>> LOCAL 4 NEWS STARTS NOW WITH
A BREAKING NEWS ALERT.
>> Devin: WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NOW FIVE-DAY
LONG BLOCKADE OF THE AMBASSADOR
BRIDGE.
>> Kimberly: AND THEY SAY
THEY’RE DISRUPTING TRADE AND
THEY HAVE TO GO, BUT WILL THEY
GO PEACEFULLY?
>> AN INJUNCTION HEARING ENDED
AN HOUR AGO THE JUDGE SAYING HE
WILL ORDER PROTESTERS TO STOP
MROK BLOCKING THE BRIDGE.
>> Kimberly: AND THE PREMIER
DOUG FORD WARNED THEY COULD FACE
SEVERE CONSEQUENCES, HEFTY FINES
UP TO $100,000, IMPRISONMENT UP
TO A YEAR AND HAVING THEIR
LICENSES REVOKED.
>> Devin: WE’VE GOT LIVE
COVERAGE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE
BORDER.
ROD MELONI ON THE DETROIT SIDE
AND WE’LL START WITH PRIYA MANN
IN WINDSOR AND THE REACTION TO
THE INJUNCTION BEING ORDERED.
>> DEVIN, GOOD EVENING, THERE’S
A LOT OF SURPRISE HERE AND FOLKS
SAY THEY DO NOT PLAN TO LEAVE.
YOU HEAR A LOT OF HORNS HONKING
AND TRUCK DRIVERS WERE CHANTING
"FREEDOM" A SHORT TIME AGO.
WINDSOR POLICE ARE EDGING THEIR
WAY UP.
BEFORE THE INJUNCTION WAS
ANNOUNCED AND THEY WERE A BLOCK
AWAY.
PROTESTERS HAVE UNTIL 7:00
TONIGHT TO LEAVE AND WERE JUST
FINDING OUT WHEN WE STARTED
TALKING TO THEM.
>> WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN
YOU HEARD THE JUDGE’S DECISION?
>> AIR THE FIRST ONE TO TELL ME.
>> A CANADIAN JUDGE GRANTED AN
INJUNCTION AND SAYS HE’LL ORDER
PROTESTERS TO STOP BLOCKING
ACCESS TO THE AMBASSADOR BRIDGE.
>> IF THEY COME AND HAVE TO
LEAVE WE’LL PEACEFULLY PROTEST
LIKE WE HAVE.
IF I HAPPEN TO GET A TICKET I’LL
TAKE IT GRACEFULLY AND SAY THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> PROTESTERS SHUT DOWN TRUCK
TRAFFIC ACROSS THE BUSIEST LAND
BORDER IN NORTH AMERICA AFTER
THE FREEDOM CONVOY TOOK OVER THE
ENTRANCE ON MONDAY.
IT’S ESTIMATED $400 MILLION OF
GOODS CROSSES THE AMBASSADOR
BRIDGE EVERY DAY.
>> THIS IS WHAT WE’RE DOING IT
FOR.
THIS IS WHAT I AM DOING IT FOR.
>> ON FRIDAY, ONTARIO DECLARED A
STATE OF EMERGENCY AND FOLLOWING
THE COURT RULING, WINDSOR POLICE
SENT A MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO
DEMONSTRATORS SAYING WE ARE
PROVIDING NOTICE ANYONE BLOCKING
STREETS OR ASSISTING OTHERS IN
THE BLOCKING OF STREETS MAY BE
CREATING A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND
MUST IMMEDIATELY CEASE FURTHER
UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY OR FACING
CHARGES.
>> THEY’RE COMING DOWN WITH A
HEAVY HAND AND IRON FIST ANTHES
GOING TO GENERATE MORE PEOPLE TO
WANT TO SHOW UP AND THIS MIGHT
CHANGE THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF IT.
IT MIGHT CHANGE THINGS, BUT
PEOPLE ARE STILL, THEY’RE NOT
GOING TO--
THEY DON’T WANT THE MANDATES
ANYMORE.
>> WE’VE BEEN ON LOCKDOWN OVER
TWO YEARS.
WHAT IS FOUR DAYS?
