Archive - Jun 2012 - Article (News Story)

Although the American Samoa Under 19 Boys Baseball Team was downed for the second straight time in an exhibition match, they had a good rally, as they went up against the  St. George-Area High School Desert Hills Under 19 team at Dixie State’s Bruce Hurt Field in Utah. At games end, they were defeated by a score of 10-5.

The American Samoa Under 19 Football Team will be playing today in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Under 19 World Championships, against the reigning IFAF Under 19 World Champions, Team USA.

The game is to be aired live on KVZK and Island Info Channel 13 today at 2:00 p.m. American Samoa time and will be played in Austin, Texas at Burger Stadium. The American Samoa team is seeded last of the eight team field.

Samoan Prime Minister and president of the Samoa Rugby Union Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi did not mince words when he showed his disappointment at how the Manu Samoa one-off test against the touring Scotland team was controlled by the match officials. He also stated that an official complaint must be made to the IRB.

The American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority collected just over $4.77 million in revenue in the second quarter of fiscal year 2012 while total expenditures for the same quarter were just over $3.79 million, according to the semi autonomous agency’s second quarter performance report for the period of Jan.1-Mar. 31, 2012.

Chief Justice Michael Kruse, accompanied on the bench by Associate Judge Fa’amausili Pomele, has denied a dismissal motion in the case of Nikolao Fa’asala, a retired Post Office employee accused of stealing money and postage stamps belonging to the Post Office in 2009.

The defendant’s motion, filed by his lawyer Mark Ude last month, was heard in court yesterday morning. Fa’asala is charged with embezzlement, stealing and responsibility for the conduct of another to commit forgery. He’s out on bond of $5,000.

LAST RUGBY PLAYER SENTENCED IN ASSAULT CASE

Tautiaga Iuli aka Pelenato Pua aka ‘Misi’ aka ‘Barry’, one of the five rugby players charged in connection with the assault of a referee from Samoa during a rugby match last year, was sentenced yesterday in the High Court.

Sentencing for Tautiaga was handed down by Chief Justice Michael Kruse. Tautiaga was initially charged with first degree assault but pled guilty to second degree assault, reduced from the first degree charge following a plea deal with the government.  

Usual mail service will continue in the North Pacific after the United States Transportation Safety Agency withdrew a directive requiring all packages over 425 grams to be screened.

The measure was to affect the United States Postal Service, United Airlines and officials in the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia.

They lack of screening facilities forced an abrupt halt to package mail delivery, threatening the viability of local post offices and businesses.

The King of Tonga, Tupou the 6th, has urged Tongans to make their church feasts healthier and use traditional, local produce.

Opening the 89th annual conference of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in Nuku’alofa, the King also suggested that, during the event, he would like to see the number of meals each day halved, from 4 to 2.

The Reverend Dr ’Ahio was re-elected as President earlier this week.

In the Northern Marianas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a school principal for allegedly using a laptop to view child pornographic materials.

Thomas Weindl, 67, was taken to the U.S. District Court for the CNMI yesterday on charges of receipt of child pornography and accessing child pornography with intent to view.

According to the complaint, the Public School System-issued netbook was issued to the son of an FBI special agent.

The agent and his family were transferring to the U.S. mainland so he returned the netbook to Mr Weindl.

UTULEI,  American Samoa —Governor Togiola Tulafono on Thursday dedicated the passenger transit shelter at Aunu’u wharf as part of the Aunu’u Transit Shelter Project funded by the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Governor Togiola said the passenger shelter will provide a safe covered and comfortable area for people of Aunu’u as well as visitors to the island – a very beautiful and special part of American Samoa.

Governor’s Remarks