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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Team Coco Beach leads Interoffice Volleyball Tournament
The San Pedro Volleyball Association (SPVA) 2013 Interoffice Volleyball Tournament is in full swing. The games kicked off on Sunday, September 1st with female teams Butterfingers and Lady Jaguars were the first teams to hit the floor. Butterfingers took the game wining all three sets (Set 1:25-13, Set 2: 25-29, Set 3: 25-13). The second game was between Captain Sharks and San Pedro High School (SPHS). Captain Sharks secured the game also by winning the first three sets (Set 1: 25-19, Set 2: 25-15, Set 3: 25-12). the third game also ended in a three sets to zero win in favor of team Legend who went up against the Lions (Set 1: 25-15, Set 2: 25-9, Set 3: 25-10). The final game of the night Coco Beach defeated the Tropic Air Pilots in a three set to one set game. The tournament continued on Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 8th. Fans gathered at the Angel R Nu�ez Auditorium to cheer on their favorite teams.

Family needs help in locating Carla Marisol Nunez of Belize City
Police have not issued a missing person report as yet, but the family of Carla Marisol Nunez is asking the public's assistance in locating her. Carla left home in Belize City on Tuesday September 10th around 1PM and has not been seen or heard of her since. Carla, a student of Wesley College in Belize City is of brown skin, Mestizo descent and is about 4 feet 8 inches tall. She was last seen wearing a white blouse, white short pants with white slippers. If anyone has seen her or has any information that can lead to her whereabouts you are asked to call the nearest police station or kindly call her family at 629-2233.

Ambergris Today

Miss San Pedro Crowned During September 10th Celebrations
Despite the inclement weather that tried to dampen the spirit of the September 10th celebrations in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, the town managed to coronate its new queen and parade before the rain started on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Before a large crowd of mostly students, outgoing Miss San Pedro Naiely Puc handed over her scepter, cape and bestowed a new crown onto the newly elected Miss San Pedro 2013 Solani Graniel. The ceremony was cut short due to the threat of rain, but San Pedro Mayor and his councilors were able to commemorate the Battle of St. George's Caye/September 10th celebrations before the weather went sour.

Head of U.S. Southern Command Completes Visit to Belize
U.S. Marine Corps General John Kelly, Commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), departed Belize on Thursday, September 5, 2013, after a two-day visit that included meetings with senior Belizean and U.S. Embassy officials, as well as visits to security installations around the country. This is General Kelly's first visit to Belize since becoming SOUTHCOM's Commander in November 2012. Previously, he served as Senior Military Advisor to U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Kelly visited Price Barracks on Wednesday, September 4, 2013, where he met with Brigadier General David Jones, Commander of the Belize Defence Force, to discuss security challenges of concern to the U.S. and Belize, bilateral military cooperation, and U.S. security assistance.

Misc Belizean Sources

Patriotic Playlist: 10 Songs You'll Hear At Belize's September Celebrations
As we informed you yesterday, Belize is in the midst of its annual holiday season-known as the September Celebrations-which officially kicked off today with St. George's Caye Day, a holiday which, among other things, explains why Belize is the only Central American nation with English as its official language. When we thought about curating a list of Belizean tunes to celebrate the occasion, the first person we thought to tap was LargeUp family member (and Belize City native) DJ Rampage. When he's not on the road DJing for Lauryn Hill-yes, that Lauryn Hill-the New York-based selector is one of the reggae and dancehall world's most prolific maker of mixtapes. His latest mix, Fi Wi, which we just premiered here on LargeUp last week, however, spans the essential sounds of Belize including punta, paranda, congo and brukdown. We asked Rampage what songs you can expect to hear should you be enjoying the September Celebrations.

Benque HoC Duodecennial Celebration
The Benque House of Culture had it's 12th anniversary, and they had some great entertainment for the occasion provided by the BMA and Benque Viejo Marching Band. "Benque Viejo Marching Band & Benque Marimba Academy Ensemble, a tribute to the Duo Decennial Anniversary Celebrations "

Vote Miss Belize as Miss Photogenic
Kimberly Kamish is representing Belize at the Miss Continentes Unidos pageant in Ecuador. You can vote for her as Miss Photogenic, which she surely deserves to win. Go Kimberly! "Please vote for Miss Belize Kimberly Kamish as Miss Photogenic at Miss Continentes Unidos 2013. Visit the link below, click in the circle next to her name/photo and then scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click "votar" (which should be below Miss Venezuela's photo). Please vote and share the link: Miss Belize Kimberly Kamish looking gorgeous in Ecuador as she strives to give Belizeans something else to celebrate this September. Miss United Continents 2013 coronation night is September 14, 2013."

Pedro Cruz Paints Cayo Mural
The Cayo Tour Guide Association has a great article out about their interview with Pedro Cruz, who painted the San Ignacio Town mural in front of the police station. 27 gallons of paint is what the amazing mural took. Thanks, Mr. Cruz! "On Sunday, I had the opportunity of taking a close-up view of Mr. Pedro Cruz's mural. It is an amazing art piece which features a collage of historical and wildlife images. It was painted over the welcome sign in San Ignacio. It has images of Cahal Pech, maya masks, and hieroglyphs, as well as wild animals found in the Belizean forests, such as the toucan, tapir, and jaguar. Also depicted are iconic historical and patriotic images like the Belizean Flag, the classic 21 September 1981 emblem and the chicle farmers life. It's not only a mural; it is an experience, something that all Belizeans should see."

