To better serve customers making smaller shipments to Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Central America from the U.S. Midwest, Crowley Maritime Corporation’s logistics group is launching a new weekly less-than-container load (LCL) service from Chicago today. The new service utilizes Crowley vessels and a single point of contact within the company to ensure accountability and that the movement of customers’ cargoes is managed and monitored effectively and reliably.

ARUBA – Early Bird menus generally do not offer the most delightful options at restaurants. Geared towards the cost-conscious market, one often gets a run-of-the-mill three-course menu that fills you up, but does not do anything major for your taste buds. But now there is a choice: a great Early Bird menu that is delicious and does not break the bank. Taste of Belgium, the lovely restaurant in the Palm Beach Plaza Mall, is the place for action. The owners of Taste of Belgium are Peter Ballière and Werner Vennen – well-known restaurateurs on the island; they used to own Le Dôme at Eagle Beach. An Early Bird at Taste of Belgium therefore can’t be a bad choice!

ARUBA – For many years, I have looked, saw, and observed that there was no adequate place to honor the ones who went out at sea and never returned. Sometimes a family member would throw from a cliff or beach a wreath or some flowers into the water to honour their beloved ones. There was no place that someone could sit for a moment to reflect on the past or loved ones.

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Foundation is proud to announce its assistance of an important project spearheaded by Special Envoy for Women & Children in collaboration with NGO and CARE-Belize. This crucial undertaking-the establishment of the Inspiration Center-will provide a setting and specialized services to children with special needs, catering to children 0-16 years old and prioritizing those with disabilities.

ARUBA - On Wednesday The Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival organization officially announced to the Aruban press that the festival’s 7th edition will have a different location. On Friday October 4th and Saturday October 5th the festival will take place at the Renaissance Festival Plaza. The organization speaks of three stages. The auditorium will be set up inside the Renaissance Convention Center and there will be two outdoor stages. The main stage will be located at the parking lot area of Renaissance Market Place.

In a move made last Friday, Standard & Poor’s credit ratings agency had downgraded the sovereign credit rating of Aruba. The country’s rating now stands at BBB+ from A-. The reason for such downgrade is the deterioration of its fiscal and external balance sheets after the recent closure of the island-country’s oil refinery. The overall outlook given by the ratings agency is stable.

On 9 June 2013, the Site International Board of Directors approved a change in the bylaws of the Site Florida Chapter to expand its region to incorporate Site members in the Caribbean. The Site Florida Chapter will now be officially known as the Site Florida & Caribbean Chapter. “Site Florida is delighted to expand and have the Caribbean join us as we form a cohesive Chapter called Site Florida & Caribbean,” stated Jane van der Bol, Chapter President and Executive Director of Cayman Islands Tourism Association.

Aruba- Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill welcomes back Mollie Andrews and Karen Pelletier! These true Bostonians have been coming to Aruba for 10 years! Their favorite day of the week is Tuesday, when they for sure can be found hanging out in Bugaloe. Why you ask? Every Tuesday night their favorite band Joyride performs and the makes the place boogie while setting the roof on fire! They love to dance to the music while enjoying a few drinks. This is what they like best of Bugaloe, together with the gorgeous scenery, the laid-back atmosphere and fun Bugaloe crew.

Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Beers relinquished command of the United States Forward Operating Locations (USFOL) in Curacao and Aruba to Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Reny today. The Change of Command is a time-honored military tradition which symbolizes the continuation of leadership and unit identity, despite the change in individual authority. It also allows other airmen to personally witness the command authority passing from one officer to another. Passing the ceremonial flag from the old commander to the new commander physically represents this transfer.

RICHMOND, Va. June 12, 2013: After qualifying on top of the pack two events in a row and capitalizing on their position for their first ever XPS win at the Spring Drags, Team Aruba had high hopes for the ADRL U.S. Drags. As is often the case in drag racing, however, things didn’t go as planned. Rain plagued the event, costing teams Friday’s test session and a final qualifying shot on Saturday. The Aruba.com/Alltel Wireless Mustang made an impressive pass in their first shot down the track with a 4.114.

ARUBA - Over the past few days, Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) and Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association (AHATA) hosted ATEX “Aruba Travel Expo. This event involved over 200 travel agents from the United States and Canada. Tierra del Sol was extremely happy to play a part in this big event. The ATA and the AHATA team arranged for a tour of the property of TDS so the agents could learn what all Tierra del Sol has to offer. The tour included among other properties, Tierra del Sol’s newly built Luxury Suites of Anabui, the collection of three-bedroom luxury suites residences with custom designed interiors best described as “Aruban Casual Elegance. The Anabui residences has been renting for not quite 6 month and the 2,479 square foot (230 m²) luxury suites are conveniently located adjacent to all the facilities and also the golf course.

