If there were a brochure showcasing the best place in the world to sail, today would have been the day to create it in St. Thomas. Ideal conditions set the stage for the opening day of the 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta, delivering an almost flawless experience for competitors.
St. Croix’s Joyce Campbell sailing in today’s Sunfish clinic. (Photo by STIR)
“There were perfect conditions with 10-15 knots of breeze, a brief squall, and some current differences here and there to make it interesting, but the course was square, the line was square, and it was an absolutely perfect day,” says Dave Franzel, who crewed aboard Boat Drinks alongside skipper Bill Liddle of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Nearly 40 boats, racing in CSA Spinnaker Racing, CSA Non-Spinnaker Racing, and three one-design classes: IC24s, Hobie Waves, and Sunfish, are racing in STIR 2026. Sailors hail from all three U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten; several U.S. states, ranging from Massachusetts to California; and the UK and Ireland. Today, the Spinnaker, Non-spinnaker, and IC24 classes took to the seas, with the Sunfish and Hobie Waves racing on Saturday and Sunday.
Sailing in the CSA Spinnaker Racing Class, Exodus, a Melges 24, helmed by Puerto Rico’s Enrique Figueroa, navigated a varied and tactical set of courses off St. Thomas. The day’s racing featured three courses: the first, a longer round-the-buoys race out to Packet Rock on St. Thomas’ southeast shore, followed by shorter courses around Little St. James and Dog Island, using the natural marks of rocks, cays, and islands.
“We sailed our own race, with good starts,” says Figueroa. “The J/105 (Freelance) and J/100 (Kairos) in our class were most similar to us, and these boats were sailed really well, so we kept an eye on them.”
Exodus finished the day first in the class, followed by the USA’s Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Privateer second, and the USA’s Donald Nicholson’s J/121 Apollo third, with only three points separating these boats.
IC24 Team Boat Drinks, with Dave Franzel far left in blue, locked into tight competition. (Photo by STIR)
The 14-boat One-Design IC24 Class is the biggest of the regatta, and hands-down the most competitive, with several lead changes throughout the day. In the end, Puerto Rico’s Marco Teixidor’s Cachado is first, followed by the BVI’s Mark Plaxton’s INTAC second, and St. Thomas’ Teddy Nicolosi on Bill T in third.
“This is the regatta for IC24s, the top of the top race here,” says Mike Bertolino, commodore of the St. John Yacht Club, who raced aboard Bravissimo.
Puerto Rico’s Ramon Gonzalez, helmsman of Sembrador, looks forward to building momentum after a challenging day on the start line. “We had trouble at the start—we’re a bit rusty. We had to use some tough tactics to get back in front. It was good enough today, but we definitely need to improve our starts.”
The 8-boat Sunfish Class participated in an instructional clinic today, led by Peter and Scott Stanton of St. Croix. The former is a Sunfish Youth World Champion, the current Master’s World Champion, and holds a bronze medal from the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2018, while the latter is President of the International Sunfish Class Association in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a talented dinghy and keelboat sailor.
“The clinic with the Stanton brothers today was outstanding,” says Joyce Campbell, of St. Croix. “In the morning, we worked through rigging to maximize speed, then applied it on the water in the afternoon. The improvement was immediate—it paid off. It’s also exciting to be sailing here in St. Thomas, where the first Sunfish World Championships were held in 1970.
Real-time results for STIR results are posted at yachtscoring.com/emenu/50483Schedule of Events – Sea & Land
STIR Racing kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, for the second day of STIR racing. Racecourses will be set off the southeast, northeast, and east end of St. Thomas and in Pillsbury Sound between St. Thomas and St. John, with specific courses for each class designated daily by the Race Committee based on weather. STIR competition follows on Sunday, with an 11 a.m. start, and a 5 p.m. Awards Ceremony at the St. Thomas Yacht Club.
After each day’s racing, shoreside festivities feature refreshing drinks, food for purchase, and live music. On Saturday, the Aperol Spritz takes center stage, offering a bright, citrusy toast to the day’s racing. Dinner runs from 5–7 p.m., followed by music from Roxnonstop from 6–10 p.m. Sunday wraps up with Mount Gay Regatta Rum Punch, and live music by Tim West to close out the regatta.
WAPA plans the following electrical rotation schedule for April 4. This schedule is subject to change based on load demand, and restoration times may be delayed by up to 15 minutes.
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Feeder 8B
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Feeder 7A
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Feeder 8A
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Feeder 6A
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Feeder 10B
Feeder 8B
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Feeder 9C
9:30 PM – 11:30 PM
Feeder 7B
It’s National Consumer Protection Week, and while AARP works year‑round to help protect people from fraud, this is a good time to talk about how and why to report fraud.
