ST THOMAS, USVI -- Governor John deJongh on Thursday signed into law an agreement which fosters a 30-year public-private partnership and will continue both the diversification and growth of the US Virgin Islands economy. The agreement with Cruzan VIRIL Ltd. locks in an expansion of production capacity. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Following their return from the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) 16th Annual Cruise Conference and Trade Show, US Virgin Islands officials have announced that the Territory has seen the highest cruise-tourism economic contribution ($384.4 million) in the region. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Governor John deJongh on Tuesday expressed his appreciation and commended the members of the US Virgin Islands National Guard who assisted in a recent fuel depot fire in Puerto Rico. DeJongh said he was pleased to see VING personnel reaching out to the USVI's Puerto Rico neighbours. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Forensic detectives in the US Virgin Islands said a positive identification of the three persons who died in a single engine plane crash on Thursday on St Croix can only be made through dental records. The names of the deceased have not been released by the VIPD. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Friday that the House Interior, Environment Appropriations conference report passed the House of Representatives with $900,000 for critical wastewater system repairs and improvements in the USVI. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen joined the Congressional leadership at the West Front of the Capitol at the rollout of the House version of health care reform on Thursday morning. Dubbed the Affordable Health Care for America Act, the House bill blends and updates... read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Run cuts at the giant 500,000 barrel-per-day Hovensa St Croix refinery in the US Virgin Islands will remain in place this quarter due to weak refining margins, part owner Hess Corp said on Wednesday. The Hovensa refinery ran its crude units at 76.9 percent of capacity in the third quarter. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Hovensa said Monday unplanned work on a 150,000 barrel-per-day gasoline-making fluid catalytic cracker at its 500,000-bpd St Croix refinery in the Caribbean may end near Nov. 6 barring unexpected developments. The nature of repairs or when the work began was not stated.    read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Senate President Louis Patrick Hill has denied reports that the US Virgin Islands police department was barred from entering either the Capitol Building or the grounds of the Legislature as was reported in the media. He said it was absurd to think any enforcement officer has ever been barred. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen has introduced a bill that seeks to establish Castle Nugent on St Croix as a National Historic Site. Introducing this bill continues an effort started in 2006 to preserve the unique landscape and view for the enjoyment of the people. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Wednesday that significant progress has been made to include the Us Virgin Islands in the exchange as part of the health care reform package that is expected to come to the floor of the US House of Representatives for a vote. read more...

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FORT WORTH, USA -- American Airlines has made it easier than ever to visit the beautiful US Virgin Islands of St Thomas and St Croix. American, a founding member of the oneworld Alliance, has great low fares available for travel through mid December. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 3, 2009. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh and Lt Governor Gregory Francis convened a meeting of the Cabinet this week at Government House on St Thomas to discuss various issues as the end of the Administration’s third year in office approaches. The outlook for fiscal year 2010 was discussed. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, has applauded Thursday’s report by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board that indicates that with just five percent of recovery dollars spent, more than 30,000 federal contract jobs have been created or saved. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Caribbean hoteliers representing properties with 75 rooms or less gathered in St Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, last week to strengthen their marketing and operations programs. With 225 delegates from 17 countries, 2009 attendance exceeded that of last year's event in St Kitts. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, a physician and co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health and Wellness Taskforce, on Tuesday applauded the Senate Finance Committee for acting on health care legislation that brings the United States one step closer... read more...

