Legislature Issues Territorywide School Readiness Report Ahead of 2025–2026 Academic Year

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Legislature Issues Territorywide School Readiness Report Ahead of 2025–2026 Academic Year

With less than two weeks before the first day of school, the Virgin Islands Legislature’s Education and Workforce Development Committee has released its assessment of public school readiness following inspections of campuses across St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, according to press releases from the committee.

On July 28, legislators joined Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance officials on St. Thomas to review conditions at Charlotte Amalie High School, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Edith Williams Alternative School, Lockhart K – 8, Joseph Sibilly Elementary and Annex, and Ulla Muller Elementary School. While some campuses reported visible progress — including freshly painted classrooms, resurfaced basketball courts, upgraded kitchen equipment, and improved technology access — several persistent issues remain unresolved, according to the press release.

Air conditioning failures, incomplete roofing projects, and recurring mold concerns were reported at multiple sites. Some classrooms and cafeterias are still without functioning cooling systems, and mold remediation in modular units and older buildings is incomplete. Contractor payment delays have stalled major projects at Edith Williams Alternative School and Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, while staffing shortages persist in key academic areas such as science, math, Virgin Islands history, and English language arts. Custodial staff levels are also well below what administrators say is needed for adequate upkeep, the press release stated.

On St. Croix, a July 29 tour covered 10 campuses, including Claude O. Markoe Elementary, Eulalie Rivera K – 8, Ricardo Richards Elementary, Alfredo Andrews Elementary, Lew Muckle Elementary, Juanita Gardine K – 8, Pearl B. Larsen PreK – 8, John H. Woodson Jr. High, St. Croix Educational Complex High School, and St. Croix Central High School. Officials found many of the same concerns noted during a January 2025 district tour still unresolved, the release stated.

At John H. Woodson Jr. High School, mold remediation remains incomplete, with updated testing still pending. Alfredo Andrews Elementary reported kitchen readiness issues, including a leaking chill box, a nonfunctional milk cooler, and missing ceiling tiles. At the Educational Complex, FEMA-funded AC units have arrived but installation is ongoing, alongside electrical upgrades and roof patching. Safety hazards were noted at Juanita Gardine and Pearl B. Larsen, where condemned walkways, damaged restrooms, and unfinished roof repairs remain. No school in the district had completed a full deep cleaning at the time of inspection, the release stated.

In both districts, legislators stressed the need for timely contractor payments, stronger interagency coordination, and sustained oversight to prevent last-minute work from becoming the norm. “These walk-throughs are not about placing blame — they’re about getting answers and getting results,” said Sen. Kurt Vialet, committee chair. “We can’t keep patching problems two weeks before school opens. This is about long-term, sustainable improvements for our students and teachers.”

Vialet added that the committee will conduct follow-up walk-throughs during the opening week of school and continue pressing for both short-term fixes and long-term capital improvements. “The students of the Virgin Islands deserve better than a last-minute scramble,” he said. “They deserve classrooms that work.”

