The demolition of the Phoenix Center Amphitheater is reshaping downtown Pontiac, giving local businesses a clear view of the city's future for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Watch Carli Petrus's video report: Phoenix Center demolition progress brings new hope to downtown Pontiac businesses

Crews are making steady progress on the demolition project, which will ultimately reconnect downtown Pontiac.

"It is mostly down, and they have continued to clear away very efficiently," said Pontiac City Council President Mike McGuinness.

The project is moving faster than expected, with completion potentially coming before the original December target date.

"The original schedule was for them to be done by December, and the way it's looking, they are very much ahead of projections. Just have to see if we can keep that positive pace," McGuinness said.

For local businesses anchored on Saginaw Street, the transformation is already making an impact. For the first time in nearly 40 years, there's a clear line of sight through downtown.

"It is crazy," said Shannon Woolman, manager of Fillmore 13 Brewery. "I can't even explain driving home, and you can see at night and see all the way through - down Auburn. We've been holding on for eight years, and I really think that this is going to push it that much further."

The revitalization project promises a central park and a new parking garage, bringing renewed energy to the area.

Shelby Berger, owner of Main Street Pawn Shop, says they're already seeing more foot traffic since the project began this spring.

"A lot more people seeing what's going down, down here, and it's definitely creating a positive vibe," Berger said.

The demolition is part of a larger plan to bring hundreds of Oakland County employees back to Pontiac.

"It's a big deal that Oakland County is recommitting to Pontiac, which has been the county seat for centuries," McGuinness said.

McGuinness says the entire project is set to be complete by 2027.

"Pontiac is safe, fun, welcoming, and is open for business, and that's the truth, and we just need to keep building more support and progress in that direction," he said.

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A family-owned card shop in Sterling Heights is reeling after a thief stole approximately $50,000 worth of Pokmon cards during a break-in early Wednesday.

Watch Carli Petrus's video report: $50,000 worth of Pokemon cards stolen from family-owned hobby shop

First Edition Finds, which has only been open for about two months, was targeted by a masked thief who was caught on security cameras breaking into the store just after midnight.

"It was, honestly, something we were never expecting," Jonathan Gappy, the store's owner, said.

Security footage shows the thief specifically targeting high-value items in the shop.

WEB EXTRA: Surveillance video shows break in and Pokemon card theft WEB EXTRA: Surveillance video shows break in and Pokemon card theft

"He went specifically for the most expensive items and then made a beeline to our most expensive items behind the shelf, so he definitely knew what he was after and what he was looking for," Gappy said.

Gappy received a security alert on his phone when the break-in occurred.

"So we pulled up the cameras and we actively saw the burglar inside taking things and vandalizing the store," he said.

Sterling Heights police were called to the scene, but the thief had already fled before officers arrived.

Many of the stolen cards were vintage collectibles in perfect condition that had been professionally graded.

"They were the most expensive items in the store. A lot of them were vintage, very old, you can't replace anymore, and a lot of them were graded cards, so they were in perfect condition; they weren't just a loose card that someone had in a binder. They are cards that went out to a company that graded and made sure that card was a 10 out of 10 perfect." Gappy said.

The theft represents more than just a financial loss for the family business.

"These were cards that I accumulated and that my daughter and me had pulled together, like certain graded cards we ripped open on Christmas. He didn't only take the cards from us, he also stole the memories," Gappy said.

Gappy is offering a $15,000 cash reward for information leading to the identification of the suspect. He's also warning other hobby shop owners to be vigilant.

"We aren't the first ones; a lot more have been happening, so all I can say is try to lock everything up that you can. Just be aware of the people and the customers inside your store, because it's definitely scary what's going on right now," he said.

Anyone with information about the break-in is asked to contact Sterling Heights police.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Animal shelters warn that scammers are creating fake social media accounts to solicit donations from animal lovers by using stolen photos and videos of sick and abused pets.

