Local News

Since taking over News of St. John back in May, I’ve received countless emails asking me about Maho Bay. Specifically, people wanted to know who bought the 13.8 acre parcel back in December. Quite frankly, so did I.

What I did know early on, like many of you, is that the buyer purchased the land using a limited liability company. The name of the LLC is Maho Bay USVI, LLC. The LLC is registered in Delaware. So the buyer must live in Delaware, right? Wrong.

A lot of people tend to establish LLCs in Delaware because they can do so anonymously. In Delaware, you do not have to list the name of the principle, owner, etc. when creating a LLC. Instead, registered LLCs in Delaware can use what’s called a registered agent. A registered agent is a person designated to officially receive and send legal papers on behalf of a business entity, like a LLC.

After doing a little digging, I learned that the registered agent for Maho Bay USVI, LLC is Georgia-based TRIAD Professional Services. According to its website, “TRIAD is a professional service company offering fully-customized, comprehensive corporate legal support. We provide a range of specialized services to ensure you maintain your corporate responsibilities, enabling you to meet your business objectives.”

(Don’t worry, I’ll get to the buyer’s name shortly.)

I made a few calls and soon learned that TRIAD’s founder, a woman named Mary Paris, was the LLC’s representative. Surely, I could coax Ms. Paris into telling me the buyer’s name, right? Wrong again. Ms. Paris actually chuckled the first time I called her. (Keyword: First. Poor Ms. Paris has received numerous calls from me. I have to admit, she is pretty darn good at her job. Never said a peep.)

So after “striking” out with Ms. Paris, I gave up for a bit. That was until one evening a few months back when I was chatting with a longtime St. Johnian about a story I was working on. Our conversation was nearing an end when I nonchalantly asked if he’d heard anything about the Maho buyer. It was then that he gave me a name. I quickly jotted it down and assured him I would keep his name confidential. Over the months that followed, I heard the same name attached to the Maho property on several occasions. I was pretty certain I had the right guy.

Clearly the buyer wanted anonymity or he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to keep his name private. That, coupled with the fact that I have been unable to get anyone from his camp to independently confirm it, kept me from printing anything on the subject. That all changed last night when a blog post hit the web.

Postcards from Maho Bay is a blog based on one woman’s experience and views of her time at Maho Bay Camp, both as a guest and occasionally as staff. On Wednesday, she posted an entry titled “The Future of Maho Bay Camp.” The article is quite good and I suggest you all give it a look. It gives a very thorough overview of Maho Bay Camp’s past, the quest to save the campground and what its future may hold.

The blogger also named the supposed buyer, and it was the very same name I have heard over and over – Jon Stryker.

Here is what she wrote:

The identity of the new land owner has been an open secret on island for a while. Jon Stryker has become widely known as the purchaser of the land, although there have not been any public announcements of any kind. He appears to be the best possible buyer of the land, after the Trust for Public Land.

So who exactly is Jon Stryker and is he indeed the person who bought the Maho Bay parcel? As I mentioned, I have been unable to independently confirm that he is the buyer but all signs are pointing to yes. And if it is indeed true, Maho Bay is in good hands.

You may have remembered back in April when Stanley Selengut, founder of Maho Bay Camps, said in an interview with the St. John Source that the buyer is “an environmentally-oriented billionaire who’s supposedly going to use it as a family estate.” Well it seems that Stanley was spot on.

Mr. Stryker is an architect and an heir to the Stryker Corporation medical equipment fortune. He has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion, according to Forbes Magazine. Mr. Stryker is the founder and president of the Arcus Foundation, a private, global grantmaking organization. Arcus supports the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights, and conservation of the world’s great apes.

Mr. Stryker is a founding board member of the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Kenya, Save the Chimps in Ft. Pierce, Florida and Greenleaf Trust, a trust bank in Kalamazoo. He also serves on the boards of Kalamazoo College and Friends of the Highline, a nonprofit conservancy in New York City.

According to a 2008 article, Mr. Stryker has “poured more than $247 million of his approximately $2 billion fortune into two causes of particular importance to him: gay rights and great ape conservation. He plans to give at least another $120 million to the Arcus Foundation, which he created in 2000, over the next four years.”

Again, we haven’t  been able to confirm that Mr. Stryker is indeed the buyer despite contacting each organization that he has ties to. We have, however, heard the same name from several people, some of whom are said to be doing business with the buyer. One thing we are certain of is that the Arcus Foundation is not tied to the property in anyway. So again, it looks like Stanley Selengut was spot on – It looks like Mr. Stryker will be using it as a family estate.

