Book Review: “American Dialogue” offers indispensable conversation between “then” and “now”
By Robert R. Thomas In assessing the here and now, history offers an indispensable perspective. American Dialogue is an enlightening example. As author and historian Joseph Ellis puts it, “The study of history is an ongoing conversation between past and present from which we all have much to learn.” Subtitled The Founders and Us, his book’s focus is a dialogue between America’s founding fathers and our current historical state. “We...
Village Life: A raptor crash heralded my life with birds
By Teddy Robertson Smack! The front legs of my chair leave the floor, my hands pop off the laptop keyboard; I jerk backward. A split second, then a tinkling sound ripples over my left shoulder. I turn and look: in the storm window beside me fissures radiate outward as if pushed by an invisible hand. Something’s struck the plate glass almost dead center. I’m out the door — scanning the front porch for a clue — but the missile...
Commentary: A funny thing happened on the way to the election
By Paul Rozycki Note: This column has been updated for a correction via City Clerk Inez Brown: it was the city’s Finance Department that initially omitted the $320,000 in the budget for this year’s election, not the City Council–Ed. For most cities, villages, and townships, an election is a pretty routine thing. Candidates file, their names go on the ballot, they campaign, voters go to the polls, and the next set...
Education Beat: Flint Schools ending Year One of three-year partnership; two hires debated; middle school locale still uncertain
By Harold C. Ford (Note: The following article is about two recent meetings of the Flint Board of Education on May 8 and May 15. Subsequently, a “Special Board Meeting” was held May 21 at the district’s administration building rather than the usual location at Southwestern Classical Academy. The special meeting had been scheduled for May 20, was cancelled on May 20, and then held on May 21. The only action item at the special...
Review: “Poisoned democracy, poisoned water,” activists’ impact — themes of new Flint book
By Harold C. Ford “The lesson learned from the battle over the river was that the hardheaded resolve of even a small group of people could move mountains.” … from Flint Fights Back, Environmental Justice and Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis,by Benjamin J. Pauli, The MIT Press, 2019 A wonderful photo is conspicuously positioned at the front of Benjamin Pauli’s new book on Flint’s water crisis, in which a water justice activist is...
Commentary: Fix the roads? Who gets the money?
By Paul Rozycki Gov. Whitmer is continuing her statewide campaign to garner support for a 45 cent gas tax increase, which would be used to “fix the damn roads.” It remains to be seen whether or not she will get what she wants. Most public opinion polls show little support for the large increase. Republicans in the legislature have already called the proposal a “non-starter,” and it seems to have little chance of success in Lansing....
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