Michigan teacher fired for Martin fundraiser
PONTIAC — Brooke Harris, a teacher at the Pontiac Academy for Excellence Middle School, was fired from the charter school late last month for helping students organize a fundraiser for the family of 17-year-old Florida fatal shooting victim Trayvon Martin, according to a release by the Southern Poverty Law Center.Harris had won...Sign on I-94 hacked with racial slur referencing Trayvon Martin
The controversial, fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer has made national headlines for weeks, and a recent unsavory incident involving Martin has also made headlines for the wrong reasons. On early Monday morning, a portable road sign on westbound I-94 near Michigan Avenue was hacked by a...Fakih pleads no contest in drunken driving case
HIGHLAND PARK – Former Miss USA Rima Fakih reached a plea deal in her drunken driving case on Wedensday in court. Fakih, of Dearborn, pleaded no contest to a charge of impaired driving and now will be sentenced on May 9. According to local reports, probation is likely to be handed down and she will most likely be able to serve it...Farewell reception honoring Diab to be held April 26
DEARBORN – The Lebanese International Business Council will hold a Special Farewell Reception to honor Houssam Diab, the Consul General of Lebanon to Detroit who is expected to finish his term and depart the state of Michigan in May. Diab officially began in March 2011 in Detroit and is now expected to relocate to the United Arab...National Arab American leaders coming to Detroit to celebrate civil service
DETROIT — The lineup of guests and honorees at this year’s ACCESS annual dinner represents a tour de force of Arab American public service and civic engagement. The dinner takes place April 28 at the Detroit Marriott to celebrate 41 years of ACCESS service to the region and the nation. Arab American of the Year Awards will be...Detroit performance by Marcel Khalife, Al Mayadine Ensemble
DETROIT - Renowned singer, musician and artist Marcel Khalife and his Al Mayadine Ensemble will be performing at the Detroit Music Hall (350 Madison, Detroit, MI) at 8 p.m. on April 27. The special night performance of "Fall of the Moon" is an homage to the poet Mahmoud Darwish and a salute to the Arab Spring, part of a U.S. Tour. For...
Businessman Beydoun likely to be exonerated of all charges in Qatar
April 12th, 20120 DEARBORN/DOHA— Businessman and former head of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce Nasser Beydoun, 47, has essentially been exonerated of all accusations in a civil case that had been filed against him in December of 2009 in Qatar according to court documents in Arabic received by The Arab American News. The court expert in Qatar...
CAIR-MI to sue FBI, CBP over invasive questioning of Muslims at border
April 12th, 20120 DETROIT - On Friday, April 13, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) was expected to hold a news conference in Detroit to announce the filing of a federal lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the FBI over the repeated detention and questioning of Muslims about their religious...
Terry Jones protest at Islamic Center passes without incident
April 8th, 20120 DEARBORN - Terry Jones finally held his protest at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn on Saturday, April 7 much to the dismay of the community and local civil rights groups. The protest, which passed without incident, came days after back and forth arguments between the City of Dearborn and Jones’ camp who claimed his...Flooding issue continues to hurt Dearborn Heights residents, local cities
DEARBORN HEIGHTS - Local residents Ali & Rola Abdallah recently filed a lawsuit against the city of Dearborn Heights after their basement flooded on May 25 of last year, claiming negligence for not properly operating and maintaining the city's sewer systems. "We are suing Wayne County," said Mayor Dan Paletko. "It just doesn't...Family upset “human rights” conference has deceased daughter’s name on it
DEARBORN - A local Arab American family is angry over an upcoming ''human rights'' conference that features the name of their deceased daughter, believing that its true goal is to push an anti-Islam agenda. "It wasn't a honor killing at all," a close friend of the family said. The Jessica Mokdad Human Rights Conference is scheduled to...HFCC President Gail Mee wins national leadership award
DEARBORN — Dr. Gail Mee, the president of Henry Ford Community College (HFCC), has been named by The Chair Academy as the recipient of the 2012 Idahlynn Kárre International Exemplary Leadership Award. Dr. Mee at a recent event at HFCC.Mee, who has been the president of HFCC since 2006, was recognized for her ability to advance...Wayne State walk-out challenges pro-Zionist “whitewashing” of children’s rights issue
DETROIT — Impassioned chants of “Free, Free Palestine!” and “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation” were heard echoing through the center of Wayne State University's campus yet again on Wednesday, April 4. The chants followed another silent walk-out of a speaking event deemed by a coalition of groups to...
