AFTER A ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER, HAIL AND HIGH WINDS HAMMER MUCH OF THE AREA.
>> NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS
PICTURE FROM DAVISON, SHOWING
HAIL LARGER THAN THE SIZE OF A
GOLF BALL.
>> YEAH, IT’S BEEN A WILD
WEATHER RIDE FOR MOST OF THE
DAY, LEAVING THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER. THANKS
FOR BEING WITH US. I’M KIMBERLY
GILL.
>> AND I’M DEMOND FERNANDEZ, IN
FOR DEVIN TONIGHT. WE’LL HAVE
MORE ON THE POWER OUTAGES IN
JUST A MOMENT, BUT WE BEGIN
WITH OUR MARA MACDONALD IN PORT
HURON TONIGHT, WHERE ONE OF THE
JEWELS OF THAT CITY TOOK SOME
HEAVY HITS. I WANT TO SHOW YOU
SOMETHING.
>> TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS JUST
ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS IN THIS
PARK. THE ENTIRETY OF THIS
MASSIVE OLD TREE JUST
COMPLETELY TORN DOWN IN LIKE
IT’S A TOOTHPICK. THE SOUNDS OF
SAWS AND GENERATORS, A STEADY
HUM WITH MORE TO COME DOWN,
LIMBS, DOWNED POWER LINES AND
UPROOTED TREES ARE EVERYWHERE.
>> ALL SUDDEN, WHEN COUNT
PICKED UP AND LOOKED OUTSIDE,
IT KIND OF KIND OF A YELLOW
COLOR KIND OF A COLOR. AND IT’S
BLOWING LIKE A REALLY BAD
BLOWING.
>> SO BAD. NOT ONE, BUT TWO OLD
TREES WERE UPROOTED ACROSS THE
STREET. AND IF YOU LOOK ABOVE,
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BARK WAS
PEELED OFF THE BRANCHES.
>> BUT THE TREES WERE
ABSOLUTELY SWAYING BACK AND
FORTH, ALMOST LIKE IT WAS A
HURRICANE.
>> TREES WHIPPED UP, SHEARED
OFF AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE
CITY. BUT ESPECIALLY ALONG PINE
GROVE AVENUE, WHERE THEY’RE
BLOCKING TRAFFIC. POWER IS OUT
TO A GOOD PORTION OF PORT HURON
TONIGHT, AND PINE GROVE PARK
LOOKS LIKE A GIANT JUST STARTED
SWATTING TREES DOWN.
>> WE’VE HAD BIG STORMS BEFORE
AND SOME LIMBS HAVE BROKEN OFF
AND WE’VE LOST A COUPLE LARGER
TREES. BUT LIKE NOTHING TO THE
EXTENT THAT WAS DONE TODAY, I
THINK WE COUNTED AT LEAST A
DOZEN PLUS LARGE LIMBS FROM
OTHER MATURE TREES THAT HAD
FALLEN OFF.
>> IN TALKING TO NEIGHBORS
AROUND HERE, THEY SAY THAT
WHILE THE STORMY WEATHER MAY
HAVE LASTED FOR, SAY, 45
MINUTES TO AN HOUR, THAT THE
PORTION THAT DID THIS WAS MAYBE
A 15 MINUTE WINDOW. WE’RE IN
PORT HURON. I’M MARA MACDONALD,
LOCAL 4.
>> WELL, THOUSANDS ACROSS THE
AREA NOT ONLY DEALING WITH
DAMAGE, BUT ALSO POWER OUTAGES
FROM DOWNED POWER LINES.
>> LET’S GET RIGHT OVER TO
FOREWARN METEOROLOGIST KIM
ADAMS WITH A LOOK AT THE
OUTAGES AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
IF YOU SEE A DOWNED LINE, KIM.
>> WELL, TONIGHT, THE HIGHEST
AMOUNT OF POWER OUTAGES ARE IN
OAKLAND COUNTY, NOT BECAUSE OF
THE SEVERITY OF THE STORMS
THERE, BUT IN PART BECAUSE THEY
JUST HIT IN A VERY POPULATED
AREA. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW,
26,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER IN
OAKLAND COUNTY, 20,000 IN WAYNE
COUNTY. YOU GO UP INTO PARTS OF
MACOMB AND OVER INTO SAINT
CLAIR COUNTY, ABOUT 12,000
PEOPLE WITHOUT WITHOUT POWER.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WNED POWER
LINES. AND TOMORROW MORNING,
THE KIDS ARE GOING TO WANT TO
GO OUT AND PLAY. SO YOU NEED TO
GO OVER THESE SAFETY ISSUES IF
POSSIBLE, WITH THEM TONIGHT,
BECAUSE THERE ARE DOWNED POWER
LINES. MAKE SURE YOU STAY AT
LEAST 30FT AWAY FROM A DOWNED
POWER LINE. REPORT IT
IMMEDIATELY TO THE POWER
COMPANY, NEVER TOUCH A DOWNED
POWER LINE. ALWAYS ASSUME THAT
IT IS ACTIVE AND DANGEROUS,
THAT IT’S ENERGIZED, EVEN IF
IT’S NOT ARCING, IT COULD STILL
HAVE POWER AND ENERGY TO IT. SO
BE CAREFUL. ALSO, DON’T TRY TO
USE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON’T
THINK IS CONDUCTIVE TO MOVE IT
BECAUSE IT COULD INDEED BE
CONDUCTIVE AND STILL DANGEROUS.