PALM BEACH, ARUBA – The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino proudly announces the recognition of Ben Figaroa, Director of Revenue Strategy, who won the Revenue Management Business Leadership Award for the Americas South Region. After receiving the award for the Fourth Quarter Revenue title in 2012, the Aruban native was recognized as the top performer in the Americas South Region and earned the overall 2012 Revenue Management Business Leadership Award.

ARUBA - The last week of May 2013, for the 11th time, the Music School of Aruba “Scol di Musica Rufo Wever” organized her annual week of examinations for her students . Music students from Catherine Provence-Hanrath, Albert Croes, Johnny Croes and Rob Rijnbout presented themselves for an invited audience. It has been a fruitful week for the students as well as the audience and the teachers.

ARUBA - Recently the Aruba Tourism Authority had the great pleasure of honoring one couples and a gentleman whom are loyal and friendly Visitors of Aruba, at the Paradise Beach Villas, as Distinguished visitor and Ambassadors of Goodwill. The symbolic honorary title is presented in the name of the Minister of Tourism as a token of appreciation to guests who visit Aruba for 10 to 19 and 20 or more consecutive years.

Thought for Today: “The penalty of success is to be bored by people who used to snub you.” – Viscountess (VY’-kown-tihs) Astor, American-born English politician (1879-1964).

Today’s Highlight in History: On June 13, 1983, the U.S. space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972, became the first spacecraft to leave the solar system as it crossed the orbit of Neptune.

On this date:

ARUBA - Belgian beers are playing starring roles in many more countries than just in Belgium. Guess what: also on Aruba! Served in their own, specific glasses, their tastes are differing greatly. Drinking a glass of beer can therefore take on a totally new dimension. Their names? Hoegaarden, Duvel, Westmalle, Leffe, Trappist, Kriek, Palm, Corsendonck, Stella Artois, Kasteelbier, Pauwel Kwak, Ommegang, Brugze Zot, Slaapmutske, la Chouffe and Bellvue Kriek. Ever tried them? You should; they’re wonderful.

ARUBA - The Aruba Heart Foundation in conjunction with Baptist Health International hosted the 2nd Annual Go Red Affair Saturday, June 8 at the Alhambra Ballroom in Oranjestead, Aruba. Noted Baptist Health International Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Stratego Castanes was the guest speaker at the 2nd Annual Go Red Affair with a lecture titled “Know Your Numbers and How Stress Affects Your Heart.”

ARUBA - No newcomers to the island, Charles Sanchez (76) and Carl Scheiman (77) are living it up every time they are here. Loving Aruba is in their blood, it seems: they have been coming more than 20 times, so they are almost natives. A number of years ago they read an article about Fishes & More Restaurant in the newspapers; they got curious and tried the popular restaurant in the Arawak Garden with rave reviews as the result. They are especially crazy about the grouper filet.

ARUBA - The traffic on our beautiful island is sometimes very congested in some places. There are a lot of people driving here from different countries and have different driving styles.

THE RIGHT OF WAY : Normally,at a T-section, the traffic from your right has the right of way. This is not the case in Aruba. Here the traffic from the straight way has the right of way,so pay attention for traffic signs.

HADICURARI - The prestigious Trip Advisor honor is rewarded for excellence in Hospitality. The impressive Certificate of Excellence is awarded to companies around the globe like the Jolly Pirates which consistently garner outstanding traveler reviews on the popular Trip Advisor website. The esteemed Award is extended exclusively to top qualifying businesses which maintain overall glowing reviews along with high scores, ratings and rankings. Of the thousands of businesses listed on TripAdvisor only 10 % will receive this prestigious honor.

Recently, Aruba Tourism Authority had the great pleasure of honored a group of Loyal visitors:

Dottie Paperjoy and Randy Finh resident of Michigan as Disitinguished Visitors for 14 years.

Dawn Kulp resident of Michigan as Distinguished Visitors for 15 years.

Carrin Pereira Malandro resident of California as Distinguished Visitors for 15 years.

Tammy Cho resident of California as Distinguished Visitors for 15 years.

ARUBA - So let’s be creative. Join Gea during the weekly Art Driftwood Painting Morning on Wednesday 12 June, 2013 from 10 am – 12 pm. During this morning you can make all kinds of artistic creations for your home and garden made from driftwood pieces and dried calabash.

Thought for Today: “It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.” – William Gibbs McAdoo, American government official (1863-1941).

Today’s Highlight in History: On June 12, 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers, 37, was shot and killed outside his home in Jackson, Miss. (In 1994, Byron De La Beckwith was convicted of murdering Evers and sentenced to life in prison; he died in 2001.)