A.M. Costa Rica Top stories from Dec. 10, 2009, and Dec. 29, 2010 Contact our advertising staff HERE! Sports Calendar Opinion Classifieds Real Estate Lifestyle Food About us Jo Stuart

A.M. Costa Rica top stories This is a summary of the most important or most interesting stories that have appeared recently in A.M. Costa Rica, the English-language daily newspaper, from Dec. 10, 2009, to Dec, 29, 2010. The latest daily news feed is HERE! Top stories   Oct. 1, 2008 and Sept, 24, 2009 HERE! Top stories two Sept. 28, 2009, July 12, 2010 HERE! Top stories four May 11, 2010, to  Aug. 30, 2011 HERE! Time for the diablitos New Year's Eve is party time, and the most elaborate celebration is by the Boruca in southern Costa Rica. 2010-12-29, 02:32:52 Plenty of horse flesh in the downtown More than 4,000 horsemen and horsewomen, some of them fortified against the chilly weather by beer, wine and other alcohols, took to the streets of San José Sunday for the annual Tope Nacional. They were cheered by an estimated 200,000 persons, many of them also fortified against the elements. 2010-12-28, 02:44:36 Ambassador defends U.S. rice shipper The U.S. ambassador said that Costa Rican lab workers made an error when they conducted test for harmful fungus on a boatload of rice imported from the United States. 2010-12-28, 02:44:09 Defensoría tries to block return of U.S. child The Defensoría de los Habitantes said Wednesday that it has filed a habeas corpus action to prevent a U.S. child from being returned to her father in Missouri. 2010-12-27, 02:25:45 Another loan coming for sewer work The plan to put in a sewer system and treatment plant for the metro area has been enriched by some $93 million, even though the project has yet to break ground. 2010-12-23, 02:42:43 Language barrier gets her out of prison A woman who got 13 years in the beating murder of a family member suspects of witchcraft has been released from prison by the Consejo de Gobierno. 2010-12-23, 02:42:15 Researchers study the complexities of accents A rose by any other name may still smell as sweet, but it the name is said with an accent, there are unexpected complexities that are being unraveled now by scientists. And understanding these complexities may be of value to foreigners living in a country where the principal language is not their own. 2010-12-22, 03:15:28 Costa Rica volcano study considered important A team of the Collaborative Research Centre in Kiel, Germany, has for the first time tracked the pathway of the water up to 120 kilometers depth. This is being called an important piece in the puzzle to understand the highly active volcanoes in Pacific ring of fire of which Costa Rica is a part. The research was conducted in Costa Rica and offshore. A researcher from Costa Rica was part of the research team. 2010-12-22, 03:14:58 We lose again, but the Junta does not Once again, for the 10th straight year, the staff and editors of A.M. Costa Rica were shut out in the Gordo Christmas lottery. Despite weeks of studying on how to beat the U.S. Internal Revenue Service on taxes from lottery windfalls, editors saw other numbers come up. 2010-12-21, 02:45:38 Another committee to plan anti-crime strategy Police officials and prosecutors met Friday in an effort to map out a way to fight crime. Leading the session was Jorge Chavarría Gúzman, the fiscal general or chief prosecutor. He proposed forming a committee that would be called a national commission. It would include heads of police agencies as well as the head of the Judicial Investigating Organization. He also would be a member. 2010-12-21, 02:45:15 Piano doctor makes house call at Teatro Nacional The concert grand piano at the Teatro Nacional has been getting acclimated to Costa Rica after its trip from the manufacturer, Steinway & Sons, in New York. 2010-12-20, 03:26:57 We support those who support us A report on tourist occupancies Wednesday did not point out that the impact of the world's financial crisis falls disproportionately on smaller firms. We try to help them out. 2010-12-17, 04:12:22 A reminder that tire puncturers are still at work Tourists continue to be easy picking for crooks who take advantage of flat tires on rental vehicles. 2010-12-17, 04:11:27 Tourism: the good news and the so-so The nation's tourism chamber expects that the number of visitors to Costa Rica will be up 10.56 percent in December over the same month in 2009. Still, the industry is facing a lackluster high season if initial statistics are correct. 2010-12-16, 04:17:55 Chill got your down? Go bake some cookies With the overnight temperatures threatening to set a record low for the year, a couple of batches of cookies can quickly warm the inside environment. 2010-12-15, 03:48:35 Nicaragua promotes specter of U.S. invasion The Nicaraguan administration is playing the nationalistic card by suggesting that expats living in Costa Rica are being mistreated and that U.S. troops and warships are on the move. 2010-12-15, 03:48:04 Expat concerns not on agenda The legislature is studying the agenda of bills sent over by Casa Presidencial. The proposals are heavy with new taxes, but none seems to address the problems most expats consider the most important. 2010-12-14, 03:54:46 How will Costa Rica neutralize volcano emissions? Costa Rica repeated its promise Thursday that it will become the first carbon neutral country by 2021. Vice President Alfio Piva told this to the U.N. climate summit in Cancún, México. 2010-12-13, 04:11:45 Time to count the migrant birds Now that neotropical migrant birds are settled in and established on their wintering grounds in México and Central America, the new season of Monitoreo de Supervivencia Invernal can get underway. This program seeks to determine if survival in the birds’ wintering habitats is a limiting factor for a number of species that have been identified as declining in North America. 2010-12-13, 04:11:22 Work on ancient church ruins completed The Centro de Patrimonio has pronounced reinforcement work on the country's oldest church to be finished. There was a ceremony to that effect Wednesday at the church, the Templo Católico de la Purísima Concepción del Rescate. It is in Ujarrás de Cartago. 2010-12-10, 03:27:59 Poe influences new book by Ticos The tangled mind of 19th century writer Edgar Allen Poe is coming alive again and with a Tico twist. 2010-12-09, 04:26:07 Aguinaldos this year total $1.2 billion The country's private sector workers will share some 466 billion colons in Christmas bonuses, according to an employers group. 2010-12-09, 04:25:37 New law is supposed to protect consumers better Whether they know it or not, merchants are working under an updated consumer law that went into effect Nov. 1. 2010-12-08, 01:58:30 Ortega gets his 15 minutes of Wikileaks fame A Spanish newspaper published Wikileaks material Monday that is not yet available online. The material is an indictment of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega drafted by the former U.S. ambassador. 2010-12-08, 01:58:09 African bees: A possible danger to expats An encounter with Africanized bees Sunday highlighted the continual danger of those insects in Costa Rica. 2010-12-07, 03:41:48 Flood may have opened new river mouth While President Laura Chinchilla sought support opposing the Nicaraguan invasion, heavy flooding took place at the Río San Juan and adjacent waterways. 2010-12-07, 03:41:21 Flooding leaves 2,000 in shelters A low pressure area has moved toward Panamá leaving flooding, death and heavy damage in its wake. The national emergency commission said that 2,000 persons were being housed in 38 shelters as a result of the heavy rain that began Monday. 2010-12-06, 02:38:32 More money on the streets The economy is about to see a major uptick. The Costa Rican law that provides workers with a fat Christmas bonus also covers pensioners and even those who hold certain governmental positions. 2010-12-02, 04:07:02 Legislative agenda mushrooms to 32 bills The executive branch's legislative agenda mushroomed Tuesday to 32 separate bill that are being given a priority until next April 30. 2010-12-02, 04:06:41 Corporate tax proposal gets a high priority The government is pushing ahead with its plan to slap a $300 tax on every corporation, purportedly to pay for increased security. 2010-12-01, 03:36:24 Wikileaks on Honduras, Panamá and Brazil The U.S. ambassador in Honduras said U.S. officials there had no doubt that the military, supreme court and the national congress conspired to effect an illegal and unconstitutional coup against then-president José Manuel Zelaya. However, the ambassador said that there may be a prima facie case that Zelaya may have committed illegalities and may have even violated the constitution. 2010-12-01, 03:35:59 Hurricane season was very active as predicted The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season is drawing to a close, and two U.S. weather experts appear to have been correct when they said the season would be above average. 2010-11-30, 03:20:09 British woman suffered from intruders A Canadian man has returned to Costa Rica to help out a 62-year-old British woman who has been a victim of multiple intrusions into her central Pacific apartment. In one encounter, an intruder poured lighter fluid on her lower body and pubic area and ignited the woman, said the man. 2010-11-30, 03:19:44 It's beginning to look at lot like tax time Can't figure out how to stay busy over the weekend? Well, the tax form D-151 is due by Tuesday. That should keep most taxpayers here occupied. 2010-11-29, 03:13:11 Mining decision was a blow to country's future OUR OPINION: The Wednesday court decision on the Crucitas open pit gold mine is another black eye for Costa Rica and a clear warning to international investors to take their business elsewhere. The country already is in the cellar on an index of the ease of doing business. 2010-11-29, 03:12:37 Preservationist policies questioned A new study questions the impact of forest protection schemes in Costa Rica and four other countries. The study says that although these developing nations have protected their own woodlands, they are encouraging deforestation elsewhere by importing wood. 2010-11-26, 03:33:34 Another stumbling block for Crucitas The Crucitas open pit gold mine project hit another barrier Wednesday. After more than a month of trial, the Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo ordered the central government to cancel the mineral concession held by Industrias Infinito S.A. 2010-11-26, 03:32:52 Customs agency runs up the tab A lot of so-called Black Friday ideas on the Web promise to deliver Stateside products, mostly electronics, cheaply and painlessly to Costa Rican residents. 2010-11-25, 04:23:36 Dental surgeon loses case over wife's embarrassment The Sala II high court ha upheld a 3 million-colon judgement against a dental surgeon based on allegations that he humiliated his wife and caused her public shame and embarrassment. 2010-11-25, 04:23:03 Turkey's the same, but society sure has changed Thanksgiving, which is Thursday, appears on the surface to be unchanged over the years. The main dish is turkey with all the trimmings. It is a holiday. Leftovers provide meals for the next week. Yet there have been profound changes. 2010-11-24, 03:28:00 Nicaragua gets bad marks from environmentalists An environmental expert characterized the possible impact of Nicaragua's work on the Isla Calero as very dramatic and irreversible. 2010-11-24, 03:27:36 Another restoration project Another 19th century landmark structure in San José has been restored with the financial help of an agency of the culture ministry. 2010-11-23, 03:07:00 Cable company generates unhappiness A reader appears to have hit a nerve with expats here when he criticized Amnet for its cable television service. The reader, Gary Mathews of Escazú, said that received e-mails from more than 50 persons Thursday as a result of his letter that was published in A.M. Costa Rica. 2010-11-22, 04:30:25 Cautionary tale about insect bites What may have been the bite of a tiny mosquito last April in Jacó marked the beginning of a medical ordeal for a Denver man. 2010-11-22, 04:30:02 Caribbean coral in jeopardy this year The Caribbean is suffering severe bleaching again this year, and in some locations, this bleaching event is worse than the event in 2005. Not only are temperatures causing further damage to reefs hit hard during the 2005 event, but new locations have also been impacted. 2010-11-19, 04:21:07 Bilingualism influences choices As many bilingual individuals know, their abilities to speak two or more languages fluently is like hosting several persons within the same body. 2010-11-19, 04:20:40 Consumer law firm posts BBG complaints The law firm taking on BBG Communications Inc., announced the address of a Web site Tuesday where victims of outrageous overseas telephone credit card charges can complain and perhaps join in a federal class action law suit. 2010-11-18, 03:41:30 Super high rate phone company faces suit A California law firm has filed a class action suite against BBG Communications, Inc., the company that is known for charging astounding fees for credit card telephone calls. 2010-11-17, 04:36:45 Real estate buyers think small is beautiful Long gone are the halcyon heydays where investors who had no intention of ever living in Costa Rica could come down, purchase properties, hold for a short while and flip them for a fast buck. But something new is now emerging; people are buying lower priced homes, paying with cash and planning to use the homes themselves while also earning vacation rental income. 2010-11-17, 04:36:18 Misinformation causing problems An expat martial arts instructor has been sucked into the Costa Rica-Nicaraguan conflict and unfairly labeled an undercover agent. The allegation was published in Costa Rica on a real estate Web site. The individual, James Powell, said that someone threw a rock at his car Saturday night. 2010-11-16, 03:40:24 Nicaraguans dig a new channel for river Late word from northern Costa Rica reports that Nicaraguan workers have dug a small ditch from a bend in the Río San Juan to the Caribbean coast in Costa Rican territory. The ditch is just two or three shovelfuls wide, but local observers expect the hydraulic power of the river to blow out a new river mouth during the late November and December rainy season there. 