With the winds and rain of Tropical Storm Ernesto heading north by Thursday morning, life on St. John made a bid towards normalcy. The first challenge to be met after the storm was transportation.
Traffic returned to the island’s main thoroughfare along Centerline Road. Cars and trucks drove past tree-trimming crews tackling low-hanging branches. Then there were the piles of rocks, mud and trees sent downhill in the storm near Bordeaux Mountain.
Eastbound cars dodge landslides on Centerline Road. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Closer to Cruz Bay, motorists hoping to hop a barge found themselves waiting … and waiting…
Barge-bound drivers wait outside the locked gate of the Moorehead Marine Terminal Thursday morning. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
An official at the Port Authority said they were waiting for the Coast Guard to complete an after-storm inspection. Once it was done around 11 a.m., ferries and barges could resume service.
‘Till then, these St. John barges stayed tied to the pier in Cruz Bay Creek.
Barges wait in port for the Coast Guard’s clearance. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
But for those drivers able to get around the day after Ernesto’s appearance, there was an uncommon sight. Improvements to the newly refurbished pickleball court near the gravel lot were easier to see after storm-force winds rearranged the fencing.
A toppled and twisted fence leaves pickleball court in a pickle. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Pickleball is a popular pastime among St. John residents and visitors. Officials at Sports, Parks and Recreation oversaw repairs to the court and to the nearby Orville Brown Basketball Court after both were damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
Although significant cleanup and preparation efforts are underway across all school campuses following the impact of Tropical Storm Ernesto, the Virgin Islands Education Department announced that all public schools remain closed on Friday.
At this time, campuses are not yet adequately prepared to welcome back faculty, staff, and students into a safe and conducive learning environment. Cleanup efforts will continue on Friday, with the hope that electrical service will remain uninterrupted, allowing further progress to be made, according to the press release.
Essential school staff, including principals, assistant principals, kitchen managers, custodians, school monitors, maintenance workers, and laborers, must report to their respective school sites on Friday at 8:00 a.m. All district and state-level employees must also report to their work locations on Friday at 8:00 a.m., as government offices are all open, the press release stated.
Essential school staff and workers have been on-site since the storm passed, initiating both exterior and interior maintenance to ensure that our campuses are safe and ready for students’ and faculty’s return, the release stated.
Schools across the territory have faced various exterior challenges, including downed trees, debris, and other hazardous materials scattered across the premises. While much progress has been made, some debris—particularly large-scale trees causing blockages and dangerous conditions—will require outsourcing to secure the appropriate equipment for their safe removal, it said.
Despite school staff and workers’ collective efforts and commitment, cleanup activities have been impeded by electrical outages affecting both districts. The lack of power has significantly hindered the ability to conduct deep cleaning and other essential maintenance tasks inside classrooms and school facilities. Power is critical for ensuring that these tasks are completed effectively and efficiently, the release stated.
Students and faculty are urged to remain at home during this time to avoid interference with ongoing cleanup activities and to ensure everyone’s safety. VIDE’s goal is to have all schools ready for reopening on Monday, Aug. 19, so that instruction can resume without further delay, it said.
For further updates, please stay tuned to official VIDE communications channels.
The Source Arts & Literature section highlights the work of our creative readers. All visual artists and creative writers are encouraged to share with us new works. Please see below for full submission guidelines.
Camille Pissarro
Beneath the trellised balcony,
A boy with canvas and easel stands
And gazes at the Danish lands
Now languishing in poverty.
He sees the hills, the azure skies,
The four-masted schooners in the bay
And knows one day he’ll run away
To paint the world through artists’ eyes.
The native women along the shore,
Their graceful hands, their symmetry
He paints the palm trees, the gentle sea
But in his heart, he longs for more.
He takes his brush and sketching tools,
And with his mentor Fritz Melbye
Travels throughout the Caribbean
And learns to see the world anew.
This native of the Antilles,
Pissarro sketched the world he knew
In violets, greens, and tropic hues
A vision of the West Indies.
With Impressionistic artistry,
He brought his canvases to life
With shadow, color, movement, and light
And changed the world for all to see.
Charlotte Amalie
The red-roofed villas that sigh with longing,
forsaken by some ancient king;
A city like a forgotten maiden
weeps with grief and quiet yearning;
Beside the waters the old red fort,
like a knight of old, crumbling and aging;
A city beneath the tropic sun
Sits silently always waiting…waiting.
The Iguana
The iguana is a tired gent –
Whose wrinkled face attests –
His languid limbs bespeak the toils –
His drooping eyes express.
Through sunny days and saddened nights,
His burden still remains –
He knows his great afflictions,
Are what the Lord ordained.
