SINCE WE GET SET TO WATCH DETROIT’S BIGGEST SUMMERTIME PARTY ANY AND EVERY YEAR.
>> THAT’S BECAUSE IT IS THE 65TH
ANNUAL FORD FIREWORKS, AND IT
NEVER GETS OLD. BEAUTIFUL ALL
RIGHT. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
EVERYBODY HERE FOR 6:00. WE ARE
LIVE FROM OUR PERCH ALONG THE
DETROIT RIVERFRONT. PEOPLE
FILING IN HERE. THANKS FOR BEING
WITH US. I’M KIMBERLY GILL.
>> I’M DEVIN SKILLION. DO YOU
KNOW WHAT THAT IS OUT THERE
RIGHT NOW?
>> WE’RE SO HAPPY.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE SUNSHINE. I
DON’T WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I
DON’T WANT TO JINX ANYTHING. BUT
IF YOU’VE EVER SEEN THIS EVENT
IN PERSON, YOU KNOW HOW SPECIAL
IT IS CELEBRATING OUR CITY,
CELEBRATING THE GREAT
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE TWO
CITIES, THESE TWO COUNTRIES
RIGHT ACROSS THE DETROIT RIVER.
IT IS ALWAYS JUST ONE OF THE
BEST NIGHTS OF THE YEAR. I LOVE
IT.
>> THAT’S RIGHT. WE’RE NOT GOING
TO LET A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN
HAMPER THIS GREAT SPIRIT. KIM
HAS MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES
WHEN YOU SEE THE SUN COME OUT,
IT CAN CREATE A LITTLE
INSTABILITY. BUT THAT’S OKAY.
WE’RE STILL GOING TO HAVE A GOOD
PARTY TONIGHT.
>> AND LOOK AT THIS CRAZY. I’M
NOT GOING TO PUT IT ON. DON’T
PUT IT ON. THIS IS THE HAT THAT
MIGHT BE THE BEST IDEA OF ALL.
>> YOUR PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED WITH
THAT HAT, RIGHT? WELL, LISTEN,
WE’VE ONLY GOT ABOUT TWO HOURS
TO GO BEFORE OUR SPECIAL
COVERAGE KICKS OFF AT 8:00. THE
ACTUAL FIREWORKS USUALLY GO OFF
ABOUT TEN OR SO.
>> EXACTLY. TEN BETTER BE BETTER
BE REALLY RIGHT AT TEN, AS LONG
AS EVERYTHING WORKS OUT. FIRST
THINGS FIRST, THOUGH. WE DO WANT
CLEAR SKIES AS KIM ADAMS HERE
WITH ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
FOREWARN FORECAST OF THE YEAR.
KIM, YOU KNOW THAT KIM.
>> I KNOW. NO, NO PRESSURE, NO
PRESSURE WHATSOEVER.
>> AND THEN YOU PUT ME WITH ALL
THE INSIDERS WHO ARE OUR TOP
FANS HERE AT WDIV. THEY’RE ALL
GIVING ME SUPPORT AND MAKING ME
FEEL BETTER THAT NO, IT’S NOT
THE PERFECT NIGHT. WE WOULD LOVE
TO HAVE A CLEAR, SUNNY NIGHT.
BUT LISTEN, THE FIREWORKS ARE A
GO. WE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE RAIN
HERE AND THERE, BUT EVERYONE’S
IN A GREAT MOOD. BUT LET’S TALK
ABOUT THE RAIN. EXACT TRACK 40
RADAR HAS PICKED UP SOME RAIN
HERE IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT, BUT
THAT IS NOW MOVED OFF TO THE
EAST. AND WE’RE EVEN GETTING A
FEW BREAKS OF SUN RIGHT NOW. BUT
THAT WILL COME TO AN END OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AS
THOSE SHOWERS THAT YOU SEE BACK
OUT TO THE WEST WILL BE MOVING
INTO OUR AREA, WATCHING A LITTLE
TINY CELL JUST TO THE SOUTH OF
HARPER WOODS, RIGHT ALONG
JEFFERS AVENUE IN GROSSE POINTE.
