According to Germán Marín, Transit Director for MOPT, traffic cops have arrested 180 drunk drivers in holiday operatives designed to reduce fatalaties and accidents.  230 cars were impounded, with the  additional cars having out of date papers or unlicensed drivers at the wheel.

Unfortunately, these operatives did not prevent 5 fatalities in traffic accidents Saturday night.  This brought the 2006 total to 330 deaths, the largest since 2003 with 363.  However, this represents a 19% increase over 2005.

Principal causes were cited as risk-taking pedestrians, drunk drivers and excess speed.  4 of every 10 deaths were pedestrians. Marín said that “I would dare to say that 90% of these cases were because the pedestrian was imprudent, either not using a pedestrian bridge or wearing dark clothing while walking in the street at night.”

In November a bill was sent to the legislature which would raise significantly the fines for traffic violations.

According to the most recent tabulation by the INS, only 463753 of the total 689000 vehicles that must pay the obligatory insurance have done so.  Vehicle owners have until January 31st to pay, but many collection points will be closed the 30th and 31st.

If you don’t pay the insurance and tax by the 31st, you will begin to accumulate a 3% surchage each month on the amount due, plus .1% daily on the fines for outstanding traffic violations. Usted no cancela el marchamo antes del 31, acumulará un 3 por ciento mensual en el seguro obligatorio de vehículos y un 0,10 por ciento diarios por las infracciones morosas de este año.

Low temperatures hit the Central Valley, Northern Zone and the Caribbean slope this week, after a beautiful Christmas Day was enjoyed by all.  Temperatures reached 15 degrees Celsius (59 F) in San Jose and San Carlos, while in Liberia they went down to 19 degrees Celsius.

The National Institute of Meteorology expects the cold front to clear out by Friday, leaving good weather nationwide for the New Year.

Over 2000 riders participated in the annual horse parade in San Jose, the largest in Costa Rica. The Municipality of San José organized the event for the first time. Each rider paid 5000 colones to enter the event, the Orphan’s Hospice was the beneficiary of the profits. Even so, not all riders paid the entry fee.

Despite losing coach Hernan Medford to the national team and a rocky stretch in mid-season, Saprissa tore through the playoffs and clinched the title last night with a 2-0 win over traditional rival Alajuela.

While Alajuela dominated early, they were unable to get the goal that they needed in order to get back into the series after a 2-0 defeat Wednesday in Tibas. Alonso Solís, “The Mariachi”, put in a goal in the 38th minute and after that Alajuela never seriously threatened. Solís also converted a penalty in the 72nd minute, to give himself 12 goals in the tourney and claim the title of “goleador” (leading scorer).
Jeaustin Campos had a great month in his first coaching position ever, he took over from national team coach Hernan Medford on November 12th.

President Óscar Arias announced yesterday that in addition to giving away his bonus for exclusivity (paid to government bureaucrats so that they don’t work additional jobs), that in 2007 he will donate his entire salary to charity.  Since taking office in May, Arias has quietly donated his exclusivity bonus to several charities.  This kindness became public this week in an activity at Pueblito, an orphanage.

Yesterday Arias stated that “the truth is that I will not live any better, or any worse, whether or not I have my salary. So I have been donating my bonus since taking office in May.  But as of January, I will donate my entire salary.”

Super gasoline will go down ¢28 per liter; Regular, ¢26; and diesel will go up ¢17, according to ARESEP.

LPG gas for cooking will cost ¢22 less per litro, and A-1 Jet Fuel will rise ¢48. The resolution will be sent for publication on Friday and should take effect on or before January 5th.

The decision partially eliminates a subsidy for diesel and jet fuel and is trying to balance the gas prices.  The original proposal would have dropped super ¢59 per liter, and regular ¢46, while diesel would have  risen ¢33.

Fernando Herrero, the chief regulator, explained that the partial elimination was better, so that the price of diesel would not rise too abruptly, which could lean to a chain reaction in prices of “public transport and other goods and services that depend on transportation.” The regulators would like to implement the next adjustment within 3 months.

In one of the best played classics in recent years, Saprissa beat Alajuela 2-0. The key moment in the match was minute 52, when the all-time leading goal scorer in Classics Rolando Fonseca blew an opportunity to open the scoring.

A few minutes later Alonso Solís, the “Mariachi” was fouled in the area and then put away the resulting penalty shot to send the stadium into a frenzy. Another star on the night was Try Bennett, who made Panamanian Armando Gun suffer all night long. His assist to Allen Alemán in the 91st minute, after beating Gun yet again on an auto-pass, put the game (and maybe the series) on ice for the “morados”.

The second game in the series is Saturday night at 8 pm in Alajuela. New Saprissa coach Jeaustin Campos will have the opportunity to go  2 and 0 in classics and also win his first title just a few weeks after taking over for Hernan Medford.

The annual Legislative Assembly Christmas bash will not happen this year, according to a resolution taken by the directing committee of the legislature, according to committee President Francisco Antonio Pacheco.

The party is normally paid for by funds in the budget destined for meetings and events. According to Pacheco ” the representatives will not have a Christmas party, for reasons of austerity. In this country there is so much poverty and so much that has to be done, that I felt it was my duty to make this decision. As with any decision, there are some in favor and some against. “

Pacheco estimated that the legislature would save 6 million colones (about $12,000 ) with this measure.

The “Fat One” favored number 40 this year and lucky winners had a series of 617.  According to statistics kept by the JPS and the results of the drawing held last night in the Plaza de la Cultura, the winners this year purchased tickets.   This prize was the fastest to appear, coming up only 2 minutes after the drawing had begun.  The number 40 was fitting, since the last time it won was also the last year Oscar Arias was elected.

Full results can be seen at:

http://www.jps.go.cr/