Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero is seeking reelection, but Detroit's city clerk says she's disqualified.

So, Santiago-Romero is suing.

Friday afternoon, she addressed a crowd of supporters at Clark Park in southwest Detroit. She and her adviser Charlie Widmaier explained a campaign filing discrepancy with the Wayne County Clerks Office. That discrepancy caused Detroits city clerk to disqualify Santiago-Romero from the primary.

The reason being a fee that was owed stemming back to last October. Were contending the fee should have never been owed," Widmaier told 7 News Detroit.

He said it involves a supposed late fee for a report due in late October.

We submitted a report on October 25th. We have confirmation right here if anyone would like to see it. This is from Wayne County confirming they got the report. Theyre now contending the first time we filed the report was on November 8th, which is incorrect," he explained.

Widmaier said Santiago-Romero called, emailed and went to the county clerks office with no resolve. So, her team has filed a lawsuit against the city clerk to get back on the ballot.

We have our receipts. We have documentation thankfully, but thats what happened. Theres missing information from the county side, and were just hoping that they except our receipts, Santiago-Romero told 7 News Detroit.

If she loses the lawsuit, she'll have to run as a write-in candidate. She said she's prepared to do that.

Im hoping that theyre going to see that the evidence shows what happened and that theyre going to say that she is qualified and get her back in the race, supporter Julie Lindsey said.

Joel Reyes-Klann, a plaintiff on the filing and supporter of Santiago-Romero, said I really would like to see councilmember get back on the ballot, so she can focus on getting the campaign started and not have to do a write-in campaign.

7 News Detroit reached out to the city clerk's office. As of news time, we have not heard back.

Wayne County Clerk's Office spokesman Dorian Tyus told 7 News Detroit: Our office does not have a statement at this time due to pending litigation."

Late Friday afternoon, Widmaier said he did receive a fee waiver from the county clerks office. However, he said it doesnt necessarily resolve the issue.

On Friday, 7 News Detroit stopped by the Inkster home raided by police and the FBI on Thursday. Authorities zeroed in on the property as they investigate the disappearance of 17-year-old London Thomas.

During our door knock on Friday, a woman opened the door and said they're not talking. She closed the door before I could get in another word.

Inkster Police Chief Tamika Jenkins told 7 News Detroit that Thomas' 23-year-old boyfriend, who lives at the home with other family members, is now considered a person of interest.

Previous coverage: FBI and police search Inkster home of missing teen London Thomas' boyfriend FBI and police raid Inkster home of missing teen London Thomas' boyfriend

His neighbor, Jasmynne Allen said "he weird. Hes weird.

When asked in what way, she said "hes just strange.

Allen, who streamed the raid on social media in hopes of spreading the word, said shes lived across the street for eight years.

She said she learned of Thomas' disappearance a week ago "when the FBI knocked on my door." She said they were looking for any surveillance footage.

Related video: 'We knew nothing.' Family searches for 17-year-old London Thomas in Westland 'We know nothing.' Family searches for 17-year-old London Thomas in Westland

Jenkins said investigators searched for DNA evidence after receiving concerning information they found during phone extractions."

She said Thomas was last seen in Inkster on April 5. Her phone pinged in Westland near Cooper Upper Elementary on Ann Arbor Trail.

But the chief said it last pinged in Detroit and the Detroit Police Department is the lead agency.

Watch our full interview with London Thomas' mom in the video player below: Full interview: Mom of London Thomas talks about daughter's disappearance

Everybody wants to know where is London? I want to know where is London. Im a mother, Allen said.

While on Carlyle Street, Julia Rapley, a family friend of Thomas, drove by the home and stopped to speak with us.

Its a hurting thing to see a kid come up and missing and she hasnt lived her life. Shes 17-years-old. I dont know. Right now, Im discombobulated about it," Rapley said.

To keep her mind busy and try to get the answers the family is desperately seeking, Rapley said shes been out searching.

I tried. I ride around the city of Inkster, go by the woods where the trees and stuff at, calling her name, maybe she's tied up or something. I dont wanna think the worse 'cause God does make miracles. So, it just hurts right now. It hurts for her and the rest of the kids thats missing, she explained.

7 News Detroit has been in touch Thomas' family. Her father said loved ones are, of course, waiting for updates from police.

Anyone with information about Thomas' whereabouts is urged to immediately contact Inkster police at 313-563-9850 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

A community is grieving after a 6-year-old child was hit and killed by an ice cream truck in Detroit on Monday.

The victim's father spoke briefly with 7 News Detroit and shared a picture of his son, 6-year-old Mubarak Walid.

"It's a lot of people crying, the police covered up the body for the kids and the ice cream truck (driver), the police also held him and he crying, and it's a a lot," said Yeser Elnahari, a family friend of the victim and neighbor.

Elnahari said the neighborhood looks out for one another as a community and that now they are offering support to the family.

VIDEO: INTERVIEW: Yeser Elnahari, a neighbor and family friend, talks about the boy who was killed on Monday INTERVIEW: Yeser Elnahari, a neighbor and family friend, talks about boy who was killed by ice cream truck

"He's funny boy... and he lovely. Everyone... love him actually and he know all the kid's names. He's so fast," Elnahari said.

Elnahari mentioned that Mubarak's birthday was coming up and that the neighbors usually throw parties on the kids' birthdays.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. on Monday near Rutland Street and Diversey Avenue.

Police said the driver, a man, stayed at the scene and is cooperating with police.

