Today at 5:15 p.m. in the Emancipation Gardens, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is sponsoring the Light of Hope to focus on child victims of abuse and neglect.
This special event during April for National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, light a candle as a symbol of hope.
For more information call 774-6720.

Veteran Virgin Islands journalist Carter Hague died early Thursday at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital after a four-month battle with cancer. He was 59.
Hague had been hospitalized in recent weeks, having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which had spread to other vital organs.
For many years one of the familiar radio news voices of the territory, Hague was news director of WVWI/Radio One in the mid-1980s. A career journalist, he had been a reporter and, later, editor at The Daily News in the late 1960s and early '70s. He had also been a public information officer at the then-V.I. Department of Commerce. More recently, he was editor-in- chief of the Virgin Islands Business Journal.
Hague was a restaurant and bar manager at the Mafolie Hotel until the early part of this year, when his condition worsened.
He is survived by his companion, Linda Pinson, relatives on the U.S. mainland, and close friends in the Virgin Islands and on the mainland.
His remains will be cremated and then returned to his native Texas. A service of remembrance is being planned for St. Thomas.

The second-highest-ranking official of the V.I. National Guard is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into sexual harassment charges against him.
National Guard spokesman Osbert Potter said Wednesday night that Col. Edward "Eddie" Charles, the guard's chief of staff, has been on leave since last month when the investigation began. While declining to identify who brought the charges against Charles, Potter did say he expects the case to take "about two months to resolve."
Potter said any time such a complaint is filed against a guardsman,
it is thoroughly investigated.
"Both Col. Charles and his accuser will have the opportunity to defend their case," Potter added.
Charles has been with the National Guard for more than two decades and has been chief of staff since January 1998. Col. Marion Petersen is acting chief of staff in Charles' absence, Potter said.

The second-highest ranking official of the V.I. National Guard is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into sexual harassment charges against him.
National Guard spokesman Osbert Potter said Wednesday night that Col. Edward "Eddie" Charles, the guard's chief of staff, has been on leave since last month when the investigation began. While declining to identify who brought the charges against Charles, Potter did say he expects the case to take "about two months to resolve."
Potter said any time such a complaint is filed against a guardsman it is thoroughly investigated.
"Both Col. Charles and his accuser will have the opportunity to defend their case," Potter added.
Charles has been with the National Guard for more than two decades and has been chief of staff since January 1998. Col. Marion Petersen is acting chief of staff in Charles' absence, Potter said.

Departmental charges have been filed against two St. John officers accused of involvement in the assault of a woman in Cruz Bay nearly three weeks ago, Police Commissioner Franz Christian said Wednesday.
The officers’ next appointment is with Chief of Police Jose Garcia for a disciplinary hearing, at a date yet to be made public.
On March 18, one of the officers, Eugene Somersall, reportedly slammed a woman against a car several times after he got involved in a dispute between her and a taxi driver over parking near the ferry dock.
Ten days later, in downtown Charlotte Amalie, another police officer is reported to have physically assaulted a man and verbally abused a woman whose car he was ticketing for a traffic infraction.
In the St. John case, Christian said Officers Somersall and Lorraine Sprauve have been brought up on charges, but he declined to specify what those charges are. "The two officers have been charged, and they await their departmental hearing" before Chief Garcia, the commissioner said.
In the St. Thomas case, involving Officer Loriel "Lala" Charleswell, "the incident is under investigation by both the Insular Affairs Unit and the zone commander," Christian said. He expressed hope that the probes will be concluded "shortly." The FBI is also investigating the St. Thomas case, for possible violation of the victims’ federal civil rights. FBI officials declined to say whether the agency is also looking into the St. John incident.
Like Christian, neither Chief Garcia nor the head of the Police Benevolent Association, Elroy Raymo, would provide any details related to the cases. Of the two St. John officers, Raymo said Wednesday, "They have been charged today, and I don’t have the date of the hearing yet."
Lt. Rene Garcia, the ranking police official on St. John, began an internal investigation following the March 18 incident. There was no indication from Chief Garcia, Lt. Garcia or Raymo as to why the second officer has become an object of the investigation.
Chief Garcia said the Police Department has "a contractual obligation to the officers" and, thus, "We will not disclose the name of any officer" involved in internal proceedings. He added that it also would not be appropriate for him to comment because he may be named as a hearing officer.
Raymo said any police officer called in for a disciplinary hearing would receive a formal notice and a copy would be sent to the PBA. As of Wednesday, he said, he did not know when the hearing would begin. "They have to serve the union. They haven’t served us yet," he said.
Under the police union contract, a disciplinary hearing must be convened within 50 days of the alleged incident triggering it. A conclusion must be reached by 90 days from the start of the hearing.
Raymo reiterated Wednesday that the accused officers continue to have the backing of the union. "We have to do our job," the PBA president said, "but we will do our best to support the officers to the end."
Chief Garcia and Raymo said they were willing to disclose the results of the Cruz Bay incident investigation at the end of the proceedings. Raymo said the public has a right to know if officers accused of wrongdoing are found to be at fault or exonerated.
Editor’s note: For earlier developments, see the preceding story, "FBI investigating St. Thomas police assault."