WE’VE BEEN HERE FOUR DAYS.
BUT OUR GOVERNMENT LOCKED US UP
FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
WE’RE TIRED.
>> NOW THERE’S BEEN A HEAVY
POLICE PRESENCE HERE ALL DAY,
BUT FOR MOST OF THE DAY, POLICE
HAVE BEEN FURTHER BACK.
PROTESTERS CAN’T PARK ANYWHERE
AROUND HERE, THEY HAD TO WALK
ABOUT A HALF MILE TO GET HERE
JUST IN THE LAST HOUR, POLICE
ARE MAKING A NOTICEABLE
INCREASE, TOWARD THE PROTESTERS.
I’VE ONLY SEEN A HANDFUL OF THEM
LEFT.
THE MAJORITY ARE STILL HERE
TODAY AND AGAIN, THE INJUNCTION
GOES INTO EFFECT AT 7 P.M. AND
THAT’S WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS THESE
PROTESTERS HAVE TO LEAVE AND THE
FOLKS I’M TALKING TO SAY THEY DO
NOT PLAN TO LEAVE AND OF COURSE,
AS I MENTIONED, WINDSOR POLICE
ARE INCHING CLOSER AND CLOSER
AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT
PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU WHO DOES
NOT HAVE A LOT OF FANS HERE SAYS
THAT EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE
WHEN IT COMES TO ENDING THE
BLOCKADE AT THE AMBASSADOR
BRIDGE.
REPORTING LIVE IN WINDSOR, PRIYA
MANN, LOCAL 4.
>> Kimberly: OKAY, WE APPRECIATE
YOUR REPORT.
THE EERIE QUIET AT THE
AMBASSADOR BRIDGE IS A
DEFINITELY PROBLEM FOR
AUTOMAKERS BECAUSE IT FILES ONTO
THE EXISTING CHIPS SHORTAGE.
>> Devin: AND ROD MELONI,
ADJUSTMENTS HAVE TO BE MADE.
>> A LOT MORE QUESTIONS ASKED
THAN ANSWERED NOW, RIGHT?
WILL WE SEE TRAFFIC ON THE
BRIDGE HERE TONIGHT?
WILL IT GET VIOLENT AT 7:00,
8:00, 9:00?
AND WILL THE CAR COMPANIES KEEP
HAVING LOSSES ON TOP OF THE
LOSSES THEY’RE STRUGGLING WITH?
>> THIS PRISTINE PAVEMENT,
DEVOID OF THE TRUCK TRAFFIC
USUALLY HERE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
MEANS COMMERCE GOING BOTH
DIRECTIONS WITHOUT $13 MILLION
AN HOUR.
MICHIGAN AUTO WORKERS LOST
ROUGHLY $50 MILLION IN WAGES
THIS WEEK AND GOVERNOR GRETCHEN
WHITMER IS SOUNDING THE ALARM.
>> THERE ARE MICHIGANDERS WHO
ARE HARD WORKING AND WANT TO
SHOW UP FOR THEIR YOB AND
THEY’RE OUT OF WORK.
WE’RE PUSHING ON THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE THIS SWIFTLY
AND SAFELY.
EVERY MINUTE THIS GOES ON IS
INCREDIBLY DAMAGING TO OUR
ECONOMY AND OUR PEOPLE.
>> AND SANDY BARUAH AGREES WITH
THE GOVERNOR.
THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS FRAGILE AND
EXCEPTIONALLY DURING COVID AND
THIS IS THE LAST THING THAT THE
MICHIGAN ECONOMY NEEDS.
>> FORD IS OUT WITH THE
NON-BORDER COSTING CHIP SHORTAGE
PLANT CLOSURES FOR NEXT WEEK,
OHIO ASSEMBLY PLANT, AND THEY
WILL BE DOWN ALONG WITH THE
ONTARIO ENGINE PLANT, BUT AGAIN,
NOT FOR THE BORDER CLOSURE, BUT
BECAUSE IT SUPPLIES OHIO
ASSEMBLY.
KANSAS CITY ASSEMBLY WHERE THEY
BUILD THE TRANSIT.
