THE LATEST TOP HEADLINES

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 Sunday, August 2, 2025

We urge "yes" voters on all four county-wide ballot proposals before Genesee County residents along the M-15 corridor on election day Tuesday.

Voters also face important decisions in primary races for state representative and state senator as well as other state and federal elections.

We endorse  Matt Schlinker in the Democrat primary for the 68th District State House of Representatives seat currently held by David Martin of Davison.

Martin is unopposed in the Republican primary because  Deanna Martin of Davison withdrew after filing to run. Martin is a retired military veteran and former Genesee County Commissioners who has been elected to two terms in the state legislature.

Schlinker is a Goodrich resident who formerly served in government when living in the City of Flint. He previously served on the Flint City Council and on the Flint Public Library Board of Directors.

Schlinker is a strong local union supporter and community activist. He has a background as an auto worker and quality engineer for General Motors. He ran write-in campaign for the same House seat two years ago after the death of former Rep. Tim Sneller of Burton.

We endorse Brian Bearss in the Republican primary and Jack Bader in the Democrat Primary for the Michigan House 97th district.

Bearss is a  Millington native and Army veteran while Bearss  is a realtor who lives in Vassar.

The 97th District encompasses the Birch Run, Frankenmuth and Chesaning areas within the County Line Press coverage area.

We endorse Bill Bain in the 26th District State Senate race on Tuesday.

Bain is a Flushing Township trustee running in the Republican primary for the seat currently held by John Cherry of Flint.

Cherry is unopposed in the Democrat primary.

Voters along the M-15 corridor also face important decisions on Tuesday in statewide and federal elections.

Here is our list of endorsement decisions in all the races City of Burton residents will see on their ballots Tuesday at the polls.

 GENESEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL 

We urge a "Yes" vote

 GENESEE COUNTY ARTS EDUCATION & CULTURAL ENRICHMENT MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL 

We urge a "Yes" vote

 GENESEE COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL 

We urge a "Yes" vote

 GENESEE COUNTY MASS TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL 

We urge a "Yes" vote

MICHIGAN SENATE 26TH DISTRICT
Republican Party • Matt Bierlein
Democrat Party •  Martin Cousineau

MICHIGAN SENATE 27TH DISTRICT
Republican Party • Bill Bain
Democrat Party •  John Cherry

MICHIGAN HOUSE 67TH DISTRICT
Republican Party • Phil Green 
Democrat Party •  Leslie Getz

MICHIGAN HOUSE 68TH DISTRICT
Republican Party • David Martin 
Democrat Party •  Matt Schlinker

MICHIGAN HOUSE 97TH DISTRICT
Republican Party • Briar Bearss
Democrat Party •  Jack Bader

GOVERNOR

Rep11ublican Party • Perry Johnson

Democrat Party • Chris Swanson

U.S. SENATOR FOR MICHIGAN
Republican Party • Mike Rogers
Democrat Party • Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 8TH DISTRICT
Republican Party •  Amir Hassan
Democrat Party • Kristin McDonald Rivett

GENESEE COUNTY

67TH DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
Cheryl Lopez

K.C. Baran

This Week's Featured Column

Recent Editor's Notebook Columns

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Mike Killbreath appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8-10 am. He's an award-winning newspaper columnist and investigative reporter who is the former long-time owner of the local Metro Flint area chain of 14 community newspapers. This past fall marked his 50th year as a journalist. He also hosts a weekend national TV show known as The American Crusaders on cable TV and various OTT TV live streaming platforms.

BY MIKE KILLBFREATH

CCN Executive Editor

CLIO (CCN) — A 36-year-old Clio man has been charged with six felony counts for a road rage incident by the the office of Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson announced the arrest in a press conference.

Charged is Tony Lesperance. He faces two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of flawless assault and two counts of felony firearm for pulling a pistol in the road rage incident.

Sheriff Swanson said it happed while Lesperance was driving northbound on US 23 to I-75 in Vienna Township.

He said: "A Livingston County couple with their young kids are traveling northbound. They're in the right lane. Lesperance comes up and tailgates ... Lesperance pulls out a handgun, sticks it out the window, multiple witnesses to this mother and father and their two young kids, and that wasn't enough. As they continue to slow down, Lesperance takes his SUV and hits the front. It's what's called like a pit maneuver, and throws that vehicle into the median and totals the vehicle. Multiple witnesses are called on 9-1-1."

Sheriff Swanson said Deputy Jackson took Lesperance into custody at the scene and Lieutenant Snyder subsequently put the six-count felony case together after talking with multiple witnesses.

Sheriff Swanson added: "Here's why I'm telling the story, is that with today and the weather and the travel people have, do not let your emotions overcome common sense. Do not pull out a handgun to threaten people, just because you may be angry at how people drive if they drive slower, if they're more cautious. Road rage is something we can all understand. We've been experiencing that as we drive, but if that happens to you, you call 9-1-1. If you have to get off at the exit to disengage, do that. And if you are like Lesperance and want to pull a pistol out on an innocent family of four, this is what happens. Six count felony warrant, on tether, on a bond, and you're gonna be held accountable."

CCN has learned that another arrest was made on Christmas night in Flint Township where witnesses say the road was temporarily blocked off near Gordon's Food Center after a chase that originated at the McDonald's on Linden Road when a customer there said he was chased by a vehicle waiting in the parking lot when he came out of the restaurant at about 7:30 pm. The victim told CCN that two guns were found in the vehicle and State Police responded with Flint Township officers. He said the woman was arrested and taken to jail while her vehicle was towed away.

State Police and Flint Township police have not yet released any information on the incident but the victim said the same woman was ticketed and released by Flint Township police despite a video he produced with two guns being pulled on him in a similar road rage incident six days earlier.

