Sen. Ray Fonseca, Chairman of the Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services, proudly recognizes the tireless dedication of his staff and community partners in securing temporary housing for Ms. Kerisha Williams and her young son, an effort that exemplifies compassionate leadership, faith in action, and meaningful public service.
Sen. Ray Fonseca (Photo courtesy V.I. Legislature)
Over the past several months, Ms. Williams’ circumstances became widely discussed on social media, drawing public attention to a situation that no mother should ever be forced to endure. While many engaged in commentary, the Office of Senator Ray Fonseca remained steadfastly focused on solutions.
Through the unwavering leadership of Chief of Staff Delvin Duggins and the strategic coordination of Community Outreach Coordinator Jacqueline Freeman, temporary housing was successfully secured for Ms. Williams and her child.
After finalizing the housing arrangements, Mr. Duggins and Ms. Freeman canvassed the community in search of Ms. Williams, who had visited the Office daily over the past week with hope and perseverance.
When informed that housing had been secured, she expressed profound gratitude, repeatedly thanking the staff for refusing to give up on her family.
“This is what public service is about,” Senator Fonseca stated. “It is our responsibility not merely to discuss the challenges facing our community, but to deliver meaningful solutions. None of us should rest comfortably in our homes knowing that a mother and child are without one.”
Ms. Freeman played a critical role in mobilizing support across sectors, particularly within the faith-based community. Scripture reminds us in James 1:27 that “pure religion and undefiled before God… is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.” Likewise, Proverbs 31:8-9 instructs us to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves… defend the rights of the poor and needy.” The response from local churches and community leaders reflected these principles in action.
The Office also engaged several of Ms. Williams former employers, including the Sibilly family, the Francis family, the MASA family, the Vanterpool family, and the Christopher family, all of whom commended her for the exceptional care she provided to their loved ones, particularly during hospice services. They described her as compassionate, professional, and deeply committed to the families she served.
Ms. Williams is currently seeking employment as a Nurse’s Aide or Nursing Assistant and is eager to return to serving the community. As she transitions into stable housing, she needs a bed and additional household essentials.
Financial contributions may be directed to the Family Resource Center in care of Ms. Kerisha Williams.
Senator Fonseca extends sincere appreciation to Senate President Milton Potter, the security staff of the 36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, Bishop Kenneth M. Benjamin Sr. of Oasis Church of God of Prophecy, Senior Pastor Eddy Fleury of Faith Church of God of Prophecy, Apostle Samuel E. Weekes of Paradise Covenant Ministries, Desiree Lambertis of the Virgin Islands Police Department, and the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority for their partnership and collaboration.
As Scripture reminds us in Matthew 25:40, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” This moment stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a community chooses compassion over commentary and action over apathy.
While the housing arrangement is temporary, the commitment of this Office remains steadfast. With continued community prayer, partnership, and support, this chapter can become not one defined by hardship, but by hope, restoration, and renewed opportunity.
A warrant for Clifton Jacobs’ arrest was signed Feb. 24 for charges of attempted murder first degree, with bail set at $100,000. On Feb. 25, 57-year-old Jacobs was present at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station with his defense attorney. Jacobs was placed under arrest, booked, and his defense attorney made special arrangements with the Superior Court Judge, who granted Jacobs’ release until his advice of rights hearing, reported the Virgin Islands Police Department.
Jacobs’ arrest is following a Jan. 21 incident where the 911 Emergency Call Center received a telephone call from a male who reported that he had been shot and was traveling to the Juan F. Luis Hospital for medical attention, according to a police report.
A detective from the Criminal Investigation Bureau was assigned to the case and made contact with the victim at the Juan F. Luis Hospital. The victim stated that he was shot by Jacobs during a verbal disagreement. Contact was made with Jacobs, who was advised of his Miranda Rights. Jacobs stated that he and the victim got into a verbal dispute that turned physical. Jacobs stated that he was in fear for his life and fired several shots at the victim with his licensed firearm, the police report stated.
