On August 31, 2026, MPLT Chairman Philip Mendiola-Long, along with the Board of Trustees, discussed MPLT’s role, investment responsibilities, and concerns surrounding the trust while hearing feedback from the community on Tinian. MP Tinian Correspondent Sofia Del Rosario reports.

Rota's Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr. Sr. High School announces new leadership for their Chamorro Buck Battalion, at the school's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) Assumption of Command Ceremony on Tuesday. Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Damian J Atalig assumes the position of Battalion Commander, Cadet Major Brynn Atalig assumes her role as the Executive Officer, and Cadet Command Sergeant Major assumes his role as the battalion's CSM. The Chamorro Buck Battalion's top three leadership roles are currently held by 12th graders who have been in the program since their freshman year. MP Rota Correspondent Joycelynn Atalig reports.

Fish & Kon Mart owner Akiki Aiashy was visiting Saipan when he saw firsthand the damage left by Super Typhoon Sinlaku and realized the storm had left many in the Chuukese community without access to one of their traditional staples—breadfruit. Aiashy, who founded the family business and has similar operations in Chuuk and Guam, said he decided to open the Saipan store in May after seeing the damage caused by the Category 5 super typhoon. “When I saw it, there is no breadfruit, so we stand up, then I say, better we have Fish & Kon market here so we can help the local people here in Saipan,” Aiashy told Marianas Press. Darlene Castro, Aiashy’s niece, said the family wanted to help meet the community’s need for local food following the storm.

Five Democratic candidates for the CNMI Legislature used the party's candidate meet-and-greet to make their individual cases to voters, with their pitches ranging from economic recovery and infrastructure to government accountability and community service. The Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands held the Aug. 29 gathering at Morae Kitchen & Bar, where candidates for House Precincts 1, 3 and 5 addressed supporters. Ricardo Castro Cruz Jr., who is running for the House in Precinct 1, said his decision to seek public office stems from wanting to serve the community where he grew up. "The reason why I want to run for office is because I want to give back to the community that raised me," Cruz said. He said his professional experience has also shaped what he believes he can bring to the Legislature. "My career in customer service, banking, and hospitality has taught me the value of listening, finding solutions, and serving people," Cruz said.

Marianas Creations and Everest Kitchen are raising funds for victims of devastating flooding in Nepal, with donations from the CNMI going directly to the Nepal Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund. Marianas Creations owner Elina Gharti Chhetri said the two Saipan businesses launched the fundraising effort following flooding in Nepal’s Rasuwa district last Aug. 26. Flyers containing a link and QR code for the relief fund are being displayed at the businesses and will also be shared on social media. Chhetri said watching the devastation unfold from thousands of miles away has been particularly difficult for members of Saipan’s Nepalese community. “It’s very, very heartbreaking to be watching this news from Saipan, where you can’t really do much about it,” she told Marianas Press. Chhetri said her family and friends are safe, but that offered little comfort given the suffering of other families and the widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.

Hey guys! It’s Chrystal with Marianas Press. We reporters have been hard at work, so come along with me as I tackle yet another day in the life, brought to you by Atkins Kroll Saipan. Today we’re hitting the road in the all new 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and when I say this car is iconic, I mean ICONIC.

Northern Marianas Sports Association Hall of Famer Jeff Race hailed Carol Lee’s U.S. Open debut as a landmark moment for CNMI sports as the islands’ top tennis player battled Great Britain’s Katie Boulter in the first round of the Grand Slam tournament. “This is the biggest thing that's ever happened in sports in the CNMI right here,” Race said during a watch party last Aug. 31 at Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan. “This is it. You're looking at it. This match is the penultimate height that CNMI sports has ever reached.” Watch party organizer and Crowne Plaza Learning and Development manager Glenn Policare said the resort wanted to rally behind Lee after watching her rise from the local tennis courts to one of the sport’s biggest stages. “Are you kidding? We've been following, I've been following Carol Lee since she was a little girl. When I used to see her hit balls at Kanoa [Resort] with her dad and when we heard that Carol Lee was going to be on the big stage, we had to do something for her,” Policare said. Lee eventually fell to the world No. 62 Boulter, 4-6, 6-3, 0-6, but pushed the more experienced British player to a deciding third set. Lee, a Saipan Community School alumna ranked No. 143 in the WTA Tour, had taken the second set 6-3 after narrowly dropping the opener. A handful of supporters attended the early-morning watch party at Crowne Plaza to follow Lee’s historic appearance. Race, speaking after Lee captured the second set, said she appeared comfortable and had put herself in position to challenge Boulter. “Carol lost the first set by only one point and now she's just won the second set 6-3 and she's rolling. She's rolling and she's very into the match. She's looking very comfortable and relaxed,” Race said. Read the full story by Mark Rabago on our website.

