1. Simone Biles will not defend her Olympic title. The American gymnastics superstar withdrew from Thursday's all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being.
USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Wednesday that the 24-year-old is opting to not compete. The decision comes a day after Biles removed herself from the team final following one rotation because she felt she wasn't mentally ready.
Jade Carey, who finished ninth in qualifying, will take Biles' place all-around. Also, Biles will be evaluated daily before deciding if she will participate in next week's individual events.
2. National Night Out is one week away, and Kentwood is planning to host more than 15 community gatherings promoting our local first responders.
Residents have the opportunity to explore police cruisers, fire engines, and other emergency response vehicles.
There's also plenty of family fun activities to check out like bounce houses, live music, prize giveaways, and more including appearances from McGruff the Crime Dog.
Most events take place from 6-8 p.m. For details, visit kentwood.us/nno.
3. A new movie theater will be opening at Woodland Mall later this year.
Phoenix Theatres is investing $4 million to renovate the 14-screen theater that once belonged to Celebration Cinema.
Upgrades include heated reclining seats, improved audio and video technology, and convenient concessions at ticket purchasing.
This is the company's first location in West Michigan, and they say it's one of the first major post-pandemic theater investments in the country.
An opening date hasn't been announced yet.
4. Ford is building a new campus in Romulus.
It's called Ion Park, and it's part of a $185 million investment in new battery technologies.
Ford has said they want to make Michigan the hub for electric vehicle technology.
Ford Ion Park will open next year and house over 200 engineering jobs.
5. Popeyes is sending an olive branch to its competitors with a gesture that could end the chicken sandwich wars once and for all.
The fast-food chain started a frenzy over its crispy chicken sandwiches and moving on to nuggets.
Popeyes added crispy nuggets to its menu, but instead of starting chicken wars part two, the chain is calling a truce.
Popeyes vows to buy the cash equivalent of one million dollars worth of nuggets from other fast-food chains like Wendy's, McDonald's, and Chick-Fil-A.
