The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, July, 23 2004

CELEBRATING Guanacaste: Girls in colorful typical Guanacaste dresses dance “El Punto Guanacasteco,” the region’s most well-known baile típico. This weekend marks the anniversary of the northwestern province of Guanacaste’s annexation to Costa Rica.
Tico Times Photo

135 Children at Shelter
Tested for Syphilis
Some 135 children at a privately owned youth shelter in Cartago are being tested for syphilis after two children tested positively for the sexual transmitted form of the disease, according to authorities in the Child Welfare Office (PANI).
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July 23

New York Jazz Trio in Concert
Concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, C.R.-North American Cultural Center in Barrio Dent. Info: 207-7555.

Guanacaste Annexation
Celebration includes food, exhibits, cultural events, popular concerts, sports activities, horse parades, cattle exhibits, bullfights, through Sunday. Info: 256-0486.

XI National Theater Festival “Chucheca de Oro”
Fifteen groups from the seven provinces will perform, today through Sunday, Puntarenas. Info: 661-3114.

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135 Children at Shelter
Tested for Syphilis
By Robert Goodier
rgoodie@ticotimes.net

Some 135 children at a privately owned youth shelter in Cartago are being tested for syphilis after two children tested positively for the sexual transmitted form of the disease, according to authorities in the Child Welfare Office (PANI).

The tests are part of investigation opened three weeks ago when red spots began to appear on the palms and feet a 7-year-old boy – a symptom of the disease in its second stage. The victim’s 4-year-old brother was discovered to have the disease this week.

Authorities had speculated that two teenage boys, residents of the home, might have sexually abused the two who tested positively for syphilis and other children at the shelter. The shelter, the name of which has been withheld to protect the identities of the children involved, has filed charges against the boys, ages 16 and 17, in the Cartago Penal Court for Minors.

However, there is some confusion surrounding the allegations: Child Welfare Minister Rosalia Gil told The Tico Times yesterday the two victims’ mother also tested positively for the disease.

PANI authorities are continuing to investigate the matter.

Second-stage syphilis shows symptoms one to three months after the initial contraction of the disease, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. It can be completely cured if diagnosed early and treated effectively; usually with penicillin.

The director of the shelter, who did not want to be named, said he does not believe any staff members were involved in the scandal.

A PANI representative told The Tico Times the shelter has been in operation for more than 20 years and has never had a problem until now. The shelter is supervised and partially funded (70%) by PANI, but is responsible for its own operations and for procuring the rest of its funding from donors.

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Schools Get Boost with
Speech Therapy Equipment

Fifteen schools around the country who serve students with speech impairments received a boost this week in the form of ¢27 million ($62,000) in needed equipment.

The physical therapy materials, software and technical support equipment will help therapists work with students to overcome their inabilities or impairments in speech, according to the Ministry of Education.

Those students whose disabilities prevent them from speaking altogether will also receive help from equipment designed to allow them to communicate using special keyboards.

More than 6,000 students with speech impairments attend the 15 specialized magnet schools.

The materials are the first stage of ¢80 million ($183,000) in equipment that will ultimately be distributed to schools to help disabled students.

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Coldwell Banker to Begin
Selling Franchises Here

Coldwell Banker in Costa Rica this week announced an agreement with its parent company in the United States to sell franchises for branch offices in Costa Rica.

New branch offices will mean the real estate giant can offer its services to more buyers and sellers of properties throughout Costa Rica.

Customers and clients can benefit from the feelings of security and confidence in the Coldwell Banker brand, reputation and performance record, said Daveed Hollander, a partner of Coldwell Banker Costa Rica.

Coldwell Banker Dominical Realty partners in the southern Pacific region – Hollander, Sean R. McGraw, and James. A. Drews – joined forces with Jim and Linda Gray of Coldwell Banker Coast-to-Coast Properties in Playas del Coco, in the northern region of Guanacaste. Together they act as the master Coldwell Banker entity offering franchises for new branch offices throughout the country.

“Combining the resources of the partners in Costa Rica’s two Coldwell Banker offices creates a win-win situation for everybody,” Hollander said. “Now we can offer a turn-key system with a full spectrum of services for real estate clients and customers.”

All new franchises will have access to Coldwell Banker’s computerized database of listings of properties for sale, office management systems and training.

“All the franchise buyers need to get started in business is a location, an agent, and some listings,” Gray said.

Coldwell Banker was founded in the United States in 1906, primarily to offer complete real estate services to high-end commercial clients and customers.

Jim and Linda Gray opened their Coldwell Banker Coast-to-Coast Properties office in Playas del Coco in 1996, after 18 years of real estate experience in Laguna Beach, Calif. They founded the Guanacaste Association of Real Estate, now called Costa Rica Global Association of Real Estate.

Hollander, McGraw and Drews opened the Dominical office in 1998.

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PCD Agents Detain Alleged
Drug Dealers in Cartago

Agents of the Drug Control Police (PCD) yesterday arrested two men suspected of dealing drugs in the province of Cartago, the Public Security Ministry announced.

According to police reports, the two suspects, identified by police as having the last names of Abrahams and Stewart, were arrested after a several-investigation that began after police received complaints from area residents about their alleged activity.

Officials said Abrahams and Stewart were surprised by police in the bar Metrópoli – a bar in downtown Cartago frequented by youth who police say arrive with the sole intention of purchasing drugs. The same bar had been raided by police in the past for the same problem.

In addition to the bar, PCD agents raided the homes of both suspects, where they claim to have found 569 grams of cocaine, three rocks of crack-cocaine and ¢28,000 ($64).

PCD agents allege the suspects had sold cocaine to middle- and upper-class youth for at least the past six months.

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Wednesday October 26, 2005