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ILALIO FALANI

O se fa’alavelave na tula’i mai i Laulii i le vaiaso ua mavae, ua tu’uaia ai nei le alii o Ilalio Falani i le umia o se aupega.

I faamaumauga a le faamasinoga o lo o taua ai e faapea, ao i ai le alii leoleo suesue o Det. Ioane Paselio i luma o le faleoloa o le JS Mart i Laulii, sa ia faalogoina ai se pao tele, ma ona  vaaia ni “fireworks” i luga o le ea, na toe lagona e le alii leoleo seisi pa’o, sa ia masalomia o se fana sa faapa e se tagata.

O se ali’i ma lana paga sa la’ua manatu e fa’amata’u Stevie Wonder the tama pese tauaso, ua mae’a faia le fa’ai’uga a le fa’amasinoga ia i la’ua nei, ina ia fa’afalepuipuia i le 292 aso  i le falepuipui Los Angeles e tusa ai ma se tala tusia i le Associated Press.

The Fa’asao Marist Cougars made it to the American Samoa High School Athletic Association (ASHSAA) Girls Softball Championship game, by defeating the Leone Lions 9- 8, this past Saturday in the playoffs. The Cougars who are seeded #2 in these playoffs, were able to down the #3 seeded Lions in perhaps one of the most exciting games of the season, that saw good hitting and better than average fielding.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono now appears to be blaming the Fono for the government’s failure to pay its utility debt, which is edging towards $10 million.

An ASPA one-page report to the Fono  states that as of Sept. 11 — total outstanding and current — owed by ASG is $10.49 million and of this total $8.74 million is outstanding: current for ASG; $631,359 includes outstanding and current for ASCC; and $1.11 million is outstanding and current for LBJ hospital.

The American Samoa government owes just over $900,000 in overtime pay to workers for the past two fiscal years and Gov. Togiola Tulafono has submitted for Fono review and approval a proposed appropriation bill to pay this amount as soon as possible, or ASG will be subject to further federal actions and penalties.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s investigation into possible underpayment of working hours and non payment of overtime for ASG and LBJ Medical Center first surfaced late last year when medical center officials revealed the federal probe during a House hearing.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono wanted to meet at 8 a.m. today with members of both the Senate and House at the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium for discussions on any issues which are not clear to the Fono.

However, Fono leaders say they prefer such a gathering tomorrow. The current session of the 32nd Legislature officially ends Oct. 3, this Wednesday, but the governor is concerned about the many administration bills left pending without Fono action.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) maintains its stand that the civil action suit against the American Samoa Government stems from an ASG wide policy of pushing older workers to retire through adverse action and harassment — thereby violating the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

FEMALE ATTACKER JAILED FOR SIX MONTHS

Natasha Uia has been sentenced to serve six months in jail as a condition of her five year probation, in connection with an assault last month in Pava’ia’i.

Uia, a 20- year old female was facing charges of second-degree assault, public peace disturbance and underage possession of an alcoholic beverage. 

However in a plea agreement with the government, the defendant pleaded guilty to second degree assault while the government dismissed the remaining charges. 

Candidate for governor Tim Jones and running mate, candidate for lieutenant governor Tuika Tuika will share this week with the Chamber of Commerce the gubernatorial team’s economic development platform.

Chamber chairman David Robinson said Saturday this will be the fifth gubernatorial team to address the business association and private sector on issues pertaining to economic development as a new administration will be taking over leadership of the territorial government come January next year.

With campaign committees pushing voter registration in their own camps, the Election Office is hoping for more than 18,000 registered voters in the Nov. 6 general election, which has an historically high number of candidates, including the gubernatorial race, says Chief Election Officer Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono.