Astronomy Workshop
By Professor José Alberto Villalobos, Feb. 12-14, Palo Verde National Park, Guanacaste. Info: 2233-7701, 2258- 3583, www.cientec.or.cr.

Sports, Arts, and Human Development Workshops
Including dances, belly dance, hidoponics, acting, chess, fencing, karate, judo, swimming, ping pong, yoga, massage, for people older than 17, registration deadline Feb. 12, starting Feb. 15, Universidad Nacional, 2277-3201, 2277-3202, 2277-3239.

Puntarenas Carnival
Through Feb. 21. See the Calendar in this week's Tico Times for a program of the festivities.

WWE Road to Wrestlemania
Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium, Alajuela. Info: www.specialticket.net. 

Run/walk financial aid fundraiser for local students
The Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, known locally as the Centro de Educación Creativa, is hosting the fourth annual Carrera Creativa, to raise money for its Financial Aid Fund, 10K loop through Monteverde, Feb. 13, 9 a.m., downtown Santa Elena, support@cloudforestschool.org. 

Classical concert
By singers of Danilo Chaves Academy, Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Casa de la Cultura Alfredo González Flores, Heredia, 2261-4485.

Museums of the Central Bank 60th Anniversary
Food, Latin music by Lubin Barahona Band, workshops, Feb. 14, 10 a.m., Plaza de la Cultura.

10th Have a Heart Charity Golf Tournament
Feb. 14, shotgun start at 8:30 a.m., Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course, south of Tamarindo, Guanacaste. Info: 2653-0270 or 8825-2127.

“El Ogrito”
Play for children, Sat., 3 p.m.; Sun., noon and 3 p.m., Sala Garbo, Av. 2, Ca. 28, 2222-1034.

?Happy Valentine's Day?

Latin ballad concert
By Rogelio Cisneros, Feb. 12-13, 8 p.m.; Feb. 14, 7 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater.

Romantic dinners
Including 2x1 on glasses of wine, 50% off of wine bottles, live music on Feb. 14, Feb. 12-14, La Casona, 100 m. west, 100 m. south of Double Tree Hilton Hotel, Ciudad Cariari, Heredia, 2589-2224.

Valentine's concert
By Lucho Muñoz, Feb. 12, 8 p.m., Castillo Country Club, 2267-7111, ext.101 and 107. Also, Feb. 13, 8 p.m., Salón El Lago, Grecia. 

Love Fest
Romantic music concert with international singers such as Luis Fonsi, Noel Schajris, La Quinta Estación, Feb. 13, 8 p.m., Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, Tibás. Info: tickets at 2206-7770, www.specialticket.net. 

Valentine's Dinner
Feb. 13, 8 p.m., Hotel La Posada, Hacienda Pinilla, Guanacaste, 2681-4318. 

“Songs of Love”
Valentine's Concert by MasterKey, Bernardo Quesada, José Cañas and Frank Artavia, Feb. 14, 5 p.m., Cine Magaly, Barrio La California. Reservations at 8350-3155, https://www.entretenimiento.co.cr/default.aspx

Concert by Crystal Lewis
Feb. 14, 4 p.m., Crowne Plaza Corobicí Hotel, 2232-8122, ext. 267.

The Costa Rican Red Cross shipped more than 100 tons of supplies to Haiti on Friday from the Caribbean port of Limón. The goods will be delivered to the Dominican Republic and distributed throughout Haiti from there.

The shipment, which comes one month after a 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti, includes water, food and toiletries, all of which were donated to the Costa Rican Red Cross by individuals, associations and companies.

The freight is valued at ₡ 170 million ($312,500).

On Friday morning, young Red Cross volunteers transferred the supplies from semi-truck trailers to the ocean vessel in Limón.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Costa Rican Red Cross had received more than ₡ 588 million (more than $1 million) in cash donations of which almost ₡ 340 million (nearly $625,000) has been directed to the International Red Cross for assistance in humanitarian and medical relief efforts in Haiti.

