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Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials
WEEKLY WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR BELIZE
Valid: May 14 – May 21, 2012
Synopsis: Model projections showing a low developing just offshore the coast of Belize by Thursday of this week. This feature will favor showers and thunderstorms increasing especially on Thursday through Monday. The onset of the rainy season could be early for some regions of Belize this year.
A quasi-stationary front over the Louisiana Gulf Coast to the central Gulf of Mexico has an induced surface trough of low pressure over the Yucatan Peninsula. These features together with a divergent SW’ly airstream from the Pacific aloft, have been generating outbreaks of thunderstorms and showers over Campeche, El Peten and western and southern Belize over the past 24-36 hours.
Analysis of the upper level weather charts show that the winter-time westerlies have now become disrupted over the subtropics, which is indicating a return to a summer pattern and the gradual onset of the 2012 rainy season. The GFS model projections of stability indices, surface pressure pattern and low level winds for the next five to seven days points to an increase in moisture and instability in the NW Caribbean and over northern Central America, as a surface low pressure system tries to become organized this week, and evolves into the first weak disturbance for the season just over and offshore Belize. The low will remain stationary just offshore central Belize on Thursday, and will then begin to track NNE into the eastern Gulf of Mexico during the coming weekend. Cloudy and unsettled weather will therefore persist over Belize during most of this week, with showers and thunderstorms becoming more persistent on Thursday through Monday of next week. This could mark the beginning of the rainy season for Belize. However, it is likely that the onset of the rains will be gradual in most places as we move towards June, but yes, the transition to a rainy season airflow pattern is almost completed as we should see more rainy days over the next seven to ten days.
CLICK HERE for the full Belize Weekend Weather Report
The San Pedro Sun
Reef Week held under the theme “Celebrating our Natural Heritage Securing our Future”
Reef Week is being celebrated on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker under the theme “Celebrating our Natural Heritage Securing our Future.” For that reason, Hol Chan Marine Reserve planned a number of activities which started on May 14th and continues through May 18th, all geared at celebrating the natural environment and educating the population about the importance of the wetland and the reef system in Belize. As part of the activities, students from both islands were invited to participate in the various events.
Events kicked off with a Mangrove Rehabilitation Day where primary school children were invited to plant mangrove in the Boca del Rio area near the park. The mangrove seedlings were placed in tube encasements using the Riley Encased Methodology. According to Education Officer at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Mariela Archer, a total of 30 mangrove seedlings were planted. “Our goal is to create awareness within the entire country and the islands, about the importance of mangroves to us, especially for up-keeping our coastlines,” said Archer.
Misc Belizean Sources
Belize Film Festival moving to Cayo
NICH is eyeing Cayo for the Belize Film Festival. Cahal Pech might be the new location from now on. Makes sense to have it in the prettiest part of the country.
AALAWI Productions features Eco Love by Joris Hendrik
Joris' dress made out of a blue tarp is featured on AALAWI Productions' site. They did a photoshoot at Altun Ha ruins, which made for a nice back drop. The next Eco Love fashion show should be in early Summer. Where will it be this time?
"This wasn't supposed to actually be a photoshoot, but it came out nice, so I decided to release it. The dress is made of a blue tarp and safety pins over the corset part. You can visit the designer and see more of his Eco Love creations, Joris Hendrik's Fagebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/JorisHendrik"
HORSE AND BUGGY ACCIDENT
Two Mennonite farmers escaped serious injuries after their horse drawn buggy was hit by a Hummer on the Western Highway on Saturday evening. One of the horses that was pulling the cart sustained serious injuries, a a veterinarian from Central Farm was working on the horse's wounds late into the evening. The incident happened near the village cemetery in Georgeville. Both the buggy and the Hummer were heading towards Belmopan when the incident happened. Police are investigating the incident but preliminary information suggests that the Hummer, which carried Stann Creek licence plated sideswiped the horse drawn cart while overtaking it. One f the two farmers in the buggy complained of chest pains at the scene.
LOVE FM
Friday, May 18 - POLICE NEWS
A violent home invasion in Bullet Tree Falls village in the Cayo district has left the community shaken, one man injured and three youths in police detention. The incident happened late last night at the home of sixty nine year old retired French Photographer Gilles Chereau. Acco...
LUPUS ASSOCIATION TO HOLD WALK TO BRING AWARENESS TO DISEASE
The Belize Lupus Association is trying to raise awareness about the devastating and potentially life-threatening impact of the disease on its victims. An estimated five million people around the world are living with Lupus. In Belize, the exact number of people afflicted wi...
WORK TO REMOVE ASBESTOS ROOF AT TOLEDO SCHOOL BEGINS
Preliminary work started this morning for the rehabilitation and reconstruction work on three school buildings at St. Peter Claver School in Punta Gorda. Paul Mahung reporting... “The preliminary work began with the removal of old and hazardous asbestos r...
