Crime
Optimism Surrounds New School Constructions Yet Logistical and Funding Hurdles Await

The recent Schools Advisory Board Meeting on a Tuesday afternoon saw education officials brimming with optimism regarding the forthcoming school constructions within the territory. This gathering emerges amidst growing discontent from parents, educators, and students in St. Croix concerning the present state of educational facilities, a situation the Department of Education is hustling to amend within a month’s span.
Education Commissioner Dr. Dionne Wells-Hedrington buoyed the attendees’ spirits, underlining the commencement of meticulous planning and examination of various architectural drafts at hand. Despite a scale-down from the original envisioning, Wells-Hedrington voiced that this development may indeed be a blessing in disguise. She highlighted that a compact blueprint allows for the establishment of eight fully-equipped schools instead of ten basic ones, thus paving the way for consolidation and operational issue mitigation.
Engagement from the DLR Group, a Nebraska-based design firm, further enriched the dialogue, focusing on tailoring each school to resonate with the local milieu. Associate Designer Peyton Nolan, while presenting visual renderings of the prospective designs, elaborated on the project’s core principles encompassing holistic child development, technological integration, health, safety, security, cultural appreciation, and resilience. The avant-garde establishments are conceived to harness photovoltaic energy, ensuring self-sufficiency, a move lauded by Ms. Nolan for tackling local energy challenges and enhancing the “thermal comfort” for occupants.
Extensive consultations involving approximately 7,000 students and 700 teachers across the territory have been orchestrated to gather insights on how school designs can foster a more interactive and conducive learning ambiance.
When probed about the long-term agenda to maintain the modern standards of these schools, officials elucidated on procuring a multi-year extended warranty from the contractor, diverging from the customary one-year warranty. This initiative is aimed at establishing a baseline for annual operational expenditures, thereby streamlining budgetary allocations for routine maintenance and indispensable repairs.
The architectural strategy is to adopt standardized components throughout the construction phase, allowing the Department of Education to stockpile a repertoire of parts and materials usable across different school infrastructures. This approach simplifies the repair process, eliminating the necessity for specialized part orders on each occasion.
Nevertheless, education authorities acknowledged the steep road ahead. Apprehensions loom regarding the timely completion of these projects and the potential funding shifts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency towards fixed cost offers, which could morph into a race against inflation. Delays could render the allocated funds inadequate for completing the constructions as planned. Moreover, orchestrating uninterrupted learning amidst the construction activities poses a logistical conundrum, necessitating strategic student relocations to avert disruptions in instructional continuity.
To foster transparency and continual engagement, officials have committed to quarterly meetings to update stakeholders on the significant strides and developments within the department’s major construction endeavors.
Crime
Wahilli James Sentenced for Role in RICO Enterprise Led by Incarcerated Paul Girard

In a significant development, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Virgin Islands announced the sentencing of Wahilli James, aged 28, to a six-year prison term for his involvement in a criminal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO), masterminded by Paul Girard from his prison cell.
U.S. Attorney Delia Smith, who made the announcement, detailed James’s admission of guilt in two high-stakes armed robberies. These crimes occurred in St. Thomas and St. Croix, orchestrated as part of the Girard-led RICO enterprise.
Court records revealed a chilling account of the first incident on September 16, 2013. James, alongside accomplices, targeted Gems and Gold Corner Jewelry in St Thomas. The group executed a harrowing heist, with an assailant threatening the owner at gunpoint while James and the others looted a significant cache of jewelry.
The second incident, on November 21, 2013, saw James and his cohorts striking “They Say Bar” in St. Croix. Disguised with face masks and armed, they conducted the robbery. Tragically, during this event, the bar’s owner suffered a gunshot wound to the head from one of the robbers while attempting to thwart their entry.
Judge Savage, acknowledging James’s time already served, adjusted his 72-month sentence accordingly. Additionally, James is mandated to compensate $161,350.00 in restitution.
This case, a result of diligent efforts by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Edwards, along with Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Christopher Taylor of the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Marie Zisa of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
The successful resolution of this case is part of the broader strategy of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. This program aims to neutralize high-level criminal threats including drug trafficking, money laundering, and other transnational criminal activities by employing a comprehensive, multi-agency, intelligence-driven approach. The OCDETF program unifies the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat these sophisticated criminal networks.
Crime
VIPD Apprehends Two Suspects Following Vehicle Chase and Shooting; Search for Third Suspect Underway

ST. THOMAS – In a swift response to a 911 alert, VIPD officers engaged in a high-speed chase on Thursday afternoon in St. Thomas, following a report of a vehicle being driven recklessly by three masked individuals.
Beginning around 3:04 p.m. near Judy Gomez Highway in the Altona & Welgunst vicinity, the pursuit involved a vehicle reported as stolen. VIPD quickly mobilized after receiving a call about the vehicle’s hazardous driving.
The chase progressed to the Mafolie region, where the suspects, attempting to escape, drove the stolen car through a police checkpoint, resulting in damage to two vehicles, the VIPD informed the Consortium.
The situation intensified near Louisenhoj Castle, where shots were fired at the officers in pursuit, as confirmed by Glen Dratte, the VIPD Director of Communications. Subsequently, a male with a gunshot wound, identified as one of the suspects, was found in a nearby yard. He was apprehended by VIPD and received medical attention at Schneider Regional Medical Center.
The incident also led to the capture of a second suspect, who was likewise hospitalized for treatment. VIPD is actively searching for the third suspect, believed to be in the Hull Bay area.
The police have described the ongoing situation as dynamic and continue to work diligently. They are encouraging residents to stay alert and report any unusual activities in their neighborhoods to 911.
Updates on this evolving situation will be provided as they become available, ensuring the community stays informed.
Crime
Passenger Detained for Marijuana Possession at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport

In a recent incident at St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, Rayjon Ali faces serious legal consequences for attempting to transport marijuana. This case unfolded on the evening of December 3, when Ali, arriving on a Spirit Airlines flight from Philadelphia with a stopover in Fort Lauderdale, was apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
The detection of the drugs was aided by narcotics-sniffing dogs, which signaled the presence of a controlled substance in a hardshell suitcase tagged to Ali. Upon inspection in a secondary area by CBP officers, Ali’s suitcase was found to contain $3,310 in U.S. currency and three bags of a green leafy substance. This substance later tested positive for marijuana, weighing in at 957 grams.
Ali, during a preliminary interview with a Department of Homeland Security Special Agent, admitted his awareness of the wrongdoing but claimed his motive was to earn money quickly. Despite this initial admission, he refrained from giving an official statement. Consequently, he was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
The subsequent legal proceedings, including Ali’s advice of rights hearing, were presided over by Magistrate Yolan Brow Ross. During this hearing, a bail with a cash component of $750 was set. Further details of the hearing and the case are pending public release.
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