Bowie Won All Three Divisions at 2025 Summer Madness Hoops Classic

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Bowie Won All Three Divisions at 2025 Summer Madness Hoops Classic
Bowie 12U won the 2025 Summer Madness Hoops Classic. (Photo by Lester Harvey)
The second annual Summer Madness Hoops Classic presented by MyIsland Ballers ended on Sunday at the Mark C. Marin Center on St. Thomas. The tournament featured teams from Bowie, Maryland, the British Virgin Islands, St. Croix, and St. Thomas. Fans were treated to three highly competitive championship games on the tournament’s final day. Fresh off their upset of the second-seeded Positive Guidance, the now (1-2) Process 11U Team looked poised to secure their second major unexpected tournament victory of the day in the 11U Title Game against the undefeated team from Bowie, Maryland. The Process outplayed Bowie in the first half, taking a 17-13 lead into halftime. The lead grew to eight points when The Process started turning over the ball, and the team from Maryland capitalized, scoring 17 of their 31 second-half points on turnovers. Bowie captured the championship with a 44-31 win. Ryan Tay was a man among boys, recording 22 points, 25 rebounds, and five blocks for Bowie. Regan Wells scored 8 points, snagged 19 rebounds, and swatted four blocks in a losing effort. Teammates Makai Hodge and Shemar Thomas added seven points each for The Process.
Bowie’s 14U Howard Hill, Orange Jersey, takes the shot over The Process, Mason Gardner, in the 14U Championship Game. (Photo by Lester Harvey)
In the most exciting game of the day, Guidance 12U dialed up the pressure with its full-court press, causing the undefeated Bowie 12U team to cough up the ball 33 times. Maryland composed itself, nursing a five-point lead at halftime. The lead ballooned to 12 points early in the second half, but Guidance came all the way back to tie the score at 45 with seconds left on the game clock. Guidance had the ball with under 30 seconds to go in the game. However, Andy Lewis stole the ball and scored two of his game-high 18 points, securing the title for Bowie, 47-45. Landon Robb also had an outstanding game for the team from Maryland, dropping 14 points. Nemecio Camacho was the top performer for Guidance, scoring 14 points, collecting six boards, and stealing five balls.
Positive Guidance 12U Team finished second at the 2025 Summer Madness Hoops Classic. (Photo by Lester Harvey)
The 14U team from Bowie, Maryland, looked impressive in all their pool play games, winning by double digits all weekend long. The Process 14U team came into this game hungry to score the upset. Just having survived a nail-biting victory over the Sports Vision Academy Team from Tortola, The Process kept the game within reach, only down five midway through the game. The lead grew to 15 points midway through the final frame. The coach from Bowie proceeded to pull most of his starters, and The Process went on a 15-5 run, inching to within five points of the lead. Bowie’s starters returned, and they walked away with a 69-60 victory. Howard Hill scored 29 for Bowie. Zedane Burke was The Process’s top performer with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Mason Gardner and Malik Hodge Jr. also contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, for The Process.
The Process 11U Team finished second at the 2025 Summer Madness Hoops Classic. (Photo by Lester Harvey).
President of MyIsland Ballers, Maurice Wells, and Vice President and Tournament Director Jeffrey Jones were both pleased with the outcome of the tournament, praising their fantastic support staff for making the success of this event. “We were able to get through a successful tournament from day one to day three,” said Wells. “MyIsland team is a solid team.” Jones loved that the games ran on time, and with the help of the MyIsland Ballers support staff, the logistics of the tournament ran smoothly.
Championship Trophy and rings for each player of the winning teams of the 2025 Summer Madness Hoops Classic. (Source photo by Mark Daniel)
One of the concerns many local coaches shared was the age of the out-of-territory players. This will not be an issue moving forward. “To protect the integrity of the event and the organization, every team will have to register with USSSA in order to participate in the future.” Well explained. “We would like to make this a Caribbean regional championship with the winner earning a spot in the USSSA National Championship Tournament.” MyIsland Ballers is the Caribbean representative of the United States Specialty Sports Association basketball division. All teams will have to register with the program, ensuring all participants are the correct age. MyIsland Ballers will also introduce a female division next year. The girls will play from Monday to Wednesday. The boys will compete from Friday to Sunday. MyIsland Ballers expressed their appreciation to the following tournament supporters: The Education Department The Virgin Islands Lottery The Sports, Parks, and Recreation Department Marriott Vacation Club One Communication Merchant Commercial Bank Alliance Point Charters Antilles School Vividstreaming Family Redemption Foundation Haugland Group Qyteventful Caribbean USSSA Basketball

