LOCAL NEWS STARTS RIGHT NOW. DEMOCRATS CELEBRATING A WIN A KEY CHANGE THE CALENDAR THAT
WILL BE IMPACTING THE WAY WE
PICK PRESIDENTS THE MIDDLE OF
WINTER RIGHT NOW, BUT THE DREAMS
OF SUMMER AND SUMMER TRAVELER
HEATING UP WITH THE RV AND
CAMPING SHOW AT THE SUBURBAN
COLLECTION SHOWPLACE IN NO VIBE.
AND TAKING A LK OUTSIDE THIS
MORNING. WHAT A SHOT OUT THERE
DOESN’T LOOK AS COLD THIS
MORNING, THOUGH. INDIGO BLUE YOU
LIKE I DO LIKE THAT ONE. I DO
THE YELLOW AND BLUE MIX HERE IT
IS LOVELY AND ALSO 35 DEGREES
WILL TAKE IT YESTERDAY WE WERE
SITTING AT 14 15 FELT LIKE IT
WAS ONE. YEAH WITH THAT WIND AND
ALL THAT COLD, VERY BLUSTERY DAY
INDEED. GOOD MORNING AT SEVEN
O’CLOCK. I’M PRIYA MANN
GRANT HERMES. SHE’S JOINING US
HERE THIS MORNING ON LOCAL 4
NEWS. LET’S GET RIGHT INTO
BRANDON ALREADY TALKING ABOUT
HIS WHEELHOUSE HERE. BRANDON
THANK YOU SO MUCH ON THIS
NATIONAL OTHER PERSON DAY FOR
THIS FORECAST, YOU’RE WELCOME.
WE YOU KNOW, MOTHER NATURE
PROVIDES FOR US COOKIES BY
DESIGN PROVIDED FOR THE WEATHER
TEAM. LOTS OF BEAUTIFUL COOKIES.
AND WE THANK YOU. COOKIES BY
DESIGN. IT IS NATIONAL WEATHER
PERSON’S DAY, AND IT IS
NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT OUT THERE.
WE STILL HAVE THESE PESKY
BREEZES, BUT I’LL TELL YOU,
WE’RE NOT LOOKING AT TEENS AND
TWENTIES. INSTEAD, IT’S LOW
MIDDLE THIRTIES, FEELING MORE
LIKE THE MIDDLE TWENTIES AS YOU
STEP OUT, BUT WAY BETTER THAN AS
GRANT SAID. ONE THE LONELIEST
NUMBERS. HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME
OF THE WET WEATHER. WE ARE
SEEING UP NORTH NORTH OF ALPINE
OVER LAKE HURON. THIS IS A
LITTLE CLIPPER SYSTEM AND THE
VERY TAIL END OF THIS SYSTEM
COULD BRING SOME SNOW OUR WAY AS
WE HEAD INTO MAYBE THE EVENING
HOURS, BUT THAT’S ABOUT IT WILL
SAY LATE AFTERNOON TO EVENING
HOURS, WE’LL SEE SOME MILKY
SUNSHINE AND THEN GET INTO A
LITTLE THICKER CLOUD COVER. LOOK
FOR LOWER FORTIES. AND AGAIN,
MOSTLY DRY MOST OF THE DAY, A
LITTLE BIT ON THE BREEZY SIDE,
SO IT FEELS COOLER BUT SHOULD BE
A PRETTY NICE SUNDAY, DARNELL.
HERE’S YOUR TIME SAVER TRAFFIC.
HEY HAPPY SUNDAY. WE’RE STILL
DEALING WITH THE CLOSURE ON I 94
EAST MOUNTAIN AND WESTBOUND FROM
96 TO 75. THAT’S STILL GOING TO
BE CLOSED UNTIL TOMORROW AT FIVE
A.M. SO IF YOU NEED TO GET
AROUND THIS YOU CAN TAKE I 96 TO
NORTH 75 OR SAPA. I 75 2
WESTBOUND. I 96 IF YOU’RE GOING
THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. HOPE
YOU’RE HAVING A GREAT SUNDAY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DARNELL
AUDITORY COMMUNITY CALLING FOR
JUSTICE AFTER A FIVE YEAR OLD
BOY DIES IN A CASE OF ABUSE
FAMILY GATHERED ON THE CITY’S
EAST SIDE TO REMEMBER ETHAN
BELCHER, HIS MOTHER AND
STEPFATHER HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH
HIS MURDER, ACCUSED OF CHILD
ABUSE AND TORTURE. PROSECUTORS
SAY THE PARENTS WOULD BEAT ETHAN
AND HIS SIBLINGS AND FORTH
FORCED THEM TO STAY IN THE
BASEMENT FILLED WITH SEWAGE. HIS
AUNTS AND UNCLES NOW SETTING OUT
TO MAKE A CHANGE AFTER SAYING
THEY REPORTED THE ABUSE TO CPS
AND POLICE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO.
