Court denies Judge Somers’ request for a rehearing
March 20th, 20150 Somers.CINCINNATI — On Friday, March 13, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers’ request for a rehearing in the $1.2 million judgment against him in the case of former deputy court administrator Julie Pucci. The court unanimously affirmed the judgment on Feb. 13 and Somers filed a motion for...
Florida parents dissatisfied with five-day suspension teacher received for calling student “Taliban”
March 20th, 20150 14-year-old Deyab Houssein Wardani, a freshman at Cypress Bay High School in Weston.WESTON, Fla. — A Muslim family is demanding that a local public school properly discipline a teacher for humiliating their son during class when she called him a "rag head Taliban." Youssef Wardani, the Lebanese father of 14-year-old Deyab...
Business owners applaud eliminating paid parking in west Dearborn
March 20th, 20150 A no-longer-enforced parking meter in west Dearborn.DEARBORN — The parking meters in downtown west Dearborn covered with plastic bags are not out of order; they were rendered useless by the decommissioning of paid parking— at both meters and structures— that started on March 15. Downtown business owners are hoping that just...FHS students participate in 64th annual Michigan District of Key Club Service Leadership Conference
TRAVERSE CITY—Members of Fordson High School’s Key Club participated in the 64th annual Michigan District of Key Club Service Leadership Conference in Traverse City March 13-15. This year’s theme was service around the world. Key Club members from all over the state came together to celebrate the year...SMART to pay more than $500,000 in damages to Iraqi former bus mechanic
DETROIT— Years after the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) began appealing a Michigan Civil Rights Commission ruling in favor of an Iraqi former bus mechanic who’d endured discrimination, SMART has decided to forego any further appeals. SMART now must pay Mazyn Barash, 57, of...
Gov. Snyder appoints Nick Khouri as state treasurer
March 17th, 20150 Nick KhouriLANSING — Gov. Snyder appointed Nick Khouri, of Plymouth, as state treasurer on Tuesday, March 17. Khouri will succeed Kevin Clinton, who is leaving state government for a job in the private sector. Khouri returns to state government after serving as senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at DTE Energy in Detroit,...
Fight for civil rights continues 50 years after “Bloody Sunday”
March 13th, 20150 DETROIT — Tens of thousands gathered at Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. on March 7 for the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday”, a brutal police crackdown on civil rights and people marching for it. The city of Selma is best known for the 1960s Selma Voting Rights Movement and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, beginning with...
Panel discusses Palestinian conflict at Israeli election debate
March 13th, 20150 Isaac Barr, Amer Zahr, Rachel Klein, Howard Lupovitch, Kobi Erez and Tzvi RavivWEST BLOOMFIELD — Local representatives of Israeli political parties held a debate at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield on Monday, March 9, ahead of the March 17 Israeli elections. Amer Zahr, a Palestinian American comedian and an adjunct...
Hamtramck police chief resigns
March 13th, 20150 HAMTRAMCK — The city's police chief Max Garbarino, resigned Wednesday afterthe city council held a special session to discuss why he was placed on paid leave and was put under investigation . “I humbly ask to at least have the reason for why I was placed on leave,” Garbarino said at the special session. “I...
AK Steel to address air quality issues at two Dearborn schools
March 13th, 20150 Arab American residents from Dearborn's Southend (L) Abdo Bapacker and Ahmed Alwahaishi at Wednesday's hearing.DEARBORN — AK Steel plans to address air quality issues at Salina Elementary School and Salina Intermediate School. The schools are both located in the area of Wayne County failing to meet federal air quality standards for...
Corporation Counsel Zenna Elhasan optimistic about Wayne County’s future
March 13th, 20150 Zenna Elhasan.DEARBORN — Zenna Elhasan said she is excited to continue her duties as Wayne County Corporation Counsel under a new administration that rang in the new year with its sights set on progressive change. Elhasan said she's already seen positive results since Wayne County Executive Warren Evans took office in...
City survey: east end neighborhoods had more snow shoveling non-compliance issues
March 13th, 20150 City employees didn't record addresses or give citations during the survey, but they did note when homeowners didn't shovel snow off the sidewalks in front of their homes. According to a city ordinance, homeowners and businesses are responsible for removing snow from sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours after...
