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Education Beat: Two central administrators charge Flint Ed Board Treasurer Laura MacIntyre with “hostile work environment”

Posted by on 8:33 AM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Education Beat: Two central administrators charge Flint Ed Board Treasurer Laura MacIntyre with “hostile work environment”

Education Beat:   Two central administrators charge Flint Ed Board Treasurer Laura MacIntyre with “hostile work environment”

By Harold C. Ford Two central administrators of the Flint Community Schools (FCS) — Superintendent Anita Steward and Ayunna Dompreh,  FCS executive director of finance — have both charged Laura MacIntyre, FCS board treasurer, with creating a “hostile work environment,”  according to Board President Carol McIntosh. McIntosh announced the charges at the end of an Aug. 18 board meeting, and explained to the rest of the board that she had sought legal advice about how to proceed. “Ms. Dompreh said she did not feel comfortable,’ McIntosh said, in...

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Education Beat: Hot Buildings Keep Flint Students at Home

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Education Beat:  Hot Buildings Keep Flint Students at Home

By Harold C. Ford For the second time in the just-started 2021-22 school year, Flint Community Schools (FCS) closed its doors to students due to the heat. This time it was by order of the FCS Board of Education.   By a vote of 5-0, the Flint board closed its schools Aug. 19 in anticipation of outside temperatures that would reach the mid-80s (Fahrenheit). FCS buildings were closed on Aug. 12 by the FCS central administration for the same reason.   Two board members—Diana Wright and Vera Perry— were absent from Wednesday’s four-hour regular...

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After $2 million renovation, Greater Flint Health Coalition moves into donated downtown building

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After $2 million renovation, Greater Flint Health Coalition moves into donated downtown building

By Tom Travis The Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC) celebrated its newly renovated three-story headquarters in downtown Flint Monday with a ribbon cutting ceremony.  The 12,000 sq. ft. facility is next to the northern end of Buckham Alley at 120 W. First St. At a cost of $2 million, the renovation took more than  a year and half. The work started a month before the COVID pandemic shut-down in February, 2020.  After several months of construction pauses,  the renovation wrapped up in December, 2020, and the GFHC moved from their former...

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Mobile COVID vaccination units available Thursday, Aug. 19 and 26 on Flint’s south side

Posted by on 7:12 PM in Features | Comments Off on Mobile COVID vaccination units available Thursday, Aug. 19 and 26 on Flint’s south side

Mobile COVID vaccination units available Thursday, Aug. 19 and 26 on Flint’s south side

Mobile COVID vaccination units will be in the Burton area and the surrounding neighborhoods of Hemphill Road and Saginaw Street on Thursday, Aug. 19 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The vaccination units also will be in the surrounding neighborhoods of Atherton Road and Dort Highway on Thursday, Aug. 26 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free lunches will be provided from the GCCARD Meet Up and Eat Up truck. Sponsors of the vaccination units are The Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC) in partnership with Genesee Community Health Center, Genesee County Community...

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Book Review: Connor Coyne’s mighty opus compels in URBANTASM: Book Three — The Darkest Road

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Book Review:  Connor Coyne’s mighty opus compels in URBANTASM: Book Three — The Darkest Road

By Robert Thomas Urbantasm is categorized as a magical teen noir serial novel composed of four books. The Darkest Road is Book Three of the series created by Flint writer Connor Coyne. But it is much more than a teen novel.  It is a massive creation from Coyne’s omnivorous mind, and an often gripping evocation of the throes of a struggling city. Having reviewed the first two books for East Village Magazine The Dying City (EVM July 2, 2018) and The Empty Room (EVM September 20, 2019), I awaited the Book Three episode like a kid with a...

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Mobile COVID vaccination units available Saturday, Aug. 14 on Flint’s south side

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Mobile COVID vaccination units available Saturday, Aug. 14 on Flint’s south side

Mobile COVID vaccination units sponsored by The Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC) in partnership with Genesee Community Health Center, Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (G.C.C.A.R.D.), and the United Way of Genesee County will be in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood and surrounding areas on Saturday, Aug. 14 from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m, according to a press release from the GFHC. Free lunches will be provided from the GCCARD Meet Up and Eat Up truck. The Lincoln Park Neighborhood is located west of Fenton road and north of...

