Celeste P. Bermudez, 41, formerly of St. Croix, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court on St. Thomas to theft of federal program funds and making and subscribing a false income tax return, acting U.S. Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced.

District Judge Curtis V. Gomez allowed Bermudez to remain on bail until Aug. 1, when she must self- surrender to the United States Marshals Service. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 8.

According to the plea agreement, Bermudez was the finance director of the Virgin Islands Community AIDS Resource & Education, Inc., known as VICARE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting HIV-AIDS education and support services to individuals living with HIV-AIDS.

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved approximately $1.3 million in grant funds to VICARE. During the period July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded VICARE approximately $627,365 in grant funds.

According to Hewlett, Bermudez admitted to embezzling more than $5,000 during the period January 2012 through December 2013. Bermudez also admitted to making and subscribing a false 2011 income tax return, in that Bermudez failed to report $135,783.29 in 2011 income from VICARE.

Bermudez faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the federal program fraud charge, and not more than three years in prison or a $5,000 fine, or both, for the tax charge.

The case was investigated by HUD Office of Inspector General, HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim L. Chisholm and Meredith Edwards.

Jashawn Bailey, 30 of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, acting U.S. Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced.

District Judge Curtis V. Gomez remanded Bailey into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending his sentencing on Aug. 8.

According to the plea agreement, on Dec. 14 V.I. Police Department officers, while processing a crime scene, discovered a .45 Taurus firearm with an obliterated serial number wrapped in a T-shirt and hat. The investigation revealed that those items belonged to Bailey.

Further, the firearm was determined to be operable and had traveled in interstate commerce. Bailey does not possess a license for the firearm in the Virgin Islands.

Bailey faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to Hewlett.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the VIPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.

Pastor Noel G. James and the City Seventh-day Adventist Church family are extending a warm Christian invitation to community members to join them at 55 Dronningens Gade, also known as 7th Day Adventist Street, at 9 a.m., Saturday, April 22, for “Community Guest Day.”  A special welcome awaits one and all to be a part of the church’s worship experience, which fosters a loving, meaningful relationship with King Jesus.

If there are any questions, contact the church via e-mail.

‘Gods Message to Everyone Everywhere’

City Seventh-day Adventist Church

PO Box 886  St. Thomas, VI   00804

55 Dronningens Gade (7th Day Adventist Street), St. Thomas, VI   00802

(340) 776-8822 or (855) 815-2004

Audio Streaming: www.wptlcityvi.listen2myradio.com

​E-mail Address: citysda@gmail.com

FaceBook Page: https;//www.facebook.com/CitySDAChurch

​Instagram: citysdac_usvi1901 (City SDA Church)

Web site: www.citysdachurchusvi.org (under construction)

YouTube Channel: City Seventh-day Adventist Church​

The Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) informs the public that its offices on St. Croix and St. Thomas will be closed on Thursday, April 6. The entire staff will be on hand to assist with the event as the VIEO hosts the 16th Annual Junior Solar Sprint Competition at the Sunshine Mall parking lot, according to a press release from VIEO Director Elmo Roebuck Jr.

Both offices will resume normal business hours at 8 a.m., Friday, April 7.

                The University of the Virgin Islands will host the 6th Annual Research Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, April 7, in the Great Hall on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, and at the Sports and Fitness Center on the St. Thomas Campus.  Research Day provides UVI students, faculty and staff the opportunity to showcase their research, which highlights diverse topics that impact the community.

                Students and faculty will be on hand with the results of their findings. Some research that will be featured include:

• “Do Healthy-Eating, Self-Efficacy, Body Fat, Spouse’s Body Fat and Ethnicity Predict Marital Satisfaction?”
• “Evaluation of 21 Cucumber Varieties for Downy Mildew Resistance in the Virgin Islands”
• “Do Well-Established, Out-Planted Staghorn Corals Host More Diverse Fish Populations?”
• “Attitudes and Effects of Cannabis Legalization in Society: A U.S. Perspective”

The posters featured on Research Day come from the various schools, colleges and centers at UVI to include the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, College of Science and Mathematics, School of Business and School of Education.

                “For the last three years, we have recognized the quality of our student research by awarding the best student research poster on each campus,” said Dr. Frank Mills, vice provost for research and public service.  “This year, we introduce the first faculty awards for the most outstanding research poster on each campus.  This further confirms to our faculty our intent to enhance the repute of our UVI research agenda.”

This year Research Day will offer round-table discussions on both campuses on current social and development topics, and it will feature many demonstrations.

Roundtable topics on St. Thomas include:

• “Is Facebook Changing your Relationships?”
• “Sin Tax Is the Only Way!”

Roundtable topics on St. Croix include:

• “Is Facebook Changing Your Relationships?”
• “Sin-Tax Is the Only Way!”
• “Psychologists’ Experience with Presentation of Intergenerational Trauma Due to Slavery”

Demonstrations:

• “UVI Coral Reef Health Laboratory” (St. Thomas Campus)
• “Red Mangroves: The Tree of Life” (St. Thomas Campus)
• “We’re Getting Muddy! How and Why We Sample Mud in Coastal Habitats” (St. Thomas Campus)
• “Sea Shell Exhibit” (Albert A. Sheen Campus, St. Croix)

Since 2012, UVI has been following its strategic plan titled “Pathways to Greatness.”  Bearing in mind this mission, UVI Research Day has become a cornerstone of the university for students and faculty alike.

The Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) has received notice that the Celebrity Summit has canceled its April 14^th call to the Austin Babe Monsanto Marine Terminal at Crown Bay, St. Thomas.  VIPA’s Acting Executive Director Donna Frett-Gregory said that the ship’s agent reported that the cruise ship will be undergoing emergency repairs and will be unable to visit St. Thomas. 

The agent notified VIPA last week that the Summit was canceling its scheduled April 9 call to St. Croix for the same reason, Frett-Gregory added.

The Summit is a millennium-class ship with a capacity of 2,158 passengers and 999 crew.

