Virgin Islands National Park is accepting applications for Youth Conservation Corps summer employment program until May 15. Applicants must be 15 through 18 years old.
Sabrina Diaz has begun a six0month assignment as deputy superintendent at the Virgin Islands National Park. (Photo submitted by the V.I. National Park)
For more than 50 years, YCC has engaged young people in meaningful work experiences in national parks and other public lands. YCC members gain leadership skills and develop an ethic of natural resource stewardship and civic responsibility. Over the last year, nearly 400 YCC members worked in parks across the country on projects focused on historic preservation, trail maintenance, arts, living history and more.
Some of the highlights of Virgin Islands National Parks program for YCC members are the Reef Bay Hike, learning about the parks Sea Turtle monitoring program, Hassel Island clean up and more.
The YCC session dates for Virgin Islands National Park are June 15 to July 31. Participants work on a variety of projects, like trails maintenance and repair, natural resource conservation and visitor outreach and education. YCC members do not need prior experience. The pay is $16 per hour for a 32-hour work week. Housing is not available.
More information about the application process is available on the YCC website.
About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.
Sen. Angel Bolques Jr., chair of the Senate Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports and Parks Committee, presides over a Senate hearing Monday on St. Croix examining the stalled Paul E. Joseph Stadium project and its financial and administrative oversight. (Photo courtesy V.I. Legislature)
Lawmakers expressed deep frustration Monday at the Senate Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports and Parks Committee hearing over years of delays and rising costs tied to the unfinished Paul E. Joseph Stadium, as officials acknowledged the project is running out of money and may miss yet another deadline.
The stadium, first started in 2013, has spanned three governors and four public works commissioners without being completed, with costs climbing to more than $32 million.
Committee Chair Sen. Angel Bolques Jr. reminded witnesses that under subpoena last year, officials and the contractor promised the stadium would be finished by December 2025.
“It was clearly stated on the record … that the stadium would be completed in December 2025 … and unfortunately, that commitment has not been kept,” Bolques said, noting that more than $32 million in public funds has already been spent on a project “that is still not finished.”
The contract now runs through July 2, while the contractor’s schedule extends into late September.
Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel testified that roughly $6.1 million remains available for the Paul E. Joseph project, but said that amount, and the pace at which it can be spent, is not enough to complete the stadium on the current schedule. He noted that portions of the remaining funds are already committed to specific items, such as the press box and generator, leaving little flexibility to accelerate work.
“Just given what we’ve seen in the last few months, I don’t think that we have the cash flow sufficient to finish the project in the timeline identified,” Gabriel said. “It’s not like we’re hiding cash. We don’t have it to be able to finish.”
He said the shortfall now demands “frank, candid, closed‑door discussions” between senators and the administration about whether to inject more money into the contract, scale back expectations, or consider more drastic options.
Contractor John Wessel, managing member of GEC LLC, argued that the latest delays are driven less by his firm’s performance and more by the government’s failure to pay on time. He maintained that the stadium can still be delivered if cash begins flowing under the terms of the contract.
“There is no daily manpower on site, and that goes hand in hand with my staffing plan, because it has to do with the lack of payments,” Wessel said. He added that key materials, including a redesigned chain‑link outfield fence, cannot be ordered until outstanding delay costs are paid.
Gabriel, however, told lawmakers that the problems cannot be pinned solely on slow payments. “I would give everybody a 33 and a third percent,” he said, dividing responsibility among government decisions, contractor performance and design changes that reshaped the project midstream.
Officials said the project expanded significantly after it began, moving into a FEMA-designated floodway and requiring major engineering changes and federal approvals.
“The suspension resulted in a complete revision of the construction contract, design of the stadium, size of the stadium doubled, and relocation of the stadium into a floodway,” Wessel testified.
Office of Disaster Recovery Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien said the new site required a deep-pile foundation and elevation changes before FEMA approved a conditional letter of map revision in 2021. Wessel added that foundation failures and redesigns further delayed construction.
Many lawmakers rejected Wessel’s attempt to shift the focus to late payments, pointing instead to years of missed deadlines under his watch and the stadium’s continued shutdown more than a decade after construction began. They said the community has paid the price in lost money, lost trust and lost playing time for local athletes.
Several senators said the decade-long saga has already damaged public trust and deprived young athletes of opportunities.
“You have been a disaster to St. Croix with this project,” Sen. Franklin Johnson told Wessel, adding, “You’re never going to finish this project. I said I have no confidence in you finishing it.”
