Starting Tuesday, June 17, Caribbean Cinemas launches I LOVE TUESDAYS, a new deal that includes savings on movie tickets, concessions and double points for loyalty. Through I LOVE TUESDAYS, Caribbean Cinemas appreciates it’s customers and attracts an audience that seeks to have fun, get out of the routine during the work week… and enjoy a discount!
On Tuesdays everyone will pay child price tickets, there will be a new discounted Tuesday Twin combo and, Caribbean Cinemas’ customers who are members of their loyalty program Cinemas Club, will receive double points for the purchase of movie tickets and concession items. All those perks are part of the I LOVE TUESDAYS promotion every Tuesday. To register for Cinemas Club access: www.caribbeancinemas.com.
The discount on Tuesdays will apply to all tickets at regular price. Tickets for group visits, events, special presentations, festivals and any other current offer are excluded from the discount. The special Tuesday Twin combo includes: One extra large popcorn, two medium sodas and two hot dogs.
The I LOVE TUESDAYS discountwill be applied to online purchases or directly at the box office of the theaters and will be ongoing every Tuesday from June 17 onwards.
In a historic and electrifying performance at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, freshman Michelle Smith of the University of Georgia played a pivotal role in securing the Bulldogs’ first-ever women’s national outdoor title.
Michelle Smith (left) with her father, Keith A Smith Sr.
Smith, a standout from the U.S. Virgin Islands, delivered a remarkable double on championship Saturday. She first claimed third place in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking a blazing time of 55.20 seconds, earning crucial points for her team. Her poise and power over the barriers confirmed her status as one of the nation’s top young hurdlers.
Georgia’s overall team performance was dominant, finishing with 73 points, well ahead of second-place USC (47 points) and third-place Texas A&M (43 points)
The title was a crowning achievement for head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, who previously led USC to national titles in 2018 and 2021.
(Clockwise from upper left) Dejanea Oakley, Aaliyah Butler, Sydney Harris, Michelle Smith. (Submitted photo)
Smith’s contributions were especially significant given her freshman status. Already named SEC Freshman of the Year, she has quickly become a cornerstone of Georgia’s rising track and field dynasty.
Her achievements not only mark a personal milestone but also inspire a new generation of athletes from the Caribbean and beyond. As Georgia celebrates its historic victory, Michelle Smith’s name is now etched into NCAA lore—and this is likely just the beginning.
Michelle Smith will be traveling to the Virgin Islands on June 17 to participate in the Eunice Bedminster VI National Championships which will be held on Saturday June 21, 2025 at the St. Croix Educational Complex Track and Field facility at 10 am.
Getting good starts and sailing fast led the USA’s Daniel Skutch Tyson to win the 32nd International Optimist Regatta (IOR), hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 13-15. Thirteen-year-old Tyson, who races out of the Annapolis Yacht Club, in Annapolis, MD, was one of nearly 90 sailors from the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, several USA states, and Argentina that competed in this three-day regatta in 8-foot, single-sail Optimist dinghies where conditions averaged 10-to 15-knots of breeze under sunny skies.
Daniel Skutch Tyson wins the 2025 IOR. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
“Congratulations to all the young sailors who competed in this year’s International Optimist Regatta. Your talent, determination, and sportsmanship continue to make the U.S. Virgin Islands proud. Events like this not only highlight our world-class sailing conditions, but also bring together families, cultures, and communities from around the world,” says Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.
THE WINNERS
The top three sailors overall after 10 races in the 2025 IOR were Tyson first; Rhode Island’s Christian Petersen, representing Saunderstown Yacht Club, second; and Texas’s Maxime McCulloch, from Lakewood Yacht Club, third.
Tyson’s first place overall also put him at the top of the 13- to 15-year-old Red Fleet after 10 in the Championship fleet.
“I don’t always have good starts, but I did today. And I’m good at handling the wind shifts,” says Tyson. “I was nervous this morning because I wanted to stay in the lead. So, I tried to focus on my sailing.”
Puerto Rico’s Valeria Perez-Hermida finished third in the Red Fleet, after Tyson and Petersen, but ended as the IOR’s Top Female Sailor. The position earns Perez-Hermida her name inscribed in the perpetual Founders Trophy.
“This is my fifth year sailing in the IOR, so I know the conditions well,” says Perez-Hermida, age 13. “My strategy is to do my best, and if I don’t do as well in a race as I’d like, to learn from it in the next race.
The three-day TOTE Clinic that preceded the IOR played a role in 12-year-old McCulloch’s win in the ages 11-12 Blue Fleet.
