Morning Buzz for August 20, 2018
- Time to hit the books. School bells are ringing across the area as many West Michigan students head back to the classroom this week in Grand Rapids. It will look very different for the kids at Buchanan elementary as they will be walking into a virtually new building thanks to some major renovations. Some of the other communities heading back to school this week include Lowell, Wyoming and Grandville.
- If your kids are getting ready for college, there is a good deal if you use Amazon for them. The company is currently running a deal where you get 10 percent off 100 dollars or more in textbooks through September 29. Just use the code 'text 10' when you go to checkout. The deal is only good on new textbooks, not used. Shipping is also free for textbooks for prime members.
- In case you missed it. The South Pier at Grand Haven reopened Friday after nearly 2 years of construction. Crews finished sealing the new concrete last week and reopened it with a picnic at the pier. The pier cost about 3 and a half million dollars and was originally supposed to be done in time for Coast Guard Festival last year. But the high water levels made things difficult. Officials say this summer's calmer weather helped them finish just in time for the end of the season. The million dollar project to restore the catwalk is still in progress. City officials say they expect to install that by early next year.
- A familiar name in the boxing world is back home in West Michigan paying it forward to an area gym. Floyd Mayweather, Sr. is spending a few weeks at the gym of one of the men he helped train for a successful boxing career in the 1980s and 90s. Mayweather, a big supporter of Dino Newville and Blues Gym in Grand Rapids, donated 100 thousand dollars last year to help keep the place open. Now, Mayweather has been meeting with local kids teaching them skills. Blues gym is aimed at helping keep young people off the streets – a huge passion for Mayweather and Newville. The two have even joined forces to create a program called “Guns Down, Gloves Up.”
- You still have less than a week to sign up for West Michgian’s hot dog eating contest. The Dirty Dog in Muskegon is holding the event on August 26 at 6 o’clock. It is free to sign up but you must be at least 18-years-old. The winner takes home 150 dollars worth of prizes. The event is being held at the Dirty Dog, which is on Sternberg Road in Muskegon.
