Tops + More 8th Edition

Vol. 2 Issue No. 4 food guide on island

nside:

19 We are Family!

SUP SPN, Locally Owned & Family Run!

17

16Protecting the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

Saipan Family Restaurant

Beef Finger Lunch $6.00Baby Back Ribs (only ribs) $7.00 Half Slab

Parrot Fish $12.00, $14.00 & $20.00Beef finger 110 grams (meat only) $3.00Crisp & Tasty Lumpia $3.00 for 6 pcs.

Pork, Chicken & beef intestine BBQ sticks $1.00 each

Deliveries available with order - add $2.00 for delivery. Orders must be place before 10:00 am

Go Local!

Thank You for supporting

Local Business!

Open Daily (Mon. to Sat.)3:00 pm – 9:00 pm.

Tel. No. 235-1418

Fiesta Plate Lunch

(only on Friday)

$6.99

Special Lunch DayWed., Thurs. & Fri.

8:00 am to 1:00 pm

contents

Tops+ More is a reading/information resource published by Bison Relations. Our office is located in Chalan Piao with mailing address at P.O. Box 503674 CK. For customer service, advertising rates and other inquiries email at [email protected] or call (670) 989.6505/989.6550. Articles, manuscripts, photographs and other infor-mation published herein are property of Tops + More Magazine and or with permission of the writer/author.

We are online and search us on:

http://www.issuu.com/topsmagazine/docs/tops_plus_more

Tops+More

Wayne PangelinanPublisher

Niño M. FloresGraphic Designer

Donna Liwag RiveraExecutive Marketing Manager

Contributing WritersBetty MillerRhonda C. Gross

EDitoRiaL oFFiCEChalan Piao, SaipanP.O. Box 503674 CKSaipan, MP 96950, CNMI, USA

2

14

Hyatt’s sizzling Teppanyaki

Flames & Elegance

Federal Support Keeps CNMI Aware and Informed6

Hyatt’s Teppanyaki Chef fires up the grill preparing Certified Angus Beef Ribeye steaks. about the cover

21

notes

It’s always exciting when pushing out another issue of Tops + More. My excite-ment is similar to that of going on va-cation and knowing that in a few hours

your escape awaits you.

There is no doubt that I enjoy coming up with new issues and for that matter, meeting new people and expanding on stories that are positive and newsworthy to our island com-munity. Each issue brings forth a list of food establishments, both flourishing and blossoming. If you peek in the back, you’ll find an array of cost saving coupons to help you and your family eat out affordably.

Hyatt’s reputation for elegance and skill on the Teppan-yaki counter is a definite “Wow” factor you can’t afford to miss. Coconut Tei launching their special summer deals and Saipan Family Restaurant opening it’s doors all have one thing in common and that is serving up great food for great people that won’t tear a hole in your wallet.

Our tourism industry has been on the up and up and our government budget is seeing some form of relief. We tapped into the Commonwealth Public Utilities Corporation by speaking to Chairman Joe C. Guerrero and our mighty DPS on their federal programs and campaigns.

Our industry story with Congressman Edmund Villago-mez on the casino and electronic gaming machines shed some light on what we can expect in the future. With each new feature, we hope to build optimism and help to our community by showcasing our resources and talking about the tough issues we all face. There is always something positive to celebrate in our islands and we hope to capture it with Tops + More.

We bid you good reading!

Publisher’s Message

Simply Marianas

With double-digit growth, an expanse of mil-lions of tourism dollars into the CNMI econo-my, there is a real potential to heighten gov-ernment revenues by over $10 million in the next fiscal year.

Over 1,000 cadets and a total of 54 from the CNMI left for Torrance, California back in April to compete in the “Golden Bear” West-ern National Drill Championships. Saipan Southern High School proudly topped the Armed division, walking away with heads high and spirits soaring as the CNMI took its place as Western Division Champions.

Twice in a decade, the people of Saipan have unanimously voted against casinos, but since the passage of gaming laws, the unpopular alternative to our eco-nomic woes might just become a reality. This makes one wonder if the current legislation pass-ing machine gambling in hotels is actually a loophole designed to pave the way for an eventual casino.

Are Casinos the Answer?

“The CNMI lacks enough hotel rooms to accommodate a large number of pos-sible tourists. In order to solve this problem, a Request For Pro-posal on public lands is offered to investors, but the CNMI must be selective.”

13

4

nsideH gHligHts

Wayne Pangelinan

CNMI’s Proud and Glorified JROTC Champions!

Governor Eloy S. Inos

Tops + MoRE JunE 2013 1

sizzling

When a colleague asked if I would be interested in attending a teppan-yaki meal and writing a bit about the experi-

ence, I had no idea I was in for such a treat. The Unlimited Ala Carte Menu “Spring Fla-vors” at the Hyatt Regency is so much more than just a meal, it’s a dining adventure!

We felt like royalty being greeted by vari-ous service staff on the way to our table, complete with an introduction to authentic Italian Executive Chef Gabriel Colombo. Be-ing a novice at this type of meal, Chef Co-lombo was very helpful in explaining what we could expect in our dining experience.

hyatt’ssizzling by: Betty Miller

The multi-course meal began with escar-got, shiitake mushroom, and garlic crouton. Garlic infused with just a hint of butter, the escargot was cooked to the just right, slime free, consistency. My dining companion, who was a leery of this dish she had never tried, was pleasantly surprised enough to avail herself of the “unlimited” menu and request a second serving.

