VOL 35 NO 2 JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016 FREE 34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

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

VOL 35 NO 2

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

FREE

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

A-pop! Top 15 of 2015 see pages 8 and 9

The Slants

David Henry Hwang

Ken Jeong

Stella Abrera

Ken Watanabe

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach

Mmm … mochi!

By Peggy Chapman Northwest Asian Weekly If you frequent Asian markets during the year, especially around special holidays, you are probably familiar with the colorful and interesting variety of mochi, an elastic cake that is Japanese in name but multi-national in guise.

In Japan, mochi plays a pivotal role in Shogatsy (new year) celebrations. For the first three days in January,

Japanese take a break from work and participate in long-standing traditions, one of which is kagami mochi, which means “mirror mochi.” Kagami mochi is a decoration placed in the home in various locations associated with Shinto gods, from the end of the year through nearly mid-January, often. Kagami mochi is said to be imbued with Toshigami, a deity said to visit during new year’s to bring life blessings.

Kiyomi (left) and Sakae Hattori, in traditional kimonos, are the twin daughters of Jeffrey Hattori, CEO of Nikkei Concerns. Wearing kimonos is a traditional practice during the new year for Japanese.

{see MOCHI cont’d on page 16}

Photo provided by Jeffrey Hattori

A Japanese new year’s treat, a harbinger of good blessings, a choking hazard?

The Inside Story NAMES IN THE NEWS Who’s doing what in the Asian community? » P. 2

■

NATIONAL NEWS Mentally ill family man can’t afford bail, stuck in jail » P. 5

OUR MUST-READS Detective stories and murder mysteries, oh my! » P. 7

TRAVEL ASIA Cambodia, a vibrant land with a tragic past » P. 10

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JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

■ names in the news Jing Mei Elementary School gifted Chinese books and CDs

On Jan. 4, Bruce Harrell and Kshama Sawant were among those sworn into the Seattle City Council.

Harrell is the new council president. He is Black and of Japanese descent. He chairs the public safety, civil rights, and technology committee.

Sawant is a former software engineer and part-time economics professor. Born in India, Sawant is known for being the first socialist to win a city-wide election since in the 1910s. 

Washington State Panda Foundation cochairs Ron Chow (left) and former Gov. John Spellman (middle) with former Attorney General Rob McKenna

Chinese language books donated to Jing Mei Elementary School

On Sept. 23, 2015, Ron Chow was appointed as International Friendship Representative for Washington state by the Sichuan Provincial Government to promote trade and friendship between the two regions.

Chow co-chairs the Washington State Panda Foundation with former Washington Gov. John Spellman. They aim to bring pandas to Seattle-area zoos. The majority of pandas are from China’s Sichuan province. 

Recently, Legacy Multi Cultural & Educational Service Center visited Jing Mei Elementary School in Bellevue to gift Chinese story books and CDs. These books were received by the school’s principal, Vivian Tam. This trip provided approximately 200 books up to a sixth grade reading level to the school.

Jing Mei Elementary School is Bellevue’s Chinese immersion school with approximately 200 students from kindergarten to fourth grade. 

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant

ICHS receives $115,000 grant for hepatitis B awareness

Photo by Herbert Atienza

Chow and former Gov. Spellman hope to bring pandas to Washington

Gov. Inslee appoints Angela Harrell and Sawant swear Roarty to Pierce College board APIs into Seattle City Council From left: ICHS Foundation Director Ron Chew, Taipei Director General and Ambassador Daniel Liao, and ICHS Health Director Michael McKee

Photo from Vinh Tang

Angela Roarty

On Dec. 15, 2015, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Angela Roarty to the Pierce College Board of Trustees, a five-member policymaking body comprising members living with the college’s Lakewood service area. Roarty is an insurance agent with State Farm. She is also chair of the St. Francis Cabrini School Commission.

Roarty’s five-year term ends September 2020. 

On Dec. 31, 2015, International Community Health Services (ICHS) received a grant of $115,000 from the Ann Wu Liao Foundation to support a new program to develop greater awareness of hepatitis B, a virus that afflicts an unusually high percentage of Asians and Pacific Islanders, potentially leading to liver disease and death. 

Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell is sworn in by his wife, Joanne, and their son Jason Lombard.

Women as Bridge Builders

Making a Difference

honorees

Camilla Mejia

Former Vice President of Multicultural Club, Jackson High School

Evelyn Yenson

Executive Retired

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 ● China Harbor Restaurant ● 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

(It’s Thursday, not Friday!)

sponsors

Maha Jahshan

Policy & Program Specialist, Office of Immigrant & Refugees

Tonya Knox

Agency Field Recruiter, State Farm Insurance

Hilary Stern

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Founding Executive Director, Casa Latina

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

Christina Fong

Maria Durham Co-founder, Viva La Musica Club

Wendy Zheng

Rita Zawaideh

Anne Nguyen

Paula Houston Chief Executive Officer, Senior Services

Mahnaz Eshetu Executive Director, Refugee Women’s Alliance

Leslie Harper-Miles

Margo Myers

 Mastercard

Multicultural Engagement Director, Swedish Medical Center

Board of Directors, Salaam Cultural Museum

Executive Director, Alexander Hamilton Scholars

Senior Executive Project Mgr., King County Government

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emcee

Principal Lecturer, Management Dept., UW

Deborah Cano-Lee Co-founder & Board President, WA Indian Civil Rights Commission

Principal Margo Myers Communications

WOC CO-CHAIRS: Bonnie Miller, Rosario Carroll, Kiku Hayashi, and Winona Hollins Hauge PLANNING COMMITTEE: Elizabeth Younger, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Lourdes Sampera Tsukada, Sonia Doughty, and Sylvia Cavazos LUNCHEON PRICING: Discounted price of $35 if purchased by Jan. 9. Full price of $45 after Jan. 9. Walkins $50. Student price of $25 with I.D. before January 9; $30 after Jan. 9; 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. Men are welcome! MAKE RESERVATIONS: To purchase tickets, go to http://bpt.me/2483641, or call us at 206-223-0623, fax the above form to 206-223-0626, mail a check to Women of Color Empowered, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114, or email rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com. For more information, visit womenofcolorempowered.com.

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

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JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

■ national news

Amid tough competition, education key to Hawaii’s travel promotion

By Jessica Else The Garden Island

Photo by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — The Marne family of Missoula, Mont., arrived on Kauai for a week-long stay, and David Marne said skipping out on the snow was a main motivation for the family’s sandy getaway.

“It’s warm and quiet and Mexico has a bad rap, though I’m not really sure what it’s like in the more touristy areas over there,” Marne said. “Hawaii’s an easy shot from Montana, and we like it.”

That’s exactly what Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau, has been aiming for: overcoming the state’s biggest competitors in the tourism industry, and promoting Kauai’s warm weather

View from Kalalau Trail, Kauai, Hawaii

Disabled API adults thrive under care with cultural competence

By Patricia Wen The Boston Globe

BOSTON (AP) — The aroma of Asian stirfried vegetables and pork wafted through a West Roxbury home before dinnertime on a recent Saturday. And around the table, Joseph Wong, Donald Lee, Francis Chan, Wei-Li Sun, and Wayne Wang were waiting, knowing this particular dish — written on the week’s menu posted on the refrigerator — was coming.

The table had been set by Wang, 22, and the kitchen sweep-up would later be done by Chan, 34, part of their assigned chores also listed on the refrigerator.

The men are not related, but are bound by a common Chinese heritage and by intellectual disabilities that cause each of them to crave order. Four have additionally been diagnosed with autism, and another has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

They live together in this two-story white house with some Chinese decor, one of the first in the state for developmentally disabled adults that is focused on a cultural theme.

A nonprofit human services group, the Advocates of Framingham, worked with these families on securing a location and, with the help of the state, created the home about five years ago.

The parents, who typically speak together in a combination of Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, say they — and their sons — feel totally at ease in this house.

“We wanted the group home to be more like our home,” said Grace Sun of Brookline, the mother of 32-year-old Wei-Li. Group homes such as these are part of the national movement toward greater “cultural competence” in dealing with adults with disabilities and their families, said Jeff Keilson, senior vice president at the Advocates.

His agency, like many others across the country, has hired bilingual staff and tailors its programs to meet the needs of disabled individuals from the Latino, Asian, Portuguese, and Haitian immigrant communities, among others.

Group homes for disabled adults can

be volatile places, but so far, the Chinesethemed home has worked well, with some modifications, according to staff.

For instance, the group home coordinators generally put some distance between Wong and Chan at the dinner table. They are the most verbal of the group and know each other well, but they sometimes spat.

“They are like brothers,” said Sophia Zhu, program manager at the home.

The home is a blend of East and West.

Most of the men were born in the United States and speak English. Wong, 50, the home’s most passionate sports fans, repeats the word “Terrible! Terrible!” when describing last year’s Red Sox season.

But residents of the home also sometimes hear Chan break out in melodic Chinese songs. And Sun, 32, refers to the female kitchen staff as “Ah Yi” (Auntie).

The parents and guardians admit that they — and not the men — may care most about the home’s Chinese atmosphere, enhancing their family connections.

Chan’s mother, Jenny, and Wong’s guardian, Agnes Wong, led the effort to create the home, and, along with other parents, share notes, including whether the men are getting to all of their dental and medical visits, and participating in music lessons and day programs.

Grace Sun is pleased that her son remains off any psychotropic medications, which are common in the autism population.

As the men ate dinner, some parents hung out in the living room, while staffer Godswill Nwaeze looked on. “You see the parents here are more involved,” he said.

“In some places, you rarely or never see the parents. Here, it’s not just about me and my kid.”

