7th grader saves day after bus driver fell unconscious • Saline man preyed on Ohio teen • Lions' Draft Day
THURSDAY NEWS HIT - A 7th-grade student is being hailed as a hero after the driver of his school bus lost consciousness, and he took the wheel Wednesday.
The boy brought the Warren Consolidated Schools bus to a safe stop while traveling on Masonic Boulevard. The driver became lightheaded and lost consciousness according to the school district.
A Facebook picture posted by the proud parents of the hero, young Dillon, attracted grateful responses online tonight.
"A quick-thinking 7th-grade male student saw the driver in distress, stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop without incident," said Superintendent Robert D. Livernois in a social media post on the district's Facebook page. The Warren Police and Fire Departments responded very quickly, tended to the driver, and the students were safely loaded onto a different bus to make their way home.
"The actions of the student who helped stop the bus made all the difference today, and I could not be prouder of his efforts."
The school district is expected to hold a press conference Thursday to share more details of the incident.
Saline man preyed on Ohio teen after meeting in online game
Federal law enforcement says a 21-year-old Southeast Michigan man preyed upon a teenage girl after the two met playing an online video game.
According to documents, Danil Baker of Saline earned the trust of a 14-year-old girl from Ohio while the two played a popular game called Roblox. Last December, he picked her up from her school in Ohio before driving her back into Michigan where he sexually assaulted her. She was later found in a Kroger grocery store crying.
Baker faces 20 years in federal prison for the crimes. He's also facing charges in a separate case in Washtenaw County. He was charged with Online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and transportation with intent to engage in sexual activity.
A federal complaint against Baker said he pretended to be a 17-year-old and knew fully the victim was 14. He managed to convince her to give him her phone number before the two started texting. He allegedly convinced her to share nude images. He eventually picked her up on Dec. 9 before assaulting her.
Detroit Lions pick 6th and 18th in NFL Draft
Could this be the year? When all the pain and anguish is washed away by an upstart football team that wins the last game of the season? Maybe. A busy off-season that brought both good and bad news has prepared fans for what could be a consequential year in Detroit.
The Lions have first-round draft picks locked in at 6th and 18th. They could combine those for a separate trade - or pick one of the upstarts coming out of college. It could be a quarterback with the likes of Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud coming off of stellar seasons.
Or they could focus on their defense and upgrade their pass rush with the likes of Will Anderson Jr. and Tyree Wilson. Then again, Detroit just lost a potential star receiver for the first six games due to suspension. Maybe they could jump at Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Quentin Johnston.
The Lions also have two second round picks to shift things around. As well as options in Round 3, 5, and 6.
Growing office space trend comes for Book Depository building
Tuesday night there was a party at the Book Depository in Corktown - a celebration of new startups who call Detroit home. They were all in the same building. It's called a "co-working" space. And while it's not new, it's a trend gaining a lot of traction.
The city's latest masterpiece is a relic of the city’s past, the Book Depository next to the Michigan Central Train Depot in Corktown. It is now a bridge to the Motor City’s future.
Inside the rehabbed building are various office spaces. It is a glimpse into the future - or maybe present - of the modern-day office. It’s called a co-working space.
"This building is an engine of innovation," said Jeff Sirefman, CEO of Michigan Central. "We’ve already got an incredible array of companies working here. we have a partnership with a company called Newlab, who’s really helping us focus this building on early company startups."
GM taps EV company to manufacturer chargers
An Auburn Hills facility is quickly building the equipment needed to charge a new generation of cars. It's not every day that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pays a visit to your company. But Flo is a special company.
Flo, in Auburn Hills, was selected in December by General Motors to supply 40,000 electric vehicle charging stations to dealers across the continent. On Thursday they invited the governor to take a look at the new Flo Ultra charger.
"You can expect to charge your car from 0 to 80% in about 15 minutes," said an official.And Flo is making ultra chargers- as well as chargers for personal use. But there's federal money in the works.
"The demand is there," David Barrett, Flo's operations manager said. "Our technology is a step above. We've got a product that we 100-percent test everything we build."
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Daily Forecast
The nicest day of the year is here. Thursday will reach the high 50s with plenty of sunshine to warm up anyone outside. Make sure to enjoy it before temperatures tumble and rain moves in.
What else we're watching
- Newly-introduced legislation in the Michigan Senate would ban balloon releases in the state over environmental concerns. The latex from balloons can be particularly deadly to wildlife that ingest it. The penalty would be $800.
- A Pontiac man was arrested after leaving threatening voicemails at the Detroit Skate Club in Bloomfield Township. The 38-year-old also had a warrant out for the malicious use of telecommunications services from October 2020.
- Lawmakers are also introducing new bills that would extend the statue of limitations on legal claims related to criminal sexual conduct, which includes limiting governmental immunity and providing a Survivor's Bill of Rights.
- Detroit Demo Week trudges on with the tear-down of Ruddman Middle School in District 7. There is also a job fair at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters on Friday.
- Construction is coming to Eight Mile. Between Woodward and Van Dyke, there will be a resurfacing project with a $50 million price tag that's expected to start this May. It'll go until late summer 2024.
Dogs can join owners for outdoor dining, FDA says
Pet owners heading out to enjoy a meal at a restaurant no longer have to leave their dogs at home based on updated guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dogs can now accompany their owners for outdoor dining if state and local laws and the restaurant approves it. The FDA made an update to its food regulations list in January.
However, dogs are not allowed indoors or anywhere food is prepared in a restaurant, including if the animal walks through the establishment to an outdoor patio.