MORE. THAN 1000 FIRE HYDRANTS IN THE CITY. DON’T WORK RIGHT NOW. PAYING TAXES. I WOULD EXPECT MY
YOU KNOW FIREFIGHTERS AND THINGS
TO BE BETTER TONIGHT LOCAL 4
EXPOSING A PROBLEM PUTTING
DETROITERS AND THEIR HOMES AT
RISK. BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU, MR
BROWN. THERE’S MORE THAN 1000
THAT ARE NOT WORKING THAT CAN’T
BE ACCEPTABLE. GOOD EVENING,
EVERYBODY. I’M KIMBERLY GILL
DEVIN SCILLIAN. IT STARTED AS A
TIP FROM AN INSIDER WITHIN THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT ABOUT SOME
BROKEN FIRE HYDRANTS IN ONE
DETROIT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ONCE
OUR INVESTIGATIVE TEAM STARTED
DIGGING, THEY FOUND MORE THAN
1000 BROKEN HYDRANTS CITYWIDE,
SO LET’S BRING IN KAREN DREW.
SHE’S BREAKING THIS STORY FOR US
RIGHT NOW. KAREN ALRIGHT KIM AND
DEVIN, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS
EVEN SHOCKED ME. I KNEW THERE
WAS SOME BROKEN FIRE HYDRANTS.
THEY WERE SCATTERED AROUND. BUT
TODAY I WAS ABLE TO ACCESS SOME
CITY RECORDS THAT ARE NOT SHARED
WITH THE PUBLIC AND FOUND OUT
THERE ARE 1.3000 BROKEN HYDRANTS
IN DETROIT RIGHT NOW, MEANING
DETROIT RESIDENTS, THEIR HOMES
AND THEIR BUSINESSES COULD BE AT
RISK. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
BROKEN FIRE HYDRANTS ALL OVER
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR GRATIOT
AND WARREN NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE
SAVED ON MY FIRE HIDING, STUDY
WORKING. YOU EXPECT YOUR FIRE
HYDRANTS TO WORK, BUT WE GOT A
TIP. THERE WERE MANY THAT WERE
NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF VANDALS.
SO I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE
THIEVES ARE AFTER THEIR THESE
BRASS THREADS THAT ARE RIGHT IN
HERE THAT THEY ACTUALLY TAKE OUT
OF THE HYDRANT. BRING TO THE
SCRAPYARD. THE CITY DOESN’T
REALLY WANT US TO EXPOSE THIS
ISSUE, BUT WE HAVE TO BECAUSE
FIREFIGHTERS ARE FRUSTRATED.
SOME OF THESE HYDRANTS AREN’T
WORKING, AND THAT MEANS PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
HAVE THEIR LIVES AT RISK. OH,
THAT’S NOT ALL. ONCE I STARTED
DIGGING SOME INSIDERS WITHIN THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT SHARED THIS WITH
ME. TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS TODAY’S
COUNT OF WORKING AND NON WORKING
FIRE HYDRANTS IN THE CITY OF THE
MORE THAN 29,000 HYDRANTS. THERE
ARE 1.3000 HYDRANTS INOPERABLE.
WE TRACKED DOWN GARY BROWN, THE
DIRECTOR OF DETROIT’S WATER AND
SEWAGE BOARD. HOW CAN HYDRANTS
BE BROKEN FOR MONTHS? BECAUSE
YOU ARE, IT’S ON YOUR RADAR. IT
IS ON OUR RADAR, SO WE WANT TO
PRIORITIZE THEM AND GO DO THE
BLOCKS IN WHICH THEY HAVE MORE
THAN TWO INOPERABLE. SITTING
HERE TALKING WITH MY
FIREFIGHTERS, SOURCES, THEY’RE
TELLING ME WE’RE OUT THERE
FIGHTING FIRES. WE PULL UP TO A
HYDRANT. WE CAN’T GET WATER.
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY TO
THEM AND WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO
SAY TO THE FAMILIES WHO ARE
EXPECTING THESE FIREFIGHTERS TO
HAVE WATER? WHAT WE SAY TO THE
THEM IS WE GIVE THEM TABLETS.
