83% Of COVID Cases On St. Croix + New Plans For Frenchman's Reef

Get up and get with the latest headlines! Here's a rundown of everything you need to know to get this Thursday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Humid with a shower in spots. High: 86 Low: 78.

Check out these top stories from across the Territory:

1. Of the 161 active COVIVD-19 cases across the territory, 83 percent are clustered on St. Croix. The good news is that the COVID-19 positivity rate has fallen below 3%. Although officials warned residents not to let their guard down, yet. (St. Thomas Source)
2. Police say they arrested a St. Thomas Man in connection with the Sept. 18 burglery of The Ice Cream Shop. The man faces multiple charges. (US Virgin Islands Patch)
3. After several days without water, students at Ricardo Richards Elementary will head back into the classroom on Oct. 14. WAPA crews and school maintenance employees successfully fixed an underground pipe that had disrupted water service. (US Virgin Islands Patch)
4. Street Level VI Awards Hughley Prince Scholarship to New Testament Academy (St, Thomas Source)
5. The owners of Frenchman’s Reef hotel and resort on St. Thomas announced plans to reopen the resort in late 2022. Fortress Investment Group bought the resort in April. It has been shuttered for several years due to severe damage from the 2017 hurricanes. On Tuesday, the owners presented to the Economic Development Authority and pledged to spend $402 million rebuilding the property. (Virgin Islands Daily News)

Today's US Virgin Islands Daily is brought to you by Newrez, a leading nationwide mortgage lender. Make a smart move for your future and refinance with Newrez today. Call 844-979-1707 to connect with a Newrez loan officer. Newrez, LLC (NMLS #3013)

Looking for something to do this weekend? Stay tuned for our events list coming out Thursday afternoon.

As seen on social:

• Government House - US Virgin Islands: "Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and First Lady Yolanda Bryan stand in solidarity with the courageous women and men who are battling breast cancer and honor the memory of those who have lost the fight." (Facebook)
• Miss Naturalista, a new store in Yacht Haven Grande on St. Thomas, gets major coverage. Denise Benjamin opened the first Miss Naturalista in St. Croix. With business thriving, she expanded operations to St. Thomas. (Virgin Islands Daily News)
• Friends of Virgin Islands National Park: "Join bird nerd park ranger Laurel Brannick on the Francis Bay Salt Trail every Friday starting at 7:30 AM. Park at the entrance to the Francis Bay Trail, next to the small sugar factory." (Facebook)

Feature your local business in this spot in the US Virgin Islands Daily for just $79 per month. Click here to learn more.

That's all, folks! See you tomorrow morning with a new update. If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Ashleigh Baldwin

About me: Hi there! I'm the Patch Community News Editor for the U.S. Virgin Islands. I'm here to provide news you can use. Do you have a news tip, question or feedback? Please contact me at ashleigh.baldwin@patch.com or 215-534-1014.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming US Virgin Islands Daily? I'm all ears. You can email me at ashleigh.baldwin@patch.com.