July 24th, 20210DEARBORN — With a packed ballot for the August 3 primary, Arab American advocates have been asking the city to offer translated voting material.
On the ballot for the primary election, residents will be narrowing the fields for mayor and City Council and will decide the outcome of proposals asking for a renewal of a six-year...
July 23rd, 20210DEARBORN – Last Saturday’s rainfall brought flashbacks of late June’s horrific flooding in Dearborn.
The Arab American News learned that approximately 100 homeowners in the area north of Hemlock Avenue between Schaefer and Miller Roads on the city’s east side reported 2-3 inches of water back up in their basements to the...
July 22nd, 20210DEARBORN – While the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) yard is usually open the third Saturday of every month, the city is expanding that for residents to dispose of bulk items.
The DPW yard will be open from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 24 and Saturday, July 31 for disposal of flood-damaged items and other bulk...
July 22nd, 20210DEARBORN — U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) will be hosting a virtual town hall to discuss resources for residents impacted by the June flooding.
Dingell will be joined by representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and state and local officials to provide the most up-to-date information for residents...
July 20th, 20211— The following article was contributed by Michele Wildman, senior vice president at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
When it comes to economic development, topics around jobs and private investment often dominate the conversation – and there is no doubt they are a crucial driver of growth and talent...
July 17th, 20210DEARBORN – On Tuesday, the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) announced endorsements for the local 2021 primary elections.
Formed in 1998 by a group of Arab American professionals, AAPAC is a non-partisan political organization that encourages Arab American participation in the political process and encourages Arab...
July 17th, 20210DEARBORN — During Tuesday’s nearly four and a half hour City Council meeting, residents voiced their concerns over the health of Mayor Jack O’Reilly.
After O’Reilly posted a recent statement on the city’s Facebook page, resident Mike Hacham produced documents to the Council on why the mayor is unable to continue in his...
July 15th, 20211WAYNE COUNTY — President Biden has issued a presidential disaster declaration for Wayne County following the storms that devastated the area in late June.
The declaration comes after Governor Whitmer requested FEMA’s help.
“President Biden’s declaration opens up critical resources to help Michigan residents recover from...
July 13th, 20210
LANSING — The state completed a crucial step in getting federal aid to Wayne County communities affected by recent flooding on Tuesday.
Governor Whitmer requested that President Biden declare a major disaster for the state as a result of the heavy rainfall and flooding in late June. The request comes at the conclusion of an...
July 13th, 20210DEARBORN — The city government is reminding residents of a phone line for flooding-related business.
Residents can call the Dearborn Flood Response Call Center at 313-586-3181 to report flood damage to the city and get information on resources.
The deadline for residents affected by the storms of June 25-26 to report flood...
July 10th, 20210DEARBORN — The Dearborn Engineering Department answered the following questions regarding recent flooding in the city. The questions from The Arab American News were conveyed through the city's public information director, Mary Laundroche.
A federally-mandated sewer separation project to mitigate pollution into the Rouge River was...
July 9th, 20210DEARBORN — After alarm from the community about the very public absence of the city’s longtime mayor during a historic flood, Mayor O’Reilly made a statement declaring he has had health issues on Friday.
The statement, attributed to O'Reilly, says health issues have impacted his "ability to attend public engagements" and make...
July 9th, 20211DEARBORN/HEIGHTS — With many first time homebuyers in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights experiencing a flood for the first time, one local realtor is offering some tips of the trade.
Dave Abdallah, a realtor in the community for more than 35 years, said that homeowners need to do their research before they buy.
“When properties...
July 9th, 20210Bilal Baydoun is a Michigan-based policy advisor and writer. He previously served as a lead policy and communications advisor in the Michigan Department of Attorney General. Ali Abazeed is a public health advisor with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services based in Washington D.C. The authors were born and raised in East...
July 8th, 20211DEARBORN/HEIGHTS — With residents in both cities still reeling from the damage caused by the recent storms, city leaders are trying to get help from the federal government.
Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) visited with local leaders in Dearborn on July 8 to assess the damages from the storms that...
July 7th, 20210DEARBORN — The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) will be hosting two flood relief distribution events this week.
During the events, ACCESS will be distributing fans, liquid disinfectant, spray bottles, disinfectant wipes, rolls of garbage bags and personal protective equipment to flood victims from the...
July 6th, 20210DEARBORN — Gary Woronchak, a former editor of the Press & Guide, state representative and chairman of the Wayne County Commission, is running for mayor.
Woronchak’s parents moved to Dearborn from the east side of Detroit right before he started kindergarten at Whitmore-Bolles Elementary school. He then went on to Edison...
July 3rd, 20210DEARBORN — Dearborn Public School Board Trustee Hussein Berry is looking to become the next mayor of the city he loves and calls home.
“My story is Dearborn’s story,” he said. “I grew up in the Southend, watching the smoke stacks as I went to school. I watched my father create a business that still thrives today —...
July 3rd, 20210DEARBORN — The city government released a Q & A memo regarding the recent flooding and the sewage backup through its public information department. The answers below were up-to-date as of June 28.
What is believed to have caused the significant flooding that occurred June 26?
The storm that led to severe flooding on June 26...
July 2nd, 20212DEARBORN — Ever since his basement level apartment flooded last Friday night, Ramsey Turkmani, a tenant at Dearborn’s City Hall Artspace Lofts, has had no real help from his building’s management.
In fact, after almost an entire weekend of pleading with them to remove the continued water seeping into the apartment he shares...
July 1st, 20211DEARBORN — After the third round of catastrophic flooding in less than a decade hit Dearborn this week, city leaders are addressing the issue and calling for an investigation.
As an immediate response to the flooding, Council President Susan Dabaja called for the first of two emergency meetings on Saturday morning.
“We are...
July 1st, 20210DEARBORN — Blue Hands United for Autism is looking to help replace toys and sensory items for families of special needs children impacted by the floods.
The non-profit organization was founded in Dearborn in 2014 by Mona and Mariam Alaouie to help provide resources for families affected by Autism, but Mona Alaouie said that they...
June 27th, 20210DEARBORN — Former long-serving City Council member and 2017 mayoral candidate Thomas Patrick Tafelski is again throwing his hat in the ring for the seat of Dearborn mayor in this year’s election.
In 2017, Tafelski ran a campaign for mayor of Dearborn against incumbent Jack O’Reilly and lost, earning 42 percent of the votes to...
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 24th, 20210DEARBORN — Beginning Monday, June 28, the city of Dearborn will be returning to its normal operating hours for the public of 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Dearborn Administrative Center (DAC) had previously reduced its hours to 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to conform to public health guidelines and help mitigate the spread of...
June 20th, 20211A letter to The Arab American News:
Do you think our leaders in Dearborn have done enough to promote mental health within our community? Every single one of us know at least one person struggling with depression, anxiety or other types of mental health problems. Why is it that we as a community turn away from the one issue that is...
June 18th, 20210DEARBORN — With the community getting back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dearborn Recreation and Parks Department has announced its summer plans.
Operations of all facilities and events will depend on public health conditions and state mandates, so they are subject to change at any time.
For the Ford Community and...
June 17th, 20210LANSING — on Thursday, Governor Whitmer announced an early end to all COVID-19 epidemic orders on gatherings and masking. Beginning June 22, capacity in both indoor and outdoor settings will increase to 100 percent and the state will no longer require residents to wear a face mask.
Whitmer had originally announced a plan to lift...