Fresh grilled onion and eggplant seared just enough to give it a little crunch were served with delicious Ponzu (ginger based) and Yuzo (mayonnaise, herbs, sake, white wine, and Japanese lemon) sauces. The crunch of the vegetables with the zing of the sauces made great palate cleansers before the next course. Although not usually a fan of sauces, I found myself dipping more and more often into the Yuzo, with the wait staff discreetly refilling my bowl when I wasn’t looking.

The highlight of my evening, and a dish I find myself still thinking about a week later, was the Asari Clams and garden herbs. These were cooked French style with Char-donnay in papillote. (The food was placed in small plastic tubs, wrapped in clear plas-tic, and placed right on the grill to steam.) Chef Udon encouraged us to unwrap the plastic slowly and inhale the smells “as a

Once all the guests were seated, a glass of fine Chardonnay in hand, Sous Chef As-perin Uden made his appearance. Seem-ing a bit shy and reserved at first, Chef Uden’s love for his craft became apparent the minute he flipped the spatula and pep-per shaker in his hands. By mid-meal, he was at the top of his game joking with the guests, flipping eggs into his tall hat, creat-ing onion volcanoes complete with smoke and fire, and finally winning us all over with his heart shaped fried rice complete with a heart beat.

Tops + MoRE JunE 20132

gift.” Feeling a bit self conscious, I untied the twist wrap, closed my eyes, opened the package, and inhaled. Without thinking, I blurted “I smell Seattle!” loud enough for the entire table to hear! When the laughter subsided, I had to explain that in that mo-ment I was transported to childhood mem-ories of fresh clams at the Seattle water-front. The first bite was a continued tribute to that memory. The sauce was mild, the herbs were flavorful but not overpowering, and the clams were steamed to a delicate perfection. Needless to say, I capitalized on the unlimited ala carte option with a sec-ond serving of this trip down memory lane.

Our next dish was local favorite mahi -mahi, with tiger prawns, and calamari served in a tumeric lemongrass sauce. The sauce was tangy with a blend of coconut creme, with the seafood seared just enough for the grilled taste to come through.

The grilled chicken sheslik skewer was served with a satay sauce that packed a punch! Chef Uden explained the peanut fla-vored sauce was Indonesian inspired with a combination of sumac and coriander pow-ders. This dish is full of flavor, but I wouldn’t advise it for those who can’t tolerate spicy foods, such as my dining companion, who was wise enough to wait for me to take a test bite.

Next up was certified Angus beef rib eye steak and bean sprouts. This was an en-tire steak cooked to order and cut into bite size pieces. I appreciated that the grilled beef stood on its own, with a side of tomato salsa and minimal seasoning. This provid-ed a nice break from the previous bursts of flavor and allowed us to tone down our palates with a familiar favorite. Although tempted to skip the bean sprouts, I decided to give them a whirl, and was pleasantly surprised by the smoky grilled flavor that removed some of the usual sourness found in the sprouts.

At this point, we were getting kind of full, but we couldn’t resist eating the garlic, egg, fried rice, particularly after the chef made such a production of cooking it in a heart shape with a heart beat, and giving each of us a little piece of his heart. I must admit by this point in the evening, the Chef re-ally had won me over and I would try pretty much anything he put in front of me, even if I thought I wouldn’t like it.

Doing dinner a bit in reverse order, we were then served Miso soup, Japanese pickles, and a crisp green salad with Cit-

rus dressing. Surprisingly, having the salad toward the end of the meal was cool and refreshing, and we still had room for more.

At last, it was time for desert. Moving to a pre-set table away from the grill, we were served a cup of strong Illy (Italian) Coffee (tea is also available), a piece of cantucci (similar to biscotti), and a deliciously light coconut panna cotta surrounded by bits of strawberry, orange, and kiwi. The panna cotta was drizzled with strawberry sauce, and topped with a mint sprig on whipped topping. Considering all we had consumed,

this went down amazingly well. My com-panion ordered a second serving, while I contentedly dipped my cantucci into my delicious coffee.

While $100 may seem like a high price for a meal, I must admit I can not remem-ber the last time I spent three hours having dinner and found myself still thinking about the meal an entire week later. If you are looking for a special meal that is likely to become a lifelong memory, I highly recom-mend Teppanyaki at Hyatt Regency.


Over 1,000 cadets and a total of 54 from the CNMI left for Torrance, California back in April to compete in the “Golden Bear” Western National Drill Championships. Saipan Southern High School proudly topped the Armed division, walking away

with heads high and spirits soaring as the CNMI took its place as Western Division Champions.

Rota High JROTC drill team walked away with many trophies as they too competed at the event in the Un-armed division.

“Saipan Southern High School demonstrated a maturity and discipline in execution that turned the evaluators’ heads. Saipan Southern won the Varsity Armed Drill Sweepstakes, the overall Award winner of the Armed Division,’ states Lt. Col. Robert Gay.

The competition in Torrance, California brought drill teams across the Western United Stated that also included Guam. The CNMI PSS JROTC Team at Saipan Southern High School bested overall taking home pride and glory. This is an accolade achieved that comes with great determination and effort from not only instructors but from of all the cadets making an outstanding performance at the competition.

CNMI’s Proud and Glorified

JROTC Champions!

Founded1947

AutonomyJan. 11, 1988


Rota High JROTC is a young group. While most who participated are 9th grade students, they held their own magnificently and performed with a grand presence. Yet, the mentions of their instructors that have put so much effort to preparing the drill teams for this competition cannot go unnoticed and unmentioned. Kudos to our JROTC instructors!

“JROTC Instructors and Assistants deserve a great deal of credit and recognition for their outstanding training of these highly motivated cadets and we want to recognize them,” adds Lt. Col. Gay.

