Guam got a little darker Monday evening, as the Consolidated Commission on Utilities and the Guam Power Authority are finally treating the island's public sector like every other ratepayer late on paying their power bill. GPA crews got an early start today disconnecting village streetlights, with communications director Art Perez, "This morning those line crews that were dedicated before for repairs are now disconnection crews. That's there whole task today disconnection of those lights, and we're not talking about disconnection to remove the power lines from them and clip them - we're actually dismantling the lights and removing them.

In an effort to get the Consolidated Commission on Utilities to rethink its decision to disconnect village streetlights, a meeting was held this afternoon at Adelup with village mayors, the governor and the Guam Power Authority. Mayors like Yigo's Bob Lizama questioned why GPA couldn't have waited to disconnect until July.

It seems there's hope after all for project I Famagounta, despite assertions made by Department of Mental Health director Dr. Andrea Leitheiser that the program will run out of cash in July, forcing the termination of 15 project employees. That turns out not to be the case, as a letter was sent from the feds to Governor Felix Camacho completely shooting down Leitheiser's comments.

With the theme of "Where Healing Happens Everyday" lawmakers helped the Guam Memorial Hospital kickoff National Hospital Week this morning with a resolution presentation. On this day back in 1921 Smerica first celebrated its first National Hospital Day.

After running into some turbulence with the first two hearings, today's oversight with the Guam International Airport Authority got off the ground without a hitch. Committee chair Senator Jesse Anderson Lujan (R) began with testimony from former acting airport police chief Major Antonio Taitingfong, who was demoted to assistant police chief.

Senator Jesse Anderson Lujan is holding yet another oversight hearing over the Guam International Airport Authority today. The veteran Republican policymaker has been trying to get answers from GIAA relating to operations, personnel procedures, evidence room and security matters as well as procurement.

The Government of Guam evidently hasn't been paying for its fire hydrant services. According to a report issued today by the Office of the Public Auditor on the finances of the Guam Waterworks Authority, $6.3 million is owed in fire hydrant receivables. But not one agency in the island's public sector is actually tasked with paying for these services.

Streetlight disconnections will begin Monday morning in the northern, central and southern sectors of the island. Guam Power Authority crews will remove streetlights that do not provide illumination to bus stops, blind curves and intersections. Areas with multiple lamps on a single pole will also be removed. The Consolidated Commission on Utilities directed GPA management to proceed with the disconnections because the Department of Public Works' streetlight account is approximately $13.4 million past due.

An appeal has been filed in the Earned Income Tax Credit case. Last month District Court of Guam chief judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood issued her final EITC class action order, leaving intact the $90 million settlement agreement between the Government of Guam and the parties involved, saying it was fair, adequate and reasonable.

Rev & Tax director Art Ilagan says 3,022 rebate checks totaling $2.4 million will be mailed out today. The rebates are part of the president's Economic Stimulus Plan. The local agency will run rebate checks every week as the rebates are verified and processed.

Protecting our community is our government's most fundamental commitment to the people that we serve, from safety on Guam's roads to securing island villages are a few responsibilities the Guam Police Department carries out everyday. And in recognition of their commitment to serve the people of Guam, Governor Felix Camacho declared May 11-17 "Guam Police Week". Additionally, May 15 has been set aside as "Peace Officers Memorial Day".

Guam's governor says while there may not be money in the General Fund to make the $7.9 million payment by June 1 to cover the local government's streetlights debt, he does say raising the island's Motor Vehicle Registration Fee by $72 through the 'AAA' process would help for the future. "If the senators refuse to increase the amount of funding and keep it at the level it is," said Felix Camacho, "Then we will pay for the amount of streetlights that we can afford and hopefully distribute it evenly among all the villages.

Guam Federation of Teachers president Matt Rector says the union will take the Guam Public School System to court soon because the agency is not fairly compensating its teachers for extra days worked. GPSS maintains that teachers at the Maria Ulloa and Ordot-Chalan Pago elementary schools are not working extra instructional days. Therefore, they are not to get paid more.

