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The San Pedro Sun

Wolfe's Woofer: What Smell? What Noise?
"It's time for you to go to the doctor for a checkup," Sherry said. "What?" "I said it's time for you to get a checkup." "A checkup? Why do I need a checkup?" "One good reason is that you were in the hospital only nine months ago. When you have been sick enough to go [�]

Police houses still not relocated 70 days after SPTC committed to do so; new barracks building near completion
70 days after a commitment was made by the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) to move two houses donated to the San Pedro Police Department, that promise has yet to be filled. The houses were donated to the police through the San Pedro Business Association (SPBA) to be used as living quarters. SPBA founding member Elito Arceo had offered to move the buildings with community support, but the SPTC stepped in and committed to doing so instead. Once occupied by members of the Belize Coast Guard on the island, the structures remain unoccupied on a private property in the San Pablo Area. When asked what has taken so long for the SPTC to relocate the structures, Deputy Mayor Gabriel "Gabby" Nu�ez indicated that beyond previous reasons given, he wants to complete a project he is currently involved with, that will help address the living conditions of the police, before moving on to the relocation of the two buildings.

Police Report
Boris Fuentes, a Salvadoran taxi driver of a Laguna Drive, Boca Del Rio, address in San Pedro Town, visited the San Pedro Police Station along with officers from the San Pedro Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch Patrol, who had in their custody, 22-year-old Luis Gonzalez of a San Pedro Town address. An initial report from Fuentes is that at about 12:45AM, he was at the food stand located by the airstrip when he was approached by Luis Gonzalez to hire his taxi to take him home. Upon arrival at the passenger's destination, the passenger exited the vehicle and subsequently disappeared without paying Fuentes for his service. The San Pedro Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch Patrol sprang into action and found the passenger on the beach trying to hide. The young man was then escorted to the San Pedro Police Station where he was detained.

Doctor Love: Children and Pets
Readers, please send your letters. They can be emails, formal letters or handwritten notes. They are edited solely for grammar and spelling. Also, they are sometimes edited for length. Dear Doctor Love, My fianc� and I are in a disagreement. We met two years ago when she was here on vacation and last year she [�]

Misc Belizean Sources

Here is the last hurricane to hit Corozal in 2007
Are we glad May is over? Not too quick - Today, Belize marks the official beginning of this year's hurricane season and a very wet weekend. Here is the last hurricane to hit Corozal in 2007 - Hurricane Dean made landfall along the Yucatan Peninsula near to Costa Maya at Latitude 18.7 N and Longitude 87.8 W about 40 miles north of Corozal Town on 21 August, 2007 at 0745 UT traveling westward at 20 mph. Hurricane Dean was a Category Five (5) hurricane (winds of 165 mph). Gale force winds extended 60 miles from the centre heavily affecting the northern Districts of Corozal and Orange Walk. The Belize District, mainly Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker was also significantly affected. After crossing the Yucatan Peninsula, Dean maintained hurricane force winds and weakened to a category one (1) storm heading off into the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico. Displaced persons from the affected areas sought shelter within and outside of the affected areas. In all a total of 87 shelters opened countrywide that accommodated approximately 8,133 persons. The City of Belmopan also in the Cayo district reported 1,878 persons registered. The Corozal District has 35,500 (Central Statistical Office Report 2005) persons with 8,800 or 24.79% of the population being concentrated in Corozal Town. Some seventy-five (75) shelters were opened to the public and some five thousand two hundred (5,200) persons were registered.

Seth Montfort Returns to GPC
Seth Montfort is returning to the George Price Center for 2 more of his 'Made for Belize' concerts. He'll be there Monday, June 2nd, and Tuesday, June 3rd. Seth's been playing around Belize for years, and he's a very talented pianist. Definitely worth seeing if you have the time.

Western Ballaz Defeat No LImit in Playoff Game 2
The Western Ballaz travelled to Belize City on Friday to play the second game in the semi-finals(game stats here). It was a close game, and the Western Ballaz won by 2 points, 64 - 62. They'll host the No Limit this Friday in the last game of the semi-finals. Go Ballaz!

