The Daily News, Wednesday, July 2, 2008

The Daily News, Wednesday, July 2, 2008 Virgin Islands- Investment banker Epstein pleads guilty to sex charges latehy-Tribune FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Billionaire Palm Beach- New York-Virgin Islands money manager Jeffrey Epstein, 55. traded his signature navy sport coat for a jail uni- form Monday after pleading guilty to hiring underage Palm Beach County girls for erotic massages and sex. He will be designated a sex offender, requiring him to reg- ister annually with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Epstein. who lives in a 13,000-square-foot mansion in Palm Beach, will spend 18 months in the Palm Beach County Jail and then serve a year of house arrest. The other conditions of Epstein's house arrest include a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, keep- ing an hourly daily activity log and not possessing, watching or viewing obscene, pornographic or sexually stimulating materi- al. Judge Deborah Pucillo admonished Epstein not to have any contact — direct or indirect — with his victims including via Facebook, MySpace, e-mail and text messages. Epstein told the judge he is an investment banker. He man- ages money for the very rich and counts among his friends former President Bill Clinton. His real estate holdings include the 68.7-acre Little St. James Island in the Virgin Islands and a 50,000-square-foot town- house on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Comedian Steve Harvey staging radio show By IAN MORRISON Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — Famed comedi- an and radio host Steve Harvey is broadcasting his syndicated "Steve Harvey Morning Show" live from St. Thomas this week as part of the V.I. Tourism Department's ongoing marketing initiatives. Harvey, a longtime standup comedian and actor, is best-known for his appearance on the Kings of Comedy tour and "The Steve Harvey Show," a sitcom that ran on WB-TV for seven years. He lives in Ncw York City, where he hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Harvey Morning Show" airing on more than 60 radio stations in major markets such as New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami. His broadcast from St. Thomas this week is expected to reach more than 4 mil- lion listeners. Harvey's visit to St. Thomas is part of an ongoing advertising cam- paign by Tourism to reach con- sumers in key markets. The broadcast will air in nine of the Virgin Islands' 12 top markets. Commissioner Beverly Nicholson- Doty said in a prepared statement. Tourism has arranged for Haney to visit tourist attractions around the island, which he then discusses on his show, Tourism spokeswoman Allegro Kean-Moorehead said. For example. Harvey visited Paradise Point on Monday, played golf at Steve Harvey Territory reports increases in visitors By IAN MORRISON Daily News Staff ST. THOMAS — Mom people vis- ited the territory in March than last year, and overall arrivals between January and March also rose, accord- ing to statistics released by the V.I. Bureau of Economic Research this month. In addition, promotions by the V.I. Department of Tourism led to an increase in air passenger arrivals in the territory between January and March of this year. the bureau reported. A total of 308,156 people visited the territory in March 2008. compared with 291,706 during that same period in 2007. That marks a gain of 16,450 visitors, or a 5.6 percent increase. The Bureau of Economic Research tracks and periodically issues data about visitors, air arrivals, and hotel occupancy rates. Overall 3.3 percent more people visited the territory between January and March than during that same time in 2007. from 836.299 to 863,672. At the same time, air passenger arrivals grew by 6.3 percent, from 199,172 to 211,770. The bureau in a written report credited Tourism and its local private partners for the surge in air passenger arrivals. The bureau also released a number of other figures including: • Both air and cruise visitor arrivals increased this March compared with March 2007. Air arrivals rose by 2.2 percent, while cruise ship arrivals rose by 6.9 percent. • The territory's hotel occupancy stayed flat in March 2008, averaging a 76 percent occupancy, which is the same rate as last year. • Between January and March, 2.3 percent more cruise ship passengers visited the territory than in March 2007, to 651,902 from 637,127. Mahogany Run and stopper Yacht Haven Grande. "It all helps to provide him topics to talk about on air." K Moorehead said. Harvey previously has condt on-air sweepstakes for trips tc territory, and Tourism advert will air on his show from Jul. through Aug. 2. "It definitely gives us a Ic exposure," Kean-Moorehead : "He has a very large audience." For more information a Harvey, or to listen to the show online, visit www.steveharvey.c Harvey also owns a clothing and founded the Steve Hai Foundation, which supports ed Crui! Today-Friday, July 3-4 No ships Saturday, July 5 Adventure of the Seas 13.8401 Sunday, July 6 Caribbean Princess (3,100) Monday, July 7 Carnival Destiny (2,5341 Tuesday, July 8 Carnival Glory (2,9741 Carnival Miracle (2,124) Wednesday, July 9 Carnival Triumph (3,000) Mariner of the Seas 0,1141 Thursday-Friday, July 10- No ships S Azi C • A" 51-.1it lli:211.10 if I trine EFTA01221863