City Councilman George Darany named 2008 Outstanding Rotarian of the Year
July 11th, 20080 DEARBORN — City Councilman and Dearborn Rotarian George Darany was recently presented with Dearborn Rotary Club's "2008 Outstanding Rotarian of the Year" award in recognition of his nearly 30 years of community service. Presenting the award at a recent Rotary meeting was Bob Ziolkowski, the Club's 2008-2009 president-elect, who...Ottawa man’s family farm bulldozed by Israelis
Monzer Zimmo is an Ottawa Muslim who is deeply involved in interfaith activities. The following is an e-mail from him which has just been forwarded to me, though it was written in April. He explained that the destruction of farms in that area took place after a clash between Palestinian fighters and Israeli...Holy Land lost
The very words "The Holy Land" evoke powerful images. But the pictures that come to mind are rapidly disappearing from the landscape. The occupation of the West Bank, once a military and political reality that dominated the lives of Palestinians, has become concretized: with massive housing projects connected by ribbons of...
Select Michigan and Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers launch “Buy Local, Eat Fresh”
July 11th, 20080 Farmington Hills — The Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers (AFPD) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture's "Select Michigan" program wants to make fresh, local produce more readily available to Metro Detroit urban residents. To this end, they are launching a program called "Buy Local, Eat Fresh." "We have found that...
Business mentoring initiative launched
July 11th, 20080 DETROIT — Wayne State University's Executive and Professional Development Division and The Downriver Community Conference announce the launch of a new program aimed at increasing the competitiveness and capacities of emerging businesses in Michigan, particularly in Wayne County. Through the "360° Mentoring Project," the university's...
Ellis leaves legacy of love for children, sports
July 11th, 20080 Sam Ellis, a Dearborn resident well known as a fiery high school principal and wrestling coach in various area school districts, died of a heart attack Wednesday morning on the way to Garden City Hospital. He was 57. Family members said Ellis' limitless, high-energy spirit made memories that will last generations. The large,...
Repair shop offers tips for saving gas
July 11th, 20080 WESTLAND — Of all the places in the Metro Detroit area to run an auto shop, the spot on Marquette and Wayne Roads in Westland is one of the worst. At least 30 shops line Wayne Road in the city, and pricing competitions are constant. But the Westland Auto Lube shop has managed to stay afloat because of the hard work of its...
Ramallah Convention returns to Detroit for 50th
July 11th, 20080 Thousands of Palestinian Americans from Ramallah traveled from across the country to Dearborn last week, where they invaded the Hyatt Regency Hotel for the 50th annual convention of the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine. About 4,000 people gathered who, according to tradition, are all descended from the same seven men who...
ACC offers free service to help prevent auto theft
July 11th, 20080 DETROIT — On Thursday, July 17 the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) will be kicking off its new Automobile Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA) Program from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at ACC Detroit Headquarters located at 111 W. 7 Mile in Detroit. The theft prevention program provides free vehicle identification number (VIN)...
The ongoing persecution of Dr. Sami al-Arian
July 11th, 20080 There are few prospects in the justice system so grimly awful as when the feds decide never to let go. Rebuffed in their persecutions of some target by juries, or by contrary judges, they shift ground, betray solemn agreements, dream up new stratagems to exhaust their victims, drive them into bankruptcy, despair and even to suicide....
Bring lots of resumes to ACCESS job fair
July 11th, 20080 DEARBORN — The ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) 2008 Summer Job Fair is coming to Dearborn on Wednesday, July 16 and more than 700 people are expected to attend based on last year's numbers. Job seekers can expect to find at least 36 companies on hand searching for new employees, and more...
Vertical ID: Straight-up success
July 11th, 20080 LANSING — Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and other safety advocates are applauding the success of Michigan's vertical driver's license and ID card program, now in its fifth year. The Vertical Identification Program, implemented in July 2003, helps to prevent minors from purchasing alcohol, tobacco and other age-restricted...Jordan wants to go nuclear
Israel has the bomb. Iran wants nuclear energy for power, allegedly, though it is sitting on a sea of oil. Syria is trying to join the club. Now Jordan wants in. Just for peaceful purposes, for electricity and desalination of water, according to Khalid Touqan, chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, though...
