Top Stories in Today's SXM Weekly News:

Getting Here; Weather:
-- US Passport Processing Now Significantly Faster...
-- SXM Stays Busy; Saturdays in SXM Airport "a Zoo" Even as Low Season Begins
-- Where to Find Current SXM Weather Info
-- Here's How to Be Sure You're Properly Prepared for Hurricanes
SXM Accommodations:

-- Hundreds of SXM Timeshare Condo Rentals Available for '22 and Lots for 2023
-- Realtors to See for SXM Condos & Villas
-- Buying a Condo in SXM: Important Procedural Help (including Residency)
-- How To Rent Out Or Sell Your Timeshare Units

Other Island Headlines for Tourists:

-- SKYMED'S Up to 22 Weeks Free with Ultimate Purchase MUST END 12/31: Buy Now
-- LAST DAY TO ENTER OUR SIX-VACATION GIVEAWAY IS MONDAY 8/15
-- SXM Airport Gets Cool, Man
-- Dutch Navy & Coast Guard Conduct Two Major Drug Busts
-- Dutch Side Declares November "Culinary Month": All the Details - & Why You Should be Here
-- New Restaurant Complex at Former Cheri's Site May Open in November; Italian Restaurant, Asian Bistro & Much More Are Coming
-- "Yappy Hour" Fundraiser is This Week; Many Dogs Need Your Help Finding Forever Homes
-- Beach Volleyball Tournament Held This Past Weekend -- Two New SXM Euro Oval Stickers Now Available; Where to See Them & How to Order
-- Restaurant of the Week: Isola
-- First Responders Now Get Platinum Benefits
-- Please Patronize JMB Sponsors

Please see our complete Table of Contents below.

In This Issue: 43 News Stories

For specific guidance on how much time it is currently taking for new or renewal US passports to be processed, please ask officials at the US Post Office nearest you that accepts passport applications. They are the best available source of current information. However...

... According to anecdotal evidence from members of our Everything SXM Facebook Group, renewing US passports is taking as little as five weeks in some places, though getting new passports may currently take upwards of 11 weeks in some areas.

There had been a huge logjam of passport applications in the middle of the national shutdown due to Covid, and it has taken the US State Department many months to get things back nearly to normal -- which is where things stand today.

Before starting the application or renewal process, please be sure you contact your local post office that accepts passport applications -- they should have accurate information about the kind of turnaround you should expect in your area.

2. SXM Stays Busy; Saturdays in SXM Airport "a Zoo" Even as Low Season Begins

Although many people might expect SXM to be getting progressively quieter as we move toward September, normally the lowest part of low season, that does not currently appear to be happening. Questions posed in recent months to members of our Everything SXM Facebook Group indicate that more than the normal low numbers of tourists who visit SXM in September and October will be visiting the island during low season.

Pent-up demand and cabin fever are still combining to send more people to the tropics than has been seen in years. The fact that September is the height of hurricane season seems to be greeted by most people with a shoulder shrug. All of this is great news for the SXM economy — as long as things stay as busy as our readers say.

Dr. Soc from Island92's fresh air in the morning program left the island during a recent weekday and said the airport that day was a zoo — and Saturdays, when most people travel to and from SXM because of all the timeshare accommodations, are even busier.

It's reasonable to say that low season is starting, since the latter part of August normally reflects diminishing numbers of visitors as many people prepare for summer's end and the return to normal business after Labor Day. This year, however, that may not happen for SXM: thousands of people are apparently planning to be on the island over the next couple of months, many coming for the first time since before the Pandemic. It's good news all around.

Please see our Restaurant of the Week later in this issue for a description of one restaurant that will be staying open when many others will be observing their seasonal closure.

3. Nonstop, Connecting Definitions

There seems to be a significant amount of confusion concerning the definitions of these two types of flights — so we'll try to help.

First, nonstops are the best — and also the costliest. They take you from origin to destination in one airplane without stopping.

Second, connecting flights mean your plane will land at an intermediate airport, where you will deplane to catch another flight to go to SXM.

Ignore the term "direct" which used to refer to a flight making multiple stops before it gets to your destination (like a city bus). Direct flights are very uncommon now.

4. Where to Find Our Guide to SXM Entry Requirements / Return to US Requirements (Newly Updated)

Tens of thousands of tourists will be visiting SXM this summer and fall, with hundreds of thousands coming next winter. Planning for all of these visits is well underway.

Our Guide to Entry Requirements (Second Edition, just updated) simplifies SXM Entry Requirements to make it easier for our readers to understand exactly what the island is looking for and to successfully navigate SXM's Electronic Health Authorization System (EHAS) website, through which visitors to SXM must still apply for the required preapproval.

To access the just-updated second edition of our Guide to Entry Requirements, which is free, go through this link (revised) to the files area of our Everything SXM Facebook Group. You should be able to access the file easily if you are already a Facebook member.

Further updates may happen as the number of hospitalizations on the island stays very low. See next story.

5. MEDEVAC COSTS ARE SOARING: Got a Spare $45,000++? You May Need It, In Cash in Advance, to Get a Medevac Jet Home in a Medical Emergency

$45,000 or more payable in cash in advance could be what you must pay out-of-pocket should you need emergency medical evacuation while traveling anywhere in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, or anywhere in the Caribbean. By contrast, SkyMed Takes You Home® for zero dollars when you become critically ill or injured in any of those countries if you are a SkyMed member. All it takes is one phone call and SkyMed does everything. That $45,000 you might have to spend without SkyMed assumes that you can make all the arrangements, find and hire the jet, make sure it is properly outfitted for the specific medical problems you face, staff it with appropriate medical professionals who are cleared to travel back home to the US or Canada, and take care of customs, immigration, and loads of other paperwork including Ambulances and getting your records to your Destination hospital. By contrast, SkyMed does all of that and its members pay $0 for the evacuation or ambulances.

Setting up medical evacuations sounds complicated because it is and having to do all this in a medical emergency is a daunting task for anyone who has never done it. For about $1.64/day for an annual or multiyear SkyMed membership, SkyMed will do all of this stuff once you make that single quick phone call.

For more information, call us today at 508-591-3483 or Jeff.Berger@skymed.com. Include your phone number and time zone so we can call back and get all your questions answered. We can also take your application by phone in roughly 10 minutes.

SKYMED's EXTRA-WEEKS BONUSES WITH PURCHASES END 12/31, SO GET SKYMED NOW FOR THEIR BEST OFFERS! SEE NEXT STORY:

6. ABSOLUTELY ENDS 12/31: 22 Additional Weeks FREE From SkyMed with Ultimate Global 5-year Medevac Memberships (Act Quickly If You're Planning a Trip Across the Pond or to Asia, Africa, Australia, or South America )

The 22-week FREE MEMBERSHIP BONUS for buying SKYMED's best GLOBAL membership, the SkyMed 5-yr. Ultimate, ENDS 12/31. If you travel beyond the USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all the nations of the Caribbean, this is the BEST and LEAST EXPENSIVE product SkyMed sells on a cost-per-day basis: it will pay you to get these bonus 22 free weeks while they are still offered. Email me at jeff.berger@skymed.com with your phone number and time zone or call us USING WHATSAPP (free) 721-588-4188 or text or phone us at 508-591-3483.

Available only to Americans, Canadians, or both living as xPats in the countries noted above. DO IT NOW WHILE IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND....SKYMED TAKES YOU HOME® when you become seriously ill or injured while traveling for pleasure or on business!

7. What To Do If Your Flight is Canceled or Delayed...

What should you do if your flight is canceled or delayed as happens fairly often now due to weather or staffing shortages?

This article gives you exact answers.

Etc./Weather

8. Be Properly Prepared for Hurricane Season

Compiled by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center, this information can help anyone who is ever in the path of any tropical cyclone hopefully make it through that event safely. For your own safety, download this document and save it after reading -- and feel free to share it with others.

Get your SKYMED MEMBERSHIP *BEFORE* you need it. Air ambulances are now more costly than ever: when you become seriously or critically ill or injured while traveling, SKYMED TAKES YOU HOME® to doctors and hospitals you know & trust. Otherwise you must pay tens of thousands of dollars in cash in advance to get a medevac jet -- if you can even do it (NOT easy or fast if you don't know how). SkyMed annual or multiyear memberships are only about $1.64/day, and they're guaranteed renewable regardless of age or medical condition at renewal and they are PRICE GUARANTEED FOR LIFE. Why wait? CALL today 508-591-3483 or email us at jeff.berger@skymed.com; include your callback number & time zone please. Protect your family NOW!

9. Where to Find The Latest SXM Weather Information

Although hurricane season officially begins June 1, nonetheless it's best to be prepared before then. In recent years, tropical activity has begun around mid-May. Stay in touch with any or all of these sources of tropical weather information...

Here are SIX sources of current SXM weather info:

1) Crown Weather Services whose very inexpensive subscription service is, we feel, the best in the business.
2) Our "Weather Center / Hurricane Center" at www.everythingsxm.com -- it has current satellite images and radar loops 24/7/365 and now all the latest NHC weather forecasts, outlooks, and advisories as well. There are now also active weather widgets on the site's home page. That page also includes real-time or near-real-time satellite images and radar loops.
3) Our Everything SXM Facebook Group publishes the latest advisories, watches, and warnings when SXM is threatened by any storms.
4) On or off the island, listen to Island 92 -- 91.9FM or see www.island92.com. They report island warnings at once so you'll know exactly what's going on. You can listen on the web anytime through live streaming.
5) For a quick look at weather radar exactly where you are or where you're going, try the My Radar phone app or My Radar for Windows -- excellent programs.
6) Get a quick, current satellite look at the Atlantic basin anytime: http://www.goes.noaa.gov/GIFS/ATWV.JPG .