The Reporter

Cuba and US discuss improving relations
Cuba and the United States held talks late this past week to improve U.S.-‪Cuba relations. Cuban President Raul Castro met with a 12-member U.S. Chamber of Commerce delegation on Thursday. According to Thomas Donohue, the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the three-day visit "was positive" and he expexted the talks to continue. The delegation included executives from Amway, a direct-selling mega-corporation and Cargill, one of the world's largest suppliers of agricultural products and foods. Currently, Cuba's 52-year-old trade embargo bans most trade between the two countries. Under reforms initiated by Raul Castro, nearly 500,000 Cubans have started their own businesses, activity that was strictly forbidden for much of the Cuban revolution.

Murder in San Pedro
San Pedro police are asking the assistance of San Pedro residents in solving the murder of Alfred Kelvin, 49, who was shot dead early Saturday on the island. Sketchy reports are that Kelvin was walking on Seaweed Street around 2 a.m. when someone fired a single gunshot, which struck him in the face.

Belize joins region in continued support of ousted professor
A little over 100 Belizeans gathered in front of the Supreme Court this weekend, joining in with others in the Caribbean to support ousted professor, Dr. Brendan Bain. The crowd gathered at the Battlefield Park from 11 a.m. till noon on Saturday bearing placards and signs condemning the University of the West Indies for terminating Dr. Bain, and warning passersby that their freedom of speech and conscience was under attack. Pastor Scott Stirm of Belize Action emphasized that the follow-up protest is to resonate with Caribbean partners in keeping the issues in the realm of public discussion. "When we heard that our Caribbean partners are scheduling protests for next week, we decided to keep hammering because this is bigger than just Bain." Stirm said that Jamaica, in particular, is scheduling two more protests for the coming week, to rally support behind Bain and the data that he presented in court.

Patrick Jones

Hurricane season for 2014 underway
The 2014 hurricane season for the Tropical Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean started today. Forecasters expect an average season this year with about a dozen or so named storms expected. Of that amount, they expect one or two to become major hurricanes. Currently, there are no features of interest in the Tropical Atlantic. In the Gulf of Mexico there is a stationary trough of low pressure that is producing widespread cloudiness and showers. No development of this feature is expected at this time.

Belize and the IDB reaffirm strong partnership
Belize and the Washington-based Inter-American Development Bank continue to enjoy a strong partnership. That is according to a press release from the IDB issued on Friday announcing a visit to the organization's headquarters by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. During the visit, Prime Minister Barrow met with IDB president Luis Alberto Moreno and expressed his satisfaction at the Bank's approval of its country strategy with Belize. That work plan, which covers the next four years is designed to support the Belize government's own development agenda focusing on education, tourism, transport and trade and tax policy. This year the IDB is assisting Belize with loans totaling US$30 million to be used for road rehabilitation and education. Belize became a borrowing member of the IDB in 1992.

Volunteers plant mangrove in Placencia village
The canal adjacent to the airstrip in Placencia village is now sporting a fresh line of mangrove plants. About four hundred mangrove seedlings were planted during an environmental project carried out on Friday of last week. The mangrove planting project was organized in memory of environmentalist Adrian Vernon and had the participation of over forty volunteers including members of Vernon's family. According to a press release sent out by the organizers of the event, the Placencia Mangrove Planting Project was carried out in the Crimson Development community of the village. The official release recalls that Adrian Vernon was "a staunch advocate for the protection of the Placencia lagoon as well as national mangrove restoration initiatives." He died in February of this year.

Blogs

Chaya Cafe now open at Zen Arcade
In celebration of the opening of the Chaya cafe Zen Arcade is extending a special offer to all new students new students to Treetop Studio. On Monday June 2nd ONLY every new student to Tree Top Studio will receive at $20.00 credit voucher for the Chaya Cafe (valid thru June 2014) Monday 8:30 am - 9:45 am Intermediate/Advanced 10:00 am - 10:45 am Pilates Core Intensive 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Rejuvenate / Beginners level 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Muay Thai Beginners ages 4-14 5::30 pm - 6:30 pm Dance & Bodywork with Suzana (Teens & Adults) 6:45 pm - 7:45 pm Candlelight Enjoy many other services at Zen Arcade: Chaya Cafe in Partnership with Rojo Lounge serving up tasty award winning foods and signature cocktails Beauty Bar at Zen for all your hair, nails, and waxing needs. Restore Massage with prenatal, swedish, deep tissue. A wide range of Pure Aesthetics including Botox, Jevederm, chemical peels, facials, Derma Pen by licensed medical professional. Rug Rats Play Club, hourly childcare in a safe, learning environment with licensed childcare. Serenity Pool with gardens complimentary for all guests and students.

