Visitors to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, where calls for assistance have doubled, in Duquesne, Pa., Oct. 23, 2025. Within days, tens of millions of low-income Americans may lose assistance for food, child care and utilities if the federal government remains shut down. (Jeff Swensen/The New York Times) By LINDA QIU and EILEEN SULLIVAN For Hannah Mann, a mother of three who lives in Merchantville, New Jersey, the government shutdown is not an abstract political f

By THE STAR STAFF Amid a sharp rise in both personal and commercial bankruptcies, District 19 (Mayagüez and San Germán) Rep. Lilibeth “Lilly” Rosas Vargas has introduced a resolution to investigate the economic implications of the trend. The measure, House Resolution 493, highlights that bankruptcies in Puerto Rico increased by 50% just in 2021, a trend that has not stopped. Rosas Vargas said the resolution seeks to uncover the real consequences of the surge and its impact on

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said Tuesday that if the federal government shutdown is extended into November, her administration will have to find alternatives to pay the Nutrition Assistance Program (PAN by its acronym in Spanish) funds. So far, funds are available to cover the first week of November. “We are looking at other alternatives we could use to fund, if necessary, an additional week. I don’t want to say right now that

U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain By THE STAR STAFF Grid operator LUMA Energy warned on Tuesday that a recent legal decision affecting its contractual immunity could result in higher electricity bills for consumers across the island. The company that operates Puerto Rico’s electric power transmission and distribution system issued the statement following a ruling by U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who denied LUMA’s request to halt a lawsuit filed by the island go

LUMA Energy President & CEO Juan Saca presented detailed data that he said shows the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority has failed to transfer the necessary funds for grid operations and maintenance, despite the funds having been approved by the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau and stipulated in LUMA’s Operation and Maintenance Agreement. (Gerardo Moya) By THE STAR STAFF LUMA Energy President & CEO Juan Saca sounded the alarm on Tuesday over a chronic funding shortfall from the Pu

By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Executive President Luis Reinaldo González Delgado announced Tuesday that drinking water service has been fully restored to customers affected by the Superaqueduct break last week. “The system has returned to normal for all customers who use the Superaqueduct,” González Delgado said in a written statement. “However, our technical team continues to monitor the system to ensure regular and stable operation in al

Data from the second quarter of 2025 indicates that Puerto Rico ranks third among the largest residential solar markets in the U.S., following California and Florida. (Erika P. Rodríguez/The New York Times) By THE STAR STAFF During the ninth annual Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA) Summit in San Juan on Tuesday, energy research and analysis firm Wood Mackenzie presented the findings of its latest study, showing Puerto Rico ranks third in the use of re

The $40.2 million transferred to the Department of Transportation and Public Works will be available until June 30, 2026, and will be used to address landslides that impact the safety and accessibility of public roads. By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and Office of Management and Budget Director Orlando Rivera Berríos announced on Monday the transfer of $40.2 million to the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP by its acronym in Spanish). The fund