The St. Thomas East End Medical Center Corporation (STEEMCC) will celebrate National Public Health Week with the opening of its new dental suite at 1 p.m., Friday, April 7, at Tutu Park Mall with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception. The new facility will enable the health center to increase dental services to 650 more patients in addition to the 4,000 who receive dental care, annually.

Following the closure of dental services by the V.I. Department of Health in 2012, providing dental care to those in vulnerable and unserved/underserved populations became the responsibility of the Virgin Islands’ federally-qualified health centers including STEEMCC.

The health center has seen an increase in patient load for dental care from 2,339 in 2012 to over 4,500 in 2016. The expansion will increase dental staff and improve access to preventive services for all patients.

The University of the Virgin Islands Caribbean Exploratory Research Center of Excellence conducted a health care needs assessment in 2015 which reported that over 50 percent of adults are missing permanent teeth.  The report concluded that barriers that prevent most from seeking oral health/dental services include lack of insurance (including Medicaid), limited dental providers, and the separation of oral health from overall health care.

East End Medical Center currently provides oral health care with only two dental chairs, two dentists and two dental assistants. The process of expanding dental services began in 2014 with a $562,250 three-year capital improvement grant award from the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) for dental and clinical services expansion funneled through the Office of Management and Budget. Build-out for the new suite proceeded in 2015 following DOI approval of the health center’s preliminary plans and timelines.

It took approximately six months to renovate 3,700 sq. ft. of space next to the center court of Tutu Park Mall. It is outfitted with five dental chairs and state of the art equipment. A team including four dentists, selected from the National Health Scholars program, and two hygienists will complete the facility. In June 2016, the DOH made a long-awaited donation of a dental chair to support the expansion of the health center’s dental services.

Federal grant support continued in 2016 with $1,418,197 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources & Services Administration to address anticipated Zika-related health care needs and equip health centers to respond to urgent and emergency primary health care needs. The federal award of approximately $39 million was distributed through supplemental awards for use over a three-year period to eligible health center programs throughout Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.

A portion of the award issued to STEEMCC was utilized to complete the renovation and staffing of the new dental suite. According to Moleto A. Smith Jr., STEEMCC’s executive director, this expansion promises to revitalize oral health care on St. Thomas.

“We are extremely excited to be able to provide much needed dental services to the St. Thomas-St. John community. This is the first major expansion of public health services on St. Thomas and St. John in about 30 years,” he said.

Located in Tutu Park Mall, the St. Thomas East End Medical Center is a free-standing health center that serves all persons in the St. Thomas-John community. The health center aims to eliminate disparities in health care and to improve the health and wellness of the entire community.

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
DIVISION OF ST. CROIX

FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE
ASSOCIATION,

Plaintiff,

v.

PENNY M. CRAWLEY and ALBERT KELLY
MANGUM, et al.,
                                       Defendants,
____________________________________

Case No. 1:16-cv-001
Action For Debt And Foreclosure Of Real Property Mortgage
SUMMONS IN A CIVIL ACTION

TO:  ALBERT KELLY MANGUM

All holding an interest in:

Plot No. 57 Estate Sion Farm
Queen Quarter
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
consisting of 0.34442 U.S. acre, more or less
as more fully shown on OLG Drawing No. 1922, dated June 8, 1966,
revised November 12, 1970

 A lawsuit has been filed against you.

Within 21 days after the last date of publication of this Summons in a Civil Action you must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the Complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff’s attorney,

Claire E. Tagini, Esq. Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., 1000 Blackbeard’s Hill, Suite 10, St. Thomas, VI 00802 Tel: (340) 693-0230 Fax: (340) 693-0300 Attorney for Plaintiff, FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION.

If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. You also must file your answer or motion with the court.

Date: April 4, 2017

GLENDA L. LAKE, ESQUIRE
CLERK OF THE COURT

The V.I. Health Department kicked off a week of activities, Monday, in recognition of the American Public Health Association’s National Public Health Week, with open houses on St. Croix and St. Thomas.

The St. Croix open house at the Charles Harwood Complex will continue all week, according to Nykole Tyson, DOH public information officer, and includes displays outlining services and tours of the first floor. Available information covers children with special needs, maternal and child health care, sexually transmitted diseases, community health, the chronic disease prevention program and much more.

Aida Almestica, DOH family outreach educator, explains medical services to Cheryl Joseph at the Charles Harwood Complex DOH open house 4/4/17 (Susan Ellis Photo)

Along with information about immunizations, emergency medical services and communicable diseases, free Zika testing is available for those with symptoms or pregnant women.

On Monday, Sen. Novelle Francis, Jr. toured the hospital and said he was impressed with the cleanliness of the health care facility and the staff.

“They are very knowledgeable of the job they do and very passionate about their responsibility,” he said.

The DOH also has professionals who work in the areas of mental health, alcoholism, epidemiology, health regulation and licensing, vital statistics, environmental health and family health, including the Women Infants and Children’s program.

On Wednesday, St. Thomas and St. Croix will host health fairs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tutu Park Mall and the Sunny Isle Shopping Center. Along with displays and gifts, there will be free glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. At noon, both sites will offer a Healthy Happy Hour with Cross Fit workouts and a healthy lunch.

According to Tyson, the DOH does not turn anyone away who needs health care. In addition to accepting private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, major credit cards and cash, there is a sliding fee scale, based on ability to pay.

“We’re home to thousands in the community and want to be home to more – from birth through all stages of life,” Tyson said.

For more information, visit doh.vi.gov, facebook.com/virginislandsdoh or call 340-626-6290.

Lilith Rosetta Connor Peets

Lilith Rosetta Connor Peets was born on Feb. 8, 1926, and went home to be with her Savior on March 29, 2017.  Lilith was born in the village of St. Paul’s, St. Christopher (St. Kitts).

She was preceded in death by her mother, Frederica Matilda Connor (Tan Tan); her father, James Matthew Beaconsfield Connor (Pa Pa); sister, Vickie Connor; and grandchild, Christianita N. Testamark.

