June 27th, 20210DEARBORN — Leslie Herrick is looking to retain her seat on the City Council.
“I am running for re-election to the Dearborn City Council because I’m eager to continue the work I began four years ago when I was first elected by listening to residents, addressing their concerns, delivering first-class services and improving...
June 26th, 20210WAYNE COUNTY —Flooding after extended rainfall has prompted Governor Whitmer to declare a state of emergency in Wayne County.
The declaration allows the state to address threats to public health and safety related to the heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding, power outages, flooded roadways, stranded motorists,...
June 23rd, 20210DEARBORN — Kamel Elkadri wants to bring his vision for Dearborn to the City Council.
“I decided to run for City Council because Dearborn has given me and my family so much and I want that same opportunity for others,” said Elkadri, one of 18 candidates competing for the seven Council seats. “My father immigrated to this...
June 16th, 20211DEARBORN — With all seven seats on the City Council up for grabs this election, Councilwoman Erin Byrnes is looking to hold on to her seat by running for re-election.
Having been born and raised in Dearborn, Byrnes went on to graduate from the University of Michigan-Dearborn before going on to graduate school and serving as a...
May 15th, 20210DEARBORN — The Dearborn City Council voted to amend the “fugitive dust” ordinance in order to increase enforcement and fines for violations.
The ordinance was originally adopted last August.
“Fugitive dust” refers to visible particulate emissions created through mechanical processes or natural forces and comes from a...
May 11th, 20210DEARBORN — As a resident of Dearborn for nearly 40 years, Saeid Alawathi has decided to put his name on the ballot for one of the seven City Council seats up for election.
Alawathi is a Yemeni immigrant who grew up in the Southend of the city before graduating from Fordson High School and later completing his associate degree in...
May 8th, 20211DEARBORN — Longtime resident and social activist Samraa “Sam“ Luqman is seeking one of seven open seats in this year’s election for Dearborn City Council.
“As an active Dearborn resident, I have been advocating for years for my neighborhood of the Southend to be heard,” Luqman said. “To put it simply, I decided to run...
May 8th, 20211DEARBORN — Jon Akkari, an attorney born and raised in Dearborn, is vying for a position on the City Council this year. A primary election is set for Aug. 3, with a crowded field of Council and mayoral candidates.
Akkari is the son of a Lebanese immigrant father and third-generation Dearbornite mother. His father has been a blue...
May 8th, 20211DEARBORN — Lifelong resident Mustapha Hammoud has entered the race for one of seven City Council seats that are up for election.
Having been born and raised in Dearborn, Hammoud attended Dearborn Public Schools, Henry Ford College and the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in...
May 7th, 20210DEARBORN — A special City Council meeting was scheduled for May 4 and was withdrawn shortly beforehand by Councilman Bob Abraham.
The meeting was scheduled to discuss the option of putting some ballot questions before voters in the August primaries.
The topics scheduled for discussion were to consider and take action on the...
May 6th, 20211DEARBORN — Beginning May 6, the Dearborn City Council will be holding its meetings in person starting with its Committee of the Whole meeting.
The regularly scheduled council meeting on Tuesday May 11 is also planned to be in person.
Both meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Dearborn Administrative...
May 1st, 20210DEARBORN — With all seven seats on the City Council up for grabs in this year’s election, Lola Elzein is one of 18 candidates vying for one of those seats.
Elzein was born and raised in Dearborn and is a graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and recently earned an MBA from the Ross...
May 1st, 20210DEARBORN— In late February, Khalil Othman was among the first of 19 candidates to announce his bid for a seat on the Dearborn City Council.
“I can best serve the Council because I come from a problem-solver mindset and experience,” Othman said. “Every single issue we have here, I will be advocating for as a core principle I...
April 24th, 20210DEARBORN — With the filing deadline coming to a close, Kamal Alsawafy becomes one of 19 candidates vying for one of seven City Council seats up for grabs.
“What makes me a qualified and unique candidate for Dearborn City Council is my diversified and relevant experience,” Alsawafy said. “Dearborn is a great place to call...
April 23rd, 20211- Ali "Barber Al" Alhashemi withdrew from the race. There are now 18 candidates for the seven city council seats.
