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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 big stories from the week beginning July 14.
Royal Oak approves new parking system to replace confusing stations
Royal Oak is overhauling its downtown parking system after city council members voted Monday to install new pay stations and introduce a different mobile app starting in January.
The city will transition to a parking system called Flowbird and a mobile app called Park Mobile, replacing the current Municipal Parking Services system that began in 2021.
"If you've had issues with parking, that's acknowledged, that's noted, just know that your feedback was received," City Manager Joe Gacioch said.
The new system will significantly reduce the number of parking stations throughout downtown.
"I think it's about 150 pay stations will replace over 450 MPS stations, or MPS parking pilots. So that's a big change," Gacioch said.
The change comes as welcome news to both visitors and residents who have struggled with the current system.
One major change will be the elimination of back-in parking that's currently required on Washington Avenue, which has confused many drivers.
While the contract with MPS runs through Dec. 31, Gacioch said installation of new equipment could begin this fall. The changes will officially take effect on Jan. 1.
Elmwood Blessing Box celebrates new indoor food pantry in Westland
A Garden City couple is expanding their efforts to prevent hunger in the community by moving their home-based food pantry to a larger indoor location in Westland.
Elizabeth and Vincent Freeman started the Elmwood Blessing Box in 2023 after noticing food insecurity in their neighborhood. What began as a small box in front of their home has now grown into a full-fledged pantry with a new location on Joy Road near Inkster Road in Westland.
"We saw our neighbors that were working-class families and they were still struggling to buy groceries. So we thought of this idea that we'd just put a little box out front, so they could come and get food as they needed it," Elizabeth Freeman said.
The couple quickly realized the need was much greater than they initially anticipated.
"We even moved to cabinets, refrigerators — that's how much of a demand is out there," Vincent Freeman said.
The Freemans held an open house Tuesday to showcase their new indoor location, which will allow them to serve more people with fresh food, non-perishables and resources such as hygiene items.
The new space solves logistical challenges the couple faced when operating from their home.
"Before, we were stocking twice a day and we had our backstock in the living room — we didn't have a living room," Elizabeth Freeman said. "So now, anything we have available will be available to the community. They don't have to wait until we stock."
Dearborn puts restrictions on short-term rentals in unanimous city council decision
Dearborn is now joining the chorus of towns and cities across the country putting restrictions on short-term rentals. The new ordinance will only allow homes to be listed on Airbnb and VRBO that are in the east and west downtown areas.
The purpose is to make sure neighborhoods still feel communal and safe.
The city council made a unanimous decision last night. But the community's response is not so cut and dry.
Short-term rental hosts fought back, saying their properties are cleaner and better maintained than most, with little to no complaints.
This comes as residents argue about the nuisance of loud parties, people unknowingly parking on the wrong side of the street, and the constant flow of people making them feel unsafe.
"When a neighbor's home goes up for sale, I feel an immediate sense of anxiety," said Cynthia Pulaski. "Who will move in? Will they be someone I feel safe with, someone I can learn to respect and be an asset to my family's well-being? Airbnb robs us of that outcome and replaces it with cyclical anxiety."
"We've had long-term renters next door to us for 22 years, we’ve cut their grass for them, we've got rats because of them, and the general maintenance is not great because of it," said Sarina Thouraya. "We've also got two Airbnbs and we never would've known they were there."
The new restrictions will take effect on January 1, 2026.
Summer sailing camp helps fill gap for metro Detroit kids with autism
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.
'A real-life angel': Pizza delivery driver saves elderly woman who fell in her Warren home
A Jet's Pizza delivery driver in Warren went above and beyond his duties Wednesday when he found an elderly woman had fallen inside her home and couldn't get up.
Aamir Ali was making a routine delivery late Wednesday in the area of Garrick Avenue and Dequindre Road when he noticed something wasn't right. After knocking on the delivery's door with no response, despite lights being on and a dog barking inside, Ali took extra steps that likely saved the woman's life.
"I'm just glad to be at the right place at the right time — that's it," Ali said.
Instead of following standard procedure to leave the food after several attempts, Ali decided to go the extra mile and call the number on the order. The call was answered by Danielle Ratliff in Seattle, who had just ordered the pizza for her elderly mother in Warren.
"It's a wonderful thing too when you're so far away and you can't do everything on your own to have someone that doesn't know anything just stick around," Ratliff said.
With Ratliff's permission, Ali looked through the window after returning to her residence and made a startling discovery.
"The barking of the dog really caught my attention, so I looked a little harder and the mom was on the floor," Ali said.
The woman was barely conscious and unable to move. Ali immediately called 911.
But Ali's assistance didn't stop there. He returned to the home a third time to ensure the woman's dog was taken care of with Rose's help. During that visit, he also noticed the woman's belongings had been left behind.
"So not only did he come back three times, but he then went to the hospital and brought her all her belongings," Rose said.
Michigan erases $144 million in medical debt for more than 210,000 Michigan residents
Michigan has eliminated $144 million in medical debt for more than 210,000 residents as part of a state initiative announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday.
The debt relief comes through a partnership with the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt, which purchases medical debt for pennies on the dollar.
"We believe that getting sick or getting hurt shouldn't have to mean going broke," Whitmer said.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist noted the widespread impact of medical debt in the state, saying, "We estimate that there are more than 700,000 adults who carry medical debt. That's more than the combined populations of Grand Rapids, plus Lansing, plus Ann Arbor."
The initiative aims to address cases like that of Naqua Atkinson, a 23-year-old who died from a severe infection after avoiding dental treatment due to fears of accumulating more medical debt.
Jenn Strebs, chairperson of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, shared Atkinson's story: "You know he had had serious diabetes most of his life, and he was suffering from a pretty severe toothache at work. And all of us were encouraging to go and get it checked out."
"It was enough debt to make him fear going for care, and that's reality for a lot of people," Strebs said.
Allison Sesso, president and CEO of Undue Medical Debt, explained how the organization operates: "We buy medical debt for pennies on the dollar. One dollar gets rid of at least 100 dollars of medical debt. That's not magic, that's math. There is a for-profit market for medical debt that we take advantage of."
