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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

9-year-old fighting for life after sustaining third degree burns
Doctors in the US are trying their best to save the life of a nine year old girl from San Pedro Town who was burned over the Easter Holiday. Katerin Michel Perez was accidentally injured on Friday, April 3rd at her home in a fire that burned 53% of her upper body. With the help of a few islanders and Yvette Burks from the Burn Victim Mercy Fund, Perez was airlifted to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. While there has been no formal report, The San Pedro Sun understands that the incident happened shortly around 7:30PM on Friday April 3rd in the DFC area of San Pedro Town. According to multiple sources, Perez was being treated for lice with gasoline applied to her scalp when she happened to pass near a lit stove. The fumes from the gasoline ignited the young student, who quickly became engulfed in flames. Despite immediate attempts to assist Perez, she was severely injured.

Letter to the Editor: Dianne Lawrence
Re: DigiCell text to customers: "As of April 7th, BTL will NO LONGER correct TopUP error. Kindly encourage your customers to write down the correct number before sending credits." Is this legal? Or is this theft? In essence, this new policy means that: 1. The clients who gives a wrong number is out of luck once the credit ($$$) is sent 2. The vendor is out of pocket if he/she sends credit ($$$) to a wrong number To implement your company's new policy, vendors are to instruct customers on writing the correct phone number legibly. Belize Bank did this last year with deposit and withdraw slips and trained us all to 'stay in the spaces'. But if Belize Bank send the money to someone else's account, the error is reversible. Should money transferred in error remain in the wrong account, it is theft. AND furthermore, the bank teller is NOT responsible for the loss.

Ambergris Today

Leonardo DiCaprio Want to Change the World with New Eco-Resort in Belize
It had been known for years that Hollywood superstar and renowned environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio had purchased Blackadore Caye, located about 7.5 miles just west (behind) Ambergris Caye, Belize. Heck! Leonardo has been vacationing incognito at the luxury celebrity resort Cayo Espanto since 2005, but his plans for the island had been unknown until recently. Today, Belize is buzzing in the Hollywood community (and the world) as the A-List celebrity announced this past week that he is creating a multi-million dollar eco-resort on the 104-acre Blackadore Caye that will push the boundaries of green design, architecture and sustainability. He bought the island for US$1.75 million.

U.S. Naval Hospital Ship to Visit & Provide Medical Services in Belize
The U.S. Naval Hospital Ship, USNS COMFORT, will visit Belize from April 9-18, 2015 and other ports in Central and South America and the Caribbean this spring. The USNS COMFORT works hand in hand with a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies to train personnel in conducting civil-military operations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, while providing medical, dental and veterinary care, and engineering support to local populations. As part of the events scheduled for Belize, USNS Comfort personnel will partner with Hattieville Government School and Independence High school to provide a variety of outpatient medical, dental, preventive medicine, and health education services. These locations will be open to the general public for one free medical or dental service each day.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Belize's Joan of Arc
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez. I grew up on Matlock and Perry Mason SWAT, Hawaii 5-0 and Miami Vice Never knew Belize had any magistrate that was this precise Ninety-eight percent success rate in prosecution Notwithstanding no one has questioned any of her decisions Ninety-eight percent success rate in extradition cases Before Denys Barrow she was doing all government's big suit cases. Magistrate Merlene Moody has seventeen-plus years in the magistracy Years of experience over Annemarie At one time she was acting DPP Until she was persecuted by the PUP Being a professional from Manatee She does her job professionally with dignity No one can question her integrity No politician can say she compromised her chastity Flatly refusing to partake in the promiscuity Permeating in the judicial fraternity.

Caye Coffee available Online
Caye Coffee Roasting Co. Ltd. just announced that their Online Web Store is NOW OPEN and anybody from around the world can order their favorite blend of Belize's local coffee. Click on the link to visit Caye Coffee Online Store

Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow to Attend the Summit of the Americas
The Office of the Prime Minister informs the general public that the Hon. Dean Barrow departed the country today, Tuesday, 7th April, 2015, for an official visit to Panama City, Panama, to attend the Summit of the Americas from 10th - 11th April, 2015. On 9th April, the Prime Minister will be making a presentation to the II CEO Summit under the theme "Bridging the Americas: Productive Integration for Inclusive Development", which precedes the actual summit. While in Panama, the Prime Minister will also be participating in a SICA-US Summit. The Office of the Prime Minister would also like to inform that the Hon. Wilfred Elrington will be representing Prime Minister Barrow in a CARICOM-US Summit in Jamaica on 8th April 2015. Thereafter, Hon. Elrington will be travelling to Panama to join Prime Minister Barrow at the Summit of the Americas.

UNDERWATER SEISMOLOGY
For those who do not know Seismology is the science that studies earthquakes and related phenomena and is used in oil exploration. In the old days, on land, holes were drilled at intervals and pots (geophones) were placed at specific intervals and then you would shoot the holes. That meant blasting the holes with small explosives in a precise sequence and recording the seismic wave that is reflected through and by the substrata. These waves were recorded on LONG rolls of paper (logs) and studied in detail by geologists to predict the presence of formations likely to produce oil. Most likely the source of the seismic wave has been upgraded and there are certainly no longer long rolls of paper. Instead there are computers and programs to aid the geologist is his search for oil. Seismic data acquisition of sedimentary layers in a seabed beneath a large body of water such as an ocean has traditionally been used to acquire images of underlying oil fields to facilitate the recovery of oil reserves. Such data acquisition enables offshore drilling sites to be established by indicating possible locations in which to extract oil. Seismic data acquisition involves generating seismic waves from a source and receiving or "listening" to a reflected or returning wave that carries information about the medium through which it has passed.

