Happy New Year!

Whether you're toasting 2009 with champagne or the Champagne of Beers, we wish you all a very safe and happy New Year.

Lorraine Cab: 313-582-6900

Au Bon Gone

  Au Bon Pain, which struggled to gain a foothold in west Dearborn's business district, has closed. It's the third bakery/coffee shop in a three-block radius to close within the past year, joining Caribou Coffee and The Little Cafe'.

  For now, the chain's Campus Martius location remains open.

Action in Gaza Spurs Local March

  Hundreds marched down Warren Avenue in east Dearborn on Tuesday evening, waving Palestinian flags and protesting recent Israeli military strikes against the Gaza Strip.
  The crowd, chanting in both Arabic and English, urged Israel and the United States to bring an end to the offensive which has claimed over 350 lives.
  Dearborn police reported no arrests.

OPINION: Bad Signs for Dearborn

  We believe a city that rightly holds its citizens to rigorous standards when it comes to the upkeep of their homes, should demand the same from its business owners and property developers. Too often, though, we find evidence of neglect and disrepair in our town that demands to be called out.
  Such is the case with Norm Newman’s shopping plaza that houses Rite Aid and Michael’s (at least, until the latter closes shop and moves to Allen Park). It’s not the plaza itself, though the increasingly vacant storefronts are clearly unattractive. It’s the signs. These decaying towers proudly advertise you have entered an area that is unkempt and uncared for. They send the wrong message about our city to the thousands of people who pass below each day on Michigan Avenue. What’s most shameful, perhaps, is these eyesores loom over one of the most beautiful churches in our area, Sacred Heart.
  We don’t for a moment think these signs are the worst blemish on our city’s landscape, but their high profile location gives many the impression that the only thing moving into our struggling West Dearborn business district is blight. These rusting relics need to be removed or repaired, plain and simple. The community deserves better and should demand better.
  That’s our opinion. Let us know yours.

Have an eyesore in your neighborhood? 

Write us at editor@dearbornnewsonline.com or simply click 'CONTACT' in the column on the right.

Guido Theater Hosts Divine Performers

  Divine Performing Arts, a New York-based troupe that presents a celebration of China’s traditional arts, arrives at The Michael Guido Theater for performances on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
  The group seeks to breathe new life into ancient Chinese culture with world-class dancers, stunning costumes and staging, powerful drum rhythms and a full orchestra. 

  
  Call 313-943-2354 for tickets or visit www.dearbornfordcenter.com

Suspect Dead, Officers Injured After Chase

  Dearborn police officers shot and killed a suspect following a chase Sunday evening at Michigan Avenue and I-94, according to department officials. Investigators say the suspect, wanted for traffic-related charges, hit a Dearborn officer with his car. Fellow officers subsequently opened fire, killing the suspect.

  Two officers were treated for minor injuries.

Winter Winds Rip Through Town

  High winds Sunday morning sent holiday decorations flying and ripped down trees in some parts of Dearborn. Northview Cemetery on Outer Drive appeared to have been hit the hardest with severe damage to several trees on the property. Elsewhere, tree limbs and flying debris littered streets.

  Power outages were reported in some parts of the area, but Dearborn appeared to be largely unaffected.

Voices of Dearborn: Michael D. Albano

We invite readers to give us their unique take on our city and are proud our first contributor is Michael D. Albano.

  I realize there are issues in Dearborn that some, including myself, are not happy with. But since this is the Christmas season, I believe it’s time to be thankful for all the blessings we have in Dearborn.

  I had a friend  visit me over a month ago and he was pleasantly surprised at what a nice city Dearborn is compared to his hometown of Modesto, California. He thought our streets and neighborhoods were the most well-maintained and tree-lined he had ever seen, and he especially loved the variety of well-kept homes throughout the city. He was happy to see that we had sidewalks in all subdivisions, when in Modesto many subs don’t have sidewalks at all. He could not believe we had so many beautiful parks, eight outdoor public swimming pools and he was “blown-away” by the Ford Performing Arts Center. He stated that it is the be-all, end-all of public facilities and that the Gallo Art Center in Modesto hardly compares.