Trusting serious feared pensioner giving away card number to fraudsters over phone. Financial scam, identity theft, bank card fraud, information theft manipulation, deception, vulnerable individual. (Submitted photo)
Fraud is widely underreported in this country. Sometimes, people don’t realize that fraud is a crime. Other times, victims don’t report because of undeserved feelings of shame or embarrassment. The lack of a single, centralized reporting system may also deter reporting. Here is some guidance on where you can report.
Your bank: If you recognize a scam right away and it involves your financial institution, contact them immediately. They may be able to stop or reverse transactions, or freeze your account to help prevent additional payments or withdrawals by scammers.
Local law enforcement: Filing a report creates an official record, which may be helpful for future restitution. Reporting also matters because the more people who come forward, the more information law enforcement has to identify patterns and catch criminals.
The feds: You can also report scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. While federal agencies don’t typically follow up on individual cases, these reports help them track trends and better understand the scope of the problem.
Lawmakers: Consider sharing your experience with lawmakers — including local legislators, your state attorney general and Members of Congress. The more they hear directly from constituents about fraud, the more likely they are to take action to address it.
Learn how to spot and avoid scams with AARP Fraud Watch Network™. Suspect a scam? Call our free helpline at 877-908-3360 and talk to one of our fraud specialists about what to do next.
A federal judge ruled the Tourism Department did not violate U.S. trademark rules by labeling the fete as St. Thomas Carnival. (Shutterstock image)
A challenge filed in District Court over the right of the government to use trademarks obtained by the V.I. Carnival Committee was settled this week by a judge’s ruling. The lawsuit at the heart of the dispute was filed in March 2022, three years after management of the annual fete was turned over to the V.I. Tourism Department.
A March 31 judgment issued by Chief District Judge Robert Molloy declared that past and present Tourism officials did not violate the Carnival Committee’s constitutional rights. Committee representatives claimed the government violated their Fifth Amendment rights by taking property — trademarked labeling, vendor lists, application forms, and materials kept in the committee’s office — without compensation.
Molloy also rejected claims that the trademarked labels “St. Thomas Carnival” and “Virgin Islands Carnival” were violated by Tourism officials Joseph Boschulte, Ian Turnbull and Halvor Hart when they chose different — but similar — identifiers. As an additional step, the judge ordered the clerk of the court to order the director of the U.S. Patent Office to cancel those trademarked labels.
At the time the lawsuit was filed, VICC Chair Edgar Baker Phillips claimed that use of similar identifiers for Carnival violated the Lanham Act, which protects trademarked materials against infringement, dilution, false advertising, and unfair competition. Attempts to reach Baker Phillips for comment on the March 31 judgment were unsuccessful.
The V.I. Carnival Committee served as the organizing and management entity for St. Thomas Carnival formally and informally since the annual fete was revived in 1952. Lawmakers of the 32nd Legislature passed Bill No. 32-0308, creating the Division of Festivals within the Tourism Department.
The measure was signed into law by then-Gov. Kenneth Mapp in January 2019.
Sargassum levels rose again across the Atlantic and Caribbean in March, and researchers say more growth is likely in April. The latest bulletin from the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab says the broader eastern Caribbean could continue seeing beaching events in the coming month.
Satellite imagery from the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab shows sargassum distribution across the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf in March 2026, including patches near Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Darker red areas indicate higher concentrations. (Photo courtesy University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab)
The OOL at USF monitors the presence of sargassum across the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf regions using satellite imagery.
The Sargassum Bulletin released on March 31 by USF said that the seaweed continued to build across the region during March.
“As predicted in the February 2026 USF report, sargassum continued to grow and move to the west, resulting in increased sargassum amounts in every region shown in the map of monitored areas across the Atlantic and Caribbean,” USF explained. “Except for the eastern Atlantic region, every region continued to see record high sargassum amounts for the month of March,” the bulletin added.
USF also explained that “the distribution map continued to show three separated large masses in the Eastern Atlantic, Western Atlantic, and Western Caribbean, including the Gulf.”
Indeed, on the map included in the bulletin, a broad swath of seaweed was visible east of the Caribbean islands, with patches near Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The report also stated that beaching events appeared to have occurred.
“Major beaching events appear to have occurred in the Western Caribbean, including Belize, Honduras, and the Mexican Caribbean coast, and around Lesser Antilles islands,” stated USF.
What is Sargassum?According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, sargassum plays an important role offshore as habitat for marine life, but it can also create problems when winds and currents carry large mats ashore.
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration graphic illustrating sargassum and seaweed inundation events. (Photo courtesy NOAA)
“Sargassum is a type of floating brown algae that provides food, protection, and habitat for many marine species. While sargassum plays an important role in the health and biodiversity of open ocean ecosystems, it can also be harmful in certain situations when rafts of this brown algae are carried to shore by winds and currents,” NOAA said.
