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?
Today: Partly sunny with showers and afternoon storm chances - some could be strong to severe. Highs will be in the mid to upper 80s. Winds: S 5-10 mph.
Tonight: Slight chance of rain / storm continues with falling humidity. Winds: SSW 5-10 mph
Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers and storms early. Highs in the low80s. Winds: WNW 10-15 mph.
The top stories to know about
Passengers stranded on United flight tarmac in Newark for 8 hours with limited food, water
Dozens of passengers were trapped on a United Airlines tarmac in Newark for approximately eight hours Monday night before their flight to Detroit was ultimately canceled.
Flavia Deluczas was among those passengers who experienced the extended delay with limited access to food and water.
"It's just basically waiting there and not knowing what's going to happen, whether you need to rebook your flight or whether you're going to make it to your destination," Deluczas said.
The passengers were provided only basic snacks like pretzels and cookies during the lengthy delay, according to Deluczas.
"I was super thankful that I ate before I got on the plane because I would've been like seven hours without a meal," Deluczas said. "The only thing that kind of freaked me out is that they were running really low on water, so I just feel like if we would have been on there longer, it would have been a no-water situation."
United Airlines attributed the delay to severe weather conditions that impacted operations at Newark Liberty airport, which led to a ground stop to manage volume and limit congestion.
In a statement, the airline said:
"On Monday, severe weather conditions impacted operations at Newark Liberty with a ground stop issued to manage volume and limit congestion. We worked with customers on delayed or canceled flights to get them on their way as soon as possible, and we’ve added a weather waiver to give them maximum flexibility. We also encouraged customers to download our mobile app or visit united.com to check their flight status and view the latest information."
Elmwood Blessing Box celebrates new indoor food pantry in Westland
A Garden City couple is expanding their efforts to prevent hunger in the community by moving their home-based food pantry to a larger indoor location in Westland.
Elizabeth and Vincent Freeman started the Elmwood Blessing Box in 2023 after noticing food insecurity in their neighborhood. What began as a small box in front of their home has now grown into a full-fledged pantry with a new location on Joy Road near Inkster Road in Westland.
"We saw our neighbors that were working-class families and they were still struggling to buy groceries. So we thought of this idea that we'd just put a little box out front, so they could come and get food as they needed it," Elizabeth Freeman said.
The couple quickly realized the need was much greater than they initially anticipated.
"We even moved to cabinets, refrigerators — that's how much of a demand is out there," Vincent Freeman said.
The Freemans held an open house Tuesday to showcase their new indoor location, which will allow them to serve more people with fresh food, non-perishables and resources such as hygiene items.
The new space solves logistical challenges the couple faced when operating from their home.
"Before, we were stocking twice a day and we had our backstock in the living room — we didn't have a living room," Elizabeth Freeman said. "So now, anything we have available will be available to the community. They don't have to wait until we stock."
Dearborn puts restrictions on short-term rentals in unanimous city council decision
Dearborn is now joining the chorus of towns and cities across the country putting restrictions on short-term rentals. The new ordinance will only allow homes to be listed on Airbnb and VRBO that are in the east and west downtown areas.
The purpose is to make sure neighborhoods still feel communal and safe.
The city council made a unanimous decision last night. But the community's response is not so cut and dry.
Short-term rental hosts fought back, saying their properties are cleaner and better maintained than most, with little to no complaints.
This comes as residents argue about the nuisance of loud parties, people unknowingly parking on the wrong side of the street, and the constant flow of people making them feel unsafe.
"When a neighbor's home goes up for sale, I feel an immediate sense of anxiety," said Cynthia Pulaski. "Who will move in? Will they be someone I feel safe with, someone I can learn to respect and be an asset to my family's well-being? Airbnb robs us of that outcome and replaces it with cyclical anxiety."
"We've had long-term renters next door to us for 22 years, we’ve cut their grass for them, we've got rats because of them, and the general maintenance is not great because of it," said Sarina Thouraya. "We've also got two Airbnbs and we never would've known they were there."
The new restrictions will take effect on January 1, 2026.
