We need Teachers!

05 March 2013

First the weather:
76 degrees in Crown Bay St. Thomas
85% humidity.
30.02 Barometric Pressure – rising
Wind from South East at 6 mph – Under Cloudy Skies
Point 61 inches of rain in the last 24 hours.

National Weather Service says: Overcast with rain showers. High of 81F. Breezy. Winds from the NNE at 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

A cold front stretched down into the Mona Passage is expected to stall across the coastal waters north of the Virgin islands today before dissipating on Wednesday. Widespread low clouds and scattered showers will affect the islands today and tonight. Conditions will begin to improve tomorrow night.

Cruise Ship News
Carnival Liberty, Carnival  Breeze, at Havensight Dock
St John has Sea Dream 1 and Azamara Quest

At the top of the news on  Tuesday March 5
Here come some jobs.  The Department of Labor says TRANS-TEL CENTRAL and its partner, All Rounder Systems,have to fill skilled and unskilled positions on multiple projects. Where’s this coming from? The Virgin Islands Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. Federal Funds for our broadband network. The high technology program is part of bringing broadband fiber optic cable access to underserved areas.  The joint venture has four fiber optic cabling and construction projects, including pulling hundreds of thousands of feet of fiber optic cable through ducts; put up 44 miles of aerial fiber optic cable  and there is fiber optic cable splicing on all islands – ever Water Island. . The Department of Labor held two job fairs; 13 hires on St. Thomas, 8 on St. Croix. They need additional laborers and flagmen in each district. For more information, please contact Department of Labor at 776-3700 or on St. Croix at 773-1994.

Here are more jobs –if you have the right skills. The VI public schools have an array of important positions empty – from nurses to instructors specializing as English as a second language. At the senate yesterday, the Education officials told senators that funding cuts have hit hard. English as a second language lost a lot staff to retirement. There are 22 ESL teachers department-wide, with a critical need for 4 more in each district, eight total. Carver Farrow emphasized a need for more personnel, in ESL and in nursing. Schools need more nurses, cafeteria workers, student counselors, secretaries and on-site maintenance staff.  "There are only five schools with nurses among 16 schools. It is an unsafe situation. Farrow says they asked for LPNs in the schools with RNs supervising them. Maybe utilize EMS personnel.

However - officials underscored that the Department’s budget has been severely strained by local budget cuts – and by federal sequestration mandates that would cut another $2.5 million in federal fiscal year 2013 funding.

More ships.  WICO is working to bring more ships.  The Source interviewed Joe Boschulte at WICO Headquarters.  He sees immediate action to add 150 feet to the existing dock – that’s 9 million dollars.  Next up is a repair to bulkhead at the south and east end of the pier. 6 million dollars. But how about a new pier? North of Yacht Haven Grande? South of the pump house. He says if we want to grow cruise ship tourism we have to keep up. St Martin has piers for six unlimited ships.  WICO plus Port Authority in Crown Bay is five ships - maximum. On peak says St. Thomas gets about 19,000 people and two more ships would mean another 10,000 per day. Oh, but Joe Boschulte says we are just about 100% booked for the coming season. He had to turn ships away on some days.


Here is a chance for you to make some good news. Judge James Carroll is summoning us all to A Million Steps for Peace March. The judge is bring ing together the Division of Personnel, Human Services, Police, Project Safe Neighborhoods, My Brothers Workshop, and the University to create an event for March 16. Everyone is invited. The Judge says we have to stop treating violence and homicide like business as usual. The Million Steps for Peace March will walk through neighborhoods spreading a message of peace and hope and non-violence.
The date is Saturday  March 16. Start time at Fort Christian 4:30 AM and wends its way through Havensight, out to Red Hook, then west through Smith Bay, up Cassi Hill, and finish at the University. That’s 18 miles!
But you don't have to walk the whole thing! Relay teams will hand off the baton at way stations every three-miles. Calling all church groups, schools, organizations and businesses to form six-member relay teams to cover the 18 mile course.. For more information call Celia Carroll  at 775-9337

Department of Labor’s Worker’s Compensation units will be closed on both islands for training on the Today  and Thursday, March 7. The staff will new automated system from the Worker’s Compensation Administration  which will automate the claims process.   All other services of the department will be available to the public.   If you have issues regarding Worker’s Compensation on St. Croix  call 773-1994 or on St. Thomas  call 776-3700 or on-line at www.vidol.gov

St.  Croix Educational Complex is advising parents of twelfth grade students of a very important meeting this evening at 5:30 pm in the auditorium.  Students must accompany their parents to the meeting.  All students attending will be granted valuable community service hours. For more information, contact Kayren J. Maynard, school counselor at 778-2036, ext. 5818.


The Honorable Nellie Rivera-O’Reilly, Senator 30th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, will be the guest speaker at Rotary West Club meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Club’s Community Center in Frederiksted. Sen. O’Reilly will talk about her ongoing efforts and future plans for the social and economic betterment of the people of St. Croix and the Virgin Islands.The public is invited to attend For more information, call Clifford Christian at 772-2505. 

WAPA Bringing automatic meter reading to the Virgin Islands starting this week in Estate Thomas, Sugar Estate and Hospital Ground and Havensight.  The WAPA crews will make changes to the meter – no change in water pressure – no outage while this is done. Some 1500 meters on St. Thomas and 240 on St John are slated for renewal. New meters come to St Croix with 2500 meters to install. The new meters will let WAPA collect usage data remotely. Saves money.

The Technology Center of the Virgin Islands is calling all Senior Citizens to come learn about computers. They have an 8-week computer literacy class for Senior Citizens only, starting today. Senior can chose Monday-Wednesday or Tuesday-Thursday each day it is at 10:30.  Seniors will enjoy learning with their peers: with hands on practical instruction; what components make a Computer and how to use them;
fundamentals of Windows, computer terms, operations, emailing, accessing the Internet, and doing a search. For more information, call Janice at 777-2727.