HOW TO MANAGE THE BUSINESS OF MARIJUANA. THE CITY OF HARPER WOODS HASHING OUT WHAT POT WILL
LOOK LIKE IN THAT COMMUNITY. AT
ISSUE, HOW MANY RETAIL
MARIJUANA BUSINESSES IS A CITY
WILLING TO SAY YES TO? THANKS
FOR BEING HERE WITH US. I’M
KIMBERLY GILL.
>> I’M DEVIN SCILLIAN.
NEIGHBORS CAME OUT TO MAKE IT
CLEAR THEY WANT LIMITS AND THE
PROPOSAL TO DO AWAY WITH BUFFER
ZONES BETWEEN POT BUSINESSES
WAS A NO GO FOR THEM. MARA
MACDONALD LIVE AT HARPER WOODS
TONIGHT. COUNCIL VOTED MARA ON
THOSE BUFFER ZONES TONIGHT.
>> DEVIN THEY SURE DID. AND YOU
KNOW, THIS ROOM WAS PACKED AND
BY THE WAY, THE COUNCIL AND THE
MAYOR WERE SPEAKING. THAT’S NOT
A USUAL THING. SO THAT GIVES
YOU AN IDEA OF HOW IMPORTANT
THE IDEA OF THESE BUFFER ZONES
WERE TO THESE PEOPLE. LET ME
SHOW YOU WHY. SO WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT BUFFER ZONES, WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN? WHAT THE COUNCIL
VOTED TO KEEP IN PLACE IS A
REQUIRED 1500 FEET BETWEEN POT
SHOPS. CANNABIS COMMUNITY, OF
WHICH I WAS A MEMBER,
DETERMINED THE DISTANCE FOR
BUFFERING TO BE 1500 FEET
BECAUSE WE WANT TO LIMIT THE
NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT COME
INTO OUR COMMUNITY. THE ACTING
CITY MANAGER WAS ADVOCATING TO
REMOVE THE BUFFER ZONE
REQUIREMENT BECAUSE HE’S
WORRIED ABOUT POTENTIAL
LITIGATION. BUT NEIGHBORS
PUSHED BACK.
>> I’D LIKE TO INVITE YOU OVER
TO MY HOUSE SO YOU CAN SEE
EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING
, HOW IT WILL AFFECT OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> ONE WORRIED THAT WITHOUT
THAT BUFFER, THE AMOUNT OF
MARIJUANA SHOPS WOULD HAVE NO
LIMIT.
>> WE UNDERSTAND THAT MARIJUANA
IS LEGAL IN THIS AND THAT IT’S
GOING TO COME, BUT WE WANT TO
BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION
THAT HARPER WOODS WILL HAVE.
>> RETAIL MARIJUANA IS NOT IN
QUESTION. IT WILL. BUT WHERE
AND HOW MANY THERE WILL BE IS
THE CURRENT ORDINANCE SUGGESTS
HARPER AVE AND KELLEY WOULD BE
THE AREAS SUITABLE.
>> IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO PUT IT
SOMEWHERE, LOOK AT AN
INDUSTRIAL AREA BACK HERE LIVE.
>> SO FOR NOW, THAT 1500 FOOT
BUFFER REMAINS. BUT THERE’S
MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
HERE. WE’RE LIVE IN HARPER
WOODS. I’M MARA MACDONALD,
LOCAL 4.
>> THAT’S CLEAR. ALL RIGHT,
MARA.
>> A JUDGE REVERSES COURSE
AFTER SENDING A MACOMB COUNTY
POLICE CHIEF TO JAIL. RICHMOND
POLICE CHIEF THOMAS COSTELLO
WAS SENTENCED TO FIVE DAYS IN
JAIL BY JUDGE WILLIAM HACKEL.
COSTELLO WAS IN COURT TO PLEAD
NO CONTEST TO A MISDEMEANOR
CHARGE RELATED TO MISUSE OF THE
STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT
INFORMATION NETWORK, ALSO
CALLED THE LEAN. BUT AFTER
HEARING FROM WITNESSES, JUDGE
HACKEL SENT COSTELLO TO JAIL.
