FLASHBACK

APRIL 16, 2005

JURY ACQUITS PALMA

The Superior Court yesterday acquitted a man who was charged in the mauling death of a painter at a hotel parking lot sometime last year. A jury acquitted Edgardo Palma on all of the remaining charges against him-involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and battery, assault and battery and disturbing the peace. Earlier, the court had dismissed murder and voluntary manslaughter charges against Palma, who was accused of fatally mauling Luciano Ortiz at the parking lot of the Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach on Aug. 13, 2004. Ortiz, who sustained a fractured skull, died after days of confinement at the Commonwealth Health Center.

FIRE RAVAGES CHALAN PIAO SHOPS, APARTMENTS

Firefighters responded to a blaze that raged through a Chalan Piao shopping and housing area located next to the MGM garment factory on Beach Road, Thursday night, forcing DPS traffic officers to close off almost a half-mile stretch of road between the Mobil station and the Royal Crown Insurance while Fire officers battled flames and thick smoke. According to witnesses, there was an explosion in the same apartment where a woman was recently killed, and the fire spread rapidly from the back of the complex toward the store front, spewing a cloud of thick black smoke into the air.

APRIL 16, 2004

LANDCLEARING ACTIVITIES ON THE RISE

A soon-to-rise commercial building in Garapan and a golf driving range in Gualo Rai. These are just some of the projects that have made apparent landclearing activities on the island. At the As Gonno area within the old Saipan airport in Koblerville are plans to develop another golf facility. PFC International has applied for a landclearing permit from the Division of Environmental Quality sometime last week to carry out the project. Landclearing activities and construction work are becoming more and more widespread in different parts of Saipan.

GOVT TO SIGN MOU WITH CHINA TOURISM OFFICE

Gov. Juan N. Babauta is not signing an Approved Destination Status agreement yet with China during his trip to the country this weekend. Babauta, however, said that he hopes to sign a memorandum of understanding with China’s National Tourism Administration in Beijing today. “We are working toward an ADS. What we are doing now is entering into an MOU,” Babauta said yesterday.

APRIL 16, 2003

NURSES TO BE DEPLOYED AT SAIPAN AIRPORT

Various government officials are now working on a plan to deploy some government nurses at the Saipan International Airport as part of the goal to effectively implement preventive measures against the entry the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome into the CNMI. The Department of Public Health, headed by Secretary James U. Hofschneider, met with Department of Labor and Immigration officials Monday to discuss the plan.

‘ELIMINATE HOMESTEAD PROGRAM’

The Marianas Public Lands Authority is asking the Legislature to pass a measure that would terminate the long-running homestead program in the CNMI. MPLA commissioner Henry Hofschneider said in an interview yesterday that it is one of the options that the agency is exploring amid the scarcity of public lands.

APRIL 16, 2002

HUNT FOR ROBBERY SUSPECTS ON

Police are digging deep into the bank robbery that rocked Saipan Friday afternoon, as investigators gather evidence that would point to the two suspects who are reportedly local males. City Trust Bank employees believe two local males may have perpetrated the robbery, based on the voices they heard behind the ski masks, police said yesterday.
Authorities are still pursuing possible leads but have made no arrests as of press time.

APRIL 16, 2001

COPS MADE TO TAKE DRUG TESTS

Taking the cue from recent reports alleging involvement of law enforcers in illegal drug use and trade, the Department of Public Safety launched this month a random drug testing of its over 350 police officers and office personnel.

The random testing was launched in response to a government-wide call to weed out public officers of officials and employees who either use or trade prohibited substances.