October 31, 2021

3 former governors urge plans for new Aloha Stadium to be cancelled

A key state lawmaker expressed frustration with the pace of redevelopment of the land surrounding Aloha Stadium and said legislators may have to reconsider which agencies oversee the project.

The Aloha Stadium Authority and Department of Accounting and General Services, or DAGS, have been charged by state lawmakers with building a new stadium. That is part of a massive public-private partnership that would also create retail space, offices, and housing on the site in Halawa. It was hoped a new stadium would be built by 2024, but that timeline has been pushed back indefinitely.

Former Governors John Waihee, Ben Cayetano, and Neil Abercrombie wrote a letter to lawmakers suggesting that the University of Hawaiʻi play its home football games permanently on campus, as they would have to wait too long for another stadium to be built.

They said the 98-acre site should be used solely for commercial development and affordable housing.

Read more: https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2021-10-28/three-former-governors-urge-plans-for-new-aloha-stadium-to-be-cancelled

October 31, 2021

CNMI Governor orders closure of all schools

CNMI Governor Ralph DLG Torres has ordered the closure of all schools in the commonwealth for 10 days to mitigate against the community spread of COVID-19.

In an Oct. 29 letter to the CNMI State Board of Education, Governor Torres said protecting the health and safety of the people has been the main priority during this COVID-19 pandemic, and he will continue to do everything he can to keep the CNMI community safe against the virus.

“In consultation with the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation and the COVID-19 Task Force, I am hereby shutting down all public and private schools and colleges in the Commonwealth for the next 10 days to mitigate against community spread as contact tracing continues,” Governor Torres said.

He assured the educational community, staff, parents, families, and students that his administration will do everything as a government to protect the Commonwealth as they have successfully done throughout the course of the pandemic.

Read more: https://www.pncguam.com/cnmi-governor-orders-closure-of-all-schools/
(Pacific News Center)

October 31, 2021

Latest census data for Guam released; population down by 3.5 percent

The U.S. Census Bureau has released the 2020 Census population and housing unit counts for Guam. As of April 1, 2020, Guam’s population was 153,836, representing a decrease of 3.5% from the 2010 Census population of 159,358. The housing unit count was 51,555 in 2020, representing an increase of 2.0% from the 2010 Census housing unit count of 50,567.

These population and housing unit count data, as of April 1, are collected once a decade during the decennial census. The 2020 Island Areas Censuses counted people living in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Census Bureau conducts the decennial census in partnership with the Island Areas governments in compliance with Title 13 of the United States Code and to meet the specific data needs of the Island Areas.

In the latest census, Guam lost 5552 in total population, mostly in Mangilao. The Census Bureau has released a set of four data tables for Guam.

Read more: https://www.pncguam.com/latest-census-data-for-guam-released-population-down-by-3-5-percent/
(Pacific News Center)

October 31, 2021

Guam Freedom Coalition holds 'March Against Mandates' protest

The Guam Freedom Coalition will be holding their 12th peaceful demonstration against governmental overreach with the “March Against Mandates” protest march today, October 30, 2021, starting 4:30 pm at the Archbishop Felixberto Flores Memorial Circle.

The march will proceed south along Chalan San Antonio, to conclude at the ITC intersection with a standing protest, followed by a picnic with entertainment. Food trucks are welcome.

The Guam Freedom Coalition advocates for the personal freedoms, civil liberties, and Hafa Adai spirit of all people and communities on Guam. The group aims to promote accountability and transparency of the government while supporting the inalienable rights of the people to act, move, and live freely on Guam as afforded to us and protected by the US Constitution.

The group was founded to unite everyone who has been affected by the current administration’s overreach of authority during this extended emergency and the subsequent Executive Orders and mandates that were designed to segregate and discriminate.

Read more: https://www.pncguam.com/guam-freedom-coalition-to-hold-march-against-mandates-at-430-pm-today/
(Pacific News Center)

October 31, 2021

Moondog - Witch of Endor (1969)

Louis Thomas Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999), known as Moondog, was an American musician, composer, theoretician, poet and inventor of several musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his work drew inspiration from jazz, Classical, native American music, and was strongly rhythmic and contrapuntal, in some ways anticipating the minimalism of Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

He was blind from the age of 16. Hardin lived in New York City from the late 1940s until 1972, and during this time he could often be found on 6th Avenue, between 52nd and 55th Streets, wearing a cloak and a horned helmet sometimes busking or selling music, but often just standing silently on the sidewalk. He was recognized as "the Viking of 6th Avenue" by thousands of passersby and residents who were not aware of his musical career.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moondog

October 31, 2021

IPI: Value of Saipan assets down $574M on suspension of license

The parent firm of troubled Saipan casino Imperial Palace Saipan says the value of its assets has plummeted by HK$4.46 billion (US$574 million) following suspension of its casino license earlier this year.

