The Bloomdaddy Experience with Otis & Sam October 30, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
D number one talk show in the Ohio Valley. This
is the bloom Daddy Experience. Your host bloom Daddy. His
goal inform, entertain and tick people off. The bloom Daddy
Experience on news radio eleven seventy. WWVA starts now.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
The Bloomdaddy Experience. It's seven oh six on news radio
eleven seventy. Well, you got some friction inside the Department
of Homeland Security over deportation tactics and priorities. Basically, you
have ICE officials feuding with Border Patrol officials. On one side,
you've got Borders ar Tom Holman and ICE Director Todd Lyons.

(00:41):
On the other side, you've got DHS Secretary Christy Nome,
Senior Advisor Corey Lewandowski, and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bavino. Nome, Lewandowski,
and Boveno are pushing for a broader, more aggressive approach. Basically,
anybody who is here illegally, round them up, get them out.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
Boost deportation numbers.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
ICE officials like Homan and Lions are saying, look, we
need to focus on aliens who have committed crimes on
top of being here illegally, the worst of the worst.
Then we'll deal with the other ones. Talk to Tony
fam right now, Senior fellow American First Policy Institute, former
Assistant Secretary for Border Security and Immigration Policy, former Acting

(01:22):
Director of ICE, Tony, I mean, I know, you know everybody.
I don't know if it's putting you on the spot,
but what do you know what's going on behind the scenes,
because I'm hearing from some individuals who I know that
it's pretty nasty.

Speaker 4 (01:38):
Look, let me say this, we have to keep our
eye on the mission. Right the overall mission is going
to be identifying and at acquiring arresting individuals who are
here in the country illegally, because that's what the President
promised the American people, and I believe that is currently
what Secretary Nome, Stephen Miller, and Tom Homan are currently

(02:02):
delivering to the American people.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
Now.

Speaker 4 (02:05):
With that oversight and premise being said, we all know,
having served in Washington, that there are always going to
be competing priorities with regard to whom the certain individuals
wish for there to be a focus on, whether it's
criminal aliens or whether it's individuals who are at any

(02:26):
point in time here in an undocumented status. It's title
laied authority that is enforced by both CBP customers and
Border Patrol as well as Immigration and Customs enforcement officers,
and so we always look past whatever perceived friction. And
I do want to caution folks that when the media
gets ahold of something again, having served there, if I

(02:47):
sneeze wrong, there'd be a report that I must be
suffering from catastrophic health condition. Right, We've seen it happen,
and so whether the friction is being overplayed in the media,
I would just caution folks to be mindful that our
mission is always going to be the same, and that
is to safeguard the American people by securing our borders
and arresting individuals who are not lawfully here in the

(03:10):
United States.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
I was going to say the timing of this is
not beneficial to anybody, As you mentioned, Tony, keeping your
eye on the mission something like this at a very
contentious time where you have ICE officials, Border patrol agents
being attacked by protesters and things like that, any sort
of crack in the armor is not a good thing.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
Well, let me say this. I wouldn't describe it as
a crack in the armor, right, I call this a
management related transfer and decision right, those who have served
in leadership positions and running organizations have always been faced
with critical decisions and at a certain points in the
operation of say do we need to make a change
in order to invigorate and energize the operation. And that's

(03:54):
my interpretation. Again, it's just my interpretation of what happened here.
Wasn't any for me. It wasn't anyone sticking a finger
in another person's eye. It's not who has the sharper elbows,
because at the end of the day, we still ow
the American people a secure border and safe and secure communities.
And I could tell you know, in having been there,

(04:14):
these radical leftists are going to attack CBP officers and
agents or ICE. So it doesn't really matter who the
President places out there at the forefront of his immigration
sphere to find these individuals and deport them. The radical
left will always find a way. It won't matter to them.
If you're enforcing immigration laws, they're going to come after you,

(04:36):
whether you're CBP ICE or even now if you're part
of the new eighteen eleven Special Agents for USCIS. If
you're out there aggressively enforcing the nation's immigration laws, they're
going to come after you anyway. So I think this
is a good I would say good. I think it's
an effective foot forward and recalibrating the mission set for DHS,

(05:00):
utilizing additional assets in leadership, and giving them an opportunity
to establish their footprint under the title late a portfolio.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
Talking to Tony fam Senior fellow American First Policy Institute,
former Assistant Secretary for Border Security and Immigration Policy, former
Acting Director of ICE, Yeah, ICE official Tony who said
this ICE is arresting criminal aliens, border patrols hitting home
depot in car washes. Border patrol officials shot back and said,

(05:31):
what did everybody think mass deportations meant only the worst?
Tom Holman has said it himself. Anyone in the US
illegally is on the table, what would you advise them
to do? Which route one?

Speaker 4 (05:44):
You know, I'm not a Kumba yah kind of guy,
but I am about effective and cooperative leadership in that
volatile space. And we have to admit that given the
footprint and where we are right now, immigration enforcement is volatile.
I get it. So my direction and guidance would simply
be and looking back at how the previous Biden administration

(06:04):
intentionally broke our borders. They intentionally imported thousands of undocumented
migrants without proper vetting. They allowed, through their catch and
release policies close to ten million undocumented migrants entry into
the United States of America. But let's remember how we
got here now understanding those catastrophic numbers, and I won't

(06:28):
even talk about the one point two million known guideaways
that we still to this they know that got in,
but don't know where they are and haven't had the
chance of that them. Given that footprint, I think it's
absolutely one hundred percent reasonable now that we have access
to resources such as CBP, working hand in hand with
our ice officers, that everybody who is here illegally is

(06:51):
on the table. I think at this point, given those
catastrophic numbers, that the previous administration has quite frankly forced
our hand. As still we still look for the worst
of the worst. As Tom has said, we still want
to get those criminal aliens who are out there victimizing
American citizens like Lake and Riley and Joscelyn Nungerrey. But

(07:11):
we also have assets and resources now that allow us
to open up the aperture a lot more aggressively, And
I would direct folks to say, we're in a position
now where we can then broaden our focus on all
individuals who are here in undocumented status. Remember Secretary Nome
has been very, very very public about this. Individuals who

(07:34):
know they are here in an undocumented status, they have
an adult choice they have to make right. And we
call it adulting when we talk to our children. Make
a decision. You have a decision to make whether you
want to self remove so you can preserve an opportunity
to reapply for entry through one of the enumerated legal
pathways back into the United States, right, or you can

(07:57):
roll the dice and hope and pray you're not at home.
Depot with CPP decide they want to do an aggressive
enforcement posture. So I always put it back on the
individuals who know they're here illegally. They know they're here illegally,
they have a choice to make it. I mean, I
don't think it's a hard choice.

Speaker 2 (08:16):
They had a choice to make things right.

Speaker 3 (08:19):
They chose not to.

Speaker 4 (08:20):
Well, they chose not to because the previous administration and
was very public through Secretary of mayork Is who where
they refuse to arrest individuals that they even knew were
here in the undocumented satus, so they got they got
a very temporary stay of removal, and now they're faced
with a very aggressive administration. Rightfully, so who promised to

(08:44):
the American people who won the general election, the popular
vote and the Electoral College. So they're empowered. The administration
is empowered to deliver results on the immigration enforcement front.
And I don't see there being a problem if we
open the aperture a little bit more to include all
of the individuals who are here in other documented status.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
Tony, when I saw this story, I made a couple
of calls to a couple of my contacts in DC
who are in the belly of this.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
It's what they told me.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
Tom Holman, well respected, Christy Nome, well respected, Greg Bavino hated.

Speaker 3 (09:16):
People do not like him.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
He's been he's been a problem since day one his
entire career. He's not respected, and he's the guy that's
causing all the problems. You know, Tom Homan, Well, I've
had the opportunity to spend time with Tom in DC.
It's where I met you, you know, talk to him,
have a couple of beers with him. I don't know
if I'd want to go head to head with Tom Holman.
I mean, it seems like you're not going to budge Tom.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
Say this. No, No, you're right. I've had the privilege
of working for the president twice now, and I had
the privilege of working under two different secretaries of Homeland Security.
But the one consentt of I always enjoyed was working
with and around Tom. He's a world of knowledge, well
of knowledge and experience. I never discount having been in

(10:03):
that space before, respecting individuals that has come up through
the ranks and quite frankly have served I believe for
presidents now, and so he has wisdom and insight. But
this isn't about going against Tom. It's about being able
to understand his position, the White House's position, but also
understanding the priorities from the Department through the Secretariat, right,

(10:25):
and I think, quite honestly, they're going to be able
to work through once this issue, you know, passes, it
passes over and people realize that Title eight hasn't changed.
That's the same immigration authority that ICE can enforce or
CDP can enforce, and we're all a part of the
same team, one team, one fight. Has always been what

(10:47):
I preach when I was there, and it will always
be what I preach and everything I will always say
is that we're all in this together because we have
to deliver for the American people.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
Tony always appreciate your time.

