Korean community outrages.

Port Lee Mayor: “It was a regrettable incident… Please wait for the results of the prosecutor’s investigation” As public outrage grows over the case of Victoria Lee, a Korean American in Port Lee, New Jersey, who requested an ambulance for mental health reasons but was instead shot and killed by police who responded to the scene, New Jersey State Assembly Member Ellen Park has become the first politician to speak out.

Additionally, Port Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich stated that because the state prosecutor’s investigation is ongoing in accordance with state law regarding handling of police shootings, it is difficult for the town government and town police to disclose information, and that they will have to wait for the results of the investigation.

On the 9th, Assemblywoman Ellen Park released a statement saying, “I express my deepest condolences to the family of Victoria Lee,” and “My office is in contact with the Attorney General’s office regarding this tragic incident. Out of respect for the family and the residents of the apartment, I will refrain from commenting further until more information is available. I hope our community can heal.” Assemblywoman Park made her public statement amid the political circles’ keen interest in this incident. However, Assemblywoman Park did not mention her specific position on the incident in her statement.

In addition, Mayor Mark Sokolic of Port Lee posted a statement on the town’s website on the same day. Mayor Sokolic said in his statement, “On behalf of the Port Lee community, I express my deepest condolences to the unfortunate and tragic incident that occurred on May 28th at approximately 1:30 a.m. in which one resident was killed in a police-involved shooting,” but also mentioned that “the Port Lee Police Department is a well-trained, top-notch law enforcement agency.” “We have continued to hold meetings and discussions with various groups since the incident. However, the state law on handling police-involved shootings states that the State Attorney’s Office conducts the investigation, and the town government and the town police department must follow that,” Sokolic said.

“Since the State Attorney’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability conducts the investigation, the Fort Lee Police Department and the Bergen County District Attorney cannot participate in the investigation in any way. During the investigation, no member of the Fort Lee Police Department will issue any press releases, comments, or statements.”

In his statement, Mayor Sokolic said he hopes the State Attorney’s investigation will be completed as quickly as possible, but he does not know how long this process will take, and he asked for patience during the investigation.

Mayor Sokolic’s statement came 12 days after the incident on May 28. He expressed his condolences but did not mention the allegations of excessive police action raised by the family of Lee, who was with him at the time of the shooting and witnessed the incident, citing the need to wait for the results of the State Attorney’s investigation.

Meanwhile, as the tragic circumstances of Lee’s death were revealed through an interview between this newspaper and Lee’s mother on the 7th, the voices of public outrage among Koreans are growing louder. Korean parents with children are expressing anger and anxiety.

A woman in her 40s told this newspaper, “I couldn’t stop crying while reading the interview article with Lee’s mother,” and “Korean mothers around me who learned the specific details of the incident through the article are so outraged and heartbroken.”

In a message sent to this newspaper, a resident of Port Lee said, “There are people in the Kakao Talk chatroom where parents gather who are worried, saying, ‘I’m afraid to call 911. My child could be shot by the police when they arrive.’ This is an unbelievable thing that happened, and Koreans need to actively speak out for a speedy investigation.” Another Korean woman said, “Now, my heart races whenever I see a police car. I wonder why the Port Lee Town government isn’t acting on this ridiculous incident where a woman in her 20s was shot and killed by the police.”

Harris vs Trump matchup confirmed.

Vice President Kamala Harris was officially elected as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate on the 2nd ahead of the presidential election to be held in November. On the second day of the online ‘roll-out vote’ conducted from the previous day to select the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Vice President Harris secured many of the delegates needed to become the presidential candidate, Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison announced.

Vice President Harris had already received the support of 99% (3,923 delegates) of the delegates and was the only candidate to be nominated in the roll-out vote. With Vice President Harris confirmed as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, the matchup for the November presidential election has finally been finalized. T

his presidential election, which initially seemed to be solidifying early on as a ‘rematch’ between President Joe Biden and former President Trump, is unfolding in a more dramatic curve than any other presidential election as the situation changed abruptly with President Biden’s unexpected defeat on the 21st of last month. With less than 100 days left until Election Day, Vice President Harris will take over the baton and face off against former President Trump, resulting in an election with clear contrasts between people of color and white people, women and men, people in their 50s and 70s, and progressives and conservatives.

