Dec. 8, 2001 – Doug White ignited interest Saturday when he and a band of several dozen supporters pushed his solar-powered electric car around the streets of Cruz Bay. Afterward, he planned to spend the rest of the day with the car in Cruz Bay Park collecting signatures on his petition asking Gov. Charles W. Turnbull to allow registration of electric vehicles.
"Free E-V-1," the demonstrators chanted.
"E-V" stands for electric vehicle. Unless someone else gets to the Motor Vehicle Bureau first, if and when the government finally legalizes such cars, White's car will carry the "number 1" tag for the first one registered.
White and St. John resident Jeannie Williamson organized Saturday's "Protest Push" to bring attention to the government's refusal to let him register his 1,200-pound car. He has tried for more than 1½ years to convince the Motor Vehicle Bureau that the car is suitable for low-speed driving areas.
"This car is licensed in 37 states. Why shouldn't the Virgin Islands register it? We need it more than most places," St. John resident Sylvia Weaver said.
While White said he still plans to present his petition to the governor, he has already won at least one supported in the Legislature. Sen. Lorraine Berry said on Wednesday that she is having a bill drafted to allow the use of alternative-energy vehicles.
White said he would drive the car only in low-speed areas such as Cruz Bay, not on major highways. The cars have a maximum speed of 25 mph; the speed limit in "town" areas is 20 mph. Lawrence Olive, Motor Vehicle Bureau director, has said that if the government allowed registration of electric vehicles, it would have to be for use on all roads.
St. John resident Raymond Garriges said that Palm Desert, Calif., allows street use of golf carts, which are similar in size to White's GEM electric car. "They even have golf cart lanes," he said.
Linda Sorensen, who lives on St. John, said she joined Saturday's protest because she is concerned about the environment. "It would be good for the world if more of these cars were used," she said. If there is wider support for using cars that rely on developing technology, she added, manufacturers will continue their research to make even better cars.
St. John resident Paul Devine said that when he lived in Boston, he worked on a project that included setting up recharging stations for electric cars on the Massachusetts Turnpike, at state parks and on Cape Cod. "Charging is the key," he said.
White customized his car by installing a solar panel on the top, reducing the need for plugging it into a commercial power source for recharging.
A St. Thomas resident whose work as an architect frequently takes him to St. John, White said he was happy at the turnout. He said he was pleased that Williamson set up the "Protest Push" for St. John because he finds the community receptive to new ideas.
A precedent for registering non-conventional vehicles already has been set on St. John. Resident Doris Jadan drives a golf cart around Cruz Bay. She had no trouble registering the vehicle as a motorcycle initially in 1979, but police officials started giving her trouble in the early 1990s. After she gathered 700 signatures on a petition asking that she continue to be allowed to register the car, police relented.
However, Olive told the Source recently that when Jadan's golf cart dies, she won't be allowed to register a replacement. He said her cart was "grandfathered in" to current regulations but no more such vehicles would be permitted. Jadan could not be reached for comment.