PHOTO CAPION: Pictured above this story is Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson holding a booking photo of a Clio man charged with six felonies in a road rage incident.

(CCN) —  No intersections across the Metro Flint regional area made an annual list of the top 20 most dangerous ones in Michigan, and only one in the County Line Press coverage area cracked the top 10 lists in Genesee County, Shiawassee County or Saginaw County.

(See Story in State News of My Am Advantage)

(See Another Related Story in Today's Metro Section of The Daily Gazette)

 Michigan Auto Law of Farmington Hills compiled a top 10 list of the most dangerous intersections based on crash data reported to the Michigan State Police. The data showed that Corunna Road and I-75 in Flint Township to be No. 1 in Genesee County while Saginaw County's most dangerous intersection was at Center Road and State Street in Saginaw Township.

No. 5 on the list of Saginaw County's top 10 was in Birch Run at Birch Run Road and Dixie Highway where 21 crashes resulted in seven injuries.

(CCN) — The folks at Birch Run Speedway & Event Center are rolling it back to 1995 when the High Banked 4/10 Mile track was just a dream of Mike Kern's. The FWD class is finally getting its feature debut and those racers have got a shot at $1,000 to win.

Birch Run Speedway & Event Center will run a "B" main, if needed. That decision will be made on the night of the race. Drives will get to bring their home track rules for this exciting group of drivers.

The Street Stocks have asked, and track officials have delivered. They're headed down to the 1/4-mile track for their own invitational. They too can bring their home track rules and give it their best for the $2,000 first-place check. The only thing drivers need to keep in mind is that a 3 Link Suspension is not allowed. Other than that, race officials expect to have a full field of cars here on Friday (July 26, 2024) for the racing pleasure of fans.

The events will join the Figure 8's, Finish Line Seamless Gutters Pure Stocks, Nelson Hydraulics American Trucks and Late Model Sportsmen events at Birch Run Speedway & Event Center.

Every night of racing is capped off with the Top Speed Motorcars Spectator Drags.

Pits open at 3 pm and the gates open at 5 pm. Racing begins at 7:30 pm.

General admission tickets are $14 for anyone over age 16. Anyone under age 15 is admitted free.

(CCN) — The Midwest Modified Series visits Birch Run this weekend on Friday night (July 12, 2024).

The event will join the Figure 8's, Finish Line Seamless Gutters Pure Stocks, Nelson Hydraulics American Trucks and Late Model Sportsmen events at Birch Run Speedway & Event Center.

Every night of racing is capped off with the Top Speed Motorcars Spectator Drags.

Pits open at 2 pm and the gates open at 5 pm. Racing begins at 7:30 pm.

General admission tickets are $14 for anyone over age 16. Anyone under age 15 is admitted free.

(CCN) — School of Choice spots in Chesaning Union Schools for the upcoming 2024-25 school year are up for grabs, beginning on July 8.

The window for students to submit applications continues until Aug. 29.

Applications can be found at any school building office or on the district's web site.

 Questions can be directed to Sabrina Smith in Central Office (989) 845-7020 or by e-mail at sabrinas@chesaning.k12.mi.us.

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(CCN) — The Birch Run Township Planning Commission will meet on July 17 at 7 pm.

Township Clerk Riley Kiessling announced that a public hearing  is scheduled on the agenda for a proposed pond to be located between 11410 Birch Run Road and 11612 Birch Run Road.

Planning commission members will be making a recommendation to the Birch Run Township Board of Trustees after hearing details about the proposed pond.

The scheduled July 17 meeting will be held in the Government Room at Birch Run Township Hall which is located at 11935 Silver Creek Drive.

(CCN) — The Genesee County Board of Commissioners, alongside members of the Genesee County 7th Circuit Court, unveiled the long-awaited new Juvenile Justice Center Wednesday (June 13, 2024) in Flint Township.

The $27 million facility will officially open its doors in late July, as the staff transitions from the old facility next door.

Genesee County Board of Commission Chairman James Avery of Grand Blanc, who represents District 5, spoke about the facility and what it means for the entire community.

"As we cut this ribbon today, let us re-commit ourselves to the work ahead," Avery said. "Let us be proud of the fact that Genesee County is now, and has been for years, a model for juvenile justice. Let us stake our claim today that this facility will further our mission to empower young people to transform their lives for the betterment of our entire community."

Construction on the 54,000 square foot facility in Flint Township (on Pasadena Avenue in District 8) began in September 2020. District 8 Commissioner Dale Weighill said the new facility represents the "best of Genesee County and its dedication to young people."

Commissioner Weighill added: "Genesee County, and my colleagues on the (Genesee County) Board of Commissioners, have an unwavering commitment to youth empowerment. We remain dedicated to restorative practices that aim to heal and rehabilitate youth to promote safe communities across the county."

More than 100 people were in attendance for the ceremony, including many of the visionaries who made this new facility a reality, including Genesee County 7th Circuit Court Chief Judge David  Newblatt and Judge Judge John Gadola from the (Family Division of the court.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a photo of Genesee County leaders at an unveiling ceremony for a new 54,000 square foot juvenile justice center in Flint Township.

  (CCN) — YouTube sensation Mark Crilley will present step-by-step lessons for anyone who loves to draw Thursday at the Genesee County District Library's Montrose branch.

The event is set for 3 pm at Montrose-Jennings Library which is located at 241 Feher Drive in Montrose.

Crilley is an American comic creator, artist and children's book author and illustrator. He's the creator of Miki Falls and Brody's Ghost, but is best known for producing instructional videos on drawing on YouTube in various styles, including manga styles.

Crilley is a former Detroit resident.

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