Aruba Today News

06/06/2025

The Casino at St. Regis, Aruba Announces the Re-Launch of Its Spectacular $400,000 Cash Giveaway Campaign

The Casino at St. Regis is thrilled to announce the re-launch of its highly anticipated Cash Giveaway Campaign 2025, giving guests the opportunity to win a share of a remarkable $400,000 in cash prizes. The campaign will officially run from June 1st through December 26th, offering months of exciting game play and prize opportunities for casino guests.

After already awarding over $130,000 in cash prizes to previous winners, The Casino at The St. Regis Aruba has decided to reset and reinstate the original prize total of $400,000. This exciting move reflects the casino’s ongoing commitment to rewarding even more players with even bigger prizes, ensuring that more guests have the chance to walk away with life-changing winnings.

Guests will receive one raffle ticket for every 80 points earned or $40 in theoretical win throughout the campaign period. A total of 50 finalists will be selected via multiple entry routes. These include 29 finalists drawn through weekly drawings, 10 finalists determined by the Top Player Points Race, 1 finalist selected as a Pop-up Finalist, and an additional 10 finalists who will be chosen during the Final Rush Drawing toward the end of the campaign.

The excitement will culminate in a spectacular Grand Finale on December 26th, 2025, when two grand prize winners will be announced. One winner will walk away with $100,000 in cash, while the final grand prize winner will receive an impressive $300,000 in cash, closing out the campaign in truly unforgettable fashion.

To mark the occasion, the elegant Ventura Bar at The Casino at St. Regis Aruba will prepare a special signature cocktail, elevating the event with a refined and celebratory touch. The official launch of the campaign was held on Saturday evening, where local media outlets were in attendance, mingling with guests and enjoying the festive atmosphere as anticipation for the campaign began to grow.

“We’re excited to bring back one of our most popular campaigns, giving our guests not only thrilling gaming experiences but also unforgettable opportunities to walk away with life-changing prizes,” said Joanna Maya, Multi-Property Casino Marketing Manager.

For more information on how to participate, eligibility, and the campaign schedule, guests are encouraged to visit The Casino at St. Regis Aruba or speak directly with one of the casino hosts. As an added bonus, all visitors to the casino on Sundays will receive one free entry into the sweepstake.

About The Casino at St. Regis Aruba
Located within the luxurious grounds of recently inaugurated The St. Regis Aruba Resort, The Casino offers an elevated gaming experience with unmatched service, ambiance, and entertainment. The casino continues to set the standard for luxury gaming in the Caribbean.

06/06/2025

| Aruba Tourism Authority honored loyal visitors at Marriott's Aruba Surf Club!

The Aruba Tourism Authority recently had the great pleasure of recognizing Goodwill Ambassadors of Aruba. The honorees were respectively honored with a certificate for their years of visits, loyalty, and love for the island of Aruba.

The honorees were: Goodwill Ambassadors, Mr. Micheal and Mrs. Judy Paul from Gainesville, Georgia, USA.

Ms. Keyttin Silva, representing the Aruba Tourism Authority, and staff members of Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club bestowed the certificate upon the honorees, presented them with gifts, and thanked them for choosing Aruba as their favorite vacation destination, as their home away from home.

The top reasons for returning to Aruba provided by Mr. and Mrs. Paul were:

Dependable weather.
The staff and people are so nice at the Surf Club.
Restaurants and great dinners.
Aruba’s safety.
Same time zone.

On behalf of the Aruba Tourism Authority, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the honorees for their continued visits to the “One Happy Island”.

06/06/2025

| President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed his administration to investigate Joe Biden's actions as president, alleging aides masked his predecessor's "cognitive decline" and casting doubts on the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents.

The order marked a significant escalation in Trump's targeting of political adversaries and could lay the groundwork for arguments by the Republican that a range of Biden's actions as president were invalid.

USNEWS Trump orders investigation into Biden’s actions as president, ratcheting up targeting of predecessor Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp ARCHIVO - El presidente Joe Biden habla desde el Despacho Oval de la Casa Blanca el 30 de septiembre de 2024, en Washington. (AP Foto/Mark Schiefelbein, archi...

06/06/2025

| The U.S. declined to label China a currency manipulator in a new Treasury report released Thursday, but accuses Beijing of standing out among America's major trading partners for lacking transparency in its exchange rate policies.

