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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2014)
U.S.A. September 15, 2014 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 7 Ursinus College president Bobby Fong dies at age 64 INSPIRATIONAL ADMINISTRATOR. For- mer Butler University president Bobby Fong gives high-fives after a Butler Bulldog pep rally on the Ather- ton Union steps at Butler University in Indianapolis, in this 2011 file photo. The pep rally was held prior to Butler playing Virginia Commonwealth University in the NCAA basketball semifinal game in Houston. Fong, the son of Chinese immigrants who rose to become one of the few Asian Americans at the helm of a U.S. col- lege, died last week at the age of 64. (AP Photo/The Indianapolis Star, Danese Kenon) COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Ursinus College president Bobby Fong, the son of Chinese immigrants who rose to become one of the few Asian Americans at the helm of a U.S. college, has died. He was 64 years old. Ursinus announced his death on its website, saying it was from natural causes. His previous employer, Butler University, said in a statement that Fong died of an apparent heart attack. Fong had led Ursinus for the past three years. The small liberal arts school in the Philadelphia suburb of Collegeville serves about 1,700 students. “He was an inspiring leader in higher education and had an unflinching commit- ment to liberal education,” the dean of Ursinus, Lucien “Terry” Winegar, said in a statement. “He will be missed, both on our campus and within higher education nationally.” Fong also served for a decade as president of Butler University in Indiana. When he took the helm of Butler in 2001, he was one of only 20 Asian-American college presidents in the United States. “During his tenure, he led major initiatives that strengthened Butler’s academics, campus infrastructure, and stewardship,” Butler president James Honolulu to move homeless people from tourist hubs The council was under pressure from the tourism industry to act, with hotel representatives saying visitors complain often about safety and waste. Alan Naito, general manager of the Ohana Waikiki East Hotel, said he regularly sends his employees to clean up urine and feces in a nearby park where he recently saw someone drop their pants in broad daylight. “It’s a very important photo-op area with the Princess Kaiulani statue,” Naito said of the heir to the throne of Hawaii’s Continued on page 15 By Cathy Bussewitz The Associated Press ONOLULU — The Honolulu City Council has approved several measures aimed at moving homeless people out of tourist hotspots in Hawaii, including one that bans sitting and lying down on sidewalks in the popular Waikiki neighborhood. A bill prohibiting urinating and defe- cating in public on the island of Oahu also passed, but the push to prevent homeless people from resting on sidewalks throughout the island failed. H Danko said. Fong grew up in the Chinatown section of Oakland, California. He attended Harvard University on a scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1973. Fong became a scholar of author Oscar Wilde and later taught English at Berea University in Kentucky. He then held administrative posts at Hope College in Michigan and Hamilton College in New York. No immediate successor has been named at Ursinus, according to spokes- woman Wendy Greenberg. Fong is survived by his wife of 40 years, Suzanne Dunham Fong, and two sons. A public memorial service is scheduled for September 20 at Ursinus, Greenberg said. Butler officials are also planning a remembrance on September 28. Man who tried to sell secrets to China sentenced LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former Air Force employ- ee who tried to sell classi- fied information about a military satellite network to China has been sen- tenced to more than three years in federal prison. Brian Scott Orr of Marina del Rey was sen- tenced in Los Angeles. He was also fined $10,000. Prosecutors say Orr was TALKING STORY IN ASIAN AMERICA a former civilian employee with the Air Force Research Laboratory in New York who worked on a computer network used to control military satellites. He resigned in 2011 but kept some restricted train- ing materials. Prosecutors say he sold the information last year for $5,000 to a FBI agent he believed was a Chinese spy. n Polo Polo’s “Talking Story” column will return soon. q My Turn: Sewing and singing Continued from page 6 degree, his parents moved back to Tonga to retire. Now he sends money back home to help them. In fact, Tonga’s economy relies on financial remittances from family members — more than 50 percent of the population — who are located throughout the world. Because the Tongan community is spread out in the Pacific Northwest, hold- ing the sewing circle in Portland is a way for families to connect. They share news of weddings and more recently, several funerals. One of the events I had planned to attend was cancelled because of a death in the community. Although Tongans have a community support system, many are low-income earners and face health issues, due in part to American fast food and what Fusitua calls “a generally starchy Tongan diet.” Many Tongans, both in America and in Tonga, are obese, and one in four develop diabetes. Moms like sewing-circle leader Kakala, who works as a Certified Nursing Assistant while also caring for her elderly mother, finds it difficult to afford healthier food for her family. q Japan’s first lady says husband helps with chores Continued from page 2 Abe said women tend to work harder than men in many parts of the world but are not represented fairly. “I think a society where women can advance and shine is a global trend, otherwise a country cannot be sustained,” she said. But that doesn’t mean all women should work like men to be able to “shine,” she said. “It’s mostly expensive,” she says. “We try to have oatmeal in the morning and fruits at lunch and dinner.” She says they tried to grow vegetables in the backyard, but they did not do well because of the shade. What gives Kakala joy and kinship in her life is the community harmony she feels from the sewing circle — making beautiful quilts or dresses and all the while singing as they work. “I think if we still get together (sewing) for like a couple years, we’ll be able to pass it from our generation to the next generation,” Kakala said. “The more we stay together, we are more happier. We consider it artistic … and it’s using our talent. [The quilts] are hard work!” The sewing circle meets again this fall and throughout the school year. Readers who are interested in participating in the Pacific Islander community arts group should call (503) 234-1541 or visit <www. IRCO.org>. Immigrant or refugee artists are also encouraged to join the “Migra- tions” project. To learn more, visit <www. facebook.com/MigrationsArts>. q Japan rolls out campaign to stockpile toilet paper Continued from page 4 pared.” Japan takes disaster preparedness seriously, especially since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which killed about 19,000 people. Annually, hundreds of thousands of people take part in a drill every September 1, the anniversary of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, which killed more than 140,000 people in Tokyo. Editor’s note: National Preparedness Month is held in the United States during the month of September. To learn more, visit <www.ready.gov>. AVAILABLE NOW In-Town moves from w TRUCKS $19.95 w TRAILERS w HITCHES w AUTO TRANSPORTS Plus Mileage 503-538-2008 RESERVE one now First United Engineering