A conservative Dearborn mayoral candidate who has made “faith, family, and freedom” the centerpiece of his campaign has struggled to pay his own bills, even as he poured more than $50,000 into his race for mayor.
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On Nov. 4, Dearborn residents will vote for mayor of the city. Current mayor Abdullah Hammoud is running for a second term against political newcomer, independent Nagi Almudhegi.
Dearborn voters elected the city’s first Arab American Muslim mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, in 2021.
“It’s my hope that we’ve demonstrated that we have been able to make progress over these last four years, and we’re running for another term to continue on that progress,” he says.
Hammoud says during his nearly four years in office, crime has dropped significantly, and he’s helped bring in $100 million in grants to improve the city.
During his campaign in 2021, he organized volunteers to clean homes devastated by catastrophic floods. He says residents are still concerned about flooding.
“Each and every single time it rains, if it’s a heavy rain event, people are texting anxiously, asking what has been done to help prevent flooding and back up into people’s basements,” he says.
The city has invested $25 million in capturing rainwater in short-term projects, hoping to attract another $400 million for long-term projects.
Machhadie Assi is a community organizer and political strategist. She says flooding caused by poor infrastructure concerns her.
“The Mayor and his team, they’ve been working tirelessly on improving it and developing it. I’m sure we’re not at a point where it’s perfect, but there’s definitely progress,” she shares.
Assi is raising her three kids in Dearborn. She says she’s voting for Hammoud.
“They’ve been always transparent on what they’re doing and what they’re working on and what’s in progress,” she says.
Assi says it’s a way to keep the administration accountable.
Resident Maryam Hoballah says she appreciates Hammoud’s focus on creating more green spaces in the city.
“I have two young kids, and I just love that he’s renovating the parks, and he’s making it a safe environment for kids too,” she says.
Hammoud says building parks and green spaces is a priority for him as a father. He says the city invested $30 million in parks and green spaces.
Abdulnaser Alnajjar has been living in Dearborn for 17 years. He says the city has shifted away from helping residents with their basic needs.
He says the city needs a new leader, “someone who cares actually to fix their real problem, not just bragging about grants and some parks that I personally don’t care about.”
Alnajjar says the next mayor should focus on different issues like tax increases, garbage collection, traffic, and public safety.
He says the city also feels divided.
“I do a lot of door knocking and the west side, and then they feel like that they’re not welcomed, they’ve been pushed [out] by the city and when you come to the East Side, the East Side, feel like the West Side is getting all the good services, and we just get the leftover[s].”
Alnajjar believes mayoral challenger Nagi Almudhegi brings a fresh perspective to city politics.
Nagi Almudhegi has been working as an IT professional for 20 years. He says he’s running for Dearborn mayor as an independent candidate to bring change to the city.
He’s also Arab American.
“These last few years is I see the direction of Dearborn deteriorating. We’re more divided than ever before,” he says.
For example, Almudhegi says more could have been done sooner to resolve the flooding in the city.
“What I would have done exactly within the first six months of getting into office, I would have issued a report,” he says.
If elected, Almudhegi says he wants to build a $1 million internship program for youth.
He also wants to attract more businesses.
“I want Dearborn to be known as the entrepreneurial hub and innovation hub of America, and we have the talent to do it,” he says.
Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the city invested a $25 million federal grant to improve Warren Avenue and launched the Night of Innovation to provide monetary prizes to businesses during a pitch competition.
“We are at over 100 ribbon cuttings this year,” he shares.
Recently, Hammoud has come under fire for telling resident Ted Barham he’s not welcome in Dearborn in response to a comment against a street sign bearing the name of Arab American newspaper publisher Osama Siblani. The sign was put up by Wayne County.
Nagi Almudhegi says he would have handled things differently by staying silent.
“As politicians, we can come up with statements that will try to defuse the situation,” he says.
Hammoud issued a response to the criticism at a city council meeting, saying everyone is welcome.
