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Book Review: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism–the Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power

Posted by on 3:04 PM in Analysis, Book review, Local News | Comments Off on Book Review: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism–the Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power

Book Review:  The Age of Surveillance Capitalism–the Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power

By Robert R. Thomas When entering foreign territories, orientation is the key to survival. Who is in charge? What are the rules? In her masterful analysis of the current state of global capitalism, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power, Shoshana Zuboff, the Charles Edward Wilson Professor emerita at Harvard Business School, puts it like this: “Who knows? Who decides? Who decides who decides?” Like all ideologies, economic theories and systems reside on the shifting sands of change in a...

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Commentary: Flint City Council meetings a long day’s journey into night

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Commentary: Flint City Council meetings a long day’s journey into night

By Paul Rozycki On a recent Monday evening, of the approximately 96,448 residents in the city of Flint, 96,423 were most likely spending their time doing worthwhile, rewarding, or satisfying activities. The other 25 were at the Flint City Council meeting. To be sure, some of them had to be there.  Nine were elected from their wards as members of the council.  Perhaps another half dozen were city employees who were expected to be there.  A few reporters attended, also out of a sense of duty, as did some who planned to report on one topic or...

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It’s Jazz Festival weekend at Riverbank Park: Events tonight through Sunday

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It’s Jazz Festival weekend at Riverbank Park:  Events tonight through Sunday

The 38th annual Flint Jazz Festival kicks off at Riverbank Park tonight featuring local favorite Kevin Collins at 5:30 followed by Banda Magda at 7 p.m. Saturday’s performances start at 1:30 p.m. with American saxophonist Najee.   Sunday performances start at 2, concluding at 7 p.m. with smooth jazz gospel musician and native Detroit Tim Bowman.  See full schedule below. Admission is $10 per day or $25 for a weekend pass. The weekend pass is only available today;  tickets are cash only at the gate. “Make no mistake, this year’s...

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Banging pots and pans signal celebrations at midnight: EVM reporter in Puerto Rico describes Rosselló’s demise

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Banging pots and pans signal celebrations at midnight:   EVM reporter in Puerto Rico describes  Rosselló’s demise

Editor’s Note:  EVM Staff Writer Harold Ford is vacationing in  Puerto Rico but, as a true journalist, couldn’t resist reporting  on what was happening there as Governor Ricardo Rosselló resigned.  In an email, Ford wrote, “The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was in an uproarious celebration last night.  It was in a state of revolt prior to that…While many eyes in the States are focused on a corrupt leader that the citizens can’t get rid of, Puerto Rico demonstrated to us how you do it.”  Here is his report. ...

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“Beto” praises Flint’s “fierce pride,” touts 100K Ideas, calls for better health care

Posted by on 4:47 PM in Analysis, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on “Beto” praises Flint’s “fierce pride,” touts 100K Ideas, calls for better health care

“Beto” praises Flint’s “fierce pride,” touts 100K Ideas, calls for better health care

By Paul Rozycki The 2020 presidential campaign came to Flint Wednesday with a visit from Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who held a town hall meeting and rally for several hours with enthusiastic supporters at the Ferris Wheel in downtown Flint. O’Rourke addressed a full house of more than a hundred people, where he spoke of the new opportunities he said he hoped to see in Flint.  O’Rourke said he came to Flint, and 100K Ideas, a nonprofit business incubator at the Ferris Wheel, to learn how the...

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Flint Festival of Writers to feature “Dreams Like Mine” author LaTashia Perry

Posted by on 10:39 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on Flint Festival of Writers to feature “Dreams Like Mine” author LaTashia Perry

Flint Festival of Writers to feature “Dreams Like Mine” author LaTashia Perry

  Flint Festival of Writers 2019 featured author LaTashia Perry ( Photo Credit  770 Photography) It has a new name, a new date, a new location, new talent and a fresh line-up of programs. The Flint Festival of Writers – formerly the Flint Literary Festival—will be held Sept. 13-14 in the Ferris Wheel, 615 Saginaw St. in downtown Flint. As a part of the festival’s ongoing mission to create accessible, engaging opportunities for writers of all ages, abilities and levels of experience, this year’s event will feature many of the same events...

