Radio Free Flint with Arthur Busch

Our guest is musician Howard Ryan, a native of Wisconsin who now lives in San Francisco, California. Ryan, also known as Hauras composed a song, "Flint, Michigan," intending to make a social statement about the problems of the beleaguered rust belt city. Ryan is a musician and composer who is known for his work in the drone music genre. He has released several albums and EPs that showcase his unique style of electronic music, which often incorporates elements of experimental and ambient sounds. Ryan is known for his ability to create immersive and atmospheric soundscapes that draw the listener in and transport them to another world. In addition to his solo work, Ryan has collaborated with other artists in the drone music scene and has performed at various music festivals worldwide.Drone music is a subgenre of electronic music characterized by its slow, repetitive rhythms and sustained tones. It often uses synthesizers and electronic instrumentation to create a meditative and ambient soundscape.********************Please visit Band Camp to download a copy of the song Flint, Michigan, or the album In these Coming Days by Hauras.  To obtain other works of music by Hauras and Howard Ryan, please visit the Helen Scarsdale Agency website.Subscribe to the Radio Free Flint Podcast mailing list free of charge. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.

Learn the importance of protecting soil and water resources by conservation. Discover how conservation-minded farmers reduce toxic algae in the Great Lakes.Our podcast guest is Daniel Moilanen, a Fenton area native now living in Flint.  Dan is currently the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD). His leadership in this organization brings conservation-minded farmers together to reduce toxic algal blooms in the Great Lakes by encouraging environmentally sound agricultural techniques.    Dan is a graduate of Albion College. Recently, the Flint-Genesee Chamber of Commerce selected Moilenan as one of 40 Under 40 distinguished young community leaders.Dan Moilanen has a wealth of experience in small business ownership, community service, and political engagement. He is the founder and former owner of Vehicle City Tacos, a popular downtown Flint food truck. His community and political involvement include serving as leader of the Genesee County Democratic Party and the Genesee County Young Democrats.Dan is with us to discuss Michigan environmental issues like soil conservation and better and less harmful agricultural practices that help keep our water resources and wetlands free of harmful pollutants. Michigan is the second largest producer of agricultural commodities in the United States. Outmoded farming practices in Michigan threaten to deplete its rich soil over the next 60 years. Michigan Conservation Districts also helped promote urban hoop farming in Flint and Detroit.  In recent years Dan has continued his interest in music by performing with a SKA Punk Band in the Flint area.  We are sure you will find our guest fun and exciting and learn how important it is to protect our food and water resources through conservation. Visit the Genesee County Conservation District website to learn more about Flint area programs and projects.  Subscribe to the Radio Free Flint Podcast mailing list free of charge. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.

Potholes and crumbling infrastructure are major dilemmas for aging Michigan rustbelt cities like Flint, Michigan.  We discuss how the roads got so bad and how to fix the problem with road and infrastructure expert Dr. John Daly. Providing good roads cost money.  In Michigan, the primary source of money for roads is a 7-cent per gallon tax at the gas pump. In Germany, they tax themselves over two bucks a gallon of gas to have a great road. Why is this so difficult for a state that put America on wheels?  Rustbelt cities face more than just aging infrastructure. Many towns and cities like Flint, Michigan, whose water crisis exposed failing pipelines, also have failing roads, bridges, and storm drain systems. This urban crisis is felt in higher expenses for motorists to repair their cars after dodging potholes. Bad roads and public infrastructure result in lost economic development opportunities.  Dr. Daly discusses his assessment of Flint's declining infrastructure and the cost of fixing the roads to an acceptable level.   Daly shares his opinion about the viability of the city and its future. The wildcard to finding a solution to fixing aging roads and bridges is leadership. In places like Flint, Michigan, there is a screaming need for creative solutions to its hollowed-out city with blocks and blocks of vacant homes. While a vacant house can be torn down, the near-bankrupt municipality must maintain the aging paved roads in front of those houses. Is the answer downsizing or shrinking the cit? How difficult is that to d   Get some answers to these questions and others?Please share your thoughts with us by email or voice message.Subscribe to the Radio Free Flint Podcast mailing list free of charge. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.

Midnight in Vehicle City by author Edward McClelland tells the gripping story of how workers defeated General Motors, the largest industrial corporation in the world. The workers' victory ushered in the golden age of the American middle class and created a new kind of America in which every worker had a right to share the company's wealth.Listen to a clip of a stirring archival speech by the late Walter P. Ruether, former President of the United Automobile Workers Union. Ruether's words hit a note, given today's struggle to protect democracy.The conversation examines the impact the strike made on the culture of Flint, Michigan, and its people. Does the intensive local activism of 1937 that spurred the birth of the UAW still exist today in Flint?Now that the 1937 sit-down strikers are gone, why does the labor movement still celebrate this strike? What did this historical confrontation between the UAW and General Motors accomplish? Did the famous strike help build the American middle class?Please visit the author's website if you want more information about author Edward McClelland and to purchase his book Midnight in the Vehicle City or any of his other books.Watch Video: Babies and Banners: Story of the Women's Emergency Brigade (1979). Oscar-nominated documentary about the women who battled the police to help and support their striking husbands inside the GM auto factories of Flint, Michigan.Watch Video: The Flint Sit-Down Strike and White Shirt Day. A video about the history of the historic strike. The UAW produced it.The song "1937" in the podcast introduction and outro were written by David O. Norris and Dan Hall and performed by Dan Hall and a local choir of UAW members.   Many thanks to them and UAW Region 1-D for their assistance in producing this song.The historical photographs included on the Radio Free Flint episodes page are courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USF34-9058-C]Subscribe to the Radio Free Flint Podcast mailing list free of charge. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.

Millions of American "Snowbirds" seasonally migrate from the Rust Belt to the Sunbelt. They seek more comfortable, warmer climates during the cold winters "up north." Many of the Snowbirds also come from Canada.What is a "Snowbird," and why do they want to move around the country chasing the sunshine? Is there something this lifestyle says about us and our culture? Have our patterns of life mimicked the ducks and the geese?  In this essay, Arthur Busch explains why he became a Snowbird and how he feels about leaving his home and family behind in Michigan to head for the Suncoast of Florida. Arthur discusses what has become an attainable lifestyle for many from blue-collar regions of America. Is being a Snowbird part of the working-class culture? For many in Michigan who spent careers working in the automobile industry, the answer is YES!

Musician George Winters has performed for audiences for over 50 years across America.  The Michigan native is well-known in music venues in southeastern Michigan for his fabulous keyboard skills, especially on a Hammond organ.  George plays the keyboard, guitar, and harmonica and also sings. This podcast includes a conversation with George Winters about his long career and several unreleased tracks that include his distinctive mellow jazz and upbeat popular music.  Winters shares his story about how his music career started and grew in and around Flint and Detroit, Michigan.  In this podcast interview, he talks about how the troubles of the automobile industry affected the life of local musicians in Michigan.  The son of a Hammond B3 organ salesman, George got his musical start very early in life in Flushing, Michigan. He entertained the audience during local theater intermission as a child by playing the organ.George shares stories about his interactions with former Detroit Tiger star pitcher Dennis McClain, who also was an organist.  Winters tells of his amusing experience delivering a Hammond B3 organ to the home of Mark Farner of the Rock Band Grand Funk Railroad.    In recent years he has toured the country in clubs that host dueling pianos. George has produced five compact disc recordings. The first, entitled "The Seed" was completed in 1994 and was recorded in less than two hours. "The Seed" was picked up by major retailers in Michigan, including Harmony House, prompting some local success. George's second effort, "Rhythm," released in 1998, comprises mostly original music with instrumentation including the Hammond B3, drums, bass, guitar, and piano.His love of the dueling pianos concept also began in 1998 at JD's Key Club in Pontiac, MI, and continues to this day. You can see George at select Dueling Pianos clubs - click on "show dates" on his web page for a complete schedule.With the release of his fifth CD, "Back to the B3" George hopes to put his music into more hands than ever, using the internet medium to deliver his creations. "Back to the B3" will be available soon from online retailers such as iTunes, or you can order directly from this website.

