Pro-Palestine rally blocks freeway • Dashcam shows wild police chase • Free food for veterans this weekend
FRIDAY NEWS HIT - A pro-Palestinian protest Thursday afternoon blocked traffic on I-94 near Greenfield in Detroit for a little over half an hour.
About 25 vehicles blocked the two left lanes of the freeway at Greenfield, as protesters waived Palestinian flags and displayed large signs saying, "This is an Israeli checkpoint," and "Palestinians have to go through this every day." Protest organizers say they wanted to show what people in Palestine are experiencing during the conflict overseas.
"They didn’t realize they were going to get a little Palestine 101 academy – of learning and seeing what an Israeli checkpoint feels like for Palestinians," Lexis Zeidan said.
Michigan State Police responded to the protest, saying that freeways are not a place for demonstrating.
"While we respect everyone’s right to protest, the freeway is not the place to stop and exit your vehicle," said MSP F/Lt. Mike Shaw. "The danger created to other drivers and the pedestrians themselves is too great."
Shaw said that when troopers arrived, the protesters got in their vehicles and left. One ticket was issued.
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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators block traffic on I-94 near Greenfield
New Generation for Palestine organized the demonstration, determined to deliver a message.
Dashcam shows shoplifting suspect hitting vehicles
Police dashcam captured a shoplifting suspect crashing into numerous vehicles as Farmington Hills police chased him Monday.
Frankie Burton, 57, is accused of walking out of Target in Farmington Hills with a cart full of stolen items. Police Chief Jeff King says he has stolen from the same store as many as nine times.
Police say that while they don't typically chase over retail fraud, this case quickly escalated. Police say Burton did not stop for police, crashed into them, and kept driving off even when officers had their guns drawn.
"It elevated to a felonious assault with a vehicle. At that point, we couldn't tolerate that anymore," King said. "We were going to pursue."
Burton crashed into five other drivers before finally being arrested.
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Retail fraud suspect arrested after striking 4 cars during Farmington Hills police chase
While police don't typically chase over retail fraud, the incident quickly escalated. Frankie Burton, 57, did not stop for police, crashed into them, and kept driving off even when officers had their guns drawn.
Lawmakers highlight importance of PACT Act
The PACT Act is a new law that expands health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxins.
Many military members who have had health issues as a result of these toxic chemicals have found it hard to get the help they need, but the PACT Act is changing that.
"When I was in Vietnam I was at an airfield that received Agent Orange," said Jerry Bolton.
Bolton was exposed to Agent Orange for 12 months straight, as it was also sprayed near him. In 2010, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.
His story isn’t unique, and some veterans have found it hard to get the help they need.
"Many of these veterans who were exposed to these toxins could not get the help that they needed," said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan). "And as a result of that, have been suffering from some very debilitating diseases."
The PACT Act is supposed to change all of that. It expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
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PACT Act expands healthcare for veterans harmed by Agent Orange, burn pits
Bolton was exposed to Agent Orange for 12 months straight, as it was also sprayed near him. In 2010, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He has since battled it 13 times.
Governors call for for more funds to secure places of worship for Jews, Muslims
A group of governors led by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is calling on an increase in funding for security at places of worship as concerns grow over threats against Jewish and Muslim communities sparked by the Israel-Hamas war.
"My fellow governors and I are calling for an increase to the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program so we can help keep people safe amid rising threats and violence targeted towards Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and houses of worship," Whitmer said in a statement.
The letter refers to a recent Michigan incident as an example of rising hate crimes as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. A Farmington Hills man posted a threat online inviting people to "hunt Palestinians" in the wake of the conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
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Whitmer, other governors call for more funds to secure places of worship for Jews, Muslims
"My fellow governors and I are calling for an increase to the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program so we can help keep people safe amid rising threats and violence targeted towards Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and houses of worship," Whitmer said in a statement.
Dozens of restaurants offering vets free food this weekend
Vets and active military members can get free food from dozens of restaurants this Veterans Day.
From free coffee and desserts to meals, restaurants are using food to thank veterans for their service.
Participating businesses include Starbucks, Mission BBQ, Blake's Orchard, and many more.
See the list:
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Michigan restaurants offering free food on Veterans Day 2023
Restaurants, coffee shops, and more are honoring those who served, as well as active military members with free entrees, drinks, apps, and more this Veterans Day.
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Daily Forecast
The end of the week will be cool and dry, as will the weekend.
What else we're watching
- Outgoing Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens was sentenced to six months of probation for fraudulently applying for a $10,000 grant under the "CARES ACT Small Business Fund" on Thursday.
- The iconic mustached man that looms over the Gibraltar Trade Center in Mount Clemens is getting a tune-up as the owner of the property breaks ground on building the site into a large event space.
- Watch movies with a drink and food at Detroit's newest microcinema, Fourth Wall. It's hosting a soft opening next week.
- An Armada police officer sustained a fractured spine, broken ribs, and a busted nose after being thrown down a flight of stairs while on duty. It happened while he was serving a court order.
- The weekend is here! Find things to do.
CDC report: Childhood vaccination exemptions reach all-time high
A study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday indicates that 3% of all U.S. kindergartners are not being vaccinated, the highest level reported ever.
More parents appear to be questioning the childhood vaccination routine, once automatically accepted as the standard. One factor attributed to the growing exemptions is the political schism that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic as vaccinations were rolled out for emergency use.
Even though more kids were given exemptions, the national vaccination rate held steady: 93% of kindergartners got their required shots for the 2022-2023 school year, the same as the year before, the CDC said in a report Thursday. The rate was 95% in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The bad news is that it’s gone down since the pandemic and still hasn’t rebounded," Dr. Sean O’Leary, a University of Colorado pediatric infectious diseases specialist, told The Associated Press. "The good news is that the vast majority of parents are still vaccinating their kids according to the recommended schedule."