This week, we are happy to report that the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of King County (APIC) and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) have issued a joint statement encouraging everyone to avoid using the ethnic slur “Jap” and all its variations. Read the full story
Before Monday night’s game, many baseball fans were shocked to hear the announcement that Mariners Manager Don Wakamatsu was fired. Likewise, Asian Americans who weren’t necessarily huge baseball fans were also saddened by the firing. Wakamatsu was the first Asian American manager in Major League Baseball (MLB).
With the primary elections coming up on Aug. 17, we want to showcase the Asian Americans who are running for office in this week’s issue. It is a sticky situation because Northwest Asian Weekly doesn’t endorse candidates during the primaries. So while we want to show our readers that Asian Americans are trying to create a place for themselves in politics, we don’t want to seem like we prefer a candidate solely because he or she is Asian — especially when that is truly not the case. Read the full story
By now, we have all heard at least some of what Shirley Sherrod has gone through. Not too long ago, she was leading a quiet life as a rural development director in Georgia for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Read the full story
There are two people we are completely enamored with. Coincidentally, they are both sports figures.
Local guy Rich Cho has been named the Portland Trail Blazers new general manager. Also, Jeremy Lin is signing with the Golden State Warriors. Read the full story
Last Thursday, on July 8, we had just put our last issue to bed and were starting this issue fresh. Things were normal, if a little mundane. And then we were alerted that Phyllis Wise was named interim president of the University of Washington (UW). Read the full story
By Kirk Larson
For Northwest Asian Weekly
Based on 2008 Social Security data, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, on average, live three years longer than the majority of the population. It is during our later years of life in which saving money on medical expenses is the most critical. Social Security may be able to help. Read the full story
On July 6, the Justice Department filed suit against Arizona’s SB 1070, a controversial law scheduled to go into effect on July 29. The Arizona law would require immigrants to have their documents on them at all times and would allow officers to ask for papers if they have reasonable suspicion that an individual is in the country illegally. Opponents of the law have argued that the law will promote racial profiling. Read the full story
This week, we ran news about Taiwan’s Yen-Hsun Lu, a tennis player ranked 82, who surprised throngs of tennis fans by shoving U.S. player Andy Roddick, ranked 7, out of Wimbledon. It was shocking because while Roddick had been to the finals three times, Lu had lost in the first round during four of his previous visits to Wimbledon. Read the full story
The Seattle Police Department sure can’t catch a break. A month after the incident where an officer was caught on tape using racially charged remarks and stomping on the face of a Latino robbery suspect (who turned out to be innocent), another officer has made national news. Officer Ian P. Walsh, who is white, was caught on tape punching a 17-year-old, Angel L. Rosenthal, who is Black, during a jaywalking stop. Read the full story
Sadly, we have been reminded that nothing is safe in this economy. In January, we ran a profile on Washington First International Bank (WFIB). We asked its president and CEO, Elizabeth Huang, how the bank was doing in light of the economy. Though she admitted to difficulties, she was also optimistic that enough capital could be raised. Read the full story
In preparing for this 98118 issue, we asked one of our writers to go down there and get the lay of the land — see the sites, talk to the business owners. To us, 98118, which comprises Columbia City and Rainier Valley, represents great food, great people, and incredible diversity. Read the full story
