June 1, 2003 – Officers responding to a call for assistance from an Estate Hannah's Rest residence early Sunday morning said one of two persons involved in a conflict at the home went into a bedroom, locked the door and apparently took his own life with a single gun shot, according to a Police Department release.
Police withheld the identity of the 42-year-old man pending notification of family members.
The release stated that the shooting occurred shortly after 5 a.m. It said officers arrived at the home and found "there was a problem existing between the victim and his companion."
As the officers were trying to talk with both parties, the man went into the bedroom, and while the officers were talking with the companion they heard a gun shot from the bedroom. Forcing the door, they found the man's body with a single bullet wound and a handgun nearby. Medical personnel were called and they transported the body to Juan F. Luis Hospital, where the man was pronounced dead.
An investigation is continuing, according to the release. Police asked that anyone with information on this case, or any other, call the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 778-2211, ext. 4530; the crime hotline, 778-4950; or 911.
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INSIGNIA ACQUISITION WOULD AFFECT YACHT HAVEN
June 1, 2003 – Information on the probable new owners of the Yacht Haven property on St. Thomas has become available from a 374-page draft proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., on Thursday and from a press release, both from Insignia Financial Group of New York, the parent company of the current owner of the property.
Insignia Financial Group is the parent company of IN-USVI LLC, the Virgin Islands company that is the holder of record of interests in all of the property slated for redevelopment, according to Andrew Farkas, Insignia chief executive officer. And, he said in a May 25 letter to Senate President David Jones, this will continue to be the case after the anticipated acquisition of Insignia by CB Richard Ellis. Further, Farkas said in the letter, Insignia USVI Corp., a V.I. corporation, is the manager of IN-USVI and will continue to be its manager after the merger.
According to Insignia's press release, however, if the planned acquisition of Insignia by CB Richard Ellis (each is a real estate services company with holdings world-wide) is completed as expected, part of the arrangement will be the sale by Insignia of various real estate holdings, including Yacht Haven, to an entity identified as "CEO Andrew Farkas's Island Fund I LLC."
The Island Fund has agreed to pay $44 million to Insignia for its "office building and strip mall investments," according to the release. Island Fund also will take care of $7.8 million in employment contracts (now held by Insignia) as part of the deal.
Steve Iaco, Insignia spokesman, said that the portfolio to be sold to Island Fund also includes some collateralized mortgages and Yacht Haven, Insignia's only investment in the Virgin Islands.
Island Fund, to be run by the departing Insignia CEO, will be a private corporation with headquarters in New York City and registered in Delaware. Private corporations — unlike Insignia, a public one — do not routinely issue financial statements. The deal between CB Richard Ellis (also privately held) and Insignia will be concluded if both parties meet various requirements and if Insignia’s shareholders vote approval. The stockholders' meeting date has not yet been set, Iaco said.
Filed with the SEC on Thursday, the draft proxy statement, according to Iaco, has no information on specific properties, such as Yacht Haven, but it does shed some light on an individual that the territory might like to recruit as a resident taxpayer: Andrew Farkas, who appeared before a special session of the Legislature last Tuesday.
That was when the Turnbull administration succeeded in securing quick approval of a lease and a Coastal Zone Management development permit for the submerged lands in Long Bay that are part and parcel of the Yacht Haven redevelopment plans. (See "Senate approves submerged lands lease".)
Farkas, even without earning a dime in his new job as CEO of Island Fund, will have more than $9 million in golden parachute payments between now and the end of 2005 — provided that the acquisition takes place.
These payments include, among other things, $1 million a year in salary between the time of the merger and the end of 2005; another $1 million a year in quarterly payments during the same period; a $1.5 million loan, to be forgiven after three years; more than $3 million for his stock in Insignia, and $30,833 a month for "support staff, office rent, and car and driver expenses," again from the finalizing of the deal until the end of 2005.
Farkas is one of several Insignia executives scheduled to be paid substantial farewell payments as part of the CB Richard Ellis takeover deal.
A group of stockholders has filed what Insignia calls "a purported class action suit" against Insignia protesting the size of the golden parachute for Farkas and objecting to Insignia's renewing his employment contract in December 2002, a relatively short time before the planned acquisition was announced. Insignia, in the draft proxy statement, says that the "litigation is without merit and [we] intend to vigorously defend it."
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.
Insignia Financial Group is the parent company of IN-USVI LLC, the Virgin Islands company that is the holder of record of interests in all of the property slated for redevelopment, according to Andrew Farkas, Insignia chief executive officer. And, he said in a May 25 letter to Senate President David Jones, this will continue to be the case after the anticipated acquisition of Insignia by CB Richard Ellis. Further, Farkas said in the letter, Insignia USVI Corp., a V.I. corporation, is the manager of IN-USVI and will continue to be its manager after the merger.
According to Insignia's press release, however, if the planned acquisition of Insignia by CB Richard Ellis (each is a real estate services company with holdings world-wide) is completed as expected, part of the arrangement will be the sale by Insignia of various real estate holdings, including Yacht Haven, to an entity identified as "CEO Andrew Farkas's Island Fund I LLC."
The Island Fund has agreed to pay $44 million to Insignia for its "office building and strip mall investments," according to the release. Island Fund also will take care of $7.8 million in employment contracts (now held by Insignia) as part of the deal.
Steve Iaco, Insignia spokesman, said that the portfolio to be sold to Island Fund also includes some collateralized mortgages and Yacht Haven, Insignia's only investment in the Virgin Islands.
Island Fund, to be run by the departing Insignia CEO, will be a private corporation with headquarters in New York City and registered in Delaware. Private corporations — unlike Insignia, a public one — do not routinely issue financial statements. The deal between CB Richard Ellis (also privately held) and Insignia will be concluded if both parties meet various requirements and if Insignia’s shareholders vote approval. The stockholders' meeting date has not yet been set, Iaco said.
Filed with the SEC on Thursday, the draft proxy statement, according to Iaco, has no information on specific properties, such as Yacht Haven, but it does shed some light on an individual that the territory might like to recruit as a resident taxpayer: Andrew Farkas, who appeared before a special session of the Legislature last Tuesday.
That was when the Turnbull administration succeeded in securing quick approval of a lease and a Coastal Zone Management development permit for the submerged lands in Long Bay that are part and parcel of the Yacht Haven redevelopment plans. (See "Senate approves submerged lands lease".)
Farkas, even without earning a dime in his new job as CEO of Island Fund, will have more than $9 million in golden parachute payments between now and the end of 2005 — provided that the acquisition takes place.
These payments include, among other things, $1 million a year in salary between the time of the merger and the end of 2005; another $1 million a year in quarterly payments during the same period; a $1.5 million loan, to be forgiven after three years; more than $3 million for his stock in Insignia, and $30,833 a month for "support staff, office rent, and car and driver expenses," again from the finalizing of the deal until the end of 2005.
Farkas is one of several Insignia executives scheduled to be paid substantial farewell payments as part of the CB Richard Ellis takeover deal.
A group of stockholders has filed what Insignia calls "a purported class action suit" against Insignia protesting the size of the golden parachute for Farkas and objecting to Insignia's renewing his employment contract in December 2002, a relatively short time before the planned acquisition was announced. Insignia, in the draft proxy statement, says that the "litigation is without merit and [we] intend to vigorously defend it."