AND IT WILL REMAIN OPEN ON TWO
SHIFTS, WHERE THEY MAKE THE
F-250, EXPEDITION AND NAVIGATOR,
CHICAGO ASSEMBLY EXPLORER AND
AVIATOR.
AND DEARBORN TRUCK WHERE THEY
BUILD THE F-150.
>> TAKE A LOOK BEHIND ME HERE.
THIS IS THE TOLL BOOTH AREA ON
THE AMERICAN SIDE AND YOU CAN
SEE THEY’RE EMPTY AND THE LIGHTS
ARE ON SAYING THEY’RE CLOSED.
IT’S THE SAME PICTURE ACROSS THE
OTHER END OF THE BRIDGE IN
CANADA.
AND THE AMBASSADOR BRIDGE HAS
CAMERAS AND WE’VE BEEN WATCHING
ALL AFTERNOON.
RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE A DOZEN AND
A HALF OF THE BOOTHS OVER THERE.
AND THERE’S ONLY ONE LIT UP AS
BEING OPEN.
EVEN IF THEY START BRINGING
TRAFFIC IN, IT’S GOING TO BE A
WHILE BEFORE THEY COME OVER, AND
WE’LL BE WATCHING.
ROD MELONI, LOCAL 4.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU, OUR
COVERAGE OF THE BRIDGE SHUTDOWN
CONTINUES ON CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
YOU CAN FIND THE STORIES WITH
LIVE UPDATES AS SOON AS THE
DEVELOPMENTS OCCUR AND YOU’LL
FIND THE STORY UP AT THE HOME
PAGE ON CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
>> ALL RIGHT, NOW TO A LOOK AT
THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS,
THE STATE REPORTS A TWO-DAY
TOTAL OF 5,716 NEW CASES, AN
AVERAGE OF 2,500--
EXCUSE ME, 2,858 CASES EACH DAY.
152 DEATHS WERE REPORTED OVER
THAT SAME TIME PERIOD, INCLUDING
110 FROM A VITAL RECORDS REVIEW.
THE ROLLING BACK OF SCHOOL MASK
MANDATES CONTINUED TODAY.
OAKLAND AND WASHTENAW COUNTIES
JOINED I THINKHAM COUNTY ON THE
LIST OF THOSE WHO PLAN TO LIFT
THEIR MASK REQUIREMENTS FOR K-12
SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES.
BOTH POLICIES WILL REMAIN IN
EFFECT UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH.
THAT LEAVES WAYNE COUNTY AS THE
LAST IN MICHIGAN WITHOUT PLANS
TO LIFT THE K-THROUGH 12 MASK
MANDATE.
PAULA TUTMAN HAS BEEN GETTING
REACTION FROM HEALTH OFFICIALS,
EDUCATORS AND EVERYDAY PEOPLE AS
SHE JOINS US WITH MORE.
>> HI, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE,
IT’S INTERESTING YOU MENTIONED
WAYNE COUNTY.
IT’S IMPORTANT THAT MOST OF THE
COUNTIES DON’T OPERATE IN A
VACUUM.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE
TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER AND WHAT
I SUSPECT IS YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE
A SEA CHANGE IN MASK MANDATES
FOR VARIOUS COUNTIES.
>> IN OAKLAND COUNTY, WHICH
ANNOUNCED TODAY SCHOOL MASK
MANDATES WILL BE REMOVED
FEBRUARY 28TH.
THEY SAY IT’S ALL ABOUT THE
NUMBERS.
AND THE DATA.
>> FOR THE PAST NUMBER OF WEEKS,
OUR HEALTH OFFICERS HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO HER COUNTIES
INCLUDING THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR,
LOOKING AT THE DATA, WE FEEL AT
THE TIME WE SEE A SIGNIFICANT
DROP IN CASES AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS.
>> I THINKNGHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS,
5 TO 11 YEAR OLDS AND 62% OF 12
TO 15 YEAR OLDS.
>> IT IS A PANDEMIC THAT’S
SHIFTING INTO AN ENDEMIC.
WE KNOW THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE
COVID OR GOING TO BE LIVING WITH
COVID AND WE’RE KIND OF ENTERING
THAT STAGE.
