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A.M.
Costa Rica
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A.M. Costa Rica Second News Page |
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Published
October 25,
2017, Vol. 17,
No. 207
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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Published
October 25, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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Published
October 25, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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| Third cause of death among Costa Rican teenagers: suicide | |
By the A.M. Costa
Rica staff
According to data from the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), suicide is the third greatest cause of death for people aged 12 to 19 years. Findings of death by suicide were registered as follows: in 2015 - 35 deaths, in 2016 - 29 deaths and so far in 2017, 13 deaths. These figures match the findings of research on suicide risk factors in adolescents aged 12 to 19 years in the cantons of Talamanca and Alajuelita conducted by Vanessa Aguilar Marcela Castro, deputy director and research coordinator of the nursing career at the Universidad Hispanoamericana. This work was carried out in two stages from 2014 to 2016. The first phase consisted of analyzing the suicide clusters in Costa Rican cantons in people aged 10 to 24 years. Talamanca lead in suicide deaths per one hundred thousand and Alajuelite was second according to the date from the Central American Population Center. Second stage research was carried out by Mauricio Campos of the Hospital Nacional Psiquiátrico. The final result is a questionnaire of 27 questions which can be used to assess suicide risk potential. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire is based on a population of 156 first-time students from the Universidad Hispanoamericana. The questionnaire is divided into 5 dimensions: modifiable factors (drug and alcohol use, physical punishment and fights), anxiety and depression, suicidal idealization, beliefs against suicide, precipitating factors (sentimental rupture or domestic violence), protective factors (help from family or friend in crisis situations) and non-modifiable factors (gender, age,and history of suicide attempts). The study population is 1,203 students of day schools located in Alajuelita, and Talamanca. Experts asked about triggers such as break-ups, conflicts with the family or study partners. For example: Talamanca occupies the first place of conflicts within the family with 17.4%. However, 82.3% acknowledge that they can count on their family. |
 AM Costa Rica wire
services photo
The study emphasizes the need to
pay attention
to the slightest call for help. On
questions
pertaining to having a suicide
plan, of the 1,203 respondents, only 130
responded, “ yes”, 54 in Talamanca, and 76 in
Alajuelita. The following graph shows that the
highest incidence of suicide planning occurs in
women, a fact that has already been explained in
the medical literature.
The World Health Organization (WHO) registers eight hundred thousand suicides every year in people between 15 and 29 years of age. That is one suicide every 40 seconds. In Costa Rica, since 2005, suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents. Given the risk of suicide this work becomes important input for health and education authorities who need to establish the instruments that allow students to be screened and to identify risk and protective factors before a tragedy occurs. At the level of legislation, Law 9213 Article 28 indicates the need to update diagnosis of the mental health issues and and determine what interventions are needed. It also suggests more research. There is also an agreement of the Council of Childhood and Adolescence that seeks to establish alliances in the area of mental health. "It is essential to intervene in a timely manner to healthy populations to prevent them from being affected by suicidal attempts that ultimately lead to lost productive years of life, years of disability and emotional and family pain, among other consequences," said Dr. Aguilar Zeledón. |
218-8/25/17
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A.M. Costa Rica Fifth news page |
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Published
October 25, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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| Calendar |
Opinion |
Classifieds |
Real estate |
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Food |
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| Students from five communities will
finish their school year outside their actual school |
|
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Students from five communities will finish their school year in community halls, homes and churches because tropical storm Nate destroyed their schools. Following the effects of the storm, the students of the schools of Bajo Caliente, San Martín, Paso Real and San Isidro, as well as the Liceo de Jimba Caj, had to move to alternative facilities because the originals suffered damages that can take several weeks to repair. If their lessons are suspended any longer, the rights of minors to have access to education would be violated, according to the Ministerio de Educación Pública. The schools are located in San José and Puntarenas. Coastal areas of Puntarenas were especially hard hit by the storm which caused an emergency situation from October 5th to 8th. The tropical storm Nate lead President Luis Guillermo Solís to declare a red alert in almost the whole country. There were also two days of public holidays, as well as a national mourning period of three days after ten people died in the tragedy. The Ministerio de Educación Pública reported the Bajo Caliente school was totally washed away by a nearby river, so the lessons are now delivered in a building provided within the community. The school of San Isidro is unusable due to the risk of a landslide at the back of the institution, while the one of Paso Real is vulnerable due to its proximity to the Río Grande de Térraba. Teachers and students were transferred to a local building and a parish hall, respectively. The San Martin school is operating in the local Catholic church, but the Ministerio did not provide any details the state of its facilities. The Jimba Caj High School, or Rey Curré, delivers its lessons in a Salón Comunal after it was flooded to the level of the classroom ceiling. |
 SICULTURA
photo
Students will be transferred
to places locally
known as Salones Comunales.
