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Morning Briefing July 5 2021: 1 dead in sudden Warren house explosion, some restrictions eased today for Canadians crossing US border

Here are this morning’s top stories

Fire crews respond to reported house explosion in Warren on July 4, 2021. (WDIV)

1 dead, multiple residences damaged in Warren house explosion

A house explosion claimed the life of one and impacted many others living on Villa Pointe Drive in Warren Sunday evening.

Authorities said that at about 6:12 p.m., for some reason, a double condo suddenly blew up out of nowhere. Neighbors shot cell phone video that captured how intense the flames were following the initial explosion.

See the report here.


Today: Some restrictions eased for Canadians, permanent residents crossing US border

Canada has eased some travel restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents crossing the U.S. border.

Canadian citizens and permanent Canadian residents may begin entering Canada without quarantining afterward on July 5 if they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. This announcement does not apply to U.S. citizens and residents traveling to Canada.

Learn more here.


🚨 Unidentified man found shot in street on Detroit’s west side


Search back on after rest of South Florida condo demolished

Rescuers were given the all-clear to resume work looking for victims at a collapsed South Florida condo building after demolition crews set off a string of explosives that brought down the last of the building in a plume of dust.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told the Associated Press that the demolition went “exactly as planned” around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

Crews immediately began clearing some of the new debris so rescuers could start making their way into parts of the underground garage that is of particular interest. Once there, they were hoping to get a clearer picture of voids that may exist in the rubble as they search for 121 people believed to be trapped under the fallen wing of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside that collapsed June 24.

Read the report here.


Tropical Storm Elsa headed to landfall on central Cuba coast

Tropical Storm Elsa swept along Cuba’s southern coast early Monday, and forecasters said it could make landfall on the island’s central shore by mid-afternoon.

By Sunday, Cuban officials had evacuated 180,000 people as a precaution against the possibility of heavy flooding from a storm that already battered several Caribbean islands, killing at least three people.

Read more here.


💰 Money Monday: How to sign up for Medicare


The Michigan Connection: How a near-fatal shooting on Mackinac Island changed medical knowledge forever

On June 24, 1880, Alexis St. Martin died. He was 78 years old. While St. Martin might not be a name everyone is familiar with, the medical knowledge humanity gained from him shaped the world and you most certainly know the name of the other party in this story: Dr. William Beaumont.

There aren’t many Michiganders whose name and legacy are easily as identifiable through one name. It’s basically Ford, Beaumont, Eminem and Madonna.

Read the featured story here.


Get Caught Up: Who can enter Michigan’s COVID vaccine sweepstakes, how to sign up, prize list, full details

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer broke down the details of Michigan’s new COVID vaccine sweepstakes, including who can enter, how to sign up, what prizes are available and more.

“This is going to be a chance for Michiganders to get registered and to be eligible for $5 million in cash prizes and college scholarships,” Whitmer said.

The governor said the sweepstakes will be “a great tool in our arsenal to fight COVID.”

Learn more here.


Weather: Bonus holiday brings heavy heat, humidity


COVID in Michigan 💉

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 894,957 as of Friday, and the state announced a total of 19,754 deaths.

Friday’s update includes 101 new COVID cases, while the updated number of COVID-related deaths is four fewer than the 19,758 total deaths that the state announced Thursday.

Here is what the state said about the death count decreasing from Thursday to Friday:

“Corrections made to the provisional case data resulted in a reduction of the cumulative confirmed death total to 19,754.”

Also announced Friday, the state said COVID data will be only be posted twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The state had previously updated COVID-19 every day on Monday through Friday. The next data report should be expected on Tuesday, July 6.

Testing has been steady around 20,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 1.5% as of Friday, near the lowest on record, but a slight increase in the last week. Hospitalizations have declined over the last several weeks, now near the lowest point since the start of the pandemic.

The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 144 on Friday. The 7-day death average was 8 on Friday, the lowest since March. The state’s fatality rate is 2.2%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 10,000 on Friday.

Michigan has reported more than 9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Friday, with 61.9% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 54.1% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Here’s a look at more of the data:


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About the Author
Cassidy Johncox headshot

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

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