 “Ma,” “Mamie,” or “Peets,” as she was called, has three surviving siblings: Alphonso “John” Connor and family of England, M. Virginia Leader and family of England, and Anna G. Williams and family of St. Thomas.

Lilith Peets was blessed with six children and their children who cherished her. Children: Beverly Albertine Connor Testamark (retired pharmacist of Washington, D.C.), Gweneth Enrica Connor Lewis (pharmacist of Georgia); Antonious (Cyril Nedd) Connor (reverend of St. Thomas) and Adeline Connor, Troy Littleton Peets (educator and entertainer of California) and Rose Peets, Rory Magdalene Peets Stapleton (educator of Virginia) and Henry-Kaye (Kimba) Stapleton, and Sandra Suzanna Peets (mortgage loan consultant of Florida).

She is also survived by grandchildren: Christianne S. Testamark (accountant of Maryland), Tijhuana O. Stapleton (data analyst of Virginia), Nathan Lewis (U.S. Navy of Japan) and MaryAnn Lewis; Cyril-Anthony Connor (student of St. Thomas), JaeNoah M. Stringfield (student of Florida), and James Peets (student of California).

great-grandchildren: Halvor Hart IV (entrepreneur and mixologist of St. Thomas); Ramon Houser (designer and property manager of Maryland); Jasmine Lewis (student of Japan).

Also on St. Thomas left to treasure her memory are her very close cousins: Helen Liburd, Ann Caines, Iva Penn, John Bloice, Marilyn Chinnery and their families.

Lilith Peets worked on St. Kitts as a nurse and seamstress and on the island of St. Thomas as a licensed practical nurse, seamstress and Emergency Medical Technician Ambulance (EMTA).  She flitted up and down the island with her “can’t stop” mentality. She faithfully served her church, The First Weslyan Holiness Church, from the time she joined the membership in Savan until the time she entered into eternal rest.

Lilith (Ma/Mamie) Peets had many, many nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren and friends who will most surely miss her.

Professional care is entrusted to Turnbull Funeral Home.  A viewing will take place at 9 a.m. and a memorial service at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 10, at First Weslyan Holiness Church.

VI-EPSCoR 2017 Annual Conference Set for April 6 The Virgin Islands Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR) has announced its 2017 annual conference from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, in the Administration and Conference Center Building, Room 142, at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Thomas Campus.

            The community is invited to participate in this conference. This year’s theme is “Transforming Research into Economic Development.” The conference will be a conversation on the research, outreach and education activities that have been facilitated in the territory through VI-EPSCoR’s support and partnerships under the Mare Nostrum Caribbean grant. This will give the community a unique opportunity to learn in greater detail about several of our Mare Nostrum-related activities and to meet with our researchers, partners and potential partners.

            For more information, contact Joey DeMarco, outreach coordinator, at (340) 693-1478 or by email at joseph.demarco@uvi.edu

Spring 2017 MBA Comprehensive Exam to be held on April 7 The School of Business Spring 2017 MBA Comprehensive Exam is scheduled from 9 am to 2 pm on Fri., April 7, 2017. The exam will be administrated simultaneously on both the St. Thomas Campus, in B206, and Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix in EVC 303. Deadline to submit application petition is Thurs., March 30, 2017.

                For more information, contact Utha Williams at uwillia@uvi.edu

Community Invited to Annual Career Fair on St. Croix on April 5-10 Join us for the annual Career Fair on the Albert A. Sheen Campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, in the Great Hall. Meet potential employers and explore many career pathways. Start preparing for ‘after graduation’ now. Also, there will be a workshop outlining how to maximize your opportunity at a career fair on March 29. More details will follow. Community members are also welcome.

           For more information, contact Patricia Towal at 692-4187 or at ptowal@uvi.edu

VIUCEDD Host Its 10th Annual Autism Conference The Virgin Islands University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VIUCEDD) is hosting its 10th Annual Autism Conference on Monday, April 10, on St. Croix in the Great Hall at the University of the Virgin Islands Albert A. Sheen Campus.  On St. Thomas, Wednesday, April 12, in the Administration and Conference Center (ACC) at the University of the Virgin Islands Campus. The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on both islands.

                The conference is designed to bring awareness to autism and give parents and professional best practices and access to resources when dealing with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Virgin Islands. The keynote presentation will be “Autism Services in the Virgin Islands: Where We Came From and Where We Are Headed” by Dr. Lindsy Wagner, Psy.D. of Island Therapy Solutions.               Additionally, there will be two break-out session topics, “Applications of Applied Behavioral Analysis Across the Lifespan” by Dr. Adriane Maier, BCBA-D and Megan Crowley, MSEd, BCBA, LABA of Island Therapy Solutions as well as “Advancing the Social-communication and Play of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” by Dr. Brian A. Boyd, Ph.D., M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

                Registration is available online by visiting http://www.eventbrite.com. To register visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/viucedd-11380188567

VICCC to Hosts Centennial Intergenerational Symposium – April 10        Monday, April 10 from 4-6:30 p.m. in the UVI Research and Technology Park (RTP) on Albert A. Sheen Campus, the Virgin Islands Caribbean Cultural Center (VICCC) at UVI with support from the Virgin Islands Transfer Centennial Commission (VITCC) presents the Centennial Intergenerational Symposium (CIS) on UVI Students’ Perspectives 2017-2117.  UVI students are facilitating the CIS inclusive of insightful discussions on the Virgin Islands through interactive conversations on the V.I. Centennial period.

            Discussion topics include and are not limited to: What is Virgin Islands Transfer Day: Commemoration Celebration or What?  Where and which flags are to be flown at VI public buildings?  What future status and vision do you have for the VI after the Centennial events? The evening will open with exhibitions of winning entries of student essays and artwork from the CIS competition.  Our UVI and V.I. communities Invite you to join us for this UVI student-facilitated intergenerational and community centered event.   Please come ready to share your thoughts, perspectives and solutions. A reception will close this event.

            Please RSVP by calling Chenzira Kahina at 692-4283 or 692-4272 or e-mail at viccc@live.uvi.edu.

