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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for December 14

Posted at 10:39 AM, Dec 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-14 10:39:28-05

1. It wasn't necessarily the best time to fly to or from Grand Rapids on Wednesday with the wind and snow, but that didn't stop Frontier from making its first return trip.

After a four year break, Frontier Airlines is back with non-stop flights to Florida.

It's estimated 200 passengers fly from Grand Rapids to Orlando each day. Representatives from the airline were in West Michigan to celebrate Frontier's return.

Frontier also has three weekly non-stop flight to Fort Myers, and plans to add four weekly non-stop flights to Denver this spring.

2. Two young teenagers from Kalamazoo who help children feel better in the hospital are looking for help from the community.

Matt and Emily Leinwand started the non-profit, Crayons 4 Kids, when they were just 5 and 6-years-old.

Now it's a nationwide program giving kids in the hospital crayons and coloring books and toys, offering families help in many ways while their children are sick.

Their "Operation Scribble" is now underway, so people can donate new and unwrapped gifts at J Gumbos in Kalamazoo until 6 p.m. today.

These gifts will be delivered to kids at Bronson Children's Hospital.

3. A young boy is paying it forward by bringing Christmas cheer to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

7-year-old Dawson knows what it's like to spend the holidays in the hospital because he's a former patient and cancer survivor. On Wednesday, he brought a bus load of toys to the hospital.

It's the third year he's collected gifts with the help of his fellow students at Hopkins Public Schools.

After being treated for and beating leukemia, Dawson said he wanted to help out kids who couldn't make it home for Christmas. He decided to bring toys because he knew how long and boring hospital stays can be.

4. Target has bought Shipt for $550 million. It's the same company that Meijer uses for its home delivery service.

The deal will let Target customers order groceries and other goods online and have them sent directly to their home, just like Meijer allows. This means that Target will have same-day delivery at about half of its 1,800 stores by next summer.

The service will cost $99 a year for unlimited deliveries.

5. Attention last-minute holiday shoppers! Free Shipping Day is on this Friday.

Participating retailers will offer free shipping with no minimum order and guaranteed delivery by December 24.

Over 800 retailers are raking part this year, including most of the big names like Amazon and Target.

Each retailer will probably have its own specials running that day, as well as their own rules and policies.

Just double check the details before clicking "buy."