US Department of Agriculture fined $30,000 for underground storage tanks in Puerto Rico

October 9th, 2009 Smuggler jailed 3 years for deadly voyage to PRSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A Dominican smuggler has been sentenced to three years in prison for a sea voyage carrying illegal immigrants to Puerto Rico that took the lives of three people. Simeon de la Cruz was captain of a vessel that landed in western Puerto Rico with roughly 70 immigrants in October 2007 after two women and a man drowned during the trip across treacherous waters from the Dominican Republic.

October 8th, 2009 Gloria Estefan buys concert tickets for PR joblessSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Thousands of laid-off government employees in Puerto Rico will be doing the conga for free, thanks to Gloria Estefan. The Cuban-born singer bought some 2,000 tickets for her weekend concert and they will distributed by raffle among the nearly 17,000 workers who learned last month that they will lose their jobs beginning Nov.

October 8th, 2009 American Airlines resumes Wash.-Puerto Rico routeDALLAS — American Airlines said on Thursday it will relaunch daily flights between Washington Dulles airport and San Juan, Puerto Rico, beginning Nov. 19. American said it is putting a Boeing 737 aircraft on the route, which it will fly once a day in each direction.

September 30th, 2009 Puerto Rico police investigate killings of 3 teensSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Police in Puerto Rico say three teenage boys have been found shot to death on a basketball court in a northern coastal town near the U.S. territory's capital.

September 22nd, 2009 Robber in Puerto Rico makes off with Swiss watchesSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Police say a robber has made off with nearly $500,000 worth of luxury watches from a jewelry store at the Caribbean's largest shopping mall. Investigators say the suspect entered the Bared jewelry store at the Plaza Las Americas mall in San Juan on Tuesday and handed the shopkeeper a threatening note.

September 22nd, 2009 PR authorities say major drug dealer arrestedSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities have captured an alleged dealer they say led a violent drug ring in at least two sprawling housing projects in Puerto Rico and trafficked narcotics to the U.S. mainland. The arrest of Angel Ayala Vazquez, also known as "Angelo Millones," has "dealt a hard blow to drug trafficking in Puerto Rico," Javier F.

September 21st, 2009 Correction: Puerto Rico-Drug War storySAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — In a Sept. 20 story about drug trafficking in Puerto Rico, The Associated Press, relying on figures provided by the Joint Interagency Task Force South, reported erroneously that 1,430 metric tons of cocaine reached the island last year.

September 20th, 2009 PR cops: Man suspected in killing run over by carSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities in Puerto Rico say a man suspected of stabbing a 19-year-old to death was run over while trying to escape. In a statement Sunday, police say 57-year-old Pedro Quinones Nunez was hit by a car Saturday as he crossed the highway in front of a public housing complex in San Juan.

September 18th, 2009 PR man charged with killing girl, 3, in drive-bySAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities in Puerto Rico say they have charged a man with murder following the death of a 3-year-old girl from a drive-by shooting. In a statement Friday, the U.S.

August 29th, 2009 Puerto Rico judge sets bail for alleged cop killerSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A judge has set bail at $2.6 million for a Puerto Rican man accused of fatally shooting a police officer and wounding a second before stealing their squad car earlier this month. Judge Milagros Muniz set the bond amount at a Saturday hearing at which suspect Ricardo Lebron Berrios was not required to enter a plea.

August 19th, 2009 PR gov to restrict alcohol sales amid rising crimeSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gov. Luis Fortuno said Tuesday he will submit a proposal for the legislature to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages after certain hours as a way to cut down on crime in Puerto Rico.

August 14th, 2009 4 Puerto Rico police officers convicted in beatingSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A jury in U.S. federal court has convicted four Puerto Rican police officers in the beating death of a man in their custody.

July 6th, 2009 Sotomayor's relatives hope to attend hearingsMAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rican relatives of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor — the New York-born federal appeals judge who is vying to be the first Hispanic justice on the high court — hope to attend her confirmation hearings in Washington. "If they invite us, we will travel," said Jose Garcia Baez, a lawyer who is one of a number of Sotomayor's Puerto Rican cousins living on the west coast of the U.S.

June 17th, 2009 Man accused of stealing 88 panties from neighborSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico police said they have arrested a man accused of snatching 88 pieces of underwear from a neighbor's clothesline. The man was charged with theft and illegal appropriation.

May 30th, 2009 Puerto Rico slashes gov't work force en masseSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico fired nearly 8,000 government workers Friday, the start of a wave of layoffs aimed at closing a budget deficit as the island struggles through its third year of recession. The first round included mostly temporary clerical workers in the education, treasury and health departments.