LIE FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT LOCAL 4 NEWS AT SIX STARTS NOW. AND WE START BECAUSE WE’VE GOT SOME
ACTIVITY ON STORM TRACKER FOUR
HERE, SEVERE WEATHER POPPING UP
IN THE WAKE OF OUR EARLIER
STORMS. THAT’S RIGHT. BRETT
COLLAR HAS BEEN ALL OVER IT FOR
US TODAY AND JOINS US NOW WITH A
NEW WARNING JUST ISSUED BRETT
PARTS OF ST CLAIR COUNTY. IN
FACT, AN AREA THAT WAS ALREADY
UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EARLIER HAS NOW BEEN
GIVEN A NEW WARNING. VIA THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UNTIL 6
15 THIS AFTERNOON THAT SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING BASICALLY
FROM PORTS HERE ON IN JUST A
LITTLE BIT FURTHER NORTH, SO IF
YOU’RE IN THE LAKEPORT AREA,
IT’S BASICALLY JUST TO THE NORTH
OF YOU, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE VERY
HEAVY RAIN. ALL THIS MOVING OFF
TO THE EAST NORTHEAST, SO IT
SHOULD BE OUT OF THE COUNTY IN
JUST ABOUT FIVE OR 10 MINUTES
TIME. UNTIL THEN, IF YOU’RE IN
THIS AREA, THIS IS EASTERN ST
CLAIR COUNTY FROM PORT HURON,
NORTH OF KIMBALL. THERE IS THE
POTENTIAL FOR SOME VERY STRONG
WINDS. IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ON
TOP OF THAT HAIL, MAYBE UP TO AN
ANCIENT DIAMETER REMAINS
POSSIBLE NOW FOR MOST OF US WERE
PRETTY MUCH DONE WITH ALL THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, BUT
THERE ARE STILL SOME MORE
SHOWERS AS YOU HEAD FURTHER
SOUTH PARTS OF MACOMB IN
SOUTHERN ST CLAIR COUNTY, VERY
HEAVY RAIN IN AND AROUND THE NEW
BALTIMORE AREA AS WELL. WE’LL
PUT ON THE LIGHTNING BECAUSE
THERE IS SOME LIGHTNING WITH
THAT SELL UP AIRPORT HERE ON BUT
WE’RE REALLY NOT SEEING THAT
WITH WHAT’S MOVING THROUGH PARTS
OF MACOMB AND WAYNE COUNTIES AS
WELL. MARK CLEMENTS, SEEING SOME
RAIN BACK OUT TO THE WEST NEAR
STERLING HEIGHTS, SOME VERY
HEAVY RAIN AS WELL AND THEN MORE
RAIN EXTENDING THE PARTS OF
SOUTHEASTERN OAKLAND COUNTY. BUT
AS YOU HEAD FURTHER SOUTH, THE
ACTIVITY REALLY WAITING AT THIS
HOUR, SO THE NEXT 45 MINUTES ARE
GOING TO BE KEY. AS THE REST OF
THESE SHOWERS MOVED THROUGH. THE
SEVERE THREAT EVEN THOUGH WE
HAVE ONE MORNING RIGHT NOW, FOR
MOST OF US, IT’S PRETTY SLIM TO
NONE. THAT’S WHY THE STORM
PREDICTION CENTER HAS REALLY
TRIMMED THAT BACK. BUT FOR THE
REST OF THIS EVENING, WE SHOULD
BE DRYING OUT THE HEAT AND THE
HUMIDITY IS STICKING AROUND AND
MORE STORMS FOR THE WEEKEND AND
THEN SOME, AND I EMPHASIZE THE
WORD. SOME RELIEF FROM THE HEAT
NEXT WEEK. BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU
IN JUST A BIT. DON’T FORGET THE
LOCAL FORECASTERS THAT WE’VE
BEEN USING IT ALL DAY LONG. YOU
SHOULD HAVE IT AS WELL. RIGHT
THERE IN THE PALM OF YOUR HANDS
. RADAR LIGHTNING TRACKER. ALL
THE LATEST ALERTS JUST SEARCH
WDIV’S WEATHER IN THE APP STORE
. A COURT RULING DRAWS CHEERS
FROM ADVOCATES OF A HIGHER
MINIMUM WAGE. BUT IT HAS SOME IN
MICHIGAN’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY
DIGGING IN FOR A FIGHT $12 AN
HOUR AND MORE PAID SICK LEAVE
APPARENT SUDDENLY. THESE APPEAR
TO BE BACK ON THE TABLE, AND
THAT IS BECAUSE A JUDGE HAS
OVERTURNED THE ACTION.
