BY CHRIS WILLIAMS
CCN Staff Writer
FLINT (CCN) — Flint's Jim Ananich was back in the political spotlight when becoming front page news in Thursday's Detroit News.
Gubernatorial front-runner Jocelyn Benson listed Ananich among her finalists as she narrowed her search for a Lieutenant Governor running mate to the former state Senate Minority
BY CHRIS WILLIAMS
CCN Staff Writer
FLINT (CCN) — Flint's Jim Ananich was back in the political spotlight when becoming front page news in Thursday's Detroit News.
Gubernatorial front-runner Jocelyn Benson listed Ananich among her finalists as she narrowed her search for a Lieutenant Governor running mate to the former state Senate Minority Leader from Flint and two others.
Benson is 60 points ahead of Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in Tuesday's Democrat Party primary race.
The current Michigan Secretary of State has led the entire field for all parties since announcing she would run last year, except for a brief period of about 5 weeks when independent Mike Duggan passed her. The former Detroit Mayor ended his campaign in May when Benson went back ahead in the polls.
The 52-year-old Ananich left the State Senate because of term limits in 2023.
He spent a decade in the state legislature, first as a state representative after serving as a Flint City Councilman for one term. He was elected in 2005 to succeed Matt Schlinker as the 7th Ward councilman.
Ananich and his wife were both teachers from prominent families. Wife Andrea is from the Abdella family and is a teacher at the Flushing school district. Jim's father was a long-time Flint ombudsman who resigned in 1986 to teach policy science at the University of Michigan-Flint.
The inclusion of Ananich among her finalists as a running mate highlights Benson's effort to bolster support among labor groups and working-class voters in Genesee County and across industrial areas of the state.
His leadership role as Michigan Senate Minority Leader between 2016 and 2023made Ananich a prominent voice in securing state funding and emergency relief for Flint during the city's water crisis.
"Jim Ananich has a proven track record of fighting for working families and bringing real solutions to hard-hit communities," Benson said in a statement. "As we assemble a team to lead Michigan forward, having leaders with deep legislative experience and a commitment to public service is paramount."
Campaign aides declined to publicly name the other two finalists on the short list, noting that final interviews and vetting procedures remain ongoing.
The Detroit News quoted anonymous sources as saying the other two finalists are current State Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Sarah Anthony of Lansing and current Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks from Grand Rapids.
Under Michigan election law, gubernatorial nominees select their running mates who are then formally nominated by party delegates at statewide conventions following the August primary election.
Swanson has not yet named a running mate if he beats Benson at Tuesday's primary.
GOP primary candidates John James and Perry Johnson have also not yet named running mates.
Montrose native Tom Leonard has become a strong supporter of James who is a United State Congressman from Oakland County since suspending his campaign for the GOP nomination last spring. Leonard is a former assistant prosecutor in Genesee County who moved to Dewitt when taking a job at the Michigan Attorney General's office. He was later elected to the State House of Representatives and rose to become Speaker of the House. After leaving his post because of term limits, Leonard twice ran unsuccessfully for Michigan AG before his failed bid for Governor.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Jim Ananich of Flint who has been listed among Jocelny Benson's finalists to become her pick for Lieutenant Governor.
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BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
SWARTZ CREEK (CCN) — Swartz Creek Board of Education Trustee Carrie Germain has resigned, according to confirmation via text from President Chuck Melki.
"(It was) over the more meetings I recently uncovered," Melki said about the resignation.
Germain and fellow Trustee Angela Fick were censured by the
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
SWARTZ CREEK (CCN) — Swartz Creek Board of Education Trustee Carrie Germain has resigned, according to confirmation via text from President Chuck Melki.
"(It was) over the more meetings I recently uncovered," Melki said about the resignation.
Germain and fellow Trustee Angela Fick were censured by the board in mid-June for their actions regarding meetings they hid from other board members. They were tied to an attempt by the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance (FGEA) to buy the district's Morrish Elementary.
The elementary school is on the southern corner of the nearly 1,800-acre Mega Site bounded by Elms, Linden, Maple and Jennings roads. The FEGA has been given $261 million in state funding to build an advanced manufacturing plant
Prominent local civil attorney Tom Pabst filed a lawsuit on behalf of Melki against the district because of actions by Germain and both current and former administrators. The civil complaint alleges they targeted him and hurt his business with untrue accusations.
"They wanted rid of me because I was in their way of doing what they wanted," Melki said. "I was elected to answer to the taxpayers, not them. They didn't want me around."
Pabst said on The Morning Gazette Radio Show that he predicts "people are going to jail for what they did" and says untrue accusations "made up" against Melki have harmed his business.
He's a businessman who owns a gun range on Linden Road in Flint Township.
Melki has said during board meetings that he has filed a criminal complaint with the Genesee County Prosecutor's office and the Michigan Attorney General's office about illegal meetings and other actions he says break state laws.
Melki is a retired detective with the Genesee County Sheriff's Department and Clayton Township Police Department as that community's first police chief when helping form the force there.