Video: Detroit Police Department Capt. Shannon Hampton provides information to reporters Detroit police provide information after child hit, killed by ice cream truck

This time of year with the weather breaking, its very important that everybodys mindful that the children are out and theyre playing. If you see school buses and ice cream trucks, just slow down a little bit, look around, check your surroundings before proceeding past them," Detroit Police Department Capt. Shannon Hampton told reporters on Monday. "Its a very tragic scene.

It's unclear what led up to the incident.

The homicide fatal squad is investigating, Hampton said.

We made sure that we brought plenty of resources including our chaplain squad to make sure theyre here to support the officers as well as the family. Were just here to pray for the family right now, Hampton said.

Anyone with information can call Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

Several residents on Prevost Street on Detroit's west side continue to deal with flooding from this week's heavy rain.

At least two homeowners said they got about 4 feet of water in their basements.

And thats a sign of the blockage," Mark Anderson said.

He reached out 7 News Detroit for a problem he said hes been dealing with for about two decades but never this bad.

Before the water rose several feet, he said he called the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department for help.

They gave me an order number and somebody should be out. They say its 72 hours. Well, it had got bad the next day, so bad the next day, I called em again. I say this done destroyed my furnace, this done destroyed my hot water tank and I just put that in less than six months," Anderson explained.

His neighbor, Irene Crowder, told 7 News Detroit she also called the city and is waiting for someone to come out.

Helpless I feel very helpless," she said.

She said she's lived in her home 50 years and that the recurrence in more recent years prompted her to get a sump pump. However, she said it feels like a losing battle getting a long-term fix.

And Im 87 years old, and this is a discomfort because Ive fallen. So, I cant go down those steps," Crowder said.

Watch our coverage of flooding in Dearborn Heights from this week's rain in the video below: Flooding in Dearborn Heights after last night's storms

Anderson said, They should be accountable for this. I shouldnt have to deal with it. She shouldnt have to deal with it.

Residents believe theres a problem in the city sewer system around the home some type of clog causing the backup.

A note from Anderson's plumber states the plumber lifted a manhole cover, found it filled nearly to the lid and noted it as a "city problem."

I was told years ago when I moved here from a neighbor back here. They say (the city) broke a snake up in there. When they broke that snake up in there, thats when they had these problems where they basements started flooding in this kind of manner," Anderson explained.

When 7 News Detroit told Anderson that DWSD said the broken drain snake issue has long been resolved, he said, "I would ask for proof. I would ask for proof because we still got the results.

A spokesman for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department told 7 News Detroit not only had the broken drain snake issue long been resolved, the department said the sewer has been cleaned multiple times since then. That includes during the most recent cleaning cycle.

"The majority of basement backups are caused by large rain events or private sewer issues," DWSD spokesman Bryan Peckinpaugh said.

He said a technician will go to the neighborhood and residents are encouraged apply to the private sewer repair program.

"This is unacceptable. This needs to be addressed and immediately," Anderson said.

Javon Houston said he's thankful to be alive after a vehicle hit him and kept going. He was riding his motorcycle.

The incident happened March 18 at the intersection of Tireman and Faust avenues on Detroit's west side.

"I just was over here just visiting," Houston told 7 News Detroit.

A visit to his mom's home almost ended with him losing his life. Houston said he took his motorcycle for a test ride down Tireman. That's when another driver ran the stop sign on Faust.

"When I see him, he was trying to shoot across. It was already too late. Next thing you know, I woke up, everybody was surrounding me asking me questions, was I OK," he recalled.

A video taken by a good Samaritan shows Houston laying in the street and the vehicle in question backing up with clear damage to the front left front tire well and taking off.

"You seen me laying there on the ground. You didn't get out to check on me, like no humanity. Just no nothin'. It's just like was real cold. I was hurt off that," he said.

See the video taken by the good Samaritan below: Video captures driver after hit-and-run in Detroit

There's emotional hurt beneath the physical pain. Houston said his cheek bone is broken. His left hand has road rash and nerve damage. He has gashes to the back of the head, among other injuries.

Despite all of that, he said "I'm alive and I got my mobility. I'm grateful."

He's grateful for his life and for those who came to his aid. We stopped Christy Winston who recalled the afternoon vividly.

"I was screaming 'Don't get up!' I was calling 911," she said.

Winston said she told others not to touch Houston to protect him from further injury.

Now, the father of two wants the driver to be held accountable. Because of the video, Houston said a lot of people on social media were helpful. They helped decipher the license plate and within a day, he said the vehicle was spotted in the area.

"(The at-fault driver) was trying to get it fixed. It was at the local mechanic house that's in the neighborhood," he said.

However, Houston said he has a problem. Having filed an crash report with Detroit police and after going to the 6th Precinct several times, he said he hoped for an arrest by now.

"They won't tell me if a detective is working on my case. They won't tell me nothin," he said.

"I just want justice."

Detroit police told 7 News Detroit the department is working to provide any information it has about the case to our team.

The morning commute is going to look a little different on I-96 in parts of Oakland County. Starting this morning at 6 a.m., MDOT's flex route system takes effect.

Watch our live interview with MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw Flex route system takes effect today on I-96 in Oakland County

The left shoulder will be used as a travel lane (or flex lane) from Kent Lake Road to the I-696, M-5, I-275 interchange.

But thats only during designated hours.

Along the 12-mile stretch, the structures with the electronic signs are called gantries. The red X indicates the flex lane is closed. The green arrow indicates the flex lane is open.