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.
RESIDENTS TO PRESERVE CRUCIAN WORDS ON MUSIC
June 1, 2003 – A cadre of St. Croix residents is heading out over the next several months to preserve the words and sounds of Crucian musicians.
The community got a taste of the words and sounds they'll be seeking out at a March "summit" where some spoke, some sang, some played and some danced. The demonstration at the University of the Virgin Islands campus cafetorium showcased the importance of music in the cultural life of the island.
UVI Humanities Division faculty member Gene Emanuel was master of ceremonies for the "Summit of Tradition Bearers" marking completion of the four-day workshop presented by the Alton Augustus Adams Music Research Institute. The institute is the St. Thomas branch of the Center for Black Music Research of Columbia College in Chicago. The workshop was funded in part by the V.I. Humanities Council.
Emanuel knew how to pull the words out of self-professed reticent persons. Once he got Fred Thomas going, there was no stopping his reminiscences about early days with bands and what exactly characterizes St. Croix musicians. Thomas, born mid-island, had much to say about that — that he's neither Christiansted nor Frederiksted. Emanuel tried to get him back on the music track by asking about his years playing in Puerto Rico, and Thomas had lots to say about that, too.
Next, Emanuel turned to Sylvester "Blinky" McIntosh. McIntosh observed that he used to think the definition of a musician was one who could read music; in time he learned that St. Croix musicians can get the feeling across without that skill. Later on, he talked about his lengthy association with bands, starting with his father's Merry Makers dance band. "There's a little bit of everything in my music," he said, noting how he had liked the sound of merengue from early on.
Then Emanuel got Helen Joseph and Gail Watson-Chiang exchanging ideas, both of them most willing to express their views. Joseph, noting that St. Croix is the "land of seven flags," said what she learned of music came from all seven: calypso, church, Latin, French, quadrille, the southern step from the Danes, Spanish beat, and language from an old-time radio station. "St. Croix musicians are accomplished musicians" was her characterization; they can play anything.
Watson-Chiang, a tradition bearer in her own right and by heredity through her mother, Leona Brady-Watson, observed that cariso — from "carry it so," she said — was "used from slave days to send messages, to curse, to make love, to tell jokes." Her mother, she said, brought cariso back to life on St. Croix.
"Our culture became inclusive, not exclusive," she said, noting that the Virgin Islands was part of the Harlem Renaissance. It is "open to the world," she said, and events such as the summit are important "so the young people can know the history, and see that music kept the race alive."
Following the platform conversations, special tributes were presented in absentia to Ethel McIntosh and Brady-Watson, both well-known cariso singers.
At the reception that followed, the chairs were pushed back, Stanley Jacobs and Six Pack played, couples and singles danced with energy, and watchers feasted on a buffet as well as the sight of dancers.
The workshop, led by Dr. Johann Buis of the Center for Black Music Research staff and archivist Suzanne Flandreau, taught 11 residents how to go about interviewing long-time Crucian musicians and preserving their words and music. The training covered field research and explored ethical issues that may arise when recording the life stories of living musicians.
Carol Wakefield, librarian at the Whim Greathouse Library, hosted the group at Whim Plantation and taught part of the last session, providing research leads for interviewers to arm themselves with before approaching their subjects. She showed how historic information can be gleaned or surmised from close examination of early census and church records. The class, divided into three teams, set to with enthusiasm to delve into some of those records, and thus learned important questions to ask their subjects when they began interviews.
Attending the workshop were Sharisse Bascombe, Winifred Hardy, Beth Heyliger, Carol Jackson, Emeline Jackson, Marise James, Aretha "Ricki" Marshall, Azalea McBean, John Munro, Veronica Phillips and Steve Webster.
All are now armed with tape recorders and cameras supplied to workshop participants as part of the program. They will be interviewing subjects of their choosing over the next several months.
Attendees each receive $100 upon completion of the workshop, unlike the common practice of charging attendees for such a program. Once a project is submitted, the interviewer and the subject music-maker will each receive a $100 stipend.
The Education Department donated space at the Curriculum Center for the workshop, and UVI provided the facility for the summit through its co-sponsoring Social Sciences Division.
A similar workshop in "Documenting Living Treasures" was taught on St. Thomas last year, with a summit that honored Alwyn "Lad" Richards and James "Jamesie" Brewster of St. Thomas, Delita O'Connor of St. John, and Stanley Jacobs and Eldred Christian of St. Croix.
The Adams Music Research Institute facility on St. Thomas will be open to researchers of black music in the Caribbean once renovation is completed. It will house a resource center with Internet access and the entire body of Alton Adams' saved paper archives searchable through scans onto CD-ROMs. Martin Lamkin is the on-site AMRI program manager, and Shirley Lincoln is the resource center director.
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.
The community got a taste of the words and sounds they'll be seeking out at a March "summit" where some spoke, some sang, some played and some danced. The demonstration at the University of the Virgin Islands campus cafetorium showcased the importance of music in the cultural life of the island.
UVI Humanities Division faculty member Gene Emanuel was master of ceremonies for the "Summit of Tradition Bearers" marking completion of the four-day workshop presented by the Alton Augustus Adams Music Research Institute. The institute is the St. Thomas branch of the Center for Black Music Research of Columbia College in Chicago. The workshop was funded in part by the V.I. Humanities Council.
Emanuel knew how to pull the words out of self-professed reticent persons. Once he got Fred Thomas going, there was no stopping his reminiscences about early days with bands and what exactly characterizes St. Croix musicians. Thomas, born mid-island, had much to say about that — that he's neither Christiansted nor Frederiksted. Emanuel tried to get him back on the music track by asking about his years playing in Puerto Rico, and Thomas had lots to say about that, too.
Next, Emanuel turned to Sylvester "Blinky" McIntosh. McIntosh observed that he used to think the definition of a musician was one who could read music; in time he learned that St. Croix musicians can get the feeling across without that skill. Later on, he talked about his lengthy association with bands, starting with his father's Merry Makers dance band. "There's a little bit of everything in my music," he said, noting how he had liked the sound of merengue from early on.
Then Emanuel got Helen Joseph and Gail Watson-Chiang exchanging ideas, both of them most willing to express their views. Joseph, noting that St. Croix is the "land of seven flags," said what she learned of music came from all seven: calypso, church, Latin, French, quadrille, the southern step from the Danes, Spanish beat, and language from an old-time radio station. "St. Croix musicians are accomplished musicians" was her characterization; they can play anything.
Watson-Chiang, a tradition bearer in her own right and by heredity through her mother, Leona Brady-Watson, observed that cariso — from "carry it so," she said — was "used from slave days to send messages, to curse, to make love, to tell jokes." Her mother, she said, brought cariso back to life on St. Croix.
"Our culture became inclusive, not exclusive," she said, noting that the Virgin Islands was part of the Harlem Renaissance. It is "open to the world," she said, and events such as the summit are important "so the young people can know the history, and see that music kept the race alive."
Following the platform conversations, special tributes were presented in absentia to Ethel McIntosh and Brady-Watson, both well-known cariso singers.