In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Imperial Pacific International Holdings informed shareholders and potential investors that, based on the latest draft valuation on property, plant and equipment of the Group, the revised value of property, plant and equipment under non-current assets of the Group is expected to be impaired by not less than HK$4.46 billion compared with the value at 31 December 2020.

The impairment represents a significant drop in value from HK$7.11 billion to just HK$2.65 billion, “mainly attributable to a change of major assumptions on the valuation mainly in relation to the Order issued by the Commonwealth Casino Commission.”

That order, issued in April, was for the indefinite suspension of the casino license held by IPI’s local subsidiary, Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC, following a series of complaints for failure to comply with certain requirements under its license agreement.

Read more: https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/ipi-value-of-saipan-assets-down-574m-on-suspension-of-license/

October 31, 2021

Update on status of new hospital and Medicaid funding for American Samoa

Washington, D.C. — The status of plans for a new hospital and continuing Medicaid support for American Samoa — American Samoa’s highest priorities within the massive U.S. budget reconciliation bill known first as the “Build Back Better” bill then as “the human infrastructure” bill — appears to be safe as it slowly moves forward in the U.S. Congress. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata updated the territory Thursday on specific developments within the latest framework for negotiations.

“In simplest terms, the over $100 million in hospital infrastructure funds we worked for and the continuing Medicaid support and federal match, both have survived the reduction of the overall proposal, as we requested,” Amata said. “The bill is costly and has significant opposition, based on inflation and debt concerns, but seeing American Samoa treated fairly is always a point of emphasis that I view separately from the rest of the debate. My first focus is on American Samoa.”

President Biden and key negotiators in Congress Thursday announced they have ironed out many of their issues stalling the majority party from completing the writing of the bill and bringing it to a vote. Thursday, they announced a framework for proceeding, short of a final agreement.

The initial $3.5 trillion proposal would become a $1.75 trillion proposal under this framework. Surviving the negotiations is nearly $1 billion ($993 million) for the Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs to invest in hospital infrastructure in four smaller U.S. territories, of which (taking into account population and need factors), American Samoa’s portion is estimated around $120-140 million over ten years.

Read more: https://www.samoanews.com/local-news/update-status-new-hospital-and-medicaid-funding-am-samoa

October 31, 2021

2020 Census shows a dramatic drop in American Samoa's population

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday released the 2020 Census population and housing unit counts for American Samoa and the three other island insular areas — Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As of April 1, 2020, the American Samoa’s population was 49,710, representing a decrease of 10.5% from the 2010 Census population of 55,519. The housing unit count was 11,807 in 2020, representing an increase of 7.7% from the 2010 Census housing unit count of 10,963.

These population and housing unit count data, as of April 1, are collected once a decade during the decennial census. The 2020 Island Areas Censuses counted people living in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Census Bureau conducts the decennial census in partnership with the Island Areas governments in compliance with Title 13 of the United States Code and to meet the specific data needs of the Island Areas.

The Census Bureau uses a long-form census questionnaire to meet the Island Areas’ data needs for detailed demographic, social, economic and housing unit information because other surveys, such as the American Community Survey (ACS), are not conducted in the Island Areas. This long-form census questionnaire is similar to the ACS questionnaire used in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Additional detailed data will be available in the future.

Read more: https://www.samoanews.com/local-news/2020-census-shows-dramatic-decrease-american-samoas-population

October 31, 2021

American Airlines Cancels Hundreds of Flights Due to Weather, Staffing Shortages

Source: NBC-DFW

American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights over Halloween weekend, with high concentrations of flight disruptions at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, the airline canceled 463 flights, or 18% of its mainline operation, on Saturday. An additional 291 flights were delayed.

American Airlines canceled 342 flights on Friday and 737 were delayed.

As of Saturday afternoon, an additional 287 flights were canceled for Sunday.

Read more: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/american-airlines-cancels-hundreds-of-flights-due-to-weather-staffing-shortages/2794043/

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Windy conditions in the DFW Metroplex are forcing flight cancellations.

October 30, 2021

Anchorage business owner agrees to pay $400K over fraudulent CARES Act loans, federal prosecutors

Anchorage business owner agrees to pay $400K over fraudulent CARES Act loans, federal prosecutors say


An Anchorage business owner has agreed to pay $397,990 after fraudulently obtaining loans through a federal pandemic relief program, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Robert Gross, 65, submitted false information for six companies he owned to obtain loans and advances from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program between April and September 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska said.

As part of the civil settlement agreement, Gross must repay the outstanding loan balances, plus interest, as well as pay $242,990 in damages. Under a criminal non-prosecution agreement, Gross also admitted to the making the false statements and agreed to terms in place of a criminal prosecution, federal prosecutors said.

The agreements help resolve a federal investigation into $164,000 in loans and advances that Gross received under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Read more: https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2021/10/29/anchorage-business-owner-agrees-to-pay-400k-over-fraudulent-cares-act-loans-federal-prosecutors-say/
(Anchorage Daily News)