This is a conversation with Sarah Carson about her book of poems, How to Baptize a Child, in Flint, MI. Carson's poems are a jarring portrayal of life in a declining, once mighty, and still proud American rustbelt town. Spanning girlhood to motherhood, How to Baptize a Child in Flint, Michigan, traces the lineage of four generations of a Flint, Michigan family--from the trailer park to the factory floor to, perhaps, a future far away. These poems examine the wreckage of the American Dream and ask who will answer for the promises we were made to believe as children: God? Industry? America? If we are all a part of the problem, are we also all a part of the cure?************************************This book won the 2022 Lexi Rudnitsky Editors Choice Award, a poetry collection that portrays quintessentially American struggles and hopes.***********************************Carson peeks inside the windows of Flint's working class with a searing indictment of a society responsible for the ghastly moral failures resulting in massive unemployment and poisoned water.  The featured poem, How to Baptise a Child in Flint, Michigan, raises the disquieting thought of baptizing a baby with poisoned water. This leaves the reader to consider the sacred rites of baptism, with its biblical foundation in the concept of grace and mercy, all while harming an innocent baby with poisoned water.  Carson's brilliant and expressive description of life in a formerly middle-class city, along with her subtle references to the biblical principles of grace and mercy, that this poetry finds its genius.************************************Sarah Carson was born in Flint, Michigan. She now lives in East Lansing, Michigan, with her daughter and two dogs, who make a guest appearance on the podcast. After college, she spent ten years working with literary organizations in Chicago, including the Poetry Foundation and Switchback Books.  Sarah is the author of two prose poetry collections, Buick City (Mayapple Press, 2015) and Poems in which You Die (BatCat Press), as well as the forthcoming How to Baptize a Child in Flint, Michigan (Persea Books, Nov 1, 2022). Her poetry and other writing have appeared in Diagram, Brevity, Guernica, the Minnesota Review, and others. You can read more of her work at stuffsarahwrote.com********************************This book of poetry will be available on November 1, 2022, at the following retailers and is now available for pre-print orders:Amazon BooksPersea BooksBarnes and Noble Books

Emily Doerr is a candidate for the Flint Community Schools Board of Education. The election will be on November 8, 2022. She joined a slate of four other individuals running to serve the Flint Community Schools. These candidates agree on core principles governing their service on the Board of Education should they be elected on November 8, 2022. The other candidates on the slate are Dylan Luna, Terae King Jr, Melody L. Relerford, and Michael Clack.The Flint Community Schools are at a crossroads facing dwindling student enrollment, financial deficits, and decisions about rebuilding school buildings. In recent years the Flint Board of Education has experienced dysfunction of its governing board. Those seeking election in Flint will face enormous challenges in fixing the school district.  For the first time in recent memory, five respected and accomplished residents have joined together to seek to bring energetic leadership to focus on Flint's young scholars and the school district. This podcast discusses the problems facing the Flint Community Schools and possible solutions. Our podcast guest discusses her team's philosophy and plans should the voters elect them.Radio Free Flint is not endorsing any candidates for the Flint School Board but seeks to bring forward information about the school district's problems. Our podcast guest is only the second political candidate we have ever interviewed. Flint Board of Education candidates appears on the non-partisan portion of the ballot. Emily Doerr is our podcast guest. She is a Flint native and has an impressive education and resume. Doerr is a leader in the State of Michigan on community development and land use policy issues. She is also a Flintstone with deep roots in the community. Emily received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Central Michigan University and a Master's in Business Administration from Detroit Mercy.View YouTube Interview of Emily Doerr with Spectacle TV with Paul Herringhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-OCiLdazC0Candidate Profile, Emily Doerr by Flint Beat (E-Newsletter)https://flintbeat.com/meet-flint-board-of-ed-candidate-emily-doerr/

Is it possible to make Flint laugh? If anyone can, it's Flint native Bryan McCree, a nationally known comedian, actor, and writer. He regularly tours America with shows marked by their insight into American culture and the oddities of life in our country. He is particularly astute at using humor to make us laugh at ourselves.  In this interview, Byran shares hilarious clips of his shows featuring humor about Flint, making the audience laugh at itself and its stereotypes about race and being poor. Byran has regularly appeared on Comedy Central, Mad TV, NBC, and Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen. He is the nephew of the late Floyd J. McCree, former Mayor of Flint. Mayor McCree was a  Michigan Civil Rights icon. Bryan's father was a jazz virtuoso, and his Great Aunt was a Broadway legend.   The Jherri curled comic has shared the stage with comedians such as Sinbad, George Wallace, and Robert Shimmel and with the group, The Isley Brothers. Bryan is a hilarious man with a demeanor and acting skills that can keep an audience in tears with laughter.He spent years acting at Flint's McCree Theater, a venue named after his famous uncle. It was there he honed his stagecraft skills and charm. Comedy allows McCree to assume himself as the character in his one-man shows.   He does all this with tremendous wit, insight, and a natural stage presence.  In this interview, he shares his life growing up in Flint, his family,  attending Flint Southwestern High School, etc. He shares humorous antidotes about his younger days in Flint. Bryan tells of giving comedy shows to his classmates on the school bus each morning on their way to school. He laughs at the neighborhood days of playing the game of twelve. He never gives up on his beleaguered hometown.  McCree describes what it is like to live in a blue-collar town like Flint, Michigan. He reflects a good-natured poke at his audiences and himself.  Visit Bryan McCree's website to discover his scheduled shows, watch videos of his act, or get branded merchandise.Watch Bryan McCree's comedy shows on his YouTube Channel or visit his Facebook Page.Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Carl Paul came to America through Ellis Island in New York from a country few in Flint, Michigan, know much about. North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a country in Southeast Europe. In 1991, the tiny country became recognized as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. Today, the Slavic country is a member of NATO.Carl and many of his fellow Macedonian immigrants eventually found their way to Flint. They came from a small mountain village in southern Macedonia near the border with Greece.   The immigrants of Bouf, Macedonia, have contributed mightily to the Flint economy, culture, and business leadership.Once in Flint, Michigan, Carl Paul and his partner, Angelo Nikoloff, established one of the most loved and iconic restaurants in mid-Michigan. While the Flint-style Coney Island hot dog was not the invention of the two entrepreneurs, they certainly contributed to making a part of the culinary culture of the Flint region.  Ironically, in Macedonia, the coney island hot dog, Flint style, is nowhere to be found on the menu.    Our podcast episode guest, Karen Paul Holmes, grew up in Flint, her father, Carl Paul, and Angelo Nikoloff were the original partners of Angelo's Coney Island. While a teenager, Karen waitressed at her father's famous restaurant during summer school recess. Karen shares the story of her hardworking Flint family, whose life work defines Flint almost as much as trucks and cars made in the city.Karen reads three of her most endearing poems. The first poem recalls her father returning home for family dinners after a long work day at Angelo's Coney Island. The second poem is an emotional tribute to her father and his leaving Bouf, Macedonia, for a better life in the United States. The last is a poem of beautiful prose about the Great Lakes and cherry trees and the beauty of her father's newfound home, Michigan. Karen provides a near-recipe for Flint Style Coney Sauce in her second poetry collection, No Such Thing as Distance (Terrapin, 2018), which contains poems about growing up in Michigan and her parents' emigration to Flint from Macedonia and Australia. Poems from that book have been read by Garrison Keillor on The Writer's Almanac and by former U.S.Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on The Slowdown podcast.Her first book, Untying the Knot (Aldrich, 2014), chronicles grief and healing from divorce. She has been published in over 100 journals and anthologies and was named the bestemerging poet by Stay Thirsty Media.Politically FitPolitics affects every aspect of your life. Whether it's the pothole you encounter on...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Flint, Michigan, has long been touted as a hotbed for high school basketball. Indeed, Flint has produced some of the top basketball talents in the nation. Many Flint athletes are playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and at major colleges and universities. Flint basketball players have had lucrative careers playing internationally.Flint area residents are accustomed to watching high school talents honing their skills in high school gyms against their favorite teams. However, watching those most likely to be the next NBA All-Star or college All-American player may be a thing of the past.A new trend has emerged in which teenagers as early as 10th-grade ship off for Prep Schools that promote basketball and play games against the best competition in America. These Prep Schools position themselves to show off all those talented players to college and professional scouts. Brandon Green, ABC-12 Sports Director, joins Radio Free Flint to discuss the disappearing high school superstars who transfer to Prep Schools. We discuss the implications for young people placing a bet on basketball and eschewing the traditional path of community education. Is it too early to let teenagers put all their eggs in one basket and bet that this career choice will materialize? We know that only a tiny percentage of high school basketball players will sign on at an NCAA Division 1 College or University. Even a smaller percentage of college players ever make it to the pros.We discuss whether Flint has seen its better days of glory with the likes of the Flintstones, the Michigan State University national champs led by 5 Flint High School basketball players.  Please join us and meet Brandon Green, the new Sports Director for WJRT ABC-12 in Flint, as we discuss his welcome to Flint, his passion for basketball, and his love of High School athletics. Read these interesting articles on High School Athletes and Prep Schools. Flint Hoopers Lost in the Shadows by Brandon Green, ABC-12, Sports Director. May 26, 2022Public prep transfers have taken over high school sports in Connecticut, but is that a good thing? By Shawn McFarland and Alex Putterman, Hartford Courant. May 10, 2019 

