Update From St.John Community Foundation
St. John CommUNITY Update – 10/26/17
This update is brought to St. Johnians by Love City Strong, The St. John Community Foundation, Coral Bay Community Council, St John Rescue, Virgin Islands Relief Fund, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Kenny Chesney’s Love for Love City Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Help.NGO‘s DIRT.
Curfew update: 11p-5a until November 2.
Party in the park!
The public is invited to a community party in Powell Park across from the passenger ferry dock this Sunday, October 29, 4p-8p. Musical entertainment will be provided by Cool Sessions. All are welcome.
Disaster Recovery Centers are opening!
The DRCs are one-stop shops for Disaster Survivor Assistance registration with FEMA, the SBA Program, and Operation Blue Roof. The DRC in Cruz Bay is open 8a-5p at the Legislative Annex building. The DRC at the Coral Bay Community Council is also opening.
The LCS Donation Station is open!
Stop by the shop next to Dog House Pub and across from The Longboard in Cruz Bay 9a-2p for retail therapy! Free clothing and shoes are available to all. Donated items may be dropped off 1p-3p. Love City Strong asks potential Stateside donors to please be patient and to hold on to their contributions for now. Fortunately, an abundance of clothes for all ages and sizes is in storage, and more time is needed to get through the existing donations.
Love City Pan Dragons has free classes for all!
Ages 8–Adult and all experience levels are welcome 2:45p-5p on Fridays and/or 12p-3p on Saturdays between the Rec Center and the Parks and Rec Building across from the Fire Station in Cruz Bay.
Car barge service currently runs daily, with a variable number of trips.
Please ask someone at the barge for the schedule as it is subject to change daily. The passenger ferry service to Red Hook is leaving Cruz Bay every hour on the hour beginning 6a and ending 5p. The return ferry leaves Red Hook at 5:30a, 6:30a, 7:30a, 8a, and every hour on the hour thereafter with the last departure at 5:30p.
A FREE east-west shuttle is in service.
Two safari taxis run concurrently from Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. Shuttle service pick up/drop off points are the Cruz Bay passenger ferry dock and the Coral Bay Fire Station. The shuttle schedule is: 7:30a, 8a, 9a, 10a, 3p, 4p, 5p, and 5:30p. The first and last shuttle trips will be traveling from/to Calabash Boom in Coral Bay.
The USVI Department of Labor
Open 10a-3p, Mon/Wed/Fri at the Legislature Annex building.
All unemployment questions should be directed to the Department of Labor. To receive service, bring your ID and Social Security Card.
The clinic at MKS has been moved to the DeCastro Building in Cruz Bay.
Clinical services, support, and supplies are being offered from the DeCastro clinic (where you get your health card) and at the Fire Station in Coral Bay. Immunizations are being offered 10a-2p on Thursday, November 2 at the DeCastro clinic.
Businesses are open with more every day!
Chelsea Drug (9a-2p), the health clinic at the Marketplace, St. John Physical Therapy (1p-4p Mon. & Fri.), Canines Cats & Critters, The ACC, St. John Insurance, Tunick Insurance, St. John Properties, Connections, Cruz Bay Post Office (9a-4p Mon.-Fri. & 9a-2p Sat.), Postnet, Big Planet (12p-5p), St. John Hardware, Paradise Lumber, First Bank (9:30a-1p), Scotia Bank ATM in Cruz Bay, Merchant Bank (9a-2p), St. John Ice, Starfish Market (9a-4p Mon.-Fri. & 9a-2p Sat.-Sun.), Dolphin Market, St. John Market, Pine Peace Market, E&C Service Station (7a-4p), Race Track Station, Caravan Auto (9a-2p), St. John Auto Repair, Steve Simonson Photo, Bamboula (10:30a-3p Mon.-Sat.), Cruz Salon (Tues.-Sat. 10a-6p), Papaya Cafe & Bookstore St. John (9a-2p),
Sun Dog Cafe, St. John VI, Chester’s Getaway, Hercules, Sam & Jack’s Deli, Lime Inn Restaurant , Uncle Joe’s BBQ, Dog House Pub St. John, Cruz Bay Landing, 420 to Center (12p-6:30p), Extra Virgin, Wok on the Beach Restaurant (7a-5p in the old Voyages building), Indigo Grill, Coral Bay Caribbean Oasis (11a-5p), Calabash Market, The Thirsty Donkey (2p-5p), Pizzabar in paradise, and Love City Market in Coral Bay are operational.