“Those who call Dearborn home know who we are, a city that welcomes and embraces everyone. It is our hope that one day, the unity you actually find in Dearborn, amongst its residents, is the same unity and coexistence that you see across our entire nation,” he says.
Ali Baleed Almaklani, Executive Director of the Yemen American Benevolent Association, has been living in Dearborn for more than 50 years. He says Dearborn has more Arab American representation in public office than it did prior.
“Listen, long time ago, we didn’t have nobody in the city council. We used to wish to have an Arab American, Muslim American, whatever, to be even in the city council,” he says.
Dearborn residents will have to decide whether they want to give Abdullah Hammoud another four years in office or want a new leader to bring a different viewpoint to the city.
Election day is Tuesday, November 4th.
City Council President Mary Sheffield is running for Mayor, leaving District 5 open for new
On Nov. 4, Dearborn residents will vote for mayor of the city. Current mayor Abdullah Hammoud is running for a second term against political newcomer, independent Nagi Almudhegi.
The lifetime Detroiter says he’s always considered running for City Council. He says people want to hear a fresh voice in city government.
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The National Coffee Association found that 66% of Americans drink coffee daily. But where in the country can you get the best brew? Many may first think of Seattle, home to one of the most popular chains, Starbucks. Wallet Hub ranked Portland as the city with the best cup in its ranking last month.
But the city of Dearborn is challenging those opinions and fighting for the title “Coffee Capital of America”. In Dearborn, drinking the beverage is a huge part of the culture.
Take it from Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, who had this to say in the documentary short called “Dearborn: The Coffee Capital”: “We gather around coffee, we laugh around coffee, we share stories, pass down memories and build community.”
Dearborn is home to more than 45 coffee shops in its 24 square miles and could be considered the birthplace of a Yemeni coffee shop revolution. Brands like Qahwah House, Qamaria, and Haraz have been popping up across the country—and they all started in Dearborn.
With over 80 locations combined nationwide and more than 50 planned expansions within the next 6 months, Yemeni coffee shops are quickly expanding. The popularity has grown in a space that lacked a late-night, alcohol-free third space for people to gather.
Yemeni coffee has an earthy flavor profile with notes of chocolate and dried fruit. Cardamom is often added to the coffee grounds to create blends such as ‘sana’ani’, Yemeni’s version of black coffee. Add milk or cream and you get ‘mufawar’.
Yemen is also where we get the term ‘mocha.’ While today the term refers to coffee and chocolate syrup, Mokha is a port city in Yemen which once served as a major hub for coffee exports.
With each new outlet opening shop owners are taking back the culture of coffee.
“Our slogan is: ‘discover coffee’s origin.’ And it’s almost like taking a road trip through Yemen,” said Qamaria founder Sanad Mashgri.
Dearborn has the largest Arab American community in the country. Yemeni residents are the second largest Middle Eastern population in the city, according to the 2020 census.
Yemeni coffee shop owners are hoping to educate java enthusiasts about the region’s history with the bean. They say Yemeni monks were the first to brew coffee.
“At one point, 100 years ago, Yemeni coffee was the backbone of Yemen’s economy, and they exported coffee all over the world,” said Hamza Nasser, CEO and founder of Haraz.
“And since we started exploding with all these coffee shops, whether it’s Haraz, Qahwah house, you know Qamaria, you know Jabal, everyone, hand in hand, you know, we’re all working together to revive this economy in Yemen, bringing it back,” Nasser said.
Many cafes in Dearborn import their coffee directly from Yemen. Nasser says he does this to help end the cycle of poverty in his family’s home country. He says his company alone imports nearly three million dollar’s worth of raw beans each year.
“That $3 million you have over 500 families living out of it,” Nasser said. “I now big corporations here buy coffee for $1 a pound, you know, I wish that was the case for us, but we knew we had to pay a fair price to our farmers so they can have a better life, and not just, you know, surviving.”
