Its water quality has undeniably recovered, and despite concerns about equity, the new developments that dot the citys downtown are striking when compared with its trajectory just half a decade ago. There are many people in our great city who have not given up hope. Throughout the series, I had a challenging time trying to contend with one local police officer in particular. Its also had four state-appointed emergency managers who are fully unaccountable to voters. Nessels communications director declined to comment for this article, citing the ongoing investigation. Flint Town has been the talk of the town since it first aired on Netflix on March 2. Flint, in many ways, presents characteristics that parallel the characteristics that we use to identify developing countries around the world. A Flint resident stops Mayor Sheldon Neeley for a selfie on March 5, 2020. The New Saints - Football Match Summary - March 4, 2022 - ESPN. Only after all of these things do we need money. Season 1 of the show, consisting of eight episodes, premiered on, In this backdrop, the show gives its audience a view into Flint, from the point of view of the citys law enforcement officials. The 2012 film " Promised Land ," starring clean-water champion Matt Damon and John Krasinski, shined a light on the threat to groundwater posed by hydraulic fracturing or fracking. And the guests came in droves. We had to have our yard torn up, and it took months for them to replace what they damaged, with no commitment to replace any of the landscaping we had there, Walker-Smith told me. Members of Flint's City Council vote 7-1 to reconnect Flint to the Detroit water system. 3. But even with that project finally reaching its completion after years of strife, and EPA administrators saying Flints water is better than its ever been, most of the Flint residents I interviewed said theyre still wary of what comes out of their tap. Although Walling literally pressed the button, the decision to use Flint River water had much deeper roots. We have dealt with much more than most and still we rise. Wesley is down, 'cause it's in Flint Town. Election Day arrives. Apart from police personnel, the show also features others like former Democratic Presidential Candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, current US President Donald Trump, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, and ABC12 news reporter Jessica Dupnack, among others. In this backdrop, the show gives its audience a view into Flint, from the point of view of the citys law enforcement officials. Stay connected to whats happening with the City of Flint. Steel Magnolias is a 1989 film based on the stage play. Share. Seton North is in the house, and Dayton is too. The state is well prepared to argue out any legal liability from lead poisoning, but you cant really argue out the bacteria if you can show that the bacteria is there because of the water switch, and there are researchers now who have shown that., The fact that some residents still say they experience mysterious water issues doesnt inspire their confidence, either. With market analyses, stakeholder engagement, and program economics, we have envisioned a bold, strategic and transformative future that is like nothing this university has ever experienced before here at the University of Michigan - Flint. Since then, fans and critics have been waiting for a second season, which is yet to be confirmed. Its most recent official update, from early October, shows that lead and galvanized steel pipes have been replaced in 9,769 homes. Like nearly everyone I interviewed for this story, Ananich has his own personal story about dissatisfaction with the pipe-replacement program. Flint Town is an eight episode American documentary television series that was released on Netflix on March 2, 2018. If giving money to poor countries that present these same struggles hasnt helped to pull them out of poverty, what makes us think it will do so for us? 3// DALLAS, TEXAS. But a few weeks later, another, equally remarkable thing happened. Theres this deep attachment to the community, bordering on desperation. Nine former Michigan officials, including ex-Gov. When he looks back at his time in office, Walling remembers it the same way that many of his constituents probably do: as a time of being caught flat-footed, without recourse or relief. David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan are one of the successful "90 Day Fianc" couples. They wanted all of this to be fixed a long time ago, and they still dont trust the institutions that are supposed to be protecting them, and they have some pretty good reasons for not doing so.. Her post graduate life has included participation in the Model United Nations conference in Rome representing the African nation of Djibouti and Peace Corps service where she served as a volunteer educator in Mozambique. We need to hold ourselves accountable for the roles we play in making/keeping Flint what it is, whether good or bad. Login, Copyright: 2017 Bridges Communications