A.M. Costa Rica top stories

How lawyers justify their pay

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:23:52 -0600

Many times going to see a lawyer in Costa Rica is like taking a science lesson. Sometimes they tend to make any discussion about the law or a legal matter very complex. They love to write out lengthy descriptions of legal procedures on blackboards or whiteboards.

Free trade treaty a maze for the average expat

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:21:01 -0600

Individual expats who seek to import goods under the new free trade treaty with the United States and other Central American countries face a bewildering process.

A.M. Costa Rica posts significant gains over 2007

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:36:08 -0600

A.M. Costa Rica served up 16.6 million news and advertising pages to 691,986 unique readers in 2008, statistics at the newspaper's Web site show. The readership reflects an 17.6 percent increase over 2007

Lucky streak ends for San Pedro man

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:35:41 -0600

The 56th time is a charm, according to the Fuerza Pública in San Pedro de Montes de Oca. Finally after 56 arrests last year alone, a man has been put behind bars.

Traffic conviction not enough to void residency

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:45:33 -0600

A foreign woman has avoided being expelled from Costa Rica because the Sala IV constitutional court found that a conviction after a traffic accident does not warrant canceling her immigration status.

Get ready for a year of campaigning

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:50:09 -0600

In 2009 the attention of those expats interested in politics will turn to Costa Rica because national elections are the first Sunday in February 2010. That means the bulk of the campaigning will take place in 2009.

Volunteers are putting up weather stations all over

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:49:31 -0600

A retired physics professor is creating a network of weather stations connected by Internet to cover all of Costa Rica. The plan is to complement the national meteorological institute’s limited coverage and to aid in disaster planning.

Astute consumers needed at Zapote festival

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:29:32 -0600

Anyone who goes hungry to the Fiestas de San José better bring money. Although kids rides and some other services are inexpensive, purveyors of food do not seem to have been filled with holiday spirit.

Street robbery — up close and personal

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:29:06 -0600

Along the street in the commercial district, shoppers were out in force. The day was Saturday, the second day after Christmas, and the stores promised big sales. Some pedestrians were returning from the Desamparados carnival and changing buses in the center of the cantón.

Environmental police say their work is up 50 percent

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:16:08 -0600

The Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo reported that it handled 50 percent more cases in 2008 than in 2007.

Famous tall ship put in to Limón

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:15:36 -0600

The classic four-masted bark Sea Cloud sailed into the Port of Limón this week. The 316-foot long windjammer sailed up the coast from Panamá with it's compliment of 30 sails billowing with a 20-knot wind at her stern.

Path cleared for free trade treaty on Jan. 1

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 01:24:05 -0600

U.S. President George Bush issued a proclamation Dec. 23 to implement the Central American Free Trade Treaty with Costa Rica.

Professor and her recorder talk to the birds

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:07:50 -0600

Birds use song systems to communicate about mating and reproduction, territorial boundaries, age and even overall health. Sandra Vehrencamp studies them to decode which elements convey such essential information. With colleagues in the Bioacoustics Research Program at Cornell's Lab of Ornithology, she studies birds in such natural habitats as Costa Rica, Colombia and Bonaire.

Chief prosecutor comes to aid of runaway mom

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:07:18 -0600

The nation's chief prosecutor has interjected himself into the case of a U.S. woman being extradited to face a federal charge of international child abduction.

It is possible to make a difference

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:39:49 -0600

"When this author arrived with his family 36 years ago, Costa Rica was truly a paradise. It has a good chance to be so again. It will just take time as with all evolution. This writer is dedicated to making a difference with the help of A.M. Costa Rica, and this dedication will continue well past the New Year."

Allegro Papagayo tries to reduce its fine

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:03:48 -0600

The operator of the Allegro Papagayo was in environmental court Thursday seeking to reduce a claim for some $224,000 by the government because the hotel ran sewage into the Golfo de Papagayo.

Russia interested in Nicaraguan canal

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:03:14 -0600

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev expressed interest in a Nicaraguan proposal to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with a new canal. The project could include the Río San Juan that runs along Costa Rica's northern border.

The secret drug war continues

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:10:43 -0600

Despite the pretensions of peace and tranquility, a hidden war rages in and around Costa Rica. Only infrequently do signs of this battle come to light. Wednesday two separate incidents illustrated the situation. In the Golfo Dulce a presumed drug fastboat turned up adrift with 25 bullet holes in the hull.

New traffic law is coming after New Year's

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:10:15 -0600

Those caught driving drunk New Year's morning will not face the stiffer penalties of the new traffic law. The law was signed by President Óscar Arias Sánchez Wednesday, but it will not take effect until 10 working days after it is published in the La Gaceta official newspaper.

Immigration bill likely to be put off until new year

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:22:40 -0600

A proposed bill that would change the current immigration laws probably will not see discussion in the legislature until next year.

Christmas dish is more expensive

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:21:18 -0600

According to the unreconstructed Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas is a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th of December.

Tourism institute seeks 2 millionth tourist

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:43:45 -0600

Optimistic tourism officials are getting ready to welcome the person they are calling the 2 millionth tourist to the country for 2008.

The official Christmas lubricant: Guaro!

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:43:17 -0600

Eggnog may be the seasonal drink elsewhere, but in Costa Rica the universal lubricant is cane liquor or aguardiente. The government monopoly Fábrica Nacional de Licores, makes the product that is a favorite of many family gatherings, alcoholics and casual tipplers.

Age thrown out as critierion for mortgage

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:33:51 -0600

Folks who may never live to see their mortgage paid off can still get one, the Sala IV constitutional court has ruled.

Sick kids will get a colorful mural

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:33:19 -0600

Sick youngsters at Costa Rica's famous Hospital Nacional de Niños will be getting a brightly colored early Christmas present from some of the best artists in the country.

Jet Blue plans a daily flight starting in March

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:20:24 -0600

Jet Blue Airways, which opened a hub for Latin America in March at Orlando, Florida, said Wednesday it would begin flights to San José March 26.

Trace molybdenum vital to rain forests, study says

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:19:59 -0600

A team of researchers led by Princeton University scientists has found for the first time that tropical rain forests, a vital part of the Earth's ecosystem, rely on the rare trace element molybdenum to capture the nitrogen fertilizer needed to support their wildly productive growth. Most of the nitrogen that supports the rapid, lush growth of rain forests comes from tiny bacteria that can turn nitrogen in the air into fertilizer in the soil.

