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Community Briefs

LBJ HOSPITAL BUSY DURING THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

 

A woman collapsed at the Tafuna International Airport and a youngster was hit by a vehicle during the long Thanksgiving Day weekend. Both were transported to the LBJ Emergency Room for medical assistance.

 

In addition, three people were admitted to the LBJ Medical Center after an aiga bus collided with a four door sedan in the Utulei/Gataivai area. No fatalities were reported.

 

Samoa News understands that representatives from the Dept. of Human and Social Services were contacted regarding the case of the child who was hit by a car.

 

According to sources, when asked by the doctors what happened to the child, the parents made it seem as if it were a ‘hit and run’ case. However, the story wasn’t adding up, so DHSS officials were called in.

 

Speculations are that the incident was a result of a family dispute. Sources say that family members who were arguing with the parents hit the child with the vehicle but the parents were trying to cover it up.

 

As of press time, it is unclear if the Dept. of Public Safety has been notified of the incident. The child in question suffered multiple scratches and bruises.

 

POLY AIR WILL CONTINUE AIR SERVICE TO MANU’A

 

The Samoa government owned Polynesian Airlines has been given the green light to continue to provide American Samoa’s domestic flights, but — as before — approval is for only 30-days and can be extended.

 

Polynesian’s last cabotage exemption waiver issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation expired yesterday (Nov. 30). Prior to the expiration, the airline last month filed a new application with USDOT to continue serving the Manu’a islands for another 90-days, beginning Dec. 1, 2014.

 

In a Nov. 26 decision, USDOT assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, Susan L. Kurland, says the request is granted for a period of 30 days—Dec. 1- Dec. 30, or until five days after a U.S. carrier initiates intra-American Samoa passenger operations, whichever occurs first.

 

Inter Island Air’s plane has been out of service since the summer with the engine in need of a complete overhaul; while, another local airline is said to be getting ready to serve the Manu’a islands soon.

 

DIOCESE RAFFLE A HUGE SUCCESS

 

The Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago held last Thursday its biggest fundraiser of the year and local church headquarters at Fatuoaiga was flooded with Catholics and community members, all anxious to see if they could score one of the prizes, totaling $280,000.

 

The grand prize of $75,000 was up for grabs and went to a book that was sold by the Futiga Parish.

 

The winning number for the second prize of $50,000 had to be pulled three times and went to a ticket holder from Afono (Lepua Parish), as the first two draws revealed ticket numbers — both from the Aua Maria Fatima Parish - that were unpaid.

 

Interestingly, Aua Parish did net the most winning tickets, claiming four out of the 15 total prizes that ranged from $75,000 all the way to $5,000.

 

Preliminary reports state that the Diocese profited an estimated $1 million, money that will be used to upgrade the local Catholic schools, assist with the tuition of local seminarians studying off island, and other church projects.

 

Meanwhile, an assessment of the local Catholic school system is ongoing, with Brother Donald Texeiria (former head of the Marist Brothers School in Atu’u) and Brother Kevin currently on island, per a request from Bishop Peter Hugh Brown. The assessment includes the overall condition of the classrooms, campus grounds, and the curriculum.