N. B.: Again...Never rely on any website if you're in the path of a storm; always heed warnings from local authorities.

In addition, when storms form or pass near SXM, we expect to run the latest forecasts, watches, warnings, and observations in our Everything SXM Facebook Group, and we will post all of that material directly in the weather center of our everything SXM website, www.everythingsxm.com.

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SECTION 2: Accommodations: Hotels, Resorts, Timeshares, Villas Etc

10. For SXM Condo Buyers, Some Critically Important Advice

Moving to the Caribbean requires a multi-step procedure that involves different citizenship programs. While territories in the Caribbean region have made relocation to the Caribbean easier for people, it's still a meticulous process. It's best to go through the application with seasoned immigration consultants.

Our partner BrightPath Caribbean is an expert immigration agency that has helped countless people move to their slice of paradise in the tropics. Investors, retirees, and skilled workers who were assisted by the BrightPath team now enjoy life in the land of sun, sea, and sand.

By working with BrightPath's immigration consultants, you don't have to deal with the nitty-gritty of the complicated immigration process. Plus, you avoid delays and increase your chances of approval.

Moving, retiring, and opening a business in Sint Maarten (country abbreviation SXM) all involve complicated, multi-step processes. So leave the nitty-gritty to professionals who are well-versed in immigration and the business climate in this Caribbean country.

BrightPath Caribbean makes your move to Sint Maarten smooth-sailing and fuss-free. You no longer have to deal with complicated paperwork or complex immigration, incorporation, or retirement procedures. Our consultants in Sint Maarten will oversee everything so that you can focus on the important thing -- your new life in paradise.

Moving to St. Maarten
BrightPath Caribbean provides various services to prepare for your relocation, retirement, or venture in Sint Maarten.

Immigration Services
Our team handles immigration matters for individuals who want to relocate to St. Maarten. Moving to this country is no easy task, but the effort is more than worth it. Its beautiful beaches and scenery make it seem like you're on vacation all year round.

BrightPath immigration consultants in Sint Maarten:

• Walk you through the various immigration avenues in Sint Maarten, including investment, employment, family reunification, cohabitation agreements, and more

• Collect required documents based on the avenue for immigration and review them for completeness and accuracy

• Oversee the entire application process and guide you every step of the way

Business Incorporation Services
Our business incorporation consultants see to it that you start your company on the right legal footing. You'll get expert-level guidance in:

• Business License. Our experts deliver reliable advice about the right business license for your company if you haven't applied for one yet. We also guide you in applying for the license in St. Maarten.

• Name Search. BrightPath consultants check if your chosen business name is available. If not, we can work with you to form a cleared name.

• Preparing the Articles of Incorporation. Our team prepares and makes sure the paperwork is complete and error-free. We'll also be the ones to file the articles of incorporation.
  

Business Banking Services
Our team opens bank accounts for existing or planned businesses in SXM to make sure your company starts on the right financial footing. You'll be assisted as you:

• Choose Your Bank. Our consultants review your business banking needs, as well as your in-person and online banking preferences, to help you choose the right bank. Our goal is to find a bank that provides scalable solutions and day-to-day banking convenience.

• Gather Requirements. Our team helps you collect the required documents and review them for accuracy and completeness. We'll also be the ones to submit them and set an appointment with your chosen bank in Sint Maarten.

• Sign Forms. You simply attend the appointment and sign the forms.
  

Retirement Planning Services
You'll develop a personal retirement planning strategy that takes into account your personal financial goals, the financial risks you face, and the kind of life you want to lead during your golden years in the Caribbean. Our retirement service consultants in Sint Maarten:

• Help you set clearly defined goals for your retirement in St. Maarten

• Improve tax efficiency and help you maximize your benefits

• Plan your legacy in case you want to leave something to your grandchildren or a charitable institution
  

Sint Maarten Awaits:
There's more to Sint Maarten than beautiful beaches and breathtaking landscapes. The culinary scene is rich and diverse, representing over 100 nationalities, including French cheeses and Mediterranean wines. The shopping experience is divine, and the festivals are spectacular.

If you're eyeing St. Maarten for your retirement or new venture, then you've made the right choice.

11. Buying a Condo in SXM: Important Procedural Help

A while ago, working with Arun Jagtiani of Island Real Estate Team, we put together and conducted an SXM Relocation Seminar for dozens of attentive attendees at Emilio's Restaurant at the Emilio Wilson estate near Philipsburg.

Many of you have asked whether it would be possible for you to see video we made of our relocation seminar.

Although we do intend to put on future relocation seminars, the video of our November '18 seminar is available online to anyone interested in buying on SXM, whether for a vacation home, retirement home, income property, or anything else. Lots of outstanding info was communicated during this excellent seminar, and another is now in the early planning stages.

See the video here. (Link is being updated).

Please check this link to BrightPath Caribbean SXM, a company that can help provide very deep and expeditious help in completing residency requirements for people buying a second home, income property, or a new business in SXM, or relocating there. They're located in the Puerta del Sol building opposite Avantika, Simpson Bay, Dutch side. Tell them you heard about BrightPath through Jeff Berger's SXM Weekly News.

12. Realtors to See for SXM Condos & Villas

The following list of our sponsor realtors tells you how to contact SXM's best sources of condos and villas across the island:

VILLA RENTALS / RENTAL COMPANIES:

If you're interested in making a villa reservation (doing it with close friends can be fun and more economical than you'd imagine), contact our top recommended Villa rental/sale partners at Island Real Estate Team. Call the number that follows and ask to speak with the agent who handles villa rentals: 1 721 520 7284. Please let the agent know that you're interested in a rental and you were referred by Jeff Berger's Everything SXM Facebook Group. Hundreds of villas are now online.

Jennifer's Vacation Villas has also joined us as a villa rental partner. Jennifer's Vacation Villas is a licensed management, real estate and villa rental company specializing in the rental of private villas and condos on both French and Dutch St. Maarten. Its proprietor, Jennifer, is a New Yorker who has been residing in St. Maarten for 40 years and whose goal is to provide guests with personal attention and to ensure that their vacations are memorable. Jennifer's Vacation Villas also does Weddings, Private Events, and any additional services including massages, boat trips, and private catering. Their aim is to make your vacation stay as comfortable, accommodating, and easy going as possible. Call 1 (721) 544-3107 | +1 (631) 546-7345. When you contact them, please tell them you were referred by Jeff Berger's Everything SXM Facebook Group.

Candie Billant does condo and villa rentals and sales. You will find her at #Caribbean Estate Agency N. V.

GoBeach Vacations

Sunshine Properties

Monte Verde / Belle Vue

Villa Acropole:
www.acropole-stmartin.com

Villa Vijoux:
https://www.facebook.com/VillaVijoux

Villa Steel Magnolias (new 1/22)

40Weeks SXM Vacation Rentals (new)

Villa En'sea 5 bedroom Villa, overlooking Philipsburg bay (new)

Villa Kimon

Daffodil Villa

13. SXM Timeshare Condo Rentals Still Available for '22, and Lots for 2023

Dozens of new listings of timeshare and other condominiums for rent and for sale for both 2022 and 2023 have been added to our timeshare sales / rental page in our main SXM site, www.everythingsxm.com.If you're looking for a place to stay, that's where to find it. All of our listings are from members of our JMB Website Supporters island discount program so you deal directly with timeshare owners -- there are no middlemen or agents or anyone else charging commissions. Usually, timeshare owners charge close to their actual annual maintenance fee costs.

Dozens more new entries were posted over the last couple of weeks.

14. Reminder: JMB Members May Now Advertise Both Timeshare Weeks They Own and Privately Owned SXM Condominiums On Our Site

We are now accepting advertising for both timeshare resort condominiums as well as privately owned condominiums on the island directly from their owners who are members of our JMB Website Supporters Island Discount Program. This is effective immediately and includes weeks from both 2022 and 2023. Submit your ads through the members-only "Secret" website.

Not a member? Join us by clicking the page curl on our main site, www.everythingsxm.com. All the details you need are there.

15. How To Rent Out Or Sell Your Timeshare Units

If you own timeshare weeks that you would like to rent out or sell on our main everythingSXM.com website, you can do it once you become a member of our JMB Website Supporters island discount program. For all the details, go to our main site, everythingSXM.com and click on timeshare rentals in the navigation bar. You'll find the details about posting there.

For information about joining JMB Website Supporters, click the page curl on all pages of everythingSXM.com. As a member, you will have access to a growing package of about 300 discounts and other benefits including the ability to post up to 10 ads per year in our rental pages at everythingsxm.com.

The ability to post timeshare rentals on our site is limited to JMB Website Supporters members only, and is not available to any others at any price.

16. SkyMed TRAVEL Guarantees Big-Time Savings on Hotels, Cruises, Car Rentals

We're now giving JMB Website Supporters members and SXM Weekly News readers access to a private, "members only" travel wholesale club that offers incredible prices not only on airfares but on travel reservations and packages worldwide.

