A Section Wed 02-26-14
Transcription
A Section Wed 02-26-14
Buckle up! Fatalities CraSHES 0 LOCAL HIGHWAYS 01-01-14 to date Smiling faces from our local female weight lifters after their training this week, in preparation for the Oceania weightlifting tournament in New Caledonia from May 25-31, 2014. The tourney is a qualifier for the Continental Youth Olympics to be held in China in August, this year. See story inside sports sec[photo: AF] tion today. 134 LOCAL HIGHWAYS 01-01-14 to date office of highway safety Couple stumbles upon $10 Million in rare gold coins… 8 C M Y K E le o fai fa’atoaga uma e mana’omia laisene pisinisi… 9 online @ samoanews.com Daily Circulation 7,000 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA Wednesday, February 26, 2014 $1.00 Draft GAO report — Governor Lolo falls ill, now strong opposition to recovering at GWU Hospital wage hike continues by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu Samoa News Reporter From 2007- 2012: local prices rose about 5% more than average annual earnings by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent C M Y K The American Samoa Government and the private sector have maintained their opposition to future mandated minimum wage hikes, but some in the business community say the government has also failed to foster new economic development for the territory, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office “draft” report on the impact on minimum wage on American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The draft report is now being sent to officials of the two territories for comments to be included in the final report due to the U.S. Congress in April this year — well before the next minimum wage hike would become effective — Sept. 30, 2015. GAO officials, who met last November with the Chamber of Commerce and other local officials, made clear the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress does not provide in the final report any recommendations on the minimum wage issue, as that is left to Congress. And in this draft report, as has been the case in previous GAO minimum wage impact reports, there are no recommendations. The report does show that the total number of employees in American Samoa — based on ASG tax and GAO questionnaire data — increased 1.5% from 2011 to 2012 (from 15,552 to 15,790). However, employment declined 11% (from 17,791 to 15,790, with a peak of 19,340 in 2008) between 2007 and 2012. For “earnings”, the draft report states that analysis based on American Samoa taxes, the GAO questionnaire, and consumer price data show that from 2011 to 2012 average inflation-adjusted earnings of those employed in American Samoa fell by 2%. For the overall period from 2007 to 2012, average inflationadjusted earnings fell by about 4 percent while average annual earnings rose about 28 percent. However, local prices rose by about 33 percent. The inflation-adjusted earnings of minimum wage cannery workers, who retained their jobs and work hours fell by about 4 percent from 2011 to 2012 and by about 5 percent from 2007 to 2012, it says and noted the cannery is the largest private employer in the territory. Questionnaire responses from the tuna canning industry show that their employment of hourly workers dropped by 13 percent from 2012 to 2013 and by 58 percent from 2007 to 2013. Samoa News should point out that this is only a draft report, therefore other specific data for earnings, the economy and other issues will be withheld until the final report is released. (Continued on page 14) Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga, 64, is recovering well in the Medical Ward at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC since his admission last Friday, Feb. 21, 2014. The governor had flown to Washington DC to attend several meetings, including one with President Barack Obama. He was also to attend the National Governor’s Association (NGA) Winter Meeting as well as the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs (IGIA) meetings. During a press conference, called yesterday afternoon, Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who is the Acting Governor, while Lolo is offisland, said the governor arrived in Washington DC on Feb. 20, 2014, but was hospitalized the next day. “This was due to an unforeseen illness and he was admitted to George Washington Hospital for observation,” said Lemanu. As of yesterday he was still in the hospital, “doing fine and recovering very well since Friday last week,” Lemanu stated. Samoa News notes the governor is reported to have attended a meeting with the US Treasury to discuss the territory’s Small Business Credit Initiative Application, which is still being reviewed, according to a press release, dated Friday, Feb. 21st. It would seem then, the governor was hospitalized sometime after this meeting took place. A media release, received yesterday, Tuesday, Feb. 25th, noted the governor, due to an illness, was unable to attend the IGIA meetings and was represented by American Samoa’s Attorney General, Talauega Eleasalo V. Ale. The same press release also said Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin did not attend the IGIA meetings either, and was represented by Chief Counsel Ta’afili Sagapolutele (Continued on page 14) Yesterday, February 25 was World Spay Day 2014, and in American Samoa the day was honored with a free Spay and Neuter clinic held at the Pavilion in Fagatogo. [photo: th] See story inside for schedule of locations and times. Page 2 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 For your island gifts & handicraft shopping, visit TURTLE & SHARK SSE Fagaima Center One Suite 201/Upstairs, above Island Image. We sell E’lei, Pisi Sami shirts, Turtle & Shark shirts, Turtles (no sharks) island gifts, island jewelry and more. ALL PUZZLE ANSWERs on page 14 NEWS IN BRIEF Pro-Russian rally in Crimea decries Kiev ‘bandits’ SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine (AP) — Dozens of pro-Russian protesters rallied Tuesday in this Crimean Peninsula city, bitterly denouncing politicians in Kiev who are trying to form a new government, with some even calling for secession from Ukraine. A Russian lawmaker stoked their passions by promising that Moscow will protect them. “Russia, save us!” they chanted. The outburst of pro-Russian sentiment in the strategic peninsula on the Black Sea, home to a Russian naval base, came amid fears of economic collapse for Ukraine as the fractious foes of President Viktor Yanukovych failed to reach agreement on forming a new national government and said the task of assigning posts could not be completed before Thursday. While Ukraine’s politicians struggled to reorganize themselves in Kiev, a Russian flag had replaced the Ukrainian flag in front of the city council building in Sevastopol, 500 miles (800 kilometers) to the south of the capital. An armored personnel carrier and two trucks full of Russian troops made a rare appearance on the streets, vividly demonstrating Russian power in this port city where the Kremlin’s Black Sea Fleet is based. Some called on Moscow to protect them from the movement that drove Yanukovych from the capital three days ago. “Bandits have come to power,” complained Vyacheslav Tokarev, a 39-year-old construction worker. “I’m ready to take arms to fight the fascists who have seized power in Kiev.” APNewsBreak — Asiana Airlines penalized over crash LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the first penalty of its kind, federal transportation officials on Tuesday docked Asiana Airlines $500,000 for failing to promptly contact passengers’ families and keep them informed about their loved ones after a deadly crash last year at San Francisco International airport. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it took the South Korean airline five days to contact the families of all 291 passengers. In addition, a required crash hotline was initially routed to an automated reservations line. Never before has the department concluded that an airline broke U.S. laws requiring prompt and generous assistance to the loved ones of crash victims. Three people died and dozens were injured on July 6 when Asiana Flight 214 clipped a seawall while landing. One of the victims, a 16-year-old girl, apparently survived being ejected onto the tarmac, only to be run over by a fire truck in the post-crash confusion. Many of the families live in South Korea or China, meaning the airline was their main source of information on the crash half a world away. Toronto mayor says he’s off drugs, hits gym daily TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says he no longer uses illegal drugs, goes to the gym every day and doesn’t drink as much as he used to. Ford told NBC’s “Today” show that while he has had a few drinks since the show’s host Matt Lauer interviewed him in November, it hasn’t been “to the point of some of the episodes before.” The interview comes a month after a video surfaced showing Ford inebriated at a restaurant, rambling in a Jamaican accent and using profanity. The mayor admitted he had been drinking that night, saying, “maybe you’re perfect, but I’m not.” Ford is running for re-election this year, despite admitting last fall to smoking crack cocaine while in office. He told Lauer that he was only experimenting with illegal drugs. Navy relieves commander of grounded ship WASHINGTON (AP) — The commander of the U.S. Navy ship that ran aground while deployed near the Olympics has been relieved of his command. Navy officials in Europe issued a statement Tuesday saying Cmdr. Dennis Volpe was reassigned to another job due to loss of confidence in his ability to command. The Navy says the USS Taylor, one of two U.S. warships dispatched to the Black Sea before the Sochi Winter Olympics, remains under repair in the Turkish port at Samsun. It ran aground there Feb. 12 while preparing to moor. The guided-missile frigate arrived in the Black Sea early this month with the USS Mount Whitney, an amphibious command ship. The Pentagon announced the planned deployment in January, after terrorist groups threatened to disrupt the Olympic Games in Russia. California man gets 6 years for his 8th DUI conviction SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California man convicted of his eighth drunk driving charge has been sentenced to a maximum term of six years in prison. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported Monday that Pablo Servin Sanchez’s latest violation was Oct. 3, when he backed his pickup across a busy route in Healdsburg, nearly causing a crash with a big-rig. Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch says Sanchez’s blood alcohol content was found in two tests to be .31 percent and then .33 percent. The legal limit is .08 percent. The 50-year-old’s eight convictions stretch over 20 years. Ravitch says he was also driving on a suspended license at the time of his last arrest. Sanchez’s driving privileges are to be revoked for 10 years when he leaves prison. (Continued on page 6) Free spay and neuter clinic held in Fagatogo for World Spay Day by Teri Hunkin Samoa News staff Yesterday, February 25 was World Spay Day 2014, and in American Samoa the day was honored with a free Spay and Neuter clinic held at the Pavilion in Fagatogo. The Department of Agriculture Veterinary Clinic in partnership with the local animal protection group, Alofa mo Meaola organized and manned the event, which took care of about 20 spay and neuter surgeries during the morning, with another ten animals seen in the afternoon for health checks. World Spay Day is an annual campaign of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International that shines a spotlight on spaying and neutering as a way to save the lives of our companion animals, our community cats (feral and stray), and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in a shelter or killed on the street. Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of this annual event, which has animal advocates around the world performing acts of community service to help alleviate suffering in the cat and dog population, and promote good stewardship of our feline and canine companions. Alofa mo Meaola and the DoA veterinarian, Dr. Brenda Smith, have scheduled a series of spay and neuter clinics, with the first few being held at the Fagatogo Pavilion. According to organizers, people must bring their animals in cages or on leashes by 9a.m. and pick up their animals by 2p.m. Everything is free if the animal is being spayed or neutered; if people want to vaccinate their pet, the cost is $10, and dog license tags are just $5. If you are considering bringing your dog or cat to a clinic, please remember the following: * Animals should not eat the night before, or that morning, but should have lots of water. * Female animals should not be nursing their puppies or kittens; if they are still nursing, then surgery must wait until the babies are weaned. * Major surgery cannot be done at these clinics - only spaying and neutering. Fixing broken bones, etc. is done in the Dept. of Agriculture veterinary clinic in Tafuna. Listed below are the next scheduled dates for the free Spay/ Neuter Clinics: Feb. 27 Fagatogo Pavillion Mar. 6 Afoa guest house in Utulei Mar. 11 Leone Village (Salavea Otela guest house, across from the Healing Garden) Mar. 13 Fogagogo (Maiava House) Mar. 18 and 20 Organizers are trying to schedule a clinic on these dates for Pago Pago, but need a suitable venue. People can call the Pago pulenu’u, Faepolo at 770-9011 for more info — or to offer their guest house if possible. A covered area with power and running water is needed. In addition to the village clinics, the group is actively working to reduce the number of roaming animals in Lions Park and the Tafuna Industrial Park. They are visiting those areas to locate and identify stray as well as owned dogs, and asking residents and business owners to call in if they want their dogs spayed or neutered. If dogs have already been spayed or neutered, the group is offering license tags at $5 each, which will help identify the dogs when the Task Force begins capturing stray dogs in those areas. To add your dog or cat to the schedule for any village clinic, please call 699-9445. High School student dies at Le’ala cliff by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu, Samoa News Reporter Leone High School is mourning the death of one of their female students, who died last Saturday at Le’ala. Police are treating this as a homicide until proven otherwise, says Commissioner of Public Safety, William Bill Haleck. The Commissioner confirmed that an incident occurred in Le’ala, and as a result a 17-year-old girl died. Bystanders told Samoa News that someone in the area contacted the police for assistance over an incident which occurred there, and as soon as the young girl saw the police officers at the scene, it’s alleged she jumped off the cliff and landed on the rocks near the ocean. Haleck in response to Samoa News queries stated that someone had called the Leone Police Station for assistance and when police arrived the second incident (the girl’s death) happened. The Commissioner did not specify what the girl did which led to her death, but stated they are conducting an investigation to determine if the young girl had slipped, or if it was otherwise an accidental death. “CID (Criminal Investigation Division) is currently investigating this matter which was referred from the Leone Station, Patrol Division.” The Commissioner noted that incidents occurring left and right in the span of three weeks are quite worrying. Haleck was referring to a recent incident in Afono following a drinking session, where a man was struck on his head and later died — the man was attempting to stop a fight amongst those under the influence. There was also an incident in Fagatogo, where the deceased was part of an earlier drinking session. He had gotten into a fight, where he got hurt, but he did not go to the hospital. Instead, he went home and slept. Neighbors found him dead the next day and there were visual injuries to his face and body. samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 3 Notice for Proposed Registration of Matai Title NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 6.0105 of the Revised Code of American Samoa that a claim of succession which has been filed with the Territorial Registrar’s office for the registration of the Matai Title FETUI of the village of OLOSEGA by RAMES MOLIPE of the village of OLOSEGA, county of OLOSEGA, MANU’A District. THE TERRITORIAL REGISTRAR is satisfied that the claim, petition by the family and certificate of the village chiefs are in proper form. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that anyone so desiring must file his counterclaim, or objection to the registration of this matai title with the Territorial Registrar Office before the expiration of 60 days from the date of posting. If no counterclaim, nor any objection is filed by the expiration of said 60 days, the matai title FETUI shall be registered in the name of RAMES MOLIPE in accordance with the laws of American Samoa. POSTED: FEBRUARY 1, 2014 thru APRIL 2, 2014 SIGNED: Taito S.B. White, Territorial Registrar Fa’aaliga o le Fia Fa’amauina o se Suafa Matai O le fa’aaliga lenei ua faasalalauina e tusa ma le Maga 6.0105 o le tusi tulafono a Amerika Samoa, e pei ona suia, ona o le talosaga ua faaulufaleina mai i le Ofisa o le Resitara o Amerika Samoa, mo le fia faamauina o le suafa matai o FETUI o le nu’u o OLOSEGA e RAMES MOLIPE o OLOSEGA faalupega o OLOSEGA, falelima i MANU’A. Ua taliaina e le Resitara lea talosaga, faatasi ma le talosaga a le aiga faapea ma le tusi faamaonia mai matai o lea nu’u, ma ua i ai nei i teuga pepa a lea ofisa. A i ai se tasi e faafinagaloina, ia faaulufaleina sana talosaga tete’e, po o sana faalavelave tusitusia i le Ofisa o Resitara i totonu o aso e 60 mai le aso na faalauiloa ai lenei fa’aaliga. Afai o lea leai se talosaga tete’e, po’o se faalavelave foi e faaulufaleina mai i aso e 60 e pei ona taua i luga, o lea faamauina loa lea suafa matai i le igoa o RAMES MOLIPE e tusa ai ma aiaiga o le tulafono a Amerika Samoa. 02/26 & 03/26/14 American Samoa Government OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) RFP No: RFP-037-2014 RFP No: RFP-037-2014 Issuance Date: February 26, 2014 Date & Time Due: March 12, 2014 No later than 2:00 p.m. local time The American Samoa Government (ASG) issues a Request For Proposals (RFP) from qualified firms for the: “Turtle and Shark National Register Nomination” Submission: Original and five copies of the Proposal must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked: “Turtle and Shark National Register Nomination” Submissions are to be sent to the following address and will be received until 2:00 p.m. (local time), Wednesday, March 12, 2014: Office of Procurement American Samoa Government Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 attn: Tiaotalaga J.E. Kruse, CPO Any proposal received after the aforementioned date and time will not be accepted under any circumstances. Late submissions will not be opened or considered and will be determined as beingn on-responsive. Document: The RFP Scope of Work outlining the proposal requirements is available at the Office of Procurement, Tafuna, American Samoa, during normal working hours. Review: Request for Proposal data will be thoroughly reviewed by an appointed Source Evaluation Board under the auspices of the Chief Procurement Officer, Office of Procurement, ASG. Right of Rejection: The American Samoa Government reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals and to waive any irregularities and/or informalities in the submitted proposals that are not in the best interests of the American Samoa Government or the public. “Equal Opportunity Employer / Affirmative Action” TIAOTALAGA J.E. KRUSE Chief Procurement Officer Page 4 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Small Business Credit Initiative Application still in review by feds (BASED ON A PRESS RELEASE) — Washington DC — Friday, February 21, 2014 — Today, Governor Lolo M. Moliga met with officials of the US Department of Treasury to discuss the territory’s Small Business Credit Initiative Application, which is still being reviewed. The meeting included Clifton Kellogg, Program Director for the State Small Business Credit Initiative within the US Department of Treasury and David Rixter who is the Outreach Manager and the contact person at the US Treasury for all SSBCI programs. According to the press release, Kellogg thanked the Governor for the opportunity to meet with him personally and assured Lolo that American Samoa’s application is being reviewed and many of the questions posed by his staff have been responded to clearly by the American Samoa Department of Commerce (DOC). “American Samoa has come up with a truly innovative SSBCI format that is already gaining attention from the White House and other States,” the press release stated, noting “the SSBCI Program is only three years old and already states have different approaches and varying strategies in program content.” The media release does not detail what American Samoa’s “truly innovative SSBCI format” is. Samoa News should point out that the application being reviewed is a revised application, submitted in December 2013, after the two local banks, Bank of Hawaii and ASB- ANZ, were reluctant to participate in the initial SSBCI program guidelines — mainly the Loan Guarantee Program, which would have been only for 50% of a commercial loan, exposing the banks to risks with the balance of the loan principle if the borrower defaulted. Under the Lolo Administration, the DOC is the lead on the application. The federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) was created under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 in response to concerns that small businesses have been unable to access capital that would allow them to create jobs. During last Friday’s meeting, Kellogg also informed Lolo that Rixter has been a strong advocate for American Samoa’s SSBCI Application and he and the DOC director, Keniseli Lafaele, are collaborating to ensure that all questions and issues of concern are comprehensively addressed. The SSBCI program director in particular noted that American Samoa will be held accountable like all the States to ensure that full compliance with the four criteria is met; that is, American Samoa must have established capacity 1) to handle the money, 2) to underwrite the loans, 3) for effective evaluation, and 4) to comply with all requirements, including the marketing of the program and the needed outreach. The Governor assured Kellogg that since the onset of his administration he has made a commitment to improve the American Samoa Government’s integrity and image with the federal agencies by making sure that all federal program requirements are complied with, without compromise. The same attention will be placed on ensuring that all requirements of the SSBCI Program will receive full compliance from his government, he said. Lolo thanked all who are involved with the application to ensure all issues of concern are resolved, including John Clyburn and Mike Davis of InTek for the technical support and expert guidance in the development of American Samoa’s SSBCI Application and ensuring that our application is moved through the US Department of Treasury review process expeditiously. © Osini Faleatasi Inc. reserves all rights. dba Samoa News is published Monday through Saturday, except for some local and federal holidays. Please send correspondences to: OF, dba Samoa News, Box 909, Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799. Contact us by Telephone at (684) 633-5599 Contact us by Fax at (684) 633-4864 Contact us by Email at samoanews@samoatelco.com Normal business hours are Mon. thru Fri. 8am to 5pm. Permission to reproduce editorial and/or advertisements, in whole or in part, is required. Please address such requests to the Publisher at the address provided above. ASCC students participate in a volleyball game as part of the Student Government Association’s calendar of events for this semester, which emphasizes Healthy Living through sports and [Photo: J. Kneubuhl] other activities. ASCC Student Government emphasizes healthy living By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer Returning students to the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) have noticed that the Student Government Association (SGA) calendar of activities has a different emphasis in spring 2014 than in previous semesters. Where in the past the SGA organized competitions between various student clubs, this semester the calendar places a greater emphasis on sports activities open to all students whether they belong to a club or not. “When planning this semester’s activities, the SGA decided to focus on Healthy Living ,” said SGA Coordinator Maxine Tuiolemotu. “That’s why most of the activities this semester are the type that keeps the body moving. We’d like to motivate students to not only lose weight and feel stronger through physical activity, but also to stay sharp mentally.” Tuiolemotu explained that the SGA based its decision to take a different approach this semester in the hopes of serving a greater percentage of the student population. “There have been no competitive clubs since last semester,” she said. “When the calendar was based on activities for competitive clubs, we only had about 20% of our student population participating. Since the goal of the SGA is to serve the whole student body, this semester, we’ve shifted our emphasis to activities open to any students, not just club members. “ During February, the most prominent health-related activity are the volleyball competitions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A collaboration between SGA and the Physical Education Academic Department, the volleyball competitions take place between teams made up of students and staff in male and female divisions. The Physical Education personnel coordinate the games, supply referees, and sign up the different teams, while the SGA distributes the awards for each championship game. Tuiolemotu noted that currently awards or prizes are distributed immediately after each competition, unlike during past semesters where prizes in the club competitions were not given out till the end of the semester. In March, the highlighted sports activity will switch to basketball, and over the semester students can also take part in forthcoming SGA events such as a Talent Show; April Fools game competitions; an International Day to be organized in collaboration with the International Club (which will include food tasting, country costumes and cultural dance displays); an Easter Egg Hunt; and a Dance Competition. The final SGA activity of spring 2014 will be Field Games which will include Samoan cultural competition in basket weaving, coconut husking and preparing coconut milk. This semester’s SGA members include Executive Officers Mrs. Theresa Togia (President), Ms. Patricia Tofilau (Vice President), Ms. Anna Sewell (Secretary), Ms. Visa Vaiau (Treasurer), and Ms. Talimeli Taufete’e (Representative to the Board of Higher Education). Sophomore Representatives are Ms. Rasela Ta’ala, Ms. Lana Toia, Ms. Jessebeth Ropeti, Ms. Grace A. Senetenari and Ms. Mereane Laumatia. Freshman Representatives are Ms. Anastacia Carruthers, Ms. Josephine Yandall, Ms. Athena Savali and Ms. Mereina Laumatia. Honorary Members are Princess Auva’a (Peer Mentors/YANA), Mr. Tony Bishop (Diversity/ Archivist), and Mr. Arona Toalepai (Parliamentarian). samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 5 !"