For the past few weeks, business has been booming for The Home Bakery in Rochester and a lot of that has to do with the life-sized Amon-Ra St. Brown cake that sits in their window.

What this has done for business, weve not had numbers like this before, said Heather Tocco, owner of Home Bakery.

Tocco was the brains behind the Amon-Ra St. Brown cake.

I think its been great for morale within the bakery and I believe within the community, said Tocco.

Related Video: 'There's no words.' Owner of The Home Bakery talks more about the success surrounding the cake 'There's no words.' Owner of The Home Bakery talks about their success after Amon-Ra St. Brown cake

The cake went up in the bakerys display window the first week of January.

Since then, it has caught the attention of Lions fans from all over Michigan and even St. Brown himself.

He visited the bakery this past Monday and offered two free tickets to Saturday nights game.

Related Video: Hundreds visit bakery as playoff tickets up for grabs Lions playoff tickets up for grabs, hundreds visit bakery plus Amon-Ra St. Brown

Fans had to buy something from home bakery to enter the raffle.

What do you say to that? Thats an amazing gift to drive business for us, said Tocco.

Tocco says usually January is the slowest month of the year for the bakery but the cake and attention from St. Brown has changed that.

We were just doing something we loved and it turned into this great thing that has really allowed not to have to lay off anybody, cut any hours, Tocco added.

St. Brown announced the winner of the raffle on Friday.

Although the raffle was over, that didnt stop customers especially Lions fans from coming to the bakery.

I love Amon-Ra St. Brown hence the blue hair, said Angie Whitley of Detroit.

Whitley came to the bakery to see the cake and grab a sweet treat.

I had to come, I absolutely had to come, said Whitley.

7 News Detroit Reporter Tiarra Braddock also caught up with some lifelong Lions fans who were taking pics outside of the bakery.

Im so excited I can almost cry when I wake up, Im so excited, weve been fans gone to all the Thanksgiving games, said Joni Reed.

When you saw that cake, whatd you think? 7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock asked.

Thats a true Lions fan right here, said Joni Reed of Oxford.

Thats just so phenomenal, thats very, very cool, said Andy Reed of Oxford.

As for Heather Tocco, shes hoping she can add a trophy cake next to St. Brown.

Why wouldnt we? the pattern-making is in the works, were planning for this, said Tocco.

The Arbor One apartments on Green Road in Ypsilanti are under close watch after city officials say many units arent up to code.

One unit that we saw was condemned.

You see the notice on the door, it says mold water damage, said Leslie Acklin of Ypsilanti.

Acklins sister, Lisa Cole, used to live in the apartment that has that red notice on the door. Cole died on January 9th.

Acklin recently reached out to us, wanting to highlight what was going on in her sisters apartment.

Theres no reason to why she had to live in these horrid conditions, said Acklin.

Coles apartment was condemned about a week before she died.

Pictures show some of the inside of the unit.

You can see a broken toilet and exposed installation in the bathroom.

Coles son, Izaiah Herrell, lived with his mom in the apartment.

The bathroom in our house was really messed up because it was water leaking from the second floor, said Izaiah Herrell, Lisa Coles son.

As 7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock was talking to Acklin and her nephew, another Arbor One tenant approached me wanting to share his concerns with his apartment.

Welcome to my half a door, fallen home, said tenant John Parker.

Parker says many things need to be fixed in his apartment, including his heat, water, plus more.

We went to shut the door the other day, our whole door knob fell off, said Parker. Heres my knob, heres my screw, but this thing is so messed up that you have to use pliers to turn it on, it wont do it by itself.

I went to the Arbor One management office to speak with someone, but there was no answer at the door.

I was able to speak with Washtenaw County Commissioner Annie Sommerville about the issues the tenants were facing. She was at the apartment complex on Wednesday.

Were trying to get tenants at Arbor One information about their legal rights: how to contact legal aid and just explaining to them what it means to put rent in escrow, said Sommerville.

Sommerville added that the county is working with the city of Ypsilanti to make sure Arbor Ones management gets the apartments up to code.

They reached out to us to say, 'Hey, there are a lot of problems, weve been doing building inspections, and were noticing issues with heat and sewage backup,' said Sommerville.

County Commissioner Somerville and her team will be back at Arbor One Apartments on Friday starting at 11 am.

