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

Happy Earth Day!

…stories from the islands

• Endangered species in Micronesia will get habitat protections, per the Pacific Island Times. The article states, in part:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to designate critical habitat for 23 endangered and threatened species throughout Micronesia, following today's settlement that capped a lawsuit filed by two conservation groups last year.

Based on its agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity and Blue Ocean Law, the Fish and Wildlife Service must provide protective areas for nine rare animals and 14 plants by June 26, 2025.

• Scientists at the Our Ocean Palau conference wants Japan not to release nuclear waste into the Pacific Ocean next year, according to the Island Times. They said, let’s hold off on this y’all until we have more information.

• The Solomon Islands and China signed a security pact, a day after the U.S. raised concerns. Per Time magazine, Australia asked Solomon Islands not to sign the pact. The issue is, through the pact, China may be able to deploy security forces in Solomon Islands, which the US says would “set a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific Island region.”

… front-page stories from Tia Belau

• Prices in Palau spiked some 10%, Tia Belau reported.

• President Surangel Whipps Jr. lambasted the press over the reporting on the #SaveMySanctuary Protests. Per Tia Belau:President Whipps said, in part":

  WHY PROTEST--“There is an ongoing conference and we are waging protests to the people from foreign lands. The protest should be about us Palauans so why are we protesting against the foreigners?”

  MEDIA ONLY ONE SIDE--- “I believe that sometimes we focus on only one side of the issue and the noise it’s generating but fail to make an adequate assessment of exactly what the goal of the plan (Blue Prosperity Plan) is about. So I request you the media that when you report then make a complete report based on the plan.”

  DELEGATES CONFUSED ABOUT PROTESTORS---“as they are now confused asking what’s that going on outside the conference. What is going on in your country? There are meetings and then there are protesters. The reason I’m saying it’s like the legend of MeduuRibtal is that we can say that the school is starving, the hospital is starving, and the police are also starving so they ask for assistance, but when we bring in the needed help then they turn around and say let’s cut the tree trunk that supplies us food.” The goal of the plan is that it will provide for the people. That is our real purpose.

Interestingly, the back page of the 4-21-22 issue of Tia Belau is an ad that just says “#SaveMySanctuary 80% no take zone. (I think it’s an ad.)

… story about sea cucumbers

Italian sea cucumbers have become lucrative items in Asia, driving illegal harvesting, according to Bloomberg. These “d*cks of the sea”¹ are important for the ocean and the climate.

In Choose Your Gåyu 2022 News²

The most surprising candidate announcement this election season came from veteran journalist Sabrina Salas Matanane. She is running with current Guam Del. Michael San Nicolas in a gubernatorial bid. Sabrina is vying for the lieutenant governor seat. San Nicolas and Matanane are the second gubernatorial team looking to unseat incumbents Lou Leon Guerrero and Josh Tenorio. On the Republican ticket, former Guam Gov. Felix Camacho tapped Sen. Tony Ada to help him take back Adelup. San Nicolas and Matanane are a Democrat pairing, according to KUAM, which means Leon Guerrero and Tenorio will go against San Nicolas and Matanane in the August primary.

(Insert obligatory register to vote announcement here)³ I’m curious and have a question for millenial Guam residents: Will you be voting this election season?

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Need a Friday mood boost? Check out the songs from some of the Pacific Islander contestants who competed in NBC’s American Song Contest. ⁴

Matt Sabyu Sablan, representing CNMI

Jason J, representing Guam

Bronson Varde, representing Hawai’i

Tenelle, representing American Samoa

Thank you for reading!

Oh Also, I’m running a giveaway, if you haven’t seen that post. The lovely Mar-Vic Cagurangan, publisher of Pacific Island Times, also donated a prize along with the other prizes. This one made by her son Ico, iconic artist on Guam.

The Husk

A GIVEAWAY FOR THE HUSK SUBSCRIBERS

This month The Husk turned one! I think. I could check but honestly I am so exhausted today for some reason unknown to me. I have been thinking about how to thank you all. The people who have subscribed to the newsletter in the past year. When I started I wasn’t sure where this would go but I’m happy to have this space where Micronesian business owners a…

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4 days ago · 2 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss