Fresh aspirationsFarmer shares goals for hydroponic farm

Show stoppers Saipan talent, local and abroad

Happy New Year! Resolutions, tips and thingsto look foward to in 2015

Beach Road Magazine, January 2015. Entire contents copyrighted 2015 by Glimpses of Saipan, Inc. Beach Road Magazine is published monthly by Glimpses of Saipan, Inc. P.O. Box 502080, Saipan, MP 96950 • 2/F Transpac Business Center Gualo Rai, Saipan • Tel: (670) 235-7645 • Fax: (670) 234-1801 • E-mail: saipan@glimpsesofguam.com. All rights reserved. No material may be printed in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher.

PUBLISHER Maureen N. Maratita

ASSISTANT EDITOR Joy White

REPORTER Thomas Johnson

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Rosanna Dacanay

SENIOR DESIGNER Vikki Fong

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Michele Blas

Conrad Calma Jr.

SALES MANAGER Annie San Nicolas

ACCOUNT MANAGER Minda Castro

MANAGING DIRECTOR Marcos W. Fong

Glimpses Publications includeGuam Business Magazine, Marianas Business Journal,

Beach Road Magazine and R&R Pacific

Cover story Promoting local produce

Feature story A new year vow

New year feature 2015 resolutions

Artist feature Saipan artists finds national fame

CareersTraining academy launches in 2015

Health and fitness Tips to help you stick to your fitness resolutions

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ABOUT THE COVER Shown in photo is Mr. Isidro Cabrera, owner, I.T.C. and Sons Hydroponic Farm. Photo taken athis farm located in Bwooset PL, Tapochao Road, Saipan, CNMI. Photos by Minda Castro

January 2015

We’re Online!www.brmsaipan.com

beachroadmagazine

Isidoro Cabrera had an idea for a sustain-able way to provide produce for the island, and ran with it. He purchased a greenhouse, which is now the site of his hydroponic let-tuce farm. Cabrera is the sole proprietor of ITC and Sons Hydroponic Farm, producing lettuce for local businesses.

Cabrera worked with the Department of Land and Natural Resources for 30 years. After he retired in 1998, he took a look at the agri-cultural sector on island and noticed that lo-cal farmers grew lots of cucumbers, eggplant and tomatoes, but didn’t grow any lettuce. As luck would have it, one of his friends took over a greenhouse built in 1990, originally to grow orchids and other flowers. The building had been abandoned since 1993. His friend offered him the space to build something.

“I decided to grow lettuce, because no-body grows lettuce on the island,” Cabrera says. He renovated the building and started hydroponic farming last year.

At first he had difficulty perfecting the right way to grow his crop. His first crops in February, March and April failed, “I missed something, but in August, I corrected the problem,” he says. Crops require the right amount of nutrients and soluble fertilizer. He had to work on ordering the correct formulas for growing lettuce.

“Now I don’t have problem growing. [The lettuce crop is] fast growing. In 30 to 40 days, I can start harvesting,” he says.

Hydroponics  is a method of grow-ing  plants using mineral  nutrient  solutions in water, without soil. Plants are grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution.

By Joy White

Photos by Minda Castro

4 JANUARY 2015

ON THE ROADCOVER FEATURE

Cabrera does two different kind of hydro-ponics, circulating and non-circulating. Cabrera uses no pesticides and maintains the water level and the right solutions. Friends and family help Cabrera run the business.

Currently, Cabrera sells his products to a handful hotels and restaurants such as the Pa-cific Islands Club and Naked Fish Bar and Grill. He distributes the crops every week. His distri-bution is limited to just a few vendors, due to his growing and harvesting capacity, but he plans to build up his processes and his business. Right now, Cabrera is only using one-third of the facility, but hopes to expand and offer more in the future.

“My hydroponic farm is my main concen-tration. I’m trying to expand little by little. Right now it’s all out of pocket, but I’m planning to get the finances to double and triple my operation,” he says. This requires developing business plans and going after some government loans.

