Doris Wong-Estridge, niece of victim Wing “Bill” Wong (no relation to Gim Lum Wong), attended the last hearing but did not speak publicly. This time was different. She says it was important that the board hear from her why Ng, who was acquitted of murder but sentence to 35 years in prison for his participation in the massacre, should not be granted parole.
Diversity at the Top honorees credited for community service
“This dinner is not a town hall meeting,” joked Assunta Ng, founder of the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation, the event’s organizer, referring to the celebration dinner held at the House of Hong on Dec. 4 honoring Dow Constantine, Martha Choe, Lloyd Hara, Mike McGinn, and John Okamoto. They were named the 2009 Top Contributors to the Asian Community by the Northwest Asian Weekly. This year’s theme was “Diversity at the Top.”
After 5 years, the War Room closes its doors
Pressure from the city and state may have contributed to the closing of the War Room, a popular Capitol Hill nightclub, but the contributions that the venue has made to the music and nightlife scene is one that patrons won’t soon forget.
This month: Victoria’s Secret unveils first Asian angel
This November included some highs and lows for Asian American performers, some breakups, a World Series performance, a film with a mostly Asian cast, an angel, and my favorite, a sexiest man title! Let’s get the bad news over with!
Attention: Municipal League calls for nominations
The Municipal League of King County is calling for nominations for its annual Civic Awards to honor those who are working to improve the community. The Centennial Civic Awards will be presented at the League’s centennial celebration dinner on March 18, 2010.
Attention: CAPAA and ACLF accepting applications on fellowship program
The Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) and the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation (ACLF) recently announced the launch of a fellowship opportunity for college juniors, seniors, and graduate students to build their legislative and public policy analysis skills on issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.
Military Families Act gives green cards to troops’ immediate family members
The Military Families Act (S. 2757) would instruct the Department of Homeland Security to adjust the status of the parent or child of military personnel to that of lawful permanent resident. This includes those presently in active military service and those who are serving or who have served honorably as a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Senators urge Census Bureau and Locke to hire unemployed
The Census Bureau responded that “in these difficult times, we’ve made it a priority to hire reliable people who need jobs.” It said the agency has worked with the Labor Department to recruit people looking for work and has partnered regionally and locally with one-stop employment centers. The bureau said it has also worked with state and local governments to ensure that temporary census workers not lose certain benefits.
Virgina Tech faces $43M suit over student’s suicide
The lawsuit claims the university didn’t contact Kim, his parents, roommates, or professors after a friend sent an e-mail to the school’s health center saying the 21-year-old senior was suicidal. It says the school relied on a police officer’s assessment that Kim seemed OK.
APA workers among fastest growing groups in union workforce
“Union and Upward Mobility for APA Workers,” a new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), was released in November to reveal the advantages of unionization for Asian Pacific American (APA) workers. It analyzes data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS) from the period between 2003 and 2007.