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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials


The San Pedro Sun

Seizure of two non-indigenous birds (17 photos)
This week there was a seizure of two non-indigenous birds by the Belize Forestry department. A cross bred Macaw and a Molluccan Cockatoo. Both birds were owned by a local family who had in the past used them as educational birds in the community. The birds were certainly loved at one stage..... But... Eventually the owner fell ill and the birds were placed in a back yard where they remained. Socialisation stopped, the cages rusted. They were placed on the ground in a yard where dogs roamed. The rusting wires were not rat nor snake proof. The birds were horribly stressed. Fresh food and especially water became intermittent. Feather plucking and endless head bobbing started. But this wasn't the whole problem. The birds had no paperwork whatsoever. No CITES certificate, no breeding history, nothing at all. No import permits. They are effectively illegal immigrants. Both birds were obviously smuggled into Belize and the Molluccan may have been wild caught. Nobody knows. If the Macaw had escaped, the potential for severe damage to the last few breeding pairs of Scarlet Macaws in Belize may have been severely compromised should this cross breed have mated with them. The Macaw had a leg band that seemed a bit home made. It was so tight that flesh was growing over the band. There were pressure sores under the band, and this was also compounded by stage two bumblefoot. The birds were then transferred to Belize Bird Rescue where they are having palliative care and lots of social interaction.

The Costa Maya Delegates are rocking the runway at Saga Humane Society and Foreva Fancy's Furball Fashion Show!

Noche San Pedrana presents Costa Maya contestants at Elvi's Kitchen
Elvi's Kitchen was the venue for Noche San Pedrana, where the Costa Maya Pageant contestants presented their cultural costumes and mingled with the public.

Fido's Courtyard hosts Costa Maya sashing ceremony
The 8 delegates for the Reina de la Costa Maya pageant received their official pageant sashes at Fido's Courtyard.

Belize Forest Department confiscate two exotic birds in San Pedro
One island family is upset after Belize Forest Department Officers confiscated their pet birds on Wednesday, July 30th. The Forestry officers were on the island to host a seminar on wild life laws in Belize and to educate people on the legal procedures of keeping pet birds. The Halliday family believes that their pet birds, [�]

NEMO hosts one-day training camp
June to November is the period known as the hurricane season for the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and Belize is part of this region. Like the rest of region, emphasis is always placed during the hurricane season to be prepared in the case of an emergency. As part of their [�]

Wolfe's Woofer: Ranches and Horses
I stepped off the plane at Belize Municipal Airport and heard someone say, "Howdy, partner." I looked around and sure enough, the man was talking to me. He was a big, tall man wearing a Stetson western hat. "Hi," I said. "I was wondering if you could tell me how I go about getting to [�]

Police Report
Theft 51-year-old Scott Lyons visited the San Pedro Police Station and reported that sometime between the hours of 12:30Am and 10AM on Thursday, July 24th, his golf cart, license plate # SPC-2752, with Vehicle Identification Number(VIN) # AG8467-66177, valued $4000 was stolen from in front of his house. Police are investigating the matter, and any [�]

Doctor Love
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, I get annoyed easily. It happens with my friends and my family more than with other people. The strange thing about this is [�]

Ambergris Today

Elvi's Kitchen Hosts a Sensational Costa Maya Noche Sanpedrana
San Pedro had the opportunity to meet the eight lovely delegates who will be participating in the Costa Maya International Beauty Pageant this week. Noche San Pedrana was hosted by Elvi's Kitchen and presented a program that delighted both the pageant ladies and guests. The young ladies presented themselves in their country's national costumes and spoke about themselves and their country's main attractions. They also got to meet all the guests at Elvi's Kitchen as they mingled from table to table to establish a bond of friendship.

Pet Bird Owners in San Pedro Taken by Surprise and Furious at Forestry Department
Pet bird owners in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize were taken aback by the actions of members of Belize's Forestry Department as they raided private homes and confiscated pet birds from loving families after they had announced they would not be taking away the pets from anybody. At the end of the raid, one man was arrested and pet owners sympathized with the traumatized family worrying if their pets would be taken from them. Brian Halliday was trying to keep members of the Belize Forestry Department from taking his two pet birds, one being a Cockatoo and the other a Macaw, that the family had been taking care of for over 20 years and had grown very much attached to. They were, in fact, cared for like a member of their own family. But officials from the Forestry Department arrived to their house accompanied with police officers ready to confiscate the family's two exotic birds.

Pic of the Week: It feels like Summer Everyday in Belize
What if someone told you there is place where it feels like SUMMER all year long; would you believe it? Picture here is beautiful Miss Costa Maya 2013 Destinee Arnold (Miss Belize) soaking up some sun at one of the best snorkeling and diving spots in Ambergris Caye, Belize - Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The sun is always hot and shining bright in Belize; it feels like if summer never goes away.

