1. Grand Rapids has made the list as one of the safest college towns in the United States.
The Grand Rapids Police announced on Wednesday that Safe Wise, an online home security and crime prevention center, ranked the city the third safest in the country behind Charleston, Illinois and Winona, Minnesota.
Safe Wise looked at FBI statistics from 2014 to compile the list. The organization said that Grand Rapids consistently makes its lists for the safest cities in America.
Grand Rapids has at least 15 colleges and universities in the metro area.
2. Affording an education in Michigan isn’t easy, especially since the state has some of the highest tuition costs for a college education.
The Michigan League for Public Policy release a new report saying the state has the sixth highest in-state tuition rates in the country.
Michigan has also cut university funding by more than $262 million since 2003. The state also has the ninth highest average student debt in the country.
3. You may have heard the buzz about the declining honeybee population.
A local professor is using a newly awarded federal grand to try and figure out why the bee population is dropping across the country.
The Grand Valley State University professor and his student researchers are working with an organization called The Bee Informed Partnership to track beehives across the country.
They'll look at the bees' activity and the overall health of the colony.
They say it's crucial to figure out why honeybees are dying, because about one-third of the food supply in North America -including blueberries, apples, and cherries- depends on them pollinating the plants.
4. Say goodbye to the doggie bag and hello to dining with your dog.
Grand Rapids residents could soon be able to enjoy the area’s best restaurants and breweries with your furry, four-legged friend.
On Wednesday the Michigan Senate passed a bill allowing customers to bring their pet with them to outdoor dining areas all across the state.
They’re partnering with the state health department to make sure everything is safe. If the bill is approved by the house and signed by the governor, cities will be able to set their own standards whether or not to allow pets on their patios.
5. Michigan’s Adventure will be honoring grandparents this weekend for National Grandparents Day.
Guests 60 and older will be able to get in for free. They’ll also be able to bring family and friends for a discounted admission price of $25 per person.
The water park won’t be open, but rides are still running at the amusement park. Sunday is the last day the park will be open for the season.
