September 4, 2025 • 36 mins
Keryn Newman from West Virginians Against Tramsmission Line Injustice
MTECH welding teacher Don Robinette on the car show supporting Skills USA this weekend
Mike on homeless issues in the city of Morgantown
MTECH welding teacher Don Robinette on the car show supporting Skills USA this weekend
Mike on homeless issues in the city of Morgantown
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Klerksburg.
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 (00:23):
Well, good Thursday morning, some light brain sixty four degrees
in the University City. Glad you're with us. Now Metro
Newsaki Weather says today there is an eighty percent chance
of showers and thunderstorms. I have seventy two degrees. Of course,
we'll keep you up to date with the weather conditions
throughout the program. West Virginia five one one reports an
(00:45):
incident free interstate system at this hour and welcome to
the program. I'm Mike Nolton. You'll find me on x
as your news guy. Ethan Collins is our producer today.
You can get Ethan at eight hundred seven six five
eight two five five. We also have a text line
that number three oh four Talk three oh four. On
(01:09):
the program today, we're going to spend a few minutes
with Karen Newman. Karen is also with the group of
West Virginians against Transmission Line Injustice. She's going to be
talking to us about a small portion of a transmission
line set in Jefferson County that will ultimately hook up
to the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link. We're going to talk
(01:32):
to her about the need for electricity in Virginia, what
they're doing to come back this particular transmission line project,
and also a little bit about their group and their meetings.
We'll do that at nine fifteen. At nine point thirty,
have got Don Robinette coming to the program. Don is
a welding instructor over at m Tech. They've got a
(01:54):
car show coming up this weekend. It's actually a very
important car show. Free for the spectators, but if you
want to make a donation you can. For car owners.
It is ten dollars. The first one hundred cars get
a free plaque, and all the proceeds are going to
be put in a pool in order to transport their
students to a skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia coming up
(02:18):
later this year. So we'll talk to Don about that.
Going to end the show with a couple of my
thoughts on the warming shelter, the homeless issue, and the
camping ban. That's the roadmap for the program. Let's take
a look at a couple of headlines and then dive
right in. The Mond County Commission's officially backing plans for
(02:41):
the I sixty eight a manufacturing corridor. That's the I
sixty eight extension to the Ohio River. Officials believe that
would make I sixty eight an energy and industry corridor.
The Marianne County Commission approved a similar resolution in August
out more vaccine litigation, this time in Gilbert County, where
(03:02):
a mom wants to send her two children to school
without vaccines. She's claiming a religious exemption. She's asking the
court for a preliminary injunction. A similar lawsuit involving eight
is active in the Berkeley County court system. The state
school Board says the existing vaccination requirements have to be followed.
(03:25):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has an executive order in place allowing
for religious exemptions under the State Freedom of Religion Act.
The latest Metro News West Virginia poll is at wvmetronews
dot com, and it says something that won't surprise a
whole lot of people that West Virginia strongly support President
(03:47):
Donald Trump. Upholster Rex repass says there are a number
of things that Trump has done that respondents say they support. However,
there are a few things the handling of the economy,
griffs and things like that. But at any rate, you
can get the full picture by going to wvmetronews dot com.
(04:08):
Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board. They meet today in Charleston,
and we could get some new numbers on how the
state run health insurance program's doing financially. Governor Patrick Morrissey's
floating some possible changes to that program. It could be
the subject of an upcoming special legislative session. Of course,
(04:30):
one set of legislative interim meetings get underway, coming up
on Sunday. Now, the finance Board they'll meet this afternoon,
I believe that is at noon. A police in Barbara
County say a man pointed a revolver at his wife,
pulled the trigger and gun didn't fire. Seventy two year
old Anthony Mayles been charged with tempted murder and wanton endangerment.
(04:54):
Witnesses reported that he appeared to be intoxicated when he
ever returned home from the Barberacams Fair. His wife hid
the gun. He ultimately found the gun and found her,
threatened to shoot her, pulled the trigger, it didn't go off.
