Northwest Asian Weekly Vol 33 No 36

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA

VOL 33 NO 36

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

FILM Infinity and Chashu Ramen » P. 9

FREE 32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Chen loses retrial of racial discrimination case

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY A 12-person jury which included one Asian American determined that former Medina police

Chief Jeffrey Chen was not a victim of racial discrimination which forced him out of his job. The U.S. District Court of Western Washington verdict contrasts the original jury decision which awarded

Chen $2 million.

Although a jury found in Chen’s favor in the original trial, the judge in charge of the case determined that Chen’s lawyer violated a pretrial order during the

{see CHEN cont’d on page 12} Jeffrey Chen

South Korea astronaut has landed in W. Washington

Nickelsville holds public meeting before move to ID

Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW

By James Tabafunda NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

By Kari Plog THE NEWS TRIBUNE

Peggy Hotes does bookkeeping for Nickelsville and spoke at the panel

Korea Herald

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Puyallup isn’t out of this world, but Soyeon Yi will take it.

Sitting in a cafe off East Main Avenue, Yi looks like an average 36-year-old resident.

But she doesn’t have an average career. She is an international icon after becoming the first South Korean to travel to space.

Yi was chosen from 36,000 applicants in a 10-month, highprofile selection process. She never imagined she would be a finalist, and never dreamed as a young girl of being an astronaut.

“It’s not my lifetime goal,” Yi told The News Tribune. “I just tried.”

Since moving two months ago, Yi said it’s refreshing not to have all eyes on her, as was the case in her home country.

The most attention she gets is at The Museum of Flight in Seattle, where she volunteers to speak.

She moved to Puyallup to live with her husband, a local optometrist, after finishing her master’s degree in business at University of California, Berkeley. She is a permanent

Soyeon Yi

resident after obtaining her green card six months ago.

She loves her new city. It’s the right mix of urban, suburban, and

rural, she said. After growing up in a farming area in rural South Korea, she said the “green environments” feel familiar.

But adjusting to life as an {see ASTRONAUT cont’d on page 12}

With the fast-paced turn of events surrounding Nickelsville’s September 1 move to the International District – the 23rd in its history – supporters and residents of the tent city took time to meet with both concerned as well as supportive community members.

About 10 Nickelsville residents took turns sharing their personal experiences at the encampment, one specifically created for individuals and families of all ethnicities in Seattle without stable and permanent housing. They spoke to an audience of about 50 people at an August 26 informational meeting – organized by the Low Income Housing {see NICKELSVILLE cont’d on page 14}

Twisp mayor leads during town crisis “I had no aspirations to be the mayor,” recalled Twisp’s mayor, Soo Ing-Moody. Yet, the former sociologist and bed and breakfast owner has spearheaded the effort to help the citizens of this small town in Okanagan county back from the devastating July Carleton complex fires and subsequent flooding that has ravaged the area.

Soo Ing-Moody was once a graduate student in Germany

working for a professor that studied fire ecology.

Ing-Moody states that none of the work she did on the study and origina- Soo Ing-Moody tion of fires and international fire management {see TWISP cont’d on page 15}

Sue Misao

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Looking east toward the Loup Loup Pass, from the highway between Twisp and Carlton

THE INSIDE STORY NAMES People in the news » P. 2

■

COMMUNITY New restaurant ratings? » P. 4

WORLD Thai baby factory? » P. 5

PICTORIAL Fun and pho in Little Saigon » P. 7

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AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Seattle Colleges awards Albert Shen

Narasaki and Daugaard were chosen because of their long history of working for multi-racial unity and social justice.

The award was created after El Centro de la Raza’s founder Roberto Maestas died in 2010. Co-founder of 206 Zulu Danny Kogita is also receiving the award. 

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Former Buddhist monk from Tibet is building in Seattle

Albert Shen and Jill Wakefield

Albert Shen, Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees chair, has been officially appointed to be National Deputy Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington DC as of Aug. 15. Shen had a going away party at the Amber Lounge where friends and colleagues said their goodbyes.

“Albert, in four years you made a huge difference for our colleges and our city, but most importantly, our students,” said Seattle Colleges Chancellor Jill Wakefield in her speech during the party. She presented Shen with a plaque on behalf of Seattle Community Colleges. 

Lobsang Dargey, a former Buddhist monk turned commercial real estate developer, has two apartment projects lined up. His companies Dargey Development and Path America will start a $190 million project in the Belltown neighborhood of a 41-story apartment and hotel tower.

His other project is an 88unit apartment building in Logsang Dargey Kirkland, which should start next month. Dargey also wants to start working on a 505-unit apartment project by the Othello light rail station next year. 

Foundation awards money to Seattle area nonprofits The Sheng-Yen Lu (SYL) Foundation awarded $257,000 on Aug. 23 at Meydenbauer Convention Center during its grant award ceremony. Sixteen non-profits received grants in the education and healthcare sectors. The foundation began six years ago by Living Buddha Lian Sheng and has awarded over $1.5 million in education and health grants, scholarships and international disaster relief aid.

This year, the foundation award grants to programs that focused on early childhood education, access to postsecondary education, afterschool programs for minority youth, health care for low income families, mobile dental programs and uncompensated care at community clinics. 

Northwest Asian Weekly is always looking for Asian American community news. If you are the host or an attendee of an API fundraiser, e-mail us a big photo, event highlights, and the amount of money raised. We are also looking for news about APIs in new jobs and APIs getting public recognition and awards.

Please send materials to info@nwasianweekly.com with “names in the news” as the subject line.

API officials gather to celebrate and motivate

Past and current API officials

Asian Pacific Islanders for Civic Empowerment (APACE) held an event on July 30 at Nagomi Tea House, honoring past and current elected and appointed API officials in Washington state.

With more than 90 attendees, community leaders and constituents joined from all over the region to celebrate the important accomplishments of elected and appointed API officials to date, and motivate people in the important work ahead to secure and grow leadership and representation of the API community. 

Civil rights leaders awards announced Executive Director of Asian Counseling and Referral Service Diane Narasaki is a co-recipient of the 2014 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award presented by El Centro de la Raza along with Deputy Director of the Public Defenders Association Lisa Diane Narasaki Daugaard. The award is to honor local civil rights leaders.

Carlson Theater Bellevue College 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue, WA 98007

September 10, 2014, 7pm Q&A with director Jeffrey Chiba Stearns

www.onebighapafamily.com

RSVP to Khenry@bellevuewa.gov or call 425-452-7886 “One Big Hapa Family is a unique film that captures both serious issues of racism and integration, while at the same time providing a lot of laughs through the wonderful family stories that are shared.”

— Nishikata Film Review — Catherine Munroe Hotes

Bellevue Parks & Community Services

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

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AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Ratings system coming to local restaurants?

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Is King County ready to hand out grades to county restaurants?

A petition with over 2,000 signatures hopes that this is the case.

The petition started by Seattle resident Sarah Schacht is proposing reforms to King County Public Health to better protect restaurant-goers from health code violations. The petition encourages King County Public Health

to create publicly posted restaurant inspection scores, improve its website and add its scores to sites like Yelp. With the potential for a

■ REGIONAL NEWS

ratings system, ethnic restaurants, including Asian restaurants may be affected by the new system.

The proposed reform requests that the health department post “grades” in the front windows of King County restaurant establishments. Cities such as Los Angeles and New York have grading systems of A, B and C for its restaurants. Similar to elementary school grades, “A” is the top grade for a restaurant establishment.

King County has not committed to a grading system although

Manager of Food Protection for Public Health, Becky Elias stated that the department is “committed to some public display that quickly informs customers how a restaurant fared.”

In addition to the restaurant grading, the petition hopes to include its inspection scores on the community recommendation site, Yelp. Cities around the country are starting to post health inspection reports on Yelp in addition to reviews of the restaurant.

The petition was started by Se-

attle resident Sarah Schacht who fell ill when she ate at an Ethiopian restaurant that she later found out had failed multiple health inspections since 2010. Although King County has a comprehensive web site to report food safety issues with restaurants, Schacht believes that the county can do better.

King County Councilmember Joe McDermott responded to the petition supporters in agreeing that {see RATINGS cont’d on page 15}

Killer at 15, Washington Bodies retrieved from Mount Rainier: Southeast Asia Intel Managing man eligible for parole Director Uday Marty identified

Paul Wang, Shirley Wang, Elissa, Jonathan

ASSOCIATED PRESS TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A man who was 15 when he killed a Steilacoom marina owner is now eligible for parole.

A Pierce County judge on Friday erased Michael Harris’ original sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering Paul Wang in 1987 and resentenced him to 25 years to life, The Tacoma News Tribune reported (http://is.gd/jfpaH6).

A new state law spawned by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling gave Superior Court Judge Thomas Larkin no discretion in handing down the new sentence.

Harris, who is now 43, told the court he hopes Wang’s family can forgive him one day.

“A long time has passed,’’ he said. “I’m not the same person, not a reckless kid.’’