" In defense of the educational
right, we searched for facilities within the
same community so that the students are not
affected in their educational process,"
explained Azofeifa.
According to the latest report, 52 institutions were unable to restart school after Nate, mainly due to problems with access roads or the operation of public services such as water. Last Friday, Palmichal's Professional Technical College, El Bolsón de Santa Cruz school and Finca 9 in Buenos Aires returned to regular classes after being used as shelters for those affected by the storm. Out of the 50 educational centers affected, three are at risk, 49 have problems on nearby roads, 15 have no access to drinking water, and the Casamata school in Cartago shows infrastructure damage. The schools of San Pablo de Palmichal in Puriscal, those of Providencia and Bajo Canet in the area of Los Santos, will be subjected to a thorough analysis from the Comisión Nacional de Emergencias, according to Azofeifa, because they are on land that is unstable and may cause a risk to students and teachers. |
| Private workers deserve a 2.43
percent salary increase, the government says |
|
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff On Monday, the government presented its salary proposal of 2.43 percent for private sector workers, which will apply as of January 2018. The figure matches with the proposal presented by the employers' sector and the Union and Social Unity Block last week. On the other hand, it deviates from the request made by the Trade Union of Workers of the Private and Public Enterprise which requested 4 percent. Alfredo Hasbum, Minister of Labor, explained that the salary claim is in line with the calculation formula agreed on by all parties since 2011. Hasbum said Monday's expectation was to leave the increase decreed; however, he said that last minute doubts arose about recent publications from the Central Bank of Costa Rica regarding the Gross Domestic Product, which could vary the salary adjustment amount. |
 APSE photo
The salaries hike is
determined by the government,
unions, and employers. If the rate is approved by the
executive branch and employers, workers will
receive an increase of ¢ 2430 for each ¢ 100
thousand earned.
The new salary
readjustment formula for the private sector
sets a single increase per year rather than
a semiannual basis, as it was previously
done.
|
| Want to read more? Check out
these books listed below! |
|
 Costa Rica: Remarkable
Tales from Our Super Vacation Spot
By the staff and contributors at A.M. Costa Rica & James J. Brodell (editor)A.M. Costa Rica celebrates its 16th anniversary with a compilation of classic news reports geared to the needs of foreigners living here and those elsewhere with personal or business interests in this vacation paradise. Each seeks to tell something new or original about the vacation and retirement mecca. Read a sample and purchase the book HERE! |
 Trapped In The
Damas Cave, Costa Rica
A true story by author Dusty Pilot, who lived in Costa Rica for 11 years. Dusty tells his horrifying story of being trapped in the Damas Cave, near Quepos, for 26 hours. The book is available from Amazon in both digital and print format. Digital format will be on sale for $2.99. Visit Amazon.com to preview or purchase, or DustyPilot.com/cave.html More information Contact Dusty Pilot Email: dusty@dustypilot.com US phone: 001 440 796-4105 |
 The Trouble with Cash
By John H Paterson Greg and Liz must sell their property in Costa Rica to finance their retirement. They receive an offer for their full asking price of $1 million, but it comes with one condition...the payment is to be in cash. They go for it. Things go wrong. The money is stolen.The local police are no help so Greg devises his own plan to get their money back. Review or buy the book on Amazon ON SALE FOR $0.99 Click Here Email: j.paterson@riomagnolia.com Phone: (506) 8868-5561 Watch book trailer here: |
 New World Meditation:
Focusing-Mindfulness-Healing-Awakening
By Lucinda Gray PhD You will be Free to Live, Love, Work and Play in the Full Creative Expression of Your Authentic Self. New World Meditation is easy to learn, easy to practice, and profoundly transformational. More information HERE! |
 MAKE GIFTS FROM DOLLARS OR
COLONES
Running out of gift ideas?
Author Dusty Pilot has just released easy to follow,
step-by-step instructions for turning bills (dollars
or colones) of any denomination into unique gifts such
as flowers: roses, daffodils, daisies and poinsettias;
shirts and blouses, and birds with flapping wings. In
Time For The Holiday -- Give Unique Gifts Of Dollars
or Colones."
