Tuesday Nov 24, 2020

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

San Juan The

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Now the US Has Lots of Ventilators, But Too Few Specialists to Operate Them P7

Scrutiny to Resume In Dissenting Opinions, Supreme Court Chief Justice, 2 Associate Justices Slam Majority Determination on Scrutiny Appeals Issued

by NPP and SEC

Natal Albelo Strikes Back; Appeals SEC Preliminary Certification in Superior Court P3

NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL P 19

Photo by Pedro Correa Henry

Rejection of ‘Chaotic’ & ‘Irregular’ Tract in Scrutiny Case P4

Governor: Deadline for Applying for Student Internet Access Funds Extended P6

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Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

GOOD MORNING

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November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star, the only paper with News Service in English in Puerto Rico, publishes 7 days a week, with a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday edition, along with a Weekend Edition to cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Natal Albelo appeals SEC preliminary certification in Superior Court

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itizen Victory Movement (CVM) San Juan mayoral candidate Manuel Natal Albelo announced Monday that he issued an appeal in San Juan Superior Court to challenge the State Elections Commission’s (SEC) preliminary certification issued on Nov. 7, which favors New Progressive Party (NPP) mayoral candidate Miguel Romero Lugo.

Natal said it was “false and irresponsible” that Romero Lugo is using such a document to claim certification as mayor-elect “as the certification he refers to is a certification that’s currently repealed.”

“The reason why we believe that this certification is illegal is that the certification expressly says that it is being issued in accordance with the provisions of Article 10.8 of the 2020 Electoral Code. I have to say it with great respect to the SEC chairman [Francisco Rosado Colomer], you have to read the new electoral code,” Natal said. “Article 10.8 of the new Electoral Code has nothing to do with preliminary certifications. Article 10.8 talks about [a voting] recount; now, the article from the repealed electoral code that the NPP administration challenged, that one talked about preliminary certifications, which were eliminated.”

The CVM candidate said the actual code only recognizes two preliminary certifications, one issued during the night on Election Day at 10 p.m, and a day after Election Day at 6 a.m.. He said the second certification put him at a 4,000-vote advantage.

“Senator Romero needs to read his own certification he refers to, as that one says: ‘This certification does not entail the formal or informal certification of any candidate,’” Natal said.

He added that there are 10 polling stations left to report results for both Nov 3 and early voting. Meanwhile, he said, there are “over 4,000 envelopes of voters who voted added by hand that still have to be reviewed and awarded by the commission” in San Juan.

“In San Juan, there are thousands of election day ballots that the counting machines could not

adjudicate and that will have to be adjudicated during the scrutiny process,” Natal said. “What we want is for votes to be respected and to respect the voters’ intentions.”

In addition, the legislator said he plans another court filing as intervention with the case filed by the NPP senator that orders San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto to begin the government transition process.

Natal said the capital city can’t begin that process until the SEC formally certifies the winner of the electoral contest. “[The fact] that the senator orders a stamp made with his name and [the title of] mayorelect, that Senator Romero demands in San Juan Superior Court with a mandamus appeal so that the San Juan mayor is ordered to recognize him as mayor-elect, beyond the seal, which is nice, I suppose I could have had one also made the day after the elections because I had a paper that said the same thing as Sen. Romero, in practice, it means absolutely nothing,” Natal said. “The San Juan mayor began her transition process as she has prepared reports; her issue is that she doesn’t have someone official to begin the transition with until a mayor-elect gets certified.”

The candidate went on to say that with both the pending appeals in the Puerto Rico Supreme Court regarding early voting and the irregularities that occurred in the electoral process, “days and weeks will pass in which it is finally elucidated who will be the next mayor of San Juan.”

Later in the day, the island Supreme Court ordered the SEC to continue the general scrutiny and to hand out the early and absentee voter lists each time electoral officials open up a ballot container.

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The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Supreme Court orders scrutiny to resume, warns officials on state and federal contempt

By THE STAR STAFF

T

he Puerto Rico Supreme Court on Monday ordered the State Elections Commission (SEC) to proceed with the general scrutiny of votes without interruption, threatening the agency with contempt of court charges and a referral to state and federal authorities if officials disobey the order.

The order was issued per curiam, which means that it was issued by the members of the court and is not signed by the justices. The Citizen Victory Movement (CVM) had sued to paralyze the scrutiny process and to demand the distribution of certain voters’ lists. After the suit was filed, San Juan Judge Rebecca de León Ortiz ordered the SEC to unveil the list of voters who cast absentee or early voting ballots before the scrutiny process, but the SEC did not do so.

Therefore, the CVM went to court again last week seeking to find the SEC in contempt of court. The judge then ordered the suspension of the work at the SEC, but the New Progressive Party sought the intervention of the Supreme Court, which took over jurisdiction of the case.

Three of the justices wrote a dissident opinion in which they chided the majority for taking over the case from the lower court.

The Supreme Court ordered the following: First, the general scrutiny, as mandated by the Electoral Code, may not be paralyzed, except for routine rest processes. Thus, the scrutiny

will operate continuously and in an efficient manner, guaranteeing that every vote cast by any voter authorized by law to exercise said vote is counted and that the count is completed in a reasonable amount of time. The election commissioners of all political parties that make up the full SEC and their representatives in the scrutiny process, must act proactively so that the general scrutiny continues uninterruptedly.

“This action must include providing for the presence of its officials at the corresponding scrutiny tables, at the time of beginning the work each day and until the close of operations on that day, and that they proceed with the scrutiny,” the court ruled. “It will be understood that the party that does not have its officials present is renouncing their representation on balance at the corresponding table.”

Second, the court said it will not allow the suspension or veto power of any party beyond the mandate of the people and the processes implemented by law. In this sense, the SEC is instructed that it will not be able to suspend all of the tables where the general scrutiny is carried out and that any divergence in a particular table will be dealt with based on the hierarchical levels established by SEC regulations.

Third, the court said that in cases in which it is detected that a voter has cast an early vote and a vote added by hand at the same time, such a matter must be referred to the full SEC

so that it can address it. The SEC will refer the matter to investigative agencies, such as the state and federal departments of justice, and any other agency with similar capacity, to carry out the corresponding investigation and, if necessary, process the situation.

Fourth, the discovery of an attempt to double vote will not prevent the general scrutiny from continuing, proceeding with the exclusion of the vote that is in dispute. Once the situation is referred to the full SEC, the scrutiny process will continue at the table.

Fifth, the lists of each precinct will be disclosed to the electoral officials concerned when the ballot container, or briefcase, corresponding to that precinct is opened.

Sixth, in attention to certain requested protective orders, it is provided that only the officials of the corresponding polling stations will have access to the concerned list and that is the object of work of the precinct in particular.

Seventh, in order to safeguard the secrecy of the right to vote and with it the guarantees of confidentiality on sensitive information protected by state and federal law, the transfer of the aforementioned lists outside the area of the headquarters of the general scrutiny is prohibited. This is done to safeguard the rights of all voters.

Eight, once the general scrutiny is completed, the lists that are the subject of controversy in the appeal will be kept by the SEC and their subsequent use will have to be supported by law.

Ninth, in order not to distort the nature of the general scrutiny, it is specified that the representatives of the five parties will have access to a copy of each list without the need to reproduce five additional copies for each of the parties.

Tenth, the court insisted that a discrepancy at a table over a ballot will not be used to stop the entire general scrutiny, nor will the voluntary withdrawal or because of a lack of human resources of any political party.

“In the event that one or more political parties withdraw their officials or do not appear due to lack of officials, it will be the duty of the Director of Scrutiny and the members of the Commission, to ensure that the representatives of public interest are present,” the court said.

The court again reiterated that the failure to obey the order will lead to penalties.

Chief Justice ‘strongly rejects chaotic and highly irregular tract’ in NPP general scrutiny appeal Dissenting justices rebuke Supreme Court majority

By PEDRO CORREA HENRY Twitter: @PCorreaHenry Special to The Star

P

uerto Rico Supreme Court Chief Justice Maite Oronoz Rodríguez and Associate Justices Anabelle Rodríguez Rodríguez and Ángel Colón Martínez, who were appointed by the Popular Democratic Party, criticized in dissenting opinions Monday the determination from the remaining six members appointed by the New Progressive Party (NPP) on the general scrutiny appeals issued by both the NPP and the State Elections Commission.

Oronoz Rodríguez said that if the Supreme Court was in administrative recess, the requests sent electronically to issue the determination could not be accepted. Furthermore, she said she “strongly rejects the chaotic and highly irregular tract in this case; especially when our own regulations make it possible to attend to it with the speed that the matter demands without violating our own regulations or giving preferential treatment to some parties.”

“Although we are certainly facing a controversy of high public interest that deserves to be resolved quickly, the procedure of this Court when accepting a case that was not validly presented, instead of providing confidence, damages the impartiality that should characterize this institution and ends up throwing more shade and weakening its judicial determination,” Oronoz Rodríguez said.

The chief justice said that while there should be no doubt that the Supreme Court will always be open or available to issue any

mandate, “insisting that this Court has the authority to ‘accept’ resources that it ‘received’ without its Secretariat being in office is contrary to the regulations and sets a dangerous precedent.”

“There is no doubt that such a procedure on the part of this Court gives the impression and, in fact, creates a privileged class of citizens or groups with access to the Court at all times, while the extreme majority of citizens are required to confine themselves to the Secretariat’s hours of operation or the availability of a presentation box, as provided by administrative order,” Oronoz Rodríguez said.

Likewise, Colón Martínez accused the Supreme Court majority of “serving” NPP Electoral Commissioner Héctor Joaquín Sánchez Álvarez.

“Briefcases [ballot containers] popping up. Briefcases to search. Ballots counted. Ballots not counted. Votes awarded.

Unallocated votes. Electoral records adding up. Electoral records not adding up. Certified ‘winning’ candidates. Uncertified winning candidates,” Colón Martínez said. “Fraud knocks on doors. Some want to let it in. An illegitimate government, the end result? A resolution issued by this Court on Nov. 20, 2020 where, in order to bring an incorrect message to the public, the statements issued by the dissident judges were ignored.”

Colón Martínez added that four of his colleagues gave access to “Sánchez Álvarez’s whims, opting to rewrite the Puerto Rican electoral system.”

The associate justice said such a determination had “the sole purpose of limiting certain political parties, but particularly the Citizen Victory Movement, access to the updated lists of voters who requested an absentee vote in advance in all its modalities, as well as the lists of voters who, in effect, voted under any of these modalities.”

Rodríguez Rodríguez, meanwhile, said “never in my 16 years was a resolution certified, particularly in cases of great resonance, without considering the criteria of those who did not agree.”

“Dissenting opinions were always circulated prior to the resolution being certified,” Rodríguez Rodríguez said. “It was always expected, even if it meant a delay in the proposed certification time. That had been the immemorial practice of THIS Court and its Justices, at least until last Friday. On this occasion, the majority of the Court censured the Justices’ dissenting opinions that were not answered with the majority course, stating, erroneously, that we had not intervened.”

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The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

5

Vega Alta residents accuse PRASA of taking advantage of communities that build their own wastewater systems

By THE STAR STAFF

A

Vega Alta community has accused the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) of taking advantage of private communities that build their own wastewater and water pumping stations and thereby save money by placing on them the monetary burden of operating and maintaining a public service and sharing it with other PRASA clients.

Estancias de Cerro Mar, in a lawsuit against PRASA filed over the weekend in U.S. District Court, said it has learned via the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that there are 220 privately constructed and owned pumping stations in Puerto Rico, similar to the Estancias Pumping Station, that are also being appropriated to serve and benefit PRASA, “which has developed and maintains that illegal practice to improperly save tens of millions of dollars a year in operation and maintenance, forcing others to provide public services to PRASA’s clients, while PRASA profits from the services provided by these privately constructed and owned pumping stations.”

Estancias de Cerro Mar Inc. sued PRASA and its executive director, Doriel Pagán, for causing the community to become insolvent by taking their property without “just compensation via the unlawful, arbitrary, and capricious implementation/ use of its Regulation of Permits for Construction Plans of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer.”

“Estancias’ Pumping Station is connected to PRASA’s system. PRASA has illegally implemented said regulation to

force Estancias to operate and maintain its wastewater relay pumping station so as to subsidize PRASA’s operations in the Cerro Gordo Ward of Vega Alta with the effect of appropriating Estancias’ capital and pumping station to pump the Cerro Gordo Ward communities’ sewage to PRASA’s wastewater treatment plant in Dorado,” the community said in the lawsuit.

“In sum, Estancias has and is being forced to use its private property and capital to provide a public service to the Ward’s community which PRASA should be providing.”

Estancias has been forced to operate and maintain its pumping station at a cost of over $5 million, leading Estancias to insolvency, the suit says.

“Indeed, by administering its Regulation of Permits in a manner that forces Estancias to provide the community and PRASA with services at Estancias’ sole cost, PRASA receives significant economic benefit from said services, as it charges the Cerro Gordo Ward’s community monthly sewage fees, Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Fees and Special Fees in part for the services rendered by Estancias without compensation,” the community said.

Estancias developed a residential urbanization in the Cerro Gordo Ward called Las Palmas de Cerro Gordo and comprising some 175 residential units.To secure the necessary development and construction permits for the Palmas urbanization (Urb. Palmas) project, Estancias was required, among other things, to design and construct the community’s rainwater collection system, wastewater collection system and a wastewater relay pumping station to serve the development’s 175 residential units. All design and construction costs for that infrastructure were paid for exclusively by Estancias and such infrastructure was to be transferred or donated to the Municipality of Vega Alta and/or PRASA. PRASA required the development and construction of the Estancias Pumping Station to relay Urb. Palmas residents’ wastewater from PRASA’s wastewater collection system to PRASA’s miles-long main sewer line, which carries Cerro Gordo Ward’s sewage eastbound to PRASA’s wastewater treatment plant in the town of Dorado.

Upon completion of Urb. Palmas, the wastewater collection system was automatically transferred to PRASA per operation of law but the end result of the regulatory scheme imposed on Estancia for the development of Urb. Palmas is that PRASA receives and benefits from the use of Estancias’ privately built water and sewage infrastructure, free of charge, and PRASA also benefits from the exclusive right to charge the people of Puerto Rico fees for water and sewage services provided by Estancias’ privately built infrastructure.

PRASA has refused to compensate Estancias for the costs of operation and maintenance of the Estancias Pumping Station, assume its operation and maintenance, or accept Estancias Pumping Station, the suit says.

“By refusing to accept the same it forces Estancias to operate and maintain the Estancias Pumping Station and provide a public service to the community at Estancias’ sole cost, while PRASA benefits from said operation and maintenance, to the tune of millions of dollars,” the lawsuit says. “Additionally, by continuously shifting the requirements for acceptance, PRASA has deprived Estancias of any meaningful opportunity to challenge PRASA’s arbitrary and capricious refusal by any administrative or judicial forum. PRASA’s decision to not accept the Estancias Pumping Station and to refuse to cover its operational and maintenance costs is final.”

Estancias has been unable to cover the Estancias Pumping Station’s electricity costs, causing the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to cut off electric power to the station. The station has been working with an external pump and an emergency generator while Estancias has attempted to elicit PRASA’s help to cover the electrical service bill. PRASA has refused to provide any help, the suit says.

Meanwhile the water utility charges residents thousands of dollars for water use, according to the lawsuit.

At the request of the island Housing Department and the municipality, in good faith, Estancias agreed to allow the Housing Department to connect 146 residential units of Villa Alegria to the Estancias Pumping Station pending the construction of their own wastewater system. PRASA accepted the transfer of the Villa Alegria pumping station but not Estancias.

Comptroller issues opinion on Labor Dept. computing systems office operations

By JOHN McPHAUL jpmcphaul@gmail.com

T

he Comptroller’s Office of Puerto Rico on Monday issued a qualified opinion on the operations of the Department of Labor and Human Resources’ Office of Computing and Information Systems.

The report revealed that the Operational Plan and the Contingency Plan approved in 2017 for the continuity of operations was not updated.

According to the comptroller’s report, both plans had contact names for former officials and former employees, and made reference to an alternate location and external vault that no longer exist. In particular, the Contingency Plan did not contain the necessary requirements for addressing emergency situations such as details of the configuration of critical equipment or procedures for when the network cannot provide services.

Furthermore, the Labor Department had not identified an

alternate center for restoring the computerized operations of the network operations center in the event of an emergency. The referenced situations can promote improvisation and represent a high risk of incurring excessive expenses or prolonged interruptions of services to users, the comptroller’s report noted.

The audit of three findings indicates that a copy of the data backups, such as the driver’s social security, financial and human resources applications and others, was not kept outside Labor Department premises, but instead on a shelf located in the same place as the backup. A similar situation had been commented on in Audit Report TI-09-14 of 2009. The report recommends that the chief information officer make sure to draft a procedure that requires that a copy of the backups be kept in a safe place and away from the Labor Department operations center.

Meanwhile, contrary to current regulations on information systems security, the parameters on the main server were not configured to allow failed access attempts, before blocking an account (account lockout threshold). This situation encourages

irregularities to be committed or data contained in the systems to be altered, the report said.

The report covers the period from April 29 to Oct. 25, 2019, and is available at www.ocpr.gov.pr.

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The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

$6.9 million federal injection for health services, child care services, education

By JOHN McPHAUL jpmcphaul@gmail.com

R

esident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón announced on Monday the approval of $6.9 million in federal funds allocated by various offices of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) for health services, child care services and education.

HHS, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, allocated $3.1 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Health for health services for mothers and infants.

The Administration for Children and Families, under the HHS’ Office of Head Start, allocated $671,344 in federal funds to the Family Strengthening Center, ESCAPE, within the category of social services for Early Head Start. These funds are final and only the date of their disbursement by the agency remains pending, which varies depending on the program.

The Office of Family and Youth Services of the Administration for Children and Families allocated $200,000 to the Center for Youth Services Inc. for basic health services, and $445,831 to the Central University of the Caribbean Inc. under

the category of health services for the Healthy and Positive Engagement Education project within the educational program to avoid sexual risks.

The Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) will receive $100,000 from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases under the Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation Research program. The Ponce School of Medicine will receive $1.4 million from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities for the Epidemiological Intelligence Network, or EpI-Net, project “to promote preventive practices and COVID-19 detection tests among socially vulnerable [citizens] in Puerto Rico,” the resident commissioner said.

NOAA, in collaboration with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), allocated $596,268 to the UPR Aguadilla

campus as part of the 2020 National Coastal Resilience Fund: Using Mangrove Restoration to Improve Coastal Community Resilience in Puerto Rico. This allocation of funds will help restore the areas most vulnerable to hurricanes and those that were greatly affected by the 2017 hurricanes.

The resident commissioner previously sent a letter to the NFWF showing her support for the project and how it would be of great benefit to the island.

Likewise, NOAA and NFWF will work together to allocate $234,317 to The Ocean Foundation under the 2020 Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Program: Electronic Monitoring for the Caribbean Small Boat Highly Migratory Species Fishery (PR), a project whose aim is to help improve the monitoring of small vessels in order to collect data for various fish markets on the island.

The federal DOT, meanwhile, under the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program, assigned a total of $66,000 to nine students from different universities, public and private, on the island.

The purpose of the program is to offer financial aid to students interested in pursuing a career in disciplines related to the transportation field. It assigned funds to various educational institutions on the island.

Deadline for applying for student internet fund extended

By JOHN McPHAUL jpmcphaul@gmail.com

G

ov. Wanda Vázquez Garced and Education Secretary Eligio Hernández Pérez announced Monday that the allocation of $90 million in federal funds are still available to subsidize the payment for internet to all students and teachers in the public education system, as the deadline for applying for the aid was extended until Dec. 30.

“We want all students and teachers in our public schools to be able to benefit from this aid, which covers the payment for the internet until May 31, 2021,” the governor said in a written statement. “There have been many challenges that we have had to face, especially in education, for which this is a great relief so that everyone can continue imparting and receiving distance education.”

Hernández Pérez announced that “[w]e have reached agreements with the agencies collaborating with the initiative and with the service providers so that those who, to date, have not done so, have until the end of December to benefit from the subsidy.”

“At the moment, there have been some 86,065 transactions with the 28 companies that signed up to offer the service in all areas of the island,” he said. “This represents about $28.5 million, so funds are still available. We urge families to apply as soon as possible.”

Through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the entire student population of the island’s public system, which this year stands at 276,413 students, as well as 26,893 public school teachers, can

apply for the subsidy of up to $400 with the 28 companies participating in the project. The government aid will cover the internet payment until May 31, 2021 and each applicant will choose the service of their preference, as long as they are enrolled in the program.

The Education chief specified that the teachers who qualify are those in the classroom, along with librarians, directors, social workers and professional counselors.

“Despite the efforts we make as a country, we see that the pandemic is showing dangerous increases,” Hernández Pérez said. “We have designed several plans for back to school in hybrid mode, but we remain vigilant to the behavior of the pandemic during these holidays. At Education, we seek alternatives that allow the instructional process to be available to all children and youth in Puerto Rico. This access to the internet, added to the distribution of computers and electronic equipment, will be a great step forward for all our school communities.”

