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The Mitten Channel episodes
- A Career in Journalism In a Place Like No Other
So is it fake news or just the facts you don't want to hear or accept? Do headlines belie the news story? What is the future of local news coverage in Michigan. Our guest is Rhonda Sanders who worked as a journalist for 40 years in the Flint area. She was a beat reporter, neighborhood reporter and a columnist for the Flint Journal most of her career. In 1995, she authored a book about Flint's African American Community the Bronze Pillars: An Oral History of African Americans in Flint. Her coverage of Flint's neighborhoods was legendary. Over her career she became one of the most respected journalist in the region. Her insights into how news is covered, her views on journalism today and the future of journalism are worthy of consideration. It is refreshing to learn about the inside of a newsroom and what most motivates journalists.Rhonda Sanders is now retired and living in Flint, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and worked her entire career in journalism. She was a beloved figure in the neighborhoods of the metro Flint area and her columns shined a bright light on the problems and the accomplishments of the people of Flint. A copy of the book "The Bronze Pillars: An Oral History of Flint's African American Community" can be obtained by clicking the link below:https://www.amazon.com/Bronze-pillars-history-African-Americans-Flint/dp/0964983206Review of Rhonda Sanders' book the Bronze Pillars. http://annaclark.net/reading-list-rhonda-sanders-bronze-pillars/--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message
Join us on The Mitten Channel on Substack.
Subscribe at the Free tier for regular investigative essays and updates.
Or choose the Premium tier for deeper analysis, forensic breakdowns, and exclusive content for paid subscribers.
Visit TheMittenChannel.Substack.com and choose your tier today.
The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.
👉Subscribe to The Mitten Channel
Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to The Mitten Channel on Substack to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.
Explore Our Series:
- Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.
- The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.
- Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.
Visit our Mitten Channel website for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.
The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
44 min - Oldtime Baseball News: From Hobby to Dream JobFlint natives Scott and Michael McKinstry started and published Old Time Baseball News, a national baseball publication spotlighting retired baseball players. The paper was published in Flint for 12 years until the business was sold due to illness. Scott recounts meeting up with numerous major league baseball players including the members of the 1968 Detroit Tigers. Scott traveled the nation interviewing the past greats of baseball including Detroit Tiger great Charlie Gerhinger, Hall of Fame Member Ted Williams, Dennis McLain, Mark "the Bird" Fidrych and many others. Scott tells of the fun and joy he got from being around baseball for a dozen years. Scott spoke of how he took his passion for baseball to develop a baseball publishing business. Scott and his brother Michael were inducted into the Ohio Baseball Hall of Fame for their work with major league baseball. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message
Join us on The Mitten Channel on Substack.
Subscribe at the Free tier for regular investigative essays and updates.
Or choose the Premium tier for deeper analysis, forensic breakdowns, and exclusive content for paid subscribers.
Visit TheMittenChannel.Substack.com and choose your tier today.
The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.
👉Subscribe to The Mitten Channel
Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to The Mitten Channel on Substack to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.
Explore Our Series:
- Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.
- The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.
- Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.
Visit our Mitten Channel website for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.
The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
42 min - Memories, old friends and community during virus quarantine.Host Arthur Busch recounts launching Radio Free Flint as a way to escape the media's daily drumbeat of death, sickness and despair. He recalls how he decided to launch an experiment. by tuning out the daily drumbeat of illness and death. He found that it in starting Radio Free Flint he rekindled old memories, connection with old friends and my hometown. His experiment drew in several thousands of people to listen, watch and read about people and things that live only in their memories. That is until they watched the photos of places and people they connected with as younger folks. The media project began using only podcasting, Facebook and YouTube. With no budget and zero marketing, Radio Free Flint's podcasts, video-casts and social media groups blossomed. More importantly, his experiment drew on the connection to something positive not just about Flint but about the people of Flint and himself. Modern social media and the ability to use create your own radio and media platform is adapting to serve a community in ways traditional television and radio has never done before.---This episode is sponsored by· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app---Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message24 min
- My Paper Route
Arthur Busch, shares his entertaining story of his Flint Journal paper route in the Dixieland Subdivision of Flint, Michigan. He recounts the lessons he learned as a newsboy. While technological change has nearly wiped out home delivery of newspapers. But the lessons working class kids learned were important to their success later in life. In an entertaining essay, Arthur recounts lessons about collecting money, learning to be nice to people who aren't so nice and learning to be responsible everyday to do the chore. The episode recounts delivering papers during the tumultuous 1960's when news carriers were delivering the body counts from Vietnam, reports of riots and racial division, the moon landing and the Detroit Tigers winning the World Series in 1968.
