By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com Veronika Apulu Mortenson, Siiva Roe, and Gene Brighouse of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa were busy this past Saturday, entertaining the community and giving them a crash course in health and fitness during the one-year anniversary celebration of the NMSAS Wellness Program. In photos below, Ryan and Ursula from the ASCC-CNR flex their muscles after...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com The weather was perfect and the crowd was just right last Friday during the 60th Commencement Exercise for the American Samoa Community College. The event started with the usual procession, posting of colors, and an opening anthem performed by the ASCC concert choir. The invocation was delivered by Rev. Fa’atauva’a A. Talamoni who spoke about...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com The local Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS) in conjunction with Texas Engineer Extension Service is holding a two-day ‘Emergency Operations Center’s (EOC) Role in Community Cyber Security’ training course May 28 and 29 at the ASDHS headquarters in Tafuna. In a letter to local participants about the course, ASDHS director Utuali’i...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com After a busy, first-five months of the year (January to May) with 15 cruise ship, there are no ships scheduled to visit American Samoa for June and July. The last ship to call into the Port of Pago Pago was early this month and the next one is scheduled for Aug. 22 with the visit by Dawn Princess, arriving from French Polynesian for a day-visit and...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is gathering information for a probe into an incident early this month, when a Polynesian Airlines plane was forced to abort a landing at the Pago Pago International Airport. As previously reported by Samoa News, the incident occurred May 2 when the Polynesian flight executed a missed approached (or abort the...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com There were five tropical cyclones developed in the South Pacific regional during the recent hurricane season from November last year to April this year, according to officials with the local Department of Homeland Security. “American Samoa has officially ended its hurricane season and fortunately, we had near misses and we weren’t affected...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com The top three winners of the 2014 Islandwide Science Fair - Liana Gurr and Charu Joserose of Tafuna High School and Akash Sivakumar of South Pacific Academy - along with three other local students are at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in California. The event is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition that targets...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com “Isabella and Jeermiah” are the most popular baby names in American Samoa for 2013, according to the Social Security Administration, who made the announcement on Thursday. According to Public Affairs Specialist, Jane Yamamoto-Burigsay of the Social Security Administration office based in Honolulu, Hawai’i, the top five boys...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com Local boy Elijah Tavai, who has been a coach for Le Leo o Amerika Samoa Seasons 1 and 2, has been accepted to audition for “The Voice”, a nationally televised American reality singing competition that is judged by famous singing artists and composers, including Grammy Award winners Shakira and Usher. The Voice searches for new singers (solo or duets)...
By Radio New Zealand The Immigration Office in American Samoa detained five Indonesian fishermen this past week who refused to board their fishing vessel. Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale says they were brought in by an agent to work on fishing boats. He says the Immigration Office can issue permits to certain foreign nationals to enter American Samoa for the sole purpose of boarding a ship...
Qualifications of current ASG CPO called into question by WCI counsel By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com The Administrative Law Judge Toetagata Albert Mailo on Wednesday denied ASG’s move to reconsider in the case between ASG and Whitehorn Construction Company (WCI). ASG had claimed in their reconsideration motion that the ALJ had erred by allowing parol evidence admitted...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com Because of their U.S. ‘national’ status — as per the federal government — American Samoans living in any of the states or Washington D.C. are denied “many benefits and privileges” limited to U.S. citizens, according to former Interior Department senior official David P. Cohen. “These practical disadvantages demonstrate...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com An Ili’ili man is being held behind bars on bail of $30,000 on allegations that he assaulted his wife using a steak knife and small axe, and allegedly bit his wife on her back and held her against her will at his parents house. In the interest of protecting the victim in this case, Samoa News will not name the defendant in this matter....
Timeline for implementing Neighborhood Watch queried By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Close to ten homes have been burglarized this week in the Tafuna and Ottoville area where electronics, money, a bike and cells phones have been taken according to owners of the residences, who are highly concerned. The high numbers of burglaries that took place was confirmed by a police officer...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Territorial Administration on Aging (TAOA) director Tifimalae Ale has confirmed the date of when cooked food will be distributed to seniors instead of food vouchers, which was discontinued as of this month in order for American Samoa to comply with federal grantor regulations. Ale told a meeting yesterday at the TAOA Senior Citizen Center in Pago...
“Inappropriate to speculate” until field research is finished By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com American Samoa Power Authority CEO Utu Abe Malae says there is no certainty as to the source of amoebic dysentery contamination which is currently spreading — it could be tap water, rainwater, village water, leaky cesspools, bathrooms with no lavatories, food handling with contaminated...
Vietnam wants ASG to state in writing: Vietnam had no part in illegal act By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com The government of Vietnam is again requesting the American Samoa Government to provide an original letter on ASG letterhead stating that the territorial government owns the more than $1 million which was illegally wire-transferred from one of the ASG accounts at Bank of Hawai’i nearly...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com Tafuna High School history teacher Eden Brown is the territory’s newest singing sensation, after she was named the 2014 Le Leo o Amerika Samoa Season 2 winner this past Wednesday. Le Leo kicked off over two months ago with 24 contestants who battled it out every week for the past nine weeks. Those who were able to witness the program in person at the Fale...
Swears in most number of recruits in AS history By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com After making headlines last year for being the only recruiting station in the world to produce a 100% conversion, meaning all 29 recruits who swore-in passed their physical examinations, the local US Army recruiting station hit yet another milestone yesterday when it swore-in 51 locals to become Army Strong — the highest...
Once again, good hygiene the key to prevention By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com The Department of Health Medical Director, Tamasoali’i John Tufa says they suspect it’s contaminated water that is spreading the amoebic dysentery currently being seen at the hospital, because the cases being seen are scattered all over the island, they are not just from one village. ...