The 6 p.m. Saturday, August 29 screening of the new Cherien Dabis film AMREEKA at the Arab American National Museum has SOLD OUT.

Due to the demand, a second screening of AMREEKA at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, August 29, at the Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. Tickets are $7; Museum Members pay $6. Advance tickets are available ONLINE ONLY at:

 http://www.arabamericanmuseum.org/amreekamichiganpremiere .

Writer/Director Cherien Dabis will be in attendance for both post-screening question & answer sessions; she is also available for interview this week by phone or on Saturday on site at the AANM. Please reply to this email to request an interview.

Read more about Dabis and AMREEKA at www.amreeka.com. The AANM’s August 29 screenings are the film’s MICHIGAN PREMIERE!

From the dog and cat files, we bring you yet another home in Dearborn found filled with animals.  This time the home was an abadonded one and with 20 cats inside, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The good news is that at least the cats were found and that we have a fantastic group of people at the Dearborn Animal Shelter who will work to find the animals a safe, new home.

For the Free Press story,  please click HERE.

It looks like the City of Dearborn will be left with a tab of more than $37,000 for the cleanup of a house where hundreds of dogs lived and died in squalor, the Detroit Free Press is reporting today.

While the paper quotes a city spokesman saying no decision has been made to try and recoup the costs, city officials we have spoken to say their primary focus is to raze the home and then offer homeowners on either side the chance to purchase half of the lot at a reduced cost.

Building and Safety inspectors say the home at 7840 Orchard is unfit for human habitation. There still are many steps that have to be taken before a demolition could take place, particularly since the homeowner could appeal any decision to demolish the structure.

For the earlier story on Deepsaidwhat.com, please click HERE.

The man who kept the Chihuahuas, Kenneth Lang Jr., 56, is living in a group home in Oakland County, according to his attorney, James Schmier of Birmingham.

For the full Free Press story, click HERE.

The owner of Dearborn’s 33-year-old Hyatt Regency hotel has fallen on hard times, defaulting on a loan because of cash flow problems.

The owner of Dearborn's Hyatt Regency hotel will give up its control of the hotel, taking a $10.9 million loss.

According to Crain’s Detroit Business, the owner of Dearborn’s Hyatt Regency hotel — Dallas-based real estate investment trust Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc. (NYSE: AHT) — will give up its control of the hotel, taking a $10.9 million loss.

Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc. (NYSE: AHT) disclosed the change in its second-quarter earnings report. The company stopped making payments in June on its $29.1 million mortgage because the operating cash flow for the hotel did not cover the principal and interest payments, Crain’s reports.

As a result, the lender issued a notice of default.

“We have not cured the notice of default and intend to fully settle the debt via a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure or foreclosure of the hotel property,” the company stated in its 10-Q report.

The company’s analysis of the value of the property resulted in a loss of $10.9 million.

The hotel, built in 1976 at 600 Town Center Drive, is 14 stories tall and has 772 rooms.

Crain’s reports that the original lender on the property was Prudential Financial, however, the special servicer on the loan, who will take control of the property, is CW Financial, according a real estate source with knowledge of the financing of the property.

It isn’t clear what, if any, impact the loan default will have on the City of Dearborn’s desire to secure funding to construct a Convention Center near the hotel. Clearly, the hotel needs more business and a Convention Center could be one way to generate additional business for both the Hyatt and Dearborn’s Ritz-Carlton, just down the street.

Baseball players wanting to be part of the Dearborn Crush travel team, who in 2009 were the American League Division champs in the Northwest Suburban League, should plan on making their way to Dearborn’s Levagood Park beginning Aug. 27.

Open tryouts for the 2010 Dearborn Crush travel baseball team for ages 12 and under will be Thursday Aug. 27, Sunday Aug. 30 and Monday Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Levagood 3.

All potential players must be present for the first day of tryouts. Players from the 2009 team must attend at least one of the tryouts. Players cannot turn 13 before May 1. Please contact Craig Cotter at craig.dbnbaseball@gmail.com for details.

Open tryouts for the 2010 Dearborn Crush travel team for ages 11 and under will be Sunday Aug. 30 from 2-5 p.m. at Levagood Park. Players from the 2009 10 and under league are eligible to tryout. Please contact Jim Moran at  jtmoran67@comcast.net for details.

