Bucks County Courier Times

Christian Rojas beamed when he described his new girlfriend, Heather Lavelle, to his supervisor as a tall, blonde and attractive woman whose job paid $150,000 a year.

Supervisor John D’Angelo said he thought the match was a bit odd after meeting her, but he didn’t let on. The story about her income seemed incredible, he said.

Rojas was a talented 28-year-old computer programmer and Web page designer who moved to the United States two years ago from Costa Rica. He was na‹ve and shy and before meeting Lavelle hadn’t dated in the time he had lived here, said his supervisor at JBL Services Inc. in Middletown.

Lavelle was a 35-year-old who was neither na‹ve nor shy. While Rojas carried himself as a professional, it was hard to believe that Lavelle earned six figures, D’Angelo said.

A month later, Rojas broke off the relationship when he discovered Lavelle smoked crack cocaine, D’Angelo said. Drugs offended Rojas, his supervisor said.

“I thought something can’t be right about her,” D’Angelo recalled.

About two weeks ago, Lavelle moved into Rojas’ Bensalem apartment because she didn’t have anywhere else to go. It was in his character to take her in, D’Angelo said.

“He is the person who would give you money if you asked, although he didn’t have anything of great value,” the supervisor added. “We all think he was really trying to help her.”

On Saturday, a friend found Rojas lying dead in his bathtub. He had been savagely beaten and hog-tied.

Bensalem homicide investigators said there’s nothing right about Lavelle, who’s not only an addict but also one of two suspects wanted for questioning in Rojas’ murder investigation.

The other suspect is James Raymond Savage Jr.

Authorities have issued warrants for Lavelle and Savage because they have been seen driving the car that had been loaned to Rojas.

Please read the full story if you can help:
Reward for info in man’s murder phillyBurbs.com

The Citizens Crime Commission of the Delaware Valley has offered a $10,000 reward for information that would help police find Lavelle and Savage.

The crime commission’s tip line is 215-546-TIPS (8477).

Savage is originally from Berwick in Columbia County.
Authorities ask anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Heather Lavelle and James Raymond Savage to call Bensalem police at 215-633-3700 or the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS.

Despite the controversy preceding the parade, over 15000 pilgrims marched into San Ramon yesterday bearing 48 saints who protect neighborhoods, state institutions and districts.

The majority of the icons were accompanied by musical groups from each community, and community members sang religious verses to the rythms of salsa, merengue or folk tunes.

In the church atrium pilgrims sang:
“Christians dance the conga,
I want to dance the conga with the Church,
put your hand on your head,
put your hand on your hips,
put your hand on your knee,
and glory to God. ”

The Aids Awareness Expedition arrived in Costa Rica yesterday. The group is made up of 4 men and 2 women, who are cycling from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego Argentina.

They will cover the 23,000 kilometers in 35 days, cycling day and night in shifts while carrying the flags of the United Nations and the Panamerican Health Organization.

At 11:15 am in the National Children’s hospital Siamese twins were born to María Arias Ruiz, the 41 year old mother, originally from Nicaragua.

A team of 12 specialists assisted during the Cesarean birth. By 3:00 pm the mother was moved to the Mexico Hospital, where she is in stable condition.

The girl twins are joined by the abdomen, but each have their own legs, head and genitals.

They have eaten, are breathing normally and do not need any type of mechanical assistance or medications in order to survive.

Doctors will study the possiblities for separating the twins in the coming days.

Original Story by Al Dia

The Omsbudswoman, Lisbeth Quesada, had to stop buying “Coconut Milk” for her famous Thai recipe, and Channel 7’s Adriana Durán, of the show Buen Día, stopped being “extravagent” with the food. Singer Érick Leon finds it hard to pay food, education and gas for him, his wife and three children.

- 17,8% of Ticos see the high cost of living as the country’s main problem, according to Demoscopía. (the highest of any problems in the surey)

- 51,3% of Costa Ricans consider the country is going through hard times.

The same way, soccer players Wilmer Lopez and Jafet Soto, legislators Martha Zamora and José Francisco Salas, find themselves scraping the bottom of the barrel and are scared by the high cost of living.

The survey by Demoscopía for Al Día indicates that most Costa Ricans consider “the high cost of living” as the main problem, even more than delicate subjects like delinquency, unemployment and corruption.

In her capacity as Ombusdwoman, Quesada affirms that she makes certain that the prices of the products in the basic “basket of products” are reviewed frequently. On the other hand, the independent deputy, “the twin” Jose Francisco Salas, admitted that he doesn’t know what his family’s expenses are each month. “I am really very worried. In the assmebly we aren’t even debating any project to see how inflation may be restrained or how we can help people face rising fuel prices “.

