Category: Village Life
-
Village Life: At 76, he’s run marathons in all 50 states and the Great Wall of China
By Tom Travis From the Great Wall of China to the Hoover Dam, Ortonville resident Jay Cummings, 76, experiences life 26 miles at a time — again and again. A retired United Church of Christ minister, he’s a devoted marathon runner who finds the discipline of his chosen sport to be good for his body…
Written by
-
Village Life: It’s too hot for lies and threats to democracy, even for journalists here at home
By Jan Worth-Nelson Today’s it’s 95 degrees outside and the AC is rumbling like a 19th century train. I’m passing on taking my daily walk, and I hurry outside only briefly to add water to the bird bath, hoping all the creatures will find a cool retreat. I’m recovering from a trip to the dentist,…
Written by
-
Memories of Woodrow Stanley: student, councilman, mayor, county commissioner, and state representative
By Paul Rozycki Many tributes to Woodrow Stanley have spoken of his dedication to the Flint community, his service on the Flint City Council, mayor of Flint, the Genesee County Commission, and his role in the State House of Representatives. Many have spoken of Woodrow’s comeback from a bitter recall campaign as he refused to…
Written by
-
Flint Water Warriors remember Tony Palladeno, silenced by COVID
By Ben Pauli Contributing Flint Water Warriors include Joelena Freeman, Rhonda Kelso, Gina Luster, Vicki Marx, Melissa Mays, Colette Metcalf, Trina Redner, Christina Sayyae, Dan Scheid, Bruce Stiers, Andrea Watson, Tonya Williams, Deb Conrad and Maegan Wilson. On January 10, 2022, Flint lost one of its preeminent native sons, Tony Palladeno, to complications from COVID-19.…
Written by
-
Remembering and Honoring Oaklin Mixon
By Jan Worth-Nelson Editor’s note: East Village Magazine (EVM), along with the Flint community, mourn the loss of Oaklin Mixon due to COVID. Oaklin was an entrepreneurial force and friend to all. To honor Oaklin EVM offers this brief narrative written in 2017 by Jan Worth-Nelson from an interview with Oaklin as a part of…
Written by
-
Village Life: Memories burned into Washington School’s demise: “This one hurts the most”
By Gary Fisher She was nearly half a century old by the time I showed up. Creaky wooden windows, stifling forced heat, so thick you could taste it, zero air conditioning, lead paint everywhere, and asbestos-covered pipes. The ancient bathrooms with the old radiators (an especially egregious artifice when some miscreant relieved himself on it),…
Written by
-
Memories of Jack Minore, Michigan, Flint, and East Village
By Paul Rozycki There have been many official obituaries, tributes, and memorials written about Jack Minore, the offices he held, the causes he championed, and the commitment he had to the state of Michigan and the Flint community. Most political leaders in the area have spoken about his commitment to Michigan, Flint and a long…
Written by
-
From San Francisco to Chevy-in-the-hole – the Chevy Coupe helped to move America
By Teddy Robertson “Je-zus Christ!” Stress on the first syllable and heavy elongation of the “z” sound. I blurted out one of my father’s favored expletives. My mother had slammed on the brakes and I tumbled off the bench seat of our old Chevy coupe and hit the floor mat beneath. The brown and red…
Written by
-
Village Life: Viral time revisited, 2021 — personal panic, wine, and the witching hour
By Teddy Robertson We were all so new at balancing mortal threat and daily life. Inept, but resourceful. That’s how it felt a year ago this May when East Village Magazine staff shared their first experiences of the COVID pandemic. That’s odder than you might think—reporters usually don’t want to be part of a story.…
Written by
-
Village Life: Pierce Preschool connected us to our “Pandemic Village”
By Melodee Mabbitt Before the pandemic hit, I was the kind of parent who relied heavily on my village to help raise our child. Pre-pandemic, I was lucky to have a flexible schedule with the ability to work remotely. I even got away without needing a babysitter much of the time by going places where…
Written by