FLASHBACK – November 22, 2011

Nov. 22, 1999

’Stop coaching the Legislature’

Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes on Friday lashed back at criticisms leveled against the Legislature for sitting on significant bills that would raise badly-needed revenues for the government amid its mounting financial obligations. In a statement, the senator lambasted Dan Nielsen, the governor’s special assistant for education, for questioning the inaction on legislation pending with the Senate for several months now. “If Mr. Nielsen focused more of his time and attention on our students scholarship needs, rather than armchair-coaching Senate legislative matters… then perhaps our student scholarship program would not be in such a shambles that it is in today,” he said.

Tinian Dynasty joins HANMI

Tinian Dynasty & Hotel Casino has recently joined the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands. This is the first hotel from the island municipality to join HANMI, which now represents 76 percent of the CNMI’s total room inventory, or 3,480 rooms. “We are very pleased to join the Hotel Association and look forward to working with other members on common issues,” said Anthony Ha, hotel general manager of the Tinian Dynasty. The Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino is Tinian’s first major casino and hotel resort since the island voted to establish the gaming industry in 1989.

Nov. 22, 2000

Students march for family unity

Close to 300 Hopwood Junior High School students, teachers, and staff led yesterday a unity march clamoring for a truce among feuding CNMI families in light of tomorrow’s Thanksgiving celebration. The parade around the Chalan Kanoa village early morning yesterday was second to the domestic violence march the Hopwood community slated last month. Participants to the hour-long march also made a stop at the William S. Reyes Elementary School to join hands with fellow public school students in the quest for community oneness. “We’re calling for a truce between families this Thanksgiving season and the coming year,” said Sam Joyner, Hopwood music teacher.

Guam lawyer calls Mitchell ’irrational’

A Guam-based attorney has called suspended lawyer Theodore R. Mitchell irrational, abusive and does not serve the interest of his clients. In his affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court, attorney David J. Luan denied the allegations of Mitchell that he attempted to influence the panel of justices conducting the suspension proceedings on the beleaguered attorney before the high court. In fact, Mitchell called him up at his residence and tried to borrow money from him because he was already having difficulty financing the case. “I truly feel sorry for Mitchell for his obviously a very sick man. It is my understanding that Mitchell has a family and I hope for their sake that he seek counseling or other professional help to deal with his temper and irrationality,” Lujan said.

Nov. 22, 2001

US funding sought for new projects

The Tenorio administration is set to ask the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for federal funds to be used for several infrastructure projects on Rota, Tinian and Saipan. In a notice sent to the public, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio said that, around December 10, he will submit a request to the HUD for the release of federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 for the construction of various projects in the Commonwealth. The funding, called the Federal Community Development Block Grant, will finance $929,000 of the total cost of the projects.

’NMI needs anthrax-testing equipment’

The Department of Public Health is sending another suspicious substance to Guam for tests, in light of the anthrax scare that gripped Saipan in recent weeks. “We are working to figure out the best possible way to send them out,” Health Secretary Jospeh Kevin P. Villagomez said. Emergency Management Office Director Gregorio DeLeon Guerrero said the CNMI’s lack of equipment has caused problems in immediately detecting whether the substance is a bioterrorist weapon or not. “We have to talk to people from Continental or any of the flight service providers if we can transport it to Guam. Getting it from here to Guam is the most difficult thing to do because some of the airlines might not want to carry it,” Guerrero said.