PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 41 NO 7 FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
FREE 40 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Credit: City of Seattle
Harrell: We will not tolerate crime in Seattle
Lawsuit accuses COVID-19 testing company of faking results
In the face of increased crime, Mayor Bruce Harrell laid out priorities and discussed immediate efforts on Feb. 4
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) released its 2021 YearEnd Crime Report on Feb. 4—which showed an alarming increase in violent crime and gun violence compared to 2020. The report showed that in 2021, aggravated assaults were up by 24%, incidents of shots fired reached an all-time high— up 40% since 2020, and overall violent crime increased by 20%—reaching the highest level in 14 years.
“I have directed [Police Chief Adrian Diaz] to focus his efforts on those places in our City where crime is concentrated, disrupting the lives of the people who live and work there,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. The Chinatown-International District was among the top see SEATTLE CRIME on 13
Nathan Chen on brink of elite club of US Olympic champions
AP Photo/Bernat Armangue
By DAVE SKRETTA
Nathan Chen, of the United States, competes during the men’s short program figure skating competition on Feb. 8, in Beijing.
BEIJING (AP) — Scott Hamilton and Brian Boitano have been waiting more than a decade for someone to join them in one of the most exclusive clubs in American figure skating: Olympic champions. The wait could be down to a day. With one clean performance in the Feb. 10 free skate, Nathan Chen will finish a four-year journey of redemption by winning his elusive Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Games. In doing
so, he will become the seventh American men’s skater to step atop the podium and the first since Evan Lysacek at the 2010 Vancouver Games. “With his lead after his record-breaking short program, he doesn’t even need to do what he normally does in his long program,” said Hamilton, the 1984 Sarajevo gold medalist. “But I’m hoping and depending on the fact that he will. He has to be himself in the free program, not worrying about anyone else in the competition.” see CHEN on 14
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against an Illinois-based COVID-19 testing company, accusing it of improperly handling tests and providing fake results. The lawsuit announced on Jan. 31 and filed in King County Superior Court said the Center for COVID Control “failed to deliver prompt, valid, and accurate results,” made deceptive promises of results within 48 hours, and reportedly instructed its employees to “lie to patients on a daily basis,” The Seattle Times reported. It describes how the company expanded to about 300 locations throughout the United States—including one in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District—and collected tens of thousands of tests a day. “Center for COVID Control contributed to the spread of COVID-19 when it provided false negative results,” Ferguson said in a statement. “These sham testing centers threatened the health and safety of our communities. They must be held accountable.” The lawsuit also said the Center for COVID Control stored tests in garbage bags—rather than properly refrigerating them—backdated sample-collection dates so stale samples would still be processed and instructed its employees to lie when Washington residents asked about delayed results. see FAKE RESULTS on 13
THE INSIDE STORY COMMUNITY NEWS CID attorney is Edgewood’s new city councilmember 3
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WAYNE’S WORLDS A reset and a miniature dragon 5 PICTORIAL Lunar New Year 8
PUBLISHER’S BLOG The proposal: How do you say “I love you” in Chinese? 9
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • editor@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
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asianweekly northwest
40 YEARS
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS The U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) announced on Feb. 8 that Fred Katayama, former KIROTV reporter and award-winFred Katayama ning journalist, will be joining the Council’s staff as executive vice president. Katayama is a founding board member of the USJC, first serving on the Council’s board upon its inception in 2008. As executive VP, Katayama will lead the Council’s development activities and plan strategic initiatives to further the organization’s mission. In addition to Seattle’s KIRO-TV, Katayama has worked at Reuters as an anchor and producer, and as a CNN anchor and correspondent.
na’s most renowned couturiers, Guo Pei. The doll wears a traditional Chinese dress in resplendent red, symbolizing good fortune and abundance, and features symbolic golden phoenixes representing femininity and grace. Water and wave motifs, traditionally seen on the attire of royalty, symbolize wealth, nourishment, and resilience. “For many Asian communities around the world, Lunar New Year festivities bring an occasion to honor one’s heritage and wish for good fortune in the year to come,” Mattel posted on its Instagram page.
Edmonds Lunar New Year
Over 600 people attended the City of Edmonds’ first-ever Lunar New Year
Karin Butler, a local business owner and a member of the Lunar New Year Edmonds organizing committee.
Bean Fish soft opening
Edmonds celebration on Jan. 29. Participants were treated to a traditional lion dance performance and kung fu demonstration by Master David Leong and Northwest Kung Fu & Fitness. Lunar New Year Edmonds grew out of a discussion among members of the Edmonds Diversity Commission about the importance of representation in cityrecognized holiday celebrations. “After organizing Unite Against Hate with local leaders in response to increased acts of violence against our Asian community, we saw a need for cultural connection and representation in our city’s celebrations and community events,” said
Photo by Assunta Ng
Katayama joins USJC as executive VP
1.
Bean Fish held its soft opening on Feb.
The store, on 517 South Weller Street, originally launched in 2013 as the first Taiyaki food truck in the country. They make stuffed fish-shaped waffles right in front of you, and each waffle is made-to-order using cast iron, flame, fresh ingredients, and homemade batter.
Richard Yao, CSUCI president
The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees appointed Richard Yao, Ph.D., to serve as the fourth president of California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). Richard Yao Ya o — w h o identifies as a Chinese Filipino American—first joined CSUCI after he was appointed to the position of vice president for student affairs in 2018. He currently serves as interim president of CSUCI, a role he has held since January 2021. Yao is a licensed clinical psychologist and was previously the founding Dean of Students and the chief student affairs officer at Nevada State College.
SAAM presents inaugural show by new curator of South Asian art
The Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM) presents “Embodied Change: South Asian Art Across Time,” running from Jan. 14–July 10 and features work from the third millennium BCE to present day in a range of diverse material, including terracotta, wood, metal, painting, photography, and video. They all depict the human body and its possibilities for transformation. This is the first show curated by Natalia Di Pietrantonio, SAM’s Assistant Curator of South Asian Art, who joined the museum in July 2020. The position was created following the reopening of the reimagined Asian Art Museum as part of the institution’s vision of increasing its focus on acquiring and exhibiting works of art from the South Asian diaspora, particularly contemporary works.
Barbie Lunar New Year doll
Mattel released a brand new Barbie Lunar New Year Doll in conjunction with the Year of the Tiger. The doll was designed by one of Chi-
Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility in Ellensburg
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YOUR VOICE
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
asianweekly northwest
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CID attorney is Edgewood’s new city councilmember
E
Erica Buckley
rica Buckley, CEO of Buckley & Associates, doesn’t shy away from challenges. To solve the growing pains of her neighborly hometown, she decided to run for the City Council last year and won. A small rural town close to Tacoma, Edgewood has a population of 12,000. The city has grown since Buckley moved there from West Seattle in 2017. As the only person of color on the seven-member Edgewood City Council, Buckley said she likes the council and the people. “The people are nice and more friendly than Seattleites. They don’t get angry about things.” Someone had approached her to run, and Buckley, a mother of four kids, decided to get involved as she “wants safety and protection for my kids. I want them to stand up for what’s important in the local government and someone to represent them. I want good schools for them.” Although Buckley’s oldest son is only 6 years old, her campaign was a family affair. They had encouraged her to run. Her husband helped to put up signs on houses, and her brother gave out flyers. Her kids gave out candy during a summer parade as part of her campaign event. Buckley said she’s still a novice to political office. Although her father James didn’t say much about her decision to go into politics, he was excited when he found out that she won. James founded the Buckley law firm, which specializes in personal injury law. Its headquarters have been located in the Chinatown-
International District (CID) since 1993. Asked how she likes working in CID, Buckley said, “I really feel like Covid has hit the International District harder than some surrounding areas and I really would like to encourage city leadership to pay special attention to this area that is rich with history James Buckley and good people.” Buckley & Associates has also expanded recently. It acquired another law firm in Tacoma, and hired attorneys in Yakima and other parts of the country. Since the pandemic, attorneys no longer have to be confined in a particular location. Practicing law since 2012, Buckley said she enjoys her work. “My favorite thing about being a lawyer is that I have the ability to help others out of difficult situations and into a better future. I like that I can take part in taking the burden off of someone’s shoulders and use the experience and knowledge I have to make their lives better in some way.” Buckley has also received several awards, including “trial lawyer of the year” as well as being a recipient of the Rising Star award for Women of Color Empowered.