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Ombudsperson search process moves forward: Ethics Accountability Board to set interviews soon

Posted by on 6:15 PM in Analysis, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on Ombudsperson search process moves forward: Ethics Accountability Board to set interviews soon

Ombudsperson search process moves forward:  Ethics Accountability Board to set interviews soon

By Melodee Mabbitt Flint residents could meet their new ombudsperson as soon as September. This was announced by the Ethics and Accountability Board at a press conference in city council chambers July 23 to reveal the hiring process for the position. Applications closed July 12 and interviews will begin in August. Board members said they continue to struggle to work closely with the City’s Human Resources and Labor Relations Department during the hiring process. EVM and Channel 25 TV were the only press present at the conference. Former...

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Five years after move, Flint Farmers’ Market thriving, addressing challenges

Posted by on 5:27 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Five years after move, Flint Farmers’ Market thriving, addressing challenges

Five years after move, Flint Farmers’ Market thriving, addressing challenges

By Jan Worth-Nelson You can get almost every element of the good life at the Flint Farmers’ Market:  fresh asparagus, triple cream brie, Michigan strawberries and tomatoes in season,  premier pinot noir, flaky croissants.  You can pick up locally-made honey, sauerkraut for your upset gut, Lake Superior stones to dangle from your wrists or earrings. You can get endless varieties of soothing oils, or in another aisle, colorful African dresses, witty “Mitten” teeshirts, ball caps and onesies. What you might not be able to get...

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Nine hours, shouting match, two resolutions, one fail, “restoration” plans incomplete

Posted by on 2:29 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Nine hours, shouting match, two resolutions, one fail, “restoration” plans incomplete

Nine hours, shouting match, two resolutions, one fail, “restoration” plans incomplete

By Tom Travis and Jan Worth-Nelson Editor’s Note:  This story has been updated on July 23 to clarify that Ninth Ward Councilperson Eva Worthing was temporarily out of the room during the vote on the Goyette resolution.  She said she would have noted “no,”  That vote would not have changed the outcome. In a nearly empty Flint city council chamber, a session of contentious arguments and boisterous discussion among council members, city officials, and contractors echoed to nearly midnight Monday. At the end of it, a split...

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“Restoration” of sidewalks and lawns post-pipe replacement turns into labyrinth of delays

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“Restoration” of sidewalks and lawns post-pipe replacement turns into labyrinth of delays

By Jan Worth-Nelson and Tom Travis When will the residents of Flint get their lawns and sidewalks restored following three years of water pipe excavations and replacement? The answer to that, yet another sign of how elusive “closure” can be in the years’ long community water crisis, is apparently — eventually. Like many other aspects of the water crisis, the details are a labyrinth of federal, state and city funds and bureaucracies, along with city council bickering, protests over the bidding process, suggestions of preferential...

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MTA specialized programs “a blessing,” offering expanding services to Flint

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MTA specialized programs “a blessing,”  offering expanding services to Flint

By Madeleine Graham My life changed when my car broke, and I did not have the funds to repair it.  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) started when I missed a flight, and then I boarded a wrong bus in Washington State.  Fortunately with a lot of friends and family support, I made it back to Michigan. As a person with both PTSD and bipolar disorder, I depend on two services of the Mass Transportation Authority (MTA):  Your Ride and Rides to Wellness.  I am also a companion rider with Vets to Wellness. With Your Ride, I am pretty much assured...

