Twenty-one.

That’s the margin of victory for James Schoolmaster, who just barely defeated Roxanne McDonald for his third term on the Dearborn School Board.

With all of Dearborn reporting, Schoolmaster was ahead of Roxanne McDonald by just 137 votes. Schoolmaster finished with 8,838 votes to McDonald’s 8,701 in Dearborn.

In Dearborn Heights, Schoolmaster lost to McDonald, 759 to 643 votes. Had 22 more residents living around the River Oaks school in Dearborn Heights voted for McDonald, she would have won the election. A good example of why every vote does indeed count.

The final total vote tally was 9,481 for Schoolmaster, 9,460 for McDonald.

The question now is whether McDonald will seek a recount.

Woronchak Retains Commission seat

Dearborn Councilman George Darany Tuesday night edged Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini for the 15th District seat in the Michigan House of Representatives.

Despite being outspent by Sareini by a fairly large margin, Darany squeaked out a victory, defeating Sareini by 2,122 votes, 12,408 to 10,220.

Dearborn Councilman Darany wins State House seat.

Darany was very statesmanlike in his victory Tuesday night, crediting his win to the many friends on his campaign who helped go door-to-door.

“I think the 17,000 doors we knocked on really made a difference. You can’t discount that,” he told DeepsaidWhat.com from his campaign victory party Tuesday night. “We went door-to-door and it paid off.”

The race between the two Dearborn council members turned ugly with just over a week to go before the general election.

Darany’s Democratic Party recently mailed a flyer to homes that labeled Sareini “Suzanne Chapter 7 Sareini,” claiming she had to file for personal bankruptcy twice. “And she thinks she knows how to fix Michigan’s economy?,” the flyer states.

On the other side of the ticket, Sareini’s Republican Party called out Darany for voting against a project in Dearborn (the Dearborn Town Center at Michigan and Schaefer that is nearly complete) “to keep and create over 500 jobs . . . Darany now claims that jobs are his top priority.”

While it’s difficult to determine just how much of an impact the attacks on Sareini from the Democratic Party really played in this election, the fact that a Republican candidate was unable to close out a victory in a year when Democrats are under fire suggests the mailings did indeed stick in the minds of voters when they went to the polls.

Following his victory Tuesday night, Darany said he only wanted to campaign on his credentials.

“I am sorry about the ugliness,” he told DeepsaidWhat.com. “Unfortunately, that is politics on the state level. When the two political parties got involved, it turned a corner that I didn’t like.”

An impressive 43.2 percent of registered voters in Deaborn cast ballots Tuesday.

In other races, Gary Woronchak was reelected, easily defeating J. Scott Saionz for the 13 District Wayne County Commission seat, 16,994 to 6,921.

In the Dearborn School Board race, it appears incubant James Schoolmaster could keep his seat. With all of Dearborn reporting, he was ahead of Roxanne McDonald by just 137 votes. Schoolmaster finished with 8,838 votes to McDonald’s 8.701 in Dearborn. It isn’t clear yet how the two did in Dearborn Heights. Residents living around the River Oaks school could determine the outcome of this race. As of 10 p.m., we did not have results for Dearborn Heights.

To see how Dearborn residents voted overall, click HERE.

(Source: AMNM press release)

They originated in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Algeria and Tunisia. They have garnered honors in festivals around the world. And they won’t be popping up on the marquee at your local multiplex anytime soon.

The 2010 Arab Film Festival at the Arab American National Museum, Friday, December 3 through Sunday, December 5, presents a wide-ranging and thought-provoking selection of feature-length films paired with short films, in a variety of genres including stop-motion animation.

 Among the titles at this sixth annual festival is the crime drama Ajami, a 2010 Academy Award nominee in the Best Foreign Language Film category which also earned a Golden Camera – Special Mention at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Co-directed by a Palestinian and an Israeli, Ajami interweaves several powerful tales of residents in the melting-pot Tel Aviv neighborhood for which the film is named.

In conjunction with the 2010 Arab Film Festival, the Museum staged its first-ever national Short Film Contest, offering cash prizes to U.S. filmmakers between the ages of 18-30 whose work best represented the theme of “Trans-Ubuntu”: Trans indicating movement and Ubuntu, an African philosophy which sees individuals through their relationship with the larger community.

 First prize, including a cash award of $1,500, went to Brooklyn, New York-based filmmaker Joel Fendelman; second prize, $750, went to Los Angeles film student Michaela Wagner; third prize, $500, went to film student Pablo Torroella of Pasadena, California. All three films will be screened at 6 p.m. Friday, December 3 to open this year’s festival. Descriptions of the winning films and filmmakers appear below.

