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NOTEworthy PHOTO COURTESY ZINDA MAGAZINE MISTER CHAIRMAN Kevin Jappaya has been elected chair of the Livingston County Convention & Visitors Bureau. He is seen above accepting the gavel from past chair Kimberly Dane. Jappaya is the manager of the Kensington Inn in Howell. “ Kevin is wholeheartedly embracing this leadership opportunity and his enthusiasm is certain to invigorate his fellow board members,” said Barbara Barden, executive director for the LCCVB, in a statement. Stuart Benyamin Michael Sarafa Connie Johnson PEOPLE Assyrian Stuart Benyamin recently appeared on “ American Idol” in full traditional clothing. He talked about being Assyrian and sang an Assyrian folk song in Aramaic — but did not make the cut to go to go further in the competition. Nonetheless, his performance sparked many positive comments on the TV show’ s website. Michael Sarafa has been appointed to Farmington Hill’ s Economic Development Corporation for a term that expires in 2009. Sarafa is the executive chairman of the Bank of Michigan. Connie Shallal Johnston received the Outstanding Adjunct Teacher of the Year Award for 2006 at the Auburn Hills campus of Oakland Community College at a dinner on March 24. She has taught mathematics there for nine years. STORE MURDERS SHOCK CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY Two Chaldeans working in a liquor store in El Cajon, California, were killed in a robbery gone bad on March 1. A cousin of one of the victims discovered the man and woman face-down and bleeding inside Granada Liquor. Both had been shot at least once in the back of the head. Killed were Firas Waahid Eiso, 23, and Heather Mattia, 22, the store’ s co-owner. Eiso had moved to the United States six months ago, reportedly to escape war-torn Iraq. He was working two jobs and saving to bring his family over. Eiso’ s parents, who live in Iraq, were not at the burial because they were denied temporary visas into the United States by the American Embassy in Jordan. The reasons for the denial have not been made public. Mattia’ s funeral drew some 2,000 members of the San Diego-area Chaldean community. She was buried in a white wedding dress. The Independent Grocers and Convenience Stores Association is offering a 0,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the killers. At press time, there had been no arrests. REWARD OFFERED IN LOCAL STORE SHOOTING Farmington Hills Police (FHP) are seeking two men in an attempted robbery and shooting at the Orchard Market Place on 13 Mile and Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills on February 22. A ,000 reward is being offered by the FHP and the Waad Murad Advocacy Fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects. The suspects, described as African-American males, one in a mask, entered the store at about 10:10 p.m., produced a gun and demanded money of the clerk, Jeffrey Ammouri. According to police, one asked Ammouri if he had activated an alarm. He said no, but was shot several times anyway. Ammouri underwent surgery and is expected to make a complete recovery. “ This was an unprovoked vicious assault that caused serious injury to an innocent victim,” said FHP Chief William J. Dwyer. The Waad Murad Advocacy Fund is part of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce. Helping bring perpetrators of violent crime to justice is one of its key missions. Anyone with information on the suspects is encouraged to call Farmington Hills Police at (248) 871-2610. CHAMBER DINNER NEARLY SOLD OUT Nearly all 850 tickets for the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce’ s Third Annual Awards Dinner on April 7 have been sold. The event, which takes place at Shenandoah Country Club, features cocktails, dinner, Chaldean classical music and a varied program. Receiving awards are James Jonna as Business Person of the Year and the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity (CALC) as Humanitarians of the Year. A special tribute will honor U.S. Congressman Joe Knollenberg for his legislative work on behalf of the Chaldean community. Tickets to the dinner are 5 and will not be sold at the door. Call (248) 538-3700 for details. Norman Yatooma ATTORNEY WINS IN KINKADE GALLERY CASE Norman Yatooma of Norman Yatooma & Associates, P.C. in Birmingham, is reportedly the first attorney to successfully arbitrate against Thomas Kinkade’ s Media Arts, Inc., over the artist’ s failed galleries. Kinkade is known for his mass-produced, Christian-themed paintings featuring cottages, bridges and country landscapes. Though critics deride his work, many consumers have embraced it, leading to a growing number of Thomas Kinkade Signature Galleries. Last month, a three-member panel of the American Arbitration Association ruled against Media Arts Group, Inc. and one of its key executives, awarding Jeff Spinello and Karen Hazlewood damages in an amount which, when costs, fees, and interest are calculated, will exceed .5 