Battle of St George's Caye Day in Succotz
Pictures from the Battle of St. George's Caye Day parade in Succotz. Courtesy of D Russell Photography.

Battle of St. George's Caye Day Pictures
The Cayo Welcome Center came alive yesterday after the Battle of St. George's Caye Day parade. The Queen of the West, Vanny Pat, was there, along with the other Queen of the West contestants, to give candy to all the kids. Pandy was there, as was DJ Diamond, to provide entertainment to the happy crowd.

HEAVY RAIN IN TOLEDO
The weather turned inclement this afternoon in Toledo as heavy rain fell.

Workshop on Women's Micro-sized Enterprises Start-up and Credit Facilities
Since the late 1960s, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been offering international assistance through technical cooperation programs, while establishing friendly relations with countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, East Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. In the 1980s, as a result of Taiwan considerable economic achievements and a favorable international trade balance, Taiwan intensified its lending and cooperation programs. Over the past few decades, the Committee of International Technical Cooperation (CITC) and the International Economic Cooperation Development Fund (IECDF) accumulated invaluable experiences as they demonstrated solid achievements in bilateral cooperation.

Channel 7

Capital Cops Make Swift Arrest In Murder Of KTV Latino Star
There were two murders in August in Belize; that's the fewest homicides in any month since 2009. But, September started out badly in the Belmopan area where there were two murders in 24 hours. The only good news coming out of the story is that Belmopan police have displayed impressive investigative work solving both murders in quick time. Today, 7News went back to Belmopan where 4 people were arraigned in connection with the killing of former KTV Latino Champion Daniel Aguirre. As we found out, it was an unusual arraignment where protestors waited in the rain to make their presence, and their anger felt:

Inspector Speaks Skeptically Of Police's Role In Relative's Murder
The investigation into the shooting death of Police Constable Dean Yearwood is moving at quite a different pace. First off it's not a murder investigation; as we reported, 24 year old Constable Yearwood was shot by another Constable, 32 year old Glenn Grant. Off duty Yearwood was firing at a man who just tried to rob him; Grant happened on the scene and let off at least 11 shots, one of them hitting Yearwood in the back and killing him. Police say Grant, who worked in another precinct did not know Yearwood, and did not know he was a policeman pursuing a robber. The circumstances of the shooting, which are at best, dubious, have left a bitter taste in the mouths of Yearwood's family - who say their loved one was "chanced out of his life." One of those prominent family members is Police Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood - the uncle of the deceased. Unlike his nephew, Yearwood has many years in the department - and this morning he called in to KREM WUB on another matter, and made a surprisingly skeptical statement on the ongoing investigation. He started out by saying that when his nephew was taken to the morgue, he should not have been a John Doe:�

City Residents Had To Contend With Major Flooding; MET Office Says Only 2 Inches
Last night, from central to northern Belize the rain poured down in torrents. Here in the city, it seemed like it wouldn't stop and the water in our clogged-up, drain-deficient city just kept rising and rising. City residents, especially those on ground floors or in low lying pockets, witnessed buckets of rain - which raised the water level by over a foot. But the MET Office - which had predicted rains - says they only picked up two-plus inches. Here's the Chief Met Officer: Dennis Gonguez - Chief Met Officer "We had some rainfall about 2 to 2 1/2 inches over the Northern parts of the country. Belize City and the International Airport had just about 2 1/2 inches of rainfall and all indications are that we will have some more rainfall but not of the same amounts that we had last night. There will be some decreases, we'll probably get to about two inches of rainfall during the morning time on Thursday with some decreases later on on Thursday afternoon."

But If It Floods Tonight�.
And vulnerable is just how city residents felt - after water started creeping into their homes. Around 1:00 am, after five hours of non-stop rain, many distress calls went into 9-1-1 - which in turn called the city council - which was not expecting such a serious weather event and had no contingencies in place. Well, that won't happen again tonight; they say they are ready - after learning of those distress calls last night:.. Wayne Usher - CEMO Liaison Officer "People were calling from King Street, Western Avenue, Jane Usher Boulevard, Euphrates Avenue - publicly asking what to do about the waters that were reaching up to their beds in their homes and if the council had any plans to open any shelters because they were fearing from the rising waters. We had a member of staff at the Belize City Council who was exactly in that predicament and we asked that person to please tell us what she did.

