Cover Page Legal HistorySports SearchTrujillo Alto mayor declares 3 days of mourning after fatal explosionThe San Juan Daily StarOct 3 Trujillo Alto Mayor Pedro Rodríguez González signed an executive order earlier this week declaring three days of mourning for Maricarmen Maldonado García a resident of the municipality’s Encantada neighborhood who died in a tragic gas explosion at her home An ecumenical ceremony was to be held Wednesday at the Lakeside Club in Trujillo Alto “We are still dismayed by what happened yesterday [Monday],” the mayor said “These have been hours of great sadness for all the people but it is our duty to give support to the entire community.” Rodríguez González noted that Maldonado García was the daughter of a well-known local merchant Wednesday’s ceremony was to include pastors priests and a music ministry in solidarity with Encantada residents The explosion occurred on Monday morning at the residence due to an apparent gas leak Previous reports also said a man was hospitalized with injuries sustained in the blast Senior officials of the Puerto Rico Firefighters Bureau said the explosion was felt far from the scene and compromised the structures of nearby residences © 2025 The San Juan Daily Star - Puerto Rico SearchLawmaker calls for regulation of LG tanks following explosion at Trujillo Alto homeThe San Juan Daily StarOct 2 a liquefied gas explosion destroyed a house in the Pacifica neighborhood of Trujillo Alto killing a woman and seriously injuring a man (Facebook via Puerto Rico Firefighters Bureau)By The Star Staff In an effort to avoid unfortunate situations such as the explosion that occurred in a residence in Trujillo Alto Estrella Martínez Soto called for the passage of legislation to regulate the installation of liquefied gas tanks at residences a house in Trujillo Alto was destroyed and one person was killed as the result of a gas explosion Martínez Soto introduced House Bill (HB) 1114 which sought to establish the “Law for the Inspection and Certification of Liquefied Gas Installations in Residences and Businesses in Puerto Rico.” Although the House of Representatives passed the bill it remained in limbo in the Senate Rules and Calendar Committee the measure will be a priority in the next legislative session The increasing use of liquefied gas as an energy source in Puerto Rico in response to high demand and high prices for electricity has highlighted the need for stricter regulation stressed the importance of establishing regulations to guarantee the safety of those who use the fuel HB 1114 seeks to grant the Bureau of Transportation and Other Public Services the authority to regulate and oversee the installation and use of liquefied gas in Puerto Rico’s residences and businesses to prevent further loss of lives after explosions today a person died after an explosion in Trujillo Alto,” Martínez Soto said “This brings House Bill 1114 back to public discussion I hope it can be passed during the next legislative session to give our people an additional tool.” The measure establishes that all homes and businesses with liquefied gas service must have their liquefied gas containers and lines inspected for the safety of families and to ensure they are ready to be delivered the bill creates a structure to reinforce the safety of the use of liquefied gas tanks in homes It would establish collaboration with entities such as the Department of Consumer Affairs the Firefighters Bureau and liquefied gas companies to establish educational campaigns that firefighters and liquefied gas companies would conduct for citizens cover the risk of explosion in homes in Puerto Rico specialists consulted by EL VOCERO said yesterday The issue of policies that protect homes is gaining strength again in the country after the unfortunate event of the explosion in a residence in the Encantada urbanization where one person died and about twenty neighboring homes were affected "Property policies in general terms cover an explosion event," said the executive director of the Association of Insurance Companies (Acodese) The above was also confirmed by a representative of the Mapfre company who assured EL VOCERO that usually all insurers have a policy with coverage for the eventuality of an explosion there is that coverage and what that covers is up to the limit that you have in the policy and the damage that occurs as a result of the explosion," he explained who maintained that "if an explosion arises in the house as a result of a gas element if the blast wave caused damage to the surrounding houses 'homeowners' and 'personal package' also cover this impact the policy of the owner of the property where the explosion originated will use his Hazard policy and the neighbor who was affected by the blast wave can use his Hazard policy," explained the president of Triple S Propiedad the executive clarified that if the neighbor takes a legal action of civil liability against the neighbor where the accident originated but the policy that would be activated would be the liability policy to third parties or civil liability of the owner where the accident began He also indicated that not everyone in Puerto Rico buys coverage or the type of civil liability policy He also mentioned that the advantage of the 'personal packages' is that they already have the coverage as well as the 'homeowners' policy Pernas stressed that another important part is about the content that is inside the residence "If people do not have a complementary policy to Hazard that covers all the contents The insurer is not going to respond to them," Pernas emphasized The executive called on consumers to consult with the insurance representative to verify the coverage they have and their limits This was echoed by the representative of Mapfre who indicated that the event of the explosion last Tuesday is an example that people have to be aware that they have to have sufficient insurance coverage because unfortunately a similar situation can occur at any time "People have to know and be aware of reviewing their policies that they are updated and that the limits are sufficient to cover an event that may happen It is not only remembering when the hurricane season is coming but at all times because events like this can occur," he said the most important message is safety and preventing the accident from occurring for that there are things for fortuitous causes but unfortunately people lose their lives and there is considerable damage check if you have elements that use gas or another type of explosive chemical You definitely have to hire a professional to check and even put meters or detectors things that can help avoid this type of accident," said the Triple S Property executive Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: This work, Local Voluntary Agencies Collaborate with Mennonite Disaster Service in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, to