BUT IT’S THE RAIN BACK TO THE
WEST, MOVING THROUGH ANN ARBOR,
LIVONIA, FARMINGTON HILLS, AND
ALSO THAT ONE LITTLE CELL WITH
SOME HEAVY DOWNPOURS IN WEBSTER.
ALL OF THAT CONTINUING TO MOVE
TO THE EAST VERY SLOWLY. SO FOR
TONIGHT, STILL A FEW SHOWERS
HANGING AROUND WITH TEMPERATURES
DROPPING DOWN INTO THE UPPER
60S. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? GRAB A
RAINCOAT AND COME ON DOWN. WE’RE
TOUGH. IT’S NOT THAT BAD. AND
THE SHOWERS WILL BE LIGHTNING UP
HERE LATER ON TONIGHT. AND
HOPEFULLY IN TIME FOR THE
FIREWORKS. I AM ON TOP OF THE
ROOF HERE AT THE ATWATER BREWERY
WITH ALL OF OUR WDIV INSIDERS
SAY, HI, EVERYONE. ONE. HI. I
GOT MY EYE ON DIANE’S JACKET
OVER THERE. IT’S GOING TO BE
MINE BY THE END OF THE NIGHT.
SEE YOU GUYS IN A MINUTE.
>> OKAY. YOU GOT IT.
>> IT’S SO RIGHT. RAIN IS. IT’S
HARDLY THE FIRST TIME IT’S EVER
WE’VE EVER HAD DEALT WITH RAIN.
>> IT’S BEEN MUCH WORSE. YEAH.
SO RAIN OR NO RAIN, PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN STREAMING DOWNTOWN EARLY TO
GRAB THE BEST VIEWING SPOTS.
>> AND SOME OF THE PRIME REAL
ESTATE FOR WATCHING THE
FIREWORKS IS ON BELLE ISLE. AND
THAT’S WHERE JAMIE EDMONDS IS.
JAMIE
>> HEY THERE, DEVIN. KIMBERLY
THE SUN IS OUT RIGHT NOW.
SPIRITS ARE HIGH ON BELLE ISLE.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AROUND,
THERE’S A LOT OF GREEN GRASS. SO
I THINK THE RAIN HAS KEPT A FEW
PEOPLE AWAY. BUT FOR THOSE THAT
ARE HERE, WE’RE HAVING A GREAT
TIME. THE RAIN CERTAINLY KEPT
SOME PEOPLE AWAY FROM BELLE ISLE
THIS YEAR. BUT FOR THOSE WHO
COMMITTED, THEY’RE MAKING IT
WORK.
>> THEY WERE DEBATING ON IF HE
SHOULD HAVE CAME, BUT WE DECIDED
TO TOUGH IT OUT.
>> A LITTLE RAIN NEVER HURT
ANYBODY. I KNOW.
>> NO, BECAUSE IT RAINS ALMOST
EVERY YEAR.
>> I WAS EXCITED. YES WHAT’S THE
BEST PART, DO YOU THINK, COMING
OUT THE FIREWORKS WHILE SOME ZIP
THEMSELVES IN, OTHERS PILED IN
LIKE INTO THIS VAN TO STAY DRY?
>> I’M DRY FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, YEAH. THE SETUP IS JUST WET.
SOME CUSHIONS DOWN HERE,
BLANKETS FROM THE HOUSE DOWN
HERE WITH THE KIDS. MY KIDS, HER
KIDS, THEIR FAMILY. I’M HERE
WITH HER WHOLE FAMILY. THE FORD
FIREWORKS ARE AN ANNUAL
TRADITION.
>> IT’S ABOUT SPENDING TIME WITH
FAMILY AND ENJOYING THE SHOW. SO
THE CAKE FAMILY IS WORKING TODAY
OUT OF THEIR FOOD TRUCK, CAKES,
FOOD TRUCK, A NEW VENTURE.
>> WE WERE HERE FOR MEMORIAL
WEEKEND. WE DID REALLY GOOD. AND
WE EXPECTING A VERY LARGE CROWD
TODAY.
