The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to recognize Vietnamese as an official city language. It now joins Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino in a move aimed at enhancing language access for the city’s diverse immigrant communities.

• The decision follows an amendment to San Francisco’s language access ordinance, which now lowers the threshold for language translation services from 10,000 to 6,000 speakers with limited English proficiency. A total of 6,791 residents primarily speak Vietnamese in the city.
• This means all city government announcements — including telephonic interpretations, website content, written notifications, and other official services — will be translated into Vietnamese. Community advocates highlighted persistent gaps in language access, with issues noted even in essential services such as healthcare.

Derrick Behrens, 32, was arrested in Oakland, California, for committing four armed residential robberies targeting victims of Asian descent. Behrens, who allegedly demanded money from his victims, is accused of stealing cash, luxury purses, and a car during these crimes, which typically occurred before dawn in April.

• The Oakland Police Department reported that Behrens, who they said had an “extensive criminal history for similar crimes,” would park blocks away from the homes he targeted and walk to them. A son of one of the victims told KTVU, “They took everything we have. They took a lot of jade, sort of like in Asian cultures, pretty expensive, gold chains, they took some cash.” He added, “Honestly, one more criminal behind bars makes us really happy and safer in this community.”
• Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell and Mayor Sheng Thao commended officers and stressed the importance of proactive policing in the arrest. Mitchell emphasized ongoing efforts despite a decrease in overall violent crimes, stating, “Our work is far from complete.”

Patti Lee, former spokesperson for Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday alleging Price promoted a culture of anti-Asian bias in the workplace and violated open records laws amid media inquiries. The suit mirrors a legal claim that Lee filed in March accusing Price of “constantly and openly” making derogatory comments against Asian Americans. Lee claims she was fired for whistleblowing after accusing communications director Haaziq Madyun of hiding, deleting or altering records.

• In a statement, Lee, who seeks damages for emotional distress and unpaid and lost wages, said, “I have never been subjected to such humiliating and bullying behavior in a workplace. It is unacceptable in any professional environment, but when the perpetrator is a public official who claims to be a civil rights advocate, it is unconscionable.”
• Price’s office has not commented on the lawsuit, which coincides with a recall effort against Price and broader challenges in Oakland, including rising crime and business closures. Price was also publicly accused last year of “being disrespectful to the AAPI community,” particularly in relation to the shooting death of toddler Jasper Wu, by veteran prosecutor Rebecca Warren after she and another Alameda prosecutor resigned.

Denmark’s health authorities have issued a product recall for Samyang Foods’ Buldak fire noodles due to the risk of “acute poisoning” from excessive capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers. The three types of ramen being recalled are Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 3x Spicy, Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 2x Spicy, and Hot Chicken Stew.

• The Danish Food and Drug Administration noted that children, frail adults and the elderly are at risk, with possible symptoms including high blood pressure, vomiting, burning and discomfort. “That is why we are now demanding shops remove the products from their shelves,” the agency said.
• “It seems that the Danish food authorities have initiated the recall due to concerns that the excessive spiciness could cause problems, not because of any quality issues with the product. We plan to closely examine the Danish regulations and respond to the recall accordingly,” a Samyang Foods official told The Korea Times. South Korean ramen export revenue hit the $100 million mark for the first time in April, with Samyang Foods accounting for the majority.

Crazy Rich Asians” … the series?: At the “House of the Dragon” premiere in Paris last week, Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content, confirmed to Variety that Jon M. Chu’s 2018 rom-com hit “Crazy Rich Asians” is being developed into a series. Bloys did not provide specific details about the project. In addition to a Max series, “Crazy Rich Asians” is also being developed as a stage musical, with Chu set to make his Broadway directorial debut with the production.

 
The 1st Asian American and trans Miss Maryland USA: Bailey Anne Kennedy, 31, made history on June 1 by becoming the first transgender woman to win the title of Miss Maryland USA. Kennedy, who is of Cambodian descent, also broke barriers as the first Asian American and military wife to hold the title, achieving this with her first pageant. She will compete for Miss USA in Los Angeles on August 4, aiming to become the oldest and first trans Miss USA.

• Kennedy hopes her win inspires LGBTQ+ youth to embrace their identities and fosters greater acceptance and understanding of the community. “I knew it was bigger than me. I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t belong in a box – like me growing up,” she told DC News Now.
• Kennedy, whose husband is a U.S. Marine, advocates for military spouses and the United Service Organizations, which provides support to the U.S. Armed Forces members and their families. She also champions for “Beauty Without an Expiration Date,” having surpassed the previous age limit of 28 for Miss Universe participants.

45-year-old Pacquiao eyes comeback title match: Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao revealed on Monday that negotiations are currently underway for a potential bout against Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title. The eight-division world champion, who was recently deemed too old for the 2024 Paris Games, is also set to face Japanese MMA fighter Chihiro Suzuki in a three-round exhibition on July 28.

• Pacquiao retired from professional boxing in 2021 to run for the Philippine presidency, but lost. He has since returned to the boxing ring for exhibition matches, including a victory against South Korea’s DK Yoo via unanimous decision in 2022.
• During the promotion of his match against Suzuki, Pacquiao emphasized that the possible Barrios fight is for the title: “I just want to say to everybody. This is not an exhibition. This is a fight, a three-round fight. We will be looking for a knockout for this fight. So you better watch, and there’s going to be a lot of action in the ring. And, of course, I’ll do my best to win by knockout.”

Man gets five years for attacking Connecticut’s first Muslim state rep: Andrey Desmond, 31, was sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting Connecticut State Rep. Maryam Khan after an Eid al-Adha service at the XL Center in Hartford in June 2023.

• He previously pleaded guilty to felony charges of third-degree sexual assault, attempted first-degree strangulation and risk of injury to a minor. After prison, he must serve nearly 16 years of special parole, register as a sex offender and receive mental health treatment.
• While she welcomed the sentence, Khan acknowledged that the case underscores issues in the mental health system, saying she’s “glad to be in a position to have the ability to be able to do some stuff about that.”

Asian American pleads guilty to shooting Jews in LA hate crimes: Jaime Tran, 29, pleaded guilty last week to federal hate crimes and firearm offenses for shooting two Jewish men in Los Angeles’ Pico-Robertson neighborhood last year. Tran, previously of Riverside, admitted to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of firearm use in relation to a crime of violence.

• Tran had a history of antisemitic beliefs and threats, including leaving dental school in 2018 after making hate-filled statements. His violent rhetoric escalated in late 2022, targeting a former classmate and sending antisemitic propaganda to others.
• Despite being barred from purchasing firearms due to mental health holds, Tran acquired guns through a third party in January 2023. In February, Tran shot two Jewish men on consecutive days as they left synagogues. Both victims survived. Tran has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 17, 2023, and faces a 35 to 40-year prison term, with sentencing set for Aug. 5.

Cal State LA receives grant to boost AANHPI student success: California State University, Los Angeles has been awarded a $370,000 state grant to create an AANHPI student achievement program. The funding is part of an $8 million appropriation under Assembly Bill 190 aimed at increasing culturally responsive support for underserved students across Cal State campuses.

• This initiative will aid AANHPI transfer students in graduating within a two-year timeframe and improve retention rates for first-year AANHPI students. It also seeks to address declining enrollment trends and strengthen outreach and recruitment efforts.
• The grant will go toward creating cross-campus collaborations, faculty professional development and student learning communities. Additionally, it will enhance support for AANHPI-focused campus entities such as the Asian Pacific Islander Student Resource Center and the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies.