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1 Buckle up! Fatalities CraSHES LOCAL HIGHWAYS to date office of highway safety LOCAL HIGHWAYS to date AS All Stars take back Samoa Bowl championship B1 Leone High School s Johnstone Leafa about to lay the hammer on Hawai i quarterback Li ili i during the first half of their All Star Game this past Saturday. American Samoa beat Hawai i 12-6 to recapture the Samoa Bowl Championship title. See story and more photos in today s Sports section. [photo: TG] samoanews.com C Y M K Search expands for lost AirAsia passenger jet 2 Daily Circulation 7,000 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA Monday, December 29, 2014 $1.00 C M Fa afetaia tautua Soifua Maloloina i le mataupu Ebola tusia Ausage Fausia Ua to atele le mamalu o le atunu u ua latou fa afetaia le tautua a le Matagaluega a le Soifua Maloloina, i le auala na latou tali atu ai i le mataupu lea na tula i mai i luga o se va a fagota i le lua vaiaso ua te, ina ua masalomia le a afia o se ali i fai faiva i auga o le fa ama i oti o le Ebola. O ni isi o le atunu u na fa afetaia le tali atu a le Matagaluega a le Soifua Maloloina, o ni isi ia na valaau mai i le Samoa News i le aso Lulu na te a nei ma latou fesiligia se gaioiga a le matagaluega ua sauni e faia e tali atu ai i lenei fa afitauli. Na mafua ona ou valaau atu ma fesiligia se gaioiga a le Soifua Maloloina o le a faia e tali atu ai i le fa alavelave, ona ua ou talitonu, afai e fa amaonia ua a afia le ali i fai faiva lenei i auga o lenei fa ama i leaga, o le mea moni lava ua tupu le mala ia Samoa, o le saunoaga lea a le susuga ia Martin Manu, o se ali i faipisinisi i le atunu u. O le auala lea na taua e le Matagaluega sa latou tali atu ai i le taimi na taunu u mai ai le va a i gatai o le ava, fa apea ai ma le fa atinoina o a latou siaki, o se itu e maofa ai le loto, ina ua ofo atu e nei tagata lo latou saogalemu e piupuia ai le saogalemu o le atunu u atoa, o le saunoaga lea a le tina o Margret Filiga, o se tagatanu u sa valaau mai e fia momoli lana fa afetai i le Matagaluega atoa e tusa ai o le latou tali atu i lenei mataupu. E to alua isi tamali i o le atunu u na la taua e fa apea, o le tiute lava lea a le Soifua Maloloina i so o se taimi, ia mautinoa le soifua maloloina o le atunuu ia puipuia, ina ne i a afia i ni fa ama i e pipisi mai fafo atu o Amerika Samoa. E to atele ni isi o le atunu u na valaau mai i le Samoa News e fa ailoa mai lo latou nonofo popole tele, pe tua ma ni a sailiiliga o le a faia i le ali i fai faiva sa taua na a afia, peita i o se tala fiafia ina ua fa amaonia mai e se sui o le Soifua Maloloina i le Samoa News, le leai o ni fa amaonia e lagolago ai na a afia Shooting in Leone puts 1 police officer in hospital by Joyetter Feagaimaali i-luamanu Samoa News Reporter Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga says the Department of Public Safety is conducting a thorough investigation into the shooting that injured a police officer early Sunday morning, after he confirmed that a police officer was injured during a shooting incident, but declined to comment on the extent of the officer s injuries. Governor Lolo told Samoa News that every resource DPS has available has been called into service for the investigation of the injured officer. He told Samoa News that DPS would provide a statement to the public tomorrow regarding the incident, which occurred in Leone. While, Samoa News has not heard of any eyewitnesses stepping forward, there have been unconfirmed reports of the incident on Facebook pages of local residents, and talk by some of hearing six rifle or shotgun shots followed by a rapid burst of pistol shots in the early morning hours on Sunday. The shooting has the police very tight lipped about the incident; so much so that even the Emergency Medical Services was not contacted for assistance, said an EMS official. Police officers, who are not authorized to talk to the media, told Samoa News that the incident happened in Leone, during the early morning hours on Sunday, and this time two police officers and a captain of the Leone Substation, in a (Continued on page 15) Y K le ali i fagota i auga o lenei fa ama i. (Faaauau itulau 14) A look at the heavy presence of police officers at the hospital yesterday morning when one of their own was being treated inside the LBJ Emergency Room after being injured in a shooting incident that took place around the Leone area, early Sunday morning. [photo: AF] A look at where the shooting incident occurred early Sunday morning, resulting in a police officer being injured. [photo: TCA]

2 Page 2 samoa news, Monday, December 29, 2014 Jiang Hui, a relative of passengers on board the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 that went missing on March 8, 2014, watches a TV news about a missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, during their year-end gathering, at his house in Beijing, China Sunday, Dec. 28, In the third air incident connected to Malaysia this year, an AirAsia plane disappeared on Sunday while flying over the Java Sea after taking off from Surabaya, Indonesia for Singapore. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Search expands for lost AirAsia passenger jet Akapo says ASDHS- EOC is duplicating effort and confusing public with reports by Joyetter Feagaimaali i-luamanu, Samoa News Reporter Chief Meteorologist Mase Akapo of the NOAA Weather Station has taken issue with the Department of Homeland Security- Emergency Operations Center, which has been announcing special weather bulletins to both the media and the public. Mase in an claims that DHS is confusing the public with their public notices about the weather. Earlier this week Faletoa Ulufale with the DHS-EOC sent out an for Friday s Special Bulletin noting that the National Weather Service had issued a TROPICAL STORM WATCH for ALL islands until Saturday morning, December 27, In response, Mase asked is it really necessary for TEMCO/ ASDHS to issue a Special Bulletin to inform the Media and the Public of what the National Weather Service has already done? According to Mase this can only cause confusion and duplication of information. Mase then suggested to DHS that they need to focus on issuing statements on the effects