Dear Source,
I just witnessed the most terrifying moment in my entire history of V.I. driving. I had just arrived at the bottom of Crown Mountain Road, in St. Thomas, where it intersects with the Moravian Highway.
I was awaiting the traffic light to change in my favor. I've adopted the habit of waiting for a few seconds even when the light turns green to avoid being broadsided by drivers rushing through the amber and many times just-turned-red, traffic lights.
I noted the amber light and a car rushing to beat the red going west to east. Simultaneously, I observed a youth on one of those low riding bicycles whoosing past me to my left. Perhaps he underestimated his momentum, as he continued without slowing down straight out onto the highway, and directly into the path of that oncoming eastbound car. I heard myself screaming in horror as I saw the car brake. He slowed, but unfortunately, he still hit the youth. Then the light turned green, and angry honking car horns behind me propelled me to cross through the intersection.
I immediately pulled into the adjacent parking lot to see if I would be needing to call the police and an ambulance.
At first I saw only the driver jumping out of the car. Then, miraculously, I saw the youth stand up, stunned but seemingly unharmed. His bike? Not so lucky – mash up badly.
Still I wasn't sure if he was hurt or not, so I went ahead and called the police. They connected me to the ambulance department, who entered into a conversation with me which was seemingly to try and determine whether or not the ambulance was actually needed.
Now, I have three important observations and points to make about this experience. First, to all parents: please, talk to your bike riding children, tell them how much you love and cherish them, and passionately encourage them to exercise extreme caution while bike riding. Next, to all drivers: please, please, obey the V.I. traffic laws, slow down when you reach intersections, remember that amber light means slow down, proceed with caution, red light coming soon and for goodness sake, DON'T RUN THROUGH A JUST TURNED RED LIGHT! And, finally, to the V.I. Police Department and affiliated ambulance service: I recognize how seriously stretched to the limits you are for personnel and equipment, but please, please, please, don't force a witness to an accident to try and determine if anybody is in actually in need of help or not.
Priscilla Lynn
St. Thomas, V.I.

May 27, 2001 – A Bush administration official on St. Thomas to participate in a minority business conference says the Republican administration is committed to including more minorities as stakeholders in the U.S. economy.
Ronald Langston, who heads the U.S. Commerce Department's Minority Business Development Agency, said, "We need to make sure that minority entrepreneurs have help, that their skills be developed. There are a lot of opportunities that should not be missed."
Appearing on Radio One's "Topp Talk" show Friday, Langston said the administration's minority development emphasis is on programs to help such businesses establish themselves as integral players in the overall economy, with a vested interest in how that economy is managed. "Our focus is to make sure that the minority business owners become stakeholders," he said.
He said a part of the effort is to promote greater partnership with established businesses to learn the in's and out's of successful entrepreneurship."We want them to become business owners, not renters, not continued lessors," he said of minority entrepreneurs. And, he said, his agency is prepared to offer training and mentoring programs toward that end.
"There are pockets of poverty in America," he said."They must be overcome."
Langston believes he has a unique opportunity to help the most financially successful generation of African-Americans to sustain their economic gains and pass them on to future generations. "We are the first generation to have accumulated wealth," he said. "We must capitalize on that in order to advance the state of minority-owned businesses."
Republicans and Democrats disagree on whether Americans will reinvest their tax-cut windfall or spend it. Langston defends the GOP view that people want to put their money to work and make it grow. "We must seize the opportunity to reinvest the wealth that has been accumulated over time," he said.
While the Republican administration of which he is a part does not embrace affirmative action, Langston readily acknowledges the negative impact of past racial discrimination. "One of the biggest impediments has been the lack of access to capital," he said. "African-Americans have consistently been denied financing. We want to break down that wall."
The Minority Business Development Agency, he said, is helping businesses get over that hurdle.
Langston was in the territory last week at the invitation of Delegate Donna Christian Christensen. He participated in a conference at Marriott Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort that was organized to promote minority business access to federal contracts.