Shop owners are not only working to educate Metro Detroiters about the history of coffee. They are also sharing their culture around coffee.
In Dearborn, a cup of joe is more than just a drink to start your day. Coffee shops can stay open as late as midnight and have become a third space for residents. And for many in the area, coffee and community are synonymous.
“We don’t really have a lot of bars or places you know to drink alcohol in the city anymore, so I think coffee shops have really taken over,” said Ali Bakri. He is the owner of Bakri Coffee, a shop that serves Yemeni coffee among other blends.
“We are a very diverse Muslim community, and I think for us, it’s kind of a good way to get out and mingle and talk and without, you know, committing what we say haram, in the sense of, you know, drinking alcohol or something like that,” Bakri said.
Hamza Nasser says coffee shops in Dearborn are new hotspots.
“A lot of women in our community, they didn’t have much options to go and hang out, you know. It was a lot of hookah shops and many people didn’t feel comfortable caught in in hookah shops,” Nasser said.
And Nasser says that the coffee shops have even become the perfect place to find love.
“There’s nothing much better than meeting your future spouse at a coffee shop. Because there’s a 100% chance of you meeting somebody that’s either they’re working or educated. You’re not going to meet somebody drunk, you’re taking home like at a bar. So, we call coffee shops now ‘the halal bar,’” Nasser joked.
But, many Dearborn residents agree.
“They just come to sit and have a good time. And this is what coffee shops are offering for people just to come,” said resident Neda Albuabsi. She said she would sometimes come to a coffee shop and not even order a drink, but to meet up with friends.
Resident Ali Komeiha frequents Qahwah House during his workday, but he also enjoys being able to meet people from all walks of life at the shop.
“To meet new people and different cultures. This is good. This is healthy for this community,” Komeiha said.
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The City of Dearborn says new absentee ballots will be mailed to residents after a printing error was discovered.
City Clerk George Darany says the original ballots included the name of a city council candidate who dropped out of the race.
Darany says people should throw away the old ballot and fill out the new one. Voters who have already submitted their ballot or those who do not send in the correct ballot will have their ballot ‘duplicated’—which does not mean counted twice.
“So in other words, we will have two people assigned to remove the ballot and put it into the duplicate new ballot, so everything they chose would be transferred to the new ballot,” says Darany.
Voters should receive the new ballots in the next ten days.
Early voting begins in Dearborn October 25.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan chapter is encouraging local mosques to step up protection after an individual threatened to burn down a mosque in Dearborn Heights this week.
CAIR Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid says he’s concerned in light of the political climate and the attack on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc on Sunday.
“We encourage all mosques in the state of Michigan to review the care community safety kit an to make sure that they have the property security measures for the Friday congressional prayers.”
Walid says he hopes Dearborn Heights Police investigate the threats at The Islamic Institute of America as a potential hate crime.
He says several mosques in Michigan have received threats in recent weeks.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education voted not to start a lengthy selection process to fill a vacant seat and will instead offer the seat to the runner up of the last special election.
Current board member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo is expected to resign and start as the city of Detroit’s next Ombudsman.
During a special meeting the board recommended leveraging the finalist from the July 2025 vacancy process, because it has been less than 90 days since a thorough, transparent, and public search was conducted.
The Arab American Women’s Business Council and the New Economy Initiative are announcing their 2025 Pitch Competition. Local Small Businesses and entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas and compete for seed money. Cash prizes between $1000 and $3000, and a grand prize of $5000 will be offered.
The application deadline is October 17. Eligible applicants must be in the ideation phase or have a business less than five years old.
The event will take place at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn on November 19. Visit the Arab American Women’s Business Council’s Facebook page for more information and to apply.
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The group Dearborn Wants Wards has been pushing for districted elections in Dearborn. The measure is now officially on the ballot as Proposal 1 in the general election in November.
