Here at 7 News Detroit, we want to make sure you start your day off on the right foot, informed about weather, traffic, the latest news and more. That's why we have the 7 Morning Digest, where we'll get you out the door informed and ready to go.
What's the weather for today?
This morning, there may be some foggy spots. The sun should return for most of the day Friday. Saturday afternoon there could be a shower.
Friday: Partly to mostly sunny and warmer with highs in the low 80s. Winds: Variable around 5 mph.
Saturday: Partly to mostly cloudy with a shower or storm chance in the afternoon and evning. The rain chance is 30% in Detroit and south and a little higher to the north. Winds: SW 5-10 mph.
The top stories to know about
'Get it done.' Michigan budget delays putting free school meals in jeopardy
Michigan legislators have failed to approve a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, leaving the future of free school breakfast and lunch programs uncertain for students across metro Detroit.
We reported earlier in the week about where the budget stands, and heard the outrage from residents firsthand.
The self-imposed July 1 deadline for budget approval has long passed, and with no agreement in sight, free meal programs could end when the fiscal year begins October 1.
Parents and educators expressed significant worry about what the budget delay means for students who rely on school meals.
"So many kids relied on that program in particular for being their source of any kind of nutrition whatsoever," said Shawn Udovich, a local educator.
Mark Stewart, a parent, emphasized the program's importance beyond just providing food. "You cannot get rid of it altogether because it does benefit the students and it helps the grades in the school," Stewart said.
Another parent, Jessica Castaneda, questioned how families would manage without the program.
"So all those families that utilize those programs like that, how are they gonna be able to feed their children?" Castaneda asked.
In Lansing on Thursday, a joint resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Jamie Thompson to withhold legislators' pay if a budget isn't passed by July 1 each year was voted down on the House floor.
"This should've been done a long time ago, this should not have dragged to all summer long," Thompson said.
Critics of the resolution argued it wouldn't address the current crisis since it would only take effect next year or the year after.
"The majority party that's in charge of getting the budget done doesn't have a plan. This was just theater, this was more of the same," said Rep. Ranjeev Puri, a Democrat from the 24th District.
Without a finalized budget, not only would free school meals end on October 1, but nonessential state government services would also shut down.
The political blame game continues between parties. House Speaker Matt Hall, a Republican, claimed Democrats "are not feeling urgency on getting a budget done."
When asked what message he had for concerned residents, Rep. Puri responded, "We're telling them to call Matt Hall and stop the Matt Hall government shut down."
For parents and educators, the political wrangling is secondary to their immediate concerns about the approaching school year.
"School has started ... in some districts already. So, you know, to call this late, it's late. We need to get it done," Udovich said. "Get it done."
Burton teen's stomach ache leads to life-saving liver transplant
A 16-year-old from Burton is sharing his story of survival after receiving a life-saving liver transplant earlier this year, hoping to raise awareness about acute liver failure in young people.
Nathaniel Jolly was just 15 when what seemed like a simple case of the stomach flu at a bowling match turned into a medical emergency that nearly cost him his life. Within nine days of first feeling nauseous, Jolly received a liver transplant at DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan in January.
"Once we were going down to the OR, I was like I might not come out of this," Jolly said.
The rising high school junior remembers the bowling match that changed everything.
"We were there for just a regular match. I think we were going against Atherton," Jolly said. "I just went to the bathroom. So I come back, I'm like, I don't feel good again, so I went back. That time I threw up. And my mom was like, Alright, we're going home."
But by the time he got home, Nathaniel was quickly getting worse. His mother, Angel Jolly, noticed something alarming.
"I looked up and I saw that he was jaundice yellow," Angel Jolly said.
She immediately took him to the nearest emergency room in Flint, where doctors decided he needed to be transported to DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.
"It was so overwhelming with doctors coming in and out the first couple days, I didn't know if my head could take any more, to be honest. It was freaky, scary," Angel Jolly said.
The situation escalated rapidly. Sunday was the first time she heard the words "liver transplant." By Thursday, Nathaniel was on the donor transplant list, and by Friday, there was a match.
Dr. Najeeb Zoubi, a pediatric gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist, explained that Nathaniel had acute liver failure.
"We think that maybe a virus of unknown name might have attacked the liver, and then when it attacks it, the liver gets destroyed, but we call it acute liver failure because it gets destroyed very fast. Within a couple of weeks, the liver can die," Zoubi said.
Zoubi says Nathaniel's situation is very uncommon, especially for someone so young, which is why it was important for him to share his story.
Detroit school buses get new cameras to catch drivers who don't stop for kids
Detroit Public Schools Community District buses are now equipped with high-tech cameras designed to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, putting student safety at risk as the new school year begins Monday.
The camera system uses artificial intelligence to capture violations across eight lanes of traffic, automatically zooming in on license plates to issue $295 tickets to vehicle owners who fail to stop when buses display their stop signs with red flashing lights. DPSCD Public Safety will review suspected violations before a citation is issued
"It's not about the money; it's about saving student lives," Aaron Walter said.
Walter, executive director of transportation at Detroit Public Schools Community District, explained how the new technology works during a demonstration of the bus-mounted cameras.
"The bus has eight cameras, so we'll capture video and pictures of the violation. It will zoom in on the license plate and that's how a ticket is issued," Walter said.
According to Michigan law, drivers must stop at least 20 feet away when a school bus displays its stop sign with red flashing lights. This requirement applies to all traffic on both sides of the road, unless there's a divided highway.
The cameras represent a significant enforcement upgrade for protecting students. Previously, police officers had to witness violations in person to issue citations.
