Viability of Arab American candidates, like Brian Mosallam, shows importance of the Arab vote
October 27th, 20200 MICHIGAN — Michigan could be the most important swing state in the country. And the Arab American vote could make the difference. Though Metro Detroit has its large concentration, Arab Americans have been an integral part of the historic and cultural fabric of the entire country. More so, Arab Americans enjoy a variety of...
Grants available for Michigan teachers, support staff, for additional time and costs during COVID closures
October 27th, 20200 LANSING — On Tuesday, Governor Whitmer and State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks announced that eligible Michigan teachers and support staff who worked additional time and incurred additional costs during the 2019-2020 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic can receive a grant through two new grant programs. Eligible teachers can...
Crestwood School Board president passes away; community responds
October 26th, 20200 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Crestwood School Board President Donna Ancinec passed away on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the age of 66. According to a GoFundMe page that was set up on Oct. 5, Ancinec had been battling a chronic liver condition for a few years that had impacted her ability to work full time. “Donna has given over 20 years to the...
Netanyahu doesn’t appear at fundraiser for historic Michigan Jewish school following community outrage
October 24th, 20200 OAK PARK — Last Sunday, Yeshiva Beth Yehuda, the oldest and largest Jewish school in the state, held its annual Yeshiva fund raising event, “An Evening of Unity”, celebrating 106 years of the institution. Guests this year included prominent Democratic political leaders such as Governor Whitmer and U.S. Senator Gary Peters...
Accountability For Dearborn addresses racism in Dearborn, shares data of racial targeting by police
October 24th, 20200 DEARBORN — Accountability For Dearborn (A4D) has turned to the City Council to address racial segregation in Dearborn while also releasing police records for the last decade. Having submitted a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request almost three months ago, A4D announced that it had finally received the information it had...
Toledo paper reveals juvenile criminal record of Tony Dia, City Council candidate and slain police officer’s father
October 23rd, 20200 TOLEDO — Younes “Tony” Dia, the father of slain Toledo Police officer Anthony Dia, was convicted as a juvenile for fatally shooting another teen. The news came Thursday after the Toledo Blade obtained public records that show Dia was charged with the shooting in the mid-eighties. Dia is currently running for a Toledo City...
Dearborn police arrest Detroit man after an alleged road rage shooting
October 23rd, 20201 DEARBORN — Luis Angel Berrios-Rosario, 38-years-old, of Detroit, has been charged in connection with a road rage incident that occurred in Dearborn on Sunday. Berrios-Rosario has been charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, felonious assault...
Arab American votes can make a difference in this election
October 23rd, 20200 With less than two weeks left in this election season, by now many in our communities have already cast their vote. According to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, more than 1.5 million Michiganders have already turned their absentee ballots in. That is phenomenal news. We have been working diligently to ensure that all...Jill Biden visits Dearborn, promises Arab Americans a “seat at the table”
DEARBORN — Jill Biden, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, spoke at a voter mobilization event at the popular Shatila Bakery on Warren Avenue on Tuesday. The event was invite-only and not open to the general public due to COVID-19 concerns. Dearborn was one of four stops Biden made in the state this week, as...
Senator Sanders endorses Brian Mosallam for MSU trustee
October 22nd, 20200 LANSING — Michigan State University (MSU) Trustee Brian Mosallam has been endorsed by progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for his 2020 re-election bid. Mosallam has been on the Board of Trustees since January 2013. He announced his reelection campaign in June, saying that he had decided to run after “careful...
Lawsuit stops Trump cuts to SNAP food assistance for 700,000 unemployed Americans
October 22nd, 20200 LANSING – Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Thursday that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has permanently blocked an effort by the Trump administration to revoke Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for more than 700,000 unemployed Americans. A lawsuit filed in January by...
Whitmer signs bills worker, business COVID-related bills, as state sees cases increase
October 22nd, 20200 LANSING — Governor Whitmer signed two bills on Thursday that protect workers from retaliation from businesses if they get sick from or are exposed to COVID-19, and protects businesses from COVID-19 related liability. A trio of Michigan House bills (House Bills 6030-6032) say employers are required to allow workers who are exposed...