Harris said he plans to be a productive citizen should he be paroled.

He was 15 and Barry Massey was 13 when they shot, stabbed and robbed Wang at his marina, making off with fishing rods, cash and candy. The crime shocked Pierce County residents, both for its brutality and the ages of its perpetrators.

Both teens were prosecuted as adults, convicted of the state’s

highest crime—aggravated firstdegree murder—and sentenced to life without parole.

In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court, in deciding the case of Miller v. Alabama, ruled it was unconstitutional for juveniles to receive automatic sentences of life without parole. Such sentences constituted cruel and unusual punishment for people whose brains still were developing and who might not have the wisdom or judgment to always know the impact of their actions, the high court ruled.

Based on that ruling, the Legislature last year eliminated mandatory life sentences for juveniles convicted of aggravated murder.

The law now makes people convicted of committing that crime before they turn 16 eligible for parole after 25 years.

Massey is also eligible for parole.

Wang’s widow, Shirley, wrote a letter to Larkin that deputy prosecutor Jareb Ausserer read aloud in court Friday. Shirley Wang did not attend the hearing.

Shirley Wang said she knew Larkin had no choice but to give Harris the 25-to-life sentence, but she wanted the judge to know how Harris’ and Massey’s actions {see WANG cont’d on page 15}

SEATTLE (AP) — The location of the three bodies was revealed by the melting snow, but getting to them was another matter.

They were high on a glacier at one of the most treacherous spots on Mount Rainier, an area pummeled by falling ice and rocks.

So rangers borrowed a tool from their colleagues at Denali National Park in Alaska — a mechanical claw that’s so highly specialized it hasn’t been used in years.

A helicopter equipped with the device plucked the bodies of the three climbers off Mount Rainier on Tuesday, in the same area where a party of six vanished last May. “We’ve talked about using it before, but never really had a need for it,’’ said Doug Uttecht, the chief pilot at Olympia-based NorthWest Helicopters, who flew the recovery mission. “In this case, we needed to keep people out of that area. That’s the reason the bodies hadn’t been recovered.

They’re right in the middle of the falling rock and ice that’s coming off that cliff.’’

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office said Thursday that it’s still working to identify the bodies, but the National Park Service believes they were members of the same party that went missing. As of press time, Uday Marty, managing director and vice-president of Intel in SE Asia, was confirmed to be one one of the bodies.

A crew on a training flight spotted the bodies in avalanche debris field Aug. 7, but the area, at the 9,500-foot level on the Carbon Glacier, was considered risky for a typical recovery operation.

Warm weather has led to more ice and rock falls, as well as the

Twitter/@udaymarty

By Gene Johnson ASSOCIATED PRESS

Uday Marty

opening of new crevasses, making it one of the most hazardous spots on the 14,410-foot volcano, Mount Rainier National Park spokeswoman Patti Wold said.

NorthWest Helicopters had to wire up a special control box to use the mechanical grabber with the company’s MD-530 helicopter, and Uttecht flew practice runs picking up small logs. The device was mounted at the end of 100-foot-long line, saving crews from having to lower a mountaineering ranger down to the glacier.

Park Service rangers with radios positioned themselves in safe areas nearby and prepared to warn Uttecht if a major slide came down. The most difficult part of the mission was positioning the claw perfectly over the bodies, he said.

Wold described the device as similar to “those games in the grocery store where you use the claw to grab the toys.’’

The six missing climbers, all experienced mountaineers, included two guides and four climbers.

They went missing the last week of May on a technical, dangerous, and little-used route up Liberty Ridge. Authorities believe they fell 3,300 feet.

Members of the group were

Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International guides Matthew Hegeman and Eitan Green; Erik Britton Kolb, a 34-year-old finance manager at American Express, who had traveled from New York; Uday Marty, a vice president and managing director of Intel in Southeast Asia who was based in Singapore; Seattle mountain climber John Mullally; and Mark Mahaney, of St. Paul, Minn.

Last year, about 10,800 people attempted to climb Mount Rainier and only 129 used the Liberty Ridge route, according to park statistics.

There was no sign of the other climbers during Tuesday’s operation.

Denali National Park commissioned a Eugene, Ore., company called Heli-Tech to make the mechanical claw in 1995, according to a report in The Register-Guard newspaper the following year. It’s similar to devices the company had made for logging, farming, and other purposes, but with high-altitude adaptations. It’s made of lighter-weight aluminum instead of steel and uses electric controls instead of gas-powered ones. {see MARTY cont’d on page 15}

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

China shuts down Beijing Independent Film Festival

By Didi Tang ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP)—Chinese authorities on Saturday blocked an annual independent film festival from opening, seized documents and films from its organizers’ office, and hauled away two event officials. The move against a rare venue where films critical of the government could be screened is seen as a sign that Beijing is stepping up its already tight ideological controls.

Li Xianting, a film critic and founder of the Li Xianting Film Fund, the organizer of the Beijing Independent Film Festival, said police searched his office and confiscated materials he had gathered over more than 10 years. Li and the festival’s artistic director, Wang Hongwei, were later detained by police, according to their supporters.

The festival, which began in 2006, has seen severe police obstruction over the past few years, but this year’s crackdown is far more serious, Wang said earlier Saturday.

“In the past few years when they forced us to cancel the festival, we just moved it to other places, or delayed the screenings,’’ he said. “But this year, we cannot carry on with the festival. It is completely forbidden.’’

Over the past week, Li posted memos saying government security personnel were pressuring him to cancel the festival, and that he had come under police surveillance.

The shutdown is a sign that Beijing is tightening ideological controls under President Xi Jinping, said Chris Berry, professor of film studies at King’s College London in England.

“It’s very clear that the Xi Jinping regime is determined to control the ideological realm, which has not been emphasized so much for a long time,’’ he said.

But Berry said that China is not new to shutting down independent film festivals, and that the ill treatment of the Beijing fes-

Hu Jie, documentary director

tival does not mark the end of the country’s independent filmmaking, as filmmakers have found more venues in an increasingly diverse environment.

The boom in the mainstream movie industry, the rise of galleries that curate artwork based on moving images, and the Internet all have provided new opportunities, he said.

“Let’s not be totally pessimistic,’’ Berry said.

Police in the Beijing suburb of Songzhuang, where the event was supposed to open, said Saturday that they were unaware the festival had been canceled. But security was tight at the would-be festival site, with about two dozen men blocking the area and preventing around 30 film directors and members of the public from entering.

The men, claiming to be villagers, tried to stop anyone from photographing or videotaping the scene, and in a scuffle, broke a video camera an Associated Press journalist was operating and took away an-

Indiana couple’s love story a tale of war and peace

By Jerod Clapp NEWS AND TRIBUNE NEW ALBANY, Ind. (AP) — On Sunday morning, Harry Ketzner sat in his recliner in the middle of his living room in his Albany Street home. His 85th birthday was coming in just three days, but he didn’t expect anything special, just time with his wife, who likes to be called Rose.

Suddenly, his front door swung open.

Two beautiful women, both with flowing black hair, rushed inside.

“Surprise, grandpa!’’ Julie Nguyen, his 24-year-old granddaughter, said. She and her mother, Michelle, flew in from Houston to celebrate his birthday for a few days.

I almost had a heart attack,’’ Harry told the News and Tribune (http://bit. ly/1uwwNgT ). ``I was overcome with joy.’’

Though they’d come hundreds of miles to celebrate with him, the family’s journey spans half a world and a couple of decades.

Harry met Thua, or Rose, during his tour of duty as a commander in the U.S. Navy

in the Vietnam War. He helped her flee a war-torn country, but the battle to bring her daughter, Michelle, to the United States would drag on for years.

Harry was a commander in the Navy at the tail end of the Vietnam War. He worked with the staff of the Vietnamese Internal Service on the Chieu Hoi Program, which helped the Northern Vietnamese defect to South Vietnam.

In the team of translators he worked with were Thua and her brothers. Together, they brought people out of the war zone as much as possible.

Thua said the fighting got worse, not long after she and Harry met in 1972.

Seeing the situation Thua and her daughter were in, Harry said he wanted to help in any way he could.

“I met her in South Vietnam and after a certain period of time, we thought we might be compatible,’’ Harry said. {see STORY cont’d on page 12}

other AP journalist’s cellphone. The phone was later returned.

Hu Jie, a movie director who traveled from the eastern city of Nanjing to attend the festival, was upset at the cancellation.

“The audience for my films is already quite small, perhaps because I make documentaries that talk about history,’’ Hu said.

“If one of the rare film festivals, like the Beijing Independent Film Festival, is shot down, then it will be very difficult for us to survive as filmmakers.’’

Started as a film forum in 2006, the festival over the years has grown to be one of the most important events for China’s independent films, but also has attracted the attention of authorities eager to regulate free speech.

In 2012, electricity was cut off shortly after the festival opened, but organizers still managed to show some new movies.

Last year, the festival went on, although public screenings were banned.

In the memos that he posted, Li said police put him and the fund’s office under surveillance Aug. 18, when this year’s festival’s poster and schedule were released online.

