The band, which has been preparing for several months now, will perform an overture of sorts of music to be featured in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” as well some popular Disney and Christmas tunes.
“This is great,” said Galvin Deleon Guerrero, principal of Mount Carmel and advisor for the school’s Theatre Club. “We’ve wanted to work with the Manta Band for some time now. This is a good first step.”
Under the leadership of conductor Will DeWitt, the Manta Band has been making a name for itself as one of the best performance bands in the region.
In March this year, the Manta Band took the Gold Medal in the Tumon Bay Music Festival in Guam.
Soon afterward, members of the Manta Band represented the Northern Marianas in the Beijing Summer Olympics.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” will run tonight and tomorrow night at Saipan World Resort. For tonight’s dinner show, doors will open at 5:30 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner at 6 p.m. and the performance at 7 p.m. Doors will open for tomorrow’s show at 6 p.m., with performance at 7 p.m.
Tonight’s tickets are $35 per person. Tomorrow’s tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.
For more information, call 234-6184, visit www.mtcarmel-edu.net or www.mcstheatreclub .blogspot.com.
Red flag raised at 8 sites
Paupau Beach, Tanapag Meeting Hall, Central Repair Shop, DPW Channel Bridge, S. Puerto Rico Dump, American Memorial Park, Garapan Fishing Dock and Sugar Dock.
For more information, call DEQ at 664-8500.
New advance in scanning technology at Hardt Eye Clinic
(Hardt Eye Clinic) — New scanning technology at Hardt Eye Clinic greatly advances the detail and accuracy of diagnosis, especially for patients with diabetic eye disease and glaucoma.
Manufactured by Carl Zeiss Meditech, the Cirrus High Definition OCT is able to scan the eye at a broader and much more complex level.
The Cirrus has more than twice the resolution and fifty times greater speed allowing for incredibly detailed images as compared to its forerunner the Stratus OCT.
“Our office is the first in the entire Pacific region, including Hawaii to acquire the Cirrus,” said Dr. Don Hardt.
OCT, or Ocular Coherence Tomography, uses cross-sectional imaging of the eye that measures the thickness of the retinal wall and macula to monitor and diagnose many different diseases of the eye.
The technology is comparable to a CT scan or MRI, but shows much greater detail.
“The HD-OCT allows us to diagnose and treat diseases like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy at their earliest stages when treatment is most effective,” said Dr. David Hardt. “It lets us see under the surface and shows exactly which layer of the eye is involved.”
Dr. Don Hardt said there are varying degrees of sophistication of OCT and having the technology has revolutionized patient care across the industry.
Dr. David and Dr. Don Hardt have been serving the CNMI’s eye care needs for over 15 years.
Dr. David Hardt was the first U.S. trained eye doctor to live and work on Saipan, arriving on 1992.
The two bothers opened their new clinic on Beach Road in Feb. 2004.
Eye care is a family tradition for the Hardt brothers, who both worked in the clinic of their father, the late Donald C. Hardt, during their teens.
The Hardt brothers and their father all hold doctor of optometry degrees the University of California at Berkeley.
Hardt Eye Clinic is located on Beach Road, Garapan next to Megabyte.
Walk-ins are welcome, or to schedule an appointment call 235-2030.
Career Exploration Day at LISS
LISS — For the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s Career Exploration Day, Ladera International School of Saipan welcomed three student participants. Kyle Enriquez, Kayleena Seman and Gederryn Domengo, 11th grade students of Marianas High School, had an opportunity to serve as LISS administrator and teachers for the day.
The LISS faculty welcomed each career exploration student enthusiastically and made them feel part of the LISS family.
The MHS students were placed directly in areas that would enhance their understanding of how a school operates and what techniques are used when teaching students at certain grade levels.
“We are happy to be a part of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce program,” stated LISS Director Wayne Pangelinan. “We feel that our community involvement will only enhance our children for the future. We at LISS commend all the business partners who have supported this program as we know that by providing opportunities to experience our day to day business operation, we expose our youth to what they need to see when facing the world on their own.”
LISS is also participating in the Christmas Tree decorating contest at Paseo de Marianas.
(DPS) — The Department of Public Safety will conduct DUI/sobriety checkpoints this weekend.
The first checkpoint will be held tonight on Chalan Pale Arnold Road, Gualo Rai, in front of Sherwin Williams, on the northbound outer lane. This operation will start at 8 p.m. and end at 9:15 p.m.
The second checkpoint will take place along Beach Road Chalan Kanoa, northbound outer lane in front of Carmen Safeway. This operation will start at 12:30 a.m. and end at 1:45 a.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 6, the first checkpoint will be on Beach Road, Chalan Laulau by B&R Auto Shop intersection on the southbound lane. This operation starts at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:45 p.m.
The second checkpoint will be conducted on Beach Road, Chalan Kanoa, northbound outer lane in front of Carmen Safeway from 1:30 a.m. to 2:45 a.m.
All checkpoints will be terminated if it begins to rain.
