●
Aug
31
Is there a second Puerto Viejo victim of “Big Bill”?
Posted by Editor | August 31, 2010 | Tags: Crime & Punishment | 7 Comments
Holbert and Reese remain in custody in Panama.Panama writer Don Winner has now written that he believes there is a second victim buried in the Puerto Viejo area at another house rented by William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese when they lived in the area several years ago.
When he put together the facts of the body found under a concrete slab in 2007 as being a victim of Holbert and Reese, there was one fact that didn’t make sense. Stacie Duckworth, the one-time friend of Holbert and Reese, recounted a story to Winner of visiting a house they were renting and when she saw a pile of fresh earth said “Damn, Bill, that looks like a grave.”
But Duckworth has now confirmed to Winner that this wasn’t the house in Playa Negra where they body was found by investigators in November 2007. In fact, the house was a vacation home called the “Monkey House” which is in Playa Cocles (near the Pecora Negra restaurant). This was rented by Holbert on March 28, 2007 using fake identification from the Cayman Islands with the name “William Julius Caesar”.
While there doesn’t appear to be any other evidence yet suggesting that someone was buried there other than Duckworth’s sighting of the pile of fresh earth, it does seem to be worth further investigation given the widening scope of the killings.
Aug
25
In Search of Captain Zero
Posted by Editor | August 25, 2010 | Tags: Arts & Culture | 2 Comments
The New York Surf Film Festival will include the film “Being Captain Zero” based on the memoir “In Search of Captain Zero” by Allan Weisbecker.
The film by Ama MacDonald is a movie about two friends from very different backgrounds who grew up surfing together in 1950’s Montauk, New York. Allan Weisbecker and Patrick Abrams. In the 1970’s, their friendship turned to criminal enterprise. They began transporting multi ton shipments of Marijuana from Columbia & Jamaica into the United States by both sea and air. The violence of the emerging cocaine trade and the threat of the DEA, forced them to separate. They made a pact to keep their destinations secret, even from each other.
Allan moved to Hollywood and cashed in on his marijuana running experiences by writing for “Miami Vice”. Patrick moved to Puerto Viejo, a town along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, in search of the fastest and most dangerous wave in Central America. Salsa Brava. After 20 years Allan sold his home and bought a truck with a camper and went looking for his old friend Patrick in Costa Rica. On this trip Allan wrote “In Search of Captain Zero”. It is a memoir combining their drug running exploits with the adventure of looking for his old partner. Patrick. Upon his arrival in Puerto Viejo Allan was shocked to see what had become of his old friend. What Allan saw would shake the very foundation of their friendship.
Aug
14
Panama Reporter Identifies 2007 Puerto Viejo Murder Victim as Jeffrey Kline
Posted by Editor | August 14, 2010 | Tags: Crime & Punishment | 1 Comment
Jeffrey Kline in a photograph from DeadBeatsIllinois.com, a website identifying parents delinquent on child support payments
Don Winner, writing for Panama-Guide.com, says he has identified the victim found in November 2007 in Puerto Viejo.
Recounting a chilling interview with previous Puerto Viejo residents Allan and Stacie Duckworth, Winner relates the Duckworth’s story of where they realized that now accused serials killers William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese were dangerous and they fled with some of Holbert and Reese’s papers.
Among those papers were documents clearly belonging to Wisconsin lawyer Jeffrey A. Kline and this fact along with a number of other facts from the Duckworth’s as well as the physical description of the victim found have led Winner to conclude that Kline must be the victim who was found buried under a concrete slab in Puerto Viejo.
But although Kline seems to be absent from Wisconsin and being pursued both by the bar association their and his ex-wife for child support, he wasn’t ever reported missing. But the facts seem to line up that those that knew Kline in Wisconsin actually assumed he was deliberately on the run from his old life and so they didn’t report him missing. It also makes him a perfect victim for Holbert and Reese who seemed to have killed a startling number of ex-pats who had moved to Central America, cutting ties with their old lives, and who nobody really noticed when they went missing.
The Costa Rican investigators (the OIJ) have yet to comment on this or state if they will exhume and test the remains against records for Kline.
Aug
13
Detailed Arte Viva 2010 Program
Posted by Editor | August 13, 2010 | Tags: Arts & Culture | Leave a Comment
The detailed program for Arte Viva (Aug 20-31) is out.
Running to 5 pages there’s something for everyone! Every day of the festival is packed with activities.
