Latest news with #JennifferGonzález-Colón
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Climate
- Scottish Sun
Thousands without power as Hurricane Erin batters Caribbean & barrels towards US amid warnings storm will strengthen
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS were left without power after Hurricane Erin battered the Caribbean and hurtled towards the US - with the storm still expected to strengthen. The hurricane, which is now category 3, brought heavy rainfall and vicious winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Sunday, cutting power for some 100,000 locals. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 A truck drives through a flood as category 3 Hurricane Erin leaves the region in Naguabo, Puerto Rico Credit: AFP 6 Hurricane Erin from satellite view on August 17 Credit: Reuters 6 The storm left 100,000 people without power, reports say Credit: AP Luma Energy, Puerto Rico's private power grid operator, revealed that most of its customers on the island had working electricity by Sunday afternoon. The operator said on X: "As of 5:00 p.m., 92.5% of customers have electrical service. "The majority of affected customers are concentrated in the regions of Arecibo, Caguas, and San Juan, as the rain bands have been moving out of Puerto Rico." They added: "Our crews are working with precision to ensure safety and continuity of service." READ MORE WORLD NEWS MONSTER STORM Hurricane Erin intensifies to 'catastrophic' category 5 with 160mph winds The storm caused "multiple interruptions across the island", the company said earlier. Hurricane Erin also saw two divers swept amid powerful waves near St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. They had to be rescued by local crews on Sunday, authorities announced. Shocking footage showed taken by St. Croix Rescue Chief Jason Henry showed the divers being dramatically hauled over onto a boat. On the island of Sint Maarten, footage showed palm trees swaying in violent winds. Its local government said cleanup crews were clearing debris since Sunday morning. Hurricane Erin intensifies to 'catastrophic' category 5 with 160mph winds A large amount of Sargassum seaweed also reached the shore - which could contain harmful toxins poisonous to people and marine life. Erin has been labelled category 3 after multiple fluctuations in the last several days. On Saturday it was considered to be a catastrophic category 5 hurricane. Outer bands are continuing to sweep over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, pummelling coasts with heavy rain and strong winds. Rainfall was recorded between two and four inches. Up to six inches is likely to fall in some areas. Fears are mounting that this could lead to flash flooding or mudslides. 6 Large waves crashing in the Dominican Republic Credit: EPA 6 The storm caused major floods in some areas Credit: AP As of 5pm local time on Sunday, Erin was 275 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It had maximum sustained winds of 125mph, and is reportedly currently moving west. Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón warned residents to stay home if possible. There are no reports of flooding on the island so far - but the worst weather is expected to impact the region within the next six hours, officials said. Terrifying footage on X also showed heavy rain falling in Cidra in central Puerto Rico on Sunday. The hurricane is expected to strengthen in the next two days before taking a north-ward turn on Monday and Tuesday. The storm is then forecast to gradually weaken through the middle and latter half of next week as it passes between the US and Bermuda. Tropical storm warnings have been issued in Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas, according to authorities. In Sierra Bayamón, Puerto Rico, a suspension insulator broke and a conductor fell to the ground because of the stormy weather. Luma Energy also advised the public to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas, especially near downed power lines.
