THE LATEST TOP HEADLINES

---

(CCN) —A wild car chase ended in the Davison area last night (Feb. 27, 2025) involving the Metro Police Authority, according to Burton Police Chief Brian Ross.

The chase went through the City of Burton after beginning with Metro PD which covers the City of Swartz Creek and Mundy Township, according to Chief Ross who referred all questions to the neighboring department. 

Metro PD Police Chief Matt Bade has not yet responded to our request for a comment.

Social media posts and calls, texts and tips via Messenger to The Daily Gazette said the chase involved multiple police cars at high speeds.

Numerous posts indicated that the vehicle crashed on Henderson Road in Davison Township.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TWP. (CCN) — The life span of city and township attorneys, managers and police chiefs often ends when incumbents they support are beaten at a local election.

New Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton became the first Republican ever elected in her mostly rural southwest Genesee County community formed in 1837, and three others she supported in the November 2024 general election won seats on the board as Trustees.

All three were also Republicans, and one other Republican (Danelle Barker) won the Treasurer job. That produced an all-time high of five Republicans on the seven-member board.

Many political observers would guess that should have led to immediate departures by Township Attorney Jack Belzer, Township Manager Chad Young and Metro Police Authority Chief Matt Bade. They served a Democrat-led board.

Yet after more than two months since Stainton was sworn in, the Belzer-Young-Bade trio is still serving in their roles.

That could change on Monday (March 10, 2025) because Stainton revealed that she intends to ask about billings by Belzer who she says her township's long-time counsel "has some serious explaining to do."

When asked if she felt she had the votes to make a change, she said, "We shall see" and did not offer any other comments.

She can't replace Belzer without three more votes.

Belzer has been an attorney in private practice for more than 50 years but has come under fire by Stainton and Trustee Leah Davis on several recent matters.

One of them was Davis accusing Belzer of allowing a 5-2 vote by the board to start an investigation into her treatment of Young despite not following what she called "township policies" before allowing such an investigation to happen. Belzer defended his actions at the last board meeting when confronted by Trustee Davis about it, suggesting the language she cited did not apply.

She and Stainton have also said it was a "clear conflict" to allow Nancy Chinonis of the Flint law firm of Cline, Cline & Griffin to be hired by the Mundy Township board to do the investigation after Young asked the board for it in late January during a spirited tirade of more than 15 minutes into how "his bosses" on the board (namely Stainton and Trustee Leah Davis) have harassed him and caused "mental problems" while also accusing Trustee Davis of sending a man to his home with a gun, saying he feared for his safety as well as the safety of his wife and children. Young also said he also has fears because of threats on social media, mainly on a Facebook page that has more than 2,500 opponents of a proposed advanced manufacturing plant on a 1,300-acre Mega Site that's bordered by Linden Road, Jennings Road, Maple Road and Elms Road.

Don Ludwig admitted to being the man who appeared at Young's home, saying he was there to serve a subpoena for Trustee Davis who went to court to demand non disclosure agreement (NDA) documents under a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA). Ludwig is also one of the administrators for the Facebook page of Mega Site opponents.

The NDA's were between township officials and the Flint & Genesee Group non-profit organization, according to Davis and Stainton.

Chinonis works at the same law firm that represents Tim Herman — President & CEO of the Flint & Genesee Group.

In fact, attorney Tim Knecht of the Flint law firm of Cline, Cline & Griffin was the Registered Agent for a private LLC formed by Herman to buy more than 1,100 acres of properties within the Mega Site.

At the next board meeting after attempting to perfect service of Davis' subpoena on Young, Ludwig alleges that Chief Bade met him at the door and told him he wasn't welcome inside the board meeting because he was "hostile" and further instructed him to stay away from township officials when presenting him with a "trespass" ticket to stay away from Young's home.

Ludwig says he will file a lawsuit over it.

MCL 750.552 is the general state statute for trespass which prevents anyone from trespassing upon the premises of another after having been forbidden to do so. Violation of the statute is a criminal misdemeanor offence, punishable by a fine of up to $50 and 30 days in jail or both. However, The Daily Gazette has confirmed with multiple lawyers that MCL.552(2) clearly does not apply to a process server who is on the land or premises of another while in the process of attempting, by the most direct route, to serve process upon any of the following: (a00) An owner or occupant of the land or premises; (b) An agent of the owner or occupant of the land or premises; or (c) A lessee of the land or premises.

Ludwig said Young lived at the house where he attempted to perfect service. He also said an off duty police officer witnessed that he made no threats or "even raised his voice" to Young's wife when she answered the door, let alone hide a gun behind his back as alleged.

Ludwig has also told The Daily Gazette that he went to the FBI to complain about Young's father-in-law making subsequent threats against him on social media, after his initial attempts to complain were rejected by State Police in Flint Township and the Metro Police Authority. He now says Metro PD eventually took his complaint and forwarded it to the Genesee County Prosecutor's office where a decision will be made on a warrant request.

Young did not comment on the matter at the last public board meeting.

Supervisor Stainton also had a run-in with Young and Chief Bade in June during her campaign.

She demanded an internal investigation after most of the Metro PD cruisers were dispatched to a protest she organized in front of a fundraiser for her opponent (former Supervisor Tonya Ketzler) at a steak house in the Gateway Center complex off Hill Road. She said the officers would not allow her supporters to park at any Gateway Center businesses near the restaurant where Ketzler's event took place.

The Daily Gazette captured audio at the time of officers who explained how they were sent by their boss.

Young and Chief Bade said the police response was due to social media talk about Flint citizens joining the protest.

Chief Bade and Township Attorney Belzer never responded to questions by The Daily Gazette about police patrols on private roads being illegal under state law. The Gateway Center complex has private roads where police are not permitted to patrol but to enter only under state law if responding to a crime or investigating a crime.

Belzer also came under fire by residents and The Daily Gazette by allowing NDA's to hide activity involving the Mega Site. A State Supreme Court ruling in the 2020 Bizzio vs. Clarkston case featured a similar situation where village officials in the Oakland County community refused to turn over documents related to a developer.