When Columbus stepped upon these shores –
The ancient lizard was born –
Though many years have come and gone,
He lives to toil and carry on!
Sophie Schiller grew up in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. She is a novelist and a poet. Her first poetry collection, “On A Moonlit Night in The Antilles” was published in 2019. The
International Review of Books described it as: “It’s rare to find a themed collection of poetry that flows this smoothly and naturally without the hint of stiffness or forced wording.” She was educated at American University in Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her second collection of poems is due out in December 2024. She is also the author of “Transfer Day,” a novel about the 1917 transfer of the Danish West Indies.
Poetry and creative prose submissions are limited to 1,500 words and should include a brief bio of the writer. Visual art submissions should include at least one high-quality image or video and a very brief bio along with an artist’s statement that speaks to the inspiration of the work. The statement should include the title if there is one, the medium used and what the work means to you.
Rosalind Gordon, 72, of St. Thomas VI, passed away on July 23, 2024. Mrs. Gordon was born in Dominica but lived most of her life in St. Thomas. She died peacefully in Tampa, FL, where she was surrounded by her loving family.
The Memorial Service Celebrating her life will be held on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in Turnbull’s Funeral Home Memorial Chapel. Rosalind is married to Timothy Gordon, survived by her children: Jacquline Joseph, Jeffre Joseph and Jennie Joseph, Grandchild: Zeciah M Francis, Daughter-in-law: Karen Joseph, Sister: Sonia Christian, Levy Joseph, Brother: Hayden Baptist, Cousin: Fernander Rolle Richardson, Nieces: Natasha Christian, Nichole Christian, Jiselle Joseph, Julina Joseph, Nephews: Nigel Christian, Gregory Christian, Johnathan Joseph, Grandnieces: Faith, Fear, Endurance, Hope, Yahsmin Christian, Brother-in-law: Billy Christian.
Funeral Arrangements Entrusted to Turnbull’s Funeral Home & Crematory Services.
Enterprise Community Partners Inc. (Enterprise) has announced the 2024 recipients of the USVI Housing
Enterprise Community Partners Inc. An overview of St. Thomas with a view of the harbor. (Shutterstock)
Ecosystem Development Grants Program. Launched in 2023, the program provides funding, training and technical assistance to support organizations in the U.S. Virgin Islands providing affordable housing for residents.
Enterprise will host a community roundtable event on Aug. 20 (more event details below) to recognize the 2024 grantees and inform attendees about challenges and opportunities related to affordable housing development in the territory. The USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grants program is made possible by a $500,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY).
2024 Grant Recipients
This year’s USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grant winners represent all three major islands in the USVI (St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John) and will each receive a grant of up to $100,000, along with training and networking programs to expand organizational capacity and support the development of more affordable homes in the territory. The selected grantees are:
340 Integrated Project Team: A St. Croix-based community development organization focused on construction design, build management and training.
AC Development LCC: A developer serving the St. Thomas community.
Love City Strong: A nonprofit organization serving the residents of St. John
Our Town Frederiksted Inc.: A nonprofit organization serving the Frederiksted community on St. Croix.
Event Details and Registration
Enterprise and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York invite developers, community leaders, and members of the public to the Housing Our Community event on St. Thomas, USVI. This event will provide an opportunity to learn about the funded projects and network with key stakeholders in the housing sector.
Date: August 20, 2024
Time: 2-5 p.m. (AST)
Location: The Westin at Frenchman’s Reef, 5 Estate Bakkeroe, St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802
Registration: The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Please register by clicking here.
Since 2017, Enterprise has actively supported housing recovery and resilience efforts in the USVI. The organization’s central focus is on empowering community-based organizations, supporting community development and promoting resilience goals. This focus is crucial to the islands, especially as they continue their recovery from the devastating 2017 Category 5 hurricanes Irma and Maria.
While the Virgin Islands government largely handles affordable housing, encouraging more private engagement in local housing and community development efforts can help address the significant need remaining for affordable homes. With the help of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s grant, Enterprise will provide funding, training and other assistance to strengthen these local organizations, enabling them to offer more much-needed affordable housing for residents.
“The Enterprise team is extremely excited to launch the second grantee cohort under the USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Program,” said Jelani Newton, senior director of Advisors at Enterprise Community Partner. “We are thankful to FHLBNY for the ongoing partnership and support, and we are greatly appreciative of the amazing partners in the U.S. Virgin Islands working every day to serve our community.”
