TW_08.10.15_Edition - St. John Tradewinds News

Transcription

Off-Season Publishing Begins. Next Issue: Aug. 24-Sept. 6
August 10-23, 2015
© Copyright 2015
Second Round
of Property Tax
Bills Issued
Page 7
Sean Downes, 19,
Charged in
Assault on Farrell,
Faced Similar
Charges in Florida
Commissioner
Designee Henry
Defends DPNR’s
Pesticide
Supervision
Before Poisoning
Page 9
New Coalition
Forms To
Address Mental
Health in V.I.
Page 6
Initiative To
Build Coral Bay
Tennis Court
Aims To Even
Score at 30-All
Page 9
Did Conflict of Interest
Protect Terminix
in St. John Condo
Poisoning of Family?
Page 3
St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Tom Oat
Seagulls Stroll on Solid Sargassum
The heavy mat of Sargassum seaweed along the shore of Coral Bay is solid enough to
support a flock of seagulls, difficult for small boats to traverse and very aromatic.
Story and more photos on Page 5
Moravian Church
Official Responds
To Floating Dock
Issue in Coral Bay
Page 2
Letters: Pgs 14-16
2 St. John Tradewinds, August 10-23, 2015
Moravian Church Responds To Coral Bay Dock Issue
St. John Tradewinds
Coral Bay — The Moravian Church Virgin Islands Conference (Moravian Church) is advising the public that as a result of a
recent Coastal Zone Management
(CZM) citation for unauthorized
and unpermitted floating docks
erected on its property at Parcel
No. 10, Estate Emmaus No. 2,
Coral Bay Quarter, St. John, the
Moravian Church, as the property
owner, has taken several actions
necessary to secure its property
and avoid further liability. “The
floating docks that were erected on
the Church’s Coral Bay property
were not constructed or authorized
by the Moravian Church Virgin Islands Conference.
The Church has since posted
signs on its property at Coral Bay
advising the public of restrictions
on the use of the property. There
are a number of abandoned vessels, illegally parked cars and other items on the Church’s property
that must be removed immediately,” stated Eulencine Christopher,
Superintendent of the Moravian
Church VI Conference.
More than 30 years ago, the
Moravian Church built a small
concrete dock at Coral Bay which
residents of Coral Bay and the
public at large are welcomed to
use without any compensation.
The Church is respectfully requesting the cooperation and patience of the public, particularly,
the residents of St. John who use
the dock. “In the best interest of
the Church and the public, the
Registration is underway for the fall term at the University of
the Virgin Islands. New student registration will be August 19-20,
2015, and late registration will be on August 21, 2015. Classes
begin on August 24 and end on December 3.
A limited number of courses can be taken on St. John through
videoconferencing technology at UVI’s St. John Academic Center.
Also, senior citizen residents of the United States Virgin Islands
may enroll in regularly scheduled courses at the University of the
Virgin Islands free of charge during the late registration period. To
qualify, seniors must be at least 60 years of age, as verified by the
senior citizen ID card issued by the United States Virgin Islands
Department of Human Services, and be a resident of the United
States Virgin Islands for at least one year.
To enroll or for further information, contact UVI’s registration
office at 693-1160, or visit the Academic Center located on the
third floor of the Marketplace across from WAPA.
Free Children’s Books at St. John
Rotary Club Book Expo on August 11
St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Judi Shimel
A new and improved dock extention floats beside Coral
Bay dinghy dock.
Moravian Church VI Conference
is seeking to resolve the matter of
the unauthorized floating docks
and is actively engaged in communications with CZM to ensure its
compliance with all relevant codes
and applicable regulations,” stated
Eulencine Christopher, Superintendent.
The Moravian Church VI Con-
ference publicly acknowledges
the generosity and support of the
St. John community, especially
the residents of Coral Bay and the
boating community.
Please contact the Moravian
Church Virgin Islands Conference
at (340) 713-1055 or at [email protected] should you have
any questions or concerns.
Tradewinds Publishing llc
The Community Newspaper Since 1972
Publisher
MaLinda Nelson
[email protected]
Editor
Tom Oat
[email protected]
writers
Amy Roberts, Judi Shimel,
Raven Philips
Contributors
Yelena Rogers, Andrew Rutnik,
Jack Brown, Mares Crane,
Bob Malacarne, Bill Stelzer
Register for Fall 2015 Classes at UVI
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© Copyright 2015
All rights reserved. No reproduction
of news stories, letters, columns,
photographs or advertisements
allowed without written permission
from the publisher.
Families and children with a love for reading are invited to a
book expo on the second floor of The Marketplace on Tuesday,
August 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Books for children of all ages
will be available for easy picking and at no charge. Small treats
and refreshments will be provided by Starfish Market.
The expo is a St. John Rotary Club initiative accompanied by
the Virgin Islands Department of Education.
Books for children of all ages will be available for easy picking and at no charge. The books were donated from Better World
Books, an online bookselling corporation that donates books and
percentages of its profits to literacy programs around the world.
The Rotary Club has received more than 9,000 books and has
begun to disseminate them at various locations such as schools and
libraries.
Passport Office Closed Until Sept. 10
Lieutenant Governor Osbert E. Potter advises the public that
the St. John Passport Acceptance Office will be closed from August
20 until September 10. The St. John Passport Office will resume
normal business hours 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday beginning
on September 17.
The St. John Passport Office temporary closure will not affect
the St. Thomas and/or St. Croix offices business hours. St. John
customers may utilize the St. Thomas Passport Office for service
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
For more information, contact the Passport Office at 340-7744024 in St. Thomas and 340-773-6449 in St. Croix.
Festival Parade Winners Announced
Floupes
1st Place: Caneel Bay
2nd Place: The Westin
“Sounds of Freedom”
Troupes
1st Place: Hugga Bunch
2nd Place: Infernos
3rd Place: What a Party
Mocko Jumbies
1st Place: Tortola
2nd Place: Love City
Mocko Jumbies
Majorettes
1st Place: STT Majorettes
2nd Place: STJ Majorettes
Traditional
1st Place: King Shaka Zulu
Nation
2nd Place: Traditional
Indians
St. John Tradewinds, August 10-23, 2015 3
Commissioner-designee Henry
Defends DPNR’s Pesticide
Supervision Before Poisoning
By TOM OAT
St. John Tradewinds
ST. THOMAS — The prior management of Terminix St. Thomas exterminating company by the father of a top V.I. Department of Planning and Natural
Resources (DPNR) official for almost a decade into
sometime in 2014 has no impact on the DPNR investigation into the company’s pesticide poisoning of
a visiting family of four on St. John in March 2015
with a banned agricultural insecticide, according to
V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources
(DPNR) Commissioner-designee Atty. Dawn Henry
Esq.
A Terminix St. Thomas employee confirmed in a
telephone call from St. John Tradewinds in July that
Hans Oriol, father of DPNR Coastal Zone Management director J.P. Oriol, had left the St. Thomas Terminix company sometime in 2014. The connection,
listed on a professional web site, was reported in the
July 20 St. John Tradewinds after DPNR spokesperson Jamal Nielson did not return a telephone request
for comment.
“Terminex (sic.) International USVI, LLC will be
held fully accountable for its actions in exposing the
community to substances that it knows or should have
known were banned from use in the Territory,” Commissioner Henry stated in a press release shortly after
the poisoning incident. “Our prayers and thoughts are
with the Esmond family and we pray for their full recovery.”
Atty. Henry, who is among the recently-confirmed Mapp Administration cabinet members, was
extremely professional and courteous in responding
to questions from St. John Tradewinds in a protracted
telephone interview on August 7 concerning her department’s role in the supervision of the use of toxic
pesticides by V.I. exterminating companies which
preceded the near-fatal poisoning of a visiting family
of four in a St. John condominium in March.
“It had no consequence in how Terminix was
treated,” the DPNR commissioner-designee averred.
“Terminix did not receive preferential treatment,”
“It is of no importance; it is of no consequence,”
Atty. Henry reiterated. “The department did not act
any differently” because of the Oriol familial connections, according to the commissioner-designee.
“Terminix was not being treated any differently,”
Atty. Henry re-emphasized. “The public should have
no concern that Mr. Oriol’s dad used to be” the general manager of Terminix St. Thomas.
Abusive DPNR Spokesperson
St. John Tradewinds contacted Atty. Henry after
DPNR spokesperson Nielson harangued this reporter
for questioning the role of DPNR CZM director J.P.
Oriol, who served temporarily as acting DPNR Commissioner in 2014 while his father was manager of
Did Conflict of Interest Protect Terminix
in St. John Condo Poisoning of Family?
There was no mention of any personal connection between
Terminix and the DPNR’s J.P. Oriol by the DPNR spokesperson
in the aftermath of the poisoning. Oriol’s possible connection to
Terminix has not been raised by the attorney representing the
family. The DPNR spokesperson did not return calls Friday July 17
seeking clarification on any possible connection between DPNR’s
Oriol and the former manager of Terminix.
– St. John Tradewinds, July 20, 2015
But Official Complains Vociferously
DPNR Spokesperson Nielson
Won’t Talk About DPNR
Friend’s Tie to Terminix
St. John Tradewinds News Photo File
After being poisoned by Methyl Bromide,
the visiting Esmond family requests that
their privacy is respected, according to
their attorney. No updates on the family’s
condition have been issued.
Terminix St. Thomas. (See related story.)
Nielson, a self-professed “close personal friend”
of J.P. Oriol failed to return a telephone request for
information on the familial connection from St. John
Tradewinds before the story was published.
“DPNR inspected the Terminix offices on St.
Thomas on March 23, 2015, and interviewed the employees of Terminex (sic.) International USVI, LLC,”
according to a DPNR press release issued by Nielson shortly after the poisoning. “DPNR confirmed
that Terminix possessed Methyl Bromide and learned
of other locations where Terminex used the banned
Methyl Bromide products. Consequently, DPNR issued a Stop Use Order to Terminix in St. Thomas and
on St. Croix.”
In light of the on-going DPNR and federal Environmental Protection Agency investigations into the
poisoning, St. John Tradewinds did not seek additional comment from Commissioner-designee Henry on
the poisoning incident itself, including DPNR supervision of the Terminix possession of what Nielson’s
press release at the time referred to as a “banned” agricultural pesticide.
Family Attorney Asks Privacy
Shortly after the family was exposed to the heavily-regulated, toxic agricultural pesticide, the attorney
for the family, James Maron of Maryland, informed
St. John Tradewinds that he would have no further
public comment on the incident or the condition of
family of four, a doctor, school administrator and
their two teenage sons and asked that their privacy
be respected.
The mother, a physician, was reported to be undergoing physical therapy after suffering the least
serious exposure to the toxic agricultural pesticide
Continued on Page 19
By TOM OAT
St. John Tradewinds
V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR)
long-time spokesperson Jamal Nielson wouldn’t return telephone
requests from St. John Tradewinds for comment on any connection between former DPNR acting commissioner J.P. Oriol and
the Terminix St. Thomas exterminating company when contacted
for a story in the July 20 edition of Tradewinds about Terminix’s
pesticide poisoning of a family of four at a condominium on St.
John. (See related story on this page)
But Nielson, who professes to be a close friend and professional associate of J.P Oriol, the Director of DPNR’s Coastal
Zone Management who served as acting DPNR Commissioner
for an extended period in 2014 at the end of the deJongh Administration, did subsequently call St. John Tradewinds after the
story was published questioning J.P. Oriol’s connection to his father Hans Oriol’s management of Terminix St. Thomas during
his time as acting commissioner— leaving no message.
Rain Data
Index
(Courtesy of Rafe Boulon)
Business Directory ..............20
Church Directory .................18
Classified Ads .....................21
Community Calendar ..........16
Crossword Puzzle ...............20
Cryptoquip ...........................19
Letters ............................14-16
On the Market .....................13
Real Estate ....................22-23
at Trunk Bay
JULY 2015
0.69 Inches
Average JULY
3.49 Inches
Total Y-t-D
11.38 Inches
(half of that was an
abnormally wet February)
Average Y-T-D
21.11 Inches
April - July 2015 - 2.33”
April - July Avg. - 14.17”
Thursday, Aug. 20th
SCHOOL
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Complimentary Backpacks with
each school physical for first
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*One gift per child. While supplies last.
We are available for school physicals at
Red Hook Family Practice Mon-Fri•8am-5pm
with Special
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by appointment only:
July 25, August 1, 8, 15 & 22•8am-12pm
Call 775-2303 to reserve your appointments. They will book quickly!