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Genesee County at 52.5 percent COVID vaccination rate; Flint ranks among the lowest in state at below 35

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Genesee County at 52.5 percent COVID vaccination rate; Flint ranks among the lowest in state at below 35

By Tom Travis Shatarian Aliger, 35, an entrepreneur/fashion designer, said she overcame her COVID vaccination hesitancy out of concern for her family.  Thursday, she got her second Moderna shot in the Flint Township office of Dr. Bobby Mukkamala.  She had received her first dose July 13. “I was hesitant. I am the last one in my family to receive the vaccine,” she said.  Her reluctance, she said, was due to hearing things on the news and the problems that occurred with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “I did want to wait...

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Public opposition growing against proposed Ajax asphalt plant in northeast Flint

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Public opposition growing against proposed Ajax asphalt plant in northeast Flint

By Harold C. Ford “It literally stinks.” – Father Phil Schmitter, St. Francis Prayer Center, Aug. 11, 2021 Public opposition to a proposed asphalt plant on the northeast side of Flint was launched by a coalition of groups and individuals opposed to its construction at an Aug. 11 press conference held on the property of the St. Francis Prayer Center, 2381 Carpenter Rd., Flint. The Prayer Center property is adjacent to the proposed site for the asphalt plant on nearby Energy Drive. The asphalt plant is being proposed by Ajax Paving Industries...

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In a bi-weekly crime update the Mayor announces that all city parks will close at 9 p.m. in an effort to reduce crime

Posted by on 9:06 PM in Features | Comments Off on In a bi-weekly crime update the Mayor announces that all city parks will close at 9 p.m. in an effort to reduce crime

In a bi-weekly crime update the Mayor announces that all city parks will close at 9 p.m. in an effort to reduce crime

By Tom Travis In the wake of three homicides in Flint over the weekend, Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced at press conference Monday that he is launching bi-weekly updates on the state of crime in the city. Neeley also announced that all city parks will now close at 9 p.m. in an effort to bring down crime. Over the weekend three people were killed in two separate incidents.  Two homicides occurred in Broome Park on Flint’s south side (the park is located south of 12th Street and north of Atherton Road). A large gathering was in the park...

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Infrastructure work, environmental justice “can’t wait another generation,” Kildee and activist panel agree

Posted by on 9:05 PM in Analysis, Features | Comments Off on Infrastructure work, environmental justice “can’t wait another generation,” Kildee and activist panel agree

Infrastructure work, environmental justice “can’t wait another generation,” Kildee and activist panel agree

By Jan Worth-Nelson As the U.S. Senate was voting to approve the American Jobs Plan 69-30 Tuesday morning, with 19 Republicans joining all Democrats, a group of Genesee County activists from environmental justice, health care, and education spoke out forcefully to U.S. Representative Dan Kildee(MI-5) in a zoom webinar about the $1 trillion plan now on its way to the House of Representatives. The roundtable, organized by the activist coalition Michigan United via Flint pastor Monica Villareal, was moderated by East Village Magazine (EVM)...

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Education Beat: Flint Summer Enrichment Programs conclude as students return to school buildings and balanced calendar

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Education Beat:  Flint Summer Enrichment Programs conclude as students return to school buildings and balanced calendar

By Harold C. Ford Students enrolled in Flint Community Schools (FCS) returned to school Aug. 4 for a third consecutive year under a “balanced calendar” that was adopted by FCS at the start of the 2019-2020 school year.  A balanced calendar features an earlier start to the school year, a later finish, and longer and more frequent breaks during the academic year. While balanced calendar proponents cite many advantages, the most frequently-touted benefit is the diminishment of learning loss—particularly for low-income youth.   ...

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With eight percent turnout for Flint city council primary, most incumbents advance to the general election

Posted by on 7:34 AM in Analysis, Features, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on With eight percent turnout for Flint city council primary, most incumbents advance to the general election

With eight percent turnout for Flint city council primary, most incumbents advance to the general election

By Paul Rozycki As voters turned out in surprisingly low numbers for Tuesday’s city council primary, a number of new faces emerged to challenge incumbents in City Hall. Yet, with about eight percent of the voters casting ballots, only one incumbent found himself in the losing column. Voters in the 2nd Ward defeated incumbent Maurice Davis, as he finished third in a four person field.  All of the other incumbents who chose to run, were unopposed, or, survived to run in the Nov. 2 general election. The top two candidates in each ward will move...