The team from the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority led the effort to identify federal money, and Treasury Department staff implemented the electronic system for the qualification and disbursement of the aid. Education Department (DE) management, for its part, shared official enrollment data for the current school year, as well as information on teachers who qualify for federal aid.

Upon request, participants will go directly to the service providers included in the project and the sales representatives will validate the information. To pay for the service, mothers, fathers or guardians must have the student’s full name, student identification number, which appears on the student’s report card, and date of birth at hand. In addition, to facilitate the process with suppliers, the DE sent a student certification via email to parents and/or guardians so that document would be accepted at the internet service centers.

Teachers will need to have available their employee number, photo ID, date of birth, place of employment, and the last four digits of their social security number.

The Treasury will disburse the money assigned directly to the supplier that each family or teacher has selected.

Parents, guardians and DE staff will not have direct access to the funds for making monthly payments, but rather they will be deposited in the bank accounts that each company reports to the Treasury Department.

Among the program requirements, participants may not exceed $400 during the term established for the project.

Costs in excess of the grant will be paid by the applicant.

In those families with more than one student, the subsidy may be used to increase service capacity. They will also be able to expand connectivity with the acquisition of wireless connectivity equipment (“hotspot”), depending on the inventory of the selected company.

The participating companies were chosen by the interagency working group, which ensured the greatest number of options to cover all municipalities, including the island municipalities of Vieques and Culebra. The providers must be registered with the Treasury Department and the Telecommunications Bureau. In addition, the government requires monthly reports of the service they will offer.

The telecommunications companies will offer the service without credit verification and will keep records of the transactions through the Treasury Department’s financial systems.

Correction and clarification

By THE STAR STAFF

I

n an article published in the Monday, Nov. 23 edition of the Star titled “Skepticism toward incoming gov’t rising in trans community,” on page 6, La Sombrilla Cuir co-founder Ínaru de la Fuente Díaz’s personal pronouns were incorrectly assigned. The correct pronouns are they/ them, due to the fact that de la Fuente Díaz identifies as a trans and nonbinary person.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

7

Now the U.S. has lots of ventilators — but too few specialists to operate them

By ANDREW JACOBS

A

s record numbers of coronavirus cases overwhelm hospitals across the United States, there is something strikingly different from the surge that inundated cities last spring: No one is clamoring for ventilators.

The sophisticated breathing machines, used to sustain the most critically ill patients, are far more plentiful than they were eight months ago, when New York, New Jersey and other hard-hit states were desperate to obtain more of the devices, and hospitals were reviewing triage protocols for rationing care. Now many hot spots face a different problem: They have enough ventilators but not nearly enough workers with the years of training to operate them.

Since the spring, U.S. medical device-makers have radically ramped up the country’s ventilator capacity by producing more than 200,000 critical care ventilators, with 155,000 of them going to the Strategic National Stockpile. At the same time, doctors have figured out other ways to deliver oxygen to some patients struggling to breathe — including using inexpensive sleep apnea machines or simple nasal cannulas that force air into the lungs through plastic tubes.

But with new cases approaching 200,000 per day and a flood of patients straining hospitals across the country, public health experts warn that the ample supply of available ventilators may not be enough to save many critically ill patients.

“We’re now at a dangerous precipice,” said Dr. Lewis Kaplan, president of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Ventilators, he said, are exceptionally complex machines that require expertise and constant monitoring for the weeks or even months patients are tethered to them. The explosion of cases in rural parts of Idaho, Ohio, South Dakota and other states has prompted local hospitals that lack such experts on staff to send patients to cities and regional medical centers, but those intensive care beds are quickly filling up.

Public health experts have long warned about a shortage of critical care doctors, known as intensivists, a specialty that generally requires an additional two years of medical training. There are 37,400 intensivists in the United States, according to the American Hospital Association, but

nearly half of the country’s acute care hospitals do not have any on staff, and many of those hospitals are in rural areas increasingly overwhelmed by the coronavirus.

“We can’t manufacture doctors and nurses in the same way we can manufacture ventilators,” said Dr. Eric Toner, an emergency room doctor and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “And you can’t teach someone overnight the right settings and buttons to push on a ventilator for patients who have a disease they have never seen before. The most realistic thing we can do in the short run is to reduce the impact on hospitals, and that means wearing masks and avoiding crowded spaces so we can flatten the curve of new infections.”

Medical association message boards in states like Iowa, Oklahoma and North Dakota are awash in desperate calls for intensivists and pulmonologists willing to temporarily relocate and help out. When New York City and hospitals in the Northeast issued a similar call for help this past spring, specialists from the South and Midwest rushed there, but because cases now are surging nationwide, hospital officials say that most of their pleas for help are going unanswered.

Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the top health official in Mississippi, said more than half the state’s 1,048 ventilators were still available but that he was more concerned with having enough staff members to take care of the sickest patients.

“If we want to make sure that someone who’s hospitalized in the ICU with the coronavirus has the best chance to get well, they need to have highly trained personnel, and that cannot be flexed up rapidly,” he said in a news briefing Tuesday.

Dr. Matthew Trump, a critical care specialist at UnityPoint Health in Des Moines, Iowa, said the health chain’s 21 hospitals had an adequate supply of ventilators for now, but he is worried that out-of-state staff reinforcements might be unlikely to materialize as colleagues fall ill and the hospital’s ICU beds reach capacity.

“People here are exhausted and burned out from the past few months,” he said.

“I’m really concerned.”

The domestic boom in ventilator production has been a rare bright spot in the country’s pandemic response, which

A nurse assists Ana Flores, a COVID-19 patient, at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, July 4, 2020. has been marred by shortages of personal protective equipment, haphazard testing efforts and President Donald Trump’s mixed messaging on the importance of masks, social distancing and other measures that can dent the spread of new infections.

Despite an overall increase in the number of ventilators, some researchers say many of the new machines may be inadequate for the current crisis. Dr. Richard Branson, an expert on mechanical ventilation at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and an author of a recent study in the journal Chest, said that half of the new devices acquired by the Strategic National Stockpile were not sophisticated enough for COVID-19 patients in severe respiratory distress. He also expressed concern about the long-term viability of machines that require frequent maintenance.

“These devices were not built to be stockpiled,” he said.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which has acknowledged the limitations of its newly acquired ventilators, said the stockpile — nine times as large as it was in March — was well suited for most respiratory pandemics. “These stockpiled devices can be used as a short-term, stopgap buffer when the immediate commercial supply is not sufficient or available,” the agency said in a statement.

Dr. Nikhil Jagan, a critical care pulmonologist at CHI Health, a hospital chain that serves Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska said many of the coronavirus patients who were arriving at his emergency room now were less sick than the patients he treated in the spring.

“There’s a lot more awareness about the symptoms of COVID-19,” he said. “The first go-around, when people came in, they were very sick right off the bat and in respiratory distress or at the point of respiratory failure, and had to be intubated.”

But the promising new treatments and enhanced knowledge can only go so far should the current surge in cases continue unabated. The country passed 250,000 deaths from the coronavirus Nov. 18, a reminder that many critically ill patients do not survive. The daily death toll has been rising steadily and is approaching 2,000.

“Ventilators are important in critical care, but they don’t save people’s lives,” said Branson of the University of Cincinnati. “They just keep people alive while the people caring for them can figure out what’s wrong and fix the problem, and at the moment, we just don’t have enough of those people.”

For now, he said there was only one way out the crisis: “It’s not that hard,” he said. “Wear a mask.”

8

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

New York City hit a 3% positive test rate. Or did it?

People wait in line for coronavirus testing in Manhattan, Nov. 11, 2020. The city and state use different approaches for positive test rate calculations. That has led to confusion and has a big impact on which restrictions are adopted.

By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN and JESSE McKINLEY

T

hree percent.

It is the most important number in New York City right now, a critical threshold that triggers restrictions by state and local governments in response to the coronavirus. The mayor of New York shut down public schools at 3%. The governor said that a sustained 3% level in the city would result in banning indoor dining, closing gyms and hair salons, and placing a 25-person cap on attendance at houses of worship even as the holidays approach.

But as important as that number is, it seems the city and the state can’t agree on whether we’re there yet.

That’s the situation that has played out over the past week, with Mayor Bill de Blasio saying 3% has been breached, while Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it is well below that. Each relies on his own statistics, which are compiled and reported in different ways, varying even on which tests to include in the calculation.

The discrepancy can be striking: On Sunday, for instance, the city said its seven-day average was 3.09%. Cuomo’s office, however, put the city’s rate more than a half-point lower, at 2.54%.

In one way, of course, not all numbers are equal, as Cuomo’s statistics from the state Department of Health govern a wider array of activities and businesses in regions all across New York. But Cuomo granted local school districts the right to set their own parameters for school shutdowns, and de Blasio, who controls

the school system, set 3% as that level.

And so, in the end, it was the city’s numbers that caused the temporary pause of in-person learning in the nation’s largest school system.

Why can’t they agree on whether the city is at 3%?

The cause of the discrepancy lies in both the tests that are included and the time frame in which statistics are reported, leading to the mayor and the governor giving different numbers each day.

It is the latest discordant message between two rivals that has played out over the entire pandemic, adding a level of dysfunction and confusion to the response.

On Sunday, Cuomo suggested the city’s calculation of its positive rate was “confusing and unnecessary” and also “irrelevant” because the state numbers would govern any broader restrictions.

The state and city health departments have different accounting rules for tracking the spread of the virus. The state treats a new case as arising on the day the test results came in. The city dates each new case to the day the sample was provided.

So if an infected person goes to a clinic to have his nose swabbed Monday, that sample is often delivered to a laboratory where it is tested.

If those results are reported to health authorities Wednesday, the state and city would record it differently. The state would include it with Wednesday’s tally of new cases, while the city would add it to Monday’s column.

The 3% threshold is based on a seven-day rolling average. It matters what day a new case is registered.

Another factor contributes to the discrepancy as well, which has received little attention so far: antigen tests. New York state includes the tests in its official metrics. But while they are generally faster, they are less likely to detect the infection in people with a low viral load.

New York City, however, does not include antigen tests, preferring a more sensitive one known as a polymerase chain reaction test. The city only includes PCR tests performed in a laboratory in its count. That’s why the state — which is counting both antigen and PCR tests — may have a higher tally for overall cases in New York City but a lower percentage of positives.

PCR tests in a laboratory have long been considered the gold standard because they are so unlikely to miss any infections. But some public health experts say that much of the PCR testing for the coronavirus is too sensitive, resulting in coronavirus diagnoses for people who are carrying relatively insignificant amounts of the virus and are probably not contagious.

Antigen tests, which can be performed rapidly and cheaply, detect bits of coronavirus proteins.

But they are more likely to miss cases, including people recently infected who have lower viral loads.

The difference in sensitivity between the two types of tests can contribute to a gap in the positivity rates between the city and state.

In fact, the positivity rate of the same group of people — in this case, NewYork City residents — can vary depending on how many receive antigen tests versus traditional PCR tests. Antigen tests can miss some cases when the amount of virus is still low.

Say 1,000 people get tested. Let’s assume all have a PCR test and that 30 tests are positive, for a positivity rate of 3%. Now let’s assume half get an antigen test and half get a PCR test. Maybe only 25 tests come back positive, for a positivity rate of 2.5%.

There are other differences in how the city and state calculate the positivity rate that also help explain why the city’s rate is higher.

For instance, if a person tests negative repeatedly within a seven-day period, the city counts only a single test when calculating the positivity rate. But the state includes all negative tests from different days in its calculation.

On the other hand, when someone tests positive repeatedly, the city includes each positive test when calculating the positivity rate. The state, however, only counts the first positive test and ignores subsequent ones.

That last variable — whether repeated positives are counted or not — can have a big effect on the positivity rate. Gareth Rhodes, a member of Cuomo’s coronavirus task force, estimated that about 15% or 20% of positive PCR tests currently

emerging from New York City were for someone who tested positive in the past.

Why does it matter?

If New York City hits 3% based on the state’s metrics, the governor has suggested it will enter into a so-called “orange zone,” the middle of three color-coded restrictions that the governor enacted in early October.

Under the governor’s plan, a so-called “red zone” is subject to the toughest restrictions, with bans on mass gatherings, indoor dining and inperson learning. Nonessential businesses would close, and religious services would be limited to either 25% capacity of houses of worship or 10 people, whichever number is lower.

“Orange zones” — which the governor said the city is in danger of falling into — allow slightly large gatherings and outdoor dining, but schools shut down, as do “high-risk” nonessential businesses like barbers and gyms. Precautionary zones — appropriately yellow — allow in-person classes but ramp up testing and put some less stringent caps on dining and gatherings.

Four of the city’s five boroughs — Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island — already have yellow zones, and Cuomo said upper Manhattan may have one imposed later this week. Staten Island may also face intensifying restrictions.

These zones are reevaluated after two weeks, and the metrics for entering and exiting each of these zones involve a complicated mix of data and a dash of deliberation. Restrictions can be modified on “expert advisement,” the state says, and include determinations based on local hospitalization rates or whether outbreaks can be traced to a single source (like a prison, gathering or group residence).

Can the city act on its own?

Based on its metrics, New York City has already hit the 3% mark. Yet it may still be some time before businesses face any restrictions.

Not only do state statistics put the city’s seven-day rolling average below that number, but New York City must breach that threshold for 10 consecutive days before the city would enter the “orange zone.”

Technically, the city could use several workarounds to target businesses it decides are contributing to virus spread. For example, the city’s Department of Health could try to close any restaurant by declaring it a public health threat.

But the governor has broad emergency powers over a range of businesses, trumping de Blasio.

At news conferences, the mayor sometimes sounds a resigned note, saying that certain decisions about closures must be left to the governor.

So, for now, New Yorkers will continue to wait for the city to hit 3% … again.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

9

Coronavirus upends Thanksgiving for many, while others ignore warnings

By GIULIA McDONELL NIETO DEL RIO and HANNAH WISE

G

inger Floerchinger-Franks typically invites 10 people to her home in Boise, Idaho, for Thanksgiving dinner and cooks the entire meal herself, including her specialty: pumpkin soup.

But the pandemic has forced her to devise a new plan: a socially distant potluck. Three households will each prepare a dish, and Floerchinger-Franks will shuttle the platters between their homes. Then they will gather on Zoom to savor each other’s food.

“This is kind of an adventure,” she said.

The coronavirus pandemic has intensified across the country just as Americans are preparing to sit down to eat turkey and stuffing and to make their opinions airborne with parents, siblings, cousins, children and perhaps a friend with nowhere else to go.

But now public health officials are warning against the very rituals that many families take for granted: out-of-state travel and large, indoor gatherings.

The virus, and the precautions, have upended Thanksgiving in unprecedented ways. Families are scrambling to devise holiday plans that won’t endanger their health.

Many are lining up at testing sites, hoping to get a negative result in time for Thursday’s meal. Some are forgoing Thanksgiving altogether.

But not everyone is quite as fastidious as Floerchinger-Franks, who happens to be a retired public health official. Frustrated after months of isolation, many are ignoring the pleas of public health experts and forging ahead.

“We’re just going to eat the way that we normally would,” said Tamra Schalock of Redmond, Oregon, who is hosting a party of 13. “We believe that family is important, and we believe that people who don’t have family need a place to go.”

Count Thanksgiving as the latest victim of 2020, another tradition that once unified the country and has been reduced to a stressful dividing line. Instead of arguments over politics or the Dallas Cowboys’ running game, the argument is over whether to get together at all.

Tyler Cohen, 52, of San Francisco, knows the debate well — and is exhausted by it. Cohen’s 80-year-old father, who has dia-

betes and survived cancer, plans to celebrate in New Jersey with his wife’s extended family, despite all efforts to convince him otherwise.

“I hate it, and I hate all of the fights,” Cohen said. “I appreciate that this may be his last years on earth, and he doesn’t want to spend it hiding inside.”

For those trying to follow the rules, Thursday’s holiday meal will be improvised in myriad ways: large turkeys replaced by small chickens to accommodate more modest crowds. First-time chefs apprehensively filling in for absent family members. Dining shifted outdoors — or inside with windows open.

Promises to try again next year.

In Menlo Park, California, Nette Worthey generally hosts several dozen guests but will celebrate this year with only her own family of three. She’s planning a less “turkey-centric” meal.

In Camarillo, California, Richard Aronson is considering an online party.

“We’ll all listen to ‘Alice’s Restaurant.’

We’ll walk our laptops around the house to show off our Thanksgiving decorations,” he said.

One military family in San Antonio rarely does the same thing twice anyway and had some sensible advice for the rest of the country.

“Overall, we really just adjust to where we are,” said Kate Mansell, whose husband serves in the Army.

Typically, Mansell said, they try to volunteer. This year they will stay home and order a traditional meal from a local restaurant. Mansell is looking forward to showing her 2-year-old son, William, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — which itself will be an improvised, TV-only affair.

The anxiety over Thanksgiving comes as the country continues breaking coronavirus records, with more than 198,500 cases announced in a single day Friday and more than 82,000 people hospitalized. That same day, the country soared past 12 million total cases. Deaths have also spiraled upward, rising 62% in the past two weeks.

On Thursday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new Thanksgiving guidance, pleading with Americans to stay home.

“The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with members of your household,” said Erin Sauber-Schatz, who leads the agency’s community intervention

Romeo Garcia waits in line to receive a COVID-19 test prior to the Thanksgiving holiday in Washington on Nov. 19, 2020. Public health officials are advising against the very rituals many families cherish: out-of-state travel and large, indoor gatherings. and critical population task force.

The recommendation wasn’t all that different from advice the agency had been giving for months about being careful with one’s contacts. And there are already indications that more families intend to stay home.

On Friday, the number of people who passed through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints was down 60% from the same weekday last year, according to the TSA. Still, more than 1 million people traveled through U.S. airports Friday — making it the second-busiest day of air travel since March 16, when the pandemic was beginning.

AAA estimates that road travel will fall 4.3% this Thanksgiving.

But coming just days before holiday travel would begin in earnest, the CDC statement not only drew the ire of conservative commentators (“tyrannical government overreach,” wrote Christine Favocci in The Western Journal) but also touched a nerve for many who consider the Thanksgiving gathering as sacrosanct as any religious worship.

Sarah Caudillo Tolento, for one, will attend a celebration with 10 to 15 people at her mother’s house in Salem, Oregon.

Caudillo Tolento, 32, said the recent death of her grandmother — whose last few months were defined by isolation — pushed her to embrace the opportunity to gather as

family.

“I’m not scared,” she said. “There’s not anyone that’s going to keep me away from being around my family.”

Anthony Peranio, 39, of Floral Park, New York, plans to celebrate at his mother’s house “as always,” with 15 to 20 people.

“It’s beyond ridiculous what’s being asked of us as a society,” he said.

Other families, eager for reunions after months of separation, have made a compromise: COVID-19 tests as a sort of holiday safety net.

Negative test results do not guarantee that holiday dinners will be virus-free — only that “you probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected,” according to the CDC. Still, some families have made COVID-19 tests the price of admission to Thanksgiving this year.

Romeo Garcia III, who waited in a long line for a test in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, will drive to see his family in Greenville, North Carolina, and expects about a dozen people at the gathering, which will include a family prayer before dinner and football on television.

“I was a little upset that it has come to the point where we do have to take a test to go and see family,” he said, “but I guess it’s what we have to do.”

10

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

Trump team disavows lawyer who peddled conspiracy theories on voting

Sidney Powell, right, speaking next to Rudolph W. Giuliani as members of President Trump’s legal team held a news conference on Thursday at the Republican National Committee’s headquarters in Washington.

By MAGGIE HABERMAN and ALAN FEUER

P

resident Donald Trump’s campaign Sunday disavowed Sidney Powell, one of his lawyers who has pushed false claims of voter fraud, after she made wild accusations that Republican officials had been involved in a payoff scheme to manipulate voting machines.

The repudiation of Powell, which came at the hands of former allies like Rudy Giuliani, added unwanted drama for the president’s legal team at a moment when it is losing case after case, offering a public window into the chaotic nature and amateurish tactics of most of its attempts to fight the election outcome.

Even as many campaign aides, White House advisers and professional lawyers want nothing to do with the claims, a small group of lawyers for Trump’s campaign has presided over a widely mocked, circuslike legal effort to try to invalidate votes and prevent states from certifying their results.

People like Powell and Giuliani have been frequent guests on conservative news programs, where they have made spurious claims that have been rejected by judges or that the Trump campaign has refrained from echoing in court because they lack evidence.

Powell, who was not directly involved in cases the Trump campaign filed in court, appeared with its legal

team at a news conference just last week, and had been embraced by the president and many of his allies because of her emphatic and unconditional defense of an array of baseless claims.

On Sunday, though, the Trump campaign reversed course.

“Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own,” it said in a statement. “She is not a member of the Trump legal team. She is also not a lawyer for the president in his personal capacity.”

In a statement issued to CBS News, Powell said that she understood the statement from Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, another Trump lawyer, and that she would still be filing a lawsuit related to her unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud.