 This year, the AANM’s Arab Film Festival has also expanded to embrace and support those trying to further their film careers. Professionals from the Detroit branch of Screen Actors Guild (SAG) will present a series of free workshops on Saturday, December 4 at the AANM, culminating with an Open Casting Call for actors on Sunday, December 5. Details of the workshops appear below. The workshops and casting call are open to the public.

 “The Detroit Branch of Screen Actors Guild is pleased to work with the Arab Film Festival because we have never worked with a local museum or cultural institution before,” says Marcia Fishman, SAG Detroit Branch executive director. “It is our hope that these workshops will offer benefits to filmmakers and actors alike. We also hope to introduce Arab Americans to SAG, and SAG members to Arab Americans making films.”

 The 2010 Arab Film Festival is made possible in part by The Kresge Foundation; DoubleTree Hotel – Dearborn; Screen Actors Guild, Detroit Branch; Wayne County Film Initiative; Detroit Film Think Tank; Arab Detroit; and MFC Magazine.

 ****************

The Arab American National Museum documents, preserves, celebrates and educates the public on the history, life, culture and contributions of Arab Americans. It serves as a resource to enhance knowledge and understanding about Arab Americans and their presence in this country. The Arab American National Museum is a project of ACCESS, a Dearborn, Michigan-based nonprofit human services and cultural organization. Learn more at www.arabamericanmuseum.org and www.accesscommunity.org

 The Arab American National Museum is a proud Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Read about the Affiliations program at http://affiliations.si.edu.

 The Museum is located at 13624 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI, 48126. Museum hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday, Tuesday; Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for students, seniors and children 6-12; ages 5 and under, free. Call 313.582.2266 for further information.

For the full movie schedule and prices, click on the link below to continue.

(more…)

The City of Dearborn wants residents to know that homeowners can lease an additional 96-gallon trash or recycling cart from the city for a one-time $55 fee.

To lease an additional cart, residents must complete and sign a request form at www.cityofdearborn.org on the Department of Public Works page, or by calling the Department of Public Works at 943-2085.

Residents will be billed the $55 per additional cart when they return their completed and signed request form to City of Dearborn, DPW, 2951 Greenfield, Dearborn, MI 48120.

The city says carts, which remain the property of the City of Dearborn, will be delivered within two weeks from when the order is received.

There is no additional charge for weekly curbside pickup of an additional trash cart and no additional charge for biweekly curbside pickup of a recycling cart.

The Dearborn Education Foundation’s annual Pizza Day program is back.

For years this campaign has been successful in helping to raise awareness and dollars for the Foundation and local pizzerias. This summer the team of Foundation volunteers worked hard to bring Pizza Day back and make it even better.

This year the effort has been extended to each Wednesday throughout the month of November. This change adds value and efficiencies for the proprietor and the Foundation, said Eddie N. Fakhoury, executive director of the Foundation. A minimum donation was requested up front with many contributing more, and in return those who signed up will be promoted during the month of November throughout the entire school district.

“We understand that small business owners are hit most in these economic conditions and their time and resources should be respected. For that reason this year we made some changes that provides added value and benefits for everyone that participates,” Fakhoury said.

The Education Foundation is a licensed 501c3 non-profit organization that helps enhance the education that students receive from Dearborn Public Schools through grants to fund technology, equipment and innovative programs not funded by the school district’s budget. Since its inception the organization has funded more than $1,200,000 million in grants.

All funds raised by the Foundation go to fund teacher grants that are submitted throughout the year.

You can show your support for our schools and our community pizzerias starting on Wednesday, Nov. 3 by placing your order at one of these outstanding participating businesses:

Antonio’s, 26356 Ford Rd,  278-6000

Dearborn Italian Bakery, 24545 Ford Rd,   274-2350

DeMarco’s Pizza, 24943 Ford Rd,  562-6770

Dino’s Pizza, 2801 Monroe,  274-1750

Jet’s Pizza, 3945 S. Telegraph,  359-5387

Jet’s Pizza, 23541 Ford Rd,  274-2600

Joe & Renos, 2311 Monroe,  274-9810

Little Ceasar’s, 18500 Outer Dr.,  565-3505

Paisano’s, 5511 Schaefer, 581-4000

Pizza Papalis, 22022 Michigan Ave.,  724-7722

Pizza Hut, 2941 S. Telegraph,  562-0549

Pizza Kitchen, Michigan Ave.,  582-8500

Roman Village, 9924 Dix,  842-2100

Sarieni’s Pizza, 3313 Greenfield, 441-1500

Two of Dearborn’s high school teams are in the running for the WDIV Ch. 4 Football Frenzy Game of the Week.

