Thursday Oct 6, 2022

INDEX

MORNING

Manufacturers Assn. blasts LUMA union requirement it says impedes recovery of energy grid

By THE STAR STAFF

ThePuerto Rico Manufacturers Association (PRMA)

charged on Wednesday that LUMA Energy is asking contractors and suppliers to sign a document requiring their employees to join a labor union if they want to work on the energization of the island.

LUMA Energy, the private operator of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (PREPA) transmission and distri bution system, has been criticized for its failure to prevent an islandwide blackout that resulted from the passage of Hurricane Fiona on Sept. 18.

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce required LUMA to provide by next Tuesday information on how it is allocating its contract money and to explain why it did not prepare the energy infrastructure to withstand a Category 1 hurricane.

PRMA Executive Director Yandia Pérez also called on the island government to create a citizen-based independent electricity system operator (ISO), similar to the ones existing in most U.S. states and other countries, to run the electrical dispatch controlled by LUMA for the sake of transparency.

Pérez made her call in a statement to LUMA Energy, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), and Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia. All of them are responsible for executing the immediate and long-term response to the emergency caused by the passage of Hurricane Fiona through the southwest of the island, she said.

“Our local companies, including contractors and electri cal suppliers, have been ready to join the urgent energization work immediately,” Pérez said. “However, the imposition by LUMA for contractors and suppliers to sign a manda tory labor agreement known in English as the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) to carry out these projects constitutes an unacceptable impediment and a unilateral requirement.”

LUMA is forcing the companies to push their employees to join an international union so that LUMA can lawfully hire the companies.

“This inappropriate requirement hinders the humani tarian response of our associates and all local companies that wish to contribute with their experience, capacity, and knowledge, so contractors should be exempt from the PLA,” Pérez said. “LUMA has brought people from the United States and has not used these local companies.”

The PRMA executive said local contractors needed to be exempted from the PLA as it unreasonably harms and limits the free participation of local contractors and suppliers in rebuilding the electrical system.

“The Governor of Puerto Rico, as well as the other local and federal agencies in charge of the emergency response, in a gesture of solidarity with our local businesses and or

ganizations, must support this request so that we have more resources in these restoration efforts, Pérez said.

She said it is up to the Puerto Rico government to implement the labor laws and public policies in force, both local and federal.

“It is not acceptable for a company, whose function comes from a contract with public agencies such as PREPA and the Public-Private Partnerships Authority, to impose relevant employer working conditions upon a particular company,” she said.

The PRMA also denounced LUMA Energy for a severe lack of data and information that is accurate, credible, verifiable and timely.

“This consistent pattern of widespread misinformation needs to be addressed and resolved immediately,” Pérez said. “Complete and reliable information is the basis for legitimiz ing government actions in progress with transparency and with specific and clear responsibilities. It is unacceptable that companies, businesses, and consumers have to spend hours consulting various media outlets to try to obtain and manage what data is correct and what information is true about the electrical system and the energy crisis caused by a hurricane 17 days ago.”

The PRMA called for the immediate creation of a citizenbased ISO that can independently run the electrical dispatch.

“We should not wait another minute to create an ISO that produces data and accurate information and performs the electrical dispatch effectively, efficiently, reliably, and transparently,” Pérez said. “Likewise, we should not wait to immediately exempt local companies from the requirement of labor agreements to freely allow the maximum possible participation of companies in the assistance of restoration and energization work.”

Governor: IVU exemption extended until Oct. 13

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov.

Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia announced Wednesday that the temporary exemp tion on the sales and use tax (IVU by its Spanish acronym) for prepared foods and other items has been extended until Oct. 13.

The IVU exemption applies to prepared foods, carbonated drinks, deserts and sweets, the governor noted on his social media sites. The exemption does not include alcoholic beverages.

Earlier in the day Treasury Secretary Francisco Parés Alicea asked the Financial Oversight and Management Board to extend the exemption for an additional week.

“A draft administrative determination extending the term for an additional week is before our colleagues on the Fiscal Control

Board,” Parés Alicea said at a press conference. “They will enter into their rigorous analysis of the $5 million in a budget of $12 billion.”

The oversight board approved the ex tension later in the day, the Treasury chief announced.

“We recognize that electricity has not yet reached the entire population,” Parés Alicea added. “These exemptions must be evaluated and the governor is not going to hesitate.”

Asked if the Treasury Department will apply discounts and aid in payroll, Parés Alicea said “the government has responded significantly from the economic perspective since Hurricane Georges and all the storms we have experienced in the 21st century.”

The Treasury secretary added that the government has already used $100 million from the Emergency Fund.

Agriculture, Housing officials miss another public hearing

By THE STAR STAFF

Rep.

Jorge Alfredo Rivera Segarra, the chairman of the Agriculture Committee in the island House of Rep resentatives, has summoned Agriculture Secretary Ramón González Beiró and Housing Secretary William Rodríguez Rodríguez, along with Javier Lugo Rullán, the director of the Agricultural Insurance Corp., to a hearing next Wednesday, under penalty of contempt, in order to determine the state of the agricultural sector in Puerto Rico after the passage of Hurricane Fiona on Sept. 18.

The summons follows Lugo Rullán’s absence from a public hearing scheduled at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the House of Representatives.

“Our only intention with this hearing was to get a closer look at the status of our agriculture after the Hur

ricane Fiona phenomenon,” Rivera Segarra said. “To our surprise, [Tuesday] afternoon, the excuse came from the Department of Agriculture that they could not appear.”

The legislator from District 22, which includes the towns of Adjuntas, Lares, Utuado and Jayuya, charged that the Agriculture chief influenced Lugo Rullán’s absence.

“Javier Lugo Rullán was willing to appear at a public hearing …” Rivera Segarra said. “This committee has to be respected for the importance it has for the country, for the importance it has after Hurricane Fiona, and for the food crisis looming worldwide.”

Rivera Segarra stressed that this is the third time the Agriculture secretary has been summoned for a public hearing and failed to appear. He emphasized that his committee is fulfilling its duty of overseeing the Depart ment of Agriculture.

“It is time for Secretary González Beiró to understand the mechanism [of checks and balances] that balances the executive branch’s functions and the Legislature,” the lawmaker said. “We are not going to rest in the exercise of clarifying the issues that are of interest to the people of Puerto Rico regarding something as vital as agriculture.”

“In this public hearing, we wanted to know how agricul tural insurance applications were progressing, which is the only thing our farmers have to mitigate the damages caused by the weather phenomenon,” Rivera Segarra said. “The intention was to discuss how we can move at the federal level to expand agricultural insurance benefits so that they are not only applicable after the passage of a hurricane. We want to make it understood that our agriculture needs greater protection since our lands are frequently affected by the geographic position of our island.”

The Agricultural Insurance Corp. administers mandatory

insurance for farmers who receive state subsidies from the Department of Agriculture.

According to official statements by the Agriculture secretary, Hurricane Fiona mainly affected plantain, ba nana, coffee and vegetable crops in the southern region of Puerto Rico.

Rivera Segarra insisted meanwhile that he “will con tinue to monitor so that farmers know where they stand, and what they can do amid so many crises.”

Farmers interested in claiming agricultural insurance losses should email servicioscsa@agricultura.pr.gov or call 787-722-2748. The deadline to apply for damages caused by Hurricane Fiona is this Friday, Oct. 7.

Rep. Jorge Alfredo Rivera Segarra

Treasury Secretary Francisco Parés Alicea

House lawmakers grill LUMA officials in a contentious public hearing

By ALEJANDRA M. JOVER TOVAR Special to The STAR alejandra.jover@gmail.com

LUMA

Energy President & CEO Wayne Stensby, accompanied by subordinates and lawyers from the private operator of Puerto Rico’s electric power transmission and distribution system, was the focus of a contentious public hearing in the island House of Representatives on Wednesday, in which there were accusations of giving erroneous information, claims of disrespect from both sides and constant interruptions to request more information.

The public hearing, which was presided over by indepen dent Rep. Luis Raúl Torres Cruz, was also attended by Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) Executive Director Josué Colón Ortiz, who was not the direct target of the interrogation. However, he participated during the hearing by clarifying data on generation and comparing PREPA’s figures with the numbers provided by LUMA’s top management.

At the beginning of the hearing, Torres Cruz was emphatic that the officials had tried again to excuse themselves, “but we made arrangements with some officials of La Fortaleza to make requests to LUMA and PREPA to appear and thus avoid a lawsuit in court that would cost thousands of dollars.”

The hearing was characterized by generic responses from Stensby, who detailed in his presentation that “over the past 17 days, the more than 3,000 men and women of LUMA, including federal partners, have worked tirelessly together to respond to the devastating effects of Hurricane Fiona.”

“The chronology of that response is at the back of this room,” he said. “During these difficult conditions, we have conducted preliminary damage assessments, made crucial re pairs to damaged infrastructure, overcome significant damage to road and bridge access, and restored service to the customers we are privileged to serve.”

“As President Joe Biden said on Monday, in times of crisis, we come together, and we must put aside our political agendas and do what we must do,” Stensby added. “To be clear, LUMA has no political agenda or goal, and we have one overriding mission: to build a better, more reliable, and cleaner energy future and to address the damage from decades of operational neglect and financial mismanagement.”

One of Stensby’s statements that raised eyebrows was when he mentioned, “I hope the hearings will provide an opportunity to thank the first responders, the staff of PREPA, and the men and women of LUMA who have done an incredibly difficult job recovering from a devastating hurricane. … Now more than ever is the time to respect each other and work together and put politics aside to build a more reliable energy future for generations to come.”

A visibly annoyed Torres Cruz replied that the public hearings “do not have a political agenda; this is an oversight task to determine how the people’s funds are being used.”

“Don’t disrespect us by saying that this is a political mat ter,” the lawmaker said over Stensby’s protests.

The hearing proceeded slowly through the use of trans lators. The LUMA CEO insisted that his presence at the public hearings was to talk about the response to Hurricane Fiona, but the legislators, particularly Torres Cruz, focused on asking questions that have gone unanswered in previous interventions: how many employees LUMA has, how many guards they have, how many brigades they have and how many personnel arrived from the United States to support the restoration efforts.

Each and every one of those questions was either not given a clear answer or was left unanswered. In each case, Torres Cruz gave a deadline of three working days to provide a report, under penalty of going to court.

At the moment, according to LUMA, there are 76,250 subscribers on the island without electrical service, a number that contrasts with PREPA’s, which places them above 100,000. Daniel Hernández, an engineer from Renewable Projects, intervened throughout the hearing to answer many questions. He said he would have to see the numbers in order to compare the discrepancy.

It was said during the hearing that 30% of the transmission lines were damaged in the strong Category 1 hurricane, and that seven substations were submerged after over 30 inches of rain fell in Puerto Rico at some points during the passage of Fiona. Stensby commented that LUMA’s response had been “historic” in terms of the speed with which they have energized the island, compared to hurricanes such as Maria, which was a Category 4.

Torres Cruz told him that he couldn’t compare the two storms.

“Let’s not compare oranges with bottles,” he retorted. “We are not going to allow it.”

Juan Rodríguez, an engineer in charge of assessing the damage, also had confrontations with Torres Cruz. When asked which lines were damaged, and he insisted that it was 30%, the legislator insisted that he “not digress” and that he give him the list of which lines were affected. He also demanded the composition of the 660 brigades that LUMA claims to have in Puerto Rico and details on their work.

Colón Ortiz, from PREPA, was questioned about the generation component and noted that the generators were put online in phases after the general blackout of Sunday, Sept. 18, to prevent the system from collapsing. With the generation that LUMA was able to raise, it was energizing the critical loads, such as the Medical Center in San Juan and Luis Muñoz Marín

International Airport in Carolina, and he pointed out that “the process of energizing the circuits is done by LUMA.”

In his turn for questions, House Speaker Rafael “Tatito” Hernández Montañez asked how long LUMA had taken to make a preliminary damage assessment. Rodríguez answered that it had taken a week. When asked what the cost of the operation was, the engineer said, “I do not have the information at the moment, but we are working with COR3 [the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience] and FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency].”

“The estimates that were made were extremely prelimi nary,” Rodríguez said.

Stensby interjected that “there are going to be billions” in damages sustained by the electrical transmission system.

Regarding the money that will be requested from FEMA for the repair work, Stensby said that what has been fixed so far has been preliminary, but then permanent work will be done. When asked if he had worked in a tropical country prone to hurricanes before, he dodged the question by saying that he had employees with that experience, to which Hernández Montañez replied that “what we have here” is a clear demonstration of inexperience.

Stensby replied that “I do not agree with that statement.”

“We operate under an emergency plan that I had already provided in May,” he said. “That plan works together with PREB [the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau], the Department of Energy, and FEMA, which has worked in coordination with LUMA 24/7 effectively.”

“Plans are only as good as who executes them … and you don’t have that experience,” Hernández Montañez replied.

“The problem you have is that you hide information from the people of Puerto Rico,” Torres Cruz asserted. “If you would speak the truth, we would not have these problems. When asked for information, they never know or [never] have it, and that is not the way.”

The contentious public hearing in the island House of Representatives featured accusations of providing erroneous information, claims of disrespect from both sides and constant interruptions to request more information.

Deadline arrives for PREPA creditors to say if they will intervene in board’s bondholder security challenge

By THE STAR STAFF

Asof today, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (PREPA) creditor groups are to inform the Title III court whether they will intervene in the Financial Oversight and Management Board’s challenge of the bondhold ers’ security guarantee.

After the oversight board walked out of mediation to negotiate PREPA’s $9 billion debt last month, the board asked the court for litiga tion of specific gating issues. In response to one of those requests, the Title III Court declared that the security interest of PREPA’s bondholders is limited to funds deposited in a “sinking fund” and that no security interest has been created. The bondholders are claiming about $8 billion in payment.

Another litigation also asked the court to

determine if certain creditors, such as retirees and fuel line lenders, should be paid first. The court had stayed both litigations since 2019.

Lawyer Rolando Emmanuelli said in a radio interview that the Electrical Industry and

Irrigation Workers Union and the PREPA Retire ment System will be intervening in the case.

Last week, in a decision Emmanuelli de scribed as “a monster with three heads,” U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who is presiding over Puerto Rico’s Title III bankruptcy cases, including that of PREPA, ordered litiga tion of the gating issues and mediation. She also asked the oversight board to submit a plan support agreement by Dec. 1.

“This is a monster with three heads: liti gation, mediation, and debt adjustment plan, and not just any debt adjustment plan; it has to be one with different options depending on the result of the litigation,” Emmanuelli said. “It is not a real plan with a real scenario. If the litigation has not been completed and the mediation has not ended, the debt adjustment plan is very uncertain.”

The litigation, Emmanuelli noted, will be resolved using documents or without a hearing. He said that if the judge decides that the bond holders have an unsecured credit, the oversight board does not have to pay them anything.

In that regard, Emmanuelli questioned a proposal by the board to the bondholders to cut the debt by 30%.

“They also had proposed a connection charge for all clients of 23 cents per kilowatthour subject to the cost of living for 50 years,” he said. “Meanwhile, the bondholders were asking for the repeal of subsidies.”

Regarding the mediation, the oversight board asked the court to ratify Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as special advisers to the lead mediator.

PREPA filed for bankruptcy in 2017 to restructure some $9 billion in debt.

Disaster recovery centers open in Río Grande, Barranquitas

By JOHN McPHAUL jpmcphaul@gmail.com

Newdisaster recovery centers (DRCs) are now open in Barranquitas and Río Grande, authorities announced Wednesday.

The joint DRCs, a collaboration between the municipality, the island government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will help Hurricane Fiona survivors apply to FEMA for assistance, upload the neces sary application documents online and receive answers to their questions in person.

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be present at the DRCs to provide information about the program and explain how to apply for low-in terest SBA loans for homeowners, businesses, private nonprofits and renters. They will also

report on repairs and reconstruction to make homes more resilient to disasters.

Services are available in English and Spanish. If a reasonable accommodation or sign language interpreter is needed to contact FEMA, email FEMA-PRaccesible@fema.dhs.gov or call 1-833-285-7448; press 2 for Spanish.

The Barranquitas and Río Grande DRCs are located in: Reception and Fine Arts Center Reception Room

Ramal 152, Ave. José Zayas Green, Barrio Barrancas

Barranquitas, PR 00794 Handball Court Néstor Milete Echevarría Carr. 3 Río Grande PR 00745

The DCRs are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A specialist from FEMA’s community risk

mitigation education program will be available to help survivors prepare for future incidents.

There are also DRCs in Caguas, Mayagüez, Cayey, Vega Baja and Ponce that are open seven days a week during the same hours.

They are located in: Fine Arts Center of Caguas Calle Padial Corner Calle Ruiz Belvis Caguas, PR 00725 Bo Colombia Basketball Court Desengaño Street Barrio Colombia Mayagüez, PR 00680

Pedro Montañez Stadium Carretera Num. 14, Km 69.7 Calle Matías Soto, Barriada San Cristóbal Cayey, PR 00736

Los Naranjos Community Center Calle 2

Barrio Cabo Caribe

Vega Baja, PR 00693

Francisco “Frankie” Colón Alers Bird Sports Center

The Final Caobos Ponce, PR 00716

For a list of the nearest disaster recovery centers, visit: Fema.gov/drc.

Assistance can also be requested from FEMA through a smart device, personal com puter, or phone. The fastest way to apply is: Online at DisasterAssistance.gov/es Download the FEMA mobile app. Select “Request Individual Assistance” and press “I am ready to apply”.

By phone at 1-800-621-3362. Press 1 for speaking in English, 2 for Spanish, and 3 for other languages. To use a video relay system (VRS) phone system with subtitles or others, share the phone number with FEMA. Phone lines are avail able from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week.

$13.5 million from FEMA for reconstruction of sports facilities in 11 towns

By THE STAR STAFF

Recreation and Sports (DRD) Secretary Ray Quiñones Vázquez announced on Wednesday the investment of $13.5 mil lion for the reconstruction of 26 sports facilities in 11 municipalities of Puerto Rico that were damaged by Hurricane Maria. The money comes from the Federal Emer

gency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance Program.

“After the signing of these contracts, we continue with the process of rebuilding another 26 sports and recreational units, located in 11 municipalities,” Quiñones Vázquez said in a written statement.

The 11 municipalities that will benefit from the new phase of reconstruction are Arec

ibo, Arroyo, Cataño, Dorado, Guayama, Loíza, Manatí, San Juan, Santa Isabel, Utuado and Toa Baja. Among the facilities is the iconic Miguel Fuentes Pinet Stadium in Loíza.

Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruc tion and Resilience (COR3) Executive Director Manuel Laboy Rivera said “at the moment, the DRD has $82.5 million obligated by FEMA for the reconstruction of hundreds of sports facilities.”

“According to the Quarterly Progress report completed by the agency, there are dozens of projects in execution whose in vestment is close to $54.2 million,” he said.

“I urge the other agencies to continue to implement reconstruction projects with a sense of urgency. They have the full support of COR3 to achieve this goal in compliance with FEMA requirements.”

U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain

In hurricane’s wake, southwest Florida residents demand more federal help

By JULIE BOSMAN, ELIZA FAWCETT, EMILY COCHRANE and JACK HEALY

Likemany other conservative residents of storm-battered southwest Florida, Pamela Swartz has long been leery of government spending. But as she stood among the smashed boats, gutted homes and overwhelming loss left by Hurricane Ian, Swartz said that federal aid could not come soon enough.

“This is their time to step in,” said Swartz, whose garage in Fort Myers Beach had been flooded by Ian’s devastating storm surge. She was already frustrated after trying to file a federal storm claim. “This is what we pay our taxes for.”

Hurricane Ian inflicted its worst damage and heaviest casualties across several deeply Republican counties, where Trump flags decorate yards and trucks and many voters express hostility toward President Joe Biden and the federal government in general.

On Wednesday, as Biden toured damaged areas of the coast and met and shook hands with Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 challenger who is usually one of his most strident critics, the two leaders shared bipartisan vows to build and recover. Both men have said they would put aside partisan differences in light of the disaster, which has killed more than 100 people.

But the task of rebuilding obliterated towns and repairing destroyed roads and power grids will require huge infusions of federal money and long-term cooperation between a Democratic White House and a Republican governor who is more accustomed to battling over COVID-19 policies, immigration and cultural norms. And in the polarized political climate five weeks before the midterm elections, the storm that smashed houses and swept away crucial roads has not changed many residents’ negative views of Washington.

In interviews this week around the region, some residents praised the governor while criticizing the federal response. They appreciated seeing DeSantis giving storm updates and touring damaged areas, they said, and many were satisfied with the response of their local government officials, despite questions about the timing of Lee County’s evacuation order.

“Our governor is the greatest,” said Jay Kimble, a mainte

The road between the island community of Matlacha, Fla., and the mainland is left impassable by Hurricane Ian on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022.

nance worker on Fort Myers Beach who lost everything. “I know he’s going to do everything he can to get us back on our feet. I’m not a Biden fan at all.”

The five hard-hit counties along the southwest Florida coast — Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota — are, on average, older and whiter and have a smaller proportion of Latino residents than the rest of the state. Those counties voted for former President Donald Trump by wide margins in 2020.

Lee County, where Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hu rricane, is the most populous in the region, with about 756,000 people, and has grown steadily as an affordable, low-tax retreat for Midwestern transplants and retirees in particular.

This week, residents said they were having trouble navi gating the process of applying for federal disaster relief and had not seen much evidence of federal boots on the ground.

