July 8, 2003 – The territory's fiscal crisis demands sacrifices, and French Heritage Week is feeling the effects, Sen. Lorraine Berry said on Tuesday, announcing that the annual Bastille Day reception traditionally held at Government House has been called off.
"The administration said that they had no money; so, we decided to cancel it this year," Berry said.
Also due to financial constraints, the Miss French Heritage pageant was not held this year. "Roseanna Berry, who won the crown at last year's pageant, will continue to reign as Queen of French Heritage 2003," a release from Sen. Berry's office stated.
French Heritage Week is observed annuall on St. Thomas around Bastille Day, July 14, a French national holiday comparable to Americans' Fourth of July. On that date in 1789, Parisians stormed the notorious Bastille prison, setting off the French Revolution that would see the overthrow of King Louis XVI and an end to rule by the monarchy.
Despite the cutbacks this year, Berry, who is of French descent, said, "we still have many activities that we can attend."
One of them was on Monday night, a reception aboard the French naval frigate Le Ventose, which has called at St. Thomas previously. Berry said the guests and ship's complement of officers and crew enjoyed French wine, cheese and bread. Although many of the sailors could not speak English, she said, there were plenty of people available to serve as interpreters.
"It was nice to see a lot of people," Berry said.
Also as part of the week's activities, midshipmen of Le Ventose and local soccer players were to meet for a match at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Charlotte Amalie High School athletic field.
There will be another reception on Wednesday evening around the pool at Best Western Emerald Beach Resort for the Friends of French Culture, an organization founded last year by Odile de Lyrot, the territory's honorary French consul, and guests. De Lyrot is hosting the event, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The week's traditional finale, the Northside Sportfishing Club's annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament at Hull Bay, is set for Sunday. In addition to fishing, the day's offerings include games, food, drink and music by Cool Session in the afternoon; and the awarding of prizes, more food and drink, and music by Sea Breeze at night. (See Bastille Day kingfish tourney ready to go.)

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The St. Croix Pony Baseball League will hold the 2003 Caribbean Zone Tournament for ages 13-14 from Thursday, July 10, through Sunday, July 13.
The opening ceremony is at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Paul E. Joseph Stadium.

Patrick Jermaine Mulrain, 25, better known as "Ouade," of Estate Tutu, St. Thomas, died June 29 at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital.
Viewings will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Davis Funeral Home, and from 9 to 10 a.m. at Christchurch Methodist Market Square Friday, July 11. Service will follow at 10 a.m. at Christchurch, with interment in Western Cemetery No. 3.
Mulrain is survived by his mother, Elaine Brewley Mulrain; his father, Henry "Charles" Mulrain; daughter, De-Anna Herbert; brothers Anderson "Andy" Mulrain and Mitchell Mulrain; sisters Joycelyn Mulrain and Lydia Robles; aunts Iva Archibald, Lillian Maduro, Louvina Maduro, and Elita Brewley; uncle, James Brewley; nephews Kevin and Lamar; and nieces, LaKia and Anisha, and many other relatives and friends.

The death of Mrs. Ira Helen Miller, better known as "I," is announced. Miller, 88, died July 1 at her home in Estate Anna's Retreat, St. Thomas.
There will be no viewing. Services will be Friday, July 11, at Holy Family Church, with interment in Western Cemetery No. 2.
She is survived by a daughter, Islani Marie Miller; a sister, Thelma Francis Ware; and special friends Blanche Sasso, Adriana Casimir, Helen Reed, Manuel Fernandez, John David, and Bernie Joseph; and many other relatives and friends.

Grace Guildarie, 64, of Oswald Harris Court, St. Thomas, died July 3 at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital. Viewing will be at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Davis Funeral Home Chapel, with services at 10 a.m. at the Chapel and interment at Western Cemetery No. 3.
Guildarie is survived by a son, Ricky Guildarie; daughtr, July Guildarie; brothers Errol, David and George Sammy; and sisters Sheila Ortiz, violet Parea, Merlin Agarat and Annie Joseph; and grandchildren Shehera, Ricaldo, Mark and Rishma. She is also survived many other relatives and friends, including Annet, Evet, Dian, Lulou, Vannesa, Mona, Latoya, Denise Williams, Star, Carrol, Veronica, Bradly and Elskoe family.