#$%&'$("#(!"#)*$ ! !"#$%&'()*'+(),-+.,"-/'0+$$,.)1'$%'$&2"%'"3"%1")4."-'&2(&')"",' (--.-&()4"'&$'&2"'567'(&'899:;<=='$%'4(++'9>>?'' @0(.'"''&A+(1('.'-$+$1('3('+$+$1(/''()"'3$'-"'0"-$(-$().' .'+"'899:;<=='B567C/''+"'9>>?' !!!"#$%&'(()"%(*+,$-&.+/*&01%$234$*($35&,$06*&263(#37(*&8$293 4&%:016;< Page 6 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Shipyard faces deteriorating financial situation by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent Immigration Office staffers (left) as they register undocumented immigrants at the Fagaitua [photo: AF] site last week Tuesday, under the new Immigration Amnesty Program. ➧ NEWS IN BRIEF… Police: Ohio driver’s bible booklet stops bullet CINCINNATI (AP) — A biblical booklet in a shirt pocket apparently helped a bus driver survive a shooting, and authorities were looking Tuesday for three suspects, police say. The driver for the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority told Dayton police he was standing outside the bus early Monday morning when the men shot at him three times, with one bullet hitting his leg. He also was stabbed in the arm. Rickey Wagoner, 49, of Trotwood, told police he fought back, grabbed the gun and the men ran away. Wagoner told police he fired at them before driving the bus to a safe location and calling for help. “I stabbed one in the leg, I think, with my pen,” he said on the 911 call to police in Dayton, about 60 miles north of Cincinnati. Police said Tuesday no one was on the bus at the time. Wagoner said in the 911 call that he felt two shots to his chest, but he didn’t think the bullets got through the booklet in his shirt pocket. Police said in their report that two small-caliber bullets hit the booklet called “The Message,” which has Bible verses in contemporary language and were found lodged inside the book. “It just feels like I’ve been hit with a sledgehammer,” Wagoner said. “I’ve got a book in my pocket, and I don’t think they made it through this book.” Wagoner told police he just started carrying the book about a week ago. Panel faults US gov’t over offshore tax evasion WASHINGTON (AP) — Billions of dollars in U.S. taxes are going unpaid because Americans are exploiting Swiss bank accounts, and the U.S. government has failed to aggressively pursue Switzerland’s second-largest bank, a Senate investigation has found. The bank, Credit Suisse, has provided accounts in Switzerland for more than 22,000 U.S. clients totaling $10 billion to $12 billion, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The U.S. government has received only 238 names of U.S. citizens with secret accounts at Credit Suisse, or just 1 percent of the estimated total, the investigation concluded. Credit Suisse recruited U.S. clients to open Swiss accounts from 2001 through 2008, helped them conceal the accounts from the Internal Revenue Service and enabled misconduct by bank employees, the subcommittee asserted. For five years, the Senate panel has been examining Swiss banks’ use of secrecy laws to enable tax evasion by Americans. The main focus of its latest report was Credit Suisse. Continued from page 2 San Diego police chief resigns after 11 years SAN DIEGO (AP) — William Lansdowne said Tuesday that he was resigning as San Diego’s police chief after nearly 11 years on the job and would leave office the same day that a new mayor is sworn in to lead the nation’s eighth-largest city. Lansdowne, 69, retires as his department faces officer-misconduct allegations. Earlier this month, he said he would seek an outside audit of the department’s policies, training and discipline. Lansdowne said Mayor-elect Kevin Faulconer didn’t ask him to resign but that he felt the time was right to step aside, calling it a difficult decision. The chief informed Faulconer on Monday night. Faulconer, a two-term Republican city councilman, told the U-T San Diego newspaper on Monday that he would demand changes at the department and declined to say if he wanted Lansdowne to stay. “There is absolutely a need to make sure we have public trust and confidence in the San Diego Police Department,” Faulconer told the newspaper. “I will be taking definitive steps to make sure that happens.” New Zealand will sell stake in 3rd power company WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s government on Wednesday announced plans to sell a slice of a third stateowned power company as the final step in a contentious program of asset sales. Finance Minister Bill English said in a speech the government planned to list Genesis Energy on the stock market in mid-April. He said the government would sell between 30 and 49 percent of the company depending on demand. Over the past year, the conservative government has raised about 4 billion New Zealand dollars ($3.3 billion) by selling 49 percent stakes in energy companies Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy. It also sold a 20 percent stake in national carrier Air New Zealand, which was already partially privately owned. The government says the program has helped it reduce foreign debt and allowed it to invest in hospitals, schools and roads. But opponents say the program is ideologically driven and unnecessary. More than twothirds of New Zealanders who voted in a referendum last year said they opposed the sales. Genesis Energy is the smallest of the three power companies. An independent 2011 assessment valued the company at NZ$1.8 billion, suggesting the government could expect to reap between NZ$540 million and NZ$900 million from the sale. (Continued on page 12) Faced with serious economic conditions in the fishery industry, the American Samoa Shipyard Services Authority board chairman David Robinson says five shipyard workers have been laid off and the shipyard has informed the governor’s office of its deteriorating financial situation. Robinson said the five staffers were laid off effective Monday this week, after advance lay off notices was provided to them as well as a face-to-face meeting to explain the situation at the shipyard. “We are faced with serious, difficult economic conditions in the fishery industry, which is affecting the shipyard,” he told Samoa News yesterday. “Having due regard to the sensitivity of this issue, we carried out a very careful assessment of all our staff levels in each department,” he said. “And with input from each of the supervisors, the shipyard management came to the conclusion that we had more staff in certain departments than was necessary in view of the shortage of work that we are experiencing and we are likely to experience going forward this year.” He says the five people identified for lay off, included one crane driver who has to report to the LBJ Medical Center every week as his health is “extremely poor and he could be a danger to our work force if he suffered a medical condition on the job.” Others laid off were a janitor, two welders and a general worker. Robinson said the shipyard has asked the ASG Department of Human Resources to try and relocate the two welders and so far one has been relocated with expectation that the other will also be relocated. As to the production manager hired last September from New Zealand, this individual is returning to his home country this week “due to personal family reasons,” said Robinson, adding the shipyard currently has a workforce of 33 people. CHALLENGES Since the start of fiscal year 2014 on Oct. 1 last year, Robinson said the shipyard has lost approximately eight weeks of potential revenue. For example, six of the eight weeks were used to carry out all the repairs, including the replacement of the hauling chain and realignment of the railway lines — all of which were necessary to continue in business. Additionally, it lost two weeks at the beginning of January due to bad weather and then two longliners canceled their dry dock appointments, while “one purse seiner that was scheduled to dry dock in December canceled so we have lost a considerable amount of revenue,” he said. Robinson noted, “It would seem unlikely that the local fishing industry will see improved conditions in the near term if the price of fish remains low,” adding that the problems experienced by the local longliner fleet have been well documented. (Longliner owners put up around 18 boats for sale in the beginning of January 2014 as they faced issues such as the price of fish and stiff competition from Chinese fishing boats that are subsidized by their government.) The board chair said that in late December 2013, the Governor’s Office was advised of “our deteriorating financial situation and the [Shipyard] Board of Directors put in place a plan to reduce expenses.” Parts of this plan “need to be fully ratified by the governor”, upon his return home at the end of this week, he added. “We see the next few months as remaining difficult and even though we have dry dock bookings forward till July, the work is only small in dollar value,” he said. samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 7 CHICKENS Taputimu Farm offers $2.00 for live bird (Special) Come to Taputimu Farm by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu, Samoa News Reporter SAMUELU SAE SENTENCED FRIDAY, AFTER RENDERING GUILTY PLEA One of the two men who broke into a Pavaia’i store in June 2012 and removed $475 cash has entered into a plea agreement with the government. Samuelu Sae was charged with first degree burglary and stealing, however he pled guilty to the amended charge of attempted stealing, a lesser charge. Upon his plea of guilt, the government moved to dismiss the burglary count. Associate Justice Lyle L Richmond accepted the plea agreement in this matter. The defendant admitted that during the evening hours of June 3, 2012 he along with his codefendant John Ioane broke into the Samumalu Sales Store by breaking the front door. The defendant, Sae took $475 in cash. During the plea, Richmond noted the defendant must agree to pay restitution to the victim for the cash taken and testify in trial against a third co-defendant Gabriel Tinai, who was the watchman in this case. According to the plea agreement, Sae said he understands and accepts that in the event the court imposes a different sentence than that recommended by counsel, he will not be allowed to withdraw his plea of guilty. MAN CHARGED FOR RAPING NIECE IN PAGO PAGO A 38-year-old man is being held on a $50,000 bail on allegations that he raped his 17-year-old niece last year and the incident is alleged to have occurred in Pago Pago. Samoa News is withholding the name of the defendant to protect the identity of the victim in this matter. The defendant’s sister is the mother of the victim. The uncle is charged with felony counts of Rape, Sexual Abuse, Deviate Sexual Assault and Incest. The government claims, on July 16, 2013 a woman reported to police that she caught her brother naked in the bedroom with her daughter. Court filings say, the girl told police the first incident occurred on July 11, 2013, and the second incident occurred on July 16, 2013, when the sexual intercourse occurred. The victim told police she was a virgin when the incident occurred. The victim also told a social worker that she was raped by her uncle. During the interrogation with the defendant, court filings say, he admitted that he had had feelings for his niece for a very long time and that he is aroused every time he sees his niece. MAN IN STABBING CASE FACING FELONY ASSAULT Pati Solomona charged with first degree assault on allegations he stabbed another man with a broken glass during a drinking session has signed a plea agreement with the government. Solomona, who’s held on $20,000 bail, will be in court to have the plea deal on record. According to the government’s case, the defendant was at a party, when a verbal argument started. It’s alleged Solomona stabbed the victim in the neck with a broken beer glass. Court filings say when police officers questioned the defendant, he admitted he punched the victim, but denied stabbing him with an object, however witnesses at the scene told police otherwise. It’s unclear at this time what charge he has pled guilty to, but his change of plea hearing is set for today before Chief Justice Michael Kruse. Leopard on the prowl panics a bustling city MEERUT, India (AP) — Forestry officials and police armed with tranquilizer darts searched for a leopard that injured six people and drove residents indoors in a bustling northern Indian city, police said Tuesday. The leopard wandered through an army hospital and a crowded market in Meerut city on Sunday, setting off a minor stampede in which two more people were hurt, said police superintendent Abhiskek Singh. Authorities ordered schools and colleges closed on Monday and asked people to stay indoors as police teams scoured the city. Shopkeepers lowered their shutters and the city streets emptied. Soldiers also joined the hunt after the leopard was first spotted in the army hospital Sunday afternoon. “We cordoned off the area and waited. It emerged some hours later and jumped, injuring a police inspector,” Singh said. The animal leaped over the roofs of single-storied homes and disappeared. Since then groups of wildlife officials wearing helmets and carrying tranquilizer guns and volunteers armed with sticks have been searching a wide swathe around the hospital. At one point, forestry officials closed in on the leopard in a warehouse, but it leaped through a concrete grill, breaking it and escaping. “It’s a fully grown male ... a big animal with enormous strength, which is what has panicked residents,” Singh said. “We were afraid to go out of the house. There was a lot of panic and fear,” homemaker Pooja Mahajan said Tuesday. “But no one has spotted the leopard since yesterday, so today things are back to normal.” Singh said schools and colleges reopened Tuesday. Wildlife officials were on alert but it was likely the animal had fled to nearby forests, he said. Leopards are protected in India, though more are straying into cities and villages to search for food as their habitats shrink. Meerut, a bustling commercial city in Uttar Pradesh state, is about 70 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of the Indian capital, New Delhi. In another part of Uttar Pradesh, a female tiger has killed nine people, most of them poor villagers and farm laborers living on the fringes of a wildlife reserve park. Forest officials roped in wildlife hunters to track down the tiger but gave up after nearly two weeks of a futile search. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Project Notification & Review System Legal Notice PNRS BOARD MEETING March 05, 2014 Notice is hereby given that the Department of Commerce/American Samoa Coastal Management Program has received a Land Use Permit Application from the following individuals. 1. DPW c/o Faleosina Voigt 14-2570-L Federal Consistency Certification and new construction ASG facilities (EOB) with utilities, filling, clearing and excavation - Ofu 2. MaryanneA fualo 14-2542-LVB Proposal for construction of a new commercial building (warehouse) - ‘Ili’ili 3. Abe& T aiepisiJ amias 14-2546-LVB Proposal for converting fish market for a Laundromat with utilities - ‘Ili’ili 4. MarkA tafua 13-2491-LVB Proposal for new construction of a storage with utilities - Nu’uuli PROPOSAL FOR DRY LITTER PIGGERIES: 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Fereti Jr. Pulou NaomiS eafa CatherineM aria-RosaryA dams Alofa Sa’o KimP ili Ao& H elenL ago Mathew Failauga VaitoelauL aumoli MasefauS uiaunoa Salvador Ve’ave’a Faga’itua Mapusagafou Vaitogi Taputimu Faleniu Pava’ia’i Pava’ia’i Leone Nua Afao 14-2578-L 14-2569-L 14-2587-L 14-2588-L 14-2568-L 14-2580-L 14-2577-L 14-2579-L 14-2589-L 14-2567-L Persons interested in or affected by a proposed project, are invited to review the project file and provide comments based on environmental issues, by contacting Marvis Vaiaga’e at 6335155, at the Department of Commerce in Utulei during regular ASG working hours. Public comments must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 04, 2014. Interested individuals are also invited to attend a Public Hearing at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 05, 2014 at DOC Conference Room, on the 2nd Floor of the Executive Office Building in Utulei. O lo’o iai i le Ofisa o Fa’afetauaina ni talosaga mo Pemita e Fa’atagaina ai le Fa’aaogaina o Fanua ma Laueleele e tusa ma ala o le Tulafono. A iai se tasi e fa’asea pe fia tusia se molimau i ni afaina o le si’osi’omaga pe a galueaina nei galuega, telefoni mai ia Marvis Vaiaga’e i le 6335155. E mafai fo’i ona e auai i le fono a le Komiti Fa’afoe ia Ianuari 05, 2014, ile itula e 9 i le taeao. Page 8 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service, poses with some of 1,427 GoldRush era U.S. gold coins, at his office in Santa Ana, Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. A California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across the modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree. Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said Hall, who (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) recently authenticated them. Couple stumbles upon $10 million in rare gold coins LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree. Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, cofounder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them. Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to more than $28,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece. “I don’t like to say oncein-a-lifetime for anything, but you don’t get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever,” said veteran numismatist Don Kagin, who is representing the finders. “It’s like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.” Kagin, whose family has been in the rare-coin business for 81 years, would say little about the couple other than that they are husband and wife, are middle-aged and have lived for several years on the rural property in California’s Gold Country, where the coins were found. They have no idea who put them there, he said. The pair are choosing to remain anonymous, Kagin said, in part to avoid a renewed gold rush to their property by modern-day prospectors armed with metal detectors. They also don’t want to be treated any differently, said David McCarthy, chief numismatist for Kagin Inc. of Tiburon. “Their concern was this would change the way everyone else would look at them, and they’re pretty happy with the lifestyle they have today,” he said. They plan to put most of the coins up for sale through Amazon while holding onto a few keepsakes. They’ll use the money to pay off bills and quietly donate to local charities, Kagin said. Before they sell them, they are loaning some to the American Numismatic Association for its National Money Show, which opens Thursday in Atlanta. What makes their find particularly valuable, McCarthy said, is that almost all of the coins are in near-perfect condition. That means that whoever put them into the ground likely socked them away as soon as they were put into circulation. Because paper money was illegal in California until the 1870s, he added, it’s extremely rare to find any coins from before that of such high quality. “It wasn’t really until the 1880s that you start seeing coins struck in California that were kept in real high grades of preservation,” he said. The coins, in $5, $10 and $20 denominations, were stored more or less in chronological order in six cans, McCarthy said, with the 1840s and 1850s pieces going into one can until it was filed, then new coins going into the next one and the next one after that. The dates and the method indicated that whoever put them there was using the ground as their personal bank and that they weren’t swooped up all at once in a robbery. (Continued on page 14) C M Y K C M Y K E le o fai fa’atoaga uma e mana’omia laisene pisinisi… samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 9 Lali Le tusia Ausage Fausia C M Y K C M Y K Na faamanino e le Fa’atonusili o le Matagaluega o Fa’atoaga i luma o le Senate ananafi e faapea, e le o tagata fai faatoaga uma i le teritori e manaomia ona faia ni a latou laisene pisinisi, ina ia faa faigofie ai feuiaiga mo a latou faatoaga i le taimi nei, aemaise lava i le taimi e manaomia ai ni fesoasoani tau tupe mo a latou faatoaga. O le toatele o ni isi o le aufai faatoaga ua faasea aga’i i Senatoa ma Faipule e faatatau i laisene pisinisi ua manaomia mo a latou faatoaga, atoa ai ma ni isi o mataupu sa fia malamalama i ai afioga i Senatoa, na mafua ai loa ona valaau le iloiloga e le Komiti o Fa’atoaga a le maota, ina ia mafai ai ona faamanino e le Faatonusili tulaga uma o lo o fia malamalama i ai le maota. O le tofa Lealao M. Purcell ma lona sui faatonusili ia Peter Gurr na molimau i luma o le komiti e tusa ai o lenei mataupu. Na faamanino e Lealao e faapea, e le o manaomia ona faia e le aufai faatoaga a le atunuu ni pemita ona o tulaga i a latou faatoaga, faatoa manaomia lava e le fai faatoaga le pemita pe afai e i ai ni fua o faaeleeleaga e fia aumai i Samoa, po o le avatu fo’i iinei aga’i i Samoa. “Se’i vagana ai le mataupu e faatatau i laisene pisinisi, o le mataupu lena o lo o taumafai pea le latou ofisa e faamalamalama i le aufai faatoaga, ina ia manino ai le tulaga e pei ona nenefu ai le toatele,” o le saunoaga lea a Lealao. Na taua e le alii faatonusili e faapea, o se tasi o mafuaaga ua ala ai ona manatu e manaomia laisene pisinisi mo tagata fai faatoaga, aemaise lava i latou o lo o faatau atu fua o a latou faaeleeleaga i le polokalame a le School Lunch a le Matagaluega o Aoga, ona o ni isi o i latou nei (aemaise lava i tagata mai Asia), e ese lava galuega na mafua ai ona ulufale mai i le teritori e fai, ese galuega ia ua latou o faatino. Mo se faataitaiga e pei ona saunoa le alii faatonu, o ni isi o tagata mai Asia na o mai e galulue o ni faatau oloa poo teu oloa i totonu o faleoloa, ae ina ua taunuu mai iinei ma vaai i le tamaoaiga e maua i faatoaga, ona manatu loa lea e tulioso e fai a latou faatoaga, ma ua soli ai le isi vaega o le tulafono tau femalagaaiga, ia galue i le galuega na mafua ai ona ulufale mai i le teritori. Na taua e Lealao i le komiti e faapea, e manino le tulafono, e le tatau ona aafia tagata fai faatoaga i Amerika Samoa i tulaga o laisene pisinisi, ma o tulaga foi nei o lo o mulimulita’i i ai la latou matagaluega. Ae talu ai tulaga o lafoga o lo o totogi atu i le malo, ua manatu ai loa e manaomia ni laisene pisinisi mo le aufai faatoaga o lo o faatau atu a latou faaeleeleaga i le polokalame a le School Lunch, ina ia faa faigofie ai tulaga o le toe failaina o lafoga i le faaiuga o le tausaga. “E aoga fo’i laisene pisinisi mo le aufai faatoaga, pe afai latou te manaomia ni fesoasoani e pei o nonogatupe i faletupe, ae o lo o i ai le laisene pisinisi e faamaonia ai tulaga o le pisinisi ma tupe maua,” o le isi lea saunoaga a le alii faatonu. Na taua e le afioga i le alii senatoa ia Faletagoa’i Tuiolemotu lona teena malosi o le fuafuaga e fai laisene o le aufai faatoaga, aua, na mafua ona fai le faatoaga a le tagata Amerika Samoa, e tua i ai lona aiga ona o le tulaga lima vaivai, ae afai o lea ua faaaoga e le malo e saili ai tupe, o se tulaga e le talafeagai. Na fesili le afioga i le alii senatoa ia Magalei Logovi’i, pe moni tala o lo o tomumumu ai nisi o le aufai faatoaga, fai mai ua oo lava fo’i i fa’i ma taro ua maua fo’i e tagata fai faatoaga mai Asia le avanoa latou te sapalaia ai vaega ia i le School Lunch, ae pagatia ai le aufai faatoaga a le atunuu, ae na saunoa Lealao, “e le sa’o lea tulaga.” Na faamanino atili e Lealao e faapea, e na o fualaau aina lava o lo o mafai e tagata fai faatoaga mai Asia ona sapalai mo le School Lunch, ae o fa’i, taro ma isi fua o faaeleeleaga, o tagata fai faatoaga a le atunuu o lo o latou sapalaia. I tulaga o fa’i pula, sa fia malamalama le afioga i le alii senatoa ia Gaea Perefoti Failautusi, pe moni tala salatua o lo o i ai ni isi o le aufai faatoaga o lo o latou faaaogaina vailaau tata lavalava (clorox) e vali ai le tino le fa’i ina ia vave ona pula, ae na toe saunoa fo’i Lealao, “e le sa’o na tu’uaiga.” Na faamanino e le alii faatonusili e faapea, soo se taumafa e faatau atu i le School Lunch, e muamua ona siaki e le aufaigaluega faatoa talia ai, e oo lava fo’i i fa’i pula, e le mafai ona taliaina ni fa’i e masalomia o lo o faia i ai ni isi auala ina ia vave ai ona pula, e ese mai le tuu lava o le fa’i se’i pula lelei. Feso’ota’i mai i le tusitala ia ausage@samoanews.com Le Faatonusili o le Ofisa o Fa’atoaga a le malo ia Lealao M. Purcell (itu taumatau) ma lona sui faatonu ia Peter Gurr, ina ua molimau i se iloiloga sa faia i luma o le Senate ananafi, lea na [ata: AF] fesiligia ai le mataupu e faatatau i laisene mo le aufai faatoaga. Saunia: L.A.F./Naenae Productions FAAVAEINA VAEGA FAAUPUFAI FOU Ua faamaonia e le sui faipule mai le itumalo Siumu, le afioga Tu’u’u Anasii Leota le amata faagaioi o le faavaeina o se vaega faaupufai fou ma ua ia faailoaina foi e faapea, o ia o le a taitaia lea vaega faaupufai. Peitai na ia faaalia, e le mafai ona ia faailoaina le aofai o sui o lana vaega faaupufai i le taimi nei seia aloaia. Ae na ia faaalia, ua mafua ona faavaeina lea vaega faaupufai ona o le le fiafia o nisi o sui a faipule o le HRPP i le faafoeine e le minisita o Tupe, le afioga Faumuina Tiatia Liuga, o ona tiute i le vaaia o tupe a le malo. Na saunoa Tu’u’u, o lo o mananao ia sui e faatulai ese Faumuina mai lona tofiga ona o leaga o lona faafoeina o nisi o mataupu, ae leai se fuafuaga a le alii palemia o faia i ai. O ia mataupu e aofia ai fausia o le maketi i Fugalei, o lona ofisa i le SNPF Plaza, ma faiga le amiotonu i le ofisa o Fanua o Samoa e pei ona faamaonia e le komiti o Ofisa o le Palemene. APILI FAAIUGA A FAAMASINO VAAI Ua faamaonia mai e le Loia Sili, le susuga Aumua Ming Leung Wai, le apili e lona ofisa o le faaiuga a le afioga Faamasino Lesatele Rapi Vaai lea na ia faaleaogaina ai le faaiuga a le vasega o Faatonu o le Faamasinoga, na faamaonia ai le moliaga o le fasioti tagata faamoemoeina faasaga ia Jonathan Patrick Crichton, ona o le maliu o le alii Samoa mai Niu Sila o Hans Dalton. Peitai e lei faailoaina mai e Aumua ia mafuaaga ua latou apiliina ai lea faaiuga. O Crichton mai Leifiifi ma Tafuna, Amerika Samoa na molia i le maliu o Hans Dalton, o se alii e le atoatoa le malosi o lona mafaufau mai