In fact, the home was originally set to accept four men. But then the parents heard about Wang, whose parents from China had both died. He was an orphan with extremely limited communication, due to autism.

Wang became the group home’s fifth resident.  This story has been edited for space.

during the winter.

“At this time of year, we’re getting info out (about Kauai’s warm weather),” Kanoho said. “It’s a year-round thing. Right now, we’re marketing for those cold areas.”

Top travel destination: Hawaii has once again been named a top vacation spot. The competition, however, is strong and the Hawaii Tourism Authority is still finding new ways to lure in visitors.

The islands were recently listed among dozens of other destinations in a recent Associated Press article that interviewed various industry players on their top travel picks. “Tourism is a globally competitive business and the numerous destinations {see HAWAII cont’d on page 12}

Iraqi refugees carve out new home in Alabama

By Casey Toner Al.com

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — On the run from a death threat, Ahmed Mohammed won’t look back.

And why would he? The 39-year-old Iraqi refugee and his family — Sunni Muslims — have found a home in Mobile, Ala., after they spent four years without a country.

Before they fled, Mohammed worked as a safety inspector for an American contractor that was hired to rebuild Iraq after the U.S. invasion. But the ensuing threat on his life and the violent deaths of his wife’s father and her brother-in-law spurred their exodus. They crossed the northwest border to Syria in 2005, left for {see ALABAMA cont’d on page 12}

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

■ national NEWS

5

Making bail not same for everyone

By James Pinkerton and Lauren Caruba Houston Chronicle

HOUSTON (AP) — Tung Nguyen survived a harrowing maritime escape from Vietnam, only to become trapped in the Harris County Jail. Neighbors had called police one Valentine’s Day when they heard Nguyen, 83, arguing with his wife of 60 years, Muon Vo. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for allegedly threatening her with a knife.

Suffering from mental illness and heart disease, Nguyen never got out of jail. His family was unable to raise the $40,000 bail set in his case even as they pleaded for his release to a mental facility or home.

The frail, failing fisherman who spoke only Vietnamese was ensnared in a Harris County criminal justice system that warehouses far too many defendants awaiting adjudication thanks to a rigid bail system that a diverse mix of county officials, lawyers, legal experts and legislators say most likely violates both state law and the U.S. Constitution by failing to make meaningful individual assessments of risk and ability to pay.

“The numbers clearly tell the story: More than threefourths of the people in Harris County Jail haven’t been convicted of crime, and the majority of them are sitting in jail simply because they can’t afford to get out — not because they’re a threat to public safety,” state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, told the Houston Chronicle.

Magistrates makes bond decisions based almost entirely on charges filed and prior convictions in hearings via video linkup at which few questions are asked and defendants have no attorneys — a process the county’s public defender has described as potentially illegal in an upcoming law journal article. The magistrate’s bond decisions are almost never altered by the county’s elected district court judges, who reduced bonds in less than 1 percent of cases, court bond data from 2014–15 shows. Judges can, if they choose, grant personal bonds to defendants in which bail fees are waived in exchange for a promise to appear. But in 2014, they granted personal bonds to about 1 percent of felony offenders and only

9 percent of misdemeanor offenders, county statistics show.

Once jailed, no mechanism exists to automatically alert elected judges even when an inmate falls severely ill or already has served more time pretrial than the punishment for the alleged crime, Harris County judges said.

Ultimately, the system most punishes the poorest and sickest defendants, defense attorneys and some legislators say. Fifty-five inmates died in the jail while awaiting adjudication since 2009. Eight were too ill to appear at initial bail hearings. One was Nguyen.

Magistrates don’t actually meet defendants, who are jailed across the street. Instead, faces appear on a screen. Few questions are asked. Some hearings last less than a minute.

County pretrial employees pre-interview most defendants, and those reports are available to magistrates via computer.

Their questionnaires are meant to help determine who merits release and who presents a risk. The form includes information about health history and disabilities. But it’s been criticized as outdated: It penalizes male defendants and those who don’t own a car, lack land lines at home or live with parents. It’s unclear whether magistrates review responses.

Harris County Public Defender Alex Bunin, a former federal public defender with experience in three other states, has questioned whether the practice of setting bail for defendants without defense attorneys present could survive a legal challenge in an article he wrote for an upcoming American Bar Association magazine.

In the mug shot taken when Tung Nguyen first arrived at the jail on Valentine’s Day 2009, he grimaces and slumps to one side, a medical clinic badge pinned to his shirt. He was initially denied bond in his absence, though District Court Judge Maria Jackson eventually approved a reduction to $40,000. This would have required the

family to pay a non-refundable fee of $4,000 to a bondsman — 10 percent is standard — and then come up with collateral to cover the full debt, risking a car, house or other valuables.

Nguyen’s family never could meet those terms. Jackson said in a recent interview that she could find no record that she’d been asked to release him on a personal bond.

Nguyen was barely eating and cycling in and out of the hospital for recurrent pneumonia, according to a forensic investigator’s report. He appeared at his April 24, 2009, court setting in a wheelchair, and then was absent on May 5 because he’d been hospitalized, a letter in the court file shows.

Vo said she could never understood why her husband of six decades could not just come home.

The county’s tough bond practices lead to tougher sentences and a higher conviction rate for those who are jailed compared to those who can post bond, according to a review of 6,000 local cases by former Harris County Pretrial Services Director Gerald Wheeler. The studies show defendants with similar criminal histories who could not post bond received harsher punishments for crimes like drug possession than those who faced the same charges but bailed out.

“You have two completely different justice systems,” Wheeler said. “One for the rich and one for the poor.”

Michael Kubosh, a Houston City Council member and bondsman, says each day defendants released on bond are saving the county about $700,000 in housing costs.

But even Kubosh described the bail schedule as “faulty” because defendants can serve more time pretrial than the average punishment and because drug defendants and financial criminals are required to post higher bonds than those accused of violent acts.

“If you kill your spouse, you can get a bond for $50,000.

If you have a bale of marijuana, it’s an $80,000 bond and you haven’t killed anyone. And what if you have a couple kilos of cocaine? It’s over $200,000,” Kubosh said. Kubosh said elected judges are reluctant to approve personal bonds because they fear criticism for approving a bond for a defendant who is released and commits a violent crime. “They have to run for office, and they’re political animals,” he said.

The Chronicle found dozens of offenders were jailed in the last five years despite serious illnesses or conditions, including being severely diabetic, HIV positive or so elderly that even a short jail stay proved life-threatening.

Defense lawyers can ask for personal bonds or bonds to be lowered based on hardships, errors, medical problems or other factors, but they need to present evidence and identify an alternative placement. Judges say such requests are uncommon. “It’s kind of dismissed — it’s a pervasive institutional attitude that inmates’ health problems are not taken seriously — or you’re criminally accused so who cares if you are sick,” said Shawna Reagin, a former judge who said she was not informed about life-threatening health problems two {see HOUSTON cont’d on page 14}

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asianweekly northwest

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JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

■ COMMUNITY calendar THU 1/7

MON 1/18

WHAT: A conversation with UW President Ana Mari Cauce, “The value of alumni advocacy” WHERE: Husky Union Building, UW campus, Seattle WHEN: 7–8:30 p.m.

COST: Free RSVP: Required. washington.edu/site/ Calendar/712009040

WHAT: A celebration of Tsuguo “Ike” Ikeda’s life WHERE: Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church WHEN: 11 a.m.

WHAT: Slam poet Anis Mojgani reading, “The Pocketknit” WHERE: Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 7 p.m.

INFO: hugohouse.org WHAT: Author RT Akutagawa reading, “Mirage in the Desert” WHERE: Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 6–8 p.m.

INFO: wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

FRI 1/8 WHAT: English Luncheon, “How to Retain and Hire the Best Employees” with Goodwill CEO Daryl Campbell, interviewed by Assunta Ng WHERE: China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

INFO: seattlechinesechamber.org

SAT 1/9 WHAT: Asia Pacific Cultural Center Presents Tea Experience: Indonesia WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 10 a.m.

COST: $10 INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter.org/ teaexperience WHAT: Asia Pacific Cultural Center Presents Taste of Asia, cooking lesson: Indonesia WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 12 p.m.

COST: $25 INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter.org/ tasteofasia

THU 1/14 WHAT: King County celebrates Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with keynote by Judge Wesley Saint Clair WHERE: Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle WHEN: 12–1 p.m.

INFO: Paula White, 206-263-2444 WHAT: Seattle Asian American Film Festival 2016 Cocktails & Karaoke Benefit WHERE: Kona Kitchen, 8501 5th Ave. N.E., Seattle WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: Suggested donation INFO: facebook.com/SeattleAAFF

FRI 1/15 WHAT: The Wing’s Artists of Change: Conversations with the Ford Fellows WHEN: 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., Seattle INFO: wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

SAT 1/16 WHAT: The Wing’s New Years All Year Round Exhibit Opening WHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., Seattle INFO: wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

WHAT: 34th Annual Celebration “We Have The Power to Make Change” WHERE: Garfield High School, 400 23rd Ave., Seattle WHEN: 9:30 a.m.–1:45 p.m.

INFO: www.MLKseattle.org

SAT 1/23 WHAT: The Peking Acrobats perform gravity-defying feats WHERE: UW, Meany Hall WHEN: 3–7:30 p.m.

COST: $50–$55 INFO: 206-543-4880 WHAT: Winter Bash in White, featuring music by Deems & Side B WHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 6:30–10:30 p.m.