July 8, 2003 — The Bahá'ís of the Virgin Islands will join Bahá'ís worldwide in observance of the Martyrdom of the Báb on Wednesday, July 9, near noon.
The Báb, whose name means the Gate, was the Prophet-Herald of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. On July 9, 1850, the Báb was executed by a firing squad in a public square in Tabriz, Persia (now Iran).
In 1844, the Báb had proclaimed a new religion and declared that the promised one of all religions would soon reveal Himself. For six years the Báb, who is regarded by Bahá'ís as a messenger of God, continued to teach and to gather thousands of followers. He proclaimed the coming of a new era in which the world would be unified and mankind would become one. The enthusiasm with which thousands accepted the Báb's teachings alarmed the clergy and government officials in Persia at that time. Three years after the Báb's martyrdom, the one he foretold appeared in the person of Bahá'u'lláh.
The Bahá'í Faith is the most widely spread religion in the world after Christianity. The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion with principles including the oneness of God, the oneness of religion and the oneness of humanity. The World Center of the religion is in Haifa, Israel.
For more information on the Bahá'í Faith, call 774-3648, e-mail, or check the Web site. Activities are scheduled for 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday on St. Thomas at the Bahá'í National Center, 129 Contant. Call 776-5852 for directions and transportation.

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July 8, 2003 – Financial restraints have curtailed other portions of the annual French Heritage Week celebration on St. Thomas, but the Northside Sportfishing Club's annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament — the territory's biggest in-shore fishing event — is up and ready to go at 5:30 a.m. Sunday.
Action central is the usual place, Hull Bay Hideaway, on the beach on St. Thomas's North Side.
"We're expecting more than 300 anglers this year," Monica Lester, tournament director, said. Because of sponsor generosity, she said, entry fees remain affordable — $35 for adults and $20 for "juniors," defined as youngsters ages 8-16.
It's lines in the water from 5:30 a.m. to noon. For the next two hours after that, while the weigh-master and judges work, anglers get to enjoy an open bar. Meanwhile, for the general public, there will be food, drinks and live music courtesy of St. John's Cool Session band throughout the afternoon. The awards ceremony is to get under way at 8 p.m. with music by Sea Breeze.
The largest kingfish will net its angler $2,000 in cash donated by N.E.M. (West Indies) Insurance, managed in the V.I. by Red Hook Agencies.
The second-largest kingfish prize is $750 in cash from FedEx.
The best captain will have a choice of three prizes from Offshore Marine — a 12-foot inflatable Caribe dinghy with a 15 hp Yamaha outboard motor, a four-stroke 50 hp Yamaha outboard or an 18-foot Eduardano boat.
Major sponsors Coors Light and Snapple, distributed locally by Bellows International, are providing product and cash sponsorship, continuing a tradition that goes back 12 years, with donations adding up to more than $75,000, according to a release.
Other prizes include a Celebrity Cruises seven-night Caribbean cruise for two, overnight getaways at more than a dozen St. Thomas and St. John hotels, and dinners at numerous local restaurants. Collecting them will be the anglers who reel in the largest barracuda, bonito, dolphin, jack, mackerel and tuna, and the winners for best boat and best female, male, junior female and junior male anglers. And junior anglers get a chance at a drawing for eight $50 cash awards and one $100 award, all sponsored by I Do Video & Photography.
Founded by the Northside Sportfishing Club in 1987, the annual tournament benefits Joseph Sibilly School, St. Thomas Rescue, the local American Red Cross chapter and scholarships for college-bound students of French descent. Last year, the club also made a contribution toward refurbishment of the Dorothea tot lot.
Tournament registration and the captains' meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hull Bay Hideaway. Entry forms are available at Bryan’s Electrical Contracting in Sub Base and Neptune Fishing Supplies in American Yacht Harbor. For more information, call 774-5206.

