Fatal boat trip highlights Haitians fleeing violence
Puerto Rico Capsized Boat This photo released by the Seventh U.S. Coast Guard District shows people standing on a capsized boat, left, as some of its passengers are pulled up on to a rescue boat, top, in the open waters northwest of Puerto Rico, Thursday, May 12, 2022. Some people have been rescued while others were found dead after the boat carrying suspected migrants capsized. Both countries share the island of Hispaniola, which lies west of Puerto Rico, with a treacherous area known as the Mona Passage separating the two. The boat capsized about 11 miles (18 kilometers) north of the uninhabited island of Desecheo, west of Puerto Rico. The search continued Friday, with the U.S. Coast Guard scouring the open waters northwest of Puerto Rico via boat, plane and helicopter.
wftv.com38 rescued, 11 dead as US searches waters near Puerto Rico
Rescue efforts were concentrated in an area more than 11 miles (18 kilometers) north of the uninhabited island of Desecheo, which lies west of Puerto Rico. “We always look for the possibility of finding survivors,” said Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad, adding that crews worked through the night. Of the 38 survivors, 36 were Haitian and two were from the Dominican Republic, he said. “Our hope and prayers are with the survivors and those still missing,” said Coast Guard Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson. More recent incidents include 68 migrants rescued Saturday in the Mona Passage, a treacherous area between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
wftv.com38 rescued, 11 dead as US searches waters near Puerto Rico
At least 38 people have been rescued and 11 bodies found as the U.S. Coast Guard scours the open waters northwest of Puerto Rico via boat, plane and helicopter in a bid to find more survivors after a boat carrying suspected migrants capsized
washingtonpost.com38 rescued, 11 dead as US searches waters after boat capsizes near Puerto Rico
Haitians are fleeing in greater numbers to the neighboring Dominican Republic, where they step onto rickety wooden boats as they attempt to reach Puerto Rico — a trip in which 11 Haitian women drowned this week, with dozens of other migrants believed missing.
11 suspected migrants die after boat capsizes north of Puerto Rico
Boat capsizes: The U.S. Coast Guard said at least 11 people died after a boat capsized north of Puerto Rico. (iStock)At least 11 people died and 31 others were rescued after a boat carrying suspected migrants capsized north of Puerto Rico on Thursday, authorities said. Those rescued include eight Haitians who were transported to a hospital in Aguadilla, a town in northwestern Puerto Rico, according to the Post. The boat left from the Dominican Republic and was traveling toward the western side of Puerto Rico, Quiñones told the Times. According to Coast Guard data, 1,527 Haitians, 742 Dominicans and 838 Cubans making “illegal voyages” were intercepted in Florida and the Caribbean, the Post reported.
wftv.com11 dead, 31 rescued after boat capsizes near Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — A boat loaded with suspected migrants capsized north of an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico and 11 people had been confirmed dead while 31 others were rescued Thursday, authorities said. It wasn't immediately clear how many people were aboard the boat when it turned over, said U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad. The incident was the latest in a string of capsizings across the region as migrants from Haiti and the Dominican Republic flee violence and poverty in their countries. On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard and Dominican navy rescued 68 migrants in the Mona Passage, a treacherous area between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Kidnappings also have spiked, including those of eight Turkish citizens who on Sunday were forced off a bus they had boarded in the Dominican Republic.
wftv.comPuerto Rico governor rejects budget in new clash with board
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Puerto Rico’s governor announced Thursday that he was rejecting a proposed $12.4 billion budget filed by a federal control board overseeing the island’s finances and would submit his own version as the U.S. territory emerges from bankruptcy. The announcement is the latest clash between the board and Gov. Pierluisi said estimated future collections are high enough to offset government costs and that he would submit a separate budget on Friday. The board noted that its proposed budget dedicates almost 70% of revenue to education, public safety, health, pensions and economic development. “The budget is consistent with Puerto Rico’s path to fiscal responsibility and provides the government with the stability that is critical in this time of global economic uncertainty,” said board chairman David Skeel.
wftv.comBuilders hurt protected areas in climate-weary Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico llegal Construction Properties are being built at the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The testimony in that case included an employee of the environment division of Puerto Rico’s Permit Management Office who acknowledged he intervened directly to speed up the now-cancelled permit. According to Puerto Rico’s Water and Sewage Authority, at least 60 customers now have connections in Jobos Bay. The island’s Electric Power Authority has referred nearly 50 people to Puerto Rico's Justice Department over illegal connections. The complaint she filed in 2019 is stalled at Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural Resources.
