Local

Dearborn man charged with killing sister

August 1st, 20140 Elmawri.g By Ali Harb     The Arab American NewsDEARBORN — On Monday, July 28, a 23-year-old Dearborn resident was charged with first degree murder and torture for allegedly stabbing and strangling his 30-year-old sister on Saturday afternoon. Asyh Elmawri was stabbed multiple times in a house on the 7500 block of...

Dearborn Heights city clerk facing allegations of misconduct toward Arab American voters backpeddles resignation

July 25th, 20140 Prusiewicz.DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights City Clerk Walter J. Prusiewicz submitted his letter of resignation on Tuesday, July 22, amid allegations he’d intimidated Arab American voters who were trying to cast absentee ballots for the upcoming mid-term primary. However on Thursday, he rescinded his resignation letter,...

Muslim woman hospitalized following possible hate crime

July 25th, 20140 LANSING —A Muslim woman was injured during a possible hate crime that occurred near East Lansing Saturday, July 19. The incident, which led to the woman being hospitalized, occurred in a shopping mall parking lot in Okemos at approximately 1 p.m. A witness reported that two men and a woman surrounded the 26-year-old woman in the...

Jury selected for murder trial of Dearborn Heights man

July 25th, 20140 McBride.DETROIT — A jury has been selected for the trial of a Dearborn Heights man who fatally shot Renisha McBride. Theodore Wafer, 55, has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and felony firearm in the November 2 death of McBride, 19. He told police he shot McBride with a shotgun when she banged on the front...

Dearborn Neighborhood pools remain an asset for community

July 25th, 20140 Dunworth Pool. DEARBORN — "It's a common bond that all the neighborhoods and residents share across the city. It's something that generations now go through," said Assistant Aquatics Supervisor Joe Robar about Dearborn's neighborhood outdoor pools.The neighborhood pools have been a city treasure for decades. Longtime residents will...

Hot dogs stand brings tasty treats to Muslims during Ramadan

July 25th, 20140 DEARBORN— Hot dogs have always been around at barbeques, parties and sporting events in the area, but not like this.The Dog House Halal, a new hot dog stand which opened a week before Ramadan, has the city buzzing. Owner Salah Sarhan has watched his idea grow into reality. "I started a hot dog stand because I feel that it...

Boycotting Israeli affiliated companies: Why Starbucks, McDonalds shouldn’t be on the list

July 25th, 20141 DEARBORN — Whenever tensions in the region escalate, the movement to boycott Israeli affiliated products and companies seems to always re-ignite.The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has gained major traction in recent years across colleges and universities, as student-led initiatives have called for their schools...

AAPAC endorses seven candidates for Aug. 5 primary elections

July 25th, 20140 DEARBORN — On Tuesday, July 22, the independent, non-partisan Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) announced its endorsements for Michigan’s Aug. 5 primary elections. Members of AAPAC use a democratic process to vote on which candidates to endorse. Only candidates who obtain two-thirds of the vote are...

Arab Americans divided over Wayne County executive race

July 25th, 20140 DETROIT—As the race for Wayne County executive heats up, Arab Americans are split over which of the five Democratic candidates to support. For many community members the decision has been tough to make because of the close relationship incumbent Robert Ficano has maintained with Arab Americans since he was first elected to lead...

Dearborn Police: Increase in assault and battery

July 25th, 20140 DEARBORN - The Dearborn Police Department is reporting that Assault and Battery incidents across the city are up six percent year-to-date compared to 2013.According to Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad, the department will be using all its available resources to reach out to the community to discuss assault and battery incidents. Police...

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak pledges greater involvement in the Arab community

July 25th, 20140 Schostak.DEARBORN — According to Bobby Schostak, chairman of the Michigan Republican Party (MIGOP), outreach and involvement in the Arab American community is a priority for the party."We will be present in the Arab community in a greater way than ever before, so folks would know us better." Schostak said in an interview with The Arab...

Detroit water restored for 15 days for residents unable to pay bills

July 25th, 20140 DETROIT — On Monday, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department temporarily stopped its water shutoff for 15 days. According to spokesman Bill Johnson, the department took this step to give residents with legitimate affordability problems an opportunity to contact the department and work out a payment plan. The department is reaching...

Evans faces lawsuit on residency

July 25th, 20140 LANSING — Wayne County Executive candidate Warren Evans is facing a legal issue regarding his residency. State law requires a 30 day residency to vote or be a candidate. Evans changed his address from Washtenaw County to Wayne County on April 21 and filed his candidacy for county executive the following day. Former Canton Township...

New $650 million Red Wings arena to be built

July 25th, 20140 DETROIT — The Ilitch family’s Olympia Development will oversee the construction of a new 20,000 seat arena for the Detroit Red Wings. The arena will be part of a new $650 million sports and entertainment district where residents will not only enjoy hockey games, but also be able to live, shop and eat. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan...

More than 1,000 people rally for Palestine in Detroit

July 18th, 20140 DETROIT — On Sunday, June 13, more than 1,000 people rallied in Midtown Detroit, in a protest against the Israeli attacks on Gaza. The demonstration, which was initiated by the Z Collective, an Arab and Muslim feminist network, was a part of public outreach campaign to link the struggle in Palestine to poverty in Detroit, as a part...

Dearborn urges state crackdown on dealer plates and illegal hookah bars

July 18th, 20140 DEARBORN — Loose state laws may often put cities in a debacle when it comes to enforcing policies at a local level. That is why the city of Dearborn took steps this week to reach out to state legislators in an attempt to correct a couple of ongoing trends with local residents and business owners that have become a growing...

Ford to give $1 million in scholarships starting in spring 2015

July 18th, 20140 DEARBORN — On July 10, Ford Motor Co. announced a new scholarship program it will be PROVUDING students pursuing degrees in the automotive engineering field. The Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship is in tribute of the company’s previous CEO. “Alan’s engineering background and data-driven decision making...

Everest Institute in Dearborn to be closed and sold

July 18th, 20140 DEARBORN – The Everest Institute in Dearborn at 23400 Michigan Ave. will close and be sold-off.According to the Associated Press, a dozen Everest campuses in Michigan and 10 other states will undergo a shutdown. Everest Institute’s parent company, Corinthian Colleges, has more than 70,000 students enrolled across the U.S. The...

#AmericanswithGaza selfie goes viral

July 18th, 20140 DEARBORN —  The power of social media prevailed last weekend when a hashtag that started in Dearborn's Arab American community went viral across the world on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.#AmericansWithGaza was a trending topic around the world, involving Americans taking selfies of themselves with a hand-written message...

Detroit’s Jewish community reconnects with ‘the old neighborhood’ to offer helping hand

July 18th, 20140 Local conversations about suburban residents coming to the city of Detroit tend to revolve around downtown and midtown, as if there’s a transporting device that beams crowds of people for sporting events, concerts and the like. Do residents from the "burbs" ever come to less alluring places in the city and work collaboratively with...