SO THOSE ARE THE SAFETY TIPS
FOR THESE DOWNED POWER LINES IS
THE GOOD NEWS. WE HAVE A MUCH
NICER DAY AHEAD TOMORROW. SO
WE’VE GOT SOME SUNSHINE AND
TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO WARM
UP INTO TO THE UPPER 70S TO
RIGHT AROUND 80 DEGREES. WE’LL
TALK ABOUT YOUR WEEKEND
FORECAST. I DID HAVE TO BRING
IN A CHANCE FOR RAIN. AND I’LL
TELL YOU WHEN COMING UP. OKAY
KIM NEW AT 11 GUILTY PLEAS FOR
ALL THREE MEN CHARGED IN THE
DEATH OF EGYPT COVINGTON,
SHANNON GRAHAM AND TIMOTHY
MOORE PLEADED GUILTY TODAY TO
SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGES.
>> THE VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP WOMAN
WAS FOUND BOUND BY CHRISTMAS
LIGHTS AND SHOT IN THE HEAD
INSIDE HER HOME BACK IN JUNE OF
2017. SENTENCING FOR BOTH MEN
IS IN OCTOBER. SHANE EVANS
PLEADED GUILTY AND WAS
SENTENCED IN APRIL. STATE
POLICE SAY A FOURTH POSSIBLE
SUSPECT WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN
TOLEDO.
>> ALSO NEW TONIGHT, A WAYNE
COUNTY INMATE HAS DIED AFTER A
FIGHT WITH ANOTHER INMATE. THE
FIGHT HAPPENED IN THE COUNTY’S
DIVISION ONE JAIL. DEPUTIES SAY
TWO CELLMATES GOT INTO AN
ARGUMENT THAT LED TO A FIGHT.
THEY SAY ONE INMATE WAS TAKEN
TO THE HOSPITAL WITH HEAD
INJURIES. WE’VE LEARNED HE DIED
TODAY FROM HIS INJURIES.
PROSECUTORS CHARGED CLAUDE
LEWIS WITH ASSAULT WITH INTENT
TO MURDER. THOSE CHARGES ARE
LIKELY TO BE UPGRADED. ID WELL,
AN UPDATE TO A STORY WE BROUGHT
YOU LAST NIGHT. AT 11, A WOMAN
IS ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH
THE DISCOVERY OF TWO SMALL
CHILDREN BEHIND A DUMPSTER.
>> A DRIVING SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR
SAYS HE FOUND A TWO YEAR OLD
AND A FOUR WEEK OLD BEHIND A
DUMPSTER AT LANPHIER HIGH
SCHOOL IN MADISON HEIGHTS.
POLICE SAY A LETTER WAS FOUND
WITH THE CHILDREN AND THEY WERE
TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL AND ARE
STABLE. THEIR PARENTS HAVE BEEN
NOTIFIED AND IDENTIFIED. A 20
YEAR OLD WOMAN IS NOW FACING
FELONY CHILD ABUSE AND
ABANDONED CHARGES.
>> AND GET THIS, A DETROIT MAN
IS BEHIND BARS TONIGHT FOR HIS
CONNECTION TO A DRUG
TRAFFICKING CRIME. FOUR YEARS
AGO, 50 YEAR OLD JEFFREY DAVIS
WAS ARRESTED BACK IN JULY OF
2019 FOR BEING A MEMBER OF
TOUGH TEAM DRUG TRAFFICKING
ORGANIZATIONS. HE’S ACCUSED OF
TRAFFICKING FIREARMS, FENTANYL,
HEROIN, CRACK COCAINE AND
MARIJUANA FROM DETROIT TO WEST
VIRGINIA. NOW INVESTIGATORS
FOUND 23 FIREARMS AIMS 69G OF
HEROIN, MORE THAN 90G, RATHER,
OF FENTANYL AND 215G OF CRACK
COCAINE. NOW, DAVIS WAS
SENTENCED YESTERDAY TO 25 YEARS
IN PRISON ON CHARGES OF DRUG
TRAFFICKING AND POSSESSION OF A
FIREARM.