Going back to the words written on Postcards from Maho Bay – If this is correct, Mr. Stryker appears to be the best possible buyer of the land.

Click here to read more about Mr. Stryker’s philanthropy in the article Compassion and Conservationism: donor champions rights of both humans and apes.

Click here to read the entire Postcards from Maho Bay post.

Going to be on island for the holidays and looking to spruce up your place with a festive, holiday vibe? Well then, we know just the lady for you. Her name is Christmas Tree Martha and she is known for just that – She creates unique, one-of-a-kind Christmas trees and wreaths to adorn the homes of St. John.

For the second year in a row, Martha Toomey, aka Christmas Tree Martha, has set up shop over in the Marketplace where she is busy creating personalized Christmas trees and wreaths for the holiday season. Martha creates everything from miniature, edible gumdrop trees – perfect for small guest rooms or boats – to larger, tropical-themed trees. The best part – you get to keep all of the neat ornaments that Martha chooses.

So how did Martha get into the Christmas tree decorating business? It all started during a trip to Florence, Italy.

“I’m semi-retired but did 35 years of fundraising events, and Christmas fundraising events were always the most fun,” Martha said. “I was put in charge of my family tree when I was 6. (During) Christmas 2009, right before we moved here, we were traveling through Italy and we had a tree in our hotel room, but no one was around to help us. We had to drag a very heavy potted tree through the streets of Florence!”

And from there, Christmas Tree Martha was born.

Martha’s trees range in price from $15 to $500 depending on the size and scope of the tree. In addition to creating one-of-a-kind trees for residents and guests, she also designs and installs trees for island businesses. (Check out her tree over at Virgin Fire. We hear it’s quite cool.) Martha also rents artificial trees for $35.

All of the profit will benefit Mary’s Family, a disability advocate group that Martha created in 2001. (Mary’s Family is a registered nonprofit organization.)

And if you’re looking to create some holiday crafts with the kids, Martha’s got that too.

“By all means, we’ve got craft projects galore,” Martha said. “Ribbons, bows, styrofoam shapes, beads, glitter … But supplies are limited and going quickly.”

Martha will continue creating Christmas trees and wreaths through Christmas Eve, but if you are interested, we urge you to contact her quickly as supplies are limited. You can contact Martha by email at [email protected] or by phone at (340) 777-7605.

The tarps have been removed over at Cruz Bay Landing, and by the look of things, it seems that they are nearing their debut. Here are a couple of pics. What do you think?

Before:

After:

Alternate “After” View:

Read more about Cruz Bay Landing here.

We’re not sure about you, but we love a good cup of coffee. And for those of you who love a cup of joe as much as we do, we have some pretty good news for you.

The new owners at Gallows Point Gift & Gourmet have been busy creating new coffee flavors since purchasing the business back in August. They’re almost ready to launch, but before they do, they want you to sample some of their newest flavors.

Mindy and Brian Cunningham will be offering half priced expresso drinks tomorrow, December 4, and Thursday, December 5 at Gallows Point Gift & Gourmet. The half-priced drinks will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.

Here’s what Mindy and Brian had to say about their latest venture:

With coffee lovers at the helm, our java experts designed a unique blend of Java’Mon coffees to bring you a taste of the Caribbean! Our full bodied and bold flavors combine the warmth of the tropics with the passion of our Virgin Islands. Try our favorite roasts, including Cinnamon Bay, Chocolate Hole, Honeymoon and our Java’Mon Signature St. John blend. Whether in a latte, cappuccino, espresso or all American coffee you are sure to find your favorite flavor of the Caribbean!

Click here to read our story about Mindy and Brian’s purchase of Gallows Point Gift & Gourmet.

The spirits of St. John still linger – and not just in the form of rum.

You may have remembered earlier this year when Frank Barnako wrote about a casting call for “funny people.” Well the casting call was held, the funny people were found, and they’re ready to take their show on the road – literally.

Jaywalk with Jumbies: The St. John Ghost Walk is a wacky, after dark walk through Cruz Bay, in which guests are encouraged to immerse themselves in island legends, folklore and ghastly history as performed by this newly formed comedy/improv troupe. They’re offering a free preview show this Thursday, December 5 to anyone and everyone who wants to check it out.

“St. John’s history is rich – there are countless fascinating stories spanning centuries and eras,” said Anne Ostrenko, who cofounded Jaywalk with Jumbies with Ken Haldin. “But we love to laugh! We tell true stories (and folktales, too) in a dramatic, wacky fashion – and then add costume changes! Nothing on St. John is dry – so why explore history in all serious tones? The show is meant be evolve and grow and respond to audience interest. Audience participation is encouraged.”

