THE LATEST TOP HEADLINES

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BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — Monica Shapiro is determined to do what she says will "improve local government" in Grand Blanc Township. Her plan is to replace leadership on the Grand Blanc Township Board of Trustees.

And she must subscribe to the old adage of if at first you don't succeed — try, try again!

Shapiro filed proposed recall language against six members on the board in November, and it was rejected. She has now filed again against Supervisor Scott Bennett and four others.

Four are Republicans and one is a  Democrat.

Shapiro said she eliminated Democrat Trustee Sara Hugo from her recall targets "because she voted against the new budget" adopted earlier this month by a 6-1 vote. She said Trustee Damon Brown voted for the budget but isn't eligible yet for recall because he wasn't appointed until early 2025 replacing Democrat Dr. Jude Rariden.

 State law requires candidates on four-year terms to be in office for one year before they are eligible to be recalled.

Supervisor Scott Bennett, a Republican, did not comment to The Daily Gazette or MLive but told  ABC TV 12 that Shapiro lost in November and is now "trying to write her way into office."

Shapiro was an unsuccessful Democrat candidate for Township Supervisor last November against Bennett. He won by 1,090 votes ((12,089 to 10,999).

Bennett is targeted for removal from office along with three fellow Republicans — Clerk Dave Robertson, Treasurer Mike Yanchoo Sr. and Trustee Joel Feick. The other Trustee targeted by Shapiro is Democrat Paul White.

 The other Democratic candidates are Jude Rariden, Paul J. White and Kevin Harmes. The Republicans are Cecelia Adkins, Lonnie Adkins, Joel Feick and Parker Wheatley. 

Her language cited how they placed Fire Chief Jamie Jent on administrative leave, then brough him back under a 90-day probationary period.

Residents packed Grand Blanc Township Hall at a meeting after the administrative leave was revealed on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio to support Chief Jent who said he was told in an Oct. 10 meeting to "support whatever position" is taken by the board. Chief Jent said his department was "under staffed" in violation of federal guidelines.

The next step is a hearing before the Genesee County Election Committee to determine if Shapiro's language is clear, concise and factual.

Township Supervisor Scott Bennett, Clerk Dave Robertson, and trustees Paul White, Joel Feick, and Mike Yancho Sr. are included in the new recall effort.

The language states the group voted to approve the 2026 township budget.

Previous recall language filed against the group stated in part that they allowed township fire Chief Jamie Jent to be placed on administrative leave.

The fire chief was put on administrative leave in October after raising staffing concerns, but he was reinstated after a one-week period.

Shapiro ran for township supervisor against Bennett in November 2024, losing by 1,089 votes in the race.

The county’s Election Commission – consisting of Probate Judge Jennie Barkey, Clerk-Register Domonique Clemons and Treasurer Sam Muma – has set a hearing for Friday, Jan. 2, to determine whether the new language will be accepted or rejected.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Monica Shapiro who has filed recall language against six of Grand Blanc Township's seven board members.

Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

We strongly endorse returning incumbents Christopher Carr,  Andrew Nyquist and Norm Williams to office for another four-year term on the Grand Blanc City Council.

They are in a five-candidate field that also includes Danen Williams and  Madeleine Doan.

The pair of challengers is not close to matching qualifications with the incumbents.

Danen Williams works in business licenses at the 

City of Flint and is an union member of AFSCME Local 1600.  He earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts at the University of Michigan-Flint.

He hasn't served on any of the city's board or commissions, and isn't active in any local civic groups. Due to that lack of an active role in the community, we can't endorse him for a council role to help run the city.

Doan is a 28-year-old grocery store supervisor who is not involved in any civic organizations and she has no experience on any city boards or commissions. That lack of any community involvement disqualifies her from consideration for an important seat among the city's top leaders.

Doan also lacks educational credentials by holding only a GED diploma as her only educational achievement.

It's a record that  certainly pales in comparison to Carr's long record of community service.

Carr, 66, is a retired Vice President of Business Banking at Huntington Bank where he worked for 35 years. He was fist elected to the city council in 2019 and is seeking his third term. He currently chairs the the City Finance and City Personnel committees, he has served since 2013 on the City Planning Commission and is Vice Chairman of the City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) after nearly two decades of service there.

Car holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan-Flint, and is on the U of M Alumni Club board where he has been the chairman for the past 10 years.

Nyquist, 51, deserves a second four-year term. He works in the cyber security at Palo Alto Networks as a solutions consultant. He's a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and is a sergeant on the City of Grand Blanc Fire Department where he has served since 2019. Nyquist earned a bachelor of science degree in management at the University of Phoenix.

 Williams, 69, served on both the City Public Safety Committee and City Personnel Committee during his first four-year term on the city council.

He's President and Creative Director for a Grand Blanc-based print and web site marketing agency known as NWA, Inc. He has been in this position for more than 35 years and has been a Grand Blanc Chamber of Commerce member for 25 years. He has also worked as a part-time realtor for the past five years as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, meeting the needs of maturing adults buying, selling, relocating with expertise in counseling clients through financial and lifestyle changes.

Williams earned a bachelor of science degreein graphic design at Western Michigan University.

His community involvement has included coaching in the Grand Blanc Little League program and coaching boys’ baseball and basketball, as well as girls’ basketball at Holy Family School. He has been involved in fundraising events for Holy Family School and for Church of the Holy Family as well as serving as past president of the Holy Family School Athletic Boosters as as past chair for Church of the Holy Family Pastoral Council. He's also a member of the Knights of Columbus 6742 of Grand Blanc and a member of the Elks 222 of Grand Blanc.

Monday, Oct. 27, 2025

 I aired my short "crickets" sound clip today on The Morning Gazette Radio Show. Regular listeners know that's code for why I need blood pressure pills.

Shady politicians and all the crooked ones have been causing me headaches for more than a half century now, and usually when one of them won't talk to me is when I dust off the old "crickets" sound track. As a first warning, I usually try to pack their next board or council meeting as punishment.

I'd like to repeat my radio show urging for anybody with support for fighters in general to show up Tuesday night at 6 o'clock.

It might just be to stand outside the Grand Blanc Township Hall and wait for the audio highlights of the board meeting on Wednesday's Morning Gazette Radio Show. I hope the place is packed and every seat is filled.

If you tune in tomorrow, I'm gonna drop a bombshell story that will likely cancel any plans the board members have to fire Fire Chief Jamie Jett.

Our sources told us Chief Jett was placed on administrative leave.

I reached out via text (my usual method to solicit comments from the township's Head Honcho) to Grand Blanc Township Supervisor Scott Bennett to confirm the story.

Nothing but crickets. All Day.

By 4:30 pm, his "no response" to my morning text confirmed the story was true.

I instructed our CCN news team to air the story at 4:30 pm as our lead story on our Metro Flint News/Talk Radio's CCN News Break.

We repeated it as our top local story in our bottom of the hour CCN News Breaks at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Then we aired it again on the CCN Evening News Hour at 7 o'clock. And again on the CCN News Final at 11:30 pm and again on the CCN News Wake-up Hour at 7 am.

In between, Supervisor Bennett stopped allowing people to post on his Facebook page.

Oh yes, he also released a statement on social media saying that staffing was just fine at his township's fire department. He even added a comment from the Deputy Chief, Kent Miracle, about how staffing levels were just fine and dandy to protect residents.

