"Finding Forrester" brings together as unlikely a set of talents as you'd want to spend two and a half hours with. That's a lot of time. Some say perhaps too much.
Anyhow, Forrester (Sean Connery) is a crusty, old reclusive writer living in a mostly black Bronx ghetto who is drawn out of his shell by a young African-American college student, Jamal (Robert Brown), who has a basketball scholarship and a knack for the written word.
Sound corny? Well, the saving grace is director Gus Van Sant who saves the story from prohibitive sentimentality, according to most of the people who review movies.
Forrester wrote a hugely successful novel about 40 years ago, after which he hasn't strayed far from the family apartment in the South Bronx. Critics wonder if the appearance of Jamal in Forrester's life is enough reason to bring about the about face in Forrester, as he takes on the task of mentoring Jamal.
Jamal attends an elite prep school on his scholarship where he has to contend with a hostile instructor, none other than F. Murray Abraham, who did a bang-up job of tormenting Motzart in "Amadeus."
This is a film debut for Brown, and by all accounts, a very good one. Reviews say he captures Jamal's intelligence as well as his street smarts. And he wins over Connery in the process, so he must know a thing or two – after all, 007 you may remember, is nobody's fool.
The movie is rated PG-13 for some language and sexual reference.
It is playing at Market Square East.

"Finding Forrester" brings together as unlikely a set of talents as you'd want to spend two and a half hours with. That's a lot of time. Some say perhaps too much.
Anyhow, Forrester (Sean Connery) is a crusty, old reclusive writer living in a mostly black Bronx ghetto who is drawn out of his shell by a young African-American college student, Jamal (Robert Brown), who has a basketball scholarship and a knack for the written word.
Sound corny? Well, the saving grace is director Gus Van Sant who saves the story from prohibitive sentimentality, according to most of the people who review movies.
Forrester wrote a hugely successful novel about 40 years ago, after which he hasn't strayed far from the family apartment in the South Bronx. Critics wonder if the appearance of Jamal in Forrester's life is enough reason to bring about the about face in Forrester, as he takes on the task of mentoring Jamal.
Jamal attends an elite prep school on his scholarship where he has to contend with a hostile instructor, none other than F. Murray Abraham, who did a bang-up job of tormenting Mozart in "Amadeus."
This is a film debut for Brown, and by all accounts, a very good one. Reviews say he captures Jamal's intelligence as well as his street smarts. And he wins over Connery in the process, so he must know a thing or two – after all, 007 you may remember, is nobody's fool.
The movie is rated PG-13 for some language and sexual reference.
It is playing at Market Square East.

Ang Lee has taken the martial arts movie out of the high kick genre, and into high art in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." This is the expressed opinion of several movie critics, who rarely ever agree on anything.
And they just might have something. Director Ang's career has always been exciting as he moves between such different dramatic venues as "Ride with the Devil," Sense and Sensibility," and "The Ice Storm." His obsession with his childhood upbringing on sword-slashing Hong Kong epics is evident in this film, but with a difference.
"The film is a kind of dream of China that probably never existed except in my boyhood fantasies in Taiwan," Ang has said of the movie. He also said, "The film isn't crafted in a realistic style, but is choreographed as a kind of martial art."
Having said that, the film explores familial relationships, as have his previous films. Here we have the legendary martial arts guru Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) about to retire, and to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend.
However, Jen (Zhang Ziyi), daughter of the local governor, slyly appropriates it first. Jen is far more interested in controlling her own destiny – with the help of the Green Destiny – than she is in her upcoming arranged marriage to a diplomat. This is just the beginning of travails to come.
There's no easy answer to the family dilemma here, no matter how many fortune cookies they break open.
Action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping ("Matrix") stages fights, or dances, that flow over rooftops, rivers and bamboo trees with the action punctuated by cello solos from Yo Yo Ma – yes, the real one. Well, could you ask for anything more?
Produced and directed by Lee, it is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some sexuality. It is written by five different writers, which usually is a sign to stay home with a good book, but apparently not here.
It starts Thursday at Cinema One.

According to the acting principal of Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, Yvonne Pilgrim, the student injured during a fight earlier this week was not a Cancryn student. Pilgrm said Thursday that the minor boy was a Charlotte Amalie High School student and the fight did not occur on the Cancryn campus but in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store and gas station.
Pilgrim said Thursday she does not know whether any of her students were involved because the injured student will not talk to anyone about the incident. She said it is her understanding that he is recovering satisfactorily from lacerations suffered from blows by a baseball bat.
Without the injured student's cooperation, police have been unable to complete their investigation of the incident.
Meanwhile, the CAHS student who was stabbed near the high school Tuesday afternoon is reported to be recovering from wounds that were not life-threatening. Police said Thursday a suspect has been identified, and that an arrest is imminent. The suspect is believed to be a minor.

