For a second year, St. John is among the top islands in the Caribbean and Atlantic, according to results of the 19th annual Readers’ Choice Awards by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Bermuda was voted #1, St. John #2, and the British Virgin Islands #3. Last year, St. John was #1. In the hotel and resort categories, no VI property was a winner.
Martini bar opens downtown
Where two or three locals used to sit and watch TV outside what was Oscar’s Convenience store, a martini lounge has opened. Ruth of St. John Spice published pictures of the spot, Infusions, which says it offers "Not your average martini." (Happy Fish at the Marketplace also touts its ‘tinis.) A calendar of events shows the owners are emphasizing Monday Night Football, entertainment by Marty Beech and the Paradise People, and Ladies Nights on Sunday to draw customers.
During the first three weeks of October, Infusions will be closed Saturday nights. (What’s up with that? Closed Saturday?) Its located across from the Lime Inn and is open, when it’s open, 6pm to midnight. Info at 340-776-9770.
One taxpayer said he thinks Infusions will do well, "Because it’s air conditioned."
Inner Visions plays up north
For a few summers, we’ve been visiting Maine. And who should we find doing a concert in the small towns? Inner Visions,
St. John ‘s successful reggae group. Turns out they love New England.
Well, this year they made two trips. "We told our agent that we wanted
to play one more time (there) before we went home," said Philip "Grasshopper" Pickering, the lead vocalist for the band. Inner Visions played in Round Pond Sept. 30, and in July at Damariscotta, where they also appeared last year. The local newspaper, the Lincoln County News, profiled the group and its CDs including "Street Corner Musicians."
Park Service issues history booklet
The VI National Park announced a new pamphlet about the
island’s history after the end of slavery on St. John and before the
island began to appeal to tourists. Laurel Brannick, the park’s education specialist, said the document was prepared by van intern from the University of San Diego who spent the summer doing research, the Virgin Islands Daily News
reported. "There’s a gap when it was a very quiet time on St. John and
people had to work hard to survive," she said. The booklet highlights
island activities of the time including the making of bay rum and
charcoal. The work is aimed at children 10-12 who participate in the
Park’s Junior Ranger activities. Booklets may be ordered at
340-776-6201, ext. 257, the Daily News reported.
Business lottery canceled
Gary Moses’ plan to sell his Mixology Warehouse to someone looking to own a business on St. John has come to a close. "We fell short on entries," he said on the venture’s Web site, http://www.myparadisebusiness.
Moses invited people to send him an essay, and an entry fee of $200
explaining why they wanted to own a business on the island. Moses said
the full entry fee will be returned to applicants, even though the
rules permitted him to keep a portion for administration. "We do plan
on running the contest again in early 2007," he said.
E&C gas station closed
One opens, another closes. With O’Connor’s Texaco back in business, the owners of E and C Gas and Service at Enighed Pond, a bit down the road on the way to the Westin,
are proceeding with their plan to close for 8 weeks while the station’s
underground fuel tanks are replaced. If all goes well, E and C will
reopen early in December. Meanwhile, government officials are
reportedly continuing to search for a site to relocate the Texaco
station when it is expected to close next summer, to make way for
construction of a traffic roundabout, the Virgin Islands Daily News reported.
Nest will help you feather your home
Nest is a gift shop on the second floor at the Marketplace, the easy in-easy out shopping center, anchored by Starfish Market. Missie Hensel owns the store and has done all the buying during the two years she’s been open, next to the Mail Center. (Yea, Mail Center!!! Now offering three-month mailbox rentals for snowbirds.)
Hensel stocks tableware, napkin sets, candles, potpourri, and local
musicians’ CDs, that are perfect as hostess gifts, according to the St. John Source.
"It’s pretty much everything I like," Hensel explained. One of the
biggest challenges she’s faced in the business has been the high cost
of shipping the items she finds at trade shows to St. John. She’s in
the store six days a week; info at 340-715-2522.
Police wrestle with Sen. Barshinger
Craig Barshinger, St. John resident and VI Senator At Large,
called the police to the ferry dock after a disagreement between
himself and ferry attendants over whether he should pay $2 for carrying
a garment bag onboard. Barshinger said he’s carried it previously and
not been charged. He finally agreed to pay, but that wasn’t the end of
it as police officers were seen carting Barshinger off the boat, the St. John Source reported.
The problem, Barshinger said, is there is no consistency to how
ferry attendants are applying recently-enacted baggage charges. Kenrick Agustus, the manager of the ferry operator, Transportation Services, said items like garment bags should be handled as checked luggage. He told the Source that if people think the fee should not be charged, they can "discuss the matter at the ferry office."
An official of the Public Services Commission agreed there is
room for confusion; that there is nothing spelled out in the ferry
company’s authorization about the size of carry-on luggage. Barshinger
said, "One of the main problems is the ferry companies believe they
have an entitlement. I believe instead they have an opportunity."
Pond Bay investors weigh future
The marketing director for the developers who planned a 56-unit luxury resort at Chocolate Hole says he will confer with them to determine whether to give it another go. It’s back to square one for First American Development/Carib after the Coastal Zone Management committee said the project’s permit, issued four years ago, is null and void, because construction did not begin within one year.
Robert Emmet told the committee he’d kept Planning Commissioner Dean Plaskett apprised of environmental and project studies that were underway. Plaskett “understood that work was continuing” and indicated the permit was “in full force and effect,” the St. John Source reported.
Emmett said the company has spent $5 million on development as was ready to sign a contract worthy $53e million with a local construction company to get the project underway. CZM member Julien Harley said, “Somebody dropped the ball. Mistakes were made on both sides.” The Committee encouraged Emmett to re-apply for permits and said they would do their best to streamline the process.
E-mail that helped get Texaco reopened
The St. John Coalition has distributed an e-mail from Chevron’s Puerto Rico District Manager explaining how it came to be that
O’Connor’s service station is operating again. The Coalition’s Sharon Coldren said the group contacted Chevron, "explaining the consequences of closing the station and asking them to reopen." In reply, the company’s Algernon Cargill explained
that the VI government ordered the company to "surrender the station
prior to Sept 30." After closure on Sept. 3, the government reversed
position and asked Chevron to operate the station until June 30, 2007.
Algernon said he "worked as quickly as possible to secure the renewal
lease."