Archive - Mar 2012

Gov. Togiola Tulafono is scheduled today to address a joint Fono session to discuss the financial crisis faced by the LBJ Medical Center. It is the reason he called the current special session, and he plans to defend the three administration bills he has proposed for the hospital.

The joint session with the governor, who is expected to also provide new financial information pertaining to the hospital, was announced yesterday during the respective House and Senate sessions.

Former grant administrator of the now closed U’una’i Legal Service Corporation has been ordered by the federal court in Oakland, Calif., to report in May to a designated federal detention center to start serving out her jail term after being sentenced yesterday.

March... the month matches up with springtime, Dimes, even Madness; it’s also the time for Samoa News to officially announce our “Dizzy Dollars” promotion full of prizes —and surprises— as we team up once again with local businesses to sponsor our popular bidding competition. 

“Dizzy Dollars” promises some great prizes that are bound to make you sit up and take notice. There will be “something there for everyone” according to Samoa News staff.

One of two men charged for the beating of a Caucasian man while he was sleeping on his yacht has entered into a plea agreement with the government. Jason Muasau yesterday pled guilty to first-degree assault and burglary in the first degree while government moved to dismiss the felonious restraint and resisting arrest counts. The victim was in his 70s.

Co-defendant Vatia Tugaga is scheduled to appear in court next week for the plea agreement they have made with the government.

An arrest of a woman over the weekend by police was made somewhat difficult due to alleged interference by a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office.

Court filings state that police were responding to a call from the Bowling Alley regarding “a drunk Samoan lady causing trouble” at a club inside the building on Saturday evening.

The Department of Public Safety is putting all efforts into the search for a man who was reported missing since March 13, 2012. Family members of Fa’afetai Tuinei filed the missing persons complaint with police on March 19, 2012.

Thirty-year old 49ers starting nose tackle, Isaac Sopo’aga of Fagasa spent three days in the territory with his wife, Tumua to attend the dedication ceremony of the new Fealofani Samoa lll fautasi and to connect with families.  Sopo’aga’s dad is Tupuola Sopo’aga.

Sopo’aga said he and wife Tumua, who is from the village of Leone enjoyed their short stay with families, friends and people of his village.

Pacific Island youths who have been born outside the Pacific or who have migrated to countries such as New Zealand, Australia or the United States, are much more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, a study has found.

Dr Siale Foliaki, New Zealand's first Tongan consultant psychiatrist, was involved in the study.

He spoke to Radio Australia's Pacific Beat about the mental health issues young Pacific Island migrants faces.

Fiji's military regime has seized management control of Air Pacific, but denies it is nationalising the airline at the expense of minority shareholders including Qantas and Air New Zealand.

Air Pacific is 51 per cent state-owned, with Qantas, Air New Zealand and other Pacific states holding shares.

Military dictator Voreqe Bainimarama has imposed a military decree that he says will make Fiji comply with international conventions on aviation.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court signaled Wednesday that it could throw out other key parts of President Barack Obama's health care law if it first finds the individual insurance requirement unconstitutional.

On the third and last day of arguments, the justices appeared to accept the administration's argument that at least two important insurance changes are so closely tied to the insurance requirement that they could not survive without it.