In approving the bill merging the Industrial Development Commission, the Government Development Bank, the Industrial Park Development Corp. and the Small Business Development Agency into a new Economic Development Authority, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull substantially cut IDC benefits. He halved the original proposal's initial term for benefits from 20 to 10 years, limited renewal of benefits and made the benefit percentage subject to review.
But Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg said Thursday he is still concerned that the tax benefits program amounts to "corporate welfare."
Turnbull announced the bill's signing Monday, saying "it will lead to more efficient and effective use of our limited resources to promote economic development through the expansion of established business, and luring of new businesses to set up their operations in the territory through the creation of a more streamlined organization."
Proponents of the measure hope it will avoid duplication of services and positions, reduce expenses for personnel, physical plant and operations, and develop comprehensive programs for the islands' economic development.
The administration also made some important changes to the bill, some of them in line with earlier suggestions from Donastorg, who objected to provisions that could have granted 100 percent benefits for up to 40 years.
Through line-item vetoes, the governor amended the bill to provide 100 percent benefits to eligible entities for 10 years, with the possibility of one 10-year renewal at a percentage to be determined "after public hearing and with the governor's approval."
But Donastorg remains concerned that the IDC program amounts to "corporate welfare."
"While the governor has addressed some of my concerns by line-item vetoes, in particular minimizing the number of years of eligibility, there still remains two major problems," Donastorg said.
He said the bill apparently does not allow the IDC to negotiate the percentage of benefits for the initial 10-year term, thus depriving the government of much-needed revenues. In addition, Donastorg said, "the IDC was established to lure new investment, new capital, create new jobs, but that is not happening here. You have existing companies that will be applying not only for renewals but for additional benefits."
Last month, Donastorg said he was concerned that the bill would allow current beneficiaries, particularly V.I. Telephone Corp.'s parent company, Innovative Communication Corp., to apply for exemptions for its other holdings.
Vitelco is now the only Innovative company to receive IDC benefits. Innovative owns several other V.I. telecommunications companies, including VitelCellular, Vitelcom, St. Thomas-St. John Cable TV, St. Croix Cable TV, ICC TV and an internet service provider, VIPowerNet. ICC also owns the Virgin Islands Daily News.
Existing companies such as Innovative, Donastorg said, "are not hiring more, not investing more. All they're doing is trying to improve their profit margins by taking advantage of IDC benefits."
Before signing the bill, the governor also changed the types of businesses under Category III, which originally included "Regulated Utilities, Banking, Health Care Facilities, and such other industries or businesses as may be deemed appropriate by the Commission." Eliminated were the words "regulated" and "banking."
Thus the four new categories created are as follows:
Category I – Rum and dairy production; watch and jewelry manufacturing/assembly.
Category II – Production/assembly other than jewelry and watches; agriculture/food processing; food processing, marine industry, raw materials processing; hotel/guest houses; transportation and telecommunications.
Category IIa – Service businesses including but not limited to investment management and advisors; research and development; business consultants and management consultants; software developers; e-commerce businesses; international public relations firms; international trading and distribution.
Category III – Utilities; health-care facilities; recreational facilities.
The semiautonomous board of the Economic Development Authority would consist of seven members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Legislature. Three members, one from each island, cannot be government employees, three will be from the cabinet or executive departments and one would be appointed from the Government Employees Retirement System, V.I. Port Authority or the University of the Virgin Islands.
The new authority originally included the Bureau of Economic Research as well. Turnbull eliminated that language in the bill to keep the bureau under the aegis of the executive branch.
The bill is slated to go into effect on March 1.