of the weather that the weather station reports. I suggest that TEMCO/ASDHS should focus on issuing statements informing the public on the effects of what the NWS has issued. Mase gave an example, like the impact of High Surf, Flash Flooding, Land or Mud Slides or preparedness statements; such as securing loose objects, boarding of windows and actions necessary before the onset or impact of Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. Mase indicated that the National Weather Service Station s information is there to inform the public. Our Bulletins, Warnings, Watches, Advisories and Statements are all put together to inform the public of expected weather affecting our territory and surrounding waters, said Mase. The suggestion by Mase was not honored by the EOC as they continued to issue special bulletins over the weekend. Ulufale told Samoa News yesterday that the Weather Station does not reach out to the media, they only post their updates on their website and not everyone has access to it. He further stated that EOC s job is to inform the public of what s happening pertaining to the weather and other related issues. He explained, We are reconfirming as a local agency and we issue out the statements to the public, as we are the local agency for such matters. SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) Search planes and ships from several countries on Monday were scouring Indonesian waters over which an AirAsia jet carrying 162 people disappeared, and more than a day into the region s latest aviation mystery, officials doubted there could be anything but a tragic ending. AirAsia Flight 8501 vanished Sunday in airspace thick with storm clouds on its way from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore. The search expanded Monday, but has yet to find any trace of the Airbus A320. Based on the coordinates that we know, the evaluation would be that any estimated crash position is in the sea, and that the hypothesis is the plane is at the bottom of the sea, Indonesia search and rescue chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo said at a news conference. First Adm. Sigit Setiayana, the Naval Aviation Center commander at the Surabaya air force base, said 12 navy ships, five planes, three helicopters and a number of warships were taking part in the search, along with ships and planes from Singapore and Malaysia. The Australian Air Force also sent a search plane. Searchers had to cope with heavy rain Sunday, but Setiayana said Monday that visibility was good. God willing, we can find it soon, he told The Associated Press. The plane s disappearance and suspected crash caps an astonishingly tragic year for (all ANSWERs on page 14) air travel in Southeast Asia. The Malaysiabased carrier s loss comes on top of the stillunexplained disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in July over Ukraine. At the Surabaya airport, passengers relatives pored over the plane s manifest, crying and embracing. Nias Adityas, a housewife from Surabaya, was overcome with grief when she found the name of her husband, Nanang Priowidodo, on the list. The 43-year-old tour agent had been taking a family of four on a trip to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia s Lombok island. He just told me, Praise God, this new year brings a lot of good fortune, Adityas recalled, while weeping. Nearly all the passengers and crew are Indonesians, who are frequent visitors to Singapore, particularly on holidays. Flight 8501 took off Sunday morning from Indonesia s second-largest city and was about halfway to Singapore when it vanished from radar. The jet had been airborne for about 42 minutes. There was no distress signal from the twinengine, single-aisle plane, said Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia s acting director general of transportation. (Continued on page 14)

3 samoa news, Monday, December 29, 2014 Page 3 Baby Mel arrives in HI by B. Chen, Samoa News Correspondent The parents and family of Baby Melchizedek (Mel) Soli received a wonderful Christmas present when the 4-month-old infant was able to travel to Hawai i last Tuesday, Dec. 23. According to a family member, the outpouring of love and support from people here and all over the world has been unbelievable. Initially, the family had set up a fund to help pay for Baby Mel s medical treatment and the goal was $8,000. However, the family surpassed that goal, reaching donations of $10,425 in just one week. Thank you all for sharing Baby Mel s page and Samoa News too! Numerous people have stopped by the hospital asking, Where is the family who owns the baby on the newspaper? They have donated generously, refused to tell us their names, wanting to be anonymous and most importantly, prayed for baby Mel and family, wrote a family member. Our cup of blessings overflows! Fa afetai, fa afetai tele lava! Thank you for giving us hope and love as we seek the medical care baby Mel needs. It is our prayer that our loving Heavenly Father bless you all abundantly for the kindness shown to our baby Mel. We intend to use baby Mel s story to advocate for better health care services for the people and children of American Samoa. the family member continued. Baby Mel is being treated at the Kapiolani Children s Hospital and Santa stopped by to give him a Spiderman blanket and a kitty toy. Baby Mel has already undergone an MRI and an EEG and the family has already been informed of the results. We are heartbroken but remain positive, said one family member. There s brain damage that has caused loss of vision (possibly permanent), seizures are expected regularly and he may not be able to walk. This is a result of when he flat lined and they worked to resuscitate him (at the LBJ Medical Center). Hours before, we notified the (LBJ) staff that baby didn t look right, with increased heart rate and vomiting. We weren t taken seriously. We will continue to keep the faith and count our blessings. Thank you all for your love and support. In the meantime, the family reports that the service at Kapiolani is wonderful We mean no disrespect to LBJ hospital or their staff. There are some great employees there and there are some that, well, from experience could use a little more compassion