News of St. John now has a new home on the Internet, with its own domain. To stay updated with the latest St. John happenings, please visit us at www.newsofstjohn.com Continue reading

New owners took over Coral Bay’s go-to breakfast/pizza place less than a year ago. Now the popular eatery is for sale, again. A listing on Craig'slist now has the asking price as $2199,000. “Owner must leave island for family medical emergency and is selling popular Coral Bay breakfast spot ''THE DONKEY DINER''. Huge potential for working owner or family run business with breakfast lunch and dinner options. This chance to own an iconic Coral Bay restaurant will not last long. Deeply branded, with dedicated local and tourist regulars this breakfast spot is ideal for a family or couple looking to relocate to St John and run an easy yet successful business. Recent upgrades greatly improve efficiency while reducing expenses. Continue reading

As if driving on the left side of the road isn't challenge enough for tourists, now they have to worry about there being no road. So say worried residents in Coral Bay where heavy rains three years ago undermined portions of Centerline Road which still haven't been repaired. The Public Works Department is still preparing "bid packages for the remediation work", the Virgin Islands Daily News was told. Now, the problem is worse. Heavy, heavy rains last weekend did more damage. The Daily News quotes Denise Barbier saying there are at least five places along two miles of Centerline that could collapse beneath a car, taxi, school bus, or construction equipment. "There is nothing under the road," she said. The News reported Public Works has put up some barricades to keep drivers away from the dangerous sections. But, the newspaper said, a week ago, three of them fell over the side of the road. Obviously, these are not the concrete Jersey barriers we're used to seeing in the States. "If the road is closed or collapses, then there is no way in or out," said Coral Bay homeowner Franz Jaggar. On the other hand, he said if that happens, "Skinny... Continue reading

St. John has a number of fine restaurants. Some really talented people are working hard in those kitchens, trying to do their best with an unpredictable supply chain of meat, fish, vegetables, and so on. And the high prices at those restaurants reflect both the challenge and the execution. Some first-time visitors were wondering on TripAdvisor, “Since groceries are so expensive … is it actually cheaper (to cook at the villa) or (is it) the same as eating out?” Monkeynoclimb’s answer was fast and conclusive. “Still cheaper to eat in. (Besides,) many times we are too tired to leave the house after a day on the beach, too.” For couples, going out can be economical, if you go to the right-priced places. “We always go to Candi’s BBQ one night, hit Banana Deck a couple times for a late lunch at the bar, and Aqua Bistro in Coral Bay open night for Tuna Ponzu,” said Bluewater43. Brenda-2004 said, “Just as expensive to cook a meal in than to just go out, unless you are doing high-end dining.” Virgin Islands veteran Rick G passed along that, “Groceries are more expensive (than home). Staples are 10-25 percent more. Prepackaged meals, frozen chicken... Continue reading

These are the final hours of Maho Bay Campground. Stanley Selengut’s lease expires at the end of June and the last guests at the eco-resort are expected leave tomorrow. And St. John may be the loser. He told the St. John Source that “Maho’s closure will cost the territory … $20 million in lost revenue” from the some 12,000 guests a year. For a few weeks, the Maho Bay Blog has been showing a countdown clock, which you can see here. The blog also ironically links to a (recent?) video segment on Kathie Lee and Hoda touting Maho Bay as a great place for a family vacation or even a getaway without the kids. The best part of the piece, thought the Inquiring Iguana, was when either Kathie Lee or Hoda said, “St. Johns is gorgeous .” Duh! Selengut has not yet announced the logistics of closing down the resort. He and his staff have to dispose of millions of dollars’ worth of linens, furnishings, and equipment. It could be the world’s largest garage sale. Selengut’s not leaving the island. He owns Harmony Resort and Concordia Eco-Resort, both of which are near Maho. Continue reading

The Inquiring Iguana stumbled across Craigslist the other day and wondered about jobs on St. John. There are a few, most of them in the kitchen or on the beach. Concierge/activities person (St. John) Concierge/ Activities person to work full-time in Cruz Bay. Must live in St. John! Line cook/pizza cook/prep cook (Coral Bay) Breakfast knowledge a must. Pizza knowledge helpful.... Timeliness is a number one priority. If you're always late, don't bother applying. No drunks or drug addicts need apply, either. Beach Attendant / Sales (St. John) Beach attendant, with retail and sales experience. Watersports experience preferred. Line Cooks & Sous Chef Positions for fine dining restaurant in St John USVI. Experience a must, Team player and a passion for food important... Someone who is creative and current with a strong work ethic. Current Island resident's only need apply !!! ( St Thomas ok ) Review Craigslist jobs in the Virgin Islands Continue reading

