Restriction on getting license repealed • Storm rips roofs off buildings • Detroit State of the City recap

THURSDAY NEWS HIT - Thunderstorms Wednesday left pockets of damage around Metro Detroit. 

In Ferndale, numerous buildings sustained roof damage, with some buildings having their roofs blown off into parking lots.

"I don’t know what happened. I thought the building blew up," said Cynthia Watkins, who lives in one of the buildings. "I went upstairs to the 5th floor, and the lady was coming out of the apartment, and the ceiling just started falling on her head."

Other damage in Ferndale included an auto repair shop and a restaurant.

In Washington Township, a home was damaged by a neighbor's carport that the wind sent flying.

The storms also brought down trees onto cars and buildings.

Getting a license will be easier after restriction repeal

It will now be easier for some in Michigan to get a driver's license after lawmakers passed an amendment to the state's vehicle code.

Before HB 5103's passage, someone who had been convicted of multiple moving violations within the past three years couldn't obtain a driver's identification. The prohibition was an "unnecessary roadblock for thousands of Michiganders" the Secretary of State said after the bill's passage, which removed the restriction.

Secretary Jocelyn Benson applauded the approval, adding that preventing young people from having a legal means for getting a license would trap them in a cycle that was hard to break.

A young person who was barred from driving could make getting a job harder, while adding a burden on families forced to transport them to and from destinations.

Detroit State of the City recap

Neighborhoods and downtown development were front and center during Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's State of the City Address Wednesday night.

Duggan spoke at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church on Detroit's west side – with no shortage of items to highlight Detroit's comeback since he was first elected 10 years ago. 

The mayor highlighted a commitment to knocking down blight, improving safety, and elevating Detroit residents' quality of living – while boasting major accomplishments in the city.

Duggan said 10 years ago, Detroit attracted visitors for a "ruin porn tour."

However, with the NFL Draft coming to Detroit from April 25-27, the 300,000 people expected to visit the city and the 50 million people expected to watch on TV will see a whole new Detroit.

"When they get here, they're going to see a very different city," Duggan said. "They won't be able to look at the Packard plant anymore. So this year, when they show up, we're officially declaring Detroit's ruin porn tours canceled."

New hotel, condos coming to Hudson's Detroit

A luxury hotel and condos will open in Hudson's Detroit, Bedrock announced Wednesday.

Detroit EDITION and The Residences will occupy all 45 floors of the tower. They will provide both the chance to stay and live in the Hudson's building, with hotel rooms and 97 condos for-sale. Bedrock says it will be Detroit's first five-star hotel.

In addition to the hotel, the mixed-use development downtown will also house General Motors. The automaker announced this week that it will be moving out of the Renaissance Center and into the new building.

Bird flu reported at another farm

The highly contagious bird flu has been reported at a West Michigan poultry facility.

The commercial poultry facility is in Newaygo County and is the seventh location where Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been reported in Michigan since 2022.

In addition to the multiple detections around Michigan, an out-of-state individual also contracted the bird flu strain from a dairy herd in Texas. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development warned the possibility of the virus spreading was high during migratory bird season.

"As wild birds continue to migrate and the outside temperatures remain cool and temperate, conditions are ideal for the virus to spread," said Dr. Nora Wineland, the state veterinarian. This is why it is so vital for producers to assess the risks on their premises and tighten protocols. Protecting animal health is of the utmost importance."

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Daily Forecast

Today will be calm and dry before overnight rain.

What else we're watching

1. Maro Jewelers in Oak Park is accused of selling jewelry stolen during smash-and-grabs around the country.
2. An employee at a Westland Kroger store threatened to shoot customers and other workers at the store over the weekend, authorities allege.
3. Eastbound I-96 at Beck was closed for hours this morning after a semi-truck rolled off the freeway.
4. A man drove up onto the side of a Detroit police car on Wednesday afternoon. The at-fault driver suffered serious injuries. 
5. Michigan Football players will face off against each other Saturday for the Maize & Blue Spring Game. Here's what to know before you go.

Boeing whistleblower testifies before Congress about airliner safety

Allegations of major safety failures at Boeing were front and center on Wednesday during two hearings before Congress.

The first session featured members of an expert panel that found serious flaws in Boeing's safety culture, and the second hearing will feature a Boeing whistleblower who claims that sections of the skin on 787 Dreamliner jets are not properly fastened and could eventually break apart. 

The whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, is a Boeing quality engineer who has detailed safety concerns involving the manufacture and assembly of the 787 Dreamliner.

Salehpour’s concerns were featured in a New York Times article earlier this month.

According to that account, he worked on the 787 but grew alarmed over changes to the assembly of the fuselage, the main body of the aircraft. That process entails fitting together and fastening giant sections of the fuselage, each one produced by a different company, according to Salehpour’s account.