Oct. 19, 2002 – An effort is being made on St. John to bring the resources of a federal crime fighting program to keep a residential community from losing its quality of life.
The Weed and Seed program is designed to deter criminal and anti-social activities that drive neighborhoods into decline across the United States. It also fosters a better quality of life by attracting programs that help families and promote economic well-being. Sponsored by the U.S. Justice Department, Weed and Seed is already operating on St. Thomas.
But attracting those kind of resources has been a tough sell for St. John. Island Administrator Julien Harley said that since the lush green island and its small, peaceful population attracted millions of visitors a year, it just didn't fit the profile.
"St. John is unique," Harley said. There is a public housing community, but there's no drug or crime problem there.
After several months of trying to justify the reasons why Weed and Seed should come to Love City, the group turned to the St. John Community Foundation for help.
Executive Director Carol DeSenne said, "The steering committee met from January to April and felt they weren't getting anywhere. The foundation was asked to come in April and be the lead agency."
The group decided to focus its efforts in a community about a half-mile south of Cruz Bay called Pine Peace. DeSenne said the commitment of residents and homeowners has been demonstrated by their consistency in showing up at planning meetings. Close to 60 people showed up for a meeting held earlier this month at St. Ursula's Multipurpose Community Center, 35 of them from the Pine Peace community.
"People are really coming out to try and make this work because there are people living there who have really seen their neighborhood come down in the past five years," DeSenne said.
Homeowner Henry Jackson, who lived in the area since childhood, said the residents were accomplishing a lot. He recalled how the area began as a sparse array of wooden houses surrounded by bush and traversed by a dirt road.
"The quality of life has changed because almost everybody has their own home, and most of the kids have gone away to college. We have a store. We used to have a shop. I think the neighborhood has changed immensely," he said.
But he also said other things were changing, including the amount of loitering and crime. DeSenne said it took some time to document the problem, but the group gained the cooperation of police who agreed to help.
As authorities separated statistics compiled for the St. Thomas-St. John district, and as volunteers collected more than a hundred surveys from area residents, the Weed and Seed proposal group was better able to make its case.
Within the bounds of the community, residents and law enforcement professionals have cited a rise in drug dealing and drug houses, gambling and the number of residents who have to check in with the parole officer. Kids in the area are sometimes recruited as couriers for large amounts of cash used to place bets on cockfights on St. Thomas.
Violent crime is not a real problem on St. John. The largest problem is with burglaries, the kind of crime that provides quick cash to those who want to fund illegal activities.
"When the proposal first came in they denied it, but when they came in and saw how hard the people were working, they decided to give it a chance," Harley said.
The committee reviewed a 400-page implementation manual and solicited commitments from public and private agencies to do their part to make life better for the people of Pine Peace.
Among those supporting the community is a local painter who has agreed to take on 10 apprentices in a "Scrape, Paint and Rejuvenate" initiative in conjunction with the V.I. Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission.
Most recently the Department of Public Works entered discussions on the removal of abandoned cars and discarded appliances that undermine community pride and drive down property values.
For Jackson and some of the other residents involved in the effort, the goal is working toward a vision of what the community could be if it can reduce the blight and attract the things it wants.
Some of those goals came out of an initial meeting with DeSenne several weeks ago at the Cruz Bay Baptist Church, where the group entertained the possibility of greater commercial development, recreation facilities, a health center and expansion of the community playground.
But the time is fast approaching when the St. John Weed and Seed steering committee will be able to test the strength of its arguments to Justice. With an Oct. 31 deadline fast approaching, DeSenne said many positive steps have been explored in the six months of team building and committing to improving life in Pine Peace.
Plans are also in the works to push projects that can be funded locally. "If we don't become a Weed and Seed site, this committee will not disband," DeSenne said.
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FORMER DLCA EMPLOYEE TO BEGIN SENTENCE
Oct. 19, 2002 – A former Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs employee will begin serving a year in prison Monday after pleading guilty last week to embezzlement charges.
