City ups patrols after Israel attack • UAW Local collecting donations for strikers • Detroit tax plan vote

WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - Members of UAW Local 900 in Wayne have been picketing for nearly a month, and the fatigue is starting to set in.

They make $500 a week while on strike. To help those who are struggling to make ends meet on the strike pay, the Local 900 office is collecting donations of food, baby supplies, and other items that will go to striking Ford Michigan Assembly workers.

Michigan Assembly was in the first wave of strike announcements. These UAW members have been on the picket line since Sept. 15.

"It’s hard right now. The weather’s turned cold. It’s raining tonight," said Mike Smith, the vice president of Local 900.

In addition to the nearly 25,000 UAW members striking, Ford, GM, and Stellantis have laid off almost 5,000 employees since the strike began.

"I feel bad for any location that is being laid off due to a strike. But one thing about it is I know every brother and sister in the long fight for the long haul, supporting one another," Smith said.

Oak Park increases patrols after Israel attack

Oak Park has increased police patrols around the city, including near synagogues after the Hamas attack on Israel.

"There's no question that our community is on higher alert than others," City Manager Erik Tungate said.

The city has a population of about 30,000 people. Nearly 40% of those residents are Jewish.

Tungate said there haven't been any threats since the attack, but the city is stepping up security to make sure its residents feel safe and supported.

"Just keeping it very close communication with members of Hatzalah (Jewish volunteer emergency medical service) and the members of the Jewish community and other areas of our city, too. It affects all of us," he said.

House to vote on Duggan tax plan

The Michigan House is expected to vote Wednesday on a new property tax plan in Detroit.

Under the Land Value Tax plan, most of the city's homeowners would see their taxes drop 17%.

As homeowners' taxes would decrease, owners of abandoned properties, including parking lots and scrapyards, would pay more. The intention is to motivate owners of vacant land to fix up their blighted properties. 

"This doesn't solve all of our problems, but it takes out one negative from being in Detroit; when your friends from Southfield and Oak Park and Warren and Dearborn are telling you, ‘My taxes are lower,’" Duggan said while touting the plan last month.

If the Legislature approves the plan, it would be able to go on ballots, where residents would then decide if it should be implemented. 

Missing 3-year-old boy found dead

After a more than 24-hour long search, the body of a missing 3-year-old Michigan boy was found Tuesday.

Authorities began searching for the child after he left his home in Watertown Township around 2 p.m. Monday, which is just north of Lansing. The boy had autism and was nonverbal, police said.

Around 5 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said his body was located after a massive search involving both police and hundreds of community members.

MSU offering free tuition to some Michigan students

Some students starting school in fall 2024 will be able to use Spartan Tuition Advantage to attend Michigan State University for free.

Students qualify if they are Pell Grant-eligible, qualify for in-state tuition, and have a household income of $65,000 or less. Transfer students are not eligible.

To use the program, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As long as students fill out the FAFSA and still meet the requirements each year, it will renew and cover up to eight semesters.

Spartan Tuition Advantage is made possible by a combination of federal, state, and institutional gift aid, the university said. 

Daily Forecast

Wednesday is dry but rain returns for the end of the week and weekend. 

What else we're watching

1. A suspect who authorities say was caught publicly masturbating in Dearborn Heights is now facing charges for that crime, along with possession of meth. Police have been seeing a rash of public masturbation cases in the city.
2. A suspect wanted for shooting his girlfriend in the neck Saturday has been arrested. Inkster police were warning people to watch out for him after the crime.
3. A passenger is dead after a speeding driver slammed into another vehicle Tuesday night on the Lodge Freeway near W. Outer Drive. Police believe alcohol was involved.
4. Allen Park City Councilman Gary Schlack was caught on video damaging political signs. Police say the case, which involves malicious destruction of property and larceny, will now go through the court system.
5. An October Friday the 13th is approaching and there are plenty of spooky, Halloween-themed events where you can celebrate. Check our things to do guide.

Biden condemns Hamas for 'sheer evil' in attack on Israel, vows US resolve in support of Israel

President Joe Biden on Tuesday confirmed that U.S. citizens are among the hostages captured by Hamas as he condemned the militant group for the "sheer evil" of its shocking weekend assault on Israel.

"Our hearts may be broken but our resolve is clear," said Biden, who compared the brutality of the Hamas militants to that of the Islamic State terrorist group. He added: "Let there be no doubt. The United States has Israel’s back. We’ll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend itself today, tomorrow as we always have."

The president coupled his unflinching defense for Israel with only a glancing reference to the suffering that innocent Palestinians are enduring from Israel's barrage of retaliatory fire on the Gaza Strip, where the Hamas attack was launched. That hardline approach could prove more difficult to sustain going forward if, as expected, the humanitarian crisis for the Palestinians worsens as Israel expands its military operation to root out Hamas.

Read more here.