LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT. LOCAL 4 NEWS AT SIX STARTS NOW. I JUST NEED SOME HELP. THAT’S
ALL I’M ASKING FOR. ER SAYS THE
WAYNE COUNTY MORGUE’S LACK OF
SERVICE IS HEARTBREAKING AND
TAKING A FINANCIAL TOLL ON HER
NEED TO GET OFF THE BUS AND HIRE
PEOPLE SO THEY CAN GET THIS WORK
DONE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE
COMPLAINING AT THE TIME IT TAKES
TO GET A CREMATION PERMIT BACK
IS STILL THAT 2 TO 3 DAY DELAY
FOR INVESTIGATORS BACK AT THE
MORGUE, EXPOSING THE ISSUES
FOLKS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT.
WHEN COUNTY MORGUE SAID IT WAS
GOING TO FIX THE ISSUE OF DELAYS
AND DEATH CERTIFICATES AND
CREMATION PERMITS. IT APPEARS IT
IS STILL A PROBLEM, AND THOSE
DELAYS CAN JUST ADD MORE
HEARTACHE TO FAMILIES WHO ARE
ALREADY GRIEVING. SO LET’S BRING
IN LOCAL 4 INVESTIGATOR KAREN
DREW AND KAREN, YOU SAID YOU
WERE GOING TO HOLD THE MORTGAGE
COUNTABLE. YOU CERTAINLY DOING
THAT. SO WHAT’D YOU FIND OUT
THIS TIME? KIM AND DEVIN? I CAN
TELL YOU, THE WAYNE COUNTY
MORGUE CAN ISSUE STATEMENTS
PRETTY FAST. BUT THEIR
TIMELINESS FOR FAMILIES SEEKING
ANSWERS AND NEEDED PAPERWORK AS
A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY. AH WHO
WAS FUN LOVING ARMS. WE BOTH
VETERANS OF THE U. S ARMY AND HE
LOVED TO TRAVEL AND HE JUST
LOVED TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS.
CRAWFORD SO MISSES HER LATE
HUSBAND NORM. HE DIED THIS PAST
JANUARY. SHE’S NOT ONLY HAD TO
DEAL WITH HIS PASSING, BUT ALSO
HER STRUGGLE TO GET HER
HUSBAND’S DEATH CERTIFICATE FROM
THE WAYNE COUNTY MORGUE. AS A
RESULT, SHE CAN’T GET HER
HUSBAND’S PENSION CHECKING AND
CHECKING NO DEFICIT. IF IT NO
DEATH CERTIFICATE. IT’S VERY
STRUCTURING BECAUSE I’M BEHIND
IN MY D T BILL. I’M TRYING TO
CALL THEM. THEY DON’T WANT TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT’S GOING ON.
LOCAL 4 INVESTIGATORS HAVE BEEN
REPORTING ON MORGUE MISTAKES AND
DELAYS IN PROCESSING PAPERWORK
AND BODIES FOR THE PAST YEAR
AFTER OUR FIRST INTERVIEW, WHAT
HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE
IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY RARE. THE
MEDICAL EXAMINER DR KARL SCHMIDT
WON’T TALK TO US ANYMORE ON
CAMERA, BUT DETROIT RESIDENTS
LIKE CELIA CRAWFORD, SURE WILL.
THEY SEND AROUND BEING LAZY.
