US Virgin Islands News

Mail Center to close

Several hundred island residents will have to find a new place to pick up their mail after April 29.  

The Mail Center's owner, Jason Corley, said he has been unable to negotiate a new lease with the landlord, the Marketplace.  He plans to move back to the states.

This means life is about to get very unpleasant for locals and businesses, never mind villa owners who have used the business at the Marketplace to ship supplies to their homes.

In a letter to customers Tuesday, Corley wrote, "On Saturday, April 29th, the Mail Center will close its doors.  We deeply regret any inconvenience this will cause you."  He suggested customers make arrangements for a new mailing address by contacting Connections in Cruz Bay, Keep Me Posted in Coral Bay, or the cramped and inadequate Post Office in Cruz Bay.

The Mail Center's closing has been brought to the attention of Donna Christensen, the territory’s Delegate to Congress. Beverly Lockhart sent an e-mail.  She said she is one of 417 residents who get their mail through the business.  “As you are aware, the current US Postal Office is stretched beyond capacity and can not 'create' 417 new boxes,” Lockhart urged the Delegate to intervene with the Marketplace, “and plead our case for affordable rent for the Mail Center...as a public service.”

(A disclaimer: With friends, I (Frank Barnako) used to be a co-owner of the Mail Center.)

Whales .... They're Baaaaack!

Three's a charm, and this is the third time this season folks have seen the huge mammals off St. John, again off of Long Point on east End.

"It's hard to tell from these cropped photos, but I believe there were two large whales today," e-mailed Ginny Westrick.

"Lots of oohs and aahs could be heard from the decks of the houses on our point of land with each breach!  Breathtaking!"

The picture on the left shows only one whale.  On the right is a small boat with three people.  Don't we want to see THEIR photos!!!!!

(Click on the photo for larger images.)

Welcome cart cometh

The St. John Chamber of Commerce happily announced the arrival of the Greeters’ Cart for use in the Dept. of Tourism’s new program to welcome visitors to St. John with a smile and a sample of Cruzan rum. 

The cart, a few weeks in the making, was designed and built by Les Anderson. 

It will go into duty just as soon as Tourism, the Port Authority and the Coast Guard approve it for use on the dock. Diana Brown, of Tourism, told the Chamber she was pleased with the design expected the approval process would go quickly.

Pledge week at the Gym

An effort by the owner of Gym in Paradise to reopen his doors has drawn a rant from Gerald Singer, a longtime island resident and author of several St. John guide books.

The owner of the gym, Mark Dallas, took out an ad in the Tradewinds, suggesting that if 100 people prepaid a year’s membership ($780),  the gym could reopen.  It’s all a matter of cash flow, Dallas indicated.  He’s personally unable to put more money into the business, he said.

“How stupid does he think we are?,” Singer wrote.  He pointed out that just recently, the Gym was promoting a discounted three-month membership for $120.  “Then, (he) closed the doors to the gym and kept the money.”

The skeptical Singer is urging anyone who signed up to file a complaint in Small Claims Court on the third floor of the Boulon Center.

Gym Website: http://www.gyminparadise.com/aboutus.html

Blues Festival '09 - a Night to Remember

Four outstanding bands and singers rocked the Coral Bay ball field and the island of St. John last weekend.

The 7th annual St. John Blues Festival, co-sponsored by Johnnie Walker and produced by island musical genius Steve Simon, drew hundreds to Coral Bay for a concert, as well as more people to Cruz Bay during the week as musicians performed at restaurants and bars.

Each year, Simon's efforts bring more musicians to St. John, amping up the entertainment.  And, for him, there is no rest.  The day after the festival's climax concert in Coral Bay, Simon and some of the musicians were Middle East-bound for another Bluzapalooza tour, including a sold out appearance in Cairo.

But just as the Festival gets better every year, so too does the 'reporting' by Steve Simonsen, the world class photographer.  His festival web site this year includes audio clips from the musicians' recordings and marvelous photo slide shows of each performance.  There must be hundreds of great shots.  See them here.

Festival Web site: http://www.stjohnbluesfestival.com/bf/blueshome.htm

St. John magazine pulls back

It’s tough enough to start a business in good times, but when you try in the teeth of a recession, well, you have to be flexible. That’s what Malinda Nelson, publisher of the Tradewinds newspaper, has decided to be with her venture, St. John magazine.

Launched as a twice-a-year glossy, to showcase the beauty of the island and its people, the planned Spring issue has been shelved.

“Due to the current state of the world economy and its impact on the U.S. Virgin Islands, the next edition ... will be published in October,” Nelson wrote in the Tradewinds.

Asking nearly $3,000 a page for advertising, St. John clearly was affected by the same pressures which are hurting media revenues everywhere.

“We promise another spectacular issue filled with fascinating articles accompanied by the top-notch work of island photographers," she added.

She also said future issues of the magazine will be on an annual schedule.

Over the almost two years that Nelson has published St. John, it was always entertaining to see laudatory articles in the Tradewinds about the island’s enthusiastic reception and praise for each issue. Rarely was there an editorial note about co-ownership of the paper and the magazine, disclaiming a conflict of interest.

Web site: www.stjohnmagazine.com

Wanna work in Paradise?

With jobs harder to find, and even keep, in the states this winter, maybe you're ready to chuck it all and follow your dream of living and working on St. John.  One source of leads is, of course, the Web.  Both the island's largest employer, Caneel Bay, and the Westin Resort use their online sites for career opportunities.

Currently, Caneel's operator, Rosewood Hotels, is not showing any openings.  Go to CaneelBay.com and click "Employment" at the bottom of the home page. But Starwood Hotels, owner of the Westin, has an opening in the Virgin Islands for an experienced Timeshare salesperson.  The Westin is also using print to advertise for a Purchasing Manager for the Westin with 18 months experience in hotel purchasing.

Gone fishin'

We're off island, getting some r 'n r in the great Southwest. 

The Inquiring Iguana's family is visiting New Mexico and Arizona, with a stop off to catch dawn at the Grand Canyon. 

See ya in a week or so.

St. John or Maine?

A few weeks ago, a friend in Wiscasset, Maine sent me a movie of her backyard. Buried in snow, four-feet high.  Drifts up to the windows of the work shed. The subject line of her e-mail read, "Wish You Were Here."

Hah! I was on St. John. I grabbed her audio track, laid in some photos over it and sent it back to her with the subject line, "Here's Why I'm Glad I'm Not There."

Somebody will be towed

On the the heels of a second paid parking lot opening in Cruz Bay, Connections has staked out its territory for customers.

Unknown to many, it appears Connections has rights to one of the always-filled parking spots next to its building.  Convenient for folks picking up their mail, for sure.  But too good to ignore when you’re desperate for a spot and the public lot across from the Post Office is full, as always. (Is Patrick’s using four spaces now?  A new one for patio dining, too?)

Anyway ... a sign, circled in red, went up at the Connections parking space in the past week. Says you have 30 minutes to park, or else.

Good news to know there might be a spot for customers; bad news because, as Donald Trump might say, "Somebody will get towed."

Now, about the picture?  Inez, the Deputy Inquiring Iguana, says all three vehicles were in all three spots all day.