Dismissal of football players’ charges a major victory for ACRL
April 6th, 20120 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights 20th District Chief Judge Mark Plawecki dismissed the criminal charges brought against four Arab American high school football players from Star International Academy on Wednesday."This court declines to criminalize football today," Plawecki said. While announcing his ruling, Plawecki added that...Judge permits Jones to protest without signing “hold harmless” agreement
DEARBORN- Florida Pastor Terry Jones is expected to protest outside the Islamic Center of America on Saturday, April 7. Earlier this week he filed a lawsuit against the city of Dearborn. In the suit Jones alleges the city violated his free speech rights by asking him to sign an agreement before his scheduled protest outside the......
Gas station owner committed to helping community heal after shooting
April 6th, 20120 DETROIT — Protests outside of the BP gas station at Fenkell and Meyers in Detroit have been almost a daily occurrence since a shooting that resulted in the death of one young man, Michael Haynes II, and first-degree murder and illegal weapons possession charges against another, former employee Ibrahim Saleh, who was recently...HFCC hosting Pre-Pharmacy seminar April 18
DEARBORN – The annual Pre-Pharmacy Spring Seminar is being held Wednesday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hackett Conference Room, located in the Health Careers Education Center (HCEC) on the main campus. Attendees will receive information about pharmacy school admission requirements, pharmacy school opportunities, HFCC's......
Eight tax-time errors to avoid
With the tax-filing deadline looming on Tuesday, April 17, the IRS has released a list of eight common tax-time errors to avoid. If you make a mistake on your tax return, it can take longer to process, which in turn, may delay your refund. Here are eight common errors to avoid: 1. Incorrect or missing Social Security numbers: When...New law would prevent renewal of driver’s license following unpaid parking tickets
A new Michigan law expected to be enacted on May 16 would block the renewal of a driver's license in the event that three parking tickets have not been paid.Currently in the state six unpaid tickets would result in the same consequence. The secretary of state is notified when an individual has a significant amount of unpaid...Rally held in Dearborn to spotlight Shaima Alawadi case
DEARBORN — Despite heavy rains resulting from a thunderstorm just prior to the event, a rally was held on behalf of Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi American Muslim woman who was killed in her El Cajon, California home. It was attended by about 30 people in front of City Hall. Imam Husham Al-Husainy speaks with an Iraqi TV station about the...U.S. Rep. Conyers working on national Amer Act bill
DETROIT — Families are the backbone of a strong society and Michigan's families received extra protection in December 2010 with the passage of the 'Amer Act,' or HB 4118, which gives special consideration to families and to religious similarities in foster care cases. After a meeting with U.S. Rep John Conyers (D-Detroit) this......
Obama administration guarantees Syrians Temporary Protected Status
April 5th, 20120 WASHINGTON — The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) praised the announcement by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to allow Syrian nationals in the United States to stay beyond their visas and avoid the risk of returning to their homeland which has been plagued by violence since the popular...Rally held in Dearborn to bring attention Shaima Alawadi case
DEARBORN – Despite heavy rains resulting from a thunderstorm just prior to the event, a rally was held on behalf of Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi American Muslim woman who was killed in her El Cajon, California home, attended by about 30 people in front of City Hall. The killing of Alawadi, who was found brutally beaten in her home......
Judge urged to dismiss charges against four Arab American high school football players
DEARBORN HEIGHTS — During a court hearing Wednesday here at the 20th District Court Chief Judge Mark Plawecki was urged to drop the battery and assault charges brought against four senior Arab American football players from Star International Academy. The four seniors from Star International Academy who were charged with battery and...
Community shocked over former Dearborn woman’s killing
March 31st, 20120 Women in mourning cry outside a memorial service for Shaima Alawadi held at the Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib Center in Lakeside, California March 27, 2012. REUTERSDEARBORN — Arab Americans are still grieving over the gruesome death of a former Dearborn woman. Shaima Alawadi, 32, of El Cajon, California was found brutally beaten in......