Red Hook Family
Medical Group
By Raven Phillips
St. John Tradewinds
CRUZ BAY — An entirely new and incredibly
green approach to trash pickup will be making its way
to St. John.
St. John Valet Waste Services, a trash and recycling pickup service operated by Adam English,
Davy Turner, and Eric Whaite; aims to provide waste
removal in a consistent, hassle-free, and satisfactory
manner.
The service offers trash pickup from a location selected by the customer, directly to the St. John transfer facility on specified dates.
“Our process take pressure off of both our customers and the dumpsters scattered along the island.
We’ll even include a free trash receptacle” explained
Adam English.
Items they will pick up include but is not limited
to general trash, couches and other furniture, electronic wastes, and appliances.
A partnership with the Island Green Living Association (IGLA) enables St. John Valet Waste Services
to easily handle recyclables as well.
Recyclables will picked up from customers and
delivered to IGLA recycling center, instead of a landfill.
“We will work alongside IGLA and grow our capabilities as IGLA’s recycling efforts expand beyond
cans, into plastic, glass, paper, etc.” a flyer for the
business states.
Those who sign up for trash pickup will receive
recyclable pickup for free.
Though the business only launched recently, it is a
yearlong dream that has finally come to fruition.
“We worked on it for a year,” said Adam English.
“we wanted to make sure we were completely ready,
so preparation somewhat delayed things”.
“We aim to provide a service that is both needed
and wanted on the island. We hope that it will leave
a long-term positive impact by increasing recycling
efforts and green living.”
For more information you can visit stjvaletwaste.
com
New Travel + Leisure Award Showcases St. John
In association with
St. Thomas Radiology Associates
Red Hook Family Practice
now offers
Ultrasound Services
at Red Hook Plaza for the convenience
of St. John residents and visitors.
Medicare and Most Insurance Plans Accepted
Wednesdays 9am-12pm & Fridays 1pm-4pm
Call 775-2303 for an appointment today.
RHFMG-Ultrasound TW ad 8.15.indd 1
St. John Tradewinds
Readers of one of the world’s leading travel publication, Travel + Leisure, ranked St. John as one of the
World’s Best Islands in the magazine’s World’s Best
Awards 2015.
St. John received a Number Four ranking in the
list, garnering an 83.37 Travel + Leisure rating. The
award is a result of a survey conducted by Travel +
Leisure that asks readers to rate islands based on the
following criteria: natural attractions/beaches, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people/friendliness and
value.
“We are so proud to see St. John recognized by
Travel + Leisure for a World’s Best Award,” said
Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.
“It is clear that St. John’s pristine beaches and natural
surroundings are appreciated by our visitors. We value the confidence both travelers and the media have
placed in our Territory and along with our partners we
will continue striving to create memorable vacation
experiences for our visitors to enjoy.”
St. John’s beauty was on full display with events
last week. The fourth annual Chaotic Kayak Race occurred Sunday, August 2. The event pits local and visiting kayakers against each other with races from Op-
8/5/15 7:14 PM
St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Tom oat
Caneel Bay, above, is one of many
“pristine beaches” on St. John that are
“appreciated” by visitors.
penheimer Beach. Funds raised are donated to Team
River Runner’s 2015 Wounded Veterans program.
One of the island’s most popular annual events,
the Love City Triathlon, Aquathon and SUPathon,
will return Sunday, September 6 at 7 a.m. at Maho
Bay. The race runs through Virgin Islands National
Park-protected land and water and is open to visitors
and locals.
St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Tom oat
The heavy mat of Sargassum on the shore of Coral Bay, above, has dried in places to
be inpregnable.
Sargassum Solution Sought for Coral Bay
By JUDI SHIMEL
St. John Tradewinds
CORAL BAY — The director of the Coral Bay
Community Council (CBCC) is encouraged to see
local and federal agencies taking action against the
sargassum build-up troubling the territory and wants
them to turn their attention to heavily-impacted Coral
Bay.
CBCC has been relaying concerns from area residents about the brown mats of seaweed that release
a powerful stench as they decompose in the sun, according to organization Director Sharon Coldren.
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) acknowledged that the agency, along with
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is starting
to direct clean up efforts. However, DPNR Public Relations Director Jamal Neilsen said those efforts are
only taking place in one area so far.
St. John officials have taken steps to corral the migrating marine vegetation in the past. Last November
crews from the Department of Public Works, joined
by day workers, tackled a carpet of sargassum covering Cruz Bay Beach in front of Wharfside Village.
Coral Bay Deserves Attention
Coral Bay hasn’t received that kind of attention
yet, Coldren pointed out.
“CBCC has been relaying citizen concerns about
the continuous influx of Sargassum seaweed and the
associated hydrogen sulfide smell and environmental
degradation to shoreline seagrass and coral habitats,
as well as the human and economic consequences to
the shoreline rental villa business,” Coldren said.
How bad is the problem? DPNR’s Neilsen said
the odor of decomposing sargassum has been bad
enough for DPNR workers at the Division of Fish
and Wildlife in Red Hook, St. Thomas, to be excused
from work on certain days. “EPA and DPNR have stepped up to look more
fully at the consequences and perhaps do something
about it,” Coldren said.
Coldren urged residents of Coral Bay and other
parts of St. John to take pictures and send comments
about their sargassum experiences to Jim Casey at the
federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on
St. Thomas and to DPNR’s Director of Environment
Protection Norman Williams.
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all Wines $5/Glass
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V.I. Agencies Collaborate
To Regulate Private Vacation
Room Rental Operation
St. John Tradewinds
ST. JOHN — The Commissioners of Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs and
the Department of Tourism along
with the Director of the Bureau
of Internal Revenue recently met
to discuss the regulation of vacation room rentals in the Virgin
Islands and collection of associated room taxes.
The industry, which is quickly growing in the V.I., is estimated at nearly $25 billion in the
United States alone. Including
Europe that figure grows into the
$85 billion dollar range, according to government figures. The
industry includes villas, timeshares, condominiums, and bed
and breakfast as well as hotel
room rentals.
While there is currently no
legislation in the Virgin Islands
Code that regulates the industry
in a holistic manner, the agency
heads said they see the need to
apprise stakeholders and interested parties in the industry of
their obligations under existing
Virgin Islands law.
Department of Licensing and
Consumer Affairs Commissioner
Devin Carrington stated that individuals and entities involved in
vacation room rentals must apply in writing to and obtain from
the Commissioner of Licensing
and Consumer Affairs the proper
license to engage in or conduct
such business. Licensure is but
part of the larger scheme of proper regulation of the industry for
the benefit of the consumer, said
Carrington.
Non-compliance is a violation that shall result in a citation,
the commissioner stated.
Director Marvin Pickering of
the Bureau of Internal Revenue
reminds stakeholders and interested parties of the obligation to
pay a hotel room occupancy tax
as well as income and gross receipt taxes on rental income as
required by statute. Hotels, villas, timeshare owners and any
one else renting any lodging for
a period of less than 90 days, are
all reminded that the hotel room
tax is 10 percent of that room
rental.
Nicohlson Doty stated that
compliance with the obligation
for a business license only accrues to the benefit of the industry as a whole as proper regulation of the industry helps ensure
that our visitors enjoy a most
memorable experience in the
Virgin Islands.
Proper regulation of accommodations can only translate into
a more rich and rewarding stay
and the prospect of a return visit
or word of mouth new visitors,
stated the commissioner.
The commissioner also reminded vacation room rental
stakeholders and interested partie that the hotel room tax, which
is deposited into the Tourism
Advertising Revolving Fund, is
used exclusively for advertising
the Virgin Islands as a tourist
destination.
New Coalition Forms To Address
Mental Health in Virgin Islands
By JUDI SHIMEL
St. John Tradewinds
CRUZ BAY — A new group
of advocates forming in the Virgin
Islands to raise awareness of the issue of mental health conducted the
first meeting of the Mental Health
Outreach core team on August 6.
The new group wants to shed
light on what has, until now, been a
neglected subject, according to Attorney Archie Jennings, the chief
attorney working with the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin
Islands, who was among those attending the charter meeting of the
outreach team.
A small group of St. John
residents will continue the discussion Monday, Aug. 10, at Nazareth Lutheran Church, as part of a
scheduled meeting of island clergy
members. Representatives of St.
John Rotary, the Family Resource
Center, volunteers working with
the homeless and members of the
faith community are expected to
share some of particular challenges and needs on St. John.
One of the goals will be to create a five-year strategic plan for
improving mental health services
and resources in the territory, team
member Johanna Bermudez said.
The group also discussed comments and suggestions they have
received so far about ways to connect with residents and get them
thinking about what it means to
live with mental illness in the Virgin Islands.
“If there are people out there,
pushing for change, this is the time
to get out there and tell their stories,” Jennings said.
Mental Health Outreach is a
separate organization from DRCVI, Jennings explained, adding the
groups hope to collaborate over
common themes. Advocates hope
their outreach efforts will culminate in policy suggestions they can
present to lawmakers and other
leaders in government.
St. Thomas Sea View Nursing Home To Close
By Judi Shimel
St. John Tradewinds
ST. THOMAS — An agreement between the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services and
owners of Sea View Nursing Home
will lead to the closure of the only
skilled nursing home in the Virgin
Islands by January 2016.
Closing Sea View came about
as part of a settlement between
nursing home owners and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services. In exchange, Sea View
owners agreed to end legal action
challenging a decertification notice
issued by the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services.
The deal was announced July
30, the day Sea View was scheduled to receive its final reimbursement from CMS for reimbursement of cost for services provided
to 31 patients still receiving care at
the facility in Estate Bovoni.
Now, with the settlement in
place, Medicare and Medicaid
reimbursements can continue
through June 30, 2016. Penalties
and fines totaling $16,050 imposed on Sea View were also revoked. Those fines were assessed
following a series of unfavorable
inspections in September 2013, in
March 2014, Sept. 2014 and April
2015.
Sea View owners have agreed
to notify patients and their caregivers about the facility’s pending
closure and to fully cooperate with
the V.I. Government in arranging
transfer for its residents. Because
of its role as the local agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid
programs, the Department of Human Services is leading efforts on
behalf of Gov. Kenneth Mapp.
St. Johnians have long relied
on Sea View to care for sick and
elderly relatives who could no longer be cared for at home.
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St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Judi Shimel
On-line Property Tax System Set: Gov. Kenneth Mapp and Lt. Governor Osbert
Potter announced the start of a new on-line property tax payment system at Government
House on Aug. 4. The introduction of the new payment system coincided with
disbursement of a second round of property tax bills for 2015 on Aug. 1.
Second Round of Property Tax Bills Issued
By JUDI SHIMEL
St. John Tradewinds
ST. THOMAS — Virgin Islands property owners can expect
to see new tax bills in the mail
after the second round of tax bills
was issued Aug. 1.
Lt. Gov. Osbert Potter introduced a new online property tax
payment system to make the payment process more palatable for
residents.
Easing the pain of paying two
tax bills in one year is also on the
mind of the 31st Legislature, where
Sen. President Neville James says
a measure has been proposed to
forestall late payment penalties.
Potter announced the new payment system at a press conference
Aug. 5 at Government House. The
electronic payment system, he
said, is designed to help taxpayers avoid long lines they often find
when paying in person.
“We have worked hard in
reaching this particular milestone,
to avoid the long lines that you
have been subject to in the past,”
he said.
The Office of the Tax Assessor,
which issues property bills, operates under the direction of the territory’s lieutenant governor.
The online portal to make payments can be found at propertytax.
vi.gov. Taxpayers who access the
portal are also able to check their
payment history. A receipt confirmation is sent by email to the
payer
Property owners paying taxes
through escrow accounts can use
the online system by authorizing
the bank to use that method, according to Regina Watson, spokesperson for Potter.
The VI government has been
issuing two property tax bills per
year in recent years in an effort to
recapture revenues it could not collect in the early 2000s when taxpayers sued in federal court over
the way bills were calculated.
“No Surprise”
However in 2014 there was
only one bill issued and Sen.
James said there should be no surprise that a second bill came out in
2015. The administration of Gov.
Kenneth Mapp is anxious to get
the tax collection process started,
James said.
For several weeks administration officials have been pressing
lawmakers to approve their quest
for revenue anticipation notes
from the bond market. Revenues
derived from collecting property
taxes will retire the notes.
