October 2, 2025 • 37 mins
Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes on the interstate crash, school safety threat, and emergency aircraft landing from the day prior.
Morgantown Mayor Danielle Trumble with a warming shelter and first responder pension update
Morgantown Mayor Danielle Trumble with a warming shelter and first responder pension update
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Klucksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two fivey five. Now Here is your host for the
Talk of the Town, Mike Nolting.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, good Thursday morning.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
It is nine oh seven, fair skies and fifty nine
degrees in the University City.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Welcome to Talk of the Town.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
This is ground zero for what is important to you
and your family, and we're gonna talk about it over
the next hour. I'm Mike Nolting and I'm on X
as your news guy. You can look me up there.
Ethan Collins is our producer. He's at eight hundred seven
six five eight two five five. And of course the
tip line it's always at the ready for you. That
(00:58):
number three oh four Talk three four. Wednesday was a
very busy day for the Montaguelia County Sheriff's Department. We'll
welcome Todd Forbes talk to the sheriff exactly and break
down all three major incidents that took place yesterday. We
also had Morgantown Mayor Danielle Trumbull coming in and we're
going to talk about the ongoing struggle to locate a
(01:21):
warming shelter in the community, talk a little bit about
police and fire pensions, and Morgantown community resources. Of course,
they are the operators of Hazel's House of Hope. We'll
wrap the show up with Berry Bloodsoe Barry is going
to be talking about recycling for Recovery. This is a
(01:42):
very unique program that will help you dispose of large
appliances that you know, maybe you didn't know what you
were going to do with up to this point. Let's
take a look at a couple of headlines and then
we'll get down to business. Well, Wednesday started with a
crash at the I sixty eight to seventy nine split
now that slowed traffic for most of the morning commute.
(02:03):
Then at about twelve thirty, investigators from the Mont County
Sheriff's Department investigating a working lockdown within the Mont County Schools.
A gentleman running around town making random threats to no
specific building or no specific person, but let alone. They
were directed at Mont County Schools. Then, at just about
(02:28):
two forty four, a small aircraft went down south of
cor All of those incidents investigated by the Mont County
Sheriff's Department in the course of just about, oh, maybe
eight nine hours. We'll talk to the sheriff coming up
in just a moment, and we'll get some more details
on exactly what happened there. Now, plans for the Morgantown
(02:51):
Warming Shelter they're moving forward, and Hazel's House of Hope
keeps coming back up to the top of the stack
as the most likely for that to be held. Now,
we're going to be talking with Mayor Daniel Trumpell in
just a little bit and we'll get the very latest
on that particular situation. A state school Board President Paul
(03:12):
Hardesty says state lawmakers have seemingly favored multiple options rather
than public schools in recent years. He believes the public
schools have suffered due to investments into the Hope Scholarship,
charter schools, and homeschooling, plus a school funding formula that
needs to be updated. Of course, that is a hot
(03:35):
topic of debate. Hardesty made those comments during yesterday's state
school board meeting. Mont County Delegate Joe Statler, he's the
vice chair of the House Education Committee, had him on
Wednesday morning. Joe says, Hey, you know what, I'm willing
to talk about number one Hope Scholarship, other competition. He's
(03:55):
willing to talk about the school funding formula and actually
had some good input when it comes to that relationship
or lack thereof between public schools and their competitors. I
think that Statler would like to see more exit interviews
with families that leave the public school system, and you'd
also like to see maybe a more pure competition rather
(04:19):
than finger pointing between the two. State revenue collections have
headed into the second quarter of the fiscal year with
a sixty one million dollar collection surplus. Revenue Secretary Eric
Nelson says it's modest surplus. Let alone, it is a surplus,
and there was a surplus in personal income tax collections,
(04:41):
with which I guess we all know that over the
last two years, as there's been just about a twenty
eight percent cut in the personal income tax, yet still
a revenue surplus in that category coming through the second
quarter of this year. Let's take a break and when
(05:01):
we come back, we'll welcome Mont County Sheriff Todd Forbes
to the program, and we're also going to work in
Mayor Danielle Trumbull.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Got those two coming up next.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
This is Talk of the Town on AM fourteen forty
FM one oh four point five W A j R.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
This is the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
A good Thursday morning.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
It is a nine to fifteen fair skies in the
University City in Metro Newsaki Weather says could see a
plenty of sunshine and a high near eighty degrees today,
so it looks like a great day. We've got Mont
County Sheriff Todd Forbes online with us.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Good morning, Sheriff, how are you.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
Good morning, Mike great, how were you?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
I'm doing good. Thank you very much. Appreciate your time today, well, Sheriff.
It all started for you out at the I sixty
eight seventy nine split and really didn't let up till
probably about six o'clock last night.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Yeah, it's just a normal day for us, really, Dave
or Mike. I'm sorry though, it's just a more in
perpetual state of crisis here. It's the norm.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Well, I guess take us back. Let's start out there
to split. What what what can you tell us about
that Todd I have I.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
Have limited information on that. Actually, I know that there
was an attractive trailer that ran into the Jersey barrier and
it became disabled and it kind of just blocked the
roadway for an extended amount of time. They finally did
get that cleaned up and got it open back up
as best they could.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Okay, we got mon County Sheriff Todd Forbes with us.
Then at about twelve thirty in the afternoon, things really
got interesting, didn't they.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Well, yeah, again, that's uh, that's we deal with these
kind of calls on a on a regular basis. We
got the report that a little earlier than that maybe
that there was an individual making some threats against some
other citizens in the county, you know, planning to do
some harm to some folks. And I want to make
clear I think somebody told me this morning that we
(07:17):
heard some reports on the radio this morning that there
were some students or some schools that may have been targeted.
That is absolutely incorrect. We've we've made clear in our
release yesterday that there were no students or schools or
staff members uh at any kind that were that were targets.
There were some specific targets from this individual. We then
(07:38):
called our school guys and just basically put them on
a silver alert, which means be more focused on any
outside you know, people around the school. Just heighten their awareness,
is all. We basically did ask them to maybe bring
the kids in off the playground just in case, but
until we could investigate this individual and and and assess
(08:00):
the situation a little bit better. They did that. A
short time later, we were able to encounter the individual
who was making these threats and detain them and take
them into custody without incident. That investigation continues. That individual's
name was Austin Hall. He was arrested on one count
(08:22):
of making terroristic threats and the investigation continues into some
other things that may have been associated with that. And again,
none of this had anything to do with any of
the schools or any staff.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
When the students any idea of why he picked Wednesday,
October the first to threaten people.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Well, you know, I think I probably don't have the
proper degrees to make those assessments. That problem. I can't
assess what people are thinking. My job would be a
lot easier if I could figure out what people were thinking.