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The East Village Magazine – August 2021

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The East Village Magazine – August 2021

The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: View...

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Education Beat: Mott Foundation CEO White pauses, then restores, grants to Flint Schools; 200 at packed Ed Board meeting signal community divides

Posted by on 12:59 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Education Beat: Mott Foundation CEO White pauses, then restores, grants to Flint Schools; 200 at packed Ed Board meeting signal community divides

Education Beat:  Mott Foundation CEO White pauses, then restores, grants to Flint Schools;  200 at packed Ed Board meeting signal community divides

By Harold C. Ford The dramatic twists and turns reflected by and from the leadership teams—elected and appointed—at Flint Community Schools (FCS) deepened when Ridgway White, CEO of the Flint-based C. S. Mott Foundation, announced a pause of FCS grant funding on July 16.   A plan titled the Flint Education Continuum (FEC), spearheaded by the Mott Foundation, aiming to renovate or replace all of Flint’s school buildings and provide supportive programming, led indirectly to the pause.  The Flint Community’s division over these developments was...

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Flint Home Improvement Fund offers low- and no-interest loans up to $20,000 to homeowners of all income levels

Posted by on 3:04 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Flint Home Improvement Fund offers low- and no-interest loans up to $20,000 to homeowners of all income levels

Flint Home Improvement Fund offers low- and no-interest loans up to $20,000 to homeowners of all income levels

The Flint HIF (Home Improvement Fund) has released updated information on the progress of the program.  Home renovation projects underway through the Flint Home Improvement Fund The Flint Home Improvement Fund, launched in February 2021, generated a lot of interest among Flint residents. More than 200 applications have been submitted. A total of 14 home improvement projects are currently underway in eight of the city’s nine wards, and four projects are complete. Another six projects will be underway shortly. The Flint HIF is a citywide home...

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Commentary: After the water crisis and the pandemic, what’s next?

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Commentary: After the water crisis and the pandemic, what’s next?

By Paul Rozycki It looked like the Flint water crisis was over…and it wasn’t. It looked like the pandemic was over…and it wasn’t. The water crisis In Flint, as July ended, nearly all of the lead pipes in the city had been replaced, a court settlement was on track, lead levels were at record lows, and it seemed that the seven years of the Flint water crisis might be behind us.  Then the newly installed pipes on Court Street began failing, flooding the neighborhood with water, and creating huge sinkholes in the middle of the newly paved...

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From San Francisco to Chevy-in-the-hole – the Chevy Coupe helped to move America

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From San Francisco to Chevy-in-the-hole – the Chevy Coupe helped to move America

By Teddy Robertson “Je-zus Christ!” Stress on the first syllable and heavy elongation of the “z” sound. I blurted out one of my father’s favored expletives. My mother had slammed on the brakes and I tumbled off the bench seat of our old Chevy coupe and hit the floor mat beneath. The brown and red threads of the tan plaid upholstery prickled as I clambered back onto the bench seat. It was 1951 and I was six years old. The car was a 1940 Chevrolet, a 2-door business coupe, trim and sporty even with its faded cream finish. A red pin stripe was...

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At five-year milestone Flint water tests at 3 ppb for lead – the lowest yet: EGLE says, “We know that trust was broken”

Posted by on 7:47 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on At five-year milestone Flint water tests at 3 ppb for lead – the lowest yet: EGLE says, “We know that trust was broken”

At five-year milestone Flint water tests at 3 ppb for lead – the lowest yet: EGLE says, “We know that trust was broken”

By Tom Travis “From EGLE’s perspective and my own perspective, we know that trust was broken. We know that what we need to do is to deliver results to the people of the City of Flint,” said Liesl Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Clark made these comments at a press conference Thursday on the grounds of the Flint Water Plant, 4500 N. Dort Hwy. to announce the lowest lead levels in the city’s drinking water since the crisis began. Five-year milestone reached...

