Secretary of State says Dearborn has authority to expand voting access by translating election materials
April 1st, 20220 DEARBORN — An effort to bring federally guaranteed language access to Dearborn’s multilingual population continues to see resistance. Last week, the Dearborn City Council passed a resolution, brought forth by Councilman Mustapha Hammoud, that sought to ensure ballots and other election materials would be translated into multiple...
Jacob Thurston to serve as Dearborn’s new city assessor
March 31st, 20220 DEARBORN — On Thursday, Dearborn Mayor Hammoud announced the appointment of Jacob Thurston as the city of Dearborn’s new assessor. The assessor is responsible for administering Dearborn’s tax roll by evaluating properties for the purpose of calculating property taxes. The city assessor is appointed by the mayor with City...
Gov. Whitmer appoints Susan Dabaja to Third Circuit Court for a partial term
March 31st, 20221 DETROIT — On Thursday, Governor Whitmer announced the appointment of Susan Dabaja to the Third Circuit Court of Wayne County for a partial term in order to fill out a vacancy. Whitmer also announced the appointment of Christopher Blount to that court for a partial term. A former City Council president in Dearborn, and a former...
DHS creates Customs and Border Protection community relations position for Michigan’s Arab and Muslim Americans
March 30th, 20220 DEARBORN — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has agreed to create a Detroit-based U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) community relations position that will be dedicated to building trust and working with Michigan’s Arab and Muslim American communities, and other impacted communities. The liaison position comes after...
State partners with FCC to investigate robocalls
March 30th, 20220 LANSING — Attorney General Dana Nessel is partnering with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate robocalls and caller ID spoofing. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between state and federal robocall investigators makes it easier for them to share details between agencies. Michigan joins more than 20 other...
Detroit police expanding crisis intervention team to better respond to mental health calls
March 29th, 20220 DETROIT — The program designed to help police officers respond to mental health calls has expanded to another Detroit police precinct. The crisis intervention team officers are trained to identify people who may need help and connect them with mental health support. “The crisis intervention team is part of the mental health...
Local developer buys Oakland Mall, plans to start changes right away
March 29th, 20220 TROY — A developer has a plan to repurpose the 2 million square foot Oakland Mall in Troy. Mario Kiezi, a 31-year-old, self-described young visionary and real estate developer, just purchased the mall last week and already has ideas. “We feel like this is one of the sleepiest sites in Metro Detroit,” he said. “And we are...
Dearborn businessman caught dumping trash for eighth time in Detroit
March 29th, 20220 DEARBORN — Dearborn businessman Mahmoud Saad was caught on camera illegally dumping trash in Detroit for an eighth time. The vehicles caught all eight times on camera were owned by Saad, who owns Cost Friendly Tree Service based in Dearborn. In the latest incident, the vehicle was caught dumping landscaping debris from the...
Sherri Saad named Broker/Owner of the Year for RE/MAX of Southeastern Michigan
March 26th, 20220 TROY — Sherri Saad, broker/owner of RE/MAX Leading Edge, has been named Broker/Owner of the Year. The award was presented during the RE/MAX of Southeastern Michigan Awards Gala. The annual event was held virtually this year and celebrated the accomplishments of RE/MAX’s highest performers in Southeast Michigan. The...
Dearborn Heights receives $1.6 million in federal funds to mitigate flooding
March 25th, 20220 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The city of Dearborn Heights has received a check for $1.675 million in federal aid to mitigate flooding. The funds are intended to help address the ongoing flooding issue along the Ecorse Creek. The funds were recently announced by U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and is among $15,362,725 in project...
Retiring anchor Huel Perkins speaks on covering the Arab American community: “We are much more alike than we are different”
March 25th, 20220 SOUTHFIELD — After decades as a household fixture in local news media, FOX 2 Detroit anchor Huel Perkins, along with his longtime co-host, Monica Gayle, will be retiring from the station this Friday. News of the retirement came from the anchors themselves last month, in an emotional and heartfelt announcement that provoked local...
