The ACC names Odie Fakhouri CEO, ushering in a bold new era of inclusive leadership and community impact
August 1st, 20250 TROY — The America's Community Council (ACC) — one of Michigan’s most trusted and comprehensive humanitarian organizations, serving multicultural and underserved communities for almost five decades— has announced the appointment of Odie Fakhouri as its new chief executive officer, effective October 1. The appointment followed a...
Michigan imams urge Jewish leaders to speak out against Gaza siege, mass starvation
August 1st, 20250 Dearborn, MI — At a press conference Wednesday morning, the Imams Council of Michigan called on Jewish leaders in the state to break their silence and publicly oppose Israel’s ongoing siege and starvation campaign in Gaza, which the council and most human rights groups have recognized as genocide. Standing before reporters at the...
Chaldean American Tom Semaan seeks reelection as New Baltimore mayor, faces two strong challengers
August 1st, 20250 NEW BALTIMORE, MI – Incumbent Chaldean American Mayor Thomas (Tom) Semaan is running in the August 5 primary election to retain his seat for a third two-year term. He faces two serious challengers: City Council member Ryan Covert and Anchor Bay School Board President Patrick Green. The top two vote-getters in the primary will advance...
Dearborn petition to create election wards falls short on valid signatures; organizers dispute clerk’s rejection
July 27th, 20250 DEARBORN – Last week, due to an insufficient number of valid signatures, Dearborn City Clerk George Darany rejected a petition initiative aimed at restructuring how the City Council is elected. The group behind the petition, however, maintains that the submitted signatures should have qualified, arguing that commonly used Arab and...
Gov. Whitmer demands return of $8.2M from grant to Fay Beydoun amid fraud probe
July 27th, 20250 LANSING — In her first public statement regarding an ongoing investigation into the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds, Governor Whitmer has called on State Attorney General Dana Nessel to recover $8.2 million from a $10 million grant received by Arab American businesswoman Fay Beydoun through a nonprofit she founded in 2022, which was...
Inkster launches first major housing project in decades to boost affordable homeownership
July 27th, 20250 INKSTER — The city of Inkster broke ground last Friday on a new housing project called Annapolis Pointe, located near the intersection of Middlebelt and Annapolis Roads in the southwest part of the city, in its first major residential development in more than 20 years. The investment aims to help low- and moderate-income families...
Michigan AG Dana Nessel escalates crackdown on pro-Palestine activists as students vow to resist
July 27th, 20250 LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is continuing to target student activists supporting Palestinian rights, despite mounting criticism in recent weeks, through what the TAHRIR Coalition — a broad coalition of student organizations at the University of Michigan — describes as an ongoing campaign of intimidation and...
Dearborn launches landmark health assessment to shape inclusive, data-driven city policies
July 27th, 20250 DEARBORN – The Dearborn Public Health Department has released a comprehensive assessment of residents’ needs, priorities, challenges and health experiences. This unprecedented initiative is part of an ambitious vision to embed public health at the core of municipal policy in the only city in Michigan — besides Detroit — to have...
Garden Farm Supermarket opens in Inkster to serve growing Arab, Muslim and other ethnic communities
July 27th, 20250 INKSTER – Near the intersection of three cities experiencing rapid growth in their Arab, Muslim and other ethnic populations, a new supermarket — Garden Farm — has recently opened at 30215 Cherry Hill Road, with the aim to meet the needs of the expanding Arab community in Inkster, Garden City and Westland. While there are no...
Local journalism in crisis: Detroit summit calls for rebuilding community
July 27th, 20250 At the Local News Crisis Summit in Detroit, journalists, media executives, scholars and philanthropists gathered to address the loss of local journalism, along with the democratic foundations it helps sustain. Local journalism is an essential bridge for civic engagement; it is the medium through which communities receive trusted news...
Community leaders demand urgent U.S. action to end starvation in Gaza, condemn Israel’s war crimes
July 27th, 20250 DEARBORN — Community leaders held a press conference on Wednesday demanding urgent humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza — a starving population. At the Henry Ford Centennial Library, local leaders expressed their dissent — and pleas to the federal government to help — over the worsening degrees of starvation the Palestinian...
A comprehensive look at primary elections in Metro Detroit municipalities
July 18th, 20250 DETROIT – As the August 5 primary elections draw near, voters across many Metro Detroit communities have begun casting absentee ballots to narrow down crowded fields of candidates in various local races. Seven cities are holding mayoral primaries to reduce the number of contenders to two finalists who will advance to the November...