“The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York is thrilled with the success of the Housing Ecosystem Development Program and looking forward to the positive impact this year’s grant recipients will continue to make in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said José R. González, president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. “We congratulate Enterprise Community Partners on this effort and thank Enterprise for continuing to focus on creating more avenues to the creation of affordable housing.”
After about 12 hours of cleanup, officials announced government offices will reopen Thursday while public schools remain closed, with efforts underway for a “hopeful reopening” of the seaports pending Coast Guard assessments, and the full restoration of electricity territory-wide.
At the latest Joint Information Center briefing late Wednesday evening, V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Daryl Jaschen said both local airports reopened “successfully” Wednesday, though residents with flights are advised to check on their reservations as there have been some delays. About 15,000 visitors rode out the storm within the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jaschen said critical to getting some of them back home is bringing the ferries from St. Thomas-St. John up and running again.
With vegetation piling the roadways Wednesday morning in the wake of Tropical Storm Ernesto, Jaschen noted a green waste pileup at many of the dump sites and announced special hours for green waste disposal from Aug. 15-18 at the:
St. Thomas: Nazareth and Cancryn bin sites, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
St. John: Susannaberg Transfer Station, 7 a.m.- 3 p.m.
St. Croix: Anguilla Landfill, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Bins will be specially marked. Bulk waste bins will also be open at the same sites on Aug. 17-18, also from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Both of the territory’s landfills will be closed until noon on Thursday.
Government Offices, Schools and Communications
At this point, government offices will be opening as normal at 8 a.m. on Thursday. Though public schools will remain closed, staff will be coming in to do internal campus assessments for a tentative reopening Friday, though Jaschen said the final call – and updates – will be issued by the Education Department.
Officials have also been keeping in touch with the territory’s communications providers and reported that there are currently only three Liberty VI cell towers down out of 23 sites, including the Flag Hill and Estate Bakkeroe locations on St. Thomas. Efforts continue to restore service, he said.
Power and Water Restoration
Describing the last 24 hours as “eventful,” WAPA Chief Executive Officer Karl Knight described ongoing efforts to restore both power and water across the territory, with delays caused on St. Croix in particular because of large downed trees and lines.
Knight said St. Thomas had weathered the storm successfully, thanks to the dedication of the operations crew at the Harley Power Plant. Units 15 and 23, along with two Wärtsilä generators, remained operational throughout the storm, enabling the plant to handle the full generating load as feeder restoration continues into the evening.
“Unit 23 stayed on at the time we needed it most, weathering the storm with us,” Knight said, noting that this allowed restoration work to begin as soon as conditions permitted. The storm lingered longer than anticipated, causing a slower start, but several key areas have already been restored: 6A from the plant to Fortuna, 7B up to Raphune, 10B fully restored, 7C up to Cassie Hill and 9C up to Nadir.
Challenges remain with 7A, which Knight said was out before the storm, but it is hoped that they would also be worked out Wednesday evening.
On St. John, Cruz Bay’s 7E and 9E feeders have been restored.
Once service is back up on St. Thomas, some pockets of outages will remain, but Knight assured residents that crews are working diligently to address them.
“Our system has proven resilient, with the biggest issues being trees and downed lines. Hazard mitigation efforts paid off, as we didn’t lose a single pole on St. Thomas and only seven old wooden poles on St. Croix.”
The situation on St. Croix is more complicated, Knight explained, due to generation issues that delayed power restoration efforts. “We struggled most of the day to get the gas turbines up and running,” he said. Unit 17 is now operational, with work ongoing to bring Unit 20 online, along with WAPA’s leased Aggreko units.
Feeders 1A, 2A, 3A, and 5A are being worked on, with progress being made on 4A, 7A, and 9B. Knight said crews would try to restore up to the crusher on 10B by this evening while continuing efforts on 6A and 6B. However, vegetation issues in the rainforest pose additional challenges, he said, adding that despite them, WAPA aims to restore power to 75 percent of customers on St. Croix by the end of Wednesday while ensuring safety remains a priority.
In terms of water services, Knight reported that on St. Thomas, a main break near the airport and Bournefield has been repaired, and while some leaks persist, power has been restored to pump stations, with full pressurization expected before nightfall. On St. Croix, pump stations are awaiting the restoration of feeders, after which the system will be pressurized.
Meanwhile, WAPA’s business offices are scheduled to reopen by noon on Thursday, with employees expected to report.
In a written statement Liberty VI reported that as of 5 p.m., mobile service on all three islands was up and running.
“At Liberty, we are committed to providing our customers with the services and connectivity they need, especially during emergencies. All Liberty retail stores and kiosks are expected to reopen tomorrow at 9 a.m.,” the statement said.
