Author: Tom Travis
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Education Beat: Flint Ed Board committee signals readiness to move on vacant properties and Mott Foundation partnership
By Harold Ford “We haven’t been able to move; that’s been an issue for us.” –Kevelin Jones, superintendent, Flint Community Schools, citing the unwillingness of the previous Flint Board of Education to move on vacant properties, Jan. 30, 2023 The Finance and Operations Committee of the Flint Board of Education (FBOE) – with two new…
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Village Life – Blissfully single in community
By Tom Travis It’s called “cuffing season.” I quite hate that term. The term “cuffing” refers to the restrictive and restraining purpose of handcuffs. If you don’t know about cuffing season it begins sometime in October and culminates up to the egregiously capitalized holiday Valentine’s Day. The intention of “cuffing” happens when single, unhitched people…
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Sports Beat: Steve Schmidt surpasses 1000 games in his 32nd season as Mott CC’s men’s basketball coach
By Harold C. Ford If successful sports coaches are measured by longevity, wins, and winning percentage, then Steve Schmidt, men’s basketball coach at Mott Community College (MCC), is, at present, one of the most successful coaches in America at any level in any era. Schmidt coached his 1000th game for Mott on Dec. 12, 2022m,…
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Education Beat: Threat at ALA prompts backpack review; parliamentary woes continue to plague Flint school board
“Sunlight or prison walls: I’m going to go with sunlight and having windows.” –Kelly Fields, principal, Accelerated Learning Academy, Jan. 18, 2023 “There was nothing that happened here (ALA) on campus … The campus has been safe and secure.” –Keiona Murphy, assistant superintendent, Flint Community Schools (FCS) By Harold C. Ford The Flint Board of…
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African-American artwork celebrated in three galleries at FIA
By Tom Travis Three exhibits honoring and celebrating work by African-American artists will be featured at The Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) over the next few months. The FIA’s Contemporary wing will exhibit works from the FIA’s permanent collection of African-American artists and art of the African diaspora. In the Graphics gallery, the exhibit Expressions will…
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City of Flint allocates $15.6 million for Community Grants from ARPA funding; applications open now
By Tom Travis Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include information about a webinar provided by the City of Flint on Feb. 2 for those wishing to apply for an ARPA Community Grant. The City of Flint has allocated $15.6 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for Community Grants.…
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Dysfunction and Democracy from Flint to Washington. Is Flint a model for the nation?
By Paul Rozycki For much of the 20th Century Flint was a leader for much of what mattered in the nation. It was home for one of the largest manufacturing corporations in the world. It was the place where one of the most progressive and influential labor unions in the nation stood up to that…
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Education Beat: New leadership team for Flint Board of Education all first-timers
By Harold C. Ford “Sometimes you’ve got to pivot.” – Melody Relerford, newly-elected Flint Board of Education trustee, Jan. 11, 2023 A new leadership team was impaneled at the annual organizational meeting of the Flint Board of Education (FBOE) on Jan. 11, 2023. Newly-elected members of a five-person electoral slate were chosen to fill…
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Early cancer detection to save lives highlighted at MLK Jr. Day Berston celebration
By Tom Travis “Dr. King once said that injustice in health was the most inhuman form of inequality because it leads to death that could have been prevented. Earlier detection of cancer should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford to pay out-of-pocket.” — Gary Puckrein, National Minority Quality Forum Berston…
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Michigan Speaker Rep. Joe Tate considers economic development with Flint business, housing leaders
By Tom Travis Housing was a key factor considered in an economic development round-table held Monday upstairs in Flint’s Farmers Market. The meeting was organized by recently-elected State Representative Jasper Martus and his special guest the new Speaker of the House in Michigan’s legislature Rep. Joe Tate (D-2nd District). Tate listened and jotted notes as…
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