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Sports Beat: Bucks booted From USL2 postseason playoffs by 1-0 loss to Des Moines

Posted by on 12:59 PM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Sports Beat: Bucks booted From USL2 postseason playoffs by 1-0 loss to Des Moines

Sports Beat:  Bucks booted From USL2 postseason playoffs by 1-0 loss to Des Moines

By Harold C. Ford “The reigning champions Flint City Bucks have been eliminated out of this year’s United States League Two.” —Ami Rabiai, game announcer, CISN (Central Iowa Sports Network) The hometown team was booted from the USL2 postseason playoffs by Des Moines 1-0, ending the Bucks’ chances for a repeat championship. A booming shot from the right foot of the Des Moines Menace’s Sivert Haugli evaded Flint goalkeeper Isaac Walker and landed in the Flint City Bucks’ net at 52 minutes (52’) of the second half, eliminating the United...

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Metro Community Development combats homelessness and housing affordability crises

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Metro Community Development combats homelessness and housing affordability crises

By Madeleine Graham  Metro Community Development (MCD) kicks off its monthly business workshops this week, hosting the first event  at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 21. According to Facebook, Metro Community Development will be partnering with John L Financial Services who will assist in facilitating the events.  The event is available to the community on Facebook Live.  More information on the workshops is available at the MCD website. Brian Glowiak, Metro Community Development’s CEO, said the non-profit organization, with a mission of...

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Sports Beat:  Flint City Bucks secure playoff spot with 4-0 victory over Oakland County

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Sports Beat:  Flint City Bucks secure playoff spot with 4-0 victory over Oakland County

By Harold Ford The Flint City Bucks rallied in the last one-third of the regular season with four straight wins to earn a spot in the United States League Two (USL2) post-season playoffs. The Bucks downed Oakland County FC (Football Club) 4-0 on Saturday, July 10 to secure a playoff spot and a chance to defend their 2019 USL2 national championship.  The Bucks finished the regular season with a record of 9-3-2 (wins-losses-ties) and 29 points. Wins are worth three points; ties worth one point; losses no points. Standings are determined by...

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Nine foot sink hole catapults simple road project to fourteenth burst water main break

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Nine foot sink hole catapults simple road project to fourteenth burst water main break

By Tom Travis Monday morning, residents of Flint’s College Cultural neighborhood along Court Street were left shaking their heads and bemoaning the city’s infrastructure problems after a 13th water main break in 17 months early Sunday burst open a nine-foot sink hole in the center of the intersection at East Court and Maxine streets. According to an update from Spalding DeDecker engineering. at 3:40 a.m. Sunday a water main burst at the intersection of East Court and Maxine, one block east of the entrance to Mott Community...

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Flint’s Housing Crisis predates recent crises, according to report by UM – Flint professor

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Flint’s Housing Crisis predates recent crises, according to report by UM – Flint professor

By Madeleine Graham  The Flint water crisis had no discernable effect on Flint’s housing market, according to a recent report released by the University of Michigan – Flint’s Victoria Morckel and Bernadette Hanlon in the academic journal Housing and Society. According to the report, published in March 2020, income limitations, residential segregation, and past practices like redlining restricted some Flint residents’ mobility long before the water crisis. Hanlon is the associate professor of city and regional planning at Ohio...

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Village Life: Viral time revisited, 2021 — personal panic, wine, and the witching hour

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Village Life:  Viral time revisited, 2021 — personal panic, wine, and the witching hour

By Teddy Robertson We were all so new at balancing mortal threat and daily life. Inept, but resourceful. That’s how it felt a year ago this May when East Village Magazine staff shared their first experiences of the COVID pandemic. That’s odder than you might think—reporters usually don’t want to be part of a story. I can hardly recall the details of Spring 2020 now; I had to look them up. Each new order blotted out  memory of the previous one.  We rocketed through the month of March.  Just look at this list for a shocking reminder:...

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Berston Bicycle Club gears up to engage, challenge Flint teens

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Berston Bicycle Club gears up to engage, challenge Flint teens

By Tom Travis The Berston Bicycle Club is gearing up for another summer of activity around Flint. The next session begins July 12 and runs through Sept. 10. The nine-week course includes classroom clinic sessions on biking safety and maintenance as well as daily bike trips in all directions on the compass. At the end of it — aiming for a goal of riding 270 miles — participants get a new bike, helmet, and lots of extras. And, the club’s founder Angela Stamps hopes, healthier bodies as well. Stamps, 51, founded the Berston...

