Prosecutor's home torched after cameras disabled Paget

Prosecutor's home torched after cameras disabled Paget Boards of Elections delay in counting votes violates V.I. Code Page 2 (gle Virgin Islands , I a I I c al DAILY NEWS A Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper risoimm CHARGES: ILLEGAL PROCEEDS TOTAL $1.1 MILLION Senator indicted Alvin Williams Jr. and two Senate staffers arrested in federal fraud and bribery case Page 3 899% APP Get eco-friendly products with on EcoSolutions Loan. Find out more today Visi[ your nearest Swtubank Branch. EFTA01071780 2 The Virgin Islands Daily News VIRGIN ISLANDS Friday, November 9, 2012 Prosecutor's home destroyed in suspected arson on St. Croix By LOU MATTE Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — V.I. Police and V.1. Fire Service officials on St. Croix arc investigating what they say is suspected arson at the home of a criminal prosecutor for the V.I. Attorney General's Office. The Estate St. George home of Assistant Attorney General Kip Roberson was fully engulfed in flames when five Fire Service trucks res onded to a 911 call about 11 . Thursday, according to St. Croix Fire Chief Angel Tortes Sr. and Attorney General Vincent Frazer. TOMS estimated that the home had been burning for about 15 min- utes before the call came in. He said firefighters had to force their way through a motorized gate to gain access to the burning house. No one was inside, and no one was hurt in the blaze, but the home was com- pletely destroyed, Torres said. "It's a total loss," Torres said. Torres said firefighters also found that surveillance cameras at the home had been tampered with., "Someone cut the wires," he said. "The wires was pulled out and the screens were pulled out and thrown in the bushes." Tortes said firefighters found evi- dence of tampering on the doors to the home, which appeared that someone had tried to pry the doors open. The Fire Service did not leave the scene until 3:20 •., TOMS said. Torres said Thursday evening that the Fire Service had not contacted any witnesses at that point and that Roberson's home was located in an isolated area. He said he believed Roberson shared the home with another attorney, but he did not know the attorney's name. "Apparently they were a couple, but it's an ongoing investigation," Torres said. "We gotta really follow up on some leads and stuff we're looking at." Roberson could not be reached for comment Thursday evening. Frazer declined to comment about Roberson's living situation. The attorney general said late Thursday Elections boards' slow vote count violates V.I. law By LOU MATTE Daily News Staff Si'. THOMAS — Both Boards of Elections in the Vugin Islands have run afoul of the V.I. Code and board policies in the wake of Tuesday's general electron, from which paper ballot are still being tallied. The V.L Code requires the boards to count the votes for each candidate within a day of receiv- ing ballot materials from the polling places: "Each board of elections, after having received all statements, books, lists, papers, vouchers, ballots, ballot boxes and district register from each polling district and polling place in its dis- uict, shall convene not later than one day follow- ing the receipt thereof and determine the total number of votes cast in the election district for each candidate" The law states that the boards must convene no later than three days after receiving the afore- mentioned materials to tally votes for the Board of Education and Board of Elections races. On Tuesday, a majority of the votes from all races were cast on electronic machines, and results from those ballots were available within hours of the polls closing However, widespread distrust of the machines led to a splice in the use of paper ballots— more than 4500 vote count and, in effect, hampered the boards' abilities to comply with the law. Today marks the third day since the boards received all the ballots from the polling sites Tuesday night. The St. Thomas-St. John Board hopes to fin- ish counting the Senate races by the end of the day today before moving on to other races, according to board member Loma Thomas. The St. Croix Board is scheduled to begin counting its 2,781 paper ballots today. Thomas, who helped on Thursday to oversee her board's tally of about 600 ballots in the ISSN 2159-3019 Daily Newt Ailiastraig • ON*. eft tic. veined .1, by linesiEssawock Carimunicabons Putarstes The Turn 4-6\ Islands NA Neva debt except Sandag thrtumas day and New Vag Dag al 915 fstre thorn. Melon Amalie. Se Thomas. VI ONO/ WI class Praia Paid at Christie Aimee. Si. Taros. USTI USPS 144-180 POSIMPSTEg. send Nem MIA Nonce of Address Cleanse. to Crcualon DIftttOt Daly News. 9155 (MN Thong St Dynes. VI DM Caly Neva Ototo by FIONA STOKES St. Croix Board of Elections member Lisa Harris Moorhead looks on as board members and election judges sort and count ballots Thursday The board issued a statement Thursday that it had finshed sorting more than 2,700 ballots and wil begin counting them today at the Election System Office in Sunny Isle Shopping Center. Senate race, said the law makes little sane in the context of the tenitory's current. paper ballots, which can be counted only by hand. "Literally it would have been impossible to follow," Thomas said when asked about the law. "I don't sec how we could have done that." Thomas said the board should have new vot- ing machines by the 2014 elections that can tally paper ballots automatically. When asked about enforcing the section of the law cited above, V.I. Attorney General Vmcent Frazer said he "would have to look at that and see" The boards'handling of the paper ballots also has brought them into conflict with a Board of ea Virgin Islands DAILY- NEWS A raaterhmeals.te ir••pper. ©2012 oar News PIAISIIINI CO. Calendar 33 Nation & World....12-23 Classifieds inside Opinions 24-25 Comics 34-37 Police Reports 10 Crossword 37 Sports 38-44 Cruise Ships 5 Sudoku inside Horoscope 35 TV Schedule 32 Lottery Results ........12 Weather 12 Elections policy. Joint Board of Elections Chairman Rupert Ross Jr. said Thursday that the joint board passed a policy earlier this year requiring the boards to begincounting any paper ballots the night of the election. He said the policy never was put into writing, but it may exist in some form in minutes from the meeting. He also said the policy lacked an enforcement mechanism. Ross said the intent of the policy, which passed by a 6-5 vote, was to assure that process- ing of the paper ballots began as soon as possi- ble. The sooner the counting begins, the easier it is to comply with another section of the law that requires the boards to certify a final vote count within 10 days of an election, Ross reasoned. The certification deadline already was weigh- ing on the mind of Thomas, who pointed out the St Thomas-St. John Board has yet to touch locked ballot boxes containing absentee ballots and walk-in votes. Elections Supervisor John Abramson Jr. has said the district processed 412 walk-in ballots and mailed 331 absentee ballots. But Thomas was optimistic that the board was gaining momentum after a troubled start "Tempers were a little tight yesterday, but everyone's happy today," Thomas said. "The public was much quieter and accommodating today, and we appreciated them talliteipgidre— t judges to do theirjobs." Candidate Lawrence Olive, who earned 304 paper-ballot votes on Thursday to bump Lisa Williams from ninth place in the Senate race, said he told his supporters to use the paper bal- lots as a more reliable — and legal — alterna- tive to the electronic machines "If the trend continues, I don't see no reason wily I will not be in the top seven," Olive said. "It just goes to show you that the paper ballot is the true count." — Contact reporter Lou Maffei at 714-9124 or email lmattei(o)rbionews.vi. that he had not yet been fully briefed on the fire, but he had a deputy on St. Croix looking into the question of whether the suspected arson could be connected to any cases Roberson was working. "I hope not, but we will look into that," Frazer said. Tortes said the fire remains under investigation by the Police Department's forensics unit and the Fire Service's arson prevention unit. Anyone with information about the fire can call the Fire Service at 7734060 and ask for the arson prevention unit. Section Update Senate AMarge Craig Barshinger 11,133 Wilma Marsh-Monsanto 4,930 St. Thomas-St. John District Clifford Graham 6,840 Shawn-Michael Malone 4,704 Myron Jackson.. 4,661 Janette Millin Young 4,407 Clarence Payne 3,851 Tregenza Roach 3,793 Donald Cole 3,352 Justin Halligan Sr 3,118 Lawrence Olive 3,003 Lisa Williams 2.823 Horace Brooks 2.610 Paul Alexander 2,202 Sean Georges 2,147 Marvin Blyden 2,125 Louis Willis 2,062 Alma Francis+leyliger 1,911 Kent Bernier Sr. 1,800 Janelle Sarauw 1,750 Stephen Frett.. 1,436 Cecilia Milliner-Emanuel 1,191 Joseph Gumbs 1.138 Kyza Callwood 949 Shirley Sadler 826 Elvin Fahie Sr. 804 Nevilira g 727 bat j Atiaki 642 Carol Berry 624 Omodoso Muhammad 411 aeon Marrishow 327 Jodi Hodge 304 Josephine Lindquist 290 Andreas Tietje... ........ ................. 272 Orial Webb 210 Walter Brown 183 Charlesworth Halstead 125 • Unofficial; as of Thursday. Contact us Publisher Jason Robbins 714-9107 robbinsedarynews vi Executive Editor J. Lowe Davis 714-9138 Itnut v'SO Oa dyn Ove$ vi Email dadynowsewpoweinol net Advertising St. Thomas-St. John 714-9141 or 714-9147 Fax: 774-6886 St Croix 773-4425 Fax: 719-3000 Classifieds 714-2222 classifieds @dailynews.vi Mail 9155 EstateThomas St.Thomas, VI 00802 Opinions 714-9138 News St. Thomas-St. John 7.14-9106 Fax: 776-0740 St Croix 773-4425 Fax: 773-1621 Sports 714-9102 Fax: 776-0740 Circulation 714-9101 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Oregon., daily Other subscripico rates available on request The publoher reserves the rught to change sulmcnplion tarsi:tarote term of a subscription with30 days notice The noire maybe t w 4 1 0 rode by mail to the subscribe,. by notice contained in the newspaper aged of otherwise Subscription changes may be Preys-don ingienerced by changolg tie riEVDE0INCel derabon of thesubsetI:hon. ONLINE SUBSCRIPTIONS: EFTA01071781 Friday, November 9, 2012 VIRGIN ISLANDS The Virgin Islands Daily News 3 Sen. Alvin Williams Jr. charged with bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud By ALDETH LEWIN Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — Sen. Alvin Williams Jr. was arrest- ed by federal agents Thursday and charged with bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud. The proceeds of Williams' criminal activities $1.1 million, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Ice. About 4 . Thursday, almost a dozen 10 FBI agents converged on the V.I. Legislature building on St. Thomas, according to several eyewitnesses. The agents went inside and came out escorting Kim Blackett, who is listed on the Legislature website as Williams' chief of staff. Blacken also was charged in an indictment filedTbursday. Another staff member also was charged, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which did not release the per- son's name. Senate President Ronald Russell said he was on St. Croix at the time the agents arrived at the Legislature, but he was informed of the arrest. Russell said he was told that Williams had surrendered to law.enforcement officers. "He turned himself in, that's what 1 understand," Russell said. Russell said he had no additional information Thursday. In October 2011, about 25 federal and local law enforcement officers raided the St. Thomas Senate building and Williams' office. A federal grand jury handed up an indictment Thursday charging Williams, Blacken and a third person with operating and participating in criminal activities including bribery, wire fraud and mail fraud, U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands Ronald Sharpe said in a prepared statement. The indictment has not yet been posted by the District Court. However, the statement from Sharpe includes a number of details from the charging documents includ- ing that Williams is accused of: • Attempting to bribe Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls with $10,000 in cash • Accepting bribes from the developers of Raphune Vistas • Accepting $35,000 in bribes from the developers of the wind turbines at Tutu Park Mall. • Soliciting kick-backs from his own staff in exchange for salary mists. • Committing wire fraud by using public fields topay for courses and having staff members submit work in his name to obtain an online degree in his name from University of Phoenix. According to Sharpe, if Blacken and Williams are convicted, they face a maximum 20-year prison sen- tence and up to $250,000 in fines. Public Works On Sept. 5, 2009, Williams gave the V.I. Public Works Commissioner $10,000 in cash in an attempt to bribe him to give contracts to Ace Development Inc., a company in which Williams had an interest, Sharpe said. In his answers to a Daily News candidate question- naire for the 2006 Voter Guide, Williams said he was the owner ofAcc Development Inc. At the time, Darryl Smalls was the Public Works Commissioner. When The Daily News reached Smalls on Thursday night, he said he had no comment. Sen. Alvin Williams Jr. Raphune Vistas Between Feb. 21, 2007, and Nov. 18, 2011, Williams solicited a bribe from the developers of the Raphune Vista housing development project on St. Thomas, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. The indictment says Williams promoted legislative action and supported the authorization of funding and zon- ing of the project in exchange for which Ace Development received a contract related to the con- struction of Raphune Vistas, Sharpe said. As part of the contract, Ace Development used and/or rented construction equipment to the develop- ers, Sharpe wrote. In May 2009, the Senate approved a zoning change for Oceanside Village Inc., the developers of Raphune Vistas, from R-I, residential low density one- and two-family, to R-4, residential medium density — against the recommendations of the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources. In June 2009, Gov. John delongh Jr. vetoed the zoning change. Tutu wind turbines In September 2008, Williams asked for and received a $10,000 campaign contribution from the developersof the Tutu Park windmill project as a bribe to support leg- islation supporting the project, Sharpe said. Williams also solicited $25,000 in campaign con- tributions from the wind turbine developers between September 2008 and September 2009, 'according to the federal prosecutor. A number of companies were involved with the wind turbine project, including Green Power Electric; Dallas- based Earth, Wind and Power, and Island Wind Power. When the Senate passed a comprehensive renew- able energy bill in 2009, an amendment was tacked on to change the zoning code to allow wind turbines in B-1 and B-3 business zones without having to seek separate zoning approval. The legislation also would have allowed wholesale renewable energy production in B-4 and B-3 zones. The measure was line-item vetoed by deiongh in July 2009. Campaign funds and false reports From January 2006 to December 2011, Williams and a legislative staff member failed to deposit cer- tain campaign contributions; withdrew finds from a campaign account; and submitted false campaign dis- closure reports that failed to include certain contribu- tions, according to Shape. Kick-backs from staff In the summer of 2010, Williams tried to solicit kick-backs from his own staff in exchange for giving them salary increases, the statement from the U.S. attorney's office said. According to Sharpe, the staff members were sup- posed to withdraw a portion of the increased salary in cash and give it to Williams. From September 2010 to July 2011, Williams received such a bribe, Sharpe said. University of Phoenix From April 2007 to February 2008 and from January 2008 to October 2011, Williams and a staff member committed federal wire fraud as the senator sought online degrees from the University of Phoenix. "The indictment alleges that the staff member falsely submitted various documents that were gen- erated, created and authored by others under the direction of and in the name of Williams," Sharpe said in the statement. From January 2008 to October 2011, Williams and Blacken defrauded the government by using public funds for non-legislative purposes, namely pursuing an online degree for Williams, Sharpe said. "As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of Inspector General will aggressively pursue anyone who games the Education system for their own selfish purpose," Special Agent- in-charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Yessyka Santana said in a written statement. The investigation The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the Public Corruption Task Force, a joint federal and local team. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Lindquist, Nolan Paige and Kelly Lake. "The prosecution of public corruption is a top pri- ority of the U.S. Attorney's Office," Sharpe said. "It is a breach of the public trust for public officials to use their office for personal gain." "These individuals have allegedly abused their powers by utilizing their positions to discreetly con- duct illegal activities," IRS-CI Special Agent-in- charge Jose Gonzalez said Thursday. "IRS-CI is com- mitted to following the money trail to ensure that public officials who use their office to line their own pockets arc brought to justice and deprived of their ill-gotten gains." Sharpe asked anyone with direct knowledge of ille- gal acts or information on corruption in the Virgin Islands to call the Public Corruption Task Force at 7154516. — Contact repaterifkkth Lewin ar 714.9111 or email [email protected] Alvin Williams Jr., 34 Democrat Senator, St. Thomas-St. 27fRISEIth 29th Legislatures. • Committees: Chairman of Planning and Environment Protection; vice chairman of Government Operations; r member of Rules and Judiciary, Housing, Sports and Veterans Affairs, Public Safety. Homeland Security and Justice; liaison to the U.S. Congress. Education: 1996 graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School. Claims to have earned an AA online degree from University of Phoenix, but federal indictment puts that in question. Community positions: Former president of St. Thomas-St. John Horse Owners Association. Nor employment Ovmer of Ace Development Inc. and general manager of AArin Williams Trucking and Heavy Equipment Rental, wtilch his Legislature website says has been `contracted by the federal and local governments to provide major development services in the territory: Alvin Williams Jr.'s Senate staff Kim Blackett, chief of staff. Gerry Sprauve, senior advisor. Rasheen St. Juste, constituent officer. Phillip Harrigan, public relations officer- committee coordinator knee' Edwards, administrative assistant, legislative aide. Sources: V.I. Legislature website. www.legvi,org; Williams' answers to Daily News 2006 Voter Guide questionnaire. EFTA01071782 42 The Virgin Islands Daily News SPORTS Friday, November 9, 2012 Daly News Pholo by PM CHAPMAN Ivanna Eudora Kean High School volleybal payer Chantell Grant goes up for a kill n the Lady Rays' 3-1 home win over the Ss. Peter & Paul Lady Jaguars onThursday. ppliWasher ance Sate! Refrigerator Dryer CC Ra es Gee ops to SNI11103 Steel 011011COS Besl Savings In Town! Furniture Plus 340-777-1288 Across from Charlotte Amal ie High School VOLLEYBALL CONTINUED FROM THE BACK PAGE the ball ova her own head and just inside the out-of-bounds antenna. The ball chopped imtouched in the eager of the Ss. Pen and Paul half The Lady Jags struggled to for- get about such points and assis- tant coach Ronald Blyden noted that emotion is the team's biggest issue. Blyden was filling in for head coach G igi Quetel, who was unable to attend the game. "They have their issues and their problems — I understand that — but they feed off of each other negatively, unfortunately," Blyden said. "But they are gifted, that's for sure. That's one of the reasons I'm sticking with them and I don't want to leave." Kean (7-3) will try to transfer its energy over to St. Croix today and Saturday at the Educational Complex Invitational. Coach Jennifer Matthias hopes to see more consistency out of her team, especially Grant. "She brings a lot of energy, but sometimes her energy is in her mouth, cheering. But 1 need more of her energy to go into playing more on the court," Matthias said. "They love to cheer and make that kind of noise, but I wish they had that energy also when they're playing the ball. They're a good group of girls, but sometimes they get sidetracked." — Contact reporter Tim Chapman at 714-9101 or tchapmanatlailvnews.vi. Boras: Dodgers By RONALD BLUM The Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — With baseball awash in record revenue as the signing season starts, Scott Boras com- pares the habits of teams to families sifting through supermarket shelves At the winter meetings in Dallas last year, the agent had this to say of the financially troubled Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets: "Normally, they're in the steaks sec- tion, and I found them in the fruits-and- nuts category a lot" Since then, the Dodgers have been sold for $2 billion. The Mets owners have agreed to pay up to $162 million — and likely much less — in a deal with the trustee for Bernard Madoff's fraud victims. So on Wednesday at the general managers' meeting. Boras said his view of the Dodgers had changed "I think they bought the store," he said. And as for the Mets? "The best you can say is that they might be in the freezer section," he 'bought store,' Mets 'in freezer' explained. "But there's a lot of good, longstanding products that they can acquire there." Slugger Josh Hamilton and pitcher Zack Greinke are among the top play- ers in a relatively weak free-agent class that also includes outfielders B.J. Upton, Michael Boum, Toni Hunter andNick Swisher; first basemanAdam LaRoche; and pitchers Kyle Lobse and Rafael Soriano. Baseball estimates revenue this year at $2.5 billion — an increase of about $500 million. National television con- tracts with Fox and Turner that run from 2014-21 will double the average yearly money baseball receives to about $800 million. And perhaps the biggest evidence of baseball's wealth is franchise values— the Dodgers sold for $2 billion this year in a bankruptcy court auction and the lowly San Diego Padres were bought for $800 million. Since the Dodgers were bought last spring by a group headed by Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and Magic Johnson, they increased their payroll by about $35 million, adding infielder Hanley Ramirez, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, closer Brandon League, pitcher Josh Beckett and outfielder Carl Crawford. The Dodgers' payroll next year might approach or surpass that of the New York Yankees, who have topped spending every year since Los Angeles edged them by SI million in 2001. New York is vowing b cut it payroll by 2014 because of changes in the col- lective bargaining agreement that will cut the team's revenue-sharing bill if it doesn't wind up paying a luxwy tax. Infielder Maicer lztruis became the first major league free agent to switch teams this offseason, agreeing to a SI0 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 32-year-old hit 256with 17 steals in 19 trues, two hom- as and 20 RBIs this year for the Angels. FOOTBALL CONTINUED FROM THE BACK PAGE against Charlotte Amalie High School in mid-October, but rebound- ed with a 46-0 win over Central High on St. Croix before last week's bye. "Wehave a lot of senior leadership," Neely said, "so really these guys gov- ern themselves — guys like Nathan Braithwaite, our quarterback." Braithwaite, a senior, has found Cilliers and senior receivers Omar Henderson and Lucas Berry on touchdown passes. Kean High sophomore quarterback Shunnel Greenaway must exhibit more poise to give his team a chance. Greenaway looked sharp in the first half of last week's 36-10 loss to CAHS, but the offense sputtered down the stretch. "I'm trying to keep him to main- tain focus and be patient," Donovan said. "When he was patient in the first half of the game, we were mov- ing the ball. Everything doesn't have to be deep. Every pass doesn't have to be a touchdown right away. He's only 16 years old, so sometimes he gets too excited and gets away from Local Briefs Basketball clinics ST. CROIX — The Sports, Parks and Recreation Department will conduct after-school basketball clinics at Rudy Krigger Ballpark in Sion Farm every Wednesday through Dec. 19. The clinics arc geared toward teaching youths the funda- mentals of basketball and or chit ages 7 through 12. Free registration is from I to 6 at Krigger Ballpark. For more information, arita Stevens at 7730160. St.ThomasYacht Club race, fundraiser ST. THOMAS — The St. Thomas Yacht Club is host- ing a race and pig roast on Dec. 15 to benefit the club's youth sailing program. The $40 entrance fee includes two tickets per boat for the pig roast following the race. Sailors of all ages are welcome, and the race is open to IC-24 s,Racers, Cruising boats and any boat 24 feet or longer. Trophies and gift certificates will be resented to the top three boats. The race will start 8:55 M., but skippers will meet at 8 MI The event is sponsored by Scotiabank and Budget Marine. For more information, contact the club at 775.6320. Basketball clinic ST. CROIX — The USVI Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation, the Department of Tourism and the Paradise Jam Organization will host a basketball clinic the pace of the game." Greenaway's protection will not come easy. Mitts had two sacks and recovered a fumble to lead the Arawaks defense in the first meeting. If the Arawaks win tonight and defeat CAHS (4-0) next week, both teams will have one loss. CAHS is idle the following week, and the Arawaks finish against struggling St. Croix Educational Complex. In the case of a tie in the final reg- ular season standings, point differen- tial will determine which team quali- fies for the territory championship on Dec. 8. from 9:30 M. to 12:30 • on Monday at Central High School's Ronald Charles Gymnasium. The clinic will be conducted by Nels Hawkinson, the president and executive director of Basketball Travelers Inc., and is for boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 18. BTI organizes the Paradise Jam and other college and high school tournaments around the world. Hawkinson will be joined by colleague Craig Jonas. Participants will receive Paradise Jam posters and T- shirts and have a chance to win complimentary tickets to the tournament, whichbeginsNov. 