THEY NEED TO GET OFF THE BUS AND
HIRE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN GET THIS
WORK DONE BECAUSE THIS DOESN’T
MAKE ANY SENSE. SHE ISN’T THE
ONLY ONE COMPLAINING AT THE TIME
IT TAKES TO GET A CREMATION
PERMIT BACK IS STILL THAT 2 TO 3
DAY. DELAY FROM WHEN WE PUT THE
REQUEST IN INITIALLY FUNERAL
HOMES IN SOUTHFIELD IS
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE DELAYS AT THE
WAYNE COUNTY MORGUE CAUSE MORE
HEARTACHE FOR THE FAMILIES THEY
SERVE BECAUSE WE’RE WAITING ON
CREMATION PERMITS TO COME BACK
BEFORE WE CAN COMPLETE SERVICES
FOR OUR FAMILIES. WHAT DOES THE
MORGUE HAVE TO SAY? IN A
STATEMENT, A SPOKESPERSON SAYS
THE COUNTY STRIVES TO PROVIDE
COMPASSIONATE, PROMPT AND TIMELY
SERVICES TO FAMILIES. SOMETIMES
A DELAY CAN OCCUR IN PROCESSING
A CREMATION PERMIT OR DEATH
CERTIFICATE AT THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER’S OFFICE DUE TO
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE
DEATH. CELIA’S RESPONSE. I JUST
NEED SOMETHING. I’M FINE. I
WOULDN’T THE HELL IS GOING ON.
THAT’S ALL I NEED. HMM NOW I’VE
REACHED OUT WITH THE SPECIFICS
AND CELIA’S CASE WAITING TO HEAR
BACK FROM THE MORGUE, HOPING WE
CAN SOLVE THIS FOR HER. BY THE
WAY, I HAVE TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING ELSE I’VE UNCOVERED
INSIDE SOURCES TELLING ME IF A
FUNERAL HOME OWED THE WAYNE
COUNTY MORGUE MONEY
ADMINISTRATION WOULD MAKE A LIST
OF THOSE FUNERAL HOMES AND
EMPLOYEES WERE TOLD NOT TO DO
CREMATION PERMITS UNTIL THEY PAY
NOW. SOME BROKE THE RULES, OF
COURSE FELT FOR THE FAMILIES.
THEY COMPLETED THOSE PERMITS
ANYWAY. I DID ASK THE WAYNE
COUNTY MORGUE TO COMMENT ON
THAT, SO I DIDN’T HEAR BACK
ENTANGLEMENT TIE THINGS UP, SO
CLEARLY THERE’S STILL A LOT OF
WORK TO BE DONE. BUT THE
MORTGAGE SUPPOSED TO CHANGE
HANDS HERE SOON, RIGHT. THERE
HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION
ABOUT THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD A
WAYNE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MEETING TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
LEADERSHIP. IT APPEARS WAYNE
STATE UNIVERSITY WILL BE TAKING
THE LEAD ON THAT. IT’S IRONIC,
THOUGH, IN TODAY’S MEETING THEY
WERE TALKING ABOUT EMPATHY,
EMPATHY FOR THOSE WHO ARE
DECEASED IN THEIR FAMILIES WOULD
BE NICE IF THEY COULD HAVE SOME
FOR CELIA. RIGHT THANKS, KAREN.
ALRIGHT A JUDGE ORDERS THE
ACCUSED. HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS
GUNMEN TO BE HELD WITHOUT BOND
21 YEAR OLD ROBERT CREAM OF THE
THIRD. FACES SEVEN COUNTS OF
FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN THE
SHOOTING DEATHS OF SEVEN PEOPLE
AT THE CITY’S JULY 4TH PARADE.
INVESTIGATORS REVEALING TODAY
THAT CREMO CONFESSED TO THAT
SHOOTING. ALSO SAYING HE
CONSIDERED A SECOND ATTACK IN
MADISON, WISCONSIN. NO PLEA HAS
BEEN ENTERED CREAMERS.
