WNWZ-AM (Grand Rapids, MI)

The Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Thursday night, giving the Tigers a series sweep and helping them make up ground in the American League Central division. But that is not the big story everyone is talking about, instead everyone is celebrating an amazing moment last night that was 8 years in the making. Back in 2018 when he was just 18 years old Eduardo Valencia was signed by the Tigers.

A new bar opening in Grand Rapids is always cause for celebration, but it is especially exciting when it breathes life into a space that has been sitting dark for years. New signs are going up and extensive renovations are underway at 511 Bridge St. NW. The neighborhood is finally getting a look at what is replacing the former Kale’s Korner Bar, which has been vacant since shutting down in 2020.

As Michiganders, we've all heard the phrase, "I'm going up north for the weekend." But, where exactly is "up north"? Sure, the person uttering the phrase might say exactly where they are going. Or better yet, go full Michigander and whip out their palm to point to where. However, that still begs the question, where is up north? Or better yet, where does "up north" start? Because that phrase can mean different things to different people.

Have you ever had something that is so part of your life that you consider it normal? But then come to find out it's not as well known as you think? That's what happened to me recently with being a Michigander and eating City Chicken. If you're not from Michigan—and even more specifically, from Southeast Michigan—you may have never heard of this dish as it's considered a regional thing.

Someone spotted a Cold War-era fallout shelter sign in Muskegon, and suddenly people all over Michigan started sharing where they'd seen them, too. After the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, the Federal and local governments were thinking a lot about how to survive a nuclear attack. The 1950s and 60s were full of nuclear war drills and the construction of many fallout shelters. That's why the Federal Civil Defense Administration was created.

If you love to fish, you already know Michigan is basically paradise. Seriously, we're surrounded by water. Between four Great Lakes, more than 11,000 inland lakes, and roughly 3,000 rivers, you could spend a lifetime chasing fish here and still have new places to explore. That's one of the reasons Michigan continues to be one of the top fishing destinations in the country.

There is a national day of protest against AI data centers that is coming up on July 18 and one Michigan city will be taking part in it. Newsweek recently revealed that more than 50 cities will be participating in a day of protest to stand up and voice or concerns for the rise of AI data centers that are infecting our state, with the protest in Michigan taking place in Grand Rapids. Overall, 22 states will be taking part in the protests.

However unsettling it may be, the truth is that somewhere in Michigan, there is a squirrel giving a transformer the stink eye. Unfortunately for the rest of us, that furry little grudge can turn into a power outage. Consumers Energy says squirrels and other wildlife cause around 8% of its outages when they make accidental contact with lines and equipment, especially substations. On a clear, calm day, when nobody can blame lightning, ice, or a maple tree's lawn dive, a critter is likely the culprit.

This is a tragic and heartbreaking story out of Bay County involving the death of a 12-year-old girl. Right now, there are more questions than answers as investigators work to determine exactly what happened. Olivia Smith died Tuesday night after an incident outside a friend's home in Kawkawlin Township. A 911 call reported that she had run face-first into a tree and was unconscious, but investigators say they are not ready to conclude that's what happened.

One of my favorite things to do during the summer and fall in Michigan is to load the SUV and head to a campground to get away from it all for the weekend. Nothing beats getting off your phone and laptop and spending some quality time with friends and family in the great outdoors. After we get the tent and everything set up for the weekend, if we didn't kill each other we know that we've got 48 hours of pure relaxation.