Anella Pinney, 53, worked as the former assistant director of licensing at the department, and according to court records, swiped more than $6,000 in cash for licensing fees over seven months last year.
On Wednesday, Territorial Court Judge Edgar Ross sentenced Pinney on four of 12 counts of embezzlement, after she struck a deal with the government for her guilty plea.
And although both the prosecution and Pinney's attorney, George Canton Jr., said during the proceedings that Pinney should suffer some punishment other than jail time, Ross refused to impose a mere "slap on the wrist."
"Resignation and restitution will not be the norm of the day," Ross said, according to an article in The Avis. "Employment by the government is not a right; it is an honor."
Pinney is paying back the money she stole, and so far, has made restitution to the tune of $2,000, records show.
Canton said money problems drove Pinney to commit the crimes, and Pinney said she needed the cash to make payments on a vehicle she had purchased.
The explanation, apparently, did not suffice for Ross. Pinney was sentenced to two years – to run concurrently – for each count of embezzlement. He suspended all jail time in excess of one year. Pinney also must repay the $4,425 she still owes DLCA.
Ross released Pinney on her own recognizance to attend to personal matters. She will turn herself into authorities and begin serving her sentence Monday.
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Anella Pinney, 53, worked as the former assistant director of licensing at the department, and according to court records, swiped more than $6,000 in cash for licensing fees over seven months last year.
On Wednesday, Territorial Court Judge Edgar Ross sentenced Pinney on four of 12 counts of embezzlement, after she struck a deal with the government for her guilty plea.
And although both the prosecution and Pinney's attorney, George Canton Jr., said during the proceedings that Pinney should suffer some punishment other than jail time, Ross refused to impose a mere "slap on the wrist."
"Resignation and restitution will not be the norm of the day," Ross said, according to an article in The Avis. "Employment by the government is not a right; it is an honor."
Pinney is paying back the money she stole, and so far, has made restitution to the tune of $2,000, records show.
Canton said money problems drove Pinney to commit the crimes, and Pinney said she needed the cash to make payments on a vehicle she had purchased.
The explanation, apparently, did not suffice for Ross. Pinney was sentenced to two years – to run concurrently – for each count of embezzlement. He suspended all jail time in excess of one year. Pinney also must repay the $4,425 she still owes DLCA.
Ross released Pinney on her own recognizance to attend to personal matters. She will turn herself into authorities and begin serving her sentence Monday.
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.
LOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY FILES CHAPTER 11
Oct. 19, 2002 – In spite of an effort by the V.I. government to help a vendor going through hard times, a local travel agency is filing for financial reorganization.
The financial affairs of World Wide Travel became the subject of media attention back in February after Gov. Charles W. Turnbull wrote a memo to nine agency heads, asking them to "provide advance quarterly payments" for their travel arrangements. The combined travel budget for the nine agencies – Tourism, Human Services, Education, Planning and Natural Resources, Labor, Police, the Law Enforcement Planning Commissioner and the V.I. Board of Education – amounted to more than a quarter million dollars for Fiscal Year 2002.
Government House officials said it was the first time to their knowledge that such an arrangement had been made between the V.I. Government and a private company, and was done in part because World Wide was the last remaining travel agency willing to do business with the government. Previous vendors in the travel business said they stopped because late payments for plane fares were costing them too much money.
When an agency books a ticket with an airline, it has seven days to pay for it; after that they have to pay a penalty. Under the advanced payment system, the agency could take the funds from another account, eliminating the wait for payment and the need to pay a penalty.
But the move came too late for World Wide Travel. Six months later, the agency filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing outstanding debts of $675,741.30. In early October Angela Balfon, company president, met with creditors to discuss plans for a financial reorganization. A bankruptcy hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
A successful Chapter 11 filing allows companies to continue operations, as long as they pay creditors according to an approved agreement reached through arbitration.