Sen. Alma Francis Heyliger called the situation “a whole mockery,” saying, “Long and short, this is a waste of money … The people of this territory got shortchanged.”
Sen. Novelle E. Francis Jr. said he “can’t continue to imagine the amount of talent that have been delayed and denied” because the field remains closed. Bolques added that it is “difficult” to continue funding the project under the current contractor.
Despite frustration with GEC’s performance, Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel told senators that replacing the contractor at this stage could increase costs and extend delays.
“It is our professional assessment that doing so would cost up to an additional $10 million and delay the project by at least eight to 24 additional months,” he testified. “If we were to pivot … that list of risks grows exponentially.”
For now, he said, continuing with the current contractor remains the most practical option unless lawmakers are prepared to appropriate significantly more money. Pressed on whether he has confidence in GEC, Gabriel was cautious.
“It’s difficult to say … the project is rife with challenges, particularly cash flow,” he said, noting that the contractor maintains he can finish if the remaining funds are fully available.
Beyond finishing construction, officials warned that the stadium will carry ongoing costs. Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Vincent Roberts estimated annual operating expenses between $1.5 million and $2.2 million, driven by staffing, utilities and maintenance.
“Facilities of this nature are not typically profit-generating,” Roberts testified, adding that their value is measured more by “economic activity, community engagement and utilization, not solely direct revenue.”
Bolques said the project carries community significance beyond its cost and timeline.
“We deserve a facility that honors the legacy of Paul E. Joseph,” he said. “We deserve the cultural and sporting life that this stadium was built, or supposed to be built, to support.”
Government House spokesperson Richard Motta Jr. leads a weekly press briefing Monday on St. Thomas. (Screenshot from V.I. Government House livestream)
The Virgin Islands government is steaming ahead in its effort to strengthen trade and cultural ties with Ghana. Government House announced during a weekly press briefing Monday that the territory will host government officials and private sector partners at a multiday summit titled the Ghana-U. S. Virgin Islands Economic Development Mission.
“This mission is focused on substance,” Government House spokesperson Richard Motta Jr. said. “It is centered on areas where strategic partnership can produce real value for the Virgin Islands, including digital infrastructure, affordable housing, energy, construction, labor, tourism, financial services and cultural exchange.”
Monday’s announcement comes several months after Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. signed a memorandum of understanding with the chief executive of Ghana’s Tourism Authority, Maame Efua Houadjeto. On Monday, V.I. Economic Development Authority CEO Wayne Biggs Jr. said both the U.S. Virgin Islands and Ghanaian economies stand to benefit from the collaboration. Biggs was joined by EDA board chair Kevin Rodriguez, St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce President John Woods, and a delegation including Houadjeto and other representatives from the region’s public and private sectors.
“West Africa is one of Africa’s fastest growing digital economies,” Biggs said. “Their expertise in fiber optic development, fintech platforms and workforce development aligns directly with our priorities here in the territory.”
Biggs said the group is pursuing a memorandum of planning and concrete next steps. Houadjeto said Ghana will bring its music and creative energy to the U.S. Virgin Islands in July.
“This is not just entertainment,” she said. “It is a cultural exchange deepening our cultural diplomacy. It is an opportunity to collaborate … for artists to connect and for audiences to experience the deep, shared roots that bind us together.”
VIEO Announces Relief for People with Medical Conditions
V.I. Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming said Monday that VIEO will provide portable battery backups for medically vulnerable residents as part of a “targeted, people-first initiative designed to deliver immediate energy relief to residents who need it most.”
“For our medically vulnerable, our seniors, our residents living with disabilities, access to reliable electricity can mean the difference between stability and crisis,” Fleming said, noting that the issue becomes even more urgent during the summer with the threat of hurricanes, tropical storms and the additional strain placed on the V.I. Water and Power Authority. “This is a period where outages become more frequent, restoration timelines can stretch and the consequences for vulnerable households are at their highest.”
Through the Virgin Islands Resiliency Gateway program, Fleming said VIEO will deploy portable “plug and play” battery systems to qualifying residents, allowing them to power essential appliances and medical equipment during protracted outages. Fleming said the Energy Office is finalizing eligibility prerequisites with the Human Services Department and that they anticipate distributing approximately 900 battery units throughout the territory.
The initiative is being funded through the U.S. Energy Department.
Gov’t House Responds to VIHFA Audit
Motta struck an optimistic tone on the heels of a U.S. Housing and Urban Development Inspector General audit that painted a bleak portrait of the V.I. Housing Finance Authority’s ability to identify and combat fraud.