Dec. 8, 2001 – Senators and administration officials are solidifying plans for trying to persuade the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools not to take away accreditation from the territory's three accredited public high schools at the end of this year.
The Senate is working on legislation designed to reduce chronic teacher absenteeism; Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds is writing reports to demonstrate that the territory has made steps toward more on-site school management and to combat student truancy.
And Gov. Charles W. Turnbull is forming a team to meet with Middle States officials after they begin Dec. 10 to review the decision to take away accreditation for Charlotte Amalie High School, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School and Central High School on St. Croix. The territory's fourth public high school, the Education Complex on St. Croix, has never been accredited.
In a public hearing before the Senate Education Committee on St. Thomas Friday, those testifying outlined for senators why the accreditation is set to be lost Dec. 31, its impact on students and parents, and what is being done to avert the loss. (The committee took testimony on St. Croix on Monday; for a report of that hearing, see "School accreditation: Blame elusive".)
Last month, Middle States informed education officials that the three high schools would lose accreditation because no significant progress had been shown in improving teacher and student attendance, forming a viable substitute teacher pool and allowing school principals greater administrative control on their campuses.
Education Department officials missed a May deadline to submit reports covering these areas of concern, all of which had been documented as far back as 1997.
In a letter dated Nov. 16, Turnbull wrote to George Allison, chair of the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools, to ask for a reprieve and to point out ways that improvements had been made.
"I humbly appeal to you and the other members to reconsider your decision," Turnbull wrote. He pointed out that since the last Middle States onsite visit, in 1999, principals at each high school had been allocated $100,000 in funds for on-site management and that superintendents in each district had gotten $100,000 to pay for some substitute teachers.
A move in 1999 to block scheduling — in which students take four 90-minute classes each day instead of more 45-minute classes — appears to have reduced student absenteeism, Turnbull wrote, and it is hoped that salary increases implemented this fall will improve teacher attendance.
The governor offered to send a delegation to meet with Middle States officials. On Friday, Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste, who chairs the Education Committee, said he hoped some senators would be included on that team.
Jn Baptiste also noted allocations in the last year of $1.5 million for training and recruitment of teachers — including substitutes — and that the Legislature also has appropriated about $11 million in increases for other education needs.
Sen. Carlton Dowe proposed legislation Friday to pay teachers for any of their five annual personal-leave days that they don't use. The bill would encourage teachers not to take those days off, Dowe said. "Let's give them incentive not to use it."
Statistics provided by principals show that daily teacher absenteeism has remained at about 6.5 percent since 1996. CAHS Principal Jeanette Smith said it is normal at her school to have seven teachers absent on any given day, with each one's absence putting 81 students in the halls for that instruction time.
"CAHS clearly needs a substitute pool," Smith wrote in a frank seven-page report on the accreditation issues. "Truthfully, we need to focus on seriously addressing these issues. And we need to realize that these aren't the only issues that need attention."
Several students from CAHS and Eudora Kean said it was not uncommon to have a teacher not show up for class and to have no substitute there to lead instruction. In the six or seven times that has happened this school year to Deon LeCointe, a CAHS senior who testified Friday, students have simply worked on an assignment that the absent teacher left with a department head.
"This is unheard of in many jurisdictions," Smith wrote of the situation of students getting to class and not having a teacher there.
Throughout the hearing, persons testifying spoke of their disappointment at the impending loss of accreditation and of their frustration that these issues have been known about for years and not addressed. But they also spoke of the need to move forward, rather than simply placing blame, both in working to retain accreditation and in addressing the deficiencies and improving the overall education of students.

The St. Croix Landmarks Society is hosting a "Ruins Ramble" to explore Estate Fountain Sunday, Dec. 16, at 3:30 p.m.
Estate Fountain was one of 53 estates damaged during the labor riots of the 1878 "Fireburn."
The hike is an opportunity to roam the landscape and imagine the story of its past. Historian George Tyson will be along to link the site with its history.
Interested persons should meet at the upper parking lot at Carambola Golf Club. Cost is $8, with a student special rate of $6. Wine and cheese will be served after the hike.
Call 772-0598 for information.

Dec. 8, 2001 – This is a revised schedule for the Susthens Vialet Over 40 Softball League, updated to Dec. 7. Schedule has changed with the forfeiture of the Dynamics team from the league.
The league contains two divisions, Farrington and Victoria. In the Farrington are Bapos, Movements, Roughnecks, and Royals. In the Victoria are Ambassadors (a St. John team), Ninjars, Oilers and Savages.
All games are scheduled on Sundays. New dates for the Sunday slates to be played on St. John are Jan. 20 and Feb. 10. For interdivision games, shown in italics, home team is decided by a coin toss. Game times are: 1 p.m., Game 1; 3 p.m., Game 2; 5 p.m., Game 3; 7 p.m., Game 4.
Note that Dec. 16 is mid-season mark. No roster additions can be made after this date, and all players must make 40 years by this date to be eligible to play.

