A St. Croix man was arrested for driving under the influence Saturday night following a two-car collision on Plessen Road, near the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Grove Place, the Virgin Islands Police Department announced.
Police said they responded to the scene around 8:11 p.m. and found that Ervin Christophe, 65, had allegedly crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle. The other driver told officers he was traveling south when Christophe, heading north, veered into his lane. Despite trying to avoid the oncoming vehicle, the driver said he was unable to prevent the crash, according to the police report.
Officers noted Christophe smelled strongly of alcohol and displayed several signs of impairment, including slurred speech, glossy eyes, and an unsteady gait. When questioned, Christophe admitted he had consumed two bottles of Heineken about an hour and a half before the crash, the police report stated.
A field sobriety test was administered, which Christophe failed, according to police. He was taken into custody and transported to the Wilbur Francis Command, where he consented to a breathalyzer test and blew over the legal limit.
Christophe was arrested and later surrendered his Virgin Islands driver’s license in lieu of bail, police said.
On Wednesday, at approximately 8:08 p.m., the Patrol Bureau responded to a call for service in Estate Strawberry in reference to a domestic violence matter, the V.I. Police Department reported.
Responding officers met with the complainant, who stated that Peter Charles came home and was frustrated he could not get the front door open because he had forgotten the passcode. When Charles finally got into the house, he went into his room and came back out with what appeared to be a black handgun and pointed the gun at the complainant, according to the police report.
Charles, 64, was subsequently placed under arrest for brandishing and exhibiting or using a deadly weapon, assault third (DV), and disturbance of the peace. There was no bail set due to the domestic violence statute.
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Two complaints against the Virgin Islands Elections System took a backseat to Board of Elections infighting Friday. (Source photo by Susan Ellis)Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the board voted against issuing a public apology to poll watcher Ann Williams. Rather, the board did vote to have Elections Supervisor Caroline Fawkes apologize, 6-5. The Source has corrected the story and regrets the error.
A Board of Elections hearing to address complaints of voting irregularities in the 2024 election devolved into a contentious shouting match Friday, with board members reigniting a long-smoldering feud over election controls.
There were two official complaints on the agenda: One voter was placed in handcuffs and removed from a polling place by Virgin Islands Police Department officers Nov. 4. Another woman, a poll watcher, said an officer shouted and cussed at her on the first day of early voting.
Ann Williams, who served as a poll watcher during the 2024 election cycle, described an incident that occurred on October 14, 2024, the first day of early voting, at a polling site where she said she was removed from the voting area by an elections official.
According to Williams, a confrontation followed after she attempted to address voters in line. A police officer responded with hostility, directing profanity toward her and a board member who had intervened. She also reported that seating accommodations previously available to her were taken away the following day, which she attributed to retaliatory behavior by election staff.
While her complaint to the Virgin Islands Police Department was reviewed and resolved, Williams said her concerns to the Board of Elections went unanswered until recently. She requested a public apology to acknowledge what occurred and highlight the need for greater accessibility and respect within the election process, especially for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Elections Supervisor Caroline Fawkes disputed that the officer had tried to remove Williams from the poll, although it may have been within the rules to do so. Time limits for each poll watcher had been implemented because of the number of candidates. Twenty extra people in the room was impractical, Fawkes said.
Delays from candidates in certifying their poll watchers further confused the matter, she said. Fawkes allowed poll watchers limited access but no poll watcher was allowed to stay all day.
This launched one of many disorderly intervals in the three-hour meeting held jointly in St. Thomas and St. Croix via Microsoft Teams.
Board Member Cleopatra Peter and others repeatedly questioned Fawkes’ authority to levy rules about poll watchers and other voting intricacies. Board Chair Raymond Williams countered again and again that such questions were outside the scope of the hearing, which was solely about complaints from outside the board. Peter and Williams shouted over each other for long stretches of the meeting, with Peter loudly interjecting points of parliamentary procedure and Williams replying: “Member Peter, you are out of order.”
“Are you discriminating against me?” Peter replied. Later in the hearing, she bellowed that voting in the Virgin Islands was like historic civil rights struggles of the Jim Crow-era American South. “We come from where Black people are oppressing Black people and we say nothing.”
While some board members said an apology to Williams was easy and should have been made immediately, others disagreed, saying the board had done nothing wrong and VIPD’s apology was sufficient. A first motion for a public apology failed, but the second, which required Fawkes to apologize, passed on a 6-5 vote.