>> AS YOU CAN SEE, DESPITE THE
WET WEATHER, THERE IS STILL A
GOOD TIME TO BE HAD. SOME WOULD
SAY IT’S A BLAST AS FAR AS
HAVING NOW I’M WEARING A HAT
BECAUSE THE WAVES HAVE RAIN HAVE
COME IN AND THAT IS WHY THE HAT
IS DEFINITELY NECESSARY. I JUST
WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT I THINK IS
ONE OF THE BETTER SETUPS, THE
DUKES FAMILY. CAN WE WAVE TO
YOU? YEAH, GO IN THERE. THERE’S
CASING. THEY HAVE THIS GREAT
TENT. SO IF THE RAIN DOES COME
RIGHT BEFORE FIREWORKS TIME,
THEY WILL BE PROTECTED. GUYS
LIKE I SAID, STILL HAVING FUN
OUT HERE ON BELLE ISLE. WHAT’S
HAPPENING AT HART PLAZA? LET’S
GO TO MARA MACDONALD.
>> HI, JAMIE. WE ARE EXPERIENCE
SEEING A SUDDEN SURGE OF
POPULARITY OUT HERE. COME TAKE A
LOOK. ALSO ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE
HAVE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE SHOWED UP HERE WHO ARE
READY FOR THE FIREWORKS. AND
WE’VE GOT A REALLY BEAUTIFUL
VIEW OF THE BARGE FROM THIS
SECTION OF HART PLAZA. IT’S A
GREAT TIME IF YOU WANT TO COME
OUT TONIGHT TO COME DOWN RIGHT
NOW, I HAVE SHED MY BASEBALL
HAT, MY RAINCOAT, MAYBE I’M
TEMPTING FATE. NOT TOO SURE, BUT
I DO HAVE THE UMBRELLA JUST IN
CASE, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, PRIOR
PLANNING PREVENTS POOR
PERFORMANCE. BUT IT SURE LOOKS
LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE GORGEOUS
OUT HERE. AND THE HUMIDITY IS
MOVING OUT, TOO, ALTHOUGH YOU
WOULDN’T KNOW IT BY LOOKING AT
IT. THIS HERE, WE’RE LIVE IN
HART PLAZA. KIMBERLY DEVIN, BACK
TO YOU.
>> THAT’S ALL RIGHT.
>> ALWAYS A CHALLENGING PART OF
THIS. THAT’S FOR SURE. ALL
RIGHT, MARA, BUT A REMIND FOR
NOW OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE
FORD FIREWORKS AND ALL THE
FESTIVITIES SURROUNDING THEM
BEGINS HERE TONIGHT AT 8:00,
URGING YOU TO BE WITH US. BUT
ONE OF THE OTHER HIGHLIGHTS THIS
EVENING IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
WELL BEFORE THE FIRST FIREWORK
LAUNCHES INTO THE SKY.
>> IT’S THE FINALS OF THE GO FOR
IT SINGER CONTEST. AFTER
HUNDREDS OF AUDITIONS, IT’S DOWN
TO THE FINAL FOUR CONTESTANTS
REPRESENTING OAK PARK, FENTON,
DETROIT AND SOUTHFIELD. THEY’LL
EACH TAKE THE STAGE TONIGHT TO
SING LOCAL FOUR’S CLASSIC GO FOR
IT SONG, AND YOUR VOTES WILL
DECIDE THE WINNER AND ACTUALLY,
THE WHOLE PARTY GETS STARTED
EVEN EARLIER ON LOCAL 4 PLUS
CHRISTI MCDONALD HOSTS WHAT
WE’RE CALLING OUR FORD FIREWORKS
PREGAME SHOW THAT’S COMING UP AT
630.
>> SO JUST ABOUT 25 MINUTES FROM
NOW, SHE’LL GET STARTED LIVE
FROM HERE AT THE ROOFTOP. LOTS
OF INTERVIEWS COMING UP AND A
LOOK AT THE BEHIND THE SCENES
WORLD OF PUTTING ON THE BIGGEST
FIREWORKS SHOW IN NORTH AMERICA
EVERY YEAR.
