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WAPA Shrinks Budget Deficit but Says Challenges Remain

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WAPA Shrinks Budget Deficit but Says Challenges Remain
WAPA CEO Karl Knight outlined legislative actions he says could help close the utility’s $9.6 million budget shortfall during Monday’s Senate Budget hearing (Photo by VI Legislature)

The Water and Power Authority is projecting a $9.6 million shortfall in its current fiscal cycle, lawmakers on the Senate Budget, Appropriations and Finance Committee heard Monday, an estimated 75-percent decrease over last year’s. The utility’s chief executive, Karl Knight, said there are a number of things lawmakers could do to take WAPA out of the red.

“In prior years, the appearance of the authority at budget hearings in the Senate was just a formality,” he said, because WAPA does not receive an appropriation from the government’s General Fund. “However, given the precarious fiscal state of the authority, we will surely take full advantage of the opportunity to discuss potential legislative action to support the authority’s fiscal stability.”

Those included: paying for streetlighting services, for which the central government underpaid in 2025 by $4.7 million; adjusting a legislative mandate to read meters every thirty days, which Knight said occasionally forced the utility to check meters twice in one month; modifying a restriction on back-billing; implementing a flat water charge, regardless of usage; placing a liability cap on the authority except in cases of gross negligence; upping fees for electric disconnections when they’re done at the pole; and raising an antiquated $10,000 cap that currently requires competitive bidding on purchases or contracts.

Knight also asked lawmakers to subsidize a recent mandate to increase minimum annual salaries to $35,000, a move by the Government Employees Retirement System to increase employer contributions by three percent, and $2.8 million the authority owes to the Public Services Commission for assessments.

The authority’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, unlike other government agencies which start the fiscal year on Oct. 1. On Monday, Knight told lawmakers that the utility’s expected $325.2 million in revenues this year will not keep pace with an estimated $334.8 million in expenses, which include nearly $31 million for debt service and a half-million-dollar payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT. WAPA is expecting an additional $2.5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover administrative costs associated with disaster recovery projects.

Knight said the authority has been operating with a structural deficit for years, primarily because of fuel rates that don’t fully recover the utility’s expenditures. The PSC permits WAPA to include a 33-cent per gallon LEAC rate, Kight said, but the authority regularly spends 59 cents per gallon in transportation costs under its current liquid petroleum gas contract.

“I want to make sure the Senate is aware of our challenges, how far behind we are — which, we are closing the gap,” he said. “We still have a little bit more to close. We’ve laid out how we think we get that gap closed over the course of the current fiscal year that we’ve already started. There are some legislative things that we feel can expedite our closing of that gap — some of those are things that you can consider as part of the upcoming markup of the executive budget. Others are just general legislative actions that we think would have… a positive financial impact on the authority. So if there’s an ask, it would be to consider those initiatives.”

During his prepared testimony, Knight stressed that the budget projections assumed no rate reductions for the next 12 months. In June, the PSC voted to lower electric rates from 22 cents per kilowatt/hour to 17 cents. The authority called the move a “deliberate, ill-considered decision” in a statement and petitioned for a stay.

“I fully understand the desire to provide rate relief to the customers of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority,” Knight said at the time. “We all share that same desire, and WAPA has been working aggressively to get to that point, but we must do so in a responsible manner that does not immediately jeopardize our ability to provide electric and potable water services in the Virgin Islands.”

The PSC is scheduled to hear WAPA’s petition Tuesday. If commissioners reaffirm their June decision, WAPA will have 60 days to appeal the decision in V.I. Superior Court.

Op-Ed: From a Jewish Daughter of the Virgin Islands

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Op-Ed: From a Jewish Daughter of the Virgin Islands

Editor’s note: The following is an opinion piece and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of this publication. We value community voices — to share yours, email visource@gmail.com.

I recently read an op-ed that deeply concerned me—not because it called attention to suffering, but because of how much it left out. If we’re going to speak about war, justice, and humanity, we must be willing to tell the full story, not just the parts that fit a narrative.

Emotional appeals that ignore context and absolve violent regimes of responsibility are not advocacy. They’re propaganda. The author’s declarations of blame were not neutral or universally accepted—they were opinions presented as fact, and that distinction matters.