AND THE TABLETS ON THE WAY TO
THE FIRE HAS THE OPERABLE FIRE
HYDRANTS AND THE ONES THAT ARE
WORKING? AND SO YOU KNOW WHICH
ONE ISN’T WORKING WHEN YOU SHOW
UP AT THAT FIRE CONNECT TO ONE.
THAT IS, BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU,
MR BROWN. THERE’S MORE THAN 1000
THAT ARE NOT WORKING. THAT CAN’T
BE ACCEPTABLE. IT’S AND IT’S
ACCEPTABLE THAT WITHIN 30 DAYS
WE GOT 100 AND 68 FIXED JUST
LAST WEEK, AND SO BY TELLING ME
IN 30 DAYS YOU’RE GOING TO GET
OVER 1000 FIRE HYDRANTS FIXED.
THAT’S MY GOAL. I’M GOING TO ADD
A CONTRACT AT MY BOARD OF
DIRECTORS TOMORROW. I’M
ANTICIPATING THAT WILL GET 300
DONE. A WEEK, AND IN 30 DAYS, WE
SHOULD HAVE ITS MID JANUARY I’M
GOING TO COME BACK IN 30 DAYS
AND WE’LL SEE IF THE 1.21 POINT
3000 FIRE HYDRANTS ARE FIXED.
GUARANTEE YOU MY MAYOR IS GOING
TO BE POUNDING ON ME A LOT
HARDER THAN YOU ARE TODAY. HMM
OKAY, SO HERE’S THE DEAL
TOMORROW ONE O’CLOCK. GARY BROWN
WILL GO TO HIS BOARD ASKED FOR
FUNDS TO GET MORE CREWS OUT
THERE TO GET THE BROKEN FIRE
HYDRANTS FIXED. OF COURSE, WE’RE
GOING TO BE THERE. WELL YOU KNOW
WHAT HAPPENS MOVING TARGET IS,
HE SAYS THEY’RE REPAIRING SOME.
BUT DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG
THESE HAVE BEEN BROKEN? WHAT WAS
FUNNY? BECAUSE ONE OF MY
INSIDERS THAT ACTUALLY LET ME GO
THROUGH THIS LOG WHERE I SAW IT
WAS BROKEN. AND THEN MONTHS
LATER, IT WAS STILL BROKEN, SO
THEY’RE NOT RESPONDING AS QUICK
AND WE GET IT. THEY’RE TALKING
ABOUT PRIORITY. WE UNDERSTAND IF
THERE’S A NEIGHBORHOOD AND
THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE,
YOU’RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT
FIRST, BUT YEAH, THE RESIDENTS
SAY THEY EXPECT THEIR HYDRANTS
TO WORK AND LIKE, LITERALLY,
THEY HAVE TO GRAB AN IPAD BEFORE
THEY GET TO A FIRE AND CHECK IF
IT’S WORKING. I MEAN, THESE
FIREFIGHTERS ARE CALLING ME
THEY’RE UPSET. THEY’RE WORRIED
STORIES WHEN THEY CAN GET UP TO
A STAIN AND THE TIME THAT IS
LOST FINDING A WORKING HYDRANT
BEFORE THEY CAN GET WATER TO IT.
YEAH, SO TOMORROW WE’RE THERE.