>> THAT’S RIGHT. FOR NOW,
THOUGH, LET’S SEND IT BACK TO
WILL JONES AND PAMELA OSBORNE IN
THE STUDIO. HI, GUYS. HI,
KIMBERLY AND DEVIN. WE ARE GOING
TO BEGIN WITH AN UPDATE TO A
STORY WE FIRST BROUGHT YOU LAST
WEEK. THE WARREN POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS FIRED AN OFFICER
FOR ASSAULTING A PRISONER.
>> THE DECISION WAS REACHED
AFTER AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
INTO EXCESSIVE FORCE BY MATTHEW
RODRIGUEZ AT THE JAIL IN WARREN.
A SECURITY CAMERA CAPTURED
FOOTAGE OF RODRIGUEZ PUNCHING A
19 YEAR OLD PRISONER IN THE
FINGERPRINTS ROOM BEFORE
THROWING HIM INTO A CELL.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAM DWYER SAYS
THE DECISION TO FIRE RODRIGUEZ
WAS CLEAR AND OBVIOUS.
>> A MAJOR CLEANUP EFFORT IS
UNDERWAY FOLLOWING SUNDAY’S
SEVERE WEATHER.
>> RIGHT NOW, D.T.E SAYS AROUND
55,000 OF ITS CUSTOMERS ARE
WITHOUT POWER AND 95% OF THEM
SHOULD HAVE THEIR POWER BACK BY
TOMORROW EVENING. WE’VE BEEN
SHOWING YOU THE SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE AROUND PALMER WOODS AND
THE DETROIT GOLF CLUB, WHERE
LARGE TREES CAME DOWN AS THE
RESULT OF LAST NIGHT’S STORMS.
>> SOME NEIGHBORHOODS TOOK SOME
PRETTY BIG HITS, TOO. RUTH AND
WATERFORD SENT US THIS. MY PIC
OF A LARGE TREE THAT SNAPPED IN
A FRONT YARD AND VICTOR WILLIAMS
IS IN TAYLOR WITH A LOOK AT SOME
OF THE MUCH WORSE TREE RELATED
DAMAGE. VICTOR
>> WELL, THE DAMAGE FROM LAST
NIGHT’S STORM CONTINUES TO
DEVASTATE THOSE IN OUR REGION,
ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE IN TAYLOR,
WHERE THIS HUGE TREE HAS FALLEN
RIGHT HERE ON THIS HOME. YOU CAN
EVEN SEE A LOT OF THE DAMAGE
DONE BEHIND BEHIND THE HOUSE.
BUT I GUARANTEE YOU GUYS, IT’S
NOTHING COMPARED TO THE DAMAGE
DONE INSIDE.
>> I KNOW IT WAS UNFORESEEN.
IT’S A NATURAL DISASTER AND NO
ONE COULD HAVE PREPARED FOR IT.
IT’S JUST REALLY UNFORTUNATE
THAT IT HAD TO HAPPEN. CONNOR
HAYDEN SAYS HE’S LUCKY TO BE
ALIVE AFTER HIS HOUSE BECAME THE
VICTIM OF AN OVERTURNED TREE
SUNDAY NIGHT. AT FIRST WE
THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE AN
EARTHQUAKE. THE WHOLE ENTIRE
HOUSE JUST SHOOK AND THEN IT WAS
A BIG BANG.
>> THE UPSTAIRS BATHROOM TOOK
THE BRUNT OF THE DAMAGE.
>> OUR WALL IS GONE. OUR
BATHROOM WALL IS GONE IN THE
BACK PORTION OF THE HOUSE.
>> NOW TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM
THE REST OF THE STRUCTURE.
>> SO THIS IS MY HOME. I’VE
SPENT EVERY DOLLAR TO GET THIS
HOUSE, AND I’M NOT TOO SURE
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.