CITCO and Red Cross Team Up For Signs Campaign
And while that's for the near term, for the medium term, the City Council and the Red Cross are teaming up to increase awareness of hurricane shelters and evacuation routes. For the Red Cross, which has shifted its focus from hurricane awareness in rural areas since Hurricane Richard clobbered Belize City, it is much needed public information: Lily Bowman - Director General, Belize Red Cross "We found out that there is a main problem in Belize City which is the lack of planned and established evacuation routes. This is to guide the swift movement of people who have to evacuate the city in times of disaster of a Category 2 Hurricane and above. Information and evacuation routes that have recently been established by the CEMO and the assembly points from the various areas in the city need to be prominently identified throughout the city and not only in the Hurricane Season but we believe that throughout all year round. It is very important for this to be evident and for people to know where they are. We also saw it necessary to put up big billboards in ten constituencies."

City Hall: No More Buses On Albert Street!
And while that's what The Belize City Council is doing on the disaster preparedness front, on the public transport front, it's making major moves. First off, City buses will no longer be able to access Albert Street: they won't be able to drive on it, pick up passengers on it, or drop off passengers. We asked Councillor Arlifah Elrington Hyde about it:.. Jules Vasquez "We've always known that there are multiple bus stops and unofficial bus stops between Albert and Regent Streets - you all are saying, that will end?" Alifah Elrington Hyde - City Councilor - Transport "Yes, that will end - I have made it clear to my traffic manager to put in writing that we are cracking down on enforcements with respect to all means of transportation. As it is now what we're doing, we're ensuring that buses no longer run down Albert St. - that's how we're starting."

Saldivar Says Sewell Evidence Suspect
Last week, we told you about the Gary Seawell extradition case which was heard before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. That's when his attorney, Arthur Saldivar, asked the court not to accept at least 10 of the documents exhibited as evidence against his client because the Notaries Public who signed them, had already expired years before the documents were introduced to the court. The Government Crown Council, Illiana Swift was given until today to respond to that charge. But, turns out she didn't really need to respond because Saldivar withdrew those submissions which he made to the court and introduced new arguments. His new position is that the depositions or affidavits before the court, had no oaths on them, and so, held no legal ground for the court to consider. He argued that, the documents weren't properly authenticated, and therefore, there is nothing before the court that constitutes any evidence against his client.

Rhys Back In Court, This Time For Jacking An Iphone
In July, we told you about 22 year-old Nicholi Rhys who went back before the courts for a harm charge, shortly after he had been acquitted of the brazen courthouse killing of Andre Trapp. Well today again, Rhys was back in front of Magistrate's Court with a charge of handling stolen goods. According to police, at 12:05 yesterday afternoon, 20 year old Earl Perez was in his vehicle with his two relatives when he decided to park the vehicle on George Street. As soon as he parked, young man strode up to the vehicle, pushed his hand through the open window and snatched his black IPhone from off his lap.

Tenth Ceremony And Parade Didn't Draw Throngs
215 years after the Battle of St. George's Caye, and 115 years after the event was first commemorated - the tradition of the Tenth continues. It may not be as robust as it was thirty years ago, but it's still a key part of the September Celebration Season. Channel 7 had live coverage of the ceremonial and social events to mark the tenth yesterday - and here's how they went�. Jules Vasquez The tenth day at Memorial Park started with the arrival of dignitaries including the leader of the opposition, the Chief Justice, the Prime Minister and The Governor General. From there commenced the speeches, which played on the well turned theme of the Tenth's validity both as history and celebration: Bernard Q. Pitts, Jr. - Ag. Deputy Mayor "Some say too that the Battle of St. George's Caye is a 215 years old story - that is with mixed with fiction, for that I say - fiction quickly evaporates when confronted by the facts and for this reason the events of the Battle of St. George's Caye should be recounted proudly to future generations as it is the beacon of true Belizean liberation."

Tenth Tradition Still In Cultural DNA
And while this year's tenth parade has to be recorded as a disappointment, don't take the relatively poor turnout to signal that the event has lost its meaning. More than a century after Simon Lamb fought to have the Tenth memorialized, the roots of the tradition still go deep into Belize's Cultural DNA. Daniel Ortiz spoke to some of the Tenth traditionalists who were cueing up for the March:� Hon. Michael Finnegan - Parade Participant "I do this every year because of the richness of the people who came before and I will continue to do it until I can't do it anymore." Hon. Patrick Faber - Parade Participant "About 1998 or so when I came back from the University, I made it my business, it's a tradition for me, to participate in this parade on an annual basis." Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Member, Imperial Band "The tenth is very important because it is the first occasion when the people of Belize, settlement of Belize actually had to find to defend this country and everything in my view begins with the tenth of September."

BTB's Local Launch of "Discover How To Be"
In January, the Belize Tourism Board re-branded it's marketing identity with the launch of a new campaign complete with re-designed logo and theme, which urges visitors to "Discover How To Be." A promotional video was launched simultaneously, but the BTB and its marketing partner Olson had to get clearances for the images and the music - which seemed to take an awful long time. But, just in time for September, the video was released in Belize today. Built around Honduran Aurelio Martinez's song, Santo Negro - produce by Benque VIEJO'S StonEtree records, the BTB says, quote, "The images are authentic, unaltered and profound." "

Channel 5

Family of slain cop says footage of killing is missing
Police continue to investigate the killing of Dean Yearwood Junior, the cop who was shot in back by another police officer in the early hours of Sunday morning. And from [...]

