Whitmer holding press conference, Detroit Lions first home game, get $50 off your Internet bill

The Michigan governor is planning on holding a press conference Wednesday morning with a coronavirus update on its status in the state. She'll be joined by her chief medical executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun at 10:30 a.m. 

FOX 2 will stream the press conference onsite and on TV.

The state's coronavirus situation is improving gradually with 55% of the state registering their first shot of the vaccine, which means in two weeks rules on in-person work will lift. The state still has its work cut out for itself as vaccine rates continue to decline with another 15% of the adult population needing to get the shot before mask restrictions lift.

As protection has grown, the rate of decreases of new cases in the state has dropped in almost every county. 

Only five counties are still registering an increase in COVID-19, including just one in the lower peninsula. Daily case rates are also still falling. Michigan remains the state with the highest infection rate in the country after its sudden third surge that started falling last month.

It's unclear if the four-milestone vaccine plan laid out by the governor will be amended. 

Some argue that enough of the state has already gotten immunity from the vaccine and previous infection. Others are worried hesitancy about getting the shot will slow down any effort to reach 70%.

However, experts in the field and in research agree the idea of setting goals like those in the Mi Vacc to Normal plan offers an incentive to get vaccinated and gives the state a better idea about where it stands with regards to immunity.

Police discover burned out SUV that resembles one owned by kidnapping suspect

An abducted woman who was dragged from her job in Warren by her ex-boyfriend was found safe some eight hours later around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night. Michelle Jackson had been taken by Adrian Lamar Brown, who already had a warrant out for his arrest after cutting his tether.

A burned-out burgundy SUV that resembles the vehicle Brown drove away in was found in east Detroit early this morning, however, it's unclear if it belonged to the suspect.

The 31-year-old remains on the run and is considered armed and dangerous. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer also said there is a concern the suspect could do it again. Police initially gave Brown chase Tuesday afternoon, but they lost him in the area of Seven Mile Road and I-75.

Brown, described as five feet, six inches, and 175 pounds, has a criminal record that includes a prior abduction conviction for the same crime. 

Detroit Lions will play San Francisco 49ers in their home opener

The Detroit Lions will get to test out their new quarterback under the direction of their new coach in their Week 1 matchup against San Francisco. 

The 1 p.m. matchup will air exclusively on FOX 2 in what will be a new era for football in Detroit. Fresh off a major transformation on the line as well as at the quarterback position, the team may be in a rebuilding year but it has the drippings to be an exciting one.

Additionally, the Lions will have some key players back from injury on their defense in both the secondary and upfront. 

However, with the release of Kerryon Johnson, the rushing attack will be put on the back of D'Andre Swift who held his own in his rookie season last year. 

Whitmer threatens Enbridge, says company is trespassing after easement revocation 

May 12 is the last day that Canadian-owned Enbridge can operate in Michigan before a 1953-era easement that allowed for the energy company to transport oil through the state and under the Straits of Mackinac was revoked. 

However, the company has made no sign it intends to stop moving gasoline through the state. In a letter addressed the company's vice president, Whitmer labeled the company's continued work an "occupation" and counted it as "intentional trespass."

"If the State prevails in the underlying litigation, Enbridge will face the prospect of having to disgorge to the State all profits it derives from its wrongful use of the easement lands following the date," read the firey letter.

Currently, the state and the company are in mediation about whether the case belongs in local or federal court. Enbridge has sued the governor for the revocation, arguing that she has no jurisdiction to determine if they can or cannot operate.

Ferndale police replace man's stolen bike

What started out as a bummer of a day for Tyreese Taylor turned into a brand new bike after he had his stolen while he was at his workplace in early May.

Ferndale police were initially called to Taco Bell on Woodward after Taylor had called things in. "When I arrived, I met the victim, Tyreese, and as I spoke to him, it became pretty clear his bike was important to him," Ferndale police officer Christopher Wiacek said. "It was his only mode of transportation to get to work and anywhere else."

The suspect thief is long gone due to poor surveillance footage. But that didn't mean help couldn't come in a different fashion. Wiacek went to a pawn shop and asked about a cheap bike he could get for Taylor. Motorcity Pawn Brokers had a better idea and donated one. 

It was taken to get a tune-up at a bike store in Royal Oak before Taylor was given a new one. "It was awesome," he said. "I was surprised - I thought they were joking at first."

What else we're watching

  1. 12 Mile Road is closed in Roseville for traffic signal work for the next five days. Lanes will reopen on May 17
  2. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is beginning work on the final piece of its East Riverfront project. The groundbreaking will happen at the Uniroyal site.
  3. Weakened minimum wage laws that Republicans passed during the lame-duck period in 2018 are drawing scrutiny and a lawsuit that calls them unconstitutional since they alter the will of voter proposals
  4. Olga's Kitchen is hiring 300 full and part-time workers at 25 locations around the state. Getting hired comes with a $200 signing bonus.
  5. Dennis Smith, 46, was the beloved coach of Cass Tech football when he was gunned down last week. His fans and supporters who knew him well shared their memories of the coach with FOX 2.

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

The mid-May warmup has begun with temperatures creeping toward 63 degrees today. A few clouds will start moving in around the afternoon.

Emergency program to give people $50 off internet bill

Americans can begin applying for $50 off their monthly internet bill on Wednesday as part of an emergency government program to keep people connected during the pandemic.

The $3.2 billion program is part of the $900 billion December pandemic-relief package. The government is increasing spending on broadband as the pandemic made stark that millions of Americans did not have access to, and could not afford, broadband at a time when jobs, school and health care was moving online.

It’s unclear how long the money will last but it’s expected to be several months. Tens of millions of people are eligible, although the Federal Communications Commission, which is administering the program, did not specify a number.

For example, your household is eligible if you receive food stamps, have a child in the free or reduced-price school lunch program, use Medicaid, or lost income during the pandemic and made $99,000 for single filers, or $198,000 for joint filers, or less.

There are other eligibility requirements, too — see https://getemergencybroadband.org to find out if you qualify.