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SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico -- The crew of a Coast Guard helicopter, Puerto Rico police and state and local Emergency Management crews combined efforts to rescue a man on Sunday who was stranded on a beach at the bottom of a 200-foot cliff in Puerto Rico. The man was reportedly missing since Saturday. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- The commemorative quarter-dollar coin honouring the United States Virgin Islands was officially launched on Friday in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. United States Mint Deputy Director Andy Brunhart and United States Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh hosted the ceremony. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Late Wednesday afternoon, Governor John deJongh submitted a bill to the US Virgin Islands Legislature that, when approved, will ratify the agreement between the government and Cruzan Rum. DeJongh also called the Legislature into Special Session on October 27. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen received word on Wednesday that Turner Broadcasting has agreed to lift the blackout of baseball playoff games to the US Virgin Islands. The contract between Turner and Major League Baseball did not include rights to the Caribbean. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Governor John deJongh has signed off on the first development project in the US Virgin Islands that will use Tax Increment Financing as a vehicle for funding. Financing for The Island Crossing Project on St Croix was formulated through the efforts of the Public Finance Authority (PFA). read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- St Thomas, St John-Water Island Police Chief Rodney Querrard held a press conference at police headquarters on St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands on Tuesday to announce arrests and the closure of two cold cases. The first case is the December 11, 2003 homicide of Stewart Elliot Sargeant. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen met with House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman on Tuesday in advance of the final committee mark-up on HR 3200, the America Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Monday that the health care needs of the US territories, and of most concern to her, the needs of the US Virgin Islands are definitely a part of the health care debate currently going on in the Congress. Christensen, who is the first and only... read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen has announced that the University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park has received a $2 million dollar investment award from the Economic Development Administration within the US Department of Commerce. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Police Commissioner Designate Novelle Francis has updated the public on the successes of the recently formed Territorial Anti-Gang Intervention Team (TAGIT). The task force creation was announced by Francis in his testimony at his nomination hearing before the Senate Rules Committee. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Wednesday that a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study that focuses on the island, people and fisheries of St Croix and recommends its designation as a “fishing community”... read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- US Virgin Islands police on St Croix arrested 18-year-old Kurt Huggins after he was detained by members of the Iglesias De Dios Sol De Justica who told police Huggins came into the church and robbed them at gunpoint. Police responded to the call for assistance on Saturday, September 12. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh took action at week’s end on legislation recently passed by the 28th Legislature. Some bills were signed into law, others were vetoed and the governor acknowledged three resolutions passed by the Senate. One of the resolutions recognizes... read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Education Commissioner Dr La Verne Terry on Friday re-affirmed the Department’s policy banning cellular phones and other electronic devices used by students while in school. Terry stated this was not a new policy and said it would be aggressively enforced. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen applauded President Barack Obama’s speech on health care reform, calling it a great speech that was clear, defining, and inspiring. “As far as I can see he stuck to what he laid out from the very beginning,” Christensen said. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- During the week of September 14-18, Senator Wayne James, in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee on Education, Youth, and Culture, will conduct a territory-wide survey on gang membership and gang-related violence in the US Virgin Islands. The survey will be distributed to all public school... read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- A thirty-minute public affairs programme, “The Commissioner’s Corner” will air each weekday on the Government Access Channel, Cable TV Channel 6 on St Croix and Cable TV Channel 10 on St Thomas-St John, according to the US Virgin Islands Government House Communications Director. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Hovensa LLC said on Friday a temporary exports halt ended at its 500,000 barrel-per-day St Croix refinery after the US Coast Guard reopened all ports in the US Virgin Islands following Tropical Storm Erika. The passing storm did not affect operations. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Hovensa LLC said on Thursday exports were halted temporarily at its 500,000 barrel-per-day St. Croix refinery after the US Coast Guard has shut all ports in the US Virgin Islands due to Tropical Storm Erika. Hovensa is a large supplier of gasoline and heating oil. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- At 11 am on Wednesday, the center of Tropical Storm Erika was estimated near 16.5 north, 60.4 west or about 298 east-southeast miles of St Croix in the US Virgin Islands. On its current track, Erika is expected to pass approximately one mile to the northeast of St. Thomas around 1 am Friday. read more...

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- With the approach of Tropical Storm Erika to the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the maritime community and boating public are strongly urged to monitor its progress and take early action to protect themselves and their vessels. Mariners are urged to secure their vessels for Tropical Storm Erika. read more...

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ST JOHN, USVI -- Police on St John in the US Virgin islands arrested Jamal Todman after he was detained by three males who said Todman tried to rob them. Two weapons, a loaded 25 caliber semi automatic pistol and a BB gun were recovered from the suspect. Todman was charged with Robbery First Degree. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Health Commissioner Designee Julia Sheen has announced that results of an autopsy confirmed today the first death related to the H1N1 virus in the US Virgin Islands. “We are saddened by the news that a resident of St Croix died after becoming ill with the H1N1 virus,” Sheen said. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Criminal Investigation Bureau Detectives on St Thomas have extradited one of the US Virgin Islands Most Wanted from Missouri to the Virgin Islands to face charges of Assault First degree. Stederoy Hurst was wanted in connection with an Assault First Degree that occurred on November 13, 2008. read more...

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