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
■ NATIONAL NEWS Asian Americans mark Lunar New Year amid ongoing hate crimes By TERRY TANG ASSOCIATED PRESS For two years now, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country have endured racist verbal, physical and sometimes deadly attacks fueled by the coronavirus pandemic. With the start of the Lunar New Year, many are carrying out family traditions and joining in community celebrations throughout February. These include family dinners and giving children red envelopes filled with money. New York, Chicago, and San Francisco are among the cities with parades planned this month in their respective Chinatowns. The Year of the Tiger—a Chinese zodiac symbol that represents strength and courage—also is the perfect time to convince Asian elders who have lived in fear because of widespread anti-Asian sentiment to join in the festivities.
“We really just want to share our culture, and basically be able to celebrate this joyous event with everyone,” said William Gee, a longtime organizer of San Francisco’s annual Chinese New Year Parade & Festival. “Just the presence alone in numbers, it might actually deter anything—any malicious or nefarious
activity that might be planned.” While most Lunar New Year revelry was sidelined last year because of COVID-19, many outdoor events are returning with organizers encouraging masking for the public but mandating them for staff. The various parades will feature floats, marching bands, lion dances—and even
“Star Wars” cosplayers in San Francisco. “I hope anyone that is actually in fear of stepping outdoors because of everything that’s been happening can find assurance and a bit of solace, in terms of coming to an event where you’re going to be surrounded by like people,” Gee said. Several cities that are holding parades and festivals held rallies recently marking the one-year anniversary of the deadly attack on Vicha Ratanapakdee. The 84-year-old Thai American was assaulted while walking in his San Francisco neighborhood. His death was one of the first reported in what has been a series of fatal incidents targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The grim anniversary came just a couple of weeks after the death of Michelle Alyssa Go in New York City’s see SAN FRANCISCO on 12
San Francisco to apologize for wrongs to Chinese immigrants SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Supervisors of the city with the oldest Chinatown in the U.S. approved a resolution on Feb. 1 to apologize to Chinese immigrants and their descendants, becoming the fourth city in the country and in California to do so in the last year. The vote of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors was unanimous and without comment. The resolution was approved on the first day of the Lunar New Year and amid a steep rise in assaults and harassment directed at
COMCAST CELEBRATES THE 2022 LUNAR NEW YEAR
In celebration of Lunar New Year, Xfinity customers can access thousands of hours of Asian and Asian American entertainment in one curated destination via Xfinity On Demand and Flex, through Feb. 16. For the second year in a row, Comcast has teamed up with Lisa Ling and Gold House, the nonprofit collective of Asian and Pacific Islander cultural leaders that invests in new opportunities and celebrates historic Asian achievements. Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex customers can browse and navigate the experience with the voice remote by saying “Asian American” and “Lunar New Year” to access a wide variety of popular movies, music videos, and behind-the-scenes content.
Asian Americans. The San Francisco Bay Area city of Antioch was the first to offer a formal apology in May, followed by the city of San Jose in September and Los Angeles in October. More than a third of San Francisco’s estimated 900,000 residents are of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, with Chinese Americans making up the largest share. The resolution apologizes on behalf of the board and
the city for “systemic and structural discrimination” and targeted acts of violence. The board of supervisors passed numerous laws to harass Chinese immigrants, including more than a dozen ordinances to restrict Chinese-run laundries, according to the resolution. They couldn’t use traditional gong percussion instruments in performance because the instruments produced an “unusual noise disturbing the peace,” the resolution states.
YOUR VOICE
■ WAYNE’S WORLDS
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
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A reset and a miniature dragon By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY It’s time for a reset. It’s been a long year. It’s been a long two years, as a matter of fact. It’s time for all of us to come together, celebrate that we’ve come through a challenging period, and set our sights on a new horizon. And what better way to do that than to celebrate the annual Lunar New Year celebration and 2022’s Year of the Tiger? As a public service to our readers, I’d like to highlight what the Year of the Tiger is all about and the ways that we can celebrate the occasion after the last two years of dealing with Covid. Lunar New Year is a time where people can put the past behind them and look forward to a fresh start. This year’s zodiac animal (of 12) is the tiger, which symbolizes bravery, courage, and strength, as well as an uplifting spirit of hope, which couldn’t come sooner after the year we’ve had. So how do Asian Americans and their families celebrate the Lunar New Year? Celebrations usually entail large family gatherings, red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, a wide assortment of dumplings, spring rolls, whole fish, and noodles. The celebration wouldn’t be complete without a row of dancers covered by a long dragon costume
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dancing to the drums of energetic musicians. And to end the celebration, everyone lights fireworks to symbolize scaring off evil spirits to allow everyone to start off the new year fresh. Since I take my public service responsibilities seriously, and the fact that we are still in the throes of a pandemic, I need to filter all of these traditional activities to the realities we are living in today. That means I need to make some changes to the traditional festivities. Here they are: Change #1: The CDC recommends that group activities be limited to family members only. If you must invite others to the celebration, I’d suggest setting up a Zoom call as an alternative. Change #2: Having red lanterns with lit candles hanging down from the ceiling seems to be a bit of a fire hazard. Instead, ask everyone attending to do a Google search of a red dragon and from time to time, have everyone wave their phones in the air. Change #3: The dragon dance can still go on, but since Covid rules state that you can’t have more than a certain number of people in a gathering, the dragon may not have a tail. And because see WAYNE on 14
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB 12
CHINESE EXPULSION REMEMBRANCE & MARCH FOR THE FUTURE Start at Hing Hay Park Chinatown & march to Seattle’s Waterfront 12-2 p.m. Register: tinyurl.com/walktoharbor info@ucawa.org CHINESE AMERICAN LEGACY ARTWORK PROJECT PRESENTATION 2 p.m. Via Zoom, Wing Luke Museum’s Zoom webinar account wingluke.org 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF EO 9066 Ethnic Cultural Theater, 3940 Brooklyn Ave. NE, Seattle 3-5 p.m. More info, send to Connie So at ccso@uw.edu SATURDAY UNIVERSITY: YAMANAKA & CO: BUILDING GLOBAL MARKETS FOR ASIAN ART IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY Gardner Center Virtual event $5 More info, https://bit.ly/3LkmBDh LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATE IN BOTHELL Canyon Park Shopping Center, 22833 Bothell Everett Hwy., Bothell 12:30 p.m. CSA PRESENTS 55TH ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA In person: HUB Lawn at 12:30-3 p.m. Online: YouTube Live at 7:30-9:30 p.m.