The Sun
a day ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Thousands without power as Hurricane Erin batters Caribbean & barrels towards US amid warnings storm will strengthen
THOUSANDS were left without power after Hurricane Erin battered the Caribbean and hurtled towards the US - with the storm still expected to strengthen. The hurricane, which is now category 3, brought heavy rainfall and vicious winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Sunday, cutting power for some 100,000 locals. 6 6 6 Luma Energy, Puerto Rico's private power grid operator, revealed that most of its customers on the island had working electricity by Sunday afternoon. The operator said on X: "As of 5:00 p.m., 92.5% of customers have electrical service. "The majority of affected customers are concentrated in the regions of Arecibo, Caguas, and San Juan, as the rain bands have been moving out of Puerto Rico." They added: "Our crews are working with precision to ensure safety and continuity of service." The storm caused "multiple interruptions across the island", the company said earlier. Hurricane Erin also saw two divers swept amid powerful waves near St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. They had to be rescued by local crews on Sunday, authorities announced. Shocking footage showed taken by St. Croix Rescue Chief Jason Henry showed the divers being dramatically hauled over onto a boat. On the island of Sint Maarten, footage showed palm trees swaying in violent winds. Its local government said cleanup crews were clearing debris since Sunday morning. Hurricane Erin intensifies to 'catastrophic' category 5 with 160mph winds A large amount of Sargassum seaweed also reached the shore - which could contain harmful toxins poisonous to people and marine life. Erin has been labelled category 3 after multiple fluctuations in the last several days. On Saturday it was considered to be a catastrophic category 5 hurricane. Outer bands are continuing to sweep over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, pummelling coasts with heavy rain and strong winds. Rainfall was recorded between two and four inches. Up to six inches is likely to fall in some areas. Fears are mounting that this could lead to flash flooding or mudslides. 6 6 As of 5pm local time on Sunday, Erin was 275 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It had maximum sustained winds of 125mph, and is reportedly currently moving west. Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón warned residents to stay home if possible. There are no reports of flooding on the island so far - but the worst weather is expected to impact the region within the next six hours, officials said. Terrifying footage on X also showed heavy rain falling in Cidra in central Puerto Rico on Sunday. The hurricane is expected to strengthen in the next two days before taking a north-ward turn on Monday and Tuesday. The storm is then forecast to gradually weaken through the middle and latter half of next week as it passes between the US and Bermuda. Tropical storm warnings have been issued in Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas, according to authorities. In Sierra Bayamón, Puerto Rico, a suspension insulator broke and a conductor fell to the ground because of the stormy weather. Luma Energy also advised the public to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas, especially near downed power lines. 6
NBC News
2 days ago
- Climate
- NBC News
Thousands without power in Puerto Rico as Hurricane Erin pummels region
Nearly 155,000 utility customers are without power in Puerto Rico as Category 3 Hurricane Erin batters the Caribbean, bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 'The adverse weather has caused multiple interruptions across the island,' Luma Energy, a power company in Puerto Rico, said on X. 'Our teams continue to work to address each situation as quickly and safely as possible.' Meanwhile, two divers who were swept away by dangerous surf near St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands had to be rescued by local crews on Sunday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Video of the rescue by St. Croix Rescue Chief Jason Henry showed the divers being pulled onto a boat. And on the island of St. Martin, video shows palm trees swaying in strong winds Saturday. Erin has been fluctuating in intensity over the past several days, and the now-Category 3 storm is expected to strengthen yet again. As of 11 a.m. ET Sunday, Erin was 200 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. It is moving west-northwest at around 13 mph. Outer bands continue to sweep over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches, with up to 6 inches likely in some areas, will be possible and could lead to flash flooding or mudslides. At a news briefing Sunday morning, Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón advised residents to stay home if they can. While there are no reports of flooding on the island so far, the worst weather is expected to impact the region within the next six hours, officials said at the briefing. González-Colón said there were currently no residents in shelters and no reports of flooding so far, but flash flooding remains a concern. She asked residents to stay home if possible. The hurricane is forecast to once again become a Category 4 later Sunday before taking a northerly turn on Monday and Tuesday. It's forecast to gradually weaken through the middle and latter half of the workweek as it passes between the U.S. and Bermuda. This would be the latest fluctuation in an already volatile storm. Erin rapidly exploded from a Category 2 storm on Friday to a massive Category 5 overnight, before weakening gradually to a Category 3 by Sunday morning. 'Some fluctuation in intensity are likely over the next couple of days, but Erin is expected to remain a dangerous major hurricane through the middle of this week,' the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. ET update on Sunday. The storm is also expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents along the East Coast and Atlantic Canada during the week. In Puerto Rico's Sierra Bayamón neighborhood, a suspension insulator broke and a conductor fell to the ground due to inclement weather conditions, Luma Energy said on Facebook. Crews are on the ground were working to repair the line on Sunday morning. Luma Energy advised the public to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas, especially near downed power lines.
