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GOOD MORNING, the only paper with 3 April 17, 2018 h News Service in English in Puerto Rico, publishes 7 days a week, with a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday edition, along with a Weekend Edition to cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Education Chief to Teachers: Don t Let Strike Disrupt META-PR Exam Preparations INDEX Local Mainland Business International Viewpoint 3 7 12 14 18 Fashion Legal Notices Sports Games Horoscope Noticias en Español 19 Cartoons 20 21 27 29 30 31 By MARIA MIRANDA SIERRA mirandasanjuanstar@gmail.com In response to the announcement of a teachers strike slated for May 1, Education Secretary Julia Keleher on Monday called on public school teachers to take the Educational Measurement for Academic Transformation of Puerto Rico (META- PR) standardized tests seriously to avoid the loss of federal funds. The Education chief said that if the examination process is not carried out or if less than 95 percent of students take the standardized tests, the allocation of over $400 million in Title I funds awarded each year could be at risk. The funds, Keleher said, are used for school budgets and projects. The META-PR standardized tests are scheduled for May 7-11. As we have always said, these tests are very important; they must be administered and worked on very seriously and enthusiastically, because apart from what they mean economically for the public education system in terms of funds to help schools, they compare us with everyone else in the world, Keleher said. It is the most important tool that we have to compete; that is why the students should prepare, take them and work hard to do well on them. The Education secretary said the standardized state tests are a federal requirement for receiving Title I funds, and failure to comply with the META-PR tests could lead to the withholding of funds, with very serious implications including schools being left without services. I ask all members of the school community, especially teachers, to not jeopardize the Title I funds on which we depend for most of the services in our schools, Keleher said. They could also put at risk any initiative or academic program that we may create and execute for teachers in temporary posts. Regarding the announced strike, the Education chief said that as always, we respect everyone s right to express themselves, always remembering that the rights of some end where those of others begin. I am referring to the children s right to have school time dictated by the school calendar, as well as the one whereby all teachers have to fulfill their duty as educators and be able to earn their living by attending to their classrooms, Keleher said.
4 Resident Commissioner Invites Student Artists to Participate in Contest April 20 to submit the documents. The award will be announced in Puerto Rico on May 14 in the Hall of Resident Commissioners at González s office in San Juan. On that day the resident commissioner will announce the winner, for whom travel and lodging expenses will be paid to participate in the ceremony at the Capitol in Washington. The art piece can not be larger than 26 inches high by 26 inches wide by 4 inches deep, and can not weigh more than 15 pounds. The dimension and weight limits include the frame. The winning piece must be framed to be exhibited in Congress. Artworks that include the following media will be allowed: paintings (oil, acrylic and watercolor, among others); drawings (colored pencils, pencil, ink, markers, charcoal collage); prints (lithographs, serigraphs, block prints); combined media; computer-generated art; and photographs. Each work must be original in its concept, design and execution and can not violate the federal copyright laws. Students who wish to participate should read all instructions, comply with all the requirements and submit the registration form. For more information call the office of the resident commissioner in San Juan at 787-723- 6333. Jenniffer González Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón on Monday invited high school students to participate in an art competition sponsored by the United States Congress, in which the winner has the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., where his or her work will be exhibited in the U.S. Capitol. The competition is open to high school students, both public and private, who have until FOR RENT BEAUTIFUL RENTAL HOMES FOR DISASTER RECOVERY WORKERS SE Side of Island 3 & 4 Bdrm Homes Homes Sleep 5-7 People $260-$300/Night Beautiful Beach/Mountain Views email: casawurster@gmail.com Photos at casawurster.com Police Security Plan in Place for Major League Baseball Games Police will be active today and Wednesday to provide security during the Major League Baseball games between the Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. The San Juan Police Area will be in charge of security and traffic control over the two days in the areas surrounding the stadium, while the San Juan Municipal Police will be responsible for security at the municipal facility. The commonwealth Public Safety Department s Police Bureau will be present on Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue, César González Street and Andalusia Avenue, on the nearby highways and in the commercial area near Bithorn. At the Police Bureau we have developed a plan so that the Major League Baseball games held in Puerto Rico are a success as far as security goes, said Acting Bureau Commissioner Henry Escalera Rivera. I have delegated to the commander of the San Juan Area, Lieutenant Colonel Juan Cáceres, the security logistics in the outer perimeter of Hiram Bithorn Stadium and vehicular flow logistics for the busy streets that lead to the event site. The plan has been designed so that people and drivers can travel without major difficulties. Meanwhile, Public Safety Secretary Héctor M. Pesquera said he trusted that citizens, the members of the Bureau and the Municipal Police will achieve the dynamic so that the sporting event is carried out in an environment for the enjoyment of all.
