The East Village Magazine – October 2023
The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download and viewing here: [pdfjs-viewer url="https://www.eastvillagemagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/EVM_Oct_23.pdf" attachment_id="40038" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true...
Education Beat: Mixed results on post-pandemic assessment data for area schools
By Harold C. Ford Area student performance in the first post-pandemic year, 2022-2023, offers a mixture of good and bad news, according to data provided by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), with Flint students showing a small gain in one area and losses in...
Commentary: What lies ahead for Flint’s colleges? — Centennials, conflict, change, and challenges
By Paul Rozycki The University of Michigan-Flint has a new chancellor; Mott Community College’s president is applying for a position in Kentucky; Kettering University has a new vice president, is looking to a “transformational decade”; and, since 2005, the Flint...
Taliah Abdullah, new Gloria Coles Flint Public Library director: “Community is at the heart of who I am”
By Canisha Bell and Jan Worth-Nelson “I believe in community – community is at the heart of who I am as an individual, what I believe in and why I became a librarian.” That’s how Taliah Abdullah, executive director of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library since July...
UM – Flint enrollment up for first time in a decade: reaches 6,130
News from University of Michigan - Flint Director of Marketing and Communications Robb King: "For the first time in nearly a decade, the University of Michigan-Flint has recorded an increase in total fall enrollment as 6,130 students are enrolled at the downtown...
Council allocates $5.2 million from ARPA fund for home repairs; Berston Field House $30 million renovation capital campaign announced
By Tom Travis Editor's note - this article has been updated correcting Councilperson Eric Mays' return to council meetings on Sept. 6 after being removed for 30-days by a council vote in August. City council approved $5.2 million allocated from the city's ARPA...
Village Life: If a mouse could take a shower, what does a naked guy do?
By Tom Travis Both the mouse and I were upset with the positions we found ourselves in. I flipped on the light inside my shower and turned the water on as I’ve done every morning. But this morning a mouse scampered across the bottom of my tub/shower. It was clawing...
Village Life: the ballet of brick laying
By Tom Travis About 11 years ago I moved into a 100-year old house in Flint. The decision was made to remove all the big, heavy radiators that were connected to the old boiler heating system. There were a lot of them. What do you imagine is the heaviest thing ever?...
City council approves Phase 2 of the Buick City Redevelopment Plan – using a complex financing model
By Tom Travis The Flint City Council has approved an embattled resolution for the city to release the 350-acre former Buick City brownfield to developer Ashley Capital. Ashley Capital is under contract to purchase the site from Revitalizing Auto Communities...
“Mr. American Pie” Don McLean to perform at Capitol Aug. 31: after 50 years, he “still likes the song”
By Tom Travis Fifty-two years after his song "American Pie" became a surprise hit and thrust him him into sudden fame, singer/songwriter Don McLean, 77, says he's still not tired of it. "I'm not tired of the song because it makes people so happy," he said in a phone...
Four indictments for “45.” What will it mean for 2024?
By Paul Rozycki Donald Trump is running for president next year. He’s also facing 91 felony charges in both federal and state jurisdictions. With the first Republican debate last month behind us, we are about to begin the 2024 presidential election campaign. It may be...
Education Beat: New school year starts with $156 million ESSER funding moves; new backpack policy in place, administrative changes announced; Washington demo delayed; MSU partnership renewed
By Harold C. Ford A new academic year at Flint Community Schools (FCS) began Aug. 9, as students reported back to school under a newly-adopted backpack policy. The day before, on Aug. 8, several changes in administration positions were announced by FCS Superintendent...
New library director, Taliah Abdullah, at welcome reception says, “I would just like for us to get to know each other and to explore ways to enhance the wellbeing of our community”
By Canisha Bell and Jan Worth-Nelson "We are in such good hands. I would just like for us to get to know each other and to explore ways to enhance the wellbeing of our community," Taliah Abdullah, new executive director of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library (GCFPL)...
