CHRISTIANSTED — The director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue said today that the “sin tax” will begin to take effect on May 1. Marvin Pickering said businesses will be forced to pay more because of Act No. 7987 dealing with imports and excise taxes in the territory: 1.    Foreign

MISSING TEENS: Ryleigh and Janessa Harper CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Police are asking for your help to keep a lookout for two teen-aged girls who apparently ran away from home in Mandahl on St. Thomas on Wednesday night. The mother of 16-year-old Janessa and 14-year-old Ryleigh Harper told police that she

SUCCESS AT LAST: Beverly Nicholson-Doty CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The commissioner of tourism said today that United Airlines will now make more non-stop flights to St. Thomas. Beverly Nicholson-Doty said that talks this week with United Airlines have resulted in the air carrier promising to add more non-stop flights from Houston

CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A St. Thomas woman formally heard the charges against her in federal court today — that she illegally received two guns in her post office box. Shelica Baxter, 26, made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller after being charged with receiving firearms through the

SENTENCED: Christopher Butler CHARLOTTE AMALIE – An Ohio man was given more than nine years in prison by a federal judge today in St. Thomas for his role in a massive cocaine and heroin operation that stretched from St. Thomas to Pittsburgh to Cleveland and Detroit. Christopher Butler, 30, of

Aliyah Boston of St. Thomas averaged 23 points and 14.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore. CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A native of St. Thomas who is a high school sophomore was named the 2016-17 Gatorade Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year. Aliyah Boston, 16, got the distinction for the state

FINAL SCENE: The filmmakers were trying to simulate the look of Mexico when it chose Sandy Point in Frederiksted for the closing minutes of “The Shawshank Redemption.” FREDERIKSTED — A sign commemorating the fact that the final scene of the movie “The Shawshank Redemption” was shot at Sandy Point on

HOUSTON — Steve Stockman was soon to board a plane for the United Arab Emirates this month when his unorthodox life took a sudden detour. The outspoken two-time former congressman from Texas was met at the airport by federal agents holding an arrest warrant. In his own colorful campaign literature,

ARRESTED: 72-year-old Audrey Huff PITTSBURGH — A woman has been charged with being a money mule who sent $295,000 to Jamaican conspirators after elderly people in several states were persuaded to send her the money in a lottery scam. Audrey Huff, 72, of Pittsburgh, was arraigned Wednesday on charges including

BUS SHANTY IN FREDERIKSTED FREDERIKSTED — A two-year old St. Croix child was killed instantly when the vehicle that was carrying the infant flipped over after striking a tree first. On April 5, 2017, at approximately 11:29 a.m., the 911 Emergency Call Center received a call in reference to car