Guayama Mayor O’brain Vázquez Molina, left, and Aguada Mayor Christian Cortés Feliciano, who highlighted concerns over provisions in the permitting reform measure drafted by La Fortaleza that would limit the role of territorial land use plans. (Facebook via Asoc. de Alcaldes de PR) By THE STAR STAFF Members of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association met Tuesday morning to discuss House Bill 1183, a measure proposed by La Fortaleza aimed at reforming the island’s permitting system.

By THE STAR STAFF The president of the General Student Council at the University of Puerto Rico’s Mayagüez Campus (UPR-RUM), Tainary Delgado, announced that the council has approved an indefinite strike calling for the removal of UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde and RUM Interim Chancellor Miguel Muñoz Muñoz. Although Delgado insisted that the action being taken is not technically a strike, the student leader urged the university community not to cross picket lines establishe

The Office of the Ombudsman for the Citizen emphasized that citizens should take the time to review all available alternatives for traffic fine amnesty offered on the CESCO Digital platform, and make an informed decision about which option is most convenient and financially beneficial. By THE STAR STAFF Drivers seeking to benefit from the maximum discount available under the traffic fine amnesty established by the Department of Transportation and Public Works must pay close a

By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) has awarded a $152 million contract to Spanish infrastructure company ACCIONA for the rehabilitation of the Sergio Cuevas drinking water treatment plant in Trujillo Alto, one of the island’s most critical water facilities. According to a statement from ACCIONA, the project aims to repair and modernize the plant after it sustained significant damage during the 2017 hurricane season. Once completed, the faci

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz By THE STAR STAFF Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz warned on Monday that he will not allow the supremacy clause included in the administration’s bill regarding permits, arguing that it concentrates excessive power and could nullify other laws, regulations, licenses and municipal decisions. “There is a concern raised -- isn’t there? -- and there is a doubt that troubles us; for while it speaks of delegating regulatory authority to cer

Hernaliz Vázquez Torres, director of Sierra Club Puerto Rico (Madres de la Tierra) By THE STAR STAFF Sierra Club Puerto Rico, joined by more than 50 environmental and community organizations, is calling on the public to rally at the Capitol this Wednesday at 11 a.m., ahead of a public hearing on House Bill (HB) 25, legislation that critics say would restrict public access to Puerto Rico’s beaches. “This is a call to the country to come to the Capitol and defend our beaches,”

An examination by the Office of the Inspector General revealed that access to surveillance and monitoring areas managed through an electromagnetic card system and operated by the Auxiliary Secretariat for Security Information Management and Analysis, an entity within the Department of Public Safety, lacked formal authorization procedures for creating user profiles. By THE STAR STAFF An intervention by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has prompted corrective actions t

Josué Colón Ortiz, the island’s energy czar, is also the executive director of the Puerto Rico Public‑Private Partnerships Authority. By THE STAR STAFF A hearing examiner overseeing a high‑profile energy rate case has rejected an 11th‑hour filing by the Puerto Rico Public‑Private Partnerships Authority and the Office of the Energy Czar, ruling that the submission was both unauthorized and untimely. In an order issued Monday regarding the April 10 filing, the examiner, Scott H

The mission involved a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Army National Guard Aviation Facility, equipped with a Bambi Bucket fire suppression system to conduct water drops over the most affected areas. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico National Guard activated air support on Monday to assist the Puerto Rico Firefighters Bureau in combating wildfires in Vega Baja, following authorization from Gov. Jenniffer González Colón. “The activation of our air assets, in coordination

The lifeguard on duty at Watchtower Number 2 at La Monserrate beach in Luquillo, Joanel Figueroa, saw a swimmer struggling and launched Dolphin 3, guiding the aquatic drone to the man, who attached himself to the drone using a rope and was brought ashore without further incident. By THE STAR STAFF Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez announced on Monday the historic first rescue of a person in the water using exclusively a Dolphin 3 unman