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

Faith Noel and Jerdon Anderson win the San Pedro Sailing Regatta
Young sailors from across the country took over San Pedro on Saturday, July 5th and Sunday, July 6th for the San Pedro Sailing Regatta. The two-day regatta is the 5th National Ranking Regatta of the 2014 Sailing Season and acts as a qualifier for the National Champions Regatta (BIZ14) scheduled for November 8th and 9th. Held at the Boca del Rio Park, the regatta saw the participation of San Pedro Junior Sailing Club (SPJSC), Sea Scouts, Belize City Sailing Club (BCSC), Corozal Bay Sailing Club (CBSC), Placencia Sailing Club (PSC) and San Pedro Sailing Club (SPR). Each fleet competed in a series of six races, and the winner of the regatta was determined by who scored the least amount of accumulated points. In the white fleet, Faith Noel took 1stand Jerson Anderson took 2nd, both with a score of 11 points. In third place was Antonio Ricardez Jr. of BCSC with 20 points. Other top finishers in the white fleet included: Christian Trejo (SPJSC) in 4th, DavinPuc (SPJSC) in 5th, Blanca Velasquez (SPJSC) in 6th, Kevin Velasquez (SPR) in 7th, Gorge Olivarez (SPR) in 8th, Trent Hardwick (Sea Scouts) in 9th and Christopher Young (CBSC) in 10th. Other SPJCS sailor in the white fleet included Kathryn Salinas who came in 15th place. SPR finishers in the white fleet included: Sarah White in 13th, Mitchell Sersland in 14th, Samantha Velasquez in 17th, Chris Lopez in 22nd and Caroline Sersland in 23rd.

More Entertainment for Costa Maya: J Boog & DJ JAX confirmed!
Jerry Afemata, or as he is known on stage, J Boog, was born in Long Beach but raised in Compton, California USA. He is an American R&B and reggae singer of Samoan descent. J Boog discovered his passion for music when he was four and heard his older sister playing the piano. The day she brought home a Bob Marley song book, he felt something click when Bob’s iconic reggae sounds filled the house, and he has never been the same. Later in life, while working in a refinery, he met George “Fiji” Veikoso, another singer who blended R&B and reggae sounds together. J Boog took the opportunity to go to Hawaii and record his first album “Hear Me Roar” (2007). He hooked up with the Wash House record label, along with Gramps Morgan of the revered reggae group Morgan Heritage. He found success in doing what he loved, and has not looked back.

Senior Ambassador Alfredo “Fred” Martinez passes
The Government of Belize confirmed that Belize Senior Ambassador His Excellency Alfredo “Fred” Martinez has died. The diplomat died on Wednesday July 9th in Guatemala City after ailing for a few weeks. Up until the time of his death, Martinez was Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets to announce the passing of Senior Ambassador H.E. Alfredo Martinez, who was serving as Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala from 2003 to the present. During his tenure in the Diplomatic Service of Belize, Ambassador Martinez served as Belize’s Chief negotiator in the Belize/Guatemala negotiating process and as member of the negotiating team for many years. His first diplomatic appointment took him to Mexico where he served as Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico between 1993 and1997. In recognition of his outstanding work he was honored by the Government of Mexico with the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest award offered to Foreign Diplomats,” said a Government press release.

Diamond in the Rough: The Island Photographers
The art of photography is one that is truly awe inspiring, and a photographer knows how to captivate an audience with a single shot. From family portraits to landscapes and even cute little animals, a photographer captures a moment that will last a lifetime. From the angling to the lighting available, photographers ensure that everything is in place to immortalize an image. Two island girls with a passion for photography are Marlena Gomez and Haydee Nuñez. These two girls have that “eye” for the art, and their talent shines through their pictures.

Ambergris Today

Promoting Swimming in Belize
Belize has never been in the running for competitive swimming, but this may just be the start. The competitions are being organized by Denise Diaz who has over 10 years experience in swim instruction and has participated in the Lionman competition for just as long. On Sunday, July 6, 2014, the first open water free style swim was held in Belize City with a modest distance of 350m. This is the first of three planned exercises that are intended to be a precursor to the Lionman competition's 0.9 mile swim. Winners for the 350m swim were: 1st Kian Ancona (San Pedro) with a time of 6'25" 2nd Kent Gabourel (San Pedro) 3rd Leon Guild

San Pedro Welcomes Fitness Tourism into the Belize Mix
Fitness Tourism arrives to Belize. This past week a group of visitors traveling under the umbrella of Stayfit Travel visited San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, not only for the purpose of enjoying the regular tourist attractions that the country has to offer, but also to engage in activities that promote health and well-being. Fitness tourism involves health enthusiasts traveling with the purpose of keeping active and engaging in activities beneficial to their health and quality of life. With four different health centers/gyms in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and more recently the introduction of the first Crossfit Box on the island (in Belize), Stayfit Travel chose Ambergris Caye for their most recent travel destination.

