As bitterly cold temperatures grip southeast Michigan, the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation is deploying warming buses across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties to help protect vulnerable community members from dangerous weather conditions.

I visited one of the mobile warming centers near Macomb Mall in Roseville, where the SMART bus remained stationary to serve as a refuge for anyone needing to escape the freezing temperatures.

Watch Tiarra's report below

SMART provides warming buses across metro Detroit during extreme cold

"I think that's nice," said Sheila, a woman waiting for her regular bus near the mall. "It was very freezing cold, very freezing, very freezing cold."

The warming buses operate free of charge from Saturday, Feb. 7-Sunday, Feb. 8, running during two shifts: 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The mobile warming centers are stationed at various locations throughout metro Detroit, including:

Phoenix Center in Pontiac Southland Center in Taylor, 23000 Eureka Rd, Taylor, MI 48180 Fairlane Mall in Dearborn, 18900 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126 Old Redford Meijer in Detroit, 21433 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48219 Mack Avenue and Moross Road Greenfield and Joy roads (DDOT may be moved around based on usage) Macomb Mall,  32233 Gratiot Ave, Roseville, MI 48066

"This is something that is important to us; safety is a cornerstone," said Bernard Parker, chief marketing officer at SMART.

Parker explained the reasoning behind the warming bus program during our conversation aboard one of the mobile units.

"Michigan has had, I would say, this year alone, probably unprecedented temperatures below 20, and we want to do something for the greater good," Parker said.

The warming buses also attract community organizations looking to help those in need. Gail Marlow from Motor City Mitten Mission visited the different warming bus locations to distribute food, blankets, bus passes and other essential items.

"It's so important to have the buses because it's become quite the respite center for people who are struggling with homelessness and don't have any place to go to," Marlow said.

Parker emphasized the meaningful impact of the program on the community.

"To be able to help folk is a blessing," Parker said.

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Former residents of the Leland House apartment building in downtown Detroit remain unable to retrieve their belongings more than two months after being forced to evacuate due to safety concerns.

Residents were ordered to leave the building in December following a major power outage that damaged the building's electrical equipment. The building has since been deemed too dangerous to enter, leaving dozens of former tenants without access to their personal items, medications and sentimental belongings.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report below: Former Leland House residents waiting to retrieve belongings months after sudden evacuation

"I simply want my belongings returned to me," said Anthony Howard, who lived at Leland House for 15 years.

Howard and other residents have been staying in hotels since the December evacuation. He said important items remain in his apartment, including his TV and computer equipment.

"There's a fair amount of medications, insulin and other expensive medications," Howard said.

Former resident Wendy Gill said she left behind irreplaceable sentimental items.

"My pictures, my gemstones, they are very close to me. All my stuff I have to have for my family," Gill said.

The Detroit fire marshal said allowing residents back into the building would create a liability issue since the building lacks working fire protection systems. The owners of Leland House filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November, further complicating the situation.

On Wednesday, a federal judge in U.S. Bankruptcy Court gave the Leland House Tenant's Union, the city, building owners and DTE until Feb. 24 to develop a plan for retrieving former tenants' belongings.

Previous coverage: Power outage forces dozens from Detroit's Leland House after weeks of uncertainty Power outage forces dozens from Detroit's Leland House after weeks of uncertainty

"We want what the tenants want. We want them able to get their property," said Conrad Mallett, corporation counsel for the city of Detroit.

Mallet said the city has presented one potential solution to residents.

"The fire marshal said he would allow professionals who could operate in that circumstance who has insurance to go through and remove their property," Mallett said.

Previous coverage: Judge orders DTE to keep power on at troubled Detroit apartment complex Relief for tenants amid bankruptcy

"When I left the building the day that the power went out, I didn't know I wasn't coming back there," Howard said.

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Community members packed a Washtenaw County town hall Thursday night as Sheriff Alyshia Dyer addressed immigration enforcement and residents' rights.

"There's kids that can't go to school because they're scared and parents who are terrified to put their kids on the bus," said Evette Dziedzic, an Ypsilanti resident who attended with her 7-year-old daughter.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report below: Washtenaw County sheriff hosts town hall on immigration enforcement Tiarra Braddock is 7 News Detroit's Washtenaw County beat reporter. If you have a story idea for her, email her at Tiarra.Braddock@wxyz.com

Dziedzic said her daughter has been affected by news coverage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis and other areas.

"We were at her therapist office and there was a guy that came in just with warm weather gear and she got scared and she's like 'it's ICE, it's ICE,' and it was just a patient that was coming in from the cold," Dziedzic said.

