Local News
![Newly confirmed chief procurement officer, Dr. Oreta Mapu Crichton during her Senate confirmation hearing last Friday. [photo: AF]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Crichton%200226.jpg?itok=YG-C43n_ "Newly confirmed chief procurement officer, Dr. Oreta Mapu Crichton during her Senate confirmation hearing last Friday. [photo: AF]")
The Fono has completed the confirmation process for the Lolo Administration’s cabinet appointees, who are now all officially confirmed in both the Senate and House as lawmakers are now on a three-week recess and reconvene on Mar. 15.
The latest endorsement came last Wednesday in the Senate with a...
![Coral bleaching is occurring in the territory and if it continues, there will be negative effects on reef functions, meaning threats to the local fish population. [photo: courtesy]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/white%20coral.jpg?itok=Qoz78ab5 "Coral bleaching is occurring in the territory and if it continues, there will be negative effects on reef functions, meaning threats to the local fish population. [photo: courtesy]")
Dozens of east side residents spent the majority of their weekend — two weekends ago — in the ocean, sifting through rocks looking for octopus and sea urchins. Fathers and sons were seen bonding as they cast their nets into the water, waiting for fish.
Some men came prepared, with goggles and a...
![Animal Balance in conjunction with Alofa Mo Meaola (AMM) and with the Department of Agriculture- Veterinary Clinic hosts free spay neuter services periodically. This photo is from a clinic last October. [photo: TG]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/spay%20clinic_9622.jpg?itok=bxpe3VAM "Animal Balance in conjunction with Alofa Mo Meaola (AMM) and with the Department of Agriculture- Veterinary Clinic hosts free spay neuter services periodically. This photo is from a clinic last October. [photo: TG]")
The Veterinary Clinic at ASG’s Department of Agriculture is honoring World Spay Day by offering free sterilization services for 25 cats and dogs in the territory. World Spay Day is on February 28, 2017.
World Spay Day draws attention to spay/neuter as a proven means of saving the lives of...
After an incident in which a man showed female students pornographic material, Fa’asao Marist High School principal Mapuleolo Kamo Koloi quickly took measures to ensure the safety of all students at the Catholic high school.
And the high school’s PTA president J. Victor Langkilde has called for “...
The government launched a clean up of two Eastern District villages over the weekend to try and rid the areas of breeding grounds for mosquitoes, as health officials revealed that dengue fever cases have started to go up.
And the last time the current dengue strain was seen in the territory was...
![Longline boats tied up at the wharf in Pago Pago harbor, [SN file photo]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Pelagic_AS_Longline-Boats-for-Sale_20140113_pci4.jpeg?itok=vB7D2LCC "Longline boats tied up at the wharf in Pago Pago harbor, [SN file photo]")
A federal judge in Honolulu has taken under advisement a motion for summary judgment by the Territory of American Samoa on its lawsuit over the action taken by the US National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) last year to reduce from 50 to 20 miles the Large Vessel Protected Area in waters of American...
![Senior Policy Specialist for the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) in Honolulu, HI Daniel Lin (center) is surrounded by five “storytellers” from Manu’a High School, who submitted stories and photographs as part of the Pacific Storytellers Cooperative. [photo: courtesy]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Dan%20and%20students_0.jpg?itok=Zir7F7Jq "Senior Policy Specialist for the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) in Honolulu, HI Daniel Lin (center) is surrounded by five “storytellers” from Manu’a High School, who submitted stories and photographs as part of the Pacific Storytellers Cooperative. [photo: courtesy]")
“Ta’u, Manu’a is called the “Island in the Sun” because we are actually using the sun to power our island, and it’s a rare opportunity for such a small place to have,” wrote Alphina Liusamoa, a Manu’a High School student who is part of the Manu’a Storytellers, a group of young people from the Manu’...
![[photo: Six84 Aerial]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/rotary%20pool.jpg?itok=Glt5EVE2 "[photo: Six84 Aerial]")
A recent aerial photo of the Rotary swimming pool project in Lions Park taken by Aaron Hall owner of Six84 Aerial, an FAA certified commercial drone operation with a certificate of approval to operate in proximity to the airport. Thanks Aaron for the fab photo.
BACKGROUND
While a competitive...
A high number of suspected dengue fever cases — with 7 confirmed though laboratory testing — has prompted a clean up of two villages in the Eastern District on the main island of Tutuila and health officials encourage people to keep their surroundings clean especially areas where mosquitoes breed....
![StarKist Samoa official Taotasi Archie Soliai; StarKist Co., vice president of corporate communication, Michelle Faist; and StarKist Samoa general manager C. Kwon, following a news conference in January at the StarKist Samoa headquarters. [photo: FS]](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/StarKist%206405_0.jpg?itok=dS5NdJtq "StarKist Samoa official Taotasi Archie Soliai; StarKist Co., vice president of corporate communication, Michelle Faist; and StarKist Samoa general manager C. Kwon, following a news conference in January at the StarKist Samoa headquarters. [photo: FS]")
During a Feb. 8 executive meeting, the Chamber of Commerce board of directors selected StarKist senior official Taotasi Archie Soliai as the organization’s new board chairman. Taotasi, a former lawmaker who served as the Chamber’s vice chair last year, thanked the board and members for the...