Sargassum Across the USVI
The Source connected with Brian Barnes, Ph.D., an assistant research professor at USF, who provided additional insight about the increase in the algae, and what it might mean for the USVI.
Sargassum floats along the shoreline in Christiansted Harbor on St. Croix, USVI, on Wednesday. (Source photo by Jesse Daley)
Barnes said the U.S. Virgin Islands do not appear to be in the worst location in the region right now in terms of receiving inundations of sargassum, although the eastern Caribbean outlook predicting more seaweed could still apply to the local islands.
“Given the current sargassum footprint, the U.S. Virgin Islands is in a better place compared to some of the eastern and Western Caribbean,” Barnes explained. “In a broader sense, the bulletin statements about the Eastern Caribbean can also apply to USVI specifically,” he continued.
Barnes also noted that larger climate patterns like El Niño, which is expected to develop and potentially become strong later this year, may have an influence on the transport and biomass of sargassum. However, he also said that localized factors such as winds, currents, and nearshore conditions are likely to play a bigger role in determining beaching risk in the territory.
Sargassum is seen in Christiansted Harbor on St. Croix on Wednesday. (Source photo by Jesse Daley)
As reported in a previous Source interview with Amy Dempsey, a marine biologist and founder of the consulting firm Bioimpact Inc., officials in the territory have begun using floating barriers to divert incoming mats of sargassum before they reach the shoreline. The booms have shown promise in keeping beaches clearer, but they require constant upkeep due to strong currents and storm damage and must be removed ahead of approaching cyclones.
What’s Next
In its “Looking Ahead” section of the bulletin, researchers at USF emphasized that more seaweed should be anticipated across the Atlantic and Caribbean.
“Sargassum amount in most regions will continue to increase in the coming month,” USF warned. “Beaching events in both the Western Caribbean and the Eastern Caribbean will continue. The Florida Keys and southeast coast of Florida will likely see moderate beaching events in the coming month as sargassum in the Gulf will continue to be transported to these locations.”
“The year of 2026 is set to be another major sargassum year, meaning that total sargassum amount exceeds 75% of the historical values and likely to be a record year by summer 2026,” USF concluded.
Sargassum Updates
Individuals can follow the progression of the current mat of seaweed and stay up to date each month on where the algae may be headed.
Finally, in addition to monitoring sargassum, residents and visitors across the U.S. Virgin Islands are encouraged to follow the local weather forecast. Weather information is available from the NWS and NOAA. The local weather forecast for the U.S. Virgin Islands is regularly updated on the Source Weather Page, and individuals can also find helpful weather information and alerts from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency.
Federal prosecutors charged a St. Thomas church leader with transporting a teenage girl for illicit sexual contact, the U.S. Justice Department announced Friday.
Accused child abuser, pastor Lawrence Turnbull, in 2017. (Photo from Facebook)
Lawrence Turnbull, 65, a senior pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church, allegedly brought the girl to Lindqvist Beach and other locations, where he ignored her pleas to go home. He allegedly kissed and fondled her against her wishes between October 2023 and June 2024, according to court records.
Court records only described the victim as being a girl under 18, and Turnbull as her pastor.
Turnbull was charged with two counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, three counts of first-degree unlawful sexual contact, coercion and enticement, and child abuse on March 6. Court records were sealed until April 1.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Teague scheduled a June 1 trial. If convicted, Turnbull would face a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, and could be sentenced to life. Prosecutors may also seek forfeiture of two vehicles Turnbull allegedly used to transport the girl, a silver, four-door, 2018 Toyota Corolla and a brown 2012 Lincoln MKZ, according to court records.
Turnbull was released on $50,000 bail and ordered not to return to the church or be around children, according to court records.
In 2018, Turnbull told a Baptist magazine that about 100 people attended his church and that he believed God had sent the 2017 hurricanes as a way to spread the Christian gospel.
Island Green Living Vice President Dawn Henry joins the Recycling Crew, John Baker, Henry, Akeino Williams, and CJ Scatliffe (Photo courtesy Island Green Living)
The Island Green Living Association has named Board Vice President Dawn Henry as interim chief executive officer while it searches for a permanent administrator, a press release announced.
Henry, a former commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, will oversee day-to-day operations. She joined the board in 2024. According to the press release, she previously led a department of more than 200 employees and managed a budget of about $30 million.
“There is no one more knowledgeable or dedicated to the environmental wellbeing, and with that the health and welfare of the community, than Dawn,” said Harith Wickrema, president of Island Green Living. “We are fortunate that she is able to commit to a leadership role overseeing operations while she guides strategy over the next few months. Her allegiance to Island Green’s sustainable programming, and interest in expanding the protection of the environment, food security and economic wellbeing, with far reaching education and community engagement in the territory, promise to take the organization to the next level.”
