Joey Oliver

Michigan

Cops and Courts Reporter at The Flint Journal

Cops and Courts Reporter at MLive

I cover Bay City government, business, etc. for @mlive and the @baycitytimes.

Articles

Hello, Bay City: Let’s revive community dialogue, one cup at a time

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

There was a time when newsrooms weren’t so tucked away. It was when a journalist was someone you might bump into on the sidewalk, someone whose office you could find just by wandering a little off Main Street. Unfortunately, times—like the industry—have changed. Offices are now tucked away in shared, unsigned spaces. There’s a quiet invisibility to the work now—a paradox, given that journalism is about presence, about showing up.
Great Lakes Bay Pride Festival, After Party Drag Show return June 28

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

SAGINAW, MI — The Great Lakes Bay Pride Festival is set to bring color, community, and celebration to downtown Saginaw on Saturday, June 28. Taking place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Jolt Credit Union Event Park, 300 Johnson St., the free, family-friendly event welcomes LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, and families from across the region. Festivalgoers can look forward to a lively day filled with retail vendors, community resource booths, live entertainment, and a dedicated children’s activity area.
Bay City bridge disaster: When the Third Street span fell into the river

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – It was in the quiet predawn darkness of Bay City that the Third Street Bridge—born of steel and ambition in 1889—gave up the ghost. Sixty feet of the swing span’s west side cracked and surrendered to gravity, while the eastern end dipped, as if curtsying to history, into the dark waters of the Saginaw River. The bridge folded in on itself, as if enacting the final scene of a long, weathered drama.
Bay City 1st Ward commission seat: 11 candidates to interview June 23

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – Eleven people, a group comprised of former journalists and others with strong community ties, have applied for Bay City’s vacant commission seat representing the 1st Ward. The vacancy exists because former commissioner Stephen Prince, who at the time was also the commission president, resigned earlier this year. Meanwhile, the city is beginning the application process for its 5th Ward vacancy. Applications for the 5th Ward seat are being accepted until Aug. 4.
Auburn Cornfest returns: What to know about the 2025 summer festival

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

AUBURN, MI — The Auburn Cornfest is back as it celebrates its 52nd year with five days of entertainment, carnival rides, contests, and community spirit. Hosted by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, the beloved summertime event kicks off Wednesday, June 18, and runs through Sunday, June 22, promising a packed schedule for festivalgoers of all ages.
Headliner out at Bay City Fireworks Festival, new musical act announced

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – One of the top performers slated to play at this year’s Bay City Fireworks Festival is out, but another popular band has been added to the lineup. Josey Scott, the front man for the band Saliva, will no longer be performing, event organizers announced Wednesday, June 18. The removal of Scott from this year’s festival lineup is due to a show book by his previous management, festival organizers said.
Revamped Maplewood Park in Bay City to debut new sports complex

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – The revitalization of one of Bay City’s eastside parks could make it not only a destination for families across the city but for the entire region. The expansive Maplewood Park, located at First and North Sheridan streets, has recently gotten a facelift thanks in part to the efforts of Michigan Sugar Co. Communications Director Rob Clark and Ayre/Rhinehart Bay City real estate agent Ali Smith. “I’m really excited,” Clark said. “The spark for this idea was 2018.
M-13 resurfacing in Bay City: What drivers need to know

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – Nighttime lane closures are scheduled for a stretch of M-13, otherwise known as Euclid Avenue, in Bay City later this month as the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) plans resurfacing work. MDOT will be resurfacing M-13 from Wilder Road to Keisel Road beginning Sunday, June 22, according to a news release. The resurfacing work is part of a $330,000 project. The work will begin at 9 p.m. June 22 and the overnight closures are expected to end at about 4 a.m. June 25.
Bay City Commission approves settlement in State Theatre bankruptcy case

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – The Bay City Commission formally approved an undisclosed settlement Monday, June 16, between the city and the trustee representing the State Theatre. The commission voted 7-0 to approve the term sheet for the city’s involvement as a party in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Eastern Michigan case State Theatre of Bay City/Bay County v. Clements Electric, Inc., Serenus Johnson & Son Construction Co, Inc., and City of Bay City.
Prayer remains in Bay City Commission meetings after vote fails

1 week ago | mlive.com | Joey Oliver

BAY CITY, MI – Prayer will continue in Bay City Commission meetings. The commission voted 4-2 Monday, June 16, to remove the invocation that has been a staple of the meeting ritual for more than 70 years. However, because the removal was a special order amending the Code of Ordinances, it required five votes to be changed. “It should be time to get to work,” said Alexander Dewitt, Bay City’s 6th Ward Commissioner and the person who proposed the change.

Journalists covering the same region

Shawn Robinson

Sports Writer at Wilmington News Journal

Shawn Robinson primarily covers news in the Mid-Michigan region, including areas around Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan, United States.

Steven Haupt

Editor at Gladwin County Record

Steven Haupt primarily covers news in the Mid-Michigan region, including areas around Bay City and Saginaw, Michigan, United States.

Mike Bohn

Senior Reporter at USA Today

Combat Sports Reporter at Rolling Stone

Senior Reporter at MMA Junkie

Mike Bohn primarily covers news in Seattle, Washington, United States, with frequent articles also focusing on Montreal, Quebec, Canada and Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.