Southern District of New York Charges
Official Indictment sheet: FFB Vice President was detained in Houston while trying to attend the games that the Jaguars were playing. Days later, more than the 72 hours, he was taken to the Southern District of New York where he and others "known and unknown" are accused of trafficking and intention to ship illicit substances. The case of the United States of America versus Rawel Pelayo, also known as Berto has been growing for at least four years. It accuses Pelayo and others quote "known and unknown of intentionally and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate and agree together and with each other to violate the narcotics law of the United States." Unquote. Count one of the indictment alleges that Pelayo and the others that they have identified imported five kilograms of cocaine into the U.S. That's a small amount for trafficking. However, following that allegation the indictment further states that on December thirtieth, 2010, Pelayo, also known as Berto, participated in a discussion with others during which he discussed a plan to sent a quantity of cocaine to New York.

BEWARE OF HER (SCAMMER) CON-ARTIS OR BETTER KNOWN AS LADY D or dorothy truitt or dorothy daniels OR DOROTHY GUY
ITS OVER SHE USE TO OWN LITTLE BELIZE RESTURANT los angeles california / SHE ALSO OWNER OF Dorothy PartyRentals IN COROZAL TOWN SHE DON'T EVEN SEND FOR THE MONTHLY INTERESTS I TOOK HER OUT OF HER MESS WITH MY LAND PAPER THAT I PUT UP 4 HER TO HELP HER OUT AND I ALSO WANT ALL MY OVER DRAFT WAT SHE HAVE 4 ME THAT ! MY HARD WORK MONEY TOO WAT SHE OWE ME ALSO FRIENDS please tell her i need my money ! ! ! how could SHE sleep at night KNOWING AFTER WAT SHE DONE TO ME JACQUELINE USHER AFTER BEING GOOD TO HER I PUT OUT MY all 4 HER I COULD NOT BELIVE SHE WAS LIKE that she is in COROZAL TOWN BELIZE CENTRAL AMERICA driving around like she donot own no one.

Donation to FCD
FCD thanks all the students from Sewanee University, Tennessee for conducting a fundraising event on Indiegogo that raised USD$1,545.00 for the ongoing efforts in the Chiquibul Forest. We are extremely grateful to all the 30 individuals that contributed to this conservation cause in Belize.

Channel 7

The Return of Rawell
Two years ago it made national headlines when Rawell Pelayo - the senior vice president of the FFB, was intercepted by US Authorities in Houston when he was on his way to the Gold Cup. The information at the time was that he faced very serious charges for narcotics smuggling - and that the US Authorities had been waiting for him for some time. But, tonight, 21 months later, Rawell Pelayo is home in Orange Walk. He was deported from the United States today and was taken to the GSU office at the Queen Street Police station this afternoon. After a standard hour and a half processing - which all deportees go through - he was released to his family, a free man. He didn't want to grant an interview and would only give a brief comment:.. Rawell Pelayo, Deported to Belize "I will give you all an interview later on, but right now I need to get to my family, because I haven't seen them for a while." Jules Vasquez "How do you feel being back?" Rawell Pelayo, Deported to Belize "Good. I am happy to be home. Nothing like Belize. I will save the interview for when I meet you." After that he was off to Orange Walk.

Cross Country 2015 Crowned Justin Williams
On Saturday, Belizeans rejoiced when 25 year old Justin Williams claimed the garland "for country." Williams is a Belizean American with strong ties to home who came in fourth two years ago - but was determined to win in 2015. To do so, he had to get a little brotherly help. 7News camera man Codie Norales was out on the road from beginning to end - and here's what he saw:.. Daniel Ortiz reporting 100 riders, including 25 foreigners, took off from the BTL Park for the ceremonial ride out of the city for the 87th Running of the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Class. Over the last 10 years, Belize as a country, has seen only 3 natives capturing the garland, and so, Belizeans at home and abroad were waiting with abated breath wondering if one of their own would win this one. The defending Champion, Mexican Juan Pablo Magallanes, was not in the line-up today. There were 6 former champions competing. These were Darnell Barrow, Giovanni Choto, Shane Vasquez, Michael Lewis, Chris Harkey, and Bill Elliston.

11 Month Old Died of Head Trauma, Family Says She Fell Down The Stairs, Neighbors Say Otherwise
An 11-month-old baby is dead with a fractured skull and there are conflicting stories about what led to her demise. On Wednesday morning around 8 police found baby Mia Lopez dead - lying face up on a sofa in her parents' home on Curl Thompson Street. The 21 year old mother Karen Perez told police that she was taking care of her baby when little Mia began to cry and gasp for breath. Shortly after Mia became motionless. She was rushed to the KHMH but was pronounced dead on arrival. The postmortem shows that baby Mia died due to multiple skull fractures from blunt force trauma to the head. When we spoke to the parents today, they told us that baby Mia had fallen down the front steps 5 days before and hit her head. They insisted that it was an accident and refused to give an interview. Now, when we spoke to a neighbor, we got another version - the neighbor told us that it wasn't an accident and that the baby was being constantly abused. The neighbor also said that social services have already came to take the baby away but that they were somehow reunited. And what are the police saying?

Female Coast Guard Shoots Male Counterpart in Head
Tonight 37 year old Coast Guard officer Kurt Hyde is in the KHMH - after surviving a shot to the back of the head which exited through his cheek. The person accused of doing it is a female Coast Guard, 24 year old Keyren Tzib. It happened at around 9:50 on a vessel just 100 yards away from the Coast Guard Headquarters. A team of BDF officers, the Coast Guard and Port Authority officials were returning from a patrol on San Pedro and that's when Tzib shot Hyde. There are many questions as to what led Tzib to shoot Hyde but police don't have those answers as yet. Supt. Hilberto Romero, O.C., - CIB "Police personnel visited the coast guard base, where they saw some blood inside a vessel. Investigation revealed that one, Kurt Hyde had been shot to the left side of his face, he was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. An investigation was conducted into that matter, several statements were recorded, tests were done and at the conclusion of that investigation, Keyren Tzib, a member of the coast guard, was arrested and charged for the crimes of attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. The investigations show that they were returning from a mission from San Pedro. Thereafter, the investigation revealed she pointed her weapon at the officer and fired one single shot."

Stepfather Remanded For Stepson's Death
Before the Easter Holidays, we told you about 42 year-old Patrick Castillo Sr., the man accused by his family of allegedly chopping his 20 year-old stepson, Jose Maderos, to death. That violent incident unfolded in front of an entire family, and tonight, Castillo is at the Belize Central Prison after he was formally charged with murder. Castillo was arraigned today before Magistrate Ladonna John on the charge of murder, and an additional charge of wounding, which he allegedly committed against his 13 year-old step-daughter. Due to the nature of the offence, no plea was taken, and he was remanded to the Central Prison until June 8.

Hibiscus Home Burned
A family is homeless tonight after their home burned down yesterday. It happened at 6724 Hibiscus Street yesterday morning at around 8:00. The owners of the house were not there when the fire started but when they arrived at their home only blackened remains were scattered in the yard - they lost everything. They believe it was arson and told Courtney Weatherburne about it today:.. Courtney Weatherburne reporting We found 58 year old Robert Tracey sitting on this broken refrigerator in his yard - which also serves as his outhouse - surveying the damage after the fire that destroyed his house. Tracey has been living here for over 34 years and the life he once knew was shattered overnight. Robert Tracey, "Lost everything in fire" "When I come home to sleep, there was no house." Courtney Weatherburne "You live here alone right?" Robert Tracey, "Lost everything in fire" "Alone. Not alone - me, my shadow, my spirit and the holy father."

Underwood Was Run Over And Killed
There were two fatal accidents over the Easter holiday. The second one happened just after 11 on Friday night in Sandhill. 41-year-old Marlon Longsworth was driving a Ford Ranger pickup when he hit 27 year old Victor Underwood who he says suddenly jumped unto the road. This happened near a well known bar at mile 21 on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Today Ladyville police discussed the accident:.. Underwood succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the KHMH. Police have served Longsworth with a Notice of Intended Prosecution.

A Drowning In Landing
Another young life was lost this weekend - this time in a drowning. 17 year old Christian Valentin - a Belize City resident was swimming in Bermudan Landing on Holy Saturday afternoon when he suddenly went under water. Police told us about the effort to recover his body: Insp. Frederick Gordon - Rural Executive Officer "Over the weekend here, we had one drowning incident on Saturday the 4th of April. Sometime around 12:30pm thereabout, police received information that a Christian went swimming where the old Bermuda Landing ferry was, the person merged and a couple hours later his body was recovered and taken to the Karl Heusner where it now await post-mortem. The investigation reveals, from the statement of a person that he was along with, that he went into the water to bathe and he just jumped into the water and we understand that he couldn't swim. The same fellow went to save him but during the course of him trying to save him, the guy tried to pull him and apparently he got released and the person submerged under the water and he did not surface."

Boat Explosion Victim Romy Badillo Receives Skin Surgery In Guate
And in a follow up on another fire�.Last week Thursday, we showed you the vessel which spontaneously exploded and forced 3 experienced boatmen to jump overboard to avoid serious injury. It left the boat captain Romy Badillo with severe burn injuries - and when we left you on Friday he was sin the intensive care unit. Tonight, we've learned through the family's facebook updates that that the surgery in Guatemala to remove burnt skin tissue was a success. He is still hospitalized at this time after suffering 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 75% of his body and severe inhalation of toxic fumes. According to police, 34 year-old George Gonzalez, 59 year-old Boat Captain Romaldo Badillo, and 41 year-old Wallace Flowers, all of Belize City, suffered varying degrees of burn injuries. After speaking with the men, the officers found out that 52 year-old Steven Bradley placed his 31 foot skiff into the water, and they intended to go to St. George's Caye.