At the reception that followed, the chairs were pushed back, Stanley Jacobs and Six Pack played, couples and singles danced with energy, and watchers feasted on a buffet as well as the sight of dancers.
The workshop, led by Dr. Johann Buis of the Center for Black Music Research staff and archivist Suzanne Flandreau, taught 11 residents how to go about interviewing long-time Crucian musicians and preserving their words and music. The training covered field research and explored ethical issues that may arise when recording the life stories of living musicians.
Carol Wakefield, librarian at the Whim Greathouse Library, hosted the group at Whim Plantation and taught part of the last session, providing research leads for interviewers to arm themselves with before approaching their subjects. She showed how historic information can be gleaned or surmised from close examination of early census and church records. The class, divided into three teams, set to with enthusiasm to delve into some of those records, and thus learned important questions to ask their subjects when they began interviews.
Attending the workshop were Sharisse Bascombe, Winifred Hardy, Beth Heyliger, Carol Jackson, Emeline Jackson, Marise James, Aretha "Ricki" Marshall, Azalea McBean, John Munro, Veronica Phillips and Steve Webster.
All are now armed with tape recorders and cameras supplied to workshop participants as part of the program. They will be interviewing subjects of their choosing over the next several months.
Attendees each receive $100 upon completion of the workshop, unlike the common practice of charging attendees for such a program. Once a project is submitted, the interviewer and the subject music-maker will each receive a $100 stipend.
The Education Department donated space at the Curriculum Center for the workshop, and UVI provided the facility for the summit through its co-sponsoring Social Sciences Division.
A similar workshop in "Documenting Living Treasures" was taught on St. Thomas last year, with a summit that honored Alwyn "Lad" Richards and James "Jamesie" Brewster of St. Thomas, Delita O'Connor of St. John, and Stanley Jacobs and Eldred Christian of St. Croix.
The Adams Music Research Institute facility on St. Thomas will be open to researchers of black music in the Caribbean once renovation is completed. It will house a resource center with Internet access and the entire body of Alton Adams' saved paper archives searchable through scans onto CD-ROMs. Martin Lamkin is the on-site AMRI program manager, and Shirley Lincoln is the resource center director.
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.
OFFSHORE IRONMAN RACERS CIRCLE ST THOMAS
June 1, 2003 – Jim O'Halloran drove the first Wave Runner to return to Hull Bay during the first Offshore Ironman Jet Ski race held on Sunday. Rain briefly delayed the 11 a.m. start of the race around St. Thomas. Conditions cleared up for most of the race and sea conditions were described by racers as perfect for the counter-clockwise course. The racers were divided into two classes, two-cylinder 700cc and three-cylinder 1200cc machines, with each class having a separate start. The 700cc class started first from Hull Bay on St. Thomas's North Side at 11:10 a.m. The 1200cc class started some 15 minutes later.
Organizer Ramon Fuertes expected the 1200cc racers to pass the 700cc machines during the passage from the West End of St. Thomas along the south coast, but the smoother than expected Caribbean Sea did not slow down the smaller class. and the first three craft across the finish were all 700cc contestants. O'Halloran, 48, was just seconds ahead of Mike Manninen after a 55-minute trip around the island with Aaron Roach finishing third less than two minutes behind.
The 1200cc racers were led by Laurent Lake riding a Yamaha Extreme Waverunner, owned by Jorge Gonzalez. Lake was pleased with the smooth water because he had broken a small stabilizing side sponson between the West End and the airport. "Cash" Peets drove his Waverunner to second place in 1200cc class, and Fuertes finished third.
The next event on the Waverunner schedule is a Father's Day slalom race to be held on June 15 at Lindbergh Bay.
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.
Organizer Ramon Fuertes expected the 1200cc racers to pass the 700cc machines during the passage from the West End of St. Thomas along the south coast, but the smoother than expected Caribbean Sea did not slow down the smaller class. and the first three craft across the finish were all 700cc contestants. O'Halloran, 48, was just seconds ahead of Mike Manninen after a 55-minute trip around the island with Aaron Roach finishing third less than two minutes behind.
The 1200cc racers were led by Laurent Lake riding a Yamaha Extreme Waverunner, owned by Jorge Gonzalez. Lake was pleased with the smooth water because he had broken a small stabilizing side sponson between the West End and the airport. "Cash" Peets drove his Waverunner to second place in 1200cc class, and Fuertes finished third.
The next event on the Waverunner schedule is a Father's Day slalom race to be held on June 15 at Lindbergh Bay.
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.
JUNE ENTERTAINMENT AT DIVI CASINO
June 1, 2003 – This month's entertainment and activities at Divi Carina Bay Casino include:
— Round Two – June 16 & 17. This summer the Carina Showbar will be rock'n to the sounds of a different beat! Come prepared to be blown away by this four-piece rock quartet from the states as they perform your favorite songs with a different flavor. Also from the states, check out None Other on June 30 & July 1. We also are proud to offer a wide selection of St. Croix's local bands (see below for listing).
— "King For A Day" Giveaway – Male Beachcombers are invited to pick 2 crowns daily to earn entries. On June 24, seven lucky winners will choose a cigar with "gentlemen" prizes or their cash equivalents! Double your fun (and your entries) on Tuesdays!
— Easy Money Mondays Slot Tournament – Beachcomber's Club members are invited to play with no entry fee every Monday from 4-7 p.m. All three round winners will receive $25 cash! $100 will be awarded to the first final round winner, and $50 to the final round 2nd winner. It's fun – and it's FREE!
— Special Bingo Bonanza – Pick up your FREE Bingo card at the Beachcomber's Club Booth every Tuesday and Thursday after 6 p.m. and every Sunday between noon and 3 [.m. One FREE Bingo game will be played at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays (at 3 p.m. on Sundays) in the casino. A verified cover-all Bingo in 48 numbers or less wins $1,000. A verified cover-all Bingo after 48 numbers wins $100. Multiple winners will split cash prize. Must be a Beachcomber's Club member to play.
— Karaoke – June 10 & 24. Choose from over 1,000 songs! Join St. Croix's hottest host, Malcolm Evans, as he spins the tunes you want to sing! The fun starts at 9 p.m.
— This months local bands include Caribbean Jazz Quintet, Digital Band, Latin Sounds, Liquid Sounds, Mo-Tempo, Oreo, Native Rhythm, Stanley & The Ten Sleepless Nights, X-itements and Xpress.
— Double Points on Birthdays – Come in on your birthday and earn double points on your Beachcomber Club Card all day. Register at the Beachcomber Club prior to play.
— Div 'e' Club – Now the information is right at your fingertips! Apply online (www.carinabay.com) or at the Beachcomber's Club to start receiving calendars, promotions, invitations, coupons and the latest happenings of the casino.
— Round Two – June 16 & 17. This summer the Carina Showbar will be rock'n to the sounds of a different beat! Come prepared to be blown away by this four-piece rock quartet from the states as they perform your favorite songs with a different flavor. Also from the states, check out None Other on June 30 & July 1. We also are proud to offer a wide selection of St. Croix's local bands (see below for listing).
— "King For A Day" Giveaway – Male Beachcombers are invited to pick 2 crowns daily to earn entries. On June 24, seven lucky winners will choose a cigar with "gentlemen" prizes or their cash equivalents! Double your fun (and your entries) on Tuesdays!