That's when a grandson got involved, attempted to wrestle the
(05:14):
firearm away from him. Now, eventually the team just choked
him out. I think he told police that he choked
his grandpa to sleep. Males being held in the Tiger
Valley Regional Jail. Well, the last time somebody won the
powerball jackpot, that was back in June. The winners last
night Saturday. The jackpot will balloon to one point seven
(05:39):
billion dollars. When we come back, we're going to talk
a little bit about the the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link.
We'll also talk with a representative from West Virginia's West
Virginians against a transmission Line Injustice. That person will be
Karen Newman. We're going to do that next on Talk
of the Town. Light sixty four coming back on AM
(06:02):
fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJAH.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Because Thursday morning, some light scattered showers in the University
City sixty four degrees. Currently on the phone, we've got
Karen Newman with West Virginians against Transmission Line Injustice. Now,
just to set this up, the Gore Dowbs Goose Creek
Improvement Project that runs from Frederick County, Virginia east through
(06:42):
Clark County, Virginia, then into Jefferson County. Now, from there,
the transmission lines would continue into Louden County, Virginia, then
into Maryland before connecting in Louden County again. Now, while
separate from the one hundred and five mile mid Atlantic
Resilience the link the Gordabs Goose Creek Improvement Project would
(07:04):
connect tomorrow at one point in Frederick County, Virginia. On
the phone, we have Karen Newman. Karen, good morning, ma'am.
How are you.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I'm great? How are you?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I'm doing pretty good. Thank you very much for joining
us this morning. Give us, I guess some of the
main concerns for folks in your area about this particular
improvement project.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Please right well, PJM Interconnection, who is the grid operator.
They needed a new five hundred kill vote circuit that
comes from Pennsylvania all the way to the data centers.
So while these two different companies, First Energy and Next
Era are trying to make it be two separate projects,
that's only legally on paper physically, it's one five hundred
(07:47):
killoot circuit that goes all the way down to the
data centers. So here in Jefferson County, the Gordabs Goose
Creek will be using right away that currently has a
one hundred and thirty eight killable line on it. Those
towers are about sixty five feet tall. There are wooden
h frame towers. Those will be torn down and in
(08:07):
its place will be a one hundred and eighty five
foot steel monopole.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
And then I would assume that the lines that are
on the existing sixty five foot tall structures would be
added to that one hundred and eighty five foot pole,
and then the additional lines would be above those. Is
that correct?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yes, that's how it is that they're going to double
circuit it. And I just want to add that currently
that one hundred and thirty eight killo volt line shares
the right of way with an existing five hundred killo
volt line, which are those big metal lattice towers. I
think the ones we have are maybe one hundred and
fifty feet tall. This new pole is going to be
taller than that, and it's like literally right in some
(08:53):
people's backyards because we're much more urban, especially near Charlestown
where this is going through. And you know it's going
to be very destructive and you're going to see it
for miles and more fast growing here and you know
this this will harm our county.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
What are your neighbors saying about it?
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Well, nobody here is in favor of this project, of course.
And you know we've been waiting. I knew about this
project two years ago because I've been attending the PJAM meetings.
But you know, we've been waiting for First Energy to
finally have an open house and give us some information
and show us what these things were going to look like.
And you know, nobody was pleased with the fact that
(09:35):
the size of the towers are going to triple. Also,
PJM has planned a second transmission project that's going to
come along right behind this, and it's called Valley Link
and it is seven hundred and sixty five killables and
it begins at the John Amos Power Station in Putnam
County and it crosses fourteen West Virginia counties before going
(09:59):
through jeff and then it goes on over into Frederick,
Maryland for data centers. Again, this is all for data centers.
And I've got nothing.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I've looked at that Valley link, and you know, that's
really the big one that people are going to be
talking about because you know that one's about two hundred
and sixty seven miles seven hundred and fifty thousand kill volts,
much more powerful.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
And much longer, right and it's going to be the
new two hundred foot wide right away for its entire length.