Six to Vie for Miss UVI on Saturday, April 8 The University of the Virgin Islands Student Government Association invites the public to the 37th Annual Miss UVI Ambassadorial Competition at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 8.  This year’s competition, which alternates between campuses, will be held at the St. Croix Educational Complex.

“Once again, we are truly excited to host the Miss UVI Ambassadorial competition on St. Croix,” said Hedda Finch-Simpson, director of Student Affairs on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.  “We are very anxious to see which one of the six contestants will be crowned Miss UVI 2017-2018.”

The winner will serve as a goodwill ambassador for UVI locally and abroad during the 2017-2018 academic school year.  Six contestants are vying for the chance to succeed Che-Raina Warner, who later went on to be crowned Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

Contestant number one is Shantee Sookraj, 26.  Born on St. Croix, she is a senior nursing major attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.

Contestant number two is Nigencia James, 21.  A sophomore communication major, she was born on St. Kitts and is attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.

Contestant number three is Cassandra Watson, 21, a senior nursing major.  She was born on St. Thomas and is attending UVI on the St. Thomas Campus.

Contestant number four is Angelique Flemming, 19, a sophomore psychology major.  She was born on St. Croix and is attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.

Contestant number five is Alexandra Abi-Mikhael, 20, a freshman psychology major.  Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she is now attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.

Contestant number six is Rachel Arenson, 20, a nursing major.  She was born in Lewiston, Idaho, and is attending UVI on the St. Thomas Campus.

All of the contestants will participate in a pre-pageant interview show to be hosted on April 1, at the UVI Great Hall on the Albert A. Sheen Campus, on St. Croix.  They will be judged on content, intellect, language fluency, spontaneity, physical presentation, audibility, clarity and information.

The Miss UVI Ambassadorial competition consists of six segments that include business wear, introduction, ambassadorial presentation, talent, evening wear, and question and answer. The contestants will be judged on the same criteria as the pre-pageant interview, appearance, appropriateness, intonation, outfit design and deportment.  For the talent segment, contestants will be judged on their expression, natural ability, uniqueness, cohesion, flow and impact.

Miss UVI serves as an ambassador for the University.  This role includes, but is not limited to, participation in UVI’s recruitment efforts, and representing the University locally and abroad.  Miss UVI is also expected to maintain high visibility on UVI’s campuses on St. Thomas and St. Croix.

The reigning Miss UVI, Che-Raina Warner, attends UVI on the St. Thomas Campus and is a senior communications major.  Born on St. Kitts, she aspires to become a news anchor/reporter.  She used her title to promote her platform, “The Beauty Myth.”

The winner will receive one full year of UVI tuition, including room and board, along with other prizes.  Awards will also be presented for the Most Intellectual Speaker, Best Ambassadorial Presentation, Best Performing Talent, Best Evening Wear, Miss Congeniality, Miss Popularity and Miss Photogenic.  Prizes will be distributed in each category.

The Miss UVI Ambassadorial Competition is presented by the Queen’s Committee of the UVI Student Government Association.  Tickets are $25 for current UVI students with valid identification and $35 for the public.  Tickets are available in both University bookstores on St. Croix and St. Thomas.  Contact Hedda Finch-Simpson, student activities/life director, at 692-4228 for more information.

NSF $300,000 SEAS Your Tomorrow Grant to Educate VI Youth for Careers in STEM The University of the Virgin Islands-led project “Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists (SEAS) Your Tomorrow” program was chosen out of 36 grants distributed across the country to be featured in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES): Envisioning Impact Video Showcase.  The University of the Virgin Islands, along with Pennsylvania State University, Southern Utah University and local partners, was recently awarded a $300,000 grant from NSF to encourage more students in the U.S. Virgin Islands to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The NSF INCLUDES: Envisioning Impact Program (http://includes2017.videohall.com/) aims to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by creating more pathways through which young people can join the STEM fields.  A video showcase will be hosted online from March 20 – 27.  To view and comment on the SEAS Your Tomorrow video, which focuses on known drop-out points for students in science, visit http://videohall.com/p/826.  During this week, visitors to the site will be able to offer their thoughts and feedback about the project.

“This is a high impact project, and it is exciting that it is being featured on the national stage,” said Kristin Wilson Grimes, principal investigator and assistant professor of Watershed Ecology at UVI.  “Not only is the project taking place here in the Virgin Islands, but it also involves the ocean sciences, which are so vital to this community.  SEAS Your Tomorrow will create educational opportunities for VI youth, which will open pathways to careers in the ocean sciences.”

SEAS Your Tomorrow is funded by the NSF INCLUDES Program, which provides two years of support for projects that describe new ideas, create targeted initiatives, and forge new models that will improve access to STEM for underserved populations.  SEAS Your Tomorrow provides Virgin Islands middle school, high school, early undergraduate and graduate students with support and unique opportunities to pursue their interests in the ocean sciences.  The project also builds partnerships between universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, local businesses and professional societies to maximize the impact of targeted activities.

For more information about SEAS Your Tomorrow, visit http://www.seasyourtomorrow.org/ or contact Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes at Kristin.wilson@uvi.edu.

UVI Students Urged to Apply for Summer Internship Opportunity to attend the College of Micronesia The Agricultural Experiment Station has funding to support one UVI student to attend a summer internship at the College of Micronesia in the Federated States of Micronesia (COM-FSM) on Pohnpei (http://www.comfsm.fm/). The summer internship will be from June 8-27, excluding the travel dates that will be an additional 2-3 days before and after the program.

            The student should be interested in pursuing a career in agriculture, food sciences, environment and natural resources or biology related sciences, but this is not required. There will be a combination of classroom and field experience in the various agriculture sectors within private and public sectors. All classes and materials will be offered in English, giving students the information they need to have a written report and an oral presentation completed, which are required by the end of the internship.

            Funds will cover round trip travel to Pohnpei from the USVI, a per diem, housing and any other fees required by COM-FSM. Additional funds for supplies may also be provided if needed.

