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Residents convene, share and reflect at “Connect the Blocks” Flint Neighborhood Summit
By Jan Worth-Nelson Qualities of neighborliness–collaboration, cooperation, valuing each person’s worth– were on full display Saturday at the “Connect the Blocks” Flint Neighborhood Summit at the Flint Food Bank. “Value people,” said Megan Heysa, president of the Eastside Improvement Association, whose group planted flowers and painted 53 porches last year. “You’re dealing with human beings–work from the bottom up and take the time to listen,” she advised the crowd of about...
read more“Neighbors Changing Flint” addresses funding strategies to reach community goals
By Patsy Isenberg The complicated task of seeking out sources for grants to accomplish a goal and then applying for them was the theme of the fourth workshop of the “Neighbors Changing Flint” series Wednesday evening at the Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village. There’s a lot to it, but the presenters at this workshop know how to do it and did their best to communicate it to about 50 people in the audience–many of whom already had some background themselves in applying for grants. Most of the presenters work for agencies...
read moreNews Brief: GISD preschool enrollment kickoff Sunday
Genesee Intermediate School District invites parents and small children to a Preschool Enrollment Kick-Off event noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17, at the Flint Children’s Museum, 1602 University Ave. Kids will explore and play in the museum, while parents learn about available services and programs. GISD offers free and income-based preschool services, funded by state and federal grants. Parents will learn whether their children are eligible and how to apply. There is no admission cost for the kick-off event. For more information, call (810)...
read moreKids swarm City Hall to read books with Weaver and Howard University spring break students
By Patsy Isenberg Twenty third grade through fifth grade students from Freeman Elementary School in Flint swarmed City Hall Wednesday to read with college students from Howard University, solve a problem about shoe laces, and consider what makes people feel happy and sad in their neighborhoods. The event celebrated March as National Reading Month and included 42 Howard University students from Washington D.C. who came to Flint for an Alternative Spring Break (HUASB) program. Before all the students arrived, healthy snacks were set out in the...
read more“Neighbors Changing Flint” third session explores reuses of vacant lots
By Luther Houle Ashley Everhart, agency director of the Neighborhood Engagement Hub, began the third meeting of the series “Neighbors Changing Flint” with an eye-opening statistic. “Within the city’s boundaries, we have almost 60,000 vacant lots,” she said, citing the Flint Property Portal, a popular website for identifying lot owners and status. She said that number includes both lots owned by the Genesee County Land Bank and private property. About 30 residents gathered March 6 at the Sylvester Broome Empowerment...
read more“America: The Farewell Tour” by Chris Hedges: a review
Reviewed by Robert R. Thomas An unsettling childhood memory is that things were not as they seemed, and nobody was talking about it. My brother Alan succinctly described our childhood milieu as a “culture of silence.” While reading America: The Farewell Tour, by Chris Hedges, that childhood culture of silence revisited me. The book’s chapters—DECAY, HEROIN, WORK, SADISM, HATE, GAMBLING and FREEDOM—are lucid reveals about the fall of empire, historically and currently. The book’s focus is a deep dive into pathologies of self-annihilation,...
read moreNews Brief: Tendaji Talks on white power and privilege kick off March 19
The Tendaji Talks, sponsored by Flint’s Neighborhoods Without Borders, kicks off its spring series 6 p.m. March 19 at the Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St. Named for long-time community leader Tendaji W. Ganges, the series comprises discussions on systemic racism. The focus this season is white power and privilege, and what white people can do to end racism. In four sessions, it features educators and activists Hubert Roberts, Jeff Bean, Tracy Kim, and Bob Brown. Full schedule below or for more information, click here. –EVM...
read moreScience and distrust highlight PFAS town hall meeting
By Paul Rozycki A planned two-hour town hall that ran almost three hours revealed both the hard and complex science behind the PFAS problem, as well as the anger, frustration and distrust over water issues in the Flint area. The town hall meeting, held at the Mott Community College Regional Tech Center (RTC) Friday March 8, was organized by area state House members John Cherry (D-49th), Sheldon Neeley (D-34th), Sheryl Kennedy (D-48th) and Tim Sneller (D-50th). They brought together members of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality...