So in Jefferson County, it wants to parallel that existing
configuration we have, So we'll have you know, a seven
sixty five two five hundreds of a one point thirty
eight all in you know, an urban backyard.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Got Karen Newman with a concerned citizen from Jefferson County
and we're talking about this. I guess network of proposed
transmission lines that have are going are coming to the
PSC And now, Karen, I guess it's in important for
the listeners to understand that the reason that these transmission
(11:04):
lines are possible. Obviously you brought up data centers, but
I think that there's another.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
I guess there's AI is driving electricity demand in some
of those areas in Virginia as well. But at the
same time, we've got a microgrid build and we sure
would like to have people take advantage of that if
you could talk a little bit about electricity demand and
what you know about the data centers and AI.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Right, the data centers. I mean, we've had data centers
in Louden County for you know, decades, and you know
there hasn't been a problem until the you know invention
I guess of AI. And now they all want to
build these AI data centers and they're not really just
storing data. They're thinking and they're you know, coming up
(11:51):
with things and they're scouring the Internet for their answers
and things like that. And that takes like ten times
the amount of electricity as a normal data center. So
you know, they want to keep building those out. However,
Virginia does not have the power supply for them, so
they just simply send it up the pipeline to PGM
And so you have PGM. We need seventy five hundred
(12:12):
megawats for data centers, and you know, you find a
way to get it here. And pjm's only tool is transmission.
PGM cannot order generation in Northern Virginia. So if Northern
Virginia wants to have all the economic development and the
revenue from these data centers, which have made Louden County
the wealthiest county in the nation. Then they need to
(12:34):
supply their own power, not just import it from West Virginia.
So here in West Virginia we want to, you know,
get in on the data centers too. And we have
something data centers need. We have plentiful off the fuel power.
We have coal and we use it. So you know,
they could come here, but they're not going to as
(12:56):
long as we keep feeding them in Virginia. Just like
a stray cat, if you feed it, it's not going
to go away, right, So if we want them here,
we have to stop feeding them with new transmission lines
from West Virginia. Hearing are coal fired power.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Hey, Karen, you know, I know both of us, between
the two of us, were not experts on the power
generation profile of the state of Virginia. But you know what,
I'm willing to take a stab at it because back
in twenty twenty they passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act,
which in effect phased out fossil fuels. I think that
(13:31):
there are some efforts to get some wind energy off shore. However,
now I've learned just in the last thirty six hours
that due to national security reasons, a lot of those
wind energy projects offshore are being scrapped because they actually
interfere with radar, and this is radar from airports and
(13:55):
also strategic radar used by the National Defense app at
US in order to keep us safe. That's kind of
a developing situation. But what can you share.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
With us that you know, Well, I heard the same
thing you've heard on the news, But I do know
that from some of my work in the Midwest that
the onshore wind turbines in the Midwest they interfere with
weather radar so that the weather radar can't really see
tornadoes and things like that because of the way they
(14:27):
disturb the atmosphere. So it's not surprising to me that there's,
you know, also a problem offshore with those things and
the way they disturb the atmosphere. So in Virginia, I
know they're trying to build offshore wind and they're also
trying to build a huge new gas fired power plant
in a place called Chesterfield, which I believe is somewhere
(14:48):
near Richmond. And so that was how Dominion was going
to try and add to its power supply. But it's
you know, it's it's very little compared to the load
that they are at. I mean, they're just building these
data centers. There is a fact I found there hasn't
been a day without data center construction in Louden County
for the past fourteen years. I mean, that's just stunning.
(15:12):
So anyhow, Chesterfield, Virginia was going to build a gas plant,
and then I saw the other day that Google has
announced it's putting a data center in Chesterfield. So as
fast as they can build the power, the data centers
are taking it. So you know they're going to keep
trying to import from West Virginia and other states.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Now, tell us about your group, But when do you
folks meet and how can people join to be a
part of this if they would like.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Well. WATTY is a group that formed in mineral of
Hampshire Counties earlier this year after the next Era open houses,
and WATTY is kind of expanding. And I am in
Jefferson County and we are actually going to be having
a meeting September fifteenth at six point thirty at a
place called Corner Connection in Charlestown, and we will be
(16:01):
organizing our group to form a citizens group, either like
WATTI or maybe as part of WATTIE. Tony Campbell, who
is the president of WATTIE, will be coming here to
be our guest speaker, and so we are going to organize.
