Latest News

A section of the ruined Black River Market on Market Street in the St Elizabeth capital, after Hurricane Melissa’s destructive landfall.
28 Oct, 2026 0

Black River market vendors in limbo

WESTERN BUREAU: As Hurricane Melissa approached the island a year ago, Francis Bartlett and fellow vendors in the Black River Market in St Elizabeth purchased extra stock, in case fields were wiped…
The Thomas Manning Building lies in ruin post-Hurricane Melissa.
28 Oct, 2026 0

Western schools looking ahead with optimism

WESTERN BUREAU: A year ago, the educational sector in western Jamaica was paralysed by the force of Hurricane Melissa, which ripped off roofs, sent older buildings crumbling and did irreparable damage…
A Trelawny yam farmer making preparations to take his produce to the market.
28 Oct, 2026 0

Trelawny yam farmers still struggling to rebound

WESTERN BUREAU: Hurricane Melissa decimated vast acreages of yam fields in southern Trelawny last October, leaving many families facing an uncertain future. A year later, they have come to appreciate…
Andrew Eubanks, vice-president of Flagaman Farmers Benevolent Society, planting cantaloupe in Flagaman, St Elizabeth, last week.
28 Oct, 2026 0

Tough going for Flagaman farmers

WESTERN BUREAU: A year after Hurricane Melissa devastated their farms, several farmers in Flagaman, St Elizabeth are still struggling to resume pre-storm cultivation levels, hampered by a lack of…
Fish vendor Sandra Linton-Jones is not willing to move far from the sea.
28 Oct, 2026 0

Parottee residents unwilling to trade coastal roots for safer ground

WESTERN BUREAU: Despite taking a battering from Category 5 Hurricane Melissa a year ago, some residents of coastal Parottee, St Elizabeth, remain reluctant to relocate, even as flood risks have…
KYM Gym founder Kandi King marks the fitness facility’s first anniversary, reflecting on its growth and looking ahead to what’s next.
28 Oct, 2026 0

KYM Gym celebrates first anniversary

One year after opening KYM (Keep Yourself Moving) Gym in St Andrew, founder Kandi King is looking beyond the changes to the facility to what she considers its most meaningful achievement: creating a…
Simple, low-impact habits can dramatically improve coordination, stamina and confidence.
28 Oct, 2026 0

Ageing in place: Making home safer for the golden years

Ageing in place is the ability to continue to live in one’s home or community with access to health and social support. It’s a choice that most older adults would prefer rather than moving to assisted…
Letters
28 Oct, 2026 0

Letter of the Day | Rebuilding lives before sanctuaries

THE EDITOR, Madam: Janet Silvera’s October 26 report on the United Church’s recovery work after Hurricane Melissa deserves attention far beyond Jamaica. Reverend Norbert Stephens’ insistence on…
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts after filling out his ballot before voting at a polling station in Jerusalem, Tuesday.
28 Oct, 2026 0

No clear winner in Israeli election

JERUSALEM (AP): Israel's election ended Tuesday without a clear winner, setting the stage for what could be weeks of coalition negotiations before a new government is formed. The inconclusive…