Mona Mawari is a community organizer for the Dearborn Wants Wards. She says the group had to go to court after submitting more than 8,000 signatures for the petition.
“To ensure that the the proposal was going to be on the ballot in November, we had followed up with the city multiple times and weren’t getting a clear answer and a clear response.”
Mawari says Dearborn Wants Wards volunteers are campaigning door-to-door and organizing town halls and phone banks to spread the word about the measure. The group says districted elections would provide better representation for the city’s east and south sides.
ProsperUs Detroit and the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services or ACCESS are hosting a Neighborhood Business Lab in October. The team will provide business insights to area residents.
The neighborhood lab takes place in two time slots: on October 1st from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. OR 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the ACCESS Hamtramck office, 9301 Joseph Campau Avenue in Hamtramck.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Dearborn is creating a state-of-the-art children’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics or STEAM Center. It will be located at the city’s Esper Library at 12929 Warren Avenue.
The library will offer robotics, music, art, and engineering activities. It will also include hands-on STEAM discovery zones, technology and a podcast studio.
Construction began this past weekend.
Detroit Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms, has appointed Captain Jamal Mickles as the Chief of the Detroit Fire Department Training Division.
Mickles has 20 years of experience. He began his work with the department through the DFD’s Fire Cadet Program. He was assigned to Engine 51, later serving at Engine 57, Ladder 14, Ladder 26 and the Fire Investigation Division, before becoming a fire instructor and training leader.
Mickles served as a Lieutenant at the academy, overseeing the firefight apprenticeship program which gives Detroiters a pathway to a career in public safety. He also rebuilt the Regional Training Center gym which was used to train more than 200 firefighters across Michigan. Last year as captain, Mickles launched the DFD Paramedic Training Program to train firefighters to deliver advanced pre-hospital medical care.
He is replacing Chief Alfie Green, who retired after 34 years with the Detroit Fire Department.
If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.
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Ford Motor Company plans to move out of its world headquarters in Dearborn, but it’s not moving far.
Chairman Bill Ford and CEO Jim Farley announced the automaker’s operations will relocate from the iconic Glass House on Michigan Ave. to a new facility on Oakwood Blvd. across from the Henry Ford Museum.
In a joint statement, Ford and Farley say it’s not just a new building.
“It’s a catalyst for innovation and a physical symbol of our Ford+ transformation,” the executives say.
Ford+ encompasses all the company’s operations, including vehicle production, design, engineering, and innovation.
The new headquarters will keep the old one’s name—the Henry Ford II World Center. The grandson of Henry Ford led the family business from 1945 to 1980.
Bill Ford and Jim Farley say the new building will be twice as large as the Glass House and hold twice as many employees. Some have already moved in during construction.
“Our team is working hard to wrap up construction as hundreds of employees are collaborating in the building already,” the executives say.
The automaker will hold a grand opening at the new facility in November. Construction should be completed in 2027.
Ford built the Glass House in 1953 and opened it in 1956. It is one of the most recognizable buildings in Metro Detroit. Ford and Farley say the structure’s age and industry changes necessitated the move.
“The future of our industry demands a different kind of space, one that is more connected, more flexible, and built for the speed of a technology—and software—connected company,” according to their joint statement.
Once the Glass House is empty, crews will demolish it and work with the City of Dearborn to find a new use for it. Demolition will take about 18 months.
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The Detroit Department of Public Works announced a new effort to keep the city clean with a recycling pilot program at bus stops.
The department also unveiled two electric garbage trucks that will be used to collect recycling.
The pilot program will place 800 new recycling cans at the bus stops.
Public Works Deputy Director Sam Krassenstein says bottles and cans are the number one thing people throw away when waiting for the bus. “And that’s what we’re trying to capitalize on by diverting that to keep that out of the landfill and keep that out of the streets.”
Krassenstein says the pilot aims to increase recycling rates from 45% to nearly 100%.
