DONALD IS LIVE AT MICHIGAN COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL IN WARREN TONIGHT WITH MORE. MARA HI,
KIMBERLY. SO POLICE AND SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS ARE LOOKING AT
VIDEO RIGHT NOW TRYING TO I.D.
THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED. BUT LET
ME SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE
OUT HERE AROUND DISMISSAL TIME
EARLIER TODAY. SO POLICE ARE
TELLING US THAT THE KIDS HAD
JUST GOTTEN OUT OF SCHOOL. THEY
WERE GETTING READY TO GET ON
THEIR VARIOUS SCHOOL BUSSES WHEN
SOME STUDENTS WHO HAD BEEN
SUSPENDED EARLIER IN THE DAY
RETURNED. AND WITH A MAN OR A
YOUNG MAN WHO WAS NOT A STUDENT
HERE, APPARENTLY LOOKING TO
SETTLE SOME SCORES. SO THEY
ARRIVE HERE, SOME SORT OF A
FIGHT STARTS THAT FRIEND THEY
BROUGHT WITH THEM WHO IS NOT A
STUDENT HERE, PULLED OUT A SEMI
AUTOMATIC WEAPON, FIRED IT INTO
THE SKY. AT LEAST SIX TIMES.
LUCKILY WE NO ONE HERE WAS
INJURED, WHICH IS THE POLICE SAY
, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLE
CONSIDERING THIS CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT THEY ALSO THINK IT’S BECAUSE
THEY HAD A SQUAD CAR IN THE AREA
THAT WAS ABLE TO RESPOND WITHIN
ONE MINUTES TIME, WHICH MEANS
THAT THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN
THIS COULD HEAR THE SIRENS
WAILING COMING AT THEM. POLICE
SAY THEY TOOK OFF RUNNING AND
POLICE ARE TELLING US AT THIS
TIME, LIKE WITH THE WITH THE
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, THEY ARE
LOOKING AT VIDEO, BUT THEY ALSO
HAVE TWO CARS THAT THEY’RE
LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW. THEY SAY
ONE IS A DARK RED IMPALA THAT IS
AN OLDER MODEL. AND THEN THE
OTHER ONE, THEY’RE LOOKING FOR
IS A FORD FOCUS, PROBABLY BLACK
OR A DARK BLUE. I EXPECT WE’RE
GOING TO GET MORE OUT OF WARREN
PD AS THE NIGHT CONTINUES. WE’RE
LIVE IN WARREN RIGHT NOW. I’M
MARA MACDONALD, LOCAL 4. OKAY,
MARA, THANK YOU ALL RIGHT.
>> NOW LET’S GET TO A DISTURBING
CASE INVOLVING A MAN HIRED AS A
YOUTH GYMNAST.
>> PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID YELLEN OF
ROYAL OAK IS CHARGED WITH
POSSESSING AND DISTRIBUTING
CHILD. FEDERAL AGENTS SAY SOME
OF THE IMAGES THEY FOUND AT HIS
HOME WERE OF CHILDREN AT
GYMNASTICS EVENTS. YELLEN
APPEARED IN COURT TODAY AND OUR
VICTOR WILLIAMS WAS THERE.
VICTOR
>> YEAH, KIMBERLY AND DEVIN, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE
RIGHT HERE IN THIS VERY
COURTROOM WHERE THIS MAN WAS
GIVEN A BOND IN THE AMOUNT OF
$10,000. ON TOP OF THAT, HE’S
GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A
GPS TETHER. AND HE IS NOT
SUPPOSED TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF
COMMUNICATION EVEN ONCE OVER
WITH CHILDREN. BUT THE THING
THAT’S SO SURPRISING IN ALL OF
THIS IS THAT HE HAS NO PRIOR
CRIMINAL HISTORY, WHICH MAKES
ALL OF THIS SEEM LIKE IT’S
COMING RIGHT OUT OF THE BLUE.
IT’S SICKENING.
>> IT’S VERY SICKENING AND VERY
DISAPPOINTING THAT YOU TRUST
CERTAIN PEOPLE TO BE AROUND YOUR
FAMILY, YOUR DAUGHTERS.
>> IT’S VERY SICK.