“There’s an important point that I want to make: I think the general consensus is that these audits are somewhat harmful or damaging to the reputations of these agencies,” he said Monday. “And actually, it’s quite the contrary. These audits are actually helpful because it exposes vulnerabilities and it gives the agencies the opportunity to course correct or strengthen the controls that they have in place.”
Motta added that VIHFA has already implemented some recommended improvements but said it wouldn’t be prudent to apply the audit’s findings to other government agencies responsible for federal dollars.
“While most agencies handle … federal funds through the different grant programs, they’re not all created the same,” he said. “And so I wouldn’t recommend that, and I don’t think that that would be a prudent practice. But in general, I mean, yes, you always want to make sure that procurement practices are tightened, and then those controls — that’s done on a case-by-case basis, and pretty frequently.”
A screenshot shows the location of Parcel #17 D-5 Estate Adrian (outlined in yellow) on St. John which is near the George Simmons housing community. (Image from Map Geo)
Members of the public have until April 30 to weigh in on a proposed zoning change to allow a trucking and heavy equipment company to relocate to a site in a largely undeveloped area in Estate Adrian on St. John.
Maxentius Griffith and John Griffith of St. John Maintenance and Water Delivery have applied to change the zoning on Parcel #17 D-5 Estate Adrian from R-1 (low-density residential) to B-3 (scattered business) They plan to use the 0.83-acre site to construct a storage and maintenance facility for their fleet of water trucks, dump trucks, and other heavy equipment as well as to provide office space for administration of their business.
John Griffith and Maxentius Griffith are seeking a permanent site to maintain heavy equipment for their company, St. John Maintenance and Water Delivery. (Screenshot from a DPNR zoning hearing held April 20, 2026)
At an online hearing held by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources on Monday afternoon, the Griffiths said they bought the property in 2017 from Gilbert Sprauve for that purpose. (Sprauve provided them access from the estate road through his property to the site.) In the meantime, they have rented space for their vehicles at various locations, most recently at 29-1 Susannaberg near the St. John Concrete plant.
A posted sign announces a zoning hearing for site in Est. Adrian on St. John. (Screenshot from a DPNR zoning hearing held April 20, 2026)
Attorney Jennifer Jones presented their application and explained that the company fulfills a critical need by supplying water delivery to residents and businesses that are not served by the public water system. She said the company wants to be ready “and able to expand for the long-term capacity” as St. John continues to develop.
Attorney Jennifer Jones presents a proposal to change a site in Est. Adrian from R-1 (low-density residential) to B-3 (scattered business) (Screenshot from a DPNR zoning hearing held April 20, 2026)
The company’s fleet currently includes “three to four water trucks” and “three to four dump trucks,” according to the Griffiths.
Jones said that the company will primarily use the property for storing and maintaining their vehicles which only move on a “as-needed” basis. During the day, the water trucks are out making their rounds while the other equipment is usually based at construction sites around the island.
An image from Monday’s online hearing shows the outline of the proposed building for St. John Maintenance and Water Delivery’s heavy equipment. (Screenshot from a DPNR zoning hearing held April 20, 2026)
The site under consideration is located nearly one thousand feet to the south of Centerline Road within a large area of undeveloped land in Estate Adrian. The only nearby development on that side of Centerline Road is the George Simmons housing community built in the 1980s.
An aerial photo shows the location of the Adrian estate road as well as the road that leads to the homes in the George Simmons housing community. (Screenshot from a DPNR zoning hearing held April 15, 2024)
Jones said the Griffiths’ property is about 40 feet from the boundary of one of the houses in that community, but the maintenance building will be located at least 100 feet from that neighbor. The Griffiths said their property would be fully fenced, and the building would be screened by vegetation.
Only one resident of the nearby housing community attended the hearing. Tequasi Hendricks, who resides on the hill above the site, asked whether the Griffiths plan to install their own sewage treatment facility. Jones said they would.
Hendricks also questioned whether daily activity of heavy equipment would cause instability to the surrounding properties. Jones said that it would not. The property is in a low-lying area, Jones added, and the developers intend to follow all the regulations to minimize erosion and assure proper storm drainage.
The more troubling issue is whether spot zoning for a commercial trucking business should be permitted in an area that is designated as residential. In 2024, one property owner proposed a zoning change that would allow him to construct 88 units of affordable housing in Estate Adrian. That request was signed into law as Bill No. 35-0281 in Aug. 2024.