Leo-D Has Big Plans For Belize
Years ago we reported that Hollywood leading man Leonardo DiCaprio had bought an island in Belize - that's Blackadore Caye. Well, on Friday, he told the New York Times that he has major plans to turn Blackadore into a model of environmental restoration. DiCaprio describes Belize as, quote, "heaven on earth," and says that in 2018 he will open "Blackadore Caye, a Restorative Island." He tell the Times that Blackadore Caye has suffered from "overfishing, an eroding coastline and the mangrove deforestation," and he and the developer will fix it. According to the article, the villas on Blackadore Caye will be "built atop a massive platform that stretches in an arc over the water, with artificial reefs and fish shelters underneath." The times reports that "a team of designers, scientists, engineers and landscape architects, some of whom have spent more than 18 months studying Blackadore Caye, will monitor the resort's impact on its surroundings." DiCaprio says he wants to quote "change the world." You can find a link to the entire extended article at 7newsbelize.com.

PM to Panama For Summit
Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country today to attend the 7th Summitt of the Americas in Panama. PM Barrow will make a pre-summit presentation titled "Bridging the Americas: Productive Integration for Inclusive Development",. And while in Panama, PM Barrow will also be participating in a SICA-US Summit. PM Barrow returns on Monday, 13th April, 2015 and During his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega is acting Prime Minister.

How To Half Marathon, Bob Lightburn Style
The Bob Lightburn Half Marathon used to be a fixture of Holy Saturday - not as famous as the cross country but famous in its own way - not least because of its namesake Bob himself who blazed a trail for runners in the 50's. On Saturday right after the cross country started heading for Cayo - they headed for the Burdon Canal Bridge in a 13.1 mile half marathon. We were there and spoke to the winners:... Regrettably we could not find the overall winner Albert Davis who is a 19-year-old student of St. John's Junior College. He clocked a time of 1:22:52 on the 13.1 mile run.

Cross Country Champ Justin Williams, In His Blood
But we did speak to Justin Williams - the winner of the 87th. Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic. Justin is the elder son of Callyman Williams - a former rider well known in the cycling community. But Justin's family tree also goes way back into cycling history with the Miguel's - the most storied cycling dynasty in Cross Country history. Today we spoke to him about that family history and how it led him to the line on Saturday:.. Justin Williams, Cross Country Champion "We grew up in a Belize community in LA, so every is always talking about it. My dad who brought us out here when we were kids. One of my first memory as a kid we being in Belize on my Uncle Dwight's motorcycle. We've been out here a lot and the culture us just embedded in us. When people ask how does it feel to be a Belizean? We don't know any different. We are Belizeans - that's the way we grew up. Our dad always doing the cross country and us always hearing about the cross country - our uncle always winning the cross country. People always coming at our house on Sundays after long rides. We use to have barbeques at our house after long rides and all our uncles and my dad friends arguing about who won this and won that - it's just something we grew up with."

Channel 5

Rawell Pelayo Is Back in Belize
Former F.F.B. executive Rawell Pelayo is at home tonight in Orange Walk a free man. He was deported by U.S. marshals on a flight back to Belize earlier today and [...]

Keyren Tzib Charged For Shooting Senior Officer
On Easter Monday, at the end of a joint maritime operation of Belize's armed forces, twenty-four year old Coast Guard Seaman Keyren Tzib approached the vessel's captain, thirty-seven year old [...]

Veteran Boatman Explains Explosion
On Thursday night, we left you with the story about a boat that caught on fire in the hanger area near the Belize City Municipal Airstrip. Four men were heading [...]

Fire Department Investigates
In speaking with News Five today, Stephen Bradley said the skiff, Miss Din, was regularly maintained since he bought it twelve years ago. Bradley also pointed out that a new [...]

Belize City Man Found Dead in Seine Bight
The body of a Belize City man was today retrieved from the lagoon in Seine Bight on the Peninsula. Eighteen year old George Richard Maskall was last seen by relatives [...]

3 Structures Torched by Arsonists
There was a string of three arsons across the country over the Easter weekend, the most tragic being the deliberate destruction of a Garifuna spiritual temple in Barranco Village.� Since [...]

Police Investigate Infant Death
A toddler is dead and police are investigating the cause of the death of the eleven month old baby. Karen De Jesus Perez reported to police that sometime around seven-thirty [...]

Belize City Family Homeless After Fire
Earlier in the newscast, we reported on two cases of arson in the village of Barranco in the south. Well, there is another incident in which a small house was [...]

2 More Fires in Toledo
There were two other fires in the Toledo District�one in at a school in Big Falls and the other in Blue Creek. In the wee hours of Monday, a fire [...]

RTA Near Edgewater Leaves One Dead
Twenty-seven-year-old Victor Underwood perished in a fatal road traffic accident which occurred along the Phillip Goldson Highway at the start of the Easter weekend.� He would be the first of [...]

Family Claims Possible Negligence by K.H.M.H.
According to Underwood's brother, while he concedes that his sibling was at times difficult to deal with; his death may have been the result of negligence on the part of [...]

Patrick Castillo Arraigned for Murder of Stepson
On Wednesday, April Fools' Day, forty-two year old security guard, Patrick Castillo Senior, viciously chopped his stepson, Guatemalan Jose Maderos, to death. It was a bloody scene which left a [...]

Teenager Drowns Near Bermudian Landing
A teenager lost his life over the weekend in a drowning accident in the Belize River Valley.� The seventeen-year-old was reportedly spending his Saturday afternoon with a group of friends [...]

