A look back at 2022 in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights

 

By SCOTT BEWICK

Times-Herald Editor

Here’s a look back at the second half of 2022, and the news that shaped Dearborn and Dearborn Heights.

July

Two children were injured in southwest Dearborn when they ran in front of an oncoming speeding car and were struck. The driver fled after exiting his vehicle and moving the injured children from the middle of the street … The City Council approved a 1 percent raise for union employees following nearly a year-long negotiation between the Technical, Professional, and Officeworkers Association of Michigan and the city administration, an agreement at which the employees expressed their displeasure … State Rep. Jewell Jones (D-11th District) was sentenced to 30 days in jail for a probation violation, but had the jail time dismissed in exchange for the completion of a treatment program. Jones’ pled guilty to violating probation after he tested positive for alcohol on June 1, which prompted him to check into the ShareHouse 30-day program … Disney’s most iconic princess and villain costumes that brought the characters to life are put on display at The Henry Ford, in the Walt Disney Archives’ “Heroes and Villains: The Art of Disney Costumes,” which runs through Jan. 1 … A fall from an aquatic park structure at Camp Dearborn July 6 resulted in the death of 10-year-old Carson Dunn of Wixom in what is being called a tragic accident … The Dearborn Police Department warns of fake social media accounts being used to impersonate city officials to gather personal information from residents to commit identity theft … From the rockets red glare to the music filling the air, The Henry Ford’s Salute to America Independence Day programing with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra continued its time-honored tradition … Three wartime Rosies – Amy Langdon, 100, of Farmington Hills; Helen Bandyke, 101, of Dearborn; and the late Anne Meredith Smith Ritchie – were honored by the Michigan Willow Run Chapter of the American Rosie the Riveter Association July 13 at the McFadden-Ross House … The Dearborn Heights City Council approved a budget amendment to allow for the hiring of a full-time corporation counsel at a cost of $171,925 … A new mural came to life on the east side of Alanos Pizza and Subs, 14212 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn, because of the efforts of the 2022 Pockets of Perception team … New bulletproof vests for Dearborn police officers, replacing some which will reach the end of their five-year warranty period in September, were approved by the City Council … Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud is one of 40 mayors selected worldwide to be part of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, designed to help mayors tackle the complex challenges they face … A new 75-foot aerial ladder firetruck, a Sutphen SL75 Quint, will be ordered to replace a 2013 firetruck which has surpassed its frontline service life and will become a “spare” … Several area Rotary clubs teamed up with mayors from the cities of Dearborn Heights, Taylor, Riverview, Southgate and Romulus in support the Motorcycle Freedom Riders’ annual Wounded America Motorcycle Ride, which raised $35,000 to benefit wounded veterans … The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office opened a new mini station in east Dearborn, sharing a building with Metro Tech Collision, formerly the Buick GMC Collision Center … The Dearborn City Council passed a vehicular nuisance ordinance designed to deter street racing and reckless driving through vehicle and property impoundment and forfeiture … Dearborn Heights residents Ali Saad and Donna Hamie were honored by the City Council for saving two teenagers from drowning in a pool … The Rotary Club of Dearborn announced it will celebrate its 100th anniversary in March 2023 with a strolling dinner and musical concert extravaganza with international headliner Dennis Edwards’ Temptations Review, and opening with Thornetta Davis, Detroit’s Queen of Jazz … 

August

Dearborn hosts its first Homecoming festival after a two-year hiatus at its new location, the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. The event featured Elderfest, Special All-Stars, midway rides, class reunions, vendor booths, fireworks, and music headlined by former Journey lead vocalist Steve Augeri and country music artist Randy Houser … Paint Out in the Park at Homecoming added color and creativity to the city’s August celebration. Artists painted outdoors at their own pace during the three-day juried event …The ball diamonds at Van Houten Park received brighter, and higher-efficiency LED lighting … The Dearborn Heights City Council rejected a resolution to amend the city charter prohibiting the city from selling or leasing the city-owned operations of Warren Valley Golf Course … The Dearborn Heights Pride Garden outside city hall was rebuilt after the garden was vandalized on two occasions in July … After more than 50 years with the Dearborn Public Libraries, Director Maryanne Bartles retired Aug. 12, following a career that began as a library clerk … The Dearborn City Council approved the placement of two vending machines in the city to dispense free Narcan, a medication which can reverse opioid overdoses.

September

Dearborn plans to establish a green belt in the city’s south end to create a buffer zone between industrial and residential areas … The use of sterilized feral cats and pheromones, power-washing restaurant trash bins, commercial-size rat traps and rodenticide are being considered to abate rats in Dearborn … Two Dearborn Heights District 7 trustees, Karen Whisler and Nate Cann, resign … The sleek, vivid red sportscar featured in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is put on display at the Henry Ford Museum through the end of February … Former City Council President Susan Dabaja was sworn in as a Wayne County Circuit Court judge Sept. 12 by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center … Dearborn Public Schools officials review controversial books questioned at a Sept. 12 school board meeting, while community members have responded with concern that the works in question target the LBGTQ+ community … Longtime city of Dearborn Heights employee Lee Gavin retired after more than 42 years of service in various positions, including police chief for 10 years … Vintage vehicles from the dawn of the 20th century descended on The Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village for the Old Car Festival Sept. 10 and 11, delighting visitors and providing a glimpse into a bygone era … Through Dearborn’s partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, all children in Dearborn can receive free monthly books from birth to age 5 … The Code Red emergency alert system is now available to Dearborn Heights residents. Code Red is free cell phone-based communications system that allows public safety officials to alert residents and businesses regarding emergency situations occurring in the city … The death of an 8-month-old girl in Dearborn Heights is suspected to be a result of an accidental fentanyl overdose while in the care of a babysitter … What began as parental school board complaints coalesced into two separate protests Sept. 25, held at the city’s main library, with student access to books the main point of contention.