read moreFlint Cultural Center Academy details highlight Flint Neighborhoods United meeting
By Luther Houle Highlights of the March Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU) meeting included a presentation by Eric Lieske of the Flint Cultural Center Academy (FCCA) a $500 contest from the Traffic Taming Taskforce, and various upcoming events for the month of March. More than 40 of Flint’s community leaders, volunteers, and officials met at the Flint Public Library the morning of Saturday, March 2, to join the discussion. FCC Academy details revealed; applications open through April 26 Lieske, chief operating officer of the Flint Cultural...
read moreEast Village Magazine – March 2019
The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:
read more“Neighbors Changing Flint” tasks cover leadership, surveys, blight, as workshops proceed
By Meghan Christian and Patsy Isenberg To suggest how neighborhood leaders might figure out which problems to focus on, Carma Lewis of Flint Neighborhoods United offers a practical lead. “I start with what I can see outside my window, because that’s my domain that I have control over,” she told a group of about 25 at the first “Neighbors Changing Flint” workshop Feb. 20. The “Neighbors Changing Flint” series has returned for its second year. The six-week long program aims to help residents become more informed on how to engage in...
read moreFlint City Council February Roundup: Despite mutual distrust, actions inch forward
By Meghan Christian The second month of 2019 brought yet more conflict and distrust to the Flint City Council (FCC) members and residents who attended the month’s three regular meetings. Regardless of the conflicts, however, the council continued dialogue on the state of the pipe replacement program and made some progress with the Ethics and Accountability Board (EAB) and toward establishing an Office of the Ombudsperson. Civility/Behavior on Council The issues between various members of the council have continued from January revolving...
read moreThis Month in the Village: March features Celtic music, Girls Rock, Science on Tap
“This Month” highlights a selection of events available to our readers. It is not an exhaustive list, rather a sampling of opportunities in the city. To submit events for April email your event to Managing Editor Meghan Christian at meghan.christian22@gmail.com by March 26. Wellness at the Wheel Mon – Sat. The Ferris Wheel, 615 S. Saginaw St., 6th floor Admission: $12 810-213-4710 for more information Schedule: Monday: 5:30 p.m. – Hatha Yoga Tuesday: 7 a.m. – Rise and Shine Yoga 4:30 p.m. – Pound Yoga...
read moreStonemason, artist, champion of peace David Smallidge dead at 83
By Jan Worth-Nelson David Smallidge was a stone mason who helped lay bricks for the downtown campus of UM – Flint and constructed the stone frame for the original Flint Farmers’ Market mosaic. He also created exquisitely detailed black and white porcelain plates and vases and other works of art that found their way into New York galleries. A key member of Buckham Gallery from its beginnings in the ’80s and an ardent supporter, with his wife Bernice, of peace movements and community arts efforts, Smallidge died Feb. 27 at...
read moreIn Ann Arbor, Yo-Yo Ma brought star magic, stories in sound
By Darlene C. Carey On the night of cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s recent appearance in Ann Arbor, the crescent moon and Jupiter had their closest pass of the year, with Saturn and Venus also visible in the night sky. Ma’s performance before a packed house at Hill Auditorium offered a similar magical aligning of the stars, a prelude to the next day when he brought his singular warm-hearted excitement to Flint. The famed musician’s visit to Michigan was inspired by his two-year, globe-spanning Bach Project, which began in August 2018. Ma is performing...
read moreYo-Yo Ma celebration unites, electrifies a crowd with music and love at Berston Field House
By Jan Worth-Nelson Steel drummers, a mariachi band, twirling dancers, spoken word, African drum and dance, a string quartet — and in the midst of it, a little bit of Bach by a world-renowned cellist and a joyous atmosphere — that was Thursday’s “Flint Voices: Culture, Community and Resilience” showcase at Berston Field House. A crowd of several hundred had to park up and down side streets off Saginaw and plod through ice and muddy slush on a miserable winter day to get into the iconic field house. Once...
read moreReview: “A $500 House in Detroit” a familiar, complex story for Flint readers
By Harold C. Ford “You’re either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem.”- Eldridge Cleaver “What I learned…was that my goal wasn’t to build a house. It was to transform myself by building a house.”- author Drew Philp, A $500 House in Detroit, Rebuilding an Abandoned Home and an American City, 2017, Scribner Don’t buy Drew Philp’s book, A $500 House in Detroit,if all you’re looking for is how-to-do-it lessons on resurrecting an utterly abandoned shell of a house in a mostly empty neighborhood in a major American city. You’re...