So far, Cabrera has been doing well in the business with what he has. He is the only farmer producing lettuce locally and therefore has lit-erally no competition. He delivers the produce to his vendors every week, charging per piece, and can make up to $400 to $500 per week.

“It’s a very promising business because it’s a big demand with the other hotels. I have had to tell [other hotels] to wait because I don’t have adequate production,” he says.

Cabrera also encourages others to take up their farming tools and provide produce for the island. “I like to help other people go into this type of business, I alone cannot do it,” he says.

5JANUARY 2015

COVER FEATURE

For many, 2015 will just be another year, but for others it will be the beginning of everything. Wedded before the New Year began, Rolando “Jhun” dela Cruz Rueda, Jr. and Michelle Villacru-sis Villaraza will be celebrating their first year together as hus-band as wife.

Mr. and Mrs. Rueda exchanged vows on Dec. 7, 2014 at the Iglesia Ni Cristo church. As the new year begins, the couple will embark on their lifelong journey together, starting with the small steps. “I want to learn to watch ‘Teleserye’ [television series] since it’s my wife’s hobby too,” Jhun says. For her part, Michelle, wants to learn how to cook good food to keep her husband happy.

In the future, the biggest challenge the couple anticipates facing is raising a family together, instilling good values and en-suring their offspring are brought up properly. “We want to be great models for our children,” Michelle says. And as they face this, and other challenges that might be laid before them, they turn to scripture to help guide them.

“The key to a successful relationship is to always entrust ev-erything unto God. He always has a better plan for each of us,” Michelle says.

The couple met on the phone when Michelle was working as a cost accountant at RNV Construction and Jhun was work-ing as an administrative assistant in a quarry. “I was assigned to do purchase orders at that time and according to Jhun, he was fascinated with my voice,” Michelle says. After a while, Jhun then asked for Michelle’s personal phone number.

“He then started to call me every night and we just talked about anything under the sun. During the conversations he mentioned that he’s a member of the Church of Christ, which is also my religion. I was shocked because I remember before my flight to Saipan I did a devotional prayer and asked our Lord God to allow me to meet someone special in Saipan, not knowing that God had answered my prayer already,” Michelle says.

Jhun proposed to Michelle in June. At the time she thought she was attending an early birthday celebration for her friend. “Jhun decorated a room at Mango Resort with flower petals,

By Minda Castro and Joy White

6 JANUARY 2015

FEATURE

scented candles, and posters with special messages to make it look romantic. When we came in and I was looking at the messages, I thought they were meant for Jera and that her husband Ryan did that for their renewal of vows,” Michelle re-calls. The realization that the whole thing had been planned especially for her was when she opened a folder that read, “I want to wake up each day with you by my side.”

“My heart pumped really loud and I felt like crying, then Jhun finally came out from the restroom where he was hid-ing for maybe twenty-five minutes. He was holding a poster that said, ‘Will you marry me?’ I saw him crying and I felt the sincerity so I started to cry also …and when he knelt down and open the small box with a diamond ring, I be-came speechless, so instead of saying ‘yes,’ I just nodded,” Michelle says.

“I really felt shocked and couldn’t believe that Jhun was proposing for marriage because he’s a shy type of guy and I was not expecting that he will do some-thing extravagant for me... I was thinking that some-day, he might just directly ask me to get married,” Michelle says.

Michelle was lucky to have good friends to help her prepare for the big day. She got some ideas from the internet and some good deals and inspiration from the Philippines. The couple then hired a wedding planner, Ernie Molina who was recommended by friends. “After our meet-ing with him, everything went well so I re-ally don’t feel any kind of stress during the preparations,” she says. The wed-ding reception was held at the Saipan World Resort. After the wedding the newlyweds traveled to Hong Kong and Japan.

Jhun is the son of Divina Tabago and his siblings are Eliza Rodriguez and Reynaldo Rueda. Michelle is the daughter of Florefie Villacrusis Villara-za and Leonardo Medina Villaraza. Her siblings are Karen and Renier Villaraza.