Speaker 4 (10:57):
Thank you so much anytime. Take care of That's.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
Tony Senior, Fellow, America First Policy Institute, former Assistant Secretary
for Border Security and Immigration Policy, former Acting Director Avice.

Speaker 5 (11:13):
Welcome back. It is seven two The Gloom Daddy Experience,
samon Otis News Radio eleven seventy WWVA. On this rainy
Thursday morning. Get the umbrella ready, the raincoat, the hat.
You need it this morning it is. It is quite
damp out side. A few things real quick.

Speaker 3 (11:30):
Quite damp inside here, dude.

Speaker 5 (11:32):
Yeah, that's a whole other issue we have going on downstairs.
But just a reminder, it is Thursday.

Speaker 6 (11:38):
So guess what that means.

Speaker 5 (11:39):
Free half gallon Kirk's famous homemade ice cream. I've a
gentleman in the studio that is very familiar with Kirk's
homemade ice cream.

Speaker 7 (11:48):
I'm very familiar a very good friend of mine, and
every time I go to the ice cream store, he
always has some fresh ice cream for me to.

Speaker 3 (11:56):
He he was there when we were scooping.

Speaker 6 (11:57):
Yep, what's your flavor?

Speaker 5 (11:59):
What's your guy?

Speaker 7 (12:00):
Caramel chocolate pretzel.

Speaker 3 (12:01):
Oh nice, nice, but just take you five minutes to
order it with salty carmel chocolate pretzel the Lord.

Speaker 5 (12:10):
For your chance to win the half gallon, all you
have to do is go to our text line seven
zero four seven zero, start the message off with bloom
Daddy name and phone number and that will be your registration.
So get those in, will be getting that winner at
the end of the show. So the voice that you
just heard joining me in studio is current Richland Township

(12:31):
trustee Rick Ferrell, but also the incumbent for one of
the seats. He is up against Jimmy Jim Jim Denoble,
who is also in the incumbent along with Jay Stevens.

Speaker 6 (12:45):
Thank you for coming in this morning, Rick.

Speaker 7 (12:47):
Thank you both for having me. It's a pleasure to
be here.

Speaker 5 (12:50):
So first of all, let's kind of hit on on
some of the basics. How long have you been a trustee.

Speaker 7 (12:56):
I have been a trustee for it'll be twelve years
at the end of this year. You know, it's been
very rewarding. Glad to help the people of the township
you know, in the past and look forward to helping
them going forward.

Speaker 6 (13:13):
What's your favorite part of the job.

Speaker 7 (13:16):
It's the interaction with people. It's the interaction with you know,
the contractors that we deal with. Using my business expertise
of over thirty four years, it's really been a big
help in you know, handling transactions. Even though you know,
government is different than it is with you know, with business,

(13:38):
but you can combine those together and put your you know,
what your talents actually are, you can put those to work.
And we've done that in the last twelve.

Speaker 5 (13:47):
Years through I mean twelve years. Is that's a lot
of civil service, you know, through those twelve years. What
would you say is your personal biggest accomplishment in the
in the.

Speaker 7 (13:58):
Role of the biggest accomplishments that I've had, you know,
I've been the lead when it comes to road slipsh
dealing with FEMA, doing dealing with Ohio e m A,
Ohio Public Works. You know, those are a lot of
things that you have to learn, you know, over the years.

(14:20):
In getting that grand funding and we've gotten multi millions
to uh you know, to keep our roads uh in
you know, safe, good conditions, and you know, road slips
in this valley are very uh you know, anywhere you go,
you know, it occurs, and you have to have you know,
people that have knowledge and expertise to uh, you know,

(14:40):
to get this work done.

Speaker 5 (14:41):
There's more to the position than paving roads and patching potholes,
which seems to be the the misnomer. Buy a lot
of folks out there, and and that's what you know,
with your candidcy and running you come with a background
that is not just the physicality side of being a
businessman for how many.

Speaker 6 (15:01):
Years you add that to the table.

Speaker 7 (15:03):
Correct, absolutely, and you know, and it comes down to
dealing with people. You know, I've dealt with people my
you know, in business my entire adult life. And you know,
negotiating and you know, getting things done, you know, you know,
explaining to people, you know, what you can and can't do.
You know, I would love to be able to give
everyone what they want, you know, perfectly paved roads, you know,

(15:29):
just the best of the best. But when you are
dealing with local government funds, uh, you know, we have
no levies you know in the township. We never have
you know in the years that I've been there, and
we have to work with the monies that we have
available to us, and we've been good stewards and you
know and getting that job done.

Speaker 5 (15:51):
And and when you say we, of course you're talking
about yourself and the other incumbent, Denoble and and real quick,
just want to remind any candidates, Jay Stevens is more
than welcome to come on the show. We give, of course,
equal time to all candidates. What made you decide to
We have about a minute and a half left, but
I'm going to ask you to stay with us after

(16:12):
the break. But what made you decide real quick in
this short time that we have to.

Speaker 6 (16:17):
To run again?

Speaker 8 (16:19):
Well?

Speaker 7 (16:19):
Uh, you know I ran for a fiscal officer back
in nineteen ninety five and I ran up against a
you know, very strong candidate in Cindy Henry, who is
our current auditor. And you know, unfortunately I lost by
about eighty votes. But when you have two young children,
you know it was a blessing. But you know, I

(16:40):
still had that drive in me, and you know, after
another you know, eleven years, I decided to run for
trustee and you know, I am, you know, so glad
that I did, and I'm bringing you know, I believe
a lot to this table, and you know my expertise
I've gained is you know, really I believe in official
to the residents of Richland Township in all of Belmont County.

Speaker 6 (17:05):
Could you hang out with me a little bit longer?

Speaker 5 (17:06):
Sure, you don't want to go back out in the
rain quite yet? No, not quite yet, okay, because we're
gonna talk about it. We talked about it with Jim Donoble.
Also the million the infamous million dollar building. I want
to get your thoughts on that when we return. It
is seven twenty eight. You're listening to the bloom Daddy Experience.
Otis is in there. I'm Sam here on news Radio
eleven seventy WWVA. We are back. It is seven thirty

(17:36):
six on your Thursday morning, the bloom Daddy Experience. Sam
and Otis News Radio eleven seventy WWVA hanging out.

Speaker 6 (17:42):
With us in the studio.

Speaker 5 (17:43):
We have Kurt Richland Township Trustee but also incumbent candidate
for again Richland Township and the trustee position, Rick Ferrell
in with us this morning.

Speaker 4 (17:55):
Now.

Speaker 5 (17:55):
We talked before the break about you know, your history successes,
and I of course threw out there the infamous million
dollar building. Will you please tell us how that all
came to be? Because this all came to be? When
when did this all start?

Speaker 6 (18:15):
With the building?

Speaker 7 (18:17):
This started, the so called controversy started about three weeks ago,
about three weeks before the.

Speaker 5 (18:24):
Election, conveniently, but I just had to throw that in there.

Speaker 6 (18:29):
But when was it built?

Speaker 5 (18:31):
When did the conversations about building this facility begin?

Speaker 7 (18:35):
Back in twenty twenty three, we received a large grant
from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan. Those
monies were made available for various different reasons that you know,
the local townships, villages, cities, counties, moneies, that they could

(18:58):
use towards projects within their you know, within their community.

Speaker 5 (19:03):
Now, the it's being portrayed that the decision making on
using this money that basically fell out of thin air
in a way, was kind of done in secret, all right,
It was not correct.

Speaker 6 (19:19):
Your meetings are.

Speaker 5 (19:20):
Open to the public, Your minutes are open to the public.

Speaker 3 (19:24):
Correct.