Niu Sila sa taofia ai i le toese i Tafaigata. Ina ua maea taualumaga o lona faamasinoga, sa faamaonia e le vasega o Faatonu lona moliaga o le fasioti tagata faamoemoeina. Peitai na faaleaogaina e Faamasino Lesatele lea faaiuga ona na ia faaalia, e le “faamaonia i se tulaga e le toe finauina” le moliaga sa molia ai lea alii. TOFIGA FOU A LE KAPENETA E lua tofiga fou ua faia e le Kapeneta e faauluulu i ai nisi o ana matagaluega. Ua tofia nei le susuga Leausa Toleafoa Dr. Take Naseri, o se alii fomai ua loa tausaga o tautua i le falemai i Fagaalu, e avea ma ofisa sili o pulega o le Matagaluega o le Soifua Maloloina mo le isi tolu tausaga, ae tofia le susuga Fauena Susana Laulu i le tofiga ofisa sili o pulega o le Faletupe o Atinae a Samoa. Ua suia nei e Leausa ia le tamaitai o Palanitina Tupuimatagi Toelupe sa tauaveina lea tofiga mo le tele o tausaga. O le susuga Leausa ua silia i le 20 tausaga o tautua i le galuega faafomai i Samoa, Amerika Samoa ma Niu Sila. O le susuga Fauena sa avea ma sui ofisa sili o pulega a le Faletupe o Atinae mo le lima tausaga ua tuanai ma sa faauluulu ia te ia le vaega o Tupe a le Faletupe. O ia o se suetusi ma sa galue muamua i le BOC Samoa faapea le kamupani suetusi o le Lesa ma Penn Accounting Firm. (Faaauau itulau 10) Page 10 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 LAND COMMISSION NOTICE is hereby given that PULETASI AISAKE of OLOSEGA, American Samoa, has executed a LEASE AGREEMENT to a certain parcel of land commonly known as VAISAILI which is situated in the village of OLOSEGA, in the County of OLOSEGA, MANU’A District, Island of MANU’A, American Samoa. Said LEASE AGREEMENT is now on file with the Territorial Registrar to be forwarded to the Governor respecting his approval or disapproval thereof according to the laws of American Samoa. Said instrument names AMERICAN SAMOA POWER AUTHORITY (ASPA) as LESSEE. Any person who wish, may file his objection in writing with the Secretary of the Land Commission before the 15TH day of APRIL, 2014. It should be noted that any objection must clearly state the grounds therefor. POSTED: FEBRUARY 14, 2014 thru APRIL 15, 2014 SIGNED: Taito S.B. White, Territorial Registrar KOMISI O LAU’ELE’ELE O LE FA’ASALALAUGA lenei ua faia ona o PULETASI AISAKE ole nu’u o OLOSEGA, Amerika Samoa, ua ia faia se FEAGAIGA LISI, i se fanua ua lauiloa o VAISAILI, e i le nu’u o OLOSEGA i le itumalo o OLOSEGA, Falelima i MANU’A ole Motu o MANU’A Amerika Samoa. O lea FEAGAIGA LISI ua i ai nei i teuga pepa ale Resitara o Amerika Samoa e fia auina atu ile Kovana Sili mo sana fa’amaoniga e tusa ai ma le Tulafono a Amerika Samoa. O lea mata’upu o lo’o ta’ua ai AMERICAN SAMOA POWER AUTHORITY (ASPA). A iai se tasi e fia fa’atu’i’ese i lea mata’upu, ia fa’aulufaleina mai sa na fa’atu’iesega tusitusia ile Failautusi o lea Komisi ae le’i o’o ile aso 15 o APERILA, 2014. Ia manatua, o fa’atu’iesega uma lava ia tusitusia manino mai ala uma e fa’atu’iese ai. 02/26 & 03/26/14 tusia Ausage Fausia FA’ASEA FAIPULE I LE TUAI ONA MAUA O SIAKI O LAFOGA A TAGATA Na fa’aleo e faipule e to’alua i totonu o le maota o sui i le vaiaso nei, ni isi o finagalo fa’asea mai ni isi o tagata faigaluega i le atunuu, ina ua silia i le tolu itula o laulau tutu e faatali siaki o lafoga i le aso Faraile na te’a nei, ae emo ane le ata e leai ni siaki na maua. Na taua e le afioga i le alii faipule ia Faimealelei Anthony Fu’e Allen e faapea, o le itu e faanoanoa ai, ua alu le aso o laulau tutu nai tagata, ae emo ane le ata e leai ni siaki e maua mo latou lafoga, ae fesili atu i le aufaigaluega ae sau le tali, ua mafua ona leai ni siaki ona o lo o faatali le tupe mai le malo tele mo le ‘child tax’. Na taua e Faimealelei e faapea, e le tatau ona fai e le ofisa o lafoga lea alofaga, aua o tupe mai le feterale mo tulaga faapenei, e na o le 48 lava itula e faatali ai ae maua mai, e oo fo’i i lafoga i le tele o setete i le Iunaite Setete ua tau fai maua uma. Na tula’i le afioga i le alii faipule ia Vaamua Henry Sesepasara ma lagolagoina le finagalo o Faimealelei faatatau FA’ASALALAUGA AIGA TUIALU’ULU’U MA MATA’UTIA, TA’U, MANU’ATELE A vailulu’u Malaetele na fai feagaiga ai Samoa i ona Lau Afega, ona suatia lea o le vine tau, ae fa’agaosa lona paepae valu, ona suatia fo’i lea o le Faleselau, aua ua oia le Falesoa, a’o se tasi o Aiga Tupu faavae o Samoa. Ou te mua’i faatulouina le paia ma le mamalu o le Tapaau fa’asisina i le lagi: Le Atua le Tama, Le Alo ma le Agaga Sa, tainane fo’i lona itupa paia i le lalolagi, o lo’o latou nono manuina manuia mai lagi, aua Samoa atoa ma ana faiga malo. Tulou. Ou te fa’atulou atu i paia ma mamalu o Samoa atoa, aua o oe o le Ao mamala ile faasouga o Ao ma le Atu Folasa. O ou paia le popo, ma ou pa le solo, o ou paia e pei ole maota e tulutulu i tao, ua so’o ona ta’i ao: Paia ia Pule ma Tumua, Paia o le Faleagafulu, faapea fo’i Fa’atui ma To’oto’o. TULOUNA IA! Taoto ia le fiso ma ona lau, aua paia o lau faiga malo Tutuila ma Manu’a, ua taoto a’o se ala o’o. E le toe tau faapaiaina, e pei lava fo’i o upu masani. “E le toe tau laei-ina le ma’a osofia.” O upu e masani ai Samoa, mai Saua e o’o atu i Falealupo. E leai fo’i se fia ma’ema’e na te toe sopoia le vaosa. Oute matua fa’atulou, fa’aaloalo, fa’ata’alolo atu! O le a le malo’u fo’i fa’ala’au tapu’e le Afio o Lau Afioga ile Kovana Sili, Tofa le To’oto’o Lolo Matalasi Moliga, faapea Lau Susuga ile Sui-Kovana Lemanu Sialega Mauga. Tulou, Tulou, Tulouna ia. Ae mapu ane ia i ou tafa ma ou mauga maualuluga Tutuila ma Manu’a, aua lau fa’afofogaaga paia. Ae soloia i fuga magalo lo’u nei leo fa’atauva’a. “OU TE FA’ASILASILA ATU AI MA LE FA’AALOALO MA LE ALOFA I LO’U AIGA I FALEOSA, TA’U, MANU’A, E FA’APEA FO’I I LATOU O LO’O PAPA A’AO I TUTUILA NEI. INA UA SA’UA I TALA O PEPA MA TALA FA’ASALALAU I ALA MA NOFOAGA FAITELE, LE AIGA O TUIALU’ULU’U MA MATA’UTIA. LO’U AIGA E, O LE UPU A LE TUPU O LE MALO O ISARAELU O SOLOMONA E FA’APEA. “A LEAI SE FA’AALIGA: E FAASALALAUINA LE NU’U, A’O LE UA TAUSIUSI ILE TULAFONO, AMUIA O IA.” OU TE LE TOE FATU SE TALA, PE TOE SI’I SE ALA. OU TE FA’AETE FIMALIE: “OLE AIGA I FALESOA OLE AIGA E LUA I AI AIGA TUPU FA’AVAE O SAMOA.” O le mea lea lo’u Aiga e, “E faape’i ona naunau ole mutia ile sau, ua fa’apena ona ou auau i lo’u aiga i Falesoa. E lelei Aiga potopoto, ma o le a poto le tatou aiga ile maota o Tuialu’ulu’u i Falesoa, Tau, Manu’a ia Mati 15, 2014 itula e 9:00 ile taeao. Ia saunia e le Atua se laofie lelei mo lo tatou aiga. O LENEI FA’ASALALAUGA UA FAIA, TUIALU’ULU’U VAIMILI TUIALU’ULU’U i lenei mataupu. Na taua e Vaamua e faapea, e oo lava fo’i i tagata faigaluega i lona itumalo ua faasea fo’i i lenei mataupu, ae o le fesili ua tula’i mai, afai ua leai se tupe mai fafo e faatupe ai lafoga a tagata, e foliga mai la e le o i ai fo’i se tupe a le malo lea e faaagaga e totogi ai lafoga, ae toe totogi pe a maua mai tupe mai le malo tele. Ua talosagaina e Vaamua le tatau lea ona fesiligia le Teutupe a le malo, se’i faamanino le mataupu e faatatau i tupe ia e faaagaga e totogi ai lafoga a le malo. FESILIGIA FAGUVAI MAI ASIA FAATAU I LE ATUNUU O se iloiloga sa faia a le Komiti o le Soifua Maloloina a le maota o sui ma sui o le vaega a le EPA ananafi, na fesiligia ai e le afioga i le alii faipule ia Puletuimalo D. Koko le alii faatonu e faatatau i fagu vai mai Asia o lo o faatauina i le atunuu, po o mautinoa e le EPA o lo o saogalemu ia faguvai mo le soifua maloloina o tagata. Na taua e Puletuimalo e faapea, o le tele o faguvai mai Asia o lo o faatauina i ni isi o faleoloa i le atunuu, e taunuu mai i le teritori faguvai nei ua afugia uma totonu o le faguvai, ma ua faailoga fesili ai le tulaga lelei mo le taumafa. “Faamata e le mafai e le EPA ona toe siaki faguvai nei po o saogalemu mo le fofoga taumafa o le atunuu, aemaise fanau aoga o lo o latou faatauina i aso taitasi,?” o le fesili lea a Puletuimalo. Ae na taua e se sui o le EPA e faapea, o le taimi lava e utu ai i totonu o le fagu le suavai ma kiliva mai i Amerika Samoa, e leai se malosi o le EPA latou te toe siakiina ai nei faguvai, sei vagana lava faguvai o lo o gaosi i Amerika Samoa nei, o lo o mafai ona siaki e le EPA. Na toe saunoa Puletuimalo e faapea, “afai la e leai se malosi o le EPA e siaki ai oloa nei pe saogalemu mo tatou tagata, e sili ai loa le taofi ina ne’i tula’i mai ai ni aafiaga o ni isi o le atunuu i le lumanai.” O se tasi o mataupu na fesiligia, o isi faguvai e tusia i le gagana Saina poo Kolea upu i le tino o le faguvai, e faigata fo’i i tagata faatau ona malamalama poo a nei upu e tusia ai. O le fautuaga ua tuuina atu i le EPA, ia toe silasila toto’a i le mataupu lenei, ona e taua mo le soifua maloloina o le atunuu. PASIA SENATE TOTINO KOMITI FALETUSI O le vaiaso nei na pasia ai e le Senate totino o le Komiti faafoe lea ua tofia e le kovana e vaavaaia le Faletusi a le malo, le Feleti Barstow Public Library. O i latou ua pasia e aofia ai David Addison, Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde ma Wendy Malepeai, lea e ta’i 14-0 a latou palota, ma le isi toafa e ta’i 13-1 a latou palota sa maua, e aofia ai Tom Drabble, Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga, Albert Toeaina ma Bessie Manase. I se vaega o le iugafono a le Senate na pasia ai totino nei e toa 7 o le komiti faafoe, o sui tuai uma o le komiti faafoe ua mavae, ua maea uma lava a latou taimi na tofia e galulue ai i le komiti faafoe, ae toe toalua foi o lo o aumau i le atunuu. Na taua e le alii kovana ia Lolo Matalasi Moliga i sana tusi i taitai o le Fono e faapea, o totino o le a galulue mo le umi e ta’i fa tausaga e aofia ai Malepeai; Tapaau; TauiliiliLangkilde ma Drabble. O isi sui o le a galulue mo tausaga ta’i lua e aofia ai Addison; Toeaina ma Manase. O le isi sui o le komiti faafoe e le tau tofiaina lona avea ma totino o le komiti, o le Faatonusili lea o Aoga a le malo ia Vaitinasa Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau. ➧ TALA MAI SAMOA… Mai itulau 9 TINA NA LAFOAI LANA PEPE Ua faasalaina nei e le Faamasinoga Maualuga le tina na molia i le lafoai o lana pepe lea na maua atu ua ai e taifau ni vaega o lona tino, i le faanofovaavaaia mo le lua tausaga. Na vaaia le toulu o loimata o le tina ia Seutatia Taina, 25 tausaga o Vaitele-fou ma Foalalo, ina ua lauina lona faasalaga ma sa faafeiloaia o ia e sui o lona aiga ina ua ulufafo mai le Fale Faamasino. Na saunoa Faamasino Sili Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu, ua tauaaoina e le Faamasinoga ni molimau tusitusia i itu lelei o lea tina mai pulega o ofisa sa faigaluega muamua ai o ia, faapea le pulenuu o lona afioaga. E le gata i lea, ua uma foi ona totogi lana sala e pe tusa ma le $6,000 i le fono a tamalii ma failauga o Foalalo. FAAOPOPO VAIASO O LE FAASALAGA Na fautuaina e le Faamasinoga se alii pagota sa sola ese mai le toese i Tafaigata e faapea, e taofia loa o ia i le toese ona o sana solitulafono, e leai sona saolotoga e fai ai so o se mea e manao e fai. E moomia se faatagaga mai leoleo mo le tuua o le toese mo so o se mafuaaga. O le fautuaga lea a le tamaitai faamasino o le Faamasinoga Faaitumalo, le susuga Mata Tuatagaloa. O le alii pagota sa tulai, o Afaese Afaese, o lo o tuli lona faasalaga e fitu masina mo le gaoi, ma e lima masina o lona faasalaga ua maea ona tuli. Peitai na faaalia, sa sopoia e lea alii le pa o le lotoa i Tafaigata ma sola ese ai ao tuliloa atu o ia e alii leoleo. Ma e lua vaiaso ua faaoopo i le faasalaga. samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 11 Sone Vevela O le Fa’aliliu: Akenese Ilalio Zec Vaega: 102 — Fa’atalofa atu i le maleifua mai o le atunu’u i fanuga lelei o lenei aso fou, e ao ai ona o tatou fa’apea ifo, “Le Tama e, fa’afetai i lou alofa ma lou agalelei mo i matou, ia tumau atu pea ia te Oe le vi’iga, o le fa’amanu ma le fa’afetai e le aunoa, Amene.” A’o faia tapenapenaga mo le galuega o le a feagai ma le vaega a le Ami i totonu o o le nofoaga o lo’o i ai manuki a le Kamupani a le Hazelton, o le taimi lea ua muamua i Reston Virginia le ali’i foma’i o Eugene Johnson ma se tasi o ali’i foma’i e igoa i a Curtis Klages. O le mafua’aga na o muamua ai, ona o le fia va’ai lea o Eugene Johnson i le nofoaga o lo’o i ai manuki, ona fuafua ai lea o auala uma e mafai ai ona ulufale i totonu tagata mai le Ami, ma toe fo’i mai i fafo e aunoa ma se fa’aletonu. O le isi itu sa manatu i ai le ali’i, ia fuafua lelei le galuega ina ia malu puipuia tagata uma. Ua taunu’u nei i totonu o le nofoaga lenei, e mimilo atu loa le ta’avale a Gene Johnson ma Kurtis i luma o le fale, ae va’ai atu loa, o lo’o tu mai le ta’avale a le T.V. Ua tu nei le ta’avale a Gene ma Kurtis i lea taimi, ma i le va’ai atu i ai, e foliga mai o lo’o fa’atalitali le aufaigaluega a le T.V pe i ai se mea o le a tupu. Na avea lea ma ala na lagona ai le popole o Eugene, ua ia iloa lelei lava, na maua e le fale fa’asalalau a Virginia le tala, ae e le o sa’o pe o iloa lelei fo’i se tala mautu. O le mea lea na mana’o i ai le Vaega a le Ami, ia ‘aua lava ne i alu i fafo le tala, e uiga i le galuega lea o le a feagai ma Foma’i ma Fitafita i totonu o Reston. Ua paka le ta’avale a Gene ma Kurtis i luma o le fale ma savavali loa e aga’i atu i le faitoto’a e ulu fale ai i totonu. Na ona matala lava o le faitoto’a o le fale o lo’o tausi ai manuki, ae sau loa ma le manogi leaga. O lona uiga, ua leai se mea o le fale ua le o’o i ai le virusi. Na i ai le manatu o Kurtis, o se tulaga faigata lea ua o’o i ai i la’ua, ona e tatau ona fai o la suti ma ofu e puipui mai ai i la’ua. Na maua atu e Gene ma Kurtis le ali’i pule o le kamupani o Bill Volt ma ua fa’ailoa i ai e Gene Johnson le mafua’aga ua o atu