THE LATEST TOP HEADLINES

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 (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.

 (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) — Flushing's line-up of special events offers plenty of Halloween fun this year for all ages.

The Flushing Area Chamber of Commerce will kick it all off with a Hallow’s Eve Trick or Treat event on Tuesday (Oct. 29, 2024) from 6-8 pm.

Partnering businesses in Downtown Flushing will give away candy and there will also be a zombie performance by students from Judy’s School of Dance at 6:15 p.m., and a performance from the Andrej Palinsky Studio of Dance at 6:30 p.m. 

A costume contest will take place at 7 p.m. with 

divisions for infant and pre-school, elementary, middle school, high school and adults.

The Flushing Raider Marching Band will also stage a community night performance on Tuesday (Oct. 29, 2024) at 7:30 pm. It will serve as a "send off" for the band which is headed to the state finals. The performance will take place at its practice field at Flushing High School which is located at 5039 Deland Road. 

The Flushing Fire Department, located at 723 E. Main Street, will host its annual open house on Thursday (Oct. 31, 2024) from 6-8 pm to give away cider, donuts, candy, popcorn and glow sticks.  Children will also have the opportunity to check out the fire engines.

The Flushing Area Senior Center will also host a Halloween party on Thursday (Oct. 31, 2024) at 1 pm. The party will feature a costume contest, games prizes and music. Seniors can call (810) to RSVP plans to attend the party.

Flushing's Sigma Chi Fraternity associated with Kettering University will host its haunted house charity fundraiser on Friday (Nov 1, 29024) and Saturday (Nov. 2, 2024) from 7–10 pm each night. The fraternity house is located at 704 E. Main Street. Admission is $12 or $10 each for groups of four or more.

Two Flushing churches  (Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Trinity Baptist Church) are also hosting special Halloween events.

Holy Cross Lutheran Church, located at 1209 Coutant Street, will host its third "No Tricks, Just Treats" celebration on Thursday (Oct. 31, 2024) from 6 -8 p.m. The church will offer free parking, hot dogs, chips, water and hot chocolate. A fire and porta-potties will also be offered.

Trinity Baptist Church, located at 4222 N. Elms Road, will host its "Flushing Fall Fest" from 6-8 pm on Wednesday (Oct. 30, 2024). The free community event will include a trunk-or-treat, carnival games, food trucks, fire trucks, police cruisers, ambulances, bounce houses and a hay ride.

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. 

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

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Mike Killbreath appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8 am until 9:30 am. He's an award-winning newspaper columnist and investigative reporter who is the former long-time owner of the local Metro Flint area chain of 14 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.

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