APPETIZERS
BLACK BEAN CAKE with sour cream, $ 6.25
THREE TIMES TUNA: Sashimi; Tartar; Carpaccio, $12.50
FRIED MUSHROOMS with Tartar sauce, $ 6.75
BEEF CARPACCIO with Parmesan shavings, $ 9.75
TRUFFLE MOUSSE PATE with toast points, $ 10.75
FRIED CALAMARI with lemon mayonnaise, $ 7.75
GRILLED VEGETABLE NAPOLEON, $ 9.75
HOMEMADE SOUP DU JOUR, $ 5.50
All pasta dishes are available as appetizers
SALADSMIXED GREEN DINNER SALAD, $ 6.50
FRESH SPINACH with Stilton cheese and strawberries, $ 8.50
GREEK SALAD with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta & olives, $ 7.50
CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD, $ 7.25
With grilled or blackened chicken, $ 11.75
With grilled or blackened sirloin, $ 16.00
With grilled or blackened shrimp, $ 17.25
GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD with mixed berry vinaigrette, $ 9.00
With fresh fish of the day, $ 20.00
ENTREES
ALEXANDER’S OCEAN TREASURE PASTA With Shrimp, Crawfish, Mussels and Salmon, $ 24.75
CAJUN PASTA With Andouille Sausage, Chicken and Shrimp, $ 22.75
PESTO PASTA
With Cream, $ 14.75
With Chicken, $ 16.75
With Shrimp, $ 20.75
MEATSAUCE PASTA With ground Sirloin, Sausage, Onions, and Peppers in Marinara sauce, $ 17.25
With Marinara sauce only, $ 12.75
BANANA FRIED SHRIMP
With a sweet & sour sauce ** $ 22.75
BLACK SESAME CRUSTED SALMON
On a bed of Ginger Honey Carrots ** $ 24.75
THREE TIMES TUNA
Sashimi; Tartar; Carpaccio, $ 22.75
SEARED GINGER TUNA
With buttered oyster sauce ** $ 24.75
WIENER SCHNITZEL
Lightly breaded veal** $ 17.75
SALZBURGER SCHNITZEL
Veal in a lemon,butter,caper sauce** $ 18.75
SCHNITZEL JAEGER
Veal in a mushroom cream sauce** $ 18.75
NUERNBERGER ROSTBRATEN Sirloin Steak breaded lightly on one side with a Mustard Sauce** $ 19.75
MARINATED SIRLOIN TRITIP
With a brandy,green peppercorn cream sauce** $ 21.75
STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST Stuffed with spinach, pinenuts, provolone cheese & garlic in a fresh basil cream sauce** $ 17.75
BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST
With a gorgonzola,spinach cream sauce, $ 17.75
GRILLED VEGETABLES
With grilled chicken, $ 14.75
With grilled tuna, $ 20.75
Items with ** have a choice of two of the following side dishes:
french fries
mixed vegetables
baked potato
red cabbage
rice du jour
cole slaw
potato du jour
garlic mashed potato
broccoli
pasta
black bean cake
Cigarette smoking will be limited to the bar area.

Under the guidance of its new director of annual giving, the University of the Virgin Islands is embarking on a drive to educate the public about options and advantages in making donations as part of their estate planning.
Among the topics to be addressed in seminars planned for St. Croix and St. Thomas are wills and bequests and the benefits of planned giving.
Deborah S. Hamilton, UVI's first director of annual giving, says she believes most Virgin Islands residents, like most people everywhere, "want an opportunity to leave a better world for their children and grandchildren. They would like to preserve their values for future generations. They would like to exit with grace, being remembered for what they gave, not what they got."
And, she adds, "They would like to leave a legacy so the fact that they lived on this planet will continue to make a difference."
People who have worked hard throughout life to become successful and prosper don't want to their worth to die when they die, Hamilton says: "We want to be significant as well as successful."
That makes it all the more ironic, she adds, that "roughly half of Americans die without wills or trusts."
UVI is embarking on a community outreach effort in hopes of changing that situation locally. "As a beginning, we have asked attorneys Linda Baxter and Marjorie Roberts to conduct free public seminars to give the Virgin Islands community some basic information regarding wills, bequests and the benefits of making planned gifts," Hamilton said.
Baxter will conduct the first seminar, to be held on the UVI St. Croix campus at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in Room 133 of the Research and Extension Services Center. Roberts will lead the second, a repeat of the first, which will take place on the St. Thomas campus at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in the second-floor meeting room of the new Sports and Fitness Center.
As seating is limited at both venues, those wishing to take part are asked to reserve space by Thursday, Feb. 15. This may be done by telephoning Hamilton on St. Thomas at 693-1042 or Stella Saunders on St. Croix at 692-4023. Reservations may also be requested via e-mail to Hamilton at dhamilton!uvi.edu. If you e-mail, be sure to specify which seminar you wish to attend.
"Whether a person's estate is large or small, here is an opportunity many will not want to miss to learn how to transform their success into lasting significance," Hamilton says. "We hope that many will take steps today to leave a legacy for tomorrow."