Mary Moorhead’s complaint rekindled rancor at the meeting, calling into question the hearing’s legality because it lacked legal counsel and a stenographer.
Williams said no stenographer was available and that the meeting was being recorded for later transcription.
Moorhead, a St. Croix member of the Board of Education, and Williams clashed verbally several times. Moorhead repeatedly attempting to interject and Williams reminding her she was not a member of the Elections Board.
“You are not running this meeting,” Williams exclaimed several times over the next hour.
In her testimony, Moorhead said she had contacted Fawkes in the days before the polls opened to remind the supervisor that boxes for paper ballots were required by law. When Moorhead arrived to vote, she found no such box, only the DS200 voting machine for vote tabulation.
Moorhead refused to place her ballot in the machine and took a seat inside the polling station.
“I want to cast my ballot but I don’t want to put it in the DS200. I want to put it in a paper box that the law says I have the right to do so,” she roared to the board.
Police officers advised Moorhead she was not allowed to linger in the polling place. When she refused to leave, she was handcuffed and taken outside but not charged with any crime. Moorhead provided several affidavits from people who witnessed the incident. She said she drove directly to the Attorney General’s office and then to the FBI, where she spoke to an agent.
Moorhead then cast her ballot at another polling station, using the DS200 machine.
Board member Barbara LaRonde said the boxes had been lent to the Virgin Islands Democratic Party for their primary. A January 2024 court ruling took party primaries out of Election Systems’ hands months earlier.
Fawkes said the law Moorhead was referencing, requiring a box for paper ballots, was still part of the V.I. Code but had been superseded by another law allowing for digital tabulation.
There was also a suggestion that the DS200 was, in essence, a ballot box like any other.
Board Secretary Florine Audaine-Hassel suggested asking the attorney general for an opinion on which law was to be followed. The motion passed 6-4.
The board took two votes — one requiring Fawkes to issue an apology to Moorhead and one requiring both Fawkes and the board to apologize. Both were voted down, 4-6 and 3-6, respectively.
An immediate motion to adjourn the meeting failed on a 5-5 tie. The division was not over.
“I’m still trying to discern what business is still before the board,” Raymond said. “Do we have a further agenda?”
The meeting then skidded into chaotic side conversations about the legitimacy of the hearing and whether it was possible to discuss policies on how to address similar situations. When order was restored, several board members pleaded for some way to address Moorhead’s concerns and future issues. Williams suggested those measures could be formulated in individual committee meetings.
This sparked concern that board members didn’t know who was on which committees.
Someone in St. Croix started shouting, “We the people! My voice is my vote!”
“Mute her mic,” Williams responded from St. Thomas.
A motion to end the meeting passed 9-1.
The rotational outage schedule has been activated due to lack of generation to meet load demand. Restoration may be delayed upwards of 15 minutes and the schedule is subject to change if demand increases or decreases. Ex: Not all feeders will be impacted as seen on schedule.
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
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Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett shared the following update regarding President Trump’s executive order on themaritime industry:
“This week, President Trump announced an executive order which doubles down on previous tariff directives and provides a structure to move ahead with the administration’s Section 301 tariff actions which will impose significant port fees on maritime transport operators with fleets comprised of Chinese-built vessels. If the order comes into full effect, it will result in significant port fees on maritime transport operators servicing the United States Virgin Islands. The order also directs the U.S. Trade Representative to consider imposing fees on Chinese-built cranes and other cargo-handling equipment, an action which could affect almost every port in America.
“These actions will cause increased shipping costs, shipping delays and, in some cases, the wholesale termination of service by cargo carriers to impacted locations throughout the coast of the United States and especiallyplaces like the Virgin Islands.
“I am particularly concerned for coastal and island communities, including the Virgin Islands, where the imposition of these punitive measures will skyrocket costs of food and other everyday items that must be imported by the maritime industry.
“My team and I have been highly engaged with the Virgin Islands maritime industry, as well as stakeholders including meeting with the ambassadors to the Caribbean nations, to track the implications of President Trump’s
executive order on ship owners, operators, and builders.
“Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to question US Trade Relations Ambassador Jameison Greer during a Ways & Means Committee hearing and urged the ambassador to consider the practical impacts of tariff actions on the US outlying areas and ultimately reconsider these actions. Our communities would bear tremendous undue cost, which makes clear the need for an exemption. I am also leading a letter to USTR Ambassador Greer and the Administration to make the case for this exemption and underscore the impact of these fees on the Virgin Islands which willpermeate through the Caribbean region.
