HIM ALSO FIRST AND FOUR FOR GIVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MEDICAL DEBT.
>> I WAS IN ICU ONE TIME AND
THEY WAS CALLING MY MOM, TRYING
TO GET ME TO GET. TO GET A BILL
PAID.
>> THIS WOMAN GOT HELP. WE’RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT
HELP IS SPREADING INTO OAKLAND
COUNTY. AND HELP ME, HANK IS
HERE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS HUGE
MESS, NOT ONLY AN EYESORE, IT
IS A BIG DANGER FOR PEOPLE HERE
ON THE EAST SIDE.
>> THAT’S WHY TONIGHT. HELP ME,
HANK, IS COMING TO THE RESCUE.
>> LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT
LOCAL 4 NEWS. FIRST AT FOUR
STARTS NOW.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
I’M KAREN DREW. FIRST AT FOUR.
WE ARE FOLLOWING THE EXACT
TRACK 40 RADAR. OOH, AND RAIN
IS COVERING MUCH OF METRO
DETROIT INTO THE EVENING. YOU
CAN ALSO SEE SOME PRETTY STRONG
WIND GUSTS. LET’S BRING IN KIM
ADAMS TO SHOW US WHERE THINGS
STAND RIGHT NOW. KIM
>> WELL, IT’S STILL RAINING
ACROSS METRO DETROIT. STARTED
TO SLACK UP IN A FEW AREAS, BUT
PRETTY MUCH BLANKETING MUCH OF
THE ENTIRE AREA OF SOUTHEAST
LOWER MICHIGAN. SO LET’S ZOOM
IN A LITTLE BIT HERE ON A
COUPLE OF AREAS, INCLUDING THE
NORTHERN PART OF MACOMB COUNTY.
RICH AND NEW HAVEN, ALL THE WAY
OVER TO PORT HURON, ANN ARBOR,
GETTING SOME RAIN RIGHT NOW
DOWNRIVER. IT IS RAINING THERE
AS WELL. AND INCLUDING THE CITY
OF DETROIT, WARREN HAMTRAMCK
AND OAK PARK. BUT IF YOU GO OUT
JUST TO THE WEST OF WEST
BLOOMFIELD, THERE’S A LITTLE
HOLE RIGHT THERE, A LITTLE
POCKET OF DRYING. SO WE’LL
CONTINUE TO HAVE THE RAIN AS WE
GO THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT RAIN
CONTINUES OFF AND ON THROUGH
THE DAY TOMORROW WITH HIGHS
BACK INTO THE UPPER 50S, THEN
MORE RAIN AHEAD FOR THE
WEEKEND. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE
MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN STATE GAME
AND ALSO THE REST OF THE
WEEKEND. IT’S NOT AN ENTIRE
WASHOUT COMING UP. ALL RIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, KIM. HARPER
WOODS, POLICE TELL US A MALE
STUDENT WAS STOPPED FROM
BRINGING A GUN INTO HARPER
WOODS HIGH SCHOOL. NOW, THIS
HAPPENED YESTERDAY MORNING AT
THE SCHOOL’S MAIN ENTRANCE.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY’RE NOT
AWARE OF ANY THREATS AND THE
GUN WAS DISCOVERED DURING
ROUTINE DAILY SCREENING. POLICE
TOOK THE YOUNG MAN INTO
CUSTODY, SEIZED THAT GUN AND
THEN TOOK THE STUDENT TO THE
WAYNE COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION
FACILITY. AT THIS HOUR, UNION
WORKERS AND SUPPORTERS ARE
ABOUT TO KICK OFF A MARCH IN
DOWNTOWN DETROIT. ORGANIZERS
EXPECT THOUSANDS TO GATHER IN
TWO LOCATIONS BEFORE MARCHING
TO HEART PLAZA TO HOLD A RALLY.
THIS IS LIVE VIDEO FROM THE MGM
GRAND CASINO. ONE OF THOSE
STARTING POINTS FOR THE MARCH
FOR WORKERS RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC
JUSTICE COMES DURING STRIKES BY
THE UAW. CASINO WORKERS AND
EMPLOYEES AT BLUE CROSS BLUE
SHIELD, MICHIGAN, ARE OUR CREWS
WILL BE WALKING WITH THE
MARCHERS AND WE’LL HAVE LIVE
UPDATES WHEN YOU JOIN US
TONIGHT AT FIVE AND SIX.
