Hokubei News > Articles > Local Stories > January 2008

31 Jan 2008	Continuing King's Message A small contingent from the Contra Costa JACL took part in a march down San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 21.
31 Jan 2008	Nikkei Singles Present Scholarship A small group of loyal San Francisco/Bay Area Nikkei Singles members were joined by friends from the Sacramento Nikkei Singles and San Jose Social Club at the Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco...
31 Jan 2008	Nakajo Reappointed to Fire Commission Steve Nakajo was sworn in for a new term as a member of the San Francisco Fire Commission on Jan. 16 at City Hall. Reappointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2004 and this year, he has served...
31 Jan 2008	JA Museum's CEO Stepping Down LOS ANGELES.—Irene Y. Hirano, president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum, has announced that she will conclude her tenure in June 2009 after 21 years of service to the institution.
31 Jan 2008	Sen. Inouye, JANM's Hirano to Wed Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) has announced his engagement to Irene Hirano, president and chief executive officer of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
31 Jan 2008	Professor ‘Imi’ Okazaki-Mullins Dies Professor Louise Imiko “Imi” Okazaki-Mullins, renowned martial arts expert and daughter of martial arts legend Henry Seishiro Okazaki, died on Jan. 4 at an Oakland hospital.
30 Jan 2008	Series of Sachiko Fashion Events Fashion designer Sachiko Tabata Fitzpatrick announces a series of events for February and March. The designs honor the many Nikkei followers of Sachiko’s fashions.
30 Jan 2008	Astronauts Remembered This week, NASA commemorates three major tragedies in the history of U.S. space flight, Space.com reports.
30 Jan 2008	Kuwako Takahashi Dies at 91; Leader in Japanese Cultural Community Kuwako Kusunoki Takahashi died unexpectedly at age 91 on Jan. 24 at her home in the San Francisco Towers. Takahashi was a prominent figure in the cultural life of the Japanese American...
30 Jan 2008	Community Workshop on Japantown BNP The second phase of the Japantown Better Neighborhood Plan in San Francisco will be wrapping up with a community workshop and a series of smaller focus groups to hear about and discuss preliminary recommendations.
29 Jan 2008	National JACL Loses Board Member The Japanese American Citizens League last week announced the resignation of Edwin Endow, vice president of membership, from the National JACL Board.
29 Jan 2008	Washington's Umemoto Is Miss America Runner-Up Miss Washington Elise Umemoto was second runner-up in the Miss America 2008 contest held at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 26.
29 Jan 2008	Asians for Obama to Gather in Bay Area Actress Kelly Hu will headline a party for presidential candidate Barack Obama’s Asian American Pacific Islander supporters in the Bay Area on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Roe Restaurant in San Francisco.
26 Jan 2008	Kakizome-Kai 2008 at Nichibei Kaikan A celebration of the new year, Kakizome-Kai 2008, will be held on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Nichibei Kaikan in San Francisco Japantown.
26 Jan 2008	Results of Super Math Exams Super Math held its No. 68 and 69 Abacus/Anzan Examination in the Bay Area in October and November 2007. The students who successfully passed are as follows...
26 Jan 2008	J-Town Task Force Meeting The Japantown Task Force of San Francisco will hold a board meeting on Monday, Jan. 28 in the Japantown Better Neighborhood Planning Room, located on the second floor of the Japan Center’s Miyako Mall.
26 Jan 2008	Pat Fong Kushida Named to Student Aid Commission Patricia Fong Kushida, 48, of Sacramento has been appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Student Aid Commission.
26 Jan 2008	Poster Contest for Asian Heritage Street Celebration The Asian Heritage Street Celebration and Kearny Street Workshop announced their poster competition for the fourth annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration, to be held in San Francisco on Saturday May 17.
26 Jan 2008	‘Growing Up Asian in America’ Entries Sought The Asian Pacific Fund announced Jan. 18 that it is now accepting essays, poems and artwork by local students for the 2008 Growing Up Asian in America contest.
