Metro Detroit residents are preparing to hunker down at home this weekend as extreme cold temperatures and another round of snow approach the area.

At Mike's Fresh Market on Detroit's east side, customers have been flooding in to stock up on essentials before the storm hits. Store employees say this surge in shoppers is typical ahead of severe weather events.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Metro Detroiters stock up on groceries ahead of weekend winter storm

Barbara Sanders was among those preparing for the weekend weather while thinking about her grandchildren's needs.

"I forgot to get my baby milk for their cereal yesterday, so I had to come get some milk today," Sanders said. "I was thinking about it all night. I was hoping it didn't start this morning before I got up and got to the store."

Sanders plans to stay inside once Saturday arrives because she doesn't like winter weather.

Deandre Ruffin shared similar plans, stopping by the store for breakfast and dinner supplies.

"Because it's supposed to get real bad out, so I wanted to stop in before it gets too cold, too bad out and take care of all the little stuff I need to take care of," Ruffin said.

Related video: What you need to know about the 3 stages of frostbite What you need to know about the 3 stages of frostbite

Donovan Sullivan Jr. had a specific strategy for dealing with icy windshields, purchasing glass cleaner along with fruit and sweet rolls.

"It helps. It has a coating on it. Once you spray it, it leaves a coating on your windshield and so you don't have to do a lot of scraping. Just basically take the brush and brush the snow off," Sullivan said.

Sue, a longtime employee at Mike's Fresh Market, explained that the store always prepares for increased business before bad weather strikes.

"We have the biggest market in the east side," Sue said. "We don't know tomorrow, the weather is going to be really bad, but we stock everything."

Similar scenes played out at a Kroger location in Oak Park, where shoppers like Teri were gathering supplies.

"Got a few munchies, make sure I got business covered if there's no ability to cook or anything like that," Teri said.

Eric Malisow described the current conditions while shopping for both himself and neighborhood cats he cares for.

"It is absolutely ridiculous out here. I'm wearing triple layers," Milosow said. "What I want to do is I want to make sure that I have some warm food for 'em. I'm gonna get a get a nice warm bowl for them as well."

Related video: Water main repaired in Melvindale after break causes icy mess Water main repaired in Melvindale after break causes icy mess

Aaron Perry expressed a common opinion about winter driving conditions that's motivating many to stay home.

"I hate driving in the snow... because sometimes, my car will slip. Nah," Perry said.

Related stories:

Dearborn Heights home flooded after pipe bursts during extreme cold snap How metro Detroit fire crews are preparing to fight fire in the extreme cold See the list of warming centers in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

An 18-year-old woman was seriously injured and has a long road to recovery after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Eastpointe while trying to catch a bus on Tuesday night.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report: 18-year-old fighting for life after Eastpointe hit-and-run, family seeks justice

Eastpointe police say De'Asia Pesti was crossing Eight Mile Road near Gratiot Avenue, not at a crosswalk. She was hit by a white pickup truck that never stopped around 9:15 p.m. while trying to catch a nearby bus.

Her parents, Geneva Newton and Darryl Pesti, say they and De'Asia's friends haven't left her side since she was rushed to the hospital.

"It's unreal. It's unreal that someone would really leave my baby like that," Newton said.

The impact left De'Asia with a broken leg, lacerations on her spleen, broken ribs, and requiring emergency open heart surgery because doctors thought she had a tear in her heart. Despite her severe injuries, Newton says she remembers everything about the crash.

"My baby almost lost her life," Newton said.

While the driver fled the scene, a good Samaritan, Jade Matthews, stopped to help.

"They hit her, and they kept on going. They didn't stop. They didn't slow down. They never stopped to check on her or anything. So my first thought was to pull behind her because I seen that the light was about to change again. I'm like, somebody's going to run her over again. So I went and parked right where her body was, and I threw my hazards on. I jumped out, I went over there, and I was talking to her," Matthews said.

De'Asia's parents called her a hero.

"I didn't look at it like a hero. I just looked at it like if I have an 18-year-old daughter and she looked young, that I would want somebody to do the same for my daughter," Matthews said.

De'Asia's father expressed frustration with the driver's decision to leave the scene.

"My whole thing is you didn't get out and check. The roads wasn't slippery. There was nothing stopping you from just checking," Pesti said.

As De'Asia faces a long road to recovery, her parents are seeking justice and answers.

"We gone find you if you don't turn yourself in," Pesti said.

Eastpointe police are investigating the hit-and-run and say the suspect vehicle is a white pickup truck. If anyone has any information on the suspect or the vehicle they were driving, you're urged to call Det. Burkall at 586-445-9120

The family is asking anyone with information to come forward.

"It could be anonymous. Just help me find out who did this to my baby," Newton said.

The family is raising money to help with medical bills through a GoFundMe campaign.

Friday, De'Asia returned to the ICU due to fluid around her chest.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Anticipation is building among businesses and locals for what many consider one of the city's biggest events of the year.

