Archive - May 13, 2012 - Article (News Story)

Gov. Togiola Tulafono was honored Thursday night by the Boy Scouts of America, American Samoa District with the Distinguished Citizen Award, one of the highest honors awarded by the program.

During the ceremony, held at Tradewinds Hotel, Rep. Larry Sanitoa, chairman of the American Samoa District. Aloha Council, told the gathering that this is the first ever Distinguished Citizen Award presented by the Boy Scouts since its establishment in American Samoa years ago.

Many American Samoans are taking recent reports about our community’s high rate of obesity and resulting diabetes and heart disease seriously.  This is evidenced by the increased number of walkers at the OMV, the increase in physical activity at Lion’s Park playgrounds, the success of the ‘Biggest Loser’ program and development of initiatives like ‘Fit 4 Life’.

 A 23 year old youth from American Samoa will spend the next year and a half of his life in the Holy Land, serving in Israel. Mr. Kennedy Richard Nofoagatoto’a of Ili’ili will depart the territory this Sunday, to start his service at the Bahá'í Faith World Center on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.

Theresa Togia (R) -pictured here with Business and Professional Women of American Samoa president Jennifer Joneson - is the BPW scholarship recipient for 2011-2012.

Theresa is a 2005 graduate of Tafuna High School who applied for the scholarship with a winning essay, and she said afterword that she considered the win "a miracle" and "wonderful". 

The young man who touched people’s hearts both here and in Hawaii has died, just one week after arriving in American Samoa and on the day that Hawaii schools designated as TeeJay Mamea Day.

Tiloi TeeJay Mamea, Jr. lost his battle with brain cancer and passed away in American Samoa Friday morning, May 11, 2012— but not before he realized one of the wishes on his ‘bucket list’— to meet his grandfather for the first time, here in American Samoa.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. –The Western Union Company, a leader in global payment services, last week announced it has opened the 500,000th Agent location through which it provides its expanding portfolio of financial services.  The network spans more than 200 countries and territories, and is a centerpiece of Western Union’s strategy to provide mainstream financial services – either cash, card or digitally-based – to underserved consumers and businesses globally.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- First lady Michelle Obama is honoring military mothers and wives for being "outstanding role models" for their children, communities and country.

The first lady and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, hosted an afternoon tea at the White House on Thursday to recognize the mothers. The tea celebrated both Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Mother's Day.

DETROIT-AREA PASTOR CAN'T TESTIFY ABOUT TEEN'S CONFESSION

DETROIT (AP) - The Michigan appeals court says prosecutors can't use a pastor's testimony in a sexual assault case.

The court said Wednesday that the testimony would violate a state law that protects communications between clergy and church members. Prosecutors say Samuel Bragg, as a teenager, confessed to the pastor of Metro Baptist Church in Belleville about a 2007 assault of a 9-year-old girl.

SEATTLE (AP) -- A video featuring cancer-stricken children, their nurses, doctors and parents lip-synching and dancing to the popular Kelly Clarkson song "Stronger" has become an online sensation.

Clarkson, in her own video message to the children at Seattle Children's Hospital, said it was "amazing."