Governor Arnold Palacios was in Washington DC earlier this week to meet with U.S. President Biden, other U.S. leaders including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and heads of state from the countries that make up the Pacific Islands Forum, which includes 18 different Pacific nations.

“No pothole too deep, no road bump too high, and no challenge too great”

Community members now have better access to the northeast part of Saipan. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday morning, Governor Arnold I. Palacios, Lt. Governor David M. Apatang, CNMI Department of Public Works Secretary Ray Yumul, and Federal Highway Administration-Hawaii Division Territorial representative Gabrielle Gersh joined members of the public to celebrate the official opening of the route.

On Monday, August 21, 2023, the SOEL-CNMI Brain Builders Team, met with some of the CCDF Partners, namely CHCC-System of Care/Healthy Transitions, CHCC-Home Visiting Program, CHCC-MICAH/F2F, DICE Pacific Solutions, LLC, Council on Developmental Disabilities, CNMI UCEDD, CNMI WIC, and DYS. This meeting was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Giovanni’s Conference Room. 

Food vendors, heavy equipment rental companies invited to attend

Congratulations to Ms. Valerie Manglona Atalig, who was recently sworn in to serve on the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation Board of Directors, and to Mr. Daniel Quitugua Taitano, who was sworn in to serve on the Commonwealth Economic Development Association Board of Directors.

Governor Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Governor David M. Apatang recently honored the first responders that sacrificed their lives on September 11, 2001, and the brave men and women who risk their lives on a daily basis to keep the community safe in a proclamation designating September 2023 as “  “We Will Never Forget: Field of Heroes” month. 

Governor Arnold Palacios and Lt. Governor David Apatang were joined recently by CNMI Department of Labor Secretary in meeting with the U.S. Department of Labor District Director of the Wage & Hour Division Terence J. Trotter, the U.S. Department of Labor Assistant District Director for Guam and the CNMI Patrick G. Candoleta, and the U.S. Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division Investigator Feng Daniel Wang to sign a memorandum of understanding. 

Five mayors from the Mayor’s Council of Guam presented Governor Arnold I. Palacios a  resolution expressing their “sincerest appreciation and gratitude for the generosity and kindness of the people of Saipan and the CNMI in coming to [Guam’s] aid after the devastation of Typhoon Mawar.” 

The leaders of six law-enforcement agencies recently inked an agreement to reestablish and reorganize a joint-drug-prevention-task force. Drugs, specifically ice, have continued to negatively impact the CNMI. Agencies are seeing more cases of drug use especially in younger people, an increase in property crimes linked to the habit, and other crimes. The goal of the joint task force is to stop drugs from coming in through the CNMI’s ports.