September 15, 2025 • 37 mins
Delegate Geno Chiarelli, R, Monongalia, on comments made by fellow Delegate Anitra Hamilton on the assasination of Charlie Kirk
Thoughts on the Backyard Brawl
Nancy Walker on the Monongalia and Preston County United Way Spice of Life dinner on Thursday.
Thoughts on the Backyard Brawl
Nancy Walker on the Monongalia and Preston County United Way Spice of Life dinner on Thursday.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Kluksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two five five. Now Here is your host for the
Talk of the Town, Mike Notlting.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
A good Monday morning. It is nine oh six, just
few clouds, sixty five degrees in Morgantown. Good Monday morning,
and welcome to Talk of the Town, the program where
we focus on things important to you and your family.
Ethan Collins is our producer this morning. You'll be able
to get Ethan at eight hundred seven six five eight
(00:46):
two five five. Also got the text line three oh four,
talk that three oh four. That number again, three oh four,
talk three oh four. In the wake of the Charlie
Kirk assassination, thousands have lost their jobs or board positions
due to inappropriate and maybe insensitive or maybe just making
(01:09):
bad judgment on social media. Well coming up at nine
to fifteen, we're going to spend a few minutes with
Delegate Gino Shiarelli and we're going to talk about a
couple of issues. Actually there's one now. The mayor of
Wellsburg he is under fire for comments that he made
saying basically that Charlie Kirk deserved to be shot and killed. Also,
(01:33):
local Delegate Anetra Hamilton has also made similar comments via
social media. We have reached out to Delegate Hamilton but
have not heard back from her, but we'll continue to
do that. We'll speak with Delegate Chiarelli at nine fifteen
and get his thoughts on overall political discourse and just
(01:55):
exactly or maybe his estimation as to why these things
are happening. Coming up at nine point forty, we have
Nancy Walker. She's going to be talking about the Spice
of Life fundraiser coming up later this week, put on
by the mont Preston County United Way. Let's take a
look at a couple of headlines of the West Virginia
(02:17):
University Board of Governors is Committee to WVU Athletics Board
past resolution Friday, directing leadership to position the department in
the top funding TIRA among Big twelve schools. Of Board
Chair Rusty Hudson acknowledges that the Division one athletics landscape
is now also a game of money. That resolution directs
(02:39):
the athletic department to reach that goal by February of
next year and let's see. Chair Hudson will be a
guest on the Metro News talk line coming up at
eleven oh six with more details about that plan. The
West Virginia Congressional Delegation is relatively confident that the federal
government show down can be averted later this month. You
(03:03):
can read details about that story at wvmetronews dot com.
The deadline for individuals and businesses impacted by Father's Day
floods in Marion County. The deadline to sign up for
assistance is one week from today. Of the SBA and
FEMA relief centers in Fairmont, they'll be open through next Monday.
(03:26):
There's more at WAJR dot com, or you can go
to SBA dot gov. Over at Bowpark in Morgantown, searches
underway for their new executive director. Morgantown Mayor and Boupark
board member Danielle Trumble says there is significant interest in
(03:47):
the job. Inquiries about the position have been received from
across the country, and current director Melissa Wiles she'll step
down in December. There's also a seat open on the
BOWPARKO now. That board makes important decisions about recreation amenities
and the future of the park system. If you would
(04:07):
like to get more information about joining a board or
commission in the city of Morgantown, you can get that
by going to morgantownwv dot gov. A persistent drive weather
will continue this week, and certainly lots of folks are
pleased about that. Maybe maybe some others not so much.
(04:28):
But it will be pleasant, although maybe a little bit
warmer than normal. Highs in the mid to upper eighties.
I know, I was speaking with family out in the
Midwest over the weekend. Their temperatures are up into the
low to mid nineties. Coming back, we'll spend some time
(04:49):
with Delegate Genoshiarelli. Going to be talking about the wave
of comments regarding the Charlie Kirk assassination that occurred last week.
That's coming up next on Talk of the Town AM
fourteen forty FM one four point five waj R Town. Well,
(05:10):
good Monday morning, just a few clouds, sixty five degrees
in the University City metro NEWSAKI Weather says mostly sunny
today in a high near eighty degree so West Virginia
five one one does report an incident free interstate system
at this hour. However, there is a property damage accident
(05:31):
at fair Chance Road and Johnson Hollow Road. If you're
in that area, expect delays on the phone. We've got
delicate Gino Shiarelli with us. Good morning, Gino, how are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
You're well, Mike, good morning.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
It's a pleasure to have you here. Geno. Now, let's
see when we start to look at the events of
last week, there were a wide range of reactions to
the assassination of Charlie Kirk across the board. Now a
couple that are making the news, or some statements that
were made by a delegate Antra Hamilton, also from Montaguelia County,
(06:09):
and also now the mayor of Wellsburg is coming under fire,
and most of the comments call Charlie Kirk a racist
and basically without coming right out and saying it, that
he more or less deserved what he got. What was
your initial reaction to those comments, gin.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Know, Well, my initial reaction, I would say, is one
of discussed and shock to for people to try and
jump through these go through the mental gymnastics necessary to
jump through the hoops where you have to arrive at
the conclusion where you believe that these people deserve to
be murdered. Where Charlie Kirk deserves to be assassinated, I
(06:50):
think that's indicative of a very dangerous time in our country,
and especially when I think about people that are public officials,
they are elected officials, they are held to they should
be held to higher standards. Every single word that we
do and say, I think should be should be scrutinized.
There should be magnifying glass over it. I think that
they need to conduct themselves to a higher standard. I
(07:10):
think they need to hold themselves to that higher standard.
I don't think that there's really any justification to say
that Charlie Kirk deserves to be assassinated because he said
things that I disagree with.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I think that's very, very dangerous.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
One of the things that shocked me Geneo was the
seemingly just complete lack of disregard for human life, no
matter if you no matter if you agree with what
that person said or didn't.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Say, yeah, that's exactly right.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
I think we've seen the degradation and the value of
human life in our culture over the past fifty years
or so, and it seems like that we're really starting
to get to a boiling point because what I've seen,
especially among figures on the right side of the aisle,
is a mass unification, extremely powerful. I know people that
have viscerally hated Charlie Kirk, even on the same side,
(08:01):
they have viscerally hated him, and they gave very, very
glowing eulogies of him. They recognized him for what he
was and the work that he did. He built an
incredible movement, had the ear of young people like very
few other figures in our country. I think about my
own history and my own political upbringing. I think about
how I worked for Charlie Kirk. I was used to
(08:21):
be a campus coordinator at Turning Point USA at WVU,
for which there is a visual this evening at seven
thirty on the Life Science is Green. It's it's alarming
and concerning.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Concerning.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
I know that there are a lot of emotions right now,
and anger is certainly one of them, coming from all
directions as well.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
What's different, if anything, about Turning Point of twenty twenty
five and the Turning Point that you were affiliated with.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Well, I was speaking with some of the campus coordinators
for Turning Point USA. I don't know if they're still
doing it, but it was maybe a year or so ago,
and I asked them how many people that they had
in their after here at WU and they said that
they had somewhere between one hundred and fifty two hundred
people in their total in their group chat on their rosters.
