SAIPAN — Day 23 of Super Typhoon Sinlaku recovery brought a heavy news day across federal assistance programs, infrastructure milestones, distribution operations, education and community voices. NMI News Service published two dozen stories Tuesday tracking the response, recovery and rebuilding effort. Brief summaries follow, with full coverage of each story available at nminewsservice.com.
Federal Assistance & Recovery Programs
IRS extends CNMI tax deadlines to Nov. 2. Individuals and businesses across the Commonwealth affected by Sinlaku now have until Nov. 2 to file most federal tax returns and make payments under the federal disaster declaration, with FEMA number 4910-DR for casualty-loss claims.
TRICARE authorizes emergency prescription refills through May 14. The Defense Health Agency said TRICARE beneficiaries in Guam and the CNMI can receive emergency refills at any retail network pharmacy, or by calling Express Scripts at 877-363-1303.
Survivor Recovery Center opens Wednesday at Multi-Purpose Center. Five recovery agencies will be on site at the Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, with dedicated early-morning hours for persons with disabilities. Tinian and Rota locations to follow.
Saipan Mayor’s Office and USACE open Temporary Emergency Roof Program applications. Applications run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, May 8, at 2799 Teer Drive Suite A, with USACE staff on site to answer eligibility questions.
Tin roof installations begin Wednesday under same program; 50-per-day cap. The Saipan mayor confirmed Tuesday that FEMA installation crews are ready to begin work Wednesday for homes where the roof was blown off but the four walls remain intact. The mayor’s office capped applications at 50 per day to avoid long lines.
Distribution & Aid
HSEM begins MRE and water distribution Wednesday in Koblerville. Door-to-door delivery and a community point of distribution at the Koblerville Youth Center begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Residents are reminded that official personnel will not ask for payment or personal information.
Samaritan’s Purse sets Kagman tarp and solar light distribution for Wednesday. Distribution runs 3 to 7 p.m. at the Kagman 2 Basketball Court, with walk-ins welcome while supplies last.
Government & Courts
Federal sentencing hearing moves to Guma’ Hustisia after federal courthouse closure. Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona ordered the move Tuesday, with the Wednesday hearing remaining open to the public.
King-Hinds: Federal energy officials eyeing CNMI power generation options. In a Good Morning Marianas interview, U.S. Rep. Kimberlyn King-Hinds said her office is engaged with the Department of the Interior’s Energy Dominance Council on long-term power options for the CNMI. She also detailed Sinlaku damage to the Tinian power plant, pushed for accelerated Tinian port rehabilitation, and cautioned that FEMA reimbursement is not as automatic as many expect.
Mendiola: Marianas Relief Network now spans 15 states and growing. Lt. Gov. Dennis James C. Mendiola thanked the diaspora-led recovery effort, along with Matson, U-Haul, nonprofit organizations and the business community, in a video message Tuesday.
Public Safety
DPS to motorists: Pull right for sirens and lights. The Department of Public Safety reminded drivers to safely yield to responding emergency vehicles, with penalties for failure to yield and the risk of delayed emergency response.
DPS: Use insurance for storm-related vehicle damage; BMV remains closed. Storm-damaged vehicles should be handled through insurance companies, not 911. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles remains closed until further notice with no late fees during the closure.
Health
CHCC mobile clinics hit 730 Sinlaku visits. Through May 4, mobile teams delivered 400 illness-related encounters, 254 chronic disease visits, 238 prescriptions, 62 injury cases and 16 behavioral and mental health visits, working alongside Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon.
MLSC: Disaster recovery brings heightened risks for DV survivors; help available. Micronesian Legal Services Corp. is reminding domestic violence survivors that legal help and support remain available, with the Chalan Piao office open and phone help at 670-234-7729 and 670-234-6243.
Infrastructure & Transportation
CPA: Port of Saipan back on city power; Saipan airport jetways all inoperable. City power has been restored at the Port of Saipan and the Saipan airport’s Arrival Terminal, but all loading bridges at Saipan International Airport are inoperable and Tinian airport is again without power, the agency said in its 20th post-Sinlaku update.
DPW: 250-foot stretch of Route 34 still needs full reconstruction. Secretary Ray N. Yumul said the section continues to pose a safety hazard from extensive asphalt cracking and underlying structural failure, even as Rep. Angelo A. Camacho pressed for an alternate access road into Kagman.
COTA logs 536 emergency transports during Sinlaku activation. Medical runs led the count at 341, followed by 126 shelter transports, 37 airport runs and 18 military-related transports during the April 10 to May 5 activation window.
COTA: Blue Line 1B serves Survivor Recovery Center; new hours start Wednesday. Daily service from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. connects the Multi-Purpose Center, with veterans, seniors and individuals with disabilities able to request transportation through the EOC at 670-237-8000.
Business & Economy
HANMI asks King-Hinds to push for expedited EAD processing. Hotel Association Chairman Ivan Quichocho warned that delays could sideline up to 10 percent of the CNMI workforce, asking the congresswoman to advocate for faster adjudication, automatic extensions and clearer federal guidance.
Education
PSS: Graduations will proceed; final online week waived; reopening decision next week. High school graduations and middle school promotion ceremonies will run on the SY 2025-2026 calendar between May 27 and June 5. Online students will have the final required week waived, AP exams are scheduled for May 27 to 29, and a school reopening decision is expected next week.
Weather
93W triggers formation alert in central FSM; no direct threat to Marianas. NWS Guam issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on Invest 93W, with the system passing south of Guam through Thursday. East-facing reefs face high rip current risk, with combined seas of 6 to 9 feet and surf up to 10 feet.
Community Voices
Op-Ed: We Don’t Need More Nonprofits. We Need Companies. Chamolinian software engineer Nathan Mario Roppul argues the CNMI’s brightest young people are being trained to chase grants while a handful of family conglomerates own the underlying economy.
Op-Ed: Read the Fine Print: Who the $MARI Token Really Serves. Cultural advocate Gregorie Michael Towai argues the Marianas Token introduced three days after Sinlaku is built on an extraction model, calling for full public transparency on the token’s structure before any further endorsements.
Full coverage of every story is available at nminewsservice.com. Submit op-eds and tips to brad.ruszala@nminewsservice.com. The Recovery Rundown is published daily through the Sinlaku recovery period.