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Trash dispute, trailer parks demolition, Pierce Park prospects featured at CCNA

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Trash dispute, trailer parks demolition, Pierce Park prospects featured at CCNA

By Kayla Chappell The September meeting of the College Cultural Neighborhood Association (CCNA) primarily focused on city issues, presented by Monica Galloway, Seventh Ward City Council member, and Kate Fields, Fourth Ward City Council member. Other topics raised at the meeting, attended by about 55 residents, included Legionnaires’ disease and the future of Pierce Park. Waste contract dispute discussed Galloway thanked residents for contacting her with concerns about the waste collection contract negotiations, with the city council...

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Judge orders city council, mayor to confab on trash; Republic still on, Weaver speaks out

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Judge orders city council, mayor to confab on trash; Republic still on, Weaver speaks out

By Jan Worth-Nelson Mayor Karen Weaver and her top staff, along with City Council President Kerry Nelson and Councilman Scott Kincaid, will be reporting for trash negotiation boot camp this morning (Wednesday, Sept. 28), muscled into the courtroom of Circuit Court Judge Joseph Farah. And they have been ordered to stay at it, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day after day, until they resolve the matter. In the meantime, the mayor and city Chief Financial Officer David Sabuda offered residents at a town hall an overview of the differences between two...

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The hurts remain fresh: water protestors back at City Hall demand U.S. action

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The hurts remain fresh:  water protestors back at City Hall demand U.S. action

By Jan Worth-Nelson The “2 Years 2 Long Coalition” lined up in front of Flint City Hall on a sunny, September Monday with the American flag furling in the background. Their demand:  That the U.S. Senate and House act now to bring relief to the Flint water crisis. In a handout distributed on the lawn, the group of about 30 activists wrote “After nearly three years, the residents of Flint say enough is enough. “Why,” their handout said, “did the U.S. Senate recently pass a Flint Fund (bi-partisan) —...

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If it’s Monday, there must be trash: dual pickups possible as council/mayoral dispute continues

Posted by on 10:34 AM in Local News | Comments Off on If it’s Monday, there must be trash: dual pickups possible as council/mayoral dispute continues

If it’s Monday, there must be trash:  dual pickups possible as council/mayoral dispute continues

By Jan Worth-Nelson 11 a.m. update:  Kristin Moore, Mayor Karen Weaver’s public relations director, has just released the following statement: “Mayor Weaver is waiting on a decision from the appeals court regarding the waste collection situation. She did send a termination letter to Republic Services stating the company should stop collecting trash in Flint as of Friday, September 23, 2016. Weaver had issued a temporary emergency work order to Rizzo Environmental Services instructing crews for Rizzo to collect trash in the City...

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Flint trash decision kicked to curb again in council/mayoral fight

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Flint trash decision kicked to curb again in council/mayoral fight

By Jan Worth-Nelson Flint’s trash pickup is once again in limbo due to ongoing disagreement between the City Council and Mayor Karen Weaver.  The focus of disagreement is which of two competing potential contractors, the current contractor, Republic Services, Inc. and the one favored by the mayor,  Rizzo Environmental Services, has provided the “lowest responsible bid.” Weaver issued a statement early today saying Rizzo Environmental Services “will begin working in our community collecting trash effective...

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Dismantling “structural racism” not easy but necessary, Tendaji Talk speaker asserts

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Dismantling “structural racism” not easy but necessary, Tendaji Talk speaker asserts

By Robert R. Thomas Carlton Evans opened his presentation as the featured speaker for the recent Tendaji Talk at the Flint Public Library by posing two questions: How do we dismantle structural racism? How do we eliminate white supremacy? “The short answer is I don’t know,” he said to his questions. “The long answer is I have an opinion, but I don’t know if it’s gonna make a difference. I want to leave you with a call to action, but I am not sure if my call will inspire you to action. Yet it is action that we must take. People of color...

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East Village Magazine’s 40th birthday celebration a success: THANK YOU

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East Village Magazine’s 40th birthday celebration a success:  THANK YOU

A crowd of 120 helped East Village Magazine celebrate its 40th anniversary with a party and fundraiser from 4-9 p.m. last Saturday in the Ramsdell Room of the Flint Farmers’ Market.  The Greg Ellis Blues Band performed, and, according to EVM Editor Jan Worth-Nelson, donations and sales of “swag” sporting EVM’s iconic logo created by EVM photographer and president of the board Edwin D. Custer were brisk. Souvenirs available as premiums for donations for the celebration and fundraiser will soon be available to the...

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Community Commentary: Why I quit singing the Star Spangled Banner

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Community Commentary:  Why I quit singing the Star Spangled Banner

Editor’s Note:  This is an excerpt of a column reprinted with permission from Woodside World, a newsletter issued to the congregation of Woodside Church of Flint, where Rev. Conrad is senior pastor.  She wrote it partly  in response to NFL star Colin Kaepernick’s recent national anthem protests. This is not offered as the editorial position of East Village Magazine but rather as an opportunity to read and consider the view of one of our neighbors on an issue of current debate.  By Deborah Conrad Wednesday, Sept. 14 was the 202th...

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“Tendaji Talk” turns to women of color remembering “what my mother told me”

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“Tendaji Talk” turns to women of color remembering “what my mother told me”

By Robert R. Thomas Four women of color engaged an audience of 20 at the Flint Public Library recently in a Tendaji Talk titled “What my Mother Told Me; What I Told My Daughters.” Co-hosts Alexis Murphy-Morris and Trina Sanders, both African American,  were joined on the panel by Rev. Mary Covington, also African American, and Petra Kersey, who is Hispanic. Although not all were born here, each has strong Flint ties. Each told her stories of the mothers and grandmothers who tutored them in life’s lessons. So important were those learnings,...

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MCC hosts “minor party presidential candidate” forum

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MCC hosts “minor party presidential candidate” forum

By Paul Rozycki Can’t deal with Trump? Not sure if you can trust Hillary? Well, there are lots of other choices out there. That was the point of the “Off the Beaten Path to the White House Presidential Candidate Forum” held at Mott Community College Sept. 15. The event was sponsored by MCC’s political science department and broadcast as part of Tom Sumner’s radio program on WFOV 92.1 LPFM. The forum grew out of Sumner’s “Off the Beaten Path” weekly radio interviews with independent and third party candidates over the last year. Associate...

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East Village Magazine – September 2016

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East Village Magazine – September 2016

The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:  

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State’s “Step Forward” program reinvigorates help for Flint homeowners

Posted by on 2:07 PM in Local News | Comments Off on State’s “Step Forward” program reinvigorates help for Flint homeowners

State’s “Step Forward” program reinvigorates help for Flint homeowners

By Jan Worth-Nelson A six-year-old program of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority called “Step Forward” to help prevent foreclosures in Michigan is stepping up approaches to Flint residents affected by the water crisis or other financial troubles. Troy Thelen of MSHDA reminded members of the Flint Water Recovery Group at a recent meeting that the Step Forward Loan Rescue program using federal Hardest Hit Fund dollars offers no-interest loan assistance to sustain home ownership. The target population, Thelen said, are homeowners...

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Water crisis writer Anna Clark takes EVM into national spotlight, probes many Flint stories

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Water crisis writer Anna Clark takes EVM into national spotlight, probes many Flint stories

By Jan Worth-Nelson In a surprise outcome related to the Flint water crisis, East Village Magazine has been featured in a standard-bearing national journal, The Columbia Journalism Review. In an article titled “In Flint, a new era for one of the oldest community outlets in the U.S.” Detroit freelance writer Anna Clark described the magazine as “an uncommon source of community news—not an alt-weekly, not a tabloid, not a metro-region luxury magazine, not a neighborhood newsletter, but a beautifully printed publication that is part...

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Village Life: scratch a Flintoid these days, you’ll find a chemist

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Village Life:  scratch a Flintoid these days, you’ll find a chemist

By Jan Worth-Nelson One Thursday in August, as Virginia Tech researcher Marc Edwards was presenting his most recent findings to the cameras and lights nearby, another less glamorous group of us — me a lone reporter in the third row — were sitting restlessly in a chemistry class at City Hall. It was actually a meeting of the Flint Water Recovery Group, an ongoing consortium of social service agencies and residents closely following the water crisis. Every week this group convenes to share information, coordinate water supplies and...

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City infrastructure replacement plan takes “holistic” approach, could cost $2 billion

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City infrastructure replacement plan takes “holistic” approach, could cost $2 billion

By Nic Custer Rebuild Flint the Right Way, an ambitious plan released in August to repair, replace and upgrade the city’s infrastructure, outlines Mayor Karen Weaver’s vision for fixing the city in the wake of the water crisis. Implementing the plan might cost as much as $2 billion, the document states. The plan asserts Flint residents should not have to pay for the proposed infrastructure improvements because of citizens’ lack of choice in the initial drinking water switch to the Flint River. Instead it lays out financing by a combination of...

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Straight talk on the “straight ticket”

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Straight talk on the “straight ticket”

By Paul Rozycki There are at least two ways to win an election. Obviously, the best is to have a great candidate, put on the strongest campaign, sell your ideas to the voters and hope they support your views. At least that’s the classical democratic view of winning an election. The other way is to massage the rules of the election so your party has a built-in edge. For the last decade or more the Republicans have been masterful at writing and rewriting the election rules to give them a great advantage. Gerrymandering election districts...

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“The new Jim Crow is the old Jim Crow,” FPL speaker asserts

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“The new Jim Crow is the old Jim Crow,” FPL speaker asserts

By Robert R. Thomas      With an engaged group of 25 in the basement of Flint Public Library recently, Hubert Roberts led a conversation about “The New Jim Crow,” both Michelle Alexander’s eponymous book and the reality.       The conversation was part of the Tendaji Talks series, sponsored by Neighborhoods Without Borders, whose focus is systemic racism.        Roberts, a Flint educator, mentor and minister, opened the conversation with the proposition that the American justice system is not broken, as many critics suggest; instead, he...

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Essay: For-Mar treehouse a childhood fantasy brought to life–by TV masters

Posted by on 11:39 PM in Essays, Features | Comments Off on Essay: For-Mar treehouse a childhood fantasy brought to life–by TV masters

Essay: For-Mar treehouse a childhood fantasy brought to life–by TV masters

By Robert R. Thomas Camping out is an honorable Michigan tradition. I have a photo of me at three years old in the wilds of West Branch holding a hatchet while standing in front of my father’s Marine Corps pup tent that always smelled of tropical mold, which made it all that more exotic as a camp. And it was very mobile. Spending much of my boyhood in the Genesee County countryside   creating “camps,” which we kids also called “forts,” was always great fun. Location was critical. The farther from home and the deeper into the woods the better...

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Free lead testing for dogs offered by Humane Society

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Free lead testing for dogs offered by Humane Society

The Genesee County Humane Society, partnering with the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, will be offering lead testing for dogs residing in the city of Flint, according to a press release and flyer from Dr. John Snell The testing will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 1922 Iowa St. at the corner of Iowa and Davison streets. A small blood sample will be taken from each dog. The screening is free of charge. For more information contact David Schmieder at the Humane...

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East Village Magazine – August 2016

Posted by on 11:08 PM in Features | Comments Off on East Village Magazine – August 2016

East Village Magazine – August 2016

The latest issue of East Village Magazine is available for download here:

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News Briefs Aug. 10-20: Hazardous materials recycling, lead-fighting nutrients

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News Briefs Aug. 10-20: Hazardous materials recycling, lead-fighting nutrients

By Anne Trelfa Hazardous Waste, Electronics & Appliance Recycle Day Aug. 20 Saturday August 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is recycling day for hazardous waste, electronics and appliances in Genesee County. The collection will take place at two locations this year: Flint East-Water Service Center at 3310 E. Court Street in Flint Lake Fenton High School at 4070 Lahring Road in Linden. Items that can be dropped of include  fluorescent light bulbs, medications and electronic waste like air conditioners and printers. For a full list of acceptable...

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New MCC statue offers tribute to legacy of C.S. Mott

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New MCC statue offers tribute to legacy of C.S. Mott

By Lori Nelson Savage Almost 60 years after C.S. Mott gave additional property and money for the construction of the three-story library shared by Flint Junior College and the University of Michigan, a bronze, life-size statue in his likeness has been mounted at its entrance. A bronze statue of C.S. Mott was unveiled during a public ceremony on the grounds of Mott Community College on Saturday, Aug. 6. “The choice of the statue’s location was easy,” said John Krupp, Mott Community College Alumni Association Board President, and member of both...

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Village Life: It’s been a little hard to write about nuthatches

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Village Life:  It’s been a little hard to write about nuthatches

By Jan Worth-Nelson I’d really like to go back to writing about nuthatches. A buddy of mine recently gently noted that my Village Life columns seem to have strayed from the easy-going neighborly flavor of my early years on the back page (or tucked into some weekend post online, like here and now).  This observer was sitting in my sunroom, one of the best spots in our beloved house. So it made sense, when my friend stared out at my bird feeders, that he would say, “Look at those goldfinches! Why don’t you write about them? And why not...