I have we organized to defeat the Path project about
seventeen years ago, and since that time I have worked
(16:23):
with groups around the country, helping them organize and get
educated and defeat projects so it can be done. And
as far as WATTI out in Hampshire and Mineral in
other places, I'm not sure when their next meeting is
because I'm not part of their board or anything, but
I've been working with them since you know, we found
(16:44):
out about these transmission lines.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Okay, Karen Newman's with us. Now, Karen, what if any
conversations have you had with the state local lawmakers? What
are they telling you?
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Most of our legislators here are not in faise of
this project, but we're waiting to see what they can do.
We're kind of get all the people together and you know,
have a citizen lobbying effort and see what we can accomplish.
But you know, we haven't gotten too far along with that.
We were waiting for them to file an application or
(17:19):
you know, file their plans, and I had really not
found any legislators, excuse me, that are in favor of
this plan.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Karen Newman with West Virginians Against Transmission Line Injustice. Well,
we will continue to monitor the what happens in these
particular cases. There are three of them. You've got the
mid Atlantic Resiliency Link, the Gore Dabs Goose Creek Improvement Project,
and then the Valley Link as well. So there's going
(17:53):
to be a lot of actions flurrying back and forth.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Absolutely, we're just getting started with what's going on at
the PSC and we are ready to fight.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Okay, good deal. Hey Karen, really do appreciate your time.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Well it was a pleasure absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Oh you bet, you bet. Take care of yourself. Karen
Newman with West Virginians Against Transmission Line Injustice. Now, coming
up on Sunday over at m Tech off of Mississippi Street,
we're going to have a car show. That car show
is going to fund the travel expenses to get the
students who qualify down to a skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia.
(18:40):
Skills that we're talking about are things like, oh, welding,
things like electrical work of some mechanical work, things like that.
The students, what the students at m tech do. Coming
up next, I've got an eighty welding instructor from m Tech,
(19:03):
Don Robinette, and he's gonna tell us about their annual
car show. How you can support it. Now, if you've
got a car that you'd like to bring, or truck
or motorcycle, ten dollars will get you in to be
able to show off your ride. If you're a spectator,
you can get in for absolutely nothing. But you know,
you might consider a donation to help get these kids
(19:26):
to Atlanta in order to compete on the national stage.
Because talking to Don off the air just a little
bit on Wednesday, this is actually a qualifier for international competition.
So if let's just say welding, for example, the welder
from Mont County, you go down to Atlanta, do well,
(19:48):
you might find yourself competing against someone in Asia for
the world title. So that's next. Don Robinette's.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Welcome back to the program. On the phone with me,
we have Don Robinette and The topic of our discussion
is a car show that is planned by im Tech.
Don Good morning, how are you?
Speaker 5 (20:31):
Good morning? How are you?
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I'm doing wonderful, excellent. Now tell us what you do
over at MTech please.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
I am the welding instructor. I've been over here for
probably about eighteen years teaching the welding part of it.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Okay, good deal. Now let's see this car show free
to the public. It's coming up Sunday, September the seventh.
Where are you going to hold this?
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Hat?
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Don?
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Our car show is held in the front parking lot
here of our school. For those who don't know where
it is, it's right across from the ice skating rink,
but we always have it right there, and hopefully we
have a bunch of cars we get to spread into
the side parking lots.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Okay, now, what's the goal you're raising money? What are
you raising money for?
Speaker 5 (21:09):
All the money that we raised goes to the organization
called Skills USA, which is basically the Olympics for tech centers.