Connections St. John has started an in-office version of the St. John Revolving Fund, providing interest-free loans for St. Johnians.
Donations are tax-deductible and donors may identify an individual or group they would like to help. Cash and personal checks are accepted.
WiFi hotspots in town are:
near Ronnie’s Pizza, Connections, between the BMV building and the tennis court, and on the 3rd floor of the Marketplace. To prevent slow WiFi speed, please disable automatic app updates.
For Apple users: Open up your settings, select iTunes & App Stores, and disable the Updates slider.
For Android users: Open the Google Play Store (or Market, if you’re using an old version of Android), open the extended menu on the top left (3 lines), scroll to the bottom to Settings, and disable Auto-update Apps.
Look for VINGN-FreePublic or DIRT-FreePublic. No passwords are needed.
The Julius E Sprauve School is open!
Classes are in session for grades K-5 8a-11a, and 11:30a-4p for grades 6-8. A celebration for all students on island is planned for November 3 at the Sprauve ballfield and Mongoose Junction will hold its annual trick-or-treat on Halloween Day at 3p.
Gifft Hill School is in session from 10a-2p Mon.-Fri.
Registration for students is open to all! Anyone can come with their child to register for classes from 8:30a-9:30a. Fees are deferred until further notice. Volunteers are needed for student translators, carpooling, cleaning, and more. Head to the School for more information.
St. John School of the Arts
Will be offering free on-site and after school programs starting the 1st week of November. For details, contact Jenna Fox at info@stjohnschoolofthearts.org or 340-228-2511.
Please report a landslide or debris on our roads to the Department of Public Works (DPW) or the National Park Service ASAP.
DPW is now removing storm debris from public roads. Move all storm related debris within 10 feet of the roadside and sort by debris type. Appliances, electronics, vegetation, and roofing/construction materials must all be separated. Do not obstruct the roads with debris. Please minimize vehicle traffic by carpooling or using the shuttle.
All Caribbean parks will remain closed by the National Park Service until further notice.
This is to ease the strain on beach, trail and road cleanup by minimizing foot traffic in those areas.
Salvage/removal of displaced vessels info.
For owners salvaging their vessels and for questions regarding the salvage/removal of displaced vessels, contact the Vessel Owner Notification Hotline at (340) 423-6353 or USVIDPNR@gmail.com. Provide registration, owner information, vessel location, date of removal, salvage contractor, & DPNR/Coast Guard decal target number (for marked vessels). DPNR is working with FEMA to provide assistance for those needing help with vessel removal. Dec. 1 is the deadline for boat owners to notify the Coast Guard of their vessel salvage/removal intentions.
FREE tarp/roofing installation
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues sign-ups for FREE tarp/roofing installation thru Friday, Nov. 3. Residents may sign up 8:30a-3p Mon/Wed/Fri at the Legislature Annex building in Cruz Bay or the Fire Station in Coral Bay. Bring a photo ID, a property tax bill, and if possible, a photo of the damaged roof. Visit www.sad.usace.army.mil/Blueroof or call 888-ROOF-BLU.
Apply for FEMA assistance NOW!
You may head to www.disasterassistance.gov, call 800-621-FEMA, or sign up at the 8a-5p at the DRC at the Legislative Annex building in Cruz Bay or the Fire Station in Coral Bay. Remember to keep your contact details, banking, and insurance information updated with FEMA after you register. Be alert for false rumors, identity theft, and scams, including impersonation of FEMA or USACE personnel. Visit FEMA’s Hurricane Rumor Control page at https://www.fema.gov/…/updates/hurricane-maria-rumor-control.
Visit FEMA U.S. Virgin Islands to learn about the various FEMA programs/services offered.
Volunteering and Donations
For those abroad wanting to help, monetary donations are encouraged over other offers of assistance. Recommended charitable organizations to donate to are: The St. John Community Foundation (SJCF), St John Rescue, Love City Strong’s Go Fund Me page, Coral Bay Community Council, Animal Care Center of St. John, Virgin Islands Relief Fund, and Kenny Chesney’s Love for Love City. SJCF has an online registry for future volunteer opportunities that will be available once disaster response agencies can assess our needs and coordinate a time when additional persons on island are sustainable. Please visithttps://voad.communityos.org/volunteer-registration-usvi-ir…
