1. Local radio host and voice of the Grand Rapids Griffins, Eric Zane, is making sure families in need have a Christmas meal this year.
Today at Ervine's Auto Repair on 44th Street from 2-5 p.m. you can drive up and pick up a box, no questions asked.
The goal initially was to raise enough money for 40 dinners, but thanks to a quick and generous response from listeners, Zane was able to purchase meals for 100 families.
The Grand Rapids Pit Bull Alliance will also be handing out pet food so people can feed their pets as well.
2. Thanks to Mercantile Bank and Meijer, $7,500 worth of things like shampoo, deodorant, and feminine hygiene products were donated to the Heart of West Michigan United Way.
According to them, 37 percent of households in Kent County are struggling to buy basic personal care items.
3. Now that some of the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in Michigan, it means the planetarium, located at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, is now open and welcoming visitors on a limited capacity basis.
They'll be housing multiple shows every week. This week will include the holiday show, "Let It Snow," as well as other shows like "Ice Worlds", "Incoming!", and "Under Starlit Skies."
Ticket details can be found at GRPM.org.
4. The 10th anniversary Grand Rapids Triathalon was rescheduled for next year, and there are some exciting changes coming.
The event, put on by Huntington Bank, will now be completed over the course of two days, June 19 and 20.
The spring and super sprint events will be on Saturday, and the Olympic and half distance races will be on Sunday.
Registration opens on December 28 for everyone who previously signed up for this year's event, and then on January 11 registration will open to the public.
For more information, visit grandrapidstri.com.
5. Some new artwork is coming to Muskegon County thanks to a crowd fundraising campaign. Two railroad overpasses along Seaway Drive will bet a touch-up with some new murals.
The goal is to rein-in $50,000 by February 20. If the goal is met, the money will be matched by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
The Muskegon Rails Project includes Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, and Norton Shores. The mural will feature the work of four artists, three of them from the area.
The murals should all be done by Spring 2021.