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July 8, 2003 – The Puerto Rico branch of an international public relations firm hired to prepare the region for America's new, improved $20 bill apparently is unaware that the U.S. dollar is the legal tender of the commonwealth's nearest neighbor.
A release faxed from Burson-Marsteller of Guaynabo states that the newly designed $20 bill, which is to go into circulation in the fall, "is extremely important to U.S. Virgin Islands' economic activity, where the U.S. dollar is often used interchangeably with local currency."
The release, clearly intended for a variety of Caribbean island states and dependencies, also notes that the territory receives "hundreds of thousands of U.S. tourists every year, and the cash they use on local purchases is about to change. Caribbean institutions and businesses that handle transactions in U.S. dollars — banks, restaurants, shops and hotels, to name a few — must know how to identify the [bill's] new look in order to accept it as cash payment."
The concern, of course, applies equally well to a community in which the Bureau of Engraving's new, improved $20 bill will be introduced, probably starting in October, as part of its own local currency.
The redesigned bill, which continues the watermark, security thread and color-shifting features introduced in the 1996-2000 makeovers of most denominations, has added color features that give it a distinctly different look from the familiar "greenbacks."
Hold a current $20 bill (as opposed to one of the pre-1998 "old" ones) up to the light. From the front, you'll see the watermark, a second face, to the far right; and a single vertical line of small text, the "security thread," a thin strip of plastic embedded in the paper, about half a inch in from the left margin. At the lower right, the numeral "20" is in ink that appears to change from copper to black when viewed from different angles.
The soon-to-come $20 note, which was unveiled on May 13, definitely looks different, with green, peach and blue coloration in the background on both sides. It uses "the same but enhanced" portrait of Andrew Jackson on the front and image of the White House on the back. In addition to a security thread, a "more dramatic" color-shifting ink and the facial watermark, it features a blue eagle in the left background and a small metallic green eagle and shield to the right of Jackson's face.
Imbedded colors and watermarks are the sort of thing other currencies around the world, including the EC (Eastern Caribbean) dollar, have had for decades.
The new $20 bills won't buy you any more than the old ones, but according to Thomas Ferguson, director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, they should help prevent counterfeiters from getting away with passing bogus bills. The initial concern of federal officials of course, is that the genuine article, given its unusual appearance, may be rejected as a fake by the uninformed. And here, some pictures are definitely worth thousands of words.
For illustrations of the new design and more background, visit the U.S. Bureau of Engraving's New Color of Money Web site. On the main page, there are images of both sides of the bill that you can click on to see close-ups of the color enhancements. To see the special design and printing features, click on the left on "New currency" and then on "Interactive $20 bill."
According to the Bureau of Engraving, the redesigned currency "is safer, smarter and more secure: Safer because it is harder to fake and easier to check; smarter to stay ahead of tech-savvy counterfeiters; and more secure to protect the integrity of U.S. currency."
The government plans to issue similarly updated $50 and $100 bills in 2004 and 2005, respectively. "Decisions on new designs for the $5 and $10 notes are still under consideration," according to a release, "but a redesign of the $2 and $1 notes is not planned."
Each of the denominations will have its own background color scheme, which "will also make it easier to distinguish between denominations," the release said.
The last round of currency redesigns began in 1996 with the advent of the "big head" $100 bill that introduced the use of color-shifting ink, security threads and watermarks in U.S. currency. It was followed by the redesigned $50 bill in 1997, $20 bill in 1998 and $10 and $5 notes in 2000. There was no redesign of the $1 bill, possibly because of government officials' hope that it would be phased out in favor of the quarter-size Susan B. Anthony $1 coin introduced in 1979. The coin has never caught on except for use in change-making machines such as those at post offices and mass transit facilities.
"U.S. currency is a worldwide symbol of security and integrity. This new design will help us keep it that way, by protecting against counterfeiting and making it easier for people to confirm the authenticity of their hard-earned money," U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow said in a release.
And if you are into conspiracy theories, do a Web search for "new $20 bill" and you'll find sites addressing the "amazing discoveries" that the new design can be manipulated to reveal images of the World Trade Center and Pentagon under attack.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 8, 2003 – The Puerto Rico branch of an international public relations firm hired to prepare the region for America's new, improved $20 bill apparently is unaware that the U.S. dollar is the legal tender of the commonwealth's nearest neighbor.