Where Your Voice Matters

The California wildfires hit very close to home for a Ferndale man whose brother and nephew lived in the Pacific Palisades neighborhoods in L.A.

Pacific Palisades is one of the hardest hit areas.

He was awoken Tuesday morning to basically sirens, said Cole Clark of Ferndale.

Cole Clarks brother, Spencer Clark, has lived in California for the past 15 years.

Earlier this week, Spencer and his 7-year-old son Canyon lost their home and most of their belongings after a fire destroyed their apartment.

He had about 30 minutes to grab everything he could and evacuate, said Cole Clark.

Spencer and his son have since been staying with friends as he looks for other places to live.

Thats when Cole says he wanted to help his brother out so he started a GoFundMe for him.

He was hesitant at first for me to start it, hes not one to step into the spotlight and he definitely knows their probably many more people that definitely need help more than he does, said Cole. But I know my brother being as humble as he is was going to be hesitant to take any quote on quote charity but so I took it upon myself to start a GoFundMe for him.

Spencer wasnt available on Sunday to speak with us on camera but he did tell me over the phone that hes grateful to everyone who has and will donate.

Cole says he brother has also been encouraging people to support the L.A. firefighters.

 He would say as much as I would love to get the donations there are still people who are fighting the fires and people who are still in harms way, said Cole.

Cole added that his main goal is just making sure his brother and nephew have what they need to find a new home and hopefully get back to normal.

Anytime something like this happens, you love your family, you just want to do everything you can to try and help them out, said Cole.

If you would like to donate to Spencers GoFundMe, you can find the link here.

Auburn Cafe has been in the Ecorse for 44 years.

Now its future is uncertain after a fire ripped through it and destroyed the inside.

I look at it as a temporary setback, were not going anywhere," said Kosta Callis, owner of Auburn Caf. "Fires not going to stop us."

Callis' mom and dad opened the restaurant which sits on West Jefferson when he was just one years old.

This thing is almost as old as I am, might as well be a twin brother, Callis added.

Callis says his parents treated the restaurant as if it was one of their own children.

When his mom saw the aftermath of the fire on Friday, he says she was devastated.

We lost my father about seven years ago and she came and saw this place.. it was like seeing him go again, Callis said.

Callis and nearly 100 customers were inside auburn cafe Friday evening when the fire broke out.

Fortunately, everyone got out safe.

When I got outside, both exhaust fans were engulfed in flames, said Callis.

No word yet on what exactly caused the fire, but what is known is that customers are sad to see auburn cafe closed.

We had one experience here and it was like we were going to dinner with our family, it was the best, they treated us like family, the food was amazing, said Ana Knapp of Warren.

The atmosphere was amazing, said Diana Cross of Southgate.

Knapp and Cross came to the restaurant on Saturday hoping to grab dinner but they quickly realized that wasnt going to happen.

Very, very upset, worried about the family, Knapp added.

Knapp and Cross say they hope Auburn Cafe is rebuilt.

Callis says the plan is to rebuild and reopen.

How can we not rebuild when you have such a strong community and strong support base, how can we not rebuild and satisfy them, said Callis.

A family friend and longtime customer of Auburn Cafe created a GoFundMe to support the restoration efforts of the restaurant.

You can find the GoFundMe here.

Detroit Interim Police Chief Todd Bettison couldnt go into too much detail about the security plans for Sunday nights Lions football game at Ford Field but he says you will notice a larger police presence downtown.

In preparation for Sundays game, I have additional resources whether its HSI, the FBI, state police, Wayne County sheriff, Bettison said.

Other law enforcement agencies that will be helping the Detroit Police Department are Oakland and Macomb county sheriff departments.

So Im letting the community know that if you see sheriffs from Oakland County that that's the collaboration, Bettison said.

Hear more from Bettison about extra security for the Lions game in the video player below: Detroit interim Police Chief Todd Bettison outlines extra security around Lions game on Sunday

Although specific details about the safety plans couldn't be shared, Bettison says DPD will be working hard making sure everyone is safe.

Think about the NFL Draft, what we did, how we provided the safety posture we know what we're doing, Bettison said.

Bettison says he knows the deadly terror attack that recently happened in New Orleans is on peoples minds.