SkyMed Travel offers exceptional pricing on everything and almost invariably beats everyone else's pricing. We have found their pricing excellent across the board and their 15% low rate guarantee on hotels and car rentals is real news.

Normally, SkyMed Travel charges $99 to join plus $99 annual renewals. But for our JMB Website Supporters members and now for Weekly News readers, the cost to join is zero as will be the cost for renewals. Join the Club by going to https://www.skymedtravel.com/register, sign up, and provide the requested information. Complete the first sign up item (SkyMed Membership Number or Representative ID) by entering the code 391330; doing that ensures that you pay nothing for your SkyMed Travel Club membership. No code, no free entry to the club's phenomenal pricing. If you are a SkyMed Member, however, enter your SkyMed Membership Number there to get the absolute greatest possible discounts.

You won't be disappointed.

Not a SkyMed member? Learn more about it at www.skymed.com/jmb, then call us with questions or to sign up. Call 508-591-3483 (NEW NUMBER) any weekday. Thanks.

SECTION 3: JMB Member Discounts & Benefits

17. UPDATED: $100 Jewelry Gift Card Emails Coming to All JMB Website Supporters Members: News About JMB Member Discounts / Benefits Updates (Updated 8/15/22) How To Get Your $100 Gift Card to Caribbean Gems

One of the newest benefits of JMB Website Supporters membership is a $100 Gift Card from Caribbean Gems. The Gift Card was sent earlier this year by email to all members of our JMB Website Supporters Island Discount Program, and will be sent again this week. Details on its use accompany the card.

We are now working to further increase the already huge number of restaurants, jewelry stores, hotels, car rentals, and other businesses offering discounts or other incentives to members of our JMB Website Supporters SXM Island Discount Program. As these additions are made, they will be reported here in SXM Weekly News and will also be noted in our Everything SXM Facebook Group. We expect to finish these updates this Fall.

JMB Website Supporters currently offers roughly 300 discounts and other benefits to its thousands of members.

Want your own $100 Gift Certificate to Caribbean Gems? Join JMB Website Supporters and we will send it to you.

For more info on what you get with your JMB membership or to sign up, go here.

18. JMB Website Supporters Island Discount Program Major Update Expected to Complete Late This Fall...

The huge update we have been working on for some time of our JMB Website Supporters Island Discount Program -- which coincides with a major server upgrade and upgrades to two mission-critical programs for our new servers -- is taking longer than we had originally hoped.. Unfortunately, this seems to be a common theme among many businesses dealing with personnel shortages among their principal contractors. In any case, we believe this major upgrade should be finished by late this Fall. We will keep you aware of program changes and we apologize for the delay.

19. Updated Contact Information for JMB Website Supporters and SkyMed Sales Inquiries (UPDATED 6/6/22)

Updated Contact Information for Everything SXM / JMB Communications / JMB Website Supporters Membership Services and SkyMed Sales:

Because of volume, email is not the best way to reach us. Here’s what’s best: First, a Suggestion: Get the free WhatsApp app. It lets you make free phone calls (including video calls) worldwide and send free texts, all for zero cost. It is very widely used around the world.

1. SkyMed Answers to Questions or to Sign Up by Phone: If you’re interested in learning more about SkyMed, contact Jeff Berger at jeff.berger@skymed.com. Leave your phone number and time zone and he’ll return your call. SkyMed is sold only to Americans, Canadians, and xPats. If you prefer, phone Jeff at 508-591-3483 and leave a message; that is a NEW NUMBER. You may also call our JMB office, 508-747-8281.

2. JMB Membership Questions/Issues -- JMB Website Supporters: Use WhatsApp to send questions to Membership Services; use Jeff Berger’s WhatsApp phone number, 721-588-4188, but call or TEXT (texting is
   preferred) from within the WhatsApp application ONLY. Membership Services at our headquarters in Massachusetts handles all these calls. INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL, since all responses are made by email.

3. Our new email is jmbcomms@gmail.com; use it for JMB Website Supporters membership questions. Thank you.

SECTION 4: Island News, Info, & Features

20. ENDS 12/31: Get Up to 22 Bonus Weeks FREE When You Buy SkyMed---

Up To 22 Weeks FREE (PLUS Military/First Responder Free Weeks) with New Multiyear SkyMed Purchases ===Only $1.64/day Gets You Guaranteed Renewable, Price-Guaranteed-Forever SkyMed Annual or Multiyear Medevac Protection

**************************************

THE UP TO 22 FREE WEEKS OFFER ENDS 12/31!

MAKE YOUR MOVE TO SKYMED NOW AND GET
22 WEEKS FREE WITH YOUR NEW PURCHASE OF
A FIVE-YEAR SKYMED ULTIMATE, OUR
LOWEST-COST-PER-DAY, MOST FEATURE-RICH
MEMBERSHIP!

**********************************************************
IF YOU HAVE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT SKYMED,
*NOW* IS THE TIME TO ACT **********************************************************
SkyMed Never Does Sales
-- Except Right Now:

Only $1.64/day - *LESS THAN A CUP OF COFFEE* -- gets you annual or multiyear SKYMED MEDEVAC protection for virtually all of your upcoming trips.

Buy it NOW, *BEFORE* you need it -- just like fire insurance.

For info see the links below, for answers to questions or to sign up by phone call 508-591-3483 (you can text to that number & leave voicemail 24/7). NOTE: My prices for multiyear memberships ARE MUCH LESS THAN YOU WOULD PAY ONLINE.

.........................SKYMED's BEST PROMOTION EVER IS NOW UNDERWAY!.......................
For ALL NEW MEMBERSHIPS in 2022:

22 FREE weeks added to all new 5-year ULTIMATES*
12 FREE weeks added to all new 3-year ULTIMATES*
22 FREE days added to all new Annual memberships*

ALL THESE BONUSES END THIS YEAR!

=== PLUS===

"Thank YOU for Your Service"
Bonuses for US & Canadian Military Veterans
& FIRST RESPONDERS:

6 FREE months added to all new 5-year ULTIMATES*
3 FREE months added to all new 3-year ULTIMATES*
*What are "Ultimates"? See next story.
***These MILITARY benefits are IN ADDITION TO the benefits for all new members!***

21. THE SKYMED SALE DETAILS: Only $1.64/day Gets You Guaranteed Renewable, Price-Guaranteed-Forever SkyMed Annual or Multiyear Medevac Protection:

• WHAT IS SKYMED? WHERE DOES SKYMED WORK?SkyMed is a medical evacuation membership company. "SkyMed Takes You Home®" when you become seriously or critically ill or injured when traveling anywhere throughout the USA, Canada, all the nations of the Caribbean, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. Global protection is also available. SkyMed members pay nothing for SkyMed-arranged medical evacuation flights that would cost non-SkyMed members $45,000 and up payable in cash, in advance. Why risk that? Of course, you must get your SkyMed membership before you need it -- just like fire insurance. You'll find an overview of all SkyMed Services here, and you'll find Frequently Asked Questions here.
  
  

• WHAT ARE "ULTIMATES"?SkyMed Ultimates are SkyMed's best memberships and also its LEAST EXPENSIVE on a cost-per-day basis (about $1.64/day for family protection). They offer a suite of 18 services and protect you worldwide -- almost everywhere. They are offered in monthly-pay (minimum payment period two years), three-year, and five-year versions.
  
  

• LOW GROUP PRICING *LOWER THAN THE PRICES ON THE SKYMED WEBSITE*:

All of the SkyMed memberships we sell go to either members of our JMB Website Supporters Island Discount Program, to members of our various online SXM groups, or to readers of SXM Weekly News. The prices we charge for all multiyear Ultimate memberships are SUBSTANTIALLY LESS than the retail prices you will see online from SkyMed's website. Call or email us DIRECTLY (contact info below) for details on all of our major-league savings on SkyMed Ultimate multi-year membership prices.

• LIFETIME PRICE GUARANTEE / GUARANTEED RENEWABLE MEMBERSHIPS:All existing SkyMed memberships and new SkyMed membership purchases of one-year or longer are now price-guaranteed for life. The price of your membership will not increase if you buy during 2022 or if you already are a SkyMed owner of any annual or longer membership: this applies as long as your renewals are paid on time. SkyMed annual and longer memberships are also Guaranteed Renewable when annual or multiyear fees are paid on time -- guaranteed renewable regardless of advancing age or declining health.
  
  

• HOW TO CONTACT US: Phone us ANYTIME at 508-591-3483 (new number, where you can also text us) for answers to questions or to sign up. When you call us directly, we get credit for the sale. You can also email us directly through SkyMed at jeff.berger@skymed.com.
  My SkyMed website: http://www.skymed.com/jmb. But please CALL ME DIRECTLY with questions or to sign up - that way I get credit (number above). Or jeff.berger@skymed.com
  .
  

• When and Where SkyMed Protects You:Basic SkyMed short-term and annual memberships protect you throughout the USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all the nations of the Caribbean. In that SkyMed universe, SkyMed Takes You Home® when you become critically ill or injured. Optional protection covering most of the rest of the world is provided by GETS, Global Emergency Travel Services, a SkyMed company.
  