>> 58 YEAR OLD DAVID ERIC YELLEN
IS A FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER WHO
COULD BE FACING DECADES IN
PRISON AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH
POSSESSING AND DISTRIBUTING
CHILD. BACK IN EARLY MAY, THE
FEDS STARTED TAKING A CLOSER
LOOK AT YELLEN’S INTERNET
ACTIVITY AFTER THEY ALLEGEDLY
FOUND HIS IP ADDRESS ON A PEER
TO PEER WEBSITE, EXCHANGING
CHILD IMAGES AFTER A WARRANT WAS
ISSUED. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS
ALLEGEDLY FOUND MORE THAN 1500
INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES OF CHILDREN
ON MULTIPLE DEVICES AND HARD
DRIVES. INVESTIGATORS SAY YELLEN
ADMITTED TO VIEWING AND
DOWNLOADING CHILD FROM THE
INTERNET OVER THE LAST 18 YEARS,
ALTHOUGH THEY DON’T BELIEVE HE
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING OR
ACTUALLY TOUCHING ANY CHILDREN.
INVESTIGATORS, HOWEVER, SAY
THERE WERE MANY PICTURES OF
CHILDREN’S FEET AT SEVERAL
GYMNAST COMPETITIONS IN THE AREA
THAT YELLEN DID TAKE FOR AT
LEAST THE PAST DECADE. HE’S BEEN
THE GO TO GUY WHENEVER IT COMES
DOWN TO CAPTURING MOMENTS OF
CHILDREN’S GYMNASTICS AS A
FREELANCER, HE WORKED WITH
NEARLY EVERY GYM IN THE AREA,
INCLUDING MICHIGAN ELITE
GYMNASTICS ACADEMY IN NOVI. THEY
SENT US THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT,
WHICH IN PART READS, QUOTE, WE
IMMEDIATELY BEGIN COMMUNICATION
OUTREACH TO CURRENT AND FORMER
GYM MEMBERS. ON JUNE THE 4TH, WE
HOSTED A MEETING LED BY THE FBI
TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
SITUATION AND ADDRESS QUESTIONS
AND CONCERNS.
>> IT’S JUST UNFORTUNATE TO HEAR
JUST HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY
AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOW
THE FBI IS ENCOURAGING ANYONE
WHO BELIEVES THEY MAY HAVE HAD
ANY TYPE OF SUSPICIOUS OR
UNSETTLING COMMUNICATION OR
CONTACT WITH THIS MAN TO CALL
THEM THEIR NUMBER IS ONE 800
CALL FBI.
>> VICTOR WILLIAMS, LOCAL 4.
INDEED DISTURBING.
>> OKAY. VICTOR, THANK YOU.
>> THE MONTHS LONG LEGAL BATTLE
OVER A CELL TOWER ATOP A LOCAL
SCHOOL HAS SHIFTED IN FAVOR OF
THE PARENTS FIGHTING TO HAVE IT
TAKEN DOWN. SHAWN LEY LIVE WITH
THE NEWEST DEVELOPMENTS
INVOLVED. WYANDOTTE’S WASHINGTON
ELEMENTARY. SHAWN ONE TOWER, ONE
SCHOOL.
>> WE’RE FOLLOWING IT CLOSELY
BECAUSE OTHER SCHOOLS, OTHER
PARENTS AROUND METRO DETROIT,
THEY’RE NOTICING CELL TOWERS AND
THEY’RE KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN THIS PARTICULAR
CASE, T-MOBILE WANTED TO FIRE UP
THAT CELL TOWER AT THE END OF
THIS WEEK.
>> A JUDGE IN AN EMERGENCY ORDER
SAID T-MOBILE, DO NOT SWITCH
THAT THING ON.
>> JUDGE HARB, ON FRIDAY SIGNED
A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
PROHIBITING T-MOBILE FROM
TURNING THE TOWER ON UNTIL
FURTHER ORDER. A FIRST ROUND WIN
FOR PARENTS WHOSE KIDS GO TO
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY AND
WYANDOTTE.
>> IT HAS BEEN A MONTHS LONG
BATTLE. PARENTS FURIOUS THAT THE
NOW FORMER SUPERINTENDE DR.