Gaza is suffering, yes. But Hamas chose war, not peace. Ignoring their crimes—against Israelis and their own people—is not humanitarianism. It’s bias. We long for peace. It’s all we’ve ever wanted. But peace won’t come through denial, erasure, or rewriting half the story.

As a mother, I cry for starving children in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and beyond. I also cry for Israeli parents whose children were slaughtered at a music festival, raped, burned alive, dragged through the streets of Gaza, or taken hostage and still not returned. Their pain, too, demands acknowledgment. Why does it so often go unmentioned?

Many of us remember the silence after October 7, when Jewish babies were murdered and families massacred. That silence still echoes. Some of the same voices now sharing one-sided narratives never once mourned with us. And now, they call for justice without recognizing who governs Gaza—a terrorist organization with a charter that calls for global Jewish genocide.

It’s not hateful to ask: where is that same passion for justice when Hamas stores weapons in schools, fires rockets from hospitals, hijacks aid convoys, and holds civilians hostage—both Israeli and Palestinian?

Let’s speak about aid. There is no Israeli policy of starvation. Israel delivers daily truckloads of food, water, and medicine—hundreds of thousands of tons. Yet the UN reported that 87% of aid was intercepted by Hamas from May to July. Hamas has beaten children for “stealing,” killed aid workers, and hoarded supplies for its fighters. Israel even pushes aid through out of desperation—hoping, at the very least, that the hostages are fed.

If you have evidence that Israel is withholding aid as a weapon, present it. If not, ask harder questions. Where is the accountability for Hamas? Where is the demand for Palestinian leadership that puts its people first?

Let’s also acknowledge historical context: there was no Israeli presence in Gaza before this war. Israel withdrew in 2005. Since then, Hamas has rejected multiple peace offers—in 2000, 2008, and 2020—and has launched wars in 2007, 2008, 2014, 2021, and again in 2023. Billions in international aid were funneled into Gaza. Instead of schools and hospitals, Hamas built miles of underground tunnels beneath civilian infrastructure, turning their people into shields.

There is no apartheid in Israel. Two million Arab Muslims live there. They vote. They serve in government. LGBTQ communities, Christians, Jews, and Muslims coexist in freedom—something not true in many other countries in the region, including Palestinian territories where violent persecution exists.

And there is no genocide. The Palestinian population has grown, not shrunk. This war has produced one of the lowest civilian-to-combatant casualty ratios in the history of urban warfare. Compare that to modern war death tolls—millions lost in global conflicts—yet Israel and Palestine combined have seen 100,000 deaths since 1948. Every life lost is tragic, but scale and intent matter when making accusations as serious as genocide.

The goal must be peace. Not another fragile ceasefire—but real, lasting peace. That will only come with truth, accountability, and leadership on all sides.

I stand on the side of truth and justice. I stand with indigenous sovereignty, with minorities who are erased or condemned, with children suffering under war, poverty, and terrorism—not in spite of being Jewish and Zionist, but because of it.

If you stand with me, know this: you are not alone.

To those still viewing this conflict through a one-sided lens, I invite you to widen your view. Why not pressure Egypt to open its border and help distribute aid? Why not question Gaza’s wealthy leadership, who hoard resources while their people suffer? Why hasn’t there been a single Palestinian-led infrastructure for fair and safe aid distribution?

The people of Gaza are not without agency. They deserve better leadership. Where is the Palestinian demand for that?

If you have solutions for how Israel can better deliver aid, let’s discuss them. Let’s build on what’s already been done—more than 100 million meals and counting.

But also ask: Why does Hamas hide tunnels under hospitals? Why do they fire from schoolyards? Why do kindergartners pose with rifles? Why are children taught martyrdom, not math? Why does the outrage only surface when it’s politically convenient and anti-Israel?

Real peace requires a culture shift—from both leadership and communities. Otherwise, it’s only a pause until the next war.

Speak up for children—everywhere. For the 100,000 Yemenis recently starved. For the Sudanese in famine. For African children slaughtered by Islamists. For victims of child trafficking. But be consistent. Don’t use selective outrage as a substitute for real advocacy.

