FIVE DOWNTOWN DETROIT. LOCAL 4 NEWS AT FIVE STARTS NOW. WE’RE GOING TO START THIS FRIDAY WITH
THE WEEKEND FORECAST BECAUSE WE
HAVE MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF RAIN.
STARTING OFF WITH THAT WALL OF
GREEN YOU SEE OFF TO THE WEST.
IT WILL BE HERE TONIGHT AND INTO
SATURDAY, BUT FOR NOW IT’S ALL
CLEAR EXCEPT FOR THE CLOUDS AS
WE TAKE A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE FROM
OUR DOWNTOWN SKY CAM. WE DO KNOW
THE LAWNS COULD USE THE WATER
AND WE ARE GOING TO GET IT. YES,
LET’S START THINGS OFF WITH PAUL
GROSS AND LOOK AT WHAT’S TO COME
FOR. YOU KNOW THE LAWNS NEED THE
RAIN, BUT YOU KNOW THE LAW OF
WEEKEND PHYSICS. IT’S NOT
SUPPOSED TO RAIN ON A WEEKEND,
SO WE’LL TRY. WE’LL TRY TO GET
THROUGH THIS WEEKEND IN MUCH
BETTER SHAPE THAN WE WERE
THINKING EVEN YESTERDAY. SO
WHAT? DETAIL THAT FOR YOU IN
ABOUT 10 MINUTES? RIGHT NOW WE
ARE DRY HERE ACROSS THE AREA
BACK TO THE WEST. HERE, JUST
WATCHING THIS AREA OF RAIN. I’VE
BEEN MONITORING ALL AFTERNOON.
AND THIS IS VERY LIGHT STUFF. NO
LIGHTNING, NO TORRENTIAL
DOWNPOURS OR ANYTHING. THIS IS
JUST VERY LIGHT GARDEN VARIETY
RAIN, AND IT’S GOING TO BE
SPREADING EASTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS, SO THOSE OF YOU
IN THE EAST ARE GOING TO GET IT
LAST. THOSE OF YOU IN THE FAR
WEST ARE GOING TO GET IT FIRST.
SO LET’S TALK ABOUT TEMPERATURES
RIGHT NOW, AND WE’RE LOOKING AT
TEMPS THAT ARE IN THE UPPER
SEVENTIES TO EVEN LOW EIGHTIES
AND SPOTS. LOOK AT LAPIERRE.
LOOK AT YOU. YOU’RE AT 81
DEGREES WITH 78 IN DETROIT, 77
VERSE 77 OVER IN MONROE. SO AS
WE MOVE THROUGH THE EVENING
HOURS, JUST A SLOW FALL THROUGH
THE SEVENTIES, WE HAVE MORE
HUMIDITY IN THE AIR WITH THE
CLOUDS. TO SLOWER DROP IN
TEMPERATURES AND AGAIN, THOSE
LIGHT SHOWERS ARE GOING TO BE
JUST INCREASING AS WE MOVE
THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AFTER
THIS WEEKEND, THOUGH, IT’S OFF
TO THE RACES WITH TEMPERATURES
AND I’LL TELL YOU WHAT THERE.
THERE’S A LOT OF HEAT COMING OUR
WA SO WE’LL TALK ABOUT YOUR
WEEKEND RAIN TIMING AND MORE
ABOUT THAT HEAT COMING UP IN
JUST A LITTLE BIT, GUYS. ALRIGHT
PAUL RIGHT NOW AT DETROIT’S
POLICE, SIX SECOND PRECINCT ON
THE CITY’S WEST SIDE, FELLOW
OFFICERS, FRIENDS, FAMILY AND
COMPLETE STRANGERS HAVE GATHERED
TO HONOR THE LIFE OF OFFICER
LAUREN COURTS. LOOK HERE NOW
FROM SKY FOUR OVER THE SECOND
PRECINCT THERE ON LEISURE STREET
AS A VIGIL JUST GOT UNDERWAY.