So we were to infer from all that how Chief Jett is simply a liar and a crybaby who can't get along with his superiors in the administration and on the township's board of trustees.

 But tune in tomorrow at 8 am on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio for the bombshell.

After that, I'm guessing Chief Jet will be taken off administrative leave and they certainly won't be firing him Tuesday night at the board meeting as is rumored throughout his township, and also throughout the ranks of local fire departments.

I hope all of them show up to support him Tuesday night. Tell the Head Honcho I said "hi" and to make sure there's no more crickets next time I reach out for a comment.

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 is 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 KILLLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — The suspected shooter who killed a popular Grand Blanc West Middle School football coach was released from the hospital on Friday (Nov. 7, 2025) and immediately arraigned in Lapeer County District Court.

Police identified the suspect as William Leroy Channer III from the Columbus area of St. Clair County. He is accused of killing Logan Welch, 30, at his place of employment.

Welch, 30, was shot and killed on Wednesday (Nov. 5, 2025) at about 8:0 am at the business they operated together in Lapeer County's Almont. They arrived early to work when sources tell CCN that the disgruntled former employee entered through a back door with plans to shoot young Logan and his father. Sources say Channer had been fired earlier from Trans Unlimited in Almost.

Sources say the gun jammed after he shot Logan and turned the weapon toward the father and pulled the trigger. The gunman then fled and police reports say he sped away to Metamora where eventually exchanging gunfire with officers before being taken into custody.

Lapeer County Prosecutor John Miller said Welch died of a single gunshot wound from a .380 caliber pistol.

After a few days in the hospital, suspected shooter Channer was released from  McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital in Lapeer County and was then immediately arraigned in Lapeer County District Court. Prosecutor Miller asked that Channer be held without bail at the Lapeer County Jail, and the judge obliged.

District Judge Laura Cheger Barnard will next conduct a probable cause hearing on Nov. 17 to determine if there's sufficient evidence for Channer  to be bound over to Lapeer County Circuit Court to stand trial.

Court records reveal that Channer is on probation for previous crimes.

Prosecutor Miller charged Channer with pre-meditated murder in the shooting of Welch. He faces up to life in prison, if convicted.

 Channer was also charged with felony counts for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, using a firearm to commit a felony and fleeing and eluding law enforcement.

Lapeer County Prosecutor Miller also said that Channer is an habitual offender. Court records show he has four prior misdemeanor and four prior felony offenses.

Two Lapper County Sheriff's deputies shot  Channer after a police chase ended on Sutton Road between Wilder and Thornville roads in Metamora Township. Both deputies were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident by the Michigan State Police at the request of the Almont Police Department.

Officers are routinely placed on administrative leave during investigations into officer-involved shootings.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a photo of William Channer III who was arraigned on pre-meditated murder on Friday (No. 7, 2025) in the shooting of popular Grand Blanc West Middle School football Coach Logan Welch.

BY ANA JONES

CCN Staff Writer

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — Monica Shapiro filed proposed recall language against six members on the Grand Blanc Township Board of Trustees.

Four are Republicans and two are Democrats.

Shapiro was an unsuccessful Democrat candidate for Township Supervisor last November against Republican Scott Bennett.

Bennett is targeted for removal from office along with three fellow Republicans — Clerk Dave Robertson, Treasurer Mike Yanchoo Sr. and Trustee Joel Feick. The others targeted are Democrats Sarah Hugo and Paul White.

Her language cited how they placed Fire Chief Jamie Jent on administrative leave, then brough him back under a 90-day probationary period.

Residents packed Grand Blanc Township Hall at a meeting after the administrative leave was revealed on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio to support Chief Jent who said he was told in an Oct. 10 meeting to "support whatever position" is taken by the board. Chief Jent said his department was "under staffed" in violation of federal guidelines.

The next step is a hearing before the Genesee County Election Committee to determine if Shapiro's language is clear, concise and factual.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Monica Shapiro who has filed recall language against six of Grand Blanc Township's seven board members.

BY MIKE KILLLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — After an explosive 911 call was exposed on Tuesday's Morning Gazette Radio Show, residents packed into the Grand Blanc Township Hall later that same evening (Oct. 28, 2025) to support embattled Fire Chief Jamie Jent.

A 911 call about the massive fire in Grand Blanc Township on Sept. 28 at Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints indicated that the fire department did not have "anybody else to send" to fight the fire which turned out to be the scene of a mass shooting that left four people dead and eight injured.

The Morning Gazette Radio Show had reported last week that Chief Jent had been placed on administrative leave, quoting anonymous but reliable sources.

A social media statement appeared "on behalf of Grand Blanc Township" within minutes after a similar report on a newscast by Metro Flint News/Talk Radio prior to Friday's Morning Gazette Radio Show story. The statement claimed erroneous assertions had been made by Chief Jent about his department being short-staffed. The statement, which was not attributed to any individual elected official or administration member, included a comment by Deputy Fire Chief Kent Miracle that staffing levels and equipment were proper.

The explosive 91 call contradicted what was written in the statement on behalf of the township.

Grand Blanc Supervisor Scott Bennett responded within an hour with another social media comment — this time saying Chief Jent had been taken off administrative leave. It was the first official confirmation by any township official that The Morning Gazette story last week was indeed true about reliable sources contending that Chief Jent would be fired on Tuesday at the board meeting after being placed on administrative leave.

No resolution to fire Chief Jent was placed on the agenda and no talk about it took place Tuesday after dozens of residents praised the dedication and professionalism of Chief Jent since becoming the department's leader last April and after the 911 call was aired on The Morning Gazette Radio Show.

"It's pretty embarrassing to the township after placing him on administrative leave after he essentially told the truth," said Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton who taped the 911 exchange after noticing Mundy Township fire trucks racing toward what she would later learn was the church on McClandlish Road.

Chief Jent told board members and a big crowd Tuesday that staffing levels are "not safe" and in violation of federal requirements. He stressed that he refused to go along with an Oct. 10 edict that he support township board decisions to present an united front to the public.

"I won't break the law," Chief Jent said.

 about refusing the idea of making false statements to support the board's position. "I won't lie to the residents," he added.

Chief Lent has been pushing for better staffing levels and better equipment.

He said Township Superintendent Dennis Liimatta has said no more money will be budgeted for the fire department despite the low staffing levels in violation of federal guidelines for the safety of firefighters and residents.

Residents, fire fighters and union leaders (including from other cities) paraded to the podium to make statements in support of Chief Jent during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Supervisor Bennett began the meeting by reading a statement, saying the board intends to look into operations at the fire department at a later date.

He interrupted several speakers when their comments caused the audience to erupt into clapping. "That won't be allowed," Bennett said about the clapping on several occasions.

One resident also accused Bennett of "shutting off  comments on his Facebook page" to prevent negative opinions about his position on the fire department situation from being presented to the public.

Bennett has not responded to a request last week for a comment from CCN.

RELATED STORIES:

Editor's Notebook Column in Grand Blanc Press After Packed House to Support Chief Jent

Editor's Notebook Column Before Meeting

Click here to listen to a podcast of The Morning Gazette Radio Show About Packed House

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Grand Blanc Township Fire Chief Jamie Jent addressing his board of trustees on Tuesday.

