The V.I. government will receive $1.2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for low income housing.
The funding, part of HUD's HOME Investments Partnerships Programs, will be used to assist first time home buyers, construct affordable housing and rehabilitate "owner-occupied" housing.
"I am really pleased that more of our hard-working residents will have the opportunity to own their own homes, particularly in these challenging times," V.I. Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen said. "It is very important that all of us have opportunities for home ownership, no matter what our level of income, so that we can improve the quality of life for our families."

Dear Source,

I am very happy to see the great work you have done both with St. Thomas Source and the newest addition, St. Croix Source. Being a native Virgin Islander, this is an accomplishment of much pride to me.
I work for The Miami Herald's Major Retail and National Advertising
Department, and I am intimately involved with the Herald's efforts to provide a world-class source of information and advertisement in the online environment. I subscribe to Slate for national and international news and I
read the New York Times online as well.
I must say that you people are doing a great job. Your coverage is extensive and informative. Living away from the USVI this is a very valuable source of information and you now have an avid reader.
Bravo!
Rafael A. Nieves
Advertising Account Manager
The Miami Herald & El Nuevo Herald

Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II took to the airwaves Wednesday to attack the Daily News for "fabricating" a story about $8 million in uncashed checks allegedly found in a box at the Division of Corporations and Trademarks.
The V.I. Daily News reported Tuesday that "approximately $8 million in uncashed checks were discovered last week in a box in the Division of Trademarks and Corporations." The story said one check was for $750,000.
James called Radio One's Sam Topp show to defend his office and to demand a retraction of the story.
"They didn't call to ask for the facts," James said.
The facts, he said, were that due to a June 30 deadline for payment of franchise taxes, coupled with Fourth of July holiday weekend, there was an accumulation of checks. The department put people on overtime to work through the following weekend to process the payments, according to James.
On Wednesday, the newspaper ran an editorial saying that the Lieutenant Governor's Office attempted to cover up the incident.
James told Topp, "They can call me anytime."
The Daily News story said the paper did call and was told James was at a meeting at Government House, and that he didn't return the call.
Lorna Webster, Director of Corporations and Trademarks, said in a statement that "all the allegations in the newspaper, including the alleged check for $750,000, are false and without merit."
In an interview Thursday, Webster said she never received a call or a message from anyone at the Daily News prior to publication of the story.
However, J. Lowe Davis, executive editor of the Daily News, told Radio One that two attempts were made to reach Webster and reporters were told she wasn't available. Davis said she and the Daily News stand behind the story.
On Thursday, Webster showed reporters a copy of her message book, saying she keeps all of her messages that arrive in her office.
A review of the records at Division of Corporations and Trademarks indicate that under normal circumstances checks are received, recorded, given to the cashier and deposited within three to five working days.
However, at the end of June and facing a deadline of June 30 for franchise tax payment, some 15,000 to 20,000 corporations line up to pay their taxes, according to Webster.
Sometimes corporations even pay with two checks, she said, one for the tax and one for penalties, she said.
A review of the transmittals for July indicate a lapse of about 10 working days from receipt of checks to deposit.
As for as the alleged $750,000 check Webster said, "When we get a big check in here everyone knows because we have a party."
A big check would be in the area of $30,000 she said.
"We get bigger checks sometimes. We had one for about $210,000 recently—it was for back franchise taxes."
The basis for franchise tax payment was changed during the Schneider administration by then Lt. Gov. Kenneth Mapp when he declared that the franchise taxes had been miscalculated going back to 1971.
The change left several large corporations owing franchise taxes going back as far as 17 years. In order to obtain a certificate of good standing, which allows corporations to do business in the V.I., several businesses paid the back taxes under protest. A lawsuit pending in Territorial Court will determine whether the government's recalculation is legal.
The Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., owned by businessman Jeffrey Prosser—who also owns the Daily News—is one of those companies seeking to recover taxes.
Currently Vitelco and Innovative Communication Corp., Prosser's umbrella corporation, are looking to recoup more than $1.2 million in back franchise taxes from the V.I. government in District Court. Factoring in penalties and interest calculated by the Division of Corporations and Trademarks, Vitelco owed $1.1 million for 20 years. ICC, formerly known as Atlantic Tele-Network, owes $83,320 for 10 years. The two companies, represented by attorney Kevin Rames, and the V.I. government are now in District Court over the disputed franchise tax calculations. Although the companies protested the recalculated taxes, they paid under protest in September of 1998.

Three men were indicted for their roles in an April drug deal during which an undercover federal officer was shot at, according U.S. Attorney James Hurd.
Akil Greig, 19, allegedly pulled a revolver and fired one shot at an undercover Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent after offering to sell the officer fake crack cocaine at Paul M. Pearson Gardens April 12, according to Hurd.
Greig, Richard "Bird" Hodge, 35, and Yambo Williams, 20, were all indicted for conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance.
Greig was also indicted for assault on a federal officer, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence.
Hodge has also was indicted for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and Williams was additionally charged with accessory after the fact to the assault.
The maximum penalty for the conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance offenses is 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for assault on a federal officer is 10 years and a $25,000 fine. The penalty for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and/or drug trafficking crime is a mandatory 10 years imprisonment in addition to any other terms of imprisonment imposed.
The statutory penalty for accessory after the fact in this case is five years imprisonment and a $125,000 fine.
Hodge was arraigned on July 14; Greg and Williams were arraigned on July 20.