Speaker 7 (19:25):
Absolutely, every month we invite the public to come to
our meetings. We put it in the local newspaper, you know,
so you know, if you want to know what's going
on with any township that you live in, you know,
you're welcome to attend those meetings, and certainly you're welcome
to attend our meeting.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
And when the conversations with what to do with this money,
were there restrictions by the government when it was given
to you, were there restrictions? Was it earmarked on how
it had to be used by.

Speaker 7 (19:59):
The t Absolutely? You know initially there was you know,
there was tighter restrictions, and we struggled as far as
you know, what can we do to best serve you know,
our township. And uh, you know it was months that
we you know, uh try to you know, find the
best ways to you know, to make this money of uh,

(20:22):
you know, the best use and uh, you know, we
ultimately come to a decision to to to take care
of our infrastructure that you know is going to be
there well within you know, my lifetime. And uh, you know,
we as a team, you know, the three trustees made
a decision to move forward with this building. Uh. So

(20:45):
you know, teamwork is essential, you know when it comes
to township government and Greg Clark, Jim Denoble and myself.
You know, we've made good decisions in making you know,
this the best township you know in Belmont County.

Speaker 5 (21:00):
Now the the prior building that has since been replaced
by the infamous million dollar building, which by the way,
is already built right right, Yes, you can't put the
toothpaste back in the tube at this point. So the
fact that this building has gotten brought up at this
point in time because of the current election seems kind

(21:22):
of pointless to me. I mean that's my own personal opinion. Again,
the toothspace out of the tube.

Speaker 6 (21:28):
You can't. You're not gonna tear it down right absolutely.

Speaker 7 (21:31):
You know in the two buildings, you know, the old
building and the new building or you know there it's
like night and day. You know, the old building was
a shell built in and you know the maybe the
seventies that you know, had sheet metal and had metal girders,
and you know, it's nothing like the the stick built
structure that we have today and that will benefit you know,

(21:55):
the people of the township for for decades.

Speaker 5 (21:59):
What was with the with the prior building the infrastry
you mentioned the.

Speaker 6 (22:04):
The state of it.

Speaker 5 (22:06):
What was the state of that building because it wasn't
just the trustees that were housed in that facility, correct.

Speaker 7 (22:13):
We also have our police department that that utilized this building. Uh,
and our police department did not exist when I first
came into office. Uh, but you know, due to the need,
uh as far as the needs of the township, you know,
we felt that bringing the police department back into into

(22:34):
play was essential. And uh, you know, I think it's
important that we have the proper facilities for you know,
our meetings. You know, we we have you know, people
from multimillion dollar corporations coming in to negotiate, you know,
coming into the township when it comes to the oil
and gas industry. You know, so you know, when you

(22:57):
have facilities that you know, our you know age to
the point where you know you have you know, uh
water leaking in there. You know, the cost to repair
you know, an old building. Uh. You know, we just
didn't fail that that was going to be the best
use of our dollars to uh, you know, to repair

(23:18):
a building that was in uh you know, just needed
to be replaced. You know, in our opinion, it needed
to be replaced. After we got expert opinions from the
you know, from our you know, people that had drafted
you know, what it would cost to repair or replace
that building. Our architects, you know, uh gave us the

(23:40):
information necessary for us to make a good business decision,
you know, to replace it well.

Speaker 5 (23:45):
And and and last week we had Jimmy Denoble on
the show, who also is a current trustee running for
office along with j Stevens, a candidate for one of
the trustee positions. Again, more than welcome to come on
the show anytime, just like Rick Ferrell, who's joining me. Now.
That's one thing Jim pointed out was when sitting down

(24:07):
and comparing the financials of refurbishing or rehabbing the current
facility or the old facility, versus building the new, it
was a comparison of you know, why sink this much
money into a fifty plus year old facility basically starting

(24:27):
it from scratch, or building brand new that's going to
have a longer lifetime. It came down to a financial
decision of the better way to spend the dollars.

Speaker 7 (24:39):
Thank god we had Jim Denoble, you know, back construction
back in nineteen or twenty twenty three to help us
through this process. Jim Denoble has had a contracting business
and has worked in contracting his entire adult life. And
you know, if he had not been there, we would
not have had that expertise, you know, because he does remodeling.

(25:03):
He has built you know, brand new you know, half
million million dollar homes. You know, he's done the gamut,
you know, so when when he was receiving that advice
and giving us advice, you know that that experience and
that expertise was crucial, you know in us determining which
direction to go. We paid. We paid more money for

(25:25):
the new building, but when it came down to it,
you know, putting you know, more money into a building
that's going to last eighty years than you know, remodeling
a building that you know is a you know, is
a metal structure. You know, it came down to what
makes the most sense, and we made that decision. We're

(25:47):
standing by it, you know, and we don't want that
to be a defining moment, you know, in in what
we're doing for the township and moving it forward.

Speaker 5 (25:56):
And that's what I was going to get to moving forward.
You know, with a election day coming up, you know,
what do you want to tell your constituents or the
voters in Richland Township of what you see for the
future of Richland Township As part you know, what you
can do as a trustee.

Speaker 7 (26:14):
Well, I tell you what, you know, the two days
after our election, you know, both of us, you know,
Jim and I are going to be out at Country
Lake Drive. This is a this is a development that
the commissioners you know, gave to us that is in
desperate need of repairs to the roads. We are going

(26:35):
to be out there next Thursday, you know, doing a
doing a project in which we are you know, looking
to improve that road and it's going to take you know,
two to three years, we believe, you know, to get
that road in a in a condition that's just like
our other township roads in the township. And we have

(26:59):
to do that within the budget that we have, and
we intend to do that. So that's just one example
of what we're gonna We're gonna be out there regardless
of what happens in the election. Uh. But this is
your trustees and we're working, you know, to make it
better in the community.

Speaker 5 (27:15):
And if people want to just real quickly, can they
go see the infamous building is.

Speaker 6 (27:20):
Absolutely see where the money went.

Speaker 7 (27:22):
We meet the second Monday of each month at five
o'clock pm. So we are more than glad to have
you come and see and we'll even if give them
a tour, We'll give you a tour.

Speaker 8 (27:35):
You know.

Speaker 7 (27:35):
So it's it's it's a it's a good building. You know,
it's you know, it's it's two thousand, you know, you know,
it's a twenty first century building and we're proud of it.

Speaker 5 (27:47):
Well, Rick, thank you so much for your time this morning.

Speaker 6 (27:49):
Good luck on election day.

Speaker 7 (27:51):
Kay, thank you very much.

Speaker 6 (27:52):
Maybe you'll be done talking about the building.

Speaker 7 (27:54):
I can't wait.

Speaker 5 (27:56):
Oh it's seven forty six on your Thursday. The bloom
Daddy Experience. It's Otis and Sam News Radio, eleven seventy WWVA.
Welcome back at seven fifty two The Blue Daddy Experience
Sam and Otis News Radio, eleven seventy WWVA. I didn't

(28:18):
turn your micun because I kind of liked this, so
everything I just said didn't go out.

Speaker 3 (28:22):
No, it was oh okay, No, I mean I just
waited lated yeah, lad, because I kind of liked that.
It's called tropical funk.

Speaker 5 (28:29):
The tropical funk might be uh a little bit of
bad timing seeing the tropics, are you know?

Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yeah, the music still okay, music's still good.

Speaker 5 (28:41):
We did get a question. Unfortunately, Rick left the studio
but we did a question on our text line, what
are those meetings scheduled for the public? What days and times?
He said?

Speaker 3 (28:55):
I askedked me it was five pm the second Monday.
I can't remember.

Speaker 5 (28:59):
Shoot, I'll tell I'll try out.

Speaker 3 (29:02):
Texting during the top of the hour break and we'll
get that answer to you. Yeah, I will do that,
or you can text Jimmy. Either one we answered be
able to answer that question.

Speaker 6 (29:12):
I know he said Monday.

Speaker 3 (29:13):
I know he said Monday, okay, And I know he
said five pm. So I don't live there, so I
didn't really put it in my mind.

Speaker 5 (29:20):
We're there, We're that close, but I will find out
for you. Again, speaking of our text line, it's free
half gallon of ice cream from Kirks. Seven zero four
seven zero is that number, and we just need your
name and phone number and that will be your registration. Oh,
mister Denoble is currently listening to the show. He just
texted me and said, it is the second Monday each

(29:45):
month at five pm.

Speaker 3 (29:47):
So we knew it was Monday. We knew it was
five pm. We just didn't know which Monday we were there,
so we had it.