Group, Inc., Publisher of TheHUB. But his grades have plummeted over the last two years. I really enjoyed Heatwave, Bloodstone, and The Stylistics they were GREAT but Whispers come on I am OLD SCHOOL I realize that some of the members are not present anymore or deceased but to go from 5 Whispers to 3 to 2 is ridiculous my suggestion is to bring on new whispers or retire, I hope they do not retire they can still sing but keep . In a shocking development that made national headlines, those prosecutors had recently dropped all pending charges in the investigation, something the Kettering professor Pauli said hit the city like a punch to the gut. The people of Flint were upset. Bridgette Balasko police officer; later officer, CATT (Crime Area Target Team) squad; aspires to be a Federal Investigator; later Homicide Detective, Timothy Johnson Chief of Police, appointed by Mayor Karen Weaver, Dion Reed LERTA Cadet turned police officer, son of Maria, Maria Reed LERTA Cadet turned police officer, mother of Dion, James Tolbert former Chief of Police, fired by Mayor Karen Weaver, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 04:37. The town has a rich sporting history. So, while I believe in the humanization of police officers, I dont believe we can use their humanity as an excuse to justify biases that can prove, and have proved, to be deadly for people of color. [1][2][3] The documentary focuses on the thoughts and conflicted emotions of police officers serving to protect urban areas of Flint, Michigan (unofficially nicknamed "Flint Town") struggling with poverty, crime, financially strapped public services and the Flint water crisis. The film is filming under the pseudo-name "Perfect Imprints." Theres no information coming out, none, Mays said. Sherman's Lounge. Just moments before, captured on video now for eternity, Walling had pushed a button on a panel at the citys water treatment plant that turned an ominous, glowing red. I dont want to leave my home, she said. We just want to live normally, and actually be able to drink the water that comes out of our tap safely, with no concerns, said Melissa Mays, a vocal Flint water activist. Canepari said, Our interest [as filmmakers] is in systems. If you havent seen the show yet head over to. We have to acknowledge that the justice system as an entire entity, has not always (read: ever) been fair and just as it pertains to people and communities of color. Flint Town (TV Series 2018) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. A second season could see many other real-life personalities being featured. There are a number of positive things happening in Flint, namely in the downtown area. And if you listen to those have seen it all before, all too recently, in Flint, theres little reason to expect a new era of good feelings on the horizon. The people of Flint remain, understandably, skeptical. Flint was founded as a village by fur trader Jacob Smith in 1819 and became a major lumbering area on the historic Saginaw Trail during the 19th century. Several people have been injured, with fatalities reported . For once, it was nice to see someone making an attempt to get at the humanity of both sides of this conflict. 39m. Benjamin Pauli, a professor of social sciences at Flints Kettering University and author of Flint Fights Back: Environmental Justice and Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis, draws a direct connection between the state takeover and the groundswell of anger and mistrust around the water crisis, describing how even before the water switch Flints activist community was interested in democracy, and it just so happened that water and democracy were starting to come together.. Flint Town, in all of its glory, tells the critical story of how over 10 years, the funding for the police department has wilted to the very bare minimum. One of Weavers campaign promises was that she would declare a state of emergency in the city, out of a belief that the city needed to fan the media flames more aggressively in order to draw the national attention and resources necessary to remedy the crisis. From an outside perspective, it sounds like a happy ending. Those questions touch on not only the crisis far-reaching medical consequences but its roots in a decades-long divestment of power from the people the crisis hurt the most, as well as the extent to which government might endanger lives to evade blame or embarrassment for such a scandal. Located along the Flint River, 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. Its a question that Americans throughout the country may find themselves asking when the dust settles from the chaos of 2020: Where, even, to begin? O-Town: What Are They Up To Now? As the Trump administrations nonresponse to Covid-19 allows the disease to tear unabated through Americas most vulnerable populations, with unknown long-term health effects and serious questions on the horizon about equity in vaccine distribution, this might sound a little bit familiar. 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