When Linnell Jones-McKenney was eight years-old, she had a clear picture of who she would become and what she would do with her life. “I had a dream I’d play professional basketball, work with young people and I would establish a youth activity center,” said Linnell, 56, a Flint native, basketball legend, 2002 Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame inductee and 2005 Greater Flint Area Hall of Fame inductee, who has miraculously accomplished two of the three visions she had as a child.
City of Flint residents looking for answers about their stolen purse or wallet, home break-in, lawn or vehicle damage might get a telephone call from Tracy Austin, a Flint Blue Badge volunteer, who works on the second floor of the Flint Police Department several days per week. There, she assists Sergeant Tanya Meeks, Blue Badge Volunteer Corps Coordinator. “Today, I have to call 40 residents who filed a complaint or reported a crime,” says Tracy, who wears a polo-style shirt with the Blue Badge shield embroidered on it.
Yes, the late, great IMA Auditorium as it is referred to by Flint Expatriates holds a lot of memories for many people – from Jimi Hendrix concerts to the Shrine Circus, and everything in between. According to author Gary Flinn’s book Remembering Flint, the auditorium had seating for 6,000 people and was the premier venue for concerts, stage shows, dances, lectures, sporting events, exhibitions, and the Shrine Circus for many decades. The six-story structure was built by the Industrial Mutual Association in 1929 for $1.2 million on the former site of the Randall Lumber and Coal Company, and the previous site of the Crapo Sawmill.
On Saturday, September 26 from 11am to 3pm, families met up at Flint’s White Building parking lot to get a fun and informative front-row seat with about 40 different types of safety vehicles. Some of the vehicles included ambulances, a helicopter, police vehicles, and semi-trucks. This 4th annual, free event is designed to build relationships between the police, students, and the Flint community, but it is also a truck-load of fun for children and their families! Those who attended were able to sit in the driver’s seat of safety vehicles and see how they work, in hopes of showing law enforcement and other emergency workers in a positive light.
Everyone is invited to join the fun at the first ever Flint River Fest. The event will take place on Friday, October 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. and is sponsored by The Hagerman Foundation. The entire community is invited to attend this free event and is hosted by the Flint River Corridor Alliance (FRCA), the Flint River Watershed Coalition (FRWC) and the Flint Downtown Development Authority.
It’s not every day that you get the chance to check out some truly classic cars. Sponsored by Friends of Sloan*Longway, The Golden Memories Automobile Gathering is happening at the Sloan Museum from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm this Sunday. And, it’s free!
Whether you are an avid beer fan or simply like experiencing new tastes – the Art on Tap beer tent is for you! Presented by Applebee’s, the annual beer tasting event features 32 breweries and kicks off at the Flint Institute of Arts this Saturday, September 19, from 4-8pm
If you or your business is interested in sponsoring this event, sponsorship opportunities are available and encouraged.