Woman, minor and two men linked to the murder of Daniel Aguirre
The charred body of Daniel Aguirre, a Belmopan taxi driver who in 2011 captured the title of KTV Latino, was found in his taxi last Saturday morning in the Arizona [...]

Two environmental concerns found in Stake Bank Project
The Stake Bank Project seems just about set to go, but information from those in charge of the environmental checks and balances has still not been forthcoming. On Tuesday, September [...]

Court hears closing arguments in the extradition case of Gary Seawell
In February 2010, fugitive from the law Gary Seawell was captured by Belize Police after being on the run for three years. He was found on a remote hillside in [...]

10 year old boy caught driving delivery truck with drunken adult passenger
Belize City police are tonight investigating a report that a minor, a ten-year-old boy, was caught driving a delivery truck in the area of Belama Phase Four on Tuesday.� According [...]

Nicholi Rhys; once charged for murder….now for handling stolen goods
Twenty-two year old Nicholi Rhys is no stranger to the courts and this morning he was back to answer a charge of Handling Stolen Goods. Rhys has beaten a murder [...]

Jermaine Ottley charged for possession of drugs and undersized conch
Less than a month ago, Belize City Stevedore, Jermaine Ottley, a resident of Allenby Street claimed that the Gang Suppression Unit had used excessive force on him. But this morning, [...]

"Discover How to Be" Belize with the new video release by the B.T.B.
The Belize Tourism Board has released a new video entitled 'Discover How To Be,' which you will see later in this newscast. The catchy three minute sales pitch of everything [...]

New signage project launched by CEMO and Red Cross
The Belize Red Cross and City Emergency Management Organization are embarking on a signage project to assist residents of the city during times of natural disasters. The signs were unveiled [...]

Flooding in the City caused by low pressure system
At the press conference at which the signage project was discussed, the Belize City Emergency Management Organization also said that it has sprung into action following the heavy rains on [...]

Torrential rains also caused flooding in Dangriga
The past twenty-four hours in Belize have been wet ones, with rains beating most of the country for hours at a time. Aside from the City, there has been flooding [...]

Still no assistance to Dangriga for damage caused by Tropical Depression in June
As Swaso mentioned, there is precedent to the serious flooding of that southern district. In fact, News Five was in that area in June, when Tropical Depression number two resulted [...]

City commuters up in arms over relocation of bus stop in the downtown
As we told you, a number of streets in the City were flooded due to the rains over the past two days. The downpour sent commuters scurrying for public transportation [...]

More News: Scroll up from here

LOVE FM

Police News: Cattle Theft, Robbery and Drug Trafficking
On Sunday September 8th police visited the Municipal Airstrip in Belize City where a package which was to be sent from Belize City to San Pedro was inspected. In this package were some old broken phone chargers. The chargers were opened and one of them contained a transparent plastic bag containing two pieces of hard creamy substance suspected to be crack cocaine. The suspected crack cocaine was taken to the station where it was weighed and it amounted to seven point three grams. It was sealed and labeled as found property. Marlon Meza, a Belizean salesman of Hill view Area, Santa Elena Town, Cayo reported that at about two o'clock Sunday afternoon he was at a shop in St. Mathews Village delivering goods along with two other persons. Meza said they were approached by two men of dark complexion who had what appeared to be a pistol. The man reportedly robbed them of their personal belongings and one thousand four hundred Belize dollars. Police investigation continues.

Weather Bureau Warned of Torrential Rains; City Council Ignored Warning
Torrential rains fell over Belize City and other areas of the country over Sunday night and it caused severe flooding in low-lying areas of the old capital. A number of streets in the city were impassable for a few hours on Tuesday night but by this morning, the water had dissipated. Weather forecasters predicted the torrential rains. Dennis Gonguez, Chief Meteorologist "A broad area of low pressure exists over the northwestern Caribbean; the centre of this system is presently over the Orange Walk District. Since the system is over land, there's no potential for it to develop further. We had some rainfall amounting to 2 - 21/2 inches over the northern parts of the country; we had forecast the amounts of rainfall indeed." MARION ALI But while the Met Service warned of the rains that caused some residents to experience flooding into their homes, CEMO had not activated a plan of action because they did not expect so much water in so little time.

Dangriga Mayor Refuses to Comment on Civil Suit Against Town Council
The Dangriga Town Council has been taken to court for allegedly not paying its bill. According to information received, the Dangriga Town Council was sued in the Dangriga Magistrate court sometime last week for an undisclosed amount of money that the council allegedly failed to pay for the delivery of a back hoe that was reportedly ordered from Houston, Texas. It is reported that the lawsuit was taken out by a Belmopan Businessman after an attempt to collect monies that he spent to ship the equipment from Houston, clear it from Customs and further delivered to the Dangriga Town Council failed. Mayor of Dangriga, Gilbert Swaso, would not comment on the matter since the case is still before the court. Swaso along with the plaintiff is schedule to appear in court on Friday September 13th.

