As the territory’s recovery from Hurricane Earl continued Tuesday with a focus on electrical power restoration, clearing roadways in the territory and reopening public schools, Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. and Lt. Governor Gregory heard initial assessment reports from the leaders of the Water and Power Authority, Public Works and the Department of Education as well as information about the status of the territory’s seaports and airports, which both reopened today. De Jongh said that the Virgin Islands government will resume operations on Wednesday. All government employees are to report at their regularly scheduled times.

EARL CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS....

AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS 
FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT LOCATIONS AND COASTAL WATERS OF 
PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/
ADJACENT ISLANDS...ST CROIX.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A HURRICANE WARNING CONTINUES FOR SECTIONS OF PUERTO 
RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS COASTAL WATERS.

Department of Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Louis Petersen, Lt. Gov. Greg Francis, DPW Commissioner Darryl Small, Senator at Large Craig Barshinger and Property and Procurement Assistant Commissioner Steven Jones help Coral Bay farmers with the official groundbreaking of an organic garden on Dept. of Agriculture property.

After three years of work, officials from several government agencies officially broke ground on the Coral Bay Organic Garden Community Project on Thursday morning, August 26.

Lieutenant Governor Greg Francis was on hand to celebrate the historic day with Department of Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Louis Petersen, Department of Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls and Department of Property and Procurement assistant commissioner Steven Jones. Senator at Large Craig Barshinger and Barbara Dalmida Thompson, representing St. John Administrator Leona Smith, also joined in the festivities.

Roane "Boozie" Christian

V.I. Police Department officials on St. John arrested Roane “Boozie” Christian, 57, and charged him with Second Degree Burglary, Trespassing, Aggravated Assault and Battery and Disturbance of the Peace Domestic Violence.

According to the report Christian was arrested around 10:20 a.m. Wednesday, August 18, for assaulting a female victim. Christian and the victim were involved in a relationship.

VIPD officials said while the victim was at her home, Christian broke into her residence by crawling through her window. When he was inside the residence the two began to fight. During the fight Christian assaulted the woman by hitting her on her arm with a frying pan.

After the fire.

Before the fire. Photo by Eliza Magro

For the first time in 25 years, Arthur Hercules will not be serving up those delectable pates at his popular Cruz Bay eatery.

A fire engulfed Hercules Pate Delight early Wednesday morning, August 25, destroying the building Hercules had occupied since 1985. The buildings on either side of Hercules Pate Delight were also damaged by the early morning fire, according to V.I. Fire Department’s St. John Chief Winnifred Powell.

“We got a call from 911 around 2:35 am. this morning that there was a fire in the area of Hercules Pate Delight,” said Powell on Wednesday afternoon, August 25. “We responded and Hercules Pate was fully engulfed. There was also damage done to the buildings to the left and the right of Hercules.”