The $500,000 investment was funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, DTE, and City Council.
High school students in southeastern Michigan could get a free homecoming dress this weekend.
Alison Vaughn is the CEO of Jackets for Jobs.
She says her non profit and Comerica bank are hosting a homecoming dress giveaway on the lower level of the Samaritan Center in Detroit this weekend.
“Homecoming is one of the young girls’ biggest moments of high school, and so we wanted to make them feel like Cinderella and the belle of the ball, if you will, and make them feel good and confident. And we know those events are very costly.”
Vaughn says anyone can come get a free homecoming dress and accessories from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday or from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Samaritan Center on 5555 Conner Street.
Corewell Health is the latest Michigan hospital to end gender affirming care for minors. The hospital announced it will no longer prescribe puberty blockers or hormone therapy to minors because of “the serious risk of legal and regulatory action.”
That pressure is coming from the Trump Administration. Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan’s hospital system, announced it will also stop gender affirming care last month.
Corewell Health made a similar announcement in February this year before backtracking due to protest.
The City of Dearborn is celebrating the completion of the first façade improvement project on Warren Avenue at Nadia’s Pharmacy.
The city’s initiative awards up to $200,000 in Community Development Block grant funding, with a 10% business match to improve the exterior of selected businesses.
The goal of the project is to modernize, enhance, and create a cohesive business aesthetic along Warren Avenue between Lonyo Avenue and Greenfield Rd.
Nadia’s Pharmacy is the first to complete repairs.
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The Detroit Regional Chamber is urging voters not to sign a petition that would tax the wealthy to help pay for schools. The chamber argues some small businesses file their taxes using individual income tax.
But Jess Newman from the Invest in MI Kids initiative says the language of the petition and the individual income limits affects only about 12,000 to 18,000 high income individuals in the whole state.
“We’re talking about a very targeted tax to folks that make a ton of money. They do not as an effective rate pay their fair share. We’re also looking at folks that just got a huge tax break on the income taxes from the federal government.”
The Invest in MI Kids ballot initiative would add a 4% tax hike on individual income over $500,000 to fund public education.
Both petition organizers and the chamber urge voters to read the language of the petition.
Wayne County is honoring longtime journalist and founder and publisher of Arab American News, Osama Siblani by naming a stretch of Dearborn’s commercial corridor after him.
Siblani established the publication back in the 1980’s, and 40 years later it has become the longest running bilingual Arab weekly publication in the nation.
According to officials, Warren Avenue is believed to be the first street in Dearborn to have a sign in honor of an Arab American advocate.
Ford is recalling almost 1.5 million vehicles in U.S. because of a rear view camera issue. The recall involves vehicles from model years 2015 to 2019.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the image on the center of the display screen has been reported to go black or get a distorted image which may result in a potential crash.
The administration said they are aware of 18 accidents and no injuries related to the rear camera issue. The agency said that vehicle owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their cars to their respective dealers to solve the issue. There will be no charge for the service.
To combat homelessness in the state, Michigan plans to create mini housing pods.
The city of Lansing approved the purchase and storage of 50 modular housing units called ModPods. City officials in Lansing are considering various locations to plant the pods.
If successful, the approach would make Lansing the first city in Michigan to utilize the 8-by-8 housing units which have been used in other states across the country.
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In this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, we go over a new grocery bill sponsored by U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the demolition of the long-since-vacated Mammoth department store, and more local news.
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Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is sponsoring a bill that seeks to stop price gouging in grocery stores. The Detroit Democrat made the announcement this morning in front of the Wal-Mart at Ford Road and the Southfield Freeway. Tlaib says Americans are stressed by rising food prices.
Besides prohibiting price gouging, her legislation seeks to require food stores to disclose the use of facial recognition technology and ban electronic shelf labels in large stores.