And if your posts are being shadowbanned, ask yourself: is it because you’re sharing enemy war propaganda designed to manipulate emotion?

To those who have never stood with Jewish people—not even after October 7—your silence was noticed. We will remember who spoke up, and who looked away.

Samantha Josephine Pomeranz is a Jewish creative and advocate who shares the story of Jewish resilience through visual art, music, design, and the written word.

Repairs Delay Start for Woodson Students; Shortened Schedules at Three St. Croix Schools

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Repairs Delay Start for Woodson Students; Shortened Schedules at Three St. Croix Schools
John H. Woodson Jr. High School (Source file photo)

With most campuses scheduled to open on time Wednesday, the Virgin Islands Department of Education and the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance are making last-minute adjustments to the 2025–2026 school year calendar to accommodate ongoing repair work at public schools on St. Croix.

While all schools in the St. Thomas–St. John District will open as planned on Aug. 13 with regular start and dismissal times, students at St. Croix’s John H. Woodson Junior High School will have to wait. Crews are still completing roof repairs, mold remediation, and the air quality testing required before the building can reopen, according to a VIDE release Monday.

Education officials said there will be no shift to virtual learning for Woodson students in the interim, pointing to data from previous closures that showed many families lacked reliable internet or devices for effective online instruction. Instead, in-person classes will begin once repairs and safety verifications are complete — and officials say all missed instructional time will be made up.

To explain the delay and answer questions, VIDE has scheduled a Teams meeting for Woodson families on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. This year will also be the school’s last in its current building; the new Arthur A. Richards PreK–8 campus is set to open in August 2026, part of the territory’s broader school modernization plan to replace aging facilities with safer, state-of-the-art learning environments.

Three other St. Croix campuses — the Educational Complex, Central High School, and the Career and Technical Education Center — will begin the year on an adjusted 7:40 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. schedule to limit time in peak midday heat while air conditioning upgrades are finalized. Central High and CTEC have already received new AC units, but Complex is still awaiting installation. Because CTEC hosts vocational classes for students from both high schools, all three schedules will remain aligned until the upgrades are finished, according to the release.

The territory’s push to complete critical maintenance before the start of school has been a recurring challenge in recent years, especially after storms and aging infrastructure revealed widespread facility needs. Officials say the work now underway — from roof replacements to AC installations — is part of a long-term investment in safer, more comfortable schools.

In Monday’s release, VIDE and BSCM leaders emphasized that health and safety remain their top priorities and thanked the public for its patience. “While these adjustments may be inconvenient, the upgrades we’re making are necessary to ensure our schools are ready for the future,” the agencies said in a joint statement.

