Flint Public Library re-opens for browsing and computer services at Courtland Center
The Flint Public Library (FPL) at Courtland Center is reopening Tuesday, Feb. 2 for computer and genealogy services and one-hour browsing visits, the library announced in a press release issued Friday. Due to elevated rates of COVID-19, patrons had been limited to...
Registration begins for the $641.25 million water crisis settlement
By Tom Travis Flint residents can begin to register for a piece of the $641.25 million water crisis settlement (WCS). According to attorneys in the settlement, registration began Jan. 27 and ends March 29. Adults must opt-in by March 29 and all objections must be...
City Council hears report on budget, neighborhood policing, city parks and water main breaks
By Tom Travis City's acting-Chief Financial Officer, Amanda Trujillo, gives a budget report to council Amanda Trujillo, the city's acting-Chief Financial Officer and City Treasurer, was on the line to take questions from council concerning the city budget at Monday's...
200 seasonal jobs opening now at Genesee County Parks
More than 200 jobs are opening at the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission, Director Barry June announced in a press release. “These seasonal positions are perfect for high school and college students, retirees or those looking for a second income,” June...
Flint Institute of Arts opening Art School for spring session; registration begins Feb. 2
Art classes at the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) will resume for spring term if encouraging Covid-19 trends continue. Spring classes begin March 8, 2021. “We have been closely monitoring our region's infection rates and trends. The numbers continue to fall and unless...
Book Review: Edward McClelland’s Midnight in Vehicle City, General Motors, Flint, and the Strike that Created the Middle Class
By Harold C. Ford “You are a scoundrel and a skunk…You’ll go to hell when you die if you do things like that.” --Frances Perkins, U.S. Secretary of Labor, to Alfred Sloan, CEO, General Motors, Jan. 1937 “You can’t talk to me like that…I’ve got seventy million and I...
Flint water crisis led to “anxiety, fear, distrust and anger over the events of the last seven years,” Judge Levy states as she hands down ruling to proceed with settlement
By Tom Travis Preliminary approval to allow the $641 million Flint water crisis settlement to move forward was granted Thursday by U.S. Federal Judge Judith Levy. The ruling comes one week after nine state and local officials were indicted, including former Gov. Rick...
Fifteen days in January: The nation faces insurrection, impeachment, and inauguration.
By Paul Rozycki In the early 1960s, at the height of the cold war, there was a best-selling novel, and a movie, that told a story of a potential military coup in the U.S. and possible nuclear conflict with Soviet Union. The book was “Seven Days in May” by Charles...
Education Beat Flint Community Schools board approves plan for return to buildings in unsteady start of new era
By Harold C. Ford “I’m sure looking forward to great things from the board.” --David Guinn, Judge, 67th District Court, Genesee County, comment at start of Jan. 20 meeting “This meeting has been very, very confusing…If you’re confused, then you know the general...
“Defiantly Hopeful” concert celebrates Flint, benefits East Village Magazine Saturday at 7 p.m
A concert by the well-known folk duo Mustard's Retreat, long beloved performers in the Flint music scene, will live stream on Zoom, YouTube and Facebook at 7 p.m. Saturday night. The concert will equally benefit East Village Magazine (EVM) and Mustard's Retreat...
Small, spirit-filled MLK celebration led by local Baha’i group shines light on Peace Garden and new mural
By Harold C. Ford “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” reads a quote on the banner hung at the entrance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Garden, MLK Day event, Jan. 18, 2021 On Jan. 18, a small but spirited group, led by local...
Village Life: “Among Us,” but Not Us — video game brings up painful American truths
By Vivian Kao My older son is eight years old, and like most eight-year-olds, he goes through phases in which he gets obsessed with certain things. About a year ago, it was professional wrestling. He had a group of friends at school who watched WWE, and through them,...
Michigan food assistance payments increase 15 percent by end of January – Gov. Whitmer/MDHHS
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced 15 percent increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits beginning by the end of January and lasting until June, 2021, as detailed in a Thursday...
Education Beat: Adrian Walker picked to fill vacancy on Flint Community Schools Board
By Harold C. Ford “We (millennials) want to be a part of meaningful change.”—Adrian Walker, YouTube statement, June 28, 2017 Adrian Walker, director of community and government affairs for the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, emerged from two rounds of...
COVID, water crisis exacerbating mental illness in Genesee County, health systems rep warns
By Coner Segren COVID-19 is exacerbating a mental health crisis in Genesee County, according Lisa Bruder of the Genesee Health System (GHS) in a presentation to the January meeting of Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU). “It would be impossible to live through COVID and...
“There are no velvet ropes in our criminal justice system.” – Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud on Flint water crisis prosecutions
By Tom Travis Today Flint residents who logged onto a virtual court procedure saw something many had called for, but never thought they would see: former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, an attorney at his side, pleading not guilty to charges leveled by Attorney General...
Education Beat: Flint Community Schools reopening plans starting Jan. 18 announced; board elects new officers
By Harold C. Ford Flint Community Schools (FCS) Superintendent Anita Steward announced she will present a plan for reopening schools to staff and students for face-to-face/brick-and-mortar instruction at the FCS school board’s next regular meeting Jan. 20. She said...
“Change the guidelines for compensation” – Community members and water warriors plead with Judge Levy
By Tom Travis "Flint, tell Judge Levy to change the guidelines for compensation in the water settlement. All citizens should be compensated," read a statement offered by concerned citizens, pastors, community leaders and Flint water warriors. The group gathered Monday...
“The Rep” productions win many Wilde awards even in the pandemic year
By Patsy Isenberg The pandemic of 2020 caused all theaters to cut their seasons short. But the few shows Flint Repertory Theatre (The Rep) here in Flint managed to stage in the 2019-2020 season won numerous awards -- in fact, more Wilde Awards than any other theatre...
January 6 siege a “well planned attack on the United States of America…led by and encouraged by the President,” Kildee says
By Tom Travis "This was not a sort of national version of a march on City Hall. This was clearly a well planned attack on the United States of America and sadly led by and encouraged by the President of The United States," U.S. Representative Dan Kildee said Monday...
The East Village Magazine – January 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%2F01%2FEVM_01-21_Final_Web.pdf" viewer_width=100% viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true...
“God can turn things around” Pastor Chris Martin asserts at prayer event response to recent murders
By Tom Travis Residents, pastors, and politicians gathered on Flint's north side today to pray. The prayer event came in the wake of a recent wave of homicides in Flint. "We're here today to cover the neighborhood in prayer, and encourage the community to look back to...
Folk duo Mustard’s Retreat to stage live-streaming musical benefit for East Village Magazine
A reviewer once called the folk group Mustard's Retreat "music to cure what ails you." Now they are dedicating that cure to Flint, a community like so many others wracked by COVID, in a virtual performance to benefit East Village Magazine. The popular duo...
Council approves $20 million insurance portion for $641 million water crisis settlement
By Tom Travis Flint City Council in a 6-1-2 vote approved a $20 million portion of the $641 million water crisis settlement (WCS) at a video conference meeting Monday. The council vote was required on the $20 million portion because it is being offered from the City’s...
COVID vaccine will go first to health care and essential workers, residents of long-term facilities and high risk population
Health care personnel, residents of long-term facilities, workers in essential and critical infrastructure, and people at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness are recommended to be the first groups to get the COVID vaccine, according to interim guidelines issued Dec....
