IT’S BEING CALLED A DANGER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOW ONE PONTIAC HOMEOWNER WANTS THE CITY
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE
ISSUE OF BENT GUARDRAIL IN FRONT
OF HER HOME THAT SHE SAYS HAS
BEEN HIT NOW BY A NUMBER OF
TIMES BY SPEEDING DRIVERS
IMAGINE WELL, THE GUARDRAIL IS
LOCATED A STOP SIGN AT THE
INTERSECTION OF ADELAIDE AND
WEST HOWARD. AS VICTOR WILLIAMS
SHOWS US THE HOMEOWNER WANTS
SOMETHING DONE BEFORE SOMEONE
GETS HURT. WELL THE WOMAN THAT
LIVES RIGHT HERE IN THIS HOUSE
SAYS THIS IS NO WAY TO LIVE AND
YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITION OF
THIS GUARD RELEVANCE RIGHT
OUTSIDE OF HER HOME. IT SHOWS
YOU JUST HOW DANGEROUS THIS AREA
CAN BE WITH THIS BEING THE
RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT. SO NOW
THE HOMEOWNER IS SAYING SHE JUST
WANTS THE CITY TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS BEFORE. IT’S TOO
LATE. I’M AFRAID THAT KIDS ARE
GOING TO GET HURT. YOU KNOW? I’M
AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY IS
SERIOUSLY GOING TO GET HURT ON
THIS, HEATHER H SAYS LIVING IN
HER HOME NEAR ADELAIDE AND WEST.
HOWARD HAS BEEN TERRIFYING. EVER
SINCE THE DAY SHE MOVED IN
SCARED. I MEAN, WHEN I FIRST
MOVED HERE IT WAS WOOD. I HAD TO
FIGHT TO GET A METAL RAIL.
WHAT’S IT GONNA TAKE FOR
SOMEBODY TO DIE BECAUSE OF THE
POSITION OF HER HOME DRIVERS,
FOR SOME REASON, JUST CAN’T SEEM
TO SLOW DOWN COMING OFF THE LONG
ROAD LEADING TO THE INTERSECTION
, CAUSING THEM TO HIT THE
GUARDRAIL. TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE YOU HAD
HERE? I CAN’T EVEN TELL YOU.
THIS BENT REAL IS STILL IN PLACE
AND DOESN’T OFFER MUCH
PROTECTION FOR WHEN A CRASH
POTENTIALLY HAPPENS AGAIN. SO
FAR, HEATHER HAS GONE TO THE
CITY MULTIPLE TIMES. YET NO
ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN IN THE
MANNER I HAVE. STOP THEM WHEN
THEY’VE BEEN OUT HERE. I HAVE
CALLED THEM. AND I’VE HAD NO
RESPONSE. YOU KNOW? I MEAN, THIS
IS RIDICULOUS. AND WITH WINTER
ON THE WAY, HEATHER SAYS IT’S A
RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK TO
PREVENT ANOTHER TRAGEDY. WHAT IS
IT GONNA TAKE FOR THAT? SOMEBODY
TO HIT MY HOUSE? THEY HIT THE
HOUSE I LIVE IN. IT DOESN’T MAKE
ANY SENSE, LET ALONE I’M AFRAID
THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO END
UP. IN MY YARD, MY NEIGHBOR’S
YARD. YOU KNOW, WE DON’T HAVE
MONEY TO REPLACE OUR THINGS. NOW
WE DID TRY GOING TO PONTIAC CITY
HALL TO ASK THEM WHERE THINGS
STAND. BUT NO ONE COULD TELL US
ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THESE
REPAIRS. HOPEFULLY NOW THEY’LL
TAKE SOME ACTION. VICTOR
WILLIAMS LOCAL 4 YOUR HOPES THAT
HOPE IT GETS FIXED. THANKS,
VICTOR. WE APPRECIATE IT. STORY
OF NEIGHBORS COMING TOGETHER
DURING A VERY TENSE SITUATION
OUTSIDE THEIR DOORS. IT HAPPENED
LAST NIGHT AS MICHIGAN STATE
POLICE WERE SEARCHING FOR A MAN
IN A SUSPECTED DRUG CASE.
SHAWN LEY LIVE IN CORK TOWN.
