1. John Ball Zoo is honoring and thanking healthcare workers and first responders with discount admission. Now through July 31, they can visit the zoo and get $4 off their daily admission.
these special tickets can be reserved by selecting the "Health Care and First Responders" ticket category on the zoo's website.
On the day of the visit, healthcare workers and first responders will be asked to show their valid work ID at the admission gate, along with your ticket.
2. Two college hockey players have rollerbladed about 900 miles for charity, making it to the finish line over the weekend.
Andy Walker and Jake Adkins attend the University of Massachusetts. They bladed from Boston to Walker's hometown of Mason, Michigan, to raise money for the American Cancer Society. It took them 10 days to make the trip going between 100 to 150 miles per day.
They've nicknamed themselves the men in blades and so far have raised over $24,000.
3. Sometimes you just need a good glass of wine, and the good news is we don't have to travel far to get some of the best "wine" in the country.
Two Michigan locations are in the running for "Best American Wine Region" in a USA Today and 10 Best Reader's Choice Poll: The Lake Michigan Shore and Old Mission Peninsula.
A panel of wine industry experts narrowed it down to 20 of their favorite North American wine regions, and now it's up to us to vote.
People can vote at 10Best.com once per day through Monday, August 12 at noon.
4. Eating chocolate may be good for your heart. Researchers found people who ate chocolate more than once a week had an 8 percent decreased risk of having heart disease than people who ate less or no chocolate weekly.
What remains unclear is the amount of chocolate needed for optimal effects. Researchers say moderate amounts of chocolate appear to provide some protection, but it's not likely larger amounts of chocolate will do the same.
5. While no studies have found this to be heart-healthy, many find creme brulee to be an irresistible dessert.
Dessert aficionados know it has a rich custard-based topped with caramelized sugar, but most folks know it for its finishing touch: fire.
The first known recipe for creme brulee is believed to have come from a 1691 cookbook.
Chefs use a small propane torch to burn the outer layer, thus making it burnt cream.
