Abdul El-Sayed hosts town hall with Linda Sarsour and Winnie Wong
December 22nd, 20171 ANN ARBOR — Optimism echoed through the University of Michigan's Union Rogel Ballroom on December 16, as speeches from Abdul El-Sayed, Linda Sarsour and Winnie Wong inspired attendees at a town hall event. More than 100 students and citizens filled the second floor ballroom during finals week to hear the speeches from El-Sayed, a...
Barbara Aswad: Mother, social justice advocate, professor
December 22nd, 20170 Barbara Aswad, professor emeritus of anthropology at Wayne State University and advocate for immigrants and low-income Americans, died on November 30, after a brief illness. She was 80 years old. She was born in Kalamazoo, on January 5, 1937, daughter of Robert and Helen Black. She earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the...
Obituary: Women’s hall of famer and activist Marcia Federbush (1934-2017)
December 22nd, 20170 Marcia Federbush, an American Palestine human rights activist for the last 14 years of her life, died on Friday, Dec. 15. Before that, she led the country's first Title IX lawsuit against a university, the University of Michigan, charging that in the 1971-72 academic year, the athletic budget for men was $2,611,196, while it was $0...
Little Caesars Pizza lawsuit dropped after lawyer receives threats
December 22nd, 20172 DEARBORN — An Arab American attorney, Majed Moughni, has dropped his lawsuit against Little Caesars after receiving racists threats directed towards him and his family on social media. Moughni had filed the suits earlier this year, at the beginning of Ramadan, when he alleged that Little Caesar's had been falsely advertising the...
Initiative to end partisan gerrymandering turns in more than 425,000 signatures
December 22nd, 20170 LANSING — Dozens of volunteers with Voters Not Politicians, a volunteer-driven organization focused on ending partisan gerrymandering in Michigan, turned in approximately 180 boxes of petitions with more than 425,000 signatures from each county to the Michigan Bureau of Elections, on Monday surpassing the required 315,654 signatures...
U.S. House gives final approval to tax bill, delivers victory to Trump
December 20th, 20170 WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House of Representatives gave final approval on Wednesday to the biggest overhaul of the U.S. tax code in 30 years, sending a sweeping $1.5 trillion tax bill to President Trump for his signature. In sealing Trump’s first major legislative victory, Republicans steamrolled opposition from...
19th District Court doesn’t employ a full-time Arabic translator
December 15th, 20170 DEARBORN — For 940,500 citizens in Michigan, English is not their first language, according to a 2015 report from Data USA. This can lead to problems at Dearborn's 19th District Court, and many others, as they do not employ full-time translators. The absence of a translator causes problems for residents who don't speak...
$10,000 raised for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital
December 15th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — On Dec. 15, St. Jude's Children's Hospital received a $10,000 check, the funds for which were raised by Star International Academy's girls volleyball team. The team raised the money during the fourth annual month-long "Crush Cancer" donation drive, which focuses on raising awareness about cancer and the impact the...
Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center opens third free legal clinic
December 15th, 20170 DETROIT — The Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center (SWIRC) will open its third free legal clinic next month, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Oakland County Bar Foundation, and an additional $25,000 from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program. SWIRC's first clinic opened up in June 2015 and has since became the...
Hearing to be held about the release of Iraqi nationals
December 15th, 20170 DETROIT — On December 20, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Goldsmith will entertain a motion asking for the immediate release of more than 100 Iraqi nationals. Code Legal Aid and ACLU asked for their immediate release. "These people have businesses, homes and families; they are great contributors to our community," said Nadine Yousif...
Dearborn Heights man pleads guilty to bribing officials for pot dispensary
December 15th, 20170 DETROIT — A Dearborn Heights man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to bribing public officials while trying to open a medical marijuana dispensary. Ali Baydoun, 52, could spend up to 16 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a bribery conspiracy charge. His sentencing is scheduled for April. Baydoun reached the plea deal four...
