They come every year from everywhere — Bronx, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and points beyond — to celebrate Carnival at "home."
And celebrate they did!

The captain of a charter motor yacht made an impassioned radio call to the Coast Guard shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, saying his vessel was under fire from what seemed to be automatic weapons as it approached Charlotte Amalie Harbor.
The boat, Sea Star, was carrying several passengers who were on the last day of a charter. No one was hurt.
Other boaters listening to the transmission said Capt. Ken Tatarow told the Coast Guard he thought he heard "a couple pings," indicating the boat had been hit. But the boat docked safely at Yacht Haven Marina and no damage was immediately apparent.
"We heard pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," Tatarow said in a brief dockside interview shortly after the incident. "You could see the bullets hitting the water."
He said he could not see the person or persons shooting.
The incident happened near Bolongo Bay in the general vicinity of the old shooting range, but witnesses rejected the suggestion of stray bullets. Tatarow warned other vessels to steer clear of the area.
The Coast Guard took a report and passed it along to local police who met the vessel at Yacht Haven. They did not comment on the incident.

Hailing from St. John, Morton's Marvelous Mocko Jumbies, had some of the brightest costumes of the day along with "jumbies" ranging from daring to darling.

Academic achievement was in the spotlight as the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus inducted students into the Golden Key National Honor Society and recognized those who have excelled in their fields of study at recent ceremonies in the campus cafeteria.
A total of 33 students were welcomed into Golden Key in the UVI chapter's 6th annual induction ceremony on Saturday, April 29. Inducted as honorary members were English professor Vincent O. Cooper, Social Sciences Division chair Ededet A. Iniama, UVI vice president for administration and finance Malcolm C. Kirwan, and Nana-Baby Children's Home director Louise Larcheveaux-Ali.
At the ceremony, two UVI students, senior Deborah Taylor and junior James Bernier Jr. received $500 scholarships funded by the Ford Foundation.
At the 36th annual Academic Awards Program on Sunday, April 30, the top-ranked students in each academic division were recognized, along with those who participated in the Freshman Mentoring and UVI Mentorship programs, and those invited to be listed in "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges."
The Barnett Frank Class Awards for a male and a female student in each class went to seniors K'wasi Barnes and Sidris Phipps, juniors Loi'y Mustafa and Valencia Wilkinson, sophomores Richard Brazier and Celeste Mosher, and freshmen Kurt Williams and Nicole Kellum.
Also recognized were winners of the Boynes Scholarship (Zaida Castro), the Industrial Development Scholarship (Lynda Edmead, April Hurlston, Zoraida Martin, Tamisha Ottley, Cornel Phillip, Janelle Rossington and Johnathan Tucker), the Medical Air Services Scholarship (Fyama Wenner), the V.I. Rum Scholarship (Cira Burke, Jacqueline Leader, Mary Macedon, Diana Jackson and Diane Richardson), the Wheatley Scholarship (Pamela Clarke) and the William Koier Scholarship (Kerstin Petty).

Kicking high, Y2K True Colors of the Horizon Troupe impressed the crowd with their enthusiastic presentation before the crowd at Post Office Square.

John McCleverty's Traditional Mocko Jumbies shined on in shimmering silver costumes as they pranced through Post Office Square.

The huge and brand new Intrigue Troupe was impressive in costumes of silver,gold and green.

With a mixed bag of colorful and in one case risque costumes, Jus' Action troupe danced up a storm to Jam Band's "Inspection Lane."

The Gypsys, close to being the most colorful of all the troupes, danced down Main Street setting off their very own brand of "fireworks."

The 18th annual Gatorade Carnival Mile was run Saturday morning through downtown St. Thomas. The 132 participants came up Main Street to the finish line at Roosevelt Park led by George Jules who captured his 3rd victory in a time of 4:55. Ruth Ann David won the women's division in 5:55 in what has become one of STAR's (St. Thomas Association of Roadrunners) biggest events.
For the first time youth outnumbered the adults. Fifty-five youngsters and teens completed the race making their age groups the largest in the race. Theodore Luke and Sharvon Charles won the 12 & under divisions with times of 6:40 and 7:26 respectively. Dwayne Allen won the 13-19 male group in 5:35. Two-time women's champion Evelise Gomez of St. Croix, who recently returned from a gold medal performance at the Penn Relays won the women's 13-19 division in 6:09.
Other male age group winners were 20-29: George Willock 5:35; 30-39: Florida resident and former STAR member Harrie Olsthoorn 5:13; 40-49: Greg Johnson of St. Croix who was also second overall 5:12. Senior division: Roy Macfarlane 6:53.
Female age group winners were 20-29: Andrea Greaux 7:23; 30-39: Camille McKayle-Stolz 6:25; 40-49: Billie Hodges 6:39; Senior division: Carolyn Davis 8:24.
The event, a fund-raiser for the St. Thomas-St. John Chapter of the American Red Cross, was sponsored for the 8th consecutive year by Gatorade and the West Indies Corporation. All proceeds of the race go directly to the local chapter for use in their programs for disaster relief, AIDS wareness, First Aid / CPR training and many others.
OVERALL WINNERS

