This news synopsis will be a bit more condensed than usual for the next several days due to time constraints.

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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

Doctor Love: Education
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 am a single mother raising a son and a daughter. The daughter is 21 and the boy is 17. My daughter is […]

Misc Belizean Sources

Cayo Chorizo
There's a chorizo made in Cayo, Camalote to be exact. It's created by PaPaMeMe. It's sold all around Cayo, and you can find it at Three Flags and ABC supermarkets. Quieres Chorizo?

Rugby Belize Project
There's a new rugby league in Belize. Great to see, and they have some good information on their website. "There have been many studies on the benefits of community-based activities and sports for the youth, all indicated that where sport is encouraged and developed at community level, youth become engaged in a more healthy and beneficial lifestyle. Youth, when given opportunities to participate in a wide variety of sports, can and do take that opportunity. There is evidence that in economically changed societies, encouraging the youth to actively engage in sport, makes a huge difference to the direction these young lives eventually take. They will use the physicality of sport and the opportunity to ‘let off steam’ as an alternative to street gangs and involvement in petty crime."

A Mayan Marvel in Belize’s Jungle
Did you know that Xunantunich gets visited by 46,000 people a year? Xunantunich is the subject of this archaeological article from the Seattle Times. And yes, El Castillo is a sight to see, and to see from. "Although many people think Mayan culture was restricted to what is now Mexico, the grand kingdoms of the first millennium spread throughout what is now Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Xunantunich just became a tourist attraction in the early 1990s as excavations progressed and tourism infrastructure was added. Today it draws about 46,000 visitors a year."

Protecting Belize’s fragile tomorrows: CTGA kids eco tourism camp
Eco-Tourism started as a way to guide visitors on low-impact trips to undisturbed natural areas. It was very expensive and often took small groups on rather vigorous trips that were low impact, high education. Today Eco-Tourism is as often as not about larger scale education and The Cayo Tour Guide Association (CTGA) is working with Belize hotels and resorts to create yearly Eco Tourism educational camps for children ages 12-14. Joe Awe, president of the Cayo Tour Guide Association said that the summer camp is about “legacy” as well as an opportunity that will give the young participants a better understanding of the land, history and the ability to create “dreams”. Tourism is a leading source of economic growth for Belize and the need for guides that can knowledgeably take tourists to places that need to be protected, and explained, is a goal for Belize and Joe Awe.

National Song Competition in Cayo
The National Song Competition will have an elimination round here in Cayo, at the Cayo Welcome Center, on Friday, July 18th. Everyone is invited out to enjoy the event, and cheer on their favorite. The songs start at 7:30pm. "The purpose of the district level elimination is to engage our artists in the districts to partake in this National Competition as well as for district audience to enjoy and view the preliminaries to the competition. The competition will contain both the Belize Song and the Carnival Category in both Junior and Senior sections. Song writers, musician and performers who would like to showcase their talent can register at any of the Houses of Culture countrywide..."

Patrick Jones

Fire destroys buildings in San Pedro town
A fire in San Pedro town tonight has gutted at least six structures/buildings. Reports from the town say that the fire happened in the Boca de Rio area of San Pedro. Pictures posted on social media show the blaze lighting up the skyline before it was brought […]

Toledo DAVCO holds consultation on oil exploration
The Toledo District Association of Village Councils (DAVCO) continues to hold consultations on oil drilling in the south. On Friday, the DAVCO consultation tour stopped off in Forest Home village. President of Toledo DAVCO Gabriel Edwards, Jr. says that following up on a meeting with the Honourable the […]

Funeral held for Ramon Cervantes, Sr.
Hundreds of Orange Walk residents and friends of the Cervantes family turned out this afternoon for the funeral of Ramon Cervantes, Sr. The body of Cervantes, Sr. was found late last night on a farm about 6 miles outside of Orange Walk town. The results of a […]

Body of Ramon Cervantes, Sr. found in Orange Walk
All hopes for a safe return of Ramon Cervantes, 71, to his family were dashed late last night when his body was found in the Honey Camp area of Orange Walk town. On Tuesday, July 1, Cervantes who was a former Senator and former Mayor of Orange […]

