By Matt Franklin
Flint - The U.S. Treasury (click here) released final allocation numbers for the American Recovery Plan, outlining $94.7 million for the City of Flint, according to a new release from the city.
The release goes on to say, Mayor Sheldon Neeley has invited residents to weigh in on their top priorities for how these dollars should be spent in the City of Flint. The Treasury release updates an estimate of $99 million released previously by the federal government.
“These pennies from heaven are truly a blessing. This funding will be a game-changer for our community,” Mayor Neeley said. “Through prayer, planning and partnership, we are working to make sure these dollars are invested in a way that reflects the community’s priorities.”
Other local entities also are set to receive dollars through the American Recovery Plan, including $78.8 million for Genesee County and $6.5 billion for the state of Michigan. Flint schools previously were estimated to receive $114 million....
Homicides in Flint have increased 30 percent in the past year. (click here) I think there has been an uptick in violence across the country.
By Christine Kanerva
Flint - Last month, ABC12 told you about some teens (click here) who are sick of the violence in Flint and took action. Now, we’ve learned their calls for change has reached the halls of Congress.
“I wanted to join this to make a least a little bit of a difference,” said Guadalupe Gurrola, a 16-year-old from Flint.
Behind closed doors, a group of teens and community members met with Representative Dan Kildee at the Church Without Walls in Flint to talk about ending violence in their community.
“I want to hear the perspective of these young people. Because you know, they live this life every single day, and they’re the experts their life experience,” said Representative Kildee (D-MI), fifth district....
Flint is not isolated in the increase in violence in 2020.
December 30, 2020
By Josiah Bates
...This year, (click here) many Americans have experienced significantly higher levels of violence both wrought on and within their communities. Gun violence and gun crime has, in particular, risen drastically, with over 19,000 people killed in shootings and firearm-related incidents in 2020. That’s the highest death toll in over 20 years, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), an online site that collects gun violence data, and the Britannia Group’s non-partisan site procon.org....