The disavowal came a day after a Pennsylvania judge eviscerated arguments that other members of Trump’s legal team had made in court that millions of votes in the state should be invalidated.

Powell was described as a member of the legal team’s “elite strike force” at the news conference Thursday as she laid out an elaborate conspiracy theory about efforts by former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, who died in 2013, to essentially rig elections in the United States by using voting machines made by Dominion Voting Systems. While Trump has become obsessed with the idea

of a global conspiracy, cybersecurity officials from his own government have said there is no evidence that machines were compromised.

Appearing on the conservative network Newsmax on Saturday night, Powell further pushed the conspiracy theory, saying that two top Republicans in Georgia — Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — were taking payoffs as part of the scheme, and that Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia had in fact won his race for Senate against Sen. Kelly Loeffler. (He did not; Loeffler’s race is heading to a runoff without Collins.) Powell said she planned to file a “biblical” suit in the state.

Two runoff elections in Georgia on Jan. 5 are set to determine which party controls the Senate, and Republicans have grown anxious that the Trump campaign’s legal efforts there could affect those races, which are likely to have lower turnout than this month’s general election.

Powell’s claims were widely derided, including by some Trump allies. Chris Christie, the Republican former governor of New Jersey, said on ABC’s “This Week” that the legal team had become a “national embarrassment.” Most of the president’s other lawyers have declined to become involved in his efforts to delay certifying the vote in states.

Trump has been agitated about Giuliani and Powell for a few days, advisers said, complaining about how Powell had sounded at the Thursday news conference, how black rivulets of liquid had dripped down Giuliani’s face, and about how long the appearance had stretched on.

On Saturday and Sunday, several of the president’s advisers urged Trump to part ways with Powell, people briefed on the discussions said. One of those people said that even Giuliani had recognized that she had gone too far.

But Powell also made an easy target for deflection by Giuliani and others, as Trump vented his frustrations about the Pennsylvania judge’s scathing ruling.

Other lawyers for Trump who have largely stayed out of the fray believe Giuliani and Powell have merely been telling the president what he wants to hear. The president latched onto Powell’s claims about votes being switched on Dominion machines in the last two weeks.

The thrust of Powell’s conspiracy theory — that a powerful and vast network of Trump’s enemies cheated him out of victory — has been largely constant, though the cast of perpetrators and accomplices has varied from setting to setting.

In an interview last week on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, where she spoke with few interruptions for nearly 20 minutes, Powell claimed that the voting machines in question had been designed to rig elections.

The day before, on Fox Business, Powell said the conspiracy involved “dead people” who had voted “in massive numbers” — again offering no evidence — and claimed that fraudulent paper ballots were also part of the scheme.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

11

Ad Council’s challenge: Persuade skeptics to believe in COVID vaccines

By TIFFANY HSU

W

ith coronavirus cases on the rise and communities returning to lockdown across the country, a marketing push is underway to persuade skeptical Americans to immunize themselves once vaccines are ready.

The federal government, which has sent mixed messages about a pandemic that has caused more than 250,000 deaths nationwide, is not leading the charge.

Instead, the private sector is backing a planned $50 million campaign to persuade people to protect themselves at a time when polls have suggested that more than 40% of adult Americans are not confident in a potential vaccine.

The Ad Council, a nonprofit advertising group, led a similar effort in the 1950s, when it urged Americans to get vaccinated against polio. Its COVID-19 vaccination push will be one of the largest public education crusades in history, the group said. On Monday, the Ad Council will announce the campaign and start testing messaging.

It will begin rolling out public service announcements across airwaves, publications and social media next year, when vaccines are expected to be approved and made available to the public.

The White House has collaborated with the Ad Council on previous public health efforts, but it is not involved in this one.

“Frankly, this is the biggest public health crisis we’ve ever faced, and we don’t have time to waste,” said Lisa Sherman, the group’s chief executive. “We’re working in advance, so that once those vaccines are proven to be safe and approved by all the right people, we’re ready to go.”

While the drug companies Pfizer and Moderna have announced promising updates on the vaccines they are developing, President-elect Joe Biden has blamed President Donald Trump for causing anxiety about the safety of potential immunization efforts. Anti-vaccine sentiment has been growing for decades, driven in part by a backlash against pharmaceutical companies.

Fifty-eight percent of American adults said they were willing to take a coronavirus vaccine, according to a Gallup poll conducted between Oct. 19 and Nov. 1. Another poll, conducted last month by Ipsos and the World Economic Forum, found that 85% of Chinese adults, 79% of British adults and 76% of Canadian adults planned to be vaccinated, compared with 64% of Americans.

The Ad Council has joined with a coalition of experts known as the COVID Collaborative, which concluded through its own survey that only one-third of Americans plan to get vaccinated.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania

In an image provided by the Ad Council, the Ad Council ran a masking campaign this year focused on Black Americans. With coronavirus cases on the rise and communities returning to lockdown across the country, a marketing push is underway to persuade skeptical Americans to immunize themselves once vaccines are ready. conducted a study during a measles outbreak last year and concluded that “a relatively high number of individuals are at least somewhat misinformed about vaccines,” often expressing mistaken beliefs about their association with autism and toxins. The researchers also found a correlation between belief in vaccine misinformation and low trust in medical authorities, as well as exposure to material about vaccines on social media.

Steve Danehy, a Pfizer spokesperson, said in an email that “public education around the need for vaccination, as well as the rigorous process by which the vaccines have been developed, is critical.”

Public messaging campaigns can be instrumental in persuading people to act in a health crisis. Travel advisories kept many pregnant tourists and business travelers away from areas struggling to contain the Zika epidemic in 2016, for instance.

The marketing plan for a coronavirus vaccine must persuade people that the treatment is safe and effective, while also providing practical instructions on where people can get vaccinated and how they can schedule appointments, said Dolores Albarracin, a psychology, business and medicine professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“If you do not introduce information about how to achieve vaccination, simply a favorable attitude will not

take people to the vaccination site,” she said. “Without an understanding of the psychological and sociostructural processes leading to vaccination, it’s going to be difficult to get the 47% of people who don’t intend to vaccinate to do it.”

Research by the COVID Collaborative suggests that fewer than 20% of Black Americans believe that a vaccine will be safe or effective. Many respondents stated that they had little faith in the government’s ability to look after their interests or cited distrust stemming from past ethics violations, such as the infamous Tuskegee study, which tracked Black men infected with syphilis but did not treat them.

“In these highly vulnerable communities that are disproportionately affected by COVID, it’s a big, big trust-building exercise from the ground up,” said John Bridgeland, a founder of the COVID Collaborative, and its chief executive. “They trust their physicians, their pharmacists, and so we have to go very local in having trusted messengers.”

Bridgeland said that working to defeat the virus was required moving beyond “our political divisions and the difficulties that have undermined trust in our government.”

“Our job as a country is to increase the uptake of the vaccine so Americans are actually engaged in their own recovery,” he said.

Job Opportunity

12

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

China’s surveillance state sucks up data. U.S. tech is key to sorting it.

By PAUL MOZUR and DON CLARK

A

t the end of a desolate road rimmed by prisons, deep within a complex bristling with cameras, U.S. technology is powering one of the most invasive parts of China’s surveillance state.

The computers inside the complex, known as the Urumqi Cloud Computing Center, are among the world’s most powerful. They can watch more surveillance footage in a day than one person could in a year. They look for faces and patterns of human behavior. They track cars. They monitor phones.

The Chinese government uses these computers to watch untold numbers of people in Xinjiang, a western region of China where Beijing has unleashed a campaign of surveillance and suppression in the name of combating terrorism.

Chips made by Intel and Nvidia, U.S. semiconductor companies, have powered the complex since it opened in 2016. By 2019, at a time when reports said that Beijing was using advanced technology to imprison and track Xinjiang’s mostly Muslim minorities, new U.S.-made chips helped it join the list of the world’s fastest supercomputers. Both Intel and Nvidia say they were unaware of what they called misuse of their technology.

Powerful technology and its potential misuse cut to the heart of the decisions the Biden administration must face. The Trump administration banned the sale of advanced semiconductors and other technology to Chinese companies implicated in national security or humans rights issues. A crucial question for President-elect Joe Biden will be whether to firm up, loosen or rethink those restrictions.

Some figures in the technology industry argue that the ban went too far, cutting off valuable sales of U.S. products with plenty of harmless uses and spurring China to create its own advanced semiconductors. Indeed, China is spending billions of dollars to develop high-end chips.

By contrast, critics of the use of U.S. technology in repressive systems say that buyers exploit workarounds and that the industry and officials should track sales and usage more closely.

Companies often point out that they have little say over where their products end up. The chips in the Urumqi complex, for example, were sold by Intel and Nvidia to Sugon, the Chinese company backing the center. Sugon is an important supplier to Chinese military and security forces, but it also makes computers for ordinary companies.

That argument is not good enough anymore, said Jason Matheny, founding director of Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology and a former U.S. intelligence official.

“Government and industry need to be more thoughtful now that technologies are advancing to a point where you could be doing real-time surveillance using a single supercomputer on millions of people, potentially,” he said.

There is no evidence the sale of Nvidia or Intel chips, which predate the Trump order, broke any laws. Intel said it no longer sells semiconductors for supercomputers to Sugon. Still, both continue to sell chips to the Chinese firm.

The Urumqi complex’s existence and use of U.S. chips

Cameras watching a street in Hotan, a city in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, Dec. 11, 2019. The poster warns that “criminal forces” will be severely dealt with. are no secret, and there was no shortage of clues that Beijing was using it for surveillance. Since 2015, when the complex began development, state media and Sugon had boasted of its ties to the police.

In 5-year-old marketing materials distributed in China, Nvidia promoted the Urumqi complex’s capabilities and boasted that the “high-capacity video surveillance application” had won customer satisfaction.

Nvidia said that the materials referred to older versions of its products and that video surveillance then was a normal part of the discussion around “smart cities,” an effort in China to use technology to solve urban issues like pollution, traffic and crime. A spokesperson for Nvidia said the company had no reason to believe its products would be used “for any improper purpose.”

The spokesperson added that Sugon “hasn’t been a significant Nvidia customer” since last year’s ban. He also said that Nvidia had not provided technical assistance for Sugon since then.

A spokesperson for Intel, which still sells Sugon lowerend chips, said it would restrict or stop business with any customer that it found had used its products to violate human rights.

Advances in technology have given authorities around the world substantial power to watch and sort people. In China, leaders have pushed technology to an even greater extreme. Artificial intelligence and genetic testing are used to screen people to see whether they are Uighurs, one of Xinjiang’s minority groups. Chinese companies and authorities claim their systems can detect religious extremism or opposition to the Communist Party.

The Urumqi Cloud Computing Center — also sometimes called the Xinjiang Supercomputing Center — broke onto the list of the world’s fastest computers in 2018, ran-

king No. 221. In November 2019, new chips helped push its computer to No. 135.

Two data centers run by Chinese security forces sit next door, a way to potentially cut down on lag time, according to experts. Also nearby are six prisons and reeducation centers.

When a New York Times reporter tried to visit the center in 2019, he was followed by plainclothes police officers. A guard turned him away.

The official Chinese media and Sugon’s previous statements depict the complex as a surveillance center. In August 2017, local officials said that the center would support a Chinese police surveillance project called Sharp Eyes and that it could search 100 million photos in a second. By 2018, according to company disclosures, its computers could connect to 10,000 video feeds and analyze 1,000 simultaneously, using artificial intelligence.

In Xinjiang, predictive policing often serves as shorthand for preemptive arrests aimed at behavior deemed disloyal to the party. That could include a show of Muslim piety, links to family living overseas, owning two phones or not owning a phone, according to Uighur testimony and official Chinese policy documents.

Technology helps sort vast amounts of data that humans cannot process, said Jack Poulson, a former Google engineer and founder of the advocacy group Tech Inquiry.

“When you have something approaching a surveillance state, your primary limitation is on your ability to identify events of interest within your feeds,” he said. “The way you scale up your surveillance is through machine learning and large-scale AI.” The Urumqi complex went into development before reports of abuses in Xinjiang were widespread. By 2019, governments around the world were protesting China’s conduct in Xinjiang. That year, the Sugon computer appeared on the international supercomputing rankings, using Intel Xeon Gold 5118 processors and Nvidia Tesla V100 advanced artificial intelligence chips.

It is not clear how or whether Sugon will obtain chips powerful enough keep the Urumqi complex on that list. But lesser technology typically used to run harmless tasks can also be used for surveillance and suppression. Customers can also use resellers in other countries or chips made by U.S. companies overseas.

Last year, police in two Xinjiang counties, Yanqi and Qitai, purchased surveillance systems that ran on lower-level Intel chips, according to government procurement documents. The Kizilsu Kyrgyz autonomous prefecture public security bureau in April purchased a computing platform that used servers running less-powerful Intel chips, according to the documents, though the agency had been placed on a Trump administration blacklist last year for its involvement in surveillance.

China’s dependence on U.S. chips has, for now, helped the world push back, said Maya Wang, a China researcher with Human Rights Watch.

“I’m afraid in a few years’ time, Chinese companies and government will find their own way to develop chips and these capabilities,” Wang said. “Then there will be no way to get a handle on trying to stop these abuses.”

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

13 Stocks

Vaccine news boosts commodities and emerging market assets

S

tocks brushed against last week’s record high on Monday before trading little changed and an index of commodity prices touched its highest since March as more vaccine-positive news gave investors hope economic activity could resume globally at a faster clip than has been thought.

Moderna Inc soared 7.7% as it said its experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19 based on interim data from a late-stage trial.

The Nasdaq’s rise was limited as investors sold some of this year’s “stay-at-home” winners such as Amazon.com Inc, Netflix Inc and Zoom Video Communications Inc. The S&P 500 and the Dow headed for record closing highs, building on gains from last week after a similar vaccine-related update from Pfizer Inc brightened the economic outlook and sparked a rotation into cyclical and value shares.

“It’s not the end of the virus issue, but it’s the first sign of the beginning of the end which is always taken as a positive sign,” said Randy Frederick, vice president of trading and derivatives for Charles Schwab in Austin, Texas.

“We won’t get a true impact from this until the vaccine is manufactured and distributed widely, which probably won’t happen until Q1 next year.”

Travel-related stocks including United Airlines Holdings Inc, American Airlines Group Inc, Carnival Corp and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, which have lost more than half their market capitalization this year due to the pandemic, jumped between 5.0% and 11.4%.

Bets of a working COVID-19 vaccine fueled gains on Wall Street last week, helping investors look past surging coronavirus cases across the United States which topped the 11 million mark, just over a week after hitting 10 million.

At 11:35 a.m. ET the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 443.68 points, or 1.51%, to 29,923.49, the S&P 500 gained 38.61 points, or 1.08%, to 3,623.76 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 75.21 points, or 0.64%, to 11,904.49.

The Russell 2000 index rose as much as 2.2% to a daily intraday peak. The S&P energy sector jumped 5.4%, while financial stocks were at their highest in eight months.

Value shares, that comprise banks and energy stocks and tend to outperform coming out of a recession, added about 1.6%, while growth shares, which are technology weighted, were 0.5% higher.

“When people look for places other than the traditional leading sectors for bargains such as healthcare, financials, it speaks of an improved confidence overall,” Frederick said.

Among other movers, Simon Property Group Inc jumped 6% after the biggest U.S. mall operator cut its purchase price for an 80% stake of rival Taubman Centers Inc, as the virus outbreak upends the retail industry.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by 4.6-to-1 on the NYSE; on the Nasdaq, a 2.7-to-1 ratio favored advancers.

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14

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

G-20 summit closes with little progress and big gaps between Trump and allies

By ANNIE KARNI and ALAN RAPPEPORT

O

fficials at the Group of 20 summit meeting released a closing statement Sunday that served as perhaps the Trump administration’s final reminder of the wide gulf between the United States and its allies on handling global threats like the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.

In its statement, or communiqué, the group emphasized what it called the “important mandates of the United Nations’ systems and agencies, primarily the WHO,” referring to the World Health Organization, an agency President Donald Trump announced a withdrawal from in July, threatening to cut off one its largest sources of funding. The communiqué, released after a two-day virtual meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia, said the group supported strengthening the WHO’s “overall effectiveness in coordinating and supporting the global response to the pandemic and the central efforts of member states.”

Overall, the communiqué offered little in terms of any breakthrough announcements beyond general appeals for more global cooperation and “affordable and equitable access” to therapeutics and vaccines. The lack of more significant initiatives underscored how difficult it is for the G-20 to carry out an agenda when the United States is indifferent — Trump skipped part of the summit to play golf — or even hostile to many of its positions, even during a pandemic that has killed more than 1.3 million people globally.

The statement came the same day as another reminder of Trump’s rejection of international agreements: The United States formally withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty, negotiated three decades ago to allow nations to fly over one another’s territory with elaborate sensor equipment to assure that they are not preparing for military action. U.S. officials had long complained that Russia was violating the accord, and Trump had announced the action in May, starting a six-month clock on the withdrawal.

President-elect Joe Biden had favored remaining in the treaty. When he arrives in office in January, he will quickly have to confront the expiration of the last remaining major arms control agreement with Russia, New START, a clean extension of which Trump has refused to sign off on. Biden has said he will try to save that accord.

The G-20’s closing statement Sunday also referred to other areas where Trump has caused friction, calling climate change one of “the most pressing challenges of our time” and saying that the Financial Stability Board, a group of international regulators, was “continuing to examine the financial stability implications” of the issue. The U.S. had resisted the inclusion of climate change in a joint declaration of finance ministers this year but eventually relented.

Trump, who has brushed aside dire predictions about the effects of climate change and routinely refused to acknowledge it as a man-made problem, most recently removed the scientist responsible for the National Climate Assessment. That scientist served as the federal government’s premier contribution to climate knowledge and the foundation for regulations to combat global warming.

In his remarks at the virtual meeting Sunday morning, Trump reiterated his opposition to the Paris Agreement, claiming

The Group of 20 held a two-day virtual summit meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia. President Trump’s go-it-alone dynamic has hampered conferences of global leaders since he took office. it was “not designed to save the environment” but instead “was designed to kill the American economy.” The U.S. formally withdrew from the climate accord this month, but Biden has pledged to rejoin.

Trump’s go-it-alone dynamic has hampered conferences of global leaders since he took office. Before last year’s G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, Trump set the tone by attacking America’s closest allies, including the host country. When he attended the 70th anniversary of NATO in London last year, Trump left abruptly after an embarrassing video of other world leaders privately mocking him surfaced.

The lack of American leadership at such forums comes as the world continues to face severe economic strain from the pandemic. The International Monetary Fund projected last month that the global economy would contract 4.4% in 2020 and that the recovery would be long, uneven and uncertain. Poor countries have been particularly vulnerable to the effects of the virus; the World Bank estimated in October that the pandemic could push more than 100 million people into extreme poverty this year.

On Sunday, the leaders threw their support behind a new framework to provide debt relief for poor countries that have been hit hard by the pandemic and reiterated their commitment to freezing bilateral debt payments through June. More than 40 countries have gained over $5 billion in immediate debt payment relief this year. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, had already backed the measure, but it was not clear it was on Trump’s radar.

And, after four years of Trump shaking up the global order on international trade, the communiqué underscored a commitment to the future of the World Trade Organization, expressed support for the “multilateral trading system” and called for a “sta-

ble” trade environment and open markets. Although there was no mention of tariffs, the language could be read as a rebuke to Trump’s penchant for protectionism and trade wars.

It was not just the formal language that underscored the rift between European leaders and the outgoing American president.

On Saturday, Trump was not listed as a participant at a sideline event at the conference on pandemic preparedness and response.

Speakers at the event included President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. Trump, however, played golf at his club in Virginia, his fifth day there since the election, whose results he is still contesting despite no evidence to support his claims. Trump was back at Trump National Golf Club on Sunday afternoon for his sixth tee time.

Former Republican advisers criticized the move.

During the global financial crisis, “George W. Bush convened the first G-20 leaders’ summit to chart the course for repair and reform of the world economy,” said Daniel M. Price, a former adviser to Bush who was responsible for international trade and investment. “When that forum met yesterday to address the COVID-19 crisis, Donald Trump chose to play golf, underscoring the task facing President-elect Biden to restore the trust and confidence in U.S. leadership so depleted by his predecessor.”

In a statement Sunday afternoon, the White House summarized Trump’s participation in the weekend summit and seemed to suggest that he would be involved in the G-20 next year, when Italy will host.

“President Trump thanked Saudi Arabia for its leadership during its G-20 presidency and looked forward to working with Italy as incoming G-20 president,” Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, said in a statement.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

15

Mass testing at a Shanghai Airport causes chaos

By CHRIS BUCKLEY and MUYI XIAO

S

ince the pandemic erupted in China, the country has grown adept at swiftly smothering virus flare-ups by ordering residents across entire cities to line up for nucleic acid tests that can pinpoint carriers. So officials snapped into action after a cluster of infections linked to Pudong International Airport in Shanghai grew over the weekend.

On Sunday, Pudong International Airport ordered cargo handlers and other potentially exposed workers to immediately undergo tests. But this time, the plan faltered badly.