Henry said plastic pollution remains a pressing concern.
“One of the most urgent environmental challenges we face is plastic pollution,” Henry said. “Virgin Islanders deserve clear, accessible information about the environmental and health impacts plastics pose. I believe that Healthy People Build Healthy Environments, and that education is the foundation for informed choices, healthier families, and a more resilient Virgin Islands.”
Island Green Living programs include aluminum and ocean-bound plastics recycling efforts that have diverted more than 5 million cans and 152,000 pounds of plastics from waterways and landfills. The organization also operates the ReSource Depot reuse store, which has redistributed more than 1 million pounds of materials, including construction supplies, furniture and clothing, the press release stated.
The nonprofit also supports food security initiatives, agricultural education, and community advocacy on plastics and other environmental concerns. Its “Ban the Burn” campaign, launched after the 2017 hurricanes, focused on reducing the incineration of vegetative debris, the release stated.
Henry, who was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma School of Law and has practiced environmental law for more than 20 years. During her tenure at DPNR, she oversaw divisions including Environmental Protection, Coastal Zone Management and Fish and Wildlife. She also supported policies addressing plastic use and waste management, the release stated.
She currently leads Nehemiah Project LLC, an environmental consultancy, and the Virgin Islands Environmental Association, and serves as a senior advisor to Beyond Plastics, it stated.
A St. Thomas pastor was arrested Wednesday on federal and local charges related to the alleged transportation of a minor for sexual activity, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Lawrence Turnbull, 65, of Estate Mandahl, is charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, coercion and enticement, unlawful sexual contact, and child abuse, the press release stated.
According to court documents, Turnbull served as the minor’s pastor and youth leader and, on multiple occasions, transported the minor to different locations and touched the minor inappropriately.
If convicted, Turnbull faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry is prosecuting the case.
Please be advised of a road closure today affecting Polyberg Hill. The purpose of this road closure is to allow Water Maintenance Crews to fix a broken pipe.
Non-profit Island Green Living Association, a trailblazer for sustainability in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has tapped the expertise of its own board vice president as interim CEO.
Island Green Living Vice President Dawn Henry joins the Recycling Crew, John Baker, Henry, Akeino Williams, CJ Scatliffe. (submitted photo)
Dawn Henry, Esq., former Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and head environmental steward for the territory, who was elected to the board in 2024, will oversee the day-to-day operations while searching for a permanent administrator. She brings a wealth of experience, including leading a department of 200+ employees and managing a budget of approximately $30 million, and is highly informed and deeply committed to environmental concerns across the territory.
“There is no one more knowledgeable or dedicated to the environmental wellbeing, and with that the health and welfare of the community, than Dawn,” said Harith Wickrema, president of Island Green Living. “We are fortunate that she is able to commit to a leadership role overseeing operations while she guides strategy over the next few months. Her allegiance to Island Green’s sustainable programming, and interest in expanding the protection of the environment, food security and economic wellbeing, with far reaching education and community engagement in the territory, promise to take the organization to the next level.”
“One of the most urgent environmental challenges we face is plastic pollution,” said Henry, interim CEO and vice president. “Virgin Islanders deserve clear, accessible information about the environmental and health impacts plastics pose. I believe that Healthy People Build Healthy Environments, and that education is the foundation for informed choices, healthier families, and a more resilient Virgin Islands.”
Island Green programs include aluminum and ocean-bound plastics recycling, which has kept more than 5 million cans and 152,000 lbs. of plastics out of territory waterways and landfills; the ReSource Depot reuse store, which has given a new lease on life to more than one million pounds of used building/construction materials, furniture and home goods, clothing, etc.; food security initiatives; agricultural and greening education; community advocacy on the dangers of plastics, toxic sunscreen and safe alternatives and so much more. The “Ban the Burn” campaign to stop the incineration of vegetative debris following the 2017 hurricanes is credited with contributing to the territory’s excellent air quality, among only three places in the world meeting the WHO’s clean air standards.
Born in the USVI, Dawn Henry received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma School of Law and returned home, where she practiced environmental law for over 20 years. As DPNR Commissioner, one of her primary responsibilities was serving as an environmental steward for the territory, including the Division of Environmental Protection, Coastal Zone Management, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife. She championed the plastic bag ban and served in a leadership capacity on the Commissioners’ Debris Management Team, helping to develop a debris management plan to address the Territory’s green waste following the devastation of the 2017 hurricanes. She also advocated for sustainable alternatives to air curtain incineration and authored legislation aimed at broader reforms in waste collection and management.
Henry currently leads Nehemiah Project, LLC, an environmental consultancy, and Virgin Islands Environmental Association, another environmental non-profit, and serves as Senior Advisor to the nonprofit Beyond Plastics.