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Art Walk Scene: Hip-hop, pop-ups, ice cream, art–downtown’s alive

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Art Walk Scene:  Hip-hop, pop-ups, ice cream, art–downtown’s alive

By Tom Travis Entering the Flint Art Walk Friday night at Third Street and Saginaw, you  hear the sounds of hip-hop and R&B. An open mic is provided for anyone brave enough to try a song on karaoke–though nobody’s there yet in the early evening sunlight.   Right away, you’re greeted by various vendors participating in pop-up shops with #imbuildingsomething, a consulting business started by Ebony Gipson. She offers to tell her story. Gipson said she started the business to “elevate the role of small businesses in our...

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Kildee, Mays and Johnson discuss Flint water crisis at WDET panel

Posted by on 9:39 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Kildee, Mays and Johnson discuss Flint water crisis at WDET panel

Kildee, Mays and Johnson discuss Flint water crisis at WDET panel

By Paul Rozycki According to U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee (5th District), obtaining justice for the Flint water crisis requires that those responsible be “held liable for the damage, that the basic water infrastructure be repaired, that residents be charged a fair price for their water and the health issues of the community be addressed.” Those comments came at the end of a panel discussion at the Flint Public Library Saturday hosted by WDET’s (101.9 FM) Stephen Henderson, as part of the station’s Book Club, and Henderson’s...

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Book Review: “American Dialogue” offers indispensable conversation between “then” and “now”

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Book Review:  “American Dialogue” offers indispensable conversation between “then” and “now”

By Robert R. Thomas In assessing the here and now, history offers an indispensable perspective. American Dialogue is an enlightening example. As author and historian Joseph Ellis puts it, “The study of history is an ongoing conversation between past and present from which we all have much to learn.” Subtitled The Founders and Us, his book’s focus is a dialogue between America’s founding fathers and our current historical state. “We inhabit a backlash moment in American history of uncertain duration,” Ellis writes. “Our creedal convictions as...

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This Month in the Village: July Events

Posted by on 9:27 AM in Calendar, Special Events | Comments Off on This Month in the Village: July Events

July events, in and around Flint, feature sports, music, dance, and much more: July Online Calendar

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News Brief: McCree founder returns, conducts free theater arts workshop Saturday

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News Brief:  McCree founder returns, conducts free theater arts workshop Saturday

One of the founders of the New McCree Theater, Anderson Johnson, returns to Flint  to conduct a workshop covering many aspects of theatre arts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 13. The workshop is free and open to the public.  Lunch and snacks will be served.  For more information, call 810-787-2200. Johnson, currently director of Theatre Studies at the New Jersey City University, was an original participant in McCree Theatre’s programs in 1970 when the theatre was  established by C.S. Mott Community College, according to a press release...

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Village Life: A raptor crash heralded my life with birds

Posted by on 2:35 PM in Analysis, Column, Commentary, Essays, Local News | Comments Off on Village Life: A raptor crash heralded my life with birds

Village Life:  A raptor crash heralded my life with birds

By Teddy Robertson Smack! The front legs of my chair leave the floor, my hands pop off the laptop keyboard; I jerk backward.  A split second, then a tinkling sound ripples over my left shoulder.  I turn and look: in the storm window beside me fissures radiate outward as if pushed by an invisible hand.  Something’s struck the plate glass almost dead center. I’m out the door — scanning the front porch for a clue — but the missile lies farther away. On the lawn a small hawk rests belly down, tipped onto one shoulder where his wing meets...

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East Village Magazine – July 2019

Posted by on 10:13 PM in Features | Comments Off on East Village Magazine – July 2019

East Village Magazine – July 2019

The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:

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Commentary: A funny thing happened on the way to the election

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Commentary:   A funny thing happened on the way to the election

By Paul Rozycki Note:  This column has been updated for a correction via City Clerk Inez Brown: it was the city’s Finance Department that initially omitted the $320,000 in the budget for this year’s election, not the City Council–Ed. For most cities, villages, and townships, an election is a pretty routine thing.  Candidates file, their names go on the ballot, they campaign, voters go to the polls, and the next set of officeholders are chosen to begin their terms. Not in Flint. It was only four years ago that Flint had to...