Gringo arrested here will face 450 U.S. complaints

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:19:29 -0600

Law officers, acting on a U.S. warrant Tuesday, captured a U.S. citizen wanted to face multiple charges of fraud. The man is suspected of being one of nine persons who ran a series of scams from Costa Rica that collected up to $13 million from customers in the United States.

New tax pushed for witness and victim protection

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:19:03 -0600

Lawmakers discussing ways to finance protection of witnesses and victims seem to have come to an agreement that a new tax is needed. They will suggest that a tax be imposed on the interest from bonds issued in foreign currencies.

Long holiday starts Dec. 19 for many

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:22:23 -0600

The vacation for public employees will be about 16 days this year, thanks to Christmas and New Year's Day being on Thursdays.

Art museum will be closed for repairs for a year

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:21:55 -0600

The Museo de Arte Costarricense closed its doors Monday to begin a year-long, 350 million-colon restoration and repair job. The museum is in the former international airline terminal on the east side of Parque la Sabana

Tax time details for expats

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:57:51 -0600

Here is the help one needs for this year's tax season. Most expats hold their Costa Rican assets in a company. Whether it be a sociedad anónima or a sociedad de responsabilidad limitada — also known as an S.R.L. or in Gringo speak an L.L.C. — expats have tax obligations like Costa Ricans. However, most expats use inactive companies to hold the assets, and tax obligations are different for active and inactive companies.

How to rewrite the Constitution expat style

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:57:17 -0600

The Arias administration is making moves to change the nation's Constitution because officials think that the current document makes the country ungovernable. Administration officials have not said what they have in mind, but here are some suggestions from the expat point of view

How to control mildew and mold

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:03:58 -0600

Many suggestions on what to do about a major tropical problem.

U.S. mother here says she will seek refugee status

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:03:32 -0600

A U.S. woman facing a federal charge of international child abduction said Thursday she is seeking refugee status in Costa Rica. If granted, Costa Rica would decline to extradite her to face the U.S. charge.

Downtown will get a vivid reminder of Nazi horror

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:52:47 -0600

The Dutch government is donating a statute of Holocaust victim Anne Frank, the young German girl who hid with her family in a Dutch attic until discovered by Nazis during World War II.

Administration wants to rewrite Constitution

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:52:09 -0600

The Arias administration is pushing constitutional reform as a way to change what officials see as the ungovernability of the country.

Don't count on that atm machine late at night

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:55:38 -0600

Banco Nacional, despite full time advertising and promotional employees, likes to surprise its customers. Instead it was the ministry that said Tuesday that the bank will be closing down its automatic teller network at 10 p.m. Friday and every day afterwards until 5 a.m. the next morning.

Administration will restructure intelligence unit

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:55:08 -0600

The minister of the Presidencia said Tuesday that the time has come to put what has been known as the nation's secret police under clear controls.

Milanes creditors are getting restless

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:00:47 -0600

Investors who lost their money with Savings Unlimited are getting restless because former fugitive Luis Ángel Milanes Tamayo has been free here for more than five months, and their money seems as far away as ever.

Boyeros and their bueyes brave heavy rain

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:13:10 -0600

San José's 12th annual oxcart parade, known as the entrance of the saints, is nothing to sneeze at, admitted Arturo Arrollo, a 70-year-old oxcart handler, or boyero, from Atenas. The parade, which kicks off Christmas festivities in the capital, is a showcase both for boyeros and their massive oxen. The animals pull delicately painted, brightly colored traditional oxcarts from Paseo Colón to Avenida Segunda, a highway usually occupied by taxis and buses belching black smoke.

Immigration bill on Arias priority list

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:02:57 -0600

The executive branch has placed a new immigration bill on the priority list for the Asamblea Legislativa in the so-called extraordinary session that begins Monday.

Damage at $77.3 million, and Sixaola is evacuated

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:02:15 -0600

The preliminary damage report from more than a week of flooding is in, and the national emergency commission has a preliminary figure of 42.3 billion colons or about $77.3 million.

The heritage of a Latin American Thanksgiving

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:12:52 -0600

I was a Pilgrim. I had to wear a squat, black cardboard hat with an ugly buckle in the middle. Thanksgiving stinks, I thought.

Developer on Pacific faces $2 million in environmental damages

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:12:22 -0600

In the first environmental case involving projects cited this year along the Pacific, the nation's environmental court says a conservation district is seeking $2,124.509 in damages against Hermosa Vista, a 60-hectare (148-acre) development 15 minutes south of Jacó.

Assembly committee votes out immigration bill

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:14:43 -0600

A legislative committee unanimously reported out a new immigration bill that would jack up dramatically the income required by of foreign residents.

Transit bill advances in legislature

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:14:16 -0600

The full legislature gave initial approval Tuesday to a rewrite of the nation's traffic laws that contains stronger penalties.

Christmas season officially starts Sunday

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:24:00 -0600

Sunday marks the official start of the Christmas season in San José. The kickoff will be highlighted by the traditional Entrada de Santos y Boyeros, which is a procession of carretas pulled by bueyes with santos aboard.

Caribbean coast and elsewhere still taking a hit

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:23:29 -0600

Costa Ricans in the Caribbean and northern zone are waking up today to the eighth straight day of rain. About 4,000 of them are in shelters because of heavy flooding and rivers running out of their banks.

The Caja wants to sign you up

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:39:05 -0600

How to handle employees and their paperwork represent continuing problems for expats. An article on domestic employees produced a great deal of interest. Many persons wrote and said they were not legally registering their employees and did not have workers compensation for them either. Some expats asked if they needed to cover themselves as well. Everyone that wrote still is confused

Caribbean coast weathers another disaster

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:38:37 -0600

The Caribbean coast is taking it on the chin again with rains and flooding spawned by a cold front. Some 32 communities have been affected, and up to 2,100 persons are in shelters, according to the Cruz Roja,

Fraud suspect close to Arias raises a cloud over police agencies

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:41:36 -0600

High government officials and police supervisors are dumbfounded that the No. 2 man in the Dirección de Inteligencia y Seguridad is accused of using his position and inside knowledge to advance a long-running check fraud scheme.

