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Westin Resort Employees Clean Jacob’s Ladder Area

Details: Created on Thursday, 02 May 2013 03:50; Written by Jaime Elliott

Westin Resort and Villas employees, along with a few family members, pitched in to clean up the roadway near Jacob’s Ladder on Earth Day.

St. John got spiffed up last week thanks to residents across the island marking the 43rd annual celebration of Earth Day.

From the North Shore to Estate Concordia, residents and visitors alike helped to remove trash and learn about eco-friendly building on the island.

On the south shore, Westin Resort and Villas employees removed about 18 bags of litter and garbage from the Jacob’s Ladder and Great Cruz Bay area.

A total of 17 employees volunteered to help clean the road. The crew started at the top of Jacob’s Ladder and worked its way all the way to the Estate Chocolate Hole dumpsters past the resort, explained Westin human resources manager Ceclie Worrell.

“We collected 18 big bags of garbage,” said Worrell. “We removed three big tires, a bucket of cement and an old BBQ grill. It was a lot of stuff and a lot of heavy stuff too.”
Westin officials routinely host quarterly clean-ups and coordinated this last one to coincide with Earth Day, Worrell added.

“We had a great time and everyone enjoyed themselves,” she said. “We were really happy that so many employees volunteered their time to help. It was great to have so much enthusiasm.”

Community Impact Meeting Draws 75+ Residents Ready To Make Difference

Details: Created on Wednesday, 01 May 2013 03:47; Written by Jaime Elliott

St. John Community Foundation executive director Celia Kalousek was hoping the group’s annual meeting on Thursday, April 18, at the Bethany Moravian Church Hall would draw a crowd, but even she was impressed with this year’s attendance.

“We had more than 45 different organizations represented and more than 75 people at this incredibly productive dinner meeting,” said Kalousek.

As soon as the meeting got underway, Kalousek made certain the group understood the importance of the evening.

“It is one thing to say you care about what is happening on this island, and another thing to show up and do something about it,” Kalousek told the group. “You are the people who are doing things. Each one of you is here because you care about improving the health and well-being of the St. John community now and for future generations.”

The crowd broke up into small working groups focused on Youth Development, Health and Human Services, Environment and Animal Welfare and Community Enrichment.

Although working on different agendas, the general goal of the meeting was to establish a community-wide action plan for securing and allocating resources of talent and funding to fulfill specific needs, Kalousek explained.

Cafe Roma Gutted by Fire, No Injuries Reported as Afternoon Flames Engulf Cruz Bay Restaurant

Details: Created on Tuesday, 30 April 2013 12:42; Written by Jaime Elliott

As smoke filled the sky outside of Cafe Roma in Cruz Bay, all that was left inside where charred remains of the popular Italian restaurant.

When the Cafe Roma crew locked the doors to the popular Cruz Bay Italian restaurant on Saturday night, April 20, around 11 p.m., they had no way of knowing it would be the last time they would see customers for at least the foreseeable future.

By the next day, the restaurant would be completely gutted by fire.

Although no one was injured in the blaze, the incident shuttered the doors of one of the most popular restaurants on St. John. The fire also put out of work the recipient of the V.I. Small Business Development Center’s St. John Small Business Owner of the Year, not to mention his staff of nine dedicated employees.

About 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, Cafe Roma owner John Hiebert got a phone call from an employee with the news that the restaurant was on fire, he explained.

“We were open on Saturday night and we locked up around 11 p.m. like we normally do,” said Hiebert. “At 1:45 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, it burst into flames. Someone saw our bartender and told him and he called me.”

St. John Brewers Reaches Out To Thousands of Potential Island Visitors at Stateside Beer Conferences

Details: Created on Monday, 29 April 2013 04:44; Written by Andrea Milam

St. John Brewers representatives handed out around 7,000 samples of several of their products at the Atlantic City Beer Festival.

Thousands of people in Washington, D.C., and Atlantic City, New Jersey, recently got a taste of the Virgin Islands thanks to Kevin Chipman and Chirag Vyas, the guys behind St. John Brewers.

The two represented their brand and the Virgin Islands at the Craft Brewers Conference, where they rubbed elbows with reps from other craft breweries like Sierra Nevada, and at the Atlantic City Beer Festival, which was attended by more than 20,000 people.

In Atlantic City, the duo estimate they reached around 7,000 attendees with samples of their products.

“We were sampling out our beers to the masses,” said Chipman. “People get really excited about the Tropical Mango Ale. That’s our only product that’s sold nationally, and it’s what put us on the map.”

On The Market: Dramatic Views at Windchime

Details: Created on Sunday, 28 April 2013 04:40; Written by Andrea Milam

Sweeping ocean and island views and a majestic mahogany tree welcome you home at Gifft Hill’s Windchime villa, on the market for $1.295 million.

Sweeping south shore views from a beautiful, sunny pool deck. Privacy. Handsome mahogany interior finishes. Sound interesting? Then check out Windchime, a beautifully decorated and maintained three-bedroom, three-bath villa listed by Miles Stair of Holiday Homes for $1.295 million.

Windchime, set apart from other island villas thanks to its generous lot size of 1.4 acres, is situated high atop Gifft Hill. Room to expand and its private location make Windchime a steal.

The three-bedroom villa, which is centered around a great room with the master suite situated above the pool deck, has a successful short-term rental history.

Welcoming you home is Windchime’s entrance, shaded by a majestic mahogany tree. The home is solid masonry construction, built by island craftsmen.

The home is beautifully decorated, but the real wow factor comes from Mother Nature herself. Those sweeping south shore views come with steady breezees and dramatic sun and moon rises.

Windchime’s price has been reduced, so call Miles Stair at Holiday Homes today at (340) 776-6776 and make this beautiful home yours.

Maho Bay Camps Cats Seek New Homes as Campground Closure Approaches

Details: Created on Saturday, 27 April 2013 04:38; Written by CiCi Davis

Maho Bay Camps resident Spooky is shy, but opens up when offered a treat. Maho staff is looking for a permanent home for Spooky as the eco-resort’s impending May 15 closure nears.

Ever wonder where pets get their names? Some get them from physical traits, favorite places, others from their personalities.

A Maho Bay Camps cat named Princess certainly earned hers. She has been treated like a princess by Maho staff for as long as most can remember. Now a new family is allowing her to live up to her name in a new home.

Sarah and Paul are Maho guests who love the cats. They were here earlier this season and were curious as to the future of the resident cats with Maho Bay Camps set to close on May 15. Some of the camp staff started the Maho Feline Relocation Program for the resident cats, ensuring the animals would have loving homes to go to once Maho closed.