Misc Belizean Sources

H.E. Alfredo “Fred” Martinez passes away
The Government of Belize is saddened by the loss of H.E. Alfredo “Fred” Martinez, Ambassador of Belize to Guatemala. On behalf of the Government Press Office, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to the family of Ambassador Martinez. He was a national treasure who played a significant role in the international affairs of Belize and served his country right up until his untimely passing. He will be sincerely missed. May he rest in peace.

CACHE Cultural Heritage Seminar
CACHE is having another lecture in their lecture series tonight. Dr. Alicia McGill will discuss cultural heritage. It starts at 7:00pm at Centennial Park. "This week we are having a lecture by Dr. Alicia McGill called: Oal Tingz, Kolcha, and Rooinz: Community Perspectives about Archaeology, Cultural Diversity, and Heritage Management in Crooked Tree Belize. Come out and see what endeavours she does in Crooked Tree similar to what we do here in Benque."

GS/OAS Adjacency Zone Belize-Guatemala on the passing of Ambassador H.E. Alfredo Martinez

Senior Steps Summer Camp
The Senior Steps Summer Camp starts next week at the George Price Centre. Contact the CPC for more information.

National Ranger Training
The first ever National Ranger Training course has started. UB's Environmental Research Institute is currently holding the course at the Ya'axche Conservation Trust field station.

El Cayo Arts Collection Call for Artists
The SISE House of Culture is calling for artists to submit art for the El Cayo Arts Collection exhibition. The deadline for submissions is July 31st, and the exhibit will start on August 15th.

Channel 7

Police Want ID For Body of Man Butchered to Death
There's all kinds of major news stories tonight including the arraignment of those accused of taking part in Ramon Cervantez's execution, and the death of two eminent Belizeans… but we start with another story - and it's urgent because Belize City police say they need your help before they bury an identified body that was found this afternoon. If they don't identify the body, he will be buried as a John Doe within the hour. Police have to bury him because of the state of decomposition. This afternoon, precinct two police got a call from BWSL workers saying that a body was found in what's known as the "Dyke" - it's that area off Faber's Road where BWSL's sewage ponds are located. Officer commanding precinct two Alford Grinage told us more at the scene: Supt. Alford Grinage, Officer Commanding, Precinct 2, Belize City Police "About half an hour ago, we received a call that there was a body in the Dyke, in the creek back here. Upon arrival, we observed the lifeless body of a male person floating in the Dyke. That's where we are at this time. At this time, we are awaiting for the doctor to come out here so that we can do a postmortem on site."

Finally! Cervantez's Alleged Murder Conspirators Arraigned
And from that unidentified body in Belize City, we go to Orange Walk - where two bodies found on the Honey Camp Lagoon Road have been identified. One of them is of course Ramon Cervantez Sr who was found on Monday, and the other - we now know is Sonia Maribel Abac - a 46 year old who went missing in Orange Walk in April. Well, her remains were dug up yesterday at a site not far from where Cervantez's body was found. We'll tell you all about that harrowing discover shortly, but first we'll show you the faces of those accused of conspiring to kill Ramon Cervantez Sr. They were arraigned this evening after 5:00 pm. After 3 days of waiting, viewing public Orange Walk Town finally got a chance to see the 3 of the men who have been the main suspects in the murder of 71 year-old Ramon Cervantes Sr. At about an hour before news time, they were charged, arraigned in Magistrate's Court, and right now, they're on the way to the Belize Central Prison.

Female Body Found on Honey Camp Road
But on the heels of the gruesome killing of Ramon Cervantes Jr., police ended up finding another body. Tonight we can confirm that police have positively identified her as 46 year-old Sonia Maribel Abac, a domestic worker and masseuse from Orange Walk Town who went missing 3 months ago. Now, her case is as bizarre and unexplained as the killing of Ramon Cervantes Sr., and as we told you tonight, the same men who were the suspects for Cervantes' murder, ended up leading police to Abac's body. There is some symmetry in the cases: first, police are seeking Manuel Castillo once again for questioning in connection with her murder. Second, one of the men who is now charged for Cervantes' murder told police about her body's location. Police went searching for her yesterday, and today her remains were found, badly decomposed. The final connection between the two is that her body was disposed of in a well on a farm directly adjacent to the one where Cervantes was killed.