Some barrier-island residents who could not get any go vernment officials to give them a ride to the islands to check on their homes said they had turned instead to the volunteer flotillas that have sprung up at piers.

John Lynch, 59, whose bright yellow house on Matlacha, a spit of land between the mainland and Pine Island, was now

creaking ominously atop the shifting sands, said it seemed that most supplies were being delivered and distributed by churches and neighbors, rather than by the government.

“Day after day after day, nothing,” Lynch said about go vernment aid.

On Tuesday, Lynch ventured onto the mainland to stock up on food and candles, and to get dry shampoo and coffee creamer for a neighbor who would not leave her home.

After a disaster of this magnitude, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is in charge of coordinating the response among federal agencies and working in tandem with state and local governments. It has faced repeated criticism over the past few decades for slow emergency response, most notably after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“We understand the road to recovery can be as long as it is frustrating, but we are here to help, and we will continue to do everything in our power to help all Floridians recover from this disaster,” Jeremy M. Edwards, a FEMA spokesperson, said in an email.

Deanne Criswell, the FEMA administrator, said Wednes day that nearly 4,000 federal officials were in Florida working on hurricane recovery. The agency approved $70 million this week for survivors of Ian, which analysts say has inflicted more than $40 billion in property damage claims alone. The agency also said it had set up food and water distribution sites, and was sending teams to shelters and people’s homes to help them start applying for disaster relief.

“The needs are going to be massive,” said James Kendra, director of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware. “In a case like this, nothing will ever happen fast enough for people who are affected.”

At a joint appearance with Biden on Wednesday, DeSantis thanked the president and praised the coordination that had come from the White House “from the very beginning.”

But along destroyed barrier islands severed from the mainland because of damage to roads and bridges, residents voiced frustration about pressure from officials to clear out during the cleanup process and about not enough assistance

Trump asks Supreme Court to intervene in review of Mar-a-Lago records

By ADAM LIPTAK and CHARLIE SAVAGE

FormerPresident Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court earlier this week to intervene in the litigation over sensitive documents that the FBI seized from his Florida estate, saying that an appeals court had lacked jurisdiction to remove them from a special master’s review.

But Trump’s lawyers did not ask the Supreme Court to overturn the most important part of the appeals court’s intervention, its deci sion to free the Justice Department to continue using documents with classification markings in its criminal investigation of Trump’s handling of government records.

The new filing was technical, saying that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Atlanta, had not been authorized to stay aspects of a judge’s order appointing a special master to re view all materials that the FBI had seized in its search of Trump’s residence, Mar-a-Lago.

“The 11th Circuit lacked jurisdiction to review the special master order, which authorized the review of all materials seized from President Trump’s residence, including documents bearing classification markings,” the application said.

The court requested a response from the Justice Department by 5 p.m. next Tuesday.

Even if Trump were to prevail, his victory would be distinctly modest. It would merely allow the special master to review those documents even as the Justice Department continues its work.

Although the Supreme Court is dominated by six conserva tive justices, three of them appointed by Trump, it has rejected earlier efforts to block the disclosure of information about him, and legal experts said Trump’s new emergency application faces significant challenges.

Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas, said Trump was pursuing a limited and curious litigation strategy in trying to reinstate part of a ruling from Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida.

Trump’s application, Vladeck said, presented “technical procedural questions on which the justices may be even less likely to be sympathetic to the former president.”

Specifically, the filing focused on two decisions by Can non. On Sept. 5, she ordered the appointment of a special master and temporarily barred investigators from using any of the seized materials, including those marked as classified, until that review was done.

And on Sept. 15, she appointed a special master, Judge Raymond Dearie of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of

An image the Department of Justice included in an August 30, 2022 court filing shows documents mar ked SECRET//SCI that were recovered from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club and home in Florida.

New York, and laid out the parameters of his review, including identifying any documents that might be subject to attorney-client or executive privilege.

In removing the sensitive documents from Cannon’s inter vention, the appeals court blocked parts of her orders. But Trump’s lawyers argued that only the first order, which temporarily prevented the Justice Department from using the files for its investigation, was properly before the appeals court, so it lacked authority to restrict the special master’s review.

Since the appeals court ruling, Cannon has modified her Sept. 15 order, discarding her instructions to Dearie to assess the materials marked as classified, but if the Supreme Court rules in Trump’s favor, she could reinstate them.

That would not, however, prohibit the Justice Department from continuing to use the classified records.

The brief added that larger issues are in play. “The unprec edented circumstances presented by this case — an investigation of the 45th president of the United States by the administration of his political rival and successor — compelled the district court to acknowledge the significant need for enhanced vigilance and to order the appointment of a special master to ensure fairness, transparency and maintenance of the public trust.”

In September, a three-judge panel for the 11th Circuit unanimously granted a request from the Justice Department to block one aspect of a ruling from Cannon, who had prohibited the Justice Department from using the more than 11,000 files seized

in August from Mar-a-Lago as part of a criminal inquiry while the special master was reviewing them.

The Justice Department’s request to the appeals court was limited, asking only that the 100 or so documents with classified markings be excluded from the special master’s assessment and that its review of them be allowed to continue.

In a detailed and forceful 29-page decision, the appeals court agreed, staying Cannon’s order “to the extent it enjoins the government’s use of the classified documents and requires the government to submit the classified documents to the special mas ter for review.” The decision, which was unsigned, was joined by Judges Britt Grant and Andrew Brasher, appointed by Trump, and Judge Robin Rosenbaum, appointed by President Barack Obama.

The ruling was skeptical of Trump’s arguments. “We cannot discern why plaintiff” — Trump — “would have an individual in terest in or need for any of the 100 documents with classification markings,” the panel wrote.

The panel said Trump’s suggestion that he may have declas sified the documents was legally irrelevant.

Trump has had decidedly mixed success in earlier efforts to keep his presidential and business records from law enforcement officials and congressional investigators.

In January, the Supreme Court refused his request to block the release of White House records held by the National Archives concerning the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, effectively rejecting his claim of executive privilege. The court let stand an appeals court ruling that Trump’s desire to maintain the confidentiality of presidential communications was outweighed by the need for a full accounting of the attack.

Only Justice Clarence Thomas noted a dissent. It later emerged that his wife, Virginia Thomas, had sent a barrage of text messages to the Trump White House urging efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

In 2020, while Trump was still president, the court ruled that he had no absolute right to block release of financial records sought by prosecutors in New York.

“No citizen, not even the president, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding,”

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority. Justices Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.

The court returned that case to the lower courts for further proceedings. After they again ruled against Trump, he asked the justices to hear a new appeal in 2021.

In a decisive defeat, the court refused to hear the case, clearing the way for the release of the records. There were no noted dissents.

From page 7

arriving from FEMA.

“People don’t really have a lot of places to go,” said Jamie Surgent, 37, a business owner on hard-hit Pine Island, adding, “I just want the help.”

Locals on Pine Island recalled seeing the United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit group whose members respond to disasters, ex-military members and their own neighbors steering boats

through muddied waterways and checking on the people who had stayed. As they picked up basic supplies, a constant refrain was, “Where’s FEMA?”

Even without electricity and water, they refused to leave — and instead demanded that the government allow them to build a temporary bridge to restore access to the island, a wish that DeSantis said Wednesday had been fulfilled. Still, residents on the island and in nearby communities in the region said they felt neglected.

“FEMA, the government, they don’t give a crap about people down here like us,” said Chris Buxton, 49, who barely survived the storm in a low-lying neighborhood of North Fort Myers by huddling in the attic as the waters surged into his small white rental home.

On Tuesday, there was still no electricity, Buxton’s van was dead, and his belongings lay in a soggy pile in the front yard. No government relief workers had been through the neighborhood, Buxton, a maintenance manager, said.

hurricane’s wake, southwest Florida residents demand more federal help

US national debt tops $31 trillion for first time

By ALAN RAPPEPORT and JIM TANKERSLEY

America’s

gross national debt exceeded $31 trillion for the first time this week, a grim financial milestone that arrived just as the nation’s long-term fiscal picture has darkened amid rising interest rates.

The breach of the threshold, which was revealed in a Treasury Department report, comes at an inopportune moment, as historically low interest rates are being replaced with higher borrowing costs as the Federal Reserve tries to combat rapid inflation. While record levels of government borrowing to fight the pandemic and finance tax cuts were once seen by some policymakers as affordable, those higher rates are making America’s debts more costly over time.

“So many of the concerns we’ve had about our growing debt path are starting to show themselves as we both grow our debt and grow our rates of interest,” said Michael A. Peterson, the CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which promotes deficit reduction. “Too many people were complacent about our debt path in part because rates were so low.”

President Joe Biden leads a meeting at the White House on Sept. 26, 2022. Biden has pledged to bring down federal budget deficits by $1 trillion over a decade.

tever you thought a year ago, you definitely have to revise that,” said Jason Furman, a Harvard economist and former top economic aide to President Barack Obama.

“The deficit path is almost certainly too high,” given the rise in rates in recent weeks, Furman added. “We were sort of at the edge of ‘OK’ before, and we are past ‘OK’ now.”

In recent weeks, administration officials have walked a thin line on deficits. They have championed deficit-cutting moves — like the climate, health care and tax bill Biden signed into law in August — as necessary complements to the Fed’s efforts to bring down inflation by raising interest rates. They have said Biden would be happy to sign further deficit cuts into law, in the form of tax increases on high earners and large corporations.

The new figures come at a volatile economic moment, with investors veering between fears of a global recession and optimism that one may be avoided. On Tuesday, markets rallied close to 3%, extending gains from Monday and putting Wall Street on a more positive path after a brutal September. The rally stemmed in part from a government report that showed signs of some slowing in the labor market. Investors took that as a signal that the Fed’s interest rate increases, which have raised borrowing costs for companies, may soon begin to slow.

Higher rates could add $1 trillion to what the federal government spends on interest payments this decade, according to Peterson Foundation estimates. That is on top of the record $8.1 trillion in debt costs that the Congressional Budget Office projected in May. Expenditures on interest could exceed what the United States spends on national defense by 2029, if interest rates on public debt rise to be just 1 percentage point higher than what the CBO estimated over the next few years.

The Fed, which slashed rates to near-zero during the pandemic, has since begun raising them to try to tame the most rapid inflation in 40 years. Rates are now set in a range between 3% and 3.25%, and the central bank’s most recent projections saw them climbing to 4.6% by the end of next year — up from 3.8% in an earlier forecast.

Federal debt is not like a 30-year mortgage that is paid off at a fixed interest rate. The government is constantly issuing new debt, which effectively means its borrowing costs rise and fall along with interest rates.

The $31 trillion threshold also poses a political problem for President Joe Biden, who has pledged to put the U.S. on a more sustainable fiscal path and reduce federal

budget deficits by $1 trillion over a decade. Deficits occur when the government spends more money than it takes in through tax revenue.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Biden’s policies have added nearly $5 trillion to deficits since he took office. That projection includes Biden’s signature $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill, a variety of new congressionally approved spending initiatives and a student loan debt forgiveness plan that is expected to cost taxpayers nearly $400 billion over 30 years.

White House budget officials estimated in August that the deficit would be just over $1 trillion for the 2022 fiscal year, which was nearly $400 billion less than they had originally forecast. Biden says those numbers are the product of his policies to stoke economic growth, like the American Rescue Plan.

“We brought down the deficit $350 billion the first year and nearly $1.5 trillion this year,” Biden told a Democratic National Committee event in Washington last month.

Those figures obscure the effects of the rescue plan, which was financed entirely with borrowed money. Much of the deficit reduction Biden is championing reflects the fact that he and former President Donald Trump signed laws that borrowed heavily in order to mitigate the damage of the pandemic recession. The deficit has fallen in large part because policymakers did not pass another large round of pandemic aid this year.

Biden’s budget office now expects the deficit to rise higher than previously expected over the next three years, largely because of higher interest costs as a result of rising rates. In recent weeks, borrowing costs have climbed even higher than the White House expected, suggesting officials will need to revise their deficit expectations upward again.

“I don’t know where interest rates are going, but wha-

Top administration officials have said since Biden took office that plans for expensive investments were fiscally responsible because interest rates were so low. At her con fi rmation hearing last year, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pointed to rock-bottom borrowing costs as justification for ambitious spending proposals and stimulus measures.

“Neither the president-elect, nor I, propose this relief package without an appreciation for the country’s debt burden,” Yellen said. “But right now, with interest rates at historic lows, the smartest thing we can do is act big.”

Critics of the Biden administration’s spending initiatives have warned that a reliance on low interest rates to justify expansionary policies could come back to bite the United States’ economy, as the debt burden mounts.

Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, said that the United States was unwise to make long-term debt commitments based on short-term, adjustable interest rates. Adding new debt, he said, as interest rates rise would be pouring fuel on a fiscal fire.

“Basically, Washington has engaged in a long-term debt spree and been fortunate to be bailed out by low interest rates up to this point,” Riedl said. “But the Treasury never locked in those low rates long term, and now rising rates may collide with that escalating debt with horribly expensive results.”

There’s no crypto winter on Portugal’s ‘bitcoin beach’

By ADAM SATARIANO

TheBam Bam Beach bitcoin bar, on an uncrowded beach in southwestern Portugal, is the meeting place. To get there, you drive past a boat harbor, ocean side hotels and apartment buildings, then park near a sleepy seafood restaurant and walk down a wooden path that cuts through a sand dune. Yellow bitcoin flags blow in the wind. The conversations about cryptocurrencies and a decentrali zed future flow.

“People always doubt when to buy, when to sell,” said Didi Taihuttu, a Dutch investor who moved to town this summer and is one of Bam Bam’s owners. “We solve that by being all in.”

Sitting in the sand nearby, another bar regular, Katherin Bestandig, said, “Everything is possible if you’re brave.”

The bar and community of about 150 crypto suppor ters around the town of Lagos are a bubble of optimism amid what has become known as the “crypto winter.” This summer, cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether melted down, and crypto companies like the experimental bank Cel sius Network declared bankruptcy as fears over the global economy yanked down values of the risky assets. Thousands of investors were hurt by the crash. The price of bitcoin, which peaked at more than $68,000 last year, remains off by more than 70%.

But in this Portuguese seaside idyll, confidence in cryp tocurrencies is undimmed. Every Friday, 20 or so visitors from Europe and beyond gather at Bam Bam to share their unwa vering faith in digital currencies. Their buoyancy and cheer endure across Portugal and in other crypto hubs around the world, such as Puerto Rico and Cyprus.

“We do not sell,” Paulo Estevão, a crypto trader, said over lunch at a restaurant in the Portuguese beach town of Ericeira, where he meets weekly with three other friends who invest in cryptocurrencies. He said his crypto holdings were down about 80% from the peak but added, “I’m investing more.”

In Europe, Portugal has stood out as one of the largest hubs for crypto investors and enthusiasts. Many crypto sup porters flocked to the country because the government does not tax profits made from the virtual currencies, unlike Italy and France. It helps that the weather is beautiful, the cost of living low and there is an easy path to residency. Vanguard Properties, a real estate company in Portugal, said it had sold at least 10 luxury homes to “crypto families” since last year. (The sales were previously reported by Sifted.eu.)

In beach towns like Ericeira and Lagos, shops and res taurants show their acceptance of digital currencies by taking bitcoin as payment. Lisbon, the capital, has become a hub for crypto-related startups such as Utrust, a cryptocurrency payment platform, and Immunefi, a company that identifies security vulnerabilities in decentralized networks.

“Portugal should be the Silicon Valley of bitcoin,” Tai huttu said. “It has all the ingredients.”

An access point to Meia Praia, which has become known to some as Bitcoin Beach, in Lagos, Portugal, Sept. 2, 2022. In crypto havens such as Meia Praia beach, the confidence in digital currencies remains undimmed even after this summer’s crash.

Yet the Portuguese government may throw a wrench in the country’s status as a crypto hub. In May, Fernando Medi na, the finance minister, said the government was considering taxing crypto earnings like regular income and “intends to legislate on this matter.” A decision could come next month when Portugal releases its annual budget.

The finance ministry declined to comment on its plans.

For now, Portugal remains popular with the optimists and amateur traders who are trying to use their crypto in vestments to travel and live without a traditional job. Using money made when the values of digital currencies soared over the past few years, this group has made Portugal a base.

Many in Lagos, inspired by Taihuttu, 44, have made their way to Bam Bam bar. In 2017, he sold nearly all of his belongings in the Netherlands to invest in bitcoin. At the time, the price of a single bitcoin was about $900, versus about $19,000 today. With his wife and three daughters, who have not received any formal schooling since 2017, he then trave led to 40 countries, chronicling every step on social media. They called themselves “the Bitcoin Family.”

As news outlets covered his family’s story, Taihuttu’s so cial media following swelled, turning him into an influencer and a source of investment advice. A documentary film crew has followed him on and off for the past 18 months. This sum mer, he settled in Portugal and quickly became something of an ambassador for its crypto scene.

He has goals to turn Meia Praia, the beach where Bam

Bam is located, into “Bitcoin Beach.” He is shopping for pro perty to create a community nearby for fellow believers.

Almost everybody at Bam Bam had a story of being scammed or losing money in events like the collapse of Mt. Gox, a Tokyo-based virtual currency exchange that declared bankruptcy in 2014 after huge, unexplained losses of bitcoin.

If cryptocurrency prices do not recover, “a lot of them will have to go back to work again,” Clinton Donnelly, an American tax lawyer specializing in cryptocurrencies, said of some of those gathered at Bam Bam.

Even so, Donnelly and other bar regulars said their be lief in crypto remained unshaken.

Thomas Roessler, wearing a black bitcoin shirt and drin king a beer “inspired by” the currency, said he had come with his wife and two young children to decide whether to move to Portugal from Germany. He first invested in bitcoin in 2014 and, more recently, sold a small rental apartment in Germany to invest even more.

Roessler was concerned about the drop in crypto va lues but said he was convinced the market would rebound. Moving to Portugal could lower his taxes and give his family the chance to buy affordable property in a warm climate, he said. He had come to the bar to learn from others who had made the move.

“We have not met a lot of people who live this way,” Roessler said. Then he bought another round of drinks and paid for them with bitcoin.

Stocks

Wall St ends down as two-day rally fizzles on data, Fed message

Wall

Street stocks closed lower on Wednesday, unable to sustain a late-day surge, after data showed US labour demand remained strong and as Federal Reserve officials stuck to their hawkish message that interest rates will stay higher for longer.

Stocks rebounded late in the day after data showed US labour demand remained strong. But Fed officials insisted rates would stay high to battle inflation, a mes sage the market has feared would lead to a hard landing and likely recession.

“By battling back, to me that is a favourable indi cator that this rally could have legs,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research in New York.

“It too confirms that investors believe, traders be lieve, that there’s still more to go in this rally,” he said.

US private employers stepped up hiring in Septem ber, the ADP National Employment report on Wednes day showed, suggesting rising rates and tighter financial conditions have yet to curb labour demand as the Fed battles high inflation.

The Institute for Supply Management’s services industry employment gauge shot up in another sign labour remains strong as the overall industry slowed modestly in September.

The Fed is expected to deliver a fourth consecutive 75-basis-point rate hike when policymakers meet No vember 1-2, the pricing of fed fund futures shows, ac cording to CME’s FedWatch tool.

San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly told Bloom berg TV in an interview that inflation is problematic and that the US central bank would stay the course.

“The path is clear: we are going to raise rates to re strictive territory, then hold them there for a while,” she said. “We are committed to bringing inflation down, staying course until we are well and truly done.”

The benchmark S&P 500 index rose 5.7 per cent Monday and Tuesday as Treasury yields slid sharply on softer US economic data, the UK’s turnaround on pro posed tax cuts that roiled markets and Australia’s small er-than-expected rate hike.

Treasury yields shot up again on Wednesday after the economic data failed to bolster budding hopes the Fed might pivot to a less hawkish policy stance.

But the equity market was viewed as oversold and investors stepped in, Stovall said.

“Prices are basically saying we could be severely oversold and as a result, we should take advantage of it because we might be surprised down the road,” he said.

According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 lost 9.81 points, or 0.20 per cent, to end at 3,783.65 points,

while the Nasdaq Composite lost 30.59 points, or 0.27 per cent, to 11,145.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Aver age fell 58.24 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 30,258.08.

The energy sector led the market higher, followed by information technology and healthcare.

Energy sector jumped after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies agreed to cut oil production the deepest since the COVID-19 pan

LOCAL MORTGAGE

demic began, curbing supply in an already tight market.

Twitter Inc lost momentum in line with its peers, a day after surging 22 per cent on billionaire Elon Musk’s decision to proceed with his original $US44 billion ($A68 billion) bid to take the social media company private.

Twitter fell and Tesla Inc, the electric-car maker headed by Musk, also slid.

Putin signs annexation laws as Russia loses ground in Ukraine

state news agency RIA Novosti released a map purporting to show Russia’s new terri tory, adding in fine print that part of it was “under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

Russian state television trumpeted the signing on Wednesday as the day’s biggest news story, while playing down or ignoring the fact that Russian forces are in retreat in multiple parts of the front line.

“The only currency unit starting Jan. 1, 2023, will be the ruble, and the territo rial organs of the federal authorities will be created by June 1,” intoned the anchor on the noon news on Channel 1.

The Kremlin has declared that it will fight to capture all of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions — Ukraine still holds several Donetsk cities — but it has been more vague about its goals in the other two regions it is attempting to annex, Zapori zhzhia and Kherson. That has sown confu sion about what new borders Russia is clai ming with its illegal annexation.