Looking at Food Safety on World Health Day
Today is being celebrated as World Health Day under the theme of Food Safety. It's not a topic that we often think about, but it's a very serious matter for [...]

PM Barrow Travels to Summit of the Americas
The Summit of the Americas takes place this week on Friday and Saturday in Panama City, under the "Prosperity with Equity: The Challenge of Cooperation in the Americas." The event [...]

British Soldiers Undergo Intensive Training in Belize
British soldiers are a regular sight on our roads, especially in the west as they train in the rough of the Mountain Pine Ridge. Belize actually provides an ideal training [...]

Your Weekend Sports With James Adderley
Good evening, I'm James Adderley and this is Sports Monday on a Tuesday. Hope you had an enjoyable Easter Weekend. For certain you were thrilled with the results of the [...]


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PlusTV

Stepfather accused of chopping stepson to death
A domestic dispute late on Wednesday night in Belize City between a stepfather and stepson ended in tragedy when the older man,�42 year old security guard Patrick Castillo of Kut Avenue, allegedly chopped his 20 year old Jose Jonathan Maderos, as well as his 13 year old stepdaughter by accident.

Trade Unions condemn Petrocaribe Act
A meeting of the General Council of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) took place last night in Belize City after the passage earlier this week of the Petrocaribe Loans Act, 2015, which passed by a slim six-to-five margin with an abstention by Senator representing the trade unions, ...

NTUCB not ready to throw Senator under the bus
The other major question to be discussed at the General Council meeting of the Union Congress was the actions of Senator Ray Davis in abstaining from the vote during a meeting of the Senate this week...

Twin Town residents meet with new Mayor and Town council
The San Ignacio/ Santa Elena Town Council held its first community meeting this week since the new Mayor and his council were sworn in to office on March 19th last two weeks. The meeting was held at 7 pm on Tuesday March 31st at the San Ignacio Hotel and resort...

Easter Weekend; Adoration of Jesus Christ
Beyond the chocolate bunnies, new clothes, and tropical beaches is the real meaning of Easter which is a call to celebrate in the triumph of Jesus Christ...

Boat explodes; persons injured
There was a boat explosion in Belize City this afternoon. It happened just after 1 pm in the 'Hangar' area of Belize City on this Holy Thursday, April 2.� The amateur videos you are seeing were sent to us this afternoon...

Belmopan Man missing
A Belmopan man is missing and his family is seeking the public's assistance in locating him. According to the brother, on Monday , 34 year old Jahir Heremias Guerra, better known as� “Hairo” , left his home in San Martin with a knapsack on his back and riding a blue bicycle...

Lots of drugs found; no arrests
a number of drug packages have been found across the country but with no one in the area to charge with any crime. On April 1 in San Pedro,� police on operation in the San Mateo area conducted searches in an abandoned lot where they found a transparent plastic bag containing 126 grams of Cannabis...

New standards for rice
Yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture Gaspar Vega and senior officials from his ministry met with rice producers over the possible threat of Guyanese imported rice into the country...

Venezuela denies any struggles with Petrocaribe shipments
Last Week Friday we told you� of a significant cut in Venezuelan’s subsidized shipments of crude oil to PetroCaribe member nations, of which Belize is a part ...

Lower electricity rates
Belize Electricity Ltd has requested permission of the Public Utilities Commission to lower electricity rates by 10%. In an application on Wednesday April 1, BEL proposes to lower the average electricity rate from 41.29 cents to 37 cents per kilowatt hour...

Patrick JonesPJ

Belize City teenager reported drowned in Bermudian Landing
There was a drowning reported in the village of Bermudian Landing over the Easter weekend. Officer in charge of Ladyville formation Inspector Frederick Gordon reported that on Holy Saturday around 12:30 in the afternoon, police received reports that a 17 year old teenager went swimming in the area [�]

Police question parents in Belize City baby's death
In connection with her sudden death on Wednesday, April 1, police are questioning the parents of 11-month-old Mia Eusebia Lopez, who died in hospital after her mother, 21 year old Karen de Jesus Perez, noticed her crying and gasping for air. A short time thereafter the baby's body [�]

Homeowner loses house to fire
The home of 57 year old Robert Austin Tracey at Hibiscus Street in the Lake Independence area burned down by fire over the weekend. But the homeowner, whose son Robert Austin Jr. was shot dead near downtown Belize City in December, believes it was deliberate. He says he [�]

Coast Guard officer charged with attempted murder of colleague
26 year old officer of the Belize National Coast Guard Keyren Tzib has been charged with the attempted murder of fellow officer Kurt Hyde, 37, of Ontario, Cayo District. Petty Officer First Class Hyde is reported to be stabilized but still in critical condition after being shot in [�]

Former Vice President of the Football Federation of Belize Deported from USA
Former Vice President of the Football Federation of Belize , Rawell Pelayo has returned home after spending almost two years of detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. Pelayo was detained in July 8th 2012 by Drug Enforcement Agents while trying to attend the games that the Belize Jaguars/National Team were playing [�]

"GI Joe" charged for fast food break in
Police believe 42 year old Cecil Franklin, otherwise known as "G.I. Joe" after the famous action figure, attempted to break into PG Kitchen on Freetown Road on Sunday night. Franklin pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted burglary before Magistrate Ladonna John and was offered bail of [�]