MEANTIME WE ARE MONITORING
NEGOTIATIONS IN ALL THOSE
DISPUTES TODAY. WE HAVE SOME
NEW VIDEO, A VIDEO STATEMENT, I
SHOULD SAY, FROM GENERAL MOTORS
ON THE UAW STRIKE. AS OF RIGHT
NOW, THERE IS NO DEAL IN SIGHT
FOR GM’S STELLANTIS OR FORD. AS
FAR AS WE CAN TELL, IT HAS BEEN
35 DAYS SINCE UAW WORKERS HIT
THE PICKET LINES AGAINST ALL
THREE AUTOMAKERS LAST NIGHT,
FORD SAID IT LAID OFF ANOTHER
150 EMPLOYEES AT A TRUCK PLANT
IN KENTUCKY BECAUSE OF THE
STRIKE. IT’S LAYOFFS NOW TOTAL
MORE THAN 2700 TODAY. GENERAL
MOTORS VIDEO IS TRYING TO PUMP
UP ITS LATEST OFFER. THE
COMPANY SAYS IT INCLUDES A 20%
OVERALL RAISE EXTRA VACATION
AND CLAIMS THE WAGE PROPOSAL
WOULD PUT GM WORKERS IN LINE
WITH THE TOP 25% OF ALL US
WORKERS.
>> THESE ARE NOT POVERTY WAGES
IS NOT BY ANY DEFINITION, AND
THEY WILL BE PROTECTED THROUGH
A COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE THAT
WILL HELP OFFSET INFLATION IN
THE FUTURE. US WORKERS WILL PAY
WENT DOWN 20% WHEN YOU INCLUDE
INFLATION AND YOU KNOW WITH THE
UNKNOWN PROSPECTS ABOUT THE
INFLATION RATE GOING FORWARD, I
THINK WORKERS ARE CONCERNED
THAT WHEN YOU SAY 20, THAT
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.
>> BUT THE REALITY IS THAT
INFLATION KEEPS AT ITS CURRENT
PACE. THAT’S GOING TO ERODE A
GOOD SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF THAT.
>> NEW AT FIVE. BUSINESS EDITOR
ROD MELONI IS GOING TO FOCUS
MORE ON THAT OFFER FROM GM AND
ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW THE COMPANY
HOPES TO TURN IT INTO AN
AGREEMENT. WORKERS WILL RATIFY.
OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE GOES ON
AT FIVE NOW, SO FAR, THERE ARE
NO CHARGES IN THAT DOG MAULING
DEATH OF A FOUR YEAR OLD BOY ON
DETROIT’S WEST SIDE. QUESTIONS
REMAIN THIS AFTERNOON AFTER
LITTLE LOVELL ANDERSON DIED. WE
DO KNOW HE WAS PLAYING IN HIS
GRANDMOTHER’S YARD ON PIERSON
STREET WHEN HIS FAMILY SAYS A
DOG GOT THROUGH THE FENCE AND
ATTACKED THE CHILD. POLICE TOOK
A COUPLE OF DOGS INTO CUSTODY,
BUT IT’S NOT CLEAR WHERE THEY
CAME FROM OR WHO OWNS THEM.
WE’VE GOT A REPORTER CHECKING
WITH POLICE AND PROSECUTORS AND
YOU’LL GET A LIVE UPDATE ON
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT FIVE OF OAKLAND
COUNTY WORKING TO RESCUE
THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS FROM
CRUSHING MEDICAL DEBTS. THE NEW
PROGRAM JUST KICKED OFF THIS
AFTERNOON. THE COUNTY WILL
SPEND $2 MILLION OF ITS
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEY. IT
WILL WORK WITH A NONPROFIT
CALLED RIP MEDICAL DEBT TO
NEGOTIATE ABOUT $200 MILLION IN
RELIEF AS IT PURCHASES THE DEBT
FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR. NOW,
THAT NONPROFIT WILL USE SPECIAL
SOFTWARE TO FIND ELIGIBLE
OAKLAND COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO
MEET LOW INCOME AND CERTAIN
DEBT LEVEL REQUIREMENTS. COUNTY
EXECUTIVE DAVID COLTER TALKED
ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF
MEDICAL DEBT AND ONE WOMAN
WHOSE DEBT WAS FORGIVEN RELAYED
HOW STRESSFUL OWING MONEY CAN
BE.
>> I WAS IN ICU ONE TIME AND
THEY WAS CALLING MY MOM, TRYING
TO GET ME TO GET TO GET A BILL
PAID, CALLING MY MOM. I’M I’M
ABOUT TO DIE. AND I GOT TO I’M
WORRIED ABOUT GETTING THE BILL
PAID.
>> THIS DEBT IMPACTS OTHER
ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. IT
RUINS YOUR CREDIT SCORE TO
CARRY THIS AROUND AND IT
AFFECTS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
FRANKLY, IT HOLDS YOU BACK TO
HAVING YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL
OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE AGAIN.
>> YOU DO NOT NEED TO APPLY
ELIGIBLE. OAKLAND COUNTY
RESIDENTS WILL BE IDENTIFIED.