UPFRONT U.S. declines to label China a currency manipulator, but blasts its transparency policies Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent walks at the White House, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ad-papillon-bannerad-banner-plbr-playa-lindaad-ba...

06/06/2025

Bon dia friends! Happy Friday to you all, let's start the weekend right by grabbing a copy of our FREE local newspaper. And remember, if you ever want to publish a fun story in our newspaper let us know!

Visit our website for more news

- http://www.arubatoday.com/

05/06/2025

| You are cordially invited to the Adoption Day at Nine Lives Aruba Foundation KvK # S1631

You are cordially invited to the Adoption Day at Nine Lives Aruba Foundation, which will take place this Saturday, June 7th, at the Foundation, located at Jaburibari 8B. It will be a wonderful day of cuddles, love and new beginnings!

Nine Lives Aruba Foundation is dedicated primarily to rescuing cats in Aruba. They work tirelessly to help all animals that are mistreated, homeless, hurt or in need of assistance and care. During the spring season, usually a lot of kittens are born, and this puts a lot of pressure on the rescuers and volunteers.
You can help through a donation, and by adopting one of these beautiful kittens – aside from it being a good deed, you can gain a loyal, loving and fun little companion!

Come along to meet the foundation and spend time with the furry residents. Come to connect, and who knows, maybe you will even fall in love.

05/06/2025

| Aruba’s first Ombudsman and what she can mean for you

(Oranjestad)—Last year Aruba marked a milestone with the introduction of the first Ombudsman of Aruba. Jurima Bryson, appointed on October 1st 2024, is proud to represent Aruba and is prepared to help both locals and tourists with their concerns.

What is the role of the Ombudsman?
In a nutshell, the Ombudsman is the middle man between you and government or semi-government agencies. This means that as a local or as a visitor of Aruba, you can file a complaint to the bureau of the Ombudsman against government and semi-government agencies.

Already left the island? No problem. The Ombudsman of Aruba can still receive and handle your complaint even from abroad. You only have to provide a way for them to reach you.

Because this is the first time Aruba has an Ombudsman, the bureau office is still not in operation, but Ombudsman Bryson assured that the office will be open sometime in the second half of the year. In the mean time, you can follow the bureau on Instagram and Facebook. “We provide almost daily information so they can understand the role of the Ombudsman, what she can do for them and which kinds of complaints they can submit.”

Follow the ombudsman on Instagram: and Facebook: Ombudsman Aruba

05/06/2025

| The Justice Department on Wednesday sought to block a Texas law that for decades has given college students without legal residency in the U.S. access to reduced in-state tuition rates, the latest effort by the Trump administration to crack down on immigration into the country.

Texas was the first state in the nation in 2001 to pass a law allowing "Dreamers," or young adults without legal status, to be eligible for in-state tuition if they meet certain residency criteria. And while two dozen states now have similar laws, the Trump administration filed the lawsuit in conservative Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers have long sought to support his hardline goals on the border.

USNEWS Justice Department sues Texas over in-state tuition for students without legal residency Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2012, file photo, students walk through the University of Texas at Austin campus near the school's iconic tower in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Ga...

05/06/2025

| Leaders in San Francisco are blasting the Trump administration for stripping the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk from a U.S. naval ship, and especially during Pride Month, when people gather to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Milk is a revered figure in San Francisco history, a former city supervisor and gay rights advocate who was fatally shot along with Mayor George Moscone in 1978 by disgruntled former supervisor Dan White. Just last month, California marked what would have been Milk's 95th birthday with proclamations heralding his authenticity, kindness and calls for unity.

05/06/2025

Bon dia friends! Remember that our newspaper is completely FREE and available at the lobby of most hotels on the island, grab your coffee and a copy.

Visit our website for more news

- http://www.arubatoday.com/

04/06/2025

| Episode CCCVI-306: Manatee Bones in Aruba’s Prehistoric Culture

Etnia Nativa’s narrative emphasizes the importance of reclaiming and recognizing Aruba’s cultural roots—often overshadowed by its colonial past. The platform promotes the rediscovery of native traditions, history, and identity.

