Puerto Rico

Without enough students to fill up its classrooms, Gaspar Vila Mayans elementary, a public school seated in a low-income area in San Juan, is facing the possibility of closure.

School Closures Loom In Puerto Rico As Enrollment Shrinks After Maria

6:00am January 04, 2018

More than 22,000 students have left the island since the storm. Authorities say they'll have to make further cuts, yet some of these schools are central to their communities.

Two people swim at a beach in Vieques, Puerto Rico. One of the bays on the island is famous for its bioluminescent plankton, which are slowly recovering after Hurricane Maria.

After Maria, One Of The World's Best Bioluminescent Bays Slowly Begins To Glow Again

11:59am December 27, 2017

Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Vieques, an island 8 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. Its bioluminescent bay, a lifeline for its vital tourism industry, is starting to show signs of recovery.

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Puerto Rican coquito is traditionally made with a blend of coconut milk, rum and cinammon. The creamy, boozy rum punch is a holiday favorite to sip and to share this time of year.

National

It's Competition Season For Coquito, Puerto Rico's Boozy Holiday Treat

3:57pm December 24, 2017

by Ray Suarez

At the Coquito Masters, the competition is as stiff as the Puerto Rican cocktail. But this year, the contest has a bittersweet mission in preserving a culinary culture impacted by Hurricane Maria.

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Miosotis Castro, her husband Francisco Alvarado and their three children lost their home when Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico in September. Eventually they made their way to Providence, Rhode Island, where they've been living with relatives for t

National

For Puerto Ricans Displaced By Maria, A First Christmas Away From Home

8:24am December 24, 2017

by John Bender

Thousands of people who fled the island after Maria will celebrate the holidays elsewhere this year. For one family, that means adjusting their tropical traditions for the frigid New England winter.

Puerto Rican merengue singer Joseph Fonseca says he wrote a holiday song about generators to bring joy to people suffering through a long hurricane recovery that has left thousands dependent on generators for power.

National

In Puerto Rico, A Generator's Buzz Powers One Singer's Musical Imagination

9:16pm December 23, 2017

by Daniella Cheslow

In Puerto Rico, some people without power are relying on generators for electricity. Merengue singer Joseph Fonseca was inspired by the rumble of those machines, which led to his latest hit song.

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Haronid Cruz Felix, spokesperson of the Vieques mayor, sits in his office.

National

Puerto Rican Island 'Still In Crisis Mode' 3 Months After Maria

1:49pm December 22, 2017

The health clinic is operating, often by flashlight, out of tents. The island's bleak recovery epitomizes the unevenness of the disaster relief effort in the hurricane-devastated U.S. territory.

This photo taken last month in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shows roofs damaged by Hurricane Maria and the interior of buildings still exposed to the elements.

National

U.S. Handled Puerto Rico Hurricane Aftermath Badly, Says Refugee Group

6:14pm December 18, 2017

by Greg Allen

Refugees International cites "poor coordination and logistics on the ground." FEMA says the island's distance from the mainland caused communication and logistical challenges.

A musical group playing traditional Puerto Rican bomba music performs at a parranda in Hartford, Conn.

'We Feel Like Home': Displaced Puerto Ricans Celebrate Traditional Christmas Parranda

7:22pm December 17, 2017

by Ryan Caron King

Thousands of Puerto Ricans have moved to the U.S. mainland after Hurricane Maria. On Saturday, Hartford, Conn., welcomed some of its newcomers with a Puerto Rican Christmas tradition: a parranda.

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A truck drives past a closed section of the municipal landfill in Toa Baja, which is near Puerto Rico's capital city of San Juan.

After Maria, Puerto Rico Struggles Under The Weight Of Its Own Garbage

11:15am December 15, 2017

Even before Maria hit, most of the island's landfills were filled beyond capacity and nearly half had EPA closure orders. The storm generated millions of cubic yards of waste and debris.

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At the Casa Histórica de la Música Cayeyana — a non-profit house of music in Cayey — people come together on the weekends to sing, dance, and recite poetry.

National

'Necesitamos La Música': Puerto Ricans Recovering From Maria Embrace The Arts

5:00am December 15, 2017

by Jeff Cohen

Many Puerto Ricans are still without electricity and basic services three months after Hurricane Maria. Some are prioritizing song, dance and celebration to feel more at home again.