The excitement is palpable as the Detroit Auto Show prepares to open its doors to the public Saturday at 10 a.m. For many attendees like Kimberly Phenix, the event holds special significance beyond just seeing the latest vehicles.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Detroit Auto Show brings excitement and business to downtown

"It means a lot to me because my parents always took me for my birthday. Because today is actually my birthday," Phenix said.

The auto show serves as more than just a showcase for automobiles. It's also a spotlight for downtown Detroit's growing restaurant and entertainment scene.

"It's getting bigger and better. Detroit is really building up different restaurants and the auto show is bringing in a lot of people," Phenix said.

Local businesses are preparing for the influx of visitors. At Mootz Pizzeria downtown, manager Barbara Cangialosi says they're gearing up for one of their busiest weekends, with Saturday reservations nearly full.

"It is a really good pizzeria. He mentioned the garlic knots. It's one of our famous appetizers. The garlic knots are huge and you get six to an order and we probably sell hundreds," Cangialosi said.

The restaurant expects to see a significant increase in families attending the auto show and looking for dining options afterward.

"We're always bumping on the weekends. We're always busy, but we can expect more with lots of families coming in with kids and just families coming to the auto show and looking for food afterward," Cangialosi said.

Related video: 2026 Detroit Auto Show: What are some of the auto trends we'll see this year? 2026 Detroit Auto Show: What are some of the auto trends we'll see this year?

For many Detroit residents, the auto show has become a cherished winter tradition that brings the community together during the colder months.

"It's winter there's not much to do for families and I think people our age make it a tradition," Cangialosi said.

Related video: 7 family-friendly attractions at the Detroit Auto Show beyond the cars 7 family-friendly attractions at the Detroit Auto Show beyond the cars

Phenix agrees, expressing her enthusiasm for returning to the event after a brief hiatus.

"I'm excited to go this year. I haven't been a couple years, but this year especially I was excited. I was gonna go to the auto show, me and my husband," Phenix said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A proposed townhouse development in Novi could reshape wetlands and woodlands, worrying nearby residents who plan to join environmental advocates at a public hearing next week.

The proposed 161-unit townhomes would be developed on 31 acres of land on Providence Parkway, but residents living nearby are concerned about the impact to wetlands and tree removal and the density of homes.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Concerns growing over impact on wetlands

Ann Nelke, who has lived in Novi for 18 years says The Villas at Stonebrook was her dream spot because of its single-floor layout, but her serene woodsy backyard may soon see changes.

"I've lost sleep over it to be honest," Nelke said.

Developers are looking to transform the woodlands behind her neighborhood into 160 townhome units. The site has nearly 7 acres of wetlands.

"It's very upsetting and Novi is a tree city. It's been that way for 30 years. In the master plan, it talks about sustainability and woodland, wetland preservation," Nelke said.

The developer, Robertson Brothers, says about half an acre of wetlands would be impacted, removing a number of trees. Nelke says she's not against development but even that goes too far.

"I think the fact that they want to take down so many trees, it's too dense for that area. It's not a good fit for the area," Nelke said."The area closest to Grand River, that'd be great, and then maybe a little further so that there's less destruction of the natural features because Novi, again, is very much in favor of the master plan of organized development. Something that would have the least amount of impact and I feel like this would have a great impact on the environment and the surrounding residents," she said.

Nelke isn't the only resident upset about the proposal. Resident Paula Barnes says her family moved to the location specifically for the woods.

"We are not happy about it at all. We never would've moved here if we had known that," Barnes said.

Barnes is among a group of dozens of community members planning to send letters and show up for a public hearing next week, where the planning commission will consider rezoning the area from light industrial to high density multi-family.

"My husband is going to be the talker, so he has a list of things he's gonna say," Barnes said.

Novi City Planner Barbara McBeth says the project is still in the very early stages of the process and officials are thorough.

"Our master plan and our ordinance standards both require review of the natural features that might be on a site for any development, including this one. So the woodlands and the wetlands will be evaluated," McBeth said.

The city says the wetland mitigation areas would be required to be protected by a conservation easement, as would any woodland replacement credits planted on site. Staff has also requested remaining woodland and wetland areas be placed in conservation easements.

McBeth says even with the current zoning, the process of required wetland mitigation would be the same. In this case, Robertson Brothers are proposing to go beyond requirements.

"Wetland mitigation would be provided actually in excess of what the city requirements would be because of the fact that there's an EGLE permit from the state that is also needed, and they're trying to be consistent with the EGLE permit that was previously issued when an industrial medical office building was proposed," McBeth said.

The meeting is the first opportunity for the public to make their voice heard, but there will be no recommendation from the commission that day. If the project moves forward, another public hearing will be held before it heads to the city council.

"For me to think that oh well, it's just going to happen anyway, I couldn't look at myself. I have to feel like I've tried my hardest, and that's why I do all the research and attend all the meetings and I post on Nextdoor and those kinds of things," Nelke said.