The urgent order prompted a crush of hundreds of workers who merged on an airport parking garage that had been converted into a temporary test center, and video that spread first on Chinese social media showed guards in protective suits struggling to hold back a seething, anxious crowd trying to walk up a ramp.

Other video shared by Shanghai residents appeared to show a worker who had fainted being carried out of the garage.

Shanghai authorities ordered the blitz of tests after testing confirmed five cases since Friday linked to the airport, including three workers and two of their

spouses. The scenes of workers jammed together drew criticisms that the poorly organized testing only exposed them to greater risks of infecting each other, and the video images quickly began to disappear from Weibo and WeChat, China’s two main social media platforms, as censors apparently stepped in.

“Even if the outbreak is urgent, there aren’t even the most basic safety and distancing measures,” said one comment widely shared on Weibo. “This can cause big problems.”

The government moved quickly to combat the anxiety about the cluster and scenes of mayhem. Shanghai police issued pictures of airport workers in orderly lines, waiting to be tested in the garage — apparently after officials had restored control. “Currently everything is normal and there is an orderly queue for tests,” said The Paper, a news website based in Shanghai.

Chinese health officials appear likely to step up tests and disinfection at airports and other sites that handle imported goods.

Earlier this month, tests revealed two infections among freight handlers at the Pudong Airport, and Chinese experts have repeatedly raised the theory that the virus may be carried on goods from abroad.

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16

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The pomegranate harvest is life here. The Taliban shattered it.

By THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF and TAIMOOR SHAH

C

rack a pomegranate in half and its blood-red seed-filled chambers make it look almost like a broken heart. In Arghandab district, which in Afghanistan is almost synonymous with the fruit, a Taliban offensive has cut the heart out of the harvest season, leaving farming families desperate.

The offensive here in southern Afghanistan came at the end of October, the prime month for a pomegranate harvest that goes from September to November. On a recent day this month, Gulalay Amiri and 10 of his workers gathered whatever was left in fear.

Several farmers in an orchard nearby had recently been killed by buried Taliban explosives.

“When the fighting started we couldn’t come here,” said Amiri, kneeling among his workers with pink earmuffs framing his tanned and aging face. Amiri and his men were disappointed at how few bags and boxes they were able to fill. “Most of the

pomegranates were destroyed.”

Arghandab was at the center of some of the most intense fighting at the height of the war 10 years ago, when Americans came to Kandahar province to drive the Taliban out during President Barack Obama’s troop surge. But in recent years, locals said, things had stayed relatively quiet, and Arghandab had experienced a streak of good harvests.

But even in the midst of peace negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan government, residents described the recent fighting as the worst they had seen since the Soviets came in the 1980s, bulldozing their fields and scorching the earth.

In the broader scheme of 40 years of war, a botched pomegranate season pales in comparison to the rising violence across the country. But for the people of Arghandab — from farmer to shopkeeper, all trying to eke out livings — the fighting only highlights the uncertain fates confronting so many Afghans despite the talk of peace.

Lewanai Agha, with workers packing pomegranates last week in Arghandab. His large family relies on the money the crop brings in.

“I am faced with loss,” Amiri said, his gloved hands rotating a pomegranate, looking for rot or cracks. He had to fire 40 of his workers because of the fighting — a trend that has affected roughly 1,000 day laborers in Arghandab.

An important part of Afghanistan’s agricultural economy belongs to the pomegranate, and while domestically traded and grown in other provinces, the fruit is the pride of Kandahar. The province is a major exporter to Pakistan and India, but this year the shipments were late and smaller than usual, according to fruit exporters interviewed for this article. One said he made only a third as much as usual this year.

“The Arghandab crop was not good because we did not receive it on time,” said Jan Mohammed, 34, another pomegranate exporter based in Kandahar city. “It has not been a good year.”

The monetary losses pull down an economy already flagging, like other countries’, with the spread of the coronavirus.

Those financial impacts were acutely felt by the people of Arghandab.

Lewanai Agha, 76, in a white scarf and turban, looked on from the edge of his orchard as Amiri boxed his pomegranates.

Both Agha and Amiri have farmed and sold pomegranates their entire lives, like many here, and the fruit has been a way of life for generations.

Each box of pomegranates here is proudly marked with a green stencil denoting its origin: Arghandab.

When the fighting started, Agha, himself an insurgent commander during the war against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, sent the women and children of his 32-strong family to Kandahar city while he and the other men stayed to protect his land and livestock.

“We were in the crossfire,” said Agha, his eyes narrowing as he recounted the fighting. Unable to take his fruit to market and compounded by a rainstorm, most of his pomegranates were destroyed. In 2019, Agha made roughly $9,300, he said. This year: about $620.

“The orchard was our only source of income,” Agha said.

“We don’t know what else to do.”

About 3,500 families have been affected by the fighting, said Sharif Ahmad Rasuli, the district governor in Arghandab, adding that only 200 had received some sort of food aid by midNovember. Fifteen civilians were killed in the attacks, he added, including at least five farmers who later died in their fields from hidden explosives.

“If we don’t get any aid our lives will be destroyed,” Agha said. “We won’t be able to eat or fill the stomachs of our children.”

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

17

English gyms offer a new workout: civil disobedience

By STEPHEN CASTLE

T

he technique is deft and the maneuver swift as the instructor first levers his pupil onto one side, then pivots to leave him prostrate and immobilized on the dark blue mat.

But as the sparring gets underway at this Brazilian jiujitsu club in London, its director, Eduardo Carriello, is readying himself for a tougher fight: with the law.

In defiance of coronavirus lockdown rules — and despite six visits from law enforcement — the center has stayed open, and Carriello insists that doing so is a duty to his members and the wider community.

When Britons first faced tough coronavirus restrictions in March, compliance was high as millions obediently stayed at home, emerging only to shop for food, to exercise briefly or — once a week — applaud health A class at the Gracie Barra jiu-jitsu club in south London, Nov. 16, 2020. The club has stayed open in defiance of coronavirus lockdown rules. care workers.

Current restrictions are less stringent than in March (schools and universities are Liverpool and seven women caught traveling everyone has to work together and follow open), but in a country with one of Europe’s in a stretch limousine in the West Midlands. the legislation put in place to contain the Rebel gym owners say they are staying spread of the virus,” said Joseph Ejiofor, highest COVID-19 death rates, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says they are vital to open on principle and to help people stay leader of Haringey Council, which includes prevent the National Health Service from healthy, rather than for financial reasons. Wood Green.

Many worry that curbs on them will con“I understand why the owner felt pasbeing overwhelmed. tinue after Dec. 2, at which point regional sionately about staying open, but the law is Midway through the new lockdown in England, though, support is more patchy and COVID-19 rules may return, potentially the law and it applies to everyone,” he added.

Yet some legal experts are not quite so the consensus is fragmenting as more people keeping some businesses shut. Johnson is expected to give more details on his plans sure.

They worry about confusion around come around to Carriello’s point of view. this week. the law, uneven enforcement of regulations “I have no problem being arrested,” In England, because responsibility for and suspicions that young men from ethnic Carriello said. “I am not committing a crime, I’m just exercising my rights.” A fourth- enforcing the lockdown is split between degree black belt who arrived in London local municipalities and the police — and from Brazil 18 years ago with little money COVID-19 regulations give neither an and not much English, he now runs the automatic right to enter property — some newly refurbished Gracie Barra club at the gyms have played a cat-and-mouse game with authorities, keeping them at bay and Oval in south London.

Brazilian jiujitsu helps those suffering from disputing legal orders.

Some have overplayed their hand, depression, mental illness or stress, he said, though, despite his obvious physical fitness, however, perhaps spurred on by social Carriello now knows about extreme anxiety. media posts erroneously suggesting that “I have never been so stressed in my they can cite common law or even Magna entire life,” he said, reflecting on the repeated Carta of 1215 (the medieval document that visits from authorities and adding, “If they inspired protections for cherished liberties) extend this lockdown we are going to have to resist the power of the state.

In Wood Green, north London, one a civil war.”

The resistance is not confined to gyms, gym owner was taken to court and threatwhich are supposed to be closed to adults ened with fines totaling 77,000 pounds, or until the scheduled end of the current lock- a little more than $100,000.

“The highest daily number of positive down Dec. 2. In recent weeks fines have been issued to hundreds of Britons, includ- COVID cases was recorded in the U.K. ing people partying on a moored boat in last week, and we had to make it clear that

minority groups have been disproportionately targeted by police for minor lockdown breaches.

“Whilst I wouldn’t recommend trying to use Magna Carta to keep your gym open, there has been huge inconsistency in the enforcement of these regulations,” said Adam Wagner, a civil liberties lawyer whose podcast has recently focused on the COVID-19 rules.

This, he added, was “partly because the police don’t always understand their powers and partly because there seems a bit of skepticism within the police about using powers that are difficult to interpret and keep changing. So while some seem to have almost given up, others are going in hard.”

Gym owners who have experienced the harsher tactics include Michelle MeadeWyatt, owner of Ripped Gym in Harlow, north of London, whose arrest was captured on a cellphone video.

Meade-Wyatt concedes that she made herself something of a target with her open defiance. “I effectively said, ‘I don’t believe this lockdown is legal and I am staying open,’” she said.

Still, she feels a sense of bewilderment after joining a demonstration against lockdown measures in Liverpool, where she lives, and being arrested again.

“I am a law-abiding businesswoman, I am 45, but I’ve been arrested twice in 10 days and I’m spending time sitting in police cells,” she said.

18

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL

Vandalizing our democracy

By CHARLES M.BLOW

O

n Bill Clinton’s Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 1993, he found on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway desk in the Oval Office a gracious, handwritten letter left for him by the Republican president whom he had defeated.

In it, the departing president reminded the arriving one: “You will be our President when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well. Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you. Good Luck — George.”

In reflecting on how meaningful that letter had been to him, Clinton wrote of George H.W. Bush that “though he could be tough in a political fight, he was in it for the right reasons: People always came before politics, patriotism before partisanship.”

That is why it was somewhat embarrassing that some members of the Clinton administration committed silly, immature acts of vandalism when handing the reins of power over to Bush’s son, George W. Bush, in 2001.

The Government Accountability Office investigated the vandalism for a year and concluded that “damage, theft, vandalism and pranks did occur in the

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White House complex” during the transition, and as The New York Times reported: “The agency put the cost at $13,000 to $14,000, including $4,850 to replace computer keyboards, many with damaged or missing W keys.”

It was embarrassing, but not truly disruptive to the transfer of power. Still, Republicans pointed to it as an extreme breach of protocol. Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia, who had asked the GAO to look into the allegations of vandalism, said of the findings: “The Clinton administration treated the White House worse than college freshmen checking out of their dorm rooms.” He continued, “They disgraced not just themselves but the institution and the office of the presidency as well.”

I have thought about the grace of the elder Bush’s transition letter and the smallness of the Clinton White House’s shenanigans often in recent weeks as we have watched Donald Trump stubbornly refuse to concede, brazenly try to disenfranchise millions of voters and recklessly sow distrust in our electoral system, and by extension our democracy. Everything that happened before has been rendered quaint.

The way Trump has absolutely trashed our democratic norms has made a mockery of things that used to raise our, or at least Republicans’, hackles about decorum and propriety — like Barack Obama not wearing a flag pin, putting his feet on a desk or wearing a tan suit. Republicans have either cheered or shrunk in silence as Trump has set his blazes and fanned the flames.

The damage Trump is now doing trying to claw back an election that he has lost is almost incalculable in its scope and yet-to-unfold possibilities. There is no guarantee that Trump will ever concede, and there is every suggestion that he won’t. There is no way to know what a Biden Inauguration Day would look like.

Would Trump attend? Would he gracefully exit the White House premises?

Furthermore, the damage Trump has attempted to do to faith in the American election system has been wildly, depressingly, successful. A Politico/Morning Consult poll earlier this month found that “70% of Republicans now say they don’t believe the 2020 election was free and fair, a stark rise from the 35% of GOP voters who held similar beliefs before the election.”

That would represent tens of millions of Americans who, largely because of Trump and the farright press that abets him, will see a duly elected Joe Biden presidency as illegitimate, and the election system as flawed.

Furthermore, we have a president who appears to care about nothing else but turning his loss into a win,

and, if he fails, handicapping the Biden administration.

He has essentially given up fighting the COVID crisis — other than touting vaccines — even though the virus is raging in this country and around the world. On Saturday, Trump skipped the “Pandemic Preparedness” meeting of G-20 leaders to play golf. As The Times reported, “at least 1,428 new coronavirus deaths and 171,980 new cases were reported in the United States” on Saturday.

Not only that, but as food insecurity triples for families with children during the COVID-19 pandemic, food bank lines stretch ahead of the holiday, and with 12 million Americans scheduled to lose unemployment benefits the day after Christmas, Trump is not pressuring congressional leaders to pass another aid package.

Remember that it was Trump who used a tweet to halt stimulus talks in early October, writing: “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business.”

He didn’t win, and now he could care less. There is golf to be played. Trump is hurt but not humble. He is angry and lashing out.

I wish that all he and his team were doing was removing some B’s and H’s from some keyboards. Instead, they’re taking a sledgehammer to a young and fragile democratic experiment and allowing Americans to suffer and die as they do it.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

19

Gobernadora anuncia apoyo para nuevos emprendedores para sus empresas por parte de ADSEF Por THE STAR

L

a gobernadora Wanda Vázquez Garced y el secretario del Departamento de la Familia, Orlando López Belmonte, informaron el lunes, que diez nuevos emprendedores recibieron $5 mil para el desarrollo de sus empresas a través del Programa de Oportunidades de Desarrollo Económico y Social (PODES) que ofrece la Administración de Desarrollo Económico (ADSEF).

“La economía tiene que continuar desarrollándose, a pesar de los retos que hemos enfrentado. Y es por eso que apoyamos y respaldamos iniciativas como ésta de ayudar a nuevos empresarios que, además de impulsar la economía, igualmente los impulsa para que puedan progresar y crecer con sus respectivos proyectos”, manifestó la primera ejecutiva en comunicación escrita.

López Belmonte destacó: “Apoyar a estos nuevos emprendedores que en medio de grandes retos dan un paso adelante para impulsar sus empresas forma parte de los esfuerzos de la agencia para impulsar la autosuficiencia de las familias y lograr su desarrollo social y económico. Confiamos en sus capacidades y destrezas para que sus proyectos progresen y sean ejemplo para otras familias en sus comunidades”.

El programa, administrado por la ADSEF, promueve el desarrollo de un modelo económico y social que reúne, entre otros, la identificación y solución de barreras inmediatas de las familias e individuos, gestiones para la ubicación en empleos, adiestramientos y talleres conducentes al empleo y desarrollo de la autoestima.

“El objetivo primordial del Programa PODES estriba en brindarle a individuos la oportunidad de emprender, de lograr movilidad social y apoyarles para que sean

independientes, alcanzando el éxito en su proyecto de vida. Nos complace impulsar estos proyectos que a la vez representan nuevos servicios y productos disponibles en cada municipio donde ubican”, aseguró por su parte el administrador de ADSEF, Alberto Fradera.

PODES provee coordinación interagencial que facilita la prestación de servicios solicitados por las familias, oportunidades de adiestramiento en el empleo, la capacitación de los participantes y el establecimiento de sus propios negocios o microempresas.

A la fecha, hay un total de 57 proyectos apoyados por el programa PODES con presencia en toda la isla.

Entre los diez nuevos empresarios hay proyectos diversos como: carretones de venta de alimentos, venta de dulces, cafetería, artesanías, confección de postres y servicios de catering, entre otros.

“Sabemos que estos nuevos empresarios tienen el empuje necesario para echar a Puerto Rico adelante.

Como ellos hay muchos otros que seguiremos apoyando a través de los programas que administramos y que están al servicio de la gente. Les exhorto a seguir adelante y servir a su comunidad con sus mejores capacidades y talentos,” aseguró Fradera Vázquez, quien detalló que los proyectos tienen presencia en los municipios de San Sebastián, Coamo, Cidra, Mayagüez, Adjuntas, Patillas, Arecibo, San Juan y Hormigueros.

PODES ayuda a las familias que viven en condiciones de extrema pobreza por falta de ingresos propios, debido al desempleo y el subempleo. Promueve el desarrollo de proyectos y estrategias de intervención social que permitan combatir los problemas que enfrentan las familias que viven en extrema pobreza para encaminarles a la autosuficiencia.

UPR de Carolina prestará 500 computadoras portátiles a estudiantes Por THE STAR

L

a Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) en Carolina anunció este lunes que prestará 500 computadoras portátiles a estudiantes y 100 a docentes, adquiridas a un costo de $387,000.

“Estamos conscientes que este ha sido un año irregular para nuestros alumnos y reconocemos el gran esfuerzo que ha representado para ellos continuar estudiando en medio de condiciones nunca antes vistas. Por esta

razón hemos centrado esfuerzos en ofrecerles las herramientas necesarias para que puedan continuar labrando su futuro de manera exitosa”, sostuvo José I. Meza Pereira, rector de la UPR en Carolina, en una declaración escrita.

La distribución de las computadoras es parte de los esfuerzos por ampliar los servicios brindados a la comunidad universitaria durante la emergencia de la pandemia del COVID-19 en Puerto Rico.

Las máquinas se compraron con fondos del CARES

Act asignados para la adquisición de equipo tecnológico.

20

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa’s retro rock, and 8 more new songs

Miley Cyrus heads in a rock ’n’ roll direction on her next album, “Plastic Hearts.”

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

P oner’

op critics for The New York Times weigh in on notable new songs and videos.

Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa, ‘Pris-

Truly outrageous, blood-splattered video aside (“Rock of Love: Thelma & Louise”? The Runaways biopic if it were directed by Ozzy Osbourne?) Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa make a harmonious pair on “Prisoner,” a sleek duet from Cyrus’ forthcoming rock reinvention record, “Plastic Hearts.” In the wake of her spiritually faithful cover of the Cranberries’ “Zombie,” it should not be news that Cyrus has a muscular rock voice, so the surprise here is Dua Lipa, whose vocals pack as much punch as the track’s ricocheting bass line and thumping percussion.

— LINDSAY ZOLADZ Steve Earle & the Dukes, ‘Harlem River Blues’ Steve Earle has recorded an album of songs by his son, Justin Townes Earle, who was 38 when he died in August of a probable drug overdose; it will benefit Justin’s family.

Among the choices from his son’s extensive catalog was “Harlem River Blues,” an upbeat tune that cheerfully announces plans for suicide. As a musician, Steve Earle did what older generations do: He reached back

musically, finding the ghost of a fiddle tune where his son had heard a gospelly organ.

— JON PARELES Bleachers featuring Bruce Springsteen, ‘Chinatown’ A blurry homage turns into a duet of peers when Bruce Springsteen shows up to sing along at the end of “Chinatown”

by Bleachers, the solo project of producer Jack Antonoff. It’s an homage to Springsteen’s automotive love songs and arenascale brooding — the sustained synthesizer hints at “Tougher Than the Rest” — and to their shared home state, New Jersey. Springsteen’s voice appears as if out of a mist, like the apparition of a patron saint. His tone only gradually becomes recognizable but looms ever larger as the song goes on, and he bestows an iconic “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” on the fade-out.

— JON PARELES Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra, ‘Galaxy 1000’ “Dimensional Stardust” might be the most meticulously written and produced album that Rob Mazurek has made with the Exploding Star Orchestra in its 15-year career — but everything about the record suggests an opening up and an expansion, not a hunkering down into details. On “Galaxy 1000,” Damon Locks, poet and multimedia artist, sounds like he’s speaking through a

megaphone as he lets fly a few lyrics of exuberant surrealism: “Expand and contradiction, expand and contraction / Refraction of rain, Galaxy 1000 / Start the light that brings me home, eventually.” At that moment the music surges: Mazurek’s gleaming cornet joins up with layers of flute, fluttering strings, and the thump of a three-person percussion section — playing a mix of drums and electronic beats — to cut a hole in the sky.

— GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO Dry Cleaning, ‘Scratchcard Lanyard’ Every single line that Florence Shaw utters in the new single from Dry Cleaning is so perfectly droll and quotable that I can only choose one at random and hope it intrigues you enough to listen to the rest of the song: “I’ve come here to make a ceramic shoe / And I’ve come to smash what you made.” The London-based band — which just signed to 4AD and will put out a fulllength debut next year — grafts post-punk grooves onto semi-absurdist poetry in a way that’s a little reminiscent of the great Scottish band Life Without Buildings, but Shaw’s vocals are uniquely, and a little menacingly, deadpan. (See also, from one of their EPs, the most gloriously weird song about Meghan Markle ever written.) “Do everything, and feel nothing,” Shaw sings on the closest “Scratchcard Lanyard” comes to a chorus, providing a fitting mantra for a song that sounds, at once, totally over it and yet full to the brim with life.