KATHERINE KOST SIGNED A CONTRACT
WITH T-MOBILE, ALLOWING THE
COMPANY TO PUT A CELL PHONE
TOWER DIRECTLY ON TOP OF THE
SCHOOL. BUT ALSO THE EQUIPMENT
TO RUN THE TOWER RIGHT ON THE
PLAYGROUND. PARENT PROTESTED,
NOT WANTING THEIR KIDS EXPOSED
EVERY SCHOOL DAY TO POTENTIAL
RADIATION. THE CONTROVERSY
COSTING THE SUPERINTENDENT HER
JOB. SHE RESIGNED. THE PARENTS
NOW TAKING T-MOBILE TO COURT.
THEY WANT ALL OF THIS REMOVED.
T-MOBILE WAS PLANNING ON TURNING
THE TOWER ON THE DAY AFTER
SCHOOL IS OUT FOR SUMMER.
>> I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF THIS
TOWER EVER GETS TURNED ON THE
LAW IS VERY CLEARLY IN OUR FAVOR
IN THIS CASE, SO WE ARE
CONFIDENT THAT THIS TOWER WILL
NEVER BE TURNED ON AND WILL BE
TAKEN DOWN SOON.
>> SINCE THIS CONTROVERSY FIRST
BROKE, PARENTS AND
ADMINISTRATORS FROM OTHER
DISTRICTS ARE SEEING CELL TOWERS
ON OR NEAR THEIR KIDS SCHOOL,
RAISING HEALTH CONCERNS. MANY
HAVE COME TO WYANDOTTE TO SEE
HOW PARENTS HERE ARE FIGHTING
BACK.
>> DETROIT, THEIR CITY COUNCIL
HAS ACTUALLY KIND OF ORDERED
THAT THERE BE, YOU KNOW, A STUDY
DONE IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS AS YOU
KNOW, I’M SURE THAT THEY’VE BEEN
POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
AS FAR AS REALLY CREDIBLE
EXPERTS THAT HAVE DEDICATED
THEIR LIVES TO THIS TYPE OF
RESEARCH. YOU KNOW, WHEN I DO
THESE STORIES IN WYANDOTTE, I
ASK THE PARENTS, LOOK, IN THE
HOUSES WERE SURROUNDED BY WI-FI
.
>> MANY OF US ARE ALWAYS ON OUR
PHONE. THAT’S A SIGNAL. YOU SEE
THE WIRES BEHIND ME AND POLES
WERE SURROUNDED BY THESE
SIGNALS, BUT THEY SAY THE KIDS
HERE DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. WE
HAVE A CHOICE NOT TO BE ON OUR
PHONES OR HOLD THEM UP TO OUR
HEADS. THIS WAS JUST PLACED
THERE FOR THE KIDS TO DEAL WITH.
SO T-MOBILE CAN’T TURN IT ON
JUNE 12TH, DEVIN IS WHEN
EVERYONE WILL GO TO COURT,
INCLUDING T-MOBILE. T-MOBILE
WILL GIVE ITS ARGUMENT ON WHY
THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE
WITH ITS CONTRACT AND USE THAT
TOWER. BACK TO YOU.
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> ALL RIGHT, SHAWN. WELL, WE
ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE
MASSIVE WILDFIRE THAT BROKE OUT
OVER THE WEEKEND NEAR GRAYLING
THAT FORCED EVACUATIONS.
>> AND FOR A WHILE SHUT DOWN
PART OF 75. WILL JONES IS LIVE
WITH MORE ON THE DESPERATE NEED
FOR RAIN IN OUR AREA. WILL.
KIMBERLY FROM FIREFIGHTERS TO
FARMERS, THE RAIN CAN’T COME
SOON ENOUGH.
>> FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING
MORE OUT OF CONTROL BRUSH FIRES
DUE TO THE DRY CONDITIONS AND
SOME FARMERS ARE HOLDING OFF
PLANTING CROPS. THE DRY
CONDITIONS CAUSING TROUBLE FOR
FIREFIGHTERS IN RURAL NORTHERN
MACOMB COUNTY.
