OF OUR SOUTHFIELD SKYCAM. ON A NORMAL DAY, YOU WOULD PRETTY CLEARLY SEE THE DETROIT SKYLINE
IN THIS PICTURE. BUT THANKS TO
WILDFIRE SMOKE FROM CANADA THIS
THICK HAZE IS STICKING AROUND.
NOW TAKE A LOOK AT LIVE PICTURES
FROM NEW YORK CITY RIGHT NOW.
>> THE SKY HAS TURNED A LITTLE
BIT ORANGE FROM ALL THE SMOKE.
IT’S EVEN FORCED FLIGHTS INTO
LAGUARDIA AIRPORT TO BE
CANCELED. AND THIS IS BETTER
THAN IT WAS JUST A FEW HOURS
AGO.
>> THAT IS WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT
LOOKS LIKE. A LOOK AT THIS TIME
LAPSE NOW FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE. SMOKE ROLLING
INTO MANHATTAN AROUND 11 AND
WATCH AS IT GETS PROGRESSIVELY
WORSE FROM THERE. IN FACT, THE
MAYOR OF NEW YORK TELLING FOLKS
TO JUST STAY INDOORS RIGHT NOW.
>> AND TO THE SOUTH, LIVE
PICTURES FROM PHILADELPHIA AIR
QUALITY ISSUES HAVE FORCED THE
TIGERS GAME THERE TONIGHT
AGAINST THE PHILLIES TO BE
POSTPONED BACK HERE AT HOME FOR
A FEW MINUTES TODAY, THE CITY OF
DETROIT’S AIR QUALITY WAS SECOND
WORST IN THE WORLD AND THE
WORLD. THANKS FOR JOINING US,
EVERYBODY. I’M KIMBERLY GILL.
>> I’M DEVIN SCILLIAN. WE WERE
ACTUALLY AHEAD OF NEW YORK FOR A
WHILE BEHIND DELHI, INDIA, BUT
CONDITIONS DID SHIFT DURING THE
DAY AND NOW WE’VE DROPPED TO
AROUND 23RD. BUT BAD. LET’S KICK
THINGS OFF WITH ROD MELONI AND
THIS COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON
THE PEOPLE’S HEALTH, ESPECIALLY
CERTAIN PEOPLE. ROD RIGHT.
>> DEVIN IN FACT, TAKE A LOOK
BEHIND ME HERE. WE’RE LOOKING AT
ALL THOSE PICTURES OF WHAT THE
HAZE LOOKS LIKE. YOU CAN SEE THE
DETROIT SKYLINE HERE FROM BELLE
ISLE AND YOU CAN SEE THE HAZE
THERE. NOW, I’M NOT A DOCTOR,
BUT WHAT THE EXPERTS HAVE BEEN
TELLING ME TODAY IS THAT THE
PARTICULATES IN THE AIR RIGHT
NOW ARE LARGE ENOUGH SO THAT IF
YOU BREATHE THEM IN, THEY GET
INTO YOUR LUNGS, INTO WHAT THEY
CALL THE ALVEOLI. AND THAT IS
WHERE THE GAS AIR EXCHANGE GETS
MADE. AND FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
ISSUES, SAY LUNGS, SAY ASTHMA
ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT OR
HAVE HEART ISSUES, THIS CAN BE A
PROBLEM FOR THEM. IT’S THESE
CANADIAN FOREST FIRES CAUSING
THE PROBLEM. HERE’S A ROUGH
SKIES LOOK LIKE FOR THE PAST
COUPLE OF DAYS. AND THEN THIS
AFTERNOON, DRONE FOUR GAVE US A
GOOD LOOK AT IT TO GET AN IDEA
OF WHAT THAT WAYWARD SMOKE IS
DOING. WE HAVE THE EPA AIR
QUALITY MAP SHOWING A GIANT RED
BLOB, WHICH IS THE UNHEALTHY AIR
MOVING OVER US. EARLY THIS
MORNING, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
PROFESSOR DR. STEWART BATTERMAN
IS CONCERNED AND THIS LEVEL
EXCEEDS THE RELEVANT EPA
STANDARDS. BY THREE OR MAYBE
FOUR TIMES. AND SO THAT PUTS IT
INTO A HAZARD CONDITIONS AND
ADVISED NOT GOING OUTDOORS TODAY
IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO OR LIMIT
THEIR EXPOSURE OR LIMIT THEIR
EXERCISE SIZE AND TIME OUTDOORS
, PARTICULARLY IF THEY’RE HAVE
EXISTING CONDITIONS LIKE ASTHMA
OR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. YET
ACROSS THE CITY, WE FOUND PEOPLE
WHO TRIED TO CARRY ON WITH THEIR
REGULAR LIVES. AS NETO JOGGED ON
THE EAST SIDE, AS HE DOES DAILY
AND DID FEEL EATING THE NOSE A
LITTLE BIT.