COST: $10–$50 INFO: wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

TUE JAN 26–THU JAN 28 WHAT: Hari Kondabolu at Theatre Off Jackson, comedy WHERE: Theatre Off Jackson, 409 7th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: $15–$18 INFO: facebook.com/harikondabolu/

SAT 1/30 WHAT: OCA Greater Seattle’s 21st Annual Golden Circle Awards WHERE: Joy Palace Restaurant, 6030 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle WHEN: 5:30 p.m.

RSVP: http://bit.ly/1BysMZz

■ national news Connecticut groups say they’re ready for more refugees

By Alaine Griffin Hartford Courant

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Amid growing debate over the country’s immigration policies in the aftermath of recent terrorist attacks, Connecticut is preparing for a new wave of refugees who will arrive here in 2016.

“There’s been overwhelming support recently from churches, mosques, individuals, people calling saying, ‘We want to help with the Syrians,’” Paula Mann-Agnew, director of programs for Catholic Charities in Hartford, said. Donors are offering money, apartments, furniture and other items as well as asking if they can help refugees complete their immigration paperwork and learn English, she said.

Catholic Charities is among a handful of agencies in Connecticut that work with the domestic resettlement agencies used by the U.S. Department of State’s reception and placement program preparing for the increase, which will include Syrians, considered now to be one of the most vulnerable refugee groups.

“We’ve had to develop a committee just to take in the calls and respond,” Mann-Agnew said. “It’s almost like they see it as a revolution. And they want to be part of it. I think it speaks to the true nature of people.”

In New Haven, calls, packages and checks also have been streaming into Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, more commonly known as IRIS, a nonprofit that helps resettle immigrants and refugees, said Chris George, executive director.

He pointed to a stack of envelopes he has accumulated this year from donors— gifts that were sent even before the agency made its annual appeal for help.

“Community support is 30 times greater than it’s ever been,” George said. Nearly 60

community groups and religious organizations have contacted his office offering to help refugees, many offering to sponsor entire families, he said.

George’s agency is looking to double the number of refugees it plans to resettle in 2016, from 240 to 500. IRIS was thrust into the national spotlight in November when the agency agreed to take in a Syrian couple and their 4 1/2-year-old child after the governor of Indiana said he was opposed to accepting Syrian refugees.

Of the anticipated 500 refugees George said IRIS hopes to resettle next year, about 300 refugees would come from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, about 100 from each country. The remaining refugees, he said, would come from South Sudan, Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The United States, George said, has decided to increase its acceptance of refugees from all over the world by about 20 percent, from about 70,000 to 85,000. Of that number, about 10,000 will come from Syria.

David Dearborn, spokesman for the Department of Social Services, said the average number of refugees resettled in Connecticut by the federal government with private agencies is about 500 annually.

For the federal fiscal year that ended Sept.

30, 2015, 597 refugees were resettled in the state. Just how many refugees will be resettled in 2016 in Connecticut will depend, in part, on the national levels determined by the federal government, Dearborn said.

Recent polls by the Washington Post and ABC News, Bloomberg Politics and NBC News and Survey Monkey all showed that a majority of Americans oppose admitting {see REFUGEES cont’d on page 13}

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ on the shelf

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

7

NWAW’s January must-reads

Mysterious murders, a petite pachyderm, and not-so-hardboiled detectives

By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly One of my favorite things to do when the weather is cold is curl up under a blanket with a good mystery. The following are my January must-read picks:

“Grave on Grand Avenue”

By Naomi Hirahara Berkley, 2015

LAPD bicycle cop Ellie Rush is back and on the case in this second installment of her eponymous mystery series.

This time around, the half-Japanese aspiring homicide detective finds herself in the middle of a possible international incident when a gardener for one of the city’s premier concert halls is found at the bottom of a staircase, accused of trying to steal Chinese superstar musician Xu’s multimillion-dollar cello. What follows is a series of events that lead to Xu’s disappearance and Ellie’s rush to find him after the gardener dies.

Just like its predecessor, “Grave” is a strong mystery that will have readers guessing ‘whodunnit’ the whole time.

Despite being ‘just’ a bicycle cop, it’s clear that Ellie takes her job seriously and makes it no secret where her ambitions are set.

She is not deterred by the obstacles and resistance she faces as a relatively new member of the police force and the niece of LAPD’s assistant police chief. Ellie is

determined to find the killer and his or her motives — as well as what happened to Xu. If that weren’t enough to deal with, Ellie also gets into a fight with her best friend Nay Pram that leads to the two not speaking for some time. In addition, Ellie’s 1969 Pontiac Skylark — which was given to her by her paternal grandmother — winds up stolen, leading to a number of family secrets being revealed.

Hirahara balances the story’s mystery

element well with the everyday challenges Ellie faces when dealing with her loving — though sometimes overly involved — family. The big secret that is revealed changes a number of dynamics within the Rush family and despite some of the infighting it causes, we see the family eventually come together. They are not perfect and Hirahara makes it clear Ellie will always have family drama, but what family doesn’t?

“The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra”

By Vaseem Khan Redhook, 2015

On the day Inspector Ashwin Chopra retires from the Mumbai police force, he inherits two things: The first is a case of a drowned boy who has died under suspicious {see SHELF cont’d on page 12}

Celebrate with Style!

“Year of the Monkey 2016” Fun Fashion Contest

Create/assemble an original look or design a wearable costume for Lunar New Year!

ALL AGES WELCOME. Be part of the Lunar New Year Fashion Contest. Design a wearable garment, accessory, or put together an outfit to create a look with a Year of the Monkey Lunar New Year theme.

Model your own entry or supply your own model(s) for both the fashion show & parade.

The Fashion Show-Off & Contest:  WIN $250 & Prizes for Most Original “Year of the Monkey” ensemble  Lunar New Year Dinner Fashion Show-Off (Feb. 6, House of Hong Restaurant, 6 p.m.

Contestants have to arrive at 4 p.m. Tickets: $50 each for dinner & show.

DEADLINE:  Photo deadline for all entries is February 1.  You are welcome to submit more than one entry.

To enter:  Please submit a photograph for each entry to rsvp@nwasianweekly.com by Feb.1.

 Your entry must include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail. You can also mail photographs to: Northwest Asian Weekly, 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104.  Photos will be the property of Northwest Asian Weekly and will not be returned.  If you don’t have a camera, please call us at (206) 223-0623 to arrange for us to take a photo of your costume.

Announcement of fashion show finalists will appear in Asian Weekly’s Feb. 4 issue.

Fashion show will be held Feb. 6, House of Hong Restaurant, 6 p.m. Finalists & models arrive at 4 p.m. to change and line up.

All fashion show contestants will also be invited to the Northwest Asian Weekly’s Lunar New Year Parade on February 13 at the Chinatown/International District Dragon Fest at 1 p.m. Please wear your design or find a model to wear your design, and arrive at Asian Weekly’s office, 412 Maynard Ave. S., to check in, from noon to 1 p.m. Models will line up at 1:15 p.m. and parade to the stage at Hing Hay Park. (one block away).

WHAT: “Monkey Lunar New Year theme” Contest WHERE: House of Hong Restaurant, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle EVENT DATE: Saturday, February 6 DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PHOTOS: February 1, rsvp@nwasianweekly.com

Mail to: Northwest Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 ATTN: LNY Fashion Contest Name:________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________________________________________

Planning Committee: Gei Chan, Belinda Louie, Evelyn Hou, Rebecca Ip, John Liu, Stacy Nguyen, Joseph Fong, and Assunta Ng

Email:________________________________________________________

asianweekly northwest

8

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

■ arts & entertainment

Top 15 of 2015

By Vivian Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly From headlining groundbreaking television shows to dominating award ceremonies and industry promotions, 2015 was truly a banner year for Asian Americans in the media.

Let’s reminiscence about this year’s top 15 highs — and lows.

15. “Sanjay’s Super Team” features first human protagonist of color in Pixar film Pixar Animation Studio, the company behind beloved animated films such as “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo” and “Up,” released its first human protagonist of color in a film. “Sanjay’s Super Team,” a sevenminute short, opened for Pixar’s recent “The Good Dinosaur.”

“Sanjay’s Super Team” focused on childhood memories from Pixar animator and storyboard artist Sanjay Patel.

The feel-good short, which was directed

by Patel, highlights his experiences of growing up as a child of immigrants and how he eventually connected with his cultural roots by using his imagination to view Hindu deities as superheroes. Given Pixar’s large audience, the short opening for a major studio animated film reflect the growing presence of Asian Americans characters in mainstream media.

14. Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra headlines her first American TV show The world was abuzz when Indian actress Priyanka Chopra was announced as the lead actor for ABC dramathriller “Quantico.” A famous Bollywood star and singer, Chopra also won the Miss World beauty pageant in 2000. Despite being largely unfamiliar to American audiences, her arrival to Hollywood was long awaited by her global fanbase.

“Quantico” follows a class of FBI recruits and focuses on Chopra’s character, who tries to clear her name after she’s framed for committing a terrorist attack.

Fun fact: Late night news program “Nightline” mistakenly featured a photo of Indian actress Yukta Mookhey in an on-air promo for an interview with Chopra. Mookhey had been crowned Miss World in 1999 — Chopra won the year after. Viewers commented on social media about the obvious mix-up between the two beauty queens.

Since, you know, all Indians look alike.

Chopra, to her credit, laughed off the incident.

13. #NotTheSame awareness campaign celebrates uniqueness The online racial awareness campaign

#NotTheSame made waves on social media by challenging the idea that all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (APIs) look the same, speak the same, share the same culture, and have access to the same opportunities.

Launched by nonprofit The Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, the month-long campaign aimed to empower and encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to share personal experiences and raise awareness of the varied and unheard stories of cultural, racial, and ethnic struggle.

