Inner Visions is doing a video of this appearance.
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May 2012
Deals: Sushi, Skinny's, and Caneel
Zero Sushi is open for business! The latest venture from the guys who own La Plancha deli Mar is in the old Happy Fish space on the second floor of the Marketplace.
They opened for business midweek. The initial come-on: Free Sake. All you had to do was mention Facebook and you got the beverage free with your meal.
On the menu: Spicy tuna, green onions, yellowtail snapper, pineapple salsa, and sesame and garlic seared salmon sashimi.
There's a benefit at Skinny Legs Sunday afternoon. The horseshoe pit is going to be full with good food, and good people. A tournament begins at 2 p.m. BTW, the Skinny Facebook page is becoming quite active, populated with news, notes, and pictures.
Thinking about a Memorial Day weekend island visit? Caneel Bay's offering a Dive into Relaxation" with room rates 30 percent off, beginning st $338. Free breakfast, a sunset cocktail cruise and "special welcome gift" are included. The deal is hoping to hook some people who plan to compete in the Beach to Beach Power Swim organized by Friends of the VI National Park. Caneel invites both swimmers and spectators.
Ferry fare hike in the future?
PSC Chairman Donald Cole
The agency which regulates St. John ferries is preparing to study whether there should be a fare hike.
The current adult toll, one way, between Red Hook and Cruz Bay, is $6.
The Public Services Commission said this week that at its next meeting it will assign a hearing examiner to study the finances of the two ferry companies, Varlack Ventures and Transportation Services.
That decision followed presentations to the PSC by two consultants who agreed the ferry companies need help.
The PSC's consultant said options were raising fares or providing a government subsidy. The St. John Source quoted Avery Williams, opting for a subsidy. He said, "Most jurisdictions never actually try to recover 100% of their costs through fares … everybody that has tried (to) …has failed."
That was also the preferred choice of the companies' consultant, Malcolm Kirwan. He pointed out the VI government is already is in a mess of financial trouble and relying on a subsidy could be considered be irresponsible and even foolish.
Uptick seen in real estate sales
“It’s tangible, it’s solid, it’s beautiful. It’s artistic, from my standpoint, and I just love real estate.” – Donald Trump
The Donald hasn't made a down payment on property on St. John - yet. But other people have, encouraged in no small part by significant price reductions.
Islandia Real Estate's blog headlines a post, "Signs of a changing market."
So far this year, four home sales have closed and a dozen are pending. Annualized, the sales pace is 20% ahead of last year when 27 properties were sold.
Add to the heightened interest, the Wall Street Journal reporting "The bidding wars are back."
Gretchen Labrenz at Cruz Bay Realty reported a number of showings in the past week for the Inquiring Iguana' affordable and money-making Blue Tang.
The number of homes for sale is lower than a few months ago, so Islandia's Jane Kelly is cold calling homeowners inquiring whether they'd like to list their property. "I am working with cash customers that aren’t finding the home of their dreams at the present time," she said.
VI coral threatened with extinction
Imagine you planned a day of snorkeling with a Copeland Boat Charter or Tropic Power Boat Rentals, two of our advertisers.
And when you dipped beneath the waves, all you saw was ... fish. Pretty fish, sure. Big ones, tiny ones, but only fish. No coral. None of the colorful underwater vegetation that provides food and protection and even a home to the denizens of the deep.
This could happen, and is on track to happen says the National Marine Fisheries Service. Its recently-published study of the 82 corals which survive in US waters finds them threatened by pollution, runoff from commercial and residential development, overfishing, and disease. Reporting on the Service's analysis, the Virgin Islands Daily News said, "All seven species (of coral) found in the caribbean were found to be 'extremely likely' to go extinct."
In reaction to the Fisheries report, the Center for Biological Diversity is trying ti persuade the federal government to categorize the corals as endangered species. There is precedent. In 2006, elkhorn and staghorn corals were certified as endangered and protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The Center has posted a petition online in support of its request.
Oil and gas help preserve Maho Bay beach
Photo credit: Steve Simonsen
The possibility a waterfront resort hotel will be developed at Maho Bay is dead.
That's the takeaway from word that the National Park Service has received $2.25 million from the federal government to purchase the beachfront and 58 acres of land uphill. The purchase was completed with funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund – fees paid to the government as a result of offshore oil and gas leasing.
The linchpin in the deal was the Trust for Public Land, which was able tp purchase the land thanks to donations and then held it until the federal government came up with money for the National Park.
"The beach at Maho Bay is now protected in perpetuity," said TPL's Will Rogers. "It will never be developed. A resort hotel and hundreds of condominiums could have been built there."
The Trust is holding one more, large parcel of Maho Bay land. It is hoped federal funds will be available for the Park to acquire it 2013. You can show your support here by signing an online petition sponsored by the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park.
Big change for 8 Tuff Miles
Peter Alter wants to expand next year's 8 Tuff Miles by 50 percent.
No, the race founder and organizer is not suggesting the race should be 12 miles. Rather he wants to increase the number of runners/joggers/funsters to 1,500.
This year's race was the biggest ever with 1,000 registrants.
"Is it too soon for this?,"Alter asked on the race's Facebook page. He'd like your commen ts there.
"I have applied for a permit to allow 1,500 entries for the next race. This idea will solve problems and create new ones but we have 300 days to figure all of that out."
Registration for the 18th annual 8 Tuff Miles Race begins December 1st at the Tap Room on St. John and the Caribbean Surf Company on St. Thomas. Online registration plans will be announced.
The first tune up race is January 14th, 2013. The race date is Feb. 25th.