(WXYZ) — Hey, you're busy — we get it.
We know a lot happens throughout the week, and you may not catch all of our stories here at WXYZ. So we've decided to gather the most talked-about stories from the past week all in one place that you can check out during your free time over the weekend.
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Here are the buzz-worthy stories from the week of August 19:
Four-day school week gaining in popularity. Could it come to more districts in Michigan?
The idea of a shortened school week. while not the norm in Michigan, is gaining in popularity but only two districts so far in Michigan are on board.
“I like the idea of a four-day school week because school can be overwhelming for small children," said parent Ashely Soper. "But on the flip side, I work full time so a four-day school week will require additional childcare which can be problematic for myself or other households.”
Jenn Robbins says it may help parents like her who could use the three-day weekend for family trips.
“I’d be kinda lot of fun. We do a lot of camping trips throughout the year so it might be nicer for that,” said Robbins.
According to the Associated Press, almost 900 districts nationwide have transitioned their school weeks.
Big Jackson in the Northwest Lower Peninsula and Republic-Michigamme are the only districts in the state to offer the option.
Local doc charged with sex crimes; accused of filming kids, adults at swim school, hospitals & more
A metro Detroit doctor is facing several charges for allegedly explicitly filming people in several different areas of hospitals, homes and other places.
Officials say they also believe the doctor recorded sexual encounters he had "with numerous women, with hospital patients who were either asleep or unconscious."
Oumair Aejaz, 40, is facing the following charges:
- One count of child sexually abusive activity
- One count of using a computer to create and or reproduce child sexually abusive material
- Two counts of capturing/recording children under the age of 18 while nude
- Two counts of capturing/recording two women over the age of 18 while nude
- Four counts of using a computer to commit a crime
It’s alleged that Aejaz placed hidden cameras in changing rooms, bathrooms, hospital rooms, closets, bedrooms, bathrooms and closets of residences he had access to.
So far, police say they have seized six computers, four phones and 15 external storage drives. One of those hard drives alone reportedly has 13,000 videos on it.
"We weren’t going to give up on her." Dee Warner's family grateful her body has been found 3 1/2 years later
Last weekend, remains were found on property belonging to Dale Warner, the husband charged in his wife's 2021 disappearance. Earlier this week, those remains were positively identified as Dee's body.
Dee sister-in-law Shelley Hardy took us to the barn on Dale and Dee Warner's Lenawee County property where remains were found on Sunday. The remains were found inside one of what is a line of anhydrous tanks.
It's a massive break in the case that immediate family has waited 3 1/2 years for, being very open about their belief that Dee's husband Dale is the one that killed her.
Shelley said they now believe Dale brought the tank into this barn after Dee's death, took off the front part, put Dee's remains inside, and welded it shut.
It was Shelley's husband, Dee's brother Gregg Hardy, who tipped police off recently that they should investigate the tanks.
"It was certainly tough for the family to face my sister’s remains in a man-made tomb done by Dale Warner, who is a very evil piece of human debris," said a tearful Gregg.
To everyone who has helped, Bock herself said, "I cannot begin to thank you guys enough for sticking by our side and believing in us when we didn’t want to believe in ourselves anymore."
Yelp ranked the top 100 pizza spots in the Midwest. This metro Detroit spot ranked No. 1
Detroit is a pizza hot spot, and so is Michigan with a variety of Detroit-style and other style pizzas throughout the state.
Yelp released its list of the top 100 pizza places in the Midwest this week, and Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park came in at No. 1.
Several other spots made the list, including Pie Sci in Detroit, Fredi the PizzaMan in Melvindale, Buddy's and Grandma Bob's in Detroit.
Church stepping up to help with hoarding situation in Center Line
Cleanup began this week of a neighborhood hoarding situation in Center Line.
Neighbors told us the build-up of trash is suffocating the block. When a few people in the area reached out to 7 News Detroit about rats and other health and safety hazards, we took a trip to see what could be done. But now, community members are answering the call and stepping in the help.
The hoarding issue is no secret to the homeowner's neighbors, but at her church, members had no idea what the woman was going home to. Now, they're helping her clear out her home.
"She’s been hoarding all sorts of garbage and junk, she pulls up multiple times of day unloading her van and everytime she pulls up the vans already full each time," said neighbor Joe Nevill.
Neighbors aren't just mad about the mess; they're also concerned for the homeowner. Neighbors have reached out to the city and police for welfare checks and complaints as this decade-long issue is coming to a head.
Harvest Time Christian Fellowship members got a dumpster, and spent all Monday, chipping away at the mess.
Inside Midnight Golf Program's profound impact on metro Detroit youth
Midnight Golf Program has had a profound impact on youth in Metro Detroit. While they learn to golf, that is just an avenue to prepare them for college and life.
These young men and women had to compete against 2,000 student applicants to become one of 250 high school seniors selected for the annual Midnight Golf Program.
The program has impacted the lives of at least 5,000 students since it began in 2001. For many like Brandon Poplar, it was life changing.
“In high school I was not on track to graduate, I ended my high school career with a 2.5 GPA, and I did not think I was going to make it to college,” said Alumni Brandon Poplar.
Brandon is now a Junior at Delaware State University.
“I did not think it was possible for a Black male from Pontiac, Michigan, to be able to go into corporate America to do big things to go into college and make something of it,” said Poplar.
Community worried as radioactive waste heads for Wayne County landfill
The Wayne Disposal facility, just off I-94 in Van Buren Township, is a hazardous landfill run by Republic Services, who confirmed over the phone to 7 News Detroit reporter Faraz Javed that they will be processing radioactive waste, which will be making its way from New York next month until January 2025.
"I don't like that. I got my kids living next door, grandkids, and our neighbors," said Bonnie Coughlin, a Van Buren Township resident.
Coughlin has lived in Van Buren Township for decades. Her home is a mile away from the landfill.
"It's always been scary what they dump there," said Coughlin.
The waste is all set to come from the Niagra Falls Storage site that dates back to the 1940s, where the Lewiston, New York facility became a primary storage location for byproducts associated with uranium ore refining for atomic bombs as part of the Manhattan Project.
"I just want to know how harmful this is? And how are they going to put that over there?" said Coughlin.
In a statement to 7 News Detroit, Both Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and State Representative Reggie Miller describe the size of the contaminated waste as 6,000 cubic yards of soil and concrete and 4,000 gallons of groundwater with elevated radiation.