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Education Beat: Admin shakeups, contracts highlight end of year for Flint Community Schools

Posted by on 5:21 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Education Beat: Admin shakeups, contracts highlight end of year for Flint Community Schools

Education Beat: Admin shakeups, contracts highlight end of year for Flint Community Schools

By Harold C. Ford “Our buildings are not worthy of the children that enter them…There are lots of people who have been paid to do lots of things that have not done the things they were paid to do.”  …Derrick Lopez, Superintendent, Flint Community Schools Administrative shakeups and the approval of ten service contracts highlighted the end of the 2018-2019 school year for Flint Community Schools. After robust debate, the district’s maintenance contract with Commercial Sanitation Management Services was finally approved on a third vote by the...

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Flint City Bucks are winning games–and the hearts of the “River Rats”

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Flint City Bucks are winning games–and the hearts of the “River Rats”

By Harold C. Ford “Our Father who art in Atwood, Soccer be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, all matches won, on Earth as it is in Section Eleven.  With Liberty and Justice for Flint and Demir Muftari.” … River Rats pregame prayer–by River Rat William Balcer The Flint City Bucks soccer team bested Chicago Football Club United by a 2-1 score before 3,145 paid fans at Atwood Stadium June 27.  It was the Bucks’ fourth victory this season over the first-place team from Chicago as Flint took three of four regular season matches and added another...

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“Please tell me some heads are going to roll”– Flint residents direct anger, hope, doubt at prosecution team

Posted by on 7:37 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on “Please tell me some heads are going to roll”– Flint residents direct anger, hope, doubt at prosecution team

“Please tell me some heads are going to roll”– Flint residents direct anger, hope, doubt at prosecution team

By Jan Worth-Nelson Things started out reasonably well Friday night as the state’s new water crisis prosecution team, led by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud faced down 200 Flint residents at the UAW Local 659 Hall. The prosecutors were there to explain why 15 days ago the state dropped all criminal charges against eight central figures in the Flint Water Crisis, now in its fifth year.  That incendiary move, which came without warning to the residents of a city beleaguered and by what many call...

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Water class action attorneys detail progress of civil cases; not everyone satisfied

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Water action attorneys detail progress of civil cases;  not everyone satisfied

By Jan Worth-Nelson Leading a call and response of “We won!  They lost!” with a crowd of 100 vocal Flint residents at UAW Local 659 last night, Flint Water Class Action attorney Michael Pitt asserted that the numerous water crisis civil cases chugging through the courts are heading in the right direction. “All avenues of escape have been cut off,”  Pitt said of the arguments and unsuccessful attempts at dismissals by defendants from the State of Michigan, the EPA, and several engineering contractors including Veolia...

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Thousands gather at Flint’s Ninth Annual Pride Festival

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Thousands gather at Flint’s Ninth Annual Pride Festival

By Jeffery L. Carey Jr. Rainbows on everything from drag queens to a U.S. Congresssman were the motif of the day Saturday at the Ninth Annual Pride Festival in downtown Flint. Hosted by the Flint Pride Society and Wellness Services of Flint, the event ran from 2 to 8 p.m. along Flint’s Riverbank Park. Tom Moore, public relations representative with Wellness, said more than 3,000 people gathered for the celebration.  “At around 4:45 p.m. we ran out of our 2500 rainbow heart stickers which we were using to count attendance. Folks kept...

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City of Flint facing allegations of failure to follow Open Meetings Act, FOIA and City Charter

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City of Flint facing allegations of failure to follow Open Meetings Act, FOIA and City Charter

By Melodee Mabbitt An attempt to follow the story of Flint’s pipeline replacement led a Flint resident to file a complaint to Genesee County Circuit Court, now under consideration by Judge Kay Behm, alleging that the City of Flint failed to follow the Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA),  and the Flint City Charter. “The overall tendency that I am seeing is one of avoiding the requirements of these statutes in order to suppress embarrassing information,” said Linda Pohly of Flint, a local attorney and plaintiff in the case....