He said local authorities initially agreed to a compromise that the festival be moved to a town farther out in neighboring Hebei province, but that the management of the hotel where reservations had been made informed the fund on Friday that police were not allowing it to host the festival.

Li said the festival’s executive director, Fan Rong, and Wang were taken away by Songzhuang police on Friday afternoon and forced to sign a letter of promise to cancel the festival, before being freed five hours later. He said employees of the film fund were also informed that the electricity to the office would be cut off starting Saturday.  AP video journalists Isolda Morillo and Helene Franchineau contributed to this report.

Interpol seeks clues to Thai ‘baby factory’

Mitsutoki Shigeta

By Jocelyn Gecker and Thanyarat Doksone ASSOCIATED PRESS BANGKOK (AP) — Interpol said it has launched a multinational investigation into what Thailand has dubbed the “Baby Factory’’ case, which involves a 24-year-old Japanese businessman who has 16 surrogate babies and an alleged desire to father hundreds more.

Police raided a Bangkok condominium earlier this month and found nine babies and nine nannies living in a few unfurnished rooms filled with baby bottles, bouncy chairs, play pens, and diapers. They have since identified Mitsutoki Shigeta as the father of those babies — and seven others.

“What I can tell you so far is that I’ve never seen a case like this,’’ Thailand’s Interpol director, police Maj. Gen. Apichart Suribunya, said Friday. “We are trying to understand what kind of person makes this many babies.’’

Apichart said that regional Interpol offices in Japan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and India have been asked to probe Shigeta’s background, beginning last week. Police say he appears to have registered businesses or apartments in those countries and has frequently traveled there. {see RAID cont’d on page 13}

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■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR SAT 8/30 Devon Yan Berrong presents latest fashion collection, “Wild Garden” featuring Namiko Abloom jewelry designs and Arnaldo Drag Chanteuse, cabaret performer WHERE: Velocity Dance Center, 1621 12th Ave, Seattle, WHEN: 6 p.m.

COST: $10 INFO: 206-325-8773, brownpapertickets.com/ event/769494

WED 9/3 AWAKE (Alliance of Woman Achieving Knowledge and Excellence) nonprofit softopening, with wine and hors d’oeuvres WHERE: Avenue One Condos Lounge, 2721 First Ave., Seattle WHEN: 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m.

COST: Free, space limited, RSVP required: awake.women. washington@gmail.com INFO: Nina, 908-752-8435, awake.women.washington@ gmail.com

THU 9/4 Painting exhibit by Irene Kubota’s “Finding Our Way” opens to public WHERE: Bryan Ohno Gallery, 521 South Main Street,

Seattle WHEN: Tues–Sat,11 a.m.–5 p.m.

INFO: 206-459-6857, www. bryanohno.com

FRI 9/5 Inclusion Fusion Benefit Dinner and Auction for Executive Development Institute (EDI) WHERE: The Foundry, 4130 1st Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 5–9 p.m.

COST: $125/person, tickets: ediorg.org INFO: edi@ediorg.org Legacy House Moon Festival 2014 WHERE: New Hong Kong Restaurant, 900 S. Jackson St., Seattle WHEN: 5:30–7:30 p.m.

COST: $50/person, $450/ table, tickets: legacyhouse.org/ moonfestival INFO: legacyhouse.org/ moonfestival

September Monthly Luncheon featuring Lloyd Hara WHERE: The Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce WHEN: 11:30 a.m.

INFO:events.r20. constantcontact.com

SAT 9/6 Seattle Japanese Garden presents Moon Viewing with light up lanterns, luminaries and floating boats WHERE: Seattle Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., Seattle WHEN: 7-10 p.m.

COST: $15/general admission, $25/admission with tea ceremony TICKETS: brownpapertickets. com/event/822035 INFO: seattlejapanesegarden. org Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Seattle Public Library WHERE: Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 2–4:30 p.m.

COST: Free Moon Cake Day at Seattle Public Library WHERE: Seattle Public Library, Lake City Branch, 12501 28th Ave. N.E., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

COST: Free INFO: 206-684-7518 Screening and Q&A of “Honor & Sacrifice: The Roy Matsumoto Story,” a documentary about Japanese Americans

WHERE: Bellevue College, Room C164, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue WHEN: 1:30 p.m.

COST: Free INFO: honordoc.com

SAT 9/6 & SUN 9/7 17th Annual Japanese Cultural Arts Event (Aki Matsuri) WHERE: Bellevue College Main Campus, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue WHEN: Sat: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

COST: Free admission, parking INFO: www.enma.org, 425-861-7865

SUN 9/7

Room C164, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue WHEN: 11 a.m.

COST: Free INFO: honordoc.com

MON 9/8 Koto Jazz, piano by “Kenji,” Kyoto music with Western rhythm and jazz, preceded by wine tasting WHERE: The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave., Seattle WHEN: 8–9 p.m., wine at 6 p.m.

COST: Free INFO: 206-200-2733, kotojazz. com/events

THU 9/11 The ethnic media meet and greet political candidates

Seattle Center Festál – Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival

WHERE: Sun Ya Restaurant, 605 7th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 5–7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Seattle Center Armory, Mural Amphistheatre, & Fisher Roof WHEN: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m COST: Free INFO: seattlecenter.com or 206-684-7200

COST: Free

Screening and Q&A of “Honor & Sacrifice: The Roy Matsumoto Story,” a documentary about Japanese Americans

WHERE: Poncho Concert Hall, Cornish College of the Arts WHEN: 7-9 p.m.

COST: $15-$25 INFO: Cornish.edu/presents

WHERE: Bellevue College,

SUN 9/21 “Jiuta: Voice of Longing,” Shamisen, Koto & Kokyu Concert

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID PROJECT: Former Standard Oil Site Remediation, C00925C14 SEALED BID TIME/DATE: 1:30pm, September 5, 2014 LOCATION DUE: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 ENGINEER’S ESTIMATE: $190,000 - $230,000 SCOPE OF WORK: The work under this project consists of the cleanup of Petroleum Contaminated Soil (PCS) within a known area of a former Standard Oil facility, located at a current unpaved, vacant lot the King County International Airport. The estimated volume to be excavated is approximately 1700 tons, with the same volume of clean fill (imported backfill) to be placed in the excavation. Activities of environmental concern at the site include excavation, soil stockpiling, hauling, disposal and other similar activities. Contractor shall perform the work in a manner that does not adversely affect the environment. Work site: 7490 Perimeter Road South in Seattle, Washington.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Kelly McKeever, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9389, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or kelly.mckeever@kingcounty.gov . A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE: No pre-bid conference or site tour is scheduled.

SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES: Landscape Resurfacing (seed/hydroseeding); Traffic Control APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENTS: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: No minimum SCS Utilization Requirement.

BID BOND: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price.

Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382 1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104. To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: WEBSITE: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement/solicitations

This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

NOTES: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ PICTORIAL

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

7

Fun and pho in Little Saigon B

A: Contestants are intense when it comes to pho!

B: The line-up C: Hands up when done!

D: Huong Viet performing arts group show off their syph skills E: Photo booth fun

C

F: David Le, part of the Lion Dancers, was the fastest pho eater with finishing his bowl under two minutes and he received a trophy, a t-shirt, socks, and a cookbook.

G: Young performers show off their talent

A

H: Carnival games were popular!

Festival celebrates culture, community, and … cream puffs The fourth annual Celebrate Little Saigon event was held on Aug. 24 on 12th and

D

Jackson St. in the International District.

There were activities, food vendors, carnival games, traditional Vietnamese dances and a breakdancing performance by the Massive Monkees. Highlights were were two eating contests: pho and

E

cream puffs! The event was hosted by Friends of Little Saigon—a Seattle group devoted to preserving and enhancing the All sale lasts from Friday 8/29 to Thursday 9/4

1221 S. King St., Seattle ∙ 206-720-0969 Monday—Sunday: 8:30 a.m.—8 p.m. lamsseafood.com

SNACKS & DRINKS

PRODUCE

culture of Little Saigon.

G

F

Jin Jin Lychee Coconut Jelly 1.5kg $4.69

Baby Banana $1.49/lb

$0.59 lb

$0.99 lb

$1.29 lb

Mong Toi $1.49/lb

Ong Choy $1.59/lb

$1.89

Calbee Shrimp Chips 8oz $2.29

Roma Tomato $1.19/lb

$1.19 lb

$1.39 lb

Hanasia Aloe Vera Drink $2.49

$0.89 lb

$1.69

MEAT Pork Chop $2.89/lb

Beef Rib Eye Steak $5.99/lb

$2.69 lb

$5.79 lb

Chicken Wing Drummettes $2.79/lb

Beef Short Ribs $5.99/lb

SEAFOOD

$13.99 lb

$1.69 lb

last. We reserve correct all printed errors.

