Island Snapshots – September 2020

By Contributing Author

Posted on Sep 02 2020

: RENOVATION WORK-The American Memorial Park’s outdoor theater in Garapan is undergoing renovation and is being repainted to repair the damage caused by past typhoons. (KRIZEL TUAZON)

: READY FOR CLASSES-John Darag, Marianas High School’s English Language Arts teacher, gets his classroom ready following the precautionary measures set by the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., which includes desks being 6 feet apart, arrows pointing where the walkway is, and 6 feet markers for students, for when face-to-face classes resume. A hand sanitizer station sits right beside the entrance of MHS classrooms. (JUSTINE NAUTA)

: RENOVATION The American Memorial Park’s outdoor theater in Garapan is undergoing renovation and is being repainted to fix the damage done by past typhoons. (Krizel Tuazon)

: RELIEF GOODS DISTRIBUTION The Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation and the Grace Christian Assembly team up to distribute relief goods last Sept. 6, at the field next to the Koblerville basketball court. About 350 bags were distributed that day. If you would like to help, contact Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation founder Rose Smith at 670-483-0162 or 235-2340. You can also contact Grace Christian Assembly board member Jess Pantaleo at 287-7742. (Neil Fama)

: FREE LAPTOPS-John Darag, Marianas High School English and Language Arts teacher, shows the laptops that will be distributed among students who would need the devices for their participation in online classes for this school year, which started last Tuesday (JUSTINE NAUTA)

: RELIEF GOODS DISTRIBUTION-The Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation, in collaboration with the Grace Christian Assembly, hand out canned food and other relief goods on Saturday morning, Sept. 6, at the field next to the Koblerville basketball court. About 350 bags were distributed that day. Plans to help continue distributing to other villages are in the works. This outreach was sponsored by Mobil, Marpac and Reps. Ed Propst and L.J. Castro. If you would like to help, contact Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation founder Rose Smith at 670-483-0162 or 235-2340. You can also contact Grace Christian Church board member Jess Pantaleo at 287-7742. (NEIL FAMA)

: HOUSE SESSION-Commonwealth Election Commission administrative officer Kayla Igitol, CEC executive director Julita Villagomez, CEC counsel assistant attorney general Jonathan Robert Glass Jr., and Office of the Public Auditor counsel Ashley Kost answer questions and concerns about this Nov. 3 general election raised by some members of the House of Representatives during Tuesday’s session in the House of Representatives’ chamber at the Legislature on Capital Hill. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

: RESTORATION PROJECT-Docomo Pacific Saipan continues with its Docomo Pacific Saipan Restoration Project, which aims to repair portions of the sidewalk that have been damaged by previous road projects. Here, Jeida Guam Construction workers, which Docomo has hired from Guam to handle this project, use a concrete saw to cut out the damaged portions of a Chalan Piao sidewalk. The restoration project officially started last Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Ana Market in Koblerville. Plans to work on other locations are in the works. (NEIL FAMA)

: SEABEES ON TINIAN-Builder 2nd Class Fernando Gonzalez, from West Covina, Calif., assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, levels and plumbs a gable-end on a Southwest Asia hut that will be used for berthing on Camp Tinian. (U.S. NAVY/CONSTRUCTION ELECTRICIAN 3RD CLASS MARCUS HENLEY)

: Seabees assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian place concrete for a storage tank pad next to the galley on Camp Tinian. (U.S. NAVY/CONSTRUCTION ELECTRICIAN 3RD CLASS MARCUS HENLEY)

: Builder 2nd Class Andrew Lopez, from Knightdale, N.C., assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, nails in blocks of wood used to secure sheathing on the interior of the galley on Camp Tinian. (U.S. NAVY/CONSTRUCTION ELECTRICIAN 3RD CLASS MARCUS HENLEY)

: A BEE AND A BUTTERFLY Image shows a Gulf Fritillary butterfly and a honey bee collecting nectar from a small bunch of Tridax daisies at Kilili Beach in Susupe. (Neil Fama)

: FIELD OF HEROES-TanHoldings and its charitable arm, the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, commemorated the 9/11 anniversary with the 5th Annual Field of Heroes event at the American Memorial Park, with each of the 500 flags planted in honor of all past and present community heroes. (NEIL FAMA)

: GRAND REOPENING Guerrero siblings—from left, Juan Pan Guerrero, Noreen Guerrero, Annie G. Hayes, and Rep. Joseph Lee Pan Guerrero (R-Saipan)—pose for the camera during the grand reopening of the Tan Marikita’s Café last Monday after several months of renovation work. (Donna Rivera)

: $5K FOR 5 YEARS The Lady Diann Torres Foundation continues its $5K for 5 Years celebration with a donation of $500 to Karidat. (Contributed Photo)

: VALIANT SHIELD 2020-If you’ve noticed increased military activity in the skies over the CNMI, it is part of the ongoing military exercise. Forces of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command are participating in Valiant Shield 2020, which started last Sept. 14, and will be held until Sept. 25, in Guam and around the Mariana Islands Range Complex. In this photo, a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 18th Aggressor Squadron, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, sits on the flightline in support of Valiant Shield 2020 at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam last Sept. 11, 2020. (U.S. AIR FORCE/STAFF SGT. DIVINE COX)

: TINIAN ROAD PROJECT STARTS-Equipment Operator 2nd Class Kadee Smith ground guides Equipment Operator Constructionman Ramsey Lora, both assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, on the D5 Dozer to track and knock down heavy shrubbery to provide access to the work area in support of Marpo Heights Road G construction. (Photos by U.S. NAVY/MCS2 COLE C. PIELOP)

: Equipment Operator 3rd Class Cord Price, assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, utilizes a clamshell bucket on the 924 Loader to remove downed obstructions in support of Marpo Heights Road G construction.

: Equipment Operator 3rd Class Cord Price, assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, utilizes a clamshell bucket on the 924 Loader to remove downed obstructions in support of Marpo Heights Road G construction.

: Equipment Operator 1st Class Adam Lefford, assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, conducts hauling operations on a MK30 Dump Truck to ensure the job site is safe and clear of debris in support of Marpo Heights Road G construction.

: Equipment Operator 1st Class Adam Lefford, assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, conducting hauling operations on a MK30 Dump Truck to ensure the job site is safe and clear of debris in support of Marpo Heights Road G construction.

: Equipment Operator Constructionman Ramsey Lora, assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian, conducts noninvasive clearing operations on the D5 Dozer to give access to the obstructions on Marpo Heights.

: Equipment Operator 2nd Class Kadee Smith ground guides Equipment Operator Constructionman Ramsey Lora assigned to U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian on the D5 Dozer to track and knock down heavy shrubbery to provide access to the work area in support of Marpo Heights Road G construction.

: Senior Chief Equipment Operator Matthew Kreamalmyer, U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3’s Detail Tinian assistant officer-in-charge, provides on the job training to the NMCB-3 Detail Tinian road crew on safe and proper tree topping operations. NMCB-3 is deployed across the Indo-Pacific region conducting high-quality construction to support U.S. and partner nations to strengthen partnerships, deter aggression, and enable expeditionary logistics and naval power projection. The battalion stands ready to complete assigned tasking, support Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Relief and Major Combat Operations throughout the area of responsibility.

Contributing Author

Disclaimer: Comments are moderated. They will not appear immediately or even on the same day. Comments should be related to the topic. Off-topic comments would be deleted. Profanities are not allowed. Comments that are potentially libelous, inflammatory, or slanderous would be deleted.