Nick Meyer
Author's Posts
Study: Social media linked to surges in anti-minority sentiment in the Trump era
July 10th, 20190 PRINCETON, N.J. — A new study from researchers at Princeton University and the University of Warwick in England has uncovered a link between social media use, President Trump's campaign and anti-minority sentiment. Researchers set out to find direct links between anti-minority sentiment on social media, and after examining Trump's...
Attorney General Nessel charges sixth priest with criminal sexual conduct
July 8th, 20190 LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the arrest of Father Joseph (Jack) Baker on Monday morning in Wayne County. Baker was charged with criminal sexual conduct as part of her ongoing investigation into clergy abuse within the Catholic Church. He will be arraigned in the 29th District Court in Wayne. He was...
Woman faces 20 years in prison for licking ice cream tub in Walmart
July 5th, 20190 LUFKIN, TX — A Walmart customer who licked a tub of ice cream before putting it back in a supermarket freezer could face up to 20 years in prison, police said. The woman, whose name has not been confirmed yet, was seen outside of a Walmart store around 11 p.m. on June 28. An arrest warrant was issued on a charge of second-degree...
Muslims and Arabs in Hollywood: A century of vilifying a religion and culture
July 5th, 20191 It's been a long road to respect, equal rights, and fair, accurate representation for Arab American and Middle Eastern actors. And as late author Jack Shaheen's famous 2006 documentary "Reel Bad Arabs" demonstrated, Hollywood's culture has stacked the deck so strongly against Arab actors that oftentimes the situation seems...
Woman accused of welfare fraud may lose her citizenship
July 4th, 20190 GRAND RAPIDS — A Kentwood woman accused of lying about her criminal background to gain U.S. citizenship is facing a federal charge that could put her in prison for 10 years, a report from WZZM-13 in Grand Rapids said. The woman unlawfully collected nearly $31,000 in benefits and did not disclose the welfare fraud during her process...
Iraq’s great rivers are dying as government struggles to fix failing infrastructure
July 4th, 20190 BAGHDAD — Iraq is in a fragile state and its great rivers including the iconic Euphrates and Tigris are dying, scientists say, as the country works to rebuild itself after thirty years of near constant war. Iraq is now in the process of running out of water, which is sourced from the two mighty, historical rivers. Both run the...
Seven healthy late-night snacks to keep you full and rested throughout the night
July 4th, 20190 The following seven snacks will satisfy your grumbling stomach without ruining your sleep or overdoing it on calories, according to registered dietitian Cynthia Sass, who holds a Master's degree in public health. 1. Tart cherry juice mixed with chia seeds- A natural source of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, tart cherry...
Trump announces plan to pursue controversial citizenship question for 2020 U.S. Census
July 4th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump announced his intention to move forward with a plan to add a controversial citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. Census on Wednesday, a dramatic reversal just a day after Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the plan had been scrapped. “The News Reports about the Department of Commerce...
Oscar winner Rami Malek refused to play Arab terrorist in new James Bond film
July 4th, 20195 Egyptian American actor Rami Malek became the first Arab American Best Actor winner at the Oscars in 2019 for his role in Bohemian Rhapsody. Now, he's primed for a role in the upcoming James Bond film 'Bond25,' a series where legendary villains often steal the spotlight. Malek will be playing a villain in the film, but not the...
Arab American goalie thrilled for chance to compete with hometown favorite Detroit Red Wings
July 3rd, 20190 DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings 2019 development camp wrapped up this past weekend under the watchful eye of new general manager Steve Yzerman at Little Caesars Arena downtown, as recent draft picks and free agent signees battled it out on the ice. Among the latter group was Plymouth native Robbie Beydoun, a lifelong fan of the team...
Arab American Civil Right League, NAACP hold fifth annual justice awards tribute
July 3rd, 20190 DETROIT — The Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) and the Detroit Branch of the NAACP hosted the fifth annual Justice Awards Tribute event on Tuesday, honoring individuals who have dedicated their lives to equality and justice. This year's honorees were Judge Kirsten Frank Kelly of the Michigan Court of Appeals and attorney...
Senator Peters secures commitment to probe traveler screening complaints for systemic issues
July 3rd, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a recent hearing, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) questioned Chad F. Wolf, the Trump administration's nominee to serve as under secretary for strategy, policy and plans at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on the agency's policies that repeatedly subject some travelers to obtrusive and time-consuming...
Palestinian-Canadian journalist threatened with jail time by Germany for “anti-Semitic” speeches
July 3rd, 20190 BERLIN — Palestinian-Canadian journalist Khaled Barakat was barred from speaking at a Palestine solidarity event in Berlin, and has been told to avoid all gatherings of more than 10 people or face a prison sentence. Barakat, an activist who was invited to speak to an Arab community event in Berlin on June 22 to discuss Palestinian...