>> WASHTENAW COUNTY ANNOUNCED
TODAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, THE MASK
MANDATES WILL GO AWAY.
IN MACOMB COUNTY, THERE’S NEVER
BEEN A MASK MANDATE, HOWEVER,
NUMEROUS DISTRICTS IN THAT ISD
HAVE REQUIRED MASKS.
IN A RECENT ONE, THE WARREN
CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS
MORE THAN 13,000 STUDENTS
CREDITS HAVING MASK MANDATES IN
PLACE, KEEPING MORE KIDS IN
IN-PERSON LEARNING.
WE MADE THE DECISION IN
SEPTEMBER TO REQUIRE THAT
STUDENTS AND STAFF AND ALL
VISITORS WEAR MASKS, AND OUR
NUMBERS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER
AND I MEAN SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER
THAN PLACES WHERE MASKS ARE
OPTIONAL.
AND DESPITE THE HEAVY POLITICAL
DEBATE ABOUT MASKS IN OUR
EXPERIENCE HERE, THEY HAVE
SERVED US EXTRAORDINARILY WELL.
>> YOU KNOW, I DO WONDER WHETHER
OR NOT YOU NOTICE A CHANGE IN
VERNACULAR THAT I NOTICE IN
TALKING TO THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS IT SEEMS LIKE WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT DATA, WITH DATA AS
OPPOSED TO SCIENCE.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS,
BY THE WAY, BUT WE’RE HEARING AS
THEY MOVE INTO ENDEMIC BEHAVIOR,
THEY WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE ON MORE
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
TO BE TIPPED, GUYS, HAPPY FRIDAY
TO YOU.
>> HAPPY FRIDAY TO YOU, TOO,
PAULA.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT AS
ALWAYS.
>> A SURPRISING ANNOUNCEMENT
INVOLVING PFIZER’S VACCINE OF
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE.
A MEETING OF THE F.D.A. ADVISORY
PANEL SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK
HAS NOW BEEN CANCELED AFTER
PFIZER ESSENTIALLY PAUSED ITS
APPLICATION, IT’S GOING TO WAIT
ON ADDITIONAL DATA RECORDING THE
NEED FOR A THIRD DOSE.
>> IT’S A SETBACK FOR PARENTS
ANXIOUS TO VACCINATE CHILDREN
AGAINST COVID-19.
>> AS A PARENT I NEED TO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PREVENT
THEM FROM OUTCOMES.
>> SHE HAS TWO KIDS UNDER FIVE
AND WOULD VACCINE THEM.
>> AND IT’S THE THEY THINK THAT
WE CAN DO TO PROTECT CHILDREN
WHO AREN’T OLD ENOUGH TO MASK
EFFECTIVELY.
>> AND PFIZER REQUESTED
EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATIONS FOR
TWO DOZES FOR KIDS UNDER FIVE AT
THE URGING OF THE F.D.A. IN
SPITE THE DATA ON THE NEED FOR A
THIRD DOSE IS STILL COLLECTED.
IN THE CLINICAL TRIAL TWO DOSES
FAILED TO PRODUCE A STRONG
IMMUNE RESPONSE IN KIDS AGE TWO
TO FOUR, ONLY KIDS BETWEEN SIX
MONTHS AND TWO YEARS OLD HAD
THOSE RESPONSIVE TO OLDER KIDS.
AND THEY WERE SET TO EVALUATE
THE VACCINE.
SPEAKING BEFORE TODAY’S
ANNOUNCEMENT HE SOUGHT TO
REASSURE PARENTS ABOUT THE
PROCESS.
WE ALL WANT TO SEE THE DATA AND
WE WOULD HE NOT APPROVE UNLESS
WE COULD GIVE IT TO OUR OWN
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
>> DATA ON THE EFFECT OF A THIRD
DOSE IS EXPECTED IN APRIL.
IN A STATEMENT, PFIZER SAYS IT
WILL WAIT TO COMPLETE THE DRYEL
SAYING IT BELIEVES THREE DOSES
AS THEY PUT IT, MAY PROVIDE A