ISLAND SNAPSHOTS- February 2022

By Contributing Author

Posted on Mar 15 2022

: IN APPRECIATION The newly elected board of directors of the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands present a plaque of appreciation to outgoing chairwoman Gloria Cavanagh on Jan. 27, 2022, during the HANMI general membership meeting at Aqua Resort Club Saipan. From left, Pacific Islands Club Saipan general manager Dennis Seo, HANMI chairman and Century Hotel general manager Ivan Quichocho, HANMI legal counsel Marcia Schultz, Cavanagh, Hyatt Regency Saipan general manager Nick Nishikawa, and Kanoa Resort Saipan general manager Martin Jambor. Cavanagh has been appointed as vice president of Mariana E-Land Corp. (HANMI)

: ROAD-CLEARING Field staff from the Offices of Minority Leader Rep. Angel Demapan (R-Saipan) and Precinct 1 Minority Reps. Lee Pan Guerrero (R-Saipan), Joseph Flores(R-Saipan), and Roy Ada (R-Saipan) widen and clear the overgrown vegetation along the access road to San Antonio Community Beach Park, a popular picnic and swimming site for residents and visitors of San Antonio. (Contributed Photo)

: SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK Happy National School Counseling Week to Hopwood Middle School counselors Marjorie Kintol, Livia Pangelinan, Jill Pladevega, and Ashley Roberto! Thank you for all you do for our students, their families, and the community. National School Counseling Week this year is taking place on Feb. 7-11, 2022. It is intended to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. (Contributed Photo)

: BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Brian Shin, third from right, chief executive officer of the Global Hotel Division of E-Land Group, shares a picture with colleagues after being named Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Business Person of the Year during SCC’s “Business Person of the Year Annual Gala” last Jan. 29 at Kensington Hotel Saipan’s Kensington Hall. (Joshua Santos)

: SAIPAN NATIVE Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Kenth Cave, a native of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, assigned to Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex, prepares food aboard Essex, Jan. 25, 2022. Essex, flagship of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with alliances and partners and serve as a ready response force to ensure maritime security and a free and open Indo-Pacific region. ( U.S. NAVY/MCS3 ISAAK MARTINEZ)

: CAMPAIGN KICK OFF Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) delivers the introduction for the NMI Democratic Party’s candidate for governor, Rep. Christina Marie Elise Sablan (D-Saipan), extreme left in front row, during their campaign kickoff last Jan. 26 at the Garapan Fishing Base. Sablan’s running mate, Rep. Leila Haveia Fleming Clark Staffler (D-Saipan), partly hidden, is behind Propst, along with Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), the CNMI’s first governor Carlos Camacho, and Democrat lawmakers. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

: BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT Happy blessed birthday to Arsenia “Arce” Benavente, who celebrated her special day on Feb. 8! Cheers to you and many more and may you be blessed with many more birthdays to come! Know that you are loved and greatly appreciated. Much love coming from your entire family and friends. (Contributed Photo)

: DAMAGE CONTROL TRAINING Ensign Aaron Lee, from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, communicates via radio from a repair locker to Central Control Station during a damage control training team environment aboard USS New Orleans. New Orleans, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. NAVY/MCS1 DESMOND PARKS)

: BRIDGE CAPITAL DONATION Bridge Capital donates $5,000 to the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter for its upcoming Red Cross Gala, with Jody Jordahl, center, vice president and chief investment officer for Bridge Capital, and Julie Duenas, Bridge Capital office manager, turning over the check to American Red Cross-NMI Chapter officials led by executive director John Hirsh, third from left. (KRIZEL TUAZON)

: PROAPERKS PARTNER Chung Gi Wa Restaurant is the latest business to sign on as a Northern Marianas College ProaPerks Partner, joining many other businesses and organizations. All card-carrying members of the NMC ProaPerks program can now receive a free iced tea and 10% discount for orders that are $50 or more. More information about their special promotion for ProaPerks card holders can be found at marianas.edu/proaperks. (NMC)

