puerto rico

It’s been nearly a year since Kritzia Basmeson resettled to Cleveland after Hurricane Maria. She lives with her three children on the west side of Cleveland above a hair salon where she works part-time. But adjusting to a new city remains difficult, partly because she still worries about her family back in Puerto Rico. "We all have a little piece over there," Basmeson said, "one little piece over there that we left. And it’s heartbreaking."

A year ago today Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, devastating the already fragile infrastructure of the island, and, according to researchers, led to some 3,000 deaths. Northeast Ohio’s robust Puerto Rican community mobilized in the days after the storm, gathering aid at the west side Cleveland San Lorenzo Club. Angelo Ortiz helped organize the effort at the time.

Puerto Rico's governor updated the island's official death toll from 64 on Tuesday after the long-awaited study, based on access to government mortality data and death certificates, was released.

A professor of public health found boxes filled with sugary or high-sodium snacks was sent to people in need of meals after Hurricane Maria, and says food aid needs to be more nutritious.

Internal documents show FEMA failed to get enough supplies to Puerto Rico before the storm and then scrambled to supply them after. Democrats in Congress call for an independent commission.

The death rate is a contentious subject, in part because federal and island governments haven't responded as rapidly to the disaster as they have in other hurricane emergencies.

For years, the nation's largest banks made millions off Puerto Rican debt as the island approached financial ruin. Then, with its infrastructure crumbling, a Category 4 hurricane barreled in.

A group of ten Cleveland students and educators will hit the skies Wednesday morning heading for the island of Puerto Rico. The trip, which overlaps with the school district’s spring break, isn’t necessarily for fun. The group from Lincoln-West High School will be volunteering at a southern Puerto Rico elementary school and orphanage. “In the elementary school, we’re going to create a mural for the community and also plant a [vegetable] garden there,” teacher and translator Awilda Morales said.

The agency says it has been working on transitioning distribution to the Puerto Rican government but has not finalized it. Wednesday's date "was mistakenly provided," a spokesman said.

It’s been five months since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and wiped out houses, roads and the power grid, as well as factories that make prescription...