“The clinic prepared me for the racing because I learned about the different conditions, the winds and waves here, and the other competitors,” McCulloch says.
Ten-year-old Jonah Watson, a member of Florida’s Jensen Beach Race Team, finished first in the age 10-and-under White Fleet. Watson also finished fifth overall.
“My strategy was to start on the favored side, sail the best I could, and stay focused,” he says.
Champion Athletic Performance Academy and Lady Rovers SC claim victories over 340 WSC and St. Croix Kestrels in USVISF Women’s Premier League opener. (Photo from USVISF Instagram)
Saturday marked the long-anticipated opening day of the USVISF 7v7 Women’s Premier League.
St. Croix saw a doubleheader at Bethlehem Soccer Complex with Champion Athletic Performance Academy pummeling 340 WSC in a 0-6 defeat and Lady Rovers SC facing off with St. Croix Kestrels to take the victory 4-3.
CAPA controlled the match from start to finish, opening with a 12th-minute goal by Jayda Browne. At the 31-minute mark, Jade Browne was substituted in and immediately found the back of the net to increase CAPA’s lead to 0-2. She scored again, only five minutes later, taking the lead to 0-3. Katherina Joseph and Orngel Erskine joined the action in the second half, each adding a goal to the already commanding lead. Joseph led the charge, followed by Alile Browne with a fifth goal. Erskine floated in a 59th-minute finisher to close the match 0-6.
Defending champion Lady Rovers’ captain, Mackiesh Taylor-Jones made quite the statement, scoring three consecutive goals in the first 26 minutes of the game. Alexandra VanGraafeiland followed Taylor-Jones’ lead, bringing the score to 4-0 before halftime. St. Croix Kestrels responded in the second half with an early goal by Kelsey Hill. Acacia Simmonds was substituted in and pressed straight toward the goal, cutting the lead to 4-2. A gritty buzzer-beater by Vigga Tyson ended the match in a 4-3 Lady Rovers victory.
The St. Thomas league saw much less action after a last-minute forfeiture by NV Lioness gave Rock City United their first victory by default.
Don’t miss a match! Follow USVISF on Instagram and Facebook for upcoming games and the latest updates.
In her biweekly column, “State of the Territory,” former Sen. Janelle K. Sarauw delves deeper into issues of concern for V.I. residents.
In recent weeks, the Governor of the Virgin Islands has once again turned his ire toward the Legislature, a pattern that has become all too familiar whenever he is met with disagreement, delay, or debate. This time, his frustration follows public scrutiny of a proposed salary increase for the Office of the Governor. Rather than engage in respectful discourse or acknowledge the legitimacy of checks and balances, he has responded with open hostility, lashing out at the very branch of government tasked with oversight, deliberation, and accountability.
Let’s be clear: no one should be surprised that questions are being raised about a pay increase at a time when many Virgin Islanders are struggling to afford basic necessities. That is the Legislature’s job: to vet, to question, to deliberate, and when necessary, to say “not yet” or even “no” if the rationale does not align with the public interest. This is not dysfunction. This is democracy functioning as intended.
The Governor’s repeated attacks on the Legislature, however, reveal something more than a political spat. What we are witnessing is a fundamental misunderstanding, or perhaps a willful disregard, for how representative democracy is designed to work.
We must not forget that Governor Bryan is the titular head of the Democratic Party in the Virgin Islands. He presides over a government in which his own party holds a supermajority in the Legislature. In any functioning democracy, this would be considered a gift, an opportunity to work collaboratively to pass meaningful legislation and advance a shared agenda.
Nationally, when Republican Presidents have had a Republican-controlled Congress or when Democratic Presidents have held a Democratic majority, it has been viewed as a strategic advantage. These leaders understand the value of party alignment, not as a weapon against dissent but as a foundation for progress. In fact, it is during these moments of political alignment that nations often see the most sweeping legislative achievements. And when there are internal disagreements, those are handled through negotiation, not by publicly scorning their own team.
But in the Virgin Islands, the tone is markedly different. Instead of embracing collaboration, the Governor routinely undermines legislators who do not fall in line. Rather than building consensus, he defaults to condemnation. And rather than valuing independent thought, he treats dissent as betrayal. That is not leadership. That is not the posture of someone seeking to unify or govern. It is the behavior of someone who demands submission instead of accountability.
Let us be very clear, disagreement is not treason. It is the bedrock of every strong democracy. Our system was never intended to be one in which the executive reigns unchecked. The Virgin Islands, while a territory, is still part of the American democratic tradition, one grounded in a philosophy of three co-equal branches of government: the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. Each branch has a role, and more importantly, each serves as a counterbalance to the others.