PRELIMINARY HEARING IS SET FOR
JULY 28TH WESTERN HOLT AND NBC
NIGHTLY NEWS WILL BE HAVE
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF TODAY’S NEW
DEVELOPMENTS. THAT BEGINS AT 6
30 RIGHT HERE ON LOCAL 4
COMPLAINTS ABOUT SPEEDING ON
RESIDENTIAL STREETS BEEN PILING
UP IN ONE DETROIT SUBURB TO THE
POINT THAT POLICE ARE NOW GIVING
THAT AREA SOME SPECIAL
ATTENTION. MEGAN WOODS AND
HARPER WOODS WHERE THE MESSAGE
IS JUST SIMPLE. SLOW DOWN,
MEGAN. THAT’S RIGHT. WE’RE HERE
ON BEACONSFIELD, WHERE A LOT OF
THOSE COMMUNITY COMPLAINTS ARE
COMING FROM AND YOU SEE BEHIND
ME. THIS OFFICER IS ACTUALLY
USING A LASER RADAR METHOD TO
TRACK HOW FAST DRIVERS ARE
GOING. AND THE MESSAGES. YES,
SLOW DOWN, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT’S
THE LAW BUT SLOW DOWN TO SAVE
LIVES, ESPECIALLY THE LIVES OF
CHILDREN. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE
TO PLAY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS
AND THEIR HOMES WITHOUT THE FEAR
OF SOMEONE RUNNING THEM OVER
WHETHER YOU WALK YOUR DOG EVERY
DAY LIKE BETH SCHMIDT, OR YOU’RE
LIKE HARPER WOODS MAYOR VALERY
KENDALL, WHO DRIVES DOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, YOU’RE
BOUND TO ENCOUNTER A SPEEDING
DRIVER. SOMEBODY WAS COMING
RIGHT AT ME. CARS WERE PARKED ON
ONE SIDE. AGAIN I HAD THE RIGHT
AWAY. THEY WERE JUST FLYING PAST
ME AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN
BEACONSFIELD, WHICH IS 25 MILES
ON. THERE WAS A LADY PASSED ME
SHE HAD TO BE DOING MORE THAN 50
. MILES AN HOUR. POLICE CHIEF
SAYS IT’S A MAJOR PROBLEM. WE
HAVE OUR SHARE OF ACCIDENTS OR
RELATED TO SPEEDING RELATED TO
DISREGARDING TRAFFIC SIGNALS IS
A BIG ONE PEOPLE JUST GOING
RIGHT THROUGH STOP SIGNS
COMPLETE DISREGARD. AND YOU
KNOW, IT’S A HUGE GAMBLE. WHEN
YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THREE YEARS AGO, THEY INSTALLED
SIGNS LIKE THIS ONE, BUT IT
HASN’T SLOWED DRIVERS DOWN 36.
NOW THEY’RE GETTING MORE HELP
FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. WE’RE
GOING TO BE OUT HERE TO HELP
THEM COMBAT THOSE FEEDERS AND
DRIFTER THAN THE DRAG RACING
GOES ON HERE, WHILE THEY’RE
STILL ABLE TO ANSWER CALLS THE
SERVICE AS A TEAM, THE TWO
AGENCIES ARE FOCUSING ON THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT’S THE MAIN
MESSAGE. WE’RE TRYING TO GET
PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN. THERE’S A
LOT OF ACCIDENTS WE’VE HAD.
WE’VE HAD SOME FATALITIES OUT
HERE, UNFORTUNATELY AND A LOT OF
KIDS OUT HERE AS YOU CAN SEE
PLAYING. AND WE’VE BEEN OUT HERE
FOR HOURS AND WE’VE SEEN THEM
PULL OVER SEVERAL PEOPLE. YOU
CAN SEE SOMEONE’S BEING PULLED
OVER RIGHT NOW, BUT WE’VE ALSO
SEEN PEOPLE STOPPING BY THE SIDE
AND JUST THINKING OFFICERS
DEPUTIES FOR COMING OUT HERE AND
TRACKING THE SPEED OF THESE
DRIVERS AGAIN SO PEOPLE CAN FEEL
SAFER. THIS INITIATIVE IS GOING
ON FOR DAYS LIVE IN HARPER WOODS
. I’M MEGAN WOODS LOCAL 4 OFTEN
ALL IT TAKES TO SING SO AN
OFFICER OUT AND ABOUT TO SLOW
THINGS DOWN. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
RIGHT, MEGAN. ALRIGHT WELL,
WE’RE MAKING UP FOR LOST RAIN
THIS WEEK. THAT WOULD CERTAINLY
NOT BEEN A TOTAL WASHOUT TODAY.
