All public schools in the Virgin Islands, with the exception of John H. Woodson Junior High, will resume full operations on Monday, following the passage of Hurricane Erin, the V.I. Education Department announced in a press release Sunday.
The department confirmed that schools across the territory are ready to welcome students back to classrooms. That includes the St. Croix Educational Complex High School, which was closed Friday due to a water pump issue. The Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance worked through the weekend to fix the problem and ensure a safe and functional environment, according to the press release.
The department acknowledged the ongoing hardships families face during hurricane season, including emotional stress, limited resources, and disruptions to water and electricity. “Our thoughts remain with all those who continue to recover from the storm,” the release stated. “As students, educators, and staff return to campuses, the VIDE hopes that schools can once again provide stability, connection, and a sense of normalcy for our children.”
Officials said the VIDE will continue working closely with the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance through the remainder of hurricane season to maintain safe facilities and minimize interruptions to learning. Families are urged to stay prepared and follow updates from official VIDE communication platforms, the release stated.
“Together, we will ensure that learning continues and that our schools remain safe, supportive places for all,” the release stated.
Magens Bay and Smith Bay Park will remain closed to the public as cleanup crews clear storm debris and remove sargassum from the shoreline, the Magens Bay Authority announced in a press release Sunday.
The recent weather left both parks with downed trees and heavy accumulations of seaweed, creating unsafe beach conditions. During the closure, vehicular access is restricted and swimming is prohibited because lifeguard services are unavailable, according to the press release.
“Our priority is ensuring the safety of our patrons while also restoring the parks to a safe and enjoyable environment,” said Monique Simon, general manager of the Magens Bay Authority, in the release. “We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation as we work diligently to clear debris and prepare for reopening.”
The parks are scheduled to reopen Tuesday, but staff are working overtime in hopes of opening sooner. Officials encouraged the public to follow updates on the authority’s website and social media channels, the press release stated.
Police have arrested Osei Edwards on suspicion of breaking into a woman’s home and assaulting her. (Shutterstock image)
A St. Croix woman told police someone sneaked into her home as she slept early Friday morning and sexually assaulted her. The alleged assailant was 25-year-old Osei Edwards, a man arrested at least nine times since 2019 for burglary, assault, and related crimes, according to court records.
Edwards was held at St. Croix’s John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending an advice of rights hearing, according to police.
Although court records do not yet detail the most recent allegations, they do tell of Edwards’ alleged history of violence, struggles with mental illness, and numerous arrests, several for allegedly terrorizing his mother and at least one other for allegedly breaking into a woman’s room while she slept.
In April, Edwards agreed to spend six months at St. Croix’s the Village and follow the recommendations of the Virgin Islands Health Department, Division of Behavioral Health, Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Services. He did not. Edwards did not contact the Health Department and spent less than a week at the treatment center, according to the Justice Department.
Edwards had been remanded to the facility after allegedly attacking his mother in November 2024. Arresting officers took Edward to Juan F. Luis for psychiatric evaluation. He was released a day later but returned to the hospital soon after for unexplained injuries.
In 2022, he had allegedly broken into his mother’s home, defying a restraining order.
In March 2019, Edwards allegedly broke into his mother’s house. He was charged with burglary, larceny, and assault and battery. The charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the judge would allow them to be refiled if needed. Less than a year later, in February 2020, Edwards was facing another burglary and destruction of property charge. This time, his attorney, the chief territorial public defender, told the court Edward planned to plead insanity.
Edwards was able to remain free after many of his multiple arrests for various reasons. A key factor was that Edwards was determined not competent to stand trial, yet the Virgin Islands lacked a long-term high-security mental health facility. At other times, government attorneys failed to file paperwork on time or filed it with the wrong office, according to court records. Other cases were addressed in Family Court.
In July 2023, a St. Croix woman woke in her bed early one morning to find a man attempting to sexually assault her, police said. The victim, who was not identified by police, grabbed a knife and successfully defended herself before calling police to say the attacker was Edwards.
