Caption: Tropical Storm Philippe is moving north of the USVI and P.R., bringing heavy rain as it passes. (Photo courtesy of the NHC.)
Heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Philippe is forecast to continue through at least today and tomorrow as the system moves to the north of the USVI and Puerto Rico. Flooding is possible, and residents and visitors in both territories are advised to remain alert.
As of a 5 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Wednesday, Philippe was located approximately 150 miles north-northwest of St. Thomas. The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph and is moving to the northwest at nine mph, bringing gusty winds, rain, and rough seas across the region as it passes.
“Philippe remains a disorganized tropical storm this morning yet continues to produce heavy rainfall over the British and U.S. Virgin Islands. This activity remains displaced well to the southeast of the estimated circulation center,” according to the NHC update.
Several weather alerts have been issued, including a “Flood Advisory” for St. Thomas and St. John until at least 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A “Small Craft Advisory” is also in effect for portions of the local waters until at least Thursday.
“Due to the expected and ongoing conditions, there will remain a moderate to high chance for urban and small stream flooding as well as mudslides in areas as of steep terrain, as well as river flash flooding today through at least Thursday,” according to a statement from the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday morning.
Rainfall totals could reach between four and eight inches across the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, with locally higher amounts up to 12 inches. Puerto Rico is forecast to receive approximately two to four inches of precipitation.
While heavy precipitation is expected through Thursday, inclement weather may persist through the weekend. USVI residents and visitors can find information about severe weather, including emergency shelters and alerts, from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service website.
All public schools in the territory are closed Wednesday as heavy winds and rain from Tropical Storm Philippe lash the Virgin Islands.
The Education Department announced the closures just before 7 a.m. Wednesday.
“All essential employees to include kitchen workers, custodians, maintenance workers, and school administrative teams, are required to report to their designated campuses to assess conditions,” the department said.
“State and district employees are also required to report to their workstations. VIDE will continue to monitor weather conditions and reports and will provide further updates regarding school operations,” the release stated.
According to the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, heavy rain and gusty winds from Philippe are expected to continue through Thursday. As of Wednesday morning, the storm was northeast of the Virgin Islands.
A small craft advisory is in effect and boaters are advised to exercise caution.
Former Sen. Alicia “Chucky” Hansen is being remembered for her devotion to community, political savvy, and charm.
Outspoken former St. Croix lawmaker Alicia “Chucky” Hansen passed away Monday at the age of 70. As word of her passing spread across the Virgin Islands, it was met with praise for a woman considered a passionate advocate for underserved and underrepresented Virgin Islanders.
Some who knew her called word of her death unexpected, but one unconfirmed media report said Hansen suffered from a lengthy illness. Many who worked with her called her gregarious, charming and politically astute.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. called Hansen “a trusted supporter and advisor to me, and for that, I am deeply grateful.”
Senate President Novelle Francis recalled the one legislative session where they worked together as colleagues as “a masterclass in seeing her wield her charm, humor, and tenacity to accomplish her legislative goals.”
They were qualities that helped her pursue those goals in the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 24th, 29th, 30th, and 32nd Legislatures.
The public figure known as Alicia Hansen was born in Puerto Rico to Martini Pickering and Medora Paulis Williams; she was raised by Leon and Viola Hansen. Educated in Puerto Rico, she attended the University of the Virgin Islands and trained for a while at the Virgin Islands Police Academy before working as a translator for the Justice Department.
She also taught Spanish and ran a small business on St. Croix called Chucky’s Boutique.
But Hansen also lived through controversies and setbacks, among them a federal indictment in 2004 for her alleged ties to Global Resources Management, a company that only existed on paper but won a $3.6 million wastewater contract. Charges against her were later dropped.
She came under scrutiny again in 2008 when she was found guilty of tax-related charges. The more serious counts were pardoned by then-Gov. John de Jongh, but the misdemeanor count resurfaced in 2014 when Hansen ran for the office of lieutenant governor.
An eligibility challenge brought by a member of the Board of Elections led to her name being taken off the ballot.
