Maria Damaged Nearly 1,800 Tombs in Lares – and the Cemetery Remains Closed
Issue #29: Rosselló signed a bill for $2B in tax relief, government workers will get bonuses and more...
→ 'My Father Is In There': Anguish Builds In Puerto Rico Mountains Over Decimated Tombs
"We want to fix them up, take them flowers. But we can't. If we cross the fence, they'll arrest us." – José Luis Rivera López, whose parents and sister are buried in Lares Municipal Cemetery (Adrian Florido / NPR)
→ Puerto Rico Governor Signs Bill for $2 Billion in Tax Relief
Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said the new law will improve the island’s investment climate, while providing tax cuts for residents and businesses. (Luis Valentin Ortiz / Reuters)
→ Puerto Rico Sends Bonuses to Workers, Ignoring Fiscal Warning
Governor Ricardo Rossello’s office sent $85.3 million in Christmas bonuses, despite warnings from the PROMESA board that the bonuses could impede Puerto Rico’s ability to make pay roll later in the year. (Reuters)
→ Senators Want Broader Probe of FEMA Contracts in Puerto Rico
Four Democratic senators have asked the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general to broaden an investigation into hurricane relief problems in Puerto Rico. They are directing the inspector general to look specifically at the $1.2 billion Tu Hogar Renace program. (Kevin G. Hall / McClatchy)
→ The Startling Thing Hurricanes Are Doing To Puerto Rico Watersheds
Hurricanes are causing high levels of nitrates in Puerto Rico’s watersheds, which could result in dead zones and algal blooms. (Marshall Shepherd / Forbes)
→ Rich, Poor Struggle to Shoulder Losses From Devastating Storms
Puerto Rico was rated as the place hardest-hit by powerful storms, according to a climate risk index from environmental policy group Germanwatch. (Reuters)
→ Puerto Rico Needs More Entrepreneurs. What's Being Done to Help Them?
Four in 10 Puerto Ricans reported losing their jobs after the Maria. However, many small businesses have weathered the storm. (Nicole Acevedo and Patricia Guadalupe / NBC News)