Food can now be prepared at Maria Ulloa Elementary School, after the a member of the Guam Public School System's Health and Safety Task Force deemed the ANSUL system now fully functional. The cafeteria was re-inspected this afternoon, but Guam Fire Department Captain Joey Muna says GPSS would still need to change its grease trap filters.

Officials at Maria Ulloa Elementary School could know by the end of today whether their cafeteria is up to code, after the Guam Public School System last Friday made a formal request to the attorney general and the GPSS Health and Safety Task Force to have the cafeteria re-inspected today.

A team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges will visit Wettengel Elementary School in Dededo this week. For past few months, several teams have visited our island's public schools, and members are expected to brief school officials on Wednesday.

The Guam Education Policy Board will deliberate this week to find out which candidate applying for the superintendent position best fits their qualifications. Since last Friday, the board has been interviewing the eight candidates applying for the position.

The Guam Education Policy Board has interviewed the final two candidates for superintendent of the Guam Public School System. On Saturday evening Guam Community College professor Bunny Sgambelluri, along with Northern Marianas College director of institutional effectiveness Wil Castro went before the board to answer a dozen questions. Castro was formerly the chief planner and an associate superintendent of GPSS.

The Guam Education Policy Board is looking forward to meeting the Guam Public School System's new education suruhanu, Dominic Terlaje. The board has extended an invitation for him to attend next week's board meeting to get dialogue going.

Superior Court judge Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson has ordered restitution to be paid to the Guam Public School System for a bomb threat that was called into John F. Kennedy High School in May 2007. GPSS will receive $10,000 in compensation, which agency legal counsel Fred Nishihira says will go back to the school to defer the costs incurred because of the incident.

Emergency coordination activities of the Guam National Guard's 94th Civil Support Team and local responders were tested this morning as they responded to a simulated domestic terrorist event in Radio, Barrigada. This is all to help prepare the Civil Support Team for certification in August by the Secretary of Defense. Department of Homeland Security public affairs officer Lesley Leon Guerrero told KUAM News groups were, "Pretty much enacting as they would happen in a real life event."

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory that will remain in effect until tomorrow night. The advisory is for west-facing reefs and beaches including Nimitz Beach in Agat and Gun Beach in Tumon. Expect hazardous surf of 7' to 9' on Tuesday, with residents being advised to avoid venturing near exposed reefs and beaches.

Employees from EA Science and Technology are teaching Guam how to adopt a green lifestyle with some activities you can do with your children. The environmental consulting firm has been on Guam for 14 years assisting the private and public sectors achieve their environmental goals - site remediation, solid waste and water resources management along with information technology are just a few of the things on a daily basis this company deals with.

3,000 tons of abandoned vehicles and white goods are slated to be shipped off-island this week. Bali Steel Guam has been loading the vessel Acacia, docked at the Port Authority of Guam, with items collected by the Governor's Islandwide Cleanup project and through the Mayor's Council. Over the past year, over 10,000 vehicles and white goods have been taken out of the waste stream.

While many island residents planned on sleeping in on this Saturday morning, with others using the weekend to get a jumpstart on doing chores, flea market shopping or running errands, nearly the entire community rushed to dash into doorways after a large earthquake occurred right before 8am. Preliminary data indicates the quake as having registered 6.6 on the Richter Scale.

The Department of Parks & Recreation's Historic Preservation Office continues its investigation into reported disturbances at historic Toguan Bay. Residents in the area allege ancient Chamorro artifacts were unearthed by a fellow landowner who is making changes to his property.

The Guam Police Department launched conducting a death investigation, after a man in his 40's jumped off the fourth floor of the Guam Memorial Hospital. The individual was a patient recovering from a previous suicide attempt. He reportedly allegedly broke out of restraints, broke his room's glass window and then jumped over the edge of the 4th floor, landing in the physician's parking lot.

Siera Robertson will be headed to Vietnam to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant this coming July. Proving she has beauty, poise, personality and a whole lot more, Robertson beat out 15 other lovely ladies Friday night in the gala event, put on by the Guam Beauty Association. The 18-year-old, who hails from the village of Dededo is a senior at the Academy of Our Lady of Guam.

