>> Announcer: LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN
DETROIT, HOME OF WDIV AND CLICK
ON DETROIT.
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT 5:00 STARTS NOW!
>> Shawn: NOW AT 5:00, A STOLEN
SUFFICIENT, A FIERY CRASH, AND
AN AMAZING RESCUE.
>> Jason: TONIGHT, HE’S A FREE
MAN!
CHARLES PUGH IS OUT OF PRISON.
WE HAVE REACTION TO HIS RELEASE,
INCLUDING ONE PERSON WHO THINKS
HE HAS NOT LEARNED HIS LESSON.
>> Karen: THE LOCAL4CASTERS ARE
LOCKED IN ON THE CHRISTMAS
FORECAST AND WE’LL SEE RAIN FOR
PART OF YOUR HOLIDAY.
>> Jason: WE BEGIN WITH NEW
CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS IN FROM THE
STATE.
13,686 NEW CASES OVER THE PAST
48 HOURS, 6800 CASES A DAY, MUCH
HIGHER THAN THE WEEKEND TOTALS.
392 DEATHS OVER THE SAME TWO-DAY
PERIOD.
>> Karen: THE MOVING AVERAGE IS
TICKING BACK UP EVER SO SLIGHTLY
OVER THE PAST THREE WEDNESDAYS
BUT STILL BELOW THE NUMBERS WE
WERE SEEING BACK ON DECEMBER 8.
TONIGHT, A BRAND-NEW TOOL TO
HELP TREAT PEOPLE WITH COVID-19.
>> Jason: THE FDA HAS AUTHORIZED
THE FIRST ANTI-VIRAL PILL TO
PREVENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE COVID
FROM GETTING SEVERELY ILL.
THE DRUG FROM PFIZER CALLED
PAXLOVID CAN BE TAKEN AT HOME
AVAILABLE TO ANYONE 12 AND UP
WITH MILD TO MODERATE SYMPTOMS.
THE PFIZER CEO SAID THEY’RE
READY TO BEGIN DELIVERING IT
HERE IN THE U.S. IMMEDIATELY.
>> Karen: WE’RE GOING TO GET
REACTION ON THIS FROM DR. FRANK
McGEORGE.
WE BEGIN IN WASHINGTON WITH
CHRIS POLLONE WITH THE LATEST.
>> Reporter: 30 PILLS TAKEN OVER
FIVE DAYS BY PEOPLE IN THE EARLY
STAGES OF A COVID INFECTION WHO
ARE AT RISK OF DEVELOPING SEVERE
DISEASE.
>> IN THE EARLY CLINICAL TRIAL
DATA, IT’S 90% AT PREVENTING
HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH.
IT COULD BE GAME-CHANGING.
>> Reporter: IT SHOULD BE
AVAILABLE IN DAYS BUT SUPPLIES
WILL BE EXTREMELY LIMITED EARLY
ON AND DOCTORS STRESS IT’S NOT A
SUBSTITUTE FOR GETTING
IMMUNIZED.
>> WE STILL NEED TO PROTECT
OURSELVES, GETTING VACCINATED,
GETTING THE BOOSTER, SOCIAL
DISTANCING, THE THINGS WE KNOW
WORK.
>> Reporter: IN PARTS OF
COUNTRY, TESTS ARE INCREASINGLY
HARD TO COME BY!
THE WHITE HOUSE HOPING TO MAKE
HALF A BILLION RAP TESTS
AVAILABLE BY NEXT MONTH, TOO
LATE WHERE THE OMICRON SURGE HAS
ALREADY ARRIVED.
>> THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN
ANTICIPATED.
IF I CAN EXPECT IT, I’M SURE
THEY CAN ANTICIPATE THE
QUANTITIES NEEDED.
>> Reporter: THE NHL WILL NOT
TAKE PART IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES.
NEW YORK CITY SAYS NEW YEAR’S
EVE FESTIVITIES IN TIMES SQUARE
ARE ON FOR NOW.
>> WE WOULD LIKE IT TO MOVE
FORWARD IF WE CAN DO IT SAFELY.
>> Reporter: AND THEY EMPHASIZE
WE ALREADY HAVE THE TOOLS TO
FIGHT COVID.
>> THIS IS A DIFFERENT
CHRISTMAS!
IT’S NOT DECEMBER 2020.
IT’S MORE HOPEFUL, WHAT WE DO IN
THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL DETERMINE
WHAT THINGS WILL LOOK LIKE.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS
TESTED FIVE DAYS AFTER BEING IN
CONTACT WITH AN AID WHO LATER
TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS.
IN WASHINGTON, CHRIS POLLONE,
LOCAL 4.
>> Karen: THE NEWS OF THE PILL
IS GOD NEWS AS THE OMICRON
VARIANT TAKES HOLD.
>> Jason: WE’RE JOINED BY DR.
McGEORGE WITH DETAILS.
>> Dr. McGeorge: PAXLOVID IS
AUTHORIZED FOR THOSE 12 AND
OLDER WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK OF
DEVELOPING SEVERE ILLNESS.
IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE PRETTY
QUICKLY BUT SUPPLIES WILL BE
LIMITED.
THE DRUG NEEDS TO BE STARTED
WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF SYMPTOM
ONSET WHICH COULD BE ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO ITS USE
SINCE THAT MEANS A PERSON’S
COVID TEST NEEDS TO COME BACK
QUICKLY ENOUGH THAT THEY STILL
HAVE TIME TO FILL THE
PRESCRIPTION.
>> Karen: I KNOW THERE’S CONCERN
THAT SOME OF THE MONOCLONAL
ANTIBODIES IN USE AREN’T
EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON.
SO HOW EFFECTIVE WILL THIS DRUG
BE?
>> Dr. McGeorge: THIS DRUG WORKS
BY BLOCKING AN ENZYME THAT ALL
VARIANTS OF THE VIRUS NEED TO
REPLICATE SO IT SHOULD BE
UNIVERSALLY EFFECTIVE.
SO THAT’S GOOD NEWS.
WHEN MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES FAIL
US, THIS IS A GOOD OPTION.
AVOIDING INFECTION IS WAY
SMARTER THAN TREATING AN
INFECTION.
>> Jason: THANKS FOR THE ADVICE,
WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> Karen: THE CITY OF DETROIT IS
EXTENDING HOURS AT THE JOSEPH
WALKER WILLIAMS COVID-19 TEST
SITE.
>> Jason: THE CENTER WILL BE
OPEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY FROM 7
A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. INCLUDING
CHRISTMAS EVE.
NEXT WEEK, OPEN MONDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY FROM 7 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
AND INCLUDES NEW YEAR’S EVE.
TESTING IS AVAILABLE BY
APPOINTMENT ONLY TO PEOPLE WHO
LIVE OR WORK IN THE CITY OF
DETROIT.
CALL 313-230-0505.
>>> THREE DAYS NOW IS THE
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS.
AND WE’RE CAPPING IT OFF WITH --
IT’S SUNNY OUT THERE.
IT SEEMS UNUSUAL.
>> Karen: I JUST FELT THE CHILL!
I WASN’T TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE
BUT IT FELT REALLY COLD OUT
THERE.
>> Paul: IT WAS A COLD DAY.
I MEAN, WE HAVEN’T HAD A COLD
DAY LIKE THIS IN A WHILE.
THIS IS TYPICAL WINTER COLD.
AS FAR AS 4ZONE WEATHER, CITY
AIRPORT 28 DEGREES, 28 IN GROSSE
ILE, 26 IN TROY, AND 26 IN
CANTON.
LIVONIA 28 DEGREES.
DOWN IN OUR SOUTH ZONE, 29
LAMBERTVILLE AND DEERFIELD 27
DEGREES, SALINE 26.
IN OUR WEST ZONE, MILFORD DOWN
TO 24.
25 WHITMORE LAKE.
NAN OUR NORTH ZONE, 23 IN
DECKERVILLE, 25 IN PORT HURON.
EMMETT 25 DEGREES.
AND 23 OVER IN ROMEO, OXFORD,
AND ORTONVILLE.
THINGS ARE QUIET AND THIS IS NOT
SNOW FOR US.
WE HAVE SOME LAKE-EFFECT SNOW
HERE TO THE NORTH.
IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY DRIVING UP
THERE, THEY’RE RUNNING INTO
TROUBLE ON THE ROADS.
A GRADUAL BREAK-UP OF THE CLOUDS
AND TEMPS FALLING THROUGH THE
20s AND CLOUDS COME IN TOMORROW
AND WE’LL SEE SOME SNOW.
WE’LL TALK ABOUT WHERE AND WHEN,
IN A FEW MINUTES.
>> Karen: FORMER DETROIT CITY
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CHARLES PUGH
IS A FLEE MAN TONIGHT.
>> Jason: HE HAD BEEN SERVING
TIME IN A PRISON IN IONIA
FOLLOWING A CHILD RAPE
CONVICTION.
ROD MELONI FOLLOWING THAT STORY
WITH US AND JOINS US LIVE.
HE HAS SOME CONDITIONS TO HIS
PAROLE, CORRECT?
>> Rod: THERE’S A LONG LAUNDRY
LIST OF THEM, JASON.
WE’LL START OUT WITH TWO YEARS
OF PAROLE, 6 MONTHS ON A GPS
TETHER AND SPEND THE REST OF HIS
LIFE ON THE SEX OFFENDER
REGISTRY AND CANNOT HAVE CONTACT
WITH CHILDREN 17 YEARS OLD OR
YOUNGER.
HE USED TO WORK HERE AT CITY
HALL BUT NO LONGER, AND HE IS
TRYING TO SUCCEED IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR.
>> I WANT TO START OUT BY
APOLOGIZING TO AUSTIN AND HIS
FAMILY FOR --
>> COULD YOU TURN AROUND?
>> FOR VIOLATING HIS TRUST.