16. Rugby practice ST. THOMAS — The USVI Rugby Football Union practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week from 6- at Charlotte Amalie High School. Veterans, novic- es and first-time players are all welcome to participate. The group is training for upcoming scrimmages with the BVI and other down-island teams. For details, email Dan Perez at , visit their web site at www.usvirugby.org or call 941-565-0031. After-school junior tennis program ST. CROIX — Tennis pros Don de Wilde and Kristopher Ellen is running an after-school junior tennis program through Christmas at the Buccaneer Hotel for players between the ages of 5 to 18. For more information, or to ask about times, costs or registration. call 718-3036. EFTA01071783 r• The Vrrgih'ISiandS Dairy News viitasti§LANbs Friday', NoYethber 9, 2912 Boat captain arrested in 2011 death of parasailor By LOU MATTEI Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — Boat captain Kyle Coleman was arrested Wednesday on a charge that he caused the 2011 death of a parasail- or through misconduct, negligence and inattention to his duties, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Thursday. Coleman, the captain of the motor boat Turtle, was conducting pare- sailing excursions just south of Water Island on Nov. IS, 2011, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Bernice Kraftcheck and her daughter, Danielle Haese, were hoisted into the air for the parasail tide as wind conditions were deteriorating. "The strong winds and a weak tow-line caused the tow-line to break, resulting in the parasail sep- arating from the vessel and the two women falling into the water," the statement reads. "The wind then propelled the parasail, with the women still attached, at a very high rate of speed causing the death of Kraftcheck and serious injuries to Haese." The U.S. Coast Guard "aggres- sively investigated" the accident, which led to Coleman's arrest and the surrender of his merchant mari- ner's license in June, according to a prepared statement by Capt Drew Pearson, the Coast Guard's San Juan commander. "The Coast Guard takes safety at sea very seriously. and will ensure that,any mariner who causes anoth7 cr's death through misconduct, neg- ligence, and inattention to his duties is held accountable in a court of law," Pearson said in the release A medical examiner pronounced Kraftcheck, 60, of Round Lake, Ill., dead at the West Indian Co. dock the afternoon of the accident. Haese, 34 at the time, of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., was hospitalized overnight at Schneider Hospital. The women were passengers aboard the Celebrity Eclipse and bought a parasailing shore-excur- sion operated by Caribbean Watersports and Tours. The one-count grand jury indict- ment charging Coleman was not available on the District Court's online court records database as of Thursday night. Coleman, 32, made his first appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller and was released on a 510,000 unsecured bond, according to the release. He is scheduled to be arraigned in District Court on Nov. 14, one day shy of the one-year anniversary of Kraftcheck's death. If convicted, Coleman could face up to :0 years in prison and a 5250,000 fine. — Contact reporter Lou Mattel at 714.9124 or email lm Nelson tells Luis board that hospital is still falling short of standards By JOY BLACKBURN Daily News Staff ST. CRON — Luis Hospital Chief Executive Jeff Nelson updated board members about the hospital's status with federal regulators during a meet- ing Thursday night. Luis remains under the regulatory microscope with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — and the hospital's certification from the federal agency is potentially at stake. CMS certification indicates a hos- pital meets certain standards, and if a hospital is decertified, it is no longer eligible to receive payments from the federal agency for services the hospi- tal provides to Medicare and n knee Impacting Your World Christian Ministries is now located at Antilles School Prior-Jollek Hall Come and worship with us Sunday morning at 9 am and Wednesday at 7 pm. Youth meets on Friday at 7 pm. We are a church that is dedicated to reaching our community and the world with the Love of God. II you we looking for a wonderful place to worship. A place where the preaching is practical and relevant for today. A place where you children are taught tho Word of God. A place that is interested in your spines) growth. Come visit us al Prior Jollek Hall St Thomas. We are committed to Impacting this World with the love of God. creating people who cannot be destroyed. For information contact 340-715-2482 email: [email protected] Medicaid patients. Revenues from CMS patients rep- resent about 60 percent of the hospi- tal's income, Nelson said Thursday. The hospital currently is operating under two settlement agreements with CMS, aimed at fixing problems found by inspectors from the federal agency during inspcctions in recent years. One of the agreements involves the entire hospital. Nelson on Thursday said that the hospital recently had received a state- ment of deficiencies from CMS after inspectors conducted a follow-up, focused survey in September as part of the monitoring on that agreement. Inspectors had found some improvements, "but not enough," Nelson said Thursday. The hospital has submitted a plan of correction for the deficiencies, but the federal agency said that the plan was not creative or detailed enough, Nelson told the board. Hospital officials will work on the plan of correction, and once CMS approves it, the elements of the plan will be part of the overall settlement agreement, Nelson said after the meeting. Luis has until Feb. 13 to meet the federal agency's mandates for improvement or it potentially will lose CMS certification — although Nelson said the surveys could come sooner. "We may see CMS here as early as mid-December," Nelson said. The hospital also is in the process of temporarily shutting down its psy- chiatric unit for 90 days in an effort to make improvements in that unit, officials said. Luis.is working with a hospital in the United States to come to an agreement to temporarily trans- fer its patients there, officials said. The plan to temporarily close the unit prompted considerable discus- sion at the meeting. Some advocates for the mentally ill, as well as some physicians, raised questions about the wisdom of the move. Board members said it was neces- sary to make improvements to the unit so that the hospital can keep the unit open in the long-term. The other settlement agreement Luis Hospital has with CMS is for the dialysis unit. The hospital has met the federal standards for that unit, but the settle- ment agreement remains in place because CMS wanted to ensure that the positive changes were sustained, Nelson said. That settlement agreement has been extended once, and NcNon told board members Thursday that he anticipates it will be extended again for further monitoring, although he. did not know for how long. In other action, the board discussed and approved reports and a variety of recommendations from its Finance Committee. It also approved a policy related to public access to board meeting minutes. Board chairwoman Kye Walker said the document puts the board's current practices into a policy. — Cott Joy Blachttan a 714.9145 or entail [email protected]. V.I. National Park to offer free admission toTrunk Bay Daily News Staff In recognition of Veterans Day, the National Park Service has designated Saturday, Sunday and Monday as a "fee-free weekend." All visitors to National Park sites in the territory, including Trunk Bay on St. John, will be admitted flee. Trunk Bay Beach is one the most- visited beaches on St. John, and is home to an underwater trail, where swimmers are able to snorkel over a reef and read plaques identifying coral and fish below. To avoid over-crowding of the Trunk Bay parking lot, National Park personnel arc encouraging visitors to carpool or take a safari taxi. For more information, call Andrea Joseph at 7766201 ext. 249. You' - WWW SUNLAWVICOM-- n Oil R e a CLAIM? PATE LAW FIRM (340) 777-5270 EFTA01071784 Friday, November 9, 2012 VIRGIN ISLANDS The Virgin Islands Daily News 7 Daly News Flo Prole Anvican Legion members salute as the national anthem is played at a Veterans Day program ti Frederiksted. Events honor servicemen and veterans By AUXIN LEWIN Daily News Staff Monday is Veterans Day, but the whole month of November is Military Appreciation Month, and a series of activities arc planned to honor and pay tribute to those who fought for our country. Today, veterans will visit two St. Croix schools to give presentations to students. Mcmbersof American Legion Post 102 will be "teachers for a day" at Ricardo Richards Elementary School They also will present gifts to the school and administer an essay con- test fcc students American Legion Post 133 will be at Arthur Richards Jr. High School talking to students about veterans issues. "These are things they're doing through the week to celebrate Veterans Day and National Education Week," American Legion District Commander Charles David said. Parades and programs honoring the territory's veterans will take place Sunday and Monday. Sunday, St. Thomas will host a Veterans Day Parade and ceremony. The parade starts at 3 at Addclita Cancryn Junior Hillichool and travels to Franklin Delano Roosevelt Veterans Memorial Park. Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Farrell will be the parade marshal, and the ceremony will feature retired Lt. Col. Marilyn Georges of the U.S. Marine Corps as the guest speaker. On Monday, St. Croix and St. Jolm will host Veterans Day parades and programs On St. Croix, the parade starts at 9:30.. sharp at Bassin Triangle and ends at the Christiansted grandstand. "This year we have as our parade marshal retired Sgt. Major. Monroe F. Clendenden Jr.," David said. At the bandstand, the guest speak- er Will be Virdin C. Brown, the civil- ian aide to the secretary of the Army for the Virgin Islands David said many youths will be participating in the parade including the marching bands from Central High School and St. Croix Educational Complex, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl Scouts. The American Legion will also have a large contingent marching in the parade, he said. "It should be a good parade, just remembering and thanking the veter- ans for their service and all they've done helping to keep us free," David said On St. John, the parade will start at 3 in Cruz Bay, followed by a program in Franklin Powell Park. David said the parade marshal will be Elmo Rabsctt Sr , and Georges also will be the guest speaker on St. John. "We're expecting the governor to make presentations at all of these events," David said. On Thursday, a tree plantin_gsere- mony will take place 5:30 in Frederiksted at Verne Richards Veterans Park. "That will more or less close out the week for Veterans'," David said. Gov. John delongb Jr. granted all government workers administrative leave Monday to participate in the festivities honoring the territory's veterans. "1 urge all residents of the territory to remember the sacrifices and con- tributions of all those who, when called upon to do so, served this ter- ritory and this nation honorably in time of war and peace to preserve our heritage of freedom," deiongh stated in his Veterans Day proclamation. "We must rededicate ourselves to the task of promoting world peace as the most profound reward which we might bestow upon our veterans." For more .inf ormation about Veterans Day activities call David at 712.7766 or the St. Thomas-St. John District Office of Veterans Affairs at 774-6100. • — Contact reporter Aldeth Lewin at 714.9111 or email [email protected]. Freedom from Fibroids Without Surgery There's a new option for treating uterine fibroids. It's non-surgical and doesn't require a hospital stay. It's uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) performed by St. Thomas Radiology Associates. Learn more at www.radiology.vi or call 774-0265 for a consultation. St Thomas Radiology Associates Paragon Medical Building Suite 103 St Thomas, USV1 at. ST.TWOMAS RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATES SBS GROUP The Standard in Business Services Save money on in-house bookkeeping Payroll I accounts receivable I accounts payable I financials I planning I analysis Across from Nisky Center, St. Thomas 340-774-7727 • wwwsbsgroup.us r rn Cessna kmphiblous Planes • Large Leather Seats • Quiet Cabin Cool Air • Conditioning • St. Thomas • St. Croix INDUSTRIOUS AUTO PARTS • Large Inventory In-Stock • Parts Shipped to the BVI, St. John & St.Croix Locally Owned & Operated Providing Over 35 Years of Service Two Convenient Locations Sub Base 774-1585 Tutu 774-0707 Monday-Friday 8-5 pm Saturday 8-12 pm QUALITY PARTS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES EFTA01071785 10 The Virgin Islands Daily News FOR THE RECORD Friday, November 9, 2012 Tbc policc blotter is thc Territoria! Emergency Management Agency's list of incidents and thc time they ware rcported to the police. St, Croix Charged: Possession of stolen property Vask in Jacobs, 23, of Estate Grove Place was arrested 2:53 Wedncsday and charged with passes- sion of stolen property. Policc said he was found with parts on his vehicle John B. Weekes Sr. On Nov. 1, 2012, John B. Weekes Sr., owner of Weekes & Weekes Bakery, quictly slipped away into the arms of bis Lord and Savior at home with close family and friends by bis side. He bas left bchind a very large family, oceans of friends auditie communi- ty he loved and gave so gencrous- ly to. He was best known for his world famous hot and tasty butler bread. Thc first view- ing wilt be held Nov. 16, 2012, at Davis Funeral Home Chapel from 4:30 to 6:30 5., followed by a cel- ebration of bis lif c at Palms Court Harborvicw at 7 I.. The second viewing will be held Nov. 17, 2012, at V.I. Christian Ministries in Bolongo Bay at 8 followed by tbc service at 10 a.m. The burial will be private. He was preceded in death by his children, Arthur "Kiyama" Lewis and Jacqueline Wet Lyon, He is survived by bis wife,Audrcy M. Weekes; children, Elmon Weekes, Paulette Weekes Trocard, Debra Weekes Allen, Charminc Weekes,JacinthWeekes Gray, Eloisc Weekes Lewis, Bernice Weekes. Anthony, Felix Weekes, Andy Weekes, Wendy Weekes Carbon, Deter Weekes, Cindy Weekes Kydd, Marsha Weekes Williams, Eustace Weekes, John Weekes Jr., Shenelle Weekes, Chantel Weekes, Tanya Weekes, Actavia Weekes, Johanna Weekes; grandchildrcn, Aswad Weekes, Zowadie Weekes, Nayaka Weekes, Ricardo Allen, Renaldo Allen, Reine Allen, Marcia Ittekes Garcia, Noel Gray Jr., Natalie Gray, Orencia Herbert, Ethelyn Newton, Dawn Charlemagne, Ezekiel Watticy, Rochelle Mack, Akicl Mack, Toushika Anthony, Chefton Newton, Sbarima Newton, Marissa Newton, Weekes, Brianna John 8. Weekes Sr. that had been reported stolen. He was rcleased on 510,000 bail. • • • Incidents rocordcd in tbc policc blotter Thursday includsd: Assault — 5:21 Thursday, La Reine; 6:57 5 Thursday, Peter's Rest. Burglary-6:485 Wednesda Mount Plcasant; 1020 Wodnesday, Estatc Profit; 8:50 Thursday, Mount Plcasant; 9:36 Thursday, Work and Rest; 3:14 Thursday, La Grande Princesse. Destruction of property — 8:06 ffi Thursday, Sprat Hall. Larceny — 10:46 ffi. Thursday, Kydd, Brinya Kydd, Zion Weekes, Britney Weckes, Sbekinah Weekes, Hezekiah Weekes Kymoi Weekes, Jude Weekes, Weekes Huntc, Karisma Weekes, Noris Wilkins, Terrance Leonard, Samarie George; brothers, Everton Meade, Aldrick Meade, George Meade, Julian Meade, Arthur Meade, the Edward Jackson Meade family out of English Habour, Antigua; sons-in— law, Andrew Williams, Eustacc Trocard, Brian Kydd, James Carbon, Omis Lewis; special friend, Marcola Carlo; and caretakers, Mary Carpio and Nelia Mesca. Arrangements are by Davis Funeral Home. - Obituarywritten by the family. Paula Gonzalez Martinez Paula Gonzalez Martinez, 87, for- merly of St. Thomas, died in Loganvillc, Ga., on Oct. 28, 2012. Services will be held at 11 ■ Saturday at Nuastra Sonora del Carmen Catholic Church in Culebra, Puerto Rico. The family will riceive friends and rela- tives at tbc church at' 10:30 ffi . Services will be held later, and burial will follow at Culebra Municipal Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on St. Thomas at a later date. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Hermategildo "Gildo" Martinez. In 1944, they opened their first grocery store on Kronprindsens Gade, St Thomas, where they senved the people of the ana for 12 years In 1956. they moved to Contant 7B-15 where thcy operatod Martinez Self-Service until 1980 when they rctired and moved to their birthplacc of Culebra, where they lived until Gildo passed away in 2005. Paula rclocatod to Atlanta, Ga., where she lived with her daughter Sonia M. Grcaux and son-in-law, Roland H. Paula Gonzalez Martinez Police Reports Sunny Islos; 2:04 I.. Thursday, Castle Coakley. Outside fire — 9:06 ffi . Wednesday, St. Georges; 3:01 ffi . Thursday, South Shore Road. Structure fire — 9:12 ffi . Thursday, Mount Plcasant; 11:01 Thursday, St. Georges. • St. Thomas Charged: Burglary Edvard Richards 30, of St. John, was arrested at 6 In. Tucsday and charged with third-degree burglary on Kronprindsens Gade. Bond was Deaths set at 555,000. Charged: Driving under the influence Lisa Babcock, 39, of Estate Hope, was arrested at 10:15 Wed n csday and charged with dnvang under the influence and negligent driving. Bond was set at 5500. • • • Incidents recorded in the policc blottcr Wednesday and Thursday included: Assault — 9:53 5Thursday, Contant 3:165 Thursday, Bovoni; 3:46 ffi. Thuisday, Tutu Hi-Rist. • Funeral Schedule • Name Date of death Sen/ce Arratwements St. Thomas Jennie V. Douglas Oct. 28, 2012 Pending Turnbull's Egbert Evanson Od. 29, 2012 Wednesday Turnbuts Slyvia Agatha Hyachth.... Oct. 29, 2012 Today John Thomas Neville Lee Ocl. 30.2012 Pending Turnbuts Louis V. Murray Sept. 27, 2012 Pending John Thomas Llston L. Powell Jr Od. 22, 2012 Saturday Turnbuts Freddy N. Sanchez Sept. 7, 2012 Pending John Thomas Andre Tanise Sept. 7, 2012 Pending John Thomas Charles Smith Oct. 27, 2012 Pending Davis Jemilia Vagga Oct 23, 2012 Pending Turnbuts Josephine Esprit-Viretister...0cL 29, 2012 Pending. Turnbuts John Weeks Sr. Nar. 1, 2012 Nov.17 Davis !va Williams Ocl 23, 2012 Saturday Turnbull's Karlmak Wdliams Oct. 28, 