Legislators give final OK to $15 tax on air tickets

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:41:08 -0600

Legislators passed for the second and final time Thursday a $15 tax on every air ticket to Costa Rica purchased outside the national borders. The same vote also results in eliminating a 3 percent tourism tax on hotels and other temporary housing vendors.

Amnet says it will pull out of metro area

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:50:30 -0600

Amnet, the cable television company, appears ready to surrender its franchise in the Municipalidad de San José rather than put its lines underground.

New drivers have to know about gears and clutch

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:49:54 -0600

Those who hope to pass a driving test now have to do so by using a vehicle with a manual transmission. The Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte said Wednesday that a decree has been published in the La Gaceta official newspaper prohibiting test-takers from using automatic transmission vehicles.

Real estate business moves from bonanza to prudence

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:37:33 -0600

The Costa Rican economy is expected to surmount lower real estate activity that will last well into 2009, said representatives from a Costa Rican real estate association during a Tuesday conference on the future of Costa Rican real estate.

Frogs fare badly with chemical mix

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:36:59 -0600

The decline of some frog species in Costa Rica may be related to pesticides and herbicides. That is suggested by the reports of two recent studies.

Costa Rica is no. 10 in hosting U.S. students

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:00:12 -0600

Costa Rica hosted 5,383 U.S. students in 2006-2007, a slight drop from the previous year, according to statistics available on the Web site of the Institute for International Education.

Alguinaldos are a form of stimulus plan

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:00:36 -0600

The world economy may be dragging, but Costa Rica will soon see an incentive payment of its own, a traditional one. Fast approaching is the time when employers have to come up with the aguinaldos for their workers.

Costa Rican officials all agog over Chinese president

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:07:14 -0600

What is just a tropical layover for the president of China has become a defining moment for Costa Rica.

Legislature decides to slap another tax on tourists

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:25:58 -0600

The Asamblea Legislativa approved on first reading Thursday the administration's $15 a head tax on tourists. The measure also would repeal the 3 percent tax on hotel stays and other purchases in tourist-related businesses.

Justice is a do-it-yourself project here

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:24:24 -0600

Justice can be a do-it-yourself occupation in Costa Rica. Or at least some situations can illuminate the reluctance of judicial employees to seek justice.

Desdemona is naughty in Dominical

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:23:59 -0600

Although a new reading of the play by the Dominical Little Theatre group uses only three microphones and some dramatic lighting for staging, theater group founder Monica Perez said most of the play's bawdy humor remains.

Quick committee approval seen for immigration draft

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:58:52 -0600

A new draft of the nation's immigration law was accepted as a substitute Tuesday by the legislature's Comisión Permanente de Asuntos de Gobierno y Administración. Olga Marta Corrales Sánchez, the president of the committee, said that the bill is a consensus, and she hoped that the committee would approve the bill, No. 8487, and send it to the full legislature next week.

Escazú mayor told to clean up community

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:58:22 -0600

The Sala IV constitutional court ordered Escazú to clean up its act after residents complained of too many empty lots piled with garbage and producing sewage.

Legislature ready to give final approval to treaty bill

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:13:14 -0600

Lawmakers are expected to vote this morning on the last piece of implementing legislation needed to bring the country into compliance with its promises under the Central American Free Trade Treaty.

What is a little robbery among friends?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:12:45 -0600

It's midnight on a Sunday, and there is a guy in a motorcycle helmet pointing a six-inch knife at my boss. I'm standing a few feet away with my mouth wide open, because even though I have walked home late at night through crime-happy neighborhoods in Colombia, Madrid and that infamous gangster rap stronghold in East Bushwick, Brooklyn, I am only just now witnessing for my first honest-to-God stickup.

Some citizens are fighting back and winning

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:44:34 -0600

People are tired of losing money in Costa Rica. They are fed up with flushing it down the toilet due to the mistakes made by the Registro Nacional and other government entities. They are also disgusted with the bulling around they get from administrative offices.

Report says that Sardinal has enough water to share

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:43:54 -0600

A government commission reported Sunday that there is enough groundwater in Sardinal to allow for continued construction a controversial pipeline. The information was based on studies conducted by the national water company, the environmental ministry and an agency that studies the risks of construction related to the water industry.

Officials maneuver to keep Costa Rica solvent

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:34:34 -0600

The economy was at center stage Thursday as President Óscar Arias Sánchez outlined the executive branch's commitment to lessen as much as possible negative impacts on the country.

Not everyone is happy with Obama victory

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:22:32 -0600

For conservatives in Costa Rica's expat community, the future was not looking rosy after Sen. Barack Obama's victory in the Tuesday presidential election.

Embassy bash is a celebration of democracy

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:19:44 -0600

At the end of the U.S. Embassy's election night party, the sound that filled the room was not cheers or wild applause, but the thud of empty wine bottles being dumped into garbage cans. TV wires taped to the floor with grey masking tape were yanked loose. The giant, flat white screen that projected CNN's announcement that Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois had become the president-elect of the United States was hauled down and folded away.

Tribunal Ambiente lists investigations

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:19:21 -0600

Twin sweeps by the environmental watchdogs resulted in 15 development projects being frozen and 18 more under investigation in the Cantón de Osa.

A tree that grows in Central America!

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:46:24 -0600

A special tree here helps scientists assess climate change issue.

Some expats feel they were blindsided by draft law

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:45:42 -0600

Some expats reacted with surprise Monday when they learned about a proposed rewrite of the nation's immigration laws that would mean pensionados and rentistas would need to show a lot more financial depth.

Draft law would jack up residency requirements

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:06:16 -0600

The Arias administration has come up with a rewrite of its proposed immigration law that jacks up financial requirements for pensionados to $2,000 a month and for rentistas to $5,000.

Criminality not good for turtles either

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:05:47 -0600

The Parque Nacional Tortuguero, a breeding ground for four species of turtle, receives about 75,000 visits from the creatures each year. However, the park lacks the security needed to face threats from poachers and narcotraffickers operating in the area, according to the manager.

Bandits sacked home of missionary family

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:23:10 -0600

A Canadian-Costa Rican family endured five hours at the hands of home invaders who even pulled a gun on the 82-year-old bedridden grandmother.

