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78-588: Oahu Music was founded in Flint, Michigan in 1926 by Harry G. Stanley and his half-brother George Bronson. The two men later parted ways and Stanley became sole owner. In the Great Depression of the 1930s, many Americans had little money to spend on extra items such as musical instruments, but acoustic steel guitars were available for the relatively low price of seven dollars, including case, bar, picks, nut adapter, and lessons. The company thrived even through

156-522: A Birmingham, Alabama based company, became the first to build a production facility in Flint's former Buick City site, purchasing the property from the RACER Trust . Commercially, local organizations have attempted to pool their resources in the central business district and to expand and bolster higher education at four local institutions. Examples of their efforts include the following: Similar to

234-525: A $ 6 million public safety millage on the ballot and sold Genesee Towers to a development group for $ 1 to demolish the structure. The board certified the referendum petition on August 8, returning the previous Emergency Financial Manager Law into effect. With Brown previously temporary mayor for the last few years, he was ineligible to be the Emergency Financial Manager. Ed Kurtz was once again appointed Emergency Financial Manager by

312-472: A brief period, all Chevrolets and Buicks were built in Flint. The first Ladies' Library Association in Michigan was started in Flint in 1851 in the home of Maria Smith Stockton, daughter of the founder of the community. This library, initially private, is considered the precursor of the current Flint Public Library. In 1904, local entrepreneur William C. Durant was brought in to manage Buick, which became

390-525: A cautionary sign warning of falling debris was put on the sidewalk in front of it. An investment company purchased the building for $ 1, and it was demolished (by implosion ) on December 22, 2013. Typical of southeastern Michigan, Flint has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 6a. Winters are cold, with moderate snowfall and temperatures not rising above freezing on an average 52 days annually, while dropping to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on an average 9.3 days

468-623: A fur trader on cordial terms with both the local Ojibwe and the territorial government, founded a trading post at the Grand Traverse of the Flint River. On several occasions, Smith negotiated land exchanges with the Ojibwe on behalf of the U.S. government, and he was highly regarded on both sides. Smith apportioned many of his holdings to his children. As the ideal stopover on the overland route between Detroit and Saginaw , Flint grew into

546-592: A hit record. Doug Jernigan a steel guitarist born in Pensacola, Florida, took lessons from Oahu as a youth in the late 1950s. He played country music on a lap steel, then went to pedal steel. He became a successful session musician in Nashville and branched out into jazz, making nine instrumental albums in both jazz and country genres. He is a frequent performer on the Grand Ole Opry and was inducted into

624-864: A lawsuit was filed by labor union AFSCME , and a restraining order was issued against Brown, his appointment was found to be in violation of the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and Mayor Walling and the City Council had their powers returned. The state immediately filed an emergency appeal, claiming the financial emergency still existed. On March 26, the appeal was granted, putting Brown back in power. Brown and several unions agreed to new contract terms in April. Brown unveiled his fiscal year 2013 budget on April 23. It included cuts in nearly every department including police and fire, as well as higher taxes. An Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District

702-487: A magazine called " The Guitarist " in the late 1930s which was sent to their mail order students worldwide. The name was later changed to " Music Magazine ". It was largely a promotional tool to keep students interested, but also an advertising means for Oahu products. The company sold guitars, amplifiers, sheet music, and accessories Their acoustic Oahu-brand instruments were made for them by several manufacturers including Kay ( Harmony , Valco ) and Rickenbacker . However,

780-588: A major player in the nascent auto industry. Buick Motor Company, after a rudimentary start in Detroit, soon moved to Flint. AC Spark Plug originated in Flint. These were followed by several now-defunct automobile marques such as the Dort , Little , Flint , and Mason brands. Chevrolet's first (and for many years, main) manufacturing facility was also in Flint, although the Chevrolet headquarters were in Detroit. For

858-682: A major population center as well as for its importance to the automotive industry. A freighter named after the city, the SS City of Flint , was the first US ship to be captured during the Second World War, in October 1939. The vessel was later sunk in 1943. On June 8, 1953, the Flint-Beecher tornado , a large F5 tornado , struck the city, killing 116 people. The city's population peaked in 1960 at almost 200,000, at which time it

