Getting good starts, especially in light wind conditions, led the USA’s Alexander Montagu to win the 31st International Optimist Regatta (IOR), hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 14-16.
Thirteen-year-old Montagu, who races out of both California’s San Francisco Yacht Club and Florida’s Coral Reef Yacht Club (CRYC), was one of 104 sailors from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, several USA states, Canada, and Germany who competed in this three-day regatta in 8-foot, single-sail Optimist dinghies where conditions averaged 8- to 12-knots of breeze under sunny skies, according to the press release.
Overall and Red Fleet Winner, Alexander Montagu, USA. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)THE WINNERS
The top three sailors overall in the 2024 IOR were Montagu first, Florida’s CRYC’s Connor Karr second, and Puerto Rico’s Club Nautico de San Juan’s (CNSJ) Diego Delgado third, the press release stated
Montagu’s first place overall also put him at the top of the 13- to 15-year-old Red Fleet after seven races in the Championship fleet, the release stated.
Puerto Rico’s Diego Delgado, Blue Fleet Winner. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
“The light wind was a challenge for me, but it helped that I was able to get good starts and then continue to stay ahead,” said Montagu, a member of the US Optimist Dinghy Association’s National Team, who will also compete at the Optimist North American Championships (OPTINAM) next month in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Optimist World Championships in December in Mar del Plata, Argentina. “Learning how to deal with the seaweed will help me at the OPTINAMs.”
Concentration and a positive mindset proved key to Delgado’s win in the 11- to 12-year-old Blue Fleet, the release stated.“The mind is the most important thing in sailing. If you get angry because someone beat you in a race, it takes away from your focus on the sailing. I needed to focus my mind, especially in the light wind today,” said Delgado, age 12. “This regatta helped me to realize I’m a pretty good sailor. I did qualify to represent Puerto Rico in the OPTINAMs a few months ago but didn’t sail well in our qualifier. Now I know I have the potential to do well.”
Top Female Sailor, USVI’s Avery Pearsall. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
The USVI’s St. Thomas Yacht Club’s Avery Pearsall, also in the Blue Fleet, finished as the IOR’s Top Female Sailor, a position that earns Pearsall her name inscribed in the perpetual Founders Trophy.“I felt confident today in the light wind because I’m small. My goal was top three overall or top female,” said Pearsall, 12, who finished 5th overall. “The IOR also gave me good practice on a large start line, and that will help for the OPTINAMs.”
The USA’s Francisco Don, second from left, is the White Fleet Winner. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
Francisco Don, 10, representing Florida’s CRYC, finished first in the age 10- and under White Fleet, the release stated. “I tried to get a lot of speed on the starts and then watch the puffs and get as much pressure (wind) as I could,” said Don, who sailed the IOR in 2022 and 2023 in the Beginner Green Fleet.This year’s IOR’s Green Fleet winner was 11-year-old Levi Hibbs, representing Florida’s CRYC, the release stated. “I tried to point as high as I could to go as fast as possible,” said Hibbs, who started racing less than a year ago. “Good starts were important. My strategy was to start accelerating 7 seconds before the starting horn and then head up to get the most wind.”
