Oct. 11, 2001 – The St. Thomas Association of Roadrunners (STAR) will hold the 20th Founder’s Day 5 Kilometer Run, starting at 7 a.m. Sunday, October 14 from the Fort Christian Parking Lot. The finish line for the 3.1 mile footrace will be at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports & Fitness Center.
Registration starts at 6:30 a.m. Walkers are as welcome as runners, according to STAR member Roy Watlington. Although the entry fee for the race is only $2, participants are encouraged to use the occasion to contribute to the "September 11th Fund" through the United Way, which would send these contributions to assist in the recovery effort made necessary by the September 11th tragedy, Watlington said in a release.
On October 11, 1982, STAR was just an idea in the heads of three distance runners, Watlington said. The three planned a 5 kilometer race with the minimum of fanfare, using flour to mark a starting line and a finish line, and establishing one water stop. The runners were Sidney Rogers, Wayne Frederick and Watlington.
Clive Mills and Clement White, who had just gone away to work on his doctorate, had preceded them in planning a running club.
Showing up for that first race were Theresa Hodge, Frank and Toni Jackson, Craig Marek, LaVerne Ragster, Ed Wascoe, and other runners and walkers, who would become stalwarts and future officers of the new running club.
STAR initiated its calendar of official races about one month later and then helped conduct the Virgin Islands Half Marathon, which had been started in earlier years by Mills with sponsorship by McDonald's. STAR's first year on a full, regular schedule began at the end of 1982 with its Kwanzaa Run. In 1983, its Martin Luther Day 5 Kilometer Run was followed by a major Martin Luther King track meet. Two events that would also last to the present were the one-mile Ultrasprint, and the Women's Jogger Jam.
For more information, call Watlington at 777-8183.

Oct. 11, 2001 — A communication snafu within the Department of Planning and Natural Resources has kept more than a half-million dollars from being used in the Home Protection Roofing Program and caused DPNR Commissioner Dean Plaskett to publicly apologize for the delay.
In a press conference Wednesday, Plaskett took full responsibility for the communication breakdown that caused perhaps two dozen elderly or disabled residents on St. Croix from having their roofs repaired and reinforced following Hurricane Georges in 1998.
According to Property and Procurement Commissioner Marc Biggs, whose department managed past efforts under the roofing program using Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, his staff early last year alerted DPNR to the availability of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 1998 Disaster Recovery Initiative funding.
Biggs said that in June 2000, Property and Procurement submitted a plan of action to DPNR’s Lawrence Joshua, who administers the Community Development Block Grant Program. The plan included a list of eligible applicants and the cost to repair and reinforce their roofs against future hurricanes.
"All of the information necessary to receive this grant was submitted, and a response from the Department of Planning and Natural Resource was awaited," Biggs wrote in an Oct. 3 release detailing the mis-communication. "To this day, we have yet to receive a response to our application."
Plaskett said DPNR received the HUD grant for approximately $1.7 million in December 2000. Property and Procurement and the territory’s two hospitals were the only applicants.
The Juan Luis Hospital on St. Croix received some $750,000 for hurricane shutters and other work, while Property and Procurement received $700,000 for the roofing program. DPNR was allocated $250,000 to administer the grant.
Plaskett said he couldn’t explain why Property and Procurement wasn’t kept abreast of the grant, which he said he learned about last April.
"It’s my position we should have responded to Commissioner Biggs," Plaskett said, adding that DPNR’s handling of the situation was "unprofessional."
"For that, I take ultimate responsibility," he said. "DPNR is a large department and circumstances such as these happen from time to time."
To rectify the situation, Plaskett said he will personally ensure that the $700,000 is "promptly distributed" in the next six weeks. In the two weeks starting Monday, an architectural engineering firm will be hired to certify the scope of work for the individuals who have already submitted roofing program applications.
Plaskett said that between 17 and 23 people — most of them St. Croix residents — will receive between $34,000 and $36,000 for roof repairs. If any of the eligible applicants have already had work done, DPNR will go to the next name on the list of 72 residents.
Between the third and fifth weeks, Plaskett said, the applications will be certified, and in the sixth week the grant money will be dispensed and construction monitored.
Plaskett said the project will be completed by December, but the actual deadline to draw down the $700,000 is December 2003.

