On I-696 in Madison Heights, a green frozen ooze appeared by the cement siding. It turns out an electro-plating company, that had been cited for Environmental Quality issues from 1996 until 2016, when it closed. Since then, illegal storage of hazardous wastes, including the carcinogenic hexavalent chromium have been leaking through the soil all the way to the highway. The U.S. EPA “cleaned up” the facility and “finished” in 2018, at a cost of $2 million. They just cleaned up what they could see and said the State of Michigan was responsible for any further testing and remediation. Michigan did nothing, claiming they didn’t have any money. A day after the highway spill was noticed, state officials claimed, “everything is fine now, there is no risk.” This was untrue. The EPA (after they get back from their long vacations) will drill core samples to assess the breadth of toxic waste plum – that they should have done before. The EPA has barred the owner from doing anything with the property since 2017, so all of this happened on their watch.
Thankfully, the upside is that Max Dugans, a bar in Hazel Park, is now serving a new drink that looks like the green ooze, called the “696 Special.” The owner says, “We’ve sold 30 today.”
And finally, in “It is a Darwin move to be anywhere near Detroit” news,
- The body of a 36-year-old Detroit woman was found in an open field by 7 Mile Road and Hayes. She had been shot and Detroit Police are asking the public for tips.
- A 50-year-old Detroit woman shot a relative in an argument, and then accidentally shot herself. Both are at the hospital and she was arrested.
- Two Detroit woman in their early 20s shoplifted at the JC Penny at Troy’s Oakland Mall. While trying to flee, a police officer tried to stop them from driving off, but the car accelerated and the officer was dragged as the suspect crashed into 2 other cars until it hit a 3rd car, head on. They stole $1,800 in goods and are facing a long list of charges; fortunately, the officer only sustained minor injuries.
- A 42-year-old man was wounded by a gunshot at Detroit’s Steel and Plymouth Road when a car pulled along side and fired shots.
- A 25-year-old woman was struck in the back of her head, and has been unable to speak to medics or hospital staff. She was struck at Van Dyke and East Canfield, where she collapsed in the middle of the street.
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