Download the complete program here.
Aug
10
Panama Serial Killer Linked to Puerto Viejo Death
Posted by Editor | August 10, 2010 | Tags: Crime & Punishment | 7 Comments
Holbert been led off the plane in Panama after his extradition from NicaraguaA link has been made between an unsolved 2007 Puerto Viejo murder and the serial killer couple William “Big Bill” Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese.
Holbert and Reese, both American citizens, have been linked to two bodies found in Bocas del Toro, Panama of other expatriate residents of the Bocas del Toro area. Holbert has apparently also admitted to investigators that he killed 5 people. They were captured as they tried to enter Nicaragua from Costa Rica 2 weeks ago and extradited back to Panama.
Holbert and Reese were known to have lived in Puerto Viejo in the Punta Uva area before moving to Panama. They apparently ran a local bar with two other Americans, Alan and Stacie Duckworth, and told others that the four of them were going to start a business together in Panama. When the news came out of their connection with Holbert and Reese, it had some speculating that the Duckworths could also have been victims. However Don Winner, writing for Panama-Guide.com, managed to track them down and verify that although they did spend several months with Holbert and Reese they ended up going their separate ways.
But questions then began to be asked about the unsolved 2007 murder in Puerto Viejo. In a separate article Don Winner interviews the couple who owned the vacation home and rented it out through a local real estate agency. It turned out that the home had been leased for 3 months ”sometime in the Spring or Summer of 2007″ to a couple, “Big Bill and Michelle”, known aliases of Holbert and Reese. The renters ended up leaving after only 3 weeks of the 3 month rental.
The body was found when the owners returned in the fall of 2007 and discovered a new concrete patio had been installed that they knew nothing about. When they had workers tear it up, the body was discovered. The Costa Rican police still have been able to identify the victim in that case but at least it now appears the likely murderers have been caught.
For more on this story, follow the detailed news articles at www.panama-guide.com.
Aug
10
Mountain Bike Event Coming to Puerto Viejo October 17
Posted by Editor | August 10, 2010 | Tags: Community Calendar, Sports | Leave a Comment
| October 17, 2010 |
PromoBike and Maxi’s Restaurant will again be sponsoring a mountain biking event in Puerto Viejo on the 17th of October.
The event will include a 74km long route and a 38km short route for riders. There will be lots of hydration stations as well as a party planned afterward.
Last years event included a route which went through the Talamanca Mountains and included a total elevation gain of 792m. While this year’s route has not yet been published, riders can expect again to be challenged!
More information is available on the event web page.
Aug
6
Arteviva Poster and Calendar Released
Posted by Editor | August 6, 2010 | Tags: Arts & Culture | Leave a Comment
The Arteviva festival, running from Aug 20 to 31, have now been finalized their poster and you should be seeing it up around town soon.
The program which includes a huge variety of activities is here:
More information is available at www.arteviva-puertoviejo.com.
Aug
5
Fire at Telephone Office in Limon Cuts Off Puerto Viejo and Cahuita Service
Posted by Editor | August 5, 2010 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | 4 Comments
New telecommunications equipment was flown into Limon to restore service. Photo by Guillermo Solano, courtesy of La Nación
A fire at the ICE Telephone Company building in Limon on Tuesday night left thousands of Caribbean residents without phone, internet and cellular services. ICE said services were restored by 3pm Wednesday but some reported continuing problems after this.
The fire took out landline, internet and users on the old cellular network. While the GSM cellular network was not affected it was overburdened and often not available either.
The agency flew in new equipment and worked first on restoring 9-1-1 emergency services.
More: Tico Times: Telecommunication blackout paralyzes Limón, La Nación: Incendio en agencia colapsó telecomunicaciones en Limón
Jul
30
Lionfish threaten Caribbean Reefs
Posted by Editor | July 30, 2010 | Tags: Environment | Leave a Comment
 Red lionfish. File photo courtesy of La Nación |
The venomous lionfish is being spotted more and more frequently along the Caribbean coast. The non-native fish is native to the Pacific but has somehow made the jump into the Caribbean and has been spotted all up and down the Central American Caribbean coast.
The red lionfish was only noticed for the first time by scientists in Costa Rica’s Caribbean waters a year ago but already the fish has now been spotted all up and down the coast.
