🌱 Havensight Shooting Almost Scared Off Cruise Ship + More

Good morning. Let's get going with the latest headlines, events, and social postings (all worth reading!)

First, today's weather:

An a.m. shower; partly sunny. High: 84 Low: 76.

Top Headlines

1. The Tourism Commissioner had to personally convince a cruise ship docked at the West Indian Company not to leave early after the Havensight shooting. Crystal Serenity, carrying 375 guests and over 200 crew members, had just docked early Saturday morning. Passengers were still on board when the ships' captain heard about the armed robbery. In response, passengers remained on board and the ship made preparations to leave St. Thomas early. But Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte intervened. The V.I. Consortium has the full story.
2. Crowley will no longer ship to the Leeward Islands, including Antigua and Barbuda, igniting fears that they could also stop services to the USVI. The Daily News investigates.
3. Moody's Investors Service completed a periodic review of the Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority on December 3, 2021. Although the review did not include changing the utility's credit rating, Moody's did outlay the following "key rating considerations":
   1. WAPA has an unsustainable capital structure.
   2. Operating cash flow generation is insufficient to fund an adequate level of cash on the balance sheet and address future debt maturities and capital expenditures.
   3. VI WAPA is the only electricity provider and therefore critical to the economy of the US Virgin Islands. The Territory's sluggish economic growth and the weak credit profile of the Government of the US Virgin Islands (issuer rating Caa3) remain a concern.
   4. The Utility's failure to file audited financial statements on a timely basis and breach of financial covenants in 2018 and 2019 are credit weaknesses.
      (Yahoo! Finance)

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Events:

• Introduction to Holiday Stained Glass (9:00 a.m.)

Social Chatter:

• Friends of Virgin Islands National Park announced that Ki’Janne’ Alfred and Lila Uzzell are the first recipients of the Noble Samuel Scholarship. The scholarship is available to St. John youth attending college. (Facebook)
• Agriculture Department to Hold Holiday Season Tree Giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 11 (Twitter)
• Rock City Rec is back! And kicking into action....literally. Kickball games started this week. Check out their Facebook page for updates and information on how to get involved.
• Check out the exercise classes at the AARP Fitness Park in the Altona Lagoon, on St. Croix. The VI Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation will offer classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 9 am from December 13, 2021, to April 22, 2022. Register by calling 340-773-0160 or send an email message to jamilah.henry@hpr.vi.gov. (Facebook)
• Each December, the VI Children's Museum offers 15% off of our memberships! This is a great time to sign the family up. Members receive:-10% discount on all gift shop items-free admission for everyone on your membership(IDs MUST be presented upon check-in)-ACM (Association of Children's Museums) Reciprocal Network privileges. Meaning you get to travel to other children's museums and get a discount on your admission because you have a membership with us (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow for your next update.

— Ashleigh Baldwin

About me: 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.