Bze Ambassador To Guatemala Passes Unexpectedly
And tonight we note the unexpected passing of another former mayor of Orange Walk Town - Ambassador Fred Martinez. Martinez died last night at around 11:00 in Guatemala City. The death of the highly respected senior diplomat comes as a complete shock because no one even knew he was sick. But the 60 year old had been ailing for some time - and two weeks ago when he attended to SICA Summit in the Dominican Republic, his Minister Wilfred Elrington saw that he was visibly ill. So ill, that Elrington told the media today that he wasn't surprised to hear of his passing: Hon. Wilfred "Sedi" Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs "My reaction is one of sadness, not surprised, because we were together with Ambassador Martinez just under two weeks ago in the Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where he attended the heads of government meeting of the governments of the SICA countries. He was part of the Belize delegation to that heads conference and at that time we noted that he really seemed to have been quite ill. As a matter of fact I remember urging him to go back as quickly as possible and I even asked him why he had bothered to come because he wasn't looking to well at all. And then, yesterday, I was informed that he was in the intensive care unit in Guatemala, and of course, I got the very sad news that he had passed away sometime last night. I was informed about that at around 6:30 this morning."

H.E. Martinez Was Bi-Partisan Favourite
All those prerequisites help explain why Fred Martinez became the first ambassador with a strong UDP background to be appointed to a sensitive senior post by the PUP. Today Said Musa told us why he did it. Rt. Hon. Said Musa - Appointed Fred Martinez As Ambassador to Guatemala "Fred Martinez was considered a very outstanding diplomat. Even though he was a UDP, that didn't matter to me, certainly, because I knew that he would do a very commendable job, and he has done a great job." Jules Vasquez "Explain to me why you felt it so important to face the internal backlash in your own party and still go ahead with the choice of Fred Martinez?" Rt. Hon. Said Musa "Well, it did - yes, I must admit that it ruffled a few feathers in the party when he was appointed, but you have to bear in mind that I had also at that time - I made every effort to create a bi-partisan spirit on the Belize-Guatemala issue. And this, in a sense, was a part of that, to bring in the UDP - the Opposition, to make them realize that this is a national issue, and I believe that he was highly respected as a diplomat in Guatemala itself. And I think the Government has recognized that for many years, several Guatemalan governments has recognized the strength, dignity, and the great character of this Ambassador, Fred Martinez."

The Humble Giant Of the Southside, "Sunny P" Passes
Zebedee Pitterson, the owner of Sunny Side Bakery, a Belize City Institution, passed away last night at 7:30pm. He was 83. For those of us who grew up on the Southside, Pitterson is a giant, a successful black businessman who built his brand name since 1959 on the quality and consistency of his product. And even when facing tough competition from newcomers, he never sold out, never flinched. Today his business remains a thriving south side enterprise, but about a decade ago he retired to his other life's work: charity. Quietly and without fanfare, Pitterson ran a feeding program, which he continued until school closed. Today his wife, Alvia, who asked to appear off camera, told us about his passions and his commitment: Voice Of: Alvia Pitterson - Wife of Zebedee Pitterson "Baking on charity, he is very charitable. People need help, and he sees it, he can't turn away. He is always helping them. I could tell you that, that's his life, and his Bible. I am forgetting to tell you that. His Bible is like his wife."

Gang War Could Erupt From City Shooting
As we told you at the top of the news: the body of a murdered man was found today in the dike area off Faber's Road. And now, this evening at 6:30, there was a shooting in that same area except it happened on Faber's Road. We have confirmed that one persons was shot and another murdered. That most recent shooting may be related to one that happened last night at 9:00 pm, one block away from this locus of criminal activity - at the end of Neal's Pen Road - one block away from Faber's Road. That's when Edwin "Drive" Flowers was shot in the face as he stood on his verandah. A gunman was lurking in the bushes beside his home and released a spray of bullets at Flowers. He was shot to the forehead, but, remarkably, did not die, and is reported in a stable condition, though there are reports that his vision may be impaired. Police are paying special attention to the shooting because Drive Flowers is considered a boss of the PIV gang. Today Precinct Two's second in command briefed the media on the event and its possible consequences:

BDF Being Put Back On Streets
And all the violence is probably why the BDF is returning to the streets. Today the CEO in the Ministry of National Security told the media what went ingot he decision: Ret. Col. George Lovell, C.E.O., Ministry of National Security "There have been some shootings over the last couple of weeks and we also have had some incidents in San Pedro. The police currently have some intake that is at the Police Academy that will come out late September, October. The commissioner of police did ask if he can get some assistance to beef up numbers for a very short time - not to have the B.D.F. back in the streets in numbers and in a permanent basis as they once were. And so we have been dialoguing with the Belize Defense Force and yes there will be a few B.D.F. soldiers going back on the streets to assist the police to try and bring back the situation to a normal standards." Duane Moody - Channel 5 News "Is there a timeline?" Ret. Col. George Lovell "We are looking - I was told today that there will be going back to help the police in those areas where there is obviously, hotspots yes. In terms of the timeline, I don't have a timeline because what was said to them is that we need to bring it to a point where the police can handle without having to have the B.D.F. being out there with them. I think though that we are looking at a two week period in the first instance to see how it works."