McBeth says the citys master plan states that there is a need for housing of varied typologies, from starter home to senior housing, at various price points to cater to the needs of different demographic groups. Survey respondents indicated a demand for more diverse housing types. The most popular housing type remained the detached single-family home, followed by townhomes and senior living apartments.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

While public high school enrollment across Michigan has been declining since 2013, one non-traditional program in Oakland County is bucking the trend with remarkable growth that has administrators and education experts taking notice.

The International Academy West in White Lake, a public school of choice within the Huron Valley Schools district, has seen its enrollment double in the past year, with similar growth expected for the upcoming school year.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Huron Valley school see surge in enrollment

"The International Academy West specifically is seeing massive increases in enrollment, specifically a double in last year, and we expect the same in the upcoming school year," said Paul Salah, superintendent of Huron Valley Schools.

The International Academy has multiple locations in the area and ranked U.S. News and World Report #8 Best High School in the U.S. and #1 in Michigan. As far as college readiness, it ranked top national and state for College Readiness & Curriculum Breadth.

Niche.com ranked #1 in Michigan for Best Public High Schools & Best College Prep Public High Schools.

The school offers the International Baccalaureate program and is free. The west campus is open to students from Oakland County and neighboring counties. Classes focus on preparing students for their next steps after graduation, which parents say is a major draw.

Senior Nicholas Marinescu said the program has been rewarding.

"It's definitely been challenging, that's for sure. But I think it's safe to say that this program has armed me with all the tools I need to kind of succeed and know how to orient myself and my day-to-day life," Marinescu said.

Fellow senior Asahi Natsume praised the school's approach to encouraging independent thinking.

"Within classes as well, you're very much encouraged to form your own thoughts, to have an opinion, to speak up about what you may feel is important to you," Natsume said.

Both students have received college acceptance letters and are looking forward to applying International Baccalaureate (IB) credits toward their post-secondary education.

They will also graduate with IB Diploma Programme, which is globally recognized.

Principal Ryan Parrott said the school's collaborative environment sets it apart from traditional high schools.

"The biggest difference is we are a program of choice for students. All of our students are coming in together and understand that they're going to be working all four years together throughout this international baccalaureate program. It is a highly collaborative environment. Students really get to know each other," Parrott said.

Parent Karin Bottomley, whose daughter will be an incoming freshman and third child to attend the program, says she encouraged her children to attend.

"We just kind of realized this was a hidden gem within the Huron Valley school district and we really encouraged our kids to come here," Bottomley said.

The school's success comes as state data shows enrollment at Michigan public high schools has been declining since 2013. Jon Margerum-Leys, dean of the School of Education and Human Services at Oakland University, attributes the overall decline to population changes and increased educational options.

"What was once a monolithic option and a really good option again, I want to say how important community-based public schools are but as we've added these other options inevitably, the main option sees less students, fewer students and in Michigan. That means less money, so the finances get really complicated for the schools," Margerum-Leys said.

According to the Michigan Department of Education, the state's declining birth rate has contributed to enrollment decreases in traditional public schools. The rapid increase of charter schools has also played a role, with the number jumping from a cap of 150 in 2011 to 366 as of the 2024-25 school year.

As Michigans <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.mdch.state.mi.us/osr/natality/tab1.1.asp__;!!FJkDyvWmnr4!c39JK3QUnumtW7qCAb9QpjT4NufwGO1qI4yNj7B5dE4wsGoYGPrzaDXfdEn5MnbdSSvC3iafereXGcCtcELQee4CnjgL$">birth rate has declined [mdch.state.mi.us]</a>, enrollment in traditional public schools has been decreasing slightly in recent years. Local school districts and Michigan are working collaboratively to attract more students in numerous ways, including new laws and other measures to improve student literacy, expanding preschool and secondary school programs, developing and hiring more outstanding and highly qualified teachers, providing better school mental health services and advocating successfully for school funding increases. The state has shown improvements in many metrics that measure progress toward goals in <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/top10/top_10_mi_strategic_ed_plan_promising_practices_1_pager.pdf?rev=10f3f05c8cb140989b91565cc9364ff8&amp;hash=08EF0354AD856A371B5D55C3E0C30C0B__;!!FJkDyvWmnr4!c39JK3QUnumtW7qCAb9QpjT4NufwGO1qI4yNj7B5dE4wsGoYGPrzaDXfdEn5MnbdSSvC3iafereXGcCtcELQeaN0mqgf$">Michigans Top 10 Strategic Education Plan [michigan.gov]</a>, including record-high metrics for graduation rates, participation and success in Advanced Placement exams and participation in Career and Technical Education programs. We support parents right to choose the most appropriate educational setting for their children, however, the proliferation of charter schools in the state has contributed to enrollment losses in traditional public schools along with the declining birth rate. The number of charter schools in the state, which was capped at 150 until a change in state law in 2011, had jumped to 366 as of the 2024-25 school year.

Margerum-Leys, a third generation educator, has had experience interacting with families and administrators of all school types. He believes having options can benefit families but says the decision can be complex involving various factors.

"It's good for each family to have some choices and some positive ways to do what's best for their own kids," Margerum-Leys said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.