2012 Today Davis Grcaux, until her passing. She is survived by her sister, Virginia Gonzalez; children, Sonia M. Greaux, Luz A. Moron, Paula M. Buice and Gildo A. Martinez; sons-in law, Roland H. Grcaux, Robert G. Moron and David C. Buice; daugh- ter-in-law, Constance D. Martinez; grandchildren, Ashlee Martinez, Roland H. Greaux II and his wif c, Amber Grcaux, Mclissa Grcaux White, Robert G. Moron II and avife, Noelle Moron, Christopher G. Moron, Andrea Buice Crockett and husband, John Ii Crockctt; great- grandchildren, Dylan H. White, Brayden H. White and Deven J. Moron; special sisters-in- law, Anaclia Barbosa and Ramonita Romero-Gonzalez; special nietes, Nocmi Gonzalez, Myrta G. Benet and Diana Gonzalez; nephew, Beno Gonzalez She is also survived by the Barbosa, Gonzalez and Carrillo fam- ilies of St. Thomas, the Gonzalez family of Culebra, and many other relatives and friends. In lieu of fiowers, and in her mem- ory, o donations made to Clear Blue Sky. Inc.,., 1i . Box 778, St. Thomas, V.I. , phone 340-774- 9688. Clcar Blue Sky, Inc. is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization that helps people with mental illness mach their full potential. Arrangements are by the Tim Stewart Funeral Home in Loganville, Ga., and Carrasco Funeral Home in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. — Obituay written by the family. lya Williams Services will be held Saturday fet tva Williams, who died Oct. 23, 2012. Thc vieven is from 5 to 7 today at Tumbull's Funeral Home, with thc service at 10 Eg Saturday at All Saints Church. Thc burial will be at Western Cemetery No. I. She is survived by a daughtcr, Merie Hodge-Caines; sisters, Iris Larcheveaux Adams, Beulah Larcheveau Wilson, Eldra Larcheveaux, Elvanor Larcheveaux Tyson; brothers, Luther Davis, Lionel Larcheveaux; sister-in-law, Mary Malone; brother-in-law, Romeo Malone; Brandsons. Raymond (Malo) George, Rcynaldo (Yambo) St. George, Ivan Smith, Douglas (Dougic) Smith, Mark D. Hodge, Matthew D. Hodge; granddaughters; Marilyn (Bambi) George, Joanne Iva Williams Burglary — 7:33 Wednesday, Hull Bay; 8:05 ffi. Thursday, Hull Bay. Larceny — 8:53 s Tbursday, Marina Marker; 12:59 Thursday, Al Cohen Mali Structure (Ira — 2:05 ffi . lbursday,Polyberg Hill. Vedels damaga — 10:58 ffi. Thursday, Garden Street. St. John Incidents rocordcd in the policc blotter Thursday includcd: Assault — 1:16 ffi . Thursday, Cruz Bay. Smith, Charmaine Caines, Pamela Browne-Hodge, Cheryl Dawson- Robtps, Nynior Hodge-Johnson, Amy Hodge; great-grandchildren, Ymassie George, Kambo George, Yambo George, Cheneva George, Travis George, Promise George, Pain George, Zia George, Joy George, Raheem George, Kareem George, ShinacMica George, Takta George, K'Shambo George, Rambo George, Tikisha George, Kwanza Gcorgc, Kimisa George, Andre George, Angela St. Gcorgc, Rama St. George, Kaloma Smith, Tau Smith, Tacuma Smith, Machida Smith, Zacbea Smith, Shantel Smith, Marianne Smith, Kera Smith, Patrick Daniel, Damal Smith, K'Shawn Robles, Chcquida Robles, Chereda Robles, Pamesba Perez, Richard (Rakeel) Hodge, Rakiesha Hodge; great-great-grandchildren, Ymassie George Jr., Kinani George, Torriar George, Travis George Jr., Allyanna George, Amir Gcorgc, Knica George, Scshaun George, Jodiya Williams, Ashat Williams, Jeremy Williams, Millian Brown, Dearick Banks Jr. David Lugar Jr, Davion Dorsen; nietes, Lera Richards, Lela Holder, Lita Adams, Lbis, Cheryl Duran, Andrea Duran, Marisa Duran, Parrish Warren, Kamona Warren-Cham, Rita Robles, Andrea Larcheveaux, Amclia Larcheveaux, Tesha Larcheveaux, Deborah Larcheveaux, Shenyl Larcheveaux, Emily Larcheveaux, Christic Larcheveaux; nephews, Leroy Adams, Allen Estiridge, Alva Estridge, Vem Parson, Christopher Davis, Michael Davis, Bruce Duran, Michael Duran, Kovin Duran, Bryan Duran; close cousins, Gloria Lcnard and Janet; caretaker, Fclicia A. Brownlow; and god- daughter, Yveonne Warkcr. She was precededin death by a son, Conrad Lorenzo Hodge; sis- ters, Rita Larcheveaux Santos, Louise Larcheveaux Ali; brothcr, Archibald Larcheveaux; nietes, Rosalind Tarvcr, Michelle Duran; and nephew, Keith Duran. Arrangements are by Turnbull's Funeral Home. EFTA01071786 24 The Virgin Islands Daily News O19NIONS Friday, November 9, 2012 The Virgin Islands Daily News Founded Aug L 7930, by). Antonio Jarvis and Adel Melchior St. Published by Daily News Publishing Co. EDITORIAL BOARD Jason Robbins.. Publisher Kevin Ouviney,Acherdsing Mott Onnekathalenger. Decagon Dine J loeDavi.ExecutiveEdior Kan E. Ryan. 9707kaion DireCIOr Maurice Atom Ming & CollOCOOnS Manager -EDITORIAL OBSERVER- An invigorated second term From The New York Times. Early Wednesday morning, as sleep-deprived supporters rallied for a final cheer, President Barack Obama concluded his re-election campaign with a promising glimpse at what the fight was all about: a second-term agenda that can make real progress on issues neglected in the first. Without question, the president intends to build on and improve the signifi- cant accomplishments of the last four years, particularly the full implementa- tion of health care reform and the use of government policy to keep the econ- omy growing. But the president went beyond that in his victory speech and added some less familiar words to his policy vocabulary. Children should live in a world that is not burdened by debt or weakened by ineqtrality, he said, but also one"that isn'tthmatenedby thedestructive power of a warming planet." That suggests he knows he has an opportunity to address cli- mate change with more vigor, going beyond auto-mileage standards and renew- able-energy jobs to possibly advocating tougher carbon emissions standards. The president also said he was looking forward to working with Republicans to fix the immigration system, giving him a chance to do more than promote the DREAM Act for young immigrants. He could lead the way to comprehen- sive reform that combines strong enforcement with a path to citizenship for immigrants already here. He also hinted that combating poverty might move higher on his priority list. And he spoke of tax reform, an issue that will immediately begin to grow louder with the expiation of the Bush-era tax cuts at year's end. Obama won re-election on an unambiguous promise not to renew those cuts for incomes of $250,000 or more, and his supporters expect him to stick to that vow. In com- ing months, after he persuades Congress to keep taxes from rising on the mid- dle class, he should push to restore a fair estate tax and raise the low capital gains ratc to the level of ordinary income. He even mentioned the need to fix a balloting system that left thousands of people standing in long lines to vote this week, a tantalizing hint that electoral reform might become a priority. All these agenda items require the same ingredient ending his standoffish attitude toward Congress and working closely with any leader or lawmaker willing to make real progress. That may be easier now that Senate Democrats (and their independent allies) have expanded their majority by two scats to 55, many of them filled with newcomers more liberal and feisty than their prede cessors, most notably Elizabith Warren ofMassachusetts. The new Democratic caucus' first order of business should be a reform of the filibuster that prevents its routine abuse by Republicans, and the majority leader, Harry Reid, suggested Wednesday that he supported some modest changes. The newcomers, along with the White House, should forcefully advocate that he go as far as possible. A newly energized Obama administration and Senate could have the effect of isolating the supply-side dead-enders in the House. John Bochncr, the House speaker, announced Wednesday that nothing had changed; he and his caucus still oppose higher tax rates for the rich and still want to pursue Romney's defeated goal of raising revenue by lowering rates and cutting unspecified loop- holes Standing up to Republican recalcitrance on this and many other issues will require bringing to bear political pressure from the coalition that gave Obama a commanding victory in the Electoral College on Tuesday. The president's victory was decisive, and many who didn't support him nonetheless told pollsters that they agreed with his positions on taxes, health care and immigration. He now needs to use the power that voters have given to him to enhance and broaden his agenda. See Your Views In Print We require thatyou include your full name, island of residence and telephone number so our staff can contact you. We will not print the phone numbers, but we will call you to verify that the letter or column came from you and to discuss any significant editing that might be necessary. Seed Letters, Essays, Halos and Pitchforks, Cartoons or other original material to: [email protected]. U.S. politics America has changed. There are periods when we grow as a society in degrees. Then there are times when we take great leaps for- ward. If you examine the history of our country back to the days of the first Spanish, English and French immigrants, you will