After Bernier retired, he was plagued by financial insecurity and medical and emotional problems.23 He was homeless near the end and hanged himself in a garage in his hometown of Juana Diaz on April 6 Carlos Bernier has not been forgotten. In 2004 he was inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. In 2012 the Orlando Cepeda Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research commemorated Bernier’s 85th anniversary with a celebration of his life at Los Autenticos Club in Juana Diaz. More than 130 people attended the event, which featured an exhibition of Bernier memorabilia and photos.24 This biography appeared in “Puerto Rico and Baseball: 60 Biographies” (SABR 1 Steve Treder “Carlos Bernier,” hardballtimes.com/carlos/bernier 2 Santiago Llorens “Puerto Rican Playoffs Won by Caguas Club,” The Sporting News 3 Treder 4 Joe Guzzardi More Than a Footnote,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 5 “Obituaries: Carlos Bernier,” The Sporting News 6 baseball-reference/bullpen/Carlos_Bernier 7 Ibid 8 Treder 9 “First Colonial Suspension,” The Sporting News 10 The Sporting News 11 The Sporting News 12 C.C “The Low Down on Majors’ Big Shots,” The Sporting News 13 The Sporting News 14 The Sporting News 15 John B Banned for Rest of ’64,” The Sporting News 16 Ibid 17 “Suspended Bernier Warned Not to Play in Dominican,” The Sporting News 18 Albert Mlagon “Bernier in New Ump Clash; Heaved in Dominican Game,” The Sporting News 19 Santiago Llorens “Bernier Asks Lift of Ban; Seeks to Play Winter Ball,” The Sporting News 20 Jeane Hoffman “Hollywood’s Fiery Bernier Had Cigar-Smoking Mamma,” The Sporting News 21 “Bernier Back as Good Boy,” The Sporting News 22 “Power Bernier Fined $100 After Puerto Rican Scrap,” The Sporting News 23 Guzzardi 24 Edwin Fernandez-Cruz, “SABR Day 2012 — Puerto Rico,” sabr.org/sabrday/2012/puertorico If you can help us improve this player’s biography, contact us Integration Pioneers · Puerto Rico · Puerto Rico and Baseball Meet the Staff Board of Directors Annual Reports Inclusivity Statement Contact SABR .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jay Scott Smith | JSmith44@mlive.comLANSING – For the second time in our last three Michigan's Best searches it's a small restaurant with a big following that dominated the poll in Lansing "We knew we were going to be in competition with the bigger cities," Mary Thalison co-owner of Tacho's Mexican Food in St Tacho's joins Pizza Sam's in Alma – which won the Michigan's Best Pizza poll last November – as a small restaurant in an even smaller city to win big on the Lansing poll MLive's John Gonzalez will visit Tacho's on Saturday Tacho's prides itself on making all of their food fresh including getting their beans from a local farmer whose calling card is that it's the geographic "Middle of the Mitten," is a small town of nearly 7,500 people located about 55 miles from downtown Lansing "It's a good town to raise your family," Thalison We've been having a lot of new small businesses opening up."St whose calling card is that it's the geographic "Middle of the Mitten," is a small town of nearly 7,500 people located about 55 miles from downtown Lansing Tacho's was started by Thalison's mother in 1990 and is very popular not just around town but with bulk people passing through the area with Diaz and Thalison handling the day-to-day operations contributed the most important element to the restaurant "His nickname is Tacho," Thalison said pointing out that another potential name had to be vetoed for a very obvious reason "We were going to call it 'Mary Juana's' because my name's Mary and my mother's name is Juana," she said while laughing about the name "The boys said why not call it Tacho's Mexican Food and we ended up picking my dad's nickname." helping with baking and other jobs around the restaurant The restaurant has been able to thrive due to its location being a middle ground for people traveling around the state the restaurant has won a number of awards and recommendations from all over mid-Michigan "They find us on Google and hop on in," Thalison said "A lot of businesspeople that come through the area this is a place that's recommended for them "We get them from all over," she added "Our weekend business is Saginaw and Mt Our business doesn't just thrive on our local people." Tacho's seats just 40 people and does not serve alcohol "The thing that makes us unique is that we hand roll our flour tortillas," Thalison said noting that they also grow their own peppers and make their own Chorizo in house Diaz and Thalison said that they also broil their meats and use olive oil instead of heavier oils as people have become more conscious of their health It is apart of their promise to make all of their food fresh "We don't do beans out of a can," Thalison said."We buy our pinto beans from a local farmer south of here "A lot of Mexican restaurants are cooking the same," she added "They're not putting any heart and soul into their food People misuse the word 'authentic.' That's what makes us different." Follow Jay Scott Smith on Twitter: @JayScottSmith. Email him at JSmith44@mlive.com  Follow MLive Lansing on Facebook and Twitter Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices \n m_gallery = \"tachos_mexican_food\";\n m_gallery_id = \"14956466\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Tacho\\'s Mexican Food\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"8002029\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Friday 11:48 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.mlive.com/8002029/gallery/tachos_mexican_food/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.mlive.com/photogallery/8002029/14956466.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n THE BEST OF THE AMERICAN LATINO & MULTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE They were present in the audience inside Paul VI Hall of the Vatican where they spoke briefly with the Catholic pontiff The famous Puerto Rican Kings of Juana Diaz were present in the audience of Pope Francis inside Paul VI Hall of the Vatican where they were able to talk briefly with the pontiff at the end of the ceremony and asked him to visit Puerto Rico in 2024 The characters said that when Pope Francis approached them they greeted him and gave him the gifts they were carrying They also briefly explained to the pontiff where they came from and what the festivities meant for Puerto Rico.  that he would like to come to Puerto Rico and that he has it on his agenda It was a very beautiful experience," said Melchor told EFE that they had "the opportunity to exchange words in a very nice very simple way" and that they were "extremely happy that once again the tradition of the Fiestas de los Reyes de Juana Díaz in this 139th edition shines in the whole world." This is the second time the Three Kings of Juana Diaz were received by a pope when John Paul II was the leader of the Catholic Church.  This encounter was much more personal than the one in 2004 with Pope John Paul II Obviously this is a Latin Pope and we communicated in Spanish Although John Paul II spoke to us in Spanish at that time he was in poorer health This year was very special because it was a conversation between Hispanic Catholics and we were able to explain all our tradition and give him the affection that Puerto Rico has for the Pope We also congratulated him for Argentina's championship in the World Cup It is an experience that we will never forget," said the Three Wise Men in a press release.  where they had the opportunity to meet with local families they will return to their native Puerto Rico to bid farewell to the year and carry out the traditional National Caravan of the Three Wise Men in which they will visit several municipalities between Jan THE BEST OF THE AMERICAN MULTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE Two beefy generators that provided reserve power for the opulent Breakers resort in Palm Beach will soon serve a more urgent need in Puerto Rico The donated portable powerhouses will ensure reliable running water is pumped to the steep hillside communities in Juana Diaz where electricity is still spotty seven months after Category 4 Hurricane Maria mangled the island’s electrical grid a nearly island-wide blackout reminded residents of the fragility of the system and unpredictability of the water supply in some rural communities RELATED: Unlikely pair bring relief to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. I’m without power in Juana Diaz,” said South Palm Beach resident Victor Hernandez who on Monday was working at one of his hotels on the island communities in the winding foothills can be without water and in the dark when the power goes out because electricity is needed to run water supply pumps uphill Hernandez has been working with the West Palm Beach-based Eagles Wings foundation since October to get relief to communities on the south side of the island far from the capital San Juan a Palm Beach landscaper and founder of Eagles Wings helped facilitate the generator donations and shipping He also had his mechanic give them a tune up “I just wanted to make sure they are all good “The power outage last week tells everyone they are still having some significant problems.” RELATED: My trip to Puerto Rico, Island continues long road back after storms. The generators offer 150 kilowatts and 80 kilowatts of power They provided backup electricity to The Breakers’ Golf and Tennis Club While a decade old, and a little rusty, both were used after Hurricane Irma Breakers spokeswoman Bonnie Reuben said the generators were replaced as part of ongoing efficiency and performance upgrades “We put feelers out to see what we could do with them and if anyone needed them,” said Reuben who credited Breakers Community Outreach Manager Parisa Leve with the effort Check The Palm Beach Post live radar. Hurricane Maria was the fourth major hurricane in a hyperactive season abuzz with powerful storms It made landfall on the southeast coast of Puerto Rico on Sept 20 with maximum winds near 155 mph — just below Category 5 strength Maria quickly took down Puerto Rico’s National Weather Service radar tower WEATHER INSIDER: Like this story? Want more? Sign up for our newsletter a Port of Palm Beach Commissioner and co-founder of the Palm Beach County Cares coalition said the group set aside between $15,000 and $20,000 to ship the generators to Puerto Rico and help set them up once there Lewis and Hernandez intend to check on the generators in about five weeks to ensure they’re being used appropriately but the rural areas are even worse because they are harder to get too,” Waldron said “We’re helping with transportation and set up but (Lewis) has been the champion spearheading it.” If you haven’t yet, join Kim on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter. Foto por Abimael Medina | Centrode Periodismo Investigativo In 2015, specialists