Author: Tom Travis
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Local ACLU fires off complaint to the Mayor and City Clerk; mail-in and absentee ballots in question
By Tom Travis The City of Flint is not complying with absentee balloting requirements approved by Michigan voters, Greater Flint American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) officials claimed Tuesday in a letter of complaint to Mayor Sheldon Neeley and Flint City Clerk Inez Brown. The letter, titled Flint’s “Disenfranchisement of Absentee Voters,” said the Flint City…
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Absentee and mail-in ballots to be mailed out Tuesday to Flint residents; ACLU raises concerns
By Tom Travis Absentee ballots will begin to be mailed out Tuesday, July 7, Flint City Clerk Inez Brown said in a phone interview Monday. In the face of an inquiry by the Greater Flint ACLU, questioning the City Clerks’ procedures, Brown said she could not confirm the number of applications for mail-in ballots received…
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Last piece of Flint River-Genesee Valley trail acquired; links Flint to statewide Iron Belle trail
A new three-mile-long paved trail in the City of Flint is one step closer to completion, thanks to an upcoming property acquisition by the City of Flint announced Thursday. Called the Grand Traverse Greenway, it will complete an 18-mile path connecting the Flint River and Genesee Valley trails. And it is the final piece to…
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City Council considers contracts, appointments, Juneteenth, property purchase, and $800K in water treatment chemicals
By Tom Travis At the June 22 City Council meeting, disputes between council members resulted in two councilpersons being ejected and three councilpersons voluntarily leaving the meeting in protest. With five of the nine council members gone from the meeting quorum was lost. The often contentious panel re-convened two days later, June 24, and this…
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Police Oversight Commission a key step for those seeking change, Black Lives Matter leader, DeWaun Robinson says
By Tom Travis “We have an opportunity to change the course of history. This is for everyone that believes in the heart of humanity that wants to see change,” Black Lives Matter Flint leader DeWaun Robinson told East Village Magazine (EVM) in a recent phone interview. “We’re not talking about changes just for appeal change…
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City Council Beat: No action taken at four-hour electronic meeting following ejections, lost quorum, public complaints
By Tom Travis Monday night the city council took no action during a four-hour meeting on a 199-page agenda. The meeting ended with quorum being broken on the nine-member panel when two councilpersons were ejected and three others voluntarily left. Nonetheless, Council President Monica Galloway (7th Ward) kept discussion going another hour despite the city…
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Black Lives leader to Juneteenth crowd: “You’re part of a movement today, you’re gonna be a part of the progress tomorrow”
By Tom Travis “We are celebrating our history. This is for our tradition. This is for our heritage,” DeWaun Robinson, leader of Black Lives Matter Flint said to a crowd of about 200 today observing Juneteenth in Max Brandon Park at the corner of Pasadena and Dupont streets in the north end of Flint. The…
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Police Chief Hart “outraged” at senior White House official’s comments about Flint Police Department
By Tom Travis Flint Chief of Police, Phil Hart said in an email released by The City of Flint Wednesday afternoon that, “On behalf of all the hardworking men and women in the Flint Police Department, I am outraged at this callous and unnecessary attack on our department.” Hart was responding to comments made about…
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“Team work makes the dream work” – Community comes together to paint Black Lives Matter on downtown Flint street
By Tom Travis Sandra Branch said that healing from racial divide and inequality comes through “unity and communication.” Gesturing towards the street, Branch added, “Just like you see right now. Everybody’s talking, everybody’s sharing, everybody’s working. We’re all working in cooperation.” “Team Work makes the dream work. The message is to be peaceful. This is…
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City Council hears from Sheriff Swanson and unanimously passes two resolutions for support of Black Lives Matter and to thwart Police Brutality
By Tom Travis The City Council considered two resolutions in response to the recent national outcry over George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis: a resolution to declare Black Lives Matter and an ordinance for the duty of police officers to intervene in cases of police brutality. A resolution brought by the City Administration and Mayor Sheldon…
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