12 & 13
NOW THROUGH FEB. 18
TET FESTIVAL KICKS OFF SEATTLE CENTER’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF FESTAL Seattle Center 12-6 p.m. tetinseattle.org
VACCINATION EVENT Federal Way Performing Arts Center, 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S., Federal Way, WA 98003 Appointments and drop-ins are welcome Pre- registration: tinyurl.com/bdf4y3bf
15
19
NOW THROUGH FEB. 15
SPECIAL EXHIBIT: PICTURES OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 @ OCTAVE 9 Seattle Symphony Feb 19, 1-7 p.m. EO9066 ticket holders will receive free entry on the day of their show with their concert ticket
SHORELAKE ARTS LANTERN FESTIVAL ARTWORK DISPLAY Monka Brewing & Uplift Climbing, 17211 15th Ave. NE, Shoreline Lion dance and Kung Fu performance on Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. shorelakearts.org/lantern
Exhibit tickets: $12 Tickets: https://bit.ly/32l2xz8 MUKAI FARM & GARDEN WILL COMMEMORATE THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 4 p.m. Via Zoom Register at https://tinyurl.com/2h9zybz9 mukaifarmandgarden.com TAKE A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD AT CULTURALFEST UW Seattle, Husky Union Building 1-5 p.m. fiuts.org/culturalfest
16 APDC FEBRUARY MEETING WITH DEPUTY MAYOR KENDEE YAMAGUCHI 8:30 a.m. Pre-registration on Zoom required https://bit.ly/3fR0Xbg sesecwa.org
17 CLUB MEETING ABOUT ASIAN PACIFIC CULTURAL CENTER WITH FAALUAINA PRITCHARD 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. For Zoom link, contact rotaryofseattleid@gmail.com KOREAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON’S 31ST ANNUAL BANQUET Via Zoom For more info, please contact kabawabanquet@gmail.com
View the solution on page 14
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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 editor@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
YOUR VOICE
■ SPORTS
asianweekly northwest
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THE LAYUP DRILL By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. This month, we take a look at the start of the Winter Olympics and a potential landmark hire for the Seattle Seahawks. The Winter Olympics started at the beginning of February in Beijing, China without fans due to COVID-19 concerns. Yet, the U.S. team is set to compete with the rest of the world’s best.
GU FACES PRESSURE AS OLYMPICS BEGIN Notably, one of the anticipated big stars of the Winter Olympics is an American competing for China. Eileen Gu, a U.S. citizen living in San Francisco, is
competing for China in the Free Skiing competition. Known as the “Snow Princess” to many of her Chinese fans, her representation of the host country has brought scrutiny before her at a time when the U.S.-China relations are tense. Gu, who learned to ski in Lake Tahoe, California, has won several international competitions and is predicted to make the medal platform. The 18-yearold began her competitive skiing career representing the U.S. but then switched affiliations to China a year later. Gu’s mother is Chinese and father is American. Notably, she utilizes her mother’s surname and chose to represent China because of her altruistic hope that she could inspire young Chinese girls. Gu is competing in the half-pipe, slopestyle, and big air events at the Olympics. In addition,she has won multiple medals in the youth Olympics, international competition, and X-Games. She also has a blossoming modeling career and has secured top-tier deals in China. She also scored a 1580 out of 1600 on her SAT and was accepted into Stanford. Gu understands the stream of questions about her citizenship status. China does not recognize dual citizenship, yet Gu competes for China and says she still is an American. More of a concern are questions about the social and political issues in China. On social media, Gu has supported the Black Lives Matter movement and spoke out against anti-Asian hate. Yet, she has not addressed issues of human rights abuses of Muslims in China or pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. It may be unfair to judge Gu based on what she says or does not say. Then again, she is now under the spotlight and intense pressure to see LAYUP DRILL on 16
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asianweekly northwest
■ PICTORIAL
40 YEARS
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
PHOTO BY MAX CHAN/WING LUKE MUSEUM
PHOTO BY RICK WONG
PHOTO BY MAX CHAN/WING LUKE MUSEUM
LNY celebration in ChinatownInternational District, Little Saigon (on S. Jackson St.) PHOTO BY ASSUNTA NG
PHOTO BY RICK WONG
PHOTO BY ASSUNTA NG
Seattle Pinball Museum decorated its store with lanterns
Wing Luke Museum (at the Chong Wah playground)
PHOTO BY MAX CHAN/WING LUKE MUSEUM
Lion and dragon dances all over the community by different groups on different days.
Games, firecrackers, lucky candy, and a tiger portrait donated by Ron Choy as a gift to friends during a LNY dinner at Joyale Seafood Restaurant. PHOTO BY RICK WONG Games, firecrackers, lucky candy, and a tiger portrait donated by Ron Choy as a gift to friends during a LNY dinner at Joyale Seafood Restaurant.
PHOTO BY RICK WONG
PHOTO BY RICK WONG
Games, firecrackers, lucky candy, and a tiger portrait donated by Ron Choy as a gift to friends during a LNY dinner at Joyale Seafood Restaurant. PHOTO BY MAX CHAN/WING LUKE MUSEUM
Lion and dragon dances all over the community by different groups on different days.
YOUR VOICE
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
asianweekly northwest
t he proposal
How do you say “I love you” in Chinese? By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
a Japanese restaurant in downtown Seattle. There, he enlisted the help of the chef and a waitress to set up the whole proposal.
THE PLAY Renee Wang was wondering why her boyfriend, Li, was telling her to wear something nice. She had no clue, but she wore a dress, business casual.
“I didn’t suspect a thing,” she said. Wang had never been to Wa’z Japanese restaurant before. “He mentioned that he forgot to make a restaurant reservation. That didn’t sound like him as he’s a detailed guy.” After they were seated in the restaurant, Li excused himself to go to the restroom. As she sat there looking
The newly engaged couple!