The USA’s Levi Hibbs, Green Fleet Winner. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
Additional awards included the Peter Ives’ Perpetual Trophy, won by Montagu, and the Chuck Fuller Sportsmanship Perpetual Trophy, earned by the USVI’s STYC sailor, Will Zimmerman, the release stated. Both Ives and Fuller participated in early IORs at the invitation of STYC’s Henry Menin, one of the regatta’s founders, it said. “Pete was a former Long Beach Yacht Club commodore, international judge, and umpire I invited to officiate at the IOR. That first year, we had about 13 boats. I asked Pete what he thought, and he said, ‘Henry, you’ve got a tiger by the tail.’ Today, 31 years later, I am so proud of how this event has grown,” said Menin,RESULTSTOP 5 FINISHERS BY FLEETName, Yacht Club, Country, PointsRED FLEET1. Alexander Montagu, SFYC/CRYC, USA (16)2. Connor Karr, CRYC, USA (28)3. Isabel Rivera Fernandez, CNSJ, PR (59)
4. Cassady Lorentzen, Balboa YC/BCYC, USA (65)
5. Howard Zimmerman, STYC, USVI (70)BLUE FLEET
1. Diego Delgado, CNSJ, PR (28T)
2. Wills Gandy, CRYC, USA (28T)
3. Avery Pearsall, STYC, USVI (36)
4. Thomas Weidner, Germany (51)
5. Finn Hodgins, STYC, USVI (58)WHITE FLEET
1. Francisco Don, CRYC, USA (86)
2. Jonah Watson, US Sailing Center Martin County, USA (104)
3. William Weidner, SPYC, USA (147)
4. Lucas Christiansen, CNSJ, PR (157)
5. Weston Bowie, SPYC, USA (209)GREEN FLEET
1. Levi Hibbs, CRYC, USA (47)2. Ivan Riano Jr., CRYC, USA (54)
3. Christopher Fulton Jr., CRYC, USA (64)
4. Kip Hodgins, STYC, USVI (93)
5. Isla Chin, BBYC, USA (127)
Gov. Albert Bryan, Jr. and Attorney General Designee Gordon Rhea address FBI investigations in government agencies. (Photo courtesy Government House FB)
Facing investigation by federal authorities, Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal complied with Gov. Albert Bryan, Jr.’s call to resign early Monday.
Government House had said previously that Virgin Islands Police Commissioner Ray Martinez’s resignation was also received Sunday but clarified during a press conference Monday that it had not.
Federal agents seized both Martinez’s and O’Neal’s personal cell phones over the weekend, Government House officials confirmed. O’Neal was in Orlando when served a subpoena to testify regarding the contract between the Virgin Islands Police Department and Mon Ethos Pro Support, a company operated by David Whitaker, who, in 2008, admitted to bilking more than $10 million by selling but never delivering, electronic equipment and other criminal activities, according to the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office. Whitaker, then 36, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison.
Asked at a press conference convened Monday to discuss the investigations, Bryan said he didn’t know in detail what they were about and had only the information that those being investigated had told him about.
“I know that papers and phones have been requested from these individuals,” the governor said.
Public spending records reveal that the U.S. Virgin Islands government has paid $3.31 million to Mon Ethos Pro Support, a cybersecurity and surveillance company, since August 2022, including $1.7 million from the Office of Management and Budget and $1.5 million from the Virgin Islands Police Department.
A central concern is whether there was any personal gain for public officials connected to this contract, financed in part with federal relief funds allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act.
O’Neal wrote to her staff before 5:30 a.m. Monday, saying she was stepping down while working to clear her name so as to not be a disruption to the Office, which is in the heat of budget season. The governor said Monday that OMB’s assistant director and the VIPD Assistant Commissioner Mario Brooks will take over operations at their respective agencies until full-time replacements are located, vetted and confirmed.
Meanwhile, Government House spokesperson Richard Motta said he was not privy to the details nor the scope of work in Whitaker’s contract, but having a criminal record does not automatically preclude an individual from obtaining a business license or contracting with the Virgin Islands government.
“The governor has committed to reinvigorating code of conduct and ethics standards for government employees and has enlisted the attorney general and the Virgin Islands inspector general to take a closer look at the procurement processes throughout the various agencies within the Virgin Islands government with the aim of addressing any potential vulnerabilities,” Motta said Monday afternoon.
During the press conference, Bryan added that while his systems are “tight,” because of human flaws, officials needed stay vigilant to keep administration’s system intact.
The governor also said Mon Ethos – whose work, among other things, included the sweep last year on a range of government agencies that had reportedly been “bugged” – had limited access to government cyber data and security but did supply the cameras that had led to the speedy arrest of the man accused of killing a Public Works employee at the tail-end of 2023 St. Thomas Carnival festivities.
Still, this was not the only government contract federal investigators were probing.