Arrests made in horrific casino murder case

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:22:46 -0600

The director of the judicial police said Friday evening that his agents have detained two men and a female minor in the murder Tuesday of a hotel casino worker and the shooting of her sister and work companion. This is the case of the three women abducted as they left the White House Hotel casino.

http://www.amcostarica.com/103108.htm#31

It's time to get divorced!!

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:12:06 -0600

The constitutional court has done away with two marriage rules that have caused pain and suffering for hundreds of expats and Costa Ricans. The rules are those that required a three-year wait after a marriage for the couple to obtain a divorce. A second section, also thrown out, required a two-year wait for a couple to get a legal separation.

Organized crime bill is reported out of committee

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:11:32 -0600

A legislative commission Wednesday reported out a proposed law that is designed to attack organized crime. A short time later the Poder Judicial announced that the proposal contains all the revisions sought by Francisco Dall'Anese Ruiz, the nation's chief prosecutor.

Nation horrified by murder of casino worker

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:29:49 -0600

Violent crime took center stage again Tuesday after bandits attacked three young women in a car in Escazú, killed one and distributed the victims in three different parts of the western metro area.

Increase still predicted for Latin exports

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:27:59 -0600

Exports from Latin America and the Caribbean are on track to grow at an estimated 23 per cent this year, despite the global financial crisis, according to a report released Monday by the United Nations office for the region.

Can it be true? The transition is starting?

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:51:47 -0600

For many, the sweetest sound is the phrase "I love you." But in October in Costa Rica the three little words that caress the ear is "Dry season's coming."

Employers upset by stranglehold on credit

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:51:06 -0600

The organization representing the nation's employers Monday demanded the loosening of credit by the Banco Central and the county's other financial institutions and said that 20,000 workers already had lost their jobs.

Three dangerous errors expats make hiring domestic help

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:38:16 -0600

So many expats make the same mistakes with domestic workers in Costa Rica. Usually their intentions are good. Nevertheless, from the outset of the work relationship most start it off on the wrong foot, giving workers a reason to go to court. Why should they wait to be fired upon by the domestic staff? They should fix the mistakes. It is easy to do.

Environmental tribunal investigates 14 of 16 projects

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:37:42 -0600

Of 16 projects inspected by the nation's environmental watchdogs in the Cantón de Osa, 14 have come under investigation.

A.M. Costa Rica endorses John McCain

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:17:11 -0600

America does not cut and run. American finishes what it starts, including efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. American does not sit down with second-rate authoritarian dictators. American does not whimper and beg pardon from the world for being great.

Reporter sees what acupuncture is like

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:16:46 -0600

"I show up to my appointment late. It's pouring rain as usual, and it's the last day of my period and I am feeling cranky. I visit Eugene Mc Donald, who graciously agreed to give a demonstration at his Escazú office. He's been licensed in Florida, and the walls of his office are covered in framed certificates. He smiles a lot, gives me three business cards and asks me whether I would like some grape juice."

Forbes tells world about property problems here

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:17:01 -0600

\Real estate here took another hit this week as Forbes, the U.S. publisher of authoritative business magazines, posted an account of Costa Rican property ownership problems.

Minimum wages are going up

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:16:28 -0600

The minimum wage employers must pay their workers is going up 7 percent Jan. 1, but the increase is much less than employee negotiators sought. Workers sought more than 16 percent.

Chief prosecutor opens a case against Arias

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:23:40 -0600

The nation's chief prosecutor stepped into the open pit gold mine controversy Tuesday and announced he was opening an investigation against President Óscar Arias Sánchez and the environmental minister.

Osa sweep focuses on luxury projects

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:24:39 -0600

Government enforcers of environmental laws closed down nine construction sites in the Canton de Osa Monday, and inspections elsewhere are scheduled all this week.

Trees put the brakes on gold mine

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:39:37 -0600

The controversial open pit gold mine in northern Costa Rica has suffered a new setback because the Sala IV constitutional court froze work there to determine if the firm would be allowed to cut down trees.

Environmental police visiting Canton de Osa today

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:38:31 -0600

The environment minister will be among those who overfly the Canton de Osa today to draw attention to what they say is damage to the land.

Fast cash deals are very profitable . . . for the lender

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:13:25 -0600

Is the credit crunch putting a crimp in your lifestyle? Help can be found on most any electric pole in San Jose.

Law that protected just women is unconstitutional

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:24:18 -0600

The Sala IV constitutional court in a split vote overturned two key elements of a law designed to protect women in a decision released Thursday.

An expat named Garfield

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:23:50 -0600

Long time resident Garfield George Wagner a familiar imposing presence in the Gringo bar circuit is gone. "Field," as he was know by his family, was highly visible for years in the San Jose's Downtown scene. Locals will well remember the immaculately groomed, 6-foot, 4-inch, bigger-than-life guy with the perfect tan, big toothy smile and long blond pony tail.

Criminals swiftly go through court system to freedom

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:55:40 -0600

The judiciary's swift justice process whisked three more individuals through court and onto the streets Wednesday. That followed by a day the first conviction of a criminal under the program. He got out of jail, too.

Neighbors get 20 years for killing a thief, but robber walks

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:28:04 -0600

Two separate but significant cases played out in the Costa Rican courts Tuesday. In one case, five persons who had attacked and fatally injured a man who was ransacking a vehicle each got 20 years in prison for aggravated homicide. The second case was the first of the rapid justice officials promised for persons caught red-handed committing a crime.

New Osa radio station was a long time in coming

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:27:34 -0600

After three years of wrestling with contractors, some inconveniently placed mangrove trees, and that infamous Tico attitude towards time, the expat-themed radio station Radio Pacifico Sur is making some waves across San Buenaventura. But owner and DJ Stephen Petretti now has a warning for other aspiring Gringo entrepreneurs: the bureaucratic struggles in Costa Rica are not to be underestimated.

The president complains about faults in the system

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:40:40 -0600

Every expat businessman and developer can identify with the nation's president and his brother, who are now complaining about the obstacles confronted by those who would move the nation ahead.

Museum education program sidesteps racial issues

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:40:11 -0600

In an effort to make Costa Rican history come alive for the Youtube generation, the Museo Nacional is now featuring dramatic historical tours of the museum's exhibits, hoping that the interactive field trips will complement what students are learning in the classroom.

