Labor and Human Resources Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova By THE STAR STAFF The island Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH by its initials in Spanish) received a total of 272 requests this year for full or partial exemption from paying the 2025 Christmas bonus. The figure represents 25 fewer requests than last year, when 297 employers sought exemptions. DTRH Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova noted Thursday that the decrease in exemption requests refl

Monday’s funeral Mass for Rafael Ithier Natal, founder of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, will be open to the public, while the salsa icon’s burial will be a private ceremony reserved for the family. (Wikipedia) By THE STAR STAFF The family of Rafael Ithier Natal and the El Gran Combo organization announced on Wednesday that the public funeral service in honor of the group’s founder will be held next Monday, Dec. 15, at 10:30 a.m. at the San Juan Bautista Minor Basilica Cathedr

The Museum of Entomology and Tropical Biodiversity houses more than 52,000 invertebrate specimens, including rare groups and unique species not found in other collections worldwide. By THE STAR STAFF Museum of Entomology and Tropical Biodiversity Director Rosa Amelia Franqui announced the reopening of the facility on Tuesday during a ceremony held at the North Botanical Garden in Río Piedras, where the museum’s scientific and educational value for Puerto Rico was highlighted.

By THE STAR STAFF As part of an effort to prevent incidents associated with celebratory gunfire during Christmas festivities, members of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Ranger Corps were stationed at numerous intersections across the island in the early morning hours of Tuesday to distribute informational materials to drivers. The brochures also urged citizens to refrain from using fireworks, especially during New Year’s Eve. “Our governor, Jennif

By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón joined forces with other governors in Dallas earlier this week as part of an invitation extended by former President George W. Bush to the Governors’ Forum on Reading. “For Puerto Rico, improving reading and literacy is not simply an educational aspiration; it is essential for workforce readiness, economic growth, and a competitive future,” the governor said in a written statement. “Literacy is the gateway to opportunity. Since

Carlos J. Ríos Pierluisi, back row center, has extensive experience in leadership positions within the public sector. By THE STAR STAFF Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its acronym in Spanish) Secretary Sebastián Negrón Reichard, who is also chairman of Roosevelt Roads Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) board of directors, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Carlos J. Ríos Pierluisi as the LRA’s new executive director. Negrón Reichard emphasized that the appoin

Civil Rights Commission Director Ever Padilla Ruiz (Instagram via ever.padillaruiz) By THE STAR STAFF Arguing that it raises constitutional deficiencies, limits women’s rights and capacity over their own bodies, and has serious implications for Puerto Rican law by granting legal personhood to the unborn, the Civil Rights Commission (CDC) requested on Tuesday that Gov. Jenniffer González Colón veto Senate Bill (SB) 504. The bill proposes amending Articles 67, 69, and 70 of the

By THE STAR STAFF Rep. Estrella Martínez Soto (District 27 of Coamo, Santa Isabel, Aibonito, Juana Díaz and Salinas) urged all residents of her district to support non-profit organizations (NGOs) in the district during this holiday season. “There are numerous non-profit organizations dedicated to providing support and services to the community,” the legislator said. “Their main objective is to help the most vulnerable sectors and foster social, educational, athletic, and econ