Members of the Narcotics Strike Force were observed leaving their location in Sub Base this morning wearing black ski masks and entering vehicles.
Lt. Angel Santos, director of the strike force, confirmed the operation, begun Thursday, was not finished as of 8:45 a.m. Friday, but said it was "about to wrap up."
As soon as it is complete, he said, a press release will be issued.
On Thursday, Narcotics Strike Force agents and officers from other agencies staged raids throughout St. Thomas and St. John, confiscating crack-cocaine, vehicles, handguns and marijuana.
The St. Thomas raids were conducted Thursday at Bovoni, Oswald Harris Court, Hospital Ground and Ulke Gade.
Other agencies involved in the raids included the Planning and Natural Resources Department, Special Operations Bureau, Special Response Team and the V.I. Housing Authority Police, according to the Daily News.
Officials declined to discuss the details of the raid.
Several arrests on drug and related charges were recorded on the police blotter Thursday, the Daily News reported, including possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, though it was unclear whether they were related to the raids.

In reaction to a "misleading" headline in the Daily News on Saturday, the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association has issued a press release saying it is very concerned about the cancellation of GoGo's charter flight into the territory and clarifying its position.
The headline read: "Charter flights cancelled; Tourism officials say they aren't worried."
"The only reason we said we weren't concerned is that there were so few people on the flights that were scheduled to come in for the next six weeks, we were able to secure other seats on American Airlines flights for them," Beverly Nicholson, executive director of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association, told St. Thomas Source.
"Of course we're worried," she said.
One airline, American, dominates the destination and that is of real concern, Nicholson said.
She also said the Hotel Association supports having a territorial airline, as mentioned by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull in his State of the Territory address this month.
"We have even written a letter of support to Ralph Blanchard," she said.
Blanchard has been trying for more than a decade to help the Virgin Islands develop its own airline. At a meeting of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce last November, he said it could be done for an investment of $10 million.
The Hotel Association has no interest in being in the airline business, she said.
"We're in the hotel business, not the airline business. We can, however, develop programs that would be mutually supportive if we have some control over the costs of airfare.
"For example, in the summer the hotels run specials — pay for five night and get six and seven free.
"That's worth an average of $300. We might be better off to put those dollars toward a 'companion fly free' type of special on the airfare."
Nicholson said the 1998 Christmas season was "wonderful" — the best since 1995.
In a telephone survey of the hotels for January, she said occupancy was in the mid-60-percent range: "Still the best since 1995, but not great."
February is looking stronger, she said, but March is still "soft."

I don't understand why Virgin Islanders are so surprised that our children are in crisis.
Simply put, our children are in crisis because many of the adults in our community are also in crisis.
Just ask people like Michal Rhymer of
the Family Resource Center. She spends her days scrutinizing the level of violence in our families. If our families are in crisis, doesn't it naturally follow that our children will be in crisis also?
Clearly, many adults have not learned effective problem-solving techniques and solve most of their problems through less that constructive means.
We must understand that our children will not do as they're told; they'll do
what they know.
Too many of our children see an unparalleled cycle of violence, unprecedented in Virgin Islands history. Because they are seeking solutions to their own dilemmas, children observe our negative,
destructive behavior and conclude that this is an effective way to live.
Hence, our children die because someone "dissed" them by looking at them "funny." They die because he was talking to "his" girl. They die because he stepped on my brand new $200 sneakers.
To say that this is a national crisis is an understatement. Our community needs to declare a national crisis on behalf of our children and begin to formulate a community-wide response to the travesty in which most of our children are living.
That is why I no longer support programs that will not intervene with the entire family, for the root of our problems with our children lies in the instability and the vulnerability of our families.
The economics of these islands is a leading culprit in this instability. Parents can't supervise and intervene effectively if they're not around. Too many of our parents must work long hours to survive.
Fathers — many of whom are absent from their
homes — must step forward to save their sons from the destructive vultures of crime, ignorance and apathy. Mothers must demonstrate through their constructive behavior that promiscuity and early pregnancies complicate the lives of their young daughters.
Too many of our daughters are now victims of
domestic violence at ridiculously early stages of their lives, even before our
daughters have had a chance to define who or what they are.
A society is judged by the quality of life that it offers its children. How can we continue down this path of self-destruction and point our fingers at the children who are the victims of adult psyches that perpetuate a cycle of violence?
We must say what is true: Our children are dying because we have asked them to join us in our own self-destruction.
We should declare national shame at this situation. Then, let's get going with positive solutions.
One final comment: What is wrong with our children is not outside of themselves;
it is the house that we've built inside that is out of kilter. Therefore, when we look for solutions, let's look for holistic solutions that reflect the understanding that before we build a house, the foundation must be strong.

Narcotics Strike Force agents and officers from other agencies staged raids throughout St. Thomas and St. John on Thursday, confiscating crack-cocaine, vehicles, handguns and marijuana.
The St. Thomas raids were conducted at Bovoni, Oswald Harris Court, Hospital Ground and Ulke Gade.
Other agencies involved in the raids included the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Special Operations Bureau, Special Response Team, and the V.I. Housing Authority Police, according to the Daily News.
Officials declined to discuss the details of the raid.
There were several arrests on drug and related charges recorded on the police blotter Thursday, as reported by the Daily News, including possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, though it was unclear whether they were related to the strike.

