Iraq VP Tariq Al-Hashimi

The Chaldean Federation of America announced on Thursday that Vice President of Iraq, Tariq Al-Hashimi, is expected to visit Detroit this weekend.
Al-Hashimi is scheduled to speak on Iraqi issues including upcoming elections at the Shenandoah Banquet, Golf and Conference Center, 5600 Walnut Lake Rd. in West Bloomfield, 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6.

The conference center can be reached at 248.683.6363 and the Chaldean Federation at 248.996.8384 for further details.

DHS leader commits to authentic dialogue

WASHINGTON — In a meeting with national and local Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian American community leaders last week to discuss joint efforts against domestic violent extremists, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano offered commitments to promote “meaningful, positive and authentic dialogue,” those who attended said.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met with ethnic community leaders last week in Washington.

Ethnic community leaders, some from the Detroit area, expressed concerns about DHS policies that they said contribute to racial, ethnic and religious profiling at airports and the border, eroding the government’s trust and credibility in the communities.
“The commitments Napolitano made to these community leaders include: Community participation in an anti-violent extremism task force of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which reports to the Secretary; regular, quarterly meetings with the Secretary; education and training for DHS leadership to promote understanding of the Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian American communities and their concerns; and an honest and full discussion of legitimate grievances from members of these communities about DHS policies that are ineffective and have a deleterious, humiliating impact on Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian American communities, ” read a statement from the Yemeni American Benevolent Association, whose director Ali Almaklani attended the meeting.

The group of leaders called for the DHS to rescind the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) directive targeting travelers from or through 13 predominantly Muslim nations, plus Cuba; to revise a TSA directive on religious headwear, such as turbans and headscarves; and to set limits on interrogations and searches by Customs and Border Protection agents that probe an American’s faith, politics, finances or associations, as well as cell phones, laptops and electronic devices, without any evidence of wrongdoing, according to the statement.

Local Chaldean nominated for Iraqi parliament seat

Masoud “Sam” Yono, an Iraqi native and local businessman, has been nominated as a candidate for the Iraqi Parliament in Mosul province.

Masoud “Sam” Yono

Yono, the first Chaldean-American to be nominated for the position, is to hold a town hall meeting to discuss the campaign on Monday, Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. at the Regency Manor, 25228 W. Twelve Mile Rd. in Southfield.
Yono said in a statement his goal is to “preserve the civil rights, safety, prosperity and well-being of every citizen.”

Visit www.yonoforiraq.com for more information.

Courtroom hijab lawsuit to be settled

DETROIT — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered a settlement hearing in the lawsuit filed last year against a Southfield judge who ordered a Muslim woman to remove her hijab during a name change hearing.

Raneen Albaghdady

Raneen Albaghdady of Dearborn filed the suit after Wayne County Circuit Judge William Callahan told her “No hats allowed in the courtroom.” She removed the Islamic hair covering.

Callahan has said he did not know the scarf was hijab and that Albaghdady did not say so. Video of the hearing shows Albaghdady’s husband attempting to explain the religious significance.

The woman’s attorney said Albaghdady, an Iraqi immigrant, was intimidated and unaware of her religious rights, and that any reasonable judge would recognize the religious nature of the scarf.

Albaghdady claims her First Amendment rights were violated and U.S. District Judge Marianne O. Battani on Wednesday ordered a settlement hearing before a federal magistrate in the case.

New Jersey Arab American appointed Superior Court judge

CLIFTON, NJ — Former ADC-NJ Executive Board Member Hany Mawla has been appointed to the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey.

Judge Hany Mawla

Mawla, the son of immigrant parents from Egypt, has the distinction of being the first Arab American Muslim, in fact, the first American Muslim of any background, to serve on the Superior Court in New Jersey.

He’s served on the state’s Commission on Civil Rights and as chairperson of the New Jersey Arab-American Heritage Commission.

“Judge Mawla has been a trusted friend and advisor to so many people in our community and his quiet dignity and grace have earned him the status as one of our community’s most respected leaders,” said Salaheddin Mustafa, president of ADC-NJ,

Arab American elected vice-chair of state medical board

The Michigan Board of Medicine unanimously elected Flint doctor Abd Alghanem as its vice-char last month.

Dr. Abd Alghanem

Alghanem, a Syrian immigrant who studied at the University of Damascus, has been practicing plastic surgery in Michigan for over 20 years.
He’s served on the board for seven years. The Michigan Board of Medicine oversees the licensing of about 10,000 Michigan doctors.

Arab American judge announces run for full term

Macomb County District Judge Matthew Sabaugh on Monday announced his campaign to retain the seat he was appointed to after Judge Walter Jakubowski retired.

Judge Matthew Sabaugh

The 37th District Court serves the cities of Warren and Center Line.
“I plan a vigorous campaign to continue to be a strong, fair and hardworking judge,” Sabaugh said in a release.

He said he hopes to start new programs including a sobriety court, and an expanded community service program

New building to spur downtown Hamtramck redevelopment

HAMTRAMCK — A new 30,000 sq.ft. building development opened in downtown Hamtramck on Tuesday.

The new Woody Plaza, 12140 Jos. Campau, will become home to a new district service center for the state Department of Human Services.

“Woody Plaza brings new life to this part of Jos. Campau,” said Ron Boji, president of the development company Boji Group. “It will house more than 125 employees and serve several hundred people each day.”

The site is the former home of the Woody Pontiac automotive dealership, which drew customers to downtown Hamtramck for 60 years until it closed in 2000. Its owner, Woodrow Woody, was a well-known Arab American. In recent years, the vacant dealership had become a barrier to growth in Hamtramck’s downtown district.

The building will replace two older Department of Human Services facilities.

Education foundation to hold Mardi Gras fundraiser for Dearborn schools

DEARBORN — The Dearborn Public Schools Education Foundation will hold its annual Mardi Gras Fundraiser on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 3:30 to 9 p.m. at the Dearborn Hills Golf Course, 1300 S. Telegraph.

The event to benefit the school district ailing from budget cuts will include entertainment, food, soft drinks, prizes, and a silent auction.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Contact the foundation’s Executive Director Eddie Fakhoury at 313.827.8790.

Radio talk show will link communities

CHICAGO — Radio talk show hosts Laila Alhusinni in Southfield and Ray Hanania in Chicago are combining their weekday radio shows to create one simulcast every Friday.

Alhusinni is host of “Good Morning Michigan,” which broadcasts Monday, Wednesday and Friday on WNZK 690 AM Radio in Metro Detroit from 8 to 9 a.m. EST. Hanania is host of “Mornings with Ray Hanania,” which broadcasts Monday through Thursday on WJJG 1530 AM Radio in Chicago and Northern Illinois from 8 until 9:30 a.m. and Friday 7 until 9 a.m. CST.

Both the Detroit and Chicago areas are home to the some of the country’s largest concentrations of Arab Americans. The two live talk radio shows will merge their Friday programs to broadcast one show, called “Radio Baladi,” (baladi means homeland) to connect Arab American and American Muslim listeners in the two regions.

The radio shows are also broadcast live on the Internet and will be podcast on iTunes and other podcast outlets each week.

The focus of the programs will be Arab, Muslim and Middle East issues, Alhusinni said. Listeners will be encouraged to call in to either the Southfield studio at 248.557.3300 or the Chicago studio at 708.493.1530.

The first broadcast will air on Friday Feb. 12, at 7 a.m. in Chicago and 8 a.m. in Detroit.

For more information on Alhusinni, Hanania or Radio Baladi, or to listen to the live broadcast on the Internet, visit their web site at www.RadioBaladi.com.