US Virgin Islands
[singlepic id=4817 w=180 h=40 mode=web20 float=left]Good morning! This is Alex Randall with Good News Headlines
Joanne Bozzuto Returning to IRB – Job Done
Joanne Bozzuto is returning to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and leaving her post as acting Finance Commissioner. She completed the business needed at Finance, finishing the first Audit of the Government books, getting the IRB moving to Tutu Park Mall and other work on capital projects. She is working with the people at UVI to get the cash flow right so the University can operate. She said the University has 3.8 million on hand, so there is no imminent cash shortfall. 03/25/97 7:35 AM
Current Conditions in Paradise:
Tempreature: 83 Degrees Water Temp: 70 Degrees Skies: Crystal Clear, Occasional Cloud Beach: Perfect Swimming: Perfect Diving: Perfect Sailing: Perfect Drinks: Ready
Special Session for Parole Nominees
The Governor is calling the Senate into a special session on April First. He needs to get his nominees to the Parole Board passed so they can begin releasing some of the non-violent offenders in our prison system. The Governor has nominated Santiago Diaz, Antonio Acevedo and Evelyn James to the Board. To comply with the court order, the government must reduce overcrowding in the prisons. 03/25/97 10:09 AM
Senate Going On-Line
Senator Vargrave Richards sent out an announcement that the Senate is going to make more information available on-line with the Information Super highway. Users of Freenet and Cbreeze will be able to access the Senate Calentar, and biographies, bills pending and press releases. Current facilities are limited but the move is in the right direction. 03/25/97 12:43 PM
What happened to the Retroactive pay.
Senator Hansen is asking why nothing has happened to move the problem of Retroactive pay forward. She says it was convenient to use it as an election year issue and some senators owe their seats to promises made about Retroactive pay. But, what’s this, the topic hasn’t even come up in the Senate this term. 03/25/97 9:48 AM
Water for Plants
The Commissioner of Agriculture reminds all farmers that they have a supplemental water program for your farming use. Call 778-0997. 03/25/97 9:50 AM
National Weather Service – Cutting $
Bad News Good News – The National Weather Service is contracting. They are cutting 27 million in the weather service budget. It means fewer people on the overnight shift. The only good news is the National Hurricane Center says their forecasts will not be effected. No word yet about the Hurricane tracker airplanes in St. Croix.. 03/25/97 8:39 AM
Coming Up:
- St. Thomas Branch of the Democratic Party is meeting tonight at 7:00 PM – at Palm Count of the Harbor View Hotel.
- St. Thomas St. John Hotel Association will hold a fund raising event on Saturday Mar 29th for the benefit of the Alton Adams Hotel and Restaurant Management Scholarship Program. The event will be aboard the Wild Thing leaving American Yacht Harbor at 3:00 PM for a trip to Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke and returning at 8:30 PM. Call 774-6835. 03/25/97 8:35 AM
- Coming up on Sunday – Carnival Committee is hosting a Magic Show for Carnival – first ever. The show features Lyndel and Company from Winterhaven Florida and there will be performances at 5:30 PM – and again at 8:30 PM – Music is by Positive Image Band.
Good News from Eunice Best
Good News from Eunice Best. You remember she hosted President Clinton for dinner at Eunice’s terrace during the President’s visit. Well business has been smashing every since the President left. People fight over the chance to sit in his chair and there are now around 150 people a night getting their dinenr at President Clinton’s favorite Restaurant in St. Thomas – Eunice’s Terrace.
Water Island Report
On a sad note, long time patriarch of Water Island, Walter Phillips died yesterday while swimming on Honeymoon Beach. Known as the father of Water Island, Walter Phillips was 97 years old. In the early 1950’s Walter leased the entire uninhabited Water Island from the Dept. of Interior. He had to promise to lay the groundwork for the island to become a community. Walter and his charming wife, Floride, worked side by side and developed a thriving hotel, which attracted visitors and allowed for a continuous development of the beach, infrastructure, roads and facilities. Visitors became residents, the hotel grew and eventually a solid, though small, community of permanent residents moved to that island. At Age 97, Walter Phillips had lived to see the reality of his dream. The uninhabited island grew into a permanent community. At the Transfer Day Ceremony Walter was honored as the oldest resident amid some 100 permanent residents now living on that islands. He received the first Virgin Islands Flag ever flown over Water Island. Ironically, he also lived to see the birth of the first baby on Water Island in the modern era, and his death came five days after that birth. Walter was a life time devotee to healthy living, mega doses of vitamins and swimming every day – no matter what. He died while swimming at Honeymoon Beach, a beach he had made, and along which he had planted all the palms and built the original beach buildings. Walter is remembered as a man of tremendous personal ability, and flowing warm hospitality. Walter Phillips is dead at Age 97.
Good Friday Law
It’s Only Tuesday, but it is time to remind all bar and restaurant owners of the Good Friday law that prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages from 9:00 AM – to 4:00 PM – The fine is $200 which is a lot to pay for a drink. 03/25/97 7:41 AM
What Happened to the Marine Aviation Center?
What happened to the Marine Aviation Center that was supposed to go into the Crown Bay area in 1995. Senate President Lorraine Berry wants to know what happened to this project. We got a federal grant to build the facility – do we have to give the money back or is it still in the pipeline? Berry says that Marine Aviation Center was supposed to be training our youth for these industries. Lorraine Berry is preparing a comprehensive report on the two Youth Symposia she held. The students overwhelmingly said they want to be considered part of the solution, not just the creators of the problems. 03/25/97 7:40 AM