🌱 Ghislaine Maxwell Found Guilty + Arrest Made In STX Shooting

The fatal shooting on St. Croix on Tuesday marks the 45th homicide in the territory in 2021. Let's hope it is the last. Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell is found guilty of five of the six charges against her.

I've got good news for you, too, and don't miss the first-ever sailboat built by the team at My Brother's Workshop!

First, today's weather:

Breezy in the morning. High: 83 Low: 75.

Top Stories:

1. A federal jury found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of five out of the six charges against her. Maxwell is a former girlfriend and long-time companion to Jeffrey Epstein. She was accused of recruiting and grooming young girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. Maxwell could face up to 40 years in prison. Read more in the New York Times.
2. VIPD announce the arrest of Francis Javaughn, 19, in connection with the Tuesday shooting that left one victim dead and a second victim hospitalized with gunshot wounds. Javaughn has been charged with first-degree murder. With 2021 coming to a close, Tuesday's shooting brings us to 45 homicides in the territory this year. Read more in The Daily News.
3. Senate approved a bill to allow married women to keep their maiden name. If this seems like outdated news, it's not! Title 16 Virgin Islands Code, Chapter 1, Subchapter III, Section 61 states, “The wife shall bear the surname of her husband.” Senator Alma Francis-Heyliger has pointed out that the law is outdated and sexist and recently introduced Bill No. 34-0035 to amend the rule. Read more in The VI Consortium.
4. 21-year-old Alexandra Swayne, a St. Thomas resident, is joining the professional golf circuit next year. Swayne recently made the decision to join the Ladies European Tour instead of returning to Clemson University. The Daily News has the full story.
5. Two cruise ships were turned away last week due to high Covid-19 positivity rates on board. According to the terms of an agreement between the cruise ship companies and the Bryan administration, a ship with more than 1% Covid-19 rate will not be allowed to dock in the USVI. Full story in The Consortium.

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Today's Events:

• No Problemo playing at BrewSTX, served up alongside BrewSTX's famous seafood boil (5:30 p.m.)
• Lady Friend playing at The Landing Beach Bar in St. Croix (5:30 p.m.)
• Good Vibes Thursday Night featuring Reggae Dynasty at Tickles Dockside Pub (6:00 p.m.)

Social Buzz:

• "With 786 active COVID-19 cases reported and a 7-day positivity average of 14.82%, it is more crucial than ever for Virgin Islanders and visitors to practice social distancing, wash hands frequently, wear a mask, and avoid gatherings. Any..." (Facebook)
• Now you can see“Grace," the first boat made by MBW Marine, on display at MBW at Paradise Point. Grace was built by 17 trainees. (Facebook)
• Check out photos from Day #1 of the “Fundamentals Football Camp,” hosted by the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation on St. Thomas and on St. Croix. (Facebook)

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— 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.