Stolen Firearm Found In Pit Among Excrement
Police have recovered a firearm believed to be that of murdered taxi driver Daniel Aguirre. Today 29-year-old Noel Alexander Torress of Antelope Street Extension in Belize City was charged for kept firearm without a gun licence, kept ammunition without a gun licence and one count of handling stolen goods. Torress pled guilty to the charges and was sentenced to five years for kept ammunition and five years for kept unlicenced firearm and one year for handling stolen good. His sentences will run concurrently. 49-year old Miguel Dominguez was also charged with the same offences however he pled not guilty. 41 year old Blanca Araceli Dominguez and a 16 year old minor were charged with kept firearm without a gun licence and kept ammunition without a gun licence; both pled not guilty.

New Ambulance Allows for Better Emergency Response in Western Belize
The San Ignacio Hospital now boasts a new ambulance. The new ambulance was debuted yesterday during the St. George's Caye Celebrations in that municipality. The ambulance which came as a donation from the Florida Hospital Adventist health system is a major upgrade for the hospital which prior to this donation had no ambulance. Area Representative Elvin Penner also chipped in by shipping the ambulance to Belize and according to Doctor Dennis Borland and Deputy Regional Hospital Manager for the San Ignacio Hospital, Myra Pullido, the ambulance will greatly benefit the community on a whole. DR. DENNIS BORLAND "This ambulance is something that the San Ignacio Hospital has needed for a long time. They needed to have their own ambulance because every time you hear people talking about not having access to an ambulance; so, working with the Seventh Day Adventist Health system in Florida, we were able to get them to donate an ambulance and the hardest part was getting it to Belize; so, with the help of Minister Elvin Penner we were able to get all the paper works done and get it into Belize and hand it over to the San Ignacio Hospital."

PUP Area Representative Says He Will Not Sit in PAC Meeting
On the 4th of September, the Public Accounts Committee met at the National Assembly into highly anticipated meeting called by the Chairman of the Committee, Julius Espat. Although Espat wished to have the committee review the most recent auditor general's report, things didn't go as planned when instead a move from the other members of PAC had them looking at the Auditor General's report for 2003 to 2004 and from 2004 to 2005. Espat then adjourned the meeting, but it proceeded with the rest of the members. A next meeting of the PAC is scheduled to take place on Monday the 23rd of September, but Espat when speaking this morning on Love FM and Love TV's morning show, said he will not take part in it for reasons of illegality and that matter of illegality was explained by Attorney, Senator, and Lisa Shoman. JULIUS ESPAT, Chairman, PAC/ SENATOR LISA SHOMAN, Attorney "We are of the opinion that we cannot participate in something that is illegal and unconstitutional and a blatant violation of the standing orders. The government wants to go over the Auditor General's report from 2003/2004 which has been done already and this was chaired by John Saldivar and Erwin Contreras, who by the way are now members and who by the way is now putting himself as pro-tem Chairman; do you see how dictators work?"

CTV3

CTV3 News Celebrates 11 Years Of Keeping Northenos Informed
On this day, exactly 11 years ago, this very studio saw the birth of CTV3 News. Thanks to innovative thinkers and the management of Centaur Communications Corporations Limited pooling resources to acquire equipment, the first CTV3 newscast was aired. All of that transpired on a Wednesday evening with the leading story being a September 10th black party on Price Avenue. It was no easy task but the small staff at that time was adamant to get the news going. Since September 11th 2002 we've covered hundreds of stories and have grown to become the northern districts' most reliable, educational and informative source of local and national news. Our very first anchor was Mr. Adrian Leiva, with reporters Aldo Cansino and Rio Lau. Through the years, our news anchors have been Adrian Leiva, Paulita Nu�ez, Ashanti Armstrong, Victoria Hill, Leo Carballo, Dalila Ical, Stephanie Acosta, Carmelita Perez and I Negril Crawford.

Mother Of Three Speaks Out For Assistance
A family of five from the village of San Pablo is tonight pleading to the public for assistance. Leorcadea Arcurio is the mother of three children and wife to Marcial Arcurio. Today she told us she is having a difficult time in finding money to feed her children since her husband fell terribly ill approximately seven years ago. The aftermath of the severe illness has created a domino effect as he is unable to work and provide for his family. Doctors diagnosed Marcial Arcurio with Post-epiglottis and as a result he has completely lost the ability to speak. But that is not all. Marcial was also diagnosed with "lack of concentration due to illness" and as a result was certified as incapable for work. Leorcadia says her husband has searched for employment several times but has been turned down because of his condition. The situation has now taken a turn for worst as two of the couples children are attending high school and the family is in a financial constraint. Based on this reason Leorcadia decided to plead to the public for assistance.

What It Takes For Classes To Be Cancelled During Rainy Weather
This morning, local radio stations and our very own Despierta Belice were flooded with calls of concerned parents questioning if classes would be cancelled due to the inclement weather. With only 180 school days allocated to complete the school year's curriculum, students are urged to make all efforts to attend classes on a daily basis. Having in mind that the month of September marks the peak of the hurricane season, the Ministry of Education is well aware of the parent's concerns to send their children to school during the rainy weather, after all their health comes first. But at the same time, the Ministry of Education would like parents and students to bear in mind that the decision to cancel classes does not necessarily fall on the hands of the school's management. Today we caught up with District Education Officer for Corozal, Jahmor Lopez, who explained to us the procedures to call off classes for the day.

