Year in review: Here are Flint Beat’s most-read stories of 2023

Flint, MI — This year marked one of great momentum and investment in Flint’s future, even if not every development went smoothly.

From business openings to hiatuses, local government wins to woes, and the work of Flint’s advocates, visionaries, musicians, and makers in-between, Flint Beat was there to document it all.

So, as residents get ready to ring in 2024, we invite you to join us in reviewing the year (nearly!) behind us with a look at some of Flint Beat’s most-read stories of 2023:

Flint City Councilman Eric Mays found guilty of disorderly conduct

In March, Councilman Eric Mays was found guilty of disorderly conduct following a two-day trial at the 67th District Court. 

Mays’ charge stemmed from an incident in April 2022, when the councilman was removed from a Special Affairs Committee meeting in handcuffs after refusing to leave when his colleagues voted 7-1 for him to do so.

The first ward councilman represented himself in his March 2023 trial, which saw multiple other councilmembers testify including then-Council President Allie Herkenroeder, who resigned in June citing the position’s impact on her personal life and mental health.

“I’m very surprised and disappointed at the verdict,” Mays said on March 10. He later told Flint Beat he thought he would have fared better if more Flintstones were on the jury.

In April, Judge Vikki Bayeh-Haley sentenced Mays to six months probation and a $125 fine for his disorderly conduct charge. Mays appealed the judgment in May, but that appeal is still pending at this time.

Big changes at Flint Farmers’ Market: new vendors, locations, and a take-out window

In January, Flint Beat toured the Flint Farmers’ Market amid vendor movements and the promise of multiple new businesses coming to the space.

Since then, former market-staple Spectacular Spudz opened in a new downtown Flint location, I Love Pig has served hundreds of arepas and Cuban sandwiches from its cheery pink space near the building’s south entrance, and food-truck-turned-market-vendor, Mr. Prince’s Tacos, opened to happy fans this spring.

Aside from new indoor vendors — which also included A.T. Sweets Bakery, DuVall’s Dogs, Snacky Brown, LLC and Natural Effecxs — the market’s longtime caffeine connoisseur Penny’s Cafe began offering take-out window service on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Additionally, Tim and Erin Archuleta, the couple behind soon-to-open Lucky Cat Flint, made progress on their build out.

In a Dec. 13 update email, Erin told Flint Beat the Lucky Cat team will be ready “to welcome customers with grab and go seasonal Japanese food by the new year” and are “excited to offer sushi, salads, and grab and go bites, as well as seasonal dishes, highlighting the incredible ingredients Michigan has to offer” in 2024.

The District, branded as a safe space, set to open in Flint

In June, former downtown Flint restaurant 501 Bar & Grill rebranded as The District, promising to be a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and all others who walked through its doors.

The announcement was met with mixed response from the community, and ultimately representatives for the restaurant shared on Oct. 15 that The District would close until spring after struggling to attract customers amid construction work on Saginaw Street.

Fast-casual restaurant The Poke Bowl opens in Flint

After years of setbacks, brothers Justin Bush and Jeron Dotson opened a fast casual restaurant at the corner of University Avenue and Frost Street on Aug. 31.

The restaurant, called The Poke Bowl, offers an array of acai and poke bowls – the latter being a traditionally Hawaiian marinated raw fish and rice dish.

Since opening, the brothers have expanded their hours to 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday and added new menu items, including zucchini noodles and smoked salmon.

“People were asking for cooked options, like the same proteins we have but cooked,” Dotson told Flint Beat on Dec. 13. “So we were quick to respond to that.”

Aside from new items and longer hours, The Poke Bowl has also added a mural to its interior wall, which features Japanese anime-style characters eating poke against a backdrop of Flint landmarks.

Dotson said he and Bush plan to expand on their love of anime and video games in 2024 by hosting video game tournaments as well as partnering with Mott Community College and Slice of Flint to develop a special Dragon Ball Z interactive experience around the city.

Meet the entrepreneur behind Flint’s first trolley pub

In early fall, Flint City Council approved changes to city ordinances that made “commercial quadricycles,” or “peddle pubs,” possible downtown.

Denise Morgan had been following the proposed changes and was first to launch a peddle pub business in Flint, called Morgan’s Trolley Pub, to early success and social media visibility.

“I wanted to bring something new to Flint,” Morgan said in her September interview with Flint Beat. “I am invested into my city.”

Since launching, Morgan said she’s appreciated “all the love and support” she’s received from the community. She added that while Morgan’s Trolley Pub is on hiatus for the winter, she is expanding to a second trolley in 2024 and expects to restart downtown Flint rides “when the weather breaks” in spring.

Flint’s Saginaw Street restoration project hits a road block

In late September, Flint Beat broke the news that the wrong type of material was used to “bed and lock” historic bricks on the first sections of long-anticipated restoration work on downtown Saginaw Street.

The project, taking place from Court Street to the Flint River, will see the replacement of most of the segment’s sidewalks and under-road infrastructure — such as the replacement of a 100 year-old water main — alongside restoring and supplementing the roadway’s bricks by July 2024.

The material mistake saw contractors re-do multiple blocks of brickwork throughout this fall and winter to the dismay of multiple downtown business owners impacted by the project’s road closures.

Construction on Saginaw Street was paused for the winter on Dec. 7. City Communications Director Caitie O’Neill told Flint Beat it is set to resume in April 2024.

A Flint resident’s home was nearly rezoned without his knowledge

In late April, a Central Park neighborhood resident was surprised to learn his home was up for rezoning at a Flint Planning Commission meeting. 

Flint Beat followed along as he navigated the tricky territory of understanding the city’s zoning policy, considering the wishes of neighbors and friends, and honoring his own opinion on what should happen with his home – now and in the future.

Did you have a favorite story this year? Tell us below in the comments.