He fought long and hard with little official help

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:40:51 -0600

After four long years of fighting hard in the courts in Costa Rica, an expat saved his property investment. He thought all hope was lost, but in his case justice prevailed. Last week the expat had what was stolen from him returned: A mortgage fraudulently canceled by property thieves and an attorney gone bad.

'Latin idol' hopes dashed

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:12:00 -0600

Costa Rica's Latin American Idol finalist María José Castillo came in second last night at the end of a two-hour, commercial-filled spectacular on Sony Television..

Tribunal orders Banco National to reimburse Internet victim

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:11:11 -0600

In a Thursday decision that may set a groundbreaking precedent for other cases involving Internet fraud, a court ruled that the Banco Nacional must pay damages to a man after money was stolen from his bank account via the Internet.

King of Jordan planning to make a visit here

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:10:20 -0600

Jordanian King Abdullah II begins Oct. 19 a Latin American visit that will include Costa Rica.

Kentucky governor launches battle against Internet gambling

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:20:46 -0600

Online gambling operations in Costa Rica have been blindsided by the governor of the U.S. State of Kentucky who is trying to seize control of some 140 Internet domains.

Ice hockey in Heredia?

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:20:15 -0600

The hockey program at the Castillo Country Club emerged in 1997. El Castillo Knights have since gone on to win a tournament in Cuernavaca, Mexico, received praise from Canadian Ambassador Neil Reider and hosted the Vancouver Flying Pirates.

Sugar cane crop endangered by fungus

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:20:37 -0600

Lawmakers Monday asked the central government to declare an emergency in the Pérez Zeledón and Buenos Aires regions because of the fungus disease orange rust.

Tax collectors change the rules

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:20:06 -0600

The nation's tax collecting agency just made a change in its rules that will mean more paperwork for businesses and individuals.

Some uncomfortable history rears its head

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:21:38 -0600

However, before the performance — a dance originating from the Santaría religion, originally performed by “Caribbean witches,” as Ms. GRACE Fernández put it — she wanted to remind the audience of a little bit of uncomfortable history.

María José makes it to the finals

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:10:57 -0600

The country is flying high because María José Castillo will be one of two finalists next week on "Latin American Idol," a television reality show based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Taxi fares are going up but not by much

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:13:54 -0600

Higher taxi fares go into effect Thursday if the plans of the price regulating agency are accurate.

It's not just the boomers who are coming here

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:39:10 -0600

Thanks to Costa Rica's lax immigration policies, waves of mortgage brokers, Wall Street hotshots and bankers are even now getting their travel plans together. Dominical is much more inviting than Club Fed. Tamarindo sure beats the local county lock up.

Convicted priest agitates for his radio show

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:13:23 -0600

They say there are no guilty persons in prison. That is never truer than in Costa Rica where those convicted of high crimes can appeal to the court of public opinion via Web pages, radio shows and even pocket calendars.

Costa Rica gets yet another extension for free trade OK

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:12:58 -0600

When it comes to ratifying the Central American Free Trade Agreement, the clock keeps running out on Costa Rica. The country got another break Tuesday when its trading partners agreed to reset the clock and approve another extension.

Heredia girl makes Ticos proud

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:47:54 -0600

There were no medals from the 2008 Olympics, the last World Cup soccer effort was a disaster, and the Nobel Prize is a bit dusty. But that is all forgotten because the hopes of Costa Rica are hanging on the sweet sound of a 17-year-old Heredia girl. She is a finalist in "Latin American Idol."

Forest that birds love has a broad sidewalk

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:47:26 -0600

Finca La Selva is a world-renowned destination for tropical biologists and a tourist destination as well. Visitors can sample the forest with a guide or stay overnight to be there at dawn when activity is best.

New scam promises high interest on mortgages

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:45:54 -0600

Looking for high interest on money? There are loan brokers in the local market with customers looking for cash. Some of these brokers are even lawyers representing their clients. Watch out. There is a scam which preys on anyone willing to lend their hard-earned savings.

Villalobos group puts itself on hold

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:45:29 -0600

The investor group that supports fugitive financier Luis Enrique Villalobos Camacho is putting itself on hold, according to its most recent Web posting.

Russia wants to help Chávez become nuclear

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:40:16 -0600

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he is ready to consider helping Venezuela develop a nuclear energy program.

They shot him, but he's a hero

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:39:47 -0600

Although it might be about 150 years late, the Asamblea Legislativa has been asked to name former president Juan Rafael Mora Porras as a national hero.

Everyone holding their breath over economy here

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:52:05 -0600

Fears over the economic problems in the United States are being fanned here by the traditional slow period in September. Still, the concern in tourism, real estate, banking and the rest of the business community is of a degree that has not been seen since the airplanes stopped flying Sept. 11, 2001.

High-quality rice brought under government control

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:51:38 -0600

The economics ministry is stepping in to reduce the price of rice, and officials say the regulation of the market is just the beginning. Wednesday Marco Vargas Díaz, the economics minister, established a lower price for high-quality rice. This is rice with from 9 to 7 percent broken grains.

Bribery figure gets 30 months in the U.S.

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:06:01 -0600

A former Alcatel CIT executive got 30 months in prison Tuesday for engaging in an elaborate bribery scheme to obtain a mobile telephone contract from the state-owned telecommunications company in Costa Rica.

Arias promotes his three projects

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:05:37 -0600

Costa Rica's president pushed his three favorite initiatives Tuesday at the inauguration of a new agency of the Organization of American States.

Dangers of beach trash getting noticed

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:03:48 -0600

Trash being dumped into the oceans is starting to get official and unofficial recognition as a growing danger. Efforts are being made to stop the practice.

Legislative committee has plans to salvage trade treaty

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:03:20 -0600

A legislative committee presented three plans Monday so that the final measure related to the free trade treaty with the United State is approved. The committee, the Comisión de Consulta de Constitucionalidad, is trying to makes changes that conform to requirements laid down by the Sala IV constitutional court that found two flaws in the original legislation.

How low can you go living here?

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:45:54 -0600

As the belts are tightened in the United States and elsewhere, more eyes turn to Costa Rica as a cheap place to live. The first question usually is what is the cost of living there. And there is no easy answer.

