The 1999 Law for the Protection and Conservation of the Karst Physiography of Puerto Rico was passed to recognize the unique value of the karst region and establish mechanisms to protect essential resources for Puerto Rico, including aquifers, caves, sinkholes and ecosystems. (Wikipedia) By THE STAR STAFF Environmental organization Citizens of the Karst (CDK) expressed concern this week over House Bill (HB) 1079, which they claim would weaken fundamental protections for one o

Rep. Swanny Enit Vargas Laureano By THE STAR STAFF Rep. Swanny Enit Vargas Laureano of the Popular Democratic Party announced the filing of House Bill 1287, a measure she introduced along with Dignity Project Rep. Lisie Burgos Muñiz to establish a mandatory and continuous system that guarantees the removal of deceased individuals from the voter registry within a maximum of 25 days. The legislators said the bill will be an effective tool for quickly cleaning up the voter regis

Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez By THE STAR STAFF Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez announced on Thursday the disbursement of $100.3 million in initial tax relief payments to 221,381 taxpayers. “We have already sent out a first batch of ‘Cheque para Ti’ [Check for You] payments to 221,381 taxpayers whose tax returns had already been processed and who met the requirements to receive the tax relief,” Pantoja Rodríguez said during a press conference. The trea

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón presented her fiscal year 2027 budget plan to the Financial Oversight and Management Board this week, highlighting what she described as one of Puerto Rico’s strongest periods of fiscal stability in recent years. By THE STAR STAFF With her public image battered by months of controversy and internal party friction, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón was expected at press time on Thursday to use her State of the Commonwealth address to reset the narrati

Ismael Guadalupe, seen here with Palestinian-American journalist Dena Takruri (Facebook Dena Takruri) By THE STAR STAFF For more than half a century, the name Ismael Guadalupe was synonymous with the fight for Vieques -- its land, its people, and its right to live free from the shadow of military occupation. On Thursday, his family announced that the revered community activist died at age 82, closing a chapter in Puerto Rico’s social movements but leaving behind a legacy that

The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission has suspended the intake of new applications for route gaming machine operator and wholesale owner licenses after the island Court of Appeals agreed to review a lower court ruling related to the licensing process. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission has suspended the intake of new applications for route gaming machine operator and wholesale owner licenses after the Court of Appeals agreed to review a lower court ruling tied to

Financial Oversight and Management Board Executive Director Robert Mujica By THE STAR STAFF Financial Oversight and Management Board Executive Director Robert Mujica believes it is unlikely that a settlement can be reached regarding the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (PREPA) bankruptcy before the end of 2026. Mujica said the fact that some bondholders insist on continuing their legal actions seeking the full recovery of their investment hinders an immediate solution

By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Court of Appeals recently upheld a significant legal victory for Puerto Rican companies Airport Shoppes Corp. and Airport Catering Services Corp., rejecting the arguments presented by Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC and confirming the dismissal with prejudice of the lawsuit filed by the operator of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina. Aerostar had initiated the action in an attempt to be allowed to establish lounges at the airpo

By THE STAR STAFF Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Minority Leader Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz said Wednesday that his legal team is evaluating going to court after the island Justice Department refused to provide information to the Senate about the 229 cases under investigation that were closed, without knowing what they were and under what criteria they were archived. “... [O]n May 4th we submitted information request 2026-0063, in which we essentially requested that t

U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain By THE STAR STAFF U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain ruled Wednesday that Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) bondholders will have to keep waiting before they can push ahead with their lawsuits. The judge said the court will not lift the long‑running freeze on litigation until it finishes a major accounting case that will determine how much money PREPA actually had -- and has -- available to pay bondholders. The ruling came