But through it all, Chucky Hansen persisted and endured. Her personality and outgoing nature won over many who knew her, including Sen. Dwayne DeGraff, who served alongside Hansen in the 32nd Legislature.
“Alicia ‘Chucky’ Hansen, as she was affectionately known, was an icon in her beloved Virgin Islands,” DeGraff said. “She held the title for receiving the most votes in a senatorial election for that district. Senator Hansen was a true servant of the people and a champion for ‘bread and butter’ issues concerning her constituents. Her voice was a common household staple through her radio show ‘Keeping in Touch.’”
Another colleague from the 32nd session was then-senator, now Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach. He called Hansen’s passing “a tremendous loss — personally and also for the community.”
“I value Chucky as a political leader and a force in our community. I think I was one of the people who worked with her, who was also privileged to call her friend,” he said.
Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett also recalled Hansen’s participation with the American Legion Chapter on St. Croix and her devotion to family.
“Senator Hansen was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother to her family. There was no doubt that she was just as passionate about her family as she was about her engagement and influence in our community, if not more so,” the delegate said.
And former Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory crafted a condolence message directed to Chucky’s husband, Edsel Hansen Sr., and their children.
“ … [I]t is my hope that you find solace in the knowledge that Chucky will be missed by many,” Frett-Gregory said.
Magens Bay Beach on St. Thomas. (Shutterstock photo)
Condé Nast Traveler today announced the results of its annual Reader’s Choice Awards with the U.S. Virgin Islands recognized as a top island in the Caribbean.
More than 520,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers submitted responses rating their travel experiences across the globe to offer a comprehensive look at the places they eagerly anticipate revisiting. The Reader’s Choice Awards, with their unparalleled legacy as the travel industry’s longest-running and most prestigious accolades, remain the ultimate symbol and acknowledgment of excellence within the travel sector. The full list of winners can be found here.
“It is with great pride that we receive this honor on behalf of the entire U.S. Virgin Islands and our partners,” said Joseph Boschulte, commissioner of tourism. “As a tourism-centered destination, recognition from visitors is one of the highest accolades we can receive.”
To date, the U.S. Virgin Islands has been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler as a ‘Best Places to Go in 2023; Travel + Leisure has ranked USVI as one of its 50 best 2023 destinations in its For Beach Vibes; Yahoo! Life listed the USVI as one of the top 10 tropical islands to get to in under three hours from the U.S. mainland; Travel Magazine voted USVI as the Best Caribbean Cruise Destination for 2023; Frommer’s gave the territory top billing in its annual Best Places to Go in 2023; and Condé Nast Traveler editors voted USVI as having the Best Airbnb in the Caribbean.
Caribbean Journal named Joseph Boschulte as Caribbean Tourism Executive of the Year and the USVI the Best Caribbean Islands to Visit in 2023. The readers also voted the territory the winner of the CJ Caribbean Travelers’ Choice Awards 2022.
Most recently, the territory’s marketing efforts have been recognized by winning the Web Marketing Association’s 2023 Internet Advertising Competition Awards, the BrandUSA Storyteller Award for USVI’s Park2Park programming, and the 2023 Web Awards Outstanding Website.
For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands, visit https://www.visitusvi.com/.
Magarette Abrarame
Magarette Abrarame was born Oct. 6, 1973, and died on Sept. 13, 2023, at the age of 49.
Magarette Abrarame is survived by her:
Daughters: Cherlie Chavalier, Catia Blais, Enise Jean, Emise Jean
Sons: Guvenson Malbranche, Evens Jean
Brothers and sisters: Kely Arizonne, Jacquer Malbranche, Gueda Malbranche, Manel Celissaint
Nieces and Nephews: Johnny Arizonne, Rikna Arizonne
Special thanks to the Malbranche family
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a funeral service on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Celestial Chapel of Dan Hurley Home for Funerals. Viewing begins at 9 a.m. with service to follow at 10 a.m. Interment will be at Eastern Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Dan Hurley Home for Funerals and Cremation Centers of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. For online condolences or to share a special memory, visit the website at www.hurleydavisfuneralhome.com
Justino Colon Jr.
Justino Colon, Jr., 77, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, died on Monday, Sept. 25.