These instructors and Assistants are SSHS Command Sergeant Major Richard Basa and Sergeant Major Joaquin Kiyoshi. Rota High School JROTC Sergeant Major Herman Atalig and Assistants Kayla Mesgnon and Edwin Orilla.

Celebrating with a BallEach year, the prestigious setting of

accomplishments and recognition is held with fine dining and talks of high

spirits. This year’s ball had another major accomplishment to celebrate,

the winning of Golden Bear Drill competition.

Graced by the CNMI Board of Education Directors and special

guests, the cadets enjoyed the well-deserved royal treatment, even for

just a day. Tops + MoRE JunE 2013 5

Kudos to the team at Department of Public Safety who continue to work hard in securing grants from the Fed-eral Government used for CNMI aware-

ness campaigns. The variety of grants available keeping our islands safe and informed about child safety restraints, drunk driving and traffic safety are among the funds received for DPS’ use in the Commonwealth.

To date, DPS is utilizing two grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Motor Carrier Safety Assis-tance Program (MCSAP) both received from the Highway Safety Office.

There are 12 individuals running CNMI’s high-way Safety office programs on all islands and each year they are the individuals reporting and applying for grants made available to the CNMI. For the NHTSA they are Leonardo T. Duenas-Program Manager, Margaret Dlg-Camacho-Program Manager/Financial,

Alina C. Cabrera- Highway Safety Technician for Alcohol and Motor Cycle Program, and Conrad Castro-Highway Safety Technician for Occupant Protection/Child Restrain Programs. For the MCSAP they are Sergeant Jerry L. Ayuyu, OIC-Enforcement, w/ PO III Joey Cruz, POII Carl Hocog, POI Joseph Magofna, POII Ned Norita, POI Joseph Muna, Kern Pangelinan - Safety Net Operator and Carlyn Dlg. Hofschneider - OIC for Highway Safety Office and MCSAP Financial.

“With the grants received, we are empha-sizing on public education that are within the scope of what the grant entails,” states OIC Car-lyn Dlg. Hofschneider.

DPS’ outreach through the grants have them taking part in meetings with students regarding teen drinking as well with vari-ous schools at their Parent-Teacher Association meetings.

FeDeRaL SuPPORT Keeps

and

Informedaware

CnmI


“Our officers speak to teens about being our future and not tak-ing their lives for granted with alcohol abuse. They also stress safe driving tactics in both the private and public schools,” expresses Hofschneider.

The awareness efforts are highly visible in the islands. The 3D and child seat belt restraining commercials are on television, bill-board ads, magazines and radio, hitting just about every media available to reach motorists.

“Talk shows and the car seat promotion are on-going as well other public displays and advertisement mediums on island con-tinue to be utilized ensuring visibility of our campaigns,” adds Hof-schneider.

DPS has stepped up their efforts to ensuring their officers and personnel are trained to speak to citizens about available pro-grams all year long. From drunk driving, special driving tactics, car restraint for children and seatbelts saving lives in a cohesive approach to their on-going 3D program.

Hofschneider adds, “Our office works closely with the CNMI Traffic Division enabling the efforts are not just with advertise-ment, but with our enforcers as well.”

More FundingThe office headed by Office In Charge, Carlyn Dlg. Hofschneider,

states that the collected statistics and data allows for their agency to get more funding from their source. Relevant to ensuring the needed safety on our roads, they continue to move forward, meet-ing their objective to keeping the community largely informed of highway safety laws on our islands.

“With greater funding we can meet our objectives to ensure the CNMI implements its programs while meeting the requirements. Our collected data shows proof that we are meeting all require-ments and with our strong team and the cooperation of our en-forcers, we expect to continue receiving support from our source,” adds Hofschneider.

Leniency may be an issue as to why citizens do not necessarily follow the laws on our roads and in moving vehicles. While the campaigns run highly visible in the islands and acquiring more funding from the National Highway Safety Office, Hofschneider points out that we also need our elected leaders to introduce tougher fees and resolutions to ensure safety out in our highways.


Everyone in the CNMI must do their part to make travelling on our

highways and roads safer.

1. Some people will drink too much. When that happens, they become potential dangers to themselves and others. If you were with someone drinking excessively, you should see to it that he or she does not drive.

Here’s how you can help: 2. Make the suggestions to your friend not to drive and instead drive him or her home. Please remember that “Buzzed driving is drunk driving”, and “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”

3. Suggest to you friends that they stay over, stay put until sober.

www.dps.gov.mpsaipan 664-9001 • ROTa 532-9433/9530

Tinian 433-9222/2041

4. Try your best to convince a friend or relative who is under the influence of alcohol to hand over the car key for safekeeping until sober. The person or friend may resent your suggestion but insist because an intoxicated person may be unreasonable or unable to reason.

Sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationwww.nhtsa.gov

5. Call a taxi or a designated driver to drive the person home. Pay for the cab yourself. Your friend cannot object to a free ride home. When your friend comes to his/her senses, he/she would thank you and may reimburse you.

How do vaccines

work?

ImmunIty

ExposurE to

dIsEasE

Vaccines fight viruses and bacteria that can make you very sick,

disabled, or even kill you.

• Child develops antibodies which act like little soldiers waiting for diseases to enter the body.

• Antibodies attack the disease and kill it.• Child does not get siCk.

the more children that

are immunized will increase

the net of protection around our community.

the wider the net of

protection, the less chances

of our children and members

of our community

getting sick.

did you know it costs $1,486.31 (not including

administration and doctor’s fees) to fully immunize your child?

the department of Public

health will provide vaccines free of charge to

those who qualify.

for more informAtion PleAse ContACt ChC’s immunizAtion CliniC At236-8708/8745/8780/8783//8781/8734. no APPointment is neCessAry.

