Q&A: Dearborn Engineering Dept. answers questions about flooding, sewage, east and Southend of Dearborn
July 10th, 20210 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Engineering Department answered the following questions regarding recent flooding in the city. The questions from The Arab American News were conveyed through the city's public information director, Mary Laundroche. A federally-mandated sewer separation project to mitigate pollution into the Rouge River was...
Mayor O’Reilly makes statement on public absence during flood crisis, cites health issues
July 9th, 20210 DEARBORN — After alarm from the community about the very public absence of the city’s longtime mayor during a historic flood, Mayor O’Reilly made a statement declaring he has had health issues on Friday. The statement, attributed to O'Reilly, says health issues have impacted his "ability to attend public engagements" and make...
What to know before buying or selling a home in a flood zone
July 9th, 20211 DEARBORN/HEIGHTS — With many first time homebuyers in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights experiencing a flood for the first time, one local realtor is offering some tips of the trade. Dave Abdallah, a realtor in the community for more than 35 years, said that homeowners need to do their research before they buy. “When properties...
First person: Dearborn’s devastating flood exposes mistrust, deep divides
July 9th, 20210 Bilal Baydoun is a Michigan-based policy advisor and writer. He previously served as a lead policy and communications advisor in the Michigan Department of Attorney General. Ali Abazeed is a public health advisor with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services based in Washington D.C. The authors were born and raised in East...
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans endorses Abdullah Hammoud for mayor: Best choice for Dearborn
July 8th, 20210 DEARBORN — Abdullah Hammoud, who is one of seven candidates running for mayor of Dearborn, has earned the endorsement of Wayne County Executive Warren Evans. Hammoud, a state representative in his final term, announced his candidacy for mayor in January. Hammoud announced the endorsement in a Facebook post. “We are...
FEMA visits Dearborn; Dearborn Heights mayor writes letter to President Biden
July 8th, 20211 DEARBORN/HEIGHTS — With residents in both cities still reeling from the damage caused by the recent storms, city leaders are trying to get help from the federal government. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) visited with local leaders in Dearborn on July 8 to assess the damages from the storms that...
How to get help clearing flood damaged property
July 8th, 20210 DEARBORN/HEIGHTS — Residents who are still in need of flood clean-up assistance now have more resources to utilize in helping clear out flood-damaged items. The Samaritan’s Purse, the same group that provided relief to Dearborn Heights in 2019, is in the area available to help residents remove flood-damaged items from their homes...
ACCESS to host flood relief distribution event
July 7th, 20210 DEARBORN — The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) will be hosting two flood relief distribution events this week. During the events, ACCESS will be distributing fans, liquid disinfectant, spray bottles, disinfectant wipes, rolls of garbage bags and personal protective equipment to flood victims from the...
Drive-in movie event highlights need for foster parents in Wayne County
July 7th, 20210 DETROIT — A drive-in movie night in Detroit organized by state health and county officials will highlight the need for foster parents in Wayne County. Wayne County residents can enjoy a night at the movies while finding out how they can become foster parents during an event on Friday night, July 9. The Michigan Department of...
Arab American-owned Point Blank Firearms opens in Dearborn Heights
July 6th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Point Blank Firearms gun store celebrated its grand opening this week, which the owners say was very successful. Ramy Hijazi of Dearborn Heights and Muhammad Zion of Dearborn have been friends for 11 years and both have a passion for firearms, having grown up around hunting and firearms in general, which led them...
Gary Woronchak cites his experience as to why he is the best candidate for Dearborn mayor
July 6th, 20210 DEARBORN — Gary Woronchak, a former editor of the Press & Guide, state representative and chairman of the Wayne County Commission, is running for mayor. Woronchak’s parents moved to Dearborn from the east side of Detroit right before he started kindergarten at Whitmore-Bolles Elementary school. He then went on to Edison...
Hussein Berry campaigning for Dearborn mayor, with focus on public safety
July 3rd, 20210 DEARBORN — Dearborn Public School Board Trustee Hussein Berry is looking to become the next mayor of the city he loves and calls home. “My story is Dearborn’s story,” he said. “I grew up in the Southend, watching the smoke stacks as I went to school. I watched my father create a business that still thrives today —...
Ziad Abdulmalik wants to lead as a “we” if elected to Dearborn City Council
July 3rd, 20210 DEARBORN — Ziad Abdulmalik is looking to obtain enough votes to take one of the seven City Council seats that are up for grabs in this election. The 34-year-old was born and raised in Dearborn, met his wife in Dearborn before getting married nine years ago and has a 4-year-old son in the Dearborn Public School District, with...