ai, o le fia va’ai lea i le fale, ma fuafua lelei se auala e mafai ai ona ulufale le vaega a le Ami, ma toe fo’i mai i fafo e aunoa ma se fa’aletonu. Ua o nei i totonu o le ofisa o Bill Volt, na fai ane i ai Bill, e alaala i lalo, ae ua mumusu Gene ma Kurtis e nonofo i luga o le nofoa. Na toe fai ane i ai Bill, o lo’o i ai lole o lo’o i luga o le laulau, ae na tali Kurtis, e leai o lo’o lelei mea uma. E foliga mai, ua mumusu e toe pa’i lava i se mea o lo’o i totonu o le fale lenei, ona ua i ai le manatu o Gene ma Kurtis, ua a’afia uma i le virusi. E le i toe fa’atali le ali’i foma’i o Gene Johnson, ua mana’o e fia alu i totonu o potu nei fa’apea le fale atoa, ona o lona fia su’esu’e pe i ai se avanoa lelei e mafai ai ona o i totonu tagata o le Ami ma ia mafai fo’i ona toe fo’i mai i fafo. O lea na tali ane ai le ali’i pule o Bill Volt, o lo’o i ai le isi potu sa avanoa mai lava i le lua tausaga talu ai. Na alu nei le ali’i foma’i i totonu, ma na ia lagona ai, o le matua’i manogi leaga lava ua o’o i ai le nofoaga lenei. O le mea ua tupu, ua le toe i ai ni tagata e fufulua ma tapenaina le fale, ua le toe i ai nisi e toe faigaluega ai, ona ua fefe tagata i le fa’ama’i e pei ona fa’ailoa ane e Dan Dalgard. O lona uiga, ua tu’u lava manuki ia e fai le mea e loto i ai. Ina ua ulufale Gene Johnson i totonu o le potu e pei ona fa’ailoa ane e Bill Volt, na ia iloa ai loa, o le potu lenei e tatau ona sui ai ‘ofu a le vaega a Jerry Jaxx, a’o le i o i totonu o potu o lo’o fa’atalitali mai ai le tama ulavale o Ebola. E faia pea… O se va’aiga i nisi o galuega fa’atino ua gaosia mai i paipa kopa e le malo o Solomona i ni a latou meaalofa na molita’i mai mo Amerika Samoa i le taimi na tatou talimalo ai i le Pacific Arts Festival. Ua fa’atutuina nei meaalofa mo le maimoaga a tatou tagata gasolo atu i le Fale Mata’aga i Fagatogo. O paipa kopa isi mea e saili e tagata e toe fa’atau atu aua e taugata tele. [ata: Leua Aiono Frost] Sweetheart Deals During the Valentine’s & President’s Month of February… Get up to 5%-20% Off Talk to us for the right gas advice S E L E C T G AS A P P L I A N C E S Our specialist gas technicians provide safe, reliable installation AWARENESS TIP: Gas is cheaper than Electricity, Help us keep the air we breathe clean. AMANAR EFRIDGERATOR A4TXWWFXQ AMANA 30’’-4BNR AGR3311WDW 2BNR GAS COOKER HC700B/hose® 2BNRW /STAND AT 402/hose® HI PRESSURE WOKS HPA100LP/hose® AMANA 20”-4BNR STOVE AGG2200AAW RINNAI HOT WATER REU55FTL/10LT CALL into origin energy gas showroom at tafuna industrial park 699-9740 Page 12 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 California officers arrested in vehicle impound scheme Obama tells Pentagon to plan for Afghan pullout WASHINGTON (AP) — In a blunt warning to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Barack Obama threatened on Tuesday to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year if a crucial security pact isn’t signed — and he ordered the Pentagon to accelerate planning for just that scenario. At the same time, in a rare phone call with Karzai, Obama indicated he was willing to wait his mercurial counterpart out and sign a security agreement with a new Afghan president after April elections. That would allow the U.S. to keep as many as 10,000 troops in the country. The effort seemed aimed at marginalizing Karzai’s role in the high-stakes negotiations over the future of the lengthy American-led war. Obama’s attempt to minimize Karzai’s importance to U.S. decision-making underscores how fractured the relationship between the two leaders has become. Tuesday’s phone call was the first direct contact between Obama and Karzai since last June. The Afghan leader has deeply irritated Washington with anti-American rhetoric, as well as with his decision this month to release 65 prisoners over the objections of U.S. officials. Israeli police enter holy site to disperse clash JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police stormed a sensitive Jerusalem holy site Tuesday to disperse a violent protest there, hours before the Israeli parliament debated a nationalist lawmaker’s motion to extend control over it. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said about 20 masked Palestinian youths hurled stones and firecrackers at troops from atop the Temple Mount. Police then entered the compound and arrested three people. He said two police officers were lightly wounded. The Palestinian Observer Mission at the United Nations protested to the Security Council, accusing Israel of escalating “aggression, provocation and incitement” at the holy site in an illegal attempt to forcibly assert control over it. Palestinian Charge d’Affaires Feda Abdelhady-Nasser said in a letter to the council that Israeli forces violently stormed the compound Tuesday, “attacking and injuring Palestinian worshippers with rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters and arresting several worshippers.” The site, known to Muslims as the al-Aqsa Mosque or Noble Sanctuary, is ground zero in the territorial and religious conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Clashes often erupt after Muslims conclude their prayers. Jews typically KING CITY, Calif. (AP) — Police officers in a Central California town took part in a scheme in which cars belonging to poor Hispanic people were impounded, towed and later sold or given away for free to some officers when the car owners couldn’t pay the fees, authorities said Tuesday. Four King City officers — including the recently retired police chief and the acting chief — have been arrested in the scheme, and two others were also arrested Tuesday on unrelated charges, Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo said. “There has been a significant breakdown in the internal leadership of the King City Police Department,” Flippo said. “It also appears to me that some officers have dishonored their badge.” The six officers account for more than a third of the 17-member force in the agricultural town of 13,000 people about 150 miles southeast of San Francisco. Early Tuesday morning, teams from the Monterey County sheriff’s office, the FBI, the Salinas Police Department and the district attorney’s bureau of investigation arrested the officers after a months-long investigation. It began as a response to complaints by residents of corruption and criminal acts within the department dating back at least 3 1/2 years, Flippo said. The probe revealed that the scheme focused on poor Hispanic residents — including many who don’t speak English. More than 200 vehicles had been impounded, Flippo said, and 87 percent had been taken in by the same towing company. In some cases, authorities said, officers simply kept the cars for their own use. The four officers tied to the alleged car theft scheme have each been charged with bribery, accepting a bribe or embezzlement. They are Sgt. Bobby Javier Carrillo, Acting Chief Bruce Edward Miller, former Chief Dominic David Baldiviez and Mario Alonso Mottu Sr. Brian Albert Miller, the operator of the towing company who is also the brother of the acting chief, has also been arrested in the case. The other two officers arrested Tuesday are facing charges unrelated to the scheme. Officer Jaime Andrade was accused of possession of an assault weapon and illegal storage of a firearm, and Officer Mark Allen Baker was arrested on suspicion of criminal threats. Investigators said Carrillo was the car scheme’s ring leader and that for every 10 to 15 vehicles he impounded, he would receive one free vehicle to keep or to sell. Authorities said Carrillo gave one of those vehicles to Bruce Miller, who was then a police captain and has been charged with accepting a bribe, the Salinas Californian reported. Authorities also say Baldiviez gave Mottu a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car belonging to King City or the King City Police Explorers, the Californian said. All seven of those arrested were bailed out of jail within hours. The officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, KSBW-TV reported. “I’m completely surprised by the arrest this morning,” Bruce Miller told a KSBW reporter on his way out of jail after posting bail. He said he had known his department was being investigated but had no idea that he was a suspect. He denied that he had accepted any bribes in the car theft scheme. “My reputation is soiled,” he said. “There’s no coming back from this, even if I’m found innocent. People are always going to look poorly upon me.” Tuesday evening in King City was typically quiet, with the historic main street’s bakeries, markets, taquerias and restaurants mostly empty. The windows were steamy at Bailey’s Gym, where a handful of people were working out. Owner Greg Bailey, who also works as a correctional officer at a nearby prison, said he has known Miller for a long time and is skeptical about the charges. “When the finger gets pointed at you, you’ve got to dig your feet in and fight your way back,” he said. Bailey said it’s not uncommon for immigrants to drive without insurance, and if they are caught, their vehicles are impounded. He said his own car was hit by someone driving without insurance. Bailey said he is concerned about the sudden, sharp reduction in the police force. (Continued on page 15) (Continued on page 14) First lady Michelle Obama laughs as she participates in a zumba class with Mario Lopez at a Miami parks and recreation center during a visit to promote her “Let’s Move” campaign Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. The Obama administration is moving to phase out junk food advertising on football scoreboards and elsewhere on school grounds, part of a broad effort to combat child obesity and create what Michelle Obama calls “a new norm” for today’s schoolchildren and future generations. Obama announced that the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the National Recreation and Park Association will serve more fruits and vegetables at after-school programs and ensure (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach) kids get 30-60 minutes of physical activity a day. ➧ NEWS IN BRIEF… Child dies from infected rat; family sues Petco SAN DIEGO (AP) — A San Diego family is suing Petco after the death of their 10-year-old son from a bacterial infection they say he contracted from his pet rat. Attorney John Gomez told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his firm filed the lawsuit Monday in San Diego County seeking an unspecified amount for the suffering endured by the Pankey family, whose son, Aidan, died June 12, 2013, hours after he was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pains. The San Diego County medical examiner’s office ruled that the cause of death was streptobacillus moniliformis infection, commonly known as rat-bite fever, after exposure to an infected rat. The retailer in a statement expressed its condolences. “We are deeply saddened by the Pankey family’s tragic loss,” Petco said in a statement. “The health and safety of people and pets is always a top priority, and we take the family’s concerns very seriously.” Neighbors foil attempt to steal wall, Banksy mural NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Neighbors in New Orleans foiled what police say was an attempt to steal a chunk of cinderblock wall bearing a painting created by the world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy. The building’s owner called police Friday evening, saying someone was attempting to cut out the painting, which Banksy had created after Hurricane Katrina, said Officer Garry Flot, a police spokesman. By the time of that call, he said, two suspects were gone and the mural, known locally as Umbrella Girl or Rain Girl, was still there. The painting and the long holes that had been cut around it are now shielded by plywood. The mural is among more than a dozen made in 2008 in New Orleans by the elusive British artist, who is perhaps the world’s best-known street artist. Banksy’s works have sold at auction for as much as $1.1 million. He came to New Orleans as Hurricane Gustav was heading toward Louisiana. The images he left were generally related to the 2005 hurricane, Katrina. Well known in New Orleans, they have been the subject of news articles in the past. Many have since been painted over or destroyed. This one shows a mournful girl holding an umbrella from which rain pours onto her as she extends a cupped hand into the open air around her. Continued from page 6 Confused Japanese tourists in Utah trigger highway pursuit SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The first night in the United States for a family of Japanese tourists ended with the parents being pulled from their rental car at gunpoint with their young son watching after their confusion about American traffic laws set off a high-speed pursuit in southern Utah. The pursuit began at 1 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 15 near the Utah-Arizona border when the couple’s car was spotted going just 37 mph and swerving between lanes, said Lt. Brad Horne, Utah Highway Patrol’s DUI unit commander. More than a dozen patrolmen were working the area in a special DUI operation, and Horne said he figured the car was being driven by a drunken driver. Horne turned on his lights and siren to pull the car over. Instead of pulling over, the driver sped up to 75 mph and began driving erratically, he said. Her speeds fluctuated between 40 and 75 mph as she weaved across lanes and into the shoulder. Soon, there were three patrol cars in