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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for January 25

Posted at 10:51 AM, Jan 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-25 10:51:17-05

1. It’s hard to miss all of the excitement around the B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids, and now the new concert venue, “20 Monroe Live” has a new marquee.

The installation was finished on Tuesday. Crews have been scrambling to get ready for opening day on February 1.

There are some big names set to perform in the coming days and weeks, including Lynryd Skynyrd on February 3.

2. We always could use more laughter in our lives, and Gilda’s Laughfest is adding even more with more comedy acts.

With a little more than a month to go, 12 new shows and events are being added to the 10 day festival including Samuel Comroe, Hen Sapp, and Rory Scovel.

Some of the added shows include Blackout Diaries, The Dirty Show, Homegrown Show, and Baby Loves Disco.

Individual ticket sales for all Laughfest events will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster, or the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices. Laughfest runs from March 9-19.

3. Here’s a chance for people to celebrate the Year of the Rooster.

The Chinese Association of greater Kalamazoo is hosting its 36th annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday.

There will be lots of performances plus a visit from Miss Michigan 2016. The celebration will take place at Chenery Auditorium on South Westnedge Avenue starting at 7 p.m.

For more details on tickets just head to CAGK.org.

4. Even though it’s the middle of winter, the folks at National Geographic just named a Michigan beach as one of the best in the World.

The magazine recently released a list of the “21 Best Beaches on the Globe,” and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is number 19 on the list.

The magazine mentioned the park’s breathtaking bluffs, hiking trails, and low-lying dunes, plus its view of Lake Michigan.

One of the perks of the Sleeping Bear Dunes is that you can visit during the winter.

5. General Motors just shelled out a lot of cash for an experimental research car that they built in the early 60s.

The company confirmed the $1.3 million purchase of the CERV I on Saturday. The CERV I, which stands for Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle, was created in 1959 and 1960 to test and develop a variety of suspension and base frame components.

GM will add the car to its heritage collection in Sterling Heights, on the East Side of the State. The Heritage Center is open only to GM employees, their families, and invited guests.