25 Jan 2008	Ohara Ikebana New Year's Luncheon Ohara Ikebana School of Northern California Chapter held its New Year’s luncheon on Jan. 19 at L’ Olivier Restaurant in San Francisco.
25 Jan 2008	JASEB's Crab Feed Set for Feb. 10 OAKLAND — Japanese American Services of the East Bay is preparing for its annual dinner event featuring fresh cracked crab on Sunday, Feb. 10.
25 Jan 2008	Queen Candidate Deadline Extended The 2008 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Program Committee has extended the deadline for its candidate search to Friday, Feb. 1.
25 Jan 2008	Consul General on ‘Japan's Road Ahead’ “Japan’s Road Ahead,” a conversation with Consul General of Japan Yasumasa Nagamine, will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 29 in Fromm Hall on the main campus of University of San Francisco.
25 Jan 2008	Mochitsuki Mania To close out the year, four mochitsuki were held in San Francisco Japantown the weekend of Dec. 29-30.
25 Jan 2008	JBBP Alumni to Perform at Luncheon Where do alumni of the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program, a signature program of the San Francisco Unified School District that began in 1973 out of a grassroots movement to introduce Japanese to the public schools, end up?
24 Jan 2008	Kenjin Kai's New Year's Party The Kumamoto Kenjin Kai of Santa Clara County will hold its annual New Year’s party on Sunday, Jan. 27, at China Stix Restaurant.
24 Jan 2008	Former U.S. Envoy to Japan Honored in S.F. Japan’s consul general in San Francisco, Yasumasa Nagamine, hosted a reception honoring former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Dr. Michael Hayden Armacost on Jan. 17 at the San Francisco residence of the consul general.
24 Jan 2008	Cherry Blossom Festival Scholarships The 2008 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is offering two $2,000 Community Service Scholarships to graduating high school seniors in the Northern California area.
24 Jan 2008	APALSA Names Fellowship After Dale Minami The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association at UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law will hold a fundraiser on Jan. 25 for its inaugural Dale Minami Boalt Alumni Fellowship.
23 Jan 2008	Fire at G&G Service; Employee Hospitalized A worker was hospitalized with burns on Jan. 17 after a fire broke out in a Sacramento downtown auto shop, sending a tall plume of smoke skyward.
23 Jan 2008	Nisei Vet Stamp Gets Support in Hawaii Many of Hawaii's top politicians, including Republican Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona (pictured), and Democratic members of the State Legislature, many of whom are of Japanese descent, are...
23 Jan 2008	Lance Izumi Named President of Community College Board SACRAMENTO — Pacific Research Institute’s director of education studies, Lance Izumi, succeeded Kay Albiani as president of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges on Jan. 15.
19 Jan 2008	Sac'to Fujinkai's Memorial Service/Bonenkai A customary Buddhist memorial service and Bonenkai (year-end party) were held by the Sacramento Betsuin Fujinkai (Women’s Association) on Dec. 9.
19 Jan 2008	Massive Mochi-Making A Mochitsuki Kai (rice cake-making festival) was held Dec. 16 at Santa Clara Saniku Gakuin, where students from kindergarten to junior high school receive their education in Japanese.
19 Jan 2008	Florin Buddhist's Take-Out Bazaar SACRAMENTO — Buddhist Church of Florin will hold its Super Bowl Food Bazaar on Sunday, Feb. 3. The event is take-out only and orders must be made in advance.
19 Jan 2008	S.F. JACL's Crabby (and Shrimpy) Fundraiser The San Francisco JACL held its annual Spaghetti-Crab Feed on Dec. 1 at Christ United Presbyterian Church in Japantown.
19 Jan 2008	Wartime Edition of Amerasia Journal The UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press announces the publication of the special wartime edition of Amerasia Journal, on the state of Asian Americans and Asians in the U.S. in the six years following Sept. 11, 2001.