— LINDSAY ZOLADZ Megan Thee Stallion, ‘Body’ With a one-word hook that sounds like the aural equivalent of twerking, or perhaps a cartoon character’s eyes popping out of his head, “Body” bears the instantly legible signature of Megan Thee Stallion, the queen of Hot Girl Quarantine. The video seems to take place in the same womanonly utopian universe as her “WAP” clip with Cardi B, featuring cameos from Taraji P. Henson, Blac Chyna and Jordyn Woods, among others. “If I were me and I would have seen myself, I would have bought me a drink,” Megan raps, in one of the best lines of the song and also, conveniently, one of the few lines that can be quoted in full by this esteemed publication.

— LINDSAY ZOLADZ

Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber, ‘Monster’ “I was 15 when the world put me on a pedestal,” Justin Bieber sings on “Monster” — a duet with Shawn Mendes that will appear on Mendes’ upcoming album, “Wonder” — continuing the thread of “Lonely,” Bieber’s recent single with Benny Blanco.

While the Bieber of the “Sorry” era humbly accepted personal responsibility for his misdeeds, these more recent songs have also laid some of the blame on a watchful and particularly unforgiving public that seemed to be waiting for his downfall. “What if I trip, what if I fall? Then am I the monster?” he and Mendes sing on the chorus — from the imposing height of a large pedestal in the music video, to make sure the point gets across.

— LINDSAY ZOLADZ Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Kyoto (Copycat Killer Version)’ Phoebe Bridgers has radically remade four songs from her album “Punisher,” singing solo with string-ensemble arrangements

by Rob Moose. “Kyoto,” about a fraught, fraying relationship — “I’m going to kill you if you don’t beat me to it” — trades its retro rock band and horns for an arrangement that leaves her voice far more exposed.

She’s backed by sustained ensemble chords at first, then tremolos and crescendos building tension, then some hints of solace but no clear resolution as Bridgers resignedly concludes, “I’m a liar.”

— JON PARELES Gwenifer Raymond, ‘Hell for Certain’ Gwenifer Raymond, who is Welsh, has made herself an heir to the meditative but virtuosic, folk-rooted but deeply idiosyncratic province of acoustic guitar playing, sometimes called “American Primitive,” pioneered by musicians like John Fahey and Robbie Basho. “Hell for Certain,” from her just-released album of guitar solos, “Strange Lights over Garth Mountain,” merges the spirit of a vintage blues train song with a hint of mystical drone. It eases into motion but accelerates to breakneck speed, bouncing between strumming and picking and putting grunting low strings in dialogue with keening high ones. The ride feels both hairraising and predestined.

— JON PARELES

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

21

How Britain is reacting to ‘The Crown,’ Season 4

By SCOTT BRYAN

A

sking British people their views on “The Crown” is like asking what they think of the real-life royal family; like them or loathe them, everyone has an opinion.

The release of the fourth season of Netflix’s opulent drama about the life and times of Queen Elizabeth II has sparked an especially large flurry of reactions in the British press and social media, since the season spans not just a tumultuous period for the royal family but also a divisive time in British politics. It also sees the introduction of two key figures in 20th century British life: Margaret Thatcher (played by Gillian Anderson) and Diana, Princess of Wales (Emma Corrin).

Below is a roundup of how Britons have been reacting to the new season, including complaints about Prince Charles’ fishing technique and concerns about the impact on the real royal family.

Emma Corrin wows Corrin’s portrayal of Diana has impressed British critics, and those who knew the princess have also voiced their praise.

Andrew Morton, who worked with Diana on an explosive 1992 biography, told Vanity Fair, “I think Emma Corrin’s performance is far and away the most accomplished and realistic portrayal of Diana I have seen.”

Corrin’s performance also reflected what made Diana so popular with the public, according to Rachel Cooke in the New Statesman. “The spooky secret of her performance lies not in the upward gaze of her eyes,” Cooke wrote, “but, rather, in the way she radiates Diana’s teenage energy — a sometimes disabling vitality that the princess, in reality, never fully managed to lose.”

A scene in which a shy Diana stands in front of news media from around the world following her engagement to Prince Charles quickly became a meme on Twitter. One user posted it with the caption: “Me on a Zoom call pretending I’m listening and not just looking at myself.”

Questions of accuracy While “The Crown” explores real events and has been praised for its attention to detail, it is at its heart a dramatization featuring fictional conversations. As a result, many newspapers have fact-checked the show.

In a long review of the series for The Times of London, historian Hugo Vickers lamented the depiction of the queen as being “glum and schoolmistressly.” He also argued that, contrary to what viewers saw in this season’s third episode, Diana was actually well versed in the protocols of curtsying.

The Daily Mail published its own fact check. “Princess Diana was dressed as a ‘mad tree’ for ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ when she first met Prince Charles: FALSE,” the paper stated, and “Royal Family are bloodthirsty and obsessed with hunting: PARTLY TRUE.” In a discussion on The Crown: The Official Podcast, the show’s creator Peter Morgan said that a plot point surrounding a critical letter between Lord Mountbatten and Prince Charles, advising the prince to marry Diana and not Camilla Parker Bowles, may not have existed.

By Tuesday, Morgan’s comments were front page news.

“Crown writer defends making up scenes,” said a Times of London headline above reports from unnamed sources that Prince

Olivia Colman and Josh O’Connor in Season 4 of “The Crown,” which has been captivating viewers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Charles was upset by his depiction and had refused to watch the show. … and whether fiction is dangerous Much has been written about whether such creative license matters. “‘The Crown’’s fake history is as corrosive as fake news” reads the headline on a piece by Simon Jenkins in The Guardian. “‘The Crown’ has taken its liberties by relying on royalty’s well-known — and sensible — reluctance to resort to the courts,” Jenkins wrote. “This is artistic license at its most cowardly as well as casual.”

“This Morning,” a popular daytime talk show on British television, recently broadcast a segment titled “Is ‘The Crown’ now too close to home?” asking whether the fictional aspects of the plot could be harmful to people still alive.

Thatcher still splits opinion While the fifth episode does explore the high levels of unemployment and economic strife in the early years of Thatcher’s government, critics of the Iron Lady have still expressed fears “The Crown” will humanize her and her Conservative politics.

Clips of Thatcher advocating for Section 28, a policy banning the promotion or acceptance of homosexuality in schools, have been widely circulated on Twitter. “While you’re all stanning ‘sexy Maggie’ here’s a reminder of how toxic she was,” one user wrote on Twitter.

Equally, some fans of Thatcher have taken issue with Anderson’s portrayal of her. “The caricature of Thatcher is a travesty,” one viewer told The Telegraph. “Even her voice sounds as

though she has a permanent sore throat, when, in fact, it was strong and commanding.”

A surprise cameo Eagle-eyed viewers spotted what looks like a mouse running through a scene about a phone call between Prince Charles and other members of the royal family. Greg James, the BBC Radio 1 presenter, responded to the animal’s cameo on his breakfast show, saying “It’s no ‘Game of Thrones’ Starbucks cup or ‘Downton Abbey’ bottle of Evian in shot, but it is definitely up there.”

Not long after it was spotted by viewers, the Twitter account for “The Crown” responded to a user’s post with “Outstanding Guest In A Drama Series?”

Letters of complaint British viewers have sent in some rather pointed letters to newspapers about “The Crown.”

In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, one viewer was aghast at the portrayal of Prince Charles’ fishing technique: “To imagine that any self-respecting fisherman would allow his line to touch down so catastrophically is bad enough, but to then suggest that such a cast could possibly result in the landing of a fine salmon is tantamount to gross — almost criminal — negligence.”

The queen’s salute has also been criticized. A letter by an army veteran to The Times of London read, “To my recollection Her Majesty’s salute has always been exemplary, with the forearm and hand being ramrod straight. This may not perhaps be noticed by many viewers, but to us ex-military types, with a passion for standards, it is particularly galling.”

22

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star

A Chinese county aims to curb dog walking by threatening to kill the dog

By TIFFANY MAY AND AMY CHANG CHIEN

I

n a southwestern corner of China, walking a dog can potentially get the animal killed by the authorities.

After receiving complaints of dogs biting children in Weixin County in Yunnan province, officials have said they would ban dog walking and put in place a harsh three-strike penalty system.

For pet owners who flouted the ban, the first strike would be a warning. Caught a second time, they would be fined. For a third offense, their dogs would be seized and killed, according to the new rules, and apparently regardless of the dogs’ behavior. The ban is set to take effect Friday.

The penalties are part of a regional effort to “correct uncivilized dog ownership in urban areas,” according to a joint notice issued last week by several Weixin County departments. “Residents must keep dogs tied up or in a pen. Dogs should not disrupt the normal order of the society or interfere with the daily life of others.”

When the notice began circulating on Chinese social media, it set off howls of outrage and fierce de-

bate across the country, angering animal lovers and racking up thousands of comments and 100 million views on Weibo, a microblogging platform.

Many called the new regulations cruel and extreme.

“Why on earth should they be killed?” a user going by the name of Xuanji Yuheng Abilene wrote Monday. “What did the dogs do wrong?”

She added that even though she supported stricter punishments for irresponsible dog owners, she objected to the idea that the animals could not be walked in public at all.

Others said that specific rules on dog walking — such as keeping pets leashed and picking up after them — would be far more appropriate and effective.

“This is an unscientific and lazy way of dealing with it,” wrote one user, who goes by the name An Invisible Person.

A few people online voiced support for the regulations, saying that society has too often placed animal rights over human rights.

There are roughly 5.5 million pet dogs in China, according to the 2019 White Paper on China’s Pet In-

Taking dogs for a walk along the Yangtze River in Wuhan, China. The country has more than five million pet dogs.

dustry. Animal rights advocates said that fear and dislike of dogs may be aggravated by some owners who neglect to leash or muzzle their pets. Serious injuries and deaths have resulted from dog bites and scratches, and China has reported a few hundred deaths annually from rabies, a virus often transmitted through the saliva of dogs.

Pet dogs have come back into favor in China over the past 30 years. Dog restrictions date back decades.

In the 1940s, barking dogs were blamed for revealing the movements of Communist fighters who resisted Japanese occupiers during World War II and were branded political enemies of the people. For decades, they were ridiculed as bourgeois house pets that wasted scarce resources.

Dogs were banned in Beijing through the 1980s.

Restrictions were gradually loosened after China’s economic reforms, and pet ownership became increasingly popular among the emerging middle class, with industries such as grooming services popping up in recent years. As China grew wealthier, many people began acquiring expensive breeds, taking overt pride in walking their pets.

Amid the boom in pet dogs, local governments have put in place ownership regulations. Several major cities now have restrictions on pet ownership, including rules that govern their size, breed and at what time of day they can be walked. In Beijing, dogs taller than 14 inches are banned.

As recently as 2014, an op-ed in People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official newspaper, denounced pet dogs as a self-indulgent trend imported from the West and a blight on “social peace and harmony.” It said that the animals’ droppings were like “land mines” on China’s streets.

Weixin is not the only county to ban dog walking or place other restrictions on dog ownership. Hangzhou, a large city in eastern China, introduced a daytime dog-walking ban in 2018. Large dogs considered by some people as aggressive breeds, such as Rottweilers and German shepherds, are banned in Beijing and Shanghai.

But the internet backlash over Weixin’s new policy, which appears to go further than other jurisdictions, has prompted officials to say they may consider reexamining the ban on dog walking and the threatened death penalty, according to local news reports.

The county’s public security office declined further comment, and other departments could not be reached. But when reached by telephone Wednesday, a representative of Weixin’s Ministry of Housing, who verified the regulations, said that officials would begin counting the number of dogs in each household Friday and that the rules were still set to go into effect.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

23

Women doctors are less likely to perform C-sections

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

F

emale obstetricians are less likely than their male colleagues to perform cesarean sections, a review of studies has found.

Researchers pooled data from 15 studies from around the world covering more than 1.2 million births supervised by female and male doctors, plus 11 studies that used hypothetical scenarios to assess 4,911 obstetricians for their preferences. The review is in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Overall, female obstetricians were 25% less likely to do a C-section than male doctors. In studies using criteria like the position of the fetus or the onset of labor, women doctors had lower odds of doing a C-section given the same clinical circumstances.

Babies of similar gestational age, for example, were more likely to be deliv-

ered by C-section if a male obstetrician was in charge.

Presented with the same hypothetical birth scenario, women were more than 40% less likely than men to choose C-section, and women were less likely than men to agree to a maternal request for a C-section without medical necessity.

Why these differences exist is unclear. The lead author, Dr. Ilir Hoxha, an adjunct assistant professor at Dartmouth, suggested that women may be more sensitive to the mother in a difficult moment, that men may in general be more inclined to use procedures, and that men, especially in the United States, might be more fearful of litigation.

But, he said, “We cannot confirm explanations. These are things that could be matter for further investigation.”

Ibuprofen versus acetaminophen for pain and fever in infants

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

S

ome doctors prefer ibuprofen for treating fever and pain in babies; others use acetaminophen. A new review of studies has found that ibuprofen may be marginally more effective.

Researchers combined data from 19 studies including more than 240,000 children under 2 years old that compared acetaminophen (Tylenol and generics) with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brands) for safety and effectiveness. The analysis is in JAMA Network Open.

Ibuprofen was slightly more effective in reducing fever between four and 24 hours after being administered, and there was moderate quality evidence that ibuprofen was also more effective after that. Neither drug was more effective than the other in reducing fever within four

hours of administration.

Ibuprofen was associated with better pain reduction from four to 24 hours after it was given, and there was weak evidence that it was more effective than acetaminophen after that.

Some experts have suggested that acetaminophen could be associated with an increased risk for asthma, and ibuprofen with an increased risk for kidney problems, but this review found few serious side effects from either drug, and there were some studies that found no side effects at all.

“Actually both these medicines are very safe in young children,” said the senior author, Dr. Stuart R. Dalziel, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. “I give my kids ibuprofen, which is potentially associated with less asthma and may be more effective in pain relief.”

24 tomo 1060 de Monacillos, inscripción 11va. HIPOTECA: En ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE garantía de un pagaré a favor de PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SU- RICO, o a su orden, por la suma PERIOR DE SAN JUAN. de $116,000.00, con interés al 8.89%, y vencedero a la presenBAUTISTA REO PR tación, según consta escritura # CORP., 8, otorgada el día 27 de febrero Demandante, v. de 2006 en Caguas, Puerto Rico, JOSEFINA ante el Notario Público Justino LÓPEZ SÁNCHEZ Ferrer Muñoz, inscrita al folio 26 Demandada del tomo 1060 de Monacillos, insCIVIL NÚM.: SJ2018cv09888 cripción 12ma. MODIFICACIÓN (604). SOBRE: COBRO DE DE HIPOTECA: Por la escritura DINERO Y EJECUCIÓN DE #79, otorgada en San Juan el 28 PRENDA E hipoteca POR LA de febrero de 2014 ante el NoVÍA ORDINARIA. AVISO DE tario Público Gadiel O. Rosario SUBASTA. ESTADOS UNIDOS Rivera, comparece titular y Doral DE AMÉRICA EL PRESIDENTE Bank como tenedor del pagaré DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS de $249,000.00. ANOTACION DE AMÉRICA EL PUEBLO DE DE DEMANDA: Es objeto de PUERTO RICO. SS. YO, el(la) esta anotación de Hipoteca por la Alguacil que suscribe, por la pre- suma de $249,000.00 que surge sente anuncia y hace constar, de la inscripción 11ª, modificada que en cumplimiento del Man- en la inscripción 14ª. DEMANdamiento de Ejecución de Sen- DANTE: Bautista Cayman Asset tencia, expedido el 8 de octubre Company DEMANDADO: Josede 2019 por la Secretaría de este fina López Sánchez, cantidad Tribunal, procederé a vender en adeudada $246,292.75, según pública subasta y al mejor pos- demanda expedida por el Tributor, quien pagará el importe de nal de Primera Instancia, Sala de la venta en dinero efectivo o en San Juan, en el caso Civil Núm. cheque certificado o de gerente, SJ2018CV09888 de fecha de 13 a la orden del Alguacil suscribien- de noviembre de 2018, inscrita al te, en moneda del curso legal de tomo Karibe, Anotación A de felos Estados Unidos de América, cha 8 de marzo de 2019. Servirá el día 10 de diciembre de 2020, como tipo mínimo para la primera a la(s) 9:30 a.m., en mi oficina subasta en ejecución de la Finca localizada en el Tribunal de San Número 11,124 antes descrita la Juan, todo título, derecho o inte- suma de $249,000.00, conforme rés que corresponda a la parte a lo estipulado en la Escritura demandada sobre el inmueble de Primera Hipoteca #560, otorque se describe a continuación: gada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, URBANA: Solar número 18 de la el 21 de diciembre de 2005 ante Manzana H de la Urbanización el Notario Público David Gómez Las Lomas, radicada en el Barrio Rosario. De no adjudicarse la (Monacillos), hoy Gobernador propiedad en la primera subasta, Piñero de Puerto Rico, con un se celebrará una segunda subasárea de 252.00 metros cuadra- ta, en las mismas oficinas de este dos. En lindes por el NORTE, Alguacil, el día 17 de diciembre con la calle principal San Patri- de 2020, a la(s) 9:30 a.m. El tipo cio que es su frente, en 12.00 mínimo para la segunda subasta metros; por el SUR, con solar será dos terceras partes (2/3) del número 28 en 12.00 metros; por tipo mínimo de la primera subasel ESTE, con solar 19, en una ta, o sea, $166,000.00. De no addistancia de 21.00 metros; y por judicarse la propiedad en la seel OESTE, con el solar número gunda subasta, se celebrará una 17 en 21.00 metros. Enclava una tercera subasta en las mismas casa. Inscrita al Folio 206 del oficinas de este Alguacil, el día tomo 289 de Monacillos, Finca 14 de enero de 2021, a la(s) 9:30 número 11,124, Registro de la a.m. El tipo mínimo para la terPropiedad de San Juan, Tercera cera subasta será la mitad (1/2) Sección. Dirección Física: #790 del tipo mínimo que se pactara Avenida San Patricio, Urbani- para la primera subasta, o sea, zación Las Lomas, San Juan, $124,500.00. Esta subasta se Puerto Rico. La propiedad des- hará para satisfacer a la parte decrita anteriormente está afecta mandante, hasta donde alcance, a los siguientes gravámenes: el importe adeudado a BAUTISPor su procedencia está afec- TA REO PR CORP., ascendente ta a servidumbres; condiciones a la suma de $247,041.99, la restrictivas de edificación y uso. cual se desglosa de la siguiente Por sí afecta a: HIPOTECA: En manera: a. $158,672.67 por congarantía de un pagaré a favor cepto de principal bajo el Pagaré de DORAL BANK, o a su orden, A; b. $10,801.10 por concepto por la suma de $249,000.00, con de principal bajo el Pagaré B; c. interés al 7.95%, y vencedero 1 $45,563.30 por concepto de intede enero de 2021, según cons- reses bajo el Pagaré A, los cuales ta escritura #570, otorgada el incrementan diariamente a razón día 21 de diciembre de 2005 en de $27.55 hasta su total y comSan Juan, Puerto Rico, ante el pleto pago; d. $2,264.17 por conNotario Público David Gómez cepto de cargos por mora bajo el Rosario, inscrita al folio 26 del

LEGAL NOTICE

@

Pagaré A, los cuales incrementan diariamente hasta su total y completo pago; e. $4,840.75 por concepto de otros gastos, incluyendo seguros, estudio de título, valoración e inspección; f. $24,900.00 por concepto de costas, gastos y honorarios de abogado expresamente pactados bajo el Pagaré Hipotecario. La venta en pública subasta de la propiedad descrita anteriormente se verificará libre de toda carga o gravamen posterior que afecte dicha propiedad.

Se entiende que cualquier carga y/o gravamen anterior y/o preferente, si lo hubiera, al crédito que da base a esta ejecución, continuará subsistente, entendiéndose además, que el rematante los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. Que los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al procedimiento incoado estarán de manifiesto en la Secretaría de este Tribunal durante horas laborables.

El Alguacil procederá a otorgar la correspondiente escritura de venta judicial y se pondrá al comprador en posesión física del inmueble, de conformidad con las disposiciones de Ley. POR LA PRESENTE, se les notifica a los titulares de créditos y/o cargas registrales posteriores, si alguno, que se celebrará la SUBASTA en la fecha, hora y sitio anteriormente señalados, y se les invita a que concurran a dicha subasta, si les conviniere, o se les invita a satisfacer, antes del remate, el importe del crédito, sus intereses, otros cargos y las costas y honorarios de abogado asegurados, quedando entonces subrogados en los derechos del Acreedor ejecutante, siempre y cuando reúnan los requisitos y cualificaciones de Ley para que se pueda efectuar tal subrogación. Y PARA SU PUBLICACIÓN en el tablón de edictos de este Tribunal y en tres (3) lugares públicos del Municipio donde se celebrará la subasta señalada. Además, en un periódico de circulación general en dos (2) ocasiones y mediante correo certificado a la última dirección conocida de la parte demandada.

EXPEDIDO el presente EDICTO DE SUBASTA en San Juan, Puerto Rico, a 9 de noviembre de 2020. Pedro Hieye González, Alguacil, TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA, SALA DE SAN JUAN.