2010-11-15, 03:42:10 Employers group opposes lifting bank secrecy The major organization of private employees has come out against a proposed law that would lift bank secrecy and give full access to account information to tax authorities. The measure is being considered in a legislative committee. 2010-11-12, 04:28:36 Deadline for nicaraguan invaders expires today Costa Rica's deadline for Nicaragua to leave its national soil expires today, but the country lacks the capability to enforce the demand. 2010-11-12, 04:28:12 Costa Rica gets low marks for encouraging business The country finished second to last among Central American states in an assessment of the ease of doing business here. The rating was by the World Bank Group - International Finance Corp., which awarded Costa Rica 125th place among nations of the world. 2010-11-11, 04:29:06 Insulza fails to take a stand on Nicaraguan invasion If Costa Rican officials were expecting a strong stand in support of their territorial integrity, they went to the wrong international organization. 2010-11-11, 04:28:26 Bilingualism delays onset of Alzheimer's, study says There's good news for expat retirees struggling to learn Spanish. A Canadian science team has found more dramatic evidence that speaking two languages can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by as much as five years, according to the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, a University of Toronto affiliate. 2010-11-10, 04:46:32 Victorian-style house revived in Guadalupe The owner of a landmark Guadalupe home decided to take out the wooden floors and replace them with concrete in 2006. That's a big error when the property has been designated a heritage site. 2010-11-10, 04:46:08 Man buried in river mud for 72 hours found alive Sometime Wednesday a surge of water prompted by the heavy rains caught a man in Naranjo de Dota and swept him away. Cruz Roja rescue workers extracted the man alive Sunday from the mud and sediment downstream that had trapped him for at least 72 hours, they said. 2010-11-09, 03:47:52 Insulza will inspect Isla Caleto José Miguel Insulza, secretary general of the Organization of American States, spent the weekend being very diplomatic. 2010-11-09, 03:47:20 The results of the tragic storm Nearly three feet of rain may have fallen in the Central Pacific since Monday, but it was in Escazú where the loss of life took place. A landslide from Pico Blanco entombed families as they slept in e Lajas, Barrio El Carmen. San Antonio de Escazú. Emergency workers recovered 20 bodies and they still are looking. Elsewhere nearly 1,400 persons are in shelters, more than a hundred section of road are damaged, homes are flooded, bridges are down and utilities are cut off. Many routes are blocked by landslides. 2010-11-08, 03:41:13 Ortega acting like a run-of-the-mill squatter Costa Rica is facing a problem similar to that experienced by many landowners here. Someone has moved on to the property and will not leave. When that happens to a Costa Rican or expat property owner, one option is always force. A goon squad can beat up land thieves and tear down their temporary structures. 2010-11-05, 05:46:25 City wants to set the swing record The municipality of San José will try to get in the Guinness World Records with the largest dance class of swing criollo ever. 2010-11-05, 05:45:55 Supermarket roulette: Prices are all over the place The economics ministry has shown once again that it pays to shop around. This time the ministry's consumer agency shopped around and found differences in prices of basic products as much as 90.5 percent. For example, the agency's shoppers found that 120 grams of tuna in a metal can under the Splash brand cost 630 colons in Coopro San Vito in San Vito and 1,200 colons in Super Saint Clare in San Sebastián, according to its summary. 2010-11-04, 04:39:58 Nation's scorecard lists weaknesses Costa Rica was able to avoid much of the effects of the world economic crisis in 2009 but the unequal distribution of income showed the biggest increase in 10 years and the threats to citizens security were more dangerous. 2010-11-04, 04:39:34 Río San Juan: Round Three Costa Rica's tradition of pacifism is being put to the test, perhaps on purpose, by the Nicaraguan government. The stakes are high for Nicaragua and low for Costa Rica. 2010-11-03, 04:37:53 Southern Nicoya may become a canton The Provincia de Puntarenas may soon get a new canton. Lawmakers are considering creating a 12th canton for the sprawling province 2010-11-03, 04:37:25 Readers seek to aid expat caught in bureaucratic web Steve Doyle of the small town of Volio struck a chord with readers when he outlined his problems in getting water for his small subdivision. Dozens wrote letters. Some were short. Others offered the detailed possible solutions Doyle sought. 2010-11-02, 03:21:23 Environmental agents file 19 cases near Caño Negro The Tribunal Administrativo Ambiental reported Thursday that the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro and adjacent areas harbor a multitude of environmental problems. 2010-11-01, 04:00:40 Lottery history on display Some 125 years have past since the Junta de Caridad in San José stage a lottery to support Hospital San Juan de Dios. The concept was not universally popular and the city was full of such lotteries, legitimate or not. 2010-11-01, 04:00:10 San Juan battle goes to Round Two Round Two of the Río San Juan saga will be in the diplomatic arena. The foreign ministry said Wednesday that it has received a reply from Nicaragua to the protest it lodged a week ago about dredging on the river, which is part of the northern boundary of the country. 2010-10-29, 03:50:49 Small developer stonewalled by water company I need help. If anyone reading this has meaningful suggestions, I am open and ready to hear them. I am trying to do our project within the parameters of Costa Rica. This is not the U.S.A. and I have no illusions that those standards apply here. I do not believe paying graft to get this done is the way to go, though that has been the suggestion of several resources. I will not contribute to that sorry process. 2010-10-29, 03:50:18 Ghosts have their problems with modern life, too Life has been tough for Costa Rica's ghosts and goblins as they try to put on good faces (for those who have them) because Halloween is approaching. 2010-10-28, 04:26:47 Telethon will go on The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones has again asserted its authority over private events during election times. But it will allow the annual telethon to take place Dec. 3 and 4. The municipal elections are the same weekend. 2010-10-28, 04:26:22 Mine foes irked at lack of coverage Anti-mining activists continue to protest seeking an action by President Laura Chinchilla, but they seem to be unaware that every demonstration is not successful. 2010-10-27, 04:52:18 Turtle smear now in many languages An e-mail condemning a legal turtle egg harvest in Guanacaste is now circulating in at least English, Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese. Tourism agencies and guides report spending considerable time and effort defending Costa Rica’s reputation from what some describe as a malicious assault. 2010-10-27, 04:51:48 (Security ministry confirms Nicaragua was building canal Costa Rican officials who sat on reports of Nicaraguan incursions for nearly two weeks are characterizing what happened along the Río San Juan as environmental damage. In fact, the Nicaraguan work crews and a dredge were attempting to cut a channel or canal to the Caribbean and annex part of Costa Rica a new Nicaraguan territory. 2010-10-26, 04:45:39 Slide detector may save lives here British scientists and engineers have created a device that may save lives in Costa Rica and other countries where landsiide are common. The device is a new type of sound sensor system. British engineers have created a device that may save lives in Costa Rica and other countries where landsiide are common. 2010-10-26, 04:45:11 River situation defused as Nicaragua moves pipe The situation along the Río San Juan that had the potential for armed conflict between Costa Rica and Nicaragua appears to have been defused. 2010-10-25, 05:05:57 Some positive real estate news There were three positive developments in Pacific coast real estate this week. 2010-10-25, 05:05:32 Expats have chance to learn about impeding quake Earthquake experts are hosting another conference Friday to alert Nicoya peninsula residents to the probability of a major quake 2010-10-22, 04:30:44 Parents of tourist file claim over his death The family of a man killed in a boating accident in Costa Rica have filed suit for damages in U.S. district court in New Jersey. 2010-10-22, 04:30:13 Repairs at Cambronero very temporary Motorists along the Interamericana Norte at Cambronero might be interested to know the road is falling apart again. 2010-10-21, 03:49:33 Tico Times adopts non-profit model The venerable Tico Times has taken a dramatic step to reinvent itself with a non-profit arm. The weekly newspaper outlined the plan in an editorial this week in which it admitted that it has been forced to make drastic cutbacks due to less income. 2010-10-21, 03:49:02 Believe it or not, Christmas is coming With the Día de las Culturas in its wake, the country is moving headlong into the Christmas season. Already stores have Yule displays, and many Costa Ricans already are planning their 10-day escape from the Central Valley. 2010-10-20, 04:09:13 Ocean garbage patch predicted near here A mathematical model of ocean currents has proven successful in predicting the location of the previously known Great Floating Garbage Patch, an area between Hawaii and California with large amounts of degraded plastic debris. This model also shows a mini-gyre that theoretically would accumulate plastic and nets in the area between Panamá and the Galapagos islands, part of which is in Costa Rican waters 2010-10-20, 04:07:44 Even in-country air passengers will get once-over Tourists who fly from a regional airport like Tobias Bolaños in Pavas will have to undergo a baggage check and inspection by anti-drug dogs. 2010-10-20, 04:07:15 Mother of young ATV victim featured on ABC show The mother or a girl killed in an all-terrain vehicle accident in Costa Rica was part of a presentation on ABC in Brian Ross Investigates Friday. 2010-10-19, 03:22:34 Rock claims two lives A father and small child died Friday evening when a rock plunged from above Ruta 32, the San José-Limón highway, and flattened the car. The mother suffered critical injuries. 2010-10-18, 03:57:53 Heritage site of coffee days refurbished A sagging typical Costa Rican structure in Heredia has been restored six years after it was declared a national heritage site. The structure is the Casona de Bahareque del Beneficio Miramontes, which was built in 1894 to Play a role in coffee production. 2010-10-18, 03:55:54 Coral bleaching found in Caribbean A team of Smithsonian scientists and local dive operators first noticed the bleaching and mortality event in the surrounding waters of Istmito in Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro. 2010-10-15, 04:40:42 Woman shoots would-be rapist, but store owner not as lucky Two crimes had dramatically different outcomes Wednesday because one of the victims had a firearm. 2010-10-15, 04:40:14 Rewards offered for blowing whistle on U.S. firms An organization that fights corporate wrongdoing is looking for consultants in Costa Rica. The organization is the Anti-Corruption Alliance, which seeks to encourage and help those who would be whistleblowers about corporate bribery and corruption 2010-10-14, 04:51:34 Endangered birds featured on new stamp issue This year's Parque Nacional postage stamp issue features four birds that are in danger of extinction. 2010-10-13, 05:27:38 The deeper the quake the better If anyone had doubts that Costa Rica is geologically active, a report this week by the Red Sismológica Nacional will change the mind. 2010-10-13, 05:27:09 Drug load believed cause of air crash Two Guatemalans failed their math test big time Sunday when they took off from Pavas in a single-engine Piper Cherokee that appeared to be overloaded. Police attributed their flying problems to the 200 kilos, some 440 pounds of suspected cocaine that was concealed in a wing fuel tank. 2010-10-12, 04:58:33 Can they please keep these guys in jail? As in the words of Yankee great Yogi Berra, it was déjà vu all over again for police. 2010-10-11, 04:10:16 Chinese will get a taste of Cafe Rica A proposed free trade agreement with China would eliminate import duties there on frozen orange juice, fresh flowers, leathers, rum and other liquors. And the proposal would eliminate over five years duties of from 12 to 25 percent on frozen beef, chicken and pork. 2010-10-11, 04:09:39 A plea for economic help In Costa Rica 150,000 persons work in growing and exporting agricultural products. Some 5,000 more are engaged in exporting fish and other seafoods. These are the sectors most vulnerable to the economic winds. 2010-10-08, 03:31:11 Villalobos defenders off to court The small group of Villalobos Brother investors who still believe in the validity of the high-interest scheme have gone to court again. 2010-10-08, 03:30:42 Some online newspapers consider charging for content Printed newspapers are under increasing pressure to begin charging for content. In some cases, the decision is made shortly before executives of a printed newspaper move it completely to Web publishing. 2010-10-07, 03:50:23 Michael Dixon's family seeks help from British MP The family of Michael Dixon are getting support from a British member of Parliament in efforts to involve British police in the search for the missing man. The family and Syed Kamall, a Conservative Party parliamentary representative for London, plan a press conference there Friday to publicize their inability to get the London Metropolitan Police Service involved in the case, said a family representative. 2010-10-07, 03:49:58 Magistrates pick a familiar face The Corte Suprema de Justicia reached into the ranks of its own retirees and selected Jorge Alberto Chavarría Guzmán to be the next fiscal general de la República or chief prosecutor of the nation. 