MALE – George Jules 4.55
FEMALE – RuthAnn David 5.55


Male – 12 & under

Theodore Luke 6.40
Madison Van Heurck 6.56
Paul Remy 6.57
Francisco Fonseca 7.02
Maurice Harvey 7.08
Jessie Hodges 7.37
Thomas Barrows 7.41
Makenzie Shaw 7.46
Joel Bellot 8.33
Johnny Lenahan 8.40
Dean Chinnery 8.44
Colin Schmidt 8.50
Rahim Benjamin 9.35
Walter Hutchins 9.36
Nathaniel Fuller 9.41
Makeel Rhymer-Morton 10.11
Adam Fuller 10.23
Nate Rosenberg 10.34
William Bailey 10.38
Harry Lenahan 11.34
Christopher Cilliers 15.45

Female – 12 & under

Sharvon Charles 7.23
Charlotte VanHeurck 7.35
Gail Maduro 7.41
Tykela Lee 7.42
Hannah Davis 8.30
Jada Schmidt 10.03
Linsey Cuffy 10.04
Krystal Jeffers 10.09
Seyline Cuffy 10.11
Tina Mullen 10.12
Morgan Rosenberg 11.03
Dylan Rosenberg 11.04
Roya Benjamin 11.10
Francie Lenahan 18.10

Male – 13 to 19

Dwayne Allen 5.35
Jamaal Carroll 5.54
Conn Davis 5.57
Jimmy Marshall 6.05
Luke Neely 6.41
Matthew Driscoll 6.47
Cedrick Anselm 6.55
Ray Ulysess 7.33
William Domonique 7.35
Thomas Kaestner 7.39
Max Bangs 11.07

Female – 13 to 19

Evelise Gomez 6.09
Kady Joseph 6.30
Tyfia Lee 6.39
Aniecia Williams 6.46
Liz Streibich 7.07
Patrice Remy 7.26
Christine Driscoll 7.36
Andi Bailey 8.06
Alisha Lessey 10.09


Male – 20 to 29

George Willock 5.34
Isaac Aronson 6.14

Female – 20 to 29

Andrea Greaux 7.23
Jennifer Feuerbacher 8.47

Male – 30 to 39

Harry Olsthoorn 5.13
Franklyn Victor 5.49
Gar Watson 5.53
Trip Dunville 6.08
Nicholas VanHeurck 6.09
Michaell Carper 6.20
Angel Josiah 6.53
Trevor Velinor 7.03
Lance Manaum 7.05
Robert Golub 7.15

Female 30 to 39

Camille McKayle-Stolz 6.25
Tammy Waters 6.48
Ethlyn Farrell 7.06
Anna Paiewonsky 7.29
Bernadette Kaestner 7.45
Maria VanHeurck 7.48
Monica Upernomall 8.44
Beth Dunville 8.45
Eunice Bedminster 8.47
Bernadette Kreisel 8.49
Brigitte Bornn 8.54
Celeste Connolly 9.09
Shawn McBride 9.28
Elisha Hodge 10.02
Rebecca Brahm 10.30
Beverly Clendenin 11.52
Suzanne Cilliers 15.46
Gwendolyn Wilds 17.39

Male – 40 to 49

Greg Johnson 5.12
Maurice Kurg 5.42
Peter Alter 5.54
Randy Shaw 6.08
Amos Frett 6.12
Frank Jackson 6.32
Roi Simmonds 6.34
Henry Carr 6.42
Daryl Dodson 6.45
Delvin Walters 7.16
Joe Schmidt 10.04
Clifton Williams 14.58
Kevin Lenahan 18.11


Female – 40 to 49

Billie Hodges 6.39
Karen Kivel-Rice 7.51
Carol Lenahan 8.13
Margot Murray 8.38
Lisa Henriques 8.39
Doris Pomeranz 9.06
Lynn Dohm 9.13
Joyce Wensel-Bailey 10.13
Debi Davis 10.41
Jessica Rosenberg 11.03
Tanya Ward-Benjamin 11.07
Mary Schmidt 12.44
Audria Thomas 17.22


Male – 50 & over

Roy MacFarlane 6.51
Robert Collins 7.03
Roy Watlington 7.05
Jim Trilling 9.02
Donald Pomeranz 9.08
Vince Fuller 10.02
James Carroll 10.50
Rhett Simmonds 14.43

Female – 50 & over

Carolyn Davis 8.15
Toni Thomas 8.24
Sally George 10.06
Susan Edwards 11.16
Judith Grybowski 12.43
Joy Boyd 14.43
Barbara Mason 15.50
Emma Crosse 17.22
Barbara Fugitt 18.09