A 37-page opinion upheld the Michigan Open Meetings Act of 1976, essentially holding that copies under a FOIA request by a citizen must be turned over of anything that's written with a government-owned pen on a government-owned napkin inside a government building.

While attorney Belzer has survived multiple administrations in Mundy Township as its chief counsel, Bade and Young have less than 10 years on the job there.

The average tenure of a Police Chief in Michigan is 7.3 years. Bade has served since February 2018, first in an interim role until given the job on a permanent basis in May 2018.

Young, who makes more than $100,000 plus benefits, has been the Township Manager since 2016.

(Related Story)

Read Today's Editor's Notebook: 

Jack Belzer has some splainin' to do as Ricky Ricardo used to tell Lucy in old sitcom comedy

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is attorney Jack Belzer who will be on the hot seat Monday night's (March 10, 2025) meeting of the Mundy Township Board of Trustees.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TWP. (CCN) — The Morning Gazette Radio Show reported today (Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025) on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio that Mundy Township is facing a complaint to the Michigan Department of Labor over not paying new Deputy Supervisor Dave Huffman.

Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton confirmed to The Morning Gazette Radio Show that she made the complaint.

Huffman was introduced to Mundy Township officials at their Jan 27 board meeting and they subsequently set a special meeting for Feb. 5, then cancelled it and discussed compensation for Huffman at their Feb. 10 regular board meeting.

Huffman and Stainton said they never asked to set a special meeting during a conversation with Township Manager Chad Young although Clerk Cory Bostwick told The Daily Gazette that it was "her understanding" that Stainton asked for it.

Huffman told  The Morning Gazette Radio Show in a Feb. 3 interview that he had "not yet asked to be paid" when learning that a special meeting had been set to discuss compensation.

Trustee Zack Sack interrupted Stainton's plan to reveal duties for Huffman at the Feb. 10 regular board meeting by making a motion to pay him nothing for his role under Stainton.

Trustees Mark Gorton and Kyle Ward voted with Trustee Sack as did Clerk  Bostwick. Treasurer 

  Danelle Barker was absent from the meeting while Stainton and Trustee Leah Davis opposed Trustee Sack's motion.

Trustee Davis then brought up the matter again at the Feb. 24 regular board meeting, saying she believed it was wrong not to pay Huffman.

Young and board members did not respond, and neither did Township Attorney Jack Belzer.

 At township board meetings in our state, the primary duty of the township attorney to a municipal board is to provide legal advice, guidance and representation on all matters coming before them, ensuring that all decisions made are legally compliant while also reviewing proposed ordinances, contracts and other legal documents for accuracy and potential issues before they are voted on by the board.  

Michigan law allows Township Supervisors to appoint a Deputy Supervisor without board input but requires compensation to be established by the board, according to advice Stainton said she received from the Michigan Townships Association prior to naming Huffman as her Deputy Supervisor. 

It's required by state law for her to notify only her Township Clerk of the decision.

She said she placed it on the agenda of the Jan. 27 meeting to introduce Huffman to other board members and to the public, saying, "Some of them (other board members) were a bit upset I didn't let them know about it. I think most of them found about it anyway before the meeting, yet they acted like they were upset how I picked Dave without their input. The law says it's my decision. I put it on the agenda to introduce him so they could hear from him."

MCL 408.472 requires that employees paid weekly or biweekly must be paid within 14 days of the end of the pay period while employees paid monthly must be paid by the first day of the month for the previous month's wages. Minimum wage in Michigan is currently $12.48 per hour.

"I told Chad (Young) that slavery is illegal and he had better figure out what to do because there isn't another board meeting to approve pay for Dave (Huffman) and he's due a paycheck," Stainton said.

 In Michigan, employers who don't pay their employees can face criminal and civil penalties.

Huffman had no comment when reached Wednesday night about the matter except to confirm that he received a phone call from an employee at the Department of Labor and joked, "Maybe I can at least get a gas card out of this to pay for my gas to get to the Mundy Township Hall."

Huffman lives in Flint Township, near Flushing.

He previously had said during his Feb. 3 radio interview that he was happy with his initial reception by board members, saying, "Several on the board said they are looking forward to working with me. I think that's encouraging."

Huffman spoke publicly to the board after their decision not to pay him and said he was "disappointed" and subsequently told The Daily Gazette that he "isn't going away" and is "there to help Jennifer and the residents get better government out there."

Stainton has told The Daily Gazette previously that  she has "been bullied" by "people who obviously don't want me there."  

 Stainton admitted she has had problems at Mundy Township Hall since taking office. She won in November, ousting incumbent Democrat Tonya Ketzler by more than 500 votes when running a campaign to stop the proposed advanced manufacturing plant on the 1,300 acre Mega Site bordered by Linden Road, Elms Road, Jennings Road and Maple Road. Governor Gretchen Whitmer allowed the Flint & Genesee Group's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance to get approval for $269 million in state taxpayer funding without a business plan or a buyer to build a plant there to support her push for electric vehicles.

 Stainton became the first ever Republican to be elected Township Supervisor since Mundy Township was formed in 1837. 

Two others she endorsed for Trustee also won at the ballot box — incumbent board member Ward and newcomers Davis and Sack.  All three are Republicans as is new Treasurer Danelle Barker who served as Chair of the Mundy Township Planning Commission.  

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Dave Huffman who is the new Deputy Supervisor in Mundy Township.

(CCN) — The Genesee District Library's Davison branch will be hosting "Story Time" for pre-school children up to 5 years old.

Weekly events will be held in Flushing and Swartz Creek.

 Mister Johnnie Singing Story Time will be held at 10:30 am every Thursday at Swartz Creek-Perkins Library until May 22, beginning on March 20. 

Flushing Area with Miss Alex will be will be held at 10:30 am every Wednesday at Flushing Area  Library until May 28, beginning on March 19.

Swartz Creek-Perkins Library is located at 8095 Civic Drive in Swartz Creek.