wftv.comLocal teacher in need of support after husband dies in motorcycle crash
It takes patience and passion and although the students may not always understand it, their educators are the exception. “If we support the family and make sure that they have what they need, their children are going to be successful,” Vazquez said. Local teacher in need of support after husband dies in motorcycle crash (WFTV.com News Staff)Calvente has helped hundreds along the way and needs support and strength in return. Calvente has been in Puerto Rico, their homeland, where she laid him to rest. READ: National Teacher of the Year honored in White House ceremonyThere is a GoFundMe set up to help the family.
wftv.comThousands show their island pride during Florida Puerto Rican Parade in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. — Thousands of people came out to celebrate Saturday for the annual Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival. WATCH: ‘I’m in my peak’: UCF graduate says move from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria changed her lifeThere were hundreds of marchers and beautiful floats during the parade throughout the streets of downtown Orlando. Photos: Florida Puerto Rican Parade in OrlandoExpand Autoplay Image 1 of 20 Puerto Rican Day Parade OrlandoThey came from all over, Channel 9 even spoke with one woman who said she flew in from Puerto Rico. WATCH: Local assistant superintendent to be honored as grand marshal of Florida Puerto Rican ParadeThe theme of this year’s parade was “Education: pathway to the future,” to highlight those who serve the children in our community. WATCH: ‘Pearl of the south’: Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival to highlight city of PonceThe event also celebrated the rich heritage of the city of Ponce, the island’s second-largest city.
wftv.com9 things to do this weekend: Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival, Melbourne Art Festival and more
The annual Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival will kick off Saturday morning in downtown Orlando. The free festival will feature more than 200 artists, live music, kid-friendly activities, a student art competition and food and beverage options. READ: Crew-4 astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center ahead of scheduled weekend launchDogFest Orlando is happening at Central Park in Winter Park this weekend. The largest and longest-running Earth Day festival in Central Florida returns to Lake Eola Park on Saturday. Do you always want to be the first to know what’s happening in Central Florida?
wftv.comCourt upholds Puerto Ricans' exclusion from benefits program
Supreme Court FILE - An American flag blows in the wind in front of the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Nov. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Supreme Court has upheld the differential treatment of residents of Puerto Rico, ruling that Congress was within its power to exclude them from a benefits program that’s available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The court held by an 8-1 vote Thursday that making Puerto Ricans ineligible for the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides benefits to older, disabled and blind Americans, did not unconstitutionally discriminate against them. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, whose parents were born in Puerto Rico, was the lone dissenter. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.com‘Pearl of the south’: Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival to highlight city of Ponce
The 2022 annual Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival is just days away. PonceWhen you think of Puerto Rico, Salvador Rovira wants you to consider the city known as the “pearl of the south.”“Ponce has a lot of things to offer,” Rovira said. READ: Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival returns to downtown Orlando this monthHe’s the president of the chamber of commerce for the southern region of Puerto Rico and he’s getting the word out. READ: Florida Puerto Rican Parade announces launch of 2022 scholarshipIt’s just part of a growing relationship between Puerto Rico and Central Florida, with a new focus on business in Ponce. Eyewitness News is getting ready to bring you live coverage of the 2022 Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival.
wftv.comPolice: Olympian's mother unintended victim of drug dispute
Mercado Martinez's mother, Mabel Martinez, 56, was killed by a stray bullet in her Connecticut home over the weekend, authorities announced Monday, April 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) (Hassan Ammar)The mother of a Puerto Rican Olympian killed by a stray bullet in her Connecticut home was an unintended victim of a drug dispute that erupted into the firing of more than 20 gunshots, a police official said Tuesday. Martinez was the mother of Yarimar Mercado Martinez, a rifle shooter on the Puerto Rico Olympic team who competed in the summer Olympics last year and in 2016. Spagnolo said people in two cars, including convicted felons known for drug dealing, got into a shootout outside Mabel Martinez's home. Yarimar Mercado Martinez, 27, traveled to Waterbury late Sunday from Brazil, where she was to compete in an international shooting competition.
