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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2018
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community news 4
FRIDAY, 30 NOVEMBER, 2018
Successful Diwali show hosted by Mona Bhalla Production at Six Flags Great America BY A STAFF WRITER CHICAGO, IL - Mona Bhalla Productions hosted its first mega event at Six Flags Great America and instantly made history. South Asian Festival 2018 was an incredible success as thousands of people from all regions of South Asia and mainstream America poured in and celebrated as one. Not even the cold weather stopped the crowds from coming and enjoying the first ever South Asian Festival and celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Those who came enjoyed Rangoli decorations, Diwali Photo Booths, henna artists, shopping, delicious food, dancing, DJ music and all that Six Flags has to offer. Diwali show hosted in the Grand Music Hall at 3:00 PM that included belly dancing by Dimitra, ethnic dances, bollywood dances, and Bhangra performed by groups from Culture in Motion and from Dance Diversity Group, and by Manpreet Bhalla, Simran Bhalla, and Kiran Bhalla. Between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM was a power-packed one hour performance by Mona Bhalla (aka “Kudi Bindaas”). The performance included many of her hits as she supercharged the audience with Bollywood & Pakistani songs that had an American twist to them which had everyone in the music hall clapping and cheering. After the performance in the Grand Music Hall, Mona Bhalla performed a few of her songs and also performed a Gujarati song on special request for her fans that were not able to find a seat for the indoor show. Certificates were presented to the groups that performed the cultural dances at the event. Food was provided by Porto’s Peri Peri of Libertyville, IL and Six Flags
DePaul Employee charged with stealing laptops
Yingqian Winny Lucas (Photo courtesy Chicago Police)
culinary department. DJ entertainment was provided by DJ Sanjay of Chicago and DJ Nisha and Neesha. Mona Bhalla Productions put this
event together at Six Flags to bring the communities together and bring the South Asian Culture to mainstream America and that it definitely did.
Bal Vihar of St. Louis Celebrate Diwali
BY A STAFF WRITER CHICAGO, IL — A former DePaul University employee has been charged with stealing several laptops after she was laid off. Police said 41-year-old Yingqian Winny Lucas has been charged with one felony count of burglary. According to Chicago police, Lucas used her campus ID to enter the campus and take several laptops without permission. She was arrested at her home Tuesday night, after detectives tracked the stolen laptops to the IP address at her home, and found the computers at her residence, police said. Lucas was due to appear in bond court Wednesday afternoon. In an email Lucas said that the items were to be bought from DePaul and that some prices were agreed upon and others weren’t. She said DePaul stopped getting back to her about the items. Lucas was still listed as a media production specialist, and a lecturer in the College of Computing & Digital Media and College of Commerce on DePaul’s website.
Indian American Woman Fatally Shot in Attempted Carjacking
Dharmisthaben Patel
BY A STAFF WRITER ST LOUIS, MO— One of the core themes of the Hindu religion is “Paropkaraha Punyaaya, Paapaya Parapeedanam” - Doing good to others is good merit and causing pain to others is sin. To a great extent, that is the integral theme of Bal Vihar of St. Louis. Every year Bal Vihar follows this principle through their
“Donate-A-Diya” project. At the Bal VIhar of St. Louis, students participated in the Donate-a-Diya project again this year. The project serves dual purpose- the students get to make and decorate a beautiful diya that they use during the Diwali puja and it remains as a keepsake that can be used year after year. The project also asks students to donate
money to a charitable cause. Each year Bal Vihar picks a handful of charities and raises funds through this initiative for them. This yea,r Bal Vihar raised over $1600 for Asha for Education, Global Giving, and Spoorthy. Boxed dinner made it easy for parents to head back home after the fireworks and enjoy the delicious food at the luxury of their homes.
BY A STAFF WRITER ALBANY, GA— An Indian American woman was killed in an attempted carjacking at a hospital in Albany, Georgia. Dharmisthaben Patel, 33, was shot on Saturday night and died soon after she arrived at the hospital, the Albany Police Department said in a press release. Surveillance video shows a black male dressed in dark clothing and wearing a hoodie, a mask and blue gloves, walking in the 1400 block of North Madison Street and at some point, continues to travel on 7th Avenue, police said. The suspect then turns around and walks through the parking lot of 1400 Palmyra Road (Devi’s Convenience Store) and approaches the victim’s vehicle, attempting to open the driver side door, police added. As the victim’s husband Bharat Ishvar Patel, tries to drive away, the suspect fires a shot into the vehicle striking the victim in the back of her left shoulder, after which Patel drives her to the emergency room where she dies from the gunshot wound, The suspect has not been found yet. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers or the Albany Police Department.