Luis A. Morales

Luis A. "Wito" Morales
Luis A. "Wito" Morales
	Mayor Luis A. "Wito" Morales Crespo
128th Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
	In office; 1973–1976
Preceded by	Juan H. Cintrón García
Succeeded by	José G. Tormos Vega
Personal details
Born	7 January 1928; Ponce, Puerto Rico
Died	18 June 2011 (aged 83); Ponce, Puerto Rico
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Political party	Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
Occupation	Broadcaster, sportsman
Profession	Radio personality

Luis Antonio ("Wito") Morales Crespo[1] (7 January 1928 – 18 June 2011) was a Puerto Rican politician and Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from 1973 to 1976. He was also Senator for the District of Ponce from 1977 to 1980 and president of the Ponce Municipal Assembly from 1989 to 2004[2][3] He is recognized as a politician, sportsman, and sports broadcaster.[4]

Radio personality

Before entering politics, Morales Crespo was a prominent local radio personality and broadcaster. He played for the Leones de Ponce professional baseball team from 1947 to 1953 and is an exalted member of Ponce's Sports Hall of Fame, cited at the Francisco Pancho Coimbre Museum.[5]

Business endeavors

Starting in 1980 he became General Manager of WOLE-TV Channel 12 Aguadilla-Mayagüez.[6]

Mayoral works

The administration of mayor Morales Crespo was characterized mostly by the rebuilding of the infrastructure of the city. The most prominent public works during the administration of mayor Morales Crespo are the building of the new farmers market (Nueva Plaza del Mercado, or Plaza de Mercado Juan Bigas) located at the grid formed by the Guadalupe, Salud, Estrella and Mayore ex streets; the building of levee systems for Rio Portugues and Rio Bucana; the modernization of the sewerage system in Barrio La Playa; and the building of the Municipal Public Works Operations Center in the El Tuque sector of Barrio Canas.[7][8]

Death and legacy

Morales Crespo died at Hospital Damas, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on 18 June 2011. Governor Luis Fortuño declared three days of mourning island-wide accompanied by the lowering of the U.S. and Puerto Rico flags at all public buildings and facilities in memory of Morales Crespo.[9] Ponce Mayor Mayita Melendez also declared three days of mourning and ordered all municipal flags in public buildings at half staff.[10]

Honors

In Ponce there is a park at the Cerrillos Lake and Dam area named after him.[11] Morales is also honored at Ponce's Park of Illustrious Ponce Citizens. Only six, of over 100 Ponce mayors, are honored there.[12]

References

Wito Morales Park. TravelPonce.com 2016. Accessed 3 June 2016.
Ponce de luto por la muerte de Luis "Wito" Morales. El Sur a la Vista. 19 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Wito Morales Park. TravelPonce. 2019. Accessed 18 July 2019.
Que descanse en Paz otro de los grandes ponceños. Azalia Negrón Santiago. La Opinion del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
Wito Morales Park. TravelPonce. 2019. Accessed 18 July 2019.
Despide Ponce al ex alcalde "Wito" Morales. Omar Alfonso. La Perla del Sur. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Ley para denominar el Área Recreativa del Bosque Estatal Cerrillos de Ponce como “Luis A. “Wito” Morales”. Ley Núm. 262 del año 2006. (Proyecto de la Camara 2444), 2006, ley 262. Ley Núm. 262 de 12 de diciembre de 2006. Accessed 18 July 2019.
An Act To direct the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Public Structures and Highways Naming Commission to name the recreational area of the Cerrillos State Forest of the Municipality of Ponce after Luis A. "Wito" Morales. House Bill 2444 (No. 262). Approved 12 December 2006. Puerto Rico House of Representatives. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Muere ex alcalde de Ponce: El gobernador Luis Fortuño expresó sus condolencias y declaró 3 días de duelo por la muerte de Luis Antonio “Wito” Morales. WAPA-TV. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Fallece ex alcalde de Ponce Luis Antonio Morales Crespo. El Sur a la Vista. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Luis A. Wito Morales Park
Politics. TravelPonce. Retrieved 18 June 2012.