Zeina Jaafar
Author's Posts
United Humanitarian Foundation continues local, national and international humanitarian work
June 9th, 20230 A nonprofit organization based in Southeast Michigan, the United Humanitarian Foundation (UHF), continues its efforts of giving back at the local, national and international level. Founded in 2017 by Saeed Haidara, the UHF began its humanitarian work in Yemen following the emergence of the war throughout the country. The UHF...
Detroit air quality harmed as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads into the United States
June 9th, 20230 DETROIT — Wildfires in Canada have emitted smoke into the United States, harming the air quality in many states, including Michigan. According to the IQAir Air Quality Index, Detroit ranked second for worst air quality in the world on Wednesday morning. The Air Quality Index identifies air quality in different parts of the world...
Michigan high school senior selected as a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar
May 26th, 20230 BLOOMFIELD HILLS — A Michigan high school senior has been selected as a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar. Adnan Khan of Bloomfield Hills was selected out of more than 5,000 students across the nation for this prestigious title. A total of 161 U.S. high school seniors were chosen to be U.S. Presidential Scholars and Khan is one of...
100 Arab American Women Who Care celebrate 10th anniversary, donate $10,000 to local organization
May 19th, 20230 NOVI — On Saturday, May 13, the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP) held the 10th annual 100 Arab American Women Who Care event at Land Rover Novi. The CAAP is a national institution of ACCESS, a national Arab American community foundation. Roughly 110 women gathered to celebrate and honor their continued philanthropy work....
Students in Dearborn Heights hold walkout protesting Annapolis High School principal’s suspension
May 16th, 20230 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Students at Annapolis High School in Dearborn Heights staged a walkout Tuesday morning, May 9 in support of their principal, who was recently suspended. Principal Aaron Mollett was placed on administrative leave after a student's death, according to the district. 7 Actions News reported that parents were...
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud hosts first Eid al-Fitr breakfast in the city
May 1st, 20230 DEARBORN — Mayor Abdullah Hammoud hosted the first Eid al-Fitr breakfast for community members celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The breakfast took place at the Ford Performing and Community Arts Center in Dearborn on Saturday, April 22 and roughly 1,000 people attended. The brunch was free and all of the food...
The Custard Company opens third location in Little Caesars Arena
May 1st, 20230 DETROIT — The Custard Company, an Arab American-owned ice cream company, opened its third location in Little Caesars Arena (LCA) earlier this year. Jamal Jawad, The Custard Company's CEO, opened the first Custard Company establishment in Dearborn in 2019. Karim Kadouh, vice president of operations and marketing for The Custard...
Amateur MMA fighter Abe Alsaghir is making his professional MMA debut in the Lights Out Championship fight
April 21st, 20230 DEARBORN — Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Abe Alsaghir is making his professional debut in his next fight on April 29 at Hype Athletics in Wayne. He will be fighting Kevin Walker Jr. in the lightweight division of the Lights Out Championship. Photo Courtesy of Abe Alsaghir Alsaghir is stepping into the professional level and...
Dearborn’s Suhoor Festival and Downtown Ramadan Nights conclude the month with record turnout
April 21st, 20230 DEARBORN — As the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, the Ramadan Suhoor Festival and the Downtown Dearborn Ramadan Nights conclude this month with high attendance turnouts throughout all nights of operation. This was the first year of the Downtown Dearborn Ramadan Nights held on West Village Drive in the heart of Downtown...
Assad Turfe honored for his promotion to Wayne County deputy executive
March 24th, 20231 DEARBORN — A celebratory dinner took place last Thursday, March 16 at La Pita in Dearborn to honor Assad Turfe and his recent promotion to deputy county executive of Wayne County. Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans promoted Turfe to the position last September, following his 20 years of service for Wayne County. He began his...
Newest and largest Papaya Fruit Market location opens in Canton
March 24th, 20230 CANTON — Khalil Saad, owner of the Papaya supermarkets, has opened a fifth location in Canton. Saad immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in 1998. He told The Arab American News the first Papaya store he opened on Warren Ave. on the Dearborn/Detroit border was originally a small shop. He shared the story of how he was...
Various toxic chemicals released in Ohio train derailment sent to Wayne County for disposal
March 4th, 20230 EAST PALESTINE —Last month, a train carrying hazardous materials derailed off the tracks in East Palestine, Ohio. The Norfolk Southern train derailed, igniting a fire emitting toxic fumes into the environment. The chemicals released in the derailment have been reported to contaminate the surrounding air and water. The...
