1. "It's about time." That's what the owners of a new black-owned beauty supply store in Grand Rapids are saying as they prepare for their Grand Opening on Saturday for Queens Hair and Beauty Supply.
Adrian Wiley and Lydia Thomas say they're opening the shop because as African American women, not many local stores could help with their hair.
Their shop will also have a non-profit called "Caring for Communities," which will provide small scholarships for high school students, as well as hats, coats, and gloves for elementary students and the homeless.
They will also invite local businesses to come on Saturdays and set up a table inside of the store.
Wiley and Thomas say Queens Hair and Beauty Supply will be stocked with high-end products such as Design Essentials, Creme of Nature, and Dark and Lovely.
2. John Ball Zoo is naming its new bald eagle after local educator Ruth Jones-Hairston, who died last June.
Jones-Hairston was a teacher and principal in the Grand Rapids Public School District and served on the board for the zoo.
During her time on the board, she worked to help families enjoy the zoo regardless of income level through the Jump Program. In retirement, she started Judah Educational Consultants.
Mike Lomonaco from the zoo said, "Naming the bald eagle after Ruth is a great way to honor someone who started an inclusive program at the zoo and exemplified our values of conservation, education, and community."
3. Facebook launched a new app on Instagram to compete with Tik-Tok.
Instagram Reels allows users to create 15-second video clips where users can add music and other visual effects.
Users can share the videos on Instagram and posts disappear in 24 hours. Reels can be found on the bottom of Instagram's camera feature.
Facebook is launching the new feature in over 50 countries.
4. Harry Potter and friends will be joining NBC Universal's new streaming service, Peacock, starting in October.
All eight "Harry Potter" movies will slowly become available over the span of 6 months.
NBC acquired the rights to the franchise as HBO Max loses the content on August 25 as part of a 2016 TV rights deal.
5. Chester the Cheetah is moving from the chips aisle to the pasta aisle. Pepsi Co. announced three flavors of its new Cheetos branded mac and cheese.
Bold-and-Cheesy, Flamin' Hot and Cheesy, and Cheesy Jalapeno are the flavors.
The idea came from a fan who already used Cheetos to make a homemade mac and cheese. The new option will be available only at Walmart right now.
Pepsi Co. says sales of Cheetos, Tostitos, and Fritos have grown by double digits since the pandemic began.
