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Morning Brief

Following Puerto Rico closely: the day’s news, live island conditions, and practical guides.

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  1. Federal Agents Arrest Three Men in Puerto Rico for Child Sexual ExploitationCrime & SafetyEl Nuevo Día
  2. Barceloneta Hit by KFC, Taco Bell Closures as IHOP Cuts HoursBusinessWAPA TV
  3. Vimenti to Hold Free Job Fair in San Juan This FridayBusinessEl Nuevo Día
  4. Oversight Board Defends Two Key Experts in PREPA Bondholders DisputePoliticsMetro PR
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  1. Puerto Rico Education Secretary Says Schools Open Thursday Despite Teachers’ ProtestCommunityEl Nuevo Día
  2. Former Puerto Rico Housing Director Files FBI Complaint Over Forged Certifications Using Her SignaturePoliticsTelemundo PR
  3. How Will Divided Government in Washington Affect Puerto Rico?PoliticsTelemundo PR
  4. MIDA Warns Puerto Rico Supermarkets’ Power Costs Could Raise Food PricesBusinessTelemundo PR
  5. Federal Agents Raid Santurce Residence Over Alleged Drug ActivityCrime & SafetyWAPA TV
  6. Briefs6 shorter storiesSports scores
  7. FirstBank Marks 78 Years with Fifth 'UNO te da la Mano' Volunteer Day Across Puerto RicoCommunityTelemundo PR
  8. Poems by Ponce Poet Margarita Sastre de Balmaceda Become Songs in 'Un inmenso suspiro'CultureEl Nuevo Día
  9. Seven AMA Buses and a Tren Urbano Car Become Moving Art in BayamónCultureEl Nuevo Día
  10. Telemundo Puerto Rico Launches Christmas Season with New Jingle "Llegó la Fiesta, llegó la Alegría"CultureTelemundo PR
  11. Marian Pabón Joins a New Generation of Talent in 'Spelling Bee: The Musical Comedy' in SanturceCulturePrimera Hora
  12. Man Rearrested on Seven New Retail Theft Charges in BayamónCrime & SafetyPrimera Hora

Morning Brief

Puerto Rico, Nov 4

Full brief

Funding Stability

The chair of the Democratic Party in Puerto Rico, Luis Dávila Pernas, said the US legislative elections could directly affect the stability of the federal funds the island receives, particularly for Medicaid. In a radio interview, he explained that a change in the composition and leadership of the federal House of Representatives could make it easier to include provisions to keep that funding in place. Dávila Pernas considered it likely that President Donald Trump would approve them if they are part of broader budget bills needed to keep the federal government running.

Ethics Complaints

The Puerto Rico Office of Government Ethics has filed complaints against Francisco Domenech, former Secretary of the Governor’s Office, and Deputy Secretary Itza García, former Deputy Secretary. The office alleges they violated its organic law by using their posts for personal gain and for the benefit of third parties. It seeks a civil sanction of three times any economic benefit, restitution of public funds, and retention of accumulated funds. Both have until Monday, November 23, to respond.

Electric Bill Increases

Supermarkets in Puerto Rico have faced electric bill increases of up to 39% between September and October, said Manuel Reyes-Alfonso, executive vice president of the Multisectorial de la Industria de Alimentos (MIDA). He spoke in an interview on Normando en la Mañana. Reyes-Alfonso said the October bill rose almost 39% from the previous month, and that the average supermarket pays $5,000 to $6,000 more per month for electricity alone. He attributed the increase mainly to the fuel adjustment charge applied since the summer.

Continue reading · 3 more stories and what to watch· 4 more stories and what to watchShow less

Electric Bill Increases

Supermarkets in Puerto Rico have faced electric bill increases of up to 39% between September and October, said Manuel Reyes-Alfonso, executive vice president of the Multisectorial de la Industria de Alimentos (MIDA). He spoke in an interview on Normando en la Mañana. Reyes-Alfonso said the October bill rose almost 39% from the previous month, and that the average supermarket pays $5,000 to $6,000 more per month for electricity alone. He attributed the increase mainly to the fuel adjustment charge applied since the summer.

