>>> OH THE WINDS OF CHANGE
ARE BLOWING AND THEY’RE
BRINGING SNOWFLAKES AS WELL.
WE STILL HAVE THAT WIND
ADVISORY IN AFFECT.
I’LL HAVE YOUR COMPLETE
FORECAST STRAIGHT AHEAD.
>>> FIRST AT 4, THE OXFORD
SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS REVEALED
TENTATIVE PLANS FOR WHEN THE
HIGH SCHOOL WILL REOPEN
AFTER THAT DEADLY SHOOTING.
>>> NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN IN
TEARS AFTER A FATAL FIRE IN
PHILADELPHIA.
A FIREFIGHTER SAYS IT IS THE
WORST HE’S SEEN IN 35 YEARS.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE MADE ONE
DISTURBING DISCOVERY.
IT’S ALL FIRST AT 4.
>> Announcer: LIVE FROM
DOWNTOWN DETROIT, HOME OF
WDIV AND CLICK ON DETROIT,
LOCAL 4 NEWS FIRST AT 4
STARTS NOW.
>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M
KAREN DREW FIRST AT 4, WE
ARE TRACKING COVID NUMBERS
IN MICHIGAN AND SOME NEW
NATIONAL GUIDANCE ON
ISOLATION AND VACCINATIONS.
WE’RE GOING TO START WITH
MORE THAN 27,000 NEW CASES
IN THE STATE OVER THE PAST
TWO DAYS.
DAILY AVERAGE OF ABOUT
13,000 -- 13,600.
SEVEN DAY POSITIVITY RATE
HAS JUMPED TO JUST UNDER
30%.
TWO WEEKS AGO BEFORE
CHRISTMAS THAT RATE WAS
ABOUT 16%.
WE JUST SPOKE TO THE STATE’S
CHIEF MEDICAL EXECUTIVE WHO
SAYS WE ARE BETTER OFF THAN
A YEAR AGO BUT WE STILL NEED
TO BE ON GUARD.
>> WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT
PLACE.
WE DO HAVE TOOLS THAT WE
DIDN’T HAVE EARLIER ON IN
THE PANDEMIC BUT YES WE
SHOULD STILL BE CONCERNED.
WE’RE FACING NOW A VARIANT
THAT IS HIGHLY
TRANSMISSIBLE.
THIS IS A VARIANT THAT WE
KNOW CAN CAUSE SEVERE
OUTCOMES AS PREVIOUS
VARIANTS HAVE SO AGAIN THAT
MEANS HOW DO WE PREVENT
THOSE SEVERE OUTCOMES.
VACCINATION AND THERAPEUTICS,
EARLY TESTING.
WE REALLY HAVE TO USE THOSE
TOOLS.
>> Reporter: THE C.D.C. IS
TRYING TO CLARIFY ITS
GUIDANCE ON A SHORTER
ISOLATION PERIOD AFTER
TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID.
NOW THEY SAY ASYMPTOMATIC
PEOPLE CAN USE RAPID ANTIGEN
TESTS AROUND DAY FIVE.
BUT THE C.D.C. IS NOT
REQUIRING IT.
LAST WEEK THE AGENCY CAME
UNDER FIRE FOR SHORTENING
ISOLATION FROM 10 TO FIVE
DAYS FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT
COVID SYMPTOMS.
BUT THE C.D.C. DID NOT
MENTION ANY TESTING.
>>> TODAY, OFFICIALS STILL
SAY COVID POSITIVE
INDIVIDUALS CAN LEAVE
ISOLATION AFTER FIVE DAYS IF
THEY ARE FREE OF A FEVER AND
OTHER SYMPTOMS.
AND THEY WEAR A WELL FITTING
Facebook FOR ANOTHER FIVE
DAYS.
IF YOU DO TAKE A RAPID TEST
AND IT IS POSITIVE CONTINUE
TO ISOLATE FOR THAT
ADDITIONAL FIVE DAYS.
>>> AT THIS HOUR AN ADVISORY
PANEL FOR THE C.D.C. IS
MEETING TO DISCUSS PFIZER
BOOSTER SHOTS FOR A NEW AGE
GROUP.
THE FOR CHILDREN AGES 12 TO
15.
THE C.D.C.’S ADVISORY PANEL
HAS BEEN MEETING FOR A FEW
HOURS NOW.
EXPECTED TO VOTE SOON.