Flashbacks: The Dedicated Ladies of the San Pedro Church Choir
They commenced their participation in singing for church events way back in the days of our beloved parish priest Reverend Robert Raszkowski S.J. They sang mostly acapella and without amplifiers. However as time progressed they were accompanied with guitar and then with electronic keyboard. "The Church Choir" was their given name and they sang for masses, weddings, funerals, quincea�os, graduations, anniversaries, and for other special events. Individually they sang the national anthem for political rallies and conventions, but only individually. If Mr. Angel Nu�ez has done 250 weddings and quincea�os, these ladies with lovely voices have done a similar number of performances. Some years ago close friends and relatives started calling them "The Alleluia Girls". They were Marcia Nu�ez+, Leonor Trejo, Leni Alamilla, Marthita Leslie and Vilma Arceo+. Even though two of them have sadly passed on, the group still continues strong with one new member joining the group; Mrs. Helen Haylock. Hats off to the Alleluia Girls!

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. donates to San Pedro Junior College
In keeping with his promise towards improving education in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Hon. Heredia presented a check of $1,000 to San Pedro Junior College in support of the University of Belize's Bachelor Program affiliated with the Junior College.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Noche Sanpedrana at Elvi's Kitchen (39 photos)

Western Ballaz Summer Camp Starts
The Western Ballaz Summer Basketball Camp started today at the Sacred Heart College auditorium. They had an amazing turnout. "Basketball Summer Camp 2014 @ SHC Auditorium from 1 - 3 everyday. Ages 5 - 18 (100+ children and it's just our first day!! WOW!!)"

Beltraide at UB Orientation
Beltraide paid a visit to the University of Belize at their orientation. It's back to school time. "BELTRAIDE's BelizeINVEST Unit Mr. Brian Lin, Director & Mr. Hero Balani, Business Development Officer, presented as guest speakers at the University of Belize's orientation 2014 where students joining the programs under Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Math, Information Technology, Natural Resource Management amongst others were debriefed on the investment sectors, opportunities and the career opportunities that exist in each area. BELTRAIDE continues to reach out to tertiary institutions in order to motivate and continue to develop Belize's talent pool."

National Song Competition at the Memorial Park in Belize City
This Saturday 9th of August is the national Song Competition at the Memorial Park in Belize City, for a preview into whats coming you are invited....

10 Photos Of The International Costa Maya Festival That You Have To See
The festival's mission is to promote the culture of the Mundo Maya countries with their folklore dances, music, and food, while promoting tourism in the island of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. The week of the festival is the most colorful and busiest week in San Pedro and people from all over the country come to the island to be part of this one of a kind event. If you have not been to one maybe it is time to join your friends in San Pedro, Belize for a week of entertainment. This year, the event is schedule from August 7- 11 2014.

Belize Resort of the Week: Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge
Nestled into the foothills of the Sibun National Forest Reserve in Central Belize, Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge is surrounded by over a hundred thousand acres of untouched wilderness. It is an ideal retreat for nature lovers wishing to experience the sounds and sights of a tropical rainforest in a tranquil, undisturbed atmosphere.

Channel 7

Teenager's high hopes dashed in grave yard murder
There's a whole lot of news to report on tonight: we have the story of three weekend murders - including the savage killing of a 16 year old girl in the cemetery, plus BML workers went on a major offensive against City Hall today and threw garbage in front of the mayor's office, and of course, the UDP held its municipal convention yesterday - where thousands of party supporters voted for ten candidates. We start with the murder of Chryslin Gladden - a 16 year old who recently graduated from Wesley High. She was preparing to go to UB - but on Saturday morning a killer snuffed out that dream with extreme cruelty: the teenager was knifed to death.

BML workers spread rage and...garbage in front of City Hall
And later on we'll tell you about another murder - this one of an 18 year old male in Orange Walk, but first to the story of the day: BML workers throwing bags of garbage on the street in front of City Hall. First, the background: last week we told you about the evolving crisis the Belize City Council has been facing with Belize Maintenance Limited. We say crisis because the city owes BML the equivalent of 19 weeks of arrears. The city says it will not renew the contract when it expires in January 2015. That's the future, but in the here and now, BML's workers say that the city's "haad pay" tactics are causing them to lose their jobs. This morning that led to some dramatic scenery on the city streets. 7 news was there.

Don't worry BML, Mayor will pay (eventually)...
But the frustrations do not stop there as both the City Council and BML seem to have two very different takes on the current impasse. According to BML'S Operations Manager, Mitchell Danderson, it has been almost a year since mayor Bradley has spoken to BML. Mitchell Danderson- Operations Manager "As far as we are concern he didn't make any contact with Mr. Ellis, the manager of the company. He hasn't been in communication with the management any at all. We hope that the mayor will show some respect, some dignity and come and say Mr. Ellis, Mr. BML let us sit and talk but that hasn't happen over a year. Mr. Ellis has made different requests to meet with him and that has never happen." Reporter "What's the next step for the company if this doesn't work out?" Mitchell Danderson- Operations Manager "If this doesn't work out - the last thing I said is to send people home if the company cannot bear it anymore that is what we will have to do until the mayor sit and have a conversation with Mr. Ellis."