We love our-Children – let’s ProteCt them from CriPPling And deAdly diseAses And give them A “shot” At A heAlthy And ProduCtive future.

vACCinAtion

• Child gets required shots.• vaccines build immunity ( immunity means protection from diseases).

DPH Immunization Program will begin school vaccinations on April 2013. For your convenience,

DPH staff will vaccinate your child at school. If your

child has received a notice of delinquency,

please sign the consent form so that

we may give your child the protection

from crippling vaccine preventable

diseases.

DPH Immunization Program will begin school vaccinations on April 2013. For your convenience,

DPH staff will vaccinate your child at school. If your

child has received a notice of delinquency,

please sign the consent form so that

we may give your child the protection

from crippling vaccine preventable

diseases.

did you know that you are reQuired By lAW to have your child vaccinatedagainst vaccine preventable diseases Prior to enrolling your child in anydaycare/childcare facility or any school (public or private) in the Cnmi?

Public law 6-10 states: Every parent of a child shall, at the time of enrollment of the child in any Commonwealth special education, preschool, elementary school, or secondary school, public or non public, irrespective of grade level, provide the school authorities with proof that the child has received all of the immunizations required by the Department of Public Health and Environmental Services. If the child has not received all of the required immunizations, the par-ents shall be notified immediately that they are required to initiate all required immunizations for their child within two weeks after the date of such notice.

Every parent of a child already enrolled in a Commonwealth school, public or non public, whose child’s health records show incomplete immunizations, shall be required to initiate remedial ac-tion within two weeks following notification of the immunization deficiency.

Failure to comply shall be grounds for suspension of the child from school until all immunization standards have been met.

Public law 6-10 further states: Every school or child care facility shall obtain and main-tain evidence (Health Certificate) on file for ready inspection by Public Health officials that every child has had all required immunizations. No child shall be enrolled in any public or private school or child care facility within the Commonwealth unless evidence (Health Certifi-cate) is presented to the enrolling officer that the child. has had all required vaccinations or immunizations.

Basically it means that you must ensure that your child is up to date with all required shots prior to enrolling your child in school. You must present a valid Health Certificate as proof that your child has been completely immunized. If your child is already enrolled and you receive a notice of delinquency then you must take action within two weeks. Children may be suspended from school until all immunizationrequirements are met.

using the word “suspended” sounds bad but it really isn’t. the intent of the law is to ProteCt our Children, our fAmilies, sChool fACulty & stAff, And our Community from CriPPling And deAdly diseAses.

wHat doEs All thAt mEan??

To apply for any of the programs or for more information, please call office staff at 235-4785 or visit our website at www.nmihumanities.org.

The Northern Marianas Humanities Council is a non-profit, grants-making corporation established in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in 1991 and has maintained 501 (C) 3 tax status since 1994. It is affiliated with and receives annual grant support from the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities and additional support from other federal, state, and private grants and donations.

The Council offers a variety of programs such as the Motheread Program, Junior High Mock Trial, Valentine N. Sengebau Poetry Competition, Teacher’s Institute, Community Lecture Series, and Your Humanities Half Hour radio show. It also provides grants to organizations to support grassroots humanities projects in the community.

Upcoming Events:

June 24-28 History Research Workshop facilitated by Dr. Anne Perez Hattori

July-August Creative Writing Workshop facilitated by Dr. P.F. Kluge

July 8-August 3 Book Discussion Series with Dr. P.F. Kluge

August 30-31 2nd Marianas History Conference in Guam

Teppanyaki RestaurantHYATT REGENCY SAIPANT: +1 670 234 1234 F: +1 670 234 7745saipan.regency.hyatt.com

Unlimited A La Carte Features the Flavors of SpringWitness the spectacle of flashing knives and swift moves with the freshest ingredients, including escargot, catch of the day with tiger prawns, calamari and turmeric lemonglemongrass sauce, grilled chicken skewers and Certified Angus Beef ® ribeye steak. Top it off with the dessert of the day straight from the pastry kitchen.

Enjoy all-you-can-eat selections prepared before you and paired with free-flowing red and white wine nightly from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Hyatt. You’re More Than Welcome.

With double-digit growth, an expanse of millions of tour-ism dollars into the CNMI economy, there is a real po-tential to heighten government revenues by over $10 million in the next fiscal year.

Governor Eloy S. Inos explains that the CNMI lacks enough hotel rooms to accommodate a large number of possible tourists. In or-der to solve this problem, a Request For Proposal on public lands is offered to investors, but the CNMI must be selective.

His words are stern, but exactly what we need to entice a differ-ent types of investors to our islands. It is time that the CNMI takes control of its land and sea assets, as well as it’s negotiating power. It is also time that we build trusted relationships with investors who have a long term, viable commitment to our economic growth and sustainability.

Congressman Edmund Villagomez adds a few thoughts of his own. “We must not rest on our laurels. Hotels are facing problems with room shortages so we must expedite the development and opening of other hotels on island.”

Months ago, the CNMI was faced with a budget of approximately $113 Million dollars. With tourism numbers on fire, an additional 10 Million dollars in projected revenues could be the answer to our prayers. This is good news for the CNMI as it continues to attract a versatile tourism market from Japan, Korea, China, Russia and elsewhere.

It makes all the sense in the world that our own celebrated di-versity draws visitors from every walk of life and nationality. Even with our limited landmass, there is something for everyone with eclectic tastes ranging from the search for tranquility to the pursuit of luxury.