SHAWN LEY USED A CRITICAL PIECE
OF TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP EVERYONE
UPDATED, BUT THIS WAS REALLY
FRIGHTENING FOR SOME FOLKS. IT
WAS AND IF YOU’RE NOT AS CLOSE
WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS OR YOU GUYS
KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, I WANT YOU TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THIS ONE. HERE IN
CORK TOWN. EVERYONE LOOKS OUT
FOR EACH OTHER LAST NIGHT MSP
TROOPERS ALL OVER THE PLACE, SO
NEIGHBORS USED A MESSAGING APP
TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE
CHASE WAS EXACTLY TO STAY
INDOORS. THE TROOPERS WERE
SAYING, SO PEOPLE WERE MESSAGING
THAT AND THEN WHEN IT WAS ALL
OVER, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. CORK
TOWN IS A REALLY SORT OF TIGHT
KNIT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE STUFF
DOESN’T HAPPEN IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. VERY OFTEN. WE’RE
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S
GOING ON SO EVERYONE CAN BE SAFE
TOWN IS A TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY.
NEIGHBORS MAKE A POINT TO KNOW
EACH OTHER AND COMMUNICATE WITH
ONE ANOTHER, INSTEAD OF KEEPING
TO THEMSELVES THAT PAID OFF LAST
NIGHT AS NEIGHBORS COMING
TOGETHER WATCHING A TEAM OF
MICHIGAN STATE POLICE TROOPERS
AND A CANINE RIGHT OUTSIDE THEIR
FRONT DOORS, JAMIE K. WALTERS
WAS PUTTING YOUR KIDS TO BED
JUST AFTER FOR NINE. I HEAR MY
HUSBAND. SAY FOR EVERYONE TO GET
AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE’S
SOMETHING GOING ON OUTSIDE AND
THERE WAS MSP WAS IN HOT PURSUIT
OF A MAN SUSPECTED OF CONDUCTING
A DRUG TRANSACTION. NEARBY
POLICE GOING STREET TO STREET
WHILE NEIGHBORS WERE TALKING TO
EACH OTHER BY USING THE GROUP ME
MESSAGING APP, KEEPING EVERYONE
INFORMED, EVEN SHARING VIDEO OF
THE MAN RUNNING FROM POLICE
CAPTURED BY THEIR SECURITY
CAMERAS. IT WAS NEIGHBORS
KEEPING IN CONTACT WITH EACH
OTHER. THAT HELPS PEOPLE FEEL
SAFE. AND THEN MICHIGAN STATE
POLICE WAS HERE AND THEY WERE
MAKING PEOPLE FEEL SAFE BECAUSE
THEY WERE YOU FELT LIKE THEY
WERE SORT OF TAKING CARE OF IT,
EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN’T KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON. LET’S
TALK ABOUT THE INCIDENT. MSP
CONFIRMS TO ME THIS PURSUIT AND
THEY SAID THEY’VE IDENTIFIED
THIS PERSON. THEY HOPE TO HAVE
THE PERSON IN CUSTODY VERY SOON
. LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT APP
GROUP ME HAVEN’T HEARD OF IT
CHECKED IT OUT VERY, VERY COOL
FOR NEIGHBORS TO LET EACH OTHER
KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON. ALSO GOOD
HERE, DEVIN A COUPLE OF DETROIT
POLICE OFFICERS ON BIKES CAME BY
AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED ROLLED
RIGHT OVER TO THE SCHOOL TO LET
THEM KNOW TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT
AS WELL. EVERYONE TALKING AT
ONCE, SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHAT
WAS GOING ON BACK TO YOU. THAT
COHESION IS WHAT CAN DEFINE A
NEIGHBORHOOD. EXACTLY RIGHT,
SEAN. VANEK MAN IS CHARGED IN
THE MURDER OF A LIFT DRIVER, 19
YEAR OLD KUMARI PHILLIPS IS
CHARGED WITH OPEN MURDER AND IS
BEING HELD WITHOUT BAND TONIGHT
. INVESTIGATORS SAY HE SHOT AND
KILLED DINA TERRELL ON FRIDAY
MORNING. THEY SAY SHE WAS
DROPPING PHILLIPS OUGH IN
PONTIAC WHEN HE SHOT HER IN THE
HEAD. HER CAR WAS FOUND CRASHED
NEAR PUTNAM AND RANDALL. NO WORD
ON MOTIVE, BUT POLICE SAY IT WAS
A RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE. TIME
NOW, FOR A CHECK OF THE WEATHER
AND ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS WE
EXPERIENCE MUST COME TO AN END
SAYING ABOUT THAT. I KNOW THAT
MY SAYINGS, THAT’S ALL GOOD
THINGS. YOU KNOW THAT THAT
NAILED IT, BUT IT’S BEEN A
WONDERFUL FIVE DAY STRETCHER. SO
KIM HAS. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU SAW
THAT, BUT THE SUN WAS JUST
POKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS. WE’RE
NOT GOING TO SEE IT AGAIN FOR
PROBABLY THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS WE
DO EXPECT SOME RAIN RIGHT NOW ON
EXACT TRACK RADAR. NOTHING HERE
. IF YOU HAVE EVENING PLANS,
YOU’RE TOTALLY FINE. THERE ARE
JUST A FEW SHOWERS THAT ARE OUT
TO OUR WEST THERE RIGHT NOW IN
GRAND RAPIDS. ALSO AS WE MOVE
OVER TO MUSKEGON, HOLLAND
KALAMAZOO IMPORTED ALL GETTING
SOME RAIN, BUT THAT IS HEADED.