“This is just borrowing money
from the bank in anticipation of
collecting money from the bank,”
James said.
But to ease the pressure on
taxpayers, Sen. Marvin Blyden
offered an amendment that would
suspend late payment penalties for
those paying after Oct. 1 if passed
by the 31st Legislature.
However, the senate president
said late payers cannot expect late
payments will go penalty free indefinitely.
Gretchen Labrenz
Amanda Arquit
Margie Labrenz
This week’s Feature
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By Raven Phillips
St. John Tradewinds
ST. JOHN — Two young St. John ladies looked
forward to their further education and professional
careers as they marked the end of a six-week tourism
program introduced by Senator-at-Large Almando
“Rocky” Liburd and the Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association on July 27.
The tourism program was one of two programs
that were intended to introduce students to important
industries in the Virgin Islands. Participants undertook
internships at different hotels and resorts. A second
program involving the marine industry on St. Thomas
wrapped up the following week
“It is important that we offer summer jobs and internships in order to both teach young people about
the working world and expose them to the various opportunities here in the Virgin Islands,” said program
sponsor Sen. Liburd.
“The students we selected demonstrated an interest in working in hospitality, however I trust the skills
they obtain this summer will serve them in any career
that they choose to pursue,” said Sen. Liburd of the
tourism program students.
The two selected St. John students, Larisma Maduro and Aariyah Athanase, worked at Caneel Bay
Resort and Westin Resort respectively.
Treated Like New Employees
The two students were given no prior training and
were treated like new employees. They were given an
orientation and a plethora of seasoned employees to
advise them.
“I was in the accounting department where they are
responsible for payroll, cash collections, payments,
checks and balances, and etcetera” said 16-year-old
Larisma Maduro, a Gifft Hill School junior.
During her time at the opulent Caneel Bay Resort,
Larisma enjoyed obtaining an abundance of practical
skills and knowledge.
“My favorite part about the job was the learning
experience,” Larisma explained. “Sometimes my coworkers would pull me from certain tasks and teach
me about their role in the department.”
After six weeks with scarcely any issues, Larisma
plans to enjoy the rest of her summer and to later apply the knowledge that she has accumulated to finding
employment.
“My plans are to enjoy the rest of my summer in
the states, but when I come back I will use my experience from this program to find a job so that I can work
after school and or on the weekends,” Larisma said.
Interacting with Guests
Meanwhile her counterpart Aariyah Athanase
worked in guest services at the gorgeous Westin Resort.
“I was placed in Guest Services because I wanted
to be able to interact with the guests,” explained the
17-year-old graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High
School.
“When they heard of my artistic abilities, they
placed me in Activities with the fun team,” she said.
St. John Tradewinds News Photo File
Larisma Maduro, above, worked at
Caneel Bay Resort in their accounting
department where she enjoyed the
“learning experience.”
“My main job was working in the Kids Club, but I
also worked at the Pool Hut and would helped carry
out the daily activities.”
The program encouraged her to exit her comfort
zone, Aariyah said.
“I am a shy person, so the hardest thing for me
was trying to open up with the guests down by the
pool hut,” Aariyah explained. “Thankfully my supervisors and other employees helped by welcoming me
and by giving me tips as to how to make the guests
feel welcomed.”
“As an artist, being able to communicate and
making connections is a major part of my job,” she
added.
“Being part of the Fun Team forced me out of my
shell and really exposed me to different people,” she
admitted. “Even though I’m still shy, I’m not as timid
as I used to be and can be more at ease when talking
to new people.”
Furthering Education
Aariyah plans to further her education at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, in September.
“Until then I’m improving my skills as an artist
and preparing to start my college experience,” she explained.
“I intend to use the communication skills I obtained
in my everyday life, so that I can begin making lasting
impressions on others and creating connections that
can last,” Aariyah concluded. “I look forward to going
somewhere and meeting completely new people.”
Sean Downes, 19, Charged
in Assault on Farrell, Faced
Similar Charges in Florida
St. John Tradewinds
ST. JOHN — A 19-yearold Florida man charged with
the brutal late night assault on a
popular St. John hospitality industry manager in Frank Powell
Park was involved in a recent
similar incident in West Palm
Beach, Florida, in October 2014,
according to an electronic media
report in his wealthy hometown
enclave.
Sean Downes of Delray
Beach, Florida, was released on
bail and allowed to leave the U.S.
Virgin Islands to return for trial
after being arraigned in Territorial Court on Monday, July 20,
for brutally beating long-time
island entrepreneur and entertainer Tommy Farrell early Sunday morning, July 19, as part of a
small group of young visitors.
Farrell
told
St.
John
Tradewinds he approached the
group in the park to ask them to
stop vandalizing patio furniture
at a closed outdoor restaurant in
Frank Powell Park opposite the
Cruz Bay ferry dock. The longtime St. John resident said he
was punched in the head without
warning and lost consciousness
after the first blow.
St. John Tradewinds News Photo
Sean Downes
From the multiple injuries
to Farrell’s face visible in photos taken after the attack it is
apparent that Farrell also was
struck numerous times, apparently while unconscious. Farrell
also complained of bump on the
back of his head from hitting the
ground when he was knocked
unconscious and back injuries
possibly from being kicked and
beaten while unconscious on the
ground.
Downes was charged with aggravated battery in an eerily simiContinued on Page 19
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Gallows Point Resort (above lobby) Cruz Bay, St. John, VI tel:340-‐776-‐0001 | email:[email protected] www.ocean362.com | 362 gallows point rd Initiative To Build Coral Bay Tennis Court
Aims To Even Island Score at 30-All
By Raven Phillips
St. John Tradewinds
CORAL BAY — If a score was being kept on the
amount of public tennis courts between Cruz Bay and
Coral Bay, it would be 30-love.
For those who are not versed in the terminology of
tennis, this means that Cruz Bay has two courts, while
Coral Bay has none.
A recent initiative aims to correct this. Many of
the avid tennis players who reside on St. John are
banding together to have a tennis court established in
Coral Bay.
The ideal location is a four acre-parcel of land
situated just uphill from the triangle.
The land was intended for recreational use as per
the wishes of the Marsh family, but it is currently being used as a public dump.
“There should be tennis courts, basketball court,
playgrounds, picnic tables, and more over there,”
explained Caneel Hill tennis guru Steve Black. “The
land has a gentle view of the harbor and it could become a focal point for families, our youth and Coral
Bay visitors.”
Cruz Bay Court Woes
The initiative came to the forefront recently when
a net pole broke on one of the courts in Cruz Bay and
there was a lengthy delay in finding the pole and getting it repaired.
“During that time only one court was available,”
explained Black. “So, I urged Craig Newell to restart
the effort for courts in Coral Bay by linking up with
other players on the island.”
Tennis enthusiast Craig Newell has busied himself
with circulating flyers and petitions across the island.
“Tennis is such a wonderful sport,” explained
Newell. “It can help the youth develop a positive at-
Selling?
Buying?
Renting
Seeking?
get
ReSultS!
St. John Tradewinds
Classifieds
e-mail: advertising@
tradewinds.vi
or call 340-776-6496
Those interested are encouraged to sign
the Coral Bay tennis court petition.
titude and direction in life.”
“All in all, this court can benefit everyone in Coral
Bay,” Newell added. “Visitors and locals will no longer have to travel to the court all the way in Cruz Bay,
the noisiest part of the island!”
Funding for this project could be made available
through the Capital Improvement Fund which former
Senator at Large Craig Barshinger has indicated may
contain as much as $5 million, according to Black.
“Coral Bay has become a significant community
on our island and deserves the amenities which communities commonly have,” said Black. “Tennis is
great exercise; it’s demanding and challenging, and
everyone who plays this sport feels better for the experience”
Flyers and petitions for the initiative can be found
at both Connections in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay.
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St. John Tradewinds News Photos Courtesy of Frends of VINP
The Learn to Swim program at Trunk Bay is funded by
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. Learn to Swim
student gives the day a thumbs up, above left. GuyerStevens and National Park Ranger Brannick’s son, above
right, take a brief break from instruction
Learning to Swim – One Tot at a Time
By Katie Burke
Special to St. John Tradewinds
TRUNK BAY — On a beautiful summer day in Trunk Bay, more than 35 St John
children take to the sea to learn a critical
skill: how to swim. Over the course of a few
weeks in July many of these future guardians of the island go from fearing putting
their heads under water and wearing swim
belts to splashing and diving for rings on the
sandy bottom. The Learn to Swim program,
funded by Friends of Virgin Islands National
Park and managed by the National Park, is
one of 21 programs and projects that Friends
funds and facilitates around the Island.
The Learn to Swim program has been
running for decades. In fact, one proud parent watching his 6 year old learn with longtime volunteer instructor Lee Hoerner, recalls taking these very lessons as a boy with
Oscar James and Ilva Wesselhoff. In fact,
when he was in 6th grade, after his lessons,
he started diving for conch and whelk to pay
for his school uniform. “We used to come
early and get chicken and French fries from
Joe’s Diner before our lesson.” Years later,
his older sons (now 24 and 25) attended and
today his son Caleel happily grows more
and more comfortable in the water thanks
to the instruction of dedicated park ranger
Laurel Brannick and Friends summer intern,
Jasper Guyer-Stevens. Brannick says the
kids come year after year.
The Learn to Swim program works with
any organized youth group. They try to accommodate everyone. They teach groups
from camps and churches around St John
and St Thomas and will work with stateside
groups too. “These kids are future stewards of our coral reefs and beaches. How
will they know to protect them if they don’t
know what they are and see them for themselves?” Brannick thoughtfully asks.
Thanks to the generous donors of Friends
of Virgin Islands National Park, who raises
over $500,000 per year to fund over 20 preservation, protection, and education projects
around the island annually, this program is
free for the kids to attend. The kickboards,
swim belts, snorkels, masks, hoops, and
rings are all paid for by Friends of the Park
as well.
Being comfortable in the ocean is the first
step to discovering, valuing and protecting
coral reefs and marine life. Ironically, many
local families come from a culture in which
elders don’t know how to swim. This program breaks down financial and educational
barriers to give lessons that last a lifetime,
may save lives, and will engage children in
our environment.
Hoerner understands this as she helps
two of the kids become comfortable putting
their faces underwater. She begins by dropping two plastic rings to the sand about two
feet below and the kids reach down to grab
them. Gradually she goes a little deeper and
eventually the kids are dunking their heads
underwater with their masks and retrieving
the rings. They quickly make major progress, getting over that initial fear. They also
overcome their fear of the small fish. GuyerStevens recounts a conversation with one of
the new swimmers, “Ranger Laurel sends
the kids swimming from the shallow waters to a little deeper waters, a distance only
about 10-15 feet, this is sometimes the most
some kids have ever swum – and one girl on
the first day was scared of the fish she saw
under water, but the next time around she
told me how she wasn’t scared of them anymore! It was awesome to see the progress in
such a short amount of time.”
If you would like to support the Learnto-Swim program and help it grow, contact
Karen Vahling, Friends development director, at [email protected] or call
779-4940.
POISONING EMERGENCY?
Expert, confidential advice from the health professionals
at the Florida/USVI Poison Information Center.
Wharfside Village, St. John
• 340-776-0774
St. John Tradewinds News Photo Courtesy of Doug White
Mini Moke “Cult Car”
Past Meets Future With Classic 1967
Austin Mini Moke Conversion to Electric
By Doug White
Special to St. John Tradewinds
ST. JOHN — The Mini Moke is a “cult car” with
a worldwide following that celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2014!
The Mini Moke was designed and produced in
England by BMC, British Motor Corporation, beginning in 1964. BMC had merged the Morris and Austin
automobile companies in 1952 (and Jaguar in 1966)
and 15,000 Mini Mokes were produced in England by
Austin and Morris until 1969.
The Mini Mokes were built on a Mini sub frame
and powered by a front wheel drive, “A” Series, 890
cc. transversely-mounted Mini engine/gearbox unit.
Mokes were produced in Australia from 1966-1983
and production moved to Portugal from 1983 to 1989.
Moke’s were also produced in Italy from 1991 to 1993
when the last Moke was made.
This worldwide production diversification means
that Mini Mokes still exist all over the world today!
And because of the popularity of the Mini Cooper,
Mini parts for the Moke are still available!
Let me be the first to say that I am sure some Mini
Moke purist will think that I am a “philistine” for removing a 48 year old ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and replacing it with a 20 HP electric AC motor
and 11 kW lithium iron phosphate battery bank! And
maybe I am, but here is my story.
