WE STARTED THINGS OFF WITH A WINTRY WEATHER SYSTEM ARRIVING IN METRO DETROIT, RIGHT LIVE
PICTURES HERE FROM MADISON
HEIGHTS, SHOWING SNOW IS
STARTING TO FALL THERE. GOOD
EVENING, EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR
BEING WITH US. I’M KIMBERLY
GILL. AND I’M KAREN DREW IN FOR
DEVON. TONIGHT. WE ARE EXPECTING
A SMALLER DOSE OF SNOWFALL
TONIGHT. COMPARED TO EARLIER
THIS WEEK. KIM ADAMS IS WATCHING
THIS CLIPPER AS WE LIKE TO CALL
IT CLOSELY AND JOINS US WITH THE
FOREWARN FORECAST. KIM THAT’S
EXACTLY WHAT IT IS KAREN. IT’S A
CLIPPER, AND IT IS CLIPPING US
TONIGHT WITH JUST A LIGHT
DUSTING TO MAYBE A HALF INCH OF
SNOW IN SOME SPOTS. IT’S THE
TIMING OF IT, THOUGH THAT’S
COMING AT AN INCONVENIENT TIME
BECAUSE IT’S THE EVENING RUSH
HOUR THIS AREA RIGHT HERE IN
PARTS OF EASTERN OAKLAND COUNTY
, WESTERN MCCOMB AND NORTHWEST
PARTS OF WAYNE COUNTY, GETTING
THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS OF SNOW
RIGHT NOW WE’RE GOING TO ZOOM IN
A BIT TIGHTER HERE AND SHOW YOU
THE DARKER BLUES, INDICATING THE
MODERATE SNOW FALLING IN OAK
PARK, DEARBORN, MELVIN DALE
LINCOLN PARK INKSTER, ALSO IN
LOVE. MONIA AND THEN LIGHTER
AMOUNTS IN FARMINGTON HILLS AND
ALSO IN WEST BLOOMFIELD WIDENED
THE VIEW AND IT’S BECOMING A BIT
MORE SCATTERED. WE’LL SEE
SNOWFALL FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF
HOURS TOTALLING UP. AS I SAID TO
MAYBE AS MUCH AS A HALF INCH TO
JUST UNDER AN INCH IN PONTIAC
AND THEN LESSER AMOUNTS AS YOU
GO DOWN TOWARDS THE OHIO BORDER.
TOMORROW WE GET A BRIEF BREAK
THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY WITH
MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES TEMPS IN THE
TWENTIES AND THEN TOMORROW
EVENING, WE START WITH SNOW.
CHANGING OVER TO RAIN, WHICH IS
GOING TO AFFECT THE SNOW TOTALS
THIS WEEKEND. I’LL TALK ABOUT
THAT COMING UP IN THE FORECAST,
BUT THE BEST WAY TO KEEP UP TO
DATE ON ALL THE LATEST WEATHER
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS TO GO TO
YOUR FAVORITE APPSTORE TYPE IN
WDIV’S AND DOWNLOAD THE 4WARN
WEATHER APP. THANKS, KIM. THE
HORRIFIC DEATH OF FIVE YEAR OLD
ETHAN BELCHER, AND WHAT LED TO
IT CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE
ACROSS METRO DETROIT. MANY ARE
WONDERING HOW EVEN AFTER POLICE
AND STATE INVOLVEMENT IN ETHAN
END UP BACK WITH HIS PARENTS,
WHO ARE NOW CHARGED IN HIS
MURDER. LOOKING FORWARD, IS NOW
ASKING SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS
ABOUT MICHIGAN CHILD PROTECTIVE
SERVICES AND HOW THE STATE
RESPONSE NOT ONLY TO THIS CRIME
, BUT CHILD ABUSE IN GENERAL
MALONEY HAS BEEN WORKING THIS
STORY AND JOINS US LIVE TONIGHT
FROM MADISON HEIGHTS WITH A
FURTHER LOOK INTO THE CASE AND
WHAT ANSWERS HE’S BEEN ABLE TO
GET TONIGHT. YEAH THERE’S A LOT
TO UNRAVEL HERE, CATHERINE.
