Sea Turtle Policy: The Western Pacific Fishery Council is urging federal agencies to speed up green sea turtle status reviews for Guam, CNMI and American Samoa—an effort tied to restoring traditional cultural harvests. Meth Crisis: CNMI’s SAAR/HOPE Recovery Center says meth withdrawal is getting worse, with more hallucinations and psychotic episodes as CHCC reports meth-related cases jumping from 71 (2022) to 252 (2025) and 179 cases already identified through Aug. 31, 2026. Deep-Sea Mining Pushback: President Hilda Heine warned the UN against seabed mining without science-based safeguards, while NRDC says Marianas residents lack time and information to weigh a Dec. 16 lease sale; CNMI mayors also formally opposed mining over missing environmental and economic details. Public Schools Funding Shock: CNMI’s Board of Education is warning the FY 2027 local funding level could force a 2–3 day school week and major restructuring if it drops toward a $25M baseline. Settlement Fund Budget: A federal court approved the NMI Settlement Fund’s FY 2027 budget at $40.476M, a 2.57% increase tied to Sinlaku repairs and refunds. Visa Enforcement: White House border czar Tom Homan says the U.S. is moving to close a visa-free loophole that can be used for birth tourism by Chinese nationals. Local Business Resilience: Cafe Citrus reopened Sept. 14 after Super Typhoon Sinlaku, citing long delays getting AC parts and supplies from Korea. Small Business Grants: Bank of Hawai’i and the CNMI SBDC Network celebrated 2026 Small Business Revitalization & Development Grant recipients, each receiving $5,000. Tinian Power Notice: CUC scheduled an islandwide Tinian power interruption Sept. 25, 8:30–9:30 a.m.