Redistricting is a win for Pine Hills

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus: He is Orange County’s elected governing board. The County Commission’s vote on the new map of commission districts was correct and appreciated by the residents of Pine Hills (“New Orange commission districts dash Winter Park’s bid for more influence,” Oct. 15). Thank you, it is great to be a winner after a long battle to achieve this goal. Now if we could get the media to refer to us as a working-class multicultural community it would raise our spirits even higher.

Joan Ricketts Orlando

Support diverse local Asian markets

At the tender age of 15, my first job ever was at Tan Tien Asian market in West Orlando. I was a stock boy, handled produce, cleaned fish, butchered meat and worked as a cashier — many of the core skills that I still use today as executive chef at Seito Sushi Baldwin Park. What I loved the most about the market was exploring and trying ingredients I never tasted before. The owner would make a family meal for the staff and I got to help him. Eventually it became my responsibility, and my first chef position was there at this little Asian market.

A tradition in culture and a fundamental part of life in Vietnam is to visit the local Asian market daily — the backbone of the community. Asian markets in America create a bridge for culture sharing and allow me as a chef to source ingredients not typical with our restaurant purveyors. I am able to introduce recipes that are uncommon to the American palate and also represent who I am as a chef. My favorite memories, though, will always be the interactions and meeting people from the community there.

I’m excited that H Mart, the massively popular Korean supermarket and food hall, is finally here — but I also hope our community continues to support the diverse markets we already have here in Orlando. To my chef and restaurant foodie friends, I hope that you can find time and food budget to continue to source from these local Asian markets here in Orlando, and I hope we can preserve them as long as possible.

Huy Tin Orlando

Huy Tin is executive chef at Seito Sushi Baldwin Park.

Not everyone, everywhere is dancing in the streets

At last, Hamas freed the hostages! Israelis cheer Donald Trump as the one who made it happen. They dance in the streets in celebration! We share in their joy.

It’s ironic though, while the “peacemaker” travels around the world stopping wars, he’s busy starting wars in the United States of America, our country, this democracy he swore to lead and protect according to the laws of the Constitution. Legal protestors against what he’s doing are among his many targets. He’s creating chaos and using that as an excuse to send in ICE and National Guard troops to stop crime where there is very little. He and Noem sent a helicopter to terrorize residents in an apartment building in Chicago. In the middle of the night, ICE pulled children and adults out into the streets and arrested them. Later most were released for lack of charges. Trump continues to claim Portland is burning to the ground. Really? We the People wonder, does he not know what he’s doing, or is there an ulterior motive?

There is no dancing in the streets of Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, Portland, or anywhere else in America for fear citizens might be assaulted by masked men.

Jean Duhon Hanson Dundee

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