at her cell phone, a waitress placed a copy of the SCP on her placemat. “I pushed it away as I was thinking the waitress was trying to sell me something.” see LI on 15
Renee Wang with the proposal/ad
What’s an unforgettable way to propose? Meet Xin Li, who just surprised his girlfriend. How he popped the question, “Will you marry me?” was quite original in the Chinese community. It was the first time in the past four decades that someone placed a proposal advertisement in the Seattle Chinese Post (SCP). But that’s not it. Li, a swimming coach in Bellevue, wrote a script from the beginning till the end. He wanted the whole world, including his family and friends, to know except his future bride. The setting was in a Japanese restaurant. A diamond ring was made in China. Li placed a front-page advertisement in the Jan. 27 issue of the SCP. His act wasn’t a spurof-the-moment impulse as he had contacted our newspaper last October. This isn’t the first time a marriage proposal has made news, according to Huffpost.com. It’s happened before in the United States and other countries as well. Usually, it’s the future groom who proposes. What was unique in Li’s proposal was his plot. The newspaper ad was only part of it. All the details for the proposal were impeccable. His “partners in crime” were not his friends nor his family—they were strangers who had no idea that they were part of the surprise. On the morning of Jan. 27, Li came to the SCP and Northwest Asian Weekly’s office to pick up ‘hot off the press’ copies of the newspapers. He looked at the advertisement and was happy with the outcome. Then he went to Wa’z,
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asianweekly northwest
40 YEARS
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
■ SPORTS US-born Eileen Gu wins Olympic big air gold for China BEIJING (AP) — Eileen Gu amassed an army of cynics when she spurned Team USA to represent China at the Beijing Games. Moments after the biggest run of her life, the 18-year-old freestyle skiing prodigy was asked about her status as a U.S. citizen, her feelings on Peng Shuai and the incessant hate she’s received on social media. “If people don’t believe me, if people don’t like me, then that’s their loss,” Gu said. “They’re never going to win the Olympics.” Gu did just that, earning the first of what she and her many fans in Beijing hope could be three gold medals by cranking out the first 1620 of her career in her final turn, stunning Tess Ledeux of France to win the Olympic debut of women’s freeski big air. The American-born Gu had never landed the double cork 1620—a move in which skiers spin 4 1/2 times while rotating twice off-axis while 20-some feet in the air. Not in practice. Not in competition. Only with the weight of her adopted homeland right there on her shoulders. “It’s very cheering. She’s of Chinese origin and has returned to China. I feel
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
By JAKE SEINER
Eileen Gu of China reacts after her run in the women’s freestyle skiing Big Air qualification round of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
proud of her,” said Beijing resident Jiang Yu, 36. Capacity was limited at 5,000-seat Big Air Shougang—a shuttered steel mill
■ COMMUNITY NEWS Man injured by shrapnel from fired gun in CID Detectives are investigating after a 31-year-old man was injured when another man fired a gun into the ground in the Chinatown-International District neighborhood on the night of Feb. 5. The victim called the police at 10:15 p.m. for a report of a man who had fired a gun in the 1200 block of South Jackson Street. When officers arrived, they found the 31-year-old man with minor injuries to his leg. The man said he was walking down the street when he passed another man who pulled out a gun and fired a shot into the ground. The
shrapnel from the fired bullet ricocheted into the victim’s leg causing the injury. The victim said he fled the scene until he was a safe distance away to call the police. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. The victim described the suspect as a Vietnamese man in his 30’s or 40’s wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a cream-colored crosshatch pattern. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate any possible suspects. If you have any information in this case please call the tip line at 206-233-5000.
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that Beijing has converted into an eerieyet-serene park, culture hub and sports center. The reaction still told the story. The “Snow Princess” was ready for her
crown. Gu, whose mother is Chinese, estimates she’s spent at least a quarter of her life in China. Her origin story, as she tells it, begins with the time she pitched the idea for China’s first slopestyle ski event at age 9—and won. Since choosing to side with China in 2019, she has said repeatedly that her goal is to encourage girls and women to take up winter sports—aligning with China’s pledge to inspire 300 million to hit the ice or snow. It’s a status not unlike the public mantel Peng has held for years. Peng, a three-time Olympic tennis player, sat in the stands with IOC President Thomas Bach as Gu cemented her gold. Peng made the rare public appearance a day after saying in a controlled interview that the sexual assault allegations she made against a former high-ranking member of China’s ruling Communist Party were “an enormous misunderstanding.” Her responses—delivered in front of a Chinese Olympic official—left unanswered questions about her wellbeing and what exactly happened. Asked if she shared international concern about Peng’s safety, Gu skirted see GU on 12
YOUR VOICE
■ COMMENTARY
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
asianweekly northwest
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Red envelopes for all Americans: Why Lunar New Year should be a federal holiday By Ashley Chen FOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Rep. Grace Meng
Red envelopes are without a doubt my favorite part of being a child during Lunar New Year. Every year for the past 17 years, I’ve received a long red packet
with golden Chinese characters printed on top, the perfect snug fit for the 200 yuan my grandparents gave me. And this tradition never gets old because who doesn’t love free money? Some day when I am married, I’ll be presented with two options: give or don’t give red envelopes. Ever since I was young, I’ve celebrated Lunar New Year in all sorts of different ways. Some years, it’ll be as simple as my grandparents giving me a red envelope. Other years, my whole family will head out to a venue to check out skits and zither performances. As members of the younger generation, it’s up to us whether we want to continue traditions or let them die out. The current generation has spoken— Rep. Grace Meng of New York has proposed a bill to make Lunar New Year a federal holiday. Asian Americans are a fast-growing population in the U.S.,
which makes acknowledging our culture and traditions important for growing as an inclusive nation. The Lunar New Year Day Act has yet to receive pushback, but Meng says it’s too early to determine whether or not the bill will pass. However, there’s no reason why legislators should push back on the addition of Lunar New Year as a federal holiday. Eight-in-ten Asian Americans celebrate Christmas and nine-in-ten celebrate Thanksgiving. These numbers blur into the background of the general population of Americans, but many people celebrate them because there are dedicated days off from work. Christmas, a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, has become more of a celebration of gift-giving and holiday spirit rather than a religious occasion for nonChristians.
Representation serves as both a window and a mirror within the realm of education. On one hand, representation exposes us to new and different perspectives that shapes our knowledge and subjectivity. On the other hand, representation is a reflection of ourselves, and we are driven to find common experiences through the stories of people who look like us. Establishing the Lunar New Year as a federal holiday isn’t just for Asians. We want to share our culture with all Americans and make strides in fostering cultural appreciation. From sharing different traditional foods that represent different Chinese puns to bringing a friend to Chinatown to watch dragon dances on the streets, Lunar New Year is about having a good time with friends and family like every other holiday out there.