read moreReview: Katie Stanley Band interlaces themes of love and loss in polished “Lake Superior”
By Jeffery L. Carey Jr. Very few local bands are as polished and professional sounding as the Flint-based Katie Stanley Band. With the recent release of Katie Stanley’s third EP titled, Lake Superior, it would seem the band is progressing in the right direction. As a singer/songwriter myself, I looked for several criteria in the EP that generally create a well constructed record. I focused on whether Lake Superior had a theme within the collection of songs that held the entire EP together. Also, did it musically take the listener on a...
read moreFree Berston concert Thursday to feature Flint voices, Yo-Yo Ma, Olaniran
By Jan Worth-Nelson Ed note: This has been updated to correct the address of Berston Field House. It is 3300 Saginaw St. A free “cultural community showcase” featuring Flint performers along with famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma is set for 4-6 p.m. Thursday at Berston Field House, 3300 Saginaw St. Recording artist and musician Tunde Olaniran, who grew up in Flint, will co-host. No tickets are required and seats are first-come first-served. Spokespersons from the University Musical Society (UMS) said Ma himself will perform midway...
read moreA number of numbers to watch in 2019
By Paul Rozycki I once knew a math professor who argued that everything in the universe could be explained by numbers and mathematics—from the creation of the most basic atoms, to the formation of the stars and galaxies, to the most complex life forms, to all types of mechanical and electronic devices. I don’t claim to be enough of a mathematician to prove him right or wrong, but numbers do matter a lot. And most of the biggest issues of our government involve numbers. Yes, budgets and their numbers can be tedious and boring. It’s a lot...
read moreKildee promotes legislation to increase, strengthen Social Security in local roundtable
By Jan Worth-Nelson Nobody should live in poverty because they’re old, Congressman Dan Kildee declared to a group of about 35 community leaders today in Flint, and no one around the table disagreed. But pension systems and Social Security as they function today for many elderly are not adequate and need strengthening, Kildee said. Among those at the table in the Ferris Wheel Building were leaders from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), local politicians, labor leaders and representatives of departments on aging and...
read moreCalling for “full public release” of Mueller report, Kildee says GOP leaders need to “stand up”
By Jan Worth-Nelson Calling for “full public release” of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, Congressman Dan Kildee said today regardless of what happens he hopes Republican leaders “stand with the American people” and hold the president accountable, instead of acting like “full-time employees of the Trump organization.” “I want to see everything,” he said, indicating he would pursue oversight of Donald Trump’s activities in line with a “fundamental obligation to make sure...
read moreNews Brief: Registration open for Spring Break Theatre Camp for kids grades 3-6
Registration is underway and tuition assistance is available for spring classes and acting camp at Flint Repertory Theatre, 1220 East Kearsley St. Spring Break Theatre Camp, March 25-29, is a week of daily acting workshops for grades 3-6, with a final stage performance capping the week. Cost is $150; tuition assistance deadline is March 12. Spring classes begin April 9 for age 4 through adult on a range of performance skills. Tuition prices vary; tuition assistance deadline is March 19. For information, the full schedule or applications...
read moreBlack Panther founder Bobby Seale highlights UM – Flint’s Black History Month
By Paul Rozycki As part of Black History Month, the U of M-Flint invited Black Panther Party founder Bobby Seale to address students, faculty, and the public on Monday night. The 1960s activist spoke to a full house at the UM-Flint Theater in a presentation that ranged from the familiar to the radical. The 1960s radical, now in his 80s, began in a quiet manner describing his early days in Texas, his work in the construction business, his time in the Air Force and his days working for the city of Oakland, California for an anti-poverty...
read moreYo-Yo Ma combining Bach, culture, and a Flint “Day of Action,” climaxing at Berston Fieldhouse
By Jan Worth-Nelson A two-day visit Feb. 27-28 by internationally-acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma began with Johann Sebastian Bach, but has expanded to focus on Flint and culminate in a “Day of Action” and performance at Berston Fieldhouse, the University Musical Society (UMS) of the University of Michigan announced this week. The event already has drawn the participation of local arts powerhouses like songwriter and recording artist Tunde Olaniran and community activist and artist Natasha Thomas-Jackson. More than a dozen Flint...