From Trails to Playgrounds: New Plan Charts the Future of USVI Recreation

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From Trails to Playgrounds: New Plan Charts the Future of USVI Recreation
Environmental consulting firm Horsley Witten Group is partnering with DPNR to develop the USVI’s 2026–2036 Territorial Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. In a separate project, HWG and DNPR teamed up and designed a parking area and stabilized two trails at Whale Point on St. Croix. (Photo courtesy HWG)
The Territorial Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (TCORP) will chart the future of outdoor spaces on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John from 2026 to 2036. Developed by the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources in partnership with the Horsley Witten Group (HWG), the federally mandated plan will identify priority projects and ensure the territory remains eligible for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants.
HWG has an established history of work in the Virgin Islands, from helping to shape the Comprehensive Land and Water Use Plan approved by the Legislature in December 2024 to leading large-scale mangrove wetland restoration efforts. A press release shared by HWG, an environmental consulting firm working with DPNR, provided details about how the TCORP plan will benefit the USVI.
“This federally mandated plan is a requirement for the territory to remain eligible for funding from the LWCF, which approves over $2 million in outdoor recreation investments to be available to the U.S. Virgin Islands,” the HWG press release stated. “The plan will serve as a roadmap for outdoor recreation development over the next 10 years, identifying infrastructure needs and community priorities through a comprehensive evaluation of recreation sites and extensive public engagement,” the press release said.
The Horsley Witten Group will conduct a territory-wide inventory of existing recreational facilities across the Virgin Islands, including parks, sports fields, hiking trails, and waterfronts. The effort will also assess accessibility, signage, and overall site conditions to help guide improvements and ensure resources are used effectively, according to the release.
“The TCORP process is about building a vision for accessible, inclusive, and resilient outdoor recreational spaces,” said Craig Pereira, senior planner at the Horsley Witten Group. “We’ll be looking at every element: ADA compliance, facility condition, community use, and cultural significance to ensure public funds are utilized to best effect.”
The Significance of the TCORP Plan
Altona Lagoon on St. Croix, one of the island’s popular waterfront recreation areas, could be among the existing sites evaluated for revitalization under the TCORP plan. (Photo courtesy Dan Mele and HWG)
The Source contacted Pereira for more details on Horsley Witten Group’s role in the project, and he highlighted the importance of having an approved TCORP.
“Once the Virgin Islands has a current TCORP in place and it is approved by both the National Park Service and the Land and Water Conservation Fund — which we hope will happen by late 2026 — the territory will be eligible to apply for outdoor recreation improvements through its annual allocation every year,” Pereira said.
“If a state or territory has a Territorial Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan that is active and approved by NPS, it can apply for funds for outdoor recreation improvements. So, it’s essentially a funding mechanism,” he added.
As part of the plan, HWG will conduct a comprehensive inventory of outdoor recreation facilities across the territory, visiting each site to evaluate amenities, equipment conditions, parking, circulation, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility.
“We are going to create a new database or inventory of all of the outdoor recreation sites on the three main islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John,” Pereira said. “We’ll be doing an assessment of what each location offers, whether it’s a softball field, baseball field, playground, or other amenities, as well as the condition of the facilities, the flow of parking and traffic, and whether ADA-accessible features are in place.”
Pereira added that the work will focus on existing recreational spaces but also identify underserved neighborhoods where new facilities could be built. “It might be a specific area or neighborhood that’s underserved without our recreation amenities, and that’s where the TCORP comes into play, because they’ll be able to use funds in order to purchase property and to build out those sites,” he said.
Kristina “Kitty” Edwards, director of Territorial Parks & Protected Areas with the DPNR, also shared how the initiative will benefit the USVI.
“This program will absolutely help us to build a Territorial Parks System that the people of the Virgin Islands can enjoy and be proud of,” Edwards explained. “Funding is hard, and having consistent non-competitive money coming into the territory is a huge benefit. For the Division of Territorial Parks & Protected Areas, this program provides an opportunity to take conservation lands and make them interactive.
“We can build multi-use trails that will bring people into the natural areas that make our home so special, we can take properties and develop areas where individuals can spend a day participating in different activities, and we can make places where people can create their own activities,” she said.
Partnerships and Public Engagement
Mandahl Bay on St. Thomas is among the recreation areas targeted for future enhancements under the Territorial Parks & Protected Areas program. (Photo courtesy Kristina “Kitty” Edwards and HWG)
For Edwards, ensuring that the plan reflects local needs and culture is crucial, and it starts with collaboration.
“When looking at what to do with each of the recreational properties, we have to remember that the land dictates its use, so a project has to make sense environmentally. But the impact to the community depends on making sure that we are taking existing use and making it better. If there’s a property in the National Park System where families have spent generations learning to swim, camping, and having birthday parties, then the final plan for that property will be aligned for just that purpose,” Edwards said.
“My team is made up of Virgin Islanders, and we take the creation of the park system very seriously,” Edwards affirmed.
With LWCF support available annually, Edwards said her team will ensure the benefits reach all islands.
“Each island has so much opportunity for projects under the LWCF program,” Edwards said. “I think that we are going to see great improvements in outdoor recreation and opportunities for getting outside and enjoying our natural spaces. There are existing parks managed by multiple agencies that are going to benefit from this program, and the team is excited to see what each community feels is important to focus on,” Edwards stated. “We are also excited to build new opportunities as properties are added to the park system.”
Edwards shared what she hopes will occur throughout the TCORP’s 10-year horizon, which will track recreation trends to guide long-term decisions.
“Eventually, I hope it will generate interest and attention to outdoor recreation facilities,” Edwards explained. “We’ll be able to identify where those undisturbed areas are and if it’s a playground that is needed within a certain radius of a residential area. You know, it’s really all about what the trends are right now and what the trends are going to be in the next five to 10 years.”
Pereira noted that an interactive project website that will soon become available will help gather feedback before site visits begin.
Regarding a vision for the USVI community, Edwards is very enthusiastic, and the mission is clear: “What we are doing is all about the people of the Virgin Islands,” Edwards stated. “In our division I constantly remind the team that ‘VI Parks for VI People,’ and we are making this for us!” she concluded.