The Republican Party and former President Trump are attacking the Biden administration’s mismanagement by highlighting economic and border issues in this election, while also advocating for Vice President Harris’s shared responsibility.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party and Vice President Harris are appealing to voters for support, defining this election as a question of democracy and dictatorship, saying that if former President Trump is re-elected, American democracy itself will be in danger of extinction.

3 cases of West Nile virus infection have been reported.

New Jersey has at least three confirmed cases of West Nile virus this year, earlier than usual. Two residents were diagnosed with West Nile virus in early July. One of the patients was over 70 years old, and the other was under 18, the health department said. Both were hospitalized and later released. The third case is a Somerset County resident who was asymptomatic but tested positive for the virus after trying to donate blood.

West Nile virus infection cases usually start to appear around mid-August, but this year it is unusually early. West Nile virus, which is mainly transmitted by Asian tiger mosquitoes, is a type of encephalitis that causes fatal damage to the brain. In children and the elderly, it can develop into encephalitis and meningitis, and in severe cases, it can lead to death. The health department said, “West Nile virus activity is appearing in New Jersey earlier than expected this year. Please take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”

Arizona’s Republican Mayor Says We Should Vote for Harris

The Republican mayor of a city with a population of about 500,000 in Arizona, a battleground state that will determine the outcome of the November presidential election, has made an unusual announcement in support of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mayor John Giles of Mesa, the largest suburban city around Phoenix, argued in an op-ed in the Arizona Republic on the 29th that the state should support Vice President Harris over former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, in this presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that “the Republican Party has stood for the belief that all Arizonans, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have the freedom and opportunity to live the ‘American Dream.’ “He criticized, “However, Donald Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, and the Republican Party still has a long way to go,” and “The Republican Party with Trump is flowing toward political extremism, which is moving away from the focus on our essential freedoms.”

He also emphasized that, unlike former President Trump who ignored immigration reform, President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris brought investment and job creation to Arizona through infrastructure laws and claimed that Vice President Harris represents the return of ‘decency’ to politics.

Mayor Giles also summoned the late former Senator John McCain, a moderate politician representing the Republican Party and the Republican candidate in the 2008 presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that former Senator McCain, a politician representing Arizona, pursued bipartisan politics, and said, “That is the same level of character and leadership that I see in Vice President Harris.” He also mentioned that Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, is being mentioned as one of the leading candidates for the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, adding, “That’s why I support her.

Kamala Harris is the fair leader that our country needs.” He added, “There is too much at stake to vote for a Republican candidate this year.” Former President Trump had maintained a clear lead in most battleground states, including Arizona, until President Biden abruptly withdrew from the Democratic presidential nomination. However, there are signs that the race will be a close one after Vice President Harris emerged as the new Democratic presidential nominee.

The burden of rent

It has been revealed that the number of young people who are not independent and living with their parents after graduating from college has been increasing rapidly in California. This is because it is difficult to afford the soaring housing costs.

Recently, the number of young Koreans who graduated from college in Southern California who are not independent and living with their parents has been increasing rapidly, and this trend has been confirmed to be a phenomenon that applies to the entire state.

It was revealed that one in four adults in the state lives with their family. In the 1960s, only 5 percent of adults between the ages of 24 and 35 lived with their parents, but as of 2022, more than 40 percent of adults between the ages of 24 and 35 in the state live with their parents. The reason why they are not able to become independent even though they are at the age of graduating from college and entering society is because it is difficult to afford the soaring housing costs.

According to the website ‘Apartment List’, the housing prices in the state are much more burdensome than in other states, which is why the MZ generation young people are becoming independent later. In 1960, 60 percent of young people could afford the median housing cost, but in 2022, only 18 percent of young people can afford the median housing cost.

In addition, as the burden of tuition increases among college students, the delay in graduation was cited as a reason why it is difficult to become independent from their families in a timely manner. The phenomenon of young people’s delayed independence is occurring throughout the country. This phenomenon is occurring from Cupertino in Northern California to Riverside in Southern California.

In Riverside, it is known that one in three adults live with their parents. Since many jobs are concentrated in large cities like LA, it is pointed out that young people in the inland region, where it is difficult to find jobs, are having a hard time becoming independent. In the case of young people from low-income families, there are cases where they stay with their families for the purpose of supporting their families, and there are cases where several generations of Hispanic, black, and some Asian communities live together, delaying the independence of young people.

Trump nominated as Republican presidential candidate

Former President Donald Trump was nominated at the Republican National Convention. Former President Trump was confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate at the delegate roll call vote, the first day of the convention held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. He received most votes needed to be elected as the presidential candidate in the Florida state election among the 2,400 delegates.

