From the Publisher - My City Magazine

PubLetter

Dear Readers,

June was a busy and historic month for Flint. My City was the signature sponsor of “the pARTy” 2014 at the Flint Institute of Arts, and what a party it was. Co-chaired by Shannon Easter White and Raghad Farah, the planning committee executed the “Miami Chic” theme to perfection. It was one of the best parties I’ve attended in a long time and I’ve heard only great feedback. Kudos to all! Check out the photos on p. 44-45.

I hope you have a chance to enjoy the many other unique events that will be going on in and around Flint. If you look at the calendar at mycitymag.com, you’ll see that there is something happening on almost every day this summer. It will be hard to top the recent and historic grand re-opening of the Flint Farmers’ Market. Along with over 30,000 others, I attended the celebration and can’t tell you how proud I was of my city and its new Downtown gem. We’re blessed to have forward-thinkers like Ridgway White willing to share their vision for growth in Flint. The event coverage starts on p. 58.

Loyal MCM readers have commented on our never-ending collection of inspiring stories with Flint area connections. Our “My Story” feature on Carmen-Ainsworth grad and Dallas Cowboy, Brandon Carr, is one such story. He may be an NFL star, but he recently came back to Flint to inspire some kids and give back, which shows a lot of class.

Just when I think I’m dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, I hear about someone whose dedication is beyond impressive. In the “My Passion” slot is a story on local businessman Mark Bauman, a very well-known figure in our area’s running culture. This “Running Man” celebrated completing his 45th consecutive Boston Marathon this year. Only two other runners in the world have a longer active streak – amazing achievement! And I was also surprised to learn of Michigan’s vintage baseball league and the Lumber City club formed here in Flint. They’re dedicated to enjoying the game in its pure form, and I get a great “Americana” feeling from this story. I know you’ll enjoy it. The team plays home games on the UM-Flint campus; you can find their schedule on the My City facebook page.

Of course, we never run out of gifted artists to highlight – check out “Macho Metal Man” Todd Nikola, who looks at scrap and sees something cool to build from it. On the other end of the spectrum is Betsy Brelinski, an artist with a more delicate approach to creating. Take a few moments to admire their talent. Artistic ability comes in many forms and I’ve personally been a longtime fan of those who design amazing sportscars. Check out our piece on Falcon Motorsports (p. 24) and the exciting vehicle they’re building in Holly – so cool. We’re also building our list of contributing writers, and are joined this month by novelist Alexandria Nolan – you’ll find her column on p.66.

I’m ready to have a busy and exciting summer in Downtown Flint… how about you? If you plan to do some summer reading, make time for My City. If you’ve not yet subscribed, you can get five months of MCM for only five bucks! Visit mycitymag.com.

Thanks for reading.. and God Bless America!