Enhance Construction Skills [Image 3 of 3], by Eduardo Martinez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright In Featured, News by Ged KensleaMarch 9 New state-of-the-art facilities aim to serve those whose access to HIV/AIDS care and services still suffer from fallout from 2017’s Hurricane Maria as well as the COVID-19 pandemic AHF’s newest site includes an AHF Healthcare Center in Carolina (relocating from Trujillo Alto in San Juan) and an AHF Pharmacy Access Center providing HIV/AIDS healthcare and pharmacy services as well as HIV testing and treatment and STD/STI treatment and prevention SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (March 8, 2021) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) the world’s largest global AIDS organization is proud to announce expansion of its services delivering state-of-the-art HIV/AIDS medical care and pharmacy services to patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay at its newest site in Carolina AHF currently cares for over 1.5 million patients in 45 countries around the globe The new Carolina AHF facility will serve patients whose access to lifesaving HIV/AIDS care and services has suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as from residual fallout from the devastation of 2017’s Hurricane Maria. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Puerto Rico is one of the top ten states/territories with the highest number of cumulative AIDS cases “While Hurricane Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic have complicated the landscape for Puerto Ricans living with HIV/AIDS patients were at risk long before Maria due to several factors including a lack of resources to effectively combat the epidemic as well as the island’s debt crisis,” said Silvana Erbstein AHF Regional Director- Miami-Dade & Puerto Rico who was deeply involved the continuity of care and services by AHF in Puerto Rico during and after the 2017 hurricane ensuring that people with HIV could access medical services and receive their medicines on time “I am pleased that AHF is expanding our footprint to better meet the medical and pharmacy needs of the people of Puerto Rico.” “I am excited to continue as part of AHF’s extended network of cutting-edge medical care providers across the country and around the globe as we turn a chapter to now care for and serve patients at our new health care center and pharmacy access center in Carolina,” said Dr AHF medical director for Puerto Rico “The need for such services remains significant with Puerto Rico landing at the top of HIV and/or AIDS incidence and rates nationally our determination to deliver at this new site is even more so.” Maria’s Impact on Puerto Ricans Living with HIV or AIDS According to a Washington Blade news article from September 21 “A study conducted by the University of Puerto Rico’s Medical Sciences Campus and Columbia University notes Puerto Ricans living with HIV/AIDS were one of the groups that (Hurricane) Maria impacted the most.” The study (via the Blade’s reporting) also noted: “AHF’s Carolina Healthcare Center will serve as a local resource in Puerto Rico to address not only the need for HIV/AIDS treatment but also for the delivery of pharmacy services as well as STI/STD treatment and prevention efforts,” said Michael Kahane in the immediate aftermath of Maria coordinated and led an AHF effort chartering a cargo plane from Miami to bring 50 electric generators to the island to help restore power to the Puerto Rico Department of Health’s facilities “It’s an important site in AHF’s universe for a hard-hit population that we hope to do right by.” “We as an advocacy organization will be working hard to ensure easy access to quality HIV health care services, medications, free HIV testing and PrEP for people in Puerto Rico,” said Angel Macia, Chair for the Latino Outreach and Understanding Division (LOUD) Puerto Rico Chapter “Stigma about HIV has always been a barrier for patients here who often receive a diagnosis while in the hospital because their HIV infection has advanced or progressed to an AIDS diagnosis Numbers show that there is a lack of resources for HIV testing and an urgent need to speak out about HIV treatment and prevention.” The AHF Healthcare Center-Carolina and AHF Pharmacy Access Center are located in the Paseo del Prado Shopping Center Carolina 00987 Tel: (787) 300-3188 The hours of operation for both facilities are Mondays 9:00 am to 6:00 pm; Tuesdays through Fridays 7:00 am to 4;00 pm; and closed on both Saturdays and Sundays AHF currently operates 68 other AHF Healthcare Centers in 15 states across the U.S as well as one in the District of Columbia and the current San Juan clinic Each Healthcare Center provides medical programs tailored to the specific needs of asymptomatic and symptomatic HIV/AIDS individuals from qualified medical and support professionals AHF now also operates 60 AHF Pharmacy sites in 14 states For a Spanish language version of this press release Puerto Rico: El 9 de marzo abrirán una farmacia AHF Pharmacy y un nuevo centro de salud de la AHF de Carolina en el Centro Comercial Paseo del Prado This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We’ll assume you’re ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. [cookie_settings] [cookie_button] Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico – After a debut in Puerto Rican professional boxing on October 7 before a full house at the Rubén Zayas Coliseo in Trujillo Alto, promotional company 'La 22 Sports' will celebrate the second edition of its series 'La 22 Sports: The Next Generation', which will take shape on Saturday, February 3, on the same Rubén Zayas field in the aforementioned municipality. “The support we received in our first edition was a success because we were able to unite everything needed, that is, quality of the fights, scenery, logistics of excellence to create a family atmosphere and the long-term commitment to leave a great mark on boxing," said Omar Santa Rosa, executive director of La 22 Sports. In the main event, the new acquisition of Japanese promotional company Kameda Promotions, Trujillo's Jean Carlos 'Lobo' Torres (21-1, 16 KOs), pride of the La Gloria neighborhood, will be fighting against the undefeated Venezuelan from Ivan Calderon's squad, Raul 'Bazooka' Ugueto (12-0, 11 KOs). The fight is agreed upon for ten rounds, for a World Boxing Organization regional belt at welterweight (147 pounds), where the winner will be ranked in the top fifteen. Torres just defeated Japanese prospect Riku Nagahama by unanimous decision in a fight held in Osaka, Japan on August 11. Ugueto, for his part, has just obtained his first distance victory, by majority decision, against his compatriot Adrián Pérez on August 5 in Caracas. The co-feature will be a duel of undefeated lightweights (135 pounds), when the always exciting Carlos 'El Pavo' Morales (4-0, 4 KOs), of Cupey Alto, faces Onix Sánchez (2-0, 2 KOs), from Las Piedras, in a six-round fight. The card will feature 10 fights, including the professional debut of urban genre singer Karla Rouse Dávila, better known as 'Karly Rou', who will be campaigning at 122 pounds.  