QUESTION: I have a past crime. Do I need to consult an immigration attorney before I apply for immigration status? Answer: As you might know, the deportation attorney can help determine if you have a problem in your immigration case because of a past crime. Noncitizens living in the United States face potentially devastating consequences…
IN what Korean-American comedian Paul PK Kim called an “Oprah style” interview, three Asian American YouTubers and three restaurant founders shared their journeys to success, as well as random details about their lives and preferences. Filipino-American YouTube sensations AJ Rafael and Joseph Vincent, Chinese-Vietnamese founder of Blogilates Cassey Ho and the founders of restaurant Seoul…
June finds the Fil Am community gearing up for graduations, weddings, Father’s Day, vacation plans and the ubiquitous Grand Independence Day Ball—five of them, within almost a fortnight. At the root of every Independence Day Ball, the moral seems clear. True accomplishment is achieved through balanced practical judgment from its steering committees. An Independence Day…
I WAS quite touched by popular Showtime host Vice Ganda’s effort to use his celebrity status to help a 16-year-old student who has been a victim of bullying. As Balitang America reported, Kapamilya star Vice Ganda gave an inspiring advice to Pamela Reyes who came to the noon time program “It’s Showtime” to ask for…
With emerging smartphone app technology, the demand for ride-hailing services around the country has continued to increase for business and personal travel. In California, many of these ride-sharing services, such as UberX, Lyft, and Sidecar, are growing exponentially in diverse counties and metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The number of drivers in…
IN an effort to help enhance mobility and provide Los Angeles commuters with more transportation options, Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) have partnered up to provide rental vehicles at ten Metro park-and-ride locations throughout the city. Twenty Zipcars will be available for hourly or…
THE recent deaths of unarmed citizens, often of minorities, at the hands of white police officers have broken hearts and sparked a national uprising about issues involving race, social justice, and equality. On Friday, May 29, an important bill addressing the deep issue of racial profiling moved forward through California’s legislative process. “Many Californians have…
LOS ANGELES Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday, May 27, signed an $8.6-billion budget for 2015-16, following unanimous approval by the City Council on May 21. The budget boosts funding for the Fire Department – which has endured a five-year hiring freeze – by $55 million, while a revision by the council adds $4.5 million for…
“Music gives soul to the universe…wings to the mind…flight to the imagination…and life to everything!” – Plato WHEN prolific German composer Ludwig Van Beethoven said “Music should strike fire from the heart of a man and bring tears from the eyes of woman…” he must have inadvertently in mind the power and soulful voice of…
IN an effort to help enhance mobility and provide Los Angeles commuters with more transportation options, Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) have partnered up to provide rental vehicles at ten Metro park-and-ride locations throughout the city. Twenty Zipcars will be available for hourly or…
IN the absence of a premarital agreement, the general community property presumption under California family code section 760 controls which provides “ ….all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.” Family Code §760. This becomes a problem if you…
One seeks to discharge $20K and another $30K WE all go through different stages in life. When you are in your twenties, your whole life is ahead of you. You may be starting a family or starting your career or profession. You’re buying your starter home. If you have children, your whole life is centered…
THE United States has stepped up its support in favor of the Philippines in the escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea, amid China’s alleged bullying of smaller claimants in the disputed areas. The US’ message is clear: it does not recognize China’s claim over the area where it has reportedly reclaimed islands and built…
THE USS Ronald Reagan, described as one of the most lethal “supercarriers” in the world, is on its way to Japan to be the US Navy’s deployed aircraft carrier in the Seventh Fleet. Carrying at least 65 aircrafts and around 5,000 highly trained US Navy and Air Force personnel, the USS Reagan represents the command…
Cyber criminals gained access to information from more than 100,000 taxpayer accounts by hacking into an online service the Internal Revenue Service uses to grant Americans access to previous tax returns, the agency said Tuesday, May 26. Among data obtained included several years’ worth of returns and other tax information on file with the agency,…