All forms of violence condemned at march

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:45:13 -0600

About 2,000 people who oppose violence took to Paseo Colón Sunday morning to walk with visiting Mexican actresses.

Experts have eyes on lake in Irazú crater

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:51:26 -0600

Volcano experts are wondering where is the water going from the lake in the crater of Volcán Irazú.

Scientists think hurricanes are growing in power

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:29:12 -0600

The busy hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean has just peaked, and already the number of major tropical cyclones is above average. The latest strong storm was Hurricane Ike, which left thousands without power and unable to return to the Gulf coast homes in the United States.

Supreme court gives one to the birds

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:02:23 -0600

The nation's high court has prohibited the cutting of a certain species of tree, in part because a highly endangered type of parrot uses the tree almost exclusively for nesting.

U.S. Navy and Coast Guard catch another semi-sub

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:01:54 -0600

The U.S. Navy and coast guardsmen caught another semi-submersible drug vessel Saturday night some 350 miles off the coast of Guatemala. Captured were four suspected narcotics smugglers from Colombia and cargo of suspected cocaine, said the U.S. Southern Command.

Arias says he is sick of being criticized

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:15:45 -0600

In his independence day speech Monday, President Oscar Arias said he is tired of criticism from people who don't have the right to judge him.

The law comes to the beach developments

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:39:42 -0600

In the past, foreigners interested in developing have skirted the rules, especially in the maritime zone. In many cases, they have had to do so because no coherent rules were in place. Today, the Costa Rican government is finally trying to regulate growth and building, especially on the coasts with integral territorial zoning plans. Each one will encompass large areas. These integral plans are coming for areas all over the country.

Liberty arrives right on schedule

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:39:12 -0600

The timetable was followed closely Sunday night as runners arrived in San José with the torch of liberty and then other teams of school children carried it to Cartago where the executive branch was assembled.

We are talking football — not fútbol

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:30:46 -0600

This is for readers who have have to watch the National Football League games in Spanish on Fox or other stations.

Our winter visitors are coming back

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:30:17 -0600

For the birds, Costa Rica already is experiencing high season. That was the word Thursday from the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza in Turrialba where scientists keep track of such things

Dental volunteers find a lot of work in Talamanca

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:48:09 -0600

Last week a group of more than 20 dentists and dental students visited the Reserva Indígena Talamanca, home to the Bribri, to bring free services to some 600 patients by performing 2,000 procedures, said the leader of the group, Dr. Peter Aborn of San Pedro.

Seventh anniversary shows confusion over terror attacks

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:47:41 -0600

The commemoration comes just after the results of an international poll show that many people do not believe the attacks were the work of the al Qaida terror network. For example, 30 percent of those polled in México said the tragedy was the work of the U.S. government.

What citizens think about security

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 04:16:30 -0600

A nearly 2-year-old survey released this week shows about a third of those interviewed reported that citizen insecurity was the country's No. 1 concern.

Russian navy sending task force for Venezuelan maneuvers

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:06:28 -0600

The Atlantic and the Caribbean will become the stage for a new chapter in the resumed cold war as the Russian navy moves in this November.

Soon it will be independence day

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:05:48 -0600

Somewhere in Honduras a group of school children are running with the torch of independence held high. In a few miles they will pass the torch to another group.

Bribri community wants to run tourism program

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:48:23 -0600

Less than an hour's drive up the mountain from the Caribbean's Puerto Viejo lie the lush hills of the Reserva Indígina Talamanca. The Bribri and Cabécar people there live in cultures strengthened over thousands of years with their own forms of government and an agricultural lifestyle.

Expats try to stay young with inserted hormones

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:02:07 -0600

Those fighting the inevitability of aging look for ways to hold off Father Time. Some look to anti-aging treatments offered in Costa Rica. One place is Costagenics, an age management institute and medical spa, that utilizes hormone replacement, allowing patients to seek their own fountain of youth.

Expat barber has been at it for 60 years

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:12:32 -0600

Imagine a barber who has been cutting hair for more then 60 years. A Costa Rica native has been doing just that and will be continuing to do so, God permitting, he said.

Banco Nacional has some more tricks up it sleeve

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:11:51 -0600

The 335,000 customers of Banco Nacional de Costa Rica will have different online security systems in the next weeks.

Nosara garbage study is a lesson for tourist towns

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:24:11 -0600

A study of solid waste in the coastal town of Nosara shows recycling may be feasible there and perhaps in other tourist areas. The study showed about 35 percent of the current garbage is recyclable and some 52 percent is organic and could be composed or otherwise reused. Like many Costa Rican communities Nosara has a garbage disposal problem.

Calderón has a court date Nov. 3

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:23:36 -0600

Former president Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier and seven other persons go on trial Nov. 3 in one of the nation's two big corruption cases

Protesters get mayor to promise to fix roads

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:43:47 -0600

Residents of San Miguel de Desamparados set up a human wall on a stretch of main highway Monday morning and kept the route blocked until the municipal mayor agreed to fix the roads.

In search of the elusive sunbathing tree frog

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:43:15 -0600

A physicist and a conservationist from The University of Manchester are seeking answers in the rain forests of Costa Rica in a bid to understand more about a deadly fungus that is killing amphibians around the world.

Real estate slowdown has a silver lining

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:07:45 -0600

For sale signs are everywhere. Property prices have dropped on some real estate 50 percent or more. Some people have walked away from the houses they were building before completion and assigned them to real estate agents with instructions to sell them for whatever they can get. Some condominium developers are selling their projects out using fractional ownership to they can make some sales and bring in badly needed cash flow.

New political party opposes the trade treaty

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:07:16 -0600

A new national political party is taking root, and one of its major objectives is to oppose the free trade treaty with the United States and the so-called neoliberal policies of current political leaders.

Some are shopping eBay for land deals

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:44:38 -0600

Who says land prices are sky high in Costa Rica? Why a clever purchaser can get a 1.75-acre lot with ocean view for several thousand dollars via an eBay bidding process. Or at least that is what the Internet posting says

Condo residents struggle with lack of water

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:45:11 -0600

Hundreds of families in a Santa Ana condo project have had to deal with dry pipes, said a representative from the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados.