In addition to the checkpoints, officers will be conducting highway criminal interdictions and laser activities.
(Sister Remedios) — The members of the board of directors of Sister Remedios School were treated to an appreciation luncheon early in November to thank the retiring members — Jerome Ierome, Jeffery Warfield and Joseph Ada Jr. — and to welcome the new members: Lorraine Babauta, who replaced Bernadita Seman as president; Elaine Dela Gruz, vice president, and Dora Miura, secretary.
It was also to welcome back and to thank those members who are continuing their services on the board: Bernadita Seman former president and now the treasurer, John Blanco, Galvin Guerrero and John Oliver Gonzales.
Not everyone could make it to the luncheon, but for those who did, it was a great treat.
Thank you very much Ms. Bennet for the treat!
To each and everyone of our past and present board members, thank you for your dedicated service for the children and families of Sister Remedios School!
Annual Christmas bird count on Dec. 17
(DFW) — For more than eleven years, Saipan has been a part of the Audubon Society’s long running winter tradition — the Christmas Bird Count, or CBC.
Each year from approximately mid-December through the first week in January, birders and volunteers across the western hemisphere participate in various day long counts throughout the Americas, the West Indies, and the Pacific Islands.
In 2007, 59,918 participants took part in 2,113 individual counts.
These observers reported a total of 57,704,250 birds from 2,267 species — nearly a quarter of the total of the world’s known bird species!
The volunteer generated data that are a result of these counts have become an important part of the U.S. government’s Natural History Monitoring Database.
Thus, the CBC is a great opportunity for bird enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to make a significant and useful contribution to science.
The CBC began in 1900 when 27 birders in 25 separate locations in North America posed an alternative to the “Side Hunt,” a Christmas day tradition in which participants chose sides and shot as many birds and mammals as possible throughout the day.
Instead, this small group led by scientist Frank Chapman counted and recorded all birds detected and founded what is now considered the world’s most significant citizen based conservation effort.
To join, meet the group on Dec. 17 in the American Memorial Park parking lot at 6 a.m. with water, snacks or food, paper, pencils or pens, and binoculars and field guide if you have them.
It’s OK if you don’t own binoculars. DFW may have a few field guides on hand for use.
As you’ll take part in both roadside and walking surveys, come appropriately attired.
A participation fee of $5 will be required, which covers the cost of data compilation and of the annual Christmas Bird Count publication that all participants will receive.
Paul Radley of the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife will be leading and organizing the count.
If you have any questions or are interested in taking part in the counts on Tinian on Dec. 28 or Rota on Jan. 3, 2009 call or e-mail Paul at 664-6011 or [email protected].
Science academy says public meeting a success
The meeting occurred at American Memorial Park on Nov. 25 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Approximately 85 people were in attendance, the group’s largest attendance to date, and most stayed until the end of each of the five talks.
The audience included island and regional scientists, resource managers, and science instructors, and also island secondary and postsecondary science students.
Each presentation was followed by a topic-focused discussion with a question and answer segment.
Most of the presenters utilized the presentation format of Microsoft PowerPoint, with prepared slides shown via a digital computer-attached projector.
A short video clip of a news story shot by Lanie Walker of KSPN was also displayed.
Academy leaders announced and discussed the group’s name change, formerly being the Western Pacific Academy of Science and Environmental Management.
Reasons for the change include seeking a greater involvement among island science educators and an effort to include more participation from the Asia/Pacific region’s science, education, and environmental management community.
APASEEM is a local nonexclusive professional association organized to: a) serve as a forum for science, education, and environmental management presentations; b) promote discussions of mutual interest among regional science and environmental management-focused professionals, students, and the general public; and c) sponsor grant-funded noteworthy projects within these disciplines.
Also announced at the meeting was the group’s accomplishment of filing and obtaining business licensing certification as a nonprofit, nongovernmental corporate entity and the fact that the group is in the process of seeking federal recognition as a “501C/3” status organization.
APASEEM’s officers are Andre Kozij, treasurer; Kimberly Vaillancourt, secretary; Larry Oney, cice president; and John Furey, president.
The academy leadership recognizes and thanks the U.S. Department of the Interior and American Memorial Park for graciously allowing the group to use the park’s auditorium.
Thanks also is due for water donated by the Friends of the Marianas Trench Marine Monument organization and for the group-discounted pizza provided by Bobby Cadillac’s.
Vangie Sablan, camp coordinator, said: “It is our first expo, and we are encouraging all the children to come join and have fun! The children will be exposed to different activities such as swimming lessons, beach sports, and cultural activities being taught by some of our very own local people — they will also experience what Camp Hyatt is all about!”
There will be two sessions — 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and 1 to 4 p.m.
The fee is $10 for Club Elan members and $15 for non members. Refreshments will be provided. Early registration is available at the Club Elan reception desk.
For more information, call Vangie Sablan at 234-1234, extension 25, or e-mail [email protected].
This day will be a full day for students. They will be released at 2:40 p.m.
Should you have any questions and/or comments, call 237-3921 or 664-4100.
