“Scary and exciting time”: Local news media in an age of transition
By Harold C. Ford “Journalism is the only profession explicitly protected by the U.S. Constitution, because journalists are supposed to be the check and balance on government. We’re supposed to be holding those in power accountable.” –Amy Goodman, Democracy Now! A panel of veteran journalists tackled the existential issues that confront the nation’s fourth estate—journalism—at the Flint Public Library on March 26 before an...
March Flint City Council update: raises go through, pipeline management changes, CFO quits, cliques collide
By Meghan Christian The month of March continued Flint City Council chaos—all delaying or complicating major matters of city business and exasperating some of the public in attendance, one of whom commented the city needed an ombudsman to oversee matters more than the city council. First, even though a 5-4 majority of council members voted to reject proposed raises for Mayor Karen Weaver and themselves, a rule requiring a two-thirds...
W-O-O-D-S-I-D-E Church taking shape letter by letter at new locale
By Jan Worth-Nelson The beige brick building at the corner of Second Avenue and Garland Street in Flint came closer Thursday to its transformation from an antiques store and deli to Woodside Church. Woodside Pastor Deborah Conrad, along with Woodside treasurer Joe Eufinger and board member Karen Eaton, supervised as Jeff Richardson from Signs by Crannie worked on a cherry picker at the wall and the building’s new identity...
News Brief: Congressional Art Competition for Flint high schoolers open now
Flint area high school students are invited to enter the 2019 Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Art Caucus. Artists may win an opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. and have art displayed in the U.S. Capitol building. “Each year this competition gives us the chance to see beautiful pieces of art that represent the very best of Michigan’s Fifth Congressional District,” said Rep....
Court Street Methodists take stand after LGBTQ vote: “God loves all people–all means all”
By Jan Worth-Nelson On Sunday, March 3, the week after the international governing body of the United Methodist Church voted to retain language excluding LGBTQ people, Rev. Jeremy Peters took to the pulpit at Court Street United Methodist Church and preached a sermon titled “God Loves All People: Bruised and Dimly Burning.” Outside, on the church’s sign, were the words “God Loves All People–All Means...
“Road diet” on MLK Boulevard, master plan “green” concerns top “Neighbors” series discussion
By Darlene C. Carey “It’s our hope that residents that don’t see the dots will be able to connect the dots to their area resources,” said Ashley Everhart, agency director at the Neighborhood Engagement Hub, during the fifth workshop in the “Neighbors Changing Flint” series Wednesday, March 20 at the Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village. The topic was “Promoting Health and Safety Through Environmental Design,” and topics...