METRO SECTION ⚫ NEWS AROUND METRO FLINT

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BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

 FLINT (CCN) — The Flint City Council does not have a new President this morning.

Members were deadlocked on the same picks the last 337 times until four members walked out at 2:15 am after 346 rounds of voting on Monday night (Nov. 11, 2024). Restroom breaks kept a few votes from being 4-4 but members held firm behind their wishes.

Councilman Jonathan Jarrett of the 9th Ward had support from Councilwoman Tonya Burns of the 6th Ward, Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer of the 8th Ward and Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter of the 5th Ward. 

Current Council Vice President Candice Mushatt of the 7th Ward had support from Councilwoman Judy Priestly of the 4th Ward, Councilman Leon El-Alamin of the 1st Ward and current Council President Dr. Ladel Lewis.

Mushatt, Priestly, El-Alamin and Dr. Lewis left at 2:15 am to break quorum.

Councilwoman Burns said in asocial media post on Facebook: "346 rounds to pick a President of the Flint City Council and the council (persons) in the First Ward, Second Ward, 4th Ward and 7th Ward broke quorum……2:15am. According to the Flint City Charter, the City Council had a responsibility to pick a President along with other committee chairs. That was not done due to the breaking of a quorum."

Dr. Lewis was elected in nine rounds in 2023 voting after she served in an interim role for the last few months of 2022 after the late Eric Mays was voted out as President in mid-term.

The City Charter, revised by voters in 2017 for the first time in 43 years, is firm that the office of President is declared vacant on the second Monday every November at 12:01 am.

Flint City Clerk Davina Donahue had a duty under law to chair the meeting to elect a new President, but current council leadership didn't allow it.

Outgoing President Dr. Lewis also threatened to remove audience members which isn't legal since no council proceedings could take place until a new President was elected to take the gavel as chair from the city clerk.

The council is already in violation of the City Charter by not naming a replacement within 30 days for Quincy Murphy in the 3rd Ward after he passed away on Sept. 29. 

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TOWNSHIP (CCN) — Township Manager Chad Young got a $5,000 raise Monday night (Nov. 11, 2024) from the Mundy Township Board of Trustees.

The item was placed on the agenda by outgoing Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler.

Jennifer Arrand Stainton beat Ketzler in last week's election and three Trustees she endorsed who also won but they don't take office until later this month.

Stainton had campaign signs that proclaimed "No Mega Site" above her name and she used that theme to win despite running as a Republican in a usually heavy Democrat-voting township. Young has been a key player in moving a proposed advanced manufacturing plant forward, according to opponents of the proposed project.

Stainton had 5,081 votes to Ketzler's 4,512.

Incumbent Trustees  Kim Jimenez and Debra Ridley were also voted off the board. 

The outgoing board also discussed extending a contract for Township Attorney Jack Beltzer who came under fire by residents for alleged NDA (non-disclosure agreements) signed by township officials that would be clearly illegal under state law. (See Related Story Below)

Beltzer didn't get a contract extension.

The Mega Site will be the topic of conversation in a meeting on Tuesday (Nov 12, 2024) by the Mundy Township Planning Commission.

An agenda items reads: "Lurvey Construction, LLC on behalf of property owner Maple & Hill LLC submitting a Natural Resource Analysis in accordance with Zoning Ordinance 23-123-Z, Section 4.36 as required per Section 16.02C,4 zoning permit for land clearing on the site defined by Linden, Hill, Elms, and Maple Roads."

Don Ludwig, one of the administrators  on a Facebook Page for more than 2,100 opponents of the proposed project, posted to residents that he has sent a letter to Flint & Genesee Group CEO Tim Herman, Tyler Rossmaessler who is the Executive Director of Herman's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance and realtor Win Cooper who represents them. Part of the letter said: "For applying for land clearing. I will be there Tuesday at the meeting for public comments for them not to approve any permits (until) the school, church and (all the) homes have been purchased in that two square miles of the Mega Site. I believe this is reckless, careless and dangerous. There's roughly between 800 and 1,000 family members that live inside zone roughly 200 homes and Elementary School with 450 students. Not a good idea." 

Trustee Gorton is on the Mundy Township Planning Commission along with Danelle Barker who is the Chair. Barker is a Republican who was unopposed in Tuesday's election and she will join the board as the new Township Treasurer. 

Other planning commission members include

Morey who lost on Tuesday's Trustee election, Suzanne LaMielle, Debi Collins, Kelly Kirkpatrick and Michael Simon.

Crain's Business Detroit has reported that the advanced manufacturing plant will be a semi-conductor plant to support the electric vehicle push by President Joe Biden. 

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has put more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds behind battery factory plants near Big Rapids and Lansing, and a $269 million portion of that tab has gone to the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance for  an advanced manufacturing plant of some kind in the 1,200 acre Mega Site bordered by Linden Road, Maple Road, Jennings Road and Elms Road.

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has already declared a Republican congress  will immediately kill Biden's chips act to support the EV push to eliminate gas engines by the nd of the decade. Republicans now control the U.S. Senate and can retain control of the U.S. House with four more votes in races not yet finalized. The count currently stands at 214 to 204 with 17 races not yet called, according to the Associated Press.

Republicans flipped the State Senate and State House of Representatives after losing control in 2022 for the fist time in more than 40 years, and that could spell trouble for an advanced manufacturing plant in Mundy Township, according to a story on Sunday (Nov. 10, 2022) by the Detroit News.

The Detroit News said "state tax dollars needed to secure the project could be a prime focus of the Legislature’s lame duck session in the coming weeks" with the "expected pitch to fund those projects ... likely meet opposition from House Speaker-elect Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, who told The Detroit News Friday that the project has not won his support so far."

The Detroit News said Hall’s opposition to the plan is "problematic since the House Democratic leadership will likely need a few Republican votes on any tax incentive proposal since Democrats lack support for corporate subsidies from some members of their caucus."

Hall told the state's largest newspaper: "I think there needs to be more consensus building from the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation). They should work with the community and build some consensus before rushing this through in lame duck.”

FLINT (CCN) — Crime Stoppers of Flint  Genesee County has posted a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of two men in a violent armed robbery on Flint's north side.

A homeowner in the 6300 block of Branch Road was shot when he confronted the intruders on Oct. 25 at about 2 pm after they broke into his home.

Video captured the break-in and is posted on social media. Click Here to See It

Photos of the suspects captured from the video are presented in the poster above this story.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1-800-422-JAIL (5245),  P3tips.com/488, or P3Tips mobile app. Photos and videos can be uploaded on the website and app. All methods are anonymous.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

 FLINT (CCN) — Social media posts by a 17-year-old shot to death by State Police last weekend in Flint dispute various allegations being made by his friends that he did not own a gun.

The Daily Gazette identified two Facebook pages of Rayvon Shahid that displayed guns as far back as March of 2021, including one that displayed the glock with an extended magazine described by State Police in a statement about the incident.

Family and friends have told The Daily Gazette that Shahid did not have a gun when confronted by State Police. Friends also said he did not own a gun yet numerous sources have come forward to say that is not true.

Police officers and school officials who asked to remain anonymous say Shahid had good parents but "hung out with a bad crowd."

Shahid was described as a "troubled" former student at Grand Blanc High School who has had previous run-ins with law enforcement. This could not be confirmed due to criminal cases for minors being sealed from public view, but reliable sources  described various incidents.

Shahid was shot when he fled State Police in Flint, according to a statement that said he was armed with a handgun and refused to drop the weapon. State Police reported that Shahid was walking on Essex and Passadena after dark at about 6:30 pm when refusing at least seven commands to drop his gun after he began running when confronted by two troopers. State Police said Shahid was shot with a pistol after an attempt to use a taser failed.

State Police said a glock pistol with a loaded extended magazine was recovered at the scene. 

Friends and relatives of Shahid were joined by more than 100 people at a Saturday (Nov. 9, 2024) protest staged by friends and relatives of a Flint teen shot last weekend by State Police. Never more than 50 were on hand at one time outside the State Police post on Corunna Road in Flint Township although about 100 more stopped by to spend short spans with them in the protest.

The group yelled "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice; No Peace" while shouts of "F*** the Police" punctuated the entire 2 1/2 hours.

Community activist Arthur Woodson was at the protest and told The Daily Gazette that he demanded potential trouble makers leave the event. "We had people from Black Lives Matter and I told them to get out of here with that," he said. "We had Palestine people show up and we told them we didn't want that here. We were there to let people know the family demands to see the body cam video and any other videos from around the scene that they may have taken. The family wants answers and they deserve that even if the kid was robbing a store or something, which he wasn't because I've talked to witnesses."

Both troopers were placed on administrative leave  while the incident is investigated by the Michigan Attorney General's office.

Col. James F. Grady II, director of the State Police post on Corunna Road, released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that said he is "committed to ensuring this investigation is thorough, swift, and impartial."

The State Police statement said as follows:  “A loss of life during any police encounter is tragic. As always, all incidents that involve a department member discharging their firearm are immediately investigated."

 A Freedom of Information Act request is being prepared to be filed later this week by The Daily Gazette with State Police officials in Lansing. 

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a glock gun with an extended magazine that was posted on a Facebook page of shooting victim Rayvon Shahid.

  FLINT (CCN) — Funeral services have been set for Rayvon Shahid of Flint who was shot and killed by State Police last weekend. (See Related Stories on Today's Front Page and at left if you reading on a laptop or PC. Scroll down if you reading on a mobile device)

The funeral will be held at 11 am on Tuesday (Nov. 12, 2024) with a 10:30am family hour at Upper Room Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Alvin Bradford will be officiating. 

Visitation was held Monday from 1-6 pm at Sheldon T. Banks Funeral Chapel on Dort Highway in Flint. 

Shahid was 17.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TOWNSHIP (CCN) — Outgoing Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler has placed at item on Monday's (Nov. 11, 20024) agenda of the Mundy Township Board of Trustees to discuss the contract of Township Manager Chad Young.

Newly-elected Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton and three Trustees she endorsed who also won last week's election don't take office until later this month.

Stainton had campaign signs that proclaimed "No Mega Site" above her name and she used that theme to win despite running as a Republican in a usually heavy Democrat-voting township.

Ketzler served as Mundy Township Clerk before elected to her first term as Township Supervisor four years ago. She's well known in the township as the former long-time owner of Ketzler Florist. Her Hill Road location was one of three locations around Genesee County.

Stainton had 5,081 votes to Ketzler's 4,512.

Incumbent Trustees  Kim Jimenez and Debra Ridley were also voted off the board. Their fellow Democrat Mark Gorton survived in his re-election bid by 133 votes over Jimenez and 365 votes over Ridley. Gorton beat Democrat challenger Don Morey by 175 votes.

All three Trustee candidates endorsed by Stainton won big — led by Republican Leah Davis with 5,061 votes. She was a first-time candidate who went door-to-door with Stainton as well as appear at events with her and they hosted a fundraiser together. Both have been among the most outspoken critics of the Mega Site along with others who are among more than 2,100 opponents of the proposed project on a Facebook Page.

Republican Zack Sack did little campaigning and has not taken a public position on the proposed Mega Site, yet won big with 4,772 votes after Stainton urged voters to elect him. Trustee Kyle Ward, currently the only Republican on the Mundy Township board, was re-elected with 4,916 votes after becoming the lone board member to oppose the proposed project.

Many consider Young one has pushed the Mega Site project and one of the administrators of the Facebook Page with opponents of an advanced manufacturing plant (Don Ludwig) made a post to alert everyone of Monday's (Nov. 11, 2024) agenda at the township board meeting.

Matt Bazik asked the key question on the minds of many opponents of the proposed project, posting: "Are they going to try and give Chad (Young) another contract? That needs to be tabled until the new board members can look at everything. He needs to Be FIRED!"

Township Attorney Jack Beltzer is another who is obviously on the chopping block when Stainton is sworn in to take control in the township's top post. So, too, is Metro Police Authority Chief Matthew Bade.

Beltzer came under fire for alleged NDA (non-disclosure agreements) signed by township officials that would be clearly illegal under state law. The State Supreme Court weighed in on a similar situation in Clarkston when officials there tried to hide documents signed with a developer. A 37-page opinion made it clear that's absolutely prohibited under the state's Open Meeting Act of 1976. The Daily Gazette made Beltzer and board members aware of this in July at a public meeting, yet no action has been taken to rectify the illegal actions and no criminal charges have been filed against them.

 Chief Bade came under fire when Stainton led a picket protest outside a political fundraiser for Ketzler last summer, and he sent his officers to prevent them from parking anywhere near a restaurant in the Gateway Centre off Hill Road where Ketzler's event was being held.

The Daily Gazette reported that any police patrols on private roods are illegal under state law. Police are permitted by law only to respond to 911 calls or to investigate possible crimes on private property.

Stainton demanded an internal investigation and says her complaints were ignored by Chief Bade, the Genesee County Sheriff's Department and State Police.

In addition to Monday's agenda item to discuss Young's contract, The Daily Gazette has learned that Lurvey Construction LLC is applying for a natural resource analysis on Tuesday (Nov. 12, 2024) before the Mundy Township Planning Commission.

The agenda items reads: "Lurvey Construction, LLC on behalf of property owner Maple & Hill LLC submitting a Natural Resource Analysis in accordance with Zoning Ordinance 23-123-Z, Section 4.36 as required per Section 16.02C,4 zoning permit for land clearing on the site defined by Linden, Hill, Elms, and Maple Roads."

Ludwig revealed on the Facebook Page for opponents of the proposed project that he has sent a letter to Flint & Genesee Group CEO Tim Herman, Tyler Rossmaessler who is the Executive Director of Herman's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance and realtor Win Cooper who represents them. Part of the letter said: "For applying for land clearing. I will be there Tuesday at the meeting for public comments for them not to approve any permits (until) the school, church and (all the) homes have been purchased in that two square miles of the Mega Site. I believe this is reckless, careless and dangerous. There's roughly between 800 and 1,000 family members that live inside zone roughly 200 homes and Elementary School with 450 students. Not a good idea." 

Trustee Gorton is on the Mundy Township Planning Commission along with Danelle Barker who is the Chair. Barker is a Republican who was unopposed in Tuesday's election and she will join the board as the new Township Treasurer. 

Other planning commission members include

Morey who lost on Tuesday's Trustee election, Suzanne LaMielle, Debi Collins, Kelly Kirkpatrick and Michael Simon.

Crain's Business Detroit has reported that the advanced manufacturing plant will be a semi-conductor plant to support the electric vehicle push by President Joe Biden. 

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has put more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds behind battery factory plants near Big Rapids and Lansing, and a $269 million portion of that tab has gone to the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance for  an advanced manufacturing plant of some kind in the 1,200 acre Mega Site bordered by Linden Road, Maple Road, Jennings Road and Elms Road.

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has already declared a Republican congress  will immediately kill Biden's chips act to support the EV push to eliminate gas engines by the nd of the decade. Republicans now control the U.S. Senate and can retain control of the U.S. House with four more votes in races not yet finalized. The count currently stands at 214 to 204 with 17 races not yet called, according to the Associated Press.

Republicans flipped the State Senate and State House of Representatives after losing control in 2022 for the fist time in more than 40 years, and that could spell trouble for an advanced manufacturing plant in Mundy Township, according to a story on Sunday (Nov. 10, 2022) by the Detroit News.

The Detroit News said "state tax dollars needed to secure the project could be a prime focus of the Legislature’s lame duck session in the coming weeks" with the "expected pitch to fund those projects ... likely meet opposition from House Speaker-elect Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, who told The Detroit News Friday that the project has not won his support so far."

The Detroit News said Hall’s opposition to the plan is "problematic since the House Democratic leadership will likely need a few Republican votes on any tax incentive proposal since Democrats lack support for corporate subsidies from some members of their caucus."

Hall told the state's largest newspaper: "I think there needs to be more consensus building from the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation). They should work with the community and build some consensus before rushing this through in lame duck.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Mundy Township Manager Chad Young.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

 FLINT TWP. (CCN) — Friends and relatives of a 17-year-old shot last Saturday (Nov. 2, 2024) by State Police in Flint are staging a protest outside the Flint Township post on Corunna Road.

