Latest news with #PFChang
San Francisco Chronicle
03-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
East Bay school district investigates allegations of anti-Asian slurs on baseball field
Two players on the Albany High School baseball team were the subject of racist taunts during a home game against Pinole Valley High, prompting an apology from the school principal and an investigation by the school district. Video shows taunts such as 'Baljeet' and 'PF Chang' directed at South Asian and Chinese American pitchers from Albany High School during the game against Pinole Valley on April 23. Pinole Valley High School's principal, Todd Irving, sent a formal letter of apology Thursday to the Albany High School principal and community. The letter acknowledged that 'unacceptable conduct' occurred during that game, said the school is investigating reports about 'inappropriate and racist remarks,' and that he and the school's athletic director met with the baseball team to address the seriousness of the situation, according to a copy of the letter shared with the Chronicle by a parent. It's unclear who made the remarks. Irving's letter says 'a student in the crowd who was suspected of making the comments' was identified and 'the issue was addressed with the individual.' The letter also stated that the Pinole Valley High School baseball coach did not hear the remarks but said a small group of students who 'regularly attend games' had previously been warned about inappropriate behavior. Irving did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. West Contra Costa Unified School District is aware of 'serious allegations involving racial harassment during the April 23 game' and is investigating, said spokesperson Raechelle Forrest. She added that the district is 'actively working to identify the participants involved' and taking 'every possible measure' to ensure incidents like this do not occur at its sports events. Eugene Lee, whose son plays for Albany and was one of the targets of the slurs, sent a letter on April 30 to the West Contra Costa Unified School District on behalf of Albany parents demanding immediate termination of the Pinole Valley season. The regular season ended Friday so the punishment would mean the team misses the postseason. 'Because it's anti-Asian racism, people are more dismissive of it,' said Lee. 'That's what is causing a lot of the anger among our families. We're supposed to accept the 'trust us, we won't let it happen again.'' Lee had also asked for the district to investigate the incident, publicly document disciplinary actions and conduct a review of how the district responds to race-based harassment. When Lee's son stepped up to pitch on April 23, someone yelled 'PF Chang, is that you?' according to a video of the game that Albany parents took and Lee uploaded to YouTube. Lee said his son told him that someone else shouted, 'He can't see through those eyes,' after he threw a pitch and hit the batter, though it was not audible in the video. At four points during the video, voices making barking sounds could be heard when Lee's son pitched. Barking has a history of being used as an anti-Asian taunt, linked to the racist stereotype that Chinese people eat dogs. As an Albany pitcher of South Asian descent stepped up to the plate, chants of 'Baljeet, Baljeet' are heard on the video. Baljeet Tjinder is an Indian American character on the Disney channel animated show 'Phineas and Ferb.' The letter from Irving to the Albany community also said that all Pinole Valley players were required to retake their 'sportsmanship certification' to 'reinforce the importance of respectful conduct and ethical play.' Lee called the move 'comically inadequate.' 'The lesson you've taught your kids is that consequences can be outright avoided,' he added. Parents were also upset about videos posted on April 27 to an Instagram account with the username from the game between Pinole Valley and Albany alongside the final scores, showing Pinole had won. The post was captioned 'need we say more #wedontdiscriminate #loveyourneighbor.' The two hashtags have since been deleted, but Lee provided a screen recording showing the original caption.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PF Chang's names Brad Hill as new CEO
US-based casual dining restaurant chain PF Chang's has appointed Brad Hill as its new CEO. Hill has been with the company for eight years since 2017 and previously held the roles of chief operating officer (COO) and chief financial officer (CFO), where he enhanced the brand's market presence for sustainable growth. He takes over from Eduardo Luz, who will move into an advisory position until the end of April 2025. Luz stated: "I am very proud to have worked for PF Chang's and its ownership group, Paulson & Company, and TriArtisan Capital Advisors, to position the company for success and to have groomed a strong successor in Brad Hill. I look forward to seeing him excel in this role and wish him the best of luck." Hill added: "I am very excited to step into this new role I have very much aspired to. I look forward to leading this great company and all its dedicated people to new heights as we move forward.' PF Chang has also appointed Corey Robertson as its chief operating officer. Robertson, who has dedicated 18 years to PF Chang's and served as regional vice-president for the Eastern US, will report directly to Hill. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, PF Chang's was founded in 1993 by Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang. Private equity company TriArtisan Capital Advisors acquired the chain in March 2019. PF Chang's serves Asian fusion cuisine and has more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and US airport locations. "PF Chang's names Brad Hill as new CEO" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
PF Chang's employee beats man in Winter Park after forcing him to undress, police say
The Brief The Winter Park Police Department said they arrested PF Chang's employee Demauri Hill, 28, on multiple charges Monday. Officials said Hill allegedly forced a man to strip off his pants before then beating him after he said the man tried to rob him. Hill is currently sitting in the Orange County Jail. WINTER PARK, Fla. - A PF Chang's employee was arrested Monday in Florida after he allegedly forced a man to strip off his pants before then beating him. The Winter Park Police Department said 28-year-old Demauri Hill is facing charges including battery and kidnapping with intent to inflict harm. What we know The Winter Park Police Department said they responded to reports of a suspicious person around 12:34 a.m. on Monday, March 31, at the PF Chang's location at 436 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park. While on the way to investigate the incident, officers said they were also made aware there was a man without pants near the take-out area of the restaurant. When officials arrived at the restaurant, they said they arrested the man not wearing pants, who was standing inside the eatery wearing only a jacket. Police reports show authorities also found Hill, who told officers he was walking out of PF Chang's after his shift when he saw the plantless man getting out of his car. He told police he yelled at the man, but he began to run away, so he said he chased him across the street. The man told police he had been fleeing from Hill on a bicycle, and Hill began chasing him on foot. Once Hill caught the man, officers said he grabbed him and forced him to remove his clothing and empty his pockets. When the man obeyed, authorities said Hill then dragged him back to PF Chang's and began hitting and kicking him, as well as pushing him up against the wall. Police said they were able to confirm the beating using security footage. A P.F. Chang's manager also said she heard the commotion, told Hill to leave and called the police. Records show Hill has been transported to the Orange County Jail. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Winter Park Police Department.