read moreNews Brief: “Neighbors Changing Flint” workshops begin Feb. 20
The Neighborhood Engagement Hub announces February and March workshops in its “Neighbors Changing Flint” series, with topics including neighborhood leaders, blight elimination, vacant lot reuse, health, funding and long-term change. Workshops are 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Feb. 20, at the Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village, 4119 Saginaw St. The schedule is as follows: Feb 20 – Neighborhood Leadership Feb 27 – Blight Elimination Mar 6 – Vacant Lot Reuse Strategies Mar 13 – Funding Opportunities Mar 20...
read moreI love Flint: Baker’s dozen reasons why my town is NOT the 11th “Worst City to Live In”
By Harold C. Ford I’m an unabashed, unashamed, scream-it-from-the-rooftops supporter/defender of Flint. And yet once again, my hometown was put on another “worst” list. This time it was a publication called 24/7 Wall St. Using “an index of over two dozen measures to identify the worst cities to live in,” Flint was ranked the 11th worst in the U.S. I was drawn to the article while perusing the website of the Detroit Free Press and came across an article titled “6 Michigan cities make list of worst places to live in America”. When I...
read moreFlint Repertory Theatre presents “The Wolves,” for teens and adults, through Feb.17
By Patsy Isenberg On Feb.8, a Pulitzer Prize drama finalist for 2017, “The Wolves,” opened at The Flint Repertory Theatre (The Rep) in the 100-seat Bower Theater. Its all-female cast gives the audience a fly-on-the-wall observation of a nine-girl high school soccer team at practice. The only other character is referred to as “Soccer Mom” and she doesn’t appear until near the end of the play. The team members are never referred to by name (except in one instance near the end) and their characters are listed in the program by the numbers on...
read moreEast Village Magazine – February 2019
The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:
read moreThis Month in the Village: February offers “Galentine’s Day,” cabaret, history of cursing and more
Compiled by Meghan Christian, Managing Editor “This Month” highlights a selection of events available to our readers. It is not an exhaustive list, rather a sampling of opportunities in the city. To submit events for March, email your event to Managing Editor Meghan Christian at meghan.christian22@gmail.com by Feb.26. UM-Flint Ice Rink Open Skate Every Wed., Fri., Sat., and Sun. until March 3 Wed: 6 – 9 p.m. Fri: 5 – 8 p.m. Sat and Sun: Noon – 4 p.m. University Pavilion, 303 S. Saginaw St. 810-762-3441 Admission: Free,...
read moreCommentary: Civility in politics 2019? Maybe, but don’t count on it
By Paul Rozycki “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” -Yogi Berra With a newly elected Congress in Washington, a new administration in Lansing, and a mayoral election in Flint, this year will be anything but tranquil politically. As has been the case for the last few years, predictions are easy to make, but often wrong. Like so many things attributed to Yogi Berra, I don’t know if he actually said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future,” but it’s obviously true. In any case, at the risk of...
read moreFlint River Watershed Coalition announces state trail designation, Mott Park paddlers’ landing
By Jan Worth-Nelson About 200 supporters and sponsors of the Flint River Water Coalition braved sub-zero temperatures on the last day of January to attend “The Voice of the River,” an annual celebration to raise funds and highlight progress on Flint River clean-up, environmental education, and recreational access. Among the news was the recent announcement that the 72-mile-long Flint River Trail is one of the first eight state-designated water trails in Michigan. Overall, the water trails encompass 540 miles of navigable water in the Lower...
read more“Miracles and Glory Abound”: Artwork of Vanessa German at FIA through April 20
By Harold C. Ford Editor’s Note: EVM staff writer Harold C. Ford also is a provisional docent at the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) and was present in a dual capacity during a walk-through of Vanessa German’s new exhibit at the FIA Jan. 25. Miracles and Glory Abound opened to the general public Jan. 27. “The future belongs to the human beings who have the creativity and the courage to live inside the truth.” …Vanessa German, 2017 Vanessa German discovered the transforming power of art when she escaped a particularly dreadful phase of her life...
read moreFlint City Hall closed for second day Thursday because of weather
This just in from Candice Mushatt, City of Flint public information officer: “FLINT, Mich. — Please be advised that due to extremely cold temperatures the Flint Municipal Center (City Hall) will be closed starting Thursday, Jan. 31 and will remain closed until 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. All essential employees should report to the office as usual. Residents are asked to stay off of the roads unless absolutely necessary and to remove vehicles off of the streets to allow trucks easier access as they continue to plow snow. Your...
