Last piece of Flint River-Genesee Valley trail acquired;  links Flint to statewide Iron Belle trail
Jun25

Last piece of Flint River-Genesee Valley trail acquired; links Flint to statewide Iron Belle trail

A new three-mile-long paved trail in the City of Flint is one step closer to completion, thanks to an upcoming property acquisition by the City of Flint announced Thursday. Called the Grand Traverse Greenway, it will complete an 18-mile path connecting the Flint River and Genesee Valley trails. And it is the final piece to complete Flint’s portion of the Iron Belle Trail, which will extend from Belle Isle in Detroit to Ironwood in the...

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City Council considers contracts, appointments, Juneteenth, property purchase, and $800K in water treatment chemicals
Jun25

City Council considers contracts, appointments, Juneteenth, property purchase, and $800K in water treatment chemicals

By Tom Travis At the June 22 City Council meeting, disputes between council members resulted in two councilpersons being ejected and three councilpersons voluntarily leaving the meeting in protest. With five of the nine council members gone from the meeting quorum was lost. The often contentious panel re-convened two days later, June 24,  and this time they successfully worked through a 210-page agenda. Council approves three-year...

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Education Beat:  Northwestern needs $4 million in upgrades;  where will junior high students go?
Jun25

Education Beat: Northwestern needs $4 million in upgrades; where will junior high students go?

By Harold C. Ford “We should’ve never moved in that [Northwestern] building.” …Vera Perry, trustee, Flint Board of Education “We create the instability that we face.” …Diana Wright, vice-president, Flint Board of Education At its meeting June 9, the board of education of Flint Community Schools (FCS) was informed that it would cost the school district an estimated $4 million to bring the Northwestern campus up to speed in terms of...

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Education Beat:  FCS moves on $95 million budget; grapples with pandemic, closures, contracts
Jun24

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 gavel on a tumultuous year marked by: a global pandemic that shut brick-and-mortar schools; dramatic and sudden changes...

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Police Oversight Commission a key step for those seeking change,  Black Lives Matter leader, DeWaun Robinson says
Jun24

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 like you see at election time,”  he said.  “We’re talking about real,...

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