7 News Detroit spoke with drivers about the gantries. Many say they took notice but had no idea what theyre for.

"I figured when it was red, I shouldnt go there," Mary Branzei chuckled.

She was pleased to learn about MDOT's flex route system. It isnt new to metro Detroit. There's one on US 23.

I think its a great idea. Yes, definitely. Because its been so busy here, I think it will really help a lot," she told 7 News Detroit.

Praveen Tirunagari said, It would be awesome. I would save some time there.

He said he goes into the office two days a week and knows just how slow traffic can be during his morning and late afternoon commute.

So, I normally drive Thursdays and Fridays, so it would be a lot of fun. Driving on the fourth lane," Tirunagari said.

So here's how it works according to MDOT.

From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., drivers headed eastbound will be able to use the left shoulder. They'll see a green arrow, which indicates the flex lane is open.

From 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., westbound drivers will see a green arrow and be able to use the left shoulder.

The electronic boards also include the posted speed limit, but they'll change to "recommended speed" limits as traffic conditions change.

When the flex lane is off-limits, there will be a red X.

MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross said, "If there's a red X, that's a ticketable offense, and you cannot use that left shoulder."

She said the flex lane will also come in handy outside of peak hours, for example, in an emergency.

Lets say theres a crash or something else thats affecting traffic. Our folks in operations who will be monitoring the lane by cameras and sensors in the road will determine if theres additional opportunities for us to use that. It will not be up to drivers to decide if they can use that," Cross explained.

Cross said in mid-April, another feature of the flex route system is set to take effect. Its known as ramp metering. For more information on road projects in Oakland County, click here.

Metro Detroiters are cautioned to be on guard for gift card scams.

A purchase meant to spread joy has only brought Wendy Hobert grief. The Sterling Heights woman showed 7 News Detroit documentation illustrating a total of $650 worth of gift card purchases.

That includes $550 worth of Amazon gift cards she bought on Dec. 11, as Christmas gifts for loved ones.

Theyre all saying that theyre all no good, that theyve been hacked. We were like what the heck," Hobert said.

She said two other separate $50 gift card purchases Amazon and Visa were also tampered with.

To try and get a resolution, Hobert said she talked to Meijer customer service where she bought the cards at the 12 Mile and Mound roads location in Warren.

(An employee) said, 'Theres nothing we can do,'" she recalled.

Despite disputing the transactions with her bank, she got a denial letter that put the responsibility on her as the consumer.

Hobert read: "'You had the opportunity to inspect the merchandise.' I mean, it looked normal to me. So, they said no.

She filed a police report with Warren police.

And the police, he said this is very common," Hobert recalled.

Who did this to Hobert is still unclear, but the Michigan Attorney Generals Office reported making two arrests in other similar cases recently.

Two Chinese nationals are accused of stealing gift cards from several metro Deroit Meijers. The Warren location isnt on that list.

However, the men allegedly stole key information from the cards in elaborate scheme.

Attorney General Dana Nessel explained in a video posted by her office, The stolen cards are tampered with and their pin numbers are revealed written down, tracked and the scammers cover up their tracks with some other adhesive blocking so it blocks out the digits.

You can watch the video below: Dana Nessel talks about gift card scam

She said the thieves return the cards to the store display and then use software to track when money is added to the card.

These scammers are able to check the balance on these cards over and over again with computer systems and as soon as a shopper puts money onto the card, theyve moved it onto some other digital account, Nessel explained.

Hobert said she saw that news.

And I thought there has to be something I can do and thats why I went looking for you and emailed you," she said.

When asked what her hope is, Hobert replied, "Id love to get my money back. I would love to have my money back.

7 News Detroit called and emailed Meijer corporate and stopped by the Warren Police Department.

The victim in this case did a lot of things right. The first thing is she did come and let the police department know," Lt. John Gajewski said.

We look to see if this is part of a trend. If theres any suspect information, we can work to identify those responsible but as we can all imagine with internet and social media and everything, catching fraudsters or people accused of scamming gift cards is a tall task."

Hear more from Lt. John Gajewski in the video player below: Full interview: Warren Police Lt. John Gajewski talks about gift card scam

7 News Detroit gave Meijer Hobert's contact information and within hours, she got the favorable result she's been hoping for.

"(Meijer) is sending me $650," she said excitedly.

Meijer sent this statement to 7 News Detroit:

"The most important thing consumers can do when purchasing gift cards is to examine the physical card and packaging carefully and look for signs of tampering. If a Meijer customer believes they have an issue with a card purchased at one of our stores, they should visit the service desk at their local Meijer or contact us at 1-877-363-4537. This issue affects all retailers, and while the gift card industry has developed stronger anti-fraud measures, they continue to look for new ways to keep cards secure. Were doing our part by increasing the number of inspections we conduct of gift cards to prevent or identify tampering."

There's a push to protect Michigan's Canada goose population from euthanasia by a group of residents from Oakland and Livingston counties. Several people brought the issue to 7 News Detroit's inaugural "Let's Talk" event.

They want the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to stop gassing geese.

"There's no science, there's no Michigan studies and there's no environmental impact study that they've done to even justify the geese being gassed," goose advocate Karen Stamper said.

The Commerce Township resident calls the practice cruel and a horrible way for the species to die an unnatural death.

Larry Carsell, another goose advocate, said "they can hold their breath for a long time. So it takes them a long time to die. It's really inhumane."

He lives on a lake in Hartland and said he goes around the state helping geese that are injured.

