More than $8 million in federal funding will come the territory’s way for a variety of projects, including rehabilitating buildings in Christiansted to purchasing bulletproof vests.
The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has been approved for a $50,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development to renovate the old Chase Manhattan Bank and police building on Sunday Market Square, also called Times Square, in downtown Christiansted. The money will allow the Foundation to build a new roof so the building can be used as low-cost office space to promote private-sector investment aimed at revitalizing the area, said Roger Dewey, the organization’s executive director.
"We figured we’d start at the top and work down," Dewey said of the building.
The roof work is just one of the projects the St. Croix Foundation has slated for Sunday Market Square, long an eyesore at the gateway of Christiansted’s historic district.
"It’s been a disincentive for people for a long time," Dewey said. "It’s been a bad face to the world."
Over the last two years, the Foundation has purchased seven buildings in the area and is rebuilding a structure on the corner of King and Market Streets using Community Development Block Grant and Housing Finance Authority funds. Over the next year, Dewey said the square itself will be revamped with paving blocks, trees, historic lighting and burying above-ground utility wires.
Among the other grants:
— The V.I. Port Authority has been awarded $7,933,379 by the U.S. Department of Transportation to raise the asphalt pavement of one of the taxiways at the Cyril E. King Airport. The project is required to maintain the continuity and safety of airport operations along runway 10/28 and will be phased through 2003.
— The Planning and Natural Resources Department has been awarded $36,972 from the U.S. Department of Commerce to collect, manage and disseminate fishery data within the territorial sea and exclusive economic zone contiguous to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
— The V.I. Police Department has been awarded $45,361 by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice Programs, for its Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, Christensen said. The money will be used to purchase 341 armored vests for local law enforcement officers.
"I want to commend these agencies for their diligence in seeking external funding to maintain and improve their programs for the community," Delegate Donna Christian Christensen said. "It is especially important at this time that we take a proactive stance in researching available grants and other sources of funding to continue providing quality services during these difficult economic times."

More than $8 million in federal funding will come the territory’s way for a variety of projects, including rehabilitating buildings in Christiansted to purchasing bulletproof vests.
The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has been approved for a $50,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development to renovate the old Chase Manhattan Bank and police building on Sunday Market Square, also called Times Square, in downtown Christiansted.
The money will allow the Foundation to build a new roof so the building can be used as low-cost office space to promote private-sector investment aimed at revitalizing the area, said Roger Dewey, the organization’s executive director.
"We figured we’d start at the top and work down," Dewey said of the building.
The roof work is just one of the projects the St. Croix Foundation has slated for Sunday Market Square, long an eyesore at the gateway of Christiansted’s historic district.
"It’s been a disincentive for people for a long time," Dewey said. "It’s been a bad face to the world."
Over the last two years, the Foundation has purchased seven buildings in the area and is now rebuilding a structure on the corner of King and Market Streets using Community Development Block Grant and Housing Finance Authority funds. Over the next year, Dewey said the square itself will be revamped with paving blocks, trees, historic lighting and burying above-ground utility wires.
The Virgin Islands Port Authority has been awarded $7,933,379 by the U.S. Department of Transportation to raise the asphalt pavement of one taxiway at the Cyril E. King Airport. The project is required to maintain the continuity and safety of airport operations along runway 10/28 and will be phased through 2003.
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources has been awarded $36,972 from the U.S. Department of Commerce to collect, manage and disseminate fishery data within the territorial sea and exclusive economic zone contiguous to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The V.I. Police Department has been awarded $45,361 by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice Programs, for its Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, Christensen said. The money will be used to purchase 341 armored vests for local law enforcement officers.
"I want to commend these agencies for their diligence in seeking external funding to maintain and improve their programs for the community," V.I. Delegate Donna Christian Christensen said. "It is especially important at this time that we take a proactive stance in researching available grants and other sources of funding to continue providing quality services during these difficult economic times."

