Striking at the Canadian border, FOX 2's all-day adoption event, experts fear surge in child hospitalizations
Expect delays at the U.S.-Canada border over planned strike of Canadian customs officials
The headache at the border between the U.S. and Canada will get even worse Friday as customs officials upset about a lack of contract for the last three years say they will be actively working to slow movement through the border. Travel to vaccinated Americans begins on Monday.
FRIDAY NEWS HIT - A strike of border employees beginning Friday at that Canadian-U.S. crossing will delay travel between the two countries and create potential issues for the reopening of the border to vaccinated Americans next week.
About 9,000 employees with the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union will implement "work-to-rule" activities at Canadian airports, land borders, commercial shipping ports, and post offices that are expected create heavy delays at access points around the country, including across the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor.
Workers will still work their jobs, but a release says they will perform their duties to ‘the letter of the law’ by asking every question on the manual for each vehicle attempting to cross. "This may cause long and unavoidable delays."
The work actions started around 6 a.m. Friday.
The concern of a strike will hit industries in different ways. The mangled supply chain that flows in and out of Detroit will see movement over the border slow to a crawl - which could create issues for shipping and transportation, potentially costing money to corporations not moving products fast enough.
It will also impact the tourism industry when Monday arrives. That's when vaccinated Americans will be free to cross the border as well. They also will be caught in traffic jams.
At the heart of the issue is a contract that hasn't been agreed upon in three years.
RELATED: Canada to open border to vaccinated Americans Aug. 9
Union workers say they are seeking better pay and protections "against a toxic workplace culture at the CBSA."
After unionized employees declared an impasse with the government in December, they asked a commission to release recommendations for both groups to consider.
Both sides expect to meet again Friday.
Man involved in wrong-way crash that killed couple released from jail
The man that Michigan State Police say crashed into and killed Nakia Payton and Daniel Mixon driving the wrong way on I-96 in Detroit Saturday, is back on the street. He was released from police custody after authorities failed to bring charges against him within 48 hours according to MSP.
A spokeswoman from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says the case was returned to state police after investigators submitted it without "important work needed to properly evaluate the case to make a charging decision." And that is not sitting well with the victims' families.
"It was more than enough to charge him," said Cordell Pope, Mixon's son. "Two people died. At the scene one person died. My father went to the hospital and fought for his life and passed away. So it's more than enough evidence to show that this person was wrong."
The victim's family's attorney says the at-fault driver, a 33-year-old man from Hamburg Township in Livingston County, had a blood-alcohol level of .27 during the crash --more than three times the legal limit. Attorney Melissa Filipovic also says the suspect has had a previous charge before.
Ex-Detroit police officer gets 18 months for $15K in bribes
Former Detroit Police Department Officer, Michael Mosley, was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison following his conviction for bribery announced by Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin Thursday. The 19-year veteran of the department pleaded guilty in Feb. 2020, but had his sentencing delayed because of the pandemic.
According to Mosley's guilty plea, in April 2019, he was a member of the department's Major Violators Unit. On April 3, Detroit police officers, including Mosley, searched a drug trafficker's house with a warrant. Officers found two kilograms of heroin, one kilogram of cocaine, and six firearms. The drug trafficker admitted to owning the three kilograms of drugs to Mosley, and the trafficker signed a confession
After the search, Mosley remained in contact with the drug trafficker to secure cooperation for other criminal activity. The suspect instead offered a $15,000 bribe in exchange for not pursuing criminal charges. In exchange, Mosley gave the drug trafficker the original copy of his confession.
"We are deeply disappointed in the actions of former police officer Michael Mosley," said Interim DPD Chief James White. "I appreciate the collaborative effort with our federal partners and those members who conducted this thorough investigation and subsequent prosecution.
Michigan hospitals fear surge in child hospitalizations from Delta
The CDC has elevated Michigan's risk for community spread of COVID-19 to substantial, meaning the state is now falling in the category where we should all wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The country, overall, is seeing a big increase in cases - specifically in kids - according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Beaumont Health Pediatrician, Dr. Sandy Patel, reassured that the state's COVID-19 numbers in children are stable, for now. However, kids are heading back to the classroom soon for the start of the school year and the highly contagious delta variant is making up most cases in the country at this point.
"We are predicting with the new delta variant, we are predicting there’s going to be an increase in hospitalizations, pediatrician visits for fevers, cold - it can be Covid, it can be RSV, it can be influenza. In the fall we're going to overall see an uptick in illnesses that are affecting children," Dr. Patel said.
Medical experts say now is the time for kids 12 and older to get the vaccine if they have not done so yet.
FOX 2 partnering with Detroit animal care for all-day pet adoption event
It's a tough time to run a pet adoption center. While many animals were cared for during the pandemic, adoption centers are now seeing a surge in returned pets as people that may not have been prepared to handle owning a pet make the tough decision to get rid of them.
To help curb some of the struggles, Detroit Animal Care is looking for potential owners to adopt some of the many animals filling the shelter. The group's director said last week they had a successful adoption event, but only to see the shelter fill right back up a week later.
The DAC is also looking for people willing to foster animals, which gives potential pets some time to socialize and stretch their legs in a comfortable home. It also gives the shelter a chance to learn more about the animal.
Check in with FOX 2's broadcast and online throughout the day to see updates on some of the many pets that are in need of a home. You can also learn more here.
What else we're watching
- The two French bulldogs that were stolen from a breeder in Detroit have been returned to their owner. The men that stole the dogs at gunpoint have also been taken into custody.
- The battle between vaccine mandates is heating up as a rally against them and for medical freedom is planned in front of the capital in Lansing Friday. Several large companies, some restaurants, as well as government agencies have begun implementing rules about vaccines.
- Detroit's largest ethnic festival at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History will kick off its 38th undertaking of the Annual African World Festival later this month. A press conference for the event is scheduled today at 1 p.m.
- In case you missed the awesomeness that was pilots landing on Michigan highways yesterday, here's another opportunity to do so.
- Comerica Park will be transformed into a rock concert Friday as the stadium prepares to host several big concerts Sunday and Tuesday. FOX 2 is getting a look at the setup.
Live on FOX 2
Daily Forecast
Conditions will still be pleasant Friday, but temperatures are beginning to climb near the 90s again. It could usher in another round of storms for the weekend.
Justice Department investigating Phoenix Police over use-of-force allegations
The Justice Department is launching a widespread probe into the police force in Phoenix to examine whether officers have been using excessive force and abusing people experiencing homelessness.
The investigation into the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department is the third sweeping civil investigation into a law enforcement agency brought by the Justice Department in the Biden administration and comes as the department has worked to shift its priorities to focus on policing and civil rights. Few such investigations were opened during the Trump administration.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said the probe will also examine whether police have engaged in discriminatory policing practices and will work to determine if officers have retaliated against people engaged in protected First Amendment activities.