Relatives of Grieving Family Under Remand Claim Victimization
Tonight the entire Smith family from Giles Street in the Lake Independence Area remains on prison remand after police found a firearm in their house on Monday evening. As we reported, police found the gun during the repass after the funeral for 17 year old murder victim Myron Smith. The entire grieving family was arrested: Myron's mother, sister, father, and brother. Yesterday they were all taken to court and remanded for possession of an unlicensed firearm and 13 rounds of ammunition. And like what we told you yesterday, there are two sides to every story. While police claim that the gun and ammunition inside the Smith's home, the Smith family says differently. In an interview with 7news today, relatives told us that the gun and bullets were brought into their family home by the man police was chasing and now tonight their relatives are locked up innocently. Lavern Olivera - Family Member "The first part I want to clear up is that the police that they first give that night that my cousin had this gun under his mattress which he was going to use to retaliate. My cousin is not that kind of person. My cousin even went on TV and let the whole of Belize and the whole world know who he is. He doesn't encourage his children.

How These Kids Did The Right Thing
And tonight on the news - there have been so many stories about violence involving young persons. And that's why 9 years ago, the police department created the "do the right thing" programme. It's a way to inspire and acknowledge youths who've made tough life choices to do things the right way, rather than being lured down the path of criminality. Today 39 of them from all over the country were honoured at a ceremony at Old Belize and we found out about their personal struggles, and why police want the media to focus on them: This year four scholarships were award to the top finishers.

What Is fueling Fires?
Tonight there are two fires to report on. The first happened in Hattieville just before 9 yesterday morning at the home of 54 year old Eloise Hyde. Here's how it started: her 8-year-old grandson was playing with a lighter and lit a curtain which then caught fire and set the entire house ablaze. At the time of the fire, there were about 15 persons occupying the building and its contents is valued at approximately fifty thousand dollars. And then there was another fire that happened in the Solana area of Corozal town. Corozal fire fighters responded to the fire at approximately 9:30 last night. There they saw 2 structures in the same yard engulfed in flames. The cause of that fire is still unknown but today we caught up with Station Officer, Orin Smith for more details on both incidents. Ted Smith - Fire Chief, National Fire Service "At approximately nine p.m., the National Fire Service had received and responded to a call of a structural fire in the Finca Solana area of Corozal Town. On arrival on scene, one structure was seen, a ply-board structure, was seen destroyed by fire and another structure on the same property was seen fully engulfed by flames. The NFS got into operation and put out those fires. Investigation is still presently ongoing on the cause of the fire.

His Excellency Martinez Honoured
Tonight, it is as if public life in Belize has lost some pith, some of our Belizean-ness has been whittled away with the passing of two fine, upstanding gentlemen - who operated in very different realms but their excellence, composure and commitment made us all better. Legendary baker, the 83 year old Zebedee Pitterson died in Belize City at 7:30 last night, and stellar diplomat, 60 year old Fred Martinez died in Guatemala around 11:00 pm. They will both be missed in ways large and small: all the children that Pitterson fed for so many years won't send press releases or wreaths to his funeral, but they will surely miss him. By contrast, Fred Martinez operated at the highest official level of our state; and the laurels for him are accumulating as they should: Today former PUP Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay - who is out of the country told us via email, quote: "Fred answered the call of service to Belize and Belizeans, he distinguished himself as one of our very best diplomats. Belize and his family has lost a great diplomat and a gentleman."

More News: Scroll up from here

Channel 5

Late evening murder in the City
Leader of the PIV gang, Edwin Flowers, was shot on Tuesday night on Neal’s Pen Road….just a stone’s throw from where the body of unidentified man was found this afternoon. [...]

3 men are finally arraigned for the murder of Ramon Cervantes Senior
At exactly five thirty this evening, three men were escorted to the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court for formal arraignment. These men are believed to be part of a criminal gang [...]

Body of Sonia Maribel Abac unearthed near farm in Honey Camp
Tonight a tangled web of abduction, criminal conspiracy and violent murder in the Orange Walk district continues to dominate the news. We can report that the body of a second [...]

Asst. ComPol says Abac and Cervantes murders are related
We revisit the developing story in Orange Walk where the body of a Sonia Abac. At exactly five p.m. today, Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch, Assistant Commissioner of [...]

Sister-in-law says Abac went missing 2½ months ago
Even as NCIB Head Russell Blackett was confirming the discovery of Sonia Abac, the grieving family of the woman who had been missing since April twenty-third were laying her remains [...]

Gutted body of young man found in sewer lagoon
Another body was found this afternoon. It is that of a young man who remains unidentified up to news time. The body was floating on the sewer lagoon off Faber’s [...]

PIV Gang Leader, Edwin Flowers, is shot to the forehead
Urban warfare continues to grip the city. On Tuesday night around nine o’clock, PIV gang leader, thirty-one year old Edwin Flowers, was shot to the head, but has so far [...]