This website may contain adult language. TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. This website may contain adult language TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved That journey started for me when I woke up the day after the hurricane The first thing I had to confront was what seemed to be endless debris on my street and though I wanted to know what was going on elsewhere my first need was to work with my neighbors to address what we were facing on our doorstep Our volunteer leaders were in the same situation They had to first address their personal and family needs and the scale of our own situations was an overwhelming window into what our whole Island might be facing Our island experienced the longest blackout in the history of the U.S Massive gasoline shortages where a major obstacle to emergency response Estimated hurricane related deaths range from 3,000 to 5,000 Community meals -- Once we were able to dig out of our homes and streets one of our first responses after the hurricane was to distribute warm meals in communities we could reach we distributed warm meals to 20 families for two weeks In partnership with Tierra Valiente farms we distributed meals to over 40 people in the Utuado area We also purchased groceries for 25 families in the San Anton area of Trujillo Alto in partnership with Hacer Cambio Solar Lights Distribution -- One of the main struggles in the island has been the lack of power after the hurricane We distributed over 10,000 solar lanterns and lights to many areas of the island We distributed the lights door to door in the Luquillo We partnered with eight other groups in the distribution of solar lanterns And we continue to distribute solar lanterns to ensure everyone in the island has access to a light source in case of future outages Distribution of water filters -- To address the issue of the lack of access to potable water and plastic bottle waste the Sierra Club donated over 200 water filtration systems in communities Many of these filters could serve ten families a day with 10 gallons of water Compostables -- The hurricane highlighted the waste management issues on the island To reduce the amount of waste generated due to emergency response we distributed all of our warm meals in compostable containers We also donated 3,000 compostable containers to the Evangelical Church in Rio Piedras which was distributing warm meals to hundreds of people daily Materials Donations -- We donated equipment required to do recrontructions and debris clearing to partner groups Through donations from the Port Authority of New Jersey we distributed shovels We also donated chainsaws and equipment to community groups in Humacao to do reconstructions in the Punta Santiago area This picture is taken in Juan Martin Luquillo with CEN Coalition members receiving donated equipment Granting -- Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Sierra Club we partnered with dozens of groups to distribute emergency relief grants to impact communities in the aftermath of the hurricane Our granting process focused on supporting the recovery needs of communities and community partners while strengthening our partnerships with groups and creating opportunities for our campaigns to more deeply engage with communities With our partnership grants we have been working to create sustainable community structures that create leadership opportunities We have ensured that recovery work is done by community leaders and that we are providing tools for them to grow as leaders while supporting their communities We are focused more on transforming our island rather than just rebuilding By supporting local farmers and community economic structures we are ensuring that we not only recover but create new spaces for the communities to grow An important aspect of our work is that we want to ensure that communities not only have the leadership and economic stability to thrive but also social and physical infrastructures And at the same time we’ve worked hard to strengthen the Sierra Club in Puerto Rico and our volunteer leaders' work we were facing the threat of a trash-burning incinerator proposed to be built in the town of Arecibo The Sierra Club along with community groups has worked to build a zero-waste island as an alternative to burning trash and dumping waste ash in our communities Kids have played a big role in the Sierra Club’s work in Puerto Rico These children are protesting the potential air pollutions risks from incinerating trash Our volunteers staff recycling stations at events throughout the island -- diverting hundreds of tons of waste from trash dumps After the Hurricane waste continued to be a huge issue that worsened with proposals to incinerate organic material -- an idea we helped defeat The founding campaign of the Sierra Club’s Puerto Rico Chapter was to protect coastal ecosystems in the northeast part of the island from luxury hotel and golf course developments Our work with the Coalition for the Northeast Ecological Corridor led to the protection of the area as a nature reserve in 2013 a little under half of the reserve’s lands are private and need to be purchased for conservation Protecting coastal lands is more important that ever to the resilience of our island and ecosystem as we face worsening climate conditions and more extreme hurricanes Here volunteers are holding their annual beach clean up preparing the area for leatherback turtle nesting season The beaches of the Northeast Ecological Corridor are among the most important leatherback turtle nesting grounds in U.S Natural areas in the island received a big hit with the hurricane We have participated in the clearing and opening of hiking trails in different areas we collaborated with the Luquillo fishermen to clear debris from the Northeast Ecological Corridor trails We also collaborated in debris clearing in the Juan Martin Community Center Working with the community group Puerto Rico al Sur we supported the clearing of hiking areas in the Yeyesa natural area in Salinas We worked with groups in Humacao to clear out kayaking trails in the Punta Santiago natural protected area The Sierra Club’s Puerto Rico Chapter has trained dozens of volunteer leaders who lead hundreds of outings to nature that have inspired thousands of Puerto Ricans to take action for the environment Here we are visiting a small Karstic island off the west coast of Puerto Rico called Mona providing recreational opportunities for people on the island Since then we have had dozens of outings in different parts of the island involving participants throughout the Island Our island