■ LETTER
The CID deserves better
By Patty Fong FOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY There is a descent into urban blight affecting not just Little Saigon and the by-now infamous corner at 12th & Jackson—but the entire area known as the ChinatownInternational District (CID). Terrible as the situation is at 12th & Jackson, it is a severe symptom of the overall poverty and neglect that this immigrant neighborhood has been facing for years. I think of it as benign neglect. But of course when the City wants to place a homeless shelter, the Navigation Center, in the CID—somehow that’s suddenly worthy of the City’s attention. One has only to see whole buildings defaced with glaring graffitti, tents that appear and reappear along Jackson under the freeway, violent crimes, shootings and vandalism, sidewalks and alleyways full of trash and garbage,shop windows smashed,and people foil smoking in doorways. Massage parlors abound especially in Little Saigon. Sure it’s employment for some, mostly women, but is this the best that the CID can do? The corner at 12th & Jackson is an inferno at night. I have written to King County Metro several times about the dangers of their bus stop at that intersection—it is totally without street lighting and completely dark! I have heard the CID referred to as a “dump.” With all these images seared into the collective memory, is this surprising? It’s a great place to grab a cheap lunch as our erstwhile County Executive did when he decided to go slumming for a day and whipped out his magic wand to order a peremptory “fix,” but it isn’t apparently worth saving or revitalizing over the long term. Are you listening, Mr. Constantine? Metro buses stop here. Is it any wonder that the situation at 12th & Jackson has spiraled out of control? It is a microcosm of all the urban ills that afflict the CID. Add to it the racism of indifference, and the absence of creative and humane policies that could save the whole CID. A gross absence of will, competence, creativity and humanity, respect or care, or action. There are vocal voices—some from the current City administration, advocating for services and shelter for
those who are currently on the street at 12th & Jackson as a humane alternative to policing and arrests. They might have forgotten that those services and shelter are just one block south of 12th & Jackson—at the Navigation Center. On the other hand, the Mayor and new City Attorney are gearing up to put more policing resources into attempting to solve the out-of-control situation at 12th & Jackson. By this, I take it to mean more arrests and swift prosecutions. This won’t solve the social problems here, though identifying felony suspects, prosecuting and detaining them would not be undeserved for the pain and threat to livelihood and personal safety they have brought to the independent business owners at the Plaza, their customers, pedestrians, and Metro passengers. I have seen law enforcement officers there, but we all know when they leave, the crowd comes back. Neither of these approaches will work, nor restore the dignity and respect—the right to earn a living, the right to walk the streets safely, without fear, the right to live and work in a clean area—that this immigrant community deserves. It’s time for community and City leaders to think creatively and apply solutions that will restore the streets of Little Saigon to their rightful users. Amazingly, the Seattle Police Department is aware of creative solutions to street crime, employing environmental design to take back the streets from unlawful and antisocial behavior. It’s on their website, called CPTED—Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. “CPTED focuses on the physical design of your neighborhood—fencing, lighting, plantings—to identify areas or elements that may have the potential to attract crime. It focuses in the areas of Natural Surveillance, Natural Access Control and Territoriality/Defensible Space.” CPTED has something to offer the entire CID, and ultimately the social problems, at 12th & Jackson. The streets at 12th & Jackson need to be reclaimed. CPTED suggests electronic surveillance (I was previously opposed to this in the CID, but I think cameras are needed in this specific area, per CPTED). As a start, I suggest frequently power washing the sidewalks, better lighting,
and opening up the storefronts for better surveillance of the street. The Plaza stairwell is being used for drug ingestion. The building’s owner must address this, as well as the graffiti on the walls. The Plaza parking garage must be closed. Private security could be hired. These are doable short-term steps towards reclaiming the street corner and Ding How Center. I do believe that police action is necessary here in light of yet another shooting here on Feb. 5. Crime is definitely a problem for the entire CID. The City must respond accordingly and appropriately. As for the CID, I call upon the social service organizations to put together a comprehensive plan to make building and business owners take responsibility for their properties. For example, immediate and ongoing removal of graffiti defacing their buildings and maintaining their properties with respect to unsightly trash piles in their alleyways. Better business opportunities in the CID are needed, too. The City can help by making grants or loans available to help accomplish these goals. "Municipalities, public housing authorities, private developers, and community organizations in city and suburban neighborhoods can choose from a variety of strategies to strengthen their own particular crime prevention efforts...local leaders of the groups or agencies initiating change—together with residents, local law enforcement administrators, and government and community leaders—are the people best suited to determine the most appropriate place-specific crime prevention approaches. Also underscored is the importance of improving management practices and using culturally sensitive policing strategies in combination with environmental design or redesign solutions" (Solving Crime Problems in Residential Neighborhoods: Comprehensive Changes in Design, Management, and Use", by Judith D. Feins, Ph.D., Joel C. Epstein, Esq., Rebecca Widom). The entire CID needs serious attention—from community involvement and cooperation as well as City support in the form of investment and resources. Little Saigon and 12th & Jackson will ultimately benefit from a holistic hard focus and immediate short- and longterm commitments to saving the CID’s and Little Saigon’s residents, business owners, customers, and tourists.
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SAN FRANCISCO from 4 Times Square. The 40-year-old died after a mentally unstable man shoved her in front of a subway. Amanda Nguyen, an activist whose January 2021 Instagram video highlighting attacks on elderly Asians gained wide attention, said the continuous hostility is all the more reason to openly celebrate Asian cultures. Having fun with family and friends isn’t dismissing tragedy but rather “the most radical form of rebellion.” “I know that it’s a difficult time, but Lunar New Year is a joyous celebration that’s deeply rooted in community,” Nguyen said. “I want people to know that you can grieve. You can collectively grieve, heal, and also make space to be you, to have joy.” Russell Jeung, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, which has been tracking
incidents nationwide based on victims self-reporting, said nervous elders in Chinatowns are stuck in “de facto segregation.” For two years, they’ve limited themselves to certain streets or neighborhoods. “So to honor our elders, we really need to help address that sense of isolation, by making them again feel included, safe and secure,” Jeung said. “You do that by ... taking them out, escorting them around, bringing them shopping, inviting them to the meals and then working for broader safety in the community.” Earlier this month, the San Francisco Police Department reported that antiAsian hate crimes in 2021 jumped 567% from 2020. Preliminary data collected by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism indicates Los Angeles and New York also saw record highs of anti-Asian hate incidents. Georgia saw the most fatalities after the March 2021
GU from 10 around the topic, saying she was “really happy” Peng attended and honored that a star from a major sport like tennis came to see “niche sports like freeskiing.” “I’m really grateful that she’s, yeah, happy and healthy and out here doing her thing again,” Gu said before a room full of Chinese volunteers and media, who hushed when Peng’s name came up. Gu also spun around questions about her status as an American. China does not allow dual citizenship, but it’s unclear if the Stanford-bound Gu ever gave up her U.S. passport. The decision seems to have been a lucrative one for Gu, whose second passion is modeling. Her face is on advertisements across Beijing, and she’s been photographed for Vogue, Victoria’s Secret, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and more. “I feel like sport is really a way that we can unite people,” she said when asked about her citizenship. “It’s
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022 Atlanta-area spa business shootings that left six Asian women dead. Initial figures from individual police agencies indicate anti-Asian hate crime overall in the U.S. increased 339% in 2021, compared to a 124% rise in 2020, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Many people attribute the trend to former President Donald Trump talking about the coronavirus, which first appeared in China, in racial terms. “The data is just so horrific that to see it confirmed in other sources, it doesn’t surprise us and validates what we know,” Jeung said. Nguyen thinks incorporating more Asian American and Pacific Islander history in K-12 education can help change the climate in the future. She has been organizing petitions in various states. “That’s when people are learning about everything. I think that a lot of hate, the
something that doesn’t have to be related to nationality. It’s not something that can be used to divide people. We’re all out here together pushing the human limit.” No denying, Gu pushed those limits on Feb. 8. It was only a month ago that Ledeux became the first woman to land a 1620 in competition, stomping one down while taking gold at the Winter X Games. The French 20-year-old boldly pulled off another in the first of three rounds, immediately setting the bar beyond where anyone else had previously reached. Gu hit a clean double cork 1440 in her first run, then registered a safe-but-stylish double cork 1080 on Run 2. By the time her third jump came around, she was already assured of at least bronze. Gu said she briefly considered trying to improve upon her 1440 but the math said the only way to close the gap on Ledeux was to go for the 1620. She shrieked the moment her skis hit the landing, floating backward down what remained of the slope with her hands first over her head, then covering her face.
xenophobia, that professional foreigner stereotype, even ‘yellow fever,’ the way that AAPIs are characterized—that stems from ignorance,” Nguyen said, using the acronym for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “Let’s celebrate the people who have broken barriers.” Bing Tang, of Monterey Park, California, says he doesn’t dwell too much on anti-Asian hate because nothing would come of it. Tang, who was shopping in Los Angeles’ Chinatown for tiger decorations for a family dinner of steamed chicken, fish and lobster, said fortunately neither he nor anyone close to him has experienced any harassment or attacks. “There’s good people, bad people all around the country,” Tang said. “I just go out normally and just have a positive attitude. What can we do? We can only control ourselves and be nice to other people.”