Finally, open tryouts for the 2010 Dearborn Crush 13 and under travel baseball team will beSunday Aug. 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Levagood. Players must be 12 years old. Please contact Eric Krawczyk at  krawdad@wowway.com for details.

All three Dearborn Crush teams had great seasons in 2009. The 11 and under team won a division title, while the 12-year-olds and 10-year-olds reached the tournament finals.

The 11 and under Dearborn Crush team, pictured here, won a division title, while the 12-year-olds and 10-year-olds reached the tournament finals.

“It was nice to win a division at the travel level, as it was our first year competing at this level,” said Coach Craig Cotter. “All of these kids were playing in the recreation league last year.”

“The kids worked hard every day at practice as well as the games,” added Coach Kevin Barkoff. “This is a great accomplishment for Dearborn baseball.”

All three Crush teams ended the season with a great tournament in Otisville, Michigan. The boys and their families all enjoyed staying together at the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, and the U10 and U11 teams capped off the weekend and the season by winning the tournament championship in their respective divisions, another great accomplishment for Dearborn baseball.

More information about Dearborn Crush baseball can be found at www.dearborncrush.com, or see instant game updates on Twitter by following @dearborncrush.

Costs associated with general maintenance, wear from regular use and complaints about noise from some nearby residents has forced Dearborn schools to limit the number of tennis courts it now keeps open to the public.

Costs have forced Dearborn Schools to lock some of the tennis courts at Edsel, Fordson and Dearborn High's new courts, pictured here. Residents behind these courts have complained recently about noise.

 The move has upset some residents who contend that as taxpayers they should have unfettered use of a school’s tennis facilities. We have received several emails from upset tennis players in recent weeks saying as much.

One such reader had this to say in an email to us:

“Either courts have been demolished, a la at Henry Ford and UM Dearborn, or they are all locked up at Dearborn High or at Ford Field. We pay our school taxes and are funding the new football stadium, which the jury is still out if it is completely necessary.

“They have built some lovely new courts at the high school, but no one can use them. What is going on here? Who do you have to know to get keys?”

With shrinking school budgets, school officials tell us they had to lock some tennis courts at Dearborn, Edsel and Fordson for simple cost reasons. They also wanted to be sure students had good surfaces to play on when the school year began.

If people are simply “hanging out” late into the night at the new courts behind Dearborn High, as some residents are complaining about, closing off some courts was the right move.

Now we know some will disagree but as a tennis player myself, the question I have is why some of our city parks don’t have more tennis courts. Our guess is that there simply isn’t the tennis traffic needed to warrant such a move. Another, no doubt, is the cost to maintain and keep the courts lighted at night.

This of course begs this question: if the hard-surface tennis courts are being closed for maintenance concerns and wear does that mean the new football fields with their fancy artificial field will also be closed to those hoping to play on when the football or soccer team isn’t using them?

Here are the new tennis court operations at Dearborn High School: 

The (2) courts near Outer Drive to be open all of the time

The (3) courts in the back of the building to be opened as follows:

· From 7:30am – 3:30pm every day that the school building is open.

· For DHS tennis team use (practice and matches) – must be coach/staff supervised

· For all permit use (limited)

The artistry of Dearborn jewelry designer, Sherry Duquet of Solstice Designs, is being featured in the newly released jewelry hardcover book, Beading with World Beads, from Lark Books.

Dearborn artist Sherry Duquet, left, and Sandra Boulton founded Solstice Designs four years ago.

Duquet, who was one of only 15 artists selected in the how-to-design book, handcrafted five of the more than 40 designs that depict the creative application of beads indigenous to regions throughout the world. Lark Books is recognized in the jewelry industry as one of the leading publishers of this craft.

“It is an honor to be included in Lark’s Beading with World Beads and to also represent Michigan among 15 talented national artisans,” said Duquet, who has four necklaces and one bracelet in the publication, all created from hand selected natural beads from around the world. The pieces are all one-of-a-kind designs.

In celebration of the book’s release, Duquet and business partner Sandra Boulton have collaborated with Barnes & Noble at 3120 Fairlane Drive in Allen Park for a book-signing and demonstration event to be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20. Patrons will be able to purchase the book, have it personalized by Duquet and enjoy an easy “how-to” demonstration for creating one of the featured designs.

The demonstration will be based on a design called “Afternoon Bazaar” that features authentic African Trade Beads in a bracelet and necklace set. There is no charge to attend the event.

Duquet and Boulton founded Solstice Designs, a woman-owned jewelry design studio, four years ago.

