Mayor Neeley announces 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.curfew for City of Flint starting Thursday, April 2
By Jan Worth-Nelson Editor's Note: THE CURFEW STARTS THURSDAY NIGHT. Sorry for our earlier statement that it was Tuesday. Stating there are groups of people in Flint not taking the coronavirus crisis seriously enough, Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley Wednesday evening...
Commentary: Politics in the time of coronavirus–so many questions arise
By Paul Rozycki Just a few weeks ago, it seemed like the most important things on the horizon were the 2020 campaign, the Flint City Council, Eric Mays, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump. The national campaigns were heating up, impeachment was a hot topic,...
Genesee Health Plan reaches out to county residents needing health care coverage
In a press release issued today, officials at the Genesee Health Plan emphasized that though their offices are closed in line with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" coronavirus order, services to help residents with health care coverage continue by phone....
Murals, millage and more: an interview with Flint Public Art Project’s Joe Schipani
Editor's Note: The following interview occurred before the coronavirus closures, so some of its details have been altered by circumstance. In fact, Totem Books, where the interview took place, is now closed because of the virus. However, Schipani's commitment to the...
Neeley says of the pandemic, “this is real, this is serious, people are dying” in a Monday afternoon video press conference
By Tom Travis "This is real, this is serious, people are dying." Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said in an afternoon video conference press conference Monday. Neeley began by paying homage to his colleague in the Michigan State Legislature, Isaac Robinson, age 44, who...
“We are in a new normal,” City Health Advisor Lawrence Reynolds asserts
By Tom Travis "We are in a new normal," the City of Flint's newly-appointed Health Advisor to the Mayor, Dr. Lawrence Reynolds, asserted in a wide-ranging phone interview Sunday. As numbers on the coronavirus pandemic skyrocket, both nationally and in the state and...
National Guard coming to Flint Monday for coronavirus/ Food Bank assistance
Approximately 10 members of the Michigan National Guard are expected to arrive in Flint Monday to assist with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan as the community responds to the coronavirus crisis, Mayor Sheldon Neeley's office announced Sunday. The crew will help...
Village Life: one day of coronavirus means milk and bread, MiracleGro, Jesus and a cello
By Jan Worth-Nelson Not surprisingly these days, I’d had a restless night’s sleep. Sometime in the darkest time before dawn, my mind started obsessing on two things: bread and milk. Bread and milk, bread and milk. We have to get some bread and milk, my mind said,...
MTA’s Benning offers updates on COVID-19 driver situation, route suspensions
by Madeleine Graham "When we learned the Ride to Wellness driver tested positive on Wednesday, March 25, we suspended operations Thursday, March 26," Ed Benning, CEO of the Mass Transportaion Authority (MTA) stated in an update issued Friday on a COVID-19...
Coronavirus throws wrench in Flint Public Library works–but Director Schwartz “still positive”
Added today, March 27: the Flint District Library Board April 2020 meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 2 has been cancelled, due to the Gov. Whitmer's "sheltering in place" executive coronavirus order. Just as the Flint Public Library (FPL) had launched its...
Small business relief assistance available from MDEC; deadline to apply Sunday night
As part of the coronavirus federal response, the Michigan Small Business Relief program has opened up to provide immediate grant support for businesses hardest hit by COVID-19 and is seeking applications, which are due Sunday night. The program has $10 million in...
Ride to Wellness suspends operations after driver tests positive for COVID-19
By Madeleine Graham Ride to Wellness in Flint is suspending operations immediately for two weeks, due to a driver testing positive for COVID-19, the coronavirus, according to Ed Benning, CEO of the Mass Transportation Authority (MTA). Ride to Wellness is part of the...
Supt. Derrick Lopez on Flint’s resilience, coming together for students: “Coronavirus must not fracture who we are”
Commentary By Dr. Derrick Jones Lopez Superintendent, Flint Community Schools The Flint community has a long and storied history of coming together to support one another. This commitment to assisting neighbors and friends has been critical throughout the water...
Residential trash collection continuing as scheduled, Republic confirms
The following statement came from the City of Flint this morning: Residential trash collection is continuing as scheduled in the City of Flint. Republic Services is asking only that you properly bag your trash. Their full statement is included below:
Flint City Council, after a “social distance” livestream, will not meet again until May 10
By Tom Travis The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to not meet again until the regularly scheduled city council meeting on May 10. All committee meetings and council meetings are cancelled until then. If there is an urgent need to meet, the council agreed...
Text of Gov. Whitmer’s coronavirus order: stay home
Here is the full text of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's executive order issued today that takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2020-21 TEMPORARY REQUIREMENT TO SUSPEND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN OR PROTECT LIFE THE...
Mott Foundation allocates $500K to coronavirus “urgent relief fund”
By Jan Worth-Nelson A $500,000 grant to a fund rapidly developed to address local coronavirus-related needs was announced Monday morning by C.S. Mott Foundation CEO and president Ridgway White. The Greater Flint Urgent Relief Fund has been established through the...
Flint Mayor Neeley implores city residents to keep “sheltering in place” as county cases grow to 14
A Sunday afternoon advisory from Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley exhorts Flint residents to adhere to "self-imposed shelter in place guidelines" for themselves and their families. Neeley's recommendation comes in light of news that there are now 14 cases of COVID-19 in...
MTA Flint announces coronavirus fare waiver, “social distance” loading changes
By Madeleine Graham Fares for fixed bus routes and transfers on MTA Flint are being waived because of the coronavirus situation until April 6, according to CEO Ed Benning. The use of transfers has been eliminated until further notice. Benning said MTA drivers for all...
Coronavirus has arrived in Genesee County: four cases confirmed by health department today
By Jan Worth-Nelson Four cases of the coronavirus COVID-19 have been confirmed in Genesee County as of Friday morning, with the numbers expected to increase quickly as more testing becomes available, Genesee County Health Director John McKellar announced in a press...
Mayor Neeley, “Dr. Bobby” offer coronavirus updates, reminders, symptom summary in podcast response from city
By Tom Travis and Jan Worth-Nelson In a Facebook live chat from City Hall this morning, Mayor Neeley and Dr.Bobby Mukkamala presented updates and reminders about how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Sitting a safe distance apart with a deaf interpreter in the...
Genesee County Health Department confirms: no case of COVID-19 in county, rumors false
Please note: THIS INFORMATION IS NO LONGER ACCURATE--As of March 20, four cases have been confirmed. See Friday's story here. By Tom Travis and Jan Worth-Nelson After a wild day of rumors and intense media scrutiny, as of late Thursday afternoon, the Genesee County...
Mayor, county public health official and school superintendent update Flint residents during pandemic
By Tom Travis In a press conference today, it was announced that essential city services will remain in place, that water is being distributed at Help Centers in the city, that residents can have their water reconnected and that locations, times and distribution sites...
Genesee Valley Mall leasing exec knows of no plans to close so far: coronavirus response issued
Editor's note: Following the publication of this article, a statement was issued from the ownership and management teams of Genesee Valley Center responding to the COVID-19 situation. Further details describing specific measures being taken at the property are...
Somber vibes for St. Paddy’s Day celebrations during the coronavirus pandemic
By Tom Travis Slainte! The St. Paddy's Day vibes are nuanced this year with the outbreak of the coronavirus--and that Irish toast, which means "health!" was perhaps never more appropriate. Flint, the nation and the world are reacting to a near complete shutdown of...