and training. We are thankful for all that LBJ hospital has done but there s definitely room for improvement to help save lives of the people in American Samoa. We will address the errors in time through the right channels. But for now, our focus is on baby Mel s recovery. We are truly blessed you all are helping to carry this burden with us. No matter what, God is good... all the time! Baby Mel underwent four surgeries in less than a month at LBJ because his abdomen was swollen and an infection was suspected. Surfer survives a shark bite off Central California LOS OSOS, Calif. (AP) A man surfing on the Central California coast was dragged under water by a juvenile great white shark and bitten in the hip on Sunday before he could paddle to shore, where he received help from two doctors who happened to be on the beach, a witness said Sunday. The man in his 50s used the leash cord from his surfboard to make a tourniquet for his leg before he got out of the water, Andrew Walsh told the San Luis Obispo Tribune. We re really blessed that he was still able to get himself to shore, Walsh said. I was a few feet behind him, and we grabbed him and got him... up on the sand, and very quickly these doctors were there, helping out and calling 911. The man, who lives in the San Luis Obispo area, sustained cuts to his right hip area and was flown to a local hospital for treatment, Supervising State Park Ranger Robert Colligan said. The 11:30 a.m. attack happened at the Sand Spit Beach in Montana De Oro State Park just west of San Luis Obispo. Walsh said he was surfing about 10 feet from the victim when the attack occurred. There was no warning at all. It was absolutely quiet.... (The shark) came straight up out of the depths and got him and took him under the water. The victim was below the water for several seconds before he surfaced on his damaged board, he said. The beach remained open, but signs will be posted for three days warning the public of the attack, Colligan said. He noted that if there is another shark sighting, the signs will remain up for another three days. Sharks are native to the area, and Colligan said that they are spotted several times a year. He added that attacks like this are rare. A woman swimming with seals was killed by a shark in 2003 about 10 miles south of the most recent attack, Colligan said. In this image provided by the Italian Navy, smoke billows from the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic after it caught fire in the Adriatic Sea, Sunday, Dec. 28, A fire erupted on a ferry carrying 478 people from Greece to Italy on Sunday, leaving one person dead and trapping hundreds on top decks as gale-force winds and choppy seas hampered evacuation. The Italian Navy said that the victim and an injured person were transported by helicopter to the southern Italian city of Brindisi on Sunday evening. Greek and Italian rescue helicopters and vessels struggled to reach the crippled ferry, battered by 90 kilometer per hour (55 mph) winds that pushed it toward the Albanian coast. (AP Photo/Italian Navy) Congratulations on your Retirement! SIAFAGA PEARSON 40 YEARS OF SERVICE It is a wonderful blessing to witness someone as deserving as you, reach this milestone in life. You are truly an inspiration to many and will always be remembered for your hard work and dedication. Best wishes on your retirement and may Jesus continue to bless you with success and good health as you begin your new adventure. Love always, Sis Evalani Pearson & Family ASG-Accounts Payable Manager Treasury Department

4 Page 4 samoa news, Monday, December 29, 2014 Weather update Gale Watches for all islands canceled compiled by Samoa News staff Gale force weather played hide and seek with American Samoa after the territory luckily escaped any heavy weather over the Christmas holiday. With intermittent heavy rain, the National Weather Service (NWS) office at the Pago Pago International Airport reported Saturday morning that Tropical Depression 05f was located about 75 miles north of Tutuila or about 57 miles northwest of Manu a, moving south-southeast slowly. For Tutuila and Aunu u, the Gale Watch was cancelled as of 9:30 a.m. Saturday while a small craft advisory remained in effect. As of Sunday afternoon, remnants of a monsoonal trough over Tutuila were drifting eastward and would continue to do so through Tuesday. Tropical Depression 05F was south of Manu a Sunday morning and slowly moving southeast with the Gale Watch for Manu a now also canceled. A high surf and small craft advisory for all islands is in effect. The National Weather Service at Tafuna advises that numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms can be expected through this morning. Today and Tuesday rain will diminish to scattered showers and further diminish to isolated showers on Wednesday and Thursday. Winds today MPH from the northwest shifting to the east on Wednesday. Aumua Amata with her new Chief of Staff (ret.) COL Leafaina Tavai Yahn at her retirement ceremony from the Army last month. [courtesy photo] Aumua Amata names top staff (PRESS RELEASE) Washington, D.C. December 29 Aumua Amata today named her top staff for her Capitol Hill and American Samoa offices. I am pleased to announce that Leafaina Ina Tavai Yahn will join American Samoa s congressional office as Chief of Staff and will be based in the Washington office while High Chief Pulu Ae will head up the congressional office in American Samoa as District Director. Tavai enjoys the distinction of being the first Samoan to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where she graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as an active duty officer in the US Army Ordnance Corps. She retired in November at the rank of full colonel. I am really blessed that Ina s retirement came so recently and that I could entice her to congressional service before the private sector could snap her up, said Amata in making the announcement. She has the proven leadership abilities that will be crucial to managing a congressional staff. Yahn s most recent assignment prior to retirement was as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics (G-4) for First Army in Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. Earlier