Festival Tortuguero
Dance, theater, music, clowns, workshops, talks, Sept. 3-5, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., soccer field and high school, Tortuguero, Limón, 2283-0159.

Brazilian Week
Capoeira, dance, percussion, Afro-Brazilian cooking exhibitions and clinics, Aug. 28-Sept. 3, across from Colegio José Joaquín Vargas Calvo, San Pedro; closing night, Sept. 3, 6 p.m., Teatro de la Danza, CENAC.

Music at Dusk
U.S. violinist Kevin Lawrence, performing American chamber music, Sept. 3; violin and piano, Sept. 10; impressionist harp, Sept. 17; bassoon and piano, Sept. 24, all at 5 p.m., National Theater.

Enrique Bunbury in Concert
Oct. 3, 8 p.m., Palacio de los Deportes, Heredia, www.costaricaticket.com.

To boost funds for public works in a dry investment climate, President Oscar Arias approved a bill Wednesday that would drive more money into the country's capital infrastructure.

If legislators agree to the proposal, government-owned banks would be allowed to increase the amount of capital invested in public works from 6 percent of their holdings to 20 percent.

According to a press release from the president's office, private banks already contribute up to 20 percent of their capital in public works projects. This new law “would treat state banks the same as private financial entities.” However, financing from state banks would come with a lower interest rate, reducing the cost to the government.

Furthermore, if the financing is for strategic projects of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, the Social Security System and the Costa Rican Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), t he amount invested in public works by public banks can be higher (up to 30 percent), said Minister to the President Rodrigo Arias..

The executive-led push to jump-start the economy has not been limited to capital projects. This week, the Treasury Ministry announced a 2010 budget that would increase public funding to social programs, while expanding the national deficit by 4.9 percent.

A statement from the Treasury Ministry said the proposed budget represents a commitment “to maintain social spending and public investment levels to avoid deeper effects of the crisis … and to support economic recovery, which is beginning to be observed.”

Scientists from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI), based at the National University (UNA), noticed some changes to the landscape at Turrialba volcano during three recent visits.

Researchers who toured the area during the last two weeks of August reported that “yellow, straw-colored circles” covered approximately four square kilometers of trees. They said other plants appeared to have sustained wind damage.

Investigators also discovered new crevices that are emitting plumes of steam and sulfur. The cracks had expanded up to 12 centimeters in width and gases rose up to 300 meters.

“These observations are more intense than ones we have noticed before, but it's nothing extremely dangerous,” said Juan Segura, a volcanologist at OVSICORI.

Segura said the trees could have been yellowed by the vapor the new crevices are emitting or by this year's dry weather conditions.

He noted that those who want to visit the area should do so on the south and southwest sides to avoid inhaling the toxic gases being released by the mountain.

Political opposition to a controversial traffic law which would severely fine and, in certain circumstances, imprison offending motorists is expected to delay the law's proposed September 23 implementation date.

In order to discuss proposed amendments to the new law in more detail, independent lawmaker Andrea Morales asked the Legislative Assembly to push the law's start date to March 2010.

The decision of the lawmakers regarding the law will be published in La Gaceta, the official government newspaper, on Monday, Sept. 14.

“Some fellow legislators are an in agreement with the postponement as they've realized there is now no way to approve the amendments before the Sept. 23 deadline,” Morales said.

In spite of the potential delay, 800 traffic officers are already being briefed on their new roles under the law, policing the principal traffic routes throughout the country.

At a press conference Wednesday in San José, Vice Minister of Transport Rosaura Montero assured that “all human resources are in place for the official start date.”

See the Sept. 4 print or digital edition of The Tico Times for more on this story.