Dearborn government answers questions about sewer system and flooding
July 3rd, 20210 DEARBORN — The city government released a Q & A memo regarding the recent flooding and the sewage backup through its public information department. The answers below were up-to-date as of June 28. What is believed to have caused the significant flooding that occurred June 26? The storm that led to severe flooding on June 26...
Dearborn Artspace Lofts denies tenant help after flooding, threatens eviction
July 2nd, 20212 DEARBORN — Ever since his basement level apartment flooded last Friday night, Ramsey Turkmani, a tenant at Dearborn’s City Hall Artspace Lofts, has had no real help from his building’s management. In fact, after almost an entire weekend of pleading with them to remove the continued water seeping into the apartment he shares......
Mayor Bill Bazzi addresses flooding concerns in Dearborn Heights and struggles with clean up efforts
July 2nd, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Following a third devastating flood in less than a decade, Mayor Bill Bazzi said he will do whatever he can to help. During a special Council meeting scheduled on Monday to address Act 345 funding, Clerk Lynne Senia mentioned that every time it rains, she has to cover the clerk’s office in plastic due to the...
Frustrated Dearborn residents demand accountability from city government, quicker relief and long-term solution
July 2nd, 20210 DEARBORN — In the aftermath of severe flooding in Wayne County last weekend, residents are still picking up the pieces in frustration at the slow response and demanding accountability from local and national government officials and agencies. “We lost just about everything in the basement" — Samia Hamid, a local resident......
Dearborn city officials scramble to deal with the aftermath of flooding and residents anger
July 1st, 20211 DEARBORN — After the third round of catastrophic flooding in less than a decade hit Dearborn this week, city leaders are addressing the issue and calling for an investigation. As an immediate response to the flooding, Council President Susan Dabaja called for the first of two emergency meetings on Saturday morning. “We are...
Dearborn deploys workers, enlists aid, in flood cleanup effort
July 1st, 20210 Dearborn's government deployed crews and recruited outside aid to carry out the clean-up of widespread debris from last Friday's storm and associated flooding By Wednesday, the Dearborn city government had deployed all resources and brought in employees from Taylor, Melvindale and Canton, as well as private contractors, and continued...
Yvonna Abraham appointed first Palestinian American judge in Wayne County Third Circuit Court
July 1st, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — On Thursday, Governor Whitmer announced the appointment of Yvonna C. Abraham to the Wayne County Third Circuit Court. Abraham is the first Palestinian American judge in the state of Michigan. Abraham currently serves as the magistrate and director of probation for the 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights. She...
“Kid Santa” repurposing himself to help Dearborn Heights flood victims
July 1st, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Kenneth Isaacson, best known as Dearborn Heights’ “Kid Santa”, has decided to step up for the children of the community a few months early. After assisting one family in cleaning up their flood damaged home and realizing that the toys being thrown away were the toys that had just been delivered by Kid Santa......
Blue Hands United for Autism offering to replace damaged items for special needs children
July 1st, 20210 DEARBORN — Blue Hands United for Autism is looking to help replace toys and sensory items for families of special needs children impacted by the floods. The non-profit organization was founded in Dearborn in 2014 by Mona and Mariam Alaouie to help provide resources for families affected by Autism, but Mona Alaouie said that they...
ACC partnering with Dearborn Police Department, Byblos and Forgotten Harvest to help Dearborn flood victims
June 29th, 20210 DEARBORN — In response to the catastrophic flooding from this weekend, the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) is partnering with other local entities to help flood victims. ACC, a non-profit organization founded in 1979 on the basis of providing services to the Middle Eastern and mainstream communities in Southeast Michigan,......
State emergency relief available for low-income residents towards home damage from flooding
June 29th, 20210 LANSING — Low-income residents affected by recent flooding in Michigan may be eligible for emergency relief assistance through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the agency announced Tuesday. The State Emergency Relief program provides immediate help to families and individuals facing conditions of extreme...
Tuesday trash district required to remove parked vehicles Tuesday and Thursday
June 28th, 20210 DEARBORN — Residents in the Tuesday trash district are reminded to remove their parked vehicles from the streets under the Public Service Day rules Thursday, July 1. Additional collection crews are returning to the Tuesday district on Thursday to help clear the area of flood-damaged materials. Both Tuesday and Thursday residents......