WE’LL GIVE YOU THE RESULTS
AS SOON AS THAT VOTE TAKES
PLACE.
DETROIT IS RAMPING UP
EFFORTS TO TEST AMID THE
SURGE OF OMICRON.
OMICRON IS THREE TIMES AS
TRANSMISSIBLE AS DELTA.
MAYOR DUGGAN SAYS CLOTH
MASKS ARE NOT WORKING AS
WELL TO PROTECT US.
>> THIS VIRUS IS EVADING THE
CLOTH MASKS.
THOSE MASKS YOU MADE UP
OURSELVES OUT OF CLOTH THEY
WERE VERY EFFECT I FOR THE
LAST YEAR AND A HALF --
EFFECTIVE FOR THE LAST YEAR
AND A HALF IN PROTECTING YOU
AGAINST PROTECTION THEY
AREN’T WORKING AGAINST THE
OMICRON VIRUS.
NOW WE NEED TO BE WEARING
THE K 95 OR SURGICAL MASKS
WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS MORE
SERIOUSLY.
>> THE CITY OF DETROIT IS
OPENING TWO RAPID TESTING
CENTERS.
LOCATIONS HOPE TO SET 1,000
APPOINTMENTS EACH DAY.
YOU CAN GET TESTED AT THE
JOSEPH WALKER WILLIAMS REC
CENTER ON ROSA PARKS NORTH
OF GRAND BOULVARD AND
HUNTINGTON PLACE FORMALLY
KNOWN AS THE T.C.F. CENTER.
CALL 313-230-0505 FOR AN
APPOINTMENT.
>>> OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
HAVE REVEALED A GRADUAL PLAN
TO GET THEIR HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS BACK TO CLASS.
THE TENTATIVE PLAN COMES
MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER A
SHOOTING LEFT FOUR STUDENTS
DEAD.
CURRENTLY THE HIGH SCHOOL IS
NOT READY TO OPEN SO HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE
SHARING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
BUILDING AS PART OF AN
ALTERNATIVE HYBRID SCHEDULE.
THAT SCHEDULE STARTS NEXT
MONDAY JANUARY 10th.
IT SHOULD RUN THROUGH
JANUARY 21st.
THE DISTRICT HOPES THE HIGH
SCHOOL WILL BE READY TO
REOPEN THE WEEK OF JANUARY
24th.
>>> WE ARE WATCHING A TRIPLE
WINTER WEATHER THREAT IT’S
COLD, IT’S WINDY SOME OF YOU
COULD SEE SOME SNOW.
LET’S CHECK IN WITH
METEOROLOGIST PAUL GROSS
HE’S A BUSY GUY THIS
AFTERNOON.
HEY, PAUL.
THE COLD FRONT DID ITS
NUMBER ON THUS MORNING.
WE STILL HAVE THAT WIND
ADVISORY IN EFFECT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT COVERS OUR
ENTIRE VIEWING AREA HERE
UNTIL 10:00 TONIGHT AND THE
WIND IS BLEG OUT THERE.
IN FACT -- IS BLOWING OUT
THERE.
IN FACT, THE TEMPERATURES IF
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THE
TEMPERATURES HAVE PLUNGED.
WE’RE NOW WELL DOWN INTO THE
20s.
SO AS FAR AS STORM TRACKER 4
IS CONCERNED WE JUST HAVE
THIS BAND OF SNOW REALLY
EXTENDING OFF OF LAKE
MICHIGAN HERE AND COMING
ACROSS THE STATE.
IT’S BEEN MAINLY THE
NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA.
SO REALLY THE NORTHERN HALF
A LOT MORE IN THE WAY OF
SNOWFLAKES THAN THE SOUTHERN
HALF TODAY.
MOVING THROUGH THE EVENING
HOURS WE’LL STILL HAVE THOSE
FLAKES AROUND STILL BE
BREEZY AND THESE TEMPERATURE
FALLING INTO THE TEENS SO
IT’S GOING TO BE A REAL COLD
ONE TONIGHT.
WE HAVE THE CHANCE AT LEAST
FOR MORE SNOW SHOWERS
TOMORROW BUT SOME OF US WILL
GET IT AND SOMESTON US
WON’T.
WE’LL TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT
FOR YOU IN A FEW MORE
MINUTES.
>> WE’VE SEEN SO MANY
CHANGES IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY
THEY JUST KEEP COMING.
HOURS AGO G.M. UNVEILED ITS
FIRST PICKUP -- THE C.E.O.
MARY BARRA WAS ON HAND WITH
THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING AT
THE FOX THEATER.
THIS IS G.M.s ANSWER TO THE
FORD F-150 LIGHTNING WHICH
GRABBED A LOT OF HEADLINES
LAST YEAR.
THIS EVEN WAS A VIRTUAL PART
OF THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
SHOW.
PREORDERS OPENED TODAY WITH
PRODUCTION SET TO BEGIN IN
2023.
>>> AT 5:00 WE’LL TAKE A
CLOSER LOOK AT ALL THE BELLS
AND WIND CHILLSLE ON -- AND
WHISTLES ON THIS TRUCK.
>>> THE STILLANTIS CHRYSLER
BRAND PLANS TO SHIFT AN ALL
ELECTRIC LINEUP BY 2028
WHICH IS JUST SIX YEARS
AWAY.
THE PLAN IS TO OFFER ITS
FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE BY
2025, AND ADD ALL E.V.s AS
IT SHIFTS AWAY FROM GAS
POWERED ENGINES.
STILLANTIS HAS SAID IT WILL
SPEND MORE THAN $33 BILLION
ON ELECTRIFYING ITS LINEUP.
>>> THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS
TALKING ABOUT HEARTBREAKING
STEADILY FIRE OVER IN
PHILADELPHIA.
MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE
HAVE DIED INCLUDING SEVERAL
CHILDREN.
THE PRELIMINARY
INVESTIGATION HAS UNCOVERED
A BIG PEOPLE FROM IN THE
HOUSE THAT BURNED.
KIMBERLY GILL TRACKING THE
VERY LATEST ON THE
INVESTIGATION.
>> HI, KAREN.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
OFFICIALS IN PHILADELPHIA
SAY THIS TRAGEDY PROBABLY
HAS THE CITY’S HIGHEST DEATH
TOLL FOR A SINGLE FIRE IN AT
LEAST A CENTURY.
13 PEOPLE ARE DEAD, SEVEN OF
THEM ARE CHILDREN AND
INVESTIGATORS WORRY THERE
COULD BE MORE VICTIMS AS
THEY LOOK THROUGH THE RUINS
OF THE ROW HOUSE.
TWO PEOPLE HAVE ALSO BEEN
SENT TO THE HOSPITAL.
THE LARGE FIRE TORE THROUGH
A TWO UNIT HOME EARLY THIS
MORNING.
FIRE CREWS BELIEVE 26 PEOPLE
WERE STAYING INSIDE THE
BUILDING.
NEIGHBORS ARE DEVASTATED BY
THE LOSS OF LIFE.
ONE WOMAN SAYS SHE USED TO
SEE SOME OF THE CHILDREN WHO
DIED PLAYING ON THE CORNER.
FIRE CREWS FIRST RESPONDED
ABOUT 6:40 THIS MORNING AND
SAW FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE
SECOND FLOOR FRONT WINDOWS.
THEY SAY THE CONFIGURATION
OF THE HOUSE WHICH HAD BEEN
SPLIT INTO TWO APARTMENTS
MADE IT DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.
>> THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED
AND IT WAS TERRIBLE.
MOST -- I’VE BEEN AROUND FOR
30, 35 YEARS NOW, AND THIS
IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE WORST
FIRES I’VE EVER BEEN TO.
>> YEAH.
RIGHT NOW THE CAUSE OF THE
FIRE IS UNKNOWN BUT FIRE
CREWS HAVE ALREADY UNCOVERED
SOMETHING DISTURBING.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THERE WERE
FOUR SMOKE ALARMS IN THE
BUILDING WHICH WAS PUBLIC
HOUSING BUT NONE OF THOSE
APPEARED TO BE WORKING.
THAT’S A PRELIMINARY
FINDING.
HOUSING OFFICIALS THOUGH SAY
THE ALARMS HAD BEEN
INSPECTED ANNUALLY WITH AT
LEAST TWO REPLACED IN THE
YEAR 2020.
WE’LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THE
INVESTIGATION.
FOR NOW KAREN, BACK TO YOU.
>> AN AWFUL STORY, THANK
YOU.
KIM.
>>> MICHIGAN’S POLITICAL
LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO SHIFT
AFTER NEW LEGISLATIVE
DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN
ANNOUNCED.