Fascination from 1970s
My fascination with the Mini Moke started in the
mid 1970s in Tortola, BVI where I was chartering my
classic wooden ocean racing yawl “Stormy Weather”
and needed a vehicle on land. A Moke was the first
car I owned when I moved to the Caribbean. I loved
having a Mini Moke!
You could drive anywhere on the island, beaches,
cow pastures, etc. and never get stuck! And of course
if you did get stuck, you just pick the back end up and
move it over a bit… and off you go. In those days
one could drive into Road Town and leave keys and
belongings in the car and never worry.
Fast Forward 40 years.
I am now a retired architect living on St. John and
St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where life is
easier for a U.S. citizen. I have been driving solarpowered (with PV modules on the roof) GEM (Global Electric Motors) NEV (Neighborhood Electric
Vehicles) mini trucks for about 15 years. The GEMs
are a 7 HP, 72 volt DC system with heavy lead acid
batteries, which severely limit range and speed on our
hilly terrain.
The Virgin Islands has very regressive auto dealerships that do not sell electric cars or even hybrids!
So, wanting to drive a zero emission vehicle that runs
on sunshine, I decided to do a conversion!
I wanted to make an “all island, go anywhere”
electric vehicle (EV). Of Course, to start an EV conversion, one needs a donor vehicle. I asked myself.
What is the best “island” car I have ever owned? And
BOOM! A Mini Moke popped into my mind. Instantly I made the decision to make an electric Mini Moke!
Yelena Rogers Photography
PO Box 554, St. John, VI 00831
340-774-4027 603-401-4757
www.facebook.com/yelena.rogers.photography
U. S . V I RG I N I S L A N D S
501 (3) c
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
oreo is a
wonderful 1 year
old male who is
very outgoing and
affectionate. He
does have some
energy but loves
to play with other
dogs, and would
make a wonderful
addition to any
family.
PO BOX 429, ST. JOHN, VI . 774-1625 . ACROSS FROM LIBRARY
attention
readers
and
advertisers:
St. John Tradewinds
has commenced its
Legislation Submitted for Medical Cannabis Industry
U.S. Virgin Islands Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act
St. John Tradewinds
Senator Nelson is happy to announce that on
Wednesday, August 5, the language for BR# 15-0063,
The USVI Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act, was
submitted to Legal Counsel, answering the 10,000 +
voters (56.6% margin) who supported the Medical
Cannabis Referendum, that was placed on the November 2014 General Election ballot.
After meeting with legislators, government officials, medical doctors and companies who are actively involved in the Medical Cannabis industry (in
both Washington State and Colorado, April 2015),
Senator Nelson was equipped with practical knowledge pertaining to the factors that are necessary to be
addressed, in order to benefit the patients and local
entrepreneurs.
Senator Nelson expresses his appreciation and
thanks all those who supported and assisted in getting
the legislation to this point.
Prior to being proformaed, the legislation can be
found on Senator Nelson’s official Facebook page,
https://www.facebook.com/PositiveNelson.
For more information please call 340-712-2210
and/or email [email protected].
Much Discussed at Coral Bay Yacht Club Meeting
Off-Season Schedule
OFF-SEASON ISSUES:
August 10 th and 24th
September 7th and 21st
St. John Tradewinds News Photo Courtesy of CBYC
The Coral Bay Yacht Club met in its usual spot, the backyard of Skinny’s Legs, for
its monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 4th. This meeting was to discuss concerns
about the Moravian Church Conference’s posted floating dock removal and the
reduction in parking, and towing of vehicles — that will impact all boaters, KATS,
charter boat businesses, residents and tourists enjoying the waters of Coral Bay.
The Conference has been contacted and there is hope for a resolution.
Also discussed were the four scholarships for local K-12 students being provided
from the Flotilla funds, and what to do with the rest of the remaining funds. Over the
years, well over $80,000 was raised and used for Guy Benjamin School which the
government recently closed. In the years before benefiting the school, the annual
fundraiser was held for Emmaus Church building repairs.
Since it is hurricane season, members were urged to contact the owners of all
nonactive boats at the dinghy dock to remove them and store safely them on land
away from the shore.
The Yacht Club volunteer participation in the CBCC NOAA marine debris removal
project was also discussed and the timetable for the contractor, depending on
permits being obtained.
Ideas for a float in the Coral Bay Labor Day parade were also discussed.
Cotton To The Peaceful Charm of Paper Moon
By Raven Phillips
St. John Tradewinds
JOHNSON BAY — Tucked
away in sleepy Coral Bay is a
beautiful handcrafted stone and
masonry villa named Paper Moon.
The villa contains two bedrooms and two bathrooms resting on top of a 0.27 acre lot and
is for sale for $848,000 according
to Tammy Donnelly, broker/owner
of 340 Real Estate.
“A lot of thought and attention
to detail has gone into the design
and building of this unique villa.
From the limestone kitchen counter tops, the sliding window from
the kitchen to the outside dining
table, beautiful Pitch Pine shelf
tops, brick work, and cypress shut-
ters just to mention a few” said
Donnelly.
The peaceful charm of the
villa can be seen from the delicate
kitchen, to the homely living room,
to the lofty sleeping area.
Located in a small waterfront
gated neighborhood with paved
roads and distinct valley views,
the property has a small caretaker’s cottage on site along with expired plans for a second house on
the property.
The villa is of walking distance
to the calm waters of Johnson Bay,
where one can enjoy activities like
swimming, snorkeling, and even
kayaking.
The property also features a
hot tub for those who want to re-
Kayak Races Raise More Than
$57,000 for Team River Runner
lax and enjoy the scenery from the
privacy of a discreet patio.
For more information on Paper
Moon, call Donnelly at 340 Real
Estate at (340) 779-4478 or on her
cell phone at 340-643-6068.
St. John Tradewinds News Photo
Enjoy waterfront views of Johnson Bay from the gazebo.
Pollution
Solutions
Recycle items to keep them out of the
landfill and our environment!
Practice recycling by:

Dropping aluminum cans in
the collection boxes at the
waste bin sites

Leaving car or boat batteries
at Coral Bay Marine or
Caravan Auto Parts
St. John Tradewinds News
Photos Courtesy of SJCF
The community came
out in full force to support
the wounded veterans of
Team River Runner on
Sunday, August 2.

Dropping old cell phones
at AT&T stores

Dropping ink cartridges at
the CBCC office or Office Max
340-776-2099
www.coralbaycommunitycouncil.org
Produced under a grant by the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are solely the responsibility of the Coral Bay Community Council and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Rural Utilities Service.
Letters to St. John Tradewinds
Legalizing Chaos
It is because of our sinful nature that we take the wonderful things
that God has made and we exploit them for our sordid gain.
One of our well-meaning senators has begun to bring us into the
world of legalizing marijuana. In his context, it will be used primarily for medicinal uses.
My qualms are about the proposal itself; it’s about the bigger picture that’s unfolding here in the V.I. Our leaders in an attempt to
secure new funding, are seeking to legalize questionable activities.
We already know that there’s an alcohol problem. Prohibition
tried to solve that, but it failed. So now, we have a legal way of losing
our minds, self-control, families, businesses and lives.
Added to this would be legalized marijuana and what’s next?
A while back, a senator was thinking of introducing a bill that
would legalize prostitution. Another elected official wants to add
same-sex marriage to that list.
How many of these legalization proposals are we going to try,
knowing that they have failed?
The United States is a test ground for new pursuits. We have
seen government controlled gaming, taxes on liquor and cigarettes,
and other initiatives fail to produce any worthwhile gains. They have
resulted in more hardships on our minds, bodies, and pocketbooks.
Our streets are already filled with illicit activities. Now some
want to make them legal.
We are not crazy folks. We are a society built upon hard work,
strict moral principles and a friendly atmosphere.
The problem is, our leaders are regurgitating old, tired and sinful
practices that have caused many socities to fail. Our island leaders
are lacking a vision, which is why they are running helter-skelter all
over the place trying to find solutions.
If we the people don’t rise up, our misguided leaders will send us
down a path to legalize chaos.
Emmanuel Prince
St. John, VI
Crossword Answers (Puzzle located on Page 20)
Rymer’s Actions Violate Every Tenet of Chruch Principles
As reported in the July 22nd edition of the St. John
Tradewinds, the Coral Bay Floating dinghy dock, adjacent to the historic stone and concrete dock will be
removed on Augusts 21st. So says a large sign posted
next to the dock by a gentlemen named Mr. Samuel
Rymer. He is the Property Manager for the Moravian
Church VI Conference, so we must assume his actions were approved in advance by the Conference.
The Coral Bay boaters have always had good relations with the local church. Many years ago, the
first “Flotilla” organized by the Coral Bay Yacht Club
raised in excess of $10,000 which was donated to the
church to pay for needed repairs to the church buildings. The church subsequently invited the boaters to a
thank you dinner.
The Conference in 2006 granted a 99 year lease
to developers then called TREX, now called Sirius,
to build and develop a condominium and marina
complex on the conference land abutting and on both
sides of the dinghy dock. At recent public meetings,
the Sirius spokesman stated that if the dinghy dock
could no longer be used by local boaters and visitors due to construction, an alternative facility would
be provided. He obviously understood the need for
such a facility in Coral Bay, both for boaters and the
economy overall. There was no indication that Sirius
has a problem with the long standing current access
situation.
So why is Mr. Rymer going to remove the floating
dock? This should be up to Sirius the lease holder.
As there was no prior warning whatsoever to the
community that Mr. Rymer was planning to remove
the floating docks and I haven’t heard anything to
date we can only wonder at his motivation. He has
also blocked and eliminated some parking for the
dock and apparently plans to do more. I’ve heard
his explanation is that he is cleaning up the area in
advance of the future Sirius development. Anyone familiar with the permitting process for that knows that
the final approval will be many years in the future.
And because Mr. Rymer’s actions violate every
tenet of church principles, such as “love thy neighbor” and Do unto others...” I find it hard to believe
the conference leadership knew what he was going to
do in advance.
I hope that ultimately common sense and reasonableness will prevail and that this major problem can
be amicable resolved. The historic dinghy dock, with
its necessary floating addition, is vitally important to
all of Coral Bay.
Phil Strenger
Coral Bay homeowner and boater
Straight Talk on Coral Bay Marina
I am a sailor, a U.S. Navy trained ships engineer
and also a physical oceanographer.
I had a small company to do science for hire to
commercial interests for shore-side building projects, ocean current regime studies and charts, wave
refraction, sand migration, bathymetry, water quality
and environmental impact studies and permit applications. Projects include sewage discharges, reverse
osmosis discharges, gray water irrigation projects and
etc. I am now retired.
Traditional Harbor of Refuge
Coral Bay and Hurricane Hole have traditionally
been a refuge for me and other sailors to rest, work
on our boats, re-provision and play with our friends.
I am here because it is quiet, natural, friendly, and an
altogether beautiful, old-fashioned Caribbean atmosphere.
I enjoy talking to the type of tourists who come
here to play. They like Coral Bay because it’s more
like the real Caribbean: undeveloped, natural, peaceful, friendly, quiet and just fun. They are tired of these
over-developed, super-commercial marinas and strip
malls. Most everyone seeks nature and natural settings now.
St. John is largely a national park. It is a small island. We want the land that is left for us to live on and
enjoy to be kept in a more natural condition. We like
the goats, donkeys and deer in the woods.
It’s the traditional Caribbean we love; that’s why
we like it and that’s why our growing flock of tour-
ists come here. Coral Bay is a classic fun Caribbean
village of peace and tranquil life. We work hard to
preserve this, our cultural heritage.
In this stressful, overdeveloped world, most people are searching for places like Coral Bay. When
they finally find us, it’s like discovering gold. They
then come back again and again.
“At last,” they say, “a quiet, peaceful, friendly
place to relax and get away from all the commercial,
congested, noisy, tiresome places that all look the
same.”
This is a national park and Coral Bay is a traditional cultural treasure. We will do everything it takes
to preserve it.
“We don’t need much employment.”
We don’t need much employment where we live.
Enough small, local owned businesses are all we want
and need. This place is “country,” and it most definitely needs to be preserved and respected.
The idea of turning Coral Bay into a rich man’s
parking lot is absolutely repugnant to us and our culture. Leave us alone and stop these greedy obnoxious
developers with dollar signs in their eyes who buy
and force their way in to take over.