But no, I think it was just a random day
and then he maybe hit his limit of whatever set
him off, and that's what got us started.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Okay, a right good deal.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Then let's see two forty four in the afternoon, you
got a call that you don't get very often.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Yeah, it was initially dispatched I think as maybe a
plane crash or that a plane had gone down. We
sent some deputies out that way along with there was
some other emergency cruiser were dispatched out, and what we
found when we got there was an airplane that hadn't crashed,
(09:28):
but in fact had laid it in the field because
of some mechanical issues. The pilot did a pretty good
job of getting the aircraft to the ground, didn't cause
any injuries, didn't cause any property damage. So we were
blessed to get through that day without anybody even being
hurt as far as those couple of incidents goes.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
So I guess it's pretty skillful to be able to
find enough flat land to bring an aircraft down in
that area, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Yeah, Well, there's a lot of fields out that way,
you know, in the western farid of Montague County, but
there's not very many that are flat enough, I guess
the challenge and then certainly this this pilot did a
pretty good job of finding that area and getting the
aircraft down safely.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
A single engine aircraft.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Yeah, it looked like I'm not an expert on airplanes
at all. It looked like a little sessoner or something
of that size.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Okay, all right, good deal. Well, hey, Sheriff, great job yesterday.
And maybe it was a normal day for you, and
your name just kind of popped up on my desk
a little more often than normal.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Well, yeah, again, I don't want you to hear from
me at all unless it's something good, so like that.
I don't like talking to you, Mike, but I'd rather
it be in good circumstances.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Absolutely, I got your, Sheriff. I'm with you too. Really.
Do appreciate your time, sir, and keep up the great work.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Thank you, Yes, sir, you take care and have a
great day.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
In studio, we do have the mayor of Morgantown, Mayor
Danielle Trumple.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Hey, good morning, Mayor, how are you.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
Good morning? Kudos to the Sheriff's department here.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
I was thinking my Wednesday was busy, but man, they've had,
they had a day.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Well, I was gonna ask you, you know you think
you can top that.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
I certainly cannot. Not this week.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Well good, we wouldn't want you to.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Hey, I'll tell you what mayor why don't we start
with warming shelter because you know that's been a topic
over the last few weeks. A lot of people have
been talking about the Hazel's House of Hope was on
and off. Maybe it's on again, but I guess what's
the latest.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
That's about as much information as I have.
Speaker 7 (11:31):
I sit on the MCR board that oversees Hazel's House
of Hope, and there were some emails going back and
forth yesterday that was kind of a recap of Tuesday
night's meeting and trying to set a special meeting after
we can get those the staffing plans and the rules
and regulations things like that that the MCR president said
(11:51):
he wanted to see before we made a final decision.
So we're waiting on those setting a special meeting. But
yesterday it represented of Catholic charities and both city managers,
and I did tour that West Run facility to continue
down that path as well, in case that's still needed.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Okay, now you say continuing down that path, I guess
is it kind of an evaluation in inventory of the facility.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
That facility had some damage, minor interior damage like a
water leak, things like that. So they're in the process
of renovating some of that now that the Coalition is
there instead of Bartlett House, So there is some ongoing work.
It's my understanding there were going to be people there
full time today making sure that that gets done. Just
(12:39):
a couple more rooms that needed some flooring replaced in
things like that.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Now, up on Hazel's House of Hope, they brought in
some private security. Been some concerns about safety. What's the
latest there.
Speaker 7 (12:53):
We still have the Silver Eagle security team on site there.
They've been doing a great job. They're very respectful to
the client, and they work very closely with all of
the agencies there. It's been a good addition to the campus.
I don't know how long that it will be there
twenty four hours a day they have they indicated and
I think we talked about this before. Maybe they said
(13:15):
when they came in they would have considered the security
level maybe at like an eight or a nine, and
after a couple of weeks they thought it was down
to a three or a four. So in to the
best of my knowledge, that's kind of still where we
are a couple of people here and there kind of
causing some issues and getting escorts, but other than that,
(13:37):
I think it's been relatively quiet. We look forward to
the talks to see how the city can best help
them ensure that that space is available, whether this year
or in the future going forward for the warming shelter
in the homeless shelter.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Give us an idea of the planning process for the
shelter this year. In past years that's involved the county
and other organizations, entities and even some private individuals have
been involved in the past.
Speaker 7 (14:10):
This year, we thought we were way ahead of the
game during the budgeting process. I think last December we
received the proposal from Catholic Charities saying, hey, we're willing
and able if you can provide the funding, and the
city and the county provided the funding. So really the
operations is kind of up to Catholic Charities and their
(14:32):
director Mark Phillips or CEO and president. Mark Phillips has
been working closely with us making sure that that they're
meeting the expectations or that they have the ability to
do this regardless of sight. And I said to the
city manager yesterday, I said, I don't think we're giving
them enough credit. They're the ones that are ultimately going
(14:57):
to be responsible for this, so really they have the
final say in what they feel they are able to do,
whether that's at the Western Facility or at H three.
We kind of we need to make sure that they
are the loudest voice in that. It's really hard for
us to tell them what they have to do and
(15:17):
where when they're ultimately going to be the ones running
it in responsible.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Gotcha.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Hey, you know Mayor Danielle Trumbull, Mayor Morgantown is with us.
And you know, Danielle, just about a year ago, I
remember being in the in the I believe it was
the basement of City Hall at a fire and police
pension meeting, and I.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Think you were there too.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
I certainly was, yes, And you know that meeting was
a little bit contentious and there were a lot of
concerns about the police and fire pensions.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
But as you and I sit.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Here today, those feelings, those contentious feelings are they're gone
and we're doing much better give us an update.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
As with most things, when that was initially brought, we
hit the city had known it was an issue for
you know, years coming to that point. And as again
as with most things, the city had one idea and
the civil service employees had a different idea, and both
were very steadfast in that. But after that kind of
initial little hullabluo died down. When the when the city
(16:20):
manager at the time presented his plan, we were able
to get into a room. I would say we talked
it out, but maybe we yelled it out a little.
I don't know either way. We both sides came to
the table and said, how we we all recognized that
this is an issue. How can we move forward? And
we came up with what Director Ferguson calls the compromise plan.
(16:44):
And it's been working out well. It's it's still early
in the process. We're going to make sure we're watching
those numbers as we as we get through you know,
quarter four, quarter three. But so far, so good. It
looks like we're trending in the right direction. And I
think I told you on the phone yesterday our previous
(17:04):
city manager, city Manager Hawes, and I certainly did not
see eye to eye on a lot of issues, but
I think that helping us get the pension situation figured
out is the best thing he did for the city.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I agree with you. I agree that was very, very important.
Now let's see we're getting close on time, Danielle. I
noticed this morning when I was coming to work that
the pouring concrete downtown looks like they're getting in some
curb ramps and one of the key parking lots in
the area is still out of commission.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
But that won't be much longer.
Speaker 7 (17:41):
Yeah, that parking lot at the corner of Spruce and
Pleasant has been the thorn in the side all summer, right,
it was supposed to be done in early August, but
it does look like it's moving in the right direction,
hopefully by the end of this month. Fingers crossed. I
think I maybe told you that, you know, last month,
But as you said, there is concrete going down now,
(18:03):
so definitely nearing the end of that project. That's a
key parking lot downtown that's been hard to deal with
being down all summer.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
And just from the point of view of an unprofessional
when it comes to construction and things like that, I
gotta say and I think you noticed it as well
that I was shocked over the summer when I noticed
that right down the street from the apothecary and over
there on the other street corner you've got the Iron Horse,
(18:33):
and then in between there's a three foot trench about
sixty feet long with no markings.