— Easy Money Mondays Slot Tournament – Beachcomber's Club members are invited to play with no entry fee every Monday from 4-7 p.m. All three round winners will receive $25 cash! $100 will be awarded to the first final round winner, and $50 to the final round 2nd winner. It's fun – and it's FREE!
— Special Bingo Bonanza – Pick up your FREE Bingo card at the Beachcomber's Club Booth every Tuesday and Thursday after 6 p.m. and every Sunday between noon and 3 [.m. One FREE Bingo game will be played at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays (at 3 p.m. on Sundays) in the casino. A verified cover-all Bingo in 48 numbers or less wins $1,000. A verified cover-all Bingo after 48 numbers wins $100. Multiple winners will split cash prize. Must be a Beachcomber's Club member to play.
— Karaoke – June 10 & 24. Choose from over 1,000 songs! Join St. Croix's hottest host, Malcolm Evans, as he spins the tunes you want to sing! The fun starts at 9 p.m.
— This months local bands include Caribbean Jazz Quintet, Digital Band, Latin Sounds, Liquid Sounds, Mo-Tempo, Oreo, Native Rhythm, Stanley & The Ten Sleepless Nights, X-itements and Xpress.
— Double Points on Birthdays – Come in on your birthday and earn double points on your Beachcomber Club Card all day. Register at the Beachcomber Club prior to play.
— Div 'e' Club – Now the information is right at your fingertips! Apply online (www.carinabay.com) or at the Beachcomber's Club to start receiving calendars, promotions, invitations, coupons and the latest happenings of the casino.
COSMIC NEWS: BULL'S EYE MOON
May 31, 2003 — The second New Moon in May is on the 30-31st, and features an annular eclipse, expected to be one of the most unusual in the century. During an annular eclipse, the Moon is further from us and smaller, so its dark orb does not cover the Sun. We see it circled by a bright golden ring of sunlight. The Moon is presently at an unusual angle, which makes the eclipse visible in some high northerly latitudes, from Ireland through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The northwest of North America will see a partial eclipse. (For more on this strange eclipse, click here.)
Located at 10 degrees of Gemini, this New Moon is aligned with Aldebaran, one of the four royal stars that mark the corners of the heavens. Aldebaran is a red super giant star marking the Eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull. (Remember that the signs no longer exactly match up with the constellations they were named for several thousand years ago, due to the precession of the equinoxes.) A red star is an older star that has used up its initial fuel and recycles, as good stars do. It cools down and expands out, making heavier elements. These stars are the Paul Newmans and Judi Denches of the star world. On the Full Moon eclipse two weeks ago we looked into the Eye of Medusa; this time it¹s the Bull's Eye!
Aldebaran is on the upper point of a V-shaped asterism that marks the head of the Bull or the V-shaped womb of the Great Goddess. Aldebaran is considered a star of fortune, portending riches and honor. It is the brightest star in the moon mansion Rohini, called the "red cow." Fertile, creative, beautiful and sensuous — think Venus and the Moon at their best together. Venus is in the sign of Taurus now, enhancing the effects of the New Moon, along with Mercury and the Black Moon. This is a great time for artistic endeavors and creativity of all kinds, with the potential for abundant fruition and long-lasting results. The desire nature is heightened — something we saw at the last moon as well. As I was reminded (thanks, Bill), it is the attachment to desires that leads us into trouble, not the desires themselves. If we are willing to let go of our desires, we can be more open to possibilities of radical manifestation. "The times they are a-changin'," and this coming month we'll sing that tune! June has all sorts of new tunes, including loony tunes and moony tunes, as
URANUS, the Radical Awakener, is challenging this New Moon from its new sign, Pisces. Be ready to ride the roller coaster. The ride gets a little wilder as we move further into June. Uranus stations on June 8, figuring this is all we can handle of this new energy for now. Venus (June 10) and then Mercury (13) move into Gemini, squaring off with Uranus, stimulating, exciting and unsettling. This energy is a bit hard on relationships; communication is important.
SATURN goes into Cancer on June 3, redefining our reality. Part of the impact of this eclipse involves Saturn, as it concludes its two and a half year transit in Gemini, finalizing some situation in each of our lives. Time to go on to the next Saturn project. This last phase has been intense, since Saturn was working with Pluto, god/dess of death and rebirth.
To help us take stock, to acknowledge and resolve some of the transitions and losses of this last few years, the red light of Aldebaran can be helpful. Star researchers Rubenfeld and Smulkis, authors of "Star Elixirs and Cosmic Vibrational Healing," talk of Aldebaran as a star that can assist in the process of grieving and letting go. As a result of coming into contact with this compassionate energy, they say, individuals can find their own inner love and their own inner strength. This grief can be for a loved one, a relationship, or a way of life. It can be for parts of ourselves we are growing beyond, old ego defenses that hold fear or sentimental naïveté. Let go into the greater light, with compassion for self and others.
Imagine this: As we look into the Bull's Eye during this eclipse, he seems to wink. Such an old star, in one of the oldest constellations, he has seen it all. He sends a ring of light as a promise that we are part of the Cosmic Circle. That ring outlines the dark emptiness of the Moon, contents that are no longer needed, and releases us into a pool of vibrant potential. What's in there? A bubbly champagne of virtual photons, a red wine of invisible dark energy. We are asked to dive in and drink deep. It's good for us, this cosmic elixir. We're all in it together.
Located at 10 degrees of Gemini, this New Moon is aligned with Aldebaran, one of the four royal stars that mark the corners of the heavens. Aldebaran is a red super giant star marking the Eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull. (Remember that the signs no longer exactly match up with the constellations they were named for several thousand years ago, due to the precession of the equinoxes.) A red star is an older star that has used up its initial fuel and recycles, as good stars do. It cools down and expands out, making heavier elements. These stars are the Paul Newmans and Judi Denches of the star world. On the Full Moon eclipse two weeks ago we looked into the Eye of Medusa; this time it¹s the Bull's Eye!
Aldebaran is on the upper point of a V-shaped asterism that marks the head of the Bull or the V-shaped womb of the Great Goddess. Aldebaran is considered a star of fortune, portending riches and honor. It is the brightest star in the moon mansion Rohini, called the "red cow." Fertile, creative, beautiful and sensuous — think Venus and the Moon at their best together. Venus is in the sign of Taurus now, enhancing the effects of the New Moon, along with Mercury and the Black Moon. This is a great time for artistic endeavors and creativity of all kinds, with the potential for abundant fruition and long-lasting results. The desire nature is heightened — something we saw at the last moon as well. As I was reminded (thanks, Bill), it is the attachment to desires that leads us into trouble, not the desires themselves. If we are willing to let go of our desires, we can be more open to possibilities of radical manifestation. "The times they are a-changin'," and this coming month we'll sing that tune! June has all sorts of new tunes, including loony tunes and moony tunes, as
URANUS, the Radical Awakener, is challenging this New Moon from its new sign, Pisces. Be ready to ride the roller coaster. The ride gets a little wilder as we move further into June. Uranus stations on June 8, figuring this is all we can handle of this new energy for now. Venus (June 10) and then Mercury (13) move into Gemini, squaring off with Uranus, stimulating, exciting and unsettling. This energy is a bit hard on relationships; communication is important.