NOW TO A DEVELOPING STORY. CHINA
REACTING TO THE U. S MILITARY’S
SHOOT DOWN OF A SUSPECTED
CHINESE SPY BALLOON, US FIGHTER
JET FIRED A MISSILE AT THE
BALLOON AS IT FLEW OVER THE
ATLANTIC NEAR THE SOUTH CAROLINA
COAST. PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS HE
MADE THE CALL TO TAKE THE
BALLOON DOWN. IT WAS THE FIRST
SPOTTED IT WAS FIRST SPOTTED
FLYING OVER MONTANA DAYS AGO,
THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY
SAYS OFFICIALS EXPRESSED STRONG
DISSATISFACTION AND PROTESTS
AGAINST THE U. S IS USE OF
FORCE. CHINA MAINTAINS THE
AIRSHIP WAS AS FOR CIVILIAN USE
AND ENTERED THE US BY ACCIDENT,
WITNESSES DESCRIBE WHAT THEY
SAW. YOU KNOW, IT’S LIKE THE
BALLOON JUST IT POPPED AND ABOVE
IT. IT WAS LIKE CONFETTI. AND
THEN THE BOTTOM PART. I GUESS
WHERE IT HAD THE HEAVY STUFF ON
HER. YOU KNOW, IT JUST KIND OF
LIKE COLLAPSED TOGETHER AND IT
JUST STARTED, YOU KNOW, FALLING
DOWN, YOU COULD HEAR IT WHENEVER
IT HIT THE BALLOON AND HAD A POP
. YOU KNOW, IT WASN’T MUCH
LOUDER FROM SOME OF THE VIDEO
THAT I’VE SEEN AND HEARD FROM
FURTHER UP THE BEACH. THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ALSO SAID
CHINESE BALLOONS HAVE CROSSED
OVER THE CONTINENTAL US BEFORE
INCLUDING THREE TIMES UNDER THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID NOT
MENTION WHETHER THEY WERE SHOT
DOWN. THE PENTAGON WILL ATTEMPT
TO RECOVER KEY ELEMENTS OF THIS
MOST RECENT BALLOON AND THEN
COORDINATE WITH THE FBI AND
COUNTER INTELLIGENCE AUTHORITIES
TO ANALYZE WHAT WAS FOUND. IT IS
OFFICIAL THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC
PARTY APPROVING A NEW SCHEDULE
FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN
2024. THIS WEEK, DEMOCRATS TOOK
A MONUMENTAL STEP TO MOVE
MICHIGAN’S PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
FROM SUPER TUESDAY IN MARCH TWO
FEBRUARY 27TH, MAKING IT ONE OF
THE FIRST IN THE NATION AND THE
FIRST IN THE MIDWEST. GOVERNOR
WHITMER SIGNED THAT BILL INTO
LAW ON WEDNESDAY. MICHIGAN
DEMOCRATS BELIEVE IT COULD LEAD
TO CANDIDATES. THAT FIT MORE
VOTERS, BUT REPUBLICANS FEAR IT
WILL WEAKEN THE SAY OF
MICHIGANDERS AT THEIR NEXT
NATIONAL CONVENTION. WE ARE A
DIVERSE STATE, AND I THINK THAT
OUR ELECTORATE HERE IS WAY MORE
REFLECTIVE OF SUBURBAN, URBAN
AND RURAL VOTERS THAN THE STATES
THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD THIS
EARLY CHOICES MEANS THAT 85%
WEAKENING OF THE VOICE OF
MICHIGAN VOTERS IN DETERMINING
THEIR PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, AND
THIS IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF
DISENFRANCHISEMENT. THE NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE COULD
ULTIMATELY DECIDE NOT TO PUNISH
MICHIGAN REPUBLICANS, BUT THAT
REMAINS TO BE SEEN, AT LEAST FOR
NOW. AND COMING UP ON FLASHPOINT
TODAY, DEVON AND A PANEL OF
EXPERTS ARE TAKING A DEEPER DIVE
INTO WHAT THIS WILL ALL MEAN,
INCLUDING WHAT THE REPUBLICANS
AND THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE MIGHT
ACTUALLY DO. NEXT. THAT’S TODAY
AT 10 O’CLOCK. THE POWERBALL
CONTINUES TO RISE AFTER NO ONE
HAD THE WINNING NUMBERS IN LAST
NIGHT’S DRAWING. THE
ANTICIPATION IS BUILDING. THE
ESTIMATED JACKPOT NOW SITS AT
$747 MILLION AND THE CASH VALUE
RISES TO 403.1 MILLION. THE NEW
JACKPOT WOULD BE THE FIFTH
LARGEST IN POWERBALL HISTORY AND
