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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for Jan. 15

Posted at 10:30 AM, Jan 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-15 10:31:13-05

1. Today would have been civil right's leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's 89th birthday. It also happens to fall on the day that the national honors his legacy by observing a federal holiday.

This happens on the third Monday in January every year, it just happens to be his birthday too.

President Trump is encouraging Americans to observe the federal holiday by doing acts of civic work and community service.

President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983. Dr. King was assassinated 50 years ago in April of 1968.

2. In West Michigan, there are several events to observe Martin Luther King Day.

The Kalamazoo MLK Day Commemorative Walk starts at Kanley Chapel on Western Michigan's campus and ends at MLK Park. The walk starts at 3:30 p.m.

In Kent County, there will be a community celebration at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids. It will include the premiere of the opera "I Dream" by Opera Grand Rapids. The event is free and open to the public, doors open at 5:30 p.m.

More events can be found here.

3. Want to be a part of this year's Laughfest? Register now to be a volunteer!

There are different teams that make the event go smoothly, including promotions and selling merchandise.

For people who wish to volunteer, there are training activities, as well as a pre-festival meeting.

Orientation will start at the end of the month, with shift sign-up starting on February 12.

For more information, go to LaughfestGR.org. Registration will be open through February 5, and the festival runs from March 8 through 18.

4. Facebook's Messenger Kids App is now available on Amazon Fire Tablets.

The app is designed for kids under the age of 13 to safely keep in touch with family and friends.

Messenger Kids has a number of parental controls that allow parents to snoop around and check in on their kids.

Children can't hide messages while parents control contact lists and can remove unwanted contacts. The app was originally only available in the Apple Apps Store.

5. Ever get told you look like somebody? How about a piece of art?

Google's Arts and Culture app is sparking some buzz online. It claims to find a piece of historic art that looks just like you.

So this is a new feature of the Arts and Culture App, all you have to do is take a selfie using the app and wait for the results.

According to online reports, Google makes the matches by scanning works of art. Then, it gives you several options, which are ranked by how closely they match your face.