pursuit with other officers closing highway offramps and setting tire spikes miles ahead, Horne said. “It was literally red and blue lights in every direction,” Horne said. The couple’s car skidded to a stop about 7 miles north of where the pursuit began after three of the tires deflated after hitting the spikes. A patrolmen bellowed commands from a loudspeaker in his patrol car, telling the couple to exit and walk backward. Both directions of I-15 were closed as officers prepared to encounter hardened criminals. Instead, a Japanese woman in her early 40s emerged. “She would walk forward, backward, spin around — obviously she had no clue what we wanted her to do,” Horne said. Still bracing for the worst, officers approached the car with guns drawn and pulled the woman and a man from the car. That’s when they saw the couple’s 7-year-old son in the backseat and realized the family didn’t speak English. The boy was crying, and the parents appeared nervous and confused, Horne said. “I think they were terrified,” he said. Realizing they were dealing with language and cultural barriers, and not a drunken driver or fugitive, officers changed their strategy, Horne said. One officer consoled the boy and reunited him with his parents as others worked to get a Japanese-speaking officer on the phone. They found one in northern Utah who spoke to the couple and learned they had arrived from Japan on Friday morning and rented a car to drive from California to Bryce Canyon in southern Utah. The woman said she had no idea what she was supposed to do when the patrolman put on his lights and siren, so she sped up to get out of the way. She kept apologizing for crashing the car, not realizing they ran over tire spikes, Horne said. Patrolmen took the family to a motel and wished them safe travels. Nobody was hurt and no cars damaged other than the flat tires, he said. About a dozen law enforcement officers were involved in some way. Authorities don’t plan to pursue charges. Horne said the couple didn’t have Japanese driver’s licenses with them. Horne said he’s encountered many tourists in his three decades working with the Utah Highway Patrol, but he’s never seen a situation escalate like this. “Red and blue lights are a pretty universal signal,” Horne said. “Regardless of nationality and language, when we put lights on, people pull over and stop.” Federal government won’t charge group of Michigan officers SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) — No civil rights charges will be filed against a group of Michigan police officers in the shooting death of a homeless, mentally ill man, federal officials said Tuesday. Milton Hall was shot 11 times during a July 2012 confrontation with officers in a Saginaw parking lot. Police have said the 49-year-old Hall was holding a knife and moving toward an officer and police dog when he was shot. “Federal authorities have determined that this tragic event does not present sufficient evidence of willful misconduct to lead to a federal criminal prosecution of the police officers involved,” the U.S. Justice Department said. No local or state charges were filed in the case. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI reviewed results of a criminal probe by state police, Michigan’s attorney general and Saginaw County prosecutor as part of their investigation. Evidence reviewed also included witness statements and videos from police car dashboard cameras and cellphones. It was determined “that the evidence in this case is insufficient to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt” that Saginaw officers “willfully shot Hall for an unlawful purpose,” the release stated. “Even if the officers were mistaken in their assessment of the threat posed by Hall, this would not establish that the officers acted willfully, or with an unlawful intent, when using deadly force against Hall.” Nearly 50 rounds were fired by six officers. Hall’s death prompted a number of protests in Saginaw, about 80 miles northwest of Detroit. His mother, Jewel Hall, told The Associated Press that the FBI delivered a letter to her early Tuesday about the decision not to file charges. Jewel Hall, 82, said that does not mean the case is over. “The letter gave excellent facts that can be used as we pursue justice for my son,” she said from her New Mexico home. samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 13 NOTICE FOR SEPARATION AGREEMENT TO Members of the SALANOA Family and to all whom these present may come! NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that AOMALO AUMOEUALOGO of TULA has offered for recording in this office an instrument in writing which seeks to separate a certain structure which is or to be erected, on land SINAVEVELA allegedly belonging to SALANOA FAMILY of the village of TULA. Said land SINAVEVELA is situated in or near the village of TULA in the County of VAIFANUA, Island of TUTUILA, American Samoa. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that any interested person may object to the recording of such instrument by filing in the Territorial Registar’s Office in Fagatogo, a written objection to the recording of said instrument. Any objections thereto must be filed with in 30 days from the date of posting of this notice. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that if no such objections are filed within the said 30 day period, the instrument will be recorded and shall be valid and binding on all persons. The said instrument may be examined at any time at the Territorial Registrar’s Office. POSTED: FEBRUARY 13, 2014 thru MARCH 17, 2014 SIGNED: Taito S.B. White, Territorial Registrar FA’AALIGA O LE FEAGAIGA MO SE TU’U’ESEINA I tagata o le aiga sa SALANOA, ma i latou uma e silasila ma lauiloaina lenei fa’aaliga! O le fa’aaliga lenei ona o AOMALO AUMOEUALOGO o le nu’u o TULA ua ia fa’aulufaleina mai i lenei ofisa se feagaiga tusitusi e fa’ailoa ai se mana’oga fia tu’u’eseina o se fale ua/po o le a, fa’atuina i luga o le fanua o SINAVEVELA e fa’asino i le aiga sa SALANOA, o le nu’u o TULA. O lenei fanua e totonu pe latalata ane i le nu’u o TULA , itumalo o VAIFANUA, ile motu o TUTUILA, Amerika Samoa. O le fa’aaliga fo’i e fa’apea, so o se tasi e iai sona aia i lenei mata’upu e mafai ona fa’atu’i’iese ile fa’amauina o lenei feagaiga pe a auina mai i le ofisa ole Resitara o le Teritori of Amerika Samoa i Fagatogo, sana fa’atu’ese tusitusia. O fa’atu’iesega uma lava e ao ona fa’aulufaleina mai i totonu o aso e 30 faitauina mai i le aso na faíaalia ai lenei fa’aaliga. Afai ole a leai se fa’atu’i’esega e fa’aulufaleina i totonu o aso 30 e pei ona ta’ua i luga, o le a fa’amauina loa lenei feagaiga e taualoaina ma ‘a’afia ai tagata uma. 02/26 & 03/12/14 AUTO NATION Brake Pads & Ball Joints Now in Stock. WINDSHIELD IN STOCK 250.00 $ Hundreds of RADIATOR IN STOCK We carry Genuine Aftermarket and Used Parts All All PPG PPG Paints Paints 10% 10% OFF OFF Auto Nation in Nu’uuli next to Talofa Video. 699-7168 699-7168 American Samoa Government DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT The Praxis I test scheduled for Saturday, March 8, 2014 at Tafuna High School will have two sessions. The first one will be at 7:30 am and the second at 12:30 pm. All teachers registered for this date must contact your school principal to identify which session and room you are assigned to. You are asked to bring the following on the day of the test: • Registration ticket • Valid photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.) • Two No#2 pencils All UH Cohort teachers registered for this sitting as well are to report to Tafuna High School at 7:30am sharp. For more information, please contact Sam Uhrle at the DOE Testing Office (6994757) or Diana Ameperosa at the Teacher Quality Office (699-9117). Please be on time. FA’AALIGA TAUA O le a fa’ataunuuina su’ega mo le PRAXIS I i le Aso To’ona’i, Mati 8, 2014 i le aoga maualuga a Tafuna. E lua taimi faatulagaina o le a faataunuu ai lenei suega, o le 7:30 i le taeao ma le 12:30 i le aoauli. Mo faiaoga uma ua maea ona lesitala e su’e i le suega i le Aso To’onai, ia faafesootai a outou puleaoga ina ia maua mai ai a outou taimi ma potu. Ia e málaga mai i le aso o le su’ega ma mea nei: • Pepa Lesitala (ticket) • ID o iai sou ata (laisene avetaavale, tusi folau, etc.) • Penitala #2 e lua O faiaoga UH Cohort ua lesitala mo lenei suega, ia outou ripoti atu i le aoga maualuga i Tafuna ae le i ta le 7:30 i le taeao. Mo nisi fa’amatalaga, faamolemole faafesootai Sam Uhrle i le Ofisa o Su’ega a le DOE (699-4757) po o Diana Ameperosa i le Ofisa Teacher Quality (699-9117). Page 14 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 ➧ Strong opposition to wage hike… ➧ Governor Lolo falls ill… OPPOSITION TO INCREASES Some 20 business representatives attended a group discussion with GAO officials last November and the private sector were generally opposed to additional minimum wage increases. They also stated that previous wage hikes had been harmful to the local economy. The employers called the minimum wage the most important issue impacting businesses and cited American Samoa’s reliance on the tuna canning industry and fears about the effect of further increases on the industry and the American Samoa economy in general. In addition, these employers said that federal tsunami recovery assistance had cushioned the impact of the 2009 closure of the Chicken of the Sea cannery, so its full impact had not yet been felt. Further, “the business representatives we spoke with expressed frustration with American Samoa’s lack of success in attracting alternative businesses to the territory,” the draft report says. Business representatives also told GAO that ASG had not fostered economic development and that its tax policies had created a poor business environment, it says. As the territory’s largest employer, ASG continues to report that any increases in the minimum wage will result in reduced government employment and ASG anticipates that it will reduce staff or hours as part of its response to any future increases. ASG further stated that the scheduled 2015 increase would raise its wage bill by approximately $140,000 and ASG anticipated it would have to cut six employees to offset this increase. ASG also contends that any future increases beyond 2015 would have a drastic budget impact and contribute to the government’s “already critical cash flow problem”. Also cited in the GAO draft report was Gov. Moliga’s address to the Fono last month, wherein the local Commerce Department has been instructed to prepare and justify a request to Congress to permanently remove American Samoa from the federally mandated minimum wage. According to the Governor, the justification will include the presentation of a locally-developed “living wage” to address what it described as Congressional fear that the American Samoa minimum wage does not provide for basic living needs in American Samoa. StarKist cannery workers who participated in a discussion group also shared their opposition to further minimum wage increases rather than support for future increases. The draft report says workers expressed concerns that any increase would result in lost jobs or a complete closure of StarKist Samoa. Jr. from the congressman’s office. Speaking in Samoan, the Acting Governor stated the governor was experiencing pain, however when asked for specifics, Lemanu declined to respond, stating instead that the governor is now “out and about and walking around” in the hospital. He said he has opted to wait for the medical release document and would not say anything specific as of yet. Lemanu noted that usually medical observations take one or two days before a person is released from the hospital and they “don’t foresee any major complications or anything that would worry us.” The Acting Governor apologized to the public, the Fono leaders and the Administration for the delay in relaying the news of the Governor’s situation, however his office had waited to gather actual facts prior to going public on the matter. “On behalf of the governor’s office we like to say that the governor is recovering well and we thank the Lord for His help,” said Lemanu. He stated that First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga is by the governor’s side, along with the Chief of Staff Fiu Johnny Saelua and Executive Assistant Iulogologo Joseph Pereira. Lemanu further said that among the delegation are Medicaid Director Tofoitaufa Sandra King Young, Grants Compliance Officer Jerome Ierome, Director of DOE Vaitinasa Salu Hunkin Finau, Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua, Director of Commerce Keniseli Lafaele, and Treasurer Dr Falema’o Phil Pili, who will all return to the territory as planned next week Monday, but it’s unclear if the governor’s stay in the hospital will delay his return. Continued from page 1 Workers told GAO officials that working hours have been reduced at the cannery and that opportunities for overtime have been reduced. Workers also said that prices for essentials such as rent, food, and utilities are high and difficult for them to afford. “Some workers we spoke with expressed concerns that future increases in the minimum wage would lead to an increase in prices in American Samoa, which is something they reported occurring as a result of previous minimum wage increases,” the draft report says. CANNERY ACTION Two of the three employers in the tuna canning industry in American Samoa reported that they had taken cost-cutting actions from June 2010 to June 2013 including labor- and