Photos by CHELU PHOTOS

7JANUARY 2015

FEATURE

“My new year’s resolution is to try to write an-other genre, like fantasy. It will be challenging be-cause I’d been into non-fiction for many years.”Rizza Ramos, author/writer, nurse, CHC

“I want to give out more smiles, patience and love to have positive vibes in everything – for myself and the business as well. Happy new year to all!”Philip Canuto, florist, Island Touch

“First on my list – I will make every effort not to be impatient when people get off the plane, es-pecially with their wheeled carry-ons. Second is: diet, diet, diet!”Franco Mendoza, senior systems adminis-trator, IT&E “My new year’s resolution is to achieve bet-ter balance in my life between job, family and coaching, which is the most time-consuming of all. I want to get the most out of every day.”Norman del Rosario, art director, IT&E

“My new year’s resolution this 2015 is to get fit. I would like to stay healthy by eating healthy so that I will have the energy to support my three sons in all their endeavors.”Karen Alla, third grade teacher, Koblerville Elementary School

“My new year’s resolution is for the people of CNMI to keep the love and peace in the com-munity and in our homes. And for the Philippines, I hope the people will strive for prosperity.”Elizabeth de Ocampo, Alexander Realty/Western Union

8 JANUARY 2015

NEW YEAR FEATURE

A modern hardware shopping experience has come to Saipan. YCO Hardware True Value relocated to Beach Road from Garapan, reopen-ing its doors on Nov. 25. The new store is larger and offers more parking spaces. Existing departments and sections have expanded while new products are being offered. The Beach Road store, in the former Naked Fish restaurant site, is 10,000 square feet with 25 parking stalls, while the former location was 6,000 square feet with only six parking stalls.

“We went extra mile on new products, shelves and signage. We said we might as well go all out and do it right, rather than do short cuts,” says general manager Dante Yumul.

Expanded departments include a larger nuts and bolts, plumbing, tiles and garden sections. They have also added to their kitchen appli-ances department and are offering major appliances, such as washing and drying machines.

In addition, in the coming year Yumul says the product line will ex-pand, perhaps to include hand tools and mowers. Hours of operation have also been extended. It is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays, while the Garapan store was open only on Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Yumul says the business decided to expand due, in part, to feedback

from customers and to provide a more modern hardware shopping ex-perience for Saipan. The new location offers the business better visibility, while the Garapan store was hidden behind another building.

A lot of effort went into modernizing and improving the True Value store, including new shelving and signage. “It’s not just another mom-and-pop style store,” Yumul says.

Yumul has been in the hardware business since he was a teenager. Yumul’s father, Jess Yumul opened the business in April 1975. It was fran-chised with True Value since 1994.

“For the hardware business it’s more of a necessity. For me, my neces-sities are groceries, gas and hardware. Every day you need something. Every day something happens at the house. Even when the economy is on a little wave – up and down -- people need to buy that light bulb. Hardware is a necessity, I think, regardless of the economy,” Yumul says.

In the new year, customers can look forward to promotions and deals. In the spring barbecue products will be on display. The community can also look forward to new items. “We plan to definitely add to our inven-tory,” Yumul says.

This year, YCO Hardware is also celebrating its 40th anniversary.

tool boxAdding to the

BUSINESS FEATURE

By Joy White

Photos by Minda Castro

Although he admits that early in his life, his future at an artist wasn’t too clear, eventually Marconi Calindas, painter and writer, found his way to fame. Originally from Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines, Marconi wrote for the Saipan Tribune for four years before following his passion and becoming a full-time artist in San Francisco.

He has found success in his short film “Princessa,” which is now making waves in the festival circuit and won outstanding art di-rection at the 2014 Scary Cow Short Film Festival.

Some of Marconi’s recent art exhibits include “Welga: The Great Grape Strike” in Oakland; “Freak Show,” a group show at City Art Gallery in San Francisco; and “Colorful and Proud,” a solo exhibition in Los Angeles. More of his works can be found at his website, www.marconicalindas.com.