from the State Insurance Fund Corporation (SIFC), which serves citizens who have been injured in the work environment, diagnosed Pellot with allergic and respiratory conditions for “exposure to vapors or fumes”, acknowledging that Pellot had been injured at work. A total of 185 multinational seed workers have open records before the SIFC; 23 of those have suffered symptoms similar to those of Pellot, according to the government agency’s press office. Photo by Abimael Medina | Centro de Periodismo Investigativo But data points in a different direction Including the seven multinationals that Carrión represents a total of 27 organizations developed transgenics during the decade of 2006 to 2015 biology professor at the University of Puerto Rico applied for a permit to experiment with a variety of African cassava resistance to a virus and reduction of toxins that affect the nervous system The goal of these improved seeds is to supply them to governments in Nigeria through a project sponsored by US tycoon Bill Gates Although transgenic soybean and corn are not representative crops of local agriculture they make up 90% of all seed corporations’ experiments That means that while the island is in a fiscal crisis and barely produces 15% of its food seed corporations subsidized by the government of Puerto Rico worked to develop agriculture in the major soybean and corn producing countries Cow’s milk and plantain are the most valued agricultural products of the island according to the most recent Agricultural Census But no experiment registered by APHIS attempted to solve a local problem such as stopping the larvae of the South American palm weevil that bores the plantain or the coffee borer that ruins the coffee crops when asked if the main characteristic or phenotype of the transgenic plants they develop is herbicide resistance It is an agrochemical that the World Health Organization considers “probably carcinogenic” for humans we are proud to say that we do research and development before it goes into marketing so this is where the research is done and the best feature is sought,” she said without answering yes or no “We work with different characteristics depending on the initiative of each company She argued that they create seeds that use less water in times of drought that resist global warming or can fight pests “That instead of the pesticide being used en masse that instead of spraying tons and tons of pesticide throughout the world you already have the characteristic in the organism And what that allows is the reduction in the carbon footprint To be able to withstand longer periods of work being exposed to the agrochemicals agronomist Iris Pellot had to take medications to counteract her allergic reactions “Until one day”—she recalls—“the doctor told me you’re going to die.'” Pellot performed experiments with unidentified chemicals she was fired for not showing up to work for more than 12 months while receiving medical treatment she started to request information from the company to find out more about the contents of the chemical she had worked with to ask the company for a remedy for her health condition and be able to receive adequate medical treatment The multinational corporation responded with a letter stating that it would not give out more information beyond what they had already given cancelled an interview with the CPI after learning that PRABIAS’s executive director was also going to be interviewed “I hereby notify you that the interview we had scheduled for tomorrow has been canceled” once you hear the industry’s side of the story we will be able to address any other need for additional information you may have” the amount of land controlled by Monsanto in excess over the limit allowed by the Constitution of Puerto Rico and the facilities built in parte with public funds in one of their privately-owned farms in Juana Díaz were some of the topics the CPI wanted to discuss with the multinational corporation the company never responded to any of our three requests for an interview Pellot went to the multinational’s human resources office She showed what appeared as a world map of hives on her back “My skin was bulged as if I had been injected water into my epidermis.” She arrived at The Good Samaritan Hospital of Aguadilla just in time to tell the parking lot guard that she was not able to breathe I was given and epinephrine shot so I could breathe” “Then a doctor told me: ‘Do you want to live For comments write to [email protected] Necesitamos tu apoyo para seguir haciendo y ampliando nuestro trabajo Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" 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 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] Los donativos que recibe el Centro de Periodismo Investigativo están exentos de contribuciones en Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos Amelia Farm, property of the Land Authority, rented by Monsanto in Juana Díaz. No one asked Juana Díaz’s residents, not even the Mayor Ramón Hernández, whether the multinational seed companies could take over one third of its best farming land, turn them into a genetically modified seeds lab and receive tax exemptions at the expense of lessening the town’s coffers. “A hot dog cart pays more municipal taxes than Monsanto, that makes millions,” Hernández complained. Photo by Centro de Periodismo Investigativo Were more contributions paid to Puerto Rico in return The Government gave these