COMMUNITY BRIEFS – Aug. 2, 2017

Saipan chamber meeting today

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce will have its August general membership meeting today, Aug. 2, at Charley’s Cabaret of Pacific Islands Club. The speakers are Bobby Shringi, board chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, and Chris Concepcion, managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority.

Shringi will speak about some of the Guam chamber’s activities and missions, about the Guam business climate, and about ways Saipan and Guam can benefit from each other. Concepcion will update Chamber member on the efforts and activities of the MVA.

The buffet luncheon begins at 11:30am with the meeting portion of the agenda starting promptly at noon. (PR)

Family grief support group meeting tomorrow

The Compassionate Friends of Saipan will be holding their monthly grief support meeting tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 3, from 6pm to 7:30pm, in the NMPASI conference room on Middle Road, in Gualo Rai. The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others to be supportive. For more information, e-mail tcfSaipan@gmail.com or call Donna Krum (783-1900).  To learn more about The Compassionate Friends, visit their website at www.compassionatefriends.org. (PR)

Military training at FDM, Guam waters

ASAN, Guam—The U.S. military will conduct training at the island of Farallon de Medinilla until Aug. 4, from 10am to 10pm.

The military will also conduct training in waters around Guam within a five-mile nautical radius of the following coordinates 13° 28″ 60’N/144° 25″00’E, during the dates and times indicated:

Aug. 2-3, from 6:30am to 6pm

Aug. 4-5, from midnight to 11:59pm

It is recommended the public, fishermen and marine tour operators monitor the Coast Guard broadcast notice to mariners for advisories. (PR)

US Navy releases new input dates

The U.S. Navy will accept public comments about the Training and Testing Supplemental Environmental Impact statement for the Mariana Island Training and Testing area until Sept. 15, 2017. Comments must be postmarked or received online by Sept. 15, 2017, for consideration in the development of the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS. Comments may be submitted online at www.MITT-EIS.com or mail to: Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific Attention: MITT Supplemental EIS/OEIS Project Manager, 258 Makapala Drive, Suite 100 Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134. (PR)

Free Veterans Choice workshops next week

The office of Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) is hosting next week a series of Veterans Choice workshops that are open to veterans, their families, and members of the public who would like to learn more about veterans’ options for healthcare through the Veterans Administration’s Choice program.  

The workshops are scheduled as follows:

Rota: Aug. 8, 2017, from 9:30am to 11:30am, NMC instructional site, Room A-1

Tinian: Aug. 9, 2017, from 9:30am to 11:30am, Tinian Public Library

Saipan: Aug. 10, 2017, from 5pm to 7pm, Pedro T. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center

Representatives of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and TriWest (the VA’s third-party administrator for the Choice program) will be present to share information and answer questions. (PR)

NMC registration for fall semester ongoing

Registration at the Northern Marianas College for the fall 2017 semester is ongoing until Aug. 18, 2017. Late registration/advising period: Aug. 14 -18, 2017

Placement tests: July 31 to Aug. 3 and Aug. 7 to Aug. 10; to schedule your placement test, call 237-6774 or email date/time preference to isabel.matsunaga@marianas.edu. Proceed to the Office of Admissions & Records (Building N) to obtain a placement test form. Make payment ($25 per test) at the NMC Cashier Window (Building N).

For more information about registering for classes for the upcoming fall 2017 semester or to apply for admission, contact the NMC Office of Admissions and Records at 237-6768/6769/6771 or visit www.marianas.edu. (NMC)

SSHS new student orientation set

Saipan Southern High School will have a new student orientation for Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, at 10am and 2pm at the school cafeteria. Parents of new students attending Saipan Southern High School can attend either session (10am or 2pm). (PR)

VA benefits outreach on Saipan

The U.S. Department of Veterans Benefits Administration will be visiting Saipan on Aug. 31, 2017, and will be conducting a benefits workshop/claims clinic and outreach at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe. The workshop/claims clinic will be from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Veterans will also be meeting one-on-one with the benefit counselor from 12:30pm to 3:30pm.

Workshop topics include VA benefits, loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation & employment, death benefits & education benefits. Counselors will be available to answer questions and assist with the claim process. (PR)

OES information out

Oleai Elementary School PTSA is inviting all students, parents, guardians, family and the community to the school on Aug. 5, 2017, from 8am to 11:30am to beautify the school campus.

OES would also like to invite all incoming and continuing students with their parents and guardians for orientation and Open House.

• Orientation will take place in the school cafeteria for all grade levels (Kindergarten to 5th grade) on Aug. 10 and Aug. 11, 2017, from 5pm to 6pm. Parents and guardians can choose to come on either night.

• Open House will take place on the following dates for the following grade levels, as follows:

Kindergarten to 2nd grade: Aug. 17, 2017, from 5pm to 6pm

3rd grade to 5th grade: Aug. 18, 2017, from 5pm to 6pm (PR)

BECQ sets Laulau Beach cleanup

The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality’s Cleanup Brigade will be picking up trash at Laulau Beach on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, at 8 am.

To volunteer, meet the BECQ representatives on Saturday at the Laulau Beach entrance at 8am. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least 10 monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three cleanups will receive a brigade T-shirt.

For more information about volunteering, contact the BECQ office at 664-8500/1. (BECQ)