The July 6, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• Witnessing The Passing Of A Generation:
  It’s with profound sadness that we record the passing of two well known Santa Elena women, Mrs. Pricilla Cruz Wiltshire and Mrs. Martha Oralia Waight. Mrs. Pricilla, better known as “Ma Pris” was born on November 14, 1936. She passed away on Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Ma Pris is survived by her husband, Cecil Wiltshire; daughters: Jacqueline and Janell as well as Sandra "Tosh" Lanza. Sons: Lyndon "Peels" and Dion Wiltshire; brothers David Cruz of Belmopan and George Frazer ( BNTU Secretary General); one sister, Dorothy Frazer-Garbutt. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and many and friends. A wake will be held on Friday, 4 July at the Wiltshire Residence on Zaiden Street in Santa Elena. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 6 at 2:00 pm at the Nazarene Church in San Ignacio. She will be laid to rest inside the Carmen Memorial Cemetery in Santa Elena.
• There Is A New Police Chief In Town:
  Recently promoted Superintendent of Police, Dinsdale Timothy Thompson is the new Commander of the San Ignacio Police Detachment. Supt. Thompson is a 29 year veteran and former Chaplin of the Police Department. He is no stranger to the community as he had, just a few years ago, served as the Deputy Commander of the detachment he now commands. Dinsdale Thompson joined the Police Department in October 1985. He has served in various branches at Eastern Division in Belize City as well as in Belmopan. He first arrived in San Ignacio in 2008 as an Inspector of Police second in command of the formation where he served for two years. He was transferred to Benque Viejo Town in 2010 where he took over full command from now retired Superintendent of Police Mrs. Louise Willis.
• Editorial: Are You A Hater Or Are You A Lover?:
  As we journey through this life and witness the passing of that generation just before ours, we begin to realize just how short this life is. Why are we not more loving to each other? Why do we spend time hating and harming one another? In the natural course of life, we have come to accept the passing of our mothers and our fathers, this tells us that the next generation on the way out is ours. Our children are now having children, this makes us grandparents, our children’s children will soon be having children, this makes us great grandparents. Do you honestly believe that you will be around to see your children’s, children’s, children’s having children? The unstoppable passing of your generation is at hand.
• New Chairmanship At BNE Trust:
  The Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust announces the appointment of Government’s Representative, Alberto August, as its new Chairman. The Trust is a partnership between the Government of Belize and the Belize Natural Energy Limited. The board of Trustees comprises six members, three appointed by the Government of Belize and three appointed by the Belize Natural Energy Limited. In accordance with the Trust Deed, signed on February 25, 2008, the Chairmanship of the Trust rotates every two years. Chairman August took over from outgoing BNE Representative, Daniel Gutierez, when the BNE Chairmanship expired on June 6. Apart from the change in chairmanship all six members of the Trust remain unchanged with Alberto August, Elodio Aragon Jr., and Ismael Requena representing the Government of Belize along with Daniel Gutierez, Melanie Escalante and Alan Gobie representing BNE Limited.
• Nine San Ignacio Police Promoted:
  The confirmed list of promotions within the Non Commissioned rank of the Belize Police Department is now out with the San Ignacio detachment getting its fair share of promotions. Today the team of nine, comprising seven policemen and two policewomen, traveled to the national academy in Belmopan for the dress rehearsal as they prepare for the ceremony to receive their much deserved promotions. To be promoted from constable to corporal are: PC # 292 Rowland Augustine; PC # 495 Jason Jones, PC # 1121 Ciriaco Medina; PC # 597 Rigoberto Patt; PC # 692 Jose Pinelo; PC # 1168 Leonard Puc and WPC # 625 Debbie Reynolds. Raising from the Non- Commission to Commission Officer rank (NCO) are Sergeant #651 Stanley Bowden and WSergeant #433 Natalie Castillo both of whom will now retire their regulation numbers to Nine San Ignacio Police Promoted become Inspectors of police thereby being elevated to the Commission Officer rank of the Belize Police Department.
• Dengue Fever:
  Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs. Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally A. aegypti. The virus has five different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications. As there is no commercially available vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites.
• Victor Galvez Gets Face-Lift:
  Volunteers Katherine Goodman, Miranda Porter, Emily Fuller, Cassie Schuttrumpf, Mary Scouten, with country directors Angela and Adam Carmack from the Help International organization have painted a total of 20 murals along the inner walls of the Victor Galvez Stadium in San Ignacio. Help International has been coming to Belize since 2010 working with Richard Zul to fight poverty and empower people. Working early in the mornings for the past four weeks, these volunteers have dedicated their time and money towards covering up graffiti in the park and sharing uplifting messages along these walls. If anyone would like to further help this project, paint donations and more volunteers would be greatly appreciated. To donate please contact Richard Zul at 670-8876.
• Chinese Couple Charged:
  A Chinese business couple was today in court charged with wounding a customer. The incident reportedly occurred 11 days ago, at around 2:30 pm on Thursday, June 19, when Linda Ellis entered, as a customer, Tom’s Grocery Store on Bullet Tree Road in San Ignacio. Ellis reportedly asked why the Fantasy Five numbers were not on the board. The Chinese woman, later identified as Yan Na Liang, reportedly told her that they had wiped off the numbers. When Ellis requested an explanation as to why the numbers were removed, an argument reportedly erupted between Ellis and the Chinese woman.
• World Cup 2014: Who Holds The Balance Of Power In World Football?:
  The last three weeks have provided a consistent narrative of fast, attacking football and excitement - exactly as the game's rulers would have imagined it when they handed the tournament to Brazil. Even the line-up for the last eight has a balance that brings pleasure to the purists, as four teams from the Americas are complimented by a quartet from Europe - all of them group winners. The destiny of this World Cup will be decided in the iconic surroundings of the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday week but all quarter-finalists have the opportunity to show where the balance of power lies between the two continents. The seven World Cups held here in the Americas have failed to produce a European winner. On the flip side, Brazil are the only nation from the Americas to achieve a win on European soil - when they triumphed 5-2 in the final against hosts Sweden 56 years ago.
• STAR Humor
• Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
• Letters to the Editor
• Public Notices