The event will be held from 12:30-3:00 pm outside the State Police post building.

Rayvon Shahid was shot when he fled State Police in Flint, according to a statement that said he was armed with a handgun and refused to drop the weapon.

Family and friends have told The Daily Gazette that Shahid did not have a gun when confronted by State Police.

State Police reported that Shahid was walking on Essex and Passadena after dark at about 6:30 pm when refusing at least seven commands to drop his gun after he began running when confronted by two troopers. State Police said Shahid was shot with a pistol after an attempt to use a taser failed.

State Police said a glock pistol with a loaded extended magazine was recovered at the scene. 

Both troopers were placed on administrative leave  while the incident is investigated by the Michigan Attorney General's office.

Col. James F. Grady II, director of the State Police post on Corunna Road, released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that said he is "committed to ensuring this investigation is thorough, swift, and impartial."

The State Police statement said as follows:  “A loss of life during any police encounter is tragic. As always, all incidents that involve a department member discharging their firearm are immediately investigated."

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Flint Police Chief Terrance Greene has pledged a new safety plan to protect Flint City Council members, but the Flint City Council failed to get a quorum again Wednesday night (Oct. 30, 2024) when left in violation of the city charter.

The city charter required that they name a replacement within 30 days for Quincy Murphy as 3rd Ward councilman after he passed away last month.

Special meetings were called on Tuesday (Oct. 29, 2024) and Wednesday (Oct. 30, 2024) after four no shows prevented a quorum at Monday's (Oct. 28, 2024) regularly scheduled meeting. The first attempt to interview four candidates for an appointment was halted by police when a group of Murphy's family members stormed the front of the council chambers during an Oct. 14 city council meeting toward a woman who had filed a recall against Murphy. Her daughter then pulled out a gun to scatter the angry mob.

Three council members — Dennis Pfeiffer, Tonya Burns and Jerri Winfrey-Carter — issued Oct. 14 statements saying they won't return for meetings until a safety plan is created by Flint police to protect them in the future. (See Related Stories in Today's Metro Section)

The three have been strong critics of Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley who is in danger of losing his support from council where President Dr. Ladel Lewis, Vice President Candace Mushatt, Councilman Leon El-Alamin and Councilwoman Judy Priestly have been behind him. Murphy provided the fifth vote for Mayor Neeley's agenda.

 El-Alamin is also up for election on Tuesday (Nov. 5, 2024) against Carol McIntosh and  Rosemary Morrow.  El-Alamin and McIntosh are on the ballot after they were the top vote getters in the August primary but Morrow is trying to win as a write-in candidate.

Michael Clack, who serves on the Flint Board of Education and is running for State Rep. against Mayor Neeley's wife, Cynthia, expressed concerns about the sudden police plan. He said, "Mighty funny how all of these changes can be made in such a short time. How is all of this being funded?  Are the officers coming off the streets? How funny they can come up with all of these changes for all these adults that don’t know how to act their age but we have heard nothing about how they are going to help these kids from killing each other. Politricks at its finest. Just so power can be kept."

Councilman Jonathan Jarrett of the 1st Ward appeared briefly at Wednesday's meeting which was held at the Genesee County Building auditorium instead of at Flint City Hall. He left before any interviews of candidates could take place. His exit broke a quorum and left the council unable to take action before a midnight deadline to fill the vacant 3rd Ward seat.

Councilwoman Winfrey-Carter and Councilwoman Burns have each now issued new statements similar to their Oct. 14 press releases.

Burns, who represents the 6th Ward, has called the Oct. 14 incident an "insurrection" on city government officials and wants police to make arrests.

Her latest statement is as follows: "To the residents of the City of Flint…… On October 14, 2024 a conspiracy to incite a riot was committed at a Flint City Council regularly scheduled meeting. Please see the seven public safety changes that was sent to Council-members at 8:42pm October 28, 2024. This was put together after calls were made and it was revealed that in fact these no other public safety measures had been given to council members. The meeting today was not at City Hall. The meeting was held at an alternative site. The seven key changes would not apply for the buildings are not the same location that the public safety new measures indicate in the plan. Key issues of concern; there was no secured parking as we do have at City Hall with card access and cameras. Also item #7 on the improve safety measures has not been implemented for police Chief Green stated he had not given my complaint with the other council members assigned to a detective to investigate for his systems were still having issues from the August 14 cyber attack. In addition, #3 stated, Council members were given rides-escorted but there were no escorted rides offered for council members to be escorted to, and from meetings. What  remains currently that there is no investigation, no warrants for any arrest, and no detective has been assigned the case. I have requested in writing to have the complaint and all camera-video footage sent to the Michigan State Police to have it investigated, for it is clearly a conflict of interest."

Flint's 5th Ward Councilwoman Winfrey-Carter's statement said: "In light of Chief Green’s recent statement regarding enhanced safety measures for City Council meetings, I want to address my continued concerns. While safety protocols are essential and appreciated, they do not address the core issue underlying the chaos that erupted in the council chamber on October 14, 2024. That incident was more than a security failure; it was a calculated disruption that placed council members, city staff, and residents at risk. Until the root cause of this insurrection is confronted and justice is served on those responsible, no safety plan alone will restore the integrity and safety of our council proceedings  Justice needs to be served, and the Disorderly Conduct Ordinance must be enforced to hold individuals accountable for inciting the October 14th riot. Until we address this core issue, we are only treating symptoms rather than the cause of the disorder. I will continue to press for real accountability and meaningful action to address the serious threats posed on that day.  Additionally, I did not attend the special council meeting scheduled for this evening, October 29, 2024, at 5 p.m. I am deeply disappointed that the City Clerk failed to consider the availability of all council members before canceling our regular council meeting on October 28 and hastily arranging to have a special meeting. Our regular council meetings are scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month, and like many of my colleagues, I plan my calendar accordingly.  As a council member, I also have a full-time job, I have professional obligations outside of my role on the city council, and my time must be respected. This evening, I had to meet with a client for work, a commitment I will not compromise due to the lack of consideration in scheduling. It is imperative that the City Clerk and Council Leadership treat the Flint City Council as a full body, rather than a selective gathering of a few members. I urge the Clerk to act responsibly and respectfully by checking with each member to determine availability before scheduling changes that disrupt our regular meeting structure. This is not only a matter of professionalism but also one of respect for the time and commitments of all council members.  Moving forward, I expect not only that our council proceedings prioritize both accountability for past disruptions and considerate scheduling but also that justice be served to address the events of October 14, ensuring a safe and functional council for the people of Flint."

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Raynetta Speed, a woman long involved in Flint's political scene, passed away Thursday (Oct. 31, 2024).

Speed, 73, served six consecutive two-year terms on the Genesee Board of County Commissioners.

 before taking a job in 2009 as the Community Outreach Coordinator at the Genesee County Land Bank.

The Flint native was a Delphi retiree.

A brief obituary by Flint's Moon Funeral Home said she passed away at Henry Ford Providence-Novi and funeral arrangements are pending.

Speed represented parts of Mt. Morris Township and the City of Flint before boundaries were redrawn for the 2nd District seat on the county board.

She was a past chairwoman of the New McCree Theatre Board of Directors and also a past chairwoman of the Flint Healthy Start Consortium.

Speed was chosen from a field of more than 100 applicants for the position she took with the Genesee County Land Bank.

She also served as a member of the Genesee County Land's Board of Directors for several years until taking the full-time job with the non-profit organization.

Speed was a strong supporter of several winning candidates in past Flint mayoral races. She was involved in the campaigns of Woodrow Stanley, Dayne Walling and Dr. Karen Weaver.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is former Genesee County Commissioner Raynetta Speed.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Another recall attempt has been filed against Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley in hopes of removing him from office.

Seven sets of proposed language were filed by   Eddie Matten, according to Domonque Clemons who is Genesee County Clerk / Register.

The Genesee County Election Commission will meet to review the language submitted by Matten who has no previous involvement in Flint's politics.