Experts in Tourism and the Pacific Asia Travel Association say that “China is the boom of tourism’” as quoted from the PATA In-ternational recent newsletter. The CNMI’s Visa waiver program for China and Russia currently help boost tourism by allowing ease of entry as well as longer staying periods; an advantage over Guam’s focus on the Russian tourist.

Congressman Villagomez, “Although we are seeing an increase in tourism numbers, we will still have our high and low peaks. We must continue to invest in tourism, that is the one industry that will always be here.”

The CNMI lacks enough ho-tel rooms to accommodate a large number of possible tourists. In order to solve this problem, a Request For Proposal on public lands is offered to investors, but the CNMI must be selective.

Governor Eloy S. Inos

Marianas

Simply Beautiful

If you are in search of treasure, you need not do more than lift your head and admire the natural beauty that surrounds our islands. The tropical landscape and history make the CNMI an attractive tourist destination, but alas, even the flora and fauna are not enough to keep the tourists coming unless the natives get moving.

Keeping our islands beautiful and clean is not a job just for the government, but for all that reside and enjoy the CNMI as our home. Played out amongst various contributing agencies and private entities that support tourism, our islands are being main-tained by its people who see the importance of beauty for tourism.

Private and government bodies adopting areas to maintain have and continue to show ownership of our environment. Their efforts do not only benefit our tourists, they help to make our surround-ings pleasant for everyone. This is, however, a message we have not fully accepted, as proven by the litter left on picnic grounds and beaches. No matter how vigorously small groups of citizens pick up trash, our personal disregard for cleanliness makes it im-possible to maintain cleanliness.

Littering is against the law and our enforcement officers must enforce more rigorously as time and time again rubbish is still left behind leaving eyesore sights for visitors. This prevents them from focusing their energies and already dwindling resources on the important work of protecting our community. The “someone else will clean it” mentality destroys more than just the landscape.

“We need to continue to beautify the islands. Provide more funds towards MVA for marketing and promotional purposes and also look at obtaining more grants for tourism enhancements and have both the government and private support not only this in-dustry, but economic development as well,” adds Congressman Villagomez.

If we each do our share, we will all reap the rewards, and isn’t that community is all about?


With a long running history of Hyatt’s fine dining establishments, it’s no surprise that Teppanyaki has one of the most well thought out Unlim-ited Ala Carte menus on island. On a Monday, I accepted an invitation to dine at the Hyatt and enjoy “Spring Flavors” with Betty, a colleague and friend.

Upon entering the Teppanyaki restau-rant, I was greeted by Mr. Luis Villagomez, Hyatt’s Assistant Manager for Marketing Communication. Two elevated steps were all it took to know that we were in for some-thing special. The Teppanyaki restaurant is surrounded by tropical botanicals that gave the place a secluded, equatorial paradise feel, which on a Monday night was a very welcome ambience.

We were excited that we were joined by others as we were under the impression that only the two of us would be enjoying the evening. Betty is a long-time friend and colleague that have shared many memo-rable moments with me, but never a night at Teppanyaki with our own personal chef and a staff team to take care of our exotic dining needs.

One of the most notable features of Tep-panyaki is the impeccable service from the staff. Along with Luis, one of the service staff escorted us to our seat. There was a couple more service staff at their stations

Hyatt teppanyakiby: Rhonda C. Gross

ready and waiting for the ala carte to be cooked, served, and eaten. We all ex-changed pleasantries. Shortly after we had the privilege of meeting Hyatt’s Executive Chef, Gabrielle Colombo and Head chef, Asperien Auden who were key people put-ting the “Spring Flavors” together. The co-ordination between service staff is like be-ing treated as royalty, with napkins being placed on our laps, plates lowered in front of diners immediately after its been cooked, and glasses refilled gracefully and without delay.

As an amateur to fine dining, it was very pleasant to experience a formal etiquette followed through-out the entire meal. Be-ing pampered with a hot towel presented in a bronze colored wicker basket at the beginning of the meal, and transiting to the desert table for coffee and cantucci at the end of this unlimited ala carte making this experience unforgettable.

The large floral centerpiece in the center of the desert table and a large mirror that

hung on the wall also gave Teppanyaki a simple and yet elegant feel. The dessert of the day, coconut panna cotta, was also im-pressive. The panna cotta was in the cen-ter of the plate, which was showered with homemade strawberry drizzle. Tiny slices of strawberry and kiwi were sprinkled propor-tionately on the plate. The presentation of the coconut panna cotta was very enticing. It reminded me of Jell-o because of the way it shook in its stationed place. I enjoyed it a great deal that I asked for seconds!

To top it all off, Hyatt’s Teppanyaki team made this fine dining experience unforget-table. Luis was extremely polite and hos-pitable throughout the entire evening, as-sisting us with any questions or needs we might have had. In fact, Luis and Donna joined Betty and me for dinner and desert which was a pleasant surprise.

Teppanyaki is definitely a fabulous place to visit, a perfect setting for an intimate meal. A dining experience like this doesn’t come cheap, but if you want to experience Spring Flavors that can match and surpass any ala carte contender for depth and fla-vor, we’d suggest giving Teppanyaki a try. As with many fine dining restaurants, you will probably need to book in advance, but the prospect of a full ala carte tasting is your reward.


Amid the years of c oun t l e s s

turnovers of the CPUC directors, Joe C. Guerrero, Chairman of The C o m m o nwe a l t h Public Utilities Cor-poration is stead-

fast and taking the role as chair seriously when it comes to providing utilities to the Commonwealth.

Alongside Zenie P. Mafnas and Oscar P. Quitugua, Joe and his team analyze and approve agreements that serve as the basis of critical decisions that affect our utilities and our way of life.