CONGRESSWOMAN RASHIDA TLAIB
SAYS SHE’S RUNNING FOR
RE-ELECTION BUT IN THE NEWLY
CREATED 12th DISTRICT
INSTEAD OF THE 13th.
SHE RELEASED A STATEMENT
SAYING I AM EXCITED ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND
OUR WORK TO INCLUDE MORE
COMMUNITIES THAT WANT THE
SAME ACCESS TO A BETTER
QUALITY OF LIFE.
TLAIB SAYS THE NEW DISTRICT
CONTAINS NEARLY TWO-THIRDS
OF THE PEOPLE SHE CURRENTLY
SERVES ALSO SHE WILL BE
MOVING TO LIVE WITHIN THE
BOUNDARIES OF THAT NEWLY
CREATED DISTRICT.
>>> ANOTHER DEMOCRAT HAS
CHOSEN TO RETIRE INSTEAD OF
SEEKING RE-ELECTION.
LAST NIGHT AT 11 WE TOLD YOU
SOUTHFIELD’S BRENDA LAWRENCE
IS CALLING IT QUITS AFTER 30
YEARS IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
TODAY, THE CONGRESSWOMAN
SPOKE WITH OUR MEGAN WOODS
ABOUT HER LEGACY AND THE
VERY PERSONAL REASONS BEHIND
HER DECISION AS SHE SAYS TO
STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.
>> Reporter: THERE’S NO
QUESTION THE CITY OF
SOUTHFIELD PLAYS A SPECIAL
ROLE IN THE LEGACY OF
CONGRESSWOMAN BRENDA
LAWRENCE.
IT’S THE SAME PLACE SHE SAT
ON BOARD OF EDUCATION AT
CITY COUNCIL AND EVENTUALLY
BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN AND
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR.
IT’S ALSO THE HOME TO ONE OF
HER FAVORITE ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
THIS LIBRARY.
>> AND THE COMMENT WAS IT’S
A TAJ MAHAL AND I SAID WHAT
BETTER THING FOR A CITY TO
BE KNOWN FOR THAN A TAJ
MAHAL OF LEARNING.
>> Reporter: IN HER 30 YEARS
OF ELECTED PUBLIC SERVICE,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE BRENDA
LAWRENCE HAS QUITE A FEW
MOMENTS SHE HOLDS CLOSE TO
HER HEART.
>> I AM VERY PROUD OF THE
FACT THAT I STOOD UP AT A
TIME AND SAID WE NEEDED TO
BUILD A LIBRARY IN
SOUTHFIELD.
>> Reporter: FAST FORWARD TO
NOW WHERE SHE TAKES PRIDE IN
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
NATIONALLY.
>> APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR
EDUCATION, FOR HEALTHCARE,
FOR PROTECTING OUR
ENVIRONMENT.
I’M THERE TO CAST THAT VOTE
AND TO LEAD THAT DISCUSSION
AND TO FIGHT FOR THOSE
THINGS.
>> Reporter: SO WHY AFTER
SERVING FOUR TERMS AS THEIR
CONGRESSWOMAN DID SHE DECIDE
NOT TO SEEK RE-ELECTION.
>> I LOVE THE ENERGY THAT IT
TAKES FOR ME BUT IT TAKES A
LOT AND WHILE I WAS NOT
INTIMIDATED BY THE DISTRICT
REDISTRICTING, IT’S
APPROPRIATE TIME TO ALLOW
OTHERS TO STEP IN THIS
ARENA.
>> Reporter: IT WAS A
BITTERSWEET DECISION.
>> LOOKING AT MY FAMILY WHO
FOR 30 YEARS ACCEPTED THE
ROLE OF COMING LAST OVER MY
CONSTITUENTS, IT’S TIME AND
I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE
NEXT PHASE OF MY LIFE.
>> Reporter: THE QUESTION
NOW IS WHAT THAT NEXT PHASE
WILL BE.
>> I WANTED TO SERVE IN THE
CAPACITY OF BOARDS AND
NONPROFITS TO BE A
CONSULTANT AND WE’LL SEE
WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT I DEFINITELY CAN’T GO
HOME AND PLANT FOR FULL
HOURS BUT I DO WANT TO PLANT
SOME ROSES SO I CAN STOP AND
SMELL THEM.
>> Reporter: THE
CONGRESSWOMAN SAYS SHE WANTS
PART OF HER LEGACY TO BE
THAT SHE NEVER SAW LESS IN
ANYONE.
IN SOUTHFIELD, I’M MEGAN