Flushing Area Library is located at  120 N. Maple Street in Downtown Flushing. 

The district system's "Story Time" series includes events around Genesee County from this week until the end of May. They are an excellent learning experience for your child by encouraging language, literacy, communication, play, curiosity, imagination and social skills. Fingerplay, song, rhyme and movement will be introduced.

No registration is necessary. 

You can find a schedule of events around the county for the "story Time" series on the district library's web site.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

OWOSSO (CCN) — A Metro League Athletic Director has resigned after an incident at a volleyball game where he escorted students out of the building for what he called inappropriate behavior.

Owosso High School AD Steve Irelan resigned on Jan. 10 after negotiations between his lawyer and district officials, according to a report by WNEM CBS TV 5 on its Friday (Jan. 24, 2025) 11 o'clock newscast.

After two weeks of rumors about Irelan's absence on Owosso's campus, Superintendent Steve Brooks issued a statement to the public on the district's Facebook page after the school day on Friday. The incident at the volleyball game happened in October.

Superintendent Brooks said, "We felt it was important to set the record straight, given some of the inaccurate information being spread on social media and on other platforms."

Irelan's job as AD and assistant principal at Owosso was posted by district officials on Jan. 21.

The letter with a statement by Brooks read in part: "We received a report that Mr. Ireland had removed a group of students from a high school (girls') volleyball game at Owosso High School, and eventually from the campus entirely. The students had reportedly been obnoxiously yelling from the student section, causing a disruption. A parent of one of the students involved accused Mr. Ireland of bullying and targeting one of the students, an allegation we take seriously. Mr. Ireland declined multiple requests to meet with specific parents to discuss the incident ... Mr. Ireland’s actions concerning one of the parents of the students involved in the incident created the appearance of retaliation, and the district then sought legal counsel to adhere to our school policies and procedures. We then placed Mr. Ireland on administrative leave on October 31, 2024, while an investigation was conducted by the district legal counsel, inclusive of video footage review and detailed interviews of several students, coaches, spectators administrators including Mr. Ireland and school staff who witnessed the incident in the gym."

Irelan did not respond to our request for a comment. WNEM CBS TV 5 also reported that Irelan did not respond to its request for a comment.

Irelan has been with the Owosso district since 2015, according to his Linked-in page.

Superintendent Brooks also wrote in his letter to district residents: "The investigation found no evidence that Mr. Irelan bullied or targeted a student. However, his actions pertaining to one of the parents of the students involved in the incident created the appearance of retaliation. The appearance of retaliation toward the parent is a violation of our board policy and it was recommended Mr. Irelan receive an appropriate discipline to avoid recurrence of these actions. And no time were any criminal investigations brought forth. Mr. Irelan disagreed with the recommended discipline and appealed the proposed disciplinary action. During the appeal, Mr. Irelan‘s attorney and the district attorney negotiated the resignation agreement acceptable to Mr. Irelan and the district."

No school board members in the Owosso district have yet responded to our request for comments.

PHOTO CAPTION: Steve Irelan has resigned his position as Athletic Director at Owosso High.

Or e-mail us at news@TheDailyGazette.net

Click Here to Read Recent West Valley Voice Headlines & Most Read Recent Stories

West Valley Voice began as a print publication by Tri-County Publishing in 1994 that was available free every other week at high traffic locations across the area. Print editions ceased publishing in 2014. This online edition is owned by Tri-County Publishing LLC and is operated by Crusader Communications Network Inc. ("CCN")

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TWP. (CCN) — The Morning Gazette Radio Show reported today (Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025) on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio that a special meeting has been called off in Mundy Township.

The only agenda item for the special meeting had been listed as addressing compensation for newly-named Deputy Supervisor Dave Huffman.

Huffman appeared a day earlier on The Morning Gazette Radio Show to express "surprise" by he and Supervisor Stainton when learning that the special meeting had been called — saying they never asked for it.

"I haven't asked for any pay yet," Huffman said.

His interview included expressing his views on a number of controversial issues in Mundy Township where an advanced manufacturing plant has been proposed for a 1,300-acre Mega Site bordered by Linden Road, Jennings Rod, Elms Road and Maple Road.

Huffman said he toured the site on Tuesday with Supervisor Stainton, Township Manager Chad Houng and Joel Feick from the Flint & Genesee Group. The Flint-based non-profit organization's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance has landed nearly $269 million in state funding from the State of Michigan to build something there.

"They have announced no buyer yet and there has been no business plan submitted, so I can't comment on anything about what's happening with this Mega Site,'" Huffman said.

Huffman said Feick had also reached out to him last week before The Daily Gazette reported last Friday (Jan. 24, 2025) at 4:15 pm that he had been sworn in earlier that day as the new Deputy Supervisor.

The agenda for the Feb. 3 board meeting listed only "Introduce Dave Huffman" under Stainton's report and did not indicate that he would become Deputy Supervisor.

"I thought maybe news travels fast but Jennifer tells me she didn't tell anyone about it at Mundy Township Hall," Huffman said. "I met with her at her office earlier in the week, so maybe the walls are thin around there. I'm still trying to figure out how a special meeting was called."

The signature of Mundy Township Clerk Cory Bostwick appeared on the document calling the special meeting. She said , however, that "it was her understanding" Supervisor Stainton called it.

State law allows township special meetings to be called by the Supervisor or two board members.

Bostwick said it was also her understanding that Stainton canceled the special meeting and that the item about addressing Huffman's pay would be re-scheduled as part of the agenda for the Feb. 10 regular board meeting.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Dave Huffman who is the new Deputy Supervisor in Mundy Township.

BY MELISSA MARTIN

CCN Staff Writer

MUNDY TWP. (CCN) — The Daily Gazette has learned that Mundy Township officials have set a special meeting for Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2025) to discuss the compensation for a newly-named Deputy Supervisor.

The Morning Gazette Radio Show on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio first reported on Friday (Jan. 24, 2025) that Huffman would be sworn in as a new appointee of newly-elected Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton.