May 27, 2001 – A Bush administration official in the territory to participate in a minority business conference says the Republican administration is committed to including more minorities as stakeholders in the U.S. economy.
Ronald Langston, who heads the U.S. Commerce Department's Minority Business Development Agency, said, "We need to make sure that minority entrepreneurs have help, that their skills be developed. There are a lot of opportunities that should not be missed."
Appearing on Radio One's "Topp Talk" show Friday, Langston said the administration's minority development emphasis is on programs to help such businesses establish themselves as integral players in the overall economy, with a vested interest in how that economy is managed. "Our focus is to make sure that the minority business owners become stakeholders," he said.
He said a part of the effort is to promote greater partnership with established businesses to learn the in's and out's of successful entrepreneurship."We want them to become business owners, not renters, not continued lessors," he said of minority entrepreneurs. And, he said, his agency is prepared to offer training and mentoring programs toward that end.
"There are pockets of poverty in America," he said."They must be overcome."
Langston believes he has a unique opportunity to help the most financially successful generation of African-Americans to sustain their economic gains and pass them on to future generations. "We are the first generation to have accumulated wealth," he said. "We must capitalize on that in order to advance the state of minority-owned businesses."
Republicans and Democrats disagree on whether Americans will reinvest their tax-cut windfall or spend it. Langston defends the GOP view that people want to put their money to work and make it grow. "We must seize the opportunity to reinvest the wealth that has been accumulated over time," he said.
While the Republican administration of which he is a part does not embrace affirmative action, Langston readily acknowledges the negative impact of past racial discrimination. "One of the biggest impediments has been the lack of access to capital," he said. "African-Americans have consistently been denied financing. We want to break down that wall."
The Minority Business Development Agency, he said, is helping businesses get over that hurdle.
Langston was in the territory last week at the invitation of Delegate Donna Christian Christensen. He participated in a conference at Marriott Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort on St. Thomas that was organized to promote minority business access to federal contracts.

To the Source:
Upon reading your recent article concerning the efforts of the V.I. yachting community and the Coast Guard to come up with a local solution to the current situation [See "Equivalencies might avoid 6-pack limits"], I would like to offer some comments and observations.
First, I should state, I have been owner/operator of an inspected vessel since 1983 (six-pack from 1977 to 1983). I applaud the cooperation of the Coast Guard and the V.I. marine industry in searching for a common-sense solution to the current six-passenger restriction. I have always felt that six passengers is arbitrary and that most modern vessels can safely carry more passengers, the number of which could be based on their size.
The statement that the six-pack regs went into effect in 1988 is inaccurate. The regulations were clearly in effect prior to 1977. Since our charter industry was booming in the 1980s, I find it inaccurate to imply that these regulations were the sole cause for which term charter yachts moved to the British Virgin Islands. Another factor I think one has to explore is the effect of the daily head tax that the B.V.I. government places on vessels entering the B.V.I. from out of St. Thomas or St. John (or elsewhere). At $10 per charter guest per day, for a four-passenger vessel, this amounts to $280 per week to cruise the British Virgins, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the charter fee in many cases. Multiply that by 20 weeks of charter and compare that figure to the cost of a business license in the B.V.I., and I believe the economic reason for charterers to relocate from the U.S. to the British Virgins becomes clear.
B.V.I. boats, on the other hand, have no such tax burden when entering the U.S.V.I.
The eight-passenger boats, if they rebase in the U.S.V.I., will be subject to even higher amounts when they take their guests into the B.V.I. If this fee had no impact on the decision of where to locate, then the U.S.V.I. should have the majority of vessels carrying six or fewer overnight passengers and the B.V.I. should have all the larger boats.
While acceptance of equivalencies to comply with the six-pack regulations can be a positive first step, I do not see it as the panacea for the local charter industry.
Steve Marsh
St. Thomas