What they will destroy in doing this is much more
valuable than money; it cannot be recovered.
Coral Bay and its environment need to be zoned for
homes and light businesses only, by law. This needs
to be done right away; before another obnoxious deContinued on Page 16
New Comment Period on Marina Impacting Park Resources
Since the beginning of the year we have alerted
you to the plans to build a very large marina in Coral
Bay that will threaten the marine resources of Virgin
Islands National Park and the Coral Reef National
Monument.
Many of you responded to our call to action and
sent letters and emails to the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACoE). Due to some changes in the marina
developer’s application for the project – which did not
lessen any of the negative environmental or other impacts of the project – the ACoE issued a new public notice and public comment period for the project. Please
follow this link to read the public notice: http://www.
saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices/tabid/6072/Article/607770/saj-2004-12518-sp-jcm.
aspx
We remain particularly alarmed about environmental issues and the impact this development will have
on nearby VI National Park lands and VI Coral Reef
National Monument waters both at Hurricane Hole and
to the south of St. John.
There is also widespread concern about this development on social, economic, and environmental
grounds. In addition, the viability of its location and its
feasibility as a sustainable business is also called into
question. You can read more about these concerns at
www.savecoralbay.com
Due to ACoE regulations only public comments
responding to the new public comment period will
be considered; so, if you share our concern about this
project I again urge you to voice your opinion by responding to the US Army Corps of Engineers’ request
for public comment. You can provide your comments
by mail or electronically (see instructions below), but
please do so as soon as possible – the deadline for receiving comments is August 24, 2015. We have included a form letter below for you to send or personalize.
Some issues/talking points you may want to consider include:
This marina would be a significant threat to nearby
NPS-protected lands and waters. National Park land
abuts the site of the proposed marina and the waters of
Virgin islands Coral Reef National Monument are only
a mile away as a gull flies and 1½ miles by water.
Within Coral Harbour it would eliminate a minimum of nine acres of seagrass beds, create a sizeable
obstruction to water flow in the bay, add an unknown
amount and number of contaminants to the bay waters
from all the vessels and generally lead to severe degradation of water quality. There are no physical barriers in the sea and the degradation of the waters of
Coral Bay will have a negative impact on the waters of
nearby Hurricane Hole and beyond.
The National Monument contains significant biological flora and fauna, including several threatened
and endangered species, which forage, breed, nest, rest,
or calve in the waters. Humpback whales, pilot whales,
four species of dolphins, brown pelicans, roseate terns,
least terns, hawksbill sea turtles, leatherback sea turtles,
and green sea turtles all use portions of the monument.
Countless species of reef fishes, invertebrates, plants
and algae utilize these submerged lands during their
lives, and over 25 species of seabirds feed in the waters.
Between the near shore nursery habitats and the shelf
edge spawning sites, habitats in the monument play
essential roles during specific developmental stages
of reef associated species, including spawning migrations of many reef fish species and crustaceans. These
are threatened by the marina and the development has
given no consideration to the potential negative cumulative impacts to park and monument resources caused
by significantly increased vessel traffic.
Mitigation measures proposed by the developers,
such as planting seagrass where there is none presently
(and where they probably would not grow), and planting mangroves in an area unsuitable for mangroves, are
simply not adequate.
The Environmental Assessment prepared for this
marina gives no consideration to impacts to the monument’s water quality, marine resources, wetlands
(mangroves) coral reefs, sea grasses, fish, marine invertebrates, and species of concern protected by the
Endangered Species Act.
There is an opportunity to request a public hearing
about the application for the marina. In your response
to the US Army Corps of Engineers please request a
public hearing, and give a reason such as the need for
more information, or because of the public controversy.
I urge you to voice your concerns about this marina. Even if you sent comments the last time, please
respond again. In all cases please cc nomarina@
friendsvinp.org
· Option 1: Send a personal email or letter on what
this marina will mean to you and the national park that
means so much to you.
· Option 2: Resend the letter/email that you sent in
response to the original call to action.
· Option 3: Cut and paste the sample letter below
and send as an email. Please feel free to revise/customize the letter as you see fit.
Please treat this as a matter of urgency. Whether
you send one sentence or a full page please register
your concern now.
Emails can be sent to: Mr. José A. Cedeño-Maldonado, Antilles Permits Section; Subject: Application
SAJ-2004-12518 (SP-JCM) – Coral Bay Marina; To
Address: [email protected]; cc
Address: [email protected]
Mail can be sent to: Mr. José A. Cedeño-Maldonado, Antilles Permits Section, 400 Fernández Juncos
Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901-3299, Please put
“Application SAJ-2004-12518 (SP-JCM) – Coral Bay
Marina” as the subject of the letter and fax a copy of
the letter to 340-693-9973.
Thank you for your concern regarding this threat to
park and monument resources. Together we can make
a difference.
Joe Kessler, President
Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park
Island Green Building Association
St. John Youth Coalition
St. John Tradewinds welcomes notices of community-oriented, not-for-profit events for inclusion in this weekly listing. Call
776-6496, e-mail [email protected] or fax 693-8885.
June 22-August 14
— Gifft Hill School will offer summer academic enrichment
sessions for children ages 3 to 11 from June 22 to August 14.
Qualified instructors will lead students in age-appropriate academic enrichment activities and field excursions that will enrich
students’ understanding of classroom work.
August 20 until September 10
— Lieutenant Governor Osbert E. Potter advises the public
that the St. John Passport Acceptance Office will be closed from
August 20 until September 10. The St. John Passport Office will
resume normal business hours 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday
beginning on September 17.
Tuesday, August 11
— Families and children with a love for reading are invited to
a book expo on the second floor of The Marketplace on Tuesday,
August 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Books for children of all ages
will be available for easy picking and at no charge. Small treats
and refreshments will be provided by Starfish Market.
Friday, August 14
— The Office of Veterans Affairs began conducting office
hours on the island of St. John on the second Friday of every
month. Operating hours for the St. John office will be 9:30 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m. at the Battery in Cruz Bay.
Sunday, September 6
— Grab your bike, lace up those running shoes and start training for the 16th Annual Love City Triathlon on Sunday, September 6 at 7 a.m.
January 29-30, 2016
— “Broadway Comes to St. John” 2016 has been scheduled
for Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30!
The Value of Life
It saddens my heart to know that some law officers would use extreme force to settle an issue. Their
lives are in danger whether on or off duty due to the
fact that they are to remain vigilant at all times. However, the oath that they swore to protect the innocent
seems to be twisted around.
Police officers are also human with a sense of
fear of the unknown. A routine traffic stop or family
squabble can turn violent in a second. The amount of
stress that comes with the job can be overwhelming.
That’s why good decisions during tense moment are
critical to preserve the lives of all parties.
It is unfortunate that recent events have pitted
white officers against black suspects. Even more so,
the victims are unarmed and running away to avoid
conflict.
So now, how do we address this issue?
What else can we tell the public in their dealings
with law officials? Or maybe our police departments
need to give more vacation time, counseling sessions
or evaluate the mental aptitude of their officers every
few years.
A nation that is already being torn apart because
of past and present race issues is now a ticking time
bomb. If we can’t trust the law enforcement agencies
to protect and serve us, where else can we turn?
On the surface, it appears to be a white vs. black
issue; however it’s deeper than that. There are unseen
forces attempting to destroy.
Emmanuel Prince
St. John, VI
Iran Agreement Jeopardizes Security
President Obama and Secretary Kerry put the
United States and other countries in jeopardy by entering into an agreement with Iran which temporarily curbs its nuclear armaments program. They have
either been duped or they are naïve or both. Both are
more concerned about their legacies than the security
of the world.
Iran said it will place its nuclear development program on hold and allow inspection of its facilities, but
Iran has had time to disperse and hide its 50 nuclear
facilities. Under the nuclear agreement Iran can deny
access by inspectors to undeclared sites and then the
inspection process goes before a number of committees for resolution, which can take close to a month.
This is enough time for Iran to move the equipment
and materials.
The agreement will allow lifting of economic
sanctions which will immediately release $150 billion and cumulative trillions in subsequent years.
This money will allow Iran to purchase armaments,
which will be used to continue the destabilization of
Middle East countries and the ongoing sponsorship
of Islamic terrorism in the world. And don’t forget,
Iran hates the U.S.
The U.S. Congress should not approve this terrible agreement.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
Straight Talk on Coral Bay Marina
Alcholics Anonymous Meetings
All meetings are now open. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
and Friday 6 p.m. Nazareth Lutheran Church, Cruz Bay;
Thursday 7 a.m. Nazareth Lutheran Church, Cruz Bay;
Sunday 9:45 a.m., Hawksnest Bay Beach; Tuesday, Thursday
and Saturday 6 p.m. at Moravian Church, Coral Bay
Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
Narcotics Anonymous has open meetings from 6:30 to 7:30
p.m. every Saturday at St. Ursula’s Church.
Al-Anon Meetings
For Al-Anon meeting location and times, please call (340)
642-3263
Continued from Page 14
veloper shows up with his “mega” this or “mega” that
nonsense and tries to shove it down our throats.
As an operational member of this earth’s oceancruising community, I’ll tell you this: we DO NOT
like sitting in a marina. We will go to a dock to pick
up fuel and water, and then maybe have lunch and
drink a beer at the bar, but that’s it! Afterwards, we
are out of there!
The location of this proposed marina is in the
roughest area of the bay. When the trade winds reach
18 knots, all the boats anchored or moored there are
pitching and rolling. No one is going to stay tied up to
a finger pier with a beautiful expensive yacht, and allow it to chafe and bang, no matter how many fenders
one has rigged. I mean, get real! Then they want us to
pay for this experience! Oh you bet!
Developers “haven’t got a clue!”
The people who proposed this marina are not seamen. They haven’t got a clue!
Storms like Hurricane Hugo or Marilyn caused 10
to 15 ft. breaking seas on the whole west side of the
bay. The rest of the bay was bad also, but not nearly as
bad as that. That’s where all those wrecked boat came
from. Most of them are not derelict; they are wrecks
sunken by the storm.
Those storms would have wiped this marina off
the map, along with their strip mall which is to be
built on low ground. Not only would they be flooded,
but they would also be swept by the breaking seas.
This project is the worst project that could ever happen to Coral Bay.
“a refuge of nature and West Indian culture”
The bottom line is; this small island is a national
park and a refuge of nature and West Indian culture.
St. John is no place to build these commercial mega
projects. We don’t want it, and we won’t stand for it.
Keep it simple, keep it small, and keep it culturally compatible in its design. Let nature have it. Isn’t
that the point of being a national park?
In the name of all that is beautiful, leave us alone.
Stop this project now.
Thank you,
Capt. Daniel Walker
Yacht “Manikoo”
Coral Bay, St. John, VI
St. John Tradewinds News Photos Courtesy of Doug White
Solar Car Port, above, and 20 hp, 96 Volt AC Electric Motor, at right.
Past Meets Future With Classic 1967 Austin Mini Moke Conversion to Electric
That, in my opinion, would be the perfect island car!
I had seen a YouTube video of a classic VW Beetle
conversion (another “cult car”) done by an EV conversion
shop in southern California. I called them and asked if they
might be interested in doing a Mini Moke conversion.
“Funny you should ask,” They said. “We were just
talking about it. We think a Mini Moke would make a good
conversion, and we don’t think anyone has ever done one
before. So, yes if you have patience (and money), we will
do one.”
Searching for Mokes
So, my search for a Moke began! I had seen a Moke advertised online several months before and called the owner
to see if it had been sold. Nope, not yet was the answer. It
was a 1967 Austin Mini Moke and he was only the second
owner.
Luckily my cousin happened to live in the same town
in Florida where it was located. He gave it a green light.
The Moke was in remarkably good condition for its age,
with only 21,000 miles on the odometer, having spent
much of its life in storage in a barn, I was told.
So sight unseen, but with a lot of faith, I bought it and
shipped it to California for the conversion. The six months
that I was told the conversion would take, slowly turned
into a full year before I would see my Moke EV!
Old ICE Goes to Fiji!
Normally, when an existing vehicle is converted, only
the engine is removed. The transmission is left in place and
a metal plate is made to which the electric motor is bolted
to the transmission. Well, the first lesson we learned is that
the Moke’s transmission is actually below and integral
with the engine. When the engine was removed, there was
nothing to attach the electric motor to! The good news is
that I was able to sell (recycle) the ICE on eBay to a Moke
owner in Fiji!