And I couldn't help but laugh because when I was
(09:09):
doing it, there was twelve people that were doing it,
and not all of them showed up extremely reliably. So
there is no doubt that Turning Point has had momentum
for a long time. And I think that after now,
I think about the influx of people now across the
country that are wanting to start chapters and bolster their
(09:30):
ranks across the country. I think that the people that
what they were trying to accomplish when a deranged sicko
assassinated Charlie Kirk, I think it's going to blow up
in their face is because what I think that they've
failed to realize is that this is ignited something. And
I think that there's a lot to a lot that's
going to unfold over the next couple months. Maybe this
(09:52):
is dramatic to say, but I think the next few
weeks are really going to determine the future of mankind.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Has that is quite I might add, now Gino has
the message the Turning Point message? Has it changed at
all from today to the times that you're telling us about.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
I think that the message, especially when I joined in
Turning Points, at least at WU in Turning Point chapters infancy,
was that they wanted to go out foster ideas of
free speech, promote open conversation, and have that dialogue with
people that you might disagree with. I remember one of
the big points when I would go out and table
(10:31):
with the organization is have the conversations always be respectful.
We had events that would promote free speech. There was
this one event that I was always fond of called
the Free Speech Ball, and it was a massive six
seven foot diameter beach ball that anybody could come up
and write anything that they want on it. There were
no restrictions, no hold bar. We had a lot of
encouraging messages of support. There are a lot of messages
(10:54):
of descent. I remember specifically there was this one kid
who identified as a communist that would come up in
all always, always, always, have pleasant conversations with us. That
was the message then, I certainly think it's the message
now Charlie Kirk. His biggest thing that he.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Always talked about was dialogue.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
And one clip that's been playing in my head over
and over over the past couple of days is it's
something to the effect of when the talking stops, the
violence begins.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
That was his message. He was one of the.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
Few people that was really truly willing to debate with you,
no matter how much he disagreed with you. That was
his message. And he was assassinated anyway. I think that's
very telling about where we're at.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Delegate Gino sheiarellies with us and we're talking about the
reaction to the assassination to Charlie Kirk, specifically the reaction
by local Mond County Delegate Anietrat Hamilton. Now there have
been calls for her to be expelled from your body
by Congressman Or'reilly Moore and others have made comments to
(11:56):
that effect. Where are you at on that particular issue.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Well, that's not a decision that can be taken lightly,
that's for sure. I think that requires a lot of
conversation within the body, within the caucus. However, if the
Caucus wanted to go in that direction, I would absolutely
support them.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Are there those discussions happening.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
There are lots of discussions happening, whether or not something
actually comes to fruition. Emotions are high right now. You
never know where things are going to go. But I
will reiterate, if the Caucus wanted to go in that direction,
I would support it.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Now would you fear that possibly the Democrats or maybe
the other side might see that as just additional escalation.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Well, you know, especially when it comes to the Democrats
in West Virginia, the reality is they have virtually no
institutional power at all. I think about the member breakdown
in the House. There are ninety one Republicans, there are
nine Democrats. I think if the people of West Virginia
wanted to hear more from Democrats, there would be more
of them in the House. There are not more Democrats
in the House. So I'm inclined to believe that the
(13:02):
people of West Virginia overwhelming we support the Republican position,
and they support what the Republicans are doing in the
legislature and in the.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Executive Outside of expulsion GINO, is censure maybe an option that.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
I think all all options are certainly on the table.
That's why I think that it's important that these discussions
are had.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Have you heard anything directly from Delegate Hamilton. I know
here at w A j R. We've reached out to
her via email. I think we've left some phone messages
at her capital phone, and we've also reached out to
other peers to get messages to her to contact us.
(13:43):
But we've not heard from or just yet.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
No, No, I haven't heard anything.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
And it seemed it appears to me that these the
posts that she had have been taken down or deleted
or hidden or whatever. So I think it would be
a little hypocritical of her not to have a conversation
with you, because she had a lot of things to
stay before and now it seems like she's backtracking a
little bit. So if she listens to this, I would
(14:10):
encourage her to reach out and have that conversation, because again,
if you stop having conversations, that's when things can turn
ivily mm.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Hmm definitely, you know, And I guess I want to
kind of press you on that, Gino, because expulsion is
kind of like a suspension or an end of the conversation.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Isn't it in some ways?
Speaker 4 (14:31):
Perhaps However, one of the things that I've heard about
over the past decade or so, especially since working with
Turning Point and being involved in campus conservatism. One of
the things that people have always said is that freedom
of speech is not freedom from consequences.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
So I'm not saying that obviously.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
I fully and completely wholeheartedly disavow any physical violence of
any kind when it comes to people's political opinions, especially however,
as an elected official, for you to be celebrating or
justifying the death of a political figure, I think that's
unacceptable for someone that holds office.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
You mentioned earlier that elected officials should be held to
a higher standard, and I think that you would agree
that that would be extended to people like teachers, guidance counselors,
administrators that you know, whether or not you're at a
university or a public school. That would extend to those
folks as well, wouldn't you agree, Oh, for sure.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Anybody in human services of any kind, anybody that is
in a position of trust, nurses, teachers, you know, anybody
in the realm of public service in any capacity, I
think needs to conduct themselves in a manner that is
becoming of polite society. And it's very very concerning online
to see the way that some of these people are
(15:46):
not only celebrating it, but they're so open and brazen
in the way that they're celebrating it. So I think
that this is this is very, very telling into a
lot of people's souls the way that they react. I
feel like you can always tell someone's true character in
the wake of a death of someone that's that's significant
like that. And I've seen a lot of people's true characters.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Lately, and I'm not particularly happy about it.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Well, and I'm glad you brought that up because it
really kind of revolves around my next question. Because you know,
you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. The
horse is out of the barn. But what message can
you send that could maybe help the situation.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Well, I don't know if there's anything that my words
can say that. I don't know if there's anything that
I could say at this point that hasn't already said
by people much more eloquant eloquent than myself. But the
only thing that I can really contribute now is I
would say that in the wake of the politically motivated
assassination of Charlie Kirk, I think the most important thing
(16:49):
now is to remember.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
That good and evil exists.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
There are evil people and there are good people. I
find myself thinking about all the times that Charlie Kirk
was never afraid to proclaim his faith in Jesus Christ,
and I think that that's one of the most important things.