Dec. 9 (St. Thomas)
1. Roughnecks vs. Savages
2, Bapos vs. Ninjars
3. Movements vs. Oilers
Dec. 16 (St. Thomas)
1. Bapos vs. Oilers
2. Royals vs. Ambassadors
3. Roughnecks vs. Ninjars
Dec. 23 (St. Thomas)
1. Royals vs. Oilers
2. Movements vs. Ambassadors
3. Bapos vs. Savages
Dec. 30 (St. Thomas)
1. Movements vs. Savages
2. Bapos vs. Roughnecks
3. Royals vs. Ninjars
Jan. 13 St. Thomas
1. Bapos vs. Movements
2. Movements vs. Ninjars
3. Roughnecks vs. Ambassadors
Jan. 20 (St. John)
1. Royals vs. Savages
2. Bapos vs. Ambassadors
3. Ninjars vs. Oilers
Jan. 27 (St. Thomas)
1. Ambassadors vs. Ninjars
2. Savages vs. Oilers
3. Royals vs. Roughnecks
Feb. 3 (St. Thomas)
1. Savages vs. Ninjars
2. Ambassadors vs. Oilers
3. Royals vs. Movements
Feb. 10 (St. John)
1. Roughnecks vs. Movements
2. Ambassadors vs. Savages
3. Royals vs. Bapos
Feb. 17 (St. Thomas)
1. Ninjars vs. Ambassadors (if needed)
PLAYOFFS
Division Semi-Finals: 2nd and 3rd team play best 2 of 3, doubleheaders.
Division Finals: Winner of Semi-Finals plays 1st place team,
best 3 of 5, double headers
Championship: Winner of each division plays each other,
best 4 of 7, double headers.
Following week: All-Star game and 2002 trophy presentation.

Dec. 8, 2001 – This is a revised schedule for the Susthens Vialet Over 40 Softball League, updated to Dec. 7. Schedule has changed with the forfeiture of the Dynamics team from the league.
The league contains two divisions, Farrington and Victoria. In the Farrington are Bapos, Movements, Roughnecks, and Royals. In the Victoria are Ambassadors (a St. John team), Ninjars, Oilers and Savages.
All games are scheduled on Sundays. New dates for the Sunday slates to be played on St. John are Jan. 20 and Feb. 10. For interdivision games, shown in italics, home team is decided by a coin toss. Game times are: 1 p.m., Game 1; 3 p.m., Game 2; 5 p.m., Game 3; 7 p.m., Game 4.
Note that Dec. 16 is mid-season mark. No roster additions can be made after this date, and all players must make 40 years by this date to be eligible to play.

Dec. 9 (St. Thomas)
1. Roughnecks vs. Savages
2, Bapos vs. Ninjars
3. Movements vs. Oilers
Dec. 16 (St. Thomas)
1. Bapos vs. Oilers
2. Royals vs. Ambassadors
3. Roughnecks vs. Ninjars
Dec. 23 (St. Thomas)
1. Royals vs. Oilers
2. Movements vs. Ambassadors
3. Bapos vs. Savages
Dec. 30 (St. Thomas)
1. Movements vs. Savages
2. Bapos vs. Roughnecks
3. Royals vs. Ninjars
Jan. 13 St. Thomas
1. Bapos vs. Movements
2. Movements vs. Ninjars
3. Roughnecks vs. Ambassadors
Jan. 20 (St. John)
1. Royals vs. Savages
2. Bapos vs. Ambassadors
3. Ninjars vs. Oilers
Jan. 27 (St. Thomas)
1. Ambassadors vs. Ninjars
2. Savages vs. Oilers
3. Royals vs. Roughnecks
Feb. 3 (St. Thomas)
1. Savages vs. Ninjars
2. Ambassadors vs. Oilers
3. Royals vs. Movements
Feb. 10 (St. John)
1. Roughnecks vs. Movements
2. Ambassadors vs. Savages
3. Royals vs. Bapos
Feb. 17 (St. Thomas)
1. Ninjars vs. Ambassadors (if needed)
PLAYOFFS
Division Semi-Finals: 2nd and 3rd team play best 2 of 3, doubleheaders.
Division Finals: Winner of Semi-Finals plays 1st place team,
best 3 of 5, double headers
Championship: Winner of each division plays each other,
best 4 of 7, double headers.
Following week: All-Star game and 2002 trophy presentation.