In a factory town like Flint, Michigan the paper route was a ticket to learning about work and people. In Arthur's case, he became a political leader and served his community for nearly two decades as an elected official.
This is part of a series Dixieland Diary. In this series Arthur Busch explores his working class neighborhood, Dixieland subdivision located in a GM company town.
---This episode is sponsored by· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app---Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message16 min - FLINT WAR HERO SHARES HIS STORY ABOUT SAVING ORPHANED BABIESIn spring of 1975, the US government decided to save as many orphans as possible during the tumultuous fall of Saigon in the last days of the Vietnam War. On April 4, an aircraft lifted off the ground with hundreds of babies and young children crowded into its upper and lower decks, attended to by a crew of dedicated military men and women and a few civilian volunteers fleeing the chaos on the ground. Then a mysterious event occurred: A rear door blew open and the horror began 25,000 feet in the air. Fragile Delivery: Operation Babylift C-5A Crash sheds light on the doomed flight, the brave men and women involved in Operation Babylift, and one man's story of near-impossible survival in the horrifying shadow of death as the plane split violently apart in swampy rice paddies. It is the story of Flint, Michigan native Sgt. Phillip R. Wise and his decades-long quest to find the answers about the crash; bond with the children his mission saved and the few other adults who survived the flight; honor the fallen; and come to terms with why God let him live. Sgt Wise was the only crew on the cargo area of the plane to survive the tragic plane crash. Wise told the Flint Journal, "The doctors thought I would be a vegetable. They thought I wouldn’t be able to see out of my left eye or to walk,” the Flint resident and decorated veteran said. “I came through with 20-20 vision. I became a mailman. I missed one day in 13 years." The U.S. Air Force bestowed upon Phillip Wise a medal for his heroism for his part in the military operation to rescue these children. Phillip Wise is part of a veterans group Peaceful Warriors who speak across Michigan and the US about their role in helping others. Wise has authored a book about his experience in Vietnam. His book Fragile Delivery: Operation Babylift is available on Amazon Books. You can learn more about this riveting story and follow news reports and see photos by visiting Sgt. Wise's website: http://fragiledelivery.com/index.html---This episode is sponsored by· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app---Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/support42 min
- Cops Shooting Cops, Training Police: A Career of Making Education Matter
Professor Avon Burns spent a career training people to become cops, lawyers and probation officers. She worked to bridge the gap between the community and the police. In the age of outrage about police misconduct she has suggestions for communities like Flint. Michigan. Her vantage point in Flint, a city that has consistently ranked at or near the top in violence of large and mid-sized cities in the nation helped her become a respected leader in criminal justice education.
---This episode is sponsored by· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app---Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message48 min - Flint's Safetyville, Miniature Corvettes, T-Birds, and First Driver's LicenseSafetyville, Flint Michigan has a very special place in the hearts of alot of boomers. STOP-LOOK-LISTEN remember that lesson? Many Flint baby boomers received their first drivers license at Safetyville-Flint. It was located at Kearsley Park. The powered cars were actually vintage replicas of the Ford T-Bird and just for good measure there were a few Corvettes. I interviewed Len Exline who is a collector of these miniature cars. Len explains there were just four Safetyville in the USA. That the cares were used in a Taco Bell commercial and a movie or two. I know you will find this to be an interesting interview because any kid in Flint waited the hours down to their visit to Safteyville. This video will be part of a mini-documentary soon to follow.More on Safetyville, Flint, Michigan:http://www.mycitymag.com/safetyville-usa/---This episode is sponsored by· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app---Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message26 min
- A Champion for Flint's PoorRev Fr. Phillip Schmitter, currently assigned to Christ the King Catholic Church. He has spent nearly 50 years of his life serving Flint's catholic community at a variety of churches. His career has been marked by his passion and devotion to serving the poor. In the finest of Catholic traditions, Father Phil has been a fierce advocate for Flint's minority community on such issues as environmental racism, poverty, hunger and seeking dignity for those who are the least among us. His work is legendary in Flint's minority community. He lived in public housing in Flint for three decades to be closer to the people he wanted to serve. Father Phil currently serves at Christ the King Catholic Church in Flint, Michigan, a church founded by Father Norman DuKette. In this interview Father Phil discusses his life and his career as a priest. He was raised in Mason, Michigan where coincidentally Malcolm X was sent to live as a teenager. Father Phil recounts that his inspiration to serve the minority community by reading the best selling autobiography of Malcolm X. His life history is the epitome of a devoted priest whose love for the people he serves drives him to serve their spiritual needs as well as advocating for social justice. More on the life story of Father Phillip Schmitter' https://www.thehubflint.com/lessons-malcolm-x-made-father-schmitter-champion-diversity-racial-tolerance/ https://nypost.com/2019/12/09/us-catholic-priests-overworked-beset-by-isolation-and-scandal/ http://www.oleantimesherald.com/meditation-gratitude-keep-priest-going/video_b93cbaea-1c60-5460-938a-62255a18dacd.html More on Christ the King Catholic Church and Father DuKette the first black priest in Michigan: https://faithmag.com/black-history-diocese-lansing--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message
Join us on The Mitten Channel on Substack.