Based on my experience in driving NEVs and hybrids,
I was able to give the EV shop very specific requirements
for an all-island, go anywhere “Island EV.” The Virgin Islands are small, only 18 miles long, with lots of curves
and steep hills (sea level to 1700 feet), so the Moke only
needed a 40-50 mile range between charges, lots of power
for the hills and a top speed of 40 mph.
Island Specifications
A Graziano differential was selected to which a 20 hp,
96 volt AC electric motor would be attached with the motor’s water cooled inverter/controller mounted above it. An
11 kW LiFePO4, 108 volt DC battery bank was installed in
two custom aluminum, weatherproof battery boxes, one in
the engine compartment just behind the grill and the other
behind the backseat.
The gas tank was removed to make room for the onboard 120 vac battery charger. The charging receptacle is
located under the gas tank cap.
I elected to use a 120 vac charging system, because,
although slower than 240 v chargers, 120 volt outlets are
readily available and there was no additional expense for
an EV charger(s) and there are currently no public EV
charging stations in the Virgin Islands.
LiFePO4 batteries are a key component of EV conversions because they weight much less than lead acid batteries, have greater energy density and cycle life and can
be discharged to 80 percent of capacity without damage.
Their only current drawback is their high upfront cost!
However, if you compare life cycle cost, they work out to
about the same price as lead acid batteries.
Key Components for Terrain
Another key component for EVs in hilly terrain is the
AC electric motor with regen capabilities. I had learned
the advantages of regenerative breaking battery charging
from driving my Toyota Prius hybrid. On our islands, 40
percent of driving is uphill, where in a hybrid, both the
small ICE and electric motor do the work; 40 percent is
downhill without the use of the ICE and the electric motor
is recharging the batteries; 20 percent is on the flat running
on the electric motor.
Hybrids can cut your greenhouse gas emissions and
gas usage by about 50 percent. However I was not satisfied with that. I wanted to “move my ass with no gas” and
zero emissions!
In summary, the Moke spent the first year of my ownership at the EV Conversion shop, another year in the V.I.
fine-tuning the details, such as fabricating new drive shafts,
replacing CV joints, repainting and replacing the top, etc.
However in the end, I do believe that I have achieved
my goal of creating a zero emission “perfect” island car
that runs on sunshine. I charge it in my solar carport where
it takes between 3 and 7 kWs to recharge, depending on
battery state of charge over 5-6 hours. Generally I drive
during the day and recharge it at night!
Power, Driving Range and Speed!
The power, driving range and speed are great! If anything it has too much power! It is wonderful and fun to
drive a car that makes people involuntarily smile when
they see it! And then, when they find out it runs on sunshine, WOW!!
Why not create a sustainable local industry in the Virgin
Islands to build electric Mini Mokes in the Virgin Islands
and refurbish and convert older “island cars” like Suzukis
and Jeeps into electric vehicles rather than sending them,
at great cost, to scrap off-island and buying a new car. That
money goes right off island and local dealers do not want
to sell EVs anyway.
Maybe auto dealers do not want to deal with EV’s because they require so little maintenance. They never need
an oil change, new spark plugs, fuel filter, oil filter, muffler, etc.!
The V.I. could create its own Electric Moke and conversion economy to provide skilled jobs and keep money
recirculating on island!
LONG LIVE THE MINI MOKE!
Church Directory
Baha’i Community of St. John
For Devotions and Study Circles, call 714-1641
7:30 p.m. Fridays; Study Circles 9 a.m. Sundays
776-6316, 776-6254
Bethany Moravian Church
Sunday School 9 a.m., Divine Worship 10 a.m.
Calvary Baptist Church
13 ABC Coral Bay, 776-6304
Sunday School 10 a.m., Sunday evening 6 p.m., Thursday 7 p.m.
Christian Ministry
Cinnamon Bay Beach
Inter-Denominational, Sunday 8:30 a.m.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Sun. 9 a.m., on St. Thomas . 776-2379
Sun., 5 p.m., STJ, Lumberyard
Cruz Bay Baptist Church
Sunday 11 a.m., 6 p.m. 776-6315
Emmaus Moravian Church
Coral Bay, Divine Worship 8:30 a.m., 776-6713
Freshwater Church
Freshwater Church St. John USVI
Sunday Worship 10 am at Hawksnest Beach
Follow us on Facebook, 340.514.6578
Jehovah’s Witness
7:30 p.m. Tuesdays; 7 p.m.
Saturdays (Español), 10 a.m. Sundays, 340-715-053
Missionary Baptist Church
9:30 a.m. Sunday Services, 10:45 Worship,
Tuesday 7 p.m. Bible Study 693-8884
Nazareth Lutheran Church
Sunday 9 a.m., Sunday School 8 a.m. 776-6731
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church
Saturdays: 6 p.m.; Sundays: 7:30 & 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. in Coral Bay
at the John’s Folly Learning Institute & 6 pm. in Spanish;
Mondays: 12:15 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays: 7 a.m.
& Fridays: 7 p.m. Call 776-6339 for more information.
Prayer House of Faith
Sunday Morning Service at 8 a.m; Bible Study at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays
Prayer services at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; 340-690-3820
St. John Methodist Church
Sunday 10 a.m, 693-8830
Seventh Day Adventist
Saturdays, 779-4477
St. John Pentecostal Church
Sunday 11:05 a.m., 6:30 p.m.Tuesdays Prayer 7:30 p.m.,
Thursdays Bible Study 7:30 p.m. 779-1230
St. Ursula’s Episcopal Church
Sunday Church Service, 9 a.m.
Bible Class on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. 777-6306
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
9:45 a.m. Sunday, 776-6332
DPNR Spokesperson Jamal Nielson Won’t Talk
When contacted by St. John Tradewinds on August 6 for comment for this story — in response to
his earlier non-specific telephone message — Nielson was grossly unprofessional, rude and abusive in a
screaming rant accusing St. John Tradewinds of printing incorrect information — while refusing to answer
any questions about J.P. Oriol’s role in oversight of
Terminix by DPNR prior to the incident while he was
acting commissioner for an extended period of time.
DPNR Spokesperson Hangs Up
DPNR spokesperson Nielson wrongly accused St.
John Tradewinds of misstating the obvious fact that
J.P. Oriol was not acting commissioner at the time
of the poisoning incident in March 2015, and angrily
refused to answer any questions about J.P. Oriol’s
involvement in DPNR’s oversight of Terminix of St.
Thomas, which apparently was managed until sometime in late 2014 by J.P. Oriol’s father, Hans Oriol,
according to Terminix employees contacted by St.
John Tradewinds for the July story.
The media “professional” screamed, yelled and
threatened legal action — and then hung up.
The July story dealt with an anonymous e-mail to
St. John Tradewinds in which the letter writer incorrectly alleged that J.P. Oriol was acting commissioner
when the poisoning occurred on March 2015. The article repeatedly noted that St. John Tradewinds had
contacted Terminix and had been told the senior Oriol
had left the company at an unspecified time in 2014.
The July 20 St. John Tradewinds story also reported that there was no mention of any personal connection between Terminix and the DPNR’s J.P. Oriol
by DPNR spokesperson Nielson in the aftermath of
the poisoning.
Spokesperson Is Mute
The July 20 story also reported that DPNR spokesperson Nielson did not return calls on Friday, July
17, seeking clarification on any possible connection
between DPNR’s Oriol and his father as the former
manager of Terminix St. Thomas.
Because of the DPNR spokesperson’s obstructive reticence at the time, St. John Tradewindss could
not confirm from DPNR for the July 20 story that the
highly-regulated chemicals were obtained or stored
properly by Terminix St. Thomas during the senior
Oriol’s time at the company and his son’s overlapping
role as acting commissioner of DPNR before they
were used improperly at the St. John condominiums.
DPNR Commissioner designee Dawn Henry subsequently spoke directly with St. John Tradewinds to
defend the agency’s monitoring of Terminix prior to
the poisoning. (See related story on page 3.)
“Special Treatment” Questioned
The July 20 St. John Tradewinds story questioned
whether the St. Thomas franchise of the Terminix
exterminating company got preferential treatment before and after the poisoning of a New Jersey family at
an Enighed condominium because the former general
manager of the St. Thomas company was the father of
the former acting commissioner and a senior official
of the investigating V.I. environmental agency.
J.P. Oriol’s possible connection to Terminix has
not been raised by the attorney representing the fam-
ily and St. John Tradewinds could not be determined
if the lawyer for the family had already ascertained
the father-son connection between the Terminix and
DPNR Oriols.
Family Attorney Asks Privacy
Atty. James Moran, who is also a family friend of
the victims, said after initial contacts that he would
not be commenting further on the family’s recovery
or health to respect their privacy.
The family of four — a private school administrator and a medical doctor and their two teenage
sons — were overcome in the early morning hours of
March 20 at the unit they had rented at the Sirenusa
condominiums overlooking Cruz Bay.
The family members suffered varying degrees of
exposure and serious neurological injuries, but their
attorney spokesperson has informed the media that
the family wanted privacy and would be making no
comments on their recovery.
There has been no public announcement by authorities of any enforcement action or charges being
filed or the results of any federal or local investigations of the poisoning incident.
An internet professional site did still list Hans
Orial as general manager of the St. Thomas company in July, however, two telephone calls by St. John
Tradewinds to Terminix confirmed that Hans Oriol
had left the company “last year.”
Pesticide Use Is Restricted
The pesticide blamed for poisoning the family at
the unit they had rented at the Sirenusa condominiums overlooking Cruz Bay was banned for any nonagricultural use and most pesticides for residential
use are labeled with warnings against use in interconnected condominium units such as Sirenusa, according to professionals.
In the family’s poisoning, a vacant unit connected
to the family’s unit was treated with the dangerous
chemical gas that spread to a connected condominium where the two teenage children were overcome
late in the evening and the parents subsequently were
overcome and suffered seizures.
The chemical poisoning has caused severe nerve
and or brain-damage to the family’s two teenage boys
who are recovering slowly, according to St. John
Tradewinds sources. The parents both are undergoing
rehabilitation for similar injuries.
There has been no public comment on the medical
condition of the family members from their lawyer
since the family was airlifted to the U.S. mainland for
treatment in New Jersey.
Gov. Kenneth Mapp serendipitously gave a detailed report on the medical conditions of the family in the midst of a recent press conference focusing
on Government house fiscal matters in early July, but
there has been no official information on any DPNR
investigation, enforcement or legal action against
Terminix.
“In this case, though, the lack of oversight and
punishment has led to a family totally torn apart,” an
anonymous reader wrote St. John Tradewinds in July
questioning the conflict of interest between the Oriol
father and son.
Sean Downes, 19, Charged
in Assault on Farrell
lar assault on a stranger outside a private party in West Palm Beach,
Florida, in September 2014, according to a police document provided
by the internet news site operator and lawyer.
Events at the party had “Sean Downs” facing felony battery
charges and his alleged victim left with potentially permanent facial
scarring and disfigurement.
“As he turned away the suspect punched him in the left temple and
he fell to the ground,” reads the West Palm Beach Police Department
report published by the internet site.“Valencia (the victim’s friend and
witness) said the victim was knocked out and the suspect kept hitting
him on the ground.”
“Valencia estimated the (sic) his friend was punched eight to ten
times,” the police report continues. “The victim only remembers after that was waking up in Palm Beach Gardens Hospital emergency
room.”
Florida Prosecution Dropped
The prosecution of the Florida case ceased in April when criminal
charges apparently were dropped in a sealed settlement of the case in
a legal maneuver allowed under Florida law, according Warren Reddich, the founder of West Boca News, an internet news site operator
who is also a lawyer and “high-end” real estate broker in West Palm
Beach.
Florida law allows the accused to settle criminal actions privately,
Redlich explained. The lawyer said he has filed a formal request for
the public record of the prosecution and disposition of that case. (The
original charging documents in that case also misspelled Downes
name, a common tactic to obscure arrest records.)
“Florida law allows people to buy their way out of a criminal
charge,” Redlich explained to St. John Tradewinds. The lawyer has
applied for a copy of the case file from the prosecutor.
V.I. Territorial law apparently does not allow for a similar disposition of a criminal charge.
Additional Charges Possible
Downes was granted bail and was scheduled to leave the territory
at the end of the week, according to Farrell. Downes was ordered
to return to the V.I. for further court action on August 8, his victim
reported.
