For years, downtown San José's Avenida Central has gotten dumped with fake “snow” as Ticos throw handfuls of confetti during December's Avenidazo festivities. But this year, the San José Municipality says it plans to ban the confetti, which poses health and safety problems.

The chase ended yesterday for a man identified as Douglas Henry Happer who ran from police Monday after being sentenced to 63 years in prison for several counts of rape and sexual abuse.

Concert
By María Pretiz, Eva Rojas and Valeria Delgado, 8 p.m., Lawrence Olivier Theater, San José, Ave. 2, Calle 28. Info: 222-1034.

Gala Dinner for French Cooking Seminar
7 p.m., Gala Dinner, Universidad Inter-Americana, Heredia, 211- 1564. 

Turtle Day
2-5 p.m., art festival at “La Pista,” 4-10 p.m., art exhibit and silent auction, 8 p.m., ‘Elí Tacum' live music; Saturday, 12-5 p.m., art festival and silent auction at “La Pista,” 8 p.m., live music; Sunday, 9-11 a.m., music for children, 12-5 p.m., art festival with silent auction. Today through Sunday, art auction to raise funds for project for Playa Buena Vista turtles, Guanacaste. 

8 th Chicharrón Festival
Hosted by Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), with food, music and more, today through Dec. 9, Puriscal, northwest of San José.

Martial Arts Festival
With kickboxing and more, 4-11 p.m., National Gymnasium, Sabana Park, west of San José. Tickets: 207-2025.

Christmas Festival
11 a.m. Banda Elemental University of Costa Rica (UCR); noon, storytelling show; 2 p.m., La Ronda de la Charanga; 3 p.m., Los Tibios – Cimarrona Los Tibios; 5 p.m. Festival de Marimbas. Sunday, 1:30 p.m., Marimba Show; 3 p.m., Cimarrona los Tibios; 6 p.m., Concert by Brucmansia en Concierto, Anfitheater, National Cultural Center (CENAC).

Toys for Tots Motorcycle Rally and Benefit Concert
To provide toys to children 12 and under in Costa Rica, ride starts at 9 a.m. at Fiesta Casino, gifts collected will be collected and distributed by the Firefighters Corps. Food and concert by Blue Desert country band at White House Hotel, Escazú. Info: 288-6365. 

Marathon
42 km., also with 21 km., eight-km. and four-km. races, noon, all starting and finishing at the National Stadium, registration at Adidas Stores, Heredia, Alajuela, Multiplaza Escazú, Multiplaza del Este, Terramal and National Stadium, 375-5252. 

Brasilito Community Fair
All proceeds go to Brasilito church, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Brasilito Square, Brasilito Beach, Guanacaste. Info: Lucretia Figueroa, 654-4173, Carolina Najarro, 838-5922 or Van Salcedo, 858-6342.

By Dave Sherwood
Tico Times Staff | dsherwood@ticotimes.net

Effective immediately, Costa Rica's public and private docks are closed to international shark boats, according to a statement released by the Costa Rican Fisheries Institute (INCOPESCA).

The order to close the docks, which came from Ministry of Public Works and Transport, prohibits landings of sharks or shark products until these private docks comply with a mandate from the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV).

The mandate requires that private docks provide public infrastructure, allowing for full disclosure and enforcement, a measure enacted two years ago and intended to ensure transparency and prevent the illegal practice of shark-finning.

According to Carlos Villalobos, president of the institute, the measure is temporary, and an enforcement code is in process that would allow landings to resume shortly.

“The new code will guarantee that government authorities have the facilities necessary to do their work, according to customs, environmental and fisheries laws,” he said.

Environmental groups hailed the decision as a victory, but did so cautiously.

“The decision is temporary. There is tremendous pressure from the owners of these docks and the boats to permit the offloading of sharks again,” said Randall Arauz, of the Marine Turtle Restoration Program (PRETOMA).

Arauz has called on President Oscar Arias to sign a moratorium that would end use of private docks, requiring that international boats unload only at public facilities.

Police intercepted a Costa Rican fishing boat transferring packets of cocaine to a Mexican boat on the high seas Wednesday night, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.

The boat, named Yorleny II, was captured 250 nautical miles off the coast of the northwestern Guanacaste province near the border with Nicaragua.

Drug Control Police had determined the boat could be linked to drug trafficking and passed this information on to U.S. Coast Guard ships patrolling Pacific waters.

Upon seeing Coast Guard authorities approach, those aboard the Yorleny II began throwing the drugs overboard.

Authorities have recovered 40 of the packets thrown overboard and seized another 40 from the Mexican boat identified as Jurel IV. These 80 packs of cocaine add up to about 800 kilograms.

Police arrested six Costa Ricans and one Nicaraguan accused of trafficking the drugs. Yorleny II is the fourth Costa Rican fishing boat to be busted for carrying cocaine this year.

-Tico Times

For years, downtown San José's Avenida Central has gotten dumped with fake “snow” as Ticos throw handfuls of confetti during December's Avenidazo festivities. But this year, the San José Municipality says it plans to ban the confetti, which poses health and safety problems.

Citizens have denounced the throwing of confetti before the Public Health Ministry, claiming they've been harmed by people throwing handfuls of it at them as they walk by.

Confetti throwing will be replaced by cultural activities Dec. 15-22, according to a statement from the municipality.

“Emphasis has been put on cultural activities that reach all levels of the population, that touch on the (Christmas) spirit and provide joy without any type of problem,” said San José Mayor Johnny Araya.

The San José Municipal Police will be responsible for maintaining order in the city and enforcing the confetti ban, the statement said.

The chase ended yesterday for a man identified as Douglas Henry Happer who ran from police Monday after being sentenced to 63 years in prison for several counts of rape and sexual abuse.

Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) caught Happer yesterday in Alajuelita, south of San José.