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936-632: A major union, leading to widespread unionization in US industry. The successful mediation of the strike by Governor Frank Murphy , culminating in a one-page agreement recognizing the Union and rehiring workers fired due to strike participation began an era of successful organizing by the UAW. The city was a major contributor of tanks and other war machines during World War II due to its extensive manufacturing facilities. For decades, Flint remained politically significant as

1014-597: A noted steel guitarist for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys . Remington took lessons from the company as a child in South Bend, Indiana . He took sixty lessons from Oahu and was taught using a number system. Remington said, "You don't learn notes, but if you have an ear, you can take off from there." He recalled a 1941 music festival that included 1500 children in Oahu's program from a three or four state area to play

1092-432: A plan in Detroit, Flint is in the process of tearing down thousands of abandoned homes to create available real estate. As of June 2009, approximately 1,100 homes have been demolished in Flint, with one official estimating another 3,000 more will have to be torn down. On September 30, 2011, Governor Rick Snyder appointed an eight-member team to review Flint's financial state with a request to report back in 30 days (half

1170-418: A public health emergency due to lead contamination in parts of the local water supply as well as an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease . The acute lead crisis has been addressed as the city has secured a new source of clean water, installed modern copper pipes to nearly every home, and distributed filters to all residents who want them. However, a legacy of distrust in public authorities remains. The region

1248-421: A small but prosperous village and incorporated in 1855. The 1860 U.S. census indicated that Genesee County had a population of 22,498 of Michigan's 750,000. In the latter half of the 19th century, Flint became a center of the Michigan lumber industry. Revenue from lumber funded the establishment of a local carriage-making industry. As horse-drawn carriages gave way to the automobiles, Flint then naturally grew into

1326-575: A steel guitar recital including " Stars and Stripes Forever " at Chicago's Soldier Field . Remington was one of Western swing 's most popular steel guitarists and was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame . Bud Isaacs was another hall of fame (1994) steel guitarist who took Oahu courses as a youth. Isaacs' mother enrolled him in Oahu's school located above the local confectionary in Bedford, Indiana about 1938. Isaacs did not care for

1404-492: A subregion of Flint/Tri-Cities. It is located along the Flint River, which flows through Lapeer , Genesee, and Saginaw counties and is 78.3 mi (126.0 km) long. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 34.06 square miles (88.21 km ), of which, 33.42 square miles (86.56 km ) is land and 0.64 square miles (1.66 km ) is water. Flint lies just to

1482-521: A year; summers are warm to hot with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 9.0 days. The monthly daily mean temperature ranges from 23.0 °F (−5.0 °C) in January to 70.9 °F (21.6 °C) in July. Official temperature extremes range from 108 °F (42 °C) on July 8 and 13, 1936 down to −25 °F (−32 °C) on January 18, 1976, and February 20, 2015; the record low maximum

1560-596: Is semi-pro football at Atwood Stadium with the Flint Fury. Atwood is an 11,000+ seat stadium in downtown Flint which has hosted many events, including baseball. When artificial turf was installed, it was no longer able to host baseball games. The Flint Fury have been in action since 2003, and are currently a part of the Great Lakes Football League . The team was founded by two of its players; Charles Lawler and Prince Goodson, who both played for

1638-497: Is River Village, an example of gentrification via mixed-income public housing. To the east of I-475 is Central Park and Fairfield Village. These are the only two neighborhoods between UM-Flint and Mott Community College and enjoy strong neighborhood associations. Central Park piloted a project to convert street lights to LED and is defined by seven cul-de-sacs. The North Side and 5th Ward are predominantly African American, with such historic districts as Buick City and Civic Park on

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1716-465: Is an American pedal steel guitarist and Dobro player. He is known for his infusion of country music with jazz using fast single-note solos. He was one of the first steel guitarists to play solos at speeds rivaling the banjo and fiddle. Jernigan performed with Faron Young , Johnny Paycheck , Vassar Clements , Little Jimmy Dickens , and Lorrie Morgan and was a Nashville recording session musician and teacher for decades. As of 2020, he has been