Group rallys against sweatshop labor
July 5th, 20080 More than 40 people gathered on the Michigan State Capitol's south lawn in Lansing on Tuesday, July 1, to rally against the state's purchasing of employee uniforms through companies that use sweatshop labor practices. The rally, attended by members of various social and religious groups as well as students, coincided with the...
Comcast opens first ever bi-cultural office
July 5th, 20080 DEARBORN — Local dignitaries officially dedicated the first-ever Arabic-English customer service center in the United States at Comcast's new office at 5070 Schaefer Road in Dearborn. Dozens of guests crammed into the new center for Arabic food and speeches that emphasized the importance of the new center's commitment to the Arab......
NAYA symposium tackles community concerns
July 5th, 20080 DEARBORN — The National Association of Yemeni Americans held a two-day community symposium in Dearborn on June 28 and 29, bringing together community organizations, government officials and academics. The group hosted panel discussions on health and social services, youth and second-generation integration into American culture,...
Second annual Muslim Unity Picnic draws huge crowd
July 5th, 20080 DEARBORN — Picnic-goers didn't let rain stop them from having fun at a massive celebration of community at Ford Field Park in west Dearborn on June 29. Lead organizer of the second annual Muslim Unity Picnic, Mohamed Beydoun, said the group never considered packing up and going home in the face of initial bad weather. "The show......
Jerusalem Archbishop visits Detroit area
July 5th, 20080 An outspoken, high-ranking Orthodox Church figure from Jerusalem, known for speaking out in defense of Palestinians and for Christian-Muslim unity, visited Detroit area homes, religious institutions and Arab American organizations last week. Archbishop Theodosios Atallah Hanna of the Jerusalem Patriarchate addressed crowds at St....
New TSA airport scanners raises privacy concerns
July 5th, 20080 Since April 2008, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been introducing millimeter wave scanners at airports around the nation under a new program called "Checkpoint Evolution." In the past few years, when new technology was introduced at airports across the country, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination...
Voters may apply for absentee ballots
July 5th, 20080 Applications available for both primary and general elections DEARBORN — Dearborn voters who are unable to make it to the polls for the August 5 state primary election may apply for an absentee ballot. If you cannot make it to the polls due to age, disability or other legally acceptable reasons, you can request an absentee...
Acupuncture is a safe alternative therapy
June 27th, 20080 DEARBORN — Dr. Mostafa Belkhalfia came to Dearborn from California to practice acupuncture and Oriental medicine. For years, he worked for pharmaceutical companies making drugs to treat different diseases. But he believes that a person should not be hooked on drugs. It is better, he says. to seek a natural and holistic way to......
Hider family has recipe for success
June 27th, 20080 Because it's a mixture of different foods from all over the world, American cuisine should by definition have the ability to bring different groups of people together. And when the Hider family brought hamburgers to Beirut, Lebanon, that's exactly what it did. Civil war hit Lebanon in 1974, but that didn't stop...
Sadollah crushes competition, wins The Ultimate Fighter Finale
June 27th, 20080 LAS VEGAS — Amir Sadollah continued his incredible and unexpected run with a win over C.B. Dollaway on Saturday, June 21 in Las Vegas in The Ultimate Fighter Finale for middleweights. Sadollah, a half-Iranian, half-Irish kickboxer, was crowned "The Ultimate Fighter" for the popular cable show's seventh season and will receive a......
Can the ‘center’ hold?
Muasher has a hard row to hoe, as a moderate, a democrat, and a peacemaker in the turbulence of the Middle East. This is his memoir as a Jordanian career civil servant and diplomat. It is a book that offers fascinating insight into the actors in Middle Eastern politics and, as well, into the making of U.S. foreign policy...
Shared vision for hospital can foster peace
June 27th, 20080 At a function for a Jewish Israeli hospital held June 16 in Birmingham, about a third of the attendees were Arab American and one of them was honored. The hospital, Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, is known for treating Arab, Jewish and other patients equally. And local attorney Tim Attalla, who has been involved in......