on the one hand is powered mostly by fossil fuels and on the other hand has faced a global-warming fueled hurricanes like we’ve never seen before And now our island’s rebuilding is fraught with choices that give us more of the same or a new future that our children can thrive in In December we hosted a conference on just such a path forward where the coal we burn for electricity on our island comes from communities where coal ash from the island’s coal-fired plant was sent and communities that live near the AES coal-fired plant to come up with brighter solutions for our island We hope you will join us in our walk -- forward together We are facing monumental threats to our planet’s future We are fighting back with every tool at our disposal – but to face these challenges *Providing your email OR phone number allows us to follow up at a later time to ask for your help in preserving our precious wildlife With this action you affirm you want to receive Sierra Club communications and may vote on policy designated by the Sierra Club Board Msg & Data Rates May Apply.Text STOP to opt out. No purchase necessary. You'll also receive Sierra Club mobile action alerts (expect 4 msgs/mo). Terms and Conditions Sierra Club® and "Explore, enjoy and protect the planet"® are registered trademarks of the Sierra Club. © Sierra Club 2025.The Sierra Club Seal is a registered copyright WorkBoat+ Membership – Free to Join You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street NEWS: Long-Delayed USCG Polar Icebreaker Moves Into Full Production (GLDD) has recently been awarded several major dredging contracts totaling $138.8 million • Trujillo Alto Design and Build for the Lago Loiza (Carraízo) Dredging Project (maintenance • Townsends Inlet to Cape May Inlet Project (coastal protection • Palm Beach Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (maintenance • South Boca Raton Beach Renourishment Project (coastal protection The Trujillo Alto Design and Build for the Lago Loiza (Carraízo) Dredging Project includes dredging in the reservoir area preparation and construction of the work area The project also includes the preparation and rehabilitation of disposal areas for the extracted sediments installation of sediment pumping pipes from the dredging area in the reservoir to the disposal areas of dams and the management of dredged sediments in the dike area and disposal of clarified water back to the reservoir The dredging of the Carraízo reservoir which is located in the Río Grande de Loíza is the largest source of drinking water supply for the area The project is estimated to benefit approximately 171,000 families in the municipalities of San Juan The contract was awarded to GLDD by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority (PRASA) and is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Work is expected to begin in the spring with estimated completion in the spring of 2025 The Townsends Inlet to Cape May Inlet Project consists of beachfill placement along the Atlantic Ocean coastline in the Boroughs of Avalon and Stone Harbor to restore beaches and protect the shoreline The contract was awarded to GLDD by the U.S Work is expected to be completed this spring The Palm Beach Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project entails dredging material from the entrance channel and settlement basin and beneficially placing material on the adjacent beach This is also an Corps of Engineers contract Work was started and completed in the first quarter 2023 The South Boca Raton Beach Renourishment Project entails the placement of sand along the beach beginning at the Boca Raton Inlet and extending to the Palm Beach County border as well as open options for beach renourishment at Hillsboro and Deerfield beaches The contract was awarded to GLDD by South Boca Raton Work is expected to be completed thisspring “Great Lakes is pleased to add the above projects to our backlog of coastal protection and maintenance dredging projects,” Dave Johanson project acquisitions and operations for GLDD said in a statement “We continue to see severe weather batter our coasts so there is a great need for the above listed projects and similar projects to continue to support the overall improvement and resiliency of our country's environment Become a WorkBoat+ Member The municipality of Trujillo Alto recently announced the launch of a new website meant to facilitate access to information on its municipal programs and services the new platform was also strategically thought of and designed to be a tool that attracts more visitors to the town "Our town is alive with culture and tradition and we want people to know the many landmarks that they can come and visit," said Cruz “In keeping with the demands of today's world we decided to redesign the municipality's website in order to keep the citizens better informed as to the dependencies We also wanted a space in which to offer historic facts and announce sociocultural and touristic activities,” he explained The mayor went on to mention that he hopes this new platform will motivate tourists to come visit Trujillo Alto “The tourism industry is the cornerstone to the development and strengthening of our social and economic activity," said Edgardo Díaz director of the Department of Cultural and Tourism Development of Trujillo Alto Aside from highlighting the town's historical places they hope that the site complements other initiatives meant to attract more visitors According to the director of the Office of Public Relations and Communications “the page was designed taking into account the importance of having an online presence and aware of the challenges that arise when trying to promote a town in a more dynamic way." Ramos was emphatic in asking us to take a look at the website www.trujilloalto.pr and encouraged us to visit this "New Metropolis" If you wish to get to know Trujillo Alto and enjoy all it has to offer a great chance for it is the first Sunday of every month when the town celebrates a farmer's market at the Paseo del Bicentenario visitors can enjoy a varied assortment of artisanal products like soaps traditional Puerto Rican candies and artwork along with the United Farmers Association of Trujillo Alto puts together this family friendly event every month we had Douglas Candelario offer a talk on agriculture; we invite everyone to join us every first Sunday of the month for a day full of culture and tradition," said the mayor after an existing bridge made of cement and steel was destroyed by the Río Grande de Loíza in 1936 the town of Trujillo Alto commenced construction on a steel bridge at a cost of $125,000 served as the backdrop for the 65th Infantry Regiment’s welcome upon their return from the Korean War and remained as the only access to town for half a century four lane concrete bridge which leads to the Expreso Manuel Rivera Morales was built right next to the