  He was surprised to see that our city spent millions upgrading the athletic fields at all three high schools and shocked to learn that each school has its own separate football field. While Modesto has seven high schools, they must share only three football fields among them. He thought Fordson High School was the most beautiful high school he had even seen and he loved the classic style of our wonderful old City Hall.

  All in all, it was a good day and helped me see an outsider’s point of view and made me realize that, at times, many of us fail to appreciate all we have here in good old Dearborn.

Mr. Albano is a Dearborn native who recently returned to the city after many years in California. His writing often appears in the Dearborn Press & Guide.

City Road Crews Step Up for Storms

  With yet another stormy day upon us, let’s take a moment to praise the men and women who keep our streets moving. City road crews worked around the clock to clear snow and slush from city roads after a barrage of early-winter storms hit Dearborn throughout last week. All main thoroughfares were kept clear and teams of plow and salt trucks wound through secondary roads and neighborhood streets to make holiday commutes manageable.
  Nearby cities were not so lucky, however, with some areas of Detroit and Redford left unplowed and nearly impassable.

Hide Holiday Booty on Trash Day

  If your family was lucky enough to get a new flat screen TV, computer or other high-end electronic or appliance this season, Dearborn Police officials have a suggestion: Break down those boxes.
  Potential burglars often use trash day to scout homes that advertise their holiday spoils by placing those big, marked boxes at the curb. By breaking down and bagging these boxes, no one (including your neighbors) knows what new goodies are inside your home.

Merry Christmas

  We struggle to put into words the definitive meaning of Christmas, so we defer to Linus:

'And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Fear not. For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying:
Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace, good will toward men.'

Have a safe and joyous holiday.

Another Local Watering Hole Goes Dry

  The Trail Bar will close its doors for the last time in early 2009, sources say. 

  The local establishment's iconic sign has hung over Ford Road for decades, but it will all come tumbling down to make room for additional parking for Beirut By Night, an adjacent restaurant that is undergoing an expansion. The date for the final last call has not been specified.

Elmwood Court, Sterling Place Among Best in City for Holiday Lights

  Years ago, Oakman Boulevard was home to dazzling displays of holiday pageantry, with each neighbor joining in to build truly inspiring creations. Those days are long gone, of course, but two Dearborn streets have recently stepped up and set a new standard for the rest of the city.

  Elmwood Court and Sterling Place, a pair of tiny streets just east of Telegraph Road and south of Cherry Hill, outshine much of Dearborn when Christmas season rolls around. Neighbors band together to create brilliant street-scapes that stop traffic and lure neighbors from across the area.

  Do yourself a favor and drive through the neighborhood before the holidays are over.

Local Man Sues Wal-Mart, Claims Discrimination

  Dearborn resident Louay Kezy alleged discrimination from co-workers and superiors at the Dearborn Wal-Mart located at 5751 Mercury Drive during a small press conference in the store's parking lot.
  Mr. Kezy, an Iraqi-born U.S. citizen, claims fellow employees would imply he was a terrorist, continually make fun of his accent and origin and threaten that his job with the company was not secure because he was a Muslim.
  Mr. Kezy filed a $12 million lawsuit against Wal-Mart, claiming the company allowed anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias at their Dearborn store. Mr. Kezy worked in the stock department from the time the store opened in March 2008 until August 14, when he was fired after filing a written complaint with his managers regarding the harassment.
  Wal-Mart spokesman Greg Rossiter said he hasn't seen the lawsuit, but asserted Kezy was terminated for "legitimate business reasons."

Welcome!

For some time, there's been a need for an interactive, online forum where people can discuss the goings on in and around the fair city of Dearborn. We at Dearborn News Online will post information that impacts Dearborn and its residents and hope to establish a reliable source for lively, local news and dialogue.