Ex-Governors, Others Support Mellado for CMCPR President Ex-governors and legislators expressed their support Monday for Dr. Carlos Mellado as president of the Puerto Rico Physicians and Surgeons Association (CMCPR). Among those endorsing Mellado were ex-governors Luis Fortuño and Alejandro García Padilla, as well as Thomas Rivera Schatz and Carlos Méndez Nuñez, president of the island Senate and speaker of the House, respectively. Sen. José Luis Dalmau and former Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi also supported Mellado for the position. Fortuño, who served as governor from 2009 to 2012, said he named Mellado to the patient advocate post because of his commitment to health services for Puerto Ricans. I am convinced that it would be of great help to try for the rights of doctors, Fortuño said. Meanwhile, García Padilla said I am supporting Dr. Mellado in leading the [CMCPR] because I know his quality as a human being and because there is still a lot to do to improve the health system in Puerto Rico. The legislative leaders, Rivera Schatz and Méndez, expressed their support for Mellado in similar terms. Rivera Schatz met with his caucus in the upper chamber to express his express support for Mellado. Meanwhile, Dalmau, a veteran Popular Democratic Party lawmaker and former president of the Senate Health Committee, said Dr. Mellado is the person who 5 Dr. Carlos Mellado can unite the wills of all sectors to address the obstacles in the health system that have caused the departure of so many doctors from the country in past years. Pierluisi also endorsed Mellado because he knows well the problems of the medical class and will be of great help to achieve changes in the U.S. capital for the benefit of doctors in Puerto Rico. In the past few weeks, ex-secretaries of Health under various administrations also have expressed their endorsement of Mellado, such as Drs. Lorenzo González, Enrique Vázquez Quintana, Johnny Rullán, Iván González Cancel and Ana Ríus. Mellado served as patient advocate under the García Padilla administration after serving in the post under Fortuño, and then Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares appointed him to the commission to represent the medical profession in addressing the affairs of Vieques. Mellado founded the humanitarian organization Haiti Stands Up after the earthquake in Haiti and the doctors group Puerto Rico Rises after hurricanes Irma and Maria. NOTIFICACIÓN A LA CLASE SOBRE REEMBOLSO DE INTERESES GENERADOS POR LAS PRIMAS DEL SEGURO OBLIGATORIO Aquellos consumidores de pólizas de seguro tradicional que adquirieron dichas pólizas durante los años 1998 al 2012 y que, a su vez, pagaron el seguro de responsabilidad obligatorio (en adelante, SRO ) para el mismo vehículo durante el mismo periodo y no se les reembolsó ni se les concedió crédito por el pago de la prima del SRO, podrían reclamar los intereses generados por las primas del SRO mientras estuvieron en posesión de la Asociación de Suscripción Conjunta del Seguro de Responsabilidad Obligatorio (en adelante, ASC ), según el procedimiento establecido en la Sentencia dictada por el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior de San Juan, en el caso García Rubiera, et al. v. Asociación de Suscripción Conjunta del Seguro de Responsabilidad Obligatorio, et al., Caso Civil Núm. K DP2001-1441 (en adelante, García v. ASC ). Si usted entiende que tiene derecho a reclamar los intereses generados por las mencionadas primas mientras estuvieron en posesión de la ASC, deberá acceder al portal de Internet www.reembolsoseguroobligatorio.com y verificar si su nombre, apellido, número de VIN o número de tablilla surgen de la base de datos en dicho portal. De ser así, usted puede presionar el enlace allí indicado para ir al portal de Internet del Administrador de las Reclamaciones de la Clase (en adelante, el Administrador ) designado por el Tribunal, www.casogladysgarcia.com, y completar su reclamación de forma electrónica, o puede descargar el formulario de solicitud disponible en cualquiera de los portales de Internet antes mencionados, llenarlo en su totalidad y enviarlo por correo postal al Administrador, a la siguiente dirección: Avenida Fernández Juncos 802, Esquina La Paz, Miramar, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907. Usted tendrá un periodo de 2 años para realizar su reclamación. El Administrador recibirá las reclamaciones y, en un término de 45 días, notificará de igual manera al reclamante y a los representantes legales de la clase y de la ASC su aceptación o rechazo de las mismas. En caso de aceptación, la ASC tendrá un término de 30 días para emitir el pago correspondiente a la dirección postal del reclamante. Esta notificación se efectúa en cumplimiento y como resultado de la Sentencia dictada por el Tribunal de Primera Instancia en el caso García v. ASC.