What our people rightly desire and deserve are af-fordable consumable power rates. CUC has responded with LEAC and a push for alternative energy. Chair Guerrero explains “I understand an RFP was launched in 2011 by the CNMI administration, and the most responsive bidder was American Capital Energy, who promised produce a 10 Mega Watt Solar Photovoltaic (PV) to be integrated onto the grid, thus, possibly low-ering consumer rates for residents due to less cost in producing the same amount of energy from diesel fuel generators.

Guerrero states, “Technical experts from both the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation and American Capital Energy (ACE) realized the integration requires

Commonwealth Public Utilities

Commission (CPUC)

Protecting the Commonwealth

Technical experts from both the Commonwealth Utilities Cor-poration and American Capital Energy (ACE) realized the inte-gration requires more studies.

more studies.”

He adds, “Integration of such energy and future re-newable energy supply needs to be studied in order to maintain the integrity of the system and allow for reasonable contract terms.”

In April 2013, an ARRA funded grant allowed for an RFP to conduct a Grid-Integration study, but since then no contract has been rewarded.

“The study may take anywhere from 3-4 months to complete and we feel that ACE and CUC will find this acceptable and from there an approved agreement will be forwarded to CPUC for analysis and consideration within this year,” comments Guerrero.

The CPUC is not involved with hearing out any propos-als for alternative energy from various prospects. News reports have covered a variety of potential suppliers of alternative energies that were presented to the adminis-tration, legislators and CUC while CPUC abstains from these to ensure they make the right analysis of each proponent on the race to providing the CNMI with lower cost utilities.

Guerrero further states, “CPUC’s role is to analyze and approve agreements of such systems that will work in the best interest of consumers. Whoever the power provider is, private or government, they will fall under the jurisdiction of CPUC so the public will always be protected against unfair practices and/or unreasonable rates.”


SuP SPN,

By Perry Inos Jr.Director

(CNMI SBDC)

expertise, which prepared us to move forward with aspects of my business plan.”

Also, moving past the business idea and implementing the start up process “was very exciting” for the Rasa’s. They found the joy and thrill of letting family and friends know of the new family business venture and received positive feedback from all that heard of their endeavor. The start up process was not easy for the Rasa’s, “but the learning, stress, frustrations, and sleepless nights that came with the process, was all expected.” Staying positive

and pushing through the hurdles sent them moving forward. With their own owner’s investment the Rasa’s funded their startup expenses to start SUP SPN.

Now, the biggest challenge was figuring out how they would get the equipment needed from abroad with the SUP board distributors. They found the difficulty of increasing a SUP boarding business venture, which will be a mobile operation, difficult to explain to receive a business license in the CNMI as it was the first of its kind in the CNMI. Despite the difficulties, the Rasa’s stated, “Everything had

fallen into place.”

Ponce and Merissa found that their biggest accomplishment was when they “purchased our SUP equipment from a surf company in San Diego, and the invoice said ‘paid in full’.”

SUP SPN sees its short term goal for the first year “to rent all SUP units eight hundred and forty times and recuperate investment cost.” For their long term goal, SUP SPN projects “to increase SUP paddlers, to increase the number of SUP equipment on hand, to host annual Saipan SUP races/events, and to open a water sports shop for rental and retail in the Surf Rider Hotel.”

Lastly, the advice Ponce and Merissa Rasa give to others in starting a business is “to visit the CNMI SBDC to make it happen by figuring out what you love doing and work towards having the best or being the best at whatever you choose to do.” SUP SPN’s mobile operation is open on weekends and legal holidays from 9am-5pm, however they will accommodate other days and times for request made in advance. For inquiries contact SUP SPN at (670) 285-8110 or via email at [email protected].

Locally Owned& Family Run!

CAPITAL HILL, SAIPAN – Ponce and Merrisa Rasa, owners of SUP SPN, have lived in the CNMI most their lives. Growing their family into a family of five in the CNMI, which includes Thia, Kaya, and Iris Rasa, allowed them to be accustomed to island lifestyle. The Rasa’s started a business venture they loved, which allowed them “a way to pursue our love of water sports, and most importantly engage our family at the same time,” stated the Rasa’s.

With the potential the CNMI has, the Rasa’s took on the challenge to start a business. Merissa Rasa stated “We thought what better than to have a business where we could invest our time promoting islands, doing what we love, and make money doing it.” SUP boarding, native to Hawaii, was among the hobbies of the Rasa’s, therefore, what more than “to bring a little piece of Hawaii here.” Following the ocean adventure trends, the Rasa’s recognized the increase in SUP boarding enthusiasts around the world in the last three years. Having fun in the sun, spending time with family, and creating a healthy physical lifestyle under the sun “was the beginning of the idea to start our own business.” stated the Rasa’s.

Ponce and Merissa, experienced in “customer services, sales, and management positions allowed them to be confident to fun and start SUP SPN” and with their combined experience, the Rasa’s sought assistance at the CNMI Small Business Development Center. The Rasa’s stated, “The one-on-one small business counseling by Director Perry A. Inos Jr. was extremely helpful. Mr. Inos possesses extensive knowledge and technical


Coconut-Tei Restaurant

For order call:

Tel. No.: 670-234-3923

Summer SpecialFrom June through au-

gust 30, 2013 mention the ad on Tops + More and with 2 pax or more for dining at Coconut Tei for lunch get a 10% percent off your total bill.

Coconut-Tei Restaurant

We Are Family!

Saipan Family Restaurant opened its doors on May 17, 2013. This newly established restaurant located on Beach Road on the grounds of the Gold Beach Hotel facility promises delectable foods, a great sunset view and

friendly service.