Subscribe at the Free tier for regular investigative essays and updates.
Or choose the Premium tier for deeper analysis, forensic breakdowns, and exclusive content for paid subscribers.
Visit TheMittenChannel.Substack.com and choose your tier today.
The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.
👉Subscribe to The Mitten Channel
Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to The Mitten Channel on Substack to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.
Explore Our Series:
- Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.
- The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.
- Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.
Visit our Mitten Channel website for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.
The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
38 min - Can Political Science Help Flint Survive?
Professor Paul Rozycki is a respected political scientist. His commentary and analysis has been a staple of Mid-Michigan news for decades. His analysis is not that of a partisan but of a man who has spent decades researching and studying local and state government. Professor Rozycki has taught courses in American Government, State and Local government, Civil Liberties, Leadership and Service Learning.
He has co-authored a text book on "Government and Politics in Michigan."
Professor Rozycki shares his analysis of the City of Flint's management and financial problems, the need to restructure local government in Michigan and whether more modern techniques of voting might change the current gridlock in our politics. He also discusses the impact new reforms in legislative redistricting will have on the future of Michigan's political system. This is a fast moving interview with insights into how our system has failed and what needs to be done to fix it.
---This episode is sponsored by· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app---Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message42 min - A Grand National BMX Racer and Auto GypsyDennis Ybarra is a General Motors auto gypsy and a Grand National BMX Race Champion. Dennis, who has been laid off and transferred an amazing number of times. During his career he has learned to accept more layoffs than he can count. He shares his personal story about the anxiety that is caused when the economic winds of change result in his having to accept transfers to far away auto plants just to maintain his position with the company. He describes his life growing up in a General Motors factory town and living in a house with a General Motors factory on the other side of a fence in his backyard. He lived with grandparents who immigrated to America from Mexico. Dennis is a third generation factory worker in Flint, Michigan. Yet in spite of the problems with economic instability he manages to still serve his community and the children who live there. It is an amazing picture of the resilience of the American autoworker and their desire to help kids find a path to the American Dream. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message
Join us on The Mitten Channel on Substack.
Subscribe at the Free tier for regular investigative essays and updates.
Or choose the Premium tier for deeper analysis, forensic breakdowns, and exclusive content for paid subscribers.
Visit TheMittenChannel.Substack.com and choose your tier today.
The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.
👉Subscribe to The Mitten Channel
Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to The Mitten Channel on Substack to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.
Explore Our Series:
- Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.
- The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.
- Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.
Visit our Mitten Channel website for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.
The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
32 min
About The Mitten Channel
From the publisher's feed
The Mitten Channel is a Michigan podcast and media network created by former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch.
We produce original programs that blend legal expertise,…
investigative storytelling, and deep Michigan history — including true crime analysis, environmental investigations, employee rights, and rich biographies rooted in Flint’s working-class culture.
Our mission is to preserve Michigan stories, examine the systems that shape our communities, and give voice to the people who define our industrial past and future.
Mitten Channel Podcast Shows: Radio Free Flint, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works, Mitten Environmental and The Mitten Biography Project
To listen to full audio podcast interviews visit https://www.radiofreeflint.media
Our mission is to preserve Michigan stories, examine the systems that shape our communities, and give voice to the people who define our industrial past and future.
Mitten Channel Podcast Shows: Radio Free Flint, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works, Mitten Environmental and The Mitten Biography Project
To listen to full audio podcast interviews visit https://www.radiofreeflint.media
Radio Free Flint is a production of the Mitten Channel where you can find podcast shows Mitten Environmental, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works.