V.I. Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White declined to discuss investigations Monday other than to say federal officials were on hand reviewing contracts, which, during the Monday press conference, Bryan said included a $1.8 million proposal for surveillance cameras for Sports, Parks and Recreation’s facilities, and cameras for the Education Department on St. Croix. Bryan added that all contracts were being pulled and under review, though the latter two had not yet “been let.” Meanwhile, he added that he had not yet called for White’s resignation, having been informed Monday morning that White’s phone had been seized.
Meanwhile, Bryan said he had signed the Mon Ethos Pro Support contract but acknowledged he did not investigate the company or its founder. He mentioned that he signs all contracts over $1 million, processes many contracts regularly and was unsure if he signed the $1.4 million Education contract.
“I don’t know about anyone warning me about signing contracts with Mon Ethos or David Whitaker,” the governor said in response to questions from the media during Monday’s presser about whether he was advised not to engage with the company. Additionally, asked about the number of contracts awarded to Mon Ethos, Bryan added that the availability of surveillance camera footage has returned “excellent results in terms of our crime” and that he was satisfied with the work by the company, saying “things are based on results.”
Meanwhile V.I. Attorney General nominee Gordon Rhea, also on hand at the press conference, added that neither Martinez nor O’Neal had been charged, arrested, nor even indicted and advised Bryan not to go into detail. Even without the warning, Bryan stumbled through many of his responses Monday.
“This is common with any investigation so in respect for them, let’s see where this will go,” Rhea said, adding the V.I. Justice Department will investigate the allegations as well, while Bryan said the administration is cooperating fully with its federal partners as the investigation continues.
Bryan added that as far as he knows, no one else is under investigation, as nothing else has been announced.
This latest development comes a week after the arrests of V.I. Education Department’s Maintenance Director Davidson Charlemagne and his wife, Sasha, June 9.
U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith announced the arrests after a federal grand jury indicted the couple on charges of government program fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment also implicates former Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Chief Operating Officer Darin Richardson, 56, of St. Thomas, with criminal conflict of interest and making materially false statements.
According to court documents, the charges stem from a two-year investigation involving a VIHFA contract for storage and management of wood that was shipped to the territory to be used for the reconstruction of commercial and residential buildings following hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Asked about the disposition of the contract, which stands at $4 million, the governor said he hadn’t read it but requested a copy from the VIHFA board and wondered at its worth after seven years of storage as it continues to sit at the Alexander Henderson School on St. Croix.
Nothing was said about the homes that were to be rebuilt with the wood, nor whether homeowners left with deteriorating and depreciating houses have been impacted.
“This has been a dark day for us. It’s been a brutal week and a half. I think this will continue for a while, but right now we need to regroup, refocus, get these positions filled because we have a lot going on in the territory,” Bryan said.
Three key figures in the ongoing federal misuse of funds investigation—Department of Education Maintenance Director Davidson Charlemagne, his wife Sasha, and former V.I. Housing Finance Authority CEO Darin Richardson—have been released on $100,000 unsecured bonds as they face charges for an alleged $4 million fraud scheme exploiting hurricane recovery funds.
Court documents filed on June 13 outline strict conditions for their release. The defendants are prohibited from violating any laws, must surrender their passports and are confined to their respective islands. They are also required to report regularly to probation officers. Whether the bonds have been posted was unclear as of Monday night.
The indictment, unveiled by U.S. Attorney Delia Smith last Thursday, charges the Charlemagnes with government program fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. Richardson faces charges of criminal conflict of interest and making false statements. The allegations stem from a reported scheme to defraud taxpayers through a fraudulent contract for woodpile management intended for post-hurricane reconstruction.
Smith stated, “These defendants exploited hurricane recovery efforts to defraud taxpayers, a clear message that public officials will be held accountable for such crimes.” The investigation, involving the FBI and other federal agencies, revealed a fraudulent contract awarded to Charlemagne’s company, ISG and D&S Trucking, which allegedly billed VIHFA exorbitantly while delivering minimal services. Payments began in February 2021, yet substantial work was delayed for months, resulting in Charlemagne pocketing over $582,000 before commencing contractually agreed tasks, according to the news release.
Further investigations uncovered that funds were misappropriated for personal expenses, including credit card bills, car loans and even fireworks.
