Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Miss American Samoa Incorporated presents the “Toe Sasa’a Le Fafao” initiative in celebrating our cultural heritage through Siva Samoa, music, and our traditional crafts.

This is a great opportunity to engage the youth in meaningful fellowship with our reigning Miss American Samoa, alongside other respected members of our community. It’s not only a chance for young people to connect with role models, but also to celebrate our culture, share experiences, and build lasting relationships. We eagerly anticipate your presence and look forward to an uplifting and memorable gathering on Sept. 28, at Lions Park fales 5 & 6. It kicks off at 9 am.

2025 WIC VENDOR SIGN UP

The American Samoa WIC Program, under the Department of Human and Social Services, is pleased to inform all retail store owners who are interested in becoming Authorized WIC Vendors in 2025 that applications will be available for pick up from October 1 to October 31, 2024.

Due to the limited number of stores authorized each year, the application process will be competitive with first priority given to existing authorized WIC retailers with satisfactory records. Applications will be available at ASWIC's Vendor Management Unit on the 2nd floor of the ASWIC building in Utulei.

For more information, please contact the ASWIC's Vendor staff at 633-2610 ext. 237, 224 or 231. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

SNHU DEAN'S LIST

Astrid Faumuina of American Samoa has been named to Southern New Hampshire University’s Summer 2024 Dean's List. The summer terms run from May to August.

Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.500 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the Dean's List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.

2024 PRESIDENT'S LIST

It is with great pleasure that Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) congratulates the following students on being named to the Summer 2024 President's List. The summer terms run from May to August.

From America Samoa: Charis Tafaovale, Deidra Tautunuafatasi, and Vaioulu Leoso made the list.

Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the President's List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.

SNHU is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with a 92-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 200,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers approximately 200 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as one of the "Most Innovative" regional universities by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner.

TWO NEW JUSTICE GRANTS

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming two additional grants from the U.S. Department of Justice for American Samoa, which has sent a series of grant notices in recent weeks for the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) led by Director Mariana Timu-Faiai.

Aumua Amata has been sent congressional notification of the following grants totaling $432,000:

An initial, discretionary $200,000 grant for CJPA from the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Statistics for the ongoing effort to standup a Records Management System for the collection, maintaining, sharing, and reporting of criminal records, restoring the ability to transmit necessary information with the State of Hawaii. The Records Management System will encompass all activities from incident and crash reports, citations, arrests, warrants, case management, field contacts and provide access to external data sources such as motor vehicles, driver, and criminal history.

Another initial, discretionary grant of $232,000 for CJPA covering three years, also from the OJP through the DOJ’s SMART office (Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking), is for implementation of the Adam Walsh Act (AWA), a child protection and safety program, to include sex offender registration and support official training, travel, and supplies. This DOJ office was created by Congress in 2006 legislation.

“I want to send out continuing congratulations to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency and Director Mariana Timu-Faiai, for their work on these efforts, especially regarding these initial, discretionary grants, which are new funding in American Samoa,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Thank you to the DOJ for supporting modernized programs in American Samoa.”