Mayor of Toa Alta Clemente “Chito” Agosto By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Department of Housing has revoked reconstruction approvals for several families in the Villa Esperanza community, prompting residents and Mayor Clemente “Chito” Agosto to demand that the agency restore the aid and apply its criteria consistently across all cases. Neighbors reported that the agency withdrew their CDBG‑MIT reconstruction approvals citing the absence of electrical service from LUMA Energ

Authorities warn that most wildfires in Puerto Rico are caused by human actions and can be avoided through public education, community responsibility, and preventive measures (Puerto Rico Responders.) By THE STAR STAFF The sustained increase in wildfires in Puerto Rico during 2026 has raised alarms among authorities and environmental organizations, who insist that prevention remains the best tool for addressing this emergency. With this goal in mind, the non-profit organizati

Puerto Rican flags and U.S. flag hang outside in a community in northern Puerto Rico, on Oct. 25, 2017. A new study documents a deepening crisis of public trust and sovereignty in Puerto Rico. (Erika P. Rodríguez/The New York Times) By THE STAR STAFF People in Puerto Rico are losing faith not only in their elected leaders but in the very idea that the island’s government can meaningfully chart its own course, according to a new study that documents a deepening crisis of trust

Institutional Transformation Action No. 22 cites demographic decline, enrollment pressures, rising operating costs and administrative duplication as major challenges to the University of Puerto Rico’s viability under its existing structure. By THE STAR STAFF The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) has approved the start of a search for an outside firm to evaluate whether its 11‑campus system can remain viable amid declining enrollment, demographic contraction and persistent fisca

From the outset, prosecutors maintained at trial that Elvia Cabrera Rivera (at left) and her daughter acted “in common and mutual accord.” According to their theory, Cabrera Rivera retrieved a sharp object from her purse, handed it to her daughter, and thereby facilitated the fatal attack against 16‑year‑old Gabriela Nicole Pratts Rosario. (Screenshot/TELEMUNDO PR.COM/July 23, 2026) By THE STAR STAFF After 23 hours of deliberation, a jury of seven women and five men unanimous

By THE STAR STAFF Women’s Advocate Astrid Piñeiro Vázquez announced on Thursday that a state allocation of $679,671.80 will ensure the continuation -- from January to June 2027 -- of services provided to victims and survivors of gender-based violence by organizations funded through the federal STOP Violence Against Women Act (STOP VAWA), program. “Our organizations shouldn’t have to live in a state of constant anxiety, year after year, wondering if they will have the funds to

Sen. Ada Álvarez Conde By THE STAR STAFF At-large Popular Democratic Party Sen. Ada Álvarez Conde is participating as a panelist and speaker at the 2026 National Caucus of the National Council of Environmental Legislators in Chicago, one of the main gatherings of legislators dedicated to environmental public policy in the United States. On Saturday, the legislator will give a presentation during the Lightning Round session on the protection of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone of

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón (Facebook via Jenniffer González Colón) By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said Wednesday that recent public controversies have drowned out her administration’s accomplishments and said that this was the reason she asked Francisco Domenech Fernández to step down as La Fortaleza chief of staff. In a radio interview, González Colón said the disputes surrounding La Fortaleza were eclipsing the government’s progress. “The noise, all thes

Bayamón Mayor Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz By THE STAR STAFF For the first time in over a year, a group of New Progressive Party (NPP) mayors voiced strong support on Wednesday for Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, highlighting what they described as steady fiscal management, accelerated reconstruction projects, and improved coordination between central and municipal governments. The show of support comes amid political turbulence in La Fortaleza following Tuesday’s high‑profile resig

By THE STAR STAFF Amgen has agreed to pay $74 million to settle a lawsuit brought by investors who say the company failed to disclose a potential $10.7 billion tax bill from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a liability tied to profits generated through its Puerto Rico manufacturing operations. Fierce Pharma reported the information. The settlement request was filed Monday in federal court in the Southern District of New York. Investors argued that Amgen kept the tax disput