A Lesson in Democratic Governance
This is not merely procedural. It is historical and philosophical. The framers of the U.S. Constitution, having just escaped the overreach of monarchy, deliberately designed a system that fragments power in order to preserve liberty. That structure was not just copied into our own Revised Organic Act, it was essential to it.
Take President Lyndon B. Johnson, for example. Despite a Democratic-controlled Congress, he still had to earn support for his landmark civil rights legislation. He lobbied, persuaded, and worked within the system. That is the difference between executive power and authoritarianism; the former accepts limits, the latter rejects them.
Or consider President Ronald Reagan, a conservative icon, who often governed with a Democrat-controlled House. He once said, “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally, not a 20 percent traitor.” That is how healthy democracies operate: through compromise and mutual respect, not through unilateralism.
In recent days, the Legislature has done precisely what it was elected to do. Senators asked difficult questions. They pressed for justification. They weighed fiscal priorities. Their hesitation around a salary increase for the Governor is not petty, nor political. It is principled. And it shows the system of checks and balances is not just symbolic, it is active and alive.
People Before Party
Some senators may choose a different course than the Governor. That is not betrayal; that is representation. Elected officials owe their allegiance to the people first, not to any political leader. When every voice in the room sounds the same, democracy falters. The people of the Virgin Islands do not need a Senate filled with yes-men. They need independent thinkers, courageous voices, and principled dissent.
And to the Governor: respect must be earned, not demanded. Support cannot be expected simply because a senator carries the same party label. Unity cannot be built on intimidation, silence, or fear. When the Governor derides his own Legislature, he undermines the very democratic legitimacy he claims to uphold.
Temper tantrums are not policy. Petulance is not governance. What the people of this territory deserve is mature leadership, mutual respect between branches, and the kind of humility that recognizes disagreement as a strength, not a threat.
A Call to Recenter Democratic Values
True leadership welcomes challenge. It embraces pushback. It values the perspectives of those willing to say, “I see it differently.” And when those differences arise within the same party, they should be seen as opportunities for growth, not reasons for condemnation. And so, the next time the Legislature pushes back on the Governor’s agenda, the public should not panic. They should pay attention. It means the system is functioning. It means no one person can override the collective will without scrutiny.
The moment we begin to conflate dissent with disloyalty, or questions with combativeness, we begin to erode the very principles on which this government rests. This is not Washington, D.C., but the tenets of democracy are not confined to the mainland. The Legislature did not fail the people by asking questions. It fulfilled its duty. Democracy, in its true form, is often loud, slow, imperfect and absolutely essential. And it is working, whether the Governor likes it or not.
Editor’s Note: Opinion articles do not represent the views of the Virgin Islands Source newsroom and are the sole expressed opinion of the writer. Submissions can be made to visource@gmail.com.
A crowd of nearly 300 marched through Cruz Bay on Saturday. (Photo by Lisa Etre)
An estimated crowd of nearly 300 people gathered in Cruz Bay Saturday to express their support for democracy and their opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, education, LGBTQ+ rights, and military intervention against protesters, among other issues.
Jay Bowers’ T-shirt lists issues of concern. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
“We are here to collectively rededicate ourselves to love, joy and justice,” said Erin Lieb, St. John Social Action Team leader and rally organizer. “The goal of our organization is to harness the power of love to confront and transform systems of oppression and build a world where all people can thrive.”
The St. John event, as well as one on St. Thomas and St. Croix, were among nearly 2,000 events held on Saturday involving millions of protesters around the nation. The rallies and marches were planned to stand in contrast to the president’s military parade held in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, Flag Day, and Trump’s 79th birthday.
C.J. Scatliffe waves the V.I. flag. (Photo by Lisa Etre)
Tammy Jackson and Bill Shower carried flags proclaiming unity and pride. Jackson cradled a U.S. Marine Corps flag honoring her father, “who would be devastated by what’s going on. This is a way of raising his voice,” she said.
Tammy Jackson and Bill Shower brought Jackson’s father’s U.S. Marine flag to the rally. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
The St. John rally began with songs led by Christine Meyers and Kristen Carmichael-Bowers. During the march through Cruz Bay, they pulled a little red wagon with a sound system to inspire the crowd with songs including Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” and Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.”
Christine Meyer and Kristen Carmichael-Bowers start the rally with some songs. (Photo by William Stelzer)
Devin Murphy, a national disaster preparedness responder and the founder of St. John Pride, was the first featured speaker. He said the current administration had initiated 180 documented actions against the LGBTQ+ community, showing a “perverse fascination with everyone else’s private parts.” He also criticized the government for “their asinine dismantling of federal disaster preparedness funding at the start of hurricane season,” an issue of concern to every Virgin Islander.