The public has until April 30 to send comments regarding the proposed rezoning application CCP-0011-26 to DPNR officials. Emails may be addressed to leia.laplace@dpnr.vi.gov. Following that, DPNR planners have 30 days to present a report to the commissioner. Once the commissioner has signed off, the rezoning request may be sent to the V.I. Legislature for approval.
Whether she’s in St. John or Manhattan – her two major stomping grounds — V.I. Source writer Gail Karlsson uses her camera to document birds, trees and other wildlife.
Gail Karlsson always has birds on her mind. (Submitted photo)
Karlsson has noticed that some types of birds are permanent residents in both places — like Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels. And there are also migratory birds – like Black-and-white Warblers and Ovenbirds — that spend the winter in St. John and then pass through New York on their way to their spring breeding grounds in the northeast U.S. and Canada.
In past years, she’s published a book about the birds of St. John as well as one on birds of the Battery in New York City. This book led to a project in which she posted banners of common birds throughout Battery Park.
Now Karlsson has a new collection of bird photography on display in Manhattan — an official NYC Parks Department “Art in the Parks” exhibit running from April 19 to Earth Day 2027. It consists of 20 small, vinyl banners with photos of birds regularly seen in City Hall Park in lower Manhattan. The banners are attached to a fence running along the north side of City Hall.
Gail Karlsson stands in front of two of the banners depicting the birds of City Hall Park in Manhattan. (Submitted photo)
Karlsson said the purpose of the show is to call attention to the surprising number of wild birds inhabiting this small, busy urban area surrounded by downtown traffic, frequent loud demonstrations (attracting crowds of protesters), plus a daily flow of pedestrians, bicyclists, tourists, and dog walkers.
“The wild birds remind us of the natural world that was here before any human settlement, connecting us with our own history and evolution, and the greater mysteries of life on earth,” she said.
A Red-tailed Hawk seeks its prey. (Gail Karlsson photo)
Official opening events will be held on Earth Day, Wed. April 22 and again on Sat. April 25. Besides educating neighbors and park-users — including local schoolchildren — about the birds in the park, Karlsson hopes to promote bird-friendly park management, including plantings of trees and shrubs that support the birds.
In addition to the exhibit, she has put together a booklet with photos of the banners and some details about the birds included in this latest show. The contents of the booklet and additional information can be viewed online at www.gailkarlsson.com.
Charles Freeston Nathaniel, born on April 18, 1956, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2026. He will be remembered as a beloved father, family member, and friend whose kindness, strength, and presence touched the lives of all who knew him. His legacy of love, resilience, and quiet wisdom will forever remain in the hearts of those he leaves behind.
A funeral service celebrating his life will be held on Friday, May 1, at the Original Pentecostal Church, P6GC+G7C Eddie Ortiz Drive, Clifton Hill, St. Croix 00851. Viewing will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the service at 10 a.m. Interment will take place at the Kingshill Cemetery.
Charles will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Audrey Lewis, lovingly remembered by her family and friends, was born on Nov. 30, 1949, and peacefully passed away on March 20, 2026. She lived a life filled with love, devotion, and strength, leaving behind a legacy that will forever be cherished by all who knew her.
Audrey Lewis
A family and close friends viewing will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Divine Chapel, #129 Peter’s Rest, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. A funeral service will take place at the Apostolic Faith Mission, #487 Strawberry Hill, Kingshill, VI 00850, with viewing at 10:00 a.m. followed by the service at 11:00 a.m.
Audrey leaves to cherish her precious memories her beloved daughters, Carlene Lee and Marlene Johnson; her devoted sons, Allan and Devon Lewis; and her cherished grandchildren, Kimeisha Lewis, Jahsaria, Jahsar Bachelor, and Jahkayla Bachelor, Myeeteh Kamara-Lewis, Janae and Jamal Johnson. She is also survived by her brothers, David, Denfield, and Kenworth Crawford, and her sister, Camella Nesbitt.
She will be fondly remembered by her daughter-in-law, Christiana Kamara-Lewis; her sons-in-law, Shawn Lee and Earnest Johnson; her nieces, Shavon, Laverne, Genevieve, Kera, Kia, Cindy, Lorisha, Kathleen, Valerie, Mary, Claudette, Angie, Joann, and Kim; and her nephews, Rowan, Leon, Philpurt, George, Earl, Kenworth Jr., Kasim, Denton, Sam, Melrose, McClean, Ajai, Brandon, Kenrick, and Kevin.
