PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 38 NO 52 DECEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 27, 2019
Photo by John Liu
Compiled by Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
A lion dance honors the reopening of the historic building with its original exterior
10. Louisa Hotel on King Street near Seventh Avenue reopened in June as an 85-room apartment building. The 110-year-old building survived not only the city’s building boom, but tragedy. In 1983, 13 people were killed there in what became known as the Wah Mee Massacre. In 2013, a Christmas Eve fire damaged seven businesses on the street level.
Andrew Yang in Seattle 2.0
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Andrew Yang got a rousing reception at an evening fundraiser in downtown Seattle on Dec. 16, from more than 100 supporters. It was Yang’s second visit to this city this year. Held at the Escala condominium complex, Gary Locke introduced the Democratic presidential candidate to the eager crowd, who paid $500, $1,000, and $2,000 per ticket to attend. The evening’s goal of raising $100,000 was exceeded. “I cannot believe I just got introduced by Gary Locke!” see YANG on 12
Photo by Angelie Chong
Top 10 local stories in 2019 affecting or involving AAPIs
FREE 37 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Gary Locke and Andrew Yang embracing at a Dec. 16 fundraiser in downtown Seattle.
ID seniors upset
They were named in a letter challenging the ISRD election By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
9. Longtime community leader and educator Betty Patu resigned from the Seattle School Board in May, saying it “was time for someone new to come in.” Patu, who moved to Seattle from American Samoa as a child, said being on the board gave her the opportunity to push back on the mistreatment of students of color in the school district.
Lori Matsukawa
8. Lori Matsukawa, anchor at KING 5 for 36 years, retired in
■
see TOP 10 on 16
see SENIORS on 16
ISRD votes in confusion Coordinator says public outreach not “mandated” By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Photo by John Liu
Betty Patu
The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods was set to announce its decision on Dec. 18, on the challenge to last month’s International Special Review District (ISRD) election. As of press time, the decision had not yet been released. Four of the six people named in a letter by InterIm, accusing a fellow community member of influencing voters in the election, have come forward and said that’s not true. Pei Lan Wu is one of the people named, along with Zhu Hua
Huang, Hui Lan Huang, Cui Ping Zhong, Winly Tang, and Eliza Guan. The community member accused of telling people who to vote on election day, which violates ISRD rules, is Beth Ku. When asked if anyone interviewed or questioned her in the last two weeks about the ISRD election issue, Wu said, “Not at all.” Wu, 80, has lived in the Chinatown-International District (ID) for 20 years. She told the Northwest Asian Weekly that on the morning of Nov. 19, the day of the ISRD election, she had foot pain. “[The polling station] was very crowded and had long lines.
ISRD meeting attendees listen intently.
Confusion about the correct protocol for voting marred the decision by the International Special Review District (ISRD) board to recommend that a construction project be approved by the city. Coming at the end of a two-and-a-half hour hearing on Dec. 10 that followed two years of review, two of the three members of the board
present voted to recommend that the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON) approve the proposed demolition of the Four Seas restaurant and, in its place, allow InterIm to construct an eight-story apartment and retail building provisionally named “Uncle Bob’s Place.” However, the vote was interrupted several times by confusion about the proper rules to follow. And, in the end, it was see ISRD on 15
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • editor@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com