Devin Murphy spoke in favor of gay pride and against the dismantling of FEMA. (Photo by William Stelzer)Rally goers use shirts, flags and signs to express themselves. (Photo by William Stelzer)
The next to take the mic was Leontyne Jones, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. “The government needs to see us,” she said. Jones called on “everyday people to organize, to show up, and to build coalitions” to save public education and institutions. She reminded the crowd that if immigrants are incarcerated and deported without due process, “You’re next!”
STTJ AFT President Leontyne Jones lights up with a smile after calling for coalition building. (Photo by William Stelzer)Angela Grosso carries a sign proclaiming “Education, not Deportations.” (Photo by William Stelzer)
St. John residents Fernando and Ruby Ramos told the Source it was important to come to the rally. “I was born in Cuba,” said Fernando. “My parents lost their liberty [there.] And I’m extremely worried about Trump leading us into this authoritarian, militarized atmosphere.”
Fernando and Ruby Ramos show their support for the Constitution. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Others from far away showed up, including one visitor whose sign read, “I was already upset about your illegal deportations, homophobia/transphobia, anti-science lies, disastrous tariffs, and all the things – but now I have to protest on my vacation?!?! This is a step too far!!!”
A visitor’s sign listing her objections to Trump’s policies ends with a joke. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Erin Lieb read remarks by Hadiya Sewer, the next scheduled speaker, who was unable to attend because of a death in the family. Sewer’s speech highlighted recent crises which led to “the stripping away of basic human dignity … These are not natural disasters,” Sewer wrote, but the result of political decisions.
Erin Lieb, who heads up the St. John Social Action team, points the way forward. (Photo by William Stelzer)
Sewer included words to address the issue of political status in the territory. “We live in one of the last colonies in the U.S.,” where “generations of wealth were stolen from the land … Love is a force that demands action. We must be serious about changing ourselves. We cannot keep waiting for someone else to save us.”
Susan and David Silverman express their views. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Last to speak was Abigail Hendricks, who asked the audience to pause for a moment of silence to honor the Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses who were injured and killed by a gunman on Saturday morning. The attacks were acts of “targeted political violence,” according to Gov. Tim Walz.
Abigail Hendricks, right, listens to another speaker prior to taking the mic. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Hendricks said she came to talk about community, “and the word of the day is kindness.” She said it is a shared responsibility to speak out in favor of unity. “I look out and see ‘born here,’ ‘been here,’ ‘come here,’ and ‘ain’ going nowhere,’” she said. “You all chose St. John. You have to be concerned with what’s going on here and defend our way of life. Love is going to trump Trump. We can’t do evil to stop evil.”
Following the speeches, V.I. Police Department cruisers escorted the crowd as they moved down the march route past the post office, Frank Powell Park (with the Freedom statue), and along the waterfront to Frank Bay. Rally goers mingled as they listened to music by Chris B. and Sage Buchalter.
Marchers wend their way past the ferry dock and the Freedom statue in Frank Powell park. (Photo by William Stelzer)Marchers pour down the hill to Frank Bay. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Those who stayed till the end of the rally were rewarded by a stunning sunset on their way home.
St. John rally goers were treated to a spectacular sunset. (Photo by William Stelzer)
A small but vociferous group of people gathered on the Aloy “Wenty” Nielsen Bypass/St. Croix Bypass Saturday, in support of millions on the mainland, to protest the Trump administration’s methods of government and millions of dollars being spent on a military parade for the president’s birthday.
A group of citizens gathered on the St. Croix Bypass, the Aloy “Wenty” Nielsen Bypass, to support U.S. protests against the Trump administration. (Source photo by Susan Ellis)
“I first felt frustration, then anger and fear. I’m here to show support for those stateside protesters and because we don’t get to vote for president,” said one protester.
Another citizen said he participated in the action “for my children, for my grandchildren.”
Participants waved banners at drivers for several hours – many honked their horns in support. The civil action with the national theme “No Kings” was reflected in signs and chants by the St. Croix crowd.
Energetic protesters waved signs and cheered drivers who honked in support. (Source photo by Susan Ellis)
Most of the protesters said they had family members participating in larger protests in the United States, including Denver, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.
Three of the protesters, native to Great Britain, said that to stay safe, they became citizens in 2017, after President Donald Trump won his first term.