"There's a lot of people who really do care about the geese," Carsell said.

According to the DNR, a minimum of 70% of residents in a community must agree for geese to be rounded up and there must be at least 100 geese in that area for the DNR to come out.

But both Stamper and Carsell question how thorough the DNR is in making sure both criteria are met.

"They're using these petitions that people signed like four years ago saying the geese 'may' be killed and not they 'are' going to be killed, and some people were fine because they were getting relocated. But now, they're not," Stamper said.

She suggests a number of non-lethal alternatives. Stamper participated in this recent goose protection webinar where other options were discussed.

7 News Detroit spoke with Michigan DNR wildlife biologist Kaitlyn Barnes. She's an acting waterfowl specialist with the department.

"Starting in 2022, we had high path avian influenza in Michigan and we decided we were going to stop relocating geese because we did not want to be moving potentially sick or diseased geese around the landscape," she said.

Barnes said euthanizing geese is a last resort.

"We very strongly recommend that sites are trying a lot of other non-lethal methods before we get to this point. It's never meant to be the first option. If we do arrive at this last resort, they will be humanely euthanized using American Veterinary Medical Association approved method and that is euthanize using CO2 chambers," she explained.

Stamper said one of her next steps is to reach out to state lawmakers.

Warren City Council's initial approval to allow an unlimited number of recreational marijuana shops to open in the city isn't a done deal.

But a local business owner says it's finally about time they're close to a decision.

"I'm just happy that we're close. We're on the 1-yard line. That's where I'd like to think we are. We need one more meeting, and ... hopefully one more unanimous vote to push it over the finish line," said Mark Abraham, CEO of Vendco Michigan.

Abraham says the vision behind this space on Mound Road near 10 Mile in Warren is for it to become a recreational marijuana shop.

But the CEO of Vendco Michigan says it's sat vacant for a number of years. What's the hold up? An ongoing lawsuit.

Years ago, multiple parties accused the city of unfairly capping the number of medicinal marijuana dispensaries that could open.

So the city decided to hold off on creating an ordinance for recreational shops.

"While we were working our way through this suit, we started building this out, because many times we got very close," he said.

For years, he says he's paid taxes on the vacant property and hasn't recouped a return for the construction costs.

Finally on Tuesday, city council approved the first reading of an ordinance that would allow for an unlimited number of recreational shops.

With that, shops are limited when it comes to where they can open and how close to places like homes and schools.

"I do not think that unlimited licenses are helpful and beneficial for the neighborhoods and I'm not confident that the city has been maintaining the grow facilities already in the city," said Lori Harris, a concerned resident.

Longtime Warren city resident Lori Harris, who also made her voice heard at the council meeting, says her concerns include smell, any related-crime, and the potential for businesses to break zoning rules.

"I don't like the prevalence of marijuana, people driving with kids in their cars with it. I just hate to see that. It's still a drug. It's still not harmless," she said.

I also spoke with Warren City Councilman Jonathan Lafferty.

WATCH: Warren Councilman Jonathan Lafferty discusses marijuana ordinance Extended interview: Warren Councilman Jonathan Lafferty discusses marijuana ordinance

"We're not going to have a hundred people, ya know, busting down the door here asking for a permit, and the city is not going to be filled with pot shops. I would be surprised at the end of the day if we had more than 10 open their door successfully," said Lafferty.

Lafferty says the hype has worn off since other nearby communities have recreational shops.

And he says sees the tax revenue as a plus.

"The city's been missing out on possibly over $800,000 in taxable revenue each and every year," he said.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for March 25.

Where Your Voice Matters

Body-worn camera footage shows the actions of Oakland County sheriff's deputies on Jan. 13, 2023. The department is accused of failing to intervene and help a family in distress. The department denies any wrongdoing.

Pitt McGehee law firm, which is suing the department, released the footage.

In a profanity-laced conversation, then-sheriff's deputy Alex Kazal expressed frustration over being told to go check on a woman wandering the streets with her three kids. The woman reportedly had been knocking on doors and asking for help.

Previous report: Mother, 2 sons found in Pontiac field died of hypothermia, police say Mom, two sons die of hypothermia after sleeping in Pontiac field, police say

Sounds like homeless people being homeless," the deputy stated.

At another point, Kazal said to whomever he was speaking with, What do you want me to do about this. Were ripping the f****** family apart and put em into f****** bulls*** foster care where they can get raped.

Two days later, authorities said Monica Cannady and her two boys were discovered dead in a field from hypothermia. The tragic discovery came after Cannady's surviving daughter knocked on a neighbors door for help.

Previous report: Officials say mental health crisis led to death of mom, 2 children in Pontiac field Officials say mental health crisis led to death of mom, 2 children in Pontiac field

On Monday, the victims cousin, Diamond Cannady, spoke with news media via webinar with her attorneys.

In that moment, Monica was struggling with her mental health, and we knew that she needed help," Diamond Cannady said.

Her family is suing the now-former deputy, as well as two other deputies, Devon Bernritter, John Brish, and the sheriffs office.

Here, there were so many institutional fails, starting with deputy Bernritter who was told by hospital staff that there were children, three minor children that were left unattended in the ER for over three hours and yet, no call to CPS or any intervention was made," the family's attorney, Megan Bonnani, said.

In Bernritter's body-worn camera footage, he can be heard telling Monica Cannady at McLaren Hospital, Youre not in trouble. Weve got people out looking for a woman and three little kids wrapped in white sheets. Looks like this might be it, and Im just making sure that you guys are OK."

