Korea’s performance was flat with practically the same number of visitors in 2008 as 2007 while Japan declined by 15 percent.
There were 20,691 Japanese visitors in the CNMI in August of 2007 while 17,623 visited this year.
While this decline is challenging, overall arrivals for fiscal year 2008 are down less than 1 percent through the end of August.
Arrivals from Russia increased by 85 percent from 342 in 2007 to 631 last month.
Mock election
(CREAM) — The Coalition for Recognition, Equality and Advancement of the American Ethnic Minorities will conduct a mock election for the CNMI congressional delegate on Saturday, Sept. 13.
The coalition members will be at the Kilili Pavilion on Saturday, 3 to 6 p.m., to receive filled up ballots from its members and other U.S. ethnic nationalities who would like to participate.
The top four vote getters will be invited by CREAM to a forum.
For more details, call any of the following: Gus Loste, 235-3027; Emi Paminituan, 483-0727; Pastor Gagarin, 287-7478; Ed Caranzo, 287-8476; or Willie Wagan, 287-4474 or 288-4113.
Willie K at Club 200
(ARC) — The Red Cross Club 200 committee says internationally acclaimed Hawaiian musician Willie K will perform at this year’s Club 200.
The event is scheduled for Saturday night, Oct. 25 and will feature many great raffle prizes including $20,000 cash.
Tickets are $100 each and include dinner, entry into the raffle and a performance by Willie K and his band.
For more information, call 234-3459 or go on-line at www.nmi.redcross.org.
Friends of the Arts auditions
CNMI Friends of the Arts will be holding auditions for Neil Simon’s “The Good Doctor.”
Auditions will be held this Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Marianas High School in Room 101D.
For questions, call Alexa Conner at 285-9544. There are parts for everyone young and old, but please don’t be younger than 16 or older than 109.
Roundtable discussion on federalization
Those not able to personally attend the roundtable session can view and participate in the dialogue by logging on to www.wethepeoplecnmi.com, where the discussion will be streamed live.
Some of the panelists include Rep. Tina Sablan, Taotao Tano’s Gregorio Cruz, workers advocate Irene Tantiado, Northern Marianas College Presidnet Camen Fernandez, citizens advocate Edwin Propst, and NMC instructor Sam McPhetres.
Attorney Robert T. Torres, will be moderating the discussion as well as collecting questions from the community through the audience members.
In addition to watching the discussion live on www.wethepeople cnmi.com, community members can also submit their questions via instant messaging on the same Web site. You may also call 287-7954, 7955 or 7957 or e-mail and send instant messages — via Google Talk — to [email protected],
The public is invited to attend. No admission fee will be charged.
Special thanks to C.D. Consulting Services, PTI and R&A Soundhire.
Samples collected from Wing Beach, Tanapag Meeting Hall, Central Repair Shop, DPW Channel Bridge, S. Puerto Rico Dump, Hafa-Adai Hotel, Hafa-Adai Drainage, Garapan Fishing Dock, Garapan Beach Drainage, and CK Dist #2 Drainage contained excessive concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria — enterococci — that exceeded the CNMI’s marine water quality standards.
DEQ also raised the red flag at two of Tinian’s recreational beaches — Unai Masalok Beach and Unai Babui.
For more information, call DEQ at 664-8500.
