SAN JUAN — Danielle Bertothy, of St. Peters, Missouri, an American tourist accused of setting fire to several businesses in southwestern Puerto Rico was arrested and then indicted by a federal grand jury from the District of Puerto Rico late Thursday afternoon.

New York – Daniela Velázquez, the Puerto Rican-born councilwoman from St. Louis, Missouri , revealed to El Diario that she decided to contact the employers of the tourist suspected of setting fire to four businesses in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico , shortly after New Year's, in response to the outrage the news sparked among members of the diaspora and other sectors. (Article en español)

New York – Nearly a week after an American tourist allegedly set fire to several businesses in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, the suspect remains unarrested .The woman, who was identified by the affected merchants and her employer as Danielle Renee Bertothy, reportedly left the island shortly after the incident was reported in the early hours of January 2. (Article en español)

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A St. Louis Alderperson is proposing an ordinance to create a Municipal Identification Card Program, known as a Gateway Card, to provide all residents access to a recognized form of government-issued photo identification.

Board Bill 137 would allow city residents with the gateway card access to city services.

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis city residents could soon get their very own city ID, if an alderwoman's proposal is approved.

The "Gateway Card" identification would be available to all city residents at no cost, Ward 6 Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez said in her proposal on Friday.

Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez, of Shaw, put forward the plan to lift a $500 cap on fines for vacant buildings. She argued that the city needed a bigger stick to go after negligent property owners who have bedeviled city neighborhoods for years.

And 80% of voters agreed on Tuesday.

In this episode, Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez joins KMOX's Chris and Amy to discuss the recent controversial comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a rally featuring former President Trump. Daniela shares her perspective as a Puerto Rican and highlights how these remarks have affected the Puerto Rican community.

As the first Latina elected to serve the city of St. Louis, and the only current elected official of Puerto Rican descent in Missouri, I’ve seen firsthand how Trump’s words — like those at his recent rally — embolden hate, hurting my friends, my family and our communities.

ST. CHARLES COUNTY — It has been at least a decade since St. Charles County sent a Democrat to the Legislature.

But party leaders think this may be the year that ends the streak.

So, in recent weeks, they’ve sent St. Louis and St. Louis County Democrats across the Missouri River to knock on doors, talk to voters and bolster the campaigns of candidates running in two competitive House districts in St. Charles city.

“I would say that if you're not at the table, you're on the menu,” said Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez, the first Latina elected to office in St. Louis. “And if you know anything about Latino cooking, you want our sazón. You want our flavor at the table.”

I’m advocating for Proposition V, a charter update on the November ballot. This measure will empower our city to impose penalties that reflect the real costs of property neglect. We can set new fines to scale with the severity of the violation, encouraging landlords to either maintain their investments or sell to those who will.

In this episode, Chris Rongey is joined by St. Louis Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez to discuss the pressing issue of vacant properties across the city. They explore the proposal behind Proposition V, which aims to lift the outdated $500 cap on penalties for absentee property owners.

Daily diary entries from the Super Bowl for political enthusiasts.

Each day we hear from prominent figures and take selfies with politicians we've only seen on TV. I made time to connect with my fellow Diasporicans amid the hustle to the United Center each evening, because being with mi familia política is just as important to me as showing up for Democrats.

Daniela Velázquez is now a St. Louis City Alderwoman. In 2014, she worked at the ACLU.  She was a staff consultant for the Ferguson Commission. That's where she first met Aldridge, a young, outspoken activist, and Gore, a corporate attorney from one of the most high-powered law firms in the city.  An unlikely coalition was forming. 

St. Louis Alderwoman and 2024 DNC Delegate Daniela Velázquez previewed the Democratic National Convention on KSDK/News Channel 5.

ST. LOUIS—Due to a positive COVID test, President Joe Biden didn’t get a chance to deliver remarks to a Las Vegas conference focused on a Latino audience Thursday, but before the test was revealed, he did mingle with attendees, including St. Louis Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez.

Liderados por la concejal de origen boricua Daniela Velázquez, los legisladores plantearon, a través de una resolución, que el estatuto lleva a la explotación y el desplazamiento de lo puertorriqueños que residen en la isla.

“Exhortamos al Congreso de Estados Unidos a cerrar el hueco contributivo de la Ley 22″, indica la medida, de la autoría de la concejal puertorriqueña Daniela Velázquez.

Velázquez represents the city’s 6th Ward, which takes in Compton Heights, Compton Hill, Shaw, Tower Grove South and portions of Dutchtown. She was first elected in April, becoming the first Latina to serve on the board.

The spotlight is on Daniela Velázquez this week, who is the Alderwoman of the 6th Ward in St. Louis. She also has a background working for grassroots organizations, global companies, and national nonprofits, as well as working as a journalist.

While abortion became illegal in Missouri after the Supreme Court’s decision, Ms. Velázquez said many in St. Louis supported abortion rights.