Restaurant Closures

Pizza Hut temporarily closed 56 restaurants in Puerto Rico, deepening the crisis at Encantos Restaurants, the island operator of several franchises. The shutdown puts roughly 700 additional jobs at risk, on top of nearly 2,000 layoffs that followed the closure of the Taco Bell and KFC operations. EL VOCERO confirmed the closures after multiple reports from laid-off employees. The restaurants were closed, with notices posted indicating a temporary shutdown.

Contract Cancellations

Cataño Mayor Hiram Torres Montalvo announced the cancellation of eight municipal contracts whose annual amounts total $913,000. The cancellations come from a review of contracting during his first two weeks leading the administration. The move is part of his 90 x 90 initiative, aimed at strengthening oversight and administration of public funds. Among the canceled contracts are those of Publicidad Tere Suárez, LLC and SBGB, LLC, the firm of attorney Jaime Sanabria, at $150,000 a year each.

Tropics Watch

The National Hurricane Center listed no active systems in the Central Atlantic basin as of November 4.

What to watch

Domenech and García have until Monday, November 23, to respond to the ethics complaints.

The full briefing has every story, the weather, surf and tides.

Full brief All episodes 

Published Nov 4 at 6:12 AM AST

Live Sky camGuaynaboAcross the rooftops of Guaynabo to the green ridgeline on the horizon76°F Overcast

Watch Wednesday’s timelapse over Guaynabo

At the pumpRegular$4.27–$4.46/gal ($1.13–$1.18/L) (up from Oct 30)Premium$4.80–$5.25/gal ($1.27–$1.39/L) (up from Oct 30)Diesel$5.55–$5.78/gal ($1.47–$1.53/L) (up from Oct 30)Nov 2 · change since Oct 30. See the tracker.

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Top story · Nov 4

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Hiking

Trails across Puerto Rico

From El Yunque’s rainforest to Rincón’s lighthouse and Vieques’ beaches: every trail with its distance, climb and parking, and a three-day call on whether to go.

A terrain map of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra with every hiking trail markedA terrain map of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra with every hiking trail marked

El Yunque, the days ahead

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Checking today’s conditions…

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0)

Trails to start with

Good news across the island

More culture

Community wins, culture and the things that went right, from our latest coverage.

Ongoing stories

Isla Viva

Watch Puerto Rico live, on one screen

A living map: real weather in the sky, surf calls in the water, news where it happened, and a few hidden gems.

What do you need from Puerto Rico today?

VisitingPlan the tripBuild a day-by-day itinerary from our curated guide. Pick a town and go.MovingMove to PRResidency, cost of living, utilities, schools, and official links.Going outCheck live conditionsSurf, dive, kite, weather, air quality, and alerts.Need an answerAsk 787dailyAnswers drawn from our coverage and live island data.

Our reporting and data

From our desks

Every series

Water and weather

Power and services

Safety

Places and culture

Politics and money

Week and month

The numbers, kept current

Where to go on the island

All 78 towns

Where news is happening

All 78 towns
Most in the newsSan JuanVimenti to Hold Free Job Fair in San Juan This Friday4 stories

On the water

On the Water

Open-Meteo marine forecast for 4:00 AM AST

Puerto Rico safety, by the numbers

Every town’s numbers

Reported crime across all 78 towns. The shading is 2025, the last full year: violent crimes per 10,000 residents. Point at a town for its 2026 counts so far, or click it for its page.Tap a town in the list under the map for its 2026 counts so far. Or read the context the headline numbers hide.

Violent crimes per 10,000 residents, 2025:≤ 11.6≤ 15.6≤ 19.1≤ 23.5> 23.5No data
Every town, A to Z
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