Former Bishop Airport Public Safety Director Chris Miller discusses a 2017 terrorist attack at the Flint, Michigan, airport. He also talks about the changes the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America had on current operations at Bishop  International Airport.The retired Public Safety Director at Flint Bishop Airport, Chris Miller, was a hero in 2017 when he and an airport maintenance worker subdued a terrorist who stabbed a fellow police officer.  Miller's quick actions helped save the life of a fellow officer during a terrorist attack inside the Bishop International Airport Terminal. The attacker, a Tunisian national, was found guilty in 2018 on single counts of committing an act of violence at an international airport, interference with airport security, and an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. He is serving a life sentence for the crimes. Chief Miller led the security detail at the Flint airport on the day of the 911 terrorist attacks in 2000. His law enforcement career has spanned nearly 40 years in the Flint area.   He also retired from the Genesee County Sheriff's Department after 20 years. He also worked for a time with the Mt. Morris Township Police Department.Miller shares his experiences as a young musician in the Flint area, growing up in a General Motors family, and his hobby of collecting Chevrolet Corvettes. He attended Flint Community Schools, C.S. Mott Community College, and Oakland University. Upon his retirement in 2021, the City of Flint Lifetime Achievement Award and a key to the city were presented to Chief Chis Miller. Visit the Bishop International Airport website to learn more about the airport.Check out a profile story about Chief Chris Miller at My City MagazineThe Back 40 PodcastNavigating the emotional, spiritual and physical health after age 40.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In our highly mobile society, figuring out what to do with our old papers, photographs, and keepsakes is challenging. We accumulate boxes of possessions over a lifetime, and when moving, retiring, or upon the death of a parent it sits in your house begging for a home.  Your junk can be true treasures that preserve the history of your community or your family.   What do you do with all those boxes and files that you will "someday" get around to sorting out? What is valuable, what is worth saving, and what is worth donating to a local historical society, library, or museum?  Lastly, what are the best ways to preserve the photos of four generations of family members? Should you frame them or keep them in your basement or garage?  Colleen Marquise is an Archivist at the University of Michigan-Flint Willson-Thompson Library and supervises the Genesee Historical Collection Center. She answers these many questions and more about how to sort out your valuable documents, how to store them, and whether they are worth donating.  Colleen is also a historian and shares her exciting views about the collective trauma the Flint, Michigan, area experienced over many decades. The UM-Flint collection reflects archives of materials explaining the Flint Sitdown Strike, the Beecher Tornado, and the Open Housing Protests in the 1960s. She also discussed the relative lack of public archives about one of Flint's most prominent residents C.S. Mott.  Colleen shares some humorous antidotes about the many donations of historical records she has processed. She also shares how a library archive views your "treasures" and what types of things are most needed to help keep the history of your community. Collen talks about what institutions do with your treasured photos and pictures once you donate them.Visit the Genesee Historical Collection Center of the University of Michigan-Flint Library website. They have an extensive collection of fascinating materials available online or for you to see in person.  The Back 40 PodcastNavigating the emotional, spiritual and physical health after age 40.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Colleen Marquise, Associate Archivist at the University of Michigan-Flint, Francis Willson-Thompson Library, takes podcast listeners on a virtual tour of the Genesee County (MI) Historical Center archive collection. This historical collection has a fascinating collection of oral histories, documents, papers, etc. The Center has three primary collections: Flint Labor History, Civil Rights, and Community Organizations such as the UAW Local 599. The local archives also contain the most definitive collection of materials on Flint area community development. The construction of I-475 through the heart of Flint was part of the disastrous urban renewal program that wiped out Flint's Floral Park and St. John Street neighborhoods. Memories of those African-American neighborhoods are found in a collection of recorded oral histories about the people, families, and culture. The Center also has a remarkable collection of oral history materials ranging from musical histories of the area, including rapper MC Breed, Ira Dorsey, and others going back to Flint bands in the 1960s. The Genesee Historical Center has recently developed a history collection about the COVID pandemic and protests. Colleen Marquise shares with the podcast listeners stories about prominent Flint area historical figures such as Genora Johnson and Rev Bradford Pengelly, the colorful rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church during the 1920s. This virtual podcast tour of the University of Michigan-Flint, Francis Willson-Thompson Library is fascinating. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part podcast. The public can visit and listen to some local history collections online by going to the University of Michigan-Flint Library website. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

John Norman Collins was an all-American boy. He was handsome, lived in Ann Arbor, and belonged to a fraternity. But there was a dark side to this young man. The media and others dubbed John Norman Collins "The Michigan Murderer." In the late 1960s, Collins stalked college-age women like prey. His hunting grounds were near the campuses of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Michigan murderer terrorized the public. The media breathlessly reported the latest rape murders of women near two prestigious Michigan college campuses. John Norman Collins is a suspect connected to seven young women's vicious and heinous murders. John Norman Collins eventually found his way into a Washtenaw County, Michigan courtroom. A state prosecutor charged Collins with the first-degree premeditated murder of 18-year-old Karen Sue Beineman, a student at Eastern Michigan University. A jury convicted Collins. The judge sentenced him to a mandatory life sentence. Author Gregory Fournier was upset because the prosecutor never prosecuted six other rape-murder cases. The Prosecuting Attorney decided not to bring other cases. He was holding off in other murder cases as an "insurance policy" in the event John Norman Collins was successful on appeal. Collins lost all of his appeals as the courts upheld his conviction. Presumably, because Collins faced the rest of his life in prison, the Prosecuting Attorney decided not to spend public resources holding Collins responsible for other alleged murders. Some claim the police investigators had DNA evidence waiting in the other rape-murder cases. Fournier shares his extensive findings of these murders in our interview. The book "Terror in Ypsilanti: John Norman Collins Unmasked" is available at bookstores. Fournier, a Detroit native, is one of America's premier true crime authors. He has written several other books, including about Detroit's Purple Gang. ----------- Obtain a copy of the book "Terror in Ypsilanti: John Norman Collins Unmasked" by visiting your local bookstore or Amazon Books. To learn more about Gregory Fournier and other published true crime books, visit the Author's Website. ----------- --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Ben Pauli, a Kettering University Political Science Professor, interviews about his book "Flint Fights Back: Environmental Justice and Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis" (MIT Press 2019) Professor Pauli is a water rights activist. Pauli embedded himself with a group of Flint residents who brought the tainted Flint drinking water problem to the public's attention. The group also was successful in advocating that government fix the cause of the toxic water problem. Professor Pauli discusses the historical activism that helped Flint survive economically and environmentally for almost 100 years. He concludes that Flint has been fighting David vs. Goliath-type battles for generations which helps it survive. Pauli argues that generational activism is an asset to the city in its efforts to overcome the economic crisis for the past 40 years. One lasting change that resulted was the recognition of drinking water as a right in the Flint City Charter. Pauli's ethnographical research is made into an academic book and not your typical data-filled one either. The book reads like a CIA or police intelligence field analysis of the capability of a group in fostering and accomplishing public policy changes. "Flint Fights Back" is an insightful book and takes an extensive view of the Flint Water Crisis, remarkably different from other books and articles written on the Flint Water Crisis. Most fascinating, is Pauli's analysis of the ability of local activists to form an identity and narrative story that sells their cause in the marketplace of public opinion. Pauli concludes that Flint is a parable, the canary in the coal mine forewarning for other cities and towns in the United States. Many of whom may catch a glimpse of what their futures may be in years to come. Professor Pauli claims that Flint's activism has sparked change that eventually has taken hold in many other places in the U.S. "Flint Fights Back" is a guide for those who wonder how to bring change to their own towns and cities. Rather than see an involved and active public as an asset, many leaders and residents view some in Flint as the "problem." Professor Pauli speculates that, in all likelihood, the Flint Water Crisis would never have been discovered and addressed without the persistent and determined work of the Flint activist. Yes the same activists who didn't take gaslighting by their Mayor, Governor and government as the answer to fixing poison in Flint's drinking water. ------- Pauli's book is FREE to all to download: thttps://direct.mit.edu/books/book/4316/Flint-Fights-BackEnvironmental-Justice-and ------- Special thanks author Anna Clark, Colton Ort, Libby Glover, David Tamulevich, the late Scott McKinstry, and many Flintstones too numerous to mention for the inspiration and help keep this podcast project going. ----------- --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