THEIR DEBTS WILL BE FORGIVEN
AND YOU’LL BE NOTIFIED BY
LETTER. THE PROGRAM WILL TAKE A
WHILE TO GET UP AND RUNNING.
LETTERS SHOULD START GOING OUT
NEXT YEAR. WELL FROM THE MIDDLE
EAST TO METRO DETROIT. THE
WORLD CONTINUES TO TRACK
ISRAEL’S NEW WAR WITH HAMAS,
WITH MANY PUSHING TO END THE
FIGHTING. SKY FOUR WAS OVER THE
SCENE THIS MORNING OF A WALKOUT
AT FORDSON HIGH SCHOOL IN
DEARBORN. DOZENS OF STUDENTS
MARCHED OUT OF THEIR CLASSES TO
PROTEST THE WAR AND SHOW
SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN
PEOPLE. THIS PROTEST COMES
HOURS BEFORE PRESIDENT BIDEN
WILL SPEAK TO THE NATION FROM
THE OVAL OFFICE. KIMBERLY GILL
TRACKING THE VERY LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS. KIM.
>> KAREN, GOOD AFTERNOON.
PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL ADDRESS
THE NATION FROM THE OVAL OFFICE
TO TALK ABOUT THE WARS IN BOTH
ISRAEL AND UKRAINE. HE WILL
SPEAK DIRECTLY TO AMERICANS THE
DAY AFTER RETURNING FROM A TRIP
TO TEL AVIV. SO RIGHT NOW,
LOGISTICS ARE STILL BEING
WORKED OUT ON HOW TO DELIVER
SUPPLIES FROM EGYPT TO THE GAZA
STRIP OR THE GAZA STRIP. ISRAEL
AGREED TO BREAK ITS BLOCKADE
YESTERDAY, BUT WE’RE SEEING
LONG LINES FOR GASOLINE LIKE
YOU’RE SEEING HERE. EGYPT IS
STILL NEGOTIATING, HOPING TO
INCLUDE FUEL IN THE DELIVERIES.
HELP IS DESPERATELY NEEDED.
DOCTORS IN DARK HOSPITAL WARDS
ARE STITCHING WOUNDS USING THE
LIGHTS ON THEIR CELL PHONES.
AND ONE HOSPITAL IS REPORTEDLY
USING VINEGAR FROM THE CORNER
STORE TO TREAT INFECTED WOUNDS.
ISRAELI STRIKES ARE POUNDING
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE GAZA
STRIP, INCLUDING THE VERY AREAS
WHERE PALESTINIANS WERE URGED
TO TAKE REFUGE. THAT’S RAISING
FEARS AMONG THE PALESTINIANS
THAT THEY’RE NOT SAFE ANYWHERE.
ISRAEL CONTINUES ITS REVENGE
FOR THE OCTOBER SEVENTH ATTACK
ACROSS ITS BORDER THAT KILLED
MORE THAN 1400 PEOPLE AND LEFT
NEARLY 200 PEOPLE TAKING
HOSTAGE THE GAZA HEALTH
MINISTRY SAYS MORE THAN 3700
PALESTINIAN HAVE BEEN KILLED
SINCE THE WAR STARTED. MOST OF
THEM WOMEN, CHILDREN AND OLDER
ADULTS. SO TONIGHT, PRESIDENT
BIDEN’S PRIMETIME ADDRESS WILL
KICK OFF AT 8 P.M. HE’S
EXPECTED TO ASK FOR MORE THAN
$100 BILLION. BILLION IN WITH A
B FOR AID TO ISRAEL, UKRAINE,
TAIWAN AS WELL AS THE US BORDER
WITH MEXICO. AND YOU CAN WATCH
HIS ADDRESS RIGHT HERE ON LOCAL
4, FOLLOWED BY YOUR REGULAR
PROGRAMS WHICH WILL START WHEN
THE PRESIDENT FINISHES HIS
ADDRESS FOR NOW, KAREN WILL
SEND IT BACK TO YOU. APPRECIATE
IT.
>> THANK YOU, KIM. ON CAPITOL
HILL, THE BATTLE OVER THE NEXT
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS STUCK
IN PLACE WITH REPUBLICANS
BICKERING OVER WHAT TO DO NEXT.