>> WE HAD SOMEBODY THAT HAD A
BRUSH FIRE THAT ACTUALLY LED TO
THE BARN CATCHING ON FIRE. AND
THIS MORNING WE HAD ANOTHER
SMALL BRUSH FIRE BECAUSE SOMEONE
WAS TRYING TO DO SOME CONTROLLED
BURNING THAT GOT OUT OF CONTROL
AS CREWS CONTINUE TO BATTLE THE
WILDFIRE NEAR GRAYLING, MANY
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE
ON HIGH ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL
FOR WILDFIRES. 80% OF OUR
COMMUNITY OF THE 36MI█ !S IS EIT
AGRICULTURAL OR HOMES WITH
SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY IN ACREAGE
. SO IT IS A CONCERN FOR US.
>> OUR FIRE CHIEF, CHRIS CROCE,
SHOWING LOCAL 4 THEIR GRASS
TRUCK, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO GO
OFF ROAD.
>> THERE’S A NOZZLE ON THE FRONT
AND THE PERSON DRIVING THE
VEHICLE CONTROL IT. SO AS
THEY’RE DRIVING THROUGH THE
BRUSH, THEY CAN ACTUALLY SPRAY
WATER.
>> THE DRY CONDITIONS ARE ALSO
IMPACTING ANOTHER LINE OF WORK
FARMING. I JUST TALKED TO ONE
FARMER WHO DOES ORGANIC GRAINS
AND HE’S JUST DELAYED HIS
PLANNING UNTIL THERE’S A GOOD
RAIN.
>> SO HE’S GOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS
HERE. IF HE CAN’T IF HE DOESN’T
GET A SUBSTANTIAL RAIN IN THE
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, HE MAY
HAVE TO RETHINK WHAT CROPS HE’S
PLANNING. FIREFIGHTER ERS SAY
BATTLING WILDFIRES IS EXTREMELY
CHALLENGING.
>> THEY DESCRIBE IT AS
EXHAUSTING. WILDFIRES SPREAD SO
QUICKLY, SO IT MAKES IT HARD TO
KEEP UP WITH. WE ARE LIVE
TONIGHT. WILL JONES LOCAL 4.
OKAY, WILL, THANK YOU.
>> SO WHEN IS OUR NEXT CHANCE
FOR RAIN? THAT’S A BIG QUESTION.
>> KIM ADAMS WITH THE CLOSE EYE
ON IT IS NOT TODAY.
>> NO, IT’S NOT. IN FACT, IT IS
IN THE FORECAST. BUT WE’VE GOT
SEVERAL DAYS OF THIS DRY
WEATHER. ONCE AGAIN. AND IF YOU
LOOK AT THE SKYLINE OF DETROIT,
IT LOOKS LIKE A CLOUDY DAY RIGHT
IN OVER CAST DAY. AND THERE ARE
A FEW CLOUDS OUT THERE, BUT MOST
OF WHAT YOU’RE SEEING RIGHT HERE
IS SMOKE IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF
THE ATMOSPHERE, NOT SO MUCH FROM
THE FIRES IN NORTHERN LOWER
MICHIGAN, BUT FROM THE EASTERN
CANADIAN WILDFIRES. SO IT DOES
LOOK LIKE AN OVERCAST DAY. IT
WILL BE A VERY PRETTY SUNSET
ONCE AGAIN WITH THAT HAZE. 80 IN
DETROIT AND HOWELL, 79 IN
PONTIAC AND 81 IN ADRIAN. SMOKE
AND FIRE. WE JUST DON’T TALK
ABOUT THIS VERY MUCH, BUT IT IS
A VERY BIG TOPIC AND IT’S
UNPRECEDENTED RIGHT NOW. THE
SCALE FOR THE SMOKE AND FIRE
GOES FROM LIGHT ALL THE WAY UP
TO FIRE. MOST OF SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UP INTO THE THUMB RIGHT
NOW IS IN THE THICK, MODERATE TO
THICK. SO, I MEAN, THERE’S QUITE
A BIT OF IT OUT THERE. EVEN
THOUGH IT’S A SUNNY DAY, IT JUST
HASN’T LOOKED LIKE IT TODAY. 74
IN MOUNT CLEMENS, UPPER 70S IN
PONTIAC, 80IN HOWELL, AND ALSO
IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT.
TEMPERATURES TOMORROW WILL GET
BACK INTO THE UPPER 70S. BUT
NOTICE ANOTHER DRY DAY. WE’LL
HAVE A STRING OF DRY DAYS, BUT
THERE IS SOME RAIN AHEAD FOR THE
WEEKEND. AND I’LL TELL YOU WHICH
DAY TO PLAN FOR THAT RAIN IN THE
FORECAST.