Continued prayer, continued spirituality. I think that people really need
to assess their lines of thinking and their priorities in life,
because if you find yourself celebrating the death of someone
(17:16):
that you disagree with, the brual murder of someone that
you disagree with, I think you need to take a
look in the mirror.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, I agree with you. I've thought about this a lot, actually,
Gino and I don't know if it's they disagree or
if they feel I guess mortally threatened.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
I think that's one of the things too. I think
a lot of people a lot of propaganda over the
last decade or so, especially since President Trump ran for
office the first time. I think a lot of people,
especially on the left, have tried to shift the cultural
overt and window to where they can say comfortably that
speech equals violence. If you say something that I do
(17:58):
not like, that justifies me my physical violence against you,
and it seems like a lot of people have taken
that to heart.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I think we've.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
Seen a lot of things like that over the past
so many years, like with the murder of the United
Healthcare CEO by an assassin. People are doing things and
saying things that I don't like, and that rationalizes in
my mind my violent actions against them. And again, I
think that takes people to a very very dark place.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Prayer Vigil is coming up this evening on the campus
of West Virginia University at the Life Sciences Center that
will be hosted by Turning Point USA at seven point thirty.
GINO that the chapter here in the city of Morgantown
now as many is two hundred strong. I would expect
(18:46):
a very strong showing as well. I believe that Congressman
Riley Moore will be there as well.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Yeah, that's as soon as I saw that, I knew
I was going to be there. I've gotten messages from
other legislators around the state. A lot of people making
making plans to travel today, and a couple people I
know that are traveling more than a few hours. So
I'm expecting quite the turnout here for Charlie.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Okay, good deal, Hey, GINO. Always appreciate your time and
thank you very much. Have a great Monday.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
You two might call me anytime.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Absolutely, you take care of yourself. Gino Shiarelli.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five. This is the talk of
the town.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Oh, good Monday morning. It is nine thirty four sixty
six degrees. Just a couple of clouds in Morgantown. Good
Monday morning, and happy Monday. Certainly a big backyard brawl
win in overtime thirty one twenty four over the pitt Panthers.
That win comes in front of a crowd a little
(20:03):
more than sixty two thousand, courtesy of a strong Mountaineer
ground attack. Now that comes out of time that we
thought our hopes well, we were done running for the
season when season ending injury to Jaheim White, but in
steps Ty Edwards. Now he was just declared eligible thanks
to an August lawsuit that led to an injunction against
(20:26):
the NCAA that put him back on the field and
in the lineup. Now from there, six foot two inch
two hundred and twenty five pounder rumbled for one hundred
and forty one yards on twenty five carries. Now, he
also scored the one yard touchdown run that gave WVU
the thirty one twenty four overtime win in the one
(20:47):
hundred and eighth backyard Brawl. Now, as a team though,
the Mountaineers in that contest, they gained one hundred and
seventy four yards on the ground. That's one hundred and
twenty eight more rush yards than Pitt had. Now, that
performance on the ground, that's a big lift from that
game against Ohio. It was seventy two rushing yards and
(21:10):
only eight yards over the final three quarters. That was
a seven point loss on the road in Athens against
the Bobcats. Certainly the Mountaineers celebrating a very strong running attack,
and certainly after the game off the field, there were
definitely celebrations. There were several rubbish fires reported across the area.
(21:34):
I believe there was one property damage accident that involved
some lines down. And yes, there were a couple of
reports of couches being burned, one in the three hundred
block of Grand Avenue. Certainly, the first responders, they were
very very busy on Saturday evening after the contest, and
(21:58):
certainly very very professional as well. You could certainly hear
the tone and tenor in the in the dispatches from
Mecha nine one one that they were certainly very duty
oriented and they were locked in on certainly what their
responsibilities were in light of that big win. Now, there
(22:22):
is more coverage about the Backyard Brawl win and a
special edition of Three Guys Before the Game at wvmetronews
dot com. But Ty Edwards steps in and ends up
sealing the deal for the Mountaineers in a thirty one
(22:42):
twenty four overtime win in the one hundred and eighth
Backyard Brawl. Well, we come back. We're going to be
talking a little bit about the Spice of Life fundraiser
that happens later this week. It's put on by the
mont Preston County United Way. Nancy Walker has those details.
We're going to speak with Nancy. Coming up next, Talk
(23:04):
of the Town AM fourteen forty FM one oh four
point five w AJR.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Good Monday morning. It is nine forty two. The United
Way of Montengelia and Preston County has four community goals.
They are health, education, financial stability, and the basic needs
of our population. Now they've adopted these goals to help
those in need improve their quality of life. Now it
(23:48):
is campaign season. I believe that will be kicked off
later this week. On the phone, we have Nancy Walker.
We're going to be talking about the Spice of Life
dinners coming up later this week. Good morning, Nancy. How
are you.
Speaker 5 (24:03):
I'm just fine here you just break now.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
I'm doing very well. Thank you very much and glad
that you could join us this morning. Tell us a
little bit about the Spice of Life fundraising dinner.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Well, first of all, I want to thank you for
having me that The Spice of Life dinner is Thursday,
September eighteenth. We'll be serving from five point thirty to
seven thirty pm at the terrace of tib Front, which
is of course at the West Virginia Botanical Gardens. So
what it is it is an opportunity for folks to
(24:39):
come together and support food and security in our community.
Helpful Harvest is a food hub, and by that I
mean we buy food and balk and large amounts and
then tantries are able to come and get those items
for free so that they can give them to their
clients and the community. So what our dinner is. We
(25:04):
have invited a lot of local restaurants to set up
a table and provide their cuisine for people to sample.
So it is a variety of cuisines, a variety of restaurants.
Just as an example, we have Black Bear coming, we
(25:25):
have Pop Shop coming, we have Todo Gelato coming. We're
going to have all of areos, the tea Shop, Peeking House,
the Grind for You, Donnelly, good Fellows Bakery, Escobars, Mama
Cays and those are just to mention almost everyone. And
(25:45):
as you can see, it covers a lot of different
areas of the world, and it's wonderful. People come, they
have a really good time, and we have sponsors to
cover any costs associated with this, you know, so all
the money's raised go directly to buy food for our neighbors.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Okay, Now, you can take a look at this online
at UNITEDWAYMPC dot org and if you go to event,
you'll see the Spice of Life fundraiser there. Now, general
admission tickets are fifty dollars. There's also a viip experience
that's one thousand dollars for a reserved table for eight.