Historic Bridge after it began to deteriorate the Historic Bridge was added to the list of bridges to be restored and in 2004 was declared a historic monument This structure is part of Trujillo Alto’s culture and idiosyncrasy as well as one of the marvels of Puerto Rico due to its history as one of the original anchors of the modern road system This equestrian park has a horse show arena with capacity for up to 900 people The park may be used to host family activities in one of the many gazebos on the grounds It also hosts a children’s playground and a walking path with views of the Río Grande de Loíza Drive on PR-175 through the Barrio Carraízo  and enjoy stopping at the many “lechoneras” which serve traditional pork dishes and delicious Puerto Rican fare year round Feel free to venture onto PR-852 in Barrio Dos Bocas to try La Nueva Ola This beautiful park surrounded by lush nature houses an impressive fountain with eight jets that represent each of the “barrios” in Trujillo Alto The park also has a spray park for children The park is located next to the Plaza Encantada Shopping Center Email notifications are only sent once a day Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Trujillo Alto Puerto Rico has been selected to receive $4 million in the first-ever EPA funding under EPA’s new Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) program Puerto Rico will also receive more than $612,000 to increase efforts to reduce waste across the island The funding will allow Trujillo Alto to collect recyclable material from homes and schools of six neighborhoods where there was no recycling program due to lack of funds The grants will be awarded using funding from the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) helping Trujillo Alto expand a recycling program into previously unserved rural areas Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched $4.6 billion in competitive g… we will be expanding the Municipal Recycling Program to rural areas in the municipality The approved proposal will provide compactor trucks and hooks shredding machines and about 30,000 containers for the recovery of recyclable materials,” said Trujillo Alto Mayor The project will provide a convenient way for the almost 37,000 people living in the municipality to divert waste from the landfill and is expected to create almost 20 jobs “The SWIFR grant program put the common adage ‘waste not want not’ into action This funding will support the work that EPA is already doing with Puerto Rico to help reduce waste and improve the way materials are managed It will also allow Trujillo Alto to take a big step forward in expanding its recycling program,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F all states and territories received SWIR funding to help improve post-consumer materials management programs through planning data collection and the implementation of plans The Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) highlighted: "With the allocation of these funds DNER will standardize the collection of data on recycling thus ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of our efforts These resources will also strengthen our training program facilitating specialized training for both our internal team and representatives of Puerto Rico's 78 municipalities and an Environmental Specialist; which expands and strengthens our operational structure This collaboration with EPA demonstrates our firm objective to lead Puerto Rico towards a sustainable future in harmony with our natural environment." EPA has selected 25 communities to receive grants totaling more than $73 million under the newly created SWIFR funding opportunity and is making available approximately $32 million for states and territories making the investment totaling $105 million the agency’s largest recycling investment in 30 years Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $1 million from the agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program to S… For one insight into Puerto Rico’s current health situation primary physician at Plaza Miguel Medical Center in Trujillo Alto board member of Alianza de Médicos al Rescate (AMAR) When Latino USA visited Plaza Miguel in the middle of November the working environment reflected the serious challenges facing health care professionals in Puerto Rico It was 83 degrees and fumes from a generator entered through the medical office windows “We have no other choice but to see patients in these conditions drink lots of water and we can’t be here more than two hours,” Pérez said Plaza Miguel was seeing patients two hours a day “I don’t think any physician works full-time Generators are for emergencies,” Pérez explained “They will fail after the third week because they’re not designed to go on and on.” Adding to the problems, the cost of diesel was approximately $90 for two days of constant generator use, according to Pérez. The unsustainability of these emergency tools may have resulted in the loss of life. Reports about María’s death toll have raised serious questions among officials and the Puerto Rican community Speaking about the accuracy of the initial government reports (the official death count is now at 64) when compared to September 2016 and October 2016 The long-term lack of power also puts into question the training given to doctors in medical school on how to deal with disaster like Hurricane María There are protocols to work in emergencies from five days to a week with no power,” Pérez said in November I will have one of my staffers call our most vulnerable patients and advise them what to do We have all these little systems—put stuff under the bed since it’s the coolest part of the house But there’s no way to be prepared for over 62 days with no power and some without water doctors continue to leave the island—a fact that concerns her and others “We are very worried as we speak,” she said “Fifty percent of the doctors that were here in January 2017 are going to leave or have left already because my practice has become unsustainable This is the reality for a lot of doctors since there’s no public health system in Puerto Rico many Puerto Ricans leaving are doing so for health-related issues especially those in need of diabetic insulin suffered heart failure and have COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] “Medications are the main challenge,” said Fuentes speaking about the obstacles facing Puerto Rico now We used to ‘trick or treat’ volunteer doctors here for medical supplies and medicine Pallets are lost as they’re bundled with many other pallets That has been the rule of the land since day one If not FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] you have the office of the First Lady [Beatriz Rosselló] meddling There are reports of pharmaceuticals peer networks sending donations that have failed to be distributed Pérez and Fuentes predicted the health