St. Thomas Teen Allegedly Used Social Media to Extort and Assault Girl

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St. Thomas Teen Allegedly Used Social Media to Extort and Assault Girl

A St. Thomas man allegedly used four or more social media accounts to extort money and lewd photos from a 15-year-old girl before sexually assaulting her, according to court records filed Monday.

Police said Jovoughn Carey, 19, allegedly contacted the victim in March 2022 via Facebook Messenger posing as Timmy Turner Hoe. Over the course of several messages, Carey allegedly coerced the girl into sending a photo of her breasts. This continued for several months, with Carey allegedly using three Snapchat accounts to threaten publishing the photographs unless the girl complied.

In 2023, Carey allegedly started extorting money from the child — first $50, then $80, then $100. The girl told police in April 2024 the demands got as large as $300, which she paid either directly to Carey posing as an intermediary or by leaving the money in discrete locations. Carey also allegedly used threats of exposing the photos to force the girl into sex several times.

After another string of demands for money in April 2024, the girl told her mother. Police were able to trace one of the Snapchat accounts to an email address registered to Carey. In April 2025, Judge Debra Watlington signed a warrant for Carey’s arrest.

Around 10:30 a.m. on July 28, police were summoned to Carey’s parents’ Estate Tutu home where Carey was allegedly creating a disturbance. When told he was being charged with assaulting the girl, Carey allegedly said, “Mehn, that was three years ago,” and then, “I understand the other charges but not the rape charge.” He told police he had been living in the bushes.

On Sunday, Carey was officially charged with second-degree aggravated rape, unlawful sexual contact, obscene internet contact with a minor, possession of visual medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a minor, child abuse, and aggravated child abuse. Unable to post $281,000 bail, Carey was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections.

Woman Accused of Forging $130,000 in Public Defender’s Office Checks

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Woman Accused of Forging $130,000 in Public Defender’s Office Checks

A woman accused of forging checks from the Office of the Territorial Public Defender will not be represented by the agency she’s charged with targeting, court records posted Monday show.

Vashti Gumbs, of St. Thomas, allegedly tried to cash two fraudulent checks from the Territorial Public Defender totaling more than $130,000, according to court records.

Gumbs, an aspiring 23-year-old actress, presented a $51,300 check payable to herself at first Bank’s Waterfront branch on Aug. 1, police said. The check appeared to bear the signature of Commissioner of Finance Kevin McCurdy — who is not a signatory on the Public Defender’s account, according to court records.

Gumbs allegedly left while alert bank staff were questioning the check’s authenticity. Bank staff notified Virgin Islands Police Department officers who reviewed surveillance footage Aug. 5.

She returned on Aug. 8 carrying her 9-month-old daughter and another check supposedly from the Public Defender, this time in the amount of $80,543, according to court records. Bank staff told Gumbs they needed to get the money from downstairs, then phoned police.

Police double checked with officials at the Territorial Public Defender that the check was indeed bogus before arresting Gumbs on two counts of passing forged bills.

Police allowed Gumbs to phone the baby’s father, who came to the bank for the child.

Gumbs told police two men had put her up to the alleged crime. She said they had created the checks and promised her $10,000 if she were able to collect on them, according to court records.

Gumbs was held on $55,000 bail and remanded to the Bureau of Corrections.

Territorial Public Defenders Julie Todman and Zarije Asani wrote to the Superior Court Monday saying, as the intended victim, the Public Defender’s office could not represent Gumbs.

Liberty VI Starts Estate Contant Fiber Network Construction

Mat Probasco
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Liberty VI Starts Estate Contant Fiber Network Construction

Liberty VI will begin work on a fiber installation project at Estate Contant in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) on Monday, Aug. 11. The project will provide fiber to residents of the Estate Contant area. The job will be  completed on Wednesday, August 13, with restoration work done in that area.