Ive received many phone calls from many individuals anxious, worried saying hey how does it affect us in the city of Detroit. Will we be safe if we attend large scale events in particular the game on Sunday, and we know the week after is the auto show, Bettison said.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan outlines extra security for the Lions game in the video player below: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan outlines extra security around Lions game on Sunday

7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock spoke with some people who were downtown on Friday about being out in large crowds after a recent terror attack.

I pay attention to what is going on, but I feel safe in my city, Jeron Whitehorn of Detroit said.

I try not to live in fear of anything. I mean, you have to be able to just have fun with life and if you live in fear, theres no use to having fun. So come down and experience while you can, Joe Duncan of New Hudson said.

Meanwhile, Bettison says there have been no credible threats to the city of Detroit or directed at Sunday nights gamem but law enforcement will be on heightened alert.

We do look nationally and internationally to assess whats going on, Bettison said.

Police say if you see something suspicious, make sure you say something.

Since 1984, Habitat for Humanity says Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, have worked with nearly 103,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair more than 4,000 homes.

Carter came to Detroit in 2005 and helped volunteers from build homes.

People talk about how good he was and how good he wasnt as president but no one can dispute what he did for the people, said Harvey Curley of Eastpointe.

Curley met former President Jimmy Carter back in 2005.

Curley was one of the many volunteers who worked with Carter to build homes in southwest Detroit for Habitat for Humanity.

Of course, figured well hell come in a big limousine so were looking for a limousine and all of sudden down the road we see a golf cart with a guy sitting there with a cap just like mine and a red handkerchief tied around his neck, said Curley.

Curley says the former president, Rosalynn Carter, and their daughter immediately got to work on the houses.

He was so gracious, his wife was there, his daughter got down on his hands and knees and put the flooring in the kitchen, said Curley.

Over the course of one week, the Carters and the Habitat for Humanity volunteers built 30 homes that sit just west of Woodward.

My wife and I drove over there about two years ago and every house, every house was there not dilapidated, not empty, Curley added.

When you learned that he had passed, what were you thinking at that moment? 7 News Detroit Tiarra Braddock asked.

I felt sad but I felt that he had done what he wanted to do, said Harvey.

Curley says he hopes carters life and legacy inspires people to be kind to each other.

It doesnt have to be huge, stop and say hello to the people thats out on the street, said Curley.

This is the season of giving and many people across metro Detroit spent Christmas Day giving back to others.

I love to help in any way I can, Marni Millard of Berkely said.

Millard volunteered at the Detroit-based nonprofit Cass Community Social Services on Wednesday. She was a part of a group that came out for Mitzvah Day, which is a volunteer project created by the Jewish Federation of Detroit.

Being Jewish, you dont always get to wake up to the presents and Santa coming to your house, so this is a good way for us to give back and be a part of the community, Millard said.

Cass Community Social Services helps those experiencing homelessness with housing, food and more.

We house over 400 people a night in emergency and permanent housing, said Faith Fowler, executive director of Cass Community Social Services.

She says the volunteers that help out on Christmas allow for her staff to take the day off.

They work hard every day pumping out about 700,000 meals a year so to have one day off to spend with their family or whatever their doing we appreciate having the help, Fowler said.

Related video: DAAA and DTE deliver 5,000 meals to seniors, adults with disabilities on Christmas Day DAAA and DTE deliver 5,000 meals to seniors, adults with disabilities on Christmas Day

Giving back to those in need was also top of mind for music producer and Detroit native Filthy Rockwell.

He brought gifts to kids at Peggys Place, which is a part of Detroits Coalition of Temporary Shelter. 

This is our sixth year doing it, so we're back again spreading some love and peace and positivity to the community, Rockwell said.

He said seeing the kids smiling opening presents is a great feeling.

It feels great This is the dream. Its always what I imagined it would be like, Rockwell said.

The annual Light Up The Night Tow Truck Christmas Parade happened Sunday night outside of DMC's Children's Hospital in Detroit.

This was amazing, seeing all the lights and I was not expecting, its amazing how many are out there, said Michelle Moore of Detroit.

Moore and her two children, C.J. and Miracle watched as more than 200 two trucks from Michigan and Ohio circled around the hospital.

No one wants to be in the hospital adult or child so this was amazing, said Moore.

Very beautiful sight of all the trucks out there, said Moores daughter Miracle.

As the light show happened outside the hospital, some kids got a chance to meet with Santa Claus and other Christmas characters in the hospital lobby.

We were so stressed out with everything going on and not being home so it was so nice of them to do this, said Kimberly Bautista of Detroit.

Tayna Gulliver is the person who put on this event started it nine years ago as a way to spread joy to the families having to spend Christmas in the hospital.

It also holds a special meaning for me because Ive had one of three of my kids was hospitalized over a holiday. Some of them were here and some of them were in Ann Arbor, said Gulliver.

Another person who knows first hand what its like to spend the holidays in the hospital is Joey Bushway Jr. from Joeys towing.

He was diagnosed with brain cancer at 16-year-years old and stayed at DMCs Childrens Hospital.

Its definitely meaningful to me, I come out here every year just because they know my story, said Bushway Jr.I love to see all of this every year at the hospital where I was because if they did this when I was here, I wouldve geeked out. 

Gulliver says she will be sure to continue the tradition of the Light of Night Tow Truck Christmas Parade.

Its a beautiful sight to see the little kids in the window waving back, said Gulliver.

Amazon workers in New York, Georgia, California and Illinois are on strike as of Thursday morning.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says they are representing the workers who are on strike.

Its a brotherhood, its a sisterhood. You go through it, I go through it, said Martize Howard, whos with Teamsters Truck Drivers Local Union 299.

The Teamsters claim to represent 10,000 Amazon workers nationwide, which makes up less than 1% of the companys workforce.

Officials with the union say they called for a strike at Amazon facilities after they say the company failed to come to the bargaining table.

The bottom line is getting workers paid more money, more benefits. Its a shame when you see these corporations that make billions on billions and they dont want to negotiate and pay the workers that are making these billions of dollars, Howard said.

See our coverage on the picket earlier in the day in the video player below: Amazon picketer who was bumped by a truck speaks to 7 News Detroit

Howard and other members of the union from metro Detroit were on the picket line outside of the Amazon Fulfillment Center off of Woodward Avenue in Detroit.

As far as how the strike will impact Amazon getting packages to customers, the company says there shouldnt be any disruptions

An Amazon spokesperson also sent 7 News Detroit a statement that reads:

For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public claiming that they represent thousands of Amazon employees and drivers. They dont, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative. The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union. What you see here are almost entirely outsidersnot Amazon employees or partnersand the suggestion otherwise is just another lie from the Teamsters. The truth is that they were unable to get enough support from our employees and partners and have brought in outsiders to come and harass and intimidate our team, which is inappropriate and dangerous. We appreciate all our teams great work to serve their customers and communities, and are continuing to focus on getting customers their holiday orders. -Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson

Marick Masters, a professor from Wayne State University, says the union is going to have a hard time getting Amazon to the bargaining table.

Its not like the situation with the autoworkers who were already clearly recognized and had an existing contract that isnt the case here, said Masters. Theyre a step away from that, so theyre trying to get them to recognize them then sit down at the table and negotiate.

Chelsea resident Dominick Myers was driving home from work early Friday morning when his van slid on black ice and ended up in a pond.

Didnt actually think I would see my kids again, I was fully in the mind set of all right this is it, said Myers.

7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock sat down with Dominick Myers and he told her what happened after his van flipped over into a pond off Conway and Sibley roads in Chelsea.

I freaked out, I was looking everywhere and there was just no escaping and I was just punching the windows as hard as I could, said Dominick Myers.

As Dominick Myers was trying to escape the car, he managed to call 911 then he called his wife Kimberly Myers.

I thought this was it and the good thing is I get to talk to my wife at my last moments, Dominick Myers added.

You thought you would never see her again? Tiarra Braddock asked.

Correct, I thought I was dead, said Dominick Myers.

As Dominick Myers attempted to get the passenger van door open, he says a man appeared in the widow and was able to pull the door open from the outside.

He freaking grabbed me, swam with me, and then got me on land." He said.Without him, daddy wouldnt be here for Christmas, Id be dead.

Once he got home, Dominick Myers said he wanted to thank the man who said saved him but he didnt know his name was or how to get in touch with him.

At that point, his wife, Kimberly Myers stepped in and made a Facebook post explaining what happened and asked people to help her find the good samaritan.

Hearing him on the other side saying Im scared, Im going to die, knowing someone is willing to jump in means a lot, said Kimberly Myers.

The Myers were able to find the name of the man but they havent had the chance to reconnect with him in person yet.

To come out, to get in the water and just grab me, and take me to safety thats heroic, thats a true hero, I have four kids, I have a wife, my kids are all toddlers, young kids, they wouldve grown up without a dad, thanks to you they have a father, said Dominick Myers.

The man who saved Chelsea father of four from drowning spoke to 7 News Detroit

The van was the Myers family's only way of transportation and Dominick Myers has since lost his job.

The Myers are asking for some help to get another van or car. You can donate to their Go FundMe.

Chelsea resident Marcia Ottoman decided she wanted to help the Myers family.

Ottoman reached out to 7 News Detroit and said she is collecting clothes, gifts and money for a new car for the family.

With Christmas just a week away, were trying to get the word out to as many people to help this family to no fault of their own that just lost their entire world.

Ottoman has never met the Myers family.

Thats what the Chelsea community is all about, they moved to the Chelsea area, they work here and it is just a community of family that helps family," said Ottoman.

If you would like to help support the Myers family, reach out to mcomortgage@msn.com.

Twelve communities in Oakland County will have to pay more money when it comes to police services involving the Oakland County Sheriffs Office.

The cost for police services here in Lyon Township is expected to rise significantly. Township officials are now trying to figure out if they can afford the rate hike.

It came as a pretty big surprise to everybody here, said Lyon Township Board of Trustee Sean ONeil.

During the December 2nd Lyon Township Board of Trustees meeting, township officials discussed the more than 30 percent increase in cost for police services over the three years.

In three years, its a million and a half in three years, said Lyon Township Supervisor John Dolan.

Lyon Township does not have its own police department. The Oakland County Sheriffs Office handles law enforcement for Lyon Township and eleven other municipalities.

Back in November, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners approved increasing the rates for the sheriff office's services.

Its unfortunate, but well get through it, said Dolan.

The commissioners in favor of the increase said it was necessary because the municipalities werent paying enough money for the deputies to do their jobs.

Some of the other reasons for the rate hike include the increasing cost of deputies health insurance, worker's compensation, and equipment costs.

The commissioners against the increase, like Bob Hoffman, say the hike in rates came at the last minute, giving municipalities little time to figure out where the extra money will come from.

 

The real problem here, these police services are paid for through local taxes. A lot of these municipalities, or all of them, have already set their budgets and their tax millage rates for the coming year. They have no opportunity to go out to get more money, said Hoffman.

For Lyon Township, officials are worried that the rate increase will impact how many school resource officers the township will be able to pay for in the future.

Its going to be a challenging situation moving forward to even keep three SROs, said Lyon Township Substation Commander Lt. Leslie Whitfield.

Commissioner Hoffman says he wouldve liked to see the rate increase come later.

Wed be better off easing into this. If they need to hold an election in a reasonable period of time, when theres another election being held, you get the economies of scale. Thats the way it should be done, Hoffman added. This is just too much, too soon.

Last month, a road worker was hit by a car and killed as he was doing his job along I-75 in southwest Detroit.

Its not known just yet what caused the crash that killed him, but we do know a leading cause of crashes in work zones is speeding.

Related Video: Road worker killed after being struck along I-75 Road worker dies from injuries after being struck by car along I-75 in Detroit

This is why state lawmakers proposed a bill that would put speed cameras monitored by the Michigan Department of Transportation in work zones.

I think it would be a great thing, it would raise peoples level of concern when they are in work zones, said Dawn Morisette, mother of Zach Morisette.

Dawn Morisettes son, Zach Morisette, was killed in 2020 after being hit by a driver as he was working along I-94 in Macomb County.

Dawn Morisette says she wishes there were speed cameras in place when her son was killed.

 The man that struck our son, we wouldnt have had to endure three days of him fleeing the scene, washing the truck, hiding the truck he would have been found right away, Dawn Morisette added. We have no idea what happened with our son, why he was hit, so if the cameras were in place, we would have had a lot more answers than we did.

Zachs brother, Rodney Morisette, says he thinks speed cameras would force people to slow down while driving through work zones.

These guys that are working on the road are putting their life on the line like my brother did, and they need some additional protection out there, said Rodney Morisette.

In June of 2023, the state house passed a bill that would allow speed cameras in work zones.

Last month, the Michigan Senate also passed the bill. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill into law on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Now, a speed camera can catch a vehicle going over 10 miles per hour, the vehicle owner will be issued a warning first then if theyre caught again, they will be given a fine of $150.

That person thats working along the road is someones brother, somebodys son those people have families too, and we have to make sure they come home safe to their family, said Rodney Morisette.

While this bill has a lot of support, there is some opposition to it.

State Senator Jeremy Moss says he believes a law enforcement officers should be issuing tickets not speed cameras.

I think speed enforcement by surveillance leaves more concerns like a ticket being issued to a car and a car owner rather than the offending driver, said Senator Moss. Tickers being issued incorrectly.

Dawn Morisette says, I know people are worried about their rights and being on camera, but if youre doing the right thing, whats the problem being on camera? Do the right thing."

The Morisettes also offered their prayers and condolences to the family of the man who was recently killed on I-75.

Chelsea resident Dominick Myers was driving home from work early Friday morning when his van slid on black ice and ended up in a pond.

Didnt actually think I would see my kids again, I was fully in the mind set of all right this is it, said Myers.

7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock sat down with Dominick Myers and he told her what happened after his van flipped over into a pond off Conway and Sibley roads in Chelsea.

I freaked out, I was looking everywhere and there was just no escaping and I was just punching the windows as hard as I could, said Dominick Myers.

As Dominick Myers was trying to escape the car, he managed to call 911 then he called his wife Kimberly Myers.

I thought this was it and the good thing is I get to talk to my wife at my last moments, Dominick Myers added.

You thought you would never see her again? Tiarra Braddock asked.

Correct, I thought I was dead, said Dominick Myers.

As Dominick Myers attempted to get the passenger van door open, he says a man appeared in the widow and was able to pull the door open from the outside.

He freaking grabbed me, swam with me, and then got me on land." He said.Without him, daddy wouldnt be here for Christmas, Id be dead.

Once he got home, Dominick Myers said he wanted to thank the man who said saved him but he didnt know his name was or how to get in touch with him.

At that point, his wife, Kimberly Myers stepped in and made a Facebook post explaining what happened and asked people to help her find the good samaritan.

Hearing him on the other side saying Im scared, Im going to die, knowing someone is willing to jump in means a lot, said Kimberly Myers.

The Myers were able to find the name of the man but they havent had the change to reconnect with him in person yet.

Any message in case he might be watching to the person who pulled you from that water? Tiarra Braddock asked.

To come out, to get in the water and just grab me, and take me to safety thats heroic, thats a true hero, I have four kids, I have a wife, my kids are all toddlers, young kids, they wouldve grown up without a dad, thanks to you they have a father, said Dominick Myers.

The van was the Myers family only way of transportation. They are asking for some help to get another van or car. You can donate to their Go Fund Me.

The wife of slain Oakland County Sheriffs Deputy Bradley Reckling spoke out on Friday about bail reform laws.

Had some of these decisions been different, had his bond not been reduced, maybe Brad would have been here, and I would still have my husband, and my children would still have their dad, said Jacqueline Reckling, widow of Bradley Reckling.

VIDEO: Acqueline Reckling speaks after news conference VIDEO: Acqueline Reckling speaks after news conference

Jacqueline Reckling is talking about the 18-year-old man accused of shooting and killing her husband.

VIDEO: Who are the suspects in the murder of Bradley Reckling Who are the suspects in the murder of Bradley Reckling

Deputy Bradley Reckling was gunned down back in June as he was following a stolen vehicle with three suspects inside of it.

One of those suspects got out of the vehicle and opened fire.

Holidays are coming up, which are really tough; its a time of joy and celebrating family, and instead, we just have a really big hole in ours, said Jacqueline Reckling.

According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, at the time of Recklings murder, two of the three suspects were out on bond for other alleged crimes. Those crimes included armed robbery and carrying a concealed weapon.

If you committed a violent crime you need to be behind bars for the publics safety and for the victims of your previous crimes, said Bouchard.

Currently, state lawmakers are discussing bills that would require judges to take a defendants ability to pay into consideration when setting cash bail.

We need to be very careful about incarcerating someone before the sentence is handed down, said State Representative Luke Meerman.

Meerman is one of the lawmakers sponsoring the bail reform bills.

He says the laws would prevent putting suspects in non-violent crimes who cant afford high bond in jail.

Bail should be there in order to keep people out of our communities who are a danger to our community and if there not a danger to our community, then we dont need to use bail in that case, said Meerman.

