Category: Features
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Education Beat: FCS moves on $95 million budget; grapples with pandemic, closures, contracts
By Harold C. Ford As an eventful 2019-2020 educational year came to an official close June 18 for Flint Community School (FCS) students, the district’s board of education met a total of 10 times in the months of May and June. On June 17, Casey Lester, FCS board president, figuratively and remotely banged the final…
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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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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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Water shutoff, boil water advisory coming to East Court street neighborhoods Monday June 15
NOTE: According to a notice from the City, this work was postponed. No residents lost water today and no boil water advisory is being issued. In response to a request from EVM, a city official said the work was postponed due to “a conflict with a storm sewer” and that no date has been set…
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Two million face masks for Flint residents, nonprofits on the way from C.S. Mott donation
Flint residents and Flint nonprofit organizations helping their staff, volunteers and clients stay safe as they reopen will have access soon to a donation of two million disposable face masks from the C.S. Mott Foundation. The supply of masks, costing about $1.2 million, will be delivered to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, according to…
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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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City Council adopts $73 million budget with a looming $32 million for city retirees
By Tom Travis The Flint City Council adopted a $73 million budget Tuesday after a five hour meeting with a 6-3 vote. Councilpersons Eric Mays (1st Ward), Jerri Winfrey-Carter (5th Ward) and Council President Monica Galloway (7th Ward) voted against adopting the budget. After a seven-hour Special City Council meeting Monday night that failed to…
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Flint’s Black Lives Matter Advisory Council application process open
Anyone interested in following up on the week’s protests following the George Floyd murder may find an available option here, in this press release issued by City Hall: FLINT, Michigan—Flint residents who are interested in being a part of the Black Lives Matter Advisory Council to the Flint Police Department are invited to officially express…
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