That's the best way I can describe it. So towards
the end of the year, we will send our best welder,
our best automotive, our best carpenter any program that we
have to compete against the others in the state, and
if they win in the state, then they get to
(21:30):
go to Atlanta and they compete nationally against students from California, GLOM, everywhere.
So we get to do that and that's money goes
to them.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So the kids get a chance to go to Atlanta
to compete. It sounds like in an international skills competition.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
It's for nationals, but that if they win at nationals,
then they get to go internationals.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Yes, sir, Okay, all right, So I guess I can't
imagine me as a seventeen eighteen year old being a welder,
let alone being an award winning welder. How do you
teach that skill to those young people or are they
just sponges that want to learn?
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Most of them are sponges that want to learn, and
they understand the opportunities that are there for them once
they get out into the real world after school and
they try to excel at that.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Okay, now we're talking with Don Robinette. He's a welding
instructor over at Intech. They've got a car show coming
up on Sunday and they're trying to raise money in
order to be able to send their students to a
national competition later this year in Atlanta, Georgia. So it
says here in your information, you know, you can bring
(22:44):
your ride or just show your love of cars. So
what kind of cars are you expecting to see on Sunday?
Speaker 5 (22:51):
We have all kinds of cars that show up. It's
really amazing to see. We have older cars back into
the early nineteen hundreds up to new Corvettes or fairly
new Mustang. So it's kind of one of them ones.
If you're happy and you're proud of your ride, please
bring it out and show it off to everybody. And
we even get motorcycles just as well, Just so that's
(23:13):
clear too.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Okay, all right, Hey, you know I was down at
the Strawberry Festival here. It wasn't this year, I think
it was last year, but they had a car show there,
and believe it or not, I saw one of those
dark green nineteen seventy two Chevy Vegas that was in
pristine condition.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Just kind of surprised me that one would last that long.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
Oh no, you would be surprised at the cars that
come over here and the care that these people put
into their cars. I mean, I like to walk around
and just try to figure out how much money is
actually in the parking lot that day with these old
cars and the new ones.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Yeah, that's a that's good thought. Now let's see. The
event is free for spectators, but if you wanted to
make a donation, I'm sure Don wouldn't turn you away.
But there is a ten dollars entry fee for participants.
Tell us how that works done.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
So the day of the car show, you can show up.
There'll be a registration table. They will get you signed in.
It does cost you ten dollars to sign up. They
give you your packets, your voting ballots. They take care
of you right there, and then throughout the day. There
is also food being served. Our culinary class puts on
a great spread of food, so they sell food here
(24:31):
as well.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
And that culinary department has been recognized statewide. They were
down to the state House just a few months ago.
Speaker 5 (24:39):
Oh yes, yes, they do wonderful things out here in
the community.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
And now let's see, Don, what time of day is
this going to take place.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
The official car show starts from twelve to three o'clock.
But we have cars that show up early just to
get signed in get their particular spot. So body who
wants to come out and enter it, feel free to
come when you do, and then we'll get you registered
once we're here.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Okay, good now, don last thing that I've got for
you is you know, you pour your heart and soul
into these students to make them the best that they
can possibly be. So this is really very very important
to be able to build up some kind of a
fund to be able to send these top performers off
(25:25):
to be able to compete. It certainly would be very
unfortunate if you had to look at one of those
kids and say, well, sorry, we just can't do it
this year.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
Yes, yeah, that's why we try to do a little fundraisers.
I mean, this is a real nice one because the
school will be open. People can come in and they
can tour whatever program they would like, or they can
tour the whole school just to see how big it
is and what we do offer.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Okay, well that sounds like a great opportunity. And once
again that is coming up this Sunday over at MTech
off of Mississippi Street here in the city of Morgantown. Now,
what time can people start to show up there again, Don,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
One more time. I'm sorry I didn't hear you.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Oh well, what time can people start showing up.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
They can start showing up whenever. We've had cars show
up starting at eight o'clock in the morning. But like
I said, the official car show doesn't start till twelve o'clock.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Okay, good deal. Don. Robinette Will welding instructor. Over at
ind Deck, they're preparing for their car, truck and motorcycle
show that's free and open to the public, happening this Sunday,
starting at ten am. But you just heard Don say,
don't be afraid to show up just a little bit early.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
That's right. We'll welcome anybody at any time.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Okay, good deal. Hey, Don, keep up the good work.
