Flashback — June 1999-June 2001

NMC’s adult ed ready to receive NAP recipients[/B]

The Adult Basic Education of the Northern Marinas College is ready to establish partnership with the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation and the Nutritional Assistance Program in the implementation of the welfare to work grant. According to ABE Director Fe Calixterio, both NMHC and NAP are preparing a grant proposal to finance the local welfare to work program. However, Calixterio emphasized that with or without the grant, NMC’s adult school is ready to accommodate students who are under the federal welfare program. “The ABE is ready anytime. We don’t have to wait for the grant. All they need to do is send us the students,” she said.

Three interns from the mainland and Hawaii are currently working with the community and marked another year of partnership between the Northern Marianas College and Commonwealth Development Authority in bringing in fresh ideas to the local businesses. Acting Business Development Center Director Eric Plinske said 10 interns are expected to arrive this year through CDA funding. From this group, a pair of interns will each be assigned to Tinian and Rota. Currently, intern Nathan Gray is reviewing the legal policy and procedure of CDA’s commercial and agricultural loans. He recently completed his law degree from the University of California at Davis.

Funding for retroactive pay eyed[/B]

Because the mandatory pay increase for government employees has been neglected long enough, the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chair is looking at appropriating some funds from FY 2001 budget to settle this obligation. Sen. Edward U. Maratita has asked the Office of Management and Budget to assess financial impact of meeting the retroactive pay increase to hundreds of government employees who have been waiting for their money since 1991. Under Public Law 7-31 enacted nine years ago, all employees who had reached the maximum salary level would have received a 14 percent across-the-board hike—benefits that were granted due to budget surplus experienced by the government at that time.

The Public School System yesterday received additional funding for 40 more Robert C. Byrd post secondary scholarships designed for batch 2000 high school graduates who have attained high academic achievements. Public and private school students alike are welcome to compete for the new and continuing scholarships, according to Federal Programs Coordinator Bill Matson. Aspiring students only have eight days left to apply. The 40 scholarships being given away will cover 10 new scholars, 10 high school sophomores, 10 high school juniors, and 10 high school seniors.
[B] June 7, 2001

6 bombs unearthed on Middle Road[/B]

Motorists were stopped from taking the 2W Chalan Laulau route yesterday morning while government response units tended to a smoke-emitting bomb that was unearthed at a sewer line work site. Excavation workers found at least six pieces of live ordnance while digging the ground in front of the Li’l Frosty Boy ice cream parlor in Middle Road. A heavy equipment operator, Roger Impelido, was the first to detect fumes coming from under a pile of dug dirt. The Emergency Management Office later confirmed that the smoke was coming from an undetonated World War II live ordnance which may have been in danger of exploding. EMO Deputy Director Mark Pangelinan said precautionary measures had to be observed, citing the lethal weapon’s unpredictability.

Assistant Attorney General Murphy Peterson said it is crucial that the Legislature approves the proposed appropriation of $2 million to carry out additional tests in Tanapag Village. Peterson emphasized in an interview the need for a separate and independent test of villagers to determine the extent of PCB contamination. Further, the counsel noted that other areas believed to be exposed to PCB and capacitors were not included in the random testing conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency and should be submitted for another round of tests. This includes private land formerly owned by the government, drainage systems and other buildings in Tanapag Village.