Richardson, allegedly responsible for the contract’s escalation from $2.99 million to over $4.4 million, is said to have received substantial kickbacks and falsified statements to federal investigators about his involvement.
Read more about the charges here.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. plans to speak with Sen. Kenneth L. Gittens regarding his ethics bill. (Source file photo)
In his weekly press conference on Monday, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said he would be reaching out to help put some teeth in an ethics bill that Sen. Kenneth L. Gittens has before the Senate. This comes in the wake of the arrests of Education’s Director of Maintenance Davidson Charlemagne, 50, and his wife, Sasha Charlemagne, 44, and the indictment of former Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Chief Operating Officer Darin Richardson, 56, of St. Thomas.
Bryan said that this past Monday, the Division of Personnel began its conflict-of-interest training program, something that the governor said they had been working on for a while.
He also mentioned that he took time over the weekend to review the ethics bill that Gittens has before the Legislature. He plans to sit with the senator to clarify some of the information in the bill and called it “a good bill.”
The Source reached out to Sen. Gittens, who provided the bill numbers:
Bill 35-0227: To establish the V.I. Commission of Ethics & Conflict of Interest and provides for the appointment of the board, eligibility, term of office and compensation for members of the commission; the bill also addresses the hiring of professional and support staff.
Bill 35-0228:
Section 1 divests the attorney general of the jurisdiction to administer ethics and conflict of interest laws and allows the attorney general to enforce them in conjunction with the commissioner on ethics and conflicts of interest when there is a criminal nexus.
Section 2 establishes procedures for investigation, enforcing and appealing from ethical and conflict of interest violations of public officers and employees; this section also establishes the ethics commission fund.
Section 3 makes an appropriation ($500,000) to the commission for operating expenses.
“The bill is a companion bill or a twin bill,” Gittens said. The bill is from 2013, and he has worked on it with then-Sen. President Shawn Malone and Sen. Janette Millin-Young.
“The reason it is like that is because I am looking for the commission to be the ones to establish the ethics and conflict of interest laws and I’m presenting it to the Legislature for its ratification. Rather than the Legislature in essence creating its own ethics laws.”
“My reasoning for the bill is that there was a call from the people for greater accountability in government and I had pledged to do so,” Gittens said.
Other senators have also expressed their frustrations with the new developments. Sen. Samuel Carrión shared in a public statement, “I have been extremely frustrated with the pace of our hurricane recovery and senators have been inundated with excuses from some of the same people now facing scrutiny.”
“It is very disconcerting to know that there were individuals pursuing personal agendas when they were entrusted to carry out critical duties on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands. I am truly saddened that there might even be more to come. However, it’s about time these individuals – whether appointed or elected – are held fully accountable. I hope the federal government will work to see that monies are spent in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands,” he continued.
“In the meantime, we must move ahead the best way we can and continue to insist that homes and schools are repaired, roads fixed and our new hospitals are built. I am also renewing my call for federal assistance. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can provide technical support to WAPA, as we can’t move forward without a reliable source of electricity and WAPA clearly requires expert assistance at this time,” Carrión said.
Sen. Marvin Blyden, who is the vice president and chairman of the Committee on Housing, Transportation & Telecommunications, also expressed deep concern amidst the latest corruption allegations. “Let me state from the outset that I have no comment on any of the specific allegations that have been made, as these are matters that the investigators and the courts will handle,” he said.
Education Department Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington told the Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development of difficulties within the public school system. (Screenshot from V.I. Legislature Facebook live stream)
Low and declining test scores, student absenteeism, and a potential teacher shortage were among the concerns education officials told senators about Monday.
Nearly 14 percent of the territory’s public school teachers are eligible for retirement Sept. 1, Education Department Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington told the Committee on Education and Workforce Development. It could mean calamity if all the eligible retirees or even a large number of them left at the beginning of the school year.
“That is alarming as we would never have 126 teachers to replace them,” Wells-Hedrington said. “Members of the leadership team are conducting interviews with both U.S. and internationally qualified professional applicants, with job offers expected to be issued within the next week for the upcoming school year. However, it is important to note that our once-desirable sun, sand, and sea are no longer the primary attraction for many. As we compete with numerous school districts nationwide, our local economy has become a significant deterrent, complicating our ongoing recruitment efforts.”