Senior Superintendent calls garbage vandalizing indecent
But while the contract talk happens at the executive level - on the ground, nearly 50 BML workers are facing charges tonight. As we showed you, Police were waiting on Queen Street to arrest them all after they left from in front of city hall. So, tonight 44 are facing charges of loitering, staging a public gathering with no permit, and littering. Second in command of Eastern Division Edward Broaster made the decision to charge them - and in an interview at the Raccoon Street station this evening, he explained why:.. Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster, 2nd in Command - Eastern Div. "When I went there and I saw what I saw it's a real public indecency for us to be conducting ourselves in that way. I warned them, I told them there is a legal way to conduct such demonstration. And I warn them to remove the garbage and to move about their lawful business and they refused. So they were given sufficient warning to remove the garbage and to remove themselves from the street and they refused to do so. so we then escorted them to the Queen Street Police Station where all 44 persons were arrested and charged for participating in a unlawful public meeting."

Hon. Fronseca blasts Broaster and Bradley
Caught up in that mix is PUP Media provocateur Albert Vaughan. He was in the mix of things this morning - and he ended up being arrested. His boss, Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca went to look for him to be taken to court this afternoon, and that's where he spoke to the media:... Hon. Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, P.U.P. "We are out here in support of Albert Vaughan, but also in support of the 46 or 47 workers of BML (Belize Maintenance Limited) who were arrested also and as I understand it they are being charged for loitering. Now it seems as something is afoot where they are trying to hold these people overnight now and they are taking their sweet time processing them at the Queen Street Police Station. I went over there personally to the Queen Street Police Station and every question I asked the officers their only response was Mr. Broaster's instructions, Mr. Broaster's instructions. That is the basis on which all these people, these poor workers of BML who were protesting because they're in jeopardy of losing their livelihoods so they are protesting to make a point, they are being held and charged by this very cold U.D.P. government."

Teenager murdered in OW after club brawl
At the top of the newscast, we told you about how a 16 year-old girl was stabbed to death and left in the Cemetery. She was the first of 2 teenagers killed this weekend. The other one was 18 year-old Roy Bayliss, a resident of Corozal District, who was shot to death early on Sunday morning, 24 hours after police had found Chryslin Gladdden. While police are trying to figure out the motive for Gladden's murder, they believe that Bayliss was killed because of a fight at a club. Today, our Courtney Weatherburne went north to try to find answers. Here's her report:

Man drowns in OW, family says murder
Orange Walk was especially busy this weekend, because the body of 43 year-old Gregorio Medina was found in the banks of the river in the Trial Farm area. His family believes that this Orange Walk resident was killed because they have identified what looks like a huge gash on his head. Police aren't so sure, and today, they shared their information on Medina's death with us: ACP Joseph Myvette - OC, Northern Police Region "Shortly after six-fifteen pm on yesterday's date Police received information of a body floating in the river in the Trial Farm area of Orange Walk. Upon arrival in the Trial Farm area Police saw a body floating in the river. Upon closer examination of the body, it was revealed that it was partially decomposed in the face and shoulders. The body was later identified as that of Gregorio Medina of Orange Walk Town. The body is still awaiting a post-mortem examination as we speak but there were no visible signs of injuries."

Police: Ponce Killed Taco Venders
Last week We told you about that Mopan Street home invasion, which happened 2 Saturdays ago, when tacos lady "Miss Alida" Ascencio and her helper Carlos Mayorga were shot and killed, and 2 other young women were injured and hospitalized. Well, police believe that they have one of the 2 assailants, and tonight we can reveal his identity as 21 year-old Khaleel Ponce. This Mopan Street resident was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith on 2 counts of murder, 2 counts of attempted murder, 2 counts of dangerous harm, and 2 counts of using deadly means of harm. He was remanded into custody until October 1.

Blood traces found on Carcamo trail, inconclusive
Hattieville Chairman Kevin Carcamo has been missing for 15 days now, but the police department hasn't given up, and they're still trying to locate him. They've been searching for him on their own, because the company, Discoverseis, has left the effort in their hands. Today, we spoke with a company representative who said that the company has since left the search, and they've resumed normal operations. There was quite a commotion on Friday when news went out that blood was found in the Freetown Sibun area of Hattieville, and there was speculation that it might be his. Today, we asked both his wife, and the company representative about that, and they told us that it is still unconfirmed if it is his. The company rep told us that the authorities aren't even sure if it's human blood.

WILFRED ON ERROL...
Hon. Elrington stakes his reputation on innocence of Lil Bro's Dr. Errol. All last week, the case of Dr. Errol Elrington made national news after it was discovered that US Office of the Inspector General, in the Department of Health and Human Services declared him a fugitive. He's wanted in connection with federal charges of racketeering, Medicaid fraud and Health Care Fraud, but Dr. Elrington - who is residing in Belize - has remained silent on the issue. We've showed you our interview, with his Brother, Hubert, who claims that Dr. Elrington is being wrongly targetted, and this weekend, we got a chance to catch up with his brother, Wilfred Elrington, who is the Attorney General and Foreign Affairs Minister. Like Hubert, Wilfred Elrington told us that he believes that Dr. Elrington has done nothing wrong, so much so, that he's willing to stake his personal reputation on it:

Experts say Island Birds were badly cared for
5 days ago, the Forestry Department, with support of San Pedro Police, confiscated 2 exotic birds from the Halliday family, who have kept them as pets for years. Since the Hallidays publicly condemned of the Government's actions, different wildlife organizations have weighed in. All the authorities agree that the Halliday family were in the wrong for keeping the birds. The Belize Humane Society and Animal Shelter says that they are in full support of decision made by Forest Officer Victoria Cawich when she made the decision to confiscate Gabby the cockatoo, and Gabby the Macaw. The BHSAS says that the birds exhibited behaviour and conditions which are unhealthy. They said quote, "their cages were far too small for them, and they had medical conditions that were not being treated." End Quote.

