By WENDY GRIFFIN

(First in a series)

Immediately after Hurricane Mitch, someone shot off a request on the Internet for information on how Honduran houses were built and their costs. After receiving information on a typical two-room house made of sticks and mud with a zinc, palm thatch, grass or tile roof, the person answered back, "Well, couldn't the Hondurans just build their houses out of concrete blocks?" Full article by WENDY GRIFFIN in Cultural

Each year on July 20, all Honduran school children celebrate "Dia de Lempira." The Lencan Indian Lempira is remembered as a symbol of Honduran rebellion against foreign powers and oppression. Fifteen years after the Spanish began to conquer Honduras, the Lencas rose up against them in western Honduras, led by chief Lempira. Although that rebellion ended with Lempira's death, other rebellions followed during the colonial period. Full article by WENDY GRIFFIN in Cultural

Up-and-coming artists exhibit works

The Honduran Institute of Hispanic Culture in Lomas del Guijarro in Tegucigalpa was recently the setting for the painting exhibit "Nuevos Valores Hondurenos," during which the public admired the works of four talented young artists: Veronica Kozlova, Mauricio Garay, Adan Vallecillo and Javier Campos. Full article by ROSIBEL PACHECO DE GUTIERREZ in Cultural

Casa del Artista opens in SPS
Artists of the northwest chapter of AHAVI, Asociacion Hondurena de Autores Visuales, worked diligently to prepare the house and grounds they have rented for their recent grand opening. Close to 500 guests attended the inauguration of the Casa del Artista. It was crowded and hot, but an enjoyable evening. Full article in Cultural

New biography on Clementina excellent
We will probably never know for sure who the murderer of Honduran poet Clementina Suarez was. Her biographer from Boston, Janet N. Gold, cried with the rest of us when on Dec. 9, 1991, Suarez was beaten to death in her own home. Now her relatives say it was somebody from her own family, but the name hasn't been disclosed and of course there has been no formal accusation. Full article by CHIQUI DURÓN in Cultural

DOLL EXHIBIT -- THROUGH JUNE 30 -- The Embassy of Japan and the municipality of San Pedro Sula are sponsoring an exhibit of traditional Japanese dolls, better known as "Kokeshi," as well as other handmade wooden toys. The event is taking place at the Centro Cultural Sampedrano (CCS). Full Maya Calendar in Cultural

National Party chooses party leaders again
TEGUCIGALPA -- The National Party is currently the second political force in Honduras. Notwithstanding the fact that it has only won one of five elections since 1982, it has 58 diputados of the 128 in the National Congress. Full article by Blanca Moreno in National

G-force addicts

Luis Tomé leaves everybody behind eating dust in the 1999 Kart Championship race held last Sunday in Tegucigalpa. (Photo by Jorge Flores McClellan.)

Colonels complete 10k march
SOTO CANO AIR BASE -- More than 100 colonels and lieutenant colonels from the U.S. Joint Task Force-Bravo and Honduran military took part in Operation Foot Blisters, a 10 kilometer march that was held here on June 5. Full article in National

Fauna trafficking investigated
Hemorrhagic dengue reported
Another North Coast bank robbed

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Southcom commander calls Americas a success story
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The "inspiring success story" of the Americas lies in the fact that all countries but one have functioning democracies and market economies, whereas 20 years ago much of the region was embroiled in civil war and under dictatorial rule, says Charles Wilhelm, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom). Full article in Central America

U.S. treasury says there will be drug money laundering crackdown
WASHINGTON -- The United States is stepping up enforcement of money laundering laws that are being violated through the Black Market Peso Exchange, administration officials tell Congress. "Money laundering is critical to the survival and growth of these organizations," Under Secretary of the Treasury James Johnson said of the Colombian drug cartels that convert dollars into pesos and pesos into dollars in a complex laundering scheme.  Full article in Central America

Child rights advocate speaks at U.N. meeting on contemporary slavery
Bruce Harris, executive director for Latin American Programs of Casa Alianza/Covenant House Latin America, this week delivered a speech on child commercial sexual exploitation, organ trafficking of children, and child labor, at the 24th session of the United Nations' Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Full article in Central America

Work or politics
President Flores this week asked his Minister of the Honduran Fund for Social Investment (FHIS) Mel Zelaya to decide between his job or his political career. The president has made it clear to his ministers and collaborators to give their all in their jobs. Flores has had to make sacrifices between giving his party more power through the government itself or through more work, in accordance with the circumstances. We had already pointed this out in earlier administrations. Besides planting the doubt if the funding for the personal campaigns comes from within the government, the effectiveness of the work done being inside the administration is limited by the time dedicated to politics. We all agree with this. Full editorial in Opinions & Editorial

Amid poverty and violence it's "spring"
It's spring! It's light by 5:30, and the birds are celebrating with a deafening chorus. The fields grow greener by the minute and the sunlight dazzles on the leaves, and the earth smells sweet and damp. It feels good to be alive as I step out. Except, of course, it isn't spring. It just feels like it. Those fresh beautiful Scottish mornings come floating back.Full article by Nigel Potter in Editorial