she commanded the 404th Army Field Support Brigade. In addition to her B.S. degree from West Point, Yahn has an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas and a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. To manage American Samoa s onisland congressional office, Amata has selected her Campaign Chairman and Senior Advisor, grassroots activist and highly respected former faipule High Chief Pulu Ae from Ma oputasi County. A resident of Pago Pago village, Pulu, who served several terms in the House of Representatives, most recently served as Governor Lolo s troubleshooter on educational infrastructure issues. Like Ina Tavai, Pulu is an Army veteran. Most of our congressional staff will be based in Tutuila and Manu a, said Amata in making the announcement. Our work is going to be oriented to constituent services and I need someone of Pulu s abilities in understanding the needs of our people to manage the staff. In short, Pulu is a problem solver and that s what we need most. Amata also announced that at this time no one from the territory will be moving to Washington to work in the office there. I don t want to cause financial hardship by asking anyone to move to Washington, where (Continued on page 14) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Samoa News welcomes and encourages Letters to the Editor. Please send them to our news.newsroom@samoatelco.com Box 909, Pago Pago, American Samoa Contact us by Telephone at (684) Contact us by Fax at (684) or by at news@samoanews.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. 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 Telephone at (684) Fax at (684) advertisements to ads@samoanews.com the newsroom at news@samoanews.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. Aumua Amata s new local District Director, High Chief Pulu Ae met with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) when he traveled to Washington, D.C. last month for organizational briefings. [courtesy photo]

5 Eligibility of local clients for free legal services in territory up to ASLA group by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent An advisory opinion has been issued by the Office of Legal Affairs of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), dealing with clientele who will be eligible for free legal services by the new American Samoa Legal Aid (ASLA) group. As reported by Samoa News last week, the Washington based federal LSC has awarded the ASLA some $202,000 for 2015 to provide legal services to indigenous people in American Samoa. (See Samoa News edition on Dec. 24 for more details.) According to the Dec. 5 three-page advisory opinion by the LSC s Office of Legal Affairs, the alienage restrictions in provisions of federal law do not apply to services provided in American Samoa by an LSC recipient because those restrictions are based on provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that do not apply to people entering or remaining in American Samoa. It also explains that the government of American Samoa, rather than the U.S. Immigration governs the admission of aliens to American Samoa, and the rights and status of individuals entering and remaining in American Samoa are governed by the laws of American Samoa. As a result, American Samoa s Immigration Office and Immigration Board manage a variety of core immigration functions, including identification issuance, work authorizations, and enforcement of American Samoan immigration laws. Further, American Samoan immigration agency seldom interacts with U.S. immigration agencies, as no U.S. immigration agency has an office in American Samoa. Responding to Samoa News questions, Charles Greenfield, the LSC consultant working with ASLA, said the advisory opinion makes clear that the restrictions on who can be helped by a legal aid program based on US immigration categories does not apply to American Samoa. The ASLA board of directors therefore has the authority to make decisions on to whom the program can provide legal assistance, he said and pointed out for example, if the alien restrictions applied to American Samoa, in most circumstances American Samoa Legal Aid would not have been able to assist persons from the independent country of Samoa who reside in American Samoa. Now, Legal Aid is able to provide services to people from Samoa who reside in American Samoa, he said, adding that this is the first time LSC has issued an opinion on this issue concerning American Samoa. Greenfield also pointed out that the American Samoa Legal Aid asked LSC for the opinion because the program wanted to make sure it could assist all low-income residents of American Samoa who had a critical civil legal need. American Samoa Legal Aid intends to be responsive to the needs of the community. Further, Legal Aid knew that US immigration laws did not apply to American Samoa and thus sought clarification from LSC, he said. American Samoa Legal Aid is delighted to receive this opinion from LSC. The program wants to be responsive to the needs of the community. The LSC opinion provides American Samoa Legal Aid the freedom to do that. Additionally, the American Samoa Legal Aid has just now received very good news from LSC, which has decided to provide funds to American Samoa Legal Aid for 2015, he said. Governors urge a 94-year-old man s extradition to Wyoming JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) The governors of Wyoming and Michigan are trying to speed up extradition of a 94-year-old Michigan man investigators say molested children at a Wyoming youth camp decades ago. Bill Bricker faces three counts in Wyoming of taking immoral acts with a child. Two men and one woman claim Bricker molested them when they were children at the Teton Valley Ranch Camp in the 1960s and 1980s, Teton County sheriff s officials allege. Bricker was a volunteer at the camp at the time. Now, citing his age and failing health, Bricker s attorneys are fighting his extradition to Wyoming. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead formally asked Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder earlier this month to order Bricker to Wyoming to stand trial. As of Wednesday, a governor s warrant issued by Snyder on Dec. 16 hadn t been acted on by representatives of the Grand Traverse County Sheriff s Office, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reports. The subject is now expected to be arrested, arraigned and ordered extradited back to Wyoming, said Snyder spokesman Dave Murray said. Bricker was arrested in September and still can be brought to trial in Teton County because Wyoming doesn t have a statute of limitations for charges of immoral acts with a child. Lawyers representing Bricker have said he is in hospice care and a trip to Wyoming could be fatal to their client. Bricker volunteered for the camp for more than 50 years while it was located in Kelly in Jackson Hole. He quit volunteering in 2001, soon after the camp moved to Dubois under new management. samoa news, Monday, December 29, 2014 Page 5 AMERICAN SAMOA LEGAL AID, INC. P.O. Box 3322 Pago Pago, American Samoa ASLegalAid@gmail.com Employment Opportunity EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR American Samoa Legal Aid, Inc. is seeking an Executive Director to lead our new non-profit law firm that will provide free civil legal services to low-income residents of American Samoa. The office will be located in Pago Pago, American Samoa. About the Position American Samoa Legal Aid, Inc. (ASLA) seeks an experienced leader who is passionate about providing excellent and effective civil legal aid to low-income residents of American Samoa. This leader will work with a diverse and dedicated Board of Directors and a consultant to help this new program be able to provide services in early The program s starting budget is $260,000 per year. High priority roles and responsibilities for the new Executive Director Provide visionary leadership and direction for ASLA Help the Board of Directors set up ASLA s office so it provides services to clients in early 2015 Hire and supervise staff Carry out the policies and priorities of ASLA s Board of Directors Provide fiscal oversight for the program, insuring all fiscal controls are in place Provide legal representation to eligible clients Raise funds for the organization, including submitting funding applications to governments, foundations and corporations. Ensure compliance with all funder requirements and accurate reporting to all funders. Articulate ASLA s mission in the legal community, judiciary, government, nonprofit organizations and the community at large. The successful Executive Director candidate will: Be passionate about the mission of ASLA and demonstrate a commitment to providing legal services to low-income persons. Possess the highest ethical standards. Possess excellent communication skills and fluency in English and Samoan will be an advantage. Have management and resource development expertise. Be a successful leader within an organization and in the community Possess management experience, including supervision of staff, fiscal oversight, development of budgets, compliance with grant and contract requirements, and engagement with a Board of Directors. Have the skills and willingness to develop relationships throughout American Samoa Value diversity and be culturally competent. Be accessible and open to everyone in the law firm, on the Board and in the community. Demonstrate strategic thinking. Be creative, flexible and able to motivate. Requirements: Admitted to practice law before the court of any U.S. state or territory for a minimum of five years. Admitted to practice law in American Samoa or become eligible to practice law in American Samoa. Minimum of five years experience as an attorney practicing law. Proven ability to lead, motivate and manage a legal firm, legal department or legal aid program with diverse staff and clients, or equivalent experience. Prior experience with fiscal oversight of a program, law firm, company or government entity, for at least three years, or equivalent experience. Prior experience working with a board of directors in a non-profit or legal services environment, or equivalent experience, is preferable. Prior experience in successful fundraising in a non-profit or legal services environment, or equivalent experience, is preferable. Familiarity with Legal Services Corporation regulations is preferable. Ability to speak and write both English and Samoan will be favorably considered. Experience working in American Samoa and knowledge of, and respect for, the cultural practices of American Samoa will be favorably considered. Experience working in a pacific island community will be favorably considered. Salary Depends on experience, but in the range of $60,000 per year. Applications Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. In order to receive full consideration, however, candidates are urged to submit their materials by Friday, January 16, 2015, at 4:00 p.m. American Samoa time. Interested candidates should submit a letter expressing in detail why they are interested in the position of Executive Director of American Samoa Legal Aid, as well as what they believe they can contribute to the future of the program and its client community. The letter should be accompanied by a current resume and names and contact information of three references. Materials should be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format to Terrie Hartman Bullinger, President, American Samoa Legal Aid, at mailto:aslegalaid@gmail.com. ASLA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with disabilities, women, persons of color and others who represent distinct linguistic or cultural communities to apply. For any questions, please contact Terrie Hartman Bullinger at (684)

