DRIVING CLUB THAT INCLUDES NOW 26 OTHER STATES. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. I’M JASON COLTHORPE.
THE NEW LAW MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO
DRIVE WHILE HOLDING OR USING A
CELL PHONE BY CHANGING THE
MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE. THE
CHANGES WILL MODERNIZE EXISTING
LAWS TO MATCH THE AMOUNT OF TECH
THAT YOU FIND IN A LOT OF
TODAY’S NEW CARS. LET’S GET OUT
TO VICTOR WILLIAMS COVERING THIS
FOR US TODAY. AND, VICTOR,
DRIVERS COULD PAY A REAL PRICE
IF THEY DON’T ABIDE BY THIS NEW
LAW. OH, YEAH, JASON.
>> THAT IS THE CASE IN JUST
HOURS AGO, WE SAW THE GOVERNOR
PUTTING THAT PEN TO PAPER, DOING
WHAT SHE SAYS IS ULTIMATELY
GOING TO MAKE DRIVING A LOT
SAFER FOR THE FOLKS OUT THERE ON
THE ROADS. GOVERNOR WHITMER
INSISTING THAT WAY TOO MANY
PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO
DRIVERS BEING DISTRACTED. AND
NOW BECAUSE OF THESE NEWLY
SIGNED BILLS, JUST LIKE YOU
SAID, DRIVERS WILL SOON FACE
FINES OF CAUGHT BEHIND THE WHEEL
WITH THE DEVICE IN HAND THAT
ALSO MEANS THAT USING HANDS FREE
TECHNOLOGY IS NOW A MUST WHEN
MAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS. WHILE
DRIVING, TEXTING WHILE DRIVING
IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAN
ALREADY LAND YOU IN TROUBLE WITH
THE LAW. BUT NOW THOSE LAWS ARE
EVEN STRONGER FOR FINES AND
ISSUES FOR DRIVERS TO BE CAUGHT
DOING IT. NOW, ASIDE FROM WORK
THAT’S ALREADY BEING DONE WITH
THE STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY
PLAN BACK IN 2019, THESE NEW
BILLS WILL HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO
DECREASE THE NUMBER OF
FATALITIES THAT WE SEE ON THE
HIGHWAY AND ON THE ROADS. IN
GENERAL, THE GOAL IS TO SEE ZERO
TRAFFIC DEATHS BY THE YEAR OF
2050. GOVERNOR WHITMER SAYS IT’S
ALREADY SIMILAR BILLS THAT HAVE
BEEN PASSED IN OHIO. THAT’S
ALREADY MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE
IN OHIO, JUST RECENTLY CHANGED
THEIR LAW.
>> THEY’VE ALREADY SEEN
DEMONSTRABLE DROP IN TERMS OF
DEATHS. I THINK THAT WE COULD
EXTRAPOLATE FROM THAT AND LOOK
OVER WHAT FOUR YEARS COULD HAVE
MEANT FOR LIVES. SO I THINK THAT
YOU CAN YOU CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.
ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS NEW
LEGISLATURE HAS COME IN. THEY’VE
TAKEN A NUMBER OF ACTIONS TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFER.
>> AND THESE NEW BILLS GO INTO
EFFECT ON JUNE THE 30TH. SO YOU
GUYS KEEP THAT IN MIND. VICTOR
WILLIAMS LOCAL 4 YEAH, THE
GOVERNOR HAS SOME SYMBOLISM
THERE.
>> REALLY POWERFUL SIGNING THAT
AT A HOCKEY RINK NAMED FOR ONE
OF THOSE VICTIMS LOST TO THAT
ONE OF THOSE ACCIDENTS. ALL
RIGHT, VICTOR, THAT THICK HAZE
OVER METRO DETROIT THIS WEEK
IMPACTING OUR AIR QUALITY. YOU
CAN SEE IT FROM OUR LIVE CAMERAS
THERE ON THE HORIZON THERE.
THAT’S SMOKE FROM THE CANADIAN
WILDFIRES THAT HAVE HAS MADE ITS
WAY OVER TO THE US. NOW, IQ AIR
QUALITY INDEX, WHICH RANKS THE
WORST AND BEST AIR QUALITY
AROUND THE WORLD, SAYS DETROIT
RIGHT NOW, TODAY HAS THE SECOND
WORST. THAT’S IN THE WORLD,
FOLKS. NEW YORK IS THIRD. THE
ONLY CITY RANKING HIGHER IS
DELHI, INDIA. EXPOSURE CAN
IMPACT THE LUNGS AND HEART, SO
IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO PUT OFF ANY
YARD WORK YOU MIGHT HAVE ANY
OUTDOOR EXERCISES. EXPERTS ALSO
RECOMMEND KEEPING THE WINDOWS
AND DOORS SHUT TODAY. AND IN
CASE YOU NEEDED VIDEO PROOF OF
NEW YORK CITY, TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT. A HARD TO EVEN SEE THE
SKYLINE WITH ALL THE SMOKE
THERE. NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS HAVE CANCELED ALL
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TODAY BECAUSE
OF THAT AIR QUALITY ALERT. AND
THERE’S STILL THAT DANGER OF
WILDFIRES IN PLACE STATEWIDE.
