Hillary Bonner

Hi! I’m Hillary Bonner. I’ve been on St. John for 8 years and have worn A LOT of hats in my time on island. Most of us do tho…A lot of times island life calls for ingenuity, flexibility and resiliency. And those things are what I kind of LOVE about the people in our Love City Community. Between boat days and day hikes and happy hours with so many happy faces, you may have seen me behind the bar at Asolare, Zozo’s, The Terrace or Drink (once upon a time, Motu) over the years. But after Hurricane Irma, I jumped from behind the bar into non-profit work. That desk job made me remember that, way back when, I DID go to college and I might have been letting some of those skill sets get a BIT rusty. My degree is in Journalism and Public Relations. When asked if I ever used it, my programmed response was, “Bar tending IS relating to the public.” But, back to the desk job…I was doing everything. Which is, again, what you do in a small office on an island. Events, marketing, handling in-kind donations, unloading containers, attempting to figure out logistics I didn’t even know how to spell, community meetings, board meetings, FEMA meetings. All of the meetings. One day, I decided that there were aspects I loved. And aspects…Well, not so much. So I started my own thing, supporting local small businesses and non-profits in the realm of design, marketing and events (specifically music related events…you’ll hear a lot about music from me). I have a bleeding heart for the small yet ambitious non-profits on St. John. And an overwhelming amount of respect for the small business owners who made their ideas take flight in a place where it’s very difficult to do so! I love life here on St. John. The highs are the highest and the lows are not so low as they can be in other places. The accessibility to Mother Nature on this little slice of perfection is unparalleled. She’s all around us all of the time. You can watch the phases of the moon, the rotation of the planets, the shifting of the sunset and the tides. Every damn day. Mother Nature’s restless spirit reflects the transient nature of the people here as well. That was hard for me at first. The coming and the going. But now, I like the fact that I will rarely visit a place that I don’t have a place to stay and a friend to catch up with from St. John. So, now, here I am (using my degree, Ma!). Contributing to a long standing super positive blog. Here I feel like I’m in a position to use my voice to entertain and inform you about the community and island that I love so much. I’m grateful for this opportunity and am ALWAYS open to story ideas! Let me know what, where or who you want to hear about!

Expect Construction, Delays AND Progress on Centerline Road

March 30, 2022March 29, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

If you have driven Centerline Road between Cruz Bay and Coral Bay, you might have noticed a few “bumps” in the road. While these bumps might not be a massive inconvenience in a rental car, they definitely have taken a toll on the lives of “island cars” over the years since Hurricane Irma. Well, we can soon kiss these detrimental dents in the concrete good bye in as soon as three months. Because yesterday a roadway project began that will mill and pave the road between Pastory and The Triangle in Coral Bay, according to St. John Island Administrator Shikima Jones-Sprauve.

Yesterday afternoon, a release from the Department of Public Works hit the press about a project beginning on Centerline Road. I looked closer at it this morning and was unable to draw many details from the release about the eight mile plus stretch of “highway” that connects the two towns of St. John. So, I excitedly called Shikima in hopes of gathering further information about the upcoming road closures and construction. And, as always, she was gracious with sharing the details about what to expect in the coming months.

First, I want to explain this scrape and overlay process versus a full road repair. Federal and local funding for these projects is released in bits and pieces. When the territory receives those funds, our government only has a certain amount of time to use them before it is pulled. The Federal government then reviews the work that has been done and releases more funding. A full road repair (think about the work that has been done in front of Starfish Market) would require digging, gravel, concrete, etc. With the current funds allocated, only a small portion of the road would be addressed. Also, keep in mind the WAPA underground project. Phase three incorporates Centerline Road and would require demolition of parts of the roadway. Think about how the roads are currently looking in town after the pass of Phase 1 (Shikima assured me that the repair of these roads is in the WAPA contract). However, to dump a ton of funding into one area of road that is just going to be dug up again in 2023-2024 doesn’t really make sense, correct?
So, the crews started mobilizing yesterday in the Pastory area and are currently marking the roads to prepare for the scrape and overlay job that will address the horrible road conditions on Centerline at TEN different locations between Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. This work is the same type of project that was done on the Adrian Stretch (straightaway near Estate Cathrineberg) a few years ago. If a few choice areas on Centerline look anything like that smooth stretch of road over the course of the next few months, I’ll be stoked!