The Daily Gazette reported later on the same day that he was indeed sworn in at about 1 pm.

Stainton is allowed under state law to solely decide who she wants as a Deputy Supervisor.

It's required by state law for her to notify only her township Clerk of the decision.

She said she placed it on the agenda of last week's meeting to introduce Huffman to other board members and to the public.

 "Some of them (other board members) were a bit upset I didn't let them know about it," she said. "I think most of them found about it anyway before the meeting, yet they acted like they were upset how I picked Dave without their input. The law says it's my decision. I put it on the agenda to introduce him so they could hear from him."

 Huffman said he was happy with his reception.

  "Several on the board said they are looking forward to working with me," he said. "I think that's encouraging." 

Huffman said he sat down for a private meeting with Stainton and Township Manager Chad Young last week. "I was surprised he called for a special meeting to talk about compensation because Jennifer and I never asked him to do that. I guess he doesn't understand that he doesn't make the agenda, Jennifer does under the law."

 Stainton admitted she has had problems at Mundy Township Hall since taking office.  She won in November, ousting incumbent Democrat Tonya Ketzler by more than 500 votes when running a campaign to stop the proposed advanced manufacturing plant on the 1,300 Mega Site bordered by Linden Road, Elms Road, Jennings Road and Maple Road. Governor Gretchen Whitmer allowed the Flint & Genesee Group's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance to get approval for $269 million in state taxpayer funding without a business plan or a buyer to build a plant there to support her push for electric vehicles.

 Stainton became the first ever Republican to be elected Township Supervisor since Mundy Township was formed in 1837. 

Two others she endorsed for Trustee also won at the ballot box — incumbent board member Kyle Ward and newcomers Leah Davis and Zack Sack.  All three are Republicans as is new Treasurer Danelle Barker who served as Chair of the Mundy Township Planning Commission.  

Stainton has told The Daily Gazette previously that  she has "been bullied" by "people who obviously don't want me there."

Huffman said, "It's unreal how she has been treated. First, they wouldn't let her see documents or go in the office unless she signed a NDA agreement. She didn't sign it and it proved to be an illegal thing to have in the fist place. Chad Young, the Township Manager, took the old Township Supervisor's office and hung a new sign that said 'Township Manger Chad Young's office' and the old Supervisor's secretary is now his secretary. The Clerk has a Deputy Clerk and the Treasurer has a Deputy Treasurer, Chad has a secretary and Jennifer has no help. I think residents need to be aware of this crap."

Huffman told The Daily Gazette last week that he's surprised by all the opposition he says Supervisor Stainton has so far faced from inside Mundy Township Hall.  He said: "With five Republicans on the new board, maybe it's time the county party needs to step up and explain to these elected officials how they need to support their Republican administration of the newly-elected Supervisor that the voters put into office."

  Huffman said to his knowledge, the county party did nothing to support Republican county commissioners, several mayors of cities and Township Supervisors around the area who were elected in November. 

"It's the most Republicans I've ever seen elected in this county at the local level, yet the party gave them no money and put all their money up for candidates running for higher offices in the state legislature and Congress — and most of them lost," said Huffman who ran last year in Flint Township as a Democrat.

"I got zero help from the county party, yet I worked for candidates we had running for higher offices," Stainton said.

Treasurer Barker said at last Monday's meeting that she liked the idea that Supervisor Stainton "is a Republican yet chose a Deputy Supervisor who is a Democrat."  She said that shows a willingness to work together to get things done.

Township Clerk Cory Bostwick joined critics of Stainton in making negative posts on social media about her needing a Deputy Supervisor "only eight weeks into the job" when previous Supervisors have never needed an assistant."

Stainton noted how previous Supervisors have had secretaries, including Ketzler.

 The comments especially irked Huffman.

 "I think that's part of why I'm here," he said. "The residents need to know what's going on. I have not even asked for a salary yet. But I have now compiled a list of salaries around the township hall. I think the residents will be shocked to find out how much these people are making. The Township Manager is making $107,000 per year plus benefits. The attorney, (Jack) Belzer is pulling in over $100,000. The Clark has a Deputy Clerk and the Treasurer has a Deputy Treasurer both making around $40,000 a year. How many other townships are paying like that? I think the residents will side with Jennifer that she needs to straighten out the finances of this township for taxpayers. I think that's why they elected her."

Stainton will need three other votes from the board to establish a compensation package for Huffman.

If Stainton is unable to pay Huffman what she wants to set his salary at to be her top aide, she can pay him out of her salary or engage him as a volunteer.

"If I need to volunteer, that's what I'm gonna do to help her fix this township," Huffman said. "Big changes need to be made. When residents realize what a mess the old boards have created with wasting their tax dollars, I don't think anybody is gonna worry what they pay me. The way I see it, they can't afford not to have me helping protect their tax dollars."

In our exclusive headline story last week about Supervisor Stainton flexing her political muscle to add Huffman to her team, it was noted how she has made it clear she's unhappy with Township  Township Manager Young and Township Attorney Jack Belzer.

She has stopped short of saying they will be fired but Huffman isn't so shy about his feelings on the subject. "The voters elected Jennifer by a big margin and if anybody left over from the old administration doesn't realize it, the people have spoken," he said.

Huffman also told The Daily Gazette "there has been a meeting with Paul Scott."

Scott is a prominent local attorney who admitted to The Daily Gazette last month that he may be interested in taking the Township Attorney job, if it's offered.  Scott was one of the youngest in Genesee County history to be elected to the state legislature after completing his law degree at the University of Michigan. He had earlier obtained a bachelor's from Harvard, and mounted an impressive campaign while while working toward finishing his law degree.

Scott mounted a strong fundraising drive and gained notice as a close ally of then Governor Rick Snyder in making many drastic changes to state government after eight years of control by Democrat Jennifer Granholm. Snyder and Scott are Republicans.

Stainton contacted Scott when a special meeting was called after Stainton spoke at a Flint City Council meeting and Young accused her of "representing Mundy Township there with no board authority to do so."

