Podcast Episodes Interviews, Show Notes, and Transcripts

In 1952, a saloon killing in a small Upper Peninsula town became one of the most important—and controversial—criminal trials in Michigan history. The lawyer who defended the accused was John D. Voelker: former county prosecutor, defense attorney, future Michigan Supreme Court justice, and a gifted writer who would later publish the landmark legal novel Anatomy of a Murder under the pen name Robert Traver. In this episode of Flint Justice , Arthur Busch examines: the real Big Bay homicide that in...

The Age of Anxiety: Political Media, Dementia, and the Boomer Fear In Michigan living rooms—from Flint to Saginaw to small towns up north—older Americans watch political news that feels less like reporting and more like a public trial of aging itself. Every stumble, verbal slip, or moment of confusion by national leaders is clipped, replayed, and mocked. For older viewers, this coverage is not abstract or partisan. It is personal. This investigative audio essay examines how constant media focus ...

Join Arthur Busch on location in downtown Detroit as he takes you inside the magic of the 99th Annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade . In this special field-report episode, Arthur walks Woodward Avenue, captures the sights and sounds of the morning, and talks directly with the people who make this iconic tradition come alive. From families bundled up in the cold, to lifelong Detroiters describing what the parade means to them, to first-timers experiencing the floats, balloons, and Big Heads with ...

This episode begins with a cinematic reenactment of the Flint Sit-Down Strike and Genora’s electrifying moment on the picket line. From her kitchen-table organizing to the chaos outside the plants, Genora’s bravery becomes the doorway into a deeper story about labor, power, and the long shadow cast over America’s auto industry.

This episode begins with a cinematic reenactment of the Flint Sit-Down Strike and Genora’s electrifying moment on the picket line. From her kitchen-table organizing to the chaos outside the plants, Genora’s bravery becomes the doorway into a deeper story about labor, power, and the long shadow cast over America’s auto industry.

Welcome to the Detroit comeback. With a voice as warm and familiar as the streets themselves, we take a tour of the Motor City's stunning revitalization. From the iconic RenCen and the architecture of the Whitney Building to the vibrant Riverwalk and the energy of the city's sports scene, this video captures the enduring, tough, and durable spirit of Detroit. This is more than a travel documentary; it’s an ode to the city that refuses to quit. As the "big brother" to the state's industrial heart...

The Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1936–37 wasn’t just a labor dispute — it was a turning point in American history . In this short documentary segment, former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch breaks down what really happened inside the Fisher Body plants, why the strike succeeded, and how Flint became the birthplace of modern union power. This video explores: The strategy workers used to shut down General Motors How the UAW was born inside the factory walls Why General Motors feared the sit-dow...

He was handsome, popular, and lived the perfect fraternity life in Ann Arbor. But behind John Norman Collins’s all-American image lurked one of Michigan’s darkest secrets. In the late 1960s, a series of brutal murders terrorized the college towns of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti . Seven young women—mostly students—were abducted, raped, and murdered. The media called the killer “The Michigan Murderer.” In this Radio Free Flint episode, Arthur Busch interviews Gregory Fournier , author of Terror in Ypsi...

Explore Flint’s immigrant heritage, the poetry of place, and the story of how a humble Coney Island became part of Michigan’s cultural DNA. Arthur Busch interviews the daughter of the former owner of the iconic Angelo's Coney Island, Flint, Michigan.

What’s a “Snowbird,” really—and why do millions of Americans and Canadians head south every winter? In this video essay, Arthur Busch—former Genesee County Prosecutor and host of Radio Free Flint —shares why he became a Snowbird and what the lifestyle reveals about working-class culture from the Rust Belt to the Sunbelt. From union paychecks and shift work to HOA meetings and pickleball courts, the Snowbird migration isn’t just about sunshine—it’s about identity, mobility, and the American promi...

Good school districts are more than a function of how much money they collect from taxpayers. Schools must connect with the community where they are located in ways that go beyond math, science and reading. Flint, Michigan at one time was the envy of America. Flint leaders developed and funded the concept of the Community Schools Program. The Flint School District and its Community Schools Model drew people from across the nation and the world to study the educational model. The concept was re...

Our guest is musician Howard Ryan, a native of Wisconsin who now lives in San Francisco, California. Ryan, also known as Hauras composed a song, "Flint, Michigan," intending to make a social statement about the problems of the beleaguered rust belt city. Ryan is a musician and composer who is known for his work in the drone music genre. He has released several albums and EPs that showcase his unique style of electronic music, which often incorporates elements of experimental and ambient sounds. ...