  

• Key Differences Between SkyMed Short-Term & Annual Memberships: Many people who buy SkyMed memberships first request short-term protection. Is that the best solution for most people? That's a decision you have to make, but before you do, here's some important info. First, short-term memberships are available only for a specific defined short term. They protect you with SkyMed Takes You Home® membership that applies throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all the nations of the Caribbean including Cuba. Short-term protection cannot be upgraded or renewed since you buy it for a specific trip; it's temporary protection. There is no waiting period for benefits. When you want protection for another future trip, you must make a separate application for it. Although at $15/day per couple SkyMed short-term protection is the most expensive product SkyMed sells on a cost-per-day basis, short-term protection is economical if you seldom travel and take brief trips. The cost is $9/day per individual, or a maximum of $15 a day per family (parents and kids 21 or younger). We always tell people who are 50 or over about the most important advantages of SkyMed annual and multiyear memberships. The single most important benefit is that SkyMed annual and multiyear memberships are guaranteed renewable, regardless of advancing age or declining health. Details are in SkyMed's Member Services Agreement. We currently have members who are still traveling and are in their upper 80s and 90s. The cost of annual memberships per family is far more economical than the $15/day per family for short-term coverage -- it's now only about $1.64/day total. Multiyear memberships also have more features; contact me for full information about features of each type of SkyMed membership. Ultimate memberships protect you worldwide. I can answer all your questions by phone in minutes, and can also take your application by phone (that way I get credit). Phone anytime at 508-591-3483 (NEW NUMBER). That's a direct line to Jeff Berger that also accepts text messages. Updated 6/20/22.
  
  *What is the SkyMed Ultimate?
  Again, the Ultimate is SkyMed's best - and least expensive (on a daily cost basis) form of medical evacuation membership. With SkyMed "Takes You Home"® services in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all the nations of the Caribbean, plus Global Emergency Travel Services (GETS) almost everywhere else worldwide, the Ultimate is for people who visit Europe, Africa, Asia, and almost anywhere else your wanderlust takes you. It also delivers 18 critically important travel-related services as opposed to 12 with SkyMed annual memberships. You'll find an overview of all SkyMed Services including those provided with Ultimate memberships here.
  
  
  

• SkyMed Frequently Asked Questions / FAQ
  
  

Feel free to contact me via Facebook Messenger as well or now WhatsApp, 721-588-4188 (through WhatsApp ONLY), or use our new office line, 508-591-3483. Or email me at jeff.berger@skymed.com (SkyMed inquiries only please). You can also send texts to that 508 line and leave voice messages. Please include your phone number, time zone, callback number, and email address.

--Jeff Berger
7/25/22

22. Answering Your Questions: What Does SkyMed Do for its Members?
--- from Jeff Berger

We've always said SkyMed TAKES YOU HOME® when you become critically ill or injured --
home to doctors and hospitals you know and trust, and home where your health insurance works. In
recent weeks as many of you have decided to resume traveling, you've asked us for examples of
what SkyMed does. Several examples are right here:

For answers to questions or to sign up, email me at jeff.berger@skymed.com or call me at
508-591-3483. Open to Americans & Canadians & xPats only. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona,
for the last 33+ years, SkyMed TAKES YOU HOME® when you become critically ill or injured
while traveling anywhere in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, or all the
nations of the Caribbean. Global protection is available. Cost for family membership is as
little as $1.64/day on annual and multiyear plans. IMPORTANT: Buy directly through me;
our pricing for multiyear memberships is much lower than SkyMed's pricing published
on the web.

Here are specific examples of how SkyMed works for its members:

On a recent Thursday at Mullet Bay Beach, a woman at the edge of the water fell and accidentally
knocked down her friend, standing close by. The friend felt pain in her leg as she got up, went to
a hospital, and was told she had a "soft tissue injury" and should relax in the sun. Pain
continued. Next day she went to the Maho Clinic for another opinion since she couldn't put any
weight on the leg without pain. The doctor there sent her to the French Side for a new x-ray. That
diagnosis came back - broken leg and she had to be medically evacuated back to the US for surgery.
A few days before, the woman had bought short-term SkyMed medevac protection for her short trip to
SXM. Cost, under $100. She was sent home by jet by SkyMed. The charge for the jet: $0. Without
SkyMed, had she needed a medevac jet, the $26,000 (approx.) price of that jet home would have had
to be paid in cash in advance; with SkyMed she was home and in the hospital of her choice the next
day for $0 out-of-pocket.

Mary Beth and her partner Don were vacationing in SXM when Don fell and broke his hip -- only about
a month after they had bought SkyMed. SkyMed flew them home on a medevac jet for the hospital care
he needed. Flight cost to the patient: $0. Savings: over $35,000.

An MD from Florida who always visits SXM was on a cruise vacation to the Greek Islands with his
wife when he broke his femur aboard the ship. He was rushed to the hospital in Corfu but called
SkyMed which arranged and paid for an emergency medevac flight to Athens for urgent surgery. A few
days later SkyMed evacuated him again, with an excellent male nurse, all the way home to Florida,
where an ambulance took him home for recovery. Required flight cost to the patient: $0. Savings:
huge.

A Summer trip ended in disaster when a child visiting her grandmother in Grand Case was bitten in
the head by the grandmother's bulldog, imperiling the girl's eyesight. She was flown to Miami in a medical
evacuation jet for emergency eye surgery that saved her sight. Flight cost to the patient: $0.

A woman from Virginia shopped at an island grocer and headed back to her car carrying two bags of
groceries. She tripped and fell on a curb and knew at once she had fractured her hip. After being
stabilized locally, she was flown home on a medical evacuation jet from SkyMed where she had the
surgery she needed. Flight cost to the patient: $0.

Two men were riding their horses on a hill in Cay Bay when a car backfiring spooked one of the
horses, which threw its rider. The other rider got off his horse to check his companion when the car again
backfired, spooking the horse again which led it to kick its dismounted driver in the head, luckily
causing "only" a severely dislocated jaw. The local hospital had no ability to solve that problem
so the victim was airlifted by SkyMed back to Pennsylvania for surgery. Flight cost to the patient:
$0.

A member of the clergy fell down cement stairs and broke her leg. She too was airlifted home by
SkyMed for surgery. Flight cost to the patient: $0.

Not all trips end well: anything can happen when you travel. Being a member of SkyMed was the common thread in all these cases. SkyMed takes its members home when serious or critical injuries occur in the "SkyMed universe" , usually in a private, ICU-equivalent medical evacuation jet -- home to doctors and hospitals the patient knows and trusts -- and home where their health insurance works. That's just one of up to 18 benefits received by SkyMed members for about $1.64/day for annual or multiyear memberships.

All this is why we always recommend SkyMed. Call Jeff Berger 24/7 at 508-591-3483 and leave
your name, phone number, and time zone. Jeff will call back at a mutually convenient time and
answer all your questions. He can also take your application by phone in about 10 minutes. You're eligible to
apply regardless of your age or health if you are a U.S. or Canadian citizen or an American or
Canadian ExPat living in SXM or certain other countries.

Anything can happen anywhere: Do it now, BEFORE YOU NEED IT. To learn more, visit
www.skymed.com/jmb. JMB members get big discounts off SkyMed's online pricing for all multiyear memberships, the BEST memberships for most people age 50 or over. More contact info is above.

Thanks for reading this.

23. LAST DAY TO ENTER OUR SIX-VACATION GIVEAWAY

ENTRIES TO OUR SIX-VACATION GIVEAWAY MUST END TODAY, MONDAY, AUGUST 15 AT 11:59 pm PDT.

Look:

Our 6-Vacation Giveaway Happens Monday Morning August 22 LIVE on Island92 (91.9fm or at island92.com). Please tell your friends to subscribe FREE to SXM WEEKLY NEWS at sxmweeklynews.com for a full prize list and entry instructions (you'll see HOW TO ENTER below in this story.) You *MUST* answer your phone to win! You *MUST* be an SXM Weekly News free subscriber to be eligible to win! If you already entered, enter again -- we allow up to 10 entries per email address subscribed to SXM Weekly News. DO IT NOW AND TELL ALL YOUR SXM TOURIST FRIENDS! The entry form may work slowly since many people are entering. SIX PEOPLE WILL WIN SXM VACATIONS FROM US. Shouldn't you be one of the winners? YOU MUST ANSWER YOUR PHONE TO WIN.

The vacations will be at:

Villa En Sea high on a hill overlooking beautiful Great Bay and downtown Philipsburg;

Colony Manor Golden Daze condo directly on Simpson Bay beach;

Simpson Bay Resort, Marina, & Spa in the heart of Simpson Bay, on its own private beach;

Belair Beach Hotel on its own private beach minutes from Philipsburg;

Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, on its own private beach with a gorgeous multi-level pool and lots of great restaurants on-site; and

Azure Hotel & Art Studio, a small family-owned hotel on the beach and within walking distance of many fine Simpson Bay restaurants.

In addition, there will be a car rental from Leisure Car Rental for the grand prize winner, several dinners for two at top island restaurants (see below), and a $400 women's or men's watch from Caribbean Gems in Philipsburg. ZHAVERI LUXURY is offering our Grand Prize winner a $100 gift certificate toward any purchase.

Dinners for two will be at Mario's Bistro; Emilio's Restaurant; Isola Restaurant; Vesna Taverna; Mama Pizza; Movida; IZI Ristorante Italiano and Spiga in Grand Case. All are subject to limitations set by the owner; if you exceed the limit, you are responsible for the excess.