Watch Carli Petrus's video report: Fake animal rescue accounts on social media steal photos to solicit donations

These fraudulent accounts are stealing content from legitimate animal shelters and rescues, creating emotional appeals with images of animals in need to trick well-meaning donors.

"It's just all sad stories that are on their pages, and it's all for money that should not be going to them," said Michelle Eastlake with Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue in Belleville.

Eastlake discovered her organization was being impersonated when a supporter notified them about an Instagram page using their logo and a similar name.

"It hasn't really affected us in a way we know of until just recently, with this Instagram post that one of our supporters actually notified us on Sunday about that there was a page out there using our logo and a very similar name," Eastlake said.

The Instagram account operating under the username "friendsofmichiganrescue" has also stolen videos from shelters in other states, including Yaqui Animal Rescue in Texas.

Rebecca Chavez from Yaqui Animal Rescue confirmed the fake page stole several videos of a dog named Cane, who suffered severe neglect.

"If you haven't seen Cane on our rescue page, he was a dog that was owned, severe owner neglect, almost half of his face, his skin was completely missing, it was a pretty gruesome case that we had," Chavez said.

These scams directly impact legitimate organizations' ability to raise funds for animals in need.

"If you have other pages that are soliciting donations that could've gone to us it really impacts our ability to collect funding to be able to help these animals and then you also have people that may have donated to these other pages and then they're probably confused like I've already donated here who are you," Chavez said.

When we reached out to the Instagram page about these allegations, they denied being fake, describing themselves as a "well wisher" trying to share and repost for rescues.

We also reached out to Meta about the possible scams, but we are still waiting to hear back.

Eastlake recommends verifying organizations before donating by visiting their official websites rather than social media pages.

"The best way is to go directly to that organization's website, not social media, not a Facebook or an Instagram, but find their real website," Eastlake said.

She also believes social media platforms need stricter verification processes for organizations soliciting donations.

"I think pages need to be more controlled and verified. They need something where an organization, a non-profit needs to show proof of their legitimacy, whether it's just here's our website, we are a verified person, a verified organization, a verified account, whatever that may be, instead of just allowing multiple pages daily to pop up and start asking for donations," Eastlake said.

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Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib introduced legislation Friday that would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help fix flood-damaged basements, something the agency currently doesn't cover.

The bill comes in response to severe flooding that has impacted tens of thousands of homes across metro Detroit in 2021 and again in 2023, leaving many residents still dealing with the aftermath.

Watch the video report below: Legislation introduced to protect flooding victims

"This is two years after the last natural disaster that we had and so many of our residents are now calling us back saying I have mold in my basement because FEMA didn't cover mitigation," Tlaib said.

Under the proposed legislation, if record rainfall triggers a national emergency, FEMA would be required to cover basement repairs along with furnaces and water heaters, and mitigate any hazardous materials.

Denzel McCampbell, a young Detroit homeowner, recalled the emotional and financial toll when his home flooded shortly after he moved in.

"I had just moved in. My mom had recently passed away, so a lot of the memories that I had from her were in my basement. So it was really just, not only was it like OK this just happened to the house I just bought, but it was like an emotional drain too," McCampbell said.

FEMA denied his request for help with cleanup, and he says he's still experiencing issues with his home's foundation.

"I still have a little bit of foundational issues of moisture getting in. Honestly, as we continue to get these severe storm warnings across, I'm always thinking about is this going to happen again," McCampbell said.

For residents like McCampbell, this legislation is long overdue, especially with climate change concerns.

"Because we know it's going to happen again with the climate emergency, it's going to happen again and there's going to be more floods that we have to protect people," McCampbell said.

As Tlaib's bill heads to the House, she expressed hope for bipartisan support.

"Many of the people that I know, that I've spoken to on both sides of the aisle, shake their head immediately and say this is a good bill because they've heard the stories from their constituents about their basements," Tlaib said.

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The River Rouge splash park has been closed all summer, leaving residents without a popular cooling option during hot weather.

