Flint River Watershed Coalition wins $74K federal grant for youth program
By Jan Worth-Nelson Hundreds of area students and their teachers will have a chance to learn about and care for water resources, especially the Flint River, thanks to a new federal grant received recently by the Flint River Watershed Coalition (FRWC). A $74,000 grant to support youth-based water quality programs involving 1,200 students in 22 school districts was awarded to the FRWC by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
Loving Gilkey Creek, one neighbor at a time: residents plead “no dumping”
By Jan Worth-Nelson Gilkey Creek has been part of Joe Burroughs’ life ever since childhood. He used to play along it, and his father, George, used to fish in it, bringing home pan fish like crappies and blue gill. Now Burroughs and his wife Kathryn, both retired school teachers, along with their Kensington Street neighbor Reba Walling, are trying to keep the winding little waterway near their homes open and healthy and...
NRDC attorney updates Flint residents on water crisis progress
By Luther Houle Highlights of the May Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU) monthly meeting included a short presentation by Jeremy Orr of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). In a 40-minute talk, Orr provided updates and answered questions about the status of the lead service line replacement program, an outgrowth of the Flint water crisis. The meeting also offered information on upcoming spring events, including the “Light...
Commentary: Fix the “damn roads”? But how do we pay for the “damn roads”?
By Paul Rozycki Are you ready to “fix the damn roads?” It was Gov. Whitmer’s campaign promise, and just about everyone agrees that it’s job one for Michigan this year. But, how do we pay for it? By most estimates, the state needs to raise about $2.5 billion to get the job done. And even then, it will take years to undo the harm from the underinvestment over the past decades. In 2018, only 77 percent of the state’s roads were in...
April City Council update: pipe replacement contracts, ombudsperson job description
By Meghan Christian While April brought still more fighting between Flint City Council members and the community, it seemed the council got more done than in previous months. The month’s work included movement toward the next phase of the pipe replacement program, toward a job description for the office of the ombudsperson, and making three appointments to the Downtown Development Authority. Two contractors approved for Phase VI of...