>> AND ALSO THE THROW. SO IT’S
NOT THAT GOOD. SO IT DRIES UP A
LITTLE BIT.
>> DETROITER DIETRICH WINTERS
CAME TO BELLE ISLE TODAY TO
ENJOY THE GREAT AND HAZY
OUTDOORS WITH A CALIDAD SUPREMO
CIGAR WITH HIS BROTHER.
>> WELL, I KIND OF LIKE ENJOY
IT, BUT THE QUALITY OF THE AIR
AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, IS GOOD
.
>> SO IT’S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
WHERE YOU SORT OF LISTEN, IF YOU
WILL, TO THE ADVICE THAT IS
GIVEN OUT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT THE DOCTOR TOLD ME WAS THAT
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE WINDOWS
OPEN, THAT MAKES IT SO THAT THE
AIR INSIDE IS EQUALLY POOR, AS
THE AIR OUTSIDE AND ADVISES, YOU
PROBABLY WANT TO CLOSE THEM UP
FOR THE TIME BEING.
>> BACK TO YOU. AND WHAT ELSE
ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT WAYS TO
JUST PROTECT OURSELVES EVERYDAY?
ROB
>> WELL, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH,
IF YOU CAN PUT ON AN N95 MASK,
WE’RE ALL WELL AWARE OF THOSE
NOW AFTER THE PANDEMIC. BUT THE
DOCTOR ALSO TALKED ABOUT A U OF
M VIDEO WHERE YOU CAN BUILD AN
AIR FILTER INSIDE YOUR HOME FOR
LIKE 25 BUCKS. WE’VE POSTED THAT
VIDEO ON CLICK ON DETROIT .COM,
MAYBE WORTH A LOOK.
>> ALL RIGHT, ROD.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, I’M OVER
HERE IN THE WEATHER CENTER RIGHT
NOW WITH KIM. WE’VE SEEN THOSE
PICTURES OUT OF NEW YORK.
THANKFULLY, IT’S NOT AS BAD
HERE. BUT WHEN CAN WE EXPECT
THIS TO GET BETTER?
>> WELL, NOT ANY TIME SOON. WE
DEFINITELY HAVE TO GET THROUGH
TOMORROW AND PROBABLY EVEN
FRIDAY AS WELL. IN FACT, TAKE A
LOOK AT THE AIR QUALITY INDEX.
WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT,
BUT IT IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE.
IT’S A LITTLE EARLY IN THE
SEASON. YOU MIGHT KNOW IT MORE
AS AN OZONE ACTION DAY. AIR
QUALITY INDEX GOES FROM GOOD ALL
THE WAY UP TO HAZARD. SO IF YOU
LOOK AT THE LEGEND UP HERE, THE
AREAS IN GREEN ARE GOOD ANYWHERE
IN RED OR PURPLE, VERY UNHEALTHY
TO HAZARDOUS. AND THAT’S ALL
OVER THE EAST COAST. BUT HERE IN
METRO DETROIT, WE HAVE SOME
UNHEALTHY AREA. FOR THOSE OF YOU
WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, AS
ROD SAID, OR IF YOU HAVE ASTHMA
, SAME APPLIES TO YOUR PETS.
THEY’RE ALSO SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE
POOR AIR QUALITY AND THOSE FINE
PARTICLES, OUR LUNGS JUST AREN’T
BUILT TO FILTER THEM OUT. SO
HERE WE GO. WHEN IS IT GOING TO
IMPROVE? NEAR SURFACE SMOKE. SO
WE’VE HAD IT IN THE UPPER LEVELS
, BUT NOW IT IS SINKING DOWN TO
THE SURFACE AND OVER THE NEXT 24
TO 48 HOURS, YOU CAN SEE IT’S
ACTUALLY GOING TO GET A LITTLE
BIT WORSE HERE IN METRO DETROIT
BEFORE IT GETS BETTER HERE. ONE
THING THAT WILL HELP THE
SITUATION IN RAIN AND I’LL TELL
YOU, WHEN WE ARE EXPECTING THAT
RAIN TO HELP THINGS OUT IN A FEW
MINUTES. ALL RIGHT.