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Flint’s woes “not just about water,” Rep. Kildee tells water recovery group

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Flint’s woes “not just about water,” Rep. Kildee tells water recovery group

By Jan Worth-Nelson Even before the water crisis hit, U.S Representative Dan Kildee reminded about 100 members of the Flint Recovery Group Aug. 4 under the dome at City Hall, Flint was already “one mistake from a crisis.” And in the devastating wake of a whole series of mistakes and misdeeds, Flint is just one example – a portentous one — of what happens to what he said some view as “throwaway cities” around the country that have been marginalized and “subject to a kind of austerity” that weakens their ability to respond to challenges....

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Flint can be lead-free and a national model of renewal, Flint Mayor Weaver says

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Flint can be lead-free and a national model of renewal, Flint Mayor Weaver says

By Jan Worth-Nelson While acknowledging that Flint has many hurdles to overcome in recovering from its water crisis, Mayor Karen Weaver said in her first State of the City address Aug. 4 that progress is real and that Flint can become a national model of renewal. And she vowed to replace “every last lead-tainted pipe in Flint” for every Flint resident “until the job is done.” Weaver said the next round of the city’s Fast Start pipe replacement program is going out for bids this month with 5,000 more residences targeted for replacements. She...

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Access to lead-fighting food expanded in Double-Up Bucks program

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Access to lead-fighting food expanded in Double-Up Bucks program

By Stacie Scherman Many low-income Flint residents now have greater access to lead-fighting fruits, vegetables, and milk, thanks to a recent Double Up Food Bucks expansion in Flint. According to a press release, Fair Food Network (FFN), the nonprofit organization behind Double Up, has committed up to $750,000 to fund the expansion through December 2017. According to Emilie Engelhard, communications director of FFN, the Double Up program came to Flint in 2011 and began at the Flint Farmers’ Market. In 2015, the program expanded to two Landmark...

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“Things went tragically wrong in Flint,” Schuette says, charging six more in water crisis

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“Things went tragically wrong in Flint,” Schuette says, charging six more in water crisis

By Jan Worth-Nelson Declaring “The families of Flint will not be forgotten,”  Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Friday announced criminal charges against six state employees alleged to be implicated in the Flint water crisis. “Many things went tragically wrong in Flint,” Schuette said. “Some people failed to act, others minimized harm done and arrogantly chose to ignore data, some intentionally altered figures and covered up significant health risks. The result?  The result the water was poisoned,”...

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Flint water crisis “a shocking denial of what should be a right,” NRDC expert tells visiting scribes

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Flint water crisis “a shocking denial of what should be a right,”  NRDC expert tells visiting scribes

By Jan Worth-Nelson At the heart of the Flint water crisis is “a failure and a shocking denial of what should be a right…a failure at every level of government,” an attorney for the Natural Resource Defense Council told a group of environmental journalists meeting in Flint July 22. What has happened in Flint is “an extraordinarily important point of reality for the United States of America,” according to Henry Henderson, Midwest director for the NRDC. It is, he said, “a challenge to democracy, a challenge to science, and a challenge to public...

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Keep the heat on the Flint story, UM-Flint Chancellor and residents tell national journalists

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Keep the heat on the Flint story,  UM-Flint Chancellor and residents tell national journalists

By Jan Worth-Nelson Don’t let the “Flint story” drop out of view, UM – Flint Chancellor Susan Borrego and local residents implored a panel of national environmental journalists meeting in Flint last weekend. What’s at stake is not abandoning a city whose struggles are of national significance, Borrego said. “Flint was important in the history of this country,” she said. “It should be equally important in its present and future. “You simply cannot throw a city that’s struggling, that’s predominantly of color and predominantly poor, away. We...

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The black church and the civil rights movement: 11 a.m. Sunday “the most segregated hour”

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The black church and the civil rights movement:  11 a.m. Sunday “the most segregated hour”

By Robert R. Thomas The July 21 Tendaji Talk at Flint Public Library featured Rev. Dr. Kim DeWayne Yarber, Pastor of Flint’s Mount Hermon Baptist Church for the past 20 years. Yarber opened the talk before an audience of 25 by stating his focus would be on racism and religion. He then reiterated Martin Luther King’s statement that the most segregated hour in America was 11 a.m. Sunday where worship of the same deity was equal but separate. Teaching courses in History of African American Religion and the Civil Rights Movement as an...