Virtue of the Week — Openness

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Virtue of the Week — Openness
Virtue of the Week – Openness Virtue of the Week focuses on building peaceful and caring communities through understanding and fostering the practice of virtues. The Source supports the Virtues Project and will publish one virtue developed by the project each week.   Openness Quote: “To open deeply – as genuine spiritual life requires – we need tremendous courage and strength. A kind of warrior spirit.” —Jack Kornfield The Practice of Openness I am honest and transparent. I am direct and candid in sharing my perspective. I appreciate new ideas and possibilities. I have no hidden motives. I care about the views and feelings of others. I am willing to receive life’s bounties. Questions for Discussion
  • What do we need in our community to honor openness?
  • Is there any compassionate curiosity that can guide our social justice work?
  • What innovative ideas can we consider as we strengthen our social justice work?
  • How can openness strengthen our community
Sign up to receive the Virtue of the Week by email! Visit https://cfvi.net/Virtues-Project, and scroll to the end of the page to fill out the form. Virtue of the Week is provided by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) in partnership with the VI Source and Virtues Matter. About the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Since 1990, CFVI has been a catalyst for positive change in the territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning. For more information, visit cfvi.net. About Virtues Matter Virtues Matter was started by a passionate wife-husband team of social entrepreneurs seeking to positively uplift as many lives as possible. We aim to inspire and empower, to build capacity, strengthen relationships, and help everyone lead lives of passion and purpose. Virtues Matter believes in a world where people are committed to kindness and respect, strive to be their best, and live with hope, courage, and in unity. We built the Virtues Cards mobile app, an interactive personal and team development tool, to help people identify and develop key virtues skills. We also offer dynamic workshops, online training, and customized programs to help people cultivate these positive qualities of character. To learn more, visit virtuesmatter.com. To learn more about the Virtues Project, visit virtuesproject.com.

Weekly Weather Forecast With Jesse Daley

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Weekly Weather Forecast With Jesse Daley
Check out our weekly weather forecast with Jesse Daley, covering Sunday, Aug. 10, through Saturday, Aug. 16 . Our YouTube playlist is updated every week, AND check out Jesse’s daily weather updates here.

St. George Village Botanical Garden Receives Advanced Accreditation From Global Programs

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St. George Village Botanical Garden Receives Advanced Accreditation From Global Programs
 
The St. George Village Botanical Garden provides 16 acres of beauty with plants and trees clearly marked for those who explore the historic grounds. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
The St. George Village Botanical Garden has recently been granted Level 2 Accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum.
Ficus benghalensis, or the Banyan Tree, is one of the exotic trees within the garden. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global resource to officially recognize arboreta for their level of development, capacity and professionalism. Their website provides information for 842 globally accredited arboreta and 2593 arboreta in the Morton Register worldwide. The Morton Register of Arboreta is a database of worldwide arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants. In the Greater and Lesser Antilles, SGVBG is the only registered arboretum.
