Wednesday’s long-awaited second hearing between senators and Alpine Energy Group execs not only caught the attention of the V.I. community, but drew in a group of law students from Kansas University along with CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, whose cameraman set up alongside local media in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall to videotape part of the debate.
"We were actually doing a story on cruise ships that come through here, and how some of those ships feature events headlined by popular conservative figures," Acosta said after conducting a few on-camera interviews with senators. "We thought it was a fun idea, and thought it would be fun to come down on one of the cruises."
While traveling through St. Thomas, Acosta said he noticed the big green street signs promoting local capital projects financed by federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
"CNN is doing a big stimulus week next week, looking at how these funds are being used across the country," Acosta said, adding that the footage shot around St. Thomas Wednesday could contribute to the segment.
The story led him to the Legislature, where Acosta also got to film a bit of the action going on in the Senate chambers.
"It was a real pleasure to see the local Legislature at work," he said, describing himself as somewhat of a "political junkie."
But for a group of about six students from the University of Kansas Law School, Wednesday’s debate was more educational. Headed by their professor Andrew Torrance, the group listened intently as residents’ environmental concerns about Alpine’s proposed waste-to-energy project were aired on the floor.
Torrance has been bringing these student groups to the territory for the past 10 years, usually the week before they start spring classes.
"The Virgin Islands is the perfect microcosm of biodiversity issues," Torrance said. "During a single day here, you can actually go experience an environmental issue, meet the players, question them and then come back with more instruction than you would get on the mainland."
"It’s a really unique laboratory," Torrance said.
