March 18, 2003 – The names of 14 Virgin Islands veterans have been submitted to the head of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department as candidates to serve on advisory committees.
Delegate Donna M. Christensen announced in a release Tuesday that she has forwarded the names to Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi.
Those recommended are Kenneth A. Anderson Jr., Lawrence A. Bastian, Melbourne Clarke, Evelyn E. Crittenden, Jerome A. Ferdinand, Annie Day Henry, Kathryn B. Houston, Olaf A. Jackson, Antonio Martinez Jr., Francisco Morales, Alexander A. Petersen, Miguel A. Ramos, Fernando R. Webster and Sherry Anne Wiltshire.
All told, 22 advisory committees review and evaluate information and advise the Veterans Affairs Department on a broad range of issues relating to its policies and programs. Christensen said the department takes the advice and recommendations very seriously.
Anyone wanting to learn more about the advisory committees is asked to call Shelley Thomas in the delegate's office at (202) 225-1790.

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March 18, 2003 – The names of 14 Virgin Islands veterans have been submitted to the head of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department as candidates to serve on advisory committees.
Delegate Donna M. Christensen announced in a release Tuesday that she has forwarded the names to Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi.
Those recommended are Kenneth A. Anderson Jr., Lawrence A. Bastian, Melbourne Clarke, Evelyn E. Crittenden, Jerome A. Ferdinand, Annie Day Henry, Kathryn B. Houston, Olaf A. Jackson, Antonio Martinez Jr., Francisco Morales, Alexander A. Petersen, Miguel A. Ramos, Fernando R. Webster and Sherry Anne Wiltshire.
All told, 22 advisory committees review and evaluate information and advise the Veterans Affairs Department on a broad range of issues relating to its policies and programs. Christensen said the department takes the advice and recommendations very seriously.
Anyone wanting to learn more about the advisory committees is asked to call Shelley Thomas in the delegate's office at (202) 225-1790.

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.

March 18, 2003 – The names of 14 Virgin Islands veterans have been submitted to the head of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department as candidates to serve on advisory committees.
Delegate Donna M. Christensen announced in a release Tuesday that she has forwarded the names to Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi.
Those recommended are Kenneth A. Anderson Jr., Lawrence A. Bastian, Melbourne Clarke, Evelyn E. Crittenden, Jerome A. Ferdinand, Annie Day Henry, Kathryn B. Houston, Olaf A. Jackson, Antonio Martinez Jr., Francisco Morales, Alexander A. Petersen, Miguel A. Ramos, Fernando R. Webster and Sherry Anne Wiltshire.
All told, 22 advisory committees review and evaluate information and advise the Veterans Affairs Department on a broad range of issues relating to its policies and programs. Christensen said the department takes the advice and recommendations very seriously.
Anyone wanting to learn more about the advisory committees is asked to call Shelley Thomas in the delegate's office at (202) 225-1790.

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March 18, 2003 – Addelita Cancryn Junior High School students were evacuated from their classrooms around noon Tuesday after a bomb threat was telephoned in to the school.
It was the first such scare at the school since November 2001, when four threats were received within three days, the last two occurring hours apart on the same day.
Some 847 students once again scurried down the road to Joseph Aubain Ballpark in Frenchtown on Tuesday and to the other evacuation site, the school athletic field to the west of the school grounds.
School Principal Yvonne Pilgrim was not immediately available for comment, but an aide in her office said both Police Department and Fire Service personnel had responded to the scare. The aide said the students were back at their studies by about 1 p.m.
Deputy Police Chief Theodore Carty said afterward that his officers had searched the school and found nothing suspicious. He said that, as far as he knew, those responsible for the previous threats had never been apprehended. Fire officials confirmed that a truck had been sent to the school.