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Effects of “that question” still echo: Denise Ghattas on her appearance at the CNN Debate

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Effects of “that question” still echo:  Denise Ghattas on her appearance at the CNN Debate

By Jan Worth-Nelson Since the night of March 6, when Denise Ghattas stood up in Whiting Auditorium at the CNN Democratic Debate and asked Bernie Sanders, “Do you believe that God is relevant?” she has been lambasted and mocked on Google, slandered on an extremist left-wing misogynist website, stalked by a Florida imposter, accused of being a Hillary Clinton “plant,” and had her identity stolen. She’s not sure if that last misfortune was related to her appearance at the debate, but the alarming incident has added...

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Village Life: When you need to turn to art, how satisfying to find it here

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Village Life:  When you need to turn to art, how satisfying to find it here

By Jan Worth-Nelson Maybe it feels like we have to, but we can’t think about water all the time. We can’t worry about water all the time. We can’t be depressed about politics all the time. We can’t be sad about Orlando — and now Baton Rouge, and now Minneapolis, and now Dallas, and now Nice, and now Turkey — all the time. We can’t be angry about gun violence all the time. We can’t mourn the extinctions of blameless creatures all the time. We can’t be afraid of the zika virus or saltwater leaching into Miami all the time. It’s just...

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Major FIA expansion includes glass studios, metal casting

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Major FIA expansion includes glass studios, metal casting

By Nic Custer The Flint Institute of Arts began construction this month on a major expansion of its art school and galleries. The project includes a $5 million Contemporary Craft Wing and a $3.5 million artist’s makerspace with glass studios and a metal casting foundry. FIA staff, and local dignitaries and donors broke ground on the project at a ceremony June 30. The 8,565 sq. ft. gallery wing will face Longway Planetarium and contain three galleries and two donated collections, the Dr. Robert and Deanna Harris Burger contemporary ceramics...

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News briefs — July 13-21: Join Bike Share program Thursday, “Be a tourist in your hometown” Saturday

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News briefs — July 13-21: Join Bike Share program Thursday, “Be a tourist in your hometown” Saturday

By Anne Trelfa Bike Share program opens up, uses Zagster A collaborative effort including the UM-Flint Walk & Bike Group, Genesee County Parks, the Flint River Corridor Alliance and others, are rolling out a Zagster Bike Share program called Flint Bike Share beginning Thursday, July 14. Flint Bike Share will begin at 11:30 a.m. July 14 with a ribbon cutting at Genesee County Parks Administration offices at 5045 Stanley Rd. Planners say all are welcome to come, preview the program, and test out the new bikes at the park offices where the...

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Former Dort Motor Car Company factory eyed for “makerspace”

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Former Dort Motor Car Company factory eyed for “makerspace”

By Stacie Scherman A former factory of the Dort Motor Car Company, built a hundred years ago for the budding auto industry, soon could be the home for making things again, this time on a very 21st century model. That might include people repairing small machines, people repairing bicycles, and even people making custom ballet tutus. The former factory, at 129 N. Grand Traverse St. northeast of the Flint River, is being proposed as the future site of a community workshop and co-op space, according to Red Ink Flint board member Mike Wright. In...

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National environmental journalists coming to Flint, public invited

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National environmental journalists coming to Flint, public invited

By Robert Thomas and Jan Worth-Nelson A national association of environmental journalists is considering holding its annual conference in Flint, a representative of the group told the Flint Water Recovery Group partners at their regular meeting under the dome at City Hall last week. Board members of the Society of Environmental Journalists are scheduled to meet in Flint over the July 22-24 weekend to discuss a proposal for holding their national conference in the city  and to conduct a “listening session” sponsored by the University of...

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Pipe replacements hitting stumbling blocks, water safety guarantees uncertain, city and state officials report

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Pipe replacements hitting stumbling blocks, water safety guarantees uncertain, city and state officials report

By Robert R. Thomas The Flint city administration’s goal of removing lead service lines paid for by $2 million in state money has been jeopardized by unexpectedly high contractor bids, Steve Branch, Mayor Karen Weaver’s chief of staff, explained to about 70 partners in the Flint Water Recovery Group meeting last week under the dome at City Hall. In the meantime, the process of attempting to provide safe water through the existing pipes continues, but with no firm date predicted as to when water from the tap will be safe. When pressed,...