It will be available at the discounted price of $0.99 until Dec. 25.. It is available at all major online book stores. Preview or purchase at Amazon.com, or visit https://www.dustypilot.com/holiday-money.html For more information Contact Dusty Pilot: Email dusty@dustypilot.com. Phone 001 440 796-4105 |
Life is a
Tropical Garden
By Victoria Torley A quirky look at gardening in the
tropics. What happens when a "Northern" gardener
moves to Costa Rica? You have no idea….
Email: victoriatorley1@gmail.com. Order this book here: CLICK HERE |
 The Dark Side
of Pura Vida: Murder, Betrayal, Abduction and
Revenge in the Vacation Paradise
By James J. Brodell. Retired baseball player Jack Patterson becomes suspicious after his younger sister dies in a Pacific Ocean rip tide while on vacation in Costa Rica. Jack has to go there to find answers to troubling questions. But soon he is hijacked by a gang of avengers led by an icy Costa Rican-American woman who carries twin pistols strapped to her chest. Jack soon helps uncover a web of corruption and greed . Read a sample and purchase the book HERE! |
 Guide to Costa Rican
Spanish
(English and Spanish Edition) This one-of-a-kind
best-selling Costa Rica Spanish phrasebook will
help anyone including older retirees master the basics of
using Costa Rican Spanish in real-life situations.
Retirees, expats and tourists will get the most of of
Costa Rica, be able to communicate effectively with Costa
Ricans and understand the local culture. A practical
pronunciation will help you sound a like a native Spanish
speaker. The book is now available for sale on
Amazon click here
|
 Bohemian
Road
Trip
By Paul
Furlong
"Makin' it
Real--a Road Trip," is basically three themes running
concurrently: A
motorcycle racer who betrays himself by quitting...
who looks at his watch one day... and realizes he's
thirty now... and if he was going to be a star, he
would be by now.
So he quits racing and takes a year long trip to see
who else might be in his reflection.
The book is now available for sale CLICK HERE |
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A.M. Costa Rica Fifth news page |
|
|
Published
October 25, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
|
|||||||||
| Calendar |
Opinion |
Classifieds |
Real estate |
|
Food |
|
|||
| Students from five communities will
finish their school year outside their actual school |
|
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Students from five communities will finish their school year in community halls, homes and churches because tropical storm Nate destroyed their schools. Following the effects of the storm, the students of the schools of Bajo Caliente, San Martín, Paso Real and San Isidro, as well as the Liceo de Jimba Caj, had to move to alternative facilities because the originals suffered damages that can take several weeks to repair. If their lessons are suspended any longer, the rights of minors to have access to education would be violated, according to the Ministerio de Educación Pública. The schools are located in San José and Puntarenas. Coastal areas of Puntarenas were especially hard hit by the storm which caused an emergency situation from October 5th to 8th. The tropical storm Nate lead President Luis Guillermo Solís to declare a red alert in almost the whole country. There were also two days of public holidays, as well as a national mourning period of three days after ten people died in the tragedy. The Ministerio de Educación Pública reported the Bajo Caliente school was totally washed away by a nearby river, so the lessons are now delivered in a building provided within the community. The school of San Isidro is unusable due to the risk of a landslide at the back of the institution, while the one of Paso Real is vulnerable due to its proximity to the Río Grande de Térraba. Teachers and students were transferred to a local building and a parish hall, respectively. The San Martin school is operating in the local Catholic church, but the Ministerio did not provide any details the state of its facilities. The Jimba Caj High School, or Rey Curré, delivers its lessons in a Salón Comunal after it was flooded to the level of the classroom ceiling. |
SICULTURA
photo
Students will be transferred
to places locally
known as Salones Comunales.
" In defense of the educational
right, we searched for facilities within the
same community so that the students are not
affected in their educational process,"
explained Azofeifa.