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Sports Beat : Last-minute win over South Bend may propel Bucks into playoffs

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Sports Beat :     Last-minute win over South Bend may propel Bucks into playoffs

By Harold C. Ford The Flint City Bucks snatched an important 2-1 last-minute win over the South Bend (IN) Lions Football Club at Kettering University’s Atwood Stadium on Tuesday evening, a win that might propel the club through and into the post-regular season playoffs. The winning goal was scored by Noah Jensen in the 90th minute in extra time (added time at the end of a half for time that runs off the clock earlier for injuries, substitutions, and other stoppages). Jensen’s goal was assisted by Matt Fearnley who scored the first goal of the...

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The East Village Magazine – July 2021

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The East Village Magazine – July 2021

The East Village Magazine for July 2021 is available here: View...

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Education Beat: Superintendent Steward reflects on relationship with Flint Community Schools board

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Education Beat: Superintendent Steward reflects on relationship with Flint Community Schools board

By Harold C. Ford “It is my hope that, from this point on, the board and I will be able to work collaboratively to move the district forward.” — Anita Steward, superintendent, Flint Community Schools [Editor’s Note: Anita Steward, superintendent of Flint Community Schools (FCS), consented to an interview with East Village Magazine’s (EVM) Education Beat writer, Harold Ford, about her current relationship with the Flint Board of Education (FBOE).EVM extended an interview invitation to Carol McIntosh, FBOE president, and Vera Perry, FBOE...

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Education Beat: Mott CEO Ridgway White appeals to Flint Board of Ed to support district rescue plan

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Education Beat:  Mott CEO Ridgway White appeals to Flint Board of Ed to support district rescue plan

By Harold C. Ford Appearing before the Flint Board of Education (FBOE) at its first post-pandemic face-to-face meeting Monday, C. S. Mott Foundation President and CEO Ridgway White pleaded with the FBOE to support a massive recovery plan for Flint schools titled Flint Education Continuum (FEC). “My goal at the Mott Foundation is to ensure that every child in Flint has an equal opportunity for success,” White said in a public statement to the board. White spoke before the FBOE at the Accelerated Learning Academy (formerly Scott...

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Education Beat: Documents detail rapidly deteriorating relationship between Flint school board and superintendent

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Education Beat:  Documents detail rapidly deteriorating relationship between Flint school board and superintendent

By Harold C Ford East Village Magazine (EVM) has received information from a source who chooses to remain anonymous that documents a rapidly deteriorating relationship between the Flint Community Schools (FCS) Board of Education and FCS Superintendent Anita J. Steward. On Jan. 7, 2021, Steward received from the Flint board a Superintendent Evaluation (covering the period July 2020-December 2020) that concluded “the superintendent’s job performance was highly effective,” the best rating possible. A June 16, 2021 document warned Steward that...

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“Freedom” “Visibility” “To be my authentic self” – Flint’s LGBTQIA+ community express what Pride means to them

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“Freedom” “Visibility” “To be my authentic self” – Flint’s LGBTQIA+ community express what Pride means to them

By Tom Travis As Pride month comes to a close and Flint prepares for its own Pride Fest EVM spoke with seven members of Flint’s LGBTQIA+ community to find out what pride means to them and how they celebrate pride month. Flint Pride will have a cookout from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, June 25 in the parking lot of the Wellness Clinic, 311 E. Court St. The event will feature a DJ, vendors and free HIV and HEP-C testing. For more information, those interested can call (810) 232-0888. “I was in bondage.” – Jones Christopher Jones,...

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Flint Neighborhoods United meeting hears about high-speed internet, lifting of pandemic restrictions and rodent control

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Flint Neighborhoods United meeting hears about high-speed internet, lifting of pandemic restrictions and rodent control

By Coner Segren At the most recent Flint Neighborhoods United monthly meeting, residents heard from Gary Jones, Flint community liaison for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Office of Community Outreach, about the state’s lifting of pandemic restrictions. They also heard about a new federal program to allow for high-speed internet for communities lacking access and got tips from  a local conservation group about how to control rodents. “Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU) is a coalition of block club, neighborhood association and crime watch...

