>> Announcer: LOCAL 4 NEWS
STARTS THOUSAND WITH A
BREAKING NEWS ALERT.
>>> BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW,
THE TRUCKER PROTESTS
REACHING A FIFTH STRAIGHT
DAY BUT THAT BLOCKADE AT THE
MICHIGAN WINDS SORE BORDER
AT THE AMBASSADOR BRIDGE
COULD END AS EARLY AS TODAY.
>>> YES, HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
WINDSOR OFFICIALS ARE IN A
HEARING.
THEY ARE SEEKING AN
INJUNCTION TO GET THE GREEN
LIGHT TO HAVE POLICE START
FORCIBLY REMOVING THE
PROTESTORS THAT ARE BLOCKING
THE AMBASSADOR BRIDGE.
THE PROTEST IS AGAINST THE
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT’S
VACCINE MANDATE FOR TRUCK
DRIVERS.
THIS COMES AS ONTARIO HAS
DECLARED A STATE OF
EMERGENCY, ROD MELONI JOINS
US NOW LIVE WITH WHERE
EVERYTHING STANDS THIS NOON.
>> YEAH, RHONDA, WE’RE
SEEING A LOT OF ACTIVITY OUT
HERE BUT WE’RE NOT SURE
EXACTLY WHAT’S TO COME.
NOW I WILL STEP OUT OF THIS
SHOT HERE.
WE’RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE
BRIDGE.
NOW IT DOES NOT APPEAR, AND
I’VE GONE UP THE STREET IN
BOTH DIRECTIONS TO SEE IF
WE’RE SEEING ANY TRAFFIC.
SO FAR WE’RE NOT SEEING ANY
ON THE BRIDGE BUT THERE IS A
REPORT THAT THEY ARE
ALLOWING ONE LANE OPEN TO
COME INTO THE UNITED STATES.
WHILE WE DON’T SEE ANY
TRUCKS COMING, WE ARE SEEING
ACTIVITY OVER AT THE PLAZA
HERE, THE TOLL PLAZA JUST
BEHIND US HERE.
IN FACT WE CAN FLIP AROUND.
THERE’S A STATE POLICE
VEHICLE THERE.
WE’VE SEEN A NUMBER OF THOSE
IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES.
THEY ALSO HAVE HAD A SALT
TRUCK OUT HERE SALTING THE
BOOTHS.
THERE THOSE ARE THE BOOTHS
WHERE THE TRUCKGOERS IN AND
TALK ABOUT WEIGHT AND ALSO
THEY PAY WHATEVER IT IS THAT
THEY NEED IN TERMS OF THE
TOLL TO GET IN AND ON THE
BRIDGE OR GET OFF THE
BRIDGE.
SO RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE
THERE’S ACTIVITY BUT WE’RE
UNCERTAIN.
THERE IS AN ATTEMPT BY THE
ONTARIO PREMIER TO HAVE A
STATE OF EMERGENCY WHICH
COULD MEAN 100,000 DOLLAR
FINES FOR ARRESTS TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ANY OF
THIS.
AND SO, THERE IS THAT
DISCUSSION APPARENTLY THAT
MIGHT HAVE PROMPTED THIS
MOVE THAT WE SO FAR CANNOT
SEE ANY VEHICLES COMING.
NOW, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN
ON THE PHONE OVER THE LAST
24 HOURS TALKING TO THE
WHITE HOUSE, TALKING TO THE
CANADIAN CONSULATE, TALKING
TO OTHER PEOPLE.
SHE WAS DISCUSSING WHAT IT
IS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN HERE.
ALSO WE TALKED TO ONE OF OUR
OLD FRIENDS.
HE’S AN ECONOMIST BY THE
NAME OF PATRICK ANDERSON
FROM THE ANDERSON ECONOMIC
GROUP.
HE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT
IS HURTING THE CAR COMPANIES
IN PARTICULAR AND THE STATE
AS AN ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.
SO LET’S HEAR FROM THE
GOVERNOR AND PATRICK EARNS.
>> -- PATRICK ANDERSON.
>> WE HAVE TO PUSH TO
RESOLVE THIS AND AND IT’S
GOT TO BE SWIFT AND OF
COURSE WE WANT IT SAFELY TO
BE DONE AS WELL BUT IT HAS
TO HAPPEN.
WE CANNOT LET ANOTHER MINUTE
GO BY UNNECESSARILY.
BECAUSE THIS BORDER IS TOO
IMPORTANT TO OUR ECONOMY, TO
OUR HOMELAND SECURITY AND TO
THE, AS WE GROW OUR ECONOMY,
IT’S A CRUCIAL MOMENT.
>> WHEN YOU SEE AUTOMAKERS
PUT HEAVY PARTS ON PLANES
JUST TO FLY THEM MILE MILES
ACROSS THE BORDER YOU KNOW
THAT THERE’S A LOT OF MONEY
ON THE LINE.
AND A LOT OF PRODUCTION AND
EMPLOYMENT THAT’S BEING
AFFECTED.
>> Reporter: NOW WHAT WE DO
KNOW IS THAT THE OHIO
ASSEMBLY PLANT FOR FORD IS
DOWN TODAY.
THEY’RE ALSO SAYING THAT
THEY’RE WORKING ON LESSER
PRODUCTION AT THEIR CANADIAN
PLANTS OAKVILLE,
ONTARIO WHICH IS AN ASSEMBLY
PLANT AND ALSO THEIR ENGINE
PLANT HERE IN WINDSOR.
STILLANTIS SAYS THEY HAVE
LIMITED PARTS THEY’RE GOING
TO BE WORKING TODAY, TOO BUT
THEY’RE NOT EXACTLY SURE
WHERE IT’S ALL HEADED.
I’M STILL WAITING TO HEAR
FROM GENERAL MOTORS.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE METER IS
RUNNING AS WE TRY TO FIGURE
OUT THE RESOLUTION TO ALL OF
THIS.
WE’RE CERTAINLY ON TOP OF
ALL OF IT WE HAVE A CREW
OVER IN CANADA HERE IN THE
HEARING RIGHT NOW SO WE’LL
HAVE MORE ON THAT.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS WE’LL BE
RIGHT HERE WE’LL HAVE IT FOR
YOU LIVE.
REPORTING LIVE IN DETROIT,
ROD MELONI, LOCAL 4.
>> ALL RIGHT, ROD, THANK
YOU.
>>> AND OF COURSE, AS ROD
SAID, KEEP IT RIGHT HERE
WITH LOCAL 4 AND
CLICKONDETROIT.COM
THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THE SITUATION AND KEEP YOU
UPDATED IF ANYTHING CHANGES