Costa Rica news highlights to start your week

Happy Monday from The Tico Times! We hope you had a wonderful weekend. Here’s the news you should know as a new week starts in Costa Rica.

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The government is considering a 25% tax on lottery winnings above 225,000 colones (about $375), La Nación reports. The move would generate about ¢41.8 billion annually, or 0.12% of Costa Rica’s gross domestic product (GDP), as the country seeks measures to curb its financial woes. Read more.

Workers collected 2.5 tons of garbage from Costa Rica’s beaches during International Volunteer Day on Saturday. The cleanups were conducted at Tárcoles, El Cocal, Boca Barranca and Bajamar beaches in the Central Pacific; Pavones in the South Pacific; Tamarindo in the North Pacific; and Cieneguita in the Caribbean. The 160 workers each received a diario (food allotment) for their efforts. More via Teletica.

Turrialba Volcano National Park has officially reopened to the public. Visitors must make prior reservations, and the 8 km hike is not an easy one, but a visit is well-worth your time. More information here.

The semifinals of Apertura 2020 are set. The Costa Rica men’s club soccer semifinals will feature Alajuelense against Cartaginés, and Saprissa against Herediano. The playoff rounds begin Wednesday night.

Monday weather forecast, per the National Meteorological Institute: “The country will experience a gradual rise in atmospheric humidity, as well as in the intensity of the winds. This trend will increase as the days progress. Specifically for this Monday there will be a greater probability of rainfall in the North Caribbean and the North Zone, especially for the night and morning period. For the rest of the country, there would continue to be variable cloudiness between little and partial, in addition to the possibility of rainfall in high areas. During the morning isolated rains can occur in the coastal parts of the Central and South Pacific.”

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We’ll have more news throughout the day, so keep checking The Tico Times home page for more.