1794-738: Is moderate and somewhat evenly-distributed throughout the year, although the warmer months average more, averaging 31.97 inches (812 mm) annually, but historically ranging from 18.08 in (459 mm) in 1963 to 45.38 in (1,153 mm) in 1975. Snowfall, which typically falls in measurable amounts between November 12 through April 9 (occasionally in October and very rarely in May), averages 52.1 inches (132 cm) per year, although historically ranging from 16.0 in (41 cm) in 1944–45 to 85.3 in (217 cm) in 2017–18. A snow depth of 1 in (2.5 cm) or more occurs on an average 64 days, with 53 days from December to February. As of

1872-426: Is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Michigan with a population of 406,892 in 2020. The city was incorporated in 1855. Flint was founded as a village by fur trader Jacob Smith in 1819 and became a major lumbering area on the historic Saginaw Trail during the 19th century. From the late 19th century to the mid 20th century, the city was a leading manufacturer of carriages and later automobiles , earning it

1950-536: Is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan , United States. Located along the Flint River , 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Detroit , it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan . At the 2020 census , Flint had a population of 81,252, making it the twelfth-most populous city in Michigan. The Flint metropolitan area is located entirely within Genesee County. It

2028-726: Is the site of the Applewood Mott Estate, and Mott Community College, the Cultural Center , and East Village , one of Flint's more prosperous areas. The surrounding neighborhood is called the College/Cultural Neighborhood, with a strong neighborhood association, lower crime rate and stable housing prices. Just north is Eastside Proper, also known as the State Streets, and has much of Flint's Hispanic community. The West Side includes

2106-451: Is −4 °F (−20 °C) on January 18, 1994 , while, conversely the record high minimum is 79 °F (26 °C) on July 18, 1942. Decades may pass between readings of 100 °F (38 °C) or higher, which last occurred July 17, 2012 . The average window for freezing temperatures is October 8 thru May 7, allowing a growing season of 153 days. On June 8, 1953, Flint was hit by an F5 tornado , which claimed 116 lives. Precipitation

2184-554: The Detroit Free Press stated that area community leaders stated that the Hispanic and Latino people made up close to 6% of the city population, while the city also had 142 Arab-American families. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, slightly over 1% of Flint's population was born outside the U.S., and over three-quarters of that foreign-born population have become naturalized citizens. There

2262-471: The Emmons Guitar Company produced Jernigan's first album, Uptown To Country . Since then, he has been the featured artist on nine instrumental albums. His interest in jazz led to record label ( Flying Fish ) pairing him with jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli for a jazz album. Jernigan said, "I explained to him [Pizzarelli] that I was basically a country player. What we were trying to do

2340-634: The November 4, 2014 , ballot with the charter review commission proposal passing along with reduction of mayoral staff appointments and budgetary amendments. Proposals which would eliminate certain executive departments, the Civil Service Commission and the ombudsman office were defeated. Flint elected a nine-member Charter Review Commission on May 5, 2015. With Earley appointed to be emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools on January 13, 2015 , city financial adviser Jerry Ambrose

2418-507: The census of 2010, there were 102,434 people, 40,472 households, and 23,949 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,065.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,183.4/km ). There were 51,321 housing units at an average density of 1,535.6 units per square mile (592.9 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 56.6% African American , 37.4% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of

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2496-878: The necks to E9 and C6 . Jernigan said, "I played that guitar until it just about fell apart". By age fourteen, Jernigan was playing on the weekends at VFW and Legion Halls in the Pensacola area. He said his most powerful influences were Emmons, Bud Isaacs and Jimmy Day . At age 16, Jernigan had been playing only basic county music with three chords. He and a hometown friend, Clyde Kendricks, became interested in other genres including jazz; he began playing standards such as " Tenderly " and " Moonlight in Vermont ", learning some improvisation, which would serve him well later in his career. He moved to Nashville after high school and played at various clubs. At 18, he moved to Georgia to play in clubs, then to Ohio to join guitarist Gary Adams with whom he recorded an album. He

2574-439: The phonograph needle for him until he could duplicate the recorded passage. He received his first pedal steel guitar at age 12, a Fender 1000 double-neck. Not long afterward, he attended a convention in Nashville where he met Buddy Emmons , who was nine years his senior. Emmons invited him to bring his guitar to Emmons' house to get it customized to the "Nashville setup". Emmons added another pedal (making nine), and tuned