Every Flint pregnant mom to receive $1,500, no strings attached, plus $500 per month in “first of its kind” program
By Canisha Bell and Tom Travis Pregnant women in Flint will receive $1,500 each, no strings attached, through a new program called Rx Kids announced by the State of Michigan and other partners this week. The program aims to provide every pregnant person and infant...
The East Village Magazine – August 2023
The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download and viewing here: [pdfjs-viewer url="https://www.eastvillagemagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/EVMAug23.pdf" attachment_id="39121" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true...
Commentary: Indictments, recalls, demolitions, resignations, and more — 10 things to watch for in the dog days of summer
By Paul Rozycki We may be in the midst of record-breaking heat during these dog days of August, and the political future may be as hazy as the Michigan horizon on a humid summer evening, enveloped in Canadian forest fire smoke. But with all the risks, and in no...
Candice Mushatt elected to serve as Seventh Ward councilperson in a 5 to 2 vote
By Tom Travis City Council elected Candice Mushatt to represent Flint's Seventh Ward Wednesday night. According to the city's charter , the council had until July 30 to choose a successor for former Seventh Ward Councilperson Allie Herkenroder who resigned as of July...
Commentary: “The work of higher ed must continue” — Emeritus faculty voice concern, yet again, about UM – Flint upheaval
By Theodosia Robertson Theodosia Robertson is an associate professor emerita of history and an occasional columnist for East Village Magazine. She can be reached at teddyrob@umich.edu. In November, 2022, I composed a letter of concern addressed to President Santa J....
Education Beat Analysis: Upgrades proceed on Flint Schools’ same lineup of 11 buildings; fewer than 3,000 students to report back on Aug. 9; no decisions on building closures
By Harold C. Ford Fewer than 3,000 Flint Community Schools (FCS) students – based on last year’s enrollment data – are scheduled to start the 2023-2024 school year Aug. 9. The district moves into its fifth year on a “balanced calendar” schedule in which students and...
UM President Ono: Departing UM – Flint Chancellor Dutta “a strong advocate” for transformation at downtown campus
The following letter was posted earlier today by University of Michigan President Santa J. Ono about the departure of UM - Flint Chancellor Debasish Dutta -- Ed. July 18, 2023 To the U-M community: Great universities need great leaders to evolve and thrive. So, it is...
Dutta out at UM – Flint as UMF fall enrollment numbers disappoint; “Strategic Transformation” put on hold
By Jan Worth-Nelson Debasish Dutta, chancellor of the University of Michigan - Flint since 2019, is leaving for the University of Illinois as special assistant to the president beginning Sept. 16 for a salary of $425,000. University of Michigan President Santa J....
“Mindful and Motivated Youth Health Summit” Aug. 19 to offer “A pipeline and pathway for students to go into healthcare”
By Canisha Bell “I have really big plans to build the pipeline and pathway for students to go into healthcare. I’m not just looking for people to go into being a doctor or a nurse, but the hope is that people see all of the different options that exist." To help...
The ARPA meeting that wasn’t: City Deputy Chief of Staff shuts down council meeting, police help clear the room
By Tom Travis Editor's note: This article has been updated on Thursday, June 29, with a statement from the City's communication director concerning the ARPA Community Advisory Committee members. Flint's Deputy Chief of Staff bolted into a city council meeting...
Mott Community College: Celebrating 100 years of change and challenge
By Paul Rozycki In 1923, Calvin Coolidge became president after Harding’s death, Hitler was arrested in Germany for an attempted coup, Hemingway returned from Paris, publishing his first short stories including “Up in Michigan”, the first issue of Time magazine was...
Commentary: Allie Herkenroder’s words speak to all of us
By Paul Rozycki “I consider the abuse from council directly (related) to my mental and physical concerns.” Seventh Ward Councilwoman Allie Herkenroder, on her reasons for resigning from the Flint City Council Can the experience of one individual be a mirror and a...