Dec. 7, 2001 – It's been 10 years since the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce pulled off its first "Miracle on Main Street" to embrace the spirit of the holiday season and encourage after-hours shopping in downtown Charlotte Amalie. Lights, music, food and drink, and gift-options galore were the appeals of that first event, and they will be again next Friday.
"We're rather proud that we have been able to do this for 10 years," Priscilla Hintz, who handles public relations for the chamber, said.
She estimated that about 5,000 residents and visitors turned out last year to party, dance, eat, drink, shop and visit with one another and said she's hoping for that many again this year..
"People are eager to find ways, this year in particular, to get into the Christmas spirit, to rejoice about the good things that are in our lives," Hintz said. And Miracle on Main Street, which has turned into a day-long as well as evening celebration, is "a great opportunity to see friends, especially people who visit the islands who are here this time of year."
The planning committee "is going to great lengths to insure a truly wonderful event," Joe Aubain, chamber executive director, said. "We anticipate that once again our streets and alleys will be filled with thousands of residents and visitors alike looking forward to good music, shopping, and dining." For the 10th anniversary "Miracle," he added, "we are especially pleased to have the Committee to Revive Our Culture and the Charter Yacht League participating."
On Thursday night, there'll be a mini-flurry of activity on Main Street as decorations are hung and lights are strung.
Friday's activities will get under way with the 7 a..m. opening of the farmers' market at Rothschild Francis "Market" Square and the 10 a.m. start of a traditional arts and crafts fair at Emancipation Garden. Members of the Committee to Revive Our Culture headed by Dorothy Elskoe and other exhibitors will be displaying their holiday-theme handiwork, as well as selling local food and drinks.
The finale, starting at 9 p.m., will be a parade of boats decorated in holiday lights along the waterfront, a project being coordinated by the V.I. Charter Yacht League. Susan Chandler, league executive director, is still recruiting boats to participate, and anyone who's interested can call her at 774-3944.
"We're going to try to get our members there who are not on charter," Chandler said, "but anybody can join in … We really want to make a big splash." Both sailboats and powerboats are welcome.
In between Friday's start and finale, lots more will be happening. Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4:30 to 10 p.m. At 5:30, a "mini Christmas parade" will proceed from Post Office Square over to Emancipation Garden.
There will be entertainment day and night by local bands, moko jumbies and cultural dancers. Stores throughout the downtown area will remain open until 9 p.m. Children will get to make chalk drawings on Main Street and Santa will put in an appearance in the evening.
Bands taking part will include Imagination Brass, Lashing Dog, Milo's Kings, the William Hayes Combo, North Star Band, St. Thomas All Stars Steelband, V.I. Housing Authority Youth Steel Orchestra, Bertha C. Boschulte Burning Blazers, Antilles Steel Hurricanes and Joseph Sibilly Sun Rays.
The annual event has been sponsored for years by "The Best Beers in the World," distributed by Bellows International.
Safety need not be a concern, Hintz noted: "We hire private security and work closely with the Police Department."
In addition to Miracle on Main Street events, there will be other attractions downtown Friday night. Beginning at 9 p.m., music of a different genre will fill the air at the Holiday Inn Windward Passage Hotel, where the All Saints Cathedral School Capital Development Committee will host its second annual Karaoke Night. A celebrity auction and prizes for the best performers will be featured. Admission is $10 and there'll be a cash bar.
And in the Grand Galleria complex alongside Emancipation Garden, The Art Gallery at the Grand Hotel will be having its weekly Friday meet-the-artist reception from 6 to 10 p.m. The gallery is owned by Michael Paiewonsky, who also owns MAPes MONDe, which with the Beni Iguana's sushi bar in the Grand Galleria courtyard sponsors a free ferry on Fridays to encourage St. John residents and visitors to stop by. The ferry leaves the Creek in Cruz Bay at 7 p.m. for the trip downtown, then departs the St. Thomas waterfront at 10 p.m. for the return trip. Service is available one way as well as round trip.