Dearborn High will host Fordson in the opening round of high school football playoff action. If WDIV selects this matchup as the game of the week, both of these fine schools have a chance to be highlighted.

So this is where all of us come into play. Whether a resident, Dearborn High, Fordson High School parent, student, alumni or a fan, you need to vote early and vote often to help land this game on local TV.

Just follow the link HERE and vote!

With just over a week to go before the election, the race between Dearborn Council members George Darany and Suzanne Sareini for the 15th District seat in the Michigan House of Representatives is getting ugly.

Darany’s Democratic Party recently mailed a flyer to homes that labeled Sareini “Suzanne Chapter 7 Sareini,” claiming she had to file for personal bankruptcy twice. “And she thinks she knows how to fix Michigan’s economy?,” the flyer states.

On the other side of the ticket, Sareini’s Republican Party called out Darany for voting against a project in Dearborn (the Dearborn Town Center at Michigan and Schaefer that is nearly complete) “to keep and create over 500 jobs . . . Darany now claims that jobs are his top priority.”

It’s hard to determine just how severe damage from either flyer will be to the candidates’ respective campaigns but it’s likely the flyers will cost each candidate some votes on Nov. 2.

Separately, Sareini, who has been endorsed by the Detroit Free Press, recently picked up the endorsement of The Detroit News, as well. The News said “Republican hopeful Suzanne Sareini should succeed term-limited Democrat Gino Polidori.

The Michigan Depression Glass Society’s 38th annual show and sale will be held November 6 – 7 at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

Depression Glass show comes to Dearborn Nov. 6-7.

Show organizers say Depression glass continues to grow in popularity because the vintage glassware can be frequently spotted on the counter and table tops of Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Sandra Lee and Alton Brown as they plate their delicious dishes.

While celebrity chefs have assistants scour flea markets and antique stores for these items, show organizers say nothing compares to the vast array of sparkling glassware that can be found at the Michigan Depression Glass Society (MDGS) Annual Show & Sale.

“We’ve been seeing a significant increase in 20- and 30-year-old collectors attending our annual glass show looking for the fun and funky retro glassware of the 1950s to 1960s like martini shakers, wine glasses, ice buckets and other serving pieces for hosting parties at home,” said MDGS President Barb Cruz. “We attribute much of this new found interest to television cooking programs, combined with the eco-friendly trend to go green with glassware.”

The show features nearly two-dozen glass dealers from across the country and authors of books on depression and era glassware.

“It’s hard to describe what can be found in the aisles and aisles of glassware at this event,” Cruz added. “This show is a fun weekend activity to attend with friends and to search for great finds to use at your next dinner gathering, cocktail party or cooking marathon; because in the end, it is all in the presentation.”

Hours for the Nov. 6 and 7 show are Saturday from 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. Admission to the event is a $5 donation; parking is free. For safety reasons, strollers are not permitted.

For more information, click HERE.

Curbside leaf pickup begins Oct. 25.

It is that time of year again for deciding how to handle loose leaves.

With the city struggling with its budget, residents should probably get into the habit this year of bagging leaves rather than raking them to the curb. If there is one service that could be cut to save dollars this might be one of them.

But until that happens, the city will offer loose leave pickup beginning Oct. 25. Crews will be neighborhoods on trash days during non-recycling weeks.

Bagged leaves can be set curbside on scheduled trash pickup days, which the city says is its preferred method of collection. Leaf pickup by this method is continuous every week from now until Saturday, Dec. 4 although weather conditions can alter this schedule.

Residents are asked to rake their leaves into the street as close to their trash day as possible during their neighborhood’s non-recycling week.

The city does say there will be limitations on loose leaf pickup. Trash sections are larger than in the past, which means city crews may not complete picking up loose leaves in your neighborhood on your trash day in one week.

City crews will not return to your neighborhood until your next non-recycling week. City crews will start in your section where they left off during the last trash day in the non-recycling week in your neighborhood.

For more information, you can call the Leaf Collection Hotline at 943-2444.

The Dearborn and Dearborn Heights Chambers is hosting an informal reception to get connected with those runnning for public office in local districts.

When: 4-6 p.m.

Where: Dearborn Chamber of Commerce Conference Room, 22100 Michigan Ave., in the Bryant Library.

Attendance confirmed by:

Suzanne Sareini

Morris Hood

Bonnie Patrick

Robert Ficano

Susan Hubbard

John Sullivan

Roxanne McDonald

James Schoolmaster

Ned Apigian

The event is presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters Dearborn/Dearborn Heights and Dearborn Heights Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber members are free;  non-members, $10.

Light appetizers provided by G Phillips Catering. Register HERE.