Our GRAND PRIZE winner will also appear live on Island 92 radio with Jeff "Dr. Soc" Sochrin on his Fresh Air in the Morning Program.

ENTRIES END 11:59 pm PDT Monday August 15. IF YOU RECEIVE YOUR OWN COPY OF SXM WEEKLY NEWS, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO WIN BUT YOU STILL MUST ENTER. ENTER HERE. If you do NOT subscribe, you must go to sxmweeklynews.com now to subscribe FREE before entering this giveaway. ENTRIES FROM NONSUBSCRIBERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN. PREVIOUS WINNERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.

24. SXM Airport Gets Four Big New A/C Units Installed

SXM Airport published word last week that it was planning to install four big new air-conditioning units in the building. We've heard occasional remarks recently that the building has been warm, though we noticed no change during our time there last winter. Apparently these units will get the terminal's temp back to normal air-conditioned temperatures even during the warmest of summer days on the island.

The airport issued word about the new installations this past week, noting that it apologize for any inconvenience to passengers. The installation was to have been finished on Sunday, August 14.

25. Dutch Navy, Coast Guard Conduct Two Major Drug Busts

The Dutch Navy working in the Caribbean with the Coast Guard last week conducted two major drug busts. Here is the complete story.

26. Dutch Side Declares November "Culinary Month": All the Details - & Why You Should be Here

Philipsburg, St. Maarten — The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau and the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association jointly announce November as St. Maarten’s Culinary Month through its initiative “St. Maarten Flavors”.

During the month of November, participating restaurants will design a special prix fix menu of either 3 courses or one, highlighting their specialties. St. Maarten is known for offering an exquisite variety of culinary delights island wide and is often referred to as the “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean”.

Besides showcasing food specialties during the month of November, restaurants will implement additional activations to make the dining experience even more unique. “The SHTA is thrilled to promote the many outstanding culinary experiences prepared by our high-end restaurants as well as our unique streetside lolos and food trucks. Our culinary offerings are as widely represented as our population, with so many unbelievable Flavors competing for our next meal.

“St. Maarten Flavors” will allow you to indulge in the best that St. Maarten has to offer at affordable pricing, giving you a perfect reason to dine out and try new places with family and friends.” Says Wyb Meijer, Executive Director of the SHTA. The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau and the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association will jointly promote the restaurants participating as well as the various events, to showcase the culinary destination to as wide an audience as possible.

The regional Marketing partner firms of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau will also be maximizing exposure for the destination. “I am very happy about the significance of “St. Maarten Flavors” for the island. We want visitors to immerse into the diversity of our unique island that is known as the culinary capital of the Caribbean.

With the Fete de la Cuisine organizers and Office de Tourisme de Saint Martin just recently announcing their culinary Festivals, nestled in the Month of November, I believe having the whole month branded as the culinary month, will attract more visitors from all over the world”, says Director of Tourism May-Ling Chun.

With an accessible price point set for “St. Maarten Flavors” the organizers want to ensure that everyone has the ability to participate and try places one might not otherwise get to experience, or would have thought of going to, thus involving our local diners as well as our visiting ones. Restaurants interested in participating in “St Maarten Flavors” can contact the SHTA office office@shta.com or contact by phone at 542-0108 for all details.

27. New Restaurant Complex at Former Cheri's Site May Open in November; Italian Restaurant, Asian Bistro & More Are Coming

Seasoned restaurateur Jay Time, known for multiple Maho-area restaurants over more than a decade, is currently up to his eyeballs in his most ambitious restaurant site development project yet: the transformation of the former site of Cheri's in Maho into a multifaceted culinary destination that at this moment doesn't have a final, official name.

We been musing among ourselves that perhaps this somewhat kaleidoscopic, broad-spectrum project could be named for the colors of the rainbow — but somebody already thought of that elsewhere. So we'll tell you several facts you've probably not yet heard about what this project will bring to the area both in terms of content and ambiance.

This list is not complete -- but there will be at least two restaurants and bars ready to go at the opening. Among them will be a new Italian restaurant and an Asian bistro. "We will have live music, shows, and we even squeezed in a USA deli / coffee shop with air conditioned seating. Food trucks will be Caribbean, Pizza, and most likely a diner or burger shack and one more," Jay told us in a recent interview.

Now you see why we were going along the lines of a culinary kaleidoscope. It's quite an encompassing project. Jay added, "There will be cool water features, small bridges, and dining street side over the water."

Opening date is expected to be between November 1 and November 15 -- yes, that's this year. We expect to publish a number of pictures in our Everything SXM Facebook Group. Parking is available nearby.

We'll keep you posted as this project moves closer to completion.

28. "Yappy Hour" Fundraiser is This Week; Many Dogs Need Your Help Finding Forever Homes

Please join SXM Paws for “Yappy Hour” at Dinghy Dock Bar on Thursday, August 18th from 5-7pm. We will have puppies, shirts, and lots of fun. Mark it on your calendar.

Many more dogs and pups than usual now need adoptive parents! SXM Paws can match you to one (or more) of the available dogs. Contact Cyndi Shell in our Everything SXM Facebook Group -- she knows the ropes and can help you.

If you're willing to accompany a dog on your flight back to the US or Canada -- they need that kind of logistical help too. No cost to you.

29. Beach Volleyball Tournament Held This Past Weekend

These folks take beach volleyball seriously! Here are the details.

30. SXM's New License Plate Design Shows Imagination, Panache

Take a look yourself....

31. Perfect Time to Start an SXM Charm Bracelet

SXM has many outstanding jewelers on Front Street, many of whom have island-related charms in different price ranges. Time to pick out a bracelet and a few "starter" charms from SXM, and get more on each future visit. Or -- time to get one for a special someone. SXM is certainly the best place to start; see our Sponsors list below in this issue and contact your choice of the jewelers listed to start yours now.

Get your SKYMED MEMBERSHIP *BEFORE* you need it. Air ambulances are now more costly than ever: when you become seriously or critically ill or injured while traveling, SKYMED TAKES YOU HOME® to doctors and hospitals you know & trust. Otherwise you must pay tens of thousands of dollars in cash in advance to get a medevac jet -- if you can even do it (NOT easy or fast if you don't know how). SkyMed annual or multiyear memberships are only about $1.64/day, and they're guaranteed renewable regardless of age or medical condition at renewal and they are PRICE GUARANTEED FOR LIFE. Why wait? CALL today 508-591-3483 or email us at jeff.berger@skymed.com; include your callback number & time zone please. Protect your family TODAY!

32. Restaurant of the Week: Isola Ristorante Italiano - NOT Doing An Annual Closure

What: Fine dining Italian Restaurant that also creates SXM's most popular authentic pizza, dine-in or take-out.

Where: Entrance is next door to Hollywood Casino in the middle of Simpson Bay Resort. Free valet parking in front of the Casino.

Particulars: Top guy Marco Ferrante has been serving discriminating people who appreciate Italian fine dining for about 25 years on SXM. A native Italian, he knows his stuff, and offers a huge menu of delicious choices -- meat, fish, poultry -- chances are high that your favorite Italian dishes are here. Lots of creative dining here. Dine inside in air-conditioned comfort or on the veranda where pleasant tradewinds caress you. Excellent service from an experienced staff. And -- this is one restaurant that WILL NOT DO A SEASONAL CLOSING and is open for dinner seven nights a week. Highly recommended.