PappaRoti dessert and coffee shop opens franchise in West Dearborn
January 28th, 20230 DEARBORN — A new local dessert and coffee shop has opened in West Dearborn. PappaRoti, which means "father of all buns", is an international establishment with more than 500 locations around the world. Belal Harajli and Ali Beydoun, owners of the West Dearborn franchise location, have ventured into offering the community a different...
The Dearborn/Dearborn Heights Model United Nations Student Club is heading to the Harvard Model United Nations Conference
January 28th, 20230 DEARBORN — The Dearborn/Dearborn Heights Model United Nations Club is heading to the Harvard Model United Nations conference after Team Wellness Center benevolently donated the remaining funds needed. Team Wellness Center, a center for mental health services, donated $5,000 to the club, allowing the students to attend the...
Chaldean American and World War II veteran Peter Essa shares his story of carrying his wound for 78 years
January 27th, 20230 Private First Class Peter Essa, a Chaldean American and World War II veteran, seemed to have unknowingly carried a piece of World War II with him for the last 78 years. Wooden fragments from the bullet he was shot with in the invasion of Normandy were found in his ankle two months ago after he visited a doctor because of a swollen......
Dearborn Police responded to more than 82,000 calls, doubled speeding tickets in 2022
January 20th, 20230 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department has released its "year in review" statistics for 2022. The infographic it released displays an increase or decrease in each category for 2022 in comparison to 2021. The categories include service calls, arrests, crashes and citations for speeding and stop sign and traffic signal...
Amanda Atwy hired as a prosecutor for the city of Dearborn
January 13th, 20230 DEARBORN — Attorney Amanda Atwy has been hired as one of the prosecutors for the city of Dearborn. She attended Cooley Law School and started working for Dearborn's legal department as a law clerk in her second year of law school. She also completed her required externship in law school at the 19th District Court. There she worked......
Mental health specialists share ways to combat illness struggles
January 6th, 20230 Mental health specialists Dr. Hoda Amine and Dr. Shama Faheem share resources, treatments and other effective ways to prevent and combat mental health struggles. Faheem is a board certified adult and child psychiatrist and the chief medical officer for the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN). She shared that mental...
Mayor Hammoud welcomes Lawrence Technological University President Dr. Tarek Sobh to Dearborn
December 16th, 20220 DEARBORN — Dr. Tarek Sobh, president of Lawrence Technological University, attended a meet and greet reception event on Tuesday, December 13 at Fairlane Banquet Center in Dearborn with Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud. This event was an informal reception allowing attendees to directly communicate, connect and build relationships...
Oakman Child Care Learning Ladder opens third location in Dearborn
December 9th, 20220 DEARBORN — Oakman Child Care Learning Ladder celebrated the grand opening of its third location in Dearborn at Hubbard and Mercury Drive on Monday, December 5. Samera Ajami is the sole owner of all three locations. She opened her first location is East Dearborn in 2012 and the second in Detroit in 2019. All three...
The Dearborn Police Department launches its Toys for Tots Drive this holiday season
December 2nd, 20220 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department has launched its partnership with the Toys for Tots program for the 10th year. On Wednesday, November 30 Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin and Toys for Tots Coordinator Phillip Smith gathered at the Dearborn Police Department to initiate the Toys for Tots drive this holiday season. "I'm......
Abed Hammoud named the new co-chair of BRIDGES
December 2nd, 20220 DEARBORN — Abed Hammoud, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, has been named the new co-chair of BRIDGES (Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity). Hammoud has extensive experience in law, practicing at both the state and federal levels, including his eight years serving as assistant U.S. Attorney and 15 years as...
Recent local business have had grand openings in Dearborn
November 26th, 20220 DEARBORN — Two local businesses have recently had grand openings in Dearborn. The restaurant District 12 opened its second location in West Dearborn on Michigan Avenue and Mason with a grand opening in October. The original location is on Telegraph in Dearborn Heights. Both locations offer the same menu options with all halal......
November 2022 school board election results in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck
November 11th, 20221 The cities of Dearborn Heights, Dearborn and Hamtramck saw crucial school board races in the November 8 election. There has been an increased interest in school boards and school administration with the recent book ban issue that arose in Dearborn. There are two school districts in Dearborn Heights, one in Dearborn and one in...
Farewell event honors U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell and her time serving Dearborn
October 27th, 20220 DEARBORN — An event honoring U.S. Rep Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) and her service to the city of Dearborn was held on Monday, Oct. 24 at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. Dingell will no longer represent Dearborn as a result an independent citizen-led redistricting commission leaving the city out of the......
