Whitmer-Dixon clash in final debate • More affordable housing in Midtown • License plate reading technology
Candidates for Michigan governor clash in final debate over road funding, abortion
It was the second and final debate between Gretchen Whitmer and Tudor Dixon where both candidates clashed over some of Michigan's top issues, from abortion and road funding, to Line 5 and the handling of the pandemic.
WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - Tudor Dixon and Gretchen Whitmer faced off in their second debate and if there was any remaining question about where the two candidates for governor stood on issues like abortion, school safety, education and the roads - they battled on stage to provide answers.
Before the debate even began from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, it was clear the divide is large between two people vying for your vote - with both candidates on the offensive.
It started with Proposal 3, the ballot initiative addressing abortion rights.
"The way to protect women and ensure that future generations will have the same rights we have had for 49 years is by adopting Proposal 3," Whitmer said. "And I will be a yes vote."
"It is not codifying Roe in our constitution, but it would be the most radical abortion law in the entire country," Dixon said. "The only place that has something similar is China," Dixon said.
And the two continued sparring over the issues with the economy.
"She says she will work with anyone on anything, and that she'd bipartisan, but she actually vetoed quite a bit of opportunity to put money back into the pockets of the people," Dixon said.
"Mrs. Dixon plans to balance a budget giving $12 billion dollars away and not shifting costs onto you," Whitmer said.
The candidates laid out their education philosophies.
"Not only do we want to make sure that parents are involved in education, but we want to make sure that our kids are back on track from the pandemic," Dixon said.
"We got the biggest investment in public education done in a bipartisan way to support teachers, to bring down class sizes, to wrap our kids in supports like mental health support," Whitmer said,
And they both weighed in how to address violence in schools.
"I support secure storage, I support red flag laws, I support background checks," Whitmer said. "When Mrs. Dixon was asked do you support secure storage - which is what Oxford parents were asking for, she says 'I don't know what it is.'"
"I would like to have armed security at our schools, I would like to make sure that we have a one entry point," Dixon said. "I would also like to implement some of that (Michigan State Police 2018) plan that talks about how to identify that child that struggles with mental health."
"We have been trying that for 30 years, it's not working," Whitmer said. "It is time to try proven policies."
"Yet she's been governor for four years and a career politician for 20 and she hasn't seemed to come up with an answer for this yet," Dixon said.
The two did find common ground when it came to vaccine mandates for Covid, they both said no. And when asked about what they admired in other, they both said whoever wins the election it will be a mom setting a good example for their daughters and women in general.
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Dixon and Whitmer hold fiery 2nd debate trading blows over abortion, roads, school safety
Before the debate even began from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, it was clear the divide is large between two people vying for your vote - with both candidates on the offensive.
Prosecutors plan to appeal dismissed charges in Flint Water case
Prosecutors said Tuesday that they will appeal a judge's decision to toss Flint Water Crisis charges against seven Michigan officials. Judge Elizabeth Kelly said earlier this month that "there are no valid charges."
Kelly rejected efforts by Attorney General Dana Nessel's office to just send the cases to Flint District Court and turn them into criminal complaints, the typical path to filing felony charges in Michigan.
In a statement, the prosecution said "The Michigan Supreme Court did not abolish the one-person grand jury, but instead more specifically defined the process, leaving a path for the prosecution to pursue charges against the defendants. The prosecution followed the law in using the one-person grand jury process from the beginning and is prepared to move forward on the valid warrants issued in these cases in compliance with the new process defined in the opinion from the Court."
More on the Flint Water Crisis updates here.
Farmington Hills adding license plate recognition system
License Plate Recognition systems are on deck for Farmington Hills as another Metro Detroit community seeks high-tech solutions to investigate crimes. City officials say LPR systems will reduce crime, but they're hitting a few snags in the process.
"It would be identifying vehicles that are wanted in violent crimes, felony crimes, missing person cases," Police Chief Jeff King said.
