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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for September 20

Posted at 10:36 AM, Sep 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-20 08:23:31-04

1. It's the largest construction project in the history of the Muskegon area!

Mercy Health officials are set to break ground later this morning, on a $271 million medical center.

The new facility will be going up on the current Mercy campus on East Sherman Boulevard, centralizing their inpatient services.

It will have 267 beds and will be nine stories tall.

Mercy Health says it will open in 2019.

2. A new ordinance in Kalamazoo is getting the green light, and it's all about keeping bicyclists safe on the road.

On Monday, the city council voted unanimously to require drivers to give cyclists five feet of clearance when passing them on the roads, instead of three feet.

The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club has been pushing for the change for months.

Today, the county prosecutor is set to testify in front of a senate subcommittee about new legislation that would stiffen penalties for drivers who injure or kill vulnerable road users, like runners and bicyclists.

3. Summer may be over soon, but Binder Park Zoo has a few more events planned after they close for the season on October 9.

The zoo has its own version of Oktoberfest on the 15 for people 21 and up, and for the kids there's the Zoo Boo, starting on October 19.

4. France has become the first country in the world to ban disposable plastic cups and plates.

A new French law will require all disposable tableware to be made from 50 percent biologically-sourced materials that can be composted at home by January of 2020.

That number will rise to 60 percent by January of 2025.

France is hoping to become a world leader in environmental and energy solutions

5. Kohl's is planning to hire 6,900 seasonal workers for the holiday shopping season.

The company says it started hiring in August, and expects to fill positions by mid-November.

Several other companies are doing the same, including UPS, which is hiring 9,500 seasonal employees to help meet shipping demands.

Target said it also plans to hire more than 70,000 workers, about the same number as last year.