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...
Juneteenth organizers reflect on the national holiday and local effects in Beecher and Flint
By Canisha Bell As local Juneteenth events wrapped up, two community leaders actively involved in area celebrations reflected in interviews with East Village Magazine on what it all means. Community organizer April Cook-Hawkins said she believes that Juneteenth events...
Sports Beat: Flint City Bucks – men and women – undefeated, in first place at midseason
By Harold C. Ford An unprecedented winning season is unfolding for the Flint City Bucks franchise and its two entries in the United States League (USL): the Flint City Bucks (men’s entry in USL2 or United States League Two) and Flint City AFC (women’s entry in USL W...
Education Beat: Flint Schools — too many buildings, not enough students to fill them
By Harold C. Ford “It’s April; school closings should be announced today, May at the latest … I’m begging you to get focused.” – Bruce Jordan, teachers union official, Michigan Education Association; April 2023 “You only need half of the [existing] buildings.” --...
Review: “Call Them by Their True Names” by Rebecca Solnit
By Robert Thomas Subtitled American Crises (and Essays), Call Them by Their True Names is Rebecca Solnit's powerful 2018 collection of timely essays. The book's forward, "Politics and the American Language,” sets the author's course in sifting the wheat from the...
Review: Ragtime paints a picture of racial-tensions with tragic and hopeful ends
By Tom Travis Before a sold out opening night crowd, FIM The Flint Rep Friday night staged the last production of the season, with a rousing and relevant version of the musical Ragtime. The play, which runs through June 25, centers around the dilemmas of several...
Flint Council President Herkenroder resigns as of July 1, citing anxiety, depression, and thoughts of self-harm following “abuse,” “vindictiveness and hatred”
By Tom Travis In the last moments of a contentious council meeting where the council passed a city budget one week after the deadline, Council President Allie Herkenroder (Ward 7) announced she was resigning as the Seventh Ward council person as of July 1. [gallery...
Parking meters are obvious but revenue is not
By Elizabeth Ireland-Curtis Parking in downtown Flint is contentious and confusing. City council regularly hears complaints about the meters, how to use them and the many unwarranted tickets residents receive. East Village Magazine (EVM) reached out multiple times to...
What is a story worth? Gift from an only son brings back rich family history
By Teddy Robertson The elders in my young life were storytellers. The dinner table, an oval oak dropleaf large enough for candlesticks and a centerpiece, was the usual setting for their mealtime yarns. But I was never shunted away during parties when adult...
“Social class, freedom, prejudice, hope and despair” come to life in the Flint Rep’s production of Ragtime opening June 9
By Tom Travis Ragtime, the musical, produced by FIM Flint Rep and appearing at Elgood Theatre from June 9 through 25, is set at the dawn of a new century. Everything is changing and anything is possible. Ragtime is an intimate, chamber-style telling of a 1998 Tony...
The East Village Magazine – June 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/2023/06/EVM_June_2023.pdf" attachment_id="38213" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true...
My bug splattered windshield was a metaphor for life that can be tough
By Tom Travis It was one of the first warm summer weekends. The bugs were all abuzz as I zoomed down I-69 on my 500-mile trip to southern Indiana for my youngest son’s high school graduation. Along the way, my car window got splattered with bugs. I’m usually kind of...
It’s the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library now: local leaders praise Coles’ legacy of “inclusivity” and “a bold, dynamic vision” at naming ceremony
By Jan Worth-Nelson Under a tent on the lawn on a steamy afternoon, more than 100 of Flint's leadership aristocracy gave Gloria Coles a standing ovation as the library she served as director for 20 years was officially named in her honor. It is now the Gloria Coles...
Guest Commentary: Flint’s unique opportunity for better, safer streets should design for more than cars
Guest commentary by Joel Arnold, Planning and Advocacy Manager at Communities First, Inc. If there’s one thing we hear regularly in our city and region, it’s that people drive far too fast and far too dangerously. In the Flint area, we’ve seen business after business...
Education Beat: Flint Community Schools challenged by its aging lineup of buildings; Washington demo approved
By Harold C. Ford In May, the Flint Board of Education (FBOE): approved the spending of tens of millions of ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) dollars for infrastructure upgrades; turned down a substantial offer to sell the Zimmerman property on...
Is it time to park the meters?
By Paul Rozycki As the bricks on Saginaw Street are being redone to give us a smoother ride downtown, perhaps it is time to reconsider what happens when that ride is done. Where to park the car? For almost the last four years, Municipal Parking Services has been...
Sports Beat: Home openers Saturday at Atwood for Flint City Bucks (men) Friday for Flint City AFC (women)
By Harold C. Ford The Flint City Bucks men’s soccer club hosts its first match of the 2023 season at Atwood Stadium in downtown Flint on Saturday, May 27 starting at 7:30 p.m. Flint will take on Grand Rapids-based Midwest United FC (football club). A fireworks display...
Council considers an update to the city’s employee compensation schedule; and a $474,000 invoice from MDOT
By Tom Travis Council considered 12 resolutions in the finance committee at last night's meeting. Including a resolution for the payment of a $474,000 invoice from MDOT for damage caused by a former city of Flint employee to an overpass in Flint Township and another...
Education Beat: UM – Flint Critical Issues Conference Friday and Saturday highlights teaching and learning in the era of COVID
By Harold C. Ford The University of Michigan-Flint (UM-F) is hosting a critical issues conference starting at 6 p.m. Friday May 19 and continuing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 20. at its downtown Flint campus. The conference will focus on the state of affairs...
Budget hearings conclude; council chaos continues with loud racial accusations
By Tom Travis This article has been updated with information of a budget hearing call back set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18. The Water Pollution Control department and the Purchasing/Finance department budget hearing will be held in the Genesee County Administration...
Local group, The Soggy Bottom Band featuring singer Danielle Bollinger, to perform at Flint’s Capitol Theatre May 17
By Tom Travis The Soggy Bottom Band featuring singer Danielle Bollinger will perform a free concert, "Flint Under the Stars" at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 in Flint's Capitol Theatre. "Flint Under the Stars" aims to become a regular event where local talent is featured...
Community Foundation leader Isaiah Oliver departing for new job in Florida, asserts “Love is never lost”
By Canisha Bell Isaiah M. Oliver, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) has announced his resignation effective July 28, 2023. Oliver, his wife Shay and the couple’s four children Zaiah, Carrington, Chelyn and Isaiah II are moving to...
“We have chaos in the chamber” – Council Vice-President Ladel Lewis struggles to keep order in Monday’s boisterous meeting
By Tom Travis The City Council meeting spiraled into a chaotic abyss on Monday night. The special affairs committee began at 4:30 p.m. and ended at 9:30 p.m. after five hours of mostly arguing and bickering amongst the council. Additionally, there was a group of vocal...
Emily Doerr named City of Flint Planning & Development Director
By Tom Travis Flint native and resident Emily Doerr will become the new Director of Planning and Development for the City of Flint beginning June 12, 2023, according to a press release from Mayor Sheldon Neeley. Doerr will replace retiring Suzanne Wilcox who has...
Education Beat : Two days, two memos, two views of Flint school district: Superintendent elevates “positive stories”; teachers’ union cites “grave concerns”
By Harold C. Ford Within two days, two memos with two different views were issued by the superintendent and teachers’ union leaders at Flint Community Schools (FCS). FCS Superintendent Jones On May 5, FCS Superintendent Kevelin Jones issued a statement that...
