Coronavirus Diary #2 — In Pandemic America 2020, Flint knows we are “collateral damage in a rigged deck casino”
Ed. Note: Here is the second of an East Village Magazine's new feature, the Coronavirus Diaries -- personal accounts and commentary from our writers to attempt to capture some of what we've all been going through and reflecting on what it means. By Robert Thomas Like...
Flint Community Schools implementing pandemic response plan with Mott Foundation aid
As the Flint Community Schools (FCS) district grapples with needs for remote learning with all schools closed in the pandemic crisis, a new grant from the C.S. Mott Foundation aims to expand internet access for FCS students and keep them safe through a filtering app....
“Still waiting for justice” — Six years in, water warriors remember Flint water crisis
By Tom Travis Remembering the sixth anniversary of the Flint water crisis, several local water activists gathered on the front lawn of City Hall Saturday. Democracy Defense League members Claire McClinton and Claudia Milton-Perkins led the effort to broadcast an...
Ananich on the water crisis sixth anniversary: Hoping for justice, but “Man, could Flint just catch a break?”
By Jan Worth-Nelson Sitting in a small room in the State Capitol waiting for a floor vote Friday afternoon, State Sen. Jim Ananich, also Senate Minority Leader, made a call to Flint. He had agreed to offer updates to East Village Magazine, all of whose staff are...
Mayor Neeley reflects on sixth anniversary of Flint’s water crisis, extends curfew to mid-May; Chief Hart says homicides are up. overall crime down
By Tom Travis On the eve of the sixth anniversary of the Flint water crisis, at a Zoom press conference called Friday afternoon, Mayor Sheldon Neeley said, “We still find ourselves working through it" and clarified one outgrowth of it -- a secondary water source...
Education Beat: Flint schools board adopts deficit elimination plan, dismisses three administrators
By Harold C. Ford At its April 21 meeting, conducted via Zoom, the Flint Community Schools (FCS) Board of Education adopted an amended Enhanced Deficit Elimination Plan (EDEP) to send to the State of Michigan for review. The board also dismissed three building...
Ten-hour Flint City Council committee meeting covers secondary water source pipeline, revised ’20-’21 city budget
By Tom Travis Flint City Council met electronically in a succession of four committee meetings Wednesday night for 10 and half hours from 5 p.m. until the final adjournment at 3:30 a.m. In addition to the committee meetings, a 30-minute-long executive session began at...
950 residents receive food weekly at the Martus/Luna Food Pantry
By Tom Travis Over 40 cars lined up on the streets around the Martus/Luna Food Pantry on Wednesday. Art Luna, President of the Martus/Luna Memorial Association which organizes the weekly food give away, said on average 950 people receive food each week. The first week...
Coronavirus Diaries #1: Viral time and the witching hour — when the dead wander in and out
By Teddy Robertson Ed. Note: Here is the first of an East Village Magazine's new feature, the Coronavirus Diaries -- personal accounts and commentary from our writers to attempt to capture some of what we've all been going through and reflecting on what it means....
Democracy rolls on: Election/voter deadlines today/tomorrow for May 5 election
As the nation, state, county and city attempt to cope with the Covid-19 crisis, the League of Women Voters/Flint Area reminds voters that an election approaches May 5 and that some aspects of that election have been altered by the crisis. Details below, provided by...
Flint eying significance of AG actions, “bombshell” VICE story as water crisis repercussions bubble up again
By Jan Worth-Nelson As the coronavirus pandemic occupies and overwhelms much of the public's attention in Flint, another controversy — still painful and unresolved in many ways, affecting almost every aspect of Flint life — appears about to create news again on top...
Get ready: Court Street construction beginning Wednesday, April 22; trees will be saved
By Jan Worth-Nelson What the project engineer is calling "full reconstruction" of Court Street from Dort Highway to Crapo Street in Flint is scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 22. Work on the estimated $7 million project is expected to last through August, and will...
Michigan families to receive additional food benefits in pandemic EBT program
Emergency food assistance for Michigan families with children age 5 to 18 is on its way through a federal program adding benefits in response to the coronavirus crisis. The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) will provide $193.80 per eligible student...
Flint Schools Supt. Derrick Lopez suspended, Anita Steward named interim
By Harold C. Ford At a special meeting of the Flint Board of Education on April 15, Derrick Lopez, Flint’s superintendent for the past 20 months since his appointment in Aug. 2018, was suspended with pay “pending investigation.” Notably, Lopez had been absent from...
Covid-19 testing begins in Flint at Atwood Stadium parking lot, 50 appointments scheduled
By Tom Travis About a dozen medical professionals and two hospital administration staff were on hand at Atwood Stadium's parking lot today for Flint's first drive through Covid-19 testing. Though 50 people had made a required appointment, there were no lines in the...
First person account: What to know about Covid-19 drive-through testing
By Jerry Bradshaw Ed. Note: EVM Staff Writer Jerry Bradshaw was tested today, the first day of coronavirus testing by Hurley Medical Center at Atwood Stadium, and volunteered to offer this account of his experience. EVM assistant editor Tom Travis also went to the...
“Grab and Go” meals for Flint Community Schools students continue at 12 sites
By Tom Travis At what is normally a busy place with children and teachers on this day Durant-Tuuri- Mott (DTM) Elementary School sits empty. But the lunch room was busy with workers in masks and gloves filling bags with supplies for parents to pick up. Some of the...
Phone appointments required for Covid-19 testing; drive-through process begins Wednesday
Anyone wishing to get tested for Covid-19 must have an appointment for the drive-through process beginning Wednesday at Atwood Stadium, according to an announcement from the City of Flint. Patients must call ahead for an appointment by calling the newly established...
Mott Foundation grants $200K to Food Bank of Eastern Michigan for coronavirus needs
An emergency grant that will provide approximately 1.2 million meals to those in need in Flint and Genesee County because of the coronavirus crisis has been approved by the C.S. Mott Foundation. The Foundation has granted $200,000 to the Food Bank of Eastern...
Covid-19 grief and support group Zoom meetings for Flint residents begin April 16
A Covid-19 grief and support group is being launched on Zoom at 11:30 a.m.Thursday, April 16. It is sponsored by the Flint Women's Study Community Action Network, a resource group originated through Michigan State University's Division of Public Health in the College...
Covid-19 mobile testing to begin Wednesday, April 15 in Atwood Stadium Parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
By Tom Travis Mobile coronavirus testing will begin in Flint on Wednesday, April 15 from 10 a. m. to 2 p.m. in the Atwood Stadium parking lot, Mayor Sheldon Neeley and State Representative Cynthia Neeley announced in a video press conference today. About 250 to 500...
Flint City Council to meet electronically Monday; FPD collective bargaining, pot ordinance on agenda
By Tom Travis The Flint City Council will hold its second electronic council meeting since the coronavirus pandemic began at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 13. The public may participate by viewing it on YouTube on the SpectacleTV account. In an emailed press release issued...
Flint schools food distribution moves to two days/week, 12 sites
To limit physical exposure between staff and residents because of the coronavirus, the days of food distribution for Flint Community Schools students have been reduced from five days a week to two days a week, according to Anita Stewart, FCS assistant superintendent,...
GCCARD adds Covid-19 food distribution precautionary measures; deliveries continue
By Madeleine Graham The Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD) temporarily closed Monday through Wednesday last week for sterilization due to a possible Covid-19 exposure, but beginning today —Thursday, April 9 — some instituted changes will...
