News of St. John

Yep, they call it "Johns."  For 60 years, the West Indies Bay Co.’s
been producing the men’s cologne, after shave, and soap products.
Originally made on St. John, a Danish chemist in 1838 discovered
the oil of the Bay trees which grew on island.  "Bay rum is an all
purpose lotion," Jerry Woodhouse, president of the company, told the Virgin Islands Daily News.
"People have used it for hundreds of years to pour in bath water, as an
aftershave, dab it on mosquito bits, put it on to avoid the bites,
massage out sore muscles and as a headache remedy."  (Bet it’s also a
breath mint."  In 1921, production halted due to Prohibition, but
resumed in 1946 on St. Thomas thanks to efforts of an entrepreneur from
Minneapolis.  Woodhouse bought the company in the late ’70s.  The
business has expanded to include international sales through the
Internet at http://stjohnsbayrum.com/category.php?category_id=1.

Gas prices on St. John hit a record high of $4.07.  The price was being charged at the E&C Gas and Service station in Estate Enighed.  Myrtle Berry, the station owner, said she posted the price after her fuel distributor raised its cost for E&C.  Andrew Rutnik, commissioner of the department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs told the Virgin Islands Daily News, "I can’t justify $4.07 for premium.  That’s the highest it’s ever been in the territory."

The Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park is organizing groups of people to participate in "Coastweeks" to remove debris from the island’s beaches.  Kristen Maize,
program manager fore the Friends, said the efforts are to begin Sept.
16.  She expects groups to choose their favorite beach, with the
Friends providing trash bags gloves tools and other supplies, according
to a report of the project by the St. John Source.  Contact
Maize at 340-779-4940.  If you’ll be on island during this time, the
Friends may be able to pair you up with a group of locals – have fun,
and do some good.

A series of candidates’ debates will be on tap this weekend in downtown Cruz Bay. Ivy Moses, the organizer, told the St. John Source,
audience members will be able to question the candidates in the
democratic primary scheduled for Sept.9.  Senatorial hopefuls will
appear Friday night.  There are 10 candidates for seven seats.  On
Saturday, the Lt. Gov candidates will speak.  Gubernatorial candidates
including former Superior Court Judge Edgar Ross, Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards, and St. Thomas businessman John deJongh are expected to participate.

For a second year, unusually high temperatures in the Caribbean Sea are threatening the reefs around the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.  Sea temperaures reached nearly 84 degrees, the Associated Press reported.  This is warmer than their annual average high.  The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch warned scuba dive operators and underwater researchers to look for damage around reefs.  Last year, abnormally nigh temperatures killed 40% of coral around the islands, the AP reported.  This is the second coral warning this year. In 2005, ocean temperatures reached 86 degrees, the highest they had been in five years.

Preparing lans to deal with erosion, land runoff, waste storage, and
wastewater treatment are just a few of the tasks developers of the
proposed 116-slip marina near Island Blues must complete before they
can break ground on the $5 million project.  While giving  green light
to the venture, the St. John Coastal Management Committee also asked
that the V.I. Fire Service be in agreement with the plans and that the
Water and Power Authority show its confidence that it can supply
electricity to the project, the Virgin Islands Daily News reported. One of the Marina’s backers, Robert O’Connor, offered no comment to the News about CZM’s requirements, but did speak with a reporter, Lynda Lohr of the St. John Source.
O’Connor said he disagreed with CZM on one matter and will apply for a
variance on one item.  He said it may take a year to get the permit
issues settle. "The CZM staff report validates all of the environmental
and site concerns brought up by citizens at the last public hearing," Sharon Coldren, president of the Coral Bay Community Council, told the Source after the meeting.

An attorney says a group known as T-Rex St. John LLC (nice
image, isn’t that?) plans to build a marina, condominium and commercial
development on Moravian Church property in Coral Bay, according to the St. John Source.  David Bornn
was quoted saying while plans are preliminary, "We just finished
documentation with the church."   Bornn added, "It’s a
community-oriented project and will benefit Coral Bay." The
church-owned land is a waterfront strip that runs behind Guy Benjamin
School, the fire house, and Skinny Legs, the Source reported.