"TV Dinners" in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Long time no 'speak'. I've been thinking of you though but just haven't had the get up and go to knock out an edition. That and the small fact (sic) that I didn't think that I had that much to tell you about. I mean, there are so many times I can get away with that "out on the veranda with the mug of black coffee" routine. Or are there? I had plans for today that included an early start in the garden with the pruning shears but the rain that has been coming down for most of last night and this morning have put paid to that. Well at least for a while anyway. So what could I do? I know, sit out on the veranda with a mug of black coffee and my iPad and 'knock out' an edition. But what to write about? Sitting there listening to the rain I struggled to conjure up something mildly interesting or amusing and, if I'm really lucky, both (allow me to fantasise) to write about. I don't know why but I thought of Sigmund Freud's comment about inspiration. Apparently he said " When inspiration doesn't come, I go halfway to meet it". So I thought if it was good enough for Sigmund, then it's good enough for me.

Photo Essay: The 2014 Chocolate Festival of Belize
Annually, during the Commonwealth holiday weekend, the Toledo District hosts the Chocolate Festival of Belize and this year it happened on May 23rd - 25th, 2014. On Friday there was the Wine and Chocolate celebration, Saturday was the Taste of Toledo street fair on front street in Punta Gorda and on Sunday, the closing ceremonies took place at the beautiful Lubaantun Maya ruins. I'm very proud of this festival, it showcases something that the country produces very well and most importantly, it promotes tourism to the less visited Southern Belize. Earlier this week I shared a blog post written by San Pedro Scoop on my Facebook fan page but today I ran into a beautiful selection of photos by the Belize Tourism Board and thought it would be nice if I shared my top 10 favourite photographs that capture how fun the event was.

Why Visiting Or Moving To Ambergris Caye Is Worth It
There is no denying that Ambergris Caye in Belize country is a beautiful destination. With gorgeous beaches, incredible scenery and warm climate, it is the perfect place to relax and unwind. For most people, a few days or weeks in paradise is just not enough. If you are interested in visiting or even moving to Ambergris Caye, here are seven reasons to push through and make one of the best decisions of your life. 1. Affordability - One of the biggest factors to determine whether to vacation or relocate to a new place is budget. On Ambergris Caye, the costs of living are low. Belize real estate and even Belize hotels are affordable, and basic necessities are much cheaper than they would be in North American destinations. 2. Relaxed atmosphere - The thing that brings visitors back to Ambergris Caye time and time again is the atmosphere. The pace of life is slower on the island, creating a place that is welcoming and inviting. Whether you intend to spend your days relaxing on white sand beaches or swimming in refreshing waters, you will enjoy the relaxing and calming environment.

4 Ways To Enjoy And Relax In Belize This Winter Season
Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America. It is a country filled with natural beauty, white sand beaches, and ancient Maya culture. The Belizeans refer to their country as 'jewel' and they are proud of their diverse heritage. You can see Caribbean, Mayan, Asian, European and African cultures all over this small country. Did you know that it only takes about an hour and a half to fly from Miami to Belize City, and it takes only a little over two hours from Miami to New York City? Winter in North America means dry season in Belize. It is the best time to visit from December to March when the rainy season is over and humidity is lower. The subtropical temperatures of Belize average between 75 to 85 degrees. If you are planning to take a break from the cold this winter, think no further. Belize may be just the right place to spend your time with your family away from the cold days of winter. Here are four ways you can find your piece of paradise in Belize this winter. 1.Enjoy and Relax in the Sea The many colors of the underwater world of Belize are paradise to divers and snorkelers. The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world. This 185-mile long natural wonder has over 70 varieties of hard coral and 500 species of fish. The Blue Hole is a Belizean icon, with a depth of 410 feet and 1,000 feet in circumference. It is here that you may find the whale shark.