The Life of Mr. Flint, Charles Stewart Mott. Mott was an early investor in General Motors Corporation, a Vice-President of the company, and a long-time Board of Directors Member. He also became one of the world's most prolific philanthropists by founding and overseeing the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. This is Part Two of an interview with C.S. Mott biographer, Ed Renehan who shares remarkable stories from The life of "Mr. Flint" Charles Stewart Mott. Renehan's book "The Life of Charles Stewart Mott" is a comprehensive look at the life of one of the world's most successful American capitalists. The interview covers Mr. Mott's career, family life, travels, hobbies, and devotion to the Flint community and philanthropy. ----------- Ed Renehan's critically-acclaimed books published under his name include: Deliberate Evil: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Webster, The 1830 Murder of a Salem Slave Trader (Chicago Review Press, 2022) Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons (Basic Books, 2006) The Kennedys at War (Doubleday, 2001) The Lion's Pride (Oxford University Press, 1998). The Life of Charles Stewart Mott (University of Michigan Press, 2019) John Burroughs: An American Naturalist (Black Dome Press, 1992) The Secret Six (Crown, 1994). Ed Rehehan has appeared on PBS's The American Experience, NPR, and C-Span's BookTV and has written for publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The San Francisco Chronicle ------------ Books About Charles Stewart Mott: The Life of Charles Stewart Mott, published by University of Michigan Press, 2019, is available at local bookstores in Flint, Michigan, and major book retailers. Foundation for Living, by Clarence H. Young and William Grim, published by McGraw-Hill, 1963 -------- Learn more about C.S. Mott by visiting the following: Charles Stewart Mott, Wikipedia History and Founder-Mott Foundation Biography published by the C.S. Mott Foundation Michigan Historical Review Article on the Life of Charles Stewart Mott Change Agent: The Life and Legacy of Charles Stewart Mott, Class of 1897 Stevens Institute of Technology, Interview with Edward Renehan, author Charles Stewart Mott, A Back to the Bricks review of Charles Stewart Mott and his life in Flint --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Semaj Brown gives a spellbinding reading of her environmental injustice poems.  Brown also tells stories of working with the child victims of the Flint Water Crisis. Brown is on a mission to help heal the victims of trauma in Flint, Michigan.  Samaj Brown is an amazingly accomplished woman who is a poet, author, playwright, and educator, she was named the first poet laureate of Flint, Michigan, in 2019. In 2021, she received an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship. During her time as Flint's first poet laurate she has been teaching children to write poetry at Flint's Freeman School, helping adults who privately write poetry as a form of healing and spread the good word about the value of the literary arts across the Flint area. In this episode she reads two of her amazing poems.  Her poems focus on Flint and social justice issues.  They address issues of loss and empowerment.   This podcast episode is dedicated to the memory of one of my best friends, Joseph M. Snow of Lansing, Michigan.  Joe passed away November 10, 2022 after a long illness.  Joe was a lawyer, former foundry worker, activist, and long time member of the Lansing areas Peace and Justice Coalition.  He was an advocate for the working class and social justice issues.  He was very fond of Samaj Brown's poetry. Special thanks to Mustards Retreat of Ann Arbor for providing the music for this podcast. Also special thanks to Libby Glover, Dave Tamolovich, David O. Norris and Dan Hall for their advice and encouragement of Radio Free Flint. To read more poetry or find books by Samaj Brown please visist Https://www.samajbrown.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Marquise Gray has blazed a remarkable trail in basketball. In this interview, Marquise tells stories about his life in basketball as a professional, a Michigan State Spartan star and a Beecher coach. He is currently Acting Athletic Director, head basketball coach and a teacher for the Beecher Community Schools. What sets him apart are his Flintstone values of grit, hard work and excellence. Marquise Gray learned his values from his dad, great coaches and the parents in his childhood neighborhood in Beecher. Marquise Gray represents that part of Flint's athletic legacy that makes the area so special. In returning to Beecher High School, Marquise wanted to pay back his community for all it has given him. Marquise grew up in the Flint area learning the game from college and professional basketball players in pick-up games. He is deeply committed to the Beecher Community, near Flint. During his time at Beecher, he has been part of winning four Michigan high school basketball titles, three of them in a row! Gray played at Michigan State from 2005-09, reaching the NCAA national championship game as a senior against North Carolina. He played for Hall of Fame Basketball coach Tom Izzo. Marquise has a spectacular high school career at Beecher High School again playing for a state championship. In high school he was a named All-State and part of the Detroit Free Press Dream Team. His basketball career continued after graduating with a degree in social work at Michigan State University. Marquise signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons then played for seven years internationally in Isreal, Japan, Turkey, Mexico and Poland. Basketball literally took him around the world. Upon his retirement from professional basketball he decided that he wanted to work in a job that helped young people. He help a position with the Boys and Girls Club in Flint. Then he became involved in coaching and teaching at Beecher High School. He was recently named the head basketball coach at Beecher. To listen to this and other Radio Free Flint podcasts visit our website at www.radiofreeflint.media . --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