Here are recently featured SXM restaurants:
Isola next to Hollywood Casino at Simpson Bay Resort, (featured 8/13/22). Italian. Excellent food, many choices (pizza too), busy, good specials. Lively; busy; entertainment some nights. Many folks from Simpson Bay Resort dine here as well as many locals and lots of casino high-rollers. Outstanding restaurant. www.isolaristorante.com
Astra Steak & Seafood (featured 7/25/22) is the newest creation of the organization that also operates Avantika and Movida in the same area of Simpson Bay. It's new, gorgeous, constantly evolving, and has highest-quality written all over it. We go often and love it. See https://www.astrasxm.com/
IZI Ristorante Italiano, www.izisxm.com (featured 7/11/22). Open for dinner starting at 5pm except Mon., when they're closed. Fantastic food from one of SXM's very best restaurants. Fun atmosphere, too.
Bold Buddha Bar/Restaurant, 49 Front Street at Horizon View Hotel, Philipsburg (featured 7/5/22) Cool new place with seasoned service, very good tapas / Caribbean / Asian and other food, a superb location, and a perfect concept. Highly recommended; something new and different. Ideal place to cool off with a delicious drink and make your taste buds happy.
Vesna Taverna, www.vesnasxm.com (featured 6/13/22). Now open every day but Monday for B/L; dinner is offered Tuesday through Saturday. Outstanding dining, reasonable pricing.
La Rosa Restaurant, Maho Plaza, (featured 5/23/2022): Loved the relaxing vibe, attentive service, GREAT food, reasonable prices, and BIG portions. www.larosarestaurant.com/index.html
Jai's Contemporary Fusion Cuisine (featured 5/9/22), Simpson Bay Leave your preconceptions behind! A 15-second walk to the opposite side of the building from Top Carrot. Outstanding dinners (and lunches a few days weekly) in Jai's, a fun new contemporary fusion restaurant operated by two young SXM graduates of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Super creative, artfully presented, phenomenally executed selections spanning an ever-growing spectrum of flavors, aromas, textures, and tastes. You gotta try Jai's! Highest recommendation. See https://www.facebook.com/jaissxmresto
Melange International Grill, Port de Plaisance (next to Princess Casino entrance). (featured 4/18/22) A spectrum of delightful offerings from Europe, the USA, and South America. One of the most eclectic menus on SXM. Delicious dining.
Mama Pizza, Porto Cupecoy & Oyster Pond, (featured 4/4/22) Big, outstanding pizza, and sizable portions plus reasonable prices on numerous other delicious Italian specialties. They also have a number of fresh fish entrees you should not miss. On the plaza at Porto Cupecoy, Cupecoy Beach, and on the main drag through Oyster Pond, French side. https://www.facebook.com/Mamapizzaisthebest
Mandarin Pan Asian at Port de Plaisance Resort off the Union Road, Cole Bay, (featured 3/21/22). Excellent selection of palate-pleasing offerings from Japan, Thailand, and China. Highly recommended.
La Patrona, Simpson Bay Resort (featured 2/28/22) La Patrona is SXM's only truly authentic Mexican restaurant. Highly recommended: great food, great service, not to be missed.
Bovin Steakhouse at Simpson Bay Resort, Marina Plaza next to la Patrona (featured 2/21/22) Upscale restaurant offering sumptuous dining, outstanding service, and more than just steak (though we expect lots of steak lovers will flock here.
Avantika Thai www.avantikasxm.com (featured 2/14/22) Avantika is flat-out wonderful; SXM's best 4hai Delicious food artfully presented and reasonably priced, backed by seasoned service. Go...you'll become a regular.
Spiga, www.spiga-sxm.com (featured 2/7/22) Chef-co-owner Ciro Russo & Lara Russo haven't missed a beat here as Spiga continues to be simply the best restaurant of any kind in Grand Case, where it has a lot of competition. Incredibly irresistible food, great staff, service, and beautiful ambiance. Everything is great, appetizers are out of this world. Absolutely not to be missed.
SkipJacks Seafood Grill, Bar, and seafood Market (featured 1/31/22 is one of the largest seafood restaurants on the island, located in a remarkable site overlooking Simpson Bay Lagoon and many megayachts. With many types of fresh fish cooked to order, SkipJack's is best known for lobster, both the local spiny variety and even some flown in from Maine. Pick your own and have it prepared as you like it. Lots of other choices too for all kinds of appetites. Classic attentive service and delicious everything. It's a must.
Emilio's at the Emilio Wilson Estate, Dutch Side, https://emilios-sxm.com/ . [Featured January 2022] Truly fine dining in one of SXM's most well known and respected restaurants. The property is rich in history, the owners and Chef Sidney are culinary perfectionists, and you will kick yourself if you don't go here early in your trip so you have time to come back. Sunday Brunch is a must but requires reservations as does dinner. Not to be missed.
Mario's Bistro at the Cliff, formerly Mario's Bistro www.mariobistrot.com/en/ 1/17/22 Mario's is one of the most spectacular culinary experiences you'll ever have -- here in SXM or anywhere else. Go. Phenomenal dining. Formerly on the plaza at Porto Cupecoy, Cupecoy Beach, they are now at the Cliff. Open every day but Monday, they serve both lunch and dinner six days a week. Traditional and highly creative Continental dinners, with Tapas and other selections at lunch. Do not miss it. Reservations essential. They do not use an answering machine, so call when they are open and let it ring.
The Coffee Lounge, (featured 1/3/22) Simpson Bay next to Domino's and in Philipsburg at the head of town. Great freshly roasted coffees, pastries, and sandwiches. Don't miss it.
Pineapple Pete, www.pineapplepete.com (featured 12/20/21) Known for great lobster Thermidor and lots, lots more. Generous portions, reasonable prices. Huge variety. Games for kids & their parents.
Wasabi Charlie Japanese Restaurant (12/20/21) now combined with Pineapple Pete at the Pineapple Pete location, opposite IZI Ristorante Italiano in Simpson Bay. GREAT sushi rolls and sashimi and much more.
Topper's http://www.sxmtoppers.com/ (featured 10/11/21) One of SXM's oldest and busiest restaurants, now in a beautiful new over-water setting at the Carousel building on Simpson Bay lagoon. Lunch, dinner, and late dining. Karaoke. Co-located with Toppers Rhum Distillery so have some rum (rhum is the French spelling) and rhum cake when you dine. Open until late night. Sports on TV. From cops to billionaires, everyone loves Toppers.
Blue Bitch Bar www.bluebitchbar.com, formerly Taloula Mango's Blue Bitch Bar, is THE bar/restaurant to visit on the Boardwalk in Philipsbuirg. (featured 8/9/21) Great open-air atmosphere, outdoor dining/drinking, entertainment. Their menu is extensive with excellent food, fun atmosphere, and beautiful ocean views. Located on the beach, at the Boardwalk....
Pure Ocean Restaurant at Divi Little Bay Resort, Dutch side (featured 3/1/21) Fine new beachside restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and fine dining dinners. Excellent choices for everyone, innovative menu, beautiful presentation, and downright delicious. Great #Caribbean ambiance on their open-air beachside deck. Attentive service and responsive staff.
Freedom Fighters ITAL SHACK Rasta Restaurant, www.sxmfreedomfighters.com/restaurant 4/15/19. Just go....
Dany's Smooth Cupecoy Beach Bar (on Cupecoy beach); follow the road toward Shore Pointe and turn near Shore Pointe to get there. (Featured 1/20/2019) Parking, drinks, chairs and umbrellas, lolo-type food, and an all-over tan. What could possibly be better?
Enigma C3 luxury Catamaran, www.sailstmaarten.com (featured 8/7/17). Neil's new boat is as big as Celine Too was and it has now entered service. Neil is known for amazing cooking on board his boats.

You will find hundreds more restaurants from both the Dutch Side and French Side listed in the Files area of our Everything St. Maarten / St. Martin / SXM Facebook Group. Our thanks to our Admin there, Contessa Aiello, who edited the restaurant entries on that site.

33. New SXM Euro Oval Stickers Now Available; Where to See Them & How to Order

As many readers are aware, we have SXM euro oval stickers available for sale to our readers for very reasonable prices. There are currently two versions available: our traditional green SXM Euro ovals with a large SXM overlaying a recently modified image of coconut palms in the background, and a purple sand chair SXM euro oval which features the SXM letters in large purple type with a purple sand chair in the background. Both of these are now available for ordering.

They are great for cars, smooth-sided luggage, mirrors in your home, and LOTS of other places. These are copyrighted by us and available ONLY from us by mail. (Sorry, no magnets but we ARE working on luggage tags...) Available for mailing only to USA, Canadian, and APO/FPO Addresses. Pricing: 1 for $10, but THREE for $20 including shipping; multiple orders of three accepted (order a total of 6 or more ovals and we'll send a surprise in the package). Unless you direct otherwise, We will send you our green coconut palms SXM euro oval to fulfill your order. If you'd like to have both the purple sand chair SXM euro oval and the new green coconut palm tree SXM euro oval, tell us how many of each you want when ordering.

To see pictures of both Euro ovals, please visit our Everything SXM Facebook Group and search for "coconut" or for "purple sand chair" -- remember that prices are as indicated in the preceding paragraph when ordering.

HOW TO ORDER: Please use PayPal and submit payment to jeff@jmbcommunications.com. NOW BEING SHIPPED. Allow 3 weeks for delivery but they will likely arrive much sooner. Printed on vinyl and varnished for long life. Questions? TEXT US at 508-591-3483 or email us ONLY AT jmbcomms@gmail.com please. IF YOU DON'T USE PAYPAL send a US DOLLAR check payable to JMB Communications to JMB, P. O. Box 1812, Plymouth, MA 02362-1812. Include # of ovals you are ordering and your phone, email, and delivery address.

34. What Are the Best Sources of Accommodations Rentals?

We offer hundreds of timeshare condominium rentals directly from timeshare owners in the listings on our main site, www.everythingSXM.com. There, you're not buying from strangers you're buying from other people who love St. Maarten as much as you do. We've been doing this since 1992 and we know that it's the way thousands of people have rented weeks successfully over the last 30 years. Give it a try. More information about Condominiums is in Section 2, above.

35. Enormous Library of SXM Information is On The Web

Regardless of what kind of SXM information you need, our sites deliver it.

Here are three examples:

a) Our SXM Weekly News PDF archives include every edition of SXM Weekly News since 2014 -- now approaching 9 years of editions and hundreds of thousands of words of SXM information. Our PDF archives are searchable by keywords to make it easy for you to find whatever information you seek quickly and easily on your computer. (A link to the Archives is in every edition of SXM Weekly News.)

b) Our Everything SXM Facebook Group is a repository for an enormous amount of SXM information posted during its more than 10 years of existence. You can search all posts ever allowed, for any SXM topic -- and you will find hundreds of posts on virtually any specific topic. If you don't find what you're looking for, you can always post a question on that site that will tap the brains of well over 33,000 members, not counting their friends and spouses. The vast majority of our members are tourists who have spent years visiting SXM and have a wealth of information available.

c) We have a Files area in our Everything SXM Facebook Group with another enormous reservoir/library of island information. Our files are also searchable directly from our Everything SXM Facebook Group. They are also frequently updated by our admins and moderators, particularly Contessa Aiello who has written most of them.

