Syrian Archbishop: Assad is staying
August 2nd, 20130 Archbishop Louka El-Khouri, patriarchal auxiliary of the Syrian Orthodox church, believes that the Syrian regime will not fall and President Bashar Assad will stay in power. Khouri adds that Assad will run in the promised 2014 presidential elections and will win, undoubtedly because the people support him overwhelmingly.The...Efforts made to decriminalize marijuana in Ferndale
FERNDALE — A group, based in Ferndale, is working to get marijuana decriminalized in the City. It has collected more than 500 signatures, enough to get the issue on the November ballot. About 10 years ago, the City passed an ordinance to get marijuana legalized. The group hopes to decriminalize marijuana use and possession within...Police officers arrested for robbing victims
DETROIT — The City of Detroit faced another internal setback this week, after an announcement that two local police officers were arrested, in connection with an alleged assault and robbery in the City.Detroit Police Chief James Craig spoke to reporters on Monday about the two veteran police officers, one from Detroit and the other...Communities urged to participate in Jewish-Muslim survey
DETROIT — Local Muslim and Jewish Americans are being encouraged to participate in a survey that is aimed at determining an accurate view of how people from the two communities perceive one another. The survey is an effort that is being brought forward by the Michigan Muslim Community Council, the American Jewish Council Detroit and...Thousands expected to attend 18th Annual “Jazz on the River” Festival
TRENTON — The 18th annual celebration of “Jazz on the River” will provide two full days of music and fun, from August 3-4, along the river's edge, at Elizabeth Park in Trenton. International and emerging artists will be featured during this festival, including Sax and The City, starring Marion Meadows; Paul Taylor; Vincent...Dearborn train station to be named in honor of Congressman John Dingell
DEARBORN — The City’s new intermodal passenger rail station will be named after John D. Dingell, Jr., the longtime champion of Dearborn, who became the longest-serving member of Congress in the history of the United States in June.Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. initiated the idea to bestow this honor, because of Congressman...Law Corner: Buying or selling real estate? Get a lawyer
Some legal issues are unavoidable. For instance, the victim of identity theft can do nothing to prevent their credit card information from being stolen from a department store’s database. However, there are many legal difficulties that can easily be prevented with some diligence. The most common preventable issue that...La Pita to be featured on food national TV
DEARBORN — La Pita will be featured this fall on the Food Network’s "Chuck’s Eat the Street" program. Chuck Hughes (L) stands with La Pita owner Casey ChammoutThe show host Chuck Hughes visited La Pita on Thursday, July 25, and spent two hours in the restaurant's kitchen with Chef Hassan Ahmad Hamid. The program will...Community youth reflect on Lebanon war experience
When a ball of fire hit a building in Lebanon in July 2006, before the eyes of Alaa Makki, the American boy, who was 11 at the time, thought that it was "some really nice fireworks." But it wasn't. Makki, who was born and raised in Dearborn, was on his first visit to Lebanon. He was ignorant of war and the destruction that it...
‘Suhoor’ becomes a lifestyle for local Muslim community
July 26th, 20130 DEARBORN/DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on weekday mornings, the majority of Michigan's suburbs are sound asleep, in preparation for the following work day. However, during the Holy Month of Ramadan the Muslim community in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights remain wide awake and out and about, as they...Flashing traffic light in Dearborn changed after news report
DEARBORN — Last week, The Arab American News (TAAN) published a story about a flashing red traffic light at the intersection of Chase and Warren, which has caused some problems during the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan, when traffic flow tends to be pretty heavy during late night and early morning hours.Just 48 hours after TAAN contacted...Dearborn City Council approves sale of City Hall despite strong opposition
DEARBORN — On Tuesday, July 23, the Dearborn City Council approved the sale of City Hall to ArtSpace, a national non-profit organization, for $1.6 million. In a 5-1 vote, the council voted in favor of the sale, despite strong opposition that was voiced earlier in the meeting, from both residents and candidates of the upcoming...