HOME INVADED: thieves got off with 20k
A driver was robbed yesterday on the Hummingbird Highway. 25-year-old Manuel Hernandez, Honduran salesman of Dangriga along with his 16-year-old sideman also of Dangriga reported that they were heading to Belmopan City when they were startled by the sound of a gunshot at miles 28 on the Hummingbird Highway. They slowed down and a masked man dressed in full black clothing seized the moment and rode up to their vehicle, broke the right glass window and pointed the firearm at the 16 year old sideman. The assailant then got into the truck and demanded money from Manuel and stated that if he didn't hand over the money he would kill the 16 year old. Fearing for their lives Manuel handed over $8,600 to the culprit. The robber jumped out of the truck and escaped. Police are investigating. In other news, an administrator of a Belize City business was the victim of a serious home invasion on Friday morning. The man, who has asked that police not disclose his name or address lives on the southside, and told police that at 2:00 am he was awakened by the sound of a gun being cocked.

5 years for firearm
21 year old Andrew Talbert, who was charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, was sentenced to 5 years for each count today by the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith after he was found guilty of the charges. On January 6, 2013 police say Talbert ran into a yard on Plues Street when he saw the police approaching. The police who pursued him and testified that they saw when he threw a loaded Glock 9 millimetre pistol into the adjoining yard. Talbert testified and denied that he committed the offence. He said that there were 3 other persons in the yard when the police arrived. Chief Magistrate Smith, after reviewing all the evidence found him guilty, and stipulated that the sentences are to run concurrently, so Talbert will only serve 5 years. Talbert's attorney, Anthony Sylvestre has said that he is going to appeal.

"Scrub Board" Vs. Cracka
47 year old Edward Saldano, aka "Scrub Board", a stevedore from George Street, joined Talbert at Prison tonight after he was taken to court for allegedly pulling a gun on another man. The incident occurred on August 2. The complainant, Shawn Middleton aka "Cracker', reported to the police that he and Saldano had a misunderstanding which led to a fight. Middleton said that during the scuffle, he received an injury, which was classified as harm. He said Saldano then pulled out a firearm and pointed it at him. Saldano was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and harm, and he was arraigned today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Saldano pled not guilty to the charges, but due to the nature of the offenses, he was remanded into custody until September 29.

Cyclist get a special break on bell and light regulations
Since the police department decided to crack down on quality of life crimes, we've showed you both the positive and negative effects it has had on the Belize City cycling public. But, how is it affecting the professional cyclists, and their training regimen - after all they ride bicycles that can't afford to be weighted down with bells and lights. That's what we asked Dion Leslie, president of the Cycling Federation of Belize, when we caught up with him this weekend. He told us that there is an understanding between practicing cyclists who are doing their road work in their jerseys: That understanding does not apply to other members of the cycling public. You are still expected to have your bell and light on your bike at all times.

How it looks when 44 people are locked up
At this hour, about 24 BML workers remain in lockdown - while 20 including ad-hoc leader Delroy Herrera have been released on bail. The other 24 are being processed and will be released during the course of the night. And while we might casually talk about 44 persons being detained, the Queen Street station simply does not have space for so many. As these pictures from inside the holding cell show, the 44 were packed up inside and one of them even appeared to have fainted.

UDP Gets Out The Crowds For Municipal Convention
For sure, the Belize City council didn't win any votes from BML workers with today's fiasco! But at yesterday's political convention, they were feeling the love from large numbers of city voters who came out to show their support. The council convention managed to draw a respectable 4,242 voters to select a 10 councillor candidates out of 16 aspirants. Who did they pick? 7News was there to find out:.. Daniel Ortiz reporting The compound of the ITVET was busy all through the day, as sizeable crowds of City residents kept streaming in and out. They were there to decide who would represent the UDP for the Belize City Council Elections, to be held next year. There were quite a number of new faces to choose from. Deon Sutherland - Aspirant, UDP CitCo Slate "I am running for councilor along with 16 others vying for the council title of the election in March. I am Deon Sutherland, I am a teacher by profession. I work out at the Ministry of Education at this present time."

Special Envoy Says On Murdered Girl
The Office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children has released a statement condemning 16 year old Chryslin Gladden's murder. The statement says, quote, "Her death has left many in a state of shock and profound confusion as to how or why someone could commit such a horrific crime against a defenceless teenaged girl." 7News has learned that this evening police have detained one of her former female classmates from Wesley as a prime suspect. She and her boyfriend are believed to have been involved in the murder. We'll have more on this tomorrow.