It was a celebration of life today at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, as cancer survivors and their caregivers were recognized during a luncheon put on by the American Cancer Society as a prelude to the Relay for Life event being held later this month. Event chairperson Glenda Pangelinan said, "This year we did something different. Usually we just recognize our survivors. We realize the importance of their caregivers. Without their caregivers it would truly be a lot more difficult for them to go through treatment. Today, we're recognizing and honoring our survivors and their caregivers.

The pain at the pump just got worse. If you haven't noticed, gas prices went up by another $0.12 at the Mobil station in East Agana. The rate for regular, unleaded fuel has jumped to $4.31 with diesel peaking at $4.44. All other local gas stations are likely to follow suit.

The president and CEO of Pacific Telecom, Inc., Ricky Delgado, spoke before island Rotarians today about the purchase of IT&E and their future plans for the company. He said the company, "Has a good name and a good subscriber base, but one of the things we're going to do with IT&E is that we're going to invest a lot of capital in the network because we feel that before we can actually go out and go for subscribers, we've got to make sure we have everything and that we have the best network on the island."

Andrew Gayle has been named as the executive vice-president of wireless and information technology at GTA TeleGuam. Gayle has 19 years of experience in the business, including working at Guamcell Communications, Computerland and Pacific Data Systems.

The president and chief executive officer of Pacific Telecom, Inc., Ricky Delgado, will be speaking before island Rotarians today about his company's purchase of IT&E and their future plans. PTI, which currently offers GSM mobile voice services, is publisher of the Marianas Information Book and previously acquired the CNMI Phone Book and the Guam Phone Book from Holmes Management.

The Guam Land Use Commission has reviewed a request for a major development project in Nimitz Hill. JHP Development intends to build 240 total units consisting of condos, townhomes and single family dwelling units. Approval for the project located around 250 feet north of Nimitz Hill as you travel up Route 6 is pending.

The Guam Land Use Commission will be meeting this afternoon to discuss two development projects in the Nimitz Hill area and in Tumon. The last GLUC meeting was an emotional one, as Tumon residents testified against Access Development Incorporated's plans to build twin towers between the Ypao Beach Park and the Pacific Islands Club. Cliffside residents were concerned about losing their picturesque view of Tumon Bay.

Law enforcement authorities are looking for a male individual who entered Annie's Gameroom in Chalan Pago around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon, demanding cash. Guam Police Department Spokesperson Officer Allan Guzman says the man threatened the cashier with a knife and got away with an undetermined amount of cash.

It's another opportunity for you to provide your input on the Department of Defense's plans to beef up the military's presence here. With a draft master plan already completed the Joint Guam Program Office wants to know what you think about it.

With the impending military buildup, a voluntary non-partisan advocacy group of concerned citizens, Fuetsan Famalao'an, is hosting a youth forum. The event is intended to motivate the island's youth to come together to discuss their concerns and dialogue about the ongoing efforts to expand military forces in Guam.

It's likely you remember when TOPOFF-4, the nation's premier exercise of terrorism preparedness, happened on Guam last October, with top officials at every level of government, as well as international community and private sector representatives participating in thre locations: Arizona, Oregon and Guam. Recently, preliminary results of the T4 exercises were released.

President George W. Bush has signed the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 into law. The Act plans to phase in United States immigration control in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands over time, wrapping up by 2014. But while it ends local authority over immigration in the NMI, Guam and the region will be exempted from national restrictions on foreign worker 'H' visas for both skilled and professional workers.

While many on Guan are anticipating receiving their tax rebates, it seems as if just as many are still confused. Some of the questions being thrown out there include things like what is a tax rebate? Who is eligible? And why are some checks being garnished? Rev & Tax director Art Ilagan joined KUAM News today to hopefully clarify the tax rebate issue once and for all.

Up to 3,200 people may receive their rebates by either this Friday or next Monday. However, not everyone will get the full amount they are entitled to and some may even have to wait until next year. According to Guam Department of Revenue & Taxation director Art Ilagan the agency will deduct any taxes owed from taxpayer rebates. In other words, if you owe Rev & Tax $200 and your rebate is for $600, you'll only be getting $400.