Stainton also claimed Township Attorney Belzer told her she couldn't do it, according to Stainton. Belzer reacted to his call from Scott at the board meeting to admit the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows anyone free speech.

"I think Paul Scott set him straight and I think we need a strong, smart lawyer like that to stop laws from being broken out here," Huffman said. 

 (Related story in Genesee Valley Press)

(Related story in Today's Viewpoints Section)

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Dave Huffman who is the new Deputy Supervisor in Mundy Township.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

MUNDY TWP. (CCN) — Newly-elected Mundy Township Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton flexed her political muscle today (Jan. 27, 2025) by adding some power to her team.

She has made it clear she's unhappy with Township Attorney Jack Belzer and Township Manager Chad Young but she has stopped short of saying they will be fired.

Dave Huffman isn't so shy about his feelings on the subject. The Morning Gazette Radio Show reported today on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio that Huffman would be sworn in soon as Stainton's new Deputy Supervisor and he said: "They elected Jennifer by a big margin and if anybody left over from the old administration doesn't realize it, the people have spoken." 

The Daily Gazette has learned that Huffman took his official oath at about 1 pm.

The agenda for a 7 pm meeting tonight of the Mundy Township Board of Trustees has "Introduction of Dave Huffman" listed under comments by Supervisor Stainton.

She could not be reached for comment.

State law permits Township Supervisors to appoint a Deputy Supervisor.

Township Clerks must be notified of this and Mundy Township Clerk Cory Bostwick has not yet responded to a request for a comment.

State law says a Deputy Supervisor can be paid from the Supervisor's salary or be an unpaid volunteer if Supervisor Stainton is unable to get four votes to set a salary for Huffman.

Supervisor Stainton won by more than 500 votes in November on an agenda to stop the proposed advanced manufacturing site from going in on the so-called Mega Site that consists of more than 1,300 acres bordered by Linden Road, Elms Road, Maple Road and Jennings Road. Governor Gretchen Whitmer allowed the Flint & Genesee Group's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance to get $269 million in state taxpayer funding without a business plan or a buyer to build a plant there to support her push for electric vehicles. 

Two others she endorsed for Trustee also won at the ballot box — incumbent board member Kyle Ward and newcomers Leah Davis and Zack Sack. All three are Republicans and Stainton is believed to be the first Republican Supervisor elected since the township was organized in 1837.

New Treasurer Danelle Barker, a former Chair of the Mundy Township Planning Commission, is also a Republican.

"With five Republicans on the new board, maybe it's time the county party needs to step up and explain to these elected officials how they need to support their Republican administration of the newly-elected Supervisor voters put in," Huffman said about opposition he says Supervisor Stainton is facing from inside Mundy Township Hall. 

She told The Morning Gazette Radio Show last month that Township Manager Young took the office of old Supervisor Tonya Ketzler and erected a new sign above the door while also taking the Supervisor's Secretary for himself and appointing himself to boards around the county to represent the county. A special meeting was also called after Stainton spoke at a Flint City Council meeting and Young accused of her "representing Mundy Township there with no board authority to do so."

Stainton also claimed Township Attorney Belzer told her she couldn't do it.

She contacted attorney Paul Scott and Belzer reacted to his call with Scott at the next board meeting to admit the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows anyone free speech.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Mundy Township Clerk Cory Bostwick responded after the story above was published. She said she swore in no Deputy Supervisor but said the Supervisor has the authority to appoint a Deputy Supervisor.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Dave Huffman being sworn in as Deputy Supervisor in Mundy Township.

BY MELISSA MARTIN

 CCCN Staff Writer

FLUSHING TWP. (CCN) — Amana Odette was named as the new Township Attorney Tuesday night (Jan.14, 2025) by the Flushing Township Board of Trustees.

Odette replaces Matt McKone who was elected in November as the new 66th District Court Judge in Shiawassee County.

McKone took over when long-time Flushing Township Attorney Steve Moulton retired in 2022. He had been chief counsel in the township for 40 years. McKone was City Attorney in Flushing at the time.

Supervisor Frederick Thorsby said: “We’d never had the same attorney as the city has, but we thought we’d try it.”

Attorney John Ryan has been filling in for McKone but Thorsby said he felt it was time to make a decision on a permanent replacement.

The board voted Tuesday to approve a one-year contract with Odette.

Ryan was also at Tuesday's meeting, vying for the position against Odette. Both proposals called for a $125 hourly rate and $200 to attend each township board meeting. 

Treasurer Terry Peck made the motion to hire Odette and it was supported by Trustee Wendy Meinberg.

But not before questions by Trustee Meinberg about additional names in the packet submitted by Odette. She said resumes were added for associates who may cover for her from time to time since she represents other cities and townships.

Odette is Burton's long-time city attorney and she dedicated her firm to municipal work in 2017. She now also represents the City of Mt. Morris, City of Montrose, Genesee Township and Montrose Township as chief counsel in each of those communities. She has also done work as the assistant attorney for Fenton Township and Monitor Township in the past. 

Odette heard a vocal protest from one board member about one of the associates named in her packet — Jack Belzer of Mundy Township who serves as the chief counsel in that community.

She agreed not to use Belzer if hired after Trustee Bill Bain said, “I’ve attended meetings in Mundy Township and the way he conducted himself toward the residents was unsatisfactory He was belligerent. That’s my issue.”

Odette told board members after they approved her contract: “I am excited to get to work with the staff here at the township and thankful for this opportunity. I look forward to meeting the residents and community members and helping to keep Flushing Township a safe and vibrant community.”

Odette said her husband, Mike Odette, got his start in law enforcement as an officer in Flushing Township, and often tells her how much he liked the area. He was a long-time officer afterward in Burton before becoming police chief there. He left in 2019 when a new mayoral administration took over and he moved to Mott Community College as Police Chief and Director of Public Safety there. He became Under-Sheriff for the Lapeer County Sheriff's Department in early 2023.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Amanda Odette who has been named as Flushing Township Attorney.