MDHHS issues emergency order to allow indoor visitation at residential care facilities
October 22nd, 20200 LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued an emergency order that updates requirements for residential care facilities to allow for indoor visitation. Emergency order under MCL 3332253 expands and updates such requirements as a means of protecting the public and containing the spread of...
Secretary of state urges voters to hand deliver absentee ballots
October 21st, 20200 LANSING — With just two weeks until the election, Michigan’s secretary of state is urging voters to hand deliver their absentee ballots. Jocelyn Benson told the media during a press conference that voters are being urged to not risk post office delays. “Only the absentee ballots received by 8 p.m. on November 3 can be...
Governor Whitmer extends unemployment benefits for the rest of the year
October 21st, 20200 LANSING — Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bills 886 and 991, which expand unemployment benefits for all Michiganders. The bipartisan bills Whitmer signed will extend unemployment benefits for Michiganders who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from 20 to 26 weeks until the end of the year. Both bills were sponsored......
Dearborn Public Schools suspend in-school learning labs
October 21st, 20200 DEARBORN — With COVID-19 cases rising again, the Dearborn Public School District’s Learning Lab Committee has decided to suspend in-school learning labs indefinitely. School nurses and administrators met Tuesday and decided to suspend the labs effective Oct. 21 until further notice after receiving concerning news from the Wayne...
Free COVID-19 testing in Lincoln Park this weekend
October 20th, 20200 LINCOLN PARK — The Wayne County Public Health Division, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, will host free drive-through COVID-19 testing Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lincoln Park Middle School on 2800 Lafayette Street in Lincoln Park. Tests will be administered by Michigan......
Jill Biden mobilizes voters at Shatila Bakery in Dearborn
October 20th, 20200 DEARBORN — Jill Biden, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, will be attending a voter mobilization event at Shatila Bakery on Warren Avenue in Dearborn on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. The event is invite-only and not open to the general public due to COVID-19 concerns. Dearborn is one of few stops Jill Biden will...
MCCFAD and Arab Xpressions present skit on the word ‘kharaf’ and stigmas around dementia
October 17th, 20200 DEARBORN — The Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease has teamed up with Arab Xpressions at the University of Michigan (U of M) to bring a unique skit that explores how a medical word for dementia is often misused in the Arab community. The skit premiered Friday, Oct. 9 as part of a MCCFAD community event...
D7 School Board candidates discuss their plans if elected
October 17th, 20200 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With elections right around the corner, candidates for Dearborn Heights’ District 7 Board of Education discussed their goals if they were to be elected. Incumbent Board Member Mandy Diroff, who could not be reached for comment, is seeking another four-year term and is competing against newcomers Latanya Gater,...
“An evening of unity” with a fascist criminal is shameful
October 16th, 20201 This Sunday, Michigan's top elected officials will be addressing and attending the virtual event, "An evening of unity", sponsored by Yeshiva Beth Yehuda, the self-described "oldest and largest Jewish educational institution in Michigan." Governor Whitmer, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Gary Peters, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan......
Dearborn Heights city councilman hosts first annual U.S. Marine Corps Challenge
October 16th, 20200 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Councilman Bill Bazzi hosted what he plans to be the first annual U.S. Marine Corps Challenge for students in the community. Being a veteran of the Marines himself, Bazzi arranged the challenge as a means to engage local students in a multi-school fitness competition. “As students have been facing an...
Analysis ranks Michigan as top state for bridging COVID racial disparities
October 16th, 20200 LANSING — A Politico analysis of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. by various state governments shows certain states stand out in their approaches to public health, mass unemployment and school reopenings. Politico reporters looked at the states' responses by consulting various health researchers, academic experts and......
State of Michigan and MSU launch COVID-19 app
October 16th, 20200 LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) and Michigan State University (MSU), have partnered to launch a COVID-19 exposure notification app. The app will pilot on MSU’s campus and for the surrounding community as a next step to help...
Attorney General Nessel announces 14th person charged in Whitmer kidnapping plot; eighth person in terrorism plot
October 16th, 20200 LANSING — Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office is reporting that there is now a 14th person charged in the plot to kidnap Governor Whitmer. Ryan Jarvi, a spokesperson for Nessel’s office, told local news outlets that a 14th person was arrested in the plot to kidnap Whitmer, but would not provide further details regarding the......
