Sen. Eliezer Molina Pérez By THE STAR STAFF Concrete plants that supply construction materials without requiring construction permits will face economic penalties if a new Senate bill aimed at curbing illegal construction becomes law. The Planning, Permits, Infrastructure, and Urban Development Committee, chaired by Sen. Héctor “Gaby” González López, held a public hearing on Tuesday to discuss Senate Bill 744, authored by Sen. Eliezer Molina Pérez. The bill aims to establish

The hearing examiner overseeing the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) rate review case ruled that the utility’s Title III bankruptcy case does not prevent the island Energy Bureau from requiring PREPA to set aside funds to address future debt obligations. (Facebook via Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica) By THE STAR STAFF In a significant procedural ruling, the hearing examiner overseeing the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) rate review case has denied obje

By THE STAR STAFF The Office of the Electoral Comptroller (OCE by its initials in Spanish) completed its audits on Tuesday of the 149 candidate committees that participated in the 2024 primaries of the New Progressive Party (NPP) and Popular Democratic Party (PDP). The audits identified 1,997 violations of Law 222-2011, the Political Financing Law. Electoral Comptroller Walter Vélez Martínez sai the audits examined more than $9 million in reported income and expenses, reveali

The Justice Department emphasized that the sentence imposed reflects the authorities’ commitment to combating gender-based violence and protecting victims. By THE STAR STAFF Judge Carmen Otero of the Bayamón Court sentenced Ricardo Antonio Pérez Vázquez to 19 years and three days in prison on Tuesday for assaulting his partner during an incident on Aug. 28 at Plaza Río Hondo shopping mall in Bayamón, Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres announced. According to the Departmen

Stephanie Figueroa, executive director of the Gender Equity Observatory of Puerto Rico By THE STAR STAFF As part of “No More Violence Against Women” month, the Gender Equity Observatory of Puerto Rico has launched a media campaign titled “Ni Olvido ni Silencio” (“Neither Forgetting nor Silence”), demanding justice for the hundreds of women whose lives were taken by gender-based violence in recent years. “This effort is not just an act of remembrance -- it is a collective outc

By THE STAR STAFF Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez on Tuesday announced an initiative to restore coral reefs along Puerto Rico’s coastline, alongside nine flagship projects focused on mangrove planting and wetland rehabilitation. Quiles emphasized the urgency of addressing coastal erosion and its impact on marine ecosystems, noting that the agency has moved swiftly since he assumed leadership in January. “Coastal erosion and its effec

“Each donated item represents hope and support for a sister island that needs our help today,” Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera Santana said. By THE STAR STAFF Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera Santana announced Tuesday that the Puerto Rico government will establish five collection centers in San Juan, Manatí, Ponce, Fajardo and Mayagüez to gather supplies destined for communities in Jamaica impacted by Hurricane Melissa. “Puerto Rico knows what it means to rebuild after