🌱 Sen Blyden Punished, Barnes Is Guilty + Live Music Tonight

Hello and happy Christmas Eve. Or just happy Friday, if you don't celebrate this particular ho-ho-holiday. Senator Blyden is punished and Stephanie Barnes is found guilty. But the fate of Ghislaine Maxwell has yet to be determined. All those judicial proceedings and MORE ahead!

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and humid. High: 83 Low: 75.

And check the full weekend forecast on Patch USVI.

Today's Top Stories:

1. Lawmakers voted to sanction Sen. Marvin Blyden for "violating standards of ethical conduct" after he refused to quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. On Thursday, the Senate voted on a special resolution to address Blyden's infraction. The resolution recommended that Blyden be suspended for 160 working hours and lose his position as Majority Leader. (Virgin Islands Daily News)
2. Stephanie Barnes, a former consultant to the Casino Control Commission, is found guilty of using government funds for personal use. She was convicted on three counts: conspiracy to commit theft from programs receiving federal funds, receipt of government property and filing false tax returns. Ms. Barnes will be sentenced in April. (St. Thomas Source)
3. It's the holiday weekend! Keep tabs on the weather forecast and check out all the upcoming events. (USVI Patch)
4. Still interested in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial? Ms. Maxwell will spend Christmas in jail as the jury takes their time deliberating over the verdict in the case against her. Ms. Maxwell is charged with recruiting and grooming young girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse. (Virgin Island Daily News)

Today's US Virgin Islands Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in US Virgin Islands!

Today's Events:

• Holiday Concert Series at Tutu Park Mall (10:00 a.m.)
• Friday Movie Nights (6:00 p.m.)
• Don't miss Top We Band playing at the TWS Food Mobile located at #14 Hospital Ground tonight starting at 8:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m.)

Click here to see what's coming up this weekend.

Social Buzz:

• "Season’s Greetings from Governor Albert Bryan Jr and the First Family." (Facebook)
• USVI Education Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin discusses plans to reopen public schools for all students in 2022. (Facebook)
• Here is the latest VIDOH information on COVID-19 cases, demographics, and testing numbers. (Facebook)
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Odyssey of the Seas will make its inaugural call to St. Thomas on Wednesday, December 29, 2021. The 16-deck ship is 1,138 feet long and has a capacity to accommodate 5,510 guests an... (Facebook)

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That's a wrap for Christmas Eve. Merry Merry!

— 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.