Should customers need a backup, prepaid 5G mobile hotspots are available at the Yacht Haven Grande and Sunny Isle locations, the statement continued.
To give customers additional support through the storm’s aftermath, Liberty offers several virtual customer service tools available such as our MyLiberty platform, available on app and web versions. With MyLiberty, customers can review and/or download their invoices, save payment methods, recharge their Liberty prepaid account, and receive notifications if service in their area has been affected, just to name a few features, it said.
Customers can also call 1-833-641-3035 or 611 for mobile service support. In addition, customers can send messages through social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram, it said.
How the federal government collects millions of dollars to assist Virgin Islands telecommunications was potentially disconnected by a recent appeals court ruling. (Shutterstock Image)
A recent federal court ruling could upend billions in telecommunications funding for schools, libraries, low-income people, rural areas, and places where the cost of providing phone and internet service is high. One politically conservative policy-hawk group behind the suit said Wednesday Congress should set the rate, not regulators at the Federal Communications Commission. An FCC spokesperson vowed to exhaust efforts to review the decision.
Depending on where you live, who your service provider is, and what sort of service you have, the Universal Service Fund fee might be 10 percent of your phone bill. Since 1996, telecommunications providers have been required to allot varying portions of their interstate and international revenue to the Universal Service Fund. In early 2016, it was 18.2 percent. In Spring 2024, it was 32.8 percent — a rate decided by industry analysts advising the FCC.
“There’s absolutely no bar whatsoever for Congress allocating money or even setting a tax and funding this through telecom services or even the general fund,” said William Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research. “You can’t have this weird Rube Goldberg machine, if you are familiar with that term, where the FCC hires a private company to both administer the fund but also advise them on how much money they need for the fund and therefore the tax rate.”
Hild — whose “anti-woke” group claims government policies and private business practices favoring environmental responsibility, social issues, and internal corporate governance lead to slave labor and genocide — filed the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals suit with a coterie of like-minded groups and individuals after identical suits failed in the Sixth Appeals Court and Eleventh Appeals Court.
He said his intent was to streamline and add oversight to the fund, not stop efforts to buildout telecommunications infrastructure nor make a value judgement on its worth.
Versions of the Fund have been around since 1916.
By some estimates, the Universal Service fund would collect $8.8 billion in 2024. This spring, the FCC planned to use the fund to support more than $631 million in school and library programs, more than $297 for impoverished people, and $1.109 billion for serves in high-cost areas.
In the Virgin Islands, that amounted to 40 schools and six libraries receiving $3,531,856 for broadband connectivity and internal connections from 2022 to 2024, benefitting 13,405 students, according to the FCC. Ten rural healthcare providers in the territory received more than $307,000 in connections assistance from 2021 to 2023. Nearly $15 million went to connect rural Virgin Islands households in 2023. And in March of this year alone, 1,316 Virgin Islanders received discounted phone or internet service.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called the decision “misguided and wrong.”
“It upends decades of bipartisan support for FCC programs that help communications reach the most rural and least-connected households in our country, as well as hospitals, schools, and libraries nationwide. The opinion reflects a lack of understanding of the statutory scheme that helped create the world’s best and most far-reaching communications network. We will pursue all available avenues for review,” Rosenworcel said in a July statement.
How the fund would operate if fee collection for the fund was unconstitutional was not clear.
Five dissenting appeals court judges said the ruling opened the door for vast changes in how the federal government regulates industries.
Writing for the minority, Judge Stephen A. Higginson said the majority went beyond what the suit had asked for, using a new, novel theory that two constitutional actions created an unconstitutional one.
“That is, according to the majority, when Congress provides an intelligible principle to channel agency discretion (constitutional) and a private entity performs calculations under the agency’s supervision (also constitutional), it becomes—pursuant to an undefined, unannounced, and unprecedented test—unconstitutional,” Higginson wrote. “Make no mistake, there is nothing narrow about this ruling. This decision invites lower courts to leapfrog the Supreme Court; creates a split with all other circuits to have considered the issue; ignores statutory criteria and regulations; and upends the political branches’ decades-long engagement with each other, industry, and consumers to address the technology divide.”
Congress set up the USF to address the quickly changing nature of telecommunications offerings, needs, and pricing, Higginson said. Subject matter experts at the FCC, in consultation with industry groups and community leaders, constantly evaluate the program.
“Congress provided additional principles to guide FCC. For example, Congress made the policy decision that rural Americans should not be abandoned on the wrong side of the technology divide,” he wrote. “The USF remains subject to extensive congressional efforts to weigh competing policy priorities and interests, balancing concerns of different consumers and industries.”
