Flashback November 11, 1999-2004

[B]November 11, 1999

US Senate spares NMI[/B]

Local officials expressed relief yesterday when the U.S. Senate voted down legislation seeking to extend to the CNMI a raise in the federal minimum wage, a move that would have hiked present rate of $3.05 to $6.15 an hour. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio welcomed the news, but said the Commonwealth will continue to hammer out its own plan to allow a gradual increase in the local minimum wage level to avoid economic disruption.

[B]Kidnap attempt draws new security concerns[/B]

The kidnapping attempt on the son of one of Saipan’s biggest garment manufacturers has triggered fresh concerns from the government regarding public safety and growing criminal activities on the island. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has summoned administration officials for a meeting tomorrow to discuss the case, and seek ways to prevent such incidents in the future.

[B]November 11, 2000[/B] [B]Leaking diesel tank spills 1,000 gallons[/B]

Approximately 1,000 gallons of diesel were spilled from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s Lower Base power plant facility, located just a few meters away from the Saipan Lagoon shoreline. Visiting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX official Mike Lee, an environmental engineer, disclosed that one of the CUC tanks containing diesel was found to be leaking some months ago, necessitating the emptying of the tank.

[B]Cleanup team takes on Garapan drainage[/B]

As representatives from different government agencies prepare for a major cleanup of the Garapan drainage system tomorrow, the Environmental Interagency Cleanup Operation Team said the effort is just a springboard toward the rehabilitation of other tourist spots on Saipan, some of which have become illegal dumping sites. “Once we’re done with Garapan, we will address other areas next,” said EICOT chair Benny Pangelinan, coastal coordinator at the Coastal Resources Management Office.

[B]November 11, 2001

Suspected drug peddlers fall[/B]

Two other suspected drug traffickers fell to the hands of authorities on the same day, including Paul Villanueva Ada, who is also known as Paul Madok, face exposed. Besides the two, authorities presented Zhen Rong Yang, not in photo before the Superior Court yesterday. (John Ravelo) With Gov. Juan N. Babauta stressing the need to beef up local enforcement to curtail illegal drug trade, CNMI operatives yesterday scored against suspected drug traffickers, arresting three of them-including a businessman.

[B]DPS vows: More to follow[/B]

Authorities are now looking into a possible operation of a drug cartel in the Commonwealth following the arrest of four individuals in separate operations over the weekend, which yielded undetermined amount of cash and illegal substance. Police Commissioner Edward Camacho refused to associate the arrested individuals to a drug syndicate but he also did not rule out the possibility that the suspects may be involved in a bigger drug trafficking operations in the Northern Marianas.

[B]November 11, 2004

$3.4M land payment stopped[/B]

Only last week, a Saipan family stood to receive $3.45 million as compensation for the property where the Marianas High School sits. That family may now end up with nothing, after the Attorney General’s Office said the payment of the land compensation might be illegal. Assistant attorney general Benjamin Sachs asked the Commonwealth Development Authority on Monday not to process a $3.45-million drawdown request made by the Marianas Public Lands Authority for the benefit of the Maliti Estate.

[B]Karidat welfare aid declines in 6 years[/B]

The number of immigrants in the CNMI receiving assistance from Karidat has declined in the last six years. Records from Karidat showed that from an average of 400 welfare families from 1998 to 2001, the number dropped to just over 200 in 2003.