THE CITY PUT OUT A STATEMENT
SAYING THEY WERE, QUOTE
UNQUOTE, SURPRISED BY THE
JUDGE’S DECISION AND WOULD BE
LOOKING INTO IT. A SERGEANT WAS
NAMED ACTING POLICE CHIEF. AND
THEN LATE THIS AFTERNOON, WORD
CAME FROM COSTELLO’S ATTORNEY
THAT THE CHIEF HAD BEEN
RELEASED FROM JAIL AND THE
JUDGE HAD RECUSED HIMSELF FROM
THE CASE. MAN CHARGED WITH
KILLING A WOMAN IN DETROIT IS
HEADED TO TRIAL.
>> 31 YEAR OLD ANDREW HALL,
ACCUSED OF KILLING 40 YEAR OLD
LISA MOFFATT OF ROYAL OAK LAST
MONTH, JUST DAYS BEFORE HALL
WAS ACCUSED OF BEATING A WOMAN
IN A TARGET PARKING LOT IN
TROY. PROSECUTORS SAY THERE IS
NO KNOWN CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
TWO. TODAY, HE WAIVED HIS RIGHT
TO A PRELIMINARY EXAM AND WAS
BOUND OVER TO CIRCUIT COURT IN
THE DETROIT CASE. SO THE NEXT
COURT DATE IS NOW AUGUST 24TH.
>> TWO BROTHERS CHARGED IN
CONNECTION TO THE DEATH OF A
TEEN FROM THE UPPER PENINSULA
FACED A FEDERAL JUDGE IN GRAND
RAPIDS. THE MEN WERE EXTRADITED
TO THE US FROM NIGERIA AND ARE
ACCUSED OF CONTACTING YOUNG
TEENS AND MEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
BY POSING AS WOMEN. PROSECUTORS
SAY 17 YEAR OLD JORDAN DAHM WAS
TRICKED ONLINE AND DESCENDING
EXPLICIT PHOTOS OF HIMSELF. THE
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR FROM
MARQUETTE TOOK HIS OWN LIFE
LAST YEAR. ONE OF THE MEN IN
THE CASE FACES A MINIMUM
SENTENCE OF 30 YEARS IN PRISON
IF CONVICTED. AND THE OTHER
FACES A MINIMUM SENTENCE OF
FIVE YEARS IF CONVICTED. SEVEN
METRO DETROITERS FACING CHARGES
IN CONNECTION TO AN AUTO THEFT
RING. FORD BRONCO RAPTORS
STARTED DISAPPEARING LAST FALL
FROM A FACTORY LOT IN CANTON
TOWNSHIP AND FROM TWO OTHER
LOCATIONS IN DEARBORN AND
WOODHAVEN.
>> THIEVES HAD TAKEN 16 OF THE
2023 MODEL RAPTOR’S TOTAL
RETAIL VALUE, ALMOST 2 MILLION
BUCKS, $1,760,000. POLICE FROM
CANTON SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP
MANAGED TO RECOVER. TEN OF
THOSE. BRONCOS FOUND THEM IN
DETROIT. NORTHVILLE FLINT AND
GRAND RAPIDS AS WELL AS OUTSIDE
MICHIGAN, TEXAS, ARIZONA AND
EVEN ALASKA. OFFICERS FROM FIVE
LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND
THE OAKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S
DEPARTMENT TEAM UP TO ARREST
SEVEN PEOPLE ON TUESDAY, ALL
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 19 AND 21,
ALL FROM WAYNE AND OAKLAND
COUNTIES, EACH FACING A MINIMUM
TEN YEAR FELONY CHARGE RELATED
TO AUTO THEFT. FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP LOOKING TO DELAY HIS
FEDERAL TRIAL RELATED TO THE
EVENTS OF JANUARY 6TH UNTIL
WELL AFTER NEXT YEAR’S ELECTION
.
>> IN A COURT FILING, TRUMP’S
ATTORNEYS RECOMMEND STARTING
THE TRIAL IN APRIL OF 2026.