SATURN goes into Cancer on June 3, redefining our reality. Part of the impact of this eclipse involves Saturn, as it concludes its two and a half year transit in Gemini, finalizing some situation in each of our lives. Time to go on to the next Saturn project. This last phase has been intense, since Saturn was working with Pluto, god/dess of death and rebirth.
To help us take stock, to acknowledge and resolve some of the transitions and losses of this last few years, the red light of Aldebaran can be helpful. Star researchers Rubenfeld and Smulkis, authors of "Star Elixirs and Cosmic Vibrational Healing," talk of Aldebaran as a star that can assist in the process of grieving and letting go. As a result of coming into contact with this compassionate energy, they say, individuals can find their own inner love and their own inner strength. This grief can be for a loved one, a relationship, or a way of life. It can be for parts of ourselves we are growing beyond, old ego defenses that hold fear or sentimental naïveté. Let go into the greater light, with compassion for self and others.
Imagine this: As we look into the Bull's Eye during this eclipse, he seems to wink. Such an old star, in one of the oldest constellations, he has seen it all. He sends a ring of light as a promise that we are part of the Cosmic Circle. That ring outlines the dark emptiness of the Moon, contents that are no longer needed, and releases us into a pool of vibrant potential. What's in there? A bubbly champagne of virtual photons, a red wine of invisible dark energy. We are asked to dive in and drink deep. It's good for us, this cosmic elixir. We're all in it together.
Editor's note: Astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she leads stargazing nights and teaches with Self Centre International at Caneel Bay Resort. She is finishing her Ph.D. in cosmology and myth. To be on her e-mail list for monthly articles or for an astrology consultation, write her at kellhunter@earthlink.net.
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.
COSMIC NEWS: BULL'S EYE MOON
May 31, 2003 — The second New Moon in May is on the 30-31st, and features an annular eclipse, expected to be one of the most unusual in the century. During an annular eclipse, the Moon is further from us and smaller, so its dark orb does not cover the Sun. We see it circled by a bright golden ring of sunlight. The Moon is presently at an unusual angle, which makes the eclipse visible in some high northerly latitudes, from Ireland through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The northwest of North America will see a partial eclipse. (For more on this strange eclipse, click here.)
Located at 10 degrees of Gemini, this New Moon is aligned with Aldebaran, one of the four royal stars that mark the corners of the heavens. Aldebaran is a red super giant star marking the Eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull. (Remember that the signs no longer exactly match up with the constellations they were named for several thousand years ago, due to the precession of the equinoxes.) A red star is an older star that has used up its initial fuel and recycles, as good stars do. It cools down and expands out, making heavier elements. These stars are the Paul Newmans and Judi Denches of the star world. On the Full Moon eclipse two weeks ago we looked into the Eye of Medusa; this time it¹s the Bull's Eye!
Aldebaran is on the upper point of a V-shaped asterism that marks the head of the Bull or the V-shaped womb of the Great Goddess. Aldebaran is considered a star of fortune, portending riches and honor. It is the brightest star in the moon mansion Rohini, called the "red cow." Fertile, creative, beautiful and sensuous — think Venus and the Moon at their best together. Venus is in the sign of Taurus now, enhancing the effects of the New Moon, along with Mercury and the Black Moon. This is a great time for artistic endeavors and creativity of all kinds, with the potential for abundant fruition and long-lasting results. The desire nature is heightened — something we saw at the last moon as well. As I was reminded (thanks, Bill), it is the attachment to desires that leads us into trouble, not the desires themselves. If we are willing to let go of our desires, we can be more open to possibilities of radical manifestation. "The times they are a-changin'," and this coming month we'll sing that tune! June has all sorts of new tunes, including loony tunes and moony tunes, as
URANUS, the Radical Awakener, is challenging this New Moon from its new sign, Pisces. Be ready to ride the roller coaster. The ride gets a little wilder as we move further into June. Uranus stations on June 8, figuring this is all we can handle of this new energy for now. Venus (June 10) and then Mercury (13) move into Gemini, squaring off with Uranus, stimulating, exciting and unsettling. This energy is a bit hard on relationships; communication is important.
SATURN goes into Cancer on June 3, redefining our reality. Part of the impact of this eclipse involves Saturn, as it concludes its two and a half year transit in Gemini, finalizing some situation in each of our lives. Time to go on to the next Saturn project. This last phase has been intense, since Saturn was working with Pluto, god/dess of death and rebirth.
To help us take stock, to acknowledge and resolve some of the transitions and losses of this last few years, the red light of Aldebaran can be helpful. Star researchers Rubenfeld and Smulkis, authors of "Star Elixirs and Cosmic Vibrational Healing," talk of Aldebaran as a star that can assist in the process of grieving and letting go. As a result of coming into contact with this compassionate energy, they say, individuals can find their own inner love and their own inner strength. This grief can be for a loved one, a relationship, or a way of life. It can be for parts of ourselves we are growing beyond, old ego defenses that hold fear or sentimental naïveté. Let go into the greater light, with compassion for self and others.
Imagine this: As we look into the Bull's Eye during this eclipse, he seems to wink. Such an old star, in one of the oldest constellations, he has seen it all. He sends a ring of light as a promise that we are part of the Cosmic Circle. That ring outlines the dark emptiness of the Moon, contents that are no longer needed, and releases us into a pool of vibrant potential. What's in there? A bubbly champagne of virtual photons, a red wine of invisible dark energy. We are asked to dive in and drink deep. It's good for us, this cosmic elixir. We're all in it together.
Located at 10 degrees of Gemini, this New Moon is aligned with Aldebaran, one of the four royal stars that mark the corners of the heavens. Aldebaran is a red super giant star marking the Eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull. (Remember that the signs no longer exactly match up with the constellations they were named for several thousand years ago, due to the precession of the equinoxes.) A red star is an older star that has used up its initial fuel and recycles, as good stars do. It cools down and expands out, making heavier elements. These stars are the Paul Newmans and Judi Denches of the star world. On the Full Moon eclipse two weeks ago we looked into the Eye of Medusa; this time it¹s the Bull's Eye!
Aldebaran is on the upper point of a V-shaped asterism that marks the head of the Bull or the V-shaped womb of the Great Goddess. Aldebaran is considered a star of fortune, portending riches and honor. It is the brightest star in the moon mansion Rohini, called the "red cow." Fertile, creative, beautiful and sensuous — think Venus and the Moon at their best together. Venus is in the sign of Taurus now, enhancing the effects of the New Moon, along with Mercury and the Black Moon. This is a great time for artistic endeavors and creativity of all kinds, with the potential for abundant fruition and long-lasting results. The desire nature is heightened — something we saw at the last moon as well. As I was reminded (thanks, Bill), it is the attachment to desires that leads us into trouble, not the desires themselves. If we are willing to let go of our desires, we can be more open to possibilities of radical manifestation. "The times they are a-changin'," and this coming month we'll sing that tune! June has all sorts of new tunes, including loony tunes and moony tunes, as
URANUS, the Radical Awakener, is challenging this New Moon from its new sign, Pisces. Be ready to ride the roller coaster. The ride gets a little wilder as we move further into June. Uranus stations on June 8, figuring this is all we can handle of this new energy for now. Venus (June 10) and then Mercury (13) move into Gemini, squaring off with Uranus, stimulating, exciting and unsettling. This energy is a bit hard on relationships; communication is important.