SINCE THIS IS THE CHILDREN
PROTECTIVE SERVICES
INVESTIGATION DONE FIVE YEARS
AGO, SAYS THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN
HISTORICALLY GOOD AT THE
DEPARTMENT. BUT IT’S FIVE YEARS
OLD. THEN WE GOT THIS OFFICE OF
CHILDREN’S OMBUDSMAN REPORT.
IT’S ABOUT A YEAR OLD DOESN’T
TELL YOU MUCH OF ANYTHING, AND
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHY
IT IS THAT WHEN WE ASKED WHAT
HAPPENED IN THIS CASE WE GET
NOTHING. FIVE YEAR OLD. EVEN
BELCHER SUFFERED A LOT OF PAIN
IN HIS YOUNG LIFE, AS DID HIS
SIBLINGS. HERE IS HIS HAND. IT’S
THE LEAST OF HIS INJURIES, LOCAL
4 OBTAINED OTHER PICTURES WILL
NOT SHOW OF A BLACK EYE NEARLY
CLOSED SHUT AND BRUISES. NOT
ACTUALLY. BELCHER REPORTED THIS
TO LINCOLN PARK POLICE BACK IN
2021. IT WAS A HOUSE OF TERROR
HOUSE OF TERROR, LINCOLN PARK,
POLICE CHIEF RAY WATERS TELLS
LOCAL 4 OFFICERS ARRESTED ETHAN
STEPFATHER 27 YEAR OLD SHEEN,
ROBERT SHELTON REMOVED ETHAN AND
HIS SIBLINGS. FROM THEIR HOME
AND THEN INTERVIEWED EVERYONE
INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN
, SENDING THE CASE TO KIM
WORTHY’S OFFICE FOR CHARGES.
TODAY WATERS SENT US THIS DENIAL
LETTER FROM WORTHY’S OFFICE
SHOWING THE PHRASE DENIED FOR
FURTHER INVESTIGATION WORTHY’S
OFFICE SAID. THIS GOES WITH
DIRECTIONS ON WHAT’S NEEDED TO
MAKE A CASE. CHIEF WATER SAYS
NONE OF THAT CAME ALONG ETHAN’S
DEATH, AND THE ACCOMPANYING
BUREAUCRATIC ISSUES LEFT ASHLEY
BELCHER IN TEARS. THIS LIFE HE
WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY. HAD
THEY JUST LISTEN. THERE WAS MORE
THAN ONE CASES THROUGH CBP’S
ABOUT THE ABUSED, SO WE WENT TO
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES,
LOOKING TO SEND A FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION REQUEST TO GET MORE
INFORMATION. BUT CPS FALLS UNDER
THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND IN
AN EMAIL, THEY TOLD US QUOTE BY
LAW, WE CANNOT DISCUSS ANY
CHILDREN’S PROTECTIVE SERVICES
CASES AND INFORMATION IS NOT
AVAILABLE BY FOYER AS IT IS
EXEMPT FROM FOIA END QUOTE. WE
TOOK THAT TO GOVERNOR GRETCHEN
WHITMER TODAY. WHAT IS IT THAT
WE CAN DO TO SHED MORE LIGHT ON
THESE PROBLEMS? AND GET MORE
PRESSURE TO GET A BETTER SYSTEM
IN PLACE. I DIDN’T KNOW THEY
WERE EXEMPT FROM FOIA SO THAT
YOU’RE EDUCATING ME RIGHT NOW. I
THINK THAT PERHAPS THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE A
REAL HARD LOOK AT IT AND SEE
WHAT MORE WE CAN DO. REPUBLICAN
STATE SENATOR JIM INSTEAD IS
FURIOUS AT THE CLOAK OF SECRECY
, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
STANDS BEHIND THIS FIVE YEAR OLD
WHO WAS BASICALLY MURDERED IN
DETROIT. AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF
INTERACTION WITH CPS, AND WE
CAN’T GET INFORMATION THAT THE
LAW HAS TO CHANGE. WE’VE GOT TO
GET THIS FIXED IN ORDER TO BE
ABLE TO FIX THE SYSTEM. WE NEED
TRANSPARENCY AND FINDING OUT
WHAT’S GOING ON. IT’S MADDENING.