More than $8 million in federal funding will come the territory’s way for a variety of projects, including rehabilitating buildings in Christiansted to purchasing bulletproof vests.
The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has been approved for a $50,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development to renovate the old Chase Manhattan Bank and police building on Sunday Market Square, also called Times Square, in downtown Christiansted. The money will allow the Foundation to build a new roof so the building can be used as low-cost office space to promote private-sector investment aimed at revitalizing the area, said Roger Dewey, the organization’s executive director.
"We figured we’d start at the top and work down," Dewey said of the building.
The roof work is just one of the projects the St. Croix Foundation has slated for Sunday Market Square, long an eyesore at the gateway of Christiansted’s historic district.
"It’s been a disincentive for people for a long time," Dewey said. "It’s been a bad face to the world."
Over the last two years, the Foundation has purchased seven buildings in the area and is rebuilding a structure on the corner of King and Market Streets using Community Development Block Grant and Housing Finance Authority funds. Over the next year, Dewey said the square itself will be revamped with paving blocks, trees, historic lighting and burying above-ground utility wires.
Among the other grants:
— The V.I. Port Authority has been awarded $7,933,379 by the U.S. Department of Transportation to raise the asphalt pavement of one of the taxiways at the Cyril E. King Airport. The project is required to maintain the continuity and safety of airport operations along runway 10/28 and will be phased through 2003.
— The Planning and Natural Resources Department has been awarded $36,972 from the U.S. Department of Commerce to collect, manage and disseminate fishery data within the territorial sea and exclusive economic zone contiguous to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
— The V.I. Police Department has been awarded $45,361 by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice Programs, for its Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, Christensen said. The money will be used to purchase 341 armored vests for local law enforcement officers.
"I want to commend these agencies for their diligence in seeking external funding to maintain and improve their programs for the community," Delegate Donna Christian Christensen said. "It is especially important at this time that we take a proactive stance in researching available grants and other sources of funding to continue providing quality services during these difficult economic times."

More than $8 million in federal funding will come the territory’s way for a variety of projects, including rehabilitating buildings in Christiansted to purchasing bulletproof vests.
The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has been approved for a grant of $50,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development to renovate the old Chase Manhattan Bank and police building on Sunday Market Square, also called Times Square, in downtown Christiansted. The money will allow the Foundation to build a new roof so that the building can be used as low-cost office space to promote private sector investment aimed at revitalizing the area, said Roger Dewey, the organization’s executive director.
"We figured we’d start at the top and work down," Dewey said of the building.
The $50,000 grant and work on the building is just one of the projects the St. Croix Foundation has slated for Sunday Market Square, long an eyesore at the gateway of Christiansted’s historic district.
"It’s been a disincentive for people for a long time," Dewey said. "It’s been a bad face to the world."
Over the last two years, the Foundation has purchased seven buildings in the area and is currently rebuilding a structure on the corner of King and Market Streets using Community Development Block Grant and Housing Finance Authority funds. Over the next year, Dewey said the square itself will be revamped with paving blocks, trees historic lighting and the burying of above-ground utility wires.
Meanwhile, the Virgin Islands Port Authority has been awarded $7,933,379 by the U.S. Department of Transportation to slightly raise the asphalt pavement of one of the taxiways at the Cyril E. King Airport, according to Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen. The project is required to maintain the continuity and safety of airport operations along runway 10/28 and will be phased through 2003.
Christensen also said the Department of Planning and Natural Resources has been awarded $36,972 from the U.S. Department of Commerce to collect manage and disseminate fishery data within the territorial sea and exclusive economic zone contiguous to Puerto Rico and the V.I.
Meanwhile, the Virgin Islands Police Department has been awarded $45,361 by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice Programs, for its Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, Christensen said. The funding will be used to purchase 341 armored vests for local law enforcement officers.
"I want to commend these agencies for their diligence in seeking external funding to maintain and improve their programs for the community," she said. "It is especially important at this time that we take a proactive stance in researching available grants and other sources of funding to continue providing quality services during these difficult economic times."