The Hill
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Puerto Rico bans gender-affirming care for trans people younger than 21
Transgender Puerto Ricans younger than 21 no longer will have access to gender-affirming hormone therapy or surgeries under legislation signed this week by the U.S. territory's Republican Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón that threatens doctors with criminal penalties. The law approved late Wednesday would punish health care professionals who provide gender-affirming care to minors and young adults with a $50,000 fine per violation and a determinate prison sentence of 15 years. Doctors also would lose their licenses and permits and be permanently barred from conducting business in Puerto Rico. 'Minors, having not yet reached the necessary emotional, cognitive, and physical maturity, are particularly vulnerable to making decisions that can have irreversible consequences,' reads the law, set to take effect in October. 'Therefore, it is the State's duty to ensure their comprehensive well-being.' Under Puerto Rican law, the age of majority, or legal adulthood, begins at 21, making the island's ban on gender-affirming care for minors one of the most restrictive of any U.S. state or territory. Roughly half the nation has adopted laws since 2021 that limit access to prescription medications, such as hormones and puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgical procedures, typically for children and teens under 18. Laws passed in Alabama and Nebraska restrict care up to 19 years old, similar to an executive order signed by President Trump in January that aims to end federal support for gender-affirming care for young people. In June, the Supreme Court dealt a victory to supporters of such laws, upholding Tennessee's ban on transition-related care for minors and ruling that the state's law, contrary to the arguments of transgender civil rights advocates, does not discriminate based on sex or transgender status. Major professional medical organizations criticized the court's decision, maintaining that gender-affirming health care for both transgender adults and minors is medically necessary and can be lifesaving. Conservative Puerto Rican officials applauded González's approval of legislation restricting care, which also prohibits the use of public funds for transgender health care for minors. 'The protection of our children and the well-being of all minors is fundamental and non-negotiable!' Puerto Rican Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz, the bill's author, said Thursday on social media in a statement thanking González and the territory's Legislature for approving the measure. Schatz is affiliated with the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the Republican Party. 'Now no minor will be able to be subjected to treatment for alleged 'sex change,'' Sen. Joanne Rodríguez Veve, a member of the Proyecto Dignidad Party, wrote on Facebook. She added in an accompanying video, 'This is great news for Puerto Rico!' Organizations including the Puerto Rico Psychological Association, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Puerto Rican Association of Professional Counseling and the Puerto Rico Bar Association had encouraged González to veto the bill. In a statement on Thursday, Puerto Rico's LGBTQ+ Federation said it would challenge the new law in court. 'Let there be no doubt: We will go to court to challenge the constitutionality of the governor's cruel and inhumane signing of a law that criminalizes health professionals for caring for trans minors,' said Justin Jesús Santiago, the federation's co-director. 'What a shame!' Pedro Julio Serrano, the federation's president, said Thursday. 'With her actions, Jennif[f]er González declares herself the most anti-equity governor in history.'
New York Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Another Blackout Forces the Question of Puerto Rico's Political Future
During last week's Holy Week observations, Puerto Rico was plunged once more into darkness. One image quickly went viral: a woman at a supermarket, plugging her respiratory machine into an outlet. A private act turned into a public indictment of a broken system. Like many in the Puerto Rican diaspora, I experienced the blackout from afar through dropped calls and frantic texts, part of an all-too-familiar loop of state failure. I stayed on the phone with my mom as night fell on Wednesday, hoping to ease her sense of abandonment. Near tears, she recalled how she had spent her life working multiple jobs, saving carefully as a single mother for a modest but dignified retirement. Now, she was heating a meal on a camping stove she could barely light with her arthritic hands. 