Speaker 7 (18:39):
Yeah, Deligate Hanson and brought that to my attention, and
I brought it to the city's attention, and we got
some temporary fencing up and some signage to make sure
that there was no security issues.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
And that is a very good thing, all right, Danielle,
if you don't mind, give us a recap on the
event last Sunday, the Tribute concert down on the on
Decker's Creek.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
It was a great event. We had the bubble machine going,
the bands were playing, we had a couple of food
and art vendors. All in all, I think there were
more than three hundred people there. It was a great event.
I mean, I'm a little biased. I helped to organize,
along with Counselor Downs and the band and some other people.
(19:27):
But I saw a lot of chatter on social media
that said, this was the best day I've had in Morgantown.
In a long time, so it's always great to see
the community come together for events like that.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Absolutely perfect.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Okay, well, Danielle, I definitely appreciate your time today.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Thank you, absolutely thanks for having me again.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
You bet.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Let's see fifty nine degrees and fair skies in Morgantown.
Got a Metro news update of course, between the State
Board of Education, the WVSSACWVU, string them all together and
then throw in some plane crashes and things here.
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Lookouse Thursday morning. It is nine thirty four Wednesday. On
the program, we had Joe Statler on. Of course, education
has been a hot topic here in the state over
the last few days. But well, one of the things
that Joe brought up was the fact that over in
Wetzel County there have been some high schools that have closed.
And also on the other side of the equation, on
(20:40):
the sports side of the equation, it would appear to
me that Clay Battel has been the beneficiary of maybe some.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Of these available students.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
We've got the voice of the CBS, Ethan Collins with us.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Good morning, how are.
Speaker 8 (20:57):
You, Good morning, Good morning, Mike, how are you.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I'm doing good. It's a pleasure to have you on board. Ethan,
I guess give us your thoughts on my statement.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
I think it's a fair statement.
Speaker 9 (21:08):
But at the same time, I think a lot of
schools have benefited over consolidations over the past few years.
I think the CBS are benefiting from it this year
because a lot of the upper classmen of one hundred
kids and we have I say we being the Cleavateel CBS,
(21:29):
they have about three or four kids that were starters
on one hundred roster last year. Last year that are
playing on the team this year. You've got two of
the Huggins boys with Jacks Huggins and Trey Huggins. You
have Colt Sandy and you also have Tyler Sleeth as well.
But those guys are I would say, definitely key contributors
(21:54):
on the CBS roster. But at the same time, what
we've seen is the upper classmen have gone to Clay Batel,
the underclassmen that were at one hundred have gone to
Valley Wetzel and Coach Lapo has been very open and
talking about this. You know, he said, we've benefited from
having one hundred clothes. But at the same time, we
(22:16):
hate seeing it happen, and we do hate seeing it
happen because that was a very good rival between those
two squads, and it was a friendly rival. I feel
like most of those kids, amongst themselves, were fans, but
certainly the CEBs had benefited from it.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
It's got to be bittersweet for those team members that
are now CBS. But the fact remains is that the
CBS are now ranked fourth.
Speaker 8 (22:43):
The CBS are actually ranked eighth.
Speaker 9 (22:45):
Okay, they're playing the number fourteen, actually number five ranked
team in Single A this week in meadow Bridge.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Nevertheless, they're a top ten team. They didn't get anywhere
near there last year.
Speaker 9 (22:58):
They were one of the first two out in the
Single A playoffs last year. Now, once again, this being
the first year of four classifications, so being not in
those top sixteen squads, but at the same time, you
were under a first year head coach. You had a
lot of underclassmen getting playing time. We had a starting
running back that was a freshman. We had a starting
(23:19):
quarterback who wasn't there to start the season. He came
in as a sophomore. Now he's a junior getting his
first snaps completely. And then you have a wide receiver
who transitioned from quarterback last year to wide receiver and
now he's your leading receiver. And Brandon Ponds are off.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
And it sounds like from what you've said off the
air that this contest coming up on Friday night could
be one of the biggest tests of the season.
Speaker 9 (23:44):
It's a statement game in my opinion, if you want
to make the playoffs. I think the goal coming into
this season, me and my color commentator Chance Collins talked
about this. We felt like the goal coming into this
season was as the CB should be a top eight
seed and that's enough to host at least one first
round playoff game. If they can get there, I think
(24:04):
you can say that that's a successful season.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Okay, Ethan Collins, Chance Collins at a family affair.
Speaker 8 (24:11):
Yes, we're cousins, really, first cousins.
Speaker 9 (24:14):
Bit of an age gap. Dad's the youngest of four.
His dad's the oldest of four, So there's a bit
of an age gap there. As a matter of fact,
I'm twenty seven. The first cousin in my family that
I have the closest in age two is forty two. Okay,
so there's a bit of an age gap there.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
But Chances. I didn't know that.
Speaker 9 (24:35):
Yeah, Chance is a really good evaluating offensive lineman. I
consider myself the specialist, you know, kind of the weapons guy,
and he's really good at looking at the big uglies
down in the trenches and whatnot. But Saint Mary's grad,
I'm a Williamstown grad, so there's a little bit of
a bickering rivalry amongst the family there too, So it's.
Speaker 8 (24:56):
Been a lot of fun.
Speaker 9 (24:57):
It's been a lot of fun seeing him grow as
a guy who really started out just by coming into this,
by me asking him to, and seeing him grow as
a color commentator as well as being able to flourish
and kind of do what I want to do with
this Claytel CB side.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Okay, now Ethan on the way out, give us your
prediction for this weekend please, Oh gosh.
Speaker 9 (25:20):
You're putting me on the spot here. Well, first of all,
I want to reiterate this. The Clavetel CBS game on
Friday night is free admission to anyone, So it's one
of the partners in education. So if you want to
come out and watch a free high school game, come
out to Blacksville and come out and watch the CBS
(25:41):
play against the number five team in single a. Meadow
Bridge looking at them on film, meadow Bridge speaking, I
was pleasantly surprised at how much I feel like we
have an advantage over this team.
Speaker 8 (25:54):
I feel like they're better.
Speaker 9 (25:56):
I was sitting there saying, I think we could put
up it'd be like a thirty five twenty eight contest
in the favor of the CBS. But after watching film,
I'm confident in saying I think the CBS are gonna
win forty two to fourteen.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Really.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Okay, Well, you heard it here first, And of course
Ethan and Chance will have the call this weekend, this Friday.
Speaker 8 (26:18):
This Friday, seven o'clock.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
Our pregame will probably start at about five point thirty,
so be sure to tune in on WAJR dot com.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Blacksville is a beautiful place to watch a football game.
Speaker 9 (26:29):
Absolutely fog rolls in, get the floodlights on.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
There you go.
Speaker 8 (26:34):
Nothing better.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Hey, Ethan, thank you for your time, sir.
Speaker 8 (26:37):
Not a problem.
Speaker 9 (26:38):
Happy to come on and get on the mic instead
of just answering phones.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Absolutely, producer Ethan doing double duty today.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
It will not be reflected in your paycheck. Yeah that's okay, Okay, fairs.
Guy's fifty nine degrees.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
We'll be back to talk recovery for recycling, Recycling for recovery.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
We'll have very Bledsoe sort that out.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
That's coming up next on Top of the Town AM
fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJR.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
Talk of the.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Town OKOD Thursday Morning Idiots nine forty five fair skies
and fifty nine A. Metro Newsaki Weather says today expect
mostly sunny skies and high neer eighty degrees. A few
weeks ago I heard talk about recycling for Recovery. I
heard Barry Bledsoe on Metro News midday and decided to
(27:48):
give Barry a call and tell us about this program,
how it works and what you can accomplish through it.
