>> Announcer: LIVE FROM
DOWNTOWN DETROIT, HOME OF
WDIV AND CLICK ON DETROIT,
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT NOON STARTS
NOW.
>>> TODAY GOVERNOR WHITMER
IS REFLECTING ON HER
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION SPEECH.
WHAT SHE BELIEVES IS THE KEY
ISSUE IN THE 2020 ELECTION.
>>> BUT FIRST THE U.S.
POSTMASTER GENERAL AGREES TO
TESTIFY AT AN EMERGENCY
HEARING ON CAPITOL HILL.
AS THE BACKLASH GROWS
AGAINST CHANGES THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE
ELECTION. >> HE’S DOING EVERYTHING IN
>> HE’S DOING EVERYTHING IN
HIS POWER TO TRY AND
UNDERMINE THE VOTE.
>> IN THE MEANTIME, LOCAL
OFFICIALS ARE GATHERING IN
SOUTHFIELD TO BRING
ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY SAY
ARE EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE OUR
DEMOCRACY.
THAT PROTEST TAPES OUR NEWS
HERE AT NOON.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,
I’M EVROD CASSIMY.
HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
RECENTLY SENT DETAILED
LETTERS TO 46 STATES AND
WASHINGTON, D.C. WARNING IT
CANNOT GUARANTEE ALL BALLOTS
CAST BY MAIL FOR THE
NOVEMBER ELECTION WILL
ARRIVE IN TIME TO BE
COUNTED.
THIS COMES AS CHANGES IN
MAIL OPERATIONS, INCLUDING
ELIMINATED OVERTIME AND
REDUCTIONS IN MAIL SORTING
MACHINES WERE PUT IN PLACE
BY THE PRESIDENT’S HAND
PICKED POSTMASTER GENERAL
LOUIS DEJOY.
THE MOVES CAUSE CONCERNS
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT HAS
CRITICIZED MAIL-IN VOTING
DUE TO THE PANDEMIC THE
SUCCESS OF THE 2020
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION COULD
HINGE ON THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE.
LET’S GET OUT TO OUR LARRY
SPRUILL.
HE JOINS US NOW LIVE WITH A
LOOK AT HOW OFFICIALS ARE
BRINGING THE LATE JOHN LEWIS
INTO THE CONVERSATION.
LARRY?
>> Reporter: YEAH, EVROD,
THAT NEWS CONFERENCE JUST
WRAPPED UP.
SEVERAL LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE
TALKING ABOUT BRENDA
LAWRENCE AND HALEY STEPHENS
ALL MET HERE ALONG WITH SOME
POSTAL WORKERS TO DISCUSS
THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES
GOING ON INSIDE OF OUR
POSTAL STATIONS ACROSS METRO
DETROIT.
WITH VERY SOME VIDEO THAT
NEWS CONFERENCE.
THEY MENTIONED SEVERAL
CONCERNS AS FAR AS COUNTING
MACHINES BEING REMOVED FROM
THE OFFICES.
THEN ALSO THE WORKING
ENVIRONMENT THAT’S BEEN
GOING ON INSIDE OF THESE CENTERS HERE AS WELL.
CENTERS HERE AS WELL.
NOW THEY MENTIONED THAT EACH
COUNTING MACHINE CAN COUNT
UP TO 30,000 PIECES OF
LETTER IN ONE AREA IN
DETROIT.
FOUR COUNTING MACHINES HAVE
BEEN REMOVED YOU ADD THAT UP
THAT’S A LOT OF POTENTIAL
MAIL NOT BEING COUNTED
ACCORDING TO THE WORKER.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT
POSSIBLE UPCOMING ELECTIONS
IN NOVEMBER.
THEY SAID IF THESE MACHINES
CONTINUE TO BE REMOVED THAT
THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT THE
BALLOTS WOULD NOT BE
COUNTED.
