Eight tickets to attend the Los Angeles Summer Games By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com In March this year, the Special Olympics Amerika Samoa (SOAS) received an invitation to attend the Special Olympics Southern California 2014 Summer Games Invitational in Los Angeles, California, to be held June 5 - June 9 this year. Over three days of competition in six sports, more than 3,000 volunteers...
By Teri Hunkin reporters@samoanews.com The Veterinary Clinic at the Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with Alofa mo Meaola has just ended another successful village vet clinic. Working in the village of Auto on April 29 and May 1, representatives from Alofa mo Meaola heaped praise upon the village pulenu’u, Troy Fiaui, whom they reported did an “awesome” job of preparing...
Blames father's unemployment for son's life of crime By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com A repeat offender who was charged by the Attorney General’s office in connection with burglarizing the Manu’a store was sentenced to seven years in jail. This sentencing will be served consecutively with Asofa Titio Jr’s previous sentence from separate burglary and stealing...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga wants to have the government owned shipyard privatized before the start of the New Year and the American Samoa Shipyard Services board of directors has been told to come up with a draft for the request for proposals (RFP). The governor had written to board chairman and current executive director David Robinson about the proposed...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com With a non-profit federal certificate, the American Samoa Legal Aid (ASLA) organization will soon be able to provide free legal aid to the territory’s residents, no matter what their immigration status. “When the time comes, more details will be released to the public when doors are open about the type of cases that we will be handling,”...
By Teri Hunkin reporters@samoanews.com Members of the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) are once again in the Territory as they continue their ongoing research into the high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease here. The disease, referred to in the medical community as RHD, has largely been eradicated in the developed nations, and in America, it has not been seen for decades. It’s...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com The Lolo and Lemanu Administration is being called upon to establish a special committee or task force to examine the Territory's Tax structure, and this came about in a letter from Tualauta faipule Larry Sanitoa sent to Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga with a copy sent to Lt Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga last Friday. After expressing gratitude...
By Jeff Hayner jeff@samoanews.com This year’s Island-Wide History Day in the Senior Division for grades 9-12 finished off yesterday morning at the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium with the awards given to the top three places of each category and to the Overall Top winners not only in the Seniors Division, but the Junior Division (grades 6-8) as well. Here are the top three winners...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources is providing assistance to our local 'alia fishermen, and a survey conducted by DMWR provided the basis on how to best assist them (i.e. the engine repair workshop that was completed a month ago for Tutuila and Manu’a fishermen). During a recent meeting with the local fishermen, fuel subsidies were...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Data from the 2012 American Samoa Economic Census will be released next week Wednesday (May 7) during a news conference called by the local Commerce Department, according to a letter of invitation send out to certain section of the community. Lee R. Wentela, branch chief of the U.S. Census Bureau Economic Census Branch, will present the findings of...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Two additional cruise ships have been added to American Samoa’s visit schedule this year, bringing the total to 20 ships calling into the Port of Pago Pago. One of the ships, will arrive Christmas Eve, “making our holiday a little festive not only for vendors, tourism industry and the community, but also our temporary visitors,” ASVB executive...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com The American Samoa Visitors Bureau will represent the territory’s tourism industry at the inaugural South Pacific Tourism Exchange event in Auckland from May 22 to 23 with some 60 international travel buyers from throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand attending. Visitors Bureau executive director David Vaeafe said...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com It’s been more than a year since the post of Territorial Auditor has been vacant after Robert Dantini, a certified public accountant from Washington State, tendered his letter of resignation to then Gov. Togiola Tulafono in December 2012. Samoa News received inquiry through a letter to the editor as to the status of this government post and...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com A seafood safety workshop set for next week that will benefit local restaurant and store owners is being sponsored jointly by the Honolulu-based Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPFMC) and the local Commerce Department. Scheduled for May 6-8, the workshop training will be conducted by Dr. John Kaneko, the Program Manager of the Hawaii...
Among the most serious: allegations of fraud By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com StarKist Inc., has filed a new amended motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed at the federal court in Oakland, Calif., against the Pittsburgh based company over allegations of fraud and negligent misrepresentation over the company’s canned tuna products. The latest action by the tuna cannery giant followed...
Shocked to learn of cigarettes being sold by inmates By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Chief Justice Michael Kruse said he’s “shocked” with the ongoing “sale” of cigarettes inside the Tafuna Correctional Facility. Remarks were made by Kruse when he was handing down sentencing for Keith Talosaga who admitted to assaulting another inmate, Joe Togitogi....
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com “Until the DOL (United States Department of Labor) provides the Governor with a copy of its Investigation Report for his review, the payment of overtime will be left in abeyance,” was the explanation from the Governor’s Executive Assistant, Iulogologo Joseph Pereira in response to Samoa News queries late Wednesday evening. ...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com “In general what made me come back is the desire to give back to my community, that pretty much is the driver and we have the other pieces in there. I am from here, my family is here, but mostly you have to have that drive… I knew I could do something, and was willing to offer… that’s the main reason,” said the newly...
Simon Briggs: It's hard to imagine a better role model than star of new film on world's worst international side - American Samoa ...
Simon Briggs: It's hard to imagine a better role model than star of new film on world's worst international side - American Samoa ...