(26:27):
What can you tell us about that experience.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
Well, that experience also allows you to advertise your support
and your business that you may be wanting to highlight,
as well as bringing a table full of friends to this.
It is a very laid back, easy evening. There are
some raffle items available of if people want to buy
(26:52):
raffle tickets and a fifty to fifty drawing and our
committeees worked really hard to try to have some things
are generally interested in having. And one of the things
we're going to have we have a beautiful maklace DEEV
the state of West Virginia that was donated by Spencer
(27:14):
King Jewelry. We have Arrusted by Design Massage, Envy and
European Wax Studio with gift baskets as well as other
folks in town. One of the things we're going to
have is a signed roback West Virginia helmet signed by
Rich Rodriguez, and we're hoping that those things will help us.
(27:37):
Creates a lot of fun for this event and it
is really just a good time.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Now.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
The United Way they support health, education, financial stability, and
basic needs. We've got Nancy Walker on the phone and Nancy,
I believe earlier in our conversation that you said, because
of the sponsors of this event that one hundred percent
of the proceeds are able to be directed to those
four goals of health, education, financial stability, and basic needs.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
Well, we're probably going to all the money from this
are going to be directed to basic needs. This is
separate from the capital campaign that focuses on all four
of those. But this is all about food. This is
all about our food pantries and those that just need
a little extra help by going to pantries and getting
(28:35):
fresh and healthy items, as well as candidates that will
sustain them. This program, Helpful Harvest, was really born from
COVID because when food was being distributed to students and
FEEDLNG kids, it became obvious people were asking for extra
(28:55):
meals to support their families because they had difficulty getting food.
So we started the Food Hub with the general support
of the Hazel rus and mc queen Charitable Trust, and
we have been sustaining this and so for instance, if
you're with Pantry Platz, if you're at the Rockforde Neighborhood House,
(29:17):
if you're with a Preston County sheltered workshop, and the
food that we receive is split between Lawn and Preston
Counties and distributed to all of the folks that need
that extra help to get through the month. Now, we
hoped to go away, but we couldn't because now I
(29:38):
think Pete families are facing the inflationary cost of living.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
And certainly those continue to go up. Now, that's really
kind of a remarkable story because we've all heard those
stories about how the level of need has increased post
pandemic and really skyrocketed during the pandemic. Have you experienced
maybe any troubles here in the last few months, any
(30:06):
funding cuts or things like that.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
Well, federal funding cuts and some of the grant cuts
are out there and have affected anyone that is working
with food and security, and so we are constantly searching
for ways to support support our food hub. We're very
(30:30):
fortunate in this area that farmers that may have grown
excess produce or something they will partner with us and
let us have some at the pantry at our level
to give to the pantries. We're very interested in providing
(30:51):
healthy foods to families because a lot of times that's
the most expensive food, you know. We have had legislators
that have donated FFA purchase beef or pork that we
can also distribute to the pantries. The USDA provided us
(31:12):
with very generous boxes, and there has been some changes
in that. So we try to partner with everyone. You know,
pantry plus more comes and people names that people recognize.
It's helping the food in security.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
You know, Nancy, I know of one organization, and I
know that the individual that runs that organization likes to
keep a low profile. But you know, I was just
at their website last week checking a couple of things out.
But I think Mountaintop Beverage they do a lot to
support the Helpful Harvest program.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
Absolutely. They are are vendor sponsors for they're paying the
costs for the venue that we're using as a botanical garden.
They provide a with the shelf stable milk packages that
can go home with children in their backpack feeding programs
as well as other community needs. They have really stepped up.
(32:14):
Justin and Carry buyers are actually our wine sponsors, and
then the supply also partners with us so we can
have different beverages at this event. So we can't thank
those folks enough because they allow us to take all
of the funds raised and give it directly back into
the community with no costs coming out of our proceeds
(32:39):
from the evening. We are the United one of the
United Ways community impact programs, and we've kind of had
to slow down for a while as we've been working
on our funding sources and grant cycles change. And this
has happened to everyone in the food community. I think
the thing people do not realize there is a lot
(33:02):
of these food pantries for what we would consider mom
and pop organizations run from the basement of a church,
and they are critical to the folks that come from
their areas. They are critical to senior citizens who are
trying to make sure that they have nutritious things to
eat and can buy their medicine. Quite honestly, so we're
(33:26):
trying to meet all those needs and this is one
of the ways we're raising funds.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
To do it.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
You can make a difference and treat your taste buds
coming up Thursday evening five point thirty at the Terra
the Terrace at Tibbs Run at the WVU Botanical Garden,
Nancy Walker. Nancy, thank you very much for your time.
Really do appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Well, I appreciate you let me have it on and
I know, I just get started and I start running
because this is a project that is critical to our
community and the families that live here. Thank you so
much for having me.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Absolutely it's my pleasure to do so. In the future,
will help you with any such endeavor that you may have,
Nancy Walker. You can get more information about this event
at UNITEDWAYMPC dot org. That is the Spice of Life
dinner coming up Thursday at five thirty. It'll be at
(34:21):
the Terrace Tip runs at TIBs run on at the
WVU Botanical Gardens. Once again, that website UNITEDWAYMPC dot org
will have all of the details about of course the
Spice of Life, but also the United Way Mission and
of course this particular event filling the basic Need goal
(34:46):
of their four part mission, which is education, financial stability,
health and basic Needs. We'll be back to wrap things
up coming up right after this. Right now, just a
few clouds, sixty five degrees in the University City. It
(35:07):
is eight point fifty four on top of the town
AM fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJR.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
Good Monday morning, A few clouds and sixty seven in
the University City Welcome back to the program coming up
later this week. As a matter of fact, tomorrow night,
Morgantown City Council holds their regular meeting. They'll be presenting
the fiscal year twenty four audit report. Outside of that,
(35:54):
nothing really eye popping on that particular agenda on kind
of Commissioners will also be meeting. Their regular meeting is
set for Wednesday morning at ten am. They'll also be
holding a work session after that meeting. On that work
session agenda, they are set to get an update on
(36:18):
the situation with west Ridge Development, the developer that declared
Chapter eleven bankruptcy here just a few weeks ago, so
we'll certainly be watching that. Also, please remember that this
evening at the Life Sciences Quad the West Virginia University campus,
(36:38):
Turning Point, USA, the West Virginia University Chapter is holding
a candlelight vigil for Charlie Kirk that'll get started at
seven point thirty this evening at the Life Sciences Quad.