companies 16 times more than they contributed to the Island The biotechnology multinationals benefiting from these tax exemptions for bona fide farmers only paid back to Puerto Rico $413,828 in taxes between 2005 and 2014 according to the Treasury Department’s latest data Among these seedbeds is 3rd Millenium Genetics which differs from the others because is the only one founded in Puerto Rico and also assisted the seed processing for a government project for rice harvesting A group of seed companies unidentified by the Puerto Rico Treasury benefited from special taxes of laws 135 of 1997 and 73 of 2008 for which they paid about $31.4 million during that period These laws were more effective than the bona fide farmers tax exemptions in bringing back money for the Government deputy secretary for Economic and Financial Affairs for the Treasury Department The seven corporations members of the Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association (PRABIA) created 3,385 direct jobs during the past fiscal year the seed companies received over $37.2 million during the crisis from the Agricultural Enterprises Development Administration to subsidize its employees´salaries The Government agency refunds $2.72 per work hour paid by the companies to its unskilled laborers Photo by Florentino Velázquez | Centro de Periodismo Investigativo Global Head of Seeds at at Bayer Crop Science asserted the multinational operations as an opportunity to bring knowledge to Puerto Rico about the agricultural business management “Not only do we create work and investment but we assist the community to develop their skills for the local production,” he said in September 2016 after the inauguration of the multinational facilities in the Guánica and Sabana Grande towns where he proclaimed the creation of over 25 jobs “I see a winning situation for both sides when he bring the most advanced technology I believe that the Puerto Rico agriculture will benefit from this,” he said The agricultural biotechnology sector invested $96 million in its business in Puerto Rico during fiscal year 2015 according to a survey by the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute which demonstrates the industry stability amidst the crisis Syngenta Seeds company kicked off 2017 with a $6 million investment to improve its facilities in Salinas and Juana Díaz The Agriculture Department has not done a study to assess the benefits of those investments against the costs of the seed multinationals in a country that rolled down the cliff of a fiscal crisis and crashed against its default to the bondholders and retirees imposed by the United States so that Puerto Rico pays its debt is ordering the Island’s Government to adopt austerity measures The Commonwealth does not have money to afford its public health plan to provide to about 1.4 million residents The largest massive exodus toward the mainland metropoli since the Great Depression swells The University of Puerto Rico -the public university system comprised of 11 campuses- faces the prospect of $300 million cut from its budget The Puerto Rico Treasury Department paid the taxpayers their refunds late during two consecutive years said during his recent address to the Commonwealth lawmakers that he will revise outdated incentives which do not account for a return on investment he declined to a request for an interview with the CPI to discuss the corporate economic shelter provided to these multinationals Even the Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) a public corporation which also has been unable to meet payments to its bond holders and has recently increased its consumer rates to raise the money it lacks offers preferential rates to seven seed companies PREPA is responsible for providing water to the old farming irrigation canals and charges $2 per acre-feet (325,900 gallons) to these companies while it bills the rest of the industrial customers between $163 and $325 for the same volume The fiscal cost for this subsidy for the seed multinationals was more than $6.3 million between 2006 and 2015 The Latin term refers to a legal principle which recognizes the honesty and veracity of subject matter which certifies companies as bona fide farmers so they can claim exemptions sent the Monsanto and Illinois Crop Improvement Association certifications to Juana Díaz Mayor Ramón Hernández had requested them in 2016 questioning if they met the criteria to obtain that privilege Hernández layed over a table copy of the Puerto Rico Agricultural Incentives Law which provides this incentive to those who work the land states that the bona fide are those who have sown harvested and sold the agricultural product Article 3 (b) (1) states that the incentivized business is for the production of food for humans and animals which export the GMO´s for further development outside of Puerto Rico There is also a Puerto Rico Justice Department legal opinion that establishes that these companies do not engage in agriculture because they carry out research and development the Government allows them have control over more than the constitutional limit of 500 acres of land by controlling a large part of the farming land the seedbeds limit the Juana Díaz capacity to have a local economy based on tomatoes The goal of offering benefits to foreign companies is to create a competitive advantage; attract investment to a non-existent industry that otherwise may stay in foreign locations which offer better conditions