Eminem kicks off Obama event • Youth pastor gets $3M bond for alleged sex abuse • Push to restrict weed ads

WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - Detroit rapper Eminem took the stage Tuesday ahead of Barack Obama to introduce the former president as he campaigned in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.

"I'm here tonight for a couple of important reasons. As most of you know, the city of Detroit and the whole state of Michigan mean a lot to me," Eminem said. "And going into this election, the spotlight is on us more than ever, and I think it's important to use your voice, so I'm encouraging everyone to get out and vote, please."

He also said he didn't think people should be afraid to express their feelings before going on to say he believes Harris would protect freedoms.

After Eminem's succinct intro, Obama came out to "Lose Yourself' before speaking to a packed Huntington Place about the importance of voting as he encouraged attendees to vote for Harris.

He also discussed unity and jabbed at Harris's Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump.

"Donald Trump wants us to think this country is hopelessly divided between us and them," he said. "And he does this because he understands dividing people, making people angry, that boosts his chances of being elected."

Youth pastor held on $3M bond after alleged sex abuse

A 29-year-old youth pastor is behind bars being held on $3 million bond after he was charged with several counts of criminal sexual conduct involving children.

Zachary Radcliff was a youth pastor at Oakwood Church on Whitaker Road in Ypsilanti. The investigation into the youth pastor began on Oct. 2 when police received information that he had allegedly solicited sexually abusive material from a minor.

Police say there are multiple victims ranging in age from 12 to 17.

The alleged criminal activity dates back to early 2011. Radcliff is the son of Frank Radcliff, the senior pastor of Oakwood Church.

The church released a statement saying in part:

"Like you, our hearts are broken.  We have a desire to serve our Master in this community, with the understanding that the church family should be one of the safest places we can be involved in.  Part of that trust has been broken.  Our commitment is to be completely transparent and do what we can to help with this investigation."

Ex-Taylor mayor gets prison time for bribery

Rick Sollars, the former mayor of Taylor, was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for bribery on Tuesday.

Sollars learned his 71-month sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery last year.

Between 2016 and 2018, Sollars used his authority and influence as mayor to recommend to the Taylor City Council that real estate developer Shady Awad’s company, Realty Transition, be awarded the majority of the tax-foreclosed properties that the city had or would acquire under its Right of Refusal program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment.

Federal authorities said that Sollars recommended Realty Transition for the ROFR program, intending to be influenced and rewarded by the free home renovations and other items of value that Awad provided to Sollars for his personal residence, office, and lake house.

As part of his election efforts, Sollars established a campaign account named "Committee to Elect Richard Sollars, Jr." He then defrauded his donors by fraudulently using funds that were donated for his personal benefit rather than for his political campaign. 

Detroit City Councilmember pushes to restrict weed billboards

Advertising for cannabis products like flower and edibles has exploded in Michigan since the state legalized recreational marijuana for adults, and no where is that more evident than along the highways of metro Detroit.

The iconic pot leaf graces some billboards while others celebrate popular brands that own dispensaries that dot the Southeast Michigan landscape. And then there's the Mark Savaya Collection with its green, purple, and yellow color schemes.

"This is how we make our business," Savaya told FOX 2.

He owns seven provisioning centers and is preparing to open two more.

With Detroit among the cities that also offers recreational pot sales, many of Savaya's 30 billboards line major roads going in and out of the city. But some who sit on the city council think the saturation of marijuana advertising has gone too far.

"It’s an over-proliferation of cannabis billboards in this city, and everybody knows it," said Angela Whitfield Calloway.

Calloway intends to bring regulations for marijuana advertising up to the city council before the end of the year. Her ideal regulation of the messaging would be to restrict them from being within a thousand feet of parks, recreation centers, libraries, churches and schools.

City Council is expected to vote on the measure by the end of the year.

Detroit Zoo reveals new immersive experience

The Detroit Zoo plans to add an immersive seven-acre experience featuring up-close encounters with numerous animals and educational experiences.

Discovery Trails will encompass the southwest corridor of the zoo, from Buddy's Pizza to the bison and wolverine habitats. The area will house both new and returning animals, including alpacas, stingrays, burrowing owls, bush dogs and bamboo sharks, giant anteaters, miniature donkeys, and prairie dogs.

Guests will be able to touch and feed stingrays and bamboo sharks, brush goats, and more.

In addition to the animals, Discovery Trails will also include educational opportunities, sensory-friendly spaces, and an area for young children.

The more than $20 million project is expected to open in 2026. 

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

Today's temps will be in the 60s, but they will quickly fall as the day winds down.

What else we're watching

1. Two men are in critical condition after a shooting on Woodward in Detroit early Wednesday.
2. Run, jump, and climb for free at Urban Air Adventure Park in celebration of two locations' anniversaries. The Sterling Heights location is celebrating its five-year anniversary on Wednesday and Thursday, while Commerce Township's one-year anniversary party will be Saturday.
3. A man is in custody after allegedly stealing iPhone packages from numerous Metro Detroit front porches, including several homes in Troy. Yohangel Polanco-Melo posed as an Amazon delivery driver to commit the crimes.
4. Royal Oak police are looking for suspects who allegedly shot up a car early Sunday and then fled on foot.
5. Former President Donald Trump will be in Michigan this weekend, with plans to rally in Traverse City and Novi.

Giuliani ordered to turn over luxury items, apartment in Georgia poll worker case

Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York City, has been ordered to turn over luxury items and shares of his New York City co-op apartment after he failed to pay a $146M to two Georgia poll workers he was convicted of defaming in 2020.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, two Georgia election workers falsely accused by Giuliani of fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman ordered Giuliani to transfer various assets into a receivership within seven days, including cash accounts, Giuliani's interest in a co-op apartment on Madison Avenue, watches from luxury brands such as Rolex and Tiffany, and sports memorabilia, including signed items from baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

Notably, Giuliani’s Palm Beach condo and three World Series rings were not included in the immediate turnover, as Giuliani's son Andrew has claimed ownership of the rings, saying they were gifted to him by his father in 2018.

So far, despite making an appeal, Giuliani has not paid any portion of the judgment nor posted a supersedeas bond, which would have delayed the asset handover. Plaintiffs served Giuliani with an information subpoena in August 2024 to identify his assets, but Giuliani has not responded, according to court filings.

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