THE NINTH LARGEST IN U. S
LOTTERY HISTORY. IT COMES LESS
THAN A MONTH AFTER A MASSIVE
$1.35 BILLION PRIZE WAS WON BY A
PERSON. AND IN MAINE. WELL
HAPPENING TODAY WITH THE
TEMPERATURES JUST A LITTLE
WARMER AND MAYBE A GREAT TIME TO
GET OUTSIDE OVER IN PLYMOUTH, IS
THE ANNUAL ICE FESTIVAL BACK FOR
ITS LAST DAY TODAY, AND THAT’S
WHERE OUR MEGAN WOODS IS FOURTH
THIS MORNING. HEY, MEGAN. HEY
GOOD MORNING LIKE YOU MENTIONED
GRANT. THIS IS THE VERY LAST DAY
OF THE FESTIVAL. SO THIS IS
SOMETHING YOU DON’T WANT TO
MISS. IT STARTS AT 10 GOES UNTIL
SIX. AND I’M HERE WITH MAYOR
MORE AROSE AND HOW EXCITED ARE
YOU FOR THIS YEAR? THIS IS SUCH
A PRIDEFUL MOMENT FOR THE CITY
OF PLYMOUTH. IT’S THE 41ST
ANNUAL ICE FESTIVAL HERE IN
DOWNTOWN PLYMOUTH. THIS HAS BEEN
GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME. OF
COURSE, IT IS THE LARGEST ICE
CARVING FESTIVAL IN NORTH
AMERICA. 100,000 PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO COME DOWN TO OVER THESE
PAST THREE DAYS TO SEE THIS, AND
IT’S JUST SUCH A WONDERFUL
MOMENT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND AS WE JUST WALK AND EXPLORE
LOOKING AT THE DETAIL, LIKE EVEN
ON THIS FISH HERE IT IS
INCREDIBLE. HOW IS IT FOR YOU TO
JUST WALK AROUND AND EXPLORE
YOURSELF? OH IT’S FANTASTIC. I
MEAN, WORKING WITH ALL THE
SPONSORS AND JAG ENTERTAINMENT
AND EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF
PUTS ON SUCH A GREAT SHOW. IT’S
WONDERFUL AND ALL OF THE ICE
CARVINGS AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY
SEE IT LIVE HERE SO IMPRESSIVE.
THE ARTISTS ARE REALLY DOING A
FANTASTIC JOB. TWO OF MY
FAVORITE ARE COMING UP THE
PEGASUS AND THE ICE THROWN, SO
THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.
IT’S JUST A WONDERFUL EVENT. SO
AS MAYOR, YOU HAVE SAT ON THE
ICE STORM, RIGHT? YES, YES, YES,
MY WHOLE FAMILY. IT’S PRETTY BIG
AND IMPRESSIVE, SO IT’S
DEFINITELY A MUST DO. AND SO
WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL LIKE
FAVORITE PART OF THIS FESTIVAL?
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? LIKE JUST
OH, YES, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS
BECAUSE IT’S JUST SO MANY PEOPLE
COMING HERE, SO PEOPLE COME FROM
ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY. BUT EVEN
FROM BEYOND STATE OF MICHIGAN,
AND AGAIN, IT’S LIKE 100,000
PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE THIS
THING, SO IT’S JUST SO
IMPRESSIVE AND SUCH GREAT
ECONOMIC VITALITY FOR THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY. AND JUST A WONDERFUL
FAMILY EVENT MIGHT BE BACK HERE
LATER TODAY. I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM
ALL. BUT I’VE SEEN A COUPLE OF
THESE PIECES AND THEY ARE
AMAZING. SO AGAIN, IT’S A FREE
EVENT. IT STARTS AT 10 GOES
UNTIL SIX. THERE’S FOOD TRUCKS,
THERE’S HOT COCOA, HOT CIDER,
EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD NEED
FOR A FUN FAMILY FUND SUNDAY.
AFTERNOON SO PRIYA GRANT, YOU
CAN COME OUT HERE TOO. YEAH
ABSOLUTELY. IT’S GOING TO BE SO
MUCH FUN. I LOVE SEEING ALL OF
THOSE ICE SCULPTURES AND, OF
COURSE, WARMING UP WITH SOME HOT
COCOA AND STEPPING INTO SOME OF
THE BUSINESSES THERE DON’T WANT
TO SEE MEGAN BACK IN HER NATURAL
HABITAT THAT ICE THROWN AGAIN
THIS MORNING AT SOME POINT SUCH
A GOOD FIT THERE TOO. I DO I DO