And I do appreciate your time today.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
Oh thank you. I appreciate you talking to.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Me absolutely And we'll be back with more of Talk
of the Town coming up after this on AM fourteen
forty FM oneh four point five w Ejr.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
This is the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
Good Thursday morning, Welcome back to talk of the town.
You know, for the last four years, at about this
time of year, Morgantown City Council has began their struggle
with the warming shelter, and this year is no different.
And that Tuesday's City Council meeting, the warming shelter and
other issues regarding homeless population was brought up by a
(27:46):
variety of community members. Well, one of those former Mountain
State Justice employee Lindsey Jacobs. She addressed council with several
questions about the warming shelter, who's going to operate a
where's it going to be, wins it gonna open up?
But before she grilled select members of council about what
they've done for the homeless, she had some other questions
(28:10):
that were framed around the camping band. Now, before we
get to those, these the questions that she brought up
were specifically directed at the existing members of council. Councilors Abuganum,
Michael and Selene and Jacobs wanted to know what they
(28:31):
had done, uh for members of the homeless community. Now,
of course, it appeared to me that she was highlighting
the fact that the the other members of the quorum.
Let's see councilor marked downs that would be Mayor Trumbull,
Deputy Mayor Butcher, and then Councilor hollings Head. It appeared
(28:52):
as if they were in lockstep and were in the
know with what those particular councilors had been doing, and
they wanted them to share their plans likewise if they could. Now,
I would like to point out that this whole iteration
of council got off I guess, you know, whatever you
(29:14):
want to call it, but they all showed up at
an event wearing shirts called the quick Quorn and kind
of put themselves as a group of their own within council,
and now that particular distinction is being recognized by members
of the public now. After Jacob's question those counselors directly,
(29:35):
she then turned her attention to the camping band and
some changes that they would like to see. Regarding that,
we're going to play a portion of what she said
and we'll have reaction.
Speaker 6 (29:48):
Second thing, I would love for you all to start
having a conversation about, and I'm happy to be the
first one to say it on the record, I'd love
for us to start having a discussion about repealing the
criminal penalties of the camping Ban ordinance, and I will
be speaking with many of you individually about why I
think that's an urgent priority for this Council to take on,
(30:09):
in addition to all the things that the many priorities
that I think are exciting that each of you are championing.
And I think that there are many other people that
are gonna start pushing you toward repealing the criminal penalties
of the camping ban as well. So that the thing
I'd love to hear about tonight is what conversations are having,
not just from Danielle Brian who you know, I feel
(30:30):
like there are seven members of council and a couple
of you talk about housing and the warming shelter and homelessness.
What are the rest of you doing? Where are you
on this issue? There are seven of you, and I
see you look to Danielle and look to Brian, and
I know you two, you know a couple of year
are new, so I know you're getting your sea legs
(30:51):
under you. But there are seven of you. What are
you all doing?
Speaker 2 (30:54):
You got your camping ban?
Speaker 6 (30:55):
Where are you at?
Speaker 2 (30:57):
I'd like to hear from you, And I've been third
ward Counselor Louise Michael. Of course wee'z she was. She
proposed the camping ban initially last year, and she's fought
very hard to see this through. And if you talk
to Wee's and you go back through meeting minutes, what
you'll find is is that Weez was responding to multiple requests, comments, situations,
(31:25):
incidents that have been reported to her by business owners, residents,
and people that frequent downtown, including members of the university community.
Wee's responded like.
Speaker 7 (31:39):
This, somebody's in the public seems to think that there's
other council members here that don't care about the Unhauser,
don't do anything.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
That's just false and it's insulting.