Dearborn bans Airbnb-style rentals in residential neighborhoods starting in 2026, citing housing and quality-of-life concerns
July 18th, 20250 DEARBORN – On Tuesday, in a packed chamber, the Dearborn City Council voted unanimously to pass a new ordinance banning short-term home rentals through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo in all residential areas of the city — except for the East and West Downtown districts, which will be subject to special regulations. The ordinance,...
Mo Baydoun launches campaign for Dearborn Heights mayor: “This isn’t just a campaign — it’s personal”
July 18th, 20251 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Council Chairman Mo Baydoun has decided to take his dedication to the city a step further by running for mayor. Baydoun, who has lived almost his entire life in Dearborn Heights, is a proud Crestwood High School alum and earned his master's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University. The...
Federal court paved way for dismissal of lawsuit accusing Hamtramck of anti-LGBTQ bias: Flag restrictions on public property deemed constitutional
July 18th, 20250 DETROIT – In a ruling on Tuesday described by local officials as “historic”, a federal court in Detroit paved the way toward dismissing a lawsuit challenging Hamtramck’s policy prohibiting LGBTQ+ pride flags from being flown on public property — a decision hailed as a “complete victory” by the city’s leadership, which......
Elections 2025: Adam Alharbi runs for mayor to unite Hamtramck through service, reform and vision
July 18th, 20250 Adam Alharbi said that he is driven by a deep commitment to public service and a strong belief in the potential of the city where he was born and raised. Alharbi, who is an engineer and a community activist, has announced his candidacy for mayor of Hamtramck this year. His campaign vision centers on infrastructure development, improved...
Dearborn man charged with human trafficking after death of Brazilian woman in South Lyon
July 11th, 20250 A Dearborn man has been charged in connection with what the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is saying is the human trafficking of a Brazilian woman whose body was discovered in a South Lyon field more than a year ago. Fareed George Hajjar, 57, was arraigned Wednesday morning on one count of prostitution/transporting a person and one......
Survey: Detroit ranked most stressed city in America despite signs of recovery
July 11th, 20250 Despite progress in several areas over the past few years, the "Motor City" has topped the list of the most stressed and psychologically burdened cities in the United States, according to an annual survey conducted by WalletHub, which included 182 of the largest cities across the country. The survey was based on 39 indicators grouped...
Michigan House passes GOP bill to ban artificial additives in school meals by 2028
July 11th, 20250 LANSING – The Republican-majority Michigan House of Representatives has passed a bill that would ban several artificial food additives and dyes from school meals starting in the summer of 2028. The proposed legislation targets four additives: brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and titanium dioxide; along with...
Michigan health officials warn of rising measles and whooping cough cases, urge parents to vaccinate
July 11th, 20250 LANSING – Following a significant rise in measles and whooping cough cases among children in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a statement on Wednesday urging parents to vaccinate their children according to the recommended immunization schedule to prevent further outbreaks. Ryan Malosh,...
10 drown in Michigan holiday tragedy, including Arab American toddler from Dearborn
July 11th, 20250 The July Fourth holiday weekend in the Great Lakes State was marked by a series of tragic drowning incidents that claimed the lives of 10 individuals whose bodies were recovered from lakes and private pools across the state. Among the victims was an Arab American child from Dearborn who drowned in Lake St. Clair in Macomb County. In two......
Dearborn honors former Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini, names senior housing facility after her
July 11th, 20250 DEARBORN – On Thursday, in a heartfelt gesture reflecting deep appreciation for the first Arab American and Muslim elected to the Dearborn City Council, the city officially renamed one of its public buildings after former City Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini, during a ceremony attended by local officials and community leaders in the city...
Dearborn Police Department enforces zero-tolerance fireworks policy over July 4 holiday, arrests 48 and issues 310 citations
July 11th, 20250 DEARBORN — To mark the U.S. Independence Day, Dearborn Police carried out a large-scale enforcement campaign over three days to uphold fireworks regulations and ensure safety and peace across city neighborhoods. The Dearborn Police Department reported that the initiative led to the arrest of 48 individuals and the issuance of 310......
Hamtramck ends use of parking meters to boost business activity
July 6th, 20250 HAMTRAMCK – In response to years of complaints from drivers and business owners along Joseph Campau Street, the city of Hamtramck officially ended the use of parking meters at the beginning of July. The move aims to provide free parking along the city’s primary commercial corridor to attract more shoppers and stimulate economic...
Local Arab American leaders weigh in on Zohran Mamdani’s NYC primary win
July 6th, 20250 Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City mayoral primary election has sparked online discourse and a wave of support from Arab and Muslim Americans. In defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani has become the first Muslim American to secure a major party nomination in the city's history. He secured 56 percent of the vote,......