The campaign also featured APIs and their personal stories in 30-second public service announcements (PSA) on Comcast and NBC affiliates.

This was a rare opportunity to see such PSAs. 12. Ansari and Yang’s “Master of None” debuts on Netflix Asian Americans dominated television shows in 2015, and “Master of None” on Netflix was no exception. The 10-episode comedy focuses on modern relationships and stars comedian and actor Aziz Ansari, who also cocreated and co-produced the series with his former “Parks and Recreation” colleague, TV writer Alan Yang. In particular, an episode from the first season of “Master of None” highlighting Asian American immigrant parents has received a lot of acclaim.

11. M. Night Shyamalan releases “The Visit” after long hiatus Award-winning screenwriter and horror movie master M. Night Shyamalan released his

This SPECIAL WAITING LIST OPENING RUNS ONLY FROM MONDAY JANUARY 11TH TRHOUGH MONDAY JANUARY 25TH. APPLICATIONS WILL BE PLACED ON THE WAITING LIST FIRST COME FIRST SERVED. All apartments in the Lake City Court Community include dish washers and in-unit washer/dryers.

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Or application material visit: http://seattlehousing.org/housing/communities/ WaitLists/index.html *For more information, call (206) 367-3474.

Income limits apply.

newest thriller, “The Visit,” early fall. Shyamalan is best known for his wildly popular movie, “The Sixth Sense.”

“The Visit,” which many have claimed to be both a horror and comedy, received mixed reviews but drew a lot of attention, as the movie was Shyamalan’s latest release after a long hiatus.

Project” is a testament to the growing presence of non-white leads in streaming media.

8. Ruthie Ann Miles, Ken Watanabe are celebrated by Tony’s

10. David Henry Hwang is victim of attack Award-winning playwright and writer David Henry Hwang was slashed in the neck near his Brooklyn home this past fall.

The attacker reportedly cut Hwang’s neck from behind, leaving the 57-year-old writer to fend for himself as he walked to a nearby hospital for treatment. Hwang, who is famous for winning the Tony Award in 1998 for his play “M. Butterfly,” made a full recovery. To date, the stabbing suspect still remains at large.

9. “The Mindy Project” moves to Hulu Plus Although fans were disappointed when FOX comedy “The Mindy Project” was cancelled, sorrow quickly changed to elation after the show’s star, writer, and producer Mindy Kaling revealed that the project would move to online streaming platform Hulu. An iconic show featuring an Asian American lead, Hulu’s pick-up of “The Mindy

Asian Americans had a big presence at the Tony’s, the theater world’s biggest annual awards ceremony.

Ruthie Ann Miles, an actress of Korean descent, took home the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in the “The King and I.” The run was a revival on Broadway, and Miles received strong reviews for her portrayal as Lady Thiang, one of the wives of the titular king. This role marked Miles’s Broadway debut. Ken Watanabe, bestknown for his Oscar-nominated role in the film “The Last Samurai,” was also up for a Tony for his role as the King of Siam.

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

The headlines, good and bad, that rocked Asian American pop culture long-awaited star vehicle for Jeong, who might be best known as a side character from “The Hangover” movie franchise or for his recurring role on the cult sitcom “Community.”

“Dr. Ken” returns to the air in early 2016.

5. The Museum of Fine Arts goes geisha 7. Emma Stone cast as Asian American character in “Aloha” The much-anticipated release of the romantic comedy “Aloha” featured a star-studded cast — everyone from Emma Stone to Bradley Cooper — and follows a revered military contractor (played

by Cooper) as he returns to Hawaii where he falls for air force fighter pilot Allison Ng, assigned to watch over him during his stay. Ng, played by Stone, is supposed to be a character of Chinese and Hawaiian heritage. Ng’s background often serves as a plot device in the film in addition to being reflective of Hawaii’s great diversity.

Last I checked, Stone is about as white and redheaded as an actress in Hollywood can be. People were not amused by this casting choice.

Although director Cameron Crowe wrote a blog post apologizing for and defending the casting choice — stating that Ng is based on a real-life Asian American of mixed descent with red hair — the film’s negative reputation preceded its opening and perhaps hurt its revenue potential. It performed poorly despite its heavy celebrity billing. Stone, for her part, has said the entire incident has opened up her eyes to whitewashing in Hollywood.

At least somebody learned something.

6. Comedy “Dr. Ken” launches on ABC Comedian and actor Ken Jeong headlined his first sitcom this year. “Dr. Ken” is a workplace and family comedy inspired by Jeong’s real life experiences as a doctor.

“Dr. Ken” aims to normalize Asian American family life for mainstream viewers. “Dr. Ken” is a

The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston hosted a curious event earlier this year that invited visitors to “channel [their] inner Camille Monet,” the model in artist Claude Monet’s famous painting “La Japonaise.”

In this painting, the French artist’s wife dons a blonde wig and wears a red kimono.

So, for a few weeks, the MFA invited museum guests to wear a replica of said red kimono so that they, too, could become Monet’s muse. Racist undertones and all.

Although an MFA representative stated that the exhibit sought to create a “better understanding” of the painting by allowing visitors to understand the choices the artist made when creating on canvas, there’s no way around the fact that this was cultural appropriation. Straight up.

who initially filed the application, scored a major victory at a federal appeals court in his challenge of USPTO’s refusal of the trademark registration, claiming it constituted a violation of first amendment rights.

“The government cannot refuse to register disparaging marks because it disapproves of the expressive messages conveyed by the marks,” Circuit Judge Kimberly Moore wrote for the majority opinion.

For more than six years, Tam has fought in court to get trademark protection for the use of the band’s name. He will now have to wait and see if the USPTO appeals to the Supreme Court.

Earlier this year, Asian American dance rock band The Slants caused controversy over their application to register the band’s name. The group claimed that “slants” was intended to be a subversive re-appropriation of the derogatory term, allowing the band to “take ownership” of anti-Asian stereotypes. Critics said, um, no, this is incredibly offensive to Asian Americans.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in the Federal District rejected the application, upholding a U.S. Parent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) decision that the name could not be trademarked given its roots as a racial slur that the general public finds offensive.

Since my last coverage of this issue, The Slants frontman Simon Tam, an Asian American

In 2015, no other show created as much buzz among APIs as “Fresh Off the Boat.” From its allAsian American starring cast (the first show to do so in 20 years!) to its divisive title, the show received much praise, criticism, and scrutiny from Asian American viewers and social commentators.

Loosely inspired by the memoir of celebrity chef and television personality Eddie Huang, the show follows a young Huang, played by newcomer Hudson Yang. Actors Randall Park and Constance Wu star as his parents. The show, which is currently on hiatus, returns to the small screen early February 2016.

Just before the end of the year, the biggest API pop culture snafu of 2015 happened.

3. Stella Abrera is named principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre Professional ballerina Stella Abrera made headlines when the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) announced her promotion to the rank of principal dancer. Abrera is the first Filipino American dancer to hold the rank of principal, the highest position at the ABT. She was named a soloist with ABT in 2001 and has risen through the ranks since. Her promotion was effective as of Aug. 1, 2015.

9

A-pop!

2. “Fresh Off the Boat” shows different kind of all-American family

1. Miss Universe gets crowned/uncrowned

4. API-helmed band The Slants courts controversy with name

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

By now, everyone has heard about the Miss Universe gaffe heard and seen around the world when master of ceremonies Steve Harvey crowned Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Miss Universe 2015 … only to apologize minutes later for announcing the wrong name because he misread his score card.

Harvey then declared Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach as the true Miss Universe 2015.

The incident included unceremoniously removing the crown from Miss Colombia’s head and

placing it onto the stunned one of Miss Philippines.

This was all done on live television to boot.

The blunder dominated news headlines and social media for the following week with countless memes lambasting Harvey.

And everybody knows that once you’ve been involved in a meme, well, the incident becomes solidified forever in pop culture’s consciousness.

To his credit, Harvey apologized to each of the beauty queens personally in addition to tweeting public apologies (but not without misspelling the names of both countries in his tweets). Harvey has been good-humored about being the roast of the town while Miss Colombia and Miss Philippines still continue to deal with the fallout of Harvey’s mistake.

What a pageant for the books!  Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

10

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

OPINION

The many faces of Cambodia — Part III —

Tips to travel for visiting Cambodia 1. A visa is required, although this was not stated on its website.

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

It is easiest to apply for an e-visa. Have copies on hand though. At the airport, an official asked for one. Good thing my husband was prepared. If you don’t give them a copy, you might have to pay more.

2. See Angkor over Phnom Penh.

If I travel to Cambodia again, I will skip Phnom Penh and focus on Angkor, as there were much to see there. Besides Killing Fields, the Royal Palace, and the National Museum, there are few other attractions in the capital. But the logic is if you’re visiting Cambodia for the first time, you might as well see both. However, if you are lacking time or have to choose, I recommend Angkor.

The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh was constructed in the 1860s.

Dispelling safety myths “Is Cambodia safe?” Many readers asked me this after reading my first two blogs about my recent trip with my husband last November.

It is surprising that many have this misconception. While some may have concerns traveling to Cambodia, its tourism has actually increased 17 percent in 2013 and 7 percent last year. Just in Angkor, there are more than one million visitors every year.

Notably, the Killing Fields Museum, an institution that remembers Cambodia’s notorious genocide 40 years ago, is the number one tourist spot in the capital, Phnom Penh.

While our 5-day trip was full of fun and adventures, our tour guide warned us that pickpockets are huge in Cambodia. I noticed some tourists put their backpack in front of their body rather than carrying it behind.

