Tuesday News Hit: Detroit crime in age of COVID, Michigan postal workers rally, Whitmer, Nessel make appeals

It was around 8 p.m. that a 37-year-old man began setting off fireworks on Detroit's west side when the shooter appeared. The adult victim was present with his two kids at the time; a 10-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl. All three would end up in the hospital where the man and the 10-year-old girl remain - he's reported to still be in critical condition.

This triple shooting was among the several non-fatal violent crimes that took place over a dangerous Father's Day weekend in Detroit where 25 people were injured by gunfire - and four were killed because of it. Police Chief James Craig said Monday called the non-fatal scene where five people were shot a 'mass shooting' after someone pulled up and shot at a home near Puritan and Appoline.

The shootings Craig referred to during yesterday's press conference were indicative of a growing rate of violent crime in the city in 2020, with saw a 7.5% rise over the last six months compared to 2019. But the violent crime increase only paints part of the picture in Detroit.

"Factually, we look at what happened here last weekend, our crime is up. But also overall crime is down," Craig said. 

The police chief cited the 16% drop in property crime - which by Craig's expectation amounts to a 9% decline in overall crime in Detroit. So what do these numbers mean in the age of COVID and mass racial unrest? For one, the city's peaceful protests with a lack of property destruction proved to be the exception for most major cities that have experienced scenes of rioting, looting, and arson.

But not in Detroit. Craig also said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Stay Home order has discouraged crime when it was in effect for part of March, April, and May. Many of the shootings occurred at parties and over arguments between parties that disagreed on things like parking spaces. But he also attributed stress over coronavirus restrictions as a factor that drove the crime rate up.

"Early on, and this was certainly pre-Floyd, because of COVID and the stay at homes, that there would be tremendous tension, tremendous stress, and what we're seeing manifesting is these argument-based senseless shootings," Craig said.

Michigan postal workers plan Tuesday rally

The American Postal Workers Union is organizing a day of rallies for its workers across the country, in a high profile effort to keep the agency from running out of money. 

Even while consumers made good use of the country's mailing systems during statewide closures, businesses ceased much of their operations, which led to a dramatic drop in postal revenue. Now seeking $25 billion in aid from the federal government, postal workers want to garner enough votes in the U.S. Senate to approve funding.

Beginning at 2:30 p.m., workers will surround and drive around Detroit's main post office at Ford Street. Speeches from local leaders and elected officials like U.S. Reps. Brenda Lawrence, Debbie Dingell, and Rashida Tlaib. 

President Donald Trump has raged against the USPS in recent months, threatening to turn the agency private.

Another rally is also set to go in Kalamazoo also on Tuesday.

Gov. Whitmer, AG Nessel make separate appeals to judges for high profile cases

Both Michigan's governor and its attorney general are making appeals to the state's court systems for separate cases. In Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's crosshairs, a ruling to reverse an injunction to open gyms across the state. For Attorney General Dana Nessel, it's the state's Line 5 pipeline through the straits of Mackinac.

Whitmer has filed an appeal to stop an injunction that would allow indoor gyms to reopen on Thursday, June 25. Enclosed exercise facilities are among the few places of business that haven't yet reopened during the coronavirus. What once put the brakes on a big chunk of Michigan's economic pie has been whittled down to places of work with a high concern for exposure to the pandemic. 

Last Friday, a federal judge said indoor gyms could reopen June 25. While the initial closure what the correct move by the governor, District Judge Paul Maloney said "it can't allow other businesses to be open as gyms remain closed." The governor has long argued she's used facts and science to guide her decision making, not politics. 

However, increasing politicization of most moves in the age of COVID-19 has made it harder for executives to insulate themselves from recommendations to keep states closed, or open. It's worth mentioning that despite Michigan's early outbreak, it's one of two states on track to contain the pandemic, a volunteer group determined. 

In Nessel's case, she asking a judge to issue a restraining order that would temporarily shut down the natural gas and oil pipeline that runs between Ontario to Wisconsin. After the pipeline's owner Enbridge Energy reported last Thursday that damage had been done to one of the anchor supports that stabilized the west leg of the pipeline, it voluntarily shut it down to inspect it. After confirming no safety hazard was present, it reopened the west pipe, while the east pipe remained shut down for maintenance.

Whitmer objected to this decision, requesting all available information from the company regarding the damage. Nessel is seeking more time for the state to inspect what happened to the infrastructure.

Enbridge released a rebuttal saying that it believes the court position by Nessel is "unsupportable."

"Enbridge believes the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction sought by the Attorney General of Michigan is legally unsupportable, unnecessary, and will be vigorously opposed by Enbridge."

Daily Forecast

More wind, less humidity forecasted for Tuesday, after morning showers roll through.

Trump administration extends ban on H-1B, other visas until end of 2020

The Trump administration said Monday that it was extending a ban on green cards issued outside the United States until the end of the year and adding many temporary work visas to the freeze, including those used heavily by technology companies and multinational corporations.

The administration cast the effort as a way to free up jobs in an economy reeling from the coronavirus. A senior official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity estimated the restrictions will free up to 525,000 jobs for Americans.