Dec. 7, 2001 – It's been 10 years since the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce pulled off its first "Miracle on Main Street" to embrace the spirit of the holiday season and encourage after-hours shopping in downtown Charlotte Amalie. Lights, music, food and drink, and gift-options galore were the appeals of that first event, and they will be again next Friday.
"We're rather proud that we have been able to do this for 10 years," Priscilla Hintz, who handles public relations for the chamber, said.
She estimated that about 5,000 residents and visitors turned out last year to party, dance, eat, drink, shop and visit with one another and said she's hoping for that many again this year..
"People are eager to find ways, this year in particular, to get into the Christmas spirit, to rejoice about the good things that are in our lives," Hintz said. And Miracle on Main Street, which has turned into a day-long as well as evening celebration, is "a great opportunity to see friends, especially people who visit the islands who are here this time of year."
The planning committee "is going to great lengths to insure a truly wonderful event," Joe Aubain, chamber executive director, said. "We anticipate that once again our streets and alleys will be filled with thousands of residents and visitors alike looking forward to good music, shopping, and dining." For the 10th anniversary "Miracle," he added, "we are especially pleased to have the Committee to Revive Our Culture and the Charter Yacht League participating."
On Thursday night, there'll be a mini-flurry of activity on Main Street as decorations are hung and lights are strung.
Friday's activities will get under way with the 7 a..m. opening of the farmers' market at Rothschild Francis "Market" Square and the 10 a.m. start of a traditional arts and crafts fair at Emancipation Garden. Members of the Committee to Revive Our Culture headed by Dorothy Elskoe and other exhibitors will be displaying their holiday-theme handiwork, as well as selling local food and drinks.
The finale, starting at 9 p.m., will be a parade of boats decorated in holiday lights along the waterfront, a project being coordinated by the V.I. Charter Yacht League. Susan Chandler, league executive director, is still recruiting boats to participate, and anyone who's interested can call her at 774-3944.
"We're going to try to get our members there who are not on charter," Chandler said, "but anybody can join in … We really want to make a big splash." Both sailboats and powerboats are welcome.
In between Friday's start and finale, lots more will be happening. Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4:30 to 10 p.m. At 5:30, a "mini Christmas parade" will proceed from Post Office Square over to Emancipation Garden.
There will be entertainment day and night by local bands, moko jumbies and cultural dancers. Stores throughout the downtown area will remain open until 9 p.m. Children will get to make chalk drawings on Main Street and Santa will put in an appearance in the evening.
Bands taking part will include Imagination Brass, Lashing Dog, Milo's Kings, the William Hayes Combo, North Star Band, St. Thomas All Stars Steelband, V.I. Housing Authority Youth Steel Orchestra, Bertha C. Boschulte Burning Blazers, Antilles Steel Hurricanes and Joseph Sibilly Sun Rays.
The annual event has been sponsored for years by "The Best Beers in the World," distributed by Bellows International.
Safety need not be a concern, Hintz noted: "We hire private security and work closely with the Police Department."
In addition to Miracle on Main Street events, there will be other attractions downtown Friday night. Beginning at 9 p.m., music of a different genre will fill the air at the Bluebeard's Castle Hotel Towne Hall, where the All Saints Cathedral School Capital Development Committee will host its second annual Karaoke Night. A celebrity auction and prizes for the best performers will be featured. Admission is $10 and there'll be a cash bar.
And in the Grand Galleria complex alongside Emancipation Garden, The Art Gallery at the Grand Hotel will be having its weekly Friday meet-the-artist reception from 6 to 10 p.m. The gallery is owned by Michael Paiewonsky, who also owns MAPes MONDe, which with the Beni Iguana's sushi bar in the Grand Galleria courtyard sponsors a free ferry on Fridays to encourage St. John residents and visitors to stop by. The ferry leaves the Creek in Cruz Bay at 7 p.m. for the trip downtown, then departs the St. Thomas waterfront at 10 p.m. for the return trip. Service is available one way as well as round trip.