Good morning, Barry, How are you?
Speaker 10 (27:57):
Good morning?
Speaker 2 (27:58):
How are you hey?
Speaker 3 (27:58):
I'm doing good. Thank you very much much. Recycling for Recovery?
Where did that come from?
Speaker 10 (28:04):
Barry so We initially started it. Our company has four
locations in West Virginia. We've got three rivers Iron in
Fairmont and Elkins, Metal Recycling in Elkins, actually metal Recycling
near Parkersburg and Charleston Metal Recycling in Charleston, and the
idea at first came out of our Charleston location. It's
(28:24):
a very large facility, and we have people in our
company who have been touched by addiction, not necessarily that
they were addicted, they've got family members and they know
people that were addicted. And in a couple of our locations,
we've got people that have a heart for that issue
and they just decided to do an event called Recycle
(28:47):
for Recovery. What we did was we took a Saturday.
We did it once last year on a small scale.
We ramped it up this year to make it a
bigger event. And on that Saturday we had food vendors
and fire trucks and police officers and local recovery organizations
came in, set up tables and anybody that came in
(29:09):
that day they had an opportunity to learn about the issue.
But they could also say, hey, you know what, we've
got these cans from recycling. And normally they would get
the money and they'd get to go out with it,
but they could say that day, Hey, I want to
donate this to Recycle for Recovery, and then that money
this year We've partnered with an organization called Hope for All,
(29:30):
which operates a sobriety So we're living home for women
who are trying to get back on the right path
and get their family life back in order, maybe get
a job and get some kind of a good future.
So they got the money this year. Next year we'll
go pick another one. But the other thing that we
do is every day of the year at all of
(29:52):
our locations, any day you can come in and say, hey,
you know what I want to donate to Recycle for Recovery,
and that money goes to h location, to a local
recovery entity, and we do that for a lot of play.
We do it for the Boy Scouts and Senior Citizens Group.
You know, any nonprofit can do it, but that's our
big push is the Recycle for Recovery to help get
(30:14):
awareness out and raise funding for these organizations.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Talking with Barry bled So about recycling for Recovery now
tell us about the I guess the larger component of
the appliance recycling and things like that.
Speaker 10 (30:31):
So it's any metal we recycle. Any metals we do
aluminum and copper and brass and car batteries and any
steel item so for example, if you buy a new
washer and dryer, you need a place to give it
the old one. Don't take it to the landfill. They'll
charge you to get rid of it. We'll actually pay
for it and you can bring it in there. But
you can also say, hey, I want to donate this
(30:52):
to recycle for Recovery. We have signs up in our
locations that, you know, say recycle for Recovery to kind
of give people so it catches their eye and brings
it to their minds.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
And I think that the preponderance of people that go
out and buy that new washer that they would really
just assume, close their eyes and have the old one gone.
Speaker 10 (31:12):
Oh yeah, they need to get rid of if they're
not going to leave it around the house. So they've
got to get rid of it, and bringing it to
us is a good way to either hawk at the
money or do any of it to a good costs.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
There you go, Now, how can we get in touch
with you, Barry?
Speaker 10 (31:25):
You know, all of our locations are online. You can
google the names of the locations if you would. You
just google scrab By or recycling in Fairmont, or in
Parkersburg or Elkins or Charleston. Our names will come up,
or you can call our Fairmont location which is three
six six eight zero zero nine and ask you a
question that'll give you any information you want.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Okay, perfect, Barry bled so Recycling for Recovery. I really
do appreciate your time here this morning, and and the
work that you're doing to try to be again a
multiplier in this fight against addiction and to help people
recovery into recovery is certainly inspiring.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Really do appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Okay, absolutely, Barry Bledsoe, thank you very much, sir, Recycling
for Recovery. It's amazing that over a two year period
that they've been able to build.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
That into what it is, and now.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
It's certainly a great benefit with four locations throughout the
state and opportunities for you to be able to get
rid of a washer, dryer, maybe a refrigerator and help
a sober living home or any other facility that is
working to help those in recovery throughout the region. The
(32:47):
investigation into that small plane crash does continue. We've spoke
with Mont County Sheriff Todd Forbes earlier today. Now that
has been taken over by the fa A and thank
goodness no injuries reported there. West Virginia five one one
reports an incident free interstate system at this hour, and
(33:12):
we'll be back to wrap things up.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Do the handoff.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
The Metro News talk line coming up right after this
on AM fourteen forty f m one oh four point
five W A.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Jr.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
This is the talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
A good Thursday morning.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
It is nine fifty five on Wednesday, the Governor's twenty
twenty five Conference for Tourism wrapped up on the Morgantown waterfront,
and it was also the day that the twenty twenty
five Almost Have an Achievement Award winners were announced in
our very own Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau
(34:11):
picked up a few awards, three to be exact, under
the Marketing and Communications Excellence category. Mountaineer Country CVB picked
up the Digital Innovation Award, and also under the Tourism
Industry Honors category, Visit Mountaineer Country picked up the Future
(34:33):
of Tourism Award, and also in that same category, Visit
Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau picked up the Mountain
State Tourism Development Award.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Now you know what we've.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Seen, if everything from Leave No Trace, which is now
a statewide program that started right out here at the
Visit Mountaineer Country Convention in Visitors Bureau, that's now a
statewide thing.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
You can take a look at the way that maybe the.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
President and CEO Susan Riddle has looked at the trails
as well as rivers and waterways as being economic development
hubs in terms of drawing people that like to use
the trails. Of course, we learned that during the pandemic
when everything was closed down except the outdoors and people
(35:30):
flock to West Virginia to take advantage of the trails
and the parks and the natural beauty and seeing that
flock of people coming into those facilities, then we have
now started and in the city of Fairmont even we've
had city Manager Travis Blosser on the program and talking
(35:52):
about his efforts to cinch up and to close fill
all the gaps of the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh and they're
certainly doing that. They've got there down to about four
and a half miles that they're working on and they're
certainly inching closer and closer to closing that gap in
the city of Fairmont and here in the city of
(36:14):
Morgantown or Man County rather, I think the biggest problem
for the Mont River Trails Conservancy this year has been
dealing with the weekly bouts of torrential rain that have
caused the washouts and the need for the cleanups that
various areas along the rail trail. But thank goodness, there's
(36:34):
been a lot of great volunteers and a lot of
organizations that have been able to step up and donate
their time and their efforts in order to keep those
trails clear. And congratulations to visit Mountaineer Country. You know,
one of the things I think when I came here,
the economic impact of tourism was around six or seven billion.
(36:56):
We learned this week that number is now up to
a nine billion. You know, I don't have a clear
memory of how many people were employed in the tourism industry,
but they just released this week that up to sixty
thousand people statewide have a job related to tourism. And
(37:17):
that's just a that's an amazing number if you ask me.
But if you take a look around and we heard
the Governor say it this week here in the city
of Morgantown, that you know, once people get here and
see the beauty and they kind of get to know
the people and what's available here, all of a sudden
they want to become West Virginians, and they're certainly working
to play that hand out to its fullest. Fair in
(37:40):
fifty nine, Make it a great Thursday Metro News talk Line.