The history of Flint's food culture has always been largely overshadowed by the stories of its industries. Author Dave Liske discusses his new book "Flint Coney Islands: A Savory History" in this interview. The origins and rapid expansion of the number of Macedonian Coney shops in Flint paralleled the explosive growth of the city's automotive industry throughout the twentieth century. Born of an immigrant escaping the war-torn Balkans in the early 1900s who combined his idea for one dish with the skills of butchering and meatpacking experts from Wisconsin and Germany, the simple Flint Coney became an institution among the city's autoworkers, tradespeople, and families. Mainstays such as Flint Original Coney Island, Angelo's, and Atlas were frequented by regular patrons for decades, with others such as Capitol and Starlite carrying on those traditions today. To obtain a copy of Dave Liske's book click here The Flint Coney Island: A Savory History --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Former WJRT TV-12 morning anchor Michael J. Thorp has been a familiar voice to the people of Mid-Michigan for nearly 50 years. He shares the story of his life and career along with his work in radio and television. Michael is also a published author of 6 books about Michigan. Did I forget to say, juror in a murder trial of the century in Genesee County! Michael shares his fascinating stories about broadcasting and the characters with whom he worked in the golden age of Flint area radio. you can purchase a copy of Michael's latest book Michiganians You Should Know at www.michaeljthorp.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Longtime East Village Magazine writer and former editor Jan Worth-Nelson discusses Flint and what's lost, what's left, and what is possible. Jan shares the colorful history of the iconic Flint publication. The East Village Magazine started about the same time as Michael Moore's Flint Voice back in the 1970s. Flint's college and cultural neighborhood has long been a vibrant, beautiful, and historic neighborhood with many educators, business leaders, and professionals calling it home. Today, the magazine has become a brilliant piece of journalism each month, covering hyper-local government meetings and thoughtful essays from some of Genesee County's best writers. Suppose you think of the famed Atlantic Journal Magazine. In that case, the East Village Magazine is its local brother The entire neighborhood has somehow managed to keep this gem of a magazine going by personally delivering it door to door. Jan Worth-Nelson is a retired University of Michigan-Flint English Professor whose experience in Flint has made her the most influential person on the local scene most political leaders have never heard of before. She has quietly assembled a talented group of writers and reporters to become a publication of record for the Flint area. With her experiences have come interviewing dozens of people in the Flint area. She shares her joy about living in Flint, frustrations, disappointments, and what is possible for the region's future. She is indeed someone whom Flint is fortunate to have stayed in the area and contributed so much through her journalism and community involvement. If you would like to read the East Village Magazine or contribute, go to their website at EastVilliageMagazine.org. The song "Flint River Blues" used in this episode was written and performed by folk singer Colton Ort. He wrote this song to encourage people not to forget the children poisoned in the Flint Water Crisis. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Connor Coyne is a writer living and working in Flint, Michigan. He spent his teenage years in Flushing, Michigan. In this interview, Connor discusses the newest novel, the 4th in the series "Urbantasm." His first novel, Hungry Rats, has been hailed by Heartland prize-winner Jeffery Renard Alle" as "an emotional and aesthetic tour de force." His second novel, Shattering Glass, has been praised by Gordon Young, author of Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City" as "a hypnotic tale that is at once universal and otherworldly." Connor represented Flint's 7th Ward as its artist-in-residence for the National Endowment for the Arts, Our Town grant. In this grant, artists engaged ward residents to produce creative work for the 2013 City of Flint Master Plan. Connor's work has appeared in Vox.com, Belt Magazine, and Santa Clara Review. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and an adopted rabbit inFlint's College Cultural Neighborhood (aka the East Village), less than a mile from the house where he grew up. Learn more about Connor's writing at ConnorCoyne.com. The music for the outro, Flint River Blues, about the Flint Water Crisis, was written and performed by Colton Ort and used with his permission. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Podcast essay and interviews with Flint residents and expatriates who call themselves Flintstones.  What does it mean to be a Flintstone?  In this podcast we explore the unusual adoption of a community identity taken by people from Flint, Michigan.  We explore the origins of this identity and delve into just what it means for the future of Flint.  Podcast guests include Judge Duncan M. Beagle, Sandra Branch of the Flint Public Art Project, John Daly of the City of Flint Department of Transportation, Cindy Johns of Carriage Town Ministries and Rico Phillips a retired Flint Firefighter.   Please feel free to share your thoughts by sending us an email or voice message at radiofreeflint@google.com The music heard in this episode is performed by singer-songwriter Colton Ort and played with his permission.  If you would like to listen to other Radio Free Flint podcasts please visit our website at www.radiofreeflint.media   --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Author and biographer Ed Renahan discusses the remarkable life of Charles Stewart Mott. Renahan's book "The Life of Charles Stewart Mott" is a fascinating and comprehensive look at the life of one of the world's most successful capitalists. Mr. Mott helped form the General Motors Corporation. Mott was also the founder of one of the world's largest charitable foundations, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The discussion covers Mr. Mott's career, family life, travels, hobbies, and devotion to the Flint community and philanthropy.   Ed Renahan's critically-acclaimed books published under his name include Deliberate Evil: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Webster, and the 1830 Murder of a Salem Slave Trader (Chicago Review Press, 2022),  Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons (Basic Books, 2006), The Kennedys at War (Doubleday, 2001), The Lion's Pride (Oxford University Press, 1998), The Life of Charles Stewart Mott (University of Michigan Press, 2019), John Burroughs: An American Naturalist (Black Dome Press, 1992), and The Secret Six (Crown, 1994). He has appeared on PBS's The American Experience, NPR, and C-Span's BookTV and has written for publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The San Francisco Chronicle. His book The Life of Charles Stewart Mott, published by University of Michigan Press, 2019, is available at local bookstores in Flint, Michigan, and major book retailers. Colton Ort, singer-songwriter, performs his song "The Flint River Blues in this episode. We use the song with his permission. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Cindy Johns of Carriage Town Ministries discusses homelessness in the Flint area.   Carriage Town Ministries began in 1950 as the Flint Rescue Mission on the banks of the Flint River at Grand Traverse Street. The organization has been helping the poor for 70 years. The community has supported the work of the organization throughout those years. Many faithful Flint area churches and individuals recognize the calling of Matthew 25 to be ministers to the hungry, the thirsty, and the individuals in need of a place to stay.  Carriage Town today is located on a campus of learning and restoration in Flint's historic Carriage Town neighborhood. Visitors and residents find a haven of safety and acceptance, learning and responsibility, structure and productivity…A place to find a new birth, a sense of purpose for today, clothing items, and hope for tomorrow.  We discuss specifically the remarkable progress people in serving the homeless population. Carriage Town Ministries welcomes volunteers, donations of certain clothing items, and monetary donations.   Michigan's Troubadour, Neil Woodward, and songwriter David O. Norris provided the music in this podcast. Neil Woodward performs the song Peach Tree Creek. The song Peach Tree Creek honors Michigan's 10th Infantry Regiment from the Flint area, who fought the civil war battle at Peach Tree Creek. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Our guest is Rev. Robert McCathern, the pastor of the Joy Tabernacle Church which some call a "hip" church.  His church is the former Community Presbyterian Church in Flint's Civic Park neighborhood.   Pastor McCathern founder and director of the Urban Renaissance Center. It is a faith-based nonprofit established by Joy Tabernacle Church. They provide social and community development services specifically designed and administered as a direct response to the high level of need within the Civic Park Community. Our primary activities include the development, implementation, and facilitation of proactive methodological initiatives that provide holistic empowerment supports to individuals and families of the Civic Park and surrounding Flint neighborhoods. Pastor McCathern shares the hope and aspirations of those trying to make Flint a better place.  His work with young people in the neighborhoods is nothing short of amazing.  In this podcast, he describes how he has convinced young people to put down their guns and take up hammers to improve the neighborhood.   Rev. McCathern's success has impressed many in the area, including the Ruth Mott Foundation which has funded projects in conjunction with the Urban Renaissance Center. The music for this podcast was provided by Colton Ort (Flint River Blues) and Mustards Retreat (Take the Children and Run) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

The pandemic brought well-known Flint area gospel composer, director, and performer Jeffrey LeValley a gift he could never have imagined. In 2021, a song he wrote, Revelations 19:1, was recorded by hip-hop artist Kanye West. The song won a Grammy Award for West and LeValley, who wrote the song. In previous years, LeValley was Grammy-nominated for his work in gospel music. LeValley also received a lifetime achievement award from BMI for his work in Gospel Music.  LeValley has no shortage of Flint area fans. He wrote and performed a song played for Pope John Paul on his visit to the Detroit area. He has performed with Aretha Franklin, Peabo Bryson, and Lou Rauls, to name a few. In all, he estimates he recorded 275 recording projects in his long musical career.  For over 40 years, Jeffrey has served as the minister of music at the New Jerusalem Full Gospel Baptist Church in Flint. He also served as the International Minister of Music for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Presiding Bishop for nine years.   During the interview, Jeffrey discusses his life and career. He shares his love of Flint. Jeff LeValley is a Flint music legend. Kirk Franklin provided the music for this podcast (Lift Every Voice and Sing). The outro is Revelations 19:1, performed by the New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Choir, featuring Pastor Odis Floyd and Jeffrey LeValley. He directed the choir and wrote the song. Please visit our website at Radio Free Flint and subscribe to our podcasts. You can share your ideas, suggestions, and comments by emailing us at RadioFreeFlint@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