In all, 332 of the public school system’s 2,230 would be eligible for retirement Sept. 1, she said. The St. Croix School district had 111 vacant positions to fill, and the St. Thomas-St. John district had 106 vacancies ranging from math and music teachers to accountants to custodial workers. The problem was not unique to the Virgin Islands, Wells-Hedrington said, but something the entire country was grappling with.
A potential teacher shortage has broader effects, said Kyza Callwood, chairman of the Virgin Islands Board of Education. Without a disciplinary incentive, some teachers may fall behind on required certification and trainings, knowing they can’t be easily replaced.
Of the territory’s 907 teachers, 541 lacked proper certification, Wells-Hedrington said. More than half of the school system’s 116 administrators also lacked required certifications.
“Our certification data remains very alarming. During our principal presentations last school year, principals reported high percentages of our educators and some administrators not being up to date with their certification,” she said. “Certification fosters professional accountability, encouraging continuous learning and development through ongoing professional education and adherence to ethical standards.”
Teacher certification was fundamental to maintaining integrity and an effective educational system benefiting students, schools, and the broader community,” she said. In February, the Education Department sent letters to all employees lacking needed certification.
“This initiative aimed to raise awareness among the professionals and their leadership, thus, ensuring that everyone involved understood the certification status and could take the necessary steps needed to update their status,” Wells-Hedrington said.
While graduation rates rose in the most recent data reported — from just 62.6 percent in 2018-2019 to 78 percent in 2022-2023 — chronic absenteeism remained troublingly high, she said.
“For the 2024-2025 school year, all students with chronic absenteeism will be referred to the Department of Human Services to intervene, especially if contact is made with parents and no improvements are made. If necessary, the VIDE will also seek assistance from the Family Division of the Virgin Islands Superior Court for chronic absenteeism,” Wells-Hedrington warned. “There is a strong correlation between attendance and academic performance. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform better academically.”
Educators were using detailed data analytics to structure lessons to best reach students who may struggle in one area but excel in another, she said.
“Schools are focusing and channeling resources towards the early childhood years with intentionally targeted training for this upcoming school year on the science of reading and explicit math instruction. We understand as a territory that we must guarantee that our children have a strong foundation and are reading at grade level by the end of third grade,” she said.
Math was a particularly tough subject for many Virgin Islands students. Simply put equations were easily solved, she said, but students struggled with word problems or multi-step computations.
“This difficulty often stems from their ability to understand what the questions are asking. Fundamental reading skills are at the core of our performance challenges in both English Language Art and math,” Wells-Hedrington said.
English Language Art proficiencies took a dip during the pandemic years, falling to 20.8 percent territory-wide in 2022-2021 and 17.5 percent in 2021-2022. The trend continued in 2022-2023, with just 16.9 percent of students gaining proficiency.
“The decline observed during the pandemic period emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to address learning losses and improve educational outcomes in these districts. Academic recovery action steps are included in each individual school improvement plans and we anticipate that their will continue to be growth across the territory as we work to improve our instructional strategies and utilize interventions to close those gaps,” she said.
Callwood said some of the data may be misrepresenting students’ true proficiency, reflecting more poor test-taking skills than a lack of subject mastery.
“When those test come they show a poor reflection on you as a student who is exceptional at what you do but you can’t do so well on the test,” Callwood said.
He also suggested some students don’t find the assessment tests important knowing they don’t change their letter grade in a class.
“I’m still going to be top of my class. It don’t have nothing to do with the test,” Callwood said.
Celebrations of Father’s Day and the St. John Royalty Pageant blended together into an evening of live entertainment on Sunday night. The St. John Celebration Prince and Princess contest, paired with the St. John Junior Miss competition, appeared on stage in a new venue for 2024.