Channel 5

A Promising Belize City Teen Murdered at Lord Ridge Cemetery
The news spread early on Saturday morning that a young woman had been killed at the Lord Ridge Cemetery. She was soon identified as sixteen year old Chryslin Gladden who [...]

Orange Walk Teen Executed While Buying Tacos
The weekend's other murder victim is an eighteen year old Corozal resident who was killed execution style early Sunday morning in Orange Walk Town. At around five forty-five Roy Bayliss [...]

Belize City Man Arraigned For Double Murder of Tacos Vendors
A twenty-one year old Belize City man has been charged for the gun rampage on Mopan Street which caused the death of two tacos vendors. Fifty-two year old Carlos Mayorga [...]

Trial Farm Resident Drowns Over the Weekend
There is another death to report. Forty-four year old Orange Walk resident Gregorio Medina was pulled out of the New River this afternoon. His decomposed body was spotted floating in [...]

Garbage Everywhere, BML Employees Take It To City Hall
The U.D.P. held a successful convention on Sunday attracting throngs of voters. That story is coming up, but among those who went out to support Mayor Bradley's ticket, were employees [...]

Protest Leads to Arrest of BML Workers and P.U.P. Mouthpiece
Outspoken radio personality and well-known P.U.P. stalwart Albert Vaughn was also on North Front Street this morning taking pictures and providing coverage of the BML protest for Vibes Radio when [...]

U.D.P. CitCo Convention Draws Thousands to ITVET
Just prior to the firing of the sanitation workers, the U.D.P.'s convention to elect candidates for its city council slate, took place. On Sunday it was not known that the [...]

Where is Kevin Carcamo? Day Fifteen and Still No Answers
  On Friday, police investigating the disappearance of Hattieville chairman Kevin Carcamo made a mild breakthrough when they swabbed a piece of stick found in the area where he was [...]

Orange Walk Police on Murder of Ramon Cervantes Junior
Orange Walk Police and even the National Crimes Investigation Branch have come under scrutiny for what persons say is a stagnating investigation. On July fifth, the body of seventy-one year [...]

George Street gangster sentenced to 10 years for firearm conviction
Twenty-two year old George Street affiliate Andrew Talbert was today sentenced to ten years for an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Talbert, who lives on Allenby Street, was busted in January [...]

Academic Counselors Attend Seminar
Academic success is not confined to the work of teachers and principals; it extends to the hours put in by school counsellors.� For the rest of the week, the counsellors [...]

San Ignacio Man Viciously Chopped By Four Attackers
A San Ignacio resident is tonight in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after he was attacked on Sunday night by a group of four men. Felix Romero [...]

San Pedro Minor Raped Near Boca del Rio
In San Pedro, a fifteen year old is claiming that she was raped by a man she knew. Her account is that on Saturday afternoon at about three thirty she [...]

Sports Monday with James Adderley
Good evening, I'm James Adderly and this is Sports Monday.   We jump immediately into this action in the Presidents Cup currently in session as we caught up with the [...]

CTV3

Preserving The Yucatec Maya Language
Communication is an essential part of our daily lives and language is a key aspect to this as we communicate effectively with our words, gestures, and tone of voice in a multitude of situations. But what happens when language fades from the face of the earth? There are well over six thousand spoken languages in the world but some of them are near extinction and efforts may or may not be made to salvage these. A group in Yo Creek Village, Orange Walk District though is laboring to do just that with the Yucatec Maya. Today over forty persons of different ages, graduated from a two week course that was facilitated by a professional teacher. We stopped by to find out more about the initiative. Dalila Ical reports. Dalila Ical - Reporting Pusikal Maya, translated into Mayan Heart is a group from YO Creek Village that has taken upon itself the task of rescuing a fading culture - the Yucatec Maya heritage. And they have started by rescuing the language says group President, Ismael Cal.

Drugs And Firearms Removed From The Streets Of Corozal
Officers of the Corozal Police Department have managed to remove a number of firearms off the streets of that municipality. As a result of the departments sustained investigation techniques and consistent work with the community, officers were able to get their hands on a .25 pistol that was found near the Ricalde Stadium, an adapted shotgun found near airstrip in Sarteneja Village, a homemade shotgun found in the Chula Vista Area of Corozal Town and a substantial amount of suspected cannabis found in the Village of San Andres. All items were labeled as found property. No one was detained during the discoveries.

Retired Cop Donates Equipment To Corozal Police
A former Police officer from Las Vegas Nevada, who now resides in Belize, made a generous donation to the Corozal Police Formation today. Eric Burson served as a police officer for more than a decade at the Las Vegas Police Department. Since his relocation to Corozal as a retiree, he has seen the necessity of equipment that police officers need while on duty. With that in mind, today over 30 top of the line police belts with hand cuff cases, flashlights and other equipments were handed over to Officer Commanding the Corozal Formation, Andrew Ramirez. Eric Burson - Former Police Officer "We have been coming down here for quite a few years and decided to make this our retirement home, I am a former police officer and correction Lieutenant and we noticed that there was different budget issues down here just as we thought budget issues in the states and we gifted from my department, my officers to the Corozal policed department some duty gear to help them with their resources."

