SAN JUAN — The Virgin Islands Free Press started receiving numerous reports from readers in December 2020 that United States Postal Service mail from the mainland destined for the U.S. Virgin Islands is not getting through to the territory after it is delivered to Puerto Rico to be sorted. PR Informa published pictures on Facebook […]
Category: Business News
Did Toxic Gas Emitted From Limetree Bay Refinery Exceed Permitted Levels? EPA Investigating Plant’s ‘Exceedance’ Level
FREDERIKSTED — Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) is advising the community that the department is aware of a foul, gaseous smell permeating throughout the Frederiksted area for the past few days. DPNR’s Air Quality Management Program staff has responded to citizen’s complaints and has discovered that the […]
FEMA Approves $418.5 Million For Contractors Who Fixed Hurricane-Damaged Homes
CHRISTIANSTED — Contractors who repaired damages so Virgin Islanders could remain in their homes after the 2017 hurricanes are a step closer to being paid as the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $418.5 million for their invoices. FEMA has approved the payment under its Sheltering & Temporary Essential Power program. In a recent letter […]
DPNR Puts Fuel Delivery Ban On ‘Gas For Less’ And ‘Freedom City’ Service Stations
CHRISTIANSTED — Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources announces a fuel delivery prohibition against the owner and/or operator of Gas For Less Service Station located at 1 AR Estate Diamond, Christiansted; and Freedom City Service Station located at 41-59 Estate Concordia, Frederiksted. This prohibits the facilities from having regulated substances, including but not […]
SOCIAL SECURITY COLUMN: What You Need To Know About Internet Security
With more people learning online, we would like to highlight some of the digital resources we have for educators. Chances are a student will know someone who receives retirement, disability or survivor’s benefits. This could be a way to relate our many programs to a new audience. Showing young people that our programs also help […]
Coast Guard Investigates Tug Boat And Deck Barge, Vessel Grounding In Culebra
CULEBRA ISLAND — Coast Guard marine and facility inspectors were in Culebra, Puerto Rico on Wednesday conducting a preliminary assessment as part of a marine casualty investigation into a reported pier allision and vessel grounding involving the tug boat Don Jaime and the deck barge Marilin H. At this time, the tugboat and barge have […]
Blinken To Meet Virtually With All 15 Caribbean Foreign Ministers Today
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet virtually today with 15 foreign ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), State Department spokesman Ned Price said. “They will discuss a number of issues affecting our region, including climate change and disaster resilience and reinforce the deep bond we share with our Caribbean neighbors,” Price […]
U.N. Wants $29.2 Million To Help St. Vincent Citizens Displaced By Volcano
NEW YORK—- The United Nations launched an appeal on Tuesday for $29.2 million to help some 15,000 people displaced when the La Soufriere volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted earlier this month. “We are in a dire situation frankly … We’re not out of the woods,” St. Vincent and the Grenadines […]
Governor Bryan Ends Beach Curfew, Eases COVID-19 Restrictions for Restaurants
CHRISTIANSTED — During the Government House weekly press briefing today, Governor Albert Bryan ended the curfews at all of the territory’s beaches, which had been ordered closed by 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The existing curfew will be lifted beginning Friday, April 23; however, the restrictions […]
UVI School of Agriculture Research Bears Fruit: ‘Festival’ And ‘Midnite’ Sorrel
The University of the Virgin Islands School of Agriculture unveiled two new varieties of sorrel to the public on Thursday, April 8, via Facebook Live. Sorrel varieties “Festival” and “Midnite” are a combination of Caribbean and African varieties (from Nigeria and Ghana), crossed with a Trinidad variety of Black Sorrel. For 11 years, Thomas Zimmerman, […]