Goby Fish Sale

King Crab Leg $14.99/lb

Squid Loligo $1.99/lb

while supplies the right to

$2.59 lb

$5.79 lb

Offer only good

Whole Periwinkle $3.99/lb

Stripe Bass $2.99/lb

$2.69 lb

$3.69 lb

Fresh $2.39/lb

Frozen $2.19/lb

$1.99 lb $1.99 lb

White Shrimp White Shrimp Head-on 50-60 $5.29/lb Head-on 50-60 $20.99/4 lb box

$4.99 lb

$19.99 box

H

Photos by George Liu/NWAW (E, G, H), John Liu/NWAW (D), Friends of Little Saigon (A, B, C, F)

Hami Melon $0.79/lb

$3.99

Honey Crisp Apple $1.79/lb

asianweekly northwest

8

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

■ AT THE MOVIES Moebius: Twisted and disappointing Rated:

«««

“... it touches no new artistic heights ... It also fails to produce any new insights.”

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY South Koreans almost didn’t get a chance to see “Moebius,” the latest feature from controversial director Kim Ki-duk. That’s because the Korea Media Rating Board originally gave the film a “restrictive rating,” which effectively banned the film in Kim’s native country, since South Korean theaters are not actually allowed to show films with that rating. The Board later relented and amended that rating to “18 and older,” allowing the film to open.

Director Kim first came to prominence in America through his 2003 film “Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall…and Spring,” a deceptively lyrical and pastoral story of an old monk raising a young boy. Many of his films, however, rely on violence, twisted psyches, and tortured lives.

“Bad Guy,” for example, showed us a brutal street thug who was unable to speak. “3-Iron” depicted a problematic relationship between two lovers from two opposed walks of life. “Time” dealt with the grisliness of cosmetic surgery, and its failure to bring the woman who opted for it, the new life she craved.

The “Moebius” storyline exists for the sake of being twisted, and for pointing out the dark side of human nature, but it touches no new artistic heights in its

depiction of all that. It also fails to produce any new insights.

The saleable gimmick for the film is that no spoken dialogue occurs onscreen, although you

Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation

Diversity at the Top

can occasionally see characters looking at printed matter. And this approach transcends gimmickry in places. Kim gets a wild and rich assortment of sobs, moans, groans, and tortured breathing out of his cast—some of it sexual, some of it despairing. And he reminds us that film is essentially a visual medium, sometimes overrun with unnecessary speech The problem is the film’s plot.

We start with a husband, wife, and child. The wife, driven swiftly mad by the husband’s affair with a younger woman, grabs a knife, tries to sexually mutilate her mate, and fails. She then tries the same cutting on her only child and succeeds. The young man spends the rest of the film without most of his sexual equipment, although the damage is, for the most part, only hinted at, which seems odd. The hapless schoolboy’s pants will be pulled down by schoolboy bullies, neighborhood bullies, and others, but what really does and/or doesn’t lurk there remains mysterious.

The mother runs away. Later she comes back. The father tries

to help the son cope with what’s happened, but that includes odd methods of sexual gratification.

Pleasure equals pain in this film, because they’re both extreme.

And Kim seems obsessed with extremes to the detriment of anything else that matters.

Round and round and round go the main characters, sometimes trying to help each other, but only causing pain. Sometimes they don’t bother to try for that much. I wanted to believe in this film, but in the end, I can’t believe Kim’s given us anything—an angle, a feel, a portrait—that didn’t exist before. This time out, I’m sorry to say, Kim’s sacrificed all his stylishness, vitality, and knack for storytelling, on the altar of pointlessness.  “Moebius” plays Aug. 29th through Sept. 5, at the Grand Illusion Cinema, located at 1403 N.E. 50th Street in Seattle’s University District. For prices and showtimes, call 206523-3935 or visit www. grandillusioncinema.org.

SPONSORS:

Honoring Asian Americans who have broken the glass ceiling Saturday, October 18, 2014 6 p.m.– 9 p.m.

China Harbor Restaurant 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 206-286-1688

HONOREES

REGISTRATION: $75 before October 13. $85 after October 13. $90 walk-ins. $35 students with I.D. $40 student walk-ins. $750 for an individual table of 10. $950 for a corporate table of 10, with the corporate logo

Andy Hwang Federal Way Police Chief

Hyeok Kim

Deputy Mayor of Seattle

Mary Yu

WA State Supreme Court Justice

Mary Knell

CEO, WA and Western Canada Wells Fargo Bank

To purchase tickets, call us at 206-223-0623, or email rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com.

PLANNING COMMITTEE: Joan Yoshitomi, Kiku Hayashi, Buwon Brown, Teri Wong, Karen Tsuo, Seungja Song, John Liu, Assunta Ng, Rebecca Ip, and Carol Cheung To reserve your space, fax a copy of this form to 206-223-0626 or send a check by December 3 to: Northwest Asian Weekly, Attn: Diversity at the Top, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114 Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________

Dr. Vikram Jandhyala

Vice Provost for Innovation, UW

Brad Miyake Bellevue City Manager

Ketu Shah

First Indian American Judge in WA, King County District Court

Organization: _____________________________________________ Title (if applicable): _________________________________________ Name of guests: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________  Mastercard

 Visa

Card no.: _________________________________________________ Exp. date: ____________ Signature: ___________________________

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

9

‘Infinity & Chashu Ramen’ features at two Seattle museums

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The new film “Infinity & Chashu Ramen,” written, produced, and directed by San Francisco’s Kerwin Berk, plays at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art on Saturday, Sept. 6th and at the Wing Luke Museum on Sunday, Sept. 7th. The film melds a series of vignettes revolving around an ancient spirit who roams spectrally through San Francisco’s Japantown and a young woman who joins forces with him. Berk took some questions over e-mail. you grow your most of childadulthood.

Kerwin Berk: I have always considered myself fortunate to have grown up in San Francisco’s Japantown—one of only three centralized Japantowns that still exist. When I was about 7 or 8, we moved out to the Avenues in the Richmond District. But every weekend, my mother and I would go back to J-town to shop, eat, or catch up with old friends.

Through the eyes of a child, it was a wondrous place—from the Taiyaki machine at May’s, to the cakes at Yasukochi’s Sweet Stop, to the lanes at Japantown Bowl, to the bento at Maruwa’s Market, to

Jeremy Conant

NWAW: Where did up, and what are essential memories hood and early

Tenshi (Hiroshi Kashiwagi) and Lucy (Wendy Woo) are a mischievous pair of unseen spirits who do their best to keep the universe running smoothly in the new feature film “Infinity & Chashu Ramen” shot entirely in San Francisco’s Japantown.

the Kurosawa films at Kokusai…

NWAW: What were the first films you loved and what did you learn from them?

Berk: When you’re an Asian kid of my generation, the first films that make an impression on you are the chopsocky films out of Hong Kong and the Kaiju films out of Japan. You’re not going to find any deep, metaphysical meaning out of any of these films,

but they did show me Asians don’t have to be relegated to roles like “Nurse No. 2,” “Smart Kid No. 3,” and “Chinese Restaurant Owner,” as they are usually depicted in Western films.

NWAW: Is this film your first?

Berk: “Infinity & Chashu Ramen” is my first feature film. I did one short before called “The Virtues of Corned Beef Hash.” I’ve promised myself the next film will

not have food in the title.

NWAW: What was the inspiration for your film’s story? Did you write it yourself or collaborate?

Berk: I was in the Montmarte area of Paris drinking coffee. I noticed many of the locals seemed almost oblivious to the beauty of the neighborhood. I began to wonder if I was as equally desensitized when it came to Japantown. When I got back home, I realized I had

been wearing blinders and that J-town was a pretty picturesque place.The wheels began to turn.

As I dusted off some short stories I had written, I began to envision an ensemble piece. My first draft was pretty cold, though—it didn’t capture the charm or sense of the Nikkei community I was trying to achieve. I drew upon Japanese folklore, specifically Tengu tales about unseen, mischievous obake and yokai (ghosts and spirits) that lived among people. I added the character of a 400-year-old ghost named Tenshi, found that he needed a comic foil, and then added young Lucy Yamaguchi.

I wrote pretty much the whole script, but I did acknowledge a couple of people who gave me story ideas. There is also some adlib in the film. I encouraged actors to contribute ideas and when they worked, we used them.

NWAW: Which shooting locations did you use and what attracted you to them?

Berk: Benkyodo is a manju shop that has been in Japantown for more than 100 years. Its current building was built in the early 1970s. You could not build a set for any amount of money that creates a better sense of place or {see RAMEN cont’d on page 15}

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asianweekly northwest

10

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

OPINION

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG

10 ways to manage stress SUGGESTIONS FROM A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY People often ask how I manage stress being the publisher of two newspapers. I often say, “If you love what you do, you don’t feel the stress.”

But that’s not exactly true. If you have deadlines week after week, it wouldn’t be much fun year after year. Even though I love what I do, the amount of work I am dealing with is enormous. Some friends suggest that I should hire more to help me with the job. A small business owner often faces this dilemma—making ends meet. If I had a large staff, I wouldn’t be able to meet payroll.

