January 3, 2025 | Vol. 54, Issue 1

The only bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper in New England

Year: 2021

Dr. Fauci Omicron variant

Global Eyes on the Omicron Variant

The emergence of the Omicron variant, a new strain of COVID-19, has the world on edge as health care organizations monitor its spread. The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE), gathered on Thanksgiving to assess variant B.1.1.529, otherwise known as Omicron.  Omicron, which was first confirmed in South Africa on November 24, has increased its spread throughout the country and others, including Denmark, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Botswana, Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, France, and […]

first generation students

Scholarship Program for First-Gen Students

In 1917, Harry C. Bentley founded Bentley University, which would grow to be one of the top business colleges in the country. He was a first-generation student himself, and since then, the university has continued to support first-gen students throughout its history. The university has previously been recognized for this dedication, and has recently been named part of the 2021-2022 First-Gen Forward cohort, a group of schools with proven dedication to advancing the outcomes of first-generation students. It also offers […]

Japanese food Futago

Japanese Favorites at Futago

I was happy to see Futago restaurant (Japanese for “twins”) still open during a recent lunch time visit. Its owners also run the izakaya and soba house, Sugidama. They have been dishing up solid udon dishes at Futago since opening almost three years ago. The open and minimally decorated dining space has two beautiful paintings featuring steaming udon bowls ready to be enjoyed by a hovering hand with chopsticks.  I started with a favorite, takoyaki, a dish of grilled octopus […]

pediatric vaccines

Pediatric Vaccines Approved

Last month, following FDA approval, the CDC officially endorsed the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, expanding the eligible population and opening doors for families to become fully vaccinated. After the rise of the Delta variant over the summer, cases found in children surged, resulting in hospitalizations, deaths, and longer-term side effects in some patients, even after they were cleared.  Various state-sponsored, pharmacy, and healthcare locations throughout the city have responded to the newly appointed eligibility, opening children’s vaccination […]

PuPu Platter

The Origins of the PuPu Platter

In an advertisement in the Boston Globe, October 14, 1982, Bob Lee’s restaurant, Islander, posted the claim, “We invented The Pupu Platter.” Did they invent it? If not, what is the truth behind the origins of the Pu-Pu Platter? There is no question that the term “Pu-Pu” derives from the Hawaiian word, “pū-pū”, which refers to “appetizers.” Originally, pū-pū only referred to shellfish, but was eventually expanded to include a variety of other foods as well.  During the 1950s, a number of Hawaiian newspapers mentioned pu-pu. The Honolulu […]

Michelle Wu's cabinet appointments

Michelle Wu’s First Cabinet Appointments

New mayor Michelle Wu announced her first cabinet appointments in early November, ahead of her swearing-in ceremony, along with the key players in her transition team as she settles into office.  The appointment with the largest spotlight is that of her senior advisor regarding the Mass and Cass public health crisis, Dr. Monica Bharel. Bharel is the former commissioner of the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health (DPH), and will be leading the efforts to help alleviate the ongoing homelessness, substance […]

Xiaowei Chen's artwork

Artist Profile — Xiaowei Chen

Xiaowei Chen is an artist whose intricate drawings are intended to arouse curiosity in the viewer. Originally from China, she currently resides in Boston and seeks to create works that “explore the emotional states of human experience through two very different cultures,” according to a statement written by art critic Lingsui. Her art was recently displayed in the Pellas Gallery’s exhibition “Utopia X Dystopia.” In this particular show, she was highly influenced by Greek philosophers and ancient stories. “I love […]

Place of Assembly

Assembling Chinatown’s History

Place of Assembly is a public art installation by local architect Ang Li, located at 8-12 Hudson street, right in the heart of Chinatown. The interactive display features various stoop-like structures, open for visitors to hang out and sit on, all assembled with repurposed bricks from demolished row homes. Guests from all over Boston came to gather during its November 6th unveiling, hosted by the Asian Community Development Corporation. Li aspired to help preserve and share the neighborhood’s history with […]

Winter utility bills

Winter Utility Prices Set to Soar

This winter, natural gas prices will force a nationwide uptick in utility bills, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has begun launching a large-scale campaign to keep residents of the Commonwealth informed.

Child Tax Credit

Protecting Your Child Tax Credit

Within the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, a federal program supplying economic relief to those impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, is the additional Child Tax Credit program. The Child Tax Credit is a payment received by working families that qualify for financial help to support their children. Thanks to the ARP, it is the highest child tax credit in American history, with thousands of families automatically receiving payment already. By July of this year, most saw their money rolling in […]

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