By TAKESHI NAKAYAMA Nichi Bei Times Contributor

LOS ANGELES — Little Tokyo residents and workers, fearful that all the new development in the area would destroy the community's ethnic character, received good news in June when the Los Angeles Chief Legislative Analyst recommended that a Nikkei-led group be selected to develop a city-owned parcel at First and Alameda streets.

By KENJI G. TAGUMA
Nichi Bei Times

Two years ago, San Francisco's Japantown celebrated its 100^th anniversary in the Western Addition. This year, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival celebrated its 42^nd anniversary. This past weekend, the 35^th annual Nihonmachi Street Fair was held.

Yet despite the long-standing festivals, some of the ethnic enclave's newest residents are raising their voices against them, leaving Japantown community leaders upset and even starting a petition drive to "save" Japantown festivals.

By HEATHER HORIUCHI Nichi Bei Times

SAN JOSE — The San Jose chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) hosted a forum to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (HR 442), which President Ronald Reagan signed on Aug. 10, 1988 to atone for the forced relocation and incarceration of 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II.

By KATHY AOKI
Nichi Bei Times

The goal of Emiko Katsumoto and nine other Sansei mothers in starting Daruma no Gakko was to educate their children about their Japanese American culture and history, including learning about their art, language and music.

The award-winning Nichi Bei Times is collaborating with the Napa Valley Museum to bring a month-long exhibit of the ever-popular artform of manga and anime to the heart of Napa Valley. Titled "Manga & Anime: An Exhibition of Popular Cartoon Art," the exhibit will include the work of the past two Nichi Bei Times Manga Art Contest winners, features from the past three Nichi Bei Times Anime and Manga Special Editions, and the work of two Manga Art Contest judges. It will be held from Aug. 15 to Sept. 14 at the museum, 55 Presidents Circle in Yountville, Calif.

By APRIL ELKJER
Nichi Bei Times

"I think he saw too much of the movie 'Roots,'" teases Carlos about his brother Armando Pe�a.

Obsessed with his past, Armando Pe�a is one of seven brothers and the inspiration for his wife, filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pe�a to produce and direct the documentary "Calavera (Skeleton) Highway." Tajima-Pe�a, director of "My America...or Honk if you Love Buddha," takes us on another road trip journey to uncover these skeletons and traces of family history that they only knew from rumor and speculation.

By ANTHONY YAZAKI
Nichi Bei Times

For judoka Sayaka Matsumoto, the Olympics were an elusive dream, narrowly escaping her in 2000 and again in 2004. This time around, not only did Matsumoto get to compete, but she was able to do so against Ryoko Tani (nee Tamura), the face of women's judo for years.

By APRIL ELKJER
Nichi Bei Times

What could seniors at Kokoro Assisted Living, Jimmy Kimmel and Will Smith have in common? They are all users of the latest in green toilet technology common in Japan.

Entrepreneur Scott Pinizzotto first encountered the high-tech bidet-style toilets working for Sony Corporation as a design engineer in Tokyo. It was there that he had a bit of a culture shock and an "a-ha!" moment. But it wasn't the food or language that did it...it was the toilets.