So I have developed some solutions to lighten my duties and also enlighten myself during stressful times. But first, the questions: What kind of lifestyle should I adopt if I need to manage stress constantly and unexpectedly?

What causes pain and tension in my neck and shoulder and back?

What ruins my energy? What

kind of food should I eat so my body can resist illness? How do I identify the sources of my stress and what do I do to prevent it?

How do I relax when dealing with crisis after crisis?

The answers lie in my years of experiencing demands from readers,

customers, staff, family and community and then finding solutions to balance with my health and well-being.

1. Consider deadlines your allies, not enemies Deadlines

induce

pressure.

Working with deadlines is indeed stressful. That is why I often admire folks who thrive under pressure. They are my role models.

Over time, I have re-programmed my brain to appreciate the meaning of deadlines—it requires goal-setting and vision-

forming. It shows we are getting things done and building more and more achievements every week. It gives us opportunities to create a remarkable product, and {see BLOG cont’d on page 11}

Amazing Women Mentors Volunteering as a way of life

Friday, September 19, 2014 • 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. • China Harbor Restaurant • 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle

Honorees

Sponsors

Grace Kim

Architect Schemata Workshop Inc.

Carole Carmichael

Assistant Manager Editor The Seattle Times

Lourdes Salazar

Volunteer Program Coordinator City of Bellevue

PLANNING COMMITTEE: Elizabeth Younger, Kiku Hayashi, Bonnie Miller, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Winona Holins-Hauge, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Jaime Sun, Sonia Doughty, and Carol Cheung

Isabelle Gonn

Administrative Manager Nordstrom Technology

Emcee Jean Hernandez

President Edmonds Community College

Regina Glenn

Vice President Seattle Metropolitan

Diane Ferguson

Interim Director Central Area Seniors Center

Luz Iniguez

Director of the Migrant Program University of Washington

CO-CHAIRS: Charlene Grinolds and Gladys Romero

Kirstan Arestad

Director Seattle City Council’s Central Staff

RESERVATIONS FOR LUNCHEON: Discounted price of $35 if purchased by September 15. Full price of $45 after September 15. Walk-ins $50.

Student price of $25 with I.D. before September 15; $30 after September 15; student walk-ins $35. No tickets will be mailed; confirmation is by e-mail only. $350 for a table. To sponsor the event including logo online and print and table is $1,000.

(For details, visit womenofcolorempowered.com).

Men are welcome!

To purchase tickets, call us at 206-223-0623, or email rsvp@nwasianweekly.com. For more information, visit womenofcolorempowered.com.

Name: ___________________________________________________

Deborah Guerrero

Social Worker Muckleshoot Child & Family Services

Lillian Hayashi

Community Volunteer Elder Care & Service Advocate

Patricia Lally

Director Seattle Office for Civil Rights

Hazel Cameron Executive Director 4C Coalition

Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________ Organization: _____________________________________________ Title (if applicable): _________________________________________ Name of guests: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________  Mastercard

Estela Ortega

Executive Director El Centro de la Raza

check

us out!

Deborah Lee

Program Director Nisqually Tribe Head Start

Bonnie Glenn Director DSHS

Stephanie Bowman Commissioner Port of Seattle

 Visa

Card no.: _________________________________________________ Exp. date: ____________ Signature: ___________________________

To reserve your space, fax this form to 206-223-0626 or email to rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com or mail the form along with check to: Women of Color Empowered, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ COMMENTARIES

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

11

OPINION

Child abduction and the Hague Convention We should follow Japan’s lead Recently, Japan became the last of the G-8 nations to implement the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. This treaty, which the U.S. adopted in 1988, was designed to help nations ensure the swift return of children who had been taken without permission from their country of residence by a parent.

But when domestic violence is the reason that a parent has fled with children, then the usual remedy of returning a child to a “left behind” parent should not occur.

This is not currently mandated by

U.S. law, but it should be.

Research clearly demonstrates that children who are exposed to domestic violence are more likely to suffer emotional, academic, and behavioral problems. Japan, in its legislative discussions regarding the Hague Convention, has recognized that domestic violence is a real and serious threat in some child abduction cases. The United States should follow Japan’s lead and do the same.

Within the past 5 years, a child returned to an abusive father in Texas under the Hague Convention was killed by the father. This is just one example, but it reflects a larger population of children at risk. Our research on Hague Convention cases involving domestic

violence heard in U.S. courts has shown that children are just as likely to be returned to an abusive father as to remain with the mother who has brought them to the United States.

Parents should be helped to have their children returned to them, and this is the standard procedure followed by the U.S. State Department when parents report that a child has been taken out of the country without their permission. But we need to be more careful that we aren’t putting children in harm’s way.

Let’s learn from the Japanese and adapt the U.S. implementation of the Hague Convention. Specifically, Japan will require the court to consider whether a child would

be placed in an intolerable situation or face a grave risk of physical or psychological harm if returned to the other country. This harm could occur if the child is directly at risk for abuse from a “left behind” parent, or if the “taking parent” may be subject to violence from the left behind parent that would be psychologically damaging to the child. The United States needs to develop a comprehensive strategy to address domestic violence when it is a component of international child abductions.

A treaty that began as an effort to safeguard children has the potential to become a major obstacle to their safety if the dynamics of domestic violence are not taken into account in judicial decisions.

Taryn Lindhorst

Sawako Yamaguchi

We applaud Japan’s efforts to directly evaluate the risk for domestic violence between parent and child. The United States should do likewise.  —Taryn Lindhorst, PhD, LCSW, Carol LaMare Associate Professor University of Washington, School of Social Work —Sawako Yamaguchi

In response to ‘Nickelsville is moving to 10th and Dearborn’ A letter to Sharon Lee, Director for Low Income Housing Institute We are in receipt of an email message from you dated August 15, 2015 regarding moving Nickelsville to the Little Saigon area.

While we share your vision to “provide homes and services to {BLOG cont’d from page 10} make a difference in the community every week. “Deadlines” are allies, not enemies. Changing perspective is an excellent strategy when working under stress. We have to get both our papers published every week, so we might as well embrace the deadlines and the energy it creates. It turns into a seamless process instead of a stressful process.

Sometimes, I even extend deadlines for our special editions so we can accomplish more. Being flexible helps us to see solutions and possibilities.

2. Eliminate long meetings Sitting in a long meeting, using computers and smartphones to get work done, are sources of stress.

Most of the meetings take more time than necessary. Productive meetings require an efficient agenda and a task-oriented chairperson. Background information should be sent prior to meetings.

When an organization does not prepare its homework before it begins, it wastes everyone’s time.

Meetings are designed to make decisions.

Many take meetings as a way of “catching up” rather than discussing the real intent of the meeting.

You can catch up, but do it after important tasks are accomplished.

homeless and low-income adults, children, seniors and veterans around Puget Sound,” we are left confused and distraught by the news.

Below are some concerns and questions for your serious consideration: —Process and communication.

As a community leader, and having worked for under-represented populations, we hope that you know the importance of due proLimiting my meetings to no more than an hour helps to manage my stress level.

3. Incorporate work with discovery I love to cover events for the Asian Weekly and the Chinese Post. Covering events provides me the freedom to walk around and mingle with people. I hate sitting in one spot for too long.

With my camera, I get to discover the unknown, meet new people, and initiate conversation (and new ideas).

4. Exercise Everyday, I take three breaks to walk 10-15 minutes for exercise, sunshine and fresh air. Sunlight boosts serotonin, a feel-good hormone. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have found that you can fight stress naturally by simply stepping outside on a sunny day.

A person can easily feel stressed being cooped up in an office without enough oxygen. A study also shows that walking activates the brain and improves memory, In the office, I try hard to communicate to my staff face-to-face instead of sending an email. I use every excuse to get out of my chair and move and stretch. I don’t shop online unless I really need to.

cess and communication. This announcement left us with virtually no time to assess the potential impact to our community and give thoughtful input on this important decision.

—Cultural sensitivity and consideration. Friends of Little Saigon, along with its many constituents and stakeholders, have worked tirelessly in the past 5 years to improve conditions in and the image of Little Saigon. Yet, we continue to face many obstacles,

such as socio-economic inequities, social stigmas, public safety, etc. Adding another level of complexity in the mix would only create further conflicts and problems.

—Strategic planning. What strategies were used to assess this move? Were there studies done to assess the impacts on surrounding businesses and community? What city and other local requirements were considered and followed?

What other sites were considered?

At this time, we request that you

delay the move of Nickelsville to Little Saigon until the above issues and concerns are addressed. We would appreciate an opportunity to share with you the challenges facing our community, and potential impacts (to our community as well as Nickelsville) should this move take place without further consideration. 

Every night, I walk for 20-30 minutes before I go to bed.

body, put all your problems inside the box, and then lock them up.

This tip takes long practice— because you are the only one who has the key to unlock the box. Learn how to be captain of your actions and master of your thoughts.

Embrace your hobbies. If you don’t have any, discover some. It makes a difference and balances out your work life.