Thursday’s preview show kicks off at 6:30 at Across the Street Bar & Grill, which is directly across the street from Woody’s (aptly named). A second preview show is scheduled for next Thursday, December 12. Same time. Same location. Both visitors and locals are invited to attend these free events. All you have to do is call 1-888-610-5504 and put your name on the guest list.

It sounds like fun to us, and according to Anne, the troupe has really been working hard to make the walk great.

“These are hard-working thespians who have dedicated a lot of time and energy to this start-up,” Anne said. “Without their local knowledge, dedication to Heineken and desire to thrill, there would be no show.”

This is an 18 and older show. Flip flops are suggested.

Here’s a bit more from their website:

Jumbies* (*West Indian: the spirit of a dead person, typically an evil one) are those unsettled spirits that cause a little tingle on the back of your neck. Many souls have passed through this spellbinding place. Fierce Carib and Taino warriors. British Navy sailors. Pirates who plotted heists from hidden Caribbean coves. Pioneering Danes producing sugar on the backs of enslaved people.

At every sunset, especially moonless nights, it was a clash of cultures. And there was nowhere to run. (But there was rum and more rum.) You haven’t cruised Cruz Bay unless you’ve done it with our local pranksters.

Just wanted to pass along this message from WAPA:

Service will be interrupted to a section of St. John feeder #7E on Tuesday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., while Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority line crews complete a pole transfer by Little Plantation in Coral Bay.  Areas affected by this interruption include the south side of Coral Bay ballpark, going south on routes 107 and 108 to Bordeaux Mountain.  This encompasses Little Plantation, Calabash Boom, Johnson Bay, Hard Labor, Mandahl and Lameshur Bay.

While the work is in progress, drivers are advised to use extreme caution and to observe traffic directions in the area for the safety of the crews and the public.

Ok, there’s a lot going on with the island’s taxi situation. It’s pretty complicated, but we’ll do our our best to break it down for all of you. We’ll also explain how it will likely affect all of us.

So you know the dozens of taxis that are typically lined up next to the ferry dock? The majority of them, if not all, belong to the St. John Taxi Association. The association formed more than 10 years ago and has been leasing the property from the government since 2002. The taxi association initially signed a one-year lease, but when that expired back in 2003, it continued its lease on a month-to-month basis.

As part of the lease, the taxi association was required to make a monthly payment. According to the Virgin Islands Daily News, it missed several of those $400 a month payments. So what did the government do? They demanded that the taxi association leave the property. What did the association do? They ignored the demand.

Fast forward to the last few months:

Because the taxi association continuously ignored the government’s demand to vacate the property, the government initiated legal proceedings to evict the association from the Cruz Bay taxi stand. The issue was subsequently heard in Virgin Islands Superior Court, which ordered the eviction of the association from the taxi stand by last Saturday, November 30. Now that the eviction date has come and gone, the government has turned the area in question over to the Port Authority.

Here’s what Governor John deJongh, Jr. recently said about the situation:

“We have been given an opportunity that I believe in the long term is in the best interest of how this area can be managed for the community as a whole and for our visitors. To achieve this objective, I have discussed with the Virgin Islands Port Authority transferring ownership of the taxi stand from the central government to them. There is a natural synergy with the ferry traffic arriving at the Loredon L. Boynes, Sr. dock in Cruz Bay. The Authority has the staff on St. John as well as the operational experience of managing taxis, limousines and other vehicle for hire services.”

“While the court has ruled that the St. John Taxi Association must vacate the taxi stand, my Administration’s greatest concern is that the VIPA has the full ability to ensure taxi operations at the dock will be orderly and we will not witness the chaotic atmosphere of the past.”

“The taxi stand in downtown Cruz Bay is located at the gateway to the island for thousands of residents and visitors who arrive and depart from St. John each day. We can ill afford a taxi operation at such a critical location that is not being operated effectively,” the governor said.

Now all of that being said, there are several changes happening. According to the St. John Source:

• Only 40 taxi drivers a day will be able to operate at the Cruz Bay ferry dock
• The taxi stand will open at 6 a.m. and will close at 11 p.m.
• Only some of the taxis will be stationed at the dock. The rest will wait in the Enighed Pond parking lot until they are called for service.
• Those taxi drivers who are not assigned to the ferry dock on a given day will still be allowed to work at other locations across the island.
• Taxi drivers they must come properly dressed. They will not be allowed to wear short pants or slippers to work.
• Double parking along the waterfront will no longer be allowed; however the drivers will still have the use of the 13 parking spots along the waterfront, which are currently designated to taxis.
• Taxi drivers and all others who use the dock will be charged $10 per day for unlimited trips, which will be paid to the dock master stationed at the dock. This includes villa management companies –  each person picking up guests will have to pay $10 for unlimited pickups.
• People picking up villa guests will no longer be allowed to stand at the head of the dock with signs bearing the guest’s name.