2010-10-06, 04:50:14 Government saved face with Sala IV non-response A recent decision put the Sala IV constitutional court in the news when it restricted random searches of vehicles at the impromptu checkpoints often set up by law enforcement agencies. Reaction from the public, the security ministry, and President Laura Chinchilla was quick to condemn the judgment, even before the main text was available. 2010-10-06, 04:49:14 Tourism runs into some bad pr Costa Rican hopes for a banner tourism season are being hurt by terrorism threats in Europe, cartels in México, the weather and the dollar-colon exchange rate. 2010-10-05, 04:48:11 Rain problems continue The Cerro Chitaría above Salitral, Santa Ana, produced another large landslide Saturday night, and the continuing rain raises the possibility that more will follow. 2010-10-05, 04:47:32 Those turtle egg photos A doctoral student in Hawaii has published a definitive rebuttal to that perpetual e-mail entitled World Shame Costa Rica. The -mail shows photos of Ostional residents collecting turtle eggs on a local beach, and most expats in Costa Rica get a forwarded e-mail once in awhile. 2010-10-04, 04:22:44 There's a long wait for a biopsy report The national medical system is backed up with 11,000 biopsies awaiting study and a report. 2010-10-01, 04:17:01 Substantial coral bleaching predicted The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that coral bleaching is likely in the Caribbean in 2010. With temperatures above-average all year, the agency's models show a strong potential for bleaching in the southern and southeastern Caribbean through October that could be as severe as in 2005 when over 80 percent of corals bleached and over 40 percent died at many sites across the Caribbean, the agency said. Scientists are already reporting coral bleaching at several Caribbean sites and severe bleaching has been reported from other parts of the world. 2010-10-01, 04:15:40 Big moving day in Puntarenas Workmen will need 10 days starting today to move five generator motors via land and sea to the new Garabito thermal project. Each of the machines weighs 320 tons. 2010-09-30, 04:24:39 Sex sandal in women's prison The Buen Pastor women's prison in Desamparados is the scene of forced sex and a code of silence among guards that cause them to turn a blind eye to depravity, according to a complaint by an employees union. 2010-09-30, 04:24:08 Soccer violence has police worried Hooliganism in the European sense is not as prevalent here. But fan violence still is a fact at many soccer games. Some fans are members of informal groups called barras. They dress in their team's colors and frequently carry the competition on the field into the streets. Buses are pelted with rocks or worse. 2010-09-29, 04:52:41 Courts will initiate new paperless pilot projects The judicial system is kicking off three pilot projects, starting this week that, if adopted, will transform the courts. These include litigation online, oral hearings and judicial offices without paper. 2010-09-28, 03:59:26 Politics of red beans is a bit complex Inclement weather and market distortions have the highly integrated Costa Rican and Nicaraguan red bean markets disrupted in recent months, with poor Nicaraguans the most affected. 2010-09-28, 03:59:01 Tropical storm has little impact here The country has ducked the full intensity of Matthew, if estimated storm tracks hold true. The center of the storm is expected to make landfall near the NIcaraguan-Honduran border lateR today. 2010-09-27, 04:19:13 Security minister promotes community policing The security minister went before a legislative committee Tuesday and said that an integrated policy to tackle the drug trade was a critical part of the Chinchilla administration security plan. The minister, José María Tijerino Pacheco, also lobbied for two tax bills that the administration expects will pay for the anti-crime effort. 2010-09-23, 04:02:38 Even earlier residents battled water problems Residents have been wrestling with rain and flooding since the first human prowled the rainforest. If there is a constant in Costa Rica, it is that residents must plan to prevent rainy season disasters. 2010-09-23, 04:02:11 Officials consider opening Turrialba Park The national emergency commission is considering reopening Parque Nacional Volcán Turrialba, which contains the smoking volcano. The park have been closed for safety reasons since January. 2010-09-22, 04:43:25 Waiting for a fiscal general Although the chief prosecutor may not be involved in every judicial case, he or she will set the tone. Under the Costa Rican system the judiciary is responsible for investigating crimes, and the fiscal general will head the independent Ministerio Publico where prosecutors work. 2010-09-20, 04:28:42 Even when parents are citizens, registering a child is complex The process of getting a U.S. passport for a child born to U.S. parents in Costa Rica has become increasingly complicated. I have to say I was shocked to see how much the requirements have changed in just two short years. (Our older son is 2.5 years old). 2010-09-20, 04:28:06 Alcohol brings out the worst at parades Costa Rica celebrated its independence Wednesday with parades all over the country. But another local obsession surfaced as rival young soccer fans staged confrontations in San José, Alajuela and Heredia. 2010-09-17, 03:35:54 Ms. Chinchilla gives chilling speech President Laura Chinchilla gave what can only be described as a terrifying speech to mark the country's 189th year of independence, She said that criminal elements were threatening the sovereignty of the nation.. 2010-09-16, 02:51:33 Agreement advances Cartago rail services The extension of rail service to Cartago will be in two steps, the transport ministry has announced. The first will be to restore the trackage east to Tres Rios. The second stage will refurbish the line all the way to Cartago. 2010-09-16, 02:51:06 Gender issue involved with citizenship case A U.S. citizen mother who gives birth overseas can pass on her citizenship automatically. But a U.S. man who fathers a child overseas by a non-U.S. mother has to fulfill legal requirements if the child is to be a U.S. citizen. 2010-09-15, 03:58:30 Bike is main clue in murder of U.S. tourist in Puerto Viejo Judicial investigators are hoping that the killer of a U.S. tourist Thursday left behind his bicycle at the scene. The bike is similar to many used in the areas, but it appears to have a distinctive decoration on its seat. 2010-09-14, 04:01:46 First documents going online Three documents that told Costa Ricans they were independent of Spain are treasures in the Archivo Nacional where facsimiles will be on display this month in the lobby. The originals are kept safe. 2010-09-13, 03:34:27 Panamá wants to take on the FARC The Colombian war with leftist drug traffickers came a little closer this week as Panama's security minster promised that his country will fight the rebels with all severity. 2010-09-10, 05:17:49 Crime has personal liberties as its first victim AN ANALYSIS: Costa Rica is experiencing a reassessment of human rights in much the same way that the United States did after the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001. 2010-09-10, 05:17:18 Woman expat missing on Nicoya peninsula Another expat has vanished under suspicious circumstances on the Pacific coast. This time the missing expat is a woman, 33-year-old Kim Paris, a Canadian. 2010-09-09, 04:43:19 Security officials riled over checkpoint decision The security ministry went on the offensive Monday and questioned the reasoning by which the Sala IV constitutional court forbade the routine use of police checkpoints and roadblocks. 2010-09-08, 04:30:54 Ballot positions selected When Costa Ricans vote for municipal offices in Dec. 5, they will have many colorful choices. The graphic above shows the emblem of each party in the election and the place in which it will be on the ballot. Since many of the parties are restricted to one canton, not all the parties will be represented on each ballot. 2010-09-08, 04:30:27 Arizona law generates mixed feelings here Although the central government wanted to file a brief against Arizona's new immigration law, responses to a Sunday article in La Nación show that opposition to the law is not uniform here 2010-09-07, 03:32:48 Court rules out road checkpoints The Sala IV constitutional court told the security ministry that police roadblocks may only be used when there is a suspicion or evidence that a crime has been committed. 2010-09-07, 03:32:16 Book fair has international dimension Even Hugo Chˆavez, the president of Venezuela, was there, at least in spirit. The Venezuelan Embassy was promoting the literature of the country under smiling posters of the president. This was the only booth that raised a large national flag. 2010-08-31, 05:06:31 Overseas call centers getting bashed in the U.S. With the United States living through the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, politicians are making headlines by promoting protectionism and opposing outsourcing to foreign call centers. 2010-08-31, 05:05:47 Expats are battling for rights The U.S. government estimates that there are 5.26 million American citizens living abroad. These are individuals who are not affiliated with the U.S. government or its military. The estimate of U.S. citizen residents in the Western Hemisphere is 2.2 million. The number is Costa Rica varies depending on who is making the guess. There are expat organizations that say such overseas Americans are second-class citizens. 2010-08-27, 04:32:01 Women’s Equality Day remembered A READER SAYS: Every year when Aug. 26 is nearing, I feel a tug at my heart. Women’s Equality Day was designated by a joint resolution of Congress in 1971 at the behest of Bella Abzug. It’Äôs easy for me to remember the year because it’Äôs when I moved back to Europ 2010-08-27, 04:31:27 Museum dispute revolves around 2,000 artifacts The drama that is playing out now as judicial agents confiscate more than 2,000 pre-Columbian artifacts points out the continual tension between private owners and professional archaeologists. 2010-08-26, 04:11:41 New look for historic building One of San Jose's historic buildings is now equally as dramatic in the evening as in the daytime. 2010-08-25, 03:56:09 Zoning plan might trump concession claims Long-term struggles over a potential beach concession behind Playa Tortuga near Ojochal on the south Pacific coast are likely for naught once a zoning plan is approved, authorities say. 2010-08-25, 03:55:45 14 cantons hit with heavy rain The heavy rains that hit late Thursday and Friday have caused flooding in a number of parts of the country. The rains slacked off Sunday, but the emergency commission still has an alert in force for 14 cantons of the country. 2010-08-24, 03:57:04 Reader really likes Hospital Calderˆ„n Guardia I have lived in Costa Rica for almost 20 years, and I had to use the facility of Hospital Calderˆ„n Guardia only three times, twice in the emergency room and just a few days ago for a four-day stay. 2010-08-24, 03:56:39 Country stars in peace initiative The country is the star in a disarmament campaign capitalizing on the 60-year-long absence of a military. 2010-08-23, 03:46:49 Country hosts adventure race Adventure racers from different countries will travel to Costa Rica next week for the first edition of the Costa Rica Adventure Race. 2010-08-23, 03:46:22 The many joys of Costa Rica Pessimism is a frequent failing of expats when they face the unusual or the frustrating. Still most stay here because Costa Rica has unique benefits. 2010-08-20, 04:07:47 Limˆ„n to celebrate three anniversaries They were English speakers, Protestants and black. That was enough to make Limˆ„n and its residents close to a separate country in the eyes of many Costa Ricans. Until 1948 black Limˆ„n residents were not permitted to travel to the Central Valley except under special circumstances. But now the tables are turned and residents of the Limˆ„n area will celebrate their differences on the 30th anniversary of the decree that made Aug. 31 El Dˆ‚a del Negro y la Cultura Afro-costarricense. 2010-08-19, 03:53:50 Mom and tot die when bus runs off autopista An Alajuela-bound bus swerved out of control off the Autopista General Caˆ±as Tuesday, killed a mother and child on the road shoulder and then plunged down a wooded bank into the Rˆ‚o Torres. 2010-08-19, 03:53:35 Tax police on the prowl Costa Rican tax collectors are in the middle of what they call an aggressive plan of control. 2010-08-18, 03:40:39 San Pedro man among San Andres survivors A passenger jet with 130 aboard sustained a lightning strike when it was some 200 feet above the airstrip at San Andres, the Colombian island in the Caribbean. 2010-08-18, 03:40:12 Surprise checkpoints snag drivers Fuerza Pˆ†blica officers set up 94 checkpoints around the country Saturday and Sunday and managed to detain 64 persons. 2010-08-17, 03:43:57 Courts will try to eliminate paper When one thinks of the Costa Rica court system, the image of mountains of paper leaps to mind. In fact, the courts used 52.5 million sheets of official paper and thousands of reams of plain white paper in 2009 2010-08-17, 03:43:27 Household appliance prices are all over the map A new consumer sweep in anticipation of el Dˆ‚a de la Madre Sunday shows gigantic variations in prices of similar and identical home appliances. The study also revealed deficiencies in giving consumers correct credit information. 2010-08-16, 04:31:36 New life for historic building The heritage section of the culture ministry has designated a run down store front in San Josˆ© downtown as the winner of a money prize for restoration. 2010-08-16, 04:31:10 Taxes disguised as security measures The Chinchilla administration announced officially Wednesday that it is submitting 20 bills to the legislature. The measures relate to security, environment and social welfare. The security measures probably were not what expats were seeking. The administration put forward a tax on casinos and a tax on corporations as its version of a security initiative. 2010-08-13, 03:14:00 Legislature eyes $25 million purchase The legislature may have $25 million in temporary quarters in Zapote until a new structure is completed at the present complex on Avenida 2. 2010-08-13, 03:13:32 Civil union decision raises lots of questions The Sala IV constitutional court rejected a referendum over civil unions between individuals of the same sex, but the decision seems to raise significant legal questions. 