According to the latest report, 52 institutions were unable to restart school after Nate, mainly due to problems with access roads or the operation of public services such as water. Last Friday, Palmichal's Professional Technical College, El Bolsón de Santa Cruz school and Finca 9 in Buenos Aires returned to regular classes after being used as shelters for those affected by the storm. Out of the 50 educational centers affected, three are at risk, 49 have problems on nearby roads, 15 have no access to drinking water, and the Casamata school in Cartago shows infrastructure damage. The schools of San Pablo de Palmichal in Puriscal, those of Providencia and Bajo Canet in the area of Los Santos, will be subjected to a thorough analysis from the Comisión Nacional de Emergencias, according to Azofeifa, because they are on land that is unstable and may cause a risk to students and teachers. |
| Private workers deserve a 2.43
percent salary increase, the government says |
|
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff On Monday, the government presented its salary proposal of 2.43 percent for private sector workers, which will apply as of January 2018. The figure matches with the proposal presented by the employers' sector and the Union and Social Unity Block last week. On the other hand, it deviates from the request made by the Trade Union of Workers of the Private and Public Enterprise which requested 4 percent. Alfredo Hasbum, Minister of Labor, explained that the salary claim is in line with the calculation formula agreed on by all parties since 2011. Hasbum said Monday's expectation was to leave the increase decreed; however, he said that last minute doubts arose about recent publications from the Central Bank of Costa Rica regarding the Gross Domestic Product, which could vary the salary adjustment amount. |
APSE photo
The salaries hike is
determined by the government,
unions, and employers. If the rate is approved by the
executive branch and employers, workers will
receive an increase of ¢ 2430 for each ¢ 100
thousand earned.
The new salary
readjustment formula for the private sector
sets a single increase per year rather than
a semiannual basis, as it was previously
done.
|
| Want to read more? Check out
these books listed below! |
|
|
Costa Rica: Remarkable
Tales from Our Super Vacation Spot
By the staff and contributors at A.M. Costa Rica & James J. Brodell (editor)A.M. Costa Rica celebrates its 16th anniversary with a compilation of classic news reports geared to the needs of foreigners living here and those elsewhere with personal or business interests in this vacation paradise. Each seeks to tell something new or original about the vacation and retirement mecca. Read a sample and purchase the book HERE! |
Trapped In The
Damas Cave, Costa Rica
A true story by author Dusty Pilot, who lived in Costa Rica for 11 years. Dusty tells his horrifying story of being trapped in the Damas Cave, near Quepos, for 26 hours. The book is available from Amazon in both digital and print format. Digital format will be on sale for $2.99. Visit Amazon.com to preview or purchase, or DustyPilot.com/cave.html More information Contact Dusty Pilot Email: dusty@dustypilot.com US phone: 001 440 796-4105 |
|
The Trouble with Cash
By John H Paterson Greg and Liz must sell their property in Costa Rica to finance their retirement. They receive an offer for their full asking price of $1 million, but it comes with one condition...the payment is to be in cash. They go for it. Things go wrong. The money is stolen.The local police are no help so Greg devises his own plan to get their money back. Review or buy the book on Amazon ON SALE FOR $0.99 Click Here Email: j.paterson@riomagnolia.com Phone: (506) 8868-5561 Watch book trailer here: |
New World Meditation:
Focusing-Mindfulness-Healing-Awakening
By Lucinda Gray PhD You will be Free to Live, Love, Work and Play in the Full Creative Expression of Your Authentic Self. New World Meditation is easy to learn, easy to practice, and profoundly transformational. More information HERE! |
|
MAKE GIFTS FROM DOLLARS OR
COLONES
Running out of gift ideas?
Author Dusty Pilot has just released easy to follow,
step-by-step instructions for turning bills (dollars
or colones) of any denomination into unique gifts such
as flowers: roses, daffodils, daisies and poinsettias;
shirts and blouses, and birds with flapping wings. In
Time For The Holiday -- Give Unique Gifts Of Dollars
or Colones."
It will be available at the discounted price of $0.99 until Dec. 25.. It is available at all major online book stores. Preview or purchase at Amazon.com, or visit https://www.dustypilot.com/holiday-money.html For more information Contact Dusty Pilot: Email dusty@dustypilot.com. Phone 001 440 796-4105 |
Life is a
Tropical Garden
By Victoria Torley A quirky look at gardening in the
tropics. What happens when a "Northern" gardener
moves to Costa Rica? You have no idea….
Email: victoriatorley1@gmail.com. Order this book here: CLICK HERE |
|
The Dark Side
of Pura Vida: Murder, Betrayal, Abduction and
Revenge in the Vacation Paradise
By James J. Brodell. Retired baseball player Jack Patterson becomes suspicious after his younger sister dies in a Pacific Ocean rip tide while on vacation in Costa Rica. Jack has to go there to find answers to troubling questions. But soon he is hijacked by a gang of avengers led by an icy Costa Rican-American woman who carries twin pistols strapped to her chest. Jack soon helps uncover a web of corruption and greed . Read a sample and purchase the book HERE! |
Guide to Costa Rican
Spanish
(English and Spanish Edition) This one-of-a-kind
best-selling Costa Rica Spanish phrasebook will
help anyone including older retirees master the basics of
using Costa Rican Spanish in real-life situations.