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Education Beat: District Superintendent Steward reprimanded by Flint School Board; she responds

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Education Beat:    District Superintendent Steward reprimanded by Flint School Board; she responds

By Harold C. Ford “I’m just so happy we got the homegrown girl. I think this is going to be beneficial for our district.” — Carol McIntosh, Flint school board trustee, June 25, 2020, upon the appointment of Anita Steward to the Flint Schools superintendent position “I don’t feel like this board is being respected. It is my hope to get Ms. Steward on track so we can move forward.” —Carol McIntosh, Flint school board president, June 16, 2021, upon the introduction of a resolution to verbally reprimand Anita Steward, Flint Schools...

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The East Village Magazine – June 2021

Posted by on 4:07 PM in Features, Print Edition | Comments Off on The East Village Magazine – June 2021

The East Village Magazine – June 2021

The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: View...

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Commentary: For the Aug, 3 city council primary, take the time to learn about your candidates, and vote!

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Commentary: For the Aug, 3 city council primary, take the time to learn about your candidates, and vote!

By Paul Rozycki They typically have eight- or ten-hour meetings that often last until dawn. They spend hours bickering and attacking each other personally. They failed to approve the current city budget on time, a violation of the city charter. Only after the city faced the prospect of a shutdown was the budget finalized.  Some have faced personal threats. They have become the poster child of dysfunctional local government in Genesee County. And yet, in spite of all this, or because of all this, more than 40 people took out petitions to be...

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Flint’s Poet Laureate, Semaj Brown, receives $50,000 award from the American Academy of Poets for civic project

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Flint’s Poet Laureate, Semaj Brown, receives $50,000 award from the American Academy of Poets for civic project

By Tom Travis The American Academy of Poets has chosen Flint’s Poet Laureate, Semaj Brown, as one of 2021 Poet Laureate Fellows. Brown was chosen along with 22 other Poets Laureate from across the country. Each of the winners will receive $50,000 for their literary work as well as a project of their choosing with a “civic focus.” “I thank you all. Also thank you to the Academy of American Poets. To the Dreamers, and the dreamless, to the faithful and the faithless, to those who know, and to those who seek to those who...

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Profile: 30 years later, Ben Hamper remembers Rivethead, his legacy of “that one story, that one guy”

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Profile:  30 years later, Ben Hamper remembers Rivethead, his legacy of “that one story, that one guy”

By Jan Worth-Nelson At a back corner table at Churchhill’s, escaping to AC on a muggy Tuesday afternoon in Flint, Ben Hamper takes a swig of his signature Jim Beam and Diet Coke and reflects on the 30 years since the country came to know him as an exuberantly profane, honest and hilariously irreverent blue collar bard. He was The Rivethead. His 1991 book Rivethead:  Tales from the Assembly Line, is a raucous, scathing and sometimes heart-wrenching account of his almost ten years in the 80s as a General Motors “shop rat,” at Chevy Truck and...

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Flint City Council fails to adopt budget second time: City’s ability to spend money ends June 30.

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Flint City Council fails to adopt budget second time:  City’s ability to spend money ends June 30.

By Tom Travis This article has been updated to include a press release from Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley warning of a potential city government shutdown due to the city council’s failure to pass a budget. – EVM Editor For a second time in one week the city council failed to adopt a budget. At this time there is no other special council meeting scheduled. The resolution to adopt the budget was presented first through a “motion to reconsider” and also as an “add-on resolution.” The lack of action means that the...

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Councilperson Eric Mays fires off response to Neeley’s press release: “We’re dealing with a deceptive, trickery, lying type of mayor”

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Councilperson Eric Mays fires off response to Neeley’s press release:  “We’re dealing with a deceptive, trickery, lying type of mayor”

By Tom Travis Councilperson Eric Mays (1st Ward) Tuesday contacted East Village Magazine (EVM) to respond to Mayor Sheldon Neeley’s press release about the council’s failure to adopt a budget in Monday’s meeting. Mays said he objected to Neeley calling the council as a whole, dysfunctional. Mays retorted, “I think we’re dealing with a deceptive, trickery, lying type of a mayor. In order for the council to operate in a budget process we need good information in a timely manor.” Mays said he reached out to...