Others who brought the suit include a former Tea Party Patriots activist from Houston, Texas, a California-based petroleum consultant, and Cincinnati-based Cause Based Commerce — a company that offers “mobile, long distance, and toll-free services” to “values-based consumers who want alternatives to the many companies and providers that support causes and positions contrary to their beliefs,” according to the company website.
Cause Based Commerce is the parent company of The Sienna Group, a so-called affinity marketing group. Like Cause Based Commerce, the Walton, Kentucky-based company seeks its customers based on share interests not strictly related to its professional capabilities.
Cause Based Commerce President David W. Condit deferred questions to attorney Trent McCotter of Boyden Gray. McCotter, a member of the conservative Federalist Society and Director of the Separation of Powers Clinic at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he’s filed briefs on behalf of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). McCotter replied curtly late Wednesday: “Stop calling the parties in this case. We have no comment.”
As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, tropical storm warnings for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were lifted, but the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ernesto has left emergency response teams across the territory fully engaged in cleanup operations, with challenges ranging from traffic congestion to downed trees, power lines and mudslides.
At least six vessels came untied from their moorings during the storm. (Photo by Ananta Pancham)
As the storm subsided, emergency response agencies sprang into action. On St. Thomas, Chris Watson of St. Thomas Rescue reported that his team received a call at 2:00 a.m. Wednesday about a boat that had broken loose in Charlotte Amalie Harbor. The vessel drifted into the rocks near the Legislature building, with the elderly boater managing to take shelter in a small structure on the grounds until it was safe to emerge. Fire and Emergency Response teams were on hand to assist him with medical treatment, Watson said.
In his press conference Wednesday morning, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said six vessels managed to come loose during the storm.
Watson emphasized that while St. Thomas Rescue, composed of volunteers, does not typically respond during a storm, they are fully engaged in the aftermath. Approximately 20 officers have been on the roads since noon on Tuesday, responding to calls and assisting with recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, the V.I. Water and Power Authority (WAPA) has continued working to restore electricity across the territory. In an update, Communications Director Shanell Petersen said that while progress is being made, full restoration by the end of Wednesday is unlikely.
St. Thomas: The Randolph Harley Power Plant maintained generation capacity throughout Tuesday night with two units operating, along with four feeders servicing critical areas such as the airport, hospital, and West Indian Co., Ltd. Still, significant damage to power lines—particularly due to fallen vegetation—has posed major challenges, she said, adding that crews are actively assessing and repairing downed lines.
St. John: Feeder 7A, which serves Cruz Bay, has been restored, but work continues in Coral Bay. Power is also off at the Cruz Bay pump station, affecting water service. WAPA water personnel are redirecting the system to improve the St. John water pressure from St. Thomas. Water operators are currently making rounds on St. John to assess damages.
St. Croix: The island remains in the dark due to severe flooding at one of WAPA’s substations. As of 2:30 p.m., crews had pumped out water and started making repairs, with hopes of bringing a few feeders back online. However, delays persist as large, fallen trees continue to impact power to critical facilities, including hospitals, Petersen said.
Public Works crews are working to clear large downed trees on St. Croix. (Photo by Jesse Daley)
Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel reported that his team has been assisting WAPA by clearing downed trees near the hospital’s feeder on St. Croix and collaborating with the V.I. Police Department to remove obstructions on major roadways, including the Queen Mary and Melvin Evans Highways. While there have been numerous reports of issues in various neighborhoods, Gabriel emphasized that the primary focus is on clearing major access routes, including those to the airports.
On St. Thomas, Gabriel noted that three areas have been closed due to debris: Altona near Banco Popular headquarters, Veterans Drive, and Pilgrims Terrace. Veterans Drive, in particular, has seen significant debris from boats that ran aground, exacerbating the cleanup efforts.
Throughout the day, officials have also stressed the importance of residents staying off the roads until assessments and cleanup are complete, as traffic has caused significant delays. The V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency warned earlier that a curfew could be imposed if traffic continues to impede recovery efforts. A press conference of the Joint Information Center has been set for 5 p.m., and can be seen on the Government House Facebook page.
Clean-up crews begin assessing damage in Charlotte Amalie. (Source photo by Ananta Pancham)
On Wednesday afternoon, Government House established territory-wide traffic control points to allow the Department of Public Works to safely and effectively complete road clearance projects. Many people have taken to the roads following Tropical Storm Ernesto, making it difficult for work crews to perform their operations.
According to an afternoon text and email alert, the V.I. Police Department is setting up traffic control points to direct traffic away from road clearing operations. Residents are being asked to stay off the roads unless they must travel. If the traffic control points are ineffective, Governor Bryan will enact a curfew.