>> KIM AND THE TEAM AT CLICK ON
DETROIT HAS PUT TOGETHER A
REALLY USEFUL EXPLAINER ON THE
EFFECTS THIS WILDFIRE SMOKE CAN
HAVE ON YOUR HEALTH, INCLUDING
WHICH GROUPS NEED TO BE PAYING
EXTRA CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT’S
HAPPENING. WE’VE GOT THE LINK
RIGHT NOW ON OUR HOME PAGE.
>> ALL RIGHT, JUSTIN HERE AT
5:00, DETROIT POLICE HAVE
ARRESTED A SUSPECT IN THE ATTACK
OF A MAN OUTSIDE OF A DETROIT
LIQUOR STORE.
>> THE ATTACK HAPPENED JUST
AFTER THE VICTIM HAD CASHED HIS
PAYCHECK AT THE STORE ON
GREENFIELD ON THE CITY’S WEST
SIDE. A COWORKER THEN STEPPED IN
AND RUSHED HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND RIGHT NOW, A MAN IS IN
CUSTODY AS THE PROSECUTOR WEIGHS
CHARGES IN THE CASE. A SCARE
COMING OUT OF EASTPOINTE AS AN
ONLINE THREAT LEADS TO A
LOCKDOWN AT EASTPOINTE HIGH
SCHOOL STAFF WERE ALERTED TO A
POST MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
THREATENING THE SCHOOL
CLASSROOMS WERE PLACED ON
LOCKDOWN, WHILE SEVERAL POLICE
UNITS SEARCHED THE SCHOOL.
>> NO WEAPONS WERE FOUND.
LEADING POLICE TO BELIEVE THAT
THE THREAT WASN’T CREDIBLE.
STUDENTS FROM THE DISTRICT WERE
DISMISSED, THOUGH AT THEIR
NORMAL TIMES, WITH THE SWIPE OF
A PEN TODAY, GOVERNOR GRETCHEN
WHITMER BANNED DISTRACTED
DRIVING IN THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN. NOW YOU CAN FACE A
FINE IF YOU’RE CAUGHT DRIVING
WITH A PHONE IN YOUR HAND. SO
LET’S GET VICTOR WILLIAMS. HE’S
LIVE TONIGHT. VICTOR FOR THE
FAMILY WHO SPARKED THIS NEW LAW,
IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING. OH,
YEAH, KIMBERLY.
>> A LONG TIME COMING, INDEED.
AND WITH THIS MOVE, MICHIGAN NOW
BECOMES THE 26TH STATE IN THE
NATION TO PASS THESE TYPES OF
BILLS. AND THE OVERALL GOAL IS
TO SAVE LIVES. GOVERNOR WHITMER
OFFICIALLY SIGNING THREE NEW
BILLS WITH THE HOPES OF CUTTING
DOWN ON DISTRACTED DRIVERS IN
THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. THEY’LL
BE HAVING THE PHONE IN THEIR
HAND AND THEY’LL BE SWERVING OFF
THE ROAD.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING?
LIKE, THEY’LL BE, LIKE LOOKING
AND THEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE
CAR, KIND OF LIKE, WHAT ARE THEY
DOING?
>> STARTING ON JUNE 30TH,
DRIVERS COULD FACE FINES OF
CAUGHT BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH THE
DEVICE IN THEIR HANDS. THAT
MEANS THAT HANDS FREE TECHNOLOGY
WILL BE A MUST WHEN MAKING PHONE
CALLS. WHILE DRIVING, TEXTING
WHILE DRIVING IS ALSO SOMETHING
THAT CAN ALREADY LAND YOU IN HOT
WATER WITH THE LAW. BUT NOW
THOSE LAWS ARE EVEN STRONGER FOR
FINES TO BE ISSUED TO DRIVERS
CAUGHT DOING IT FOR TEXTING.
DRIVING IS NOT SAFE.