Making sense of Detroit’s bankruptcy filing
July 26th, 20130 Detroit filed the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history on Thursday, July 18. Creditors and unions are opposing the bankruptcy and challenging it in a court battle, which ensued on Wednesday, July 24.The Arab American News sat down with the director of graduate studies in economics at Wayne State University, Allen Goodman, to make...Arab American tutoring company offers low cost services to students
DEARBORN — Hussein Hachem was once in the same position as a lot of the students who receive services from the tutoring company he established about six months ago. He learned how expensive tutoring could be when he first emigrated from Lebanon to the United States and started school, over five years ago. As an immigrant, he...
Ann Arbor transit system bans political messages on buses, after rejecting anti-Israeli ad
July 26th, 20130 ANN ARBOR — The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), a bus agency that falls under the public transit system in Ann Arbor, is not open to advertising anti-Israeli ads. That's what resident and activist Blaine Coleman learned back in 2011, when he made an attempt to purchase spots for an ad that included the statement "Boycott......
Bouncing a little check can be a big problem
Being on the receiving end of a bad check can be an irritating experience. Most people would probably rather have someone avoid paying them altogether than to deposit a check, only to have their bank return it for non-sufficient funds or non-existent account. Under Michigan law, the writer (or “maker”) of a bad check...Workers call for politicians to raise minimum wage
DETROIT/LANSING – Michigan workers and community leaders joined a nationwide call to action for raising the minimum wage this week. “It seems like everything keeps getting more expensive, but my pay just stays the same,” said Sam Johnson, a local fast food worker and member of Michigan United. “A couple dollars more an......
Darany Resolution offers well wishes for Ramadan
LANSING — State Representative George T. Darany (D-Dearborn) submitted House Resolution 191 to offer best wishes to Muslims in Michigan, and across the world, on the joyous and meaningful observance of Ramadan. Darany.The resolution was adopted by the Michigan House of Representatives and recognizes the month in which Muslims...Bill allows charities to collect donations on the street
MICHIGAN — A new bill would allow charities in the State to collect donations, while volunteers stand, or walk on the street. The bill was proposed by State Rep. Terry Brown, after a dispute in the Thumb area. Brown says that the Sebewaing Village Council didn’t allow the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars to have...Temporary Protection Status re-designated for Syrian nationals
Lathrup Village — The Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC), along with Congressman Gary Peters, are urging any eligible Syrian nationals and persons without nationality, who last habitually resided in Syria and are now in the United States, to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).On June 17, 2013, the U.S. Citizenship and...Detroit City Council stands with NAACP on bringing federal charges against George Zimmerman
DETROIT — On Tuesday, the Detroit City Council passed a resolution, supporting a petition created by the NAACP that is aimed at getting federal charges brought against George Zimmerman. The legislation was sponsored by Councilwoman JoAnn Watson and led to a discussion on violence in the City. Councilman Kenneth Cockrel, Jr.......
Willow Run Airport receives $9 million grant for renovation
WAYNE COUNTY – The Wayne County Airport Authority will receive a $9 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to renovate runway 05R/23L at Willow Run Airport.“Willow Run Airport’s 24-hour schedule helps fuel the economic engine in Southeast Michigan,” said U.S. Sen. Carl Levin. “This funding for runway...Ford profits exceed expectations
Ford Motor Company’s profits in North America rose to $1.23 billion during the second quarter, an 18.6 percent increase from last year. In addition, the company's global revenues reached an all-time high of $38.1 billion, compared to $33.3 billion in the second quarter of 2012. The profit growth has exceeded the expectations of......
Islamic House of Wisdom holds Ramadan iftar dinner
The Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) hosted their annual Ramadan iftar dinner on Wednesday, July 24, in Dearborn Heights. Attendees included 19th District Court Judge Sam Salamey, Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad, Third Circuit Cour Judge Chris Dingell and Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly. Imam Elahi, spiritual leader of the IHW, was...Gov. Snyder reappoints Arab American to Michigan Board of Pharmacy
LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced the reappointments of Dhafer Almaklani of Dearborn and Pamela Wyett of Charlevoix to the Michigan Board of Pharmacy. The 11-member board is responsible for regulating and inspecting the practice of pharmacy and drugs manufactured and distributed in the State."Dhafer and Pamela are two......