Audrey also leaves behind a loving extended family, including the family of the late Doren Higgins, Mary Ann Joseph, the Nicholas family, and Rosalind Aaron, along with many more cousins. She will be deeply missed by her special friends Helena and Margaret, the members of the Apostolic Faith Mission, and a host of other relatives and dear friends too numerous to mention.
Audrey’s warmth, kindness, and unwavering love for her family will never be forgotten. Her memory will continue to live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.
Pauline Hector, better known as Ineta, age 88 transitioned to the heavenly realm on March 18 in Decatur, GA.
Pauline Hector
She was predeceased by her mother, Maisie Fergus; father, Beresford Brown, Sr. and husband, Ghirton Hector, Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Vertilee Henry; grandson Janai Carter; Adopted daughter, Monic Nurse; sisters, Denyse Farquharson, Patricia Larsen, Glaretta Pond, Ishmaelita Goode; godchildren, Robert Canton, Sr., Shenelle Browne, Cera Trotman-Larsen, Adrian Smith, Rodaysha Canton, George Esiape, Franklin Benjamin; brother-in-law, Hans “Panchie” Larsen, Sr.; sisters-in-law, Everne Rhymer, Doreen James; special cousins, Bernard & Monica Jacobs, Austin Benjamin, Mary Thomas, Geraldine James, Gail Browne, Germaine McFarland; nieces, Arah Lewis-Smith, Monique Farquharson, Lucia Goode; nephews, Hans “Pops” Larsen, Jr., Huan Larsen, Sr., Harald “Rocky” Larsen, Hank “PT” Larsen, Dwayne Farquharson, Babatunde Lewis, Richard Goode; great nieces, Shayla Larsen, Lila Larsen, Mia Larsen, Hannah Larsen, Halle Larsen, Victoria Larsen, Halayna Larsen, Anise Smith, Phoenix Goode, Janaya Goode; great nephews, Justin Larsen, Damani Farquharson, Amari Larsen, Ade Larsen, Devante Larsen, Huan Larsen, Jr., Zander Smith, Richard O. Goode; great-great nephews, Kylan Price, Joshua Torres, Jr., Jayce Larsen, Amir Farquharson; great-great nieces: Hazel Larsen, Madison Price; special friends: Jean Smalls, Yvonne & Wesley Browne, Christobelle Griffin, Lawrence Lewis, Vania Larsen, Franklin Mathias, Padgett George, Angela Browne, Linda Larsen, Glendine McNamara, Roxanne Thomas, Stephanie Scale, Sylvia Reed, Angie Hendricks, JoAnn Josiah & Family Smith Family, Attwood Family, Heskey Family, Cathy Mason & Family, Turner Family, Paxon Family and many more family and friends too numerous to mention.
Funeral service will be held on April 24 at Friedensthal Moravian Church. Viewing begins at 9 am, with service at 10 am. Interment will be held at Moravian Church Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home, Inc.
St. Croix Foundation for Community Development is pleased to announce the launch of two vital scholarship opportunities aimed at uplifting and investing in the next generation of leaders from St. Croix. Applications for the Patrick & Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund and the Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund may be submitted beginning April 21 and are due on June 3.
St. Croix Foundation
Both scholarships are rooted in the Foundation’s commitment to educational equity, youth empowerment, and community transformation.
The Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund will award a minimum of three scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 to 2026 graduates from St. Croix public, private, or parochial schools. Applicants must be pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and maintain a GPA of 2.75 or higher while providing proof of acceptance to an accredited college or university. Applicants will also be required to submit an essay that outlines the impact this scholarship will have on their ambitions and how their education will impact St. Croix and the global community, as well as upload a brief video outlining their educational and career goals.
The Patrick & Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund is designed to assist graduating seniors from St. Croix public high schools and will award three scholarships of up to $4,000 to eligible applicants. Established by Junior Gaspard in honor of his grandparents and their perseverance, all applicants will be asked to submit an essay describing a time they met and overcame an obstacle, and a brief video presentation describing their educational and career goals. Applicants must also indicate acceptance to an accredited institute of higher learning and maintain a GPA of 2.0 and higher.
The Patrick & Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund and Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund reflect a shared mission between St. Croix Foundation and the founders of the funds, Junior Gaspard and Raydiance Wise, to nurture the next generation by enhancing educational opportunities for St. Croix youth.