OK, here's the deal. Island animal lovers have identified a number of homes on the mainland willing to welcome some puppies and dogs. The alterative is the animals stay on St. Thomas, perhaps to be put down at the crowded shelter. A volunteer, Pia, posted this plea on the Virgin Islands On-Line forum: "If there are any visitors that will soon be arruving here and then flying back home to LA, Philadephia, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, or Connecticut, please call Rhea at the STT Humane Society. We are desperately looking for escorts to transport some puppies/dogs to new adoptive families in these cities." There is no cost. Vounteers will receive the dogs at the STT airport and then be met by their new families on the other end. "It's just they canot fly without a passenger who is on the plane." Here's the phone number for Rhea: 340-643-0796. Continue reading

Tennis Resorts Online has included Caneel Bay Resort in its Top 25 again, this year. Caneel made the list at #8 in the rankings of 100 Tennis Resorts and Camps. Caneel was also tabbed as the #1 resort in the Caribbean, and number two for couples. Saying he was honored by the recognizion, Donald Becker, director of tennis added, "I feel the award is a testament to the fact that tennis is a big draw for visitors." Caneel hs 11 all-weather outdoor courts, including two hard courts and nine artificial grass courts. Tennis Resorts Online's 2013 rankings Continue reading

What's next? Stop lights? Field workers have begun contacting residents on St. John to assign street names and numbers to their homes. They will be visiting residences, "leaving door hangers ... to verify existing street informtion as reported in property tax databseas," the office of the Lieutenant Governor said. "These hangers will also contacin the new address that has been assignbed." "Addressing is not only critical to emergency services," said Gregory Francis, the Lt. Gov., "but is also an important tool as we continue to build the territory's economy and infrastructure." Some roads in Estate Enighed and Contant already have street names, but some don't. So the government is asking for suggestions. There are guidelines. One of them is that "All names shall be culturally appropriate or relating to local history." Here are the gudelines. Advice about the street addressing project are included in a document from the Lt. Gov. It answers questions such as high tall should my house numbers be and how mail should be addressed. You can read the FAQ here. Continue reading

The only thing worse than having to leave St. John after a vacation ... is having to navigate the security and Customs lines at the St. Thomas airport. Lines onto the sidewalk are not uncommon. Waits of an hour or more ... sometimes in hot, hot weather ... are not unheard of. Here's how to avoid them. Hire a porter. On a recent TripAdvisor thread, Mir214 asked "How do they work and how much do they cost?" The simple answers are ... they work fine and the cost is about $10/person. For that money, you get someone to help you with your bags, puts them on a dolly, and manages to wheedle you through faster than you could yourself. "Well worth it if the lines are really bad," said Itsconnie on the TA forum. Snorkle2007 said, "The place was packed and we were able to bypass most of the lines except the security line." StJohnMax said, "I think they charge $3 per bag. I gladly gave the porter $26 for my two bags. Saved me an hour." Tnkbstr55 said a porter "took us to the American self-check-in kiosk, checked us in and got baggage tags. We saved an hour of... Continue reading

In a real estate market where two out of three homes are priced at $1 million or more, how do you get a reasonably nice house for a reasonable price? Answer: the old fashioned way: you haggle and do a lot of repair work yourself. That's the story House Hunters International told in their latest St. John-focused episode, To Renovate or Not. The show followed Stan and Rob in their quest for a $500,000 house. Their priorities: privacy, close to town, good view, and two bedrooms/two baths. A Fish Bay house failed because it needed a lot of work, a lot! - more than even the below-budget cost of $395K would justify. Another property near Coral Bay was just too far out, so they chose a two bedroom/two bath house with a so-so-view of Chocolate Hole. They got it for $50K less than asking price and began spending the 'savings' on their fixer/upper. Rob and Ken also own, and started, the St. Johnimals pet store. The store is for sale for $95,000. Their House Hunters International show will be aired again at 6pm eastern on May 27. Continue reading

Friday night ... 10:30pm,. EDT, HGTV Continue reading

Grande Bay is announcing the release of 4 Whole Ownership residences, the ‘Grande View Residences at Grande Bay’. According to John Alvarado, The Director of Sales said, ‘The Grande View residences represent the best of what St. John has to offer in terms of location, refinement and convenience.” The developer... Continue reading