“As we acquire the necessary permits, we are moving forward with our Fiber to the Home construction projects so more locations in the territory can have access to our fiber fast internet,” said Ravindra Maywahlall, general manager of Liberty VI. “We will continue informing VI consumers about the next areas where we will schedule Fiber to the Home construction projects.” 

The work that will take place on Monday includes the microtrenching of approximately 46 feet and placing underground conduits and fiber optic cables on the Judy M. Gomez Highway. This will provide Liberty’s Fiber to the Home broadband service to residents within the area, including Altona, Mahogany Estate, and Welgunst. Construction will take place from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. 

On Wednesday, the crew will do reinstatement work on the microtrench and perform maintenance repairs on other sections of the Judy M. Gomez Highway. The work will take place between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Burying the fiber cables increases the network’s resiliency while protecting it from hazards such as natural disasters. As per the permit, the work also uses a micro-trenching technique, which produces up to a 1 ¾ -inch cut and uses existing ducts where possible, thus diminishing pavement breakage and dust emission significantly. In addition, crews will be using other underground technologies to minimize the impact to the roadways.

The job will be performed with minimal traffic impact. However, residents and drivers within the area should expect delays due to lane and partial road closures and must exercise caution when traveling on the narrow roadways. Residents within the Estate Contant community are encouraged to park their vehicles on their properties and not on the street to avoid obstructions or possible damage. 

Liberty VI will be providing updates on its website https://www.libertyvi.com/news on when and where the company will be working around the territory so people can plan their daily commutes ahead of time. 

Tropical Storm Erin Forms in Atlantic, Forecast to Strengthen into a Hurricane

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Tropical Storm Erin Forms in Atlantic, Forecast to Strengthen into a Hurricane
The NHC is currently monitoring four areas across the Atlantic basin, including newly formed Tropical Storm Erin. (Photo courtesy NHC)
The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring four areas across the Atlantic basin, including newly formed Tropical Storm Erin. (Photo courtesy NHC)

Tropical Storm Erin formed Monday in the eastern Atlantic and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane later this week, the National Hurricane Center said. It remains too early to determine whether the storm will impact the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico.

As of the NHC’s 2 p.m. Monday update, Erin, the fifth named cyclone of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, was located about 280 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa.

“At 11:00 AM AST on Monday, the center of Tropical Storm Erin was located near latitude 17.4 north, longitude 28.0 west. Erin is moving toward the west near 20 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next several days,” according to the update from the NHC. “Earlier satellite wind data indicated that maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast over the next several days,” the NHC said.

 

The Track of Tropical Storm Erin

The NHC expects Tropical Storm Erin to continue on a westward path for the next several days before gradually turning northwest later in the week. Forecasters say the storm will likely strengthen slowly at first due to cooler waters and dry air, but could intensify more quickly as environmental conditions improve. The NHC forecast shows the turn to the northwest happening near the end of the five-day outlook, when Erin is east of the Leeward Islands.

NHC Tropical Storm Erin projected storm track as of Monday, Aug.11. The system is expected to intensify into a hurricane this week. (Photo courtesy NHC)
Tropical Storm Erin’s projected track as of Monday, Aug.11. The system is expected to intensify into a hurricane this week. (Photo courtesy NHC)

However, while Erin may pass northeast of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, cautioned Monday that it is still too early to determine whether there could be any direct impacts across the local islands. The NWS did mention the possibility of rough seas due to Tropical Storm Erin.

“At this time, model guidance suggests it will track well northeast of the region, approximately 250 to 300 miles northeast of San Juan, though it could still affect the local region indirectly by generating marine and coastal hazards over the upcoming weekend, particularly across Atlantic waters and north-facing beaches,” the NWS explained.

“Since it is still too early to determine any direct impacts on our region, residents and visitors are encouraged to stay informed and monitor future forecasts, as updates will be issued regularly,” the NWS advised.