“Under the order, transport operators with fleets comprised of Chinesebuilt vessels will be charged up to $1.5 million per vessel entrance to an American port, as well as an ‘additional fee’ of up to $1 million per vessel entrance to an American port if the number of foreign-built vessels in the operator’s fleet is equal to or greater than 25 percent. Even vessels under the U.S. flag, operated and owned by a U.S. entity that are Chinese-built would be subject to the fees in USTR’s proposal. We continue to urge the Trump Administration to heed the feedback of elected officials, the maritime industry, and stakeholders even amidst the imposition of these actions that will have radically negative consequences for our corner of the American experience.
“I will continue to collaborate in a bipartisan manner with my colleagues, stakeholders, and the Virgin Islands community to advance the interests of the Virgin Islands.”
With sad hearts, the family would like to announce the passing of our dearly beloved Jason Alfred Gumbs on March 24, 2025 at the age of 45 years.
Jason Alfred Gumbs
He was preceded in death by his grand-parents Albert A. R. Lake, Matthew and Frances Gumbs, brother Matthew Gumbs.
He leaves to mourn:
Mother: Melonee Salome Gumbs
Father: Alfred Lawrence Gumbs Sr.
Children to include: Shante Gumbs, Kiara Gumbs, Amiyah Gumbs, Ja’sharria King, A’sharria King, A’jantae Gumbs, Sarriyah Fahie, Jacoy Gumbs, Jaquany Glasgow, Shaquan Hodge, Kian (Troy) Webster, Kalen Gumbs, J’manni Gumbs and Ely’Jah Lewis
Grandchildren to include: Khyree and Khy’ro Huggins
Brothers: Alfred (Plunkin) Gumbs, Alfred Lawrence Gumbs Jr., Dion Gumbs, Alfredo Gumbs and Kenrick Gumbs
Sisters: Karen Ross-McFarlane, Vivian (Lolly) Gumbs and Merlyn Gumbs
The descendants and families of the late Albert A.R. Lake and Octavia Lake, the late Matthew Gumbs and the late Frances Gumbs in Anguilla and abroad.
Friends and family too numerous to mention in U.S.V.I., U.S.A. and Anguilla.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Memorial Service on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Viewing and tributes at 10 a.m., Memorial at 11 a.m. at Turnbull’s Funeral Home Chapel.
Interment will be at a later date.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
At this time, all feeders have been restored, and there are no active rotational outages scheduled. Generation capacity has increased at the Randolph Harley Power Plant; however, the grid is still stabilizing. During peak demand hours as load demands later this afternoon, some customers may still experience intermittent outages.
The Wahree plant’s yellow flowers develop into spiny seed pods and contain one or two seeds. The split pods hold the seeds, rather like a nest of eggs, until the pods disintegrate. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
It all happened at Agrifest 2025 when a fairgoer came up to my exhibit and said, “Are you the Olasee?” I said, “Oh God, what did I have done now,” jokingly. To be honest, I never thought in my “wildest dream” that I would be in such high demand locally. Not just locally but people around the world contact me seeking information on various topics, whether cultural, historical, natural, or wanting me to work with them on a research project about the environment or some other aspect of Virgin Islands history.
Olasee Davis (Submitted photo)
This fairgoer, Joy Stanley, wanted to know where she could find Wahree seeds on St. Croix. I tried to get out of it by telling her that I am so busy that I don’t know when I would be able to assist her with getting the seeds. Finally, I say to her, call me at my office. The Gray knicker, as we call it locally (Caesalpinia bonduc), is an evergreen perennial creeping vine that grows along some of our coastal areas and beaches. Every part of the vine, including the backs of the leaves, is armed with sharp spines.
The yellow flowers develop into spiny seed pods and contain one or two seeds. The split pods hold the seeds, rather like a nest of eggs, until the pods disintegrate. These beach seeds were once used in a popular game known as Oware (Wahree) in the Virgin Islands. The Oware game arrived in the Danish West Indies over 200 years ago when people were kidnapped from Africa as enslaved Africans to the Americas. According to Zoraida Jacobs, a former colleague of mine in the School of Agriculture, Oware (Wahree) probably is the world’s oldest game dating over 6,000 years.