OHIO CONGRESSMAN JIM JORDAN
DELAYED ANOTHER VOTE ON HIS BID
TO LEAD THE HOUSE. INSTEAD, NBC
REPORTS HE WAS SUPPORTING AN
EFFORT TO GIVE MORE TEMPORARY
POWERS TO THE SPEAKER PRO TEM
PATRICK MCHENRY. BUT SEVERAL
REPUBLICANS ARE VIGOROUSLY
OPPOSED TO THAT IDEA, SO IT’S
NOT CLEAR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
AND THE HOUSE IS UNABLE TO
CONDUCT BUSINESS UNTIL A NEW
SPEAKER IS CHOSEN. NOW A STORY
OF HELP ME, HANK, COME TO THE
RESCUE. HE FOUND OUT ABOUT A
GROWING MOUND OF TRASH,
CREATING SOME REALLY BIG
CONCERNS ON DETROIT’S EAST
SIDE. NEIGHBORS WERE WORRIED
ABOUT LOCAL SENIORS AND
CHILDREN NEARBY. CONSUMER
INVESTIGATOR HANK WINCHESTER
LIVE IN DETROIT. THIS WAS A BIG
MESS. HANK
>> KAREN IT WAS A HUGE MESS.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS, ONE OF THOSE
BLOCKS WHERE PEOPLE TAKE PRIDE
IN THEIR HOMES. YOU’VE GOT A
LOT OF KIDS IN THE AREA. THE
HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS ARE OUT,
BUT THIS WAS A BIG MESS. THE
CITY JUST CAME AND CLEANED IT
UP. BUT I WANT YOU TO TAKE A
LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM, THIS JUNK
, THIS DEBRIS PILED HIGH IN
FRONT OF THIS ABANDONED HOME ON
THE EAST SIDE. IT IS A BIG
PROBLEM WHEN YOU SEE THAT OVER
THERE. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> IT’S DISGUSTING. LESLIE
BUTLER, WHO HAS LIVED IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HER FAMILY
FOR ALMOST A DECADE, SHE AND
HER NEIGHBORS, THEY TAKE PRIDE
IN TAKING CARE OF THEIR HOMES
AND THEY’RE TIRED OF LOOKING AT
THIS EYESORE.
>> SO YOU’VE ALL BEEN TRYING TO
MAKE THE HOUSE LOOK BETTER,
EVEN THOUGH IT’S ABANDONED, BUT
YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE TRASH?
NO. YEAH. NO. HOW LONG HAS THAT
BEEN THERE LIKE THAT? AT LEAST
A MONTH OR SO. RIGHT?
>> OH, YEAH.
>> THE HOME BOARDED UP OVER THE
SUMMER. THE TRASH STARTED
POPPING UP AROUND AUGUST AND
IT’S BEEN GROWING EVERY WEEK.
IT’S NOT JUST AN EYESORE,
THOUGH. NO IT’S.
>> IT’S. IT’S. IT’S TACKY.
>> SO HELP ME. HANK GOT IN
TOUCH WITH THE MAYOR’S OFFICE
AND JUST A FEW HOURS LATER, A
CREW OUT HERE NOT ONLY TAKING A
LOOK AT THE MESS, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, WORKING TO CLEAN
IT ALL UP ONCE AND FOR ALL.
BACK OUT HERE, LIVE ON THE EAST
SIDE AGAIN. TAKE A LOOK. THE
CITY WAS OUT HERE JUST A SHORT
TIME AGO. THEY CLEANED ALL OF
THIS UP. NOW THEY’RE WORKING TO
TRY TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW
ALL OF THIS TRASH GOT HERE OF
COURSE, ALL THE NEIGHBORS HAVE
A DIFFERENT STORY. BUT ONE
THING THAT WE KNOW FOR SURE IS
IT DIDN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THE
TRASH PILE KEPT GROWING DURING
THE LAST SIX WEEKS. AND WE ARE
THANKFUL TO THE CITY FOR
GETTING OUT HERE TODAY AND
CLEANING IT UP ONCE AND FOR
ALL. WE’RE LIVE HERE, KAREN, ON
THE EAST SIDE, HANK WINCHESTER,
BACK TO YOU.
>> IT IS SO FRUSTRATING FOR
RESIDENTS. SO GIVE US THE
SCOOP, HANK. WHAT IS REALLY THE
BEST WAY IF PEOPLE WANT TO GET
ATTENTION OF THE CITY AND GET
THE SITUATION FIXED, WHAT DO
THEY DO?
>> YEAH, KAREN, THERE’S A FEW
THINGS. NUMBER ONE, THE
IMPROVED DETROIT APP THAT IS
ALWAYS A GREAT TOOL FOR PEOPLE
TO USE. THE CITY DOES RESPOND
WITHIN 48 HOURS. YOU CAN ALSO
CONTACT THE CITY LIAISON, THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MANAGERS IN YOUR
OWN COMMUNITY. THEY ARE WORKING
WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY
ON THESE CITY BLOCKS TO HELP
CLEAN UP PROBLEMS. JUST LIKE
THIS ONE, AND THE CITY IS ON
IT. THEY JUST NEED THE
INFORMATION FROM YOU IN ORDER
TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. BACK TO