catastrophe to be outbreaks of more conjunctivitis and health-related issues due to poor nutrition like diabetes they suggested to send money to buy the supplies locally “We don’t die from having the same clothes What we need is OTC [over-the-counter,] anti-diarrheal We need acid reflux medication because we’ve changed our diets We need water solutions that are good for one hundred thousand gallons “We can’t count on the government,” Pérez said send the help directly to me and the list of organizations This story was made possible as part of a Puerto Rico reporting grant by the Ford Foundation and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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The organization works with the support of donors government agencies and volunteers to acquire build or rehabilitate homes and guide beneficiaries throughout the homeownership process With the interest of offering new opportunities for decent and safe housing granted housing to a family that will reside in Trujillo Alto This makes the organization on track to grant another 23 homes to individuals or families during 2024 Pedro Pierluisi approved the law that increases the price caps on affordable hous… giving a family the opportunity to have a home We have been doing this work for more than 25 years and it has allowed us to impact more than 20 municipalities and develop more than 40 single-family and multi-family homes," said Amanda Silva executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico Habitat Puerto Rico helps low- and middle-income individuals and families who have the desire to better themselves and become self-sufficient "We are that common thread between several partners and this project in Trujillo Alto is a living example of those alliances that allow us to bring our services to more families This housing is the first that we work together with the Housing Department's R-3 Program allowing us to be a solution for families who have had to be relocated and who have an R-3 voucher for the process," Silva shared R-3 voucher holders interested in Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico's Homeownership Program participate in an orientation process and those selected participate in educational workshops and volunteer hours With the final endorsement of the Housing Department they continue on to the closing process and homeownership "According to a recent report by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions fewer and fewer people have sufficient income to become homeowners The average cost of housing in Puerto Rico increased by 9.6% compared to 2022 and today a home costs approximately $12,000 more than last year without including additional costs of financial processes such as closing costs This is undoubtedly a complex scenario for low and middle-income people interested in owning their own home Through our Homeownership Program we can help more people own their own home so it is vital that we can continue our services and programs in Puerto Rico," Silva concluded The organization's goal for 2024 is to grant 23 additional homes The University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus (RUM) and the Engine-4 Coworking Space organization signed a collaboration agreement to promote… has launched an e-commerce website for its Silver Comfort collection and established its first showroom in Florida Pure Comfort is a 20-year-old company that manufactures its products but also sells direct to consumers at pop-up stores and via infomercials With the launch of the Silver Comfort line the company said it hopes to reach a broader audience on the American mainland Silver Comfort consists of two products: the Silver Comfort Athena all-foam mattress with a proprietary SilverCare fabric cover that is said to offer improved hygiene Features of the base include head and foot articulation The upper body can be raised to a 45-degree upright tilt Silver Comfort products are available at SilverComfortBeds.com The company said it also is investigating the use of pop-up stores in Florida and that its main sales focus is in that state Consumers have a choice of visiting the showroom requesting a home visit or shopping online.  “Expanding to central Florida seemed a natural step as we grow,’’ said Patricia Fernández general manager of the company’s Florida operation the area is home to a Puerto Rican population that knows of our brand’s reputation the quality of our products and our second-to-none customer service the region’s nonstop growth offers the opportunity to introduce our bed to millions of other consumers.” The Business Journal for the Sleep Products Industry bedtimesmagazine.com © 2001-2025 International Sleep Products Association Privacy Policy This site uses cookies. 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TRUJILLO ALTO (Puerto Rico) – Jose Juan Barea is now back in his home country Puerto Rico after having finished his season in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks inaugurated last Thursday a restored basketball court in the Rafael Cordero Elementary School in Trujillo Alto. This was the third basketball court Barea has restored in Puerto Rican schools as part of a project that has become a priority for him and the administration of the JJ Barea Foundation Two more restored basketball schools will be inaugurated next week "This project is emblematic of the work we want to do in the Foundation because it gives children the opportunity to enjoy our sport and becoming good athletes which I believe will help them in the road to become productive human beings in our society All the students in Puerto Rican schools deserve sports facilities in good condition and we will work tirelessly to make this a reality." said Barea."It is a great pleasure for me to be here at the Rafael Cordero with many more contributors who have come along in this project because they understand our mission to enable positive activity in communities in the island through the restoration of these courts added the point guard.The President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Horacio Muratore and the Secretary General Emeritus of the institution in the Americas Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand were present at the inauguration Two weeks after winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics Puerto Rican hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn finally arrived in Puerto Rico to celebrate her historic feat with the people Camacho-Quinn will be welcomed with a town caravan that will bring to mind the mega celebrations that took place on the island for the sporting triumphs of Félix “Tito” Trinidad and of the Puerto Rican beauties in Miss Universe The only difference is that there won't be any other massive events "I'm very excited," the gold medalist told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. "I'll be