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?
Clouds will increase Tuesday as a dry cold front moves through. It's a dry cold front so we won't see any rain or snow, but temperatures will drop behind it. Temperatures slide into the mid to upper 20s Wednesday morning, with highs in the mid to upper 40s Wednesday.
Dry weather continues for the final two days of the workweek with highs climbing back into the 60s!
A storm system moves in this weekend bringing the return of rain across Metro Detroit.
Any traffic issues?
There is a crash involving a vehicle and a school bus near the exit ramp of the southbound Lodge Freeway at Wyoming that has the exit ramp closed and traffic backed up for miles. Be sure to check a live traffic map here.
The top stories to know about
Unpaid toll texts: What you need to know as the BBB calls it an 'emerging scam'
Has your phone been blowing up with texts about unpaid toll bills? Mine sure has, and the same is true for many of us at 7 News Detroit.
We decided to ask about it on the WXYZ Facebook page, and we got more than 4,000 comments from people across Michigan and others out of state.
Maisha Floyd of Detroit received two text messages last week saying she had an unpaid toll bill. The first one had a +63 country code number at the top, indicating it was from the Philippines. The EZ Pass one came from an odd Outlook account and warned, "if you fail to pay by March 6, you will face penalties and legal action. Normally, she would have ignored these.
But, Floyd said she has recently traveled and used toll roads in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico.
"I've never been through a toll, and I didn't know what to expect. So, when I got the text message, I didn't think anything about it," she said.
The Better Business Bureau warned about this scam in January after the organization named it one of the emerging scams of 2024.
"In our latest scam tracker report, it showed we had about 800 people report this to us," Melanie McGovern, a spokesperson for the BBB said.
So, how can you avoid text message phishing scams? The BBB says:
- Look for red flags like an out-of-country area code or odd email address
- Don't use any links provided
- Search for toll agencies directly
- Know these agencies do not send text messages requesting payment
'Why not try to help?' Michigan State student receives kidney from fellow Spartan's mom
The most selfless thing you can do is donate your organ to a complete stranger. For Michelle Doer, that is exactly what she did for Michigan State University student Liam Clegg, who was in desperate need of a kidney.
We met Liam four months ago when he was in late-stage kidney failure, and he and his family were anxiously searching for a match to save Liam's life.
Shortly after, Liam met his donor match: Michelle Doer. Overall, he received over 180 donor applications from all over the country.
Michelle said she saw a post about Liam's urgent search for a kidney donor on Facebook and decided to send in an application.
“Really seeing Liam’s story, it was just kind of like, you know, this kid has so much life ahead of him… like why not try to help however I can," said Michelle.
Little did they know, they had a lot more in common than they thought.
Liam and Michelle don't just live in the same town, but Michelle's daughter, Ella, and Liam are both students at MSU.
“It made it even more special honestly that I was gonna be receiving this from somebody that I already have connections with and know through people," said Liam.
February 12 was the day Liam received the gift of life. He said he was relieved that the wait for a new kidney was over, and he could finally start getting back to a normal life.
“It’s definitely a hefty undertaking, I think there should be no shorting that, but you’re giving life to another person … you’re giving a life back. It’s a lot for you, but for them, you're giving the world,” said Liam.
How Michigan's restaurant industry has changed 5 years since COVID-19 broke out
Monday marked exactly five years since the first case of COVID-19 broke out in Michigan. Since then, Michigan’s restaurant industry has faced challenges, with some restaurants closing their doors forever.
Tara Young is the proud owner of 44 Burrito in Lathrup Village, specializing in Mexican food with her own special soul food twist. Young works long hours and helps out with every job behind the scenes, because she has to.
"Finding employees is very, very difficult," she said.
Like many restaurants, Young struggled during the pandemic. She opened up 44 Burrito about 12 years ago out of her love and passion for cooking. She says the last five have been the most difficult.
"A lot of nights, I think about throwing in the towel," she said.
Not finding workers and the rising costs of food are just a few of the reasons why Young is thinking of closing her doors for good. And she’s not the only one.
"COVID's had a long tail. It's five years later and we are still seeing restaurant closures that tie themselves to the challenges post-COVID," Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association President and CEO Justin Winslow said.
According to the MRLA, over 2,000 restaurants closed down in Michigan directly related to the difficulties during and after the pandemic. But being able to adapt has helped. That includes having outdoor dining options.
“One day, my owner came up to me and said 'hey, I got a great idea for next year. Let’s have igloos.' And it kind of snowballed from there," the manager of Deadwood Bar and Grill in Northville, Lee Opalewski, said.
