DR1 Daily News  -  August 13, 2009

Novus Gold Corporation Strikes Gold in the Dominican Republic:
The Canadian mining company, Novus Gold Corporation announced the discovery of a one kilometer long, north-south trending, gold and copper mineralized structure at its La Yagua gold exploration concession (9,900 hectares) in the DR.

The company says grab samples of oxidized material grade up to 13 grams gold per ton, 41 grams silver per ton and more than 50% of the samples graded more than 1% copper (10,000 ppm geochemical).

The mineralization on the La Yagua property is located on the same stratigraphic interface as the Cerro de Maimon mine (Globestar Mining) located 19 km away that is exploiting a VMS deposit (6Mt of 2.5% Cu, 1.2 g/t Au, 38 g/t Ag and 1.5% Zn). There is potential for 14 kilometers of this favorable interface on the Novus property.

Novus Gold also owns the La Paciencia property (8,600 hectares) which is underlain by the same geology as the major Pueblo Viejo gold deposit located 10 kilometres to the east. The concessions are approximately one hour northwest of the Dominican Republic's capital city of Santo Domingo.  

DR1 Daily News  -  August 12, 2009

Pinalito Dam Inaugurated:
President Leonel Fernandez and his entourage of government officials attended the inaugural of the Pinalito Dam in the central province of Monsenor Nouel yesterday.  The dam will produce 50 Mw of energy and was built at a cost of US $300 million by the Brazilian firm Odebrecht, through financing from the Brazilian National Development Bank.

The dam has a height of 55 meters and will help regulate the Tireo and Arroyo Madre Vieja rivers.

The Pinalito dam is expected to save the government 315,000 barrels of fuel per year, or US $20 million.
The dam will be administered by the Dominican government firm Generacion Hidroelectrica Dominicana (EGEHID), a subsidiary of the State-Owned Electricity Companies (CDEEE).

According to Rafael Suero, the dam's administrator, the goal is for dams in the DR to produce 300Mw of energy by the year 2012.

New Schools Open in the Northwest:
Education Minister Melanio Paredes was busy in the border cities and towns in the northwest over the weekend.  He inaugurated public schools in the provinces of Dajabon, Valverde and Monte Cristi in time for the school year that opens August 17 nationwide.  In Dajabon city, the new San Ignacio Technological Institute has 20 classrooms and was built at a cost of RD $40 million. Paredes was in Villa Esperanza at the inaugural of the Centro Educativo Pedro Henriquez Urena.  And later in Sabana Larga to receive seven new classrooms, and improvements at the public school there, and in Chacey, where nine classrooms were built, and in Candelon two rooms were repaired. Other towns were schools have been refurbished and improved are Maizal, La Yaguita, Cruce de Guayacanes, Santa Maria, La Gallera and La Nueva Judea, as reported in El Caribe.

Dominican to Run for NYC Mayor:
Dominican-born Frances Villar has submited her candidacy to be Mayor of New York City.  Villar, originally from La Romana, migrated to New York at the age of three with her family.  Yesterday, the 26-year old Villar presented the necessary 14,000 signatures needed to make her candidacy official.  She is running with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Mayor Michael Bloomberg leads in the polls trailed by Democratic and Working Families Party candidate Bill Thompson, who is the current New York City Comptroller.

Though Villar's chance seems long, her candidacy is seen by many as inspiration for many young latin women in New York City.

The election is scheduled for November 3, 2009.  The New York City Council extended the city's term limits last year, permitting the current Mayor, Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term.

DR1 Daily News  -  August 11, 2009

DR is a Major Organic Food Exporter:
The Dominican Republic continues to consolidate its position as a leading producer and exporter of organic farm products. Organic exports include coffee, cacao, mango, oriental vegetables, nursery vegetables, lime, orange and zapodilla, says a report in Diario Libre today. The Center for Export and Investment forecasts organic produce exports to be US $200 million this year, up from US $175 million in 2008.