million. Yatooma represents 23 allegedly ruined Signature Gallery franchisees from seven states in pending arbitration. Though several other Signature Gallery franchisees had sued Kinkade and Media Arts on the same legal theories (fraud, bad faith, and state franchise statutory violations among others), Yatooma is reportedly the first to declare victory. In March, the Thomas Kinkade Company filed a lawsuit in Oakland County Circuit Court accusing Yatooma and an associate of illegally eavesdropping during arbitration hearings last year. The suit alleges that the two improperly transmitted over the Internet a live feed of testimony to a witness in the case. Yatooma calls the suit a “ simply reflexive retaliation from a desperate man and his desperate counsel.” WIRELESS TOYZ MAKES THE LIST Entrepreneur Magazine has ranked Wireless Toyz as one of the top new franchises of 2006 for those companies that are five years old or less. Wireless Toyz ranked 19th out of 50 new franchises and also earned the No. 79 spot in the magazine’ s list of the year’ s fastest-growing franchises. The Chaldean-owned Wireless Toyz opened 65 new stores last year, expanded from 12 states to 19, awarded 97 new franchise licenses, and added seven new territory developers to the 13 previously participating in its master franchise program. The company already has signed franchise agreements for all of the 125 new locations scheduled to open in 2006, and is currently on track to have 1,000 stores open by 2011. Randall A. Denha is the firm’ s chief general counsel/vice president of real estate development. AUTHOR RECALLS ANCIENT GREECE Chaldean Ren A. Hakim has published Xerxes. The book tells the tale of Xerxes (known as Khashayarshah to the Persians and Ahasuerus to the Hebrews), who in 480 B.C., led an unprecedented army of nations on a retributive attack against Athens in what would come to be known as the second Greco-Persian War. Hakim’ s “ novelized” screenplay tells the tale of the most feared and revered figure of his time. Learn more and order the book at www.renahakim.com. 12 CHALDEAN NEWS APRIL 2006
NOW SERVING Nathan Kalasho stands outside his new restaurant, Falafel House, on 6540 Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield. The eatery offers a wide variety of Middle-Eastern cuisine and raw juices. Kalasho was the manager of Mushwar for four years. STUDENTS WIN SCIENCE FAIR AWARDS Four Chaldean children are among 12 students from Our Lady of Refuge School who entered the Detroit Metropolitan Science and Engineering Fair held recently at Cobo Hall. Monica Nona took a second-place award, while Kyle Acho, Sean Koza and Matt Nona were fifth-place winners. In addition, Nona received professional monetary awards from DTE Energy and Kyle Acho was recognized with a professional and monetary award from the Detroit Water Department. BANK OF MICHIGAN OFFERS COURIER SERVICE The Bank of Michigan has begun offering a complimentary courier service to its clients. A courier will pick up deposits from all non-cash business clients, doctor’ s offices, law offices, accounting firms and the like. Courier service will be available to businesses up to three times a week or as needed, dependent on the volume, at no charge. “ We’ re going the extra mile to offer convenience to our customers,” said Michael Sarafa, the bank’ s executive chairman. The Bank of Michigan is located at 30095 Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills. Call (248) 865-1300. YOU’LL SAVE MONEY. BRING BOTH TO ALLSTATE, AND SAVE UP TO 25% ON HOME INSURANCE AND 17% ON AUTO INSURANCE. OTHA WILLIAMS 5640 WEST MAPLE, 202 WEST BLOOMFIELD (248) 626 6300 a002952@allstate.com ACC FIGHTING HEPATITIS The Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) has been awarded a grant to help combat hepatitis C. Roche Laboratories awarded the ,000 grant to ACC’ s Public Health Division. The aim of the Hepatitis C Public Health Awareness and Education Project is to educate the adult high-risk Arab/Chaldean population with information about the disease, risk factors, impact in other ethnic minority populations, and detection measures available through appropriate screenings. According to ACC, the Chaldean and Arab population has been identified as a community that suffers from and is at continued risk for all health disease disparities. This is due to a lack of health education and screening services specifically targeted toward the population. Hepatitis C often goes undiagnosed. For more information on this and other ACC public health projects, contact the Public Health Team, Monty Fakhouri, Hikmet Jamil and Evone Barkho, at (248) 559-1990. P.S. Proud member of the Chamber of Commerce Discount and insurance offered only with select companies and subject to availability and qualifications. Discount amount may be lower. Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company and Allstate Indemnity Company; Northbrook, IL © 2003 Allstate Insurance Company. APRIL 2006 CHALDEAN NEWS 13