But in April 2020, Edwards was again charged with assault and battery and disturbing the peace. He was ordered to stay away from the victim, a woman about his age. The charges were dropped without prejudice, however, after Superior Court Magistrate Judge Ernest Morris ruled an assistant attorney general had unnecessarily delayed prosecution, according to court documents.
Edwards is scheduled to appear in Superior Court Monday.
Virtue of the Week focuses on building peaceful and caring communities through understanding and fostering the practice of virtues. The Source supports the Virtues Project and will publish one virtue developed by the project each week.
Optimism
Optimism is a positive, cheerful outlook. We are hopeful even when others have lost faith. We believe that good has the power to prevail over destruction. WE do not allow ourselves to be victimized by setbacks or losses. We embrace challenges with confidence. We are solvers, not complainers. During dark times, we look ahead with a vision of what is possible. We trust that everything works together for good. Nothing destroys our hope.
Quote: “The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose.” —Kahlil Gibran
The Practice of Optimism
I have a positive viewpoint.
I have faith in all circumstances.
I trust in positive outcomes.
I focus on solutions rather than problems.
I see a brighter future.
My hope is resilient.
Questions for Discussion
What challenges can we embrace as we strengthen our social justice work?
How do we celebrate optimism in our community?
How do we keep the faith in our community?
What are the possibilities that can come from our social justice work?
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Virtue of the Week is provided by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) in partnership with the VI Source and Virtues Matter.
About the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
Since 1990, CFVI has been a catalyst for positive change in the territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning. For more information, visit cfvi.net.
About Virtues Matter
Virtues Matter was started by a passionate wife-husband team of social entrepreneurs seeking to positively uplift as many lives as possible. We aim to inspire and empower, to build capacity, strengthen relationships, and help everyone lead lives of passion and purpose.
Virtues Matter believes in a world where people are committed to kindness and respect, strive to be their best, and live with hope, courage, and in unity. We built the Virtues Cards mobile app, an interactive personal and team development tool, to help people identify and develop key virtues skills. We also offer dynamic workshops, online training, and customized programs to help people cultivate these positive qualities of character. To learn more, visit virtuesmatter.com.
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority advises the community of ongoing power restoration efforts across the Territory following the impact of Hurricane Erin, which at its peak was a Category 5.
Visible satellite imagery obtained at 2:50 p.m. on Saturday as the core of the system moved north of the USVI and Puerto Rico. (Photo courtesy NOAA)
St. Croix District: Fewer than 4000 customers remain impacted. Line crews began work early this morning and restored Feeder 7B, while they have been also actively working on restoring Feeder 6A. Remaining isolated outages across St. Croix are being prioritized
with support from WAPA’s Water personnel to clear powerlines.
St. Thomas/St. John District: Approximately 14,000 customers remain without electrical service. Restoration was initially delayed earlier this morning due to hazardous weather conditions; however, line crews are actively working on repairs to a critical
transmission line. Once completed, efforts will shift to isolated outages caused by damaged power lines and poles. Vegetation management continues to pose significant challenges, as anticipated with a storm of this strength.
Isolated areas being prioritized for restoration include:
Bordeaux
Caret Bay
Sorgenfri
Honduras
Contant
Lerkenlund
Dorothea
Altona & Welgunst
Estate Hull
St. Joseph and Rosendahl
Langmath
Mariendahl
Frydenhoj
Nazareth
On St. John the following areas are being prioritized:
Cruz Bay
Enighed Hill
Customers are encouraged to continue reporting isolated outages through the website at
WAPA thanks the community for their patience and understanding as crews continue to work diligently and safely. Safety remains our highest priority; please exercise caution around downed power lines and report them immediately.
Magens Bay and Smith Bay Park are currently under Red Flag Status due to hazardous conditions, including strong currents and rough waves. As a safety precaution, vehicular access to both parks has been temporarily closed.
Swimming is strongly discouraged during this time, as lifeguard services will not be available to provide assistance. Anyone who chooses to enter the water does so at their own risk.