>> THERE’S NEW FALLOUT TODAY
FROM A FAKE ELECTOR
INVESTIGATION LEADING TO
CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST 16
MICHIGAN REPUBLICAN OPENS. ONE
OF THOSE CHARGED IS STANLEY
GROT. HE’S THE CLERK OF SHELBY
TOWNSHIP. HE’S THE OFFICIAL IN
CHARGE OF ELECTIONS, BUT HE’S
NOW ACCUSED OF SIGNING FALSE
CERTIFICATES TO STEAL THE 2020
ELECTION FROM JOE BIDEN IN
FAVOR OF DONALD TRUMP. TODAY,
THE MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF
STATE’S OFFICE SENT THIS LETTER
TO GROT. IT STRIPS HIM OF ALL
DUTIES CONNECTED TO ANY
ELECTIONS UNTIL THE MATTER IS
RESOLVED. GROT DENIES ANY
WRONGDOING.
>> I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG
AND I INTEND TO PROVE THAT IN
COURT.
>> THE DEPUTY TOWNSHIP WILL
TAKE OVER GROT’S DUTIES AS
WELL.
>> JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IN
MICHIGAN HAS HAD ENOUGH OF THE
CONSTRUCTION. BUT THERE’S ONE
TOWN IN PARTICULAR THAT HAS
NEIGHBORS AND BUSINESS OWNERS
AT A BREAKING POINT RIGHT NOW,
JACQUELINE FRANCIS TAKES US TO
DOWNTOWN BRIGHTON, WHERE SOME
FOLKS SAY THEY’RE JUST SICK OF
SEEING ORANGE CONES ALL AROUND,
MAKING YOUR WAY THROUGH
DOWNTOWN BRIGHTON RIGHT NOW IS
A TREK.
>> JUST LOOK AT ALL THE
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ME. TWO
BUSINESSES ARE TELLING US
THEY’RE CLOSING THEIR DOORS
BECAUSE OF IT. MEANWHILE THE
CITY IS DEFENDING THE PROJECT.
>> I FEEL LIKE IT’S JUST HARD
TO GET DOWN HERE.
>> IT’S HARD TO GET ANYWHERE IN
MICHIGAN RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS
HAS BEEN HORRIBLE ORANGE CONES
AND YELLOW CAUTION TAPE ARE
WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN DOWNTOWN
BRIGHTON.
>> RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES
TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE MESS.
>> YOU REALLY DO HAVE TO JUST
IGNORE ALL THE ROPING AND
CONSTRUCTION AND MAKE YOUR WAY
OVER HERE.
>> IT’S JUST BEEN A THORN, A
NAIL IN THE COFFIN.
>> RESTAURANT OWNER PETER
GIANOPOULOS SAYS THE
CONSTRUCTION HAS KEPT CUSTOMERS
AWAY AND HE’S CLOSING AT THE
END OF THE MONTH BECAUSE OF IT
MAY BE CLOSE TO 80% DOWN IN
BUSINESS AND YOU CAN’T SURVIVE
ON THAT. THE MAYOR AND CITY
MANAGER TELL US THEY ENGAGED
BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE PLANNING
PROCESS, ADDING THEY’VE HELD
MARKETING CAMPAIGNS AND EVENTS
TO TRY AND DRIVE BUSINESS
DOWNTOWN. BUSINESS OWNER ELISA
SHAKESPEARE SAYS IT’S BEEN A
TOTAL. PAGE THAT ALSO HAPPENS
TO BE THE NAME OF HER SHOP.
>> I MEAN, THAT’S LIKE TRYING
THE IMPOSSIBLE, RIGHT? I MEAN,
IT’S NOT POSSIBLE. THERE’S NO
SIDEWALKS, IT’S GRAVEL, THERE’S
STREET MOVERS, THERE’S EARTH
MOVERS IN FRONT OF THE STORES
LIKE PEOPLE AREN’T GOING TO BE
ENTICED TO COME DOWN TO DO
THAT.
>> SHE’S NOW LOOKING TO MOVE
HER BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. IT
WOULD BE NICE WHEN IT’S DONE,
DON’T GET ME WRONG, BUT IT’S
JUST HORRIBLE FOR THE BUSINESS.
>> I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR THE
BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN
BRIGHTON.
>> THE CITY SAYS THIS PHASE OF
THE PROJECT WILL BE FINISHED
NEXT MONTH, BUT THE QUESTION IS
WILL IT BE TOO LITTLE, TOO
LATE? I’M NOT IN CONSTRUCTION
SO I CAN’T SAY THEY DID IT
WRONG.
>> I CAN’T SAY THEY DID IT
RIGHT. BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY
ONE THING. IT DID HURT OUR
BUSINESS. THE WAY THEY DID IT.
>> THE CITY PLANS TO HAVE THE
ENTIRE PROJECT COMPLETE BY
NOVEMBER. REPORTING IN DOWNTOWN