“Being small business owners, we use our jewelry designs to support women-based charities whenever we can,” said Duquet. “This year we accomplished our largest undertaking with support from the community and our clients to donate 400 necklaces to domestic abuse shelters in the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.” The project was featured in the May 2009 issue of Family Circle magazine.

Recent accolades for Duquet’s design work include “Featured Artist of the Month” in the March 2009 issue of Styleline Magazine and second place winner, as well as honorable mention in two categories, at the International Jewelry Design competition at the National Bead Museum in Washington, D.C. in September 2008.

To shop Solstice Designs at their virtual boutique you can visit them at www.SolsticeD.Etsy.com  or call for more information at 313-724-9400.

Dearborn’s Arab American National Museum (AANM) has the chance to earn up to $200,000 in matching funds on Tuesday but only if you are prepared to take action exactly at 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 18, 2009 (Eastern Standard Time).

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan’s Challenge Arts & Culture, is providing up to $1 million to match gifts to arts and cultural organizations like the AANM, one of 75 institutions eligible for this program. There is fierce competition for these funds and thousands of art supporters throughout southeast Michigan, including The Henry Ford in Dearborn, are urging their supporters to be online Tuesday to donate. 

The AANM has the opportunity to receive a 50 percent match on every contribution made online. To make a donation, use the pull-down menu to select the AANM at www.cfsem.org . The key thing here is to be online at 10 a.m. today. Gifts must be made by credit card or e-check; minimum $25, maximum $10,000 per contributor.

It is expected that this match money will be exhausted just a few hours after the challenge begins. The early-bird supporters of each institution, along with the family, friends and coworkers they recruit, will be the ones to generate the most match money.

The funds are crucial to maintain the quality of the museum’s educational and public programs.  There can be power in numbers.  The challenge begins at  www.cfsem.org.

Opening soon: The Well pub in Dearborn.

A new pub called The Well is soon set to open in the West Village Commons development on Michigan Avenue.

The Well’s co-Owner Ross Varacalli, a Dearborn resident, said the new bar (next to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the West Village Commons) is completed and in the process of getting the needed paperwork completed so it can open. We took a peek inside and it looks good with its stained wood-paneled walls and stone face bar.

Varacalli was hoping to have the pub open in time for Dearborn Homecoming but the paper approval process has taken a bit longer than anticipated.

This is the second location for The Well. The first Well is located in Detroit at 1228 Randolph St. That pub opened in 1997 and Varacalli and his team have owned it for the last five years. The Well in Detroit draws a student-heavy clientele from Wayne State University and the University of Detroit.

While gaining the Well in the West Village Commons is a good addition, another business in the development has decided to close its doors.

The latest west Dearborn business casualty.

American Home Fitness, one of the first tenants in the West Village Commons, closed its doors, adding to the recent string of west Dearborn business casualties.

 The store carried top line exercise equipment and in this economy people simply do not have the disposable income for $1,000 exercise machines.

Finally, just west of American Home Fitness, at the southwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Military sits the Gateway Plaza. One of the businesses working to move into the development is a restaurant called Caliente Grille. While some work has been completed on the restaurant, legal battles have now slowed the project to a crawl.

This week restaurant co-owner Jeremy Sutton and Gateway Plaza developer Hakim Fakhoury will be back in Dearborn District Court on Aug. 21. Fakhoury is trying to evict the restaurant and its owners, claiming they failed to move forward with their restaurant. Sutton is countersuing, claiming breach of contract. Dearborn 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers will try to sort the matter in his courtroom this week.

Six months after covering the glass with white paper and posting signs that a new business was coming soon, two of Norm Newman’s larger vacant buildings remain closed.

But Norm Newman now tells Deepsaidwhat that he is “getting closer” to finalizing a deal to fill the vacant Inca and Pier 1 buildings he owns.

“We have had meetings (with an unnamed developer) and we are that much closer to getting there,” Newman says.

Newman remains tightllipped on who the potential developer might be, only saying that it is a “good company.” Deepsaidwhat reported here in February that the German-owned Aldi grocery chain was the business moving into the properties.

“We are negotiating,” he says. “Either we will make a deal soon or we won’t.”

Asked if the business going into his two vacant buildings was an Aldi grocery store, which some top city officials have privately told us it is, Newman would only say “no comment.”

We are still keeping our fingers crossed something will soon move in to these two vacant eyesores.