Over the next 24 hours, the Magens Bay Authority’s management and staff will continue to monitor beach conditions closely to determine when normal operations may safely resume.
“The safety and well-being of our beachgoers remain our top priority,” said Monique Simon, General Manager of the Magens Bay Authority. “We are committed to safeguarding our beaches and will reopen them as soon as conditions improve.”
Check out our weekly weather forecast with Jesse Daley, covering Sunday, Aug. 17, through Saturday, Aug. 23. Our YouTube playlist is updated every week, AND check out Jesse’s daily weather updates here.
At approximately 6:07 p.m. on Aug.14, police officers were dispatched to Ruby M. Rouss via the 911 Emergency Call Center to a reported assault. Upon officers’ arrival at the scene, they contacted an adult male, who reported being sprayed with pepper spray by an adult female during an argument. The male was transported to the Juan Luis Hospital for medical treatment and later released, the Virgin Islands Police Department reported.
Detectives of the Criminal Investigation Bureau were assigned to investigate, and on Aug. 15, Idelys Valera Feliz, 32, was arrested. Valera Feliz was advised of her miranda rights and admitted to assaulting the male. She was booked and unable to post bail of $50,000. She was charged with assault second and transported to the John Bell Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility, where she was remanded pending her advice of rights hearing on Monday, Aug. 18, at the Superior Court, according to the police report.
On Aug. 15, at approximately 6:17 a.m., an adult female victim reported to the 911 Emergency Call Center, that while asleep inside her home an unknown male entered her residence without authorization and sexually assaulted her, the Virgin Islands Police Deportment reported.
Detectives of the Criminal Investigation Bureau were assigned to investigate. Osei Edwards was identified in this case and arrested. Edwards, 25, was advised of his miranda rights and booked. He unable to post bail at $75,000. He was charged with burglary first, unlawful sexual contact, unlawful entry. He was transported to the John Bell Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility where he was remanded pending his advice of rights hearing on Monday, Aug, 18, at the Superior Court, according to the police report.
Hurricane Erin’s projected storm track as of 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16. Erin rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Saturday as the core of the storm moves north of the USVI and Puerto Rico. (Photo courtesy NHC and NWS)
Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm Saturday as its core passed just north of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The National Hurricane Center warned that heavy rain, gusty winds, and dangerous surf will affect the region through the weekend, with multiple weather alerts in place.
After initially struggling to organize earlier this week, Erin underwent rapid intensification, surging from a Category 1 hurricane at 11 a.m. Friday to a Category 5 monster in just 24 hours. The NHC noted that Erin’s intensity may shift over the coming days as the storm undergoes inner-core changes and possible eyewall replacement cycles.
Track of Hurricane Erin
As of the 5 p.m. Saturday update from the NHC, Hurricane Erin was located about 175 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, moving west with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph. The storm’s minimum central pressure was measured at 915 millibars, underscoring its power.
“At 5:00 p.m. AST, the center of Hurricane Erin was located near latitude 20.0 North, longitude 64.0 West. Erin is moving toward the west near 15 mph, and this motion is expected to continue Saturday evening,” according to the NHC.
Expected impacts across the USVI and Puerto Rico from Hurricane Erin. (Photo courtesy NWS)
Forecasters said Erin is expected to slow down and shift to a west-northwest track later on Saturday night, then turn north early next week.
“On the forecast track, the center of Erin is expected to move just north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Sunday and pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas Sunday night and Monday,” the NHC said.
Visible satellite imagery obtained at 2:50 p.m. on Saturday as the core of the system moved north of the USVI and Puerto Rico. (Photo courtesy NOAA)
No tropical storm or hurricane watches or warnings were in effect for the land areas across the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico as of 5 p.m. Saturday. However, a Tropical Storm Watch was posted for nearby islands including St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Sint Maarten, and the Turks and Caicos.
According to information from the NHC, a Tropical Storm Watch means tropical storm conditions with winds of 39 to 73 mph are possible within 48 hours, while a Tropical Storm Warning means those conditions are expected within 36 hours. A Hurricane Watch signals hurricane conditions with winds of 74 mph or higher are possible within 48 hours, and a Hurricane Warning means those conditions are expected within 36 hours.
