Video Essays & Interview Podcasts

John Norman Collins was an all-American boy. He was handsome, lived in Ann Arbor, and belonged to a fraternity. But there was a dark side to this young man. The media and others dubbed John Norman Collins "The Michigan Murderer." In the late 1960s, Collins stalked college-age women like prey. His hunting grounds were near the campuses of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Michigan murderer terrorized the public. The media breathlessly reported the latest rape murders of women near two prestigious Michigan college campuses. John Norman Collins is a suspect connected to seven young women's vicious and heinous murders. Collins eventually found his way into a Washtenaw County, Michigan courtroom. A state prosecutor charged Collins with the first-degree premeditated murder of 18-year-old Karen Sue Beineman, a student at Eastern Michigan University. A jury convicted Collins. The judge sentenced him to a mandatory life …

The Flint River Blues is one of many songs written about the Flint Water Crisis. Colton Ort, a singer songwriter documents for history the led tainted contaminated water of Flint, Michigan. His lyrics pointedly describe the response by government officials to the complaints of the citizen, many of whom had young children poisoned with led. He discussed his song and the message he is trying to send. To learn more about Colton Ort and his music visit www.coltonort.com. #radiofreeflint #flintwatercrisis

In this interview, Connor Connor discusses his newest novel, the 4th in the series "Urbantasm." Connor Coyne is a writer living and working in rust belt Flint, Michigan, a town devastated by de-industrialization. Connor spent his teenage years in Flushing, Michigan. Connor represented Flint's 7th Ward as its artist-in-residence for the National Endowment for the Arts, Our Town grant. In this grant, artists engaged ward residents to produce creative work for the 2013 City of Flint Master Plan. Connor's work has appeared in Vox.com, Belt Magazine, and Santa Clara Review. Connor lives with his wife, two daughters, and an adopted rabbit in Flint's College Cultural Neighborhood (aka the East Village). Coyne's novel describes a fantastical plot which is founded upon a mythical city where the main characters grew up. The story revolves around parts of a dying industrial rust belt town. In the interview the author, Connor Coyne acknowledges that this factory town is Flint, Michigan. Th…

Cindy Johns discusses homelessness and the causes of homelessness in the Flint area. Carriage Town Ministries began in 1950 as the Flint Rescue Mission on the banks of the Flint River at Grand Traverse Street. The organization has been working to find solutions to poverty and homelessness for 70 years. The community has supported the work of the organization throughout those years. Many faithful Flint area churches and individuals recognize the calling of Matthew 25 to be ministers to the hungry, the thirsty, and the individuals in need of a place to stay. The Carriage Town organization seeks to find the cause of homelessness for each individual they serve. Carriage Town today is located on a campus of learning and restoration in Flint's historic Carriage Town neighborhood. Visitors and residents find a haven of safety and acceptance, learning and responsibility, structure and productivity…A place to find a new birth, a sense of purpose for today, clothing items, and hope for to…

Ernie Harwell was the voice of Detroit Tiger baseball. He was also a cultural icon. This podcast episode is full of memories and stories about Ernie Harwell and is to cherish all that Ernie meant to the people of the Flint area and the State of Michigan. Guests on this episode include award-winning journalist Jack Lessenberry formerly of Michigan Public Radio who was a personal friend of Ernie. We invited Flint area fans to recount their favorite memories of Ernie. Included on our guest list are Sue Meisner-Kelly a retired Flint Community Schools teacher, Rau, Dave Cobb a Flushing resident and retired GM employee, and Jeffrey Natchez a Flint area Optometrist who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and played in their minor league system for a number of years. Ten years ago in Ernie's final farewell to his fans, “I deeply appreciate the people of Michigan. I love their grit, I love the way they face life, I love the family values. And you Tiger fans are the greatest fans of all. No quest…

The 10th Michigan Infantry Regiment flag traveled to civil war battlefields. There were 90,000 Michigan soldiers deployed in the American civil war. The 10th Michigan Infantry Regiment was organized at Flint, Michigan, and mustered into Federal service for a three-year enlistment on February 10, 1862. The Flint 10th Infantry was deployed along with their battle flag to the civil war battlefields of Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Carolina. This Michigan unit fought their way in support of and on the front line of civil war battlefields, all the way with Sherman to the Sea with the battlefield flag in hand. They were part of the attack and taking of Atlanta that resulted in the union side winning the civil war. The 10th Michigan Infantry Regiment lost during service; 7 Officers and 95 Enlisted men were killed and mortally wounded, and 2 Officers and 223 Enlisted men died by disease. There were 327 total civil war casualties in the unit. The civil war union battle f…