Trio charged over homemade firearm
Three residents of Ladyville, Belize District are accused of keeping a prohibited firearm and ammunition without a gun license. 26 year old Kareem Arnold, 42 year old Mesheck Bucknor and a 17 year old female pleaded not guilty to the charges before Magistrate Ladonna John and were remanded to [�]

Patrick Castillo charged with stepson's murder
Last week 20 year old Guatemalan national Jose Jonathan Maderos was chopped to death at his Kut Avenue home following an argument with his stepfather, 42 year old Patrick Castillo Sr, a security guard. Today he was charged with Jonathan's murder and the wounding of his 13 year [�]

House Fire Over the Easter Holidays Leaves Family Homeless
77 year old, Narciso Novelo from the Village of August Pine Ridge in Orange Walk District is lucky to be alive after family members woke him up in the wee hours of April 5th, 2015 to notify him that the thatched roof of his house was being engulfed in [�]

Traffic Accident on the Western Highway
Belize Media Group has been informed of a traffic accident on the Western Highway between miles 45 and 46 around noon today. One individual was transported for medical attention via ambulance. This is a developing story and we will be updating it as soon as we receive more information.

Belmopan City Council: consider increasing efficiency and effectiveness
By Charles Leslie Jr. I highly recommend that the Belmopan City Council do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of their traffic department, with a focus on increasing efficiency and effectiveness. They should also consider improving their image. The personnel they have that are the first contact for customers, are not trained in public relations, when a security guard does not know that saying good day to a customer walking into the building and a cashier that does not lift her head to greet you, their is lack of public relations training. The security guard doesn't need lots of training for this. He just needs to be told to smile and greet people. As for the cashier, I have observed that she is overwhelmed with paperwork. There seems to be a lack of an efficient method for her to deal with the work load she has, and when the office gets filled with customers, she spends more than 50% of her time out of her office, than actually attending to customers.

Two Fire Incidents Reported Over The Easter Holidays
Belize Media Group has received information about two fire reports over the Easter Holidays; one in August Pine Ridge, Orange Walk and the other in Benque Viejo Del Carmen.

Generally dry conditions will prevail through Tuesday
The National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting sunny with cloudy spells today and partly cloudy skies tonight. For the rest of the week conditions are likely to remain the same with partly cloudy skies with only isolated showers. Winds will blow to the East at 10 to 20 knots and the sea state will be choppy to moderate. High temperatures are expected to be around 85 degrees Fahrenheit along the coast; 92 degrees Fahrenheit inland and a comfortable 78 degrees Fahrenheit up at the exposed areas of the Mountain Pine Ridge and along the Maya Mountains in the south.

Blogs

My Long Easter Weekend on Ambergris Caye�Sigh. Now Back to Work!
I've said it before, I'll say it again. A four and a half day holiday is simply the most wonderful idea. And, I think, one of the very best ways to judge how civilized a country is. Also a great way to measure the greatness of a civilization is how they treat their weakest members. Or Gandhi's quote highlighted at the Belize Zoo: Also a great way to measure the greatness of a civilization is how they treat their weakest members. Or Gandhi's quote highlighted at the Belize Zoo:

Belize 2015 Easter Egg Hunt - Chaa Creek does it again!
Chaa Creek continues to celebrate this traditional activity with the multinational cadre of children visiting our 365 acre nature reserve as spring comes to the tropics and announces the nesting time for toucans and parrots within a riotous pallet of brightly coloured trees. The egg hunt started first thing Sunday morning with families having early breakfast and preparing for the day's activities including the treasure hunt and visits to Mayan ceremonial caves and temples, zip-lining, cave tubing, horseback riding and canoeing. Over 100 eggs were hidden with treasures inside of them, all scattered throughout the lodge's grounds. Each child was handed an easter bag to place all the eggs they could discover and collect!

The Best Birdwatching in Southern Belize: Laguna Village and the Agua Caliente Wildlife Sanctuary
For birders, adventurers, naturalist, and travelers who want to share an authentic slice of Toledo life and an unmatched patch of natural beauty, plan a trip to Laguna. Located just thirty minutes up the road from Punta Gorda, the village of Laguna has it all. A quaint and beautiful Q'eqchi Maya community, Laguna is ideal for those interested in experiencing the lifestyle of the majority of Toledo's inhabitants. The nearby lagoons, meanwhile, are also an absolute must see for birders and outdoor enthusiast. Add in the proximity of a beautiful nearby cave, traditional meals with local families, and the short distance to PG and its many hotels, and there is something everyone should be able to enjoy. A member of the Toledo Ecotourism Association (TEA), Laguna has a brand new guesthouse to accommodate visitors interested in seeing the lagoons. Guests can choose between a dormitory style room with four bunk beds or a private room with two double beds. The cost to stay a night in Laguna is $22 BZE (11 US) per person. Unlike most of the homes in Laguna, the guesthouse also has bathrooms and showers, so you can cool off after a long day in the forest. Alternatively, guests can stay in PG, call TEA to arrange a guide, and drive out to Laguna the following day.

Medical Clinic USNS Comfort
Reminder - Medical Clinic USNS Comfort will be providing Medical services to the needy! Lookout for venues and dates! Courtesy US Embassy in Belize!