While on the face of things it appears that the Democrats are in for an explosive and expensive election of party officers this year, the Republicans, at a fraction of their number, are quietly holding to the course set in February when they selected delegates to this year's GOP national convention.
The Democrats could agree on little at a meeting Saturday of the party's territorial committee. According to the V.I. Daily News, the new election plan presented by party chair James O'Bryan Jr. was roundly and vehemently rejected.
Labor leader Luis "Tito" Morales threatened to take O'Bryan to court if he pursued the plan, the newspaper reported, and Arturo Watlington Jr., seen as a likely challenger for O'Bryan's job, claimed the party lacked the credibility to adopt a new plan so close to the Sept. 9 primary elections. "We have to have public primaries to ensure openness," Watlington said.
The issue of electing the party officers was frequently overshadowed by the rowdy behavior of members opposing O'Bryan, his plan and what the critics called his "high-handedness" in conducting party business and spending party funds, according to published reports.
Sen. George Goodwin, the treasurer, submitted a written report but was not at the meeting to address questions concerning party finances. Several members, notably Nora Samuel, took offense. Goodwin "should never have taken this position with the party if he can't handle his responsibilities," the V.I. Independent quoted her as saying.
It appeared that former territorial party chair Marylyn Stapleton and former St. Thomas-St. John district chair Arah Lockhart were still smarting from their highly publicized ouster from those posts in a move instigated by O'Bryan three years ago. The committee, under O'Bryan's leadership, adopted a bylaws change specifying that party officials could not hold policymaking positions in non-Democratic administrations. The two women took the floor on several occasions to hurl personal barbs at O'Bryan, according to published reports.
Democratic National Committeewoman Clarice Blake also got into the act, protesting O'Bryan's assigning of Tourism's assistant commissioner, Pamela Richards, to arrange the V.I. delegation's housing and hospitality facilities at the Democratic National Convention next month in Los Angeles.
Meantime, according to Republican convention delegation chair Samuel Baptiste, plans for this year's GOP election of officers in the territory will cost about $200, and, with the approval of elections supervisor John Abramson Jr., should follow the procedure used in February to choose convention delegates.
At that time, party representatives gathered at Gertrude's Restaurant in St. Croix and at the Republican office in Nisky Center on St. Thomas. Using paper ballots, with the process managed by neutral sources within the party, the selection went without incident, Baptiste said.
The V.I. Republican Party has between 5,000 and 6,000 members, according to Baptiste. As reported by Roy Howard, committee member and Elections Board member, there are 20,000 Democratic Party members.
V.I. Election System employee Ecelma Sprauve said Monday that the numbers, according to the records of her office, are 16,105 registered Democrats and 1,201 registered Republicans.
Abramson estimated that electing the Democratic Party officers as a part of the primary in September would cost about $160,000, including rentals, use of voting machines and election officials' salaries and food. He said the bill will be sent to the party under legislation passed in 1998 that provides for parties to come up with their own methods of choosing party officers, with Election Board approval.
J.J. Estemac, who chairs the candidate search committee of the Independent Citizens Movement, could not be reached for comment Monday on how the ICM plans to proceed in selecting its officers.
This will be the first election in the territory in which the Elections Board is not responsible for making party officer selection a part of the government-funded party primary process. Abramson said that he has no appropriation from the Legislature for such balloting this year and that he will recommend that the board pro-rate the cost among the parties choosing to go that route, based on the number of candidates they field.
The Democrats are virtually certain to have the largest contested slate. Baptiste said he didn't anticipate any primary election contests for the GOP positions.
Abramson said the Elections Board will cover the traditional primary election costs of choosing slates of candidates for the 24th Legislature, the Elections Board itself, the Education Board and the delegate to Congress.