Accordingly, former President Trump officially declared his presidential bid for the third time, following 2016 and 2020. The roll call vote was conducted in turns by state, with state representatives announcing who the delegates assigned to the state would vote for.

During the Florida vote, Trump’s second son Eric appeared as a state representative and expressed his support for his father, receiving a warm welcome at the event. On the other hand, when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had a long-standing feud with former President Trump, appeared as a state representative during the Kentucky vote, boos continued throughout the venue.

As a result, McConnell’s remarks were barely audible. Former President Trump is scheduled to make his acceptance speech for the presidential nomination on the 18th, the last day of the convention, and announce his vision for the next administration.

Stealing checks and other items while sorting mail.

Two former employees of the JFK Airport post office have been arrested on charges of stealing mail containing COVID-19 stimulus checks and tax refund checks and depositing them into their own accounts.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Kivon Wellington (31) and Kai-Mani Straker (24) stole 125 COVID-19 stimulus checks and tax refund checks while working at the JFK Airport mail sorting facility between June 2021 and August 2023, making at least $4 million in financial gain.

Straker is also accused of stealing numerous checks made out to overseas recipients between August 29 and September 1, 2022. Prosecutors charged Wellington and Straker with theft of federal funds and mail theft, and set bail for them at $75,000 and $50,000, respectively.

Ann Arbor, Michigan, ranked #1 in highly educated cities.

Where in the United States are the most highly educated people? Ann Arbor, a state in the United States, was chosen as the most educated and highly educated city among the 150 metropolitan areas in the country.

According to the latest survey results from the financial expert website WalletHub, the ranking of cities in the United States by education level and educational attainment was ranked 1st, followed by Ann Arbor, and 2nd was San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara in Northern California, the Silicon Valley region.

Trenton-Princeton in New Jersey ranked 19th, and Albany-Sc nectarine-Troy in New York ranked 21st.

The analysis of the financial website WalletHub shows that areas with more highly educated people have more high-paying jobs, better living conditions, and higher growth potential.

To rank the metropolitan areas with the highest educational attainment, WalletHub surveyed 150 areas nationwide and examined 11 categories: ▲college graduation rate for residents aged 25 and older, ▲quality of public education system, ▲educational gap between men and women and by race, and ▲proportion of graduates.

MD Recreational Marijuana Legalized One Year Later.

On the streets or on public transportation, you can smell a distinctive smell different from cigarettes. People who no longer must hide and smoke because of the legalization of marijuana are now emitting the smell here and there. Maryland, which legalized the sale of recreational marijuana in July of last year, has created a new market, which has led to an increase in jobs and additional tax revenue.

Governor Wes More announced on the 3rd, “Marijuana sales exceeded $1.1 billion in the first year since recreational marijuana sales were legalized in Maryland.” According to Maryland authorities, retail sales last month exceeded $95 million, of which $67 million were for recreational use.

In a statement, Governor More said, “The new marijuana market is not only creating incredible economic activity, but also providing jobs and opportunities for many people to make money,” and “Making Maryland more competitive means ensuring that all residents benefit from the economic benefits.” He celebrated the first anniversary of the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Wanted for suspect in voice phishing scam.

A suspect who committed a voice phishing scam targeting an 80-year-old woman in Manhattan is wanted. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), the suspect called an 87-year-old woman at around noon on the 29th of last month and told her that her grandson had been arrested by the police on suspicion of DUI and that he would be released if she paid a bail of $16,900.

The suspect then arranged to meet the victim that day near 5th Avenue and East 11th Street in Manhattan. The victim gave the suspect the cash he demanded, and the suspect took it and fled south on 5th Avenue. After the incident, the victim found out that her grandson was not involved in the charges and reported it to the police as a voice phishing case.

Police said the suspect is 6 feet tall, weighs about 230 pounds, and was wearing a green baseball cap, white short-sleeved T-shirt, and black pants when last seen. Tip: 800-577-8477 Meanwhile, according to the police, to prevent damage from voice phishing scams, you should never provide personal information or respond to requests for money over the phone.

Even if they claim to be the police, banks, IRS, or social security authorities, you should not believe them. Governments and banks prohibit asking for personal information or requesting money over the phone. Police advise that if in doubt, hang up the phone and immediately notify your children and other family members to prevent or minimize damage.