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East Village Magazine – July 2016

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East Village Magazine – July 2016

The latest issue of East Village Magazine is available for download here:

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The August primary: not as much fun as a barrel of monkeys, but probably more important

Posted by on 11:21 PM in Commentary, Features | Comments Off on The August primary: not as much fun as a barrel of monkeys, but probably more important

The August primary:  not as much fun as a barrel of monkeys, but probably more important

Commentary by Paul Rozycki I planned on writing about the upcoming Republican national convention, the desperate attempts to block Donald Trump’s nomination, Trump’s latest outbursts and how it all promises to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. However, I’ve since learned that the monkeys are deeply offended and resent the comparison to Trump. So out of deference to the apes, I’ll turn my attention to our upcoming primary election in Genesee County. It may not be as entertaining as The Donald’s antics, but at least it won’t insult the...

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New downtown gallery providing permanent home to Mott-Warsh collection

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New downtown gallery providing permanent home to Mott-Warsh collection

By Nic Custer A collection of more than 600 art works from the African diaspora, from Jacob Lawrence to Dawoud Bey, has a new permanent home in downtown Flint. A free gallery housing the Mott-Warsh art collection had its grand opening during June’s Art Walk. Works by about 185 artists, including Lawrence, Kara Walker, Nick Cave, Elizabeth Catlett, Kehinde Wiley and others were on display in the renovated single-story building at the corner of Saginaw and Court streets. When the doors officially opened, Maryanne Mott, a daughter of C.S. and...

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“Gallery on the Go” cleaning up Flint, brightening minds one mural at a time

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“Gallery on the Go” cleaning up Flint, brightening minds one mural at a time

by Lori Nelson Savage A new program in Flint started by giving young people an opportunity to paint on buildings. But soon it became clear Gallery on the Go also is delivering lessons in technique, self-confidence, respect, and community pride. In the meantime, Gallery on the Go murals are brightening up many Flint buildings. Sandra Branch, project director, said the Gallery on the Go mission is to “create art that inspires community action and activism.” “I gathered graffiti artists and street artists that were actually familiar with...

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Michigan Activities Pass opens doors to state parks, museums, five Flint sites

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Michigan Activities Pass opens doors to state parks, museums, five Flint sites

By Kayla Chappell Starting with a library card, a free program is offering Michigan families admission to state parks, museums, and discounts to other summer events such as the Michigan Renaissance Festival. The Michigan Activities Pass (MAP), introduced in 2007, had only offered museum destinations but now has combined with the state Park and Read program which grants access to state parks. According to the MAP website, more than 400 destinations within the state of Michigan are included. A total of 638 libraries participate, along with the...

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News Briefs June 30-July 5: Get muddy at Bluebell Beach, see Movies Under the Stars

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News Briefs June 30-July 5:  Get muddy at Bluebell Beach, see Movies Under the Stars

By Anne Trelfa Play in the Mud July 2 This Saturday, July 2, is International Mud Day. Genesee County Parks and Recreation invites the public to celebrate at Bluebell Beach by getting muddy. This free event, located at the north end of the park, 5500 Bray Rd., is open to all ages and abilities, 1-3 p.m. Experience the simple pleasure of connecting with the earth, with others and making a mess. According to Amy McMillan, director of Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission, they will “mix 30 yards of dirt with 7000 gallons of water to...

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“Filtered water” green light draws alarm, reassurance from community partners

Posted by on 7:30 PM in Features, Local News | Comments Off on “Filtered water” green light draws alarm, reassurance from community partners

“Filtered water” green light draws alarm, reassurance from community partners

By Jan Worth-Nelson The announcement issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency that Flint’s water is now safe for all populations and all uses, if filtered — a dramatic shift from the status quo understanding since January — drew responses of surprise, alarm, annoyance and reassurance from about 80 community partners at the Flint Water Recovery group meeting under the dome at City Hall. Up until today, the message had been that filtered water was safe for most uses and populations, but that bottled water only...