NOW THE CHILDREN ARE OMBUDSMAN
TELLS US TONIGHT THAT SHE IS
INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE ETHAN CASE, BUT HER OFFICE
TOLD US WE WILL NEVER HAVE
ACCESS TO THAT REPORT. THEY WILL
NOT GIVE THAT UP. THEY CANNOT
GIVE IT UP, THEY SAY BY LAW.
THEY ADDED THAT ANY
RECOMMENDATION FOR CHANGE IN THE
CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM GETS SENT
TO APPROPRIATE AGENCIES AND WE
WOULD LIKELY SEE THAT PUBLISHED
IN THE OMBUDSMAN’S ANNUAL
REPORT. BUT. THAT’S THE BRICK
WALL WE KEEP RUNNING INTO. SO
WE’LL WAIT FOR THE NEXT REPORT
TO COME OUT THERE. BUT WE HAVE
MANY MORE QUESTIONS THAT WE
WANTED TO ASK, AND WE’LL
CONTINUE TO. BY THE WAY BACK TO
YOU. GREAT JOB GETTING GOVERNOR
WHITMER HER COMMENTS AS SHE
SAID, EDUCATING HER ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT TOPIC BROUGHT UP
LAWMAKERS. OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF
THIS, DO THEY HAVE ANYTHING IN
THE PIPELINE TO TRY TO CHANGE
THE SYSTEM? WELL STATE SENATOR
JIM INSTEAD SAID THAT HE HAS
REQUESTED A BILL BUT HE’S IN THE
MINORITY IS A REPUBLICAN. NOW HE
NEEDS DEMOCRATIC HELP ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE. SO FAR,
HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY. THAT
DOESN’T MEAN HE’S NOT GOING TO
CONTINUE TRYING. IN THE
MEANTIME, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT
SHE IS GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO
THIS BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO SEE
WHAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHANGE.
BUT SHE SAYS, THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED AT
BEFORE. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, SO
WE’LL STAY ON. THERE’S NO DOUBT
ABOUT IT BACK TO YOU IMPORTANT.
OKAY, ROD, THANKS. HELP ME HANG
COMING TO THE RESCUE TONIGHT
AFTER A LOCAL CHURCH TARGETED BY
ILLEGAL DUMPERS NOT ONCE OR
TWICE BUT THREE TIMES. THE HOLY
CROSS. HUNGARIAN CHURCH LEADERS
REACHED OUT TO HANK HOPING TO
GET THE MESS CLEANED UP AND HOLD
THE PEOPLE WHO DID IT.
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMER
INVESTIGATOR HELP ME HANK IS
ALIVE IN DETROIT AND HANK, THIS
HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
KAREN A HUGE PROBLEM, BUT I’LL
TELL YOU WHAT WE ARE CLEANING UP
THE CITY ONE BLOCK AT A TIME AND
TAKE A LOOK. THE CITY OF DETROIT
OUT HERE. THEY WERE OUT HERE
EARLIER THIS WEEK. THEY ARE OUT
HERE TONIGHT, PUTTING IN THE
EXTRA HOURS TAKING CARE OF THIS
MESS, AND WE’RE WORKING TO FIND
THESE DUMPERS. CREWS ARE ON IT,
WORKING TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS,
TRASH AND DEBRIS EVERYWHERE
DUMPED NEAR THE HOLY CROSS
HUNGARIAN CHURCH IN SOUTHWEST
DETROIT. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE
CITY AND SEVERAL CREWS DESCENDED
ON THIS AREA THIS WEEK, WORKING
TO CLEAN UP THE EYESORE LEFT BY
THOSE WHO THINK IT’S OK TO TOSS
THEIR JUNK AND SOMEONE ELSE’S
PROPERTY. THE CHURCH COMMUNITY,
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY WERE
THRILLED THAT MESS WAS CLEANED
UP. BUT THOSE DUMPERS THEY
DIDN’T WAIT LONG. THEY CAME BACK
AGAIN, AND SO DID CITY CREWS
WORKING TO CLEAN THE MESS UP.
THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME THIS
HAS HAPPENED. I FIRST MET FATHER
BARNABAS LAST SUMMER. HE CALLED
ME DESPERATE FOR HELP HIS CHURCH
PROPERTY TARGETED BY ILLEGAL
DUMPERS. HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT
THOSE VISITING THE CHURCH AND
THE CHILDREN WHO PLAY IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT’S NOT ONLY AN
EYESORE, IT’S A DANGER. I KNOW.
AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO, YOU
KNOW, COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY
OFFICIALS. THE CITY WAS QUICK TO
HELP US THEN AND CLEAN IT UP,
AND THEY WERE QUICK TO RESPOND
NOW, ALONG WITH THE DPD ILLEGAL
DUMPING TASK FORCE, THE HOPE NOW
IS TO CATCH THOSE WHO ARE NOT
ONLY DUMPING IN THIS AREA. BUT
IN OTHER PARTS OF DETROIT, WHAT
YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THERE ARE
SERIES OF CAMERAS IN PLACE.
THEY’RE KEEPING AN EYE ON OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS WORKING TO TRACK
THOSE DOWN WHO ARE UP TO NO
GOOD. AND TWO BIG CITY TRUCKS
FILLED WITH DEBRIS JUST LEFT A
SHORT TIME AGO. WE’RE WAITING
FOR ONE MORE TO GET HERE TO TAKE
THE REST OF THIS OUT OF HERE OUT
OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THE
IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS
THAT IF YOU HAPPEN TO SPOT
SOMEBODY ILLEGALLY DUMPING, YOU
NEED TO CALL POLICE RIGHT AWAY.
THE CITY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT
THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY WANT TO
HOLD THOSE THAT ARE DOING THIS
DUMPING ACCOUNTABLE. WE’RE LIVE
HERE TONIGHT IN SOUTHWEST
DETROIT. HANK WINCHESTER. HELP
ME, HANK BACK TO YOU. LOOK AT
YOU GETTING ALL THOSE CREWS OUT
THERE CLEANING IT UP ON A FRIDAY
NIGHT. GOOD JOB, HANK.
APPRECIATE IT. AND ILLINOIS MAN
ACCUSED OF STABBING A 14 YEAR
OLD OAKLAND COUNTY GIRL HAS BEEN
CHARGED, POLICE SAY 18 YEAR OLD
JULIAN PINEDO MET THE VICTIM
ONLINE, THEN TRAVELED TO HER
HOME IN SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.
THEY SAY HE BELIEVED THEY WERE
GOING TO HAVE SEX, AND WHEN SHE
REFUSED, HE STABBED HER SEVERAL
TIMES. WITH AN EIGHT INCH KNIFE
TODAY IN COURT, WE LEARNED THE
NATO WAS ON PROBATION FOR A
FELONY CONVICTION. BACK IN
ILLINOIS. HE’S NOW BEING HELD ON
A $2 MILLION BOND. THE GIRL
REMAINS HOSPITALIZED. A
CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS FOUND
GUILTY OF RAPING HIS COWORKER AT
A JIMMY JOHNSON STERLING HEIGHTS
. THIS HAPPENED BACK IN APRIL OF
2021, PROSECUTORS SAY 36 YEAR
OLD JEROME BROWN PEGGY’S MADE
SEXUAL ADVANCES TOWARDS A 17
YEAR OLD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS,
THEY SAY WHEN SHE DECLINED HIS
ADVANCES. HE RAPED HER IN THE
STORAGE ROOM OF THE SUB SHOP ON
16 ADVANCE DYKE. MAN WAS JUST
FOUND GUILTY OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL
CONDUCT OF 15 YEAR FELONY WILL
BE SENTENCED IN MARCH. WASHING
OUR COUNTY MAN IS SENTENCED FOR
JAIL FOR SABOTAGING SABOTAGING A
FELLOW HUNTER AND CAUSING HIM
SERIOUS INJURIES, THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
, SAYS THOMAS STEAL FROM CHELSEA
WAS UPSET BECAUSE OF HUNTER SET
UP IN HIS SPOT IN MARQUETTE
COUNTY. THEY SAY STEEL TURNED A
TREE STAND INTO A TRAP, CAUSING
THE OTHER HUNTER TO FALL, 20 FT
TO THE GROUND. THE HUNTER HURT
HIS ANKLE AND BACK. STEEL WAS
CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND WAS
SENTENCED TO 60 DAYS IN JAIL. HE
MUST ALSO PAY FOR THE HUNTERS
MEDICAL BILLS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THE HUNTERS CANNOT CLAIM
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO PUBLIC
HUNTING LAND IN MICHIGAN. ANY
TREE STAND OR DEER BLIND LEFT
UNOCCUPIED. CAN BE USED BY
ANOTHER HUNTER. WINTER WEATHER
HAS PUT A LOT OF ROAD
CONSTRUCTION WORK ON PAUSE, AND
DRIVERS WHO USE I 75 IN OAKLAND
COUNTY ARE ENJOYING ALL LANES
OPEN FOR NOW, BUT ANOTHER
TRAFFIC SHIFT IS ON THE WAY THAT
COULD MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE
DIFFICULT. KIM DEGUILIO BREAKS
DOWN WHAT IS NEXT, AND WHEN WE
CAN EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO BE
FULLY COMPLETE. IT REALLY DOES
FEEL LIKE WINTER JUST GOT HERE.