BY MIKE KILLLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — After an explosive 911 call was exposed on Tuesday's Morning Gazette Radio Show, residents packed into the Grand Blanc Township Hall later that same evening (Oct. 28, 2025) to support embattled Fire Chief Jamie Jent.

A 911 call about the massive fire in Grand Blanc Township on Sept. 28 at Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints indicated that the fire department did not have "anybody else to send" to fight the fire which turned out to be the scene of a mass shooting that left four people dead and eight injured.

The Morning Gazette Radio Show had reported last week that Chief Jent had been placed on administrative leave, quoting anonymous but reliable sources.

A social media statement appeared "on behalf of Grand Blanc Township" within minutes after a similar report on a newscast by Metro Flint News/Talk Radio prior to Friday's Morning Gazette Radio Show story. The statement claimed erroneous assertions had been made by Chief Jent about his department being short-staffed. The statement, which was not attributed to any individual elected official or administration member, included a comment by Deputy Fire Chief Kent Miracle that staffing levels and equipment were proper.

The explosive 91 call contradicted what was written in the statement on behalf of the township.

Grand Blanc Supervisor Scott Bennett responded within an hour with another social media comment — this time saying Chief Jent had been taken off administrative leave. It was the first official confirmation by any township official that The Morning Gazette story last week was indeed true about reliable sources contending that Chief Jent would be fired on Tuesday at the board meeting after being placed on administrative leave.

No resolution to fire Chief Jent was placed on the agenda and no talk about it took place Tuesday after dozens of residents praised the dedication and professionalism of Chief Jent since becoming the department's leader last April and after the 911 call was aired on The Morning Gazette Radio Show.

"It's pretty embarrassing to the township after placing him on administrative leave after he essentially told the truth," said Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton who taped the 911 exchange after noticing Mundy Township fire trucks racing toward what she would later learn was the church on McClandlish Road.

Chief Jent told board members and a big crowd Tuesday that staffing levels are "not safe" and in violation of federal requirements. He stressed that he refused to go along with an Oct. 10 edict that he support township board decisions to present an united front to the public.

"I won't break the law," Chief Jent said.

 about refusing the idea of making false statements to support the board's position. "I won't lie to the residents," he added.

Chief Lent has been pushing for better staffing levels and better equipment.

He said Township Superintendent Dennis Liimatta has said no more money will be budgeted for the fire department despite the low staffing levels in violation of federal guidelines for the safety of firefighters and residents.

Residents, fire fighters and union leaders (including from other cities) paraded to the podium to make statements in support of Chief Jent during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Supervisor Bennett began the meeting by reading a statement, saying the board intends to look into operations at the fire department at a later date.

He interrupted several speakers when their comments caused the audience to erupt into clapping. "That won't be allowed," Bennett said about the clapping on several occasions.

One resident also accused Bennett of "shutting off  comments on his Facebook page" to prevent negative opinions about his position on the fire department situation from being presented to the public.

Bennett has not responded to a request last week for a comment from CCN.

RELATED STORIES:

Editor's Notebook Column in Grand Blanc Press After Packed House to Support Chief Jent

Editor's Notebook Column Before Meeting

Click here to listen to a podcast of The Morning Gazette Radio Show About Packed House

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Grand Blanc Township Fire Chief Jamie Jent addressing his board of trustees on Tuesday.

BY MIKE KILLLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — Lines required two-hour waits for many who attended a visitation on Friday (Nov. 14, 2025)  for a popular Grand Blanc West Middle School football coach slain by a gunman last week at his place of employment.

Logan Welch, 30, was shot and killed on Wednesday (Nov. 5, 2025) by a former employee who had been fired at Trans Unlimited in Lapeer County's Almont. Welch and his father operated the business and arrived early when sources tell CCN that the disgruntled former employee entered through a back door with plans to shoot young Logan and his father.

Sources say the gun jammed after he shot Logan and turned the weapon toward the father and pulled the trigger. The gunman then fled and police reports say he sped away to Metamora where eventually exchanging gunfire with officers before being taken into custody.

Police identified the shooter last Friday (Nov. 7, 2025) as William Leroy Channer III.

Lapeer County Prosecutor John Miller said Welch died of a single gunshot wound from a .380 caliber pistol.

After a few days in the hospital, suspected shooter Channer was released from  McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital in Lapeer County and was then immediately arraigned last Friday (Nov. 7, 2025) in Lapeer County District Court. Prosecutor Miller asked that Channer be held without bail at the Lapeer County Jail, and the judge obliged.

District Judge Laura Cheger Barnard will next conduct a probable cause hearing on Monday (Nov. 17, 2025) to determine if there's sufficient evidence for Channer  to be bound over to Lapeer County Circuit Court to stand trial.

Court records reveal that Channer is from the Columbus area of St. Clair County and is on probation for previous crimes.

Prosecutor Miller charged Channer with pre-meditated murder in the shooting of Welch. He faces up to life in prison, if convicted.

 Channer was also charged with felony counts for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, using a firearm to commit a felony and fleeing and eluding law enforcement.

Lapeer County Prosecutor Miller said Welch was shot at about 8:20 am on Wednesday. Miller also said that Channer is an habitual offender. Court records show he has four prior misdemeanor and four prior felony offenses.

Two Lapper County Sheriff's deputies shot  Channer after a police chase ended on Sutton Road between Wilder and Thornville roads in Metamora Township. Both deputies were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident by the Michigan State Police at the request of the Almont Police Department.

Officers are routinely placed on administrative leave during investigations into officer-involved shootings.

Nick Scheba

devastation would be an inadequate word to use for this moment. How could a man with such compassion for others, for such appreciation for the simple things, and with such vigor for life be taken from us so senselessly without notice. If only you knew the impact you had on our community. If only you knew how much you were loved. 

We were all influenced by you, through one reason or another. I cherished the times when you were the calming force during our family feuds. I cherished when you were a pain in the ass on the opposing team during a sporting event. I cherished when you were the catalyst for after-dinner Dairy Queen runs. Not because these were enjoyable times (believe me, they were) but because we were blessed to be doing them with you. 

BY MIKE KILLLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

GRAND BLANC TWP. (CCN) — The suspected shooter who killed a popular Grand Blanc West Middle School football coach was released from the hospital on Friday (Nov. 7, 2025) and immediately arraigned in Lapeer County District Court.

Police identified the suspect as William Leroy Channer III from the Columbus area of St. Clair County. He is accused of killing Logan Welch, 30, at his place of employment.

Welch, 30, was shot and killed on Wednesday (Nov. 5, 2025) at about 8:0 am at the business they operated together in Lapeer County's Almont. They arrived early to work when sources tell CCN that the disgruntled former employee entered through a back door with plans to shoot young Logan and his father. Sources say Channer had been fired earlier from Trans Unlimited in Almost.

Sources say the gun jammed after he shot Logan and turned the weapon toward the father and pulled the trigger. The gunman then fled and police reports say he sped away to Metamora where eventually exchanging gunfire with officers before being taken into custody.

Lapeer County Prosecutor John Miller said Welch died of a single gunshot wound from a .380 caliber pistol.

After a few days in the hospital, suspected shooter Channer was released from  McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital in Lapeer County and was then immediately arraigned in Lapeer County District Court. Prosecutor Miller asked that Channer be held without bail at the Lapeer County Jail, and the judge obliged.