A release faxed from Burson-Marsteller of Guaynabo states that the newly designed $20 bill, which is to go into circulation in the fall, "is extremely important to U.S. Virgin Islands' economic activity, where the U.S. dollar is often used interchangeably with local currency."
The release, clearly intended for a variety of Caribbean island states and dependencies, also notes that the territory receives "hundreds of thousands of U.S. tourists every year, and the cash they use on local purchases is about to change. Caribbean institutions and businesses that handle transactions in U.S. dollars — banks, restaurants, shops and hotels, to name a few — must know how to identify the [bill's] new look in order to accept it as cash payment."
The concern, of course, applies equally well to a community in which the Bureau of Engraving's new, improved $20 bill will be introduced, probably starting in October, as part of its own local currency.
The redesigned bill, which continues the watermark, security thread and color-shifting features introduced in the 1996-2000 makeovers of most denominations, has added color features that give it a distinctly different look from the familiar "greenbacks."
Hold a current $20 bill (as opposed to one of the pre-1998 "old" ones) up to the light. From the front, you'll see the watermark, a second face, to the far right; and a single vertical line of small text, the "security thread," a thin strip of plastic embedded in the paper, about half a inch in from the left margin. At the lower right, the numeral "20" is in ink that appears to change from copper to black when viewed from different angles.
The soon-to-come $20 note, which was unveiled on May 13, definitely looks different, with green, peach and blue coloration in the background on both sides. It uses "the same but enhanced" portrait of Andrew Jackson on the front and image of the White House on the back. In addition to a security thread, a "more dramatic" color-shifting ink and the facial watermark, it features a blue eagle in the left background and a small metallic green eagle and shield to the right of Jackson's face.
Imbedded colors and watermarks are the sort of thing other currencies around the world, including the EC (Eastern Caribbean) dollar, have had for decades.
The new $20 bills won't buy you any more than the old ones, but according to Thomas Ferguson, director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, they should help prevent counterfeiters from getting away with passing bogus bills. The initial concern of federal officials of course, is that the genuine article, given its unusual appearance, may be rejected as a fake by the uninformed. And here, some pictures are definitely worth thousands of words.
For illustrations of the new design and more background, visit the U.S. Bureau of Engraving's New Color of Money Web site. On the main page, there are images of both sides of the bill that you can click on to see close-ups of the color enhancements. To see the special design and printing features, click on the left on "New currency" and then on "Interactive $20 bill."
According to the Bureau of Engraving, the redesigned currency "is safer, smarter and more secure: Safer because it is harder to fake and easier to check; smarter to stay ahead of tech-savvy counterfeiters; and more secure to protect the integrity of U.S. currency."
The government plans to issue similarly updated $50 and $100 bills in 2004 and 2005, respectively. "Decisions on new designs for the $5 and $10 notes are still under consideration," according to a release, "but a redesign of the $2 and $1 notes is not planned."
Each of the denominations will have its own background color scheme, which "will also make it easier to distinguish between denominations," the release said.
The last round of currency redesigns began in 1996 with the advent of the "big head" $100 bill that introduced the use of color-shifting ink, security threads and watermarks in U.S. currency. It was followed by the redesigned $50 bill in 1997, $20 bill in 1998 and $10 and $5 notes in 2000. There was no redesign of the $1 bill, possibly because of government officials' hope that it would be phased out in favor of the quarter-size Susan B. Anthony $1 coin introduced in 1979. The coin has never caught on except for use in change-making machines such as those at post offices and mass transit facilities.
"U.S. currency is a worldwide symbol of security and integrity. This new design will help us keep it that way, by protecting against counterfeiting and making it easier for people to confirm the authenticity of their hard-earned money," U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow said in a release.
And if you are into conspiracy theories, do a Web search for "new $20 bill" and you'll find sites addressing the "amazing discoveries" that the new design can be manipulated to reveal images of the World Trade Center and Pentagon under attack.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 8, 2003 – The Puerto Rico branch of an international public relations firm hired to prepare the region for America's new, improved $20 bill apparently is unaware that the U.S. dollar is the legal tender of the commonwealth's nearest neighbor.
