Saipan

he Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission is expected to decide Nov. 20 whether to approve a proposed three-year utility rate increase sought by the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., after hearing widespread objections from residents and elected officials during public hearings this week.

A congressional staff delegation led by aides from House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office toured key sites on Saipan and Tinian last week, with CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King‑Hinds emphasizing the need to align military expansion with resilient civilian infrastructure.

With Manila–Saipan flights set to resume this month, the MVA board has authorized a $400,000 sole‑source contract with Philippine Airlines for winter and summer air service.

The voices of Marianas High School’s Polksai Guma Chamorro Club echoed across the NMI Museum grounds Wednesday as students performed ancestral chants honoring the return of an ancient Åtchu’ Latti’ to the Marianas.

With Manila–Saipan flights resuming Oct. 26, Philippine Airlines says the route will reconnect CNMI travelers to its wider Asian network.

The U.S. Coast Guard reopened the Port of Saipan on Monday, lifting storm‑related restrictions and allowing all commercial vessel traffic to resume following Typhoon Choi‑Wan.

Attorney Shelli Neal has taken her former employer to federal court, alleging Micronesian Legal Services Corporation violated civil rights and employee‑benefit laws when it denied her maternity leave and refused to enroll her newborn in its health plan.

The FAA and U.S. Air Force are moving forward with plans to install a modern Air Route Surveillance Radar on Saipan, reviving a Cold War‑era site to strengthen regional air defense and traffic monitoring.

Speaking before the Rotary Club of Saipan on Tuesday, Del. Kimberlyn King‑Hinds said her committee priorities and legislative strategy are rooted in a CNMI‑first approach that transcends national politics.

A Saipan-born U.S. Army sergeant who swam for hours through dangerous Pearl Harbor waters to save two people has been awarded the Soldier’s Medal, Del. Kimberlyn King‑Hinds announced Monday.