2010-08-12, 04:15:11 Save the reefs by eating a fish Lionfish are making a nuisance of themselves by eating everything in sight. The Pacific invader is well established along the Caribbean coast. It uses its broad fins to herd smaller fish to where they may be eaten. But now the species at the top of the food chain might help reverse the lionfish invasion with the help of such weapons as garlic-basil butter. 2010-08-11, 04:37:40 Orosi church gets a makeover The Catholic church at Orosi which dates from 1743 has been restored with a 40 million-colon contract from a dependency of the culture ministry 2010-08-11, 04:37:13 Sportsfishing group appeals to president he high seas encounter between a U.S. registered sportsfishing boat and a Venezuelan commercial purse seiner is the third major incident in two years, according to The Billfish Foundation. 2010-08-10, 04:25:02 Possible record hurricane season predicted The Atlantic Basin remains on track for an active hurricane season, according to the scheduled seasonal outlook update just issued by the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the U.S. National Weather Service. With the season’Äôs peak just around the corner ’Äì late August through October ’Äì the need for preparedness plans is essential, the agency said. 2010-08-10, 04:24:36 Commercial crews bullying sports fishermen The owner of a Costa Rican sports fishing boat said that a Venezuelan tuna seiner threatened to run down his boat while the commercial fishing boat's helicopter dropped incendiary devices on all sides. 2010-08-09, 04:03:56 Where are all those tourists? Tourist arrivals are up 9.6 percent for the first half of this year, according to the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo. However, most tourism operators are wondering where the visitors are. 2010-08-06, 05:04:32 Border conflict would affect Costa Rica The possibility is growing of an armed conflict at the Venezuelan-Colombian border. Such and event will have an economic impact on Costa Rica. 2010-08-05, 04:12:24 Telecom officials told to move on cell phones The Sala IV constitutional court has given public officials three months to award concessions for cell telephone frequencies. 2010-08-05, 04:11:54 Ocean is being unkind to Isla Palo Seco beach Recent months have seen the outer shore of Isla Palo Seco near Parrita eroded to the point where waves are lapping at the fences of beach properties. 2010-08-04, 03:40:48 Bridge approach repaired in record time. Transport contractors managed to open the bridge over the Rˆ‚o Seco Friday night, about 48 hours after the roadway gave way, dumped a tractor-trailer in the river and effectively blocked the Interamericana Norte. 2010-08-03, 05:36:07 Undermined bridge approach cuts key route The country's bridges seem to be falling apart before the money arrives to fix them. The latest incident is a serious blow to transportation. The Rˆ‚o Seco undermined the approach to a bridge over the Interamericana Norte. The 66-year old bridge still is standing, but the roadway leading to it vanished into the river. 2010-08-02, 03:24:43 Accord reached to make water a constitutional right The executive branch and all but one political party in the legislature have reached an agreement to elevate water to a constitutional matter. 2010-08-02, 03:24:17 Borders were no barrier to Milanes While Luis ˆÅngel Milanes, the casino operator and fraud suspect, was a fugitive he appears to have been able to enter and leave Costa Rica at will. 2010-07-30, 05:02:57 The murder suspects among us Some expats in Nuevo Arenal are having trouble sleeping because they unknowingly befriended the couple who are suspects in a growing list of murders. 2010-07-29, 05:19:38 Put a light on that tower The large number of towers needed for the three companies that win Costa Rica’Äôs spectrum auction could prove a substantial blight on the scenery, if the Civil Aviation authorities have their way. They require all towers, regardless of distance from airports, to be red and white with blinking lights. 2010-07-29, 05:19:10 Geothermal plant moving along After an inspection Monday, top officials of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad said that the Proyecto Las Pailas is 65 percent compete. 2010-07-28, 04:15:20 Researchers interested in more than turtles A converted pizza joint is the locus for a new research station to study the Playa Tortuga area. The project developers hope to concentrate on the study of the nesting Ridley sea turtles in that area but also promote other biological themes. 2010-07-28, 04:14:49 Panama fugitives caught escaping to Nicaragua A man and woman sought for investigation of multiple murders in Panamˆ° seem to have spent several weeks in Costa Rica before they tried to flee to Nicaragua Monday morning. 2010-07-28, 04:14:16 Expat petition directed at president A new expat anti-crime initiative developed over the weekend. The origin is with the anti-crime organization in Dominical with assistance from a similar group in San Ramˆ„n. 2010-07-27, 04:39:03 Milanes says he is close to death Luis Milanes has warned his creditors that they better accept his offer of 25 cents on the dollar because he is in poor physical shape and likely to die suddenly. 2010-07-27, 04:38:35 Expats helping to organize against crime Expats and their neighbors are organizing and getting training to frustrate the criminals in their midsts. 2010-07-26, 03:41:17 Police evict 200 squatter families Police moved in Thursday and evicted about 200 families that had created a community in La Managua de Quepos not far from the Escuela El Estadio. 2010-07-26, 03:40:49 Drug money a factor in exchange rate one of the hidden factors that influence the rate is the uneven flow of drug money from the north. The bulk of the dollars being smuggled south ends up in Caracas or Panamˆ°, according to a survey or arrests elsewhere. But some ends up in Costa Rica, despite the risks. 2010-07-23, 05:12:51 Immigration rapped over failings The Contralorˆ‚a de la Repˆ†blica said it found weaknesses in the security of the immigration department's computer systems that jeopardize the integrity of the issuance of cˆ©dulas. 2010-07-23, 05:12:21 Frog species vanish before they are discovered The first before-and-after view of an amphibian die-off has just been published by scientists working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panamˆ° and the University of Maryland. 2010-07-22, 03:30:48 Unique cemetery found in Tres Rios The Museo Nacional has a major archaeological find on its hands in Tres Rios. 2010-07-22, 03:30:22 U.S. Navy ship will visit on humanitarian mission One of the U.S. Navy vessels to take advantage of Costa Rica's approval of its visit is the USS Iwo Jima. 2010-07-21, 03:47:00 No official action on Osa beach squatters A deadline has passed for the removal of squatters occupying public beaches and private property in Ojochal, with no action by authorities to evict them. Beach zones at various places in the Osa municipality have been occupied for some time. 2010-07-21, 03:46:30 An opportunity to steal The intention of the alimony and child support laws is to provide a source of income for children, spouses, and the elderly. The law also covers cases where people are incapable of working due to illness or a handicap. However, this law, too, has been in some many cases been distorted into a way to steal from another. 2010-07-20, 02:30:54 Indulgences promoted in Cartago Those who participate in the pilgrimage to the Cartago Basilica got an incentive Sunday. 2010-07-20, 02:30:07 New trash law affects everyone A new law covering trash and other solid waste is far reaching and covers producers of garbage right down to the housewife making salad. 2010-07-19, 02:11:40 Colombian banking giant buys BAC from GE GE Capital Global Banking announced Thursday that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell BAC Credomatic GECF Inc. to Grupo Aval, Colombia’Äôs largest banking holding group, for $1.9 billion. 2010-07-19, 02:10:55 This year will be a wet one, weather experts say The Pacific coast and the Central Valley could be in for a rainy year, thanks to La Niˆ±a, the weather phenomenon in the western ocean. The Instituto Meteorolˆ„gico Nacional is predicting rain from 20 to 45 percent above average this year along the Pacific coast. However, the Caribbean will see somewhat less than the annual average, said the institute. 2010-07-16, 03:27:22 Call it miracle grass A grass from India is on the way to providing miracle solutions for many tropical agricultural and environmental problems, according to researchers in Australia and Southeast Asia. Vetiver can stabilize land against erosion, clean water, absorb heavy metals, and provide fodder. 2010-07-16, 03:26:49 Caja does not want paper The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social is putting all of its 84,000 employers on the Web. The paper documents on which employers report salaries paid are being eliminated as of August. 2010-07-15, 06:11:24 Amazon storm killed 500,000 trees, study says A single, huge, violent storm that swept across the whole Amazon forest in 2005 killed half a billion trees, a new study shows. 2010-07-15, 06:10:01 Is social media just a craze? The future of so-called social media still is uncertain. Will instant access to others continue to be valued highly or will social media collapse like the citizen band radio craze of the early 1970s. 2010-07-14, 03:51:19 Breakthrough suggested in earthquake prediction A Costa Rican who is a geologist in Italy has developed a way he says predicts earthquakes. He will present his concept by video in Costa Rica Tuesday. http://www.amcostarica.com/071210.htm#31 2010-07-13, 04:59:46 The true story about the U.S. troops An Irish mystic announced that 7,000 U.S. troops are being sent to Costa Rica because the gulf oil spill is lubricating a Caribbean earthquake zone with potential devastating results. 2010-07-12, 02:39:50 Can you speak pachuco? Most people think English is Costa Rica’Äôs second language, but surprisingly that is not the case. In Costa Rica, the word pachuco refers to a person who has manners that are socially unacceptable and often uses shocking language when speaking. Pachuco is also a pejorative name given to certain colloquial words and expressions. Some consider pachuco and its pachuquˆ‚smos to be Costa Rica’Äôs second language. 2010-07-12, 02:39:23 Bilingual individuals think better, study said Bilingual individuals appear to think faster and more efficiently due to a different form of cerebral control. 2010-07-09, 03:33:02 No blockages on Rˆ‚o Sucio Scientists concerned about a change in the water color of the Rˆ‚o Sucio flew over the watershed Wednesday and determined that there are no blockages in the river that could cause a flash flood later. 2010-07-09, 03:32:27 Anti-American sentiment stoked The legislature's approval of shore leave for U.S. Navy and Coast Guard crews has galvanized the left and stoked anti-American sentiment. 2010-07-08, 03:18:09 Environmental tribunal reports 13 more Osa cases The Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo says it has uncovered 13 more cases of environmental damage in Osa, and that brings the number of open cases to 60. 2010-07-08, 03:17:42 New study shows sportfishing big tourism sector Tourism is Costa Rica’Äôs top industry and new research shows North Americans traveling there in 2008 to fish generated $599 million or about 2 percent of Costa Rica’Äôs gross domestic product. 2010-07-07, 04:00:42 Backpack searches reinstituted after principal shot Like after many other school crimes elsewhere, the shooting of a school director Thursday has produced a lot of hand wringing. 2010-07-07, 04:00:07 Companies need to use their marketing options Businesses, including hotels, real estate agencies, tour operators and developers, to name a few, need to plan their long-term Internet strategies today. Social media is transforming the world dramatically, and a simple Web site is just not good enough anymore. 2010-07-06, 03:47:23 Big turnout for July 4 picnic The annual July 4th picnic east of San Josˆ© brought an estimated 3,000 persons to the Cervercerˆ‚a Costa Rica picnic grounds Sunday, and the weather cooperated. 2010-07-06, 03:46:55 Cops will welcome tourists Bilingual tourist police are being stationed at Juan Santamarˆ‚a airport to welcome tourists and give them some security tips. 2010-07-05, 03:10:41 The river becomes a puzzle Scientists have a puzzle on their hands. Why did the normally yellow water of the Rˆ‚o Sucio suddenly turn gray? 2010-07-05, 03:01:16 July 4 Web site is dynamite Getting to the American Colony Committee July 4th bash Sunday is easier, thanks to a dynamite Web site. 2010-07-02, 03:41:28 U.N. taps Dall'Anese for Guatemalan post The United Nations secretary general tapped Francisco Dall'Anese Wednesday to direct the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala. Dall'Anese is Costa Rica's chief prosecutor, and the appointment means he will go to Guatemala and leave his job here. 2010-07-02, 03:41:01 Public opinion redefines rights every day The Sala IV constitutional court Tuesday threw out a challenge to a proposed referendum on civil unions. The Defensorˆ‚a de los Habitantes had argued that the proposed referendum is contrary to human dignity and violates the Costa Rican Constitution. 2010-07-01, 04:18:51 Uncle sam's jacking up the fees Getting a document notarized at the U.S. consulate in Pavas will cost $50 starting July 13, a 66 percent increase over the current $30 fee. 2010-06-30, 05:06:35 White tailed deer and a national bird The Correos de Costa Rica has come out with a new issue of stamps featuring the yigˆºirro and the white-tailed deer. These are national symbols that the postal department said it wanted to bring to the attention of the public. 2010-06-30, 05:06:06 Milanes hearing is Thursday The Luis Milanes cases finally reaches a courtroom Thursday, the day a preliminary hearing is scheduled. 2010-06-29, 04:16:04 Defensorˆ‚a files appeal against civil union vote Defensorˆ‚a files appeal against civil union vote The Defensorˆ‚a de los Habitantes filed a constitutional appeal Thursday to derail a proposed referendum on civil unions between persons of the same sex. 2010-06-28, 03:38:43 New salaries are slight boost for low earners Workers getting lower wages will get a slight boost when the new minimum salaries take effect July 1. The Consejo Nacional de Salarios approved Wednesday a 4.2 increase for the lowest three levels of workers. 