'I don't think I deserve this,' she said. She's right. This isn't the life Puerto Ricans were promised. The latest islandwide blackout is not just a technical failure; it is the most recent sign that Puerto Rico's colonial bargain has collapsed. For over half a century, its commonwealth status — under U.S. federal control but lacking full political rights — was justified by promises of security, stability and the material comforts of modern life. But through storms and earthquakes, bankruptcy and blackouts, displacement and austerity, that promise has steadily unraveled. Each flicker of the failing power grid reveals a deeper truth: the waning promise of American empire, the hollow performance of local politicians and the growing conviction that Puerto Ricans must — and will — forge a different path. At her first press conference after the blackout, Puerto Rico's newly elected governor, Jenniffer González-Colón, declared, 'Puerto Rico cannot be the island where the power is constantly going out,' and cast herself as a mere inheritor of the island's longstanding energy crisis. Yet, as a career politician, staunch Republican and public supporter of President Trump, she spent the past eight years as Puerto Rico's non-voting member of the U.S. House — a period defined by congressionally mandated financial austerity in the wake of the island's 2015 debt default, failed disaster relief and the controversial privatization of the power grid. During this time, Puerto Rico has become exactly what she now decries. That was never supposed to be the deal. In 1952, as anticolonial movements arose worldwide, Puerto Rico was cast as a showcase of American-led progress through the creation of the commonwealth status. In exchange for limited self-rule, the island received paved roads, public schools, hospitals, industry and electricity reaching even the most remote mountain towns. Power lines and reinforced concrete came to symbolize a broader political promise: that under U.S. oversight, Puerto Rico would thrive. That illusion suffered a deadly blow in August 2016, when the federal government appointed a fiscal board — the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico — in light of the country's default. Just a month later, a fire at a power plant set off the first islandwide blackouts. At the time, it felt almost quaint. Neighbors gathered in the streets. Children played outside. Many people likened it to a short story by the celebrated Puerto Rican author José Luis González, 'La Noche Que Volvimos a Ser Gente' — 'The Night We Became People Again.' At that time, I wondered if Puerto Rico was entering its own 'Special Period,' like Cuba's era of post-Soviet scarcity, marked by blackouts, food shortages and economic collapse. Now the comparison feels less speculative. The old warnings issued by those not in favor of independence — 'You don't want to end up like Cuba' or, more recently, Venezuela — no longer carry the same weight. We already live with constant blackouts, crumbling infrastructure, a housing crisis, political corruption and mass migration. What exactly are we being protected from? Yet, some Puerto Ricans still cling to the idea that deeper integration with the rest of the United States is the solution to our problems. After the latest blackout, calls to federalize the electricity grid resurfaced on social media. But what does that mean today in an era defined not by New Deal public investment but rather by DOGE-driven dismantlement in the name of efficiency? Not to mention that America's own energy grid is under mounting pressure. Since 2017, Puerto Rico has been governed by a succession of pro-statehood leaders, each echoing the promise of the 1950s: that U.S. citizenship — albeit in a full, enfranchised form — would finally bring stability, prosperity and dignity. Though they often pose as adversaries, local politicians and members of the federally appointed fiscal oversight board have advanced the same agenda: austerity, privatization and disinvestment, all while enabling speculative investments through generous tax incentives. Just this month, Gov. González-Colón proposed extending Act 60, a law that offers tax exemptions to wealthy outsiders, from 2035 to 2055. For decades, Puerto Ricans seeking independence from the United States were warned that without its protection the island would descend into chaos or dictatorship. But as the nation flirts with authoritarianism — detaining international students for expressing dissent, imprisoning migrants abroad without due process, and warning that 'homegrowns' (citizens) could be next — U.S. citizenship begins to feel less like a shield. The fear of becoming like Cuba might just be canceled out by the fear of becoming like Florida. So what comes next? Puerto Rico's future isn't being shaped in Washington or the governor's mansion. After last week's blackout, Bad Bunny — Puerto Rico's most recognizable voice — posted on X: 'When are we going to do something?' The truth is, Puerto Ricans, including Bad Bunny himself, have already done plenty. They've occupied shuttered schools and turned them into community centers. They've battled developers to reclaim public beaches. They've built grass-roots solar networks and started community farms to fight food insecurity. They even toppled a governor. And in the last election campaign, they broke with tradition, forming new voting alliances and daring to imagine new forms of governance unconstrained by Cold War-era fears. These aren't isolated acts of resistance. They signal the slow build of a new political project — one rooted in mutual aid, solidarity, sustainability and self-determination rather than dependency or tutelage. I have no romanticism about this. How could I, watching my own family pushed to the brink just to survive? But I do have conviction. And I know I'm not alone. When Bad Bunny asks, 'When are we going to do something?' he's not posing a question. He's voicing a certainty. The work has already begun. The only unknown is when we'll reap the fruit of the seeds we've already sown.