Going On The Specialty Chocolate Trail In Toledo, Belize
The remote southern Toledo region of Belize country does not make it onto many tourist itineraries, but it can be a great destination for summer. You might not be aware of it, but there are reports of specialty chocolate tours and hands-on lessons offered at farms spread across the lush valleys and hills of Toledo. Any of these activities should be perfect for families vacationing in Belize. This Is Perfect For Families Vacationing In Belize In San Felipe, a village of about 65 homes is home to families who have been farming specialty chocolate for generations. Get a guide who will lead into the cacao trees, where you will find oblong yellow pods from trunks. With a whack of a club, it will split open to reveal the goo-covered seeds. You can remove one, put it in your mouth, suck off the sweet tart pulp, and then spitting the seed to the ground. The pulp does not take like chocolate at all, which is made from the seed. The people in this village make their specialty chocolate right in their cramped concrete kitchens, using a pile of dried, roasted and peeled cacao beans and old grinding stones. For most of them, this was their main way of living, paying for the needs of their children and even for their education. Using the grinding stones, the beans are shattered and mixed with wild vanilla, allspice and sugar. A savory odor should then linger in the air.

5 San Pedro Hotels With Cabanas On The Water
San Pedro is the main hub of Ambergris Caye, offering the most comprehensive range of lodging options on Belize country. A handful of San Pedro hotels in and around the town offers accommodations in beachfront cabanas - private cottages ranging from simple and rustic to modern and luxurious. These San Pedro resorts make an ideal choice for tourists seeking accommodations with a timeless tropical island feel. Hotel del Rio Less than 10 minutes from the heart of San Pedro, Hotel del Rio offers guest accommodations in thatched, beachfront cabanas inspired by the traditional architecture of Belize. It has a total of 13 cabanas, including seafront units. Each one sleeps 2 to 5 people, with a private porch or veranda and has high speed internet access. The Belize hotel can arrange various activities in the local area, including bone fishing, reef fishing, scuba diving and boat tours. Cocotal Inn and Cabanas Cocotal Inn and Cabanas occupies a beachfront property 2.5 miles north of San Pedro that was formerly a coconut plantation. This intimate resort offers 5 accommodation options: one oceanfront cottage with a four-poster bed and kitchenette, 2 garden cabanas with an open veranda and full kitchen, and a main house with 2 suites. Facilities include a freshwater pool, an outdoor dining area, complimentary bicycles and kayaks, and a private pier where fishing, snorkeling and diving, and water taxis are available.

Your Best Guide To Snorkeling In San Pedro Belize
With a 185-mile barrier reef, the opportunity to see a vast array of sea life in San Pedro Belize is pretty amazing. The options are basically endless when it comes to snorkeling. All around the island of Ambergris Caye, there is an abundance of colorful corals and sea life easily accessible by both whole day and half day tours. Diving is also an option, although it requires a PADI license. Hol Chan Marine Reserve This is arguably one of the most impressive snorkeling spots in the whole world, making it the most popular snorkel site in Belize country. It is just 4 miles south of San Pedro, making it easily accessible for a half day trip. Its four main zones is home to over 160 fish species, 40 coral species, 3 sea turtle species, 8 algae species and 2 sea grass species. Occasionally, sightings of tarpon, West Indian manatees and hammerhead sharks are reported. Shark-Ray Alley With excellent visibility, you can almost always see all species of fish in this spot, but the main attraction is definitely the nurse sharks and sting rays. As soon as the boat arrives to the site, you will notice dark shadows nearby. Nurse sharks average 4 to 6 feet high, while rays have a wingspan of 2 to 4 feet. With numerous boats in the area every day, these animals have a great tolerance for humans and seem to enjoy the interaction.

