Archive - Mar 21, 2012 - Article (News Story)

CCCAS Fagatogo Youth community service at Hope House in Fatu-o-Aiga on Saturday March 17 — St. Patrick’s Day.

The group donated a variety of things such as food and clothes for the Hope House mission.

Federal prosecutors have filed with the federal court in Oakland, Calif., its sentencing recommendation for Julie Matau, former grant administrator of the now closed U’una’i Legal Service Corporation, and her daughter Andrea Matau, the office’s former legal assistant.

Last December, Julie Matau, 49, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and Andrea Matau, 28, pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of theft of federal funds.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono will be asking the Fono to amend the $3 million loan for the LBJ Medical Center so that after the loan from the Workmen’s Compensation Account is paid off by the new 2% wage tax, all revenues collected thereafter will be earmarked specifically for medicine and special supplies for the hospital.

Togiola made the revelation on his weekend radio program responding to a caller who inquired about this new wage tax, which is already being deducted from paychecks of government workers beginning with last week’s payroll.

CJ Floor Jr., who recently earned a Silver Medal at the African/Oceania Qualification Tournament representing American Samoa in the sport of wrestling last week in Morocco, will be returning home on this Thursday night’s flight, according to his father Carl Floor Sr.

The silver medal winner has qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, that will be taking place from this July 27-August 12.

The American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency is urging members of the public to report businesses who are still using the plastic shopping bags. That is the plea from AS-EPA’s counsel Nathan Mease who told Samoa News the importance of enforcing the ban on plastic shopping bags to protect American Samoa’s land and ocean environments.

Mease said the major issue AS-EPA is facing is that the stores are using plastic bags on weekends and after hours, when businesses know that EPA officers are off of work.

LAWSUIT AGAINST ASG FOR NEGLIGENCE AND WRONGFUL DEATH

The family of Rufo Alvear Jr., who died in 2010 while in ASG custody due to his immigration status, has filed a lawsuit against the American Samoa Government for negligence and wrongful death.

The detainee, Alvear Jr, was admitted to the LBJ hospital for several months due to multiple medical problems. Alvear suffered from diabetes, and lung and kidney failure.

The lawsuit was filed with the High Court earlier this month by Mark Ude who represents the family of the detainee.

Curtis Yandall of Pago Pago is denying the charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide against him in connection with the death of Darren Smith Tualaulelei on October 28, 2010.

Yandall was arraigned in High Court yesterday morning, after he waived his right to a preliminary examination hearing in the District Court Monday morning. He’s out on a surety bond of $7,500 which was reduced from the initial bail of $10,000. Pre-trial conference for Yandall has been scheduled for May 25, 2012.

Hawaiian Airlines will be adding a third weekly flight on Tuesdays between Honolulu and Pago Pago during the busy summer travel months. The Honolulu-based carrier will also adjust the Sunday flight to a Monday flight in July. 

The airline says the third weekly flight will operate on Tuesdays from June 5 to August 21 to “accommodate increased travel demand” between Pago Pago and Honolulu during the peak summer period.

PAGO PAGE, AS — Velleros, the leading provider of mass notification and content delivery for regional wireless carriers, has announced that Blue Sky Communications is deploying the Velleros Aggregation and Syndication Technology (VASTtm) platform in compliance with the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) initiative for providing alert delivery.

The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) is promoting and supporting the Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which is in March,” said the Community Trainer for the UCEDD, Paulia Pao-Pelenato.