FLUSHING, Michigan — There is a way to leave a legacy in the city: by contributing to endowments that will support it for years to come.

There have been 520 gifts to the Flushing Community Fund, totaling more than $71,000, since it began in 1997.

The fund is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, a nonprofit agency that provides administrative services for the fund and its endowments. The eight endowments provide scholarships and support organizations such as the Flushing Area Historical Society.

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FLUSHING TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Students opened briefcases for interview questions instead of piles of money in their version of "Deal or No Deal."

On Monday, seven staff members from departments such as career advancement and employer relations at Michigan State University and Kettering University came to the high school auditorium to facilitate "Job or No Job," a game to help students refine their skills and gain valuable job interview skills.

Fourteen students in each of four class hours were chosen as possible contestants because the university panel liked their resumes. Jennifer Jennings, Michigan State University field career consultant, called the students to the stage, and some were eliminated for reasons such as chewing gum or unprofessional dress.

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Correction:The amount of per pupil state aid Flushing Schools will receive was incorrect in the first edition of this story. It has been updated.

FLUSHING, Michigan — Schools throughout Michigan are cutting programs and laying off staff, but the Flushing School District is able to use $500,000 from its general fund to compensate for the loss of 160 students.

The district lost more students than Superintendent Barbara Goebel projected in June, when the state requires districts to submit a budget. Per pupil funding is slightly more per student than she had estimated. She budgeted for 4,407 students to receive $7,304 a piece in state funding, but 4,333 students enrolled who receive $7,316 each.

Goebel and the Flushing Board of Education tried to maintain or increase enrollment by accepting up to 1 percent of its student population (or 45 students) from other schools through the Genesee Intermediate School District Schools of Choice program. The enrollment of 26 students through that program was not enough to make up the loss.

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FLUSHING, Michigan — Jane Forbes' physical therapy background has led to a second act as mother of two children with brittle bone disease.

Forbes worked with children who had osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic defect that causes brittle bones and stunted growth as a physical therapist for Saginaw Intermediate School District.

"I met a mother with brittle bone disease who had twins with brittle bone disease. She said, 'You know, Jane, you're so good with these kids, and there are a lot of kids in orphanages with brittle bones.'"

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Correction: The first edition of this story stated an incorrect number of programmable electric heater plugs. The information now appears correctly in this post.

FLUSHING, Michigan — The Flushing Board of Education approved an expenditure so the district will have 38 programmable electric heater plugs for buses.

During cold winter months, heaters are plugged in to make it easier to start bus engines on cold days. The current plugs transmit energy all night. Some of the current ones will be updated so they will be programmable and some new programmable plugs will be purchased. The plugs will then be programmed to activate a couple of hours before the buses are started in the morning.

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FLUSHING TOWNSHIP, Michigan — A 40-year-old Flushing Township man who reported to police that someone was fraudulently making purchases from his bank account may find justice.

At 1:30 p.m. Nov. 4, the man, who lives in the area of Chickasaw and Navajo trails, reported that $6,000 was stolen from his bank account.

Continue reading "Lansing police have leads in Flushing Township man's bank account fraud" »