District Judge Laura Cheger Barnard will next conduct a probable cause hearing on Nov. 17 to determine if there's sufficient evidence for Channer  to be bound over to Lapeer County Circuit Court to stand trial.

Court records reveal that Channer is on probation for previous crimes.

Prosecutor Miller charged Channer with pre-meditated murder in the shooting of Welch. He faces up to life in prison, if convicted.

 Channer was also charged with felony counts for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, using a firearm to commit a felony and fleeing and eluding law enforcement.

Lapeer County Prosecutor Miller also said that Channer is an habitual offender. Court records show he has four prior misdemeanor and four prior felony offenses.

Two Lapper County Sheriff's deputies shot  Channer after a police chase ended on Sutton Road between Wilder and Thornville roads in Metamora Township. Both deputies were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident by the Michigan State Police at the request of the Almont Police Department.

Officers are routinely placed on administrative leave during investigations into officer-involved shootings.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a photo of William Channer III who was arraigned on pre-meditated murder on Friday (No. 7, 2025) in the shooting of popular Grand Blanc West Middle School football Coach Logan Welch.

(CCN) — The Grand Blanc woman struck by a car last week while trying to cross Grand Blanc Road near Davis Street has passed away, according to a report by WJRT ABC TV 12.

 She was hit by a car on July 15. ABC TV 12 said a Grand Blanc City Police Department official identified her as 64-year-old Pamela Moorman. 

She was struck by a car to cross driven by a 72-year-old man. 

He gave aid at the scene and police say alcohol and drugs were not a factor in the crash.  

The woman’s dog died at the scene and she was transported to a local hospital where she later died.

(CCN) — Chicken Shack has announced a new location coming to Downtown Grand Blanc. It’s the first location outside the Metro Detroit area for the iconic chain and joins the Clarkston location on Sashabaw Road as the only ones in The Daily Gazette coverage area. 

A social media post by the Detroit-based corporation today (June 25, 2024) revealed: “Exciting news! We're thrilled to announce the opening of our 24th location next month in Grand Blanc at 11355 S. Saginaw Street! Stay tuned for the exact opening date.”

 The post added: “If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the newest Shack crew, send us a message!”  The e-mail address is: ChickenShackofGrandBlanc@gmail.com 

 You can contact the Grand Blanc location by calling (810) 603-7468.  You can visit Chicken Shack’s Web Site by clicking Here.  

The company web site says Chicken Shack is delivered fresh daily because “fresh food is better than fast food” and proclaims that their cooking process and proprietary recipes have been passed down through the generations.  Chicken Shack made its debut in the late 1950’s..   

The first store was born shortly after John Sobeck first experienced a totally new process of preparing and cooking chicken. The second he tasted it, he knew he could make something with this new technology. On June 6, 1956, after only 41 days of construction, he and wife Iola opened their first Chicken Shack in Royal Oak.   

Their customers craved the food so much that the Sobecks couldn’t keep up with demand and had to purchase more equipment just to handle their expanding business!  

Over 60 years later, and four generations strong, the Sobeck family is still working hard to serve to its fans the best tasting food in America and continue John and Iola’s legacy of bringing people together one plate at a time.

Besides two Royal Oak locations at 11 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, other Chicken Shacks are on Mack Avenue in Detroit Schoenherr Road in Warren, 11 Mile Road in Warren, 23 Mike Road in New Baltimore, Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe, Harper Road in St. Clair Shores, Dixie Hwy. in Lincoln Park, VanDyke in Sterling Heights, Warren Road in Westland, Romeo Plank Road in Macomb Township, University Drive in Rochester, 14 Mile Road in Clawson, Northwestern Hwy in Southfield, Seven Mile Road in Livonia, Fort St Riverview Road in Riverview, Garfield Road in Clinton Township, VanDyke Road in Shelby Township, Gilbraltor Road in Brownstown, Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Township and Ellsworth Road in Ypsilanti. 

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA (CCN) — Larry Rosenthal, formerly of Grand Blanc, passed away in Virginia at age 62.

U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee of Flint Township saluted the public service commitment of Rosenthal who was a long-time Congressional aide to Kildee's uncle — the late Dale Kildee of Flint who served in congress from 1977 until 2013.

"This is a terrible loss, Larry was one of my oldest and closest friends," Dan Kildee said.

Former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling, who worked in Dale Kildee's office during his early 20's, posted in an online tribute to Rosenthal: "We're very saddened to hear of Larry's passing and we offer our most sincere condolences to his family and close friends. I treasure the many conversations I had with Larry as I started to find my way into politics and public service. He will always be a shining light and an inspiration!"

 Throughout his career, Rosenthal served as a mentor to countless young people looking to succeed in D.C., according to the late Dale Kildee who once told the Grand Blanc Press: "Larry is a dedicated public servant who helps our constituents but also lends a helping hand to young people who want to succeed in Washington D.C. or build a career in politics."

Outside of his career, Rosenthal was a dedicated foodie and a rabid sports fan of his cherished Michigan State Spartans and all of Detroit’s professional sports teams he grew up rooting for during his childhood.

He is survived by and will be greatly missed by his wife Bonnie Rosenthal, his sons Jack and Ethan, and his many extended family members and friends. 

Rosenthal attended James Madison College at Michigan State University to study public policy after high school.  Following MSU, Larry moved to Washington, D.C., to begin his 40-plus year political career. He first worked for his hometown Congressman Dale Kildee, finding his passion advocating for Native Americans. He was later appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve in a senior role in his administration. 

After his career in public service, Rosenthal built one of Washington’s most successful consulting firms to improve the lives of Native Americans. 

Rosenthal, who passed away peacefully according to an obituary posted in Virginia, was born on Dec. 6, 1962 in Flint to loving parents Peppy and the late Morris Rosenthal. As a kid growing up in Genesee County, he loved playing hockey.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Rosenthal’s memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association or National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.. 

You can view and sign a family guestbook online by clicking here. 

PHOTO CAPTION: Larry Rosenthal, formerly of Grand Blanc, has passed away in Virginia. 

LANSING (CCN) — Grand Blanc's  Andrew Nyquist was welcomed to the House Floor by State Rep. David Martin of Davison for the governor’s annual State of the State address Wednesday night (Feb. 26, 2025).

Nyquist was first elected to the Grand Blanc City Council in 2021 and currently serves on both the City Public Works Committee and the Legal and Legislative Committee.

He is also a Lieutenant in the Grand Blanc City Fire Department and has served there since 2019.

Nyquist is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, works in the cybersecurity industry, and is a member of the Genesee County Soldiers Relief Commission.

He has lived in the City of Grand Blanc for 14 years with his wife Julie and two sons.

Martin is a Republican who has served in the State House since 2021.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this photo is Grand Blanc Township Supervisor Scott Bennett who got more than 1,500 fewer votes than Democrat challenger Monica Shapiro in the primary where both were unopposed.

(CCN) — State Rep. David Martin will hold a Town Hall meeting on Friday (Feb. 28, 2025) from  1:30 pm until 3 pm in the City of Grand Blanc at McFarlen Library on Perry Road.

He will also host a Town Hall earlier in the day from 9:30 am until 11 am in Davison.

Martin represents the 68th House District  which includes the City of Davison, City of Grand Blanc, most of the City of Burton, as well as the Village of Goodrich, Atlas Township, Davison Township, Groveland Township and portions of Genesee Township and Grand Blanc Township. 

He is behind current legislation he proposed to end the legislator to lobbyist pipeline by requiring a two-year wait before anyone leaving the state legislature can join a lobbyist firm.

(CCN) — A tragic fall through the ice in Grand Blanc Township on Monday has resulted in the death of an 84-year-old man, according to an update from the Grand Blanc Township Police Department.

 Grand Blanc Township Fire Chief Kent Maricle reported earlier that the man was 8 to 10 feet under water when four firefighters arrived on the scene at a pond on Canter Creek Trail.

They had already pulled one man out of the water and it was 15 minutes after they arrived that the second man was pulled out and taken by ambulance to Henry Ford Health Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc Township where he passed aay.

(CCN) — The Grand Blanc Township Police Department is urging residents to support the community's local food pantry — FISH of Grand Blanc over the next two weeks.

A township patrol cruiser is parked in front of the police department office on Saginaw Street

The department's Facebook page had the photo above posted on Monday (March 10, 2025) with a declaration: "Hey Grand Blanc, during the next two weeks, we are doing a cereal drive for our local food pantry, FISH of Grand Blanc. Let’s fill this cruiser up today with unopened boxes of cereal and show how great our community is. 

We can do this!!!"

Cecila Smith posted: "On behalf of FISH of Grand Blanc, we thank you for doing this and for all of the donations for the people out there that desperately need to have cereal to help them get by."

 FISH, Inc. Grand Blanc Chapter is an all-volunteer 501(c3) non profit organization that has been providing food, clothing, Christmas and other emergency services to Grand Blanc students and residents since 1974. 

You can learn more about the organization by visiting its web site.

PHOTO CAPTION : Two officers from the Grand Blanc Township strike a pose in front of a cruiser they're hoping to fill up to help the area's local food pantry known as FISH of Grand Blanc.

ROYAL OAK (CCN) — Grand Blanc's David Lally has been impressive during his half season of work in college wooden bat baseball at Royal Oak. In fact, his 97 mph fastball has caught the attention of the notable "D1 Baseball" radar.

A post after his stellar performance with the Royal Oak Leprechauns predicted a "breakout year" for the new recruit at the University of Michigan.

Lally entered the transfer portal after two seasons at Notre Dame and was signed by UM.

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

Lally started 4 games and the ex-All-American prep star from Grand Blanc made 6 total appearances. He has 32 strikeouts in 29 innings of work with a 3.10 earned run average.

Lally led the 2022 Grand Blanc Bobcats to the Division 1 state championship with a 9-1 record and 0.48 earned run average.

PHOTO CAPTION: Grand blanc's David Lally pitching for the Royal Oak Leprechauns in the Northwoods League.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TWP. (CCN)  — Trustee Kyle Ward has became the first member of the Mundy Township Board of Trustees to express opposition for the proposed mega site located on a 1,200-acre location bordered by Linden Road, Jennings Road, Elms Road and Maple Road.

"I've seen signs all over the township opposing the Mega Site,," Trustee Ward said at Monday night's (June 24, 2024) township board meeting. "I'm elected to serve the people and I have not seen one sign supporting the Mega Site. For that reason, I'm against it."

Trustee Ward's comments came after more speakers Monday night from the podium at the public comment portion of a township board meeting. Mega Site opponents have also flooded previous meetings — demanding answers from their elected leaders about what's going on and why everything is being kept secret.

A Facebook group has more than 2,100 members who oppose the Mega Site. Allegations have been leveled there about non disclosure documents being signed by elected officials and a potential battery plant or a semiconductor plant to build chips for electric vehicles being built by a foreign company. Most of the EV industry is currently fueled by plants in South Korea, Taiwain or Communist China.

The issue has been a hot topic in Mundy Township for about a year. Residents have also marched to the podium for public comments at previous township board meetings and organized other meetings of citizens concerned about the project.  Neighboring residents who live near the Mega Site in  Flint Township and the City of Swartz Creek have also expressed concerns.

"We can't take a position or we can get sued," Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler told Mega Site opponents Monday night.

She invited residents to attend an 11 am meeting at Mundy Township Hall on Tuesday (June 25, 2024) after one speaker asked questions about state plans to possibly  pump another $250 million of tax dollars into the Mega Site.

Many went to Monday's board meeting because they were mad about police activity at a controversial picket sign protest four days earlier outside a political fundraiser for Mundy Township Clerk Tonya Ketzler at Redwood Lodge.

The Flint Genesee Group, a Flint non-profit organization headed by CEO Tim Herman, has received more than $10 million in two grants from Governor Gretchen Whitmer's push to build plants to supply the electric vehicle industry.  The grants were from the Michigan Economic Development group and approved by the state legislature before being signed by Governor Whitmer to go toward the proposed development in Mundy Township. An additional $250 million was approved two weeks ago by the Michigan Strategic Fund and the funding request was sent to the floor of the State House of Representatives in a 17-9 vote a few hours before Thursday's protest with picket signs last week. Two committee members passed instead of voting.

Herman's group gets another $250 million if the State House approves it and he also gets approval from the State Senate. All indications are that Governor Whitmer will then sign the funding request.

She has been featured during the past two weeks on mid-Michigan TV stations on a 30-second commercial paid for by a climate change PAC in California. Gov. Whitmer praises President Joe Biden's push for electric vehicles and calls her state a leader in supplying batteries for EV's and contributing thousands of new, good-paying jobs. Not a single battery factory has yet been built in Michigan though although one was revealed last week for Delta Township, near Lansing, and the Detroit News confirmed two weeks ago that $687 million in state tax dollars was dumped into a proposed battery factory in Big Rapids to be owned by a company from Communist China.

Herman's representative,  Tyler Rossmaessler who is Director of Economic Development for the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, has told media and state officials that his group will "let everyone know what's coming to the Mega Site after they get the money."

Rossmaessler has promised "thousands" of jobs are coming to the Mega Site. The average battery factory, however, employs only 92 people, according to the Battery Factory Manufacturers Association of the United States. National Labor Bureau statistics  reveal an average of only about 50 jobs for the average chip plant since an industry association currently lists only 350 plants and 24,340 jobs for the entire USA.

One member of the Facebook group opposing the proposed Mega Site  (John Smith although he told The Daily Gazette that's not his real name) posted a conversation last week with one of Herman's employees —  Joel Feick. He explained that the post was taken down at Feick's request after his comment triggered an avalanche of responses. Feick was quoted as saying, "We don't know what's coming because we don't have a buyer yet for the property."

Jennifer Arrand Stainton, who organized the picket protest outside Supervisor Ketzler's political fundraiser last week, was adamant that state officials voting for Herman's funding are "wasting more than $260 million in tax dollars  when they don't even know what the plan is."

Stainton was also critical of Metro Police Authority Chief Matt Bade for dispatching so many police officers to "stop the picketers from protesting" and demanded to know who ordered the massive police presence. Bade said he would address any issue at a Wednesday (June 26, 2024) meeting at the police station.