City of Detroit officials gathered in northwest Detroit on Monday…to begin demolition of the Mammoth department store. The building – located at the corner of Grand River and Greenfield has been empty for decades. It originally opened as a Federal’s department store in 1949. Previous demolition efforts were stalled because of legal filings. The current owners had filed suit to delay the destruction of the building. A judge’s order preventing demolition expired last week.
During a news conference at the site, Mayor Mike Duggan said he knows neighbors are relieved that the long-standing eyesore is being torn down.
“Well, I know that for the neighborhood here, this has been a long time coming. I think my first month in office, Councilman James Tate said to me, ‘This is a prime corner. It should be providing shopping for the neighborhood. And because of this long-abandoned building, it’s actually taking the neighborhood down.’”
Officials say the demolition should be completed sometime this fall.
Detroit’s three casinos brought in 107 million dollars in revenue last month. That’s down slightly from July 2024.
MGM Grand continues to hold the lion’s share of the market with nearly 48 percent. Motor City controlled 30% and Hollywood Casino at Greektown had 22% of Detroit’s gambling market. Together, the three casinos generated $12.6 million in taxes and wagering agreement payments for the City of Detroit. They provided another 8.6 million dollars in taxes to the state of Michigan.
Trustee Irene Scott is moving out of the district, leaving a vacancy. Applicants for the appointed position must be U-S citizens who are registered to vote and are living in the Dearborn School District. Applications must be submitted by August 25th.
The district says the new appointed member of the board will serve until elections take place in November 2026.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to know what you think about the future of Belle Isle. The department – along with the Belle Isle Conservancy – is asking Detroiters to take a survey to help select priorities for improvements on the island.
The current list of possibilities stands at 11. Items on the list include extending the beach, creating a park café, and rebuilding piers and docks on the island. Several other improvements are already underway, including a renovation of the James Scott Memorial Fountain.
Residents can take the survey on the DNR’s website. The survey closes on September 8th.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy — known as EGLE — is asking for public feedback on a draft license renewal for US Ecology Detroit South, a hazardous waste management facility located at 1923 Frederick Street.
The proposed license would allow the facility to continue storing and treating hazardous waste. It does not permit any new operations or expansions.
EGLE is hosting two public meetings to answer questions and collect comments:
Tuesday, August 13 from 6–8 p.m.
Wednesday, September 4 from 6–9 p.m.
Both meetings will offer live interpretation in Arabic and Bengali. Residents can attend in person or join online.
To get meeting locations or virtual access links, visit Michigan.gov/EGLE and search for “US Ecology Detroit South.”
Detroit has launched a new initiative to help local tech entrepreneurs grow and thrive. The Detroit Startup Fund, announced this week by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and city officials, will provide $700,000 in grant funding over the next year.
The fund is designed to support job creation, talent retention, and tech innovation in the city. It will award 26 grants to Detroit-based startups, with awards ranging from $15,000 to $50,000.
Applications for the first round of funding are due by August 25.
To learn more or apply, visit DetroitMI.gov.
The City of Dearborn is celebrating its 44th annual Homecoming Festival this weekend at Ford Field Park.
From August 1 to 3, festivalgoers can enjoy:
All-day live music
Carnival rides
A vendor-packed arts district market
Games, food, and family-friendly activities
Fireworks shows on Saturday and Sunday nights
This beloved local tradition brings out thousands each year. For the full schedule and info, visit DearbornHomecoming.com.
The Detroit Tigers kick off a three-game series tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
The Tigers are currently sitting at 64–46, leading the American League Central. The Phillies come into the matchup with a 61–47 record.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. as Detroit looks to keep its momentum going.
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Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a storytelling event at a Detroit birthing center, summer food preservation classes from MSU Extension and more.
Birth Detroit is hosting a Birth Story Circle for All Generations from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, at the birthing center, located at 8575 Heritage Place, Detroit. The event will be therapist-led.
The city of Dearborn is hosting a summer pool party for kids with special needs later this month. The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, at Ford Woods Park, 5700 Greenfield Rd., Dearborn.
