Save Our Chinatown Committee Celebrates Court Victory 

Riverside, California

March 28, 2012

News Release
Save Our Chinatown Committee

After nearly 3 ½ years of legal proceedings, the 4th Appellate District court has invalidated the approval of an office building project that threatened to destroy Riverside’s historic Chinatown.  “We look forward to providing the City guidance during this process,” says Save Our Chinatown Committee (SOCC) Chair, M. Rosalind Sagara. “Together, we can find a way to protect the archaeological remains of Riverside’s historic Chinatown and we believe the best way of doing this is by developing a historic park at the site.” 

The ruling, issued on March 21st, centered on the environmental impact report (EIR) and whether or not it complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the state regulations protecting historic sites threatened with demolition. 

Update April 11, 2012

The U.S. military announced today that the trials of the eight U.S. soldiers implicated in the death of 19 year old U.S. Army Private Danny Chen have been moved to U.S. soil. The trials will be held at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, if senior military officials decide courts-martial are warranted. Fort Bragg's commanders have accepted jurisdiction in the case.

A miliary investigator has recommended courts-martial for all of the soldiers.

"We are relieved and pleased," said Elizabeth R. OuYang, president of the New York chapter of civil rights group Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), which has been lobbying the military for a change in jurisdiction to the United States, rather than in Afghanistan.  

Chen's relatives say he was subjugated to brutal hazing before he apparently committed suicide Oct. 3, 2011. Investigators are reviewing allegations that Chen was subjected to weeks of physical abuse, humilation and racial slurs by members of his unit in Afghanistan before he apparently killed himself.

A nationwide grass-roots campaign has raised awareness of Private Danny Chen's case. 

May 1, 2012
by Suzanne Joe Kai

Jeremy Lin continues to recover from his left knee surgery but
due to pain felt in his knee after his first one-to-one practice
drill, he's not likely to return before Game 4 at the earliest. 

On Saturday, the New York Knicks point guard participated
in his first one-to-one drills since he had surgery April 2 to repair
a meniscus tear in his left knee.  

Doctors have estimated that it would take six weeks
from the date of his surgery before his knee is recovered
enough to play basketball. His rehab has been encouraging
also he has reported soreness in his knee yesterday
after his one-to-one practise.  

Last week he tweeted when he started jogging:

"Great team win in ATL. And i jogged slowly (but not as slow as
Steve Novak (@stevenovak20) for the first time since surgery..its
been a great day so far! - Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) April 22, 2012"

Meanwhile, Jeremy's star is not fading off the court,
he was just named to the #1 spot on Time Magazine's annual list
of The 100 Most Influential People in the World.  
Time's list is on the newstands now, its the April 30, 2012 edition.

You will want to pick up a copy of Time Magazine's The 100 Most 
Influential People in the World issue just to see the magnificent photo 
of Jeremy airborne with a basketball in the palm of his right hand,
his left arm deftly blocking his opponent as he prepares to score 

Justin Lin (Photo by Lia Chang)

Filmmaker Justin Lin, who is responsible for Universal’s mega-successful FAST AND FURIOUS franchise has just acquired film rights to David Henry Hwang’s critically acclaimed comedy CHINGLISH hailed by TIME Magazine as the BEST PLAY of 2011.

CHINGLISH, a romantic comedy with a timely, political spin debuted at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and follows its Broadway run with an international tour beginning at Berkeley Repertory Theatre this fall. Lin will direct and produce the film for his company, Barnstorm Pictures.

“As soon as I saw CHINGLISH on Broadway, I began to envision this smart and insightful cross-cultural comedy as a film. I’m excited about working with David to bring this very timely story to the screen, ” said Lin.

Playwright David Henry Hwang in front of the Longacre Theatre in New York, where his new comedy Chinglish played on Broadway through January 29, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

“I’ve loved Justin’s work ever since he burst on the scene with Better Luck Tomorrow, and it feels very right to be collaborating with him on the movie verision of my play, said playwright Hwang, a Tony Award winner and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. Hwang will write the screenplay and is set to co-produce the film with Bobbi Thompson.

Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

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