Puerto Rico's Coal Ash Crisis Comes to the Forefront
The island's drug crisis is worsening, tourists are invited to volunteer on local farms and more...
→ Puerto Ricans Decry Austerity, Hurricane Help at Hearing
“The situation in Puerto Rico was disastrous even before the hurricane,” one resident said at the hearing held in San Juan. “We Puerto Ricans have a lot of things to say.” (Danica Coto / Associated Press)
→ Confronting Puerto Rico’s Coal-Ash Crisis
The 2 million tons of coal ash left behind in Puerto Rico by Virginia-based energy giant AES Corporation is attracting attention following Hurricane Maria. (Michelle Chen / The Nation)
→ Almost Two Years After Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico’s Drug Crisis Grows More Severe
After Maria, mental health conditions worsened and the availability of pure heroin declined, causing some residents to turn to the even more dangerous fentanyl instead. Experts say they’re worried that fentanyl may become a crisis, the way it is in some mainland states. (Carly Graf / Medill Reports)
→ Metal Found in Food Sold to Puerto Rico Schools for the Second Time in a Week
Nearly 5,000 pounds of corned beef was recalled when a Puerto Rican school found a piece of metal in a chub of the meat. Another food distributor recalled 18 tons of chicken breasts after two schools found metal in the chicken, about a week prior. (David J. Neal / Miami Herald)
→ Hurricane Maria Victims Stretching Cleveland Social Service Agency Thin
In Cleveland, social services agency Spanish American Committee says its running out of resources to help Puerto Rican refugees. So far the organization has spent about $300,000 on staff and services to help Maria victims. (Mike Brookbank / News 5 Cleveland)
→ Help Puerto Rico's Hurricane Recovery Efforts by Volunteering for a Day on Farms
World Central Kitchen, the non-profit started by Chef José Andrés, is inviting tourists to spend a day volunteering on farms in Puerto Rico as part of a program to help support local farms. (Mikol Hoffman / Lonely Planet)
→ Puerto Rico's Historic Ceiba Tree Blooms After Hurricane Devastation
The cenuries-old tree is located in Vieques, and residents see its survival as a sign of hope. (Michael Martin / NPR)
→ More than Just Salsa or Reggaeton: Puerto Rican Artists Shine at SXSW
The second annual Sounds from Puerto Rico showcase at South by Southwest featured supergroup La Banda Acústica Rodante, as well as Cosme, Chasing Nomads, Lizbeth Román y los Duendes Invisibles, and Nutopia. (Nancy Flores / Austin 360)
→ Puerto Rico Looks to Rebuild With AI,' Internet of Things'
A new lab to be built in Bayamon will be tasked with developing new technology that may help Puerto Rico rebuild. (Associated Press)