The Daily Gazette also put forth questions at the public comment portion of the meeting. One asked Chief Bade and Township Attorney Attorney Jack Beltzer to explain how patrols were allowed since officers told picketers that roads within the Gateway Center off Hill Road are private property, and state law prohibits patrols on private property and only allows responses to 911 calls or an investigation into a case. Another question was posed about how Beltzer allowed a Freedom of Information request to hide the contents of so-called non disclosure items and documents with developers after the Michigan Press Association successfully won a Supreme Court decision in Bisio vs. Clarkston — a case re-affirming law enacted by the Michigan Open Meetings Act in 1976. Clarkston officials attempted to shield documents with a developer from a FOIA request, too. The Supreme Court voted 6-1 it was illegal in a 37-page decision.

Beltzer and Chief Bade did not react to The Daily Gazette's questions to the dismay of audience members at the board meeting.

Stainton, who is running as a Republican against incumbent Democrat Ketzler for Supervisor in November 2024, vowed to make complaints to  the Genesee County Sheriff's Department, Michigan State Police and the Michigan Attorney General's office about police trying to keep picketers away last week from Ketzler's political fundraiser event. See Related Story

Stainton said she rented a hotel room at Gateway Center to park closer to Hill Road where the picket demonstration was forced to set up and also to field questions from media all day from around the area and around the state. A story about her protest was aired by WJRT ABC 12, WNEM CBS 5 and Mid-Michigan Now on TV 25 and TV  66.

ABC TV 12 reported that Rossmaessler issued a written statement about the State House Appropriation Committee sending the funding request forward to the State House. His statement said: "We truly appreciate the incredible support for our efforts to bring thousands of jobs to Genesee County by members of the state House Appropriations Committee." 

State Rep. Jasper Martus, a Democrat from Flushing, put forth the motion to give Herman's group $250 million more — telling TV 12 it would be "the largest economic investments in Genesee County in generations." He added, "This initiative will offer jobs and economic security to thousands of our friends and neighbors. At its height, GM employed 85,000 jobs in our community. That number has dwindled to less than 10,000. Today, we begin to reverse decades of underinvestment,” he said in a statement to ABC12.

No press releases are posted on the Flint Genesee Group's web site, but Rossmaessler also told ABC TV 12 in his statement: “We have seen a lot of interest in this site. It’s one of the best in the country because of its close proximity to a railroad, Bishop airport and I-69 and I-75, and the nearby talent pool of skilled trades workers and three great local colleges.”

Rossmaessler told The Detroit News: "Genesee County is known as a leader in building the products that impact the daily lives of those all over the world. Bringing an advanced manufacturer to our area will again position the county as a leader in cutting-edge technology. As a result, we’ll spark investment and revenue growth that supports our schools, roads and public safety agencies. It will also boost our local economy and attract new businesses and investment in our community." 

State Rep. Sarah Lightner, a Republican from Springport, voted against the motion and issued a press release, saying: “The lack of information surrounding most of these projects is deeply troubling and unacceptable. Michigan taxpayers have the right to know exactly how their money is being used, and they expect real, measurable outcomes from these investments. The Mundy Township project, in particular, is a huge risk. We've been provided with next to no information to show that it even qualifies for SOAR funding. There’s no evidence that Genesee County or Mundy Township has any substantial stake or involvement in this project, and officials have admitted that equipping the area with the necessary water and sewer services for a large industrial site will be extremely expensive."

Stainton and others opposed to the idea say the environmental damages done by the plants to support EV's far out-weighs the possible impact of any jobs but wasn't alone in questioning if thousands of good-paying jobs can be created.

One citizen said Mundy Township residents want to preserve the community's rural lifestyle, too.

Stainton urged voters to support candidates who oppose the Mega Site. "We need to stop this," she said. "That's why I support you elect Leah Davis and Zack Sack." She told The Daily Gazette that one other current board member in addition to Trustee Ward has privately told her of intentions to soon come out with public opposition against the proposed project. Stainton said Ward's announcement caught her by surprise Monday.

"He wants to listen to the residents who elected him that and I'm elated he made that clear to the other members of the board," she said.

Davis and Sack are running for one of the four township trustee positions along with Dan Morey, Trustee Ward and the other three incumbents .—  Kimberly Jimenez, Debra Ridley and Mark Gorton. Jimenez, Ridley, Gorton and Morey are Democrats. Davis, Sack and Ward are Republicans.

Incumbent Democrat Cory Jo Bostwick is unopposed for re-election and newcomer   Danelle Barker is also unopposed for Treasurer. Barker is a Republican.

Clerk Bostwick told The Daily Gazette that she "didn't want to talk about anything" unless there were questions about being a registered voter. She also engaged in screaming matches with citizens that were captured on tape by witnesses.

"Her attitude is simply shameful," said one witness who provided the recordings to the Daily Gazette. "You need to make her famous. Nobody will believe an elected official can talk to her constituents like that."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Mundy Township Trustee Kyle Ward. He was first elected in 2020 as a Republican.

Friday, June 21, 2024 Column

Heads need to roll at the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County. If not, I'm ready to lead a campaign to close down the recently formed force  to patrol the City of Swartz Creek and Mundy Township. I guess we just can't use picket signs to do it.

Protesters against a proposed mega site for a 1,200-acre location in Mundy Township showed up with picket signs last night. They tried to set up outside Redwood Lodge where Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler was hoping for $1,250 contributions to support her bid for re-election during a political fundraiser.

As promised in this space yesterday, I showed up to check out the protest show.

By the time I arrived, nobody was holding picket signs around the entrance to Redwood Lodge. I'm told officers from the Metro Police Authority were dispatched to chase away anybody who wanted to picket. Witnesses say nine cop cars were waiting for them. I only counted seven but either number is ridiculous. 

Jennifer Arrand Stainton, organizer of the event and candidate to end Tonya Ketzler's political career, was so angry that she rented a hotel room to field interviews from media around the state when police tried to chase her away.

"They told us picketing isn't allowed," she said. "I guess Mundy Township and a few other places in Michigan are not part of America anymore now that our Governor (Gretchen Whitmer) is giving them over a billion dollars of our taxes to build plants for companies in Communist China, Taiwan and South Korea. They told us it was private property and we couldn't be on the streets or park at any of the businesses because they had complained."

Hmmm.

I'd like to hear audio of a single 911 caller that generated this mass police presence.

If you need someone arrested for a clear crime the Metro Police Authority didn't have time to help you with, give me a call at (810) 771-8421. If you can prove to me he or she is guilty, I'm willing to take you with me to the Mundy Township meeting Monday night and demand they go get your alleged criminal before the meeting is over and slap handcuffs on him.

All the protesters were chased up to the Hill Road area entrance to Gateway Center. Seven cop cars were buzzing around to hassle anybody who looked like a potential picketer. They were ordered not to park at businesses.

Again, just one 911 call please to prove someone complained. I talked to several who said, "Hey, we're closed by then. Sure. No problem."

In fact, I rode around with Flint community activist Arthur Woodson who stopped his shiny black truck to chat with a few. He talked to cops, too.

It seems Tonya ordered all this, according to my interviews and his quick poll. If you want to try to illegally stop a picket protest, you probably shouldn't share who is behind it with cops who are typically pretty truthful characters. 

"I'd call it weaponizing the police," said Jerry Roberts who is a frequent critic of Flint Township government. He says he has been involved in the mega site issue because it's near his property. Read Related Column

Stainton says she complained to the Genesee County Sheriff's Department about the tactics, but says "she got no help."