Cannady replied, "No, were good. Were good. Were good. I brought my son, come into the emergency (room). Its cold. Im waiting on a ride, and my ride will be here shortly.

The deputy continued to try to get information. Cannady claimed she brought her child to a cardiology appointment.

Hun, youre not in any trouble at all. Its cold outside. Your babies are here, and they dont even have coats on, Bernritter said.

Despite the deputy's efforts, Cannadys attorneys said there were plenty of red flags for him to either take the family into custody, accompany to a shelter or to call Children's Protective Services.

She gave a false explanation for why her children were at the hospital, which would have led any officer to conclude that these children were in danger and that he wasnt being told the whole story, the family's other attorney, Kevin Carlson, said.

Bonnani is also concerned Kazal was able to resign without repercussions.

"There should have been a thorough investigation, not just to just hold him accountable but to ensure that no officer with the same mindset is wearing a badge," she said.

In a statement to 7 News Detroit, Oakland County Sheriff's Office public information officer Stephen Huber said the following:

The following statement should be attributed to Stephen W. Huber, public information officer for the Oakland County Sheriffs Office: OCSO vehemently denies that any actions of OCSO personnel caused the tragic deaths of Ms. Cannady and her two young sons. As the attached timeline sets forth, numerous efforts were made by OCSO personnel to help Ms. Cannady and her children. However, she refused all such efforts made by OCSO deputies to help. Importantly, at no time did any OCSO deputy have a legal basis to detain the family. After reviewing bodycam footage of OCSO personnel during that timeline, numerous statements were made by one former OCSO deputy sheriff that were not in keeping with OCSO standards of conduct for its deputies. An internal affairs investigation was initiated and the deputy resigned before a disciplinary review could be completed. No further statement will be made by OCSO regarding this matter due to threatened litigation by Ms. Cannadys family.

The debate whether to save or demolish the century-old Roosevelt Elementary School building continues in Keego Harbor.

7 News Detroit sat down with David Emerling on the topic. He's a vocal supporter of saving the school from demolition. However, West Bloomfield school board members are looking to move forward with it.

"The crux of it is we want that hundred-year-old school to be part of our community for another hundred years, and for people that don't even live in our city to take that away from us is just outrageous," Emerling said.

"The actual why of what they're doing is a mystery. That's one of the things that we can't understand is why can't we get transparency of why do they want to knock down the school and most importantly, what are they gonna do with the land?"

He and a number of supporters raised those questions at 7 News Detroit's Let's Talk event on Wednesday.

Watch coverage of our Let's Talk event this week in the video below: 7 News Detroit's 'Let's Talk' is in Waterford and we'd love to see you there!

7 News Detroit took those questions to the school district and spoke with the district's attorney Tim Mullins. He said future use of the land has yet to be determined, but the district wants to keep it and not sell it.

The district closed the building in late 2023 after a ceiling collapse. Mullins explained the district is knocking down the building because it poses a liability as a safety risk and the longer it stands vacant, the more money it costs the district.

March 2024 coverage: Group seeks emergency court order to stop demolition of historic elementary school Historic West Bloomfield elementary school to be demolished despite community backlash

"Those are definitely not the "whys". So, they had an insurance claim into the insurance company that would have repaired all the ceilings and they got the engineering study back from the ceiling collapse that said screws would fix it instead of nails," he said.

"That engineering study specifically said replace the nails with screws, everything's safe in the building."

As for the claims of a lack transparency by the board, Mullins said people are free to vote in new board members if they believe that will make a difference.

"We all want that school to stay and we want this to be the heart of our town," Emerling said.

March 2024 coverage: Judge temporarily halts demolition plans for historic Roosevelt Elementary School Judge temporarily halts demolition plans for historic Roosevelt Elementary School

Both sides are waiting for the decision on a court ruling that will determine whether the district violated the Opens Meeting Act. Judges will decide whether the district went about making the demolition decision without adequate public input.

The lower court ruled in the district's favor. So now, the appellate court is reevaluating.

Some parents, students and staff in Pontiac are concerned about proposed restructuring plans.

The district said there's no need for concern and that "there are currently no buildings slated for closure."

Monday evening, parents, students and teachers gathered outside of the Pontiac School District's administration building ahead of the regularly scheduled board meeting.

"They definitely said they were going to close three buildings," Candice Ripley, president of the Pontiac Education Association, told 7 News Detroit.

Ripley and Fred McFadden Jr., president of the Pontiac Paraeducation Association, said they attended last week's board retreat where members discussed restructuring ideas. They said the discussion included the idea of closing buildings and relocating students and staff to other buildings.

"Out of this, we're hoping that they will involve the community," McFadden said.

Alizabeth Fitch's children are in the district.

"There's not going to be enough room for them people to teach. Our kids are not going to have an education. That's going to force them to want to go out of Pontiac School District to Rochester, and not a lot of parents are going to have rides to get them to Rochester schools or out of Pontiac School District," Fitch said.

During Monday evening's meeting, interim Superintendent Kimberly Leverette said no closures are on the table.

"We have no intention of collapsing any programs or closing any schools at this time. We will not be doing anything without educating our staff, families and community. What was presented last week was a well-researched possible way to structure our district in a way that will be fiscally responsible, given the uncertain funding and educational climate," she read.

Parents and staff said they're concerned about what decision might be made March 17.

After attempting to spread positivity to thousands of passersby, a Warren resident said she received a citation from the city to take down several flags.