Balfon declined comment on the future of the travel agency, given its current financial plight, but a top official at Government House said the current financial arrangement would remain in place for now. "That doesn't mean they are prohibited from doing business with the government," said Alric Simmonds, deputy chief of staff.
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.
The financial affairs of World Wide Travel became the subject of media attention back in February after Gov. Charles W. Turnbull wrote a memo to nine agency heads, asking them to "provide advance quarterly payments" for their travel arrangements. The combined travel budget for the nine agencies – Tourism, Human Services, Education, Planning and Natural Resources, Labor, Police, the Law Enforcement Planning Commissioner and the V.I. Board of Education – amounted to more than a quarter million dollars for Fiscal Year 2002.
Government House officials said it was the first time to their knowledge that such an arrangement had been made between the V.I. Government and a private company, and was done in part because World Wide was the last remaining travel agency willing to do business with the government. Previous vendors in the travel business said they stopped because late payments for plane fares were costing them too much money.
When an agency books a ticket with an airline, it has seven days to pay for it; after that they have to pay a penalty. Under the advanced payment system, the agency could take the funds from another account, eliminating the wait for payment and the need to pay a penalty.
But the move came too late for World Wide Travel. Six months later, the agency filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing outstanding debts of $675,741.30. In early October Angela Balfon, company president, met with creditors to discuss plans for a financial reorganization. A bankruptcy hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
A successful Chapter 11 filing allows companies to continue operations, as long as they pay creditors according to an approved agreement reached through arbitration.
Balfon declined comment on the future of the travel agency, given its current financial plight, but a top official at Government House said the current financial arrangement would remain in place for now. "That doesn't mean they are prohibited from doing business with the government," said Alric Simmonds, deputy chief of staff.
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.
PINE PEACE TARGETS WEED AND SEED FUNDS
Oct. 19, 2002 – An effort is being made on St. John to bring the resources of a federal crime fighting program to keep a residential community from losing its quality of life.
The Weed and Seed program is designed to deter criminal and anti-social activities that drive neighborhoods into decline across the United States. It also fosters a better quality of life by attracting programs that help families and promote economic well-being. Sponsored by the U.S. Justice Department, Weed and Seed is already operating on St. Thomas.
But attracting those kind of resources has been a tough sell for St. John. Island Administrator Julien Harley said that since the lush green island and its small, peaceful population attracted millions of visitors a year, it just didn't fit the profile.
"St. John is unique," Harley said. There is a public housing community, but there's no drug or crime problem there.
After several months of trying to justify the reasons why Weed and Seed should come to Love City, the group turned to the St. John Community Foundation for help.
Executive Director Carol DeSenne said, "The steering committee met from January to April and felt they weren't getting anywhere. The foundation was asked to come in April and be the lead agency."
The group decided to focus its efforts in a community about a half-mile south of Cruz Bay called Pine Peace. DeSenne said the commitment of residents and homeowners has been demonstrated by their consistency in showing up at planning meetings. Close to 60 people showed up for a meeting held earlier this month at St. Ursula's Multipurpose Community Center, 35 of them from the Pine Peace community.
"People are really coming out to try and make this work because there are people living there who have really seen their neighborhood come down in the past five years," DeSenne said.
Homeowner Henry Jackson, who lived in the area since childhood, said the residents were accomplishing a lot. He recalled how the area began as a sparse array of wooden houses surrounded by bush and traversed by a dirt road.
"The quality of life has changed because almost everybody has their own home, and most of the kids have gone away to college. We have a store. We used to have a shop. I think the neighborhood has changed immensely," he said.
But he also said other things were changing, including the amount of loitering and crime. DeSenne said it took some time to document the problem, but the group gained the cooperation of police who agreed to help.
As authorities separated statistics compiled for the St. Thomas-St. John district, and as volunteers collected more than a hundred surveys from area residents, the Weed and Seed proposal group was better able to make its case.
