General Motors dumped leaded automotive paints, thinners, laquors, and other chemicals into a public park and surrounding areas in Flint, Michigan.  The most obvious evidence of the environmental dirty deed was covered up with bulldozer and a little dirt. Then in 1953, the area known as the Dixieland Subdivision was built on top of and around this lead laced toxic chemical stew.   Testing done in the area showed extremely high levels of lead at 200,000 parts per million in certain areas.  In yards of some nearby houses,  lead was found at 9,700 ppm.  The U.S. government says that humans should not be exposed to lead found in excess of 400 parts per million.    There remain questions and mysteries as to the health effects on the children and residents of Dixieland Subdivision.  There does not appear to be any study of groundwater or the watershed in the area. This is so even though the toxic chemicals had been exposed to repeated flooding for over 50 years.  It is not hard to imagine the toxic chemicals from the magic ponds leaching into the stream, creek and even a nearby Thread Lake.  Even more troubling is the limited knowledge homeowners and residents have about the amount of contaminated soil in subdivision.  This appears to be kept secret from the public.  Public officials and GM admitted they underestimated the size and the extent of the hazardous waste site.  The question is what else did they know and why haven't they shared it all with the public?Arthur Busch recounts his neighborhood and the places where kids played.  He describes playing in and near the magic ponds which were laced with lead.  He also describes using GM's discarded auto parts such as fenders, hoods and trunk lids to make forts and camps.  Later in life, Mr. Busch became the a County Commissioner and County Prosecutor.  He began to get some insight into the dump and the toxic park where he and his friends played during Michigan summers.  As the County tried to stop the extensive flooding over top of the toxic neighborhood and part, Mr. Busch details the County finding of an unmarked "poor farm" burial ground complete with the skeletal remains of more than 19 people, found in unmarked graves.  The discovery was made as the County found an even larger GM toxic waste dump nearby.  The effect of toxic lead on the locals who complained of various ailments and disease over the years have been given little to no attention.  The effect of this dumpsite on the watershed is also not clear.  This much is clear, that for 50 years the toxic dumpsite operated while little kids played in and around it.  Further, most of those exposed to the hazardous lead are now in their 50's and 60's.  No comprehensive effort was ever made to test the people known to be in direct contact with the most toxic parts of the park in order to determine the full extent of the harm done to Flint's children at the time.This is the first in a series on Windiate Park and its environmental secrets.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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Most paperboys finish their route at the neighbor's house.  Arthur Busch's route finished at a gambling joint on the "strip" in front of a GM factory.  He recounts a story of life in gritty Flint, Michigan.  In his story, he of delivers the Flint Journal to a bar on his paper route and stumbles onto a robbery. Arthur then faced down the burglar who had sawed off shotgun in hand.  The story of the "strip" as it was known to the neighborhood kids is about life in a factory town in the 1960's.  It explores the thoughts of boys in handling thoughts of fear, retaliation and revenge.   It also gives insight into  blue collar life of teenagers.  It's a story of true crime, culture and growing up in a hard scrabble town as told by its former Prosecutor.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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Arthur Busch narrates a story about the unsolved murder of a Flint drug store owner in 1954.  It was the former prosecutor's welcome to Flint as his mom was pregnant for him at the time she witnessed the armed robbery and murder.  The murder took place in a 1950's style drug store complete with a soda fountain. He recounts his mother's trauma and what unfolded afterwards.  Flint, Michigan was  once a wealthy town now has been harmed by globalization, drugs, public health crisis and crime.  Today, it is a city that struggles to become relevant to the American people.  Perhaps it is just the mid-stages of a soon to be "ghost town" complete with bad water, polluted brownfields.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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Lawyers dream about appearing before the U.S. Supreme Court.  Only a very small number of lawyers ever get the chance.  Arthur Busch argued the first Flint criminal case ever to come before the United States Supreme Court, in March 2003.  Arthur Busch shares his diary by telling the story of his historic experience.. His story includes what growing up in Flint taught him about winning and lawyering. It is a behind the scenes look at what a lawyer thinks and does to get ready for the biggest case of his career.In late 1991, three teenagers decided they would drive over to Hamady High School to settle a old scores with a rival gang.  While the trio was outside beefing with rivals, dozens of Hamady students were inside the school building enjoying their annual homecoming dance.  A friend of the trio, an unintended target, was lying dead with a gunshot wound outside the high school. The three were charged with open murder and having a firearm in the commission of a felony.  They faced trial together in the Genesee County Circuit Court.Gang violence had become so prevalent that the local news did not cover this shooting. Defendant Vincent was convicted of first degree murder in the October 6, 1991 shooting death  Twelve years later the murder case crawled it's way to the United States Supreme Court.  The Prosecutor won 9-0 and the murder conviction was upheld.If you would like to hear the actual arguments made before the United States Supreme Court you may follow this link to listen to the audio:https://www.oyez.org/cases/2002/02-524For summary of the case and the full U.S. Supreme Court opinion issued in Price v. Vincent please follow the link below:https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/538/634/#tab-opinion-1961246--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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The second diary essay by Arthur Busch. Flint, Michigan is a rust-belt factory town. The town was transformed in the 1950's by a great migration of eager southerners seeking work in GM automobile factories. Arthur describes fondly his family and the hillbilly traditions and values they brought to Flint's Dixieland subdivision. He describes his family's southern customs and culture as they assimilate their lives into a northern GM company town. This all during the Golden Age for America's middle class.His neighborhood, Dixieland subdivision, was built on a GM dump site loaded with toxic heavy metals and lead.  