B.D.F. will be back on the streets of the City
The chaos in the city has prompted government to re-deploy the B.D.F. to the streets. This afternoon, C.E.O. in the Ministry of National Security confirmed to News Five that, effective [...]

Ambassador Fred Martinez dies in Guatemala
The death of Ambassador Fred Martinez has sparked an outpouring of tributes from his colleagues in the diplomatic community, as well as from persons from all walks of life. Martinez [...]

Corozal fire leaves 9 persons homeless
On Monday’s newscast, we reported a fire in San Pedro that left sixty-six persons displaced from their homes and on Tuesday, a mid-morning blaze in Hattieville gutted the two storey [...]

Drug plane seized on Southern Highway sold earlier this year
Four years ago, a plane was confiscated in one of the biggest drug bust in the country. The plane, a twin engine Beechcraft, landed and sat on the Southern Highway [...]

BTIA’s bi-annual general meeting
The Belize Tourism Industry Association held a biennial general meeting today at the Biltmore where stakeholders in the tourism industry were present to discuss developments within the sector over the [...]

39 students honoured at National Ceremony of Du Di Rait Ting
Do Di Right Thing has become one of the most successful programs by the police department; it recognizes exemplary and outstanding youths who have beaten the odds despite adversity. This [...]

Trial against BWSL continues
Six former workers of Belize Water Services Limited were back in court today in a legal suit they are pursing against their ex-employer for wrongful termination. BWS, however, claims it [...]

BWSL Union President testifies
The memorandum from BWS C.E.O. Alvan Haynes released within the company on February seventh, according to Senior Counsel Rodwell Williams, had nothing to do with the termination of these workers, [...]

LOVE FM

Man Suspects Latest Find in Shallow Grave May Be His Wife
There is a huge development following intense police investigation on the murder of 71-year-old, Ramon Cervantes of Orange Walk. While there has not been any arrests, a number of persons have been detained and thoroughly questioned by police. But a development late Tuesday evening has just added more complexity to this already bizarre turn of events. Arturo Cantun has the latest from Orange Walk town.Slide4 ARTURO CANTUN REPORTING “It has not been confirmed but it seems Orange Walk police might have another murder case in their hand. It has been a mysterious turn of events in the last 48 hours as police remain tight lipped about the ongoing investigation in reference to the murder of Cervantes. But around 5:30 Tuesday evening, police left the station along with two young men who we believe are suspects in the murder case of Cervantes.

Peacework, Price Waterhouse Coopers and Education Ministry Make Mark on 2000+ Educators and Students
Love News has been keeping you updated on the joint initiative being executed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with two organizations from the United States, namely, Peacework and Price Waterhouse Coopers and today, we can tell you that several school principals are undergoing their training in financial literacy and teaching strategies over the next few days with the aim of finding innovative ways in incorporating lessons that teaches and encourages financial literacy into their daily school plans. We spoke to a Senior Advisory member of PWC, Jim Smith, who is in Belize as part of the over first 250-member delegation visiting from the US.

Homeless Man Finds Joy At Welcome Centre
The Welcome Centre, in 2013, had set out to provide a daily meal, medical referral and recreation not only for the homeless but for persons living with mental health problems…..and that objective has remained its focus in the last twelve months as is confirmed by one of the facility’s regular visitor, Gilbert Pollard, who told us that while he is homeless and alone, the resource centre does bring him some semblance of joy. GILBERT POLLARD “I thank God for this moment. I don’t have any job; I am looking for a job. I don’t have any family; I am looking for a family but thank God, God is my family. I came here to this center because they provide me with food daily. I have a brother and sister, my mother and father died already.

Resource Centre Proves Beneficial One Year Later
It is a project that was implemented by the Social Investment Fund through joint efforts from the Ministry of Health at a cost of just under six hundred thousand dollars……one year later after its opening, the Welcome Resource Centre has proven to be a much needed and used facility as it provides food security and a stable environment for its consumers. As part of their one year celebration, the Welcome Resource Centre had a ceremony on-site at the corner of Vernon and Tibruce Streets in Belize City around 9:30 this morning. Love News was there and we spoke to the Administrator, Joyce Ellis.

Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize Says Goodbye
Ambassador David Wu has completed his tour of duty as Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize and will be departing Belize on July 12th, 2014. Ambassador Wu arrived in Belize in April 2010. In the past four years, the bilateral relationship between Belize and the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been significantly strengthened in various fields. Ambassador Wu spoke to Love News about his ambassadorial work in Belize. AMBASSADOR DAVID WU “Today is a time to say goodbye and it’s also a time to say thank you not only to the government but also to the people of Belize. In the past four years and three months I have really enjoyed my work in this beautiful country. We have a very good partnership with the Government of Belize but also with many Belizean people. They treat me as a good friend. There are so many people whom I do not know their names, they greet me in the street, in the sugar market, in the place we went and this is really an amazing experience, a very unique country because we enjoy the support, friendship and goodwill so much that I will remember this beautiful country always.

