Dignitaries and guest listen to Chigusa Kitai and Shiho Kurauch play Ventures songs on traditional Japanese kotos. Among the songs is the popular “Hawaii Five-O” and “Wipe Out.” (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

The Beatles and other famous bands are long gone, but The Ventures still exist after half a century. (Read their story online at www.nwasianweekly.) Not only did they hold themselves together, they are now in the second generation. Band member Leon Taylor is the son of the late Mel Taylor. Read the full story

At the Consul General of Japan’s residence where The Ventures were honored with a commendation from Japan’s emperor, from left: Linda Owen; Fiona Taylor, wife of late Ventures member Mel Taylor; Dory Wilson; her husband, Ventures cofounder Don Wilson; and Owen’s husband, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

Last Monday, 580 people waited for Lt. Gov. Brad Owen at the New Hong Kong Restaurant for more than an hour. They were celebrating Soo Yuen Benevolent Association’s 100th anniversary. One of the dignitaries was Chinese Consul General Gao Zhan Sheng of San Francisco. Read the full story

From left to right: Consul-General Gao Zhan Sheng of San Francisco, Faye Hong from Hop Sing Tong, and Tan Tho Tien, of Sun Food Trading Co. and House of Hong (Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP)

A sea of white faces has dominated Seattle Chinese Garden’s fundraising events over the last two decades. Read the full story

Participants in the Walk for Rice are all smiles as the sun graced them with its presence. (Photo by Assunta Ng)

In Seattle, the weather is the boss. For those of you who didn’t participate in the Walk for Rice because you thought it might rain, well, the weather fooled you. Read the full story

The Seattle Times recently interviewed King County Assessor Lloyd Hara about undervalued properties in the Greater Seattle area. Recently, I was invited to visit one of the most beautiful houses in a security-guarded neighborhood in Shoreline (zip code 98177). Read the full story

Dominic Ng (Photo by Rebecca Ip/NWAW)

Dominic Ng, chairman and chief executive of East West Bank, which acquired Washington First International Bank, surprised Asian media by showing up in Seattle on June 11. Last year, when East West bought United Commercial Bank, only a few senior managers came. Read the full story

Julie Pham

When Julie Pham, managing editor of Nguoi Viet Tay Bac/Northwest Vietnamese News, invited other ethnic media to join her onstage to introduce themselves, it reminded me of when Apple founder Steve Jobs invited Microsoft founder Bill Gates to share the spotlight at the Macworld Expo in 1997.

If you know of the early rivalry between Gates and Jobs — the Mac and PC war — then chances are that you know how the two later became partners after Gates agreed to invest $150 million at a critical time for Apple. Read the full story

Ethnic media have struggled just as much as mainstream media during the recession. Read the full story

New BIA Executive Director Don Blakeney with BIA staff members, from left, Julia Nelson, and former BIA Executive Director Maribeth Ellis

“We are used to white females, not white males,” I said, jokingly, to the new executive director of the Chinatown/International District Business Improvement Area (BIA). Read the full story

To honor Tama's 90th birthday, many of her friends wrote checks to donate to Nikkei Concerns. The total amount collected was $1,650.00. Jeff Hattori is shown accepting the check from Tama.

Aging gracefully has little to do with coloring your hair or putting on a facial cream. Just learn to live like Tama Murotani-Inaba, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday at the Palisades on Elliott Bay Marina.

For Tama, life began at 80. She married for the second time at the age of 83 to a younger man, Shane Inaba, now deceased. Tama learned bridge and Mahjong in her 80s, while serving six committees of different community organizations. Her friends described her as “outrageous.” Read the full story

Gov. Gregoire talks to Taiwan official Director General of Taipei Economic and Cultural Affairs at the banquet

It only took 48 hours, but the scene shifted from Democrat to Republican, Taiwan to China at the House of Hong Restaurant. Gov. Christine Gregoire and her husband Mike attended the Chong Wah Benevolent Association’s banquet at the restaurant in her honor on May 21. She was surrounded by Taiwan officials and pro-Taiwan community members. Read the full story

Sally Jewell (left), Sylvia Wolf (center), and Phyllis Wise host the International Women’s Forum, Washington state chapter, at the Henry Art Gallery on May 10. (Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW)

“What if I don’t feel victimized by the recession?” said Sylvia Wolf, director of the University of Washington Henry Art Gallery, which had a 27 percent budget cut  this year. Read the full story

Rev. Ernesto Alvarez from Mision Ebenezer

It doesn’t matter how you stum­ble, but how you rebound is im­portant. It doesn’t matter where you come from, but where you are going is important.

This is the story of Rev. Er­nesto Alvarez’s life. I met him at a forum for community collabora­tion at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club on April 30.

When Rev. Alvarez led us in prayer, my mind wandered off for a second. Who was the most in­spiring person among the forum attendees? How could I identify him or her among the 70 attendees?  Then I heard the reverend say: Read the full story

Photo by Renee MacKenzie

“I am hungry for Judy Fu’s smoked tea duck,” my aunt told me when I invited her for dinner on Mother’s Day. Judy and my aunt became friends after I took her to dinner at the Snappy Dragon restaurant a few times. Read the full story

Lois Constantine (left) and Dow Constantine

King County Executive Dow Constantine takes time out of his busy schedule to celebrate Mother’s Day with his mother, Lois, at the Women’s University Club. ♦

Mike McGinn (left) and Phil Fujii

The Asian community’s celebration of Phil Fujii’s appointment as Seattle’s deputy mayor position was unfortunately short-lived. Most were surprised that Fujii departed after only mere months. Perhaps even Fujii himself was surprised. Read the full story