Don’t expose your money is a good rule anywhere you visit. Don’t go into dark areas or walk around in the wee hours of the night by yourself. I always wear flat shoes when I travel — in case I need to run for my life.

Cambodia’s challenge is alleviating poverty. Crimes and poverty are usually linked together. (Its poverty rate is at 19 percent, only better than Burma’s 26 percent.)

I was wrong in assuming that human misery is only confined in Cambodia’s genocide museum. One night, we walked back to our hotel after watching a dance show at the National Museum’s theater.

Two homeless families were sleeping on both sides of the street just one block from the Royal Palace. There was a baby and kids with the parents, sleeping side-byside on a torn rag. On the other side were men chatting before bedtime. It was hard to watch.

Friends who visited Cambodia have all share stories about relentless beggars.

During our trip, several kids with innocent sad eyes swarmed over our tuktuk (a motorcycle with passenger seats in the back). The guide pointed to people sitting in chairs under a tree. “Their parents train kids to beg.” Some adults hire kids to go out just to beg. Beggars, young and old, are experienced in their task.

3. Combine trips when traveling to Southeast Asia.

Panhandlers are a common site in Cambodia’s capital.

“Give me money to go to school,” one 12-year-old girl said in English. Another begged me to buy the souvenirs from her.

As soon as I said yes, another girl and boy suddenly appeared.

“Buy two from me and two from her,” the boy said in English. Rather than simply being skilled in negotiation, these kids have a street survival instinct, which grows out of desperate poverty.

Even the most ordinary Cambodians know how to exploit tourists for a buck.

Cambodia shares borders with a few countries that are reachable by bus or a short flight. Combine your trips and also visit Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, or Myanmar.

4. Avoid duplicating destinations and routes.

I was so thankful we didn’t need to return to the capital for departure to Hong Kong. We arrived in Phnom Penh and left from Siem Reap. The drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is time-consuming and bumpy though, even on big buses.

5. Tour guides are always available, but quality of service may vary.

It’s easy to hire inexpensive tour guides in Cambodia, about $10 USD for 45

{see BLOG cont’d on page 15}

minutes or $30 USD for four hours. Not all of them are good though. The one recommended by the hotel was better than the one we hired at Angkor who deliberately took us shopping (many guides just wait outside the gates soliciting business.). Shopping’s a no-no for me.

And not all guides know to give interesting information. We often enjoyed it much more when we went on our own.

6. Stay in hotels, not guest houses.

Guest houses can be as low as $12 USD a night. You pay for what you get though, like suffering mosquitoes bites.

And you won’t get any service. I prefer English-speaking hotels with well-trained and helpful staff. For instance, our hotel helped us set up our cell phones for local calls and gave us vital information.

7. Just bring money from home.

U.S. currency is popular in Cambodia.

No need to worry about the exchange rate.

8. Avoid summer trips.

Cambodia is hot year-round. It’s best to travel between November and January, if you’re sensitive to heat.

9. Stay away from bikes.

Because of the heat, riding bikes with a helmet can be miserable. Tuk-tuks are better. The tuk-tuk has protective curtains to guard against the heat. Sometimes it’s even breezy in the passenger seats.

10. Plan, plan, plan.

Visiting Cambodia is not like going to Paris. You have to plan ahead. Talk to people who have been there. Know what you like to do in order to get the best experience.

On display through November 13, 2016

719 South King St, Seattle  wingluke.org

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

11

OPINION

■ editorial

Our 5 wishes for Seattle’s ID in 2016 At the beginning of January, it feels natural to do a retrospective of the year before, take lessons, and think on how we’d want 2016 to look different. Here are five of our wishes:

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Wish 1: For no more senseless deaths in the ID

Christina Enriquez stands at her son Benito “Benny” Enriquez’s memorial site on Christmas day 2015.

There have been three known homicides in the International District (ID) in 2015, two of which made headlines.

Donnie Chin, International District (ID) community leader and director of the International District Emergency Center, was shot on July 23, 2015, near Eighth Avenue South and South Weller Street in Chinatown after he responded to shots of gunfire. Police say he was caught in the crossfire and was not the intended target in what was likely gang-related violence.

To this day, the person(s) involve in

Chin’s slaying are still at large.

Christina Enriquez, the mother of Benito “Benny” Enriquez, a man who was beaten to death in Seattle’s Chinatown after leaving a Kenny Chesney concert, still holds on hope that her son’s killer will be found. Her son was nurse for the disabled and father to two girls.

These tragic incidences reflect the increasingly impersonal nature of violence permeating our community.

What happened to both men was unfair and senseless. We hope that 2016 brings about additional safety measures and fewer acts of needless aggression.

Wish 2: For Summit Sierra to get funding required to stay in Chinatown Summit Sierra, a charter school located in Seattle’s Chinatown, opened its doors fall 2015 to 100 ninth grade

www.buckleylaw.net

Seattle Office 675 S. Lane St. Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98104 Office: (206) 622-1100 Toll free: (800) 404-6200 Fax: (206) 622-0688

students. Summit Sierra occupies the building that used to house the Asian Resource Center and serves South Seattle family and students.

Charter schools are independently run free public schools with greater flexibility in its operations compared to traditional public schools and have to adhere to a set of goals, a charter, to receive funding.

We believe that Summit Sierra deserves a chance to serve students in the Southwest and Southeast communities of Seattle, especially since these students are of color and are from historically underserved communities. Summit Sierra also plans to expand to all four high school grade levels by the 2018–2019 school year, making it a viable alternative to Seattle School District schools. One student may have difficult in one environment but thrive in another. They deserve options.

Wish 3: For APIs to be visible in Seattle Police’s leadership Seattle Police Department’s leadership should reflect the communities that it serves.

While there is some racial diversity in the leadership, there is no API representation.

We urge Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole to rectify this in 2016.

Wish 4: For greater collaboration within the local API community An API community as rich and diverse as Seattle’s has its share of inter-ethnic friction from time to time. We hope that the near year is one where we can start working together better, focusing on one another’s strengths rather than weaknesses.

Tacoma Office Wells Fargo Plaza Suite 1400 Tacoma, WA 98402 (appointment only)

Wish 5: Can this streetcar just start running, please?

Our law firm has recovered over $200 million for clients

Our Attorneys & Staff Proudly Serving the Community

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To end this on a light note: We’ve been watching the construction on the Seattle Streetcar, a project that features a 2.5-mile route that serves six neighborhoods including the ID, for what seems like forever. Construction was completed summer of 2014.

After delays in streetcar manufacturing, the project has been in a testing phase ever since.

The streetcar’s website (seattlestreetcar.org) states that the grand opening is “TBD.” While we understand that safety is a foremost priority and are fully in support of that — we also want say that we are pretty ready for this baby to start running. 

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Proposals from qualified firms interested in providing professional structural engineering and inspection services on a work order basis for King County Link Light Rail facilities.

The Request for Proposals, all addenda and current document holder’s list are available at http://www. kingcounty.gov/procurement. The County will not mail, ship or fax RFPs and addenda.

Interested firms must register with the County at time of download and ensure that a valid contact email address is given. Notification of addenda will be sent to the registered email address. Failure to register will result in the Proposer not being notified of any addenda, which may result in rejection of the proposal.

The County may award up to one (1) contract with a maximum price of $750,000. The contract will have an initial period of performance of one (1) year. The County reserves the right to amend the contract duration in one (1) year increments up to a maximum of three (3) years, if funds remain.

Contract Title: Structural Engineering and Inspection Services Work Order

Contract Number: E00391E15 Proposals due: January 28, 2016 Time: 12:00 p.m.

Pre-proposal Meeting: January 14, 2016 Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Room 421, 3407 Airport Way S. Seattle, WA SUMMARY OF WORK: Provide professional structural engineering and inspection services on a work order basis for King County Link Light Rail facilities, for structures associated with the light rail line, including tunnels, bridges, and retaining walls, and to provide associated services such as geotechnical, environmental, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: structural engineering, structural inspection services (bridge and tunnel), geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering.

SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The Consultant shall ensure that at least 10% of the Total Price for all executed Work Orders, as amended, shall be performed by King County Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract. Evaluation points for meeting and/or exceeding the SCS utilization requirements will be provided to each Proposer responding to this requirement. King County will not evaluate the proposal and will not execute a contract with a Proposer who does not commit to meet at least the SCS utilization requirement as stated above.

QUESTIONS: Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to Tina Davis, Contract Specialist via email at tina.davis@kingcounty.gov or via telephone at 206-263-2939, TTY Relay: 711. The Proposer may be requested to submit the question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County.

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

asianweekly northwest

12

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

{HAWAII cont’d from page 4} recommended is proof of how many viable choices worldwide are available to travel consumers,” said Kanoho. “It’s gratifying to see Hawaii listed several times, as interest in travel to all the islands will be encouraged.”

According to Randy Baldemor, CEO of HTA, the state is enjoying its fourth straight year of record-setting visitor arrivals and expenditures, and the forecast for 2016 suggests the chance for further growth.

“A record number of air seats are serving Hawaii, and our air access network is extremely diverse,” Baldemor said.

“To achieve these results, it’s a collaborative effort involving HTA’s partners and contractors as well as the Hawaii tourism industry at large.”

Counting up the cash: Annually, the state dedicates $82 million in base funding for the Tourism Special Fund. That money comes from Transient Accommodations Tax revenue, according to Baldemor.

The main areas for marketing are North America, Japan, China, Europe, Korea, Latin America, Oceania and Taiwan.

In 2016, the organization will also be setting its sights on Southeast Asia.

The KVB received $1.5 million from HTA for January through December 2015. Kauai County also provides funding to the KVB. For each of the past two fiscal years, which run from July 1 to June 30, KVB received $225,000.