Speaker 5 (29:52):
There you go, the second Monday each month, is the
in person meeting for the Richland Township Trustees. It is
open to the public and you are more than welcome
to go.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
Bad news. But what my Dodgers lost last night. They're
down three to two going back to Toronto. The Dodgers
need to win back to back games if they want
to win their second World Series title. Odds aren't in
their favor because anybody that has been that has swept
the Championship Series, which is what the Dodgers did, has
lost in the World Series. Oh so that's the history

(30:27):
is not on their side. Uh. They lost last night
six to one. In Game five. Enrique Hernandez hit a
solo home run in the which is Kiki uh in
the third inning for LA's only run. Starting pitcher Blake
Snell was charged with the loss after allowing five runs
through six plus innings. Of course, they're down three to
two and they visit Toronto tomorrow night for Game six.

(30:47):
Toronto can clinch it.

Speaker 5 (30:49):
Well, that's the thing you're also going.

Speaker 3 (30:50):
To do with those north of the borders to win it.
So the other thing is there's some other baseball news
out there.

Speaker 5 (30:57):
Oh yeah, this is a good one.

Speaker 3 (30:58):
And bloom Daddy has made the comment that like the
last since Clint Hurdle, the managers that the Pirates hire
would never go anywhere, they would never be a manager
anywhere else. Nobody would ever hire them. Ding ding ding.

Speaker 6 (31:16):
Somebody got hired.

Speaker 3 (31:17):
The Minnesota Twins have found their new manager. ESPN is
reporting that the Twins have hired Derek Shelton to be
their new skipper. Shelton spent the last six seasons managing
the Pirates before getting fired in May. Finishing his tenure
is this is awesome, with a three hundred and six
and four hundred and forty four managerial record. He was

(31:38):
Minnesota's bench coach in twenty eighteen and nineteen, and he's
going to replace Rocco Baldelli, who was fired by the
team last month. So a little bit of baseball news,
and just to let you know, I want to put
this out there as well. The Penguin's back on the ice. Tonight,
team faces off against Kirol Perizov and the probably butchered
Dad Kapprasof is what it was and the wild from

(32:01):
Saint Paul Pittsburgh. But I sounded a confident when I
said it.

Speaker 6 (32:04):
You did.

Speaker 3 (32:04):
Pittsburgh has dropped two of its last three games. Following
the shootout loss to the Bribal Flyers, you can check
out all the action on our sister station. What is it?

Speaker 6 (32:13):
One O seven five?

Speaker 3 (32:14):
Now you gotta go Eagle one seven five.

Speaker 6 (32:16):
Eagle one O seven five.

Speaker 3 (32:18):
There you go. You're but you're not like you. It's you.
You can't go deep. A guy has to go deep
on the voice. Wow. Normally that's me making fun of you.
But I said that one.

Speaker 5 (32:35):
Right on the tea, didn't I Wow, gosh, excuse me,
even with my with my stuffiness, I can't.

Speaker 3 (32:42):
It just took me a second. Then your eyes just
looking at me.

Speaker 5 (32:44):
I was like, oh, yeah, you went there, yep. But anyway, yeah,
laid that one right out for me.

Speaker 3 (32:50):
But like, like the woman's voice doesn't always have to
be the deep voice. It's the guy that has to
be okay, like you smoked, like you smoked too packs
of Marlboros and drink Jack Daniels straight.

Speaker 5 (33:03):
You know That's how I've sound sounded for a week.
Well yeah, yeah, Eagle one O seven five.

Speaker 3 (33:09):
Yeah, that's better. See. But for a guy like Eagle
one O seven five.

Speaker 5 (33:14):
Remember the guy I can't think of his name used
to work here. He would pull out, as we called it,
his radio voice. He would go from his regular voice
that he and then oh yeah, you know the on
air voice.

Speaker 3 (33:23):
Well, I can remember when my first well my first
on air paying radio job back in the early nineties
in Fairmont, and I was meeting some friends and we
were going out afterwards because I worked six to midnight,
so we were going out, and so the one guy,
they were in the station and he was in the

(33:44):
like the production room or whatever, but the speakers were
on and he goes, Dude, that doesn't sound like you
at all. He's like, you have like a radio voice
on top. And I'm like, I don't. I just I
just talked naturally. I said, maybe I just talk a
little different.

Speaker 6 (33:59):
You turn it all.

Speaker 3 (34:00):
I don't know if I turn it on. I think
it's just the kind of habit.

Speaker 5 (34:03):
Well, guys just have naturally have that that deeper tone
that just plays well on microphones. You know, it's just
a little bit of a step up.

Speaker 3 (34:13):
Then unless you're a weasly rat and then you sound
like that all the time.

Speaker 5 (34:17):
Okay, I can't listen to myself.

Speaker 3 (34:20):
Well, yeah, I have a hard time listening to you too.

Speaker 5 (34:24):
There, you got me back. You can't even let me
have one, not for even on entire segment.

Speaker 6 (34:30):
I can't have one man.

Speaker 3 (34:32):
Seven fifty eight.

Speaker 5 (34:33):
You're listening to the bloom Daddy Experience Samon Oda's news
Radio eleven seventy wwvad.

Speaker 1 (34:42):
Number one Tuck Show in the Ohio Vlley. This is
the bloom Daddy Experience. Your host, bloom Daddy, his goal inform,
entertain and tick people off. The bloom Daddy Experience on
news radio eleven seventy WWVA yards.

Speaker 5 (35:00):
Now, welcome back, eight oh six, the bloem Daddy Experience
here on news radio you love in seventy w w VA.
Should we hit on some mom some top headlines?

Speaker 8 (35:15):
Sure?

Speaker 6 (35:16):
What was that laugh for?

Speaker 3 (35:18):
You're the way that your headphones like your hair's in
front of him instead because it's normally behind them. Oh
and it just it caught me off guard, and I'm like,
what the hell was that? It's the sexy I didn't
go there do?

Speaker 5 (35:31):
I love prete parity?

Speaker 3 (35:35):
Please stop?

Speaker 6 (35:37):
Sorry, Sorry, I'm in a weird mood this morning. I
don't know if it's the rain.

Speaker 3 (35:42):
It's not the mood, You're just weird.

Speaker 5 (35:44):
If it's the rain, Halloween's coming.

Speaker 3 (35:47):
I don't know, I don't great mask by the way.

Speaker 6 (35:53):
All right, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna be the professional.

Speaker 3 (35:57):
Let's let's why start now whether.

Speaker 5 (36:00):
At this point now we are going to hits on
some local headlines. Police have arrested the suspect behind the
disappearance of an eleven year old girl. The child used
quick thinking Tuesday afternoon to tell her family that she
had been abducted.

Speaker 6 (36:15):
Wow scary.

Speaker 5 (36:16):
Multiple agencies came together and found her at the Moundsville
Walmart with an adult female. Detectives were tipped that a
male suspect originally abducted her, and he was taken into
custody at his home. Quick thinking by that young lady. Also,
West Virginia is providing much needed financial support for local

(36:37):
food banks. Governor Morrissey says the state will match up
to thirteen million dollars in donations. This comes as November
snap benefits are being postponed and residents are relying on
food banks now more than ever. Morrissey is asking West
Virginians to donate.

Speaker 6 (36:56):
If they can.

Speaker 3 (36:58):
Want donations of food or money, that's the question, or
maybe it's a combination, or it could be either or.

Speaker 5 (37:03):
Well, I'm thinking possibly more monetary because of the matching
up to thirteen million dollars, So for every dollar it's matched,
it could potentially be twenty six million dollars.

Speaker 3 (37:15):
And if you don't want to do money, but you
want to do food, I'm sure there's certain food banks
that you can look up locally, and whether you're in
West Virginia, Ohio or Pennsylvania that if you want to
make a donation and go to your local grocery store
and spend twenty of your thirty dollars and pick up
some you know, some soup, some pasta. It doesn't have
to be anything. You have some staple foods. I'm sure

(37:36):
it would be just as appreciated as any monetary donation can.

Speaker 6 (37:39):
Goods go a long way.

Speaker 3 (37:41):
Pasta goes a long way. Anything, you know, obviously nothing
that expires quickly.

Speaker 5 (37:46):
Really pay attention to the deals when those are going on,
like the ten for tens or the twenty for ten,
you know, all that kind of stuff for yourself and
then for somebody else. You know, it's that time of year.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
And here's the other thing too, you know, it's the
biggest running joke of all time that college kids live
on ramen noodles. But you know what, they go a
long way. Hey listen, and they're inexpensive.