Shalom Fenton Sr., 28 years old, was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder following the execution of search and arrest warrants by the Criminal Investigation Bureau and Special Operations personnel on the morning of Feb. 26, reported the Virgin Islands Police Department.
The arrest is in connection with a shooting incident Feb. 3 in Frederiksted in a parking lot near Queen Street and Market Street. Officers arrived on the scene and found multiple spent cartridge casings in the roadway and several vehicles damaged by gunfire. Shortly thereafter, a gunshot victim arrived at Juan F. Luis Hospital, according to a police report.
A detective from the CIB was assigned to investigate the case. The investigation revealed that an argument occurred between the gunshot victim and Fenton. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, after which Fenton discharged shots at the victim, the police report stated.
Fenton also faces additional charges of assault first, assault third, carrying a firearm openly or concealed, reckless endangerment first, carrying a weapon during a crime of violence, and possession of ammunition. His bail was set at $100,000. Fenton Sr. was transported to the Wilbur Francis Command Police Station, where he was booked, and transported to the John Bell Correctional Facility pending his advice of rights hearing set for Feb. 27, at the Superior Court.
Henry A. Jeffers IV, of Work and Rest, passed away on Jan. 25. He was 22 years old.
Henry A. Jeffers IV
He was preceded by his grandparents, Thelma Jeffers, Henry A. Jeffers Sr., and Peterson Alcid; Godparent, Ira Hatchett.
He is survived by his mother, Valda P. Jeffers; father, Henry A. Jeffers Jr.; grandparent, Paulette Ford; sisters, Jelema Jeffers, Shamhya Jeffers; brothers, Henry A. Jeffers III, Adrien Jeffers; nieces, Amirah Jeffers, Nilayah Thompson; nephew, Ke’jani Jeffers; aunts, Gloria Lecointe, Katura Breedy, Rita Alcid, Brenda Alcid, Phyllis Baron, Mia Shears, Silver Jackson; uncles, Roosevelt Panthier, Embert Joseph, Leo Joseph, Leslie B. Shears, Ronald Plaskett; godparents, Juaarleen Blacks, Omar Roberts, Brian Petersen, Sydney R. Sealey, Murray Sealey, Irene Hatchett, Leslie Hatchett; special friend, Barbara Williams & family, Tyann Encarnacion & family, The Sealey Family, Ronald Plaskett & family, Alvin Theophilus & family, Esther Lyndsey & family, Saturine Paris & family, Keisha Francis & family, Thias Roberts, David Roberts, Carolyn Hosier, Marilyn Simmon & family, The Warden family, George Turner & Carlie Turner, Virgin Islands Sickle Cell, Parent Support Group, Jayden B. Petersen, Sandra Douglas & family, JennelleConnor, Free Will Baptist Staff; cousins and other relatives, Laverne Stout & Family, Vertalyn Quils & family, Vannessa Vanterpool & family, George King, Sharon Dupigny & family, cousins, the Panthier family, Garry Mason & family, Jefferson Joseph & family, Rhona Angol & family, The Martin family, The Work & Rest family, Yuanija RB Shears.
Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 4 at St. John’s Episcopal (Anglican) Church. Viewing begins at 9 a.m., with service at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Kingshill Cemetery.
Professional services are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home, Inc.
The Forum is proud to present the Aaron Diehl Piano Trio and anelectrifying evening of world-class music Saturday, March 7, at the Prior-Jollek Hall, Antilles Campus, St. Thomas US Virgin Islands
The Aaron Diehl Piano Trio will perform in St. Thomas March 7. (Photo by Mark Sheldon)
The Aaron Diehl Piano Trio is more than a concert, it’s a conversation.
With quiet power and lasting impact, the trio invites audiences into a world where elegance meets exploration, and where the boundaries between genres dissolve into something profoundly beautiful, A quiet power with a lasting impact: Fearless elegance with luminous precision, and a bold new dialogue.
