As Saudi women make history, local Olympian recalls struggles of US female athletes

For the first time in Olympic history, women are sporting Saudi Arabia’s flag at the Olympic games. Just two weeks before the start of the games, this Middle Eastern country known for the restrictions it places on women announced that it would send two female athletes to the Olympics. Neither athlete has been favored to win […]
Aug 8, 2012
Gencer Gokeri, the owner of Fremont's Istanbul Imports, sits on a stack of handmade, tribal rugs that he brought over from Turkey. (Photo by Allison Int-Hout)

Seattle import stores face fierce competition from China and online retailers

With import stores across the country struggling with changing regulations and growing transportation costs, it’s easy to guess why Istanbul Imports in downtown Fremont might have a huge “STORE CLOSING” sign hanging above the door. But the savvy import shopper might be surprised to find out that, unlike what the signs outside suggest, the owners […]
Jul 26, 2012

Cheers! to the Seattle International Beerfest

It’s no secret that Seattle is home to about a million craft breweries. For a lot of us, it feels like we can hardly keep up with the latest local brews, let alone keep tabs on the hundreds of international options on tap. This weekend, Seattleites will get to be the judge of exactly how their home […]
Jul 5, 2012

For Brazilian prisoners, turning pages will shorten sentences

Homer, Steinbeck and Dickens. Every high schooler has to read them, and now, their works might be a way for Brazilian prisoners to get their hands on a “get out of jail early” card. According to a Reuters.com article, the Brazilian government announced earlier this week that a new program called “Redemption through Reading” will […]
Jun 30, 2012

World Refugee Day hits home in Kent

When 19-year-old Yashoda Khanal moved to Kent with her family almost three years ago, the thing that shocked her most on her first day at Kent-Meridian High School were the floors. The white linoleum floors in the cafeteria and the sprawling carpet in the classrooms were unfamiliar. Khanal was accustomed to mud floors lined with […]
Jun 20, 2012

Kent International Festival a celebration of city’s diversity

I had a big decision to make in the Kent Town Square Plaza on Saturday. Do I go with my gut, and pick the Mediterranean mixed gyro and falafel, or taste adventure with the Irish corned beef sliders? The Thai and Laotian gai yang dish, with grilled chicken and Thai seasoning, looked delicious, too, and my preference for Mexican […]
Jun 18, 2012