Marconi loved drawing comic book characters as a child in grade school – mostly Superman and Wonder Woman – but his confidence as an artist came when he was older. “I’d join poster making contests and I never won. However, when I was in high school I think I got better. With the coaxing of my father, I won an art competition in my high school [. . .] then that piece competed in the university level and won an award. That moment made me realize I got what it takes,” he says.

Marconi says he honed his art and style during his

life in his hometown and his “second home,” the Marianas Islands. He says he draws inspira-tion from the colors, scenery and people of the islands and his new home, San Francisco.

A breakthrough for Marconi was when he entered and won the New Era introducing Global Creative Project North America 2012, for which he entered a piece that tackled bullying and teen suicide. From there, he used the prize money to fund a children’s book about bullying and being different entitled “Of Petals and Hope: Sonny Sunflower Triumphs over Bullying.”

Despite his successes there are many challenges for artists. “There are just thousands of amazing and excellent artists here in the mainland. It’s a matter of standing out among the piles of them. Each artist is struggling to be recognized here. I have just been lucky to be able to gradually make it and be more noticed,” he says.

Marconi still resides in California with his husband, Adam Lee Cafege. In the future, he sees himself in New York, continuing to spread advocacy through art. “Here’s hoping to build my pres-ence, not only in San Francisco and Los Angeles, but also in the Big Apple where major and world class artists actually move to make or break it.”

10 JANUARY 2015

ARTIST PROFILE

Uncle Ben’s Studio started with three people with a vision. “Uncle Vi-cente” “Ben” Borja became the producer and local owner; George Gomez, the technical engineer and creator; nd Charry DeGuzman the marketing, instructor and choreogra-pher, and implementer of all the activities. The three friends started the business in October 2004 in San Antonio. The studio is now located on Middle Road in Garapan.

The studio offers lessons in voice, uku-lele, guitar and drums. Lessons in a variety of dance genres are also offered, including island, ballroom, Hip-hop, modern, jazz and cultural. Zumba fitness basic and advanced and Zumba toning are also offered.

The school has three divisions: ages 4 to 10 years old, 11 to 15 years old and 16 years old and old-er. “We started with 40 members at the start and every summer vacation, from 40, then it will go to 60 to 70 mem-bers because of our low membership fee,” Charry DeGuzman says.

The studio offers a low membership fee that can be paid by session

or per visit. New members need to register and pay the membership fee.“Uncle Ben’s Studio rigorously trains these kids in singing and danc-

ing, and then eventually these kids become total performers on their own. Most of the kids started with us since they

were five years old. Now that most of them are grown up, we see how all our efforts helped them in their in-

dividual endeavors,” DeGuzman says. Some performers who have come out of Uncle

Ben’s studio include Erica Tubera, Gold medalist at the Tumon Guam Music Festival, who started at four years old; Anabel Manzo, lead singer of Rhythm and Harmony, who started at the age of six; and Juliet Inocencio, the reigning Little Miss Pusong

Pinoy and Miss Talent, who started at age six.In the future, the studio plans to help build more

talent on-island in terms of singing and dancing. Acting lessons will also be added to the studios repertoire, as Go-

mez coaches different public school competitions in acting or duo or thespian events, says DeGuzman.

11JANUARY 2015

ARTIST FEATURE

By Minda Castro and Joy White

Photos courtesy of George Gomez

For those looking for a fresh start in 2015, a new job may be waiting right around the corner. Starting January 1, G4S Marianas will be opening its training academy to of-fer instruction in the hospitality industry.

The G4S Marianas Training Academy will launch in January with guest attendant training. Other hospitality courses will be of-fered starting February. Courses will include training for front desk operator, housekeep-ing, guestroom attendant, restaurant serv-er, maintenance employee and customer service. The courses consist of training in a classroom setting and hands-on training in a simulated hotel room. While hospital-ity is the main focus of the academy, fu-ture courses will include casino hospitality, safety and security training - which is t G4S’s expertise, leadership training and career development. Some 30 students can be trained in each class. The length of the train-ing module varies, depending on course, although the courses are not very lengthy. The targeted students are NMI residents.