The Aaron Diehl Piano Trio brings to the stage one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music today. Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly redefined the lines between jazz and classical, building a global career around a nuanced, understated, and deeply intelligent approach to music-making.
Aaron Diehl – Piano
Philip Norris – Double Bass
Aaron Kimmel – Drums
“Diehl has built his reputation on an elegant pianism outside the contemporary mainstream…upholds a traditional framework while crisply demolishing the usual notions of conservatism”. – The New York Times
“This engagement of the Aaron Diehl Piano Trio is made possible in part through the Special Presenter Initiatives program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.”
Event Schedule:
6 p.m. — Courtyard Opens
7 p.m. — Concert Begins
Tickets: Adults $30, Teachers $10, Students $5 and Children under 10 years old are for Free but need a ticket to secure a seat.
Online ticket sale and more information at www.theforumusvi.org
Email: theforumusvi@gmail.com
Phone: (646) 725-3353
Venue:
PJ Hall, Antilles School Campus, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
A Bridge Between Traditions
Diehl’s artistry draws equally from the classical tradition. DownBeat Magazine notes that “Diehl gracefully melds two worlds, merging the improvisational spirit of jazz with the compositional intricacies of Western classical music.” He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, the Elbphilharmonie, and Tanglewood, and has collaborated with artists such as Inon Barnatan, J’Nai Bridges, and The Knights.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Diehl grew up immersed in music through his grandfather, pianist and trombonist Arthur Baskerville. A finalist in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Competition at age sixteen, he was invited by Wynton Marsalis to tour Europe—an early signal of a remarkable trajectory. After studying at Juilliard under Kenny Barron, Eric Reed, and Oxana Yablonskaya, Diehl was awarded the 2011 American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship. He has been a Steinway Artist since 2016.
General Information: The Forum has sponsored musicians, artists, speakers, theater, dancers, and films in order to challenge, educate, uplift and astonish! It is entirely reliant on individual, corporate and foundation support to fulfill its mission.
For more information, email The Forum at: theforumusvi@gmail.com, call Executive DirectorNicole Parson: +1 (646)725-3353, or visit our website: www.theforumusvi.org
Biography
Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly re-defined the lines between jazz and classical, and built a global career around his nuanced, understated approach to music-making. Praised for his “melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint” (The New York Times), and his “traditional jazz sound with a sophisticated contemporary spin” (The Guardian), Diehl has performed with musical giants such as Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, TyshawnSorey, and Philip Glass, and has been a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra, working with conductors like Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Marin Alsop, and Alan Gilbert. In 2023, Diehl was named as the Artistic Director of 92NY’s Jazz in July Festival, succeeding the legendary Bill Charlap.
A leader in contemporary jazz, the Philadelphia Inquirer exclaimed that “there’s an entire world of jazz in Aaron Diehl’s playing…he makes the case that jazz is not one style or genre but many, gliding gorgeously among decades of artistic influences.” With an expansive, orchestral, lyrical approach to the piano that channels predecessors like Ahmad Jamal, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum and Jelly Roll Morton, Diehl has headlined the Monterey, Detroit, and Newport Jazz Festivals, and had residencies at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, SF Jazz, and many more. He counts among his mentors towering figures such as John Lewis, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch,Marcus Roberts, and Eric Reed.
Diehl’s creative vision draws equally from the Classical music tradition, with DownBeat Magazine stating “Diehl gracefully melds two worlds, merging the improvisational spirit of jazz with the compositional intricacies of Western classical music.” Diehl has performed with top orchestras across the US, at leading venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Hollywood Bowl, the Elbphilharmonie, and Tanglewood. He has collaborated with classical stars ranging from Inon Barnatan to J’Nai Bridges to The Knights, and his compositions have beencommissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival, Glenmorangie Scotch, and others.