Retirees, expats and tourists will get the most of of
Costa Rica, be able to communicate effectively with Costa
Ricans and understand the local culture. A practical
pronunciation will help you sound a like a native Spanish
speaker. The book is now available for sale on
Amazon click here
|
Bohemian
Road
Trip
By Paul
Furlong
"Makin' it
Real--a Road Trip," is basically three themes running
concurrently: A
motorcycle racer who betrays himself by quitting...
who looks at his watch one day... and realizes he's
thirty now... and if he was going to be a star, he
would be by now.
So he quits racing and takes a year long trip to see
who else might be in his reflection.
The book is now available for sale CLICK HERE |
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Published
October 25, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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Food |
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| Police arrest woman who allegedly exploited
young indigenous girls |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The woman suspected of exploiting Guatemalan indigenous laborers in La Fortuna de San Carlos will spend the next 3 months in pre-trial detention while being investigated for the crime of trafficking of people for labor exploitation purposes. The suspect is a Guatemalan woman named Martínez López, detained Thursday in an operation carried out by the Professional Migration Police. Apparently, Martinez operated several crafts and souvenirs stores in that tourist area. She attracted women and men from their countries of origin by offering them false working permits for Ethiopia. Authorities were able to confirm the case of a 20-year-old indigenous girl, who was forced by Martínez López to work more than 17 hours a day, without the right to eat or to communicate with her relatives in Guatemala. "She is suspected of persuading Guatemalan people in a vulnerable conditions and mainly from indigenous territories, to come to work in the country, offering them promising conditions.” "It is believed that once in Costa Rica, she exploited them by making them work in stores selling handcrafts without paying them for their services. She then sent them back to their country to bring more victims", the Public Ministry said Friday in an official report. To convince them to travel to Tico territory, the woman canceled the air tickets of the victims and paid for their transfer to San Carlos. Once they arrived, conditions changed and they were subjected to multiple mistreatments. During the capture of the suspect, two Guatemalan women were identified as potential victims. In turn, Public Ministry and the Office of the Prosecutor for Trafficking of people raided four commercial premises linked to the felony. |
 Wikipedia
photo
Indigenous woman often come to San José to beg and thenreturn to their homes in Sixaola or Panama. "It is believed that the suspect could have affected more people, so it is not ruled out that, as the investigation goes on, more victims will join the process. The case is developed under file 17-000026-1321-PE, "said the report of the Public Ministry. |
| Bus drivers threaten with a strike if the law
remains unchanged |
|
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff “If the new bus fare methodology is not suspended immediately, this week we will take pressure measures,” said the Cámara Nacional de Autobuseros in a press release. "The possibility of firing people is not ruled out. For two years, we kept the communication channel open but today it closes, "said Silvia Bolaños, executive director Cámara. A new method of calculating fares entered into force last February and has since generated various disagreements between carriers and the Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep). The bus chambers assured that, to date, the regulator agency has enough technical information to eliminate the methodology, which, according to the Cámara, is full of errors and is causing problems for businessmen and passengers. Last week, the Aresep suppressed one of the methods to calculate the passage, called implicit demand. "When the Aresep does not have the number of passengers or does not trust the amount reported by the company and, moreover, does not have the data, then based on theoretical coefficients estimate which is the demand or the number of passengers carried. This is known as implicit demand. That was very serious, "explained Olmán Bonilla, public transport consultant. |
 Cámara Nacional de
Autobuses
According to bus companies, the
mathematical formula
to calculate the cost of transportation is flawed. This type of calculation is only one of the sections of this methodology and belongs to the chapter on how to calculate demand, explained Aresep. In addition, the suspended mechanism was accompanied by two other calculation options: the studies of Aresep and the Public Transport Council (CTP), which remain in force. |
Live
the dream!
Several profitable businesses, including a regional radio station, are for sale in Costa Rica. Certain purchases can provide the new owner with residency as well as a great lifestyle. So live your dream while making a profit. Contact: manager@crbusiness.biz.
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| A.M.