BY MELISSA MARTIN

 CCCN Staff Writer

MUNDY TWP. (CCN) — A man's controversial death reported exclusively by CCN on its Metro Flint News/Talk Radio and at theDailyGazette.net last month has led to at least one public official taking notice.

In fact, Mundy Township Trustee Kyle Ward made a  motion Monday night (Jan. 13, 2025) to end his township's contract with Medstar.

Trustee Leah Davis supported the motion but the board voted it down 5-to-2.

Supervisor Jennifer Arrand Stainton made an alternative motion approved 7-0 to re-visit the issue in February.

Medstar serves multiple communities across the Metro Flint regional area that have exclusive contracts with the company for ambulance service.

Medstar's web site describes the ambulance serve as "southeast Michigan’s largest and most integrated EMS and mobile health provider .. serving more than 190,000 patients annually throughout Bay, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Ingham, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties."

A request for comment from Medstar has not yet been responded to by any company officials.

Mundy Township has been using Medstar since May 2022 when CEO Kolby Miller gave board members a "guarantee" that they would respond within nine minutes at least 90 percent of the time.

“When you staff on a demand model, you place your vehicles where the highest probability of a call is going to be for a safe response and during the peak times, we staff for peak volume," CEO MIller had told Mundy Township board members prior to winning the contract. 

Miller said at the time that she was aware that concerns had been raised in Genesee County about potential lawsuits, liability issues, or longer response times in the case that an ambulance from another company might be closer to the 911 call. “I think that when you design vehicles so that you’re preventing 35 and 40- and 50-minute response times that some of the periphery in the county is seeing, and managing all of the response times, you ultimately improve the response time for the system. Rather than just focusing on a 45 second or 50 second difference between one or two of the individual calls and using that as some sort of scare tactic.”

Trustee Ward stressed that if another ambulance is closer to a 911 call, it should be sent out to save lives.

The case reported by CCN involved a Grand Blanc man who needed an ambulance but one wasn't available because of fears of not getting paid in Flint where his vehicle accident occurred. The man was transported to the hospital via a private vehicle and died.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a photo of Mundy Township Trustee Kyle Ward.

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.”

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

FLUSHING (CCN) — A preliminary hearing is set for 10 am on Tuesday (Oct. 29, 2024) for the suspect in a Downtown Flushing shooting last month.

Paul Peake, 46, was arrested and arraigned on felony charges for assault with intent to murder, discharge of a firearm from a vehicle causing injury, reckless use of a firearm and two felony firearm charges.

Peake is a Garden City resident.

He allegedly shot a 29-year-old man from Flint after what Flushing Mayor Joe Karlichek called a "road rage" incident.

Peake fled the scene after the shooting but was located and arrested within an hour.

City police in Flushing were assisted in the quick response by troopers from the Michigan State Police and officers from Flushing Township.

The Daily Gazette was the first on the scene as a Flushing officer and an ambulance arrived to find a man lying on the pavement in the parking lot behind a block of buildings in Downtown Flushing.

Police tape closed off behind the building and the street in front of the businesses for a few hours as authorities investigated.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a photo of the scene in Downtown Flushing within minutes after a Sept. 28 shooting.

 (CCN) — Two write-in candidate have surfaced in the Flushing City Council race where voters have few choices due to mostly unopposed candidates.

The lone exception is in the at large position for a four-year term on council. Kraig Kuehnemund and  Michael Aversa are competing for the seat.

 Nicholas Reitano is unopposed in Flushing's other at large council race and Danielle Smith is unopposed for the District 3 seat.

Kuehnemund and Reitano currently serve on the City Planning Commission. Smith serve on the City Parks and Recreation Committee.

Edward Sullivan, currently serving as Mayor Pro Tem on the council, is unopposed for Mayor to replace Joe Karlichek who chose to run for county commissioner. He lost in the Democrat primary to Dale Weighhill of Flint Township.

Sullivan supported Karlichek who unseated Kevin Keane as Mayor in 2019. Sullivan ousted long-time City Councilman John Gault from office in 2019. 

Mayor Karlichek is running as a write-in to continue serving the city in a new capacity as a city councilman.

Nobody filed for the District 1 seat on the city council, and Britney Arnold announced on social media that she wants to be elected to fill the slot. She said: "I am a single mother who has been a resident of this amazing community for 20 years. I work at Hurley Medical Center in the operating room, I work part time at the American Legion, and I volunteer in the community as often as I can. I love our town and all its values that it brings to the state of Michigan. I have decided to run as a write-in for District 1 Flushing City Council and would love the opportunity to serve this wonderful community in a new way. If you feel compelled to do so I would be ever so grateful for your vote."

 (CCN) — Flushing Fire Chief James Michael is inviting residents to an open house on Tuesday (Oct. 29, 2024) to celebrate the deployment of the non-transport Emergency Medical Services.

 It was one year ago that the EMS was launched in the city.

The open house from 11 am until noon will allow the EMS staff to showcase the equipment and enhancements made to Flushing's services in just one year, and allow us to thank the community for their support. 

"Many residents have already benefitted from the city’s EMS services, and we look forward to continuing to save lives and offer life support and life sustaining medical care into the foreseeable future," said Chief Michael.

Flushing Mayor Joe Karlichek noted: "On behalf of our city council, our investment has saved at least seven of our citizens' lives since operations began and demonstrates our commitment to improving outcomes and the health and wellbeing of our community."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Flushing Fire Chief James Michael (at right) accepting the city's employee-of-the-year honor at a Flushing Area Chamber of Commerce event in February from Flushing Mayor Joe Karlichek.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

(CCN) — Residents opposed to a proposed advanced manufacturing plant in Mundy Township are organizing a series of boycotts against businesses who wrote letters of support to state officials for the Flint & Genesee Group to get funding from our tax dollars.

CEO Tim Herman's group collected more than $10 million in grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation before another $250 million package was approved last month by the Michigan Strategic Fund. Both chambers of the Michigan legislature approved it last week and it became part of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's budget on Monday (July 1, 2024).