The first viewing will be held from 4-6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20, at Blyden Memorial Chapel. The second viewing will be held from 9-10 a.m. followed by a funeral service celebrating his life at 10 a.m., Saturday. Oct. 21, at Mt. Zion Church (Anna’s Retreat). Interment will be private.
He was preceded in death by his father, Justino Colon Sr.; mother, Benedicta Colon; and brother, Roberto Colon.
Justino is survived by his loving wife, Shirley Ann Colon; sons: Dwayne Feliciano Colon and Justino Colon III; daughters: Janice Colon, Jessica Colon, Marsha S. Maloon, Bilqis Amanii Muwwakkil and Monic A. Maloon-Doyling; sons-in-law/grandsons-in-law: Alton J. Doyling, Danny Peterson and Joseph Rivera.
He is also survived by sisters: Lucy Colon, Mariea Colon, Yvonne Colon and Carmen Colon; grandson: Marcus Antolino Colon, Jeremy Mercer, Jeffrey Mercer, Kennedy Mercer, Khaschief D. Doyling, Averly Corinthian Lake Jr.
Other survivors include granddaughters: Chera-Ann Ramona Davis, Yssis Tamara Davis, Jessette Colon, Jaelin Mercer, Khadejah M. Doyling, Kasia J. Doyling, Shaina Simpson-Rivera, Arielle Lake and Avanna Lake; great-grandchildren: Anastacia Rivera, Josiah Rivera, Kanai Regis, Anahli Regis, Jaheim Adrien, Yahya Peterson, Jackson Mercer; and special friends: Manuel Benetez, Earnest De Lagarde and Clement White; as well as many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Expressions of sympathy to the family may be made online at www.turnbullsfuneralhomevi.com. Professional Services have been entrusted to Turnbull’s Funeral Home and Crematory Services., 3815 Crown Bay, Ste 10, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802.
St. Croix Good Hope Country Day School (GHCDS) held its first volleyball tournament since 2020, welcoming four varsity girls teams, three varsity boys teams, and four junior varsity boys and girls teams.
Pearl B. Larsen Middle School Boys team picture after winning Good Hope Country Day School Junior Varsity Boys Volleyball Championship. (Submitted Photo)
St. Croix Central High School (CHS), St. Croix Educational Complex (SCEC), and host GHCDS all entered teams in all four divisions. Free Will Baptist School (FWB) fielded a team in the varsity girls division. Pearl B Larsen Middle School (PBL) jumped into the deep end of the pool by entering their boys and girls middle school teams in the Junior Varsity division.
St. Croix Educational Complex Girls team picture after winning Good Hope Country Day School Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball Championship. (Submitted Photo)
Pearl B. Larsen’s middle school boys team was the delight of the weekend as they showed that they could play with the big boys, defeating both Central High School and Educational Complex School JV teams in pool play. GHCDS got the better of them in their other pool play match, but PBL got the last laugh as they defeated GHCDS in the JV Boys Championship Game. Zayden Turner, of PBL, was the JV Boys MVP and his teammate Elijah Rosario earned the JV Boys Defensive Player Award.
Unlike the boys, there wasn’t a real Cinderella story in the JV Girls Division. GHCDS came into the tournament with an unblemished record and breezed through the preliminary round easily. However, in the championship match, the Lady Barracudas upset the Lady Panthers to claim the JV Girls’ Title. Tysanne Lake of SCEC had a really impactful performance as she took home both the JV Girls Tournament MVP and the Best Defensive Player Award.
St. Croix Educational Complex Tyssanne Lake won MVP and Best Defensive Player Award in the JV Girls Division of the Good Hope Country Day Volleyball Tournament. (Submitted Photo)
Central High School boys and girls came away with the top honors in the varsity divisions. Central boys had their way in the varsity boys division, making it through the entire tournament without a loss. Central’s Jaden Greenidge was named varsity boys Most Valuable Player. His teammate, Ricardo Caleb, blocked his way to the Best Defensive Player Award.
