The Detroit Zoo breaks annual attendance record with more than a million visitors
November 4th, 20160 ROYAL OAK — The Detroit Zoo attracted 1,478,760 visitors by Oct. 31, according to spokeswoman Patricia Janeway, exceeding last year’s record by 2,400 visitors.Six months after Director Ron Kagan opened the new $30-million Polk Penguin Conservation Center, the number of visitors increased. The center is known...
The AANews publisher to discuss elections on WXYZ’s Spotlight
November 4th, 20160 SOUTHFIELD — On Sunday, Nov. 6, Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News will appear on WXYZ Channel 7's 'Spotlight on the News' to discuss the national and regional elections. The station's editorial director Chuck Stokes, will also host Detroit News editor Ingrid Jacques, 910 AM radio station host Karen Dumas,...
Michigan becomes a crucial battleground state
November 4th, 20160 DETROIT — As the election draws near, both presidential candidates have put an emphasis on Michigan, expected to be a tight contest on November 8. Clinton is slated to rally Democrats in Detroit, where a large turnout of Black voters have long been crucial to success, following up on a last-minute meeting by former President Bill...
Star International Academy ranked safest high school in Michigan
November 4th, 20160 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Star International Academy was ranked by Niche.com, a website that analyzes public data sets about schools, as the safest high school in Michigan, in a comparison of 449 schools across the state. U.S. News & World Report also gave the high school a bronze on a national level in regards to performance, which is...
‘My husband abducted my kids and stranded me in Lebanon’
November 4th, 20160 Rolla Taha with her two sons. NORTHVILLE — In June, Rolla Taha traveled to Lebanon with her husband and two boys for what was supposed to be a 17-day vacation. Instead, she endured a four month long nightmare as a result of her husband's betrayal—he kidnapped their children and left her stranded. Rolla, now back in the U.S, is...Wayne County education enhancement millage on November ballot
DETROIT — In the upcoming November 8 election, Wayne County is proposing a millage that would generate funds for public schools statewide. Michigan's Constitution gives the state control over funding for public schools with the exception of an enhancement millage that can be passed at the county level for operating...
International Kidnapping: Why it’s difficult to bring children back
November 4th, 20160 DEARBORN — A Canton woman's story of her children being abducted in Lebanon by her husband has sparked discussions in the local community about international custody battles and kidnapping cases. When Rolla Taha returned from Lebanon last month and announced on Facebook that her husband stranded her there and ran away with their...
Lebanese Americans cautiously optimistic about Aoun’s presidency
November 3rd, 20160 Aoun taking the oath of office.DEARBORN — In the old country, it seemed like every home was empty as gunfire and fireworks roared across Lebanon, breaking a dragged and suspenseful lull among the country's streets. Across the nation on Monday, a politically divided people celebrated the election of General Michel Aoun as Lebanon's...
White Americans explain why they support Trump
November 3rd, 20160 WYANDOTTE — The Metro Detroit area houses one of the most diverse populations in the country. Yet, in many cities outside of the Detroit-Dearborn area, the Donald Trump fanfare is quite prevalent among White voters. The AANews reached out to White residents to get their perspective on Trump's bid for the presidency and why they...
Oakland County politicians smear Syrian refugees
October 28th, 20160 WATERFORD TOWNSHIP — While those closely involved in the vetting process attest to its meticulousness, worries persist among local officials about the possibility of a Syrian wishing to inflict harm on American soil by slipping through the cracks of the procedure. That is why Waterford Township Board of Trustees passed a 7-0 vote at...The vetting process: Following the footsteps of a Syrian refugee
Abdel Fattah al-Jaafari with his daughters.DEARBORN — The Syrian refugee vetting process has been questioned by politicians across the country and became a theme at all three presidential debates. However, Syrians who fled the war and were resettled recently in the United States reaffirmed that the background checks are rigorous and...YABA awards scholarships at 47th annual dinner
DEARBORN — The Yemeni American Benevolent Association (YABA) presented awards to community leaders and scholarships to Arab American students at a ceremony celebrating its 47th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center. Emcee Adel Mozip welcomed the audience to the dinner and introduced the president and...
Our endorsements: Vote on November 8
October 28th, 20160 On Nov. 8, Americans will head to the polls faced with two of the most unpopular presidential candidates in modern history. Republican nominee Donald Trump is unfit for the job. He lacks the judgment, experience and compassion needed to lead this great country. Meanwhile, his opponent, Hillary Clinton, represents a political class...
