Why we chose not to endorse either candidate for Hamtramck mayor
October 30th, 20210 Endorsing candidates for important offices is a major responsibility for local organizations and newspapers. For an ethnic newspaper, the voice of the community we advocate for has to be taken into consideration, as should the issues that affect it the most. But decisions on endorsements cannot simply come about with a superficial...
The Arab American News endorsements for Hamtramck’s City Council elections
October 30th, 20211 The Arab American News interviewed the six candidates who are running for the three seats on the Hamtramck City Council and have decided to endorse the following three candidates for the four-year term. Khalil Refai Khalil Refai is the front-runner during this election, leading in the polls during the August primary. Recently, he has...
AAPAC hosts pre-election reception, encourages high voter participation
October 29th, 20210 DEARBORN — As Election Day looms, the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) hosted a pre-election reception at Byblo's Banquet hall in Dearborn. While the event was not as large as typically would be due to COVID, elected officials and candidates alike were in attendance. “This is probably the most critical and...
Hamtramck City Council candidates answer critical questions on urgent city issues
October 26th, 20210 HAMTRAMCK — The countdown to the general election is one week away and six City Council candidates are in the running for three open seats on the Nov. 2 ballot. The Arab American News reached out to all of the candidates to provide the community of Hamtramck more insight into individual City Council hopefuls and their responses to...
Richard AlAziz seeking a position on the Charter Revision Commission
October 25th, 20210 DEARBORN — As a longtime resident and father of five, Richard AlAziz is hoping to bring his skills to the table and become one of nine members elected to the Charter Revision Commission. AlAziz and his wife, Zena, have lived in Dearborn for about 26 years and all five of their children graduated through the Dearborn Public School...
SODA President Timothy Harrison hoping to earn a seat on the Charter Revision Commission
October 25th, 20210 DEARBORN — Timothy Harrison, president of the Southwestern Outer Drive Neighborhood Association of Dearborn (SODA), is running for the Charter Revision Commission. Harrison, a lifelong resident of Dearborn, has owned his home with his wife and two children for 19 years, has been involved with the SODA for seven years and has been...
Hamtramck mayoral candidates respond to questions
October 23rd, 20210 HAMTRAMCK — Hamtramck’s mayoral race has taken a historic turn during and after the primaries, with Yemeni American candidate Amer Ghalib emerging as front runner, competing against long-time incumbent Mayor Karen Majewski. The Arab American News reached out to both, with questions geared towards their particular campaigns. The...
Debbie Dingell endorses Abdullah Hammoud for mayor; Police Officers Association of Dearborn indirectly endorse Hammoud
October 23rd, 20210 DEARBORN — While U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) is endorsing State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) for mayor, the Police Officers Association of Dearborn (POAD) is indirectly endorsing the candidate. Originally, the POAD had chosen to not endorse a candidate for mayor. However, following recent social media posts...
Dearborn: A look at the ballot
October 22nd, 20210 DEARBORN — Voters in Dearborn will once again have a difficult decision to make in the upcoming general election. Between selecting a new mayor for the first time in 14 years, all seven City Council members and nine members of a Charter Revision Commission, residents also have a proposal to decide on. All information on candidates...
Dearborn Heights: A look at the ballot
October 22nd, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With the general elections fast approaching, some residents may not know what is on the ballot for their precincts. On all precincts’ ballots, there are the partial terms for mayor, ending on Dec. 31, city clerk, ending on Dec. 31, and a City Council seat, ending on Dec. 31, 2023, as well as the full terms...City Clerk’s Office to extend hours for the upcoming election
October 19th, 20210 DEARBORN — In preparation for the Nov. 2 election, the City Clerk’s Office will be open additional hours for residents to access its services as it pertains to voting. The clerk’s office will be open on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. for election activities only for residents to register to vote in-person, turn in...
Jamil Khuja running for Charter Revision Commission
October 17th, 20210 DEARBORN — Jamil Khuja, who just recently earned endorsements from AAPAC, ACTPAC and AMPAC, is running for the Charter Revision Commission. “I ran for the charter commission because I care about Dearborn and want improvement in our city government,” Khuja said. “My wife and I graduated from Dearborn Public Schools. She now...
Glenn O’Kray is campaigning to become one of nine Charter Revision Commissioners
October 17th, 20210 DEARBORN — Having lived and/or worked in Dearborn almost all of his life, Glenn O’Kray is hoping to serve the community by being elected to the Charter Revision Commission. O’Kray is a retired director of financial aid and adjunct instructor at Henry Ford College, where he served for 45 years. He has also held leadership...