2010-06-25, 03:52:44 Legality was key to Villalobos decision An attempt by Canadians to get back money lost in the Villalobos Brothers high interest scheme failed mainly because an international arbitration panel did not think the case involved legal investments. 2010-06-25, 03:52:10 President defends administration on all the right spots President Laura Chinchilla has turned to the social networks to tell Costa Ricans about her successes in the first 45 days in office and also to counter opinions that her administration is overwhelmed by problems. 2010-06-23, 03:52:35 Online solicitation in U.S. could solve sex tourism problem here Social media like Facebook and Myspace, among others, have officially overtaken pornography as the No. 1 activity on the Web. Obviously, people have not lost an interest in sex, but clearly the marketplace is moving, growing and operating with relative impunity in the United States via social networks. 2010-06-22, 03:33:35 Car thefts reported to be down The head of the judicial police said Thursday that vehicle thefts have dropped from the monthly high of 226 in 2009 to 133 in May. That is a decline of nearly 100 vehicles a month, said the police director, Jorge Rojas. 2010-06-21, 03:59:45 How about some baby iguana? An iguana captive breeding program at the Kˆ®kˆ�ldi Wak ka koneke indigenous center has released over 36,000 green iguanas into the wild in its 22-year history, says Duaro Mayorga, one of the group’Äôs members in charge of the operation. 2010-06-18, 03:57:15 Two faces of competitivity:abstract and concrete There were two developments in the area of competitivity Tuesday. President Laura Chinchilla invited business leaders to discuss with her administration the challenges of competitivity with the goal of making Costa Rica the first developed nation in Latin America. Meanwhile, in an appeals courtroom judges declined to lift a ban on the open pit gold mine in Cutris de San Carlos because a lower court had not issued a final ruling. 2010-06-17, 03:59:13 Counting big cats in the Osa Research on big cats in the Osa Peninsula is not limited to the large protected areas which are the last strongholds of jaguar in Costa Rica. Areas outside Parque Nacional Corcovado are the focus of Yaguarˆ°, which studies use of altered habitats and the interaction of jaguars and pumas with human activities. 2010-06-16, 04:08:53 Protesters get action from government Rural residents in Cartago found out Monday how to get public works started. They blocked bridges in their area and then marched, 100 persons strong, down a main highway to Casa Presidencial. 2010-06-16, 04:08:24 The unpopular people Academics describe them as unpopular people involved in an unpopular business. Taxi drivers who see new arrivals to San Josˆ© staring at the elegant and obviously available figures on the corner are quick to break the mood with Hey, they're guys! 2010-06-15, 04:35:19 A portrait of poverty in paradise Under an afternoon rain Thursday Alejandro Martˆ‚nez Coronado came to the legislative complex looking for work in construction. He went to the former Edificio Daniel Oduber Quirˆ„s, which is being demolished to make way for a parking lot. 2010-06-14, 03:22:59 The nails make the woman Nail art is not exclusively Latin, but Central and South American women are known for their devotion to beauty. 2010-06-11, 03:24:37 Prostitutes say immigration hosts trafficking ring The security ministry, which seeks to fight human trafficking, seems to harbor ’Äî unknown to officials ’Äî a trafficking ring of its own. 2010-06-09, 03:50:23 Skateboarders to have their day More than 1,000 skateboarders are expected to take to the San Josˆ© streets June 20 to celebrate the international day of their sport. 2010-06-09, 03:49:44 Social networking can ravage country's image Internet social networking accelerates life in the 21st century. It also proposes challenges to everyone doing business in Costa Rica. 2010-06-08, 04:03:55 Chinchilla administration moves against sex tourism The central government wants to jail anyone who promotes Costa Rica as sex tourism destination. That is part of a lengthy proposal for a trafficking-in-persons law that Casa Presidencial has kept on ice for more than a year but authorized its publication in the La Gaceta official newspaper Thursday. 2010-06-07, 03:23:30 Tropical waves continue to roll in Tropical waves, which have been an abstract meteorological concept, became all too real for the central Pacific coast. 2010-06-07, 03:23:02 Unexpected storm ravages coast Just four days after the weather system that would become the deadly tropical storm Agatha moved north, a surprise storm with high winds struck much of the near Pacific coast from Golfito to Jacˆ„. One fisherman is missing, thousands were without power, and Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio is closed through the weekend because of fallen trees and damage to trails. Internet and phone lines were down, too. 2010-06-04, 03:55:56 How about those Latin soap operas? A telenovela or novela is a Spanish language soap opera. Telenovelas seem to be the opiate of the masses in Latin America. 2010-06-04, 03:55:23 Sala IV takes on credit reporting data bases The Sala IV constitutional court has determined that the addresses of individuals, their telephone numbers and their photos are private and ordered a credit reporting company to eliminate the information from its data bases. 2010-06-03, 03:50:24 Young eco designers gather at Lincoln School High school students from around Costa Rica met last weekend at Eco3, the third annual environmental awareness conference at Lincoln School north of San Josˆ©. The best ideas will earn a $500 grant to be put into practice. 2010-06-03, 03:49:55 Shaken, not stirred Another earthquake rocked Costa Ricans Monday night, the latest in a series of tremors. 2010-06-02, 04:00:46 Explosion preceded earthquake The last thing Costa Rica needs now is another erupting volcano. Poˆ°s, Arenal, Irazˆ† and Turrialba are misbehaving daily, and residents in the northern zone thought that the Tenorio volcano joined in last week. 2010-06-01, 03:33:34 Reader's guide to Internet statistics A.M. Costa Rica continues to improve in its Internet rankings. The Amazon subsidiary Alexa said Sunday that the newspaper now had a world ranking of 85,012 and a ranking the United States of 37,979. 2010-06-01, 03:33:08 Experts begin to assess storm damage Engineers and technicians from the emergency commission and other agencies went to work Thursday to evaluate the damage caused by heavy rains that ravaged the Pacific coast. 2010-05-31, 03:27:46 Expat seeks to protect Arenal from pollution A local expat’Äôs efforts to prevent contamination in Lake Arenal have taken him to many government offices with little to show for it. The expat, Al Almeida, is concerned that once the lake is dirtied with human waste, it will no longer be the focal point for recreation it is now. 2010-05-31, 03:26:50 Building homes for the fishes Costa Rica has no aircraft carriers to sink to help the ocean environment, but the Playa Hermosa Association in Guanacaste constructed 12 igloos just offshore using the building blocks. 2010-05-28, 03:37:20 A wish list for expats At the start of a new administration everyone has a wish list. Here are some suggestions for President Laura Chinchilla Miranda that would be helpful to expats, if accepted. 2010-05-27, 04:16:26 Crocodile killings are a shocker The execution of two crocodiles shocked television viewers Monday. Residents of a Guanacaste community burned one reptile alive as revenge for the death of a swimmer. 2010-05-26, 03:41:41 A U.S. teacher reports on her deportation My deportation from Costa Rica, for a time period of five years, came to me as a rude awakening to the injustice of the immigration system. 2010-05-26, 03:41:17 Expats' tax situations become more complex There are several types of company structures in Costa Rica. The two most common are the sociedad anˆ„nima and the S.R.L. However, there are only two types of tax statuses, active and inactive. This fact complicates tax filings for expats and is becoming more of a problem every day due to the enforcement of the country's new banking regulations. 2010-05-25, 03:53:13 18 days to go for the World Cup matches With the World Cup just 18 days away the interest in soccer here is really heating up. The Cup is contested every four years and is the Super Bowl of soccer. This year’Äôs edition of the cup will be held in South Africa. Retirees in Costa Rica are bound to become interested in soccer or fˆ†tbol as it is called in the Spanish-speaking world. The game is almost a religion. 2010-05-25, 03:52:24 Costa Rica wins arbitration case An effort by mainly Canadian Villalobos creditors to get money from Costa Rica has failed. A group of investors brought Costa Rica into arbitration under a treaty that exists between the two countries. The group claimed that Costa Rica did not exercise sufficient oversight to prevent Luis Enrique and Oswaldo Villalobos from taking their money. 2010-05-24, 03:43:58 Traffic law changes back to square one The draconian traffic law will not be changed easily, even though the former group of legislative deputies appeared ready to pass it. 2010-05-21, 03:20:59 Just how do they compute that gas price anyway? Gasoline in Costa Rica seem to vary without too much attention to international crude prices, but there is actually a clear system for setting prices at the pump. 2010-05-21, 03:20:32 Court cases gather around Paragon Many Paragon customers have complained that they have not received deeds or that there has been little or no infrastructure work done on the project in which they purchased land. Others have complained that they cannot get clear answers from Paragon. 2010-05-20, 03:29:09 A whole bunch of birds Final counts from the Kˆ®kˆ�ldi raptor observatory for the spring migration season are in, with slightly over 600,000 birds of prey, vulture, and storks recorded. The count had complete coverage from Feb. 17 to May 6. 2010-05-20, 03:28:43 U.S. high court backs father in abduction case The U.S. Supreme Court has validated the parental right of a father in Chile whose wife took their son to the United States. 2010-05-19, 03:30:29 Vicious attack unites a community A violent attack against a well-known expat in the Canton de Osa produced an outpouring of community spirit and brought home the reality of violent crime. 2010-05-18, 02:50:09 Child seats ordered for all taxis Taxi drivers must provide booster seats for children, the Sala IV constitutional court has ruled. 2010-05-17, 03:24:13 Earthquake sensors becoming state of the art Enthusiasm is obvious among Costa Rica’Äôs top earthquake experts for the new equipment to expand and modernize the country’Äôs seismic sensor network. Once it’Äôs finished, the system will be ’Äúif not the best in Latin America, one of the best,’Äù according to Juan Segura, head of the Observatorio Vulcanolˆ„gico y Sismolˆ„gico de Costa Rica. 2010-05-17, 03:23:40 Getting to the sole of Spanish There are many uses of the words ’Äúfeet ’Äú and ’Äúfoot’Äù in idiomatic expressions. The word for foot in Spanish is ’Äúel pie,’Äù pronounced (pee-ay). The word ’Äúpata’Äù is generally used to refer to the leg on a piece of furniture or an animal’Äôs foot. 2010-05-14, 04:32:25 Water Kingdom being constructed A water park that can handle 10,000 persons a day is being constructed in Bagaces, Guanacaste. 2010-05-14, 04:31:43 Stamp series honors railroad Railroad buffs and stamp collectors will be excited when they learn that Correos de Costa Rica S.A., the postal service, has come out with a four-stamp series honoring the country's rail history. 2010-05-13, 03:28:33 Security improvements might mean a tax Citizens and expats alike are expecting action from the Laura Chinchilla administration to reduce criminality. The new president has empaneled a committee to develop a plan of action. There is a 100-day deadline. 2010-05-13, 03:28:09 (U.S. expat picnic is on a Sunday this year The 50th annual July 4 picnic will be on July 4 this year, even though the date is a Sunday. 2010-05-12, 03:21:42 Bankers had final say on animals on new bills The biodiversity and wildlife themes proposed for Costa Rica’Äôs new paper money ended up taking a back seat to the security interests and tastes of the bankers, according to Jesus Ugalde, scientific director at the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad. 2010-05-12, 03:21:04 Domestic violence laws fracture families Domestic violence is real and women and men get hurt. Some even die horrible deaths at the hands of an aggressor. But, what has happened in Costa Rica is that a spouse that really wants to hurt his mate in many cases ends up doing it anyway. The law does not work when it should. The reality of the law is that women use it to humiliate and extort from men, meaning it works when it should not. This thesis is based on observation of a number of such cases. 2010-05-11, 03:18:41 Battery casings headed for river A large number of battery casings have appeared on the banks of the Rˆ‚o Tibˆ°s at a site near San Isidro de Heredia. 2010-05-10, 03:14:31 Half day off for some as diplomats arrive Friday School children and public employees will get a half day off Friday because the central government wants to clear the way for arriving foreign diplomats who will attend the presidential inauguration Saturday. 2010-05-07, 03:46:15 Alternatives considered for blocked Ruta 32 The Arias administration had been dogged by transportation problems for the last four years, so there is no surprise that as ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez leaves office, one gigantic problem endures. 2010-05-07, 03:45:50 Attention turns to volcanoes Even on the 100th anniversary of the 1910 Cartago earthquake, the major concern in the country is its volcanoes. Pˆ„as, Irazˆ† and Turrialba continue to be active. The activity at Arenal has increased somewhat. 2010-05-06, 03:57:13 Whither toxic cell phone batteries? he eventual demise of the Instituto Costarricence de Electricidad’Äôs TDMA cell phone system will result in a flush of dangerous batteries into the solid waste stream if users fail to dispose of their phones correctly. 