Cut in everything
As a mother of four children and to be the sole provider is complicated. This is the case of journalist Adriana Durán, who says that she has diminished the outings with her children. But, perhaps, the greater problem of Adriana is that she only has boys and “they grow out of their clothes and shoes very fast, and they eat quite a bit”.

The Heredia midfielder Jafet Soto spends all year saving for “having vacations once a year. In addition, he recognizes that the ¢500 he usually gave to his children for school, no longer is enough.”

Representative Martha Zamora, in spite of earning ¢1,2 million (2500 US dollars) per year, says that to go out “there is very little money and she does not buy Jumbo shrimps”.

And you knows what? The Alajuel midfielder Wílmer Lopez affirms that “he can’t afford a housekeeper. My wife is the one that handles the chores”.

Most of the personalities consulted yesterday by Al Día were emphatic in assuring that “the biggest shock”, as the singer Érick Leon put it, had to do with the constant gas hikes.

For example: Lopez, of La Liga, was surprised, because his car now takes ¢19 thousand to fill up.

How I see it – Personalities speak on the high cost of the life.

“We are suffocating, because everything goes up, and I think a lot about the people who have low wages “.
Lisbeth Quesada, Ombudswoman

“The situation is really difficult. I have three children. My work has diminished, because almost there are no shows “.
Érick Leon, singer.

“I have an impotent feeling. Our hands are tied. Very I am worried, alarmed, I would say “.
Jose F. Salas, deputy.

“Economically, the situation is very difficult for all. We have to tighten our belts, because everything rises “.
Adriana Durán, journalist.

“It is difficult to live well. Although it sounds drastic, many people say that we are not living, but surviving “.
Jafet Soto, soccer player.

“I buy per month, because they pay to me that way. The weekly shopping is for meats and I am spending around ¢150 thousand “.
Wílmer Lopez, soccer player.

Here is your chance to work at Intel in Costa Rica, the company will be offering information and lectures during the “Intel Job Fair 2005 this Saturday & Sunday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the San José Palacio hotel.

The lectures will cover different topics of interes and their will be stands with information about job openings in different departaments. Information is available by calling 298- 8352.

Students, professionals and specialists may present their C.V. s in English during the fair. The company will provide bus service from different locations:

- From UCR (8:20 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 12:20 p.m. and 2:15 p.m) via Kennedy Park, past the south entrance of the National Theater and the María Auxiliadora Park

- From Instituto Tecnológico in Cartago (8 a.m., 11a.m. and 2 p.m.) passing the Ruins, RECOPE and the Curridabat Park.

- From north side of the Liceo de Heredia (8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m), stopping at the Santo Domingo Park and Tibás Park.

- From Alajuela on the north side of the Central Park (8 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.).

According to the company site, “A significant amount of Intel’s major manufacturing and technology development happens in Costa Rica. The facilities in Heredia sit upon 126 acres and include two manufacturing plants and one distribution center dedicated to the assembly, testing and distribution of the world’s fastest processors: the Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, Intel® Celeron® processor and Intel® Xeonâ„¢ processor”

No information about the Job Fair was posted on the intel site, but people can search for jobs at this address:

https://jobs.intel.com/jobs/jobs.iccw

2000 Ticos live in the 3 states most affected by Katrina, but no information is available as to their condition. The consul in New Orleans was evacuated and when communications are re-established families can ask about their loved ones by email or telephone.

From Costa Rica 011 (504) 638-1095 or email consulcrno@hotmail.com

Proposed plans to reduce the personnel costs in the National Assembly will not bear fruit. While some representatives were looking to cut 20% of the payroll, others were proposing eliminating a concrete 160 jobs. Although no opponents came to light, apparently there is a lack of “political will” to implement the cuts.

Currently the legislature employs 1003 people, not including the 58 elected lawmakers. That’s 17.29 employees per lawmaker, in case you were wondering. It was noted that payroll costs account for a whopping 80% of the legislature’s total costs, which annually total 14 billion colones. (nearly 28 million US dollars)

Despite skyrocketing fuel costs, Fenacotaxi asked for a much smaller hike than the 32% due to occur November 15th. Fenacotaxi (the Nacional Federation of Taxi Cooperatives) claims that taxi usage has dropped from 20% to 50% as a result of the rate hike that occured in August. (between 8 and 56% depending on the area and type of taxi).

They fear that the scheduled hike will devastate the industry and have asked for the hike to be eliminated entirely, or to be postponed until February.

After a fact finding investigation, the Security Ministry’s legal department has recommended firing Coast Guard director Claudio Pacheco. They charge misuse of institutional resources.