Within the conservation garden are several species that are significantly threatened in this region. The Solanum conocarpum or Marron bacora is included. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
  SGVBG has four key areas for collection and display of tree and shrub species native to the Caribbean and significant to St. Croix’s culture and ethnobotanical history. The sections are located throughout the garden and contain significant plants that have been important to the garden’s ability to achieve the Level 2 Accreditation. These areas, spread throughout the garden’s 16 acres, are the conservation garden, the native arboretum, the palm arboretum and the exotic tree display.
Morisonia flexuosa, or Raw Bone, located in the conservation garden, may be easily recognized by the seed pods. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
Significantly threatened species native to this region are in the conservation garden. These include Erythrina eggersii, Solanum conocarpum or Marron bacora, Morisonia flexuosa, and Zanthoxylum flavum, also known as West Indian Satinwood. The garden’s Satinwood is one of only two known left on St. Croix.
Zanthoxylum flavum, also known as West Indian Satinwood, is in the conservation garden. The garden’s satinwood is one of only two known remaining on St. Croix. Source photo by Linda Morland)
Solanum concarpum or Marron bacora is a dry-forest, perennial shrub within the nightshade family. The shrub can reach up to nine feet in height. The plants produce a green fruit with white striations that turn golden yellow when ripe from a light purple flower. It is listed as an endangered species.
Hanging from the exotic Kigelia africana or Sausage Tree are long pods that form from scarlet flowers. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
The native arboretum focuses on larger specimens of trees native to the Caribbean, such as Canella winterana, Andira inermis, Bucida buceras, and Sideroxylon foetidissimum. Several of these trees have been used in local folk medicines. Contained within the palm arboretum are over 25 species found in the Caribbean and regions of Central and South America. Royal Palms line the road to the great house. A tall specimen of Copernicia fallens is found there among other species.
The Copernicia fallens in the Palm Arboretum stands among the various species on display. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
The exotic tree display features trees located throughout SGVBG. The exotic cannonball tree is filled with very fragrant red flowers with buds that resemble cannonballs. The sausage tree is easily recognizable by the long vines that hold the growing fruit pods, which emerge from red flowers. Considered the “Heart of the Garden,” the Kapok or Ceiba pentandra stands tall close to the great hall. The Kapok tree can live up to 300 years.
The exotic cannonball tree is filled with fragrant red flowers with buds that resemble cannonballs. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
“The St. George Village Botanical Garden is an extraordinary place, built around the ruins of a former 18th- and 19th-century sugar cane plantation. Upgrading from a Level I to Level II ArbNet accreditation strengthens our standing in the global arboretum community, increases our visibility throughout the region, and opens the door to deeper collaboration with a broader ran of experts. This recognition helps us continue to fulfill our mission of education, conservation, and community engagement,” Sarah Brady, executive director of SGVBG, wrote.
Considered the “Heart of the Garden,” the Kapok or Ceiba pentandra, an exotic tree, stands close to the great hall. These trees can live up to 300 years. (Source photo by Linda Morland)
SGVBG is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. except Christmas. Established in 1972, it features lush 16 acres of over 1,000 Caribbean and pan-tropical plants and trees. The remaining structures of an early Danish colonial sugar plantation help provide context for understanding the site.