Congressman Riley Moore will be there. We just heard from
Delegate Gino Shiarelli he will also be there and that
(37:00):
will get started at seven thirty. Make it a great
Monday metre news talk line. Next on the Voice of Morgantown,
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Kluksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two five five. Now Here is your host for the
Talk of the Town, Mike Notlting.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
A good Monday morning. It is nine oh six, just
few clouds, sixty five degrees in Morgantown. Good Monday morning,
and welcome to Talk of the Town, the program where
we focus on things important to you and your family.
Ethan Collins is our producer this morning. You'll be able
to get Ethan at eight hundred seven six five eight
(00:46):
two five five. Also got the text line three oh four,
talk that three oh four. That number again, three oh four,
talk three oh four. In the wake of the Charlie
Kirk assassination, thousands have lost their jobs or board positions
due to inappropriate and maybe insensitive or maybe just making
(01:09):
bad judgment on social media. Well coming up at nine
to fifteen, we're going to spend a few minutes with
Delegate Gino Shiarelli and we're going to talk about a
couple of issues. Actually there's one now. The mayor of
Wellsburg he is under fire for comments that he made
saying basically that Charlie Kirk deserved to be shot and killed. Also,
(01:33):
local Delegate Anetra Hamilton has also made similar comments via
social media. We have reached out to Delegate Hamilton but
have not heard back from her, but we'll continue to
do that. We'll speak with Delegate Chiarelli at nine fifteen
and get his thoughts on overall political discourse and just
(01:55):
exactly or maybe his estimation as to why these things
are happening. Coming up at nine point forty, we have
Nancy Walker. She's going to be talking about the Spice
of Life fundraiser coming up later this week, put on
by the mont Preston County United Way. Let's take a
look at a couple of headlines of the West Virginia
(02:17):
University Board of Governors is Committee to WVU Athletics Board
past resolution Friday, directing leadership to position the department in
the top funding TIRA among Big twelve schools. Of Board
Chair Rusty Hudson acknowledges that the Division one athletics landscape
is now also a game of money. That resolution directs
(02:39):
the athletic department to reach that goal by February of
next year and let's see. Chair Hudson will be a
guest on the Metro News talk line coming up at
eleven oh six with more details about that plan. The
West Virginia Congressional Delegation is relatively confident that the federal
government show down can be averted later this month. You
(03:03):
can read details about that story at wvmetronews dot com.
The deadline for individuals and businesses impacted by Father's Day
floods in Marion County. The deadline to sign up for
assistance is one week from today. Of the SBA and
FEMA relief centers in Fairmont, they'll be open through next Monday.
(03:26):
There's more at WAJR dot com, or you can go
to SBA dot gov. Over at Bowpark in Morgantown, searches
underway for their new executive director. Morgantown Mayor and Boupark
board member Danielle Trumble says there is significant interest in
(03:47):
the job. Inquiries about the position have been received from
across the country, and current director Melissa Wiles she'll step
down in December. There's also a seat open on the
BOWPARKO now. That board makes important decisions about recreation amenities
and the future of the park system. If you would
(04:07):
like to get more information about joining a board or
commission in the city of Morgantown, you can get that
by going to morgantownwv dot gov. A persistent drive weather
will continue this week, and certainly lots of folks are
pleased about that. Maybe maybe some others not so much.
(04:28):
But it will be pleasant, although maybe a little bit
warmer than normal. Highs in the mid to upper eighties.
I know, I was speaking with family out in the
Midwest over the weekend. Their temperatures are up into the
low to mid nineties. Coming back, we'll spend some time
(04:49):
with Delegate Genoshiarelli. Going to be talking about the wave
of comments regarding the Charlie Kirk assassination that occurred last week.
That's coming up next on Talk of the Town AM
fourteen forty FM one four point five waj R Town. Well,
(05:10):
good Monday morning, just a few clouds, sixty five degrees
in the University City metro NEWSAKI Weather says mostly sunny
today in a high near eighty degree so West Virginia
five one one does report an incident free interstate system
at this hour. However, there is a property damage accident
(05:31):
at fair Chance Road and Johnson Hollow Road. If you're
in that area, expect delays on the phone. We've got
delicate Gino Shiarelli with us. Good morning, Gino, how are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
You're well, Mike, good morning.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
It's a pleasure to have you here. Geno. Now, let's
see when we start to look at the events of
last week, there were a wide range of reactions to
the assassination of Charlie Kirk across the board. Now a
couple that are making the news, or some statements that
were made by a delegate Antra Hamilton, also from Montaguelia County,
(06:09):
and also now the mayor of Wellsburg is coming under fire,
and most of the comments call Charlie Kirk a racist
and basically without coming right out and saying it, that
he more or less deserved what he got. What was
your initial reaction to those comments, gin.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Know, Well, my initial reaction, I would say, is one
of discussed and shock to for people to try and
jump through these go through the mental gymnastics necessary to
jump through the hoops where you have to arrive at
the conclusion where you believe that these people deserve to
be murdered. Where Charlie Kirk deserves to be assassinated, I
(06:50):
think that's indicative of a very dangerous time in our country,
and especially when I think about people that are public officials,
they are elected officials, they are held to they should
be held to higher standards. Every single word that we
do and say, I think should be should be scrutinized.
There should be magnifying glass over it. I think that
they need to conduct themselves to a higher standard. I
(07:10):
think they need to hold themselves to that higher standard.
I don't think that there's really any justification to say
that Charlie Kirk deserves to be assassinated because he said
things that I disagree with.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I think that's very, very dangerous.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
One of the things that shocked me Geneo was the
seemingly just complete lack of disregard for human life, no
matter if you no matter if you agree with what
that person said or didn't.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Say, yeah, that's exactly right.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
I think we've seen the degradation and the value of
human life in our culture over the past fifty years
or so, and it seems like that we're really starting
to get to a boiling point because what I've seen,
especially among figures on the right side of the aisle,
is a mass unification, extremely powerful. I know people that
have viscerally hated Charlie Kirk, even on the same side,
(08:01):
they have viscerally hated him, and they gave very, very
glowing eulogies of him. They recognized him for what he
was and the work that he did. He built an
incredible movement, had the ear of young people like very
few other figures in our country. I think about my
own history and my own political upbringing. I think about
how I worked for Charlie Kirk. I was used to
(08:21):
be a campus coordinator at Turning Point USA at WVU,
for which there is a visual this evening at seven
thirty on the Life Science is Green. It's it's alarming
and concerning.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Concerning.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
I know that there are a lot of emotions right now,
and anger is certainly one of them, coming from all
directions as well.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
What's different, if anything, about Turning Point of twenty twenty
five and the Turning Point that you were affiliated with.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Well, I was speaking with some of the campus coordinators
for Turning Point USA. I don't know if they're still
doing it, but it was maybe a year or so ago,
and I asked them how many people that they had
in their after here at WU and they said that
they had somewhere between one hundred and fifty two hundred
people in their total in their group chat on their rosters.