see certain moments when our national dynamic shifted. This week, we saw a moment when the America that has been growing and changing by degrees met with a moment when America made a hard ban on its path. For years we have seen the brown- ing ofAmcrica. For yeas we have seen the tolerance and acceptance level of different religions, economic condi- tions, sexual orientations, political beliefs and ancestries grow in mea- sured steps through the increase in one- on-one interactions and social media. - For years we have seen the steady progress of women, and felt a subtle shift in the rhythm of America. This week, we saw several of these trends converge in a moment when it became evident that once again, America has changed The demographics of the exit polls tell an interesting story. President Obama's support came overwhelming- ly from groups of people who are often described as disenfranchised: • Those who make less than S50,000 per year, • Those with some or no college education; • Women; • Young peoplc • People of color. These groups, who in the past have felt like their votes were taken for granted, for the first time in a long time, saw their votes carry weight that makes them get noticed. People more "wonky" than me will changes for the better Martel Blake be going over these numbers for months to come. These numbers tell me, though, that the reason why so many people were surprised about the outcome in this race ignored the rum- ben that bad nothing to do with polls. They want to say that it is because these communities were voting to keep their entitlements and "handouts," but that is just a denial of the real truth. What people want is to no longer feel disenfranchised and nurninalizat What people want is for their voices to be iicluded, not shouted down. Recent data shows that women now outnumber men by a slim margin. More people live in cities. People of color now make up almost a third of the population The average age is 37. Almost two thirds of us own homes, but there are more of us who have either never been married or are divorced than there are those of us who are married. The fastest shrinling demographic is white men. So many of the people who fit the demographics that elected President Obama are those in demographics that are seeing theirnumbers grow and also are becoming more politically active and savvy. They arc truly looking to connect with candidates who have their concerns in mind. These are not one- issue voters. They care about the economy but they also care about their place in our society. They want their social issues to be a part of the discussion. Our nation- al identity is more about inclusion than assimilation. This is a vast switch from where we have beat. Those of us in groups that have been considered on the fringe or in the minority have found solidarity in our experiences in this country and are increasingly deciding we are no longer satisfied with vying to fit in and would rather have a seat at the table as our unique selves. Women, the LGBT community and Latinos made great strides with this election. AfticanAmericans and young people reminded the political parties of the value of their support There is a lot of finger pointing from the Republican tailing heads as to why their candidate lost It seems they arc slowly coming to realize it was not only whom they ran as candidates but also where those candidates stood on issues that are important to this grow- ing voting power block. I was struck by how few people of color were in the crowds for Mitt Romney toward the end of the cam- paign. It was like they no longer carol about even the illusion of inclusion, and instead decided to back their future on their main demographic. What their campaign failed to take into consider- ation is that the issues that matter most to people right now stretch across racial and gender lines. Those of us usually considered on the fringe are multifaceted and have learned a very powerful lesson after this election. When we band together to get our issues on the agenda, we force the conversation to change. Hopefully, both parties have learned that you don't have to pander to us, but you do have to listen to us because we are not going away. America has changed, and if history is any indication that is a very good thing. Let's just hope we embrace the change in the spent of cooperation and not segregation — Contact Doily News contribut- in columnist Marie, Blake at K15514 aravtePinseussa fbm.smeens ■ EFTA01071787 Friday, November 9, 2012 OPINIONS The Virgin Islands Daily News45 • • • Happy days, even with the cliff La Di Dah Di Dab... We have been through a lot, people. But now the presidential race is sealed Barack Obama won. People on both sides worked heroically, and, on Tuesday, their candidates behaved well. This should be a happy time. Oh, my God! There's a fiscal cliff! We're all going to fall over and go bankrupt! Did you just hear the cheats) rule? The fiscal cliffdoesn't happen until the end of the year when the Bush tex cuts expire and monster budget cuts auto- matically kick in. Now that the elec- tion's over, everybody will certainly be ready to move forward and work some- thing out Except possibly Gov. Rick Perry, who celebrated the president's re-elec- tion by demanding the repeal of Obamacare. And then there was Donald Trump, who tweeted during the vote count: "Lets fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice! The world is laughing at us." Actually Trump has no conceivable impact on anything. I just wanted to take this opportunity to reminisce about the time he sent me an Sc, handwrit- ten message in which he misspelled the word"too." But look at Rep. John Boehner. On Wednesday, the House speaker gave a speech in which be vowed to be coop- erative. "Mister President, this is your moment. We're ready to be led," he said xcept for a few no-go areas, such as any ta increases on "small busi- ness." You may remember from previ- ous crises that the House Republicans oppose raising income ta es on the wealthy because it would impact snug- gling small businesses such as a hedge Gail Collins fiind manager with an eight-figure annual income. Boebner also raised a whole new specter of political peril: "going over pad of the fiscal cliff." That sounded less dire, as long as we all stay inside our dangling cars and refrain from making any moves until help arrives. But by the end, it sounded as if the only cliff-avoidance Boehner was real- ly interested in was one that raised new revenue through "fewer loopholes, and lower rates for all." We have already seen that plan. It was proposed by a man who, on Tuesday, lost the state in which he was born, the state in which he was gover- nor and the three states in which he owns houses Thanks to a blog by Eric Ostameicr in Smart Politics, lam able to point out that the only candidate fcc president who lost his home state by a larger margin than Mitt Romney was John Fremont in 1856. And Fremont was coming out of a campaign in which the opposition accused him of beinga cannibal While Boehner was explaining the importance of not going halfway ova a cliff, or raising income taxes on the rich he looked somber and somewhat unhappy. This may have been because his Republican colleagues just lost the White House and the Senate. Or per- haps, it was simply because he's an older white guy, and, therefore, part of the biggest loser demographic of the election, the flip-side of the insurgent Latino vote On election night, people were talk- ing about the not-young male popula- tion as if they wet a dwindling mix of graybeards sitting around a sputtering stove in Oklahoma. Republican Mate- gist John Weaver worried about becoming "a shrinking regional party of middle-aged and older white men!" On Fox News, Bill O'Reilly moaned that "the white establishment is now the minority!" O'Reilly, 63, added that the new majority was composed of people who "want stuff." As opposed to older white men, all of whom have signed a pledge never to accept vet- eran benefits, Social Security or Medicare. "It's not a traditional America any- more," O'Reilly sadly concluded. Almost everybody thinks of the world of their youth as the traditional world. In the future, today's teenagers will be looking back and mournfully declaring that traditional America was a place what folks really knew how to Twitter. Still, it's unseemly to identify the DUE America as the one where your group ran everything Cheer up, white men! You seem to be doing OK. Next year women will have 20 percent of the seat in the U.S. Senate, and we're celebrating. And since it looks as if we're not getting any downtime, we'll have to get cracking on this latest congressio- nal crisis. Root fcc a bipartisan solution that does not involve the White House's being hijacked by a guy who keeps babbling about going halfway over a cliff In the past, when these things came up, the president's big failing was his inability to hide his contempt for many of the people who occupy Capitol Hill. Now it's a new day, and he needs to be so papdually and visibly available that the negotiators beg to be left alone. If all else fails, strap John Boehner to the roof of a car. - Gail Collins is a New York Times columnist. Fagcl? 