While Putin announced the planned annexation Friday in a bombastic and angry speech at the Kremlin, followed by a sig ning ceremony, there was no further fanfare involving the president this week.

By ANTON TROIANOVSKI

PresidentVladimir Putin signed more than 400 pages of legislation anne xing four Ukrainian regions, the Kre mlin said Wednesday, forging ahead with a parallel reality in which Russia pretends to exercise sovereignty over thousands of

square miles of territory that its military does not actually control.

Russia’s economy ministry sought to attach real-world benefits to a largely illu sory claim, forecasting that the annexation would raise Russia’s production of meta llurgy and sunflowers by 20% each, while coal production would increase by 6%. The

Four laws spelling out the annexation process — one for each region, each num bering more than 100 pages — were pu blished on a government website on Wed nesday, with a Kremlin stamp on the last page, dated Oct. 4, standing in for Putin’s signature. It was an example of how Putin has long tried to legitimize his actions — however illegal — with a sheen of legality bestowed by Russia’s rubber-stamp institu tions.

Later, in a televised videoconference celebrating Teachers’ Day, Putin pointedly congratulated the teachers “of all the 89 re gions of Russia,” a number that includes the newly annexed territories.

“Our country became bigger, de jure, today,” his spokesperson, Dmitry S. Peskov, told reporters, according to Russia’s staterun Tass news agency. “This is very impor tant.”

But even the borders of the annexed territory — an annexation that has only been endorsed by North Korea — remai ned in flux on Wednesday as Ukrainian troops continued their counteroffensive in their country’s south and east. Peskov brist led when asked whether the annexation was contradicted by the Russian military’s retreats.

“There’s no contradiction here,” Pes kov said. “They will be with Russia forever. They will be returned.”

Russia strikes near Kyiv with ‘kamikaze’ drones supplied by Iran

By ANDREW E. KRAMER and VICTORIA KIM

The Russian military flew a dozen selfdestructing, Iranian-supplied drones at a town near Kyiv, Ukraine, overnight Wed nesday, in what appeared to be the first time such weapons have been used against a target near the Ukrainian capital, which lies hundreds of miles from the front lines.

The flurry of drone strikes highlighted Russia’s growing reliance on so-called kamika ze drones supplied by Iran, which blow up on impact, according to Ukrainian officials.

At least six drones detonated in Bila Tserkva, a town about 50 miles south of Kyiv, Oleksiy Kuleba, head of the regional military administration, said in a post on Telegram. The Ukrainian military said it shot down six others in flight in southern Ukraine.

The Iranian drones first turned up in Ukraine in August in attacks on armored vehi cles and artillery in the country’s northeast. In recent weeks, they have emerged as a growing menace on the battlefield, after Iran began supplying Russia with the first batch of what is expected to be an order of hundreds of military drones.

Their use in Ukraine marks the first time the weapons have been deployed outside the Middle East, and comes as Moscow finds its ar senal of drones increasingly depleted, with few nations willing to supply it with weapons.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied its drones were deployed in Ukraine. But U.S. and Iranian officials said in August that Iran had delivered to Russia the first batch of its drones, as part of a larger order totaling hundreds of the weapons.

The strikes on Bila Tserkva hit infrastruc

ture, Kuleba said, without elaborating.

Russia has been targeting electrical power stations, electricity transmission lines, waterworks and other critical infrastructure with long-range weaponry in September as Ukrainian forces routed its soldiers along the front, in what military analysts have suggested is an effort to cripple the economy or undermine support for the war inside Ukraine.

The Iranian Shahed-136 “kamikaze” dro ne is a delta-wing aircraft launched from the back of a flatbed truck that carries a warhead of about 80 pounds. It drops out of the sky without warning and is accurate enough to hit a howit zer or a vehicle parked in the open. Russians have used the drones to obliterate artillery pie ces and armored vehicles and to kill and injure soldiers, Ukrainian military officials said.

In Wednesday’s attack, Russia launched

a swarm of 12 drones from territory it controls in southern Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat, the spokesper son for Ukraine’s air force, said in an interview on Ukrainian television. Anti-aircraft units shot down three, Ukrainian jet pilots intercepted another three but the rest got through air defen ses, he said.

The United States has supplied Ukrai ne with Switchblade drones, which are also known as “kamikaze” drones because they are self-destroying. Ukraine has also deployed Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, capable of firing guided missiles.

Military analysts have suggested Russia may running low on long-range missiles after seven months of war and thousands of strikes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said in August that Russia had fired about 3,500 cruise missiles at Ukraine by that point.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia addressed a rally and concert in Red Square last week celebrating Russia’s illegal annexation of four Ukrainian provinces.

Russians fleeing the draft find an unlikely haven

By ANDREW HIGGINS

Rents

are skyrocketing, luxury hotels and grimy hostels do not have beds to spare. And on the dusty, sunny streets of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyz stan, bands of young migrants, nearly all men, wander aimlessly, dazed at their world turned upside down — and their hasty, self-imposed exile to a poor, remote country that few could previously place on a map.

After leaving often well-paying jobs and families in Moscow and Vladivostok, Russia, and many places in between, tens of thousands of young Russians — terrified of being dragooned into fighting in Ukraine — are pouring into Central Asia by plane, car and bus.

The influx has turned a country long scorned in Russia as a source of cheap la bor and for its backward ways into an un likely and, for the most part, welcoming haven for Russian men, some poor, many relatively affluent and highly educated — but all united by a desperate desire to es cape being caught up in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

“I look up at the clear sky every day and give thanks that I am here,” said De nis, an events organizer from Moscow who Friday joined scores of fellow Russians at a

bar in Bishkek to rejoice at their escape and trade tips on places to sleep, getting Kyrgyz residency papers and finding work.

The gathering Friday night, convened to celebrate the start of a new “Russian community,” was one small part of a vast exodus of Russians to Central Asia, Arme nia, Georgia, Turkey and a shrinking list of other places still willing take them in dur ing what has become their country’s most concentrated burst of emigration since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.

The outflow began in February, with hundreds of thousands of people leaving after Russia invaded Ukraine, but has ac celerated since Sept. 21, when Putin de clared a “partial mobilization” in response to battlefield defeats. In the subsequent four days, the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported, 261,000 militaryaged men were estimated to have left. Tens of thousands more have fled since.

The chaotic rush for the exit has in verted the usual shape of a wartime refu gee crisis: Unlike the millions of Ukrai nian women and children who have fled into Poland and other European countries, these Russian men are not running away from an invading army, but from serving in one. Nor do they fit the stereotype of mi grants as destitute people trying to escape the developing world.

While Putin boasted Friday in the Kremlin that his war had given Russia mil lions of new citizens grabbed from Ukraine, the conflict is driving his real citizens to de spair and flight.

“When it all started, we thought it would just affect professional soldiers and their families, but with mobilization, it has touched us all,” said Alexander, a 23-yearold university student from the Russian Far East. Staying in Russia, he added, would mean “either going to prison or into the army.”

At the bar in Bishkek, no one seemed to take seriously Putin’s latest announce ment — that he was annexing four regions of Ukraine, vowing that Ukrainians living there would from now on be “forever” Rus sian.

“He just lies all the time,” said Yuri, a 36-year-old artist from Siberia. Before embarking on a three-day bus and train journey to Bishkek last week, Yuri ran a small business designing album covers for an American heavy metal band and do ing artwork for other foreign clients. He now sleeps on the upper bunk in an over crowded hostel room shared with 19 other people, many of them Russian.

“At least I feel safe here,” added Yuri, who like most of the Russians interviewed asked that only his first name be published, fearing retribution.

That so many Russians took so long to start worrying about the war in Ukraine has infuriated Ukrainians, who have endured seven months of torment and bloodshed. Even now, Russians who fled rarely talk about the war, focusing on their own tra vails with housing, money and unfamiliar customs.

After decades of being treated as Rus sia’s poor and desperate country cousins, many Kyrgyz, including the country’s presi dent, Sadyr Japarov, are happy to see the shoe on the other foot.

“This is a very new phenomenon for us,” Japarov said in an interview. Noting that more than 1 million Kyrgyz worked in Russia, he added that “their citizens can of course come here and work freely” and had no need to fear being extradited home.

way for Russians willing to pay double, tri ple or more.

“We don’t see any harm and see lots of benefits,” he said.

In a contrast with Europe’s 2015 mi gration crisis, involving Syrians, Afghans and others, many of the Russians seeking sanctuary in Kyrgyzstan are highly educat ed and had good jobs back home, often in tech or culture.

Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries have long worried that refugees would pour in from nearby Afghanistan but, said Yan Matusevich, a Russian-born American scholar who is researching mi gration in Bishkek, “nobody in their wildest dreams ever expected a flood of Russian refugees.”

In Osh, the country’s second-largest city, a Kyrgyz woman, Dinara, posted her telephone number online and offered to host penniless Russians at her home. “I will be happy to help you. No money needed, meals included,” she wrote, although such generosity is wearing thin as more Russians arrive.

The welcome has forced some Rus sian arrivals to reconsider their country’s self-image as a big-hearted, civilizing force superior to less developed parts of the for mer Soviet Union.

“It is a vaccination against imperi alism to come here and be accepted by the Kyrgyz after the way they have been treated in Moscow, never mind other cit ies,” said Vasily Sonkin, a 32-year-old Mus covite, referring to the more than 10% of Kyrgyzstan’s population working in Russia, mostly in menial jobs, and often subject to prejudice.

Ermek Myrzabekov, the owner of a Bishkek travel agency and president of Kyr gyzstan’s tourism association, said he had received a flood of requests from compa nies looking for a place in Central Asia to park Russian male employees. The surge, he added, meant “super profits” for hospi tality and airlines but also risked tensions if more Kyrgyz families with children were evicted to make way for Russians.

Men who fled Russia play a tabletop game at a hostel in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. Tens of thousands of Russian men have ended up in places like Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet territory, that are not normally places refugees seek sanctuary but are willing to take them.

He said he did not know how many Russian draft dodgers had arrived but add ed that the influx would help his country, even as it jacks up rents and leads some landlords to evict Kyrgyz tenants to make

Hotels in Bishkek and Osh, Myrz abekov said, were all “100% fully booked,” a situation that he expected to continue af ter Putin’s bellicose speech Friday.

“Everyone can see that Putin has gone too far already and can’t step back. Russians will be staying here for a long time,” he predicted.

Brazil braces for ‘white-knuckle race’ between Bolsonaro and Lula

By JACK NICAS, FLÁVIA MILHORANCE and ANDRÉ SPIGARIOL

In

the early morning hours Monday, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil went to bed vindicated. The night’s election results had shown, just as he had claimed, that the polls had severely underestimated the strength of his right-wing movement.

Hours later, he awoke to a new challenge: How to obtain millions more votes in just four weeks?

On Oct. 30, Bolsonaro will face a leftist challenger, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in a runoff election to lead Latin America’s largest nation.

Now the contest — a matchup between Brazil’s two biggest political heavyweights — could swing either way and promises to prolong what has already been a bruising battle that has polarized the nation and tested the strength of its democracy.

“Lula is still the favorite, but you can totally imagine this becoming a Bolsonaro victory,” said Oliver Stuenkel, a Brazilian political scientist. “If you add up all the numbers of the third-party candidates, there are suf ficient votes out there.”

Da Silva, known universally as Lula, finished first Sunday with 48.4% of the vote, versus 43.2% for Bolsonaro. That put da Silva about 1.85 million votes shy of the 50% he needed for an outright victory in the first round, while Bolsonaro came up 8 million votes short.

What now makes the race unpredictable is that so many other votes appear up for grabs. Nearly 10 million people cast ballots Sunday for candidates who are now out of the contest, with roughly one-third of those votes going to a center-left candidate and two-thirds to center-right candidates. An additional 38 million people cast blank ballots or did not vote.

As the campaign enters a second phase, both sides have expressed confidence. Da Silva said he welcomed the opportunity to finally debate Bolsonaro head-to-head, while Bolsonaro said he believed his campaign had the momentum and a plan for victory.

On Monday, Bolsonaro was already using the tools of his of fice to his advantage. He moved up to next week the delivery of $115 checks for low-income Brazilians, part of a monthly welfare program that he recently expanded in a last-minute bid to lure more support. On Sunday night, Bolsonaro cited that assistance as one reason he outperformed predictions by polls.

Pollsters had forecast that Bolsonaro would receive roughly 36% of the vote, more than 7 percentage points below his actual tally. They had overestimated da Silva’s support only slightly.

The question of why the polls had underestimated Bolsonaro’s support confounded Brazilian political circles Monday. Pollsters speculated that voters were dishonest because they were ashamed to admit they were voting for the president, whose false claims on a variety of issues have made him a pariah in some circles, or that they simply lied to sabotage the forecasts. Bolsonaro has railed against the polling industry — on Sunday night he called them liars — and many of his supporters have followed suit.

Things could get even more complicated before the runoff. Bolsonaro’s chief of staff, Ciro Nogueira, urged the president’s supporters to reject any pollsters wanting to interview them.

“That way, it’ll be certain from the start that any of their results are fraudulent,” he wrote on Twitter to his 100,000 followers. He then suggested the pollsters got it wrong on purpose. “Only a deep investigation will tell,” he said.

Antonio Lavareda, the president of Ipespe, a top polling company, said he needed to examine the effect of voters staying home; 21% of the electorate did not vote, the highest share since 1998. He also speculated that many people who said they would vote for third-party candidates switched to Bolsonaro at the last minute.

Despite his firm’s inaccurate forecasts for the president in the first round, Lavareda still made a bold prediction: Da Silva’s 48.4% support Sunday meant that “it’s practically impossible” he does not win Oct. 30.

Still, the fallout from the polls left a bad taste for many Brazilians and experts.

“I’ve sworn off polls for the next four weeks,” said Brian Winter, a Latin America analyst with Americas Society/Council of the Americas, a group that pushes free trade in the Americas. “Their methodology is broken.”

The survey forecasts and lack of clarity in the race could lead to a tense situation when the results are revealed Oct. 30. Bolsonaro has for months told his supporters to suspect voter fraud — despite offering no evidence — and he has suggested that the only way he could lose is if the election is stolen.

Those unsubstantiated claims appear to have persuaded millions of voters in Brazil.

On Sunday night, many of Bolsonaro’s

The former leftist Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, greets supporters during a rally on the eve of elections, in Sao Paulo, Oct. 1, 2022.

supporters were already claiming foul play. “It’s fraud. Lula can’t be ahead of Bolsonaro,” said Yasmin Simões, 28, a retail employee gathered with other supporters of Bolsonaro outside his home in a beachside neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. “If Lula is elected — by fraud — there’s definitely going to be a revolt, and I’m in.”

The vote Sunday delivered good news for conservatives in most governor and congressional elections, including many candidates closely aligned with Bolsonaro. At least eight of his former ministers were elected to Congress, including several who were once shrouded in scandal. Overall, Bolsonaro’s political party picked up 29 seats in Congress, giving it 112 in total, the biggest party in both the House and Senate.

As a result, if elected to a second term, Bolsonaro could be emboldened by his effective control of Congress and more significantly remake Brazilian society in his vision. For da Silva, the conservative Congress could complicate his efforts to govern.

Over the next four weeks, Bolsonaro’s team plans to target the swing state of Minas Gerais, where it believes it can pick up 1 million votes, and looks to improve its results in da Silva’s stronghold in Brazil’s northeast, said Fábio Faria, Brazil’s communications minister and a senior adviser to the president. “We are really confident,” he said.

Da Silva’s campaign plans to highlight Bolsonaro’s string of false statements and show that the economy performed far better during

da Silva’s two terms, from 2003 through 2010, than during Bolsonaro’s tenure.

“It will be the first chance for us to have a tête-à-tête debate with the president,” da Silva told supporters Sunday night. “Is he going to keep telling lies or will he, at least once in his life, tell the truth to the Brazilian people?”

In the eight previous presidential elections in Brazil’s modern democracy, the candidate that has led in the first round has never lost in the second. But the 5 percentage points separating Bolsonaro and da Silva are also the slimmest margin between two candidates in a runoff.

As a result, Winter said, “this is going to be a white-knuckle race.”

Australia aims to cut its high rate of species extinctions to zero

By YAN ZHUANG

ting objectives. “At the end of the day, goals focus our attention,” she added.

Australia

has laid out a conservation plan aimed at preventing the extinction of any more of its plants and animals, an ambitious target for a country that has lost species at one of the highest rates in the world.

The government announcement on Tuesday followed years of extreme weath er events like wildfires and heat waves that have threatened the nation’s unique species, as well as a sweeping new five-year survey that found its environment and wildlife were facing even greater threats than previously ac knowledged, driven by climate change.

“Our current approach has not been working,” the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, said in a statement announcing the plan. “These are the strongest targets we’ve ever seen,” she added.

The 10-year plan includes a commit ment by the center-left Labor government to conserve 30% of the nation’s landmass, bring ing Australia in line with dozens of other na tions, including the United States, that have signed on to the same goal. About 22% of Australia’s landmass is currently protected, the report said, and increasing that figure to 30% would mean an increase of 61 million hectares, or more than 235,000 square miles.

It also identifies 110 threatened species and 20 habitats to be prioritized for conserva tion action, a focus whose benefits will trickle to other threatened species, the government said. Among the animals identified for pro tection are a bird known as the King Island scrubtit, the brush-tailed rock wallaby and the growling grass frog.

While the government has not an nounced funding for the new plan, it has pre viously committed $146 million (224.5 million Australian dollars) to save native species.

Scientists and conservationists wel comed the high-reaching goal of stopping extinctions altogether. But they warned that the steps outlined by the government were in sufficient, with some saying that the plan did not go far enough to address key drivers of species extinction like climate change, habitat clearing and invasive species.

“What’s in the plan falls well short of what would be required to actually meet that goal,” said Basha Stasak, the nature program manager at the Australian Conservation Foun dation. Still, she said there was value in set

James Watson, a professor of conserva tion science at the University of Queensland, said that far more money — about AU$1.3 billion — would be needed to save all of Aus tralia’s threatened species.

“They can’t possibly achieve their goal of stopping extinctions based on the finances involved,” he said.

He said that the approach by the new Labor government was an improvement over a decade of “awful” conservation strategies from the previous conservative government. But he noted that there were more than 1,700 threatened species in Australia and added:

“There’s no way, if you focus on 110 species, you’re going to capture the needs of the other 1,600 species.”

Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent over the past 200 years, the five-year survey said, and continues to have one of the highest rates of species de cline among major developed countries.

Since colonization in 1788, 39 species of mammals have gone extinct, a figure that scientists say is far higher than that of any other country.

Extreme weather events like the 201920 summer wildfires have increased the ex tinction risk for many species, including those that were already vulnerable, like the koala, which was declared an endangered species earlier this year.

A rescued koala in Adelaide, Australia on Jan. 31, 2018. Australia laid out a conservation plan aimed at preventing the extinction of any more of its plants and animals, an ambitious target for a country that has lost species at one of the highest rates in the world.

Is the era of low interest rates over?

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Froma

fi

nancial point of view, 2022 has, above all, been the year of rising interest rates. True, the Federal Reserve didn’t begin raising the short-term interest rates it controls until March, and its counterparts abroad acted even later. But long-term interest rates, which are what matter most for the real economy, have been rising since the beginning of the year in anticipation of central bank moves.

These rising rates correspond, by definition, to a fall in bond prices, but they have also helped drive down the prices of many other assets, from stocks to cryptocurrencies to, according to early indications, housing.

So what will the Fed do next? How high will rates go? Well, there’s a whole industry of financial analysts dedicated to answering those questions, and I don’t think I have anything useful to add. What I want to talk about instead is what is likely to happen to interest rates in the longer run.

Many commentators have asserted that the era of low interest rates is over. They insist that we’re never going back to the historically low rates that prevailed in late 2019 and early 2020, just before the pandemic — rates that were actually negative in many countries.

But I don’t see that happening. There were fundamental reasons interest rates were so low three years ago. Those

fundamentals haven’t changed; if anything, they’ve gotten stronger. So it’s hard to understand why, once the dust from the fight against inflation has settled, we won’t go back to a very-low-rate world.

Some background: The low interest rates that prevailed just before the pandemic were the end point of a threedecade downward trend.

What do we think caused that trend? Some commentators say that it was artificial, that the Fed kept pushing rates down by printing money. But basic macroeconomics says that this shouldn’t be possible: If you keep rates artificially low for an extended period, the result should be high inflation. And until the price surge of 2021-22, inflation stayed subdued year after year.

A useful concept here, going back more than a century to the work of Swedish economist Knut Wicksell, is that of the so-called natural rate of interest. Wicksell defined the natural rate either as the interest rate that matched saving with investment or as the rate consistent with overall price stability. These definitions are actually consistent with each other: An interest rate that is too low, so that investment spending exceeds the supply of savings, will cause inflationary overheating of the economy.

And the fact that we didn’t see inflationary overheating over the course of a 30-year trend of falling interest rates suggests that the decline wasn’t artificial — that the natural rate must have been falling over that period.

Why might the natural rate have declined? The most likely culprit is a decline in investment demand, driven by a combination of demographic and technological stagnation.

The key insight is that investment spending is driven in large part by growth — growth in the number of workers and in technological progress. A growing labor force needs more of fice space, more houses, and so on; a stagnant workforce only needs to replace structures and equipment as they wear out. Technological progress can also contribute to investment by making it worthwhile to replace outmoded capital goods, and also by making people richer so they can demand more living space, and so on; if technological progress slows down, investment spending tends to fall.

