Hooked on Books: Students from Adolfo Jiménez de la Guardia School in Alajuela, northwest of San José, yesterday sported 3D glasses to check out a book at the Book Fair being held in the southern suburb of Zapote through the weekend.

Delta Airlines yesterday announced it is opening new flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and two Costa Rican cities.

National Tamal Fair
Sales of tamales, oxcart parades, masks, concerts, today, 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 5 a.m.-noon, 4:30- 10 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Aserrí, www.coopeaserri.fi.cr/feriatamal

National Book Fair
Activities for children and adults, book sales, through Sunday, Zapote, former bull fight ring. Free entrance for children under 12 and adults over 65.

Piano Concert
With José Sojo, 5:30 p.m., Hotel Villa Caletas, Puntarenas. Reservations: 630-3020.

Cultural Fair “Marcha del Block ”
Including dances, concerts, food sales, benefits will help to build a multi-functional building for the community, 12:30-8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Church, Mercedes Sur, Heredia. Info: 387-3966.

Activities at La Fábrica Mall
Cachiflín Clown Show, 1 p.m.; Presentation by the Kinessis Dance Academy, 5 p.m.; Concert by Otra Nota Concert, 7 p.m.; La Fábrica Mall, Grecia. Info: 495-6000. 

Rock Concert
With Escafandra Duo (Miguel Solari, voice and guitar and Ernesto Fiks, sax and EWI), 8:30 p.m., Cuartel de la Boca del Monte, Barrio La California. Info: 221-0327, 883-6555.

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

A land dispute in the central Pacific coast community of Herradura resulted in a shooting Wednesday night that left 21 people wounded.

The legal dispute involves a group of Costa Rican families and U.S. citizen Dean Hepner and began 2004, according to Judicial Branch spokesman Federico Vanegas.

A Puntarenas judge ruled June 21 that the finca belongs to Hepner, who placed it under the names of two Costa Rican corporations, or sociedades anónimas: Icotón S.A. and Inversionistas Internacionales Ajar C.R. S.A.

A group of people had apparently invaded the property after Hepner bought it and fraudulently sold pieces of it to people who bought it “in good faith,” believing the transaction was legitimate, Vanegas said.

Following the June 21 court ruling, National Police evicted those living on the property, and some officers stayed until Sunday to provide security and prevent conflicts, National Police Assistant Director Rigoberto Rodríguez told The Tico Times. Private security guards began guarding the property after the police left.

At about 8 p.m. Wednesday night, a group of residents arrived to the property and tried to reclaim it. Rodríguez would not confirm whether the guards fired the shots.

However, Vanegas said two firearms were confiscated from the guards by the Garabito Prosecutor General for investigation.

All 21 wounded were taken to the Red Cross Clinic in Jacó, just south of Herradura – though only one patient's condition was considered critical as of yesterday afternoon.

National Police officers were sent back to the area to prevent further conflicts.

Rescue efforts for an injured dolphin ended in vain when the animal died Wednesday night at the Universidad Nacional (UNA) Veterinary School after being flown there by beachgoers in the northwestern Guanacaste beach of Tamarindo.

The dolphin, which was found washed up on the beach Wednesday morning, died from “various sicknesses,” the statement said. Blood tests showed it was carrying brucellosis, an infection common in livestock that can be transmitted to other animals and human beings.

It also suffered a fractured palate, which veterinarians believe could have been caused when it hit against rocks on the beach.

The dolphin remains at the school's pathology unit, where veterinary students are studying its body to see if it suffered from any other ailments.

Urs Schmid of Capitán Suizo Hotel flew with the dolphin Wednesday aboard a Nature Air flight to Tobias Bolaños International Airport in the western suburb of Pavas; from there it was transported to UNA's Veterinary School.

-Tico Times

Delta Airlines yesterday announced it is opening new flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and two Costa Rican cities.

On Feb. 15, 2008, Delta will begin flying from New York to Juan Santamaría International Airport, just outside San José, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, leaving at 10:30 a.m. and arriving at 2:49 p.m., according to a statement from the airline.

The return flights will be offered the same days, leaving Juan Santamaría at 3:49 p.m. and arriving to John F. Kennedy at 9:54 p.m.

Delta will also fly from New York to Daniel Oduber International Airport in the northwestern city of Liberia Wednesdays and Saturdays, leaving at 9:55 a.m. and arriving at 2:40 p.m. Return flights will be these same days, leaving Liberia at 3:30 p.m. and arriving to New York at 9:45 p.m.

The flights to Juan Santamaría will be serviced by a Boeing 757 aircraft with capacity for 183 passengers, and those to Liberia will be serviced by a Boeing 738 plane with space for 150 passengers.