Another species of lionfish, the Fire Fish, has not so far been spotted in the Caribbean waters. But it is actually one of the only predators of the red lion fish which has few predators in the Caribbean. It’s only other predators are grouper and sharks but due to it’s recent introduction it is so far remaining mostly untouched.
The fish has venomous spikes which can be very painful when stung although very rarely fatal. The symptoms could also include headaches, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. A common treatment is soaking the afflicted area in hot water, as very few hospitals carry specific treatments. However, immediate emergency medical treatment is still advised, as some people are more susceptible to the venom than others.
But this is not the only problem with the lionfish. It is also a voracious eater which can decimate other fish populations.
Local divemasters have been killing the fish on sight. In some jurisdictions, such as Cozumel in Mexico, a bounty has been placed on the fish to aid in its control but not so far in Costa Rica.
More information:
Jul
19
More Now Accepted for Recycling!
Posted by Editor | July 19, 2010 | Tags: Community Calendar, Community News, Environment | Comments Off
| July 31, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am |
The Recycling Alliance has expanded the types of solid waste that it is collecting on the Caribbean Coast. Nearly everything can now be recycled. Recycle for a safer community and environment!
The following clean and separated items are now accepted:
- Glass bottles (topless)
- Aluminum and clean metal cans
- Plastic Bottles Pet (#1)
- and all other plastics; separated and CLEAN: jugs,gallons, food containers, bags from the super markets,
- Tetrapak! AKA Wine boxes or juice boxes and that metal-plastic bags examples: bags from coffee, powered milk, cookie and potato chip wrappers if they are that shiny metal!
- Cardboard, dry, separated, and broken down
- Office paper, dry separated packed in plastic bags, remove staples please
- Newspaper and magazines! Dry and separated
- Car batteries
- Used cooking oil
Collection Schedule:
Mondays: From Cahuita to Hone Creek
Tuesdays: From Manzanillo to Rockin’ Jay’s on the edge of Puerto Viejo
Wednesdays: Puerto Viejo to Black Beach
Thursdays: Collections from Banana Farms
Fridays: 1st and 3rd of the month: BriBri, 2nd of the month: Gandoca, 4th of the month: to the Indigenous Territory including Volio, Rancho Grande, Shiroles, Suretka, Bambu, Chase
Businesses and individuals can bring their recyclable materials to the Solid Waste Transfer Center in Patiño any time. The Center is open during normal business hours.
The Recycling Alliance is sponsoring an event on Saturday, the 31st of July at the Super Hone Creek starting at 9AM. The event is the first of several called “Talamanca Reciclando por la Vida” Or “Talamanca Recycling for Life”. It’s a grand opening of a community recycling deposit at the Super in Hone Creek. There will be music and information. Bring in your clean, separated recyclables and learn more about what’s going in with recycling in Talamanca.
Due to the new Integrated Waste Management Bill passed in Costa Rica in May, 2010, separation of solid waste is required for households as well as businesses (see article below…) The Recycling Alliance encourages other communities and community members to create their own community recycling points or “Puntos Verdes.”
More information is available on all these initiatives at www.greencoast.com.
Jul
16
ArteViva coming Aug 20-31
Posted by Editor | July 16, 2010 | Tags: Arts & Culture, Community Calendar | Comments Off
| August 20, 2010 |
ArteViva is a music and arts festival, as well as a free permanent educational program in arts for the people of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica.
ArteViva 2010 is finally happening! EDACS, the Association that traditionally promotes the festival, has set up an alliance with the Asociación Desarrollo Integral de Puerto Viejo (Puerto Viejo Development Association) in order to organize the Carnaval ArteViva 2010, from the 20th to the 31st of August.
The festival will feature live music with well known national bands, theatre, folkloric dance, art exhibitions, culinary events, sport tournaments, circus, alternative medicine workshops and much more. More importantly we shall involve every educational center in the South Caribbean with workshops and students exhibitions.
Stay tuned for more festival information or go to their website to pledge support. If you have ideas on ways to contribute to the event or would like to sign on as a sponsoring business, you can contact Claudio Ambroso at 8842 1741 from 1 a 6 pm or Stash Golan at 8385 6887 o by email to artenelcaribe@yahoo.com
Jul
16
Dry Weather Ahead for Caribe Sur
Posted by Editor | July 16, 2010 | Tags: Environment | Comments Off
Costa Rica’s National Meteorological Institute (IMN) is predicting that 2010 will be a drier than average year for the South Caribbean zone of Costa Rica.