The G4S Marianas Training Academy of-fers hospitality training based on the Ameri-can Hotel & Lodging Educational Institution standards and curriculum.

“We have a suite in the training facility [. . .] We don’t do the certification ourselves- it’s going to be the American Hotel & Lodg-ing Association. We have a virtual testing center built inside the classroom so that once students finish the training module, they will be tested,” says Chris Garde, G4S country manager for Guam and Micronesia.

After receiving certification from the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the students will hopefully be hired by a hotel and receive on-the-job training. The Ameri-can Hotel & Lodging Association, based in Washington D.C. represents all segments of the U.S. lodging industry, including hotel owners, chains, franchisees, management companies, independent properties, state hotel associations and industry suppliers. Many of the major hotel chains are mem-bers of the association.

“We’ve been looking it and discussing it with major hotel chains, they are very ex-cited. . . but the good thing about this is that it allows the locals Saipan and other Pacific islands to be trained in a hotel setup and to be tested and certified by the American Ho-tel & Lodging Association. They get the certifi-cation, they are in a hotel settings and it slowly

allows us to bring up the skill sets of the locals because there are no training academies right now that offers this,” Garde says.

The courses are taught by profession-als within the Saipan hospitality industry. “Most of the instructors are coming in from the hotels and people who are experts in their area. So we tend to look into the same experts that are already on island and we’re really excited about this,” Garde says.

Garde says the training academy will help develop the local skill set and will re-duce reliance on hiring works from other countries. “If we develop the manpower in Saipan and the other islands, it will provide opportunities for the locals to work in the hospitality industry and to be able to work and to have a career in this particular area, which I think, is a major economic source of livelihood for Guam, Saipan and even Pa-lau. So all of this can only be happening if they’re trained properly. They have the op-portunity and it allows them to have again an option for them to be trained and have work,” he says.

The academy is located in the TSL Build-ing in Garapan and can be contacted at 233-3238 or trainingacademy@gu.g4s.com.

Training for the

By Joy White

14 JANUARY 2015

CAREER FEATURE

15JANUARY 2015

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January

MOVIES BlackhatThe Wedding RingerSpare PartsStill Alicepremiere at Regal Cinemas

MOVIES The Boy Next DoorMortdecaiBlack Seapremiere at Regal Cinemas

MOVIES Project Almanacpremieres at Regal Cinemas

“The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had” is one of the thirst-quenching slogans throughout the years. Other slogans include “Delicious and Refreshing” and “Thirst Asks Nothing More.”

New Year’s Day

MOVIES Taken 3premieres at Regal Cinemas

MOVIES The Woman in Black 2: Angel of DeathA Most Violent YearLeviathanpremiere at Regal Cinemas

The three Rs of The Coca-Cola Company’s Energy Efficient & Climate Protection initiative are Reduce, Refuel, Refrigeration. The Coca-Cola Company is committed to energy efficiency and climate protection and implemented programs to reduce emissions in manufacturing operations, support sustainable refrigeration and refuel its distribution fleet using greener methods of delivery. The company’s efforts to go green has been applauded by the World Wildlife Fund, the largest conservation organization in the world.

9GARAPAN STREET MARKET

8th Annual Marianas Coffee Trail Run to the peak of Mt. Tapochau

For more information please contact our main office at

(670)664-3200

GARAPAN STREET MARKET

Saipan Swim Club Pentathlon and Master's Swim Meet Location:Kan Pacific Pool

Website: www.saipanswimclub.org

15JANUARY 2015

*Event times and dates may change without notice.

For showtimes:234-9000 or visit

www.regmovies.comProudly serves refreshing beverages.

FIND US IN THE DIGITAL WORLD AND STAY IN TOUCH!www.facebook.com/BEACHROADMAGAZINE VISIT US ONLINE: WWW.BRMSAIPAN.COM

“Coca-Cola” is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.

