Pacific News Center [NEW]

Guam - Guam News

Guam - Property and Casualty Insurance company  Nanbo Guam  broke ground this morning on its new office building at the
corner of  West O'Brien Drive and Route 4 in downtown Hagatna.

Read more: Nabo Guam Breaks Ground On New Office Building in Hagatna

Guam - Guam News

Guam- The Guam Election Commission (GEC) Board of Directors did certify the unofficial results and the candidates that will advance to the General Election on Tuesday. However, they were extremely concerned with the amount of spoiled ballots cast.

Most of Tuesday's meeting centered on questions by the members on what caused over 4,100 ballots to be voided. GEC Legal Counsel Roland Mantanona advised the board they had fulfilled their duties and should certify the results, if they are satisfied with the accuracy. He also said once certified, by law, the ballots can be re-opened 30 days after certification to be reviewed for statistical purposes.

The board eventually took Mantanona's advice and certified the results. Members will now come back on October 7 to re-open the sealed ballots and figure out what caused ballots to be spoiled.

The GEC Officials also passed motions to call for investigations of precinct officials that were absent during the primary and disrupted the election process. Board Member Joseph Mesa says those precinct officials should be held accountable because they were under oath to carry out their duties.

An investigation will also be launched on a claim by a voter that she was given a marked ballot in a northern precinct. In addition, members voted to call all precinct officials together to discuss any concerns they have before the General Election.

The GEC board will be meeting next Wednesday, September 15 at 4 pm to review who filed for the Guam Education Policy Board (GEPB) for the General Election and matters with the Consolidated Commission on Utilities (CCU).

They also will be discussing the GEC's rental issue during executive session because of ligation concerns.

 

 

Guam - Guam News

Guam- Two programs out of the Guam Community College (GCC) have each received an increase in funding to continue helping middle, high school and college students further their education.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded $1.5 million to the College Access Challenge Grant Program (CACGP), as well as Project AIM over the next 5 years. Program Coordinator Millie Afaisen says the money not only allows them to double the amount of tutors for middle and high school students, it also increases the college grant aid from $500 to $1,000 for high school seniors.

“From $330,000 last year to $1.5 million this year is a really big jump” said Afaisen. “Not only are we able to provide more services and benefits to the students, we are also able to provide supplemental material resources, basic school supplies- pencils, pens, papers, things that a lot of people, you know, take for granted.”

The College Access program also works hand in hand with Project AIM to help students excel in their lives. Director Christine Sison says the $1.5 million dollars will help them provide more support services for a certain bracket of college students at GCC. She adds Project AIM's next 5 year cycle will be an exciting one.

“The students are now able to continue using tutoring services or for those that are new applicants, can use the tutoring, as well as mentorship or academic advising, as well as getting laptop loans or book loans...whatever they may need...and of course, exposure to cultural activities” said Sison.

A College Access information workshop from 7 pm to 9 pm is being held tonight at the Agana Heights Senior Citizens center for parents and middle and high school students. Another workshop will also be held in Yigo on September 14. For more information on both of GCC's programs, log on to guamcc.edu . You can also call the College Access Challenge Grant Program at (671) 735-5565 and Project AIM at (671) 735-5594 .

Guam - Guam News

Guam - U.S. Department of Energy officials visited Guam Community College on August 27 to check on the construction of the College’s new Learning Resource Center, the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified government of Guam building. Cathy Iverson, Branch Chief of the U.S. Department of Energy, and Eileen Yoshinaka, who is on contract with USDOE from Lockheed Martin, toured the LRC building along with Lucy Kono and Richard Diego from the Guam Energy Office. Iverson and Yoshinaka were visiting agencies on Guam and Saipan to observe how US DOE funds dispersed through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are being invested.

Read more: U.S. Dept. of Energy Officials Tour GCC Learning Center