Next on the Voice of Morgantown, W. A.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Jr.
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Klucksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two fivey five. Now Here is your host for the
Talk of the Town, Mike Nolting.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, good Thursday morning.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
It is nine oh seven, fair skies and fifty nine
degrees in the University City.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Welcome to Talk of the Town.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
This is ground zero for what is important to you
and your family, and we're gonna talk about it over
the next hour. I'm Mike Nolting and I'm on X
as your news guy. You can look me up there.
Ethan Collins is our producer. He's at eight hundred seven
six five eight two five five. And of course the
tip line it's always at the ready for you. That
(00:58):
number three oh four Talk three four. Wednesday was a
very busy day for the Montaguelia County Sheriff's Department. We'll
welcome Todd Forbes talk to the sheriff exactly and break
down all three major incidents that took place yesterday. We
also had Morgantown Mayor Danielle Trumbull coming in and we're
going to talk about the ongoing struggle to locate a
(01:21):
warming shelter in the community, talk a little bit about
police and fire pensions, and Morgantown community resources. Of course,
they are the operators of Hazel's House of Hope. We'll
wrap the show up with Berry Bloodsoe Barry is going
to be talking about recycling for Recovery. This is a
(01:42):
very unique program that will help you dispose of large
appliances that you know, maybe you didn't know what you
were going to do with up to this point. Let's
take a look at a couple of headlines and then
we'll get down to business. Well, Wednesday started with a
crash at the I sixty eight to seventy nine split
now that slowed traffic for most of the morning commute.
(02:03):
Then at about twelve thirty, investigators from the Mont County
Sheriff's Department investigating a working lockdown within the Mont County Schools.
A gentleman running around town making random threats to no
specific building or no specific person, but let alone. They
were directed at Mont County Schools. Then, at just about
(02:28):
two forty four, a small aircraft went down south of
cor All of those incidents investigated by the Mont County
Sheriff's Department in the course of just about, oh, maybe
eight nine hours. We'll talk to the sheriff coming up
in just a moment, and we'll get some more details
on exactly what happened there. Now, plans for the Morgantown
(02:51):
Warming Shelter they're moving forward, and Hazel's House of Hope
keeps coming back up to the top of the stack
as the most likely for that to be held. Now,
we're going to be talking with Mayor Daniel Trumpell in
just a little bit and we'll get the very latest
on that particular situation. A state school Board President Paul
(03:12):
Hardesty says state lawmakers have seemingly favored multiple options rather
than public schools in recent years. He believes the public
schools have suffered due to investments into the Hope Scholarship,
charter schools, and homeschooling, plus a school funding formula that
needs to be updated. Of course, that is a hot
(03:35):
topic of debate. Hardesty made those comments during yesterday's state
school board meeting. Mont County Delegate Joe Statler, he's the
vice chair of the House Education Committee, had him on
Wednesday morning. Joe says, Hey, you know what, I'm willing
to talk about number one Hope Scholarship, other competition. He's
(03:55):
willing to talk about the school funding formula and actually
had some good input when it comes to that relationship
or lack thereof between public schools and their competitors. I
think that Statler would like to see more exit interviews
with families that leave the public school system, and you'd
also like to see maybe a more pure competition rather
(04:19):
than finger pointing between the two. State revenue collections have
headed into the second quarter of the fiscal year with
a sixty one million dollar collection surplus. Revenue Secretary Eric
Nelson says it's modest surplus. Let alone, it is a surplus,
and there was a surplus in personal income tax collections,
(04:41):
with which I guess we all know that over the
last two years, as there's been just about a twenty
eight percent cut in the personal income tax, yet still
a revenue surplus in that category coming through the second
quarter of this year. Let's take a break and when
(05:01):
we come back, we'll welcome Mont County Sheriff Todd Forbes
to the program, and we're also going to work in
Mayor Danielle Trumbull.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Got those two coming up next.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
This is Talk of the Town on AM fourteen forty
FM one oh four point five W A j R.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
This is the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
A good Thursday morning.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
It is a nine to fifteen fair skies in the
University City in Metro Newsaki Weather says could see a
plenty of sunshine and a high near eighty degrees today,
so it looks like a great day. We've got Mont
County Sheriff Todd Forbes online with us.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Good morning, Sheriff, how are you.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
Good morning, Mike great, how were you?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
I'm doing good. Thank you very much. Appreciate your time today, well, Sheriff.
It all started for you out at the I sixty
eight seventy nine split and really didn't let up till
probably about six o'clock last night.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Yeah, it's just a normal day for us, really, Dave
or Mike. I'm sorry though, it's just a more in
perpetual state of crisis here. It's the norm.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Well, I guess take us back. Let's start out there
to split. What what what can you tell us about
that Todd I have I.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
Have limited information on that. Actually, I know that there
was an attractive trailer that ran into the Jersey barrier and
it became disabled and it kind of just blocked the
roadway for an extended amount of time. They finally did
get that cleaned up and got it open back up
as best they could.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Okay, we got mon County Sheriff Todd Forbes with us.
Then at about twelve thirty in the afternoon, things really
got interesting, didn't they.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Well, yeah, again, that's uh, that's we deal with these
kind of calls on a on a regular basis. We
got the report that a little earlier than that maybe
that there was an individual making some threats against some
other citizens in the county, you know, planning to do
some harm to some folks. And I want to make
clear I think somebody told me this morning that we
(07:17):
heard some reports on the radio this morning that there
were some students or some schools that may have been targeted.
That is absolutely incorrect. We've we've made clear in our
release yesterday that there were no students or schools or
staff members uh at any kind that were that were targets.
There were some specific targets from this individual. We then
(07:38):
called our school guys and just basically put them on
a silver alert, which means be more focused on any
outside you know, people around the school. Just heighten their awareness,
is all. We basically did ask them to maybe bring
the kids in off the playground just in case, but
until we could investigate this individual and and and assess
(08:00):
the situation a little bit better. They did that. A
short time later, we were able to encounter the individual
who was making these threats and detain them and take
them into custody without incident. That investigation continues. That individual's
name was Austin Hall. He was arrested on one count
(08:22):
of making terroristic threats and the investigation continues into some
other things that may have been associated with that. And again,
none of this had anything to do with any of
the schools or any staff.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
When the students any idea of why he picked Wednesday,
October the first to threaten people.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Well, you know, I think I probably don't have the
proper degrees to make those assessments. That problem. I can't
assess what people are thinking. My job would be a
lot easier if I could figure out what people were thinking.
But no, I think it was just a random day
and then he maybe hit his limit of whatever set
him off, and that's what got us started.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Okay, a right good deal.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Then let's see two forty four in the afternoon, you
got a call that you don't get very often.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Yeah, it was initially dispatched I think as maybe a
plane crash or that a plane had gone down. We
sent some deputies out that way along with there was
some other emergency cruiser were dispatched out, and what we
found when we got there was an airplane that hadn't crashed,
(09:28):
but in fact had laid it in the field because
of some mechanical issues. The pilot did a pretty good
job of getting the aircraft to the ground, didn't cause
any injuries, didn't cause any property damage. So we were
blessed to get through that day without anybody even being
hurt as far as those couple of incidents goes.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
So I guess it's pretty skillful to be able to
find enough flat land to bring an aircraft down in
that area, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Yeah, Well, there's a lot of fields out that way,
you know, in the western farid of Montague County, but
there's not very many that are flat enough, I guess
the challenge and then certainly this this pilot did a
pretty good job of finding that area and getting the
aircraft down safely.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
A single engine aircraft.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Yeah, it looked like I'm not an expert on airplanes
at all. It looked like a little sessoner or something
of that size.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Okay, all right, good deal. Well, hey, Sheriff, great job yesterday.