ONE REPRESENTATIVE MENTIONED
JOHN LEWIS, AND HE BLAMED
THE PRESIDENT FOR WHAT’S
HAPPENING.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> JOHN LEWIS, OUR FRIEND
WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE AND
LITERALLY RISKED HIS LIFE IN
ORDER TO GUARANTEE THAT
PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO
CAST THEIR BALLOT, AND WE
HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES
ADMITTEDLY DOING EVERYTHING
HE CAN, INCLUDING CHOKING
OFF ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FOR
THE UNITED STATES POSTAL
SERVICE IN ORDER TO PREVENT
PEOPLE FROM CASTING THEIR
BALLOT?
SHAME ON HIM.
[APPLAUSE]
>> Reporter: AND OUR LOCAL
REPRESENTATIVES ALSO MENTION
THEY PLAN ON GOING TO D.C.
TO FIGHT THIS.
COMING UP TONIGHT AT 5:00,
WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A DEEPER
LOOK INTO THE WORKING
CONDITIONS THAT WORKERS ARE
NOW FACING HERE INSIDE THE
POSTAL CENTERS.
I’M WORKING ON THAT PART OF
THE STORY ALL NEW TONIGHT AT
5:00.
WE’RE LIVE IN SOUTHFIELD
THIS AFTERNOON, LARRY
SPRUILL, LOCAL 4.
>> ALL RIGHTY, LARRY THANK
YOU FOR THE UPDATE THERE.
>>> RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO GET
TO BREAKING NEWS WE’RE
FOLLOWING OUT OF WASHINGTON.
THAT’S WHERE THE
REPUBLICAN-LED SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAS
RELEASED ITS FINAL REPORT IN
THE RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN
THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.
THE 1,000 PAGE REPORT
CONCLUDES THAT RUSSIA DID
INDEED TAKE ACTION TO
INFLUENCE THE ELECTION IN AN
EFFORT TO HELP DONALD TRUMP
WIN THE PRESIDENCY.
WHILE THE INVESTIGATION DID
NOT SHOW ACTIVE COOPERATION
IT DID FIND SEVERAL MEMBERS
OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN TEAM
HAD CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS
WITH TIES TO RUSSIAN
INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS.
THE REPORT’S FINDINGS MIRROR
MANY OF THE CONCLUSIONS OF
THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION
INTO RUSSIAN MEDDLING IN THE
ELECTION.
>>> ALSO BREAKING AT THIS
HOUR, ATTORNEY GENERAL
WILLIAM BARR IS MEETING WITH
DETROIT POLICE CHIEF JAMES
CRAIG.
THIS ALL COMES AFTER LAST
MONTH’S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT
OPERATION LEGEND WILL BE
EXPANDING INTO THE CITY.
>>> MICHIGAN GOVERNOR
GRETCHEN WHITMER WAS AMONG
THE FEATURED SPEAKERS AT
LAST NIGHT’S FIRST SESSION
OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION.
AND SHE CRITICIZED PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S RESPONSE TO THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
THIS MORNING, SAID THE
PANDEMIC IS A KEY ISSUE IN
THIS FALL’S ELECTION.
>> WE ARE AT THE WEALTHIEST
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD YET WE
ARE HAVING THE WORST
OUTCOMES AND THE WORST
ECONOMIC IMPACT BECAUSE OF
THE MISHANDLING OF THIS
VIRUS.
NOW DONALD TRUMP DID NOT
CREATE THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT
HE IS IN CHARGE OF OUR
RESPONSE TO IT.
THE NUMBERS OF DEATH, THE
NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED, THE
NUMBERS OF BANKRUPTCY ARE
ALL ON HIS WATCH.
THAT’S WHY THIS ELECTION
MATTERS SO MUCH.
>> THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT
SHE HAVE FLATTERED TO HAVE
BEEN CONSIDERED FOR VICE
PRESIDENT.