And I couldn't help but laugh because when I was
(09:09):
doing it, there was twelve people that were doing it,
and not all of them showed up extremely reliably. So
there is no doubt that Turning Point has had momentum
for a long time. And I think that after now,
I think about the influx of people now across the
country that are wanting to start chapters and bolster their
(09:30):
ranks across the country. I think that the people that
what they were trying to accomplish when a deranged sicko
assassinated Charlie Kirk, I think it's going to blow up
in their face is because what I think that they've
failed to realize is that this is ignited something. And
I think that there's a lot to a lot that's
going to unfold over the next couple months. Maybe this
(09:52):
is dramatic to say, but I think the next few
weeks are really going to determine the future of mankind.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Has that is quite I might add, now Gino has
the message the Turning Point message? Has it changed at
all from today to the times that you're telling us about.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
I think that the message, especially when I joined in
Turning Points, at least at WU in Turning Point chapters infancy,
was that they wanted to go out foster ideas of
free speech, promote open conversation, and have that dialogue with
people that you might disagree with. I remember one of
the big points when I would go out and table
(10:31):
with the organization is have the conversations always be respectful.
We had events that would promote free speech. There was
this one event that I was always fond of called
the Free Speech Ball, and it was a massive six
seven foot diameter beach ball that anybody could come up
and write anything that they want on it. There were
no restrictions, no hold bar. We had a lot of
encouraging messages of support. There are a lot of messages
(10:54):
of descent. I remember specifically there was this one kid
who identified as a communist that would come up in
all always, always, always, have pleasant conversations with us. That
was the message then, I certainly think it's the message
now Charlie Kirk. His biggest thing that he.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Always talked about was dialogue.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
And one clip that's been playing in my head over
and over over the past couple of days is it's
something to the effect of when the talking stops, the
violence begins.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
That was his message. He was one of the.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
Few people that was really truly willing to debate with you,
no matter how much he disagreed with you. That was
his message. And he was assassinated anyway. I think that's
very telling about where we're at.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Delegate Gino sheiarellies with us and we're talking about the
reaction to the assassination to Charlie Kirk, specifically the reaction
by local Mond County Delegate Anietrat Hamilton. Now there have
been calls for her to be expelled from your body
by Congressman Or'reilly Moore and others have made comments to
(11:56):
that effect. Where are you at on that particular issue.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Well, that's not a decision that can be taken lightly,
that's for sure. I think that requires a lot of
conversation within the body, within the caucus. However, if the
Caucus wanted to go in that direction, I would absolutely
support them.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Are there those discussions happening.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
There are lots of discussions happening, whether or not something
actually comes to fruition. Emotions are high right now. You
never know where things are going to go. But I
will reiterate, if the Caucus wanted to go in that direction,
I would support it.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Now would you fear that possibly the Democrats or maybe
the other side might see that as just additional escalation.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Well, you know, especially when it comes to the Democrats
in West Virginia, the reality is they have virtually no
institutional power at all. I think about the member breakdown
in the House. There are ninety one Republicans, there are
nine Democrats. I think if the people of West Virginia
wanted to hear more from Democrats, there would be more
of them in the House. There are not more Democrats
in the House. So I'm inclined to believe that the
(13:02):
people of West Virginia overwhelming we support the Republican position,
and they support what the Republicans are doing in the
legislature and in the.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Executive Outside of expulsion GINO, is censure maybe an option that.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
I think all all options are certainly on the table.
That's why I think that it's important that these discussions
are had.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Have you heard anything directly from Delegate Hamilton. I know
here at w A j R. We've reached out to
her via email. I think we've left some phone messages
at her capital phone, and we've also reached out to
other peers to get messages to her to contact us.
(13:43):
But we've not heard from or just yet.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
No, No, I haven't heard anything.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
And it seemed it appears to me that these the
posts that she had have been taken down or deleted
or hidden or whatever. So I think it would be
a little hypocritical of her not to have a conversation
with you, because she had a lot of things to
stay before and now it seems like she's backtracking a
little bit. So if she listens to this, I would
(14:10):
encourage her to reach out and have that conversation, because again,
if you stop having conversations, that's when things can turn
ivily mm.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Hmm definitely, you know, And I guess I want to
kind of press you on that, Gino, because expulsion is
kind of like a suspension or an end of the conversation.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Isn't it in some ways?
Speaker 4 (14:31):
Perhaps However, one of the things that I've heard about
over the past decade or so, especially since working with
Turning Point and being involved in campus conservatism. One of
the things that people have always said is that freedom
of speech is not freedom from consequences.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
So I'm not saying that obviously.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
I fully and completely wholeheartedly disavow any physical violence of
any kind when it comes to people's political opinions, especially however,
as an elected official, for you to be celebrating or
justifying the death of a political figure, I think that's
unacceptable for someone that holds office.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
You mentioned earlier that elected officials should be held to
a higher standard, and I think that you would agree
that that would be extended to people like teachers, guidance counselors,
administrators that you know, whether or not you're at a
university or a public school. That would extend to those
folks as well, wouldn't you agree, Oh, for sure.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Anybody in human services of any kind, anybody that is
in a position of trust, nurses, teachers, you know, anybody
in the realm of public service in any capacity, I
think needs to conduct themselves in a manner that is
becoming of polite society. And it's very very concerning online
to see the way that some of these people are
(15:46):
not only celebrating it, but they're so open and brazen
in the way that they're celebrating it. So I think
that this is this is very, very telling into a
lot of people's souls the way that they react. I
feel like you can always tell someone's true character in
the wake of a death of someone that's that's significant
like that. And I've seen a lot of people's true characters.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Lately, and I'm not particularly happy about it.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Well, and I'm glad you brought that up because it
really kind of revolves around my next question. Because you know,
you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. The
horse is out of the barn. But what message can
you send that could maybe help the situation.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Well, I don't know if there's anything that my words
can say that. I don't know if there's anything that
I could say at this point that hasn't already said
by people much more eloquant eloquent than myself. But the
only thing that I can really contribute now is I
would say that in the wake of the politically motivated
assassination of Charlie Kirk, I think the most important thing
(16:49):
now is to remember.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
That good and evil exists.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
There are evil people and there are good people. I
find myself thinking about all the times that Charlie Kirk
was never afraid to proclaim his faith in Jesus Christ,
and I think that that's one of the most important things.