And maybe it was a normal day for you, and
your name just kind of popped up on my desk
a little more often than normal.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Well, yeah, again, I don't want you to hear from
me at all unless it's something good, so like that.
I don't like talking to you, Mike, but I'd rather
it be in good circumstances.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Absolutely, I got your, Sheriff. I'm with you too. Really.
Do appreciate your time, sir, and keep up the great work.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Thank you, Yes, sir, you take care and have a
great day.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
In studio, we do have the mayor of Morgantown, Mayor
Danielle Trumple.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Hey, good morning, Mayor, how are you.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
Good morning? Kudos to the Sheriff's department here.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
I was thinking my Wednesday was busy, but man, they've had,
they had a day.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Well, I was gonna ask you, you know you think
you can top that.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
I certainly cannot. Not this week.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Well good, we wouldn't want you to.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Hey, I'll tell you what mayor why don't we start
with warming shelter because you know that's been a topic
over the last few weeks. A lot of people have
been talking about the Hazel's House of Hope was on
and off. Maybe it's on again, but I guess what's
the latest.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
That's about as much information as I have.
Speaker 7 (11:31):
I sit on the MCR board that oversees Hazel's House
of Hope, and there were some emails going back and
forth yesterday that was kind of a recap of Tuesday
night's meeting and trying to set a special meeting after
we can get those the staffing plans and the rules
and regulations things like that that the MCR president said
(11:51):
he wanted to see before we made a final decision.
So we're waiting on those setting a special meeting. But
yesterday it represented of Catholic charities and both city managers,
and I did tour that West Run facility to continue
down that path as well, in case that's still needed.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Okay, now you say continuing down that path, I guess
is it kind of an evaluation in inventory of the facility.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
That facility had some damage, minor interior damage like a
water leak, things like that. So they're in the process
of renovating some of that now that the Coalition is
there instead of Bartlett House, So there is some ongoing work.
It's my understanding there were going to be people there
full time today making sure that that gets done. Just
(12:39):
a couple more rooms that needed some flooring replaced in
things like that.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Now, up on Hazel's House of Hope, they brought in
some private security. Been some concerns about safety. What's the
latest there.
Speaker 7 (12:53):
We still have the Silver Eagle security team on site there.
They've been doing a great job. They're very respectful to
the client, and they work very closely with all of
the agencies there. It's been a good addition to the campus.
I don't know how long that it will be there
twenty four hours a day they have they indicated and
I think we talked about this before. Maybe they said
(13:15):
when they came in they would have considered the security
level maybe at like an eight or a nine, and
after a couple of weeks they thought it was down
to a three or a four. So in to the
best of my knowledge, that's kind of still where we
are a couple of people here and there kind of
causing some issues and getting escorts, but other than that,
(13:37):
I think it's been relatively quiet. We look forward to
the talks to see how the city can best help
them ensure that that space is available, whether this year
or in the future going forward for the warming shelter
in the homeless shelter.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Give us an idea of the planning process for the
shelter this year. In past years that's involved the county
and other organizations, entities and even some private individuals have
been involved in the past.
Speaker 7 (14:10):
This year, we thought we were way ahead of the
game during the budgeting process. I think last December we
received the proposal from Catholic Charities saying, hey, we're willing
and able if you can provide the funding, and the
city and the county provided the funding. So really the
operations is kind of up to Catholic Charities and their
(14:32):
director Mark Phillips or CEO and president. Mark Phillips has
been working closely with us making sure that that they're
meeting the expectations or that they have the ability to
do this regardless of sight. And I said to the
city manager yesterday, I said, I don't think we're giving
them enough credit. They're the ones that are ultimately going
(14:57):
to be responsible for this, so really they have the
final say in what they feel they are able to do,
whether that's at the Western Facility or at H three.
We kind of we need to make sure that they
are the loudest voice in that. It's really hard for
us to tell them what they have to do and
(15:17):
where when they're ultimately going to be the ones running
it in responsible.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Gotcha.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Hey, you know Mayor Danielle Trumbull, Mayor Morgantown is with us.
And you know, Danielle, just about a year ago, I
remember being in the in the I believe it was
the basement of City Hall at a fire and police
pension meeting, and I.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Think you were there too.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
I certainly was, yes, And you know that meeting was
a little bit contentious and there were a lot of
concerns about the police and fire pensions.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
But as you and I sit.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Here today, those feelings, those contentious feelings are they're gone
and we're doing much better give us an update.
Speaker 7 (15:57):
As with most things, when that was initially brought, we
hit the city had known it was an issue for
you know, years coming to that point. And as again
as with most things, the city had one idea and
the civil service employees had a different idea, and both
were very steadfast in that. But after that kind of
initial little hullabluo died down. When the when the city
(16:20):
manager at the time presented his plan, we were able
to get into a room. I would say we talked
it out, but maybe we yelled it out a little.
I don't know either way. We both sides came to
the table and said, how we we all recognized that
this is an issue. How can we move forward? And
we came up with what Director Ferguson calls the compromise plan.
(16:44):
And it's been working out well. It's it's still early
in the process. We're going to make sure we're watching
those numbers as we as we get through you know,
quarter four, quarter three. But so far, so good. It
looks like we're trending in the right direction. And I
think I told you on the phone yesterday our previous
(17:04):
city manager, city Manager Hawes, and I certainly did not
see eye to eye on a lot of issues, but
I think that helping us get the pension situation figured
out is the best thing he did for the city.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I agree with you. I agree that was very, very important.
Now let's see we're getting close on time, Danielle. I
noticed this morning when I was coming to work that
the pouring concrete downtown looks like they're getting in some
curb ramps and one of the key parking lots in
the area is still out of commission.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
But that won't be much longer.
Speaker 7 (17:41):
Yeah, that parking lot at the corner of Spruce and
Pleasant has been the thorn in the side all summer, right,
it was supposed to be done in early August, but
it does look like it's moving in the right direction,
hopefully by the end of this month. Fingers crossed. I
think I maybe told you that, you know, last month,
But as you said, there is concrete going down now,
(18:03):
so definitely nearing the end of that project. That's a
key parking lot downtown that's been hard to deal with
being down all summer.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
And just from the point of view of an unprofessional
when it comes to construction and things like that, I
gotta say and I think you noticed it as well
that I was shocked over the summer when I noticed
that right down the street from the apothecary and over
there on the other street corner you've got the Iron Horse,
(18:33):
and then in between there's a three foot trench about
sixty feet long with no markings.
Speaker 7 (18:39):
Yeah, Deligate Hanson and brought that to my attention, and
I brought it to the city's attention, and we got
some temporary fencing up and some signage to make sure
that there was no security issues.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
And that is a very good thing, all right, Danielle,
if you don't mind, give us a recap on the
event last Sunday, the Tribute concert down on the on
Decker's Creek.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
It was a great event. We had the bubble machine going,
the bands were playing, we had a couple of food
and art vendors. All in all, I think there were
more than three hundred people there. It was a great event.