Since the 1990s, both of these drivers of investment lost a lot of their momentum.

Once the last of the baby boomers reached their mid20s, the number of Americans in their prime working years, which had risen rapidly for decades, flattened out.

This demographic downturn was even stronger in other wealthy countries. The working-age population in Europe has been declining since 2010, and it has fallen in Japan at a fairly rapid clip.

Technological change is harder to pin down, but it’s dif ficult to escape the sense that major innovations are becoming increasingly rare. When was the last time you were

excited about the latest iPhone? (OK, some of us never were, but still.) And for what it’s worth, estimates of total factor productivity, a measure meant to capture the economy’s overall technological level, have grown slowly since the mid-2000s.

So is there any reason to expect either demography or technology to be more favorable for investment in, say, 2024 than they were in 2019? I don’t see it.

It’s true that there has been a lot of recent technological progress in green energy, and it’s possible that an energy transition, helped by Joe Biden’s climate policies, will contribute to investment in the years ahead. But that aside, the same factors that kept interest rates low before the pandemic still seem to be in place.

What about inflation? Another old principle in thinking about interest rates is the Fisher effect, which implies that an increase in expected inflation should normally lead to an equal rise in interest rates. And inflation has spiked in the past year and a half.

That spike is, however, probably temporary. There’s a huge amount to say about inflation, but the 30,000-foot view goes like this: During the pandemic slump, governments gave households huge amounts of aid to maintain their incomes in the face of economic lockdowns. This meant that consumer purchasing power remained high despite a temporary reduction in productive capacity, causing a surge in prices — and leading central banks to hike rates to bring inflation back down.

But there doesn’t seem to be much question about whether they will, in fact, control inflation. Certainly, financial markets expect inflation to revert to pre-pandemic norms.

In summary, then, low interest rates weren’t artificial; they were natural. And it’s hard to see anything that will cause the natural rate to rise once the current inflation spike is over. So the era of low interest rates probably isn’t over after all.

Tribunal Supremo atenderá caso en que el CPI pide documentos públicos a la Junta de Control Fiscal

de quiebras bajo PROMESA, Laura Taylor Swain.

(C

PI) – El Tribunal Supremo de Estados Unidos decidió acoger este lunes un recurso legal mediante el cual la Junta de Control Fiscal de Puerto Rico elevó a ese foro un caso de acceso a información pública que el Centro de Periodismo Investigativo (CPI) le ha ganado en instancias previas del pro ceso judicial.

El máximo foro federal evaluará, a petición de la Junta, si esa entidad creada por la Ley PROMESA tiene inmunidad soberana, lo que significa que es totalmente inmune a recla maciones bajo las leyes de Puerto Rico, por lo que no le aplica el derecho constitucional de acceso a información pública.

Los periodistas del CPI solicitaron desde el 2017 las co municaciones entre funcionarios del Gobierno de Puerto Rico y la Junta, entre otros documentos. Como parte del litigio que ya lleva más de cinco años, el ente fiscal entregó al CPI alre dedor de 18,400 documentos, pero reclamó confidencialidad sobre otros 20,000.

“Desde el CPI reafirmamos nuestro derecho de acceso a esa información que la Junta de Control Fiscal ha intercambia

do con el Gobierno de Puerto Rico. Vamos a seguir luchando para lograr que el pueblo de Puerto Rico sepa lo que ha estado haciendo la Junta y cómo se han estado tomando decisiones. El que el Tribunal Supremo federal haya decidido acoger este recurso nos preocupa, porque la Junta pretende operar sin te ner que cumplir con el derecho puertorriqueño al acceso de información garantizado por nuestra Constitución. Pero ya co menzó la preparación de nuestro equipo para presentar nues tros argumentos. No se nos puede dejar sin un foro donde rei vindicar este derecho. Vamos a lograr que el Supremo federal reconozca eso”, dijo Carla Minet, directora ejecutiva del CPI.

La Junta tendrá hasta el 17 de noviembre para presentar su alegato sobre los méritos del caso ante el Tribunal Supre mo federal, y el CPI deberá hacer lo propio antes del 19 de diciembre. En la primera mitad del 2023 se espera que haya una vista oral en Washington D.C. sobre el caso.

La demanda había logrado decidirse a favor de los perio distas en el Tribunal federal para el Distrito de Puerto Rico y en el Circuito de Apelaciones de Boston. En el año 2017 la Junta de Control Fiscal intentó, sin éxito, que se incluyera la controversia como parte de los procesos que atiende la jueza

En julio pasado, la Junta recurrió al Supremo de Estados Unidos, representada por el bufete Proskauer Rose. Los abo gados plantean que la Junta tiene “inmunidad soberana” bajo la Constitución de Estados Unidos y que por eso está exenta de reclamaciones bajo leyes de Puerto Rico. Pero al crear la Junta tras la aprobación de la Ley PROMESA, el Congreso fue “inequívocamente claro” en que este organismo puede ser de mandado en un tribunal federal y está sujeta a órdenes judi ciales adversas, dijo el Primer Circuito de Boston, reafirmando una decisión de un tribunal inferior.

Colegio de Químicos de Puerto Rico estrena presidente

CYBERNEWS

expresó el licenciado Víctor Adorno Badillo, presidente del CQPR en declaraciones escritas.

SAN JUAN – El informe de COVID-19 del De partamento de Salud (DS) reportó el miércoles, sobre 117 casos positivos confirmados, 445 casos probables y diez muertes.

Las personas fallecidas fueron 8 hombres y 2 mujeres entre las edades de 52 a 90 años de las regiones de Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas y Metropo

S

AN JUAN – El licenciado Víctor Adorno Badillo fue nombrado el miércoles como el nuevo presidente del Colegio de Químicos de Puerto Rico (CQPR).Como parte de su nombramiento, el licenciado Adorno Badillo exten dió un mensaje especial a todos los colegas y miembros de la insigne organización, fundada en el 1941, como ente principal que agrupa a los profesionales de la quími ca en el país.

“Agradezco a cada uno de ustedes la confianza que han depositado en este humilde servidor para dirigir los destinos de nuestro colegio. Tengo el compromiso de no defraudarlos y la certeza de que, durante esta gesta, juntos continuaremos fortaleciendo nuestro compromiso con la salud, el desarrollo y bienestar de nuestros colegiados y de todos los que habitamos en esta bella isla del encanto”,

A lo largo de su trayectoria profesional, el licenciado Adorno Badillo se ha desempeñado en importantes roles en los ámbitos comerciales, educativos y de la química, entre ellos destacan: Jefe del Departamento de Análisis de la Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AAA); científico de Control de Calidad en Fujisawa; especialis ta en cromatografía de gas en PerkinElmer; científico de desarrollo de métodos para la industria farmacéutica en Ricons; y director ejecutivo de Caribbean University.

El Colegio de Químicos ha participado y auspiciado congresos científicos internacionales tales como los aus piciados por la Federación Latinoamericana de Asociacio nes Químicas (FLAQ) y la Sociedad Americana de Quími ca (American Chemical Society). El Colegio es también el ente fundador del Congreso Panamericano de Química.

litano. Siete de ellos no estaban con vacunas al día, dos con vacunas al día y uno no vacunado.

El monitoreo cubre el periodo del 19 de sep tiembre de 2022 al 3 de octubre de 2022.

La tasa de positividad está en 14.23 por ciento.

Hay 187 adultos hospitalizados y de ellos, 29 están en intensivo. Mientras, 22 menores están hos pitalizados y un menor está en intensivo. 16 adultos están en ventilador y un menor.

Las personas con vacunas al día son 1,049,189 personas.

El total de muertes atribuidas es de 5,167.

‘The Woman King’ and intimate moments amid epic action

By FARAH FLEURIMA

Fromher debut feature, the romcom classic “Love and Basketball,” to her most recent action hit, “The Old Guard,” Gina Prince-Bythewood is known for films with rich character intros pection amid outward chaos. That touch is evident again this fall even as she wi dens her cinematic playing field with the fact-based battle epic “The Woman King.”

The period film follows a troop of fierce woman warriors, the Agojie, as they defend the West African kingdom of Dahomey from slave traders, domestic and foreign. Led by Viola Davis as Gene ral Nanisca, the women live in their own corner of the palace of King Ghezo (John Boyega) in a man-free enclave as they hone their combat skills. Into this environ ment, Nawi (newcomer Thuso Mbedu), a young girl unceremoniously dumped at the palace, begins training alongside more experienced soldiers played by Lashana

Lynch and Sheila Atim.

Davis brought the concept to Prin ce-Bythewood. “When we first met with her, she wept in the room,” Davis said of Prince-Bythewood. “When a director has that level of passion and vulnerability for the work, they’re going to treat it as their child. I understood that this was Gina’s magnum opus in the room.”

In a video interview, PrinceBythewood explained how she went about tackling what would be, logistically, her biggest film yet. These are edited ex cerpts from that conversation.

Q: Tell me about how the scale of this movie was different from things you’ve done before.

A: When I met with Viola and Cathy [Schulman, a producer] to get the job, I said to them I felt all my work until this point led me to be able to tell this story the right way and give it the epic scale it deserved, to do the action the right way, to showcase these women in the way they deserve to be showcased, given all the things I’ve learned, not only on “The Old Guard” with action but just in storytelling. Do you care about the characters? Do they feel real to you? That’s where every really good movie starts.

Q: How did this production come to you?

A: About five years ago, I read that Viola Davis was going to do a film about female warriors, and I said to myself, “Why didn’t they come to me for that?” [Laughs] But then they did; they had come to me as a writer-director, but the script had to be written. I think I was on “Silver & Black” [a superhero project that was ul timately canceled], so I couldn’t take on the writing, but I said, “Please come back to me when you have a script.” You say that a lot, but I really did mean it.

The director Gina Prince-Bythewood at her home in Los Angeles in August 2022. Prince-Bythewood is known for her attention to character, but she made “The Wom an King,” a historic saga of female warriors, on another scale altogether.

And then they came back to me with the script [credited to Dana Stevens from a story by Stevens and Maria Bello]. At that point, “Black Panther” had come out, and I remember reading that the Dora Milaje in “Black Panther” were based on real-life warrior women. People were calling them Black Amazons, and they actually had

a real name, which was Agojie — that’s when I first heard about them. As soon as I read the script, I knew in five pages that I had to do this movie. It was just excitement, excitement, excitement, be cause the story was entrenched in truth and a specific war that happened at a specific time, then led to a bigger war against colonizers. The more I learned about them, the more I got excited about putting this incredible culture — and us — on screen in a way that we haven’t been able to see ourselves.

Q: I’m glad you mentioned the Dora Milaje before I did, because you’re definitely going to hear comparisons to them. How do you take that?

A: I loved “Black Panther.” Loved it. You know, for me, “The Woman King” is where we started, and “Black Panther” is where we can go, so past and future — I think it’s a beautiful connection. I think it’s cool that people can now learn that this doesn’t have to be a fantasy, that we really were these women, we have this innate warrior within us.

Q: Based on “The Secret Life of Bees” and “Love and Basketball,” you like introspective character moments, especially with women. How did you achieve such moments within the scale and spectacle of “The Woman King”?

A: I feel like the intimate moments were as important as the big set pieces. Set pieces and action do not matter if you don’t care about the characters. So, I love to take the time to allow an au dience to understand who people are, where they come from, their relations hips with others. The sisterhood of this film was so important, the humanity of these women was so important: I wanted to take the time to establish that so when

you see Viola fighting in the Oyo battle, you care. You’ve got to invest that time. I love doing action, but I love doing two people in a scene. [Lynch’s character] Izogie braiding [Nawi’s] hair and talking to her about “You’re more powerful than you even know” — I get off doing that scene equally as I do doing a big battle scene.

Q: Do you find that action surrounding such internal scenes can threaten to overpower them?

A: Great action magnifies who a character is. You can tell so much story within an action scene. But you’ve got to know who Izogie is from the outset and the way she fights. That was fun to crea te: What is your fighting style, and what does that say about your character? To be able to do that with the actors, that’s all the fun stuff.

Q: Where did you film, and what were some of the challenges of being on location?

A: We shot in South Africa, the ma jority in Cape Town. We built our entire palace there. But the first two weeks of filming was in KwaZulu-Natal, where we shot a lot of the deep jungle stuff. That was incredible to be in that environment; that’s also where Thuso is from, so the fact that her first movie she got to shoot where she was born and raised was ama zing for her.

When we got back to Cape Town, omicron hit us, and that was really tough because we had to shut down for a cou ple weeks. Scariest thing, we were three weeks into shooting. I didn’t know if we were going to come back. Was omicron going to keep doing this, or was it going to plateau?

Q: Was your fear that you’d have to scrap the film altogether, or just de lay it?

A: I thought we were going to have to scrap it.

Q: Sticking with South Africa, let’s talk about Thuso. You said this was her first film. What did she bring to the film that you had to have?

A: She auditioned. The moment her face appeared on Zoom, I just cared about her before she even opened her mouth! And then she opened her mouth, and I cared about her even more. She just has this thing, this innate vulnerabi lity, but also she’s a generational talent. She’s so good.

She can go toe-to-toe with Viola Davis! Like, who can do that? She did that. Thuso’s so smart about character, she pays attention to everything — detail is so important to her. She’s so passionate

and so good. I loved just watching her in scenes.

Q: Let’s talk about the fight scenes. The actors did some of their own fighting and stunts in a battle-heavy movie.

A: To each one of them, including Viola, I had to look [them] in the eye and [say], “You’re going to do your own fighting and stunts. Are you willing to do everything you have to to embody these characters?” And everyone said yes. But it’s one thing to say yes, it’s another to re ally do it, and I’m talking months of work. You have to have an incredible mindset to do that. The beauty of it is that type of training is part of the rehearsal process. It helps you build character, it helps bond them. But they have such great pride now when they get to see what they did. I mean, that’s really them fighting.

It amazes me that there’s this na rrative that women aren’t warriors, aren’t tough. These women put themselves through so much to be able to do what they did on set, and in an action film, you should never get injured, but you will get hurt at some point — a stray punch or you land wrong — and all of these wo men got hurt and would not stop. I love it, because I’m an athlete, and to see that from them was really beautiful.

Q: Another thing I think that’s going to be immediately appreciated and a fact that kept coming into my head is: Little girls are going to see all these natural hairstyles, and that is huge.

A: Sheila is the one that said she wishes her 12-year-old self had this film. And, yeah, that’s the thing we’re most excited about: How can this change the way that we see ourselves, especially litt le girls? Do you get to now grow up and see yourself heroically, and can you take that in for yourself? I’m really hoping that for this film.

The director Gina Prince-Bythewood at her home in Los Angeles in August 2022.

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DO CRUZ ROMÁN, el Alguacil que suscribe, por la presente anuncia y hace constar, que en cumplimiento del Mandamiento de Ejecución de Sentencia ex pedido por la Secretaria del Tri bunal de Primera Instancia de Puerto Rico, procederé a ven der en pública subasta y al me jor postor, quien pagará el im porte de la venta en dinero efectivo, en cheque certificado o en cheque de gerente a la or den del alguacil suscribiente en moneda de curso legal de los Estados Unidos de América, en mi oficina localizada en el Cen tro Judicial de Ponce, todo títu lo, derecho o interés que co rresponda a las partes codemandadas sobre los bie nes inmuebles que se descri ben a continuación: A. PRO PIEDAD A – FINCA 6,611: RÚSTICA: Parcela marcada con un área de catorce cuerdas con trescientas setenta y tres diezmilésimas de cuerda, equi valentes a cincuenta y cinco mil ciento sesenta y ocho punto dos mil doscientos cuarenta y ocho metros cuadrados (55,168.2248 M.C.), situado en el Barrio Tejas de Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico y en lindes por el NORTE, a todo lo largo de una quebrada con José Muñoz; por el SUR, con la parcela “B” a se gregarse; por el ESTE, con la carretera número catorce (14); y por el OESTE, con terrenos de la Sucesión de E. Díaz Brink.” La propiedad consta ins crita al folio 257 del tomo 266 de Juana Díaz, Finca 6,611, Registro de la Propiedad de

Puerto Rico, Sección Primera (1era) de Ponce. DIRECCIÓN

FÍSICA: Carr. 551 Km 0.7 Ba rrio Tijeras, Juana Díaz, PR.

AFECTA POR SU PROCE

DENCIA: Libre de Cargas. AFECTA POR SI: SERVIDUM

BRE DE PASO a perpetuidad sobre esta finca seis mil seis cientos once (6611) inscrita al folio cincuenta y cuatro (54) del tomo ciento noventa y dos (192) de Juana Diaz como pre dio sirviente a favor de la finca diez mil ciento ochenta y seis (10186) al folio doscientos cin cuenta (250) del tomo doscien tos sesenta y seis (266) de Jua na Diaz como predio dominante sobre una faja tres mil cuatro cientos cuarenta metros cua drados (3,440.00 m/c), equiva lente a ocho mil setecientas cincuenta y dos diez milesimas de cuerda, con valor de mil do lares ($1,000.00). Según cons ta de la inscripción ocho (8) practicada con fecha de catorce (14) de agosto de mil novecien tos ochenta y cuatro (1984) al folio cincuenta y seis (56) vuelto del tomo ciento noventa y dos (192) de la demarcación de Juana Díaz y en virtud de la es critura numero treinta y seis (36) otorgada en Ponce, Puerto Rico, el día catorce (14) de abril de mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro (1984)ante el notario Raúl Matos, aclarada mediante la escritura número sesenta y cuatro (64) otorgada en Ponce, Puerto Rico, el día seis (6) de julio de mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro (1984) por el mismo notario. HIPOTECA: En garan tía de un pagaré a favor de BANCO DE DESARROLLO ECONÓMICO PARA PUERTO RICO, o a su orden, por la suma de cuatrocientos treinta y cinco mil ($435,000.00), distri buyéndose la responsabilidad hipotecaria entre esta finca y otras más, respondiendo esta por la suma de doscientos no venta mil ($290,000.00), con interés al 9.75% anual, y vence dero a la presentación, según consta escritura treinta y cinco (35), otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día cinco (5) de marzo de mil novecientos no venta y siete (1997) ante el no tario Pedro A. Morell Corrada, inscripción décimo quinta (15ta).

de Juana Díaz y en virtud de Certificación de fecha del trein ta (30) de julio de dos mil ocho (2008) por Humberto Figueroa, Supervisor. El gravamen objeto de ejecución en este procedi miento es la que surge de la Escritura de Hipoteca número 35, otorgada el 5 de marzo de 1997 ante el Notario Público Pedro A. Morell Corrada, en la cual se establece como precio mínimo para la primera subasta la suma de $290,000.00. B.

ANOTACIÓN DE EM

BARGO: a favor del Estado Li bre Asociado de Puerto Rico, por la suma de dieciséis mil ochocientos veinticuatro dóla res con sesenta y cinco centa vos ($16,824.65). Según surge de la anotación letra A practica da con fecha de ocho (8) de agosto de dos mil ocho (2008) al folio ciento sesenta y nueve (169) del tomo quinientos vein tidós (522) de la demarcación

PROPIEDAD B – FINCA 10,186: RUSTICA: Parcela de terreno radicada en el Barrio Tejas de Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, con un área de tres mil ciento cincuenta punto ocho mil setecientos dieciocho metros cuadrados (3,156.8718 M.C.), equivalentes a cero punto ocho mil treinta y dos (0.8032) cuer das. En lindes por el NORTE, SUR, ESTE y OESTE con el remanente de la finca de la cual se segrega. En dichas parcelas existen dos estructuras todas de concreto anexa a las “hou setrailers”, consistentes cada una de ellas a un dormitorio, un baño con “walking closet”, una terraza techada. En adición a un área familiar entre los dos “housetrailers” y una terraza descubierta hacia el área sur de la construcción.” La propiedad consta inscrita al folio 250 del tomo 266 de Juana Díaz, Finca 10,186, Registro de la Propie dad de Puerto Rico, Sección Primera (1era) de Ponce. DI RECCIÓN FÍSICA: Carr. 651, Km 0.7, Barrio Tijeras, Juana Díaz, PR. AFECTA POR SU PROCEDENCIA: Libre de Car gas. AFECTA POR SI: SERVI DUMBRE DE PASO a perpetui dad sobre el remanente de la finca principal, o sea, finca seis mil seiscientos once (6611) ins crita al folio cincuenta y cuatro (54) del tomo ciento noventa y dos (192) de Juana Diaz como predio sirviente a favor esta fin ca como predio dominante como predio dominante sobre una faja tres mil cuatrocientos cuarenta metros cuadrados (3,440.00 m/c), equivalente a ocho mil setecientas cincuenta y dos diez milesimas de cuerda, con valor de mil dolares ($1,000.00). Según surge de la inscripción uno (1) practicada con fecha de catorce (14) de agosto de mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro (1984) al folio doscientos cincuenta (250) del tomo doscientos sesenta y seis (266) de la demarcación de Juana Díaz y en virtud de la es critura numero treinta y seis (36) otorgada en Ponce, Puerto Rico, el día catorce (14) de abril de mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro (1984)ante el notario Raúl Matos, aclarada mediante

la escritura número sesenta y cuatro (64) otorgada en Ponce, Puerto Rico, el día seis (6) de julio de mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro (1984) por el mismo notario. HIPOTECA: En garan tía de un pagaré a favor de BANCO DE DESARROLLO ECONÓMICO PARA PUERTO RICO, o a su orden, por la suma de cuatrocientos treinta y cinco mil ($435,000.00), distri buyéndose la responsabilidad hipotecaria entre esta finca y otras más, respondiendo esta por la suma de ciento cuarenta y cinco mil ($145,000.00), con interés al 9.75% anual, y vence dero a la presentación, según consta escritura treinta y cinco (35), otorgada en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el día cinco (5) de marzo de mil novecientos no venta y siete (1997) ante el no tario Pedro A. Morell Corrada, inscripción octava (8va). El gra vamen objeto de ejecución en este procedimiento es la que surge de la Escritura de Hipote ca número 35, otorgada el 5 de marzo de 1997 ante el Notario

Público Pedro A. Morell Corra da, en la cual se establece como precio mínimo para la pri mera subasta la suma de $145,000.00. Según los gravá menes objeto de ejecución en este procedimiento, el precio mínimo de licitación en las su bastas a celebrarse con rela ción a las propiedades antes descritas, y la fecha y hora de cada subasta serán como si

guen: A. PROPIEDAD A - FIN

CA 6,611: a. PRIMERA SU

BASTA: Se celebrará el día 13 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022 A LAS 10:30 DE LA MAÑANA, con un precio mínimo de $290,000.00.

b. SEGUNDA SUBASTA: Se el día 20 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022

A LAS 10:30 DE LA MAÑANA con un precio mínimo de $193,333.33. c. TERCERA SU

BASTA: Se celebrará el día 27 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022 A LAS 10:30 DE LA MAÑANA, con un precio mínimo de $145,000.00.

