Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day. So, let’s get to the news.
Nearly 80,000 still without power across Metro Detroit
Nearly 80,000 DTE Energy customers remain without power across Southeast Michigan following Friday’s severe storms.
The utility says it expects to restore service to about 95% of impacted customers by the end of the day on Monday.
Many residents have reported down trees or power lines and localized flooding after Friday’s severe weather, which saw powerful thunderstorms and winds reaching upwards of 60 mph in communities like Royal Oak, Hazel Park, Detroit, West Bloomfield, Dearborn, Ann Arbor and Plymouth Township.
The Detroit Zoo also announced on Saturday that it would be closed for the holiday due to a power outage.
3 killed after car crashes into semi-truck on I-94 in Wayne County
Three people are dead after a crash involving a car and a semi-truck on I-94 late Friday night. The crash happened at around 11:44 p.m. on July 3 on eastbound I-94 near Michigan Avenue.
According to Michigan State Police, a semi-truck stopped in traffic due to flooding on the freeway when it was struck from behind by a passenger car.
Three people in the passenger car died at the scene. The surviving driver of the car was taken into custody. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, police said.
AAA: Michigan gas prices fall below $4 per gallon
Michigan drivers are getting some much welcomed relief at the gas pump as the cost for regular unleaded has fallen below $4 for the first time since April.
Michigan gas prices went down 14 cents since last week, with a gallon of unleaded fuel costing an average of $3.96. The price is about 25 cents less than drivers were paying last month, but still around 80 cents more than Michiganders paid this time last year, according to AAA.
For a 15-gallon tank of gas, that equates to an average of $59 to fill up — an increase of about $8 from 2025’s highest price reported in August.
Grosse Pointe Park attorney pleads guilty to using family’s photos for child porn material
A local attorney facing 26 felonies for using photos of family members’ faces in child sexually abusive material to view and distribute to others pleaded guilty in the case last week.
Prosecutors allege that Nelson Otto Ropke, 41, of Grosse Pointe Park, created the child pornography by pasting the faces of his family members — including his own face — onto images of children engaged in sexual acts before viewing and sharing them.
They also accused him of secretly capturing videos and pictures of himself and his ex-wife engaged in sexual acts, and sharing the materials on a website.
Weather: Seasonal start, showers fade as sunshine returns in Southeast Michigan
After a soggy start for parts of Southeast Michigan, quieter weather is settling into the region as high pressure takes control.
Scattered showers, and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm, will linger this morning near Lake Erie, where locally heavy rainfall remains possible. Drivers in these areas should be prepared for reduced visibility and ponding on roadways during the morning commute. As the morning progresses, the rain will gradually move out, giving way to improving conditions.
For the rest of Southeast Michigan, expanding high pressure will bring a welcome stretch of dry and comfortable weather through Tuesday.