She says she now plans to talk with State Police on Monday and is considering a class action lawsuit. A Facebook page by protesters has 2,100 members. Community activists from Flint were also planning to join the picket demonstration until reading comments about "expecting a police presence."

"It was clear they didn't want black people out there, so I stayed home, and no, you can't use my name," said one Flint resident who said he's outraged over Governor Whitmer giving more than $260 million Flint Genesee Group President Tim Herman when Flint water crisis victims got no justice with anyone going to jail for poisoning their city 10 years ago. 

"We have 1,900 homes that still don't have their pipes fixed 10 years later," he added. "How would you like to live without water to drink or take a shower with? Yet Grethen can give away a billion dollars to people promising to build some plants with big promises to create jobs, but to possibly create another Flint water crisis on steroids!"

Why did he want to stay anonymous? His explanation was simple: "Because I don't want nine cop cars showing up at my place in the hood to haul me to jail like they did with Art Woodson in Flint the other night for filming a city council meeting with a tripod after he spoke out against Tim Herman on this mega site project."

Woodson said: "Tim Herman is a racist. You can quote me on that. So are whoever these political people are behind stopping this protest out here (in Mundy Township)."

Flint community activist Rich Jones said he didnt know about the event soon enough to deliver a massive turnout by Flint residents. He said, "Plus people were scared when they started reading comments on Facebook about the police waiting for us out there. They can't fix Flint but they can give all that money to Tim Herman to build something for the Chinese out in Mundy Township? Give Flint that money and watch how many good-paying jobs we could create over at the abandoned Buick City site or the old AC Spark Plug site. We need to take bus loads of people to protest this in Lansing."

Yours truly expressed excitement from this space and on my radio show when the Mundy Township Police Department and City of Swartz Creek Police Department were dissolved a few years ago to form the new Metro Police Authority.

Our community would miss long-time Swartz Creek Chief Rick Clolinger anyway because he was ready to retire, so the timing was right. New leadership was also needed in my opinion for Mundy Township's police department for many more reasons than the "political" arrest of Mateen Cleaves who was eventually cleared of phony rape charges. It was also refreshing to see long-time Burton cop Matt Bade win the sweepstakes to get the top job. He's one of the finest police officers to patrol the streets in our Metro Flint regional area.

I once helped Burton police officers get a millage passed to pay them better and hire them some friends to fight crime. So I'm not an anti cop kind of guy. And when I say Matt Bade is a good man, I have lots who will support that fact.

But if he ordered what happened over at the Gateway Center last night, he needs to go back to enjoying retirement. If he took orders from Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler or bowed to pressures by anyone else, Matt Bade needs to go away. He isn't police chief material.

Count on Chief Bade being invited to appear on my radio show to explain how this was allowed to happen in America.

Call our office line at (810) 771-8421 if you want to leave me a question to ask the Chief.

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Mike Killbreath appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8 am until 9:30 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 newspapers. This fall will be his 50th year as a journalist. He also hosts a new weekly national TV show known as The American Crusaders on cable TV and various OTT TV live streaming platforms.

Thursday, June 20, 2024 Column

I'm not even back on the air yet and one local politician already fired off a nasty e-mail response to my request to talk to her about what's going on in her community. "I won't go on your show," she declared twice among several texts via Messenger.

Tonya Ketzler has a big fundraiser tonight at Redwood Lodge off Hill Road, near U.S. 23. She wants to be re-elected as Mundy Township Supervisor. She is completing her first term after previously serving as the township clerk.

Her first term as township leader ends in November and my grade for her performance so far would be an absolute "F" grade.

I first me Tonya when she operated flower stores known as Ketzler Florist. She once had locations on Hill Road in Mundy Township, Grand Blanc and Swartz Creek. All the stores are now closed up.

She was once an occasional guest at a "Mafia Club" dinner group of community leaders. I think her last visit was when she voiced opposition one night outside on the patio at Flint Golf Club about comments I made on the radio blasting her police department for arresting Mateen Cleaves on a phony charge that had big time political overtones. Let's just say the only folks who needed to be charged and thrown in prison as far as I'm concerned were some local chiefs, a few cops and several from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

I predicted to her that the case would be dismissed. She was outraged, especially so when everyone at the table agreed with my assessment of things.

Frank Manley, one of America's very best defense lawyers, indeed won a dismissal at the preliminary exam stage  —  something of a rare event in court rooms. It essentially means he proved to a judge that the prosecutors and police had no evidence to charge Mateen Cleaves.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton recused his office, yet our local taxpayers got stuck with the bill as Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy staged an all-out war to put Mateen in prison. Don't let any facts get in the way of some positive big time PR. She was coming off a national scandal in the media over thousands of untested rape kits her office was sitting on. She wanted to look "tough on rape" by going after Mateen. The problem was that Flint's once national champion basketball player at MSU wasn't guilty.

My investigation proved that before Frank Manley ever staged an all-star performance to get all the charges dropped at the preliminary exam. Worthy appealed and former Genesee County Circuit Court Judge Archie Hayman overturned the district court decision by former Judge Cathy Dowd. She was eventually justified in her decision when a jury awarded a not guilty verdict.

Where does Mateen go to get his reputation back? He lost his job as an analyst on TV with the Detroit Pistons. CBS dumped him from the March Madness panel on pre-game, halftime and post-game shows. A charity he used to help hundreds of children was damaged. Who wants to hire a guy accused of rape?

Prominent lawyers reached out to me about getting their hands on Mateen's case. All of them predicted a multi million dollar case against Tonya's police department and Kym Worthy's office. I passed on the information to Frank Manley but Mateen walked away. It probably had something to do with not putting his family through more media attention. The only thing Mateen was guilty of was cheating on his wife, yet she sat in the front row at almost every day of the trial . He spoke to the media with his beautiful wife at his side.

He eventually thanked God for clearing his name and not sending him to prison for 10 years. I think he needed to thank Frank Manley and his brother Mike Manley most of all, and he did pass out rave reviews to them for their hard work on his behalf.

Tonya dodged a bullet on the Mateen case. It could have bankrupted the township, in my opinion, depending on how their insurance policy is set up. The bad publicity alone of her police costing the township thousands of dollars would have doomed her political career.

She's now apparently in hot water with residents who don't like a proposed mega site bordered by Linden Road, Jennings Road, and Elms Road and Maple Road. Tim Herman, President of the Flint Genesee Group, has been given grants by Governor Gretchen Whitmer of $1.2 million, $9.2 million and $250 million to build something there. They will let us know what it is after they get the rest of the money. 

Governor Gretchen, according to media reports, has now given out more than a billion dollars to build factories to support the push for electric vehicles. She's currently featured in a TV commercial flooding the local air waves about how Michigan is leading the charge with battery plants across Michigan bringing thousands of jobs to our state because of her efforts. She doesn't mention that not a single job has been created yet because not a single plant is operating yet.

So all these plants around Michigan  —  funded by our tax dollars  — can be owned by companies from South Korea, Taiwan or Communist China? I say let them pollute their own part of the world. Ask Atlanta how they like battery factories and semiconductor chip making factories. The city notified factory owners some time ago that they've almost drained the water supply there.

It takes 22,000 gallons of water to cool down a single chip and rinse away all the toxins. So where do the toxins go? The climate change folks pushing to do away with gas engines are worried about the climate  —  just not draining out water supply and ruining the groundwater with poison toxins for homes around the mega site. A battery factory is also a huge offender of polluting the soil of their neighbors with their runoff of toxins.