>> HIS HOME ON ZEIGLER STREET
WILL NEVER BE THE SAME,
CONSIDERING THE MASSIVE AMOUNT
OF DAMAGE. SADLY, IT’S ALSO THE
FIRST MAJOR PURCHASE FOR THE 21
YEAR OLD HOMEOWNER. HE HAD JUST
MOVED IN WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AND
ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
>> I DON’T REALLY HAVE ANYWHERE
TO STAY. I’M IN BETWEEN MY
PARENTS AND MY CAR AND IT’S NOT
VERY MUCH. NO NOWHERE I CAN
REALLY GO. I’M SLEEPING ON THE
COUCH, BUT IT’S LIKE A SUPER,
SUPER TEMPORARY THING.
>> HE SAYS HE’S JUST HAPPY TO BE
ALIVE KNOWING THAT IF HE TOOK A
RESTROOM BREAK, THINGS COULD
HAVE BEEN PLAYING OUT VERY
DIFFERENTLY.
>> VERY THANKFUL EVERYONE’S OKAY
BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A
DISASTER IF SOMEONE WAS IN THAT
BATHROOM.
>> NOW, CONNOR SAYS THE GOOD
NEWS OUT OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT
HE AT LEAST HAS INSURANCE. BUT
EVEN WITH THAT BOUNCING BACK IS
NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY THING.
IN TAYLOR, VICTOR WILLIAMS LOCAL
4. THE ARAB-AMERICAN NATIONAL
MUSEUM IN DEARBORN HAS A NEW
LIVING EXHIBIT ROOTED IN THE
HISTORY OF THE ARAB AMERICAN
COMMUNITY HERE IN METRO DETROIT
COMMUNITY HERE IN METRO DETROIT . >> THE EXHIBIT IS A ROOFTOP
COMMUNITY GARDEN. AND AT THIS
GARDEN, THE PLANTS ARE JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS THE STORIES BEHIND
THEM. THE ROOTS OF THIS ROOFTOP
COMMUNITY GARDEN AT THE ARAB
AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM IN
DEARBORN STRETCHES BACK
GENERATIONS. DEAN NASREDDINE IS
A CURATORIAL SPECIALIST AT THE
MUSEUM.
>> I’M HOPING THAT THEY,
ESPECIALLY ARAB AMERICANS WHO
COME TO VISIT, I’M HOPING THEY
FEEL SEEN IN THEIR EXPERIENCE AS
THEY’RE BOTH WITHIN THEIR OWN
INDIVIDUAL CULTURE AND WITHIN
THE CULTURE OF THE DEARBORN,
DETROIT COMMUNITY.
>> THE GARDEN FEATURES PLANTS
THAT REFLECT THE CULTURE AND
HISTORY OF ARAB AMERICANS.
>> A LOT OF ARABS CULTIVATE
THEIR OWN GARDENS. I GREW UP IN
MY MOTHER’S GARDEN AND THE IT
SEEMS LIKE A VERY UNIVERSAL
EXPERIENCE TO BE SENT OUT TO THE
GARDEN TO PICK HERBS OR
VEGETABLES THROUGHOUT THIS
GARDEN, ALONG WITH THE PLANTS
ARE STORIES OF TEN LOCAL ARAB
AMERICANS.
>> VISITORS CAN USE THEIR PHONES
TO SCAN A QR CODE TO HEAR THE
STORIES.
>> YOU’RE HEARING IT STRAIGHT
FROM THE PEOPLE WHOSE GARDENS
PROVIDED THESE PLANTS FOR US. MY
NAME IS NESREEN HUSSEIN.
>> I WAS BORN IN BEIRUT, LEBANON
. I GREW UP IN BEIRUT AND
SUMMERSIDE.
>> I, I AM 34 YEARS OLD. I GREW
UP IN DEARBORN.
>> THE MUSEUM IS HOPING TO BRING
THE GARDEN BACK EACH YEAR BY
HIGHLIGHTING DIFFERENT STORIES
TO SHOWCASE THE DIVERSITY OF THE
ARAB AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN METRO
DETROIT.
>> IT’S JUST BEEN REALLY LOVELY
TO SEE THE REACTIONS OF PEOPLE
WHO WHO COME OUT TO SEE THE
GARDEN.
>> THE ARAB AMERICAN NATIONAL
MUSEUM IS OPEN TO VISITORS
THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS
. THE ROOFTOP GARDEN WILL REMAIN