2652-473: The stock market crash of 1929 and subsequently ran a bowling alley in Flint until the time of his death in 1947. The city's mayors were targeted for recall twice, Mayor David R. Cuthbertson in 1924 and Mayor William H. McKeighan in 1927. Recall supporters in both cases were jailed by the police. Cuthbertson had angered the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) by the appointment of a Catholic police chief. The KKK led

2730-429: The "Green Slate" of candidates who won in 1931 and 1932 and he was select as mayor in 1931. In 1935, the city residents approved a charter amendment establishing the Civil Service Commission. For the last century, Flint's history has been dominated by both the auto industry and car culture. The Sit-Down Strike of 1936–1937 saw the fledgling United Automobile Workers triumph over General Motors and establish itself as

2808-645: The Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board. Two lawsuits were filed in September 2012, one by the city council against Kurtz's appointment, while another was against the state in Ingham County Circuit Court claiming the old emergency financial manager law remains repealed. On November 30, State Treasurer Andy Dillon announced the financial emergency was still ongoing, and the emergency manager

2886-474: The Hawaiian music he was being taught, preferring the jazzier Western swing music (and tunings) of Noel Boggs . Nevertheless, Isaacs persisted in his studies. He went on to perform professionally with country artists including Red Foley , Little Jimmy Dickens , and Chet Atkins on the road and in recording sessions. Isaacs made country music history in 1954 as the first person to play pedal steel guitar on

2964-546: The Mid-West and the Mid-Atlantic. Since the late 1960s through the end of the 20th century, Flint has suffered from disinvestment , deindustrialization , depopulation and urban decay , as well as high rates of crime, unemployment and poverty. Initially, this took the form of " white flight " that afflicted many urban industrialized American towns and cities. Given Flint's role in the automotive industry, this decline

3042-499: The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1994. Lloyd Green is another Hall of Fame steel player who began with Oahu. In 1944 at age seven Green's family was told he was too young for Oahu lessons, the minimum age being fourteen. After a "test lesson" showed his aptitude, the rule was waived. Green played on thousands of country music recordings over a quarter-century beginning in the mid-1960s. Flint, Michigan Flint

3120-540: The area from a high of 80,000 in 1978 to under 8,000 by 2010. From 1960 to 2010, the population of the city nearly halved, from 196,940 to 102,434. In the mid-2000s, Flint became known for its comparatively high crime rates and has repeatedly been ranked among the most dangerous cities in the United States according to crime statistics. The city was under a state of financial emergency from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2015. From 2014 to 2019, Flint faced

3198-566: The board on February 17, 2004, the City Retirement Board agreed to four proposals reducing the amount of the city's contribution into the system. On March 24, Kurtz indicated that he would raise the City Council's and the mayor's pay, and in May, Kurtz laid off 10 workers as part of 35 job cuts for the 2004–05 budget. In June 2004, Kurtz reported that the financial emergency was over. In November 2013, American Cast Iron Pipe Company ,

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3276-679: The center of manufacturing for and profits from the nation's carriage industry until the 1920s and are the site of many well-preserved Victorian homes and the setting of Atwood Stadium. The University Avenue corridor of Carriage Town is home to the largest concentration of Greek housing in the area, with fraternity houses from both Kettering University, and the University of Michigan-Flint. Chapter houses include Phi Delta Theta , Sigma Alpha Epsilon , Delta Chi , Theta Chi , Lambda Chi Alpha , Theta Xi , Alpha Phi Alpha , Phi Gamma Delta , and Delta Tau Delta Fraternities. Just north of downtown

3354-454: The city's southwestern corner); Powertrain North, Flint Tool and Die and Delphi East. The largest plant, Buick City, and adjacent facilities have been demolished. Half of Flint's fourteen tallest buildings were built during the 1920s. The 19-story Genesee Towers, formerly the city's tallest building, was completed in 1968. The building became unused in later years and fell into severe disrepair:

3432-406: The city's voters recalled Mayor Woodrow Stanley . On May 22, Governor John Engler declared a financial emergency in Flint, and on July 8 the state appointed an emergency financial manager , Ed Kurtz. The emergency financial manager displaced the temporary mayor, Darnell Earley , in the city administrator position. In August 2002, city voters elected former Mayor James Rutherford to finish