Oct. 10, 2001 – With hours to spare, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull signed most of the $551 million Fiscal Year 2002 budget bills into law Wednesday, but by 10 p.m. there was no news from Government House on what he would do with the two notable exceptions — the massive $479.7 million executive branch appropriation and the 2002 Omnibus Bill.
The executive branch budget includes all government department and agency allocations, which were line-itemed this year by the Senate Finance Committee. The governor had until midnight Wednesday to sign or veto all the bills, or let them become law without his signature.
The Senate completed its $551 million Fiscal Year 2002 budget session Sept. 25, in the process overriding Turnbull's earlier line-item vetoes of close to $2.8 million in the FY 2001 supplemental appropriations bill passed in July.
The 2002 Omnibus Bill includes:
– $4 million for television advertising to promote the territory.
– $1 million to hire 50 police officers and $80,000 to hire a police psychologist.
– $1 million to purchase 75 police vehicles, to be divided equally between the territory's two districts.
The bill also includes a provision to keep senators' pay commensurate with commissioners' salaries, should the department heads get raises, and a number of territorywide capital improvement projects.
In his cover letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Turnbull made no mention of the missing bills, nor did he veto any of the measures. The governor could line-item veto the executive budget and the Omnibus Bill because they contain appropriations.
Turnbull told Liburd that the bills he had signed "represent a significant part of the spending plan for 2002. He also wrote, "I must emphasize, however, that with the recent events on the mainland, we must be ever mindful of the trickle-down effect on this territory. Therefore, I am reminding the Legislature that should the revenue picture change, we will have to tighten our belts and spend less … We must keep an ever-watchful eye on events looming on the horizon."
Both the executive and legislative branches have come under criticism from the private sector — and from some of the senators, themselves — for not scaling back the FY 2002 budget after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The leaders of both hotel associations and both chambers of commerce have said the private sector will need help to survive the economic downturn that has resulted from the loss of tourism business in the last month.
The governor approved the following:
– Bill No. 24-0112 – $1.7 million for operating expenses of the Business and Commercial Properties Revolving Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0113 – $24.6 million for University of the Virgin Islands salaries and expenses, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0114 – $2.6 million from the Government Insurance Fund for Finance Department operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0115 – $2.7 million from the Health Revolving Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0116 – $5 million from the Insurance Guaranty Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0117 – $3.2 million from the Indirect Cost Fund for Office of Management and Budget, Personnel Division, Property and Procurement Department and Finance Department salaries and operating expenses, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0118 – $3.5 million from the Interest Revenue Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0119 – $70.2 million from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund, with $25.2 million to go into the General Fund and $44.7 million to pay debt service on outstanding government bonds.
– Bill No. 24-0120 – $3.1 million from the Caribbean Basin Initiative Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0121 – $6.4 million from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Fund to the Public Works Department, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0122 – $306,881 for V.I. Taxicab Commission operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0123 – $169,174 from the Transportation Revolving Fund for Property and Procurement Department salaries, fringe benefits, supplies and other services and charges.
– Bill No. 24-0124 – $750,000 from the Sewage System Fund for Public Works Department operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0125 – $514,322 for Public Services Commission operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0126 – $1.9 million from the interest earned on bond proceeds to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0127 – $1.5 million from the St. John Capital Improvement Fund for Public Works Department operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0128 – $479.7 million for executive branch operations.
– Bill No. 24-0129 – $1.3 million from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Fund to the Housing, Parks and Recreation Department for V.I. Carnival, St. John Festival and Crucian Christmas Festival celebrations.
– Bill No. 24-0130 – $400,000 for Public Employees Relations Board operating expenses and $103,473 for the Labor Management Committee.
– Bill No. 24-0133 – establishing the Disaster Recovery Contingency Revolving Fund; it is to be funded by $1.4 million from the miscellaneous section of the executive branch operations budget.
– Bill No. 24-0135 – amending the V.I. Code to increase to $25,000 from the current $5,000 the amount of prior fiscal-year obligations that can be paid by departments and agencies from current-year appropriations.
– Bill No. 24-0136 – authorizing the Office of Management and Budget director to allocate $44 million from the miscellaneous section of the FY 2002 budget to cover salary increases for executive branch workers and $12 million to cover executive branch salary and health insurance premium increases.
– Bill No. 24-0138 – $12.8 million from the Transportation Trust Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0143 – To rename the Coral Bay fire station in honor of Hugh Otis Liburd.
– Bill No. 24-0147 – $24.6 million from the General Fund to the Territorial Court of the V.I. and the Judicial Council to cover salaries, personnel services and supplies, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0148 – $15.3 million to the V.I. Legislature for salaries, equipment and operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0149 – $3.2 from the Treasury of the V.I. to the Territorial Public Defender's Office for salaries, supplies, utilities, training, personnel services and other uses.
– Bill No. 24-0156 – To name a section of the Scenic Road on St. Croix the Praxedes Nieves Ridge Road.
– Bill No. 24-0157 – To provide unsecured micro-credit loans to local entrepreneurs from the Government Development Bank at no greater than 5 percent interest.
– Bill No. 24- 0096 – To amend the V. I. code pertaining to the Safe Water Drinking Act.
– Resolution 1616 – To extend condolences to the people of New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., and all those who lost friends and relatives to the four tragic plane crashes.
Passed without the governor's signature was Bill No. 24-0086 amended to give WAPA linemen and plant operators eligibility for hazardous duty early retirement. This measure was earlier vetoed by the governor and then the veto was overridden by the Legislature on Sept. 24.

