HUD Secretary Julián Castro WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro announced Friday that HUD is allocating more than $1.8 billion to public housing authorities in all 50 states, as well as the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. From that allocation, $5,983,706 will go to the

CHARLOTTE AMALIE – The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) said today that five beaches on St. Thomas, three beaches on St. John and one beach on St. Croix are not safe to swim or fish in. Lindbergh Bay, Brewer’s Bay, Water Bay, Vessup Bay and Frenchman’s Bay are

 U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A 45-year-old St. Thomas man pleaded guilty in federal court today to bribing an undercover government official to clear undocumented Brazilians through the Cyril E. King International Airport. Miguel Rodriguez Ramirez pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on St. Thomas Friday

CHICAGO — The federal government is asking an Illinois federal judge to throw out a case challenging how voter rights are extended to the territories, saying the plaintiffs’ issue should be with the state, not the feds, the Virgin Islands Free Press has learned. Guam resident and National Guard Staff

  NOMINEE: Vince Danet CHARLOTTE AMALIE – The Senate Committee on Rules, chaired by Sen. Kenneth Gittens of St. Croix, voted today to hold prominent Tea Party member Vince Danet’s nomination to the board of the Public Services Commission in committee for further review. But the Senate sent Gov. Kenneth

        MISSING: Nina Guandolo CHARLOTTE AMALIE – Police say they continue to investigate the fatal shooting death of Kadeem John on St. Thomas that occurred on Dec. 10, 2015 in Contant Knolls. Police received a report of a shooting at 11:45 p.m. and found John had sustained

                      Gov. Kenneth Mapp SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico has always gotten the most attention among the U.S. territories. It’s the most-populous, most-indebted, most-proximate to the U.S. mainland and most-vocal in pressing the case for bankruptcy. Now, officials from the

Soraya Diase Coffelt, JD, MJS By SORAYA DIASE COFFELT/SPECIAL TO THE V.I. FREE PRESS HAVANA – Today is the second day of my visit to Cuba. We began with a walking tour of old Havana and observed buildings that had been newly renovated as well as buildings that were under

Committe Chairman Sen. Marvin Blyden CHARLOTTE AMALIE – The Committee on Housing, Public Works and Waste Management met today in the Legislature on St. Thomas to take testimony about VITRAN, VITRAN Plus and Americans With Disabilities compliance by VITRAN. Committee Chairman Sen. Marvin Blyden introduced testifiers including the Department of

       Soraya Diase Coffelt By SORAYA DIASE COFFELT/SPECIAL TO THE V.I. FREE PRESS “Cuba is a land of beauty and complexities.” That’s how our tour guide initially described Cuba to us, a group of 31 persons from divergent areas in the United States who made this trip to