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St. John, no money for you!

The Virgin Islands Port Authority is having a lousy year.  

An audit report predicts a loss of $1.2 million this year for the agency which oversees the VI's airports and ferry services, the Virgin Islands Daily News reported.  

The auditor suggested one way to raise cash would be to increase the airlines' landing fees 30 percent. The commissioners showed no interest in the landing fee proposal or the always-possible alternative of reducing jobs and payroll.

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It would be reasonable to expect the airlines might well pass an additional cost onto customers.  Or, worst case said Tourism commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the airlines might reduce the number of flights. In a possible sign that higher fuel costs and air fares are already having an impact, she said the passenger count for the year is already down five percent from last year.

The cash crunch for the Port Authority has a direct impact on St. John.  The Commissioners put a halt to plans for maintenance on the Cruz Bay ferry dock.  Proposed resurfacing and construction of  the Lorendon Boynes Sr. dock was budgeted at $225,000.  There was no word on when the work might be rescheduled.

Spectacular sunset photos

Many visitors were kind enough to send long their shots of sunsets.  
These are some of them.

 "Here’s one of my favorite sunrise shots taken from the top of the road over to Privateer."

Andrew Burnett, Portland Oregon.

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"Here's my favorite sunset shot (btw, using most of Scott's suggestions)."

Taken from ZoZo's on St. John looking to St. Thomas, 2007.  

Russ Davis, McLean, Va.

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Read moreSpectacular sunset photos

More St. John businesses for sale

Two of the island's oldest businesses are making new efforts to sell by listing themselves on Craigslist. 

Folks who have the dream of living full-time on St. John have a number of choices of how to do it.  Owning a business is one of them.  Understanding, of course, that running a business is a full-time job, which may leave less time for sunning on the beach than you might wish for.

While starting a business is always possible, buying an operation that's up and running and generating cash might be a better way to go – if you're willing to learn and work (there's that word again!).

Read moreMore St. John businesses for sale

St. John’s largest retailer is for sale

St. John Hardware is being offered for sale for $1,695,000.  

The owners are long time island residents, well known for their community involvement and support of its activities and charities.

Hardware
Now located at the Marketplace, and one of the original developers of the project, the business has been the go-to place for builders, contractors, craftsmen and home owners for more than 15 years.  The owners bought t just a year before Hurricane Marilyn, which devastated the island in 1995. 

Read moreSt. John’s largest retailer is for sale

Accessible trail at Cinnamon Bay ruins

A formal ribbon cutting this week marked completion of the island's second accessible train in the Park.

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The project at Cinnamon Bay project is 610 feet long and uses ramps and raised walkways to make it possible for people using wheelchairs or needing support or assistance to enjoy the recovered ruins of the ancient sugar factory.  

Visitors can see where sugar cane was processed to become rum, a boiling house where kettles boiled down the syrup to crystal form.  Also on the property are crypts of a Danish family who lived and died on the island.

Read moreAccessible trail at Cinnamon Bay ruins

Parking lot, Centerline repairs soon come?

There is more evidence that the St. John Chamber of Commerce chapter's public frustration about Cruz Bay parking is having an effect.

The group's president, Kate Norfleet, publicly asked why the nearly-complete lot at the Enighed Pond commercial port couldn't, at least, be partially opened, despite several unfinished elements.

Over the weekend, the St. John Source quoted the Commissioner of Public Works saying, in effect, 'OK.'

Read moreParking lot, Centerline repairs soon come?

Baby, it’s dry outside

The islands are in the beginning stages of a drought, according to a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in San Juan, the St. John Source reported.  "That was the driest January on record," said Rafael Mojica.

Making the lack of moisture more troublesome is the low humidity which only adds to the risk of fire, he said. According to forecasters at Weatherunderground.com, rainfall this month has been 10% of normal.

What this means to people on St. John is noise.  More water trucks than usual can be heard coursing across the island to fill cisterns at rental villas.  

A load of water, 4,200 gallons, goes for $365 or 8.7 cents a gallon.  By some calculations, that would mean a five-minute shower uses $1 worth of water.  

On St. Thomas, because water reserves are low, some people are being asked to conserve and residents may find they have little water pressure during the daylight hours.  This is because several pumping stations are being repaired.

So,  the usual caution to visitors … please watch your water use.  On St. John, except for Cruz Bay which gets its water via an underwater pipe, the only water available comes from the sky and into the cisterns.  

Warming up for Wagapalooza

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Planning for the St. John version of the Westminster Dog Show is well underway.  

The 11th annual Wagapalooza is set for Saturday, May 21, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Winston Wells ball field in CRuz Bay, across the street from Fatty Crab, and next to the Sprauve School. They hold the fund raiser for the Animal Care Center in the evening to avoid the heat of the day.

As always, the show will feature competition.  Prizes will be awarded to the "Best Old Timer," "Best Lap Dog," "Best Chow Hound," and others. "Winners will chosen by a distinguished panel of judges comprised of infamous St. Johnians," according to the ACC.

This the logo for this year's show. It's just been released and soon it will appear on posters and t-shirts, suitable for purchasing and/or framing.  Bring either to the event and you could get it paw-graphed by your favorite mutt.