This century, the Sharee Miller murder case is one of Michigan's most notable criminal cases. The love triangle that Ms. Miller fostered resulted in the death of her husband, Bruce Miller. Sharee engaged in a torrid affair with a Kansas City cop. She convinced her then-boyfriend, Jerry Cassady, to come to Michigan and murder her husband, Bruce. Ms. Miller did so using a litany of falsehoods about her husband abusing her and the love child she was carrying. Jerry Cassady killed himself, leaving behind a suicide note and a laptop computer. The laptop held a treasure trove of filthy and incriminating evidence of the murder plot. The emails and chats gave the Genesee County jury a road map to convict Ms. Miller for her role in the murder. In the end, two men were dead, and Sharee Miller was convicted and imprisoned. Our guest on this episode is David Nickola, a criminal defense attorney. Mr. Nickola was Sharee Miller's defense attorney at trial. Back in 2000, former Prosecutor Arthur Busch charged Sharee Miller with murder. The attorneys discuss the case the ins and outs of the trial. They also share their handling of the jury trial. Attorney Nickola shares insights about his client, the jury's selection, and other tidbits that are fascinating. The national media extensively covered this case over the past 20 years. Just last week, ABC 20/20 did a segment on a confession letter Miller sent to the Judge in the case three years ago! At the trial, the Court TV covered the entire trial live. We thought you would enjoy the unfiltered perspectives on this case and this defendant. The music heard on this podcast episode is"Flint River Water" is performed by singer-songwriter Colton Ort. This original song was written by Colton to commemorate the Flint Water Crisis. We appreciate his support for Radio Free Flint and for allowing us to use his music in this episode You can find this episode and others at our website on Radio Free Flint, www.radiofreeflint.media We also appreciate your comments, likes, and suggestions. You can pass along those to radiofreeflint@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

This is Part II of a podcast interview with Genesee County Circuit Judge Duncan M. Beagle. Judge Beagle will be retiring at the end of his current term. There is a riveting conversation about the illness that caused him to be unable to use his legs at the age of 43. This is an uplifting story of courage and determination to overcome his physical disability to become one of the most well-liked Judges in Genesee County. The Beagle family has continuously practiced law in Genesee County for over 120 years! Charles Beagle was the Genesee County Prosecuting Attorney in 1929 during one of the most spectacular Bank crashes in America during the Great Depression. The Industrial Bank was looted in 1929 by its executives, who speculated in the stock market with depositors' funds. Then Prosecutor Beagle charged and convicted 13 of the banks' executives and managers and sent them to Jackson Prison for their crimes. The Flint bank's collapse caused angry depositors to surround the downtown bank, burning and overturning cars and breaking the windows out of the bank. John Beagle, Judge Beagle's father, practiced law in Flint for over 50 years. He was at one time an Assistant Prosecutor and an Assistant Attorney General. He was an accomplished trial attorney who handled many high-profile cases. Both Judge Duncan Beagle and his grandfather Charles Beagle served as Presidents of the Genesee County Bar Association. The music in this podcast was written and produced by Joe Ryan III. The co-star of this performance is Joe's 90-year-old grandmother! The song is about the Flint water crisis. Joe Ryan is a Flint native and is a recording artist as well as a producer for several well-known recording artists. Joe also is involved in producing and recording songs for television and movies. The song is played here with his permission. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Judge Duncan M. Beagle has lived a remarkable life. Judge Beagle has inspired, mentored, and coached courage and resilience while serving his community. He is a third third-generation member of the Genesee County legal profession. Judge Beagle's grandfather Charles Beagle was the Genesee County Prosecutor in the 1920s and practiced law for 56 years in Flint. John Beagle, Duncan's father, was also a Flint lawyer who practiced law with distinction for more than 50 years. The Beagle family has a rich legacy of community service in the greater Flint area. The Beagles have served on numerous community boards and have given richly of their time, talents, and treasure to the people of Flint. This podcast interview with Judge Beagle covers his life growing up in Flint, community activities, and accomplishments. The State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan Supreme Court honored the judge for his work on behalf of children in Michigan. He is currently the Chief Judge of the Genesee County Circuit Court. He previously served as the President of the Genesee County Bar Association. In our conversation, he discusses his family out the spectacular 1929 bank embezzlement case which his grandfather Charles Beagle handled while the Prosecuting Attorney of Genesee County. He also discusses what it means to be a Flintstone! Judge Beagle is a self-described sports nut. For over 20 years, he served as a basketball referee for area high school games with future college and professional players. He is also in the Albion College Alumni Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a baseball player in college. Judge Beagle attended Flint Schools, including Zimmerman Jr High School, Flint Southwestern High School. He graduated from Albion College with a B.A. and the University of Detroit-Mercy with a Juris Doctorate Degree. He is married and has a son. This interview is Part 1 of our conversation. Part 2 will be released on February 8, 2022. So join us again next week. If you would like to listen to more episodes of Radio Free Flint visit www.radiofreeflint.media If you have a suggestion for a podcast guest or topic or you would like to appear as a guest on this podcast please email me at art@artbusch.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Philip R. Hagerman co-founded Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy with his father, Dale Hagerman in 1975. Diplomat grew to be the nation's largest independent specialty pharmacy with revenue growing from $25 million in 2005 to over $4 Billion in 2015, recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in healthcare. His start-up specialty pharmacy, located at the Great Lakes Technology Center employs over 1,000 in the City of Flint.   Phillip started a real estate and venture investment firm, headquartered in Flint, Michigan. They are headquartered in the historic Dryden Building in Downtown Flint.  The Dryden building, constructed in 1901 was home to the original offices of General Motors formed by  Billy Durant in 1908. The Fenton native has taken a large part in the redevelopment of downtown Flint. Phil has invested an estimated $50 million in Flint reviving downtown businesses and real estate. Phil played a major role in the restoration of the historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Flint. During the podcast, he discusses his motivation and vision for Flint's urban spaces and its economy.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Safetyville, Flint, Michigan, has a special place in the hearts of a lot of Flint area baby boomers. STOP-LOOK-LISTEN remember that lesson? Many Flint baby boomers received their first driver's license at Safetyville-Flint. Safetyville could be found at Kearsley Park. The powered cars were vintage replicas of the Ford T-Bird, and just for good measure, there were a few Corvettes. I interviewed Len Exline, who is a collector of these miniature cars. Len explains there were just four Safetyville in the USA. Taco Bell used these cars in their commercial and a movie or two. I know you will find this an interesting interview because any kid in Flint waited the hours down to their visit to Safteyville. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Poet Samaj Brown is Flint's first Poet Laurate.  She is an inspirational guest. She reads a poem she wrote for the people of Flint. The Academy of American Poets recently recognized her talents as a Poet Laurate. Her work in Flint uses poetry to address literacy problems with lead-poisoned children.  Samaje is also an accomplished playwright, published author, and lecturer. In Flint, her work in the Flint Community Schools has been nothing short of inspirational.  She has been invited to speak and share her poetry at many colleges and universities across the midwest, including the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Baruch College (NYC), Kent State, and Indiana University, to name a few.  Samaj is one of the most inspirational guests in Radio Free Flint's history!  Please visit our website www.radiofreeflint.com for the show notes to this podcast which will include links to find videos and books that include the work of this great poet. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Rico Phillips is a retired, 27-year veteran Flint Firefighter. He is also an inspiration!. In 2019, the National Hockey League honored Rico with its prestigious Community Hero Award. They did so because, in 2010, Phillips started an inner-city hockey program to introduce Flint kids to the sport. Rico shares fascinating stories about growing up in Flint, being bi-racial, and how he decided to become a firefighter. He discusses his work with children in Flint. He also talks about his work as Director of Cultural Diversity and Inclusion with the Ontario Hockey League and his work with black NHL players to bridge the gap between urban communities and hockey. Don't miss this podcast. It is uplifting and will make you proud of what Flint area people are doing for others. Rico discusses growing up in Flint and the challenges of growing up bi-racial. His mom is from West Germany, and his father is from Flint. Rico is a well-known community activist in Flint, Michigan. He was a familiar face in area schools for his fire prevention and career development talks with students. For many years, he has been involved in helping to start Back to the Bricks, a popular car event in downtown Flint. His service also included being the community liaison between the Flint Firefighters Union and the community. For 17 years, he was a Vice-President of the Flint Firefighters Union. Rico has also been a hockey referee for 34 years. He is married to Sandy, a graduate of Flint Southwestern High School, and attended C.S. Mott Community College. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Tawas Point State Park is located on Lake Huron in Northern Michigan near the city of East Tawas, Michigan. The state park encompasses 183 acres at the end of a sand spit that forms Tawas Bay. It has been referred to as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest" and is a notable bird-watching site. Ossineke is a rustic State Forest campground on Lake Huron with its crystal clear water and sand beach. The area including Presque Isle has the quiet beaches. Cheboygan is near Michigan's Inland Waterway, a 38-mile (61-km) channel comprising many streams and Crooked, Pickerel, Mullett, and Burt lakes, with boating and fishing facilities. Cheboygan is an Indian name meaning "Through Passage", this refers to the Indians "passing through" during their fur trading days using the Inland Route to Mackinaw Island, instead of the straits passage. The song "Water" is courtesy of Barb Barton. It was written in support of the people of Flint. Some still suffer from the lack of drinking water and lead poisoning. This podcast can be heard at https://www.radiofreeflint.media --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Gerald Haan and his daughter Katie join us for a wide ranging conversation about Michigan Lumber old and new. Gerald also shares his views about Flint and its future as well as his interest in building affordable new single family housing in the downtown area. Just beyond the heart of the downtown area, a family-owned business has been working from its original location since its founders came to the Greater Flint are in 1916. Most observers would assume that any business starting about that time would be tied to the booming automobile factories, but this operation contributed not only to the building of Flint's auto manufacturing prominence but to the overall growth of this area as well. Holding the distinction of being the oldest lumber yard in Genesee County, Michigan Lumber Company is continuing to operate under the philosophies established by their forefathers to give their established customers the finest quality lumber products with an underscore of premier service by an exceptionally experienced staff. Situated at 1919 Clifford Street near the intersection of Saginaw and 12th St., this full-line lumber supply house is currently in the working hands of third and fourth generation family members. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