>> ALL RIGHT, KIM. A MOBIL GAS
STATION ON VERNOR NEAR CLARK IN
SOUTHWEST DETROIT WAS SHUT DOWN
THIS MORNING AFTER AN ARGUMENT
TURNED DEADLY LATE LAST NIGHT
AFTER A VERBAL ALTERCATION
BETWEEN A GAS STATION EMPLOYEE
AND A CUSTOMER. THINGS ESCALATED
AS THE CUSTOMER LEFT THE STORE
AND THEN CAME BACK. THE STORE
CLERK FIRED A SHOT WITH AN
UNLICENSED FIREARM, KILLING THE
25 YEAR OLD MAN. THE EMPLOYEE IS
NOW IN CUSTODY. THE ENTIRE STORE
HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN BECAUSE IT
WAS OPERATING ILLEGALLY IN THE
FIRST PLACE. A HARPER WOODS HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENT IS FACING A
SERIOUS CRIMINAL CHARGE FOR
BRINGING A HANDGUN TO SCHOOL.
>> HAPPENED LAST WEDNESDAY.
THAT’S WHEN A SCHOOL STAFF
MEMBER SPOTTED A HANDGUN IN THE
MALE STUDENT’S BACKPACK. ONCE
CONFRONTED, THE 16 YEAR OLD, RAN
FROM THE SCHOOL WITH THE HANDGUN
STILL IN HIS POSSESSION, AND
HOURS LATER, POLICE FOUND HIM AT
HIS HOME IN DETROIT. THEY
RECOVERED THE GUN, PLACED THE
BOY IN A JUVENILE DETENTION
FACILITY, AND HE NOW FACES
FELONY FIREARMS CHARGES AND A
MISDEMEANOR GUN POSSESSION
CHARGE.
>> A NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS
CLOSING A BUSY ROAD IN MACOMB
COUNTY FOR WEEKS. 26 MILE IS NOW
CLOSED OVER I 94 IN LENOX
TOWNSHIP, SKY FOUR OVER THE AREA
THIS MORNING, CREWS ARE GOING TO
BE REPLACING THE GUARDRAIL,
FIXING THE CONCRETE, DOING OTHER
IMPROVEMENTS. SO IT IS GOING TO
BE CLOSED NOW FOR 51 DAYS. SO
KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR THE NEXT
TWO WEEKS. THE WORK PART OF THE
BIGGER I-94 CONSTRUCTION, THAT’S
BEEN GOING ON IN THAT AREA,
THERE’S A REALLY SPECIAL STORY
FOR DETROITERS COMING UP ON NBC
NIGHTLY NEWS TONIGHT.
>> IT’S GOING TO BE GREAT. IT’S
A UNIQUE LOOK AT ARETHA
FRANKLIN. NEVER BEFORE DISPLAYED
PHOTOS OF THE QUEEN OF SOUL
HERE. THE IMAGES ARE FROM A
CONCERT REHEARSAL IN DETROIT. 25
YEARS AGO. IT WAS FRANKLIN’S
FIRST AND ONLY PERFORMANCE WITH
THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
AND NOW THESE INTIMATE PHOTOS
ARE PART OF A CONCERT TRIBUTE.
LOCAL 4 ALUM ANN THOMPSON SPOKE
WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER ABOUT THE
MOMENTS SHE CAPTURED IN THESE
CAPTIVATING PHOTOS.
>> THIS WAS WHERE SHE LEARNED TO
SING AND SHE CAME BACK AND SHE
NEVER LEFT. SHE GAVE HER HEART
AND HER SOUL TO DETROIT VERY
MUCH LIKE ELVIS AND MEMPHIS AND
, YOU KNOW, THE MOTOWN STARS.
MOST OF THEM LEFT NOT ALL, BUT
MOST OF THEM. MANY OF THEM LEFT.
BUT ARETHA. NO THIS WAS HOME. SO
FOR HER TO BE HERE FOR AND TO
SING WITH HER HOMETOWN SYMPHONY,
IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL FOR HER.
WELL AHEAD AT 630 ON NIGHTLY
NEWS, THIS LITTLE SEEN SIDE OF
ARETHA FRANKLIN AND THE SPECIAL