When or if Downes returns to the territory for the disposition of
the charges against him, he may have to try to buy his way out of
more than one criminal prosecution however.
The alleged serial sucker-puncher also may face additional charges in a similar assault on a female employee of a popular Cruz Bay
late-night spot and a male co-worker shortly before the park attack.
In that incident, Downes is accused of punching the young woman in the face and kicking the male employee in the groin while being
asked to leave the bar with several friends shortly before the attack on
Farrell in nearby Frank Powell Park. The bar attack was captured on
surveillance video that was being brought to V.I. Police Department
to support additional charges against Downes, according to St. John
Tradewinds sources,
In V.I. Territorial Court on Monday, June 20, the charges against
the three people initially charged in the attack on Farrell were changed,
dropped and shuffled before only Downes was charged with simple
assault.
The ages of those arrested in the original police report and the
charges were different in the delayed V.I. Police Department press
release and the court record and subsequently were dropped, reduced
or otherwise altered.
Witnesses to Florida Incident
According to the Sept. 21, 2014, incident reported filed by the
Henry Defends DPNR’s Pesticide Supervision Before Poisoning
when it was used in an adjoining condominium at the
Sirenusa condominium complex in disregard of the
explicit warnings about use of the controlled toxic
chemical on residential facilities specifically those
with conjoined ventilation systems.
The father, a private school administrator, suffered
more severe exposure while the couple’s two teenage
sons were heavily exposed to the toxic pesticide and
reported to be in comas after the family was airlifted
to Maryland for treatment.
Professional Response from Commissioner
Commissioner-designee Henry professionally acknowledged the legal constraints imposed by the investigation into the near-fatal poisoning of the visiting
family of four in a St. John condominium as she addressed questions from St. John Tradewinds about the
inference of any connection between DPNR Coastal
Zone Management (CZM) Director J.P. Oriol and his
father, Hans Oriol, who was manager of the Terminix St. Thomas exterminating company for more than
nine years according to his professional profile on the
internet.
A Terminix employee confirmed in a telephone
call from St. John Tradewinds in July that Hans Oriel
had left the St. Thomas Terminix company sometime
in 2014.
Commissioner designee Atty. Henry down played
the importance of DPNR monitoring of the use of
heavily-controlled substance prior to the poisoning of
the family vacationing on St. John.
“You can use it for some agricultural uses,” Commissioner-designee Henry told St. John Tradewinds
of the hazardous chemical. “It is not illegal.”
The DPNR official confirmed that the agency had
“confiscated” the toxic agricultural chemical from a
”number” of exterminating companies in the territory
after the poisoning on St. John.
DPNR Has “No Liability”
“We have no liability,” the Commissioner-designee reiterated.
Commissioner-designee Henry confirmed that on
March 20, 2015, the department received a call from
the Virgin Islands Department of Health of a possible
Methyl Bromide release at Sirenusa Residences on St.
John, which caused a family vacationing in one of the
units to be transported to the Roy Lester Schneider
Hospital on St. Thomas, which was acknowledged in
the March DPNR release.
DPNR’s Division of Environmental Protection
(DEP) immediately responded to the complaint and
deployed staff to St. John to begin its investigation,
according to the DPNR release. Consecutively, Jeff
Garrison, Environmental Protection Agency-Region
II, local representative was in contact with DPNR
Commissioner Designee Henry, to launch a joint investigation, according to the DPNR statement from
long-time spokesperson Jamal Nielson after the incident.
“During the preliminary stages of the investigation, DPNR learned that the suspected Methyl Bromide release was connected to fumigation activities
which Terminix International USVI, LLC, (Terminix)
conducted in Unit J Lower at Sirenusa Residences on
March 18, 2015,” the DPNR release continued. “On
March 20, 2015, DPNR-DEP contacted Terminix to
inquire about the fumigation activities on March 18,
2015, and confirmed that Terminix used Meth-O- Gas
® Q to fumigate the kitchen area in Unit J Lower at
Sirenusa Residences on March 18, 2015.”
DPNR officials ordered Terminix to “immediately
stop using pesticides containing Methyl Bromide in
the Territory” and to “ provide DPNR with all documentation relating to the purchase, use, and application of pesticide products containing Methyl Bromide
over the last twelve months, to quarantine the subject
pesticides, and to refrain from moving, destroying, altering or affecting the subject pesticides,” according
to the DPNR March press release.
Subsequently, DPNR and EPA took custody of the
quarantined Methyl Bromide canister on St. Thomas and were collaborating to secure the quarantined
canisters on St. Croix, according to the March statement.
“During the weeks of March 23, 2015, and March
30, 2015, DPNR performed inspections at the other
pest control companies throughout the Territory to
determine whether those companies are using Methyl
Bromide,” according to a DPNR press release. “As
part of that inspection, DPNR conducted an inventory
of the pesticide products in storage and requested that
the companies provide Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS) pertaining to all the pesticides used, stored
or sold in the Territory containing Methyl Bromide.“
“DPNR discovered that two extermination companies on St. Croix were in possession of Methyl Bromide and one other company on St. Thomas,” DPNR
reported at the time. “DPNR will determine from
the companies’ records whether they have used the
banned substance and, if so, when and where.”
“This unfortunate incident poses a threat to the
residents and visitors to the territory,” Commissioner
Henry stated in a press release prepared by Nielson
shortly after the poisoning incident. “It will not be
treated lightly and the Department will take appropriate enforcement action.
St. John Tradewinds
Business Directory
Accommodations
Landscaping
Island Getaways
888-693-7676,
islandgetawaysinc.com
[email protected]
Coral Bay Garden Center
tel. 693-5579 fax 714-5628
P.O. Box 1228, STJ, VI 00831
Caribbean Villas & Resorts
tel. 1-800-338-0987
or locally 340-776-6152
Suite St. John Villas/Condos
tel. 1-800-348-8444
or locally at 340-779-4486
Architecture
Crane, Robert - Architect, AIA
tel. 776-6356
P.O. Box 370, STJ, VI 00831
Art Galleries
Alfredo’s Landscaping
tel. 774-1655 cell 513-2971
P.O. Box 91, St. John, VI 00831
Real Estate
340 Real Estate Company, LLC
340-643-6068 or 340-779-4478
[email protected]
www.340realestateco.com
Holiday Homes of St. John
tel. 776-6776 fax 693-8665
P.O. Box 40, STJ, VI 00831
[email protected]
Bajo el Sol Gallery
Located in Mongoose Junction
tel. 340-693-7070
Islandia Real Estate
tel. 776-6666 fax 693-8499
P.O. Box 56, STJ, VI 00831
[email protected]
Kimberly Boulon Fine Art Gallery
Located at The Marketplace
340-693-8524
Restaurants
Banking
Fish Trap Restaurant
and Seafood Market
tel. 693-9994, Closed Mondays
Firstbank
Located in downtown Cruz Bay
340-776-6881
La Tapa Restaurant
tel. 693-7755
Open 7 Days a Week
Furniture
Ocean 362
American Contemporary Cuisine
For reservations, call 340-776-0001
Carlos Furniture - 340-693-0016
Located at Tutu Park Mall on STT
Free delivery and setup to St. John
Green Building
Island Green Building Association
check www.igbavi.org for Seminar
Series info and ReSource Depot
inventory
Insurance
PGU Insuracne
Located at The Marketplace
776-6403; [email protected]
Theodore Tunick & Company
Phone 775-7001 / Fax 775-7002
www.theodoretunick.com
Jewelry
R&I Patton goldsmithing
Located in Mongoose Junction
776-6548 or (800) 626-3445
[email protected]
Skinny Legs
“A Pretty OK Place”
tel. 340-779-4982
www.skinnylegs.com
Services
C4th Custom Embroidery
tel. 779-4047
Located in Coral Bay
Wedding Services
Weddings by Katilday
www.stjohnweddingplanner.com
340-693-8500 - Consulting, Travel
Coordination, Accommodations
IT TAKES TWO
ACROSS
1 Sighing word
5 Humiliate
10Sugar-name suffix
13Stretch (out)
19Billiards item
20Drive rudely (out)
21Flanders of “The
Simpsons”
22Mambo music’s Tito
23Bicycle add-ons for
tykes
26Make a new blueprint for
27Cut and Paste setting
28Give relief to
29Protein formed during
blood clotting
30Sue Grafton’s “— for
Ricochet”
31Sterile hand wear
35Three, in 6-Down
38PIN-taking dispenser
39“Hands off!”
40Microwaves, e.g.
41Stalled-car clip-ons
45Metalliferous rock
47“The Neverending Story”
author Michael
48Related to earthquakes
49Hi- — monitor
50A little wet
52Edberg of tennis fame
54Horse rider’s
attachments
59Dot in the sea, to José
63Part of Gr. Britain
64Entertainer Lollobrigida
66The older Obama girl
7Theme of this puzzle
6
73Asocial sort
74She had a show with
Sonny
75“It’s — -brainer”
76Rogen of “Superbad”
77They look like footless
socks
81Gymnast Olga
84“Ghost” co-star Demi
85Stylist’s goo
86Coastal
91In a crowd of
95Pal, casually
96Rink rentals
98Ignited again
100 Commercial charge
102 Cozy lodging
103 Tacit assents
104 Part of some made-up
faces
107 Teeny bit
109 Little leaves on flowers
110 Old jazz singer Anita
111 Collective software
clients
116 Bela of old horror films
117 They often surround
titles
119 Wiped from the board
120 A/C abbr.
121 Broadway prizes
122 Luau favors
123 Blank out
124 Jet to JFK, once
125 Garments for Gaius
126 Ineffectual
DOWN
1 Funny Johnson
2 Hog fat
3 Antioxidant-rich berry
4 Many Aspen outings
5 Sky ram
6 Old German capital
7 City of golf’s Masters
8 Albany-to-Baltimore dir.
9 Passé anesthetic
10Toddlers’ bodysuits
11Opt for
12Mag VIPs
13Parsley part
14Adobe dwelling
15Scold gently
16Pep up
17Done
18Lion’s locale
24Abbr. for people with
only two names
25Aerie nesters
29Ornate
32Dark area in an eclipse
33Do — deed
34Dir. 45 degrees from
8-Down
35Dance club VIPs
36Regret a lot
37Big British record co.
38Brogue
42Middle of summer?
43Solemn acts
44Running times
46Subj. for some
immigrants
50The “m” of “yes’m”
51Office sub
53E-I linkup
54Skin diver’s tube
55Flock noises
56“It’s —!” (“Untrue!”)
57Surrounded
58Military band
9“— turn up”
5
60Brogue, e.g.
61“What a ding-a- —!”
62Freshly
65Hard water
68Mass unit
69Realty unit
70Corn unit
71Congenital
72Verb counterparts
78Plunder, e.g.
79Eel types
80Rub down
82North fired by Reagan
83“Bad!” cluck
85Charges
87Off-the-wall sport?
88An Amerind
89Color of chili
90Suffix with govern
91Whelp yelp
92Put a ruler to
93Outlawed
94Get rid (of)
96Digital display
97Subsequent
99China shop ensemble
101 Defies openly
105 Skip, as a syllable
106 Hotel chain
107 Nail-biting
108 Ulna locale
112 Tofu bean, to Brits
113 Environs
114 Kind of milk
115 “To be,” in Latin
116 Fronted
117 NFL VIPs
118 Also
For Rent
Employment
FOR RENT:
GUINEA GROVE
APARTMENTS
One and two bedroom
apartments with washer/
dryer, stove and
refrigerator, across the
street from Westin Resort.
$1,150-1,700 per month.
Contact Carolyn
at St. John Properties
340/693-8485
Executive Director Job Posting
Coral Bay Community Council (CBCC)
Coral Bay
2 Bed/2 BATH $1650.
Spacious open plan. Large
rooms. Walking distance to
Coral Bay Market and bus
route. Partially furnished
with covered deck.
Shared W&D.
Ron 715-853-9696
[email protected]
One-acre lot
for sale
in estate adrian
Paved Road –
Underground Utilities
For Sale by Owner
Serious Inquiries Only
Contact 340-228-3560
Commercial/Storage Space Available
CBCC seeks a full-time Executive Director to
provide hands-on management for all aspects
of the organization, including fund-raising and
communications, as well as working directly on
projects. The Executive Director will also provide
leadership, vision and direction. Must be highlymotivated to do good for the community of Coral Bay,
have excellent office computer skills, organizational
skills, be a self-starter and have financial, fundraising,
and management experience. See the job description,
including application instructions at:
www.coralbaycommunitycouncil.org .