In the 2023-24 season, Diehl and his trio, featuring bassist Philip Norris and drummer Aaron Kimmel, open the New Jersey Symphony’s season with a program that includes Still’s Out of the Silence and Ellington’s New World A-Comin’. The trio also makes its St. Louis Symphony Orchestra debut with a performance of Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite. As the 2024 Resonate Festival artist-in-residence, Diehl will explore the theme of musical intersections, with works by John Lewis, Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite and Johann Sebastian Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, conducted by Eric Jacobsen. In the spring, Diehl joins the Los AngelesPhilharmonic for the world premiere of Timo Andres’s new piano concerto, conducted by John Adams.
During the 2022-23 season, Diehl was featured alongside Bill Charlap and Kenny Barron as part of 92NY’s “Three Generations at the Piano” program during Charlap’s penultimate season as the Jazz in July music director. Diehl would later go on to perform alongside fellow pianists Isaiah J. Thompson and Caelan Cardello as part of Charlap’s final season. As Kaufman Music Center’s 2022 Artist-in-Residence, Diehl presented a recital program that included Sir Roland Hanna’s lesser known 24 Preludes. He would later go on to present the 24 Preludes in a trio performanceat Tanglewood. Diehl also performed Zodiac Suite with the Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras under the batons of Cristian Măcelaru and Jader Bignamini, respectively.
In September 2023, Diehl released his recording of Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite with The Knights, a Brooklyn-based orchestral collective led by conductor Eric Jacobsen. As the first-ever studio recording of Mary Lou Willams’s Zodiac Suite, it has been touted as “a joyous, enchanting creation… a triumph” (The Guardian) with Diehl lauded as “a contemporary champion” (The New York Times) and “a perfect choice to preside over this landmark recording” (The Wall Street Journal). The album features Diehl’s trio and guest artists saxophonist Nicole Glover, clarinetist Evan Christopher, trumpeter Brandon Lee, and soprano Mikaela Bennett. The critically acclaimed album is Diehl’s fourth recording on Mack Avenue Records, following 2020’s The Vagabond, 2015’s Space Time Continuum, and his 2013 label debut, The Bespoke Man’s Narrative.
Diehl was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he grew up listening to his grandfather, pianist and trombonist Arthur Baskerville. His family nurtured Diehl’s undeniable musical talents from a young age and in 2002, a 16-year-old Diehl competed in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, where he placed as a finalist. It was there that he attracted the attention of Wynton Marsalis, who invited Diehl to join his septet for a European tour. After studying at Julliard under the direction of Kenny Barron, Eric Reed and Oxana Yablonskaya, Diehl was awarded the 2011 American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship. Diehl, who holds commercial single and multi-engine pilot certifications, inherited a lifelong love of flying from his father who was himself an avid pilot. Diehl has been a Steinway Artist since 2016.
The Dashing Eagles know they’re in a David versus Goliath moment against the powerful Canadian team Thursday night. They’re hoping for an underdog-prevails repeat of the biblical tale.
After dropping their first game in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championships to 30th-ranked Martinique 7-1, the 37th-ranked United States Virgin Islands squad returns to the pitch with lessons learned and adjustments made, team official said.
Canada, ranked 9, enters the matchup as the favorite, boasting a large talent pool, broad exposure, and heightened expectations. The USVI-Canada match kicks off in Managua, Nicaragua, at 6 p.m. (Atlantic Standard Time).
It’s Canada’s first match in the tournament, next facing off against Martinique in the Group Stage of the championships Saturday.
At 8 p.m. Martinique plays 14th-ranked Nicaragua.
The USVI plays the other Group F team, 20th-ranked Aruba, Saturday at 6 p.m. (Atlantic Standard Time), before its final Group Stage match March 2 against Nicaragua.
There will be a road closure on Friday, Feb. 27, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to facilitate asphalt repairs. All northbound traffic from La Reine will be detoured through Glynn, and all southbound traffic traveling from Morningstar will be detoured through Sidney Lee Road.
Motorists are advised to drive cautiously and follow posted detour signage in the area. This work is not expected to disrupt water service.
