By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Based on feedback the Social Security office has received from many of their stakeholders, they have decided to delay the implementation of some changes to later in the year— however at the beginning of August 2014, they will no longer issue proof of Social Security numbers through printouts in their field offices. According to Public...
By Steve Limtiaco, Pacific Daily News The issue of equal rights for residents of U.S. territories now sits with a federal appeals court, according to attorney Neil Weare, a former Guam resident, who last week filed the opening brief for the appeal. Weare, president of the "We the People Project," last year filed a lawsuit in the federal court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of a man in American Samoa,...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Chief Justice Michael Kruse sentenced a man to ten years in jail, after he admitted to his crimes in a sex related case involving two of his stepdaughters, ages 13 and 16. (In the interest of protecting the victim's identities, Samoa News is withholding the defendant’s name as he is their stepfather.) The Attorney General’s...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com “Vailima Natural” brewed from the breadfruit or ulu may be in its trial and development phase, but those present at the “Ulu Beer Tasting” last Thursday evening, say it’s time to place it on the market for sale. Attending the beer tasting event, held at Tony’s Bar & Grill (site of the former Runway Bar)...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who is also the acting governor, has appointed five new members of the ASG Survey Board, whose responsibility involves the surveying of government property to come up with their value. The board, which is required under the American Samoa Administrative Code, also conducts surveys of ASG property before being sold at auction....
By Dave Segal, Star-Advertiser Bank of Hawaii Chief Executive Officer Peter Ho said the company is not yet in a position to increase its dividend and that a planned exit from American Samoa is still in a holding pattern. Ho also said the bank feels like “a yo-yo” regarding its American Samoa situation after announcing in November 2012 that it would close its two branches there in the first quarter...
Medicare Buy-In, Off-island referral, New Medicaid Provider Enrollment By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has approved the Medicaid Office’s move to pursue a Medicare Buy-In option and enrolling new Medicaid Providers for American Samoa, according to a news release from the ASG Medicaid Office, headed by Sandra King-Young. Further, the governor’s approval...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com A delegation from the government is expected back in the territory early next week, after they conduct a site visit of the shipyard in Washington state, where the vessel to sail between the Manu’a island group, is being built. Among the members of the delegation are Manu’a District Governor Misaalefua Hudson, Port Administration engineer...
By Sgt. Vanessa Jimenez, 12th Marine Corps District MARINE CORPS RECRUITING STATION ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — Sgt. Kuuipo Trepanier is a Marine Corps canvassing recruiter with Recruiting Station Orange County, 12th Marine Corps District, but unlike the many Marines assigned to recruiting duty, she is located in American Samoa and is the first Marine recruiter there in approximately five years. “I originally...
Pink Eye epidemic appears to be on the decline says DoH By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com Three cases of pink eye have been recorded in Manu’a as the epidemic appears to be declining, with surveillance to continue for another week, while health officials are now focusing attention on a new virus called “chikungunya” — similar to dengue fever — that has surfaced...
Samoa takes the lead in undocumented residents By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com With a total of 2,466 undocumented residents in the territory, Samoa takes the lead with the highest number, 1,643 compared to residents from other countries who have applied for the Lolo administration’s amnesty program to make their immigration status legal. Second in line are 335 undocumented...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com With federal law requiring domestic workers in American Samoa to be paid at least the minimum wage, a federal labor investigator is working on getting the word out to the local community to ensure full compliance by employers, who are usually private home owners. “Domestic workers being entitled to get paid in accordance with federal labor law is...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com In a letter early this month, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga officially informed Congressman Faleomavaega Eni of his opposition to having a National Guard unit established in the territory under the auspices of the Hawai’i National Guard. Lolo is also concerned about Faleomavaega’s recommendation to make local Homeland Security Department director...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com The American Samoa Government wrongfully terminated for default the Whitehorn Construction Incorporation (WCI) contract that was awarded for the Airport Road Project. This was the ruling by the administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Toetagata Albert Mailo, issued earlier this week. WCI last year filed an appeal with the ALJ when ASG moved to terminate...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com The Lolo and Lemanu Administration did not honor a request made by the Commissioner of Public Safety, William Bill Haleck, when he recommended the appointment of Criminal Investigation Division Commander Lavat’ai Taase Sagapolutele as temporary Acting Deputy Commissioner. Instead, the Administration has appointed the Director of the Office of...
By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer Beginning on May 5th, the Trades and Technology Division (TTD) at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will begin its third eight-week semester in the Apprenticeship Workforce Development (AWD) program since its re-launching last year. The AWD provides training for both currently employed workers and job seekers to achieve enhanced and updated skills...
— and it's all for the kids By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com The American Samoa Shriners Club likes nothing better than to see a child smile, with the exception of seeing a child’s orthopedic condition corrected so that they can live the life a young person deserves. That’s why the American Samoa Shriners Club sponsors a golf tournament every year — to send...
By Jeff Hayner jeff@samoanews.com This year’s Island-Wide History Day Junior Division for grades 6-8 have picked the top three winners in each category for this year’s History Day. The announcement has not been made yet for the overall top winners in the Junior Division. That will not be made until Friday May 2 when they hand out the awards. The American Samoa Humanities Council,...
HONOLULU — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will hold a public hearing on the Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA) in waters surrounding American Samoa from 4 to 6 p.m. on May 3, 2014, at the Sadie's by the Sea conference room, in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The LVPA was initially established to support small-boat fisheries, such as the alia fleet. These vessels...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Executive Director of the Retirement Office, Luatua Filisouoaiga Taafua said that only three members of the board attended the annual Retirement meeting this year held in Chicago, as Senator Magalei Logovi’i did not attend due to a medical checkup. Luatua told Samoa News yesterday that Magalei earlier this month returned the $9,000 check...