Former ambassador Ed Gabriel encourages Arab Americans to vote for Clinton
October 28th, 20160 Former ambassador Ed Gabriel gives a speech at the 19th annual AAPAC dinner. DEARBORN — Former ambassador Ed Gabriel— now Hillary Clinton's advisor to Arab American outreach efforts— made his second visit to Michigan on Thursday to campaign on Clinton's behalf. Before speaking at the Arab American Political...
AAPAC rallies the vote, awards leaders at 19th annual banquet
October 28th, 20160 AAPAC members and community leaders gather at the podium.DEARBORN — 'Community' was the focal point of the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC)'s 19th annual banquet dinner on Wednesday, October 26 at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center. Hundreds of community leaders, elected officials, and professionals gathered to......
Islamic Center, ACCESS organize domestic violence awareness campaign
October 28th, 20160 DEARBORN — The Islamic Center of America, with ACCESS' help, organized a domestic violence awareness campaign, asking Muslims to break the stigma that haunts victims in the community by wearing purple on October 21 for Friday prayer. Mirvat Kadouh, Ladies of the ICA chairwoman, said many women come to the mosque in need of...Community looks for representation on Crestwood School Board
Crestwood School Board Candidate Nadia BerryDEARBORN HEIGHTS — It is estimated that more than half of the student population in the Crestwood School District is of Arab descent, yet not a single Arab is on the School Board. Arab American candidates have had a long history of competing in the district, only to come up short of......
Dearborn one of the best cities to trick-or-treat
DEARBORN — According to SmartAsset — a personal finance technology company in New York —Dearborn placed fifth for trick-or-treating out of 252 of the largest cities in the U.S. The number of children under 15, the typical weather and crime rates played a role in rankings, according to SmartAsset.com, the company's website....Federal judge suspends Michigan’s ‘ballot selfie’ ban
LANSING — Those who wish to take a selfie with their ballot in the upcoming presidential election might just be able to. U.S. District Judge Janet Neff ruled Monday that Michigan's ban on photographing one's own ballot violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, directly infringing upon a person's free...
Concerns grow as fatal Dearborn Police shooting cases remain in limbo
October 27th, 20160 DEARBORN — On Monday, October 17, African American community leaders held a press conference asking the Department of Justice to investigate the Dearborn government corruption. A few days later, a lawsuit revealed that police shot an unarmed man nine times. The Dearborn Police Department has been under fire since the fatal shooting...
U of M-Dearborn’s diverse population fosters understanding and unity
October 27th, 20160 DEARBORN — Human nature has a way of dividing people. Differences in skin color, beliefs, cultural backgrounds and pure selfishness can all contribute to dissension, but despite the passionate hate crimes the mainstream media often reports, not everyone has an agenda of harm. The rise of terrorist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram has......
Viral YouTube video attacks Dearborn-Dearborn Heights Muslim community
October 27th, 20160 DEARBORN — The Muslim community in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights was scrutinized and misconstrued in a viral YouTube video produced by radical filmmaker and political commentator Dennis Michael Lynch.In the video, Lynch roams the streets of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights with a longtime local resident named...$10 million lawsuit reveals man was shot by Dearborn officer 9 times
DEARBORN - A lawsuit has revealed that a Dearborn police office shot an unarmed man 9 times last year during a foot pursuit last year that led to a slaying. The Relatives of 35-year-old Kevin Matthew have filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against the officer and city. The lawsuit alleges the officer used excessive force and......
Local attractions provide kid-friendly Halloween activities
Greenfield VillageDEARBORN — Family-friendly Halloween events can sometimes be a challenge to find when many activities are geared towards teens or young adults, like haunted houses and spine-chilling movies. Fortunately, a number of kid-friendly attractions in Dearborn and surrounding communities provide a safe outlet for...Gov. Snyder appoints Paul Sophiea to Michigan Board of Medicine
LANSING — Gov. Snyder appointed Dearborn resident Paul Sophiea to the Michigan Board of Medicine on Wednesday, Oct 12. Sophiea will serve the remainder of Cindy Pasky's four-year term, ending on Dec. 31, 2017. The board, which is comprised of 10 doctors, one physician's assistant and eight public members, "is responsible for making......