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS TOOK IN
2018 TO KEEP THOSE ISSUES OFF
THE BALLOT. LOCAL 4 BUSINESS
EDITOR ROD MELONI JOINS US LIVE
WITH LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL
IMPACT ON WORKERS AND BUSINESSES
AND THE LEGAL FIGHT TO THAT’S
STILL TOO, COMRADE. RIGHT AND
THIS IS CLEARLY GOING TO END UP
IN THE SUPREME COURT. HOW LONG
THAT WILL TAKE? WE DON’T KNOW.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, A LOT OF
WORKERS ARE GOING HEY, I’M
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PAY
RAISE. IF I CAN GET IT.
BUSINESSES ARE TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO
COME FROM, AND WHETHER THEY’LL
EVEN BE AROUND TO PAY IT.
MICHIGAN’S MINIMUM WAGES. 9 87
AN HOUR WAS WORKING FOR TIPS GET
3 75 UNDER THE BALLOT PROPOSALS
, THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED BACK
IN 2018, THE REGULAR MINIMUM
WAGE WOULD JUMP TO $12 AN HOUR
21% INCREASE AND TIPPED
EMPLOYEES WOULD GET 9 60 AN HOUR
PLUS TIPS. 8 156% INCREASE AND
WHAT’S MORE HOURLY WORKERS WOULD
GET 72 HOURS OF EARNED SICK TIME
PER YEAR, UP FROM THE 40 HOURS
NOW IN THE BOOKS FOR EMPLOYERS
WITH 50, OR MORE EMPLOYEES,
WHICH IS AN 80% JUMP. BUT THE
LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO CHANGE
THAT PROPOSAL LEADER DELAYING
THE MINIMUM WAGE HIKE TO 2030.
BUT THE JUDGE IN THE CASE RULED
THAT LAWMAKERS SIMPLY CAN’T DO
THAT. IT’S A HUGE JOB VICTORY.
ATTORNEY MARK BREWER, FORMER
HEAD OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC
PARTY, BELIEVES MICHIGAN’S
WORKFORCE IS ALREADY WAITED TOO
LONG. FOR THIS PAY HEIGHT, THE
HIGHER WAGES AND BETTER BENEFITS
. YOU’RE GONNA HAVE BETTER
RETENTION. LESS TURNOVER AND ALL
THOSE PROBLEMS GO AWAY. SO I
THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY ON
BALANCE A PLUS ONLY FOR WORKERS
, BUT FOR EMPLOYERS AS WELL.
TONIGHT THE MICHIGAN CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE IS SOUNDING THE ALARM.
WE BELIEVE THIS WILL BRING ALL
SORTS OF CHAOS, BOTH FOR
EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES AND
LIFE. THE CHAMBERS WENDY BLOCK,
TELLING US THAT CONSIDERING THE
CURRENT BUSINESS, HEADWINDS OF
INFLATION SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES
AND WORKERS SHORTAGES, YOU MIGHT
BE TALKING ABOUT REDUCED HOURS.
YOU MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT
REDUCING BENEFITS FOR TIPPED
EMPLOYEES. MAYBE THE EMPLOYER
JUST MOVES THEM TO A FULL, UM,
MINIMUM WAGE JOB VERSUS MINIMUM
WAGE PLUS TIPS. BLACK ALSO
SAYING THAT SHE THINKS A LOT OF
BUSINESSES COULD CLOSE AS A
RESULT OF THIS WITH ALL OF THESE
THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY
FOR, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE
QUESTION IS, WILL THERE BE A
SCAPE? IN OTHER WORDS? THEY’RE
APPEALING THIS CASE, BUT WILL
THE JUDGE MAKES THIS THING GO
INTO EFFECT, OR WILL IT BE HELD
OFF UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT GETS
IT? WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT
AND SEE WILL CERTAINLY KEEP AN
EYE ON REPORTING LIVE IN DETROIT
, RIDING ALONE SO MUCH MORE TO
COME. OKAY THANKS. CUTS COULD BE
COMING TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY,
BLOOMBERG REPORTED THE AUTOMAKER
PLANS TO CUT AS MANY AS 8000
JOBS IN THE COMING WEEKS. 8000
MOVE COMES AS FORD TRIES TO
BOOST PROFITS TO FUND ITS PUSH
INTO THE MARKET. WE’RE TOLD THE
CUTS WILL COME IN THE NEWLY
CREATED FORD BLUE UNIT THAT
PRODUCES INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINES. THE PLANTS HAVE NOT YET
BEEN FINALIZED. FORD SAYS IT
DOES NOT COMMENT ON SPECULATION.
GASOLINE PRICES REMAIN HIGH, BUT
CONTINUE THEIR DOWNWARD TREND
HERE IN METRO DETROIT. DRIVERS
ARE PAYING FOR 56 A GALLON TODAY
, AND THAT’S ACTUALLY DOWN FOUR
CENTS FROM 4 60 YESTERDAY AND
DOWN 26 CENTS FROM A WEEK AGO.