2010-05-06, 03:56:46 Drivers have to keep one eye on the hillsides Gaping potholes are nothing compared to hundreds of cubic meters of rock, dirt and trees racing down a hillside toward passing vehicles. That is a danger that the Costa Rican highway network faces as rainy weather moves into the country. 2010-05-05, 03:28:18 The pressing question is when will a new quake come A major principal of geology is that what has happenedin the past will happen in the present, according to Vˆ‚ctor Gonzˆ°lez, an earthquake expert with the Observatorio Vulcanolˆ„gico y Sismolˆ„gico de Costa Rica of Universidad Nacional. He was talking about the 1910 Cartago earthquake that killed from 600 to 1,200 persons 100 years ago tonight. 2010-05-05, 03:27:12 Do-it-yourself solar can be profitable Given regular increases in the cost of electricity in Costa Rica, solar water heating has gained potential especially in lowland climates. A Universidad Nacional professor, Shyam Nandwani, has developed designs appropriate for local conditions that can be constructed at low cost. 2010-05-04, 03:12:58 Not much in Arias speech for expats President ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez defined his administration in his final state of the nation address Saturday. But there was little specifically for expats. 2010-05-04, 03:12:29 Day of protests began with violence The country descended into chaos Thursday as multiple protests paralyzed daily life. In Moˆ‚n violent demonstrators shot two policemen and burned eight semi-trailers. The Fuerza Pˆ†blica said they detained 26 persons, including two suspects in the shootings. 2010-05-03, 03:29:13 Expat data base going online The immigration agency is putting on line the personal information of legal foreign residents in the country. The agency has contracted with Radiogrˆ°fica Costarricense S.A. to offer a service to firms and individual who want to check out the status of foreigners. 2010-04-30, 03:47:04 High court case over renouncing U.S. citizenship A Playas del Coco woman has filed a Sala IV constitutional case challenging the section of the immigration law that mandates surrendering a previous citizenship when taking Costa Rican nationalilty. She is a U.S. citizen. 2010-04-30, 03:46:03 Family at midpoint of their big trip A family trio from Scotland is peddling somewhere between Arenal and Grecia today as they continue on what they call a trip of a lifetime. 2010-04-29, 03:22:49 Plaques and ribbons for last weeks as president As his second term as president approaches its end, ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez is hustling to enlarge his place in the history books. 2010-04-28, 02:43:42 Reassuring forecast for country on hurricanes Colorado hurricane forecasters say that the chance of a major storm passing through the Caribbean this year is greater than average. The team predicted a 58 percent chance of a major hurricane tracking into the Caribbean compared to the long-term average of 42 percent. 2010-04-28, 02:43:13 Smart money seeking failed projects There are international developers currently looking for deals in Costa Rica. The past boom in the country created some opportunities because many projects were left unfinished when the market fizzled in late 2008. They are looking for the money trees of the next boom. 2010-04-27, 04:06:07 100th anniversary of Cartago tragedy next week A hundred years ago residents of Cartago were enjoying the rebirth of the city, thanks to the rail line and the prosperous banana trade nearby. The town had suffered the loss of population when the central government moved to San Josˆ©. The reborn city was a cosmopolitan one with many foreigners and stately buildings. Some said it looked more Spanish than Costa Rican. 2010-04-27, 04:05:40 Some regional airports got makeovers A little known achievement of the ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez administration is upgrading some of the country's secondary airports. 2010-04-26, 03:35:08 Marchers hope court will change its decision Opponents of the open pit gold mine in Cutris de San Carlos say that the last word rests with the people and not the Sala IV constitutional court. That is why hundreds marched Thursday to protest a constitutional court decision that gave a green light to the controversial project. 2010-04-26, 03:34:35 $100 bill design unveiled The U.S. Department of the Treasury unveiled the new design for the $100 note. Wednesday Complete with advanced technology to combat counterfeiting, the new design for the $100 note retains the traditional look of U.S. currency. 2010-04-23, 03:45:40 We're going into the bookmaking business The central government is going into the bookmaking business. Steps were made Tuesday to set up a framework so Costa Ricans can bet on first- and second-divisionsoccer games through the Junta de Protecciˆ„n Social, which already runs the state lotteries. 2010-04-22, 03:33:13 Rain influences the language Whether you like it or not the rainy season is now upon us. Anyone who lives here knows that in Costa Rica there are more rainy months than dry months. The rainy season or invierno, usually runs from May to November but this can vary from year to year. 2010-04-21, 05:04:35 ICE behaves like the monopoly it was The manner which the Instituto Costarricence de Electricidad has handled the changeover from old to newer technologies has provided a test run for the regulating authorities to consider the consumer’Äôs rights to service. 2010-04-21, 05:04:02 There's no truce in war with crooks Each day at least three home robberies or burglaries take place in which the crooks are able to foil the property's security system, according to statistics of the Judicial Investigating Organization. The majority of the cases take place when no one is home. 2010-04-20, 03:27:41 Opponents plan a march over Crucitas A Sala IV constitutional court decision finding only a minor fault with the Crucitas open pit mining project has sparked a strong response from opponents. 2010-04-20, 03:27:11 In-country visa renewal a challenge Tourists are best advised to avoid from the immigration offices if they seek to renew their 90-days visas. A reporter accompanied a Swiss citizen there Wednesday and the best immigration officials could suggest was that the man marry the newswoman so he could have his visa renewed via a relationship with a Costa Rican. 2010-04-19, 04:16:38 Know any exceptional trees? The deadline for submissions to the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad’Äôs 2010 exceptional tree competition is approaching. Contributors have a chance to document why their favorite oak tree should be considered. 2010-04-19, 04:16:10 Pedestrian malls appear to be winners The life of a downtown merchant is not always easy. Parking for customers is a continual problem, the area sometimes attracts trouble and then aggressive young men come by and demand that you close your store. 2010-04-16, 03:26:11 The security question for expats Why does Costa Rica insist on protecting the criminals when it should be protecting the innocent people who are being victimized daily by runaway crime? Instead of releasing criminals three hours after they are caught in the act, driving a stolen car with no tags, and not carrying identification, why not make it a crime to break and enter and hold them for prosecution? Why not make it a crime to hold and sell stolen property? Why not punish violent criminals, instead of letting them go in an hour or two. 2010-04-16, 03:25:25 We introduce our sports fishing page We only want the most competent captains to be seeking business on our new page. 2010-04-15, 04:56:50 Regulations for new immigration law delayed again Regulations in support of the new immigration law will not be published until at least May 15, according to the current immigration director. The regulations are vital for clearing up the finer points in the law, such as how tourists can extend their visa with the payment of $100. 2010-04-15, 04:56:23 University students riot and block streets University students had a run-in with police on the San Pedro campus Monday, and the subsequent protests brought traffic to a halt in eastern San Josˆ© and in San Pedro. 2010-04-14, 05:56:35 El Niˆ±o probably will not affect rainy season The ’ÄúEl Niˆ±o’Äù temperature phenomenon present in Pacific offshore waters since June 2009 is drawing to a close, according to Carlos Brenes of the oceanography department at the Universidad Nacional. 2010-04-14, 05:56:09 Cloud will be good for property values There is great news for expats and tourists in the cloud. Speaking of cloud computing, that is. Most expats ’Äî people of other nationalities who have made Costa Rica their home ’Äî do not have a clue what the term cloud computing means even though the concept could greatly change their lives, especially those who would like to make Costa Rica their home or at least visit the country more ofte 2010-04-13, 04:37:44 Horses and their riders have their day downtown Sunday was celebrated as the Dˆ‚a Internacional de Caballo in San Josˆ©, and a group of especially selected riders and their horses provided a smaller version of the traditional Dec. 26 tope. 2010-04-13, 04:37:13 New credit card rules said to favor consumer New rules for credit and debit cards went into effect Thursday, and officials involved writing the regulations say that the general philosophy is that in case of doubt, the consumer is favored. 2010-04-12, 04:46:24 Makeover of Antigua Aduana cost $6.3 million Three years and $6.3 million later, the culture ministry has inaugurated the former Aduana building as a cultural arts center. The structure contains 161,459 square meters under roof. That is 3.7 acres. 2010-04-12, 04:45:54 Cable connection problems remain downtown The problems still continue because Amnet, the cable television and Internet provider, inexplicably abandoned its franchise in the middle of San Josˆ© last year. 2010-04-08, 03:48:39 After the military why not abolish the legislature? President ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez wants Uruguay to eliminate its military, a request that was not accepted very well there. But Arias has missed the boat when he said that dumping the military could generate lots more money for development. He should have gone further. Costa Rica could save tons of money by eliminating the legislature. 2010-04-09, 03:13:43 Dry weather confusing rain birds A wet March has sowed doubt in the Central Valley’Äôs yigˆºirro population as to the start of the nesting season. As the national bird, the clay-colored thrush is known for ’Äúcalling the rain’Äù at the end of the dry season. 2010-04-08, 03:48:06 The poaching problem at Caˆ±o Negro The sprawling refuge is called Caˆ±o Negro, and it consists of 10,000 hectares, some 24,700 acres along the border with Nicaragua. The area is rich in game and fish, and that's the problem. Taking animals or fish is prohibited in the wildlife reserve, but commercial hunters and fishermen pay little heed to borders. 2010-04-07, 03:29:16 Butterflies to return to museum The butterflies are coming back to the Museo Nacional. The museum took much of the former butterfly garden when it constructed a new access ramp at the same time that the adjacent Plaza de la Democracia was remodeled two years ago. 2010-04-07, 03:28:51 Teens rampage on highways and at game The weekend highlighted Costa Rica's growing juvenile problem. This time the problem was not teenage killers. It was the annual burning of Judas, which has degenerated into arson and vandalism. The Fuerza Pˆ†blica said it had detained more than 116 person, mostly in Central Valley communities. Then Sunday soccer fans torched material at an Alajuela stadium and launched fireworks and bottle rockets at the professional players. 2010-04-06, 03:20:20 Long-distance love Every couple knows that a long-distance relationship is tough. But how about if there is a language barrier. That did not matter to Tarˆ‚n Gutiˆ©rrez Montero and Thomas Liebig, who were married Saturday after a seven-year courtship. 2010-04-06, 03:19:39 Time to enrich your Easter vocabulary Here are some Spanish words and phrases to help you discuss the holiday with Costa Rican friends. 2010-04-05, 03:21:03 Arias urges Uruguay to abolish military President ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez, apparently without outside encouragement, has urged the new leftist president of Uruguay to disband the military there. 2010-04-01, 01:27:04 Puntarenas mangroves have big problems The nation's environmental police last week started an intensive investigation of the Puntarenas mangroves, an important natural resource that extends from the Puntarenas estuary to Chomes. 2010-04-01, 01:26:11 Managing the flood of Internet info This is the era of very free speech. Some individuals in Playas del Coco are using the Web to warn their friends about local crooks. A former La Naciˆ„n staffer is using a Web page as a way to expose sharp business practices here. If you don't like someone, put up an unflattering Web page. For almost no money except the cost of computer rental, someone can launch their detailed opinions to the world. 2010-03-31, 05:14:45 Developer seeks arbitration with its banks The developer of a troubled Jacˆ„ condo and hotel project is suing its lenders and seeks to force them into arbitration. 2010-03-31, 05:14:18 Way cleared for paperless office A recent request for clarification to the Ministerio de Hacienda, the mother organization of the local tax department found that according to a resolution DGT-02-09 from the Direccion General De Tributacion, dated Jan. 9, 2009, people can keep electronic documents and forget the paper. 2010-03-30, 03:27:49 Arias administration says it has met its housing promise As the Oscar Arias Sˆ°nchez administration draws to a close, the housing ministry has declared success in meeting the president's campaign promises, delivering a total of 47,000 grants to needy households. These range from money to repair an existing home or for construction, up to handing over the keys to a finished dwelling. 2010-03-30, 03:27:18 Museums feeling the pinch from fewer tourists Just like other tourist operations, the country's museums are feeling the pinch from fewer visitors. 