Around the Islands

Lunch will be served following ceremony.

The boat schedule:

• Jambalaya, Dock: Smiling Cove Marina. Departure to Managaha is 8 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m.; return to Saipan: 1:55 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4 p.m.

Passengers should be at the dock no later than 15 minutes prior to departure time.

• Coral Queen/Serenita, Dock: Pacific Subsea/Seaplane Dock behind the old power plant in Lower Base. Departure to Managaha is 8: a.m., 8:15 a.m.; return to Saipan: 3:15 p.m., 4:15 p.m.

Passengers should be at the dock no later than 30 minutes prior to departure time.

Motorists are requested not to park in front of the building entrance.

KRNM off the air pending repairs

(NMC) — KRNM, the public radio station located at Northern Marianas College, was knocked off the air last Friday due to technical difficulties with the transmitter.

The college is waiting for an FCC-certified telecommunications engineer to arrive from Guam and assess the equipment problem over the next two days.

As soon as the repairs associated with the transmitter are made, the station will be back on air and will resume broadcasting the 24-hour array of educational and cultural programming.

For more information about the station call KRNM station executive Tee Abraham at 234-5498 extension 1008.

EMO sponsors Multi-Cultural Day

(EMO) — The CNMI Emergency Management Office, under the Office of the Governor, will be sponsoring “Multi-Cultural Day” on Sunday, Sept. 21st, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center as part of the activities of Disaster Preparedness Month.

Theodore J. Untalan, EMO acting director, said: “The Multi-Cultural Day is just one of the many activities the Disaster Preparedness Month Committee had planned for this year’s month long event. The public is invited and the doors will be open to everyone. So, we hope that the Saipan community, everyone from all cultural backgrounds will come out to show their support and witness this event which would include free presentations and informational displays on disaster preparedness.”

EMO will be working with various agencies to highlight the importance of emergency preparedness and promote community involvement.

For more information, contact Theodore J. Untalan at 322-8001/2/3.

MAFEA lunch meeting

(MAFEA) — The Marianas Association of Filipino Engineers and Architects will be having a lunch meeting on Sept. 20, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Miggy’s Restaurant in Garapan.

All officers, directors and advisers are requested to attend the meeting.

For more information, contact Bong de Guzman at 233-5938 or Lito Marquez at 286-6337.

Veterans Day tribute

(Military/Veterans Affairs) — On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, we will be paying tribute to all who served and are serving today in the U.S. armed forces.

This is to let all interested in being a part of this year’s Veterans Day Committee, that we will begin to meet every Tuesday at 9 a.m. starting on the 23rd of September, at the Office of Military/Veterans Affairs on Capital Hill Building 1364.

Everyone is encouraged and invited to attend.

Call 664-2650 for more information.

Tetset Konfirensian Chamorro application forms available

APPLICATION forms are now available for food and drink vendors who would like to sell strictly Chamorro food and other delicacies, including drinks during the Tetset Konfirensian Chamorro on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, at the Susupe basketball court.

The Tetset Konfirensian Chamorro will be held at the Saipan World Resort, and Chamorro food concessions and handmade Lanchun Antigo huts will be available at the basketball court.

There will be three main prizes and three honorable mentions for the Lanchon Antigo and exhibit displays that depict Chamorro culture and traditions.

The competitions are open to all schools and the public.

For more information you may call Ton Benavente at 234-6208, Noel Quitugua at 288-4209, or Cindy Reyes at 664-5321.

Deadline for all applications will be on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

NMC awarded $330K to enhance college access and success

(NMC) — Northern Marianas College was recently awarded $330,000 to fund efforts aimed at heightening college enrollment and retention among the CNMI’s public high school graduates.

The funds are part of the College Access Challenge Grant Program, a formula grant program that was created as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act which was signed into law by President Bush in 2007.

According to the grant proposal prepared and submitted by the college, an average of 600 students graduate from public high schools each year.

However, only 25 percent of that number enroll in post-secondary institutions, which is lower than the national average of 63 percent.

Further, the proposal indicates that close to half of those who have enrolled at Northern Marianas College drop out or discontinue their coursework because of academic and/or financial challenges.

To increase the number of students — especially native Pacific Islanders with low-income backgrounds — who are prepared to enter and succeed at NMC or any other post-secondary institution, the college plans to launch a number of initiatives that expand existing student services.

For instance, the grant will enable the college to hire two additional counselors to enhance the services provided by NMC’s Counseling Programs and Services Office.

Direct financial aid will also made available in the form of 30 need-based grants to qualified students during the first year.

The financial assistance will be complemented by academic support through the provision of tutorial services in English, math, and science to CACGP-eligible students since the grant will allow for the hiring of 10 tutors.

Other activities planned include college information sessions and college/career fairs that provide students and their families more information about the benefits of going to college, college opportunities, college financing, and career preparation.

The college will also organize and host several professional development workshops and seminars for high school guidance counselors, admissions staff, and financial aid employees.

“Expanding educational opportunities for CNMI students has always been one of my priority initiatives,” said NMC President Dr. Carmen Fernandez. “To a great extent, the grant allows us do this by handing the college a central role in helping our high school students enroll in higher education institutions.”

“To carry out the planned activities, the College will explore and forge partnerships with other public agencies and private companies, whose participation will help ensure that more students enroll and succeed in college,” said Daisy Villagomez-Bier, NMC dean of student services.

(DPS) — The Department of Public Safety’s traffic section will be conducting occupant protection child restraint checkpoints on the following days:

• Sept. 19 — The first setup will be on Chalan Pale Arnold Garapan, by the Japanese Museum, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

The second setup will be on Beach Road Garapan, by Bank Pacific, 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

• Sept. 22 — The first setup will be on Chalan Pale Arnold by the Army Reserve Center, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

The second setup will be on Monsignor Guerrero by the CUC Waterloo, 7 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.

For more information, contact Sgt. Paul Ogumoro at 664-9085.

Crime of the Week: Hit and run

(DPS) — The Crime Stoppers program is seeking the community’s assistance for information on the person responsible for the hit and run, traffic fatality incident that occurred early morning on Sunday, May 4, along Isa Drive in Sadog Tasi.

Grande C. Nonan, 41, was walking east uphill using the eastbound shoulder when a vehicle speeding downhill ran off the highway and struck him.

The vehicle then fled from the scene and headed in the west direction. It was described as a beige or dark brown sport utility vehicle.

Nonan suffered head trauma, huge lacerations to the upper and lower extremities. He was pronounced dead on the same morning.

Anyone having information about this crime is urged to 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.