Peaceful protestors at City Hall grieve deaths of Black victims, demand transformation
By Tom Travis A crowd of hundreds, many in masks, gathered on the lawn of Flint City Hall Monday night, the peaceful protest one in a series of weekend protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. State and local politicians and a stream of local activists...
Mayor Neeley creates Black Lives Matter Advisory Council, announces other city actions
Below is the full text of a press release issued by the City of Flint following a protest at City Hall Tuesday afternoon. Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced several of these actions during his remarks to the assembled peaceful group: Mayor Sheldon Neeley today announced...
Peaceful protests continue as Sheriff Swanson says, “No need to burn the city down–You can have your voice heard”
By Tom Travis For a second time in two days, protesters gathered Sunday night, this time in downtown Flint, to send their message that black lives matter and police brutality needs to end. Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who had drawn national attention Saturday...
Flint area residents take to the streets protesting injustice
By Tom Travis Along with thousands of others across the country, Flint residents took to the streets Saturday night voicing their protest of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Beginning around 6 p.m. lines formed at the Target store entrance on Miller Road....
Mayor Sheldon Neeley on the death of George Floyd: “In his face, I see my own”
The following statement came today from Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley: "The death of George Floyd haunts me. In his face, I see my own. I see my friends, family, and ancestors. I see Ahmaud Arbery. I see Trayvon Martin. I see a sea of faces whose names we will never...
City Council adjourns due to lack of quorum; budget session continues for 3 hours
By Tom Travis Facing a June 1 deadline for adopting a city budget, Flint City Council attempted to convene an electronic special meeting Thursday, but ran aground when not enough councilpersons signed in. The meeting was scheduled for 1 p.m. By 1:15 p.m. only four...
Land Bank seeks seasonal/temporary workers for $11/hour 40 hour work week on mowing and trash abatement crews
The Genesee County Land Bank (GCLB) is seeking Seasonal/Temporary employees to work on mowing and trash abatement crews. The details of the work schedule include $11/hour pay rate and 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. The positions will run from May 28 to...
Secretary of State branch offices to reopen June 1 by appointment only
The following information was received today from the Michigan Secretary of State: "Secretary of State branch offices will reopen June 1 by appointment only for essential transactions not available online in order to continue to balance the need to provide critical...
MTA announces rides for COVID testing; free testing at Shiloh returns this weekend
The City of Flint released the following information today following a brief televideo press conference. EVM Staff Writer Madeleine Graham contributed to this report. The Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) announced today it will offer rides for asymptomatic...
Land Bank aims to “make neighborhoods whole again,” new director Michael Freeman says
By Tom Travis The Land Bank of Genesee County owns, maintains and manages more than 15,000 properties in the City of Flint--a whopping 27 percent of the city's land. Yet many in the community may not know what it is and how it has become a leading influence on the...
City Council accepts a $550,000 C.S. Mott grant addition; Mayor scolds Council President for “ageist” attack on City Clerk
By Tom Travis The City Council approved a budget amendment for a grant extension of $550,000 from the C.S. Mott Foundation and passed a resolution for a tax abatement on a commercial property on the east side of Flint at a Tuesday evening meeting.. The Council also...
Review: Latest Flint book, “Poisoned Water” belongs in classrooms, libraries all over America
By Harold C. Ford “Flint was an example of the nation at its worst but also its best.” -- Candy J. Cooper, Poisoned Water I’ve just added a fourth book to my personal collection of publications about Flint’s water crisis: Poisoned Water: How the Citizens...
With masks, gloves, sanitizing in place, Flint Farmers’ Market plans phased reopening June 2
The Flint Farmers' Market, closed to the public since March 28, is preparing to welcome back customers 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. At first the market will be open only Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the exception of Thursday, June 4 when it will be closed to...
City Council to discuss budget, contracts in public tele/video session tonight at 5:30 p.m.
The City Council will meet by telephone and video conference tonight in a regular meeting. The City Council has been meeting by telephone/video conference since March when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put in place a Stay Safe, Stay Home order to slow the spread of COVID-19....
More than 500 Flint residents get COVID-19 tested in two-day blitz
By Jan Worth-Nelson More than 500 Flint residents lined up their cars on the streets surrounding Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, moving slowly forward to get tested for COVID-19 on Sunday and today, Memorial Day. They were greeted by State Rep. Cynthia Neeley, a...
Commentary: Mixed messages on COVID-19–whom should we believe?
By Paul Rozycki What’s your answer to any of these questions about the COVID-19 crisis? Should we wear a face mask or not? If so when? Will the summer heat kill the virus? Will hydroxychloroquine get rid of it? Will there be a vaccine by the end of the year? When...
Free COVID-19 testing for Flint draws 200 in first day at Shiloh Baptist
By Tom Travis Cars lined up in the blocks around Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church Sunday for the first day of free COVID-19 drive-through testing sponsored by the Michigan National Guard, the State of Michigan, and the City of Flint. The testing continues tomorrow,...
MTA gearing back up, with precautions, helped by $19 million CARES Act grant
By Madeleine Graham As COVID-19 took hold in Genesee County with three Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) drivers testing positive, MTA suspended operations April 2. The suspended vehicles were for Ride to Wellness and the bus system, which included fixed routes and...
Free COVID-19 tests for all Flint residents available Sunday, Monday
This just in from the City of Flint: For Immediate Release To help get more City of Flint residents tested, the Michigan National Guard will operate a two-day, drive-through COVID-19 testing site at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Flint. Testing will be...
Council President Monica Galloway weighs in on Kate Fields’ actions and video meeting fracas
By Tom Travis City Council president Monica Galloway (7th Ward) expressed concern and "outrage" Thursday at how City Council Finance Committee Chair Kate Fields (4th Ward) led a Tuesday budget session. Galloway's remarks came in a phone interview requested by EVM in...
Police, fire budgets to cover new hires; EAB budget cut clarified in budget session shortened by mutes, protest defections
By Tom Travis Councilperson Kate Fields (4th Ward) and chair of the City Council Finance Committee found a way to shorten council business at Tuesday's telephonic/video budget session. Before the session began and out of earshot of the public and the press, an...
Avoid Flint River contact after treated stormwater and sewage discharge release today, water pollution control officials advise
City of Flint Utilities Department officials from the Water Pollution Control Division and the Genesee County Health Department are warning residents to avoid contact with the Flint River following a wet weather discharge of a treated mixture of stormwater and sewage...
Flint City Bike Tours inviting public to venture out today to see the city
With the coronavirus pandemic still keeping most people indoors, Flint City Bike Tours organizer Emily Doerr is inviting the public to get on their bikes, put on their helmets -- and masks -- and see the city on a free group tour starting at 6:05 p.m. today...
Buses are back: MTA service resumes after almost 50 days, with extra sanitizing and social distancing measures in place
By Tom Travis Since April 1, Flint's Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) buses have sat silent and unused in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. As of 6:30 a.m. Monday morning. the buses are back at it, running all primary routes on fixed half-hour...
Second City Hall employee death from COVID-19 confirmed; 11 testing positive as response protocols proceed
By Jan Worth-Nelson This story has been updated as of 5:30 p.m. Monday City of Flint officials confirmed today that two city hall employees have now died of COVID-19, and 11 other city employees "are known to have tested positive," according to a statement released...