While, on the face of things, it appears that the Democrats are in for an explosive and expensive election of party officers this year, the Republicans, at a fraction of their number, are quietly holding to the course set in February when they selected delegates to this year's GOP national convention.
The Democrats could agree on little at a meeting on Saturday of the party's territorial committee. According to the V.I. Daily News, the new election plan presented by party chair James O'Bryan Jr. was roundly and vehemently rejected.
Labor leader Luis "Tito" Morales threatened to take O'Bryan to court if he pursued the plan, the newspaper reported, and Arturo Watlington, seen as a likely challenger for O'Bryan's job, claimed the party lacked the credibility to adopt a new plan so close to the Sept. 9 primary elections. "We have to have public primaries to ensure openness," Watlington said.
The issue of electing the party officers was frequently overshadowed by the rowdy behavior of members opposing O'Bryan, his plan and what the critics called his "high-handedness" in conducting party business and spending party funds, according to published reports.
Sen. George Goodwin, the treasurer, submitted a written report but was not at the meeting to address questions concerning party finances. Several members, notably Nora Samuel, took offense. Goodwin "should never have taken this position with the party if he can't handle his responsibilities," the V.I. Independent quoted her as saying.
It appeared that former territorial party chair Marylyn Stapleton and former St. Thomas-St. John district chair Arah Lockhart were still smarting from their highly publicized ouster from those posts in a move instigated by O'Bryan three years ago. The committee, under his leadership, adopted a bylaws change specifying that party officials could not hold policymaking positions in non-Democratic administrations. The two women took the floor on several occasions to hurl personal barbs at O'Bryan, according to published reports.
Democratic committeewoman Clarice Blake also got into the act, protesting O'Bryan's assigning of Tourism assistant commissioner Pamela Richards to arrange the V.I. delegation's housing and hospitality facilities at the Democratic National Convention next month in Los Angeles.
Meantime, according to Republican convention delegation chair Samuel Baptiste, plans for this year's GOP election of officers in the territory will cost about $200, and, with the approval of elections supervisor John Abramson Jr., should follow the procedure used in February to choose convention delegates.
At that time, party representatives gathered at Gertrude's Restaurant in St. Croix and at the Republican office in Nisky Center on St. Thomas. Using paper ballots, with the process managed by neutral sources within the party, the selection went without incident, Baptiste said.
The Republican Party has between 5,000 and 6,000 members in the territory, according to Baptiste. As reported by Roy Howard, committee member and Elections Board member, there are 20,000 Democratic Party members.
V.I. Election System employee Ecelma Sprauve said Monday that the numbers according to the records of her office are 16,105 registered Democrats and 1,201 registered Republicans.
Abramson estimated that electing the Democratic Party officers as a part of the primary in September would cost about $160,000, including rentals, use of voting machines and election officials' salaries and food. He said the bill will be sent to the party under legislation passed in 1998 that provides for parties to come up with their own methods of choosing party officers, with Election Board approval.
J.J. Estemac, who chairs the candidate search committee of the Independent Citizens Movement, could not be reached for comment Monday on how the ICM plans to proceed in selecting its officers.
This will be the first election in the territory in which the Elections Board is not responsible for making party officer selection a part of the government-funded party primary process. Abramson said he has no appropriation from the Legislature for such balloting this year and that he will recommend that the board pro-rate the cost among the parties choosing to go that route, based on the number of candidates they field. The Democrats are virtually certain to have the largest contested slate. Baptiste said he didn't anticipate any primary election contests for the GOP positions.
Abramson said the Elections Board will cover the traditional primary election costs of choosing slates of candidates for the 24th Legislature, the Elections Board itself, the Education Board and the delegate to Congress.

A federal grand jury on St. Thomas has handed up nine indictments charging 10 people with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, a violation of federal narcotics law, and charging one person with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The defendants were arrested on St. Thomas and St. John during a federal anti-drug initiative conducted over the long Emancipation Day/Independence Day weekend.
The arrests, carried out by agents of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, came after the suspects allegedly tried to sell drugs to undercover agents of the federal Drug EnforcementAgency.
The indictments were returned Thursday, July 13, according to information released Monday by U.S. Attorney James A. Hurd Jr.
Charged with selling crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School at St. Thomas's East End were Monroe Forbes, 37; Gary Gonzalez, 31; George Penn, 35; Leon Stridiron, 35; Albert Subin, 52; and Liston Todman, 35. Gonzalez and Subin are also charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school.
On St. John, Mariano Amaro, 30; Myron Callwood, 27; Ashana Powell, 23; and Michael Powell, 35, were charged with selling cocaine and/or crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Julius E. Sprauve School. Amaro and Ashana Powell were also charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school.
In connection with a separate incident on St. Thomas, Travis Greenaway, 20, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine as a result of his allegedly selling a quantity of the substance to a Drug Enforcement Agency undercover agent.
DEA agents reportedly purchased up to $150 worth of illegal drugs in each instance. Although the amount was small, under the federal charges, DEA resident agent-in-charge Richard Holmes earlier told the Source, "Even if there's a first offense, they're looking at some time."
According to FBI special agent John Groeschner, the anti-drug initiative was in response to illegal drug transactions brazenly taking place in the open near the schools.
Residents have long complained about open drug trafficking in both Cruz Bay and Red Hook.
Police Chief Jose Garcia said at the time of the most recent arrests, "Rich Holmes approached us, and we had a discussion about some joint operations. We're all concerned about the little drug problems we've been having." Garcia said disrupting the activities of the street dealers was intended as a deterrent to the higher-level suppliers.
The 11 defendants are scheduled for arraignment Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Geoffrey Barnard.
The HIDTA task force is made up of agents of the DEA, V.I. Police Department, FBI, U.S. Customs Service, V.I. Housing Authority Police, U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Coast Guard.