She crumpled to her knees when her score of 94.5 was announced—good for a combined total of 188.25, just clear of Ledeux’s 187.5. Swiss skier Mathilde Gremaud took bronze. Ledeux tried to improve her switch 1440 with her last attempt but came up short. She said via interpreter that Gu is “extremely competitive” and an “amazing athlete,” but she also grumbled that Gu had been in Beijing practicing at the Big Air Shougang venue for weeks before the Games—a perk of being with the host country. “What I know is that she got lucky and that’s only fair, she was able to train in the venues before everyone else and that probably made a difference today,” Ledeux said. Not that one more cynic was going to dash Gu’s coming-out party. “I’m not trying to keep everyone happy,” Gu said. “I’m an 18-year-old girl out here living my best life. Like, I’m having a great time.”
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KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section through the County’s E-Procurement system for the following listed bids. Instructions on how to submit a bid electronically, view any current bid opportunities, express interest, communicate with the Buyer via Message app and/or successfully submit a bid through the E-Procurement system prior, and more are provided on the County’s website: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/registration 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.
KC000337 OPENS: 02/23/2022 ITB Continuous Friction Measuring Equipment KC000414 OPENS: 02/24/2022 Consultant to Collect Data and Implement a Plan to Empower Metro Customers through Information and Communication Pre-Proposal Conference: Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 353 057 334 KC000461 OPENS: 03/11/2022 Concrete Supply and Delivery A Pre-Submittal Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 24, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 891 874 363
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
YOUR VOICE
■ ASTROLOGY
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13
Predictions and advice for the week of February 12–18, 2022 By Sun Lee Chang Rat—Avoiding conflict doesn’t make it go away. It is important to get down to the root of the issue.
Dragon—Having prepared for one scenario, it might come as a surprise when a slightly different one emerges.
Monkey—There is an optimal window of time to do certain things. Don’t wait too long before taking action.
Ox—Stand firm once your decision has been made. Backtracking won’t be beneficial to your current position.
Snake—Even though it isn’t always pretty, you manage to get things done. Your next challenge will be no different.
Rooster—A gap in knowledge or information can be overcome with a little extra research on your part.
Tiger—Don’t be afraid to embrace positive changes. It will keep the momentum going in a desired direction.
Horse—Sharing a strong bond should allow you to weather many storms. Luckily, the skies are clearing for you both.
Dog—Your affable manner and continued willingness to listen should help you to win over the skeptics.
Rabbit —You have crossed a major milestone, one that will add to your confidence for what lies ahead.
Goat—Are you getting very wrapped up in a new project? Remember to come up for air once in a while.
Pig—After what seems like a long road, you are finally hitting your stride. Opportunities abound at this juncture.
WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 TIGER 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 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, 2015 MONKEY 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 ROOSTER 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 DOG 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 PIG 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
*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.
SEATTLE CRIME from 1 three Seattle neighborhoods that saw the largest number of cases. Along with Diaz and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, Harrell held a press conference on Feb. 4 to lay out early strategies to address crime and share immediate priorities to improve public safety. “I'm committed to ensuring we're driving down our 911 response times, addressing our overall crime issues, and stepping up our gun violence response throughout the entire city,” said Diaz. “We will continue to work with our community partners to prevent crime in neighborhoods. We're deploying all resources to hotspots, including patrol, community response, and detectives to address and drive down crime.” A news release stated, “The collaborative community
FAKE RESULTS from 1 The Center for COVID Control did not respond to a request for comment from the newspaper or from The Associated Press. All of its locations are closed “until further notice,” according to its website. The company said in a news release on the website that it was using “this operational pause to train additional staff.“ The Center for COVID Control sites had been operating in Washington state since October and was increasingly popular particularly after the rapid spread of the omicron variant prompted a rise in demand for tests. Locations in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place, Auburn, Lynnwood, Everett, Port Orchard, and Yakima in Washington promised free test results within 15 minutes for a rapid test and within 48 hours for a more sensitive PCR test. But recently, customers throughout the country have been complaining about the center’s delay or lack of results, leading
partnership approach towards public safety can be seen in Little Saigon at 12th Ave South and Jackson Street. Working with neighbors and local businesses, Seattle Police made 23 felony arrests and 14 misdemeanor arrests in the first 21 days of January, as well as recovering stolen property 24 times, and engaging in over 100 interactions with shop owners, shoppers, and residents. These efforts included providing medical assistance and referring people to social services and diversionary programs. Seattle plans to launch similar efforts in other neighborhoods soon.” Harrell said, “I want to be very clear—we will not tolerate crime in Seattle. Whether organized retail theft, crimes of violence against our most vulnerable, crimes of hate, or especially gun violence, we will not look the other way while the fabric of our neighborhoods and city is destroyed.”
health authorities in several states, including California and Illinois, to launch investigations. City officials in Lakewood, Washington issued a stopwork order at their local site in mid-January after receiving complaints about the company and finding it was operating without a business license, “among other concerns,” the city said. The company didn’t have a license to operate a business in any Washington cities except Yakima, according to the attorney general’s office. Ferguson’s office plans to file a motion for preliminary injunction “soon to immediately stop the Center for COVID Control’s unlawful conduct,” his statement said. The lawsuit asks the court to order the Center for COVID Control to pay civil penalties of up to $12,500 per violation of the Consumer Protection Act and relinquish any profits the company made from its “unlawful conduct,” in addition to permanently closing all locations, the statement said.
Seattle has lost nearly 350 police officers over the past two years, and is currently staffed at similar levels to the 1990s. “I inherited a depleted and demoralized police department—this status quo is not acceptable,” Harrell said. “To our police officers, we welcome good work and expect you to act with excellence while treating everyone with respect. To our residents, I’ve set a high bar for what excellence means and that starts with a keen appreciation for the constitutional rights of everyone. We have a lot of work to do, and it will take time, but we are headed in a new direction with urgency.” The mayor said he is working with SPD and Chief Diaz on strategies to improve SPD staffing and additional public safety solutions to improve response times, reduce gun violence, and better address issues that don’t require a gun and badge.
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT
Kin On Health Care Center, a nonprofit health and social services provider for the Asian community, is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to provide strategic leadership, direction, and resource stewardship for the future of this growing organization. The successful candidate should have an outstanding track record demonstrating leadership in the field of healthcare or human services. Excellent communication and fiscal management skills to serve as an effective liaison with other community organizations, government agencies, and the long-term care industry. Apply on KinOn.org or contact HR at careers@kinon.org for more info.
Software Development Engineer - Design new transportation-oriented applications, drive architectural, code maintainability and implementation early product requirements. Mail resumes to Attn: Patrycja, INRIX, Inc., 10210 NE Points Dr., #400, Kirkland, WA 98033. No phone calls please.
Good wok chefs for Asian restaurant without or so so English. High pay with benefit and healthcare. Want to work long with our group call 206-502-9942.