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Flint Pride Festival TODAY (Saturday) in downtown Flint

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Flint Pride Festival TODAY (Saturday) in downtown Flint

Two events happening today (Saturday) in observance and celebration of Pride Month, which occurs yearly in the month of June. Saturday, June 22: Flint Pride Festival The Flint Pride Festival being held at Riverbank Park in downtown Flint. from 2-8 p.m. Five dollar suggested donation. There will be STD/HIV testing as well as vendor tables of LGBT, allied organizations and much more. To volunteer for the Equality Caucus  contact Drew Marsh at drewemarsh@gmail.com. Facebook Event Page Saturday, June 22: Flint Pride After Party A Flint Pride...

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News Brief: water prosecution team sets community meeting in Flint June 28

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News Brief: water prosecution team sets community meeting in Flint June 28

Two members of the  State of Michigan’s Flint water prosecution team are coming to town for a  “community conversation” with Flint residents at 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 28 at UAW Local 659 Hall, 4549 Van Slyke Rd., Flint.  Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The meeting, with Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy  will address the dismissals, provide updates on the team’s investigative efforts and answer any questions the residents may have for the Flint Water Crisis prosecution team. The...

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Fundraiser supports Flint Middle School student’s cancer fight

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Fundraiser supports Flint Middle School student’s cancer fight

A spaghetti dinner fundraiser was held June 21,  to support a Holmes STEAM Academy student’s fight against cancer. Kaylon Ross-Howell was diagnosed with glitomatosis cerebri, a rare form of brain cancer. According to Blake Strozier, Flint board of education vice president, Ross-Howell’s condition is “inoperable” and “in the final stages.” The benefit dinner took place 4 to 7 p.m. at Holmes STEAM Academy, 6602 Oxley Dr., Flint, MI 48504. Organizers of the event asked a minimum $10 donation for a meal that included spaghetti (with meat or...

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News Brief: 18th Annual Unity March set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday

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News Brief:  18th Annual Unity March set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday

 The 18th Annual Unity March Against Violence is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 22, starting at the Flint Development Center, 4121 Martin Luther King Blvd in Flint. According to spokesperson Donna Ullrich, “this is an historic peace walk that engages residents of the walks route in the activities and provides community resources for all who need them.”   “Let’s walk together and work together to respect and protect all of our neighbors. We’ll even feed you after the walk,” she said. Community Expo...

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Brush up your memories: StoryCorps coming back to Flint

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Brush up your memories: StoryCorps coming back to Flint

  By Jan Worth-Nelson “Listen.  Honor.  Share.” Those are the basic tenets of grassroots story telling built into StoryCorps,  the nationally-known project coming back to Flint for a month beginning Aug. 6. “Listening is an act of love and generosity,”  the StoryCorps brochure continues–and organizers from Michigan Radio and the Flint Institute of Arts, co-hosts of the visit, hope there will lots of all that in the StoryCorp mobile booth. The renowned Airstream trailer, a fully tricked out recording studio,...

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Review: June Art Walk offered many pleasures for Saginaw Street strollers

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Review:  June Art Walk offered many pleasures for Saginaw Street strollers

  By Patsy Isenberg It was  a perfect late spring day for the June Art Walk, and hundreds of visitors took advantage of the weather, walking up and down Saginaw Street in downtown Flint. It was not raining for one thing and the temperature was in the mid-70s. It was a little breezy, causing outdoor vendors to weight down the paper on their tables or in the case of Jeff and Darlene Carey who were selling and signing Jeff’s books, to keep a close eye on the prints of the artwork in his books. But another remarkable thing about that night...