5. Experience nature Studies have also found that the color green produces a soothing effect on people’s brain.

The 12 plants in my living room (and several more in the Asian Weekly’s office), help me to destress. I enjoy grocery shopping every day to get fresh veggies and fruits. The smell and color of produce energize me. Most doctors would advise people who live with stress to tend to a garden. It works magic.

Every weekend, I hike around forests, lakes and trails to explore, think and breathe. It helps with my mental and physical health.

6. Get a good night’s sleep Restful sleep is important to deal with daily struggles, especially in the media business.

It is not easy for people with stressful jobs to get a good night’s sleep. Their minds are still busy when they go to bed.

Most health gurus would recommend you to meditate at least five minutes a day to calm your mind. Sometimes, massages and acupuncture work well too.

Years ago, my yoga teacher taught me, when you are in bed, make a mental box outside your

7. Eat healthy—food cures stress I often study how food can affect our mind and body. To make sure I stay healthy, I don’t eat much junk food. That includes deep-fried stuff, and I don’t drink alcohol either. If I get sick, how can I do my job? I eat lots of nuts, lean meat, and lots of fish and veggies.

When I read flaxseeds are good for us. I immediately started taking one flaxseed pill daily. And I started eating blueberries, salmon, and eggs. Those are all in my diet now. Vitamin B12 is vital to our nervous system. And yes, I take that too.

8. Have hobbies Most workaholics give up their playtime for work. That’s wrong.

You have to find your passion besides work. Don’t let work define who you are.

I love to travel. I wouldn’t forfeit my vacations for work no matter how busy I am.

— Tam Nguyen Board President for Friends of Little Saigon

9. Give back Don’t focus on yourself. Focus on service, and helping others.

Helping others bring joy. When you see someone else happy, it will make you happy.

10. Laugh!

Laughter is the best medicine People usually forget to laugh on a busy or bad day. Laughter boosts our mood quickly. Don’t tell me to watch violence and horror movies—comedies are my favorites for releasing tension.

Dr. Oz, TV personality, said we shouldn’t forget to smile when stressed—it will dissolve the tension on your cheeks.

So smile, and laugh on your tough days, because life is never a bowl of cherries.  Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

Thank you for recycling this newspaper!

asianweekly northwest

12

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

{CHEN cont’d from page 1}

{ASTRONAUT cont’d from page 1}

trial which may have influenced the jury.

As a result, a new trial was ordered and commenced with jury selection on August 11th. A new trial court judge presided over this trial. In an attempt to halt any possible attorney misconduct, the judge conducted the jury selection by asking questions of the potential jurors rather than the custom of having the attorneys question jurors about their potential biases and feelings toward the potential issues of the trial.

Chen sued the city of Medina and Medina’s City Manager Donna Hanson claiming that he was fired due to his race. The city of Medina and Hanson’s attorneys asserted that it was the job issues which led to his dismissal. Among the offenses, they claimed Chen had used city credit cards for his own personal use, voided traffic tickets for influential Medina residents, and tried to access the city’s email archive without authorization.

During the trial, it was brought up that Chen was investigated while he was at the Seattle Police Department for financial misconduct. Chen left the department before the end of the investigation which was subsequently dropped.

In opening statements, Chen’s lawyer, Marianne Jones called him “a good man, a strong man and a good police chief.” Jones asserted that Chen’s “career was destroyed” and he could no longer work as a police officer as a result of Hanson and that he was also the victim of racial discrimination. She indicated that Hanson had an “inexplicable dislike” for Chen. She also argued that Chen has not been able to find another job and that the best job Chen could obtain was a job at Costco that pays $23.50 an hour.

Chen claimed several interactions with Hanson lead to his belief that he was the victim of racial discrimination. Chen claimed that Hanson made racially insensitive comments to him including, “I thought you Chinese people were supposed to be more patient than this,” and “Do you people celebrate Thanksgiving?”

The city’s attorney denied the allegations of racial discrimination citing them as baseless. She stated that Chen lied about Hanson’s comment about Chinese people being more patient. Also, she stated that Hanson was talking to a group including a vegan when she made the comment about whether Chen celebrated Thanksgiving.

It appears that the jury of 12 which included one Asian and another person of color agreed with the attorney for Medina.

They found that the city and Hanson did not engage in an adverse employment action and that Chen’s race was not a substantial factor in his dismissal. In addition, the jury decided that there was not an issue with the dismissal of Chen and that Chen’s due process rights were not violated.

Chen’s attorney had no comment on the jury verdict and did not state whether they would appeal the court’s decision. Notably, toward the end of the trial, Chen’s attorney brought a motion seeking a ruling on evidence she claims was withheld by the city of Medina at this trial and the original trial.

She requested a verdict in favor of Chen and sanctions to be assessed in the amount of $500,000. A thumb drive containing information not previously provided to Chen’s attorney was produced during trial per court order. Chen’s attorney claims that the evidence on the drive was substantial in proving Chen’s case. There was no ruling on this issue prior to the conclusion of the trial. 

average Puyallup resident has presented new challenges for Yi, who spent 10 years in college studying mechanical engineering and biosystems. She worked as a researcher before her space flight in 2008.

She said finding a job has been difficult.

With astronaut at the top of her résumé, most would assume she could work anywhere.

But she said employers either can’t find a place for her skill set in their companies or they consider her overqualified for open positions. She hopes to work for a science or technology organization.

“I don’t care how much it pays,” Yi said.

“I just care if it makes me excited.”

Topping the excitement of her last job will be difficult.

Korea’s space program started and ended with Yi. After the government announced the space-travel competition, she survived mental and physical tests, interviews, and other challenges to make it into a group of 30 finalists. Then a TV show was launched, thrusting Yi into the public arena.

“It was almost like `American Idol’ stuff,” she said. “It was a huge national event.”

Send news tips to info@ nwasianweekly.com.

{STORY cont’d from page 5} Harry married Thua.

“The reason that we got married was I wanted to bring her here to the United States and you couldn’t just bring anybody here,’’ Harry said. ``So that’s what I did.’’

Thua said even though Michelle was 9 years old and attended the wedding, she had to leave her behind until she could become a U.S. citizen. Without time to say goodbye to her family as the war raged closer, Thua and Harry caught a plane to America.Michelle stayed with her grandmother. She said while everything happened at an age where it had an effect on her, she didn’t blame her mother for how everything went.

“It was very hard over there,’’ Michelle said. ``The government (in the United States) was willing to help, but with the war on in Vietnam, no one there could help.’’

Without more than a wedding ceremony and a little time knowing Harry, Thua said she put her utmost trust in him for the future of her and her family.

“I put my faith in him,’’ Thua said. “The war was so bad in my country, I couldn’t sleep. I was always scared.”

The South Korean government spent millions to send her and another finalist, Ko San, to train for more than a year in Russia in 2007. San was initially the primary candidate, with Yi serving as backup, until he violated regulations at the Russian training center.

Training in Russia as an Asian woman was tough, she said. She had to remind her male Russian colleagues that she could handle the job. When they’d utter condescending remarks because of her gender, she’d respond with, “I’m not a woman. I’m an astronaut.”

Yi crawled into the shuttle 2 1/2 hours before takeoff on April 8, 2008. She was shocked how quickly the time before launch passed.

“I didn’t feel nervous or scared at all,” she said.

Complications with equipment kept Yi and her crew guessing until the final minutes, but everything fell into place.

After the two-day journey to the International Space Station and more than a week conducting research there, she wasn’t ready for the experience to end.

“It was too short,” she said of the 11-day trip.

Yi said her space flight entirely changed her outlook on life.

“I’m a Christian, and sometimes I wonder why God made me the first Korean astronaut,” she said.

That question swirled in the back of her mind as she was strapped into her seat on the shuttle. Yi — who grew up in a family with limited income, and attended college thanks to a scholarship — said going to space was an existential experience that put into perspective just how randomly God places people in the world.

Gazing at Earth from space for the first time, she pondered her place in a vast universe.

Although she’s still figuring it out, Yi knows that part of her purpose is to teach people to appreciate life, just as she learned to do after traveling where few have gone.

“I realize I’m so lucky,” she said. “I decided you should be grateful with whatever you have. I feel a huge responsibility to share that kind of philosophy with people.”

Out of many exciting moments from her space flight, Yi’s favorite part about her trip is predictably simple, “If you look at [Earth] through your own eyes, you never get bored.” 

A friend of the Ketzners, Carol Buchheit, lives a couple of streets over from the Ketzners’ home. She said Thua told her stories of how in her home in Vietnam, the family would hide in a secret spot under the floor of their home once the shooting began.

She left everything she ever knew, starting a new life in a country she’d never visited.

Thua said she planned on gaining her citizenship and bringing Michelle with her within two years’ time, but she didn’t know at the time it would take her more than a decade.

Her citizenship papers got lost in the bureaucracy at the Vietnamese embassy.

She and Harry kept in touch with the offices there to hurry the process along as much as possible, but it was little or no help.

