Isabela mayor invites public to the town’s annual kite festival

By THE STAR STAFF

The 13th edition of the traditional Kite Festival will be held on Sunday, April 2 at Middles Beach in Isabela starting at 11 a.m.

“This is a family event that brings great memories to many people from Isabela and nearby towns, because the fun of flying kites has no age or condition; the only requirement is to come and have fun,” Isabela Mayor Miguel “Ricky” Méndez Pérez said.

signaling device. The movements and colors of the kites indicated a series of secret messages to various military detachments.

The festival, which is sponsored by La Casa de la Cultura Isabelina, among others, will feature special competitions such as the Chiringa Artist, Flying Skill (for children from 4 to 12 years old), as well as the Smallest Chiringa, Largest Chiringa, Most Original Chiringa and the Chiringa sin Rabo. Additional information is available by calling 787-224-0021 and 787-372-1848 during business hours.

On the day of the festival there will also be kiosks with traditional food and drinks, and inflatables for the enjoyment of children, as well as an artistic show.

The event will feature various competitions, including handmade kites, where participants apply their creativity and use of materials to send their ideas aloft in style.

The event will feature various competitions, including handmade kites, where participants shine in their creativity and use of materials to send their ideas aloft in style. The kites are a source of fun for children worldwide, and in each country it has its name, be it kite, flask, snake, piscucha, milocha, barrilete, pandorga, volantín, chichigua, chiringa, kite of wind or parrot. The good thing, the mayor noted, is that everywhere it is practiced the same since it was invented in ancient China around 1,200 BC, but not for fun, but as a military

“We are giving notice in advance, since April 2 is Palm Sunday, which is commemorated in many religious groups, and we are going to start at 11 a.m., so that there is time to attend both events,” the mayor said. “We are waiting for you all.”

PDP governing board endorses party president’s efforts to have PR included in SNAP

By THE STAR STAFF

The Popular Democratic Party (PDP) governing board has unanimously approved a motion expressing the group’s institutional support of efforts from PDP President José Luis Dalmau Santiago to include Puerto Rico in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The island’s inclusion in SNAP would increase aid funds to 800,000 families representing 1.2 million Puerto Rico residents. Similarly, the governing body of the PDP in its meeting Saturday expressed its support for Dalmau Santiago’s efforts to achieve parity in health funds and a new federal tax incentive for local manufacturing representing about 75,000 direct jobs.

“The Popular Democratic Party will continue its effort to ensure Puerto Rico’s inclusion in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would increase additional food funds for the low-income population, promote job opportunities, and make eligibility requirements more flexible,” Dalmau Santiago said.

Meanwhile, the governing board also approved the final part of the party’s reorganization that makes it possible that, as of next Saturday, the PDP will have a president or presidential delegate in 93% of the municipalities, which translates to 72 of the 78 municipalities. The presidents of the remaining six municipalities and the vice presidency of the Mayagüez municipal committee will be selected by vote after Sunday, May 7.

In the case of San Juan, of the five existing precincts, in two of them the new presidents who did not have contenders will be certified, and in precincts 1, 2 and 3 they will be selected by open vote on May 7.

Finally, the governing board unanimously approved a motion rejecting the bill authored by several New Progressive Party legislators that would impose prison sentences on women who terminate a pregnancy.

The PDP also expressed solidarity and collective prayer for the health of the former representative and moderator of the Jugando Pelota Dura program, Ferdinand Pérez Román, who announced last week that he has a cancerous tumor.

The island’s inclusion in SNAP would increase aid funds to 800,000 families representing 1.2 million Puerto Rico residents.