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All four mayoral candidates will stay on ballot, Judge Farah rules

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All four mayoral candidates will stay on ballot, Judge Farah rules

By Paul Rozycki After more than a week of speculation about who should be on the ballot for Flint’s mayoral primary, Genesee County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Farah ruled on Monday June 17 that all four of the candidates, initially approved by the Flint City Clerk Inez Brown, could appear on the August ballot. Speaking to a packed court room, Farah ruled that in spite of problems with their affidavits, Greg Eason, State Rep. Sheldon Neeley, businessman Donald Pfeiffer, and incumbent Mayor Karen Weaver, all have the right to be on the ballot...

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Sloan Museum breaks ground for $26 million expansion, aims to foster kids’ love of learning, resilience

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Sloan Museum breaks ground for $26 million expansion, aims to foster kids’ love of learning, resilience

By Jan Worth-Nelson With calls from many dignitaries to champion science and history and ignite a passion for learning among Flint kids, ground was broken this week for a $26 million renovation and expansion of the Sloan Museum on the Flint Cultural Center Campus, 1221 E. Kearsley St. Renamed the Sloan Museum of Discovery, the facility will include a new early childhood gallery, a 10,000-square-foot hands-on science “Discovery Hall,” a 11,000- square foot revamped history gallery, a new “Vehicle City” automative...

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Central Park celebrates new mural on East Village Magazine building

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Central Park celebrates new mural on East Village Magazine building

By Harold C. Ford “Basically, the idea behind the mural is we don’t need to hate each other.” –Murales Lian, muralist Flint’s Central Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA) will celebrate the completion of a new mural on the wall of the East Village Magazine (EVM)  building, 720 E. Second St., by artist Murales Lian on Thursday, June 13 with free food, music, and conversation in the lot next door.  Festivities begin at 6 p.m. The mural project was initially brainstormed by members of the CPNA’s NICE (Neighborhood Investment for Community...

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Debrief: Flint Art Fair numbers suggest success for FIA, local economy

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Debrief:  Flint Art Fair numbers suggest success for FIA, local economy

By Paul Rozycki Though this year’s numbers are not all in, the 2019 Flint Art Fair looks to have been a strong success.  According to James Draper, one of the organizers of the fair, they hope to net at least $20,000 for the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA). Most of their income, Draper said, is from ticket sales, artist booth space fees, and food truck space rentals. Artists (this year there were about 150) typically pay $250 for their space and entrance fees were $5 for adult visitors. He estimates the fair generates between $35,000 and...

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In both good weather and bad, Flint Art Fair pleased and delivered

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In both good weather and bad, Flint Art Fair pleased and delivered

By Paul Rozycki The 52ndFlint Art Fair, held Saturday and Sunday, was a tale of two cities, weather-wise — or at least a tale of two art fairs.  Saturday dawned warm and sunny with nary a cloud in the sky as the fair opened, and attendance soared to near record levels.  Attendance on Sunday, with cloudy, cooler weather, and increasing threats of rain? Not so much. On Saturday, with its summery weather, attendance exceeded expectations. Visitors  already were lined up at the gate as the fair opened, and the flow continued for much of the...

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News Brief: Dental health summit Friday to explore water crisis impact, other oral health topics

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News Brief:  Dental health summit Friday to explore water crisis impact, other oral health topics

Maternal and infant oral health, water fluoridation, health conditions cause by poor oral health and the impact of the Flint water crisis are among topics to be covered Friday at the 2019 Michigan Central Area Oral Health Summit for the Genesee County Area. The event, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mott Community College Event Center, is free and open to the public, including medical and dental professionals. Co-sponsors of the summit are the Genesee Health Plan (GHP) Oral Health Coalition and the Michigan Oral Health Coalition (MOHC)....

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Crowd “overjoyed” downtown as MCC Culinary Arts Institute opens

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Crowd “overjoyed” downtown as MCC Culinary Arts Institute opens

By Darlene C. Carey An overjoyed mix of dignitaries–local, state, and federal–and a packed, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd–celebrated the public revealing of the state-of-the-art Mott Community College Culinary Arts Institute at 550 S. Saginaw St. Friday in downtown Flint. A sunny day graced the opening to the public, with many guest speakers acknowledging the various public, private and philanthropic entities that helped bring the multi-million dollar culinary vision, three years in the making, to fruition. The...

