Southfield music teacher accused of sex crimes • Pistons tie for longest losing streak • NYE things to do

FRIDAY NEWS HIT - People who knew a Southfield Public Schools music teacher are shocked after learning he's facing sex crime charges.

Lamar Willis was charged earlier this month with four counts of criminal sexual conduct and three counts of accosting a child for immoral purposes. One of the victims of sexual assault was a child under the age of 13, according to court records.

"It’s absolutely shocking. Not expected at all," said one resident along Marigold Street in Southfield, where Willis used to live.

That neighbor said he left recently.

"Lamar moved out probably about two or three weeks ago," they said. "He was on the board with our (homeowners association). He knew every single person in the whole neighborhood. Everybody knew him."

According to a letter from Southfield Public Schools to parents, the district issued the immediate suspension of Willis and launched an internal investigation in March after school officials learned of the allegations. Willis resigned in June and has had no known contact with district students or staff since.

Willis' LinkedIn page lists his current role as an instructor in Detroit Public Schools.

NYE things to do

It's almost time to say goodbye to 2023, and there's plenty of places to send off the year in Metro Detroit.

Have kids and want them to celebrate and be in bed before midnight? There's events for that, like the New Year’s Eve Kids Countdown at Detroit Beacon Park in Detroit and the New Year's Family Bash in Novi.

Love live music? Plenty of events have bands on tap.

Check out our event guide:

Pistons tie for longest losing streak in history

The Pistons are making headlines, but it's not good news.

On Thursday, the Celtics handed the Detroit Pistons their 28th loss in a row. The team is now tied for the longest losing streak in NBA history.

Detroit forced overtime as the team tried to avoid another loss, but eventually fell 128-122.

The Pistons set the NBA record for most consecutive losses in a season Tuesday night with their 27th in a row, a 118-112 loss to Brooklyn. The Sixers’ streak stretched over two seasons, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

New Year, new laws

The new year is almost here and there are a few new laws that are going into place in Michigan on 2024. 

Stricter gun laws take effect, along with changes to minimum wage, right-to-work, an expanded Elliot-Larsen Act, and more. 

Almost all the laws will go into effect 90 days after the legislature ends, which is February 13, 2024. The only exception is the minimum wage increase, which goes into effect on January 1.

Restoration of Malcolm X's old home in Inkster on track for 2024 completion

It took a decade for those overseeing the plan to just save the house and then several more years to get a grant to refurbish it.

For the men behind the restoration of Malcolm X's childhood home in Inkster, it's been a long journey toward rediscovering an old piece of history - and returning its legacy to the forefront of both Michigan and the civil rights era.

"I don’t think no one ever knew that he would turn into who he became, so for us, it’s telling a story of what was Malcolm's journey from the time he got here in 1952 up until he left in 1953," said Aaron Sims.

The house on Williams Street in western Wayne County housed the civil rights leader, as well as his brother and brother's family in the early 1950s. 

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Daily Forecast

It'll be another dreary day in Metro Detroit.

What else we're watching

1. Frog and toad species who emerge early in the year in Southeast Michigan did so in fewer numbers in 2023, a survey of their populations found.
2. An investigation is underway after around 25 shots were fired in the parking lot of a Royal Oak Township condo on Thursday evening.  
3. Detroit police are looking for two suspects after a double shooting during a robbery last week.
4. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she'd consider debating Donald Trump to raise money for charity.
5. Despite the lack of snow Michigan has been experiencing, winter fun is still on at the Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard resort and school. They have been making their own snow using snow gun machines.

World population grew by 75 million in 2023, will grow to more than 8 billion on Jan. 1

The world population grew by 75 million people over the past year and on New Year's Day it will stand at more than 8 billion people, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday.

The worldwide growth rate in the past year was just under 1%. At the start of 2024, 4.3 births and two deaths are expected worldwide every second, according to the Census Bureau figures.

The growth rate for the United States in the past year was 0.53%, about half the worldwide figure. The U.S. added 1.7 million people and will have a population on New Year's Day of 335.8 million people.

Read more here.