WE’RE THERE. WE’LL LET YOU KNOW
WHAT? WHAT THEY DECIDE. ALRIGHT
WAS SPEAKING OF FIREFIGHTERS
RIGHT NOW THE CITY OF TROY IS
TRYING TO RESOLVE A TAX ISSUE
AFFECTING ITS VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS, MANY OF THEM UPSET
OVER A CHANGE AND RETIREMENT
BENEFITS. VICTOR WILLIAMS IS
LIVE WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
DISPUTE AND WHAT’S BEING DONE
ABOUT IT, VICTOR YES, KIMBERLY
WILL TROY HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER
DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY, AND MOST OF THEM DON’T
REALLY GET PAID UNTIL THE BACK
END. THAT’S WHY THIS CHANGE IS
REALLY SHAKING THINGS UP. WE GOT
A BAD EXPECTING. THAT CALL GOES
OFF. WE’RE THERE TO HELP OUT THE
COMMUNITY, BECOMING A VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTER LIKE ED ROSS JUST
GOT A LITTLE HARDER IN THE CITY
OF TROY. AFTER THE IRS
OFFICIALLY RULED THE INCENTIVE
PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS
NOT AN ACTUAL LENGTH OF SERVICE
AWARD PLAN. BASICALLY, AT THIS
POINT, THE I, R S HAS SAID. NO
MATTER HOW WONDERFUL YOUR
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ARE IN
THE CITY OF TROY, BUT WE CANNOT
ALLOW YOU NOT TO HAPPEN. PAY
TAXES ON THE MONEY THAT THEY’RE
ACCRUING MAYOR ETHAN BAKER SAYS
. THIS NOW MEANS THE CURRENT
INCENTIVE PROGRAM MUST COME TO
AN END THEIR MONEY THAT IS THAT
THEY ARE ACCRUING. WHEN THEY
VESTED 10 YEARS THEY’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO PAY INCOME TAX ON THAT,
EVEN THOUGH THEY WON’T ACTUALLY
BE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THAT
YET UNTIL RETIREMENT AGE, SO
WHAT THAT MEANS IS OUR
FIREFIGHTERS WILL BE FACED WITH
HAVING TO GET BIG TAX BILLS
WHILE THEY’RE RECEIVING NO
ACTUAL MONEY FROM THE CITY OF
TROY EITHER WAY, AND HAS A
PROBLEM WITH THE NEWLY PROPOSED
PLAN, WHILE WE REALIZE THAT THE
OLD POINT HAS HUGE PROBLEMS, THE
NEW PLANS GOT TO BE SOMETHING
WAY BETTER THAN WHAT WAS
PROPOSED. THE DISPUTE IS ALSO IN
A WAY, FORCING THE CITY TO PAY
$5 MILLION ON TOP OF BACK
PAYROLL TAXES TO THE IRS.
REGARDLESS RETIREMENT BENEFITS
ARE BIG DEAL TO THE 100 PLUS
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ON THE
SQUAD WITH THE OLD PLAN AFTER 10
YEARS OF SERVICE ARE RETIRED
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER CAN EARN
AT LEAST 8000 YEAR. WITHOUT THAT
SOME FIREFIGHTERS ARE
CONSIDERING OTHER OPTIONS.
PEOPLE HAVE TALKED. ARE PEOPLE
GOING TO QUIT? ARE PEOPLE GOING
TO STAY AND HAVE PROBLEMS WITH
RETAINING PEOPLE? AND WE DON’T
KNOW PEOPLE ARE TORN LIKE, HOW
DO YOU GIVE UP DOING GOOD THINGS
FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? WHEN THAT’S
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO? THIS IS
DIFFICULT FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY.
IT’S DIFFICULT FOR US THAT I
KNOW IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS THEIR
BOTTOM LINE AND THEIR PLANS AND
SO WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND WE’RE TOLD THAT THE CITY IS
WORKING ON ANOTHER INCENTIVE
PLAN THAT’S APPROVED BY THE I. R
S IF AND WHEN THE VOLUNTEER FIRE
DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE THE
SAME AS NOW, THE NEW QUESTION
VICTOR WILLIAMS. OKAY, VICTOR.
THANKS TEENAGER IS CHARGED IN
THE MURDER OF A HEALTH CARE
WORKER OUTSIDE OF DETROIT LIQUOR
STORE. TROY. POLICE SAY BRADLEY
THURMAN SHOT TRACY GOLDEN AND
STOLE HER SUV MARKET ON GRAND
RIVER ON THE CITY’S WEST SIDE.