Dearborn City Council approves historic resolution requiring translated ballots, election materials
March 25th, 20220 DEARBORN — After some debate, the Dearborn City Council unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday that sought to ensure that ballots and other election materials would be translated into multiple languages, thereby bringing much needed basic U.S. Voting Rights Act (VRA) provisions around language to Dearborn voters. The VRA...
ACRL to hold 10th annual “Fight for Justice” gala in Dearborn
March 24th, 20220 DEARBORN — The Arab-American Civil Rights League (ACRL) has announced its 10th annual “Fight for Justice” gala will be held at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Thursday, March 31. A reception is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6:30 p.m. The Ford Community and Performing Arts...
Dearborn Heights pharmacist charged in $10.6 million insurance fraud ring
March 23rd, 20220 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A Dearborn Heights pharmacist has been arrested for her role in a $10.6 million insurance fraud ring. Zeinab Makki, 59, was charged with one count of healthcare fraud the same day her husband, Wahid Mohamed Makki, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering for using more than $1 million in COVID relief...
Dearborn Heights man accused of using $1 million in pandemic relief to buy Middle East condo
March 23rd, 20220 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A Dearborn Heights man has been charged in connection with a scheme to buy a condominium in the Middle East. The complaint claims that Wahid Mohamed Makki, 59, used more than $1 million in federal pandemic relief funding to buy a condominium in the Middle East. He is charged with wire fraud and money......
Applications open for $1,000 bonuses for childcare professionals, grants for childcare programs
March 22nd, 20220 LANSING — A second round of the Child Care Stabilization Grant program is now underway and will distribute $365 million to give every full-time childcare professional a $1,000 retention bonus and to help childcare programs. The grants are available to Michigan’s approximately 8,000 licensed childcare programs and their...
Dearborn Police investigating road rage incident involving victim struck with vehicle
March 22nd, 20220 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department says that on Monday, March 14, at approximately 2:30 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call at the intersection of Schaefer Road — north of Butler — near Ford Motor Company Gate 9, where a woman was reportedly struck by a blue sedan of an unknown make/model. The driver was described as a...
LAHC to honor FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate
March 22nd, 20220 DEARBORN — The Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) is recognizing FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate for excellence and great achievements. The 2022 Excellence and Great Achievements Award is expected to be presented to Abbate during the LAHC’s 34th Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, May 5 at 6 p.m. at the Shenandoah Country Club...
Dearborn Heights car dealership part of man’s $200,000 vehicle scam
March 22nd, 20220 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A Flint man is being accused of scamming multiple dealerships across the state out of $201,000 worth of vehicles, including a dealership in Dearborn Heights. Eddie Hendrickson, 40, is accused of using stolen Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses to apply for approximately 10 auto loans totaling more......
Dearborn police caution public about dangers of “Orbeez Challenge” TikTok trend
March 21st, 20220 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department is warning the public about a new TikTok trend that has had them responding to numerous incidents already. The “Orbeez Challenge” TikTok trend involves targeting bystanders with gel blaster guns filled with water-absorbent polymer beads. Over the last several weeks, the Dearborn...
Fordson High School joining DuVall Elementary in hosting 100-year anniversary celebrations
March 21st, 20220 DEARBORN — Fordson High School and DuVall Elementary School are inviting the public to reserve spots for 100-year celebrations scheduled for May. The schools are also looking for program sponsors to help pay for the events. Fordson has a gala event planned for May 14 from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. that will include a formal program at......
Sam Hussein takes Metrotech from humble beginnings to a one-of-a-kind autoshop in Dearborn
March 19th, 20220 DEARBORN — Sam Hussein, owner of Metrotech Automotive Group on Michigan Avenue in east Dearborn, has been busy during the state’s painful pothole season. It’s no wonder he is. Managing the 35,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility and a full crew of technicians is no small matter. But what really makes the shop unique is...
Dearborn Public Schools recognized for budget presentation
March 19th, 20220 DEARBORN — For the fourth year in a row, the Dearborn Public School District has been recognized for excellence in how it presents its budget. The district was awarded a Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) by the Association of School Business Officials International for the current 2021-22 fiscal year budget. The Association of......
