Podcast Episodes Interviews, Show Notes, and Transcripts

Anna Clark is an accomplished author and journalist. In The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy, Anna examines what happened to poison the water in Flint, Michigan. She digs into the public policies that need reform and drinking water policy decisions by the Flint and Michigan governments. Anna Clark lives in Detroit. She is a reporter for ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism with moral force. Ann Clark's book won the Hillman Prize for ...

Jermaine Reese, spent eighteen years as a Flint Police Officer. He shares his policing career, its highs and lows. He patrolled the Flint, Michigan neighborhood where he was raised. What is life like in a City of Flint patrol car? What will it take for Flint's crime statistics to improve? What type of training for police will reduce abuse claims and lawsuits? Dr. Reese explains that one of those challenges was being black and a policeman. Professor Reese also comments on the Black Lives Matter ...

Grand Blanc, MI attorney and businessman Michael Jablonski is an entrepreneurial success. Jablonski shares stories from his business career in the food and entertainment business in Mid-Michigan. Few people in Michigan have made an impact on the Flint area community's entertainment and fine dining as Michael Jablonski. Michael has developed several concept businesses in the Flint, Michigan area. Those establishments, Celebrations Night Club and Brick Street have became some of the most popular ...

Joel Bye and his band the Blue Hawaiians are legendary amongst Michigan music fans. Joel shares the colorful history of the band as well as his prior band The Nick Garvey Band. In a hilarious and surprisingly reflective interview Joel Bye shares how he got started playing the drums with another local legend, the late jazz master Sherman Mitchell, playing in the Fireside Lounge in Flint. He speaks optimistically about Flint, Michigan and what the town has ment to him. He played his first gig at...

William S. Ballenger III of Flint, Michigan is a descendant of one of the founders of Buick, Chevrolet Motor Car Company, General Motors. Bill is a member of the family that philanthropically endowed the Flint area. Bill shares his family's history, accomplishments, and philanthropic activity. Along the way, Bill shares experiences about growing up in Flint and shares his memories of the late Charles Stewart Mott and family. Bill Ballenger is a former State Senator, State Representative, the Mic...

Pete "Fat Cat" Flanders is perhaps one of the best remembered radio personalities in the Mid-Michigan media market. He is the owner of Musical Memories, a Flint record shop that specializes in vinyl record sales. Pete recounts his 40 year history in Flint area radio sharing stories from his long career as a DJ, Concert Promoter and Businessman. Pete worked at WHMM with its urban format and WTAC with its contemporary Rock format. He has worked as a promoter, announcer, or tour assistant to some ...

Norman Bryant is a former President of Flint Board of Education. At 85 years of age, he shares the history of the Flint Community Schools and high school athletics. Norm is the founder of the Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame. Norm provides a wonderful oral history of African American life in a northern US industrial community in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. During the interview Norm Bryant discusses the people and activities around Flint, Michigan becoming the first U.S. major cit...

Local news anchor Joel Feick stepped down from local television news after 35 years. He left familiar seat as "The People's News Anchor". Joel shares stories about his life as a reporter. In this podcast, Joel shares his memories of the characters whom he covered as a journalist. He also shares memories of colleagues and other reporters in the Mid-Michigan area. He worked 27 years for ABC-12 and then 8 years at NBC25/FOX66 where concluded his career in broadcasting. In November 2020, Joel was e...

At 90 years old Arlene Crane-Curns, who has lived almost a century, authored a book! In Homemade Noodles and Cars, Arlene tells the story of her family-from World War I and how it affected them. Her parents struggled to provide a home for their five children during the Great Depression. She grew up in Flint, Michigan. Arlene tells of her family's role in World War II and meeting her soon-to-be husband when he came home from the war. She and her husband, who was disabled in the war, started marri...

The KKK has been very active in Flint, Michigan since at least the 1920's. Michigan has been a hotbed for white nationalist and KKK activity for 100 years. This is a Radio Free Flint podcast essay on the history of the KKK, White Nationalists and other hate groups in Flint, Michigan. The Klan organizes parades, picnics, social relief efforts and activities for children in Flint in years gone by. The former Prosecutor (1993-2005) of the county where Flint is located shares stories of his battles...

This Black History Month podcast is in honor of and dedicated to Evelyn Thomas Butts and her attorney Robert Segar of Flint, Michigan. Evelyn Thomas Butts, an African American civil rights activist and politician in Virginia. She is best known for challenging the poll tax and took her case before the United States Supreme Court. Butts was part of the civil rights movement and later became an influential member of Norfolk politics. Robert Segar has been honored by the Michigan State Bar Associati...

Ryan Lo'Ree, is the former leader of the Rollingwood Skins a white nationalist gang. He participated in this interview. Flint has its share of radical white nationalist groups. Ryan Lo'Ree is a man with a life story made for a television drama production. He has emerged from the rough and tumble eastside of Flint. He eventually became caught up in Michigan's criminal justice system and joined a local neo-nazi hate group. Ryan finished a residential school for troubled kids, and eventually joine...