Flashback — March 1999-2003

Senate OKs CIP bill[/B]

As expected, the Senate yesterday overhauled a legislation appropriating close to $23 million in capital improvement project funds to increase allocation to Rota and Tinian as well as to fast-track a new prison on the heels of the hostage incident by inmates at the existing facility. Senators voted unanimously on the revised measure following an agreement to alter the plan passed nearly a month ago by the House of Representatives. It heads back to the lower chamber to vote on the amendment. They also agreed to waive local procurement regulations to allow a sole-source contract for the proposed new prison in a bid to hasten construction of the $10 million project.

Six prisoners who participated in Tuesday’s 14-hour hostage drama led by William Sablan were sent to Guam yesterday after they were charged and arraigned for a federal offense. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Charles Ingram said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms filed the charges before the US District Court. Aside from Sablan, the other prisoners were Vicente Aldan Jr., Jeffrey Celis, Ryan Babauta, Edwin Blas and Arcel Busto. They were among the eight inmates who bolted out from the Division of Corrections last month. Ingram said they will be back on March 18 for the trial. According to Dave Wood and Gregory Baka from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, it is considered a federal offense if individuals who were previously convicted of felony are caught in the possession of a firearm.

CUC-CDA case now over[/B]

The long dispute over more than a hundred million dollars in CIP funds between the Commonwealth Development Authority and the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation is now over. The two autonomous government agencies have agreed to settle the case, with the suing party-the CDA-filing a legal pleading before the CNMI Superior Court Friday to withdraw its requested hearing for a motion for summary judgment that is supposed to be heard sometime this week. In its pleading, the CDA said the utilities company has also agreed to withdraw the hearing for its motion for summary judgment, which was scheduled on the same hearing date. If the scheduled hearing was to push through, it would have been a pivotal point that may result in the rendering of judgment in favor of one party.

Former Saipan lawmaker Engredino M. Jones is being sued by a Hawaii-based university on alleged nonpayment of student loans. The University of Hawaii at Manoa, through counsel S. Joshua Berger, has filed a civil suit against the former Tanapag representative, in a bid to collect over $13,000 that Jones allegedly owes the educational institution through various student loans. Court documents filed at the Superior Court state that in the period covering 1984 to 1998, the former legislator was recipient to student loans offered by the university.

Sonic boom rattles NMI[/B]

A sonic boom from two U.S. fighter jets rocked the Northern Marianas late afternoon yesterday, prompting panicked calls to the Emergency Management Office and reportedly breaking glass windows in parts of Saipan. Air Force spokesperson Lt. Kim Melchor confirmed the fighter jets’ flyby to the media on Guam, according to KUAM TV’s Mindy Fothergill. The boom, which resembled a huge explosion, occurred after the two fighter jets conducted low-approach flights over Saipan as part of the military’s aerial training. “They plan to have six more,” Fothergill said, quoting the information released by Melchor. The aerial training would be conducted until Friday.

The Northern Marianas has been chosen to spearhead efforts toward improving the region’s air transportation and healthcare services, following the First Western Micronesian Chief Executives’ Summit that was concluded in Palau over the weekend. Gov. Juan N. Babauta and the chief executives of Guam, Palau and Yap gathered for the landmark meeting that dwelt on a broad spectrum of regional issues, according to the summit’s official report. Discussions covered tourism, air transportation, healthcare, fuel costs, shipping, solid waste management, renewable energy, telecommunications and education.