Clemons said, "An Election Commission meeting to review and either approve or deny this language is yet to be scheduled. Notice will be sent out when the meeting is scheduled." 

State law requires that a hearing must be at least 10 days and mot more than 20 days from the date the recall petition is filed.

It's the second recall attempt against Mayor Neeley within a month. The last effort failed when the Genesee County Election Commission rejected language submitted by  Renita Robinson because she lives in Flint Township instead of residing in the City of Flint. Only residents of a municipality can target their elected officials for recall.

Robinson has also never been involved in local politics.

It's the same, too, for Lisa Pasjberg who filed recall language last week against Flint's 8th Ward City Councilman Don Pfeiffer.  One of Mayor Neeley's staff members (Emily Doehr) posted negative comments about Pfeiffer on social media and the Mayor blasted the councilman on his radio show known as "Community Update" that airs every Saturday on WFLT 1420 AM. Mayor Neeley blasted Pefiffer for not supporting his plan to use federal funds to cut trees in neighborhoods, saying it was a "racist" move by the white councilman. The Mayor is black.

Councilman Pfeiffer made public comments that he refused to support the tree cutting plan proposed by the Mayor because he wanted to "see details on how the money would be spent" if the council approved trying to secure the federal grant.

An elected official in Dalton, Illinois was recently arrested by the FBI with allegations of stealing from a similar tree cutting grant.

The recall language filed against Pfeiffer will be considered at a hearing by the Genesee County Election Commission two days after election day. The language reads: "Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer was censured by the city council for calling another member a 'fake ass Republican'  another a 'big piece of shit' and told other colleagues to shut up."

The election commission that will ultimately rule on the language consists of the county's Clerk Treasurer and Chief Probate judge. Sam Muma is unopposed on Tuesday (Nov. 5, 2024) and will replace Deb Chery as Treasure for the hearing Judge Jenny Barkey is currently off the bench because of cancer treatments and no return date has been announced for her. Prosecutor David Leyton has subbbed for her in the past.

State law says language must be clear with proper grammar. The language submitted by Pasjberg against Councilman Pfeiffer does not include complete sentences and two English professors who asked not to be identified declared it as a "run on sentence" and "completely illiterate."

No English professors could be reached before press time about language submitted by Matten against Mayor Neeley.

The first petition submitted this week by Matten reads: "Under Mayor Sheldon Andre Neeley, in a Scripts news article dated April 25, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency, warned it was not safe for any resident to drink water in Flint without special filters."

The second petition submitted by Matten reads:     "Sheldon, Andre Neeley announced the City of Flint would enter into a contract with Stat-EMS, stating the partnership would bring Flint residents faster  service, and higher quality service."

The third petition submitted by Matten reads: "Flint Mayor Sheldon Andre Neeley was denied qualified immunity in wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former fire chief Raymond Barton."

The fourth petition submitted by Matten reads: "Sheldon Andre Neeley received a check from Ashley Capitol political committee in the amount of two thousand one hundred dollars."

The fifth petition submitted by Matten reads: "In a memorandum from City of Flint office of the mayor. The City of Flint will pay Flint City Golf LLC, a monthly management fee of $6,000 a month for a not to exceed total of $72,000 upon receipt of the monthly receipt and invoice."

The sixth petition submitted by Matten reads: "Sheldon Andre Neeley stated in a Scripps news article on May 16, 2023 that deadlines were set and deadlines were missed. I admit to that."

The seventh petition submitted by Matten reads: "In a memorandum from the office of the mayor signed by Sheldon Andre Neeley, the partners agreed to pay Flint City Golf LLC, shall manage and operate the courses on behalf of the City of Flint during 2024."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley.

LAPEER (CCN) — A chilling 911 call was played in open court Friday (Oct. 25, 2024) during the preliminary exam against a man accused of killing his girlfriend on Aug. 9 in Columbiaville, according to a story posted on MLive.

Court records show that Lapeer District Court Judge Laura Cheger Barnard ruled there was sufficient evidence presented against Michael Schocke to bind him over to Lapeer County Circuit Court to stand trial for murder.

He's accused of shooting and killing his girlfriend, Jennifer Pilotto.

Troopers from the Michigan State Police post in Lapeer and deputies from the Lapeer County Sheriff's Department responded to the shooting when Schocke, 40, was immediately arrested. Authorities had initially said two 911 calls had captured his conversation with Pilotto before the shooting, including when he allegedly pulled the trigger.

Lapeer County Assistant Prosecutors Robert Wells and Danielle Cusson played audio of both 911 calls for Judge Barnard, according to the MLive report.

The Macomb County Daily said at the time that Schocke could be heard on one of the 911 calls telling Pilotto "game over" before shooting her.

Schocke is a former Macomb County resident who lived in Romeo. 

Pilotto was 38 and lived in the home where she was shot in the head and died.

FLINT (CCN) — A local podcast host is trying to raise enough money to hire an artist to create a mural to pay tribute to former Flint City Councilman Eric Mays.

"He was a legend," said Terrance Snow who hosts the Snow Show and Flint After Dark podcasts.

Councilman Mays passed away in February. He was the longest-serving member of the Flint City Council and was the top vote getter in the 1st Ward where he represented the city's most poor neighborhoods. 

Snow's plan is to do the mural on the side of a building at 6715 N. Saginaw Street.

"We need donations to make it happen before the weather gets too cold," Snow said.

People can contribute via CashApp at $FlintLIves.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

BURTON (CCN) — A long-time local businessman and city councilman has passed away in Burton. Tom Martinbianco, 72, owned and operated Martin's Hardware for many years and his more than 30 years of public service on the Burton City Council included several stints as President.

Martinbianco was also a member of he Greater Flint Sports Hall of Fame for leading the old Holy Redemer High School to a state championship in basketball during the 1970 season.

Funeral services will be held on Monday (Nov. 4, 2024) at Swartz Funeral Home on Hill Road in Mundy Township. Visitation will be at 11 am until the time of service at 1 pm.

An obituary for Martinbianco said his "love and respect for this community was unwavering, and spanned three decades, where he worked diligently to make Burton a welcoming and thriving place to live and raise a family."

He was elected to the Burton City Council in 1984 and served until 2023.

Martinbianco is survived by his mother, eight siblings, two children and eight grandchildren.

His hardware store was located at the corner of Belsay Road and Atherton Road in Burton until he retired and closed it a few years ago.

His brother still owns and operates another Martin's Hardware store on Genesee Road in Genesee Township.

Martinbianco's obituary also noted that he "could be seen running the spotlight for the singing Knights at their Cabaret. This inspired him to become an active member of the Knights of Columbus, 3rd Degree, and a singing Knight himself. He is also famous for his rendition of 

'New York, New York'. Lucky are those that can hear his voice when that song plays! His genuine mustached smile, his love for his family and his laughter will never be forgotten."

Martinbianco attended Blessed Sacrament School before graduating from Holy Redeemer in 1970.

 After high school, he worked diligently for the family business (Martin’s Hardware) while attending the University of Michigan-Flint to pursue a degree in business administration. He became a brother of the Phi Delta Tau fraternity in the 1971 spring pledge class.

He later took over the hardware store at the corner of Belsay Road and Atherton Road where his customers knew him as one always willing to lend a helpng hand.

 He married Joy Lewis and was blessed with two children — Karli and Matthew.

Martinbianco's grandchildren are Nick Mitchell, Nolan Mitchell, Ethan Martinbianco, Maddison Bourbeau, Lexi Ashley, Annastin Bourbeau, Sophia Ashley and Livi Ashley. He is also survived by mother Shirley Martinbianco, son-in-aw Bill Ashley, daugher-in-law Wendy Martinbianco and siblings, Mary Waugh (Bill), Joe Martinbianco, Patricia Stapish (Jack), Carol Newland (Mike), Ralph Martinbianco (Suzie), Gina Heffner (Steve), Dino Martinbianco (Julie) and Tina Whitney (Ted).

He was preceded in death by his father Harry Martinbianco and his brother Christopher Martinbianco.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Tom Martinbianco who passed away at age 72.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Flint City Councilwoman Tonya Burns added some tension to a press conference for two colleagues by crashing it Thursday afternoon (Oct. 24, 2024) at Flint City Hall.