It took her 13 years before she was naturalized. At last, she was able to sponsor her daughter, nephew and brother to come to the United States.

In 1985, Michelle came to America at the age of 22. She married and lived in Houston, giving birth to her daughter, Julie. After a divorce, she raised Julie largely on her own, but they never really

got to see their family in New Albany.

After 24 years in the Navy, Harry retired, then spent 22 years as a math and physics teacher at Central High School in Louisville.

Thua landscapes the rental properties that she and Harry own. She also volunteers her time at Park Christian Church on Green Valley Road.

Julie said she’s proud of her family’s history and glad things happened the way they did. ``I’m thankful that I’m here, I’m thankful that my grandmother met him.’’

Harry’s 85th birthday was Wednesday, the same day his stepdaughter and granddaughter left for Houston again. ``They are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I thank God for them,’’ Harry said. I’m going to do everything I can to make their lives as good as I can.’’

He said though they don’t get to see each other nearly enough, he feels their bond had never been anything but strong. ``I think that it was God’s will that I’ve got these two folks, this granddaughter and my daughter over there,’’ Harry said. ``It’s God’s will. I could never have done it any other way. They’ve been the greatest blessing in my life to this date.’’ 

Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

13

For the week of August 30–September 5, 2014

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — You have your reasons for not wanting to get involved. It might be a good idea to share this information with those close to you.

Dragon — A sentimental favorite isn’t necessarily the best choice for you. Consider all the factors before you make your final pick.

Monkey — A rough and tumble approach might work for some, but it is not for you today. You would prefer to proceed smoothly on your path.

Ox — There is a lot of excitement in the air and it is contagious. Don’t let the hype cloud your judgment.

Snake — While you would rather be doing other things, there are a few tasks that cannot be ignored or set aside.

Rooster — Due to a recent discovery, you are curious about finding out more on a certain subject. There are many sources that you can go to for what you seek.

Tiger — Are you finding it hard to pull the plug on something that just isn’t working for you? Delaying will not make it any easier.

Horse — Those who sit out won’t be counted on. If that matters to you, then stand up and make your presence known.

Dog — Are you becoming too complacent with your current circle? Remember that a new friend often means new adventures.

Rabbit — Is a friend sending you mixed messages lately? Perhaps it would be beneficial to ask them what is going on.

Goat — If you want to make a change or digression, consider how it will affect the final outcome.

Pig — Do you really want people to agree with you all the time? A little controversy and debate can be interesting and invigorating.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

{RAID cont’d from page 5} “We are looking into two motives. One is human trafficking and the other is exploitation of children,’’ said police Lt. Gen. Kokiat Wongvorachart, Thailand’s lead investigator in the case.

He said Shigeta made 41 trips to Thailand since 2010. On many occasions, he traveled to nearby Cambodia, where he brought four of his babies.

Shigeta has not been charged with any crime. He is trying to get his children back — the 12 in Thailand are being cared for by social services — and he has proven through DNA samples sent from Japan that he is their biological father. He quickly left Thailand after the Aug. 5 raid on the condominium and has said through a lawyer that he simply wanted a large family and has the

means to support it.

Kokiat said Shigeta hired 11 Thai surrogate mothers to carry his children, including four sets of twins.

Police have not determined the biological mothers, Kokiat said.

The founder of a multinational fertility clinic that provided Shigeta with two surrogate mothers said she warned Interpol about him even before the first baby was born in June 2013.

“As soon as they got pregnant, he requested more. He said he wanted 10 to 15 babies a year, and that he wanted to continue the baby-making process until he’s dead,’’ said Mariam Kukunashvili, founder of the New Life clinic, which is based in Thailand and six other countries. He also inquired about equipment to freeze his sperm to have sufficient supply when he’s older, she said in a telephone interview from Mexico.

As for Shigeta’s motives, Kukunashvili said he told the clinic’s manager that “he wanted to win elections and could use his big family for voting,’’ and that “the best thing I can do for the world is to leave many children.’’ Kukunashvili declined The Associated Press’ request to talk to the clinic manager.

Kukunashvili said she never met Shigeta, but received reports from her Thai staff.

She said that in April 2013, she sent faxes in English and French to Interpol’s head office in Lyon, France, and an e-mail through the agency’s website, but they went unanswered. Apichart of Interpol in Thailand said the local office never saw the warnings. An Interpol spokesman in Lyon did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Kukunashvili also sent Shigeta

an e-mail to express suspicion, and attorney Ratpratan Tulatorn responded on his behalf in an Aug. 31, 2013 e-mail that the clinic owner provided to the AP. The attorney said Shigeta was involved in “no dishonesty, no illegal activities.’’ He said his client hoped to keep using New Life, but the company then stopped working with him.

Shigeta’s activities drew no attention until early this month, when an Australian couple was accused of abandoning a baby with his Thai surrogate mother — but taking his twin sister — after learning the boy had Down syndrome. Though the couple disputes the allegation, the case prompted a crackdown by Thai authorities on what had been a largely unregulated industry.

After the Australian case emerged, police received a tip that

prompted the raid on Shigeta’s Bangkok apartment.

Ratpratan, the lawyer, appeared during the raid to insist that Shigeta had done nothing wrong.

“These are legal babies, they all have birth certificates,’’ Ratpratan told Thailand’s Channel 3 television station. “There are assets purchased under these babies’ names. There are savings accounts for these babies, and investments. If he were to sell these babies, why would he give them these benefits?’’

Ratpratan is no longer Shigeta’s lawyer, and his replacement has not responded to requests for comment. Shigeta’s current whereabouts are unknown.  Associated Press writers Yuri Kageyama and Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo contributed to this report.

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: King County Rail Operations Track Maintenance and Repairs Work Order, Contract C00891C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date Due: 1:30 p.m., September 11, 2014.

Sealed Bid Location: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Engineer’s Estimate: $750,000.

Scope of Work: The scope of work of this Contract may include, but is not limited to, performing work related to: derailments, washouts, broken rail repair, replacement of defective switch points, distribute and tamp ballast, surface and align track, perform ditching, perform field welds, provide material handling and trucking. Emergency notice Work Orders may be issued, that in less than 2 hours require the Contractor to be on site working. The Contractor shall be available by pager and/or cellular phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Other work may include maintenance rail grinding, annual rail ultrasonic testing, and non-emergency repairs. Work sites: Various facilities in King County, Washington.

The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $750,000.00 and the initial Contract Time shall not exceed 365 calendar days from the date of Contract execution by the County. The County does not guarantee any minimum amount of work or that the dollar amount of the Work Orders issued will total $750,000.00 during the duration of this Contract. At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended for one additional year or until the Not to Exceed Contract Price is reached, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater than two years from the date of Contract execution by the County.

Contact Information: Mark Hoge, 206-263-9325, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or mark.hoge@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid Conference: 10:00 a.m., September 4, 2014, Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility, 3407 Airport Way South, Seattle, WA 98134. A site tour is not scheduled.

Subcontracting Opportunities: Maintenance Rail Grinding, Rail Ultrasonic Testing, Stray Current Testing.

Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

SCS Utilization Requirements. No minimum SCS Utilization Requirement.

Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price.

Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., M thru F at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg., 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104.

To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement/solicitations

This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

asianweekly northwest

14

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

{NICKELSVILLE cont’d from page 1} Institute (LIHI) – at Ernestine Anderson Place.

Panel moderator Mark Putnam, direc-

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NOTICE

Request for Proposals

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KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 2:00 PM of bid opening date for the following listed bids.

To download a document, go to our web page at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement. King County encourages minority business enterprise participation. King County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

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people living in encampments.”

Since 2005, 36,000 people have moved from going without stable housing to permanent housing in King County.

“We would like to propose to you that we work together. We really, really honestly believe that would be the best for everyone,” said panel speaker Heather Dobson, who manages external affairs for the Nickelsville location at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (LCGS) at 22nd Avenue and East Union Street.

Working together on issues – communication, cultural sensitivity and consideration, and strategic planning – is also important to Friends of Little Saigon, an ID organization of small business owners.

Dobson said, “Of course, if we cannot correct the pattern of serious incidents, we will leave.”

She also talked about the encampment’s agreement with LCGS – the church sponsor of the new location in the ID. “The contract (between LCGS and Nickelsville) will establish how long we will be there. We’re asking for a renewable six-month period. It will also establish a code of conduct and establish terms for eviction,” said Dobson.

Peggy Hotes, another panel speaker, is Nickelsville’s registered agent who does bookkeeping for the encampment and occasionally stays at its 22nd and Union site. “I do a lot of odds and ends for Nickelsville,” she said.

On finding potential sites for the encampment, she said, “We have been looking, particularly in the last six months, all over Seattle for a site: West Seattle, University District, maybe the Central District again. And we weren’t able to find anything.”

“It’s our belief that Nickelsville should be on public property,” she said. “We establish a site search committee well before the move.”

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“We drove around and took pictures of 30 different, empty sites. We wrote letters asking for meetings, and we got one response.”

