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Articles by Maitham Basha
Maitham's Corner: Youssif Almusawi
Maitham Basha-Agha: Youssif, please tell me where are you from. Youssif Almusawi: I was born in Rafha, Saudi Arabia but my family escaped from Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War. My father refused to fight in the military and was against the ruling of Hussein's regime at the time. They shot my grandparents' house with weapons and bullets. My family, including my grandparents, had no choice but to flee. We lived in a concrete house and didn't have much at the refugee camp.
Alton Northup: The Youth of Today
Alton Northup, 14, is a young passionate man who is well aware of local politics in the city of Erie. The Erie mayoral race seems to be on everyone’s radar, including Alton’s. With nine candidates running, two Republicans and seven Democrats, Alton told me, “The next mayor is either going to make or break the city.” It’s best to examine such strong words further.
Bliss by the Mugful
I walk into Happy Mug Coffee, and get hard-smacked in the nose with the smell of thousands of prize beans. A calm electrical whir preceding him from across the roasting company’s warehouse-area floor, owner/founder Matt Shay zips up to me on a hands-free segway, all smiles. Man, I think, I would be smiling, too. We say how-do, then Shay offers up a sample of some new coffee, freshly roasted right here in sunny Edinboro. It tastes like beer, he says. I feel the liquid’s warmth in my hands. I smell.
Open for Business
All sorts of innovative businesses are thriving in the Erie area. Here, we highlight a small sliver of the many locally owned and operated employers that make up our regional economic mosaic. Some have been around for decades, while others just recently broke ground. Two are among the top 50 employers in Erie County. Four were founded in the last decade. And each one is making a positive impact on our region. Let’s take a closer look. LED lighting is unique in its directionality.
Three Businesses Owned by New Americans
Kadim Muhsin, 53, is the owner of two New Sara’s Markets, one on 12th and Reed streets, and one on 12th and Wallace streets. Both markets offer a complete variety of Middle Eastern food, from Halal meat to pita bread to fresh produce, attracting customers of many ethnic backgrounds. On a recent visit, I conversed with customers from Syria, Iraq, Congo, and Somalia. I even met students from Allegheny College who were buying items to take back to school.
Champions of the Sun
Rusted Root founding member Jim Donovan has long been celebrated as a hands-on, masterful musician, defying one-dimensional definitions and touching on teachable moments both sonic and social during a career that’s danced through a good couple of decades.
The Devil’s Last Night in Town
MONDAY, MAY 8 AND TUESDAY, MAY 9 The Entertainment Collective is on fire, bringing two of the biggest bands in modern metal to Basement Transmissions on back-to-back nights, with The Devil Wears Prada on May 8 and Every Time I Die on May 9. Taking their name from the novel by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada formed in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio. After signing to Rise Records, the band quickly shot to the forefront of the Christian metalcore scene that dominated throughout much of the late 2000s.
Following Up with 40 Under 40
Ever wonder what happens to those inducted into Erie Reader’s 40 under 40 classes? Here are four alumni still succeeding in their own endeavors and striving to make Erie a better place for all. I checked in recently with Chip Wachter of Kidder Wachter Architecture and Design, Nicole Lavery of the Sight Center of NWPA and Lavery Brewing Company, Jason Lavery, also of Lavery Brewing, and 1201 chef Dan Kern at Noosa, his newly opened restaurant in North East.
The Moonlandingz // Interplanetary Class Classics
A thoroughly solid debut, Interplanetary Class Classics sets modest goals and accomplishes every last one of them. The band describes themselves as “Psychedelic Ouija Pop.” It’s swirly garage rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously. There are plenty of captivating choruses, like “Sweet Saturn Mine” and “The Cities Undone.” Sections of the album are repetitive, but far from boring. The band builds up each thumping track with hypnotic precision.
Father John Misty // Pure Comedy
The perpetually praised Joshua Tillman, better known as Father John Misty, can be a divisive figure. There are plenty of things worth lauding in his music, along with an equal number of eye-rollingly ham-fisted attempts at artistry.
Why I am Running For Mayor
Like many of you, I love Erie. For 20 years, I’ve walked and biked around the city and talked with residents. The same issues always surface: jobs, schools, taxes, blight, and violence. Though I wasn’t born in Pennsylvania, I’ve worked for years with volunteers to improve Erie. I ask questions, research, collaboratively envision solutions, and – when I hit a stumbling block – try another way.
My Wednesday Night
It was a cold night in Erie. The temperature was dropping and snow was in the forecast. It’s the type of weather that makes you get out of the car and run to where the heat is. Bassam Dabbah and I climbed from the car and ran inside Erie International Airport to wait for the arrival of a new Syrian family. Bassam is a Syrian translator for the Erie International Institute. This late-night routine of welcoming newcomers is part of his job.
2016: The Year in Review
If the nation’s top Twitter hashtags were the Olympics, the election, and Pokémon Go, I’m guessing Erie’s were Tall Ships, Roar on the Shore, Perry Palooza, and, oh yes, the election.
Remembering Imam Hussein
Recently, more than 300 Shia-Muslims of Erie turned out to march in remembrance of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Imam Hussein, also known as Arbaeen. This is an annual pilgrimage undertaken by all Shia-Muslims around the world. The Shia-Muslims believe Imam Hussein travelled from Saudi Arabia to Najaf, Iraq, where he was murdered attempting to save the Shia sector of Islam.
Why I Traveled to Standing Rock
When I first heard about construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, it was mostly through friends sharing articles and livestream videos on Facebook. I remember seeing a picture of protestors confronted by an array of armored tanks and riot police, and a picture of a Native American man who had been shot in the face and was bleeding profusely from a rubber bullet.
Erie At Large: November 23, 2016
Erie is often referred to as “The Gem City” because of its proximity to Lake Erie on sunny summer days. But if the national and international press has anything to say about it – and they do – our fair city will henceforth be referred to as “Erie, Pennsylvania: An International City.” It started when James and Deborah Fallows came to Erie as part of the “City Makers: American Futures” project that the couple produces for The Atlantic.
2016 Election Results
2016 Election Results Tuesday, November 8th, 2016 at 11:14 PM Results via eriecountypa.gov/election/ Precincts Counted: 149 of 149 Total Registered Voters In Precincts Counted: 190222 Total Ballots Cast: 119,726 Voter Turnout: 62.94% The results will be updated as they are confirmed. Newcomer Dan Laughlin ousted PA State Senator Sean Wiley for control of PA's 49th District. Aside from that, most local races went to the incumbent. Winners are indicated in GREEN text.
Local Refugees Weigh in on the Election
“One of my daughters saw Donald Trump on TV and she told me to vote for Hillary. I asked her why? She told me that Donald Trump wants to separate our family. Donald Trump would send you to Iraq and he would send mom to Syria. I was so surprised and shocked to hear that from her. She is 5 years old and she knows what kind of president Donald Trump would be.” “Obviously I love Clinton. Any Bosnian refugee would vote for her because of what her husband Bill Clinton did for the Bosnian people.
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