Queen Mary Hwy/ Centerline Road Closed Saturday

Mat Probasco
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This is a reminder that both directions of Queen Mary Hwy/ Centerline Road are closed between East Airport Road and the UVI/St. Croix Educational Complex High School traffic light due to undergrounding work being conducted by WAPA’s contractor, J Benton Construction. If headed Complex HS today, please travel along Industrial Rd (near Spicy Grill/Agfair Grounds) and head east, exercise caution, and reduce your speed for everyone’s safety. WAPA appreciates your patience and cooperation as this essential electrical work progresses toward a stronger grid for our community.

Lt. Gov. Roach Urges Continued Hurricane Preparations

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Lt. Gov. Roach Urges Continued Hurricane Preparations
As the peak of the hurricane season is about a month away, Lieutenant Governor Tregenza A. Roach, Esq., who also serves as the territory’s Commissioner of Insurance, reminds Virgin Islands residents to continue their preparation for this hurricane season, which began June 1 and continues to November 30, 2025. 
Lt. Gov. Tregenza A. Roach
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service has released their latest update for this hurricane season, still expecting an above-normal season, with thirteen (13) to eighteen (18) named storms with winds 39 miles per hour or greater, five (5) to nine (9) are forecasted to become hurricanes with winds 74 miles per hour or greater and two (2) to five (5) of which will reach category 3 status or stronger, with winds 111 miles per hour or greater. Lieutenant Governor Roach advises property owners to review their insurance policies annually and contact their agent directly to discuss any need for additional or revision in coverage, or if they have questions. Property owners may contact the Division if additional assistance is required after speaking with an agent. He further advises residents of the following as they prepare for the hurricane season: • You cannot buy a homeowners insurance policy once a storm has been declared. • Know what is covered and what will not be covered in your homeowner’s insurance policy. • Avoid being underinsured by purchasing at least 80% of the replacement cost value of your residential property. Get your residential property appraised and make sure the appraisal includes Replacement Cost Value, which is the cost of replacing your property without a reduction for depreciation. • Avoid being force-placed, which may cover only the mortgage balance. If you have a mortgage, purchase your own homeowner’s insurance policy. You can have the insurance premium escrowed along with your property tax payment, or you can use premium financing.  • To lower the cost of your property insurance, take advantage of all available Discounts offered by your insurance company. Remember, once you file a claim you may lose your “No Claim Discount”, meaning that your premium will then increase but only by the amount you saved through the No Claim Discount.  • Purchase homeowners’ insurance even if you own your home outright and don’t have a mortgage! Your home is your biggest investment; be sure to protect it by insuring it. • Do NOT exclude windstorm! We live in a hurricane-prone area. • Make sure you have a homeowner’s insurance policy and a separate flood insurance policy. A homeowner’s insurance policy does not provide flood protection.  • If you rent, buy renter’s insurance to cover your contents in the building. • Understand that you do not have a separate policy if you own a condominium. The policy belongs to the condominium association as a whole and is subject to the decision by its Board of Directors. You can purchase a separate contents insurance policy as a condominium owner. • Keep your insurance policy and other important documents in safe, dry waterproof and fireproof containers. • Know what is insured: inventory personal property and take photographs of your home. • Visit ltg.gov.vi and download the “Home Inventory Checklist”. Complete the checklist and take photos of your contents BEFORE a storm occurs. Know what is insured. • Have disaster supplies on hand and secure important documents (insurance policies, birth certificates, will and testaments, licenses, etc.) • Protect your property by putting up shutters, cutting back tree limbs and clearing debris. After the disaster, it is important that you have a contingency plan in place: • Take photos and make a list of your damages; file a claim as soon as possible; get an estimate of your damages; be ready to have your claim adjusted to receive a claim settlement. • Secure your property and make temporary repairs if needed. Your homeowner’s policy does allow you to make minor temporary repairs to prevent further damage. • Avoid disaster fraud. Avoid scam artists. Request a copy of the business license of anyone who will perform disaster related services on your property. Never pay in full for a disaster related service provided for you before the service is completed. Additionally, do not participate in disaster related fraud by misrepresenting damage amounts and submitting inflated and unreasonable estimates to your insurer. Such activities can drive up the future costs of insurance for you and for all policyholders. • Public adjusters are also licensed by the Commissioner of Insurance. A property owner does not need to hire an attorney in order to contract services for a public adjuster.  • Per a Bulletin issued by the Commissioner of Insurance on September 29, 2017 (Bulletin No. 2017-06), a public adjuster may not charge a fee that exceeds 5% of the insurance proceeds recovered on behalf of the homeowner or residential insured.  “Virgin Islands residents are reminded also to pay special attention to national and local weather advisories and alerts during the hurricane season to keep informed of impending weather conditions” stated Lieutenant Governor Roach. Lastly, Lieutenant Governor Roach advises the public in preparation for the hurricane season, the Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulation staff had virtual meetings with its most active Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance companies’ writers and licensed banks in the territory to discuss their readiness for the hurricane season. For more information on disaster preparedness and the responsibilities of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, visit ltg.gov.vi., or contact Division of Banking, Insurance & Financial Regulation on St. Thomas at 340-774-2991 and on St. Croix and 340-773-6449