And It Was The Tenth Day Of September O/W Mayor And DPM Talk Unity
It was the tenth day of September yesterday and despite the inclement weather, Belizeans countrywide took part in the official ceremonies to celebrate the Battle of Saint Georges Caye. Here in Orange Walk, ceremonies took place at the Orange Walk Central Park where the Orange Walk Town Council paid tribute to the Baymen with all the traditional trimmings. The day started with the arrival of councilors and Mayor of Orange Walk Kevin Bernard followed by the arrival of the Deputy Prime Minister of Belize Honorable Gaspar Vega who carried out the inspection of the guard. We must note that this year, during the speeches, there was no chest beating. In fact, we can safely say that for the first time in many years, the 10th of September was not about red or blue; it was about being patriotic and remembering those who fought for Belize. As Belizeans celebrated the 215th Battle of Saint Georges Caye, both Mayor Kevin Bernard and Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega carried a message of unity.

Chula Vista Residents Under Water, Mayor Campos Says There Is Not Much The Council Can Do
Intense and continuous rainfall, especially along northern and coastal areas for the past days, has caused localized flooding. With the ground saturated and no proper drainage system in place, flood waters in Corozal Town is now finding its way into people's back yard and if the rains continue it will eventually invade several homes. Victor Castillo reports from Corozal. Victor Castillo - Reporting Chula Vista Area, located within Corozal Town, is just one of the areas that often falls victim to flooding during the hurricane season. While the residents claim that the area is a peaceful one to live in, their main concern is the rapid flooding that they experience during the heavy rains. The scenario was no different today when we visited the area. The heavy downpour over the last few days has left its mark once more as streets are filled with water, finding its way into people's homes. The situation has proven more difficult for children who need to find their way to school and have to waddle through the flooded waters to do so.

Belmopan Police One Step Closer In Identifying Aguirre's Killer
On Saturday morning the body of popular karaoke singer Daniel Aguirre was found inside his taxi car burnt beyond recognition. The vehicle was discovered in an isolated area some four miles off the George Price Highway in the village of Teakettle. Since the dreadful discovery was made Belmopan police have been working overtime in order to solve this latest crime. And tonight, all indications are that authorities are one step closer to capturing Aguirre's killer or killers as they have been able to recover his 9mm firearm which he was in possession of on the night of his murder. Reports are that one of the suspects police initially detained for Aguirre's murder directed them to a residence located in the Arizona Area of Teakettle Village. When police arrived at the scene they confronted one Miguel Dominguez who told officers he wanted no problems with the law and out rightly confessed that he threw a gun in a pit latrine located in the same yard.

PlusTV

Contractor General investigating SIF and Dangriga Town Market Project
The 1.3 million dollar project that is the renovation of the Dangriga Town Market has been making progress, but PlusNews understands that works will soon be halted. The project being spearheaded under the Social Investment Fund as part of the Belize Municipal Development Project. And we have been informed...

Police officer shot dead by fellow cop
Police in Belize City have confirmed the passing of one of their own in a bizarre incident over the weekend. According to official reports, Police Constable Glen Wayne Grant, 32, attached to Precinct One on Euphrates Avenue, was riding his bicycle going home from a function on Central American...

Popular performer and taxi man murdered
Belmopan Police is currently investigating an apparent murder whereby a well know Taxi Operator was burnt to death in his Taxi cab. While the body of the individual has not been positively identified as yet, evidence has been pointing to 37 year old Daniel Aguirre. If confirmed, Daniel Aguirre...

Police Commissioner reports reduction in crime
While they mourn a fallen brother, the Police Department took the opportunity to do a little "bigging-up" of itself for reducing the crime rate across the country and particularly in the old Capital. There have been no murders reported in the City in exactly two months and last month's...

Police Commissioner speaks on three cases of inappropriate force leading to death
We have been following the attempts of the Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal to force action from the Police Department with regard to three open cases in which Police are accused of inappropriate force leading to death. These are the cases of Kevin Kelly,...

Honduran arrested for murder of Nigel Neal in Roaring Creek
Last week Friday we told you about the broad daylight murder of 34 year old Nigel Neal. Neal was lay waited and gunned down in front of his residence in the village of Roaring Creek. Neal had communicated with his mother, Alice Burgess that he believed there was a...

Man charged in Corozal for possession of cannabis
Police have arrested one man after allegedly discovering weed in his vehicle. Last week Friday, Corozal Police were on mobile patrol on 7th Avenue when they pulled over a Nissan car being driven by Israel Rancharan. An initial search on the vehicle turned up nothing incriminating; however, Mr Rancharan...

BTV encounters armed Guatemalan military officials
The group of patriots, naming themselves Belize Territorial Volunteers and headed by Wil Maheia, had a disturbing encounter on Sunday September 8th, at around 9:30 a.m. In mood of the September Celebrations the group of volunteers decided to go to the Belize/Guatemalan border; something...