Speaker 5 (38:07):
They're inexpensive. And and not to make light of it,
there are once in a blue mood, I'm like, man,
you know what I want a good old bowl of
ramen noodles.

Speaker 3 (38:15):
Bad thing is that little flavor packet is just loaded
a salt.

Speaker 5 (38:20):
Well yeah, the next day I can't fit into my
shoes because my feet are so swollen.

Speaker 3 (38:23):
Well yeah, but you won't have any cramps now, like,
no muscle cramps because you know I've I've been going
through that. My hands have been cramping up a lot lately.

Speaker 6 (38:33):
Change in the weather.

Speaker 3 (38:33):
No, no, no, it could be lack of salt. Could
be it's not a lack of potassium because my my
tests tell me that my potassium is too high.

Speaker 5 (38:40):
So yeah, yeah, but anyway, anyways, Also, Youngstown State University
is a step closer to expanding into Stubenville. President Bill
Johnson said the university is closing in on a deal
to take over the former Eastern Gateway Community College.

Speaker 6 (38:56):
Campus.

Speaker 5 (38:56):
Officials believe the deal could be finalized within weeks.

Speaker 6 (39:01):
That would be great to see happen.

Speaker 5 (39:03):
The fact that that can't. Yeah, it's just sitting there. Yeah,
that would be good to say.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
See it gives you you don't have to travel to
Youngstown to go to Youngstown State. It's just kind of
like it's kind of like, oh you eastern right, Yeah,
so you know we would be in that same line. Yeah,
satellite get WVU Parkersburg or something of that nature. So
you know, it's definitely you know good.

Speaker 6 (39:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (39:29):
And then also a little bit of an update here,
a non partisan report says the average out of pocket
costs for Obamacare premiums will more than double if Congress
allows the tax credits to expire. The new report from
the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities found that annual
premium payments could be one thousand dollars on average if

(39:52):
the Affordable Care Act tax credits are not extended. The
report predicts dramatic premium spikes in Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming,
which already have high premiums, as well as spikes for
older individuals.

Speaker 6 (40:06):
Open enrollment for.

Speaker 5 (40:08):
The ACA marketplace begins Saturday in a scheduled to end
January fifteenth. There are a lot of individuals come the
next weekend, in the next week, the next couple weeks,
that are really going to start feeling the repercussions of
what is happening in DC all across the nation. So

(40:30):
you know, let's all, I don't want to sound like
Kumbai yab, but let's all remember that this is a
struggle for everybody. And then this story out of Guernsey County,
we made our area made our official national level prep site.
So Otis has mentioned mentioned our prep site before is

(40:51):
where we get a lot of our fun content. But
Guernsey County made it. So Guernsey County Sheriff's departments pursued
a runaway.

Speaker 6 (41:00):
Emu EMU or EMU.

Speaker 5 (41:02):
What's the right way emumu emu, That's what I said first, okay.
For forty five minutes on Putney Ridge Road last Friday evening,
Deputy Leggett and Deputy day Might discovered the large bird
wondering loose and attempted to capture it using various methods,
including a snare that the EMU kept pulling away from

(41:23):
the Sheriff's office noted one can only imagine the confusion
of passing drivers thought that they might have thought they
were filming one of those stupid insurance commercials. As the
chasin folded in rural Ohio, dispatchers monitored the unusual situation
through live feeds from patrol carr cameras that had to
be fun to watch. Photos show the EMU peering into

(41:45):
a deputy's passenger's window, while videos capture the bird walking
through grassy fields surrounded by police vehicles. The emu's owner
eventually arrived to retrieve what official called officials called the
unexpected escapee. The Sheriff's office praise the deputies, stating they
handle the situation with skill and professionalism, proving they can

(42:07):
tackle just about anything.

Speaker 3 (42:10):
I could just imagine the conversation going on and and like,
if that would have been me chasing that thing there,
you would have never been able to play the body
cam on anything on TV. Radio, It could, it could
be on like internet, but there would be so many
f bombs dropped in that thing because I would be

(42:31):
calling that EMU everything under the sun.

Speaker 5 (42:34):
The conversation the next morning around coffee and donuts for
that office would be quite entertaining.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
Why do you think that automatically think the police have
donuts in their office?

Speaker 5 (42:44):
I said, coffee and donuts.

Speaker 3 (42:46):
I know, but why do you think that they have donuts?
I mean, you just assume that they have donuts. What
if they had pop tarts? That's a bad that's a
bad stick for the police.

Speaker 4 (42:57):
There.

Speaker 3 (42:57):
I'm just saying, Okay, I be kind.

Speaker 6 (43:00):
That was not my intention.

Speaker 5 (43:01):
My intention was breakfast food, coffee.

Speaker 6 (43:05):
What goes with coffee? Doughnuts? Yeah, that's what I meant.

Speaker 5 (43:10):
I got you trying to get me in trouble with
the cost I am, I am.

Speaker 3 (43:14):
This is her license plate number for anybody in Ohio
or West Virginia police.

Speaker 5 (43:18):
Oh, they know it.

Speaker 6 (43:18):
I get enough tickets down here in Wheeling.

Speaker 3 (43:20):
Oh that's just parking tickets.

Speaker 8 (43:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (43:22):
Yeah, they got my light, they got my information.

Speaker 5 (43:24):
It's eight fourteen. When we get back, we're talking to
speaking of city of Wheeling. We're gonna be talking to
the mayor himself. Mister Denny McGruder is joining us in
studio here on news radio eleven seventy WWVA. Welcome back.

(43:44):
It's eight twenty. The Bloomdaddy Experience, samon Otis News Radio
eleven seventy WWVA. Just a reminder, we're getting close. We're
gonna have our winner here shortly for our free half
gallon of ice cream from Kirks. So get your registration in.
All you have to do is tex to us seven
zero four seven zero, start the message off with bloom Daddy,

(44:05):
give us your name and phone number.

Speaker 6 (44:06):
That's it.

Speaker 5 (44:07):
That's your registration. So listen if you want some ice cream.
That's all you have to do.

Speaker 3 (44:11):
Denny's on his fan texting you're right now he wants
he's free ice cream.

Speaker 5 (44:17):
Ah, he said, Denny. Of course that means we have,
of course, wheeling mayor Denny mcgrudor joining us now.

Speaker 6 (44:22):
Good morning, sir.

Speaker 8 (44:23):
Good morning Sam. How are you this morning.

Speaker 6 (44:24):
I'm good, I'm good. Little deep outside, but we're getting
through it.

Speaker 8 (44:28):
Oh yeah, it's that time of year. It's a good feeling,
you know, it's football season.

Speaker 3 (44:32):
Hey. Just be glad you're not in charge of the
building anyway.

Speaker 8 (44:35):
Football season.

Speaker 3 (44:36):
Yeah, but just be glad you're not in charge of
the building anymore because it's flooding.

Speaker 5 (44:39):
Oh oh wait a second, Oh thank you.

Speaker 6 (44:41):
I'm sorry.

Speaker 3 (44:42):
It helps if you plug in these headphones.

Speaker 6 (44:44):
There we go, try it again for.

Speaker 3 (44:45):
The third time. It's a good thing you're not in
charge of the building anymore. You're right, there's flooding downstairs. Yeah,
for the second time in two weeks. Yeah, anyway, broken pipes, no,
I think just a backed up one.

Speaker 5 (44:59):
Oh okay, yeah, there is old one hundred.

Speaker 8 (45:03):
Year old sewer system sometimes.

Speaker 3 (45:05):
Yeah, you'll have that.

Speaker 6 (45:06):
That makes a little tricky. They're working on it though.

Speaker 5 (45:08):
Speaking of this building, how about tonight downtown Wheeling is.

Speaker 6 (45:12):
Going to be on fire.

Speaker 8 (45:13):
It's very exciting it is and just what a show.
I mean, just to be able to see Robert in person?

Speaker 6 (45:20):
Yeah, are you gonna be there?

Speaker 8 (45:22):
Not going to make it tonight?

Speaker 5 (45:23):
Sitting back and watching this happen with what's happening here
at the Capitol, what's happening at the arena, the foot
traffic that you know that's happening here in downtown. Isn't
it great to see?

Speaker 8 (45:34):
Oh? It's excellent, Sam, The traffic is great. You know.
Streetscape is slowly winding to a conclusion. I was gonna
ask about that this is an exciting time.

Speaker 5 (45:43):
And you brought up the streetscape. We now have Market Street.
Is is it officially completed?

Speaker 8 (45:49):
I think there's some there's some very final minute details.
But and then we got some of the side streets
on Sixteenth Street near the Library City Hall. But that'll
all get done. You know, it may not be perfect
in the eyes of many, but it's, man, how much better.
It's great.

Speaker 6 (46:04):
It's a smooth ride, it is a smooth rine.

Speaker 5 (46:07):
You know. Listen, like you said, it maybe might not
be perfect. I've criticized that otis's criticizab be upfront, But
to drive down and it's not like you're on the
surface of the moon and you're bouncing around. It's it's
quite an improved.

Speaker 8 (46:21):
It is a huge difference. The springs on your automobile
lasts a bit longer.

Speaker 5 (46:25):
Now, that's a good point. That's a good point, all right.
So we're gonna get into the heavy.

Speaker 6 (46:30):
Stuff off the bat absolutely all right.

Speaker 5 (46:32):
So last week it was announced that city Council came
to the conclusion that officially December first, we're going to
be shutting down the encampment. I wanted to ask you
this because you're quoted in saying that we're more than
two years in. I think it's been a failure, not
only for camp residents, but for the citizens of that

(46:55):
neighborhood as well. I kind of argue with you. I
debate that a little bit with you, because I wouldn't
consider it a failure. It may not have worked, but
I've got to give credit that the attempt was made
to city council well.

Speaker 8 (47:09):
And I think Sam, we'll agree with that the attempt
was made. But I think the experiment, and that's what
I said, the experiment that's been going on for about
two years has not worked. It's failed. Number One. I
want folks to know that all the city councilors and
city administrators are really very compassionate people. You know, I've
grown up in Wheeling. I know their families, I know them.

(47:29):
They're definitely compassionate people. And one of the biggest reasons
this decision was made by council. It's inhumane to force
people to live in the middle of winter in snow
and storms on the creek bank and five and ten
degree temperatures. We got heavily criticized last winter, drove over
the winter as a council for allowing that to happen.

(47:50):
We tell people on those nights to bring their pets in,
but we don't bring to hombleots in and so I
think what we're saying is listen, we viewed the conditions
of the camp as well. That experiment is not working.
We need to try something different. It's not that we're
anti handlets or anti advocates or anti social services. That's

(48:10):
quite you know, that's quite the opposite. We thank those
people for what they're attempting to do. Bottom line is,
I think City Council and all the wheeling social agencies
want the very same thing. We want to help these people.
We want to help them regain dignity. We got whether
get them back into the flow of life, and that's
very difficult. I think we all want the same thing.
We have some different ideas how to do that. Number

(48:32):
One I personally, we can't take the no rules approach.
You know, in the camp, a lot of those people
are there because they absolutely want no rules of any kind.
All of us sitting here otis. You know, you've grown
up with rules. I knew your dad. There's rules. When
you belong to a church, there's rules. If you go
to school, there's rules. If you're a patient in the hospital,

(48:53):
there's rules. If you're an employee, the employer has rules.
Life is structured upon rules, you know, That's how we're
held accountable. And so that's something that we have to
look at as well. We just think that in many
ways we're heading the wrong direction. The other thing is,
you know, Council and the mayor have heard the cries
of the neighborhood. We've heard the cries of businesses that

(49:16):
are struggling with a petty thievery with the idea that
people are scared. We have some senior citizen ladies in
East Wheeling who padlock the gates on their yard because
of those that are traversing through there stealing their lawns,
taking the lawn stuff. They padlock it. We talked to
one lady who doesn't Luddy's probably in her late seventies.

(49:38):
She doesn't sleep at night anymore. She's scared. She tries
to sleep during the day because her you know, her
doorknob has been rattled at night. People have tried to
get in. They're passing through the yard. It's a high
technical it's terrifying. Counsel cannot allow that to happen. You know,
we have to balance this. Yes, we really care and
we want the homeless to be reintegrated into society and healed.

(50:01):
But we also want our citizens who have been faithful
community people who have worked, who pay their taxes. They
shouldn't have to live in fear. No, that is not fair.
And as I say this, some of this extends beyond
the camp. Look, you come to work sometimes before daylight.
I'm not saying that people on the streets are necessarily criminals,

(50:23):
but they're.

Speaker 6 (50:24):
Scary, it's unnerving, and they walk.

Speaker 8 (50:26):
Around it, and these are I'm not going to blame
this totally on the homeless, but this is a problem
in Wheeling that we've got to resolve. This is a
community problem. Listen, We're also proud of our town. We're resilient.
Wheeling has been here more than two hundred years. It's
found out how to solve every single problem. This is
a big one. Wow. We can only do this together, Sam.
We have to have the social agencies, we have to

(50:47):
have city councils, city administration, we have to have the
community at large to figure out how to do this.
We all want the same end. We just have different
ideas right now how to get there?

Speaker 5 (50:57):
Well, and you mentioned you know it's city problem. It's
a nationwide problem. It is, and we honestly are dealing
with it on a smaller scale compared to other cities.
So let's not just lump this in that this is
only a Wheeling problem. It is certainly not if people
nationally aren't.

Speaker 6 (51:14):
Finding an answer.

Speaker 5 (51:16):
We can't expect or or judge Wheeling for not finding
an answer.

Speaker 8 (51:21):
Also, I don't know that we'll ever solve this problem,
but we can certainly make it better. We can improve one.

Speaker 5 (51:27):
Well, we're gonna we're gonna continue this conversation. We got
to jump to a quick break. It's eight twenty eight.
If you have any questions you want to chime in,
of course, you can always call us one eight hundred
six two four eleven seventy. Again, that's one eight hundred
six two four eleven seventy. And don't forget get it
in for ice cream seven zero four seven zero. That
is our text line name and phone number, and that's

(51:48):
your registration for your chance to win. We're gonna continue
talking to, of course, Mayor Denny McGruder of Wheeling. When
we return the bloom Daddy Experience here on news radio
eleven seventy WWVA A thirty six Welcome back the blim
Daddy Experience here on news Radio eleven seventy WWVA. We

(52:13):
are going to continue the conversation with Mayor Denny McGruder
joining us this morning.

Speaker 6 (52:17):
Once again, Thank you so much for your.

Speaker 8 (52:18):
Time, Thanks for the invitation, sir.

Speaker 5 (52:21):
All right, we are talking about the announcement last week
of the closure of the Wheeling Homeless encampment that is
going to happen December. First, we were getting kind of
into the conversation about, you know, what citizens are facing.
So I want to go back to your example, the
older lady, the jingling or the doorknob and that kind

(52:41):
of stuff. You know, when we talk about this, compassion
always comes up. Absolutely in defense of the homeless always
comes up. I understand that point of view. I want
to defend the woman, like you said, longtime resident, good resident, taxpayer,
part of the community. Why should her safety and security

(53:04):
not be priority? And again, she's a taxpayer everything, a
good citizen of Wheeling. Why are the citizens not priority
over the homeless?

Speaker 8 (53:17):
And Sam, I think that's exactly the cry that city
council and city administration here is at this point, we
hear all of those things, we hear all those complaints. Listen,
I mentioned you've been ago in all of my years
at the arena, you know, that was my home down
there at the waterfront. I've met a lot of people
who had come down to lunchtime, particularly ladies from What's
Banco in places to walk on the jogging trail. I've

(53:39):
run several of them over the last six months, and
they tell me they don't do it anymore. They're afraid
to go to the waterfront. And again it's not that
they're afraid of facing criminals, but when they get down there,
it's an unsavory situation. They've had people ask them for money,
They've had people look at them with with, you know,
a mysterious look. There's mysterious people. They're frightened, and I
understand that. I've had people tell me that they'll no

(54:00):
longer take their kids to the library.

Speaker 6 (54:02):
I was going to bring up the library.

Speaker 8 (54:05):
That's not something that we can tolerate, nor should the
citizens have to live like that. So we've got to
find that happy balance. And I'm not trying to criminalize
the homeless. Number one. All of those situations aren't created
by homeless. But listen, we have an addiction problem. That's
the biggest problem in the camp. Addiction, whether it be
alcohol or whether it be drugs, it's addictive. We also

(54:29):
have addicts that don't live in the camp as well.

Speaker 5 (54:32):
You know.

Speaker 8 (54:32):
So I'm not going to I'm not saying we're blaming
this on the homeless, but we as a community, as
a city, have to look at this and how we
do it. You know, our downtown's beginning to look just spectacular,
as good as it's been in the last two hundred years,
and so we have to fix this dimension that. We
have to work on it as well. We got to
make it inviting for people that not only want to

(54:54):
come down and see some of the new greenery on
the street, or walk and see a symphony concert waterfront,
but we got to make sure they feel good and
safe and they want to do it, and they want
to invite their friends. And so we do have to
address this, councilor here's the police. You know. The other
fear we have, quite frankly, is that the camp situation

(55:15):
is growing in size.

Speaker 6 (55:16):
I was going to ask you about it's population.

Speaker 8 (55:18):
So here's what we certainly believe. Number One, we've not
been successful in getting those people treated and getting them out.
That's number one. Number Two, we're witnessing a mass migration
from places like maybe Steubenville Beckley where they've closed their
camps and they can come here and they can get
all the services that they kind of need for life.

(55:39):
You know, they live out in the camp. They don't
live like kings, but they do. This community as compassionate
as it is with its social service agencies. We feed them,
they can get three meals a day. They can get
health care through Project Hope, they can get dental care
in cases, they get new tents, they get bicycles. I'm
not objecting to any of that, but you can see

(56:01):
why this might be attractive to homeless people from outside
the area. And I don't want to pick on anybody.
If you drive around Saint Clairsville or Milesville or Wellsburg,
I don't see near that problem.

Speaker 5 (56:12):
Well, I've always said wheeling enables the problem we do.

Speaker 8 (56:16):
And so because we're compassionate, we enable it. So we've
got to find that balance. We've got to be together.
This is not a we versus day. This is not
city council versus the you know those social service agencies.
Those social service agencies have extremely good, compassionate, caring people,

(56:37):
but the city council has their job to do too,
So we have to come together. Let's not criticize. We're
not going to criticize those agencies and say you're not
doing your job. We don't need to do it at all.
We need to figure out the bottom line on how
to make this better. Are we going to cure homelessness
and willing No, we're not. I know we're not. I
don't believe we're going to. But we can make it

(56:57):
a hell of a lot better.

Speaker 5 (56:58):
Well, don't we need a little bit of tough love? So,
you know, people who want to criticize, they you know,
there's the commassion side of it again, the charities in
this net good people trying to do a good thing.
But at a certain point in time, tough love needs
to be be added to the conversation because if these
people don't want to help themselves, they addicts choose addiction.

(57:23):
I mean, I hate to say that. A lot of
people want to say it's a disease. Okay, fine, you
want to label it that, but you choose to put
that needle on your arm. I'm sorry, that's the way
I feel.

Speaker 8 (57:31):
I do too, Sam.

Speaker 5 (57:32):
Why is it the citizens of Wheeling's responsibility to pay
the price for their bad decisions, not only financially, but
safety and security.

Speaker 8 (57:42):
Wise, that's exactly the attitude of our council and city administration. Listen,
I can tell you my fellow counselors, I've grown to
admire them, so they care so much. I mean, I've
watched their efforts, how they get involved in their own
wards and what they do. These people spend on off
a lot of hours trying to make it right. And
as I say, over the last year year and a half,

(58:04):
they listen to the people that have complaints, They listened
to the and I can tell you one of the
things that I did prior to the council meeting a
week ago, consulted the criminal activity reports come from the
Wheeling Police Department. There have been some significant increases in
criminal activity and fold and these Wheeling between twenty twenty
four and twenty twenty five. Some categories are up twenty

(58:27):
two to thirty four percent. And that's the twenty twenty
five numbers are based on a ten month year. They're
only through the end of October. Close to the end
of October. So you know, as counselors, we've got to
address this. We've got to make sure we bring the balance,
like you say, Sam, to the table. We just have
we have to address that that increase in criminal activity.

(58:48):
In discussing and talking for me and looking around, talking
to some folks in other cities, talking to a gentleman
that I've met in Wheeling, doctor Norman Wood, who has
some experience in treating mentally ill mentally addicted, as well
as a background in law enforcement. He says, there's only
one way. You can't keep allowing them to do what
they've been doing, or you'll get the same result. You

(59:09):
got to chase this. And he's also an advocate, and
we are advocates as well, to the state, maybe to
establish new treatment centers. We don't want to throw these
people in the scrappile, but it's crazy to believe that
we can take an addict, lock them up for three days,
let them go. They think they're better because they're right
back in the camp. They're right back and wherever they

(59:30):
go back to get their drugs or their alcohol whatever.
It's just you hit it right on the head. We
have to do something different, and we have to hold
people accountable, and we have to have rules. We must
have rules.

Speaker 5 (59:43):
Yes, And I'm glad you brought up the crime scenario
because working you mentioned the time and day we get here,
and I have my own personal bodyguards sitting in there,
so I'm a little bit lucky. But coming in here
on Main Street in the dark, it is intimidating. And
I have been told multiple stories new park that's right
across the street, in the parking lot right there, that

(01:00:03):
they built, very beautiful job. I never see anybody in
it except for homeless, and I've heard horror stories about
what goes on over there. Now I haven't seen it firsthand.
I can't validate it. This is just what I've been
told now that we're going to have them unleashed on
the city now with the homeless and camp, that worries me,

(01:00:24):
and it worries me as somebody that comes in here
a female at this time of day. They're going to
spread back out through the city and we're back to
dealing with it.

Speaker 8 (01:00:31):
Yay, today, you just made a good point. I don't
totally agree with that. You just said, Hey, there's been
a problem over here. There's a camp that exists right now,
and we still have that problem. Yeah, so if we
close the camp, we're not creating that problem. It already exists.
So I'm just saying, as a community. This is a
challenge for us. This is a challenge for all of

(01:00:52):
us to come together to sit at the table to
really dig deep and try to find ways to help.
Number One, we're compassionate and want to help the homeless.
Number two, we hear the cries of our neighborhood and
business communities and what they're going through right now. And
it's not all criminal activity. But will you find garbage

(01:01:13):
and debris when they tear your garbage cans upside down
because they're looking something and every week you're the person
has to go out and clean it up. If you
drive by Yackham's refuse and see what goes through with
their dumpsters and things, we've got to do something about this.
If we continue to do what we've done, we're going
to get the same result. And it's growing well.

Speaker 5 (01:01:32):
And I would pose this to the listeners, those who
want to criticize and judge the decisions being made by
the council. If you have a better idea, I'm sure
you would be open to it.

Speaker 3 (01:01:41):
Definitely, bring it to the table.

Speaker 8 (01:01:43):
Definitely.

Speaker 5 (01:01:43):
Yeah, don't just sit back and be keyboard warriors on
social media. If you have chair quarterbacks, yep, if you
have an idea, bring.

Speaker 6 (01:01:50):
It to them.

Speaker 8 (01:01:50):
Yeah, the same thing. And again we appreciate the opportunity
to have this discussion because there's no easy answer.

Speaker 6 (01:01:55):
There isn't there is.

Speaker 8 (01:01:56):
And the one thing I want to make clear, the
homeless are not the enemy council. The social service agencies
are not the enemy of city council. Let's just make
that really clear. It's not a we versus day issue.
This is a communal issue that together with the history
of resiliency and wheeling and knowing that we're all in
this together. You know, we're families and friends, we go

(01:02:16):
to the same churches and schools, let's figure out how
to make it better.

Speaker 5 (01:02:20):
Mary mayor Denny McGruder. Once again, thank you so much
this morning. You're welcome back, of course, anytime, anytime.

Speaker 8 (01:02:27):
Well, thank you very much. I always feel home here
Sam with you and Otis, Otis and I go back
a long long time.

Speaker 3 (01:02:33):
So you've got stories. Oh, he's got stories. He's got stories.

Speaker 5 (01:02:37):
Dress me well, go enjoy. It's National Candy Corn Day.

Speaker 6 (01:02:40):
Go celebrate.

Speaker 8 (01:02:41):
Oh, I'll celebrate.

Speaker 5 (01:02:42):
You're listening to the Bloomdaddy experience. Samon Otis News Radio
eleven seventy WWVA eight fifty one. Welcome back the Bloom
Doddy Experience.

Speaker 6 (01:02:56):
Once again.