3510-413: The company's electric lap steel models (with amplifiers) were made in-house by Oahu technicians. In 1950, accordion teaching programs were added to the company's offerings, along with Oahu's own brand of accordions imported from Italy. Harry Stanley died of a heart attack in 1970. His wife managed the company until it closed in 1985. One of Oahu's young pupils in the 1930s was Herb Remington , who became

3588-745: The defunct Flint Falcons semi-pro team. The team is now solely owned by Lawler. The 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II , born and raised in Grand Blanc, attended his final year of high school at Flint Southwestern Academy. He won the Heisman with 1304 total votes. Ingram attended the University of Alabama and is their first Heisman winner. He was a member of the National Champion 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team . Doug Jernigan Doug Jernigan (born January 5, 1946)

3666-520: The fact that anticorrosive measures were not implemented. After two independent studies, lead poisoning caused by the water was found in the area's population. This has led to several lawsuits, the resignation of several officials, fifteen criminal indictments, and a federal public health state of emergency for all of Genesee County. Flint lies in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan . Flint and Genesee County can be categorized as

3744-554: The featured artist on nine instrumental albums in both jazz and country genres. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1994. Jernigan was born in 1946 in Pensacola, Florida , to a family that was supportive of his musical talent, but were not musicians themselves. When he was nine years old his father bought him a lap steel guitar . He took lessons using the Oahu method using tablature for about six months. He said

3822-439: The governor's home. The next day, Brown filed a financial and operating plan with the state as mandated by law. The next month, each ward in the city had a community engagement meeting hosted by Brown. Governor Snyder on March 7 made a statewide public safety message from Flint City Hall that included help for Flint with plans for reopening the Flint lockup and increasing state police patrols in Flint. On March 20, 2012, days after

3900-592: The largest manufacturer of automobiles by 1908. In 1908, Durant founded General Motors (GM), filing incorporation papers in New Jersey, with headquarters in Flint. GM moved its headquarters to Detroit in the mid-1920s. Durant lost control of GM twice during his lifetime. On the first occasion, he befriended Louis Chevrolet and founded Chevrolet, which was a runaway success. He used the capital from this success to buy back share control. He later lost decisive control again, permanently. Durant experienced financial ruin in

3978-498: The legal time for a review). On November 8, Mayor Dayne Walling defeated challenger Darryl Buchanan 8,819 votes (56%) to 6,868 votes (44%). That same day, the Michigan State review panel declared Flint to be in a state of a "local government financial emergency" recommending the state again appoint an emergency manager. On November 14, the City Council voted 7 to 2 to not appeal the state review with Mayor Walling concurring

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4056-408: The lessons were simplified because his teacher really didn't know much about steel guitar, but he was a good musician who gave Jernigan a foundation in music theory . Together, they went through Nick Manoloff books for Spanish guitar and steel guitar. When his teacher moved away, Jernigan's formal lessons ended. His father helped him learn " licks " from records by ear by lifting and replacing

4134-753: The main site of the 1936–37 sit-down strike, the Mott Park neighborhood, Kettering University, and the historic Woodcroft Estates, owned in the past by legendary automotive executives and current home to prominent and historic Flint families such as the Motts, the Manleys, and the Smiths. Facilities associated with General Motors in the past and present are scattered throughout the city, including GM Truck and Bus, Flint Metal Center and Powertrain South (clustered together on

4212-477: The mayor. The Receivership Transit Authority Board was formally dissolved by State Treasurer Nick Khouri on April 10, 2018, returning the city to local control. In April 2014, during a financial crisis, state-appointed emergency manager Darnell Earley changed Flint's water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (sourced from Lake Huron ) to the Flint River. The problem was compounded with

4290-496: The name Oahu Publishing Company on his musical instruments. He encouraged his brightest students to purchase franchises for Oahu-owned studios under the name of "Honolulu Conservatory of Music", eventually supplying 1200 teaching studios in the U.S. and Canada. Stanley sold his dealers nearly everything for the studios, including instruments, cases, music, strings, picks, bars, amplifiers and even folding chairs. The company remained profitable even in hard economic times. Eddie Alkire