19 Fun Facts About Belize
Thought you knew everything there is to know about Belize? Don't bet on it. Even folks who have lived here for decades could learn a few things within the following 19 fun facts, like did you know that Belize is the only Central American country where English is the official language? Guess that makes 20! 1. Traffic lights can only be found in Belize City. Speed bumps along highways and roads control traffic throughout the nation, but of course the term "traffic" is relative here. 2. Belize cuisine includes Royal Rat as a main course. The rodent's official name is the Gibnut and it's supposed to taste like rabbit. Nobody asked Queen Elizabeth her opinion when she found it on her plate during a visit. 3. Order the Bamboo Chicken at any restaurant and you could violate a law since this chicken is actually a protected iguana and it's illegal to eat this traditional dish.

International Sourcesizz

Restorative Hospitality Announces Plans for Restorative Island Development in Belize
Restorative Hospitality, a subsidiary of the wellness real estate firm Delos, and Leonardo DiCaprio have announced plans to create the world's most sustainable island resort at Blackadore Caye, Belize. Upon its completion in 2018, Blackadore Caye will be the greenest island resort ever built, and the world's first 'Restorative Island' project designed with sustainable building techniques that restore and regenerate the surrounding ecosystem and reverse the effects of climate change. The project is being developed by Restorative Islands, LLC, designed by McLennan Design and operated by Restorative Hospitality, which will also manage the wellness programming offered at the resort. "Islands and coastal areas all over the world are being threatened by climate change due to rising sea levels, ocean acidification and habitat pressures," said Leonardo DiCaprio. "This project is leading a new way in eco-tourism, development and green building and demonstrates that human development can be truly restorative and beneficial for the environment."

Belize-It or Not! BA mission trip finds Bixby school bus
A recent mission trip to Belize for a group of college students and leaders from Broken Arrow proved to be an eye-opening experience in more ways than one. Six students and two leaders from the college ministry program at First United Methodist Church traveled to Belmopan, the capital city of Belize, from March 14-22 to work with students from an orphanage and a local high school there. Belize is a nation located on the eastern coast of Central America, some 1,400 miles from Broken Arrow. According to Adam Heare, a full-time staff member at FUMCBA and one of the two adult leaders on the trip, the group spent time assisting as substitute teachers, providing life skills classes, while also sharing testimonies and teaching music to Belize youth.

Inside Belize: British Army soldiers put through their paces
ITV News has been given access to Price Barracks in the former British colony of Belize where dozens of young British Army soldiers are being put through their paces. As the UK ends its combat mission in Afghanistan, it's hoped more soldiers will go through training in these kinds of environment. In the first of his three special reports, Matt Price looks back at the history of that base - and how our troops are being pushed to the limit in the jungles of Central America:

Canadian Municipalities program
A pair of city planners is bound for Belize as part of a Federation of Canadian Municipalities program that aids economic development in the Caribbean. The planners, Sean Galloway and Heather McNeely, will for the next two weeks "provide technical advice" to support the creation of a downtown improvement plan for Belize City and the towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, according to a staff report that noted London is one of several cities offering its expertise as part of the so-called Caribbean Local Economic Development Program. To no surprise, the plan pleased Coun. Harold Usher, who moved to Canada from Belize some 40 years ago. "They're going to do good work," he told his colleagues on the corporate services committee.

Fish key to keeping reefs healthy: study
A team of scientists have come up with a benchmark for how many fish are needed to protect the health of coral reefs. Scientists from James Cook University, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the University of Queensland and the Wildlife Conservation Society have studied fish populations in more than 800 reefs around the world. They have discovered that near-pristine reefs contain one tonne of fish per hectare. Using this figure as a benchmark, they found 83 per cent of fished reefs have lost more than half their fish populations. JCU coral reef expert Dr Nick Graham says fish play important roles in the functioning of reef ecosystems, including controlling seaweed and invertebrates. "By linking fisheries to ecology, we can now uncover important ecosystem functions for a given level of fish biomass," Dr Graham said. The study, published in the journal Nature, found most fished reefs would take about 35 years of protection to recover, while the most depleted areas would take almost 60 years.

Complex bacterial challenge in fight against deadly amphibian disease
New research from The University of Manchester and the Institute of Zoology has shed light on the complex challenge facing scientists battling one of the world's most devastating animal diseases. Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) is thought to be behind the decline or extinction of at least 200 species of frogs. It is also one of the reasons why 31% of amphibian species are currently listed as threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This latest study used bacteria from frogs in Belize to test the limitations of probiotic treatments. This form of treatment aims to introduce bacteria cultivated from amphibians that aren't affected by the disease to those at risk of infection to boost their immunity. To assess the effectiveness of probiotic treatments, the team used bacteria taken from frogs in Belize, where the species has shown resilience despite the long term presence of the disease in the area. 56 strains of bacteria were isolated and stored for use in the laboratory.