To the Source:
Upon reading your recent article concerning the efforts of the V.I. yachting community and the Coast Guard to come up with a local solution to the current situation [See "Equivalencies might avoid 6-pack limits"], I would like to offer some comments and observations.
First, I should state, I have been owner/operator of an inspected vessel since 1983 (six-pack from 1977 to 1983). I applaud the cooperation of the Coast Guard and the V.I. marine industry in searching for a common-sense solution to the current six-passenger restriction. I have always felt that six passengers is arbitrary and that most modern vessels can safely carry more passengers, the number of which could be based on their size.
The statement that the six-pack regs went into effect in 1988 is inaccurate. The regulations were clearly in effect prior to 1977. Since our charter industry was booming in the 1980s, I find it inaccurate to imply that these regulations were the sole cause for which term charter yachts moved to the British Virgin Islands. Another factor I think one has to explore is the effect of the daily head tax that the B.V.I. government places on vessels entering the B.V.I. from out of St. Thomas or St. John (or elsewhere). At $10 per charter guest per day, for a four-passenger vessel, this amounts to $280 per week to cruise the British Virgins, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the charter fee in many cases. Multiply that by 20 weeks of charter and compare that figure to the cost of a business license in the B.V.I., and I believe the economic reason for charterers to relocate from the U.S. to the British Virgins becomes clear.
B.V.I. boats, on the other hand, have no such tax burden when entering the U.S.V.I.
The eight-passenger boats, if they rebase in the U.S.V.I., will be subject to even higher amounts when they take their guests into the B.V.I. If this fee had no impact on the decision of where to locate, then the U.S.V.I. should have the majority of vessels carrying six or fewer overnight passengers and the B.V.I. should have all the larger boats.
While acceptance of equivalencies to comply with the six-pack regulations can be a positive first step, I do not see it as the panacea for the local charter industry.
Steve Marsh
St. Thomas

May 27, 2001 – Makeda Leonard and Elexisca Morriessette are eighth grade students at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School.
They found out Friday that they have a couple of other things in common.
For one thing, they both aspire to careers as pediatricians.
The way they found out about that was when a Source reporter interviewed them about something else they share: They are the territory's winners in the 2001 Promising Young Writers Program sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English.
Both will receive certificates of recognition for demonstrating exceptional writing ability.
In fact, Cancryn eighth-grade English teacher Barbara Bailey (who happens also to be Elexisca's grandmother) said the Source let the cat out of the bag in contacting the girls about the honor after having received a news release from the National Council of Teachers of English. "They were supposed to find out at the honors award program," on June 6, Bailey said. However, she added, "It's okay, though. It was a nice surprise."
Teachers of eighth-grade English language arts nominate students to take part in the annual program. The students submit samples of their best work and write impromptu essays on a topic assigned by their teachers. Judging panels consisting of teachers at the state level evaluate the pupils' writing in terms of content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development and style.
A total of 895 eighth-grade students in the United States, Canada, and American Schools abroad were nominated by teachers for recognition this school year. Awards are going to 257 of them.
Cancryn eighth grade and honors English teacher Linda Jones, who nominated Elexisca and Makeda, said this is the second year students from the territory have entered the competition.
Cancryn's principal, Yvonne Pilgrim, is the state coordinator for the National Council of Teachers of English. "When I was assistant principal, I found out about the program," she said. She took it to the English teachers "so we could encourage our adolescents to write."
Winning national recognition isn't going to change the fact that neither girl plans to take up a writing career. Elexisca said her favorite subject is math. Makeda said "I'm just into the medical field."
The territory also nominated four other students selected locally to take part in the Promising Young Writers Program this year. They are Yiomara George, Lamoi Hedrington, Shannah John and Winsome Nisbett.

