(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?
Today: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of a shower. Skies should clear up by the evening with highs in the low 80s. Winds: WNW 10-15 mph.
Tonight: Clearing skies and falling temps with lows in the 50s and low 60s across the area. Winds: SSW 5-10 mph
Friday: Partly to mostly sunny with drier air and cooler temps. Highs will be in the mid to upper 70s. Winds: NE 5-10 mph.
The top stories to know about
Church community rallies against violence after McDonald's employee's death
A Detroit church community is making their voices heard following the stabbing death of Jennifer Harris, a McDonald's employee, mother of six and longtime church usher.
Friends and family gathered at Divine Restoration Ministries for an anti-violence rally, saying enough is enough after Harris' life was taken too soon.
"It's time to stop bleeding and it's time to take our city back," said Dr. Tenisia Evans, lead pastor for Divine Restoration Ministries.
Evans emphasized this isn't just a one-day rally but a movement. The gathering came about a week after Harris was stabbed to death at her Eastpointe McDonald's job.
"People are saying 'are you doing it because it hit home this time?' I'm doing it because I don't want it to hit anyone else's home," Evans said.
"That was like an auntie to me. She watched me grow up. And the way that she passed away, that shouldn't have happened," 12-year-old Johnathan Evans said.
Johnathan was joined by 16-year-old Jaliyah Stiell at the anti-violence rally.
"It's kind of sad because I'm only 17 still and there's so much I see every day and so much I hear every day that I should not be hearing, but to come out here and to support something I really care about, really believe, really enjoy doing," Stiell said.
Storms bring heavy rainfall, flooding streets and buildings in metro Detroit
Multiple communities across metro Detroit dealt with rising waters as flash flooding warnings were issued for Oakland and Macomb counties Wednesday.
In Oakland Township at the intersection of Orion and Collins roads near the former Paint Creek Cider Mill, heavy rainfall turned much of the area into what looked like a small lake. Water covered the intersection making it impassable for cars.
Oakland County sheriff’s deputies closed Orion and Collins roads to traffic as they waited for the water to subside. People planning to travel through that area were encouraged to take an alternate route.
The roads reopened Wednesday night.
Drivers are urged not to drive through flooding as it can be extremely dangerous.
Oakland Township resident Eric Werner, who was originally alerted to the flooding by his wife, says he saw several cars that tried to go through it and that didn't pan out.
"Cars were stuck right in the middle of it, some smaller ones that decided to brave it, but that didn't work out so well," Werner said.
Summer sailing camp helps fill gap for metro Detroit kids with autistic
Sailing camp creates unique opportunities for children with autism. A new sailing camp on Cass Lake is filling a gap for families of children with autism, offering a rare opportunity for kids to learn sailing skills in a supportive environment.
Spectrum Sailing, which has expanded to 12 cities across the country, has partnered with the Community Sailing School on Cass Lake to provide a three-day camp experience specifically designed for children with autism.
"This year, we're expanding to a number of new cities. We have 12 across the country and Detroit is one of those new cities we're adding to our camp," said Scott Herman, the founder of Spectrum Sailing.
Herman, a sailor himself, created the program seven years ago after discovering there were no sailing camps available for his son with autism in their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.
"Spread throughout the country, and clubs called me and asked if we could bring it on the road," Herman said.
For 13-year-old Vincent Larkins, Wednesday marked his first time on a sailboat.
"I learned that it's actually really easy to control a sail when you get the hang of it even though there's lots of parts and stuff," Vincent said.
