Henry Ford hospital marks first COVID-19 vaccinations for children
November 19th, 20210 DETROIT — Henry Ford Health System began COVID-19 vaccinations for children Thursday, marking a new milestone in the coronavirus pandemic. For parents like Smitha and Michael Hahn of Bloomfield Hills, the occasion was one of excitement and relief. Their children Jack, 7, and Sonya, 5, were the first to receive the first dose of the...
NAABA Michigan Chapter hosts first annual Khalta
November 19th, 20210 DETROIT — The National Arab American Bar Association (NAABA) Michigan Chapter held its first annual End of the Year Khalta on Nov. 17 at the Atheneum Suite Hotel in Detroit. This was the new association’s first event and the organization says it was elated by the turnout. NAABA Michigan formed eight months ago, with the same...
Michigan launches program to provide free, at-home COVID-19 tests through schools
November 19th, 20210 LANSING — The state has launched a program to make free at-home COVID-19 tests available to families through schools. On Thursday, Governor Whitmer launched a new pilot program in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) called "MI Backpack Home Tests" to provide free, at-home COVID-19 antigen...
Benson lifts driver’s license suspensions for more than 150,000 residents, cancels infractions for many more
November 18th, 20210 LANSING — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has lifted suspensions on more than 150,000 driver’s licenses and canceled infractions for more than 350,000 residents. The department lifted the suspensions of 12,000 Michiganders in October. Residents who are now eligible for a driver’s license may still need to pay a...
Dearborn trash collection delayed for Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 25
November 18th, 20210 DEARBORN — The city of Dearborn is reminding residents that trash, recycling and curbside waste pickup will be interrupted due to Thanksgiving and that most city buildings will be closed for the Thursday, Nov. 25 holiday. Trash, recycling and curbside waste collection will be delayed by one day for the Thursday and Friday trash...
D7 goes to virtual learning amid COVID-19 outbreak
November 18th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — An announcement was made at the Nov. 17 school board meeting that the D7 School District will return to virtual learning temporarily. A letter posted on the district’s Facebook page from Interim Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Cyr cited recent upticks in COVID-19 cases as the reason. “Due to the increase and...
City Council awards waste bid to Priority Waste, expected to give GFL 90-day notice
November 18th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — After months of complaints by residents regarding the service received by GFL, the city council has decided on a new trash hauler. Green For Life Environment (GFL), a Southfield based company, was first awarded in 2016, despite being more expensive than other bids. Shortly after the June floods that resulted...
Fire Chief Murray re-elected president of Western Wayne County Mutual Aid
November 18th, 20210 DEARBORN — Dearborn Fire Chief Joseph Murray was re-elected as the president of the Western Wayne Fire Department Mutual Aid Association. The new term begins on Jan. 1. Murray has been a member of the organization since 2014 and has been president since 2016. Joining Murray on the executive board is Canton Fire Chief Chris...
Retired U of M music professor pleads guilty, faces up to 15 years for sex charges
November 17th, 20210 ANN ARBOR — A former University of Michigan music professor has pleaded guilty to a sex charge from 2002, said Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin. Stephen Shipps, 68, of Ann Arbor pleaded guilty to one count of transporting a minor girl across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual conduct and faces a statutory...
First influenza A outbreak reminds residents to get flu vaccine
November 17th, 20210 LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is asking residents to take steps to protect themselves and others this flu season. To prevent outbreaks of the flu and COVID-19, the MDHHS is asking Michiganders to get both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, wear masks in indoor settings, social distance when...
Two more rescued after teen sex trafficking victim recovered by MSP, suspect in custody
November 17th, 20210 DETROIT — Michigan State Police (MSP) have arrested one suspect and recovered two adult victims of human trafficking connected to the rescue of a teen. A 15-year-old was rescued early Tuesday during a traffic stop at the border of Detroit and Warren when offiers stopped a black Dodge Charger for speeding. The driver was a girl who...
Dearborn’s Christmas Tree lighting ceremony scheduled for November 22
November 16th, 20210 DEARBORN — The city of Dearborn will mark the beginning of the holiday season with the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The ceremony, hosted by the Dearborn Recreation and Parks Department, will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22 outside of the west entrance to the Michael A. Guido Theater at the Ford Community and...
Child puts another child in dryer, turns it on at Garden City daycare
November 16th, 20210 GARDEN CITY — The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has suspended the daycare license of a Garden City in-home daycare. The suspension came after a child in the home put another child in a clothes dryer and turned the machine on. According to the Child Care Licensing Bureau of LARA, the license of...
