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: Cloudy early with a few showers, then partly sunny. Highs in the low 40s. Winds: W 15-25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear with lows in the low 30s to upper 20s. Winds: WSW 10-15 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Chance for a wintry mix late. Highs near 40°. Winds: SW 5-10 mph.
Any traffic issues?
So far, there are no major traffic issues to know about this morning. There will be plenty of roads closed in Downtown Detroit for America's Thanksgiving Parade, so check out the guide to the parade here.
The top stories to know about
Crews battle large file at oil tank on GM Milford Proving Ground
Fire crews in Brighton are responding to an explosion on the General Motors Proving Ground in Milford. It happened around 6:49 a.m. when a tank associated with natural gas exploded.
The explosion was heard in the area and damaged two houses hundreds of feet away, but no one was injured, according to Brighton Fire Chief Michael O'Brien.
Chopper 7 was over the scene which showed crews spraying foam on an area where there is a tank and a fire still burning. That area also has a pumpjack.
Get more information on the WXYZ homepage.
RenCen future: New development plan calls for demolition of 2 towers
Bedrock and General Motors unveiled a plan for the future of the Renaissance Center that would include demolishing two of the seven towers. According to the two organizations, the plan "right-sizes" the RenCen's footprint along the Detroit Riverfront.
Bedrock entered into an agreement with GM earlier this year that would allow them to redevelop the RenCen site with plans for GM to move into Bedrock's new Hudson's Tower in downtown Detroit.
According to the companies, the plan includes removing the low-rise base of the complex and the two office towers closest to the river. The three remaining towers would be a mix of hospitality and housing.
The low-rise base of the complex would also be removed, and then a new pedestrian promenade would be constructed to connect the downtown area to the riverfront.
“It's a little sad,” Detroit resident Maria Williams said. "The new idea isn't bad, but demolishing everything when you already have an enough amount of space to just reuse it.”
“I thought it was pretty exciting,” another Detroit resident Karl Tavadia said. "Right now, you have two great restaurants, Andiamo and Joe Muers. The riverfront is really nice, but you can bring more things to do here, more shops and activities, and can just be another place like Campus Martius where people congregate to.”
Holiday travel: Here are some tips for flying out of DTW ahead of Thanksgiving
Expedia predicts the busiestand most expensive days to fly will be tomorrow, the day before Thanksving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
In the meantime, staff at DTW say they're prepared to handle the crowds.
Early Tuesday morning, things are running pretty smoothly. The board looks like almost everything is on time. already a good start for travelers. The security check point lines are also looking pretty good but you can see TSA is prepared to see longer lines and wait times. Fans are already in place to cool off people waiting to get screened. Over 40,000 are expected to move through here today.
TSA's Security Director, Reggie Stephens, says getting to the airport two hours early for domestic flights is the way to go, three hours early if you're going international, and if you're planning on bringing some thanksgiving sides with you.
"I know it’s thanksgiving so there's a lot of questions about food. Typically your baked goods are going to be fine. Your items l ike gravy, cranberry sauce, unless they’re in small quantities you will not be permitted through the screening check point unfortunately," Reggie said.
At their peak, security lines are expected to hit around 30 minutes. To keep lines moving faster, your ID can act as a boarding pass, and X-Ray machines mean electronics can stay in your bag. Firearms have to be locked up, checked and declared with the airlines. And if you're a parent, staying strapped is a good idea.