Former Prime Minister Weighs in on Cervantes’ Death
Ramon Cervantes Sr. will be remembered as a hard working Orangewalkeno as he was a former politician. He ran several times under the People’s United Party and was once the Mayor of Orange Walk Town and Senator. His longtime colleague and past PUP Leader and former Prime Minister of Belize, Said Musa, says that he is shocked at the news. SAID MUSA “It should shock the conscience of the nation because here you have this man, is a public figure for many years; he was a Mayor, acted as school teacher for many years and a Senator as well and now his son is running; he is in the political arena. I knew Ramon very well from my previous years in politics under Mr. Price, in particular.

Family of 12 Loses Home to Fire
While sixteen families are working at putting their lives back together following Sunday night’s fire on Ambergris Caye, there is a family of twelve who is facing similar challenges as their home was burnt to the ground this morning just after ten o’clock in Hattieville Village, Belize District. It is an experience that no one would want to experience but sadly, it is Tisha Thomas’ reality. TISHA THOMAS “Miss, it happened so quickly; I still can’t believe it myself. All I know is that the house caught fire and we had to come outside, we couldn’t save anything. The house was already engulfed. I was sitting, watching television as I had just finished having breakfast and I was watching a game show and I smelled fire; when I went on the front verandah, I saw the fire coming from downstairs through the window and by the time I went back inside the whole house was in smoke.

Another Day….Another Murder in Belize City
Belize City Police are investigating the shooting murder of 25 years old Leon Burgess. It happened at about ten o’clock last night when Burgess was at his home on Cybil Reyes Street along with his common law wife. Burgess had stepped out of the house to use the bathroom and suddenly shots were fired. COMMON-LAW-WIFE “What woke me up was when I heard the sound of shots by my ear and I asked him what happened and he just nodded his head to the side and watched me like I don’t know what to say. He just lay down back beside me like in a position watching the TV and I asked him what it was and then I noticed he wasn’t answering me and he was getting stiff and I just jumped on top of him and said, ‘Babe answer me, answer me, what did you go do?’.

Woman Escapes Burning Vehicle
A woman is happy to be alive today as she narrowly escaped the flames that erupted in the hood of her vehicle as she travelled on the highway. Love News encountered the vehicle off the shoulder of the George Price Highway between miles twelve and thirteen just after two o’clock this afternoon. While the driver refused to give us an interview, we did learn that the woman, 41-year-old, Denise Diane Williams was heading to her home in the East Windmill Area in Hattieville Village, Belize District when the vehicle experienced some tire problems causing the 2000 Ford Ranger pickup truck to pull right into the bushes off the pavement.

Estranged Couple Blames Each Other For Marijuana
Estranged couple, 39-year-old, Jaime Pernillo and 42-year-old, Martha Alfaro, were both fined $10,000 today by Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser after she found them guilty of drug trafficking for 456 grams of cannabis which amounts to about 1 pound. They were ordered to pay by October 31. If they default on payment they will serve 3 years. They were busted on September 15, 2012 when they were travelling in a pick-up truck on the Burrell Boom/Hattieville Road. The police officers who were in a police vehicle testified that they saw when a bag was thrown out of the pick-up truck from the passenger side. Pernillo testified and denied that the cannabis belonged to him but he later said that he had asked Alfaro where she got the cannabis from and she told him that she got it from the Belize Zoo. Alfaro also testified and denied that the cannabis belonged to her. She admitted that she was on the passenger side of the pick-up truck.

Family of 7 Gets Imprisoned for Unlicensed 9mm
Seven persons, two of them minors, became inmates of Belize Central Prison today when they appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser and were arraigned on charges of kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. They are 52-year-old, Alrick Smith, 47-year-old, Sandra Casey,22-year-old, Leon Smith, 19-year-old, Tamika Smith, 20-year-old, Rashida Brooks and two boys, ages 17 and 16. They pled not guilty to the charges. They were remanded into custody until August 21. The incident occurred yesterday. The police reported that they went to a house at 8159 Giles Street and they found one black 9 millimeter pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition in its magazine. The defendants were represented by attorneys, Michelle Zuniga and Baja Shoman.