Nalani Kaauwai Brun, program administration officer for the county’s office of economic development, said the office works with KVB to create an annual budget, which can be adjusted throughout the year with the approval of both entities.

“The county funding is meant to be used for programs not {ALABAMA cont’d from page 4} Yemen two years later, and were granted refugee status in 2009.

Three years later, after a stint in Fargo, North Dakota, Mohammed and his family relocated to south Alabama with help from Catholic Social Services in Mobile, a city unique in Alabama for providing a home for Iraqi refugees.

Mohammed now has a mortgage on a ranch-style home in a leafy subdivision, runs an international retail store where he puts in 12hour days and makes enough money to send two of his three children to a local mosque for school.

He talks warmly and effusively about the American dream, the ease of buying a car with credit, of working hard and making something of himself with self-determination and grit.

“To build yourself in Iraq, even if you work hard and save your money, it impossible,” Mohammed said. “Here, it’s easy to build your life. If you work hard and work right, you don’t cheat the bank and you don’t cheat the government, you can build yourself very quick.”

Mohammed is among a growing Iraqi community. A total of 493 Iraqi refugees or Iraqis with special immigrant visas have arrived in Alabama since 2007, according to the U.S. State Department. Separate data from the Department of Homeland Security shows nearly all new Alabama residents from Iraq are in one spot: Mobile.

Most are refugees who depend on local organizations and government assistance to help them integrate into the culture. Last year, the federal government spent $1.1 billion to resettle about 70,000 refugees or about $15,714 per person.

The Iraqi diaspora has had a ripple effect nationwide, as more than 139,955 Iraqi refugees and Iraqis with special visas arrived in U.S. since the 2003 Iraq War, which displaced more than 2 million people.

Michigan alone has welcomed 19,630 Iraqi refugees or 198 Iraqis

funded by the HTA, and for programs that the county and KVB feel (Kauai) may be losing out on, or if we need more flexibility so that we can adjust when opportunity comes knocking,” Brun said.

Sizing up the competition: For Hawaii, the biggest competitors are Mexico, California, Tahiti and the Bahamas.

“Now, Vietnam is up and coming and getting a lot of attention,” Kanoho said.

Competition is compounded by the fact that the Hawaiian Islands are pitted against each other for their visitors. Maui is the biggest competition out of the islands, according to Kanoho. “We’re like competitive brothers and sisters,” Kanoho said. “Each island has its own feel and story, so which island speaks to you?”

A bigger roadblock for Hawaii, though, is that much of the tourism base is aging, and the younger generation is looking for something new.

“The point I keep making is that those who use to love us for who we are, are getting older and not traveling as much,” Kanoho said. “The younger generation has a beenthere-done-that mindset.”

That mentality is sending people to destinations that their parents didn’t visit.

Standing out from the crowd With so many choices, it’s easy to see the challenge of bringing the spotlight to Kauai, but Kanoho said the island’s assets make it more attainable.

“It’s not hard when you have the beauty and the people of Kauai,” Kanoho said. “There’s only one Na Pali Coast.

There’s only one Waimea Canyon. There’s only one Kilauea Lighthouse.”

for every 100,000 people since 2007. That’s by far the highest per capita rate in the nation, followed

by Arizona and then North Dakota.

Alabama, thanks to Mobile, saw 10 Iraqi refugees for every 100,000 residents since 2007.

These figures might come as a surprise to critics who have opposed President Barack Obama’s plan to allow up to 10,000 Syrian refugees into the U.S. Thirty governors including Alabama’s Robert Bentley and numerous members of Congress have called for a halt to the refugee program, with Republican Rep. Bradley Byrne of Fairhope sponsoring a bill that would effectively defund the Syrian refugee program.

In an interview with AL.com, Byrne made a distinction between the Iraqi and Syrian refugees.

“We have a lot more assets on the ground in Iraq than we do in Syria,” Byrne said. “There are ways to make sure we know a lot more about people who are coming from Iraq.”

If Syrian refugees were to come to Alabama, their link to the new world would be Catholic Social Services in Mobile.

The church group has worked with refugees since 1975, when they assisted with Alabama’s then state coordinator to help resettle refugees from Vietnam and other countries, according to Rev. Monsignor Michael Farmer, Mobile archdiocese vicar general.

Alabama has discontinued its program and now the Archdiocese of Mobile works directly with the federal government, which vets and selects the refugees.

Families from countries such as Bosnia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, and the former country of Yugoslavia have relocated into Mobile in recent years. The Catholic Social Services eight-person staff, not including volunteers, can help up to 135 refugees a year.

Immigration patterns in Mobile are far different than in the rest of the state.

Birmingham and Huntsville see most new green cards issued to res-

idents of Mexico, India or China.

Montgomery sees a large number of new arrivals from South Korea, but that’s also followed by India and China. Statewide, Iraq does not crack the top 10 most common nationalities for new arrivals.

But Iraqis are No. 1 in Mobile. According to Department of Homeland Security data from 2009 to 2013, Mobile saw 205 green cards issued to former residents of Iraq. Vietnam was second.

Ahmed Hameed, sitting on a couch his modest home near Mobile Regional Airport, sips on a cup of tea and offers a reporter a bite of flakey Iraqi-style Baklava.

With a sense of pride, the 48-yearold Baghdad native notes that he bought the pastries from an Iraqi distributor from Michigan.

One day, Hameed said he returned to his small retail store in Baghdad and found a letter that read, “We’re going to kill you if you come back.” He fled Iraq, with his wife, two sons, and two daughters in June 2006.

They left the family business in the care of a relative and spent two years in Syria before qualifying as refugees and arriving on June 12, 2008.

An Arabic speaker with little familiarity with the English language, Hameed was at a disadvantage when he arrived stateside.

So he took grammar classes and a job as a women’s shoe salesman at Dillard’s in Mobile. There, he is required to speak English to interact with customers.

Two years ago, he, his wife, and their eldest daughter passed the civics test and became American citizens. Hameed’s youngest children became citizens by default.

Their entire family has gone to Washington D.C. for vacation.

Asked about the situation in Syria, Hameed says that the U.S. should accept more Syrian refugees because there are “people over there dying every day.”

“I go to Syria,” Hameed said.

“It’s happened to me. It’s happened to me and I came to the safe area. I feel them.” 

Marketing kismet moments is another of the ways that Kauai is being promoted.

In a Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau video promoting the island, a story is told about happenstance meetings between visitors and locals at small gatherings and markets. The campaign is called “Let Hawaii Happen” and there are videos online for every island.

“We make it clear that we’re rural and a slower pace and we promote the natural beauty,” Kanoho said. “On Kauai, we have really great farmers’ markets, local products, and Kauai Made.”

Education is the other key to marketing each individual island. Kanoho said research conducted by the HCVB showed that many people, particularly located East of the Rocky Mountains, don’t know much about the islands.

“We’ve been focusing on educating the basics of the Hawaiian Islands,” Kanoho said. “Someone thought there was an Island of Kona, for example. So, (we’re looking at) people who have never been, or know very little about the islands.”

Economic impact: Visitors are important to many businesses on Kauai. Milton Ozaki, owner of Robert’s Jewelry in Lihue, said visitors account for about half of his business.

“Visitors probably end up spending more dollars, because they only have this one chance,” Ozaki said. “They don’t get to come back and think about it, but both visitors and locals are very important.”

Ozaki said, in his experience, the trend in tourism is cyclical. Over the past five years, he said, he’s watched the numbers fluctuate.

“This past year was really good,” Ozaki said. “We have had more visitors, but it goes up and down.” 

{SHELF cont’d from page 7} circumstances that no one wants to solve. The second is a baby elephant.

The former sets Chopra on a path that leads him across Mumbai, from its fancy highrises to its greatest slum to its new shopping malls (much to his dismay) — and deep into the city’s underworld.

As for the elephant, the retired inspector wonders what his favorite uncle was thinking, bequeathing him such an animal when he lives in a crowded apartment building and doesn’t know the first thing about taking care of the (relatively) small pachyderm.

Chopra was forced into an early retirement following a heart attack and a doctor’s recommendation that he reduce the stress in his life. Despite his new retired status, Chopra continues to investigate the death of the drowned boy — initially struck by the boy’s mother’s comments about how his death is not deemed important because his family is poor. As he uncovers more and more clues, Chopra learns the true reason the boy’s death is being swept under the rug. And it’s not pretty.

Although the case is serious and is treated as such by Khan, the story is balanced out by Chopra’s other inheritance, which he names Ganesha in honor of the Hindu god. Chopra and his wife Poppy’s adventures in figuring out what it means to raise and take care of an elephant will have readers laughing out loud. The scene in which Poppy takes it upon herself to bathe and clean up Ganesha is my favorite in the book.

“Inheritance” is the first in a new series chronicling the partnership Chopra and Ganesha form and the adventures they go on and the crimes they solve.

It is strong beginning to what promises to be an even stronger series.

“The Gangster’s Son: A Shig Sato Mystery”

By Joseph Mark Brewer Amazon Digital Services, Inc., 2014 On a hot summer night in Tokyo, a young waitress is found murdered in an alleyway behind the jazz club where she worked.

Tokyo police’s Inspector Shig Sato is the detective assigned to run the investigation. Initially, it is thought that the girl’s boyfriend, a U.S. Marine who has gone missing, is behind the murder. But then Sato learns that the club is owned by none other than Jun Fujimori, son of Ses Fujimori, Sato’s childhood friend who also happens to be a notorious yakuza boss.