THE DNR SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN
MORE DAYS THIS YEAR WITH HIGH OR
EXTREME FIRE DANGER THAN
ANYTHING ELSE. THEY SAY 98% OF
WILDFIRES ARE CAUSED BY US
HUMANS, AND MOST HAPPEN WHEN
PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BURN YARD
WASTE.
>> THE BIGGEST THING RIGHT NOW
IS JUST AVOID BURNING. THERE’S
YOU KNOW, THERE’S NO REASON TO
BE BURNING YARD WASTE RIGHT NOW.
WAIT FOR OTHER WAIT FOR SOME
RAIN. CONSIDER OTHER
ALTERNATIVES. THERE’S MULCHING,
COMPOSTING AND REMEMBER, TOO,
THAT A LOT OF A LOT OF YARDS ARE
DRYING RIGHT UP. BUT THERE’S
STILL THERE’S WEEDS THAT GROW.
THERE’S A WEED CALLED BUCKTHORN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO MOW THAT
DOWN. WELL, IF YOUR GRASS IS
COMPLETELY DEAD AND ALL IT TAKES
IS A SPARK FROM THAT LAWN MOWER
BLADE TO HIT A STONE AND THAT
WILL START A FIRE.
>> ROGERS WOULD ALSO POINT OUT A
GRILL THAT MIGHT HAVE CHARCOAL
IN IT THAT COULD EASILY FALL TO
THE GROUND, SPARK SOMETHING THE
DNR HAS BEEN CALLED TO 193 FIRES
THIS YEAR, 3000 ACRES HAVE BEEN
BURNED SO FAR. MUCH OF THAT,
THOUGH, FROM THE ONE BIG FIRE
NEAR GRAYLING THIS PAST WEEK.
LET’S BRING IN METEOROLOGIST
ASHLEY BARACY NOW. AND THE
BOTTOM LINE HERE IN ALL OF THIS,
ASHLEY, IS WE NEED THAT RAIN.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THE GOOD NEWS IS
WE HAVE SOME SOAKING RAIN IN THE
SEVEN DAY FORECAST. THE BAD
NEWS, WE STILL HAVE TO WAIT A
COUPLE OF DAYS FOR THAT TO GET
HERE. SO BEAR WITH US. BE
PATIENT AND USE ALL OF THOSE
TIPS. WE HAVE THAT AIR QUALITY
ALERT TO START WITH. THAT’S
BRAND NEW AT THIS HOUR FOR ALL
OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN, BOTH
TODAY AND AGAIN ON THURSDAY
BECAUSE OF THE WILDFIRE SMOKE
CREATING A CONCENTRA OF
PARTICLES REALLY AT THE GROUND
LEVEL, MAKING IT UNHEALTHY FOR
YOU TO BE BREATHING IN OR
OVEREXERTING YOURSELF OUTSIDE.
SO 70S THIS WEEK IN THE FORECAST
WITH AN 80 POPPING UP THIS
WEEKEND, BUT THE RAIN CHANCES
RISE, ESPECIALLY THE TAIL END OF
THE WEEKEND. YOU CAN SEE THE
HAZE OUT IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT
RIGHT NOW, 71 DEGREES IS WHERE
WE CURRENTLY SIT. WE HAVE A
NORTHERLY BREEZE. SO IT’S A
LITTLE BIT OF A COOL BREEZE OUT
THERE AT ABOUT EIGHT MILES PER
HOUR. BUT THAT DEW POINT IN THE
30S THAT SHOWS US JUST HOW DRY
THE AIR MASS IS HERE ACROSS
METRO DETROIT, ONCE AGAIN, AIR
QUALITY WILL BE UNHEALTHY FOR
SENSITIVE GROUPS. SO THOSE THAT
MIGHT SUFFER FROM ASTHMA TODAY,
TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND THEN WE
WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE
CONDITIONS AND THE FIRE
CONCERNS, RED FLAG WARNINGS FOR
THE NORTHERN PART OF LOWER
MICHIGAN AND UP IN THE U.P. FOR
TODAY. THOSE RAIN CHANCES DO
INCREASE AS WE HEAD INTO THE
WEEKEND. QUICK LOOK AT THE REST
OF YOUR DAY. HAZY SUNSHINE
TOPPING OUT AROUND 74. WE’LL
GIVE YOU AN HOUR BY HOUR. LOOK
AT THOSE RAIN SHOWERS THAT ARE
SO ANTICIPATED COMING UP.