6 Page 6 samoa news, Monday, December 29, 2014 Impatient local farmers change their tune when they see the amounts of Farm Fair s cash prizes Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Gen. John Campbell, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Delbert Byers open the Resolute Support flag during a ceremony at the ISAF headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Dec. 28, The United States and NATO formally ended their war in Afghanistan on Sunday with the ceremony at their military headquarters in Kabul as the insurgency they fought for 13 years remains as ferocious and deadly as at any time since the 2001 invasion that unseated the Taliban regime following the Sept. 11 attacks. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini) NEWS IN BRIEF Obama: Longest war in South Africa: Man drowns as U.S. history is ending large wave hits Durban beach HONOLULU (AP) President Barack JOHANNESBURG (AP) A man drowned Obama says the longest war in American history when an unusually large wave hit a Durban is coming to a responsible conclusion. beach in South Africa, emergency services said Obama is welcoming the end of U.S. combat Saturday. operations in Afghanistan. The war came to a Another 40 swimmers were treated for minor formal end Sunday with a ceremony in Kabul. injuries when the big wave hit the popular Obama says in a statement that the effort has Wedge Beach on the north coast of Durban, a devastated al-qaida s core leadership, brought city on the east coast of South Africa, according justice to Osama bin Laden and disrupted terrorist plots. He says U.S. troops and diplomats Paramedics tried to resuscitate the man, who to spokesman Robert McKenzie. have helped Afghans reclaim their communities McKenzie believed was in his mid-40s. and move toward democracy. The man died on the scene on the afternoon Obama is also honoring the more than 2,200 of Dec. 26. None of the injured was hospitalized. Americans who have died in Afghanistan since Sadly, one person died despite paramedics the war started 13 years ago. Obama says those from a private ambulance service attempting to years have tested the U.S. and its military. resuscitate him, said McKenzie. From a peak 140,000 troops in 2010, the U.S. Eyewitnesses described the wave as a large, and NATO plan to leave just 13,500 behind. freak wave that pummeled the popular beach, Australian plane spots objects McKenzie said. The spokesman said he believed in sea in AirAsia search area it may have been caused by high tides experienced around the country s coasts. SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) An Indonesian official says objects have been spotted in 160 still trapped on Greek the sea by a search plane hunting for the missing ferry as 49 reach land AirAsia jet. Jakarta s Air Force base commander BARI, Italy (AP) A cargo ship with 49 Rear Marshal Dwi Putranto says he was informed people evacuated from a Greek ferry that caught Monday that an Australian Orion aircraft had fire in the Adriatic Sea arrived in the Italian port detected suspicious objects near Nangka island, of Bari on Monday, the first big group to reach about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of land. More than 160 people remained trapped Pangkalan Bun, near central Kalimantan, or 700 on the smoke-filled vessel adrift in rough seas miles (1,120 kilometers) from the location where between Italy and Albania. the plane lost contact. However, we cannot be One person was killed in the risky rescue sure whether it is part of the missing AirAsia operation and two others were injured as Italian plane, Putranto says, We are now moving in and Greek rescue ships and helicopters plucked that direction, which is in cloudy conditions. passengers off the stricken vessel and brought Scaffold collapse at them to safety aboard the 10 or so mercantile Beijing school kills 10 ships nearby. Those evacuees were to be brought BEIJING (AP) A scaffolding collapse at to shore later after the rescue was completed, a Beijing high school Monday morning killed Greek officials said. 10 people and injured four, Chinese state media One of the cargo ships, the Spirit of Piraeus, reported. The official Xinhua News Agency said docked in Bari just after 7:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) the accident occurred at Tsinghua High School in Monday with 49 survivors aboard. The first to the city s northwest. A high school official with the disembark was an injured man wrapped in a surname Jiang told The Associated Press that all the yellow striped blanket and wearing bandages victims were workers building a school gymnasium. around his bare feet, helped down the ship s He said no teachers or students were involved. ladder by two rescue workers. The official said rescue crews were waiting Other evacuees, many wrapped in blankets, for equipment able to lift heavy debris before made their way slowly down the ladder with they could clear the site. Outside the school, assistance, some thrusting their hands in a victory sign as they waited their turn. Among them Wang Zhiquan said the accident had claimed the life of his nephew Chen Haijun, a 42-yearold migrant worker from northeast Heilongjiang TV crews and relatives gathered on the docks were four children. province. He told reporters he wanted to see the below in near silence. scene in person and wanted proper compensation as Chen s parents were ill. He said the felled department buses. Officials have said hotels The evacuees then boarded bright red fire worker had two children and was the only one have been booked for them around town. supporting his family. (Continued on page 7) Translated by Samoa News staff Department of Agriculture expenditures for this year s Farm Fair totaled more than $80,000 in cash prizes and while local farmers are pleased with the prizes, many of them had complained that DoA took too long to release the cash awards. Agriculture director Lealao Melila Purcell says his department started distributing the cash prizes two weeks ago, with the highest prize amount at $1,800 and the lowest at $500 with the overall amount at more than $80,000 for all prizes. Lealao went on to explain that the reason for the delay in handing out prizes for the Farm Fair was because the department first went through putting together the scores, as well as setting up prizes for the different category competitions. He also said that the prizes were distributed just in time for Christmas which was helpful to the farmers and their families during this happy time of the year. It was not an easy task for the committee in putting the scores together for the many divisions of the competition, he said, adding that despite complaints from some farmers due to the lateness in distributing prizes, it s very important that the farmers are happy with the prizes they received. It was worth the