wftv.comPuerto Rico Olympian's mother killed at home by stray bullet
Mercado Martinez's mother, Mabel Martinez, 56, was killed by a stray bullet in her Connecticut home over the weekend, authorities announced Monday, April 11, 2022. Police believe Mabel Martinez, 56, was an innocent bystander and the intended target was apparently a man walking outside her home in the town of Waterbury. Mabel Martinez was the mother of Yarimar Mercado Martinez, a rifle shooter on the Puerto Rico Olympic team who competed in the summer Olympics last year and in 2016. She wrote that the family intends to bring her mother’s body to Puerto Rico “so her friends and family can say goodbye.”“I apologize to Puerto Rico because even if I wanted to, I really can’t compete, my place is with my family," she wrote. ___AP journalist Dánica Coto contributed to this report from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
wftv.comPuerto Rico struggles to emerge from outage as anger builds
Puerto Rico Black Out Traffic lights are out of service on a street in San Juan, Puerto Rico, early Thursday, April 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti) (Carlos Giusti)SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Shuttered businesses. Hundreds of thousands of people across Puerto Rico remained without power on Friday, nearly two days after a fire at a main power plant sparked an island-wide outage. Josué Colón, executive director of Puerto Rico's power company, said those concerns are legitimate: “It's still a system that is not in prime condition. It's still a system that has to be rebuilt.”The outage comes as Puerto Rico’s electric power company tries to emerge from bankruptcy and restructure some $9 billion in public debt.
wftv.comFire causes widespread power outage in Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Utility crews are working to restore a massive power outage in Puerto Rico after a fire broke out at a power plant. Luma Energy announced Wednesday night that it was responding to an “island-wide service interruption.”READ: Weather Alert Day: Tornado warning in Flagler County expiresThe service provider said that repairs were underway, but given the “size and scope” of the outage, restoration efforts could last into Friday in some regions. Video: Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival returns to downtown Orlando on April 23ABC News reported that as of Thursday morning, more than a million customers were still without electricity and the blackout forced many schools and government offices to close across Puerto Rico. Monitor WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates on this developing story. ©2022 Cox Media Group
wftv.comProtesters in Jamaica spurn royals ahead of official visit
“Kings, Queens and Princesses and Princes belong in fairytales, NOT in Jamaica!” read one poster held aloft by a young girl who joined the protest. Maziki Thame, a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, noted that Jamaicans have been seeking reparations for decades. “This is not a new cause,” she said in a phone interview as she prepared to join the protest. The monarchy has said that Britain and Jamaica have a strong trade relationship, with the island exporting goods including rum and raw cane sugar to the U.K. An estimated 55,000 British citizens live in Jamaica, while some 800,000 people of Jamaican descent live in the United Kingdom.
wftv.comJamaicans shun UK royal visit, demand slavery reparations
The weeklong royal tour of Central America and the Caribbean that began on Saturday was taken at the behest of the queen, who is William’s grandmother. Hundreds of thousands of African slaves toiled in Jamaica under more than 300 years of British rule and faced brutal conditions. During their two-day stay in Jamaica, Prince William and Kate are expected to celebrate Bob Marley’s legacy, a move that also has riled some Jamaicans. “As a Rastafarian, Bob Marley embodied advocacy and is recognized globally for the principles of human rights, equality, reparations and repatriation,” stated the letter of those demanding an apology. We nonetheless celebrate the many achievements of great Jamaicans who rejected negative, colonial self-concepts and who self-confidently succeeded against tremendous odds.
wftv.comJamaicans shun UK royal visit, demand slavery reparations
Dozens of well-known leaders in Jamaica including professors and politicians are demanding an apology and slavery reparations as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prepare for a trip to the former British colony. The group is rejecting the visit of Prince William and Kate scheduled for Tuesday, part of a larger trip to the Caribbean region that coincides with the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence and the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The trip aims to strengthen Britain’s ties with Commonwealth countries, but it’s off to a rocky start and comes as some countries consider cutting ties to the monarchy like the eastern Caribbean island of Barbados did in November.
news.yahoo.comUK court blocks gay marriage for Cayman Islands, Bermuda
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Activists supporting same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda received a heavy blow Monday following a ruling by a top appeals court in London. The Privy Council also ruled that gays don't have the right to marry in the Cayman Islands based on its Constitution. “I’m in shock,” Leonardo Raznovich, an attorney who represented a gay couple seeking to get married in the Cayman Islands, told The Associated Press. The couple, who recently adopted a daughter, went to court, and in March 2019, the Cayman Grand Court ruled in their favor after stating that the denial violated the law. Months later, a local appeals court overturned the decision, stating that the Cayman Constitution doesn't allow for same-sex marriage.
