Funding, grants, gifts, donations, and more

DOI hands out funding for Marianas CIP projects

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Department of Insular Affairs will give Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands funding for capital improvement projects, according to a May 27 release.

Guam will receive $6,627,636 to construct a Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center – the New Beginnings Drug & Alcohol Rehab Facility, DOI told the Journal.

The NMI will receive $8,829,78; the purpose of which remains unconfirmed.  

Other DOI funding announced June 1 CHamoru Standard Time is funding for the impact of residents from the freely associated states to certain islands:

The funding is to help defray costs associated with increased demands placed on health, education, and social services, or infrastructure from the migration of FAS residents to those islands.

Gifts for vaccinated Guam residents

Residents who choose to get vaccinated from May 31 can choose between IP&E gift certificates for $25 gas at Shell Gas Stations OR $25 at Shell Foody’s Guam stores (alcohol and tobacco items excluded). Gift certificates will only be offered at vaccination clinics at the Northern and Southern Region Community Health Centers, the Agana Shopping Center, and senior citizen outreach clinics. This incentive program is 100% federally funded, according to a May 30 release from the Office of the Governor.

The Office of the Governor would like to emphasize that only the above locations have certificates and award of the certificates is not retroactive.

The vaccination center at the Agana Shopping Center in the afternoon of May 1 was doing brisk business, with Guam National Guard staff assisting residents – who were of all demographics from older residents to children. 

FSM to open borders in August

The Federated States of Micronesia will “open the nation’s borders” on Aug. 1, but returning persons will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID and test negative, according to a May 27 release from the Office of the President.

Meanwhile, repatriation flights to the FSM in June will require a three-day quarantine in Guam, proof of vaccination and a PCR test during quarantine.

Dates of flights are to Yap, June 8; to Chuuk June 15 and June 29, to Pohnpei June 11 and June 25 and to Kosrae June 6 and June 20.

KEPCO solar farm readied for June completion, donations to Mangilao in the works

KEPCO Mangilao Solar LLC’s 60-megawatt solar farm is expected to be completed in June, according to a May 27 release, once the photovoltaic panels are fully tested.

The release said KEPCO “is committed to providing community benefits to help improve visibility and safety for residents in Mangilao and contribute to the overall beautification and maintenance of the village.” The community benefit plan “includes installation of a 13.8kV power line and 43 concrete poles to benefit residents in the area where power access was not provided, installation of 13 150W LED equivalent streetlights and secondary wires, set up of 10 security and surveillance cameras at key locations, donation of maintenance and landscaping equipment.

While the donations are Mangilao’s gain, KEPCO may be image-building after its contractor Samsung E&C America Inc. failed to follow erosion controls, leading to runoff at the historic Marbo Cave site, resulting in multiple investigations and fines.

As of April 1, residential customers are paying about $29 more per month, due to “under-recovery of fuel costs.”

According to GPA, engineering design, permitting and site clearing is ongoing for the Hanwha 60 megawatt Malojloj Solar PV project, which is due to come online at the end of 2023.

A new base load plant will be built at Ukudu. According to GPA, engineering design and permitting work and clearing and grading of the Ukudu site is ongoing.

Superior Court denies GWA reversal request in Coretech case

According to a May 29 release from the office of Peter R. Sgro Jr. – speaking for Core Tech International – the Supreme Court of Guam has denied the Guam Waterworks Authority’s claim to the property in Dededo where the Northern District Wastewater Treatment Plant is located. In 2018, the Government of Guam and the Department of Land Management filed the present suit in the Superior Court to cancel the Certificates of Title Core Tech had relied on to purchase the property. GWA intervened and also sued Core Tech to quiet title. Core Tech then counter sued for inverse condemnation to seek just compensation for the property GWA.

The case will go to trial at the Superior Court, the release said. At issue will be if GWA’s claim is barred by the statute of limitations, and whether the Government’s petition must be dismissed due to its prior lawsuits.  

Nominations open for UOG distinguished alumni

Nominations are open for the 2022 University of Guam Distinguished Alumni awards until 4 p.m. on July 22.

Any individual who graduated from UOG earlier than 2008 is eligible to be nominated for the awards – one to each of UOG’s schools and colleges and one to an alumnus or alumna who is serving or retired from the U.S. military. Nominations may be submitted by any individual, independently or on behalf of a group or institution. Self-nominations will not be accepted.   

The awards ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 27, venue to be announced.

For details on nominations, visit url.uog.edu/alumni-awards. 

More GEDA grants for LEAP, non-profits

The Qualifying Certificate Community Contribution Grant Program Series 6 application period will be from June 1 to July 1, again providing up to $25,000 for non-profits and public entities. The Guam Economic Development Authority administers the program with grant funding provided by Qualifying Certificate Community Contributions from the Guam Regional Medical City.

GEDA has distributed $1,537,683.88 to 91 entities, according to a June 1 release from the Office of the Governor.

During the May 26 Guam Economic Development Authority board of directors meeting, Melanie R. Mendiola, CEO and administrator, said GEDA has dispersed funds for the twelfth batch of Local Employers’ Assistance Program recipients, with 913 recipients receiving a total of $61.5 million. An additional 25 recipients have been approved and checks should be going out within the next few weeks.

Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero “Initially approved $5 million in excess, and later came in with an additional $7 million, totaling $12 million,” said Ernesto V. Espaldon Jr., vice chairman for GEDA. The $12 million is in addition to the previous $50 million injected into the program.

With three trades shows planned, one in Maryland and one in Las Vegas, a modification of the budget was approved, with an increase in operating expenses to cover the travel to the shows, which is covered from grant revenues and an increase in operating income.

GEDA also announced a new affordable home qualifying certificate program, which is molded through the U.S.’s Housing and Urban Development requirements for affordable housing.

In other news from the Governor’s Office, the Governor’s Summer Youth Employment Program will begin on June 20. Interested applicants may obtain application forms from June 1 at the Department of Youth Affairs’ website dya.guam.gov and at the DYA Kåttan Youth Center in Mangilao. Applicants must be between the ages of 14 to 17, a resident of Guam, and capable of completing 30-hour work weeks. 

And also:

BankGuam Holding Co. announced May 27 a quarterly cash dividend of 10¢ per share for the holders of its common stock and a dividend payment to the holders of the Company’s 4.97% Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Noncumulative Preferred Stock, Series A. The dividends will be paid on June 30 to shareholders of record as of June 15.

Docomo Pacific Inc. announced a quarterly webinar series, with the first webinar on June 3 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. “Tech Talks” will offer a technology subject matter expert for a live discussion and Q&A forum. For details and registration visit https://info.docomopacific.com/techtalks. mbj