Daily Archives: November 4, 2011

Banco Nacional plans cleanup on gulf island

Volunteers working with Banco Nacional plan a cleanup of the Isla Venado in the gulf of Nicoya starting at 8 a.m. Saturday. The work is in conjunction with the Asociación de Desarrollo, the Colegio Telesecundaria and the Asociación de Jóvenes … Continue reading

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Speed trap cameras to go dark for at least six months

The on-again, off-again speed trap highway cameras are off again. The Consejo Nacional de Vialidad said that it is suspending for six months the system and that no speeding fines would be assessed. Consejo officials said that there was uncertainty … Continue reading

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Police officers to return to Christmas watchtowers

Fuerza Pública officers will be back up in there Christmas towers this year, and the force is expanding the program to Cartago, Heredia and Alajuela. The towers are the lookout points for police officers. There will be five in downtown … Continue reading

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New book documents plastic taking over ocean

The United Nations estimates that each human uses nearly 140 kilograms of plastic each year. At least 6.4 million metric tons of that plastic has ended up in the oceans. Environmental activist Capt. Charles Moore has found that in some … Continue reading

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Cuba will inaugurate a real estate market

Cuba says it will allow people to buy and sell homes for the first time in more than 50 years. Cuba’s Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, announced the move Thursday, saying it applies to Cuban citizens and … Continue reading

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Central America continues to stagger from storms

With an estimated 1.2 million people in Central America affected by severe floods, the United Nations is mobilizing resources to provide life-saving assistance to those in need. A senior U.N. relief official visiting Nicaragua Thursday described the situation in the … Continue reading

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There are some points of agreement on climate change

There are some statements involving climate change on which most individuals can agree. • The earth is getting warmer. Yep, it has been for 10,000 years. The two kilometers of glaciers covering parts of North America, Europe and Asia have … Continue reading

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French firm will study possiblity of urban tram system

French firm will study possiblity of urban tram system

San José municipal officials are taking a serious look at the possibility of an urban tram system in the heart of the city to address the ever-growing problem of congestion. City officials, including Mayor Johnny Araya Monge, who has been … Continue reading

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Driving is very difficult, and signs are hard to see

I would like to address the issue and speeding in Costa Rica. While the majority agrees that the fines are huge and grossly out of line, driving in Costa Rica is a lot of times difficult at best. Driving into … Continue reading

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New museum exhibit shows some of Minor Keith collection

New museum exhibit shows some of Minor Keith collection

The Museo Nacional has put 152 pieces from the Minor Keith collection on display. These are from the 981 archaeological pieces returned to Costa Rica by the Brooklyn Museum. The museum here is calling the exhibit De Vuelta a Casa … Continue reading

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Gunman kills U.S. citizen on north San José street

A gunman assassinated a man originally from Colombia as he walked near the Caribbean bus station in Barrio Tournon in north San José Thursday. The Judicial Investigating Organization identified the vicim as a 38-year-old U.S. citizen with the last name … Continue reading

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Minister says tourism will be exempt from new tax

The central government plans to exempt tourism from the value-added tax proposed in the current tax reform package. That was the word from Fernando Herrero, the minister of Hacienda, in testimony before a special legislative committee studying the proposals. The … Continue reading

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Scouts here discriminate on religious grounds

The article in today’s A.M. Costa Rica about the new postage stamps honoring Scouts and Guides in Costa Rica piqued my curiosity about how scouting in Costa Rica compares to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Girl Scouts … Continue reading

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Trans-Atlantic sailboat race is scheduled to begin today

Trans-Atlantic sailboat race is scheduled to begin today

The Transat Jacques Vabre is supposed to be well under way today by midmorning here. The starting time is 3 p.m. in Le Havre, France. This is the 10th edition of the cross Atlantic boat race and the second to … Continue reading

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