EastMVagaizilne lage January 2018 Photograph by Edwin D. Custer VERN’S COLLISION INC. Free Loaners • Unibody • Frame • Paint Specialists • Glass • State-certified Mechanics More than 40 years at the same location. (810) 232-6751 2409 Davison Rd. FREE Home Warranty Flint’s Resident Located inside the Flint Farmers’ Market Realtor — The Name Trusted in More Neighborhoods Ryan Eashoo BATTISTE’S TEMPLE DINING ROOM (810) 234-1234 PUBLIC WELCOME Serving Downtown Flint since 1947 Luncheon Monday-Friday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. All Occasion Catering 235-7760 ~wine~ craft beer & more... at the Flint Farmers’ Market H e a lt h y H o m e C o o k i n g ! Support community journalism! Donations to East Village Magazine are tax deductible. 810-235-1968 Go to eastvillagemagazine.org for easy giving. Flint Farmers’ Market 2 Commentary What’s ahead for Flint and Michigan politics in 2018? By Paul Rozycki EastMagazine Village After a year that gave us Donald Trump’s and president of the Christian Medical Vol. LVI No. 1 January 2018 tweet-of-the-day reality show, a revolving and Dental associations. Other Founder Gary P. Custer door at the White House, nuclear war threats Republicans who have filed include, against “the rocket man,” daily celebrity dis - Joseph DeRose of Williamston, Mark Editor Jan Worth-Nelson missals for sexual harassment, pawned City McFarlin of Pinconning, and Evan Space Managing Editor Meghan Christian Council laptops, and an 18-candidate recall of Grand Rapids. Copy Editor Danielle Ward election in Flint, it’s certainly a risk to make For the Democrats, there are also a num - Reporters Dylan Doherty up a list of what we ought to expect in 2018. ber of candidates, but Gretchen Whitmer of Harold C. Ford But for better or worse, here are a few things Lansing, former minority leader of the state Patsy Isenberg to look forward to this year. Senate, seems to be the clear front runner, Columnists Jan Worth-Nelson Teddy Robertson though she’s not without challengers. Paul Rozycki It’s a big election year She will face Bill Cobbs of Farmington Business Manager Casey Custer We commonly think of the presidential Hills, a retired Xerox executive and Navy Éminence Grise Ted Nelson election year as our biggest election. It cer - veteran; Abdul El-Sayed of Detroit, former Photographer Edwin D. Custer tainly gets the most attention, but in director of the Detroit Department of Health Poet Grayce Scholt Michigan we actually elect more state and and Wellness Promotion; and Shri local officials in the non-presidential years, Thanedar, an Ann Arbor business executive. like 2018. This year we’ll be electing a gov - Other Democrats in the race include Justin Distribution Staff ernor, a U.S. senator, U.S. representatives, a D. Giroux of Wayland and Kentiel D. White Director: Edwin D. Custer. Staff: Kim Bargy, Jane Bingham, Helen & Jacob Blumner, Connor Coyne secretary of state, an attorney general, state of Detroit. & Ruby Coyne, Casey & Nic Custer, Marabeth senators, state representatives as well as Predictions about who is most likely to Foreman, Andrea Garrett, Charlie & Linda & judges, county commissioners, some school win either the nomination or the gover - Patrick & Terrance & Christan & Jillianne Goldsberry, Ingrid Halling & Bob Thomas, Robert boards, and many local officials. norship are at best very premature. In a Jewell, Andrew Keast, Carol Larzelere Kellermann, time of anti-establishment voting, it’s Stephen Kellermann, Jo Larzelere, Bill & Carol The governor’s race worth remembering that a year before the Leix, James & Lillian & Livia Londrigan, Mary LeRoy, Alan & Julie Lynch, Aron McCormick, Ron For Republicans, the contest to replace 2016 election it appeared that Jeb Bush & Mary Meeker, Robert & Nancy Meszko, Mary & Gov. Snyder seems to be between Attorney was the likely Republican nominee for Jeff Mintline, John Moliassa, Mike Neithercut, Ted General Bill Schuette of Midland and Lt. president, and Hillary Clinton appeared to Nelson, Edith & John Pendell, Dave & Becky Pettengill, Lucia Rodriques, Julian Rodriquez, Mike Gov. Brian Calley of Dearborn. By most be on her way to becoming the first Spleet, and Karen Wilkinson. measures Schuette should be the odds-on female president of the U.S. Board of Trustees favorite. He’s built up strong name recogni - • Jane M. Bingham • Edwin D. Custer tion with his very visible actions as attorney The U.S. Senate • Jack D. Minore • Paul Rozycki general, and he seems to have been running Debbie Stabenow, first elected in 2000, • Robert R. Thomas for governor since he was born. is running for her fourth term as U.S. sena - • Jan Worth-Nelson, ex officio Calley is challenging him with his pro - tor. She will certainly face serious opposi - 720 E. Second St. posal to create a part-time legislature in tion from the Republicans and a number of Flint, Mich. 48503 Michigan. But, having served as Gov. possible candidates have stepped forward, (810) 233-7459 Snyder’s lieutenant governor, Calley is tied though Stabenow does have solid ties with Website: eastvillagemagazine.org to the governor and his