Council considers “companion resolution” to water crisis settlement bringing Flint residents’ water refund amounts into consideration
By Tom Travis The City Council has delayed voting on the water crisis settlement (WCS) again until Monday, Dec 21. In Thursday's five-hour meeting a "companion resolution" was introduced into discussion by Council President Kate Fields (4th Ward). In addition, Council...
Local group hands out $20,000 to Flint teachers as 30-year tradition continues in pandemic
By Tom Travis Flint teachers were awarded $20,000, in gifts of $100 each, by the Flint Classroom Support Fund (FCSF) on Thursday. The contributions are given to each of the 200 Flint Community School (FCS) teachers from a COVID Rescue Grant to use towards their...
Council delays water settlement vote until Thursday, Dec. 17, ‘yes’ vs ‘no’ votes seem to be shifting sand yet
By Tom Travis City Council postponed until Thursday a vote on the $20 million portion of the $641 million water crisis settlement. In a six and half hour meeting, with the first two hours spent bickering over rules and procedures, the council questioned attorneys at...
Book Review: A five-day odyssey of “Motown Man” explores familiar themes, settings in Flint author Bob Campbell’s first novel
By Harold Ford “The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the colour-line.” --from Address to the Nations of the World, W. E. B. DuBois, July 1900 “As much as we all try to think we have all reached the promised land, the reality is there’s still alot of...
“The State brought a piggy bank when they should have brought a safe,” former Mayor Karen Weaver declares at water settlement protest
By Tom Travis "It's a slap in the face and a kick in the behind. The State brought a piggy bank when they should have brought a safe. They brought a piggy bank to pay us and it's not right to pay between 80,000 and 100,000 people." So said former Mayor Karen Weaver in...
Tendaji Talk panel asks and tries to answer: does White Christianity reinforce White supremacy?
By Harold Ford “We have to call out bad theology when it’s bad theology.” --Monica Villareal, pastor, Salem Lutheran Church, Flint “Much work to be done.” --Dan Scheid, rector St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Flint Does white Christianity reinforce white supremacy? Four...
Touting themes of “prayer, planning , and partnership” Mayor Neeley cites COVID response, census, racial justice efforts, pipeline progress in State of the City address
By Paul Rozycki It was just over a year ago that Flint’s Mayor Karen Weaver, gave the last state of the city address in a packed house at Flint’s Capitol Theater, shortly before the election. This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Flint’s Mayor Sheldon Neeley, drew a...
Land Bank survey and small business grants highlighted at Flint Neighborhoods United monthly meeting
By Coner Segren Residents' concerns about Land Bank priorities for demolition and the availability of small business grants , updates on a water bill payment assistance program, and a proposed I-475 renovation plan were among topics discussed at the monthly Flint...
Flint Public Library at Courtland to reopen Wednesday, Dec. 9 with limited “lobby service”
The Flint Public Library at Courtland Center will reopen Dec. 9 through Dec. 23 with “lobby service.” Patrons will be able to enter the library lobby for a short visit to pick up books on hold or check out DVDs, music and books on CD, according to a press release...
City Council questions plaintiff, defendant attorneys in $641 water crisis settlement; will vote Dec. 14 on whether to accept city’s $20 million portion
By Tom Travis The Flint City Council will vote Monday Dec. 14 on whether to accept a $20 million portion of the $641 million Flint water crisis settlement. That $20 million would come from the city's insurance company. Because the City of Flint is named as a defendant...
Mayor Neeley to deliver live-streamed State of the City address Dec 8
Mayor Sheldon Neeley will deliver his first State of the City address at 7 p.m. Dec. 8. The Mayor's address will be broadcast on NBC 25 and livestreamed on the City's Facebook page and YouTube channel, according to a press release. "This year's State of the City is...
Flint residents can apply to receive up to $225 to help pay water bills
Community Development Block Grant funds totaling $50,000 are being made available to assist moderate and low-income residents pay their water bills, according to a press release from the Mayor's office. In addition, residents relying on unemployment because of job...