Imer Hernandez Awarded 2 Million Dollars Contract To Upgrade San Antonio Road
On Wednesday Prime Minister Dean Barrow held a press conference and spoke on a number of infrastructure developments across the country which includes road works. His announcement included works in Orange Walk Town and saw GOB's committed to upgrade San Antonio Road, which according to the P.M will be completed once and for all. On the day of the conference, the Prime Minister did not say who the contractor was but today CTV-3 News learned, that on the same day of the Press Conference, Wednesday July 30th, the paper works went to the contractor general and the man to get the job is no other that the controversial, Imer Hernandez, nephew of Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. So, it appears that despite the previous problems faced with him on this very road, Hernandez has been hired once more for the work. The contract, we understand, is for two million Belize dollars and if it has not been signed, it will be signed by this weekend or early next week.

Confiscation Of Birds Causes Chaos In San Pedro
On Wednesday night, a bird loving family in San Pedro Town were in a uproar after officials from the Forestry Department accompanied by Police confiscated their pet birds; birds they have loved and cared for over twenty years. The incident caused quite a stir on the island, since the family claims that their approach to confiscate the exotic birds were based on lies they told residents on the island in their education session held on Wednesday morning. Officials at the Forestry Department told us that because the birds are exotic animals not native to Belize, proper documentation was needed for the family to keep them. Since the family were unable to supply the officials with documents, they were taken away as per the Forestry laws in wildlife.

Tilapia Farm In Sarteneja Receives Solar Panels
Apart from shrimp, another aquaculture product offered by Belizean farmers is tilapia. Tilapia is grown in freshwater at a number of locations in the country and in the North; one of the most productive farms is located two miles on the outskirts of Sarteneja Village in the District of Corozal. On Tuesday, members of the Ministry of Energy, Public Utilities Commission, Forestry and Executive Director for the Central American Integration system were at the Sarteneja Tilapia Farm for the inauguration of solar panels and wind mill for the tilapia farm. The project entitled "electrification with the utilization of wind and solar energy for a new aquaculture farm" was the result of funding providing by the Energy and Environmental partnership with Central America. The project has an installed capacity of 6.7kilowatts produced by solar panels and 1.1kilowatta from the windmill and the energy produced will be used to freeze the products, aerate the ponds and pump water into the tanks, a release from the Department of Environment said.

Second Payment Estimate For Cane Farmers Released By BSCFA
Today, Cane farmers received notification of their second payment estimate for the 2014 crop season. The average price is $62.72 per tonne of cane and in accordance with their agreement, 91% of this price is due at second payment. This year the second payment was decided by quality rather than quantity as in past years. The 18 branches of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association were placed in different test groups forming 6 test groups for Orange Walk and 8 for Corozal. Vice Chairman of the BSCFA, Alfredo Ortega says while the cane quality was not as great as the previous year, the report card for TC/TS could have been better.

The Reporter

Man shot dead in Orange Walk
A man from Corozal was reportedly shot dead early on Sunday morning in Orange Walk Town. The incident occurred just before 6 a.m. at the Fort Cairns Plaza and reports are that it may have been the result of a fight at a nightclub. Police are [�]

UDP holds City Council convention
Thousands showed up on Sunday to vote for which city councilors will run alongside mayoral candidate, Darrell Bradley in the upcoming municipal elections. The CitCo convention took place at the ITVET compound on Freetown Road. There were 16 names on the ballot, those are: Freddy [�]

Patrick JonesPJ

Orange Walk police investigate murder of Corozal man
Eighteen year old Roy Bayliss, a resident of Corozal Town was killed early on Sunday morning at a stall infront of Garcia's Tacos place at the Fort Cairns Plaza in Orange Walk town. As we reported in our Breaking News coverage, the shooting happened just before 6 [�]

Convict gets five years in jail for gun charges
Attorney Anthony Sylvestre is planning an appeal of a conviction for twenty-one year old Andrew Talbert, charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Talbert was sentenced to 5 years for each count today by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith who found him guilty of the [�]

BML workers' frustrations erupt at City Hall
After learning this past weekend that 50 of them would be temporarily terminated, and worried about who would be next on chopping block, employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) this morning erupted into a sustained display of rage and frustration with the Belize City Council and Mayor Darrell [�]

Incumbent councilors re-elected for Belize City UDP slate
As expected, all eight incumbent Belize City Councilors will be running again for the United Democratic Party (UDP) in next March's municipal election in Belize City following Sunday's internal convention held at the ITVET Compound on Freetown Road (formerly Belize Technical College). Some 4,242 ballots were cast - [�]

Murder charges for alleged home invader
Police have charged one of two persons they believe was involved in the July 26 home invasion on Mopan Street that resulted in the shooting of four persons, two of whom died. Twenty-one year old Khaleel Ponce was read two counts of murder for the deaths of Carlos [�]

Friends fight, one goes on prison remand
A fight between friends led to charges for forty-seven year old Edward Saldano, aka "Scrub Board", a stevedore of a George Street address. Saldano is accused of aggravated assault with a firearm and harm against Shawn Middleton aka "Cracker', who reported to the police that he and Saldano had [�]