St. Croix Central High School Boys team picture after winning Good Hope Country Day School Junior Varsity Boys Volleyball Championship. (Submitted Photo)
It wasn’t as easy for the Lady Caribs as they had to fight and claw their way into the final match, even sustaining a loss along the way. Central faced the host, GHCDS, in the finals and came out victorious. Central’s Anesha Deterville was the varsity girls’ MVP. The Lady Caribs libero, Topaz Newton, earned the Best Defensive Player Award.
St. Croix Central High School Girls team picture after winning Good Hope Country Day School Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball Championship. (Submitted Photo).
Central High School will be hosting its Junior Varsity / Middle School Volleyball Tournament on Oct. 6 – 8. The Central High School Varsity Volleyball Tournament will be the following weekend, Oct. 13-15. Then the action shifts to St. Thomas, where Antilles School will be hosting their Varsity Volleyball Tournament, Oct. 19-21. The Educational Complex will hold the final event of the volleyball season with the SCEC Varsity Volleyball Tournament, Oct. 27-29.
Testifying at Tuesday’s hearing, from left, are Geraldine Pitt, Viya CEO; Stephan Adams, chief executive officer of Virgin Islands Next Generation Network; and Andrew Smith, CEO of WAPA. (Screenshot from Senate Livestream)
The territory might be getting a bit over-networked, according to Stephan Adams, chief executive officer of the V.I. Next Generation Network.
Anyone listening to representatives from Viya, Liberty Communications of Puerto Rico/USVI, and Adams testifying at the Senate Committee on Housing, Transportation, and Telecommunications Tuesday could not be blamed if they came to the same conclusion.
Everyone wants their own network and problems arise when they want to get on the Water and Power Authority’s poles and obtain Public Works Department permits.
Ricardo Portela, representing Liberty, outlined to the committee the problems he was having getting permits from Public Works to meet goals for a network Liberty is installing. That project, Connect USVI, is supported by an $84 million grant from the FCC. FCC requires that Liberty build broadband service to all locations in the territory with speeds of 1 gigabit per second. Portela had stated the problems to the Public Services Commission last month.
When Liberty was asked why it couldn’t tie into the Next Generation Network, Wanda Pérez, Government Affairs internal counsel for Liberty, responded that the network was not up to Liberty’s standards.
Adams called that a “hollow argument.” He said the real reason was that corporations wanted assets and a network would be an asset.
Portela said 15 percent of the Connect USVI project would be above ground. For this, Liberty needs pole attachment rights from the Water and Power Authority. According to Portela, Liberty has been trying to get a pole attachment agreement with WAPA for more than a year and has experienced “serious headwinds” and “to date no progress on that has been made.”
Andrew Smith, executive director of WAPA, said he was willing to work with Liberty but there were constraints and he had not talked to the Liberty representatives who were testifying to the committee.
When Liberty took over AT&T customers, many customers were asked to give up their 340 area code. Several senators raised concerns about this. The Liberty representatives had no explanations.
Geraldine Pitt, chief executive officer for Viya, testified that with her company, you could “keep your number and switch your network.” She added, “There was a great deal of confusion in the market, and we were the primary provider advising customers of their options and reminding them that they could keep their number if they ported to Viya because 340 is a part of your V.I. identity.”
Chairman Sen. Marvin Blyden said he was disappointed that members from the administration who were invited to testify Tuesday did not show up for the meeting. Jean-Pierre Oriol, commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources; Derek Gabriel, commissioner of the Public Works Department; and Jenifer O’Neal, director of the Office of Management and Budget, were invited but did not attend the hearing.
The robe-and-gavel ceremony for Carol Thomas-Jacobs is the first of two such events scheduled for this week; Judge Yvette Brow-Ross is scheduled to take her oath of office Friday on St. Croix. (Photo by Judi Shimel)
The court community of the Virgin Islands formally welcomed a new Superior Court judge for the St. Thomas-St. John-Water Island district. An investiture ceremony took place Tuesday morning, honoring Carol Thomas-Jacobs.
Thomas-Jacobs took her oath of office and accepted her black robe and gavel. Her investiture ceremony was the first of two scheduled for this week; St. Croix Judge Yvette Brow-Ross is expected to take her oath on Friday.