Departmental charges have been filed against two St. John officers accused of involvement in the assault of a woman in Cruz Bay nearly three weeks ago, Police Commissioner Franz Christian said Wednesday.
The officers’ next appointment is with Chief of Police Jose Garcia for a disciplinary hearing, at a date yet to be made public.
On March 18, one of the officers, Eugene Somersall, reportedly slammed a woman against a car several times after he got involved in a dispute between her and a taxi driver over parking near the ferry dock.
Ten days later, in downtown Charlotte Amalie, another police officer is reported to have physically assaulted a man and verbally abused a woman whose car he was ticketing for a traffic infraction.
In the St. John case, Christian said Officers Somersall and Lorraine Sprauve have been brought up on charges, but he declined to specify what those charges are. "The two officers have been charged, and they await their departmental hearing" before Chief Garcia, the commissioner said.
In the St. Thomas case, involving Officer Loriel "Lala" Charleswell, "the incident is under investigation by both the Insular Affairs Unit and the zone commander," Christian said. He expressed hope that the probes will be concluded "shortly." The FBI is also investigating the St. Thomas case, for possible violation of the victims’ federal civil rights. FBI officials declined to say whether the agency is also looking into the St. John incident.
Like Christian, neither Chief Garcia nor the head of the Police Benevolent Association, Elroy Raymo, would provide any details related to the cases. Of the two St. John officers, Raymo said Wednesday, "They have been charged today, and I don’t have the date of the hearing yet."
Lt. Rene Garcia, the ranking police official on St. John, began an internal investigation following the March 18 incident. There was no indication from Chief Garcia, Lt. Garcia or Raymo as to why the second officer has become an object of the investigation.
Chief Garcia said the Police Department has "a contractual obligation to the officers" and, thus, "We will not disclose the name of any officer" involved in internal proceedings. He added that it also would not be appropriate for him to comment because he may be named as a hearing officer.
Raymo said any police officer called in for a disciplinary hearing would receive a formal notice and a copy would be sent to the PBA. As of Wednesday, he said, he did not know when the hearing would begin. "They have to serve the union. They haven’t served us yet," he said.
Under the police union contract, a disciplinary hearing must be convened within 50 days of the alleged incident triggering it. A conclusion must be reached by 90 days from the start of the hearing.
Raymo reiterated Wednesday that the accused officers continue to have the backing of the union. "We have to do our job," the PBA president said, "but we will do our best to support the officers to the end."
Chief Garcia and Raymo said they were willing to disclose the results of the Cruz Bay incident investigation at the end of the proceedings. Raymo said the public has a right to know if officers accused of wrongdoing are found to be at fault or exonerated.
Editor’s note: For earlier developments, see the preceding story, "FBI investigating assault by St. Thomas cop."

