“Hopeless, helpless, sad, and angry,” local Ukrainians react as Putin wages war
Feb28

“Hopeless, helpless, sad, and angry,” local Ukrainians react as Putin wages war

By Tom Travis Flint area Ukrainians are urgently contacting friends and relatives still in the embattled country and say they feel hopeless, helpless, sad, and angry. Flint resident Linda Pylypiw, of Ukrainian and Latvian heritage, said she believes the Russians are “once again trying to crush the spirit of the Ukrainians and not treat them like a separate people but as the unwanted step-children of the Russians.” A local...

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“Art is an outlet” – Jerin Sage, Flint’s interim-placemaker
Feb24

“Art is an outlet” – Jerin Sage, Flint’s interim-placemaker

“By Tom Travis  Jerin Sage, the Greater Flint Art Council’s interim placemaker, leans forward with a bounce in his voice, his hands flying as he speaks, and exclaims, “Art is not about being the best.  It’s about giving it your all and putting it out there.” In an interview at Dorothy’s House of Coffee, Sage, 36, explains the concept of “placemaking” and how he came to believe in it as...

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Memories of Woodrow Stanley:  student, councilman, mayor, county commissioner, and state representative
Feb17

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 look back and returned to the political stage for new challenges. Woodrow Stanley and Mott Community College...

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Review: World premiere at The Rep of “Wrong River,” captures one Flint family’s near impossible struggle to survive the water crisis 
Feb16

Review: World premiere at The Rep of “Wrong River,” captures one Flint family’s near impossible struggle to survive the water crisis 

By Patsy Isenberg “Wrong River” is a story about six people in a home in Flint at the start of the water crisis. It’s intense and delves into each character’s personal reaction and how the water crisis intensifies and complicates their lives. It premiered at The Flint Repertory Theater last weekend and runs through Sunday afternoon, Feb. 20.  The production is directed by Flint native Jeremiah Davison, now of Atlanta. Playwright Josh...

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Education Beat: Flint School Board acts on new hires, infrastructure repair,  temporary deficit relief,  strategic plan
Feb16

Education Beat: Flint School Board acts on new hires, infrastructure repair, temporary deficit relief, strategic plan

By Harold C. Ford In a five-and-a-half hour meeting ending at midnight Feb. 9, the Flint Board of Education (FBOE) worked its way through a packed agenda and acted on a half-dozen key matters. The board’s actions covered new hires and compensation packages; critical and ongoing infrastructure needs; the intricacies and interplay of the district’s Emergency Deficit Elimination Program (EDEP) and the temporary infusion of federal...

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