The press conference was called by 4th Ward Councilwoman Judy Priestly and 2nd Ward Councilwoman Dr. Ladel Lewis to complain about Burns and three other city council members who did not show up for Wednesday's scheduled meeting. They repeatedly called Councilwoman Burns "rude" for interrupting their Thursday press conference. "It's an example of what we face trying to get the city's business done,," Dr. Lewis said. Priestely added: "It's just downright rude."

Dr. Lewis noted at the press conference that the city charter "requires" action be taken to replace Murphy within 30 days.

She said other city business can't be done "to move the city forward" and stressed several times that lack of action impacts residents as well as employees of the city. "On the agenda was an item for funding a city payment center on the north side," Dr. Lewis said. "Without those funds, we have employees who have their lives impacted because we're talking about their livelihood."

Dr. Lewis is the city council president who said city business can't get done if Burns and the other members don't come to meetings.

They did not attend Wednesday because of safety concerns, according to Councilwoman Burns.

"I do not feel safe and I want to see a safety plan before I go to another meeting," she said to media members who covered Thursday's event.

The Daily Gazette was notified via e-mail less than an hour before the press conference began.

Mid-Michigan Now live streamed the press conference on Facebook and YouTube.

Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer of the 8th Ward, Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter of the 5th Ward and Councilman Jonathan Jarrett of the 9th Ward joined Councilwoman Burns in missing Wednesday's meeting where interviews were to be conducted to select a new 3rd Ward council member to replace Quincy Murphy who passed away on Sept. 26. Jarrett informed City Clerk Davina Donahue that he was unable to attend Wednesday while statements have been released by Councilman Pfeiffer and Councilwoman Winfrey-Carter citing safety concerns after Monday's (Oct. 14, 2024) meeting was halted by police after family members of Murphy rushed the front of the room about an hour into the meeting and a gun was pulled by the relative of one woman they had approached — Beverly Biggs-Leavy who had filed a recall against Councilman Murphy and collected sufficient signatures to force an election next month.

Burns, Pfeiffer and Winfrey-Carter have each filed police reports with the Flint Police Department about the incident. Burns has called the Oct. 14 uprising an "insurrection" on city government.

Councilwoman Winfrey-Carter's statement echoed similar sentiments, beginning as follows: " As a dedicated member of the Flint City Council for nearly eight years, I have always upheld my commitment to serving the residents of Flint. However, I made the difficult decision not to attend the Special Council Meeting on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, due to serious concerns about my personal safety. This decision stems directly from the events that transpired in the Flint City Council Chamber on Monday, October 14, 2024.  In my years on the City Council, I have never felt threatened or feared for my life while fulfilling my responsibilities. However, the events of October 14th were unprecedented and deeply disturbing. During that meeting, threats were made not only to residents in the audience but also to members of the council. I believe this dangerous situation was deliberately instigated by the council leadership. Based on a video and the numerous incidents that occurred that night, it is clear to me that the Murphy family came to that meeting with the intent of attacking certain members of the council and a specific individual seeking the vacant 3rd Ward seat. I see this as a calculated conspiracy to incite a riot and disrupt the democratic process."

Winfrey-Carter pointed a finger at city council leadership, saying, "On October 14, 2024, the Vice President of the City Council, Candice Mushatt, and the President, Ladel Lewis, were in dereliction of duty for their failure to enforce the Disorderly Persons City Code, Section 31-10. Their failure to uphold this ordinance allowed disorderly conduct to escalate into threats and chaos, putting everyone in the council chamber at risk.  It has been publicly documented in a video that Council President Ladel Lewis invited the grieving Murphy family to attend the council meeting on October 14th, where the council was scheduled to appoint a new representative for the 3rd Ward. Instead of ensuring a peaceful and orderly process, the situation spiraled into chaos. Shockingly, even after the violent events of October 14th, Council President Lewis issued a press statement inviting the Murphy family to attend yet another council meeting, further escalating the tension."

Winfrey-Carter added that the incident has left her "deeply shaken" and added: " After witnessing the verbal threats and the failure of council leadership to maintain order, I genuinely feared for my life. On Thursday, October 17, 2024, I filed a police report regarding the incident. Additionally, on Monday, October 21, 2024, I contacted Chief Green to express my concerns and inquire about the safety plan for future council meetings." She said she has yet to receive a response from Flint Police Chief Terrence Greene. Burns said the same thing.

Chief Greene has not responded to our request for a comment and press releases to The Daily Gazette, The Morning Gazette Radio Show and Metro Flint News/Talk Radio were halted by Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley in February 2020. The move followed statewide and national attention after our story revealed allegations by former City Councilman Eric Mays that he was hospitalized after being assaulted and beaten up at a bar by the mayor's then Chief of Staff  — DuVarl Murdock. State Police asked Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton to issue a warrant to arrest Murdock but he declined to act.

Councilman Pfeiffer has said he has received death threats without getting any help from Chief Greene.  

Pfeiffer released the following statement on Thursday: " I feel compelled to address a situation that has deeply affected the integrity of our local council and, by extension, our community's trust in its leadership. Over the past weeks, it has become evident that certain members of our council have engaged in what can only be described as an insurrection against the very principles of democratic governance and fair play.  These colleagues have resorted to bully tactics, intimidation, and coercive measures to push agendas that serve narrow interests rather than the public good. This behavior not only undermines the spirit of collaborative governance but also sets a dangerous precedent for how disputes are settled within our council."

He cited three requirements that must happen before he goes to any more meetings and said: "

 We cannot target speech we don't like and allow speech only when it suit our agenda. Residents are warned and removed at every meeting for minor infractions yet other residents can have free reign if they break rules that follow the approved agenda. I stand firm in my commitment to serve our community with honesty and dedication. I urge my fellow council members to reflect on their actions, for it is only through true democratic engagement that we can hope to address the needs and aspirations of those we represent.  I look forward to returning to a council that values justice, fairness, and the rule of law, where every voice is heard, and every decision is made with the well-being of our community at heart.  Thank you for your understanding and support during these challenging times. I remain reachable via email and social media for any urgent community matters and will continue to advocate for our community's interests from outside the council chambers until conditions change."

The requirements for his return were listed as follows: "As a matter of principle and personal safety, I feel the following (must) occur:  1. *A full police investigation* has been conducted into the wrongdoing and the misuse of power within the council. It is crucial that law enforcement scrutinizes these actions to ensure accountability and to restore public trust. There cannot be a staged riot organized by other council members with no repercussions.   2. *There is a full stop on all forms of harassment and targeting* against opponents within and outside the council. Democracy thrives on debate and diversity of opinion, not on suppression and fear.  3. *Measures are put in place* to prevent such abuses of power in the future, ensuring that our local government operates with transparency, integrity, and respect for all members and the constituents we serve."

Councilwoman Winfrey-Carter concluded her statement by noting that no law exists to require the City Clerk be notified that they won't be in attendance at a meeting.

She said: "Furthermore, I would like to clarify that when a council member chooses not to attend a meeting, there is no rule requiring us to inform the clerk. It is simply a courtesy to notify the clerk of our plans not to attend. We do not have excused or unexcused absences, and my decision not to attend the Special Council Meeting on October 23, 2024, was made with my safety in mind.

I want to make my position unequivocally clear: until a comprehensive safety plan is in place to protect council members, residents, and city staff in the council chambers, and until justice is served to those responsible for the chaos on October 14th, I will not be attending council meetings. My decision is rooted in the need for accountability, safety, and the preservation of a transparent, orderly governing process."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Flint City Councilwoman Tonya Burns.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) —Four "no shows" stopped city business Wednesday night at Flint City Hall.

A scheduled meeting had to be canceled when a quorum of five members could not be achieved. Only Councilwoman Judy Priestly, Councilman Leon El-Amen, Council Vice President Candance Mushatt and Council President Dr. Ladel Lewis were present.

No action can be taken by a municipal board

without a quorum present. In fact, meetings must be adjourned if they begin with a quorum and that quorum is lost later in the meeting.