            The goal is to provide an experience in tropical agriculture to students from member institutions of CariPac Consortium, which include the University of the Virgin Islands, University of Puerto Rico, University of Guam, Community College of American Samoa, Northern Marianas College and College of Micronesia, Pohnpei, Marshal Islands and Palau.

Application Procedure and Deadline:

            By April 12, interested students should be nominated by a faculty member and the student should send a letter of interest and explain how this opportunity would benefit their academic career to Dr. Bob Godfrey, director AES and professor of Animal Science, at rgodfre@uvi.edu. After reviewing students submitted letters, a decision will be made as to which UVI student will travel to Micronesia, and more information on the internship will be provided. For more information, contact Dr. Robert Godfrey at rgodfre@uvi.edu.     

              For more information on the conference, call 692-4266 (STX) or 693-1406 (STT) or send an e-mail to shamika.thomas@uvi.edu.

Navigating the VI’s Cultural, Economic, and Political Spaces Symposium to be Held on April 8 UVI will host the “Navigating the VI’s Cultural, Economic, and Political Spaces Symposium,” which will be held on April 8. The purpose of this symposium is to provide an opportunity to consider the identity of the Virgin Islands of the United States, from various platforms and positions, as we conclude the 100th year since the transfer of ownership from Denmark to the United States of America.

            A registration fee of $25 will be requested from faculty and the public. However, students only have to show their student I.D. to not be charged.

            Researchers, scholars, and community activists are invited to present talks and papers that examine the topic of identity, in and of the Virgin Islands, across multiple perspectives, including sociological, psychological, economic, fine and performance art, literary and political.

            For more information, contact Dr. Dara Hamilton at 692-4123 or email: dhamilt@uvi.edu.

1. I. Academic and Cultural Awards Endowment Scholarship/Loan Opportunity Now Available The Board of Directors of the Virgin Islands Academic and Cultural Awards Endowment (VIACAE) Program is accepting applications for its territorial scholarship program. Virgin Islands residents pursuing graduate studies or cultural projects, are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. Applicants seeking graduate degrees to teach in the Virgin Islands at the secondary level, particularly in areas of mathematics and science, are especially encouraged to apply.

            The VIACAE program was created by the Virgin Islands Legislature in 1970.  It provides financial support to eligible VI residents with a desire to advance their academic and professional studies, and also to those with a desire to engage in Cultural Projects that will provide significant benefit to the people of the Virgin Islands.

            For more information and links to scholarship applications see this link http://www.uvi.edu/administration/provost/initiatives/viacae.aspx. The application deadline is Friday, April 28.

            For more information, contact Mavis Gilchrist in the Office of the Provost at 692-4285 or by e-mail at mgilchr@uvi.edu.

Attention 2017 Graduates- Report to AAS Campus Bookstore for Cap & Gown Order UVI 2017 graduates are asked to submit their cap and gown measurements to the Albert A. Sheen Campus Bookstore by Friday, March 24. Any orders placed after that day will incur a $75 express shipping fee. Anticipated arrival is the first week of May 2017. An email notification will be sent when Commencement Regalia arrive at the bookstore.

            For more information visit Shay Roberts at shanta.robert@uvi.edu.

• Attorney Genevieve Whitaker- deputy supervisor of the Election System- St. Croix District Albert Bryan Jr.- entrepreneur, executive director of Junior Achievement USVI and Former Virgin Island Department of Labor Commissioner
• Senator Kurt Vialet, former mathematics teacher, assistant principal, senator in 31st and 32nd Legislature of the Virgin Islands

            For more information, contact Golden Key Advisor Patricia Towal at 692-4187 or via e-mail at PTowal@uvi.edu.     

TEAS Testing Scheduled for Spring 2017 Semester The University of the Virgin Islands is pleased to announce testing dates for the TEAS exam.  The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is used as part of the admissions process by Nursing and Allied Health schools nationwide.  UVI students who desire to enter the School of Nursing are required to sit for the TEAS exam.  The TEAS exam is a basic aptitude test designed to identify students who are likely to succeed in nursing school and have the ability to think like a nurse.  It is a multiple-choice assessment of basic academic knowledge in Reading, Mathematics, Science and English.  The four sections are timed for a total of approximately four hours.

Testing Centers are located at the UVICELL Center on their respective islands.  On St. Croix, the UVICELL Center is located at 23A Hospital Street, Frederiksted.  On St. Thomas, the testing site is located at the UVICELL Center on the UVI St. Thomas Campus.

The testing schedule is as follows:

St. Croix

• 12:45 p.m. – Saturday, March 25

St. Thomas

• 9:30 a.m. – Wednesday, February 22
• 9:30 a.m. – Thursday, March 30
• 9:30 a.m. – Thursday, April 20

For testing fees or more information on the exam, contact the UVICELL Center at 693-1100 on St. Thomas or 692-4230 on St. Croix.  Students may also visit the UVICELL Web site at http://cell.uvi.edu/programs/teas-testing.aspx. 

International Capital & Management Company (ICMC) in partnership with the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) School of Business will host a free summer Entrepreneur Business Institute (EBI).

Created in 2013, EBI’s mission is to positively impact the business landscape as well as empower and prepare young Virgin Islanders with the important skills of business and entrepreneurship. This summer program will run from June 25 through July 9 for current 10^th, 11^th and 12^th graders. EBI is set to assist students in developing key skills surrounding entrepreneurship, leadership and business, while providing insight into the college experience and campus life.

“It is programs such as this that truly reflect ICMC’s mission to positively impact the Virgin Islands community, and very specifically in this case, the territory’s young people,” said Cornel Williams, president of ICMC.

“Armed with the skills that our young participants gain each year, we continue to further prepare them to enter the world of business and entrepreneurship as well as provide them with the practical knowledge and skills that they can begin to immediately implement and benefit from.”