He describes the new houses, the swamp where he learned about science from school projects.  Two school buildings were built on top of this dumpsite and a playground put next to the toxic swamp/pond.  In the 1990's GM made offers to buy out the houses in this subdivision.  They were forced to do expensive remediation of the swamp, park and playground at Windiate Park.  No studies were ever done to determine if the children of that area were poisoned by the lead.  Amazingly,  the park sits one short block for GM's historic Fisher Body #1, the site of the 1937 sitdown strike.  That strike led to the recognition of the UAW and labor peace in the auto industry.  However, the people and children of Dixieland subdivision, many southern migrants sharecroppers, found for the first time, a home they could own and a GM job.  This essay series is part of a diary and memories of Arthur Busch, who was born and raised in Flint.  For more information about Radio Free Flint and other podcasts: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/episodes/Born-A-Deplorable-Southern-values--culture-meets-a-northern-factory-town-eeosd1 Website:   https://radiofreeflint.media/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RadioFreeFlint/--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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History repeats itself.  Flint Southwestern experienced violence that most remember as a "race riot" in 1970.  The spark that started that racial disturbance was not what people thought at the time.  Arthur Busch gives an audio diary of his memories of that incident.  He discusses the current model of local policing; militarization of the police that has taken the cops from roles as those who protect and serve to those who occupy and suppress.  Policing the police in America 2020 has not reconciled itself to the duties prescribed for Prosecutors and police leaders.  Arthur Busch discusses solutions for today's policing crisis.  His essay is part diary essay from memories of his 10th grade year at Flint Southwestern High SchoolFlint Southwestern High School seemed a model of racial integration efforts of the 1960’s. It was a school that combined the wealthiest residents of Flint, white working class,, Jewish students, middle class blacks and those from the projects and poorer neighborhoods. It was a potpourri of young people from all social and economic levels of society. Diverse was perhaps the word they would use today to describe it.Detroit, just 70 miles down the road, went up in flames that summer. A large section of the City of Detroit was burned to the ground requiring the authorities to mobilize the National Guard to quell the riot. The Detroit riots were the result of frustration by Blacks, who felt America let them down.You can also find this podcast at www.radiofreeflint.media --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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Arthur Busch discusses the awakening of the northern Hillbillies in the heartland of America.  Intellectuals call parts of the country where globalization has decimated manufacturing jobs the "Rustbelt".   Income inequality has given rise to white American nationalism.  It has found a home in places like Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan with profound social and political implications.   To better understand the ingredients that give rise to this political unrest in the heartland of America,  Arthur Busch describes the stark divide between rich and poor in his hometown of Flint, Michigan   Southern auto migrants paved the way for an American golden age that brought about incomes, outstanding schools, good quality of life and strong families. These were hallmarks and results of the handwork, grit and determination giving rise to the modern American middle class.  It has now come unraveled.  History teaches lessons.  Please tune in and listen to this interesting podcast.  It is the first of a series of essays on being "Born a Deplorable".--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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Flint, Michigan has been one of America's most violent cities for decades.  It has been been a national leader in per capita homicides, violent crimes, sexual assaults and arsons. There are many unsolved crimes. Did you ever wonder what the back story was on some of these crimes? What goes into an investigative journalists efforts to dig to get the real story?  Two veteran criminal investigators, one a seasoned former prosecutor the other a veteran investigative crime reporter discuss notorious criminal cases.  They both worked the same beat but in different roles.  They discuss some of the the big cases including the shooting death of a 6-year old school girl.  Arthur Busch and Tom Sussi have nearly 70 years combined experience in criminal investigation.  They share tales of true crime cases they worked.  Tom Sussi  was a television investigative reporter in Flint (ABC-12 & NBC-5) and then later Detroit (UPN-50), Pittsburgh, Orlando and (FOX) Columbus, Ohio. Together they share perspectives on some of the most notable murder cases in the history of Flint.  They also share the challenges they face personally and professionally doing this type of work and what still troubles them..--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message

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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, how her parents struggled to provide a home for their five children during the Great Depression, about growing up in Flint, Michigan, 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 married life with a monthly income of $89 and had four babies in the four years that followed, a challenge they conquered together through love for each other.

Arlene will make you laugh and maybe shed a tear, but if you enjoy true stories from a kinder, gentler time, listen to this podcast as she recounts her tales from her book "Homemade Noodles and Cars".

If you are interested in getting the secret stories  she speaks of in this interview you may obtain a copy of her book at:

Barns and Noble (e-book & Nook)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/homemade-noodles-and-cars-arlene-curns/1131448193?ean=2940161185575

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Homemade-Noodles-Cars-Arlene-Curns/dp/1644925249