Sarah Prudence Elizabeth Gushee, aka Prudence (Prudy), passed away on her 77th birthday in St Croix, on Feb. 1, 2026 after a period of declining health.
Sarah was born and raised in Appleton, Maine. She was predeceased by her parents, Floyd and Elizabeth (Meservey) Gushee and her brother, F. Larry Gushee.
Sarah Prudence Elizabeth Gushee
She leaves behind, her brother, Jenness R. Gushee, Sr. and wife Goldie, of Appleton, Valerie Burke Gushee, wife of brother Larry; birth daughter, Shannon White and family; special cousins Craig, Dawn; nieces and nephews Kristi, Kathi, Kendall, Michael, Jenness Jr., Julie, Stephenie and many extended family members.
Island friends, like family for decades, include Ellie, Gloria, Mary Ellen, Karen, Patricia, Richard and many others.
Prudy attended Appleton schools and was part of the first class of Appleton students to graduate from Camden District High School in 1967. Prudy pursued her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine, Orono. She spent most of her career fiercely advocating for children in the Special Education field. Sarah’s teaching career included time in California, New Hampshire, Maine, including her hometown of Appleton, US Virgin Islands which included teaching college level courses, time at Queen Louise Children’s Home, Charles H. Emanuel School and eventually retiring from the USVI Education Dept.
Sarah Prudy grew up in rural Appleton on a dairy and chicken farm in a neighborhood surrounded by relatives from both sides of her family. She grew up a gentle girl who enjoyed nature, animals of all kinds, plants, reading, piano and wonderful friends. Once into adulthood, she spread her wings and love to travel.
Prudy continued to return home summers to Sennebec Pond, surrounded by extended family and the joy and laughter of children, barking dogs, wildlife and family.
Sarah’s four decades plus, life in the Virgin Islands was filled with much the same as Appleton. Her friends were her family. Most of her Island time was lived near the top of a rural hill in the Bellevue neighborhood of Christiansted owned by the Bond family. She overlooked the beautiful Caribbean Sea.
She continued to rescue animals, feed strays, grow beautiful plants and soak up the Island sunshine.
Golfing became this gentle woman’s passion. Thru good strokes and bad, hurricanes causing off grid primitive living, the laughter and friendship of her Island family sustained her.
A Celebration of Sarah’s Life will be held in Christiansted USVI at But Ter restaurant at Club St. Croix condominiums March 9. Friends please drop by from 3:30 -5:30 and share food and a memory.
A Maine Summer Celebration will be held at Sennebec Pond with more information to follow.
Prudy will be interred at Pine Grove in Appleton and on Christiansted, St Croix.
Our thanks to all who shared Sarah’s life.
Thank you to Schuster’s Crematorium for assistance.
A public dispute between Government House and Senate leadership over a proposed rezoning of nearly 16 acres in Estate Beeston Hill on St. Croix intensified Wednesday, with Senate President Milton Potter pushing back against suggestions that lawmakers altered or weakened safeguards tied to the governor’s version of the bill.
According to Government House, the governor’s proposal would rezone approximately 15.9 acres from R-1 (Residential Low Density) to B-2 (Business Secondary Neighborhood), but with permanent restrictions limiting development to a 24-unit clustered residential project on three to four acres, along with designated green space, a playground, and an outdoor meeting area. Any construction beyond that housing project would require express legislative approval, and those restrictions would run with the land in perpetuity.
Speaking earlier this week, Bryan described his proposal as a compromise amid years of opposition from nearby residents concerned that a zoning change could ultimately allow commercial development inconsistent with the surrounding neighborhood.
“The owner’s argument is that he just wants the zoning to boost the land value,” Bryan said. “My legislation gives him what he wants — the zoning change — but requires him to go back to the Legislature to build anything else but housing.”
Government House suggested the version moving through the Legislature did not include those safeguards.
But in a statement issued Wednesday, Senate President Milton E. Potter rejected any implication that the Legislature had altered or removed protections.
