Mike Bertolino shows his Virgin Islands pride by displaying the “V.I.” hand sign with Jost Van Dyke celebrity Foxy and fellow Virgin Islander Lindsay Soper during the annual Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park Gala on Saturday night, February 6.

After complaining about the island’s lack of representation in government affairs, one St. John resident is stepping up to the plate to make a difference.

Bonny Corbeil, a board member of Crime Stoppers USVI and the Coral Bay Community Council, has long been a community activist urging inter-island unity and a stronger government voice for the island of St. John.

Making good on a campaign promise he pledged while running for office more than three years ago, Governor John deJongh announced the hiring of a St. John planner during his State of the Territory address on Monday night, January 25.

“Also, with respect to our continuing efforts to improve the quality of planning and land use regulation, I am pleased to announce that after several false starts, we have hired a principal planner for St. John, who will be starting work next month,” deJongh said during his speech.

Bajo el Sol Gallery is hosting an opening reception for St. John artists Lucy Portlock, Patty Tacquard, Gail Van de Bogurt and Larry Lipsky, on Friday, February 5, from 5 to 8 p.m.

For the first time in the six years of Michael Banzhaf Gallery, Banzhaf will have an opening for his own work along with artist Monica Rios on Friday, February 5, at 6 p.m.