wait for In The High Court of American Samoa TRIAL DIVISION HCPR No IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF APOLO FIALUA, Decedent, By: FAANAPE FIALUA TAVALE, Petitioner NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Petition for Letters of Administration has been filed in the High Court of American Samoa, Territory of American Samoa, by FAANAPE FIALUA TAVALE for the ESTATE OF APOLO FIALUA (deceased). A hearing on that Petition will be held on February 20, 2015, at 9:00 a.m., before the Trial Division of the High Court of American Samoa located in Fagatogo, American Samoa. All heirs of APOLO FIALUA and any and all interested parties may appear before the Court on said date to respond to this Petition. Dated: November 27th, 2014 Published 11/28, 12/29 Clerk of Courts them, he stated. Lealao shared with Samoa News the shock on the faces of some farmers when they saw the huge amounts of their cash prizes. For example, one elderly farmer said that he didn t think the amounts were going to be very big. This is the third year of the Farm Fair, and it s the first time that cash prizes were handed out, compared to the past two years when farm equipment and other items were given to farmers as prizes. More than 100 farmers registered for the Farm Fair and Lealao said it was very important that all those who registered and competed received a gift or cash prize for their hard work and dedication to farming. With cash prizes in hand to help with their Christmas holidays, farmers quickly praised Lealao and his department. He said there were no complaints such as occurred immediately after the Farm Fair when farmers were angry for not their getting prizes right away. Several farmers called Samoa News to share their excitement and express appreciation to Lealao and the government when they received their cash prizes. Pavaiai farmer Vili Apineru acknowledged that there were a lot of complaints and criticism against Agriculture for the long delay in releasing Farm Fair prizes, but we have received prizes which are useful for the Christmas holiday, he said. Farmer Arieta Galoia says that farmers who criticized and complained against Lealao and his department shouldn t have done so in the first place, but should have been patient and allowed the government time to finalize all prizes for the competition, which was not an easy task. She also pointed out that some of the farmers had very harsh criticism against Agriculture, as reported in Samoa News. She suggested that farmers who had harshly criticized the department should go apologize to Lealao. When asked for a comment, Lealao said that what s important to him and the government is that prizes have now been distributed to the farmers, and this is a great financial help to to farmers during the holidays. One farmer who called Samoa News said that he was very surprised to find that his prize was just over $600. (Original Samoan story was published in the Dec. 20 edition of To asavaili)

7 samoa news, Monday, December 29, 2014 Page 7 AP-Times Square poll: Most feeling good about 2015 WASHINGTON (AP) Americans are closing out 2014 on an optimistic note, according to a new Associated Press-Times Square Alliance poll. Nearly half predict that 2015 will be a better year for them than 2014 was, while only 1 in 10 think it will be worse. There s room for improvement: Americans give the year gone by a resounding meh. What Americans thought of 2014: GAINS AT HOME, SLIPS ABROAD On a personal level, about a third (34 percent) think 2014 was better than 2013, while 15 percent say 2014 was worse and half see little difference. Slightly fewer feel their year was a step down from the previous one than said so in 2013, when an AP- Times Square poll found 20 percent thought 2013 was worse than Americans are slightly more likely than they were a year ago to believe that the current year was better than the last for the United States 30 percent say so this year, while 25 percent said so in On the other hand, Americans are more likely than in the 2013 poll to say this year was worse than last for the world as a whole, with 38 percent saying so now after 30 percent said so a year ago. THREE STORIES SHARE TOP SPOT Americans are divided on the most important news event of 2014, with the rise of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, protests over the killings of black men including Michael Brown and Eric Garner by police officers, and the Ebola outbreak each named by about 1 in 10 Americans. In a separate Associated Press survey of news directors and editors, the killings of unarmed men by police stand out more clearly as the top story, with 22 of 85 respondents choosing it as the top news, about twice as many as the Islamic State or Ebola stories. Among the public, Democrats are most likely to name the unrest over Brown and Garner s deaths as most important (14 percent), while Republicans are most likely to list the rise of the Islamic State (16 percent). Non-whites are more apt to cite the protests around Brown and Garner s deaths than whites (14 percent among non-whites, 8 percent among whites). The poll was conducted before the shooting deaths of two New York City police officers by a man who threatened retaliation for the police killings of unarmed black men. Asked separately to rate the importance of 10 key stories, majorities call the expansion of the Islamic State militant group, the Ebola outbreak and the U.S. midterm elections extremely or very important stories. Nearly half rate immigration as that important, while 43 percent say so of the Michael Brown and Eric Garner stories. Only a third think the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, the situation between Russia and Ukraine, or the rising number of states with legal same-sex marriage were deeply important stories. THE YEAR IN POP CULTURE Few Americans rate this year s crop of pop culture events as memorable, with one big exception: The death of Robin Williams, and the ensuing discussion of mental health issues. About two-thirds call that a memorable event. Slightly more say it was more memorable (39 percent) than forgettable (34 percent) that CVS stopped selling cigarettes, and they re divided equally on whether the ubiquitous