Traci Dixon tells 7 News Detroit, A lot of people are struggling right now. Ya know, the economy is tough, and if you can make somebody smile while making yourself smile, I think thats the key."

From showing support for Lions football to words of affirmation, to raising awareness about ALS and showing support for those battling the disease like her father, Dixon said shes been forced to remove the flags from her fence. She started hoisting them about a year ago.

I received a citation from the city of Warren on Saturday that said that I had to remove the signs from my fence, and I had 5 days to do so or I could be fined up to a thousand dollars per day," Dixon says.

She removed them Monday. Thousands of people passed by the signs every day since the fence faces 12 Mile Road off of Audrey Avenue in Warren. From her bumper sticker to the light-up sign in her window, its evident that Dixon, a special education teacher in Royal Oak, is all about spreading positivity.

I do a lot of positive signs in my classroom, and the fence is a little unsightly," Dixon said. I thought the flags would be happy and a positive reminder."

She said shes received a lot of positive feedback. Flowers and kind notes have been left at the door. That's quite the contrast from the citation left in her mailbox.

Dixon explained, So, I was pretty shocked, and then I was sad. I didnt want anybody to be upset.

City Councilman Jonathan Lafferty tells 7 News Detroit, Apparently, a neighbor complained about the signs.

He said he saw Dixons Facebook post about the citation where she asked what she could do. So, Lafferty said he reached out to offer her some guidance.

Lafferty said, The city is very good at identifying the issues and telling people what they cant do, but one of the things we need to get better at as a city is explaining to the residents what they can do in a situation.

Ive worked with the city attorneys office. Ive worked with the building department, and were working together to provide her that information," he explained.

As Dixon awaits a call back from the city's legal department, she'd like her message at Tuesday's city council meeting to be taken into consideration.

I would hope that in the future maybe there'd be some clarification in a letter. It wouldn't be so cookie cutter," she said.

Dixon said she plans to go before the zoning board to request a variance in an effort to make an exception for her signs.

During a 14-day administrative review, Detroit Deputy Mayor Melia Howard was tasked with investigating what happened in the tragedy involving Tateona Williams' family and to come up with a plan to prevent it from happening again.

Two of Williams' children died while the family slept in a van in a casino parking garage on February 10th.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Mother talks after 2 kids died of apparent hypothermia in Detroit casino parking garage Mother talks after 2 kids died of apparent hypothermia in Detroit casino parking garage

Howard said during Thursday's news conference, Ive had more than 50 phone calls of people offering support for the Williams-Curry family with their homes and making sure that, again, that this never happens.

At the news conference, Mayor Mike Duggan laid out a timeline of Williams' contact with the city's homeless services.

RAW VIDEO: Detroit mayor & other officials outline steps to address homelessness Detroit mayor & other officials outline steps to address homelessness

He said Williams first reached out to CAM, the citys homeless helpline, in December of 2023 to ask for help. Duggan said Williams let CAM know that she and her children were about to lose housing.

The mayor said the family was offered temporary shelter, but Williams ended up finding other housing. He said the citys homeless team then reached out to Williams in March, April, and May but got no response from her. In the summer, Williams reached out for help again. She ended up staying with a friend.

On November 25th, as Duggan explains, Williams made her last contact with the city, and the city didn't follow up with her.

Ms. Williams called the CAM hotline and said, 'Where I have been staying in the summer and the fall, I dont believe is going to be available. I dont know where Im going to go do,'" Duggan explained.

The mayor asked the question the first time, why this wasnt classified as an emergency."

"But as you look at the records, the time of the call, the 'call take' worker put them in a class of somebody who was still housed but did indicate they expected to be unhoused within 14 days and did not send one of our outreach workers out to assess the situation," Duggan said.

Then tragedy struck on February 10th when two of Williams children died while sleeping a vehicle in a casino parking garage.

Duggan said the city had setup an emergency shelter on December 16th, however that was never communicated to Williams.

Pedro and Connie Torrez tell 7 News Detroit they tried calling the CAM system last fall but didnt get anywhere.

Why they haven't help us til this day? I haven't got no calls back," he said.

After falling on hard times, the couple and their 14-year-old daughter say they ran out of money for a hotel and then stayed in a friends room in the fall on a day-by-day basis. They then found transitional housing at Detroit Power Detroit Community Outreach. That building is slated to close.

Transitional housing program ends

Duggan said 76 percent of people who call the CAM system have a roof over their head, even if temporarily.

To better respond to peoples needs, the citys 7-point plan is as follows. A detailed explanation of the plan can be found at the city's website.

1. Require Site Visits for All Families with Minor Children.2. Give Special Attention to Finding Families in Vehicles.3. Expand HelpLine to 24 Hours.4. Double Number of Drop-In Beds.5. Expand Night Outreach Teams.6. Continue Successful Use of Police Precincts as Havens for Safety & Referrals.7. Expand Street Outreach & Education.

Howard said, If you need assistance, we are really imploring you to reach out so that we can make these connections and ensure that no family ever has to go through this again.

A local non-profit, Detroit Power Detroit Community Outreach, said it's being forced to end its transitional housing program. As a result, the organization said more than a dozen people are going to have to relocate.

A judge's ruling is the result of a legal fight between the group and the city of Detroit over a zoning issue.

Resident Raven Wood opened up to 7 News Detroit on the matter.

"I had a hard time growing up, so. It was hard," she said tearfully.