ready, I hope to see everyone [today]." Jasmine Camacho-Quinn was received by Gov. Pedro Pierluisi. The Olympic gold medalist touring San Juan and Trujillo Alto in a caravan Camacho-Quinn arrived this morning at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, from where the caravan will begin, starting at noon, passing through San Juan and ending in Trujillo Alto. The route will start from Baldorioty de Castro Ave. (PR-26), on the corner of Los Gobernadores Ave. Then, it will continue along the De Diego Ave. (PR-37) towards the Minillas area and turning onto the Ponce De León Ave. (PR-25) towards Miramar. During the journey, she will enter the islet of San Juan, continuing towards El Escambrón and continuing the route towards Old San Juan until the height of Plaza Colón. There, there will be a turn to the left to take Constitución Avenue and there will be a stop for a few minutes in front of the Olympic House, where Camacho-Quinn will get off the float to greet some children. The route will continue up to the Fernández Juncos Ave. (PR-35) in union with the Muñoz Rivera Ave. (PR-1). Then, the caravan cross the Milla de Oro area in Hato Rey, San Juan, before making a detour to the Jesús T. Piñeiro Ave. (PR-17) to take the Trujillo Alto Express (PR-181) towards the Pueblo de los Arrecostaos. In Trujillo Alto, the hometown of Camacho-Quinn's mother - María Milagros -, there will be a reception with a batucada, stilt walkers and music to the beat of the historic bridge. In addition, Mayor José Luis Cruz will hold a brief welcoming ceremony. "The caravan must be arriving in Trujillo Alto between 3:30 p.m. and. 4:00 p.m. We hope to receive you at the historic bridge around 4:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., with a giant banner with the five athletes from Trujillo Alto (Camacho-Quinn, Melissa Mojica, Adrián Gandía, Marifé Torres and Gretchen Ortiz) who represented Puerto Rico at the Olympic Games," David Santos, municipal director of Sports & Recreation, told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. The caravan will make a short tour of the town of Trujillo Alto where the celebration will culminate. The following day, Camacho-Quinn will be received by Gov. Pedro Pierluisi in La Fortaleza and honored by the Legislature in the House of Representatives. Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico Scandinavian 3 Name: Sandra Lobos, Juan Carlos Ferrer and their cat Mimí Location: Trujillo Alto Puerto Rico Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 months Keep up with our latest house tours each weekday with our House Tour of the Day newsletter By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy It’s a surprise that Sandra and Juan Carlos‘ apartment in Puerto Rico is so minimal But Sandra explains that at the end of the day what they really want is a space where they can unwind and have little distractions — a decluttered zen with a mesmerizing view of the Trujillo Alto mountains and tropical foliage of Puerto Rico “We chose this place because we wanted an apartment with more privacy,” Sandra says Their previous apartment in San Juan was smaller and the couple had to deal with traffic jams almost every day during their daily commutes Their new place also comes with a spectacular view of the Trujillo Alto mountains “The mountains you see from the balcony are like out of a movie scene especially on foggy days.” Considering the two are very visual people but leans towards a modern Scandinavian-inspired look with minimal vibes and our constant effort for a more decluttered zen space They add life and set the right vibe in each room Biggest Challenge: Stop buying stuff and stop making holes in the walls What Friends Say: We’ve heard a lot of “light” “airy” and “fresh”— just what we were trying to achieve while taking advantage of the tropical and energizing mountain views around the apartment Biggest Embarrassment: Don’t look in the closets Proudest DIY: One of the first DIYs Sandra made for @Decor_Hunter and also designed and planned on a napkin like every big idea Biggest Indulgence: Bedding sheets and the Gray Malin piece Llamas with Balloons Best Advice: Your taste and decor trends are constantly changing so don’t be harsh on yourself if by the time you finish arranging an area you already want to re-do it all over again Dream Sources: Muuto PAINT & COLORS Bear Marquee – Ultra Pure White ENTRY Book shelf – IKEA Raging elephant piece – DIY by Elizabeth Ortiz (aka Sandra’s mom) DINING ROOM Llamas Black & White Balloons painting – Gray Malin Dining table – Thrift store Chairs – eBay Silver pendant light – Casa Febus KITCHEN Marble trays – CB2 Mason jars – Marshalls Bird salt and pepper shakers – west elm BATHROOM Shower curtain – Urban Outfitters Tulum photo – Max Wanger ⇒ House Tour & House Call Submission Form See More: ⇒ Recent House Tours ⇒ House Tours on Pinterest Read the commentsFiled in:Apartment The home you love starts here The home you love starts here Apartment TherapyThe wordmark for the Apartment Therapy brand.More From Us By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. "We are already completing the show. We have opponents for Bebito Aponte and Xander Zayas and we will continue working to bring good fights to the public," said promoter Iván Rivera, president of PRBBP. "We will have Carlos Arrieta in another of the main fights and a total of eight fights." The main event will be one among unbeaten fighters when San Juan native Angel "Bebito" Aponte (7-0, 3 KOs) faces Mexican fighter Irving Macías (7-0, 4 KOs) at 130 pounds and eight rounds. In another of the main bouts, the 17-year Top Rank prospect, Puerto Rican Xánder Zayas (3-0, 2 KOs), will face American boxer Marklin Bailey (6-6, 4 KOs) in a bout scheduled for six rounds in 147 pounds. The unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Carlos "The Chosen One" Arrieta (11-0, 7 KOs), a native of Trujillo Alto, will meet an opponent to be determined over ten rounds and at 122 pounds in another undercard fight. The remaining five fights of the evening will be announced shortly. Three-time Latin Grammy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Puerto Rican hip-hop and alternative-reggaetón duo Calle 13 displays the electrifying synergy of two stepbrothers Rene Perez Joglar (Residente) and Eduardo Jose Cabra Martinez (Visitante) Residente has a degree in arts and a Master of Fine Arts in computer animation from Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia who also has a degree in arts and is an accomplished painter chose the name Visitante because that’s how he had to identify himself as a “visitor” whenever he went to visit his half-brother on 13th Street — Calle 13 — in the El Conquistador subsection of Trujillo Alto Beneath Calle’s street-driven grooves beats a strong political consciousness “Querido FBI” (“Dear FBI”) was a reaction to the alleged FBI ambush of