COOL THINGS OFF A LITTLE BIT,
TOO. LET’S CHECK IN WITH BRETT
FOR A LOOK AT WHERE THINGS
STAND. BRETT TEMPERATURES ARE
FEELING PRETTY GOOD. IT’S THAT
HUMIDITY THAT’S STILL SOMEWHAT
HIGH. MAKING IT FEEL KIND OF
HEAVY OUT THERE, BUT KEEP IN
MIND THE NORMAL HIGHS. 84 WERE
IN THE MID SEVENTIES, SO A SOLID
10 DEGREES BELOW WHERE WE SHOULD
BE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. THIS
IS THE ALL IMPORTANT NUMBER THE
DEW POINT ANYTIME. THIS IS IN
THE SIXTIES, CLOSE TO 70. IT
FEELS HEAVY. BUT BELIEVE IT OR
NOT, IT’S ACTUALLY ABOUT 5 TO 10
DEGREES LOWER THAN IT WAS
YESTERDAY. WE WERE IN THE
SEVENTIES YESTERDAY. WE’RE GOING
TO HANG ONTO THE MUG EASE FOR A
COUPLE OF DAYS. AS FOR THIS
EVENING, WE FALL INTO THE
SIXTIES WITH MORE BREAKS IN
THOSE CLOUDS. BUT WE ARE
TRACKING SOME CHANGES IN STORE
FOR THE WEEKEND. FIRST HANGING
UNDER RAIN CHANCES THROUGH PARTS
OF YOUR FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND
LOOKS GOOD BEFORE MORE RAIN.
RETURNS NEXT WEEK. WE’LL TIME IT
OUT FOR YOU IN JUST A BIT. OKAY
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, AIR TRAVEL
RIGHT NOW CAN BE BEYOND
FRUSTRATING WITH SO MANY DELAYS
IN LAST MINUTE CANCELATIONS.
THAT’S WHY OUR CONSUMER
INVESTIGATOR HANK WINCHESTER,
HOPPED A FLIGHT THIS MORNING
FROM DETROIT TO ORLANDO, AND WE
FOLLOWED HANKS JOURNEY ALL DAY
ON AIR AND ONLINE. AND TONIGHT
HE’S REPORTING FROM ORLANDO. AND
REVEALING SOME INSIDER
INFORMATION, WHICH DETROIT
FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN THE MOST
AFFECTED BY THE SUDDEN PROBLEMS
AND IT TURNS OUT THE NUMBERS ARE
NOT VERY HIGH RIGHT NOW, HANK
WE’RE HERE RIGHT NOW INSIDE THE
AIRPORT IN ORLANDO AND TAKE A
LOOK. OUR FLIGHTS IN DETROIT ON
DELTA. IT IS TAKEN OFF ON TIME
AND JUST A FEW MOMENTS. THAT IS
THE GOOD NEWS FOR US AND OUR
TRAVEL EXPERIENCE. TODAY AND
TONIGHT. I HAVE SOME INSIDER
INFORMATION FOR EVERYBODY FLYING
OUT OF D T W FLYING RECENTLY, A
REAL PAIN FOR MANY PASSENGERS,
IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT YOU JUST
COME AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.
THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTS BEING
CANCELED EVERY DAY. THE ISSUE
STAFFING PROBLEMS ACROSS THE
BOARD. THE PLANES ARE FULL, THE
PILOTS PROTESTING THEIR WORKING
CONDITIONS. THE CREW SIMPLY
OVERWORKED WHEREVER YOU GO,
THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH
STAFFING. KATHLEEN BANGS IS WITH
FLIGHT AWARE, WHICH IS IN THE
BUSINESS OF TRACKING ALL OF
THESE PROBLEMS MORE FROM HER IN
A MOMENT. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
DEAL WITH THESE TURBULENT TIMES
WILL BE FLEXIBLE, FLY MIDWEEK BY
INSURANCE. AVOID THE WEEKENDS.