Jennifer Arrand Stainton, who led a picket protest outside a political fundraiser for Mundy Township Supervisor Tonya Ketzler on June 20 outside Redwood Lodge, told The Daily Gazette that a "boycott may be the best way to get the attention of businesses" who gave the Flint & Genesee Group letters of support for their project. Herman's non-profit organization used the letters to get state funds for a proposed development on a 1,200-acre site bordered by Linden Road, Jennings Road, Elms Road and Maple Road.

Flint's Mott Community College Board of Trustees withdrew the institution's support on Monday night (July 1, 2024) after hearing from residents opposed to the project in Mundy Township, as well as from Flint community activist Art Woodson.

 See RElated Story on Today's Front Page of The Daily Gazette 

Woodson and others questioned why officials are trying to put the project in area where citizens are opposed to it. Woodson has also gone on record blasting Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for sending $260 million to Mundy Township for support of her electric vehicle push while ignoring  Flint residents still suffering from the impact of the Flint water crisis 10 years ago. More than 1,900 still do not have their pipes replaced. 

Don Ludwig, one of the administrators for a Facebook page with 2,100 opponents of the proposed development at Mundy Township's Mega Site, quickly posted a message for Herman's representative (Tyler  Rossmaessler who is Executive Director of the Flint & Genesee Group's Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance) who lobbied for support from Mott's trustees.

Ludwig posted: "Hey tyler! Next!! Mott Community College has (withdrawn) their letter of support for the advanced manufacturing district of Mundy Township (otherwise) known as the Mega Site. As soon as Tyler gave his speech he headed out the door! Sue Joanne, Marjorie Steele and Arthur Woodson gave a great presentations and the board voted unanimously to reject their letter of support. MY HOME MY CHOICE!!!!"

Ludwig also praised a resident who reported that he cancelled a new car order from Randy Wise which was listed as a supporter by Herman's non-profit organization.

"Wise choice," Ludwig reacted after a post by Frank Millay revealed: "The truck I currently have was bought at Randy Wise. They sent me an e-mail saying they had the same truck and wanted to know if I was interested in trading in for it. I responded the truth, that I was ready to upgrade. I then said that due to them endorsing the Mega Site that they just lost my business. They weren't happy with me. "

Lloyd Derby responded by writing: "Too bad for them. Maybe the next time they will think twice about being a part of something that is so controversial."

Kim Raubinger Matus posted: "If a person is going to hold out on a business because they have different views than yours…that’s very unfortunate. That's like throwing your friends and family away because they have differing political beliefs. This attitude is exactly why the United States is so divided. God please help us."

Rossmessler presented a slide show to Mott's trustees — showing logos of 23 supporters for his organization's proposed development. Randy Wise's dealerships was not included on the slide show but remains listed on a Web Site for the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance as a supporter who signed a letter of support for the proposed project. 

The University of Michigan-Flint and Kettering University were listed with Mott.

Others listed as supporters were non-profit groups that included the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Flint, the Hurley Foundation and Hamilton Community Health Network of Flint Consumers Energy was also listed as a supporter along with UA Local 370, the state's Michigan Works organization.

Local businesses listed as supporters on the slide show presented by Rossmessler included Koegels, Cooper Commercial, Rolls Mechanical, North Gate, Dee Cramer, Lurvey Construction. Sorenson Gross Construction, E & L Construction, Lewis & Knoph CPA's, Genesee Packaging, McLaren Regional Medical Center, Hurley Medical Center and Goyette Mechanical.

Not listed on the slide show but still appearing on a web site for the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance are the Flint Cultural Center, Flint's Bishop Airport and the Flint & Genesee Group.

Management Diversified, Inc.

Mass Transportation Authority

(CCN) —  No intersections across the Metro Flint regional area made an annual list of the top 20 most dangerous ones in Michigan, and none in the West Valley Voice coverage area cracked Genesee County's top 10.

(See Story in State News of My Am Advantage)

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

 Michigan Auto Law of Farmington Hills compiled a top 10 list of the most dangerous intersections in Genesee County based on crash data reported to the Michigan State Police, and found that Corunna Road and I-75 in Flint Township to be No. 1. State Police data showed 55 crashes there in 2023 that resulted in 16 injuries.

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?

See Related Stories in our

Mega Site Special Section

READ THIS WEEK'S FEATURED EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

READ TODAY'S EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

READ OLD EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK COLUMNS

-----------------------------------------------------

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 community 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.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

(CCN) — Flushing's Trinity Baptist Church is getting a new pastor in early August.

Pastor James Brabson  takes over for Pastor Ron Scott who has been working as interim pastor at Trinity which is located at 4222 Elms Road in Flushing Township.

 Trinity Baptist is an independent Baptist church where you will find practical Bible teaching and preaching, exciting youth and children's ministries, adult programs that are a blessing, and an emphasis on discipleship and evangelism, according to the church's web site,

Pastor Brabson took to Facebook today (June 27, 2024) to inform his congregation at North County Baptist Church in xxxxx of the decision. "This post will undoubtedly catch some people by surprise (which is not our intention, and no this isn’t a “joke”) however, this morning at North Country, we notified the church family that we will be finishing out our ministry at North Country this coming July and moving to Flushing, MI this coming August. Words cannot express our heart of gratitude to the church there at NCBC."

 The Brabson family moved to Millersburg in 2004. He and wife Bonnie have four sons —  Josiah, Ben, Jonas and Clayton. The family will move into the Flushing community and the boys will go to Genesee Christian school in Burton.

Pastor Brabson began his ministry as an Assistant/Youth Pastor in Northern Michigan. The church voted in 2011 to make Pastor Brabson the lead pastor at North Country.  