SATURN goes into Cancer on June 3, redefining our reality. Part of the impact of this eclipse involves Saturn, as it concludes its two and a half year transit in Gemini, finalizing some situation in each of our lives. Time to go on to the next Saturn project. This last phase has been intense, since Saturn was working with Pluto, god/dess of death and rebirth.
To help us take stock, to acknowledge and resolve some of the transitions and losses of this last few years, the red light of Aldebaran can be helpful. Star researchers Rubenfeld and Smulkis, authors of "Star Elixirs and Cosmic Vibrational Healing," talk of Aldebaran as a star that can assist in the process of grieving and letting go. As a result of coming into contact with this compassionate energy, they say, individuals can find their own inner love and their own inner strength. This grief can be for a loved one, a relationship, or a way of life. It can be for parts of ourselves we are growing beyond, old ego defenses that hold fear or sentimental naïveté. Let go into the greater light, with compassion for self and others.
Imagine this: As we look into the Bull's Eye during this eclipse, he seems to wink. Such an old star, in one of the oldest constellations, he has seen it all. He sends a ring of light as a promise that we are part of the Cosmic Circle. That ring outlines the dark emptiness of the Moon, contents that are no longer needed, and releases us into a pool of vibrant potential. What's in there? A bubbly champagne of virtual photons, a red wine of invisible dark energy. We are asked to dive in and drink deep. It's good for us, this cosmic elixir. We're all in it together.
Editor's note: Astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she leads stargazing nights and teaches with Self Centre International at Caneel Bay Resort. She is finishing her Ph.D. in cosmology and myth. To be on her e-mail list for monthly articles or for an astrology consultation, write her at kellhunter@earthlink.net.
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.
COSMIC NEWS: BULL'S EYE MOON
May 31, 2003 — The second New Moon in May is on the 30-31st, and features an annular eclipse, expected to be one of the most unusual in the century. During an annular eclipse, the Moon is further from us and smaller, so its dark orb does not cover the Sun. We see it circled by a bright golden ring of sunlight. The Moon is presently at an unusual angle, which makes the eclipse visible in some high northerly latitudes, from Ireland through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The northwest of North America will see a partial eclipse. (For more on this strange eclipse, click here.)
Located at 10 degrees of Gemini, this New Moon is aligned with Aldebaran, one of the four royal stars that mark the corners of the heavens. Aldebaran is a red super giant star marking the Eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull. (Remember that the signs no longer exactly match up with the constellations they were named for several thousand years ago, due to the precession of the equinoxes.) A red star is an older star that has used up its initial fuel and recycles, as good stars do. It cools down and expands out, making heavier elements. These stars are the Paul Newmans and Judi Denches of the star world. On the Full Moon eclipse two weeks ago we looked into the Eye of Medusa; this time it¹s the Bull's Eye!
Aldebaran is on the upper point of a V-shaped asterism that marks the head of the Bull or the V-shaped womb of the Great Goddess. Aldebaran is considered a star of fortune, portending riches and honor. It is the brightest star in the moon mansion Rohini, called the "red cow." Fertile, creative, beautiful and sensuous — think Venus and the Moon at their best together. Venus is in the sign of Taurus now, enhancing the effects of the New Moon, along with Mercury and the Black Moon. This is a great time for artistic endeavors and creativity of all kinds, with the potential for abundant fruition and long-lasting results. The desire nature is heightened — something we saw at the last moon as well. As I was reminded (thanks, Bill), it is the attachment to desires that leads us into trouble, not the desires themselves. If we are willing to let go of our desires, we can be more open to possibilities of radical manifestation. "The times they are a-changin'," and this coming month we'll sing that tune! June has all sorts of new tunes, including loony tunes and moony tunes, as
URANUS, the Radical Awakener, is challenging this New Moon from its new sign, Pisces. Be ready to ride the roller coaster. The ride gets a little wilder as we move further into June. Uranus stations on June 8, figuring this is all we can handle of this new energy for now. Venus (June 10) and then Mercury (13) move into Gemini, squaring off with Uranus, stimulating, exciting and unsettling. This energy is a bit hard on relationships; communication is important.
SATURN goes into Cancer on June 3, redefining our reality. Part of the impact of this eclipse involves Saturn, as it concludes its two and a half year transit in Gemini, finalizing some situation in each of our lives. Time to go on to the next Saturn project. This last phase has been intense, since Saturn was working with Pluto, god/dess of death and rebirth.
To help us take stock, to acknowledge and resolve some of the transitions and losses of this last few years, the red light of Aldebaran can be helpful. Star researchers Rubenfeld and Smulkis, authors of "Star Elixirs and Cosmic Vibrational Healing," talk of Aldebaran as a star that can assist in the process of grieving and letting go. As a result of coming into contact with this compassionate energy, they say, individuals can find their own inner love and their own inner strength. This grief can be for a loved one, a relationship, or a way of life. It can be for parts of ourselves we are growing beyond, old ego defenses that hold fear or sentimental naïveté. Let go into the greater light, with compassion for self and others.
Imagine this: As we look into the Bull's Eye during this eclipse, he seems to wink. Such an old star, in one of the oldest constellations, he has seen it all. He sends a ring of light as a promise that we are part of the Cosmic Circle. That ring outlines the dark emptiness of the Moon, contents that are no longer needed, and releases us into a pool of vibrant potential. What's in there? A bubbly champagne of virtual photons, a red wine of invisible dark energy. We are asked to dive in and drink deep. It's good for us, this cosmic elixir. We're all in it together.
Located at 10 degrees of Gemini, this New Moon is aligned with Aldebaran, one of the four royal stars that mark the corners of the heavens. Aldebaran is a red super giant star marking the Eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull. (Remember that the signs no longer exactly match up with the constellations they were named for several thousand years ago, due to the precession of the equinoxes.) A red star is an older star that has used up its initial fuel and recycles, as good stars do. It cools down and expands out, making heavier elements. These stars are the Paul Newmans and Judi Denches of the star world. On the Full Moon eclipse two weeks ago we looked into the Eye of Medusa; this time it¹s the Bull's Eye!
Aldebaran is on the upper point of a V-shaped asterism that marks the head of the Bull or the V-shaped womb of the Great Goddess. Aldebaran is considered a star of fortune, portending riches and honor. It is the brightest star in the moon mansion Rohini, called the "red cow." Fertile, creative, beautiful and sensuous — think Venus and the Moon at their best together. Venus is in the sign of Taurus now, enhancing the effects of the New Moon, along with Mercury and the Black Moon. This is a great time for artistic endeavors and creativity of all kinds, with the potential for abundant fruition and long-lasting results. The desire nature is heightened — something we saw at the last moon as well. As I was reminded (thanks, Bill), it is the attachment to desires that leads us into trouble, not the desires themselves. If we are willing to let go of our desires, we can be more open to possibilities of radical manifestation. "The times they are a-changin'," and this coming month we'll sing that tune! June has all sorts of new tunes, including loony tunes and moony tunes, as
URANUS, the Radical Awakener, is challenging this New Moon from its new sign, Pisces. Be ready to ride the roller coaster. The ride gets a little wilder as we move further into June. Uranus stations on June 8, figuring this is all we can handle of this new energy for now. Venus (June 10) and then Mercury (13) move into Gemini, squaring off with Uranus, stimulating, exciting and unsettling. This energy is a bit hard on relationships; communication is important.
