Flashback August 08, 2000-2002

[B]August 08, 2000[/B] [I]Man gunned down by 2 in ski masks[/I]

Two unidentified men, armed with short firearms, gunned down a 33-year-old Hong Kong Chinese and injured his woman companion during a dawn attack yesterday at a restaurant in Chalan Piao, according to police. The victim, whose name was withheld by the Department of Public Safety, sustained multiple gunshot wounds after the suspects in ski mask opened fired at him while eating at BBQ Restaurant around 4:00 a.m.

[I]Hopwood enforces stringent dress code[/I]

The new administration of Hopwood Junior High School has vowed to enforce proper dress code among its students ruling out skimpy, daring tank tops and excessively loose pants or skirts both for female and male students. Returning Hopwood Principal David Borja yesterday said the fresh move has been enforced to create a school spirit more conducive for learning.

[I]Internal Affairs to probe police brutality allegations[/I]

The Department of Public Safety will investigate allegations contained in the civil suit lodged by the Cabrera family from San Antonio against a dozen police officers whom they accused of illegal arrests and manhandling. The Internal Affairs and the Criminal Investigation Bureau will be involved in the probe, according to DPS spokesperson Rose Ada. “The investigation that will take place is not going to be biased. Whatever allegations that were made against any of our officers including those that have been named in that lawsuit, there is going to be an investigation done,” she told reporters yesterday.

[B]August 08, 2001[/B] [I]109 running for public office [/I]

Twenty-seven candidates will run without party affiliation while none of the four political parties were able to submit a complete slate for the November election. The Commission on Election yesterday disclosed it received the petitions for candidacy of 109 individuals seeking government posts, including a position in the local council and the Board of Education.

[I]Scramble on to fix payroll problem at the Legislature[/I]

Lawmakers and executive branch officials are now scrambling to resolve the standoff between the Legislature and the Department of Finance over the retirement contributions of legislative employees, in an effort to avoid payless paydays at the Legislature. According to acting Finance Secretary Robert Schrack, he has been sitting down in a series of meetings with leaders of the Legislature and the Office of Budget and Management since last week to find ways of resolving the retirement contribution deficit of legislative employees.

[I]The story behind the fuss[/I]

Exactly a month ago, this paper came out with a story, saying that the joke going around the Legislature these days is that there may not be a Legislature tomorrow. That sobering scenario, however, is staring the Legislature in the face these days, as finance and legislative officials frantically try to hammer out a deal that would provide the legislators with enough funds to keep their operations going until September 30-the end of the fiscal year.

[B]August 08, 2002[/B] [I]Burglars target Saipan schools[/I]

In a span of three weeks, six schools have fallen prey to burglaries, leaving the affected campuses practically scant of their much-needed instructional gadgets such as computers, cassette players, tapes, digital cameras, televisions sets and more. Most recently, Koblerville, Dandan and William S. Reyes elementary schools were burglarized by unknown suspects.

[I]Babauta OKs tax breaks for Tinian Dynasty[/I]

The Babauta administration came to the rescue of the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino yesterday, with the signing of the Qualifying Certificate that grants the hotel firm generous tax breaks of up to $14 million for 10 years. Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed the Qualifying Certificate agreement yesterday afternoon in the presence of Tinian lawmakers, Tinian Dynasty managing director Alfred Yu, and hotel manager Tom Liu.

[I]Rota declared disaster area[/I]

President Bush yesterday declared Rota a disaster area, over a month after typhoon Chata’an struck the island and caused severe destruction. This was disclosed by Josie Pritchard, a public information officer of the Federal Emergeny Management Agency who was temporarily stationed on Guam to participate in disaster relief operations.