CNMI

CNMI tells residents to stay indoors in case of nuclear attack

Its planner and grants manager BJ Nicolas said his office was monitoring the North Korea situation with the Guam Homeland Security Office of Civil Defense and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Mr Nicolas said information between the three agencies was constantly shared.

He said if worse came to worst, it would be best to stay indoors to prevent a fatal nuclear fallout following the initial blast.

This was also assuming that the blast area did not affect the CNMI.

Rats to blame for CNMI airport lighting problem

Saipan International Airport was limited to daytime flights over the weekend because only about a third of its runway lights were operational.

The system was shut down to avoid further problems.

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Evacuees moved from CNMI shelters as schools reopen

The Northern Marianas College says there are 18 buildings in different phases of disrepair.

The college president, Dr Sharon Hart, says of the buildings that sustained damage, about four are inoperable, including the gym, which sustained damage to its roof and floor.

However, the College's director of external relations, Frankie Eliptico, says most of the classrooms were spared, and there's a huge effort by staff to return things to normal.

CNMI food stamp office ignores many typhoon victims

Gregorio Sablan says the federal Food and Nutrition Service had earlier authorised the CNMI government to open up eligibility for food stamps because of the devastation caused by Typhoon Soudelor.

But he says the service has informed him the Government has decided not to increase eligibility and only those that meet the normal guidelines are being given emergency food stamps.

Mr Sablan says people are going hungry as a result.

CNMI Governor Inos signs law extending price-freeze order

In a press statement, Inos said: “Consumers should be aware and unscrupulous retailers are warned that it is illegal to engage in price gouging following a major disaster. The Consumers Protection Act makes it unlawful for businesses to engage in price gouging. The Office of the Attorney General will prosecute both criminally and civilly any business that engages in price gouging.”

Thousands cancel CNMI holidays after Soudelor

Hundreds of people have sought federal aid and remain without water and electricity after the storm hit nine days ago.

The Marianas Visitors' Authority says 7,000 prospective visitors have cancelled their trips to what is now a disaster zone.

The Authority's managing director, Perry Tenorio, says the typhoon caused the shutdown of night flights, which sparked many cancellations by tourists from countries like China, South Korea, and Japan.

 

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Guam Speaker Won Pat urges community to give aid to NMI

IHOP Guam announced that the company had 160 cases of water delivered and distributed to the CNMI.

“We’re appealing to other businesses to do the same,” Won Pat said. “In Saipan, they have a problem of salt-infiltration into their drinking water and that’s the reason why it’s not working and it’s so important to send something as basic as water.”

The Guam Legislature was hoping to collect 500 cases of water by Monday to be shipped by Matson to Saipan. 

EPA: Navy omitted analysis of groundwater impact in CNMI

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency says the US Navy failed to include the reports in its 'CNMI Joint Military Training' draft environmental impact statement.

It says the Navy did not include a 2012 EPA study, which covered a wide range of munitions chemicals and propellants left in the soils of over 30 military installations and firing ranges in the US, including Hawaii.

Another omitted study, from the U.S. Geological Survey, points out how Tinian's relatively porous limestone geology could be susceptible to pollution via infiltration.

Micronesia carrier to get 2nd plane back soon

Cape Air, which has a co-share agreement with United Airlines, has received some flak in the past for its flight cancellations and delays.

Now with two aircraft, the CNMI government and community hopes the poor service will be addressed.

The Commonwealth Ports Authority confirmed the arrival of the second aircraft.

However it can not yet provide a date when the second plane would fly.