4368-436: The next day. Governor Snyder appointed Michael Brown as the city's emergency manager. On December 2, Brown dismissed a number of top administrators. Pay and benefits from Flint's elected officials were automatically removed. On December 8, the office of ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission were eliminated by Brown. On January 16, 2012, protestors against the emergency manager law including Flint residents marched near

4446-608: The nickname "Vehicle City". General Motors (GM) was founded in Flint in 1908, and the city grew into an automobile manufacturing powerhouse for GM's Buick and Chevrolet divisions, especially after World War II up until the early 1980s recession . Flint was also the home of a sit-down strike in 1936–37 that played a vital role in the formation of the United Auto Workers . Since the late 1960s, Flint has faced several crises. The city experienced an economic downturn after GM significantly downsized its workforce in

4524-487: The north, and Sugar Hill, Floral Park, and Kent and Elm Parks on the south. Many of these neighborhoods were the original centers of early Michigan blues . The South Side in particular was also a center for multi-racial migration from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Deep South since World War II. These neighborhoods are most often lower income but have maintained some level of economic stratification. The East Side

4602-599: The northeast of the Flint hills. The terrain is low and rolling along the south and east sides, and flatter to the northwest. Flint has several neighborhoods grouped around the center of the city on the four cardinal sides. The downtown business district is centered on Saginaw Street south of the Flint River. Just west, on opposite sides of the river, are Carriage Town (north) and the Grand Traverse Street District (south). Both neighborhoods boast strong neighborhood associations. These neighborhoods were

4680-539: The ombudsman's office. In September, a 4% pay cut was agreed to by the city's largest union. In October, Kurtz moved in favor of infrastructure improvements, authorizing $ 1 million in sewer and road projects. Don Williamson was elected a full-term mayor and sworn in on November 10. In December, city audits reported nearly $ 14 million in reductions in the city deficit. For the 2003–2004 budget year, estimates decreased that amount to between $ 6 million and $ 8 million. With pressure from Kurtz for large layoffs and replacement of

4758-473: The population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 35.7% of the population in 2010, compared to 70.1% in 1970. There were 40,472 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.1% were married couples living together, 29.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who

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4836-457: The recall effort and supported Judson Transue , Cuthbertson's elected successor. Transue however did not remove the police chief. McKeighan survived his recall only to face conspiracy charges in 1928. McKeighan was under investigation for a multitude of crimes which angered city leaders enough to push for changes in the city charter. In 1928, the city adopted a new city charter with a council-manager form of government. Subsequently, McKeighan ran

4914-526: The remainder of Stanley's term of office. On September 24, Kurtz commissioned a salary and wage study for top city officials from an outside accounting and consulting firm. The financial manager then installed a new code enforcement program for annual rental inspections and emergency demolitions. On October 8, Kurtz ordered cuts in pay for the mayor (from $ 107,000 to $ 24,000) and the City Council members (from $ 23,000 to $ 18,000). He also eliminated insurance benefits for most officials. After spending $ 245,000 fighting

4992-544: The return of overpayments to the pension fund. However, in December, the state attorney general stated that emergency financial managers do not have authority over the retirement system. With contract talks stalled, Kurtz stated that there either need to be cuts or layoffs to union employees. That same month, the city's recreation centers were temporarily closed. Emergency measures continued in 2003. In May, Kurtz increased water and sewer bills by 11% and shut down operations of

5070-410: The takeover, the City Council ended the lawsuits on October 14. Immediately thereafter on October 16, a new interim financial plan was put in place by the manager. This plan initiated controls on hiring, overnight travel and spending by city employees. On November 12, Kurtz directed the city's retirement board to stop unusual pension benefits, which had decreased some retiree pensions by 3.5%. Kurtz sought

5148-425: The worst of the depression. Oahu's founder, Harry Stanley had a flair for showmanship. In 1930, he rented space in a nice area of Cleveland and announced the opening of the Oahu school with heavy advertising promotion. "People lined up for blocks to sign up for his programs", said music historian Lorene Ruymar. He soon branched out into publishing as well as manufacturing his own brand of instruments. He chose to use

5226-510: Was drafted in 1965 into the United States Army and sent to Vietnam . One month after returning from Vietnam, he moved to Nashville to do recording session work and perform in clubs as a pedal steel sideman . He played in a Nashville club called the "Demon's Den" where he developed the technique of playing at lightning fast speeds on single note solos that rivaled the speed of fiddles and banjos . In 1970 Ron Lashley of