LAST MONTH. GOLDEN WAS ON HER
WAY HOME FROM SINAI GRACE, WHERE
SHE WORKED AS A RESPIRATORY
THERAPIST. SHE WAS RUSHED BACK
TO THE HOSPITAL. BUT THAT’S
WHERE SHE DIED MINUTES CHARGED
WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND
ARMED ROBBERY. THE COUSIN OF
ZION FOSTER HAS BEEN RELEASED
FROM PRISON LESS THAN ONE YEAR
AFTER BEING SENTENCED IN HER
DISAPPEARANCE. 17 YEAR OLD WAS
LAST SEEN IN JANUARY OF 2020 TO
HER COUSIN, JALEN BRAZIER, TOLD
POLICE SHE STOPPED BREATHING
WHILE THEY WERE SMOKING
MARIJUANA AND ADMITTED TO
THROWING HER BODY IN A DUMPSTER
. IN MARCH, BRAZIER WAS
SENTENCED TO BETWEEN TWO AND
FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR LYING
TO POLICE, BUT HIS SENTENCE WAS
CUT SHORT WHEN HE SERVED TIME IN
PRISON BOOT CAMP PROGRAM.
BRAZIER ONLY SERVED 10 MONTHS
AND WAS RELEASED TODAY. ZION’S
BODY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND.
POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE
SHOOTER WHO TARGETED A HOME WITH
TWO CHILDREN SLEEPING INSIDE
VIDEO SHOWS THE SHOOTER GETTING
OUT OF A CAR RUNNING UP TO AN
APARTMENT AND FIRING TWO SHOTS
THROUGH A WINDOW. A TWO YEAR OLD
AND A FOUR YEAR OLD WERE INSIDE.
FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT.
THIS HAPPENED AT THE CREEK SIDE
TOWN HOUSES THAT’S ON PLATT ROAD
NEAR PACKARD STREET YESTERDAY
MORNING, SO POLICE ARE LOOKING
FOR THIS BLACK JEEP, POSSIBLY
JEEP COMPASS, POSSIBLY GRAND
CHEROKEE. BUT IF YOU KNOW
ANYTHING OR SAW ANYTHING THAT
MIGHT HELP IN THE INVESTIGATION
, CALL ANN ARBOR POLICE
UPCOMING. TAYLOR SWIFT CANCERS
ARE AMONG THE MOST ANTICIPATED
AND EXPENSIVE COMING TO OUR AREA
. THIS SUMMER TICKETS SOLD OUT
IN SECONDS AND NOW SCAMMERS ARE
PREYING ON PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL
HOPING TO SEE ONE OF THE SHOWS
AT FORD FIELD THIS JUNE.
CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR HANK
WINCHESTER JUST SPOKE. VICTIMS
WHO HAS A WARNING FOR YOU AND
HANK. SHE LOST A LOT OF MONEY.
KIMBERLY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
$600. AND THIS MAKES ME SO MAD
BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A PARENT
TRYING TO DO SOMETHING GREAT FOR
THEIR KID. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
THE TAYLOR SWIFT SHOW HERE AT
FORD FIELD. OBVIOUSLY TICKET
PRICES THROUGH THE ROOF PEOPLE
TRYING TO GET TICKETS AND
SCAMMERS NOW MAKING THEIR MOVE.
IN FACT, THIS SCAMMER STILL OUT
THERE. HOW DO I KNOW I WAS JUST
COMMUNICATING WITH HER A FEW
HOURS AGO AND FACEBOOK? SHE
STILL TRYING TO SELL THESE
TICKETS, EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE
LIKELY NOT EVEN REAL TICKETS.
TAKE A LOOK. AFTER NOT BEING
ABLE TO GET THE TICKETS. IT WAS
LIKE REALLY DEVASTATING TO MY
DAUGHTER BECAUSE IT’S THE
CANCERS AND HER 13TH BIRTHDAY
WAS LIKE THE ONE THING SHE
WANTED. SMITH STILL CAN’T
BELIEVE SHE FELL FOR IT. BUT THE
ADS ONLINE LOOKS SO LEGIT.