read moreCity Ethics and Accountability Board plods through formative stages: no ombudsman yet
By Meghan Christian The Flint Ethics and Accountability Board (EAB) has passed another month since it was established by the new City Charter 18 months ago without hiring an ombudsman, one of the group’s main jobs. But the group did welcome a new member, addressed potential issues with accepting complaints, and discussed plans for 2019 during their brief meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22. Absent from the meeting were Fourth Ward appointee Nicolas D’Aigle and Sixth Ward appointee Delores Langston. As described in previous East Village...
read moreFlint City Council January update: Struggling for civility, council ousts Mays as finance committee chair
By Meghan Christian As 2018 ended, some members of Flint City Council (FCC) expressed hope that the new year would bring a new attitude to the city’s governing body and that they would be able to leave many of their divisions behind. But it became clear by the conclusion of the first month of 2019 that this would be a difficult goal. Mays removed as finance chair Perhaps the most dramatic action of the council in January was the removal of First Ward Councilperson Eric Mays from his position as finance chair, by a vote of six to one,...
read moreNo waste collection in Flint Wednesday, Thursday Jan. 30-31 due to frigid temps
Just received from Candice Mushatt, City of Flint Communications Director Waste Collection Suspended for Wednesday Jan.30 and Thursday Jan. 31 Due to Inclement Weather Due to inclement weather conditions waste services for Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 and Thursday, Jan, 31, for the City of Flint will be delayed this week due to the National Weather Service wind chill warning regarding dangerously low, below-zero temperatures starting at 6 p.m. tonight. Waste Services for the Wednesday and Thursday routes will resume next week, Mushatt...
read moreFeb. 23 “Unity in Diversity” celebration offers interfaith artistry to increase understanding
“Unity In Diversity,” an interfaith and intercultural festival, will celebrate diversity in Flint beginning at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Insight Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience, 4800 Saginaw St. The 4th annual event features local artists and performers. Co-founder Muna Jondy, Flint-based attorney and member of the Flint Islamic Center, said, “something artistic” is what the community needs in the midst of tension around immigration and global events. Organizers say the concert will feature diverse performances, and some audience...
read moreNews Brief: Gustin, Crawford to discuss “giants of Flint history” at rescheduled event Feb. 6
By Jan Worth-Nelson Two venerable former Flint Journal journalists, Lawrence Gustin and Kim Crawford, will join forces to talk about some of the giants of Flint history at 5 p.m. Feb. 6 at Totem Bookstore, 620 W. Court St. The free event was rescheduled from November, and then from Jan. 30, because of the weather. Crawford, a long-time police reporter, feature writer and historian, wrote the only book about Jacob Smith, thought to be the first white settler of Flint. Gustin, who left the Flint Journal to become a public relations director...
read moreFlint’s Katie Stanley Band launches new EP at Soggy Bottom, with Grantham, Glover
By Jeffery L. Carey Jr. On a cold January evening at Flint’s Soggy Bottom Bar, the Katie Stanley Band released its new extended play (EP) album titled Lake Superior to a very warm audience. The band, comprised of singer/songwriter Katie Stanley; bassist Tammy Pendleton; and drummer Michelle McAuley, released the new EP Jan. 18 with the release show on Jan 19. The show also featured opening artists Dylan Grantham of Young Ritual and Cory Mark Glover. Stanley, 31, was born in Fenton, but has local ties, “I’m an only child,” she said. “I have...
read moreHeating bill assistance available now through Consumers Energy CARE program
Consumers Energy encourages residents having difficulty paying heating bills to ask for assistance, and has contributed $10 million since October to defray those costs in southeast Michigan. Consumers Energy’s CARE program allows customers to establish a payment plan with monthly credits and gradual forgiveness of past-due balances. Consumers Energy cash contributions to local agencies provide assistance to those having trouble paying bills. In Genesee County, those Consumers resources are managed by the Genesee County Community Action...
read moreNews Brief: MCC receives $2.1 million gift for student support from Robinson Trust
Mott Community College has received a $2.1 million gift from the Dewaine V. and Jana B. Robinson Trust, which will provide support for students, according to Lennetta Coney, president of the Foundation for Mott Community College. The gift will establish a perpetual trust in the Robinsons’ names, the second such trust held by Mott. The money will be available in Fall, 2019. The Robinsons were Flint natives and business owners. Dewaine Robinson was a pharmacist, a graduate of Ferris State; Jana Robinson was an accountant; she attended and...