While on the Pacific side, the El Nino effect is expected to bring much more rain than average (40% higher than average for the Central Pacific, 45% higher for the North Pacific and 20% higher for the South Pacific), the South Caribbean side will get about 15% less rain than normal and the North Caribbean side (Tortuguero) about 5% below normal.
The INM forecast for June, July and August by region of Costa Rica. The first number in the parenthesis is the expected deviation from the normal rainfall, the second number is the maximum deviation possible. Puerto Viejo and Cahuita are in the brown area expected to be in a dry (seco) pattern.
Jul
14
Bocas Shuttle Services Running Again
Posted by Editor | July 14, 2010 | Tags: Transport | Comments Off
With the strike and protests over, regular service on the shuttles between Costa Rica and Bocas del Toro started running again today.
Current schedules can be found on www.geckotrail.com/shuttle.htm where you can also make a reservation for any of the shuttle companies.
More information on getting to Bocas either by shuttle or independently can always be found on the Puerto Viejo Transportation page.
Jul
12
Roads Reopen to Bocas as Situation Calms
Posted by Editor | July 12, 2010 | Tags: Government and Politics, Transport | Comments Off
Things have calmed down around Changuinola, Panama, as negotiations continue between union leaders, the Panamanian government and the Bocas Banana Company. The Changuinola Airport is open again. The curfew has been lifted and business are opening there doors again. The roads are open and traffic is flowing freely again for now.
The governor of the northern Panamanian province of Bocas del Toro, Bonifacio Abrego, said Sunday that he had decided against declaring a curfew for the city of Changuinola. Abrego said that calm had returned to the city after three days of violent confrontation between striking banana workers and police. The province of Bocas del Toro borders Costa Rica on the Caribbean coast.
Meanwhile, the Panamanian president, Ricardo Martinelli, vowed that he would uphold the controversial Law 30, which was the cause of the strike.
On Saturday, the Panamanian government ordered the reopening of the Changuinola airport, and police confirmed that the highway that connects the city to the rest of the country had been cleared. The road had been blocked for three days by strikers.
“The problems in Changuinola have been the product of misinformation and a series of lies,” Martinelli said in a press statement issued Sunday. “The intransigence of a group of trade unionists can not end with the banana industry in Changuinola.”
The conflict emerged when the Bocas Fruit Company withheld the portion of workers’ salaries that normally goes toward paying union fees. The company subtracted the union membership fee in response to a recently enacted law that makes such fees optional.
“The government regrets the misunderstanding on the part of this company,” the Martinelli administration said in a press statement. “It is not in the power of this business, nor any other, to retain workers’ salaries because it constitutes a violation of workers’ rights.”
Under the law, the employees must decide whether to pay membership fees and the decision cannot be made for them by their employers.
The protest ended Sunday, when the government signed an agreement with the striking workers. According to the document posted on the Panamanian government website, the original law will not be changed, yet, the government committed to providing more resources to help workers confront the high cost of living.
While roads and the border are open again, shuttle companies such as Caribe Shuttle are holding off on resuming service for a few days while they monitor the situation and make sure the route is safe to travel.
Sources: Caribe Shuttle, Tico Times.
Jul
11
Free English Course / Curso de Ingles Gratis
Posted by Editor | July 11, 2010 | Tags: Community Calendar, Community News | Comments Off
| July 13, 2010 | ||
| 8:30 am | to | 12:00 pm |
The Tourism Association of the South Caribbean (CATCAS) is offering free English course to employees of its members. The 3 hour/twice weekly courses begin Tuesday July 13 at 8:30am and will continue Tuesday and Thursday mornings for 3 to 4 months.
El Cámara de Turismo de Caribe Sur les informara a todos los interesados que el curso gratis de ingles practico se iniciara el próximo martes 13 de julio a las 8:30 am. Los clases continuaran cada martes y jueves para 3 o 4 meses. Están gratis para empleados de los asociados de CATCAS.
The courses will take place at Koki Beach Restaurant in Puerto Viejo and will be taught by Steven Polk. Los cursos estaran en Restaurante Koki Beach en Puerto Viejo. El maestro sera Steven Polk.
For more information or to register call 2223 1213 during office hours or email turismocaribesur@yahoo.com. Para más información o para registrar llame a 2223 1213 (hrs de oficina) o envía correo electrónico a turismocaribesur@yahoo.com.
|
|
| |
| |