Narcotics Strike Force agents and officers from other agencies staged raids throughout St. Thomas and St. John on Thursday, confiscating crack-cocaine, vehicles, handguns and marijuana.
The St. Thomas raids were conducted at Bovoni, Oswald Harris Court, Hospital Ground and Ulke Gade.
Other agencies involved in the raids included the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Special Operations Bureau, Special Response Team, and the V.I. Housing Authority Police, according to the Daily News.
Officials declined to discuss the details of the raid.
There were several arrests on drug and related charges recorded on the police blotter Thursday, as reported by the Daily News, including possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, though it was unclear whether they were related to the strike

January, Glaucoma Awareness Month, is being recognized by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. They are sponsoring free glaucoma screening at Tutu Park Mall on Saturday, Jan.30, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The screening will take place in front of Pearl Vision.

The predicted higher winds arrived Thursday and shook up the leaders in IMS 2 class at Key West Race Week. In this Grand Prix division of racing, all the crews are excellent, and subtle differences in designs make some boats stronger in light wind, some stronger in heavier winds. Peter Holmberg and the crew of VIM III sailed well in the light stuff. The 15 to 20 knot breezes have only helped VIM as BRAVA, the early regatta leader, has struggled. After today's two races VIM and BRAVA are tied for first place and HEATWAVE trails by only three points. The final race of the regatta will decide the class. Holmberg said the plan is, "lots of pasta tonight, good sleep, and then be ready to fight like animals tomorrow, this is great racing!"
In the Melges 24 class, the Hirst and Rosenberg team have sailed consistently with the top pack. Their efforts have been rewarded with a seventh place going into the final day.

Amy Burns Short, who lived in St. Thomas from 1980-95, was named director of graduate student teaching programs at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., beginning in August 1998.
She oversees English proficiency testing of international teaching assistants and graduate students, as well as coordinates support colloquia and programs for both American and international graduate students.
She regularly publishes book reviews and scholarly articles on teaching pedagogy, and recently was named media review editor of TESL-EJ, an online journal. In addition, she is a research study coordinator for Educational Testing Service.
She will begin doctoral work at N.C. State later this year in educational research and policy analysis.
She received a master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Murray State University, Murray, Ky., in December 1997, taught courses in academic English to international students preparing to enter graduate school, and also served as coordinator of instructional materials at MSU's Institute for International Studies.
Short completed her bachelor's degree in humanities, concentration in journalism, at the University of the Virgin Islands in
1988. She also attended L'Universite Paul Valery in Montpellier, France, and Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky.
In St. Thomas she taught French for two years at Charlotte Amalie High School, and before that, one year at Sibilly and Dober elementary schools. She also taught English as a second language in an adult education program at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.
In addition she was a freelance writer, editorial assistant and columnist for the Virgin Islands Business Journal, Island Trader and Nautical Scene, and worked for the Daily News for two years.
Short also performed as house pianist and vocalist at Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort for more than three years, and performed regularly at other Virgin Islands hotels, restaurants and private gatherings over the years. She taught piano lessons to both adults and children.
She and her 2-year-old son, Carl Bradley Short, live in Raleigh, N.C.

Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christian-Christensen will hold forums Jan. 26, 27 and 28 for government officials and the general public to voice their concerns about the territory’s health care system.
The delegate will meet with officials during morning and afternoon sessions and with the general public during evening sessions on each island.
“This is an opportunity for me to hear first hand what the issues are so that I can request funding for priority health issues this term,” Christensen said. “The forums will also assist shaping my agenda as I take on the chairmanship of the Congressional Black Caucus’ Health Braintrust which monitors national minority health issues.”
The forums will take place as follows:
St. Thomas – Jan. 26
Government officials, 10 a.m. – noon, Roy L. Schneider Hospital, Conference Rm. A (2nd Floor)
General public, 6 p.m., Roy L. Schneider Hospital, Conference Rm. A (2nd Floor)
St. Croix – Jan. 27
Government officials, 12:30 – 2 p.m., Curriculum Center, Main Conference Room
General public, 6 p.m., Curriculum Center, Main Conference Room
St. John – Jan. 28
Government officials, 3 to 6 p.m., Legislature Conference Room
General public, 6 p.m., Legislature Conference Room
The delegate encourages all interested persons to attend. Please contact Loán Sewer at 774-4408 or Brian Modeste at 778-5900 for further information.

At last! Seaplane activity at St. Thomas's old airboats ramp!
They aren't the red and white Grumman Goose or Mallards, but newer De Haviland Twin-Otters, on floats operated by Seaborne Aviation.
"Now we can start our BVI service," said a Seaborne dispatcher and spokeswoman, Sandy Isle. "We originally had service slated for more than a year ago."
San Juan service into Isla Grande was also in the works, but Hurricane Georges stepped in and destroyed that ramp.
The BVI service, expected to start in February, will fly into West End, Tortola, with a schedule to be announced.
The St. Thomas ramp was the scene of much V.I. commerce and history between 1964, when Charles Blair started Antilles Airboats, and 1989, when Hurricane Hugo brought V.I. Seaplane Shuttle to a watery demise, scattering aircraft over the St. Croix ramp like so many Tinker Toys.
Passengers are delighted, now that the politics and haggling have ended.
"It's just so nice to have them back where they belong," said A. J. Phares,a local librarian and former regular "Goose" passenger.
On St. Croix, Seaborne Aviation is building a hangar and a new terminal at the old Christiansted ramp, noted the company's president, Charles Slagle. Meantime, service continues into the dock location in downtown Christiansted.