Two Calls For Submissions To The Caribbean Writer

Mat Probasco
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Two Calls For Submissions To The Caribbean Writer
In anticipation of its upcoming 40th anniversary, The Caribbean Writer is issuing dual call for submissions under the theme: “40 years of The Caribbean Writer: A Spectrum of Representation.” We invite contributors to explore this theme in all its permutations with works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, or one-act plays. In addition to the usual call for creative works, we are also issuing a Call for Papers focused on the diverse themes explored in The Caribbean Writer over the years, highlighting how our shared humanity emerges through the discourse present in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. As an international journal, The Caribbean Writer continues to investigate our humanity at home and in the diaspora in an ever-changing world. Through its dynamic publications, it has remained impactful for over four decades. Papers will be presented at the anniversary symposium scheduled for April 2026 and published in an anniversary supplement of The Caribbean Writer. Abstracts will be reviewed by a scholarly panel of seven. Successful papers will be published in a TCW supplement while selected authors will be invited to present their papers at the Conference to be held at the University of the Virgin Islands, St Croix campus.  Using the TCW journal as a reference point, authors are invited to explore the themes, subjects, motifs, and topics over the 40 years of The Caribbean Writer and present a scrupulous analysis in one of the following contexts:  1. Building Regional Community, Connections and Transformations 2. Calypso and Conflict: Music and Politics in the Literature 3. Voices of the Diaspora: Migration and Belonging 4. Negotiating Nuances of Legacy, Ethnicity, Hybridity, Identity 5. Masculinity as a Navigational Theme in Caribbean Communities 6. Rewriting History: Literature as a Tool for Social Change 7. How Language Shapes Meaning in Caribbean Text 8. Myths, Monsters, and Morality: Universal Archetypes 9. The Art of Protest: Caribbean Literature as Resistance 10. Women, Sexuality, and Identity 11. Negotiating Borders and Walls: Expressions in the Literature 12. The Caribbean Writer as a Force of Representation 13. Themes Across The Caribbean Writer 14. Visual Art as a Channel for Caribbean Literature 15. Governance and the Complexities of Power Dynamics 16. Disruption as a Motif in the Literature 17. Memory as a Force in the Literature 18. How Environment, Nature and Land Development Shape Property Ownership 19. Food as a Translation of Fellowship, Community and History 20. Contemporary Musings: Literature, Academia and the Canon IMPORTANT DATE CHANGES The proposal’s abstract (or summary) should be no more than 300 words. Abstracts are due by October 31, 2025. Kindly note that submissions for volume 40 will be accepted until November 30, 2025. Submit Word files at www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/online-submissions/ Papers should be based on the analysis of the journal’s published works. We invite you to visit the websites below to reacquaint yourselves with our publications, beginning with the first issue released in 1987: Digital Library of the Caribbean https://www.dloc.com/ Volumes 1 through 30 (free to view) The Caribbean Writer website https://www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/product-category/volumes/ Volumes 31 to 38 (available for purchase in digital or hard copy format) As always, contributors may submit works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, or one-act plays around the theme “40 years of The Caribbean Writer: A Spectrum of Representation,” exploring the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora. The Caribbean should be central to the work or reflect a Caribbean heritage, experience, or perspective. Prospective authors should submit all creative works, drama, fiction, and poetry manuscripts in Word format through the online portal ONLY at www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/online-submission. Note that TCW does not accept hardcopy submissions. Submissions for volume 40 are accepted immediately through to November 30, 2025. Submit Word files at www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/online-submissions/ Individuals may submit up to three pieces on general topics and themes. The maximum length (for short stories and personal essays) is 3500 words. Only previously unpublished work will be considered. The term “previously published” covers print and electronic publication —including on social media platforms and self-published items. The Caribbean Writer does not accept simultaneous submissions (items being considered for publication elsewhere). On a separate page in that submission, the prospective author should provide contact information, including mailing address, phone number, any professional affiliations, and brief biographical information (no more than 50 words and such as appears under the “Contributors” section of the journal). If the author’s contact information changes, the author should make all updates by logging into the online account. Artists interested in having their artwork considered for use by TCW should submit electronic files in vertical format as PNG or JPEG files with a resolution of 300 dpi or greater. The journal also accepts black-and-white art (line drawings, sketches, block prints, etc.) but does not accept graphic poetry or narratives. Before submitting, the writer should carefully edit and proofread the manuscript, adhering to publication-ready details, as well as standards of proofreading such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, and consistent language, along with the elimination of typographical errors, and with a focus on the overall quality of the work. The Caribbean Writer is a refereed journal. There are no fees payable to submit or publish in this journal. All submissions undergo an initial anonymous review by the editor. Creative works, such as fiction, poetry and drama, after editorial review, are advanced by the editor to the double-blind peer review process. In this process, reviewers’ and authors’ identities are concealed from the reviewers and vice versa throughout the review process. Literary Prizes All submissions are eligible for these annual prizes: The Daily News Prize of $600 was awarded to a resident of the US Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands. The Marvin E. Williams Literary Prize of $500 is awarded to a new or emerging writer and donated by Marvin’s widow, Dasil Williams, in honor of her late husband, who served as the editor of The Caribbean Writer from 2003 – 2008. The Vincent Cooper Literary Prize of $300 is awarded to a Caribbean author for exemplary writing in Caribbean Nation Language (Kamau Brathwaite) and donated by UVI (University of the Virgin Islands) Professor Vincent Cooper, PhD. The Anacaona Prize of $500 is awarded to anyone published in the respective volume for their interpretation of the theme, level of technical skill, and originality. It is donated by a distinguished TCW Advisory Editorial Board member who wishes to remain anonymous. (Anacaona was a female cacique, poet, and composer. She is memorialized in contemporary art and literature across the Caribbean region. A statue commemorating her legacy is in Leogane, Haiti.) For more information, contact The Caribbean Writer at thecaribbeanwriter@uvi.edu.

