US Virgin Islands
[singlepic id=4817 w=180 h=40 mode=web20 float=left]Good morning! This is Alex Randall with Good News Headlines
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Daily News – Sold
The Daily news has been sold. Gannett closed the sale of the Daily News to Innovative Communication and Jeffery Prosser. The staff has the same jobs with the new ownership. The word is that the editorial and news gathering organization is not to change at all.
Today’s Photo: Happy New Year from Victoria Prehn of PC Paradise!
Current Conditions in Paradise:
Temperature: 91 Degrees at 10 AM Skies: Sunny, Occasional Cloud Chance of Showers: 30%: Water Temp: Perfect at 82 degrees Beach and Swimming Conditions: Sooo Perfect Sailing and Diving Conditions: World Class! Drinks: Ready
Governor Signs Three Kings Bill and Racetrack Bill
The Governor made several announcements at this year end. He signed the bill honoring Three Kings Day on St. Croix and noted the rich Hispanic heritage and cultural in the Virgin Islands. He signed the bill to expand and improve the Randall “Doc” James race track and authorize telephone betting at that track. He vetoed the bill that would require random testing of bottled water. He didn’t like a provision that would send fines and penalties to the Union Arbitration Fund.
Holiday Closings
Today is the funeral of Milo Frances. The Dept. Housing Parks and Recreation offices are closed for the funeral and will remain closed until Monday. Non-essential Government workers have administrative leave today from noon to 5 o’clock. The banks have half day schedules today the same at government offices. The post office will be open today, The mall and the major food stores are also open. Tomorrow is New Year’s Day. K-mart and Pueblo stores are open but the banks and government offices are closed tomorrow – it’s a federal holiday. On Friday, banks and government offices will be closed on St. Croix for Festival.
WICO has good news.
The West Indian Company Limited says we had more passengers this year than ever before. We had one million, three hundred sixty nine thousand people visit here in 1997, that’s up 23% from the year before when we had one million one hundred forty two thousand visitors by cruise ship. WICO also said that cruise ship traffic to St. Croix was also way up over last year.
New Award to Honor Claude Milligan
The family of the late Claude Milligan of St. Croix has decided to honor the man’s life and 30 years of dedicated service to the Claude O. Markoe school by creating an award to be given annually to the student who demonstrates service and commitment to the school.
Coming Up: Arts Council to Show the movie Amistad
The Arts Council is working on a program to bring the film Amistad – the new film about a slave ship revolt in 1839. The Council will have 500 students in a special educational program about the history of the event and to teach them about art and history. The special screening of the film is set for January 14th, at Cinema One.
Winners!
We have winners in the SPARKS Christmas Raffle of turkey and trimmings thanks to Plaza Extra for donating the turkeys. Third prize goes to James Rhymer, Second prize is for Jonathon L. Petersen and Lydia Nesbitt is the first prize winner.
On the Calendar
Addelita Cancaryn Junior High School teachers are reminded to pick up their checks at the school before 11:30 AM – Senator Roosevelt David has a St. John Christmas party for children today at 3 o’clock at Local Culinary Restaurant in Cruz Bay, Inner City Christian Center has an Old Year’s Night Worship Service this evening at 10:00 PM µ First Wesleyan Holiness Church in Contant has a Watch night service at 10:00 PM – tonight. All are welcome
Water Island Report
News Years on Water Island. We all gather in downtown Phillips Landing and cheer as a tennis ball is thrown up in the air. We actually celebrate the new year at 8 PM local time when it is New Years in Greenwich Mean Time – this makes it easier to get to bed and get a good nights sleep.
Note to the Spelling Checker Readers
Yes, Little Ol’ Alex has a nasty habit of publishing the Good News Headlines with spelling errors included. I want everyone to know that these are typographical errors rather than misspellings. I spell better than I type. What can I do when “tot he” comes out instead of “to the” OK. So forgive me and keep those cards and letters coming.