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Specials and Events

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

The April 21st, 2013 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Latest Invasion Of A Western Home:
    There has been much talk, even in the news, since last Tuesday of the latest aggravated burglary, also known as a home invasion, in the west taking place at Rumors Hotel on the western outskirts of San Ignacio Town, the owners of the hotel has been informing the public that nothing is further from the truth. While owners of the hotel are not disputing that the incident took place in the area, the establishment, they say, continues to be a safe haven for guests, customers and visiting friends. San Ignacio police informs that a massive nationwide manhunt is underway for two known convicts believed to have pulled off the brazen mid morning crime. The prime suspects, both from the Cayo District, are Marvin "Bombo" Neal, 20, Belizean laborer of an Eve Street address in Santa Elena Town and Jarod "Steal Bob" Lamb, 25, Belizean laborer residing in Ontario Village.
  • Attempt Rapist Remanded:
    A Guatemalan wonderer is today cooling his heels in jail on an attempt rape charge. A 22 year old woman reported to San Ignacio Police that it was shortly after 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 13 as she was walking on Bullet Tree Road in San Ignacio Town when she was approached by a male Hispanic person wearing a green polo shirt, dark short pants and a white cap. The complainant told the police that the man grabbed her by the neck and dragged her into a drain on the road side where he continued struggling with her in an effort to pull off her skirt. She resisted the attempt until another female came to her assistance and pulled her away from the aggressive man.
  • Wade Busted With Twenty Eight Pounds Of Weed:
    Thirteen days after an impressive drug bust in Georgeville Village by San Ignacio Police, yet another large quantity of suspected marijuana has been intercepted, this time in Santa Elena Town Cayo. The report reaching us indicates that just thirty minutes into the lunch hour on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, a team of officers on mobile patrol on the George Price Highway in Santa Elena Town intercepted a green Toyota Camry bearing Belize City license plates # BC-C-42803 in the vicinity of Three Flags Super Store.
  • Rosewood Amnesty:
    A release from the Government Press Office today informed that A 'Rosewood Amnesty' was declared by the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development on the 9th of April 2013. The release goes on to inform that The Amnesty, which will last until April 26th, 2013, is intended to take stock of all the already cut rosewood that private individuals may have in their possession, and to approve this stock for international trade subject to the conditions of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Ministry reiterates that the amnesty is only for rosewood that was previously cut.
  • Young Bank Now Enjoying Reliable And Safe Water Supply:
    Residents of Young Bank, a community on the outskirts of Camalote Village in the Cayo District, now enjoys quality, potable water twenty four hours a day thanks to the Government of Belize. The official ceremony begun sharply at 3:00 p.m. with the singing of the national anthem by the gathering this was followed by an opening prayer by pastor Gilberto Perez while the welcome was delivered by the Camalote village chairman, Raymond Sheppard. Community leader Miguel Aldana gave an overview of the community over the past 13 years outlining the many struggles the community endured throughout the years every time the dry season came around.
  • Elections and Boundaries:
    Public Notices
  • Ten Ways To Ruin A Relationship:
    1. Be critical. Even "constructive" criticism can make your partner defensive and reduce the feeling of safety in a relationship. Being harsh and judgmental when angry can trigger a "flight or fight response." 2. Insist your partner be exactly the same as you. Hendrix and LaKelly Hunt say "absolute compatibility" is an express route to a dull relationship. If you insist your partner have the same feelings and perceptions as you do, it can lead to despair and misery. 3. Flee from intimacy. If you habitually avoid being physically or emotionally close with your partner through escaping into work, hobbies, television, or other activities, you risk creating a divide between you and your partner that may become impossible to breach.
  • US Holds Back Recognition For Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro:
    The US government is refusing to recognise Venezuela's President-elect Nicolas Maduro's victory in disputed elections in Venezuela. Secretary of State John Kerry said the US was not yet ready to validate the results of Sunday's poll. Mr Maduro's narrow victory has been challenged by the opposition leader, Henrique Capriles. Mr Capriles is insisting on a vote-by-vote recount and has now submitted a formal request for one. However, the National Electoral Council in Venezuela has so far refused to order one, and the Supreme Court said on Wednesday that there was no legal basis for it.
  • Mexico Drops Drug Link Charges Against General Angeles:
    Prosecutors in Mexico say they have dropped the charges against retired general Tomas Angeles Dauahare. Gen Angeles, a former deputy defence minister, had been accused of having links with a drug cartel. Prosecutors said they could not corroborate allegations made by two witnesses against the general. Shortly after the announcement, Gen Angeles was released from the maximum-security jail where he had been awaiting trial. He had been facing charges of "organised crime to further drug-trafficking", which he had denied all along.
  • Canadian Travel Agents, Journalists & Wholesalers to Visit Belize!:
    The Canadian Market has been one of our growing markets in North America. The Belize Tourism Board has been aggressively working within this market; from successful trade shows to road shows and sales presentations. It gives us great pride to be welcoming a large contingent of Canadian Travel Agents, Tour Operators and Travel Writers, on Monday, April 15th, 2013. The Belize Tourism Board has organized a familiarization trip (FAM), to give 25 Canadian travel industry professionals an opportunity to learn about and experience Belize. The group of travel agents will be in the country from April 15-22. The FAM Tour will consist of a series of site visits at various properties in inland Cayo, Mountain Pine Ridge Area, Placencia and San Pedro Ambergris Caye, and will include popular tours in the respective areas.
  • STAR Humor
  • Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Public Notices