OUR WAY. TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT
THESE TEMPERATURES BECAUSE IT
WILL NOT BE THIS WARM FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, MAYBE EVEN
LONGER. 73 AT CITY AIRPORT, 69
AT METRO AND ARBOR HOWELL AND IN
PONTIAC. HERE’S YOUR EVENING
PLANNER DRIVE FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS. WE MIGHT GET A
FEW SPRINKLES BEFORE MIDNIGHT,
BUT THE HEAVIEST RAIN COMES
AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE
MORNING COMMUTE. TOMORROW BUT I
WANT TO GIVE YOU A QUICK PEEK OF
THIS TEMPERATURE TREND. WELL
NORMAL 58, SO IT’S NOT BAD WILL
BE IN THE SIXTIES, BUT IT LOOKS
LIKE THOSE SEVENTIES. I DON’T
SEE THEM. I DON’T SEE THEM
ANYWHERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR
SURE. DEVON AND KAREN. ALL RIGHT
. THANK YOU. KIM CHILDREN THE
BEST EDUCATION THEY CAN GET
STARTS WITH MAKING SURE THEY’RE
COMING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY IN
DETROIT STUDENTS MISSING SCHOOL
ON A REGULAR BASIS IS A MASSIVE
PROBLEM REALLY IS AND THAT’S OUR
KIMBERLY GILL HAS BEEN REPORTING
FOR WEEKS. NOW THE DISTRICT IS
WORKING ON SOLUTIONS. SHE JOINS
US LIVE FROM MUMFORD HIGH
SCHOOL, WHERE PARENTS AND
EDUCATORS ARE ABOUT TO GATHER TO
GO IN DEPTH ON THIS ISSUE, KIM
HI, KAREN AND DEVIN. GOOD
EVENING. AS YOU MENTIONED ALMOST
LONG. I’VE BEEN DOING STORIES
HIGHLIGHTING THIS ISSUE OF
CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND DETROIT
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS AN ISSUE THAT
HAS ONLY BEEN EXACERBATED SINCE
THE PANDEMIC, AND THE DISTRICT
IS TAKING SOME EXTREME MEASURES
TO TRY TO REVERSE THOSE NUMBERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS DPS CD IS
DOING TO COMBAT CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM IS THEY’VE HIRED
ATTENDANCE AGENTS LIKE F. E
HARRIS MORNING ARRIVES EARLY AND
GREETS EACH STUDENT EVERY DAY.
MANY BY NAME. ARE WE RIDING THE
BUS TODAY OR NO CONNECTION WITH
THE KIDS AND IDENTIFIES WHY
THEY’RE ABSENT OR CAN’T GET TO
SCHOOL ON TIME. IT CAN START OFF
WITH A PHONE CALL HOME TO SAY.
UH MOM, DAD, YOU KNOW SO AND SO
HAS NOT BEEN HERE. WHAT’S GOING
ON? THE REASON STUDENTS, MISS
CLASS MAY HAVE TO DO MORE WITH
THEIR FAMILIES, NOT HAVING
STABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT
WILL HELP GET KIDS TO SCHOOL.
