>> Announcer: LIVE FROM TOWN
DETROIT, HOME OF WDIV AND
CLICK ON DETROIT, LOCAL 4
NEWS AT NOON STARTS NOW.
>>> WINDY AND WARM BUT
THAT’S ABOUT TO CHANGE.
BRANDON IS TRACKING A DROP
IN TEMPS TO END THE WEEK.
>>> AND BREAKING NEWS IN THE
GEORGE FLOYD CASE, WHAT A
JUDGE JUST DECIDED THAT
COULD HELP PROSECUTORS GET A
CONVICTION.
THE EX-POLICE OFFICER
CHARGED IN HIS DEATH.
>>> LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING
AHEAD.
IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE A
WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC WAS
DECLARED.
HOW LIVES HAVE CHANGED IN
METRO DETROIT AND THE
OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE.
ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, THE
PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN OUR STATE
AND THE COUNTRY.
TONIGHT PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL
MARK THE SOMBER ANNIVERSARY
IN HIS FIRST PRIME TIME
SPEECH TO THE NATION.
OVER THE PAST 365 DAYS WE’VE
SEEN 30 MILLION PEOPLE
INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS AND
MORE THAN HALF A MILLION DIE
FROM IT.
IN MICHIGAN, MORE THAN
600,000 PEOPLE HAVE THE
VIRUS AND MORE THAN 15,000
PEOPLE HAVE DIED.
ACCORDING TO A.P. POLL
NEARLY ONE IN FIVE AMERICANS
SAY THEY LOST A RELATIVE OR
A CLOSE FRIEND TO THE VIRUS.
BUT THERE ARE SIGNS OF
PROGRESS.
33 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE
BEEN VACCINATED THUS FAR,
60% OF PEOPLE AGES 65 AND
OLDER.
A LOOK AT THE IMPACT FROM
MICHIGAN IN A MOMENT.
BUT WE BEGIN WITH TRACIE
POTTS IN WASHINGTON.
>> Reporter: MOVING FORWARD
IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF
WHAT THE PRESIDENT WILL TALK
ABOUT TONIGHT AS HE
ADDRESSES HOW AMERICA WILL
DEAL WITH THIS PANDEMIC AND
GET $300 MILLION PEOPLE
VACCINATED.
>> TO REACH THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN HIT THE HARDEST.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN
WILL ADDRESS THE NATION
TONIGHT MARKING ONE YEAR
SINCE THE CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN AMERICA.
>> I’M GOING TO PRIME TIME
ADDRESS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WENT
THROUGH AS A NATION THIS
PAST YEAR.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I’M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
COMES NEXT.
>> Reporter: NEXT, GETTING
$300 MILLION PEOPLE
VACCINATED.
>> BY THE END OF MAY, IF WE
REALLY TURN OFFER THE
AFTERBURNERS AND GET A LOT
OF PEOPLE VACCINATED THE
OVERWHELMING PROPORTION OF
THE POPULATION.
I THINK BY THE TIME WE GET
INTO THE MID TO LATE SUMMER
EARLY FALL WE’LL START
SEEING A BIG DIFFERENCE.
>> Reporter: THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS ORDERING 100
MILLION MORE DOSES OF THE
ONE SHOT JOHNSON & JOHNSON
VACCINE.
PROMISING ENOUGH FOR EVERY
ADULT BY THE END OF MAY.
>> THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.
>> Reporter: THE AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN JUST APPROVED BY
CONGRESS INCLUDES $7.5
BILLION FOR VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION.
>> THIS ISN’T A RESCUE BILL,
IT ISN’T A RELIEF BILL, IT’S
A LAUNDRY LIST OF LEFT-WING
PRIORITIES.
>> Reporter: THE PLAN
INCLUDES AID FOR GOVERNMENTS,
SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES AND
FAMILIES.
>> HELP IS ON THE WAY.
>> Reporter: DIRECT DEPOSITS
COULD START NEXT WEEK.
NOT ONE REPUBLICAN VOTED FOR
IT.
CONCERNED ABOUT THE $1.9
TRILLION PRICE TAG.
>> BEWARE THERE’S NO SUCH
THING AS FREE MONEY.
>> WE ARE GOING TO ACT WITH
A FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW.
>> Reporter: NOW, NEW CASES,
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATH
RATES ARE DROPPING AS
PRESIDENT BIDEN PREPARES TO
SIGN THE BILL TOMORROW.
