Local family hosts foreign exchange student from Palestine, encourages others to follow suit
DEARBORN - Maysoon Abu-Omarah and her husband Mohamad have been hosting 16-year-old Aseel, a foreign exchange student from Palestine at their home, along with their five children. Through a program funded by the Department of State of Education, Aseel is staying in the U.S. for an entire school year, where she has been attending Fordson...School children donate their hair to cancer patients
DEARBORN - More than 12 girls from Iris Becker Elementary School here volunteered to have their hair cut and donated to the charity, Children With Hair Loss on Thursday as a large crowd of students watched cheering them on for reaching out to disease stricken children. Left: Parent Lila Chami stands with her daughter, who...
Time to reflect, give thanks and look ahead to a brighter 2013
December 21st, 20120 As we put this final issue of The Arab American News this year to bed and bid farewell to 2012, we wanted to thank our readers first and foremost, who have been very loyal, anxiously and patiently waiting for the paper to be delivered each weekend. Your loyalty, support and feedback is always much appreciated. We also cannot forget...
2012: Year in Review
December 21st, 20120 Below is a year-in-review of the most important news and developments as reported by The Arab American News. The following are 2012 headlines in local, statewide, national and international news. LOCAL • Patriarch Rai in Detroit, “Time for Lebanese to unite in love and diversity” • Islamic Center...
Mosallam takes oath to MSU Board of Trustees at his former high school Fordson
December 21st, 20120 DEARBORN - On Wednesday, the community gathered at Fordson High School's auditorium to witness Michigan State University (MSU) Board of Trustees Brian Mosallam's swearing-in ceremony. The event included attendance by Mosallam's close family and friends, honorary judges and dignitaries, and former Fordson alumni, who all shared a special...Dearborn Public Schools addresses student safety following national tragedy
DEARBORN -The tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut has left a nation in mourning. However, schools across the country have also begun to take extra precautions to ensure something of that nature does not occur again. Dearborn Public Schools has reacted to the incident by sending out a letter to the district's...Dearborn Police Department hires six new officers including an Arab American
DEARBORN - Last week The Arab American News revealed exclusively through an interview with Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad that six new officers would be hired into the department. On Monday, the department had sent out a press release identifying the six new police officers who completed their police academy training. The new...From this day on: Christmas in Newtown
From this day on, Christmas in Newtown, Connecticut will always mean something very different. It is difficult to imagine the raw pain and the horror being felt in that community now ravaged by unspeakable violence. But imagine it we must, because Newtown is all of us, and we have something to learn from their tragedy.For families in...
Hundreds express solidarity with families of Sandy Hook victims at candle light vigil
December 21st, 20120 DEARBORN HEIGHTS - During a candle light vigil Monday more than 300 people expressed solidarity with victims of the Connecticut school shooting that left 20 children and six staff members from Sandy Hook Elementary School dead last week. The vigil was organized by the Dearborn Heights Community Organization (DHOC) in the span of...State Rep. Rashida Tlaib joins ACRL board
DEARBORN - The Arab-American Civil Rights League (ACRL) announced earlier this week that State Rep. Rashida Tlaib would be joining the group’s board of directors as its newest member. Tlaib.“We are honored to have Representative Tlaib join our board,” said ACRL Board Chairman Nabih Ayad. “She has been a voice for the...
Community reacts to Connecticut elementary school massacre
December 21st, 20120 DEARBORN, DEARBORN HEIGHTS -- The Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) with the co-sponsorship of the Arab Student Union of the University of Michigan Dearborn held a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut on Monday, December 17th in front of City Hall.Twenty elementary...Bills signed that alter rules to recall elected officials
LANSING - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed bills on Thursday that alter the rules for recalling elected officials such as shortening the time period in which people can gather signatures needed to recall elected officials. Democrats have blasted the move which changes the number of days from 90 to 60 days to garner signatures....“No vote” on anti Shari’a bill in state’s legislature
LANSING - A no-vote on House Bill 4769, also known as an "anti-Shari’a bill,' in the Michigan State House at the end of its 2012 legislative session occured recently. Since the introduction of the bill approximately a year and a half ago by MI State Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville), groups and community leaders have vigorously...Border Patrol no longer allowed to act as interpreters for law enforcement
DETROIT - Immigrant advocate groups are hailing a new decree from the Department of Homeland Security that says U.S. Border Patrol agents will no longer be called in to act as “interpreters” by local law enforcement. “We applaud DHS for taking a serious step toward stopping the sort of racial profiling, injury and death that has...Concealed weapons bill vetoed by Gov. Snyder
LANSING - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed the state’s latest gun bill Tuesday, only days after the Connecticut school shooting massacre. The bill would have allowed concealed weapons to be carried in schools, churches and day care centers.It has brought relief to some, but others have expressed dismay saying it would have provided a......