Orange Walk family believes their loved one was murdered
The partially decomposed body of 43 year old Gregorio Medina was retrieved from the New River in Orange Walk town on Sunday evening. Medina, a resident of Trial Farm, was last seem socializing with friends on Saturday night. At this time, police are not saying if Medina's [�]

A New Political Party in Belize
Yes, The Belize People's Front (BPF) claims it is the "real third party" and focused on 4 principles including an declaration that "we acknowledge the Supremacy of God and base our foundation on Christian and Biblical principles". Mr. John Carr, the Party's National Treasurer, said it is [�]

UDP elects Belize City Council candidates
Sixteen Belize City residents are bidding to join incumbent Mayor Darrell Bradley as the slate for the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) in next March's City Council elections. Eight persons vying for the ten councilor seats are incumbent members of the Council - deputy mayor B.Q. Pitts, Jr.; [�]

Zenaida Moya eyes Mesopotamia constituency seat
She is the former Mayor of Belize City, and since leaving office, Zenaida Moya has somewhat faded from the public spotlight. But she is planning a comeback. Moya is in Punta Gorda this weekend as facilitator of a leadership workshop for women and during the forum she opened [�]

Blogs

What the early bird gets in San Pedro
The early bird catches the worm is an old proverb meaning something along the lines of being the first to rise does has it's advantages. That holds true here as there are some things on the island like Bacon Egg Johnny cakes from Ruby's that you have to get there early for or you will not get one. On Tuesdays, the San Pedro version of the proverb above would be the early bird gets the fresh milk and cream. If you are willing to be an early bird and set your alarm, you will get the good stuff at $12:00 a gal and the super fresh cream for $2.50 a bag. After our first trip with a departure time of 4:30 am based on Arne's recommendation, Barb and I decided that leaving at 5:00am would get us to the lagoon in enough time to get milk and Joe came to check it out the second time around. They only had one cooler last week and we both agreed it would not take much for a restaurant or baker to come in and buy them out of stock on one swoop.

Chef Sean Kuylen Makes Old Belizean Favorites Fresh, New & Sophisticated at Sittee River's New Curve Bar
The Curve Bar & Marina at Sittee River, Belize has been a small, local watering hole. A place to grab a few beers and watch the sun set over the sleepy SIttee river. Located a few miles south of Hopkins Village, the place was more of a hidden gem, well off the beaten path�a bit of a dive bar rather than a dining hotspot. I think that is all about to change. Sean Kuylen, one of the most well-known chefs in Belize and a born and raised Belizean, has taken over.

Adventure Meets Luxury: Almond Beach Resort in Hopkins Village
I was quite excited to spend 2 nights in the village. My third visit to Hopkins and both nights in the beautiful Almond Beach Resort. Let me show you my pictures�a look around the resort and its neighbor and sister resort Jaguar Reef Lodge. My homebase for these last few days. Just know that I am one HAPPY camper. The main entrance to the huge palapa bar and dining area. Some of the rooms at Jaguar Reef. Each front porch slung with a sun bleached hammock. The wide comfy kind, not the type that turns you into a cocoon.

Market Day in San Ignacio: A Photo Tour!
Local market days are great opportunities to experience Belizean life and color, and this is certainly true for Cayo where every Saturday the market area comes alive with its own multicultural blend of colors, sounds, flavors and foodstuffs. This is the day when farmers and almost everyone comes into San Ignacio town to buy, sell, trade, gossip and generally catch up. If you want to experience real Western Belize life, this is the place, and what a pleasant, heady experience it is. In addition to local market staples such as fruits and vegetables, there are also dried fruits, homemade cereals and condiments, Maya herbal remedies, arts and crafts, clothing and tropical plants to be found. A number of local restaurants, bars and shops are all nearby, so this is the perfect opportunity to shop for a variety of things while absorbing the local color and discovering for yourself the easy-going friendly warmth of Belizeans.

How the U.S. State Department Promotes GMO Global Agenda
Biotech Ambassadors by Food & Water Watch In the last decade, the United States has pursued foreign policy objectives on food and agriculture that benefit a few big seed companies. This commonly takes the form of the U.S. State Department exercising its diplomatic prestige and bully pulpit to pressure foreign governments to adopt policies favored [�]

Caye Caulker, Belize
This morning I was up incredibly early - 4:30am - to catch the 5am bus to Belize City. I paid 120 quetzals to get there as I wanted the AC'd bus with a proper seat! I joined up with Gareth and Kush, who I had met in Semuc. Gaz managed to have his phone stolen on the bus at border control, which set the precedent for the next 24 hours. We arrived in Belize City at just gone 10am causing us to miss the 10am ferry across to Caye Caulker. I needed cash and found that Halifax had once again stopped my card. It's a good job I'm travelling with people as I can borrow money from them! The first 3 people we met in Belize offered us drugs. It seems Belize City is living up to its reputation. We had lunch and waited for the next ferry. We landed on the island an hour after departing the mainland and all I could call it is natural beauty. Although the island doesn't have an actual beach (the offshore reef prevents wave activity), the surrounding water is perfectly turquoise, just how you would imagine the Caribbean.