Video of such devices showing how they function have been made by Flock Safety. The company is working with Farmington Hills on the initiative. City officials say they have budgeted for about 40 cameras that will be installed on utility poles across area intersections and along roadways.
While the company has touted its work with more than a thousand police departments, many are worried about what it means for privacy. King said it's a balancing act but ensured "there is absolutely no facial recognition aspects."
Here's more information on Flock Safety, the group behind the technology
Another affordable housing project opens in Detroit's Midtown
Not far from reminders of Detroit's industrial past, is a vision of the city's future for affordable housing: A 26,000 square-foot historic building that was announced as the newest development to help locals find affordable rent.
The rehabbed apartment building sits along Hendrie in a quiet residential pocket of Detroit's Midtown. A playground is nearby, which excites some of the incoming tenants like Shay Dockery. "Coming into the community, and knowing that I'm somewhere safe, comfortable, and reliable - I love everything about where I live now," she said.
The $3 million renovation revived the Belnord. The 29 apartments are targeted for people who make between $31-50K a year.
The Belnord is the second completed project of the Detroit Housing for Future Fund. Five more projects are under construction, with three more in the works.
More on the affordable housing project here.
Farmington snowboard star back from World Cup debut
We've followed Michigan snowboarder Brian Rice from Farmington for some time now, as he's tackled slope after snowy slope, pursuing his dream to compete in the Olympics. He is one of the top junior snow boarders in the country and he just got back from the World Cup in Switzerland - where the 17-year-old finished higher than any other first-time competitor, ever.
"I placed middle of the field out of about 50 or so riders, and for a first time in a World Cup, that's a pretty big deal, especially for the US and going overseas," he said. "I'm very appreciative and happy about my performance and I can't wait to do it again."
Brian's star continues to rise. He'll be a featured snowboarder in Warren Miller's latest movie, "Daymaker." The Farmington Civic Theatre will premier the movie in a red carpet event on November 12th - a homecoming for Rice.
Brian's involvement follows last year's featured athletes, the National Brotherhood of Skiers. The organization is thrilled Brian will continue to represent diversity on the slopes.
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Daily Forecast
It's going to be a wet morning and afternoon in Southeast Michigan as rain that's been falling all night will continue to drizzle until midday. By then, temperatures will peak at around 60 degrees. Plan on cooler temperatures Thursday.
What else we're watching
- Hopcat is returning to Royal Oak this winter. After the burger pub shut down in 2020 it promised it would come back. This winter, it announced on its Facebook, it will reopen in downtown Royal Oak.
- Amazon is launching a new delivery station in Canton Township. The 18,000-square foot center is one of a number of economic investments the consumer giant has made in Michigan.
- It might not make initial sense, but the origins of Halloween actually stretch back to Ireland. FOX 2 plans to speak with someone who traveled to the country to learn a bit more. Watch the Nine at 9:30 a.m. to learn more.
- The Lyft driver who was found dead in Pontiac was a breast cancer survivor. According to police, she was allegedly killed by a 19-year-old who shot 49-year-old Dina May Terrell. More on the case here.
- The Detroit Redwings lost their first game in regulation Tuesday night when they hosted the New Jersey Devils at home. The wings are off to a 3-1-2 start.
'World's dirtiest man' dead at 94 'not long after' taking bath for first time in decades
An Iranian man dubbed the "world’s dirtiest man" has died at the age of 94, according to state media. Amou Haji died Sunday in the village of Dezhgah, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). He had refused to bathe for more than 60 years, fearing it would make him sick.
He gained notoriety around the globe for his unofficial title as "world’s dirtiest man," and his life was even chronicled in a 2013 documentary called "The Strange Life of Amou Haji."
Villagers had recently pressured him to bathe, and "for the first time a few months ago, villagers had taken him to a bathroom to wash," the IRNA report stated, according to The Telegraph.