(WXYZ) — 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?
Rounds of wet weather returns with rain and storm chances at times through tonight. If it rains Friday, it will be early. Temps are up tomorrow and then a bit cool into the weekend.
Today: Rain is expected and thunder is possible as well. Heavy rain at times is possible with common amounts around a half inch. Highs in the low 70s with south winds of 10-20 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy, a few lingering showers ending overnight. Lows near 50° to the low 50s. Winds: W 10-20 mph.
Friday: Mostly cloudy with a slight shower chance. Highs in the low to mid 60s. Winds: W 10-20 mph.
The top stories to know about
'A very sick joke': 2 swatting incidents take place in Southeast Michigan in one night
A 70-year-old Westland man found his house surrounded by police and SWAT team members after someone made a fake emergency call claiming violence at his home.
Westland police responded to Cherry Hill Road on Tuesday night following a disturbing call to their non-emergency line.
"Listen to me: I'm going to do a bad thing," the caller told police.
"OK, what's going on, sir?" police responded.
"I have my wife tied up hostage and my daughter," the caller claimed.
When police arrived at the address provided, they found Clifford Laskosky, who quickly informed them he was alone in the home.
"I said I'm a 70-year-old man, I'm retired, I live alone and there's no commotion at this residence," Laskosky said.
The incident is a clear example of "swatting," when someone makes a false report to police that leads specifically the SWAT team to someone's location.
A similar swatting call was also made to Monroe police on Tuesday night.
"We were in some ways glad that what was reported was untrue, but we're certainly frustrated with the process we had to go through to find that out," said Chad Tolstedt, director of public safety for the city of Monroe.
Tolstedt warned that people who make swatting calls can be charged with making a false report, which is a felony.
Detroit police crack down on speeding after car goes airborne in southwest neighborhood
A 22-year-old driver was arrested for drunk driving after speeding through a southwest Detroit neighborhood, going airborne over a curb, and crashing into a tree.
The driver blew three times over the legal limit and had allegedly rear-ended another driver a block away before fleeing that scene, according to police.
The incident, which happened last week, prompted an immediate response from the Detroit Police Department.
In just four days since the crash, officers have made more than 70 traffic stops and written more than 100 tickets in the area.
"We do a lot of enforcement on this corner because of the running of the stop signs and the speeding, and we recently have done a lot more enforcement because of the incident itself," Holderbaum said.
Neighbors in the area have been concerned about reckless driving for months. In August, another driver lost control and crashed into resident Javier Martinez's front porch, causing damage that still remains.
The North Toledo Block Club has been pushing for ways to slow down traffic in the neighborhood. Despite the installation of a speed hump and numerous traffic signs, speeding continues to be a problem.
"We need people to slow down, pay attention, really be mindful of the neighborhood," said Raquel Garcia, a resident and member of the North Toledo Block Club.
Cat reunited with owner after 3 years, found 10 miles from home
A Michigan woman has been reunited with her beloved cat after three years apart, when the feline was discovered at a McDonald's parking lot nearly 10 miles from home.
Ella Bennett couldn't believe her eyes when she spotted what looked like her long-lost cat Buddy in a Facebook post by the Lenawee County Humane Society.
"It's absolutely insane that he survived that long," Bennett said.
The indoor-outdoor cat had disappeared in 2022, leaving his owner wondering if she would ever feel his "sandpaper kisses" again.
"We kept hoping he would be back, but then it was a couple days too long than usual, so that's when we started to get worried," Bennett said.
Despite years passing without any sign of Buddy, Bennett maintained hope.
The breakthrough came when Bennett was scrolling through Facebook and spotted a cat that looked remarkably similar to Buddy in a post from the Lenawee County Humane Society.
"I immediately sent it to my grandma, I was like, 'that looks just like Buddy,' and I posted a picture of him on there, and I was like, 'Do you think that could be him?'" Bennett said.
The cat had been found severely matted at a McDonald's in Adrian, approximately 10 miles from Bennett's home.
Sasha Wilkerson with the Lenawee County Humane Society said they were able to confirm Buddy's identity through pet records, previous photos, and his reaction to Bennett.