Free or low-cost childcare now available for families of four earning up to $49,000
November 16th, 20210 LANSING — Michigan's new budget enables the state to expand free and low-cost childcare service to more families, the governor's office announced this week. Governor Whitmer announced Wednesday the expansion of free or low-cost childcare to 105,000 more children through expanded income eligibility criteria. Families of four earning...
Michigan surpasses 70 percent vaccinated milestone for ages 16 and older
November 16th, 20210 MICHIGAN — The state hit an important milestone in vaccinations against COVID-19 for adults this week. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced on Wednesday that Michigan has reached the state’s 70 percent goal of eligible residents age 16 and older receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19......
Maha Freij leads ACCESS as new CEO as organization marks 50th year
November 16th, 20210 DEARBORN — ACCESS, the nation's largest Arab American community nonprofit providing both human services and programming, announced its CEO transition is now complete, with Maha Freij leading the organization as president and CEO effective Oct. 1. Freij takes over the role after long-time ACCESS CEO Hassan Jaber announced his...
Sales of ornaments depicting historic buildings to benefit museum
November 16th, 20210 DEARBORN — Holiday ornaments crafted in Dearborn depicting historic buildings are for sale at the Dearborn Historical Museum. The 3-D printed replicas, depicting the Ford Rotunda, Fordson High School and the Wagner Hotel, are made by museum staff and can be purchased for $15, with an additional $4 fee if shipped. Shoppers can......
Dearborn City Council election results broken down by precincts show plunking citywide
November 15th, 20210 DEARBORN – Now that the general election dust has settled, The Arab American News examined Dearborn election results broken down by precincts. Here are some observations based on the detailed results: • The candidates' rankings in the different areas of the city (see tables) offer several key conclusions: 1. Dearborn’s...
Gala raises funds for upcoming “Mosque of the Prophet” in East Dearborn
November 12th, 20210 DEARBORN — East Dearborn can soon look forward to a new mosque and prayer space thanks to the efforts of community members to develop an extension of the long-running Islamic Institute of Knowledge (IIOK) on Schaefer Road. The new development will be significant in several ways. Named the "Mosque of the Prophet", the new mosque...
Sorting out the votes in the Dearborn mayoral election
November 12th, 20210 DEARBORN — With a historic election in the books, the voter turnout across the city was surprisingly low in every precinct. Precinct 32 had the highest voter turnout percentage of 51.11 percent and 441 people voting at the polls, with 252 voters returning their absentee ballots. Precinct 35 had the second highest voter turnout...
Dearborn Historical Museum awarded two competitive grants
November 12th, 20210 DEARBORN — The city of Dearborn is home to many prestigious cultural institutions and one of them – the Dearborn Historical Museum – is being recognized as such through grants from two organizations, Michigan Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “We really feel like we’ve been generating some......
Dearborn Mayor-elect Abdullah Hammoud announces his transition team
November 12th, 20210 DEARBORN — Mayor-elect Abdullah Hammoud, the city's first Arab American mayor, has assembled his transition team. Health care expert Marianne Udow-Phillips will serve as the transition director and will oversee a transition team comprised of eight individuals representing a cross section of business, civic, education, labor and...
Community mourns death of 6-year-old; hit and run driver turns himself in
November 12th, 20210 DEARBORN – Tragedy struck the community when a 6-year-old was struck and killed by a driver on a residential street in Dearborn on Sunday. The Dearborn Police Department said that on Nov. 7, at approximately 2:50 p.m., officers responded to the 7600 block of Bingham Hit on the report of a pedestrian who had been struck by a vehicle.......
Beaumont chief says fourth COVID surge looks more like a “marathon”
November 11th, 20210 ROYAL OAK — With COVID cases on the rise again, Beaumont’s chief medical officer is saying this fourth surge is taking on a different shape. Previous COVID surges in 2020 and early 2021 saw rapid increases in cases and then climbs in hospitalizations, followed by rapid declines in both cases and hospitalizations. But this...
Whitmer signs legislation allowing for two-year vehicle registrations
November 11th, 20210 LANSING — Governor Whitmer signed legislation Wednesday in hopes of saving drivers a trip to the Secretary of State’s office every year. House Bill 4117 allows drivers to choose a two-year vehicle registration, helping to improve the convenience of Secretary of State services. Whitmer also signed Senate Bill 220, allowing for......