wftv.com5 accused a decade after renowned Puerto Rican boxer killed
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — With heads bowed and surrounded by heavily armed police, the first suspects arrested nearly a decade after the fatal shooting of renowned Puerto Rico boxer Héctor Camacho appeared in court Wednesday to face murder charges. A fifth suspect remains in a Puerto Rico prison for an unrelated case. Authorities said two other suspects were killed in unrelated events in 2013 and 2015. Hours after the suspects were charged, Camacho’s elderly mother strode into Puerto Rico’s Department of Justice and raised her right fist. The fourth suspect was identified as Jesús Naranjo Adorno, being held on a $300,000 bond.
wftv.com5 accused a decade after renowned Puerto Rican boxer killed
With heads bowed and surrounded by heavily armed police, the first suspects arrested nearly a decade after the fatal shooting of renowned Puerto Rico boxer Héctor Camacho appeared in court Wednesday to face murder charges. Five men are accused in the slaying of the fighter nicknamed “Macho Camacho” and a friend while they sat in a Ford Mustang outside a bar in November 2012, a killing that shocked many who revered the boxer. Hours after the suspects were charged, Camacho’s elderly mother strode into Puerto Rico’s Department of Justice and raised her right fist.
news.yahoo.comVatican replaces Puerto Rico bishop who alleges persecution
The bishop of the Arecibo diocese in Puerto Rico said Wednesday that the Vatican dismissed him against his wishes, a rare move for the Holy See. The announcement comes nearly a year after Monsignor Daniel Fernández declined to sign a decree issued by the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference declaring that unvaccinated parishioners would be separated from vaccinated ones during activities including the presentation of bread and wine at the altar. The Episcopal Conference also suggested that unvaccinated parishioners avoid other in-person church activities until further notice.
news.yahoo.comPuerto Rico to lift mask mandate for 2nd time in pandemic
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Puerto Rico’s governor announced Monday that he will eliminate the use of face masks indoors for the second time since the pandemic began. The new measure will go into effect on Thursday with few exceptions: face masks will still be required in health facilities and nursing homes. In addition, starting March 10, domestic travelers will no longer have to present proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test or fill out a currently required form. Pedro Pierluisi also will lift all capacity restrictions at public and private businesses and said proof of vaccination to enter will no longer be required. Pierluisi said that more than 95% of people in Puerto Rico have received their first vaccine dose, 86% their second dose, and more than 50% their booster.
wftv.comPuerto Rico to lift mask mandate as COVID-19 cases ease
Puerto Rico’s governor announced Monday that he is ending a requirement for mask use indoors for the second time since the pandemic began as the number of cases and hospitalizations ease. Face masks will still be required in health facilities and nursing homes. In addition, starting March 10, domestic travelers will no longer have to present proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test or fill out a currently required form.
news.yahoo.comRyan Brehm wins Puerto Rico Open in make-or-break start
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Needing to win or finish solo second to retain PGA Tour status, Ryan Brehm went out Sunday and ran away with the Puerto Rico Open for his first tour title. Three-strokes ahead entering the day, Brehm shot a 5-under 67 to finish at 20-under 268 in the make-or-break final start on a minor medical extension. “It might sound like Bill Belichick or Nick Saban here, but honestly, wasn’t thinking about the impact of my status or anything this week,” Brehm said. He won the Puerto Rico Classic collegiate event two weeks ago at Grand Reserve. Puerto Rico native Rafa Campos tied for 59th at 2 under, shooting 73-75 on the weekend.
wftv.comTrying to keep PGA Tour status, Brehm leads Puerto Rico Open
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Fighting to keep PGA Tour status, Ryan Brehm shot a 4-under 68 in rainy conditions Saturday to open a three-stroke lead in the Puerto Rico Open. “Obviously, if you would have given me that at the start of the week I’d have taken it,” Brehm said. That’s really all we’re trying to do.”The 35-year-old Brehm is winless on the PGA Tour. Making his PGA Tour debut, he won the Puerto Rico Classic collegiate event two weeks ago at Grand Reserve. Puerto Rico native Rafa Campos shot a 73 to drop to 5 under.
wftv.comJefe de Policía de Orlando dona 15 carros de patrulla a policía en ciudad de Puerto Rico
El jefe de la Policía de Orlando, Orlando Rolón, llegó a Puerto Rico con 15 carros de patrulla para donarlos al Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad de Ponce el jueves como gesto de apoyo para ayudar la isla en sus esfuerzos de recuperación.