The San Pedro Sun

Woofer: The Bachelor
Middle-aged bachelor Mr. Hopkins' aunt is trying to marry him off. But he has people to take care of him. Two in fact...

Editorial: Two things we can make happen in San Pedro Town
There are two things in our community of 18,000+ people that we are sorely missing here in San Pedro�an ambulance and a morgue. Why is this need so apparent to me? How many times have we seen injured people thrown haphazardly into the back of a police truck or onto a golf cart and rushed to the doctor or clinic? Who knows what further damage is caused while they are being improperly transported, not to mention the exposure to the elements such as blaring heat, rain, wind and dust. Adding insult to injury, there is no sense of privacy as the injured, maimed or ailing individual is paraded through town for all those to see. How hard would it be to transport the ill and wounded in a more efficient and effective manner? A used taxi van could be easily converted into an ambulance by simply pulling out the seats, installing a surface for a stretcher and stocking it with essential emergency medical supplies. With some community fundraising, this affordable mobile emergency unit could be donated to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II for use when needed by the doctors on call. Not only could the vehicle serve as an ambulance, but in cases of fatalities the van could be used to transport bodies.

Doctor Love: "I am whatever they want me to be"
Dear Doctor, I have terrible luck with men. My last relationship just ended. It was a mutual breakup but I really didn't want it to end. I did not fight it though, because it has happened before and I know that fighting it is useless. I don't know what it is. I do everything I [...]

Misc Belizean Sources

Homosexuality in Belize, and Why I'm a Criminal
As I mentioned in my last post about Minister Louis Farrakhan, during his recent visit to Belize he did tone down his conservative (or as I see it, racist and homophobic) rhetoric. But one thing he did have a none-too-subtle attack on was religion's favourite scapegoat, homosexuality. He described governments' and people's acceptance of same-sex relationships as "sanctioning something that God don't sanction", and berated Belize for bowing to foreign pressure and becoming "a whore to American aid"! And he echoed many religious leaders around the world (including those in Belize) when he said that ordinary people should be afraid of the LGBT "agenda". Another 'conspiracy' to keep the paranoid minister awake at night� Of course, Farrakhan and his religious kin are suspicious of the LGBT movement, for the simple reason that they do consider gay people to be sinners (they don't believe that nonsense about "God loving the sinner but not the sin" any more than anyone else does), and they do think that homosexuals should be punished (or should be threatened with punishment at the very least). And in Belize they have the law (or a common interpretation of the law) on their side - Section 53 of the Belize Criminal Code states that any person who has "carnal knowledge" with any other person that is "against the order of nature" can be imprisoned for ten years.

Soul Project Live Collage
The Soul Project, probably the best hang out in Cayo, if not Belize, has a video collage of many of the artists that have played there. Whether it be an open mic night, or a scheduled event, you'll hear great music, and have a fun time.

