MIAMI — People in the Eastern Caribbean don’t expect severe tropical weather in August, but the Atlantic Basin could have a new tropical depression later this week. Satellite observations show a fierce tropical disturbance has emerged off the western coast of Africa and is moving west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph across the tropical Atlantic. […]
Category: At VIFreep
Fire at Cuba Oil Facility Spreads as 3rd Tank Ignites
HAVANA — A deadly fire that began at a large oil storage facility in western Cuba spread today after flames enveloped a third tank that firefighters had tried to cool as they struggle to fight the massive blaze. At least one person has died and 125 are injured, with another 14 reported missing ever since […]
Coast Guard Rescues Man From Capsized Vessel 69 Miles East of Smyrna Beach
JACKSONVILLE — The Coast Guard rescued a 60-year-old man, Friday, after his sail vessel capsized and sank 69 miles east of Smyrna Beach, Florida. Rescued was: Steven Hicks. The Coast Guard Cutter SkipJack crew rescued the man from a life raft and brought him back ashore in stable condition. “It’s important for mariners to keep their life-saving […]
Tropical Wave Now Has A 40% Chance of Becoming Severe Weather: NHC
MIAMI — With the peak of hurricane season approaching the tropics may have woken up from their weeks-long slumber. The National Hurricane Center began projecting the formation a potential tropical system in the eastern Atlantic Ocean as a tropical wave is forecast to move off the west coast of Africa over this weekend. The NHC […]
When House Hunting In St. Croix, Watch Out For The Paint Pony On The Front Porch
CHRISTIANSTED — Two people went searching for the best place to live on the Big Islands and ended up in our “only in St. Croix” feature. DeAnna Stewart of Christiansted shared on Twitter that when she and a friend went house hunting on St. Croix recently — a common theme kept coming up — animals in […]
Cuba Fire Rages at Fuel Storage Port; Mexico, Venezuela Sending Help
HAVANA — A massive oil-fed fire burned for a second day on Saturday near Cuba’s supertanker port in Matanzas, as Mexico and Venezuela sent teams to help fight the inferno and Cuba accepted a U.S. offer of unspecified “technical advice.” On Friday evening, lightning struck one of eight storage tanks at the facility 60 miles […]
Former Puerto Rican Governor Vazquez Arrested For Accepting Political Favors
SAN JUAN — Authorities announced criminal charges against former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez, who was in office from 2019 to 2021, for alleged corruption during her 2020 election campaign. The former governor is charged with conspiracy, federal programs bribery and honest services wire fraud, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement. Vazquez told […]
Tropical Wave Coming Off Africa Has A 30% Chance of Becoming A Tropical Storm: NHC
MIAMI — The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season may have started slow — there have only been three named storms so far — but forecasters warned activity is still expected to be above normal. The National Hurricane Center currently is watching three tropical waves, including one in the Caribbean. Another tropical wave is expected to move off Africa’s coast later today. The National […]
VIDOJ To Host DADS Take Your Child to School Day On St. Thomas
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Virgin Islands Justice Department’s Access and Visitation Program and Paternity and Child Support Division is partnering with the Department of Education in the national initiative for fathers to take their children to school on Monday. The DADS Take Your Child to School Day initiative highlights and supports fatherhood engagement in education […]
FBI, VIPD and VIDOJ Investigate Data Breach At OMB
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — VIPD detectives, Virgin Islands Department of Justice agents, alongside an FBI Digital Forensic Team were at the Office of Management and Budget in furtherance of a VIPD-VIDOJ led investigation into a possible digital breach. The VIPD-VIDOJ presence at OMB was at the request of OMB Director Jenifer O’Neal with the intention of protecting […]