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March 18, 2003 – Pistarckle Theater this week embarks on its second effort at infusing Shakespeare into the minds of its audiences just for laughs.
In October 2001, the company based in Tillett Gardens presented "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)," a romp through the Bard on the boards with sound bites from every play the man ever wrote (or didn't, depending on whose theory you espouse).
Now, comes "I Hate Hamlet," Pistarckle's final production this season. It opens Thursday and runs through April 12.
This is not, repeat, not "Hamlet" in any way, shape or form other than a fractured version of the great Dane's soliloquy ("To be or not to be…").
It's a comedy by Paul Rudnick being directed by Jonn Jorgensen, the New Yorker who also directed Pistarckle's production last season of "Rumors."
The lead character, California soap opera star Andrew Rally, is a less-than-accomplished actor who is of the opinion that Shakespeare is "algebra on stage," and he doesn't mean that as a compliment. For reasons known only to Rudnick, when the TV show is canceled, Rally is offered a chance by the legendary Joe Papp to do "Hamlet" in Central Park.
As luck would have it, Rally finds himself living in a neo-Gothic New York apartment full of prop room rejects that was once inhabited by the legendary John Barrymore — and still is, it turns out, by his ghost. Sure enough, old JB materializes, so to speak, to offer acting lessons along with advice on life and love.
Barrymore plays the swashbuckling ham to the hilt, swilling champagne, sword fighting, and urging Rally to accept the role of Hamlet and fulfill his destiny as an actor. Which he does, but he doesn't.
The other four characters in the play are:
– Dierdre McDavey, Rally's rich, beautiful, self-absorbed girlfriend who resists all of his advances to get her into bed.
– Lillian Troy, Rally's agent, who — wouldn't you know it? — had a mad, passionate fling with Barrymore back when in that very apartment. In fact, it's her summoning of his spirit at a seance that prompts Barrymore to insinuate himself into Rally's life.
– Gary Peter Lefkowitz, a Hollywood "do-lunch-and-deals" friend of Rally's who arrives to make the actor a new TV offer worth big bucks.
– Felicia Dantine, a hip New York real estate agent who channels through her mother.
One reviewer had this to say about the play: "The laughs are nonstop as Andrew wrestles with his conscience, Barrymore, his sword, and the fact that he fails as Hamlet in Central Park."
In the Pistarckle production, Leigh Goldman plays Rally, Dallas Harp has the Barrymore role, Priscilla Hintz is the girlfriend, Judith Newcomb is the actor's agent, Robert Larsen is the Hollywood wheeler-dealer and Mo Stanton is the real estate agent.
Thursday's unofficial opening is Pay-as-you-can Night and also Media Night. The official opening on Friday comes with a champagne reception. The remainder of the run will be on Friday and Saturday, March 28-29; Thursday-Saturday, April 3-5, and Thursday-Saturday; April 10-12. Curtain time for all shows is 8 p.m.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $19 at the door for general admission and $10 for students. There's a $12 special for school faculty and staff with I.D. Outlets are the American Yacht Harbor office, Bumpa's on the Waterfront, the Draughting Shaft, East End Secretarial Services, Flagship, Marina Market and Tillett Gallery; charge card purchases can be arranged by calling the Pistarckle office, 775-7877, or 473-6387.

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March 18, 2003 – Pistarckle Theater on St. Thomas this week embarks on its second effort at infusing Shakespeare into the minds of its audiences just for laughs.
In October 2001, the company based in Tillett Gardens presented "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)," a romp through the Bard on the boards with sound bites from every play the man ever wrote (or didn't, depending on whose theory you espouse).
Now, comes "I Hate Hamlet," Pistarckle's final production this season. It opens Thursday and runs through April 12.
This is not, repeat, not "Hamlet" in any way, shape or form other than a fractured version of the great Dane's soliloquy ("To be or not to be…").
It's a comedy by Paul Rudnick being directed by Jonn Jorgensen, the New Yorker who also directed Pistarckle's production last season of "Rumors."
The lead character, California soap opera star Andrew Rally, is a less-than-accomplished actor who is of the opinion that Shakespeare is "algebra on stage," and he doesn't mean that as a compliment. For reasons known only to Rudnick, when the TV show is canceled, Rally is offered a chance by the legendary Joe Papp to do "Hamlet" in Central Park.
As luck would have it, Rally finds himself living in a neo-Gothic New York apartment full of prop room rejects that was once inhabited by the legendary John Barrymore — and still is, it turns out, by his ghost. Sure enough, old JB materializes, so to speak, to offer acting lessons along with advice on life and love.
Barrymore plays the swashbuckling ham to the hilt, swilling champagne, sword fighting, and urging Rally to accept the role of Hamlet and fulfill his destiny as an actor. Which he does, but he doesn't.
The other four characters in the play are:
– Dierdre McDavey, Rally's rich, beautiful, self-absorbed girlfriend who resists all of his advances to get her into bed.
– Lillian Troy, Rally's agent, who — wouldn't you know it? — had a mad, passionate fling with Barrymore back when in that very apartment. In fact, it's her summoning of his spirit at a seance that prompts Barrymore to insinuate himself into Rally's life.
– Gary Peter Lefkowitz, a Hollywood "do-lunch-and-deals" friend of Rally's who arrives to make the actor a new TV offer worth big bucks.
– Felicia Dantine, a hip New York real estate agent who channels through her mother.
One reviewer had this to say about the play: "The laughs are nonstop as Andrew wrestles with his conscience, Barrymore, his sword, and the fact that he fails as Hamlet in Central Park."
In the Pistarckle production, Leigh Goldman plays Rally, Dallas Harp has the Barrymore role, Priscilla Hintz is the girlfriend, Judith Newcomb is the actor's agent, Robert Larsen is the Hollywood wheeler-dealer and Mo Stanton is the real estate agent.
Thursday's unofficial opening is Pay-as-you-can Night and also Media Night. The official opening on Friday comes with a champagne reception. The remainder of the run will be on Friday and Saturday, March 28-29; Thursday-Saturday, April 3-5, and Thursday-Saturday; April 10-12. Curtain time for all shows is 8 p.m.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $19 at the door for general admission and $10 for students. There's a $12 special for school faculty and staff with I.D. Outlets are the American Yacht Harbor office, Bumpa's on the Waterfront, the Draughting Shaft, East End Secretarial Services, Flagship, Marina Market and Tillett Gallery; charge card purchases can be arranged by calling the Pistarckle office, 775-7877, or 473-6387.