Enthusiastic employees stand ready and eager to make your dining experience comfortable and enjoy-able. The vision is to establish a cozy environment with a concentration on customer care and quality food that caters to families.

“We are unique! We offer a person-alized perspective to welcoming our guest at our establishment. Our FAM-ILY team members are focused on building a family atmosphere,” states Myla Taman, Family Team Member.

Team Member Kyres Duhig says, “We are Family and see that our qual-ity is surely made to satisfy. People should join us as we portray great positive vibes. We have put so much effort as team members to build Saipan Family Restaurant, and yes, we are Family”.

While Saipan Family Restaurant, like many restaurants on island, has a task to develop its name and rec-ognition, they see the opportunity at hand as a fun challenge. All team members have gone through months of customer service training and have been waiting with excitement to final-ly put their skills to the test.

From their unique and affordable food and drinks to the cheerful art ta-

ble, Saipan Family Restaurant invites the community to give it a try and delve into their rendition of comfort foods known to our islands with taste of Hong Kong in some dishes.

Member Joi Urcia comments, “We are different. Our energy, our passion, our pride of Saipan Family Restaurant will emanate from the moment you walk in. We want to be interactive, because that is what family is about! Join us and be a part of our family”.

Meeting the CooksChit Arriola, wife of

Maximo Arriola is one of the cooks at Saipan Family Restaurant. With cooking experi-ences half her life, she enjoys finding different

recipes that highlight unique blends of the homestyle foods she herself would want to eat.

“ I love to cook, I love to see friends enjoy what I make for them and be-ing employed at Saipan Family Res-taurant, I am able to share my taste with everyone”, exclaims Chit.

Mike J. Muna from San Vicente is another cook on island making his big way to commercial cooking. He

has been learn-ing to cook with his uncle, also named Mike for many years. The passion he has seen with his uncle gave him the interest to becoming a cook. Time and time again he has cooked for large crowds, gatherings and parties. Alongside his mentor, he now ventures on his own with skills he has learned over the years to apply in a full-blown restaurant establishment.

“I have a de-sire to cook. I feel good to have peo-ple enjoy what was made. I am also extremely

proud to offer what I can make that promotes good health”, states Mike.

Mike adds, “Balanc-ing flavors is something I also learned and by us-ing our local vegetables, our food at Saipan Fam-ily Restaurant will surely entice not only your eyes, but your palate as well”.

dine in with us and get

Opens 7 days a week

Happy hour everyday 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm


Twice in a decade, the people of Saipan have unanimously voted against casinos, but since the passage of gaming laws, the unpopular alternative to our economic woes might just become a reality. This makes one wonder if the current legislation passing machine gambling in hotels is actually a loophole designed to pave the way for an eventual casino.

Congressman Villagomez who chairs the Standing Committee on Commerce has this to say.

“In a way it is, but like every law, there is al-ways a loophole. Even if we think we’ve covered all loopholes, there will be cases where loopholes will be found once taken to court. And, if you think about it, a good portion of a casino is made up of electronic gaming machines.”

When asked if Casinos are bad for Saipan, Congressman Villagomez responded, “I do not think it is necessarily bad if it is done right. The problem we have is enforcement. Currently, we

are not enforcing the laws in the books to the fullest extent. En-forcement is not where it needs to be and because of this, the people have lost trust in the government to regulate what needs to be regulated.”

“We need to take care of the problem we have with poker ma-chines in our islands. If we can keep it in check, get it out of vil-

lages and regain people’s trust in government, maybe, just maybe we can take the next step.” adds Congressman Villagomez.

The quality of life in the Commonwealth is dependent on the decisions our Legislators make on our behalf. The people em-powered individuals for proper, fair and just representation. While many have voiced concern and acted upon the removal of For-mer Governor, Benigno R. Fitial, proving to legislators the power the people hold today. It is with no heavy heart that our people demand more from our elected officials and that they remember they are public servants to begin with. Congressman Villagomez is no exception to this and is humbled by stating what he believes he is entrusted to do for the Commonwealth as a whole.

“I would like my constituents to know that I am trying my best to improve the quality of life by working on legislation that will stimu-late the economy and encourage new investments, especially for our local entrepreneurs. Although the economy is a top priority, I am always open to working collaboratively with different agencies, organizations, committees, and members of the community to en-sure that we develop strategic programs, plans and legislation that will benefit the people of the CNMI in every aspect, consistent with the needs of our Commonwealth.”

Are

the

We need to take care of the problem we have with poker machines in our islands. If we can keep it in check, get it out of villages and regain people’s trust in government, maybe, just maybe we can take the next step.


Open from Monday to Saturday

5:00 pm-12:00 am

Good Food. Good Friends. Good Time.

$38.99*2 Part

Oil Change

5 QuaRTS OF COnvenTiOnaL MOTOR OiL anD OiL FiLTeR

* aDD $3.50 FOR OiL DiSPOSaL Fee.

paCIfIC autoGualo Rai, Saipan

Tel.: 234-9267

FRee inSTaLLaTiOn OF wiPeR BLaDeS

MOTOR CRaFT, exaCT FiT OR naPa wiPeR BLaDeS

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2013 CNMI energy Conservation essay Contest

Home Sweet Home

Home, sweet, Saipan. But do you really think Saipan is a sweet home? Saipan

may be a small island, but pollution is constantly happening EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Do you know what would happen if we just leave it like that without making a

difference? The future will be in terrible danger! Not only on Saipan, but also all

the other countries in the world! I say, “It’s time to make a difference.” Remember

the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Operation Save Planet Earth is on the go. Let’s start off with knowing the

REAL home, sweet, home. I think that people spend a lot of money paying bills.