B. PROPIEDAD B – FINCA 10,186: a. PRIMERA SUBAS

TA: Se celebrará el día 13 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022 A LAS 11:00 DE LA MAÑANA con un precio mínimo de $145,000.00.

b. SEGUNDA SUBASTA: Se celebrará el día 20 DE OCTU BRE DE 2022 A LAS 11:00 DE

LA MAÑANA con un precio mí nimo de $96,666.67. c. TERCE RA SUBASTA: Se celebrará el día 27 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022

A LAS 11:00 DE LA MAÑANA, con un precio mínimo de $72,500.00. Esta subasta se hará para satisfacer a la Parte Demandante, hasta donde al cance, el importe adeudado bajo la sentencia en este caso, que al 20 de agosto de 2020

ascendía a la cantidad total de $225,964.83, más los intereses que se continúen acumulando hasta el saldo total y completo de la deuda razón de 32.01 dia rios, menos $2,851.99 de es crow, y una cantidad adicional de $21,034.00 por concepto de costas, gastos y honorarios de abogado, según pactados en el Pagaré Hipotecario que garan tiza la deuda. Se entiende que todo licitador que comparezca a la subasta señalada en este caso acepta como bastante la titularidad que da base a las mismas. La venta en pública subasta de las propiedades descritas anteriormente se veri ficará libre de toda carga o gra vamen posterior que afecte di cha propiedad. Se entiende que cualquier carga y/o grava men anterior y/o preferente, si lo hubiera, al crédito que da base a esta ejecución, conti nuará subsistente, entendién dose, además, que el rematan te los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabili dad de estos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del rema te. POR LA PRESENTE, se le notifica a los titulares de crédi tos y/o cargas registrales poste riores, si alguno, que se cele brarán las SUBASTAS en las fechas, horas y sitio anterior mente señalados, y se les invita a que concurran a dichas su bastas, 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 abo gado asegurados, quedando entonces subrogados en los derechos del Acreedor ejecu tante, siempre y cuando reúnan los requisitos y cualificaciones de Ley para que se pueda efec tuar tal subrogación. SE HACE CONSTAR que los autos y to dos los documentos correspon dientes al procedimiento incoa do están de manifiesto en la Secretaría del Tribunal durante horas laborables, bajo el epí grafe de este caso. Y PARA SU PUBLICACIÓN en el tablón de edictos de este Tribunal y en dos (2) lugares públicos del Mu nicipio dónde se celebrarán las subastas señaladas. Además, en un periódico de circulación general en dos ocasiones y me diante correo certificado a la úl tima dirección conocida de la parte demandada. EXPEDIDO el presente EDICTO DE SU BASTA en Ponce, Puerto Rico, a 16 de agosto de 2022. JUAN ROLANDO CRUZ ROMÁN, AL GUACIL #965, TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA, SALA SUPERIOR DE PONCE.

LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO

NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE HUMA CAO REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING LLC

Demandante Vs. SUCESION BETTY ROSAS RODRIGUEZ T/C/C BETTY ROSAS

COMPUESTA POR JOHN DOE Y JANE DOE COMO

POSIBLES HEREDEROS DESCONOCIDOS; ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA; CENTRO DE RECAUDACION DE INGRESOS MUNICIPALES

Demandados Civil Núm.: HU2021CV00948. Sobre: EJECUCIÓN DE HIPO TECA. EDICTO DE SUBASTA. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉ RICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: LA PARTE DEMANDADA, AL (A LA) SECRETARIO(A) DE HACIENDA DE PUERTO RICO Y AL PÚBLICO

GENERAL:

Certifico y Hago Constar: Que en cumplimiento con el Manda miento de Ejecución de Senten cia que me ha sido dirigido por el (la) Secretario(a) del Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Su perior de Humacao, en el caso de epígrafe, venderé en pública subasta y al mejor postor, por separado, de contado y por moneda de curso legal de los Estados Unidos de América y/o Giro Postal y Cheque Certifica do, en mi oficina ubicada en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala de Humacao, el 2 DE NO VIEMBRE DE 2022, A LAS 9:00 DE LA MAÑANA, todo derecho título, participación o interés que le corresponda a la parte demandada o cualquiera de ellos en el inmueble hipotecado objeto de ejecución que se des cribe a continuación: RÚSTICA: Barrio Aguacate de Yabucoa. Solar: Cabida: 607 Metros Cua drados. En lindes por el NOR TE, que es la derecha entran do, con Francisco Cintrón, hoy María Leonor Ortiz; por el SUR, que es la izquierda entrando, con doña Teresa Serrano, hoy Maria González; por el ESTE, por el frente, con la carretera insular de Yabucoa, conduce a Humacao; y por el OES TE, por el fondo, con la viuda de Consorcio Ortiz, hoy Blas Millán.” Finca número 17963 de Yabucoa, inscrita al tomo Karibe, Registro de la Propie dad de Humacao. La Hipoteca Revertida consta inscrita al tomo Karibe, Finca 17,963 de

Yabucoa, Registro de la Propie dad de Humacao, inscripción 2ª. Propiedad localizada en: CARRETERA 3 KM. 89.5, BA

RRIO AGUACATE, YABUCOA, PUERTO RICO 00767. Según figuran en la certificación re gistral, la propiedad objeto de ejecución está gravada por las siguientes cargas anteriores o preferentes: Nombre del Ti tular: N/A. Suma de la Carga: N/A. Fecha de Vencimiento: N/A. Según figuran en la certi ficación registral, la propiedad objeto de ejecución está gra vada por las siguientes cargas posteriores a la inscripción del crédito ejecutante: Nombre del Titular: Secretario de la Vivien da y Desarrollo Urbano. Suma de la Carga: $202,500.00. Fecha de Vencimiento: 20 de marzo de 2089. Se entenderá que todo licitador acepta como bastante la titularidad de la pro piedad y que todas las cargas y gravámenes anteriores y los preferentes al crédito ejecutan te antes descritos, si los hubie re, continuarán subsistentes. El rematante acepta dichas cargas y gravámenes anterio res, y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. Se establece como tipo de mínima subasta la suma de $135,000.00, según acordado entre las partes en el precio pactado en la escritura de hipoteca. De ser necesaria una SEGUNDA SUBASTA por declararse desierta la primera, la misma se celebrará en mi oficina, ubicada en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala de Humacao, el 9 DE NOVIEM

BRE DE 2022, A LAS 9:00 DE LA MAÑANA, y se establece como mínima para dicha se gunda subasta la suma de $90,000.00, 2/3 partes del tipo mínima establecido original mente. Si tampoco se produce remate ni adjudicación en la segunda subasta, se estable ce como mínima para la TER CERA SUBASTA, la suma de $67,500.00, la mitad (1/2) del precio pactado y dicha subasta se celebrará en mi oficina, ubi cada en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala de Humacao, el 16 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, A LAS 9:00 DE LA MAÑANA. Dicha subasta se llevará a cabo para, con su producto satisfacer a la parte demandan te, el importe de la Sentencia dictada a su favor ascendente a la suma de $113,615.76 por concepto de principal, más la suma de $15,215.55 en in tereses acumulados al 11 de marzo de 2022 y los cuales continúan acumulándose a razón de 3.91% anual hasta su total y completo pago; más la sumas de $5,019.27 en se guro hipotecario; $5,635.00 en

tarifas de servicio; $1,199.59 en seguro; $400.00 de tasa ciones; $540.00 de inspeccio nes; $1,553.30 de adelantos pendientes; más la cantidad de 10% del pagare original en la suma de $13,500.00, para gas tos, costas y honorarios de abo gado, esta última habrá de de vengar intereses al máximo del tipo legal fijado por la oficina del Comisionado de Instituciones Financieras aplicable a esta fe cha, desde este mismo día has ta su total y completo saldo. La venta en pública subasta de la referida propiedad se verificará libre de toda carga o gravamen posterior que afecte la mencio nada finca, a cuyo efecto se no tifica y se hace saber la fecha, hora y sitio de la PRIMERA, SEGUNDA Y TERCERA SU BASTA, si esto fuera necesario, a los efectos de que cualquier persona o personas con algún interés puedan comparecer a la celebración de dicha subasta. Se notifica a todos los intere sados que las actas y demás constancias del expediente de este caso están disponibles en la Secretaría del Tribunal durante horas laborables para ser examinadas por los (las) interesados (as). Y para su publicación en el periódico The San Juan Daily Star, que es un diario de circulación general en la isla de Puerto Rico, por es pacio de dos semanas conse cutivas con un intervalo de por lo menos siete (7) días entre ambas publicaciones, así como para su publicación en los sitios públicos de Puerto Rico. Expe dido en Humacao, Puerto Rico, hoy 7 de septiembre de 2022.

BENEDICTO VELÁZQUEZ FÉLIX, ALGUACIL REGIONAL INTERINO. JENNISA GARCÍA MORALES, ALGUACIL AUXI LIAR PLACA #796.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN

NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING

Demandante Vs. AIDARIX LEÓN DE JESÚS TAMBIÉN CONOCIDA COMO AIDARIX DE JESÚS

Demandados

Civil Núm.: SJ2021CV07221.

Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO Y EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTE CA POR LA VÍA ORDINARIA. EDICTO DE SUBASTA. ESTA DOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ES TADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUER TO RICO, SS.

A: LA PARTE

DEMANDADA, AL (A LA) SECRETARIO(A) DE HACIENDA DE PUERTO RICO Y AL PÚBLICO

GENERAL:

Certifico y Hago Constar: Que en cumplimiento con el Manda miento de Ejecución de Senten cia que me ha sido dirigido por el (la) Secretario(a) del Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Su perior de San Juan, en el caso de epígrafe procederá a vender en pública subasta al mejor postor en efectivo, cheque ge rente, giro postal, cheque certi ficado en moneda legal de los Estados Unidos de América al nombre del Alguacil del Tribu nal de Primera Instancia, en mi oficina ubicada en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala de San Juan, el 25 DE OCTUBRE

DE 2022, A LAS 9:30 DE LA MAÑANA, todo derecho título, participación o interés que le corresponda a la parte deman dada o cualquiera de ellos en el inmueble hipotecado objeto de ejecución que se descri be a continuación: URBANA: PROPIEDAD HORIZONTAL.

Apartamento 302. Apartamento residencial del primer piso del Condominio Caminos Verdes, Edificio A, Modulo 3 localizado en el Barrio Cupey del munici pio de San Juan, Puerto Rico. Apartamento de un solo nivel, compuesto de sala-comedor, cocina, balcón y pasillo de ac ceso a las otras dependencias del apartamento, que inclu yen un área de lavandería, un cuarto dormitorio principal con vestidor y baño, dos cuartos dormitorios adicionales con sus closets y otro baño, con una área superficial de 1,334.17 pies cuadrados, equivalente a 123.948 metros cuadrados. Su puerta de entrada se encuentra en su colindancia Oeste, la cual da acceso directamente al ves tíbulo de dicho piso, que a su vez da acceso a las áreas co munes generales de la propie dad y a los estacionamientos, que a su vez conduce a la vía pública. En lindes por el NOR TE, en cinco alineaciones que suman 45` con el área de patio que ha sido separada para su uso exclusivo como elemento común de uso limitado; por el SUR, en cinco alineaciones que suman 45`7” con elemen to común exterior y pasillo que conduce a las escaleras que dan acceso al exterior del edificio; por el ESTE, en tres alineaciones que suman 39`2” con apartamento 401 y con ele mentos común exterior; y por el OESTE, En cuatro alineaciones que suman 40`10” con elemen to común exterior con apar tamento 301 y con el área del pasillo que conduce a las esca leras que dan acceso al exte rior del edificio. De conformidad

con el plano aprobado por la Administración de Reglamen tos y Permiso de Puerto Rico, le corresponde a este apar tamento el uso exclusivo del área de patio que es un área común de uso limitado, con el cual colindan por el Norte. Le corresponde a este aparta mento una participación de los elementos comunes generales del inmueble de 0.74%.

Le co rresponde de forma exclusiva, permanente e inseparable los estacionamiento número 180 y 48 debidamente y numerados de conformidad al plano de es tacionamiento. Consta inscrita al folio 41 vuelto del tomo 662 de Rio Piedras Sur, Registro de la Propiedad de Puerto Rico, Sección Cuarta de San Juan. Propiedad localizada en: 302 Cond. Caminos Verdes, San Juan, PR 00926. Según figuran en la certificación registral, la propiedad objeto de ejecución está gravada por las siguientes cargas anteriores o preferen tes: Nombre del Titular: N/A. Suma de la Carga: N/A. Fecha de Vencimiento: N/A. Según figuran en la certificación re gistral, la propiedad objeto de ejecución está gravada por las siguientes cargas posteriores a la inscripción del crédito ejecu tante: Nombre del Titular: N/A. Suma de la Carga: N/A. Fecha de Vencimiento: N/A. Se enten derá que todo licitador acepta como bastante la titularidad de la propiedad y que todas las cargas y gravámenes anterio res y los preferentes al crédito ejecutante antes descritos, si los hubiere, continuarán sub sistentes. El rematante acepta dichas cargas y gravámenes anteriores, y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. Se establece como tipo mí nimo de subasta la suma de CIENTO OCHENTA MIL DO LARES ($180,000.00), según acordado entre las partes en el precio pactado en la escritura de hipoteca. De ser necesaria una SEGUNDA SUBASTA por declararse desierta la primera, la misma se celebrará en mi ofi cina, ubicada en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala de San Juan, el 1 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, 9:30 DE LA MAÑANA, y se establece como mínima para dicha segunda subasta la suma de CIENTO VEINTE MIL DOLARES ($120,000.00), 2/3 partes del tipo mínimo estable cido originalmente. Si tampoco se produce remate ni adjudica ción en la segunda subasta, se establece como mínima para la TERCERA SUBASTA, la suma de NOVENTA MIL DOLARES ($90,000.00), la mitad (1/2) del precio pactado y dicha subasta se celebrará en mi oficina, ubi cada en el Tribunal de Primera

Instancia, Sala de San Juan, el 8 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, 9:30 DE LA MAÑANA. Dicha subasta se llevará a cabo para, con su producto satisfacer a la parte demandante, el importe de la Sentencia dictada a su favor ascendente a la suma de $185,913.68 de principal, inte reses al tipo del 4.625% anual según ajustado desde el día 1 de abril de 2015 hasta el pago de la deuda en su totalidad, más la suma de $18,000.00 por concepto de honorarios de abo gado y costas autorizadas por el Tribunal, más las cantidades que se adeudan mensualmente por concepto de seguro hipo tecario, cargos por demora, y otros adeudados que se hagan en virtud de la escritura de hi poteca. La venta en pública su basta de la referida propiedad se verificará libre de toda carga o gravamen posterior que afec te la mencionada finca, a cuyo efecto se notifica y se hace sa ber la fecha, hora y sitio de la PRIMERA, SEGUNDA Y TER CERA SUBASTA, si esto fuera necesario, a los efectos de que cualquier persona o perso nas con algún interés puedan comparecer a la celebración de dicha subasta. Se notifica a todos los interesados que las actas y demás constancias del expediente de este caso están disponibles en la Secretaría del Tribunal durante horas la borables para ser examinadas por los (las) interesados (as). Y para su publicación en el periódico The San Juan Daily Star, que es un diario de cir culación general en la isla de Puerto Rico, por espacio de dos semanas consecutivas con un intervalo de por lo menos siete (7) días entre ambas pu blicaciones, así como para su publicación en los sitios públi cos de Puerto Rico. Expedido en San Juan, Puerto Rico, hoy día 15 de septiembre de 2022.

PEDRO HIEYE GONZÁLEZ, Alguacil De Subastas, Tribunal De Primera Instancia, Centro Judicial De San Juan, Sala Su perior.

LEGAL NOTICE

M&T 15-01-203014

CG2019CV02395

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO

DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU

NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA

CENTRO JUDICIAL DE CA GUAS SALA SUPERIOR BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO

Demandante V. JUAN DÍAZ VELÁZQUEZ T/C/C JUAN CARLOS DÍAZ VELÁZQUEZ Y ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA

Civil

EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTECA

POR LA VÍA ORDINARIA. EDICTO DE SUBASTA. El Al guacil que suscribe por la pre sente CERTIFICA, ANUNCIA y hace CONSTAR: Que en cum plimiento 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 JUDI

CIAL DE CAGUAS SALA SU

PERIOR, en el caso de epígra fe procederá a vender en pública subasta al mejor postor quién pagará de contado y en moneda de curso legal de los Estados Unidos de América, giro postal o por cheque de ge rente a nombre del Alguacil del Tribunal de Primera Instancia el día 25 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022, A LAS 10:00 DE LA MAÑANA en su oficina sita en el local que ocupa en el edificio del TRIBU NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE CA

Demandados

CG2019CV02395.

COBRO DE DINERO

GUAS SALA SUPERIOR, todo derecho, título e interés que tenga la parte demandada de epígrafe en el inmueble de su propiedad que ubica en Mulas Ward, PR 156 KM 49.8 Miradas Sec, Aguas Buenas, PR 00703 y que se describe a continua ción: RUSTICA: Solar radicado en el barrio Mulas de Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, con una cabida superficial de 2012.89 metros cuadrados, en lindes por el Norte, en distancia de 24.00 metros, con parcela dedi cada a camino de uso público, por el Sur, en distancia de 23.92 metros, con la finca prin cipal de la cual se segrega, por el Este, en distancia de 84.07 metros, con la parcela D y por el Oeste, en distancia de 84.21 metros, con parcela F del plano de inscripción. Contiene casa. La propiedad antes relacionada consta inscrita en el Tomo KA RIBE de Aguas Buenas, finca número 4820, en el Registro de la Propiedad de Caguas, Sec ción Segunda. El tipo mínimo para la primera subasta del in mueble antes relacionado, será el dispuesto en la Escritura de Hipoteca, es decir la suma de $138,446.00. Si no hubiere re mate ni adjudicación en la pri mera subasta del inmueble mencionado, se celebrará una SEGUNDA SUBASTA en las oficinas del Alguacil que suscri be el día 1 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, A LAS 10:00 DE LA MA ÑANA. 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 $92,297.33. Si tampoco hu biere remate ni adjudicación en la segunda subasta se celebra rá una TERCERA SUBASTA en las oficinas del Alguacil que suscribe el día 8 DE NOVIEM BRE DE 2022, A LAS 10:00 DE LA MAÑANA. Para la tercera subasta servirá de tipo mínimo la mitad (1/2) del precio pacta do para el caso de ejecución, o

sea, la suma de $69,223.00. La hipoteca a ejecutarse en el caso de epígrafe fue constitui da mediante la escritura núme ro 13, otorgada el día 18 de enero de 2013, ante el Notario Jorge Laborde Corretjer y cons ta inscrita en el Tomo KARIBE de Aguas Buenas, finca núme ro 4820, en el Registro de la Propiedad de Caguas, Sección Segunda, inscripción quinta. Dicha subasta se llevará a cabo para con su producto satisfacer al Demandante total o parcial mente según sea el caso el im porte de la Sentencia que ha obtenido ascendente a la suma de $133,900.53 por concepto de principal, más intereses al tipo pactado de 4.000% anual desde el día 1 de diciembre de 2014. Dichos intereses conti núan acumulándose hasta el pago total de la obligación. Se pagarán también los cargos por demora equivalentes a 4.000% de la suma de aquellos pagos con atrasos en exceso de 15 días calendarios de la fecha vencimiento, la suma de $13,844.60 para costas, gastos y honorarios de abogado, la suma de $13,844.60 para cubrir los intereses en adición a los garantizados por ley y la suma de $13,844.60 para cubrir cual quier otro adelanto que se haga en virtud de la escritura de hipo teca, más intereses según pro visto por la regla 44.3 de las de Procedimiento Civil. Que los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al Procedi miento incoado estarán de ma nifiesto en la SECRETARIA DEL TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDI CIAL DE CAGUAS SALA SU PERIOR durante las horas la borables. Se entenderá que todo licitador acepta como bas tante la titularidad del inmueble y que las cargas y gravámenes anteriores y los preferentes, si los hubiere, al crédito del ejecu tante continuarán subsistentes. Se entenderá que el rematante los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su ex tinción el precio de remate. La propiedad no está sujeta a gra vámenes anteriores ni prefe rentes según las constancias del Registro de la Propiedad. Surge de un estudio de título que, sobre la finca descrita an teriormente, pesan los gravá menes posteriores a la hipoteca que se ejecuta mediante este procedimiento que se relacio nan más adelante. A los acree dores que tengan inscritos o anotados sus derechos sobre los bienes hipotecados con posterioridad a la inscripción del crédito del ejecutante o acreedores de cargos o dere chos reales que los hubiesen pospuesto a la hipoteca del ac tor y a los dueños, poseedores, tenedores de, o interesados en títulos transmisibles por endo so, o al portador, garantizados hipotecariamente con posterio

ridad al crédito del actor por la presente se notifica, que se ce lebrarán las subastas en las fe chas, 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 abo gado asegurados quedando subrogados en los derechos del acreedor ejecutante. A. EM

BARGO FEDERAL: A favor de los ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, por la suma princi pal de $8,380.74, adeudado por Juan C. Díaz Velázquez, con Seguro Social No. XXXXX-7705, Notificación No. 380 241 807, presentado el 14 de agosto del 2007, al folio 158, Asiento 2 del libro de Contribu ciones Federales No. 3. B.