Applications due: August 24th.
CBCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer
and has a Drug Free Workplace Policy.
EXPERIENCED MAINTENANCE PERSON
needed for full service real estate firm.
Contact St. John Properties at 693-8485
Stay Up-to-Date:
StJohnNews.com
Life Us
on Facebook:
St. John Tradewinds
Buying?
Selling?
Renting?
seeking?
call 340-776-6496
Get REsults!
AMEX, DISCOVER, VISA & MASTERCARD
Accepted
Commercial Space
For Sale
EVERYTHING
YOU NEED
ON EVERY LEVEL
GREAT PLACE
TO SHOP, DINE
AND WORK
Come join us
we have spaces
available —
Retail, Office
or Storage
340-776-6455
PRIME
COMMERCIAL
SPACE
in St. John Properties
building. High pedestrian
traffic area with road
frontage and parking.
Contact St. John Properties
at 340/693-8485
or stop by to view.
For Sale
Trade Names, Logos & Domain Names
St. John Magazine
ST. Thomas Magazine
www.stjohnmagazine.com
www.stthomasmagazine.com
www.stcroixmagazine.com
Serious inquiries only
$30,000 OBO
st. thomas
m a g a z i n e
Downes, 19, Charged in Assault on Farrell
Charming and classic
St. John beach house in
Hart Bay, with pool and
hot tub. $1,350,000
Caribbean
Providing professional rental management
and marketing services for St. John’s finest
vacation villas and condominiums.
For reservations
or brochures
1-800-338-0987
Villas & Resor t s
MANAGEMENT CO.
For St. John
business call
340-776-6152
View our villas at www. c a r i b b e a n v i l l a . c o m
Lumberyard Complex
P.O. Box 458 St. John USVI 00831
West Palm Beach Police, which was filed
several days after the attack and after the
victim had received medical treatment.
“He was treated there for two hours and
left,” the police report said. “The victim’s
face had four large bruising areas on his
right cheek and forehead. There were also
three cuts on the left side of his mouth that
required sutures.”
“It appears the cuts will leave permanent
scarring or disfigurement on his face. He
also has a (sic) injury to the back of his head
as he fell backwards,” the report continued.
“The victim and witness provided written statements,” the West Palm Beach Police Department report continued. “Based
on the above facts the defendant Downes is
charge(d) with one count of aggravated battery. This case was sent to the State Attorney’s office for a warrant request.”
“The Sheriff’s records indicate this Mr.
Downs is a resident of The Oaks, a gated
community… ,” said the internet news site
entrepreneur. “As best we can tell this is actually Sean D. Downes.”
“If we are correct (we’re pretty sure but
you can never be positive), his father Sean P.
Downes is CEO of Universal Holdings, Inc.
who received an eye-popping $9.4 million
last year in executive compensation according to BusinessWeek at only 44 years old,”
Redlich wrote St. John Tradewinds.
“According to the probable cause affidavit, the younger Downes was at a house
party with a bunch of teens, running around
looking for a fight,” Redlich e-mailed in
providing St. John Tradewinds with a copy
of the purported official document. “When
the victim was leaving, Downes confronted
him to start a fight.”
“The victim turned to leave and Downes
then hit the victim in the left temple, knocking him out and to the ground,” Redlich
added. “While the victim was unconscious
on the ground, Downes continued punching
him as many as ten times.”
Add your home to our
group and share the
Catered To Vacation Homes
advantages.
EXECUTIVE
OFFICES
We still have room for
2 or 3 special villas
with pools.
FOR LEASE
• Private Individual Offices
• Air Conditioning
• Utilities & Internet Included
• Conference Area
• On-Site Management
Call (340) 690-6699
“The victim woke up in the ER, and had
suffered four large bruises on his face, multiple cuts on the left side of his mouth requiring sutures and likely to leave substantial and permanent scars, and an additional
injury on the back of his head where it hit
the pavement,” Redlich related.
Delayed Prosecution, Dropped Case
“West Palm Beach police referred the
matter to the State Attorney, who waited over
3 months before filing this case in court in
early January,” the attorney continued. “Mr.
Downes was booked Wednesday morning,
minutes before his ‘first appearance’ court
session began and released a few hours later
on $3,000 bond.”
“The timing suggests that he may have
been represented by an attorney who surrendered him at the right time to make sure
things moved smoothly,” Redlich wrote.
“Court records do not yet indicate any attorney appearance, nor how the bond was
posted.”
The home address for the younger
Downs listed in the blotter is owned by Lori
Downes, who is divorced from the father,
according to Redlich. The seven-bedroom,
7,000 square-foot residence was purchased
for $1.4 million in 2013, according to the
internet writer, real estate agent and lawyer.
The date of birth for the arrested Sean
Downs matches the newspaper showing
Sean Downes birth in 1995 to parents Sean
and Lori Downes, according to Redlich.
Downes will turn 20 in August.
It remains to be seen whether he returns
to the USVI and his case is prosecuted before then or if he celebrates his birthday on
St. John, St. Thomas or St. Croix.
Atty. Redlich is the founder of West Boca
News and a resident of West Boca Raton. He
is a criminal defense and personal injury attorney in both Florida and New York, and
also a real estate agent listing high-priced
houses in West Boca Raton only. He can
be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 888-733-5299.
• Consistently profitable rental histories
• Complete management and maintenance
• Convenient Marketplace office (Second Floor)
• Extensive advertising program
• Over 30 years of on-island experience
• Award-winning website
800-424-6641 340-776-6641 FAX 693-8191
cateredto.com
“The Company that gives back to St. John”
Complete Real estate seRviCes • st. JoHN’s olDest Real estate FiRm • seRviNg st. JoHN
FoR
55 YeaRs!
Located at the Marketplace • (340) 776-6776 • (340) 774-8088 • [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-800-905-6824 • www.HolidayHomesVI.com
MLS 13-347
$475,000
CAROLINA
EMMAUS
FISH BAY
GLUCKSBERG
PR
IC
E
MLS 14-520
$325,000
LOTS OF LAND LISTINGS!!
from $ 54,678
HANSEN BAY
hillside $ 75,000
FREEMAN’S GROUND
from $ 79,500
SAUNDERS GUT
from $ 89,000
CHOCOLATE HOLE
MLS 15-261
$1,100,000
Unit 9C – 1x1.5
loft w/ private
deck/patio,
common beach,
pool and spa.
Restaurant &
concierge svcs.
on property.
Walk to town!
“STOWAWAY”
MLS 15-131
$689,000
Cute UPPER
DECK VILLAS
CONDO w/ sea
& pool views
from deck. 2
bdrm + loft/2.5
bath for family
options, + large
storage room.
MOTIVATED SELLERS!!
from $ 99,000 VIRGIN GRAND ESTATES
from $ 115,000 CALABASH BOOM
from $ 130,000 CONCORDIA
from $ 135,000 RENDEZVOUS & DITLEFF
WA
TE
RF
RO
NT
“SEA CLIFF”
MLS 15-103
Cute cottage
with sweeping
water views in
Calabash Boom.
Lots of development potential
from this 3½
acre site.
MLS 14.487
$825,000
$749,000
“RAINBOW’S END” BATTERY HILL CONDO
MLS 12-358
$449,000
from
hillside
from
from
$
$
$
$
2X1, clean and
colorfully decorated poolside
condo is close
to town w/
nicely manicured grounds.
Seller says
make an offer!
4x3 Island stone
details, colorful
décor, indoor
pool & generous
outdoor areas.
Waterfront in
Great Cruz Bay
w/ stairs leading
into the sea!
“CARIBBEAN STYLE”
PR V
IC ID
E EO
RE
DU
CE
D
VID
EO
MLS 14-332
$1,250,000
A classic stone
and tile roof
exterior, with a
modern, luxurious
2x2.5 interior plus
pool and barb-que deck,
overlooking Coral
Bay!
MLS 15-266
$1,975,000
Charming island
stonework and
hardwood floors
in 5 bdrm, flexible floor plan
home with pool
in Chocolate
Hole. Walk to
beach!
OWN A MONTH IN A LUXURY HOME
L
GALLOWS POINT CONDO
“VILLA MADELINE”
”SPLASH”
NA
Caribbean cute
and ready to be
loved! Studio
layout with
king bed in a
solid masonry
building makes
a great start on
this .5 acre lot.
MLS 15-116
$1,995,000
4x4.5 pool
villa at Hart
Bay. Exquisite
construction,
with interior
stairway perfect
for children,
private. Lush
landscaping.
O
“COQUI COTTAGE”
Quiet neighborhood, 2 unit
home (2x1 up
Studio down),
level parcel,
pleasant view to
Pillsbury Sound,
lush gardening
opportunities.
RE
DU
CE
D
GIFFT HILL GEM
MLS 14-455
$1,395,000
Mediterranean
inspired, well
built 3x4 pool
& spa villa in
Calabash Boom
has easterly
breezes, privacy
& spectacular BVI
views.
WALK TO BEACH! “SEA WAVES”
TI
$1,795,000
“VILLA VENTOSA”
MLS 13-454
$2,975,000
Classic modern
home, 5x4.5 superbly designed
& finished, 40
ft. pool, large
verandas, indooroutdoor living
in Virgin Grand
Estates.
AC
MLS 14-233
$1,950,000
Hear the surf from
this Pt. Rendezvous / South
Shore views / 4x4
villa, masonry,
great porches,
gentle trade winds,
island stonework,
tastefully furnished.
“KALORAMA”
FR
MLS 13-7
“VILLA LE VIRAGE”
1½ acre lot in
Chocolate Hole.
3x3 main house,
stone gsthouse,
& small cottage.
Spacious deck,
55x15 ft. lap pool
& spa.
PR
IC
BY E R
$1 EDU
00 C
K ED
“STONE POST COTTAGE”
MLS 15-259
$3,599,000
3X4, pool, spa,
1 ac. cul-de-sac
in CATHERINEBERG borders
National Park;
stunning views
of Cinnamon
Beach & British
Virgin Islands.
PR
IC VID
E
E
RE O
DU
CE
D
MLS 14-333
$4,900,000
“CINNAMON BAY ESTATE”
Ultimate privacy
architecturally
stunning Bali
inspired 4x4.5
home, 1 ac.
w/ pool, spa &
sounds of surf!
EXCELLENT
rental income!
WA
TE
RF
RO
NT
MLS 11-385
$6,500,000
“BEACH GARDEN”
Spectacular villa
in prime Peter
Bay area, 5x
5.5 with island
stone, fine mahogany finishes,
verandas, pool &
waterfall. North
Shore views.
WA V
TE IDE
RF O
RO
NT
VID
EO
“MERMAID FALLS”
From $50,000
3 BR/3.5 BA or
4 BR/4.5 BA
villa in upscale
Virgin Grand
Estates. 3,000
sq ft villas w/
STT & sunset
views, pool,
AC & more.
SOME SELLER FINANCING!!
145,000
LOVANGO CAY
South shore from
169,000
SABA BAY
from
179,000
PETER BAY/NORTHSHORE
from
199,000
WESTIN TIMESHARES
from
$ 250,000
$ 595,000
$ 995,000
$ 3,999/wk
Search entire St. John MLS, view property videoS and newSLetter/SaLeS hiStory at www.hoLidayhoMeSvi.coM
[email protected] • Approved supplier of real estate for the VI Economic Development Commission.
Real Estate
Office : 340.776.6666 | Fax: 340.693. 8499 | www.IslandiaRealEstate.com
Sol Mate | $1,475,000
3 bed | 3.5 bath | 4,374 sqft
Calabash Boom | $577,000
2 bed | 3 bath | 1,497 sqft
Luminaria | $2,190,000
3 bed | 3.5 bath | 6,639 sqft
Rivendell | $6,250,000
4 bed | 4.5 bath | 6,350 sqft
Rainbow Beach | $2,195,000
Tree-Top Hideaway| $399,999
Rhapsody | $4,950,000
Kokomo Cottage | $499,000
1 bed | 1 bath | 660 sqft
Cruz Bay Unit #4 | $325,000
1 bed | 1 bath | 646 sqft
Serving St. John for Over 50 Years
st. john
tradewinds
Hurricane
Tracking Map
Advertise Here
Call 776-6496

TW_08.10.15_Edition - St. John Tradewinds News

Transcription

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