Vol. 83, No. 12, September 17, 1976. 4 pages. View this issue
A college intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena led the front page. Phil Sakimoto answered public questions about the Viking Mission to Mars and helped with hazard analysis for landing sites. Also on page one, the Midwest District Council accepted a $2 per capita assessment to keep its office and staff, and the JACL Whaling Issue Committee defended Greenpeace. Police broke up a pyramid investment scheme in Little Tokyo, and Chicago named a school for Joan F. Arai.
The commentary page has columns by Bill Hosokawa, Morse Saito and Sachi Seko. Dr. Teruo Yoshina proposed that February 19 be marked as a Festival of Awakened America, tied to the rescinding of Executive Order 9066. Page three reports on Teton Dam cleanup in Idaho and the Berkeley JACL’s Bicentennial celebration with Rep. Norman Mineta. Page four has a sports roundup.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Young Scientists at Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Phil Sakimoto’s Viking Mars Internship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Phil Sakimoto, a college intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, answers public inquiries about the Viking Mission to Mars and assists with hazard analysis for landing sites. The internship gives students first-hand experience in a major planetary science project.
- Midwest JACL to Retain Current Services, by Special to The Pacific Citizen, page 1. The Midwest District Council accepted a $2 per capita assessment to maintain its office and staff, with a district assessment expected to raise about $1,500 per quarter. The action plan is based on a $30,000 minimum budget and greater volunteer involvement.
- JACL to Aid Oakland Museum Exhibit of Dai Nippon Hakurankai of 1885-86, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Oakland Museum and JACL are planning a 1977 exhibit of Japanese fine art wares shown across the US in 1885-86 by a group of 120 Japanese artisans. Researchers seek objects, photographs, and documents related to the historic tour.
- Chicago Names School for Joan F. Arai, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Chicago Board of Education renamed the Hazel-Wilson middle school after Joan F. Arai, a Los Angeles-born Nisei community activist who died August 18. Community leaders praised the honor as recognition of Japanese Americans’ contributions.
- Teton Dam Clean-up Progressing, by Mive Hikida, page 3. Three months after the June 5 Teton Dam disaster, cleanup in the Rexburg, Idaho area continues with debris hauling and temporary HUD housing for displaced families. Many Japanese American farm and business families report heavy losses.
- Berkeley JACL Molds Japanese Community Efforts into Bicentennial Climax, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Berkeley JACL coordinated a community-wide Bicentennial celebration culminating in a Sunday dinner at Spenger’s with Rep. Norman Mineta as speaker. The week included church services, downtown displays, and cultural events.
- Mariko Miller, Diplomat’s Daughter, in Wyoming, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Mariko Miller, daughter of diplomat Hidenari Terasaki, was among guests at the Gov. Carr Memorial dinner in Denver. The article recounts her family’s wartime history and her connections to Japanese diplomacy.
National
- Greenpeace Whaling Issue Misunderstood, JACL Committee Says, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Whaling Issue Committee argues that public opinion about Greenpeace is wrong, emphasizing its people-to-people approach to saving whales. The committee also reports a Sierra Club meeting where members discussed the boycott of Japanese products.
- Pyramid Club Investment Scheme Shut Down by Police in Little Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Police broke up a meeting in a Little Tokyo restaurant and a court order halted the First Mutual Economy firm, accused of running an endless pyramid investment scheme that collected $250,000 from 500 subscribers. Six promoters face felony charges.
- Toyota Will Not Sponsor Godfather, Part Two Telecast After UNICO Pressure, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Toyota Motor Sales reportedly withdrew its sponsorship of a telecast of Godfather, Part Two after pressure from UNICO, an Italian American public affairs organization. The group argued that gangster stereotypes had a cumulative harmful effect.
- Tourism in U.S. Means Jobs, Sen. Inouye Tells Hawaii Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator Daniel Inouye defended tourism as an economic contributor and antidote to national stress in a pre-Labor Day address on employment. He also analyzed causes of unemployment and inflation and discussed immigration’s effects on Hawaii.
Commentary
- Misinformation Lingers, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa recounts a Colorado woman’s mistaken account of the wartime evacuation and her spy-ring claims about Japanese Americans. He also describes a Denver newspaper error crediting Governor Ralph Carr incorrectly, showing how misinformation persists.
- About ‘Racial Purity’, by Morse Saito, page 2. Saito, a Nisei working in Tokyo, reflects on being assumed mixed-blood by Japanese acquaintances and on his mother’s concern about bloodlines. He argues that racial purity claims are misguided and describes discrimination his children faced.
- Planning Ahead Toward Retirement, by Sachi Seko, page 2. Seko humorously describes her husband Ern’s retirement plans, including remodeling properties and a sudden passion for baking. She reflects on the household adjustments retirement will bring.
- Awakened America, by Teruo Yoshina, M.D., page 2. Dr. Yoshina proposes February 19 be observed as a Festival of Awakened America, modeled on the Jewish Purim, to commemorate the rescinding of Executive Order 9066. He argues the community should release its anger and bitterness through remembrance.
Sports
- The Sportan Beat, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A roundup of sports news including University of Hawaii basketball recruiting questions, NCAA football division status, and the 1977 Hawaiian Open golf tournament purse. It also notes a Japanese sumo recruit from Missouri.
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