: IT&E SUPPORTS RED CROSS GALA IT&E donates $5,000 to the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter last Wednesday at IT&E’s office in Chalan Laulau. The money will go toward the Red Cross Gala, which will be held on April 23 at Kensington Hotel Saipan. From left to right are Hans Michelson, Brent Deleon Guerrero, Janice Tenorio, Selmalyn Taitano, Mable Glenn and American Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director John Hirsh during the check turnover. (Contributed Photo)

: HANMI DONATES TO SAIPAN SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands chair Ivan Quichocho, right, and board secretary Martin Jambor, second from left, present a $1,000 donation to the Saipan Senior Advisory Council on Feb. 14, 2022, in Chinatown, Saipan. The check was accepted by staff of the Office on Aging on behalf of the council. Others in the photo, from left, are Akio Tsuda, Lucia Sardea, Mikel Emmanuel, Domitilia Taisakan, Augusto Aldan, and Margarita Aldan. (HANMI)

: COPE NORTH 2022 U.S. Capt. Steven Strickland, left, and Capt. Henry Darr, instructor pilots for the KC-46A Pegasus assigned to the 334th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., fly over the Northern Mariana Islands during exercise Cope North 22, Feb. 15, 2022. Participants exercise Agile Combat Employment, or ACE, concepts during Cope North 22. (U.S. AIR FORCE/MASTER SGT. AMY PICARD)

: COPE NORTH 2022 U.S. Capt. Marcus Watson, mission pilot for the KC-46A Pegasus assigned to the 334th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., prepares to take off from Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport during exercise Cope North 22 last Feb. 15, 2022. Participants exercise Agile Combat Employment, or ACE, concepts during Cope North 22. ACE is Pacific Air Forces’ model to project combat power via a network of distributed operating locations throughout the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. AIR FORCE/MASTER SGT. AMY PICARD)

: COPE NORTH 2022 U.S. Capt. Steven Strickland, instructor pilot for the KC-46A Pegasus assigned to the 334th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., flies from Saipan to Guam during exercise Cope North 22 last Feb. 15, 2022. (U.S. AIR FORCE/MASTER SGT. AMY PICARD)

: BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT Happy 12th birthday to Elkee Fumiku Babauta, who is celebrating her special day today. We love you! Greetings come from Mom and Dad. (Contributed Photo)

: IGUEL INTERNS WITH HOUSE LEADER Jemalynn Iguel, center, has begun an internship with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, left, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus. Iguel recently dropped in to say hello when Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP), right, met with Jeffries Monday last week. Iguel was born and raised on Saipan and is currently pursuing a degree in Nursing at Northern Marianas College. She is passionate about environmental issues and educational reform, and looks forward to gaining a better understanding of federal policies and programs. She also hopes her opportunity in Washington, D.C., will inspire more Marianas youth to pursue careers in public service. The internship is sponsored by the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. (Contributed Photo)

: GCEA 2021 ANNUAL REPORT The Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers, led by co-chairmen Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, front row third left, and Jerry Tan, front row third right, join the Governor’s Cabinet members and GCEA council members for a photo after presenting the GCEA 2021 Annual Report and 2022 Outlook last Feb. 25 at the Governor’s Office on Capitol Hill. The presentation focused on the GCEA’s 2021 accomplishments, an overview of the Marianas economy, and the opportunities and upcoming activities of the GCEA in 2022. A digital copy of the 2021 Annual Report is available to view or download at cnmieconomy.com/reports. (Contributed Photo)

: MARCH BAND CONCERT Mount Carmel School’s band program kicked off its performance season over the weekend with the March Band Concert at the Mount Carmel Cathedral on Saturday, March 12, 2022. During the concert, students from the school’s Jazz Band, Concert Band, and Wind Orchestra performed a series of classical and contemporary musical numbers. The next band concert will be the Saipan Wind Band Festival on April 24, 2022, and will be streamed virtually. For more information, contact Mount Carmel School music director Julian Greening at julian.greening@mcsknights.com. MCS

Contributing Author

Island Snapshots – January 2022

ISLAND SNAPSHOTS – March 2022

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