International Sources

Banging jams from Belize
Dancehall and reggae music have grown in Belize during the past 15 years. Dancehall is especially popular with two of its fans being brothers Jayme and Mark Ermeav, better known as Boom Bangaz. The production duo resides in Florida where they have earned an underground following by churning out remixes which they upload through social media, particularly their Soundcloud page. Their latest release is the song Bredrin Girl by deejay Chan Dizzy, best known in Jamaica for the songs, Strange Face and Hello Bad Mind. "The link with Chan Dizzy was good. Working with him felt natural and the vibe was right," said Mark, older of the brothers. Describing their music as a blend of dancehall, reggae and hip hop, the siblings are looking for the breakthrough on American pop radio. "We bring a mainstream fusion sound to the game. We blend dancehall with other genres to give it a more hip and marketable sound," Mark explained. "We want our music to be felt not only in the Caribbean or by Caribbean people living abroad, but by Americans and Europeans who have not yet connected with dancehall music."

NMSU entomology students travel to Belize to study life in the 'wild'
In March, through the Faculty-led International Programs, a group of eight students, led by Scott Bundy, associate professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University, traveled to Belize to research and experience its biodiversity. From venomous spiders, ants, leafhoppers and even marine invertebrates, the students' non-stop, 10-day trip brought a new perspective of what it's like to work as an entomologist in the field. "The idea was to get them out in the 'wild' because the insect diversity of tropical areas is so different than what we have around here," Bundy said. "The purpose of the class was to learn about arthropod biology, to observe how the animals behave in their environment, to learn proper field research techniques, and to just be more hands-on." Every activity doubled as a learning experience and included visiting ancient Mayan ruins, caves, reefs and what many students enjoyed, tasting the local cuisine. "One of the biggest things we got to enjoy was their food, which has a lot of variety," said Helen Vessel, assistant researcher at Bundy's lab in the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science. "Every meal was a feast." But, before getting on the plane, students participated in a series of lectures on campus, which included Mayan history and arthropod taxonomy and biology, enabling them to familiarize themselves with the types of insects they would encounter in different parts of the country.

Exercise Tradewinds 2014 underway
Military and security forces from 11 Caribbean nations have joined the United States and Canada for maritime security and disaster response training as part of Exercise Tradewinds 2014, which began earlier today. This year's Tradewinds has expanded to two main phases: Phase I, the maritime phase, in Antigua-Barbuda ongoing through June 10, and Phase II, the land portion, June 16-25 in the Dominican Republic, which has 16 participating nations. The exercise supports the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a Department of State regional security partnership. Taking part in maritime training are units from the host nation Antigua-Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF), as well as national police and coast guard units from Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Some of the participating vessels are interceptors and patrol boats provided to partner nations as part of CBSI's "Secure Seas" program. The crews of these vessels will train alongside members of the United States Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy, which is also providing a fleet diving team and the Kingston-class maritime patrol vessel HMCS Summerside.

Tropical weather impact this week
Regardless of exactly which low becomes the dominant feature on the weather map, southeastern Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala and Belize will become the target of torrential rainfall this week. "Flooding rain and mudslides would be the main impact, with some mountainous areas potentially receiving 10 to 20 inches (250 to 500 mm) of rain this week," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Rob Miller. Cities at risk of a soaking include Merida, Belmopan and Guatemala City. Vacationers at the resort cities of Cancun and Chetumal also face an unpleasant stretch of wet weather. "It has already been active across the resort areas on the Yucatan Peninsula due to daily thunderstorms, but the weather will only get worse this week as moisture from the tropical systems comes into play," Miller continued.

Videos

Video: Belize Snorkeling, 7min.
This video is about Belize Snorkeling

Video: Mister Belize Model feria de las culturas amigas 2014, 4min.
Entrevista a Mister Belize Model feria de las culturas amigas 2014

Video: reef dive belize may 2014, 6min.

Video: Belize Aggressor 2014, 6min.
Living Aboard Aggressor Fleet Belize May 2014

Video: Belizian Waterfall Fun, 3min.
For the celebration of Matt and Megan Smith's destination wedding, the guests headed out in an old school bus to a beautiful waterfall in the middle of the Placencia peninsula. Video footage shot with my GoPro Hero 3 - edited with iMovie.

Video: Cruise 2014, 3min.
Shot in Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan Honduras

Video: UF in Belize, 3min.
University of Florida in Belize Field Methods in Ecology and Conservation course recap.