SHAWN LEY IS LIVE THERE TONIGHT,
JOHN. THIS IS REALLY JUST BEEN A
TOUGH TOUGH WEEK FOR THE ENTIRE
DEPARTMENT. TRULY YOU CAN HEAR
THE APPLAUSE HERE BECAUSE ON THE
MICROPHONE JUST NOW STEPPING UP
DIESS OFFICER COURSES BROTHER,
SAYING THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT
THIS TYPE OF CROWD OUT HERE
TONIGHT AT THIS PRECINCT, WHERE
HOME FREEZING FOR OFFICER LAUREN
COURTS. JUST SO MANY PEOPLE
COMING HERE IN DROVES, ARRIVING
FROM FOUR ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
THE FIVE O’CLOCK HOUR AS THIS
JUST GOT UNDERWAY. CHIEF WHITE
KICKING THINGS OFF WITH SOME
POIGNANT WORDS, TALKING ABOUT
COURAGE AND COURAGE UNDER FIRE,
NOT JUST FROM THIS OFFICER, BUT
THE OFFICERS HERE THAT FACED
DANGER ON THE STREETS EVERY DAY.
HEAVY HEARTS, HUGS, LOVE,
SUPPORT AND PRAYERS AT THIS HOUR
AT THE DETROIT POLICE
DEPARTMENTS, SECOND PRECINCT
OFFICER LAUREN COURTS HOME
PRECINCT THE PARKING LOT TURNED
INTO A PRAYER SERVICE FOR THE
FALLEN OFFICER FOR HIS YOUNG
FAMILY HERE TODAY, AND FOR
COURTS, FELLOW OFFICERS, THE
DEATH OF THE OFFICERS SHAKING
THIS DEPARTMENT AND THIS CITY TO
ITS CORE, HIGHLIGHTING THE DAILY
DANGEROUS WORK POLICE FACE ON
THE STREETS. JULY 6TH. THE
OFFICER WAS RESPONDING TO A CALL
OF SHOTS FIRED ON THE CITY’S
WEST SIDE AND WAS SHOT AS HE
ARRIVED BY A TEAM FIRING A HIGH
CALIBER FIREARM CALLED A DRAKE.
OH, SIMILAR TO A MINI AK 47 THAT
THE TEEN OBTAINED THROUGH AN
ILLEGAL STRAW PURCHASE AND IN
EAST POINT GUNSHOT. DETROIT
POLICE CHIEF JAMES WHITE SAYS
HIS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY WERE
ROBBED OF A FINE OFFICER AND
FIND MAN YOU CAN SEE BY THE TURN
OUT OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE AT THIS
PRAYER SERVICE. THE SHOOTING OF
OFFICER COURTS HAS TOUCHED A
NERVE LOSING A GOOD MAN TO THE
SENSELESS USE OF A FIREARM. WE
LIVE IN LIKE YOU’RE LIVE ON THE
WEST SIDE AT THE SECOND
PRECINCT. WANT TO GIVE YOU A
NICE BIG LOOK AT THE CROWD THAT
HAS ARRIVED HERE? OF COURSE, WE
HAVE. MEMBERS OF THE DETROIT
POLICE DEPARTMENT. FIRE
DEPARTMENT. ALSO CBP CUSTOMS
BORDER PROTECTION AS WELL AND
OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
BUT JUST EVERYDAY FOLKS FROM
THIS WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
HUSBAND AND WIFE CARRYING LAWN
CHAIRS CAME UP TO THE LOCAL 4
VAN INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AND I
SAID, DID YOU KNOW THE OFFICER?
THEY SAID? NO HE SAID. WE LIVED
DOWN THE STREET. WE HEARD ABOUT
TODAY’S PRAYER SERVICE ON THE
NEWS, AND WE JUST HAD TO BE HERE
TO HONOR HAS FALLEN OFFICER.