Around a dozen citizens gathered for three hours to support nationwide “No Kings” protests. (Source photo by Susan Ellis)
A small band of sign-waving, flag-bearing protesters made their presence known along Veterans Drive on Saturday. Together, they formed the St. Thomas No Kings rally. In cities and towns across the United States, thousands of protesters took to the streets to criticize the policies of President Donald Trump and his administration.
Sign-waving marchers make their way up Veterans Drive Saturday. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
It was a day with many meanings; Saturday, June 14, is also known as Flag Day – the day the Stars and Stripes were adopted as the official symbol of the United States of America in 1777. It was also Trump’s 79th birthday – the day he set aside to stage a military parade in Washington, D.C. to mark the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army.
U.S. and V.I. flags displayed as part of the St. Thomas No Kings rally. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Saturday was also set aside for the annual King of the Wing competition at Magens Bay. Longtime resident Rebecca Luscz reflected on the day, saying she was born in Findlay, Ohio, which took on the moniker of Flag City, USA in 1974. “They’re probably having a march today,” Luscz said.
The march itself was brief, starting at the Edwin Blyden Marine Terminal and ending at the Ron deLugo Federal Building with stops at the Legislature and across the road from Farrelly Justice Complex. There, the crowd of roughly 25 people stopped to chant “We, the people – for the people – by the people – eh!”
Crowd chanting on the waterfront promenade. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Hotelier Richard Doumeng was among the sign bearers. When asked why he felt compelled to take a walk on a Saturday morning, he said, “This is what we can do, and if you’re going to complain, then you need to participate whether it’s locally or nationally.”
Other marchers displayed a little off-color humor to show they could stroll and troll at the same time.
A marcher’s sign speaks for itself. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
And as they headed for the last stop on the Saturday march, Amy Gurlea led the way with one local and one national flag waving in the breeze. She called herself a proud American, willing to stand up for the people those flags represent.
“I will stand for the people of the United States, but I will not stand for this president,” Gurlea said.
Other marchers added they were not against all kings – calypso kings and chicken wing kings were gladly acknowledged.
Protesters gather at the Legislature gate. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
A man was arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly assaulting an elderly male inside a residence in Estate St. Georges on St. Croix, leaving the victim unconscious and in need of off-island medical treatment, according to the Virgin Islands Police Department.
At approximately 3:53 a.m., the 911 Emergency Call Center received a report of an assault and that the victim, described as an unconscious elderly male, was being transported by ambulance to the Juan F. Luis Hospital emergency room. Upon arrival, Criminal Investigation Bureau detectives observed that the victim had sustained a visible head injury and remained unconscious, the police report stated.
According to a witness at the scene, they were asleep inside the residence when they heard someone outside calling for help. Upon investigating, the witness identified the individual as their neighbor, Travis Lawrence Jr., and invited him inside. Once inside, Lawrence allegedly locked the screen door and began striking the victim repeatedly in the face and head, the report stated.
Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, arrangements were made for the victim to be airlifted off-island for further medical care, the report stated.
Patrol officers detained Lawrence at the scene and transported him to the Juan F. Luis Hospital emergency room, where he was treated for minor cuts not related to the assault, it said.
Lawrence was subsequently arrested by detectives. He was advised of his Miranda Rights and declined to provide a statement. His bail was set at $25,000 as per the bond schedule. He was booked and transported to the John A. Bell Correctional Facility pending his Advice of Rights hearing, scheduled for Monday at the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, it said.
A 29-year-old man was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in the Fort Mylner area, according to the Virgin Islands Police Department.
At approximately 1:37 p.m., multiple citizens contacted 911 to report a shooting near the KFC in Fort Mylner. Callers stated a man had been shot inside a red SUV and appeared unresponsive, according to the police report.
When officers and emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene, they observed a Black male seated in the vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds to his body. EMTs attempted to assess for vital signs but determined the man showed no signs of life, the police report stated.
The victim was later identified by next of kin as Everton G. Ralph Jr. His death marks the eighth homicide of 2025 on St. Thomas, and the 16th for the territory, according to the Source Homicide List.*
The investigation is being led by the VIPD’s Major Crimes Unit. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Unit’s Major Crimes Division at 340-714-9823 or 340-714-9829. Tips can also be submitted to the VIPD at 340-774-2211 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
*The Source Homicide List is a chronological log of the homicides recorded in 2025 in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as reported by the VIPD. Cases are broken down by island. While this listing is based on VIPD reports, the Source does not include suicides or vehicular homicides in its listing, which the police and some other media do. This can lead to a discrepancy in the number of incidents reported.
In her biweekly column, “State of the Territory,” former Sen. Janelle K. Sarauw delves deeper into issues of concern for V.I. residents.