1. Be realisticThe surest way to fall short of your goal is to make it impossible to reach. For instance, don’t just cut your favorite food out of your diet entirely. Instead, work towards something easier, like avoiding it more often than you do now.

2. Outline your planWe’re all human, and we all get tempted from time to time, whether it’s the temp-tation to skip that exercise class or have a piece of cake. That’s why you need a plan in place to fight that temptation off. This could include calling on a friend for help, practicing positive thinking and self-affirmation, or reminding yourself how your mistake will affect your goal.

3. Don’t beat yourself upNo matter how well you plan, you’re probably going to slip up from time to time, anyway, and that’s okay. We’re human and we make the occasional mistake. But the key to getting back on track is staying positive and remembering your long-term goals. Do the best you can each day, and take it one day at a time.

4. Make a “pros”listIt can help to see a list of positives to keep your motivation strong. Think of all the things you’ll be able to do when you reach your fitness goals. Develop the list over time, and ask others to contribute to it. But most importantly, keep it with you and refer to it whenever you need help keeping yourself motivated.

5. Talk about itDon’t keep your resolutions a secret. Tell friends and family members who will be there to support you on your mission to change yourself for the better. The best-case scenario is to find a workout buddy who shares your New Year’s resolution, so that the two of you can help keep each other on track.

By Thomas Johnson

16 JANUARY 2015

HEALTH FEATURE

Chef Sugeng Pribadi is the sous chef of Pacific Islands Club Saipan. He has been working professionally as a chef for 25 years. Originally from Indonesia, Chef Pribadi learned the art of cooking from his parents and has always wanted to be the best at what he does. Before joining the Pacific Islands Club team, Chef Pribadi worked as a chef in Saipan for 14 years.

What is your specialty?“All kinds of Asian curries.”

What type of cuisine can guests ex-pect from you at your restaurant?“Cuisines from around the world, in-cluding Korean, Russian, Japanese and Chinese, as well as local favorites.”

For you, what is most important when it comes to making good food?“Everything is from my heart.”

What are your goals in the kitchen? “I want to my guest to be satisfied.”

A quick bite with Chef Pribadi

6. Reward yourself (appropriately)This doesn’t mean that you can eat an entire box of candy if your resolution is to eat better. Instead, celebrate your success by treating yourself to something that doesn’t go against your resolution. If you have been sticking to your promise to eat bet-ter, for example, reward yourself with new clothes or by going out to celebrate with friends.

7. Track your progressKeep track of each small success. Short-term goals are easier to keep, and each small accomplishment will help keep you moti-vated. Instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, focus on losing the first five. Keep a food and exercise journal to help you stay on track and reward yourself for each five pounds lost.

8. Stick to itExperts say that it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for it to become part of your personality. So it won’t happen overnight. So be persistent and be patient.

9. Keep tryingIf you have totally run out of steam by mid-February, don’t give up. Start over again! Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for 24 hours. Then commit yourself for another 24 hours. The 24-hour increments will soon build on each other and, before you know it, you will be back on track.

The NMI Crime Stoppers Program was recognized for its continued efforts in the fight against crime at a Crime Stoppers International Conference held in Cape Town South Africa. The NMI competed with programs around the world. For population 300,000 and less, NMI Crime Stoppers won two media awards:  Best website and Best Crime of the Week.

The third award was the President’s Global Award, award-ed to Christina C. Smith former Crime Stoppers Chairman for the NMI.  Smith lost her fight with cancer last year and was a driving force for the local program.  This award recognizes the spirit and accomplishments made by Christina.  The Award was accepted by Crime Stoppers International Regional Di-rector for the Western Pacific Jim Arenovski.

The NMI made its way onto Google Maps street view. The Marianas Visitors Authority announced that since Sep-tember, tourist attractions and urban districts in Saipan, Tin-ian and Rota of Northern Mariana Islands now can be viewed by using Street View within Google Map. In addition, Google Map Business View to see panoramic images of the insides of buildings and shops, as well as Indoor Google Maps to see directories of different facilities in the islands. Street View col-lection in Saipan, Tinian and Rota started in May and June 2014 under the cooperation of Marianas Visitors Authority. The Marianas Visitors Authority will capitalize on these features within Google Maps to make the Northern Mariana Islands better known to the public all over the word.