Dearborn’s Public Health Department and Emagine Health Services is teaming up to offer a free program for parents and children to connect and build social-emotional skills. Summer Connection events will take place at Hemlock Park from 6 to 7 p.m. on Mondays (beginning July 14), and Wednesdays (beginning July 16), until Aug. 13.
Michigan State University Extension is hosting a series of classes on summer food harvest preservation this month. Classes are taking place virtually every Thursday from 1-2 p.m. or 6-7 p.m. Topics include preserving summer fruits, pressure canning, pickling, balancing, and freezing produce.
The city of Hamtramck is hosting a Night Bazaar from 4 to 9 p.m. this Saturday, July 12, featuring local craft and food vendors. The event is hosted by Discover Hamtramck, part of the Hamtramck Downtown Development Authority and the Community and Economic Development department, and takes place at at Pope Park, 10037 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck.
The city of Hamtramck is looking for youth between 13-18 years old to join its Hamtramck Youth Advisory Council. Applicants will attend monthly meetings and be on the board for a year. There are eight positions available. The deadline to apply is July 31. Submit an application to Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj to apply by visiting hamtramckcity.gov.
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More than 6,000 signatures have been collected by a group seeking to change Dearborn’s city council format from an at-large body to holding district-based council elections.
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Dearborn Wants Wards filed the petition with the Dearborn City Clerk’s Office on June 18. If the language is approved, the city would have council members per district and only two at-large seats, for a total of nine council members.
If the language is approved, the city would have council members per district and only two at-large seats, for a total of nine council members.
Campaign spokesperson Mona Mawari says the changes are overdue and necessary for equal representation of the city’s east and south sides.
“So most of the seats are won by folks from the west side; and the East End has only one person on city council, and the South End has none,” she said. “So that’s when I decided to create this campaign where we will be going to change the structure of city council to a more equitable structure.”
If all the signatures are certified and election language is approved, voters in Dearborn will see the measure on their ballot in November.
Changes to the city council and charter commission would go into effect in 2029.
Other headlines for Monday, June 30, 2025:
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Michigan’s Iranian American community is concerned about the recent escalation of hostilities with Iran.
The U.S. bombed several sites in Iran on Sunday, joining Israel’s war aimed at destroying the country’s nuclear program.
Camron Michael Amin, a professor of Middle East and Iranian diaspora studies at University of Michigan-Dearborn, says some people were not able to get in touch with their loved ones due to an internet outage in Iran.
“Communication seems to have improved over the course of the week, but many people couldn’t reach anybody starting sort of a week ago,” he said. “Sunday, it was hard to reach people, and that seems to have been largely driven by internet outages.”
Amin says many Iranian Americans are nervous about any escalations in the war, especially those with loved ones in Iran.
“I can’t speak for everybody, obviously, but generally speaking, Iranian Americans are nervous about and wary of anything that escalates and prolongs the war. However they feel about the Iranian government, however they feel about the issues between Iran and the United States… because they have people they know or people they care about in Iran that might be at risk they themselves visit when they can,” he said.
Amin says recent polling shows that Iranian Americans frequently keep in contact and travel to Iran as tourists or to visit family.
“So anything that makes that more dangerous or more fraught is unwelcome,” he said.
Amin says one concern is getting dual-national Iranian Americans out of Iran during the conflict.
“Certainly, dual nationals in Israel, from several countries, including the U.S., have ways to get out of that country during the fighting. And I think there’s a similar concern about dual nationals, who are Iranian Americans, who might be stuck in harm’s way during the fighting right now,” he said.
Amin says Iranian Americans are looking to policymakers and legislators to prioritize helping people stuck in Iran.
President Donald Trump announced Monday that a ceasefire had been reached between Iran and Israel, after the deal initially faltered.
The post Iranian Americans fear escalation in Iran after Israel, US airstrikes appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.
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