Patrick Jones

Former PM says Ambassador Fred Martinez was best man for Guatemala
Another prominent citizen from Orange Walk has died, on the heels of Ramon Cervantes’ death last week. He too was a former Government Senator and former Mayor of Orange Walk Town. But more than that, he was, for the last eleven years, Belize’s man in Guatemala. His Excellency […]

BWS says workers not released over “gossip”
Six former workers of Belize Water Services Limited are suing their ex-employer alleging wrongful termination. BWS however claims it has had a long-standing restructuring plan in place that began to be seriously implemented in 2012 after a rate cut of over 7% from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). […]

Belize City man shot as he sat on his verandah
Late into Tuesday night there were gunshots fired on the Southside of Belize City. For the third consecutive night, another young man was sent to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, though for now he remains alive. According to police 31 year old Edwin Flowers, a construction worker and […]

National awards for “Du Di Rait Ting”
The Police Department regularly honors high school students who have met the requirements for the “Du Di Rait Ting” program. Today the national awards were held. Acting Commander of Community Policing, Inspector Dehanne Augustine, says the program has become a favorite with businesses who seek to help to […]

Baker and unsung hero Zebedee Pitterson dies
Owner of Sunnyside Bakery in Belize City Zebedee Pitterson died Tuesday night at the age of 83. He began his business in 1949 after apprenticing at several local bakeries and Sunnyside – which was actually going to be called “Suntan” Bakery – has lived on through hurricanes and […]

Victim of hit-and-run incident laid to rest in Toledo
A small funeral procession carried the earthly remains of Yemeri Grove village resident Francisco Coy to his final resting place at the Jacintoville village cemetery this afternoon. Coy was killed on Sunday night when he was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver who has still not been apprehended […]

Late evening murder on Fabers Road in Belize City
A Belize City man was shot dead this evening in Belize City. The victim has been identified as 23 year old Dwayne Hilton, a resident of Fabers Road in Belize City. According to preliminary information received, Hilton had just arrived home and was on the verandah […]

Trio arraigned on murder charge in death of Ramon Cervantes, Sr.
After days of waiting, Orange Walk police late this evening escorted three men to the Magistrate’s Court for formal arraignment on charges related to the death of Ramon Cervantes, Sr. They are 22 year old Noe Daniel Gonzalez Avila; 28 year old Mateo Pott, Jr; and 19 […]

OAS diplomats pay tribute to Ambassador Alfredo Martinez
The Office of the Organization of American States on the Belize-Guatemala border has issued a note of condolence, expressing sadness on the death of Ambassador Alfredo Martinez. Ambassador Martinez passed away on Tuesday night at a hospital in Guatemala City. The statement from Ambassador Raul J. Lago, […]

House fire in Hattieville village leaves family homeless
A fire in Hattieville village, Belize district on Tuesday morning has left 15 people homeless. Authorities say their preliminary investigation revealed that an 8 year old child playing with a lighter allegedly ignited a curtain which set the entire building ablaze. According to the owner of the […]

Fire guts two dwellings in Corozal town
Two buildings were gutted by fire last night in the Finca Solana area of Corozal Town, leaving at least 9 people homeless. One of the houses that were completely gutted was being occupied by 51 year old Jaime Tut and the other one by 44 year old Sandra […]

Uncle allegedly chops niece in the face in Toledo
A twenty three year old woman from the village Elridgeville is fighting for her life after she was chopped in the face, allegedly by her uncle. The victim has been identified as Evalinda Sho. The Tuesday evening chopping incident reportedly took place during a misunderstanding between Sho and […]

Belize mourns the death of Ambassador Alfredo Martinez
News has been received of the death of Belize’s ambassador to Guatemala Alfredo Martinez. Information received suggests that Ambassador Martinez, who had been ailing for some months now, passed away early this morning. Apart from serving as Belize’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Guatemala, Martinez’ long list […]

Blogs

Visiting Wildtracks in Sarteneja, Belize: An Army of Volunteers Rehabbing Manatees and Monkeys for Return to the Wild
I had promised to help with the free Vet Clinic in Sarteneja months ago. Shaving dogs bellies pre-surgery and assisting with the actual surgery (which after about 15 minutes, a nursing female dog and a rush of nausea, I found was not my forte)…I was in. THEN when Twilla, the local organizer, called to tell me that she had scored us a guided tour at Wild Tracks? I was SUPER excited. I had seen the pictures on their facebook page and heard the amazing stories from some of the volunteers who had devoted a month or more of their lives to the wildlife of Belize but I was dying to visit. This was my chance! And take a look at what I saw. Though 10 months old, this still requires 3 volunteers.

International Sources

Butterfly wings inspire cosmetics and bomb detectors
A tropical butterfly might not be the first place to look when seeking inspiration for the latest bomb sniffing technology for the US military, but the brightly coloured iridescent wings of a blue morpho provides one example of a promising branch of science - bio-inspiration. Other varied applications inspired by the South American butterfly's shimmering wings include high-tech textiles, self-cleaning surfaces, cosmetics, and security tags. An exhibition called the Invisible Garden at the Royal Horticultural Society's Hampton Court Flower Show is enthralling visitors with its displays of the microscopic world in gardens. "Oh wow!" cried one six year old school girl as she squinted into an optical microscope at the wings of a blue morpho. "It's really shiny. It's a really pretty one, that." "They're just like scales, like fishes have," said her class-mate, "They're really nice."

