The Asian reporter., March 16, 2015, Page Page 7, Image 7

U.S.A.
March 16, 2015
Lawmakers feast, dance with
Juneau’s Filipino community
By Katie Moritz
Juneau Empire
UNEAU, Alaska (AP) —
Juneau’s Filipino community
rolled out the proverbial red
carpet for local and visiting law-
makers at its fifth annual legislative
reception, and Filipino Community
Inc. (FCI) did not disappoint with the
food or entertainment.
Pounds and pounds of house-made
pancit, lumpia, chicken, and beef
were served at FCI Hall and the floor
was cleared for performances by local
talents — including one of Juneau’s
own assemblymen.
Senators and representatives,
including Juneau’s delegation —
senator Kevin Meyer (R-Anchorage),
senator John Coghill (R-North Pole),
and representative Adam Wool
(D-Fairbanks) — gathered with their
families and staffs for a night away
from the capitol and a shared meal
away from the legislative lounge.
But first, there was serious busi-
ness to tend to. FCI’s board and new
president, Josielind Ferrer, were
inaugurated and sworn in by judge
Richard Siangco. Ferrer said her goal
as president for the coming year is to
preserve the downtown FCI Hall and
work toward future expansion.
“But that takes time and planning,
and money,” she said. “One step at a
time, and we’re moving forward.”
She added during her brief speech
that the FCI leaders before her have
set the organization up for success.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t mess with
it,” she said to applause.
She gave a shoutout to FCI’s first
female president, Jenny Strickler,
now an honorary consul-general of
the Philippines to Alaska.
J
FESTIVE FILIPINOS. Dancers perform a traditional Tinikling bamboo dance at the fifth an-
nual legislative reception at the Filipino Community Inc. Hall in Juneau, Alaska. Juneau’s Filipino
community rolled out the proverbial red carpet for local and visiting lawmakers at its annual legisla-
tive reception, and Filipino Community Inc. did not disappoint with the food or entertainment. (AP
Photo/Juneau Empire, Katie Moritz)
The celebration featured a tradi- Sean Parnell’s special counsel Randy
tional Tinikling bamboo dance per- Ruaro for their support of FCI while
formance by Raymond Bernaldo- the organization was raising money
Lujan, Andrea Nguyen, Aaron for victims of Typhoon Haiyan (also
known as Typhoon Yolanda) in 2013.
Abella, and Nicole Rodriguez.
Representatives Sam Kito (D-Ju- The devastating natural disaster
neau) and Cathy Muñoz (R-Juneau), claimed the lives of at least 6,300
and Wool all tried their hands, or feet, people in the Philippines.
Ruaro was also responsible for
at the tricky dance, but decided to
facilitating a large donation of Alaska
leave it to the professionals.
Local talent Abella was the stand- salmon to victims of Typhoon Haiyan
out of the night, opening the evening and getting the first-ever Alaska
with a rendition of “The Star- seafood booth into a Manila seafood
Spangled Banner.” He went on to star festival in September, longtime FCI
in the Broadway song-and-dance member Rafael Castaños said.
Castaños said the Filipino commu-
number “Brotherhood of Man” with a
troupe of local dancers, including nity welcomes the legislature each
assemblyman Jesse Kiehl, much to year because while they’re at the
the surprise and delight of the locals capitol, “the telephone is ringing and
they have to meet with lots of people.”
in the room.
The reception is a good time to get
Former FCI president Dante Reyes
recognized former Juneau mayor their ears. “While they’re eating, the
Bruce Botelho and former governor telephone is not ringing,” he said.
PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — An Oregon woman who
was detained in Japan for 18 days after her mother
shipped her a prescription drug for attention-deficit
disorder (ADD) now plans to return home.
Carrie Russell takes Adderall, and a three-month refill
of the drug containing amphetamine was sent to her in
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HARD
Difficulty
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# 7
#84916
Instructions: Fill in the grid so that the digits 1
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Solution to
last week’s
puzzle
Puzzle #92728 (Medium)
All solutions available at
<www.sudoku.com>.
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Chinese students at Purdue
report credit card fraud
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — More than 30 Purdue
University students from China say they are victims of
credit card fraud that exceeds $100,000.
Purdue Police detective Jared Baer told WLFI-TV that
the reports date from October. He said similar cases have
been reported across the country, including several at
Boston University.
Investigators say they believe the problem originated in
China and that there’s little police here can do because it’s
an international crime.
Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Lt. Jason Huber said police
are taking reports and working with Purdue’s
International Center to alert students to the fraud and
instruct them on how to monitor their accounts for
suspicious activity.
q
Chinese investors buying
Myrtle Beach golf courses
Oregon woman held in Japan for prescription drug released
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Japan, where she planned to teach English. Japan has
strict laws against amphetamine.
Russell was arrested February 20 and held in a women’s
detention center. Members of congress and U.S.
ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy worked for her
release. The family wrote an apology letter, saying she
didn’t intend to break the law.
Russell told The Oregonian she was shocked to be ar-
rested, but the detention facility was “not anything terri-
fying.” She says she had bento meals and did daily chores.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Records show that
Chinese investors are buying a lot of golf courses and
other properties in the Myrtle Beach area of South
Carolina.
The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reported that investors
from China have spent nearly $50 million buying more
than a dozen golf courses in the area in the past two years.
The newspaper said Chinese investors paid $7.5 million
to buy Waccamaw Pottery in 2011. They’ve also purchased
an undeveloped section of Grande Dunes for $5 million.
Relaxed Chinese government regulations on foreign
investments have led to a number of purchases in Myrtle
Beach and elsewhere around the country.
Myrtle Beach mayor John Rhodes said he would like to
see a large high-rise hotel built to cater to Asian culture.
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