During the town hall, Dyer explained residents' rights when dealing with ICE agents.

"Opening a door can imply consent, so the advice is if you see ICE do not open the door unless you consent to them coming in. And if they have a warrant, you can ask to have them slide it under the door," Dyer said.

Ramiro Martinez, co-founder of the Washtenaw County-based organization Movement for Immigration Rights Action, attended the town hall and shared his own experience with ICE enforcement from last April.

"I was telling them that they got the wrong person they just ignored me," Martinez said.

State Rep. Carrie Rheingans was among the local leaders and state and federal representatives who attended the packed town hall.

"In our office, we've introduced bills to protect people's rights of due process and bills to protect rights against unlawful searches and seizures," Rheingans said.

However, not everyone supported the sheriff's approach. Brian Szmytke from the Oakland County Republican Party criticized Dyer's town hall. In a statement to 7 News Detroit, he said:

As a law-enforcement official, Sheriff Dyer has a responsibility to her badge and to the public to act with integrity and to respect the enforcement of laws that have been on the books for years. Disparaging or undermining lawful federal action from a position of authority, as she did tonight at her town hall, does not educate the public - it misleads them. Unfortunately, Sheriff Dyer has a recent history of stoking unfounded fears about ICE and federal law enforcement. When dangerous messaging comes from elected or sworn officials like the Sheriff, the damage caused is often irreparable in the short term. Sheriff Dyer should either do her job and cooperate with federal authorities or resign so someone that will can take her place.

Dyer said her goal for the town hall was to inform residents about their rights and ensure they know what resources are available to them.

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Senior citizens living in the 21-story Washington Boulevard Apartments are struggling to navigate their daily lives after elevators broke down following a water main break on Friday.

Watch Tiarra's report below

Detroit apartment elevators down after water main break, seniors struggle with stairs

"Basically, everyone is stranded in their apartments," said Ronda Peete, a resident at Washington Boulevard Apartments.

Peete says she was in one of the elevators when the water main pipe broke.

"I went to the 21st floor to wash, and when I put my clothes in and got back on the elevator, the elevator started going like this. So finally it went down to the first floor, so when it got to the first floor, it opened up and water just gushed in," Peete said.

The building has two stairwells, but one remains closed after it was flooded with water, leaving residents with only one way to reach their apartments.

Barbara Williamson, another resident, expressed concern about the health risks the situation poses for elderly tenants.

"I have a heart condition all kinds of issue,s and those elevators are very important to us," Williamson said.

Robert Barry, who lives on the 15th floor, worries about emergency situations and how first responders would reach residents in need.

"If I pass out there and I call 911 and then I call Ronda, Ronda might make it up the stairs, but when that paramedic guy, he's got to get buzzed in, he's got to find a stairway to get, and I may not make it," Barry said.

Jim Harrigan, executive vice president of Independent Management Services, which helps manage the building, said repairs are underway.

We hope to get the elevators up and running by early next week, potentially as early as Monday," Harrigan said.

While residents wait for the elevators to be restored, Detroit city officials are working with building management to provide assistance. The city is helping deliver food and other essential services to residents who cannot navigate the stairs.

"What we found out is they have some concerns regarding the heat, they had some concerns about not having food because they weren't able to go back and forth down the stairs, so I contacted our resources, and we're able to provide them with food and other services," said Anquenetta Jones, senior advocate for the City of Detroit.

Peete emphasized the urgent need for help as residents continue to face these challenging conditions.

"We all need some type of help," Peete said.

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Some metro Detroit businesses chose to remain open during Friday's anti-ICE protests, offering what they described as safe spaces for their communities while others closed their doors in solidarity with the demonstrations.

Organizers of the protests called for people to skip work and school, and for businesses to shut down for the day.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report below: Metro Detroit businesses split on staying open during anti-ICE protest

Mark Maynard, co-owner of Bellflower restaurant in Ypsilanti, decided to keep his doors open.

"We struggled with it. Our first impulse was to close because a lot of other people we respected were closing and then we thought about it and thought what we do is cook and we take care of people," Maynard said.

The Pearl Street restaurant offered a "pay what you can" model for the day to encourage community participation.

"We thought people might need a place to come, so we though let's do it differently. We have pay what you can today, so we try to get as many people from the community to come in," Maynard said.

In Ann Arbor, the Michigan Theater remained open, screening "Resurgo," a documentary about Detroit's resilience that touches on the 1960s riots in the city.

Stephen McGee, the documentary's filmmaker, explained his decision to continue the screening.

"We were aware that the businesses were going to shut down and we wanted to respect that. At the same time, my film is what I think America needs right now. What I've seen in the past 20 years in Detroit makes me still believe in our country," McGee said.