2010-03-29, 03:51:30 Agents raid Barrio Amˆ„n hotel Judicial agents raided a downtown hotel that caters to U.S. men Thursday, but they did not find the underage prostitutes they were seeking. The location was the Hotel Little Havana Costa Rica, formerly known as Hotel Zona Blue. It is on Avenida 9 in Barrio Amˆ„n. 2010-03-29, 03:51:07 Sphere evaluators have returned home The United Nations panel of experts who came to Costa Rica to evaluate the stone spheres have returned home. There is no word yet on when their report will be issued. 2010-03-25, 03:59:47 Chief magistrate wants objective review of juvenile laws The head of the courts has asked the United Nations Children's Fund to conduct an objective assessment of the country's laws on juvenile crime. 2010-03-24, 04:35:25 Osa hotel owners dispute tribunal allegations Hotel owners mentioned in a report by the Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo roundly disputed the conclusions about their respective properties. Most of those threatened with sanctions are in the Drake Bay area and the Osa Peninsula. Additional hotels, as well as a number of private houses, are also under investigation, according to as report from the agency. 2010-03-24, 04:34:51 Magma on the move inside Turrialba Magma was on the move inside Volcˆ°n Turrialba Sunday. A park guard, Sergio Guillˆ©n, reported a series of tremors Sunday afternoon, and volcano experts said that the data shows the tremors came from a type of activity resulting from the movement of magma rather than other causes. 2010-03-23, 02:40:06 Friend of Enrique wants part of the spoils John Manners, the man who led a campaign for Villalobos investors to drop their criminal case, now wants part of the money the courts have awarded to successful litigants. 2010-03-23, 02:39:00 Vigil designed to change minds of lawmakers A white wave of citizens showed up at the Asamblea Legislativa Thursday to demand a strong law against alcohol and the restoration of the point system for violators. 2010-03-22, 04:56:19 Chinese get a benefit from traffic law Insiders are joking that the new traffic law contains a stimulus plan for the People's Republic of China. The bulk of the items motorists are required to carry under the new law are products of the Communist country. 2010-03-19, 04:55:20 Eight Osa Peninsula hotels under investigation The environmental tribunal is investigating eight more hotels in the Peninsula de Osa and three saw mills that officials think are operating illegally. The latest cases bring to nearly 50 the individual files of environmental investigations being carried out in the Cantˆ„n de Osa. 2010-03-19, 04:54:47 Irish had an impact in Latin America, too Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in many places in Latin America, including Costa Rica. There is a usually some type of Saint Patrick's Day celebration at any of the local bars where Americans hang out. 2010-03-18, 05:22:34 The route to seek Costa Rican citizenship One way expat residents might avoid paying the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social for health care is to take out Costa Rican nationality. There are two ways to qualify: marry a citizen or live legally in the country for seven years. 2010-03-18, 05:22:07 Rainy season debut is slightly early, experts say Local weather forecasters say that the rainy seasons will be slightly early this year in all areas except the Central Valley. The Instituto Meteorolˆ„gico Nacional said that the season would arrive May 6 to 10 in the Central Valley, as normal. 2010-03-17, 05:19:58 Puntarenas is a sitting duck for tsunamis The coasts of Costa Rica are the potential targets of tsunamis caused by earthquakes locally or even from the Pacific coast of South America. The city of Puntarenas is especially vulnerable. 2010-03-17, 05:19:29 Don't forget that pesky educational tax There is only one tax inactive companies need to pay every year. It is the education and culture tax. The tax is due by March 31 which falls on a Wednesday this year. However, it can be paid anytime during the month of March. 2010-03-16, 04:06:49 A wall gets pretty in Playas del Coco Playas del Coco residents have turned an eyesore wall into a work of art. 2010-03-15, 04:31:17 Public employees get the whole week off Forget about any governmental business during Holy Week. Central government officials have declared the entire week to be a vacation. 2010-03-12, 02:26:44 That dancing dollar The value of the dollar against the colon Tuesday fell to its lowest since the end of 2008 with an abrupt drop of almost two colons to 540.38. Volatility has been an issue in the four years since the Banco Central dropped a long-term policy of micro-devaluations. 2010-03-11, 04:34:47 Costa Rica would fare better than Haiti If an earthquake the magnitude of the 1991 event were to occur in the Central Valley, damage would be widespread. About 25 percent of dwellings countrywide are not in compliance with building codes, said Sigifredo Pˆ©rez, operations chief for the national emergency commission. Many of these would collapse. 2010-03-10, 03:57:28 Saturday earthquake was puny by comparison For those near the epicenter of Saturday night’Äôs temblor, it was level V Rather Strong, with vibrations like a freight train passing near the house. It was barely felt outside the Central Valley. 2010-03-09, 02:13:22 Stadium comes before trees Workmen were on the job Sunday cutting down what were described as sick trees in Parque la Sabana. The ailing trees just happened to be in front of the main entrance of the new stadium being built by the People's Republic of China. 2010-03-09, 02:12:26 Prostitutes being recruited as spies The statement may seem very obvious, but customers of prostitutes should not provide a lot of personal information. Some of San Josˆ© more expensive call girls report that they have been approached by individual they think are Mexican with offers to purchase information regarding their customers. 2010-03-08, 02:19:49 Stadium, a checkbook gift, is 65 percent finished Costa Rica has taken advantage of geopolitical rivalries to improve infrastructure in recent years, the beneficiary of ’Äúcheckbook diplomacy.’Äù It seems one football stadium trumps one bridge. 2010-03-05, 03:57:58 Pending legislation: rising ocean levels New legislators who take office in two months will be facing major decision involving the rising sea and coastal changes during their four years in the Asamblea Legislativa. 2010-03-04, 02:09:55 Tax agency told to move on luxury homes The national government's financial watchdog has ordered tax authorities to move on their plans to enforce the tax on luxury homes. The deadline for voluntary compliance was Jan. 15. In theory enforcement will start later this year, but analysis of the task and resources needed is only now underway. 2010-03-04, 02:09:23 Toad's demise not due to warming, study says Globall warming did not kill the Monteverde golden toad, an often cited example of climate-triggered extinction, says a new study. The toad vanished from Costa Rica’Äôs Pacific coastal-mountain cloud forest in the late 1980s, the apparent victim of a pathogen outbreak that has wiped out dozens of other amphibians in the Americas. Many researchers have linked outbreaks of the deadly chytrid fungus to climate change, but the new study asserts that the weather patterns, at Monteverde at least, were not out of the ordinary. 2010-03-03, 02:14:56 It's cops vs. vendors downtown Every day there are at least two clashes between street vendors and the Policia Municipal. The San Josˆ© police officers, themselves, admit that each month the number of vendors on the downtown pedestrian boulevard and other similar streets increases. 2010-03-03, 02:14:33 As real estate rebounds, caution is the word There is a much quoted phrase in Costa Rica between lawyers. Everything legal is not always right and everything right is not always legal. 2010-03-02, 02:34:28 Villalobos victims will share nearly $8 million Successful victims in the action against Oswaldo Villalobos Camacho are sharing $7,804,995.79 in a court-approved settlement. 2010-03-02, 02:34:00 So you need to join the Caja? The immigration law includes a new requirement for foreigners resident in Costa Rica. To renew residency status, the applicant must show proof of insurance from the government Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social. 2010-03-01, 02:25:53 Arrests made in Coopemex case Five persons related to the financial cooperative Coopemex were detained for questioning. The individuals are suspected of the bad management of the finances of the cooperative. 2010-03-01, 02:25:29 Real estate damage still mainly hidden The fallout from the heady real estate bubble is getting grimmer as more and more would-be property owners realize that their money has vanished. 2010-02-25, 04:00:38 Man jailed unjustly in Nicaragua writes a book Eric Volz, the U.S. citizen most people believe was railroaded on a murder charge in Nicaragua, is coming out with a book on his ordeal. 2010-02-25, 03:59:49 Coopemex depositors might have a long wait The case of Coopemex is beginning to look a lot like Banco Elca, which was taken over by regulators in 2004. 2010-02-25, 03:59:15 Fishman ends up a winner The up-and-down political fortunes of Luis Fishman were up Monday as the Tribunal Supreme de Elecciones said that he had won a legislative seat from San Josˆ©. Fishman, who also was his party's presidential candidate, bested Josˆ© Manuel Bustos. by just 260 votes in the complex calculations that distribute legislative seats on the basis of total popular vote. 2010-02-24, 01:34:10 Some Villalobos victims getting a percentage Some victims of the Villalobos Brothers investment debacle will be getting some money. These are the creditors who persisted and filed civil cases parallel to the criminal fraud case against Oswaldo Villalobos, one of the brothers. 2010-02-24, 01:33:47 U.N. delegation will evaluate spheres as heritage nominee A delegation from the United Nations will visit Costa Rica next month to evaluate those prehistoric stone spheres with an eye to including them as world heritage artifacts. 2010-02-23, 03:07:16 Panamˆ° seems to be taking sides in Colombian conflict The policies of the conservative Martinelli administration are raising fears that Panamˆ° may become more deeply involved in the Colombian war against the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. 2010-02-23, 03:06:45 Renewal rules being tightened for tourists When the new immigration law goes into effect March 1 tourists here will still be able to renew their visa by going to and returning from a nearby country. But the rules are changing. 2010-02-22, 02:58:31 Grecia murder case gets more complex Agents have a difficult murder case to solve in Grecia. Initially the crime seemed to be another case of a man killing the woman with whom he lived. That was the way investigators initially saw it as they took into custody Tuesday a man with the last names of Segura Jimˆ©nez. 2010-02-19, 03:18:02 Forced linked sales of TV and Internet to be studied Want internet but don’Äôt need 82 television channels? While competition should eventually provide more options, at present heavy demand for Internet services allows a few providers to ignore consumer protection regulations, A.M. Costa Rica has learned. 2010-02-18, 02:47:07 Arrests made in murder of Parrita expat Judicial agents and prosecutors blame the girlfriend of a Parrita businessman for arranging his contract murder nearly a year ago. The businessman was a U.S. citizen. The motive is reported to be greed.< 2010-02-18, 02:46:41 A baby whale is rescued A newborn whale calf entangled in more than 100 feet of an abandoned gill net is alive today because fishermen and dive company workers risked their lives to free the young creature. 2010-02-17, 02:25:05 A step toward a dengue vaccine The La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology said it has validated the long-held and controversial hypothesis that antibodies, usually the good guys in the body's fight against viruses, instead contribute to severe dengue virus-induced disease. 2010-02-17, 02:24:36 Dangers of the internet mixed with text messaging Most people hide behind avatars ’Äî an icon or figure used as a personification the computer user ’Äî and give false information when using social networks. This is good practice but does not curb the danger and can even exacerbate it. 2010-02-16, 02:21:42 Be a Latin lover We give you the words and phrases to handle any situation. 2010-02-15, 01:56:12 Semana Santa just weeks away The next major vacation period in Costa Rica is just 43 days away. Easter is April 4 this year, and many residents will start the Semana Santa holiday Friday. March 26. This is a critical period for tourism that can make or break many hospitality and restaurant operations. 2010-02-12, 04:13:25 La Libertad park prepared for planting There is not a lot to see now at the Parque Metropolitano La Libertad. There are high weeds, trash, industrial remnants and a lot of dust. Workmen are preparing the site for a botanical garden and for reforestation of the entire 32 hectares, some 79 acres. 2010-02-12, 04:13:01 Patronato plays a trick on Facebook fans The Patronato Nacional de la Infancia managed to snag the personal data and photos of some 800 Costa Ricans by promising them fame. 2010-02-11, 04:25:35 Shaping up Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio An innovative rehabilitation and anti-litter project in Manuel Antonio is celebrating its fourth successful year. Based in Quepos, the Asociaciˆ„n Esfuerzos Humanitarios created the project to protect the second-most-visited area in the country by enlisting the help of people in the local community who have voluntarily entered into the association’Äôs rehabilitation program. 2010-02-11, 04:25:06 Price increases use inflated dollar value The increases are a bit more than 6 percent for super gasoline and about 4.5 percent for plus gasoline. The increases are based on the estimated inflation from Dec. 24 to Jan. 7, the depreciation of the colon and the international price of petroleum. 2010-02-10, 03:55:57 Laura Chinchilla wins in a landslide Laura Chinchilla won the nation's presidency Sunday with a landslide victory in which she prevailed in each of the country's seven provinces. 2010-02-09, 02:26:53 Tax evasion is substantial, report says The Contralorˆ‚a de la Repˆ†blica estimated that the country lost out on the bulk of the taxes residents were supposed to pay from 1991 to 2007. 