Hands for Life Swigs Party
More pictures from the Hands for Life Swigs Party. Those 'shots' were out of this world. The Caribbean Coolers were a hit, thanks to Island Time Beverages. Bedran Hall was jamming that night, thanks to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. Let the playground building begin. "$1,400 profit from our fundraising event... NOW TIME TO PLAN A FAMILY DAY, WALK-A-THON & Inauguration for our first PLAYGROUND for a primary school in Cayo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)"

DYS Reproductive Health Training
Starting tomorrow, the Department of Youth Services in Benque will be having reproductive health training sessions for 14 to 25 year olds. The classes are free, and will be from Monday through Thursday from 3pm until 4pm. Call 803-3027 for more information.

CTV3

Seven Year Old Suffocates In Tons Of Rice
Tragedy strikes yet another Mennonite Community this week, as tonight we report on the death of seven year old Jacob Dueck who was killed at a rice processing plant in Blue Creek, at around 5:45 yesterday evening. CTV3 News understands that three children were playing in what is known as the dump bin, a container which holds over 30 tons of rice, at the grain facility of Peter Remphel. Employees of Remphel were unaware that the children were inside the dump bin, which was holding approximately 15 tons of rice, when they turned on a machine known as the "augur" which feeds rice down into a cleaning machine. As a result the three boys were sucked into the tons of rice. Two of them managed to jump out, but the same cannot be said for seven year old Jacob Dueck who was pulled down into the tons of rice. All efforts to get him out proved futile since he was buried beneath the grains. We understand that workers had to dig into the rice for more than 45 minutes before they located the seven year old who was already dead.

Week 20 Of Crop Shows Excellent Sucrose Content
Week 20 of the 2012/2013 sugar cane crop season began on April 10th and ended on April 16th 2013. So far the factory has milled a total of eight hundred and sixty thousand eight hundred and eighteen tons of cane. That's eighty one thousand eight hundred and ninety three tons more compared to last year when seven hundred and seventy eight thousand nine hundred and twenty five tons of cane was milled during the 20 weeks of crop. For this week alone the factory milled forty five thousand four hundred and ninety five tons of cane. Taking a look at sugar production ninety one thousand seven hundred and seventy six tons of the sweetener has been produced so far. Compared to last year its nine thousand eight hundred and thirteen tons more when eighty one thousand nine hundred and sixty three tons of sugar was produced. This week's sugar production stood at five thousand two hundred and seventy eight tons.

Libertad Resident Murdered In Broad Daylight
News spread like wild fire this afternoon, Corozal had recorded its third murder in less than a month. The victim has been indentified as 43 year old Sisto Victor Osorio, a resident of Libertad Village in the Corozal District. All indications are that Osorio was involved in an altercation with another man which ended his life. The main suspect of Osorio's murder is tonight on the run and police are still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, in order to find out what went wrong. Elmer Cornejo and cameraman Kenric Simpson travelled further north this afternoon and filed the following report. Elmer Cornejo - Reporting When we arrived at the scene minutes after one this afternoon the body 43 year old Sisto Victor Osorio, a resident of Libertad Village in Corozal, had already been carted away from the scene by Corozal Police.

The Story Of A Cancer Survivor
Over the course of this week we've brought you the stories of two Orange Walkenos who are presently battling against cancer, one of them a 22 year old female who at the age of 18 was diagnosed with Dysgerminoma a rare form of ovarian cancer that most commonly occur in young women of reproductive age. But while there are numerous patients who continue the fighting against the disease, there are also those who are survivors. One of them is 62 year old Dina Pech, a resident of Orange Walk who was diagnosed with breast cancer seven year ago. Her story is one of struggle, hope, togetherness and survival. Worldwide, breast cancer accounts for 22.9% of all cancers excluding non-melanoma skin cancers in women. Prognosis and survival rates for breast cancer vary greatly depending on the cancer type, stage, treatment, and geographical location of the patient. Survival rates in the Western World are high for example; more than 8 out of 10 women in England diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least 5 years. In developing countries, however, survival rates are much poorer.