A large number of retirements within Fire Services on St. Croix and the Turnbull administration’s edict that overtime expenses be cut mean that the island's only East End fire station will have to close temporarily, Fire Services director Pedro Encarnacion said.
With 18 St. Croix firefighters retiring this year and overtime funding used up, there is no choice but to close the Cotton Valley station, possibly through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, he said. He didn't specify a closing date.
"We cannot continue to provide for overtime. We have overspent our allotment for this fiscal year already," Encarnacion said.
He said he will discuss the situation with Gov. Charles W. Turnbull and Office of Management and Budget officials on Tuesday. While recognizing the economic straits of the government, Encarnacion said, he is "not really happy with the closing."
To compensate for the closing, "We’re going to do our best to have a unit prepared from the Christiansted fire station," he said, "but distance will be a downside when we are responding to the East End."
While this would be the first fire station to close on St. Croix, two have already been shuttered on St. Thomas in the last year for the same reasons — shortages of money and personnel, Encarnacion said. Nine firefighters in the St. Thomas-St. John district have retired this year, causing increased staffing problems, he said.
Last week, firefighters joined unionized St. Croix and St. Thomas police and officers from the Bureau of Corrections and the Planning and Natural Resources Department in forming a new Public Safety Coalition. The aim of the group is to press the administration for unfunded pay raises and increased funding for equipment and supplies.

Ruth DeGout Smith of St. Thomas was chosen U.S.V.I. American Classic Woman 2000 at a talent- and fun-filled pageant Sunday evening at the Palms Court Harbourview Hotel. Carol Tuohy, also of St. Thomas, was awarded first runner-up, and Shirley Thomas from St. Croix was second runner-up. Medina Aska and Lucyleta Smith were the other contestants.
The pageant also honored Edwin A. Davis, former station manager of the Emancipation Garden Post Office, as Classic Man of the Year. He was chosen for his many community service contributions 0 — among them, arranging the choreography for the seniors pageants.
A full house willingly enjoyed four hours of entertainment by the contestants; singers Angelita Jennings, Chevonne Richards, Pat Edwards and Leroy "Sonny" Davis; dancers from the Inferno Troupe and the Mungo Niles Cultural Dancers; and fashion shows presented by models from Feathers 'N' Flair. Debra Brown-Roumo was the mistress of ceremonies.
DeGout Smith's talent was the dramatic presentation of a poem about island culture that she wrote complete with a steelpan solo. She is the retired former administrator of the V.I. Criminal Victims Compensation Commission, a division of the Human Services Department.
As U.S.V.I. American Classic Woman, she will represent the territory in the national pageant in Wilmington, Del., in September.

Earn cash for used textbooks
The UVI Bookstore will conduct a Textbook Buy-Back from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 18 through Friday, July 21 at the UVI Bookstore on the St. Thomas campus. For further information contact Miguel Caban at 693-1560.
SBDC seminar
The Small Business Development Center will hold a seminar entitled, "Using your Business Plan as a Financial Tool" on Thursday, July 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m at the Palms Court Harbor View Hotel. Admission is $20. Hors d’’oeuvres will be served. For further information, contact the SBDC at 776-3206.