Travel Tips To Live By So Everyday Life Can Be An Adventure
There are many lessons to be learned from traveling. While I don't necessarily think a week-long trip can transform who you are, I do believe, collectively, travel experiences can. As a wanderlust at heart, I have traveled the United States extensively; I have even sold all of my belongings to backpack through Central America. Here are three travel lessons I learned from those experiences, which can also be applied to everyday life at home: 1. Life will be more beautiful if you proactively create your own moments of wonder. In Belize, I sailed to a remote island and pitched a tent. That night, I laid in the sand and looked up at the stars. The hostel gave away my room and the entire island was booked solid. The only available options were expensive hotel rooms and bungalows. That night, I ended up sleeping in a hammock outside a local's house, who cooked me fresh lobster and gave me all the ins and outs of the island.

More opportunities for farmers through new Fairtrade Sourcing Programs
For many years the familiar sight of the blue and green Fairtrade mark has been a beacon for ethical shoppers. But under the new Fairtrade Sourcing Programs, things are about to change as Fairtrade pioneers a new way for farmers to sell their produce all over the globe. The initiative will allow manufacturers to source single commodities such as cocoa, cotton and sugar on Fairtrade terms and then carry a new specific FSP logo if they source 100% of that specific Fairtrade ingredient. Until now, they had to source everything that could possibly be Fairtrade to earn labelling certification. Fairtrade currently works with 62,000 sugar cane farmers in countries including Belize, Jamaica, Malawi and Zambia, and 167,000 cocoa farmers in countries such as Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and the Dominican Republic, enabling them to increase their productivity, improve their businesses and invest in a wide range of community projects such as educational grants, health clinics and access to safe drinking water.

What Kind Of World Do You Want To Create With Your Money?
I truly believe that sometimes to get back in touch, you need to get away.I closed out 2014 in a rut, feeling lost with many things in my personal life and professional life. Then we turned the calendar to 2015, and I kicked off the year by heading to Belize with Under30Experiences. It was a phenomenal trip, and I came back oozing with clarity. Belize revived me, jazzed me, and straight up gave me that feeling again that I'm in sync with everything. But it wasn't because of the beautiful 80 degree weather, crystal blue waters, or literally swimming with sharks. It wasn't eating fresh Red Snapper, doing yoga at sunrise on a pier overlooking the sea, or hooping with locals who called me Young Kobe.

Pregnant Mermaid Performer Swims with Sharks & Rays to Promote Barrier Reef Conservation
Sirenalia, an Austin, Texas�, based mermaid production company, traveled to Belize to swim through Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, in the Great Barrier Reef. Maria Russo, who owns Sirenalia, made the swim while eight months pregnant. The trip was documented by Flashpool Productions' underwater photographer, Sarah Teveldal. All photos are being donated to be used as promotional materials by Barrier Reef conservation agencies. The Belizian Great Barrier Reef is the second largest coral reef system in the world, and is one of the planet's most diverse ecosystems. Unfortunately, over 48% of the reef has been damaged since 1998. "I love this reef so much, and I want to be able to share it with my daughter," said Russo. "It's heartbreaking to me to think of the damage done to it. I genuinely hope she gets to experience it when she's grown." Maria's company, Sirenalia, specializes in the production of silicone mermaid tails & accessories, and customized mermaid performances. It has several regular mermaid performers, two of whom came on the trip to swim alongside her. "I'm really proud of my girls- swimming in a mermaid tail is a learned skill, and I felt really good knowing they were with me."

Officers linked to human rights abuses in Latin America
Carlos Alberto Ospina Ovalle was deep in the Colombian mountains in the autumn of 1997, directing an Army brigade in a major offensive against a group that Washington formally designated that year as terrorists, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. He achieved some battlefield successes, and five years later, he was appointed chief of the Colombian Armed Forces. Flash forward to earlier this month: Ospina Ovalle was in a military classroom in Washington, lecturing at the National Defense University to an elite group of U.S. and foreign military officers and civilians from a podium set before a row of Latin American flags. Colleagues at the school, which is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say Ospina Ovalle is particularly respected there for his experience under fire and his deep knowledge of counterterrorism strategy. In recent weeks, however, a less heroic portrayal of Ospina's past has caught up with him, provoking controversy over his presence in the United States among lawmakers on Capitol Hill and within the Obama administration, and new expressions of concern from Washington's community of Latin American specialists.

Videos

  • Justin's Trip to the Belize Zoo, 3min. A little something put together to remember my son's/family's outing to the Belize Zoo during March's Stimulation Month

  • Un Belize Able, 2min. A video from my trip to Placencia, Belize over spring break 2016.

  • Snorkeling Caye Caulker Belize, 2.5min.

  • MissAmericaBelize Pageant -2015, 3min.

  • Shawn + Jaime - Wedding Trailer, 1min. Video by Island Films. Location: Victoria House, Ambergris Caye, Belize

  • SAN PEDRO BELIZE INSIDE JAGUARS NIGHT CLUB EASTER 2015 #DJSMALLZ, 2min.

  • You Better Belize It, 12min.

  • Dolphin jumps next to our boat on the Belize River, 1/2min. We encountered a number of dolphins in the Belize River a few kilometres from Belize City off the Caribbean coast. I recorded this video from a boat so had some trouble stabilizing or getting a clear view...

  • Belize Flight Over Water and Coral Barrier Reefs 1 of 2, 4min. Magnificent water and views of the barrier reefs. Filmed with an early model GoPro from a helicopter.

  • Belize Flight Over Water and Coral Barrier Reefs 2 of 2, 3min. Helicopter flight off the coast of Belize.



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