I mean, I'm a little biased. I helped to organize,
along with Counselor Downs and the band and some other people.
(19:27):
But I saw a lot of chatter on social media
that said, this was the best day I've had in Morgantown.
In a long time, so it's always great to see
the community come together for events like that.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Absolutely perfect.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Okay, well, Danielle, I definitely appreciate your time today.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Thank you, absolutely thanks for having me again.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
You bet.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Let's see fifty nine degrees and fair skies in Morgantown.
Got a Metro news update of course, between the State
Board of Education, the WVSSACWVU, string them all together and
then throw in some plane crashes and things here.
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Lookouse Thursday morning. It is nine thirty four Wednesday. On
the program, we had Joe Statler on. Of course, education
has been a hot topic here in the state over
the last few days. But well, one of the things
that Joe brought up was the fact that over in
Wetzel County there have been some high schools that have closed.
And also on the other side of the equation, on
(20:40):
the sports side of the equation, it would appear to
me that Clay Battel has been the beneficiary of maybe some.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Of these available students.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
We've got the voice of the CBS, Ethan Collins with us.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Good morning, how are.
Speaker 8 (20:57):
You, Good morning, Good morning, Mike, how are you.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I'm doing good. It's a pleasure to have you on board. Ethan,
I guess give us your thoughts on my statement.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
I think it's a fair statement.
Speaker 9 (21:08):
But at the same time, I think a lot of
schools have benefited over consolidations over the past few years.
I think the CBS are benefiting from it this year
because a lot of the upper classmen of one hundred
kids and we have I say we being the Cleavateel CBS,
(21:29):
they have about three or four kids that were starters
on one hundred roster last year. Last year that are
playing on the team this year. You've got two of
the Huggins boys with Jacks Huggins and Trey Huggins. You
have Colt Sandy and you also have Tyler Sleeth as well.
But those guys are I would say, definitely key contributors
(21:54):
on the CBS roster. But at the same time, what
we've seen is the upper classmen have gone to Clay Batel,
the underclassmen that were at one hundred have gone to
Valley Wetzel and Coach Lapo has been very open and
talking about this. You know, he said, we've benefited from
having one hundred clothes. But at the same time, we
(22:16):
hate seeing it happen, and we do hate seeing it
happen because that was a very good rival between those
two squads, and it was a friendly rival. I feel
like most of those kids, amongst themselves, were fans, but
certainly the CEBs had benefited from it.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
It's got to be bittersweet for those team members that
are now CBS. But the fact remains is that the
CBS are now ranked fourth.
Speaker 8 (22:43):
The CBS are actually ranked eighth.
Speaker 9 (22:45):
Okay, they're playing the number fourteen, actually number five ranked
team in Single A this week in meadow Bridge.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Nevertheless, they're a top ten team. They didn't get anywhere
near there last year.
Speaker 9 (22:58):
They were one of the first two out in the
Single A playoffs last year. Now, once again, this being
the first year of four classifications, so being not in
those top sixteen squads, but at the same time, you
were under a first year head coach. You had a
lot of underclassmen getting playing time. We had a starting
running back that was a freshman. We had a starting
(23:19):
quarterback who wasn't there to start the season. He came
in as a sophomore. Now he's a junior getting his
first snaps completely. And then you have a wide receiver
who transitioned from quarterback last year to wide receiver and
now he's your leading receiver. And Brandon Ponds are off.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
And it sounds like from what you've said off the
air that this contest coming up on Friday night could
be one of the biggest tests of the season.
Speaker 9 (23:44):
It's a statement game in my opinion, if you want
to make the playoffs. I think the goal coming into
this season, me and my color commentator Chance Collins talked
about this. We felt like the goal coming into this
season was as the CB should be a top eight
seed and that's enough to host at least one first
round playoff game. If they can get there, I think
(24:04):
you can say that that's a successful season.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Okay, Ethan Collins, Chance Collins at a family affair.
Speaker 8 (24:11):
Yes, we're cousins, really, first cousins.
Speaker 9 (24:14):
Bit of an age gap. Dad's the youngest of four.
His dad's the oldest of four, So there's a bit
of an age gap there. As a matter of fact,
I'm twenty seven. The first cousin in my family that
I have the closest in age two is forty two. Okay,
so there's a bit of an age gap there.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
But Chances. I didn't know that.
Speaker 9 (24:35):
Yeah, Chance is a really good evaluating offensive lineman. I
consider myself the specialist, you know, kind of the weapons guy,
and he's really good at looking at the big uglies
down in the trenches and whatnot. But Saint Mary's grad,
I'm a Williamstown grad, so there's a little bit of
a bickering rivalry amongst the family there too, So it's.
Speaker 8 (24:56):
Been a lot of fun.
Speaker 9 (24:57):
It's been a lot of fun seeing him grow as
a guy who really started out just by coming into this,
by me asking him to, and seeing him grow as
a color commentator as well as being able to flourish
and kind of do what I want to do with
this Claytel CB side.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Okay, now Ethan on the way out, give us your
prediction for this weekend please, Oh gosh.
Speaker 9 (25:20):
You're putting me on the spot here. Well, first of all,
I want to reiterate this. The Clavetel CBS game on
Friday night is free admission to anyone, So it's one
of the partners in education. So if you want to
come out and watch a free high school game, come
out to Blacksville and come out and watch the CBS
(25:41):
play against the number five team in single a. Meadow
Bridge looking at them on film, meadow Bridge speaking, I
was pleasantly surprised at how much I feel like we
have an advantage over this team.
Speaker 8 (25:54):
I feel like they're better.
Speaker 9 (25:56):
I was sitting there saying, I think we could put
up it'd be like a thirty five twenty eight contest
in the favor of the CBS. But after watching film,
I'm confident in saying I think the CBS are gonna
win forty two to fourteen.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Really.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Okay, Well, you heard it here first, And of course
Ethan and Chance will have the call this weekend, this Friday.
Speaker 8 (26:18):
This Friday, seven o'clock.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
Our pregame will probably start at about five point thirty,
so be sure to tune in on WAJR dot com.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Blacksville is a beautiful place to watch a football game.
Speaker 9 (26:29):
Absolutely fog rolls in, get the floodlights on.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
There you go.
Speaker 8 (26:34):
Nothing better.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Hey, Ethan, thank you for your time, sir.
Speaker 8 (26:37):
Not a problem.
Speaker 9 (26:38):
Happy to come on and get on the mic instead
of just answering phones.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Absolutely, producer Ethan doing double duty today.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
It will not be reflected in your paycheck. Yeah that's okay, Okay, fairs.
Guy's fifty nine degrees.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
We'll be back to talk recovery for recycling, Recycling for recovery.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
We'll have very Bledsoe sort that out.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
That's coming up next on Top of the Town AM
fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJR.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
Talk of the.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Town OKOD Thursday Morning Idiots nine forty five fair skies
and fifty nine A. Metro Newsaki Weather says today expect
mostly sunny skies and high neer eighty degrees. A few
weeks ago I heard talk about recycling for Recovery. I
heard Barry Bledsoe on Metro News midday and decided to
(27:48):
give Barry a call and tell us about this program,
how it works and what you can accomplish through it.