Take advantage of these resources -- and don't forget to thank those who have made them possible.

36. Flying Next Winter? Here's Something Else You Should Know

If you are traveling anywhere this winter, there is a way you can inject tremendous peace of mind into your travels.

For the first three months of any new SkyMed annual or multiyear membership, SkyMed excludes coverage of pre-existing conditions; after three months, those conditions are covered in full. So...to AVOID ANY IMPACT on your travel plans this Summer or Fall, buy your new SkyMed annual or multiyear membership NOW, at least three months ahead of your planned travel -- then the 90-day exclusion period for preexisting conditions will end before you travel...

Why get annual or multiyear memberships? SHORT-TERM family memberships (for a week or two) are $15/day, while guaranteed renewable for life, price guaranteed for life annual and multiyear memberships are only about $1.64/day -- less than a cup of coffee. Call me at 508-591-3483 or jeff.berger@skymed.com for answers to questions or to sign up by phone.

Available exclusively to Americans and Canadians. SkyMed TAKES YOU HOME(R) when you become seriously ill or injured while traveling in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all the nations of the Caribbean. Global protection is also available through GETS, Global Emergency Travel Services, part of the SkyMed group.

37. Getting Answers to All Your Questions About SXM

Regardless of what questions you have about SXM, you can find the answers to any questions either in the files area of our Everything SXM Facebook Group (where we post our current Guide to Entry Requirements) that answers many questions) or you can simply post a question on our site.

We have over 33,000 members, more than other active SXM Facebook sites combined. Our site is also a unique news and information portal, not typical social media where people post pictures of smiling cats, monkeys standing on their heads, and other pointless items. Our SXM site is strictly SXM focused with no drivel. Join it today at www.facebook.com/groups/mySXM.

38. Important Updated Contact Information for Everything SXM / JMB Communications / JMB Website Supporters Membership Services and SkyMed Sales (UPDATED):
Because of volume, email is not the best way to reach us. Here’s what’s best: First, a Suggestion: Get the free WhatsApp app. It lets you make free phone calls (including video calls) worldwide and send free texts, all for zero cost. It is very widely used around the world.

1. SkyMed Answers to Questions or to Sign Up by Phone: If you’re interested in learning more about SkyMed, contact Jeff Berger at jeff.berger@skymed.com. Leave your phone number and time zone and he’ll return your call. SkyMed is sold only to Americans, Canadians, and xPats. If you prefer, phone Jeff at 508-591-3483 and leave a message; that is a NEW NUMBER.
2. JMB Membership Questions/Issues -- JMB Website Supporters: Use WhatsApp to send questions to Membership Services; use Jeff Berger’s WhatsApp phone number, 721-588-4188, but call or TEXT (texting is
   preferred) from within the WhatsApp application ONLY. Membership Services at our headquarters in Massachusetts handles all these calls. INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL, since all responses are made by email.
3. Our new email is jmbcomms@gmail.com; use it for JMB Website Supporters membership questions. Thank you.

39. Who Our Sponsors Are, & Why You Should Patronize Them (Updated 8/8/22)

Our JMB SXM Web Media Sponsors help make it possible for us to research, write, produce, and email you SXM Weekly News every week. They also enable us to spend lots of hours making sure our Everything SXM Facebook Group fulfills its mission to be SXM's only authentically managed [by a seasoned journalist] interactive conversational SXM news and information portal on Facebook. And their help makes our JMB Website Supporters members-only Island Parties possible (resuming next year) as well as all the working going into enhancing our Island Discount Program now for its thousands of loyal members. Thank You for patronizing our Sponsors! (JMB Communications is based in Massachusetts, USA).

AMUSEMENTS

Island Pedals Beer Cycle (Philipsburg)

ARTISTS

Roland Richardson
Patty Meotti
Laura Fisher Saxon

AUTHORS/NOVELISTS

Russell Clark

Jacky Rom

BARS

Juggie's "The Smallest Bar In The World," Philipsburg

BOAT TOURS / BOAT CHARTERS

Celine Charters (Enigma)

Luxury Private Catamaran Charters:
www.sxmstmartincatamarancharters.net

Rumbelly Boat Charters Pleasure boats, motorized and catamaran

BOUTIQUES

En Vogue, Billy Folly Road opposite Atrium Resort

BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES

SXM Beer Brewery

Toppers Rhum & Vodka Distillery

Caribbean Brewing

CAR RENTALS:

Leisure Car Rental

Sax Car Rental

Exclusive Car Rental

Tropicana Car Rental

Dollar/Thrifty Car Rental

SixT Car Rental

CHILD CARE & MORE FOR VISITORS

Alisha Brookes

COFFEE / PASTRY & MORE (NEW):

Coffee Lounge & More: Head of town in Philipsburg and Simpson Bay near Domino's

COVID TESTING:

Medcare (near Avantika in Puerto del Sol)

Test-to-Fly (new 1/22)

CUBAN CIGARS:

Cigar Mack

SXM Cigars

DOLLAR STORES

All in One Place (Near Carrefour and now in Simpson Bay near Domino's)

DUTY-FREE SHOPPING

Great Deals on Watches, Bags, Wallets, Sunglasses and Fashion Jewelry:

https://www.facebook.com/buy.sxm


EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVACUATION MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS:

SkyMed International (Covers the entire USA, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and
all the nations of the Caribbean; Global protection available. Sold only to Americans, Canadians,
and X-Pats living in these countries.)

FASHIONS FOR WOMEN

En Vogue, Billy Folly Road, Simpson Bay, opposite Atrium Hotel.

FISHING CHARTERS

Taylor Made fishing charters, Captain Dougie. Full day or half day Call WhatsApp # 721-524-7510

Immigration (SXM Residency) / Relocation / Business Formation /"Papers" Consulting Companies

BrightPath/Caribbean is posting in our Everything St. Maarten / St. Martin / SXM Facebook Group

JEWELERS:

Zhaveri Jewelers in Philipsburg.

Caribbean Gems

Oro Diamante

Majesty Jewelers

Ray's Jewelers

Alpha Jewels

JN Jewelers (Maho under Jax, open late)

Jewels & Beyond (Maho)

Shoppers Haven

Royal Jewelers

Kay's Fine Jewelry

Joe's Jewelry International

Ballerina Jewelers

LIVE MUSIC

Hole in the Wall, Maho Plaza, Dutch side

MAPS (SXM MAPS and others in the Caribbean)

Kasprowski Publisher

MASSAGE see Spas

PARFUMERIE / PERFUME

Tijon Parfumerie, Grand Case, www.tijon.com

PHARMACIES

Simpson Bay Pharmacy

Orange Grove Pharmacy

REAL ESTATE COMPANIES: (See also VILLA RENTAL COMPANIES, below)

Island Real Estate Team is widely regarded as SXM's top real estate organization. A long-time JMB Sponsor, they offer both residential and commercial real estate in every price range. Call the number that follows and ask to speak with the agent who handles what you seek: 1 721 520 7284. Please let the agent know that you were referred by Jeff Berger's Everything SXM Facebook Group.

Jennifer's Vacation Villas

Century 21 St. Maarten

Sunshine Properties

Candie Billant does condo and villa rentals and sales. You will find her at Caribbean Estate Agency N. V.

BrightFuture Realty

My Net Immo (French Side, Muriel Lemoine)

40Weeks SXM Vacation rentals

RESORTS:

Baker's Suites

Belair Beach Hotel

Simpson Bay Resort

Azure Hotel & Art Studio

Mary's Boon Beach Hotel




RESTAURANTS, BARS, & BEACH BARS

IZI (See their new website)

SPIGA

VESNA TAVERNA

ISOLA

Mandarin Asian Bistro (Port de Plaisance)

Melange (Port de Plaisance)

Pelican Bistro

Soggy Dollar Bar

Topper's Restaurant, Gelateria, & Rhum Distillery

LA PATRONA (Simpson Bay Resort)

MARIO'S BISTRO (Porto Cupecoy)

NAVY BEACH

BOVIN STEAKHOUSE

Pineapple Pete Restaurant / Wasabi Charlie Japanese Restaurant

Emilio's

Taloula's Blue Bitch Bar

Nowhere Special

ROXXY Bar / Restaurant

LA ROSA

NONNA ROSA

LAZY LIZARD

RANCHO del SOL

SUNSET CAFE (Grand Case)

AVANTIKA

MOVIDA

ASTRA

JAI'S CONTEMPORARY FUSION CUISINE

COFFEE LOUNGE & More, Head of town in Philipsburg & Simpson bay near Domino's (new)

BUCCANEER BEACH BAR

NAVY BEACH

BAMBOO HOUSE (new 5/16/22)

BOLD BUDDHA BAR / RESTAURANT on the Boardwalk at Horizon View Hotel, Philipsburg (6/27/22)

RESTAURANT ORDERING ONLINE
Orders.sx

SOUVENIRS

Flamboyant on The Boardwalk, Philipsburg (new 1/22)


SPAS

Sunset Spa, Simpson Bay Resort (11/21)

Patty's Healing Hands Massage (7/22)

STAR WARS / YODA GUY MUSEUM

Nick Malley, Front Street

VILLA RENTALS / RENTAL COMPANIES:

If you're interested in making a villa reservation (doing it with close friends can be fun and more economical than you'd imagine), contact our top recommended Villa rental/sale partners at Island Real Estate Team. Call the number that follows and ask to speak with the agent who handles villa rentals: 1 721 520 7284. Please let the agent know that you're interested in a rental and you were referred by Jeff Berger's Everything SXM Facebook Group. Hundreds of villas are now online.

