Belly dance show at DSO

Miles Copeland, former manager of the groundbreaking ’80s rock trio The Police, began putting together a troupe of American bellydancers in 2002 with the intention of doing for the Middle East what “Riverdance” did for Ireland.

The Bellydance Superstars have since played 600 shows in 20 countries, including 76 U.S. cities. Audiences in Morocco and Dubai have expressed disbelief that American women could dance so authentically.

Copeland spent some of his childhood in the Middle East, where his CIA agent father was stationed in Egypt, Syria and other posts.

The group, made up of 14 women from a wide range of backgrounds, blends major schools of belly dance, using cabaret and tribal techniques, plus some extra twists. One dancer belly dances en pointe, her feet and legs performing classical ballet.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is bringing the Superstars to Detroit for a performance on March 29, 3 p.m., at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Avenue.

Tickets, ranging from $19 to $65, at the Fisher box office, call: 313.576.5111, or online at www.detroitsymphony.com.

A free workshop and demonstration led by a Detroit bellydance instructor is to be held before the March 29 show at 1:30 p.m. in the center’s Music Box.

Mobile clinic to visit ACC

The Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion Mobile Care Program is scheduled to make a stop at the Arab American and Chaldean Council’s Youth Center, 62 West Seven Mile Road in Detroit, on March 19 from 9 a.m. to 4p.m.

The mobile care unit, with an on-board laboratory and examination room, provides free on-site health screenings, including HIV testing and counseling, Hepatitis C testing, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight and cholesterol checks.

Dr. Haifa Fakhouri

ACC president to participate in panel on women leadership
LATHRUP VILLAGE – Arab American and Chaldean Council President Haifa Fakhouri has been selected as a panelist for a Henry Ford Community College panel discussion entitled “Women’s Leadership in the Michigan Economy: Reflecting on 70 years of Innovation and Change.”

The discussion is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 at noon on the main campus of Henry Ford Community College, 5101 Evergreen in Dearborn, in the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services and Conference Center.

This program will feature a panel of trailblazing women to provide historical, economic, political, and social contexts to suggest innovative methods of moving Michigan’s economy forward.

New USCIS office location

The Detroit district office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has closed and will reopen at a new location on March 23.

A new 60,000-square-foot office building built on the site of the former Detroit Police 5th precinct building at 11411 East Jefferson Avenue will be the new home of USCIS local offices.

InfoPass and Application Support Center services will also be moved to the new building.

The InfoPass Office will reopen at the new address on March 16 for appointments and emergencies.

Joanne Faycurry

Faycurry appointed to hospital board position
Arab American attorney Joanne Faycurry has been appointed vice chair of the board of trustees of Children’s Hospital of Michigan, according to a March 4 press release.

Faycurry is leader of Detroit law firm Miller, Canfield’s tax group and a member of the Women Lawyers’ Association of Michigan, Arab-American Bar Association and several other bar associations.

She is a former co-president of the Michigan chapter of Seeds of Peace, an international organization initially focused on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that has since spread to other regions, bringing together youth to discuss coexistence and resolution.

New book on Arab, Muslim cultures

Nawar Shora, Legal Director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and ADC’s Director of Diversity Education and Law Enforcement Outreach, has released “The Arab American Handbook,” a guide to the Arab, Arab-American and Muslim cultures based on eight years of training seminars Shora has provided law enforcement, church groups, academic institutions and other audiences.

Divided into three sections, the book begins with introductory knowledge on Arab and Muslim faiths and cultures. Section two is an academic segment including essays by professors Jack Shaheen of Southern Illinois University, Juan Cole of the University of Michigan and David Cole of Georgetown University. Other academics, advocates, comedians and government officials also contribute. Section three includes a glossary and timelines of basic history.

Shaheen, a renowned authority on media portrayals of Arabs, has described the handbook as “by far the best short guide to Arab, Arab-American, and Muslim cultures… an invaluable resource.”

For more information or to order a copy visit www.ArabAmericanHandbook.com.

Money coming for MI transportation system

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on March 5 announced with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden that nearly $135 million in public transportation funding will be available to Michigan through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), better known as the stimulus bill.

The stimulus provides $8.4 billion nationwide to repair and build America’s public transportation infrastructure.

“Investments in public transportation put people to work, but they also get people to work in a way that moves us towards our long term goals of energy security and a better quality of life,” said LaHood, an Illinois Republican of Lebanese descent whom Obama announced in December as his pick for Transportation Secretary.

“That is why transit funding was included in the ARRA and why we think it is a key part of America’s transportation future.”

The Transportation Department will monitor state compliance with stimulus measures, track job creation and post project information online at www.recovery.gov.

Three locals charged with mortgage fraud in Dearborn court

DEARBORN — Three Arab Americans were arraigned in 19th District Court on Tuesday, charged with several offenses in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme involving a Dearborn Heights property.

Mirza Salmaci, 37, of Dearborn, Hussein Bazzi, 33, of Dearborn, and Nadia Ali, 32, of Brownstown Township were charged by Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy with false pretenses, money laundering and conspiracy to commit false pretenses and money laundering. All are felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The case will be prosecuted by Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Abed Hammoud.

The three defendants allegedly conspired together to sell a property located on the 26000 block of Cherry Hill Road to a fake buyer. Documents were prepared in the name of a Port Huron woman without her knowledge.

Salmaci and Bazzi are licensed real estate agents while Ali allegedly pretended to be the fake buyer.

Other charges against Salmaci include unauthorized credit application, a felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison, identity theft, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, and using a fake ID to commit or assist in committing a felony, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Ali was also charged with providing a false statement, a one-year misdemeanor.

A preliminary examination is scheduled for May 1.

Groups organizing Christmas-style celebration for Prophet’s birthday

Three local Muslim organizations are working to get people celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, just as people celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas.

The Muslim Scouts of Michigan, Fordson High School’s Muslim student group the One Club and Shi’a community group the Awaited One Foundation have planned a youth celebration on March 20, complete with gifts, food, decorations and prayer.

Bilal Dabaja, of the Awaited One Foundation, said the prophet’s birthday falls on March 15, and that they hope to spark celebration throughout the week, culminating in the March 20 party at Fordson’s auditorium.

“I don’t think anything like this has really been done before,” Dabaja said.

“During the [Christmas] holiday season, you see that there’s a public display of celebration, which is a good thing. We, as Muslims, should do the same.”

He said the group is planning to hang banners and distribute religious CDs and DVDs at up to 80 local businesses during the week.

Spiritual and motivational speaker Hassanain Rajabali is to speak at the March 20 celebration, and some serious gifts, including Nintendo Wiis, Sony PSPs, dvd players and — for the parents — microwaves and tool sets are to be raffled.

Admission is free. Visit Awaitedone.org for more information.