EMBARGO ESTATAL: A favor del ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIA DO DE PUERTO RICO, por la suma principal de $24,938.95, adeudado por Juan Díaz Veláz quez, con Seguro Social No. XXX-XX-7705, según Certifica ción de fecha 7 de agosto del 2013, anotado en el libro de Embargos Estatales Ley #12.

C. EMBARGO FEDERAL: A fa vor de los ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, por la suma principal de $45,650.95, adeu dado por Juan C. Díaz Veláz quez, con Seguro Social No. XXX-XX-7705, Notificación No. 348 874 719, presentado el 3 de abril del 2019, al Sistema

Karibe. D. EMBARGO FEDE

RAL: A favor de los ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, por la suma principal de $21,170.29, adeudado por Juan C. Díaz Ve lázquez, con Seguro Social No. XXX-XX-7705, Notificación No. 348 874 719, presentado el 13 de junio de 2022, al Sistema Karibe. E. EMBARGO FEDE

RAL: A favor de los ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, por la suma principal de $3,059.40, adeudado por Juan C. Díaz Ve lázquez, con Seguro Social No. XXX-XX-7705, Notificación No. 348 874 719, presentado al Sis tema Karibe. F. EMBARGO FE

DERAL: A favor de los ESTA DOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, por la suma principal de $5,645.00, adeudado por Juan C. Díaz Velázquez, con Seguro Social No. XXX-XX-7705, Noti ficación No. 455 956 422, pre sentado al Sistema Karibe. G. AVISO DE DEMANDA: En el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior de Caguas, en el Caso Civil No. ECD2015-0244, sobre cobro de dinero y ejecu ción de hipoteca, del 25 de fe brero del 2015, seguido por el Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, versus Titular, se solicita el pago de la deuda garantizada con hipoteca de la inscripción 5ª., la cual asciende a la suma principal de $134,751.92 mas costas, gastos e intereses, ano tado al Sistema Karibe, finca No. 4820 de Aguas Buenas,

DEMANDA: En el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Supe rior de Caguas, en el Caso Civil No. CG2019CV02395, sobre cobro de dinero y ejecución de hipoteca, seguido por el Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, versus Titular y Estados Unidos de América, se solicita el pago de la deuda garantizada con hipo teca de la inscripción 5ª., la cual asciende a la suma principal de $133,900.53 mas costas, gas tos e intereses, anotado el 10 de febrero del 2021, al Sistema Karibe, finca No. 4820 de Aguas Buenas, anotación “A”. Y para conocimiento de licita dores del público en general se publicará este Edicto de acuer do con la ley por espacio de dos semanas en tres sitios públicos del municipio en que ha de ce lebrarse la venta, tales como la alcaldía, el Tribunal y la colectu ría. Este Edicto será publicado mediante edictos dos veces en un diario de circulación general en el Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, por espacio de dos semanas consecutivas. La pro piedad a ser ejecutada se ad quirirá libre de cargas y gravá menes posteriores sujeto a lo dispuesto en los Artículos 113 al 116 de la Ley 210 del 8 de diciembre de 2015, según apli que. Expido el presente Edicto de subasta bajo mi firma en Ca guas, Puerto Rico, hoy día 26 de septiembre de 2022. (FDO.) ÁNGEL GÓMEZ GÓMEZ, AL GUACIL PLACA #593.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE CAROLINA ESTRELLA HOMES, LLC

Demandante V. NASAE ROCHE CRUZ; JOHANNALI QUIÑONES NIEVES; ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA

Demandados

Civil Núm.: CA2018CV02992.

Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO Y EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTECA. EDICTO DE SUBASTA. AL PÚBLICO EN GENERAL; A LA PARTE DEMANDADA Y A LOS TENEDORES DE GRAVÁMENES POSTERIORES.

YO, SAMUEL GONZÁLEZ ISA

AC, Alguacil del Tribunal de Pri mera Instancia, Sala de Caroli na, al público en general, POR

LA PRESENTE HAGO SABER: CERTIFICO Y HAGO SABER: Cumpliendo con un Manda miento de Ejecución de Senten cia del Secretario de este Tribu nal, venderé en pública subasta al mejor postor en moneda le gal de los Estados Unidos, en mi oficina, en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala de Ca rolina, el día 18 DE OCTUBRE

DE 2022, A LAS 2:15 DE LA

TARDE, la siguiente propiedad: URBANA: Horizontal Property

apartment 0-32 of Paisajes del Escorial Condominium located in San Anton Ward, Carolina located on the third fourth and fifth floor of building O of the condominium. The apartment has an area of 139.039 square meters. The third floor is boun ded on the NORTH by the exte rior wall that overlook the side yard in a distance of 5.029 me ters on the SOUTH, where the entrance is located by the ha llway the stairwell and common elements that separates it from apartment 0-33 in a distance of 6.09 meters; on the EAST, by the exterior wall that overlooks the back yard in a distance of 10.439 meters; and the WEST, by the wall that separates it from apartment 0-30 in a dis tance of 10.439 meters. The fourth floor is bounded on the NORTH by the exterior wall that overlooks the side yard in a dis tance of 6.019 meters; on the SOUTH, by the wall that sepa rates it from apartment 0-33 in a distance of 6.019 meters on the EAST by the exterior wall that overlook the back yard in a dis tance of 11.658 meters; and on the WEST, by the wall that se parates it from apartment 0-30 in a distance of 11.658 meters. The fifth floor is bounded on the South and East by the open horizontal roof area which is common element limited to this apartment; on the NORTH, by the exterior wall that overlooks the side yard and on the WEST, by the wall that separates it from apartment 0-30. The third floor of this apartment consists of living and dining area, kit chen laundry, bathroom and the staricase leading to the foruth floor. The fourth floor consists of 3 bedthroom with a closet each, 2 bathrooms, a hallway and the staircase leading to the third and fifth floor. The fifth floor consists of a roofed open area measuring 3.96 meters by 2.51 meters and the area oc cupied by staircase leading to the fourth floor measuring 2.89 meters by 0.96 meters. The en trance to this apartment located on its southern boundary com municates with the hallway and stairwell of the building that lead to the sidewalk. This apartment haas as part and appurtenant to it 0.6692% of the common elements and 14.0534% of the limited common elements of building. It also has as part and appurtenant to it 2 parking spaces in the parking area iden tified with the unit designation. The apartment has a common element limited to it that ho rizontal area of the roof of the building built directly over the apartment excluding the area designated in the deed plan as the gazebo of terrace which forms part of the apartment.

Consta inscrita al folio 294 del tomo 1259 de Carolina, finca 54055, Registro de la Propie dad de Carolina, 2da Sección.

La dirección física es: Paisajes

del Escorial, Apartamento O-2, Carolina, PR 00983. Los tipos mínimos fijados para la ejecu ción del bien inmueble antes mencionado lo son las sumas de $190,000.00 para la Primera Subasta; $126,666.67 para la Segunda Subasta; $95,000.00 para la Tercera Subasta. La venta se llevará a cabo para con su producto satisfacer a la parte demandante, hasta don de sea posible, el importe de la sentencia dictada el pasado 16 de febrero de 2022 en el caso de epígrafe, ascendente a las siguientes cantidades: $157,669.94 de principal, más $5,710.61 de intereses acumu lados hasta el 4 de septiembre de 2018, más los que continúen acumulándose hasta el pago total y completo de la deuda, más la cantidad de $384.00 por recargos, más $2,851.32 de otros cargos; más $348.92 de “Escrow Balance, más los que continúen acumulándose hasta el pago total y completo de la deuda; más la suma de $19,000.00 por honorarios de abogados pactados. En caso de que el inmueble a ser su bastado no fuera adjudicado en la primera subasta, se celebra rá una SEGUNDA SUBASTA el día 25 DE OCTUBRE DE 2022, A LAS 2:15 DE LA TARDE, y el tipo mínimo para ésta será el de las dos terceras partes del precio mínimo establecido para la primera subasta. Si tampoco hubiera remate ni adjudicación en la segunda subasta, se ce lebrará una TERCERA SUBAS

TA el día 1RO DE NOVIEMBRE

DE 2022, A LAS 2:15 DE LA TARDE, y el tipo mínimo para esta subasta será la mitad del precio mínimo pactado para la primera subasta. Cuando se declare desierta la tercera su basta, se adjudicará la finca a favor del acreedor por la tota lidad de la cantidad adeudada si esta fuera 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 ésta fuere mayor. Todas las subastas deberán ser acor dadas y celebradas según lo ordenado por el Tribunal. La subasta antes indicada se lle vará a cabo en mi oficina, sita en el Tribunal de Primera Ins tancia, Sala de Carolina. Los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al proce dimiento incoado estarán de manifiesto en la Secretaría del Tribunal durante las horas labo rables. El inmueble NO consta afecto por el siguiente grava men preferencial. El inmue ble antes relacionado consta afecto al siguiente gravamen posterior: a. Aviso de Deman da de fecha 25 de octubre de 2018, expedido en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Su perior de Carolina, en el caso civil número CA2018CV02992, sobre Cobro de Dinero y Ejecu ción de Hipoteca, seguido por

Oriental Bank, contra Nasae Roche Cruz, Johannali Qui ñones Nieves, por la suma de $157,669.94 más otras sumas, anotado el día 10 de febrero de 2020, al tomo Karibe de Carolina, finca número 54,055, anotación A. b. AL ASIENTO 2018-038141-CR02 DEL SIS

TEMA KARIBE, se presentó el día 30 de abril de 2018, la es critura número 1, otorgada en Carolina, Puerto Rico, el día 29 de abril de 2018, ante el notario José L. Ríos Torres, mediante la, mediante la cual comparece Johannali Quiñónes Nieves, soltera, a vender a favor de Na sae Roche Cruz, por el precio de $1,000.00, previa liquida ción de la Sociedad de Bienes Gananciales. c. Embargo a fa vor del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, contra Nasae Roche Cruz, Caso número xxx-xx-3318, en la suma de $8,903.96, Embargo de fecha 20 de febrero del 2014, según Certificación de fecha 5 de mar zo del 2014, presentado el día 4 de marzo del 2014 y anotado al folio 105 Orden 3810 del Li bro del ELA número 7, (Ley 12). d. Embargo a favor del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico contra Quiñones Nieves Johan nali, seguro social xxx-xx-2452, por la suma de $1,123.82, ex pedida por el Departamento Hacienda, por el Supervisor de Distrito Cobros Ramón Echean dia Vargas, según Certificación de Embargo de fecha 7 de junio de 2018, anotado en el libro de Embargos de Carolina 18-384, presentado y anotado el día 11 de junio del 2018 al Asiento 2018-004739-EST. Se enten derá que todo licitador acepta como bastante la titulación y que las cargas preferentes, si alguna, continuarán subsisten tes; entiéndase que el rema tante los acepta y quedan su brogados en la responsabilidad del mismo sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. La propiedad a ser ejecutada se adquirirá libre de cargas y gravámenes posteriores. Para la publicación de este edicto en un periódico de circulación general una vez por semana, durante dos semanas conse cutivas, y para la colocación del mismo en tres sitios públicos visibles del municipio en que se celebre la subasta, libro el pre sente en Carolina, Puerto Rico, hoy día 27 de septiembre del 2022. Samuel González Isaac, Alguacil Del Tribunal De Prime ra Instancia, Sala De Carolina.

***

LEGAL NOT ICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU

NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA

SALA SUPERIOR DE FAJAR DO BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO

Parte Demandante Vs. ORIENTAL BANK

COMO SUCESOR EN

DERECHO DE RG PREMIER BANK OF PUERTO RICO, FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION (FDIC) COMO SÍNDICO DE RG MORTGAGE CORPORATION Y DE DORAL BANK, DORAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION, DORAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION T/C/C DORAL MORTGAGE, LLC, LUZ MARÍA CRUZ VELÁZQUEZ, CECILIO PIZARRO ALGARÍN Y

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS, FULANO Y MENGANO DE TAL, POSIBLES TENEDORES DESCONOCIDOS DEL PAGARÉ

Parte Demandada Civil Núm.: FA2022CV00851. (303). Sobre: CANCELACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO POR LA VÍA JUDICIAL. EDIC TO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS E.E.U.U., EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUER TO RICO.

A: LUZ MARÍA CRUZ VELÁZQUEZ, CECILIO PIZARRO ALGARÍN Y

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS A SU ÚLTIMA DIRECCIÓN CONOCIDA: URB ALTURAS DE RIO GRANDE, V1149 CALLE 20B, RÍO GRANDE, PR 00745-3248.

FULANO Y MENGANO DE TAL, POSIBLES TENEDORES

DESCONOCIDOS DEL PAGARÉ.

Queda usted notificado que en este Tribunal se ha radicado demanda sobre cancelación de pagaré extraviado por la vía judicial. El 27 de abril de 1998, Luz María Cruz Velázquez ca sada con Cecilio Pizarro Alga rín constituyeron una hipoteca en Caguas, Puerto Rico, con forme a la Escritura núm. 54 autorizada por la notario Iraida R. Rivera Almeda en garan tía de un pagaré suscrito bajo testimonio número 3,180 por la suma de $67,200.00, a favor de RG Premier Bank, o a su orden, devengando intereses al 7 7/8% anual y vencedero el 1ro de mayo de 2013, sobre la siguiente propiedad: URBANA: Solar radicado en el barrio Cié naga Baja del municipio de Río Grande, marcado en el plano de inscripción con el número 1149 del bloque “V” de la Urba nización Alturas de Río Gran

de, con una cabida de 358.57 metros cuadrados. En lindes al NORTE, en 24.00 metros, con el solar #1150; al SUR, en 20.50 metros, con la calle #20; al ESTE, en 17.05 metros, con la calle #20-B y al OESTE, en 15.05 metros, con el solar #1148. Enclava una estructura tipo individual dedicada a vi vienda construida de hormigón. Este solar está afecto a servi dumbre de un ancho de cinco pies de largo de su colindancia Oeste a favor de la Puerto Rico Telephone Company. Inscrita al folio 188 del tomo 243 de Río Grande, Finca 11497, Registro de la Propiedad de Carolina, Sección III. La escritura de hi poteca consta inscrita al folio 189 del tomo 243 de Río Gran de, Finca 11497, Registro de la Propiedad de Carolina, Sección III. Inscripción segunda. La parte demandada deberá pre sentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Administración y Manejo de Casos (SUMAC), al cual puede acceder utilizando la si guiente 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. Se le advierte que, si no contesta la deman da, radicando el original de la contestación en este Tribunal y enviando copia de la contesta ción a la abogada de la Parte Demandante, Lcda. Belma Alonso García, cuya dirección es: PO Box 3922, Guaynabo, PR 00970-3922, Teléfono y Fax: (787) 789-1826, correo electrónico: oficinabelmaa lonso@gmail.com, dentro del término de treinta (30) días de la publicación de este edicto, excluyéndose el día de la publi cación, se le anotará la rebeldía y se le dictará Sentencia en su contra, concediendo el remedio solicitado sin más citarle ni oír le. EXPEDIDO bajo mi firma y el sello del Tribunal, hoy 26 de septiembre de 2022, en Fa jardo, Puerto Rico. WANDA I. SEGUÍ REYES, SECRETARIA REGIONAL. LYDIA E. RIVERA MIRANDA, SECRETARIA AU XILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.

LEGAL NOTICE

Estado Libre Asociado de Puer to Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA Tribunal de Pri mera Instancia Sala Superior de MAYAGÜEZ.

LYDIA

SANTIAGO BARBOSA Demandante v. NANCY Y ENEIDA DE APELLIDOS AGUILAR MOYA, JOAQUIN DE DIOS Y GISELA DE APELLIDOS AGUILAR MIRANDA Demandado(a) Civil Núm. CB2020CV00422 (206). Sobre: PARTICION Y ADJUDICACION DE COMU NIDAD DE BIENES HEREDI

TARIOS. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: NANCY AGUILAR MOYA, ENEIDA AGUILAR MOYA, JOAQUIN DE DIOS AGUILAR MIRANDA Y GISELA AGUILAR

MIRANDA (Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 18 de julio de 2022, este Tri bunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 18 de julio de 2022. En Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, el 01 de septiem bre de 2022. LCDA. NORMA G. SANTANA IRIZARRY, Se cretaria. f/Alexandra M. López , Secretaria Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE

Estado Libre Asociado de Puer to Rico TRIBUNAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA Tribunal de Pri mera Instancia Sala Superior de ARECIBO.

DANIEL RODRÍGUEZ III

JOE RODRÍGUEZ

DORIS VALENTÍN MORALES

Demandante v. FLORICELDA MARIELA ESPINOSA AGUILAR

Demandado(a) Civil Núm. AR2022CV00653. Sobre: LIQUIDACIÓN DE CUOTA USUFRUCTUARIA VIUDAL. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: FLORICELDA MARIELA ESPINOSA AGUILAR PARCELAS SÁBANA ENEAS BUZÓN

370 SAN GERMÁN, PUERTO RICO 00683 (Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 30 de agosto de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 30 de agosto de 2022. En ARECIBO, Puerto Rico, el 30 de agosto de 2022. VIVIAN Y. FRESSE GONZALEZ, Secretaria. f/BRU NILDA HERNANDEZ MENDEZ , Secretaria Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADOS LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE BAYAMÓN

BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO, INC. Demandante V. ARTHUR MALARET

OTERO A/K/A ARTUR

MALARET OTERO, HAYDEE ALVAREZ CRUZ Demandado(a) Civil: BY2022CV03533. Sala: 701. Sobre: CANCELACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO POR LA VÍA JUDICIAL. NO TIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: DORAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION, JOHN DOE COMO TENEDORES

DESCONOCIDOS DEL PAGARE.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 27 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a

usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 29 de septiembre de 2022. En Ba yamón, Puerto Rico, el 29 de septiembre de 2022. LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETA RIA. CARMEN M. PINTADO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO

DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU

NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA

CENTRO JUDICIAL DE BAYA MÓN

ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC

COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC Demandante Vs. WINSTOR RIVERA RODRÍGUEZ

Demandado Civil Núm.: GB2022CV00548.

Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. Sala: 503. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO.

A: WINSTOR RIVERA RODRÍGUEZ - PO BOX 973 GUAYNABO, PR 00970-0973 / 1747 MARY JO WAY PENSACOLA, FL 32534.

POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su ale gación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SU MAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente direc ción 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. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dic tar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el reme dio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejerci cio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El siste ma SUMAC notificará copia al abogado de la parte deman dante, el Lcdo. José F. AguiJar Vélez cuya dirección es: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puer to Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección jose.aguilar@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@orflaw.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO

MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribu nal, en Bayamón, Puerto Rico, hoy día 29 de agosto de 2022. En Bayamón, Puerto Rico, el 29 de agosto de 2022. LCDA.

LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA REGIONAL.

AMALYN FIGUEROA NIEVES,

SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN

ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC., COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC

Demandante Vs. WILLY SEGURA SENA

Demandado Ciivl Núm.: SJ2022CV01444. Salón: 908. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNI DOS DE NORTEAMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTA DOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LI BRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO.

A: WILLY SEGURA SENA. 200 CALLE MERHOFF, SAN JUAN P.R. 00915.

POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su ale gación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SU MAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente direc ción 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. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dic tar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el reme dio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejerci cio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El siste ma SUMAC notificará copia al abogado de la parte deman dante, el Lcdo. Kenmuel J. Ruiz López cuya dirección es: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puer to Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección kenmuel.riuz@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@orflaw.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribu nal, en San Juan, Puerto Rico, hoy día 26 de agosto de 2022.