>> IT’S NOT SAFE IN THE LEAST.
>> THE BILL SIGNINGS EVEN TOOK
PLACE AT THE MITCHELL KIFER
MEMORIAL ICE RINK. A YOUNG
HOCKEY PLAYER WHO DIED AT THE
HANDS OF A DISTRACTED DRIVER.
THE GOAL IS TO SEE ZERO TRAFFIC
DEATHS BY THE YEAR 2050. ANOTHER
PLACES, SIMILAR LAWS ARE MAKING
A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE. OHIO JUST
RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR LAW.
>> THEY’VE ALREADY SEEN
DEMONSTRABLE DROP IN TERMS OF
DEATHS AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS
ALL GOING TO GO INTO EFFECT ON
JUNE.
>> THE 30TH. BUT YOU DON’T HAVE
TO WAIT TILL THEN TO PUT THAT
PHONE DOWN. VICTOR WILLIAMS
LOCAL 4 IT’LL BE AN ADJUSTMENT
FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.
>> VICTOR, WE APPRECIATE IT. NOW
TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS TONIGHT IN
THE CASE AGAINST THE MAN ACCUSED
OF PLOTTING TO KIDNAP GOVERNOR
GRETCHEN WHITMER.
>> TODAY, BELLEVILLE NATIVE
SHAWN FIX PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE
COUNT OF PROVIDING MATERIAL
SUPPORT FOR A TERRORISTIC ACT, A
20 YEAR FELONY. JACQUELINE
FRANCIS LIVE WITH US WITH MORE
HERE. ANOTHER CHARGE AGAINST
HIM, THOUGH, WAS DROPPED IN THIS
EXCHANGE. JACQUELINE THAT’S
RIGHT.
>> IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS
COOPERATION, THE FELONY WEAPONS
CHARGE WAS DROPPED. BUT SHAWN
FIX IS NOT OFF THE HOOK. HE
STILL FACES UP TO 20 YEARS IN
PRISON. AND WILL BE EXPECTED TO
TESTIFY AGAINST OTHERS IN THIS
CASE. THIS IS SHAWN FIX IN COURT
TODAY, ADMITTING TO HIS ROLE IN
THE PLOT TO KIDNAP GOVERNOR
GRETCHEN WHITMER TELEPHONICALLY.
>> YOU ASSISTED HIM IN LOCATING
THE RESIDENCE AND ITS EXACT
LOCATION HERE IN THE COUNTY.
WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? YES. AND
WHEN YOU DID THAT AND YOU KNEW
THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE THAT HIS
EFFORTS WERE BEING TAKEN TO
ATTACK THE GOVERNOR AND HER
SECURITY DETAIL HERE IN ANTRIM
COUNTY, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
>> FIX TELLING THE COURT HE KNEW
OF THE PLANNED ATTACK AND THAT
HE GAVE THE ADDRESS OF THE
GOVERNOR’S VACATION HOME TO PLOT
LEADER ADAM FOX. PROSECUTORS SAY
FIX TRAINED WITH THE MILITIA
CALLED WOLVERINE WATCHMEN FOR,
QUOTE, POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
VIOLENCE. AND HE REPORTEDLY
HOSTED A FIVE HOUR MEETING AT
HIS BELLEVILLE HOME WHERE THEY
DISCUSSED KIDNAPING THE GOVERNOR
FIXES PLEA AGREEMENT IS SIMILAR
TO BRIAN HIGGINS, WHO WENT
BEFORE THE CIRCUIT COURT IN
MARCH.
>> WHAT I DID IN HIS CASE AND
WHAT I’M GOING TO DO WITH YOURS
IS SET THE SENTENCING DATE OUT
FOR AFTER THE TRIAL IS SUPPOSED
TO OCCUR. IN THIS CASE.
>> OKAY. SO WHAT THE JUDGE WAS
TALKING ABOUT THERE IS THERE ARE
THREE OTHER MEN INVOLVED IN THIS
CASE WHO ARE GOING TO TRIAL IN
AUGUST. HIGGINS AND FIX WON’T BE
SENTENCED FORMALLY UNTIL AFTER
THAT. TO BE SURE. THEY MAKE GOOD
ON THAT DEAL TO TESTIFY. SHOULD
THEY BE CALLED IN THAT TRIAL
COMING UP IN AUGUST. REPORTING