PAC schedule public hearings in Belmopan
For the past couple of weeks, we have been updating you on the new developments of the Public Accounts Committee, which seemed to be evolving into a very heated dispute. However, the fire seems to have cooled between government members and opposition leaders within the Committee, at least for...

Belize Female Youth National Team placed fourth in the Central American Volleyball Championship
The performance level of sports in the country is quickly gaining altitude; and of course, volleyball is no alien to this equation. On Friday September 6th, the Belize Female Youth National Team placed fourth in the Central American Championship held in the city...

Belmopan celebrates Independence with various events
Plus TV sat down the Assistant Events Coordinator at the Belmopan City Council, where she talked about the Council's September Celebrations calendar. Now we bring you those events scheduled to take place after the 10th, St. George's Caye Day. On the agenda for the 13th, a Children's Rally will...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Scuba Sensation boat and engine stolen
Last night masked thieves stole the dive boat belonging to the Scuba Sensation dive shop located on Front Street, The boat, also named "Scuba Sensation" was stolen along with the 200 Yamaha engine of it. The boat was later found., but without the engine! If anybody knows of a 200 Yamaha that is for sale or any info on this stolen engine, please call 6004700 or slip a note under SCUBA SENSATIONS DIVE SHOP'S door. If you heard or saw something of the sort, so as to lead us to the recovery of the engine, please also let the good folks at Scuba Sensations as well as the police know.

Letter to the Editor: Biologically Appropriate Technology or GMO
Biologically appropriate technology is designed to do no harm to the environment - the air, water and soil in which we, and all animals, depend on for life. It is working with nature, not against it. It is learning from and respecting nature. An example of biologically appropriate technology would be energy, produced on site where needed, from renewable sources. Interestingly, energy is an area where humans have made some serious wrong turns and where we should have learned that we must be very careful about who is telling us what and why. Having been an environmental journalist turned anti-nuclear/pro-renewable energy activist, I am seeing similar patterns in the debate over GMO corn as existed in the nuclear debate. The parallels lie in how the public was sold on nuclear power back when there was controversy and concern that nuclear power might not be " biologically appropriate technology." Touted as being "safe, clean, and too cheap to meter" by the industries that financially benefited, nuclear energy turned out to be an expensive environmental nightmare, costing trillions, and many lives. We still do not have a clue as to how to safely deal with the waste which must be monitored in some cases for 250,000 years, and Fukushima is an ongoing out-of-control environmental disaster contaminating water daily with ionizing radiation that flows to the open sea.

Blogs

Real Honeymoon: Belize
I don't know about you, but this week's Real Honeymoon makes me want to book a trip to Belize as soon as possible. Matt and Agnes split their vacation time between the jungle and the beach, and the result was an exciting but very relaxing honeymoon that was perfect for these super busy lawyers. Read all about their incredible Belizean honeymoon below: When and where did you honeymoon? The night after our wedding, we caught a redeye flight to Belize and got there the following morning. We were there from June 17 through June 24. This is technically the beginning of the "off-season" and rainy season, but it ended up being the perfect time to go, because the weather is still really great, prices are lower, and it's a lot less packed but still vibrant. We spent the first 3 nights at the Lodge at Chaa Creek, an amazing resort in the jungles of the Cayo district just a few miles from the Guatemalan border. Then we headed back to the Caribbean Sea where we spent the next 4 nights relaxing on the beach at Victoria House on Ambergris Caye.

Chaa Creek Remembers 9/11
Although years have passed since that dreadful day in September when the previously unthinkable happened, the pain is still fresh in the minds and souls of so many people around the world. Even here in Belize, surrounded by Mother Nature's beauty and the serenity that come with it, we can't help but be affected each year when the events of that day come rushing back. All we can do is attempt to join the rest of the world in reaching out to the survivors, families and everyone affected by that tragedy with feelings of love and any sense of comfort and support that comes with knowing that even in the most remote parts of the world, people are thinking of you and wishing you as much peace and closure as possible.

"Friends" in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
With it being a public holiday in Belize yesterday to celebrate and commemorate the battle of St George's Caye and needing to recover from my exertions (I am getting older!) of the previous day I decided that it would be a 'blog free' day for me (and you if you were waiting for an edition to be published!). From the time (around 05.00 hours for those of you that 'like' this kind of detail) I got out on to the veranda it had the 'feel' of being 'one of those days'. You know the type. Rainy. Overcast. Dull. The kind of weather that might encourage you to grab a book and go back to bed. Well I didn't go to those lengths but I might just as well have done because I couldn't even muster up the enthusiasm (or energy) to go in to town to watch the celebrations. Fortunately not everyone is as easily influenced by weather conditions as I am and you can get a very good 'feel' for what the parade was like from the edition that San Pedro Scoop published.