19 Jan 2008	Western Addition Library to Reopen Feb. 2 Along with the mayor and the city librarian, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and members of the community will open the doors to the newly renovated Western Addition Branch Library on Feb. 2.
19 Jan 2008	Clinton Supports 80-20 Initiative The 80-20 Initiative announced in December that it has received a signed reply from Sen. Hillary Clinton to its questionnaire.
19 Jan 2008	Obama Backers Converge in Vegas More than 30 Asian American artists, filmmakers and activists, including actress Kelly Hu, Yul Kwon, and filmmakers Eric Byler and Annabel Park, are in Las Vegas this weekend...
19 Jan 2008	Keizai Society to Mark 18th Anniversary With Shinnenkai The Keizai Society/U.S.-Japan Business Forum will present its 18th annual Shinnenkai (New Year’s) reception on Friday, Jan. 25 at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club.
19 Jan 2008	Murase Still on the Job Emily Murase, executive director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, is retaining her job. Saying that he wanted a fresh start for his second term, Mayor Gavin Newsom...
18 Jan 2008	Rev. Hanaoka to Speak at CUPC Rev. Nobuaki Hanaoka will be the guest speaker at Christ United Presbyterian Church’s Sunday worship service on Jan. 20. His sermon title is “The Vision of the Community.”
18 Jan 2008	Free Training Session for San Jose Non-profits SAN JOSE — Yu-Ai Kai Japanese American Senior Center is hosting a free introductory session on Tuesday, Jan. 29 for non-profit board members, staff and volunteers to learn...
18 Jan 2008	Ikebana Teacher's Travels Ikebana instructor Molly Kimura was invited to give an Ikenobo ikebana demonstration for the Citrus Heights University Women’s Association on Oct. 25 at the Honda Food Center in Marysville.
18 Jan 2008	Road Repairs at Manzanar Site From Tuesday, Jan. 22, through Saturday, Jan. 26, the National Park Service will close the southern portion of the Manzanar National Historic Site auto tour road for repairs.
18 Jan 2008	Welcoming the Year of the Rat The Year of the Rat got off to an auspicious start on Jan. 5 at the annual Oshogatsu Festival, jointly presented by San Francisco Japantown organizations at the JCCCNC.
17 Jan 2008	Mochitsuki at Konko Church Konko Church of San Francisco held its annual mochitsuki (rice pounding) on the morning of Dec. 30 in the church social hall.
17 Jan 2008	U.S. Ambassador to Japan Speaks in S.F. U.S. Ambassador to Japan J. Thomas Schieffer spoke on U.S.-Japan relations before the World Affairs Council in San Francisco on Jan. 11.
17 Jan 2008	Career Closet Event to Benefit Yu-Ai Kai SAN JOSE — Yu-Ai Kai will be teaming up with the Career Closet for a fundraising event on Sunday, Feb. 10. Proceeds will benefit Yu-Ai Kai.
17 Jan 2008	JBBP Alumni to Reunite, Celebrate In 1973, the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program welcomed 63 students, kindergarten through second grade, to its unique curriculum of Japanese language instruction and cultural education.
16 Jan 2008	JACL Joint Installation Luncheon The Lodi and Stockton JACL chapters will hold a joint installation luncheon on Sunday, Jan. 27 at the Lodi JACL Hall. The guest performer will be bilingual storyteller Megumi.
16 Jan 2008	Honda Getting Out Asian Vote in Nevada LAS VEGAS — Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose) launched a get-out-the-vote campaign among Nevada’s Asian American and Pacific Islander community on Jan. 9 to galvanize...
16 Jan 2008	CCLPEP Grant Applications Available SACRAMENTO — The California Civil Liberties Public Education Program is releasing its 2008 grant applications.
15 Jan 2008	SFFD Promotes Todd Kawaguchi to Captain Todd Kawaguchi was one of seven Asian Pacific Americans honored at a ceremony held by the San Francisco Fire Department for new captains on Nov. 28.
15 Jan 2008	Cherry Blossom Festival Poster Contest Open to Public The 41st annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival invites the public to participate in the Festival Poster Contest. The winning entry will earn a $500 grand prize, and...
