Finding quality special education is a challenge
April 14th, 20170 Stigmas usually form when, ironically, some of the most critical forces of life— those that must be addressed— hit. The Arab American community's prominent taboo topics, which are brought to the forefront by local groups more often nowadays, include mental health, substance abuse, domestic abuse and learning and physical...
Dearborn’s graduation rate rises for fifth year, drop-out rates decrease 72%
April 12th, 20170 DEARBORN- Recent data released by the State of Michigan reveals graduation rates for the Dearborn Public Schools have increased over five years from 76% in 2011 to 93% in 2016, while drop-out rates have decreased 72%. In 2011, there was a total of 113 drop-outs compared to 32 in 2015-16. “This is great news for our community,”...
LAHC’s 29th annual awards gala celebrates education and success
April 8th, 20170 DEARBORN — Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities (formerly the Lebanese American Heritage Club) has a long and deeply rooted history in the local community, but the focus was once again on the future and on shattering stereotypes during the non-profit's 29th annual awards gala on Thursday, April 6. The ceremony, attended by...
Hamtramck whistleblower lawsuit may cost city around $300,000
April 8th, 20170 HAMTRAMCK —A whistleblower lawsuit connected to the city's former director of public services, Steve Shaya, was settled last week for $75,000, but with the addition of attorney fees, the real cost may have surpassed $300,000. The Iraqi-born Chaldean, who was fired in 2014, sued the city, the previous police chief and others for $10...
Iranian college student detained by ICE for unknown reasons
April 7th, 20170 DEARBORN —At 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents detained an Iranian Schoolcraft College student at his apartment in Dearborn. According to his roommate, the student, Mohammad Salar Fard-Hajian, 24, holds a valid student visa and has been living in the U.S. for three years. Police said he...
Dearborn woman dispels misconceptions of Islam through Solidarity Project
April 7th, 20171 DEARBORN — As local resident Agnes Fischer drove by a Muslim crowd praying outside Levagood Park and listened to church bells chiming nearby one day, she began to cry in awe of the city of Dearborn. That scene inspired the 41-year-old photographer, HYPE Athletics yoga instructor and director of fitness and personal training to start...
Mother of fatally shot Detroit man sues officers for $50 million
April 7th, 20171 DETROIT — On Thursday, April 6, the mother of Terrance Kellom, an unarmed Black man fatally shot in his father’s home in April 2015, filed a $50 million lawsuit against three officers linked to her son’s death. Nelda Kellom stated in her complaint that Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Mitchell Quinn had no reason or...
Arab American lawyer to file $50 million lawsuit over fatal shooting of unarmed man
April 5th, 20170 DETROIT — Nabih Ayad, a prominent Arab American civil rights lawyer and founder of the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL), will file a $50 million federal lawsuit at the District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Thursday, April 6, against ICE and Detroit police officers, who fatally shot an unarmed 20-year-old...
DTE Energy to upgrade gas infrastructure in neighborhoods
April 5th, 20170 DETROIT — This spring, DTE Energy crews will upgrade natural gas infrastructure by swapping older steel lines with durable polyethylene lines to keep gas systems dependable for years to come. “Our customers rely on us to keep the natural gas delivery system reliable and safe,” Joi Harris, vice president of Gas Operations at DTE...
Dearborn’s controversial Orville Hubbard statue is back, and so is the debate
April 4th, 20171 DEARBORN — The statue of late Dearborn Mayor Orville Hubbard has resurfaced since the controversy that led to its removal from outside the old City Hall building in September 2015. The statue was originally placed in front of Dearborn City Hall in 1989, but was removed and placed in storage after the building was sold in 2015....
Dearborn Heights municipal election attracts record number of Arab American candidates
April 4th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS ― As the April 25 filing deadline for municipal elections draws near, dozens of candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to compete for available city positions. Dearborn Heights is facing shifting demographics, reflecting that of its neighbor, Dearborn, where nearly half of the 22 candidates for city...
With revitalization underway, new downtown Dearborn Hampton Inn hotel opens doors
April 4th, 20170 DEARBORN – The opening of a hotel in the heart of downtown Dearborn brings the first stages of promising business developments expected to substantially revitalize the city. A towering, seemingly new building on Michigan Avenue is among dozens of award-winning Hampton Inn Hotels owned by four Iraqi immigrants – the Bacall...