Advertorial The developers of the Grande View Residences at Grande Bay Resort on Cruz Bay are finishing the project with a quartet of new penthouse homes. Called "Whole Ownership Residences," the one or two bedroom units start at $900,000. John Alvarado, director of sales, said the Residences "represent the best of St. John in terms of location refinement and convenience. "The big distinction is that owners have the option to live here year round," he said. The units can also be rented, in which case guests will be pampered with "exclusive amenities such as daily housekeeping and a complimentary in-room mini bar that is replenished daily." Whole Ownership owners also get priority access to use of the resort's power boat and Jeep. More information and a brochure is available here. Continue reading

Don't tell Dave A's girlfriend, but the New Yorker is planing to propose. In a month, they'll be on the island and he's asking the St. John Travel forum for some guidance to the most romantic place on the island and the fanciest/nicest restaurant. Ski2play2002 suggested "any beach with a westward viuew" at sunset time and then a trip to the Sugar Mill at Caneel Bay. "Absolutely loved the romance, food, and service." 54b is an outdoorsy person, suggesting Peace Hill at dusk, between Hawksnest and Trunk bays. "It has a neat windmill ruin and a large outcropping, wide panoramic views." Ram Head Bay at dawn was also an idea. "Nothing says 'take the plunge with me' like standing on top of an overlook with 100-foot clffs on three sides." However, 54b reminded, "it does require a three-mile round trip hike from the Salt Pond Bay parking lot." Dreamshark from Minneapolis remined, "The tiny biting flies tend to come out at dusk. So, if you're both dancing around and slapping no-see-ums, the romantic quality of your proposal may be affected." After reading more of the responses, it appears Dave A and spouse-to-be will be on the water when it's Question... Continue reading

The main runway is being resurfaced. Photos via the VI Port Authority newsletter The $8.9 million project began in February. The work may continue through March, 2014. It's being done betwen 11 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. so as not to disrupt airport operations. The first three phases will consist of replacing apron and taxiway asphalt pavement with a 12-inch reinforced concrete pavement including under drain, marking, lighting and other associated work. The FAA will pay 90 percent of the cost. The remaining 10 percent will be funded by the Port Authority. In addition, the road leading to the airport has recently been resurfaced by the Dept. of Public Works. The Port Authority also spent about $52,000 to acquire a passenger boarding ramp to accommodate passengers with boarding or deplaning needs. The BAR 35 machine provides mechanical stairs and a lift for travelers, specifically those needing wheelchair access. Airlines have to request use of the ramp for which they will be charged $100, according to the Authority’s newsletter. Continue reading

Even Stanley Selengut, who founded the eco-tourism business nearly 40 years ago, is in the dark. Four months after the $13.95 million deal was announced to sell Maho Bay Campground the identity of the buyer is still unknown. So are his/her plans for the 13.8 acre waterfront property. Selengut has just three weeks left to keep the tents and campsites open. His lease expires at the end of June. He spoke with Lynda Lohr of the St. John Source last week, telling her the new owner is “an environmentally-oriented billionaire who’s supposedly going to use it as a family estate.” The buyer has not contacted Selengut, either. Which some people might consider rude, given that there’s a heck of a lot of work to be done between now and June 30 to clean up the campground. A few weeks ago, Selengut said he could stage the world’s largest garage sale to sweep the site of millions of dollars of beds, silverware, glasses, blankets and so on - anything that’s not attached to the ground. That means the tents and the buildings will stay. Read the interview with Selengut Continue reading

Word that a Louisiana company hopes to complete two ferries for St. John before the end of the year got all the attention last week when the Governor issued a news release. But the Inquiring Iguana thinks the real news was missed. In the release, the Governor gave some people hope that a better, more efficient, and quicker ferry route to St. John from Charlotte Amalie may be considered. Acknowledging that STT traffic is a nightmare and hardly the first impression the VIs want to give visitors headed for St. John, the Department of Public Works said it's hired a consultant to develop a marine transportation system. "The consultant will help determine appropriate vessels and marine transit routes ... as well as study how residents and visitors alike can benefeit from new sea routes that will reduce traffic congestion downtown," the Governor's office said. The Iguana thinks the best way to reduce congestion is to avoid it. Create a new route from the ferry terminal now serving boats going to Tortola and other places. That terminal is closer to the airport than the current "station" smack dab in downtown CA, at which cabs and busses chaotically stop, discharge and pickup... Continue reading

You don't have to weait until Tuesday to hear all 10 tracks from Kenny Chesney's new CD. The iTunes stiore is streaming the full album free. One of the tracks, "Lindy", can also be played off the store's site. Highlights of the album look to be "Coconut Tree," a duet with Willie Nelson, the track "Lindy", in memory of an island character who inhabited the Cruz Bay streets and alleys, amd the title track, "Life on a Rock." Continue reading