Yet, Council President Dr. Lewis and the others acted in violation of the city charter and state law when voting 4-0 to direct City Clerk Davina Donahue to call the absent members and "compel them to come to the meeting." Mushatt made the motion that was supported by El-Amin.

The city charter prohibits two or more council members from gathering to talk about city business without properly posting a notice to the public and state law holds that three members of a body are prohibited from gathering together. Yet video by 810NewsMediaGroup also clearly shows all four illegally going into a private room behind their council seats when a 15-minute recess was called while Donahue called the missing council members as directed to do by their motion. It takes five votes to pass any motion and one can't be put on the floor without a quorum.

Donahue reported to the chair that she got no answer from any of the absent members and left messages, and Dr. Lewis called another 15-minute recess to see if they would respond to the calls.

 Prior to that, she also handed out "first warnings" for two audience members who she threatened to throw out of the council chambers for what she described as disruptive behavior in violation of council rules. Both were media members who simply yelled how a motion could not take place without a quorum  — A.C. Dumas who does a Saturday radio show on WFLT 1420 AM and Wyntis Hall who hosts the "Bump" podcast on the 810NewsMediaGroup forum every weekday morning. 

Council President Dr. Lewis later handed out "first warnings" to six others and had three police officers escort out a woman holding a sign that read "Poppy Cock."

Prominent businessman Wilbur "Pappa" Jarrett, uncle of 9th Ward Councilman Jonathan Jarrett, voluntarily left after approached by a police officer when given a "first warning" by Lewis. He shouted on his way out, "How can you put people out of a meeting when you don't have a quorum to have a meeting?"

His nephew called City Clerk Donahue earlier in the day to say he would be unable to attend, according to what Donahue told Dr. Lewis. The other three were not there because they say they fear for their safety after the uprising at the last meeting included a gun being pulled.

At the Oct. 14 meeting, interviews were first scheduled to replace 3rd War Councilman Quincy Murphy who passed away on Sept. 26. The Oct. 14 proceedings were halted by police after family members of Murphy rushed the front of the room about an hour into the meeting and a gun was pulled by the relative of one woman they had approached — Beverly Biggs-Leavy who had filed a recall against Councilman Murphy and collected sufficient signatures to force an election next month.

Biggs-Leavy, Dumas, Rich Jones and Kerry Nelson are on the ballot but County Clerk Dominique Clemons has said votes won't be counted because Murphy passed away before the election. They are also the four being considered for the appointment.

Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer of the 8th Ward, Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter of the 5th Ward and Councilwoman Tonya Burns of the 6th Ward say they won't be coming to any meetings until Flint police come up with a new plan to assure their safety at future meetings.

Six officers from the Flint Police Department were at Wednesday's meeting, along with Flint Police Chief Terrance Greene.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Flint City Council President Dr. Ladel Lewis.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Flint's 8th Ward Councilman, Dennis Pfeiffer, faced attacks by the city's mayor and city council president last week. Today, he faces a recall effort to remove him from office by one of his Ward's residents.

The news was first reported about 3 hours ago (on Oct. 22, 2024) by 810NewsMediaGroup in a bulletin posted on social media via Facebook.

Genesee County Clerk/Register of Deeds Domonique Clemons confirmed it was true, saying, "Word travels fast. We just got it in the office this afternoon."

Clemons said Lisa Pasjberg filed the recall language. 

"The election commission meeting to approve or deny the language has not been scheduled," Clemons added.

State law requires that a hearing must be at least 10 days and mot more than 20 days from the date the recall petition is filed.

Councilman Pfeiffer has not yet responded to our request for a comment.

He faced criticism on a Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 radio broadcast on WFNT 1420 AM by Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley on his weekly show known as "Community Update." The mayor blasted Pefiffer for not supporting his plan to use federal funds to cut trees in neighborhoods, saying it was a "racist" move by the white councilman. The mayor is black. Pfeiffer never said he won't support the idea but said he wanted to see details on how money would be spent on the project.

The language against Pfeiffer reads: "Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer was censured by the city council for calling another member a 'fake ass Republican'  another a 'big piece of shit' and told other colleagues to shut up."

State law says language must be clear with proper grammar. The language submitted by Pasjberg does not include complete sentences and two English professors who asked not to be identified declared it as a "run on sentence" and "completely illiterate."

The election commission that will ultimately rule on the language consists of the county's Clerk Treasurer and Chief Probate judge. Sam Muma is unopposed on Nov. 5 and would replace Deb Chery as Treasurer if the hearing is held after the election. Judge Jenny Barkey is currently off the bench because of cancer treatments and no return date has been announced for her.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Flint's 8thWard City Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Court records show that charges have been dismissed for a second time against a 26-year-old Flint man after his 2-year-old child shot and killed himself last spring.

Genesee County 67th District Court Judge Vikki Bayeh Haley dismissed charges on Tuesday (Oct. 22, 2024) at a preliminary hearing for Omar Guy. Police said his son, Cortez Guy, used a Glock pistol at about 2:45 a.m. in May at a house on E. Philadelphia Avenue in Flint to shoot himself in the head. The child subsequently died at Hurley Regional Medical Center.

WJRT ABC TV 12 reported that an official at Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton's office plans to obtain transcripts of Tuesday's hearing to review the judge's "reasoning for dropping the charges." She is the same judge who dismissed the same charges against Guy in August when an investigator from the Michigan State Police was unable to appear in court due to a family matter. Judge Bayeh Haley refused a request then by the prosecutor's office to delay the case.

 Terrell A. Ratliff of Lento Law Group represented Guy and said after Prosecutor's press conference last spring announcing charges: “Our client, Omar Guy, is heartbroken by the tragic death of his son, as is the entire Guy family. Cortez was the light of his father’s life. Mr. Guy eagerly awaits his day in court to explain the circumstances regarding this tragic accident. Until then, he asks the people of Flint to keep Cortez and the Guy family in their prayers.”

The charges against Guy included eight felony counts. He faced charges for violation of the safe gun storage law with a minor present causing death,  involuntary manslaughter, lying to a police officer, possession of a firearm while intoxicated, felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of committing a felony with a firearm. 

Prosecutor Leyton alleged that the gun belonged to a cousin of Guy who was at the home earlier on the night of what he called a "tragic death" and that it's believed by police that Guy and his two cousins were smoking marijuana.  One of the cousins was a 31-year-old Flint man (Keith Biggs) that the pistol was registered to and the other cousin was that man’s brother (Khalil Ali-Lamar Biggs) who is a 25-year-old Flint Township man who does have a CPL. 

They were arraigned three days after Prosecutor Leyton had charged Guy. The Briggs brothers were charged with  violating Michigan’s safe storage law for firearms causing the death of a minor child, involuntary manslaughter, two counts of felony firearm and possession of a firearm while under the influence. 

Charges against the Biggs brothers were also dismissed by Judge Bayeh Haley in August when the State Police investigator didn't show up for their preliminary hearing.

Prosector Leyton's office refiled identical charges against Guy a few days after the dismissal but court records indicate that charges never refiled against the Biggs brothers.

The Guy case marked the second time Prosecutor Leyton has used a new state law for safe gun storage since it was signed into law by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to take effect on Feb. 13. Prosecutor Leyton drew statewide attention each time. He charged a 44-year-old Flint man (Michael Tolbert) under the new law after a 2-year-old child (Skye McBride) accidently shot herself in the head on the day after the law took effect. 

Prosector Leyton said at a press conference announcing charges against Tolbert that doctors told police the bullet entered the child's right eye and exited through the rear of her skull. "The doctors have said she will lose her right eye, at best, and she remains in critical condition this afternoon," Prosecutor Leyton said at the press conference. He said a search warrant was executed at the home in Flint where blood was found on the living room floor and couch with blood appearing to come from the front bedroom. He added that there, investigators saw "blood and brain matter on the floor with blood next to a small, toddler-sized folding chair." He said police discovered two firearms, a revolver and a semiautomatic pistol on the bed unsecured and loaded with live ammunition. He said the pistol had a live round in the chamber and multiple live rounds in the magazine while the revolver had one fired casing and additional live ammunition inside of it. "There were no gun locks or safes inside of this front bedroom," Prosecutor Leyton added. "Upon examining the ceiling of the front bedroom, investigators observed a single bullet hole in the drywall ceiling."

