Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez By THE STAR STAFF Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez announced on Tuesday that he will provide the island Senate with the requested tax information regarding former Secretary of justice Antonio Sagardía de Jesús, following the receipt of express authorization from the taxpayer. “As Secretary of the Treasury, ensuring the confidentiality of the information that taxpayers submit to the Department of the Treasury is a responsibi

By THE STAR STAFF Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz stated on Tuesday that he is reviewing the Department of Justice’s report on an investigation involving the Family Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes. “If you have a file containing sworn statements, documentary evidence, testimony, and information that -- according to the prosecutor -- exonerates the family secretary, why not turn it over?” Rivera Schatz asked during a press conference. The Senate president said he had requ

Popular Democratic Party Reps. Héctor Ferrer Santiago, left, and Domingo Torres García By THE STAR STAFF The Popular Democratic Party (PDP) minority leader in the island House of Representatives, Héctor Ferrer Santiago, announced on Tuesday that he has requested public hearings regarding House Bill 1115, which was returned to the Committee on Labor and Labor Affairs. “This matter directly impacts the wallets and quality of life of thousands of working families,” Ferrer Santia

University of Puerto Rico President Zayira Jordán Conde Jordán Conde: Mayagüez Campus strike could impact Pell grants By THE STAR STAFF Students at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Carolina have been convened for a student assembly today to discuss the situation stemming from an ongoing student strike, but it was unclear whether there would be a call for the campus to join the stoppage. Student leaders have said the protest is driven by demands that UPR President Zayira

By THE STAR STAFF Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo announced on Tuesday the start of construction on the port promenade (paseo del puerto). “This project ... is part of a strategy aimed at organizing, connecting, and enhancing our spaces, creating the conditions for economic growth, the strengthening of local commerce, and the attraction of visitors,” the mayor stated in written remarks. Alicea Vasallo noted that the undertaking represents a total investment of $389,835.55,

Public Safety Secretary Artur Garffer, fourth from the left, noted that the new command trailers to be deployed in six Caguas region towns “strengthen our operational capacity and enable us to coordinate with greater agility and precision for the benefit of our communities.” By THE STAR STAFF The Caguas Emergency Management Region on Tuesday announced the delivery of new specialized equipment acquired through the Homeland Security Grant Program, as part of ongoing efforts to

Firefighters Union President José Tirado By THE STAR STAFF The United Firefighters Union of Puerto Rico (SBUPR by its initials in Spanish) responded Monday to a report on the delivery of equipment and salary increases for firefighters, contending that Gov. Jenniffer González Colón is trying to claim credit for measures she did not initiate. The report stated that the government announced new equipment deliveries and salary adjustments intended to strengthen emergency response

By providing information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the ACLU of Puerto Rico noted, the Transportation and Public Works secretary endangered immigrants who relied on a process created in 2013 that allowed them to obtain driver’s licenses and included assurances that information about immigration status would not be used for immigration purposes. (US DHS) By THE STAR STAFF The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico dismissed a request by the Puerto Rico Department of Tr

The Popular Democratic Party legislators’ demand adds to mounting political pressure around the handling of the Health Department’s internal findings and the Justice Department’s decision to archive the case involving the family secretary last fall. By THE STAR STAFF The Popular Democratic Party (PDP) delegation in the island Senate called Monday for the immediate resignation of Family Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes, citing allegations that she used prior government posts to

Mayors Federation President Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez Both NPP & PDP mayors fear weakening of municipal autonomy By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico Mayors Federation President Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez stated on Monday that the organization that groups New Progressive Party (NPP) mayors supports the reform to the permits system currently under review by the Legislative Assembly, but he made his support contingent upon the approval of 48 amendments designed to protect municipa