Throughout his career, Sato has been known as an honest cop and a straight-shooter. Nobody knows his and his family’s ties to the Fujimori clan, who took care of Sato’s family when they hit hard times after his father died in World War II. But when it becomes clear that Jun is the top suspect in the waitress’s murder, Sato must figure out how to bring him to justice while not forgetting the debt he owes the Fujimori family or letting any of his colleagues know about the families’ connections. On top of all that, Sato’s former partner is gunning for him, trying to find a link between Sato and the yakuza in hopes of taking away Sato’s upcoming retirement pension.

In addition to the mystery, “Gangster’s Son” is a story about two childhood friends and the ties that bind them. We see both Sato and Ses struggle to come to terms with the situation presented to them — the latter’s son being a top murder suspect and the former who must arrest him. Brewer shows us two men — despite their very different career paths — who truly value family and duty and do what they feel they must in order to honor that.  Samantha Pak can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

13

For the week of January 9–January 15, 2016

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — Your dogged determination has paid off in a big way. Although there were many doubters along the way, no one can argue with your results.

Dragon — Whether you are behind the scenes or out in front, there is no disputing the level of contribution you have made to the end product.

Monkey — Things have turned out quite differently from what you had initially predicted, but that is probably for the better.

Ox — Try your hand at a new endeavor. You will surprise yourself with how much you are actually able to accomplish.

Snake — Others will benefit from the example you have set and, in turn, you should also receive gratitude in kind.

Rooster — As much as you would like to be independent, there is no shame in accepting help when it is needed.

Tiger — It takes a lot of discipline to achieve longterm gains. Thankfully, you have done well so far, so just keep it up.

Horse — What you have learned in one setting will soon be applied in another. Build on the knowledge that you have gained.

Dog — Don’t be in such a hurry to move on to the next stage. There are plenty of moments to savor, if you just open your eyes to them.

Rabbit — If the pace doesn’t feel quite right, then some adjustment is necessary. It may take a few tries, but you will get there.

Goat — The more things you have to juggle, the higher your level of efficiency should be. Organization is crucial here.

Pig — Although you consider yourself very informed, it might be worthwhile to consider a variety of sources.

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, 2015 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.

{REFUGEES cont’d from page 6} Syrian refugees into the United States. Among the Republican presidential candidates, Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz have said that Christian refugees from Syria should be allowed into the country.

Other Republican candidates have said that no Syrians should be allowed in as refugees. The three Democratic presidential candidates have said they favor accepting Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, more than two dozen governors— in contrast to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy — have asked the federal government to block Syrian refugees from resettling in their states.

“I think that the suspicion of foreign Muslims is higher than it has been in my 10 years resettling refugees,” said George, of IRIS. “There are more questions about Muslims than ever before.”

Mann-Agnew said Catholic Charities was asked recently if it could resettle about 80 more than the roughly 260 refugees it resettled last year, with most coming from Syria and Congo.

And that number could climb, she said.

Catholic Charities in Hartford recently purchased a larger storage unit in anticipation of the donations they are expecting to receive and the items they will need to buy if more refugees arrive. “We’ve been getting the word out that we need beds, we need kitchen furniture, chairs,” Mann-Agnew said. “That apartment has to be fully furnished when they arrive.”

Money for the federally funded resettlement services comes from grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement. George said IRIS’s budget last year was about $1.4 million, about $800,000 of which came from the government. Another $600,000 was donated by such private entities as churches, foundations, groups, individuals or raised at events.

George said he expects private donations to spike, money the agency will need if it does double the number of refugees it resettles, George said. The agency is planning to increase its staff and move to a larger facility by February. With those expansions and widespread political and community support, George said his agency is poised to do more.

For most of the refugees arriving in Connecticut, it has taken years to get to the United States, with several rounds of interviews and security screenings, including inquiries about whether they could be considered a refugee in the first place.

To be considered, one has to show that they are unwilling to return to their home country because they have been persecuted there or have evidence that they will be persecuted if they go back. Refugees are persecuted because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or their political opinion.

Resettlement experts said once a refugee is given that status, they are interviewed extensively by officials under contract with the Depart-

ment of State. Once those interviews are complete, a refugee is interviewed by the Department of Homeland Security and background checks are conducted.

The State Department and Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approve all refugees for entry into the United States, a process that can take years. They are placed by the State Department with affiliates of national voluntary resettlement agencies nationwide.

In Connecticut, the Department of Social Services contracts with these agencies that then have the task of making sure the refugees are following the resettlement program. Once those checks are cleared, refugees must buy their own plane ticket to the United States, after which they must go through additional security checks so officials can ensure that the people they are interviewing are the same ones that were interviewed overseas.

When refugees arrive in the United States, the resettlement agencies provide them with a culturally appropriate hot meal on their first day in America, some cash, and help them shop for food and other items for their apartment. Then they help them find a job and get medical care as needed.

In a warehouse-like room at the New Haven offices of IRIS one recent morning,

refugees and immigrants quietly searched through racks of winter coats and sweaters and piles of boots they’ve been told they will need for their first winter in Connecticut.

“If they’re too big, bring them back and we’ll exchange it,” a volunteer at the organization said to one woman as Jenny Velecela, a case management assistant, wrapped a scarf around her like a hijab, the head covering that many Muslim women wear.

“Look at this. Nice?” Velecela said to a young woman with a baby. The woman, who did not appear to understand English, took the scarf as Velecela gave her the thumbs-up sign.

A woman named Noor, from Syria, filled two plastic bags with clothes for her two small children. She said that after many interviews and security screenings, she was glad to finally be in the United States. “But I miss my family,” she said.

In an adjoining room, all eyes were on Erika Mendelsohn as she taught what she called “survival English” to a crowded room of refugees and immigrants more familiar with Arabic, Farsi and Pashto.

“Do you remember your address?” Mendelsohn said slowly to one man, who recited his full address back to a smiling Mendelsohn. It is attention to these kinds of details— such as whether refugees know enough English to get a job interview

or if they have the supplies they need to keep their families comfortable —that help ensure refugees will be able to move beyond the resettlement program and begin a promising life in America.

“When these families get here, they are afraid for the most part,” Mann-Agnew said. “They have not been exposed to a lot. They’ve lived fearful lives. Some of them have been in refugee camps two years, five years, 10 years or even more, so it’s our responsibility to help them get acclimated, to help them get comfortable, to help them get their children in school, to help them get the medical care and mental health counseling for trauma.”

More care these days is in the area of mental health treatment for those who lived through war, torture and fearing for their lives and the lives of their family members while also leaving behind family members and better memories in the homeland that they may never live in again.

“When you’ve lost everything, you’re being persecuted, family members get killed, you want to seek refuge somewhere where you can live free,” Jama Ahmed, assistant director of migration and refugee services for Catholic Charities, said. “Families are really grateful to be in an environment where they don’t have to be afraid. Some are overwhelmed, but they are glad to be here.” 

asianweekly northwest

14

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

Din Tai Fung is looking for Dim sum apprentices. No experience is required. $12-$15 per hour. Please call 206-8615153 and ask for Caspar. The interview date for the week (Monday–Friday).

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The Northwest Asian Weekly is looking for event volunteers on Feb. 6, Lunar New Year Fashion Show, 4-10 p.m. at the House of Hong Restaurant; and Feb. 13, Lunar New Year kids parade/costume contest, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Asian Weekly’s office. Please contact rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

Advertize in our Service Directory Just $10 a week!

12 weeks for $120.

For more info, call John at 206-223-0623

Senior Services is looking for a Transportation Coordinator (Full-Time). Please visit our web site at www.seniorservices.org for full details. Equal Opportunity Employers.

EMPLOYMENT Editor for Northwest Asian Weekly Award-winning newspaper Northwest Asian Weekly is currently seeking a passionate editor to work 30+ hours a week.

Job description: As the editor of Northwest Asian Weekly (NWAW), you are responsible for managing the newspaper’s print, online, and social media presence. The work is fast-paced and copious, so we’re looking for a multitasker who can write thousands of words really quickly and accurately. The editor works with a team of freelance reporters, assigning/editing/coaching them. Additionally, NWAW has a nonprofit arm that you will create

{HOUSTON cont’d from page 5} inmates in her court faced before they died in custody.

In a recent interview in the Nguyens’ South Houston home, Nguyen’s wife sat on an evergreen couch in a living room decorated with a crucifix and framed photos of her husband, their six children and grandchildren. Vo said she

communications for, from time to time. To be a good fit for this position, you need to be able to work and write FAST, wear many hats, and juggle multiple deadlines — you should also have a passion for social justice and a solid understanding of issues that affect Asian Americans. Applicants without writing samples that speak to this will not be considered.

Required Qualifications: — A bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or similar — Familiarity with AP style — Superior news writing skills — Deep understanding of issues surrounding race, culture, and ethnicity

— Must work in office M–W. Flexible hours on Thu–Fri. Desired Qualifications: — Photography skills — News experience, either print or web — Social media expertise To apply, send a cover letter, a resume, and 3 writing samples (2 hard news samples, 1 feature sample — one MUST cover race, culture, or ethnicity), and salary requirements with “News Editor” in the subject line to editor@nwasianweekly.com.

For more information, contact Stacy Nguyen at editor@ nwasianweekly.com.

visited Nguyen in jail and in the hospital during the months he was in custody. “We tried. We begged. I tried to get him out,” she said. “In the hospital, I also asked, ‘Now that he’s sick, can he come home?’ And (the doctor) said no.”

On June 1, 2009, Nguyen was rushed to the emergency room in respiratory distress. Over the next three days, he coded five times before succumbing to MRSA pneumonia,

a deadly antibiotic-resistant staph infection. Because the disease is highly contagious, Vo watched his last moments from behind a window.