The International District location for Nickelsville – 1001 South Dearborn Street – will be on private property. “That site was selected because that’s the only one we have,” Hotes added.

Several panel speakers talked about what community residents should do when they see violence or drug and alcohol use by a Nickelsville resident.

“They can contact our staff person, Scott Morrow. We can also see people at Nickelsville if you come to our security place.

We will have only one entrance at the new place, so anyone is welcome to come and report to us if they have an issue,” Dobson said.

Tam Nguyen, president of Friends of Little Saigon, asked the panelists, “Have you promised to be at this particular location, how long it’s going to be?”

Dobson answered, “A renewable six months. That means after six-months-time, if the Coho family or any surrounding resident reports issues to us, we take all of our incident reports down so we have a record.”

“If we have any pattern of behavior that is not covered by our agreement with the Coho family, and we are in violation of it, then, of course, we will leave.”

Morrow said the agreement will be made available to the public.

“What we hear a lot is ‘we support Nickelsville.’ Everyone supports Nickelsville, but nobody wants it in their neighborhood so that’s very difficult on us as well. And we are the doing the best we can to notify everyone,” Dobson said.  James Tabafunda can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.Panel

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

{RAMEN cont’d from page 9}

NWAW: What were the most challenging aspects to shooting the film and how did you work through the challenges?

Berk: Lack of money, of course!

Calling our film low-budget would be an exaggeration of Gojira proportions. We were lucky to find a very talented cast and crew who loved the script and became personally invested in it. Japantown rallied around us with local

Jeremy Conant

community. It is a one-of-a-kind and was the one place that we had to have in the film.

“Infinity & Chashu Ramen” as whole is a travelogue for Japantown. We shot only about 15 seconds of b-roll outside of the neighborhood. We picked each location very carefully, from a manga restaurant, to a nursing home, to a movie theater, to the Peace Pagoda.

Tenshi and Lucy help new immigrants Raoul (played by Jean Franco) and Tsukiko (played by Anna Jones) connect even though they don’t speak the same language.

businesses and residents literally opening their doors to let us shoot.

The cast and crew donated their services—actors even showed up to help on days they weren’t in a scene.

NWAW: Describe your cast and

the characters they play.

Berk: The key role of Tenshi was written specifically for Hiroshi Kashiwagi, who amazingly is 91. I worked with him before and he is an incredible artist and actor.

And his preparation was epitome

{WANG cont’d from page 4} devastated her family 27 years ago.

“My late husband Paul would have been 69 years old this year, and we would have celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary,’’ Shirley Wang wrote. “Instead, he’s in the grave, and I’m alone. I have tried to be strong over the years, but, honestly, I am quite miserable.’’  Information from: The News Tribune, www.thenewstribune.com

NWAW: What are your plans for the immediate future for the film, and then beyond the film?

Berk: We’ve always considered ourselves a community-based film. So we like to partner with a local Japanese American nonprofit and hold a fundraiser screening for them. We get great turnouts, the audiences enjoy themselves, and we raise money for a good cause. It’s win-win. We are actually going to have our international debut in October. We’re playing at the Manggha Centre in Krakow, Poland. Subtitling the film in Polish has proven to be quite the challenge.We are currently trying to decide on our next project.

Money always plays a huge factor in our decision. We are hoping to start shooting in March of 2015.

And we are always looking for talented actors and filmmakers to participate.  For more information on the film and the Seattle-area screenings, visit infinityandchashuramen. com/seattle.

Tibet Fest celebrates Tibetan culture and people Sue Misao

{TWISP cont’d from page 1} prepared her for what has happened to her town this summer.

According to Ing-Moody, her job as a small-town mayor is “multi-fold and then some.”

Without a city manager or city administrators, Ing-Moody and her small staff play a big part for the town. This included emergency management and preparing an evacuation plan for the town.

She recalls planning with her staff on July 18th the potential need for evacuation and advising on what to do. The unpredictability of the fire made the situation for the town “very scary.” The same day as the meeting, they had to enact the plan. Ing-Moody stated that she and her staff personally went door to door to houses during the Carlteon complex fires to warn Twisp residents and advise of the possibility of evacuation.

Even though the federal government has stepped in to assist the area, she is still advocating for further help for the citizens and business owners that have lost their homes and livelihood.

President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for the area because of the fires. The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to coordinate disaster relief and help state and local agencies with equipment and resources. While the declaration allows for help for public resources, the town of Twisp was denied assistance for individuals and business owners. Thus, Ing-Moody is working with local officials including Governor Jay Inslee’s

of professionalism. He always knew his lines and always hit his marks—and he studied Japanese for three months because Tenshi speaks Japanese in the film. We held a casting call for most of the other parts. We were really surprised by the number of actors who arrived at the auditions. We realized very quickly that there is a tremendous amount of Asian American talent out there, who simply have no place to perform.

We usually had a couple of actors come back for a second read and then we made our decisions.

As an Asian American, I found it difficult to tell other Asian Americans they didn’t get parts. I think the cast was extremely enthused and committed. You seldom get the chance to work on an all Asian American film with an all Asian American cast and crew.

15

Assunta Ng/NWAW

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Horizon of smoke from Twisp fires

office in providing the federal government an appeal to the initial denial. The federal assistance would provide homeowners and business owners that have suffered damages with financial assistance. It would also cover those underinsured and still in need of help. Ing-Moody indicated that she is still gathering information that would show the gravity and impact the fires have had on the community.

Although the damage figures have yet to be finalized, 326 homes in the town of over 1,000 people have been affected by the fires. The town also faces the problem of flooding. The collapse of three small dams in the Benson Creek area has caused flooding and mudslides which has caused more damage to the Twisp area.

Ing-Moody was appointed mayor after the previous mayor stepped down. She served on the town council and was appointed after just a few months into her service. “I applied because there was a need and it was ‘my time’ to serve,” recalled Ing-Moody of working on the town council. Little did she know that she would be

called to head the entire town of Twisp after just a few months of service on the council.

Originally from Canada, IngMoody was a sociologist studying at the University of Toronto and then at Frieburg University in Germany where she received two masters’ degrees. She is fluent in Chinese and German.

While a student in Germany, an opportunity to work on a project in Mongolia led her to the Methow Valley.

It was in Mongolia where she met her husband Michael. Michael was originally from the Methow Valley. After work and travel, the two decided to settle down in Twisp and opened a bed and breakfast. They have two boys, ages 11 and 13.

“It’s the smallest place I’ve ever lived in my life and the most rural,” said Ing-Moody. While the area may be vastly different from her past residences, she enjoys the outdoors and the many recreational activities Twisp has to offer. 

{MARTY cont’d from page 4}

years he’s been stationed there.

Nor was he aware of it ever having been loaned out.

Denali’s helicopter manager, Joe Reichert, has been in Washington state helping to fight wildfires and helped arrange for the device to be shipped to Rainier, Latham said. 

The device was used for the first time in 1996 to recover a climber who fell at the 16,000foot level on Denali. It wasn’t immediately clear how many times it’s been used since. Denali mountaineering ranger Brandon Latham said Wednesday it hadn’t been used in the seven

Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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Performers in the Yak dance

The nineteenth annual Tibet Fest happened at Seattle Center on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24. The festival is part of Seattle Center’s Festál 2014 series, highlighting different cultures with weekend festivals.

Tibet Fest featured traditional dances, performances by graduate artists of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, traditional

food, children’s activities and handmade arts and crafts. The festival was put on by the Tibetan Association of Washington, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote preserve the Tibetan culture along with supporting the leadership the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. 

{RATINGS cont’d from page 4}

ances of ethnic restaurants. A language barrier may be an obstacle in communication as some restaurant owners do not speak English as a first language. This may be an issue with health inspectors that cannot convey safety and health hazards for the restaurant as well as educating the owner as to how to resolve violations of the health code.

With a low grade issued by the health department, restaurants would likely see a decrease in business as customers would find alternatives with higher grades.

The grades would give restaurants the incentive to raise its health and food safety standards.

Along with the push for better standards in the petition, the health department is seeking public feedback on its website and will hold public meetings in the near future.

The health department indicates that it plans to have a new system in place by the end of 2015. 

the “Food Program’s rating system should be more understandable and accessible to King County residents.” Councilmember McDermott indicated that the county is working with a consultant to come up with recommendation on how to improve the system.

With the news that a grading system is coming soon, some Asian restaurants might be concerned. A recent review of closures in 2014 made public by the King County Health Department includes 4 Asian restaurants out of 10 listed on its web site. The type of food made which is typically made fresh, lack of knowledge of the rules, and cultural customs may be the reasons why many Asian restaurants are cited for violations and even closed.

Earlier this year, restaurant owners in the International District met with local health inspectors to open lines of communication when it came to safety and health expectations for restaurants. The purpose of the meeting was to make inspectors that may be new to the area familiar with the cultural nu-

For more information, visit www. kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ ehs/foodsafety/publicinput.aspx Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com

asianweekly northwest

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AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 5, 2014