TAYLOR SWIFT TICKETS FORD FIELD
$300 APIECE, SO IT SEEMED LIKE
OKAY, THIS PERSON’S MAKING A
LITTLE BIT, BUT IT’S LIKE
LEGITIMATE. SHE SAID. TWO
PAYMENTS $300 EACH TO TWO
DIFFERENT VENMO ACCOUNTS. SHE
THEN CIRCLED BACK TO THE PERSON
THAT SHE BELIEVES HE WAS SELLING
THE TICKETS. DONNA THOMAS, AND
THEN DONNA VANISHED IMMEDIATELY,
IT SAID, LIKE THIS PERSON IS NOT
AVAILABLE ON MESSENGER. LIKE I
WAS IMMEDIATELY BLACK. I WENT TO
LOOK AT THE POST IS GONE. NO
TAYLOR. SWIFT TICKETS $600 GONE
. TOLD MY DAUGHTER BEFORE. I’M
LIKE, OKAY LIKE THAT THIS CAME
ABOUT AND HE ASKED, LIKE, IS
THIS WHAT YOU REALLY WANT? LIKE?
THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR GIFT LIKE
PARTY LIKE THERE’S EVERYTHING,
AND SHE’S LIKE YES, AND SHE’S
SITTING THERE WITH ME THE WHOLE
TIME TRYING TO DO IT AND SHE’S
LIKE SO EXCITED. I CAN’T WAIT TO
TEXT OUR FRIENDS AND THEN THEY
HAPPENED AND I HAD TO TELL HER
ACTUALLY, WE’RE JUST SCAMMED.
HEIDI DID SOME MORE DIGGING AND
LEARNED THAT SHE IS LIKELY NOT
THE ONLY VICTIM FOUND OTHER LIKE
A FEW OTHER RECENT NAMES, UM AND
ONE SIDE LIKE THEY HAD PAID RENT
TO THE PERSON AND HE’S LIKE,
WELL, ACTUALLY, I WAS JUST LIKE
SCAMMED. I THINK HE LIVES IN
FLORIDA. I JUST DON’T WANT OTHER
PEOPLE. TO BE SCANNED THAT WAY.
AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHY HADI
WANTED TO SHARE HER STORY
TONIGHT. IT SOUNDS LIKE THESE
SCAMMERS TARGETING PEOPLE ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY, TELLING ALL
SORTS OF DIFFERENT STORIES, NOT
JUST HERE IN METRO DETROIT.
HEIDI DID PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD
. BUT IN THIS CASE, THEN MOST
SAYING, TOUGH LUCK. ONCE THAT
TRANSACTION GOES THROUGH,
THERE’S NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO.
WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO IS TO GET
THEM MOTORS SHUT DOWN THOSE
ACCOUNTS. CLEARLY THEY ARE TIED
TO FRAUD. WE JUST WANT YOU TO
HAVE THE INFORMATION BECAUSE WE
WANT YOU TO BE CAREFUL,
ESPECIALLY WITH TICKETS LIKE
THESE THAT ARE IN SUCH HIGH
DEMAND FOR LIVE HERE TONIGHT AT
FORD FIELD. HANK WINCHESTER.
HELP ME HANG BACK TO YOU LOST TO
HANG. THAT’S GOOD TIPS FOR
PEOPLE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR
THOSE TICKETS. WE APPRECIATE IT
AT 5 30. WE SHOWED YOU THE NEW
CORVETTE EAR A UNVEILED TODAY.
AND CELEBRATION OF CORVETTES
70TH BIRTHDAY, BUT WHAT’S IT
LIKE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS
HIGH HORSEPOWER HYBRID? ERIN
GILCHRIST OF NBC GOT A CHANCE TO
RIDE AROUND NEW YORK CITY WITH
ONE OF THE ENGINEERS AND SAID
INSIDE ONE OF THE FIRST
CORVETTES FROM 1953 AS WELL TO
TALK WITH THE CHEVY HISTORIAN
ABOUT HOW THE CAR HAS EVOLVED
NIGHTLY NEWS OR LOOK AT THE
DEMAND. FOR ELECTRIFIED VERSIONS
OF THE CORVETTE AND OTHER MUSCLE
CARS LIKE THE MUSTANG THAT’S