Within the bounds of the community, residents and law enforcement professionals have cited a rise in drug dealing and drug houses, gambling and the number of residents who have to check in with the parole officer. Kids in the area are sometimes recruited as couriers for large amounts of cash used to place bets on cockfights on St. Thomas.
Violent crime is not a real problem on St. John. The largest problem is with burglaries, the kind of crime that provides quick cash to those who want to fund illegal activities.
"When the proposal first came in they denied it, but when they came in and saw how hard the people were working, they decided to give it a chance," Harley said.
The committee reviewed a 400-page implementation manual and solicited commitments from public and private agencies to do their part to make life better for the people of Pine Peace.
Among those supporting the community is a local painter who has agreed to take on 10 apprentices in a "Scrape, Paint and Rejuvenate" initiative in conjunction with the V.I. Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission.
Most recently the Department of Public Works entered discussions on the removal of abandoned cars and discarded appliances that undermine community pride and drive down property values.
For Jackson and some of the other residents involved in the effort, the goal is working toward a vision of what the community could be if it can reduce the blight and attract the things it wants.
Some of those goals came out of an initial meeting with DeSenne several weeks ago at the Cruz Bay Baptist Church, where the group entertained the possibility of greater commercial development, recreation facilities, a health center and expansion of the community playground.
But the time is fast approaching when the St. John Weed and Seed steering committee will be able to test the strength of its arguments to Justice. With an Oct. 31 deadline fast approaching, DeSenne said many positive steps have been explored in the six months of team building and committing to improving life in Pine Peace.
Plans are also in the works to push projects that can be funded locally. "If we don't become a Weed and Seed site, this committee will not disband," DeSenne said.
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.
The Weed and Seed program is designed to deter criminal and anti-social activities that drive neighborhoods into decline across the United States. It also fosters a better quality of life by attracting programs that help families and promote economic well-being. Sponsored by the U.S. Justice Department, Weed and Seed is already operating on St. Thomas.
But attracting those kind of resources has been a tough sell for St. John. Island Administrator Julien Harley said that since the lush green island and its small, peaceful population attracted millions of visitors a year, it just didn't fit the profile.
"St. John is unique," Harley said. There is a public housing community, but there's no drug or crime problem there.
After several months of trying to justify the reasons why Weed and Seed should come to Love City, the group turned to the St. John Community Foundation for help.
Executive Director Carol DeSenne said, "The steering committee met from January to April and felt they weren't getting anywhere. The foundation was asked to come in April and be the lead agency."
The group decided to focus its efforts in a community about a half-mile south of Cruz Bay called Pine Peace. DeSenne said the commitment of residents and homeowners has been demonstrated by their consistency in showing up at planning meetings. Close to 60 people showed up for a meeting held earlier this month at St. Ursula's Multipurpose Community Center, 35 of them from the Pine Peace community.
"People are really coming out to try and make this work because there are people living there who have really seen their neighborhood come down in the past five years," DeSenne said.
Homeowner Henry Jackson, who lived in the area since childhood, said the residents were accomplishing a lot. He recalled how the area began as a sparse array of wooden houses surrounded by bush and traversed by a dirt road.
"The quality of life has changed because almost everybody has their own home, and most of the kids have gone away to college. We have a store. We used to have a shop. I think the neighborhood has changed immensely," he said.
But he also said other things were changing, including the amount of loitering and crime. DeSenne said it took some time to document the problem, but the group gained the cooperation of police who agreed to help.
As authorities separated statistics compiled for the St. Thomas-St. John district, and as volunteers collected more than a hundred surveys from area residents, the Weed and Seed proposal group was better able to make its case.
Within the bounds of the community, residents and law enforcement professionals have cited a rise in drug dealing and drug houses, gambling and the number of residents who have to check in with the parole officer. Kids in the area are sometimes recruited as couriers for large amounts of cash used to place bets on cockfights on St. Thomas.