Saipan was featured in the Dec. 27 issue of the Japanese

magazine, “Dress,” a lifestyle maga-zine targeting Japanese women in their 30s and 40s. Two representatives

from the publication visited Saipan in November to report on the full resort experience of

nature, golf, yoga, gourmet dining and an upscale hotel stay. “Dress” magazine circulates to 100,000.

Among the places visited by the magazine representatives were, Laolao Bay Golf Resort, Forbidden Island, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Oleai Beach Bar & Grill, the Joeten Shopping Center, Managaha, I Sagua Spa, the Country House Restaurant, Cof-fee Room N-106, the Stars & Stripes catamaran, the Kili Terrace, Winchell’s and Herman’s Bakery.

The Marianas Visitors Authority conducted over 20 me-dia interviews, including a live broadcast to 300- million viewers of CCTV’s China Discovery Channel while working joining Brand USA in Shanghai in November at the China Inter-national Travel Mart, the largest professional travel mart in Asia. Other interviews were conducted with Global Times, China Trav-el Agent, sohu.com, CITM Daily, Hangzhou TV, Net Ease, Travel & Leisure, Marriage Group, Legal Evening News, TTG China, Trav-elling Scope, lotour.com, Travel + Leisure, Islands Traveler, FM 106.1 Beijing, sh.sina.com.cn, Travel Weekly China, and CCTV Explore. A captioned photo of the NMI cultural dancers was also prominently featured in the Shanghai Daily newspaper.

The NMI has been making waves in shores around the world. Here are a few of the ways the NMI has been recognized. Here’s to another year of global fame.

18 JANUARY 2015

ON THE ROAD

JANUARY 2015

NEW YEAR FEATURE

(From left) Tammy Winkfield, director Ukulele Band of Saipan Community School;

and Bobby Winkfield, principal, Saipan Community School

Special Note: In the November 2014 issue of Beach Road Magazine, Larry Lee was incorrectly identified as the director of the Ukulele Band and teacher at Saipan Community School. Tammy Winkfield is the director of the band. While Lee is not a teacher at the school, he, other organizations and the Saipan Community School worked together to organize the Marianas Ukulele Festival held on Oct. 11 in Garapan.

The Ukulele Band of Saipan Community School held a performance for the public on Dec. 11 at the Kanoa Resort. The band will also be holding its 15th Uke Jam on May 7 at

7:30 p.m. at the Saipan Community Chapel. (Photos by BRM)

19JANUARY 2015 19

ON THE ROAD

Maria Angelica “Angel” Malasarte celebrated her 18th birthday on Nov. 30 with a debutante ball at the Saipan World Resort.

High school students participated in the Annual Career Exploration Day during the Chamber’s General Membership meeting on Dec. 3, 2014 at Saipan World Resort. The students were hosted by corporate businesses

such as DFS and IT&E.

(Left) Victor Popolitov, Owner, 4 I’s-CNMI, Turnkey Solutions for Distributed Energy. Popolitov is an engineer with 30+ years of experience in creating and running power systems

for remote mining and telecommunications projects.

(From left) Jerome, brother of Angelica; Amor, sister of Angelica; Malou, mother of Angelica; Angelica; Bong, father of Angelica; and Nicole, sister of Angelica.

Debutante Angelica Malasarte

(Photos by BRM)

ON THE ROADON THE ROAD

Nanay Lupe Sabino (far right) en route to Managaha with Joseph Caranto and Gemma and Aldwin Batusin.

Contributed photo.

Iver, Izea and Isla wish their grandparents a happy new year with a special message: “Happy New Year, Lolo Jose and Lola Digna! We hope you are enjoying Saipan. We love

you.” Contributed photo.