Tunisian president, 92, leaves hospital, expected to resume work in coming days
July 2nd, 20190 TUNIS — Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi, who became ill last week, left the hospital on Monday in “normal health” and was expected to resume work in the coming days. “The head of state left the military hospital to his residence in Carthage after having received the necessary treatment and having recovered,” his office...
Arab American non-profit expands Macomb County services, opens primary care clinic
July 1st, 20190 STERLING HEIGHTS — The Arab American & Chaldean Council announced it will now be offering integrated health care services in Sterling Heights, with the opening of the council’s new primary care clinic. The clinic is located at ACC's Macomb location at 38219 Mound Rd. in Sterling Heights, providing a multi-faceted healthcare......
Dearborn water rate change doesn’t do nearly enough to support residents, councilman says
June 30th, 20190 DEARBORN—The Dearborn City Council voted 4-1 last Tuesday to amend fixed rates charged to the city's water customers. According to Councilman David Bazzy, the move led to heated discussions. “There was a lot of good discussions back and forth, some of it slightly heated, some of it not so heated," he said. "I think that either...
Arab Americans work to serve the community, fill talent gap through Challenge Detroit
June 30th, 20190 DETROIT — One of the biggest challenges facing the “Motor City” in recent years as it continues yet another renaissance has been the tendency for talented young professionals to leave the city. In response, Doyle Mosher and Deirdre Groves founded Challenge Detroit in 2008, in hopes of keeping the area's brightest and best from......
Report finds nation’s wealthiest corporations connected to anti-Muslim organizations, candidates and policies
June 30th, 20191 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Crescendo Project at the Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) released a new report on Wednesday, the anniversary of the infamous U.S. Muslim Ban, titled the “United States of Islamophobia”, exposing corporate ties in all 50 states to Islamophobia. The report was written in partnership with the...
Gov. Whitmer signs multiple bills, including changes to graduated license requirements
June 26th, 20190 LANSING — Governor Whitmer signed multiple noteworthy House and Senate bills on Tuesday, including one amending the requirements for the levels of a graduated license and another regulating unmanned aircraft systems in certain circumstances. Senate Bill 192 amends the Michigan Vehicle Code to specify that an individual who has a...
Egyptian American on CBS show said to be the “first Arab American Muslim hero”
June 26th, 20190 Arab Americans and Muslims are overwhelmingly cast as background characters at best, terrorists, dictators and other negative roles at worst. But an Egyptian American actor named Zeeko Zaki has made headlines recently for his role as Special Agent Omar Adom Zidan, also known as “O.A.,” on the CBS crime procedural drama show...
Woman awarded over $3 million after Oakwood physician is found negligent
June 24th, 20190 DETROIT — Plaintiff Mariah Martinez was awarded over $3 million on Monday after former Oakwood Healthcare and William Beaumont Hospital physician Yasser Awaad was found negligent in misdiagnosing and treating her for epilepsy. The case was tried in Wayne County Circuit Court with Judge Robert J. Colombo presiding. Martinez was......
Amnesty program from Dearborn court waives late fees on unpaid tickets through June 28
June 22nd, 20190 DEARBORN — The 19th District Court announced its 2019 Amnesty Program for all delinquent civil infraction tickets, which began on Monday and runs through June 28. Unpaid tickets can accumulate additional late fees, default fees and warrant fees, increasing the original amount of the ticket. The program will allow individuals an...
Community holds fundraiser for prosecutor Kym Worthy in Dearborn
June 22nd, 20190 DEARBORN — Friends, supporters, well wishers, prominent community members and officials alike turned out by the dozens on Wednesday June 19 at Habib's Cuisine, supporting one of the most respected prosecutors in the country, Kym Worthy, for her upcoming bid for reelection. Worthy, who recently joined with Michigan Solicitor General......
Dearborn Schools seeking $245 million bond for upgrading buildings in dire need of repairs
June 22nd, 20190 DEARBORN — Michigan's third largest school district will seek a $245 million bond approval this year for revamped media centers, new furniture, equipment, technology upgrades and more, in hopes of fixing up some of the most outdated buildings in the state. A $245 million bond proposal is being sent by board members to state...
New Michigan auto insurance plan doesn’t guarantee savings, official says
June 15th, 20190 LANSING — Motorists in the Great Lakes State will be required to buy a considerably larger amount of liability coverage under the new auto insurance law signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently, but the law won't guarantee savings according to one top insurance industry executive. “We sure hope that they don’t wash each......