>> ALL RIGHT, ASHLEY POPE
FRANCIS BACK IN THE HOSPITAL
TODAY UNDERGOING SURGERY TO HIS
INTESTINE. AND THE VATICAN SAYS
THE 86 YEAR OLD PONTIFF WAS
SUFFERING FROM A PAINFUL HERNIA
THAT FORMED OVER A PREVIOUS SCAR
LIKELY CAUSED BY A SURGERY TO
HAVE PART OF HIS INTESTINE
REMOVED. TWO YEARS AGO, THE POPE
IS EXPECTED TO BE PUT UNDER
GENERAL ANESTHESIA FOR TODAY’S
PROCEDURE AND SHOULD BE STAYING
AT THE HOSPITAL IN ROME FOR
SEVERAL DAYS. A MAN ACCUSED OF
HELPING IN THE PLOT TO KIDNAP
MICHIGAN’S GOVERNOR PLEADING
GUILTY TODAY. IT MARKS THE NINTH
CONVICTION IN STATE AND FEDERAL
COURT SINCE AGENTS BROKE UP THAT
SCHEME IN 2020. SEAN FIX, FOX. I
SHOULD SAY, ADMITTED TO
PROVIDING MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR
AN ACT OF TERRORISM AND
STRATEGIZING HOW TO KIDNAP
GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER AT HER
VACATION HOME IN ANTRIM COUNTY.
THE GUILTY PLEA WAS A CHANGE
FROM THE ORIGINAL NOT GUILTY
PLEA. IN RETURN, PROSECUTORS
AGREED TO DROP A WEAPONS CHARGE
. AND HE HE IS ONE OF FIVE
PEOPLE CHARGED IN THIS PART OF
THE INVESTIGATION. THREE OTHER
MEN FACE A TRIAL IN AUGUST. FIX
AGREED TO TESTIFY AGAINST THEM
IF CALLED BY PROSECUTORS. FORMER
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE IS ONE
OF THE LATEST REPUBLICANS TO
JOIN THE 24 PRESIDENTIAL RACE.
THE FORMER VP LOOKING TO
DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THE
CURRENT GOP FRONTRUNNER WHO JUST
HAPPENS TO BE HIS OLD BOSS,
DONALD TRUMP. NBC’S BRIE JACKSON
IN WASHINGTON TO TWO FORMER
TRUMP ALLIES HAVE NOW TURNED
INTO POLITICAL CHALLENGERS.
>> NOW THAT FORMER VICE
PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE AND FORMER
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS
CHRISTIE HAVE ENTERED THE
PRESIDENTIAL RACE. FORMER NEW
JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE
JUMPING INTO AN ALREADY CROWDED
FIELD OF REPUBLICANS RUNNING IN
THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE.
THERE ISN’T JUST ONE BRUSH TO
PAINT OUR PARTY WITH. CHRISTIE
TOOK AIM AT THE CURRENT
FRONTRUNNER, FORMER PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP, WHO CHRISTIE
ENDORSED IN 2016 ON BEWARE OF
THE LEADER WHO WON’T ADMIT ANY
OF THOSE SHORTCOMINGS IN AN
ONLINE POST, TRUMP WEIGHED IN ON
HIS FORMER ADVISOR’S
PRESIDENTIAL BID, BLASTING
CHRISTIE AS A FAILED GOVERNOR.
THERE FEUD BRINGS INTO FOCUS THE
GROWING NUMBER OF FORMER TRUMP
ALLIES TURNING INTO POLITICAL
FOES. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE
PENCE OFFICIALLY DECLARING HE’S
RUNNING TO TODAY BEFORE GOD AND
MY FAMILY, I’M ANNOUNCING I’M
RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS
FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND TRY
TO PUNCH DONALD TRUMP IN THE
NOSE.
>> POTENTIAL VOTERS ARE DIVIDED
OVER WHETHER MORE OPTIONS WILL
HELP OR HARM TRUMP’S CHANCES OF
A REMATCH WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN.
>> EVERYONE LOVES AND SUPPORTS
DONALD TRUMP. I’M NOT GOING TO
SAY THAT FOR MYSELF, BUT I KNOW
HE HAS A VERY HUGE FOLLOWING. I
DON’T THINK TRUMP IS STRONG.
>> I THINK HE APPEARS STRONG,
BUT HE’S ACTUALLY MORALLY AND
ETHICALLY WEAK.
>> NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG
BURGUM ALSO EXPECTED TO JOIN THE
RACE THIS WEEK AND EXPANDING
FIELD OF CANDIDATES ALL SEEKING
TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THEY
SHOULD BECOME THE REPUBLICAN
NOMINEE. AND CHRIS CHRISTIE
FINISHED SIXTH IN THE 2016 NEW
HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY BEFORE
DROPPING OUT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL
RACE. AND LATER TODAY, FORMER
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. HE’LL
MEET WITH SUPPORTERS IN IOWA. IN
WASHINGTON, BREE JACKSON, NBC
NEWS.
>> AND OFF WE GO. ALL RIGHT,
BREE. THE AUTO SHOW SHIFTING
INTO HIGH GEAR AND IT WILL BE
BIGGER THAN EVER COME SEPTEMBER.
THE SHOW WILL BE OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC FROM SEPTEMBER 16TH TO
THE 24TH. EXPECT DOUBLE THE
NUMBER OF BRANDS TAKING PART
THIS YEAR. THE SHOW WILL ALSO
FEATURE NEW EXHIBITS, INCLUDING
A NEW INDOOR TRACK WHERE PEOPLE
CAN RIDE IN ELECTRIC CARS
ALONGSIDE PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS.
THE AUTO SHOW HELD ITS 1ST
SEPTEMBER EVENT LAST YEAR AFTER