Dolphin seem to be host for infectious bacterial disease

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:21:12 -0600

The bodies of six striped dolphin stranded along the Pacific coast had a marine strain of the highly infections disease brucellosis, according to a report from the Universidad Nacional in Heredia

Talamanca youngsters getting a disc of Bribri songs

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:20:47 -0600

The Universidad Estatal a Distancia has created a CD with Bribri song recordings to teach the language.

Just lookin' for a home

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:09:15 -0600

The very latest in slum dwellings is being displayed in the Plaza de la Cultura. Cardboard, a little bit of steel roofing and some drapes for a door go a long way in preparing a low-budget house.

Time to start charging the local airlines?

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:08:37 -0600

Aircraft are using the nation's 25 public airports for free because there is no landing fee. But the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte wants to change that as part of a $20 million makeover of the seven most important airstrips.

All the brothels need are wheelchair ramps

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:32:52 -0600

Customers in wheelchairs will soon be able to enjoy prostitutes in a comfortable atmosphere just like any other paying visitor, thanks to the municipality.

Contraloría report pans immigration

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:32:06 -0600

The nation's watchdog reports that the immigration department is fraught with inconsistencies and that the current system has many weaknesses that limit effective control of foreigners here.

Costa Rica's culture of runners

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:43:13 -0600

So, as I have been thrown head first into the culture of running, I have realized that running in Costa Rica is so much more then just running. It is not hard to become involved in the culture. All that is necessary is a pair of sneakers, a good attitude, and a friend to squirt you with the hose. There is a race nearly every weekend somewhere.

Bylaws are the key to successful condo living

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:42:39 -0600

Most new buyers of property are now seeking the protection of gated, guarded condo complexes whether these are high-rise or single-family living units under the condominium law known here in Costa Rica as Ley de Horizontal

A taste of Heredia and Limón

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:33:52 -0600

Tasting will just be the icing on the cake when the book "Cocina Tradicional Costarricense 2, Heredia y Limon" is presented at the Biblioteca Pública in Limón. The book will give the pubic a glimpse of some traditional recipes from those two provinces.

The strange murders of young couples

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:33:00 -0600

Another execution-style slaying of a young couple has generated fears that some sort of serial killer is on the loose. Investigators say this is the third such case since June 19.

University's bug museum is a great introduction

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:33:32 -0600

Some would-be transplants to Costa Rica are a little timid when it comes to bugs. And Costa Rica does have bugs as part of its much praised ecological diversity.

Lots still to be done in the city

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:33:01 -0600

The city was supposed to get better. There were lists of projects. There were announcements. Some citizens still wait, but many have forgotten that list.

Some moto cops are extorting from tourists

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:26:22 -0600

At least a half-dozen North American tourists say they have been stopped and frisked by motorcycle police officers in the Parque España-Parque Morazán area in north San José. In most cases, the police officers either accepted money or took money from the men's pockets, the tourists said.

Where are all those new hydrants??

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:25:52 -0600

What happened to all the new fire hydrants the government promised? That's what some citizens are wondering after fire fighters crowded the streets in front of the legislature in celebration of their victory in April.

There may be better and cheaper wine in the future

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:29:18 -0600

It is time to begin the countdown to the day when Costa Rica drops its 40 percent import tariff on U.S. wines. And the California wine industry is standing by to fill the demand.

Immigration changes the rules quietly

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:28:47 -0600

The immigration department has changed the rules again on the validity of documents that foreigners may present to be accepted into one of the residency categories.

Press freedom report skewers Pacheco and Casas

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:11:41 -0600

Costa Rica fared better than six other Latin countries in a new report on government interference with press freedom. But former president Abel Pacheco and the Arias administration drew criticism for trying to manipulate the media with money.

How to collect your foreign money judgment here

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:11:09 -0600

Expats living in Costa Rica may be interested to know that certain foreign judgments are enforceable in Costa Rica by means of a process called an exequatur. Going through the process to get an exequatur can mean collecting monies due when they were otherwise lost or collecting child support from a deadbeat spouse hiding in this country.

Work started on giant Guanacaste wind farm

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:32:52 -0600

A German company has begun work in Guanacaste on the largest wind farm in Central America, a spokesperson said Monday.

Caja lists U.S. Embassy as a deadbeat

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:32:25 -0600

The government of Costa Rica has the U.S. Embassy listed as a deadbeat. Big time. For some $1.2 million.

Oceans reported to be in bad, bad shape

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:51:11 -0600

Human activities are driving the health of the world’s oceans down a rapid spiral, and only prompt and wholesale changes will slow or perhaps ultimately reverse the catastrophic problems they are facing, a top researcher reports.

Quality time with the kids and, maybe, a rose

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:50:43 -0600

Newspapers, the television and Internet are filled with advertisements promoting the newest frying pans, washers and dryers and stylish clothes so a Costa Rican can buy mom that perfect gift. But most mothers here only want one thing: to spend quality time with their loved ones while celebrating El Día de la Madre.

Fake immigration stamps may affect thousands of expats

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:10:26 -0600

There may be as many as 3,000 foreigners in Costa Rica with fake stamps on their passports, said the director of the immigration police Tuesday.

Amazon to open customer service center here

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:09:58 -0600

Amazon, the online marketer, said Tuesday that it plans to open a customer service center in Heredia. The new facility, which is scheduled to open in November, is expected to create more than 300 new jobs during its first two years of operation, with an additional 400 seasonal jobs to be added during the fourth quarter holiday season.

Arias will borrow to do $1 billion in projects

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:03:49 -0600

Costa Rican roads, trains, ports and airports will be getting a billion dollar face-lift, government officials said Monday.

New DVD will feature Teatro Nacional

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:03:14 -0600

A DVD encompassing the past, present and future of the Teatro Nacional will be presented to the public today.

Poor Villalobos creditors might have to wait up to 10 years

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:06:37 -0600

Victims in the Villalobos case may have to wait up to 10 years to see any money, said a court spokeswoman. And those who do get money may only receive a small portion, said the spokeswoman, Andrea Marín Mena.

U.S. citizen blames embassy for prolonging prison stay

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:06:08 -0600

A U.S. man said he's trapped in prison because the U.S. Embassy won't give him a document he needs to prove he's paying child support.

