Arab American and Chaldean Council appoints James Murray as new executive director
October 5th, 20180 TROY — The Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC), a nonprofit human service organization serving southeast Michigan, has named James Murray as its executive director. In this position, he will execute the vision and expand the mission of the ACC, plan with the CEO and board on current and new strategic initiatives, supervise...
Amazon raises minimum wage to $15 an hour for all U.S. employees
October 5th, 20180 Taking effect Nov. 1 Amazon’s new $15 minimum wage will raise the wages of more than 250,000 Amazon employees plus 100,00 of its seasonal workers. The wage increase applies for full-time, part-time and temporary workers. "We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do and decided we want to lead," Jeff...
Dearborn Police arrests four suspects in T-Mobile armed robbery
October 4th, 20180 DEARBORN — On August 10 an armed robbery occurred at a T-Mobile store on Wyoming in Dearborn. Two suspects, one armed with a handgun, entered the store and stole several iPhones valued at more than $13,000 from the safe inside the store. A thorough investigation by Dearborn Police ultimately led to the arrest of four suspects. ...
Rashida Tlaib, Abdul El-Sayed arrested at Fight for $15 rally in Detroit
October 2nd, 20180 DETROIT — During a pro-labor rally in Detroit Tuesday afternoon, Rashida Tlaib, the expected replacement for former U.S. Rep. John Conyers and Abdul El-Sayed, former Democratic candidate for governor, were arrested on Tuesday, October 2, with 16 other protesters. The protest, part of a national walkout of fast-food workers organized...
Iraqi Dearborn family mourns tragic loss of only son
October 1st, 20180 DEARBORN — An Iraqi family is still mourning the loss their only son, 24-year-old Badri Hashim, to a car accident in Toledo at the end of July. He was a passenger in a pickup truck that crashed into a traffic light pole at 3 a.m. on July 29. He died at the scene. Police contacted 76-year-old Sahib Hashim on Monday, July 30 to...
Family awarded over $130 million in malpractice lawsuit against Beaumont Hospital
October 1st, 20180 ROYAL OAK — A medical malpractice lawsuit filed against Beaumont Hospital resulted in more than $130 million in damages awarded to a family after a child under the care of Beaumont’s Royal Oak facility sustained severe brain damage, resulting in cerebral palsy. The Oakland County jury award is believed to be one of the largest...
The real reasons behind Washington’s war on UNRWA
October 1st, 20180 The U.S. government’s decision to slash funds provided to the United Nations agency that cares for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is part of a new American-Israeli strategy aimed at redefining the rules of the game altogether. As a result, UNRWA is experiencing its worst financial crisis. The gap in its budget is estimated at around...
League of Women Voters urges residents to use online resource
September 30th, 20180 DEARBORN — The League of Women Voters in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, urges voters to use resources from VOTE411.org in preparation for the general mid-term elections on Tuesday, Nov. 6. VOTE411.org’s online interactive voter...Petition calls for Grosse Pointe Shores councilman to resign over Facebook posts that joke about sexual assault
GROSSE POINTE SHORES — An online petition by Progress Michigan, urging Grosse Pointe Shores Councilman Matt Seely to resign, has accumulated 736 signatures. The petition references posts Seely made Sept.17 in a Facebook group called “Michigan Trump Republicans.” The posts feature jokes about women and sexual assault. Progress...
Michigan men set to be deported find ways to stay
September 29th, 20180 DETROIT — According to press release by Michigan United, two men scheduled to be deported found ways around the orders of removal last week. An Albanian immigrant named Ded Rranxburgaj, who took sanctuary in a Detroit church, has a federal hearing on Nov. 13. Francis Anwana, who came from Nigeria for help with hearing and...
Green Party of Michigan endorses proposal for marijuana legalization
September 29th, 20180 LANSING — The Green Party of Michigan announced its formal endorsement of Proposal 18-1 to legalize and regulate marijuana at its recent statewide membership meeting. The Green Party stated in a press release that it discussed concerns about Proposal 18-1 before taking a vote to endorse it. The press release also included Green...
Dearborn Schools superintendent discusses new meal plan
September 28th, 20180 By Farah Harb DEARBORN – On Sept. 12, the Dearborn Public Schools announced and implemented the expansion of its meal program, and the implementation of a free breakfast and lunch, to include students of all grades. “It is a positive for the students that we can provide the meals because the state came up with...