Wood expressed gratitude for the help she and her daughter received from Detroit Power Detroit for the past 5 months. Wood also expressed sadness that the building is being forced to shut down. She said she's uncertain of her next move.

"They really helped me. They motivated me very, very well," she said.

Verkeydia Hall, Vice President and legal counsel for Detroit Power Detroit, tells 7 News Detroit on Monday, a judge ruled the residents must move out because of a zoning issue.

She said part of the structure is zoned for office space and not residential.

However, she said documents were submitted in April 2024 that the city hasn't acted upon.

"The owner of Detroit Power Detroit entered into an agreement with the city that he would do all of the requirements to make sure that everything was brought up to code and then submit a change of zoning request which, again, should've never had to be submitted because it's never been an issue before. He has been in compliance with everything that they've requested," Hall explained.

She said, "We've come out of our own pocket to make the updates to the building. We've paid and passed all of the inspections, and we've submitted the application for the zoning change. Which has been sitting in review since April 10 of 2024."

This is the same building where Tateona Williams is staying. She's the mother of the two children who died in the family's van they were living in when they were parked in a casino garage.

Detroit Power Detroit is where 7 News Detroit interviewed her. Williams is now in the process of finding new housing.

As 16 other residents face eviction, 7 News Detroit took the issue to the city and sat down with both the city attorney and the deputy mayor.

Conrad Mallet, the city's attorney, explained, "The issue is with the owner of the building who continues to misrepresent that he is offering space that complies with the law. It is the city of Detroit's contention that he is not behaving in compliance with the law."

The owner of the property, Marvin Walker, refutes claims made by the city. He and his staff say documents have been submitted, but they're waiting on city hall to respond.

"There are issues with the system. It's not the person who's trying to get the zoning or the people that are requesting the zoning," Aini Robertson, the organization's Chief Financial Officer, said. "It's the system that's a problem. Why does it take a year and a half to get zoning, and we're trying to help people? That doesn't make sense."

While 7 News Detroit was at the building, city housing employees showed up to do assessments to start the relocation process for everyone staying there.

Detroit Deputy Mayor Melia Howard said, "The housing department will work diligently to ensure that they are placed properly, that their transition to their new home is safe and secure and compassionate one. So, that's the piece that's most important for me."

Detroit Power Detroit said the next court date on the matter is Thursday.

A Detroit woman is suing the Detroit Police Department for making a false arrest, to which they admit.

The lawsuit accuses DPD of using a facial recognition database. The department denies using facial recognition in this case.

The arrest happened on January 23, 2024. Police body-worn camera footage shows Detroit police knocking on LaDonna Crutchfields door at her home on the west side. They asked her to step outside. The mother of three complied and expressed confusion over the officers' visit.

An officer told Crutchfield, "I want to do this politically correct. Okay? You gotta go to jail today, but I don't wanna do this in front of the kids either."

Crutchfield replied, "Me?"

The officer said, "Yeah. So, hold down. Calm down."

Another officer can be heard telling Crutchfield that she essentially has a warrant for her arrest.

Crutchfield said, "But I'm lost. What am I going to jail for? I ain't did nothin'."

The officer replied, "Basically, you have to go to court. They summoned you to court, and you didn't show up. I don't know if it got lost in the mail or whatever, but essentially you have a warrant for your arrest, and all that means is you have to come to court," he explained.

She replied, "But I never received anything. That's why I'm really lost."

In an interview with 7 News Detroit, Crutchfield said, I was very puzzled. Nobody can give me answers. I was just really hurt because Im like, I try to do the right thing. I try to teach my children to do the right thing.

Ivan Land, Crutchfields attorney, said it took more than 5 months for Detroit police to fulfill a request for public records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). He questions what was redacted. An officer's statement mentions the search of a database and Green Light camera video.

Land told 7 News Detroit, We believe there was some type of facial recognition, and the reason why, there was no type of investigation conducted.

You just looked at a photo and said, Uh, its her, '" he said.

Land further explained, You looked at someones face and determined it was them without doing any warrant, and then you send the troops out to arrest someone without a warrant, and then they lied to her and tell her they have a warrant. How low can you get?

DPD and six officers are named in the lawsuit, as well as an unnamed female officer. Crutchfield said the officer-in-charge, who's named in the suit, spoke with her at the Detroit Detention Center after she was booked.

Land said, When she entered the room, he had a copy of her ID and he had a comparison and thats when he asked her, well you gotta admit this looks like you and thats when she stated, Because Im fat and Im Black?

The attorney said DPD released his client only after she agreed to leave her DNA and fingerprints.

She couldnt say 'no.' She could not tell the officers that she was not giving up her DNA and her fingerprints because she had to get to her second job," Land said.

7 News Detroit interviewed Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald about the accusations.

When asked if it was a case of mistaken identity, he replied, "Yes. But this case has absolutely nothing to do facial rec (recognition). Facial rec was never run in this case. It was never submitted. So, I dont know where she, our complainant, got this information.

Fitzgerald said officers had probable cause to arrest Crutchfield in connection to a shooting, although it turned out she was the wrong person and had nothing to do with it.

There was an investigation done. The investigation led back from a partial (license) plate, led us to a house on the east side. That east side home led us back to our plaintiff. When they compared an image they got from a video, just an image. They didnt do any facial rec. It led us to this individual," he explained.

He said things were cleared up when the officer-in-charge talked to Crutchfield at the detention center.

Fitzgerald said, "It was determined that it was not her."