Sushi Chinoise in Bothell location is currently looking for a fulltime wok chef. Must have experience cooking at least 5 years. 5 days a week, good pay Please call for interview Thoa 206790-3611. Sushi Chinoise. 19122 Beardslee Blvd, Bothell, WA 98011
Hiring cook in Marysville (exit 199) Chinese restaurant. Knowledge of basic English needed. Please call (360) 659-0879 for details
Asian restaurant for sale in Seattle area. Great business owner wants to retire and willing to sale on a good price. 206-356-5405.
Senior Public Engagement Specialist PSRC is seeking a Senior Public Engagement Specialist in the Regional Planning Division. Please see our job announcement at https://www.psrc.org/ about/careers. PSRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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KCHA will accept Bids from Qualified General Contractors for the Eastridge House – Elevator Upgrade Project located in Issaquah, WA. See website for details at www.kcha.org/business/ construction
CHEN from 1 The reality for Chen? There isn’t much competition, and there hasn’t been for a while. The 22-year-old Yale student has lost just once, last year at Skate America, since a poor short program at the Pyeongchang Games dashed his medal chances there. Chen has won three straight world titles since, his sixth national championship last month and, as if offended by that lone defeat, came back the next week to win Skate Canada. It was on the brilliantly white ice of Capital Indoor Stadium, though, where Chen delivered the performance of his life. On Feb. 8 in Beijing, and with millions watching on prime-time television back home, Chen skated off to the opening chords of “La Bohème” by the FrenchArmenian musician Charles Aznavour. For the next 2 minutes, 40 seconds, he soared through a pair of quadruple jumps, showcased uncanny nimbleness and grace on his step sequence and spins, and ultimately punctuated the performance with an uncharacteristic punch of the air when it ended. “I have no idea what came over me,” he said almost sheepishly. “I don’t generally
FIRST PUBLICATION King County Housing Authority Rehab of Building 8 at Kirkland Heights Apartments BID DUE DATE: March 11, 2022 at 11:59 pm REQUEST FOR BIDS King County Housing Authority is seeking qualified contractors interested in submitting bids for the Rehab of Building 8 at Kirkland Heights Apartments. The Building 8 project is the renovation of an existing 8-unit, 2-story, multi-family apartment building. In addition, an alternate option is to add 4 units by constructing a 3rd floor to the existing structure. Work includes, but is not limited to: site and utility work, building envelope improvements, asbestos abatement, replacement of all interior fixtures and finishes and other tasks as described in the bid documents. The property is located at 13321 NE 133rd St, Kirkland, WA 98034. There is an optional pre-bid meeting at the property on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. and Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Bid packets are available for download on KCHA’s website at http://www.kcha.org/business/ construction/open/. All bids must be received by King County Housing Authority no later than the above due date and time. No Bids will be accepted after that date and time. If you have questions, please contact Nate Kraus at NathanK@kcha.org. The estimate is $4,400,000, including the addition of 4 units on an added 3rd floor and replacement of all exterior stairs.
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do stuff like that.” Indeed, nobody has done what Chen did during that short program: His colossal score of 113.97 points eclipsed the world record set by longtime Japanese rival Yuzuru Hanyu by more than two points, and left him nearly six ahead of his closest challenger, Yuma Kagiyama, heading into the free skate. Where, by the way, Chen already holds the world record for his 2020 program at the Grand Prix Final. “The thing I love about Nathan is that he’s so humble about all of it,” Boitano, the 1988 Olympic champion, told The Associated Press. “He’s not only like, the greatest skater of his generation, but he’s such a great person and so appreciative of his opportunities. And it’s funny, because I appreciate so much how amazing he is and how he’s so great, but I don’t know why I can’t get past the humility he has and the way he appreciates his fellow competitors.” That was evident hours after his historic performance in Beijing, when Chen was asked about a rare stumble by Hanyu that took the two-time defending Olympic champion out of medal contention. “No matter what he does in the future, he will always, always be a true figure
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skating icon, one of the greatest ever, if not the greatest ever,” Chen said. “It’s been such an amazing honor to be alive at the same time as him.” Turns out Chen’s rivals are saying the same thing about him. “Nathan had a perfect performance, and for any athlete, it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to win over him. I am not there yet,” said Shoma Uno, who sat in third place after the short program. “For me to beat Nathan Chen, I have to have highly motivated practice and prepare years before, just as I started to do this year.” Yet you’d never know that Chen is on the brink of achieving his Olympic dream; his plans after his short program consisted of strumming his Stratocaster and doing laundry. Nor would you get much out of him by asking about his place in history, both because of his natural propensity for deference and his tunnel-like, here-andnow attitude. So, leave it to others who’d know to put his greatness in perspective. “Not since Dick Button has there been a skater so dominant,” said Hamilton, referring to the only two-time U.S. Olympic champ, who landed the first triple jump in competition and invented
the now-standard flying camel spin. “A lot of it has to do with both men revolutionizing our sport, taking the sport to new heights and forcing everyone else to catch up,” Hamilton said. “Button did that in 1948 and ’52. He change the sport forever. With Nathan‘s proficiency on these extremely difficult elements, and the quality that goes along with that proficiency, he is easily the best in the world.” Chen is the first to land five different types of quads in competition; the loop, toe loop, salchow, flip and lutz. He landed seven clean quads at the 2019 Grand Prix Final, two in his short program and five in his free skate, something never done before. And now, he holds the world records for the short program, free skate and combined scored. “Yet he’s never considered himself anything more than a competitor on the same level as the others,” Boitano said. “When people say: ‘Well, you’ve got this in the bag. You’re going to win this for sure,’ he never discounts their contribution to the sport. He never takes for granted that he’s going to win anything. He’s just a great guy that way.”
SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6
WAYNE from 5 any drum procession will no doubt violate neighborhood noise curfews, an alternative music source should be considered. Might I suggest Yanni’s greatest hits? Change #4: Fireworks? It’s a fire hazard. But if the objective is to scare something away, might I suggest one member of the party periodically yell out, “The timeshare presentation is about to begin!” Honestly, I can’t think of anything scarier.