Wouldn’t you like to save money? What’s that I hear? I hear a “yes,” so let’s get

started. Saving energy saves money and, most importantly, the future. We use

water every single day. That’s why we pay a lot for water. When you are shower-

ing, washing the dishes, or brushing your teeth, always remember to turn off the

water when you don’t need it. Because if you don’t, you’re wasting water, and

liquid water is vital to all living things. Liquid water is part of the chemical pro-

cesses that makes Earth livable. So we should not waste it! Here’s another house

problem, electricity. Here in Saipan, electricity bills are a huge blowout! Here’s

something people has a habit on doing: Leaving the lights on. When you don’t

need the light, turn it off. Instead of using those incandescent bulbs, use energy

saving compact

fluorescent bulbs. These energy saving bulbs last longer than those incandes-

cent bulbs. Also, these energy saving bulbs saves more energy, money, and elec-

tricity. If you’re not using any house appliances, turn it off or unplug it. These are

simple things to do, but it can save energy and money. Next step for saving planet

Earth is to STOP THE POLLUTION! Especially in Saipan, we should stop polluting

because we’re surrounded by water. If you throw tra sh on the ground, the wind

picks it up and that trash goes to the water. Do you know how many living things

are in the water? They might eat that tra sh and get poisoned! We can al so recycle

paper, aluminum, and plastic. The more we recycle these things, especially paper,

we save the Earth. Another pollution is cars! Vehicle exhaust can cause smog and

may damage the ozone hole! The ozone hole is very important because it allows

less UV rays to reach Earth. People should practice using bicycles or walking. This

helps reduce vehicle exhaust and it saves the future.

All these things I’ve written down will help the future. I am a 6th grader, and

I have a chance to see the future. If all these things happen daily, I can imagine

the future with a great environment. If my parents “Go Green,” they would save

money. My parents pay about $300 on bills and gas for our car. If they make a

difference, my sister and I have a huge opportunity to go to great colleges. In the

future, I hope to see people making new ideas on saving Earth.

Student: Reica RamirezTeacher: Mrs. Frances TaimanaoSchool: Mount Carmel, 6th GradeTel: 234-6184

Name: Bellie CamandonaTeacher: Mrs. Laurence lavariasSchool: William S. Reyes Elem.School Contact: 237-3542Grade: 6th Grade

Some ways we can save energy, save money, and

save the future is that we can stop the green house

effect by using less stuff that produces any danger-

ous gas that stops heat from escaping the earth’s

atmosphere. We should also stop overhuntlng spe-

cies of animals that are crucial in keeping the food

chain stable. And also, we should help to make sure

that the Ozone layer doesn’t shrink anymore than it

did In the past.

Some ways we can save money is that we only go

to the store only if we’re running out of something

not just for our own personal desires. We should also

use the things we buy. For instance, If we buy food,

we should cook it or eat it Instead of just throwing it

out just because it has a little bad spot on it. And we

should keep a budget and make sure we follow

it accurately and do only what it says to do with your

money.

Finally, there’s saving the future,some ways we

can do this is that we tell the next generation how

to save money,energy,and themselves.And how

they can save their world and everybody else’s trom

danger.We should also be good role model and teach

them how to lead people and work In a way that

helps people.

Theme: Save energy, Save Money, and Save the Future

Then also we can use more solar energy than

electric energy and power othel things with

windmills, energy transferers, and generators.We

ShOllld also use more batteries than electric wir-

ings and plugs for the T. V. and stuff like It. Think of

thatl Battery operated Telivlsions, DVD players, and

Video games.There are already battery operated

Video games is already here,but the other stuff I

mentioned can still be invented. We should also stop

drug and alchahol abuse because that sometimes

that can pollute the air. Also we shouldn’t burn

rubber and entire forestsand destroying an animal’s

home by doing so.

Save energy, save money and save the future by recycling. When you recycle, you save money for proj-ects, work, and donations by reusing the materials over again instead of spending more money on new ones. Save the future for the future kids by reusing the resources that went into making all the plastics, glass, and aluminum.

When you save energy you do a good thing for your community and the world that we live in. Save the energy for later use. By simply unplugging the lamp or turning off lights when unused, you can save a lot of money and energy, which in turn results in using Iess fossil fuels that are needed to power almost everything in the world today. By saving en-ergy, you are making a difference not only in money but way of life. Saving energy and conserving energy means less carbon pollution which Is good for every-one, and for our future on this planet.There are many ways you can save energy, Recy-

cling is also a form of saving energy, because by recy-cling used product’ like glass, plastics, and aluminum you are saving the money that you would have used to purchase new materials. A good example of how much money you can save is for every can of soda that you drink, you can collect the cans and recycle it for about 0.60 cents a kilogram (about 2.5 Ibs.) which almost matches the price that you spend per can of soda.

Simple things like turning off the lights during the day or recycling used cans and glass help you in the long run to save and conserve money. Conserv-ing energy is very important these days because there is so much pollution in the air that we breathe and the very ground that we walk on Turning off unnecessary lights and equipment, turning in used cans, or even throwing trash away properly can lead to a cleaner environment for us, our fami1ies, kids, friends, and the future generations to come. Who are we to enjoy our planet Earth as beautiful as she is? We need to preserve it for the future generations to come.

Name: Ucherbelau, Mito FasterSchool Tanapag Elem. SchoolTel: (670) 664-3425Teacher: Mrs Acelia DelaCruzGrade: 6th Grade

Funding made possible by U.S. Department of Energy, State Energy Program (SEP) American Recover Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

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Tops + More 8th Edition

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Transcript of Tops + More 8th Edition