I’ve always been very creative, so as a kid, I liked pretending to teach in imaginary classrooms, visualizing working in an office or photographing the planet for National Geographic. I also loved the art of Walt Disney. As a part-time position to help pay for my master’s degree, I did have the chance to open and work at the Disney Store at the Genesee Valley Mall. Sharing the magic of Disney was so enjoyable, I stayed on for over ten years. Much of what I learned through that experience stayed with me and helped shape my leadership style.
Some people do it for fun, for the sport of it. Others do it for the food, putting much-needed meat on the table.
A well-known musician in the Flint area, his stage name is Blu Mykals – but most people just call him “Blu.” The solo performing artist plays five instruments: tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, flute and keyboard. He plays a variety of music such as pop, Top 40, country, Motown, smooth jazz and old jazz standards. His credits include performing in the backup band for one of Motown’s all-female groups – The Marvelettes – and has shared the stage with the world-renowned funk/rock/soul band, War. Traveling all over the state of Michigan and beyond, Blu performs at family reunions, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, private and corporate parties and other events.
When Wil Hufton III of Davison was three years old, he started exploring the shores and swamps with his dad at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw. He also spent time there with a neighbor and then later on with his stepfather, Don. Inspired by the beauty of the natural habitat, Hufton started a business offering scenic boat tours so he could share his love of nature and the ecosystem with others.
In 2019, the “League of Legends” World Championship took place across three international locations (Madrid, Berlin, Paris) with 24 teams from around the globe competing for the grand prize. After a grueling tournament, the final match pitting team FunPlus Phoenix (China) against team G2 eSports (Europe) was viewed by over 100 million people, eclipsing the viewership of that year’s Super Bowl by nearly three million! When a hard-fought League of Legends match ended, team FunPlus Phoenix claimed victory and the $834,375 purse … eSports had officially arrived.
Flint has always had its dark legends, tales of haunted buildings and scary stories; but never has the horror come to life on the big screen – until now. Filmed in Flint, the new movie “Half-Dead Fred” promises to bring chills, mystery and a new image for the city as a place separate from unflattering media attention. “Flint is tired of being portrayed negatively and deserves to be regarded as a positive place,” says writer/director Bron Theron. “We are filming a horror movie, but we will be showing the murals, businesses and locations in a positive light.”
The Sparkle Pink Girls Club is a nonprofit organization with a mission of building confidence and self esteem in girls aged 3-13, and empowering them to make better, bigger choices that set them up for a powerful life. Founded in 2007 by Deria Brown of Flint, it has grown to become a national organization with chapters in Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Nevada.
On August 19, 2021, Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced that Robert Widigan had joined the City of Flint team as the new chief financial officer.
Principal Harpist for the FSO and Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Amy Ley has held the principal harp position in the Lansing Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, and Saginaw Bay Orchestras. She has also performed with the Grand Rapids Symphony, National Ballet Orchestra in Toronto, Kitchner-Waterloo Symphony, Orchestra London, Toledo Symphony, and Charleston Symphony. Her performance of the “Flute and Harp Concerto” by Mozart with the Windsor Symphony has been broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s radio network across Canada and the United States. She also performs as a part of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival in Washington and the Lancaster Music Festival, Ohio.
If you became seriously ill or injured and could not speak for yourself, who would make decisions for you regarding your medical care?
If you were given a choice between spending a few hours in a cancer treatment clinic or on a sunny beach, you’d choose the beach, right? Thanks to virtual reality headsets, patients at Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute (GHCI) are benefiting from technology that allows them to take a mini-vacation while receiving treatment.
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
