Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera By THE STAR STAFF Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera has urged congressional leaders to investigate allegations of a “drugs for votes” scheme within the island’s prison system, following a report that federal prosecutors had gathered evidence of widespread voter coercion tied to the 2024 elections. In a statement Tuesday, Hernández said the findings described in a ProPublica news report raise serious concerns ab

Puerto Rico Agriculture Secretary Irving Rodríguez Torres By THE STAR STAFF The Department of Agriculture on Sunday announced the start of the 71st Puerto Rican Land Week, which is being observed all of this week under the theme: “Where the land flourishes, livestock thrives, and water offers us fish; harvest, raise livestock, and fish.” The celebration brings together a diverse agenda of educational, cultural and recognition activities aimed at highlighting the importance of

A Spirit Airlines commercial flight takes off from Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 21, 2024. The island Labor and Human Resources Department is mobilizing its resources to guide laid‑off Spirit workers through available benefits and employment services. (Tom Brenner/The New York Times) By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH by its initials in Spanish) activated an emergency response on Monday to assis

By THE STAR STAFF District 17 (Aguadilla and Moca) Rep. Wilson Román López on Monday celebrated the culmination of his “Tutors of Excellence” initiative. With the distribution of $20,000 in incentives, the legislator recognized and rewarded the outstanding performance of dozens of students and tutors at a well-attended event. “With great satisfaction, we concluded the distribution of incentives and the presentation of workshops to the graduating classes of various public and

By THE STAR STAFF The communications office of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico reported Monday that the island government failed to submit its required budget report on May 1 and instead requested an extension. Rep. Eddie Charbonier Chinea, chairman of the House Treasury Committee, responded in a radio interview, stating that the oversight oard must issue a public letter explaining why the executive branch failed to meet the established deadline.

The strike at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus was part of a day of protests by various sectors across the university system. (Facebook via Colectiva Feminista en Construcción) By THE STAR STAFF The University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus (RCM-UPR) announced on Monday that the clinics of the Intramural Medical Practice Plan would only see patients with scheduled appointments while students at the UPR Río Piedras campus marched as part of a syste

By THE STAR STAFF Amgen is investing an additional $300 million to expand its biologics manufacturing facility in Juncos, deepening a decades‑long presence on the island and reinforcing its role in the company’s global supply chain. According to MarketWatch, the new investment will support production scale‑up, the integration of advanced manufacturing technologies, and efforts to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicines. The expansion is also expected to create new jobs, i

Puerto Rican jockey José Luis Ortiz, riding the three-year-old Golden Tempo, at left, won the 152nd edition of the Kentucky Derby this past Saturday. (Facebook via The 812) By THE STAR STAFF The island House of Representatives on Monday announced it will pay tribute to Puerto Rican jockey José Luis Ortiz, who, riding the three-year-old Golden Tempo, won the 152nd edition of the Kentucky Derby this past Saturday. The achievements of the other six jockeys from the island who pa

By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) has unveiled a proposed regulation that would establish a comprehensive framework governing renewable energy certificates (RECs) and compliance with the island’s Renewable Energy Portfolio, a central policy tool supporting Puerto Rico’s long‑term transition to sustainable electricity generation. The proposal is intended to clarify how renewable energy attributes are tracked, verified, and used to demonstrate compliance wi

UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde By THE STAR STAFF University of Puerto Rico (UPR) President Zayira Jordán Conde announced on Sunday the activation of protocols designed to maintain the continuity of academic and administrative services throughout the university system, following the certification by the respective General Student Councils declaring strikes across the system’s campuses. “As a public institution, we bear the non-delegable responsibility to guarantee academic