202 Can Republicans adapt? This was one that the Republicans really should have wort Giver the weak ecoromy,Ainerian voters were open to firing President Barack Obama. In Europe, in similar circumstances, one government after another lost re-election. And, at the beginning of this year, it looked as if the Republicans might win control of the U.S. Senate as well. Yet it wasn't the Democrats who won so much as the Republicans who lost — at a most basic level, because of demography. A coalition of aging white men is a recipe for failure in a nation that increasingly looks like a rainbow. Schadenfreude may excuse Democrat? smiles for a few days, but these trends portend a potential disas- ter not just for the Republican Party but for the health of our political sys- tem. America needs a plausible cen- ter-right opposition party to hold Obama's feet to the fire, not just a collection of Tea Party cranks. So liberals as well as conservatives should be rooting for the Republican Party to fed sufficiently shaken that it shifts to the center. One hopeful sign is that political parties usually care more about winning than about purism. Thus the Democratic Party embraced the pragmatic center-left Bill Clinton in 1992 after three consecutive losses in presidential elections. That was painful fa many liberals, who cringed when Clinton intarupt- ed campaigning in the 1992 primary to burmsh his law-and-order creden- tials by overseeing the execution of a mentally impaired murderer. But it was, on balance, less painful than los- ing again.. You would expect the Republican Party to make a similar lurch to the carter. But many Republican leaders still inhabit a bubble. It was stunning how many, from Karl Rove to Newt Gingrich, seemed to expect a Mitt Romney victory. And some of the right-wing postmortems are suggest- ing that Romney lost because he was too liberal— which constitutes a def- inition of delusional. Imagine what would have hap- pened if the Republican nominee had been Gingrich or Rick Santorum. We nicely would have sew a Democratic landslide. On the other hand, if the Republicans had nominated Jon Huntsman Jr, they might have been the ones celebrating right now. But he had no chance in Republican prima- ries because primary voters are their party's worst enemy. Past of the problem, I think, is the profusion of right-wing radio and television programs Democrat:com- plain furiously that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity smear the left, but I wonder if the bigger loser isn't the Republican Party itself Those shows whip up a frenzy in their audience, torpedoing Republican moderates and instilling paranoia on Nicholas D. issuAll es hisnimmigration. ^ Siouan antfinparflinesbee the Republican Party in aaaeologi- cal cocoonand inipedikit from reachingat to sivingataterientrists. or even undentanchng dux& Th e vor- tex spins evesfaster and Stn.:com- ing an ideological blackbole. In 2002, a book was published called 'The Emerging Democratic Majority." It argued that Daoocratit would gain because of theiisbenstli in expanding demographics such as Hispanics, Asian-Americans and working women It seemed persua- sive until Republicans clobbered Democrats in the next couple of elections. But perhaps that book was ahead of its time This was the first election in which Hispanic voters made up a double-digit share of the electorate, accordingto CNN exit polls — 10 percent, doubled from 1996 — and more thani out of I0 Hepatic volts, surnonedebstia. That wait inevitable:In 2004; exit pollianggested that:President George %IASI received44 percent of the cvote.BitRepublicans became •tictionist oalnimigni- tion and thai veered intooffensive demagog:tit-apposing the nomina- tion of Sonia Sotomaydr to the Supreme Court The Hispanic vote tumbled ayingtasin numbers into the em Then tWiere woolen The pater- nalistic comments about rape by a few male Republican candidatesres- onated soliroadly because they reflected the perception of the GOP as a conclave of out-of-touch men. As Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri might put it, when a candidate =ages with offensive. views about rape, "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." Namely, they vote Democratic. America is changing. Alter this election, a record 20 senators will be women, almost all of them Democrat. Opposition to same-sex marriage used to be a way for Republicans to trumpet their morali- ty; now it's seem as highlighting their bigotry. An astonishing 45 percent of Obama voters were members of minority groups, according to The Times' Nate Silver. Many others were women or young people. That's the future of America, and if the Republican Party remains a purist cohort built around grumpy old white men, it is committing suicide. That's bad not just for conservatives but for air entire country. — Nicholas D. Kristof is a New York limes columnist. Contact him at Facebook.com/Kristof, Twitter: com/NickKristof or by mail a The New York limes, 620 Eighth Ate., New York, NY 10018. EFTA01071788 Former local hoops player making it on TV Page 39 College hoops tip off in style tonight Page 41 G COMPREHENSIVE C5OTROPAFble: GLORAi St. Thomas: foothills Professional Building 779-2663 St. Croix: la Grand Princess 718-2665 St. John: Please telephone 779.2663 Meet Staff, Tements, Services: www.COGVI.com Voted Best Orthopaedic Care 2012 in the USVI The Virgin Islands Daily News Sports Friday, November 9, 2012 idle-rt thit.•Tf"in.4 Orthopaedic : vie's,. n oroOfite ;pm. 4 :pins P•M•fte,...: Planta visit the COG •mt,;,te about Or. Lenard or telephone f 340) 779-2663 Arawaks seek season sweep of Kean tonight Daly News Photo by TIM CKAPMAN St. Tromas-St. John Private Schools Arawaks senor Omar Henderson tackles senior teammate Patrick Leonard duringThursday's practice at Antilles Schoo' Kean High's energy lifts them over ByTIM CHAPMAN Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS -There is no question who the vocal leader is on the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School girls varsity voila". team. Cbantell Grant can be heard bud after nearly every point. VARSITY VOLLEYBALL After dropping the first game by 11 points against Ss. Peter and Paul on Thursday at Keap High, Grant and the Lady Rays began commu- nicating. The result was a loose, energetic and more confident team through the next three ByTIM CHAPMAN Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — Luke Neely might not know where to begin if he were in an opposing coach's posi- tion and had to gameplan against his St. Thomas-St. John Private Schools Arawaks. The variety of formations running through his no-huddle offense can be a headache for defenses. "It's difficult," Neely said. "We're a multi-formation, multi-game offense. We run a power game, a gap scheme to zone scheme. It's a lot to prepare for. Teams could potentially stop us." Ivanna Eudora Kean High School (1-3) hopes to turn that potential into reality when the two teams meet at 7 tonight in an IAA tackle football game at Lionel Roberts Stadium. The Arawaks (2.1) crushed the Devil Rays, 44.0, in the season open- er, which ended early in the fourth quarter because of the league's mercy rule. "We hope that the defense, by now, has learned the schemes," Kean High coach Elroy Donovan Jr. said. "It was the first game of the season and we TACKLE FOOTBALL have a lot of young guys." Donovan is eager to see if his defense learned from the tough les- sons 'handed out by the Arawaks' senior tailback tandem of Chris Cilliers and David McDonald. Cilliers pounded his way to two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown, and McDonald led the team with 75 rushing yards on seven carries. At 210 pounds, Cilliers can easily shed routine tackles. "He's a big, strong guy," Donovan said. "Our guys have to realize that you have to adjust for that type of running back. We can't expect to wrap him up high and take him down." At l70 pounds, McDonald offers a speedy change of pace. But he won't shy away from contact. "They're tough guys to bring down," Neely said. "They're bruis- ers and it's gonna take two or three guys to bring them down at any time." Arawaks dropped a 22-8 game See FOOTBALL, page 42 Ss. Peter and Paul, 4-1 games as Kean High won the match, 4-I (14- 25, 26-24, 25-16,25-18) "I got to cheer them up," Grant said. "That's that motivation. My team's gonna back me up too, you Imow." Grant backed up her talk and recorded two consecutive aces in the final game to push the lead to 17-9. She was also involved in a sigma- ore Than S1.8 Million Paid Out Last Week! Southland canting PLAY responsibly 1;4 Must be 18 or older to play video lottery. virgin Islands Lottery ture point of the match when three Kean High players on three different hits bad to lunge and punch at the ball with one hand to keep the vol- ley alive. 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