The 20th album from Kenny Chesney is set for release Tuesday, the 30th --- and it's going to benefit St. John! The 45-year-old star will donate a portion of the sure-to-be-blockbuster sales to the Virgin Islands National Park. It was 15 years ago that Chesney 'discovered' the island. He's been a regular visitor and homeowner ever since. "As the world becomes more developed, protecting these wild places is going to become harder - and the cost of maintaining them needs to be covered," Chesney explains. "It's easy to forget, or not understand when it's a line item on a piece of paper. But if you've ever seen the trees, the oceans from a ridge, the way it all tangles together, you realize how important making sure lands like this exist for the people who come after us is. "For me, Life on a Rock comes from this place, so I want to give something back, so it's there for others. Let them find the peace and the awe that I did for so many years. And I like that the music can be connected with protecting something so important. The first track released from the CD, Life a Rock, is... Continue reading

Two new ferry boats, costing nearly $8 million, are expected to go into service between Red Hook and Cruz bay by the end of the year. Darryl Smalls, commissioner of Public Works, said the cost of the craft is being borne by the federal government through a grant from the Tranportation department and federal stimulus funds. "Those vessels, the first in the country that are being constructed under new U.S. Coast Guard regulations for passenger vessels, should be delivered by the third quarter of this fiscal year and go into operation soon after," Smalls said. "The territory's two franchise ferry companies will lease and operate the ferries, which will improve the speed, service, reliability and capacity of the ferry service that so many Virgin Islanders and tourists rely on every day." The 85-foot aluminum catamarans are being built by Midship Marine Inc., a Louisiana company. Each can carry 250 passengers. Web site of Midship Marine New Buses and Ferries Will Improve Territory's Public Transit System Continue reading

This is National Parks Week which means there will be no admission fee at Trunk Bay or the Christiansted Histioric Site now through Friday. The usual $4 toll comes back Sunday at Trunk Bay. Dropping the fee, despite the Sequester and budget issues in Washington, is meant to encourage people to stop and smell the roses, or at least feel the sand between their toes. Mike Anderson, deputy supt. at the VI National Park, told Lynda Lohr of the St. John Source, "You can pause and think about what's important." Trunk Bay access will also be free Saturday. The Friends of the V I National Park will be observing Reef Fest as part of this week's Earth Day observances. The Friends announced Earth Day Fair will be held April 19th at the National Park ball field in Cruz Bay from 9 am to 1 pm and have more than 20 educational exhibits and learning activities. The fair will kick off with a "litter stomp" parade from Julius E. Sprauve school to the fair grounds. Then on Saturday, April 20th there will be a fee-free day at Trunk Bay from 12 to 5 pm with various exhibits and interactive activities all... Continue reading

Photo courtesy of Kevin McCarthy From John Hiebert’s Facebook page … "The restaurant closed last night at 10:30 pm..... same as always... (Sunday) at about 1:30 pm smoke was seen billowing out of the restaurant. Local business owners and staff jumped into action. (Castaways, Woodys) The fire Dept, Police, St John Rescue, and all that responded did a great job. "However, the restaurant didn't make it. "Thank God that Woody's, La Tapa, and Quiet Mon, Bayside were not touched by the fire. Sorry that you had to close because they shut off all power in the area........ ( I am truly sorry that you had to close for the evening..... but I am so touched that you were all on your roofs with hoses trying to control the fire.) "I live on St Thomas, and had to wait for the next ferry (1 hour after we heard the news)--just to see what was going on.... I could see smoke billowing over St John the entire ride ....... That was quite sickening for Michelle and I, because we knew that it was our restaurant BURNING!!... When we reached the St John dock, Michelle and I were so touched by all the... Continue reading

Lionfish captured off Klein Bay The first lionfish was captured in the Virgin islands, off St. Croix, in 2008. Now, says the education outreach coordinator for a group trying to curb the predator, it’s an avalanche. In a presentation to St. John Rotary this week, Frank Cummings said the lionfish is so common that several thousand have been captured of St. John, alone, the St. John Source reported. (Full story here.) Cummings said his group, Caribbean Oceanic Restoration and Education, believes a budget of $200,000 a year would be enough to protect VI waters, and marine life, from the spiny predator. The money would be used to buy response boats, two captains, and six full-time divers. He said the lionfish will affect tourism in the VIs. Right now thanks to efforts by himself and lifeguards, there are no lionfish at Trunk Bay. CORE on Facebook All about Lionfish Continue reading