Molly Rowan, the CEO of the Michigan and State Theaters, emphasized the venue's role as a community gathering place.

"I think the arts provided a safe space for multiple factions of the community and this is a beautiful 100-year-old building it's a cultural landmark, people know it and we're more than just a movie theater, we are a place of connection," Rowan said.

Michigan Republican Party Co-chair Sunny Reddy weighed in on the protests, expressing support for peaceful demonstration while defending ICE operations.

"So I strongly support peaceful protest. There's no question about it. But at the same time, let the ICE do their job. They're not targeting. I don't see they're targeting any individual or any individual race," Reddy said.

Meanwhile, Mark Maynard emphasized his restaurant's mission to bring the community together during challenging times.

"It's good to have a place in the community where people can meet and talk," Maynard said.

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Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti highlighted student attendance as the district's greatest challenge during his State of the Schools address Thursday, citing recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as a factor deterring some students from attending classes.

"If I had to start to list some of our greatest challenges, it would be student attendance," Vitti said.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report below: Detroit schools superintendent addresses chronic absenteeism amid ICE activity concerns

The superintendent emphasized the critical connection between attendance and academic success, noting that students who miss 18 or fewer days are significantly more likely to perform well academically.

"When our students miss 18 or fewer days, they are three to five times more likely to be at or above grade level at MSTEP and to be college ready on the SAT," Vitti said.

Related video: Sheriff clarifies post after talking to ICE regarding Ypsi bus stop reports Sheriff clarifies post after talking to ICE regarding Ypsi bus stop reports

Recent immigration enforcement activity in Detroit has created additional barriers to school attendance, according to Vitti. Families are becoming increasingly cautious about their daily routines, including walking children to school.

"I know that families are second guessing walking their children to school, thinking about when they leave, monitoring the neighborhoods absolutely, it is impacting student attendance," Vitti said.

The concerns are resonating with parents throughout the district. Aliya Moore, whose daughter attends Detroit public schools and who grew up in southwest Detroit, expressed heartbreak over the current situation affecting students.

"I just can't possibly imagine one of my classmates being scared or being fearful for their family and themselves," Moore said.

To address chronic absenteeism, the district has established resource centers to support families. Parent Melinda Mo'Nae Rawls praised these efforts as beneficial for both parents and students.

"Since he is providing a lot of resources to help these parents, that also helps engage the children and also encourage them to come to school and be the best that they can be," Rawls 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.

Despite bitter cold temperatures forcing event cancellations across metro Detroit, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy's Fire and Ice Festival continued in full force at Robert C. Valade Park on Saturday.

Watch Tiarra's story in the video player below

Detroit's Fire and Ice Festival draws crowds despite freezing temperatures

Bundled-up visitors braved the freezing weather to enjoy ice sculptures, sledding, and warming stations at the riverfront festival. The combination of fire and ice elements motivated people to venture out despite the harsh conditions.

"It's like very, very cold," said Ava, one of the festival attendees.

Jared Hocker, another visitor, advised future attendees to come prepared. "It's definitely cold, layer up if you come out here, hat, gloves, everything," Hocker said.

Personal Wilson described the cold as "like a knife cutting through you," but that didn't stop her from bringing her grandchildren to see the ice sculptures and go sledding.

"It's very cold but we love it, I've been born and raised in Michigan so I'm use to it," Wilson said.

William Walker echoed similar sentiments about embracing Michigan winters. "I was also born and raised in Michigan, also have a winter birthday so I'm use to the cold and I really like it out here," Walker said.

The festival even attracted visitors from warmer climates. Paola Martinez and Christian Lugo traveled from Miami to attend the event as part of a birthday celebration that included the Ford factory tour and auto show.

"We're here for my son's 21st birthday, we came for the Ford factory tour and also to the auto show," Martinez said.

Lugo appreciated the dramatic change of scenery. "It's a great change of scenery, you know we never get to see snow, so it's good to have a change in life," Lugo said.

While many events across the metro Detroit area were canceled due to the extreme cold, Rachel Frierson, CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, said her team was determined to keep the festival running.

"We wanted to make sure we had an opportunity for people to both stay warm and enjoy, Frierson said. "This is a really lonely time a year so we wanted to kind of have these exciting moments."

For many attendees, the harsh weather was simply part of the authentic winter experience.

"It's really kind of what winter is all about, it's a good thing about living in the area like this, you get to experience all four seasons," Hocker said.

The Fire and Ice Festival continues through Sunday until 6 p.m. at Robert C. Valade Park on Detroit's riverfront.

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.