COMMUNITY BRIEFS – Jan. 31, 2012

Acclaimed pianist performs on Tinian

Tinian Mayor Dela Cruz and the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino have teamed up to bring the acclaimed concert pianist Ramon Rudnytsky to Tinian for a special concert to be held at the Natibu Park Pavilion this evening, Tuesday, Jan. 31. The general public is welcome to attend this once in a lifetime opportunity. (PR)

Courthouse schedule for February

Through the end of February 2012, CNMI courthouses on all three islands will be open with full operations except as noted below.

Saipan: Limited operation on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012. Only essential services of the Office of the Clerk of Court, the Office of Adult Probation Services, the Family Court Division, the Marshal Service Division, and Judicial Chambers will be provided.

Closed on: Monday, Feb. 20, 2012 (President’s Day)

Rota: Closed on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012

Tinian: Closed on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012

The CNMI Judicial Council considers its hours of operation on a month-to-month basis. The Judicial Council will meet again on Feb. 15, 2012. The hours of operation for March will be released shortly after.

More information may be obtained by calling the Clerk of Court’s office phone number, 236-9765 on Saipan, 433-3410 on Tinian and 532-9422 Rota, or by contacting the Supreme Court’s Public Information Office at 236-9716. (PR)

DEQ sets cleanup at Tank Beach on Saturday

The Division of Environmental Quality’s cleanup brigade will be picking up trash at Tank Beach in Kagman, Saipan this Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, at 8am.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, meet with the brigade at the Tank Beach parking lot. Volunteers will split into groups and clean until 10am and break for drinks and then continue, if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least 10 monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three cleanups will receive a green brigade t-shirt.

The Jan. 7 cleanup at Laolao Bay was very successful with over 50 volunteers participating. Thanks to Hopwood’s My Wave Club, Kagman High JROTC, Oleai Elementary School, Laolao Bay Golf, CUC, PRMI, MINA and other volunteers, 920 pounds of trash was removed from the beach and properly disposed of. D&Q provided refreshments.

DEQ is looking forward to a repeat success at Tank Beach this Saturday, so join DEQ’s cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!”
For more information about volunteering, contact the DEQ office at 664-8500/1. (DEQ)

CCA thanks generous donors

The Commonwealth Cancer Association recently received major donations from two families. In December 2011 the family of the late Gerard Sablan donated $1,500 as well as a bedside commode. In January 2012, another family who wished to remain anonymous donated a hospital bed, a wheelchair, and bedside commode to CCA. Many thanks to these families for their generous contributions, which will go a long way toward helping CCA continue in its efforts to provide support services for residents battling cancer.

In 2011 CCA served more than 60 people with cancer in the CNMI-a 50-percent increase compared to 2010. Services include financial assistance for medical, nutritional, and therapeutic supplies; lending of medical equipment free of charge; monthly support meetings for survivors of cancer and their caregivers; and information/referrals to other programs.

CCA is a community-based nonprofit organization that advocates for a cancer-free CNMI through public education about cancer risk reduction and early detection, and provides support to cancer patients, survivors, and their families through community partnerships and programs.

For more information about CCA, call 682-0050 or email cca@ccamarianas.org. (PR)