Detroit running out of phone numbers • 5 face litany of charges in auto theft ring • Van Gogh at the DIA
FRIDAY NEWS HIT - "The next sweet MC from the 313 may have to be fine with the 679."
That's what the Michigan Public Service Commission said in response to coverage that it's planning a new area code for Detroit. At least it rhymes.
According to the MPSC, Detroit's iconic area code of 313 is running out. Specifically the city is running out of unassigned telephone numbers and is projected to hit its ceiling in 2025.
As a result, the commission plans to hold a public hearing in Detroit in March as it looks to add a new area code covering the city as well as nearby suburbs.
The public is invited to comment on the plans during a March 9 hearing at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will happen at Wayne County Community College District's downtown campus in the Frank Hayden Community Room.
Why is 313 running out?
Despite the appearance of infinite combinations of phone numbers, there is actually a limited selection of available numbers that can be handed out to residents.
Detroit is nearing its limit on available phone numbers that utilize the 313 area code.
While some numbers are reassigned after their no longer in use by their previous owners, the number of numbers that haven't been used is dwindling.
It's projected to be exhausted in the third quarter of 2025.
A new area code
The solution is adding a new area code that "will cover the same geographic territory of the 313 area code," the MPSC said.
Instead of dividing up the city into new boundaries that will designate the new area code, it will instead just overlay with the 313 code. Current 313 numbers will remain in place while new phone customers in the same territory will be assigned numbers that begin with 679.
What cities will the new area code include?
The 313 area code covers Detroit, its enclaves Hamtramck and Highland Park, and the suburbs of Allen Park, Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Ecorse, the Grosse Pointes, Inkster, Lincoln Park, Redford Township, River Rouge and Taylor.
Will calling people be different?
A bit. Phone users will be required to include area codes for local calls within and between the two area codes.
In other words, anyone with a 313 or 679 phone number will have to dial at least 10 digits, even for local calls.
This change will require the reprogramming of some devices such as auto dialing equipment, medical devices and home security systems to accommodate the additional digits if that equipment is currently programmed to only dial 7 digits.
5 arrested in suspected auto theft ring
Five men are facing a litany of felony charges and police are investigating after thieves went car shopping in Dearborn and Sterling Heights. Police say nine people were arrested after trying unsuccessfully to steal 10 brand-new Dodge Rams from the Stellantis plant Tuesday morning. Investigators suspect they’re part of an auto theft ring.
"They’re well knowledgeable about these different plants and how the security is set up and where they’re vulnerable and they end up making it inside," said Lt. Mario Bastianelli. "They end up getting the vehicles, and they just take them and then they flee."
The thieves also hit a holding lot in Dearborn that same night, stealing 2023 Ford F-150 Raptors. Paul Eisenstein, a publisher with auto magazine DetroitBureau.com, said in many cases the thieves want to break the vehicles down for parts or ship them overseas.
"I think this is going to be a problem for some time," Eisenstein said. "Car theft has increased across the country. It can be difficult to make real money if you’re a thief or if you are a gang, going after one vehicle at a time. If they can get into a factory lot and get five, 10, 20 vehicles out real quickly, the amount of money that they may have just scored is phenomenal.
Art collector claims Van Gogh painting at DIA is stolen
A Brazilian art collector claims a painting in the Detroit Institute Van Gogh exhibit is his and was stolen. The art collector says he had no idea where the painting was until it ended up at the museum. Now, the court is deciding what will happen to the artwork.
"I’ve litigated many cases involving disputes over artwork and the court is very competent and capable of handling this dispute which essentially is an argument over who owns a painting," said attorney Jonathan Schwartz.
Schwartz, who is the head of the Holocaust Art Recovery Initiative, is not involved in the case but believes it will be a precedent-setting case. During Thursday’s hearing the judge made it clear that there is not much case law to address this issue, but he did say he felt the DIA was blameless. Schwartz agrees.
The DIA released a statement, which reads in part: "The Detroit Institute of Arts explained its position on the pending dispute between two private parties in the pleadings filed by the DIA’s counsel last week. The DIA has no further comment while the court considers the matter."
Deadly shooting at Redford gas station
Redford police are investigating a fatal shooting at a gas station that occurred early Friday morning. One man was shot and killed inside or near a Marathon gas station at Telegraph and I-96 at around 3:30 a.m.
The gas station has since been closed and there were several squad vehicles spotted at the scene.
Police haven't provided too many details on the shooting, but a customer allegedly got into a fight with clerk at the store prior to the shooting occurring. Two store employees have since been detained for questioning.
Two shell casings were also found at the scene. So far, there's been no disruption to traffic near the station.
Buildings are getting bigger in Southeast Michigan
A big building boom is underway in Southeast Michigan. According to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, non-residential buildings from various industries like supply chain, hospitality, manufacturing, and health care are all being built bigger than they have before.
There's no single reason for the upward trend of bigger buildings, with factors in each industry playing their own role. A forecast analyst with SEMCOG did say the increase in price of construction materials and a shortage of available workers has made building more expensive.
But the trend also has to do with an aging populace that will increasingly require health services and therefore more amenities. Online shopping and e-commerce is also playing a role since shipping companies need more storage space that will allow them to hold more goods that can be shipped faster.
Big box retail stores are also getting bigger since they're adding more services to their stores. Gone are the days of grocery stores just selling groceries. Now, you'll see drug stores, coffee shops, salons, and banks inside a Meijer or Costco.
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Buildings are getting bigger in Southeast Michigan
Southeast Michigan is in the middle of a big building boom.
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Daily Forecast
Hello winter, it's been a minute. Or an hour. Southeast Michigan hasn't seen wind chills below freezing in weeks but can expect to get its first taste of the return of cold weather this weekend. That begins with Friday, which will also include some wintry precipitation.
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Supreme Court says it's been unable to find abortion opinion leaker
The Supreme Court said Thursday it has not determined who leaked a draft of the court's opinion overturning abortion rights, but that the investigation continues.
Eight months after Politico published its explosive leak detailing the draft of Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, the court said its investigative team "has to date been unable to identify a person responsible by a preponderance of the evidence."
Never before had an entire opinion made its way to the public before the court was ready to announce it.