Whitmer to address Covid surge, art teacher charged with making school threats, NHL temporarily shutting down

TUESDAY NEWS HIT - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will be holding a Tuesday press conference to address the surging COVID-19 cases in Michigan amid the emergence of the omicron variant.

Whitmer will be joined by her health director Elizabeth Hertel and several other physicians somewhere in Grand Rapids where the governor will address the state around 9:20 a.m.

As holiday travel kicks into full gear, concerns have morphed into alarms for many hospitals and doctors as Michigan manages some of its worst hospitalization numbers of the pandemic. The 7-day case rate has started falling back down, but patient loads remain near capacity at many hospitals.

Michigan had been managing a more gradual uptick in cases since July 2021 before they spiked in November. What followed was more than 4,500 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and another 1,000 in the ICU. About 75% and 85% of the individuals in those two settings were not vaccinated when they were admitted, Henry Ford Health System's chief said last week.

 The current wave is being felt around the U.S., despite the presence of available vaccines. While recent studies haven't pinned down if the omicron variant offers a more dangerous health outcome compared to the delta strain, it is more infectious. It's already the most dominant strain in the U.S.

Now, it's not just 2-dose series but a booster shot that may be necessary to avoid passing the virus on to others.

In the short term, the next seven days could prove crucial to not prolonging the COVID-19 surge much longer as families return for the holidays. 

For many, that means rapid tests at home. But according to many doctors, accessing a test has not gotten any easier.

"I feel like there's been an increase in burden of demand in volume of Covid testing," Dr. Bernice Sessa, the Beaumont Urgent Care Regional Medical Director said. "Overall in Southeast Michigan, we're seeing an average of 2,000 patients a day."

Art teacher charged with making threats toward school

An art teacher at a Macomb County middle school allegedly wrote threatening notes on paper and slipped them into three rooms at the St. Clair Shores district. Johnna Rhône pleaded not guilty to the offense, arguing the allegations were not true. 

But according to Prosecutor Pete Lucido, school surveillance video at Jefferson Middle School shows the 59-year-old teacher slipping the notes under doors. "'Start break early. He's going to do it. Just don’t be in the hall after lunch. Boom. Get it?'" Lucido read from the alleged notes. "I can expect something like this from a child, not an adult."

The allegations are the latest in a string of more than a hundred threats contending violence at education institutions in Michigan following the mass shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30. In Wayne County, more than 40 juveniles have been charged.

Prosecutors say this is the first time they are charging an adult — and a teacher at that —  who is trusted to protect kids in school. "We take a zero-tolerance, make no mistake about it," Lucido said. "A zero-tolerance in Macomb County, from students and teachers that are threatening others. We will not leave that at all."

Health worker whose family lost their home receives outpouring of support

Lasta Jenkins and her kids escaped a house fire only a few days after Thanksgiving, but not much else survived the blaze. It was shaping up to be a rough holiday for Jenkins and her four kids. The Detroit health department was back at work administering COVID-19 vaccines the next day.

But the indelible holiday spirit burned bright in her co-workers at the Northwest Activities Center and agreed to adopt Jenkins' family for Christmas. "We are all mothers in here and we all know how hard it is to struggle especially around this time," Chelsea Williams said. "And we've got to take care of our own. ain't that right, y'all?"

Donations have poured in, enabling Jenkins to help her shop for clothes and toys for the kids. On top of that, she's now in a new home. In addition to her coworkers, Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington and his office took her and many other families shopping. 

"I really want to say thank you to each and every last one of them," Jenkins said. "It shows that as a community of people, we all still know how to come together and be able to help one another, despite if you know them or don't know them."

Metro Detroit family takes in Afghan refugee

Sayna Gholamy, a civil activist, had to leave her brothers and mother behind in Afghanistan amid the Taliban's takeover of the country. The 21-year-old college student has dreams of becoming an architect. And she's staying with a host family in Metro Detroit as she gets her feet on steady ground.

"I think for us it means that we’re taking some meaningful action to solve a problem that we know is out there," said Sarah Martin-Fanone, whose family took in Gholamy.

Gholamy found refuge through the nonprofit Samaritas, who has helped resettle more than 160 Afghan nationals looking to escape the country's extremists. Another 525 will receive assistance by February. "It’s an honor and privilege to be able to serve people who are fleeing their homeland out of fear for their lives," said Kelli Dobner, the chief advancement officer for Samaritas.

She said local churches, businesses, and families have played a tremendous role in helping refugees a place to live and work. Right now, Gholamy is taking classes at a community college and enjoying the little things some Americans may take for granted.

Ex-agent in Whitmer kidnap probe pleads guilty to assault

A lead investigator in the alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pleaded no contest Monday to assaulting his wife, though he said he has no memory of it. Kalamazoo County prosecutors struck a deal with former FBI agent Richard Trask after his wife declined to cooperate further.

Trask was accused of assaulting his wife at their Kalamazoo-area home in July. She had lacerations on her head and blood on her chest, arms and hand, sheriff’s investigators wrote.

"I take full responsibility for my actions which caused pain and suffering to my wife and to my family," Trask said. Heather Foulke said she told a sheriff’s deputy that they had left a hotel party because Trask was "acting weird." She believes he may have been drugged.

Trask got credit for two days in jail and will serve no additional time in custody. He lost his job with the FBI after the incident.

--Courtesy of the Associated Press

What else we're watching

1. The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered the state's redistricting commission to release memos, notes, and meeting details from a meeting the group held in October when it shut out reporters. The case was brought forth by multiple media groups.
2. For patients that won't be home for the holidays, Mott's Children's Hospital is doing their best to share Christmas cheer for the children that will stay admitted during the break. See how the evening unfolded here. 
3. President Joe Biden has signed a bill that aims to end drunken driving in honor of a Michigan family that was killed in a crash. Passive Alcohol Detection Systems will be installed in all new vehicles by 2026.
4. Kenneth Walker III may not be competing, but it seems to not matter for Yang Yang, the 24-year-old panda that picked Michigan State to beat the Pittsburgh Panthers in the upcoming Peach Bowl. 
5. Detroit's 11th precinct will also be surprising local citizens with gift cards for the holiday season by handing out gift cards at locations dotted around Detroit. They include the Belmont Shopping Center, the Fredro and Conant Market, and the Southwest Corner Plaza.

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

Tuesday is the shortest day of the year and will likely be one of the coldest of the season. Expect a high of 38 degrees before temperatures plunge even further south on Wednesday. A warm-up will begin Thursday and push temperatures back into the 40s for Christmas. 

NHL shutting down from Wednesday through Saturday due to COVID: AP source

A person with direct knowledge of discussions said the NHL is beginning a league-wide shutdown Wednesday amid an increase of positive COVID-19 test results among players across the league.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the pause on the season had yet to be announced. Beginning the annual holiday break two days early means five additional games will be postponed, bringing the total this season to 49.

Two games slated for Tuesday are still set to go on as scheduled.

The league and NHL Players’ Association on Sunday said in a joint statement they were attempting to avoid a league-wide shutdown and were making decisions on a team-by-team basis. The latest shift gives all 32 teams an extended break before players, coaches and staff can gather again Sunday to skate and undergo coronavirus testing.

Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the Christmas break typically prohibits team activities before Dec. 27. Games are still scheduled to resume that day.