Community Briefs – June 7, 2018

Bill extending Guam’s H-2B visa cap exemption OK’d

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU) announced yesterday that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 5956, the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act of 2018, which includes language that would extend Guam’s exemption from the national H-2B visa caps until 2029. A similar bill, S. 2325, was passed by the Senate on April 23, 2018. Bordallo cosponsored the earlier version of this bill (H.R.4869) and secured similar provisions for Guam in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (H.R.5515), passed by the House on May 24, 2018. “This [bill] is important to ensure that our local companies have access to H-2B laborers when our local workforce is unable to meet our island’s needs. I continue working in Congress to address Guam’s labor shortage, including in this year’s national defense bill. I look forward to seeing these important pieces of legislation signed into law by the President.” (PR)

Scheduled power interruption today

There will be a scheduled power interruption today, June 7, from 9am to 1pm to allow Commonwealth Utilities Corp. linemen to relocate three spans of primary lines and pole hardware to an adjacent location such that existing underground wastewater lines beneath these distribution lines can be accessible for repair. Power service to Chalan Kiya will be affected but not water wells. The W-5 wastewater lift station affecting the Chalan Laulau Middle Road, As Terlaje, San Jose, and Oleai areas will be affected. For more information, contact the CUC Customer Call Center at 664-4282. (PR)

Indian, Japanese, U.S. forces to take part in Exercise Malabar

Naval ships, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan, and the United States will participate in Exercise Malabar 2018, in mid-summer 2018 off the coast of Guam. The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea. Malabar 2018 is the first time the exercise has been conducted off the coast of Guam, and the latest in a continuing series of exercises that has grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security. Training will focus on high-end warfighting skillsets, subject matter expert and professional exchanges, combined carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, helicopter operations and visit, board, search and seizure operations. (PR)

Pacific Fleet Band to perform in Guam

ASAN, Guam—The public is invited to free performances by the U.S. Pacific
Fleet Band’s contemporary music group, Big Wave, on:
– June 7: 9:30am, Tamuning Senior Citizens Center; 2:30pm, at the Dededo Senior Citizens Center 

June 8: Noon at Micronesia Mall’s center court in Dededo; 5pm at Guam Premier Outlets’ food court in Tamuning
The band, based out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is under the operational control of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The band is dedicated to providing top quality music and entertainment in support of the U.S. Navy’s retention and recruiting programs, and for internal and external public relations. 
(PR)

Summer hours at JKPL

The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library will be implementing summer hours from Tuesday, June 12, to Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018. The library hours will be as follows: Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm, Saturday, 9am-4pm, and closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. For the latest news and events, visit the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library’s website at www.cnmilib.org and like and/or follow JKPL’s Facebook page, @joeten kiyu. Call the library at 670-235-7322/23 for questions/concerns. (PR)

Military training at FDM, Warning Area 517

ASAN, Guam—The U.S. military will conduct training at Farallon de Medinilla until June 7, from 10am to 11pm. The military will also conduct training at Warning Area 517 on June 9, from 5pm to 10pm. It is recommended the public, fishermen and marine tour operators monitor the Coast Guard broadcast notice to mariners for advisories.
The general location of the training on the island of Farallon de Medinilla will be in a 12-nautical mile radius of the island.
W-517 is activated south of latitude 12° 40’ 00″N. Santa Rosa Reef and Galvez Banks are open for public use. W-517 begins south of Guam and extends south-southwest in international waters. (PR)

Club 200 dinner on Oct. 13

The American Red Cross-NMI Chapter will hold its annual Club 200 fundraising dinner on Oct. 13. This year marks the 40thanniversary of the NMI chapter here in the Commonwealth. This year’s theme is “Rockin’ out to 40 years,” a rock-and-roll celebration of 40 years of humanitarian work. There will be raffle prizes, dance and costume contests as well as food and beverages. For more information call the Chapter at 234-3459. (PR)