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Morning Buzz: 5 things to know for August 1

Posted at 11:07 AM, Aug 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-01 11:06:34-04

1. The way things used to be, is the way things will be for about 120 Michigan school districts.

A record number of schools in Michigan are starting the new year before Labor Day.

According to the Detroit News, those districts got waivers to bypass the state's 11 year ban on starting before the summer holiday.

A spokesperson for the education department said it's partly because more districts offer early college programs, which allow students to get associates degrees with their diplomas.

2. The Broncos are rolling out the welcome mat for their newest president.

Western Michigan University's new lead man, Dr. Edward Montgomery, takes the reigns today. He had a role in the White House as former President Obama's Automotive Czar during the auto bailout.

Montgomery also taught at Carnegie, Michigan State, and served as dean at Georgetown University. He's Western's ninth president.

3. The nonprofit operating a hotline that connects people in need was services is now accessible via text message.

The Heart of West Michigan United Way says it's now added the new service to its 211 Heath and Human Service Hotline.

Residents can text their zip code to 898-211, then a United Way operator will be available to respond to the message from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The free, multilingual hotline connects callers with organizations and programs offering assistance with housing, utilities, elder care, mental health and other essential services.

4. Televisions are showing up in fewer people's homes.

The Energy Information Administration says that after years of steady increases, the number of TVs in homes went down to an average of about two per household in 2015. A larger number of homes reported not having a television at all.

The news comes as Americans have started to watch more programming on laptops, tablets, and phones.

5. The Olympics are coming to Los Angeles, but a bit later than we hoped.

After weeks of negotiations with the International Olympic Committee, Los Angeles has reached an agreement to host the 2028 summer games.

The deal allows Paris to host the 2024 games. L.A. and Paris were the only cities left bidding to host in 2024.

The agreement brings the Olympics back to Southern California for a third time after hosting the 1932 and 1984 games.