President Barack Obama called the Senate on Tuesday, May 26 to extend provisions of the key Patriot Act before they expire within the week, including the federal government’s ability to search Americans’ phone records. “This needs to get done,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “It’s necessary to keep the American people safe and…
The White House said that it had finalized a major clean water regulation on Wednesday, May 27 that would restore the federal government’s authority to limit pollution in the nation’s river, lakes, streams and wetlands. Environmentalists praised the widely-expected rule, calling it an important step that would lead to significantly cleaner natural bodies of water…
Situated along Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock, a coffee shop has become the spot to “find” local, artisanal roasts and a sense of community. Stop by Found Coffee and you’ll see customers pounding away on their laptops or engaged in conversations, regulars picking up their usual orders, and newcomers stumbling in by chance. With minimalist,…
THE California Assembly approved 69-0 a bill that allows companies like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar to offer shared rides to passengers with similar pickup and drop-off locations. However, each person’s individual fare must cost less than the amount a person would pay to travel alone. “Passengers pay less, drivers make more, we have fewer rides…
TORNADOES, thunderstorms and flash floods struck the south-central region over the weekend in parts of Texas and Oklahoma, killing nine people and sending rescuers searching for 12 missing, including several young children. Flash flood warnings were in effect early Tuesday, May 26 for parts of eastern Texas and much of Western Arkansas, and tornado watches…
The Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday, May 26 to decide on whether state legislative districts must have roughly equal numbers of legal voters rather than overall populations. The challenge, brought by conservatives to Texas state Senate redistricting maps, argues that they violate the Constitution’s guarantee of “one person-one vote.” In states such as Texas, Arizona…
On the final month of its annual term, the United States Supreme Court has several landmark cases on its docket. Between now and late June, the Supreme Court will hand down more than two dozen decisions on matters involving politics, civil rights, foreign policy, freedom of speech, and the environment. Several of these cases have…
Japanese company Takata Corp. on Tuesday, May 19, expanded its recall of vehicles in the United States containing its defective airbags to nearly 34 million, following more than a decade of denying that the devices were faulty. The airbags, which can shoot out shrapnel into the cabin when deployed, have been linked to six deaths…
Attempting to persuade the Chargers to stay in San Diego, a mayoral committee proposed a financial plan this week for building an approximately $1.1-billion new NFL stadium. The plan includes major public contributions, but not a tax increase, officials said, and would include $300 million from the Chargers, $200 million from the NFL, $173 million…
According to a new report, the average worker needs to earn at least $30.92 an hour to afford the rent for a typical two-bedroom apartment in Orange County. The “Out of Reach” report, released May 19 by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition and the Kennedy Commission, says the typical fair market rent for a two-bedroom…
Plaintiffs in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill have reached a $211 million settlement with Transocean, the rig owner involved in the environmental disaster. The Swiss-based oil drilling contractor company announced that it has reached agreements with a group of individual plaintiffs and BP, the oil company that operated the rig. “These settlements together…
According to a new report, the average worker needs to earn at least $30.92 an hour to afford the rent for a typical two-bedroom apartment in Orange County. The “Out of Reach” report, released May 19 by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition and the Kennedy Commission, says the typical fair market rent for a two-bedroom…
Attempting to persuade the Chargers to stay in San Diego, a mayoral committee proposed a financial plan this week for building an approximately $1.1-billion new NFL stadium. The plan includes major public contributions, but not a tax increase, officials said, and would include $300 million from the Chargers, $200 million from the NFL, $173 million…
“JESUS breathes the Holy Spirit into the disciples and by doing so he re-creates them. The life-giving breath poured forth at the dawn of creation is now the Spirit-breath, the very indwelling of God. Only because of this divine indwelling do we have the power to forgive and thus continue Jesus’ saving mission. We are…
I HOPE you all have a happy Memorial Day weekend, and most especially to our World War II veterans and their families who have been waiting to receive what they believe they have earned through their service to the US military during the war. Pensions and benefits are important, but what has been most frustrating…