AND THEN HE HITS THE ROAD
HEADED TO PENNSYLVANIA ON
TUESDAY TO START SELLING
THIS PLAN TO THE PUBLIC.
I’M TRACIE POTTS.
>>> IN ADDITION TO THE LIVES
LOST WE KNOW THE LAST YEAR
HAS BEEN DEVASTATING TO
BUSINESSES.
BUT THERE ARE SIGNS TODAY
THAT THE JOB MARKET IS
SLOWLY STRENGTHENING.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
SEEINGING FURST TIME
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FELL
TO 712,000 THAT’S THE LOWEST
NUMBER SINCE NOVEMBER.
STILL, 9.6 MILLION JOBS ARE
GONE BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC.
IT’S SOMETHING HANK
WINCHESTER HAS BEEN
FOLLOWING FROM THE BEGINNING
AND HE JOINS US LIVE.
HANK, I KNOW THAT YOU’VE
BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MANY
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS?
>> JASON, WE CERTAINLY HAVE
DURING THE LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW FROM COMMUNITIES
LIKE DOWNTOWN ROYAL OAK HERE,
TO THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN
DETROIT, AND SUBURBS ALL
OVER METRO DETROIT.
WE’VE DEFINITELY SEEN THE
IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC.
TAKE A LOOK AT SOME VIDEO.
WE’VE BEEN CHECKING IN WITH
THESE BUSINESS OWNERS
REGULARLY TO SEE HOW THE
CRISIS HAS BEEN AFFECTING
THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN MOST CASES
IT HAS BEEN DEVASTATING.
HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN A
FEW BRIGHT SPOTS.
BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE
ACTUALLY -- SEEN AN UPTICK
IN BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC.
WE’VE BEEN TRACKING ONE A
DRY-CLEANER IN ROYAL OAK,
AND ALSO ONE THE OWNER OF A
MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN
WALLED LAKE.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> FORTUNATELY MY FAMILY WE
STILL OWN THE BUILDING WE’RE
JUST GOING TO KEEP THE DOORS
OPEN AND JUST TRY TO KEEP
PEOPLE COMING IN.
I’M HOPING TO SURVIVE THIS
AND RIDE IT OUT.
WE’VE BEEN HERE SINCE ’75
I’M NOT SHUTTING MY DOORS
THAT EASILY.
BUT IT’S SCARY.
IT’S REALLY SCARY.
>> BUSINESS HAS BEEN GREAT,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
GREAT TO WORK WITH DURING
THIS PANDEMIC.
THE SALES HAVE BEEN DOING
VERY WELL.
>> Reporter: YOU’RE GOING TO
HEAR MORE FROM THESE TWO
GENTLEMEN TODAY ON LOCAL 4
NEWS STARTING AT 5:00.
THEN TONIGHT WE HAVE A ONE
HOUR SPECIAL AT 9:00 P.M. ON
LOCAL 4 "CORONAVIRUS CRISIS:
ONE YEAR LATER."
AND WITHIN THAT SPECIAL
ALONG WITH DEVIN, KIMBERLY,
DR. McGEORGE AND OTHER LOCAL
4 REPORTERS WE’RE TAKING A
LOOK AT HOW THE CRISIS HAS
AFFECTED ALL OF US.
I’LL BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE
BUSINESS ANGLE.
ALSO, MICHIGAN UNEMPLOYMENT,
WHILE NUMBERS ARE GOING
DOWN WHICH IS GOOD NEWS WITH
THOSE FILING FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT THE REALITY IS
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
STRUGGLING BECAUSE THE
SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.
SO I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US
TONIGHT AT 9:00 FOR THAT
LOCAL 4 NEWS SPECIAL.
FOR NOW LIVE HERE IN
DOWNTOWN ROYAL OAK, JASON,
BACK TO YOU.
>> HANK, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
HUNDREDS OF MICHIGANDERS ARE
GETTING THEIR COVID-19
VACCINATION AT A POP-UP
CLINIC IN DEARBORN.
MEIJER PARTNERED WITH ACCESS
AND BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
OF MICHIGAN TO GIVE OUT OVER
1,000 FIRST DOSE SHOTS OF
THE PFIZER VACCINE.
RESIDENTS 50 YEARS AND OLDER
WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS
OR A DISABILITY WERE ABLE TO
MABLE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET
THAT SHOT.
-- MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO
GET THAT SHOT.
>> I’VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT
GETTING IT.
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT MY
CATEGORY WAIT A MINUTE UP -- CAME UP.
