An Online Blog About the Daily Happenings of St. John, USVI
Anyone who's passed through the Cyril E. King airport knows the baggage handling system is awful. That includes even the V.I. Port Authority which oversees the airport.
At a recent meeting of the Authority, plans to redo the baggage system, replace the air conditioning system, improve the runways and alter the layout of the building were discussed. The cost estimate was about $20 million, according to a report of the meeting by the St. John Source.
With a melange of Caribbean flavors still a memory in the mouth, St. John Rotary is already planning for this year's Flavors of St. John. It'll be bigger and better, according to a club newsletter reporting on the group's weekly meeting.
The 2009 event raised $17,000 for Rotary's community efforts and scholarships. The tentative date for the 2010 event is Thursday, Nov. 11. Still to be determined is whether the Westin Resort will have the necessary ballrooms to handle the party which, last November, drew about 250 people.
Mrs. and Mr. Inquiring Iguana have owned Blue Tang for a couple of years. Whenever they visit, Mr. I reads the Guest Book's comments left by guests. And, invariably, his eyes get teary as people say what a good time they had with their spouses, their lovers, their children, and even their grandkids. That a time at Blue Tang , with assistance from Catered To, the house's management company, could be so relaxing and re-energizing for so many warms the Iguana's cockles.
The Achilles Heel of the Cruz Bay restaurant business is parking. For years, there have been complaints. And ill-planned and badly implemented efforts by the government have failed to solve the problem. The Governor's announcement this week that a Planner finally has been hired is a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile, the Port Authority is moving ahead with its plan to use the aprons of the Enighed Pond commercial port for parking. As many as 150 spaces, according to Islandia Real Estate's blog (http://www.stjohnvirealestateblog.com/?p=1502). The Port Authority's executive director, Ken Hobson, told a St. John Chamber of Commerce meeting the parking could be operational by May 1st.
He also said that the PA initially wanted to charge for parking. However, Gov. John deJongh intervened and, at least at the start, parking will be free.
The VI government is losing $25 million a month and long-delayed property tax revenues can't come soon enough.
So said Gov. John deJongh in his State of the (bankrupt?) Territory last night. he said the $800,000 a day operating deficit is due to the "global economic crisis" and that "our tax revenues fell by 30%."
Not much good news for the island in Gov. John deJongh's State of the Territory speech tonight but he did say help is on the way so far as parking problems, transportation lapses, and land use regulation.
In his speech, the Governor told the Senate, "I am pleased to announce that after several false starts, we have hired a principal planner for St. John, who will be starting work next month."
More from the Governor's speech coming up.
The annual State of the Territory address is schedule for Monday night at 7 p.m. You can listen to it on the Governor's Web site, http://www.governordejongh.com/.
A statement from the Governor's office said, "(John) deJongh will highlight the work of his administration over the past three years and express his confidence and conviction that the territory is on the right path to overcome our current challenges and move toward a brighter future for all Virgin Islanders."
Of great interest to St. John business, villa, condo, and land owners will be any comment about the impasse between the federal government and the territory which has blocked property tax collections for at least three years.
How you can run a government, or even a household, without a main source of revenue, is beyond most people. Unless, of course, you're piling up debt – which means interest payments … which means more debt.
Known as a teacher, film maker and journalist. St. John's Bill Stelzer is now being called by some a hero. With a few days of the earthquake disaster in Haiti, he was on a plane to help rescue children at an orphange operated by Mercy and Sharing.
The only way to keep tabs was to monitor his Facebook page. "Went into Port au Prince today to rescue the kids trapped at the old orphanage as to reunite them with their friends at Mercy and Sharing Foundation's new orphanage north of the city," he wrote. "The house mothers sang gospel songs of thanks in the back of the pickup trucks on the journey back and there was much rejoicing when we finally arrived."
Best known for his knife and tool sharpening business, Dan Carlsen's branched out to cyberspace.
The long time St. John resident started selling some of his unneeded stuff on eBay. Now he's doing it for other people, according to a profile of Carlsen published by the St. John Source.
Operating as the Coral Bay Market, he takes in items people want to sell, takes photographs, writes descriptions and posts them on the online auction service. He charges a 15% commission.
Most of his current inventory of almost 300 items are books, CDs, and sports memorabilia. The most expensive is a package of eight high-end color cartridges for a professional Epson printer (pictured at left).
Joe Kessler, who heads up the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, says the Park is not likely to adopt the idea to charge for parking at Trunk Bay. In a comment at NewsofStJohn.com, he said, "Parks throughout the national park system are currently prohibited from introducing any new fees."
(The Inquiring Iguana would direct your focus on the word 'currently,' though.)
The Friends leader agrees a shuttle service from Cruz Bay to Annenberg would be a good idea. "So that visitors to the park would be able to get on and off as they wish at park venues along the north shore for a set fee per trip — similar to the "dollar taxis" on St. Thomas (although it would likely be more than a dollar)," he said.
Later this week, Kessler is hosting the annual meeting of the Friends group. The Iguana encourages you to attend the get together at the T'ree Lizards restaurant at Cinnamon Bay, Sunday, at 2 p.m.
Listening to Kessler, the Park Superintendent and the many hard-working volunteers and staff describe what they've accomplished each year, doing more with less each year it seems, is more than enough reason you should join the Friends group and make a donation. Join here: http://www.friendsvinp.org/support_us.htm