Oct. 10, 2001 – With hours to spare, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull signed most of the $551 million Fiscal Year 2002 budget bills into law Wednesday, but by 10 p.m. there was no news from Government House on what he would do with the two notable exceptions — the massive $479.7 million executive branch appropriation and the 2002 Omnibus Bill.
The executive branch budget includes all government department and agency allocations, which were line-itemed this year by the Senate Finance Committee. The governor had until midnight Wednesday to sign or veto all the bills, or let them become law without his signature.
The Senate completed its $551 million Fiscal Year 2002 budget session Sept. 25, in the process overriding Turnbull's earlier line-item vetoes of close to $2.8 million in the FY 2001 supplemental appropriations bill passed in July.
The 2002 Omnibus Bill includes:
– $4 million for television advertising to promote the territory.
– $1 million to hire 50 police officers and $80,000 to hire a police psychologist.
– $1 million to purchase 75 police vehicles, to be divided equally between the territory's two districts.
The bill also includes a provision to keep senators' pay commensurate with commissioners' salaries, should the department heads get raises, and a number of territorywide capital improvement projects.
In his cover letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Turnbull made no mention of the missing bills, nor did he veto any of the measures. The governor could line-item veto the executive budget and the Omnibus Bill because they contain appropriations.
Turnbull told Liburd that the bills he had signed "represent a significant part of the spending plan for 2002. He also wrote, "I must emphasize, however, that with the recent events on the mainland, we must be ever mindful of the trickle-down effect on this territory. Therefore, I am reminding the Legislature that should the revenue picture change, we will have to tighten our belts and spend less … We must keep an ever-watchful eye on events looming on the horizon."
Both the executive and legislative branches have come under criticism from the private sector — and from some of the senators, themselves — for not scaling back the FY 2002 budget after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The leaders of both hotel associations and both chambers of commerce have said the private sector will need help to survive the economic downturn that has resulted from the loss of tourism business in the last month.
The governor approved the following:
– Bill No. 24-0112 – $1.7 million for operating expenses of the Business and Commercial Properties Revolving Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0113 – $24.6 million for University of the Virgin Islands salaries and expenses, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0114 – $2.6 million from the Government Insurance Fund for Finance Department operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0115 – $2.7 million from the Health Revolving Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0116 – $5 million from the Insurance Guaranty Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0117 – $3.2 million from the Indirect Cost Fund for Office of Management and Budget, Personnel Division, Property and Procurement Department and Finance Department salaries and operating expenses, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0118 – $3.5 million from the Interest Revenue Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0119 – $70.2 million from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund, with $25.2 million to go into the General Fund and $44.7 million to pay debt service on outstanding government bonds.
– Bill No. 24-0120 – $3.1 million from the Caribbean Basin Initiative Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0121 – $6.4 million from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Fund to the Public Works Department, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0122 – $306,881 for V.I. Taxicab Commission operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0123 – $169,174 from the Transportation Revolving Fund for Property and Procurement Department salaries, fringe benefits, supplies and other services and charges.
– Bill No. 24-0124 – $750,000 from the Sewage System Fund for Public Works Department operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0125 – $514,322 for Public Services Commission operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0126 – $1.9 million from the interest earned on bond proceeds to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0127 – $1.5 million from the St. John Capital Improvement Fund for Public Works Department operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0128 – $479.7 million for executive branch operations.
– Bill No. 24-0129 – $1.3 million from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Fund to the Housing, Parks and Recreation Department for V.I. Carnival, St. John Festival and Crucian Christmas Festival celebrations.
– Bill No. 24-0130 – $400,000 for Public Employees Relations Board operating expenses and $103,473 for the Labor Management Committee.
– Bill No. 24-0133 – establishing the Disaster Recovery Contingency Revolving Fund; it is to be funded by $1.4 million from the miscellaneous section of the executive branch operations budget.
– Bill No. 24-0135 – amending the V.I. Code to increase to $25,000 from the current $5,000 the amount of prior fiscal-year obligations that can be paid by departments and agencies from current-year appropriations.
– Bill No. 24-0136 – authorizing the Office of Management and Budget director to allocate $44 million from the miscellaneous section of the FY 2002 budget to cover salary increases for executive branch workers and $12 million to cover executive branch salary and health insurance premium increases.
– Bill No. 24-0138 – $12.8 million from the Transportation Trust Fund to the General Fund.
– Bill No. 24-0143 – To rename the Coral Bay fire station in honor of Hugh Otis Liburd.
– Bill No. 24-0147 – $24.6 million from the General Fund to the Territorial Court of the V.I. and the Judicial Council to cover salaries, personnel services and supplies, and for other purposes.
– Bill No. 24-0148 – $15.3 million to the V.I. Legislature for salaries, equipment and operating expenses.
– Bill No. 24-0149 – $3.2 from the Treasury of the V.I. to the Territorial Public Defender's Office for salaries, supplies, utilities, training, personnel services and other uses.
– Bill No. 24-0156 – To name a section of the Scenic Road on St. Croix the Praxedes Nieves Ridge Road.
– Bill No. 24-0157 – To provide unsecured micro-credit loans to local entrepreneurs from the Government Development Bank at no greater than 5 percent interest.
– Bill No. 24- 0096 – To amend the V. I. code pertaining to the Safe Water Drinking Act.
– Resolution 1616 – To extend condolences to the people of New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., and all those who lost friends and relatives to the four tragic plane crashes.
Passed without the governor's signature was Bill No. 24-0086 amended to give WAPA linemen and plant operators eligibility for hazardous duty early retirement. This measure was earlier vetoed by the governor and then the veto was overridden by the Legislature on Sept. 24.