A tour of Dearborn’s aging schools: District prepares for expensive, but needed infrastructure upgrade bond
September 27th, 20180 DEARBORN – The buildings of the state’s third largest public school district are by no means anything like what has been documented at Detroit’s public schools. Dearborn’s 29 schools seem relatively in fair shape, clean and properly maintained – there are no major safety hazards, no visible mold or asbestos falling from...
El-Sayed launches PAC to support progressive candidates, causes
September 26th, 20180 LANSING — On Monday, September 24, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed announced that he'll launch a state-based political action committee to boast liberal candidates and progressive causes in Michigan. El-Sayed’s new group, SouthPaw MI PAC, will emphasize grassroots organizing and provide financial support to...
Comerica Park food handler charged for spitting on pizza
September 25th, 20180 DETROIT - Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Jaylon Kerley, 20, a resident of Detroit, in connection with spitting on pizza dough he was preparing while working at a concession stand in Comerica Park. On September 21, 2018, it is alleged that Kerley spat on a pizza he was preparing and covered his saliva with pizza sauce.......
Arab American mother still seeks help for terminally-ill son
September 24th, 20180 ANN ARBOR — An Arab American mother of four continues her search for support for her family and terminally-ill son while spreading awareness of his rare condition. In May, The AANews met with Azeza Kasham and her 15-year-old son Haitham Breadiy, whom doctors had diagnosed with a genetic form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy...
CAIR-MI files complaint against DTE Energy on behalf of Muslim man
September 23rd, 20180 SOUTHFIELD — The Michigan chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, (CAIR-MI) a civil rights and advocacy group, filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against DTE Energy on behalf of Ibrahim Canales, a former employee who allegedly was forced to leave his job after attending Friday prayer for his Muslim......
Wayne State University offers counseling for Muslim women on campus
September 23rd, 20180 DETROIT — Wayne State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is offering a new service to muslim women on college campuses. The new group, which will meet weekly, aims to provide a place for women to identify and discuss the issues and struggles of being a muslim woman on a college campus. Kaifa Alsoofy,...
CAIR-MI to represent family of man killed by Detroit Police
September 23rd, 20180 DETROIT — The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, (CAIR-MI) a non-profit advocacy group for Muslims, plans to represent the interests of the family of Abdullah Beard (aka Abdullah Abdul Muhamin) regarding his fatal shooting by the Detroit Police on Friday, Sept. 14. "Per the family's request, we will not...
A side of both worlds: What it means to be an Arab American in Dearborn
September 22nd, 20180 DEARBORN — Arab? Arabic? Immigrant? Native born? Is American Arabia a counterculture of America? The Statue of Liberty stands tall and high in New York, symbolizing freedom and enlightenment and is aimed towards sealing friendship. One defining metaphor known in the United States is a "melting pot" of immigrants around the globe,...
Emgage hosts gerrymandering town hall meeting
September 22nd, 20180 DEARBORN — On Thursday, Sept. 20, Emgage, an organization which encourages muslim Americans to engage in local and national politics, hosted a town hall meeting at the Arab American National Museum’s Annex to educate the community on gerrymandering. Voters Not Politicians, a nonpartisan group working to pass Proposal 2 on......
Discrimination complaints forces city to revise confusing gazebo ordinance
September 22nd, 20180 DEARBORN – Inconsistencies in ordinances have been causing confusion among city officials, as residents who have gazebos on their properties complain of excessive ticketing and press administrators struggling to iron out the enforcement language, to find a fix. Although City Council members attempted to tackle this issue last...
U of M professor refuses to grant student referral to study in Israel
September 21st, 20180 ANN ARBOR — A University of Michigan associate professor is facing criticism for not writing a student a letter of recommendation to study in Israel. John Cheney-Lippold, who teaches in the American Culture Department on the relationship among digital media, identity and the concept of privacy, had initially agreed to write the......
Couple charged in carjacking of 88-year-old Livonia woman
September 21st, 20180 LIVONIA — Jason Malinas, 38, of Sterling Heights, and Jessica St. Clair, 41, of Wayne, have been charged by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in connection with the carjacking of an 88-year-old Livonia woman. On September 18, the victim parked her car at a Walmart Store in Livonia. As she was walking to get a shopping cart,...
State Department: Trump will consult with Congress on refugee cap
September 18th, 20180 WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump will make the final decision on the number of refugees allowed into the United States after consulting with Congress, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Tuesday. On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States proposed capping the number of refugees at 30,000 for......
