Executives from a Tennessee Company Said They Would Help Puerto Rico; Instead, They Allegedly Pocketed Millions
Issue #46: The deadline for unemployment aid has been extended, critics want Netflix documentary "After Maria" removed and more...
→ Deadline for Puerto Rico Unemployment Aid is Extended After Only a Quarter of Those Eligible Apply
The deadline for Puerto Rican residents to apply to the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program was extended to June 24. Only an estimated 2,400 people have applied to the program, for which about 10,000 people are reportedly eligible. (Nicole Acevedo / NBC News)
→ Feds: Puerto Rico Disaster Contractor Pocketed Millions in Taxpayer Cash
The Textile Corporation of America, based in Pikeville, Tennessee, received millions of dollars in contracts and grants after it promised to open a new factory in Tennessee and send millions of dollars worth of supplies to Hurricane Maria survivors. The company is now under investigation, and the FBI alleges that executives pocketed much of that money for personal use. (Lachlan Markay / Daily Beast)
→ Rosselló Administration Delayed in Restructuring Puerto Rico Government
An investigation by Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism found that the Rosselló administration is far behind on implementing the structural reforms it has championed in order to make the government more efficient. (Luis J. Valentín Ortiz / Centro de Periodismo Investigativo)
→ When I Became Puerto Rico’s Education Chief, I Wasn’t Prepared for the Level of Poverty I’d See. Now, I want Others to Pay Attention.
Julia Keleher, the former Secretary of Education for Puerto Rico, who was criticized for closing nearly a quarter of the island’s schools and for her efforts to open charter schools, writes about extreme the poverty she witnessed during her tenure. (Julia Keleher for Chalkbeat)
→ Puerto Rico Board Seeks Legal Action Against Municipalities, Authorities Over Pension Shortfall (Paywall)
Three Puerto Rico authorities and 10 municipalities have allegedly failed to transfer $4.5 million to employees’ retirement accounts. (Robert Slavin / Bond Buyer)
→ Petitioners Demand Netflix Remove Post-Hurricane ‘After Maria’ Doc For False Claims
Thousands have signed petitions requesting that Neflix remove “After Maria,” a short documentary that follows the lives of three families as they move to New York to try to survive after the hurricane. Critics say the film is an inaccurate portrayal of life for those on the island. (Ariela Anís / Hollywood Unlocked)