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News Brief: Saturday is Genesee County Recycle Day

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News Brief:  Saturday is Genesee County Recycle Day

Saturday, June 8 is the first of five opportunities this year to recycle household hazardous waste, electronics and paint.  Items can be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at two county locations: — The Flint Water Service Center, 3310 E. Court Street and —  Fenton High School, 3200 W. Shiawassee Ave. Items accepted and not accepted are listed on the chart below. –EVM Staff  

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Review: Energetic “Songs About Stuff” premiere explores the 90s with music, humor

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Review:  Energetic “Songs About Stuff” premiere explores the 90s with music, humor

By Patsy Isenberg “I was walking down Haight Street in San Francisco when a counterculture douf cornered me/ She had a freshly dyed purple Mohawk, $120 Doc Martin boots on/ In other words, she was wearing about as much equity as I had made this year/And with a wanting look on her pale face she asked me for some change./I said, ‘Change comes from within.’” Those are some of the lyrics in “Alternateen,” one of 27 original Wally Pleasant songs, performed with entertaining energy during “Songs about Stuff,” a lively revue at The Flint...

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This Month in the Village: June features art, music, car shows

Posted by on 11:14 PM in Calendar, Special Events | Comments Off on This Month in the Village: June features art, music, car shows

June Calendar Print-2

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East Village Magazine – June 2019

Posted by on 11:11 PM in Features | Comments Off on East Village Magazine – June 2019

East Village Magazine – June 2019

The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:    

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Education Beat: Flint Schools ending Year One of three-year partnership; two hires debated; middle school locale still uncertain

Posted by on 1:56 PM in Analysis, Commentary, Features, Local News | Comments Off on Education Beat: Flint Schools ending Year One of three-year partnership; two hires debated; middle school locale still uncertain

Education Beat:  Flint Schools ending Year One of three-year partnership; two hires debated; middle school locale still uncertain

By Harold C. Ford (Note: The following article is about two recent meetings of the Flint Board of Education on May 8 and May 15.  Subsequently, a “Special Board Meeting” was held May 21 at the district’s administration building rather than the usual location at Southwestern Classical Academy.  The special meeting had been scheduled for May 20, was cancelled on May 20, and then held on May 21.  The only action item at the special meeting, according to the online agenda at the district’s website, was “Personnel Recommendations.”  No minutes...

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Review: “Poisoned democracy, poisoned water,” activists’ impact — themes of new Flint book

Posted by on 11:07 PM in Analysis, Book review, Commentary, Local News | Comments Off on Review: “Poisoned democracy, poisoned water,” activists’ impact — themes of new Flint book

Review:  “Poisoned democracy, poisoned water,” activists’ impact — themes of new Flint book

By Harold C. Ford “The lesson learned from the battle over the river was that the hardheaded resolve of even a small group of people could move mountains.”  … from Flint Fights Back, Environmental Justice and Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis,by Benjamin J. Pauli, The MIT Press, 2019 A wonderful photo is conspicuously positioned at the front of Benjamin Pauli’s new book on Flint’s water crisis, in which a water justice activist is holding a sign that reads “Poisoned Democracy, Poisoned Water, Justice 4 Flint.” That sign could very well have...

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Commentary: Fix the roads? Who gets the money?

Posted by on 10:36 PM in Analysis, Column, Commentary, Local News | Comments Off on Commentary: Fix the roads? Who gets the money?

Commentary:  Fix the roads?  Who gets the money?

By Paul Rozycki Gov. Whitmer is continuing her statewide campaign to garner support for a 45 cent gas tax increase, which would be used to “fix the damn roads.”  It remains to be seen whether or not she will get what she wants.  Most public opinion polls show little support for the large increase.  Republicans in the legislature have already called the proposal a “non-starter,” and it seems to have little chance of success in Lansing. Yet, the pressure is building to do something to fix the roads.  Last month’s East Village Magazine column...