Albert Abbas seeking a seat on the Charter Revision Commission
October 17th, 20210 DEARBORN — Albert Abbas, a dedicated father of four, is campaigning to become one of nine members of the Charter Revision Commission. Abbas has lived in Dearborn for his entire life and has had a residence in every corridor of the city. His wife, Joanne, is a nurse practitioner, proudly serving in the Dearborn Public School...
Former Dearborn School Board member Sharon Dulmage running for Charter Revision Commission
October 16th, 20210 DEARBORN —Sharon Dulmage, a former School Board member, is hoping to continue to serve the community on the Charter Revision Commission. Married to a lifelong Dearborn resident, Dulmage and her husband raised their children in the city that she herself has called home since 1963. Dulmage attended Henry Ford College, Detroit......
Dearborn City Council candidates answer the tough questions
October 15th, 20210 DEARBORN — With the general election less than one month away, the 14 City Council candidates are answering difficult questions at the forefront of residents' minds. All 14 candidates were asked the same questions and given a 75 word limit per question and two weeks to answer. Silvio Davis, Gary Enos, and Khalil Othman did not...
Speak Hope Walk for Hunger founder Kimberly Ismail seeks seat on the Charter Revision Commission
October 13th, 20210 DEARBORN — Kimberly Ismail, a lifelong resident and active volunteer for at least 20 years, is campaigning to be elected to the Charter Revision Commission. Ismail has worked in the Dearborn Public School System for more than 15 years and is the founder of Speak Hope Walk for Hunger, an organizing campaign that supports refugee......
Laura Dudgeon seeking a seat on the Charter Revision Commission
October 9th, 20210 DEARBORN — As a resident for nearly 35 years, Laura Dudgeon is hoping to earn one of the nine seats on the Charter Revision Commission. Dudgeon chose Dearborn as the place to raise her young son and because of the schools, the pools, the parks and the location. She has found that Dearborn's best asset is the...
AAPAC announces endorsements for the 2021 general elections
October 8th, 20210 DEARBORN — Members of the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) have voted on their endorsements for the 2021 general elections. AAPAC is the oldest Arab American political organization, established in 1998 and formed by a group of Arab Americans who set out to organize and encourage the political activities of the Arab...
Local political organizations announce endorsements
October 8th, 20210 DEARBORN — With the general elections less than one month away, local political organizations have started announcing their endorsements. While some organizations haven't finished announcing their endorsements, others have already announced. Advocates of the Change for Tomorrow Political Action Committee (ACTPAC) have a formal...
Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun endorses Abdullah Hammoud for mayor
October 6th, 20210 DEARBORN — State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud has announced an endorsement from Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun for his mayoral campaign. “We are excited to share that we have earned the endorsement of Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun,” Hammoud’s campaign Facebook page read. “Commissioner Baydoun and I have worked......
Whitmer vetoes GOP voting bills prohibiting procedures that don’t exist
October 4th, 20210 DETROIT — At a recent Detroit NAACP dinner, Governor Whitmer vetoed several bills put forward by the state’s Republicans to add voting measures that imply deep irregularities in the state’s voting procedures. The bills follow a tumultuous November 2020 election, in which former president Trump falsely claimed there was...
Local freelancer running for the Charter Revision Commission
October 2nd, 20210 DEARBORN — Michael Kuentz, a freelance photographer for the city of Dearborn, is campaigning to be one of nine mebers elected to the Charter Revision Commission. Kuentz, a resident for more than 20 years, is a photographer and video producer, freelancing for the city and the Press & Guide and producing videos for the......
Community efforts in state redistricting could lead to unprecedented Arab American representation in State House and Senate
October 2nd, 20210 The state’s citizen-led redistricting effort is approaching some crucial deadlines and draft maps have been released for public consideration that show how the process could potentially rework the state’s political maps. Michigan voters approved the creation of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) in...Tafelski, Parrelly, Dabaja all endorse Abdullah Hammoud for mayor
September 29th, 20211 DEARBORN — As the election nears, State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) has secured several more endorsements for his campaign to become the city's next mayor. Hammoud's former competitors in the primary election, Tom Tafelski, Jim Parrelly and Council President Susan Dabaja, all have announced their support for him. “Tom......