Under the guidance of its new director of annual giving, the University of the Virgin Islands is embarking on a drive to educate the public about options and advantages in giving as part of their estate planning.
Among the topics to be addressed in seminars planned for St. Croix and St. Thomas are wills and bequests and the benefits of planned giving.
Deborah S. Hamilton, UVI's first director of annual giving, says she believes most Virgin Islands residents, like most people everywhere, "want an opportunity to leave a better world for their children and grandchildren. They would like to preserve their values for future generations. They would like to exit with grace, being remembered for what they gave, not what they got."
And, she adds, "They would like to leave a legacy so the fact that they lived on this planet will continue to make a difference."
People who have worked hard throughout life to become successful and prosper don't want to their worth to die when they die, Hamilton says: "We want to be significant as well as successful."
That makes it all the more ironic, she adds, that "roughly half of Americans die without wills or trusts."
UVI is embarking on a community outreach effort in hopes of changing that situation locally. "As a beginning, we have asked attorneys Linda Baxter and Marjorie Roberts to conduct free public seminars to give the Virgin Islands community some basic information regarding wills, bequests and the benefits of making planned gifts," Hamilton said.
Baxter will conduct the first seminar, to be held on the UVI St. Croix campus at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in Room 133 of the Research and Extension Services Center. Roberts will lead the second, a repeat of the first, which will take place on the St. Thomas campus at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in the second-floor meeting room of the new Sports and Fitness Center.
As seating is limited at both venues, those wishing to take part are asked to reserve space by Thursday, Feb. 15. This may be done by telephoning Hamilton on St. Thomas at 693-1042 or Stella Saunders on St. Croix at 692-4023. Reservations may also be requested via e-mail to Hamilton at dhamilt@uvi.edu. If you e-mail, be sure to specify which seminar you wish to attend.
"Whether a person's estate is large or small, here is an opportunity many will not want to miss to learn how to transform their success into lasting significance," Hamilton says. "We hope that many will take steps today to leave a legacy for tomorrow."

The first traffic fatality in more than a year on St. John occurred sometime early Thursday when a man driving a red Chevy Blazer apparently lost control of the vehicle on Route 107 south of Coral Bay. The Blazer careened off the road and plummeted some 60 feet down a steep hill before striking a tree, police said.
The victim, 41-year-old Edward R. Hearne of Gifft Hill, was pronounced dead on arrival, according to Police Lt. Rene Garcia. Police said he died of massive head injuries.
Garcia said the man's body was discovered alongside the vehicle, raising the possibility that he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Garcia said a firefighter called to report the accident at 8:10 a.m. Thursday. Early reports indicated the accident occurred near Saunders Bay. Garcia said the vehicle had been traveling north and that 30 feet of skid marks ended at the side of the road. Garcia said there is no guard rail on that section of the road.
The last traffic death on the island occurred in December 1999, when a 19-year-old St. John resident was killed on the North Shore Road.

The Long Bay landscape, which has suffered many indignities over the years – by unfinished, interrupted road work, to say nothing of the unsightly shell of the former Yacht Haven Hotel – has recently experienced another aesthetic setback.
The trees lining the Lucinda Millin Home for the Aged have been "pruned." The trees are called "sleepy trees" locally because the rattle their pods make wakes you up.
According to Edward Delegarde, V. I. Housing Authority director of maintenance, the trees have been cut back to prevent them from growing into power lines, and because they obstruct the Millin residents' view.
Delegarde said Tuesday that the V.I. Water and Power Authority had asked VIHA to cut the trees out of their lines. But Patricia Blake-Simmonds, WAPA public relations officer, said that was not true. WAPA's lines near the home are underground, she said.
Upon investigating the matter, Simmonds said Delegarde told her WAPA had not requested work on these particular trees though the agency had made such requests in the past.
Edith Bryan, public relations officer for the Millin home, said that while she was no tree surgeon, they appear to be "improperly cut." Since the trees surrounding the home have been cut, including those in the back, Bryan said she didn't see how they could interfere with the residents' view.
The trees' new appearance has not gone by without public notice. It was the subject of Leona Bryan's talk show on Radio One WVWI earlier this week. Long-time island resident Margit Kanstrup was particularly upset.
"They look like sad, wooden sticks," she said. Kanstrup said she didn't understand the lack of planning in managing the trees. "It will take years for them to grow back, the way they've done this," she said. "Pruning should be done by somebody with some education. We should care for the few mature trees we have left on the island. For all we've lost and chopped down, we should have planted 10 trees for each one."
A report by the National Arbor Day Foundation on the dangers of "topping" trees lists starvation as high among the hazards. Topping removes so much of the crown that it upsets an older tree's crown-to-root ratio, and temporarily cuts off its food-making ability, the report says. Good pruning practices, the report continues, rarely remove more than 1/4 to ½ of the crown.
Shock is another factor. By suddenly removing a tree's protection, the remaining bark is so exposed that scalding may result, according to the report.
Weak limbs are another result of indiscriminate pruning. The report says that when a larger limb is truncated, a more weakly attached limb develops than would have grown normally.
The report concludes, "A topped tree is a disfigured tree."