Child killed, 12 people injured by carbon monoxide in Michigan motel
April 3rd, 20170 NILES- A 13-year-old boy was killed and 12 people were taken to hospitals for treatment due to a carbon monoxide leak in a Michigan motel on Saturday, police and hospital officials said. Six of those taken to hospitals for treatment were children between the ages of 12 and 14 years old, police said. Emergency officials received...
Estate planning: Wills and trusts as means of security
April 1st, 20170 DEARBORN —When it comes to estate planning, specifically wills and trusts, many people fail to recognize its integral role and would rather use joint tenancy to distribute assets and escape Probate Court. That's the view of a local estate planning attorney who spoke to The AANews. "By that I mean instead of using proper estate...Iranian student suddenly detained by DHS in Dearborn
March 31st, 20170 DEARBORN- At 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents detained an Iranian Schoolcraft College student at his apartment in Dearborn. According to his roommate, Mohammad Salar Fard-Hajian, 24, was taken to the Dearborn Police Station where he was held in a cell and reached out to friends over the......
Palestinian American woman on a mission to cure world hunger
March 31st, 20170 TOLEDO —Once she noticed people's tendency to ravage their health with unhealthy treats, Zobaida Falah decided to change that with a snack that's healthy and tasty— and even a possible cure for world hunger. Although the Palestinian American woman studied education at the University of Cincinnati, the subject of nutrition has...
Missionary group visits Dearborn
March 30th, 20170 DEARBORN- Students from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary spent three days praying alongside local Muslims and sharing the Gospel during a visit to the city. Coming to Dearborn, Mich. a city with the largest concentration of Arab-Americans in the US, the group worked alongside 100,000-plus Arab Americans. The visit was led by......
AIPAC leads attack dogs on Capitol Hill
March 29th, 20170 WASHINGTON, D.C.-The move to levy sanctions against Iran in the House and Senate is hastened by this week's AIPAC conference held March 26-27 in Washington D.C. A hawkish stance against Iran is expected to be a key policy point for pro-Israel groups. Iran’s test of ballistic missiles in late January fired up US officials, Trump...
Howell teen charged with terrorism threat on Twitter
March 29th, 20170 HOWELL ― A Howell High School student was charged as an adult for allegedly making a terrorist threat against the school through Twitter. Sarah Marie Hiler, 17, was also charged with using a computer to commit the crime. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, and her case will be heard at the Ottawa County Circuit...
Community meeting with DHS Secretary Kelly turns sour
March 28th, 20170 DEARBORN – A meeting on Monday, March 27 with community activists and Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly turned antagonistic, when a local attorney and civil rights advocate pressed Kelly about orders and harassment that target Arabs and Muslims. The meeting, held at The Arab American National Museum, was a second...
Trump tweets, then Ford announces investment in three Michigan plants
March 28th, 20170 DETROIT- Ford Motor Co on Tuesday said it would invest $1.2 billion in three Michigan facilities and create 130 jobs in projects largely in line with a previous agreement with the United Auto Workers union, hours after President Trump touted a "major investment" by the automaker on Twitter. In January, Ford scrapped plans to build a......
Woman’s lips injected with non-FDA approved product at Dearborn Heights salon
March 27th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A local woman is suffering from a botched procedure she thought was a temporary cosmetic enhancement "They swell up, canker sores... and it’s just bad,” the woman, named Sue, told WXYZ Detroit. “And it’s just something I have to deal with for the rest of my life." A year ago, Sue, who did not want to go...
Nearly half of the candidates for city positions are Arab Americans
March 24th, 20171 DEARBORN — As the national spotlight on the city intensifies, so have the races for local public office. Last year's election campaigns to replace a Dearborn district court judge and state representative developed into an invigorated engagement among residents, especially as Arab Americans threw their hats in the ring. This year,......
Concerns remain about AK Steel’s environmental impact
March 24th, 20170 DEARBORN — In 2015, The AANews reported on AK Steel's reluctant acceptance to pay $1.35 million to settle air pollution violations. The company, a violator of the Clean Air Act at its Dearborn facility years prior, received further backlash from residents when a temporary penalty failed to institute any structural or lasting reforms...
Muslim activist to host new show on 910 AM Superstation
March 24th, 20170 DETROIT— Detroit native and community organizer Fatima Salman plans to tell the community’s stories as the host of 910 AM Superstation’s show “Between the lines”, which starts March 26. The show will air each Sunday from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. “I’m not in any way, shape or form involved in broadcast journalism or any of that......