So, what do we have left? A massive Zoom call with a very short dragon dancing to Yanni’s new age music and Uncle George screaming about a timeshare presentation coming up. What were we celebrating again? Truly though, happy Lunar New Year everyone. We’ve gotten through the last year. I’m thankful we’ve made it through a challenging time. Joy is the simplest form of rebellion. Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
YOUR VOICE
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深入地下 145 英呎
n 青蟹氾濫州長要求根除 5n 沒有大年三十的除夕 15 n 華大恢復面授課程 16 n 亞馬遜開設服裝店 17 n 房價漲幅放緩 18 Jan. 29. 2022
2022 年 1 月 29 日至 2 月 4 日
海灣捷運將在市中心建第2條隧道 （本報訊）海灣捷運（Sound Transit）目前正設法建造第 2 條穿過市中心 的輕軌隧道，乘客將使用電梯、自動扶 梯或樓梯下至地下 145 英呎的輕軌站 等待列車到來。
這 條 全 新 的 中 心 城 市 隧 道 長 3.3 英里，是 2016 年選民通過價值 540 億 美元 ST3 計劃的核心部分，該計劃還 將在華州 3 個郡內建設全長 62 英里的 鐵軌，增加通勤列車和巴士的客容量，
每日提供 75 萬車次服務。 ◎輕軌華埠國際區站 根 據 海 灣 捷 運 公 佈 的 初 步 設 計， 由於存在自然和人為障礙，此次施工承 高速公路隧道入口和現有的西湖站 包商必須將挖鑽機開入安妮女王山下城 （Westlake Station）下方進行 區（Lower Queen Anne Hill）， 在 99 號 （下轉第 4 版）
I-5 華俄二州連接大橋設計成型 華大研究員發明全新新冠檢測盒 建築工程或將於 2025 年開始 結果更快更準確 （本報訊）I-5 連接華 州 溫 哥 華 市（Vancouver） 及俄勒岡州破特蘭市 （Portland, Oregon）大橋於 一年半前便已計劃重建， 而在近日，替代橋樑的設 計圖終於成型，民眾在最
LI from 9
◎左側探測器可同時處理4個 樣本，通過手機顯示檢測結果
在 20 分鐘內檢測出 SARSCoV-2 病毒遺傳物 （下轉第 4 版）
The proposal/ad
Li got down on one knee to pop the question
food with a quiet environment.” A former journalist in China, Li came to the U.S. in 2015. His parents founded and own the Pacific Dragon Swim Team club in Bellevue. Li still writes stories about Seattle for his hometown paper in Sichuan. Li said he spent a lot of time researching which Chinese papers to use for his ad as Seattle has several Chinese papers. He picked SCP because he liked the content and reporting. “The proposal ad is a great way to share my good news with as many people as possible,” he said. “During Covid, it’s not a
good idea to have a large party to propose. All my family and friends knew about the proposal, except Renee. And the diamond ring was ordered from my friend who is in the jewelry business. Everything proceeded smoothly. The ad did surprise Renee.” Wang, a Canadian, works for a nonprofit organization. “The newspaper proposal is a good idea as I had already sent the SCP’s electronic version to all my former classmates and friends. I am so moved about the whole proposal.” Li said he and Wang met two years ago. Their parents are good
CREDIT
Then Wang noticed it was taking Li longer than usual to use the restroom. She decided to look at the newspaper and her eyes landed on the proposal ad. Then Li came out from the restroom in a suit and walked to her seat. Li knelt down and asked in Chinese, “Will you marry me? I want to spend our lives together, rich or poor.” “I was so surprised,” said Wang. “I never thought that I would be in a newspaper proposal. I have never been featured in a newspaper in my whole life. It’s a beautiful ad. When he knelt down, the chef came out with a camera, and congratulated us. “And all the guests (about 10) in the restaurant applauded and cheered. The waitress and chef congratulated us and gave me flowers. He (Li) used his heart to think about all this occasion. I said ‘yes’ to him in Chinese and in English ‘Yes, I will.’ I am so happy.” When asked why he picked Wa’z to pop the question, Li said, “Both of us love Japanese food and W’az offered quality
（本報訊）日前，華大研究人員表示發 新發佈的 3D 渲染中首次 見到設計圖真面目，到目 明了一種全新的新冠病毒檢測套盒，兼具 前為止有兩種主要設計供 傳統 PCR 檢測的準確性和非處方類抗原檢 測的快速性。華大方面這一突破性的發展 選擇。 這兩個選項都與交通 將有助於加快病毒檢測速度。 研究員稱，這一名為「和諧新冠檢測」 流動方式息息相關。第 （The Harmony COVID-19 test）的套裝，可以 （下轉第 2 版）
Renee Wang, Xin Li (center), Wa’z owner Hiro and chefs
friends. “That’s how we met,” said Li. Valentine’s Day is on Feb. 14. Yet, Wang has already received the best Valentine’s gift in the Year of the Tiger—a marriage proposal. The couple plans to
photo contest Organized by Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation & Seattle Chinese Post
LUNAR NEW YEAR PHOTO CONTEST FINALISTS Next week’s issue Feb 17 online and print
For People’s Choice Award Vote for your favorite photo online One email per vote Deadline: Midnight, Feb. 21 Names of winners will be published in our Feb. 24 print and online. We will also notify winners through emails.
Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsor Community Sponsors
Jim Doane
have their wedding in March in Issaquah. Assunta can be reached at
assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
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asianweekly northwest
40 YEARS
FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2022
LAYUP DRILL from 7 come through with medals for China.
ZHOU RULED OUT OF OLYMPICS AFTER POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST U.S. Olympic ice skating medal hopeful Vincent Zhou was ruled out of competition due to a positive test for COVID-19. As a result, he had to withdraw from competition. The 21-year-old Californian posted a message on Instagram following the news that he had tested positive. Due to the timing of the test, the U.S. will skate with just two representatives: Nathan Chen and Jason Brown. Zhou noted that he had taken precautions to prevent attaining COVID-19, including isolating himself citing that doing so had “been crushing at times,” adding “just the pain of it all is pretty insane.” Born to parents originally from China, Zhou grew up in Palo Alto, California. He began ice skating when he was 5 years old and began training in earnest at the age of 9. He won three national titles in three consecutive years. In 2019, he enrolled at Brown University. Zhou was the first skater to land a quadruple Lutz jump at the Olympics back in 2018. He placed sixth in the competition just behind Chen. Team USA had high hopes for Zhou and now the pressure lands on Chen and Brown to take home a medal in the men’s competition.
Weekly Specials
COULD DESAI COACH THE SEAHAWKS DEFENSE? The Seattle Seahawks missed the NFL Playoffs for the first time in several years. One of the glaring issues with the team was the inconsistent defensive play. As a result, the Seahawks parted ways with Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton and replaced him with Clint Hurtt. However, in the running for the position was Chicago Bears assistant coach Sean Desai. The Seahawks are still looking to bring Desai in. Notably, Desai is the first Indian American coach in the NFL. Desai went to Boston University, then to graduate school at Columbia University, and then went to Temple University to earn his Ph.D in education. At Temple, he was an adjunct professor. It was at Temple where Desai began his football coaching career from 20062010. He also had stints at Miami and Boston College before joining the Chicago Bears. In 2020, he became the Bears’ Defensive Coordinator, making him the first Indian American to hold a coordinator position. At 38, he was one of the youngest in this position. However, due to the Bears’ poor record in 2021, he was not retained by the organization after the team fired its head coach. While no news has come out about Desai’s future, it’s clear that the Seahawks are one of the teams interested in the young coach. Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Prices Valid February 9-15, 2022 Sweet Treats for Valentine’s Day!
our For Y e’s tin Valen eal! Day M
Lobster Tail
Cold Water Tails. 4 oz. WA Stores Only
8.99 ea
Meiji
Melty Blend Chocolate
Chocolate, Strawberry, Green Tea or Hazelnut. 2.11 oz
2.99
Shirakiku
Dried Noodles
Ninben
Tsuyu No Moto Soup Base Concentrated. 1 L
7.99
Glico
Caplico Mini
Shirasagi No Ito Somen or Shirasagi No Hana Maru Udon. 25.39 oz
Assorted Mini Caplico Treats. 10 pk
5.49
3.99
Fresh!
Lotte
Enoki Mushrooms
Yukimi Daifuku
200 g
Japanese Mochi Ice. 9 oz
3.99 pkg
3.99
Pastry Mitten
Chicken Wing Party Pack
Panna Cotta
Raspberry or Coconut Mango Flavor. In our Deli
Wingettes and Drumettes
4.99 lb
4.99
To see all of our weekly specials, visit uwajimaya.com seattle
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