Good morning, Barry, How are you?
Speaker 10 (27:57):
Good morning?
Speaker 2 (27:58):
How are you hey?
Speaker 3 (27:58):
I'm doing good. Thank you very much much. Recycling for Recovery?
Where did that come from?
Speaker 10 (28:04):
Barry so We initially started it. Our company has four
locations in West Virginia. We've got three rivers Iron in
Fairmont and Elkins, Metal Recycling in Elkins, actually metal Recycling
near Parkersburg and Charleston Metal Recycling in Charleston, and the
idea at first came out of our Charleston location. It's
(28:24):
a very large facility, and we have people in our
company who have been touched by addiction, not necessarily that
they were addicted, they've got family members and they know
people that were addicted. And in a couple of our locations,
we've got people that have a heart for that issue
and they just decided to do an event called Recycle
(28:47):
for Recovery. What we did was we took a Saturday.
We did it once last year on a small scale.
We ramped it up this year to make it a
bigger event. And on that Saturday we had food vendors
and fire trucks and police officers and local recovery organizations
came in, set up tables and anybody that came in
(29:09):
that day they had an opportunity to learn about the issue.
But they could also say, hey, you know what, we've
got these cans from recycling. And normally they would get
the money and they'd get to go out with it,
but they could say that day, Hey, I want to
donate this to Recycle for Recovery, and then that money
this year We've partnered with an organization called Hope for All,
(29:30):
which operates a sobriety So we're living home for women
who are trying to get back on the right path
and get their family life back in order, maybe get
a job and get some kind of a good future.
So they got the money this year. Next year we'll
go pick another one. But the other thing that we
do is every day of the year at all of
(29:52):
our locations, any day you can come in and say, hey,
you know what I want to donate to Recycle for Recovery,
and that money goes to h location, to a local
recovery entity, and we do that for a lot of play.
We do it for the Boy Scouts and Senior Citizens Group.
You know, any nonprofit can do it, but that's our
big push is the Recycle for Recovery to help get
(30:14):
awareness out and raise funding for these organizations.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Talking with Barry bled So about recycling for Recovery now
tell us about the I guess the larger component of
the appliance recycling and things like that.
Speaker 10 (30:31):
So it's any metal we recycle. Any metals we do
aluminum and copper and brass and car batteries and any
steel item so for example, if you buy a new
washer and dryer, you need a place to give it
the old one. Don't take it to the landfill. They'll
charge you to get rid of it. We'll actually pay
for it and you can bring it in there. But
you can also say, hey, I want to donate this
(30:52):
to recycle for Recovery. We have signs up in our
locations that, you know, say recycle for Recovery to kind
of give people so it catches their eye and brings
it to their minds.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
And I think that the preponderance of people that go
out and buy that new washer that they would really
just assume, close their eyes and have the old one gone.
Speaker 10 (31:12):
Oh yeah, they need to get rid of if they're
not going to leave it around the house. So they've
got to get rid of it, and bringing it to
us is a good way to either hawk at the
money or do any of it to a good costs.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
There you go, Now, how can we get in touch
with you, Barry?
Speaker 10 (31:25):
You know, all of our locations are online. You can
google the names of the locations if you would. You
just google scrab By or recycling in Fairmont, or in
Parkersburg or Elkins or Charleston. Our names will come up,
or you can call our Fairmont location which is three
six six eight zero zero nine and ask you a
question that'll give you any information you want.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Okay, perfect, Barry bled so Recycling for Recovery. I really
do appreciate your time here this morning, and and the
work that you're doing to try to be again a
multiplier in this fight against addiction and to help people
recovery into recovery is certainly inspiring.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Really do appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Okay, absolutely, Barry Bledsoe, thank you very much, sir, Recycling
for Recovery. It's amazing that over a two year period
that they've been able to build.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
That into what it is, and now.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
It's certainly a great benefit with four locations throughout the
state and opportunities for you to be able to get
rid of a washer, dryer, maybe a refrigerator and help
a sober living home or any other facility that is
working to help those in recovery throughout the region. The
(32:47):
investigation into that small plane crash does continue. We've spoke
with Mont County Sheriff Todd Forbes earlier today. Now that
has been taken over by the fa A and thank
goodness no injuries reported there. West Virginia five one one
reports an incident free interstate system at this hour, and
(33:12):
we'll be back to wrap things up.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Do the handoff.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
The Metro News talk line coming up right after this
on AM fourteen forty f m one oh four point
five W A.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Jr.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
This is the talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
A good Thursday morning.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
It is nine fifty five on Wednesday, the Governor's twenty
twenty five Conference for Tourism wrapped up on the Morgantown waterfront,
and it was also the day that the twenty twenty
five Almost Have an Achievement Award winners were announced in
our very own Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau
(34:11):
picked up a few awards, three to be exact, under
the Marketing and Communications Excellence category. Mountaineer Country CVB picked
up the Digital Innovation Award, and also under the Tourism
Industry Honors category, Visit Mountaineer Country picked up the Future
(34:33):
of Tourism Award, and also in that same category, Visit
Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau picked up the Mountain
State Tourism Development Award.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Now you know what we've.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Seen, if everything from Leave No Trace, which is now
a statewide program that started right out here at the
Visit Mountaineer Country Convention in Visitors Bureau, that's now a
statewide thing.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
You can take a look at the way that maybe the.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
President and CEO Susan Riddle has looked at the trails
as well as rivers and waterways as being economic development
hubs in terms of drawing people that like to use
the trails. Of course, we learned that during the pandemic
when everything was closed down except the outdoors and people
(35:30):
flock to West Virginia to take advantage of the trails
and the parks and the natural beauty and seeing that
flock of people coming into those facilities, then we have
now started and in the city of Fairmont even we've
had city Manager Travis Blosser on the program and talking
(35:52):
about his efforts to cinch up and to close fill
all the gaps of the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh and they're
certainly doing that. They've got there down to about four
and a half miles that they're working on and they're
certainly inching closer and closer to closing that gap in
the city of Fairmont and here in the city of
(36:14):
Morgantown or Man County rather, I think the biggest problem
for the Mont River Trails Conservancy this year has been
dealing with the weekly bouts of torrential rain that have
caused the washouts and the need for the cleanups that
various areas along the rail trail. But thank goodness, there's
(36:34):
been a lot of great volunteers and a lot of
organizations that have been able to step up and donate
their time and their efforts in order to keep those
trails clear. And congratulations to visit Mountaineer Country. You know,
one of the things I think when I came here,
the economic impact of tourism was around six or seven billion.
(36:56):
We learned this week that number is now up to
a nine billion. You know, I don't have a clear
memory of how many people were employed in the tourism industry,
but they just released this week that up to sixty
thousand people statewide have a job related to tourism. And
(37:17):
that's just a that's an amazing number if you ask me.
But if you take a look around and we heard
the Governor say it this week here in the city
of Morgantown, that you know, once people get here and
see the beauty and they kind of get to know
the people and what's available here, all of a sudden
they want to become West Virginians, and they're certainly working
to play that hand out to its fullest. Fair in
(37:40):
fifty nine, Make it a great Thursday Metro News talk Line.
Next on the Voice of Morgantown, W. A.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Jr.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com