Suspects sought in DPD officer's shooting • Canadians shopping in U.S. • Worrying child vaccination rates
THURSDAY NEWS HIT - Detroit police are offering a $1,000 reward for help in locating three suspects involved in a shooting case that injured an officer last week.
The deputy was struck in the calf early Friday morning and is recovering from their injuries.
The trooper was shot while police were responding to a ShotSpotter call on the city's east side. Bystanders at the scene directed them to a vacant apartment where the three suspects were spotted leaving.
As they fled, one of the suspects began firing before they struck the officer. It happened in the parking lot of a funeral home near Morang Avenue and Whitehill Street.
Detroit police while investigating located an illegal marijuana grow operation in the area.
Asst. Chief Charles Fitzgerald said police believe the suspects live in the area but still are requesting any community tips to help find the men.
In addition to fingerprints, police also located a blood sample - though they're suspected of injuring themselves on a fence and not being struck.
All three suspects are estimated to be in their late teens or early 20s with slim builds.
They're considered armed and dangerous.
Canadians flock to U.S. to avoid inflation
While many Americans battle inflation, many in Canada say things are worse over the border. FOX 2 went to Windsor to learn more. "It’s like not $2 or $3, it’s $10 or $15," said Rabia Raza.
Raza of Ontario says that is the difference in what she pays for groceries in Canada. So much more, she’s among many considering the advantages of buying common household items across the Ambassador Bridge, in Metro Detroit, where they say it’s much cheaper. Especially if you're shopping for things in bulk.
She’s not alone in finding Canadian prices for everyday goods to be quite steep. "Five kg of watermelon is going to be like $12 plus tax, right?" said another shopper. "The same watermelon will be like three dollars over there in US. Not the watermelon just inflation price right? So of course, price is so much, so of course, like US is much better place."
Canada’s yearly inflation rate jumped more than three percent in July - higher than many money experts were expecting. At the same time economists say consumer inflation went easier on American households last month, meaning price increases have slowed down.
Officials worry over child vaccination rates
With another year of school incoming, health officials are raising concerns about childhood vaccination rates hitting their lowest rates since 2011.
Outbreaks of flu, Covid, pertussis, measles, and other diseases that are treatable with vaccines are known to flare up when kids return to school - and the mixing of germs returns with them.
Among Michigan children who are 19–36 months old, the vaccination rate has fallen below 70% in half of the state. In Eight counties and the city of Detroit, that rate is even lower at 60%.
The Michigan health department will discuss the alarming decline at 10 a.m. Today.
State lawmakers permitted to conceal carry in capitol
The Capitol Commission has averted a possible lawsuit after voting to allow state lawmakers to carry their concealed weapons into the state capitol. In the U.S. Capitol lawmakers who carry a concealed weapon are able to walk around the gun-detecting devices while everybody else has to pass through them.
The same thing is about to happen in Lansing where the state Capitol Commission reversed itself and voted 4-2 to permit lawmakers with hidden weapons to enter the building along with police officers, the FBI, and some maintenance workers.
Two of the commissioners voted to keep the ban suggesting that, since there are 148 lawmakers, theoretically all of them could have guns on the House and Senate floors and that's not good. The actual number of legislators who carry heat to work is not known but the estimate is between 20 and 30 on any given day.
The new weapons detectors are in place for the opening of the fall session just after Labor Day for school kids, other tourists, and the public to pass through.
‘World’s cheapest home' on sale in Pontiac for $1
The world's cheapest home is in Pontiac and you can buy it for $1. According to Zillow, a single-family home on 70 E Ypsilanti Avenue in Pontiac is on sale for about as cheap as it gets. The description invites buyers to "Unleash your inner DIY guru" on the home. Based on the images, it'll need more than a bit of TLC to get things up and running.
The front exterior is worn down. There's grass growing between cement slabs on the driveway. And that's just outside. Inside, there's paint peeling off the walls, scuffed up wooden floors, and one bedroom that's completely missing a wall.
And then there's the kitchen, which brings all of those issues plus a little extra to the room. There is a sink, but that about does it for appliances as there's no refrigerator or stove present. And near the furnace, the ground is exposed with hot and cold water lines running out of it.
But what would one expect from a home listed at $1.
Learn more about the house here.
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Daily Forecast
Severe weather is a possibility Thursday with a chance for storms incoming in the afternoon. The biggest threat is strong winds.
What else we're watching
- Grosse Pointe Schools have arrived at a tentative agreement with their teacher's union ahead of the next school year. Few details have been released about the collective bargaining agreement until the union members get a first look.
- A new plan to revitalize Pontiac's downtown area will get a fresh look Thursday when high brass from county leadership announce the development strategy. That includes moving 500 county employees to a new home downtown.
- The Woodward Dream Cruise, Comic Cosplay Convention, and more things to do are listed in FOX 2's latest edition. Learn more here.
- A civil rights group is expected to announce findings from an investigation into the Ferndale Police Department's practices along the Eight Mile Road border it shares with the city of Detroit. Michigan Chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations will speak at 10 a.m.
- A wildfire in northern Michigan has been contained. The DNR said 35 acres were burned in Whitefish Township this week.
Teachers can apply to NASA for Artemis 'moon tree' seeds
NASA, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, is kicking off its upcoming school year with a unique opportunity for teachers. Last year, nearly 2000 tree seeds traveled to the moon and back to Earth aboard the Artemis I, Orion space capsule.
Now, the space agency revealed that educators will have the chance to apply for an Artemis "moon tree" seedling through NASA’s Artifacts Module Program.
Additionally, teachers will have the opportunity to create interactive lessons around its moon tree with a STEM tool kit to implement into the curriculum.