– The Harmonic Lodge annual Past Masters Dinner Dance that had been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Renaissance Grand Beach Resort has been postponed until further notice. Tickets may be held for the rescheduled event; those preferring to obtain a refund should turn their tickets in to the persons from whom they purchased them. For details, call Etienne Bertrand at 775-5491 or Jim Hague at 775-6633.
– Shirley L. Smith, spokeswoman for V.I. Port Authority announced at 5:30 p.m. Thursday that the ports in St. Croix had been reclosed until 8 a.m. Friday due to sea conditions.
– Patricia Blake Simmonds of the Water and Power Authority announced that work on poles had been suspended late Thursday afternoon until weather and light conditions improved on Friday morning.
Simmonds said those residents without power at 5:30 p.m. should prepare to be without power throughout the night.
– Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds said assessments have been done of all the territory's public schools and there will be school Friday. Simmonds asked parents to monitor the media, however, in the event that rain causes flooding that may affect the schools.
– All government offices will be open on Friday.
– The Roy L. Schneider Hospital is open and all employees are expected to come to work as scheduled.
– American Eagle will resume flight schedule Friday morning.
– West Indian Company Ltd. spokesman, Calvin Wheatley announced the ports in St. Thomas and St. John would reopen at 6 p.m. Thursday. Wheatley said the cruise ship Galaxy would be in port as scheduled at 7 a.m. Friday and would stay in port until 6 p.m.
– Patricia Blake Simmonds, spokesperson for the V.I. Port Authority said the Cyril E. King airport remained closed as of 5 p.m. Thurday and would remain closed until the high winds subsided and airport officials deem it safe to reopen.
Simmonds said all Port Authority personnel were expected to report to work on Friday.
– The 23rd annual October Sunday Festival will go on as scheduled Sunday in the Joseph Aubain Ballpark (see What to Do for details). However, the dance party co-sponsored by the October Sunday Committee and Frenchtown's Committee for the Betterment of Carenage, featuring the Louisiana Cajun band Charivari, has been changed from Friday night to Saturday night, at the same site.
That's because the band, which is also headlining the Sunday festivities, was scheduled to fly to St. Thomas today but will be arriving late Friday instead, a result of Hurricane Jose's impact on airport operations, committee member Polly Watts said.
"We also need some time to let the ballpark dry out from the storm and clean it up," she said.
The dance party will start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the ballpark and go "until." Admission is free, and dancing to waltzes, two-steps, Louisiana Creole folk music and other toe-tapping tunes is what it's all about. CBC members will be selling food and drink at the concession stand.