CAME UP.
FOR MY --.
>>> A WINNIE WARMER START TO
THE DAY BUT TEMPERATURES ARE
DROPPING.
LET’S CHECK IN WITH
49-YEAR-OLD BRANDON ROUX HOW
IS THE BIRTHDAY GOING?
>> SO FAR SO GOOD.
WE ACTUALLY WERE HOPING FOR
A LITTLE RAIN TODAY, RAIN ON
YOUR BIRTHDAY?
BUT WE NEED IT.
WE HAVEN’T HAD A DRIP OR A
FLAKE SO FAR IN THE MONTH OF
MARCH.
AS WE LOOK AT TEMPERATURES
OUT THERE, YOU CAN SEE VERY
CLEARLY WHERE THE
TEMPERATURES WILL BE
DROPPING, A LITTLE COLD
FRONT OUT THERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE COLOR
COORDINATION AS WELL WHERE
THE DARKER GREEN IS BACK
TOWARD LANSING.
56 DEGREES BUT IT’S 66 AT
METRO, AND 69 AT CITY
AIRPORT.
THE WINDS ARE WHIPPING.
STILL DRAWING IN THAT MILL
AIR.
UNLESS YOU’RE IN LANSING
THEN IT’S MORE OF A WEST
WIND WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER
AIR COMING IN.
BUT, THESE WINDS AND WIND
GUSTS OF 40+ MILES PER HOUR
CERTAINLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE
SOME SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES.
SO SOME WILL HAVE TO WATCH
FOR.
TEMPS WILL BE FALLING GENTLY
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. BUT MOST OF OUR WET WEATHER,
BUT MOST OF OUR WET WEATHER,
JASON, IS WELL TO THE SOUTH.
WE ARE TRACKING A PRETTY
GOOD LOOKING WEEKEND IN JUST
A FEW MINUTES.
>>> BRANDON, THANK YOU.
YOU.
>>> BREAKING NEWS IN THE
TRIAL FOR THE EX-POLICE
OFFICER CHARGED WITH KILLING
GEORGE FLOYD.
A JUDGE GRANTED PROSECUTORS
REQUEST TO ADD A THIRD
DEGREE MURDER CHARGE AGAINST
DEREK CHAUVIN THE CHAUVIN
ALREADY FACED SECOND-DEGREE
MURDER AND MANSLAUGHTER
CHARGES.
LEGAL EXPERTS SAY THIS
ADDITIONAL CHARGE GIVES
JURORS ONE MORE OPTION TO
CONVICT.
CHAUVIN IS ACCUSED OF
PRESSING HIS KNEE ON FLOYD’S
NECK FOR ABOUT NINE MINUTES.
JURY SELECTION CONTINUES
TODAY.
>>> POLICE ARRESTED A MAN
THEY SAY TOOK THEM ON A WILL
CHASE THROUGH SOUTHFIELD.
POLICE SAY THEY FOUND HIM IN
A WHITE TRUCK WITH BULLET
HOLES NEAR MT. VERNON AND
GREENFIELD.
HE APPEARED TO BE SLEEPING
WHEN HE WOKE UP HE TOOK OFF.
HE LED POLICE ON A CHASE HIT
A CURB AND WAS EVENTUALLY
ARRESTED.
POLICE BELIEVE HE SHOOTING
FROM HIS CAR AND DON’T THINK
ANYBODY WAS HURT.
>>> A SUSPECTED DRUNK DRIVER
HIT A DETROIT POLICE SQUAD
CAR ON THE CITY’S EAST SIDE
OVERNIGHT.
THIS HAPPENED AT CANADIAN
UMERINGUE.
THE OFFICERS WERE NOT HURT
AND THE SECOND DRIVER WAS
TAKEN TO JAIL WHERE HE OR
SHE WILL BE TESTED FOR
ALCOHOL.
>>> FOR THE FIRST TIME
PRINCE WILLIAM HAS ADDRESSED
THE BOMBSHELL CLAIMS MADE BY
HIS BROTHER AND HIS
SISTER-IN-LAW.
HEAR HIS DEFENSE OF THE
ROYAL FAMILY NEXT.
>>> ALSO AHEAD, HOW A TESLA
GOT STUCK UNDERNEATH A
SEMI IN DETROIT THIS MORNING
SENDING BOTH THE DRIVER AND
THE PASSENGER TO THE
HOSPITAL.
BUT FIRST WE HONOR SOME OF