BUT SHE SAYS SHE’S HAPPY
WITH HER DREAM JOB AS
GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN AND
LOOKS FORWARD TO HAVING TWO
BEST FRIENDS IN THE WHITE
HOUSE NEXT YEAR.
>>> THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION WHICH IS THE
FIRST EVENT OF ITS KINDS
HELD THROUGH REMOTE
CONNECTIONS ALSO CONTINUE
THROUGH THURSDAY.
TONIGHT WE’LL SEE
APPEARANCES BY JOE BIDEN’S
WIFE DR. JILL BIDEN AND
FORMER PRESIDENT BILL
CLINTON.
LAST NIGHT’S FEATURED
SPEAKER WAS FORMER FIRST
LADY MICHELLE OBAMA.
>> I’M A LONG TIME
REPUBLICAN FOR ME THE CHOICE
IS SIMPLE I’M WITH JOE.
>> JOE BIDEN IS A MAN FOR
OUR TIMES.
>> THIS ISN’T ABOUT THE
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, IT’S
ABOUT A PERSON.
THE PERSON DECENT ENOUGH,
STABLE ENOUGH, STRONG ENOUGH
TO GET OUR ECONOMY BACK ON
TRACK.
>> THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION WRAPS UP ON
THURSDAY WITH JOE BIDEN’S
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.
THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
CONVENTION TAKES PLACE NEXT
WEEK.
>>> WELL, TODAY IS AN
IMPORTANT DAY IN THE UNITED
STATES HISTORY.
IT MARKS 100 YEARS SINCE THE
19th AMENDMENT WAS RATIFIED
GRANTING WOMEN THE RIGHT TO
VOTE.
IT TOOK DECADES OF PRESSURE
AND PROTESTS TO WIN THAT
RIGHT.
HOWEVER IT IS STILL
IMPORTANT TO KNOW THERE WERE
SEVERAL ISSUES.
THE AMENDMENT SECURED VOTING
RIGHTS FOR WHITE WOMEN,
BLACK WOMEN, NATIVE AMERICAN
WOMEN, ASIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN
AND LATINOS WERE STILL
BLOCKED FROM VOTING FOR
YEARS AND EVEN DECADES AFTER
1920.
IN THE MEANTIME, TODAY,
PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED
THAT HE IS PARDONING SUSAN
B. ANTHONY WHO WAS ARRESTED
FOR VOTING IN 1872 WHEN ONLY
MEN COULD VOTE.
>>> CHECKING TODAY’S
CORONAVIRUS HEADLINES HERE
IN MICHIGAN, THE STATE
REPORTING 465 NEW CASES OF
COVID-19.
THERE’S ONE ADDITIONAL DEATH
TO REPORT.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE
UNITED STATES SURPASSESES
5,419 THOU MORE THAN 170,000
PEOPLE HAVE DIED THESE ARE
NUMBERS COMING FROM THE
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
DATABASE.
COVID-19 IS NOW THE NUMBER
THREE CAUSE OF DEATH HERE IN
THE U.S.
MORE THAN 1,000 CORONAVIRUS
DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED
NEARLY EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS
MONTH ALONE.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI IS ALSO
WARNING THAT MANY WHO TESTED
POSITIVE COULD SEE LONG-TERM
PROBLEMS.
>> YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL
WHEN WE SAY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
DON’T WIND UP IN THE
HOSPITAL ARE FINE.
LET THEM GET INFECTED IT’S
OKAY.
NO.
IT’S NOT OKAY.
>> HEALTH EXPERTS CONTINUE
TO ASK AMERICANS TO WEAR
MASKS WHEN IN PUBLIC SPACES
AND TO TRUST THE SCIENCE.
>>> RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO
TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT OUR
FORECAST AS WE TAKE A LOOK
OUTSIDE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL
DETROIT SKYLINE.
METEOROLOGIST BRANDON ROUX
STANDING BY WITH A LOOK AT
HOW THINGS ARE FARING FOR
TODAY.
BRANDON?