Every Sunday, after church services, she still visits him — at the cemetery. “I stop by to see him,” she said, “every week.”  This story has been edited for space.

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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE {BLOG cont’d from page 10}

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

15

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

Poverty inspires greed. We got lost inside an Angkor temple. A security guard helped us to get out of a maze.

“Do I get a tip?” he asked afterwards. We gave him $2 USD, and he was happy.

Another time, we asked the tuk-tuk driver to make stop at a hotel across from ours.

“That will be $2,” he replied.

In general, though, I the people I met left good impressions.

Visiting a tragic and violent history I remember I had chills when I visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., in 2004, even though there were no real dead bodies or skeletons. The Killing Fields site is famous for its rawness, with thousands of real victims’ skulls and skeletons making up a tower.

The difference between Cambodia’s and Germany’s genocide, as many have said, was that Hitler targeted Jews while the Khmer Rouge killed its own people — more than two million victims.

I hate horror movies. You can understand why I have resisted visiting sites of genocide.

What if I got nightmares from sensing unsettling souls dying in terror? It took courage for me to confront Cambodia’s past.

Finally, we went, dragging our heels to step inside a haunted building.

Through the hotel, we hired Pat, a tour guide, a university graduate with a degree in tourism. In her mid 20s, Pat spoke fluent English. The tuk-tuk ride took 40 minutes, kicking up a dust on the road. At one time, the road was so bumpy and narrow, our tuktuk stopped. The driver told us to get out and walk so his vehicle was light enough to turn onto another road.

When we reached the museum, (the Khmer Rouge had used a former cemetery for Cambodian Chinese to conduct killings), Pat sat us down and narrated the place’s history.

“Enough.” I stopped her after 20 minutes.

It was sickening to listen to tales of human destruction. I avoided looking at the skeletons up close.

“One more place I have to take you,” said Pat. It was the Tuol Sleng Prison, a former public school where victims were held before they were sent to the death camp.

“What were you two talking about?” I asked, inquiring about Pat and our driver.

“He wants $5 USD more,” Pat said. “I said no because it’s on the way.”

“Tell him OK,” I responded.

The prison was actually a torturing center.

It’s currently a museum displaying photos of interrogation and tools of torture. We only saw less than half of the exhibits, enough to make me nauseous. Outside the prison building, 85-year-old Chum Mey, the last prison survivor out of 12,000 killed or trucked to the Killing Fields, was selling his autobiography.

The only reason he was not executed was because he was a mechanic — after torturing him for months, the regime found that they needed someone to fix their cars. He was one of seven survivors at the prison who were spared death because of special skills.

I was delighted to meet Mey and buy his book, which was translated into English. Just like my Cambodian friends, Sam Ung, owner of Phnom Penh Restaurant and our former writer Meng Kwong, who both survived and escaped to America, Mey symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit.

I was so relieved when we left Phnom Penh for Angkor. 

The garb worn by guards at the Royal Palace are bright and multi-colored.

Ladies-in-waiting or handmaidens to the queen also wore colorful dress, one for each day of the week.

85-year-old Chum Mey holds a copy of his autobiography.

A museum displays a shrine to elephants, which are a sacred animal in Cambodia.

The remains of children killed by the Khmer Rouge is bordered by fencing that displays memorial ribbons.

A museum display of Khmer Rouge victims’ clothing

The “killing tree,” where children were beaten is memorialized with hanging ribbons

Signage that details the terror enacted by the Khmer Rouge on its prisoners

Tuol Sleng Prison, a former public school where victims were held before they were sent to the death camp

This is the part three of Assunta Ng’s threepart Cambodia series.

Read part 1 at http://tinyurl.com/nncv6oe.

And part 2 at http://tinyurl.com/z2cdrbz.

Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@ nwasianweekly.com.

A cultural dancer at the National Museum’s theater

A mother and child, who are homeless, sleeping in the street

Within this structure are human remains, victims of the Khmer Rouge.

asianweekly northwest

How mochi is made

What makes mochi unique is that it’s made with rice dough. When we consider Western sweets and snacks, much is based on wheat flour, but mochi gets it distinctive chewy texture by using a special kind of rice called sweet rice, also known as glutinous or sticky rice. What is unique about mochi is that it is almost always steamed. The steaming and cooking coupled with the starchy nature of the rice gives mochi its unique and distinctive sticky texture.

Traditionally, Japanese make mochi is made by pounding steamed and cooked glutinous rice finely in a large mortar. After it is shaped and often filled, the final product is decorated, which can make mochi more than just a treat. It’s something worth more than just eating!

Rice cakes by any other name

Mochi is usually associated with Japan, but the use of glutinous rice to make rice cakesis prevalent in other countries as well, such as China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, and Korea. Rice cakes also need not be sweet. They are sometimes an ingredient in savory soups!

In Japan, mochi is traditionally made and presented as part of a celebration commemorating joy and serving as a gift (the packaging of the mochi can be a big and intricate part of the presentation, aside from decorated mochi itself). Although typically celebratory, mochi can also acknowledge departure

(funerals, grief, offerings to ancestors).

The most familiar type of mochi to Westerners might be daifuku from Japan, usually filled with sweetened adzuki red bean referred to as anko, but there are also plenty of other options, from green tea to seasoned white bean. And, if you have a real sweet tooth, there is also frozen mochi filled with ice cream.

All sale lasts from Friday 1/8 to Thursday 1/14 1221 S. King St., Seattle ∙ 206-720-0969 Monday—Sunday: 8 a.m.—8 p.m. www.lamsseafood.com NOW AVAILABLE LUNAR NEW YEAR ITEMS

Some of the other popular rice cake varieties from around Asia include:

• Manju (Japan)/Mantou (China): A plain rice flour dough that is risen and and then steamed. It’s the texture of a bun.

• Monaka (Japan): A dessert sandwich where filling is placed between two wafers of baked mochi. On certain occasions, a special prize might be inserted instead of the traditional anko filling; good luck for the New Year!

• Kue moci (Indonesia): A glutinous rice cake also filled with a peanut paste and covered with sesame seeds • Tangyuan (China): A dessert soup in which glutinous rice flour is mixed with a water to form balls, usually filled with black sesame paste or peanut, and suspended in a sweet clear broth soup • Banh da lon (Vietnam): A sticky striped cake slab in which thick layers of pandanflavored glutinous rice cake alternate with thick layers of mung bean-flavored glutinous rice cake.  Peggy Chapman can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

Assorted Candied Fruits Trays

Candied water chestnuts

Roasted watermelon seeds

Mung bean cakes

Candied coconut ribbons

Ochna integerrima

New Year Gift Sets

New Year Gift Sets

PRODUCE

{MOCHI cont’d from page 1}

SEAFOOD

16

JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 15, 2016

Cali Orange $

Fuji Apple

0.49 lb

$

White Shrimp 110/130 Headless $

0.69 lb

Fz Frog Legs

12.99 4lbs box

$

3.29 lb

Offer only good while supplies last. We reserve the right to correct all printed errors.

Thai Banana $

0.69 lb

Fz King Weakfish $

Bittermelon

2.99 lb

$

0.99 lb

Fresh Stripped Bass $

3.99 lb

Mochi can be a choking hazard!

According to Japan Today, the Tokyo Fire Department said last Friday that two people died after choking on mochi on New Year’s Day. The victims were both men, an 84-year-old and a 76-year-old.

Additionally, six people were hospitalized in the Tokyo area after choking on the sticky cakes. Suffocation deaths are caused

by mochi every year in Japan, especially among elderly people. The cakes can get lodged in throats while being eaten. Most of these deaths in Japan occur in January, when the cakes are most often consumed.

If you have a message to send, perhaps say it with a gift of mochi — just make sure the recipient swallows after admiring the presentation.

MEAT

A (not-so-fun) mochi fact!

Beef Flap Meat $

4.99 lb

Pork Sparerib $

2.49 lb

Chicken Drumstick $

0.99 lb

Duck Leg Quarter $

5.99 lb

Northwest Asian Weekly / Seattle Chinese Post presents

Chinatown-International District Lunar New Year Celebration Kids’ Parade Contest ▪ Saturday, February 13, 2016

DIAMOND SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSOR

WHAT: Kids’ Parade Contest WHERE: 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle EVENT DATE: Saturday, February 13 DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Noon on February 13

Children’s Parade Competition Schedule: • Noon—1:15 PM — Registration (each contestant gets a number) • 1 PM — Line up (outside NW Weekly’s office, 412 Maynard Ave. S., Chinatown/International District) • 1:15 PM — Judging begins • 1:30 PM — Parade begins • 2:10 PM — Parade winners announced • Contestants must be present at the announcement of results.

• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order.

• All contestants will receive a fortune cookie.

Registration/Sign-Up: • You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in or sign-up on the day of the contest. If register before February 11, contestants will get a prize after the event. Registration table will be located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave. S. • Contestants must sign-in at the registration table 15 minutes prior to parade.

Rules/Guidelines: • Kids ages 14 and under can participate in the contest • Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the Parade • Kids will be given a contestant number for the order of Parade lineup • Kids attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration Judging: • All contestants will be judged by the provided judging criteria.

• Prizes will be awarded to First ($100), Second ($50), and Third ($25) Place Winners, plus many other prizes.

• All decisions made by competition judges are final.

• Winners and finalists’ photos will be in NW Asian Weekly/Seattle Chinese Post print and online on Feb. 18.

Please submit completed application through one of the following methods: Mail: Northwest Asian Weekly Children’s Parade Contest 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104

Name: ________________________________________________________

School Name:_____________________________________ Age:___________

Phone: ________________________________________________________

E-mail: ________________________________________________________

Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations. Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.