to the business sector The Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association claims those incentives are important to guarantee the retention of the corporations it represents But Puerto Rico already has the great competitive edge regardless of the incentives: a year round average temperature of 27 °C (80 °F) in the southern part of the Island which allows for up to four harvest per year of corn and soy when they can only have two in the Continental United States “The incentives are just the gravy,” said Ed Baumgartner whose resumé boasts 21 years of experience in Dow AgroSciences and the creation of 3rd Millennium Genetics company in Santa Isabel “The seed companies really come for the heat index I takes the seed companies about ten years to develop a new product Puerto Rico allows them to cut the research process in half.” Nowhere in other state or territory of the United States the most liberal country in regards to GMO’s and agrochemicals associated with those crops can the natural competitive advantage Puerto Rico has to offer be found seed shipment to North America are faster and least expensive than Hawaii the main competition for Puerto Rico in GMO´s experiments Indeed eight foreign seed companies had already established in Puerto Rico between 1983 and 2003 before the approval of the Agricultural Biotechnology Company Promotion and Development Act of 2009 Said law establishes a policy to put the greatest amount of incentives into this multinationals so that Puerto Rico “can become a Mecca for the development and settlement of the knowledge industry in the branch of agriculture,” as it states in its text The law does not require any accountability nor audit for the companies One of the law authors was representative Carlos “Johnny” Méndez current president of the House of Representatives and it was signed by senator Thomas Rivera-Schatz current president of the Puerto Rico Senate “Why then put out a multimillion incentives red carpet if already the companies would have come anyway Why give the house away beforehand?,” challenged Deepak Lamba-Nieves director for research for the Center for a New Economy and independent organization which researches and analizes public policy issues on the Island “The corporate rationale is that Puerto Rico has to do everything in its power to protect those jobs If we are anchoring the economic model on companies which threaten us with leaving on the smallest provocation that is not a context to emerge from the crisis The exemptions and incentives are important to compete with other countries but is a mechanism within an economic development plan the incentives have become the rule rather than the exception.” a retired University of Puerto Rico professor who has been a consultant during 50 years on farming matters in the Island believes is not good business that the public funded incentivized experiments wont solve the problems with Puerto Rican crops that the companies use the best lands for experiments instead of producing food and that they return less to the treasury than what they receive “When 80% of the food of Puerto Ricans comes from outside the Island but they are not focused in promoting production nor in results.” Mayor Ramón Hernández considers these incentives a “jaibería” a Puerto Rican slang derived from jaiba or crabs which refers to someone who takes advantage of someone or some circumstance The municipalities don´t participate when the Commonwealth Government grants them these decrees” He was referring to preferential tax deals which affects the capacity to allocate municipal funds and don´t create local revenue And he calls for the Agriculture Department to assess the quality of the jobs created by these companies it goes to the head office outside Puerto Rico It’s impossible to move Puerto Rico forward this way.” For comments write to[email protected] 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] mainland have said goodbye to the Christmas holiday season and the Santas festivities continue throughout the Caribbean and Latin-American diaspora. In the Spanish-speaking Caribbean “El Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos” is a major holiday tradition food, and parades. The holiday honors the Three Kings—Gaspar and Melchior—the biblical astrologers or Wise Men who “traveled afar” following a star that led them to the birthplace of a holy child born in a manger RELATED STORY: Celebrating Three Kings Day, or Día de los Reyes Magos Caribbean Matters is a weekly series from Daily Kos. If you are unfamiliar with the region, check out Caribbean Matters: Getting to know the countries of the Caribbean The music and art associated with Three Kings Day also known as the Feast of the Epiphany or the 12th Day of Christmas features the Magi and symbolic gifts of gold in Puerto Rico originated in medieval Europe where the figures were included in Nativity scenes Puerto Ricans celebrate Three Kings Day on Jan. 6 when families get together and children receive gifts from Gaspar even though they are not technically viewed as saints.  