SATURN goes into Cancer on June 3, redefining our reality. Part of the impact of this eclipse involves Saturn, as it concludes its two and a half year transit in Gemini, finalizing some situation in each of our lives. Time to go on to the next Saturn project. This last phase has been intense, since Saturn was working with Pluto, god/dess of death and rebirth.
To help us take stock, to acknowledge and resolve some of the transitions and losses of this last few years, the red light of Aldebaran can be helpful. Star researchers Rubenfeld and Smulkis, authors of "Star Elixirs and Cosmic Vibrational Healing," talk of Aldebaran as a star that can assist in the process of grieving and letting go. As a result of coming into contact with this compassionate energy, they say, individuals can find their own inner love and their own inner strength. This grief can be for a loved one, a relationship, or a way of life. It can be for parts of ourselves we are growing beyond, old ego defenses that hold fear or sentimental naïveté. Let go into the greater light, with compassion for self and others.
Imagine this: As we look into the Bull's Eye during this eclipse, he seems to wink. Such an old star, in one of the oldest constellations, he has seen it all. He sends a ring of light as a promise that we are part of the Cosmic Circle. That ring outlines the dark emptiness of the Moon, contents that are no longer needed, and releases us into a pool of vibrant potential. What's in there? A bubbly champagne of virtual photons, a red wine of invisible dark energy. We are asked to dive in and drink deep. It's good for us, this cosmic elixir. We're all in it together.
Editor's note: Astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she leads stargazing nights and teaches with Self Centre International at Caneel Bay Resort. She is finishing her Ph.D. in cosmology and myth. To be on her e-mail list for monthly articles or for an astrology consultation, write her at kellhunter@earthlink.net.
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.
CONSTRUCTION IS A SOIL CONSERVATION ISSUE
June 1, 2003 – With such continuous strain placed on the territory's natural and economic resources, many residents consider it essential to practice conservation in their use of water, electricity and funds. But according University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service experts, there is a desperate need to conserve yet another element: soil.
Most of the soil in the Virgin Islands "is shallow and placed overtop a lot of rock," Julie Wright, CES National Resource Program supervisor, said at a community-outreach workshop this week. This poses problems in the construction of new homes and threatens the environment, she explained, as pollutants can pass easily into guts and coastal waters.
In a Pre-Construction Planning Workshop for Property Owners held on Thursday at UVI's Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas, Wright collaborated with fellow CES agent Dale Morton in covering, literally, a lot of ground. They discussed appropriate practices prior to the construction of a new home — including the steps needed to improve the site's physical and ecological stability — and the environmental effects of such practices.
The workshop had been presented two days earlier on St. John and will be repeated Tuesday on St. Croix, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 133 of the UVI Research and Extension Center.
The first step in the planning process, Wright said on Thursday, is to assess site conditions. She emphasized the importance of doing this before construction begins, in order to:
– Conserve valuable topsoil (which is vital for landscaping after construction).
– Prevent costly landslide and flooding problems.
– Conserve natural areas and native species of plants.
– Minimize paved areas.
– Prevent property damage.
– Minimize stormwater runoff and downstream pollution.
Wright covered the significance of hydrology, or how water flows across a piece of property, in the "assessing" process. She said it is important to build an adequate distance from guts, wetlands and shorelines. "When we're talking about guts found in the V.I., the largest trees, and frequently many endangered species, are found there," she said, "so they also end up functioning as habitats."
She noted that by law construction cannot take place within specified distances from these surface waters — at least 25 feet from the edge of a gut and at least 150 feet from the edge of shorelines and wetlands.
Erosion and sediment control practices are critical, Wright and Morton said, describing the use of revegetation, retaining walls, terracing and the silt fences placed property around properties.
"Sediment control practices are not as effective as erosion control practices," Wright said. "However, V.I. soils are predominantly clay-ey. These types of soil particles are extremely difficult to remove from runoff, and when clay particles pass through silt fencing, they take a very long time to settle out of runoff in holding ponds."
The presence of construction sediment in surface runoff poses a substantial threat to the territory's coastlines and coral reefs, she said. "It's these levels of abrasive sediment that scour the corals and weaken them so that they lose their ability to fight diseases," she said.
It can take "three to five years for these corals to return," she added, but if the runoff is continuous, "it becomes harder for them to be able to return."
Wright stressed the importance of utilizing local resources such as soil surveys and topographic, sediment reduction and water resource maps in making a site assessment or developing a pre-construction plan.
Here are some resource for further Information on construction site assessment and planning:
– U.S. Department of Agriculture National Resource Conservation Service, St. Croix — Rudy O'Reilly or Faye Williams, 692-9632, ext. 101.
– UVI Cooperative Extension Service, St. Thomas — Julie Wright and Dale Morton, 693-1080.
– UVI Conservation Data Center, St. Thomas — Dayle Barry, 693-1030.
– The U.S. Department of Agriculture's V.I. soil survey Web site document.
– UVI digitized maps, 693-1030.
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.
Most of the soil in the Virgin Islands "is shallow and placed overtop a lot of rock," Julie Wright, CES National Resource Program supervisor, said at a community-outreach workshop this week. This poses problems in the construction of new homes and threatens the environment, she explained, as pollutants can pass easily into guts and coastal waters.
In a Pre-Construction Planning Workshop for Property Owners held on Thursday at UVI's Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas, Wright collaborated with fellow CES agent Dale Morton in covering, literally, a lot of ground. They discussed appropriate practices prior to the construction of a new home — including the steps needed to improve the site's physical and ecological stability — and the environmental effects of such practices.
The workshop had been presented two days earlier on St. John and will be repeated Tuesday on St. Croix, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 133 of the UVI Research and Extension Center.
The first step in the planning process, Wright said on Thursday, is to assess site conditions. She emphasized the importance of doing this before construction begins, in order to:
– Conserve valuable topsoil (which is vital for landscaping after construction).
– Prevent costly landslide and flooding problems.
– Conserve natural areas and native species of plants.
– Minimize paved areas.
– Prevent property damage.
– Minimize stormwater runoff and downstream pollution.
Wright covered the significance of hydrology, or how water flows across a piece of property, in the "assessing" process. She said it is important to build an adequate distance from guts, wetlands and shorelines. "When we're talking about guts found in the V.I., the largest trees, and frequently many endangered species, are found there," she said, "so they also end up functioning as habitats."
She noted that by law construction cannot take place within specified distances from these surface waters — at least 25 feet from the edge of a gut and at least 150 feet from the edge of shorelines and wetlands.
Erosion and sediment control practices are critical, Wright and Morton said, describing the use of revegetation, retaining walls, terracing and the silt fences placed property around properties.
"Sediment control practices are not as effective as erosion control practices," Wright said. "However, V.I. soils are predominantly clay-ey. These types of soil particles are extremely difficult to remove from runoff, and when clay particles pass through silt fencing, they take a very long time to settle out of runoff in holding ponds."
