Community News Briefs

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A collection drive for scrap metal and bulky waste will begin this Friday, according to the Deputy Director of the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), who announced the drive during a recent Department of Health (DOH) press conference.

Discarded scrap metal and bulky waste includes refrigerators, washers, ovens, tires and junk vehicles.

The collection schedule is as follows:

August 15, 18, 19 — Nu’uuli, Malaeimi, Mapusaga, Mesepa, Faleniu, Pavaiai, Tafeta, Aoloau and Aasu.

August 20 and 21 —Tafuna, Petesa, Ottoville, Iliili and Vaitogi.

August 22: Futiga, Malaeloa, Taputimu, Vailoa, Leone and Amaluia.

The collection drive is being coordinated with the Office of Samoan Affairs and is conducted by the ASEPA and the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA).

Scrap metal or bulk waste should to be brought by the roadside the day before the collection comes to your villages.

Village mayors are the point of contact for clean up in the villages and coordination with the various government agencies.

For further information contact your village mayor or ASPA directly at 699-1234.

The collection is part of the campaign by the government to protect residents from dengue fever, which also includes spraying against dengue.

To date, DOH says 28 out of the 34 laboratory confirmed cases of dengue fever they recorded have been traced to those who had traveled to Samoa.

Samoa’s latest update — July 28- August 3, 2025 — Dengue Fever Outbreak Situation Report, dated Aug. 4, 2025, has clinically diagnosed cases recorded since January 2025 at a total of 5,670, with 2,619 dengue lab confirmed cases.

For this week, 1,466 were clinically diagnosed cases of which 342 were dengue lab confirmed cases. There were 4 confirmed dengue-related deaths, and 1 probable awaiting confirmation, recorded in this period.

There are currently 6 deaths being reported as dengue-related by the media in Samoa.

(DOH and GAS- Ministry of Heath)

ESCAPED INMATES RECAPTURED

The three inmates who escaped from the Tafuna Correction Facility (TCF) since last Wednesday are all back in jail.

Paris Fatulau was captured on Saturday, August 9, 2025, while David Mike Foa and Deion White were both captured in Nuuuli on Monday, August 11th.

It’s been reported that Fatulau was involved in a break-in at Fagaima and it was a video of the break-in that allowed officials to know that he had escaped from TCF.

Police are also investigating whether Foa and White were involved in an auto shop break-in at the Industrial Park early Monday morning.

(talanei.com)