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March 18, 2003 – Friday's "Sunset Jazz in Frederiksted" will feature vocalist Catalina Sevilla-George and Company.
The monthly outdoor jazz event in Veterans Park along the waterfront is presented by the Frederiksted Economic Development Association. The music begins at 5:30 p.m. and will end two hours later, leaving plenty of time for dinner and/or some later nightlife in town.
Sevilla-George, singer, composer and a minister's daughter, began her vocal career, not surprisingly, in church. She lists Ella Fitzgerald, Nat "King" Cole and The Supremes as early influences. She enrolled at Westminster College in Princeton, New Jersey, as a piano student but later switched her major to voice. As a member of the college choir, she performed at New York's Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Washington Center for the Performing Arts — and with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Bernstein.
She holds a master's degree in vocal performance from New York University, has appeared on "Sesame Street" and is the author of a book of poetry called "Cats Paws/Pause." She teaches music at Lew Muckle Elementary School and can regularly be heard on Friday nights at the Hibiscus Beach Hotel.
Keeping Sevilla-George "company" for her Sunset Jazz date will be Demitri "Pikey" Copemann on saxophone, Marcus Rabb on trumpet, Dan Dixon on guitar, Marsvyn David on bass, Steve Davis on drums, and Rene Encarnacion on congas. As an added treat, Music in Motion will make a guest appearance during intermission.
"Sunset Jazz in Frederiksted" is a family-oriented affair, and everyone's encouraged to come with folding chairs or blankets to spread on the ground. Admission is free and so is the sunset. You'll need to cough up a little cash for the food sold by Hispanos Unidos and the beverages at the cash bar operated by FEDA to raise funds to keep the jazz concerts going.
Sunset Jazz events are held on the third Friday of each month. Next up on the calendar are a couple of "imported" acts:
– The return by popular demand of Paradise from St. Thomas on April 18
– Steelpan artist Carl Freeman from St. John on May 16.
To learn more, call 719-3672 or e-mail to Sunset Jazz.

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Dear Source:
I own a home on St. Croix and live in Chicago. American Airlines is my only choice to get to the Virgin Islands as I am sure is the case for many other potential visitors. I depend on rentals to afford my island home; the island depends on tourism for its economic well-being (I use that term very loosely). Can someone please explain to me why we are doing every thing possible to drive people like me from the island and make it next to impossible for tourists to get here? My home attracts many repeat guests to the island every year. I feel I am doing my best to help the economy in a small way, yet it seems like every time I turn around, there is another obstacle in our way. No wonder businesses are moving away; it just doesn't seem like we are fighting a battle that we can ever win, and the closing of ground services by American may be a fatal blow to those of us struggling to maintain our vacation villas and, in a larger sense, to the economy in general. I can't believe there isn't a huge outcry by the tourism sector over this latest blow. I am trying to keep a positive outlook, but it is getting harder every day.
Sue Seibel

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.

March 18, 2003 – The University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix campus on Wednesday will host federal representatives and administrators from 34 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) for a two-day technical assistance workshop.
The program is jointly sponsored by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and UVI, and will concentrate on funding and career opportunities for HBCU representatives involved in international programs, sponsored programs, and career planning and placement.
Representatives from local government agencies and businesses are encouraged to attend in order to gain perspective on grants, contracts, fellowships and career opportunities.
U.S. Ambassador Leonard H.O. Spearman, executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, will give opening remarks Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. The workshop on Thursday will also begin at 8:30 a.m. also and will end at 2 p.m.
In addition to the U.S. Department of Education, other participating agencies include the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of State.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of the Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy have also been invited to participate.
UVI President LaVerne E. Ragster will host a reception for workshop participants on at 5:30 p.m. at the Great House on UVI’s St. Croix campus.
For more information on the workshop, please contact Mrs. Nereida Washington at 692-4000.

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March 18, 2003 – The University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix campus on Wednesday will host federal representatives and administrators from 34 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) for a two-day technical assistance workshop.
The program is jointly sponsored by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and UVI, and will concentrate on funding and career opportunities for HBCU representatives involved in international programs, sponsored programs, and career planning and placement.
Representatives from local government agencies and businesses are encouraged to attend in order to gain perspective on grants, contracts, fellowships and career opportunities.
U.S. Ambassador Leonard H.O. Spearman, executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, will give opening remarks Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. The workshop on Thursday will also begin at 8:30 a.m. also and will end at 2 p.m.
In addition to the U.S. Department of Education, other participating agencies include the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of State.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of the Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy have also been invited to participate.
UVI President LaVerne E. Ragster will host a reception for workshop participants on at 5:30 p.m. at the Great House on UVI’s St. Croix campus.
For more information on the workshop, please contact Mrs. Nereida Washington at 692-4000.

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.