Violent crime is not a real problem on St. John. The largest problem is with burglaries, the kind of crime that provides quick cash to those who want to fund illegal activities.
"When the proposal first came in they denied it, but when they came in and saw how hard the people were working, they decided to give it a chance," Harley said.
The committee reviewed a 400-page implementation manual and solicited commitments from public and private agencies to do their part to make life better for the people of Pine Peace.
Among those supporting the community is a local painter who has agreed to take on 10 apprentices in a "Scrape, Paint and Rejuvenate" initiative in conjunction with the V.I. Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission.
Most recently the Department of Public Works entered discussions on the removal of abandoned cars and discarded appliances that undermine community pride and drive down property values.
For Jackson and some of the other residents involved in the effort, the goal is working toward a vision of what the community could be if it can reduce the blight and attract the things it wants.
Some of those goals came out of an initial meeting with DeSenne several weeks ago at the Cruz Bay Baptist Church, where the group entertained the possibility of greater commercial development, recreation facilities, a health center and expansion of the community playground.
But the time is fast approaching when the St. John Weed and Seed steering committee will be able to test the strength of its arguments to Justice. With an Oct. 31 deadline fast approaching, DeSenne said many positive steps have been explored in the six months of team building and committing to improving life in Pine Peace.
Plans are also in the works to push projects that can be funded locally. "If we don't become a Weed and Seed site, this committee will not disband," DeSenne said.
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.
GOVERNMENT'S TRAVEL AGENCY FILES CHAPTER 11
Oct. 19, 2002 – In spite of an effort by the V.I. government to help a vendor going through hard times, a local travel agency is filing for financial reorganization.
The financial affairs of World Wide Travel became the subject of media attention back in February after Gov. Charles W. Turnbull wrote a memo to nine agency heads, asking them to "provide advance quarterly payments" for their travel arrangements. The combined travel budget for the nine agencies – Tourism, Human Services, Education, Planning and Natural Resources, Labor, Police, the Law Enforcement Planning Commissioner and the V.I. Board of Education – amounted to more than a quarter million dollars for Fiscal Year 2002.
Government House officials said it was the first time to their knowledge that such an arrangement had been made between the V.I. Government and a private company, and was done in part because World Wide was the last remaining travel agency willing to do business with the government. Previous vendors in the travel business said they stopped because late payments for plane fares were costing them too much money.
When an agency books a ticket with an airline, it has seven days to pay for it; after that they have to pay a penalty. Under the advanced payment system, the agency could take the funds from another account, eliminating the wait for payment and the need to pay a penalty.
But the move came too late for World Wide Travel. Six months later, the agency filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing outstanding debts of $675,741.30. In early October Angela Balfon, company president, met with creditors to discuss plans for a financial reorganization. A bankruptcy hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
A successful Chapter 11 filing allows companies to continue operations, as long as they pay creditors according to an approved agreement reached through arbitration.
Balfon declined comment on the future of the travel agency, given its current financial plight, but a top official at Government House said the current financial arrangement would remain in place for now. "That doesn't mean they are prohibited from doing business with the government," said Alric Simmonds, deputy chief of staff.
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.
The financial affairs of World Wide Travel became the subject of media attention back in February after Gov. Charles W. Turnbull wrote a memo to nine agency heads, asking them to "provide advance quarterly payments" for their travel arrangements. The combined travel budget for the nine agencies – Tourism, Human Services, Education, Planning and Natural Resources, Labor, Police, the Law Enforcement Planning Commissioner and the V.I. Board of Education – amounted to more than a quarter million dollars for Fiscal Year 2002.
Government House officials said it was the first time to their knowledge that such an arrangement had been made between the V.I. Government and a private company, and was done in part because World Wide was the last remaining travel agency willing to do business with the government. Previous vendors in the travel business said they stopped because late payments for plane fares were costing them too much money.
