This certification form verifies that public water systems distributed its Consumer Confidence Reports to customers and that the information is correct and consistent with the compliance monitoring data.
Every community water system must make its CCR available to the public upon request.
Call Julie De la Rosa at 664-8500 for any questions regarding your CCR certification.
Engineers, architects group to induct officers
(MAFEA) — The Marianas Association of Filipino Engineers and Architects will induct its officers and board of directors for the year 2008 on Sept. 27, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. in the Hibiscus Hall of the Fiesta Resort & Spa.
All engineers and architects on Saipan, Tinian and Rota are invited to come and be part of the event.
For more information, contact Bong de Guzman at 235- 5938; Lito Marquez at 286-6337; or Jun Liberato at 234-1373.
Public forums, village meetings
JOHN DLR. Gonzales has scheduled the following public forums and village meetings:
• Sept. 27 — 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Pakpak Beach, San Antonio
• Oct. 4 — 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Lali 4, Chalan Kanoa
• Oct. 18 — 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Garapan Central Park
• Oct. 25 — 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Tanapag Social Hall
Highest student turnout at ABE orientation
(NMC) — More than 115 students — the highest turnout ever — participated in a recent orientation conducted by the Adult Basic Education Program at Northern Marianas College.
The purpose of the orientation was to familiarize new students with the various programs and services offered on campus. These include counseling, financial aid, tutoring, computer lab assistance, student leadership opportunities, and career planning.
“The high number of students who have enrolled in the ABE program, particularly in the ESL and GED programs, prompted us to step up the education and awareness efforts for our students,” said Tee Abraham, dean of Community Programs and Services. “We want to be sure they are well informed about — and take advantage of — the resources that are available to help them remain in school and succeed.”
The available services were highlighted through presentations made by Chrislaine Pangelinan of Counseling Programs and Services, Marissa Mafnas of Admission and Records, Daisy Manglona-Propst of Financial Aid Office, Heather Santos of Educational Talent Search, Elsie Skang-Ngewakl of the Educational Enrichment Center, Greg Quitugua of the Computer Lab, and Ivan Mereb, ASNMC president.
NMC President Dr. Carmen Fernandez was also present to deliver the welcoming remarks.
The evening’s keynote speaker, Ross Manglona, director of NMC Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Services, shared his experiences as a GED graduate.
He also emphasized the importance of family support and encouraged students to pursue their educational goals despite the challenges and barriers they will confront on their journey.
The orientation also included presentations from other staff members of the ABE program: Lorraine Cabrera, Elsie Cabrera and Velma Mafnas.
HPV vaccine in the NMI
THE HPV coalition has successfully completed the first year of a two-year campaign, its media release stated.
The coalition is made up of members from various units of the Department of Health, the Commonwealth Cancer Association, and Stellar Marianas from the private sector.
The goal of the campaign is to protect young women in our community against cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccine will reduce cervical cancer by an estimated 70 percent in vaccinated women.
When you consider that the rate of cervical cancer in the CNMI is 5 to 6 times greater than the U.S. mainland, a reduction of 70 percent is significant.
The HPV vaccine is expensive. It cost $360 for the series of three shots, and administration fees can add $100 or more when provided by a private doctor. It is free to all high school and middle school girls under the age of 19 years.
The HPV, or Human Papilloma Virus, vaccine is recommended for all female ages 9 years to 26 years old by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American college of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The Department of Health will provide this vaccine to seventh and eighth grade girls beginning this school year.
During the last school year as part of a catch-up campaign, about 4,000 doses of HPV vaccine were administered to 1,400 high school girls.
About 77 percent have received the required three doses.
Five of the 12 CNMI high schools had 100 percent of their female students vaccinated with all 3 doses.
This success is dampened by the 124 eligible girls — 8 percent — who failed to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain free vaccine.
A follow-up survey showed that this failure was mainly due to their fear of injections.
The second year of the HPV campaign will focus on the middle schools — grades 7, and 8 — and the freshman students in high schools.
The coalition will send teams of public health nurses to each school in October, December and April to administer the HPV vaccine.
During this second year, all high school students who failed to complete the three dose series last year can take advantage of this year’s school visit.
In addition, they can visit the immunization clinics for any missing shots. They can simply walk-in during office hours.
The female students will be provided packets of informational material covering the vaccine and cervical cancer, along with a parental consent form.
No student will be vaccinated without her parent’s written permission.
The signed consent form should be returned to the school the next day after distribution of the packet.
In these difficult times it is nice to see the CNMI leading the way among Pacific islands in protecting its young women against this deadly cancer.
Oregon university announces 2008 graduates
LA GRANDE, Oregon (EOU) — Eastern Oregon University has announced its graduate list for the 2007-08 academic year.
EOU awarded an estimated 618 bachelor’s degrees and 76 master’s degrees, pending the completion of final grades for summer term.
The EOU graduates from Saipan are:
• David Benavente, B.S. Biology
• Ryan Vince Pangelinan, B.S. Biology
• Orrin Pharmin, B.S. Business Administration
• Diana Lynn Taisacan, B.S. Chemistry
• Jerome Taisacan, B.S. Mathematics
• Michelle Taisacan, M.T. Master’s in Teacher Education
• Christopher Lee Torres, B. S. Business Administration
Eastern Oregon University serves as an educational, cultural and scholarly center in La Grande, Oregon, connecting the rural regions of the state to a wider world.
Red flag raised at 12 sites
(DEQ) — The Division of Environmental Quality has raised the red flag on 12 sites on Saipan and advises the public not to fish or swim within 300 feet of these locations for the next 48 hours or until otherwise notified.
Samples collected from Palms Resort, Tanapag Meeting Hall, Central Repair Shop, DPW Channel Bridge, South Puerto Rico Dump, American Memorial Park, Micro Beach, Hafadai Beach Hotel, Garapan Fishing Dock, Garapan Beach Drainage, Sugar Dock and CK District #2 Drainage contained excessive concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria — enterococci — that exceeded the CNMI’s marine water quality standards.
These bacteria can indicate the presence of human and animal waste in the water. However, studies have shown that storm water runoff in tropical environments may also contain these bacteria from the natural environment, which may not be directly associated with public health concerns.
Rota waters are assigned a green flag.
Call DEQ at 664-8500 for more nformation.
(DPS) — The Crime Stoppers program is seeking the community’s assistance for information on any of the persons responsible for the theft of an 8,950-watt, Coleman/Honda generator.
According to police, the generator is black with red trimmings and has a running wattage of 6,500.
The theft incident was reported to police on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 3:04 p.m.
The generator was stolen from the garage of a residence located behind H-Mart in Dandan.
It was last seen at 10 a.m. on the same date. This case is pending further investigation.
Anyone having information about this and other crimes should call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 234-7272.
The Crime Stoppers program pays cash rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. Caller ID is not used and all calls remain anonymous.