5304-419: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 33.6 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. In 2016, Niraj Warikoo of

5382-404: Was October 31. He was succeeded by Saginaw city manager (and former Flint temporary mayor) Darnell Earley. Earley formed a blue ribbon committee on governance with 23 members on January 16, 2014, to review city operations and consider possible charter amendments. The blue ribbon committee recommend that the city move to a council-manager government. Six charter amendment proposals were placed on

5460-675: Was a well-known guitarist who taught for the Oahu Music Company in 1929. Born in West Virginia, Alkire himself had learned to play steel guitar from a correspondence course. By 1930 he was persuaded to move to Cleveland , hired by the Oahu Company as a teacher and composer. Alkire performed a nationwide NBC and CBS show of Hawaiian music with the Oahu Serenaders broadcast from Cleveland. The company published

5538-823: Was created by Manager Brown in June 2012 for 11 downtown Flint properties. On July 19, the city pension system was transferred to the Municipal Employees Retirement System by the city's retirement board which led to a legal challenge. On August 3, 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court ordered the state Board of Canvassers to certify a referendum on Public Act 4, the Emergency Manager Law, for the November ballot. Brown made several actions on August 7 including placing

5616-635: Was exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis with spiking oil prices and the U.S. auto industry's subsequent loss of market share to imports, as Japanese manufacturers were producing cars with better fuel economy . In the 1980s, the rate of deindustrialization accelerated again with local GM employment falling from a 1978 high of 80,000 to under 8,000 by 2010. Only 10% of the manufacturing work force from its height remains in Flint. Many factors have been blamed, including outsourcing , offshoring , increased automation , and moving jobs to non-union facilities in right to work states and foreign countries. This decline

5694-665: Was highlighted in the film Roger & Me by Michael Moore (the title refers to Roger B. Smith , the CEO of General Motors during the 1980s). Also highlighted in Moore's documentary was the failure of city officials to reverse the trends with entertainment options (e.g. the now-demolished AutoWorld ) during the 1980s. Moore, a native of Davison (a Flint suburb), revisited Flint in his later movies, including Bowling for Columbine , Fahrenheit 9/11 , and Fahrenheit 11/9 . By 2002, Flint had accrued $ 30 million in debt. On March 5, 2002,

5772-417: Was home to several Ojibwe tribes at the start of the 19th century, with a particularly significant community established near present-day Montrose . The Flint River had several convenient fords which became points of contention among rival tribes, as attested by the presence of nearby arrowheads and burial mounds. Some of the city currently resides atop ancient Ojibwe burial grounds. In 1819, Jacob Smith ,

5850-547: Was selected to finish out the financial emergency with an expected exit in April. On April 30, 2015 , the state moved the city from under an emergency manager receivership to a Receivership Transition Advisory Board. On November 3, 2015, Flint residents elected Karen Weaver as their first female mayor. On January 22, 2016, the Receivership Transition Advisory Board unanimously voted to return some powers, including appointment authority, to

5928-403: Was still needed. Michael Brown was re-appointed Emergency Manager on June 26, 2013, and returned to work on July 8. Flint had an $ 11.3 million projected deficit when Brown started as emergency manager in 2011. The city faced a $ 19.1 million combined deficit from 2012, with plans to borrow $ 12 million to cover part of it. Brown resigned from his position in early September 2013, and his last day

6006-579: Was the second largest city in the state. The decades of the 1950s and 1960s are seen as the height of Flint's prosperity and influence. They culminated with the establishment of many local institutions, most notably the Flint Cultural Center . This landmark remains one of the city's chief commercial and artistic draws to this day. The city's Bishop International Airport was the busiest in Michigan for United Airlines apart from Detroit Metropolitan Airport , with flights to many destinations in

6084-564: Was to show what the steel guitar can be, by teaming up me, a pedal steel guitarist, with a jazz player of the caliber of someone like him". Jernigan prefers the C6 tuning which is better for jazz, but says "I have to play the E9 in Nashville — you know, for making money". In 1977, Jernigan became a Christian and began to play in church and still does today. He has recorded with Betty Jean Robinson , Joe Paul Nichols and many other gospel music groups. He

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