DE GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA

Parte demandada CASO NUM.: HSCI201600339.

SOBRE: EJECUCION DE HIPOTECA IN- REM. AVISO DE VENTA EN PÚBLICA SUBASTA.

A: ANGEL ANTONIO MUÑOZ SOTO, ALMA IRIS PEREZ PEÑA Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS; ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RÍCO; PALMAS DEL MAR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION; EUROBANK, O A SU ORDEN; ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA; Y AL PUBLICO EN GENERAL:

El que suscribe, Alguacil del Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior, Centro Judicial de Humacao, Humacao, Puerto Rico, hago saber a la parte demandada, y al PUBLICO EN GENERAL: y a todos los acreedores que tengan inscritos o anotados sus derechos sobre los bienes hipotecados con posterioridad a la inscripción del crédito del ejecutante, o de los acreedores de cargas o derechos reales que los hubiesen pospuesto a la hipoteca ejecutada y las personas interesadas en, o con derecho a exigir el cumplimiento de instrumentos negociables garantizados hipotecariamente con posterioridad al crédito ejecutado, siempre que surjan de la certificación registral, para que puedan concurrir a la subasta si les convenga o satisfacer antes del remate el importe del crédito, de sus intereses, costas y honorarios de abogados asegurados, quedando entonces subrogados en los derechos del acreedor ejecutante a saber: (1.) ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO: A cuyo favor aparece anotado un Embargo, por la suma de $25,110.37, por contribución sabre ingresos (contra solar 18 de 378.56 m/c, Comunidad Sapo), según certificación de fecha 9 de octubre de 2009, Embargo del 20 de enero de 2010 (así surge), presentado el 16 de octubre de 2009, caso LEGAL NOTICE 2370, orden #118, folio 30 del ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE Libro ELA 410 de Yabucoa, Ley PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE #8, finca número 2,074-A (no se PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SU- cancelara hasta la liquidación de PERIOR DE HUMACAO. la deuda). (2.) ESTADOS UNICONDADO 3 CR2, LLC DOS DE AMERICA: A cuyo faParte Demandante, v. vor aparece en el Libro de Embargos Federales número 6, en ANGEL ANTONIO MUÑOZ SOTO, ALMA la página 160, asiento 2, se encuentra presentado el día 23 de IRIS PEREZ PEÑA Y diciembre de 2010, con el númeLA SOCIEDAD LEGAL ro de notificación 718398310,

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Tuesday, November 24, 2020 embargo contra Angel A. Muñoz Soto/Productos de Nutricion & Baby, seguro social 6 patronal 66-0421669, por la suma de $705.81, finca número 2,074-A. No podemos precisar si el titular y el embargado es la misma persona. (3.) ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA: A cuyo favor En el Libro de Embargos Federales número 6, en la página 207, asiento 2, se encuentra presentado el dia 13 de junio de 2011, con el número de notificación 788536611, embargo contra Angel A. Muñoz Soto/Productos de Nutricion & Baby, seguro social 6 patronal 66-0421669, por la suma de $2,851.66, finca #2,074-A. No podemos precisar si el titular y el embargado es la misma persona. (4.)

PALMAS DEL MAR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION: A cuyo favor aparece una Sentencia en contra: Angel A. Muñoz Soto y Alma I. Pérez Pella y la Sociedad Legal de Gananciales compuesta por ambos, por $3,887.84, Sentencia del 7 de junio de 2011, Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Municipal de Humacao, caso civil HACI201100414. Anotado el 19 de septiembre de 2011, folio 105-B, Libro Sentencias #7, finca #2,074-A. (5.) ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO: A cuyo favor aparece presentado un Embargo por la suma de $58,486.48, por contribución sobre ingresos, caso #HUM-11-345, seguro social: xxx-xx-2370, según certificación de fecha 1 de marzo de 2011, Embargo del 2 de mayo de 2011, presentado el 2 de marzo de 2011, orden #462, folio 116, Libro Ley 12, Libro #1, finca #2,074-A. (6.) ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA: A cuyo favor aparece presentado en el Libro de Embargos Federales número 6, en la página 205, asiento 3, se encuentra presentado el dia 13 de junio de 2011, con el número de notificación 784240611, embargo contra Angel A. Muñoz Soto/Productos de Nutricion & Baby, seguro social 6 patronal 66-0421669, por la suma de $2,426.55, finca #2,074-A. No podemos precisar si el titular y el Embargado es la misma persona. (7.) ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO: A cuyo favor aparece presentado un Embargo, por la suma de $46,685.43, por contribución sobre ingresos, según certificación de fecha 3 de junio de 2010, Embargo del 10 de junio de 2010, presentado el 4 de junio de 2010, caso #HUM-10-00414, seguro social: xxx-xx-2370, orden #263, folio 66, Libro ELA Ley 12 #1, finca #2,074-A. (8.) ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO: A cuyo favor aparece presentado un Embargo por la suma de $36,130.77, por contribución sobre ingresos, según

certificación de fecha 10 de marzo de 2008, Embargo del 17 de marzo de 2008, presentado el 13 de marzo de 2008, caso #583-42-2370, orden #88, folio 22 del Libro Embargo ELA #10 de Yabucoa, finca #2,074-A. (9.)

ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA: A cuyo favor aparece en el Libro de Embargos Federales número 6, en la página 168, asiento 4, se encuentra presentado el día 23 de diciembre de 2010, con el número de notificación 73258481, embargo contra Angel A. Muñoz Soto/ Productos de Nutrición & Baby, seguro social número 66-0421669, por la suma de $21,243.07, finca #2,074-A. No podemos precisar si el titular y el embargado es la misma persona. (10.) ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA: A cuyo favor aparece en el Libro de Embargos Federales número 6, en la página 128, asiento 4, se encuentra presentado el dia 8 de julio de 2010, con el número de notificación 672918610, embargo contra Angel A. Muñoz Soto/ Productos de Nutricion & Baby, seguro social 66-0421669, por la suma de $2,993.89, finca #2,074-A . No podemos precisar si el titular y el embargado es la misma persona. (11.)

E U ROBANK, O A SU ORDEN: A cuyo favor aparece inscrito un Pagaré por la suma de $44,000.00, intereses al 9.50% anual y a vencer presentación Al asiento 480 del diario 882, el dia 30 de noviembre de 2006, según consta de la escritura #138, otorgada en Humacao, el dia 14 de noviembre de 2006, ante el Notario Jorge A. Surillo Arcano, inscrito el 3 de julio de 2017, Karibe, finca #2,074-A, inscripción 9na, Ley 216. (12.) ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO (Departamento de Hacienda): A cuyo favor aparece presentado un Embargo por la suma de $36,130.77, Certificación sobre Embargo de Bienes Inmuebles, Humacao, 10 de marzo de 2008, a favor del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico (Departamento de Hacienda), inscrito el 3 de julio de 2017, Karibe, finca #2,074-A, inscripción 9na, Ley 216. (13.) ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO (Departamento de Hacienda): A cuyo favor aparece presentado un Embargo por la suma de por $25,110.37, al asiento 516 del diario 898, el dia 16 de octubre de 2009, se presenta Certificación sobre Anotación de Embargo, Humacao, 9 de octubre de 2009, a favor del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, Departamento de Hacienda, inscrito el 3 de julio de 2017, Karibe, finca #2,074-A, inscripción 10ma, Ley 216. Que en cumplimiento del Mandamiento de Ejecución de Sentencia expedido el día 3 de diciembre de 2019, por la Secretaria

The San Juan Daily Star del Tribunal, procederé a vender y venderé en pública subasta y al mejor postor la propiedad que se describe a continuación: #18 CALLE FRANCISCO SUSTACHE, YABUCOA, PR 00767.

URBANA: Solar marcado con el Numero 18 del Proyecto de Renovación Urbana conocido como UR-PR-5-20 El Sapo, según indica en el plano de inscripción titulado “Inscripcion Map” El Sapo Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, dibujo en el número D-uno fechado en agosto de mil novecientos cincuentinueve y certificado como correcto por el Ingeniero Eddie Garcia Mendoza, en abril diez mil novecientos cincuentiocho situado en el Barrio Calabazas del término municipal de Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, con una cabida de 378.56 metros cuadrados. En lindes por el NORTE, con el solar 1 y terrenos del municipio de Yabucoa, Puerto Rico distancia de 6.73 metros y 11.38 metros respectivamente; por el SUR, con la Calle “A” distancia curvilínea de 11.24 metros; por el ESTE, con el solar 17, distancia de 28.68 metros; y por el OESTE, con el solar 19, distancia de 25.34 metros.

Consta inscrita al folio 26 del tomo 86 de Yabucoa, finca número 2074-A; Registro de la Propiedad Sección de Humacao. El producto de la subasta se destinará a satisfacer hasta donde alcance, la SENTENCIA dictada a su favor, el día 8 de marzo de 2017, expedida el día 14 de marzo de 2017, en el presente caso civil, a saber, la suma de $573.220.77, más intereses al 8% anual, que se continúan acumulando desde dicha fecha a razón de $112.58 diarios, más las partes pactaron en el Pagare Hipotecario suscrito por ambos que el pago de honorarios de abogados pactados equivalentes al 10% del principal del Pagaré, o sea, por la cantidad de $25,000.00. Los intereses se continúan hasta el saldo total de la deuda, para cubrir el principal adeudado, disponiéndose que si quedare algún remanente luego de pagarse las sumas antes mencionadas el mismo deberá ser depositado en la Secretaría del Tribunal para ser entregado a los demandados previa solicitud y orden del Tribunal. La venta de la referida propiedad se verificará libre de toda carga o gravamen que afecte la mencionada finca. La adjudicación se hará al mejor postor, quien deberá consignar el importe de su oferta en el acto mismo de la adjudicación, en efectivo (moneda del curso legal de los Estados Unidos de América), giro postal o cheque certificado a nombre del alguacil del Tribunal. LA PRIMERA SUBASTA se llevará a efecto el 2 DE FEBRERO DE 2021 A LAS 10:00 DE LA MAÑANA, en la oficina del referido Al-

guacil, localizada en el Centro Judicial de Humacao, Humacao, Puerto Rico. Que el precio mínimo fijado para la PRIMERA SUBASTA es de $95,000.00. Que de ser necesaria la celebración de una SEGUNDA SUBASTA, la misma se llevará a efecto el día el 9 DE FEBRERO DE 2021 A LAS 10:00 DE LA MAÑANA, en la oficina antes mencionada del Alguacil que suscribe. El precio mínimo para la SEGUNDA SUBASTA será de $63,333.34, equivalentes a dos terceras (2/3) partes del tipo mínimo estipulado para la PRIMERA subasta. Que de ser necesaria la celebración de una TERCERA SUBASTA la misma se llevará a efecto el día el 16 DE FEBRERO DE 2021 A LAS 10:00 DE LA MAÑANA, en la oficina antes mencionada del Alguacil que suscribe. El precio mínimo para la TERCERA SUBASTA será de $47,500.00, equivalentes a la mitad (1/2) del tipo mínimo estipulado para la PRIMERA subasta. Si se declarase desierta la tercera subasta, se adjudicará la finca a favor del acreedor por la totalidad de la cantidad adeudada si ésta es igual o menor que el monto del tipo de la tercera subasta, si el Tribunal lo estima conveniente; se abonará dicho monto a la cantidad adeudada si esta es mayor, todo ello a tenor con lo dispone el Articulo 104 de la Ley Núm. 210 del 8 de diciembre de 2015 conocida como “Ley del Registro de la Propiedad Inmueble del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico”. La propiedad a ser ejecutada se adquiere libre de toda carga y gravamen que afecte la mencionada finca según el Artículo 102, inciso 6. Una vez confirmada la venta judicial por el Honorable Tribunal, se procederá a otorgar la correspondiente escritura de venta judicial y se pondrá al comprador en posesión física del inmueble de conformidad con las disposiciones de Ley. Para conocimiento de la parte demandada y de toda aquella persona o personas que tengan interés inscrito con posterioridad a la inscripción del gravamen que se está ejecutando, y para conocimiento de todos los licitadores y el público en general, el presente Edicto se publicará por espacio de dos (2) semanas consecutivas, con un intervalo de por lo menos siete días entre ambas publicaciones, en un diario de circulación general en el Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico y se fijará además en tres (3) lugares públicos del Municipio en que ha de celebrarse dicha venta, tales como la Alcaldía, el Tribunal y la Colecturía. Se les informa, por último, que: a. Que los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al procedimiento incoado estarán de mani-

The San Juan Daily Star fiesto en la secretaría del tribunal durante las horas laborables. b. Que se entenderá que todo licitador acepta como bastante la titularidad y que las cargas y gravámenes anteriores y los preferentes, si los hubiere, al crédito del ejecutante continuarán subsistentes. Se entenderá, que el rematante los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. EXPIDO, el presente EDICTO, en Humacao, Puerto Rico, hoy día 10 de NOVIEMBRE de 2020. MARIA DEL PILAR RIVER RIVERA, Alguacil Regional. Jennisa Garcia Morales, División de Subastas, Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior de Humacao. ****

LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE FAJARDO.

Nélida Esther Vázquez Martínez; Patricia Esther Monserrate Vázquez Demandantes Vs.

Caguas Federal Savings and Loan Association of Puerto Rico; Banco Santander Puerto Rico; Demandados desconocidos: “John Doe”, como posibles tenedores del pagaré extraviado

Demandados CIVIL NÚM.: LU2020CV00125.

SALA: SOBRE: CANCELACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO. EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS EEUU EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO. SS.

DEMANDADOS DESCONOCIDOS; JOHN DOE COMO POSIBLE TENEDOR DEL PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO

Por medio del presente edicto se les notifica la radicación de una Demanda de Cancelación de Pagaré Extraviado en la que se solicita la cancelación del siguiente pagare hipotecario, desconociéndose su paradero, luego de haber sido saldado por el demandante quien es el deudor hipotecario: Para la fecha del (12) de septiembre de (1983) se suscribió Pagaré a favor de Caguas Federal Savings and Loan Association of Puerto Rico, ante el Notario Antonio Roselló Rentas, por la suma principal de Sesenta y Dos Mil Dólares ($62,000.00), con vencimiento al primero de octubre de (2013), con intereses a razón de (14%) anual.

Fue constituida para el día (12) de septiembre de (1983) hipoteca sobre la propiedad que más adelante se describe, según resulta de la Escritura Núm. (104), otorgada ante el Notario Antonio Roselló Rentas, inscrita al Folio (171) vuelto del Tomo (172) de

Luquillo, Finca (9,622), inscripción Cuarta. La referida hipoteca grava el siguiente inmueble: “PROPIEDAD HORIZONTAL: APARTAMENTO NÚMERO 436.

Es un apartamento residencial de forma irregular de dos niveles que está localizada en el Edificio número 17, pisos primero y segundo del Condominio Playas del Yunque, Régimen II, situado en el Barrio Mameyes de Luquillo, con entrada por la Carretera Estatal número 968. Mide 33 pies 2 pulgadas de largo por su parte más larga, medida desde la puerta de entrada hacia el fondo (no incluye los 5 pies 6 pulgadas del patio de servicio) por 21 pies 9 pulgadas de ancho, por su parte más ancha, que hacen un área de 1,450.68 pies cuadrados aproximadamente equivalentes a 134.82 metros cuadrados. En lindes por el NORTE, en una distancia total de 28 pies 9 pulgadas, con el espacio exterior separado por pared y la puerta de entrada en su segundo nivel son 21 pies 9 pulgadas; por el ESTE, en una Distancia total de 38 pies, con el espacio exterior y el Apartamento número 438, separado por pared en su segundo nivel son 32 pies 6 pulgadas; por el SUR, en una distancia de 28 pies 9 pulgadas, con el espacio exterior segundo por pared y el muro de la terraza, en su segundo nivel son 21 pies 9 pulgadas y por el OESTE, en una distancia de 38 pies, con el espacio exterior, separado por paredes de cargas, en su segundo nivel son 32 pies 6 pulgadas.

Este apartamento consta en su primer nivel de sala-comedor, cocina con terraza, espacio para lavadora, baño, patio de servicio con ducha y calentador de agua, terraza y escalera interior para el segundo nivel. En su segundo nivel tiene “hall”, dos cuartos dormitorios con “closet”, “linen closet”, baño, terraza y escalera interior para la azotea que es elemento común limitado de este apartamento y que esta sobre el área del nivel interior. Los baños los están equipados con bañera, lavamanos y servicios sanitario.

La cocina tiene estufa, fregadero y gabinetes. La puerta de entrada de este apartamento esta situada en su lindero Norte del primer nivel y por ella se sale a la escalera común limitada por la cual se sale al exterior. Este apartamento tiene una participación en los elementos comunes de 0.0076810%. Este apartamento tiene el estacionamiento número 534”. Inscrita al Folio (170) del Tomo (172) de Luquillo, Finca (9,622), Registro de la Propiedad de Fajardo; Catastro Núm. (091028-329-17-245). La parte demandante solicita del Honorable Tribunal que declare con lugar la demanda y en su consecuencia ordene al Secretario del Tribunal que expida Mandamiento al Registrador de la Propiedad de Fajardo, para que dicho funcionario proceda a cancelar en los libros a su cargo la referida hipoteca dejando la propiedad aquí descrita libre de dicho gravamen hipotecario. Por el presente Edicto se

Tuesday, November 24, 2020 les emplaza y requiere para que conteste la Demanda radicando el original de su contestación ante el Tribunal Superior de Puerto Rico, Sala de Fajardo y notificándole con copia de dicha contestación a la abogada de la parte demandante: Lcda. Beatriz Cay Vázquez RUA 18234; P.O. Box 1809, Caguas, Puerto Rico 00726-1809 Tel. (787) 731-0526; Email: beatrizcayvazquez@gmail.com apercibiéndoles que de no haber oposición dentro del término de treinta (30) días a partir de la publicación de este edicto, podrá dictarse Sentencia concediendo el remedio solicitado en la Demanda. Conforme la Sección VII(4) de las Directrices Administrativas para la Presentación y Notificación Electrónica de Documentos Mediante el Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos, según enmendadas, el edicto publicado debe contener además un lenguaje similar al siguiente: “Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Administración y Manejo de Casos (SUMAC), al cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://unired.ramajudicial.pr, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal”.

POR ORDEN DEL TRIBUNAL, expido el presente Edicto en Fajardo, Puerto Rico hoy día 16 de noviembre de 2020. WANDA I. SEGUÍ REYES, Secretaria.

LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE FAJARDO.

Nélida Esther Vázquez Martínez; Patricia Esther Monserrate Vázquez Demandantes Vs.

Caguas Federal Savings and Loan Association of Puerto Rico; Banco Santander Puerto Rico; Demandados desconocidos: “John Doe”, como posibles tenedores del pagaré extraviado

Demandados CIVIL NÚM.: LU2020CV00125.

SALA: SOBRE: CANCELACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO. EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS EEUU EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO. SS.

CAGUAS FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF PUERTO RICO

Por medio del presente edicto se les notifica la radicación de una Demanda de Cancelación de Pagaré Extraviado en la que se solicita la cancelación del siguiente pagare hipotecario, des-

conociéndose su paradero, luego de haber sido saldado por el demandante quien es el deudor hipotecario: Para la fecha del (12) de septiembre de (1983) se suscribió Pagaré a favor de Caguas Federal Savings and Loan Association of Puerto Rico, ante el Notario Antonio Roselló Rentas, por la suma principal de Sesenta y Dos Mil Dólares ($62,000.00), con vencimiento al primero de octubre de (2013), con intereses a razón de (14%) anual.

Fue constituida para el día (12) de septiembre de (1983) hipoteca sobre la propiedad que más adelante se describe, según resulta de la Escritura Núm. (104), otorgada ante el Notario Antonio Roselló Rentas, inscrita al Folio (171) vuelto del Tomo (172) de Luquillo, Finca (9,622), inscripción Cuarta. La referida hipoteca grava el siguiente inmueble: “PROPIEDAD HORIZONTAL: APARTAMENTO NÚMERO 436.

Es un apartamento residencial de forma irregular de dos niveles que está localizada en el Edificio número 17, pisos primero y segundo del Condominio Playas del Yunque, Régimen II, situado en el Barrio Mameyes de Luquillo, con entrada por la Carretera Estatal número 968. Mide 33 pies 2 pulgadas de largo por su parte más larga, medida desde la puerta de entrada hacia el fondo (no incluye los 5 pies 6 pulgadas del patio de servicio) por 21 pies 9 pulgadas de ancho, por su parte más ancha, que hacen un área de 1,450.68 pies cuadrados aproximadamente equivalentes a 134.82 metros cuadrados. En lindes por el NORTE, en una distancia total de 28 pies 9 pulgadas, con el espacio exterior separado por pared y la puerta de entrada en su segundo nivel son 21 pies 9 pulgadas; por el ESTE, en una Distancia total de 38 pies, con el espacio exterior y el Apartamento número 438, separado por pared en su segundo nivel son 32 pies 6 pulgadas; por el SUR, en una distancia de 28 pies 9 pulgadas, con el espacio exterior segundo por pared y el muro de la terraza, en su segundo nivel son 21 pies 9 pulgadas y por el OESTE, en una distancia de 38 pies, con el espacio exterior, separado por paredes de cargas, en su segundo nivel son 32 pies 6 pulgadas.