A deep-sea diver, a dancer, an activist, an aviator, a singer, and a soldier—Great Girls in Michigan History highlights 20 girls from Michigan’s past who did amazing things before they turned 20 years old. Author Patricia Majher presents easy-to-read mini-biographies of these girls who present a variety of cultures, areas of the state, and historical time periods. Published by Wayne State University Press. Bold Boys in Michigan History—a companion to Great Girls in Michigan History—explores the stories of 20 boys who did some amazing things before they turned 20 years old. Author Patricia Majher offers young readers easy-to-read mini-biographies about both highly acclaimed and lesser-known Michiganders, all of whom led remarkable lives that will intrigue and inspire. Published by Wayne State University Press. Patricia discusses with us her books mini-biographies contained in her books including three from Flint, Michigan; Sara Emma Edmonds, Michael Moore and Jim Abbott. Her books Great Girls and Bold Boys are designed for children but are informative and entertaining for people of all ages. Patricia Majher is also the author of two other books including "Ladies of the Lights: Michigan Women in the U.S. Lighthouse Service" and "100 Things to Do in Ann Arbor Before You Die." Her book Great Girls was a 2015 Michigan Notable Book winner. Patricia is a museum professional who has held marketing, curatorial, and collections positions at institutions as wide-ranging as The Henry Ford and Mackinac State Historic Parks to the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. She is currently employed as director for the Hamburg Township Historical Museum. Prior to this position, Majher served for 7 years as editor of Michigan History magazine. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Author Anna Clark is an accomplished journalist who has written a very credible and worthy book documenting the events of the Flint Water Crisis. Anna's book about the Flint Water Crisis examines the future of American cities, what public policies need reform and what policy decision by local and state government gave rise to this man-made disaster. Anna Clark who lives in Detroit. She is a reporter for ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism with moral force. She is also the author of The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy, which won the Hillman Prize for Book Journalism and the Rachel Carson Environment Book Award. It was also named one of the year’s best books by the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Public Library, Audible, and others. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

What is life like in a City of Flint patrol car? What will it take for Flint's crime statistics to improve? What type of training for police will reduce abuse claims and lawsuits? Dr. Jermaine Reese, who spent eighteen and a half years as a Flint Police Officer, shares his career, its highs and lows. He patrolled the Flint neighborhood in which he was raised.  One of those challenges was being black and a policeman.  Professor Reese discusses Black Lives Matter and its impact on policing today. He explains the effect of Flint's economic and social problems on the job of a police officer. He speaks most eloquently to what qualities growing up in Flint, Michigan imbued in him.  Professor Reese shares his thoughts about the need for community policing in Flint and makes some suggestions to improve the quality of policing there.   Dr. Jermaine Reese has a Phd and a Masters Degrees in Criminal Justice.  He attended C.S. Mott Community College and its Criminal Justice Program.  He is now a Professor at Grand Rapids Community College and is the Director of the Police Training Academy in that city. Flint hip hop Joe Ryan III and his 90 year old grandmother perform the song Flint, Michigan.

This podcast is about entrepreneurial success and determination.  Michael Jablonski shares his interesting business career in the food and entertainment business.   Few people in Michigan have made an impact on a community's entertainment and fine dining as Michael Jablonski, a Grand Blanc businessman and lawyer.  He has developed several concept businesses in the Flint area.  Those establishments such as Celebrations Night Club and Brick Street have became some of the most popular and financially successful businesses in Genesee County.   Michael owned or managed other  food and entertainment businesses such as RC Coopers, a fine dining establishment in Flushing and the former BeachTree in Flint Township and JT Thornberry's in Mt. Morris, Michigan.  Michael Jablonski also has maintained a law practice in  Grand Blanc  where he specializes in business and corporate matters.  He was born into a Polish-American family of entrepreneurs who owned local bakeries and food establishments in Genesee County.  He is a native of Flint and Mt. Morris, Michigan.  He graduated from E.L Johnson High School and Michigan State University.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Joel Bye and his band the Blue Hawaiians are legendary amongst local music fans. Joel shares the history of the band as well as his prior band The Nick Garvey Band. In a hilarious and surprisingly reflective interview Joel Bye shares how he got started playing the drums with another local legend, the late jazz master Sherman Mitchell, playing in the Fireside Lounge in Flint. He speaks optimistically about Flint and what the town has ment to him. He played his first gig at Ballenger Park in Flint, for a concert known as the Battle of the Bands. Joel and his bandmates have given richly of their time and talents to many local charitable causes and benefits. After hearing Joel tell stories about his life and his views on the people of Flint it is easy to see why he is one of the most beloved musicians in Michigan. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