Hate crimes on the rise in Michigan
December 15th, 20170 DETROIT — Hates crimes reported to police in Michigan went up 29 percent last year, according to data released on November 13 by the FBI. The increase saw a spike from 309 reported crimes to 399. "Hate crimes are happening more often than actually reported," said Rashida Tlaib, a former state representative now working with the...
Muslimish: The rise of secular voices in Islamic communities
December 15th, 20178 FARMINGTON HILLS — Even in the multicultural Queens, New York City, Noura Embabi greatly felt the ripple effects of anti-Muslim bigotry immediately after Sept. 11, as a 16-year-old high school student. She grew up in an Egyptian Muslim American family, but incidents like a car attempting to run over her family while walking the...
Local teen to face trial for allegedly murdering his mother
December 15th, 20172 FARMINGTON HILLS — During the Dec. 8 preliminary exam for Muhammad Altantawi, who is accused of having killed his mother on Aug. 21, 47th District Court Judge Marla E. Parker determined there was sufficient probable cause that a crime was committed and that Altantawi should face trial. The preliminary exam provides the court with...
Two Detroit police officers indicted on charges of robbery, extortion and others
December 13th, 20170 DETROIT -- The United States Attorney's Office were indicted Tuesday a Detroit Police lieutenant and an officer on charges of robbing drug dealers and stealing drugs and money obtained in searches, while four retired officers pleaded guilty in a bribery scandal involving chop shops and towing companies. Lieutenant David Hansberry,......
In Pictures: The Muslim and Arab world respond to Trump’s reckless decision on Jerusalem
Bill letting people bring concealed guns across state lines passes House
December 8th, 20170 WASHINGTON — People would be able to bring legal, concealed guns into any U.S. state under legislation the House of Representatives approved on Wednesday that would also bolster the national background check system and require a study of the "bump stocks" used in October's Las Vegas mass shooting. The country's long-standing fight...
Longtime 7 Action News anchor set to retire
December 8th, 20170 SOUTHFIELD — Stephen Clark, a multi-platform journalist, announced that he'll be retiring at the end of February. Clark worked in broadcast journalism for more than 40 years, covering events such as the Los Angeles riots, the California wildfires and 9/11. "Stephen has been a valued member of the 7 Action News team and has made a...
Henry Ford College Board of Trustees appoints John Satkowski as interim president
December 8th, 20170 DEARBORN — The Henry Ford College (HFC) Board of Trustees unanimously appointed John S. Satkowski as interim president of the college on Dec. 4. His duties become effective Jan. 2. Last April, HFC President Dr. Stanley E. Jensen announced his plan to retire, effective June 30, 2018. However, a new opportunity changed his plans. He......
Brera Pizza and Salad Co. sold, soon to be re-branded as Trio Eats
December 8th, 20170 DEARBORN — Nasser Baydoun has purchased Brera Pizza and Salad Co. and intends to re-name the restaurant Trio Eats. Baydoun, who has opened 42 restaurants in the Middle East and a handful here in the United States, purchased the business on Nov. 1. Baydoun told The AANews he has been in and out of the restaurant business, including...
Dearborn sets standards and encourages investment by awarding beautiful homes and businesses
December 8th, 20170 DEARBORN — Every year, the City Beautiful Commission honors home and business owners who maintain "exceptionally well-maintained properties." Commissioners organized the contest to encourage residents to take pride in their properties and to showcase the beauty of Dearborn's neighborhoods and business districts, according to the......
‘P is for Palestine’: Children’s book introduces pride, stirs outrage
December 8th, 20170 DEARORN/NEW YORK — President Trump sent shock waves around the world and stirred anger among Arabs and Muslims when he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Wednesday. For Palestinians living there, the declaration was a wake-up call that the fight for freedom is far from over. For refugees, it's a wrench thrown in an already...
Zaman International opens new state-of-the-art kitchen
December 8th, 20170 INKSTER — Zaman International's Hope for Humanity Center, a humanitarian organization for women and children in extreme poverty, added to its services December 4 with the addition of a culinary arts training program. The program will offer cooking classes, beginning in January, to the women as well as the community. In addition to......