OUTSTANDING TEACHERS HONORED
A number of outstanding teachers were recognized at a special ceremony last night. Deputy Chairperson of the Belize Board of Teacher Education is Dr. Eve Aird. Dr. Eve Aird – Deputy Chairperson, Belize Board of Teacher Education “The outstanding tea...
COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY GENERAL ENDS WORKING VISIT TO BELIZE
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma leaves Belize today. Sharma was on a three day working visit to the country. During his visit he engaged in various meetings with the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, other Government ministers and the banking sector, in an...
BUSINESSMAN MURDERED IN BELIZE CITY
Marion Ali reporting… Family and close friends of forty-six year old Jeremy McNab looked on and sobbed as crimes investigators moved his body away from his business at Corner Curassow Street and Central American Boulevard on Thursday night. McNab, who rented the locati...
LOVE TV
Man accosted and shot on North Creek Road
The other shooting occurred at around one forty five this morning and has left twenty six year old Codrington Bood Junior in a stable condition with a bullet wound to the left side of his abdomen. Bood was reportedly riding his bicycle on North Creek Road in Belize City around one forty-five a.m. when a man approached him and told him “don’t move.”
Police have no leads into this shooting.
Two men shot on Mahogany Street
While police try to crack the murder of businessman, Jeremy McNab, their desks also have a number of other shootings to solve. Two hours after McNab was shot dead at his store, eighteen year old student Brandon Bradley and twenty one year old Alfredo Tun Junior were also shot. It happened as taxi driver, nineteen year old Brandon Mejia, arrived in his green taxi car along with Bradley and Tun at B & H Shop on Mahogany Street to purchase drinks.
Brandon Bradley lies in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital while Alfredo Tun Jr. is listed as stable. Police have not yet established a motive.
Family of burn victim seeks answers/justice
The family of a man is upset that he was set on fire, allegedly by a next-door neighbour five days ago and up to now, the neighbour is still walking about while the burn victim is fighting for his life. The incident happened at around midnight just as fifty-six year old Joseph Usher was walking through his neighbour’s yard to go to his adjacent yard at the corner of Antelope Street and Central American Boulevard. According to Usher’s daughter, Josephine Usher, she got the call a few minutes later and rushed to the hospital to inquire what had happened. To her disbelief, her father had been set on fire by the neighbour and she told Love News that so far, there has been no genuine effort on the part of the police to make an arrest or to investigate the circumstances what happened.
After Joseph Usher was set ablaze, he ran leaving his pair of slippers, woolen cap and shirt and ran to wake his sister that he lives with, Jacqueline Usher.
This afternoon, the Police Press Officer, Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood, explained why no action has yet been taken.
Joseph Usher is in the Intensive Care Unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and is currently in an induced coma and he has been given a fifty-fifty chance to live.
Students from the north go on field trip to Toledo
A group of students, teachers and parents from Libertad village were in Toledo yesterday on an educational tour. Correspondent Paul Mahung reports.
Minister John Saldivar continues nationwide tour
Minister of National Security John Saldivar continued his nationwide tour today in the west. Correspondent Elaine Berry reports.
Family of burn victim seeks answers/justice
The family of a man is upset that he was set on fire, allegedly by a next-door neighbour five days ago and up to now, the neighbour is still walking about while the burn victim is fighting for his life. The incident happened at around midnight just as fifty-six year old Joseph Usher was walking [...]
Home invasion reported in Bullet Tree Falls
A violent home invasion in Bullet Tree Falls village in the Cayo district has left the community shaken, one man injured and three youths in police detention. The incident happened late last night at the home of sixty nine year old retired French Photographer Gilles Chereau. According to police reports, Chereau was in his bedroom around nine o’clock last night when he heard his dogs barking and then his mother, ninety one year old Yolande Chereau scream. When he got out of bed, Chereau says that he say a man wearing dark clothing and a mask. As he attempted to run downstairs, Chereau says another man swung at him with a machete, hitting him on the right elbow. Police say that a struggle ensued, during which time Chereau managed to grab a machete and tried to chase the two men. That was when he was reportedly hit in the head, rendering him unconscious. Chereau says that when he regained consciousness, his hands and feet were tied. The robbers got away with a flat screen television set, two thousand dollars in cash, an expensive digital camera and a laptop computer. Police say they have since detained a 17-year boy, an unemployed of Bullet Tree Village; along with eighteen year old Jacob Banner also of Bullet Tree Falls village and twenty year old Alfredo Badillo a resident of Alta Vista Village in the Stann Creek pending the outcome of their investigations.
Work begins to remove asbestos roof from Toledo school
Preliminary work started this morning for the rehabilitation and reconstruction work on three school buildings at St. Peter Claver School in Punta Gorda. Our Toledo Correspondent Paul Mahung reports.
I Hate To Be the Bearer of Bad News: It's Raining
But many of you know that already. You've been grabbing your umbrella on the way out the door for a few days now...
