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: Partly to mostly sunny, but temps will be the coldest of the week. Highs near 39°. Winds: NW 10-20 mph.
Tonight: Another cold night with temps in the low 20s. Winds: WNW 10-15 mph
Wednesday: Clouds increase with a rain/snow mix by evening, which could accumulate by Thursday morning. Highs in the mid 40s. Winds: SW 5-10 mph.
Any traffic issues?
So far, no major traffic issues this morning. Be sure to check our live traffic map here.
The top stories to know about
Appliance stores, customers prepare for price hikes amid Trump tariffs
As the market declines, President Trump continues to dig in on tariffs vowing to impose additional tariffs on China, which would total more than 50%. Those tariffs, set to take effect on April 9, are in response to China's retaliatory tariffs.
The tariffs have impacted just about every industry including appliances you use in your home.
On Monday, 7 News Detroit made stops at several stores including Specialties Showroom in Berkley.
"They come highly recommended from a number of different friends that have done business here," Al Deeby said as he shopped around the store. "Well, my cooktop no longer works and I have to do something. So, we’re going to rip it all out and start it all over."
In a few weeks time, the price Deeby and others in the market for new appliances pay could be going up.
"If there’s some short-term pain here, it is what it is," Deeby said. "I believe in the tariffs — I really do. You didn’t ask me that, but I do and I think it’ll shake out in short order."
Industry experts say there could be price hikes up to 10% on most appliances by summer. They also say some refrigerator brands could raise prices as much as 20%.
"A lot of steel comes from outside of the U.S., components come from outside of the United States. There’s a lot of manufacturing of appliances in Mexico as well," said Joseph Legato, who is the CEO of Bill & Rod's Appliance in Livonia.
WXYZ helps get prom dress for teen whose family lost everything in Detroit apartment explosion
One family had their lives turned upside down last week when their apartment building exploded.
The building has since been demolished, but trying to rebuild their lives after losing everything has been an uphill battle. And for one mother of two teens, her biggest worry is how to prepare her senior in high school for prom next month.
So we used the power of 7 and reached out for help.
Charlene Jackson's apartment building on Littlefield in Detroit blew up in the wee hours of the morning one week ago today.
"I hear a loud boom, it was me thinking so much of an explosion because of the impact," she says. "I'm thinking, it was a tornado."
Charlene, who lost her vision at 18 in the hospital, had to use sound to safely escape. After the explosion, Charlene's concern?
"I'm just worried about my daughter, she's graduating and her prom?" Charlene says. "Like, oh my God, it's not going to go through because everything I had was in the house, my money and everything."
So we reached out to our friends at Unique Lady in Southfield. From an alteration shop 34 years ago, Rana Maroof and her siblings took their mom's vision and created Unique Lady Bridal and Prom Boutique.
So when we called for help?
"She deserves it, especially the family, after going through what they went through," Maroof says. "It's not easy, it's a battle."
For Charlene's daughter, Marchala Robinson, who plans to join the Air Force after graduation, the fitting was a dream come true.
"I want a fabulous gown," Robinson says. "I wanted it to be unique, and that's what's in the name Unique Lady, so."
Emancipated teen at risk of homelessness receives full-ride scholarship to Notre Dame
Nick Slaughter is a senior at the Gene L. Klida Utica Academy for International Studies. The last four years of high school for him have looked very different than it does for most teenagers.
"The large part of my story comes from coming from a single-parent, low-income background," Slaughter said.
Being the oldest of three siblings with a single mother, Slaughter said his family has always struggled.
However, it was his freshman year when his mother got into a car crash and became bedridden that the responsibilities of a parent became his own.
"As a Christian, one of the most important things you’re always told is ‘honor your father and mother,’" Slaughters said. "I was like, 'I can't let my mom down,' and it's not her fault that she was unable to work and do all these things."
So, Slaughter began to do them.
At age 14, he studied to maintain a 4.0 in school, worked 20 hours a week to provide for his family, then came home to cook and clean for his siblings.
"I was tired a lot and there were times where I wanted to give up but I mean, they were always my motivation at the end of the day, was to keep doing good for them," Slaughter said, referring to his younger siblings.
At the time, Michelle Wlodarczyk was one of Slaughter's teachers.
"I had no idea what was going on with him because he’s such a happy kid and he just enjoys being in school," Wlodarczyk said.
However, at age 16, Slaughter said that the pressure of it all became too much.
Dedicated to creating opportunity through his education, Slaughter felt himself slipping and moved in with the family of a friend from school. He said that for the first time, he experienced parental support.
In 2024, Slaughter became emancipated. In December, he got an email saying that he has been accepted to the University of Notre Dame on a full-ride scholarship.
"I thought it wasn’t real. I thought it was congratulations for applying," Slaughter said. "It does feel like all my hard work has definitely paid off."