The ACLU of Michigan sent 7 News Detroit this statement when it comes to bail reform laws in the state.

Cash bail is about forcing people to pay money to purchase their freedom when they have been charged with a crime, but remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.  For decades, Michigan courts have abused cash bail and locked up countless poor people, simply because they cannot afford to pay, as they await trial for minor offenses like driving without a license or disorderly conduct.  Bail reform in Detroit has proven the point: in Detroit, bail is no longer used to lock people up just because they are poor and during the time since reform began, violent crime in Detroit has plummeted.  One ACLU client locked up behind a $200 cash bail for sleeping in a park after dark missed a CPS hearing and wound up losing custody of his children.  This type of thing destroys the fabric of our community, wrecks the economic lives of low-income families, and causes recidivism.  The bills pending before the legislature will make Michiganders more safe, not less, by eliminating such abuses, while still preserving judicial discretion to require cash bond in cases where there is evidence that a person charged with a crime presents a flight risk or a danger to the public.  Scaremongering by those who oppose these commonsense reforms does not change these facts. 

Meanwhile, Jacqueline Reckling says while lawmakers are considering changes to bail laws, more needs to be done to keep violent offenders behind bars.

I think its really important to bring awareness to the fact that the decisions that these judges are making, they impact life and death, Reckling said.

Where Your Voice Matters

In Michigan, the fine for passing a stopped school bus is between $100 to $500. If a couple of bills are signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, that money could be going back to schools.

RELATED STORY: These are Michigan school bus laws and safety tips ahead of kids going back to school These are Michigan school bus laws and safety tips ahead of kids going back to school

You know, I think its a great idea, said Superintendent Dr. Alena Zachary-Ross with Ypsilanti Public Schools.

The bills propose that school districts would have to use the money for transportation safety-related purposes.

We receive lots of supplemental funds for teachers and for administrators, but oftentimes we cant use those funds for our transportation staff, and they are so integral in our school districts, said Dr. Zachary-Ross.

She says that funding could help their district get bus cameras that would capture offending drivers.

Some districts in the state already have the cameras.

Thats important that that legislation brings about that equity for all districts, said Zachery-Ross, adding she hopes these laws also deter people from passing stopped school buses.

Shes not the only one who hopes that.

We got to take care of our kids. There shouldnt be people that just disregard safety, said Travis Taylor of Ann Arbor.

Taylor has two kids in Ann Arbor Public Schools. He watches his kids get on and off the bus every day and has witnessed many cars pass the buses. At one point, he decided to start recording the cars and post the videos online to raise awareness.

Raw video shows drivers passing while school bus is stopped

Nobody cares; its just not important to people. They'd rather get to Starbucks 10 seconds earlier instead of stopping and wait for a child to get on a school bus, said Taylor.

You just want to make sure your kids are safe? Tiarra Braddock asked. 

Yeah, absolutely. Thats my concern, said Taylor. Thats the only reason why I do this.

I also spoke with Officer Mark Kelso from the Ann Arbor Police Department, who shared what officers typically see when it comes to drivers and school buses.

When the stop sign is out, when all the lights are flashing red, what we typically see is if one person goes through the red signals, a lot of times the other vehicles traveling behind it will continue to follow along as well, said Kelso.

Meanwhile, Taylor has this message for drivers.

Stop, just stop. Take 10 seconds out of your busy day. Theres 25-plus children on a school bus just stop," said Taylor.

Sunday marked opening day for most of the ski resorts in metro Detroit.

Its the first day that we can snowboard of the year, I figured I better get some sweet runs in, said Evan Little of Flat Rock.

Little and his friend, Braylen Crump, have been snowboarding since they were little kids and couldnt wait for Alpine Valley to open.

Ive been checking the website for the last week knowing its going to come up cause of snow and stuff, said Crump.

7 News Detroit reporter Tiarra Braddock also Andy Belliotti and his daughter Jolene who spent hours on the slopes.

 Im a season pass, I love snowboarding, said Andy Belliotti of Waterford.

Its awesome, said Jolene Belliotti of Waterford.

For the ski resorts in our area, weather impacts when they open.

The National Weather Service says October in metro Detroit was warmer and drier than normal.

Im just grateful that theres a such thing as snow making machines and I want one for my backyard looks like theres a good 10-12 inches of base so theres plenty of it now, said Trevor Hahnefled of Highland.

