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?
An Air Quality Advisory remains in effect through 12 p.m. today.
Friday: Only limited sun with a few possible sprinkles. Highs will be in the low to mid 70s. Winds: NE 5-10 mph.
Saturday: Partly sunny with highs in the mid 70s. Winds: NNE 5-10 mph.
Any traffic issues?
We do have a car crash along westbound I-94 at M-39 and there are also ramps closed from M-39 to westbound I-94 due to the crash. Be sure to check our live traffic map here.
The top stories to know about
Waterford man lost his friends in a house fire nearly 60 years ago. Now, he’s buying their gravestones.
Bob Russako has lived in the Waterford area all his life, with cheerful childhood memories around every corner. His neighborhood was magic, and so were the days spending time with the Browns, who lived just around the corner—a mom with five kids, all full of life.
But January 5, 1966, is a day that stifled the joy heard on these streets. An early morning fire ripped through the Brown family’s house on Arcadia Park Drive, tragically killing four of the children: 15-year-old Katheryn, 12-year-old Nancy, 9-year-old Donald and 7-year-old Julia (Julie).
Russako would be one of the pallbearers at the funeral, helping to carry the children when he was just a child himself.
“Carrying those four caskets and seeing those four holes in the ground, it was just, that's when everything kind of really sunk in,” he said.
An impromptu visit to Waterford Center Cemetery to see his old friends once again left him with questions.
“We looked around, looked around. I couldn't find any graves. And I said, 'I can't remember. They're like right here.' And then later I found out that there was no markers at all. So that's what I think, just kind of festered over the years. And I thought I got to do something about that,” he said.
And so, Russako did. He decided to buy grave markers for the four children.
But Russako needed information, birth dates. He posted to Facebook, the community responded, some remembering the tragedy, wanting to help—and then, Nancy Brown reached out.
“He was looking for dates for the kids' birthdays for the house fire. And I go, 'Larry was my husband,' and 'are you the Bob Russako that was his friend?' Because he talked about Bob and he's like, 'yeah,'” said Brown.
Brown said the kids’ mother, Barbara, would often come out to leave flowers in cement planters on their graves, but they would disappear every year.
Eventually, she let it be.
“She just kind of felt like she couldn’t afford the headstone, and she'd rather spend the money on Larry, sister Sue, so, yep, that's what she did,” she said.
Brown said she is grateful to Russako for making this happen now, almost 60 years later.
'A long way to go.' Oakland Co. prosecutor & other agencies working to stop sex traffickers
Across metro Detroit, there's a crusade to rescue those in harm's way who were forced into the life of a sex worker.
In Oakland County, more than two dozen cases are part of a crackdown that also includes more education for law enforcement agencies.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said they face challenges but are making progress in fighting human trafficking.
A new unit has brought 27 cases against traffickers since November. Some operated out of massage parlors or motels in the Southfield area.
“There’s a lot of awareness about trafficking. We still have a long way to go to educate the public," McDonald said.
She said holding a recent training for 300 law enforcement officers helped raise awareness about women who are often forced into sex work while battling addiction or coming to the U.S. for a better life. She said along with police, it takes an entire community to watch out for those who are in danger.
“Sex trafficking and labor trafficking. They are not here legally. They’re afraid to report anything," she said.
'Be a part of something.' Michigan organizations fighting to bring in younger members
Local organizations like the American Legion and Lions Club are facing membership declines as they work to attract younger generations to their ranks.
The idea for the story came to us during our Let's Talk event at Peterlin's in Farmington, where members from both organizations came out to speak with us.
Inside American Legion Post 346 in Farmington Hills, membership means much more than getting a seat at the bar.
"Helping the community, that's what we do, we do all types of fundraisers," said Eric Welter, Commander of the Sons of American Legion Post 346.
Right now, the Legion post is collecting toys for a nearby children's hospital, which the Legion Riders will deliver on June 28th.
Welter joined 10 years ago and hasn't looked back. He joined for the service and camaraderie.
But like many organizations, the Legion is fighting declining membership. Fifteen years ago, the group boasted 2.4 million members overall. Today, it has roughly 1.4 million members. In 2019, Congress passed the Legion Act, which President Trump signed into law. Instead of only allowing veterans of certain foreign wars, the act expanded membership eligibility to essentially anyone who served after 1941, allowing approximately 6 million more veterans to join. However, membership has still declined.
Recruitment has also been a challenge for the Livonia Lions Club.
"There's been big drives to get more members, but it's challenging. If you talk to just about any nonprofit around, they're having problems getting volunteers or members," said Dave Zarek, President of the Livonia Lions Club.