 For two weeks, 20 students from across the territory will have the opportunity to reside on the UVI campus to enjoy a pre-college experience and learn about the advantages and challenges of entrepreneurship and experience mentorship from successful business leaders, while participating in active discussions about concept development and business ownership.  Students will also engage in team exercises to improve their team-building and project management skills and enjoy an educational experience where they can participate in forums and discussions facilitated by business professionals along with their peers.

 Though ICMC and UVI held a similar business program from 2006 to 2011, the team worked to re-define and re-create the high intensity program in 2013 that now highlights a much more entrepreneurial focus.  

“We strive to identify those who will benefit the most from our entrepreneurial training offerings,” said Dr. Paul Flemming, assistant dean for the School of Business on St. Croix and EBI director.

“Many of our past students have since gone on to open successful businesses of their own, and we aspire to continue this trend as together we inspire the future business owners and leaders of tomorrow.” 

 A robust and well-rounded program, the curriculum also offers time for participants to enjoy time together as they participate in community engagement activities as well as social networking opportunities and off site excursions.

For more information about this exciting program, contact Karen Nelson-Hughes at communityrelations@icmcvi.com or via phone at 777-1302.  The application deadline is Monday, April 24, and applications may be accessed on the ICMC Web site: www.icmcvi.com.

Works by Rockstein’s Photography Class

Steve Rockstein’s photography students gather to show their work and learn from each other’s unique vision every Tuesday night. On Sat., April 8, in a group show titled “On Any Given Tuesday,” they will share their images with the world. The reception and exhibition at E’s Garden Teahouse, 6-8 p.m., is free, open to the public and kid friendly.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to exhibit these images, which were created by the practice I call ‘conscious camerawork,” said Rockstein. “Today, amateurs, not professionals, are doing the most exciting and creative photography. And I use the term ‘amateur’ in the highest possible regard.”

This electronic-projection exhibit will feature the work of Jack Boden, Savanna Coldreck, Maria Conte, Joan DeLugo, Veletta Maxwell, Amalie Parrott and Karim Robles.

E’s Garden Teahouse, 2 Commandant Gade, Charlotte Amalie, is located at the foot of Garden Street on St. Thomas.

The names of the employee and retiree candidates vying for a seat in their respective districts on the Government Employees Service Commission (GESC) Health Insurance Board, according to a press release issued Tuesday by the Division of Personnel.

St. Thomas Employee Representative

Dr. Gilbert K. Comissiong Jr. (SRMC) (incumbent)

Cosme Christian (DOP)

Andre T. Dorsey (Fire)

Jessica Laplace (UVI)

St. Thomas Retirees Representative: Lori Anderson (incumbent) (unopposed)

St. Croix Employee Representative

Beverly Joseph (DHS) incumbent (unopposed)

St. Croix Retirees Representative: Adelbert M. Bryan (incumbent)

John Abramson Jr.

One employee and retiree from the district of St. Thomas-St. John and one employee and retiree from the district of St. Croix will be selected to serve on the GESC/Health Insurance Board. The four members will be democratically chosen by other government employees and retirees. The elections will begin on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 and conclude on Thursday, April 20, at noon.

To facilitate the members of the Government Virgin Islands (GVI) Health Insurance plan in getting to know the candidates, a forum will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, via videoconference at the Division of Personnel offices in both districts. (More details about the voting process will be provided in a subsequent press release and media campaign.)

Personnel Director Milton E. Potter said, “This is an opportunity for all active government employees and retirees covered by the Group Health Insurance Program to actively participate in the elections of persons to represent their interest on the GESC/Health Insurance Board.

Everyone is invited to visit the Division of Personnel’s Web site at www.dopusvi.org to view the profiles of the candidates and participate in all aspects of this very important process.”

For additional information, contact Maureen Venzen, chief of Group Health Insurance at the Division of Personnel at 774-8588, ext. 5132.

A new business coming to the Smith Bay area promises new jobs and an influx of tax revenues once the government allows it to get off the ground, according to one owner.

Local businessman and former senator Allison “Allie” Petrus spoke to members of the Smith Bay Community Action Foundation and the Citizens and Police Association (CAPA) about taking over the former Domino’s gas station and helping to clean up the surrounding area by contributing to both groups and their ongoing revitalization efforts.

Petrus said that he hopes to bring 100 new jobs to the area and currently has more than 200 applications, but has been held up by the government permitting process, which he’s now been in for a year. The government will also be able to bring in $500,000 in new taxes from the businesses, which also include a takeover of the former Domino’s gas station near Charlotte Amalie High School and another project in Red Hook, Petrus said.

Hoping that the process is near done, Petrus said that the gas station in Smith Bay will have all new equipment, including dispensers and tanks, along with an additive that will give the station a top tier fuel designation. Petrus said he would not be rehabbing the building attached to the station, but has been focused on cleaning up the property, which he said has been littered with everything from drug paraphernalia to trash.

Residents said the new business would help uplift the area and they commended Petrus for agreeing to join a new organization initiative to put more surveillance cameras in the area. CAPA representatives have previously campaigned for more cameras on the East End of St. Thomas in an effort to help Police catch the rapist who has been assaulting female residents since late last year.

“This was an eyesore to the community,” one resident said of the gas station, which has remained vacant for more than a year.

Petrus, in return, said his experiences in business have made him more aware of “everything that is wrong with us.”

“But you guys have given me hope,” he said. “This is everything that is right with us, and is great to see the community banding together to get things done.”

Foundation and CAPA members said there will be three upcoming events in the area that are meant to offer the community, especially its younger members, some more community oriented options for fun. Events are:

Saturday, May 27: a Cultural Kaleidoscope event that will be open to vendors and feature various entertainment. Booths can register for $25 and a $2 admission fee will be charged.

Sunday, May 28: the second Smith Bay Agricultural Fair, which will be held at the ballpark. A $2 admission fee will be charged.

Details are still coming together for the Foundation’s annual Labor Day Extravaganza, which will be held in September.

Groups representing retired Virgin Islands government workers on Tuesday filed a petition in Superior Court seeking a writ of mandamus ordering the territorial government to pay at least $21 million it owes the retirement fund.

