Detroit News at noon: Life in the fast lane and 'Lyin' Eyes'

Today is Thursday, February 18, 2016. The weekend is fast approaching and here are the stories we think you'll be interested in:

MDEQ revealed  

• Years before a lead-poisoning crisis made Flint an unenviable center of national attention, there were warning signs about the state agency charged with keeping drinking water safe. Among them: Federal government concerns about the ability of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to detect lead in the water supply. 
• The MDEQ held a forum at a Southfield church to inform parishioners about a proposal for oil drilling next to the church. The state is considering a permit application from an oil and gas exploration company to dig a 2,900-foot oil well on the Word of Faith International Christian Center’s 110-acre site at Evergreen and Nine Mile that includes wooded areas.
• Is progress being made in Flint? The Virginia Tech researcher who helped bring the problem to light says it's true. New state testing data released this week shows 7 percent of about 10,000 Flint homes tested since September were above the federal safety standard for lead, which is an improvement.
• Get all of our coverage on the Flint water crisis here. 

Water main break

• It's a chilly day and a water main break on Detroit's westside is making things extremely uncomfortable for dozens of families. 

Norovirus at UM

• The University of Michigan is investigates possible norovirus outbreak after as many as 100 students fell ill this week. 

Life in the fast lane

• Don't stomp that gas pedal just yet: A state legislative package allowing speed limits to be raised as high as 80 miles per hour on certain highways hit a speed bump Wednesday as a preliminary estimate showed Michigan’s traffic deaths increased 10 percent in 2015.

• Tired of potholes? Get over it, literally, with the Ford Fusion. When the new model of the country’s third-most popular midsize sedan goes on sale this summer, it will come standard with a system that looks ahead for craters and then prevents the wheel from dropping to the bottom.

Happening in sports

• Gregg Krupa shares the story of Detroit Hockey Academy, where the next generation of hockey stars are being groomed. Krupa is also moving his weekly Twitter chat on the Detroit Red Wings to Saturday at 7 p.m, due to a travel conflict. 

• Two Tigers play-by-play broadcasters known for their exclusive work in radio and television will be switching jobs at least 10 times during the 2016 season. Although details have not been finalized, Dan Dickerson and Mario Impemba will swap shifts in the TV and radio booths.
• As the Detroit Pistons gear up for a drive to the playoffs, coach Stan Van Gundy is the man with the plan, and he's sticking to it. 

YMCA under fire

• Did the YMCA put fifth-graders through the traumatic experience of slavery by making them act as slaves at one of its camp programs? Bankole Thompson explains.

The lighter side  

• Buy a Chevy, lap Daytona. That's what GM is offering to customers starting in late fall. Check out more from auto critic Henry Payne. 
• As the Eagles song says, "You can't hide your lyin' eyes," and a Royal Oak brewpub doesn't want to hide them either. Royal Oak is ready to pay tribute tonight to Glenn Frey, the city-bred Eagles co-founder who died last month at age 67, by renaming a street after him. And Roak Brewing Co. is offering up its own tribute: an English golden ale called "Lyin' Eyes." 

• Terry Duerod is the man who poured champagne on Celtics legend Larry Bird and helped pour water on burning houses in Detroit. Now that the former NBA player and longtime Detroit firefighter prepares to retire, he's wondering what to do next, as reporter George Hunter explains. 

Detroit News at noon is a daily roundup of top stories from www.detroitnews.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more. We're also on Instagram (@detroitnews) and Snapchat (Search for Detroit News).