Speaker 5 (01:02:57):
Thank you to Mary mayor Denny macgruder for on the
show this I said, Mary mayor Denny McGruder for coming
on this morning. If you did not catch the entire
interview or the interview earlier this morning with Rick Farrell
Richland Township, trustee, we have a podcast. Our show is
always re aired on our podcast channel, so you can

(01:03:18):
go on there and catch up on anything you've missed.
So if you caught us halfway through, go check that out.

Speaker 3 (01:03:25):
So many of the cheap shots were taken into each
other or that.

Speaker 6 (01:03:28):
Yet it's been a it's been a doozy of a morning.

Speaker 3 (01:03:30):
Goodness, it's being of cheap shots. What's up, buddy? What's
Kevin Cook from Straw Automotive? What's going on?

Speaker 9 (01:03:40):
Well, so now we're buddies, are we?

Speaker 3 (01:03:42):
Well not yet, we're working on it.

Speaker 9 (01:03:45):
Like a buddy during this whole negotiation process. That we
think I don't feel like your buddy right.

Speaker 3 (01:03:50):
Now, Well that's because you're you're not seeing we're not
seeing that.

Speaker 9 (01:03:55):
I well, I mean, you know everything as a value
right now, wranglers, I mean you can get sixty five
hundred bucks off. Okay, we never had this kind of
money off on wranglers before. All right, we've got the
one in stock that you want, and I have absolutely

(01:04:16):
thrown the book away on your trade. Okay, yeah, all right,
then put what do you want out? Free gas for
a year?

Speaker 3 (01:04:25):
I mean, hold on, that wasn't in the original plan.
But if you're going to on the table, I'll take it.

Speaker 9 (01:04:33):
I said, what do you want? I said, that's the
next extravagant thing you're looking for.

Speaker 3 (01:04:37):
No, I just want running boards and not yet.

Speaker 9 (01:04:39):
But you know it was you know, it was a
thousand more from my trade. It was five hundred, then
it was five hundred more after that, and then then
it's running. Like I say, you never stopped.

Speaker 3 (01:04:50):
Well, here's the deal if this, if this goes through,
this will be my sixth content sixth consecutive vehicle that
I've purchased from Straw Automotive.

Speaker 9 (01:05:00):
I understand that, and we're.

Speaker 3 (01:05:02):
So I ought to get a loyalty discount.

Speaker 9 (01:05:05):
I knew that.

Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
I knew there was don't make me call ginger.

Speaker 5 (01:05:10):
So basically, you've stamped all your punch. Your punch card
is full.

Speaker 3 (01:05:14):
Yeah, exactly like you guys. It's like going to the
store and you buy six coffees and get the seventh
with free.

Speaker 9 (01:05:22):
Sam It never stopped.

Speaker 5 (01:05:24):
You have no idea, You have no idea.

Speaker 3 (01:05:28):
Listen, just it's like Thanksgiving dinner. Just listen to belt
one notch. That's all.

Speaker 9 (01:05:34):
We've done it six times.

Speaker 3 (01:05:35):
No, we have not done it. You have not done
it six times. We've done it. You and I have
done it about three or four times.

Speaker 9 (01:05:42):
You think I'd better prepared, But.

Speaker 3 (01:05:44):
Well, the one time, the one time I actually went
to Tom Fato and actually, you know, you know, mister
Fato coach Fato took care of me, right, so don't
make me go over your head.

Speaker 9 (01:05:55):
He would probably fuss me for the deal.

Speaker 3 (01:05:58):
Oh there's no way.

Speaker 9 (01:06:00):
Yeah, yeah, But anyway, that just lets everybody know that,
you know that while the first set of numbers may
not be exactly what our customers want, we do have
some give and take. Sometimes we do everything we can
to put the deal together. Just we'll tell you that
hopefully you will come to that realization.

Speaker 3 (01:06:19):
You're almost there.

Speaker 9 (01:06:20):
I understand this. But five off, So everybody's looking for
a rank, and we've got a great selection the wranglers
right now, there's some great inter traits out there. Ram
truck seventeen thousand, five hundred dollars off. Uh, there's zero
percent available and that is for U seventy two months.

(01:06:40):
So come on out check them out and hopefully otis
we'll see you today maybe kind of sort of, maybe.

Speaker 3 (01:06:47):
We'll see we'll see you know, there'll be some text
messages going back.

Speaker 6 (01:06:50):
Maybe he'll sell it house. I'm under yet.

Speaker 3 (01:06:52):
Hey listen, I don't know if you're a big LSU
tigraphy and you went down and watched them get beat
by Vandy.

Speaker 9 (01:06:57):
I did watch them go get beat by Vandy?

Speaker 3 (01:06:59):
Yes, those new so they fired. Brian Kelly, did you
see the story where the governor's getting into the rehiring
process now dry, Yeah, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry's letting his
thoughts be known about his displeasure with LSU athletic director
Scott Woodward. Landry he told reporters that Woodward will not

(01:07:21):
be involved in selecting the Tiger's new head football coach.
He also said that he would let President Donald Trump
hire the new coach before Woodward. Wow, I mean that's
that's a big statement. Right there.

Speaker 9 (01:07:33):
I would fire whoever gave Brian Kelly the deally ten
year contract.

Speaker 3 (01:07:38):
To begin with ten year, ninety five million dollar Yeah.

Speaker 9 (01:07:41):
Without a nout. That's that's who needs to get fired LSU.

Speaker 3 (01:07:45):
LSU's on the hook for fifty four million.

Speaker 9 (01:07:48):
Of that eight dollars a month.

Speaker 3 (01:07:51):
You know who you know who's interested in the job.

Speaker 9 (01:07:54):
Hopefully coach Oh.

Speaker 3 (01:07:55):
That's exactly he's a former LSU coach. Ed Ojeron said
that he would love to return to the program.

Speaker 9 (01:08:02):
I would love to have Coach O back just for
the interviews alone.

Speaker 5 (01:08:05):
I was gonna say, Is that the one with the
crazy interviews?

Speaker 3 (01:08:08):
Yeah, well, he's second on the all time list because
Mike Leach was one of the best free interviews. Oh
there you are.

Speaker 9 (01:08:21):
No, I'm just waiting there. I'm patient. I have to
be patient when I'm working with you.

Speaker 3 (01:08:26):
Well, we just said Mike Leach was one of the
best interviews of all time for college Off. But anyway, Hey,
all right, well you know, hey, get your eraser ready.

Speaker 9 (01:08:38):
All right, we'll see.

Speaker 3 (01:08:39):
All right, bye bye.

Speaker 4 (01:08:41):
M man.

Speaker 3 (01:08:43):
Well, I'm just saying it's like that loyalty card. If
I go to sub if I go to subway or
what is it substop or something. You buy five subs,
you get to six to one free.

Speaker 5 (01:08:52):
If you go across the street to NB cafe, you
get a punch.

Speaker 3 (01:08:55):
Yeah, I mean, just punch my card one more time,
that's all. I'm not asking for it for free.

Speaker 5 (01:09:01):
No, just well, what if he sells it out from
underneath you, Well, then so be it.

Speaker 6 (01:09:07):
And it wasn't meant to.

Speaker 3 (01:09:08):
Be, that's right. I mean, listen, I'm not listen. I'm
never in love with anything when it comes to a vehicle.
So if you sell it out, there'll be another one
somewhere down the road. Okay, there's nothing wrong with mine.
It's just a personal preference.

Speaker 6 (01:09:25):
It's just not a good fit.

Speaker 3 (01:09:27):
It's a four cylinder and I want a six cylinder.
And it's one hundred percent my fault. Why that last
Jeep was not a six cylinder? One hundred percent my fault.
All right, Well, so I will say.

Speaker 5 (01:09:37):
Can we throw this out real quick? Yeah, it's National
Candy Corn Day. It's by a donut Day. It's also
Sugar Addiction Awareness Day.

Speaker 3 (01:09:46):
Yeah, so that's good. But right after National Candy Corn
Day and Donut Day, it's.

Speaker 5 (01:09:50):
A little bit of a contradiction or anything.

Speaker 3 (01:09:51):
And happy birthday to the fawns. Oh yeah, the fun
the Funs is eighty today.

Speaker 1 (01:09:56):
Give me a.

Speaker 5 (01:09:56):
Number one through twenty two. We've got ice cream seventeen.
That is Lieutenant Dan. Lieutenant Dan, you're our win.