Since its establishment in 2022, the Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund has awarded over $33,000 in scholarships to 15 young people pursuing degrees in STEM fields. The Patrick & Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund has awarded a total of $113,000 in scholarships to 24 students since its establishment in 2018. Notably, three recipients from this Fund were supported for the full four years of their undergraduate journey – they are now pursuing advanced degrees in meteorology, biochemistry, and music education.
Deanna James, President & CEO of St. Croix Foundation, stated that “These scholarships are more than financial aid — they are investments in the promise, talent, and future leadership of St. Croix. When our community gives back, we create pathways for young people to thrive, return their skills home, and transform the Virgin Islands.”
Application Process
Interested graduating seniors can find more details and instructions on how to apply for either or both scholarship opportunities on the Foundation’s website at https://www.stxfoundation.org/grants-scholarships/. All applications will be carefully reviewed by the St. Croix Foundation Grants & Scholarships Review Committee, and applicants will be notified of decisions by June 30, 2026. All scholarship recipients are required to report on their successes and challenges throughout the year to ensure that the funds continue to meet current needs and provide additional support as needed.
For assistance with the application process, students can contact Lilli Cox at the Foundation at lcox@stxfoundation.org or 340.773.9898.
St. Croix Foundation invites Virgin Islanders near and far to invest in our youth today. Each year, our young people remind us of a time when we stood exactly where our graduating seniors stand today: on the edge of possibility, carrying big dreams and even bigger questions about how to get there. St. Croix Foundation for Community Development invites every Virgin Islander to remember that moment and to show up for the next generation. To support the Patrick & Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund or the Lang‑Wise STEM Scholarship Fund, donate online at https://stxfoundation.info/GivetoAFund or call 340.773.9898.
The St. Croix Foundation extends its gratitude to local Crucians and advisors Raydiance Wise, Alice Lang, Junior Gaspard, and Anquanette Gasprad for supporting these scholarship funds, which are strategically empowering St. Croix youth. For more information about how to support these special funds, please visit www.stxfoundation.org or call 340.773.9898.
Dudley Newman Feuerzeig LLP (DNF) is proud to announce that Partners Chad C. Messier and Charlotte K. Perrell (Managing Partner of the firm) have each accepted an invitation to become Fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA), a prestigious, peer-selected honorary society of trial lawyers.
Chad C. Messier and Charlotte K. Perrell (Submitted photo)
Comprising less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers, the LCA is an invitation-only network limited to 3,500 of the nation’s leading litigators. Fellows are rigorously vetted and selected based on demonstrated excellence and accomplishment in litigation at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as a superior ethical reputation. The society is known for its commitment to diversity and for fostering a close-knit collegial network of top advocates who represent clients across North America and around the world.
“I am deeply honored to accept this invitation to join the Litigation Counsel of America,” said Chad C. Messier. “This recognition reflects the high standards of advocacy and ethical practice that have guided my career. I look forward to collaborating with the finest trial lawyers in the country while continuing to deliver exceptional results for our clients in the U.S. Virgin Islands and beyond.”
Charlotte K. Perrell added: “I am thrilled to join this distinguished group of advocates. It is a privilege to be recognized alongside such accomplished litigators and to represent the high caliber of legal talent from the Virgin Islands on a national stage.”
Chad C. Messier joined Dudley Newman Feuerzeig LLP in 1993 directly from Vanderbilt Law School, where he served as Managing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He became a Partner in 2000 and served as Managing Partner of the firm from 2003 through 2018. A seasoned litigator with more than 30 years of experience, he practices in general commercial litigation, insurance defense, products liability defense, and aviation law. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Messier holds the AV Preeminent® peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, is a member of the American Law Institute and the Defense Research Institute and is ranked by Chambers and Partners.
Charlotte K. Perrell is not only the Managing Partner of DNF, but also a key member of the firm’s litigation department. She focuses her practice on complex business litigation. Charlotte spent her childhood on Water Island, USVI, where she attended Antilles School. She then returned to the Territory in 2013 after practicing for 20 years in Atlanta, Georgia, where she founded Perrell Law, LLC. She is Board Certified in Legal Malpractice by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, served as President of the Virgin Islands Bar Association in 2021, is a member of the American Law Institute, and is ranked by Chambers and Partners. She earned her J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law in 1994.
About DNF: Dudley Newman Feuerzeig LLP is a dynamic, full-service law firm located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with offices on the two main islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix. The firm’s attorneys are leading practitioners dedicated to providing the highest caliber legal services to clients throughout the Territory and the region.