Blogs

Day One of the Veterinary Clinic in Sarteneja and A Continued Look at The Village
Yesterday was the first of two days of the Sarteneja Volunteer Veterinary Clinic. Two vets and two vet students flew in (on their own dollars) from Quebec to Belize to treat the animals of Sarteneja, Hopkins and Redbank. We arrived early at the community center of Sarteneja with some other volunteers and helpers to get ready for the dogs and cats. The plan? To spay and neuter as many as possible…to treat the animals for worms, fleas, ticks and other parasites. All free of charge. The community center is a huge space and needed a bit of set-up.

International Sources

Videos

Video: DJ HENRIQUE PONTES - BELIZE BOAT PARTY HIGHLIGHTS 2014, 8min.
Thank you Algarexperience.

Video: Belizean Dreams Resort Hopkins, Belize Review & Information, 1min.
Location: Sittee Point Road Near Hopkins Beach

Video: Belize Ecotourism Trip 2014, 12min.
A documentary following Lasell College's HEM214 Ecotourism class on their service learning trip to Belize.

Video: Snorkeling in Belize, 28min.
Snorkeling the reefs off of Tranquility Bay, on Northern Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Video: Belize - Ambergris Caye - Golf Cart Driving -- North, 6min.
Driving north on the main road (including Front Street / Barrier Reef Drive) of Ambergris Caye from the southside of San Pedro, Belize to 3.5 miles north of San Pedro, Belize. Filmed with GoPro Hero 3 (handheld for 30min). The shaking is seriously from the road, not from the hand. Played back at 5x speed. Paying the Bridge Toll @ 3:00.

Video: Belize - Ambergris Caye - Golf Cart Driving - South, 12min.
Exploring the main roads (including Front Street / Barrier Reef Drive, Middle Street / Pescador Drive & Back Street / Almond Street) of San Pedro, Belize. Filmed with GoPro Hero 3 (mounted to golf cart). The shaking is seriously from the road, not from the cart. Played back at 5x speed. North Into Town @ 0:10 South Into Town @ 4:08 South out of Town @ 9:00 Front Street / Barrier Reef Drive @ 2:27 Middle Street / Pescador Drive @ 5:57 & 6:22 Back Street / Almond Street @ 5:54

Video: Jaguar Reef Hotel Walk Thru, Hopkins, Belize, 2min.
Staying at the amazing Jaguar Reef Hotel in Hopkins, Belize. Perhaps the best resort in the entire country - i loved it.

Video: Skydive into the Blue Hole, Belize 2011, 8min.
The ultimate skydive in my 22 years of jumping! Exit from 13500 feet in PERFECT weather conditions (ie endless bl. jumping into the Blue Hole , Belize. Skydive organized by Rich Grimm. The entrance to Xibalba. The Mysterious Belize Great Blue Hole is a large underwater hole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef. Anthony, Michael, and I at the 2011 Belize Boogie. We were the first jumpers of the boogie, into the famous Blue Hole! We took off from the San Pedro airport.

Video: Bow Drill in Belize, 6min.
Little bow drill action on a mission trip.

Video: Belize - Flying from San Ignacio to San Pedro, 7min.
Flying from Maya Flats Airport in San Ignacio, Mainland Belize to San Pedro Airport on Ambergris Caye Belize with a quick stop at Belize City International Airport (BZE) to pick up a few extra passengers.

Video: Conserving Belize's Marine Resources, 6min.
Done by: Benque Viejo Youth Group Production

Video: Amazing Must See Belize Mayan Pyramid Ruins with audio Quranic recitation, 45min.