6 PAN Registrations Continue with $1.27 Billion Federal Allocation By MARIA MIRANDA SIERRA mirandasanjuanstar@gmail.com Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares announced on Monday that after the allocation of an additional $1.27 billion to the Nutrition Assistance Program (PAN by its Spanish acronym), 40,000 new families have joined the program, benefiting some 75,000 more people. The resources were allocated to supplement the nutritional needs of the families during the recovery period in Puerto Rico. With these resources we ensure that every family that was affected by the hurricanes in September 2017 can count on support to meet their most basic need, which is food, the governor said in a written statement. Family Department Secretary Glorimar Andújar Matos said these resources will help [beneficiaries] for a period of approximately one year, so I urge anyone who believes they may be eligible to go to a registration center and take advantage of this opportunity. The Family chief also announced that registration centers opened on Monday in Arecibo and Moca. Starting today, Monday, April 16, the registration center will open in the Manuel Petaca Iguina Coliseum in Arecibo, a central and ample facility for residents of the region to register near their communities, Andújar Matos said. Also a registration center in Moca opened on Monday, located at the Juan Sánchez Coliseum, which will remain open until Wednesday. The offering of registration services throughout the various regions of the island entered its fourth week after opening at Pedro Rosselló Convention Center in the Miramar sector of San Juan. To date, new centers have opened in the San Juan, Ponce, Caguas, Guayama and Mayagüez regions. As of April 15, 40,000 new families have joined the PAN program supported by the new criteria, Andújar Matos added. Many of these have entered through the registration centers where we have daily capacity to serve about a thousand people. Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares The official urged citizens to use a tool that facilitates the process of verifying eligibility by calling 311 or accessing the website puertoricoselevantaenfamilia.com, this way expediting the process by verifying if they qualify prior to visit one of the registration centers. Registration centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The next round of registration centers will be open from Monday, April 23 to Friday, April 27 in the regions of Carolina, Humacao and Bayamón. The PAN program currently benefits 1.2 million people on the island and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and operated locally by the Family Department through the Administration for the Socioeconomic Development of Families. Oversight Board Issues RFP for Claims Management and Reconciliation Services Under Title III By The STAR Staff The federal Financial Oversight and Management Board has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for claims management and reconciliation services. The purpose of the RFP is to solicit proposals from parties interested in providing the oversight board and the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority (AAFAF) with claims management and reconciliation services for those entities in Title III proceedings. WANT TO BUY A HOME WITHOUT SPENDING TOO MUCH? 787-349-1000 I have a long list of great properties from investors and banks looking to sell at afordable prices!!! Want to SELL or RENT you house or commercial property? WE WORK WITH ANY KIND OF CREDIT AND FINANCIAL INCENTIVES (SOME RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY). FREE CONSULTS. rruizrealestate1@gmail.com The scope of work calls for supporting the establishment of a claims resolution procedure for all Title III entities in the claims resolution process and will include an initial review and classification of existing claims as well as the development of reconciliation guidelines and a reporting and distribution process. Candidates will be evaluated and selected based on professional qualifications, relevant past experience and the competitiveness of their financial proposal. For more information, the request for proposals can be viewed at the following link: https://juntasupervision. pr.gov/wp-content/uploads/wpfd/50/5ad0eb0eb6847.pdf. The deadline for responses is Friday, April 20 at 5 p.m. Oversight Board to Meet This Week to Certify Fiscal Plan The federal Financial Oversight and Management Board will hold public hearings on Thursday and Friday to certify revised fiscal plans for Puerto Rico, the board said on Sunday. The board, created by Congress, is expected to approve plans for the commonwealth, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and other government-controlled entities at the meetings in San Juan. The board and Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares have been at odds on issues including how pensions and labor reforms should be handled. Congress created the board under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), which was signed into law in June 2016. In May last year, Puerto Rico filed the largest-ever U.S. local government bankruptcy. The island s woes were compounded in September when Hurricane Maria tore through its outdated infrastructure and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.