>> Rod: HE ADMITTED GUILT IN ONE
CRIMINAL CASE THAT STEMMED FROM
AN INTERNSHIP HE USED AT HIS OLD
TELEVISION NEWS JOB TO COERCE
SEX FROM YOUNG PEOPLE.
HE LOST A CIVIL COURT CASE WHEN
ANOTHER TEEN SUED HIM FOR THE
SAME BEHAVIOR.
THE ATTORNEY FOR THAT YOUNG MAN
IS UNIMPRESSED THAT PUGH IS OUT
AT HIS EARLIEST POSSIBLE RELEASE
DATE.
>> HE IS STILL CLAIMING TO THE
PAROLE BOARD THAT HE DIDN’T USE
HIS POWER TO ACCOMPLISH THESE
EVENTS.
IT’S WRONG!
>> Rod: PUGH HAD CONSIDERABLE
POWER, CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN
2013 AND THEN DISAPPEARED WHEN
THE CITY ENDED UP IN BANKRUPTCY
AND LATER DISCOVERED WAITING
TABLES IN NEW YORK CITY.
THE PAROLE BOARD SAID HE INTENDS
TO LIVE WITH A FRIEND BY THE
NAME OF ANDRE ROBINSON.
HE PLANS TO OPEN A SANDWICH
SHOP, WHICH IS A CONCERN BECAUSE
YOUNG PEOPLE TEND TO WORK THERE.
>> I HOPE HE BECOMES SUCCESSFUL
FOR MY CLIENT’S SAKE.
DO I WORRY ABOUT HIM BEING
AROUND YOUNG PEOPLE?
YES.
>> Rod: THE CIVIL JUDGMENT WAS A
QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND PUGH HAS ONLY MADE ONE
PAYMENT SO FAR, SO HE WANTS TO
SEE HIM SUCCEED IN BUSINESS TO
MAKE SURE HIS CLIENT GETS PAID.
BACK TO YOU.
>> Jason: YOU MENTIONED A
LAUNDRY LIST HERE.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER
CONDITIONS PUGH HAS TO MEET?
>> Rod: HE HAS A LOT OF THEM,
LIKE FOR INSTANCE GOING TO DRUG
COUNSELING, TAKING A POLYGRAPH
TEST, AND ONE OF THE 12-STEP
FORUMS THAT HE HAS TO ATTEND FOR
ALLEGED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, THAT
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS
PUBLIC TO HIS PAROLE OFFICER.
THERE ARE MANY OTHERS AS WELL.
BUT YOU GET THE IDEA HERE.
HE HAS SOME SEVERE RESTRICTIONS
IF HE WANTS TO STAY HERE IN THE
CITY.
>> Jason: ALL RIGHT, THANKS.
>>> A ROSEVILLE MAN HAS BEEN
CHARGED.
>> Karen: AN UNDERCOVER OFFICER
TRIED STOPPING THE MAN WHO WAS
ALLEGEDLY DRIVING A STOLEN
PICKUP TRUCK.
THE SUSPECT TOOK OFF AND SPED
OFF KILLING AN ANOTHER DRIVER
AND HE WAS ARRESTED.
41-YEAR-OLD WOODS FACES 16
CHARGES.
BOND WAS SET AT $1 MILLION.
>>> JURY DELIBERATIONS CONTINUE
IN THE TRIAL OF FORMER MINNESOTA
POLICE OFFICER KIM POTTER.
>> Jason: THE JURY DID NOT REACH
A VERDICT TUESDAY AFTER 14 HOURS
OF DELIBERATIONS.
POTTER SHOT AND KILLED WRIGHT
DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
SHE WENT TO USE HER TASER BUT
ACCIDENTALLY GRABBED HER GUN.
>> Karen: THE JURY IS
DELIBERATING IN THE GHISLAINE
MAXWELL TRIAL, AND COULD HAVE A
VERDICT ON THE BRITISH
SOCIALITE’S FATE BEFORE
CHRISTMAS.
SHE IS ACCUSED OF GROOMING FOUR
UNDERAGE GIRLS FOR SEX WITH
JEFFREY EPSTEIN.
SHE PLEADED NOT GUILTY AND COULD
FACE A LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE
IF CONVICTED.
>> Jason: PRESIDENT BIDEN
EXTENDING THE PAUSE ON FEDERAL
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS.
THEY WERE TO RESTART ON FEBRUARY
1st, BUT NOW STUDENTS WON’T HAVE
TO START REPAYING THOSE BACK
UNTIL MAY 1st.
THE WHITE HOUSE SAID IN AUGUST
THE JANUARY 31st EXTENSION WOULD
BE THE FINAL PAUSE.
BORROWER BALANCES HAVE BEEN
FROZEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
THE PANDEMIC NEARLY TWO YEARS
AGO.
>> Karen: HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES
GET A GOOD START TO CHRISTMAS.
>> Jason: THE ANNUAL MAKE
CHRISTMAS MERRY EVENT AT THE
SHEFFIELD CENTER.
FREE BIKES, TOYS, AND CLOTHES
WERE DONATED TO ABOUT 500
FAMILIES.