ice bucket challenge was memorable (37 percent) or forgettable (37 percent). Thirty percent say the pitching performance of Mo ne Davis, the first female pitcher to win a Little League World Series game, was memorable, while 41 percent say it was forgettable. Women are more likely than men to see Davis s performance as memorable, 33 percent of women say so versus 26 percent of men. Another sports first: Michael Sam becoming the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL, is rated forgettable by about half. Events rating as forgettable by a majority of Americans include the leak of hacked celebrity photos on Reddit, Ellen DeGeneres s selfie at the Oscars, Taylor Swift going pop, and the marriages of George and Amal Clooney and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR About half of Americans plan to celebrate New Year s Eve at home this year, while 2 in 10 say they ll do so at a friend or family member s home. Fewer than 1 in 10 plan to celebrate at a bar, restaurant or organized event, while about a quarter don t plan to celebrate at all. Six in 10 Americans plan to watch the televised New Year s Eve events in Times Square, including two-thirds of women and over half of men. GRAND OPENING Jade Restaurant in Nu uuli 10% DISCOUNT with this coupon Order from our Regular Menu Check out our Party Specials at Low Price! Open 7 days a week: 10:00am - 10:00pm NEWS IN BRIEF School error takes money from staff bank accounts PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) Some employees in a Massachusetts school district feel like they got a visit from the Grinch. Instead of receiving their paychecks via direct deposit on the day after Christmas, Plymouth Public Schools workers awoke Friday to find that the amount they were to be paid had instead been withdrawn from their bank accounts. About 1,300 workers were affected. Boston.com reports Superintendent Dr. Gary E. Maestas sent an to employees saying the issue was caused by human error. The school department is working with the town and banks to fix the problem, hopefully by Saturday. But Maestas says some banks, including Bank of America, Citizens Bank and Santander, won t make corrections until Monday, the next business day. The error has left some employees thousands of dollars in the red. Cops: Woman smeared bacon on police station window FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) Police in Massachusetts have arrested a woman who they say smeared uncooked bacon and sausage all over a police station dispatch window offering to feed the pigs. Framingham Police Lieutenant Harry Wareham tells Boston.com that Lindsey McNamara entered the station Friday with a Dunkin Donuts box full of raw bacon and sausage. He says she approached an officer with a great smile on her face and said she was there to feed the pigs. He says she then took the meat from the box and smeared it on the window. She was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property. The Boston Herald reports that a judge postponed her arraignment and ordered the 24-yearold woman to undergo a mental health evaluation. Officials: Death not tied to truck crash into home LEVITTOWN, Pa. (AP) Authorities say the death of a 93-year-old hospice patient is not tied to the crash of a pickup truck through her Philadelphia-area home that same day. Authorities in Bucks County say the coroner ruled Saturday that Jenny Russo died a natural death brought on by end-stage lung disease. The truck crashed through her Bristol Township home Friday, causing heavy damage to the structure. The pickup ended up near Russo s bed. Interim police chief Ralph Johnson says the coroner found no evidence of trauma caused by the accident. Johnson says all evidence in the case will be forwarded to the district attorney s office, which will decide whether to charge the driver. Continued from page 6 To ring in New Year, town will drop a giant nail WEST FAIRVIEW, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania town plans to nail their New Year s Eve and bicentennial celebrations by dropping some major hardware to mark the occasion. The Sentinel reports West Fairview plans to drop a 7-foot-tall nail as the clock ticks down Wednesday night. Local artists constructed the nail out of wood. The 50-pound symbol pays homage to the defunct Harrisburg Nail Works, a local mill that once employed many residents. West Fairview is across the Susquehanna River from the state capital. Organizers say the event will also serve to commemorate the town s 200th anniversary in The inaugural nail drop joins a host of creative New Year s Eve traditions in neighboring towns, such as the dropping of a giant wrench in Mechanicsburg and a huge pickle in Dillsburg. 9/11 charity raises $250,000 for slain NY officers NEW YORK (AP) A charity created after the Sept. 11 terror attacks says it has so far raised $250,000 or about a third of what it needs to pay the home mortgages for the families of two slain New York police officers. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced Sunday that contributions poured in from as far away as Hawaii, Italy and the United Kingdom. The foundation described its plan to raise money for the mortgages at a news conference Friday. It said it hopes to raise the $800,000 needed to buy the homes by New Year s Day for the families of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos. Hearse stolen outside church with casket inside LOS ANGELES (AP) A pastor s wife says a hearse was stolen from outside a Southern California church ahead of funeral services with a casket inside. The Los Angeles Times reports Sunday that the hearse was idling outside Ebenezer Baptist Church in South Los Angeles while the funeral director arranged flowers for Saturday morning services for 19-year-old Jonté Lee Reed. Shirley Little, the pastor s wife, says the director called ministry friends for help when he saw the hearse was missing. Little says family members driving to the funeral had been notified and stopped the hearse four blocks from the church. KTLA-TV reports that police detained the man, whose mental condition will be evaluated. Little says the hearse was returned and the funeral was only delayed by 30 minutes. (Continued on page 12)