Potter clarified that what the Legislature received in October 2025 was a rezoning application from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources — not a formal bill submitted by the governor. As is standard practice, the Office of the Senate President forwarded that application to legal counsel, who drafted it into bill form, according to Potter. The draft was designated Bill No. 36-0200 and assigned to the Committee of the Whole.
“What Governor Bryan did submit, on Feb. 9, 2026, was a proposed amendment to add two sections to the bill,” Potter stated. He said that amendment was forwarded to legal counsel for proper drafting and will be brought before the full body for consideration. If approved, it would be incorporated into the original bill.
“To suggest that the Legislature acted improperly, removed safeguards, or in any way subverted the Governor’s intent is not only unfair, but also simply wrong,” Potter said in his statement, adding that the 36th Legislature has followed appropriate procedural steps in accordance with its rules.
The Beeston Hill rezoning is now scheduled for a legislative hearing on March 16, where supporters and opponents are expected to testify.
The parcel has been the subject of repeated rezoning efforts over the past four years. In 2022, lawmakers approved a similar measure allowing business use, but Bryan vetoed it in 2023, citing concerns about special interests and community opposition. Residents have consistently argued that changing the zoning designation could lead to increased traffic, drainage issues, and commercial activity out of character with the residential area.
The Division of Comprehensive and Coastal Zone Planning within DPNR previously recommended against rezoning the property, noting that financial considerations — including arguments that B-2 zoning would increase the land’s appraised value — are not, by themselves, grounds for a zoning change.
A federal judge hit pause on a new law requiring businesses to surrender intoxicating hemp-derived products to the Virgin Islands government Wednesday amid a lawsuit from one retailer who claimed that the government raided its store and confiscated $18,000 worth of products nine months before the law was even enacted.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert Molloy granted a temporary restraining order to Homegrown Bar and Grill and prohibited the government from enforcing a section of the law — approved by the 36th Legislature and signed by Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. last month — for two weeks. The section in question required businesses to surrender inventory for products containing:
-Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA);
-Delta-6 tetrahydrocannabinol;
-Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol;
-Delta-10 tetrahydrocannabinol; and
-any other intoxicating cannabinoid products
According to Wednesday’s order, parties in the lawsuit have until March 5 to submit witness and exhibit lists to the court and a hearing is scheduled for March 11 on St. Thomas.
Homegrown’s lawsuit claimed that the St. Thomas business possessed a valid license from the V.I. Licensing and Consumer Affairs Department at the time it was raided in April 2025 and that the new law failed to provide a mechanism for compensating retailers who surrender their inventories. Molloy wrote that Homegrown met the standard for a restraining order by showing that the seizure “lacks a lawful basis” and that being forced to surrender the remainder of its inventory could put the retailer out of business altogether.
Homegrown’s attorney, Robert Leycock, argued that the seizure and section of the law mandating surrender violate the Fifth Amendment’s “Taking Clause,” which prohibits the government from confiscating private property for public use. After noting that the restraining order would place a relatively small burden on the government, Molloy found that public interest weighed in favor of an injunction because the case “involves substantial constitutional rights.”
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. signed a law legalizing medicinal marijuana use in 2019, and he attempted to expand it to include sacramental use — and generate more tax revenues — less than a year later. The 34th Legislature approved recreational cannabis use for adults in the last days of 2022, and Bryan signed the measure into law the following month. Joanne Moorehead, director of the V.I. Cannabis Regulation Office, told the Source last month that there are people in the territory who have been authorized by OCR to possess and grow marijuana.
“At this time, there are no legal sales of cannabis in the territory,” she said. “Depending on the law school that they went to and depending on the attorney, I’ve heard different arguments about what that means for others who possess it, and are not registered medical patients, for example.”
She added that the issue will likely be decided by the courts.
After dropping their first game in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championships to 30th-ranked Martinique 7-1, the 37th-ranked United States Virgin Islands squad returns to the pitch with lessons learned and adjustments made, team official said.
