Cities in Michigan with the most affordable housing
February 22nd, 20190 Housing affordability is a top consideration when determining where to live. In 2018, the economy was strong and real estate prices went up. In 2019, many are predicting a downturn in the housing market. The team at HomeArea.com created the cities in Michigan with the most affordable homes using the most recent Census Bureau data of...
Dearborn native Moe Ayoub appointed as planning director for Westland
February 22nd, 20190 WESTLAND — The Westland City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Moe Ayoub as the new planning director at its meeting on Tuesday, February 19. Ayoub, a Dearborn resident, has worked for the city of Dearborn since 2015 and currently holds the position of senior planner. He has a master's degree in urban planning from...
Dearborn Heights poet uses writing to heal from trauma
February 22nd, 20190 DEARBORN HEIGHTS— Sara Raad, a Dearborn Heights native and daughter of Lebanese immigrants, said she writes poetry to heal from past trauma. She reads her poetry at local events and posts it on her Instagram blog which has more than 11,000 followers. “I used to just write little poems here and there,” she said, adding...
New Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun ready to serve after public swearing-in ceremony
February 22nd, 20190 DEARBORN — Hundreds of people packed the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Monday to celebrate the latest accomplishment and challenge for longtime community leader and real estate broker Sam Baydoun. Baydoun was sworn in as the new Wayne County commissioner for the 13th District seat...
Holt woman who allegedly killed her husband, fellow defendant back in court
February 22nd, 20190 MASON, MI – A Holt woman and a fellow co-defendant were back in court on Thursday for a probable cause hearing for open murder charges against them, WILX-Lansing reported. The two defendants, Bdour Al-Yasari and Jacob Joseph Ficher, were both charged in the death of Al-Yasari's husband, Ammar Al-Yasaria, earlier this...
Sadaf Jaffer sworn in as America’s first female Muslim mayor
February 20th, 20190 MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, NJ - Sadaf Jaffer was sworn in as mayor of Montgomery Township, N.J., a rapidly growing municipality of about 25,000 north of Princeton, making her the country’s first female Muslim mayor, first female Pakistani American mayor and first female South Asian American mayor. Jaffer has a doctorate from Harvard with...
Man arrested for punching, throwing coffee at 7-11 clerk after allegedly telling police he hated Muslims
February 17th, 20190 MARYSVILLE, CA —A man was arrested this past Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a convenience store owner, police said after viewing surveillance footage. The attacker, who was leaving the store at the time, allegedly punched a clerk and threw coffee at him before leaving a 7-11 in the city, just before 2 a.m. The man was...
Two Michigan prison chaplains may be sued for preventing Muslim inmate from celebrating Eid, court rules
February 17th, 20191 ADRIAN — A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of former Muslim inmate Derrick Maye, giving him the ability to sue two Michigan prison chaplains for not allowing him to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr. Maye, who was housed in prisons in Adrian and Jackson, said that he was not allowed to celebrate the Muslim holiday, which marks the end...
Correction: Gary Peters and the anti-BDS bill
February 16th, 20190 An article last week titled "Civil rights group calls for boycott of Stabenow, Peters after their 'yes' votes on anti-BDS bill" stated that Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) promised Arab American community leaders that he would vote against the anti-BDS bill about a month prior to last Tuesday's Senate vote. Following the article's...
Man wanted for passing counterfeit bill at 7-Eleven in Dearborn
February 16th, 20190 DEARBORN — Dearborn police are requesting assistance from the public in identifying a man who passed a counterfeit $100 bill at a local 7-Eleven in late December. On December 29, at approximately 12:40 am, the male suspect entered the 7-Eleven on Greenfield near Rotunda and passed the fake $100 bill. Anyone with information...
Senate votes to rebuke Trump’s Syria policy in amendment to Mideast bill
February 16th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate voted on Monday to rebuke President Trump's troop withdrawal policy on Syria, in a bill expected to pass the chamber later this week, a report from Al Jazeera said. The amendment, introduced by Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, warns against a “precipitous” withdrawal of...
Dearborn Public Library increases circulation and raises awareness through “half million” checkout campaign
February 16th, 20190 DEARBORN — Providing services to residents since 1969, the Dearborn Public Library successfully increased its circulation numbers as it also promoted its many resources during its lively campaign to reach a half million checkouts in 2018. More than 498,220 materials were checked out, which include traditional library materials such...
