Large Riverview fire displaces residents, a news reporter runs for city council, Detroit schools go remote
MONDAY NEWS HIT - A Riverview apartment caught fire Sunday night that crews from several area communities were still working to get under control Monday morning.
No one was hurt amid the blaze, but every person living at the complex was displaced as result.
The Salvation Army is now aiding the victims of the fire, which started some time Sunday night.
Riverview fire crews got the call around 10 p.m. about an apartment fire near Pennsylvania Road and McCann Avenue.
A resident who was living on the apartment's second floor opened her windows to a scary sight last night when she saw people from the third floor helping others escape through the third-floor window.
They were among the dozen or so people living in the 24-unit complex - although not every apartment was occupied at the time of the fire.
Crews responding to the fire said that the west side of the building was up in flames by the time they got there - most of which were identified in the third floor. First responders said the fire stopped moving about halfway through the building.
But the fire did get big enough to call for backup, which included Southgate, Wyandotte, and Grosse Ile.
"Mutual aid - it does what it does at these kinds of times when we can rely on our surrounding communities for their resources and manpower," said Ron Lammers, fire chief in Riverview. "There's no one department when you have a fire of this magnitude that has those resources."
Firefighters were still tackling some hot spots nine hours later. Crews were using a fire rig's ladder to survey and cool down any troublesome areas by Monday morning.
The Salvation Army is helping everyone that was displaced.
All Michigan adults can get vaccinated
The state finally reached a key benchmark today with vaccine eligibility opening to all adults as well as kids over the age of 16. Prior to Monday, you had to be over 50 or have health conditions to get the shot.
The timing couldn't have come sooner as Michigan stares down the country's fastest rate of infection and attempts to mitigate rapid spread of the coronavirus that's found success since schools and businesses reopened.
Michigan has opened mass vaccine sites in Pontiac and Detroit in an effort to inoculate as many people as it can. So far, about 35% of the state has been covered by the vaccine - about 2.8 million residents.
Health experts are unsettled by the pace of new cases in Michigan, perceiving it as an ominous sign for other states who have also relaxed business protections. The question about if Michigan can vaccinate enough of its citizens before the problem gets any worse remains to be seen.
M.L. Elrick to declare candidacy for Detroit City Council
A former FOX 2 News reporter will declare his candidacy for the vacant Detroit City Council seat Monday, after several years of covering Detroit and its surrounding communities.
M.L. Elrick, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who was present for some of Detroit's biggest news stories in recent years wants to run in District 4, where h's lived for more than two decades.
"This campaign is about safety, opportunity, and accountability," said Elrick. "When it comes to accountability, some people say 'do we need a watchdog in city hall and I think the last 20 years have shown we absolutely do."
In an exclusive interview with FOX 2, Elrick outlined the need to refurbish the business corridors that outline neighborhoods and increase the minimum wage to $15. "One of the greatest tragedies of poverty is people work 40 hours a week and they're still impoverished.
Old St. Mary's Catholic Church holds Easter Mass
Parishioners got a taste of what they have been missing for more than a year on Sunday when many returned to their respective churches for Easter Mass.
At Old Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Greektown, there was a particular excitement made up of nostalgia and hope that filled the air. "...to be able to be here in person with everyone and celebrate holy mass is really a blessing," said Michelle Pierron.
Easter Mass was nonexistent last year due to the severity of the pandemic. Michigan was still working to push its curve of new infections down at the time, which meant gatherings in churches were not permitted.
But even on this holiday, precautions were still in place. Everyone was wearing a mask and there was plenty of room for space in the church, Pierron said.
"We've seen the impact of the pandemic over the past year and how it can bring people into places of darkness and despair. Easter is our yearly reminder that Christ comes to shatter that, " says Father Mario Amore, of the St. Aloysius Parish.
Detroit schools go remote for the week
Students and staff at Detroit Public Schools will remain at home for a pair of social isolation weeks due to the city's high infection rate.
An outbreak of new coronavirus cases around the state has worried some experts and even prompted additional safety measures at area hospitals. Those who traveled for Spring Break might exasperate the situation even more.
As a precaution, DPSCD has announced a pause for in-person learning and will resume classroom lectures on April 19 - an additional week that parents weren't privy to in earlier messages.
"Select schools will continue to provide Grab and Go breakfast and lunch next week and IT and Parent Resources Hubs will reopen April 12.
What else we're watching
- Michigan reported 8,413 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday - the highest number of new cases reported since the state's last surge and among the highest daily caseloads reported during the pandemic.
- Michigan State Police are investigating a motorcycle crash after one cyclist rear-ended another vehicle and was thrown approximately 20 feet. The victim is in the hospital in critical condition.
- Detroit police say they will hold a press conference Monday to discuss a suspect accused of killing a cop and his release on a $10K bond. Both family and law enforcement was upset with the man's release.
- A warden at a Michigan Department of Corrections prison in Ionia has been sued for mishandling a sexual harassment complaint.
- The Michigan Supreme Court has rejected an appeal challenging the construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge. The Maroun family, owners of the Ambassador Bridge had sued to stop its construction.
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Daily Forecast
A warm and wet week awaits us. Some showers and 60 degrees of spring will hit today before two 80 degree days tomorrow. After that, a lot more rain.
Researchers surveyed ‘parental burnout’ across the globe and found American parents among the most exhausted
Researchers who gauged "parental burnout" in dozens of countries around the world found American moms and dads were among those feeling most exhausted.
The study also found one specific cultural factor common in "Western" countries that played the largest role when determining the level of burnout.
The study was put together by the university UCLouvain in Belgium and thousands of parents in 42 countries participated. All surveys were taken from January 2018 through March 2020, before the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when stress levels were sure to be exacerbated.
Researchers said the following symptoms are indicative of parental burnout: emotional exhaustion, contrast with one’s previous parental self, loss of pleasure in the parental role and emotional distancing from the children. Researchersdisguised the purpose of the survey in order to prevent biased reports of exhaustion.