Our parents and great-grandparents remember the game as “Wahree.” In those days, holes were made in the ground and the game was played with small shells, stones, and nickel. Later, Oware boards were made from mahogany. About six round holes were made on each side of the board each about two inches deep, where seeds were placed. You started off playing with about 48 seeds. However, the number of seeds in the game varied. The game is played in a clockwise fashion. Four seeds are in each hole at the start of the game.
The Wahree game originated in Africa but is played in various forms in most counties in the world. It is considered by many experts to be one of the finest strategy games ever developed. There is no luck involved in Oware. The outcome depends solely on the skills of the players. According to Zoraida Jacobs, “Stone cuttings representing Oware boards have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, on the walls of pre-historic caves, and on rock ledges bordering caravan trails in the Middle East and Asia.”
In earlier days, holes were made in the ground, and the game was played with small shells, stones, and nickel. Later, Oware boards were made from mahogany. These Wahree boards were made by Joy Stanley. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
The stakes of the game vary from country to country and from one age to another. African natives wagered anything from a bowl of rice or a cow, used as a bride price. Whereas wealthy merchants and ancient kings played for slaves as well as for precious metals and gems. Today, stones or beans are used in place of jewels, and as in the long ago, the winner takes all. By the 20th century, the Wahree game in the Virgin Islands slowly began to fall by the wayside like many other cultural traditions of the islands, including the Cariso (music) and the bamboula, which made somewhat of a comeback, an African dance.
Joy Stanley and others in the community are willing to teach the youngest the game of Wahree. In fact, Joy told me she makes the Wahree board. Believe me, she is very creative. She was so excited after I took her and her friend, Kestusm Tatum, a teacher from Eulalie Rivera Elementary School, out to collect the Wahree seeds. Joy said it best when she emailed me thanking me for the opportunity she and Kestusm had in collecting the seeds.
“Good Marnin Olasee! I can’t find words to tell you how privileged and exciting it was picking Wari seeds on Sunday. I felt like a kid in a candy park. I could imagine our parents or their parents, picking Wair seeds from the same place we picked them, and then taking them home to play the game. I don’t know why I’m so excited about this game. I remember playing it for hours and hours as a child, though. I would even play by myself. I thank you thank you thank you for this privilege! Ohhh, Tatum and I would love to go on the hike to other Wari seeds spots you spoke about. All dih bes, Joy Stanley.”
The Gray knicker, as we call it locally (Caesalpinia bonduc), is an evergreen perennial creeping vine that grows along some of our coastal areas and beaches. Every part of the vine, including the backs of the leaves, is armed with sharp spines. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
Oware is an Ashanti word meaning long distance and Wahree means “he marries.” According to our elders in the community, the game was played for two reasons: First, to create communication between parent and child, and second as a time of relaxation and sharing of wisdom and proverbs. The exchange of proverbs was a common practice for Africans while playing the Wahree game. One proverb goes like this: A person does not cut a walking stick and to be taller than them. Meaning, one does not bear a child and expect the child to rule them.
Another proverb is as follows: It does not take a person born on a hill, to be very tall. This meaning is that one can be born in a humble home and become an important person. The Wahree game has been played in other Caribbean islands. On the island of Antigua, for example, the game of Wahree is huge with competition. Today, our children don’t know the game. They knew of the seed by rubbing it against a hard surface and placing the hot seed on their skin for a burning sensation.
Who knows, Joy and Kestum are probably onto something big. They can revive the Wahree game by teaching our young people whereby it becomes a big sport in the Virgin Islands again, and beyond the shore of these islands. After all, Wahree is African and so are we.
— Olasee Davis is a bush professor who lectures and writes about the culture, history, ecology and environment of the Virgin Islands when he is not leading hiking tours of the wild places and spaces of St. Croix and beyond.
From left, Petite Princess contestants Skai Lewis and Suraia Thomas, Princess contestants Kaysa Freeman and Emelia Brooks, and Jr. Miss contestants Alauna Petersen, Ayanna Gardner, Jada-marie Donovan, and Amaya Marks during a church service attendance. (Photo courtesy USVI Division of Festivals)
On Saturday, eight very young ladies have prepared to spectate, dazzle, and showcase their talents and personalities as they vie for St. Thomas Carnival royal titles of Petite Princess, Princess, and Jr. Miss at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
This is the sixth year that the Division of Festivals has held the competition and the contestants seem prepared to put their best foot forward. Audience members can expect to witness beautiful gowns, cultural costumes, and lots of energy from the contestants.