cost-saving strategies and reduced overtime, according to the draft, which didn’t identify the companies by name, but Samoa News understands GAO is referring to StarKist Samoa and the can manufacturing plant — Impress Samoa. The third employer, which was just beginning operations in American Samoa considered the questions — on the impact of wage hikes to the cannery — not applicable. (GAO is referring to Tri Marine International’s local Samoa Tuna Processors Inc.) “The two employers attributed all but one of their actions to a moderate or large extent to minimum wage increases. In addition to minimum wage increases, these two employers also attributed their actions to a moderate or large extent to increased utility and material costs,” the draft report says. It also says that two of the three employers stated that they planned in the next 18 months to introduce labor-and cost-saving strategies, delay business expansion, relocate business, and reduce overtime hours. “The two employers attributed all of these plans to a moderate or large extent to the minimum wage increases, but also to increased utility and material costs and business factors,” the draft report says and noted that cannery officials had stated that wage increases are one of many factors affecting the tuna canning industry in American Samoa, but that its labor costs, including the minimum wage increases, place American Samoa at a significant cost disadvantage in comparison with other canned tuna exporting countries. “Both canneries cited congressional action to defer the next minimum wage increase to 2015 as encouraging their ability to invest in American Samoa. Cannery officials said that there is a spectrum of possible actions in response to increasing costs. For example, canneries could lower the staffing level or close certain production lines,” draft report says. Continued from page 1 ➧ $10M in rare gold coins… Continued from page 8 Although most of the coins were minted in San Francisco, one $5 gold piece came from as far away as Georgia. Kagin and McCarthy would say little about the couple’s property or its ownership history, other than it’s located in Gold Country, a sprawling, picturesque and still lightly populated section of north-central California that stretches along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento, set off the California Gold Rush of 1848. The coins had been buried by a path the couple had walked for years. On the day they found them last spring, the woman had bent over to examine an old rusty can that erosion had caused to pop slightly out of the ground. “Don’t be above bending over to check on a rusty can,” Kagin said she told him. They were located on a section of the property the couple nicknamed Saddle Ridge, and Kagin is calling the find the Saddle Ridge Hoard. He believes it could be the largest such discovery in U.S. history. One of the largest previous finds of gold coins was $1 million worth uncovered by construction workers in Jackson, Tenn., in 1985. More than 400,000 silver dollars were found in the home of a Reno, Nev., man who died in 1974 and were later sold intact for $7.3 million. Gold coins and ingots said to be worth as much as $130 million were recovered in the 1980s from the wreck of the SS Central America. But historians knew roughly where that gold was because the ship went down off the coast of North Carolina during a hurricane in 1857. ➧ Vehicle impound scheme… Continued from page 12 “There was a safety issue prior to this happening,” he said, noting gangs are active in the town. Hector and Laura Vasquez set down a heavy sofa they were carrying in the showroom of their Dor’s Furniture store to chat about the arrests. Speaking in Spanish, Laura Vasquez said it didn’t seem right that the officers were bailed out so quickly after her husband described what had happened. “They’re supposed to be keeping us safe, but they’re the ones who are breaking the law,” she said. Husband Hector Vasquez said there’s frequent talk in the U.S. of how corrupt Mexican law enforcement agents are. “So that’s a little awkward,” he said. The front office of the King City police station was closed Tuesday afternoon. King City Manager Michael Powers told The Associated Press that Monterey County sheriff’s deputies and officers from the nearby cities of Gonzales and Soledad have volunteered to help police the city now that so many of its officers have been taken off duty. “Obviously, people are in shock, and so is the city staff,” Powers said. “But at the same time, we can’t tolerate corruption in the police department.” ➧ NEWS IN BRIEF… pray below at the Western Wall but tensions have grown lately with an increased number of Jews arriving to pray at the Temple Mount as well. Benedict denies he was pressured to resign VATICAN CITY (AP) — Retired Pope Benedict XVI has denied speculation that he was pressured to resign, saying his decision was freely made and his alone. Benedict wrote to the Vatican correspondent for La Stampa newspaper, Andrea Tornielli, amid a new round of speculation about his reasons ahead of Friday’s first anniversary of the resignation, the first by a pope in 600 years. La Stampa on Wednesday quoted Benedict as writing: “There isn’t the minimum of doubt about the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry. The only condition for the validity is the full freedom of the decision. Speculation about its invalidity is simply absurd.” Benedict also defended his decision to continue wearing the white cassock of the papacy, saying that there were no other clothes available. S. Sudan: Patients shot dead in hospital beds JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The aid group Doctors Without Borders says the extreme violence and lack of respect for health care workers in South Sudan has made its work there almost impossible.The group said in a statement issued Wednesday that its team members discovered at least 14 dead bodies in a hospital in Malakal over the weekend. It said several of the dead had been shot while lying in their beds. Rebels have been fighting government forces for control of the city, the capital of an oil-producing state. Group leader Raphael Gorgeu said Doctors Without Borders’ facilities in the towns of Leer and Bentiu have been looted and completely destroyed. She said Doctors Without Borders does not want to leave South Sudan but must look at the safety situation of its workers. Indian navy sailors overcome by smoke; 2 missing NEW DELHI (AP) — Two Indian navy sailors are missing and seven others have been hospitalized after they were overcome by smoke during a firefighting training exercise on board a diesel-powered submarine off Mumbai’s coast. A navy spokesman, Capt. D.K. Sharma, says a naval helicopter took the seven sailors to a navy hospital in Mumbai, but that two others are unaccounted for. He says an inquiry has been ordered into Wednesday’s incident. Sharma says the Russian-made submarine did not suffer any damage. Last August, another of the navy’s Russianmade diesel-powered submarines, the INS Sindhurakshak, caught fire after an explosion and sank at its home port in Mumbai, killing all 18 sailors on board. Convicted state lawmaker takes indefinite leave SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A state senator convicted of perjury and voter fraud took an indefinite leave of absence Tuesday as he awaits sentencing in May. Sen. Roderick Wright, a Democrat who represents a Los Angeles-area district, requested the leave during a meeting with Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. “I’ve accepted his request and wish him well going forward,” Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said in a two-sentence statement. The Senate leader had recommended letting Wright remain in office until his sentencing, which has been delayed until May 16. “I have decided to take a leave of absence from the state Senate, so that I may devote my full attention to pending legal matters,” Wright said in a statement. “I remain hopeful that through due process - I will once again have the opportunity to fight for laws that strengthen our communities and support those most in need.” Wright’s lawyer has said he intends to ask a judge to set aside the jury verdict involving his client. By taking leave, Wright will continue receiving his $95,291 annual salary but will not receive the $163 daily expense payment he would receive if he were traveling to samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Page 15 Continued from page 12 Sacramento. China leader’s stroll in Beijing alley sparks buzz BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping braved Beijing’s choking smog Tuesday, making an unannounced visit to a trendy alley and sitting with residents in his latest public relations effort to be seen as a man of the people. Xi wore a black jacket and pants and was followed by a posse of similarly plainly suited Beijing city officials for his short stroll through part of a traditional alleyway popular with tourists and fashionable youth. Guan Shiyue, a 69-year-old retiree who lives in a small, sparsely furnished home on a nearby alley, said Xi visited him and sat between him and his wife on their living room sofa. Guan said he was impressed by the president. Such visits are extremely rare for top Chinese leaders, who are not known for mingling with the public other than at scheduled events. Given Xi’s status and China’s conservative political culture, his appearance was likely stage-managed to some degree beforehand. Photos apparently taken by onlookers of Xi’s visit ricocheted around Chinese social media sites, triggering a flurry of comments. Some Internet users expressed support for “Uncle Xi” while others mocked the public relations effort, saying he should prioritize fixing the city’s air pollution woes over visiting residents. Speed may be cause of Hayek brother’s deadly crash LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles police say speed may be a factor in a deadly crash involving Salma Hayek’s brother. Lt. Andrew Neiman tells the Los Angeles Times that 40-year-old Sami Hayek may have been going too fast on a curvy stretch of Sunset Boulevard when he lost control of a high-powered Ford GT Sunday afternoon. Neiman says the muscle car fishtailed, crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a pickup truck. The crash broke Hayek’s ribs and killed his passenger, photographer and Grammy-winning art director Ian Cuttler Sala. The pickup driver suffered a broken foot. No drugs or alcohol were involved. Youth counselor charged in prostitution case SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California mental health counselor for teens has been indicted on charges of child sex trafficking. The counselor, 27-year-old Justin Crutchfield, was named in an indictment unsealed this month in U.S. District Court in San Jose, and he is accused of using his position to lure two teenagers to work as prostitutes. Crutchfield — who was arrested in June — worked for the Santa Clara Valley Mental Health Department as a peer counselor for minors and young adults. Another man, 23-year-old Demontae Toliver, who was arrested a few weeks ago, is also named in the indictment. San Jose Police Sgt. Kyle Oki says convinced the teens to sell their bodies on busy thoroughfares and on websites like My Red Book. California slaughterhouse under criminal probe PETALUMA, Calif. (AP) — A congressman says federal officials have launched a criminal probe of a Northern California slaughterhouse that recently recalled more than 8.7 million pounds of beef. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman told the Press Democrat of Santa Rosa on Monday he learned about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s investigation of Petaluma-based Rancho Feeding Corp. during a telephone call with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Huffman said investigators could not provide details, but he was told the suspected misconduct was grave. The USDA has said Rancho processed diseased and unhealthy animals and circumvented federal inspection rules. The recalled beef was sold at Walmart and other national chains and used in products, including Hot Pockets. Robert Singleton, a partner in Rancho, has denied the allegations and said he was unaware of a criminal investigation Where it’s at in American Samoa 3250 Airport Road Pago Pago AS 96799 DAILY RATES WEEKLY RATES MONTHLY RATES CALL NOW! LIMA FESOASOANI QUICK FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS CALL US TODAY!! Aitulagi Building 2nd Floor Fagatogo Square Fagaima Road Suite 208B Ph: 699-3848 Ph: 633-3848 Fax: 699-3849 Fax: 633-3849 http://www.limafesoasoani.com Business Hours are Monday - Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm GET YOUR TSHIRTS PRINTED AT TUFUGA PRINTSHOP Limited time only for the month of February 1 color/1 location = $3.00 1 color/2 location = $3.50 2 color/2 location = $5.00 (No setup charge) Email: tufugadesign@gmail.com cell: 258-0772 (Patrick) LOCATED IN LEONE Island Funeral Services in Nu’uuli “Lean on Us in Your Time of Need” FOR ALL YOUR FUNERAL NEEDS!!! 24 Hour Services www.islandfuneralservice.com Office: Fax: Home: Mobile: 699-2384 699-2108 699-6803 733-3201 Personalized PHOTO CAKES 699cake@gmail.com $85 for Full Sheet Call 699-9906 Mon - Sat Pick Up Only! 2 Page 16 samoa news, Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Toe Tepa Tasi TATOORS @ the 26th Vailima Marist Samoa Sevens. Malo Finau. Faafetai Faaeaea. (Photos:THA) C M Y K C M Y K