The Adrian Stretch, post construction – December 2020
So, this is what we should expect over the next three to four months:
Road crews on Centerline, beginning in Pastory (close to Cruz Bay) and working towards Coral Bay.
Traffic lights for one lane roads as work is being conducted.
Delays due to the construction (PROGRESS).
A few words of caution from our lovely island administrator. First, USE CAUTION on the roadways. Any setbacks could push this project further into the future and Shikima DID admit to me that she may have thrown a bit of a tantrum to get us moved up the list and get this project started! 🙂 Let’s all work together to keep this project moving smoothly AND to take care of the hard working teams on the road ways.
Second, these unavoidable traffic lights operate on sensors. If that sensor gets thrown off because someone runs a red light,etc., someone from ST. THOMAS has to come over with the proper equipment to reset it. Translation: More delays. So, if you are heading to the barge or the beach or work or a meeting, plan ahead and be patient. Shikima told me that this project has been a topic of discussion for 30 years and we are finally seeing movement! And, in roughly three months, we should be gleefully experiencing a stress free commute between Cruz Bay and Coral Bay 🙂

International Mermaid Day on St. John

March 28, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Tomorrow is International Mermaid Day! And, if you happen to be on St. John this week, you might spot some mythical creatures of the deep during your drive down North Shore road tomorrow morning…

Breathe It In: USVI Has Some of the Cleanest Air in the World!

March 25, 2022March 25, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! I generally start my day by Googling news articles about St. John, Virgin Islands. Often times, when I am at a loss for a story, this rabbit hole through Google will inspire something and lead me to my next topic. Well, this morning, I found an interesting article in regards to a world wide air quality study conducted by the World Health Organization. And, guess what? Both in the Cities and the Nations and Territories categories, our little slice of heaven down here ranked at the tip top of the lists!

Epstein’s Islands Hit the Real Estate Market

March 24, 2022March 24, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Ok, so I’m aware that this isn’t news about St. John. But, with the amount of time our charter boats spend in Christmas Cove (Pizza Pi) and with what the future sale of these islands could mean to our residents and tourism industry, I thought it was a relevant mention here on the blog. Yesterday, two private islands, owned by Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, hit the market for a whopping $125 million.

Reef Safe Sunscreen: What You Need to Know!

March 23, 2022March 23, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Today, I want to touch on a topic that MANY of you have been asking about. Sunscreen containing the toxic 3 O’s (oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene) is actually illegal in the US Virgin Islands thanks to legislature that was passed in March of 2020. It is unlawful to use, possess, import or sell a sunscreen containing any of these active ingredients in the territory. Now, no one is necessarily going to hunt you down and throw you in jail for having a bottle of Coppertone in your backpack. But, you COULD run into a hefty fine ($1000 for the first offense and $2000 for the second!). And, hey, if it isn’t good for the reefs, it probably isn’t good for you. So, let’s take a look at some sunscreens that are safe for you AND safe for our sea life!

Apartment Fire Leaves Love City Residents in Need

March 22, 2022March 22, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning to you all. I’m afraid I have some not so great news to share with you today. Late Sunday night, a fire raged an apartment complex in the Grunwald area, about a mile from Cruz Bay. According to the release from the Virgin Islands Fire Department, nine apartments were destroyed. The occupants, St. John community members and workers, all made it out safely but are left with nothing. Including a roof over their heads.

Funds Secured for New Passenger Ferry

March 18, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Last month, the USVI Department of Public Works, Division of Transportation (VITRAN) received $5.1 million in Federal grant funding in order to purchase a brand new 300 passenger ferry for service between Cruz Bay and Red Hook! Those of you who have been stranded at the dock, or sardined into a crowded ferry, during peak hours can probably understand how huge this is. Resident commuters are certainly in anticipation of this new boat which will ease the peak hour delays and crowds.

New Activity Alert: Cinnamon Bay Campground Chats

March 17, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Let’s face it, St. John is an incredible vacation destination. Beautiful beaches, incredible hiking, breathtaking overlooks, amazing dining options…But, when it comes to evening activities, there is definitely a lack of options for families or for those who don’t enjoy spending their night time hours at the bar. Well, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park and the folks at Cinnamon Bay are providing an incredibly fun AND educational solution to that problem with their new Cinnamon Bay Campground Chats series!

Governor Bryan Lifts Mask Mandate For Indoor Spaces

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! And it is an absolutely beautiful morning here on St. John! Two weeks ago, the USVI Mask Mandate requiring masks in outdoor spaces was lifted. And, as of Governor Bryan’s weekly press briefing on Monday, we are pretty much mask free on St. John 🙂 There are a few exceptions to this restriction, or lack thereof. But, we are makin’ big moves back into the realm of normalcy here in the US Virgin Islands!

Business Spotlight: Lovango Resort + Beach Club Offers Touch & Go Lunch Service for Boaters!

March 15, 2022March 15, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Picture this…You have six glorious hours on the boat of your choice to snorkel, swim and explore the waters surrounding St. John. It’s a day that you look forward to all year long. One you will remember for years and years to come. And, well, you want a fantastic meal to pair with that memory. But, you don’t want to take time away from your glorious day on the water to do so. Well, Lovango Resort + Beach Club has recently developed an absolutely fantastic solution to this conundrum that will allow to experience a top notch lunch WITHOUT having to spare a moment of your sea time. And, their new Love-N-Go – Lunch to Go online ordering system goes live tomorrow!