Category: Analysis
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Kids swarm City Hall to read books with Weaver and Howard University spring break students
By Patsy Isenberg Twenty third grade through fifth grade students from Freeman Elementary School in Flint swarmed City Hall Wednesday to read with college students from Howard University, solve a problem about shoe laces, and consider what makes people feel happy and sad in their neighborhoods. The event celebrated March as National Reading Month and…
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“Neighbors Changing Flint” third session explores reuses of vacant lots
By Luther Houle Ashley Everhart, agency director of the Neighborhood Engagement Hub, began the third meeting of the series “Neighbors Changing Flint” with an eye-opening statistic. “Within the city’s boundaries, we have almost 60,000 vacant lots,” she said, citing the Flint Property Portal, a popular website for identifying lot owners and status. She said that…
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“America: The Farewell Tour” by Chris Hedges: a review
Reviewed by Robert R. Thomas An unsettling childhood memory is that things were not as they seemed, and nobody was talking about it. My brother Alan succinctly described our childhood milieu as a “culture of silence.” While reading America: The Farewell Tour, by Chris Hedges, that childhood culture of silence revisited me. The book’s chapters—DECAY,…
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News Brief: Tendaji Talks on white power and privilege kick off March 19
The Tendaji Talks, sponsored by Flint’s Neighborhoods Without Borders, kicks off its spring series 6 p.m. March 19 at the Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St. Named for long-time community leader Tendaji W. Ganges, the series comprises discussions on systemic racism. The focus this season is white power and privilege, and what white people…
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Science and distrust highlight PFAS town hall meeting
By Paul Rozycki A planned two-hour town hall that ran almost three hours revealed both the hard and complex science behind the PFAS problem, as well as the anger, frustration and distrust over water issues in the Flint area. The town hall meeting, held at the Mott Community College Regional Tech Center (RTC) Friday March…
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Flint Cultural Center Academy details highlight Flint Neighborhoods United meeting
By Luther Houle Highlights of the March Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU) meeting included a presentation by Eric Lieske of the Flint Cultural Center Academy (FCCA) a $500 contest from the Traffic Taming Taskforce, and various upcoming events for the month of March. More than 40 of Flint’s community leaders, volunteers, and officials met at the…
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“Neighbors Changing Flint” tasks cover leadership, surveys, blight, as workshops proceed
By Meghan Christian and Patsy Isenberg To suggest how neighborhood leaders might figure out which problems to focus on, Carma Lewis of Flint Neighborhoods United offers a practical lead. “I start with what I can see outside my window, because that’s my domain that I have control over,” she told a group of about 25…
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Flint City Council February Roundup: Despite mutual distrust, actions inch forward
By Meghan Christian The second month of 2019 brought yet more conflict and distrust to the Flint City Council (FCC) members and residents who attended the month’s three regular meetings. Regardless of the conflicts, however, the council continued dialogue on the state of the pipe replacement program and made some progress with the Ethics and…
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This Month in the Village: March features Celtic music, Girls Rock, Science on Tap
“This Month” highlights a selection of events available to our readers. It is not an exhaustive list, rather a sampling of opportunities in the city. To submit events for April email your event to Managing Editor Meghan Christian at meghan.christian22@gmail.com by March 26. Wellness at the Wheel Mon – Sat. The Ferris Wheel, 615 S.…
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Stonemason, artist, champion of peace David Smallidge dead at 83
By Jan Worth-Nelson David Smallidge was a stone mason who helped lay bricks for the downtown campus of UM – Flint and constructed the stone frame for the original Flint Farmers’ Market mosaic. He also created exquisitely detailed black and white porcelain plates and vases and other works of art that found their way into…
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