Poll: Michiganders feel a college education is unaffordable
LANSING – A new “State of the State” poll from Michigan State University shows 97 percent of people in Michigan feel a college education is important for a successful career, but just one-third say they can afford it.“We in Michigan have had dramatic reductions in public funding for higher ed,” according to MSU economics...Forbes ranks Michigan 47th best state for business
LANSING - Forbes Magazine has released its rankings of the Best States for Business, and Michigan has not improved its slot at number 47, despite Gov. Rick Snyder slashing taxes for big corporations and making up the difference by taxing seniors’ pensions, cutting funding for public education and municipal governments. “Governor......
NEI’s economic vision: An eight-year plan to revitalize our regional economy
December 17th, 20120 A few years ago, leaders from 10 different philanthropic foundations looked at southeast Michigan and said “We’ve got to do something about the economy.”Pooling some of their resources, the foundations created a $100 million fund in 2008 – the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan (NEI) to make grants over eight years to...Tea Party now a huge GOP liability
The resignation of South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint from the Senate followed close on the heels of the desertion from the Tea Party of Freedom Works head Dick Armey took some by surprise. DeMint and Armey were the two biggest and most identifiable fish in the Tea Party affiliated pond. DeMint could be relied on to broker his name...Obama’s second term: Full plate of Middle East challenges
As President Obama gears up to begin a second term, his Middle East agenda will be more complex and potentially more consuming and dangerous than the one he inherited from his predecessor four years ago.Back then, the pressing priorities were: winding down the U.S. military presence in Iraq; pursuing an Israeli-Palestinian peace;...
Family and supporters turn out for Salamey’s Investiture Ceremony
December 14th, 20120 DEARBORN — Hundreds of Sam Salamey's family members and supporters gathered inside of the Michael A. Guido Theater at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center on Wednesday to witness the 19th District Court Chief Judge's Investiture Ceremony. Salamey was sworn in by Honorable Justice Brian Zahra of the Michigan Supreme Court,......
Locals rally in opposition to Syrian regime
DEARBORN — On Saturday, Dec. 8 about 60 people gathered outside of Dearborn City Hall protesting against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The regime has come under heavy scrutiny following the 2011 popular Arab Spring uprisings that have swept parts of the Arab world. According to reports the numbers of...
Robbery in Inkster leads to arrest in Dearborn Heights, Kinloch Elementary on lockdown
December 14th, 20120 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A Deputy Director of Homeland Security for Wayne County was on his way to headquarters on Tuesday around 3:00 p.m. when he noticed two African American males crossing the street on Beech Daly walking from the Canterbury Woods Apartment complex in the city of Inkster. The two males were carrying what appeared to be a......
Dearborn Police Chief discusses new initiatives, hiring, and safety tips for holiday season
DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department has several new developments along the way, according to Police Chief Ron Haddad. In an exclusive interview, he updated the Arab American News about the hiring of six new police officers, a re-instated captain position, a new initiative involving other police departments, as well as information...ADC fights for the ‘The American Dream’ at 32nd Annual Awards Gala
DEARBORN— On Friday, December 7 the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC) held their 32nd Annual Benefit Gala: 'Telling Our Story. Writing Our Narrative,' at the Greenfield Manor banquet hall. Over 900 attendees including government officials, foreign dignitaries, activists, and community members shared an......