Severe Weather Alerts in Effect for USVI, Puerto Rico
“Key Messages” regarding Hurricane Erin on Friday. (Photo courtesy NHC)
While the core of the cyclone continues to pass just north of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, areas across the islands had received rainfall, gusty winds and powerful ocean swells.
“As of 2 p.m. on Saturday, rainbands associated with Hurricane Erin left in general between one and two inches of rainfall across portions of northwestern and eastern Puerto Rico, and up to three quarters of an inch in the northern U.S. Virgin Islands,” according to information from the NWS in San Juan, Puerto Rico. “Maximum wind gusts reported so far were up to 29 mph in St. Thomas,” the NWS reported.
Additionally, at 3:11 p.m. AST Saturday, a Flash Flood Warning was issued for St. Thomas and St. John, due to heavy rainfall over the islands. At 3:38 p.m. AST, a Special Marine Warning was also issued for the waters surrounding the USVI and Puerto Rico, as powerful thunderstorms capable of producing strong winds and waterspouts moved through the area.
Other severe weather alerts are also in effect for the USVI and Puerto Rico, including a Flood Watch, High Surf Advisory, High Rip Current Risk, and Small Craft Advisory. These alerts went into effect on Saturday and will remain in place through at least Monday.
“The outer bands of Erin will continue to produce areas of heavy rainfall through Sunday across the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Rainfall totals of two to four inches, with isolated totals of six inches, are expected,” the NHC said. “Locally considerable flash and urban flooding, along with landslides or mudslides, are possible,” the NHC continued.
“Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in the Leeward Islands tonight, and in the watch area in the Turks and Caicos Islands beginning on Sunday,” the NHC stated. “Squalls with wind gusts to tropical-storm force may occur elsewhere over portions of the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Sunday. Squalls with wind gusts to tropical-storm force may also occur over the southeastern Bahamas beginning on Sunday,” the NHC added.
“Swells generated by Erin will affect portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend. These swells will spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the east coast of the United States by early next week,” the NHC noted.
“The rainbands of Hurricane Erin will bring showers and thunderstorms, producing periods of moderate to locally heavy rain and gusty winds across the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through the rest of the weekend,” the NWS warned. “The unsettled weather pattern will continue to create the risk of urban, river, and flash flooding, as well as isolated landslides across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
The NWS also urged caution regarding hazardous marine conditions, noting that wave heights could reach between seven to 10 feet or even higher.
Marine conditions will continue to be hazardous as Erin passes the region and marine alerts have been issued. On Saturday, a Tropical Storm Warning was issued for portions of the Atlantic waters north of Puerto Rico and the USVI. (Photo courtesy NWS)
“Swells from Erin will deteriorate seas across the Atlantic waters and Caribbean passages through late Sunday,” the NWS said. In addition, dangerous swimming conditions, life-threating rip currents, and rough surf conditions will persist across the west, north, and east facing beaches of the islands through the rest of the weekend,” the NWS continued.
“West to northwest winds today will shift from the south to southwest on Sunday and Monday, promoting hot temperatures across the northern and western portions of Puerto Rico,” the NWS added.
Regarding the status of ports across the territory, Jaschen noted on Friday that the U.S. Coast Guard would set “Port Condition Yankee” for St. Thomas and St. John, while St. Croix ports will remain at “Port Condition X-Ray.”
On Saturday morning, Jaschen confirmed to the Source that there had not been changes to the port conditions.
According to information available online, Port Condition X-Ray indicates that gale-force winds are expected within 48 hours, while Port Condition Yankee is set when gale-force winds are predicted within 24 hours.
Rainfall associated with Hurricane Erin arrives across St. Croix, USVI, on Saturday, Aug. 16. (Source photo by Jesse Daley)
It is crucial to remember that the forecast can change very quickly. USVI residents and visitors are encouraged to continue to remain prepared. Weather information is available from the NWS, the NHC, and NOAA.