Magdalene Agatha Hendricks Plaskett Dies at 91

Mat Probasco
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Magdalene Agatha Hendricks Plaskett Dies at 91
Magdalene Agatha Hendricks Plaskett was born July 18, 1936, in Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, to Rosalind Burke and Fred Valdemar Hendricks.
Magdalene Agatha Hendricks Plaskett
She started school in St. Thomas and, before leaving St. Croix at 13, attended Christiansted High School and was confirmed at Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church. Like so many Virgin Islanders in the 50’s, she moved to New York and graduated from Girls High School in Brooklyn at 16. She enjoyed a life in public service and retired as a senior court clerk in the New York Supreme Court. Magdalene was a founding member of the Harlem Lions Club and was devoted to her Lutheran faith, her family, and especially young people.  She now joins her husband of 63 years, LeRoy Alphonso Plaskett of St. Croix; sisters, Vida Anderson Trotman Chinnery, Emily Anderson Westby, Eleanor Nico; brother, Fred Hendricks; brothers-in-law, Hugh Stewart, Earl Slatter, Ulric, John, Raymond, Lawrence, Lloyd, Kenneth (Malcolm) Plaskett; sisters-in-law, Juanita Hendricks, Gene Slater LaFranque, Helena Plaskett Rhymer, Ivy Plaskett John, Hortense Plaskett George, and Ruth Seaman Lauth. Magdalene leaves on this earth her two daughters, the Honorable Stacey E Plasket and Lesley A Plaskett; one son-in-law, Jonathan Buckney Small; grandchildren, Jeremiah, Christian, Ariel, Elise, Uriah, Avery, Israel, Taliah; four great-grandchildren, and too many nieces and nephews, cousins, and godchildren to mention; sisters, Adele Jacobs and Evangeline Hendricks Best; sisters-in-law, Beatrice Plaskett-Simmonds, as well as Audrey Sheen Plaskett, Axeline Wells Plaskett, and Corinne Forbes Plaskett; Special friends are Charles and Sonny Capehart, Phyllis Charles, Herman Epps, Nettie Richards, Gideon and Carla Small, Verna Garcia, Ruth Lang, Johann Clendinen and the Bermudez, Bollings, Branigan, Chinnery, Cuff, Davis, Hewitt, James, Motta, Nieves, Richards, Schjang, Sobtker, Thompson, Todmann, Trotman, Van Putten, Walcott, Williams and the members of the 1953 class of Christiansted High School. Funeral service will be held on August 18. Viewing starts at 9 am and service at 10 am at Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church. Interment held at the Christiansted Cemetery. Professional services are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home, Inc

Traffic Shift on Queen Mary Highway Aug. 13-23

Mat Probasco
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Traffic Shift on Queen Mary Highway Aug. 13-23
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority announces a shift in construction activity and upcoming traffic changes as the Queen Mary Highway Electrical Underground Project advances.
(Submitted photo)
On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, the stretch of Queen Mary Highway/Centerline Road from the Castle Burke traffic light at East Airport Road to the University of the Virgin Islands/St. Croix Educational Complex High School  traffic light will reopen in time for the first day of school. Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 14, 2025, construction will shift to the next segment of Queen Mary Highway/Centerline Road, stretching from the UVI/SCECHS/St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) traffic light to Industrial Road/Upper Love Road. In this area, both eastbound and westbound lanes will be closed to traffic through Saturday, August 23, 2025. Once this segment begins, the westbound traffic entering Queen Mary Highway at the Castle Burke traffic light/East Airport Road will be limited to accessing UVI, CTEC, and the St. Croix Educational Complex. Any necessary traffic changes will be clearly marked to ensure drivers can navigate safely through the area. To receive timely updates on this project and other important announcements, sign up for WAPA Alerts. You can receive notifications directly to your mobile device and/or email by registering at: https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736728730#/signup. WAPA thanks the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to make our electrical infrastructure more resilient.
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