BUT THERE’S ONE LOCAL GAS
STATION WHERE THE PRICE IS MUCH,
MUCH LOWER. VICTOR WILLIAMS IS
LIVE AT THE MOST POPULAR PHILIP
SPOT IN TOWN. IT’S A SICK GO ON
MICHIGAN AVENUE AND DEARBORN,
VICTOR. THE PRICE THERE IS IT
HAS PEOPLE SMILING EAR TO EAR
BUT ALSO MAYBE SCRATCHING THEIR
HEADS TO WITH CURIOSITY.
ABSOLUTELY THERE WONDERING HOW
THE GAS GOT THIS LOW. WE’RE
TALKING $3.79 BOOM. YOU CAN SEE
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THIS EVEN LINING UP
AROUND THE BLOCK TO MAKE SURE
THEY GET THE GAS INSIDE THE TANK
. AND WOW, JUST WHAT A BARGAIN.
PHILIP PEARLESCENT 60 BUCKS. I’M
HAPPY DRIVERS LIKE BERNIE TANSY
. IT’S ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE
TRUE GAS BELOW $4. I THINK
THEY’RE GOING TO GO LOWER. AND
NOT JUST A FEW CENTS BELOW $4,
BUT 19 LEAVING THE PRICE AT 3 79
, BUT JUST FINALLY STARTING TO
COME DOWN SIMILAR FILLING FOR
ADRIAN NEWEY, WHO DRIVES 15
MINUTES FOR EVERY SINGLE FILL UP
. THIS IS A BIG RELIEF LIKE IT’S
BEEN A HARD TIME GETTING GAS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO THE BRIDE
SHARES OR DOOR DISHING IS SUCH A
BIG CONVENIENCE FOR IT TO BE
THIS LOVE, ALTHOUGH THERE CAN BE
SOME COMMOTION AT TIMES. THEY
DON’T EVEN STAND IN LINE THEY
CUT IN AND YOU’VE GOT TO WAIT TO
GET OUT. WASHINGTON SAYS IT’S
TOTALLY WORTH IT FOR ONE OF THE
BEST DEALS IN METRO DETROIT
MOBILE AND COLLECT MONEY WITH MY
CARD, BUT I COME OVER HERE TO
GET THIS ALSO WITH SO MUCH
FRUSTRATION FROM GAS PRICES
STILL BEING HIGH IN DETROIT AND
OTHER SURROUNDING SUBURBS. SOME
WONDER IF THERE ISN’T SOME PRICE
GOUGING GOING ON OUT THERE
CERTAIN AREAS I REALLY DO THINK
IT IS BECAUSE NOW I’VE SEEN THE
PRICES TRICKLED DOWN, AND I WAS
LIKE, OKAY, Y’ALL YOU ALL CAN
KIND OF SEE THE GAS PRICES ARE
GETTING LOW. IT’S GETTING
BETTER. SO SOME PEOPLE ARE BEING
JUST A LITTLE STINGY WITH THEIR
MONEY. SO COMING HERE IS USUALLY
THE BEST PRICE. SO IF YOU CAN
GET OVER HERE, YOU GOT TO GET UP
HERE AND GET THE GUESTS. STAY
SAFE. A AND IF YOU GUYS ARE
COMING OVER HERE, JUST REMEMBER
, YOU CAN EXPECT SOME TRAFFIC
AND SOME CONGESTION RIGHT HERE
AT THIS INTERSECTION OF MICHIGAN
AND MASON. WE GOT PEOPLE TRYING
TO GET OUT OF THE GAS STATION.
PEOPLE TRYING TO COME IN, SO
RIGHT NOW IT’S EXTREMELY BUSY
RECORDING LIVE IN DEARBORN.
VICTOR WILLIAMS, INDEED. OKAY,
VICTOR. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW
LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FROM PRIMARY
ELECTION DAY AND AS ALWAYS, IN
SOME DISTRICTS, THE PRIMARY
DETERMINES THE WINNER. PROBABLY
BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING. WE’RE
MOVING INTO VERY NEW POLITICAL
TERRITORY. FOR THE LAST SEVERAL
ELECTION CYCLES. VOTERS HAVE
BEEN EXTREMELY ENGAGED AND THEY
ARE JUST AS DIALED IN FOR THE
2022 MIDTERMS ELECTIONS THAT
WON’T ELECT A PRESIDENT BUT WILL
DECIDE WHO WILL BE IN THE
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IN LANSING AND
WHO HOLDS THE POWER ON CAPITOL
HILL. THERE’S PLENTY OF
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM TO THROW
AROUND, BUT YOU’LL EXCUSE THE
POLITICAL CLASS IF THEY’RE A
LITTLE SKITTISH ABOUT THEIR
PREDICTIONS. WE’VE NEVER HAD AN
ELECTION LIKE THIS ONE. I KNOW
THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE USUAL
HYPERBOLE, BUT I MEAN IT. THIS
IS THE CONGRESSIONAL MAP TO
WHICH WE’VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED.