read moreNews Brief: Watershed Coalition gearing up for Jan. 31 “Voice of the River” celebration
The Flint River Watershed Coalition’s annual “Voice of the River” celebration is set for 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31 at Factory One, 303 W. Water St. The public is invited. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at www.FlintRiver.org, by calling 810-767-6490, or emailing ewesthoff@flintriver.org. Payment can be made at the door, but RSVP’s are requested. The FRWC event is a kickoff of the organization’s efforts to “protect, promote and improve the Flint River and its watershed in 2019. This year the...
read more“New Works Festival” brings five playwrights to The Rep’s Elgood Theater
By Patsy Isenberg Five playwrights and musicians from various places in the U.S. and one from Ireland came to the Flint Repertory Theatre (The Rep) Jan. 18–20 to offer staged readings of their new unpublished works in front of a live audience. The free event included a panel discussion with The Rep’s Producing Artistic Director Michael Lluberes and the writers of the “New Works” on Sunday, Jan. 20. This was the second year the New Works Festival was presented to Flint audiences. Local talent gathered to do the readings. Many...
read moreNews Brief: Mott Park Rec Area open house Feb. 19 at Kettering
Mott Park Recreation Area open house is 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at Kettering’s Campus Center, 1700 University Drive, at Chevrolet Ave. For a decade, the Mott Park Recreation Association has worked to repurpose the former municipal golf course, 70 acres on the Flint River, and invites the community to see developments, including a disc golf course; maintenance and security improvements; and a Monarch Butterfly Waystation, certified by two national registries dedicated to Monarch conservation. Participants can offer ideas, and hear plans under...
read moreCCNA hears about Buick City PFAS, stray animal trapping, council dysfunction
By Patsy Isenberg At an agenda-rich College Cultural Neighborhood Association meeting Jan. 17, a turnout of about 30 residents heard from RACER Trust about the chemical contaminant PFAS at Buick City, learned about the organization All About Animals, received a summary from DM Burr Security Service and discussed the College Cultural neighborhood’s (CCN) upcoming 100th anniversary. In addition, Seventh Ward City Councilperson Monica Galloway and 49th District State Representative John D. Cherry provided updates and took questions. Many...
read moreNews Briefs: Flint Roller Derby tryouts scheduled Feb. 10
Flint Roller Derby, entering its first full season in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, invites women 18 and older to an off-skates tryout 5-6 p.m. Feb. 10 at By Any Means Crossfit, 4501 E Hill Rd., Grand Blanc. “Do not worry if you do not see yourself as fit enough to be a derby girl,” said Coach Nick Cotton. “Most of our skaters were not athletes, nor could they skate when they began!” He said keys are a positive attitude, ability to work as a team, and mental toughness to work through pain. To try out, register here, then...
read moreColorful art of Jenny Thornton continues through Jan. 31 at Good Beans Cafe
By Jeffery L. Carey, Jr. The paintings of artist Jenny Thornton kick off the new year of art exhibits at Flint’s Good Beans Cafe. Her solo show opened Jan. 4 to a gathering of more than 30 people, and will be on exhibit until the end of the month. Born June 11, 1993 to parents David and Mitzi Thornton, Jenny Thornton grew up with her sister Kristin Ward in Linden. She says she spent a lot of time as a child in nature, playing in the woods, camping — all of which, she says, had a large influence on her artwork. “I began making art...
read moreFlint Registry “goes live” with Farmers’ Market launch; goal is 150,000 signups for water crisis data
By Jan Worth-Nelson The Flint Registry, a four-year, federally-funded program designed to locate people exposed to the Flint water crisis, document and monitor their experience, and connect them with services and programs to promote health and wellness, launched formally Friday at the Flint Farmers’ Market amidst a dozen celebratory speeches, music, art, free teeshirts and cookies. Speakers included Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, who emceed the event, along with Mayor Karen Weaver, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, U.S....
read morePublic Affairs Forum panel probes civility in the era of social media
By Jeffery L. Carey Jr. Though no one offered any hard-and-fast answers to the country’s current rash of harsh rhetoric, a panel of communication experts at the Flint Public Library Jan. 15 suggested at the least it pays to listen well and try to understand opposing views. An audience of about 35 attended the event, the latest Flint Area Public Affairs Forum. The topic was Bringing Back Civility: Engaging in an Era of Social Media with Jan Worth-Nelson, editor of East Village Magazine, moderating the discussion. The panel included...
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