DEARBORN — While candidates had until April 23 to withdraw their names from the race, an unofficial list has been announced in Dearborn.
The primary election is scheduled for August 3.
With the retirement of...
April 14th, 20210DEARBORN — Longtime resident and activist Khodr Farhat has announced that he is running for one of seven City Council seats up for grabs in the upcoming election.
Farhat made the announcement in a Facebook post.
“After many long conversations with community members, family and friends, I’m excited to announce that I will be...
April 14th, 20210DEARBORN — The Dearborn City Council approved temporary pop-up outdoor food businesses to operate to accommodate Ramadan gatherings.
The initiative is intended to encourage individuals to celebrate Ramadan safely while practicing social distancing and was recommended by Mayor Jack O’Reilly’s administration and approved by the...
April 10th, 20211DEARBORN — Council President Susan Dabaja kicked off her mayoral campaign with a fundraiser event at Byblos Banquet Center in Dearborn.
The event, which was held outdoors and observed CDC guidelines with mask requirements and social distancing, brought out supporters from all around the community.
Fellow Council member Leslie...
April 9th, 20210DEARBORN — Ali Alhashemi, owner of Uppercutz in Dearborn, has announced that he will be running for a seat on the Dearborn City Council.
Alhashemi, better known as “Barber Al”, is a 26-year-old barber born to Iraqi American immigrants.
“My parents came to this country, to this city, in pursuit of the American dream,” he...
March 27th, 20211DEARBORN — The Dearborn City Council agreed to table four ordinances pertaining to zoning regulations on medical marijuana grow and sell facilities.
Councilman Mike Sareini said it’s important to recognize the three different acts regarding marijuana in the state. Dearborn opted out of the state's most recent medical and...
March 23rd, 20210DEARBORN — Following a Monday protest outside of the Dearborn Administrative Center this week, the Dearborn City Council has tabled four ordinances at its Tuesday meeting.
The ordinances tabled pertained to zoning regulations for medical marijuana grow and sell facilities.
According to Dearborn City Council President Susan...
February 5th, 20210DEARBORN — Former City Council President Tom Tafelski and financial advisor Jim Parrelly have entered the race for Dearborn mayor, both announcing their intent to run in recent days.
The Dearborn City Clerk’s Office told The Arab American News on Thursday that only Dearborn School Board member Hussein Berry, former Wayne County...
January 27th, 20210DEARBORN — In a unanimous vote, the Dearborn City Council voted to remove former Mayor Orville Hubbard’s name from the ballroom inside of the Ford Performing Arts Center.
Hubbard served as mayor from 1942 until 1978, was the city’s longest-serving mayor and was known as a segregationist.
The city's slogan "Keep Dearborn...
September 30th, 20201DEARBORN — With the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacting multiple companies globally, Amtrak announced not only cuts to service, but also 2,000 jobs starting Oct. 1.
Amtrak and other railroad employees rallied outside of the John D. Dingell Transportation Center in Dearborn to raise awareness of these coming changes.
Event...
August 28th, 20200DEARBORN — Despite Police Chief Ron Haddad urging residents to dial 911 to report large gatherings or unmasked people in public spaces, the City Council has requested residents to stop calling the emergency 911 line for these reports.
With Dearborn leading Wayne County in new cases of COVID-19 over the last six weeks, excluding...
June 20th, 20200DEARBORN — The COVID-19 pandemic has hit state and municipal budgets hard. Businesses came to a screeching halt at the height of cases in Michigan, but with the state slowly transitioning into more relaxed phases, city governments are cautiously looking forward to a summer of economic activity.
The Arab American News spoke to...
March 5th, 20200DEARBORN – The public is welcome to attend workshops in March, April and May in which the City Council will be focused on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2021.
The proposed FY21 budget covers July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
Traditionally, multiple meetings take place between the administration and the City Council...
December 13th, 20193DEARBORN — The city of Dearborn unveiled a new look this week. Reactions from Dearbornites to their city’s new image ranged from utter disappointment, confusion and complete ambivalence to positive reactions to the fledgling and diverse new rebranding project.
Much was made of the city’s introduction of its new, more modern...
