Local News
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — One of the three former Western Union (WU) employees accused of stealing is going to jail.
Judy Leilua Tautalaga, 41, from Samoa who has resided in the territory since she was a baby, was ordered by the High Court this week to serve 28 months at the Territorial...
![Congresswoman Aumua Amata with North Park University graduates Stephen B. Maifea and Leuatea I. Fai’ai. Amata personally presented the two graduates with their diplomas, honoring their achievements. Samoa News congratulates both graduates and wishes them success into the future. [photo: courtesy]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/amata_with_graduates.jpg?itok=6O6Vybbw "Congresswoman Aumua Amata with North Park University graduates Stephen B. Maifea and Leuatea I. Fai’ai. Amata personally presented the two graduates with their diplomas, honoring their achievements. Samoa News congratulates both graduates and wishes them success into the future. [photo: courtesy]")
Washington, D.C. — This past Saturday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata had the opportunity to join a group of American Samoan students and their families at North Park University in Chicago, and was happy to present two graduates with their diplomas in the ceremony, and congratulate them upon their...
![DPS Lt. Siaosi Aiono (left) and Police Officer Emanuele Lito (right) [Samoa News photos]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/sex_abuse_cops.jpg?itok=b5UZ8HsC "DPS Lt. Siaosi Aiono (left) and Police Officer Emanuele Lito (right) [Samoa News photos]")
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The government is charging the two DPS senior police officers accused of sexually harassing two female cops. This was confirmed to Samoa News by a reliable source. One of the cops is on-island; the other has resigned and left for Australia.
Samoa News did not seek any...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man whose name appeared on a package that was sent through the Post Office last month in which Customs agents found marijuana, was arrested by police last week.
Fiatupu Tavai, a former Customs agent is being charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana...
![Smugglers beware! Treasury Department's Customs Division has a new trio of "super sniffers" on the prowl. The four-legged agents are the newest members of the Customs K9 unit, which monitors the territory's points of entry. Prior to the trio's arrival last month, Customs only had a set of 4 drug-sniffing dogs. But now they have Kely, specializing in sniffing out firearms; Kinga, trained to detect explosives; and Ruca, a golden retriever trained to sniff out illegal drugs. [photo: Blue Chen-Fruean]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/k9_group.jpg?itok=axaKWKnz "Smugglers beware! Treasury Department's Customs Division has a new trio of \"super sniffers\" on the prowl. The four-legged agents are the newest members of the Customs K9 unit, which monitors the territory's points of entry. Prior to the trio's arrival last month, Customs only had a set of 4 drug-sniffing dogs. But now they have Kely, specializing in sniffing out firearms; Kinga, trained to detect explosives; and Ruca, a golden retriever trained to sniff out illegal drugs. [photo: Blue Chen-Fruean]")
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Customs Division of the Treasury Department is going through some changes that onlookers are describing as "positive" and a "sign of more great things to come."
Over the past two months, the two highest positions at Customs have been filled — one by someone from...
![Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga [SN file photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/govlolo_0766_0.jpg?itok=rKAQCPGz "Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga [SN file photo]")
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has requested ASG entities to assist their employees who work part time for Hawaiian Airlines with their work schedule as the airline has temporarily retimed flights in and out of Pago Pago to Tuesday and Friday mornings.
The change in Hawaiian'...
![Bruckner Chase during a visit to American Samoa in Sept. 2017. [SN file photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/chase_nuts.jpg?itok=SwGvvL2i "Bruckner Chase during a visit to American Samoa in Sept. 2017. [SN file photo]")
Ocean City, NJ & Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Professional Ocean Athlete and Ambassador for Oceans and Coasts, Bruckner Chase - Uila o le Sami, who swam from Aunu’u to Pago Pago in 2011 is returning to American Samoa May 11 prior to the summer release of an innovative new NOAA National Weather...
![Organizer Doris Tulifau (right) celebrates after the conclusion of a successful Poetry Slam at ASCC in late April. Joining her are guest speaker Sala Pa’au (left) and Sina Auva’a Hudson of the ASCC Student Services Division. The Poetry Slam, which featured students from ASCC and local high schools, went by the theme “Embrace Your Voice” to empower young people to speak out about domestic and sexual violence. [photo: J. Kneubuhl]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ascc_poetry_slam.jpg?itok=MZyn7LjG "Organizer Doris Tulifau (right) celebrates after the conclusion of a successful Poetry Slam at ASCC in late April. Joining her are guest speaker Sala Pa’au (left) and Sina Auva’a Hudson of the ASCC Student Services Division. The Poetry Slam, which featured students from ASCC and local high schools, went by the theme “Embrace Your Voice” to empower young people to speak out about domestic and sexual violence. [photo: J. Kneubuhl]")
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Local advocacy group the Alliance for Strengthening Families, in collaboration with the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) Student Services Division and Health & Human Services Department, organized a “poetry slam” in late April at the College that went by the...
![Lt. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga addressing DPS officers and personnel at the Fagatogo Malae yesterday morning during the official opening of Police Week in American Samoa. [photo: AF]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/lemanu_w-_dps_0080.jpg?itok=5v8BH8EU "Lt. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga addressing DPS officers and personnel at the Fagatogo Malae yesterday morning during the official opening of Police Week in American Samoa. [photo: AF]")
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Department of Public Safety personnel, including cops and the Fire Bureau, took part in a parade yesterday morning at the Fagatogo Malae, to mark the beginning of this year's Police Week activities.
Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Peleti Mauga was present and delivered briefs...
![Former Public Defender, Douglas Fiaui [SN file photo]]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/doug_fiaui_0432_0.jpg?itok=wmAh3ACk "Former Public Defender, Douglas Fiaui [SN file photo]]")
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Public Defender Douglas Fiaui has dismissed claims that he is on vacation, saying he is on leave approved by Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga and permitted by federal leave law. He handed in his resignation letter last week.
Samoa News had previously reported that Fiaui is...