GRISELDA RODRÍGUEZ CO LLADO, SECRETARIA REGIO NAL. LOYDA M. COUVERTIER REYES, SECRETARIA DE SERVICIOS A SALA.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE JUANA DÍAZ

GLENDA LYNNETTE

GONZALEZ SANTIAGO

T/C/C GLENDA L GONZALEZ SANTIAGO Y GLENDA GONZALEZ SANTIAGO

Demandante V. ORIENTAL BANK T/ CC ORIENTAL BANK & EXTRAVIADO TRUST, COMO SUCESOR EN INTERES BBVA PUERTO RICO, T/C/C BBV PUERTO RICO, QUIEN FUNCIONÓ

CON PONCEBANK, T/C/C

PONCE FEDERAL BANK

F.S.B. Y PONCE FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF PR; JOHN DOE & RICHARD ROE

Demandado(a)

Civil: VI2022CV00095. Sobre: CANCELACIÓN O RESTITU CIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIA DO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SEN

TENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: JOHN DOE Y RICHARD ROE. P/C LCDA. ENEL M. PÉREZ MONTES PARA

SER PUBLICADA POR EDICTO.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el de de 2022, 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 ge neral 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, Sen tencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publica ción por edicto de esta notifica ción, dirijo a usted esta notifica ción que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta no tificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, 28 de septiembre de 2022. En Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, el 28 de sep tiembre de 2022. LUZ MAYRA

CARABALLO GARCÍA, SE CRETARIA. DORIS A. RODRÍ

GUEZ COLÓN, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL

GENERAL DE JUSTICIA SALA

SUPERIOR DE CAGUAS

ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC

COMO AGENTE DE

FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS

FUND, LLC

Demandante V. JOSAPHAT I. MONTAÑEZ

Demandado(a)

Civil: CG2022CV00744. (704).

Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO ORDINARIO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO. A: JOSAPHAT I. MONTAÑEZURB. TURABO GNDS

R9-24 CALLE G, CAGUAS PR 00727-5938.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 26 de SEPTIEMBRE de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registra da y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse deta lladamente 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 repre sentando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sen tencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publica ción por edicto de esta notifica ción, dirijo a usted esta notifica ción 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 27 de SEPTIEMBRE de 2022. En CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, el 27 de SEPTIEMBRE de 2022. LISILDA MARTÍNEZ AGOSTO, SECRETARIA. YA RITZA ROSARIO PLÁCERES, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE VEGA BAJA HACIENDA DEL MAR OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

Demandante V. JON CHRISTIAN STEPHANS, BETH ANN STEPHANS Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES, POR ELLOS COMPUESTA

Demandado(a) Civil: VB2022CV00559. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. NOTIFI CACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: JON CHRISTIAN STEPHANS, POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES; BETH ANN STEPHANS,

POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES

Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES, POR ELLOS COMPUESTA.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 23 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted en terarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta no tificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circula ción general en la Isla de Puer to 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 Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Re solución, de la cual puede esta blecerse 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 publi cación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 27 de septiembre de 2022. En Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, el 27 de septiembre de 2022. LCDA LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA. MA RITZA ROSARIO ROSARIO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE VEGA BAJA HACIENDA DEL MAR OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC.

Demandante V. JUAN COLÓN NOLASCO, ELCONIDA BLANCO COLÓN Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES POR ELLOS COMPUESTA

Demandado(a)

Civil: VB2022CV00561. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. NOTIFI CACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: JUAN COLON NOLASCO, POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES ELCONIDA BLANCO COLON, POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES Y LA SOCIEDAD

LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES POR ELLOS COMPUESTA.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 27 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted en terarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta no tificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circula ción general en la Isla de Puer to 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 Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Re solución, de la cual puede esta blecerse 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 publi cación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 28 de septiembre de 2022. En Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, el 28 de septiembre de 2022. LCDA LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA. MA RITZA ROSARIO ROSARIO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE VEGA BAJA

HACIENDA DEL MAR OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC.

Demandante V. CHARLES EDMOND LIBBY, CAROLE ROCHELLE LERMAN Y

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS

Demandado(a) Civil: VB2022CV00558. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. NOTIFI CACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: CHARLES EDMOND LIBBY, POR SÍY EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES

CAROLE ROCHELLE LERMAN, POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES Y

LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES

COMPUESTA POR AMBOS.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se

le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 27 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted en terarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta no tificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circula ción general en la Isla de Puer to 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 Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Re solución, de la cual puede esta blecerse 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 publi cación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 28 de septiembre de 2022. En Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, el 28 de septiembre de 2022. LCDA LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA. MA RITZA ROSARIO ROSARIO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE VEGA BAJA HACIENDA DEL MAR OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Demandante V. DOMENICK MARIO DEGIORGIO AMENDALA, TERESA MARY STAUDT RUIZ Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS

Demandado Civil: VB2022CV00539. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. NOTIFI CACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: DOMENICK MARIO DEGIORGIO AMENDALA, POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES, TERESA MARY STAUDT RUIZ, POR SÍ Y EN REPRESENTACIÓN DE LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES Y LA SOCIEDAD LEGAL DE BIENES GANANCIALES COMPUESTA POR AMBOS. (Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el

27 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted en terarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta no tificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circula ción general en la Isla de Puer to 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 Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Re solución, de la cual puede esta blecerse 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 publi cación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 28 de septiembre de 2022. En Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, el 28 de septiembre de 2022. LCDA. LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA. MA

RITZA ROSARIO ROSARIO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE BAYAMÓN

ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC Demandante V. CYNTHIA I.

HERNANDEZ AYALA Demandado(a)

Civil: BY2021CV04130. Sala: 506. Sobre: COBRO DE DINE RO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SEN TENCIA POR EDICTO. A: CYNTHIA I. HERNANDEZ AYALA - BO CERRO GORDO CARR 830 KM 4 HM 0,

BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO 00956 / RR 4 BOX 580

BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO 00956-9629.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 28 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 28 de septiembre de 2022. En Ba yamón, Puerto Rico, el 28 de septiembre de 2022. LAURA

I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRE TARIA. MARILYN COLÓN CA RRASQUILLO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO

DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU

NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA

SALA SUPERIOR DE CARO LINA.

SANTOS ANTONIO

CAMACHO PERALTA PETICIONARIO EX-PARTE

CIVIL NÜM. CN2022CV00349.

SALA: SOBRE: EXPEDIENTE

DE DOMINIO. EDICTO. ES TADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA

EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ES

TADOS UNIDOS EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUER TO RICO. SS.

A: LAS PERSONAS

IGNORADAS Y A LAS PERSONAS DESCONOCIDAS JOHN Y JANE DOE Y RICHARD ROE A QUIENES PUEDA PERJUDICAR LA INSCRIPCION DE ESTA FINCA

Por la presente se notifica que la parte peticionaria, Santos Garnacha Peralta, ha presen tado una petición para que se declare a su favor el dominio de la siguiente finca: RÚSTICA: Predio de terreno localizado en Barrio Campo Rico (antes Hato Puerco) del término municipal de Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, Carretera Estatal PR 185, km 6.4, Interior, con una cabida su perficial de 670.17 metros cua drados, equivalentes a 0.1705 cuerdas de terreno. En lindes por el Norte, en varias alinea ciones que sumadas totalizan 44.53 metros con José E. Rive ra Ciuro; y en otra distancia de 3.01 metros con Luz Mercedes Rivera López; por el Sur, en tres alineaciones que suman 37.59 metros con Juan Antonio Febres Ciuro; por el Este, en dos alineaciones que suman 25.84 metros con camino de uso público; y por el Oeste, en una distancia de 16.11 metros con Emérito Guzmán.” Enclava una casa dedicada a vivienda familiar construida en cemento hormigón. Este Tribunal ordenó que se publique por tres veces durante el término de veinte días en un periódico de circula ción general diaria para que los

que tengan algún derecho real sobre el inmueble descrito, las personas ignoradas a quienes pueda perjudicar la inscripción y en general a todos los que desearen oponerse puedan efectuarlo dentro del término de veinte dias a partir de la úl tima publicación del presente edicto. La abogada del peti cionario lo es la LCDA. ADRfN l. PÉREZ GARCÍA, 72 Calle Calderón Mujica, Canóvanas, Puerto Rico 00729. Dada en Carolina, Puerto Rico al 13 de septiembre de 2022. Lcda. Marilyn Aponte Rodríguez, Sec Regional. Denisse Torres Ruiz, Sec Auxiliar.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE CAROLINA

WILLMINGTON SAVINGS

FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR FINANCE OF AMERICA STRUCTURED SECURITIES ACQUISITION TRUST 2018-HB1 Demandante V. SUCESION NITZA VIERA CORREA T/C/C NITZA VIERA COMPUESTA POR JOHN DOE Y JANE DOE COMO

POSIBLES HEREDEROS DESCONOCIDOS; ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA; CENTRO DE RECAUDACION DE INGRESOS MUNICIPALES

Demandado(a) Civil: CA2021CV02544. Sala: 407. Sobre: EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTECA. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: JOHN DOE Y JANE DOE COMO

POSIBLES MIEMBROS DESCONOCIDOS DE LA SUCESION NITZA VIERA CORREA T/C/C NITZA VIERA.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 27 de septiembre de 202, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted en terarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta no tificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circula ción general en la Isla de Puer to 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 Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Re

solución, de la cual puede esta blecerse 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 publi cación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 28 de septiembre de 2022. En CAROLINA, Puer to Rico, el 28 de septiembre de 2022. MARILYN APONTE

RODRÍGUEZ, SECRETARIA. RUTH M. COLÓN LUCIANO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO

DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU

NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA

TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS

TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE FAJARDO LEGACY MORTGAGE

ASSET TRUST 2019-PR1

Demandante V. ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION; JOHN DOE Y RICHARD ROE COMO POSIBLES TENEDORES DESCONOCIDOS

Demandado(a)

Civil: CA2022CV02221. Sobre: CANCELACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO. NOTIFICA CIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION. US

DEPARMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. 451 7 HT STREET S.W. WASHINGTON, OC 20410. JOHN DOE Y RICHARD ROE COMO POSIBLES TENEDORES DESCONOCIDOS.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 24 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted en terarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta no tificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circula ción general en la Isla de Puer to 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 Sen tencia, Sentencia Parcial o Re solución, de la cual puede esta blecerse 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 publi cación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archi vada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 26 de septiembre de 2022. En Fajardo, Puerto Rico, el 26 de septiembre de 2022. WANDA SEGUÍ REYES, SECRETARIA REGIONAL. LYDIA E. RIVERA MIRANDA, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE CAGUAS

ORLANDO CAMACHO PADILLA

Demandante Vs DORAL BANK AHORA BANCO POPULAR DE PR, JOHN DOE Y RICHARD DOE, COMO POSIBLES TENEDONRES DESCONOCIDOS

Demandado Civil Núm.: CG2022CV02220.

Sala: 701. Sobre: CANCELA CIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIA DO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SEN TENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: JOHN DOE Y RICHARD ROE COMO POSIBLES TENEDORES DESCONOCIDOS.

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 23 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 27 de septiembre de 2022. En Caguas, Puerto Rico, el 27 de septiembre de 2022. LISILDA MARTÍNEZ AGOSTO, SECRE TARIA REGIONAL INTERINA. ENEIDA ARROYO VÉLEZ, SE CRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU

TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE PONCE BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO

Demandante Vs H.F. INC. T/C/C DORAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION, FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION (FDIC) COMO SÍNDICO DE DORAL BANK, DORAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION T/C/C DORAL MORTGAGE, LLC, ORIENTAL BANK T/C/C ORIENTAL BANK AND TRUST COMO SUCESOR EN DERECHO DE SOUTHERN MORTGAGE, INC. T/C/C SOUTHERN MORTGAGE CORPORATION Y DE BANCO FINANCIERO DE PUERTO RICO, JANET CEDEÑO CRUZ, FULANO Y MENGANO DE TAL, POSIBLES TENEDORES DESCONOCIDOS DEL PAGARÉ

Demandado

Civil Núm.: PO2022CV01415. Salón: 601. Sobre: CANCE LACIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRA VIADO POR LA VÍA JUDICIAL. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTEN CIA POR EDICTO.

A: JANET CEDEÑO CRUZ A SUS ÚLTIMAS DIRECCIONES

CONOCIDAS: STARLIGHT, E1 CALLE E, PONCE, PR 00731 Y URB SECT SALISTRAL, 6 CALLE RAFAEL MORENO, PONCE, PR 00716-8146. FULANO Y MENGANO DE TAL, POSIBLES TENEDORES DESCONOCIDOS DEL PAGARÉ, A SER NOTIFICADO POR EDICTO POR CONDUCTO DEL LCDA. BELMA ALONSO GARCÍA, CUYA DIRECCIÓN ES: PO BOX 3922, GUAYNABO, PR 00970-3922, TELÉFONO Y FAX: (787) 789-1826, CORREO ELECTRÓNICO: OFICINABELMAALONSO @GMAIL.COM. LCDA. BELMA ALONSO GARCÍA. PO BOX 3922, GUAYNABO, PR 009703922. TELÉFONO Y FAX: (787) 789-1826. CORREO ELECTRÓNICO: OFICINABELMAALONSO @GMAIL.COM. (Nombre de las partes a las que se les notifica la sentencia por edicto)

EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 30 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 30 de septiembre de 2022. En Pon ce, Puerto Rico, el 30 de sep tiembre de 2022. LUZ MAYRA CARABALLO GARCÍA, SE CRETARIA REGIONAL. HILDA J. ROSADO RODRÍGUEZ, SE CRETARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL GENERAL DE JUSTICIA TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INS TANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE BAYAMÓN IVAN REYES LOPEZ

Demandante V. NEREIDA

RODRIGUEZ PEREZ

Demandado(a) Civil: BY2022RF00845. 3003. Sobre: DIVORCIO, RUPTURA IRREPARABLE. NOTIFICA CIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.

A: NEREIDA

RODRIGUEZ PEREZ.

(Nombre de las partes a las que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto) EL SECRETARIO(A) que sus cribe le notifica a usted que el 1 de septiembre de 2022, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debi damente 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 notifica ción. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedi miento 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 edic to de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se

considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edic to. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 30 de septiembre de 2022. En Bayamón, Puerto Rico, el 30 de septiembre de 2022. LCDA. LAURA I. SANTA SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA. ISABEL C. SOUCHET BURGOS, SECRE TARIA AUXILIAR.

LEGAL NOTICE

M&T

19-09-072210

CA2019CV03770

ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBU NAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE CARO LINA SALA SUPERIOR CIELO VIVIENDA LLC Demandante V. JOEL IVÁN COLÓN RÍOS, GRACIELA RIVERA MUÑOZ; OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE T/C/C EMILIO OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE (CO-DEUDOR) Y CARMEN MARÍA BUITRAGO GONZÁLEZ (CO-DEUDORA), ANTES, AHORA JOEL IVÁN COLÓN RÍOS, GRACIELA RIVERA MUÑOZ POR SÍ Y COMO MIEMBRO DE LAS SUCESIONES DE EDITH MUÑOZ BUITRAGO, OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE T/C/C EMILIO OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE Y CARMEN MARÍA BUITRAGO GONZÁLEZ; CARMEN VIRGINIA MUÑOZ BUITRAGO, EMMA M. MUÑOZ BUITRAGO, LEE OMAR VAASJO MUÑOZ Y JULIA VAASJO MUÑOZ TODOS COMO MIEMBROS DE LAS SUCESIONES DE EDITH MUÑOZ BUITRAGO, OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE T/C/C EMILIO OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE Y CARMEN MARÍA BUITRAGO GONZÁLEZ; FULANO DE TAL Y FULANA DE TAL COMO MIEMBROS DESCONOCIDOS CON POSIBLE INTERÉS DE LA SUCESIÓN DE OMAR MUÑOZ ROURE; SUTANO DE TAL Y SUTANA DE TAL COMO MIEMBROS DESCONOCIDOS CON POSIBLE INTERÉS DE LA SUCESIÓN DE CARMEN MARÍA BUITRAGO GONZÁLEZ; MENGANO Y MENGANA DE TAL MIEMBROS DESCONOCIDOS CON

POSIBLE INTERÉS DE LA SUCESIÓN DE EDITH MUÑOZ BUITRAGO

Demandados

Civil Núm.: CA2019CV03770.

Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO

Y EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTE

CA POR LA VÍA ORDINARIA.

EDICTO DE SUBASTA. El Al guacil que suscribe por la pre sente CERTIFICA, ANUNCIA y hace CONSTAR: Que en cum plimiento 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 JUDI

CIAL DE CAROLINA SALA

SUPERIOR, en el caso de epí grafe procederá a vender en pública subasta al mejor postor quién pagará de contado y en moneda de curso legal de los Estados Unidos de América, giro postal o por cheque de ge rente a nombre del Alguacil del Tribunal de Primera Instancia

el día 1 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, A LAS 9:15 DE LA MA ÑANA en su oficina sita en el local que ocupa en el edificio del TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA

INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDI

CIAL DE CAROLINA SALA

SUPERIOR, todo derecho, títu lo e interés que tenga la parte demandada de epígrafe en el inmueble de su propiedad que ubica en S-401 Alturas de Mon temar, Trujillo Alto, PR 00976 y que se describe a continuación: URBANA: Propiedad Horizon tal: Apartamento número S guion cuatrocientos uno (S401) de los edificios conocidos como Condominio Alturas de Montemar con frente a la Calle Municipal, radicado en el tér mino municipal de Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, está destinado a vivienda y situado en el cuarto piso del Edificio Sur, con un área de mil doscientos uno pun to treinta y ocho pies cuadrados (1,201.38 pc), equivalentes a ciento once punto sesenta y dos metros cuadrados (111.62). Son sus linderos y distancias son las siguientes: Por el Norte, en varias distancias que totali zan treinta y tres pies tres pul gadas (33’ 3’) formando parte de la fachada lateral izquierda y espacio comunal; por el Sur, en varias distancias que totali zan treinta y tres pies tres pul gadas (33’ 3’), colindando con el vestíbulo y escalera; por el Este, en una distancia de cua renta y seis pies seis pulgadas (46’ 6’), colindando con pared medianera que lo separa del apartamento S cuatrocientos dos (S-402); y por el Oeste, en una distancia de cuarenta y seis pies seis pulgadas (46’ 6’), formando parte de la fachada delantera y espacio comunal. Consta de sala, comedor, área de cocina, área de lavandería, pasillo, un dormitorio principal con baño y dos closets, dos dormitorios con closets, un baño adicional y balcón. Su puerta principal de acceso con

duce al área de descanso de la escalera que a su vez conduce al puente peatonal que discu rre hasta el estacionamiento que colinda con la vía pública. Esta unidad de vivienda tiene asignado para uso exclusivo los estacionamientos marca dos con los números ochenta y tres (83) y ochenta y cuatro (84). Este apartamento tiene una participación de dos punto trescientos setenta y siete por ciento (2.377%) en los elemen tos comunes generales del con dominio. La propiedad antes re lacionada consta inscrita en el Folio 217 del Tomo 856 de Tru jillo Alto, finca número 33,327, en el Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan, Sección Cuarta.

El tipo mínimo para la primera subasta del inmueble antes relacionado, será el dispuesto en la Escritura de Hipoteca, es decir la suma de $110,000.00.

Si no hubiere remate ni adju dicación en la primera subasta del inmueble mencionado, se celebrará una SEGUNDA SU

BASTA en las oficinas del Al guacil que suscribe el día 8 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, A LAS 9:15 DE LA MAÑANA. En la se gunda 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 $73,333.33.

Si tampoco hubiere remate ni adjudicación en la segunda subasta se celebrará una TER CERA SUBASTA en las oficinas del Alguacil que suscribe el día 16 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2022, A LAS 9:15 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 $55,000.00. La hipoteca a eje cutarse en el caso de epígrafe fue constituida mediante la es critura número 832, otorgada el día 4 de diciembre de 2002, ante el Notario Rafael Bras Benitez y consta inscrita en el Folio 217 del Tomo 856 de Tru jillo Alto, finca número 33,327, en el Registro de la Propiedad de San Juan, Sección Cuarta, inscripción primera. Dicha su basta se llevará a cabo para con su producto satisfacer al Demandante total o parcial mente según sea el caso el importe de la Sentencia que ha obtenido ascendente a la suma de $78,393.23 por concepto de principal, más intereses al tipo pactado de 6.375% anual desde el día 1 de octubre de 2017. Dichos intereses conti núan acumulándose hasta el pago total de la obligación. Se pagarán también los cargos por demora equivalentes a 5.000% de la suma de aquellos pagos con atrasos en exceso de 15 días calendarios de la fecha vencimiento, la suma de $11,000.00 para costas, gas tos y honorarios de abogado, la suma de $11,000.00para cubrir los intereses en adición a los garantizados por ley y la

suma de $11,000.00 para cubrir cualquier otro adelanto que se haga en virtud de la escritura de hipoteca, más intereses según provisto por la Regla 44.3 de las de Procedimiento Civil. Que los autos y todos los documen tos correspondientes al Proce dimiento incoado estarán de manifiesto en la SECRETARIA DEL TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDI CIAL DE CAROLINA SALA

SUPERIOR durante las horas laborables. Se entenderá que todo licitador acepta como bas tante la titularidad del inmueble y que las cargas y gravámenes anteriores y los preferentes, si los hubiere, al crédito del ejecu tante 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 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 tí tulo efectuado a la finca antes descrita. Por la presente se notifica a los acreedores que tengan inscritos o anotados sus derechos sobre los bienes hipotecados con posterioridad a la inscripción del crédito del ejecutante o acreedores de car gos o derechos reales que los hubiesen pospuesto a la hipo teca del actor y a los dueños, poseedores, tenedores de o interesados en títulos transmi sibles por endoso o al portador garantizados hipotecariamen te 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 inte reses, otros cargos y las costas y honorarios de abogado ase gurados quedando subrogados en los derechos del acreedor ejecutante. Y para conocimien to de licitadores del público en general se publicará este Edic to de acuerdo con la ley por es pacio de dos semanas en tres sitios públicos del municipio en que ha de celebrarse la venta, tales como la alcaldía, el Tribu nal y la colecturía. Este Edicto será publicado mediante edic tos dos veces en un diario de circulación general en el Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, por espacio de dos semanas consecutivas. La propiedad a ser ejecutada se adquirirá libre de cargas y gravámenes pos teriores sujeto a lo dispuesto en los Artículos 113 al 116 de la Ley 210 del 8 de diciembre de 2015, según aplique. Expido el presente Edicto de subas ta bajo mi firma, en Carolina, Puerto Rico, hoy día 28 de septiembre de 2022. MANUEL VILLAFAÑE BLANCO, ALGUA CIL PLACA #830.