About 250 spectators filled the parking lot by the tennis court to see the introduction of princess contestants Alaysha Pepen and Sarai Lawrence…
Alaysha Pepen’s Market Lady (Source photo by Judi Shimel)Sarai Lawrence’s Cartoon Character (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Followed by junior miss contestants Jendallis Santana and De’Aneysha Hill. Alternating segments for the two contests played out on the same stage, with prop and costume crews rushing into action in their allotted time.
Jendallis Santana displays her Caribbean Flower entry. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)De’Aneysha Hill’s Caribbean Flower flecked with light. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Prince Tejari Moses greeted the crowd during the evening wear segment; he came dressed in a white suit decorated with silver detailing. Fathers and father figures, dressed in formal wear, escorted each contestant at that time.
Settled into their seats facing the stage, the crowd watched, cheered and chatted with each other. Kim Boschulte Ramsingh came to St. John along with her daughter Madison Ramsingh, the reigning Miss USVI.
Boschulte said she liked the pageant setting best when organizers used Celebration Village as a backdrop.
Two and a half hours after the start, the judges made their decisions; Lawrence was crowned princess, and Hill won the title of junior miss.
Pageant volunteers also crowned Moses, the single entry for 2024 Celebration Prince.
1. Team picture of Island Mixx 18U Elite at the Cyril King Airport before leaving to compete in the 2024 AAU National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida. (Source photo by Mark Daniel)
Just as Island Mixx 14U Elite team is saying goodbye to the 2024 AAU National Volleyball Championship in Orlando, Florida, Island Mixx 18U Elite team takes center stage. This team finished the 2024 Michael Richardson Winter Power Volleyball League held in St. Thomas in second place.
The roster is filled with talented players and is ready for this tournament. “Once we play with confidence and limit our unforced errors, we will be in every match we play,” said Head Coach Mark Daniel. “Coach Scott Ozarski did an excellent job preparing them for this competition. I expect them to perform well for him and themselves.”
Ozarski isn’t able to make the trip because he and his wife will be welcoming an addition to their family later this month, so club director Daniel will be managing the team.
This team is led by their strong middles, Mya Vigilant and Xania Fleming. This is Vigilant’s third year playing on the top team in the club and she brings a wealth of game experience on the club and international levels. She is a member of the Virgin Islands Youth and Junior National Team. She is on both rosters as they compete later this summer. Xania Fleming signed a letter of intent to play college volleyball at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Fleming has also traveled with teams in the program over the past three years.
Krystal Eddy is the other middle on this roster. However, she has committed to playing on the U.S. Virgin Islands National Team and will be in training camp with the team during this event as they prepare to participate in the Norceca Continental Championship in Toronto, Canada, June 23 – July 1. Trying to fill her shoes is rookie Alliyah Francis, a talented middle blocker who is making her first showing at this event.
The team boasts experienced players at libero, another keep position. Emma Alexander and Charity Sertich will be the anchors of the backcourt defense and serve reception. Both players have been with the program from the start and have traveled to AAUs for the past four years. They are also excellent servers and will be major contributors to the offense.
We have two rising stars playing on the outside in J’nisa Challenger and Lynnel Warrell. Challenger is very athletic. She has the highest vertical on the team and is quick to the ball. Challenger has become a more consistent hitter. Warrell is tall and strong. She spikes and serves with power. Once they play with confidence and pass the ball efficiently, they will be the key to the team’s offensive success.
Eliana Walters is the third outside hitter on the team but unfortunately, she wasn’t able to make the trip. Dejanae Boland will be the third outside hitter on the team. This is her first year competing at this level.
Lilyana Aubain is the team’s setter. This is her fourth year traveling with the club. Last year, she played several positions on the 18U Elite. The team will be relying on her experience and energy. Aubain is a very passionate player.
The team had three matches on Monday. The first began at 9:00 a.m. against a team from Illinois, Prime Time 18 White. Game two was just 60 minutes later when the team took on FIVA 18U based in Florida.The final match of their opening day was against a team out of Virginia, Venom VBC 18-1. All matches will be played at the Orange County Convention Center’s South Concourse Court 113.