Approximately 50 Vitran employees may soon receive pink slips as the Department of Public Works attempts to dig the transportation system out of its $8 million-plus hole.
At a Senate Government Operations Committee hearing Wednesday night, Public Works Commissioner Harold Thompson described the department’s plans to reduce Vitran’s overall operating cost by 50 percent.
On St. Croix, that means 25 people will be laid off, Thompson said. In the St. Thomas-St. John district, reduced bus service means there will be need for fewer than the 36 drivers there. Thompson said a "minimum of 13" bus drivers will be kept, while 14 mechanics and utility and administrative workers will be let go.
"Personally, this isn’t a happy moment for me," Thompson said. "Unfortunately it’s a necessary moment." He said the layoffs and cuts are needed because fare revenues cannot cover salaries, benefits, parts, fuel and other operating costs. The V.I. government funding of $1.8 million per district is inadequate, he said.
In 1997, the Schneider administration increased Vitran’s operating costs by equalizing the salaries of St. Croix Vitran personnel with those of the St. Thomas staff with no new funding source identified. Other unfunded mandates included additional routes on St. John and compliance with a federal law requiring transportation services for the handicapped under the Americans with Disability Act.
"The combination. . . increased the operating costs of Vitran to more than $5 million per year territory-wide," Thompson said. "The available funding, $3.6 million subsidy, and fare-box revenue was and remains inadequate to provide the current level of service and requires that the Vitran system be reduced in its scope of service and cost."
Representing St. Croix Vitran workers at the hearing was Ralph Mandrew, president of the V.I. Workers Union. Luis "Tito" Morales, president of the V.I. Steelworkers, spoke for the St. Thomas-St. John personnel. Both men urged senators to push for legislation that would create a V.I. Transit Authority.
Morales also called for the privatization of bus service, a move that has been attempted with some success several times over the last 30-plus years. He said non-unionized management staff should be cut, not the rank and file.
"Those that oversee the public transportation system are the ones that need to go home," Morales said, "not the drivers or mechanics."
On St. Croix, the cutbacks in personnel mean the number of buses in service would be reduced from seven to five, the daily hours of operation would drop from 16 to 14, and the wait between buses would increase, Thompson said.
On St. Thomas, the number of buses on the road would drop from eight to five, and hours of operation would be cut back two hours, becoming 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The routes served would remain the same, but the level of service would be reduced — and become intermittent on some runs, Thompson said.
St. John would see its four-bus fleet reduced to two, with two drivers eliminated. The Cruz Bay and Salt Pond routes would continue but with less-frequent service. And, Thompson said, instead of meeting every hourly ferry arrival, buses would meet every other one.
On all the islands, Sunday and some holiday service would be eliminated.

Approximately 50 Vitran employees may soon receive pink slips as the Department of Public Works attempts to dig the transportation system out of its $8 million-plus hole.
At a Senate Government Operations Committee hearing Wednesday night, Public Works Commissioner Harold Thompson described the department’s plans to reduce Vitran’s overall operating cost by 50 percent.
In the St. Thomas-St. John district, Thompson said, reduced bus service means there will be need for fewer than the 36 drivers there. He said a "minimum of 13" drivers would be kept, while 14 mechanics and utility and administrative workers would be let go.
On St. Thomas, the number of buses on the road would drop from eight to five, and hours of operation would be cut back two hours, becoming 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The routes served would remain the same, but the level of service would be reduced — and become intermittent on some runs, Thompson said.
St. John would see its four-bus fleet reduced to two, with two drivers eliminated. The Cruz Bay and Salt Pond routes would continue but with less-frequent service. And, Thompson said, instead of meeting every hourly ferry arrival, buses would meet every other one.
On St. Croix, a planned 25 layoffs mean the number of buses in service would be reduced from seven to five, the daily hours of operation would drop from 16 to 14, and the wait between buses would increase, Thompson said.
On all the islands, Sunday and some holiday service would be eliminated.
"Personally, this isn’t a happy moment for me," Thompson said. "Unfortunately it’s a necessary moment." He said the layoffs and cuts are needed because fare revenues cannot cover salaries, benefits, parts, fuel and other operating costs. The V.I. government funding of $1.8 million per district is inadequate, he said.
In 1997, the Schneider administration increased Vitran’s operating costs by equalizing the salaries of St. Croix Vitran personnel with those of the St. Thomas staff with no new funding source identified. Other unfunded mandates included additional routes on St. John and compliance with a federal law requiring transportation services for the handicapped under the Americans with Disability Act.
"The combination. . . increased the operating costs of Vitran to more than $5 million per year territory-wide," Thompson said. "The available funding, $3.6 million subsidy, and fare-box revenue was and remains inadequate to provide the current level of service and requires that the Vitran system be reduced in its scope of service and cost."
Representing St. Croix Vitran workers at the hearing was Ralph Mandrew, president of the V.I. Workers Union. Luis "Tito" Morales, president of the V.I. Steelworkers, spoke for the St. Thomas-St. John personnel. Both men urged senators to push for legislation that would create a V.I. Transit Authority.
Morales also called for the privatization of bus service, a move that has been attempted with some success several times over the last 30-plus years. He said non-unionized management staff should be cut, not the rank and file.
"Those that oversee the public transportation system are the ones that need to go home," Morales said, "not the drivers or mechanics."