The petition was filed by Debra A. Christopher, president of St. Croix Government Retirees Inc., and Phyllis M. Nehlsen, chairwoman of the St. Croix Government Retirees Advisory Committee. A copy was sent to V.I. media Tuesday evening.

The petition asks the court to order the Government of the Virgin Islands to pay GERS the $7 million annually from the rum cover-over revenues, as V.I. law mandated beginning with fiscal year 2013. The law was part of a broad emergency economic stabilization bill. Despite the legal requirement, the government has made only one of the payments, in 2016.

The petition notes the law states, “‘Notwithstanding any law or provision to the contrary, there is hereby appropriated in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and all subsequent fiscal years the sum of $7 million from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund to the GERS as a direct contribution.’ Act 7261 does not provide that the Commissioner of Finance as the representative of the Department of Finance can amend, modify or refuse the direct contribution … every fiscal year.”

The petition asks the court to order Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp and the commissioner of Finance to make the retroactive payments immediately. The government, which has been dealing with a $62 million deficit in the current budget, has been struggling to make payroll in recent months.

The $7 million annual payments are only one small piece of a fiscal problem that is threatening to bankrupt GERS by the year 2020.

The total pension liability for retired workers is $4.23 billion, according to the petition, and contributions by employees and the government do not cover the amount of money going out in pension payments. The GERS pension fund is expected to be spent and unable to pay full pensions in less than a decade, possibly as early as 2020 and almost certainly not later than 2025.

GERS officials and financial advisors have testified the reforms would help over time, but without at least a $600 million to $1 billion infusion of cash to invest, the plan will go broke.

Dudley E. Smalls

Dudley Smalls died in North Carolina on March 28.

A viewing will be held at 9:15 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 6, at City Seventh-day Adventist Church. Interment will be at the Raimer Family Cemetery.

Dudley’s wife, Doris Raimer Smalls, preceded him in death.

He leaves behind his children: Shirley Maxine Hernandez, Dudley Smalls III, Jeanine Brady and Cherilyn Smalls; brother, Gerard Smalls; sisters: Norma Moss and Mary Purcell; brother-in-law, John Purcell; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Professional Funeral Services are entrusted to Turnbull’s Funeral Home Telephone: 779-6565; e-mail: turnbullsfuneralhomevi@yahoo.com

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority’s (“USVIEDA”) Enterprise Zone Commission (“EZC”) is hereby requesting sealed bid proposals for scrape, paint and minor repairs and clean & board-up buildings in the Enterprise Zones on St. Thomas. The mission of the (“EZC”) is to revitalize once vital vibrant communities that are now considered distress as is designated by the Governor of the Virgin Islands.

An information package may be obtained from the (“USVIEDA”) at the address below at 10:00a.m. on Monday, April 10, 2017.

All interested contractors are invited to a pre-bid conference at the (“USVIEDA”) Conference Room at the St. Thomas office, 8000 Nisky Shopping Center Suite 620, at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.

Sealed duplicate (2) bid proposals are to be submitted in separate envelopes to the (“USVIEDA”) office on St. Thomas. The final deadline receiving these proposals is Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. on St. Thomas.

Funding for this project is provided by the (“USVIEDA”). This contract will be covered by the Federal Labor Standards Provision, Executive Order 11246 and Section 3. The successful contractor will be required to abide by all the federal rules and regulations.

For information, please contact Nadine Marchena Kean, Director, (“EZC”) at (340) 714-1700 ext. 256 or nmarchena@usvieda.org. The (“USVIEDA”) reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals.

Wayne L. Biggs, Jr.
Acting Chief Executive Officer

STT – 1

Territory – 1

Date of death – Jan. 1

Tahien Thomas died of gunshot injuries at the Schneider Regional Medical Center about nine hours after being shot. The shooting took place  minutes after midnight in the Bovoni area. By the time homicide detectives arrived at the scene of the shooting, Thomas had already been transported to the hospital for treatment of a single gunshot wound to the head. It was unclear whether Thomas was the target of an assailant or whether he was struck by a stray bullet from the customary illegal discharge of firearms that mark the beginning of the new year.

STT – 2

Territory – 2

Date of death – Jan. 4

Lenny Hedrington, Jr., 23, was shot and killed Wednesday morning in Estate Thomas. Officers were dispatched to Estate Thomas at about 10:27 a.m. When they arrived at the scene Hedrington was already in the ambulance, which transported him to the Schneider Regional Medical Center. He was declared dead at 11:09 a.m.

STT – 3, 4

Territory – 3, 4

Date of death – Jan. 23

Two unidentified Hispanic men in their 30s were shot dead Monday night in Polyberg, near Charlotte Amalie High School, according to the V.I. Police Department.

STT – 5

Territory – 5

Date of death – Jan. 25

De’Moi Corraspe, 27, was shot and killed at about 5:11 p.m. at the Paul M. Pearson Gardens housing community. Police responding to the scene found the body of a black man, identified as Corraspe, lying face down in what appeared to police to be a pool of blood.

STX – 1

Territory– 6

Date of death – Jan. 31

19-year-old McDonald Samuel was killed in a shooting at about 7:11 p.m. between buildings 16 and 17 in Lorraine Village. Officers arriving at the scene found Samuel and determined that he had no pulse. He was declared dead at the Juan F. Luis Memorial Hospital.

STT – 6

Territory – 7

Date of death – Feb. 10

23-year-old Mario Huggins was killed in a shooting in the area of the Bovoni Housing Community. Police received reports at 11:20 p.m. of shots being fired in the area of the housing community. Shortly thereafter, a citizen called 911 and reported that he was traveling to the Schneider Regional Medical Center with a gunshot victim, later identified as Huggins, who had received a wound to the upper body. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

STT – 7
Territory – 8
Date of death – Feb. 16
Police responding to a report of a shooting at Building 11 of the Tutu Housing Community found two gunshot victims. One, identified as 30-year-old Paul Smith of the community, died of his injuries. who succumbed to his injuries sustained during the shooting.