Team Sufa, a mix of players from Saipan and in the U.S. who have participated in the tourney since the beginning, are preparing to compete off-island once again in the 21st CNMI Labor Day Softball Tournament, which will be held at Delta Park Sports Complex in Portland, Oregon, from Sept. 4-6. Listen to Sufa’s Mike Cruz before the start of their Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association game on Sunday, Aug. 30. They are competing for the masters division team at the highly anticipated event. Other local players are also heading to Oregon to compete with different teams—stay tuned for more.

Marianas Press heads to Portland for CNMI Labor Day Softball Tournament

2026 MP Debate: Military (Question 8 of 11) Here are gubernatorial candidates' responses to our eighth debate question: What will be your administration’s stance on military buildup in the CNMI? The full gubernatorial debate is available across our platforms.

Marianas Press continues its reporting in the field and on the campaign trail ahead of the November election. This time, MP Guam Correspondent Eliseo Silverio III reports from a Camacho-Deleon Guerrero community event on Guam last week. Watch to learn more.

The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality is moving forward with plans for a new headquarters on Capitol Hill, a federally funded facility that will bring its divisions under one roof and feature a modern laboratory capable of expanding environmental testing services in the CNMI. BECQ Administrator Floyd Masga said the project has been in the works since 2023 and has now entered its architectural and engineering phase. The funding comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under a program Masga identified as covering emerging contaminants and small and disadvantaged communities. “We have the funding to complete the entirety of this project, all the way to construction,” Masga told Marianas Press during an interview last Aug. 26 at BECQ’s current office in Gualo Rai along Middle Road.

Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds argued that Delvin Joe Elieisar Rios had the opportunity to stop or steer away after Baybie Dolores San Nicolas Hocog fell from the hood of his pickup truck but instead accelerated again, telling the court, “He chose to run her over.” Hinds made the argument during Rios’ preliminary hearing and arraignment last Aug. 31 in Superior Court, where Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio found probable cause to hold Rios to answer to all six charges filed by the Office of the Attorney General. Rios subsequently pleaded not guilty to the charges. Kim-Tenorio set the next hearing, a status conference, for Sept. 22 at 9am.

In this episode of Beyond the Game, Leigh Gases speaks with the heads of the national sports federations that are members of the Public School System Athletic Programs for the 2026-2027 school year. The participating federations include Northern Marianas Athletics, Northern Marianas National Paddle Sports Federation, Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association, Northern Mariana Islands Softball Association, Northern Mariana Islands Football Association, Northern Marianas Badminton Association, and Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation. And, for the first time, the Saipan Baseball League has also joined the program. However, the league was not present during this segment and was represented by the Northern Mariana Islands Softball Association. Listen in to learn more. Beyond the Game is brought to you by Tan Holdings.

In a first-of-its-kind event in the CNMI, the Marianas Youth Billiards Association Open 8-Ball League crowned its champion, 18-year-old Gelo Maliwanag, after he won seven games in a race-to-seven final against JM Ellama at Tom Yum Restaurant on Saturday, Aug. 29. They played a total of 11 games, with Maliwanag sealing the win in the final game. He swept the first three games in a row, but Ellama didn’t bow out yet, winning two games after. It was a back-and-forth battle, with Maliwanag clinching two more wins while Ellama won the eighth game. Maliwanag then won the ninth, but Ellama bounced back one last time to win the 10th. However, Maliwanag needed just one more win and made sure he got it in the final game. After winning the championship, Maliwanag said, “It feels really great. I got lucky, so thank you, Lord. My goal was just to enjoy the game. Of course, my goal was to win, but my mindset was just to enjoy the game and have fun, so maybe that way I could maybe win.” As for the season which started in April, he said, “It’s really fun to me, especially challenging other youth, and there’s going to be a next season, so join, guys.” When asked about his finals opponent, he said, “I respect all my opponents. I give respect. I just try to enjoy the game how they enjoy the game. Everyone’s tough.”