Approximately 50 Vitran employees may soon receive pink slips as the Public Works Department attempts to dig the transportation system out of its $8 million-plus hole.
At a Senate Government Operations Committee hearing Wednesday night, Public Works Commissioner Harold Thompson described the department’s plans to reduce Vitran’s overall operating cost by 50 percent.
St. John would see its four-bus fleet reduced to two, with two drivers eliminated. The Cruz Bay and Salt Pond routes would continue but with less-frequent service. And, Thompson said, instead of meeting every hourly ferry arrival, buses would meet every other one.
On St. Croix, that means 25 people will be laid off, Thompson said. In the St. Thomas-St. John district, reduced bus service means there will be need for fewer than the 36 drivers there. Thompson said a "minimum of 13" bus drivers will be kept, while 14 mechanics and utility and administrative workers will be let go.
"Personally, this isn’t a happy moment for me," Thompson said. "Unfortunately it’s a necessary moment." He said the layoffs and cuts are needed because fare revenues cannot cover salaries, benefits, parts, fuel and other operating costs. The V.I. government funding of $1.8 million per district is inadequate, he said.
In 1997, the Schneider administration increased Vitran’s operating costs by equalizing the salaries of St. Croix Vitran personnel with those of the St. Thomas staff with no new funding source identified. Other unfunded mandates included additional routes on St. John and compliance with a federal law requiring transportation services for the handicapped under the Americans with Disability Act.
"The combination. . . increased the operating costs of Vitran to more than $5 million per year territory-wide," Thompson said. "The available funding, $3.6 million subsidy, and fare-box revenue was and remains inadequate to provide the current level of service and requires that the Vitran system be reduced in its scope of service and cost."
Representing St. Croix Vitran workers at the hearing was Ralph Mandrew, president of the V.I. Workers Union. Luis "Tito" Morales, president of the V.I. Steelworkers, spoke for the St. Thomas-St. John personnel. Both men urged senators to push for legislation that would create a V.I. Transit Authority.
Morales also called for the privatization of bus service, a move that has been attempted with some success several times over the last 30-plus years. He said non-unionized management staff should be cut, not the rank and file.
"Those that oversee the public transportation system are the ones that need to go home," Morales said, "not the drivers or mechanics."
On St. Croix, the cutbacks in personnel mean the number of buses in service would be reduced from seven to five, the daily hours of operation would drop from 16 to 14, and the wait between buses would increase, Thompson said.
On St. Thomas, the number of buses on the road would drop from eight to five, and hours of operation would be cut back two hours, becoming 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The routes served would remain the same, but the level of service would be reduced — and become intermittent on some runs, Thompson said.
On all the islands, Sunday and some holiday service would be eliminated.

Are you one of the many V.I. residents with polybutylene plumbing in your home? If so, you are a candidate for participation in a multimillion-dollar class action suit against its developers and manufacturers.
The suit seeks to piggyback on a $750 million settlement already made to polybutylene customers in the 50 states.
That settlement came in a suit against Shell Oil Company and others, alleging they knew the polybutylene system was exceedingly prone to leaks but continued to market and sell it.
St. Thomas attorney Jeffrey Weiss filed an Action for Damages in Territorial Court on behalf of the owners of two apartment complexes and one owner of an individual unit in the Virgin Islands after they learned that they were not eligible to tap into the statewide settlement.
Weiss had hoped to bring the suit as a class action on behalf of polybutylene users in all the U.S. territories, but the court denied that motion, partly because of jurisdictional considerations.
But last month Territorial Court Judge Edgar Ross granted an amended action allowing a class action suit on behalf of "owners of property in the U.S. Virgin Islands in which a polybutylene plumbing system was or is installed."
Weiss believes polybutylene is widespread in the territory. While the V.I. was in a construction boom in the late '70s and '80s, it was being marketed as an inexpensive, easy-to-install, state-of-the art system.
The lawyer said he has already identified enough units to amount to $5 million worth of damages on St. Thomas and $3 million to $4 million on St. Croix. He believes there are a lot more.
Weiss brought his original action on behalf of St. Croix Ltd., St. Thomas I Ltd. and St. Thomas II Ltd., owners of Carib Villa Apartments on St. Croix and Sunrise Cove Apartments and Clearview Apartments on St. Thomas, as well as Llewellyn Phillips, a St. Thomas homeowner.
The defendants are Shell Oil Company, D/B/A Shell Chemical Co.; Hoechst Celanese Corporation and E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company.
While the statewide settlement covered only repair/replacement costs, Weiss is seeking additional damages for Virgin Islands residents in the form of compensation for lost water and, possibly, loss of use of rental property and other damages.
How do you know if you have polybutylene pipe in your home?
A notice sent out in the statewide class action suit (Cox v. Shell, et al.) describes it as follows:
Polybutlyene pipe ("PB Pipe") is non-rigid, sometimes curved, usually gray (or possibly silver or black) plastic pipe used in water supply plumbing systems.
When used in the underground service from the water company, PB pipe is blue, gray, or black.
PB pipe is not used for drains, waste, or vent piping.
PB pipe is not PVC or CPVC, which is a rigid white or off-white plastic pipe.