“After attending the show last year, I was deeply inspired by the energy, creativity, and confidence displayed on stage. I realized I no longer wanted to experience it from the audience — I wanted to be part of the magic and make my own mark on that stage,” said Petite Princess contestant number one, Skai A. Lewis. Lewis is a seven-year-old second grader attending the Calvary Christian Academy. Her parents are Monique Williams and Darryl Lewis, and she is being chaperoned by Elyssa Henderson.
When asked what she is most excited about for the competition, Lewis responded, “I’m most excited for the ‘American Doll Wear’ segment, especially with its cultural couture flair. It’s the perfect opportunity to blend my creativity with our culture and showcase a powerful representation of identity and style.”
Petite Princess contestant number two is six-year-old Suraia E. LaPlace Thomas. Her parents are Jeneva LaPlace and Jelani Thomas, and she is chaperoned by Desiree Wilkes. She attends Joseph Sibilly Elementary School, likes dancing, swimming, being a foodie, learning new things, and her favorite quote is, “I can do it, if I try.”
For the Princess Division, contestant number one is nine-year-old Kaysa R. Freeman. Her parents are Ronell Hansen and Kashif Freeman, and she is being chaperoned by Jikelle Michaels. She attends Ulla Muller Elementary school, likes twirling, gymnastics, dancing, and the quote, “The time is always right to do what is right by Martin Luther King Jr.”
Princess contestant number two is eight-year-old Emelia A. Brooks, who attends Joseph Sibilly Elementary School. Her parents are Yolande Joseph and Esau Brooks, and her chaperone is LaMonee Morris. Brooks likes dancing, swimming, and modeling and the quote, “You don’t have to be perfect you just have to be you.”
The contestants having fun during their “St. Thomas and St. John Harbor Tours and Play Day.” (Photo courtesy USVI Division of Festivals)
The division with the eldest contestants is the Jr. Miss Division. Contestant number one, Ayanna S. Gardner, is 15 years old and attends the Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School. Her parent is Nyota Saunders Gardner and her chaperone is Charmaine Kean-Simeon. Gardner likes reading, crocheting, baking and playing volleyball, and the quote, “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.”
Three other contestants have also taken on the challenge of competing for the Jr. Miss title.
“The experience of competing and becoming the first petite princess of carnival in 2019 allowed me to challenge my fears, enhance my confidence, and learn about various aspects of my culture that were previously unknown to me,” said Jr. Miss contestant number two, Amaya S. Marks. “It’s been seven years since I last performed on stage, but as I commenced preparations four months ago, my skills were readily revived. My team has meticulously crafted an exquisite package, and although I’m eagerly anticipating all segments, I’d say talent and evening wear will be the crowning glory.”
Marks is a 13-year-old eighth grader at the Calvary Christian Academy. Her parents are Mashama Ferdinand and Alvin Alico Marks, and she is being chaperoned by Kadejah Percell. Her hobbies are playing volleyball, baking, and dance, and she likes the quote, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
Jr. Miss contestant number three, Alauna Petersen, said she was also inspired to compete. “Vying for the Jr. Miss title this year was driven by three main reasons. First, I knew I wanted to compete for a pageant title after watching our first Jr. Miss Queen, Jahniya Williams, be crowned in April 2023. Second, I was inspired to vie for the title because I believe our culture has been fading over the years, and by competing, I hope to help revive and celebrate it for younger generations to experience. Finally, I chose to vie for Jr. Miss Queen because I love to perform, and being on stage allows me to honor my grandfather’s legacy. He was the one who encouraged me to become the performer I am today.”
Petersen also added, “My favorite segment would be evening wear because it honors the important people in my life who have shaped me into the young lady I am today, encouraged me to compete in front of thousands, and shown me what it truly means to be loved.”
Lastly, Jr. Miss contestant number four, Jada-marie Leila Donovan, is 15 years old and attends Charlotte Amalie High School. Her parents are Ja’Nelle Forbes and Darryl Donovan, Sr. and her chaperone is JaNay Forbes. She likes dancing, painting, and the quote, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive – Maya Angelou.”
All contestants will be ready to perform and compete for their respective titles Saturday. The show at the Blake Center will begin at 5 p.m. For more information, go to the USVI Festivals website.