The Landmark Society will host a Ruins Ramble on Sunday, Feb. 13.
For more information contact Chris Goodier, Director of Special Events & Fundraising 772-0598.

The Senate has scheduled a Committee of the Whole hearing for Friday on Beal Aerospace's land swap proposal.
The hearing will take place at 5 p.m. in Frederiksted.
Under the proposal, the government will swap 14.8 acres of land in Estate Great Pond, which includes historical sites, with Beal for 14.8 acres in Whim and Grange Hill. Beal will use the Great Pond land for a parking lot for its proposed rocket factory and offices.
Beal is looking to build its seven-acre world headquarters and assembly plant on some 300 acres near Great Pond Bay.
The issue had been set to be heard in the Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection on the same day. But in a letter to Senate President Vargrave Richards on Thursday, Sen. Adelbert Bryan said he disagreed with the decision to assign the issue to the committee and requested a Committee of the Whole meeting instead.
In his letter to Richards, Bryan said the exchange agreement between the government and Beal requires the entire Legislature to review the proposal. Assigning the issue to the committee, he said, keeps non-members from having "true and full participation in the process" and promises a "long and drawn-out process of having the proposal moved from committee to committee…"
The League of Women Voters of the V.I. questioned the legality of the swap this week. In a letter to Richards, Erva Denham, president of the League, said the land was deeded to the government in 1974 by the late Frank Wiesner for the sole purpose of becoming public park land.
In her letter, Denham said the land swap could cause individuals who are considering donating land to the government to reconsider.
"If this property is transferred . . ., the basic covenants of this deed of gift will be broken, and some dangerous precedents will be set," she wrote
Denham also said that included in the language of the exchange agreement sent to the Senate by Gov. Charles Turnbull is a variance that rezones the acreage from waterfront pleasure to industrial. Denham contends such language circumvents the standard rezoning process, which calls for public hearings.
Turnbull, however, supports the swap.
"I believe this project will be a great benefit to the territory and St. Croix in particular, and it will increase job opportunities for our people," Turnbull wrote in a letter to Richards.
"Without this exchange, the Beal Aerospace project cannot go forward," Turnbull wrote. "The appraisals have confirmed the value of the parcels to be exchanged is favorable to the government."
A Committee on Government Operations hearing on the service level of the Water and Power Authority, scheduled to take place on St. Croix Friday evening, has been moved to 10 a.m, Friday.

The Landmark Society will host House Tours on Wednesday, February 15. For more information contact Chris Goodier, Director of Special Events & Fundraising 772-0598.

Academics Enhanced Inc. is now accepting registration for the coming school year.
For more information call 776-4494 or 772-8003.

Reports from satellites show Idler and the Italian boat Brava leading the big boat fleet in the Admiral's Cup competition.
But over 250 miles separate these boats from the finish, and there are many chances to gain or lose.
The 500-mile Wolf Rock race started Wednesday at 11 a.m. It is the final race and will decide the winner of this year's Admiral's Cup with six of the eight entered teams still able to capture the cup.
The 500-mile race follows short course racing earlier this week that proved a mixed blessing for the U.S. Team at the Admiral's Cup regatta off the coast of England. After a 36-hour round-the-clock repair to Idler, damaged when striking a rock during the middle distance race, the big boat of the American team was ready in time for the return to short course racing on Monday. Peter Holmberg of the Virgin Islands is sailing aboard Idler with his crew mate from Team Dennis Conner, helmsman Ken Read.
The return was a dramatic success as a bold course away from the pack paid off with a four minute lead at the finish line.
"After the rebuild job and putting the boat back together hours before the start, it was a great reward for the team to do a horizon job on the fleet," said Holmberg.
So it was back to normal racing for the top flight crew on Idler, for one race anyway.
Holmberg tells about the second race, "The British boat was ducking Germany and us, and lost control, came into our cockpit at full speed and took out our pulpit, (made a) big hole, tore up their bow pulpit, a real mess. Could have been a lot worse if Kenny (Read) hadn't thrown the stern to windward when he saw them coming."
The collision between the fifty-footers occurred with Idler in third place amid a tightly packed class.
"We came untangled quickly enough, but everyone was a bit shook up and with no lifelines it was a bit scary running around and hiking in the 20 plus knots of breeze we had today. We fought hard, but ended up sixth," finished Holmberg.
Those scores from Idler, combined with a steady fifth and fourth from Blue Yankee Pride, and a second and fourth scored by Ciao Baby closed the gap to the leading teams. Great Britain and the Netherlands are tied for first, followed by Europe, Germany and the Americans.

Academics Enhanced Inc. continues with registration for the Summer Academics Program. Children with learning and reading difficulties in grades K through 12 can be tutored. The classes will extend to August 20.
For more information call 776-4494 or 772-8003.