MORE THAN TWO YEARS AFTER
PROSECUTORS ARE SEEKING TO GET
THE TRIAL UNDERWAY, THERE’S
ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE
BROUGHT AGAINST FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ONE OF FOUR
CRIMINAL CASES. HE’S NOW FACING
AND ONE OF TWO BROUGHT AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL BY JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT PROSECUTORS. THE
JUDGE IS EXPECTED TO SET A
TRIAL DATE AT AN AUGUST 28TH
HEARING. TRUMP IS NOT REQUIRED
TO ATTEND THAT HEARING IN
PERSON.
>> A KEY HEARING RESUMES
TOMORROW FOR THE OXFORD SCHOOL
SHOOTER. AT STAKE, ETHAN
CRUMBLES EVENTUAL FREEDOM. THE
POINT OF THIS MILLER HEARING IS
TO DETERMINE IF THE TEEN WILL
EVER BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE
SINCE HE WAS CONVICTED AS A
JUVENILE, HIS LAWYER MAKING THE
CASE LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT
PAROLE IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A
JUVENILE OFFENDER. THE
TESTIMONY CONTINUES. TOMORROW
WILL BE FOLLOWING IT. IT GETS
UNDERWAY AT 9 A.M. A POPULAR
SIDE DISH IN MANY HOMES IS
TAKING CENTER STAGE AT A
COMMUNITY EVENT TONIGHT.
>> SOME NEIGHBORS ARE USING
COLLARD GREENS TO HELP RAISE
AWARENESS ABOUT URBAN FARMING
AND FOOD ACCESS CHALLENGES. IN
DETROIT, DAMON FERNANDEZ IS
HERE EXPLAINING HOW ONE GROUP
HOPES A COLLARD GREEN COOKOFF
COULD BE KEY IN MAKING CHANGE.
DEMOND YEAH, HEY THERE,
KIMBERLY.
>> YOU KNOW WHO WOULD THINK
TALKING POLICY OVER A PLATE OF
COLLARD GREENS WOULD ACTUALLY
BE A BIG THING? WELL, THAT’S
EXACTLY WHAT ONE GROUP’S
MISSION WAS TONIGHT. TALKING
ABOUT URBAN FARMING OVER THAT
TASTY DISH. NOW, THEY TOLD ME
THAT THEY DIDN’T WANT TONIGHT’S
RAIN TO DAMPEN THE PROGRAM.
THEY HAD PLANNED, SO THEY MOVED
EVERYTHING INSIDE.
>> THEY’RE PRETTY GOOD
NEIGHBORS.
>> LET THEIR TASTE BUDS LEAD
THEM.
>> OH, IT JUST OPENED UP A
WHOLE NEW DOOR FOR ME.
>> LEAD THEM HERE TO LEARN
ABOUT GROWING OPPORTUNITIES
AROUND URBAN FARMING IN
DETROIT. IT STARTS WITH
COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE THIS,
OPENING THE EYES OPEN, THE
DIVISIONS AND THIS EVENT IS THE
INAUGURAL COLLARD GREEN COOKOFF
, A PROGRAM ORGANIZED BY THE
NONPROFIT DETROIT IS DIFFERENT.
A GROUP OF URBAN FARMERS AND
LOCAL CHEFS ARE USING THE
POPULAR, LEAFY SOUTHERN FOOD
STAPLE TO HIGHLIGHT HOW URBAN
FARMS LIKE THIS ARE BECOMING
MORE VISIBLE AND BENEFICIAL,
ESPECIALLY IN NEIGHBORHOOD
SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT OR
NEGLECTED. AND WE’RE PROVIDING,
YOU KNOW, FRESH, HIGH QUALITY
ORGANIC PRODUCE IN PLACES
THAT’S NEEDED.
>> SO THE URBAN FARMS AROUND
ARE LIKE FOOD OASIS.
>> MANY OF THE URBAN FARMERS
HERE ARE PART OF THE DETROIT
BLACK FARMERS LAND FUND. IT’S A
COLLECTIVE WORKING TO BOOST
ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FARMS AND AREAS ACROSS THE
CITY.
>> AS BLACK PEOPLE, AS BLACK
DETROITERS, IT’S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHERE
OUR FOOD IS COMING FROM SO THAT
WE CAN KIND OF LIKE TAKE CHARGE
OF OUR HEALTH.
>> CHEFS WHIPPED UP A VARIETY
OF COLLARD GREEN DISHES FOR
FOLKS TO SAMPLE AT THIS EVENT.