>> LOOKING GREAT, FEELING
GREAT.
DON’T MIND MY VOICE, JUST A
LITTLE LARYNGITIS.
BUT I’LL TELL YOU IT IS
GORGEOUS OUT HERE.
SOME AREAS NOT EVEN OUT OF
THE 60s YET.
SO WE’RE ENJOYING VERY COMFY
AIR.
YOU KEEP THE WINDOWS OPEN
DURING THE DAY.
LATER TONIGHT AS WELL, OR IF
YOU’RE NOT DURING THE DAY
DEFINITELY DO TONIGHT.
68 PORT HURON, 70 PONTIAC.
70 IN HOWELL, 70 AT ANN
ARBOR, 72 IN MONROE.
WE HAVE A NICE LITTLE
NORTHWEST WIND THAT’S ABOUT
FIVE TO 15 MILES PER HOUR.
OCCASIONALLY IT WILL GUST A
LITTLE STRONGER.
IT’S ALSO PROBABLY GOING TO
DELIVER A LITTLE MORE CLOUD
COVER ACROSS, ESPECIALLY OUR
NORTH ZONE.
BUT WE’RE SEEING SOME CLOUDS
OUT HERE RIGHT NOW.
77 DEGREES OTHER THAN AN
ISOLATED SHOWER IN OUR NORTH
ZONE THAT WOULD BE MORE LIKE
A SPRITZ OR TWO.
REALLY DON’T HAVE MUCH GOING
ON TODAY.
SO WE’LL LOOK AHEAD.
SEVEN-DAY FORECAST ANY SHOTS
FOR RAIN WE WILL LOOK FOR IT
FOR YOU COMING UP.
>> ALL RIGHT, BRANDON, THANK
YOU.
>>> WE’LL BE CHECKING IN
WITH HIM AGAIN SHORTLY.
RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT EDUCATION AND THE
PACKAGE OF BILLS THAT WILL
ALLOW DISTRICTS TO DECIDE
WHETHER TO REOPEN FOR
IN-PERSON LEARNING.
THAT’S EXPECTED TO BE SIGNED
INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR
WHITMER.
ON MONDAY, THE HOUSE SENT
THE BILLS TO THE GOVERNOR’S
DESK AND UNDER THE PLAN
FUNDING FOR DISTRICTS WILL
BASICALLY STAY THE SAME WITH
ATTENDANCE BEING COUNTED FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY
IN CLASS OR PARTICIPATING
VIRTUALLY.
SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL ALSO
RECEIVE AN BE ADDITIONAL
$583 MILLION WITH MORE THAN
$50 MILLION OF THAT MONEY
INTENDED AS HAZARD PAY FOR
TEACHERS.
DISTRICTS SAY THEY’RE DOING
THE BEST THEY CAN TO MAKE
THE SCHOOL YEAR AS NORMAL AS
POSSIBLE FOR.
>> EVERYONE WE ARE PLANNING
TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS
AT SOME LEVEL OF EDUCATION
REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES ARE
WE’RE STILL FACING A
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN REGARDS
TO STUDENTS FALLING BEHIND
IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO
IS MAKE THE VET, VERY BEST
OF IT.
-- IS TO MAKE THE VERY, VERY
BEST OF IT.
>> OUR TEAM AT
CLICKONDETROIT.COM HAS
COMPILED A LIST OF EVERY
SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE IN
METRO DETROIT AND THEIR
PLANS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL
YEAR.
YOU CAN FIND THAT RIGHT
THERE AT THE TOP OF THE
RETURN TO SCHOOL PAGE MANY
AGAIN THAT’S ON
CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
>>> SPEAKING OF SCHOOLS,
STILL TO COME, SCHOOLS ARE
SCRAMBLING AFTER
EXPERIENCING AN UPTICK IN
CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS
WITHIN DAYS OF STUDENTS
RETURNING.
WE’LL TELL YOU WHAT MIGHT BE