Good day Grand Rapids! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you call advice from a cow ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. ArtPrize responds to false claims voting tech is attached to controversial Flock cameras (wzzm13.com) — ArtPrize leaders in Grand Rapids are pushing back on rumors that their FlockX voting app is tied to Flock Safety's license plate cameras, stressing the two companies are completely unrelated. They say location sharing in the app only confirms voters are actually downtown within festival boundaries, helping ensure fair audience-choice results for the more than 1,000 artworks on display.
2. ArtPrize addresses AI use, voting system for 2026 competition (woodtv.com) — ArtPrize in downtown Grand Rapids is clarifying how it handles AI-created artwork and reassuring visitors that its FlockX voting app is separate from controversial Flock Safety cameras. Organizers say AI can only be a limited tool and that fully AI-generated pieces are banned, while geolocation in the app is used solely to verify on-site votes and protect artists from fraud.
3. Big Wendy's franchisee files for bankruptcy but keeps 314 stores open (piratesandprincesses.net) — A major Wendy's franchisee headquartered in Grand Rapids, Meritage Hospitality Group, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but says its 314 restaurants will stay open and workers will keep getting paid. The company cites rising costs and weaker sales, and may close more underperforming locations as it restructures debt and tries to turn the business around.
4. Wendy's franchisee with hundreds of locations across 15 states files for bankruptcy (kxan.com) — A major Wendy's franchise operator based in Grand Rapids, Meritage Hospitality Group, is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while planning to keep its restaurants open during restructuring. The company runs more than 300 Wendy's locations in 15 states, including Michigan, and says it aims to strengthen its finances without disrupting day-to-day service for local customers and employees.
5. How Grand Rapids Became a Loyalty Test on 'Hogan's Heroes' (wearegrandrapids.com) — Grand Rapids gets a fun pop-culture nod in a final-season episode of "Hogan's Heroes," where knowing the city's true state becomes a clever loyalty test for a suspected spy. The piece also recalls Grand Rapids' 1940s "Furniture City" boom and links that history to the show's dialogue, giving locals a nostalgic connection between classic TV and their hometown's past.
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Ok Grand Rapids! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Beef Tips (Thank you Gary M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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