We’re sure that this story will continue to evolve. Stay tuned.

Registration opened this morning for people living on island who want to compete in 8 Tuff Miles. The race is being held on Saturday, February 22.

According to race organizer Peter Alter, 600 spots were earmarked for people living off island and 900 spots for people living on St. John and St. Thomas. As of Sunday morning, there were about 200 spots remaining for off-island participants.

The cost to register is $50 for adults and $15 for people ages 19 and younger. You can register in person at The Tap Room in Mongoose Junction. If you are over in St. Thomas, you can register in person at the Caribbean Surf Company stores in Red Hook or Havensight, or at the Billabong store on Main Street. If you live off island or prefer to register using a credit card, you can do so by clicking this link.

As many of you may know, 8 Tuff Miles is one of the toughest road races out there.  The course begins and end at sea level, and rises to an elevation of 999 feet in between. It’s pretty grueling, yet rewarding at the same time.

To give you an idea of just how difficult the course is, we shot a little video that shows the majority of the first mile. Keep in mind, this is only the first of eight miles and it’s mostly all uphill.

We ran a story in September that showed the entire course route via a Google Earth video. Click here to check that out.

So as many of you may know, the megayachts are slowing starting to arrive for the season. The first major sighting was last Friday when the Eos sailed into town. At 305-feet long, Eos is the world’s largest sailing yacht. Its owners are pretty famous too – Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Well one News of St. John reader had a quick exchange with Barry Diller and we thought his story was worth sharing. We also have some of the pics he took below. Check it out:

We were at Vie’s when he came into Coral Bay. After a while, he swam by with chase boat. Chase boat driver put a dog in the water that swam over to Barry and both got out of the water. They both walked full length of the beach. I told him nice vessel and he smiled and I asked if his dog needed any water and he said he was fine. They got back in the boat and Barry drove it back to Eos. By the way, as they came into CB, the following boat had armed dude driving. Saw side arm with binoculars. -Bill 

Wow, that’s pretty intense.

The Eos has since left St. John waters and is reportedly over in Jost Van Dyke. Maybe they decided to check out this morning’s christening of the island-built Endeavor II. Click here to read more about that.

Want to know more about Eos? Click here and here to read last week’s stories and to view additional pictures.

Here are a few more pics from Bill:

Hi everyone, we were asked to publicize a pretty cool event happening over on Jost Van Dyke tomorrow. Here are the details:

The Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society (JVDPS), is pleased to announce that after several years, it launched its island-built sailing vessel Endeavour II on Monday, November 25^th at 10:00 in the morning; and it will be christened on November 30^th.

The general public is invited to the Christening Celebration that will be held in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke this Saturday, November 30^th, 2013. The official ceremony will take place at 11:00a.m. and will include traditional BVI boat-launching elements, a blessing and the ceremonial breaking of a bottle of rum over the vessel’s bow.  Live entertainers will perform for visitors, including mocko jumbies and steel panners.

The project is keystone of a Maritime Heritage initiative.  The vessel will serve as the JVDPS’ floating classroom, offering hands-on environmental and sailing education activities for all BVI youth.  JVDPS will offer informative day sails to the public to help support operational costs for the vessel. Since 2008, JVDPS has promoted hands-on outdoor education for island youth, including numerous field trips to the BVI’s protected areas and snorkel clinics/dive training activities.  And, over 8000 hours of JVD youth apprentice-in-training were invested in the construction of the hull.

Endeavour II was built on-site in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke; Its design, informed by island elders, is based on the BVI-specific “Tortola Boats” that were once built and sailed throughout the Virgin Islands’ waters.

The original Tortola boats were about 18- 20 feet in length and planked in native woods.  Endeavour II is an updated version of the classic vessels and is planked in tropical hardwood, but saturated with epoxy resins and sheathed in fiberglass for protection and durability.   Built to endure longer-range sailing needs, Endeavour II has a 4,000 pound lead keel that was poured on site from salvaged boat wrecks around the Virgin Islands, as opposed to original vessels which had moveable rock ballast.   The sailing sloop has a 55. H.P. engine for auxiliary power and will carry a traditional leg-of-mutton sail plan.

For more information contact the Preservation Society at 284.540.0861.