By THE STAR STAFF Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés announced on Thursday a restructuring of the school calendar to facilitate a gradual return to schools after the Christmas break, with an open house scheduled for Jan. 9 and the start of classes for students on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. “The start of the school year remains scheduled for January 8, when teaching and non-teaching staff will report to their schools to begin workshops and training,” Ramos Parés said in a wri

The investment in the new hospital project in Vieques, totaling $85 million, makes it the most modern healthcare facility in Puerto Rico, with an approximate capacity of 59,000 square feet. (Courtesy of (Autoridad para el Financiamiento de la Infraestructura) By THE STAR STAFF Vieques Mayor José “Junito” Corcino Acevedo announced Thursday that the Infrastructure Financing Authority (AFI by its initials in Spanish) and the offshore island’s municipal administration have comple

By THE STAR STAFF The group “Jornada Se Acabaron Las Promesas” (The Promises Are Over Campaign) held a protest early Wednesday morning on PR-165 in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo. The protest was held “in repudiation of the increased military presence on the island and the threats against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.” “The United States government is using ‘drug trafficking’ as a pretext to justify the siege, intimidation, and threat of a mili

The agreement recognizes the Institute of Forensic Sciences as an advanced training center where military personnel can receive supervised hands-on experience in a real forensic environment, aligned with standards of forensic pathology, professional ethics and occupational safety. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences (ICF by its initials in Spanish) signed a collaborative agreement with units of the United States Army Reserve to offer specialized t

By THE STAR STAFF The island municipalities with the highest adjusted rates of severe or extreme risk among domestic violence victims aged 15 and older are Vieques, Florida and Culebra. The information is contained in a study that the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (PRIS) and the Department of Justice have unveiled from an analysis of the Danger Assessment tool, which is used by prosecutors during criminal investigations to gauge the risk of femicide faced by victims of

By THE STAR STAFF District 14 (Arecibo and Hatillo) Rep. Edgar Robles Rivera, who represents chairs the Consumer Affairs Committee in the island House of Representatives, on Wednesday introduced House Bill 989, titled “Law for the Protection of Vulnerable People and Animals from the Noise of Explosives and Fireworks in Puerto Rico,” with the goal of limiting the use of noisy fireworks and protecting the health and well-being of those who need it most. “The measure recognizes

Credit and debit card companies will continue charging processing fees on the sales and use tax collected by merchants for the government, after Senate committees recommended against approving a bill that sought to prohibit such charges. By THE STAR STAFF Credit and debit card companies will continue charging processing fees on the sales and use tax (IVU by its acronym in Spanish) collected by merchants for the government, after Senate committees recommended against approving

The plan, which will be in effect through Jan. 7, includes patrols on foot, motorcycles, bicycles and four-wheel-drive vehicles, as well as the participation of the maritime unit and divers in coastal areas. By THE STAR STAFF San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo announced on Wednesday the activation of a preventive security plan during the holiday season, in effect from earlier this week to Jan. 7, 2026, with reinforcements in the tourist zone and on the main roads of the munici