Puerto Rican revolutionary leader Filiberto Ojeda Ríos The song served as an instant introduction to a Puerto Rican audience hungry for homegrown stars two back-to-back hits on local radio stations “Se Vale Tó-Tó” and “Atrevete-te-te!,” propelled the pair further into the public consciousness notably Voltio for the song “Ojalai” (also known as “Chulin Culin Chunfly”) and remixes with Three 6 Mafia they finally released their self-titled album which was lauded as a benchmark in Puerto Rico’s rich musical history the band won three Latin Grammys (Best New Artist for the song “Atrevete-te-Te!”) and in 2006 and 2007 Calle 13 continued collaborating with a diverse slate of international artists including Nelly Furtado (Canada) and superstar Alejandro Sanz (Spain.) These imaginative pairings continue on their just-released second album as they are joined by such diverse guests as the Cuban group Orishas Argentinean Vicentico (from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs) and La Mala Rodríguez from Spain in the mix Although originally grouped under the reggaetón banner Calle 13 has far exceeded the definitions of that genre with cumbia Their lyrics are alternately funny and acerbic When they exhort their fans to “turn up the volume on satanic music,” in the chorus for the new single “El Tango del Pecado” (The Tango of Sins) but it’s proof that the duo doesn’t intend to veer away from the serrated edges a collaboration with Oscar-winning Argentinean producer Gustavo Santaolalla is a pointed reference to René (Residente) Pérez’s controversial relationship with the wholesome former Miss Universe Denise Quiñone “The reality is that we have to record commercial songs but we put a little sting into them.” to creative inspiration and dynamic playlists we’re excited about BMI’s The Weekly is dedicated to delivering specially curated content designed for music creators and music fans alike BMI represents more than 1.4 million songwriters and publishers with over 22.4 million musical works Submissions are temporarily suspended for site maintenance Unbeaten welterweight Jean Carlos “Lobo” Torres scored second round tko win against Travis Castellón at the Rubén Zayas Montañez Coliseum in Trujillo Alto In a lively welterweight bout Bernard “Bimbo” Lebrón won a close eight round unanimous decision over Antonio Sánchez Sánchez was decked in the sixth round which ultimately proved to be the difference when the 76-75 points win on all three card were announced Welterweight Winston Velázquez scored an upset win over the previously unbeaten Jose “Chino” Lopez by scoring a second round tko win Torres won by TKO at 2:30 of the second round when referee stopped the bout In an all action bout Lebrón beat Sánchez by unanimous decision 76-75 Sánchez was down one time in the sixth round The upset of the night when Velázquez sent Lopez two times to the canvas to beat him by TKO at 2:59 of the second rounds Santillán won by unanimous decicion 40-36 Díaz beat Diaz by KO at 1:59 of the second round after sent Pastrana to the canvas Cruz won by TKO at 1:26 of round two when referee stopped the action Ortiz won by unanimous decision when officials voted 40-35 A total of 25 municipalities can make their purchases through the app or website SuperMax announced the inclusion of Canóvanas and Morovis within the coverage area of its virtual supermarket SuperMax Online is available to order 24 hours a day for a total of 25 municipalities around the island "We are very pleased with the response from customers so we continue our accelerated expansion plan throughout the island adding new municipalities to the successful online shopping service we attend to the demand of consumers to reach more places outside the metropolitan area," said José Revuelta "As a token of appreciation for the support of our consumers customers from these five areas that join in this new stage of expansion will receive their first delivery free of charge This promotion will last until November 30," Revuelta added Consumers can also place their orders through their smartphones using the SuperMax Online application that allows them to have an experience similar to that of the website The application is available for both iOS and Android SuperMax Online has more than 17,000 products on its digital platform with the same prices it offers pick-up services in its stores in Plaza Guaynabo they can notify that they are ready to pick up their order and location so that an employee delivers their purchase Puerto Rico (Reuters) – In the lowlands of Trujillo Alto clean water once again flows in the homes of most residents finding clean water remains a daily struggle While workers are making steady progress restoring power and running water to coastal regions where the territory’s largest cities are located the mountainous regions at the island’s center are proving challenging “Are people in the mountains in a worse situation than urban people Of course,” said Puerto Rico’s minister of public policy “because they are more distant from the power generators on the coasts.” Without electricity the pumps that carry water up into the mountains can’t operate or must rely on generators A mix of Puerto Ricans live in the “Cordillera Central,” or central range of Puerto Rico which is far more sparsely populated than coastal regions But the region also has wealthy residents seeking the cooler temperatures and beauty of the cordillera a community of 85,000 that sits partly on flat land but also extends into the mountains hurricane recovery varies sharply by altitude still relies on government-provided food and water in her mountain-top home where she weathered hours of howling winds and hammer-blow rains during the Sept “Water came in through the window and the wind was like a monster,” Perez Molina said her son spends his time “searching and struggling to bring us what we need He’s standing in line for water at one place and for food at another.” president of the Trujillo Alto town council gathered with dozens of other volunteers in the municipality’s basketball gym to put together care packages of rice milk and other basic foods that are trucked out several times a day to hard-hit parts of town “We can keep supplying food and drinking water as long as we need to,” Zayas said Trujillo Alto Mayor Jose Luis Cruz said 70 percent of the richer low-lying parts of town now have steady supplies of water but there is no electricity to pump water up to the poorer parts of the municipality Moving heavy trucks and machinery into mountain areas to clear hazards and restore electrical lines is proving difficult said a civilian employee of the Army Corps of Engineers who was deployed to Puerto Rico to work on restoring the electrical grid He said he was sent to Florida after Hurricane Irma to work on restoring power but that the two situations were starkly different You must be logged in to post a comment.