![Nine contestants vied for the crown in the 2017 Miss Pacific Islands Pageant, with Miss American Samoa (center) winning on Saturday, December 09, 2017 in Nadi, Fiji, ‘in the place where happiness finds you’. [photo: Samoa Events Incorporated (SEI)]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/group.jpg?itok=-T9ecEtR "Nine contestants vied for the crown in the 2017 Miss Pacific Islands Pageant, with Miss American Samoa (center) winning on Saturday, December 09, 2017 in Nadi, Fiji, ‘in the place where happiness finds you’. [photo: Samoa Events Incorporated (SEI)]")
![Miss American Samoa, Matauaina Gwendolyn To’omalatai won the Miss Pacific Islands crown for the territory last Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 in Nadi, Fiji ending a 15-year drought. [photo: Samoa Events Incorporated (SEI)]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/winner.jpg?itok=ZVyFCmHE "Miss American Samoa, Matauaina Gwendolyn To’omalatai won the Miss Pacific Islands crown for the territory last Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 in Nadi, Fiji ending a 15-year drought. [photo: Samoa Events Incorporated (SEI)]")
![CONGRATULATIONS: The newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands, Matauaina Gwendolyn To’omalatai of American Samoa at the finale of the 31st Miss Pacific Islands Pageant at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, Fiji. [photo: Miss South Pacific Islands Facebook]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Miss%20Pac%20Am%20Sam%20web_0.jpg?itok=X_ORRNEY "CONGRATULATIONS: The newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands, Matauaina Gwendolyn To’omalatai of American Samoa at the finale of the 31st Miss Pacific Islands Pageant at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, Fiji. [photo: Miss South Pacific Islands Facebook]")
American Samoa ended their 15-year drought in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant by winning the crown in Nadi, Fiji on Saturday night.
![[SN file photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/dengue-fever-prevention-us%20copy_0.jpg?itok=cw9HlLN8 "[SN file photo]")
Samoa's Ministry of Health is rejecting a call for schools to be closed because of an outbreak of dengue fever.
![[photo: FS]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Amsterdam_0563.jpg?itok=ZyMQFMYO "[photo: FS]")
Passengers of the Holland America Line cruise ship, “AMSTERDAM” (in the background), Thursday, after she docked around 8a.m.
American Samoa Hawaii (“ASH”) Cable company has announced the submarine cable company’s first annual cash dividend distribution totaling US$1,650,000.
The Malaeloa Methodist Youth under the guidance of Rev. & Mrs. Fa’atoto Tapua’i after performing at the Governor’s Annual Senior Citizens Christmas Program, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.
O le taimi na tautu atu ai le ava mo le sui mamalu o le Matagaluega o A'oga, le tama'ita'i o Puna Tanielu, i le ava usu na saunia e le vasega 8 Matafao Elementary i le latou aso na faataua ai le Aganu'u a Samoa. [ata: Leua Aiono Frost]
FA’ATAUA LE AGANU’U - AOGA TULAGA MUAMUA MATAFAO
![This Jennings family historical photo provided by Rep. Su’a Alexander E. Jennings, shows a group of Swains islanders in May 1925 on Swains, as the atoll officially became part of American Samoa, following Congressional action. [photo: Jennings family]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Swains%201925%20copy.jpg?itok=QkwQ5hoV "This Jennings family historical photo provided by Rep. Su’a Alexander E. Jennings, shows a group of Swains islanders in May 1925 on Swains, as the atoll officially became part of American Samoa, following Congressional action. [photo: Jennings family]")
![[l-r] US Interior Department staff assistant Joseph McDermott; DOI Office of Insular Affairs director Nikolao Pulal; Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Douglas Domenech; and American Samoa House Agriculture Committee chairman Rep. Su’a Alexander Eli Jennings at the DOI office in Washington D.C. on Nov. 17 where Su’a update DOI officials of the breadfruit development initiative in the territory. The DOI officials are holding packages of gluten free breadfruit flour, manufactured in the territory](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/DOI%20meeting-1.jpg?itok=3ePokD3h "[l-r] US Interior Department staff assistant Joseph McDermott; DOI Office of Insular Affairs director Nikolao Pulal; Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Douglas Domenech; and American Samoa House Agriculture Committee chairman Rep. Su’a Alexander Eli Jennings at the DOI office in Washington D.C. on Nov. 17 where Su’a update DOI officials of the breadfruit development initiative in the territory. The DOI officials are holding packages of gluten free breadfruit flour, manufactured in the territory by Su’a’s milling operation. [photo: DOI]")
![Amata speaking in the Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on revitalizing the Interior Department’s services. [Courtesy photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Amata%20speaking%20at%20NRC%20oversight%20on%20DOI.jpg?itok=NE8CLkXC "Amata speaking in the Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on revitalizing the Interior Department’s services. [Courtesy photo]")
![Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2017 Contestants and reigning Miss Pacific Islands, Anne Dunn with Rev. Dr. Bird and his wife of Council World Mission who officially opened the Interview presentations with a prayer. [courtesy photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Media%20Release%20-%20Contestants%20talk%20about%20real%20Pacific%20issues_Page_1_Image_0002.jpg?itok=4APTfVZb "Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2017 Contestants and reigning Miss Pacific Islands, Anne Dunn with Rev. Dr. Bird and his wife of Council World Mission who officially opened the Interview presentations with a prayer. [courtesy photo]")
