Detroit’s 2012 murder rate up 10 percent over previous year
DETROIT — 2012 is over and the city of Detroit has recorded 386 homicides within a one year span, up 42 killings from 2011's data. The 2012 figures get even worse when 25 justifiable murders are added which includes three police shootings, according to the Detroit Free Press. Forty years ago, the city of Detroit was known as the...Students, parents stress on later start times at Dearborn’s high schools
DEARBORN — Local resident Helena Thornton, a parent of a 2012 Dearborn High School graduate, has started a petition requesting that the Dearborn Public School Board set a new policy to start high schools after 8:15 a.m, citing research that suggests teenagers need to get a required 8.5-9 hours of sleep in order to function...
String of Detroit gas station robberies put Arab owners at risk
January 4th, 20130 DETROIT — On New Years Eve, a local 43-year-old woman was shot in the leg at the Citgo gas station located at Evergreen Rd and Fenkell in Detroit while visiting her friend, who is a cashier at the location. The incident marks the latest in a string of gas station robberies involving 3-5 young men who are all dressed in black with their...Owners of foreign bank accounts beware: New law has teeth
DETROIT — With the US Federal debt crisis persisting and the government starved for income, all should be ready for some heavy duty tax collection. “Exhibit 1” to this new era of vigorous government tax enforcement is The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or “FATCA”. This federal law, enacted in 2010 is, expected to be...580 tickets issued in Dearborn during snow emergency
DEARBORN — The city of Dearborn, along with several surrounding cities in Wayne County had declared a snow emergency on the evening of Wednesday December 26th that lasted until 3:00 p.m. the following day. During the course of the snow emergency, the Dearborn Police Department had issued 580 tickets for improper parking in the cities...
Hate crimes against Muslims only escalating 10 years after 9/11
January 4th, 20130 The tragic events that unfolded on Sep. 11, 2001 gave birth to an ugly and embarrassing chapter in America’s history-the post 9/11 anti-Islamic and Arab era that continues today. Despite relentless national efforts to combat the negative stereotypes and intolerance of Muslims and Arabs that’s emerged after 9/11, hate crimes...
Marianna Kay Siblani (1948-2013), A powerful voice and advocate for Arab and Muslim Americans, passes away
January 2nd, 20130 Marianna Kay Siblani (1948-2013)DEARBORN (January 2, 2013) - It is with deep regret and profound sadness that we inform you of the passing of Marianna Kay Siblani, the executive editor of The Arab American News for the last 28 years. She passed away peacefully last night surrounded by her family, after a long struggle with...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......