Nov 26, 2024 | Island News
Question: “What are the top amenities that pet owners say they are looking for?”
Our Answer:
Buyers are showing an increased desire for more pet-friendly conveniences:
- Fenced-in backyard
- Durable flooring
- Proximity to a vet
- A dog wash station – either outside, or in a mudroom
- Specially designed grooming hand shower in an existing tub or shower
- Trails and sidewalks for walking and hiking
- Hidden food or watering stations, often in a kitchen island
- Under counter small refrigerator for separate ingredients to make the pet their food
- Crates built into cabinetry
- Custom made furniture pieces
- Adequate square footage
- Outdoor play areas
Contact us with any questions about real estate on St. Croix!
Nov 20, 2024 | Island News
Get an early start on Saturday mornings and head east to stock up on locally grown and harvested goods at Southgate Corner Farmers Market. Take your pick from produce, fresh & preserved fruit, fresh baked goods, local honey, farm fresh eggs and much more. For almost 15 years, the market has opened every Saturday morning rain or shine, welcoming customers from 9am to 12pm to support local farmers and artisans with a variety of goods.
Weekly updates on the market’s Facebook page share details about which farmers and vendors will be there each Saturday and what products they’re bringing. Chris and Christie Powers, local Realtors with Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty, help manage the page, keeping the community informed and excited for market day. “We got involved with the market because we’re neighbors and want people on island to have access to healthy, locally grown fruit, produce and other items produced locally.” As residents of St. Croix for over 20 years, they understand the importance of supporting local agriculture and believe the market embodies the spirit of the island.
Shoppers can expect a lineup of 7 to 12 vendors each week. Tico’s Garden offers an array of fruits and vegetables like lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, eggplants, dragon fruit, and eggfruit, with specials like their soursop and eggfruit ice creams and fresh juices. STX Local Eggs bring their farm-fresh eggs by the dozen, and Fiddlewood Farm showcases their artisanal goat cheese in flavors such as cranberry, French herb, black pepper, and a seasonal mango favorite. Bramble Bites adds unique finds like avocado salad dressing and breadfruit muffins, along with refreshing juices from local fruits like carambola, guava, and golden apple.
Another sweet find at the market comes from beekeeper and certified arborist, Errol Chichester. Thanks to his 3-acre fruit orchard and apiary, he harvests honey and a variety of native, tropical, and sub-tropical fruits that are available for purchase each week at the market. “I really enjoy coming to the market because we’re like a little family, plus everything found here is locally grown and/or produced,” shared Chichester. Sharing with others is also important to him being that he regularly brings fruits from his farm for marketgoers to experience, often for the first time. “I recently brought some mamey apple to share and many people at the market had never tried it before since it’s not as popular on island as it once was.” Along with his wonderful humor, Chichester always has some unique agricultural surprise on hand each week.
Find Southgate Corner Farmers Market at the intersection of East End Road, just west of Cheeseburger in Paradise and near Southgate Baptist Church. Look for the lively lot full of activity every Saturday. For more information, visit the market’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1173503619716087/ or search “Southgate Corner Farmers’ Market.”
Written by Anquanette Gaspard
Nov 20, 2024 | Island News
Travel & Leisure recently shared 20 Best Things to Do in St. Croix according to locals! Here are few highlights:
- Identify wildlife as you swim along an underwater “trail” off the coast of Buck Island.
- Go for a night dive at Frederiksted Pier to see underwater in a new light.
- Indulge in St. Croix’s culinary scene — one of the best among the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Visit Protestant Cay for beautiful beaches with an unusual history.
- Tour a famous distillery and try regional rums
See the full list and read the article here.
Nov 20, 2024 | Island News
On November 23, 2024 from 12 to 4 p.m, enjoy music, dance, and community with Crucian Gold‘s Serenade on Strand Street! There will be live performances by Ten Sleepless Knights, vibrant dance showcases by Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbies, the Ten Sleepless Knights Dance Group, and the Caribbean Dance Company, and a bustling holiday market of local vendors on Strand Street, all while supporting scholarships for Virgin Islands youth.
As reported by the VI Consortium, this year’s Serenade on Strand Street will transform the area with a variety of local vendors offering holiday gifts, unique crafts, and an array of food and drink options, including traditional favorites such as Coquito. Family-friendly attractions will also be on hand, with activities like face painting adding to the festive atmosphere. Read the full article here.
Oct 23, 2024 | Island News
Advance Power LCC sought legislative approval of two leases that would allow the company to develop two alternative energy sites. Senators approved the $160 million investment for microgrids on St. Thomas and St. Croix; projects expected to offset 23% of territory’s fossil fuel use and create 150 jobs during construction phase according to the VI Consortium. The wind energy sites project has won Senate approval. It is part of the territory’s ongoing effort to create alternative and renewable energies to support our Water and Power Authority.
This proposed investment into the U.S. Virgin Islands could employ 150 people during the two year construction phase. For the full article, go to VI Consortium.
Oct 16, 2024 | Island News
Senator Samual Carrion, St. Croix, is working to write legislation to allow ride-sharing service to be licensed in the territory. The process will take some time. Ride-sharing, such as Uber and Lyft, is available in every U.S. state, but not in USVI. According to a recent St. Croix Source article, many people agree it would benefit residents, visitors, and the economy. The article also said One compelling reason in favor of ride-sharing is the lack of public transportation after 6 p.m., residents say. Taxi-vans do not run unless contracted by individuals for transportation. Workers cannot get home if they don’t have access to a vehicle. Visitors who want to see the island often say they don’t want to drive on the left side of the street or on two-lane roads littered with potholes. There have been reports of travelers stranded at the airports because visitors thought taxis or Uber would be available.
The article also said several people are setting up ride-sharing businesses, but have not actually begun operations. One company has already been providing the service.
Read the full article from St. Croix Source here.
For other stories about ride-sharing on St. Croix recently, check out:
VI Consortium’s May 2024 story about Digicab here.
WTJX’s September 2024 story here.
GoToStCroix’s Taxi & Rideshare page here.