When asked if officers lied about Crutchfield having an arrest warrant, he said, "I dont know what was actually said. I know that was in her complaint, but I dont know what was said."

Fitzgerald said he did not look at the body-worn camera footage.

Crutchfield's attorney said, "She's never committed a crime in her life. So, this defamatory statement that they're making about she was connected by a license plate... be careful. Be careful."

This past weekend, a makeshift distribution center opened near the broken water main in Southwest Detroit, with volunteers bringing essential items closer to those in need.

Organizers say the private donations were distributed to 500 people.

A spokesman with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department says the city has cleaned out 12 basements since Friday and may possibly clean another 30 basements today. Also, we're told the first wave of residents should be able to return to their homes today.

The city offered to lodge impacted residents in hotels. Cindy Blakey's Family took up the city on that offer, returning home on Sunday afternoon to watch a pipe burst.

"Just happened when I came in. Yea, I went down in the basement. I seen this. It's a nightmare. I couldn't find anywhere to shut it off at," Cindy said. "Now I got to fill out another form because of the pipes. I already filled it all out. Now, I gotta do it again."

DWSD spokesman Bryan Peckinpaugh said, "Some homes will experience burst plumbing if they don't have heat and were unable to turn the water off in the basement. Our contractors will have the capacity for plumbing repairs in addition to furnaces/boilers, hot water tanks, and electrical. The inspection once we clean the basements will determine what repairs are required."

The city said it expects to receive an update on the water main's repair progress from Great Lakes Water Authority later today.

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The Great Lakes Water Authority shared a photo of the new section of pipe that arrived Thursday to replace the broken section of water main in southwest Detroit.

It's a major step forward in this week's ongoing saga as residents continue to cope. The main broke Monday and led to the flooding of hundreds of basements.

Related video: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan urges residents impacted by water main break to get homes inspected Mayor Duggan urges residents impacted by water main break to get homes inspected

Over at the Patton Recreation Center, Juan Hernandez went looking for help for him, his wife and their daughter.

"He was able to get some clothes and some blankets... that he lost so that he can shower, and he got some cases of water and some fresh fruit for his daughter," Hernandez told 7 News Detroit with the help of a translator.

Idalis Longeria, who was kind enough to translate for us, also guided Hernandez on getting on the list to have his home assessed by a city inspector. At the recreation center, you'll find a mix of people searching for a helping hand and people willing to give it.

Nyasia Valdez, who also lives in southwest Detroit, is working to bridge the gap between those impacted and available resources. While the city offered hotel lodging to impacted residents, Valdez understands the concerns of those choosing to tough it out at home.

"People that stayed, they're worried about immigration. They're worried about theft. They're also worried about missing inspectors and assessors because there hasn't really been a timeline of when people are going out. And so, they're just like we want to get the help immediately," she explained.

Related video: Some residents impacted by Detroit water main break reconsider decisions to stay home Some residents impacted by water main break reconsider decisions to stay home

Felicia Krol and Shea Socrates, two teachers who live in Detroit, collected donations and dropped them off.

"We heard about this and we were like how do we rally the troops," Socrates said.

Krol explained, "We've been kind of reaching out to our family, friends, people that we know."

For residents like Hernandez, the gesture goes a long way.

Related video: 'The need is great': Community groups helping southwest Detroiters after flooding Coming together to help residents affected by flooding

"He's really grateful for the help. There's so many people who are coming out to help," Longeria translated.

The damage claim form can be found on on the city's website.

As the work to fix a broken water main in southwest Detroit continues, kindhearted people are heading to the area to help those in need.

The break, which led to homes flooding, occurred in the early morning hours on Monday at Rowan and Beard Street.

Equipped with bags full of clothing and boxes of pizza, Leslie Talley took it upon herself to help.

"People helping people. That's what we do in Detroit," she told 7 News Detroit.

"And I have everything here for them. If they want it, they can come get it. It's all free, and it's all clean. It's coats and sweaters and things. Keep 'em warm," Talley said.

She said she once lived in Southwest Detroit, making this kind gesture even more meaningful for her.

"I'm hoping that God puts a blessing on all of Detroit. Southwest, especially. Hope they get better," Talley said.

Jimmy Rios is a product of Southwest Detroit and a licensed plumber who's been checking on residents.

It looked like some apocalyptic movie stuff. Abandoned cars, doors open, ice everywhere. Icicles and just.. that was my primary concern was what the recovery is. As a plumber, you see these type of things but not at this scale," he explained.

Local plumber talks about importance of keeping storm drains clear

Up and down the streets, Rios said hes been clearing ice, mud, and snow from blocked sewer grates so they can drain properly.

Hes also been going door to door.

"I came down just to empty basements and share resources, the singular number to keep the stress levels down," Rios said.

7 News Detroit tagged along with Rios to head into Lalo Lopezs home. He said the water rose at least 5 feet and destroyed his appliances.

Between washer, brand new washer, brand new dryer, heater, furnace, maybe 7, 8, 10,000 (dollars)," Lopez said.

Rios added, "That's just appliances."

While the city said it is in the process of inspecting and said it will split the cost for damages and repairs with the Great Lakes Water Authority, Rios has been offering free expertise to homeowners.

He's been inspecting their appliances, clearing drains in their basement, telling them how to drain the water from their pipes to prevent those pipes from freezing and busting, and shutting off their gas, if necessary.

"This is our community. Were part of it. Im part of it," Rios said.

Anyone affected by the water main who needs help can call the city at 313-774-5261.