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News Brief: Genesee Health Plan to offer bus passes, Your Ride vouchers through Rotary grant

Posted by on 1:52 PM in Analysis, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on News Brief: Genesee Health Plan to offer bus passes, Your Ride vouchers through Rotary grant

News Brief: Genesee Health Plan to offer bus passes, Your Ride vouchers through Rotary grant

A $1,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Greater Flint Sunrise can go a long way in helping students and families in Flint get access to needed resources. The recent award to the Genesee Health Plan’s “Riding Above Barriers” programs will provide MTA bus passes and Your Ride vouchers to families within the Flint Community School District. The program will help reduce transportation barriers and improve access to community and school resources, according to Shannon Ciszek, GHP communications coordinator. “We are deeply grateful...

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MCC Culinary Arts Institute opens June 7, featuring celebrity chef Carla Hall

Posted by on 12:51 PM in Analysis, Features, Local News | Comments Off on MCC Culinary Arts Institute opens June 7, featuring celebrity chef Carla Hall

MCC Culinary Arts Institute opens June 7, featuring celebrity chef Carla Hall

By Darlene Carey Opportunities for culinary arts students and downtown dining take a leap forward June 7 with the grand opening of the Mott Community College Culinary Arts Institute, in a renovated historic building at the corner of Saginaw and Second streets downtown. After a public ribbon cutting ceremony at noon, the doors officially open from 1 to 3 p.m.  The public will be invited to tour the historic F.W. Woolworth building at 550 S. Saginaw St., and meet celebrity chef Carla Hall of the television show “The Chew.” Dawn Hibbard, MCC...

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News Brief: Eighth graders invited to open house, school year prep Thursday at Southwestern

Posted by on 9:32 AM in Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on News Brief: Eighth graders invited to open house, school year prep Thursday at Southwestern

News Brief:  Eighth graders invited to open house, school year prep Thursday at Southwestern

Eighth grade students and their families from Flint and surrounding areas are invited to prepare for the upcoming school year at “Journey Into 2020,”  an open house from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, May 30 at Southwestern Classical Academy, 1420 W. 12th St., Flint. According to a release from the Flint Community School district, the school is “focused on higher expectations—for students, teachers, families and staff—in year ahead,”  and will share plans and projects underway with students and families. –EVM Staff            ...

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News Brief: Aspiring photographers offered chance to network, learn from pros

Posted by on 12:25 PM in Analysis, Local News, News Briefs | Comments Off on News Brief: Aspiring photographers offered chance to network, learn from pros

News Brief:  Aspiring photographers offered chance to network, learn from pros

Three award-winning commercial photographers will be available to network and talk with aspiring photographers from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 13 at Foster Coffee Company at the Ferris Wheel, 615 S. Saginaw St. in downtown Flint. Khalid Ibrahim, Leigh Ann Cobb and Marek Dziekonski will share stories about how they entered their field, why they love what they do, and offer insights on furthering creative careers, according to Heather Kale, Ferris general manager. Ticket are $5 and are available for preorder at Fostercoffee.com. Ibrahim’s client...

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Flint River Watershed Coalition wins $74K federal grant for youth program

Posted by on 7:57 PM in Analysis, Local News | Comments Off on Flint River Watershed Coalition wins $74K federal grant for youth program

Flint River Watershed Coalition wins $74K federal grant for youth program

By Jan Worth-Nelson Hundreds of area students and their teachers will have a chance to learn about and care for water resources, especially the Flint River, thanks to a new federal grant received recently by the Flint River Watershed Coalition (FRWC). A $74,000 grant to support youth-based water quality programs involving 1,200 students in 22 school districts was awarded to the FRWC by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET). The funds will support development and implementation...

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