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?
Smoke from Canadian wildfires could impact metro Detroit later today. Here's the rest of your forecast.
Friday: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain or storms. Warmer highs in the upper 70s. Winds: WNW 10-15 mph
Saturday: A bit cooler with sunny skies and a light breeze.
Sunday: Sunny skies with temps back in the 70s.
Any traffic issues?
So far, no major traffic issues this morning. Be sure to check our live traffic map here.
The top stories to know about
Program for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer's being cut in Waterford Township
The Encore Adult Day Service program in Waterford Township has been helping adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s for 40 years.
The township says they will be shutting the program down on August 27th.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do if Encore really does close,” said Reimer whose mom goes to Encore.
Reimer’s mother, Shirly Watts, has been going to the Encore day program for the past 7 years.
Watts has both dementia and Alzheimer’s.
“Encore provides me the peace of mind knowing that she got someone caring for her and interacting with and letting me live a piece of normal life,” said Reimer.
“I was shocked because I know there’s such a need for care for people who are getting older, living longer lives, and with the increase in Alzheimer’s and dementia, it’s a needed service for the community,” said Reimer.
Reimer isn’t the only one concerned about what to do once Encore closes on August 27th
“It’s very discouraging that they’re discontinuing it for the city of Waterford,” said Patrica Post, whose mom goes to the Encore program.
Waterford Township Supervisor Anthony Bartolotta says they don’t have enough employees to support the program, and the building isn’t equipped to host the seniors with memory loss.
“Legally and financially, we just couldn’t do it, and it breaks our hearts to have to shut it down, but this is something as a township representative that we had to take our feelings out of it and do the right thing for the taxpayers in Waterford,” said Bartolotta.
Ann Arbor grocery store on mission to support local farmers
A grocery store in Ann Arbor is changing the way we think about food by focusing exclusively on local items and giving farmers a significant financial boost.
Argus Farm Stop, which opened in 2014, now operates three locations in Ann Arbor, including two markets and a cafe.
The store's mission is to support farmers throughout Michigan by providing them with a much larger percentage of sales than traditional grocery stores.
"We are a year-round, everyday farmers market. We exist to help farmers, producers, and growers here locally have a spot to sell their stuff 7 days a week," said Laura Matney, general manager of Argus Farm Stop.
Nearly everything on the shelves, the vegetables, eggs, meat, and even items like flowers, beer and coffee beans, was made or grown in Michigan.
Signs around the store remind shoppers where their money is going, highlighting a key difference in their business model.
"In a traditional grocery store, farmers on average are getting maybe 15 cents on the dollar, and so we really are trying to flip that paradigm," said Matney.
Farmers who sell at Argus Farm Stop set their own prices and make 70% of the sale, while the store keeps the other 30%.
"The way this works for us is there's no middle distribution piece. The farmers pull right up to our store. Our goal is not to exist to make a bunch of profit. Our goal is really to exist a little over break even and send the money back to farmers, growers, producers, staff, and keep the lights on," said Matney.
The store has grown from supporting 40 local producers to over 300 since opening in 2014. One of those producers is Green Things Farm Collective located in Ann Arbor and known for their vegetables, flowers, and beef cattle.
New romance novel bookstore Mon Coeur opens in Canton
A new bookstore dedicated exclusively to romance novels has opened its doors in Canton, joining a growing trend of specialty bookshops popping up across Michigan and the country.
Mon Coeur, owned by Carolyn Haering, offers romance book lovers a dedicated space to find their next favorite read and connect with fellow enthusiasts.
Haering was inspired to open her own romance bookstore after visiting a similar shop in New York.
"I was, like, I love every single book here. I know if I pick something up, I'm going to be really excited about it," Haering said.
The store has already attracted customers from across metro Detroit, including book clubs looking for their next great read.
"I love it, I think it's so cool," said Miriam Kurt, who visited the store with members of her book club. "I have seen other stores like this in different states like New York and Florida, but I never thought Michigan would be lucky enough to get one."
Mon Coeur isn't Michigan's first romance-only bookstore. A shop called "Read My Lips" has found success in Marquette, and its owners recently announced plans to open a location in Birmingham soon.
When asked about the sustainability of a niche bookstore concept, Haering emphasized the enduring popularity of the romance genre.
"Well, romance books have been around forever. I mean, they used to have, like, Fabio on the cover, right? And so this isn't a new genre, this isn't a new kind of market, this is just a market that people have kind of like pushed aside and people didn't really want to talk about, and now it's becoming easier for people to be able to talk about their favorite romance authors or their favorite romance books without feeling judged or feeling icky about it," Haering said.
Beyond books, Mon Coeur also sells locally made apparel and merchandise. Haering envisions the store as a community gathering space.