Discover Puerto Rico takes you to visit the home of the Three Kings: Although the biblical stories specify these Magi arrive from the Orient following a star, the Magi in Puerto Rico helm from the south of the Island, specifically from the town of Juana Díaz the municipality hosts the longest-standing and most visited Three Kings Day festival on the Island a place dedicated exclusively to the history of these figures Here’s the 2020 celebration from Juana Diaz (2021 was cancelled due to COVID-19): In the English-, Dutch-, and French-speaking Caribbean, Three Kings Day is also a major holiday. Give a listen to “The Crown Prince of Reggae” Dennis Brown who recorded a version of “We Three Kings” with a Jamaican beat The Caribbean diaspora in the UK represents the holiday with steelpan from The Mighty Jamma: Here on the U.S. mainland, the largest celebration of Three Kings Day takes place in New York City, the home of El Museo del Barrio, which holds a Three Kings festival and parade each year. This year’s Three Kings Parade is represented by a poster from Puerto Rican artist Tanya Torres El Museo’s 46th Annual Three Kings Day Parade and Celebration, Friday, January 6, 2023 https://t.co/NwBnqegKv3 pic.twitter.com/JhVd1wBAcz the daughter of two young idealists who aspired to creating a better world of justice and equality granddaughter of two grandfathers who composed songs and rhymes and of a great grandmother who made a quilt of little scraps of fabric My families were poor and lived in the countryside of the towns of San German and Guayanilla and both left at 16 to study in the University of Puerto Rico and then to New York Soon after we three returned to the island where I would have gladly remain for the rest of my life who each year brought us 3 gifts if we left some grass and water for their camels We placed these important items in shoe boxes and went to sleep hopeful to wake up to our heart’s desires fulfilled The Three Kings continued coming for 15 years until they lost track of my brother and I upon our arrival in New York especially because we had to go to school and forget who we had been The longing in my heart was immense and it was so overwhelming that I had to forget all about the Three Kings for the next 12 years I was in my new old home on Lexington Avenue where I had recently moved and where my baby arrived from being born in the hospital I really want to say ¨where my boy as born and I´m no longer sure if I was actually holding my son I looked out the large picture window of my second floor apartment And I cried remembering a happy childhood memory It was El Museo’s Annual Three Kings Parade marching down Lexington Avenue Here’s a look at some of the events at El Museo from last year: Join me in the 2023 Tres Reyes festivities in the comment section below and check out the weekly Caribbean New Roundup.  Not signed up for Daily Kos yet? Create a free account Upon our investigation, we have found some weird and wonderful buildings; from an abandoned UFO village built as a holiday destination for American military staff, to a UFO treehouse perched high above a forest in Sweden – all these homes are out of this world! Pardon the pun. Sanzhi Pod City in New Taipei City, Taiwan This UFO pod village is currently not inhabited by aliens or humans. The colourful UFO-shaped houses were planned as a seaside destination for vacationing American military staff posted in Asia, but it was never finished and the project went bankrupt. This building named the ‘Chemosphere’ was designed by American architect John Lautner and is the Los Angeles home of German publisher Benedikt Taschen. Resting on the slopes of Juana Diaz in Puerto Rico, this unique house was built by love-struck Roberto Sanchez Rivera, purely in spite of his ex-partner who had always dreamed of having such a home. Volcano house in Newberry Springs, California This building is called the volcano house because it sits atop a dormant volcano, obviously. The home owner enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding desert as well as the peace and serenity that comes with the isolation. If living in a UFO home permanently isn’t your thing, then you can holiday in one at the UFO Treehotel. Known as the ‘Spaceship House’, the building was the creation of Curtis King, who spent $250,000 to have it built for his son in 1973. This dome home is not only located in the middle of 28 acres of forest, it also spins a full 360 degrees to offer gorgeous forest views at every possible angle. Fancy a change of scenery? Just push a button on the remote. The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate Juana Diaz Municipio has a high level of seismic activity Based on data from the past 25 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900 there are about 1,200 quakes on average per year in or near Juana Diaz Municipio Juana Diaz Municipio has had at least 3 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900 which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently probably on average approximately every 40 to 45 years Juana Diaz Municipio has about 318 quakes of magnitude 3 or higher per year (Mag 4+: 18.4 quakes per year) The last earthquake in Juana Diaz Municipio occurred 5 hours ago and had a magnitude of 2.9: Mag. 2.9 earthquake 2 km N of Tierras Nuevas Poniente - Puerto Rico - writeAge(1746488509)A light magnitude 2.9 earthquake occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean near Puerto Rico island The quake had a moderate depth of 109 km (68 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so) Juana Diaz Municipio has had 3 quakes of magnitude 3.0 or above and 22 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0 There were also 4 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel The depth of the quake is unknown.The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so).