State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet, who is now running for the seat in Congress vacated by Flint Township's Dan Kildee, introduced the legislation and held a press conference about Prosecutor Leyton then using the new law after the death of McBride.

The Detroit Free Press reported that she said: "When I introduced this legislation, it was my hope that it would never be used. ... Right now in the United States, we average one unintentional shooting of a child every day. Now that we have this in place, it was our goal to be able to give prosecutors tools, because with these rights comes an extraordinary responsibility. And when you don't honor that responsibility, there need to be criminal penalties. I did not ever dream that within days of the law going into effect we would need it. But here we are."

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLINT (CCN) — Monday's (Oct. 14, 2024) Flint City Council meeting was canceled by Flint police after an incident with amily members of former Councilman Quincy Murphy who recently passed away. Reports from witnesses say a gun was pulled to end arguing with a woman who obtained signatures on recall petitions to remove the first-term councilman from office.

Multiple videos reviewed by The Daily Gazette show that the group who disrupted the meeting, estimated to be between nine or 10 individuals, stormed from the back of the meeting about an hour after it began. Multiple witnesses told The Daily Gazette that every member of the group was a family member of Quincy Murphy and a few said some may have been close friends.

Several could be heard on video shouting various comments about their relative.

Another video surfaced later in the evening with family members discussing how they had targeted Beverly Biggs-Leavy and City Councilwoman Tonya Burns in a stunt that they claimed City Council President Dr. Ladel Lewis was aware of because she had encouraged them to do it.

Dr. Lewis could not be reached for comment by The Daily Gazette because she has unfriended us on Facebook and does not respond to our phone messages or texts. She did, however, release a statement to WJRT ABC TV 12 News. She reported that the incident was "triggered" by something said by a family member with an individual who was seeking an appointment to Quincy Murphy's vacant seat, saying, "That caused a back-and-forth. And so from there, that family member came around and things continued and another family member of the candidate came around and pulled out a firearm."

She also told ABC TV 12 that she does not feel safe at city council meetings, saying, "Seeing that people have guns and are willing to pull them out, absolutely not. I don't feel safe. I speak for myself. I do not feel safe coming to do my job to serve the residents."

Dr. Lewis, a first-term council member who represents the 2nd Ward, has been given police rides to and from past city council meeting because of what she called "death threats" although no police investigation has ever been publicly mentioned to confirm that she has faced any threats.

A dispute with a fellow council member made national news earlier this year when Dr. Lewis held a press conference with a pastor to allege racist behavior by a colleague. Dennis Pfeiffer, a first-term Councilman for the 8th Ward, had joined 6th Ward Councilwoman Tonya Burns and the late 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays in quizzing Dr. Lewis and Quincy Murphy about gifts they received from Ashley Capital prior to voting on million dollar deals for the company to build something on the old Buick City site in north Flint. While grilling Quincy Murphy who admitted getting an $11,000 lawn mower and $4,5000 in cash from Ashley Capital prior to the vote, Councilman Pfeiffer claims he mistakenly said "the monkey in the room" instead of saying the "elephant in the room" as he insisted was intended.

Financial filings with the state revealed the lawn mower being donated to a non-profit that steered it to Quincy Murphy as well as a $1,500 donation to a non-profit started by Dr. Lewis for a park.

Prior to the group storming to the front of the city council chambers, Dr. Lewis directed a comment to Councilman Pfeiffer about the monkey comment months ago.

Multiple videos reviewed by The Daily Gazette show that Dr. Lewis then sat and watched without calling anyone to order as the group disrupted the meeting by rushing to the front of the chambers, yelling obscenities and approaching Biggs-Leavy.

 "Any other time someone such as me says something she doesn't like, she's ready to throw people out of the meeting," noted community activist Arthur Woodson in a Facebook Live video he posted a day later about Dr. Lewis.

Mayor Sheldon Neeley was quoted by ABC TV 12 with a comment presented on the screen that the incident was because of medal detectors at Flint City Hall being taken down after a community activist filed a lawsuit claiming the city can't legally install medal detectors which can only be done at school buildings, courts and airports.

Woodson reacted by saying, "Yeah, he wants to blame me for every problem." He also alleged that he feels it was "all a setup deal" and two council members (Pfeiffer and Burns) made the same allegations in an interview the next morning on The Bump, a weekday podcast hosted by Wyntis Hall on 810NewsMediaGroup.

Woodson was also angry that ABC TV 12 only quoted the mayor and city council's President without asking anyone else what happened.

The rest of Mayor Neeley's statement was as follows: "The safety of residents is our number one priority, and we are very alarmed by the incident that took place tonight. I want to thank the Flint Police Department and all assisting agencies for their quick response to de-escalate the situation. We have witnessed incendiary political rhetoric across our nation and close to home, and we have done everything in our power to make Flint City Hall safer. We have security guards in place during operating hours and implemented new security measures throughout the building. Citizens and stakeholders should be able to engage in the work of government without fearing for their safety, and we will continue to work with the Flint Police Department to ensure that public meetings are safe."

No statement was issued before Monday's late night TV newscasts by officials at the Flint Police Department who arrested nobody at the scene. Only one officer was at the city council meeting instead of two as normally is the case, according to multiple sources.

After the late news reports, the police department issued the following statement: "This evening at 6:37 PM, the City of Flint Police Department received a 911 call regarding a disturbance at a regularly scheduled city council meeting. Reports indicated that several attendees were engaged in a verbal confrontation that escalated to a potential physical altercation.  Before officers arrived at the City Council chamber, additional reports surfaced indicating that one individual was armed with a firearm. Upon their arrival, officers encountered a female subject in possession of a firearm, which was confirmed to be legally possessed. Responding officers acted swiftly to re-establish order in the chamber. Following their intervention, the city council meeting was adjourned.  At this time, no arrests have been made, and the situation is being monitored by the City of Flint Police Department.  The safety and security of our community remain a top priority. The City of Flint Police Department continues to urge all residents to report any suspicious activities or disturbances promptly." 

Biggs-Leavy, who was one of four candidates to be interviewed Monday night for an appointment to replace Quincy Murphy as the city's 3rd Ward representative, issued a statement about the uprising that criticized the council's President and Vice President. 

She said as follows: "The events at the Flint City Council meeting were regrettable and could have been avoided if the council President and Vice President had taken action. I was looking forward to an interview for a potential appointment to the council but unfortunately, this was overshadowed by a disruptive group of about 20 individuals who attempted to intimidate me from seeking the 3rd Ward council seat. These individuals acted aggressively from the start of the council meeting, without any warning from council. My family and I were being threatened by the aggressors while council watched without calling order. They tried to physically harm me and my family. We rightfully defended ourselves from the threats and attacks. Thankfully, my family was there to protect me as there was no proper police presence (there). Unfortunately, Flint City Council President Ladel Lewis did not take any action to prevent the turmoil which I believe was exacerbated by her ties to the offending family. Despite this, I remain determined to support the residents of Flint and the 3rd war by running for the 3rd Ward council seat. I am grateful for the support of everyone."

A.C. Dumas, Rich Jones and Kerry Nelson are also seeking to replace Quincy Murphy. They were in the audience awaiting interviews, too.

All four candidates are also on the ballot in two weeks but Genesee County Clerk Domonique Clemons and state officials have declared that vote totals won't count because the individual being recalled died before the election. Biggs-Leavy, who led the petition drive to get the recall on the ballot, has filed a lawsuit to challenge the decision not to count the Nov. 5 ballot results.

 Councilwoman Burns said she called 911 as soon as she saw Quincy Murphy's family members charging toward the council at the front of the room. She called it an "insurrection" on Flint's elected officials.