WE’RE LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE
TONIGHT. SHAWN LEY LOCAL BOARD
BACK TO YOU. OKAY SEAN, WE
APPRECIATE IT AND TO HONOR THE
LIFE OF OFFICER COURTS, GOVERNOR
WHITMER HAS ORDERED ALL U. S AND
MICHIGAN FLAGS STATEWIDE TO BE
LOWERED TO HALF STAFF ON MONDAY.
FLAGS IT SHOULD BE RETURNED TO
FULL STAFF TUESDAY. OUR OTHER
TOP STORY TONIGHT. SOIL
CONTAMINATION CONCERNS CONNECTED
TO DETROIT’S DEMOLITION PROGRAM
. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIRT
THAT IS USED TO FILL THE HOLES
OF RECENTLY DEMOLISHED HOMES
SPECIFICALLY. FROM WHERE THAT
DIRT ORIGINATES. LET’S GET TO
GRANT HERMES LIVE TONIGHT. GRANT
ALLOT OF IT IS COMING FROM LOCAL
CEMETERIES. THE CONCERN HERE IS
THAT THE CITY JUST ISN’T DOING
ENOUGH TESTING THAT WHEN THEY
DEMOLISHED HOMES THAT WORK
INTAMIN IT ON LAND JUST LIKE
THIS ONE THAT THEY ARE NOW
PUTTING DIRT BACK IN. THAT COULD
BE JUST AS CONTAMINATED OR
WORSE. THE CITY OF DETROIT
DEALING IN DIRT THAT MIGHT BE
TOO DIRTY. THE CITY IMPORTING
DIRT FROM CEMETERIES ACROSS
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN FOR YEARS TO
FILL IN HUNDREDS OF LOTS LEFT
AFTER DEMOLISHING BLIGHT. THAT
DIRT POTENTIALLY CONTAINING LEAD
, ARSENIC, ASBESTOS, AND THAT’S
ONLY THE BEGINNING. FLUIDS THAT
ARE USED FOR EMBALMING ALSO,
JUST, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE
NORMAL DECAY OF OUR BODIES.
THERE’S CERTAIN HEAVY METALS
THAT ARE IN OUR BONES. YOU KNOW
THAT WE ABSORBED THROUGHOUT OUR
LIVES. THINGS LIKE MERCURY. BUT
CERTAINLY ARSENIC IS A CONCERN,
AND THE IMPACT OF THAT IS
TROUBLING. IF WE HAVE CHILDREN
THAT ARE OUT PLAYING IN THE YARD
OR PLAYING IN THE DIRT, YOU KNOW
KIDS PICK UP THINGS FROM THE
GROUND. PUT THEM IN THEIR MOUTH,
YOU KNOW TO PUT THEIR FINGERS IN
THEIR MOUTHS AFTER TOUCHING THE
SOIL. AND THAT CAN LEAD TO LET
EXPOSURE. THE CITY OF DETROIT
WAS ALREADY UNDER SCRUTINY AFTER
FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS ASKED THE
CITY TO TEST 200 SITES LAST
MONTH AFTER A RANDOM TESTING OF
87 CAME BACK WITH CONTAMINATION
LEVELS ABOVE SAFE LEVELS, THE
CITY’S DEMOLITION DEPARTMENT
ORDERING THOSE SEVEN SITES LIKE
THIS ONE HERE TO BE TORN UP AND
REFILLED. IN RESPONSE TO WORRIES
ABOUT THE USE OF POTENTIALLY
CONTAMINATED GRAVEYARD DIRT THE
CITY’S DEMOLITION DEPARTMENTS,
SAYING IN PART, THE DEPARTMENT
INSTITUTED ADDITIONAL COMPLIANCE
MEASURES, INCLUDING ON SITE
MONITORING AND CONTRACTING
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALISTS TO
ENSURE SOIL IS SAFE AND UP TO
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS. THERE
ARE SEVERAL LEVELS OF PROTECTION
IN PLACE BEFORE SOIL IS EVER
USED AS BACKFILL MATERIAL. THAT
PROCESS OR NOT,
ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY THEY WANT
MORE TESTING DONE BECAUSE OF
WHAT’S AT STAKE. AND I WANT TO
TAKE A LOOK AT SOMETHING HERE.
