Community Briefs – August 18, 2017

Power outage on Middle Road tomorrow
There will be a scheduled power interruption tomorrow, Aug. 19, 2017, from 5:30am to 10:30am, to allow Commonwealth Utilities Corp. line crew to install two concrete poles along Middle Road.

Middle Road (including SRC Building, Micronesian Marine, Auto Steam, JY Car, Best Seller, McDonald’s, Saipan Vegas, I Love Saipan, IT&E, Amara P1., Rhoo Loop, Docomo, and Payless Shoe Source) will be affected by Saturday’s power interruption.

For more information, contact the CUC Customer Call Center (664-4282) or monitor our Facebook page for the latest updates (hnps://www.facebook.comlCommonwealthUtilitiesCorporationl). (CUC)

UPS to pay $2M to resolve EEOC discrimination claims
CHICAGO—International shipping giant United Parcel Service, Inc. has agreed to pay $2 million to nearly 90 current and former UPS employees to resolve a nationwide disability discrimination lawsuit filed in 2009 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as to conciliate related administrative charges. The EEOC charged that UPS violated federal law failing to provide UPS employees with disabilities reasonable accommodations that would enable them to perform their job duties. The EEOC further alleged that UPS maintained an inflexible leave policy, whereby the company fired disabled employees automatically when they reached 12 months of leave. (PR)

PH consular outreach in September
The Philippine Consulate General in Guam will be holding a mobile outreach on Saipan on Sept. 8 to Sept. 11 at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe. It will accommodate 640 applicants who pre-registered for passport renewal.

If an individual wants to avail of one of the 640 slots available for the outreach program, they must call the office of Philippine honorary consul to the Commonwealth Glicerio Arago at 233-6293. The individual has to set up the renewal appointment with Mel Santos. (Saipan Tribune)

OES to host Open House today
Oleai Elementary School will be hosting an Open House today, Aug. 18, for its 3rd Grade to 5th Grade students, from 5pm to 6pm, in your child’s classroom. Important information will be discussed with your child’s teacher during the open house. Parents and guardians are encouraged to participate in this important event and all other school activities within the school year. (PR)

Class of 1987 gears up for 30-year reunion
The Marianas High School Class of 1987 will be having its 30th-year class reunion on Sept. 23. The reunion is open to any CNMI Class of 1987 graduate, regardless of which high school they graduated from. A Mass in honor of departed classmates will be held at the San Antonio Church on Sept. 23, 2017, at 4pm. The reunion will follow immediately after the Mass, from 5:30pm to 10pm, at the Surf Club (beach side) in Chalan Kanoa, the former Pacific Gardenia Sunset Bar and Grill. To purchase a reunion ticket or to get more information, send an email to cnmiclassof87@gmail.com or join the CNMI Class of ’87 Facebook for updates on the reunion event and/or to request for ticket. (PR)

Garapan Fishing Base parking lot closed
The Garapan Fishing Base parking lot to the immediate west of the Thursday Night Market will be closed until tomorrow, Aug. 19. The Division of Agriculture will be using this area to prepare for the Agriculture Fair tomorrow, Aug. 19, 2017. The Garapan Fishing Base boat ramp will still be open for boating access. (PR)

Free cat adoption month
Saipan’s animal welfare group, Saipan Cares for Animals, is hosting a free cat adoption month until the end of August. All cat and kitten adoptions are free until the end of the month on Aug. 31. Call Beth at 285-5448 or visit www.SaipanCaresforAnimals.com to find out more. You can also visit Saipan Cares for Animals on Facebook for directions on how to get there! (CSA)

NMTI to host outreach events
The Northern Marianas Technical Institute, in collaboration with governor’s Youth Services, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs-Division of Youth Services, and precinct representatives, will conduct an outreach event today, Aug. 18, Friday, from 5pm to 7pm, at the Garapan Community Center (next to the Garapan basketball court) to help students learn a new trade and earn a job. Staff will be available to explain their programs and help fill out forms. For more information, call Mae Guerrero at 235-6684. (PR)

Notice to all Kagman farm plot permittees
The Department of Land and Natural Resource agents will be conducting scheduled visits as well as permitting inspections to all Kagman farm plots to determine whether permittees are in compliance with the rules and policies. In order to address issues with violations, DLNR has already begun issuing eviction notices to any permittee engaging in the subleasing or transferring of farm plot(s) to a corporation or partner. This includes the use of the plots to cultivate forbidden substances. Call the DLNR-Division of Agriculture if there are any questions or concerns to this notice at 256-3318/19 or 322-9834. (PR)

Saturday Story Time in August at AMP
Youth of all ages are invited to join the American Memorial Park on Saturdays (Aug. 19, and 26) from 2pm to 3pm for story time. During the hour, read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr. Following the reading, everyone will be invited to make paper cranes, just like Sadako did in the story. Throughout the month, 1,000 paper cranes will be folded and sent to the Children’s Peace Memorial in Hiroshima Japan. To learn more about this program or other happenings at the park, contact park ranger Brooke Nevitt at 234-7207 or 2020 or email brooke_nevitt@nps.gov. (NPS)

US Navy releases new input dates
The U.S. Navy will accept public comments about the Training and Testing Supplemental Environmental Impact statement for the Mariana Island Training and Testing area until Sept. 15, 2017. Comments must be postmarked or received online by Sept. 15, 2017, for consideration in the development of the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS. Comments may be submitted online at www.MITT-EIS.com or mail to: Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific Attention: MITT Supplemental EIS/OEIS Project Manager, 258 Makapala Drive, Suite 100 Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134. (PR)

VA benefits outreach on Saipan
The U.S. Department of Veterans Benefits Administration will be visiting Saipan on Aug. 31, 2017, and will be conducting a benefits workshop/claims clinic and outreach at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe. The workshop/claims clinic will be from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Veterans will also be meeting one-on-one with the benefit counselor from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Workshop topics include VA benefits, loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation & employment, death benefits & education benefits. Counselors will be available to answer questions and assist with the claim process. (PR)