13 brothels close down in sweep

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:58:49 -0600

The security ministry initiated a sweep of brothels Thursday. All 13 ended up being closed by municipal officials because the businesses lacked a license or had an expired license, officials said.

Shriners looking for lots of sick kids

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:58:22 -0600

The Shriners in Costa Rica are searching for kids. They seek kids suffering from a host of maladies. The goal is to make them better.

Final free trade measure gets initial approval

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:08:18 -0600

The Asamblea Legislativa passed the intellectual property bill Wednesday, 36-14 . This is the last bill that is part of the implementation agenda for the free trade treaty with the United States.

Stone spheres featured in new book

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:07:52 -0600

This afternoon the Museo del Banco Central will formally present the latest books on the stone spheres that are found in the southern Pacific coast.

What's cooking under the Oreamuno house?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:07:06 -0600

The house is not exactly haunted, but the owner and the woman who lives there would like to know why there is a hot spot in the earth under the dwelling.

See the face of big oil

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:06:33 -0600

This morning the face of Big Oil revealed itself. You, know, the sinister exploiter who is strangling the world. The face was in the bathroom mirror. I didn't know I was Big Oil until Monday when the mail arrived

Chinese firm is the only bidder

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:16:32 -0600

There could be a Chinese-produced advanced cell phone network in the cards for Costa Rica.

Who investigates murders on the Indian reserves?

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:16:00 -0600

The claims of murders and other violence represent a challenge for local police agencies. Although Indians in Costa Rica are presumed to live under the sames laws as the rest of the citizens, distance, tradition and fear of outsiders frequently keeps police from knowing what takes place.

http://www.amcostarica.com/080508.htm#32

Expat's guide to the criminal courts

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:49:02 -0600

Most expats do not know how the court system works in Costa Rica. This article summarizes for the lay person the criminal court system

The cows really have a parade

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:48:34 -0600

Whether viewers were hoping to see real animals or fiberglass ones, their wishes were fulfilled Sunday morning on Paseo Colon.

This is a big month in Limón

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:12:08 -0600

Traditional stories are just the start of the upcoming celebration. Gospel music will float through the air and Limonese dancers will pound their feet to the ground as the national black culture festival, the X Festival de la Cultura Negra, takes off next week in Limón.

Blind woman has to sue to get her money at bank

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:11:12 -0600

Banco de Costa Rica would not allow an elderly woman who is blind make a withdrawal Wednesday, and now the family is taking the matter to the constitutional court, said her son.

Many challenges mean many opportunities

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:16:51 -0600

An essay: They say that every challenge represents an opportunity, and Costa Rica sure has opportunities.

Inflation estimated at over 12 percent

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:16:18 -0600

The Banco Central said Wednesday that inflation in the first half of the year was equivalent to an annual rate of 12.8. The central bank said that actual inflation from January to June was 6.5 percent.

U.S. disappointment doesn't last very long

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:49:57 -0600

The disappointment of the United States with the country's failure to extradite one of the nation's most wanted fugitives lasted less than three days.

Three Iraqis found with fake passports

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:49:22 -0600

Police have arrested what they say are three Iraqí men who had fake European passports and a Polish man wanted on charges of child kidnapping. The action took place at Juan Santamaría airport Monday.

What happened to the honeymoon couple?

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:04:20 -0600

In the three years after they vanished, the mystery of the U.S. honeymoon couple has surrendered just one tantalizing clue.

National museum is getting a plaster job

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:03:55 -0600

While most of the country was enjoying a quiet holiday for the celebration of the Anexión del Partido de Nicoya, six men were hard at work repairing the walls of the Museo Nacional.

Texas judge discounts Tomayko abuse claims

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:25:30 -0600

A judge in Texas said that he thinks Chere Lyn Tomayko has not been telling the truth about abuse by her former boyfriend. Judge William Harris was the original judge on the child custody case more than 11 years ago which has turned into an international kidnapping case and a heated issue between the U.S. Embassy and Costa Rican officials.

Nosara woman hurt in strange crash dies in New Jersey

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:25:03 -0600

Melissa Ardire, an American tourist living in Costa Rica until a car crash near Nicoya last June, died Friday of complications resulting from an infection while recuperating in Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey.

Municipal police raid brothels in city

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:06:34 -0600

Police Friday afternoon raided and closed down brothels in historic Barrio Amón. The brothels have a predominately North American clientèle

Raids target Catholic Church and financial firm

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:05:55 -0600

The fraud prosecutors raided three agencies of the Roman Catholic Church and the financial services firm Grupo Sama Consolidado Thursday morning as part of an investigation into illegal banking.

Tomayko case may lead to a clash within the government

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:52:10 -0600

A collision between the executive and judicial branches of government is possible after the security minister granted refugee status to a woman wanted by a U.S. federal court to face an international child-stealing indictment, said a lawyer Wednesday.

The value of a cable subscriber

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:51:40 -0600

Each Amnet cable customer here is worth $1,457.14 to Millicom International Cellular S.A. The company has agreed to purchase Amnet for $510 million and said that Amnet has 350,000 corporate and residential accounts in Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador.

Ms. Tomayko awarded refugee status

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:24:05 -0600

The security minister overruled her immigration director today and awarded Chere Lyn Tomayko refugee status in Costa Rica to protect her from the U.S. government.

Arias ready to issue zoning decree for Pacific coast

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:23:36 -0600

President Óscar Arias Sánchez and other government ministers are about to release a decree specifying the new development regulations in the Provincia de Puntarenas.

Protest targets magistrate on executive payroll

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:00:53 -0600

About 40 people demonstrated on the steps of the Corte Suprema de Justicia building Monday to protest what they call the unconstitutional situation of a supreme court substitute magistrate, Federico Sosto López.

Dangers for consumers increase with Internet drugs

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:00:28 -0600

Consumers are facing a growing risk of getting counterfeit drugs because of rising Internet sales of medical drugs, projected to reach upwards of $75 billion by 2010. That was the key finding of a report from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

Child's first pimp may be Mom

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:01:34 -0600

Costa Rican girls — and boys — get into prostitution for a variety of reasons in Costa Rica. Most of the reasons have to do with family economics. Some households that cannot make ends meet push their kids into selling themselves.