Island Mixx 18U Roster
Eliana Walters 1 Antilles School
Aaliyah Francis 3 All Saints School
Emma Alexander 4 Charlotte Amalie High School
Krystal Eddy 5 Ivanna Eudora Kean High School
Mya Vigilant 6 Antilles School
Dejanae Boland 7 All Saints School
J’Nisa Challenger 9 Charlotte Amalie High School
Xania Fleming 11 Charlotte Amalie High School
Lilyana Aubain 13 Charlotte Amalie High School
Charity Sertich 14 Antilles School
Mark Daniel Head Coach
Chaselle McConnell named State Teacher of the Year. (Photo courtesy VIDE)
On Saturday, the Virgin Islands Education Department celebrated the finalists for State Teacher of the Year and announced the winner at its 2024-2025 State Teacher of the Year Selection Ceremony on St. Croix at Government House.
The ceremony celebrated excellence in education and recognized the outstanding contributions of the two State Teacher of the Year finalists, Chaselle McConnell (St. Croix Educational Complex High School- STX District) and Chevell Simeon (Charlotte Amalie High School- STTJ District). The VIDE is proud to acknowledge both teachers who exemplify the dedication, passion, and commitment that define exceptional educators. Their unwavering commitment to their students serves as a beacon of inspiration, according to the press release.
McConnell was named State Teacher of the Year, the press release stated.
The event was attended by dignitaries and special guests, including Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., Lt. Gov. Tregenza A. Roach, Sen. Marise James, chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce Development, Education Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington, St. Croix District Acting Insular Superintendent Carla Bastian-Knight, VIDE District Leadership, school administrators, staff, family, friends, and well-wishers, the release stated.
Click below to view McConnell and Simeon’s “Why I Teach” videos.
Police arrested a St. Croix woman Saturday for impersonating her deceased mother and selling property that she did not own, the V.I. Police Department reported.
On Dec. 3, 2021, the Economic Crimes Unit initiated an investigation into obtaining money by false pretense complaint. The investigation revealed that Lydia Robles impersonated her deceased mother and forged her signature on a Contract of Sale, which caused her to receive $42,000 in payment from the complainant for a property located in Williams Delight that she does not own. The complainant also made renovations on the home valued at $70,000 to later discover that he did not own the property, according to the police report.
As a result of this investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Robles on April 13, 2022, which was also entered into the National Crime Information Center database, the police report stated.
On Saturday, the Economic Crimes Unit was notified by the United States Customs and
Border Protection office in reference to Robles being present at the Henry E. Rohlsen
Airport. Lydia Robles, 72, was served the arrest warrant, advised of her Miranda Rights, and placed under arrest without incident. Robles was subsequently booked and charged with obtaining money by false pretense, forgery, grand larceny, and attempting or passing forged or counterfeit matters, the report stated.
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in the Caribbean Area is now accepting applications for forest management activities on private lands. The activities aim to reduce wildfire risk in municipal watersheds, implement carbon defense initiatives, and enhance habitat for threatened and endangered species through the Caribbean Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Landowners located in the southern region of Puerto Rico, which covers portions of Cabo Rojo, Lajas, Guánica, Yauco, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, Ponce, Juana Díaz, Villalba, Santa Isabel, Coamo, Salinas, Aibonito, and Guayama, are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center to apply. While NRCS accepts applications for programs year-round, landowners should apply by July 22, to be eligible for this funding cycle, according to the press release.
The Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership enables the Forest Service and NRCS to collaborate with agricultural producers and forest landowners to invest in conservation and restoration at a large enough scale to make a difference. Working in partnership, and at this scale, helps reduce wildfire threats to communities and critical infrastructure, protect water quality and supply, and improve wildlife habitat for at-risk species, the press release stated.
To apply, contact an NRCS representative at your local USDA Service Center. Local Service Centers can be found at www.farmers.gov/service-locator. A secure account can be created on farmers.gov, and apply for NRCS programs, electronically sign documents, and manage your conservation contracts, the release stated.
The Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership is one of 14 projects selected across the U.S. bringing together agricultural producers, forest landowners, and National Forest System lands to improve forest health using available Farm Bill conservation programs and other authorities.
