You’re reading The Husk's Friday edition, our Weekender, a countdown/roundup of miscellanea from Micronesia, Guam, and Earth.

…things from Micronesia

• The president of the Federated States of Micronesia sent a Freedom of Information Act bill to lawmakers, which, if passed, would provide an avenue for people to inspect and obtain public information from agencies. I say, the more FOIA, the more fun.

• Yap governor was summoned as he faces possible impeachment.

• Uncle Sam’s pandemic aid in the islands: In Palau, the Island Times is investigating allegations of fraud and favoritism involving the disbursement of pandemic unemployment funds. • In Guam, the Guam Daily Post reported that residents made more from pandemic unemployment than their usual salaries. • The Kaselehlie Press also reported in its latest issue an update on the lawsuit FSM citizens and US citizens filed against the Bank of Guam over stimulus checks. Some counts in the lawsuit were dismissed. Plaintiffs allege the Bank of Guam seized stimulus checks that were deposited into their accounts and BOG sent the money to the IRS. NPR also covered this issue and obtained a letter from U.S. Treasury sent to the Bank of Guam asking for help recovering tax payments the IRS issued in error. •

…things from Guam

• The Guam delegate said he’s going to get the FTC to look at gas price activity on Guam. ¹

• KUAM aired an interview with the director of the local tax department and a lower third graphic showed her name and under it, the phrase “certified asshole.” The Whatsapp chats were buzzing over the blunder. The governor made a statement about it. As someone who has been roasted in Whatsapp group chats and Facebook comments because of another person’s mistake, I can tell you it doesn’t feel great to have your name next to such a public goof. I’ve also made mistakes in my news copy and I can tell you it’s never with malicious intent. People make mistakes. For everyone directly involved, this situation just sucks. We can have some empathy for the director and for the KUAM crew. I’ve always known KUAM to be excellent at what they do. I don’t think this isolated mistake is a reflection of their news organization. Also, nobody thinks the director is actually an asshole.

…thing to do this weekend

• Watch the FIRST national touring play about Micronesians in the US. It’ll stream live on Facebook and YouTube. That’s Monday morning for us on Guam.

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A Japanese government plan to dump radioactive wastes in the Pacific Ocean

By Elmer Lammi

A Japanese government plan to dump radioactive wastes in the Pacific Ocean threatens both the inhabitants of Japan and Micronesia, a study released Saturday said.

The report, prepared by Prof. Jackson Davis of the University of California at Santa Cruz, disputes Japanese claims that the wastes can be safely dumped in deep waters between Japan and Micronesia.

This story ran in May 1981. In the article, then-Guam Del. Antonio Won Pat lambasted Japan and the US. The study was commissioned by then-governor of the CNMI Carlos Camacho and the CNMI legislature. According to the article, Davis noted that the Japanese Nuclear Safety Bureau’s finding that dumping would be safe was flawed and that the ocean currents could wash radioactive wastes onto Japanese islands and into Micronesian islands.

Some 40 years later, we encounter near identical news stories. In April, Japan announced its plan to dump nuclear waste into the Pacific Ocean, drawing swift criticism from Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo.

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Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful weekend.²