photo courtesy of Paul Harvath

By LYNN RUTHERFORD
icenetwork.com

On a night when a new generation came to the fore, Mirai Nagasu overcame a fall on her opening double Axel and a third-place finish in the free skate to capture the U.S. title.

photo courtesy Miss America Organization

Elyse Umemoto, a 23-year-old Pacific Lutheran University college student born and raised on the Yakama Indian Reservation in the small town of Wapato, placed second runner-up at the Miss America Pageant at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 26.

By TAKESHI NAKAYAMA
Nichi Bei Times Contributor

LOS ANGELES — Irene Y. Hirano, president and chief executive officer of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), announced that she would step down in June 2009 after 21 years of service. Appointed executive director in April 1988, she was named president and CEO in 1999.

The second phase of the Japantown Better Neighborhood Plan will be wrapping up with a community workshop and a series of smaller focus groups to hear about and discuss preliminary recommendations.

NEW YORK (Kyodo) — About one in four samples of tuna sushi served at well-known Japanese restaurants and stores in Manhattan contained high levels of mercury, to the extent that a regular diet of six pieces a week would exceed the levels considered acceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New York Times reported Jan. 23.

By JANIS R. HIROHAMA

From my vantage point as president of the League of Women Voters of California, I am keenly aware that we are heading into an unusual and exciting electoral season. We face three elections in California this year, including a presidential primary on Feb. 5. It also promises to be a historic year. There are important issues at stake, genuinely competitive races for the Democratic and Republican presidential hopefuls, and a diversity among the candidates that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago.

By WAYNE NISHIOKA

My 94-year-old father is a Kibei who is hard of hearing and may laugh when there isn't a joke being made. He's amazingly optimistic — I don't think he's yet seen a cup that's half empty.

photo courtesy of by Richard Phibbs

By Emily M. Murase

It's tough to be a Democrat these days. We are in the unusual position of having not just one, but two excellent leading candidates for president, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. I like them both, A LOT. However, I am supporting Clinton for this reason and this reason alone: she is in a better position to affect change sooner than the other candidate.

By KATHY AOKI
Nichi Bei Times

Asian Pacific Islanders are making their mark in American politics.

Former Congressman Bobby Jindal, of Indian descent, is the new governor of Louisiana.

By BEN HAMAMOTO
Nichi Bei Times

"Chimu ni Sumiri: The Heart to Heart Journey of Okinawan Culture," a new exhibit at the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS), takes an unflinching look at the Okinawan islands.