Village Life snapshots: Not everything is gloomy in Flint Town
It's been a rough year but there are so many moments of cheer available, even in Flint. Take for instance the annual Santa Run (three photos pictured here) and the much beloved Tuba Christmas at the Flint Farmers' Market last weekend. Wonderful reprieves from...
Community trust an issue in water crisis recovery, Kildee, Nelson assert
By Jan Worth-Nelson To Flint City Council President Kerry Nelson, one of the biggest challenges following approval of $170 million in federal funds for water crisis response in Flint is healing the community's doubts about its public servants. Nelson voiced...
Follow up: state official reacts to local call for more aid, recalls early federal reluctance
By Jan Worth-Nelson Contacted after Flint Mayor Karen Weaver and the city's congressional delegation called for the State of Michigan to contribute more to the city's water crisis recovery efforts, Richard Baird, senior advisor to Governor Rick Snyder and...
U.S. House Committee closes investigation of Flint water crisis
The investigation of the Flint water crisis in Washington D.C. has been closed. Here's Congressman Kildee's response. Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on Flint Congressional Hearings Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) issued the following statement today after the U.S....
Key players for Flint celebrate federal funds, pledge speedy pipe replacement
By Jan Worth-Nelson A smiling quintet of powerful Flint champions assembled at the Riverfront Center in downtown Flint today to celebrate approval last week of a $170 million aid package passed by Congress to address the Flint water crisis. They also clearly called...
LA comics remember their Michigan hometowns in benefit for Flint
By Jan Worth-Nelson A group of comedians with Michigan roots remembered their home state Thursday night in Los Angeles, performing a benefit in response to the Flint water crisis. According to event organizer Sarah Halstead, the event at the Flappers Comedy Club in...
Water infrastructure act vote drew bipartisan support, opposition
By Jan Worth-Nelson Last night's Senate passage of the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation (WiiN) Act, S.612, with a vote of 78-21 drew a mix of Republications and Democrats on each side. Runner-up primary presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of Vermont,...
Mayor Weaver celebrates federal act approval, calls for state to do more
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver released the following statement this morning following the Friday night approval by the U.S. Senate of the $170 million infrastructure act including $100 million for Flint: “I am thrilled that the U.S. Senate has passed a $170 million package...
$170 million water infrastructure aid act clears Senate, awaits President’s signature
The following press release, announcing approval of The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, was provided jointly by the offices of Senator Debbie Stabenow, Sen. Gary Peters and Congressman Dan Kildee. It was issued early this afternoon after...
Judge Beagle, Pastor Sherm McCathern named Sybyl Award winners
By Jan Worth-Nelson Judge Duncan Beagle of the Seventh Judicial Circuit and Probate Courts, and Pastor Robert "Sherm" McCathern, pastor of the Joy Tabernacle and a Civic Park Community activist, were named the 2016 Sybyl Award winners tonight at the Genesys Conference...
East Village Magazine – December 2016
The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:
Flint aid package headed to Senate after House passage
By Jan Worth-Nelson A $170 million aid package bill for Flint passed the U.S. House Thursday and headed for the Senate where local authorities hope it will be given the same approval. In a prepared statement, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver stated, “Today the U.S. House did...
Pierce Park, millage details, Crim school plans topics at CCNA
By Nic Custer A proposal has emerged for reuse of the long-vacant Pierce Golf Course, City Administrator Sylvester Jones told the College Cultural Neighborhood Association at its November meeting. Jones also addressed Kearsley Manor residents’ concerns about a rental...
Flint residents report increased behavioral, physical woes since water crisis, CASPER survey confirms
By Megan Ockert People in many Flint households have been experiencing worsening of their behavioral health, including trouble concentrating, signs of depression and increased anxiety or stress since the Flint water crisis began, according to a recent survey of 182...
Montessori classroom offers new learning options for Flint public schools
By Jan Worth-Nelson Can a classroom that allows students to learn at their own pace, help one another, and follow their natural curiosities actually work in a public school system? And could such a teaching approach enrich options for Flint students and help convince...
MADD “Vigil of Remembrance and Hope” set for Dec. 10
By Megan Ockert MADD Genesee County will host its annual “Candlelight Vigil of Remembrance and Hope” at 7 p.m. Saturday Dec. 10. The event will be held at the First Baptist Church of Grand Blanc on Saginaw Road in Grand Blanc Township. Family members and others...
Village Life: Buckle up for the pursuit of truth
Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a...
Opposing “the language of hate,” requires listening, attention to history, Tendaji Talk speakers suggest
By Robert R. Thomas Language is very intentional and entails active listening, according to Dr. Traci Currie, a UM-Flint lecturer in communications, who also labels herself “an artist/activist.” And those elements are relevant to understanding and replacing "the...
With PepsiCo Foundation grant, community groups launch two water crisis “help centers”
By Jan Worth-Nelson A $570,000 grant from the PepsiCo Foundation was put to work this week with the launch of two Food Bank-managed community "help centers" aimed at continuing recovery efforts from the Flint water crisis. In a chilly parking lot under sunny skies at...
Shigella update: bacteria not spread through Flint-area drinking water, CDC officials suggest
By Jan Worth-Nelson An outbreak of shigella bacteria in Genesee and Saginaw counties over the past eight months does not appear to have been caused by Flint's drinking water system, a team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the...
Longtime architectural and community landmark, Woodside Church up for sale
By Jan Worth-Nelson Woodside Church, designed by internationally-known Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and built by his brother-in-law Robert F. Swanson in 1952, has been put up for sale by the congregation, who voted on it at an Oct. 30 congregational meeting. A...
East Village Magazine – November 2016
The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:
Racism’s roots in capitalism, education as cultural imperialism topics of latest Tendaji Talk
By Robert R. Thomas The effects of capitalism and how racism is perpetuated in schools were topics explored in a recent Tendaji Talk at the Flint Public Library by Dorinda Carter Andrews, an associate professor from the Michigan State University Department of Teacher...
Village Life: Getting on the bus might help alleviate community’s “toxic stress”
By Jan Worth-Nelson The water crisis has taken its toll on more than our pipes. As Elizabeth Burtch, a supervisor at Genesee Health System puts it, “There is a lot of anxiety out there, a lot.” And there’s what she calls “toxic stress,” leading to understandable but...
Aging parkway maples challenge city services, neighborhood character
By Kayla Chappell Editor's note: This story has been revised on 11/16/16 to clarify that residents needing help with a downed or dangerous tree should call City of Flint Street Maintenance at (810)-766-7343. That number is available 24/7, according to Angela Warren,...