IF POSSIBLE THIS MORNING AS I
LEFT METRO FOR ORLANDO. WE
ARRIVED EARLY, AS DID MANY
PASSENGERS WE MET RIGHT NOW. IF
YOU’RE FLYING OUT OF A MAJOR
CITY, I’D REALLY ADVISE THREE
HOURS. I’VE USED TWO HOURS
RECENTLY IN ALMOST COULDN’T GET
ON BOARD. THERE WERE ABOUT A
DOZEN DELAYS OR CANCELATIONS
THIS MORNING. OUR FLIGHT TO
ORLANDO, THOUGH, ARRIVED ALMOST
RIGHT ON TIME. HERE IN ORLANDO.
WE’RE JUST ABOUT WHEELS DOWN AND
ALMOST ON TIME, JUST A LITTLE
BIT OF LATE. THAT’S BECAUSE OF
THE WEATHER IN DETROIT. AND I
WORKED WITH FLIGHT AWARE TO
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS FOR YOU. SO
LET’S TAKE A LOOK. HERE ARE THE
MOST COMMON CANCELATION
DESTINATIONS FROM D TW DURING
THE LAST FEW MONTHS, TOPPING THE
LIST THE FLIGHT FROM DETROIT TO
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, 76. FLIGHTS
CANCELED. NEXT UP LAGUARDIA,
FOLLOWED BY ORLANDO WITH 31
FLIGHTS CANCELED AND ROUNDING
OUT THE TOP FOUR DETROIT TO
TORONTO. LET’S TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK AT DELTA, THE MOST COMMON
ROUTE CANCELED HEADS RIGHT TO
LAGUARDIA 32 FLIGHTS CANCELED IN
THE LAST FEW MONTHS ON SPIRIT.
IT’S THE DETROIT TO ORLANDO
FLIGHT MOST AFFECTED WITH 10
FLIGHTS CANCELED. AND WHEN WE
LOOK AT ALL THE AIRLINES FLYING
OUT OF METRO DURING THE LAST FEW
MONTHS, HERE ARE THE NUMBERS.
THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 37,360
PLIGHTS OF THOSE 751 CANCELED.
AND JUST OVER 7000 EXPERIENCED A
DELAY PASSENGERS RIGHT NOW WE
JUST HAVE TO BE PATIENT AND ALSO
FLEXIBLE IF POSSIBLE, AND IF YOU
CAN’T REACH AN AIRLINE BY
CALLING, I KNOW IT’S A BIG
STRUGGLE RIGHT NOW, TRY TWITTER
. ALL THE AIRLINES HAVE
ESTABLISHED TEAMS WORKING TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE. WE’RE HERE IN
ORLANDO TONIGHT, HANK WINCHESTER
. HELP ME HANG BACK TO YOU.
ADVICE. HANKIN IF YOU HAD TO
CLICKONDETROIT’S COM RIGHT NOW,
YOU CAN SEE A BREAKDOWN OF
CANCELATIONS BY AIRLINE FOR
FLIGHTS OUT OF METRO FROM APRIL
THROUGH JULY, 4TH ON THE HELP ME
HANK PAGE, ALONG WITH HANK’S
BLOG OF HIS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE,
AND WHAT HE’S BEEN HEARING FROM
OTHER TRAVELERS WHO ARE FLYING
RIGHT NOW, DELTA HAS A NEW WAY.
FOR YOU TO GET YOUR GATE AND
FLIGHT INFORMATION WITH ITS NEW
TECHNOLOGY. YOU CAN SEE YOUR
INFORMATION ON A BIG SCREEN THE
SAME TIME AS DOZENS OF OTHERS,
BUT IT STAYS PRIVATE. SO HOW
DOES THAT WORK BROADCAST ME
GETTING A HANDS ON DEMONSTRATION