The formalities took place in a setting packed with current and former judges, marshalls, clerks, family members, and leaders from other branches of government. Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and Senate President Novelle Francis Jr. joined Chief Supreme Court Justice Rhys Hodge on the bench in the main courtroom at the Farrelly Justice Complex.
Hodge administered the oath while the judge’s daughter, Cajay Jacobs, held the Bible for her mother’s hand to rest. Terrence Jacobs — the judge’s husband — helped her robe.
Presiding Superior Court Judge Debra Watlington offered her congratulations. Watlington called Thomas-Jacobs a “humble, hard-working high achiever who is committed to service.”
Thomas-Jacobs began her legal career in the Virgin Islands 22 years ago and started working for the Department of Justice in 2008. She rose through the ranks from assistant to deputy attorney general. She briefly served as attorney general from January until her nomination to the bench was approved by the Legislature in April.
Along the way, the new judge also taught law-related classes at the University of the Virgin Islands and served as a public school volunteer. Virgin Islands Bar Association representative Adrienne Dudley urged those attending the ceremony to follow Thomas-Jacob’s example.
Finally, it was time for words from the guest of honor. “I am filled with so much gratitude today,” she said, “Many individuals have laid the foundation, paved the way and contributed to this journey.”
Watlington and others who spoke noted the number of female judges currently serving in the court. The final speaker, former Presiding Judge Harold Willocks, closed out the ceremony by offering his thoughts.
“Whether it’s more brothers, more sisters, we are all one. Thanks, everybody, for coming,” Willocks said.
Waste Management Executive Director Roger Merritt told senators Tuesday that there were no more visible flames at the Bovoni landfill after a fire that started Sept. 14. (Photo by Alvin Burke Jr. and Barry Leerdam, Legislature of the Virgin Islands)
On Tuesday, Roger Merritt, executive director of the Waste Management Authority, gave an extensive report on the authority’s effort to bring about recycling, prevent future landfill fires, pay past due bills, and comply with a federal consent decree.
But Sens. Marise James and Diane Capehart said they had heard it all before. James said when she read Merritt’s submitted testimony, she felt “I have read this before.” She said she wanted to see updates, not the same old reports. Capehart said she wanted to see timelines.
The written testimony submitted to the Committee on Housing, Transportation, and Telecommunications had similarities to Merritt’s testimony submitted to a Senate budget hearing in August. He again hammered the point that he believes the authority needs $50 million to cover its annual operation costs, not the $35 million the Senate has appropriated for it.
Executive directors of the authority have complained that the authority has been underfunded since its inception in 2005.
Capehart took exception to Merritt calling the Bovoni and Anguilla sites “landfills.” She said they were “dumps.”
Merritt said Capehart was correct that the areas did not fulfill all the criteria of landfills but they “were in transition to become landfills.”
Merritt did have new information concerning the proposed $18 million Convenience Centers Project. The authority is preparing to eliminate the majority of the public unmanned bin sites by constructing and operating seven additional convenience centers throughout the territory, like the Mandahl and Peter’s Rest convenience centers located on St. Thomas and St. Croix, respectively. Merritt said work on the projects could be set in motion next month. He added that the authority is no longer looking to lease the Bournefield site from the Housing Authority. Instead, it is looking to purchase the site.
Merritt said he has met with the Water and Power Authority with the aim of getting a fire hydrant near the Bovoni landfill, where green waste has been burning since Sept. 14.
Capehart said the authority had to do a better job because Bovoni residents should not have to breathe the smoke and smell the air coming from the dump.
“We need more money so we can be proactive,” said Merritt.
Sen. Samuel Carriόn asked why there was such a delay in paying vendors. Merritt said that though the Senate had appropriated funds to pay vendors, the authority had not yet received the cash.
Merritt said the authority was working on systems where green waste could be turned into compost to be used by farmers.
Senators at the hearing included Marvin Blyden, Marise James, Angel Bolques Jr., Samuel Carriόn, Ray Fonseca, Capehart, Milton Potter, Dwayne DeGraff, Novelle Francis Jr., Kenneth Gittens, and Carla Joseph.
