Kildee on John Lewis: he urged getting into “good trouble” in the pursuit of justice and equality
Note: Since May 26, Congressman Kildee, of Michigan's Fifth District, had been Congressman Lewis's proxy for House votes at Lewis's request. Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on the passing of Rep. John Lewis: Flint -- Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief...
Mayor Neeley on the death of John Lewis: “We have lost a great American hero”
Mayor Sheldon Neeley today issued the following statement on the passing of Congressman John Lewis: "We have lost a great American hero. Congressman John Lewis leaves us after a lifetime dedicated to fighting nonviolently for equity and social justice. He...
City Clerk and City of Flint respond to ACLU complaint about absentee ballot/voters rights concerns
By Tom Travis In response to a complaint filed in the Genesee County Circuit Court Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan and five Flint residents, City Clerk Inez Brown has announced 24-hour access to a secured absentee ballot drop box now...
Flint receives $400,000 grant from the Department of Justice to fight Coronavirus
By Tom Travis The City of Flint has won a $411,348 grant from the Department of Justice to fund COVID-19 response and related expenses, city officials announced this week. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a part of the U.S. Department of Justice and administers...
ACLU sues City of Flint Clerk’s office over absentee ballot concerns
By Jan Worth-Nelson and Tom Travis Concerns about processing of absentee ballots have led to a complaint by The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan against the Flint City Clerk's office seeking to account for absentee ballot requests submitted to the...
Sloan Museum receives $400K from Hagerman Foundation for new early childhood gallery
By Jan Worth-Nelson A new $400,000 grant from the Flint-based Hagerman Foundation to the Sloan Museum of Discovery will provide funding for a new early childhood gallery, and brings the Flint science and history museum to within $2 million of its $27.6 million...
Commentary: An August primary primer–how it’s different and why its important
By Paul Rozycki In a time of the COVID-19 virus, economic shutdowns, Black Lives Matter protests, and 500-year floods, it’s difficult to focus on something as routine as an August primary election. Even in “normal” times, the primary is often overshadowed by summer...
Local ACLU fires off complaint to the Mayor and City Clerk; mail-in and absentee ballots in question
By Tom Travis The City of Flint is not complying with absentee balloting requirements approved by Michigan voters, Greater Flint American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) officials claimed Tuesday in a letter of complaint to Mayor Sheldon Neeley and Flint City Clerk Inez...
Free COVID testing for Flint residents returns to Shiloh MBC Thursday and Friday
The City of Flint has issued the following announcement: "FLINT, Michigan—Free COVID-19 testing will return on Thursday and Friday to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church through the continued partnership of state, county and local entities. Testing at Shiloh has been...
Village Life: 26 miles on foot in Flint, Connor Coyne’s walk is both ancient and intimate
By Connor Coyne On a Sunday at the end of June, my alarm goes off at three in the morning. I dress in the darkness, putting on the loose fitting shirt and shorts I’d selected the night before. I'm careful not to wake my wife who will sleep for several more hours in...
Absentee and mail-in ballots to be mailed out Tuesday to Flint residents; ACLU raises concerns
By Tom Travis Absentee ballots will begin to be mailed out Tuesday, July 7, Flint City Clerk Inez Brown said in a phone interview Monday. In the face of an inquiry by the Greater Flint ACLU, questioning the City Clerks' procedures, Brown said she could not confirm the...
East Village Magazine – July 2020
The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here.
Three seats opening on Flint Community Schools board; petitions to run for Nov. 3 election available now
The Flint City Clerk's office issued the following press release today: Petitions are now available in the Flint City Clerk’s Office, second floor of City Hall, 1101 S. Saginaw St., for persons interested in seeking election to the Flint Board of Education. Three...
On the last day of the month, Mayor Neeley officially recognizes June as Pride Month for City of Flint
The following press release was issued today, June 30, by the City of Flint: "Mayor Sheldon Neeley today issued a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month in the City of Flint. "It is believed to be the first time the City of Flint has recognized the month. The...
Education Beat: Flint school board nixes new administration’s plan to reopen schools
By Harold C. Ford On June 29, with barely five weeks remaining until the start of the 2020-2021 school year, the board of education of Flint Community Schools (FCS) rejected the plans for reopening schools put forward by Anita Steward, the district’s new...
Education Beat: Lopez fired, Steward hired as Flint Community Schools staff challenges continue
By Harold C. Ford “I’m just overwhelmed how we were left in March and she stepped up.” …Vera Perry, board trustee, Flint Community Schools, June 25, 2020 At a special meeting of the board of education of Flint Community Schools (FCS) June 25, Derrick Lopez was...
Village Life: Flint’s newest journalists are eight years old and raring to write
By Jan Worth-Nelson Paxon Laube-Clary's head hurt. Stuck at home in pandemic shutdown, he was spending three to four hours a day of screen time keeping up with his classes at the Perry Innovation Center in Grand Blanc. His friend since preschool, Julian Pauli, home...
Last piece of Flint River-Genesee Valley trail acquired; links Flint to statewide Iron Belle trail
A new three-mile-long paved trail in the City of Flint is one step closer to completion, thanks to an upcoming property acquisition by the City of Flint announced Thursday. Called the Grand Traverse Greenway, it will complete an 18-mile path connecting the Flint River...
City Council considers contracts, appointments, Juneteenth, property purchase, and $800K in water treatment chemicals
By Tom Travis At the June 22 City Council meeting, disputes between council members resulted in two councilpersons being ejected and three councilpersons voluntarily leaving the meeting in protest. With five of the nine council members gone from the meeting quorum was...
Undeterred by COVID, Flint Youth Film Festival goes on; will “make magic” online
By Patsy Isenberg Faced with an unexpected pandemic shutdown and COVID-19 restrictions, those in charge of planning the 2020 Flint Youth Film Festival found a logical solution to getting the films out to the public: they’ll be shown on the festival’s YouTube...
Education Beat: Northwestern needs $4 million in upgrades; where will junior high students go?
By Harold C. Ford “We should’ve never moved in that [Northwestern] building.” …Vera Perry, trustee, Flint Board of Education “We create the instability that we face.” …Diana Wright, vice-president, Flint Board of Education At its meeting June 9, the board of education...
Education Beat: FCS moves on $95 million budget; grapples with pandemic, closures, contracts
By Harold C. Ford As an eventful 2019-2020 educational year came to an official close June 18 for Flint Community School (FCS) students, the district’s board of education met a total of 10 times in the months of May and June. On June 17, Casey Lester, FCS board...
Police Oversight Commission a key step for those seeking change, Black Lives Matter leader, DeWaun Robinson says
By Tom Travis "We have an opportunity to change the course of history. This is for everyone that believes in the heart of humanity that wants to see change," Black Lives Matter Flint leader DeWaun Robinson told East Village Magazine (EVM) in a recent phone interview....
Progressive get-out-the-vote teams to visit Flint Democrats soon
By Tammy Beckett Field representatives from the Progressive Turnout Project, a national grassroots get-out-the-vote organization, are expected to appear on many Democratic voters' doorsteps in Flint in the next few weeks--and the organization is looking for local...
Children’s Poetry Show goes ZOOM to feature Poet Laureate Semaj Brown June 29
By Jan Worth-Nelson "Dreaming, Imagining Good Happenings" is the theme of a children's poetry show featuring Flint's poet laureate Semaj Brown via Zoom/Facebook Live at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 29. "All children everywhere, inside and outside of Flint," are invited to...