THAT WAS THE CASE WITH JONETTA
BURNETT, JEANETTE, HIS DAUGHTER
PASSED AWAY AND GENETIC
IMMEDIATELY TOOK OVER THE CARE
AND CUSTODY OF HER DAUGHTER’S
FIVE CHILDREN RETIRED AND ON A
FIXED INCOME GENETIC DIDN’T KNOW
HOW SHE WOULD MAKE ENDS, MEET OR
GET FIVE KIDS TO DIFFERENT
SCHOOLS. ALL RIGHT. HAVE A GREAT
BACK, BUT THEN SHE FOUND OUT
ABOUT THE DISTRICT’S FAMILY
RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION CENTER AND
GOT NOBODY ELSE. YOU KNOW, LIKE
, DON’T FAMILY MEMBER. NOBODY
REALLY HELPED ME PROCESS THEY
CAME. IT’S LIKE FAMILY. YOU
KNOW, THEY SUPPORT ME WITH THE
KEY ISSUE TO FORM I DIDN’T HAVE
IT. AND I FELT VERY BLESSED THAT
WHEN THEY CAME TO ME DAY AND
NOTHING DID SUCH A MASSIVE
DISTRICT. THERE IS SUCH A BIG
NEED. IF THERE WASN’T A RESOURCE
LIKE THIS, IT WOULD BE A LOT
HARDER. FAMILY RESOURCE
DISTRIBUTION CENTER IS A PLACE
WHERE DPS CD FAMILIES CAN
RECEIVE RESOURCES SUCH AS SCHOOL
SUPPLIES, COATS, WATER, DRY
GOODS AND HYGIENE PRODUCTS FOR
FREE. IT’S BEEN A STRUGGLE. REAL
STRUCTURE, BUT WHEN YOU ASK
SUPPORT. THAT’S A BIG HELP. IT
IS. GENETIC IT’S JUST AN AMAZING
WOMAN THERE, AND THOSE ARE JUST
A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT THE
DISTRICT IS WORKING TO TRY TO
COMBAT THIS ISSUE OF CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM. SO I’M HERE LIVE AT
MUMFORD HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THIS
TOWN HALL IS SET TO TAKE PLACE.
IT’S FROM 7 TO 8. TONIGHT IT’S
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
SUPERINTENDENT, DR NIKOLAI VITTI
IS GOING TO BE HERE, AS WELL AS
OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS WORKING TO
TACKLE THIS PROBLEM, AND YOU
STILL HAVE TIME TO GET DOWN HERE
AGAIN. IT’S TONIGHT FROM SEVEN
PM UNTIL EIGHT PM IF YOU CAN’T
MAKE IT IN PERSON YOU CAN WATCH
ON CLICKONDETROIT’S DOT COM OR
LOCAL 4 PLUS SEND IT BACK TO
YOU, KAREN AND DEVIN SCILLIAN.
OH, YOU MENTIONED IS OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT
PARENTS ACTUALLY GET A CHANCE TO
ASK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT
ARE ON THEIR MINDS? OH
ABSOLUTELY. YES, WE’RE GOING TO
HEAR AND GET QUESTIONS FROM THE
AUDIENCE OF PARENTS AS WELL AS
COMMUNITY ISSUES. BECAUSE KAREN
, THIS IS THIS IS MORE THAN JUST
A SCHOOL ISSUE. IT’S A COMMUNITY
ISSUES, SO I EXPECT THAT THERE
WILL BE PLENTY OF PEOPLE HERE
THAT WILL BE ASKING QUESTIONS.
AND WE WELCOME THOSE DOCTOR
NIKOLAI VITTI WILL BE HERE
ANSWERING QUESTIONS AS WELL AS
THEIR PANEL. YOU CAN SEE THE SET
UP BEHIND ME SUCH AN IMPORTANT
NIGHT. ALRIGHT, WE APPRECIATE
IT. THANKS, KIMBERLY. SLIGHT
DECREASE IN MICHIGAN’S NEW
CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS FOR THE WEEK
, LARGELY HOLDING STEADY STATE
REPORTING 12,167 NEW CASES OVER
THE PAST SEVEN DAYS AVERAGING
OUT TO 1700 CASES A DAY ABOUT
247 CASES FEWER THAN LAST WEEK,
BUT 100 AND 58 NEW DEATHS BEING