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City Council fails to pass budget – Mayor Neeley delivers terse response

Posted by on 9:59 PM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News | Comments Off on City Council fails to pass budget – Mayor Neeley delivers terse response

City Council fails to pass budget – Mayor Neeley delivers terse response

By Tom Travis Despite a nine-hour meeting, the Flint City Council failed to adopt a budget Monday night, thereby violating the city charter which calls for the budget for the next fiscal year to be approved by the first Monday in June. The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. and stretched into the early morning hours of Tuesday, ending just after 3 a.m. In the face of no budget adoption by council, Mayor Sheldon Neeley released a terse statement Tuesday afternoon stating, “It is unfortunate that the City Council has again been overrun by its...

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Flint City Council Candidates “show what it means to work together,” team up to paint Kearsley Park pavilion

Posted by on 9:32 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Flint City Council Candidates “show what it means to work together,” team up to paint Kearsley Park pavilion

Flint City Council Candidates “show what it means to work together,” team up to paint Kearsley Park pavilion

By Tom Travis Five candidates running for Flint City Council met at Kearsley Park on Memorial Day to “show what it means to work together, to show the community that a city council can work together,” according to 5th Ward candidate Joe Schipani. Schipani, along with write-in candidate Tanya Rison (1st Ward), Ladel Lewis (2nd Ward), Allie Herkenroder (7th Ward), and write-in candidate Steven Barber (9th Ward) scraped paint, pushed brooms, and then grabbed paint rollers and painted the floor of the pavilion at Kearsley Park....

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Commentary: The right to vote — It’s not just about Democrats or Republicans. It’s about democracy.

Posted by on 11:53 AM in Analysis, Commentary, Coronavirus, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Commentary: The right to vote — It’s not just about Democrats or Republicans. It’s about democracy.

Commentary: The right to vote — It’s not just about Democrats or Republicans. It’s about democracy.

By Paul Rozycki Guess what?  There was cheating in the 2020 election.  And guess what? There was so little of it, in a nation of 330 million, that it scarcely mattered.  And from what we know, there were both Republicans and Democrats doing it.  According to a Washington Post survey, there were 16 cases of cheating last year—about one for every 10 million votes cast. Even the Republican leaning Heritage Foundation claimed to have found a little more than 1200 cases in the last 40 years. Many other studies found similar results. Most of those...

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Sports Beat: Flint City Bucks open defense of USL2 championship with convincing 3-1 win over Toledo

Posted by on 12:07 PM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Sports Beat: Flint City Bucks open defense of USL2 championship with convincing 3-1 win over Toledo

Sports Beat: Flint City Bucks open defense of USL2 championship  with convincing 3-1 win over Toledo

By Harold C. Ford “It’s hard defending a national championship; it’s harder winning one.” –Dan Duggan, chairman and CEO, Flint City Bucks The Flint City Bucks football [soccer] club opened the 2021 season with a convincing 3-1 win over Toledo Villa Football Club May 15 at Atwood Stadium before a reported 1700 fans.   The Bucks’ next home match [game] is set for Saturday, May 29 against the Dayton Dutch Lions.  Start time is 7:30 p.m. at Flint’s Atwood Stadium.   At the May 15 match-up, the Flint side [team] dominated play in the...

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$46 million in stimulus funds land in city’s coffers: online survey asks Flint residents what to do with it

Posted by on 10:03 AM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News | Comments Off on $46 million in stimulus funds land in city’s coffers: online survey asks Flint residents what to do with it

$46 million in stimulus funds land in city’s coffers:  online survey asks Flint residents what to do with it

By Tom Travis A check for $46 million was deposited into the City of Flint’s bank account last Wednesday, according to the city’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Shelbi Frayer. It is the first payment from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan stimulus money. Recently the U.S. Treasury updated the amount Flint would receive from $99 million to $94 million. Frayer said in a follow-up email that she expects another check for $48 million in two years, before 2024. East Village Magazine reported in April on the...