12 Jan 2008	Winners of Holiday Giveaway The Japantown Merchants Association of San Francisco has announced the winners of its 2007 Customer Appreciation Holiday Giveaway. To enter the drawing, customers of participating...
12 Jan 2008	JCYC's New, Improved Website The Japanese Community Youth Council has revamped its website, www.jcyc.org. “Please check out JCYC’s website for information on its various children and youth programs, upcoming...
12 Jan 2008	Nagamine Helps Bring Holiday Cheer to Seniors The Christmas concert that has become an annual tradition at the Kimochi Home in San Francisco’s Japantown was held on Dec. 21.
11 Jan 2008	In Memory of Bill Hosokawa A living memorial remembering Bill Hosokawa, journalist, author and citizen diplomat, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16. at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts in Denver, Colo.
11 Jan 2008	YPG's Happy Hour The Japan Society of Northern California’s Young Professionals Group will hold its first Happy Hour of 2008 on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at a new local izakaya, Sozai Restaurant and Sake Lounge.
11 Jan 2008	Conversational Japanese Class Xperience is offering conversational Japanese language classes with a free introductory lesson on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
11 Jan 2008	Cosmetics Pioneer Shu Uemura Dies at 79 Shu Uemura, the Japanese makeup artist who won acclaim in Hollywood and built an international cosmetics brand under his name, died of pneumonia on Dec. 29 in Tokyo at the age of 79.
11 Jan 2008	Informational Session for 2008 Cherry Blossom Queen Candidates On Jan. 6, Sawako Sonoyama, the 2007 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen, along with First Princess Haseena Mohabbat and Princess Martha Hayakawa, welcomed potential 2008 candidates at the...
11 Jan 2008	Nikkei Youth Heritage Program Seeks Applicants The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California in San Francisco is seeking applicants for its 2008 Nikkei Youth Cultural Heritage Program.
10 Jan 2008	Nikkei and Retirement to Discuss Coping With Loss and Grief Nikkei and Retirement begins its 29th year of providing programs of interest to the older Japanese American population in the San Francisco Bay Area.
10 Jan 2008	Forum on Japantown BNP Still have questions about the Japantown Better Neighborhood Plan? The San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) will host a forum on Wednesday, Jan. 23.
10 Jan 2008	Nikkei Lions Club's Crab and Spaghetti Feed The Nikkei Lions Club will hold its 17th annual all-you-can-eat Crab and Spaghetti Feed on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Buddhist Church of San Francisco.
10 Jan 2008	S.F. JACL to Honor Redress Activist The San Francisco Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League will install its Board of Directors at its annual dinner on Friday, Jan. 18, at Hotel Kabuki in Japantown.
10 Jan 2008	Bruce Oka Nominated to SFMTA As part of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s shakeup of city departments at the beginning of his second term, disabled rights advocate Bruce Oka has been named to the board of the San Francisco MTA.
9 Jan 2008	35th Anniversary Luncheon Celebrate and support one of San Francisco’s signature public school programs at the 35th anniversary “homecoming” reunion luncheon of the JBBP on Sunday, Jan. 27 in Japantown.
9 Jan 2008	Konko Church's Rev. Grange to Step Down Rev. Richard Grange is stepping down as head minister of the Konko Church of San Francisco.
9 Jan 2008	Nisei Veteran Stamp Gets More Support The commemorative postage stamp campaign to honor Nisei World War II soldiers has collected over 10,000 written petitions and over 6,000 sign-ups on-line, letters of support from...
9 Jan 2008	JACL Joint Installation Dinner APTOS — The Gilroy, San Benito County and Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL chapters will hold their joint installation of officers on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 11:30 a.m. at the Seascape Golf Course.
8 Jan 2008	Year-End Wrap-Up Vicky Mihara Avery of Paper Tree in San Francisco Japantown, first runner-up in the 11th annual Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest, appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America on Dec. 17.

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