Dec. 7, 2001 – While some residents are outraged about a Senate proposal to make barge passengers buy ferry tickets in addition to paying the barge fare, several Rotary Club of St. John members expressed greater concern Friday about another aspect of the same legislation — to extend the exclusive franchises for ferry service to 50 years from the current 35.
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull vetoed the bill, which also would have given the ferry companies full tax exemptions, on Dec. 1. Speaking at the Rotary meeting Friday, Sen. Roosevelt David said the bill needs reworking but that he supports extending the franchise.
"Unless the ferry companies get help, they're going to go out of business," David told more than a dozen Rotarians gathered at the Westin Resort Beach Café for their weekly luncheon meeting. He said the companies — Transportation Services of St. John and Varlack Ventures — need the franchise extension so they can obtain financing.
This prompted Rotarian Dave Dostall to question how the senators could know what the needs of the ferry companies and the community will be in 50 years. The franchise began May 31, 1986, which means it expires in 2036.
David, a former banker, speculated that if the ferry companies were to go out of business, the banks would find a buyer so the islands would not be without service. But he also said that because the companies have provided service for decades, the government cannot allow them to fail.
While several Rotarians described the ferry service as a monopoly, David said that because there are two companies, there is competition.
Many Rotarians also seemed skeptical that an extended franchise would convince the banks to loan the ferry firms money.
As far as the ticket controversy, David said he favors allowing the driver and one passenger in a vehicle to ride for the cost of the barge fee, while requiring other passengers to buy ferry tickets. And, he said, that's what he thought he was approving when he voted for the bill on Nov. 8.
He explained that when a large number of bills was dropped on his desk the morning of the Senate session, he did not have time to check them all to see if any changes had made to the versions he had seen earlier. He said the provision for all barge riders to buy ferry tickets had been added to the ferries bill, unbeknownst to him, in the Rules Committee.
With an auction of taxi medallions to veterans coming up Dec. 19 on St. John and the two preceding days on St. Thomas and St. Croix, David also heard complaints about the number of taxis on the roads. "There are way too many taxis," Ronnie Lockhart said. "We need to stop and assess the situation."
Current taxi medallions number 1,198 on St. Thomas, 492 on St. Croix and 131 on St. John. However, Taxi Commission officials recently said that 250 on St. Thomas, 102 on St. Croix and 50 on St. John are not in use.
When Dostall asked why the taxi drivers appear to have so much political power, David told him that not only do the drivers vote, so do their families. But David commented that too many decisions are made on the basis of political considerations "instead of in the best interest of the people."
David also said he expects the GARVEE bonds that will fund the Enighed Pond commercial port and Red Hook marina projects to be floated in January. That being the case, he said, the projects should get started sometime in 2002. The bonds will be backed by future federal highway funding for the territory.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Economic Development Commission Show Cause hearing scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, 2001, 10: 00 a.m. at Palm Court Hotel, Conference Room for St. Thomas Applicants, and Thursday, December 13, 2001 at 10:00 a.m. at the Conference room of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Frederiksted, for St. Croix Applicants has been continued until further notice by the commission.
Frank Schulterbrandt, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Source,
I second Eric Pena's comments and quote of Lee Iacocca. I also want to point out that last year during a hearing about school funds, Ruby Simmons told the Legislature, and therefore the people, that she was able to purchase a brand new Ford Explorer through a grant her department received from the federal government. She also stated that this money was for her to use at her "discretion."
This being the case, would it not have been her "discretion" to use these funds to repair a school, hire a teacher or purchase school supplies? Her "discretion" obviously does not mean taking care of our children; it means taking care of herself. Like some senators have already said, Ruby Simmons needs to be removed!

Edwin Torres
St. Croix

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.