Latest news with #OscarPerez
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Colombian town turns main street into giant slide to boost image
STORY: :: Bucarasica, Colombia :: This Colombian town transforms a main street into a giant water slide to improve its image and attract visitors :: June 1, 2025 :: The annual event offers a fresh start to the town, which has a history of violent conflict and illicit activity :: Oscar Perez, Mayor, Bucarasica 'This idea was hatched during a political campaign with the community. The community had this idea to attract people because, as you see, our town is small and people don't have much to do. This slide has impacted tourism, and we've become viral.' Bucarasica, a town with some 6,000 residents located in the Norte de Santander region, has created a space in the annual calendar for June 1, when residents get together to set up a giant slide to attract visitors and send the world a more positive image of the region. Norte de Santander previously made headlines due to the violent conflict affecting the Catatumbo region between ELN (National Liberation Army) guerrillas and dissident factions of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). The area, rich in natural resources and bordering Venezuela, is strategically significant for both illegal drug trafficking and illicit mining. The event, which featured a motorcade, started last year as a campaign promise from Mayor Oscar Perez to amuse residents. Eventually, with the support of social media influencers who came to visit the attraction, it became popular beyond their regional borders.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Providence police academy slated to get underway in June
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Providence's 73rd police training academy is set to get underway, 'sometime in June,' according to Col. Oscar Perez. Perez told Providence City Council's Committee on Finance on Wednesday that the department received about 400 applications during its recruitment period last fall. He added that the department just completed background checks for 40 of the recruits being offered a spot on the academy. A portion of the academy was paid for in the current fiscal year, with the remaining balance of about $2.4 million owed in the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1. Last year, Mayor Brett Smiley increased the city's contribution to the schools by $3 million. In order to find extra money for the schools, Smiley agreed to cut vacant proposed positions and some raises, in addition to waiting to hold the police academy until at least May of this year to be able to delay some of those costs. Perez said the department had 445 full-time sworn officers at the end of last year, and are currently at 440. The chief said ideally, he'd like the department to be closer to 500 full-time sworn officers. Perez noted 20 of the 40 positions on the academy would be funded by a Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Hiring Program Grant from the US Department of Justice. The federal grant provides up to $125,000 per officer for a three-year period. RELATED: Providence Fire Department cuts millions in overtime costs, prepares to see highest staffing levels in years The police department's overall proposed budget increased by 6%, from $111.5 million to $118.7 million in fiscal year 2026. City councilors asked Perez why the department's budget for callback increased for the upcoming fiscal year and why overtime was projected to increase in fiscal year 2027. 'It's so many different factors,' Perez said. The chief said currently 129 officers are eligible to retire — an issue that became exacerbated from not holding any academies from 2010 to 2014. 'People are just aging out,' Perez added. Providence is anticipating generating about 10% more revenue, or about $1.3 million, from the city's police department, largely due to money from police red light cameras and school zone traffic cameras. The state-run Providence Public School District currently has a contract with BusPatrol, and previously launched a school bus safety program. All district buses are equipped with stop-arm enforcement cameras to detect vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses and share the evidence with law enforcement to review for potential violations. In Rhode Island, the penalty is $250 for a first-time offense and up to $500 for subsequent offenses, with no license points. Deputy Finance Director Krystle Lindberg explained that in March alone, the cameras generated about $183,000 in revenue, which she described as 'a significant pickup.' Committee members were surprised to learn the vendor receives 75% of the revenue generated from the violations, with the remaining 25% being split between the city and the state. The Smiley administration unveiled a slew of proposed fines and fees to reporters ahead of the mayor's budget proposal address earlier this month. In all, city officials estimated the proposed changes could bring in $1.9 million in additional revenue — both administrative and by ordinance — largely generated by the police department. On Thursday, the City Council will be presented several proposed ordinances that would increase fines and fees across the city. The Committee on Ordinances would vet the proposals and vote on them before getting approval from the full council. RELATED: Providence mayor seeks to raise fines for parking, pet violations, plus some license and permit fees The finance committee also heard from the city's telecommunications department on Thursday, whose proposed budget increased by nearly $700,000, or about 6%, for a total of about $11.8 million. Director David Radcliffe explained that the city defunded a telephone technician position and a customer service operator position in an effort to fund a radio repair technician role. Radcliffe also said the department is also working to fill a vacant control center operator position, and explained that when vacant, can generate overtime 'at a substantial rate.' He said there's a lot of turnover in the department, and that some people are 'just not cut out for it.' 'It's a very stressful position, a very taxing career,' Radcliffe said. 'You listen to people dying on the phone.' Residents will get their first opportunity to weigh in on Smiley's proposed budget next week. The first of two public hearings on the proposed budget is scheduled for May 6 at Providence City Hall at 5:30 p.m. RELATED: Providence taxpayers confront Mayor Smiley at State House tax levy hearing In advance of the public hearing, the city released a new online calculator on Tuesday so residents can estimate how much their tax bill would cost under the proposed new levy. The city noted that the estimator is intended for informational purposes only, and results that are generated are based on the information provided and may not reflect the actual tax liability. Smiley spokesperson Josh Estrella said the tax calculator was created to help residents gain more clarity and understand what their tax bills could look like if the proposed budget is approved. Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. 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