When an agency books a ticket with an airline, it has seven days to pay for it; after that they have to pay a penalty. Under the advanced payment system, the agency could take the funds from another account, eliminating the wait for payment and the need to pay a penalty.
But the move came too late for World Wide Travel. Six months later, the agency filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing outstanding debts of $675,741.30. In early October Angela Balfon, company president, met with creditors to discuss plans for a financial reorganization. A bankruptcy hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
A successful Chapter 11 filing allows companies to continue operations, as long as they pay creditors according to an approved agreement reached through arbitration.
Balfon declined comment on the future of the travel agency, given its current financial plight, but a top official at Government House said the current financial arrangement would remain in place for now. "That doesn't mean they are prohibited from doing business with the government," said Alric Simmonds, deputy chief of staff.
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.
VI GROUP TO HOLD FALL FESTIVAL
Oct. 19, 2002 – The Virgin Islands Association of Atlanta will hold a Fall Costume Festival and Food Sale from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Panyard in Fairlake Dr., Decatur, Georgia. In addition to prizes for best costumes, there will be games for children of all ages and food and drinks on sale.
For more information call 404-681-6395 or 404-428-0457.
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For more information call 404-681-6395 or 404-428-0457.
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 v… click A>.
MARJORIE ROBERTS TO SPEAK AT ROTARY
Attorney Marjorie Roberts will be guest speaker at Rotary Club of St. Thomas II at Marrieott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort. She will speak on the Economic Development Commission and its programs.
VI GROUP WILL HOLD FALL FESTIVAL
The Virgin Islands Association of Atlanta will hold a Fall Costume Festival and Food Sale at the Panyard in Fairlake Dr., Decatur, Georgia. There will be games for children of all ages and food and drinks on sale.
For more information call 404-681-6395 or 404-428-0457.
For more information call 404-681-6395 or 404-428-0457.
MARJORIE ROBERTS TO BE SPEAKER AT ROTARY
Oct. 19, 2002 – Rotary Club of St. Thomas II will meet at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort with Attorney Marjorie Roberts as guest speaker. She will speak on the Economic Development Comission and its programs.
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 v… click A>.
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 v… click A>.
HUMBUG TEEN SUCCOMBS TO GUNSHOT WOUNDS
Oct. 19, 2002 – Another homicide victim was added to the list as a St. Croix man succumbed to gunshot wounds after a friend rushed him to Juan F. Luis Hospital at approximately 11 p.m. Thursday night, which brings the territory’s number to 35 incidents in 2002.
Julio Rivera, 19, of Estate Humbug, died around 1:30 a.m. of a gunshot wound to the back that exited the chest. According to Lt. Greg Bennerson of the Criminal Investigation Unit, the victim was still alive and underwent emergency surgery, but did not recover from his injury.
Though numerous calls were received from residents reporting that gunshots rang out in their community, police said no witnesses have come forward with information on the incident, which took place in the Paradise housing community where the shooting is believed to have taken place.
Deputy Chief Angel Santos said that at this time the victim’s friend has indicated not being present at the scene of the shooting.
Bennerson is asking the public to come forward with information that can assist with the ongoing investigation by calling 778-2211 or 911.
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Julio Rivera, 19, of Estate Humbug, died around 1:30 a.m. of a gunshot wound to the back that exited the chest. According to Lt. Greg Bennerson of the Criminal Investigation Unit, the victim was still alive and underwent emergency surgery, but did not recover from his injury.
Though numerous calls were received from residents reporting that gunshots rang out in their community, police said no witnesses have come forward with information on the incident, which took place in the Paradise housing community where the shooting is believed to have taken place.
Deputy Chief Angel Santos said that at this time the victim’s friend has indicated not being present at the scene of the shooting.
Bennerson is asking the public to come forward with information that can assist with the ongoing investigation by calling 778-2211 or 911.
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