The presence of construction sediment in surface runoff poses a substantial threat to the territory's coastlines and coral reefs, she said. "It's these levels of abrasive sediment that scour the corals and weaken them so that they lose their ability to fight diseases," she said.
It can take "three to five years for these corals to return," she added, but if the runoff is continuous, "it becomes harder for them to be able to return."
Wright stressed the importance of utilizing local resources such as soil surveys and topographic, sediment reduction and water resource maps in making a site assessment or developing a pre-construction plan.
Here are some resource for further Information on construction site assessment and planning:
– U.S. Department of Agriculture National Resource Conservation Service, St. Croix — Rudy O'Reilly or Faye Williams, 692-9632, ext. 101.
– UVI Cooperative Extension Service, St. Thomas — Julie Wright and Dale Morton, 693-1080.
– UVI Conservation Data Center, St. Thomas — Dayle Barry, 693-1030.
– The U.S. Department of Agriculture's V.I. soil survey Web site document.
– UVI digitized maps, 693-1030.
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.
CONSTRUCTION IS A SOIL CONSERVATION ISSUE
June 1, 2003 – With such continuous strain placed on the territory's natural and economic resources, many residents consider it essential to practice conservation in their use of water, electricity and funds. But according University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service experts, there is a desperate need to conserve yet another element: soil.
Most of the soil in the Virgin Islands "is shallow and placed overtop a lot of rock," Julie Wright, CES National Resource Program supervisor, said at a community-outreach workshop this week. This poses problems in the construction of new homes and threatens the environment, she explained, as pollutants can pass easily into guts and coastal waters.
In a Pre-Construction Planning Workshop for Property Owners held on Thursday at UVI's Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas, Wright collaborated with fellow CES agent Dale Morton in covering, literally, a lot of ground. They discussed appropriate practices prior to the construction of a new home — including the steps needed to improve the site's physical and ecological stability — and the environmental effects of such practices.
The workshop had been presented two days earlier on St. John and will be repeated Tuesday on St. Croix, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 133 of the UVI Research and Extension Center.
The first step in the planning process, Wright said on Thursday, is to assess site conditions. She emphasized the importance of doing this before construction begins, in order to:
– Conserve valuable topsoil (which is vital for landscaping after construction).
– Prevent costly landslide and flooding problems.
– Conserve natural areas and native species of plants.
– Minimize paved areas.
– Prevent property damage.
– Minimize stormwater runoff and downstream pollution.
Wright covered the significance of hydrology, or how water flows across a piece of property, in the "assessing" process. She said it is important to build an adequate distance from guts, wetlands and shorelines. "When we're talking about guts found in the V.I., the largest trees, and frequently many endangered species, are found there," she said, "so they also end up functioning as habitats."
She noted that by law construction cannot take place within specified distances from these surface waters — at least 25 feet from the edge of a gut and at least 150 feet from the edge of shorelines and wetlands.
Erosion and sediment control practices are critical, Wright and Morton said, describing the use of revegetation, retaining walls, terracing and the silt fences placed property around properties.
"Sediment control practices are not as effective as erosion control practices," Wright said. "However, V.I. soils are predominantly clay-ey. These types of soil particles are extremely difficult to remove from runoff, and when clay particles pass through silt fencing, they take a very long time to settle out of runoff in holding ponds."
The presence of construction sediment in surface runoff poses a substantial threat to the territory's coastlines and coral reefs, she said. "It's these levels of abrasive sediment that scour the corals and weaken them so that they lose their ability to fight diseases," she said.
It can take "three to five years for these corals to return," she added, but if the runoff is continuous, "it becomes harder for them to be able to return."
Wright stressed the importance of utilizing local resources such as soil surveys and topographic, sediment reduction and water resource maps in making a site assessment or developing a pre-construction plan.
Here are some resource for further Information on construction site assessment and planning:
– U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, St. Croix — Rudy O'Reilly or Faye Williams, 692-9632, ext. 101.
– UVI Cooperative Extension Service, St. Thomas — Julie Wright and Dale Morton, 693-1080.
– UVI Conservation Data Center, St. Thomas — Dayle Barry, 693-1030.
– The U.S. Department of Agriculture's V.I. soil survey Web site document.
– UVI digitized maps, 693-1030.
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Most of the soil in the Virgin Islands "is shallow and placed overtop a lot of rock," Julie Wright, CES National Resource Program supervisor, said at a community-outreach workshop this week. This poses problems in the construction of new homes and threatens the environment, she explained, as pollutants can pass easily into guts and coastal waters.
In a Pre-Construction Planning Workshop for Property Owners held on Thursday at UVI's Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas, Wright collaborated with fellow CES agent Dale Morton in covering, literally, a lot of ground. They discussed appropriate practices prior to the construction of a new home — including the steps needed to improve the site's physical and ecological stability — and the environmental effects of such practices.
The workshop had been presented two days earlier on St. John and will be repeated Tuesday on St. Croix, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 133 of the UVI Research and Extension Center.
The first step in the planning process, Wright said on Thursday, is to assess site conditions. She emphasized the importance of doing this before construction begins, in order to:
– Conserve valuable topsoil (which is vital for landscaping after construction).
– Prevent costly landslide and flooding problems.
– Conserve natural areas and native species of plants.
– Minimize paved areas.
– Prevent property damage.
– Minimize stormwater runoff and downstream pollution.
Wright covered the significance of hydrology, or how water flows across a piece of property, in the "assessing" process. She said it is important to build an adequate distance from guts, wetlands and shorelines. "When we're talking about guts found in the V.I., the largest trees, and frequently many endangered species, are found there," she said, "so they also end up functioning as habitats."
She noted that by law construction cannot take place within specified distances from these surface waters — at least 25 feet from the edge of a gut and at least 150 feet from the edge of shorelines and wetlands.
Erosion and sediment control practices are critical, Wright and Morton said, describing the use of revegetation, retaining walls, terracing and the silt fences placed property around properties.
"Sediment control practices are not as effective as erosion control practices," Wright said. "However, V.I. soils are predominantly clay-ey. These types of soil particles are extremely difficult to remove from runoff, and when clay particles pass through silt fencing, they take a very long time to settle out of runoff in holding ponds."
The presence of construction sediment in surface runoff poses a substantial threat to the territory's coastlines and coral reefs, she said. "It's these levels of abrasive sediment that scour the corals and weaken them so that they lose their ability to fight diseases," she said.
It can take "three to five years for these corals to return," she added, but if the runoff is continuous, "it becomes harder for them to be able to return."
Wright stressed the importance of utilizing local resources such as soil surveys and topographic, sediment reduction and water resource maps in making a site assessment or developing a pre-construction plan.
Here are some resource for further Information on construction site assessment and planning:
– U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, St. Croix — Rudy O'Reilly or Faye Williams, 692-9632, ext. 101.
– UVI Cooperative Extension Service, St. Thomas — Julie Wright and Dale Morton, 693-1080.
– UVI Conservation Data Center, St. Thomas — Dayle Barry, 693-1030.
– The U.S. Department of Agriculture's V.I. soil survey Web site document.
– UVI digitized maps, 693-1030.
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