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Redistricting, social equity and water costs among topics discussed at Flint Neighborhoods United monthly virtual session

Posted by on 9:37 AM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on Redistricting, social equity and water costs among topics discussed at Flint Neighborhoods United monthly virtual session

Redistricting, social equity and water costs among topics discussed at Flint Neighborhoods United monthly virtual session

By Coner Segren Potential Michigan redistricting losses based on Census-2020 numbers, establishment of a new urban institute dedicated to social equity at the UM – Flint,  a proposal  to study a flat rate for water in the City of Flint, and the Genesee County Land Bank’s Clean and Green program were among topics discussed at the latest Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU) meeting.  FNU still holds its monthly meetings by Zoom. The next meeting is scheduled for  9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 5.  The Zoom link can be found on the...

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“Rivethead” author Ben Hamper, bard of 20th century blue collar life, returns to Flint June 5

Posted by on 7:24 AM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on “Rivethead” author Ben Hamper, bard of 20th century blue collar life, returns to Flint June 5

“Rivethead” author Ben Hamper, bard of 20th century blue collar life,  returns to Flint June 5

By Jan Worth-Nelson Ben Hamper, author of a classic best-selling account of “shop rat” life in Flint in the 1980s, returns to his hometown June 5 for a reading and book signing from 2-5 p.m. at Totem Books, 620 W. Court St. His appearance celebrates the 30th anniversary of the publication of Rivethead:  Tales from the Assembly Line,  Hamper’s vivid, scathing, irreverent, hilarious and occasionally heart-rending tale of working class General Motors life. Now of Sutton’s Bay, Hamper was early on associated with Michael...

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Flint’s Pride Festival continues to reflect community identities and prioritize health

Posted by on 3:54 PM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Flint’s Pride Festival continues to reflect community identities and prioritize health

Flint’s Pride Festival continues to reflect community identities and prioritize health

By Melodee Mabbitt  This year, Flint’s Pride Festival will once again be shaped in response to the need for disease prevention and centered on supporting identities that are most vulnerable within Flint’s LGBTQ+ communities. In response to COVID-19 precautions, planning is underway for Flint’s Pride to include its annual cookout and a series of small events throughout the coming summer, rather than the annual festival in June.  It won’t be the first time Flint’s Pride celebrations have been affected by disease. Flint’s tenth annual Pride...

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East Village Magazine Readership Survey – Help Shape The EVM

Posted by on 11:19 PM in Features | Comments Off on East Village Magazine Readership Survey – Help Shape The EVM

East Village Magazine Readership Survey – Help Shape The EVM

East Village Magazine needs your help. After 43 years, we’ve reached a crossroad. We would greatly appreciate your input and assistance as we explore the possible future forks in that road. Our crossroad is this: our staff is extremely small (volunteers and minimally paid reporters), and the amount of local news which we feel needs to be covered has grown. Flint is a fascinating and vibrant community which we believe has many stories to tell. But there are too few of us to do the job we feel needs to be done. Frankly, our staff is...

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City Council members subpoena each other and six city officials in Monday’s finance committee meeting

Posted by on 7:49 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on City Council members subpoena each other and six city officials in Monday’s finance committee meeting

City Council members subpoena each other and six city officials in Monday’s finance committee meeting

By Tom Travis Monday’s city council finance committee meeting spiraled into a debacle ending with most of the council members, the mayor, and four administration directors being subpoenaed by various council members. The only council members not subpoenaed were Maurice Davis (2nd Ward), Herb Winfrey (6th Ward) and Monica Galloway (7th Ward). Subpoenaed City Officials Here is a list provided by the City Clerk’s office of the 12 individuals subpoenaed in Monday’s meeting: Shelbi Frayer, City of Flint Chief Financial Officer;...

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Lapeer MCC campus hosts COVID-19 vaccination Spring Drive-Up event on Friday, May 21

Posted by on 6:37 PM in Analysis, Coronavirus, Features, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on Lapeer MCC campus hosts COVID-19 vaccination Spring Drive-Up event on Friday, May 21

Lapeer MCC campus hosts COVID-19 vaccination Spring Drive-Up event on Friday, May 21

Hamilton Community Health Network is partnering with the Lapeer County Senior Coalition to provide a community wide COVID-19 vaccination event. The event will be hosted at Mott Community College’s Lapeer Campus by providing COVID-19 vaccines on Friday, May 21 located at 550 Lake Dr., Lapeer, MI. There will be 100 Johnson & Johnson vaccines available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until they run out, according to a press release. Even though it is a “senior event…no one will be turned away who wants a vaccine” “Anyone 18...

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