BUT THIS IS THE NEW ONE. AS OF
THIS YEAR AND NOTICE THERE’S ONE
FEWER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT. YOU
LOOK AT THE CITY OF DETROIT, FOR
EXAMPLE, AND DETROIT DOESN’T
EVEN REALLY GET ITS OWN SEAT. UH
ANYMORE AND IT’S SO IT’S SO
BROKEN UP COMPARED TO WHAT WE’RE
USED TO WHERE DETROIT USED TO BE
, YOU KNOW, TWO SEATS FOR THE
CITY OF DETROIT. EXACTLY THE
DISTRICTS INVOLVING DETROIT NOW
INVOLVED MANY MORE SUBURBAN
VOTERS, SO CONSIDER THE NEW 13TH
DISTRICT. IT’S MADE UP OF PARTS
OF THE OLD 13TH, THE 12TH AND
THE NOW EXTINCT 14TH. THE
CLOSEST THING THE NEW DISTRICT
HAD TO AN INCUMBENT WAS THE
RETIRING BRENDA LAWRENCE,
LEAVING NINE CANDIDATES TO FIGHT
FOR THE OPEN SEAT. EIGHT OF THEM
ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN. IN MY
OPINION, IT’S ANYBODY’S OF THE
TOP FIVE OF THE NINE TO WIN. YES
JEREMY FAILED IN THAT RACE. YOU
GOT JOHN CONYERS, THE THIRD WHO
SOME PEOPLE REALIZED THEY MIGHT
NOT REALIZE THAT IT’S NOT JOHN
CONYERS. THE FORMER CONGRESSMAN
. SO DEVIN, THIS THING IS CRAZY
. BUT THE WEALTHY SRI TENDED ARE
IS ALL OVER THE AIRWAVES AND
SOME SEE A POSSIBILITY THAT VOTE
SPLITTING COULD ALLOW HIM TO RUN
RIGHT UP THE MIDDLE AND
AMERICA’S LARGEST BLACK MAJORITY
CITY COULD BE WITHOUT AN AFRICAN
AMERICAN MEMBER OF CONGRESS FOR
THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1964 PEOPLE
NEED TO TIGHTEN UP REFRESH.
EDUCATE THEMSELVES AND VOTE.
THIS HAPPENING WOULD BE
DEVASTATING. I THINK IT’S A VERY
SERIOUS POLICY QUESTION WHAT
THIS HAS DONE TO AFRICAN
AMERICAN REPRESENTATION THIS
TIME AROUND, UH, AND THE DEGREE
TO WHICH IT IS BEING WATERED
DOWN ACROSS MICHIGAN. CONSIDER
MICHIGAN’S 11TH DISTRICT. IT’S
NOT NEARLY THE WINDING CORKSCREW
THAT IT WAS. BUT THE NEW
DISTRICT INCLUDED TWO INCUMBENTS
WHO DECIDED TO FIGHT RATHER THAN
MOVE AND I OTHER HALEY STEVENS
OR AND 11 WILL BE LEAVING
CONGRESS WILL KNOW WHICH ONE
AFTER THE PRIMARY. OVER ON THE
STATE’S WEST SIDE. LOOK AT THE
SEVERE SHIFT IN THE THIRD
DISTRICT. IT’S STILL INCLUDES
GRAND RAPIDS, BUT THE REST
SHIFTS FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST
, AND THE INCUMBENT, PETER
MEIJER FINDS HIMSELF LEARNING A
WHOLE NEW SET OF TOWNS AND
COMMUNITIES AS HE FACES A
REPUBLICAN OPPONENT IN THE
PRIMARY IN JOHN GIBBS, ENDORSED
BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND AWAITING
THE SURVIVOR OF THAT RACE,
DEMOCRAT HILLARY SCHOLTEN IN A
DISTRICT THAT NOW LOOKS LESS RED
THAN IT DID BEFORE
REDISTRICTING. QUITE A FEW OTHER
RACES TO WATCH CLOSELY TO,
INCLUDING THE 10TH DISTRICT BACK
ON OUR SIDE OF THE STATE, WHICH
HAS NO INCUMBENT AND, OF COURSE
, THE STATEHOUSE AND STATE
SENATE RACES ARE ALL BEING
CARRIED OUT ALONG THESE NEWLY
DRAWN LINES AS WELL. INTERESTING
IT’S GOING TO BE FASCINATING.
ALRIGHT AHEAD. DR FRANK MCGEORGE