Continued prayer, continued spirituality. I think that people really need
to assess their lines of thinking and their priorities in life,
because if you find yourself celebrating the death of someone
(17:16):
that you disagree with, the brual murder of someone that
you disagree with, I think you need to take a
look in the mirror.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, I agree with you. I've thought about this a lot, actually,
Gino and I don't know if it's they disagree or
if they feel I guess mortally threatened.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
I think that's one of the things too. I think
a lot of people a lot of propaganda over the
last decade or so, especially since President Trump ran for
office the first time. I think a lot of people,
especially on the left, have tried to shift the cultural
overt and window to where they can say comfortably that
speech equals violence. If you say something that I do
(17:58):
not like, that justifies me my physical violence against you,
and it seems like a lot of people have taken
that to heart.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I think we've.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
Seen a lot of things like that over the past
so many years, like with the murder of the United
Healthcare CEO by an assassin. People are doing things and
saying things that I don't like, and that rationalizes in
my mind my violent actions against them. And again, I
think that takes people to a very very dark place.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Prayer Vigil is coming up this evening on the campus
of West Virginia University at the Life Sciences Center that
will be hosted by Turning Point USA at seven point thirty.
GINO that the chapter here in the city of Morgantown
now as many is two hundred strong. I would expect
(18:46):
a very strong showing as well. I believe that Congressman
Riley Moore will be there as well.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Yeah, that's as soon as I saw that, I knew
I was going to be there. I've gotten messages from
other legislators around the state. A lot of people making
making plans to travel today, and a couple people I
know that are traveling more than a few hours. So
I'm expecting quite the turnout here for Charlie.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Okay, good deal, Hey, GINO. Always appreciate your time and
thank you very much. Have a great Monday.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
You two might call me anytime.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Absolutely, you take care of yourself. Gino Shiarelli.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five. This is the talk of
the town.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Oh, good Monday morning. It is nine thirty four sixty
six degrees. Just a couple of clouds in Morgantown. Good
Monday morning, and happy Monday. Certainly a big backyard brawl
win in overtime thirty one twenty four over the pitt Panthers.
That win comes in front of a crowd a little
(20:03):
more than sixty two thousand, courtesy of a strong Mountaineer
ground attack. Now that comes out of time that we
thought our hopes well, we were done running for the
season when season ending injury to Jaheim White, but in
steps Ty Edwards. Now he was just declared eligible thanks
to an August lawsuit that led to an injunction against
(20:26):
the NCAA that put him back on the field and
in the lineup. Now from there, six foot two inch
two hundred and twenty five pounder rumbled for one hundred
and forty one yards on twenty five carries. Now, he
also scored the one yard touchdown run that gave WVU
the thirty one twenty four overtime win in the one
(20:47):
hundred and eighth backyard Brawl. Now, as a team though,
the Mountaineers in that contest, they gained one hundred and
seventy four yards on the ground. That's one hundred and
twenty eight more rush yards than Pitt had. Now, that
performance on the ground, that's a big lift from that
game against Ohio. It was seventy two rushing yards and
(21:10):
only eight yards over the final three quarters. That was
a seven point loss on the road in Athens against
the Bobcats. Certainly the Mountaineers celebrating a very strong running attack,
and certainly after the game off the field, there were
definitely celebrations. There were several rubbish fires reported across the area.
(21:34):
I believe there was one property damage accident that involved
some lines down. And yes, there were a couple of
reports of couches being burned, one in the three hundred
block of Grand Avenue. Certainly, the first responders, they were
very very busy on Saturday evening after the contest, and
(21:58):
certainly very very professional as well. You could certainly hear
the tone and tenor in the in the dispatches from
Mecha nine one one that they were certainly very duty
oriented and they were locked in on certainly what their
responsibilities were in light of that big win. Now, there
(22:22):
is more coverage about the Backyard Brawl win and a
special edition of Three Guys Before the Game at wvmetronews
dot com. But Ty Edwards steps in and ends up
sealing the deal for the Mountaineers in a thirty one
(22:42):
twenty four overtime win in the one hundred and eighth
Backyard Brawl. Well, we come back. We're going to be
talking a little bit about the Spice of Life fundraiser
that happens later this week. It's put on by the
mont Preston County United Way. Nancy Walker has those details.
We're going to speak with Nancy. Coming up next, Talk
(23:04):
of the Town AM fourteen forty FM one oh four
point five w AJR.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Good Monday morning. It is nine forty two. The United
Way of Montengelia and Preston County has four community goals.
They are health, education, financial stability, and the basic needs
of our population. Now they've adopted these goals to help
those in need improve their quality of life. Now it
(23:48):
is campaign season. I believe that will be kicked off
later this week. On the phone, we have Nancy Walker.
We're going to be talking about the Spice of Life
dinners coming up later this week. Good morning, Nancy. How
are you.
Speaker 5 (24:03):
I'm just fine here you just break now.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
I'm doing very well. Thank you very much and glad
that you could join us this morning. Tell us a
little bit about the Spice of Life fundraising dinner.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Well, first of all, I want to thank you for
having me that The Spice of Life dinner is Thursday,
September eighteenth. We'll be serving from five point thirty to
seven thirty pm at the terrace of tib Front, which
is of course at the West Virginia Botanical Gardens. So
what it is it is an opportunity for folks to
(24:39):
come together and support food and security in our community.
Helpful Harvest is a food hub, and by that I
mean we buy food and balk and large amounts and
then tantries are able to come and get those items
for free so that they can give them to their
clients and the community. So what our dinner is. We
(25:04):
have invited a lot of local restaurants to set up
a table and provide their cuisine for people to sample.
So it is a variety of cuisines, a variety of restaurants.
Just as an example, we have Black Bear coming, we
(25:25):
have Pop Shop coming, we have Todo Gelato coming. We're
going to have all of areos, the tea Shop, Peeking House,
the Grind for You, Donnelly, good Fellows Bakery, Escobars, Mama
Cays and those are just to mention almost everyone. And
(25:45):
as you can see, it covers a lot of different
areas of the world, and it's wonderful. People come, they
have a really good time, and we have sponsors to
cover any costs associated with this, you know, so all
the money's raised go directly to buy food for our neighbors.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Okay, Now, you can take a look at this online
at UNITEDWAYMPC dot org and if you go to event,
you'll see the Spice of Life fundraiser there. Now, general
admission tickets are fifty dollars. There's also a viip experience
that's one thousand dollars for a reserved table for eight.