The Costa Rican Red Cross will continue to accept donations for Haiti through next Monday, Feb. 15.

For more information on how to help Haiti, visit http://www.ticotimes.net/haiti.htm

Foreign direct investment is a key contributor to the Costa Rican economic makeup. With that in mind, Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) officials are trying to attract more foreign companies to invest here.

To that end, PROCOMER will sponsor the “Costa Rica Investment World,” an international investment promotion fair on April 14 and 15 at the Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura in San José. The fair will be the first of its kind in Central America.

“This is the first of this type of event to be held in our region,” said Emmanuel Hess, general manager of PROCOMER. “It should boost investment in Costa Rica and, above all, it will assist us to promote the revised free-trade zone laws in the country. The new policies have given us the opportunity to promote the remote areas of the country.”

In December, the Legislative Assembly approved a reform of the free-trade zone law to begin to provide incentives and lower tax rates to companies that establish operations in areas outside of the Central Valley, such as Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Limón and the southern part of the country. In response to the restructuring of the law, PROCOMER intends to promote the incentives to companies interested in establishing operations in Costa Rica.

According to the promotions office, more than 100 foreign investors, 70 local suppliers and 23 multinational companies have committed to attend the event.

“All the big multinational companies will be present at Costa Rica Investment World,” said Albán Sánchez, director of PROCOMER's Provee Program.

Sánchez said that Intel, Boston Scientific, Hewlett-Packard, Bridgestone and a host of other multinational companies with Costa Rican operations will be present at the fair.

To promote Costa Rica as a destination for investment, PROCOMER will emphasize the advantages of creating operations in the country. These pluses include the country's push for environmental sustainability, national efforts geared towards carbon neutrality, a stable political climate and the lush landscape, referred to as a “natural paradise”.

“We hope that in the two days that the companies are here, they will learn the benefits of investing here and the strengths of the business community the country has established,” said Carola Medina, investment executive for PROCOMER. “We hope that foreign investors will realize why they should choose to invest in Costa Rica ahead of other destinations.”

In 2009, the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) announced that 29 foreign companies entered or enhanced operations in the country, accounting for more than $304 million in investment and creating 5,729 jobs.

Friends and family of the late José Joaquín Trejos will gather at the Metropolitan Cathedral Friday at 11 a.m. for the former president's funeral, remembering the leader who focused on getting the country's finances in order.

Trejos died at age 93 of natural causes on Wednesday in his home in Montes de Oca.

His son, former legislator Juan José Trejos, told local newspapers that his father's health had been deteriorating since he had been in a car accident last year, but that it had worsened this past week.

Trejos, who was president from 1966 to 1970, was the only president elected from the National Unity Party. An academic who taught mathematics at the University of Costa Rica, Trejos, a neophyte in the political realm, defeated seasoned politician and former President Daniel Oduber.

His support came from an alliance formed by the Republican Party (the Calderonistas) and the National Unity Party (Ulatistas), a significant partnership because those parties had stood at opposite ends during the armed uprising in 1948.

“(Trejos) is a great leader who did much to unite the Costa Rican family,” said former President Rafael Angel Calderón. “His legacy will be that of a man who defended his principles of Christian humanism, rectitude and honesty.”

The Trejos administration is remembered for its fight to balance the budget, creation of the Banco Popular and the National Power and Light Company (CNFL), passage of a law to bar presidential re-election (which was repealed in 2003, [paving the way for the re-election of Oscar Arias) and progress on a handful of infrastructure projects, such as the carretera rustico roadway to Limón and the Inter-American Highway.

Known for his campaign slogan, “ manos limpias, ” or clean hands, a term he adopted to market the fact he hadn't dirtied himself in politics, Trejos was widely respected for his honesty and openness.

“José Joaquín showed that the exercise of political power can be transparent,” said President-elect Laura Chinchilla. “He is certainly an example to follow.”

His death comes after that of former President Rodrigo Carazo (1978-1982), who passed away less than two months ago of heart complications.