JUST A BLOG FROM WHERE WE’RE
STANDING. THAT IS A COMMUNITY
CENTER SURROUNDED BY ALL OF
THESE LOTS WERE DEMOLISHED
HOMES. WE USED TO SIT
ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY THAT
THAT’S REALLY WHAT’S AT STAKE
HERE IS THOSE KIDS, MANY OF THEM
WE SAW RUN THROUGH THESE LOTS AS
WE’VE BEEN OUT HERE ALL
AFTERNOON. DETROIT’S WEST SIDE
GRANT HERMES LOCAL 4 GRAND RIGHT
NOW. DETROIT POLICE ARE
INVESTIGATING A DEADLY HIT AND
RUN CRASH ALONG WOODWARD. A
JOGGER WAS HIT AND KILLED WHILE
RUNNING DOWN THE STREET THIS
MORNING AT WEST MCNICHOLS. ARTIM
PAMPLIN GOT AN UPDATE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON FROM POLICE. DETROIT
POLICE FATAL SQUAD ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATORS SPOKE TO SEEN ALL
MORNING LONG ALONG WOODWARD
AVENUE JUST NORTH OF MCNICHOLS.
TWO FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BE
SEVERELY DISRUPTED. AH IN LARGE
PART BECAUSE OF SPEED. WE’RE
BEING TOLD A 70 YEAR OLD MAN WAS
JOGGING NORTH BONG IN THE
SOUTHBOUND LANES. SOUTHBOUND
DRIVER STRUCK THE MAN KILLING
HIM INSTANTLY. THE DRIVER THEN
TOOK OFF FROM THE SCENE. WE JUST
FOUND OUT LATE THIS AFTERNOON
THAT THAT DRIVER OF 50 YEAR OLD
DETROIT RESIDENT DID TURN
HIMSELF IN TO THE 12TH PRECINCT.
HE IS CURRENTLY UNDER ARREST.
WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE AS IF
HE HAD STAYED AT THE SCENE AND
CALLED 911 AND MAYBE THAN MASCOT
OF ARRIVED AND SAVED THIS MAN’S
LIFE. THAT’S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE
HOPED TO HAVE HAPPENED. BUT THAT
DIDN’T THIS IS STILL CONSIDERED
A HIT AND RUN SINCE THE DRIVER
DID NOT STOP. THE COMMANDER
TELLS ME THAT EVEN THOUGH
THERE’S A PERFECTLY GOOD
SIDEWALK HERE, RUNNERS OFTEN
PREFER TO RUN IN THE ROADWAY.
I’M FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, AND
OFTEN THE JOGGERS DO USE THE FAR
RIGHT LANE OF WOODWARD. WHEN
THEY’RE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND
THAT IS THE SCENE IN PALMER PARK
THIS EVENING. TIM PAMPLIN LOCAL
4 ALL RIGHT. TIM CONSTRUCTION
WORKER DIES AFTER BEING STRUCK
BY A BULLDOZER IN CHESTERFIELD
TOWNSHIP POLICE WERE CALLED JUST
AFTER NINE THIS MORNING TO A
SITE ON NEW CENTER BOULEVARD
SOUTH OF 21. MILE ROAD. POLICE
TELL US A 53 YEAR OLD CLINTON
TOWNSHIP MAN WAS STANDING
OUTSIDE HIS DUMP TRUCK. WHILE A
PERSON CONTROLLING A BULLDOZER
STRUCK THE MAN KILLING HIM.
