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?
Today: A slippery mix is possible early around and north of I-69. Rain and storms are likely with the highest chance for severe storms in the evening through the overnight. Highs in the mid 60s during the evening. Winds: ESE 15-30 mph gusts up to 40 mph.
Tonight: Strong to severe storms possible until 4am. Skies will recover by morning with mild temps in the 50s. Winds: SSW 10-20 mph.
Thursday: After an early morning rain chance it will become partly sunny and stay mild. Highs in the mid 60s. Winds: SW 15-25 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
Pet store thief: Man targets small, local businesses in Roseville
A thief is targeting small, locally owned pet stores in Roseville, attempting to get away with the cash in their registers.
Both of the businesses that were either robbed or nearly robbed are less than half a mile away from each other.
Great Lakes Reptiles on 10 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue takes in surrendered animals and sells and cares for just about every critter in the book. A few weeks ago, a man entered their building and stole and undisclosed amount of cash before getting away.
This set the business back financially and they're now offering deals to get more customers in their doors.
"We are currently doing 20% off everything to try to recover some of the costs that we did incur from the incident," Great Lakes Reptiles employee Christine Canary said. “Lot of hungry mouths to feed, lot of overhead, lot of heat bulbs, so were doing the best we can after taking the hit.”
The business quickly let other pet stores in the area know of the crime and still on Tuesday, Roseville police say under similar circumstances, a man entered Oceans & Seas just down the street and attempted to do the same thing.
Vansen says the thief asked his close friend who helps around the store to see something in the back. Once the the friend stepped away, he heard the cash drawer opening and ran right back.
'It’s quite an adventure': Center Line man begins 3,000-mile walk across the country
Jack Huffman from Center Line is on the move. The U.S. Army veteran is traveling from Dana Point, California, all the way to Washington.
But he's not going by plane, train or car. He’s doing it all on foot.
“Yeah, it’s quite an adventure," Huffman said. “I'll be crossing through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma."
He started his solo 13-state journey early Tuesday morning, but this isn’t his first rodeo. Huffman has done this three other times while pushing a heavy cart of equipment.
“Here, I have a really small generator, a couple of 500-watt camping batteries, food, clothes, tent, sleeping bags," Huffman said.
It's everything he needs for this impressive hike, which he’s doing to give back to the organizations The Rainbow Connection and The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.
“Last year, I was able to do the same route in 76 days, and we raised $304,000," Huffman said.
This year, his goal is to raise half a million dollars.
Sterling Heights rolls out new traffic calming plan
If you've driven through Sterling Heights, you know that the roads are busy.
Sterling Heights Assistant City Manager, Dale Dwojakowski, told 7 News Detroit, "I think it’s always shocking when you tell people that we have over 4,000 crashes a year, just in Sterling Heights."
In fact, Dwojakowski said that every year, 6 to 7 people die due to traffic crashes in the city.
"30 to 40 people are involved in serious injury accidents every single year in Sterling Heights, so this is a very, very serious problem," said Dwojakowski. "Not only life and safety, but also for all of our residents that live in neighborhoods and communities around Sterling Heights."
It's because of this that the City of Sterling Heights said they are taking action.
Using traffic data from the last five years and community input, they are rolling out a Comprehensive Transportation Safety Action Plan.
According to Dwojakowski, there is a whole traffic calming task force behind it; "The task force is made up of all different parts of city government, police, fire, DPW, engineering, everyone’s involved."
The Safety Action Plan is part of a global movement aimed at eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2025.
To do this, Sterling Heights said that they have already implemented several traffic calming initiatives to enhance roadway safety.
"These efforts include speed cushions to reduce vehicle speeds while maintaining emergency response times, traffic circles to control traffic flow and encourage safer speeds at intersections, medians to narrow roadways and provide pedestrian refuge areas, curb extensions to slow turning vehicles and create safer pedestrian crossings, rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) at key crosswalks to improve visibility for pedestrians, and painted crosswalks with highly visible designs to alert drivers to pedestrian zones."
