Two men arrested for breaking into multiple vehicles
Seddiq Almontesar (L) and Mohammed Ahmed. DEARBORN – Two suspects were arrested for allegedly breaking into numerous vehicles on August 29, around 4:30 a.m.The suspects were identified as Mohammed Ahmed, a 21-year-old Dearborn resident, and Seddiq Almontesar, an 18-year-old Dearborn resident.Dearborn Police had received a call from an...Five Arab Americans join the Dearborn Police Department
Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. (far right) joined Police Chief Ronald Haddad (far left) on Aug. 24 in congratulating nine new Dearborn police officers (from left): Mohamad Farhat, Nickolas Hook, Lance Owens, Shonte White-Johnson, George Cipolla, Ali Kattan, Lauren Iavasile, Jacob Clause, and Mahmoud Khalil. They also...
Detroiters say no to Trump
September 3rd, 20160 Protesters gathered in front of a church in Detroit, where Donald Trump visitedDETROIT — Shouting and jeering pierced through streets around an African American church on Saturday morning as protesters rejected Donald Trump's visit in his attempt to court Black voters. Great Faith Ministries Church in Detroit received a wave of...ACCESS, LAHC to distribute 1,500 backpacks of school supplies
DEARBORN — Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities (formerly the Lebanese American Heritage Club) and ACCESS, in partnership with the Dearborn Police Department, FBI of Detroit and other law enforcement agencies, will distribute a total of 1,500 backpacks to students in need. By Sept. 15, LAHC volunteers will have passed out 1,200...Nadia Berry announces bid for Crestwood School Board
DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Local resident Nadia Berry has announced her bid for the Crestwood School board election, taking place on Tuesday, November 8. She is vying for one of two open six-year seats on the seven-member body. Berry told The AANews that she's been closely involved with the school district for many years, as her two...HFC teachers’ union president: Stop exploiting higher ed teachers, increase funding
John McDonald.DEARBORN — John McDonald, president of Henry Ford College's Federation of Teachers, was recently re-elected vice president of the American Federation of Teacher's Executive Board at a national convention in Minneapolis. He said he is honored to continue to represent higher education professors across the country and is...Trump will not speak at church service in Detroit
DETROIT— Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump will attempt to mend his rocky relationship with the African American community with a visit to a Black church here this Saturday. However, Trump will not be speaking to the congregation at Great Faith Ministries International, as initially believed. At...
Local charities scramble for donations as U.S. accepts 10,000 Syrian refugees
September 2nd, 20160 Syrian refugee children at an outing - Courtesy photos of Syrian American Rescue Network.DETROIT - 10,000 Syrian refugees were accepted into the country, as guaranteed by the White House earlier this year. A month ahead of schedule, the 10,000th refugee arrived Monday afternoon. Since the civil war began in 2012, more than 12,000...
Reckless riding: Arab Americans weigh in on bikers, motorcycles
September 2nd, 20160 Nader Faraj, a Dearborn resident, on his motorcycle with his wife.DEARBORN — The recent death of a 19-year-old man in a motorcycle crash has propelled discussions about safety concerns for the popular cruising activity in the local community. Family and friends continue to mourn the loss of Mohamad Hazimi following his death on...Fordson teacher aims to break stereotypes through radio talk show
Fordson teacher Zinab Zriek. DEARBORN — A Fordson High School teacher is hoping to shed light on important community issues and dispel growing misconceptions about Muslims and Arabs through an Internet radio talk show that will be kicking off on September 12. English teacher Zinab Zriek recently landed a six-month contract with...Bill aims to block public funds for governor’s legal fees
LANSING — A State lawmaker is trying to block Gov. Snyder from using public funds for legal fees related to the Flint water crisis. State Sen. Minority Leader Jim Ananich would bar the governor (and a few other top officials) from using public money to pay for private attorneys in any legal matter that's...Michigan may soon allow driverless cars
LANSING - A state Senate committee approved a package of four bills that loosen existing rules for autonomous vehicles. The state created rules for driverless cars just a few years ago. But evolving technology has apparently made those rules obsolete.“The laws we put on the books before are now antiquated,” says Sen. Mike Kowall,...