Este apartamento consta en su primer nivel de sala-comedor, cocina con terraza, espacio para lavadora, baño, patio de servicio con ducha y calentador de agua, terraza y escalera interior para el segundo nivel. En su segundo nivel tiene “hall”, dos cuartos dormitorios con “closet”, “linen closet”, baño, terraza y escalera interior para la azotea que es elemento común limitado de este apartamento y que esta sobre el área del nivel interior. Los baños los están equipados con bañera, lavamanos y servicios sanitario.

La cocina tiene estufa, fregadero y gabinetes. La puerta de entrada de este apartamento esta situada en su lindero Norte del primer nivel y por ella se sale a la escalera común limitada por la cual

se sale al exterior. Este apartamento tiene una participación en los elementos comunes de 0.0076810%. Este apartamento tiene el estacionamiento número 534”. Inscrita al Folio (170) del Tomo (172) de Luquillo, Finca (9,622), Registro de la Propiedad de Fajardo; Catastro Núm. (091028-329-17-245). La parte demandante solicita del Honorable Tribunal que declare con lugar la demanda y en su consecuencia ordene al Secretario del Tribunal que expida Mandamiento al Registrador de la Propiedad de Fajardo, para que dicho funcionario proceda a cancelar en los libros a su cargo la referida hipoteca dejando la propiedad aquí descrita libre de dicho gravamen hipotecario. Por el presente Edicto se les emplaza y requiere para que conteste la Demanda radicando el original de su contestación ante el Tribunal Superior de Puerto Rico, Sala de Fajardo y notificándole con copia de dicha contestación a la abogada de la parte demandante: Lcda. Beatriz Cay Vázquez RUA 18234; P.O. Box 1809, Caguas, Puerto Rico 00726-1809 Tel. (787) 731-0526; Email: beatrizcayvazquez@gmail.com apercibiéndoles que de no haber oposición dentro del término de treinta (30) días a partir de la publicación de este edicto, podrá dictarse Sentencia concediendo el remedio solicitado en la Demanda. Conforme la Sección VII(4) de las Directrices Administrativas para la Presentación y Notificación Electrónica de Documentos Mediante el Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos, según enmendadas, el edicto publicado debe contener además un lenguaje similar al siguiente: “Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Administración y Manejo de Casos (SUMAC), al cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://unired.ramajudicial.pr, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal”.

POR ORDEN DEL TRIBUNAL, expido el presente Edicto en Fajardo, Puerto Rico hoy día 16 de noviembre de 2020. WANDA I. SEGUÍ REYES, Secretaria.

LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE CAROLINA.

EVA ILIA PÉREZ CRESPO, WILFRED APONTE PÉREZ Y LIAM MAGALY APONTE PÉREZ PETICIONARIOS

EX PARTE

CIVIL NÚM. CA2020CV0060.

SOBRE: EXPEDIENTE DE DOMINIO. EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS EE.UU. EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PR.

25

A: Gladys Casillas Nieves e Isabel Nieves Rodríguez, miembros de la Sucesión de Eliseo Casillas, inmediato anterior dueño del predio abajo descrito, ambas con dirección en 12944 Little Elliot Dr., Hagerstown, Maryland 21742; a todo el que tenga algún interés propietario, o derecho real sobre el inmueble descrito en la Petición de Dominio del caso de epígrafe, a las personas ignoradas a quienes pueda perjudicar la inscripción del mismo, y, en general, a toda persona que desee oponerse.

POR LA PRESENTE: se les notifica que los peticionarios de epígrafe, han presentado una Petición para que se declare a favor de ellos, el dominio que tienen sobre la siguiente propiedad: “RÚSTICA: Predio de terreno denominado Parcela Uno (1) en el plano de inscripción localizado en el barrio Cedros de Carolina, Puerto Rico, con una cabida superficial de mil seiscientos sesenta punto cuatro mil doscientos dieciocho metros cuadrados (1,660.4218.MC), equivalentes a punto cuatro mil doscientos veinticinco diezmilésimas de cuerda (.4225 Cda.) y en lindes: por el Norte con terrenos de la Sucesión de Agustín Rodríguez; ahora, Eleuterio Álamo Resto; por el Sur, con Parcela marcada Dos del mismo Plano, ahora Luis Cruz; por el Este, con quebrada y área a dedicarse a uso público y por el Oeste, con camino de uso público.” Dicho “lote es parte de la finca número 43,955, inscrita al folio 259 del tomo 1047, finca número de la Sección II de Carolina, propiedad de Eliseo Casill.as Pérez de quien la copeticionaria Eva l. Crespo Pérez y su esposo Wilfredo Aponte Aponte adquirieron el lote que desean inscribir mediante este procedimiento , en dos predios con cabidas originales de 1,147.62 M.C y 796.02 M.C y que ·1os Peticionarios poseyeron como si fuera un solo predio desde sus respectivas compras, efectuadas por las escrituras números diecisiete (17) del 17 de abril de 1979, ante Amílcar Soto Santiago y doce (12) del 17 de octubre de 1985, ante el mismo Notario. Ni los referidos dos lotes, ni la propiedad formada por los mismos y que los Peticionarios desean inscribir ahora como un solo predio, están afectos a cargas o gravámenes de clase alguna. Este Tribunal ordenó que se publique la pretensión por tres (3) veces durante el término de veinte (20) días en un periódico de circulación general diaria, para que todas las personas arriba mencionadas y todas

aquellas desconocidas a quienes pueda perjudicar la inscripción o deseen oponerse, puedan así hacerlo dentro del término de veinte (20) días a partir de la última publicación del presente edicto. Por tanto firmo expido la presente en Carolina, Puerto Rico, a 14 de Septiembre de 2020. Lcda.

Marilyn Aponte Rodriguez, Secretaría Regional. Rosa M. Viera Velazquez, Subsecretaria.

LEGAL NOTICE

RISOL ROSADO RODRÍGUEZ, Secretario(a). F/ ILEANA CRUZ VAZQUEZ, Secretario(a) Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA Tribunal de Primera Instancia Sala Superior de SAN JUAN.

JUAN RAMÓN VILÁ LÓPEZ Demandante v.

HOUSING INVESTMENT CORPORATION; JOHN DOE & RICHARD ROE

Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA Tribunal de Primera Instancia Sala Superior de GUADemandado(a) YAMA. Civil: Núm. SJ2020CV04542 POPULAR AUTO, LLC. (503). Sobre: CANCELACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO. NODemandante v.

TIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA SONIA E. DE ALBA POR EDICTO.

BURGOS, SU ESPOSO FULANO DE TAL Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES ENTRE AMBOS; ANGEL LUIS COLON TORRES, SU ESPOSA FULANA DE TAL Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES ENTRE AMBOS

Demandado(a) Civil: Núm. GM2018CV00569.

Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO POR LA VIA ORDINARIA. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: SONIA E. DE ALBA BURGOS, SU ESPOSO FULANO DE TAL Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES ENTRE AMBOS; ANGEL LUIS COLON TORRES, SU ESPOSA FULANA DE TAL Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES ENTRE AMBOS

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 12 de noviembre de 2020, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 16 de noviembre de 2020.

En GUAYAMA, Puerto Rico, el 16 de noviembre de 2020. MA-

A: HOUSING INVESTMENT CORPORATION; JOHN DOE & RICHARD ROE

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 22 de octubre de 2020, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 22 de octubre de 2020. En SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico , el 16 de noviembre de 2020. GRISELDA RODRIGUEZ COLLADO, Secretaria. F/MARILY LOPEZ MARTINEZ, Sec Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA Tribunal de Primera Instancia Sala Superior de TOA ALTA.

AMERICAS LEADING FINANCE LIC Demandante VS.

CARLOS A. MARQUEZ PEREZ Y OTROS

Demandados Caso Civil Núm.

TA2020CV00088. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO Y EJECUCION DE GRAVAMEN MOBILIARIO (REPOSESION DE VEHICULO).

NOTIFICACION DE SENTENCIA ENMENDADA POR EDICTO.

A: CARLOS A. MARQUEZ

26 PEREZ, SHEYLA CABEZUDO RIVERA Y IA SLG COMPUESTA POR AMBOS

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO (A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 4 de NOVIEMBRE de 2020, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los (10) días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de (30) días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto.

Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 17 de NOVIEMBRE de 2020. En TOA ALTA, Puerto Rico, el 17 de NOVIEMBRE de 2020.

CC: LCDO. GERARDO MANUEL ORTIZ TORRES-COND. EL CENTRO I, SUITE 801, 500 MUÑOZ RIVERA AVE., SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, 00918 LCDO. ALEJANDRO BELIVER ESPINOSA COND El CENTRO I, 500 AVE MUÑOZ RIVERA STE 801, SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, 00918 LCDA. LAURA I. SANTA SANCHEZ, Secretario (a) Regional.

LIRIAM M. HERNANDEZ OTERO, Sec Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOT ICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN SALA SUPERIOR.

E.M.I. EQUITY MORTGAGE, INC DEMANDANTE VS.

NELSON OCASIO MOJICA (DEUDOR HIPOTECARIO); JORGE ERNESTO MEDINA PEREZ, ALMA FELIX FLORES ROBLES Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS (TITULARES REGISTRALES)

DEMANDADOS CIVIL NUM.: SJ2019CV01492.

SOBRE: COBRO DE DINERO Y EJECUCION DE HIPOTECA (VÍA ORDINARIA). EDICTO DE SUBASTA. El Alguacil que suscribe por la presente CERTIFICA, ANUNCIA y hace CONSTAR: Que en cumplimiento de un Mandamiento de Ejecución de Sentencia que le ha sido dirigido al Alguacil que suscribe

por la Secretaría del TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN, SALA SUPERIOR, en el caso de epígrafe procederá a vender en pública subasta al mejor postor en efectivo, cheque certificado en moneda legal de los Estados Unidos de América el 12 de enero de 2021, a las 9:30 de la mañana, en su oficina sita en el local que ocupa en el edificio del TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN, SALA SUPERIOR, todo derecho, título e interés que tenga la parte demandada de epígrafe en el inmueble de su propiedad que ubica en: D-1 CALLE VIA LAS ALTURAS URB. LA VISTA SAN JUAN, PR 00926 y que se describe a continuación: RUSTICA: Parcela de terreno, identificada como solar #1 del bloque D de la Urbanización La Vista, radicada en el barrio Sabana Llana del término municipal de San Juan, con una cabida superficial de 330.87 metros cuadrados. En linderos: Norte, en una distancia de 14.50 metros con el solar #13; por el Sur, en una distancia de 11.00 metros y otra en arco de 2.75 metros con la calle #3; por el Este, en una distancia de 23.00 metros con el solar #2 y por el Oeste, en una distancia de 19.50 metros y otra en arco de 2.75 metros con la calle #4. ENCLAVA: Una casa de concreto diseñada para una familia. La propiedad antes relacionada consta inscrita al Folio 121 del Tomo 739 de Sabana Llana, finca número 29609, Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan Sección Quinta.

El tipo mínimo para la primera subasta del inmueble antes relacionado, será el dispuesto en la Escritura de Hipoteca, es decir la suma de $209,267.00. Si no hubiere remate ni adjudicación en la primera subasta del inmueble mencionado, se celebrará una segunda subasta en las oficinas del Alguacil que suscribe el día 20 de enero de 2021, a las 9:30 de la mañana. En la segunda subasta que se celebre servirá de tipo mínimo las dos terceras partes (2/3) del precio pactado en la primera subasta, o sea la suma de $139,511.33. Si tampoco hubiere remate ni adjudicación en la segunda subasta se celebrará una tercera subasta en las oficinas del Alguacil que suscribe el día 27 de enero de 2021, a las 9:30 de la mañana. Para la tercera subasta servirá de tipo mínimo la mitad (1/2) del precio pactado para el caso de ejecución, o sea, la suma de $104,633.50. Las hipoteca a ejecutarse en el caso de epígrafe fue constituida mediante la escritura de hipoteca número 198 otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día 22 de mayo de 2018, ante el Notario Jaime E. Dávila Santini, y consta inscrita al Tomo Karibe de la Quinta Sección de San Juan, finca número 29609 de Sabana Llana, en el Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan, Sección Quinta, inscripción Novena (9na). Dicha subasta se llevará a cabo para con su producto satisfacer al Demandante

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

total o parcialmente según sea el caso el importe de la Sentencia que ha obtenido ascendente a la suma de $209,267.00 por concepto de principal, desde el 1ro de julio de 2018, más intereses al tipo pactado de 4.1/4% anual que continúan acumulándose hasta el pago total de la obligación. Además la parte co-demandada Nelson Ocasio Mojica adeuda a la parte demandante los cargos por demora equivalentes a 4.00% de la suma de aquellos pagos con atrasos en exceso de 15 días calendarios de la fecha de vencimiento; los créditos accesorios y adelantos hechos en virtud de la escritura de hipoteca; y las costas, gastos y honorarios de abogado equivalentes a $20,926.70. Además la parte co-demandada Nelson Ocasio Mojica se comprometió a pagar una suma equivalente a $20,926.70 para cubrir cualquier otro adelanto que se haga en virtud de la escritura de hipoteca.

Por razón de dicho incumplimiento, y al amparo del derecho que le confiere el Pagaré, el demandante ha declarado tales sumas vencidas, líquidas y exigibles en su totalidad. Que los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al Procedimiento incoado estarán de manifiesto en la SECRETARIA DEL TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN, SALA SUPERIOR durante las horas laborables. Se entenderá que todo licitador acepta como bastante la titulación del inmueble y que las cargas y gravámenes anteriores y los preferentes, si los hubiere, al crédito del ejecutante continuarán subsistentes entendiéndose que el rematante los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio de remate. La propiedad no está sujeta a gravámenes anteriores y/o preferentes según surge de las constancias del Registro de la Propiedad en un estudio de título efectuado a la finca antes descrita. Por la presente se notifica a los acreedores desconocidos, no inscritos o presentados que sus acreedores de cargos o derechos reales que los hubiesen pospuesto a la hipoteca del actor y a los dueños, poseedores, tenedores de o interesados en títulos transmisibles por endoso o al portador garantizados hipotecariamente con posterioridad al crédito del actor que se celebrarán las subastas en las fechas, horas y sitios señalados para que puedan concurrir a la subasta si les conviniere o se les invita a satisfacer antes del remate el importe del crédito, de sus intereses, otros cargos y las costas y honorarios de abogado asegurados quedando subrogados en los derechos del acreedor ejecutante. La propiedad objeto de ejecución y descrita anteriormente se adquirirá libre de cargas y gravámenes posteriores una vez el Honorable Tribunal expida la correspondiente Orden de Confirmación de Venta Judicial. Y para conocimiento de licitadores del

público en general se publicará este Edicto de acuerdo con la ley por espacio de dos semanas en tres sitios públicos del municipio en que ha de celebrarse la venta, tales como la Alcaldía, el Tribunal y la Colecturía. Este Edicto será publicado dos veces en un diario de circulación general en el Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, por espacio de dos semanas consecutivas.

Expido el presente Edicto de subasta bajo mi firma y sello de este Tribunal en San Juan, Puerto Rico, hoy día 18 de noviembre de 2020.

EDWIN E. LOPEZ MULERO, ALGUACIL DE SUBASTAS, TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA, CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN, SALA SUPERIOR.

LEGAL NOTICE

vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 18 de noviembre de 2020. En Ponce, Puerto Rico, el 18 de noviembre de 2020. LUZ MAYRA CARABALLO, Secretaria Regional. F/HILDA J. ROSADO RODRIGUEZ, Sec Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA Tribunal de Primera Instancia Sala Superior de San Juan.

CARLOS ALBERTO RIVERA, CARLOS RUBÉN RIVERA DELGADO POR ELLOS Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE LA SUCESIÓN DE CARLOS RUBÉN RIVERA

VS Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE ENRICO RUBÉN RIVERA JUSTICIA Tribunal de Primera CIVIL NUM. SJ2019CV03086 Instancia Sala Superior Municipal (802). SOBRE: LIQUIDACIÓN de Ponce.

DE CAUDAL HEREDITARIO Y SOLICITUD DE AUTORIZACIÓN FIRSTBANK JUDICIAL. NOTIFICACIÓN DE PUERTO RICO SENTENCIA POR EDICTO POR Demandante Vs. SUMAC.

CARLOS O. ROLON RODRIGUEZ

Demandado Civil Num: PO2020CV01107.

Salon: 0601. Sobre: INCUMPLIMIENTO DE CONTRATO, COBRO DE DINERO Y REPOSESION. NOTIFICACION DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO ENMENDADA.

A: CARLOS O. ROLON RODRIGUEZ 170 CALLE REINA, PONCE, PUERTO RICO 00730 P/C Lcda. Carolina M. Mejía Lugo, Número del Tribunal Supremo 19857 221 Ponce de León Ave., Suite 900, San Juan, PR Teléfono: (787) 296-9500, Correo Electrónico: cmejialvprlaw.com

(Nombre de las partes a las que se les notifica la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que 17 de noviembre de 2020, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representado usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi-

A: ENRICO RUBÉN RIVERA

EL SECRETARIO (A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 16 de JULIO de 2020, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de esta. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los diez (10) días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 16 de noviembre de 2020. En San Juan, Puerto Rico, el 16 de noviembre de 2020.

GRISELDA RODRÍGUEZ COLLADO, Secretaria Regional. f/ DENISE M. AMARO MACHUCA, Secretario (a) Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN.

JOAQUÍN COLÓN VÉLEZ Demandante vs.··

DAISE CANUTO DE MORAES

Demandada CIVIL NÚM: SJ2020RF01146.

SOBRE: DIVORCIO (Ruptura Irreparable). -EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. LOS ESTADOS

UNIDOS DE AMERICA EL PRESIDENTED E LOSE E. UU. EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE P.R. SS

A: SRA. DAISE CANUTO DE MORAES

Por la presente se le notifica que la parte demandante ha presentado ante este Tribunal demanda de divorcio contra usted. Representa a la parte demandante, el abogado cuyo nombre, dirección y teléfono se consigna de inmediato: LCDO. SAMUEL M. CORDERO VELEZ SCV LA W OFF/CE 8050 CARR. 844 BOX 23 SAN JUAN, PR 00926-9889 TEL. 787-362-1662 FAX. 939-204-3102 Se le apercibe que si no compareciere usted a contestar dicha demanda dentro del término de treinta (30) días, a partir de la publicación de este edicto, se le anotará la rebeldía y se le dictará sentencia concediendo el remedio solicitado, sin más citarle ni oírle. EXPEDIDO bajo firma y sello de este Tribunal. En San Juan, Puerto Rico a 5 de noviembre de 2020. GRISELDA RODRIGUEZ COLLADO, Secretaria del Tribunal. MARIA A. RAMOS VIERA, SUBSECRETARIA DEL TRIB.

LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN.

BOSCO CREDIT X, LLC, representado por su Agente de Servicios FRANKLIN CREDIT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Demandante vs.

MILAGROS PIMENTEL MILANO

Demandada CIVIL NÚM. SJ2019CV07361 (506). SOBRE: COBRO DE DINERO (Ejecución de Hipoteca por la Vía Ordinaria). EDICTO DE SUBASTA.

Al: Público en General A: MILAGROS PIMENTEL MILANO; FULANO DE TAL y ZUTANO DE TAL, por tener Hipoteca en Garantía de Pagaré a su favor por la suma de $30,000.00

Yo, EDWIN E. LÓPEZ MULERO, ALGUACIL AUXILIAR, Alguacil de este Tribunal, a la parte demandada y a los acreedores y personas con interés sobre la propiedad que más adelante se describe, y al público en general, HAGO SABER: Que el día 17 de diciembre de 2020, a las 9:30 de la mañana, en mi oficina, sita en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior de San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico, venderé en Pública Subasta la propiedad inmueble que más adelante se describe y cuya venta en pública subasta se ordenó por la vía ordinaria al mejor postor quien hará el pago en dinero en efectivo, giro postal o cheque certificado a

nombre del o la Alguacil del Tribunal de Primera Instancia. Los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al procedimiento incoado, estarán de manifiesto en la Secretaría del Tribunal de San Juan durante horas laborables. Que en caso de no producir remate ni adjudicación en la primera subasta a celebrarse, se celebrará una segunda subasta para la venta de la susodicha propiedad, el día 14 de enero de 2021, a las 9:30 de la mañana y en caso de no producir remate ni adjudicación, se celebrará una tercera subasta el día 25 de enero de 2021, a las 9:30 de la mañana, de la mañana en mi oficina sita en el lugar antes indicado. La propiedad a venderse en pública subasta se describe como sigue: URBANA: Solar marcado con el número Cuatro (4), radicado en la Sección Norte del Barrio Santurce del término municipal de San Juan, Puerto Rico, con una extensión superficial de CIENTO CINCUENTA Y DOS PUNTO VEINTICINCO (152.25) METROS CUADRADOS; por el NORTE, mide quince punto quince (15.15) metros en colindancia, con el solar número Cinco (5) de don Rafael Segarra; por el SUR, mide quince punto treinta (15.30) metros, en colindancia con el solar número Tres (3) segregado y vendido a Guillermo Tirado Serrano; por el ESTE, en diez punto cero cero (10.00) metros , con propiedad de Onofre Rodrígue z; y por el OESTE, en diez punto cero cero (10.00) metros, con la Avenida Del Valle. Contiene una casa de madera y concreto dedicada a vivienda de una familia. ---La escritura .de hipoteca se encuentra inscrita al folio 137 vuelto del tomo 1111 de Santurce Norte, Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan , Secc ión Primera , finca número 8,724, inscripción novena. ---Modificada la hipoteca relacionada ad-supra, por la suma de $154,557.00, que motivó la inscripción 9na. para modificar el principal que será ahora por la suma de $175,795.09, sus intereses serán al 4.875% anual , vencedero el día 1 ro. de diciembre de 2042, según la escritura número 180, otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día 24 de diciembre de 2012, ante el Notario Público José V. Gorbea Varona, inscrita al tomo Karibe de Santurce Norte, Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan , Sección Primera, finca 8,724, inscripción 12a. ---Modificada la hipoteca relacionada nuevamente, por la suma de $154,557.00, en cuanto al principal que ahora será por la suma de $186,892.61, vencedero el día 1 ro. de junio de 2046, con su último pago por la suma de $37,378.52, según la escritura número 86, otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día 16 de junio de 2016, ante el Notario Público José V. Gorbea Varona, inscrita al tomo Karibe de Santurce Norte, Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan, Sección Primera, finca 8,724, inscripción 13a. La dirección física de la propiedad antes descrita es: Vi-

lla Palmeras, 367 (antes Solar Número 4) Calle Del Val le, San Juan, Puerto Rico. La Subasta se llevará a efecto para satisfacer a la parte demandante la suma de $143,865.60 de principal, intereses pactados y computados sobre esta suma al tipo de 4.875% anual, desde el 1ro. de febrero de 2019, hasta su total y completo pago , contribuciones, recargos y primas de seguro adeudados y la suma de $15,455.70 por concepto de costas, gastos y honorarios de abogados, todas cuyas sumas están líquidas y exigibles. Que la cantidad mínima de licitación en la primera subasta para el inmueble será de $186,892.6 1 y de ser necesaria una segunda subasta, la cantidad mínima será equivalente a 2/3 partes de aquella, o sea, la suma de $124,595.07 y de ser necesaria una tercera subasta, la cantidad mínima será la mitad del precio pactado , es decir , la suma de $93,446.30. La propiedad se adjudicará al mejor postor, quien deberá satisfacer el importe de su oferta en moneda legal y corriente de los Estados Unidos de América en el momento de la adjudicación y que las cargas y gravámenes preferentes, si los hubiese , continuarán subsistentes, entendiéndose que el rematante los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. La propiedad hipotecada a ser vendida en pública subasta se encuentra afecta al siguiente gravamen posterior: ---Hipoteca en Garantía de Pagaré a favor del Portador, o a su orden, por la suma principal de $30,000.00, sin intereses, vencedero el día 31 de diciembre de 2007, según consta de la Escritura Número 50, otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día 7 de junio de 2007, ante el Notario Público Héctor Olán Couret, inscrita al folio 68 del tomo 1133 de Santuce Norte, Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan, Sección Primera, finca número 8,724, inscripción 11 a. -Se posterga la hipoteca que motivó la inscripción 11 ma. a favor de las modificaciones que motivaron las inscripciones 12ma y 13ra, según consta de las Escrituras Número 180 y 186, otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día 24 de diciembre de 2012 y el día 16 de junio de 2016, ante el Notario Público José V. Gorbea Varona, inscrita al tomo Karibe de Santurce Norte, Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan, Sección Primera, finca número 8,724, como nota marginal 11.2. La propiedad a ser vendida en pública subasta se adquirirá libre de cargas y gravámenes posteriores.

EN TESTIMONIO DE LO CUAL, expido el presente Edicto para conocimiento y comparecencia de los licitadores, bajo mi firma y sello del Tribunal, en San Juan , Puerto Rico, a 18 de noviembre de 2020. EDWIN E. LOPEZ MULERO, ALGUACIL, DIVISIÓN DE EJECUCION DE SENTENCIAS, TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA, SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN.

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

27

A quarterback with NFL potential pledges to an HBCU, joining a trend

By DAVID WALDSTEIN

I

n the hallway of his family’s apartment in Valley Stream, N.Y., last month, Noah Bodden overturned a large green trash bag, spilling out several pounds of recruiting letters.

The envelopes bore the insignia of many prominent college football programs across the country, like Louisiana State, Baylor, Oregon, Tennessee and Arizona State. Some included handwritten notes from coaches to Bodden, one of the most promising high school quarterbacks in the country.

“You will make our team better the first day you step on campus,” one coach wrote.

It was all very flattering for Bodden (the first syllable “Bo” rhymes with “snow”), especially given the power and prestige behind the outreach from teams that regularly play on national television and have extravagant facilities.

But surprisingly, Bodden spurned them all. He pledged to go to Grambling State University, a historically Black college in rural Louisiana. Grambling has a rich football history, but like all HBCUs, it struggles to compete with the cachet and the financial advantages of major football powerhouses.

“I want to be a trendsetter,” Bodden said last month while sitting on a stoop across the street from his home. “I want to be like LeBron James and bring everybody with me.”

Bodden, 17, lives with his parents in a modest apartment above a check-cashing store. He worries about his homework, delivers food for DoorDash in his compact car and, by taking his talents to Grambling, is highlighting the growing appeal of HBCUs for many young athletes of color.

“It’s going to bring a lot of attention to Black colleges, and deservedly so,” said Doug Williams, who played for Grambling in the 1970s and in 1988 became the first Black quarterback to start in and win a Super Bowl. Three decades later, Williams is part of a scouting committee sponsored by the NFL that is pushing to ensure that HBCU players receive fair consideration in the league’s annual draft.

Seeking a Shift Bodden, a senior at Christ the King High School in Queens, announced his decision in a splashy video in late September. It came a month after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisc., and four months after George Floyd was killed in police custody in Minneapolis. Those cases and others spawned widespread protests that extended to sports.

Professional players in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and soccer sat out games, and high school athletes took steps, as well. Among them was Makur Maker, a 6-foot-11 basketball recruit, who said he would attend Howard University instead of UCLA or Kentucky. A handful of other athletes in football and in men’s and women’s basketball also said they would go to HBCUs. Bodden pledged to Grambling for similar reasons, in part to help broaden the appeal of HBCUs to elite nonwhite athletes, some of whom worry about being exploited at predominantly white universities even as they help raise the profiles and profits of those institutions.

“With the social unrest this summer, a lot of HBCUs have been getting transfers and contacted by players they wouldn’t have gotten before,” said B.J. Jones, a former linebacker at Southern University in Louisiana and a writer and commentator for the website HBCU Gameday. “I think a lot of kids are now thinking: ‘Hey, you can love my talent. But do you love my humanity?’”

Jones said he could not recall a recruit of Bodden’s stature from a northern city in the United States who had committed to a historically Black college. Most HBCU players come from within the institutions’ general geographical footprint in the South. But Bodden, Jones said, should find Grambling to be welcoming.

Jones, who was a third-generation HBCU football player, insists that Black colleges tend to emphasize developing student-athletes into well-rounded people rather than focusing simply on their sports.

His grandfather played football at Tuskegee University, and his father and brother at Alabama State. When Jones was at Southern, which is near the Louisiana State campus in

Baton Rouge, he and his teammates worked out and socialized with their LSU counterparts. Jones said many of them envied the hospitality and comfort they felt while walking around the Southern campus.

“They would light up when they came to visit,” Jones said. “They would tell us, ‘I don’t feel ownership in my school like you do.’ It’s not just how you treat the Black athlete on campus. It’s also about how you treat the ordinary Black student who maybe can’t give you anything.”

This year, HBCUs canceled all of their fall sports because of the coronavirus pandemic while the marquee conferences, which have TV deals far more lucrative than those of Grambling and its fellow Black colleges, went to great lengths to stage football seasons.

Williams said the HBCU decision revealed the institutions to be motivated more by students’ well being than by financial concerns.

Ultimately, the NFL Bodden says he believes that Grambling can help his chances to be drafted by an NFL team, even though the university is in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision, the second tier of the college game, and rarely appears on national TV. “It is by no means a mistake,” said Phil Simms, a Super Bowl-winning New York Giants quarterback who, with his son Matt, has helped train Bodden. “Look, I went to Morehead State. If you’ve got it, the scouts will find you.”

Bodden hopes to compete for a starting job as a freshman, and there is less chance of that happening on a team in one of the Power 5 conferences.

“It’s all about getting to the league,” Bodden said, referring to the NFL. “If I had a good chance of going to Arizona State and starting, or at least having a shot right behind Jayden Daniels, I would go there. But that’s not the best decision for me right now.”

Only one Grambling football player has been drafted by an NFL team in the past decade. Bodden says he can be the next.

Bodden is 6-foot-4, weighs 215 pounds and has a right arm able to loft spirals with incredible ease. He is rated the 48th-best senior pocket-passing quarterback by 247 Sports, a network of websites that focus on college recruiting for football and basketball.

Matt Simms, a former quarterback for the New York Jets and the University of Tennessee, said he had seen NFL-caliber talent in Bodden.

“I’ll tell him from time to time during a workout, ‘Just so you know, that throw was good enough to be the sixth- or seventh-best

throw in the NFL this week,’” Matt Simms said. “It’s scary to think about how good he can get, because he can already throw the ball 50 yards, 20 feet off the ground.”

Bodden began working with the Simmses at the suggestion of Bruce Eugene, the offensive coordinator at Christ the King, who was a star quarterback at Grambling. Eugene said that he had initially favored Kansas, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech for Bodden, and had not pushed Grambling, but that he was overjoyed by the decision.

Bodden’s parents initially wanted him to accept an offer from Kansas.

“But we support his decision now,” said his mother, Maria Sisternes. “We are very proud of him making the choice that is right for him.”

With 15 Black college football championships, Grambling has gained a reputation as the Notre Dame of HBCUs. In 1971, seven Grambling State players were taken in the first five rounds of the NFL draft.

But of the roughly 1,750 active players on NFL rosters when the season began on Sept.

7, only 29 had come from HBCUs, according to HBCU Gameday. And since the American Football League and the NFL began drafting together in 1967, only 13 quarterbacks have been selected from HBCUs, according to the Football Perspective website.

As integration began to take hold in college football in the early 1970s and the best players migrated to the large, predominantly white universities, the talent pool for HBCUs shrank.

The last Grambling quarterback drafted by an NFL team was Clemente Gordon in 1990, and the last before that was Williams, who was selected in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978. Williams, who also coached at Grambling, replacing the legendary Eddie Robinson in 1998, now works for the Washington Football Team as senior vice president for player development.

“He’s going to have a culture shock, with the hospitality he is going to get,” Williams said of Bodden. “It’s not just a game there, it’s a family reunion. I can’t even imagine not going to a historically Black college.”

Bodden says he has made his decision, but he has yet to commit in writing. He can sign a national letter of intent no sooner than Dec. 16.

He could still change course. But he insists that will not happen.

“I’m trying to promote a positive vibe,” Bodden said. “Imagine if a whole bunch of other recruits go to HBCUs, too. If you are good, they are going to come join you.”

28

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

To wear their masks, the beards — and a tradition — had to go.

By SHAUNA FARNELL

T

ony Cammarata dreaded the news he had to deliver to his employees. They were not losing their jobs. They were not losing their perks.

They were losing their beards.

Cammarata, who oversees the ski patrol for an area in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver, had to clamp down on the facial hair so the patrol could properly wear their N95 respirator masks for protection in the coronavirus pandemic.

But he knew this would be a tough measure to accept for the men on his crew (47 of the resort’s 56 patrollers). For the vast majority of them, beards and the ski patrol go together like snow and the mountains.

“You could tell people they’re not getting a merit increase, that you’re cutting their skiing privileges,” said Cammarata, the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area operations director. “It’s not as bad as telling them they have to shave. The whole beard thing is ingrained in our culture.”

The masks are required this season. And they fit much better without the facial hair.

“You need to have a good, tight seal,’’ said Dr. Kendrick Adnan, the medical adviser for the Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain and Keystone ski resorts and a former ski patroller himself. “Facial hair will interfere with that and put that ski patroller at risk.”

“I’ve known many ski patrollers whose facial hair is near and dear,” he added. “This year is going to be painful for them.”

Painful does not quite capture it.

“It was shocking,” said Hunter Mortensen, a longtime Breckenridge, Colo. ski patroller who recently shaved for the first time in 10 years. “It was like that jumpingin-a-cold-lake-feeling the first time the wind blew.”

His colleague, Ryan Dineen, who has not owned a razor since 2005 and whose wife has never seen him without a beard, agreed that hearing about the new shaving protocol was jarring.

“The knee-jerk reaction was, how dare you? This is who I am,” Dineen said, preparing to succumb to the razor in the coming days. “I might have to FaceTime with my dad so he can reteach me how to use a razor.”

Ski resorts are trying to recover from a spring season cut short by virus lockdowns.

Skiers now face a range of precautions including mask requirements, social distancing measures on lifts, reservation-only time on slopes and some closed indoor dining spots.

Hunter Mortensen with his beard and now-retired patrol dog, Tali, in 2016.

By and large, ski patrol members cutting their beards see it as a small inconvenience for the sake of safety and keeping the slopes active. But all that shaving has come with some peculiarities.

In ski areas like Arapahoe Basin, about 80 percent of the male patrollers have had to drastically change (or introduce) shaving regimens. A chart issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighting the variety of facial hairstyles permitted with a fitted respirator mask has become a go-to resource.

“It’s one of the funniest government-issued documents I’ve ever seen,” Cammarata said. “It’s a pictogram with 40-plus styles of facial hair. They’ve named them all. We’ve always had a long tradition of hiring these Viking-looking men to do this job. When I showed them this chart, we all laughed hysterically. We’ve been trying to keep it pretty lighthearted. People started showing up with some ridiculous facial hair.”

Bearded patrollers say their facial hair serves as protection against the elements — a warm layer in strong winds, blizzards, frigid temperatures and harsh high-elevation sun.

“It’s like Mother Nature’s neck gaiter,” said Drew Kneeland, the patrol director in Jackson Hole, Wyo. “Also, it’s funny how

Mortenson and his current patrol dog, Huckleberry.

people look at you differently if you have a beard or not. For some reason, people don’t question someone with a beard as much as if they’re clean-shaven. It becomes part of your identity and how you interact with the world around you.”

And if Kneeland is being honest, “if you’re skiing deep powder and you come down to the bottom and have a face full of snow, it’s kind of fun.”

For Rick Hamlin, a National Ski Patrol historian who has covered Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont for 48 years and has had a bushy mustache since 1979, the prospect of shaving is something he is willing to put up with to continue doing what he loves.

“I’d be sad about it, but given the choice between patrolling and having facial hair, I would definitely do it,” Hamlin said. “One thing you can say about patrollers everywhere is they’re used to adapting and doing whatever is needed to get the job done.”

Mark Hardy, longtime patroller at Alpental, Wash., said he expected initial grumbling among his hairy co-workers, but added that it would not be unlike other safety measures that have come into play over the years.

“They made us all switch to helmets several years ago,’’ he said. “I thought there would be an uprising.”

Mike O’Hara, a ski patrol supervisor in Killington, Vt., recently shaved the beard he had for nearly 30 years.

“We have a few patrollers whose beards are older than some of their coworkers,” he said. “After the initial shock of learning the new shaving protocol, most patrollers understood it’s a small step to take to help ensure the safety of ourselves, our families, our company and the community as a whole.”

And, really, it’s a small step given the gravity of the pandemic.

“I’m not a front-line doctor in an ER who has to wear an N95 all day,” Dineen said. “I don’t live in a city. There’s a lot of things about COVID that haven’t impacted us here. As much as we love our facial hair, we love what we do more. This beard will come back. Maybe I’ll shave it and think, man, I look like an adult for the first time in my life.”

And many patrollers are finding a silver lining. “Most of us look a lot younger and less weathered,” Mortensen said.

“The beard has been part of our iconic look. There are going to be some grown men with separation anxiety for a little while. They might need a big hug every now and then.”

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

29

Sudoku How to Play: Fill in the empty fields with the numbers from 1 through 9.

Sudoku Rules: Every row must contain the numbers from 1 through 9 Every column must contain the numbers from 1 through 9 Every 3x3 square must contain the numbers from 1 through 9

Crossword

Answers on page 30

Wordsearch

GAMES

HOROSCOPE Aries

30

(Mar 21-April 20)

While the Sun in Sagittarius may be calling you to new adventures, a dreamier focus could mean imaginative and creative activities are to the fore. With the Moon in Pisces linking to Mercury and Neptune, you might be more open to others’ thoughts and feelings, especially those closest to you. Have a lot to get done? Moving your body can assist you in feeling more grounded Aries.

Taurus

(April 21-May 21)

Fire and water create steam, which can be a powerful force when used correctly. With both elements combining, you may find that you accomplish more when you give yourself a to-do list. Otherwise, the day could pass in a fog, Taurus. When you focus your energy on one thing at a time, all kinds of intuitive nudges could assist in doing a sterling job and feeling good about it.

Gemini

(May 22-June 21)

People may be spurring you on, and eager to give you plenty of encouragement. They might find it hard to understand why you’re not jumping at the chance of an opportunity, or eager to put yourself in the spotlight. It could be because you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Get it right, and your motivation can soar, and then you’ll be ready to make a start.

Cancer

(June 22-July 23)

The solution to a relationship issue may be right in front of you, but perhaps because you’re deeply involved, it’s not so easy to spot it. Sometimes you can make things harder for yourself because you tend to keep personal issues to yourself. However, letting a trusted friend know your situation might not only relieve the burden, but could gift you with some powerful insights.

Leo

(July 24-Aug 23)

Excited about a plan? There is much you can do to move things forward. Don’t feel duty bound to share every single detail with others, as it’s much better to keep some things to yourself. Once you have everything sorted out to your satisfaction, then go ahead. In addition, as Saturn nears the end of its journey through Capricorn, this is a good time to complete any overdue projects.

Virgo

(Aug 24-Sep 23)

The San Juan Daily Star

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

If it seems that life has been quieter lately, then try not to dwell on it too much. With the Sun your guide planet moving through a more secluded sector, this is a good time to ease off the accelerator and take things at an easier pace. It’s also a chance to refill your creative well, by making the most of fresh experiences that could fire up your imagination with exciting ideas.

Libra

(Sep 24-Oct 23)

While small luxuries can appeal, ethereal aspects suggest the things you think you want might not satisfy a deeper need. This may be for something intangible such as happiness, security or perhaps love. What could help is a little self-care, which doesn’t have to cost the earth. If you have been busy giving to others, then it’s time to give back to yourself and boost your morale.

Scorpio

(Oct 24-Nov 22)

Looking for a change of image? You may be ready for a new look or a makeover that can be more in line with your feelings about yourself, or the activities and interests that define you. With Venus moving deeper into your sign, you might notice that desires, whether for a person or an item, could be stronger than usual, and this can create a compelling need to find satisfaction.

Sagittarius

(Nov 23-Dec 21)

Capricorn

(Dec 22-Jan 20)

Key aspects bring a chance to embrace your personal history, and all the events that have made you who you are today, while not letting it limit your potential. Reflection may encourage insights which work to your advantage. Have an idea or goal that you are happy to strive for? If so, go for it. Someone close could plant a seed of doubt though, so be bold and rise above it.

Is it better to bend the truth or say it like it is? This may be the dilemma you find yourself in. A dynamic blend of energies encourages you to be honest, especially if it’s about your past or something that you view as a key issue. Getting it out in the open can feel uncomfortable, but it could pave the way for a healing, and the realization that it’s better just to let it all go, Capricorn.

Aquarius

(Jan 21-Feb 19)

Trusting your intuition can help you make wise decisions that you feel at ease with. Others who are experts may have advice for you, Aquarius. Yet if it feels wrong, then do what you know to be best. Ethereal aspects suggest that following your sixth sense might put you a position to gain an advantage, but you’ll need to stay alert on this occasion, as the opportunity could be easily missed.

Pisces

(Feb 20-Mar 20)

As Mercury aligns with Neptune in your sign, you may be ready to make sacrifices for others, especially those you care about, and you won’t think anything of it. Your ego energies are not so much to the fore, and you could lose yourself in your compassion or love for another. Yet do put your own needs in the picture too Pisces, as this can be a great time to enjoy some pampering.

Answers to the Sudoku and Crossword on page 29

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

31

CARTOONS

Herman

Speed Bump

Frank & Ernest

BC

Scary Gary

Wizard of Id

For Better or for Worse

The San Juan Daily Star

Ziggy

32

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The San Juan Daily Star