Amish Sausage Balls
Yielts: 26 Cookin Time: 30 min Whut Y'all'll Neet: 1 pound Itlian sausage, casyun' removet 1/2 cup plane breed crumbs 1/4 cup finelee choppet onion 1 egg, beete 2 teespoons vegetabull earl 1 1/2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 cup lite brown sugar

International Sources

Sleep at the base of a Maya temple
Glamping has taken on an ancient air in Guatemala, where a few lucky couples can make camp and dine at the base of a Maya temple each year. The Ka'ana Resort's Maya City To Yourself package includes an entire evening exploring the ruins of Yaxha, located on Guatemala's border with Belize. The exclusive experience starts at dusk when daily visitors clear out, and an archaeological guide leads the couple on a private tour through the ancient city. It was once the third largest in the region, and possibly first settled as far back as 1,000BC. More than 500 structures still stand throughout the city, and the guide details their different functions. There is a Mesoamerican ballcourt, for example, where sporting events and feasts took place, as well as sculpted monuments dedicated to deities and kings. The tour ends with a hike to one of the tallest temples to watch the sunset over Lake Yaxha. The night continues at the base of one of the city's classic tiered temples with a table set for a traditional dinner, cooked by a trio of women from a neighbouring Maya village. The menu changes seasonally, but is always centred around corn, such as handmade corn tamales, corn tortillas and a corn-based drink called atole, along with plenty of fresh vegetables. As the evening winds down, a private tent is set up with open views of the torch-lit plaza, though couples can also choose to climb another temple for after-dinner drinks. The pair also has access to a private butler should any needs arise during the night.

US energy company must suspend oil exploration until Government of Belize obtains free, prior and informed consent of Toledo's Maya and Garifuna peoples, says new report
USCapital Energy Belize, Ltd must suspend its oil exploration immediately in Toledo, and resume activities only if the Belizean government obtains the free, prior and informed consent of the Maya and Garifuna peoples who live in the area, says an international rights organisation in a new report. 'Toledo District, Belize, is the ancestral homeland of indigenous Maya people and Afro-descendant Garifuna people. Under human rights law, the government of Belize is obliged to protect and ensure Maya and Garifuna land rights. Private businesses operating in the area also have a duty to respect these rights,' says Lucy Claridge, Minority Rights Group International (MRG) Head of Law. 'The government of Belize must halt oil exploration in Toledo without further delay, and delineate and title Maya and Garifuna lands,' Claridge added.

Where in the World Are Americans Investing Dollars
If the last several years have taught us anything, it's that our economic system is more volatile than ever. Trillions of dollars were lost in the last credit crisis. Now, numerous economists and finance experts are predicting the implosion of the dollar and U.S. economy in the next three to five years. According to George Melloan of the Wall Street Journal, "It is unlikely that Americans themselves will escape the inflationary consequences of the current Fed policy." This is why some of the world's most influential and wealthy individuals have gradually been transitioning their investments out of the dollar - and sending their money to beautiful Belize. Nestled between Mexico and Guatemala, this former British colony offers a distinct Caribbean spirit, and is very close to the United States-only a one-hour flight from Miami, two hours from Dallas or Houston. As TripAdvisor.com notes, "Forty percent of this English-speaking paradise is protected park and nature reserve land. Enthralling Mayan ruins await amid rainforest canopies. Awe-inspiring scuba diving and eco-adventures are on offer along the world's second-longest barrier reef. The 1000-foot-diameter Blue Hole is so big and so blue that it can be seen from outer space."

AFAR Belize Guide Video

VIDEO: Diving the Blue Hole in Belize
The Great Blue Hole is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 km (43 mi) from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 m (984 ft) across and 124 m (407 ft) deep.It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower. Analysis of stalactites found in Great Blue Hole shows that formation took place 153,000; 66,000; 60,000; and 15,000 years ago.As the ocean began to rise again, the cave was flooded.The Great Blue Hole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site

Six CARICOM countries put on Watch List for human trafficking
Even as Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments, during the past year, have seemingly made efforts in addressing human trafficking, the United States says many of them have still not done enough in tackling the issue. In this nexus, in its 2013Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, the US Department of State placed six CARICOM countries - Barbados, Guyana, Haiti, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago - on its Tier 2 Watch List. Another four - Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines - have been listed on the Tier 2 List. Belize is regarded also as a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour and that a common form of human trafficking is the "coerced prostitution of children, often occurring through parents pushing their children to provide sexual favours to older men in exchange for school fees, money and gifts".

Lost In An Underwater Cave, Dont Let This Be You
It's a terrible tragedy when an open water diver swims into an underwater cave and doesn't make it out alive. It happened recently to a honeymoon couple in Mexico. They hired a guide for a cavern dive. He ended up taking them into a cave and all 3 died. Choose your guides carefully and don't feel pressure to go anywhere you are not comfortable with. There is nothing in any underwater cave worth dying for- Be smart and safe!! I hope this short film sends a strong enough message to anyone thinking they dont need cave training to dive in the caves.

250 Million Reasons You Should Register Your Photo Copyrights
We recently spoke to PhotoAttorney.com's Carolyn Wright and former ASMP President Richard Kelly about the importance of registering your copyright regularl

Why Gursky's Photo of the Rhine is the World's Most Expensive Photo
The art world was abuzz last week after Andreas Gursky's photograph Rhein II sold at auction for a ground-breaking $4.3 million. The print may be Plexiglas