Here at 7 News Detroit, we want to make sure you start your day off on the right foot, informed about weather, traffic, the latest news and more. That's why we have the 7 Morning Digest, where we'll get you out the door informed and ready to go.
What's the weather for today?
After the first few hours tomorrow morning we should get lots of sunshine. That helps temps recover
Wednesday: Some clouds early, and then mostly sunny with highs around 54°. Winds: NW 10-20 mph.
Thursday: Sunshine continues with a few extra clouds late. High temps will reach the upper 50s. A few spots may hit 60°. Winds: SE 5-15 mph.
Any traffic issues?
So far, no major traffic issues to know about this morning. Be sure to check our live traffic map here.
The top stories to know about
VIDEO: See the unique way Chelsea residents moved 9,100 books one by one to their new home
Residents of all ages in Chelsea formed a human chain and helped a local bookshop move each of its 9,100 books — one by one — to a new storefront about a block away Sunday.
The “book brigade,” as owner Michelle Tuplin calls it, had around 300 people participating. Two lines stood running along a sidewalk in downtown Chelsea, passing each title from Serendipity Books' former location directly to the correct shelves in the new building, down the block and around the corner on Main Street.
Momentum had been building since Tuplin announced the move in January. But she only expected about a row of people to show up. She never expected the turn out that she saw.
“We know how important independent book stores are in a community and people mention that all the time, but to see that in action and to see people come out, it’s just amazing," she said. "So many people wanted to help."
Tuplin said the endeavor took just under two hours — much shorter than hiring a moving company to box and unbox the thousands of titles. The brigade even put the books back on the shelves in alphabetical order.
Now, Tuplin hopes to have the new location open within two weeks, just in time for Independent Bookstore Day on April 26.
“It's a small town and people just really look out for each other," said Kaci Friss, 32, who grew up in Chelsea and has worked at the bookstore for a little over a year. "Anywhere you go, you are going to run into someone you know or who knows you and is going to ask you about your day.”
Police warn of rise in cryptocurrency ATM scams in Waterford, install large signs
A new initiative in Waterford Township is putting scammers and residents on alert.
Police have placed large warning signs next to Bitcoin ATM machines at nearly 20 local business, cautioning customers before sending large sums of money to potential scammers.
It comes as more scammers are directing their victims to use Bitcoin ATMs, which makes the transactions nearly impossible for police to trace.
Owner of Crescent Lake Mobil Tony Attisha is used to seeing his customers bring in cash but a few weeks ago, one customer caught his eye.
“She had a stack of cash, stack of $100 bills,” Attisha said. “When you see an older lady walk in with stacks of cash, looks like she just came from the bank, your instincts go off.”
Attisha watched as the woman went straight to the Bitcoin ATM machine and quickly began depositing money. He knew a scammer was likely behind it.
“They’re told not to talk to anybody, so as we try to tell them hey, be careful, it's a scam, they refuse to talk to you,” Attisha said.
Getting nowhere, he called Waterford police and Detective Austin Moll showed up in minutes.
“I came right here, I identified myself, she stopped and we were able to get her back $7,000 she put in the machine. She was in the process of putting over $16,000 in the machine,” Moll said.
Moll says these cases happen at least once a week in Waterford. Scammers make contact with victims, often elderly, and convince them to take money out of their bank.
Macomb County neighbors upset over proposed power line development on their properties
Laurie Christensen is one of the hundreds of residents living at the Westchester Village Condominiums in Clinton Township.
The residents are fearful of a proposed power line development being built right along their property on 19 Mile near Hayes Road.
"My first thought was 'why right there?'" said Christensen. "My one girlfriend said she’ll look out her balcony and see power lines."
Christensen said that residents are concerned about the aesthetics, property values, and potential environmental effects.
So, why would the power lines be built there?
Clinton Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem told 7 News Detroit: "Henry Ford Macomb Hospital did a major expansion a number of years back, the problem is they need more power."
Gieleghem said the controversy over where exactly to put the lines dates back to 2021.
According to him, it was originally proposed to run the lines down Dalcoma Drive, which runs behind Macomb Community College, but Gieleghem said the college opposed this due to aesthetics.
"When you weigh devaluing peoples’ residential homes and putting power lines that close to them, or the aesthetics of the college ... those two don’t equal," said Gieleghem.
7 News Detroit reached out to Macomb Community College, they provided this statement:
"Macomb Community College has not received a formal request from ITC regarding running its Clinton Township transmission line project through the college’s Center Campus. Based on the materials submitted to the Clinton Township Board of Trustees, the current preferred route by ITC does not involve college property."
ITC, or International Transmission Company, is the company in charge of the project. They provided 7 News Detroit with this statement:
“ITC is committed to continuing its work with the Clinton Township board to move forward with this critical project, ensuring completion of the interconnection request and that Henry Ford Macomb Hospital has the required power needed to properly serve the community. If the current application for special use permit along 19 Mile Road is approved, the new line to serve Henry Ford Macomb Hospital can be energized within 6 – 8 weeks from the start of construction.”
