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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for May 16

Posted at 10:52 AM, May 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-16 10:52:16-04

1. Some big changes are coming to the movie series in downtown Grand Rapids this summer. After five years at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. announced this summer the event will be held at 555 Monroe Avenue.

Due to the change, Movies in the Park will now be known as Movies on Monroe. Organizers say the city's newly purchased riverfront property in the Monroe North Neighborhood gives them a new place to play movies along the Grand River.

They say the new location is close to many neighborhood bars and restaurants. It's also easily accessible by bus and drivers will be able to park in one of the thousands of nearby parking spots.

The event remains free and open to the public. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. with shows starting at 7:30 p.m. each night.

Some of the movies this year include "The Greatest Showman", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Wonder Woman." A full list can be found at downtowngr.org.

2. Free books are going to be handed out on Saturday in Kalamazoo. It's all part of the "Peace Pizzazaz," a promotion by Kalamazoo Public Schools, the Kalamazoo Public Library and the City of Kalamazoo to promote summer reading.

Families and kids can head to Bronson Park for their free book from 12-2 p.m. They will be given to the first 1,000 children that sign up for the KPL Summer Reading Program. There will also be a drawing for two $50 gift cards.

Research shows that students who read in the summer maintain or improve their reading levels, while those who don't read over the summer experience declines in reading levels (known as the summer slide) when they return to school in the fall.

3. There's a photo from Northern Michigan that's gaining traction online, and it's all because of some sneaky squirrels.

That's 50 pounds of pine cones under that car hood! Kellen Moore lives in Gaylord, and said he discovered the pine cones after his air conditioner started making weird noises.

It took about 45 minutes to clean out all the pine cones. Luckily, they didn't damage his car.

4. Travelers could catch a one-way flight for as low as $49! Southwest Airlines kicked of a special 96-Hour Sale.

The sale includes that $49 deal, along with $79, up to $149 for longer flights.

The sale is only for domestic flights, and there are restrictions on seats, travel days, and markets.

The deal is good for travel dates from June 5 through October 31.

The sale ends on Friday, and the tickets aren't refundable.

5. Dog lovers have a better shot at love according to a new survey.

According to Wag, an on demand dog walking service, the results show pets have a say in how far their owner goes with a suiter.

Four out of five dog owners revealed its important their pet gives approval when dating. It also turns out dog owners also used their pet as a wing man.

Three out of 10 dog parents have used their dog to attract someone who's caught their eye, with advances also increasing.

More than 60 percent said they've been flirted with when walking their pooch.