I might mention that claims of creating thousands of jobs to support the EV industry is hogwash. The average battery factory in the U.S. employs 92 people. That's a fact from the Battery Manufacturers Association of the United States. Jobs in battery factories have declined by 2.1% over the last five years and the estimate is that they will employ between 10% and 15% fewer people over the next five years.

Dealers say they can't sell electric cars. The average American can't afford them yet. If a battery goes bad, it's almost as much as a new car to replace it.

Plus, answer this for me. The federal government was handing out warnings earlier this week because of the extreme heat. We were told to conserve using air conditioning because the overload on power grids may short-circuit us into darkness. That's with EVs making up less than 1% of registered vehicles in most US states, and accounting for less than 1% of all vehicles sold in the country in all of 2023.  So what would happen if the climate change PAC funding Gretchen's local TV commercials gets their way and we do away with gas-powered engines for our vehicles?

We pollute our soil around the plant for a man-made disaster that will make the Flint water crisis look like a little league event. We drain the water supply over the next five years, so then what?

So if the average battery plant employs only 92 people and only 24,340 are currently employed by 500 chip factories around the USA, how are we to believe these claims that thousands of jobs will be created in Mundy Township? My math computes to about 48 jobs for a chip factory and 92 for a battery factor. The trade-off is ruining our earth with these plants to save the earth from being ruined by gas engines?

With $260 million of our tax dollars going to Tim Herman's non-profit group?

Yeah, Tonya expect me to see you tonight at your fundraiser. I won't be paying $1,250 for a dinner to chip in for your campaign. Anybody who does should have their business boycotted by our residents of the Metro Flint regional area.

I will be out front talking to the good people with picket signs.

So you don't want to go on my radio show to defend your part in all this? Well, I have list of former politicians who can tell you how that went for them. Talk to your residents by answering media questions — especially from The Morning Gazette Radio Show — or go back to being a flower store lady.

I hear you hired one of ex Burton Mayor Paula Zelenko's folks to work in your office. Ask her how her old boss liked the public pressure when we turned the attention of our microphones on her goofy leadership ways.  My investigation led to State Police asking Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton for a warrant on felony charges of changing a union document to reward her campaign manager with a big raise for a union position as Chief of Staff. State Police alleged that she changed the document from "is a union position" to "is not a union position." 

The State Police investigation confirmed our declaration that the document didn't match old contracts of other former union members after she presented it to her Burton City Council. They voted 7-0, by the way, to demand a State Police investigation into my radio show claims. The six-year statute on that crime has almost run out, yet Prosecutor Leyton still has the document sitting on his desk. That's the comment on about a half dozen times I've asked Chief Deputy Prosecutor John Potbury about it .

Better yet. Read the recent story in the Detroit News about Prosecutor Leyton ignoring warrants from State Police troopers he called "liars" who were "too unreliable to put on the witness stand." The episode was touched off by our push to have former Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk arrested for tampering with ballots. She pleaded guilty, yet got probation and was ordered to write an apology. Yet five elections were impacted by her illegal actions?

By the way, why is Prosecutor Leyton allowed to have the biggest campaign sign possible on Linden Road a few months before signs are allowed? I guess he won't want to charge himself for violating the state law that sets forth that it must be 45 days before election day. Campaign finance laws also require a posting on who paid for the sign. That's the law.

I guess the law doesn't matter around here. Ask Mateen Cleaves. Ask Burton residents who wanted Mayor Zelenko locked up. Ask all the hundreds who called my show and wrote letters demanding that Kathy Funk be locked up.

Yeah, I can't wait to get back on the radio.

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Mike Killbreath appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8 am until 9:30 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 newspapers. This fall will be his 50th year as a journalist. He also hosts a new weekly national TV show known as The American Crusaders on cable TV and various OTT TV live streaming platforms.

LANSING (CCN)  —  Both chambers of Michigan's State Legislature have now approved a proposal by the Michigan Strategic Fund to fund a $250 million project by the Flint Genesee Group — a Flint-based non-profit organization headed by CEO Tim Herman.

The Flint Genesee's Group's Flint Genesee Economic Alliance wants to attract developers for manufacturing plants at a Mega Site in Mundy Township on a 1,200-acre location bordering Linden Road, Jennings Road, Elms Road and Maple Road.

The House Appropriations Committee sent the funding bill to the floor of the State House of Representatives last week and the State Senate's Appropriations Committee did the same thing on Wednesday night. Both full chambers eventually approved the plan by Herman's organization. He had already been given more than$10 million in two earlier moves by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and all that remains for another $250 million is approval of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's proposed state budget.

The state budget needs to be approved by July 1.

The process is for both chambers of the State Legislature to approve the budget before it then goes to the governor for her signature.

Thursday, June 27, 2024 Column

My recent Editor's Notebook columns are getting some national attention.

The New York Times has called. So, too, have Detroit media outlets. Local TV stations have reported the story although only WJRT ABC 12 TV featured comments by the organizer of the picket demonstration (Jennifer Arrand Stainton) last week outside a political fundraiser for Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler 

Nothing but crickets out of MLive and The Flint Journal though. We will see how later today how View Newspapers reports on the controversial picket demonstration last week by protesters angry about the proposed development at the Mega Site location in Mundy Township on a 1,200-acre location bordering Linden Road, Jennings Road, Elms Road and Maple Road.

Michigan News Source quoted by column in a story today about a proposed $250 million gift of our state tax dollars to the Flint Genesee Group to build something on the Mega Site. No details. They need the money first before they tell us what the plan is out there.

It's nice to see some statewide attention focused on Governor Gretchen Whitmer's budget. I don't like my tax dollars going to support building plants to support the electric vehicle industry. Gretchen's current TV commercials make me sick.

They're paid for by a climate change PAC out of California. They admitted to me there was a major donor out of our area to make the TV commercials happen on our local TV air waves.

Any guess on who the donor may have been?

By the way, Gretchen proclaims that Michigan is leading the charge with battery plants across out state employing thousands. Um, no battery plants have been built yet.

Gretchen should also check with the Battery Plant Manufacturers Association of the United States. The average battery plant in our country employs an average of 92 people.

If it's a chip building factory headed to Mundy Township, the numbers are worse for jobs. They average 48 employees. Comments from CEO Tim Herman's representative on all this garbage have led us to believe thousands of jobs are coming.

Why not locate them at vacant old GM plants in Flint? Or is all the pollution that comes with them too much for a city where its water was poisoned 10 years ago? Time to poison people around the Mega Site location out in Mundy Township?

A battery plant or chip building plant would produce thousands of gallons worth of toxins. Do they just drain them into the groundwater to ruin the properties of neighbors?

There are environmental experts warning that extensive use of ultra pure water would lead to draining Lake Huron and eventually end its use as a water supply for so many Michigan communities. Ask Atlanta how the impact from similar plants has destroyed their water supply.

 and contaminated nearby properties.

Are we ready for another Flint water crisis? Are we ready for another Berlin & Farro catastrophe?

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Mike Killbreath appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8 am until 9:30 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 newspapers. This fall will be his 50th year as a journalist. He also hosts a new weekly national TV show known as The American Crusaders on cable TV and various OTT TV live streaming platforms.