Flint Community Schools move toward pursuit of special education funding
The following press release was provided to East Village Magazine (EVM) by Tarajah Ramsey at Lambert, the public relations firm for the Flint Community Schools (FCS) As EVM Education Beat reporter Harold C. Ford notes, the news is significant. "The bottom line is that...
Eight-hour Flint City Council meeting, recessed for second time, covers COVID effects on trash pickup, accounting costs.
By Tom Travis At an eight-hour long meeting Monday night, the Flint City Council was updated by the city's accounting firm requesting a greater reimbursement, heard from the city's trash collector about COVID effects on yard waste pick-up, and received a follow-up...
The East Village Magazine – November – December 2020
The lastest edition of The East Village Magazine is available for download here: https://www.eastvillagemagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FinalRiegleVersionNov_Dec_web.pdf
Meet Cassandra Washington, Flint Schools’ HR director, who settled contracts with all three employee unions in first year on job
By Harold Ford Editor’s Note: East Village Magazine’s Education Beat writer, Harold C. Ford, submitted a list of 20 questions to Cassandra Washington, Flint Community Schools’ executive director of human relations. Washington responded to about half of the questions...
Land Bank reprioritizing demolitions as federal funds dry up, FNU members told
By Coner Segren Federal "Hardest Hit Fund" dollars appropriated to Flint expired this year, leaving the Genesee County Land Bank without a large source of funds. These funds were key to demolitions in Flint, the Land Bank's Christina Kelly told participants in a...
After $36.5 million renovation of century-old downtown landmark, Hilton Garden Inn opens with two new restaurants, COVID-19 protocols
By Tom Travis The first guests have checked into their rooms and reservations have been made for the weeks and months to come, according to the new Hilton Garden Inn staff. A historic century-old building that sat vacant for two decades has been renovated into a new...
City Council Beat: Leadership change brings on Fields, Davis: no city business voted on during five-hour meeting
By Tom Travis After a contentious five-hour meeting and acting only on two pieces of city business, the Flint City Council voted to recess until Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The meeting did result in an upending of council leadership, with Kate Fields (4th Ward) elected...
Commentary: Biden wins — What does it all mean? Ten takeaways from the 2020 election
By Paul Rozycki In a year of pandemics, racial division, economic crisis, and the most divisive election in the last century, it’s a challenge to uncover the things that really matter in this year’s presidential election. In the last weeks, we’ve all had wall-to-wall...
$1 million-plus restoration project announced for Flint River-Swartz Creek confluence
By Harold C. Ford “Sometimes it’s the use of land, not for commercial purposes, that has the greatest value.” --U.S. Rep.Dan Kildee, (MI-5th District), in a statement to East Village Magazine, Oct. 14, 2020 A restoration project on the peninsula where the Flint River...
Three newcomers elected make an all-female Flint school board; host of challenges await
By Harold C. Ford The Flint Community Schools (FCS) Board of Education will have a new look in 2021. Joyce Ellis-McNeal, (9.13 percent/9,409 votes), Anita M. Moore (8.78 percent/9,053 votes), and Laura Gillespie MacIntyre (6.09 percent/6,277 votes) were elected to...
PFAS in Buick City site so far not detected in nearby drinking water, RACER Trust reps report
By Coner Segren Despite the findings of PFAS contamination at the former Buick City site in northeast Flint, so far the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has not found any red flags for any specific substances in the drinking water in the...
“I’m running as a proud Democrat but I’ll govern as an American,” Biden tells drive-in Flint audience
By Tom Travis Drawing sharp contrasts between the last four years of the Trump presidency and eight years of President Barack Obama and Joe Biden's administration, candidate for president Joe Biden addressed a drive-in rally today at Flint's Northwestern High School...
Blues singer votes red this year: Councilperson Davis makes waves with Trump endorsement
By Tom Travis In the days ahead of one of the most contentious presidential campaigns in recent memory, local blues musician turned politician, 2nd Ward Councilperson Maurice Davis, is making waves with his endorsement of President Donald Trump. Democrats "the party...