William S. Ballenger III of Flint, Michigan is our guest. He is a descendant of one of the founders of Buick, Chevrolet Motor Car Company, General Motors.  Bill is a member of the family that philanthropically endowed the Flint area.  Bill shares his family's history, accomplishments, and philanthropic activity. Along the way, Bill shares experiences about growing up in Flint and shares his memories of the late Charles Stewart Mott and family. Bill Ballenger is a former State Senator, State Representative, the Michigan Racing Commissioner and the Director of The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation. He is also a former Professor at Central Michigan University and has been an adjunct professor at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan-Flint.  For decades Bill published the newsletter Inside Politics, a must-read publication for those interested in Michigan government.  Bill has his own podcast as well as his own radio program.  He is a paid public speaker, who has appeared before hundreds of groups across Michigan to share the trends, the latest developments as well as his knowledge about Michigan government. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Pete "Fat Cat" Flanders is perhaps one of the best remembered radio personalities in the Mid-Michigan media market. He is the owner of Musical Memories, a Flint record shop that specializes in vinyl record sales. Pete recounts his 40 year history in Flint area radio sharing stories from his long career as a DJ, Concert Promoter and Businessman. Pete worked at WHMM with its urban format and WTAC with its contemporary Rock format. He has worked as a promoter, announcer, or tour assistant to some of the greatest names in R&B, Soul Music and Rock. He worked for a year on tour with the legendary James Brown. In his early days he promoted Jackie Wilson, Temptations and other R&B artists. Pete was especially close to Peter C. Cavanaugh who was a local DJ, station manager, promoter and author. He recounts many memories of his relationship with Peter C and their antics. They co-promoted the 1960's rock band the MC5 with Wayne Kramer and Rob Tyner. In one case he relives a story of the band appearing at Davison, Michigan's Sherwood Forest when the bands performance was stopped by the police because of an obscenity in the lyrics of their most popular song. Musical Memories is located on S. Dort Highway in Flint, Michigan. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

A wonderful interview with Norman Bryant, former President of Flint Schools. At 85, he shares some history of Flint Schools, Flint high school athletics and Flint history. Norm is the founder of the Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame. This interview is a wonderful oral history of African American life in a northern US industrial community in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. In the interview Norm Bryant discusses the people and activity around Flint, Michigan becoming the first U.S. major city to adopt an Open Housing Ordinance. Flint also became the first major city in America to have an African American Mayor, Floyd J. McCree. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Local news anchor Joel Feick stepped down from local television news after 35 years. He left familiar seat as "The People's News Anchor". Joel shares stories about his life as a reporter. In this podcast, Joel shares his memories of the characters whom he covered as a journalist. He also shares memories of colleagues and other reporters in the Mid-Michigan area. He worked 27 years for ABC-12 and then 8 years at NBC25/FOX66 where concluded his career in broadcasting. In November 2020, Joel was elected to the Grand Blanc Township Board of Trustees. He is now working for Disability Network of Greater Flint where he is following his passion to help others. In 2005, he won an Emmy Award for Best Consumer News. He won the Emmy for a series of reports on how to insulate a home. Joel has also won UPI and AP Awards along with the National Golden AMI Award. He's enjoyed hundreds of interviews: from President George H.W. Bush to Ernie Harwell. But the ones that brought him the most joy were ones that involved average people in unique situations. Joel was an instructor of Radio Broadcasting at Mott Community College. He's on the board of the Children's Wish Fund of Flint and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

At 90 years old Arlene Crane-Curns, who has lived almost a century, authored a book! In Homemade Noodles and Cars, Arlene tells the story of her family-from World War I and how it affected them, how her parents struggled to provide a home for their five children during the Great Depression, about growing up in Flint, Michigan, her family's role in World War II and meeting her soon-to-be husband when he came home from the war. She and her husband, who was disabled in the war, started married life with a monthly income of $89 and had four babies in the four years that followed, a challenge they conquered together through love for each other. Arlene will make you laugh and maybe shed a tear, but if you enjoy true stories from a kinder, gentler time, listen to this podcast as she recounts her tales from her book "Homemade Noodles and Cars". If you are interested in getting the secret stories she speaks of in this interview you may obtain a copy of her book at: Barns and Noble (e-book & Nook) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/homemade-noodles-and-cars-arlene-curns/1131448193?ean=2940161185575 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Homemade-Noodles-Cars-Arlene-Curns/dp/1644925249 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

The KKK has been very active in Flint, Michigan since at least the 1920's.  Michigan has been a hotbed for white nationalist and KKK activity for 100 years. The Klan organizes parades, picnics, social relief efforts and activities for children in Flint in years gone by.  The former Prosecutor (1993-2005) of the county where Flint is located shares stories of his battles with white nationalism in Flint.  He discusses the KKK activities in Flint in particular.  This podcast documents the connection between Flint, Detroit and Michigan and the many hate groups.   Ryan Loree, a former member of a neo-Nazi group in Flint, the Rollingwood Skins describes the white nationalist group and its activities in Flint in more recent years. This podcast takes a shocking and revealing view of KKK and other hate groups activity in a typical industrial American town. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

This Black History Month podcast is in honor of and dedicated to Evelyn Thomas Butts and her attorney Robert Segar of Flint, Michigan.  Evelyn Thomas Butts, an African American civil rights activist and politician in Virginia. She is best known for challenging the poll tax and took her case before the United States Supreme Court. Butts was part of the civil rights movement and later became an influential member of Norfolk politics. Robert Segar has been honored by the Michigan State Bar Association for being a Champion of Justice for his role in this case.  The understated attorney volunteered to take on a 1960's civil rights case to stop the poll tax in Virginia. see Harper v The Virginia Board of Elections, 383 US 663 (1966). Attorney Segar argued the case before the United States Supreme Court, then led by Chief Justice Earl Warren.  Arguing the case for the United States Government was the Solicitor General of the United States Thurgood Marshall.  The Jim Crow era poll tax was a voter suppression effort that had been in effect for nearly 60 years. In this podcast, Mr. Segar recounts his firms involvement in the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 1960's.  He discusses his involvement with the Lawyers Guild of America in helping with civil rights cases.   --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

Flint has its share of radical white nationalist groups. I interviewed the former leader of one of those groups, the Rollingwood Skins. Listen to the podcast at www.anchor.fm/radiofreeflint Ryan Lo'Ree is a man with a life story made for a television drama production. He has emerged from the rough and tumble eastside of Flint, Michigan where he eventually became caught up in Michigan's criminal justice system and joined a local neo-nazi hate group. Ryan finished a residential school for troubled kids, and eventually joined the U.S. Army. Upon his discharge from military service he was coaxed to join the Buick City Boot Boys who later became the Rollingwood Skins. He immediately used his military training to become a leader in the group dedicated to perpetuating the superiority of the white race. Eventually his life with the group led him to adult criminal court and a jail sentence. While serving his probationary term, he began to understand the error of his ways. He organized a program in Genesee County to work de-radicalize young men who had been caught up in hate groups. Ryan Lo'Ree has organized by his count over 100 rallies across the country for the purpose of opposing hate. His path toward rehabilitation eventually took him to run for public office in 2018. While unsuccessful in politics he has found his place in helping others across America to avoid the painful life of hate he previously led. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

In his book Disruption in Detroit: Autoworkers and the Elusive Postwar Boom, author Daniel Clark draws on oral interviews with retired UAW members and archives of regional newspapers to show that the mythology surrounding autoworkers during the postwar years was far removed from the lives these men and women actually lived. It is a bedrock American belief: the 1950s were a golden age of prosperity for autoworkers. Flush with high wages and enjoying the benefits of generous union contracts, these workers became the backbone of a thriving blue-collar middle class. It is also a myth. Daniel J. Clark began by interviewing dozens of former autoworkers in the Detroit area and found a different story--one of economic insecurity marked by frequent layoffs, unrealized contract provisions, and indispensable second jobs. Disruption in Detroit is a vivid portrait of workers and an industry that experienced anything but stable prosperity. As Clark reveals, the myths--whether of rising incomes or hard-nosed union bargaining success--came later. In the 1950s, ordinary autoworkers, union leaders, and auto company executives recognized that although jobs in their industry paid high wages, they were far from steady and often impossible to find. To obtain a copy of Professor Daniel Clark's book Disruption in Detroit: Autoworkers and the Elusive Postwar Boom, visit Illinois University Press: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/34xdq6sx9780252042010.html This podcast is available on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Radio Free Flint is a society and culture podcast that can be found at www.anchor.fm/radiofreeflint --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message