INVESTIGATORS ARE CALLING THE
SITUATION QUOTE A HORRIBLE
ACCIDENT AND OVER IN TROY, A
CONSTRUCTION WORKER DIES AFTER
HE WAS PINNED UNDERNEATH A WOOD
CHIPPER. THIS HAPPENED THURSDAY
MORNING. THE AREA OF WEST MAPLE
AND COOLIDGE POLICE SAY TWO MEN
WERE WORKING ON THE CHIPPER WHEN
ONE OF THEM GOT PINNED
UNDERNEATH IT BECAUSE THE
MACHINE HAD FALLEN OFF THE JACK
AND ONTO THE MAN. IT WAS NOT
TURNED ON, BUT THE MAN WAS TAKEN
TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER
DIED. TROY POLICE INVESTIGATING
A SHOOTING OUTSIDE A GAS STATION
THAT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE THREE
O’CLOCK THIS MORNING. IT WAS A
STATION OFF JAMES COUSINS NEAR
UH, NEARLY GREENFIELD. I SHOULD
SAY, POLICE SAY A GUNMAN
APPROACHED THE 44 YEAR OLD MAN
OUTSIDE THE GAS STATION WHEN HE
ATTEMPTED TO ROB HIM. POLICE
TELL US THE TWO MEN STARTED
FIGHTING WHEN THE GUNMAN SHOT 44
YEAR OLD MAN IN TEMPORARY
SERIOUS CONDITION AT THE
HOSPITAL TODAY, INVESTIGATORS
CONTINUING THEIR SEARCH TO FIND
THE BODY OF 17 YEAR OLD ZION
FOSTER MULTIPLE CREWS SEARCHING
THROUGH THE PINE TREE ACRES
LANDFILL AND LENOX TOWNSHIP.
THAT’S WHERE AUTHORITIES BELIEVE
FOSTER’S BODY COULD BE BURIED.
BUSTERS COUSIN JALEN RAZOR
ADMITTED HE PUT HER BODY IN A
DUMPSTER AFTER THE TWO WERE
TOGETHER AND SHE BECAME
UNRESPONSIVE. HE WAS SENTENCED
TO PRISON. BACK IN MARCH, 4TH
FIRST LYING TO AUTHORITIES ABOUT
HIS INVOLVEMENT IN FOSTER’S
DISAPPEARANCE. HAPPY FRIDAY,
EVERYONE WE’VE GOT SOME
CONSTRUCTION TO GET AROUND FOR
YOUR WEEKEND TONIGHT. THE NORTH
BONG RAMP OF 3 75 TO SOUTH 75
WILL CLOSE THAT STARTS AT EIGHT
PM IT WILL REOPEN MONDAY MORNING
AT FIVE A.M. IN THE MEANTIME, TO
GET AROUND THIS YOU CAN TAKE
NORTH BONG 75 TO WESTBOUND. I 94
BACK TO EASTBOUND. I 96 THEN TO
COTTBUS 75. ALSO SPEAKING OF I
75 LET’S TALK ABOUT CONSTRUCTION
THERE ON THE NORTH BONG LANES
BETWEEN SOUTHFIELD FREEWAY AND
OUTER DRIVE ONLY ONE LANE OPEN
THERE. THIS WILL WRAP UP MONDAY
MORNING AT FIVE A.M. AND THEN
ALSO KEEP THIS IN MIND. FOR
TONIGHT. THE NORTH AND SOUTH
BOUND LANES OF I 75 BETWEEN I 94
MCNICHOLS. WE’LL GO DOWN TO JUST
ONE LANE. THIS STARTS AT NINE
P.M. THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL WRAP
UP THERE MONDAY MORNING AT FIVE.
A.M. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND,
EVERYONE ALRIGHT. KIM WATER
PATROL DOESN’T GIVE OUT ALL THAT
OFTEN TONIGHT WITH THIS AGENT
DID THAT WENT WELL ABOVE THE
CALL OF DUTY. ALSO WHY TONIGHT
MIGHT BE THE PERFECT NIGHT TO
CHECK OUT DOWNTOWN PORTS. HURON
WILL EXPLAIN WHY LET’S CHECK IN
WITH ROB MALONEY, ROB IN SOME
CIRCLES WITH OLD GUYS LIKE ME.
THEY CALL THIS NEVER DRIVEN A
STICK. THE MILLENNIAL ANTI THEFT
DEVICE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. IT’S
A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. DO YOU