Subsequent to his public announcement about filing on them, Melki uncovered what he alleges was an unauthorized $20,000 payment to former Deputy Superintendent Jim Kitchen who became the district's interim Superintendent when Rod Hetherington resigned to take a similar job in the Zeeland school district.
The Morning Gazette Radio Show met on June 3 to seek criminal charges for this additional allegation leveled by Melki who said $152,000 in bonus payments were passed out to administrators without board approval or knowledge.
Melki exposed lies by Kitchen to the school board after Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) findings revealed numerous false statements. Kitchen then subsequently resigned and joined old boss Hetherington in Zeeland.
Swartz Creek's school board rejected a $40 million offer last week for a second time from the FGEA but Trustees Germain and Fick voted to accept the offer after previously joining a 7-0 vote to reject $40 million earlier this year.. The only difference was altering the offer to be all of the cash up front and extending a two-year lease on Morrish until a new elementary building could be constructed.
The FGEA must find a buyer by May of 2028 or turn over the property to the state. The organization, which is an arm of the Flint-based non-profit known as the Flint & Genesee Group led by President & CEO Tim Herman, has yet to find a buyer but has cleared most of the site by buying up homes and chopping down trees.
Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton praised last week's decision after urging a "no" vote on the offer.
Mundy Township Trustee Leah Davis also praised them for rejecting the offer.
They were the only Mundy Township board members who attended last week's special meeting of the school board to join public speakers opposing the idea except for two speakers out nearly a few dozen.
This was the second time school board members have rejected a $40 million offer but this one was revised to pay all the money up front and extend a two-year lease for the building while a new school was constructed.
Stainton has been once of the most vocal critics of the FGEA and she reacted to the news of Germain resigned by saying, "More people should resign. This corruption goes further than just the school board. Look for more people to be investigated and resign.
Realtor Winn Cooper delivered the revised offer and last week's special meeting was called to give him an answer for his client by a two-week deadline imposed to accept the deal.
Trustees Ken Angle, Kim Winter and Autumn Henry again voted against selling along with Vice President Jenny Wolgast and President Melki.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Carire Germain who has resigned from the Swartz Creek Board of Eduction
METRO SECTION:
METRO SECTION:
Death of her daughter at Genesee County Jail motivates woman to hold Monday protests there
CAMPAIGN 2026 LOCAL SPECIAL SECTION
Editor's Notebook by Mike Killbreath: Campaign fever heating up across Metro Flint regional area as we're inside 6 months away from primary
VIEWPOINTS SECTION
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Today's Sports Thoughts column by Executive Editor Mike Killbreath focuses on the journey of Grand Blanc High School star David Lally. See Today's Local Sports Section
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OTHER LIFE STYLES SECTION STORIES
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A press conference was held Tuesday to reveal details about an upcoming kickoff event for the Eric B. Mays Foundation to honor the legacy of long-time community activist and Flint City Councilman Eric Mays. See Today's Life Styles Section
OTHER LIFE STYLES SECTION STORIES
Colorectal cancer deaths rising in young adults and minority communities
CCN's long-time popular and controversial columnist, talk show host George Moss passes away
Interim Editor named for Flint online magazine featuring 'good stories' about county's biggest city
Columnist Marty Embry reveals new book about Flint's long and great athletic tradition
METRO SECTION
Death of her daughter at Genesee County Jail motivates woman to hold Monday protests there
CAMPAIGN 2026 SPECIAL SECTION
Editor's Notebook by Mike Killbreath: Campaign fever heating up across Metro Flint regional area as we're inside 6 months away from primary
VIEWPOINTS SECTION
Editor's Notebook by Mike Killbreath: Democrats may have just lost chance to flip Senate at mid-term elections as Graham Platner scandal surfaces
LIFE STYLES SECTION
Colorectal cancer deaths rising in young adults and minority communities
CCN's long-time popular and controversial columnist, talk show host George Moss passes away
Interim Editor named for Flint online magazine featuring 'good stories' about county's biggest city
Columnist Marty Embry reveals new book about Flint's long and great athletic tradition
PREP SPORTS SECTION
Our affiliate Simon D. Schuster at Bridge Michigan sits down with Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and goes in-depth about his long-shot bid to become Michigan's Governor, saying he brings "boundless energy" to his now 16-month-old campaign but "may need more" to overtake front-runner Jocelyn Benson for the Democrat nomination. Check out the story in today's Campaign 2026 Special Section.
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SPORTS SECTION
Steve Yzerman out as General Manager of Detroit Red Wings in surprise announcement
NATION & WORLD
STATE NEWS
Michigan lawmakers demand action from Canada as wildfire smoke impacts Michigan & U.S. air quality
Shooter released from custody by Auburn Hills police in deadly Great Lakes Crossing incident
SPORTS SECTION
Steve Yzerman out as General Manager of Detroit Red Wings in surprise announcement
NATION & WORLD
43 million student loan borrowers in default on notice about wage garnishments ahead for new year
STATE & NATIONAL BUSINESS NEWS
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FRONT PAGE
Mike Killbreath's Editor's Notebook Column
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