Metro Detroit Arab community struggles to assess COVID impact due to “White” census classification
April 17th, 20210 Since Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency last March, Dr. Zafar Shamoon, chief of emergency services at Beaumont Hospital-Dearborn, has witnessed first-hand the precariously rising cases of COVID-19 in the community. “Dearborn has been hit very hard," Shamoon told The Arab American News. "This is one of the busiest, if...
Dearborn Heights seeking businesses to advertise for its newsletter
April 17th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The spring and summer issue of the Dearborn Heights Today Newsletter is in the early stages of development and looking for advertisements. The newsletter will be mailed to nearly 24,500 homes and businesses throughout Dearborn Heights in May and will also be available on the city's website. The city is looking...
Dearborn residents to offer free brake light repairs
April 17th, 20210 DEARBORN — Volunteers with the activist group Accountability for Dearborn (A4D) will offer free brake light check ups on Saturday, April 17. From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. motorists can have their brake and headlights assessed and replaced at Accountability for Dearborn’s Free Brake Light Repair Clinic in the parking lot of the...
Dearborn Heights Mayor appoints new comptroller and ordinance director
April 17th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Even more changes have been made in City Hall over recent weeks, including a new comptroller and a new ordinance and animal control director. After the sudden departure of former comptroller Chuck Bonza, Mayor Bill Bazzi appointed Badri Jawad to the role. Jawad graduated from Fordson High School and has a...
Charges announced against State Rep. Jewell Jones
April 16th, 20211 LANSING - State Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Inkster) was arraigned on charges brought forth after a vehicle incident in Livingston County on April 6. According to several reports, Jones was so confrontational after drunkenly driving his vehicle into a ditch on I-96, that state troopers had to use a taser and pepper spray on him. The...
Michigan extends mask requirement to children ages 2 to 4
April 16th, 20210 MICHIGAN - On Friday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) extended its "Gatherings and Mask" epidemic order, which includes expansion of mask requirements to children ages 2 to 4. The order takes effect April 26 and is effective through May 24. The department says implementing the mask rule to children ages...
Former Dearborn employee accused of embezzlement, faces four felony charges
April 16th, 20210 DEARBORN — Cheryl Salwa, a former employee of the city of Dearborn Engineering Division, is facing four felony charges stemming from accusations of embezzlement. The division is part of the city’s Public Works Department. According to information available to The Arab American News, Salwa was accused of embezzlement approximately...
Local realtor announces candidacy for Dearborn Heights City Council
April 16th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Hassan Ahmad, a resident for more than 15 years and a real estate broker with Re/Max Leading Edge is running for City Council. After moving to Dearborn Heights, Ahmad met his wife and had a daughter and two sons, who attend school in the city. “Being the proud product of this city, I have come to know the...
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald marks 100 days with key reforms
April 16th, 20210 PONTIAC — Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald marked her first 100 days in office last week. In those 100 days, McDonald has been busy bringing the office closer to the progressive objectives she ran her campaign on. Her many policy initiative and reforms include an attempt at a modern and conscientiousness approach to...
Arab American family continues to seek help for second terminally ill son
April 16th, 20210 ANN ARBOR — Ten days after an Arab American teen, Haitham Breadiy, passed away in October 2019 after battling Lafora Body Disease, his younger brother, Gehad “GG” Breadiy, began to experience symptoms of the same terminal illness. Their mother, Azeza Kashem, continues to seek help from community support and to raise awareness of...
Construction noise to be present in East Dearborn
April 16th, 20210 DEARBORN — An essential project related to the sewer separation project will cause construction noise for residents in the area of Chase and Donald. The project is expected to bring noise from 7 a.m. until midnight from April 14 until June 16. The construction project is being conducted by DTE, but is necessary in order for the...
Funeral assistance available to those who’ve lost loved ones to COVID-19
April 15th, 20210 DETROIT — U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) announced on Thursday that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has begun accepting applications for funeral assistance for Michiganders who’ve lost loved ones to COVID-19. Tlaib helped pass the funeral assistance program as part of the American Rescue Plan last...
Abdul El-Sayed endorses Abdullah Hammoud for Dearborn mayor
April 15th, 20210 DEARBORN — Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, former Detroit Health Department director and gubernatorial candidate, is endorsing State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud’s campaign for mayor. “Rep. Hammoud is the right person to lead Dearborn at this critical time in the city’s history,” El-Sayed said. “We are navigating not only the COVID-19...
Metro Detroit COVID units 75 to 100 percent full, Beaumont urges residents to take personal steps
April 15th, 20210 One of the state’s biggest hospital networks is warning Michiganders that hospitals and staff have hit critical capacity levels. Health care workers are now pleading for Michiganders to personally take immediate steps to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Michigan’s COVID-19 surge is the worst in the country, with even...
Dearborn native becomes one of the first Muslim Americans to command U.S. naval ship
April 15th, 20210 DEARBORN — Commander Houssain “Sam” Sareini of Dearborn has become one of the first Muslim Americans to command a U.S. naval ship. On April 9, Sareini took command of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) at a ceremony in Portsmouth, VA, according to a Navy press release. Sareini has been in......
Khodr Farhat announces candidacy for Dearborn City Council
April 14th, 20210 DEARBORN — 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...
Governor Whitmer shares Ramadan greetings via video
April 14th, 20210 LANSING — With the start of Ramadan this week, Governor Whitmer shared Ramadan greetings with the entire Muslim community. “Peace be upon you,” she said. “I want to extend my greetings for a Ramadan Mubarak to all Michiganders who observe this important and holy month.” In her statement, Whitmer went on to explain the...
Hamtramck students win speech competition with hopeful messages
April 14th, 20210 HAMTRAMCK — Five Hamtramck Public Schools students recently competed in the Optimist Club of Downtown Detroit's Annual Oratorical Virtual Competition on March 17, with three students placing in first, second and third place. First-place winner Nura Uddin will be advancing to the next level of the competition, along with...
Two Dearborn Heights children win bicycles in contest
April 14th, 20210 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — In a contest that was a cooperative effort between Mayor Bill Bazzi and the Dearborn Heights Target store, two children won free bicycles. The contest originated as part of a March 13 family food box and children’s book distribution sponsored by Bazzi at Annapolis High School. The winning tickets were hidden......
Michigan to expand the use of monoclonal antibody therapy
April 14th, 20210 LANSING — Governor Whitmer and the MDHHS said that the state is expanding the use of medical intervention to reduce COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths. The intervention involves additional doses of monoclonal antibodies made available to providers and requests to providers to expand the number of infusion sites throughout...
Dearborn approves temporary pop-up food businesses during Ramadan
April 14th, 20210 DEARBORN — 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......
HAP selects Hassan F. Abdallah as interim chief compliance officer
April 13th, 20210 DEARBORN — Health Alliance Plan (HAP), the insurance subsidiary of Henry Ford Health System, has named Hassan F. Abdallah as its interim chief compliance officer. As the interim CCO, Abdallah will be responsible for ensuring the organization complies with federal and state laws, regulatory requirements and leading the organization...
Biden greets Muslims as they observe the holy month of Ramadan
April 13th, 20210 WASHINGTON D.C. — President Biden issued a statement marking the beginning of Ramadan to all Muslim communities. “In this pandemic, friends and loved one cannot yet gather together in celebration and congregation, and far too many families will sit down for iftar with loved ones missing,” the statement said. “Yet, our Muslim......