Watch Carli Petrus's video report: River Rouge Splash Park remains closed during summer heat

The city announced the closure during a monthly meeting in June, but many community members say they want more transparency about when the facility might reopen.

"Me and my kids went almost every week last summer at least once or twice. It's a good activity for them to get out and get all their energy out," Wendy Arredondo said.

Arredondo's children are among many in the community who miss the splash park. Her daughter Lilly expressed disappointment about the continued closure.

"I still want to go there," Lilly said.

A city spokesperson confirmed in an email that the splash pad is closed for repairs, stating:

As mentioned during the Council Meeting on June 3rd, the River Rouge Splash Pad is currently closed for the summer due to repairs. Once the repairs are complete and there is a reopening date, it will be announced. We understand that this closure impacts the residents, especially the children, and we are taking steps to ensure that there will be an alternative this summer.

When asked about the timeline for repairs, associated costs, and whether work is currently underway, the city has not yet provided additional details. Mayor William Campbell was unavailable for comment.

Residents like Shelly Young worry about the impact on families without other options to beat the heat.

"Especially for the kids that don't have a pool and it's hot outside and they have to play outside when they're bored," Young said.

Arredondo believes the city could do more to keep residents informed about the situation.

"They send a newsletter all the time, like every month they send a River Rouge city newsletter, it didn't say, unless I didn't catch it, but it never said, oh it's closed. They have a Facebook page that never said closed for repairs or not opening this year," Arredondo said.

She hopes the city will address the issue soon, noting the importance of such facilities for the community's youth.

"You know, and I feel like there's a lot of kids that, it's summer time, they're looking for something to do, something to stay out of trouble, so it would be nice if they figured it out," Arredondo said.

As an alternative, River Rouge High School is opening its pool to the community every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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A 26-year-old man faces multiple hate crime charges after allegedly attacking two LGBTQ+ couples waiting for their car outside MGM Grand Detroit.

William Wilson has been charged with four counts of hate crime following the incident that occurred early Sunday morning.

Watch the video report below: Man charged with hate crime after allegedly assaulting LGBTQ+ couples outside MGM Grand Detroit

"We didn't go there for any type of issues. We were all sober. We just went there to get our car," Chelsi Way said.

Way was waiting for her car with her wife Celia Haueter, as well as Haueter's brother David Supel and his fianc, when two men approached them.

"Celia was like 'why don't you just leave us alone. Leave us the F alone.' And that's when he hit her the first time and she fell. She was trying to get back up and that's when he hit her again," Way said.

Hes swinging left and right haymakers. And Im just trying to block her from getting hit and I got hit a couple times, but thats nothing compared to my sisters face," David Supel said.

Haueter says she doesn't remember much from that night after being knocked unconscious.

"My physical wounds are starting to heal, but I have a severe concussion," Haueter said.

The attack has left her afraid to leave her home.

I feel since hes been let out, I dont know what his next. I hope that he has no ulterior motive. I just want nothing else to happen," she said.

According to court records, Wilson was arraigned on July 16 and released on bond. We reached out to his attorney, but we are still waiting to hear back.

The prosecutor's office is considering this a hate crime because Wilson allegedly intentionally acted to cause harm to the victims because of their perceived sexual orientation.

Both women say they're going to be OK but hope Wilson is held accountable. They also believe MGM should bear some responsibility.

"We feel like had the staff recognized that there was going to be an issue, this would've never happened because we could've had a severely different outcome and she could be dead," Way said. If security is there, I dont know what theyre there for, maybe to protect MGM, but theyre not there to protect the people.

MGM declined to provide a written statement, but a spokesperson said by phone that they are cooperating with police.

Im dumbfounded, lost, you know. As a gay man, people question your masculinity all the time, so its like with this one, Im questioning a lot. Im dumbfounded on how that could happen to us," David Supel said.

Wilson's next court hearing is scheduled for July 24.

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