STX – 2

Territory – 9

Date of death – March 5

911 dispatchers received a call of shots fired in Estate Profit at 7:59 p.m. Officers also were informed that there was a gunshot victim at the location. At the scene the officers found an unresponsive man lying on the ground bleeding. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene by EMT staff and was later identified as Hector Torres, 35, who was also known as “Pollo.”

STX – 3

Territory – 10

Date of  death – March 12

Four people were shot at about 8:23 p.m. at the Cockpit in Estate Glynn. 16-year-old Juan Aponte was declared dead at the scene. Three others were injured by gunfire, one seriously.

STX – 4

Territory – 11

Date of death – March 16

Lawrence Greenidge, 28, a second victim of the March 12 shooting at the Cockpit in Estate Glynn, was declared dead early in the morning of March 16. Greenidge had been shot in the head at the Cockpit, a site popular with the cockfighting crowd.

STT – 8

Territory – 12

Date of death – March 25

Juan de Dios, 17, died Saturday night in a shootout with police. Dios was one of three armed teens who allegedly stormed into the McDonald’s at Sugar Estate and took employees and customers hostage. One of the hostages was able to contact police who rushed to the site. According to police, in the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Dios was killed and two other suspects were wounded and taken into custody. It was not immediately clear whether the fatal shot was fired by police or the gunmen.

STX – 5

Territory – 13

Date of death – March 31

Jose Saez Rosario, 55-year-old Fredensborg man, was stabbed to death Friday during an argument that began over a broken windshield. A suspect, 46-year-old Edwardo D. Garcia Jr., turned himself in to police and was arrested and charged with second-degree homicide, according to the V.I. Police.

STX – 6

Territory – 14

Date of death – March 31

Jose Saez Rosario, 55-year-old Fredensborg man, was stabbed to death Friday during an argument that began over a broken windshield. A suspect, 46-year-old Edwardo D. Garcia Jr., turned himself in to police and was arrested and charged with second-degree homicide, according to the V.I. Police.

STX – 7

Territory – 15

Date of death – April 4

Findlay Collymore, 49, died at about 4:25 p.m. near Villa Reine, Kingshill, as the result of what the V.I. Police said was a fight. Francis “Ducky” Vanterpool told police he and Collymore had been under the Villa La Reine vegetable market when Collymore assaulted him with a wooden plank, striking him on the head and multiple other places across the body. Vanterpool told police he was able to get to a bottle which he broke and stabbed Collymore in the chest. Vanterpool was arrested and charged with murder, according to the VIPD.

Explore the arts, culture and history of the Virgin Islands in the charming courtyards of Mongoose Junction. On Friday, April 7, the Mongoose Junction Merchants Association will present another “First Friday,” a monthly event that features live music, featured artists, art exhibits, cultural performances, sale specials, contests and more, from 6-9 p.m. April will feature:

St John’s own Visions Reggae will perform from 6-9 p.m. in the Mongoose Junction courtyard.

Throughout the evening, the Mascilyn Bamboula Dancers will perform ancestral dances, and Cooper Penn will provide mocko jumbie performances.

St John Scoops will offer free face painting for kids from 6-8 p.m.

Bamboula Boutique and Magic Tree Henna will present henna body painting from 5-7 p.m.

Caravan Gallery will honor the Virgin Islands Transfer Centennial by offering a free, sterling silver petroglyph charm with each purchase of a locally made hook bracelet. Discover the St. John hook bracelet and learn more about this local tradition.

R&I Patton Goldsmithing will be donating sales in the shop to their scholarship fund, which supports the tuition needs of their employees’ children.

St. John Experience Gallery will be offering 40-60 percent off selected items.

St. John Brewers Tap Room will be hosting their famous $5 All You Can Drink Summer Ale Can Party, and its Brewtique will be offering a free pint glass with the purchase of three T-shirts or hats (or any combination thereof).

The Friends of the Park Store will host author Cynthia Moulton from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. She will be signing copies of her book “Interconnected.” St. Johnian Sharelle Francis will also be in the shop, from 5-8:30 p.m. with her homemade jellies and jams.

VIVA Cantina will feature artist Kimberly Boulon, and it will also host its inaugural “First Friday Draw & Dine” art competition. Show off your drawing skills for the chance to win a $175 gift certificate to VIVA. The competition will run from 6-9 p.m.; art supplies will be provided.

The Gri Gri Project at Bajo El Sol Gallery will be hosting the opening of its Transfer Centennial Celebration Reflection Exhibition: “100 Years Of…”. The curators aim to spur reflection on how we Virgin Islanders live our histories daily. The exhibit will feature:

New works by St. Croix artist La Vaughn Belle, who is currently involved in multiple residency and exhibition projects in Denmark;

A video and installation work, “Colere,” by St. John’s Joan Farrenkopf, that explores the processes of relocation and adaptation;

St. Johnian artist Karen Samuel’s latest work in the medium of quilting;

2-D and 3-D works from Janet Cook-Rutnik’s long running investigation of the U.S. Virgin Islands transfer from Denmark to the United States;

Figurative, expressionist sculptures by St. Thomas artist Edney Freeman;

Thematic audiovisual collages by Eric Browne of St. Thomas;

New paintings and ceramics by Lisa Etre of St John;

New paintings exploring elements of V.I. history and contemporary life by Kristen Maize of St John;

New jewelry made from Colonial-era chaney ceramic shards by Monika Wendland of St Thomas;

Vintage V.I. photographs from the internationally-renowned, mid-20th century photographer Fritz Henle, who relocated to St. Croix in the 1950’s;

Commemorative V.I. history card collections by Valerie Sims;

And the St. John debut of Elizabeth Rezende and Anne Walbom’s new book — a compilation of vintage St. Thomas and St. John photographs.

For more information about Mongoose Junction, First Friday, the Mongoose Junction Merchants Association or any of the individual merchants or activities, contact Meaghan Enright at meaghan@writtenrightconsulting.com or (804) 337-5314. Additional information about Mongoose Junction’s shops and history can also be found at www.mongoosejunctionstjohn.com.