Keith Ellison urges engagement, encourages community to back Clinton
August 31st, 20160 Keith Ellison speaking at the DNC (Reuters)DEARBORN — Six months ago, Keith Ellison, America’s first Muslim member of Congress, came to Michigan to campaign for Bernie Sanders. Now he is trying to convince the community to support the senator’s once-rival, Hillary Clinton.Ellison met with political activists and community leaders...
Judge allows government mental exam of Odeh
August 31st, 20160 Rasmea Odeh with her supportersDETROIT - U.S. Judge Gershwin Drain allowed prosecutors’ request for psychological evaluation of Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh by a government expert.In 2014, Odeh was found guilty of lying on her naturalization application because she was failed to disclose that she was convicted in 1969 by...Dearborn officer arraigned on sex charge, suspended without pay
DEARBORN - A Dearborn police officer has been arraigned on a sex charge after he allegedly groped a female acquaintance during a traffic stop in May, according to the police department.Officer Justin Smith, 36, faces a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge and common law offenses, officials said in a......
Dearborn Police: Young man drove recklessly in fatal motorcycle crash
August 28th, 20160 Mohamad Hazimi.DEARBORN — A 19-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle accident near Warren and Schaefer around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 28.Mohamad Hazimi was riding his bike westbound on Warren Ave. when he struck a Jeep that made a sudden U-turn. The incident occurred between Jonathan Street and Bingham Street. Surveliance...Dingell facilitates grants for Dearborn, Trenton fire departments
DEARBORN — Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) announced that the Dearborn and Trenton Fire Departments will receive funding for fire prevention and safety through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The Dearborn Fire Department has already installed 2,000 smoke alarms for......
Six candidates vie for three seats on Dearborn School Board
DEARBORN — Six candidates, including five Arab Americans, are competing for three vacant seats on the Dearborn Board of Education. Four are running for two full-term spots and two are looking to fill the vacancy left by former trustee Aimee Schoelles, who resigned from the board and moved to Ohio last year. The terms of trustees...Arab Americans slam Trump, promote cooperation at town hall
DEARBORN — The rise of Donald Trump is permitting bigoted individuals to turn violent, like the "goof" who fatally shot Khaled Jabara in Tulsa, Arab American Vietnam veteran Ron Amen said at a town hall meeting on Wednesday. Arab American leaders slammed the Republican presidential nominee at the event, which was hosted and...
Arab, Muslim and brown: Complex identities in the age of Trump
August 26th, 20160 Family members of victims on the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Aug. 5, 2013DEARBORN— For Millions of Arab Americans, ethnic and religious backgrounds are not at odds with American values. An inseparable myriad of cultures and traditions form their identities.Vandalized homes, unjust terrorist...Khan’s parents to speak at ACRL gala
The Khan family. DEARBORN — The Muslim American parents of fallen Capt. Humayun Khan will speak at the Arab American Civil Rights League banquet in Dearborn next month. Ghazala Khan and her husband, Khizr Khan, engaged in a highly publicized feud with Donald Trump after the couple questioned the Republican nominee's sacrifices at the......
Arab American woman shares Palestinian refugee camp experiences
August 26th, 20160 Rachelle (c) at her high school's PCRF gala. DEARBORN — Arab Americans living thousands of miles away from their relatives and culture are instilled with love and reverence for Palestine from a young age, whatever their Arab nationality is. While visiting relatives back home, many eventually understand what happens...Michigan State Police cited for thousands of inaccurate alcohol related cases
LANSING — A calibration error in 4,001 alcohol cases resulted in inaccurate records in some of them, drawing criticism from defense attorneys and forcing prosecutors to take a second look. An examination of the cases, where testing was done at Michigan State Police labs, showed some......
Midwest Recycling leads backpack donations across metro Detroit
INKSTER — Midwest Recycling donated hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to the "We Got Your Back" campaign, just days ahead of the start of the new school year. Midwest Recycling donated 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to the “We Got Your Back” campaign.“We are always looking for local companies...
Entrapment: Legal experts criticize FBI tactics
August 25th, 20160 Abu-Rayyan/ Hamdan before he was arrested at the airportDETROIT — Over the past two years, the FBI has arrested so many terror suspects that one would think extremists have a foothold on our shores. But a closer look at those cases reveals that the authorities were heavily involved in constructing the plots they pride themselves on......