Its busy port has always been an indispensable part of Grand Cayman Island’s ec­on­omy. The port handled app­roximately 1,700 20-foot equivalent units monthly and 216,000 tons of freight in all of 2010. “The majority of the imports is general cargo, because everyone’s food and everything has to be imported – minimal items are produced here,” Manager of Port Op­er­ations Willem (Will) Jacobs says. “It’s the only way of products getting in and out of the island other than air cargo.

Read more: Port Authority of the Cayman Islands

Thanks to a taxpayer-app­rov­ed bond issue, $198 million has been earmarked for im­provements to the city of Oakland’s pub­lic works program. Funded by the mea­sure as well as the State Coastal Con­servancy and federal highway funds, upcoming projects include rehabilitation of area parks, trails and bridges. Also in the mix are a new recreation center, historic building renovations, land acquisition and creek restoration.

Read more: City of Oakland