With his 62nd home run, Aaron Judge makes his case

failing to homer in three games at home and two games in Texas, he ended the sus pense, drilling No. 62 to left field off the right-hander Jesús Tinoco in the top of the first inning in the second game of a double header to stand alone with a new AL re cord.

“It’s a big relief,” Judge said of the chase and all the attention focused on him. “I think everybody can finally sit down and watch some ballgames.”

The historic ball was caught by a fan in the left field stands who has been identi fied as Corey Youmans of Dallas. He was escorted away by security so the ball could be authenticated by Major League Baseball. Whether he will hold onto the ball or return it to Judge has yet to be announced. Auc tioneers have estimated that home run No. 62 could be worth at least $1 million.

Judge struck out in his next at-bat, then took the field for the bottom of the second inning, but was quickly removed by manag er Aaron Boone to loud cheers from a road crowd, He watched the rest of a 3-2 loss from the dugout, leaving his pursuit of No. 63 to Wednesday‘s season finale in Texas.

(.315 to .311). He could be only the second triple crown winner since 1967. For good measure, he was also leading all of baseball in runs scored, with 131, had stolen 16 bas es and had played terrific defense in right and center field.

“I never saw it as bet on myself,” Judge said after he tied Maris last week. “I knew no matter what, I’d be playing this year for the New York Yankees, wearing pinstripes. We weren’t able to agree on something, but I changed my focus right then and there to, ‘Let’s go out and have a great season for my teammates and do what I can to put our selves in a good position for a long post season run.’ I’m just out there playing base ball.”

But it was his pursuit of Maris — and, at one point, Barry Bonds’ major league record — that has captivated the baseball world throughout this season. Fans who flock to his mild-mannered persona and thunderous swing relish the perception that Judge is restoring validity to a long-admired home run milestone.

By DAVID WALDSTEIN

Alittle over 100 years ago, a char ismatic and portly slugger named Babe Ruth began swatting balls over outfield fences by volume, helping establish the home run as one of the most coveted individual achievements in sports, and the New York Yankees as the most honored franchise.

Ruth’s records, including 60 home runs in 1927, became sacred milestones, cherished for decades by millions. In 1961, Roger Maris, as humble and retiring as Ruth was gregarious, broke the single-season re cord when he hit 61 homers, also for the Yankees.

Now Aaron Judge, as physically impos ing as Ruth and as modest as Maris, has passed them both, homering against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Tues day to reach 62 for the season, setting a new American League record.

From Ruth to Maris and now Judge, the AL’s single-season home run record is stitched together in pinstripes.

Of course, long before Judge made it

to the majors, Maris’ and Ruth’s marks had fallen in the National League, swallowed up six different times by muscle-bound, drugassisted sluggers whose achievements were debated and disputed, at times even ques tioned under oath by Congress. The most coveted individual achievement in the sport had been publicly muddied and baseball’s reputation smeared amid revelations that it was all a sham, accomplished with the aid of a chemist’s vial.

Judge, a mammoth slugger who stands 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 282 pounds, has played his entire career in an era in which players are tested for performance-enhanc ing drugs. While no player can be guaran teed to be clean, Judge’s accomplishments in the testing era have helped restore en thusiasm among many fans for a benchmark that had lost much of its luster.

Judge’s pursuit has captivated the base ball world, especially at Yankee Stadium, where in recent days fans had stood for each of his at-bats and paused in quiet an ticipation as the pitches were delivered.

He homered last week in Toronto to match Maris, and then on Tuesday, after

Through the entire chase, Judge man aged to keep a level head, even as the pres sure grew in the past week. When he hit his 60th home run on Sept. 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, tying Ruth, he had to be pushed out of the dugout by teammates — much like Maris was in 1961 — to briefly acknowledge the raucous applause with a sheepish wave of his dark blue helmet.

What’s more, Judge’s record-setting season has come as reaffirmation of a risky investment he made in himself in spring training, when the Yankees offered him a $213.5 million contract extension. Judge, who is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, turned down that offer, knowing that a poor performance on the field or serious injury could have jeopar dized his receiving much of that money.

Instead, he has increased his own val ue, probably by more than $100 million, especially because Judge is not just hitting for power. He was also challenging for the so-called triple crown, entering Tuesday’s games leading his league in home runs and runs batted in (130), while trailing only Minnesota’s Luis Arraez for the batting title

“He should be revered and celebrat ed as the single-season home run champ, not just the American League home run champ,” Roger Maris Jr., who has traveled to several Yankee games to witness history, said after No. 61. “I can’t think of anyone better that baseball can look up to as Aaron Judge, who is the face of baseball, to actu ally do that.”

Of course, debates about the home run record are nothing new. Going back to the days of Ruth, players pursuing the record have often faced controversies of some kind. Some questioned if Ruth was ruining the game by placing such an emphasis on power, and Maris had the stress of chasing a player as beloved as Ruth wear on him deeply, only to have Ford Frick, the com missioner of baseball at the time, float the idea publicly of adding a mark to Maris’ to tal in the record books to indicate that it had come in a 162-game season rather than the 154-game season that Ruth had played in 1927.

No asterisk of any kind was ever added — some record books listed separate marks for 154- and 162-game seasons — but the mere idea of doing it became part of Maris’ legacy.

With a 391-foot blast against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, Aaron Judge of the Yankees reached 62 home runs for the season, setting a new single-season American League record.

That would prove to be insignificant compared to the controversies surrounding the players who caught and passed Ruth and Maris a little more than 20 years ago.

Those players — Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Bonds — have all been associated with performance-enhancing drugs, either through legal investigations, dogged news report ing or, in McGwire’s case, a public concession.

McGwire was the first to break Maris’ record during a closely followed and celebrated home run race with Sosa in 1998, a few years before the rampant use of drugs became more widely known and the time frame would later be called the “steroid era.”

McGwire finished 1998 with 70 home runs, and Sosa, who surpassed 61 home runs in three total seasons, hit 66. Bonds obliterated their marks in 2001 when he hit 73, and by the time he passed Hank Aaron’s career record of 755 in 2007, much of baseball seemed almost embarrassed by the feat.

Asked if he thought the records set by Bonds, McGwire and Sosa are illegitimate, Maris Jr. responded, “I do. I think most people do.”

The ball that Bonds hit for 756 was eventually sold to a fashion designer who laser cut an asterisk into the ball before donating it to the Hall of Fame, where it is on display.

During the height of the steroid era, it was common for numerous players to reach 50 home runs. In 2001, four play ers hit over 50 and a dozen hit at least 40. The year before, 16 players hit at least 40 home runs.

This year, only three have hit at least 40 and Judge has nearly 40% more home runs than his next closest competitor, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies, who hit his 45th Monday. Like Ruth, who often far outpaced the opposition, Judge has been well ahead of the pack all season.

Judge, known for being fairly tight-lipped with the news media, has stayed out of debates about the record, telling Sports Illustrated that “73 is the record in my book.” Instead, using his size and strength, Judge has quietly stood out among his flashier peers simply through the way he approaches his at-bats.

In an era dominated by analytics, modern techniques en courage players to alter their swing paths in an upward arc

to create a higher launch angle of the ball and increase the chances of hitting home runs, even at the cost of increased strikeouts and fewer balls put into play. But as Alex Cora, the manager of the Boston Red Sox, noted, Judge is not just an all-or-nothing slugger trying to pull every pitch he sees. His disciplined approach enables him to make contact and crush the ball in all directions.

In recent days, Judge had shown hints of frustration as op ponents pitched him ever so carefully. But during his volcanic surge at the plate in September, for which he was announced as the AL’s player of the month on Monday, Judge hit .417 with 10 home runs over 25 games. Then, on the fourth day of October, he blasted his 62nd home run of the season to set a new standard for the Yankees, the AL and — to some — all of baseball.

“He’s a great face of the game, a great representative,” said Boone, who added, “It’s more attention on our sport, more eyeballs on our sport. It’s documenting something that almost never happens. It’s important to appreciate that and appreciate what a magical season he has put forth.”

After hitting No. 62, Judge acknowledges pressure of chase

By JAMES WAGNER

As he rounded first base, Aaron Judge smiled.

If the pressure of chasing a home run record and the frustration that it was tak ing longer than expected were getting to him, Judge barely showed it. For two weeks now, many across the baseball world have tuned into every one of his at-bats to see if he would make history — or not — with his 62nd home run of the season. Oppos ing fans cheered for him. His teammates and coaches prayed that the weight on him would soon be lifted.

In the waning days of one of the great est offensive seasons in history, Judge did finally release some exasperation during the first game of the New York Yankees’ doubleheader against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. After popping out, he slammed his helmet against a rack in the dugout. It was a rare public outburst for Judge. He lat er explained that he was upset by his recent poor at-bats and inability to help his team.

But once the moment that everyone had been waiting for came — a 391-foot blast off Jesús Tinoco that landed in section 31 over the left field wall at Globe Life Field in Arlington to pass Roger Maris and set an American League single-season home run record — Judge could relax. He had finally done it.

“A big relief,” he said afterward, then smiling. “Now everybody can probably sit down in their seats and watch the ball game.”

So many had been anxious for this blast: Judge, his family, his teammates, his coaches, the Maris family, Yankees fans and even his opponents and their fans.

Only six people in baseball history have hit 60 home runs or more in a season. The three with more than Judge — Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa — all did so before steroid testing began in Major League Baseball and have each been linked to drug scandals.

As Judge piled up home runs over the summer and reached his 50th in late Au gust, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he began to think that Judge had a chance

at breaking Maris’ record set in 1961. Judge said he couldn’t pinpoint that moment him self because he focuses so much on the daily grind of the sport and sets big goals for himself every winter anyway.

“Every year, I think I can go out there and hit 70 homers,” he said.

The past few weeks, though, have felt tedious compared to Judge’s previous 5 1/2 months. In his first 142 games this season, he homered roughly every 11 plate appear ances. But once he got to 60 home runs, it took 35 plate appearances to get the next blast, a slower pace caused by a combina tion of teams walking him and him miss

ing the few offerings over the plate he did receive.

And once Judge got to home run No. 61, he was relieved. But then came more attention and anticipation. It took another 24 plate appearances to get the next home run.

During that span, Judge looked off at the plate. He amassed only three hits in 17 at-bats, none for extra bases. His av erage dropped to .311, likely ending his chances of earning the rare feat of a triple crown because Minnesota’s Luis Arráez will enter the final day of the regular sea son hitting .316. Fans at Globe Life Field cheered when Judge stepped to the plate and booed when he didn’t clobber a ball over the fences.

“I got a base hit the other night and I was getting booed for a single,” he said with a chuckle, recalling how much fans also wanted to see him make history.

The nightcap of Tuesday’s double header was the 55th straight game start ed by Judge. Since the Yankees won the AL East title Sept. 27 and secured a bye in the first round of the playoffs, most of the team’s regular players have gotten days off. Boone said he had at least considered giving Judge one Monday or during one of Tuesday’s games. But he insisted that he hadn’t noticed the chase wearing Judge down enough physically to mandate one. And a decision to rest during this period would be largely driven by Judge anyway, Boone said.

A relaxed Aaron Judge discussed his achievement in a news conference after the game.

“It was weighing on him, not heavily, but I think he was carrying it around. Every day, it’s kind of madness and an ticipation,” Boone said.

Added Yankees starter Gerrit Cole: “This is the first time I’ve seen it wear on him, to be honest, just a little bit. Not from a personal standpoint, I don’t think, but probably from a selflessness standpoint, like ‘I want to make everyone happy.’”

Judge, though, wanted to keep playing. There was a re cord to chase. And Judge, who had dealt with injuries often earlier in his career and is a free agent after this season, has frequently pointed to his ability to play more than ever this season as the biggest reason for his performance. The clock was ticking on the regular season, and Wednesday was his last chance.

“The games started to go a little faster,” he said. “Usu ally the games kind of drag on and you’re locked in on your at-bats, on defense and stuff like that. But I can’t lie: the past couple games I’d look up and it’s the seventh inning and go, ‘Dang, I only got one more at-bat. We got to figure this out.’ I really never tried to look at a schedule because I think I’d started pressing a little bit. I tried to take it one day at a time and say a little prayer.”

Judge said he felt relaxed when he stepped to the plate

to lead off the second game Tuesday. The largest paid at tendance in Globe Life Field’s two-year history — 38,832 — was on hand and cheered for him louder than the Rang ers. When he connected with Tinoco’s 88 mph slider over the heart of the plate, Judge said he had a good feeling it was gone. He said a sense of relief washed over him when he saw the ball land over the fence, and he thought about the people who have supported him along the way: his wife, his parents, his teammates, the fans.

“It was a magical swing,” Cole said. Added Boone: “You never know how you’re going to react in a moment and it was just so, so very cool. I felt like a little kid again.”

Waiting for Judge at home plate were his teammates and coaches, who each hugged him one by one.

“It was pretty surreal,” he said, adding later, “Those guys are grinding with me every single day and they’ve been along this journey through the ups and downs and to get a chance to share that moment with them on the field was pretty special.”

As he walked off the field into the dugout, Judge waved his helmet toward the Rangers’ bench and stands. When he took his position in right field, fans in the outfield bleachers chanted his name like the trademark Yankee Stadium roll call, which they do for every Yankee player on the field until they acknowledge them with a wave, which Judge did.

With the record now broken, Judge paused for several

moments when he was asked if he had felt the stress of the chase.

“I kind of felt bad for my teammates because every single at-bat, I got teammates stacked up on the top step waiting for me to do this, and I’d hit a double or get a walk or I’d do something and I felt like I was letting them down,” he said. “Even the fans at Yankee Stadium or the fans that came here these past two games, I thought I had let them down if I had a 2-for-4 game or 1-for-4 game with a couple walks. I never tried to think about it as pressure. I tried to enjoy every single moment.”

After Judge’s blast, more history was made. In the bot tom of the first inning, Cole notched his 249th strikeout of 2022, passing a mark set by Ron Guidry in 1978 for the most strikeouts in a season by a Yankee. Cole’s teammates stood outside the dugout and applauded. And after the game, he and Judge received a toast from their teammates in the club house.

But soon the attention swung back to Judge. When he strode to the plate in the top of the second inning, Judge was serenaded with applause and “M-V-P, M-V-P!” chants again. Boone pulled Judge from the field in the bottom half of the frame, allowing fans to shower him with more cheers and for him to receive another round of hugs from teammates.

From the dugout, Judge watched the remainder of the Yankees’ 3-2 loss. He could finally rest.

Wild cards: The Mets are officially eliminated in the NL East

By BENJAMIN HOFFMAN

What had seemed inevitable was delayed, first by a postponed game and an Atlanta loss Mon day, then by a New York Mets victory on Tuesday. But with a 2-1 win over Miami on Tuesday night in Florida, Atlanta offi cially clinched the National League East title, forcing the Mets -- who swept the Washington Nationals in a doubleheader on Tuesday, earning their 99th and 100th wins -- into this weekend’s wild-card round of the playoffs.

The Mets had been tied or leading their division after the conclusion of all but two of their first 157 games this sea son, and they led Atlanta by 10.5 games as recently as June 1. But a stellar second half from Atlanta saw it steadily make up ground on the Mets. A pivotal three-game series in Atlanta last weekend saw the Mets get swept, going from a one-game lead to a two-game deficit, while also handing the division tiebreaker to Atlanta. With only three games left for each team, that reduced the Mets’ elimination num ber to one.

The Mets had their game against the Washington Nationals postponed be

cause of rain Monday, while Atlanta lost to the Miami Marlins. Then the Mets staved off elimination once again by beat ing the Washington Nationals, 4-2, in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday at Citi Field in Queens.

But with absolutely no margin for er

ror, it was just a matter of time, and At lanta (101-60) took care of business with Tuesday’s win over the Marlins (68-93), claiming a fifth consecutive division title as the Mets (100-61) beat the Nationals, 8-0, securing the fourth 100-win season in franchise history.

In Major League Baseball’s reworked postseason format, which was introduced as part of the new collective bargaining agreement this past offseason, the play off field was expanded to 12 teams, with three division winners and three wild cards from each league. The top two divi sion winners by record advance directly to a division series, while the other eight teams battle in an expanded wild-card round.

Gone is the wildly unpredictable wild-card game, replaced by a best-ofthree round in which the lowest-ranked division winner plays the No. 3 wild-card team and the No. 1 wild-card team plays the No. 2. In a twist on other postseason formats, the games will all be played over the course of three days, and all will be hosted in the park of the higher-seeded team.

Starting Friday, the Mets, as the top wild-card team, will host the San Diego Padres (89-72).

Atlanta, meanwhile, will advance di rectly to a division series against the win ner of the wild-card series between the NL Central-winning St. Louis Cardinals (93-68) and the Philadelphia Phillies (8774).

Atlanta trailed the Mets for almost the entire season, but on Tuesday the team clinched its fifth straight National League East title.

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Answers to the Sudoku and Crossword on page 29Aries (Mar 21-April 20)

Feel well and truly stuck? It may seem like this, as a stubborn blend of energies can make it difficult to know how something could realistically change. From your current vantage point, it might appear that there is no wiggle room. In a day or so this can shift, and new ideas will bubble up that make a difference. Avoid being too rigid and go for flexibility, Aries.

Taurus (April 21-May 21)

Lunar ties suggest you could feel put upon by certain people, and your response may be to resist their ideas and suggestions. The effect might be to create more tension, and a situation that can leave you exhausted. There are two ways to deal with this. You could either stop fighting it and let go, or you talk things over, and perhaps something good will come from this after all, Taurus.

Gemini (May 22-June 21)

With the Moon’s aspects triggering a tense angle between Saturn and Uranus, you may need a way to let off steam, Gemini. Others can wonder what’s up with you, and yet a desire to keep your feelings to yourself might not be helpful. Connect with a friend, and just let it all out. You will feel so much better for doing so, and things could begin to get much better from this point on.

Cancer (June 22-July 23)

Does something need to change? You have likely known about this for some while. Now is the time for action. Whether this shift is instigated by others or by you, this is no time to lie low. The sooner you do what you have to do, the sooner things will begin to ease. You’ll know, as you’ll feel much better. Once you’ve cleared the ground, a new beginning may be on the cards.

Leo (July 24-Aug 23)

With a powerful focus on your sector of relating, you could lose your sense of perspective if you identify more with the group than you do with your own ideas. Today’s tense line-up can challenge certain relationships, especially if your plans clash with others’ expectations. What do you really want, Leo? Whatever it is, trust your instincts and refuse to be persuaded otherwise.

Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)

This can be a time of new opportunities and changes, that could impact your life in many ways. Yet you could have a powerful loyalty to beliefs or a cause, that prevents you from making the most of what is on offer. The coming day or so may bring this issue to a head. An insight into what’s blocking your own progress might encourage you to let go of whatever isn’t working.

Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)

Ready to set your creative side free? The days ahead may inspire you to make a decision that can find you exploring your talents and channelling your many abilities. With your entrepreneurial side to the fore, you might be ready to start a business or find more interesting ways to put your skills to use. It’s time to move beyond a fear of what others think, and dare to express yourself.

Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)

What you want and what your partner or someone else wants, could be very different. The coming days can bring any conflicts into the open. But with stubborn energies involved in the mix, it might be hard to reach a compromise. If you’re battling to preserve the status quo, then it may be futile. What might be needed is a solution that’s so flexible, it works for both of you.

Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)

Could you be living more in your head than in the real world? With an emphasis on your sector of talk and thought, you have big plans, and they can be very exciting. Making them a reality may be another matter though, Archer. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t accomplish everything. Adjust your schedule accordingly, and make any changes slowly but surely.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 20)

This is one day when you could feel well and truly stuck, Capricorn. Whatever you want to accomplish may seem impossible, due to circumstances that look like they’re not going to budge. Don’t jump to conclusions, and don’t do anything drastic either. Detach, as over the coming week fresh ideas and insights might show up that help you to see a way forward.

Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19)

You have your own ideas about how you want things to be, but they might not tally with the way things are. The gap between what you hope for and what is, could seem extremely wide. This may be partly down to the Moon triggering a close link between Saturn and Uranus. You’ve likely been feeling this tension for a while, but what you need now is to take a leap of faith.

Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)

Have something you need to talk about? The Moon in Aquarius and its edgy links, can cause you to want to shut down instead and stay quiet, Pisces. It might be easier, but it also means that whatever is bothering you will remain unresolved. It’s best if you choose someone you trust and start a conversation. Once you get started, you’ll feel better. A decision may then be possible.

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