No SNOW Here...

22 February 2013

First the weather:
77 degrees in Crown Bay St. Thomas
79% humidity.
30.00  Barometric Pressure – rising
Wind from East at 7 mph – Under crystal Clear Skies
No rain in the last 24 hours or point 0 inches of rain. 2.07 inches so far this year. 

National weather service says: Clear with rain showers in the morning, then partly cloudy with rain showers. High of 82F. Winds from the NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20%.

A drier and generally fair weather pattern is expected across the area through Monday or Tuesday except for a weak cold front which is bring isolated showers to the islands Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Rainfall amounts will be light.

Cruise Ship News
Summit  at Havensight Dock
Ryndam at Austin Monsanto Marine Terminal:
Two ships in Frederiksted - Brilliance of the Seas along with Vision of the Seas



At the top of the news on Friday   February 22
Senate President Malone set a goal – reduce the Legislature's paper use in half. Malone told department heads to cut paper and copier use by March 1.  It is a sizeable portion of the Legislature's budget, Malone said new technology makes paper obsolete. Scanning documents as soon as they are available and posting them on the legislature’s web site at www.legvi.org. means they are available for review electronically. The Senate President said. "This increases transparency and participation in the democratic process."

Waste Management Authority says they are sorry for the trash mess on St. Thomas.  One of the contract haulers is having mechanical trouble with their equipment – which is effecting house to house trash as well as removing bins.  Waste Management Authority is working on resolving this in a timely manner. Meanwhile they are making changes at Susannaberg St John.  Right now all waste is transported to Bovoni for disposal. They are planning to build a tipping floor to help sort trash and remove recyclables and scrap metal. A new contractor is on the job to remove scrap metal and recycle them. They are building a fence to help keep the animals out of Susannaberg.

What’s it like to be the University President?  Marsha Laurencin is an expert. She walked the halls of UVI yesterday as the substitute for the President.  She said “It was much more intense than I'd imagined." She had meetings and decisions and a presentation to Board members about having the university compost its waste. Meanwhile the President was hanging around classes wearing his backpack and headphones. Hummm, no notebook in chemistry Mr. President.  How are you going to write chemistry formulas on your ipad? The president said “It is a good idea to break up your routine and see the world from the other person’s perspective.” Laurencen gets a scholarship and Dr Hall got a good grade on his lionfish dissection.

Casino at Carambola? The GERS Board approved a contract with a consultant to figure out what it costs to start casino gaming at Carambola. Adding a casino might make it a more attractive property for the GERS to sell.


Postponed - The annual meeting of the Economic Development Authority, and its related agencies set for today has been postponed.

The St. Thomas Government Employees’ Retirement System office will be closed for employee training today from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and will re-open at 1:30. 

Tonight through Sunday - WAPA and Island Roads Corporation will excavating from 7 pm to 6 am around Hibiscus Alley and Dronnigens Gade.  Fortress Electric will be installing underground high voltage power lines from the Lutheran Church at Norre Gade to Hibiscus Alley at Dronnigens Gade from 6 pm to 6 am and there are nightly excavation near the De Lugo Post Office at Norre Gade this week.

This weekend, The St. Croix Orchid Society will present their 42nd annual orchid show, this time it is an “Orchid Wedding.” They will honor longtime orchid growers Doris Gardine and Jeanette Fabio. Accredited judges from the American Orchid Society will judge the blooms. Some 30,000 species of orchids exist and many are grown here in the Virgin Islands. The show is at the UVS Sheen Campus in the Great Hall on Friday from 3 to 5 PM PM – then on Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM on Sunday from 9 AM to 3 PM.

This evening the African Diaspora Youth Development Foundation, will honor Mr. Wilbur "Bill" LaMotta at the 30th Annual Nab Eddie Bobo Black History Month Lecture at UVI.  This time it is all about the music of Bill La Motta. The University Choir will sing "Alma Mater by The Sea.” Ray LaMotta and Neomie Toussaint Williams will perform several LaMotta compositions. Irving “Brownie“ Brown will highlight his LaMotta discography, There will be poetry readings by two Poetry Out Loud Finalists - Junia Washington and Isis Collier. Refreshments will be served. This evening at 6:30 PM at the Administration Conference Center building on the St. Thomas campus.  And if you can’t be there, listen to WSTA we will bring it to you live.  WUVI AM 1090 will rebroadcast it on Saturday.

The UVI's Etelman Observatory has an open house this evening from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Guests will be treated to views of the planet Jupiter with its Galilean moons, the Crab supernova remnant, and the Orion Nebula star forming region. The rain date is Saturday, Feb. 23.  This viewing is free of charge through sponsorship by Celtic Therapeutics. Space is limited so RSVP to Dr. Morris by email - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - or call (617) 610-1148.

Every year, flu season arrives and with it comes fevers, aches, chills, and extreme fatigue. Influenza also called the flu affects people of all ages, especially children, who are often the first to come down with the illness and bring it home to their families. The Department of Health  is starting an “On the Road-To the Community” influenza awareness campaign to teach residents, employees, parents and children about flu prevention, symptoms, and treatment.  The Immunization Program will also administer free flu vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at the Aubrey C. Ottley Post Office in Sugar Estate, St. Thomas. parents are urged to bring children to get the flu vaccine because they are one of the most at-risk age groups affected this flu season.  “Immie the Gopher, the Immunization Program’s mascot, will be on hand and there will be fun activities and giveaways for the children.”

Hearty Congratulations to the student mathletes on all islands. On St. Thomas the Team from Antilles School came out tops - Nicholas Midler, Poo-ja Chain-a-ni, Man-av Thad-a-ni and
Man-si Tot-wani were the top team. Joining their teammates in the territorial competition will be Jonathon Qualls, Maggie James and Simran Mir-chan-da-ni, from Antilles and Allison Bartsch and Axel Bartsch from Montessori and Te-kett-ay Ludvig from the Bertha Boschulte School.

On St Croix – Elena Christian Junior High School team took the top honors in the team mathcounts.
The individuals with high scores were Ali Bou-cenna of Church of God placed first, second was 
Kalahari Bryan from Country Day, Habeeba O’Neill from Elena Christian, Elise Stan-per from Country Day and Tri-a-nah Jackson from St. Patrick’s. Zhan-ii-ah Deterville and Caroline Flavia of Country Day, will also join the St Croix team at the territorial finals on St. Thomas on March 14.