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News Briefs June 19-30: Music in the Parks series begins, lead-fighting foods workshops offered

Posted by on 2:01 PM in Features, News Briefs | Comments Off on News Briefs June 19-30: Music in the Parks series begins, lead-fighting foods workshops offered

News Briefs June 19-30:  Music in the Parks series begins,  lead-fighting foods workshops offered

By Anne Trelfa Music in the Parks free summer concert series 2016 begins The Music In The Parks Free Summer Concert Series 2016 begins Saturday June 25. First in the series features the Flint Symphony Orchestra and the Flint Jubilee Chorale performing at 7 p.m. at Crossroads Village. Lawn seating is available free to all attending and NBC 25 will tape the performance live. The series continues at 7 p.m. July 7 at Mott Park with “Mariachi, Bluegrass and All That Jazz.” A “Gospel Gathering” is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at...

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EPA identifies “significant challenges” to long-term Flint water quality in memo to Snyder, Weaver

Posted by on 6:16 PM in Features, Local News | Comments Off on EPA identifies “significant challenges” to long-term Flint water quality in memo to Snyder, Weaver

EPA identifies “significant challenges” to long-term Flint water quality in memo to Snyder, Weaver

By Jan Worth-Nelson Flint faces significant “long-term challenges” that need to be tackled to assure safe drinking water, according to a strongly-worded memo from Gina McCarthy, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, delivered today to Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver. The letter states the city’s water system is too big for the demand, inadequately staffed, inadequately resourced, in need of professional expertise, and in need of a realistic financial plan in light of high water charges residents...

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Donated checks to city “never cashed,” Mayor Weaver’s chief of staff says

Posted by on 4:57 PM in Features, Local News | Comments Off on Donated checks to city “never cashed,” Mayor Weaver’s chief of staff says

By Jan Worth-Nelson Checks made out to the City of Flint as donations after the water crisis broke this year “have never been cashed,”  Steve Branch, Mayor Karen Weaver’s chief of staff, told community partners in the Flint Water Recovery Group at a meeting today at City Hall. “To tell you the truth, they are sitting in the City Attorney’s office,”  Branch stated.  He said the donations amounted to less than $5,000, and asserted the donors are being contacted and the checks likely will be returned....

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News Briefs June 14-30: Dinner to benefit Whaley House; Flint Youth Theater season opens

Posted by on 2:40 PM in Features, News Briefs | Comments Off on News Briefs June 14-30: Dinner to benefit Whaley House; Flint Youth Theater season opens

News Briefs June 14-30:  Dinner to benefit Whaley House; Flint Youth Theater season opens

By Anne Trelfa Whaley Dinner Club Returns with a Summer Soiree Tickets are available now through June 23 for a “Summer Soiree” to benefit the Whaley Historic House Museum. The Sloan Museum in Flint’s Cultural Center will host the Whaley Dinner Club: Summer Soiree set for June 30 at 6:30 p.m.  Doors open at 6 and guests can explore the Sloan before indulging in a seasonally and historically inspired seven-course dinner created by Chef Jason Botz. Samantha Engel, executive director of the Whaley House Museum, will be at the...

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Music is a “radical affirmation of the humanity we all share,” William Harvey asserts in return to Flint

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Music is a “radical affirmation of the humanity we all share,” William Harvey asserts in return to Flint

By Jan Worth-Nelson William Harvey stands in front of 1910 Montclair St. in Flint, a house he hasn’t laid eyes on since 1987, and says, “Oh my god, that’s the house. That was where I got my first violin.” It came through the mail and, he recalls with the specific gravity of that life-changing moment, he was three years and ten months old. His mother, Susan Raccoli, had to sign for it, and he remembers running around the house in crazy kid joy while she unwrapped it. It’s been a long road from that childhood in Flint’s College...

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Happy Anyway: A Flint Anthology launches with complex stories, national interest

Posted by on 3:32 PM in Features, Local News | Comments Off on Happy Anyway: A Flint Anthology launches with complex stories, national interest

Happy Anyway:  A Flint Anthology launches with complex stories, national interest

By Jan Worth-Nelson UPDATE:  We have added late-arriving comments here from contributor Layla Meillier.  Please see below. Editors and publishers nationally already are expressing interest in a new collection of essays about Flint, according to the publisher. Happy Anyway: A Flint Anthology, is coming out this month from Belt Publishing, which produces an online magazine and books focused on the Rust Belt. Local writer and teacher Scott Atkinson is the editor. And Atkinson suggests readers parsing the diverse narratives may get a bit of...

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