Costa Rica Seventh Newspage Business |
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Published
October 25, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 207
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Food |
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| Hacienda says fiscal reform is more urgent
than never |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff At the end of September, an analysis of central government revenues and expenditures reflected the need for comprehensive fiscal reform. Such reform will make it possible to sustain the state's finances and insure the nation’s stability and social achievements., said Casa Presidencial in a release. The financial deficit to September 2017 is 4.0 percent of GDP, while the primary deficit is 1.6 percent. At the same time last year, these indicators stood at 3.4 percent and 1.3 percent respectively. The increase in the deficit is explained by the increase in the financial cost of debt (interest from 2.1 percent to 2.4 percent of GDP from September 2016 to September 2017), the increase in capital expenditure from 0.8 percent to 1.0 percent of GDP) and transfers that must be met by legal mandates (increasing from 5.4 to 5.5 percent of GDP. Wages, on the other hand, went from 5 percent of GDP in September 2016 to 4.9 percent in 2017. Spending on goods and services remains at 0.4 percent of GDP. Revenue, in the form of income tax, continues to show double-digit growth (12.2 percent), rising from 3.2 percent to 3.4 percent of GDP between 2016 and 2017. This, however, did not prevent the lowering of tax revenues, from 8.8 percent in 2016 to 6.1 percent this year, a percentage affected by the reduction in vehicle imports experienced during recent months and which is reflected, above all, in the collection of the general tax on sales and selective consumption tax. |
 Ministerio de Hacienda
building photo
Tax reform is the main campaign promise President Solíshas not been able to get approved. The
fiscal situation continues to deteriorate despite
government efforts.
The serious problems added by tropical storm Nate have created an added fiscal burden as emergency funds were not available in sufficient amounts to cover the costs of the storm. "The urgency is increasing, today more than ever we must look for the options that will give the Government new income to enable the State to operate, and also to rebuild the affected infrastructure and restore the necessary conditions to the populations affected by natural disasters, so that they rise and move forward, "said Fernando Rodríguez, finance minister. |
A.M. Costa Rica Spooky Short Story contest |
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| By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff Readers are invited to celebrate the Halloween season by entering the A.M. Costa Rica Spooky Short Story contest. Original fiction with a Costa Rica dimension will complete for the $100 top prize. The deadline is appropriately midnight Oct. 27, a Friday. Authors may include an original drawing or photograph, but this submission will not be judged by the contest panel. Only the text will be considered. Judges include the A.M. Costa Rica staff and established writers. Here are the rules: 1. The submission must be original and not contain any extensive copyrighted material from elsewhere. The usual rules regarding fair use will apply. That means the author may include in the text short references and quotes for other sources. But the bulk of the story must be original. Any graphics submitted must be original. 2. The short story must contain a substantial relationship to Costa Rica.That could include actions of expats or Costa Ricans elsewhere. Or the author could describe an encounter with one of the many supernatural creatures that make up the mythology of the country. La Llorona, for example. 3. Authors are encouraged to create a suspenseful and/or scary story, and such an approach will earn bonus points in the judging. 4. Editors will make an effort to publish every short story submitted in the editions leading up to Halloween. 5. Authors are reminded that A.M. Costa Rica is read in 90 countries each weekday morning and some readers may not fully understand the meaning of Halloween, so some explanation might be needed in the story. 6. A poetic narrative will be accepted in the tradition of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.” |
7. Authors will retain the copyright to their submission but by doing so they grant A.M. Costa Rica and its corporation, Consultantes Río Colorado S.A., the full right to publish their work in the daily newspaper, in any subsequent collection of news stories that may be compiled and anywhere else. 8. Short stories should be no longer than 1,200 words, and longer works will earn negative points in the judging. 9. The newspaper staff will seek to compile the works into a book of short stories to be published in time for Halloween 2018. Typically such books generate little income, but if there is interest from a third-party publisher, the newspaper corporation will share the majority of the resale income with the authors. 10. Authors should include a short biography that list their place of residence. They also may make a short pitch of other published works. 11. Authors are encouraged to use their given names, but pen names will be accepted particularly from readers who have established a readership under that name. 12. Authors must state in their email submission that they agree with these rules. 13. There is no charge for submission. Short stories should be pasted into an email (not sent as an attachment) to books@amcostarica.com The staff
of A.M. Costa Rica has created this contest, in part,
to showcase the many excellent writers among the
newspaper readership.
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U.S.
Income Tax Services 
