The Virgin Islands Consortium

ST. CROIX — A shareholder dispute accusing directors and officers of Sunshine Shopping Center, which operates the Mall of St. Croix, of embezzling company funds, mismanaging corporate operations and assets, and causing losses through negligent operations is at the center of a federal insurance case that has now ended in another victory for Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company at the appellate level.

The UVI Research and Technology Park’s after-school STEM program entered the new school year nearly full, with 91 percent of its 480 available seats claimed within days and educators reporting that more students are beginning to envision careers in science and technology. The program officially launched this week across all 14 K-8 public schools in the territory after registration opened only two weeks earlier.

ST. CROIX — Pastor Dexter Skepple of Speak the Word Ministries in Frederiksted served as guest chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives on September 17, delivering the chamber’s opening prayer after being invited by Delegate Stacey Plaskett. The House Office of the Chaplain formally lists Mr. Skepple as that day’s guest chaplain, sponsored by Ms. Plaskett.

The University of the Virgin Islands reinforced its growing presence in global marine science this summer, with 23 researchers and students from its Center for Marine and Environmental Studies delivering 26 presentations at the 16th International Coral Reef Symposium in Auckland, New Zealand.

ST. CROIX — The V.I. Water and Power Authority has lifted the boil-water advisory that had been in effect on St. Croix since August 28 after follow-up testing showed no E. coli in the Frederiksted distribution system. The advisory was issued after E. coli was detected at Sample Point 327 in Frederiksted.

ST. CROIX — A longtime St. Croix firefighter has appealed after a federal judge rejected his claims that the Government of the Virgin Islands failed to properly accommodate his disability and subjected him to sexual harassment, disparate treatment and retaliation. Arthur B. Canaii Jr. filed his appeal with the Third Circuit in September, weeks after the District Court of the Virgin Islands granted the government summary judgment and ended the case before trial.

ST. THOMAS — A man accused of stealing a set of keys from Bushwackers Gaming Center at Crown Bay Shopping Center was arrested several days later after employees reportedly spotted him back at the establishment and called police. According to police, the theft occurred on the evening of September 13, when a man approached the cashier window, reached inside, removed a bunch of keys and walked out of the gaming center.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — Federal prosecutors have charged 17 people in an alleged cocaine-trafficking network that authorities say used Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and the U.S. Postal Service to move drugs from Puerto Rico to destinations across the continental United States. A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned the indictment September 1, charging the defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances.

ST. THOMAS — What began as a traffic stop over an allegedly illegally tinted windshield escalated into a vehicle pursuit, a foot chase and gunfire directed at police officers, according to authorities, leaving Akimo Smith facing four counts of attempted murder and a lengthy list of additional firearm and traffic charges.

The makers of Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are confronting a growing wave of lawsuits from patients who allege the widely used diabetes and weight-management medications caused a rare form of sudden vision loss and that the drug companies failed to adequately warn users about the potential risk. The federal litigation has expanded substantially.