Planet of the Humans has already been seen by over 10 million viewers world-wide!! Jeff Gibbs, a Flint native, is a successful documentary filmmaker. Jeff and his lifelong friend, Michael Moore recently released an eco-documentary movie, Planet of the Humans. Jeff grew up in the Beecher area and graduated from Davison High School. Jeff has worked on several of the most successful documentaries in the history of film. His work contributed to winning an Oscar along with many national and international awards. He has written musical scores for 7 movies and won the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) Award in 2005 for the musical score for the record-setting documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. Jeff Gibbs, the writer/editor/director of Planet of the Humans, has dared to say what no one will – that “we are losing the battle to stop climate change because we are following environmental leaders, many of whom are well-intentioned, but who’ve sold out the green movement to wealthy …

With over three decades of experience, broad knowledge of both state and local government, and deep roots in the community, Representative Tim Sneller has hit the ground running in the Michigan House of Representatives and is working hard to serve his home community. Currently, Tim is serving his second term in the House of Representatives, representing the 50th House District, which includes the cities of Grand Blanc and Burton, as well as Grand Blanc and Mundy townships. He currently serves on the Energy Policy and Insurance committees, as well as the Democratic Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee. Tim grew up in Genesee County, graduating from Bentley High School in Burton. He went on to work at the Flint General Motors Truck and Assembly Plant following graduation and became an alternate committeeman and a proud member of UAW Local 598. While employed at the shop, Tim began his studies at the University of Michigan - Flint, pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.…

Radio Free Flint (www.RadioFreeFlint.media) interviewed Sandra Branch. The Flint Public Art Project a non-profit group has helped fuel the creation of over 100 new murals in the City of Flint. This year, the goal for 2020 is to add between 60 to 75 more and artists are needed to make that vision a reality. Local and international muralists have come to Flint and transformed many parts of the city with beautiful and thoughtful murals. This projects has evolved into a activity for those who want to tour the city. Each mural has a computer code enabled to give touring visitors the backstory of the mural, the artist and other information concerning. Sandra Branch who leads this project along with others in the group have not just transformed blight but they have mentored graffiti artists and those charged with vandalism giving them a new and positive avenue of expression. Sandra also has engaged projects in area parks by painting basketball and tennis courts, using area schools to …

Radio Free Flint (www.RadioFreeFlint) interviewed: State Representative Sheryl Kennedy (D-Davison) is a member of the Genesee County state legislative delegation. Her career is off to an amazing start being named to a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee where she serves on subcommittees for School Aid & Education, Corrections and Agriculture. Sheryl spent a career in education as a teacher in the Davison School District and later as a school administrator in Oakland County. She has earned the trust of her colleagues as well as Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She shares her impressions of Michigan government, her first 18 months in office and how she goes about the work of a state legislator. Sheryl is a sixth generation resident of the Davison area of Genesee County, Michigan. She attended Davison High School where she was involved in the performing arts. She went on to obtain a PHd from Oakland University in Education Administration. She talks about fixi…

Radio Free Flint (www.RadioFreeFlint) interviewed: Judge Herman Marable has served 20 years on the 68th District Court bench. Over that time he has been active in helping high school students through his charitable initiative : Judge Marable's Student of the Month. He describes how he has helped mentor Flint area youth to attend college and set goals for themselves. His program has worked in conjunction with James Madison College at Michigan State University to introduce Flint area students to the requirements of college. Judge Marable also shares his concerns about how juries in Genesee County are selected. The Courts have long sought to have a broad cross section of jurors representative of the entire community. However, the inclusion of minorities and some senior citizens who don't have access to the internet and technology are not able to complete their juror questionnaires leaving them out of the pool of potential jurors. This poses a problem for the community as in some…

Radio Free Flint (www.RadioFreeFlint.media) interviewed: Paul Staroba was a three-sport standout at St. Matthew High, he enjoyed an outstanding career at the University of Michigan and played several seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. Paul is a member of the Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame. At St. Matthew, Staroba was All-State in football, basketball and track. He starred on the undefeated teams in football an basketball during his senior year of 1966-67. He started for Michigan at split end and also was the Wolverines' punter and led the Big Ten in punting in 1970 with an average of 41.8. Paul shares stories of growing up in Flint, learning to play the game of football on Flint's playgrounds and sandlots. Paul shares his special stories of famed football coaches Jack Pratt (St. Matts & Powers Catholic H.S.) and Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan. In this interview he shares life lessons taught by his high school Coach Jack Pratt, perhaps one of the most suc…