declining popularity some traditional Republican groups, such E-mail: [email protected] as a result of the Flint water crisis. as the Farm Bureau—an unusual area of Layout by Ted Nelson. Printing by Riegle Press Bill Ballenger, in The Ballenger Report, support for a Democrat. Inc., 1282 N. Gale Rd., Davison, Mich. 48423. sees the contest as a face-off between the Republicans Bob Carr, past congressional East Village Magazine is a program of the Village Trump supporters, who back Schuette, and candidate; John James, president of the Information Center Inc., a nonprofit corpo ration. We the Gov. Snyder supporters, who support James Group International; Sandy Pensler, welcome material from readers, but all submissions become the property of the publication and if published Calley. Trump has endorsed Schuette, and investment fund founder; and former will be edited to conform to the editorial style and poli - Calley withdrew his support for Trump after Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bob Young cies of the publication. All inquiries about the publica - the Access Hollywood tapes were released are running for the nomination to challenge tion should be mailed to East Village Magazine , Village during the 2016 campaign. Stabenow. Information Cen ter, 720 E. Second St., Flint, Mich. Other Republicans seeking the guber - 48503. Distribution is the first Thursday of each month. Display advertising rates are $34 a column-inch plus natorial nomination are: Patrick Colbeck The U.S. House any other costs. Unclassified ads are $2.50 a printed of Canton, a state senator and former There will be at least three new faces in line or part of a printed line. Rates subject to change aerospace engineer and Jim Hines of Michigan’s U.S. House of Representative’s without notice. The deadline for advertising is 10 days Saginaw, an obstetrician and gynecologist (Continued on Page 11.) before each pub li cation date. © 2018 East Village Magazine Cover: Eagle on the old Market Fire Station, Grand Traverse Street at the Flint River 3 Photograph by Edwin D. Custer Photo of the Month: Farmers’ Market “What kids need ... what kids deserve” Educare Flint a model for education reform By Harold C. Ford A broad coalition of public and private Brick and mortar features: doors leading to both classroom wings, and organizations — led by the Flint-based Charles • Heated sidewalks provide a snowmelt fenced playgrounds. Stewart Mott Foundation — publicly launched system that more safely enables the exit and • Outdoor space includes age-designated a dazzling new state-of-the-art school that will entry of parents and children. playgrounds, trike and running paths, water provide early childhood education for 220 Flint • ThermaWrap Insulation provides more cost- features, specially designed reading spaces, children from birth to age five. Educare Flint effective climate control within the building. and canopied areas to provide protection opened its doors to students on Dec. 4, less than • Large windows throughout the facility from inclement weather. a year after construction began on the almost bathe the interior in natural light while provid - • Public spaces include a large multi-purpose 36,000-square-foot school. ing a generous view of the outside world. room, adult learning rooms, a STEAM “The facility, combined with the Cummings • Specially-designed bathrooms in every (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Great Expectations facility, will serve as cen - classroom allow Educare Flint staff the room, basketball courts, and a walking trail. ters for learning in our community,” said C.S. opportunity to monitor their children. Mott Foundation President Ridgway White at • Each classroom wing is equipped with a “Design matters, the quality of the building the public launch on Dec. 11. washer, dryer, and dishwasher. matters, not just in terms of its obvious design White added, “Our hope is that the chil - • Security is enhanced by strategically around the interests and needs of the kids it dren and that the child care providers from located offices for administration and secu - will serve,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, “but licensed daycare centers to home providers, rity personnel, security cameras, locked because it sends such a powerful message of grandparents, families … will participate in the commitment that our community collec - teaching and learning opportunities provided tively has to these precious young lives.” here and at Cummings so that the benefits of these facilities will spread beyond the four Wraparound services: walls and into the entire community.” Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley told the The Educare Flint project seems to touch all approximately 200 persons assembled at the the bases suggested by modern education public launch that health care services, nutri - reformers including: modernistic brick and tional services, daycare services, different mortar features; wraparound services for fami - funding sources, and different application lies and children; instruction and care informed Photo by Harold C.