(26:27):
What can you tell us about that experience.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
Well, that experience also allows you to advertise your support
and your business that you may be wanting to highlight,
as well as bringing a table full of friends to this.
It is a very laid back, easy evening. There are
some raffle items available of if people want to buy
(26:52):
raffle tickets and a fifty to fifty drawing and our
committeees worked really hard to try to have some things
are generally interested in having. And one of the things
we're going to have we have a beautiful maklace DEEV
the state of West Virginia that was donated by Spencer
(27:14):
King Jewelry. We have Arrusted by Design Massage, Envy and
European Wax Studio with gift baskets as well as other
folks in town. One of the things we're going to
have is a signed roback West Virginia helmet signed by
Rich Rodriguez, and we're hoping that those things will help us.
(27:37):
Creates a lot of fun for this event and it
is really just a good time.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Now.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
The United Way they support health, education, financial stability, and
basic needs. We've got Nancy Walker on the phone and Nancy,
I believe earlier in our conversation that you said, because
of the sponsors of this event that one hundred percent
of the proceeds are able to be directed to those
four goals of health, education, financial stability, and basic needs.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
Well, we're probably going to all the money from this
are going to be directed to basic needs. This is
separate from the capital campaign that focuses on all four
of those. But this is all about food. This is
all about our food pantries and those that just need
a little extra help by going to pantries and getting
(28:35):
fresh and healthy items, as well as candidates that will
sustain them. This program, Helpful Harvest, was really born from
COVID because when food was being distributed to students and
FEEDLNG kids, it became obvious people were asking for extra
(28:55):
meals to support their families because they had difficulty getting food.
So we started the Food Hub with the general support
of the Hazel rus and mc queen Charitable Trust, and
we have been sustaining this and so for instance, if
you're with Pantry Platz, if you're at the Rockforde Neighborhood House,
(29:17):
if you're with a Preston County sheltered workshop, and the
food that we receive is split between Lawn and Preston
Counties and distributed to all of the folks that need
that extra help to get through the month. Now, we
hoped to go away, but we couldn't because now I
(29:38):
think Pete families are facing the inflationary cost of living.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
And certainly those continue to go up. Now, that's really
kind of a remarkable story because we've all heard those
stories about how the level of need has increased post
pandemic and really skyrocketed during the pandemic. Have you experienced
maybe any troubles here in the last few months, any
(30:06):
funding cuts or things like that.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
Well, federal funding cuts and some of the grant cuts
are out there and have affected anyone that is working
with food and security, and so we are constantly searching
for ways to support support our food hub. We're very
(30:30):
fortunate in this area that farmers that may have grown
excess produce or something they will partner with us and
let us have some at the pantry at our level
to give to the pantries. We're very interested in providing
(30:51):
healthy foods to families because a lot of times that's
the most expensive food, you know. We have had legislators
that have donated FFA purchase beef or pork that we
can also distribute to the pantries. The USDA provided us
(31:12):
with very generous boxes, and there has been some changes
in that. So we try to partner with everyone. You know,
pantry plus more comes and people names that people recognize.
It's helping the food in security.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
You know, Nancy, I know of one organization, and I
know that the individual that runs that organization likes to
keep a low profile. But you know, I was just
at their website last week checking a couple of things out.
But I think Mountaintop Beverage they do a lot to
support the Helpful Harvest program.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
Absolutely. They are are vendor sponsors for they're paying the
costs for the venue that we're using as a botanical garden.
They provide a with the shelf stable milk packages that
can go home with children in their backpack feeding programs
as well as other community needs. They have really stepped up.
(32:14):
Justin and Carry buyers are actually our wine sponsors, and
then the supply also partners with us so we can
have different beverages at this event. So we can't thank
those folks enough because they allow us to take all
of the funds raised and give it directly back into
the community with no costs coming out of our proceeds
(32:39):
from the evening. We are the United one of the
United Ways community impact programs, and we've kind of had
to slow down for a while as we've been working
on our funding sources and grant cycles change. And this
has happened to everyone in the food community. I think
the thing people do not realize there is a lot
(33:02):
of these food pantries for what we would consider mom
and pop organizations run from the basement of a church,
and they are critical to the folks that come from
their areas. They are critical to senior citizens who are
trying to make sure that they have nutritious things to
eat and can buy their medicine. Quite honestly, so we're
(33:26):
trying to meet all those needs and this is one
of the ways we're raising funds.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
To do it.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
You can make a difference and treat your taste buds
coming up Thursday evening five point thirty at the Terra
the Terrace at Tibbs Run at the WVU Botanical Garden,
Nancy Walker. Nancy, thank you very much for your time.
Really do appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Well, I appreciate you let me have it on and
I know, I just get started and I start running
because this is a project that is critical to our
community and the families that live here. Thank you so
much for having me.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Absolutely it's my pleasure to do so. In the future,
will help you with any such endeavor that you may have,
Nancy Walker. You can get more information about this event
at UNITEDWAYMPC dot org. That is the Spice of Life
dinner coming up Thursday at five thirty. It'll be at
(34:21):
the Terrace Tip runs at TIBs run on at the
WVU Botanical Gardens. Once again, that website UNITEDWAYMPC dot org
will have all of the details about of course the
Spice of Life, but also the United Way Mission and
of course this particular event filling the basic Need goal
(34:46):
of their four part mission, which is education, financial stability,
health and basic Needs. We'll be back to wrap things
up coming up right after this. Right now, just a
few clouds, sixty five degrees in the University City. It
(35:07):
is eight point fifty four on top of the town
AM fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJR.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
Good Monday morning, A few clouds and sixty seven in
the University City Welcome back to the program coming up
later this week. As a matter of fact, tomorrow night,
Morgantown City Council holds their regular meeting. They'll be presenting
the fiscal year twenty four audit report. Outside of that,
(35:54):
nothing really eye popping on that particular agenda on kind
of Commissioners will also be meeting. Their regular meeting is
set for Wednesday morning at ten am. They'll also be
holding a work session after that meeting. On that work
session agenda, they are set to get an update on
(36:18):
the situation with west Ridge Development, the developer that declared
Chapter eleven bankruptcy here just a few weeks ago, so
we'll certainly be watching that. Also, please remember that this
evening at the Life Sciences Quad the West Virginia University campus,
(36:38):
Turning Point, USA, the West Virginia University Chapter is holding
a candlelight vigil for Charlie Kirk that'll get started at
seven point thirty this evening at the Life Sciences Quad.
Congressman Riley Moore will be there. We just heard from
Delegate Gino Shiarelli he will also be there and that
(37:00):
will get started at seven thirty. Make it a great
Monday metre news talk line. Next on the Voice of Morgantown,
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