BUT BEFORE WE KNOW IT,
CONSTRUCTION SEASON WILL BE IN
FULL SWING. AND WITH THAT COMES
THE LANE CLOSURES. THE LANE
SHIFT SPECIFICALLY AND I 75 HERE
IN OAKLAND COUNTY. FIRST LET’S
START WITH THE GOOD NEWS. WE CAN
SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE
TUNNEL. THIS IS THE FINAL PHASE
OF THE 18 MILE REBUILD THAT WE
STARTED BACK IN WHAT 2016. SO
THIS YEAR, THE FINAL PHASE IS
GOING TO BE REBUILDING SOUTH
PBOND FROM 13, MILES DOWN TO 6
96. THIS WORK WILL INCLUDE
REBUILDING THE PAVEMENT RAMPS
AND BRIDGES THROUGH THAT
STRETCH. THAT CREWS ARE PLANNING
FOR YET AGAIN. ANOTHER LANE
SHIFT ON I 75 THIS TIME DRIVERS
WILL TRAVEL NORTH AND SOUTH ON
THE NORTH END SIDE OF THE
FREEWAY. THAT SHIFT IS SET TO
START IN LATE FEBRUARY AND LAST
UNTIL THE FALL. BUT MORE GOOD
NEWS AFTER THAT, THE BULK OF THE
WORK WILL BE FINISHED. THE MAJOR
REBUILD SECTION WILL BE DONE,
BUT THEY WILL STILL BE WORKING.
2024 PUNCH LIST ITEMS THINGS TO
WRAP UP BEFORE THINGS GET
UNDERWAY HERE ON I 75 M DOT WILL
BE HOLDING AN OPEN HOUSE VIRTUAL
MEETING. ON FEBRUARY 8TH TO LAY
OUT THE GROUNDWORK FOR WHAT TO
EXPECT IN THIS FINAL PHASE.
INFORMED MOTORIST IS A SAFER
DRIVER. THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT
, AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO
PARTICIPATE. SPOKESPERSON ROB
MAROC SAYS IT’S BEEN A LONG
TOUGH PROJECT TO NAVIGATE AROUND
FOR I 75 COMMUTERS, BUT THEIR
COOPERATION AND PATIENCE HAS
BEEN GREATLY APPRECIATED, AND
HE’S THANKFUL THAT CONSTRUCTION
IS ENDING SOON AS THIS WAS
ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE A 14
YEAR PROJECT. WE’RE VERY, VERY
PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
LEVERAGE THE INNOVATIVE
CONTRACTING TO ALLOW US TO
ACCELERATE THIS PROJECT. REALLY
KNOCKED 10 YEARS OFF THE
DURATION OF IT AGAIN THAT
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE MEETING WILL
TAKE PLACE ON FEBRUARY 8TH
BETWEEN SIX AND SEVEN PM FOR
INFORMATION ON HOW TO LOG ON
POSTED THAT ON OUR WEBSITE. I’M
KIM DEGUILIO LOCAL 4. CAN’T TELL
YOU HOW EXCITED I AM TO GET THAT
THING DONE BECAUSE I DRIVE ON
THAT SO MUCH I KNOW IT IS MY
ROUTE. ALRIGHT, THANKS, KIM
STILL AHEAD, PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED
FOR YEARS WITH AN UNNAMED
INFLAMMATORY DISORDER ARE
FINALLY GETTING SOME ANSWERS.
YEARS. BUT WHAT IS VEXES
SYNDROME THE SYMPTOMS AND WHO’S