Archive - May 7, 2012 - Article (News Story)

Tafuna Baptist Church has started a new softball league for young girls, called ‘Middle School Girls Softball, that will be played at the Tony Solaita Field on Saturday mornings. The league began last Saturday.

“Tafuna Baptist wanted to give back to the community and that is why we started this softball league for girls in grades 5- 8. With the help of Brandon Smart, Clayton ‘Boom’ Mahuka and Colin Bode, we were able to get it off the ground and going,” said Brian Smart of the Middle School Girls Softball League.

APIA, Samoa — A narcotics raid at Faleatiu early Monday morning (Samoa time) has left three Police officers injured and a Faleatiu man dead.

According to Police Commissioner Lilomaiava Fou Taioalo, the officers were in the lead vehicle and went down in the initial hail of gunfire from unknown assailants.

“Police countered and the immediate priority was to retrieve the fallen officers. The order was also given to the squad to pull back. We did not want to escalate the situation,” he said.

The Missouri state Attorney General has sued Samoan man, Calliope ‘Ope’ R. Saaga, and his tour and travel company, to recover some $360,000 paid by a high school band to travel this summer to Hawai’i, a service which was never provided.

The nine-page lawsuit, filed last Friday at the Greene County circuit court in Missouri, identified Saaga’s company as Present America Tours, LLC based in Saratoga Springs, Utah, which is the same address given for Saaga.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono has called on residents of the territory to maintain peace and harmony during their campaigns, instead of carrying out disgraceful actions that are disrespectful to American Samoa’s democratic election process.

The governor’s statement came as the result of more reports coming from members of various campaign committees who are still faced with problems pertaining to their campaign signs being damaged, defaced or vandalized.

FEMALE DRUG DEFENDANT ENTERS GUILTY PLEA

A female drug defendant in her 20’s charged in connection for alleged unlawful possession of marijuana and escaping from police custody has entered into a plea agreement with the government.

Keihana Talaese of Fagatogo appeared before Chief Justice Michael Kruse, Chief Associate Judge Logoai Siaki and Associate Judge Fa’amausili Pomele last Friday for her change of plea.

After many incidents occurring on the premises of Tafuna High School, with the last incident seeing a teacher hospitalized due to injuries from a fight within the school, THS principal Lentoy Matagi has hired a female security guard and four safety patrol officers to oversee the campus.

Matagi told Samoa News that given the countless incidents — mainly fighting and students going off campus without — the school needed more security.

Candidate for governor, Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga told supporters over the weekend that it’s insulting and wrong to publicly state that the only problem with the LBJ Medical Center is money.

Lolo’s comments were also supported by his running mate, candidate for lieutenant governor Sen. Lemanu Peleti Sialega Mauga, who said the health care system in the territory is in “crisis” due to poor management.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (AP) -- Several hundred people have taken part in a paddle-out in front of Junior Seau’s Southern California home to pay tribute to the former NFL linebacker.

The Los Angeles Times reports that participants at Sunday’s seaside memorial included Seau’s former teammate Drew Brees, who played quarterback for the San Diego Chargers when Seau was the star linebacker.

The 43-year-old Seau committed suicide Wednesday at his home in Oceanside.

Seau was an avid surfer who was often seen riding the waves in front of his home.

Today, American Samoa will witness out in the open waters of the Pacific, a large amount of fishing vessels, arriving this past Saturday and yesterday, for this year’s 13th Steinlager International I’a Lapo’a Tournament.

The tournament’s major sponsors are Steinlager and the American Samoa Visitors Bureau, in conjunction with the Pago Pago Game Fishing Association —and they would like to welcome our guests from Samoa and New Zealand to the event.

When Alan Lara touched down in American Samoa, he was looking for a fresh start. Bluesky Communications, a subsidiary of Miami-based eLandia, had agreed to pay the Mexican engineer and his fiancée to move to the tiny U.S. territory from their home in Guatemala. But months later Lara was abruptly fired, and he says the company stripped him and his girlfriend of their apartment, car, and cell phones. Suddenly, American Samoa transformed from a tropical paradise into a prison cell.