In addition to Tropical Storm Erin, the NHC is tracking other areas across the Atlantic basin, including “Invest 96L” in the central Atlantic, located northeast of Puerto Rico and the USVI, and another disturbance in the northwestern Atlantic. As of Monday, both systems have a low chance of development. The NHC is also monitoring a cluster of showers and thunderstorms in the Gulf, which currently has no potential for development.

Comparisons to Initial Track of Hurricane Irma

Several reports circulating online have compared Erin’s early track to that of Hurricane Irma in 2017, raising fears of a repeat scenario. The Source reached out to Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane specialist at AccuWeather, to address these concerns.

“When you have a hurricane or a tropical storm that far east in the Atlantic, you have to monitor it very carefully,” DaSilva said. “In 2017, at the very beginning in the early forecasts, Irma looked like it was going to go safely out to sea, and then the trends brought it a little bit farther south,” he explained.

DaSilva said current computer forecast models point to Erin passing north of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, though forecasters will continue to watch the storm closely. He noted Erin is likely to become an intense cyclone, with rip currents and choppy seas expected.

“The waters are very warm, and the disruptive wind shear will be very low, which will allow this storm to rapidly intensify north and east of the islands before beginning a turn to the north,” DaSilva stated. “Later this week, the waves will really begin to pick up along the islands, and dangerous rip currents are expected as Erin strengthens and passes by to the north and east of the islands.”

“Keep checking forecast updates daily and stay connected. Don’t let your guard down this hurricane season,” DaSilva added.

The NWS in San Juan, Puerto Rico, continues to track Tropical Storm Erin. (Photo courtesy NWS)
The National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, continues to track Tropical Storm Erin. (Photo courtesy NWS)

Local Weather Information and Staying Informed

On Monday, the NWS in San Juan reminded residents of Puerto Rico and the USVI to remain aware of weather-related threats in the coming days. These include periods of rainfall and thunderstorms, partly due to trailing moisture from “Invest 96L,” a tropical system located northeast of the islands. Very warm temperatures are expected to persist, with the possibility of heat alerts. In addition, a plume of Saharan dust is forecast to arrive Monday night, reducing air quality and creating hazy conditions through midweek. On the bright side, this dry desert air can help limit tropical cyclone development and intensification.

More tropical waves are anticipated to emerge off the west coast of Africa in the coming days, and USVI residents and visitors are encouraged to continue to remain prepared. 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.

Additionally, the local weather forecast for the U.S. Virgin Islands is regularly updated on the Source Weather Page and VI Source YouTube Channel. A weekly Tropical Outlook article from the Source is also published throughout hurricane season to provide in-depth updates.

Residents and visitors can find additional weather alerts and preparedness information from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency.

Breakfast With Stacey: Delegate Plaskett To Host Community Events

Mat Probasco
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Breakfast With Stacey: Delegate Plaskett To Host Community Events
(Source file photo)

STT: Thursday, Aug. 14 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Victor’s Hideout

STX: Friday, Aug. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Roof Top at King Christian Hotel

WHO: Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett

WHAT: Congresswoman Plaskett and staff will host a breakfast on St. Thomas and St. Croix for the community to attend and connect. The Congresswoman will share her vision for the 119th Congress for the community to learn about legislative priorities and how our office can help navigate federal agencies.

RSVP: alayah.phipps@mail.house.gov

Justin Mario Hazel Dies at 53

Mat Probasco
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Justin Mario Hazel Dies at 53

Justin Mario Hazel

Justin Mario Hazel

July 8, 1972 – July 18, 2025

Mother: Rose Marie Petersen Edinborough (Deceased)

Sisters: Rosalyn Jarvis and Shareefa Hedrington

Brothers: Joseph Hazel, Norman Hazel (Deceased), Paul Hazel

Children: Ashia, Ashaki, Ajilelah, Juleesha, Dahleeki, Kerise, Kelise, Jushan’I, Jusan’I Hazel, Ja’qunique Joseph and Jassanie Joseph

The funeral will be held Saturday, Aug. 16. Viewing will begin at 9 a.m.-10 a.m.

Service starts at 10 a.m.  at Turnbull funeral home.

Internment: Private 

Professional service entrusted by Turnbull’s Funeral Home & Crematory Services.

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