Our hearts go out to Mayra Alvarado Driessen, whose apartment burned to the ground last night. She was lucky to escape with her life, and with her dogs safely in tow.
She is, however, left with nothing, said JP Driessen. Anyone wishing to contact her can do so via her Facebook profile, as “her phone is black and crispy”, he said.
For those of you who wish to help with a contribution, please send a personal message to JP Driessen.
2 June 2012 | 1:44pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
Pura Vida Ride’s Second Annual Paddle Battle, once again setting off from beautiful Playa Danta, is just a few weeks away.
The event, slated for Saturday, June 23rd,supports La Paz Community School’s “Guardians of La Paz”.
Pura Vida Ride has recommended that anyone hoping to rent a stand up paddle board for their upcoming race reserve their board in advance.
Rental rates are $20 for the race or $50 for the whole day.
Hotel Sugar Beach, about 1km south of Danta, and Hotel Bahia del Sol, which is just 4km south, are both offering 20 percent discounts to racers who mention the “Pura Vida Ride Paddle Battle” when making their reservations.
Email contact@puravidaride.com to make a reservation for a board and mention which race you’ll be participating in.
More information about the race can be found at Pura Vida Ride.
1 June 2012 | 3:31pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
Judicial Police (OIJ) yesterday arrested three people and seized $1 million hidden in a rental cabina in Abangares, a small town near Liberia, Guanacaste.
OIJ officers were acting on an anonymous tip and had been monitoring activity of the three suspects—two Costa Rican nationals and one Mexican citizen—hours before a Costa Rican judge authorized their arrest.
A 4x4 vehicle belonging to one of the suspects was also confiscated.
Director of the OIJ Jorge Rojas confirmed the operation’s success, but declined to comment where the money was from or why the arrest was made.
1 June 2012 | 2:53pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
Patrick Pierson: Get Living
“This storm was quite striking being it took place at night…” | Head forecaster with the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) Werner Stolz discussing a powerful electrical storm which lit up last night’s sky over Alajuela.
The storm, which lasted for about three hours ending around 8:30pm, said Stolz, though typical of the rainy season, was much stronger than anything the Central Valley usually receives.
Stolz attributed the storm’s strength to both low pressure in the area combined with an “anticlónica” or high pressure ridge.
31 May 2012 | 12:06pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
The grassroots movement dedicated to paving Potrero’s main road, aka National Route 911, are urging anyone with video footage, photos, statistics and other information regarding the road or its current state please post in the Problematica Calle de Potrero online forum.
“We need to create an archive of all the information, photos, statistics, videos and all supporting evidence of the problem with which we are living,” said one of the group’s organizers, Wendy Abarca, who added the local Howler Magazine has offered the group space for an article with photos.
30 May 2012 | 2:29pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
¡AL CHILE!
“De mi barrio a tu barrio”
Goethe Institute Art Project
San José
Photo: plume-de-vie
29 May 2012
“I spoke with the person in charge at CONAVI, they explained to me there are no funds to [grade the roads] since they were all put toward the famous San Juan River highway….” | Antonio “Tony” Maklouf Coto, member of the Potrero Association, who today urged Potrero residents to request an emergency intervention from the National Roadways Council (CONAVI), accompanied by photos showing the current state of Potrero’s main road.
Maklouf said this is a possible albeit short-term solution.
27 May 2012 | 3:26pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
One person remains missing after a raft carrying 15 people flipped over earlier today on the Pejibaye River, near Cartago.
Red Cross officials say the rafting party was made up of Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) employees and many of those rescued presented symptoms of hypothermia.
One woman rescued was taken to hospital for further examination.
26 May 2012 | 7:34pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
Abriendo Mentes: Potrero Kite Project
While there is a new effort by Problematica Calle de Potrero to improve the roads in the area, we wanted to give you an update on a similar course of action set into play by Raymond Gertz earlier this year.
In February a “Demand for Paving Route 911” petition was posted around town for signatures and then sent to CONAVI.
Carlos Acosta Monge of the organization confirmed receiving the document, notifying interested parties it would be passed onto another department. Unfortunately, Acosta Monge can no longer be contacted since leaving the department, reportedly due to a CONAVI/MOPT corruption scandal.
Efforts are now being made to pursue the new officials over this matter.
In the meantime, we are working on getting a number of email addresses of the appropriate officials, so you can contact them directly with any complaints on the current state of our roads.
26 May 2012 | 9:48am
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
Tonight’s gonna be a good one, so get ready for some good eats, live music and the entertaining talents of some local singers!
Local Legends will be playing at The Shack tonight starting at 7:30pm. But be sure to get there in time to grab a bite too since the special tonight is their classic cheeseburger and fries for 3000c.
Singers (and probably some dancers) of all ranges will be in the numbers tonight at El Castillo with Zapata’s Karaoke running the show. The curtain opens at 9pm.
Have fun kids and see you on the dance floor!
26 May 2012 | 9:18am
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
A public meeting to discuss the state of Potrero’s main road will take place this Sunday from 9am to 11am, at the Potrero soccer field.
Organizers of the protest movement, Problematica Calle de Potrero, will be meeting with the president of the Asociación Comunal de Potrero, Onias Contreras,and are encouraging both locals and foreign residents to attend the meeting.
“[The president of the Association] is really the person we need to support, but we need the entire pueblo to be behind what he says,” said Vanessa Mata, a member of the movement.
This is a national road and the National Roadways Council (CONAVI) needs to address this issue; we cannot go to the Municipality for anything, said Wendy Abarca.
According to Contreras, the previous contract to grade the road every three months has long expired. He said is currently waiting for a quote for an immediate grading to be done with local machinery.
“We need to take it to the Ministry [MOPT] or the President,” said Ms Abarca, adding Mr Contreras will be on hand Sunday specifically to discuss how to address the issue.
25 May 2012 | 2:21pm
Potrero Post
Costa Rica
Gotan Project: Milonga de amor