Jennifer's Vacation Villas has also joined us as a villa rental partner. Jennifer's Vacation Villas is a licensed management, real estate and villa rental company specializing in the rental of private villas and condos on both French and Dutch St. Maarten. Its proprietor, Jennifer, is a New Yorker who has been residing in St. Maarten for 40 years and whose goal is to provide guests with personal attention and to ensure that their vacations are memorable. Jennifer's Vacation Villas also does Weddings, Private Events, and any additional services including massages, boat trips, and private catering. Their aim is to make your vacation stay as comfortable, accommodating, and easy going as possible. Call 1 (721) 544-3107 | +1 (631) 546-7345. When you contact them, please tell them you were referred by Jeff Berger's Everything SXM Facebook Group.

Candie Billant does condo and villa rentals and sales. You will find her at #Caribbean Estate Agency N. V.

GoBeach Vacations

Sunshine Properties

Monte Verde / Belle Vue

Villa Acropole:
www.acropole-stmartin.com

Villa Vijoux:
https://www.facebook.com/VillaVijoux

Villa Steel Magnolias (new 1/22)

40Weeks SXM Vacation Rentals (new)

Villa En'sea 5 bedroom Villa, overlooking Philipsburg bay (new)

Villa Kimon

Daffodil Villa

Wedding Planners / Wedding Venues

Fawnette Scott-Angelides - Azure Hotel and Art Studio (Fawnette is a minister and she owns Azure,
a venue on beautiful Simpson Bay Beach, where beach weddings are her specialty)

Sint Maarten Marry-Me Destination Weddings (new)

Updated 8/8/22

40. Join Our New Conversational Everything SXM Group on MeWe, the Facebook Alternative

For years, you have been able to obtain a great deal of SXM information and photos/videos in our Everything SXM Facebook Group. Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan of Facebook, so we have started a new Everything SXM group on a platform that has become a strong competitor Facebook �ߡ�it is called MeWe.

We urge all fans of SXM Weekly News to become members of MeWe and join our group there; here is the link.

If you're U. S. Military with a DD214, you're able to get a Platinum-Status Military JMB Membership for $16.99/year, the lowest we ever charge anyone. You get instant Platinum Status which is permanent as long as you're a JMB member plus 300+ SXM discounts and other benefits. All you do is pay for four years to start and renew in four-year increments ($67.96). Nobody else pays so little -- our small way of expressing how grateful we all are for your service.

And now we're adding police, firefighters, EMTs, and nurses to our just-renamed Military / First Responder Memberships in recognition of their sacrifices for the rest of us every single day. We just need you to send us documentary proof (ID) that you're one of America's very best. To sign up or upgrade your JMB membership to Military / First Responders, visit everythingsxm.com and click the page curl to sign up for your JMB military membership (the page still says Military). We'll also need a DD214 (or other police / fire / nursing ID) with your SS# obliterated for security. We'll be delighted to welcome you all to our new best-of-all JMB Website Supporters Platinum Memberships.

42. Want to See Back Issues of SXM Weekly News? Here's How

Our SXM Weekly News PDF archives enable you to download any issue of Weekly News published since Spring 2014, including our amazing 2018 April Fools' Day parody and many Special Editions.

Check it out here. It has just been thoroughly updated. Each week's newsletter is usually added within a few days after mailing of that issue to its subscribers completes (Monday).

Get The Current Low Price
on SkyMed's Best 5-Year Ultimate Membership

Ask Jeff for details -- call him at 508-591-3483. More info? See skymed.com/jmb or email Jeff at jeff.berger@skymed.com. SkyMed is the Principal Sponsor of JMB SXM programs.

See the rundown of all SkyMed Features & Benefits

Got a Radio While You're in SXM?

Want to Listen to SXM While You're Home?

Tune In Island92 at 91.9 FM

or On Your Internet-Connected Device

at island92.com ...

and hear Jeff Berger LIVE on the air most Mondays

between about 9:45am and 10am island time

on "Fresh Air in the Morning" with Dr. Soc.

RESUMES AUGUST 22 WHEN WE GIVE AWAY 6 VACATIONS

43. SXM Business Owners: How To Increase Foot & Web Traffic

SXM Weekly News, our everythingSXM.com website and its Hurricane Center, and our Everything SXM Facebook Group along with our many Vacation Giveaways and hundreds of benefits of JMB Website Supporters membership are all made possible through our partnerships with our JMB Website Supporters members and our Sponsors.

Our JMB SXM Web Media Sponsorships enable SXM businesses to present their products or services to a huge, responsive audience of tourists from around the world, but primarily the USA and Canada. (Our site is based in the U. S. and is focused on the needs of tourists traveling to SXM.) If you own an SXM business and want to look into and take advantage of this unique marketing opportunity, please email susank@jmbcommunications.com with the subject "JMB Sponsorships". Or PM us on FB for an even faster response. We'll get complete information to you quickly.(Or again, just PM Jeff Berger on Facebook Messenger or phone us / text us on WhatsApp at 721-588-4188.)

Tourism is returning in a big way and with it, plenty of opportunity to bring more tourists into your business not only in the short term, but especially as tourist business increases in the months ahead. Contact us today for more information.

****************************************************************************************************************************************

St. Maarten / St. Martin Homes, Villas, Businesses, Commercial Properties, and Residential Properties for Sale (NEW):

Click to access our recommended real estate agent, Arun Jagtiani, featured on HGTV.

Rent Out or Sell Your Timeshare (both SXM and Worldwide)-- Frequently Updated

JMB members can run up to 10 free ads on our website per 12-month period to rent out or sell St. Maarten / St. Martin timeshare weeks they own -- or any timeshares, anywhere worldwide. If you're not a member, learn more about membership here: http://everythingsxm.com/sxm/about_sxm/paypal.shtml .

Want to rent or buy a week?

"2022 St. Maarten / St. Martin Timeshare Weeks For Rent or Sale" are posted at
http://everythingsxm.com/sxm/timeshare_rent_sale/index.shtml Listings are now updated weekly. Ads are free (no commission) but are accepted from our JMB Website Supporters members only.

SECTION 5: For Members Only

A. Where to Get Member Info: www.everythingsxm.com/secret
B. Password Recovery Info: Your username is the email address you have registered with JMB Website Supporters. If you forget your password, click "forgot / change password" in the orange login box near the masthead at www.everythingsxm.com. To change your password, click that same link.
C. How To Submit Rental or Sale Ads or Update the Price in an Ad: See www.everythingsxm.com/secret .Your username and password are required.

SECTION 6: Background Information for Travelers (For New Readers) Updated 7/2017

See www.everythingsxm.com.

About Email Address Changes / How To Unsubscribe (Updated 4/17/17)

To unsubscribe, go here: www.sxmweeklynews.com. You CAN NOT unsubscribe either by replying to this email or, if you are an AOL user, by clicking the *spam* button on AOL.

To change your email address, visit www.sxmweeklynews.com; unsubscribe your old email address and subscribe your new one. JMB Website Supporters members should notify Membership Services of the new email address for continued Secret Site access.

Get Your Own Free Copy Of St. Maarten and St. Martin Weekly News:
http://www.everythingsxm.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?

LEGAL:

Entire contents copyright (c), JMB Communications, 2022. World rights reserved. Excerpting, quotation, and republication, in any form, print, electronic, or archival, is expressly prohibited without written advance permission. You can forward this newsletter in its entirety only to your friends. For reprint permission, email us. JMB vigorously defends its copyrights. *Everything St. Maarten*, *Everything SXM*, and *Everything St. Martin* are service marks of JMB Communications. *JMB Communications* is a trademark of JMB Communications, P. O. Box 1812, Plymouth, Massachusetts 02362-1812 USA. Join our free St. Maarten / St. Martin newsletter mailing list at http://www.everythingsxm.com . You cannot join by emailing us.

Our email headers also contain subscribe / unsubscribe / address change links.

Contact Us (Revised 11/22/21)

1. SkyMed Answers to Questions or to Sign Up by Phone: If you’re interested in learning more about SkyMed, contact Jeff Berger at jeff.berger@skymed.com. Leave your phone number and time zone and he’ll return your call. SkyMed is sold only to Americans, Canadians, and xPats. If you prefer, phone Jeff at 508-591-3483
   and leave a message; that is a NEW NUMBER.
2. JMB Membership Questions/Issues -- JMB Website Supporters: Use WhatsApp to send questions to Membership Services; use Jeff Berger’s WhatsApp phone number, 721-588-4188, but call or TEXT (texting is
   preferred) from within the WhatsApp application only. Membership Services at our headquarters in Massachusetts handles all these calls. INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL, since all responses are made by email.

Our main St. Maarten / St. Martin website: www.everythingsxm.com .

Privacy Policy http://www.everythingsxm.com/sxm/privacy_policy/index.shtml (Updated 5/25/18)

8/15/22 #V4-1360 6:00 am EDT 8/14 | Terms of use |

Copyright ©, JMB Communications, 2022. World rights reserved.