SERVICE CHARGE
When you have guests that come and stay at your resort. They are charged a service charge, some may even leave a tip for staff. That is not for the owner to keep for himself or dangle like a carrot to get what you want staff to do. TIPS stands for: To Insure Proper Service

International Sourcesizz

Tracking jaguars in Belize and coyotes in Virginia by camera and scat
Marcella Kelly grew up in Hollywood and spent her summers being dragged to various national parks with her parents in a VW camper van, seeing the kind of big mammals - moose, elk and deer - easily encountered there. That early exposure to the outdoors, she now says, eventually led to career a studying elusive predators such as the cheetah, jaguar and coyote. Kelly, 47, is now an associate professor of wildlife in Virginia Tech's department of fish and wildlife conservation and is leading two big projects: One, in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, is using radio collars, motion-sensitive cameras and DNA analysis of scat (i.e., animal excrement) to track coyotes. The other is using similar technology to study jaguars in a tropical forest preserve in Belize. She is finding jaguars and coyotes have more in common than you might expect. She recently spoke by telephone with The Post.

Great way to expand my knowledge
Student from Corner Brook back from animal rehab centre in Belize. The sight of discarded snake skins, scurrying scorpions or spine-tingling tarantulas took some getting used to, but Rebecca Randell's focus on the animals she was in Belize to assist helped her to overcome those creepy crawlies. The 20-year-old from Corner Brook recently returned from spending three months in the central American country, living in a thatched-roof cabana that also took a little time to acclimate to. Randell decided to go to Belize to fulfill the international internship requirement of her degree in the leadership studies bachelor program at the University of New Brunswick's Renaissance College. She chose Belize after listening to a presentation from two graduating students of the program who went there last year.

Alan Rabinowitz: Voice of the wild cats
Conservationist Alan Rabinowitz speaks loud and clear about safeguarding big cats in front of an audience, fulfilling his childhood promise to stand up for them if he ever found his voice again. Rabinowitz was born with a very bad stutter, where anytime he tried to talk, his mouth would freeze. "People in the schools in New York didn't know what to do," he told The Jakarta Post after the award ceremony to recognize Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation's long-term commitment to anti-poaching efforts. "They thought I was retarded, mentally disturbed, so they put me in special classes for mentally disturbed kids. But I knew in my head I was normal but I couldn't talk." But when Rabinowitz came home after school, he would find himself talking to his little pets at home. "When I talked to animals, I was relaxed because they didn't judge me, they didn't think I was crazy or stupid," he said.

CONCACAF Champions League: Will Leon find success in new competition? | Group 7 Preview
Reigning Liga MX champions Club Le�n figure to be the favorites in Group 7, as they face El Salvador's Isidro Metap�n and Belizean entrant Belmopan Bandits. The Bandits are the first team from Belize to play in the CCL since 2008-09, while Metap�n will attempt to erase the last place showing in the group stage in last year's CCL. Le�n, in their first CCL tournament in the current format, may be new to the competition itself, but they are battle-hardened after winning back-to-back Liga MX titles and reaching the knockout stage of the 2014 Copa Libertadores.

The Caribbean's Most Vulnerable Coasts
When it comes to the risks facing coastal nations, Caribbean countries are among the most vulnerable in the world, according to the Coasts at Risk index, which measures the risks such nations face around the world. The Coasts at Risk Index, released by the Nature Conservancy, assesses the risk of coastal nations exposed to natural hazards like floods, tsunamis and sea level rise, and where environmental degradation of coastal resources contributes to this risk, with two main factors: exposure and vulnerability. Exposure is the likelihood of being hit by coastal hazards, while social vulnerability means the relative level of preparation (and resilience) for a given country. For more information on coastal risks and the report, see the recent article by the Nature Conservancy's Michael Beck in Caribbean Journal. The nation with the greatest overall risk worldwide, combining exposure and vulnerability? It's Antigua and Barbuda, followed by Tonga and another Caribbean country, St Kitts and Nevis. Of the top 20 nations on the Coasts at Risk index, seven are in the Caribbean, including Belize, the Bahamas, Guyana and Jamaica.

Videos

Video: Unbelizeable, 5min.
Belize, New Years 2013/2014

Video: Belize Mission Trip Testimonies - June/July Trip, 35min.

Video: 2014 World Forum - Delfena Mitchell of Belize, 13min.

Video: Strolling Belize Seaside, 1.5min.

Video: Belize 2014, 4min.

Video: Mission: Belize 2014, 6min.
Highlights and testimonies from our youth mission trip to Belize this summer.

Video: X' tan Ha Resort, Ambergris Caye, Belize Dive Hol Chan Marine, Shark Ray,13min.

Video: Bamboo Chicken Feat. The Blue Dogs in Belize, 25min.
Bamboo Chicken: Michael Ferro, Rob Gibson, Perry Wigglesmith, Blues Dogs: Kent Obermann, Chris Kay. Filmed, Edited & Produced by Kent Roberts

Video: Belize's World Famous Dive Sites HD 720p, 10min.
Diving Belize's Blue Hole, The Wall at Half Moon Caye and The Aquarium at Long Caye.

Video: Dolphins in Belize on Sail Boat, 2min.

Video: Belize Chs Scuba Trip, 15min.
Placentia village at Roberts Grove.