Her statement on social media was as follows: "Flint had its own insurrection as elected officials were targeted for violence while having a scheduled council meeting. The lawlessness that occurred in Flint City Council Chambers on October 14, 2024 is reprehensible and with a total disregard to the law. Hearing these individuals state and I quote 'I was was going for Tonya' …..and Ladel (Flint City Council President) was happy as he__……… It is very clear that a conspiracy to incite a riot was their clear plan. Residents, city department heads, and all others were scurrying to remove themselves from council chambers as the Vice President and President (Ladel) of the Flint City Council refused to enforce the disorderly conduct ordinance to bring order to the council chambers and allowed peoples lives to be put in jeopardy causing a very dangerous threatening situation. It is against the law to threaten ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL as the law speaks specifically to that as well as the consequences."

Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter, who represents the 5th Ward and shares the distinction as the council's longest-serving member with Councilwoman Burns, called on her colleagues to "do better" and blamed Monday's incident on Council President Dr. Lewis and Council Vice President Candace Mushatt of the 7th Ward.

WInfrey-Carter's statement said: "In my opinion, the unfortunate situation that unfolded at last night's council meeting was instigated by our council President and Vice President. Their actions and behavior incited a riot, disrupting what should been a productive and peaceful meeting. It is disheartening to witness leadership engage in conduct that inflames tensions rather than promoting respectful dialogue and unity among council members and the public. As elected officials, we are entrusted to serve and represent the people of Flint responsibly with professionalism and accountability. Last night's events fell far short of these expectations and we must do better for the community we are sworn to serve. I urge my colleagues on the council, especially our leadership, to reflect on the gravity of their actions and work toward restoring order and mutual respect in our proceedings moving forward." 

County Commissioner Delrico Lloyd, a former Flint City Councilman in the 1st Ward, issued a lengthy statement that blasted the city's top elected leaders. It's included in the story at right if you are reading on a PC or laptop, or scroll down if you are reading on your mobile device.

Councilwoman Judy Priestly of the 4th Ward said on social media: "Council members animosity toward each other spreads into the public. I implore my fellow council members to be respectful of each other and their constituents.  Each of us were elected and we try to serve our residents in the way that we feel is best for them and the city as a whole. I'm also asking members of the public to please be respectful during public speaking, not only to council members but also to the other residents on the City."

Eva Worthing, Flint's former 9th ward council member until resigning instead of fighting a recall election earlier this year, also took to social media to blast Councilwoman Burns. She said: "The irony of Tonya 'Karen' Burns calling the police. How dare she weaponize the police on innocent people who just wanted to attend a city council meeting?? Why is she afraid?? She loves it when people come to meetings to cause trouble. Oh wait. That's only the people she's friends with who antagonize her political enemies."

 Councilman Pfeiffer was the first to issue a statement, taking to Facebook to say as follows: 

“As a member of the Flint City Council, I find it deeply troubling to witness the events that unfolded at tonight's meeting. While not entirely unexpected, the behavior displayed was indeed appalling. The divisive tactics employed by the mayor and the council president, who have consistently leveraged racial rhetoric and misleading narratives, have led us to this point. Such strategies are not only misguided but are dangerously fracturing our community."

He added: "Tonight's meeting was marred by a clear intent from some audience members to disrupt and incite chaos, even threatening violence against fellow attendees. This is unacceptable in any civil society. More concerning is the apparent tolerance of such disruptive behavior by the council president, which suggests an agenda that prioritizes personal gain over community harmony and safety. Regrettably, the council president's failure to maintain order could be perceived as an endorsement of this chaos, fitting neatly into an agenda that appears to prioritize division over unity. We must reflect on these events and consider the kind of leadership we wish to see in our city. Leadership that unites rather than divides, that fosters peace rather than incites violence. I want to thank the Flint Police, Genesee County Sheriff, and the Michigan State Police that responded quickly and ensured the safety of all residents and staff during this event.”

Councilwoman Burns, who is black, also defended her white colleague Pfeiffer, saying,  "The Flint City Council has faced many challenges this year, especially with the untimely death of two of our colleagues. The fact that Mayor Neeley is now gaslighting this community by using racial tactics targeting the ith ward council member is unprofessional, unwarranted and shameful. This type of rhetoric is not something this community needs as Mayor Neeley continues to keep the City Council separate and divided as well as all sides of town by race baiting. Mayor Neeley should use his time and words developing a 'Gang Task Force' and deal with the significant amount of children who have been shot, killed while sleeping within the safety of their homes."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Beverly Biggs-Leavy. Her daughter pulled out a gun  when family members of a former city councilman who passed away stormed toward her at a Flint City Council meeting. Police officers shut down the meeting but nobody has yet been arrested.

FLINT (CCN) — An official statement was issued by Genesee County Commissioner Delrico Lloyd after the incident with a gun being pulled out during Monday night's (Oct. 14, 2024) Flint City Council meeting. Commissioner Lloyd is a former 1st Ward Flint City Councilman who now works for the UAW International office in Detroit as well as also serving as a pastor.

His statement was as follows:

 "As I celebrate the positive contributing advocates and officials in and throughout our community, I too admonish to the strongest extent those who levy personal attacks, incite violence and hatred regardless of the perceived righteousness of their cause. Violence has no place in leadership and certainly no place in our community.

" The stoked and provoked verbal, physical and gun violence (included the brandishing of weapons) which ensued at the Flint City Council Meeting held on October 14, 2024 is just as unacceptable as the violence incited on January 6, 2021 at our nations capital. 

"The lack of an immediate response by those charged with keeping order too served as a certain and transparent indication that the culture of political incivility in the City of Flint has gone too far.  As a community we are much better than the continuous disagreement and negative discourse which has hijaked the peace and choked out the solitude of our communities culture. Our residents deserve better and we must give them better.

"Together as leaders we must both return to the foundations of the original commitments we made when running to become our residents'  representatives. Together we must recommit ourselves to truly being the positive and productive leaders our residents have entrusted us to be.     Today as I pray for the healing and progression of our community, I too ask our local leaders (responsible) to turn down the dangerous and divisive rhetoric which only agitates legitimate community discontent and further sabotages the future of our City. Instead we must demonstrate our love and stewardship through turning up our commitment to decency, maturity and professionalism. After all this is what our residents truly desire and deserve.   

"Today as I commit even the more to doing my part, I too implore our Mayor and City Council President to lead the local Executive and Legislative Branches of our local government as chief examples of the same resolve. It is my personal believe as one who previously served during one of the most peaceful times in our communities history that the progression of our community will continue to rise and fall solely on the consistency, quality and decorum of what transpires from those seats. 

"After all it is in fact through the influence and responsibility of those particularly seats that the pace is set for how the business of the City of Flint will be carried out.   As a ray of hope, I do not believe I am alone. I truly believe there are others currently elected who desire to partner in productive resolve with anyone who is truly interested in modeling mature leadership, discipline and the type of professional diplomacy that will cultivate an environment whereby our city can truly move forward.

"  I truly believe with God’s help that if we all self reflect, recommit and turn from any ways which wreak of selfless pride, personal agenda and or malice, that TOGETHER we can truly triumph in our pursuit to build a STRONGER FLINT."

 Anticipating a Brighter Future,

Delrico J. Loyd 

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Commissioner Delrico Lloyd.

FLINT (CCN) — Flint Police Department officials reacted to reports by Metro Flint News/Talk Radio's CCN News Wake-up Hour and The Morning Gazette Radio Show about a missing 14-year-old child in Flint by posting a bulletin on its Facebook page.

The radio reports followed dozens of social media posts about the missing child who has not been seen in two weeks.

The CCN News Wake-up Hour first carried the story at 6:30 am today (Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024) and the newscast replayed at 9:30 am.

The City of Flint Police Department's post confirmed the missing child just before noon on Thursday (Oct. 10, 2024) by saying: 

***MISSING JUVENILE***

Aaliyah Arielle Giles aka "Liyah" - 14 years old

Aaliyah was last seen on September 27, 2024, in the 400 Block of East Ridgeway Ave. in Flint, Michigan. She was believed to be last wearing black Crocs, or possibly gray and white Jordan sneakers, black sweatpants, or possibly blue jeans. Please contact Officer Frye at 810-237-6825 or call 911 if you have any information or know of her whereabouts and reference FPD Complaint Number 24-900861.

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