Grandmother tackles sea for school
In nothing but a kayak, one gutsy grandmother will battle rough waves and the elements to help poverty-stricken children in Guatemala go to school. Dr. Deb Walters, a Waynesboro native, will paddle 2,500 miles from her home in Maine to Rio Dulce in Guatemala over the course of a year. Walters hopes to raise money and awareness for Safe Passage, a nonprofit organization based in Maine but located in Guatemala City that helps bring education and opportunities to children and families living in slum communities around the city’s garbage dump. Nine years ago, Walters visited Guatemala with her Rotary Club and witnessed firsthand what slum life was like for children and their families. Walters will push off from shore on Friday heading towards her first stop in Portland, Maine and by early April of next year she will land at Key West in Florida. Because of the possibility of armed attacks on small crafts in Mexico, she and her kayak will hop onto the sailboat “Polaris,” which will take her to Belize. From there she will paddle to her final destination in Rio Dulce, Guatemala.

11 Caribbean Bungalow Hotels
They’re not villas, they’re bungalows — small, typically one-story cottages that evoke the archetypal dream of Caribbean travel — just you and yours in a detached dwelling in plain view of the sea. And at these hotel properties in the Caribbean, you can find just that — your own private Caribbean bungalow, cottage, hut, casita, or whatever you prefer to call it. See 11 of our favourites.

Behind the Making of Deep Dive: TIME’s First 360 Degree Panoramic Underwater Video
One of the many challenges of being a photo editor today is understanding your publication’s platforms – and identifying opportunities to try something visually exciting on them. When I found out, back in November 2013, that Fabien Cousteau planned to embark on a 31-day underwater mission on the world’s only habitable underwater science lab, I immediately wanted to take TIME’s readers on a dive around the coral-covered submersible. But how could we make our audience feel like they were actually on a scuba dive? What would be the most immersive experience? An interactive 360-degree panoramic video seemed to be the answer. But with the project approved, a problem arose: how would we shoot that kind of video 60 feet below the ocean’s surface? After much research and many phone calls, I came across a man called Michael Kintner, the founder and inventor of 360Heros, a company that makes one of the only 360-degree underwater video rigs. Kintner worked with us not only to train our cinematographers on how to shoot with the underwater rig while scuba diving, but also by stitching together the video and displaying the end product in an interactive player.

Caribbean lost half its corals since 1970's
The Caribbean has lost at least half its coral reefs since the 1970s, says a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). And the main culprit, it adds, is overfishing — in particular, the loss of parrotfish. Large parrotfish graze down algae that can otherwise smother corals. If the trend in overfishing continues, Caribbean reefs — which account for about a tenth of the world’s corals — could all but vanish in 20 years, the report predicts. The mass die-out of another key marine grazer, the sea urchin, has also hit corals hard. A pathogen introduced from ballast water discharged from bulk carrier ships is thought to have wiped out sea urchins in the 1980s. Marine grazers also seem to make reefs more resilient to hurricanes. For instance, the overfished reefs in the Central Barrier in Belize declined by half after three hurricanes, while the better protected reefs in Bermuda saw no coral loss after four hurricanes since 1984.

Videos

Video: the Obstacle Course -- U.S. Marines build an "O" course in Belize, 1.5min.
LADYVILLE, Belize (June 30, 2014) – U.S. Marines assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion are up at dawn to put the finishing touches on an obstacle course the Marines built at Price Barracks in Belize. The Marines are in Belize as part of Southern Partnership Station 2014.

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

Video: Belize Final 2, 19min.

Video: belize half done 2, 12min.

Video: Wage Increase Ad, 1min.
from GOB Press Office

Video: The First Lady and her Stellar Board -opening of the Children's Inspiration Center, 1hr 4min.
Belize Talk Radio host, Macarena brings you to the Grand Opening of the First Lady of Belize's Children's Inspiration Center. Last year, Belize Talk Radio listeners participated in the Telethon to raise funds for the completion of the center. Today we take you to the completed center- for a unique opportunity to hear engaging conversations and to see the center itself in all its beauty !

Video: , 5min.
136ft dive at the Blue Hole off the coast of Belize. I've added a few notes to describe what's going on through the dive. The dive goes to the limits of recreational diving depths. It's a 2.5 hour boat dive from the coast of San Pedro, Belize, near the Lighthouse Reef.

Video: Belize 2014, 15min.
Pescaria com mosca em Belize, ano 2014, peixe alvo PERMIT. Pescadores: Fernando Marra, JR, Sérgio Krieger e Thiago Zanetti.

Video: Tubing and Termites in Belize, 2min.
Crystal cave tubing and eating termites in the Belize rain forest.