George Price Highway Claims Three Lives
There was a horrific fatal traffic accident on the George Price Highway yesterday evening which claimed the life of three persons. At about 6:45, Hattieville Police responded to the traffic accident that occurred between miles 7 and 8. Upon arrival, police observed two vehicles, a gray Suzuki car and a red Chevrolet pickup truck. Both vehicles were on the right side of the highway, when travelling from Hattieville towards Belize City. Two bodies were seen inside the red pickup truck and one on the left shoulder of the highway. Both vehicles were extensively damaged. Initial Investigations revealed that sometime around 6:45 yesterday evening, Marlon Martinez, was travelling alone in the gray Suzuki car and upon driving through the area between miles 7 and 8, there was a head on collision between the gray car and the red pickup truck.

Blogs

Mail Delivery! The Postman Butterfly
Postman Butterflies (Heliconius melpomene) are tropical butterflies found in Central and South America. They are most common along sunlit forest edges with flowers. Belize's Chaa Creek is home to a wide range of butterfly species, most famous including the Blue Morpho butterfly. Our reserve is bordered by dense rainforest, rivers and streams which the Heliconius melpomene butterfly loves. Over their large range, Postman Butterflies have many geographic subspecies with very different markings. The subspecies found in Belize is dark brown to brownish black in color with a broad band of orange across each forewing and a stripe of pale yellow along each hindwing. The orange, yellow, and black colors of this butterfly are a form of aposematic (warning) coloration meant to warn potential predators like birds that it is poisonous.

"Heroes" in Ambergris Caye, Belize
What I thought was going to be the high point of my morning yesterday turned out to be quite horrible . Watching Arsenal struggle against a ten man Fulham team. It was tortuous. Only two good things to say about it really. We won the game (and secured three points). And it eventually finished. Never thought I would so look forward to seeing an Arsenal game end because we were so inept. For some welcome relief I resumed reading "Calico Joe" by John Grisham. A completely different style of writing for him but, nonetheless, very enjoyable. This restfully whiled away a few hours before it was time for Rose and I to head for our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize. Because we were going on a Poker Run in the evening we got to the build around 1.30 pm and it was hot, really hot. A walk around the Ground Floor self-contained apartment and we could see that further work had taken place to prepare the apertures for the windows that will be installed relatively soon.

International Sources

Perspective
At the end of January 2013 we put Barton Creek Outpost on the market and by the middle of February we had a deposit on it. The Outpost sold, we hugged some necks, shed some tears, packed a few things and after 8 and a half years, left Belize. We are now three weeks into readjusting to the US and I have realized a few things during that time. American grocery stores make my head spin. The pledge of allegiance at Little League games makes my eyes leak. I like good roads and air conditioning. The US is incredibly wealthy. The abundance in the US is hard to get used to after being surrounded by so much poverty. NEWSFLASH: The people of the US are not in financial distress. Oh but everyone is in debt, it's all credit cards, blah, blah blah. Here's an idea, take your family to a 3rd world country for a year, live in a similar fashion to the locals. Return home.

This week in paradise | Caye Caulker, Belize
We've been on Caye Caulker, Belize for just over a week now. It was a fairly last minute decision to hop over the border from Guatemala, but it turned out to be a brilliant move! Caye Caulker it a colourful, pretty little Caribbean island just off the Belize barrier reef. Its proximity to the Blue Hole means that diving around here is pretty good - the diving was put on the map by Jacques Cousteau - so if it's good enough for Jacques�!

Chaa Creek a 'Top Value Spa'
Not a month goes by where Chaa Creek isn't on a top 10 list. This month they made gayot.com's list for 'Top Value Spas' and Fox News' list of 7 'stunning jungle and rainforest retreats.' "The Lodge at Chaa Creek prides itself on being a true eco lodge, 100 per cent devoted to green, sustainable tourism. Set on 365 acres on a private nature reserve in Belize, the riverfront resort offers a vast menu of adventure travel packages at great rates. After a day of spotting exotic animals, hiking along a medicinal plant trail, canoeing at sunset on the Macal River, horseback riding or rainforest ziplining, guests like to chill at the jungle bar or relax with luxurious spa treatments. While the cost of a therapeutic massage is not cheap at $85 (or $70 for a custom facial), the environment is priceless: al fresco pampering with views of the rainforest, a musical backdrop of tropical birds and a spa that is decorated with fresh flowers every day."