Education Beat: Massive plan to rescue Flint Community Schools unveiled–calls for new high school, many partnerships
By Harold C. Ford The details of a massive, several hundred-million-dollar plan to rescue Flint Community Schools (FCS) from its decades-long descent are contained within a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) just made available to East Village Magazine from an...
Starting now: voters can apply for, receive and submit absentee ballots in City Clerk’s office; new hours announced
By Tom Travis Voters can begin in-person voting at the City Clerk's office on the 2nd floor of City Hall located at 1001 S. Saginaw Street, 48502. In a press release the City Clerk's office announced their office hours during the upcoming voting season for the May 4,...
City Hall open for voters to cast May 4 election ballots; four items cover police, fire, 9-1-1, mental health support
By Tom Travis Flint City Hall is now open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for in-person absentee voting for the May 4, 2021 election, according to a press release from the City of Flint. Residents may register to vote, receive an absentee ballot and vote in person all...
Vaccine Beat: Genesee County is 24% fully vaccinated; MTA providing free transport to vaccination sites
By Tom Travis The alarming number of new coronavirus cases and deaths throughout Michigan has brought renewed urgency for a vaccine. Three major vaccines have been distributed in the area and throughout the country since mid-December 2020: Moderna and Pfizer both...
“Unconscionable” and “blatant filibustering” – Mayor Neeley accuses City Council; work on last 500 water lines halted by council’s inaction
By Tom Travis Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley Tuesday scolded the City Council in a scathing statement released a day after a seven-and-a-half-hour meeting in which the council failed to address a resolution to allow additional funds to complete water pipeline replacement....
“This will not be tolerated,” Pastor Chris Martin, State Sen. Ananich and other activists declare about GOP voter suppression moves; protest set for noon Tuesday
By Tom Travis Michigan State Senator Jim Ananich (D - 27th District) joined Flint Pastor Chris Martin of the Cathedral of Faith, community activists and other pastors in front of Berston Field House this morning to voice their opposition to 39 Michigan Republican...
Harmonious voices rise from the parking lot: local choir meets to safely socialize and sing
By Tom Travis On a warm spring evening amid the pavement, sidewalks and brick buildings of downtown Flint, the sound of harmonious singing voices rose from a church parking lot across the street from the county courthouse. They were the voices of the Carolyn Mawby...
Education Beat: Flint Schools pause face-to-face instruction and all athletics on April 12 as pandemic numbers spike
By Harold C. Ford It’s been a school year unlike any other in several generations. Flint Community Schools’ (FCS) off-again/on-again face-to-face instruction inside its school buildings is off-again. FCS Assistant Superintendent Kevelin Jones announced on April 6...
Public Hearings to be held throughout April on Flint’s $71 million budget
By Tom Travis The City of Flint's $71 million budget will be discussed in public hearings held by the city council on four days in April. The city council will hold departmental budget hearings for both the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 city budgets. According to a press...
The East Village Magazine – April 2021
The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: [pdfjs-viewer url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastvillagemagazine.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F04%2FEVMApril2021.pdf" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true...
Flint’s new Chief Financial Officer Shelbi Frayer hits the ground running as city council considers $71 million budget
By Tom Travis Shelbi Frayer has joined the City of Flint Finance department as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). "Frayer comes to Flint with a wealth of experience in municipal finance, previously serving in key leadership roles with the City of Lansing, State of...
Is it time to get back to “normal”? Maybe, but not yet.
By Paul Rozycki “It ain’t over till it’s over” -Yogi Berra There is a feeling of spring in the air. The days are getting warmer. The snow is melting. More and more people are getting the COVID vaccine. The Flint water crisis seems to reaching some sort of conclusion....
City of Flint yard waste collection begins April 5, 2021
Yard waste collection in Flint begins the week of April 5, 2021. Yard waste is picked up weekly on residents’ regularly scheduled trash collection day through Thanksgiving week. According to a City of Flint press release, compost is limited to 50 pounds in each brown...
Village Life: Pierce Preschool connected us to our “Pandemic Village”
By Melodee Mabbitt Before the pandemic hit, I was the kind of parent who relied heavily on my village to help raise our child. Pre-pandemic, I was lucky to have a flexible schedule with the ability to work remotely. I even got away without needing a babysitter much of...
Rise in child abuse, violent crimes, home repairs, and dead trees highlighted at March FNU
By Coner Segren A rise in child abuse in Genesee County, a $200,000 grant to remove dead trees, available funds for home owners' home repairs, and a presentation addressing violent crime were items discussed at the monthly Zoom meeting of the Flint Neighborhoods...
City of Flint to receive $99.33 million in federal stimulus from American Rescue Plan
By Tom Travis As part of federal coronavirus stimulus bill, The American Rescue Plan, the City of Flint will receive an estimated $99.33 million. Flint households projected to get more than $125 million in direct benefits, according to Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley. In a...
Education Beat: Flint students returning to school buildings as COVID rates rise, water fountains still Inoperable, water filters not yet installed
By Harold C. Ford Flint Community Schools’ (FCS) K-3 students began returning to school buildings March 15. Students in grades 4-12 began returning March 22. At its meeting on March 17, the Flint Board of Education learned that 81 hydration stations (drinking...
Education Beat: Flint students to return to school buildings March 15 and March 22; decision prompts tension among board members
By Harold C. Ford “Parents are upset because we keep changing the date for school.” --Diana Wright, trustee, Flint Board of Education, March 10, 2021 The board of education of Flint Community Schools (FCS) approved an administrative plan for returning students to...
Flint City Council’s “failure to act” jeopardizes completion of service line replacement project, Mayor Neeley says
By Tom Travis On Wednesday Mayor Sheldon Neeley released a statement scolding the council for a "failure to act" on a resolution that would allow for additional $500,000 in funding towards the "Fast Start" water line replacement. Neeley added that the council's...
U.S. District Court judge throws out Eric Mays’ lawsuit against the City of Flint – taxpayers foot $24,000 bill
A lawsuit filed by Flint City Councilman Eric Mays (1st Ward) was thrown out by the judge overseeing the case, who ruled it had no merit, according to a press release from Mayor Sheldon Neeley. Mays announced Wednesday evening that he would appeal. Mays sued the City...
Forty-three Flint residents so far vie for a seat on the tumultuous city council
By Tom Travis As the Flint City Council falls further from decorum and civility, a weary community can look forward to a Fall 2021 election with all nine council members up for re-election. Nominating petitions became available in February, with candidates required...
The East Village Magazine – March 2021
The latest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: [pdfjs-viewer url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastvillagemagazine.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2FEVM-03.21_web.pdf" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=true...
Health Coalition launches “Commit to Fit” challenge, with cash incentives, to get Genesee County students moving
The 6th annual Commit to Fit Active Schools Challenge is now open through March 31 to all Genesee County school districts to promote physical activity among their students, according to a press release from the Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC). Students and...
State Rep. John Cherry to host “virtual community conversation” with MDOT; neighbors urged to call for I-69 sound walls
State Representative John Cherry will host a virtual community conversation at 6 p.m. Monday, March 8 to focus on transportation in Genesee County, according to an invitation shared by his office. Cherry plans to be joined by Michigan Department of Transportation...
Woodside Church of Flint eying name change, seeking marketing pros to help “rebrand”
Woodside Church of Flint is seeking qualified marketing professionals to guide the church in renaming and branding itself, according to a press release from the church's pastor, Rev. Dr. Deborah Conrad. Written proposals will be received until March 15. Select...
