Sunday, May 8, 2005 - The Nassau West Department of State announced this evening that Nassau West President Kelly K. Bartram will visit next weekend with Tokyo (Japan) Ambassador Kenji "Johnny 7" Nishida in the Los Angeles, CA, area.

After sealing a deal with Nassau West's largest employer last week, President Bartram stated that "Nassau West's current financial dilemma will be short lived. Tomorrow, we will be sending out $1,786.31 in payments for various expenses. This is just the beginning."

Bartram caught the attention of many with the planned excursion to California who wondered where the funds were going to come from to cover the cost. According to the President, "This trip will be a little inconvenient due to current budget constraints, but it will not derail the overall financial progress."

The Department of the Treasury has declared that the current financial burden being felt by the citizenry will be eased in the very near future. Bartram concurred, "We have a couple more rough weeks to get through, and after that, things will get back to 'normal.'"

The Department of Administration has confirmed the purchase of DSL (high speed internet) for the Capitol, which should be up and running no later than Friday, May 13. All Nassau West agencies that operate from the Capitol were ecstatic about the news. Currently, the Capitol is running on 50.6 kbps dial-up internet service.

Last Monday (5/2), the Department of State learned that Nishida was in the Los Angeles area visiting Nippon Express USA, Inc., a former employer of Nassau West Transportation Workers' Union members in Seattle, WA. Nishida was sent to Los Angeles for three weeks, which end Saturday, May 21, when he will return to Japan.

President Bartram and Ambassador Nishida have not seen each other since early 2002, when they both left the Seattle area to return to their former places of residence. Bartram returned to Phoenix, AZ, and Nishida returned to the Tokyo, Japan, area.

In the time since the two last saw each other, Bartram relocated to the newly-purchased Nassau West Capitol in Benson, Nishida got married, and he and his new bride, Yoshimi, had their first baby, a boy named Leo. The newborn immediately was given the nickname of "Johnny 8," since he is the son of "Johnny 7."

Bartram is going to fly Southwest Airlines from Tucson, AZ, to Los Angeles, CA, on Friday evening. His scheduled departure time is 8:00 PM, arriving at Los Angeles International Airport at about 9:35 PM Friday night. He will be staying at a hotel in Torrance, CA, and will have a rental car (from Budget Rent-a-Car, a brand new Chevy Impala).

The two will only have from Friday night until Sunday afternoon to catch up on the past three-plus years before Bartram returns to the airport (Dep. 6:05 PM) and back to Tucson (Arr. 7:20 PM) Sunday evening. From Tucson, after visiting Huddleston Trucking, he will return to the Capitol onboard Nassau West One. His expected arrival at the Capitol is about 9:45 PM Sunday night. It will be one weekend well spent.