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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for August 23

Posted at 10:34 AM, Aug 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-23 10:34:20-04

1. West Michigan is even closer to getting its own Chick-Fil-A restaurant, and there’s now a date for the groundbreaking.

It'll be in Gaines Township Thursday afternoon. The store should be finished and open for business early next year.

This will be the second free-standing Chick-Fil-A in the state, the other one is being built now in Lansing.

The fast food chain is estimated to bring at least 80 new jobs to our area.

2. Speaking of food options, the Grand Rapids City Commission plan to vote today on a two year pilot program which would let food trucks operate in public places.

The pilot program will allow food trucks to operate five days a week, but not after midnight and not within 100 feet of any restaurants.

Currently, food trucks are only allowed out during special events or on private property.

There were public arguments both for, and against the proposal, including from restaurant owners and food truck operators.

3. If you were looking forward to seeing “The Queen of Soul" in Grand Rapids, we're learning Aretha Franklin has been forced to cancel her upcoming concert.

She was originally scheduled to take the stage at DeVos Performance Hall on October 9.

The 74-year-old said in a statement she will have to cancel a few upcoming concerts due to doctors' orders. No other details on her health are being given.

While no official announcement of the cancellation has been made by the venue, Franklin says she should be back on the road in November.

If her statement is true, that would mean all of her upcoming concerts would be cancelled until then, including in Grand Rapids.

There's no word on if any of these concerts will be rescheduled.

4. Students in West Michigan are getting some help from the Heart of West Michigan United Way.

The organization says it collected more than 3,900 different school supplies during this year's Stuff the Bus campaign with the help of nearly 30 local companies, including Farmers Insurance.

The supplies will go to the Schools of Hope sites and principals at 15 local schools to be distributed in the classrooms. Backpacks are being given to the student homeless program and D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s.

5. Facebook has a new app that's just for teens.

The video-only social network is available for download via Apple's app store.

"Lifestage" encourages you to take a video and slap a design on it.

You don't share the videos with friends like you would on Snapchat. Instead, friends just visit your profile page to view your latest clips.

Users must be under 21 to access Lifestage.