2010-02-08, 05:16:27 Teens accused of running a murder-for-hire business Costa Rican officials are wrestling tonight with how juvenile offenders should be treated after two teens have been detained as repeat hired gunmen. 2010-02-08, 05:15:49 Arias would accept a delay in cell phone auction Accompanied by political pressure on the part of presidential candidate Ottˆ„n Solis, yet another delay in the process leading to new cell phone services has surfaced. 2010-02-05, 04:21:50 A tree that grows in the highway A tourist from the U.S. just asked me in an e-mail if it would be safe to travel this road at night because they had heard that people with guns would stop your car and steal all of your possessions and possibly kill you. I replied that ’ÄúYou would more likely to get killed by the condition of the roads than the former.’Äù 2010-02-05, 04:20:32 How to talk about the election in Spanish Costa Ricans approach the presidential elections with such enthusiasm that they celebrate election day as if it were a big party or national holiday. People wear party colors and honk car horns. Bands play Latin music. All this all contribute to the festive atmosphere. And here is some vocabulary to help you relate. 2010-02-04, 04:18:27 Bridge crash becoming political issue A fiery fatal collision at a bridge in Abangares Monday has become a political hot potato because the pothole that triggered the crash has been there for three years. 2010-02-04, 04:17:57 Big plans at Manuel Antonio park Friday as a big day at Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, the crown jewel of the country's park system. 2010-02-03, 04:18:08 Real estate market nears a rebound The good news is the Costa Rica market will correct itself. The bad news is it will take some time. The peak of the market was probably 2006 and 2007. The market came to a screeching halt in mid 2008, much in parallel with the United States. The banks in Costa Rica stopped lending money to developers during that time. This was another signal of the downturn. 2010-02-02, 03:15:29 Hospital of Heredia 98 percent finished President ˆìscar Arias Sˆ°nchez inaugurated the new Hospital de Heredia Thursday. It's traditional for presidents at the end of their term to cut a lot of ribbons and take credit for public works. In this case, Arias has a legitimate claim. 2010-02-01, 03:20:38 More help coming for consumers The insurance market and the telephone markets are opening up to private competition, perhaps as soon as September. But most Costa Ricans are not used to comparison shopping. 2010-01-29, 04:08:36 Turrialba volcano can be monitored on Internet Now everyone can keep an eye on Volcˆ°n Turrialba, the mountain that has become the center of attention by geologists and Central Valley residents. 2010-01-28, 03:58:19 Expat custody fights have unique twists here Divorces and custody disputes are grim events around the world. But some special aspects of Costa Rica law frequently surprise expats and those who come to the country in search of an abducted child. 2010-01-28, 03:57:52 Another U.S. custody case in the courts here Another U.S. child custody case is playing itself out in a Costa Rican court, and this one has some twists. 2010-01-27, 03:42:16 Trip to Pacific will be great Sunday fun Everyone is going to want to take a trip on the new Autopista del Sol that will be inaugurated by central government officials Wednesday. 2010-01-27, 03:41:47 Election platforms at mercy of outside forces When Costa Ricans go to the polls in less than two weeks, they face a clear choice, from left to right. 2010-01-26, 03:38:26 Birder accumulates more than 800 species A Cocos Island cuckoo seen in April was Jim Zook’Äôs 800th species recorded in Costa Rica, making him the first active birdwatcher to reach that level. The total number of species ever reliably recorded for the country by anyone is about 890. 2010-01-26, 03:37:55 Telegram your love Correos de Costa Rica wants to play Cupid and has announced a program to send telegrams of love or friendship on Feb. 12, the Friday before St. Valentine's Day. 2010-01-25, 02:09:01 Fiesta bull takes a life A bull rider has died after being gored by the animal he had just dismounted. Dead is Willy Cubillo, a well-known participant in the amateur bull fights that take place at various fiestas in the county all year. The incident happened Tuesday at a fiesta in Santa Cruz. 2010-01-22, 04:37:56 Bender had a run-in with local police John Felix Bender may have led a secluded life at his private wildlife refuge in La Florida de Barˆ† de Pˆ©rez Zeledˆ„n, but that did not keep him out of the eye of the local police. 2010-01-22, 04:37:29 Secret of living here is a meaningful life Hardly any guidebooks mention the problem, but boredom is a major threat to expats who seek a successful life in Costa Rica. There are only so many times a new arrival can rave over a Pacific sunset. There are only so many times that a a successful trip to the local market is a personal victory. 2010-01-21, 04:02:16 Choice in cell phones may come in September Mobile telephone customers might see new players in the industry by September, if the plans of the regulating agency work out. 2010-01-20, 04:32:37 You can put your trust in a trust Trusts are one of the most important legal documents a lawyer can make for a client in Costa Rica. It is amazing that most attorneys do not know how to create or administer them here. Most people think of trusts in the case of death and inheritance, but they can be used for many more situations. 2010-01-19, 03:25:02 Another thrilling bank customer service story The day after, the money finally arrived in our account, and we were overcome with glee. Exactly three weeks, many phone calls, and a visit to the bank with my lawyer was all it took to fix a banking error. 2010-01-18, 02:57:56 Internet scam offers U.S. green cards In an updated versions of the lottery scam, Internet spammers are using the U.S. green card lottery as a ploy to make money. 2010-01-18, 02:57:21 Haitians here can only worry and wait For the Haitians living in Costa Rica life is on hold. Nearly all have family in the ravaged island. None has been able to communicate with family and friends there. 2010-01-15, 04:11:34 World freedom takes another big hit For the fourth consecutive year, global declines in freedom outweighed gains in 2009, as measured by Freedom House’Äôs annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, Freedom in the World 2010. This represents the longest continuous period of decline for global freedom in the nearly 40-year history of the report. 2010-01-14, 03:52:26 There's a new variation of an old scam in town A fake homebuyer is breaking new ground with a unique variation of the advanced fee scam. 2010-01-13, 04:35:33 Windy and cold . . . for Costa Rica! House roofs and electric lines took a beating Monday as high winds, spawned by a cold front, chilled the country. In Matina, Sarapiquˆ‚ and Turrialba, homes were flooded due to unseasonable rain. 2010-01-13, 04:34:51 Good news from volcano watchers The ash put out by the Volcˆ°n Turrialba last week is not very acidic or caustic, according to an analysis done by scientists at Universidad Nacional. 2010-01-12, 03:01:07 Experts cannot predict actions of vocano Emergency officials may have had indications that the Volcˆ°n Turrialba was about to make a geological statement, but they now have little data to predict what will happen now. 2010-01-08, 03:58:51 Volcˆ°n Turrialba joins the chorus Central Valley residents now have the unusual situation of being in the middle of three misbehaving volcanoes. The third mountain. Turrialba, gave forth with gas and ashes Tuesday afternoon, and the Comisiˆ„n de Emergencia issued a green, preventative alert. Some 21 persons have been evacuated from their homes in La Pastora, the community closest to the volcano. 2010-01-07, 04:32:14 Nation experienced 6,000 quakes in 2009 More than 6,000 earthquakes took place in Costa Rica during 2009, but most were not felt by humans. 2010-01-07, 04:31:42 Presidential election is anything but boring The country came out of the election blackout period Monday with Laura Chinchilla, the Partido Liberaciˆ„n Nacional candidate, appearing to maintain her lead. But the campaign for the Feb. 7 election is not as boring as it might look. 2010-01-06, 02:36:11 Family posts reward for son's safe return The family of a missing British tourist has established a $10,000 reward for information leading to his safe return. 2010-01-05, 02:42:51 The beauty can be a bandit The two beauties patrolled the nightspots of San Josˆ© looking for victims. They would lure men to a supposed romantic encounter that climaxed with a gun in the face. 2009-12-31, 04:03:42 New ambassador was generous political donor The Center for Responsive Politics on its OpenSecrets.org Web site said that Mrs. Andrew and her husband, Joseph J., have contributed about $88,000 mostly to Democratic candidates and fund-raising committees since 1989. It said that since 1960 about a third of U.S. ambassadors were political appointments, based on information from the American Academy of Diplomacy. 2009-12-31, 04:02:59 Vehicle weights restricted at Paquera ramp The transport ministry has issued a weight restriction on the loading ramp at Paquera, according to one of the two organizations that runs the popular ferries. 2009-12-30, 03:00:56 Airlines say arrive even earlier! Longer processing times are causing delays at airports as a result of the attempted bombing of a jet Christmas Day. Continental Airlines reported Monday that the processing time at Juan Santamarˆ‚a airport was 2.5 hours. American Airlines said that international passengers need to be at the airport three hours before their flight. Some travel experts are recommending four hours for international flights. 2009-12-30, 03:00:26 Airline passengers facing more checks Air travelers can expect more delays and searches when that are traveling to the United stats, thanks to what appears to be an attempted bombing of a Detroit, Michigan, bound aircraft Christmas Day, 2009-12-29, 01:30:56 There are some true Spanish Christmas carols This is the time of villancicos, Christmas carols. The First World media dominates even in Latin America, but there are some traditional Christmas songs that appear to have come from Spain. 2009-12-28, 04:01:15 Luxury tax not very taxing for many All is not grim in the luxury tax category. Several professionals who have been doing evaluations for homeowners report that a low percentage of homes actually qualifies for the extra tax. 2009-12-24, 02:15:12 Light look at Chˆ°vez and his saber rattling Venezuela's president, Hugo Chˆ°vez, said last week that he fears an invasion from the nearby Dutch island of Curaˆßao. Indeed, he should. If Venezuela were invaded by the Dutch, the country would run the risk of beings propelled into First World status. 2009-12-23, 02:21:50 Election code chips at a basic freedom The new election code prohibits political advertising for 15 days around Christmas, and no one seems to be objecting to this unusual prohibition on speech. 2009-12-22, 04:06:29 Homeowners get a bit of a break on luxury home tax Expats and residents got a small break this week when the Ministerio de Hacienda announced that the deadline for filing luxury home paperwork would be Jan. 15 instead of Dec. 31. 2009-12-21, 02:35:14 Two female U.S. tourists have a really bad day The plane left without two U.S. female tourists who now stand accused of drug trafficking. 2009-12-18, 04:10:30 Sales for future delivery get stronger regulations Real estate developers who offer proposed projects or projects in development must now comply with strict rules for the protection of consumers. 2009-12-17, 04:00:51 Canada seeking expanded free trade treaty Canada would like to amplify its free trade treaty with Costa Rica to include access to telecommunications and insurance here, and Costa Rica would like Canada to issue visas here to Ticos instead of shipping the documents to Guatemala. 2009-12-16, 03:21:31 U.S. plans to raise the visa application fee The U.S. government is proposing a $9 increase in tourist and business visas. The State Department has published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to do just that. In addition, the proposal contains a $19 increase for certain other visas. 2009-12-16, 03:20:58 Can the winners handle the lottery prizes? Somewhere this morning there is joy in an undetermined number of Costa Rican homes. Here live those who have been lucky and got a piece of the Gordo Christmas lottery, which was drawn Sunday night. 2009-12-15, 04:03:24 Tico singer misses becoming and idol The country took it on the musical chin again Thursday night when a female singer from the Dominican Republic won the title of Latin American Idol. In No. 2 place was Eduardo Aguirre of Esparza. 2009-12-14, 04:28:17 Museum features barrios of San Josˆ© The Museo Nacional inaugurates a new exhibit tonight that features four of the cities neighborhoods, called barrios in Spanish. 2009-12-14, 04:27:53 New study says ocean is rising higher and faster Costal residents of Costa Rica could face sea level increase of between 75 and 190 centimeters by 2100, according to a new study by European researchers. Converted to the U.S. measurement system, the rise would be between 29.5 and 74.8 inches. 2009-12-11, 04:41:22 Former president's funeral Former president Rodrigo Carazo Odio will receive a state funeral with services at 3:30 p.m. at the Catedral Metropolitana. 2009-12-11, 04:40:38 More pitfalls in the marketplace Tamales and toys got the eagle eye from government consumer inspectors at the end of last month. They found major differences in the prices. For tamales, a tradition Christmas dish, similar ingredients had price differences up to 314 percent. Super Saretto in San Rafael de Escazˆ† and Super Cristal in Curridabat tied for having the highest prices. 2009-12-10, 04:05:29 A reader's brief on the luxury home tax Laws are written by politicians with good intent but with very little understanding of how difficult or impossible it is to comply with them. Most laws passed in Costa Rica are eventually challenged in the supreme court and ruled unconstitutional. I would hope that this will happen in the case of the Costa Rica luxury tax on homes. 2009-12-10, 04:04:58