Weaver, Neeley face off in their only mayoral debate
By Paul Rozycki With less than three weeks to go before the election, incumbent Mayor Karen Weaver and her challenger Rep. Sheldon Neeley, squared off in a debate on WJRT-TV12 on Thursday, Oct. 17. It was the only scheduled debate between the candidates, who are running to be Flint’s next mayor on Nov. 5. Moderated by anchors Angie Hendershot and Matt Franklin, the two candidates responded to each other, and to viewers’...
Analysis: Medicaid work requirements take effect Jan. 1: difficulties likely for the poor
by Madeleine Graham A law establishing work requirements for about 270,000 Medicaid recipients in Michigan takes effect Jan. 1, 2020–sending state officials and recipients scrambling to understand how they will be affected. “At this time what we have to do is prepare to implement the law as it is written currently,” according to Bob Wheaton, public information officer of the Michigan Department of Health and Human...
Council fails to pass recreational pot ordinance; has till Nov. 1 to act
By Luther Houle An uncharacteristic turnout of about 60 Flint residents appeared at the Oct. 14 City Council meeting to voice their opinions and observe the city’s legislative process. Their reason for coming: a proposed “opt-out” ordinance that would limit which businesses would be able to get recreational marijuana licenses. After a public hearing and council discussion, the ordinance failed to pass on a 4-4 split vote, with the...
Review: Spirited “Memphis the Musical” dancing up a storm through Oct. 19 at McCree
By Patsy Isenberg The Tony Award winning musical, “Memphis,” at The New McCree Theatre, running through Saturday, Oct. 19, has a huge cast of talented local singers, dancers, and actors and is directed by Cathye Johnson. The musical tries to take the audience back to the 50s. And it does, using music to illustrate the changes that started taking place at that time. The production has 22 actors listed in the playbill and several of...
“A common sort of hunger,” competitive spirit motivate street art, muralists assert at FPAP panel
By Patsy Isenberg Assessing public art such as the dozens of murals that have sprung up in Flint over the past year, one of the artists involved in the Flint Public Art Project (FPAP) said Friday street art is “a vehicle for social change.” “This whole program proves that you can lift yourself up– people will come around and give you support and the sky’s the limit … the places that need it bring out the best...
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