Exhibit pays homage to bombed Baghdad literary avenue
March 13th, 20150 Iraqi American poet Alise Alousi speaking at the opening event of Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts here.DEARBORN — When a bomb ripped through Al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad in 2007, the pages of the street known as a hub for booksellers were drenched in blood; 30 people died. But the carnage did not spell the end of the street, which...
Dearborn resident launches halal, kosher and vegan cosmetics company
March 13th, 20150 Maysoon Hamad.DEARBORN — Resident Maysoon Hamad has launched a new cosmetic company called "Alwan", certified as halal, vegan and kosher. It's the only company in the world that is branding its cosmetics as all three. Hamad said she's aiming to bring clean, vibrant and unique products to consumers as an alternative to what is...
Blue Cross continues effort to help get kids active
March 12th, 20150 DETROIT — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan wants kids to lace up their cleats and “Train like an All-Star” with its latest #MIKidsCan challenge, in alignment with the Detroit Tigers spring training. Kids across the state can pledge to Train like an All-Star for a chance to earn one of six spots on the Blue Cross......
Odeh sentenced to 18 months, remains free pending appeal
March 12th, 20150 Rasmea Odeh standing with her supporters outside the federal courthouse in Detroit, March 12DETROIT— A federal judge sentenced Palestinian activist Rasmea Odeh to 18 months in jail on Thursday, March 12, but she will remain free on bond, pending appeal.Odeh, 67, was convicted of unlawful procurement of citizenship on Nov. 30 for...Amer Zahr named adjunct professor of law at the University of Detroit-Mercy Law School
DEARBORN—Classes at the University of Detroit-Mercy Law School are about to get a lot of more interesting. The venerable institution has recently added a new course for the Spring 2015 semester, entitled, “Arab Americans and the Law.” Teaching it will be Amer Zahr; and, while Zahr is often first thought......
Panel discusses civil rights at UM-D
March 6th, 20150 Chief Ronald Haddad, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade, UM-D professor Sally Howell, ADC Michigan Director Fatina Abdrabboh, Judge David Turfe, UM-D president Dan Little.DEARBORN — A panel of local and regional community officials gathered Tuesday, March 3 at the University of Michigan-Dearborn to discuss various civil rights, law...
The forgotten philanthropy of American Muslims
March 6th, 20150 Young Muslim women partnering with Zaman International to provide struggling families throughout metro-Detroit with meals.DEARBORN — American Muslims have made great contributions to society. However, their philanthropic efforts are often overlooked by the media. There is widespread misconception that Arab and Muslim Americans...
Study: Arab Americans’ health affected by pollution
March 6th, 20150 Five-year-old south end resident Marya Aladwar who has asthma.DEARBORN — A study was conducted last year by researchers at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine to determine whether there is an association between changes in air pollution and asthma symptoms in young and old Arab Americans. The Southend of Dearborn...
Local lawmakers anger Arab Americans by attending Netanyahu’s speech
March 6th, 20150 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 3DEARBORN— With the exception of Rep. John Conyers (D- Detroit), all of Michigan's representatives in Congress attended the controversial speech of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on......
Dearborn begins decommissioning paid parking in downtown district
March 6th, 20150 DEARBORN — according to Mayor Jack O'Reilly, an objective to decommission parking meters in west Dearborn is now in full swing. At this week's city council meeting, O'Reilly announced that the city has been revoking parking meters in the business district in downtown Dearborn since late February. From Feb. 24- March 3,...
Local scientist wins environmental award for research on birth defects in Iraq
March 6th, 20150 Dr. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani ANN ARBOR — Local scientist Dr. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani won the prestigious Rachel Carson Prize for her work on the effects of war on public health, particularly the rise of birth defects in Iraq, because of pollution from bombs dropped during the war. The Rachel Carson Prize is awarded annually in......
West Bloomfield officials accused of racism face recall efforts
March 6th, 20150 Oram.WEST BLOOMFIELD — Three members of the West Bloomfield Township board of trustees are facing a recall effort over allegations that they discriminated against Chaldeans. Resident Charlene Mitchell Rodgers filed recall petitions to get Clerk Catherine Shaughnessy and trustees Lawrence Brown and Howard Rosenberg removed from...
UM-Dearborn deer cull ends
March 6th, 20150 DEARBORN — The recent deer cull at the University of Michigan-Dearborn ended this past Sunday. Hunters were initially called in to kill about 50 deer near the campus on Feb. 24 to reduce the animals’ population. Last year an aerial study revealed 57 deer in the area. By this January, their numbers had increased to 76. The......