LAVON CALHOUN OF BUDA FOODS WON
THE COOK OFF WITH THE VEGAN
VARIETY. HE SAYS SOURCING FROM
URBAN FARMERS IN DETROIT HAS
BEEN KEY TO HIS SUCCESS. SO WE
LOVE GOING TO THEM BECAUSE WE
KNOW EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE
CLEAN, FRESH AND THESE GREENS
WE GOT TODAY WERE DELICIOUS.
AND KIMBERLY, I’LL TELL YOU, SO
MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL TALKING
ABOUT HOW TASTY ALL THE
VARIETIES OF THOSE COLLARD
GREENS WERE. BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THEY’RE TALKING
ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH
STRATEGIES TO HELP URBAN
FARMERS OR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE
INTERESTED IN URBAN URBAN
FARMING ACROSS THE CITY OF
DETROIT. BACK TO YOU.
>> VERY NICE. OKAY, JOHN, WE
APPRECIATE IT. WELL, THERE IS
EXCITEMENT IN PONTIAC OVER A
BIG INVESTMENT AIMED AT
BRINGING MORE PEOPLE INTO TOWN
AND ELIMINATING A BIG EYESORE.
>> YEAH, LEADERS FROM THE
STATE, COUNTY AND CITY WERE ON
HAND TO ANNOUNCE THE PLAN TO
TRANSFORM DOWNTOWN PONTIAC INTO
A MORE WALKABLE WELCOME
ENVIRONMENT. THE REDEVELOPMENT
PROJECT INCLUDES REFURBISHING
THE FORMER GM BUILDING ON EAST
JUDSON. THAT’S BEEN VACANT
SINCE 2014. ALSO TO MOVE 600
EMPLOYEES INTO THAT OFFICE
SPACE. THERE ARE ALSO PLANS TO
TEAR DOWN THE PHENIX CENTER AND
BUILD A NEW PARKING GARAGE IN A
MUCH MORE IDEAL LOCATION.
>> IT’S ALSO ABOUT ELIMINATING
AND FINAL DEMOLISHING THIS UGLY
EYESORE OF A PARKING STRUCTURE
THAT HAS DIVIDED OUR DOWNTOWN
INTO TWO HALVES AND BLOCKED OUR
MAIN STREET, SAGINAW STREET. SO
IT’S ABOUT RECONNECTING OUR
MAIN STREET THROUGH OUR OUR
DOWNTOWN COST ALL THIS UPWARDS
OF $120 MILLION, 50 MILLION.
>> THAT IS GOING TO COME FROM
THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, 10
MILLION FROM OAKLAND COUNTY’S
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS.
THE REST FROM OTHER GRANTS AND
CREDITS. DEVELOPERS LIKE TO
TALK ABOUT GOOD BONES, PONTIAC
HAS GREAT BONES, REALLY DOES
GREAT ARCHITECTURE DOWNTOWN. SO
YEAH, HE IS A TWO TIME GRAMMY
AWARD WINNER AND HAS BEEN
INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL
HALL OF FAME.
>> YEAH, AND HE’S ALSO ONE OF
THE BIGGEST NAMES IN HIP HOP.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS,
HE’S TOURING ONCE AGAIN. AND
FRIDAY NIGHT HE’S IN DETROIT.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LL COOL J.
HE’S BRINGING THE FOUR TOURS TO
LITTLE CAESARS ARENA TOMORROW
NIGHT AHEAD OF THE CONCERT.
HE’S GOING TO BE LIVE HERE AT
LOCAL 4 FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH
LIVE IN THE D. COOL.
>> YOU’LL HEAR HOW HE
HAND-SELECTED ARTISTS LIKE
COLEMAN AND ICED TEA TO JOIN
HIM IN DETROIT. ALSO, HOW HE’S
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HIP HOP
. DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL OLD?
50 YEARS. I KNOW, RIGHT? IT’S A
LIVE SIT DOWN WITH LL COOL J,
THE ONE AND ONLY. TOMORROW 11
A.M. ON LIVE IN THE D RIGHT
HERE ON LOCAL 4. THAT’S GOING
TO BE SO GREAT. YEAH.
>> I THINK I HAVE TO WORK EARLY