Local News
![Commissioner of Public Safety Lei Sonny Thompson. [SN file photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Lei_0413_0.jpg?itok=1ImjP4sc "Commissioner of Public Safety Lei Sonny Thompson. [SN file photo]")
Commissioner of Public Safety Lei Sonny Thompson is taking issue with KHJ’s story about Judge Fiti Sunia ordering a gun carrying police officer to remove himself and his weapon from court.
KHJ News asked Commissioner Le’i for his reaction to what happened in District Court with several questions...
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) concluded its three-day meeting Thursday in Lihue, Kauai, with a suite of recommendations on managing fisheries in Hawai'i, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (...
Hundreds of local residents looking to score even the slightest amount of palolo last week went home disappointed — and soaking wet — as the worm did not rise as predicted last Thursday evening, the seventh night following the full moon, which is generally when the palolo spawns every year.
Locals...
A local businessman is questioning the way the Vice & Narcotics Unit is carrying out their duties, after District Court Judge Fiti Sunia last week dismissed two traffic citations issued to him by police officers from the Unit.
The two citations issued to Apelu Jr Milo and dismissed by the court...
![Amata chairs hearing last week in Congress. [courtesy photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Amata%20Chairs%20Hearing%20This%20Week%20in%20Congress.jpg?itok=7NvY6lVi "Amata chairs hearing last week in Congress. [courtesy photo]")
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Aumua Amata released a Public Comment letter to the U.S. Department of Justice and the overseeing judge, to urge them to strongly consider legal precedents potentially allowing parties to the DOJ-Starkist Consent Decree to agree to set aside funds to the benefit of...
While ASG retirees are still awaiting news of any possible increase in the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in the near future, the US Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a 2% COLA hike for its recipients last Friday morning.
“Such great news, great news,” said one local beneficiary,...
![[photo: courtesy]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Audrey%20and%20Samoa%20Air.jpg?itok=tkb7toaH "[photo: courtesy]")
Audrey English, who was born at the LBJ Medical Center in Fagaalu, discovered her love of music at a young age. While living in Maui, HI, she started writing and recording music in her bedroom. She and her family have since relocated to Las Vegas, NV.
Audrey's mother Ane, told Samoa News last week...
![In this Oct. 10, 2017 file photo Ernie Haleck (middle) - the lead instructor in Firearms and Tactics for the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) and DPS in American Samoa - briefing local police officers, on the last day of a 2-week training course that certifies them to carry weapons. [photo: AF]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/cops%20n%20guns_0933_0.jpg?itok=2WNnN8to "In this Oct. 10, 2017 file photo Ernie Haleck (middle) - the lead instructor in Firearms and Tactics for the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) and DPS in American Samoa - briefing local police officers, on the last day of a 2-week training course that certifies them to carry weapons. [photo: AF]")
There are a lot of concerns from Fono members — and also complaints from the community — in seeing some police officers, including the Police Commissioner, carrying weapons while performing their duties; but Senator Fa’amausili Mau Jr. supports the move by Le'i to arm police.
“It’s in the law,” Fa’...
![Unutoa Auelua Fonoti [Photo: supplied via RNZI]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_Unutoa_Fonoti.jpg?itok=OKsbCipE "Unutoa Auelua Fonoti [Photo: supplied via RNZI]")
Samoa's telecommunications regulator is meeting with mobile phone service providers from American Samoa this weekend to try to fix signal interference on the eastern side of Samoa's Upolu island.
The regulator Unutoa Auelua Fonoti said the interference has been causing problems since May.
She said...
![Luki Te'etai Tuitasi and the crew from Public Works are preparing the area in front of the Jean P. Hayden Museum, for the construction of a new 2-story structure that will provide more storage, office and display space for the Jean P. Hayden Museum. See story for details. [photo: Blue Chen-Fruean]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/museum.jpg?itok=Xq8UVAAu "Luki Te'etai Tuitasi and the crew from Public Works are preparing the area in front of the Jean P. Hayden Museum, for the construction of a new 2-story structure that will provide more storage, office and display space for the Jean P. Hayden Museum. See story for details. [photo: Blue Chen-Fruean]")
The Jean P. Hayden Museum will be getting a much-needed facelift.
While the original building will remain intact, a new extension that will feature a two-story structure will be built on the side where the old restrooms, a carving area, and storage rooms were housed many years ago.
Governor Lolo...