Oct. 10, 2001 – All elected officials must "bury their hatchets" and work together to help the territory weather its current economic crisis, Sen. Lorraine Berry said Wednesday. She said the mainland United States is in a recession and the Virgin Islands economy is contracting.
"There is window of opportunity for all elected officials to create a territorial moratorium of our traditional politics," she wrote to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, copying her letter to her 14 Senate colleagues as well as other elected officials and heads of public agencies and business associations.
Berry said that leaders in the Virgin Islands should follow the example set by Congress, where Democrats and Republicans are now working together closely with President George W. Bush. She called for suspension of the majority-minority division in the 24th Legislature and the creation in its stead of "a consensus legislative body that works in concert with the executive branch."
The Legislature as she envisions it "will disregard the partisan differences that presently exist between Republicans, Democrats, ICMers, and Independents."
Berry called for weekly joint meetings of the legislative and executive branches in which the territory's elected leaders would exercise leadership by consensus.
Currently, the Senate and the executive branch often are at odds, and the nine-member majority bloc has repeatedly ridden roughshod over the six minority and unaligned Senators. Berry pledged to "walk the extra mile" with any elected official who has the best interests of the Virgin Islands at heart.
"If in the past this proposal seemed to be wishful thinking, today it is mandatory in order for our political system to avoid a complete collapse," she wrote.
Sen. Carlton Dowe, a majority member and chair of the Rules Committee, agreed with Berry's proposal but was skeptical that it would happen.
"There's old wars that exist between some of those people," the first-term senator said, adding that when discussing new issues, the long-time senators often bring up conflicts that began years ago.
Dowe also said that capital projects worth $200 million are waiting to start, but the government has failed to get them going. They would help fuel the territory's economy, he said.
Last week, Sen. Vargrave Richards, a minority member, wrote to Turnbull asking for greater "cooperation between the public and private sectors" and calling on him to "step forward and put an end to the bickering and finger pointing." Richards, too, pointed out that in Congress, Democrats and Republicans have come together in a spirit of common cause.

