U.S.A.
June 16, 2014
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 7
Eight-year-old boy granted wish to be Yosemite ranger
YOSEMITE
NATIONAL
PARK, Calif. (AP) — An eight-
year-old Florida boy with a life-
threatening illness has achieved
his wish of becoming an honorary
ranger at Yosemite National
Park.
Park ranger and spokesman
Scott Gediman said Gabriel
Lawan-Ying
of
Gainesville,
Florida put in a full day of work at
the park, putting out a wildland
fire and saving an injured hiker
in a simulated search-and-rescue
operation and helping the
Yosemite medical team carry
the patient to a waiting heli-
copter.
Gabriel’s wish, arranged with
the help of the Make-A-Wish
Foundation, was witnessed by
about 300 spectators, including
more than 50 park rangers in
dress uniforms.
“Yosemite National Park was
honored to host this wish today
with Gabriel and his family,”
Gediman said. “We put a
tremendous amount of time and
effort into making his experience
meaningful.”
In a ceremony presided over by
U.S. magistrate judge Michael
Seng and Yosemite National
Park
superintendent
Don
Donations pour in for
Seattle campus-shooting hero
Neubacher, Gabriel received an
honorary park ranger badge and
credentials along with a plaque
and a flag that was flown over
Yosemite Valley.
Yosemite, which encompasses
By Manuel Valdes
By Chad Garland
The Associated Press
S
S
The Asian Reporter is published on the
first & third Monday each month.
News page advertising deadlines
for our next two issues are:
nearly 1,200 square miles of
wilderness and is visited by
millions of people each year, is
one the nation’s most venerated
Marine debris season ends
as bikini season begins
The Associated Press
EATTLE — Thousands of dollars have been
donated to honor the student credited with
thwarting a shooting at a small Seattle university.
Jon Meis and other students stopped the gunman at
Seattle Pacific University. Meis has been credited with
pepper-spraying and pinning the gunman while he was
reloading his shotgun in the lobby of the building where
the shooting happened.
Soon after Meis was identified, praise began to pour out
on social media sites. Someone found Meis’ wedding regis-
try, and people quickly bought out most of the wish list.
That’s when ESPN sports radio producer Jessamyn
McIntyre got the idea to begin a GoFundMe site for Meis
and his fiancée’s honeymoon and future. The site quickly
went viral.
McIntyre said she hasn’t had direct contact with the
Meis family, who has asked for privacy. But she has left
them her contact information.
On the donations page, people praised Meis. One person
posted, “Only one word needed: Inspiring,” to go with a
$20 donation.
A 26-year-old suspect was charged after the shooting
that left a 19-year-old man dead and two other young
people wounded. The quick action by Meis likely saved
lives, police said.
Another solemn fundraiser has also been launched to
cover the funeral costs of Paul Lee, the 19-year-old
student from Portland, Oregon, killed in the shooting. Lee
was a graduate of Westview High School.
Seattle Pacific University alumnus Michael Hasegawa-
Yun started the page on GiveForward.com and quickly
surpassed the original $5,000 goal. He has since expanded
the fundraising to also financially help other students
who were injured.
“I just felt like I wanted to help out,” Hasegawa-Yun
said, adding that he hasn’t had direct contact with Lee’s
family yet, but one of his friends does. “I just figured they
wanted their privacy.”
The
GiveForward
page
for
Paul
Lee
is
<http://bit.ly/1oIGnqX> and the GoFundMe page for Jon
Meis is <www.gofundme.com/9zzc58?preview=1>.
HONORARY RANGER. Gabriel Lawan-Ying (left photo, on right) raises his arm
while being presented his Honorary National Park Ranger badge by U.S. magistrate judge
Michael Seng, center, and Yosemite National Park superintendent Don Neubacher, left,
during a presentation in Yosemite National Park in California. Eight-year-old Lawan-Ying
worked a full day at the park, putting out a wildland fire (right photo) and saving an in-
jured hiker in a simulated search-and-rescue operation as part of a wish arranged with
the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. (AP Photo/National Park Service)
ALEM, Ore. — A
recent change in the
winds could signal
an end to a spike in marine
trash on Oregon and
Washington beaches.
Federal researchers say
this year’s soggy spring
probably drove a noticeable
uptick in flotsam along the
west coast, including the
northern tip of California.
That’s debris from the
tsunami that hit Japan in
March 2011 combined with
the usual trash and wreck-
age from closer to home.
Researchers at the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration say
an annual transition from
wet winter lows to dry
summer highs has brought
the warmer, northwesterly
winds that push debris-
laden surface water back
out to sea.
Give blood.
To schedule a blood donation
call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
or visit HelpSaveALife.org.
OHSU
Diverse in
People
and Ideas
n Polo
Polo’s “Talking Story”
column will return soon.
ASTHMA
IS
ON
THE RISE.
Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and cultural-
ly competent workforce. Diversity maximizes our true potential for
creativity, innovation, quality patient care, educational excellence and
outstanding service. People with diverse backgrounds and those who
promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply.
www.ohsujobs.com
Space reservations due: Wednesday, July 2 at 1:00pm
Artwork due: Thursday, July 3 at 1:00pm
July 21 to August 3 edition:
For more information, call (503) 283-4440
or e-mail <ads@asianreporter.com>.
TALKING STORY IN
ASIAN AMERICA
Help us find a cure.
1-800-LUNG-USA
July 7 to 20 edition:
Space reservations due: Wednesday, July 16 at 1:00pm
Artwork due: Thursday, July 17 at 1:00pm
national parks.
Yosemite Valley was set aside
for protection by President
Lincoln in 1864.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization.