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01 Dic 2005 |
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Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, December 01, 2005
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Teenager Shoots Father,
Three Others in San José
The sidewalk in front of the Social Protection Agency in downtown San José was the scene of a midday shooting when José Pablo Monge, 17, allegedly shot his father and three others, killing one man.
(Click for more)
2006 National Budget Passes
In Second Debate
Legislators approved the 2006 national budget Tuesday in second debate. It was approved automatically, without a vote, in first debate Sunday, the last day the Legislative Assembly had by law to approve the bill in first debate. Internal assembly rules say that if legislators did not vote on the bill by Sunday, it would pass automatically, which it did after two legislators broke quorum and prevented the vote.
(Click for more)
Turtle Born With Two Heads
Could Be Victim of Pollution
A green turtle with two heads was born Nov. 20 in Playa Ostional on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, a disfiguration that could be associated with climate change and pollution, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced yesterday.
(Click for more)
December 01
“C.R. Painting for Peace” Art Contest
To celebrate the 57th anniversary of the abolition of the army, topics are “Against Weapons,” “Against the Army,” and “Peace.” Children's, teenagers' and adult's categories, participants must bring own materials, Dec. 1, 7:30 a.m., boulevard in front of National Museum. Info: 233-6168.
Free Christmas Shows Tonight
Morazán Park will be full of musicians trumpeting the arrival of Christmas time. At 5 p.m. members of the Municipality of San José will offer welcoming message and ten minutes later the choir Heredia Canta will perform, followed by a dance presentation, music by a guitar duo, the Cartago Band, and fireworks.
Concert and CD Release
Miravalles Quintet and Walter Flores will present their last production “De Volcanes and Flores,” (Of Volcanoes and Flowers) in a concert at 9:30 p.m. at Jazz Café, San Pedro. Info: 253:8933.
Edited By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net
Teenager Shoots Father,
Three Others in San José
By Robert Goodier
Tico Times Staff
rgoodier@ticotimes.net
The sidewalk in front of the Social Protection Agency in downtown San José was the scene of a midday shooting when José Pablo Monge, 17, allegedly shot his father and three others, killing one man.
Monge, who has a long criminal record – according to the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ), which responded to the crime – approached his father, Carlos Monge demanding money. Carlos Monge is a licensed lottery vender who was selling tickets in front of the Social Protection Agency, which produces lottery tickets.
When Carlos Monge refused his son's request, an argument ensued and José Pablo allegedly pulled out a gun, the caliber of which the OIJ press office did not know by press time, and shot his father in the head. The bullet grazed his forehead and he is now in stable condition at the nearby Hospital San Juan de Dios, according to the Red Cross, which also responded to the crime scene.
The younger Monge also allegedly shot his father's assistant, Juan Pablo Cortés, in the throat; Cortés died at the Hospital San Juan de Dios.
The teenager allegedly fired two more shots, one that gravely injured his brother, Luis Gilberto Monge, in the thigh and another that struck a client, Gilberto Chacón, in the arm. Both men are in stable condition in the Hospital México, according to the Red Cross.
Police arrested the alleged gunman after he fled the scene with as much as ¢7 million ($14,250) of his father's money. At press time it was unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved.
2006 National Budget Passes
In Second Debate
By Leland Baxter-Neal
Tico Times Staff
lbaxter@ticotimes.net
Legislators approved the 2006 national budget Tuesday in second debate. It was approved automatically, without a vote, in first debate Sunday, the last day the Legislative Assembly had by law to approve the bill in first debate. Internal assembly rules say that if legislators did not vote on the bill by Sunday, it would pass automatically, which it did after two legislators broke quorum and prevented the vote.
“I was one of the ones who broke quorum,” legislator and Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) presidential hopeful Ricardo Toledo told The Tico Times Tuesday. “There were some motions that would have damaged the national budget. If they had passed, we would have had a lack of balance in the budget, and that is very dangerous.”
The ¢2.7 trillion ($5.5 billion) budget, 53% of which is financed by tax income, and 47% by borrowing, goes light on social spending. It was approved in second debate with 49 legislators present – 31 voted in favor, mostly from the National Liberation Party (PLN) and the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), and 18 voted against it, mostly from the Libertarian Movement, the Citizen Action Party (PAC) and the Patriotic Union (UP).
Toledo expressed contentment with the budget, saying he believes “the government, the finance minister and everybody is satisfied with how it ended up.”
Teresita Aguilar, of PAC, did not share Toledo's praise, and told The Tico Times that she and other members of her party voted against the budget because “we do not agree with approving a budget that does not correspond to the needs of the country,” and accused legislators from the majority Liberation and Unity parties of trying to divert funds to public works in their hometowns to win political support. She added that the 2006 budget cuts spending to education, health and security.
See this Friday's print or online pdf version of The Tico Times for more on the 2006 budget.
Turtle Born With Two Heads
Could Be Victim of Pollution
A green turtle with two heads was born Nov. 20 in Playa Ostional on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, a disfiguration that could be associated with climate change and pollution, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced yesterday.
Carlos Drews, regional WWF coordinator of Sea Turtles of Central America, said at a press conference that “the specific cause is not known” for the deformity of the sea turtle, but pollution has definitely shown the ability to play a role in these types of cases.
“The rise in temperatures… provokes drastic modifications in the incubation environment of the eggs. Industrial and agricultural runoff pollution starts in the rivers, arrives at the sea and becomes incorporated in the food chains, which can affect sea turtles,” said Draws.
The green turtles, known as Olive-Ridley turtles, are in danger of extinction and Playa Ostional, 300 kilometers west of San José, is one of the three sites in the world where people are still able to come and observe the arrival of hundreds of the female turtles to nest their eggs.
The two-headed turtle was born in good health with both heads trying to find the surface of the water to breathe, according to Drews.
"We don't know how its internal organs are arranged, so it is difficult to judge its probability of survival,” he added.
-ACAN/EFE
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