Speaking of snow making machines, at the Mt. Brighton Ski Resort, the workers there fired up their snow machines on Sunday.

Mt. Brighton isnt open just yet, were told their opening day depends on how much snow they have out on the slopes.

Mt. Holly Resort in Holly and Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard Resort Ski in Clarkston are also open for the season.

Its been three since the Oxford High School shooting that happened on Nov. 30, 2021. The shooting not only impacted those directly involved; it also took a toll on the entire Oxford community.

It really, really hit home for a lot of people, said Jamie Ayers, director of victim services for Common Ground.

Common Ground opened up the All for Oxford Resiliency Center one year after the shooting that killed Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madison Baldwin and Justin Shilling.

Seven other students and one teacher were also injured.

Were here to offer as many different pathways to healing as possible for as long as the community needs that support, said Ayers.

Ayers says she spoke to community members about how they want to remember victims and survivors on the day of the shooting and they came up with Light up Oxford with Love

That is lighting a candle or lighting a luminary wherever youre at, said Ayers. So really this gives an opportunity for people to come together wherever theyre at in their healing journey and be together with the community and a lot of people want to be with their community as they are remembering this day.

Ayers has this message for the families of the victims.

I think its important for them to know that their community is surrounding them not only today but always, Ayers added.

If people need help, where can they find it? I asked asked.

They can contact the resiliency center and we can always get them in touch with the right resources, they can also call Common Ground, we have a 24/7 helpline, said Ayers.

Metro Detroiters came out in full force for Black Friday shopping at Twelve Oaks mall in Novi.

Brittanie Kupras from White Lake says she got up at 5 a.m. on Friday and started shopping.

For Kupras and her family, it's all about tradition.

Ive been doing this since I was like 10 years old with my parents and when I had kids, Ive been doing it with them and they love it, Kupras said.

Donald Terry from Plymouth told me he and his 16-year-old granddaughter try to go Black Friday shopping every year.

Gives me special time with her shes so busy anymore, I got to get that time in while I can. She gives me that one day a year, Terry said.

For some shoppers I spoke with, it was there first time Black Friday shopping in a long time.

They say they typically just shop online.

Im kind of hoping to see like how Black Friday shopping was when we were kids where people are like jumping on each other and fighting with each other because everybody just shops on Amazon now, but I think its so much more fun shopping in person, Kayla Muter of Livonia said.

This year, I wanted to come out and enjoy the festivities, be with more people and shop in person, Chandra Fleming said.

For many shoppers, its the deals that brought them to the mall on Black Friday.

Im coming out for the deals, the food, the people, the fun, Leah Drew of Wixom said.

I went to J.C. Penny because they were handing out these flap things for a coupon. Then I went to Kohl's because they had something for the first 500 people, said Brittanie Kupras.

Bishop J. Richard Evans and his wife Tenisia Evans of Divine Restoration Ministries in Detroit have been away food on Thanksgiving for years but this Thanksgiving its different because its the first one without the Bishop.

My husband was a great visionary, Bishop was a great visionary and I know that he is smiling down, hes seeing the vision still come to pass, and Im just grateful to be a part of it, Evans said.

Bishop J. Richard Evans, died earlier this year after a medical emergency.

Where others have gone on with their lives, were still picking up the pieces, Evans added.

Pastor Tenisia Evans says her husband was passionate about was giving back to the community.

Back in 2020, Bishop Evans and Pastor Evans started giving away one thousand free meals to people on Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving, the Evans family made sure to continue the tradition of giving out the food.

Continuing the legacy is so near and dear to my heart, its like his spirit still be here with us and I know thats what he would have wanted, Evans said.

People came to the divine restoration ministries on Harper Avenue to get food and volunteers from the church also delivered meals to people including workers at local hospitals.

I spoke to one woman who came to get a Thanksgiving meal.

This is a blessing, this church welcomed me with they arms open, just a blessing to have someone like that by our side and for our families, said Pastor Tenisia Evans.

Bishop Evans and Pastor Tenisia Evanss children were also involved in helping feed the community.

I can definitely feel his spirit, his presence, hes smiling saying thank you guys for doing something that I wouldve done, said James Evans Jr.

The Evans children say they will continue to honor their fathers legacy through serving the community.

Our children are here as well to show them how we can be a part of giving back to the community and making sure that when we get older, they follow in our footsteps, said Jenisia Evans.