He added in today's Facebook post: "I’ve tried in so many ways how to express our thoughts and feelings, and all I can say at this point is 'Thank You.'   God has been so good in giving us 20 years here, and we leave the church here with no disagreement and no dissension. We are deeply indebted to so many of you in the church who have loved on our family and your lives are the living testimony of our ministry here. Seeing so many of our church family 'grow up' spiritually before our eyes has been one of the greatest blessings that I have experienced in my life. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your spiritual growth and really being a family away from our family.   It also means we are leaving the Millersburg/Onaway/Rogers City community. We are thankful for the 'fun' place this has been to raise a family and how so many of you have been friends to our family as well. I’m sure the streets of Millersburg, will be quieter. Even though NCBC will be looking for a pastor, the pulpit will be filled by a variety of good men ... "

 Outside the ministry at NCBC, Pastor Brabson has served on the advisory board for Camp CanaanLand and he has been a guest speaker, for a wide variety of ministry opportunities such as family and youth camps, father/son retreats, pastors' conferences and wild game dinners. He has also stayed busy coaching both in the community and in a school for baseball and basketball. 

 His Facebook post to his long-time church family at NCBC concluded by saying: "What’s next for us? We are excited to be moving into the Flushing, MI area to become the Lead Pastor for Trinity Baptist Church of Flushing at the start of August. Many of you know of Trinity through their ministry of Harvest Fest, and we are excited for this next chapter of ministry for our lives. Working with their deacons/pulpit committee along with their staff members has been a joy and blessing over these last (three) months. Along with coming on board at Trinity, the boys are excited to join the school family of Genesee Christian School this fall. The church people have been so welcoming to our family, and we look forward to getting to know so many of them and see God grow all of us together in the coming years.   In the end, we are simply trusting Him to direct our steps, knowing He is always good and that He works all things for good."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Pastor James Brabson who will join Flushing's Trinity Baptist Church as its new leader of its ministry.

(CCN) — The Tri-County Times reported that a 94-year-old woman from Swartz Creek was killed in an Argentine Township car crash on Wednesday (July 10, 2024).

The newspaper reported in its onlin edition that the woman's 70-year-old daughter from Swartz Creek is hospitalized in critical condition.

The report said a 46-year-old Byron man sustained non-life threatening injuries when also injured in the crash.

 (CCN) — Summer office hours have been established for buildings in the New Lothrop school district. They will be closed during the 4th of July week but re-open on Monday, July 8.

Parents can contact the high school office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am until 2 pm, and Wednesdays from 11:30 am until 4:30 pm.

Parents can contact the elementary school office Monday through Thursday from 9 am until 3 pm.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

(CCN) — Two schools in the West Valley Voice coverage area will go back to work on Monday to prepare for another football game after making the state playoffs while New Lothrop's 23-year run in post-season play ends.

The Flushing Raiders and Corunna Cavaliers will play on Friday night.

Flushing will be on the road at Midland while Corunna will host Flint Hamady. Both games have 7 pm kick-offs.

The pairings were announced on Sunday (Oct. 27, 2024) by the Michigan High School Athletic Association officials and revealed by FanDuel Sports TV on its Sunday Selection Show.

New Lothrop, which won it all in 2018 and made it to the state semifinals in Division 7 last fall, was hoping to be one of the rare 3-6 teams to get it but it didn't happen. The Hornets suffered their first losing season since 1998 when going 4-5. The last time they were 3-6 was 29 years ago in 1995.

New Lothrop's streak of making the state playoffs 23 years in a row was the longest among any team in the Metro Flint regional area.

Corunna qualified for the fifth time in a row while Flushing had missed the playoffs three seasons in a row. It's the 14th time in school history for each team to be in the state playoffs.

 Flushing had 54.444 computer points in the MHSAA tabulations to qualify in Division 2 while Midland produced 71.111 points. Corunna had 59.222 points to qualify in Division 5.

Corunna raced all the way to the state finals a year ago behind all-state duo Tarick and Wyatt Bower. The twin brothers earned scholarships to Ferris State University after leading Corunna to a perfect 9-0 regular season for the first time since 2002.

Corunna is 7-2 this season and coming off one of its two losses — 42-7 to Armada which finished off an 8-1 campaign to also qualify for the state playoffs in Division 5 for the fifth year in a row.

Corunna's other loss was 42-7 to Goodrich which won the Metro League's Stars Division before beating Fenton in the cross-over game for the Metro League championship. Corunna won the Stars Division and took the cross-over game last fall. en route to its school record 13-1 campaign.

Corunna beat Linden two weeks ago in the cross-over game between the Metro League's second-place finishers. The Cavaliers won 17-14 over the Eagles who also qualified for the 2024 post-season action in Division 3.

Linden nipped Flushing 14-13 to ruin homecoming for the Raiders who rebounded to finish 7-2 this season under new Coach Austin Cook. They could have created a three-way tie for the Stripes Division title in the Metro League by beating Fenton at home two weeks ago but lost 42-21.

Flushing had two opponents from the Saginaw Valley League on its schedule this fall, and won big both times to elevate its hopes for Friday night at Midland High. The Raiders beat Flint Carman-AInsworth 42-6 on Friday (Oct. 25, 2024) and trounced Bay City Central 55-0 on opening night. Flint C-A finished last, however, in the Valley's Red Division while Bay City Central was last in the Valley's Blue Division. Both schools were 0-6 against Valley rivals.

Midland High will definitely be Flushing's most difficult opponent. The Chemic are 8-1 overall and won the Saginaw Valley League's Blue Division with a perfect 6-0 record.

As far as comparative scores, Midland won 49-0 over Bay City Central compared to the similar margin of 55-0.

The winner at Midland High will advance to the District 1 finals in Region 2 of Division 2. The opponent will be a Saginaw Valley school since the other opener sees Midland Dow (5-4) at Saginaw Heritage.

Corunna takes its 7-2 record into a home date Friday against a 5-3 Hamady club that played this season for the first time as an independent. They're in District 1 of Region 3. The winner plays the winner of Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Wlliamston. They play in Pontiac.

Metro Flint News/Talk Radio plans to broadcast one of the two games if they are not scheduled to be on MHSAA TV or another free streaming video service.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Flushing Raiders Coach Austin Cook. He led the Raiders back to the state playoffs this fall.