The weather has ranged from full blown, drenching rain to on-and-off sprinkles to hot, humid sun with looming clouds. Not ideal...but as we move into the rainier season, we need to expect it once in a while. Yes, generally at the beginning of the more stormy season, the rain is contained to the night and early morning. And it doesn't last for three days...but June 1st IS the official start to the hurricane season. And as the summer goes on...the Caribbean starts swirling (for all of you not "in the know", swirling is a technical meteorlogical term).
Top 3 ways to enjoy your vacation with your kids
Sometimes, admittedly, I think of the words, “vacation” and “kids” mixed together, and I feel guilty and woeful. The equation has often equaled exhaustion; fun, but the drop-down-on-the-hotel-bed-I’m-beat-by 5pm sort of amusement.
I loathe ever having to say, “Well, it was fun for the kids!” with a wince and lilt in my voice that suggests that I sacrificed my time for their sake- (of course we all do this in parenting at times). I want us ALL to be enjoying our time. I want to be enjoying my vacations more – not just doing more, and seeing more, but feeling more when I am with my family.
Hefty Expectations? Not really.
The time is quick on vacation, and you think thoughts like, “4 more days left, 3 more days, ooops, tomorrow we leave!” and that can suck the life out of you and your time together.
We found 3 guidelines that helped us navigate the waters of vacation – not foolproof, but worth the undertaking on the path to happier times together.
Caye Caulker is mosquito-less – or do I speak too soon?
For anyone that has spent any amount of time on this island there is definitely a seasonality for our least favorite critters – mosquitos and sandflies!
We find that in the dry season between November to May these lay almost dormant, bothering us little in the populated areas of Caye Caulker. Typically after the first rain (generally in June) these flies descend on the town as a swarm and the grocery shops almost sell out of coils and vapes to counter these flying demons!!
This week we experienced our first rains (slightly early but not unheard of)! Rain is a blessing at this time of the year as they washed down the dust from buildings, brighten the green of leaves in the trees, water vats fill up and those with allergies have finally stopped coughing! This combined with the fact that most of the rainfall happens at night and therefore are days are largely dry and with sunshine, the rain is definitely most welcome!
However what is absent are the flies … where are they? This week was their call to action and yet there is no apparent action!! We are not complaining of course and perhaps we have spoken too soon – but could there be a mosquito party going on in Mexico that all of our flying gems are attending and therefore they are not here? Or, perhaps a more likely explanation – the diligent spraying from some week’s ago brought down the mosquito population in advance of the rain???
If the later explanation is the reason then the Village Council are to be thanked – the management for the foresight in organizing the the obviously strategic battle and for ‘Tiger and crew’ for painstakingly spraying the island both morning (and I mean EARLY morning) and evening!
International Sources
Runner's astonishing journey from Big Issue seller to Olympic flame carrier
JUST three years ago, Joel Hodgson was sleeping rough on the steps of a police station.
Today, the 24-year-old is preparing to carry the Olympic torch.
Born in Belize in Central America, adopted by Scottish parents and brought up in Renton, Dunbartonshire, Joel’s life has already been an amazing rollercoaster.
And, in another twist, he is now training to run for Belize at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
In July, the former Big Issue seller, who now works for one of London’s top law firms, will proudly carry the Olympic torch through the capital.
And last week he discovered he could play an even bigger role at the Glasgow games and line up with some of the world’s best athletes – including world record holder Usain Bolt – in the premier athletics event, the 100m.
Joel has come a long, long way since being born in Belize.
Abandoned by his mum when he was just three months old, Joel – and his sisters Yvette, 26, and Keisha, 27 – ended up in a children’s home.
But, when he was four, they were adopted by Scots marine engineer George Hodgson and his wife Susan, 62.
Joel said: “My birth mum walked out on us when I was a baby and left us with our dad, who was a very bad man. Social services put us in a home.
“The Hodgsons wanted to adopt three children and chose my sisters and I, without knowing we were all related.
“Then they brought us back to Scotland and we had an amazing childhood.
“I rememberseeing snow for the first time and running outside in my underpants. I didn’t know it was going to be so cold.
“Sadly, my dad passed away when I was seven. I owe my Scots mum and dad everything. I owe them my life.
“Who knows what would have happened to me if I had been left in the home in Belize? I would have probably got sucked into a life of crime and drugs.
“It’s thanks to the Hodgsons I am the person I am today. We’ve all done well. My sisters both have good jobs.
“Our parents never let us forget our roots and took us back to Belize every two years to visit our older brother Raymond.
“We couldn’t have wished for a better mum and dad. I’m determined to make them proud.”
Dr. Jen Bigelow and family take on Belize ministry
When Mooresville family practitioner Jen Bigelow and her husband, Lee, spent a week in Belize for a week, Jen said the wheels began to turn. “We started communic ...
AmbergrisCaye.com 
