St. John TW

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. declared a local State of Emergency to tackle the territory's energy crisis andprevent further rotational power outages from crippling the the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will send $62.45 million to the territory for residential community solar and power storage projects, federal officials announced Monday.

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced Monday at the weekly Government House press briefing, his nomination of Gordon Rhea to serve as the next V.I. Attorney General.

The Friends of Virgin Islands National Park held its annual Earth Day fair in Cruz Bay, St. John Monday.

Majestik Freedom Estrada-Petersen, a student at the University of the Virgin Islands, stole the show at the St. Thomas Ambassadorial Queen Competition held Saturday night at the Eldrige Blake Sports and Fitness Center. Estrada-Petersen was crowned queen, and also took home the awards for Miss Intellect, Best Swimwear, People's Choice and Queen's Raffle, sponsored by Viya.

A top official at the Public Services Commission is urging customers of Liberty V.I. services to submit written complaints to the agency. That appeal was heard during two days of public listening sessions held to let consumers air their telecommunications problems.

When the Senate Committee of the Whole met Wednesday to discuss three applications for zoning changes for St. Thomas and St. John, senators were asked to consider something truly new in the housing industry.

Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory said she plans to work with her colleagues to override Gov. Albert Bryan Jr.’s veto of a bill that would prevent employers from asking about a job applicant’s criminal history until after they have been interviewed and offered a job.

Prolonged, exceptionally warm temperatures have caused the fourth ever global coral bleaching event – a likely precursor to yet more massive loss of the world’s coral reefs.

During Monday’s weekly Government House press briefing, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. celebrated the upcoming horse races at the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack on St. Thomas during Carnival. Bryan also shared updates and enthusiasm regarding the future of tourism and improved infrastructure across the territory. 

For years, St. John residents have been struggling with a critical housing shortage, and now one local landowner is seeking to address the problem.

The Virgin Islands garnered major attention at the recent 42nd annual International Sea Turtle Symposium in Pattaya, Thailand. The Hawksbill Project, founded by Scott Eanes, was spotlighted for its substantial progress in filling critical data gaps regarding hawksbill turtles in St. John last year.

The landlord of the Virgin Islands Daily News has filed a complaint in V.I. Superior Court seeking to evict the newspaper from its St. Thomas office, claiming it hasn’t paid the rent since last May, and prior to that had arbitrarily reduced the amount it was paying. The case appears linked to an ongoing property dispute between the paper's owner and the company he purchased the paper from in 2014.

Three contestants emerged victorious Saturday night, each a testament to the dedication and talent of the young women who compete for Carnival royalty. Petite Princess Keemayah Ford, Carnival Princess Jazmine Samuel, and Junior Miss Ne'Keya Fraser will wear their crowns with pride throughout the month-long St. Thomas Carnival celebration.

At least three cases of dengue fever have been reported in the territory recently, officials said, meaning the true number may be far higher.

A group of concerned St. John residents and business owners sat down Wednesday night with members of law enforcement to learn more about a national program designed to curb violent crime.

Sing St. John invites the community to “Jump in de Line!” at Cruz Bay’s Franklin Powell Park April 20, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in honor of Harry Belafonte, according to a press release.

Transformation has come to Cruz Bay residents and their trash disposal. A decision by the Waste Management Authority several months ago removed dumpsters from the town area and directed the public to a convenience center in Pine Peace. 

The Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority on Monday announced the appointment of a new executive director who brings with him decades of experience transforming housing agencies across the United States and in Canada.

Beginning Tuesday, active Government Employees’ Retirement System members interested in applying for a personal loan are invited to express their interest by visiting the GERS website at www.usvigers.com, GERS Administrator Angel Dawson Jr. announced on Monday.