Dingell announces grant for automated vehicle research at U of M
February 16th, 20191 ANN ARBOR – On Friday, Feb. 1, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (De-Dearborn) announced that the University of Michigan will receive a $2,574,300 grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers program. The grant continues funding for the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation. CCAT...
County executive, prosecutor agree to $1.5 million effort focused on assistant prosecutors
February 16th, 20190 DETROIT – Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans and Prosecutor Kym Worthy applauded the County Commission for approving a $1.5 million retention plan on Thursday, which aims to help ensure experienced attorneys continue working on behalf of Wayne County residents and crime victims. “It’s tough to keep good people when you...
Veteran journalist Bill McGraw discusses Dearborn historical magazine controversy
February 16th, 20190 DEARBORN — Veteran journalist and former Detroit Free Press writer Bill McGraw worked as a contributing editor for the Dearborn Historian, a quarterly magazine for members of the Dearborn Historical Museum, from May 2018 until the most recent edition of the publication resulted in his firing. In an interview with The AANews,......
Michigan attorney general signs letter supporting FTC identity theft rules
February 16th, 20190 LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum and a coalition of 29 other attorneys general in sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission Tuesday, urging the FTC to continue its identity theft rules. The letter cites the proliferation of identity theft in many states, and...
Palestinian student caught in immigration sting deported; India urges release of students
February 15th, 20190 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A Palestinian woman detained after an immigration sting involving a fake college has been granted her release and has returned to her home country of Palestine, sources told The Arab American News. A day before Najilaa Karim Musarsa was taken into custody and detained, a letter addressed to her by U.S. Immigration......
Trump declares national emergency to build border wall, Michigan Democrats criticize decision
February 15th, 20190 LANSING - Prominent Michigan Democrats are responding to President Trump’s national emergency declaration to pay for a wall at the southern border. Despite Congress refusal to grant him, Trump declared a national emergency at the border on Friday to access billions of dollars to build a border wall that...
Michigan’s stricter new “move over” law for drivers went into effect this week
February 15th, 20190 LANSING — Michigan's new Move Over Law went into affect Wednesday, the state announced, after it was signed by then-governor Rick Snyder in November. The law requires drivers to slow down by at least 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit, and moving over a lane if possible, whenever vehicles are parked on the side of the...
Fordson students start driving task force to educate distracted teen drivers
February 15th, 20190 DEARBORN — Starting out as a campus organization at Fordson High School, the Safer Driving Task Force focuses primarily on programs to promote safer teen driving. This is a teen driving initiative aimed at reducing serious traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities among Michigan’s most inexperienced drivers – teens. It's...
Fordson car simulation event sends an important message to students
February 15th, 20190 DEARBORN — On February 5, students from Fordson High school spent the entire day learning about the effects of distracted driving. Activities included speakers, driving simulators and under the influence goggles to encourage students to avoid reckless driving and driving while impaired. The car simulation was the main event of the......
Nissan of Dearborn working to build strong community connection under new ownership
February 15th, 20190 DEARBORN — The city and the surrounding area are known for its love of all things automotive and driving-related, and Nissan is fast becoming a favorite of customers worldwide, rising to number five in the global automobile company rankings. But Dearborn has been without a Nissan dealership since the abrupt closing of the All Pro...
Detroit man charged in sexual assault of 11-year-old girl
February 14th, 20190 DETROIT — Darrell Lee Harris, 50, of Detroit, has been charged in connection with the criminal sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl, the daughter of his ex-girlfriend. The charges were brought by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. It has been alleged that the defendant committed the rapes on two separate occasions last summer......
Seven-year-old Henry Ford Elementary student taken to the hospital, dies two days later
February 13th, 20190 DEARBORN — Seven-year-old Larine Ahmad has died after being taken to a local hospital, a statement from Dearborn Public Schools said. Ahmad, a second-grade student at Henry Ford Elementary School, was taken to the hospital after suffering an unnamed medical emergency on Feb. 7, and died two days later. The family has not released...
AAA warns that cold weather can cut electric vehicle range by 40 percent
February 12th, 20190 DETROIT — Electric vehicle owners should be acutely aware that their cars might not get nearly the same range in the winter months, according to a new study released by AAA. The study found that cold temperature can sap electric car batteries, temporarily reducing their range by more than 40 percent when heaters are used on the......
