Gov. Jenniffer González Colón By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico’s proposed consolidated budget for fiscal year (FY) 2027 totals $33.57 billion, including $13.18 billion from the General Fund, with the largest allocations concentrated in public safety, health and education, according to documents filed by the executive branch and House Joint Resolution A 117. The spending plan, developed jointly with the Financial Oversight and Management Board under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Man

Issel Masses Ferrer, executive director of Sembrando Sentido (Facebook via Piloto151) By THE STAR STAFF Public interest organization Sembrando Sentido expressed concern Sunday over new access requirements announced by the Puerto Rico Department of State for the Registry of Corporations and Other Legal Entities. According to an email notification sent to users, beginning this Thursday, individuals will be required to create personal accounts and complete authentication steps t

Officials from the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and other agencies acknowledged that the process of implementing salary hikes for the Ranger Corps is still under evaluation by the Financial Oversight and Management Board. By THE STAR STAFF The implementation status of the salary increase and retroactive payment provided for by the “Special Base Salary Law for the Rangers Corps” was the subject of a public hearing in the island Senate earlier this week. “T

La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Francisco Domenech Fernández By THE STAR STAFF U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain issued an order Thursday temporarily halting the transfer of lawsuits against grid operator LUMA Energy to the Puerto Rico court. The ruling responds to “Urgent Motions” filed by the private consortium, which requested a stay of the remand pending its appeals. The order affects an earlier ruling by Swain in lawsuits filed by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authorit

By THE STAR STAFF Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez announced on Thursday that personnel from the Specialized Sargassum Unit have been dispatched to Pitahaya Beach in Cabo Rojo to assess the arrival of sargassum in that area. The specialized technical personnel will assess marine and wind conditions, collect samples of the material, and determine the necessary actions to address the latest seasonal accumulation of the seaweed. “We have

By THE STAR STAFF In a major move to fortify Puerto Rico’s capital against natural disasters, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Caribbean District has awarded a landmark $1.078 billion contract to Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial. The deal represents the largest contract ever granted by the USACE on the island. The massive engineering undertaking focuses on the Río Piedras channel, aiming to overhaul the region’s flood defenses through a series of significant str

The scope of work begun Thursday -- which is estimated to take five years to complete -- includes the development of a temporary staging area on grounds belonging to the Roberto Clemente Sports City, the preparation of aquatic disposal pits within the San José Lagoon, protective measures for the Moscoso and Barbosa bridges, and the dredging and channelization of portions of the Martín Peña Channel. By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced on Thursday the comm

By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said Thursday that water supply issues in the San Juan metropolitan area cannot be resolved simply by changing directors at the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), but rather through investment in infrastructure. “I do not believe this is a problem of ‘who’ is in charge, because multiple directors have already come and gone in the metropolitan region,” the governor told reporters at a press conference in Bayamón. “

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz By THE STAR STAFF Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz said Thursday that the reform of the permitting system must be evaluated without compromising municipal powers, following concerns raised by San Juan, Bayamón and Carolina regarding autonomy and territorial planning. “Senate Bill 1173 essentially addresses the operational framework of the permitting structure,” Rivera Schatz remarked during a public hearing. “Senate Bill 1183 is some

Navy Frontier Pier in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan (Facebook via Cruceros Puerto Rico) By THE STAR STAFF Rep. José Aponte Hernández on Wednesday asked the Convention Center District Authority and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to keep the pier in Puerta de Tierra known as Navy Frontier Pier open and operational. “This isn’t new. Since 2019, I’ve been speaking out about the need to keep the Navy Frontier pier open and in optimal condition to receive both cruise ships and cargo