Oct. 10, 2001 – Milton L. Wuischpard Jr., a St. Thomas resident, has been appointed to serve on the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He has received the appointment in recognition of contributions and dedication to the Republican Party.
Mr. Wuischpard will serve the territory of the Virgin Islands and "is expected to play a crucial role in the Party's efforts to involve top business people in the process of government reform," according to a Committee release. "Mr. Wuischpard, who has long supported Republic ideals, particularly debt reduction and tax reform, will be a key member of the Council," the release further states.
The Business Council provides a forum for key local Republicans across the country to meet with the Republican leadership and members of Congress. The Committee's Internet site says that participation includes semiannual policy and political issue meetings with Washington GOP leaders, regional meetings, monthly updates, and toll free "hotline" to the Committee.

Oct. 10, 2001 – Milton L. Wuischpard Jr., a St. Thomas resident, has been appointed to serve on the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He has received the appointment in recognition of contributions and dedication to the Republican Party.
Mr. Wuischpard will serve the territory of the Virgin Islands and "is expected to play a crucial role in the Party's efforts to involve top business people in the process of government reform," according to a Committee release. "Mr. Wuischpard, who has long supported Republican ideals, particularly debt reduction and tax reform, will be a key member of the Council," the release further states.
The Business Council provides a forum for key local Republicans across the country to meet with the Republican leadership and members of Congress. The Committee's Internet site says that participation includes semiannual policy and political issue meetings with Washington GOP leaders, regional meetings, monthly updates, and toll free "hotline" to the Committee.

Oct. 10, 2001 – Milton L. Wuischpard Jr., a St. Thomas resident, has been appointed to serve on the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He has received the appointment in recognition of contributions and dedication to the Republican Party.
Mr. Wuischpard will serve the territory of the Virgin Islands and "is expected to play a crucial role in the [Republican] Party's efforts to involve top business people in the process of government reform," according to a Committee release. "Mr. Wuischpard, who has long supported Republican ideals, particularly debt reduction and tax reform, will be a key member of the Council," the release further states.
The Business Council provides a forum for key local Republicans across the country to meet with the Republican leadership and members of Congress. The Committee's Internet site says that participation includes semiannual policy and political issue meetings with Washington GOP leaders, regional meetings, monthly updates, and toll free "hotline" to the Committee.

Oct. 10, 2001 – Romeo Malone, a writer raised in Savan, has written The Savanero, the story of his life and the life of his father, Josh Malone. He will read from the book and sign copies at 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Virgin Islands Cultural Heritage Institute, St. Thomas.
The book begins with the devastating hurricane of October 9, 1916, that swept through the then Danish West Indies, and Josh Malone's subsequent migration to St. Thomas. It continues from the author's birth through his World War II Army service. Romeo Malone has dedicated his book "to all Savaneros, young and old, who inspired his craft," according to a release from the Institute.
Romeo Malone has also written Salona Travis, a novel with a St. Thomas background.
The Institute is located at 5-6 Kongens Gade, popularly known as "Education Street." For more information call 774-9537.

Romeo Malone will read from his new book, The Savanero, and sign copies at 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at the V.I. Cultural Heritage Institute, 5-6 Kongens Gade ("Education Street"). Please call 774-9537 for information.
The book is the story of the author's life and the life of his father, Josh Malone, from the time he emigrated to the then Danish West Indies.
Please call 774-9537 for more information.