May 27, 2001 – About 150 people — Charlotte Amalie High School students, their teachers and members of their families — gathered Saturday afternoon at the St. Peter Mountain Great House for a ceremony honoring the winners of the first "Laws of Life" essay contest held in the Virgin Islands.
In what was a sometimes emotionally charged atmosphere, the first-place winners each read their essays aloud to the audience.
Winners of the contest were:
9th grade:
1st place – Krystal Edmead
2nd place – Nikita L. Turnbull
3rd place – Khamisha Grant
10th grade:
1st place – A'Shinika Teshima Watson
2nd place – Alex Dennis
3rd place – Kerry Matthew
11th grade:
1st place – Gerson Henry
2nd place – Deon LeCointe
3rd place – Rishaun D. Malone
12th grade:
1st place – Dante A. Williams
2nd place – Vitilia Wiltshire
3rd place – Cohlene Heskey
The Peter Gruber Foundation gave cash awards to all the winners — $500 for first place, $250 for second and $100 for third. Three other essayists in each grade received honorable mention certificates and $50. They were:
9th grade – Lemar Farrington, Kirby Hodge, Vanica Pharoah.
10th grade – Bernard Lanclos, Michelle R. Malone, Sonya S. Tongue.
11th grade – Nadia Hendrickson, Vonette K. Martin, Yuniko Tonge.
12th grade – Roxanne D. Hanley, Jackielyn Hudson, Leeann Khan.
Teachers whose students wrote winning essays were also rewarded with cash prizes — $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third. Several teachers walked away with more than one check because they taught more than one winner. Those who received prizes were Gayle Benjamin, Antis Birmingham, Irose Payne-Chalon, Mary Edwards, Nurseen Rogers and Erma Skelton.
The "Laws of Life" essay contest is the creation of Sir John Templeton of the Templeton Foundation and is designed to motivate young people to think seriously about their life values, about the people who have influenced them for the better and about how they can demonstrate their values in their own lives. The first contest was held in 1987. Since then, many organizations and schools around the world have conducted contests.
The Gruber Foundation was established in 1993 by Peter Gruber, president and founder of Globalvest Management Co. The foundation contributes to a variety of not-for-profit organizations and supports academic endeavors.
The "Laws of Life" competition was administered by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, which houses the Gruber fund as one of dozens of philanthropic funds established to meet long-term needs in the Virgin Islands.

May 27, 2001 – Police interrupted a robbery about 3:30 a.m. Sunday in downtown Frederiksted and recovered a weapon believed to have been used in the crime, but not before a man was shot.
The officers were responding to reports of gunfire on the island's West End, according to Police Commissioner Franz Christian.
The victims, a man and a woman, told officers that while they were walking in the area, "about three to five men" got out of a vehicle on Queen Street, approached the woman and grabbed a gold chain from her neck. Christian said the woman's companion attempted to stop the robbers and was shot by one of them and struck on the head by another.
"The culprits abandoned their vehicle and made their getaway on foot while police were converging on the scene," Christian said.
The gunshot victim suffered chest and forearm wounds as well as a cut on his head from a broken bottle.
Christian said police searching the area found a .38-caliber handgun believed to have been used in the robbery and shooting.
Christian credited the fast response of officers to "the recent reorganization and deployment of police personnel." This has created a greater police presence on St. Croix, he said.
Christian urged anyone with information about the case to contact police at 778-2211, ext. 4530, or the emergency number, 911.

May 27, 2001 – Quick response by police on St. Croix led to the arrest of two men believed to have robbed a couple in downtown Christiansted late Saturday night.
Police Commissioner Franz Christian identified the two suspects on Sunday as Jaime Delgado, 31, of 162 Peter's Rest and Jose Manuel Acosta, 24, of 134 Peter's Rest.
A minute before midnight Sunday, the couple, whose names were not released, reported to police that while they were sitting in a vehicle outside a residence, Delgado and Acosta robbed them at gunpoint, taking $93. The couple told police the men fled on foot.
Christian said police conducting a search with the robbery victims apprehended and arrested the two suspects. Police recovered the stolen money and five crack cocaine rocks from Acosta, he said.
Both men were charged with first-degree robbery and bail was set at $75,000. Unable to post bond, both were remanded to the Anna's Hope Detention Center.

The Northside Civic Organization will hold their next meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at Larry's Hideaway in Hull Bay.
The focus of the meeting will be on fire services for area residents serviced by the Dorothea and Fortuna stations.
Louis Hill, St.Thomas and St. John administrator; Ian Williams, the acting director of Fire Services; and Daryl George, president of the Fire Services Union, have been invited to the meeting to share their views and solutions on the state of fire services in the area.
All residents of the north side area are welcome to attend and are encouraged to join the organization. For more information call Ann Arnold at 776-2414 or Jason Budsan at 777-7190.