In this episode, we discuss the use of marine mammal bones and their significance in prehistoric times. These animals were not only a source of food; their bones also served as valuable material for making tools, ornaments, weapons, and other objects. Today, we focus on one particular sea mammal: the manatee (Trichechus manatus), a large, herbivorous marine animal that was a vital resource for many prehistoric coastal communities."

The manatee’s feeding behavior resembles that of a cow—it grazes on seagrass, which primarily grows in shallow coastal waters. Its closest living relative is the elephant, and due to its grazing habits and marine environment, the manatee is commonly known as the 'sea cow.'

There are three main species of manatees: the Antillean or Caribbean manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the African manatee. The Caribbean manatee once ranged along the Atlantic coastline from Virginia in North America to Brazil, with its primary habitat centered on the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Interestingly, manatees do not tolerate warm water well and often migrate northward during the summer in search of cooler water temperatures.

Prehistoric tools made from manatee bones are relatively rare but highly significant—especially in regions where manatees were naturally present and could have interacted with early human populations. These tools offer valuable insights into the subsistence strategies, cultural practices, and resource use of prehistoric peoples.

Manatee bone tools have been found primarily in Florida and the broader southeastern United States. Most of these tools date to the Archaic and Woodland periods (approximately 8000 BCE to 1000 CE), though their use may have begun even earlier.

Manatee bones—particularly their dense ribs and long bones—were fashioned into tools such as axes and adzes (for chopping or woodworking), pestles or hammers (used for grinding or pounding), and scrapers or digging implements. Occasionally, ceremonial or symbolic items made from manatee bone suggest cultural or ritual significance.

Manatee bone is exceptionally dense, making it well-suited for heavy-duty tools. This density results from an aquatic adaptation: manatee bones lack marrow cavities, which helps them stay submerged.

Manatee bone tools are often found alongside shell middens and other marine-based subsistence remains. Their presence at archaeological sites also reflects prehistoric hunting practices—manatees were hunted not only for their meat but also for their hide and bones.

Today, manatees are protected under laws such as the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. As a result, any use of manatee bones is strictly prohibited without special permits.

Aruba’s prehistoric inhabitants also used manatee bones to make tools. One such artifact in our possession is a small tool crafted from manatee bone, believed to be a sacred object used in ritual ceremonies—specifically to induce vomiting during the mind-altering yopo ceremony.

Yopo is a hallucinogenic substance still used by shamans in parts of South America. It is prepared from the seeds of plants that contain DMT, a powerful psychoactive compound. Inhaling even a small amount can induce a trance-like state known as hecura, a visionary experience that can last for several hours.

If you enjoyed reading our ancestral stories and are interested in learning more about the true identity of Arubans, we invite you to visit Etnia Nativa—the only 'living museum' of its kind in the Caribbean. Founded in 1994, Etnia Nativa has been a trendsetter and a co-founder of key cultural institutions such as Islands National Park, the Archaeological Museum of Aruba, and several artisan foundations, among other voluntary initiatives.Whats App+297 592 2702 [email protected]

04/06/2025

| Infini Aruba Named One of the 10 Best Restaurants in Aruba by Caribbean Journal

In a recent feature by Caribbean Journal, Infini has earned a coveted spot on the publication’s list of the “10 Best Restaurants in Aruba for 2025.” Known for spotlighting the finest in Caribbean travel and dining, Caribbean Journal praised Infini as a standout for its immersive, high-end culinary experience.

“Dining at Infini is an intimate encounter with culinary precision — just a few seats, one open kitchen, and a front-row view of Chef Urvin Croes in action,” the article states. “For those seeking something rare and immersive in Aruba’s dining scene, Infini delivers something unforgettable.”

Located inside the exclusive Blue Residences, Infini is not your typical fine-dining venue. With their open-concept kitchen, the restaurant invites guests to become part of the culinary journey. Each course—meticulously prepared by Chef Urvin Croes and his team—blends modern techniques with the bold, authentic spirit of the Caribbean.

Chef Urvin, celebrated for his innovative approach to island cuisine and crowned Iron Chef Aruba, has built Infini into a space where dining becomes storytelling. Every detail—from plating and pacing to personal engagement with the chef—is designed to elevate food into an experience.

With this recognition from Caribbean Journal, Infini continues to raise the bar for Aruba’s culinary scene, offering something truly unique for food enthusiasts looking to go beyond traditional dining.