Journal 3/15/1985
P1 Marshallese girls excel at Honolulu high school Three Marshallese girls have been commended for their play with the Kaimuki High School varsity girls softball team in Honolulu. Nancy Matauto of Majuro and Jackie Matsumura of Ebeye were outfielders and Maile Kaaiakamanu of Ebeye was the shortstop.
P12 Ebeye residents celebrate A combination of a parade featuring a marching band and visiting dignitaries, Marshallese dancing and dinner for more than 1,000 Ebeye residents marked the official opening of the new Kwajalein Atoll Development Authority office and the groundbreaking for the new power plant and desalination plants.
Journal 3/14/1997
P1 A ‘sleazy’ pen “For a newspaper with the reputation of the New York Times, this is sleazy journalism,” said Foreign Secretary Bobby Muller, responding to a story that appeared last week in the leading American newspaper that quoted President Kabua on the Bikinians. Muller said the “forum where the interview was conducted (in a local bar) was not appropriate.”
P5 Cancer for me, too We’re aware that chewing tobacco is very popular in the Marshalls, especially among young kids. Everyone knows the word Copenhagen. But we learned something the other day that is one of the most bizarre things we’ve heard in a while. Like cigarette packs, Copenhagen carries small warning notices about what terrible things it will do to your health if you use it. There are two main warning messages in use on Copenhagen cans sold locally: One has a warning about “mouth cancer,” the other about “tooth loss.” Something must have gotten lost in the translation, because these warnings are used like brand names. To wit, 14-year-old says to the store owner: Letok juon ‘mouth cancer’ (Give me mouth cancer). Some say that “tooth loss” is more potent than “mouth cancer.” Well, that’s certainly encouraging to know.
Journal 3/14/2008
P10 Shoulda stayed at Bikini The life of a Jetsetter is tough. American billionaire Paul Allen had to go through some gyrations to get to Bikini late last month because the US Army didn’t want his private jet touching down at Kwajalein. Allen’s plan was to have the helicopter from his yacht Octopus that was already at Bikini zoom to Kwaj, and zoom him back to Bikini for a couple of days excitement. Instead, he had to fly into Majuro, which required his yacht to pull out of Bikini and head about half way here, zoom the copter to Majuro and then helicopter him to the Octopus, which motored back to Bikini. But to the point of this story. Allen owns the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team and his team was playing back home Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns. Naturally, he needed to be there to cheer them on. He apparently chartered a jet that was going through Wake Island to pick him and his friends up at Bikini and fly them to Majuro Tuesday later afternoon last week. Meanwhile, his personal jet was waiting for the group. So they got off one plane and onto another and in a flash were on their way back to America. The bad news? All that logistical jet set organizing came to naught. Even with Allen on hand, the Trail Blazers lost to the Suns, 97-92.
P13 Bill to end postal vote? Nitijela bill number two, if approved, would end all voting by postal ballot. Introduced by Majuro Senator Wilfred Kendall, the measure seeks to amend the Elections and Referenda Act to abolish the postal voting system. If approved, voters living overseas or those temporarily off-island will not be able to cast their votes unless they return to the Marshall Islands for an election.
P19 Sinking of the Coconut Cup Eleven years ago a guy called Jerry Smith was a tad bored and wanted someone to race against on his windsurfer. And thus the annual Coconut Cup Regatta was born. But this year, sadly, the hugely popular Coconut Cup will reportedly not take place as the traditional organizers, Don and Janet Hess, feel they have more than done their bit and that it’s time for others to take over. So far, no one has offered.