NO ISSUE NEXT WEEK! Next Issue Is January 6-12, 2014 December 23, 2013-January 5, 2014 © Copyright 2013/2014 TPL Sells Final 72 Acres of Estate Maho Bay to NPS for $2.5M National Park Service closed on purchase from Trust for Public Land – See PAGE 3 Island Roads Will Start Repairs To Centerline “After Holiday Season,” Says Government House Page 5 Stairway Banco Popular to Heaven Changes Face by George Hollander of Cruz Bay Page 4 St. John AARP Celebrates 20 Year Anniversary Page 4 St. John Tradewinds News Photo by Dave D’Alberto Virgin Fire Draws Each holiday season Coral Bay artist and designer George Hollander creates an awe-inspiring light feature Crowd to Newly which he erects on his Chicago Hill rooftop area for all to enjoy. SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS. Designed Space Page 6 2 St. John Tradewinds, December 23, 2013-January 5, 2014 Santa To Arrive In Cruz Bay on Dec. 24 Don’t miss the fun in Cruz Bay on Christmas Eve this year! Santa Claus is set to arrive on the Caneel Bay ferry around 9 Cruz Bay’s Frank p.m. on Tuesday night, December 24. Santa will arrive in Cruz Bay Powell Park is aglow to the delight of island residents young and old. See you there! for the Christmas holiday as captured Christmas Carolling Anyone? by St. John resident Sing your way through Cruz Bay with the Unitarian Universalist Barb Crites’ recent Fellowship on Tuesday, December 24. To join in, meet at 5:30 p.m. photograph. at Mongoose Junction in the courtyard area near Bouganvillea. Happy Holidays! 4th Annual New Year’s Eve Youth Holiday Spirit Extravaganza in Frank Powell Park Captured in Cruz Bay Photo by Barb Crites Sisterhood Agenda is hosting its 4th Annual Sisterhood Brother- hood New Year’s Eve Youth Extravaganza at Franklin Powell Park in Cruz Bay on Tuesday, December 31, from 8 p.m. to midnight. The New Year’s Eve Youth Extravaganza is a unique youth … Stairway to Heaven Light Sculpture event that promotes positive, drug- and alcohol-free fun on New Continued from Front Page Here are some of the words to the song: Year’s Eve and during the New Year. The evening features give- Below is Hollander’s explanation for this year’s ‘I’ll build a stairway to heaven, aways and refreshments and parent registration and pick-up are light piece, Stairway to Heaven, in his own words. I’ll climb to the highest star, required right after midnight. Happy Holidays! I’ll build a stairway to heaven, The Youth Extravaganza is free and coordinated with V.I. Po- cause heaven is where you are!’ lice Department, V.I. National Park, Department of Sports, Parks “I had this on-going music buzz in my ear. It was and Recreation, and St. John Community Foundation. a song by Neil Sedaka, the early 1960s song writer/ If that’s not love, I don’t know what ‘love’ is. Sisterhood Agenda thanked its community partners for helping singer, called ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ There’s also of course the song by Led Zepplin. to make this activity possible for all youth in St. John: Scotiabank, It’s that time of year I start thinking of ‘lighting’ Their words for ‘Stairway to Heaven:’ Drift Away Spa, St. John Hardware, St. John Insurance Agency, for the holidays, something I’ve been doing for the ‘And as we wind on down the road St. John Properties, Boyson Transportation, The Marketplace, St. past number of years. Making something, I think is Our shadows taller than our soul, John Dental, Bayside Market, PostNet and St. John Ice Company. special, from found materials. There walks a lady we all know, Everyone is welcome to participate. Volunteers are invited to This year, I’ve been playing with Styrofoam boxes Who shines white light and wants to show assist. For more information call Angela Coleman at 714-7076. from our local St. Thomas Cost-U-Less. Their con- How everything still turns to gold. struction is interesting, as is they’re use, for shipping And if you listen very hard, SJSA Alumni Concert Set for January 4 fruit around the world. The tune will come to you at last. — Don’t miss the chance to hear some of the most talented and After placing a bulb inside its confines, I was When all are one and one is all accomplished St. John School of the Arts alumni back at their old surprised by its translucence. Perfect for creating a To be a rock and not to roll. stomping grounds on Saturday, January 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the arts light “piece.” school. But what should it be? I was thinking “columns.” And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.’ St. John School of the Arts presents the 2014 Sis Frank Concert But how to make them sturdy? That’s where the song Series: Saturday, January 4 – Alumni Concert; Tuesday, February comes in. It’s funny where that “spark” comes from. Both do it for me! Enjoy and Happy Holidays!” 11 – Benjamin Beilman; Thursday, March 6 – Shel; Friday, March That moment when an ‘idea’ becomes a little more. – George Hollander 14 – Trio Arbos; Tuesday, April 15 – Faculty Concert All concerts begin at 7:30. Purchase tickets for all five concerts for $125 or $30 for an individual concert. To learn more visit www. stjohnschoolofthearts.org or call 779-4322. TRADEWINDS PUBLISHING LLC The Community Newspaper Since 1972 ACC Annual Meeting Is January 8 The Animal Care Center of St. John will host its annual meeting EDITOR/PUBLISHER NEWSLINE SUBSCRIPTIONS on Wednesday, January 8, at 6 p.m. in the Gifft Hill School lower MaLinda Nelson (340) 776-6496 U.S. & U.S.V.I. only campus. [email protected] www.tradewinds.vi $90.00 per year All dues-paying ACC members are invited to attend. Others [email protected] may also join ACC at the beginning of the meeting by paying the NEWS EDITOR THIRD CLASS PERMIT Jaime Elliott ADVERTISING U.S. Postage PAID modest annual membership donation at the entrance to the meet- [email protected] [email protected] Permit No. 3 ing. St. John, VI 00831 The agenda will include a financial report from Treasurer COLUMNISTS CIRCULATION Monica Munro, the year’s-end annual report from President Lucy & CONTRIBUTORS Rohan Roberts © COPYRIGHT 2013 Andrea Milam, Mauri Elbel, Chuck All rights reserved. No reproduction Banks, and a membership vote by paper ballot for two ACC Direc- Pishko, Yelena Rogers, Tristan MAILING ADDRESS of news stories, letters, columns, tors. One of whom is retiring while the other is re-applying for a Ewald, Andrew Rutnik, Craig Tradewinds Publishing LLC photographs or advertisements full three-year term. Names of several St. John residents, who have Barshinger, Bob Schlesinger, Jack P.O. Box 1500 allowed without written permission been nominated and who have agreed to stand for election, will Brown, Mares Crane, Dan Boyd, St. John, VI 00831 from the publisher. Bob Malacarne be on the ballot. In addition, spaces will be provided for write-in candidates. St. John Tradewinds, December 23, 2013-January 5, 2014 3 The final parcel of land in 225 acre Estate Maho Bay, which included the popular beach area was sold to National Park Service last week. Photo by Steve Simonsen TPL Sells Final 72 Acres of Estate Maho Bay to NPS for $2.5M By Jaime Elliott St. John Tradewinds The largest single addition to V.I. National “The land includes everything on the hillside except a few Park since its inception in 1956 was completed lots that were set aside for each heir of the family. The area INDEX last week when Trust for Public Land (TPL) being built on right now is one of those pieces. We still hope sold the final 74 acres of the 225-acre Estate to acquire those lots over time, depending on money; it’s all Business Directory ..............18 Maho Bay to the National Park Service. Chef’s Corner ......................10 about money.” Church Directory .................16 TPL announced the news on Wednesday – John Garrison, Project Manager for USVI, Trust for Public Land morning, December 18, in a prepared state- Classified Ads .....................21 ment. The national non-profit organization sold Community Calendar ..........20 those remaining 74 acres of Estate Maho Bay the land east of King Hill Road near the Maho “This is one of the best beaches on St. John Crime Stoppers ...................19 to NPS for $2.5 million, with money from the Bay parking lot leading up the hill to Center- and is a significant piece of the island’s natu- Crossword Puzzle ...............20 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). line Road, explained Garrison, who is the for- ral and cultural history,” FitzGerald said in the Cryptoquip ...........................16 Last week’s sale was the final in a series of mer executive director of Friends of VINP. prepared statement. “It is wonderful that it will Letters ............................14-15 sales dating back to 2009 and encompassing all “The land includes everything on the hillside be available for park visitors.” Obituary ............................. 17 of pristine Maho Bay beach as well as the hill- except a few lots that were set aside for each “I am glad that this very beautiful beach and On the Market .....................13 side bordering King Hill Road. Several parcels heir of the family,” Garrison said. “The area the surrounding natural resources will be pre- Police Log ...........................19 of the 225 acres, however, were set aside for being built on right now is one of those pieces.