ISLAND SNAPSHOTS – June 2022

By Contributing Author

Posted on Jun 29 2022

: SAFETY AND HEALTH FAIR-United Airlines’ inaugural Safety and Health Fair yesterday at the Francisco C. Ada/ Saipan International Airport featured blood pressure and blood sugar checks as well as flu shots. (KIMBERLY B. ESMORES)

: VALIANT SHIELF 2022 Members of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit 5, Platoon 501, conduct an unexploded ordnance evolution, including a safe transport and simulated controlled detonation of the UXO in support of Valiant Shield 2022. Exercises such as Valiant Shield allows the Indo-Pacific Command Joint Forces the opportunity to integrate forces from all branches of service to conduct precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-axis, multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the Joint Force and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. NAVY/LT. TYLER BALDINO)

: C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-LA-T-I-O-N-S 18th CNMI Youth Congress Speaker Cielo Citlalli G. Long (TJSHS) and floor leader Sen. Yurihana DLG Sasamoto (MCS) pose for a photograph with Ana Guadalupe Mafnas Villagomez, her parents (Richard S. and Jennifer M. Villagomez), and family members after presenting her with Youth Congress Resolution 18-05 during their last regular session. The resolution, introduced by Sasamoto, honors Villagomez, a 7th-grade student of Grace Christian Academy (Saipan) for winning the 2022 Scripps Regional Spelling Bee last March in Guam. Villagomez recently represented the Micronesian region in last week’s Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. The 13-year-old is the granddaughter of the late House vice speaker Jesus P. Mafnas, author of the law that created the Youth Congress.n(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

: HONORING A PIONEER 18th CNMI Youth Congress floor leader Sen. Yurihana DLG. Sasamoto (MCS), along with House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez and members of the 22nd House of Representatives have their picture taken after presenting Youth Congress Resolution 18-07 to Maria Borja Salas and her family on April 27, 2022. The resolution, introduced by Youth Sen. Easton C. Dela Cruz (MHS), honors the work of the late Joaquina Margaret Borja Salas, a legislative staffer who passed away last February. During her tenure as a staffer, Salas worked as executive secretary to the late Rep. Francisco S. Dela Cruz, former Rep. Marco T. Peter and, more recently, Villagomez. A graduate of Marianas High School, Salas was a member of the 1st CNMI Youth Congress, holding office for three terms, and was vice speaker during the 2nd Youth Congress.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO )

: ‘BIKINI BOTTOM’-Members of Group 2 of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library’s summer reading program are seen creating their starfish and “Bikini Bottom” sand sculpture in celebration of CNMI Oceans Day at the shores of Sandy Beach Homes last Wednesday. The sand sculpture, which depicts a starfish and little “castles,” was eventually the first-place winner of the competition. (LEIGH GASES)

: OCEAN FAIR-Children and families are seen looking at and learning about sea turtles at the Department of Lands and Natural Resources’ sea turtle program booth at the Ocean Fair last Saturday in honor of Ocean Month. (LEIGH GASES)

: BRAZZLE WINS MVA PHOTO CONTEST -Tinian resident Joshua Brazzle’s photograph of the Milky Way as photographed from Tinian wins first place and $500 in the “Capture Your Tinian Treasure” Facebook photo contest of the Marianas Visitors Authority in May 2022. The contest was meant to highlight the island of Tinian. (JOSHUA BRAZZLE)

: The entry of Facebook user Saixian Chen wins second place and $300 cash in the “Capture Your Tinian Treasure” Facebook photo contest. Chen’s entry shows Taga Beach. (SAIXIAN CHEN)

: The entry of Tinian resident Steph Borja wins third place and $200 cash in the “Capture Your Tinian Treasure” Facebook photo contest. Borja’s entry shows the island of Aguiguan photographed from Taga Beach on Tinian. (SBORJA)

: HANMI DONATES TO 500 SAILS Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands vice chair Dennis Seo, right, and board member Robert Coates, left, present a $2,500 donation to 500 Sails director of Community Projects Andrew Roberto on June 15, 2022, at the 500 Sails boatyard in Lower Base, Saipan. HANMI is a professional forum for the hospitality industry of the Marianas and made the donation in support of 500 Sails’ work to revive, promote, and preserve the maritime cultural traditions of the Marianas through community engagement in canoe culture values and activities. A portion of the donation will be used to providing sailing experiences for visitors, including Pacific Mini Game delegates. (HANMI)

: CNMI-BOUND-Signs showing the 20 visiting countries for the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 and their distance from Saipan are seen on display at the 23rd Annual Taste of the Marianas at the Garapan Fishing Base. (LEIGH GASES)

: SIGNS OF ‘TASTE’-Colorful signs of some Saipan villages are seen decorating a portion of a booth at the 23rd Annual Taste of the Marianas. (LEIGH GASES)

: DANCE OF JOY-Much to the delight of spectators, an enthusiastic delegation from the Solomon Islands perform a foot-stomping dance during the opening ceremony for the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 at the newly-rehabilitated Oleai track and field last Friday, June 17, 2022. (MARK RABAGO)

: ROLL-ON, ROLL-OFF FACILITY -TINIAN—Personnel assigned to Underwater Construction Team 2 and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Detachment Tinian complete repair work to demolish and reconstruct a Roll-on, Roll-off Discharge Facility at the Tinian Harbor. This type of capability will enable logistics throughput where conventional port facilities are not available. This is one of many projects ongoing by Navy Expeditionary Combat Command during Exercise Valiant Shield 2022. Exercises such as Valiant Shield allow the Indo-Pacific Command Joint Forces the opportunity to integrate forces from all branches of service to conduct precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-axis, multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the Joint Force and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. NAVY/LT. TYLER BALDINO)

: ‘SMELLS LIKE A SEWER’-The front area of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources main office in Lower Base has constant water ponding and, according to DLNR Secretary Anthony Benavente, smells like a sewer. DLNR wants to move out of the warehouse and move to Capital Hill. The photo was taken yesterday morning. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

: SCENES FROM THE ‘TASTE’ FESTIVAL Young men pose while standing in line at Tbar’s booth during the 23rd Taste of the Marianas last Saturday at the Garapan Fishing Base in Kristo Rai (CHRYSTAL MARINO )

: A group performs a Polynesian cultural dance at the 23rd Taste of the Marianas stage last Saturday at the Garapan Fishing Base in Kristo Rai. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)

: Carolinian dancers perform a cultural dance during the 23rd Taste of the Marianas last Saturday at the Garapan Fishing Base in Kristo Rai.(CHRYSTAL MARINO)

: Sachiyo Masubuchi of Japan smiles for Saipan Tribune after placing first in the Sukiyaki Food Competition at the 23rd Taste of the Marianas last Saturday at the Garapan Fishing Base in Kristo Rai.(CHRYSTAL MARINO )

: Elaine Fernandez of Sadog Tasi poses for Saipan Tribune while enjoying a fruit drink during the Taste of the Marianas last Saturday at the Garapan Fishing Base in Kristo Rai. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)

: AIRFIELD DAMAGE REPAIR EXERCISE- TINIAN—Marines and sailors work together during an airfield damage repair exercise in support of Valiant Shield 2022 at the World War II-era runways on Tinian. (U.S. NAVY/LT. TYLER BALDINO)

Contributing Author

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