October

Dearborn Public Schools released its new criteria for how books in school libraries will be evaluated and how parents can address concerns they have about specific titles … Joseph E. Thomas Jr., hired in January as Dearborn Heights’ first police commissioner, died Oct. 2 after a short illness at the age of 72 … After a contentious crowd resulted in the suspension of the Oct. 10 DPS school board meeting, the body reconvened Oct. 13 to accommodate public comment regarding the availability and age appropriateness of books accessible through school libraries, with particular focus on books with a LGBTQ+ theme … A local group of Dearborn Heights residents is searching for answers after several months of confusion regarding a vacant lot where Christus Victor Lutheran Church once stood … Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health announced its new name, Corewell Health, signaling its commitment to health and wellness … A FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant of $96,114 will allow the Fire Department to purchase, schedule and install smoke alarms for all Dearborn and Melvindale residents … Hundreds gathered Thursday evening in the Annapolis High School parking lot for a candlelight vigil to honor the life of 12-year-old Joseph Smith, who was killed by a vehicle while he was bicycling home from a football game … Tempers flared between a resident and Dearborn Heights City Council members during an Oct. 18 study session addressing unconscious bias and microaggressions in regard to diversity, equity and inclusion … Dearborn Heights residents started a petition to increase safety measures in school zones following the death of Dearborn Heights 12-year-old Joseph Smith … Dearborn residents honored U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D- 12th District) on Oct. 24, thanking her for her service before losing her through redistricting to the newly formed 6th Congressional District … Fans of Dearborn’s libraries gathered at Henry Ford Centennial Library Oct. 28 to celebrate the library system’s 100 years of service.

November

In the general election, U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib were re-elected easily to new districts, while Shri Thanedar leapt from the state House to the U.S. House. Democrats swept all partisan elections locally from the state House and Senate, to Congress … The annual Dearborn Public Schools Empty Bowls fundraiser to help combat food insecurity filled Park Place banquet center with student art and patron generosity Nov. 14 … Residents continued to speak out at the Nov. 14 school board meeting on both sides of the book availability issue, with activist Mike Hachem serving the board with a lawsuit … Dearborn launched its first salvo in the war against opioid overdose deaths with the launch of a free Narcan vending machine Nov. 16 at the John D. Dingell Transit Center … Music and sparkling lights helped make spirits bright at Dearborn’s tree lighting Nov. 21 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center … Dearborn Heights City Councilmember Tom Wencel spoke passionately Nov. 22 about the need for stronger measures to protect pedestrians and bicyclists, especially children, and explained the Joey’s Law request for stronger measures … The 38th annual Festival of Trees, a benefit for the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation was held at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center … License plate reader technology alerted police officers to a vehicle Nov. 27 that ended in a car chase, crash, gunfire and the discovery of a dead body in the trunk in Dearborn … Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin and Marine veteran Phillip Smith, Dearborn’s 2022 Veteran of the Year, helped launch the city’s annual Toys for Tots collection … “Miniature Moments – A Journey Through Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments,” which features a collection assembled from 1973 to 2009, is on display at The Henry Ford in Dearborn.

December

Local businessman and long-time Dearborn police officer Al Porada, 91, passed away the morning of Dec. 8 … Victorian Christmas cheer permeated the Dearborn Historical Museum’s Dec. 3 open house at the Commandant’s Quarters … Holiday spirits were aglow as guests traveled back in time during Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village in Dearborn  … Nineteenth District Court Judge Gene Hunt announced he will relinquish his role as chief judge, effective Jan. 1 … More than 1,200 soccer fans attended a Dec. 14 live streaming of the semifinal World Cup soccer tournament in Qatar, pitting Morocco against France, at at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn … Dearborn Heights residents, especially parents, urged the police chief and the City Council on Dec. 13 to keep school zones safer for students at dropoff and pickup times … Dearborn Public Schools unveiled the district’s first electric school bus, a state-of-the-art Blue Bird All American RE electric school bus … Carhartt plans to expand its Dearborn headquarters campus and hire up to 125 more workers with help from a $937,500 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant … A police officer shot and killed a 33-year-old Dearborn man Dec. 18, after the man walked into the police station lobby and attempted to shoot the officer with a stolen gun. The man — reportedly Ali Haji — had a history of mental illness … Amazon Fresh announced it will open a grocery store in late 2023 in the former Kroger/Farmer Jack location north of Michigan Avenue and east of Outer Drive … The fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations budget contains more than $36 million for Michigan’s 12th District, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell announced, spread among 15 community projects.