A release faxed from Burson-Marsteller of Guaynabo states that the newly designed $20 bill, which is to go into circulation in the fall, "is extremely important to U.S. Virgin Islands' economic activity, where the U.S. dollar is often used interchangeably with local currency."
The release, clearly intended for a variety of Caribbean island states and dependencies, also notes that the territory receives "hundreds of thousands of U.S. tourists every year, and the cash they use on local purchases is about to change. Caribbean institutions and businesses that handle transactions in U.S. dollars — banks, restaurants, shops and hotels, to name a few — must know how to identify the [bill's] new look in order to accept it as cash payment."
The concern, of course, applies equally well to a community in which the Bureau of Engraving's new, improved $20 bill will be introduced, probably starting in October, as part of its own local currency.
The redesigned bill, which continues the watermark, security thread and color-shifting features introduced in the 1996-2000 makeovers of most denominations, has added color features that give it a distinctly different look from the familiar "greenbacks."
Hold a current $20 bill (as opposed to one of the pre-1998 "old" ones) up to the light. From the front, you'll see the watermark, a second face, to the far right; and a single vertical line of small text, the "security thread," a thin strip of plastic embedded in the paper, about half a inch in from the left margin. At the lower right, the numeral "20" is in ink that appears to change from copper to black when viewed from different angles.
The soon-to-come $20 note, which was unveiled on May 13, definitely looks different, with green, peach and blue coloration in the background on both sides. It uses "the same but enhanced" portrait of Andrew Jackson on the front and image of the White House on the back. In addition to a security thread, a "more dramatic" color-shifting ink and the facial watermark, it features a blue eagle in the left background and a small metallic green eagle and shield to the right of Jackson's face.
Imbedded colors and watermarks are the sort of thing other currencies around the world, including the EC (Eastern Caribbean) dollar, have had for decades.
The new $20 bills won't buy you any more than the old ones, but according to Thomas Ferguson, director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, they should help prevent counterfeiters from getting away with passing bogus bills. The initial concern of federal officials of course, is that the genuine article, given its unusual appearance, may be rejected as a fake by the uninformed. And here, some pictures are definitely worth thousands of words.
For illustrations of the new design and more background, visit the U.S. Bureau of Engraving's New Color of Money Web site. On the main page, there are images of both sides of the bill that you can click on to see close-ups of the color enhancements. To see the special design and printing features, click on the left on "New currency" and then on "Interactive $20 bill."
According to the Bureau of Engraving, the redesigned currency "is safer, smarter and more secure: Safer because it is harder to fake and easier to check; smarter to stay ahead of tech-savvy counterfeiters; and more secure to protect the integrity of U.S. currency."
The government plans to issue similarly updated $50 and $100 bills in 2004 and 2005, respectively. "Decisions on new designs for the $5 and $10 notes are still under consideration," according to a release, "but a redesign of the $2 and $1 notes is not planned."
Each of the denominations will have its own background color scheme, which "will also make it easier to distinguish between denominations," the release said.
The last round of currency redesigns began in 1996 with the advent of the "big head" $100 bill that introduced the use of color-shifting ink, security threads and watermarks in U.S. currency. It was followed by the redesigned $50 bill in 1997, $20 bill in 1998 and $10 and $5 notes in 2000. There was no redesign of the $1 bill, possibly because of government officials' hope that it would be phased out in favor of the quarter-size Susan B. Anthony $1 coin introduced in 1979. The coin has never caught on except for use in change-making machines such as those at post offices and mass transit facilities.
"U.S. currency is a worldwide symbol of security and integrity. This new design will help us keep it that way, by protecting against counterfeiting and making it easier for people to confirm the authenticity of their hard-earned money," U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow said in a release.
And if you are into conspiracy theories, do a Web search for "new $20 bill" and you'll find sites addressing the "amazing discoveries" that the new design can be manipulated to reveal images of the World Trade Center and Pentagon under attack.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.