Speaker 7 (31:53):
I personally know that Jenny, Joe and myself have done
things behind the scenes, and you know, Franklin and just
s of tired of it. The camping ban, every word
that camping ban was on the ballot for people to
read in the community. They chose to keep it, So
(32:14):
to go and change it and mend it is to
me again an insult to the people of this community.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
That chose to keep it.
Speaker 7 (32:27):
So, you know, I just I just it's just not
right to come in here and take pot shots as
some of these council members. I know them personally. I
know what I do. You can mock me and mouth
me I I don't get it, or you take shots
(32:48):
at Annie over there forgetting the stats and then come
after us. It makes no sense. We're all trying to
make this batter and help people. We do our own
different things. Brian does something different, Danielle does something different.
I'm sure Jodie and Mark do.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
But I'm just tired of of you.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
So that's the end of my report.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
And I think the message here is that what we's
isn't hearing from Lindsay Jacobs, is that Lindsay Jacobs wants
the same thing from all seven council members. We don't
want individual thought, we don't want and we want you
to do what we want you to do. Something else.
I think that you might hear out on the street,
(33:34):
not sure if it's true, evaluating this and picking up
information as I go, but they'll tell you that the
reason that the homeless traffic up on Scott Avenue at
Hazel's House of Hope, the reason that that has grown
is because of the camping ban. Others will tell you
that that's not the case. In fact, I received something
(33:55):
from a Texter that says that the reason that the
the homeless activity has increased upon Scott Avenue is because
the city is now paying over time to the police
to patrol the streets at night to stop the open
flow of drugs, and it's working now. I'm sure that
(34:17):
there are many different stories and everyone has something something
to offer to this, but to come in and criticize
efforts that are being made without maybe offering help or
an idea or a suggestion, I think. I think you
(34:38):
get what you get, and that's pretty much what the
Texter says here. That people get the government that they
vote for, and that certainly doesn't pay Morgantown City Council
or any elected body in this city with one brush.
I think we can all work harder and do better,
and I'm sure that this homeless issue, like it does
(35:01):
each year, it'll get worked out just some years or
maybe just a little bit less ugly than others. We
can hope that this year will be the same. I
know that Mayor Daniel Trumbull says meetings are set next
week with Catholic Charities of West Virginia as well as
a Morgantown Police Department, Morgantown Community Resources, the board that
(35:25):
manages Hazel's House of Hope. I would assume that the
county would be involved in that effort, and I would
assume that the county would want to support this effort
again this year. But I don't know if anybody's really
contacted the county yet. I can't really verify that, and
I think that that's an important part of addressing this
(35:48):
problem in order to give the public maybe peace of mind,
and also the people that use that shelter. You know,
the latest point in time, the latest pit count or
a point in time homeless count said one hundred and
fifty homeless people occupied this county. My last check, we
(36:09):
have definitely less than fewer homeless beds.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
In this city.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
The texture has an opinion, but don't know if I'm
going to share that, but I will be back to
wrap things up coming after this
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Klerksburg.
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 (00:23):
Well, good Thursday morning, some light brain sixty four degrees
in the University City. Glad you're with us. Now Metro
Newsaki Weather says today there is an eighty percent chance
of showers and thunderstorms. I have seventy two degrees. Of course,
we'll keep you up to date with the weather conditions
throughout the program. West Virginia five one one reports an
(00:45):
incident free interstate system at this hour and welcome to
the program. I'm Mike Nolton. You'll find me on x
as your news guy. Ethan Collins is our producer today.
You can get Ethan at eight hundred seven six five
eight two five five. We also have a text line
that number three oh four Talk three oh four. On
(01:09):
the program today, we're going to spend a few minutes
with Karen Newman. Karen is also with the group of
West Virginians against Transmission Line Injustice. She's going to be
talking to us about a small portion of a transmission
line set in Jefferson County that will ultimately hook up
to the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link. We're going to talk
(01:32):
to her about the need for electricity in Virginia, what
they're doing to come back this particular transmission line project,
and also a little bit about their group and their meetings.
We'll do that at nine fifteen. At nine point thirty,
have got Don Robinette coming to the program. Don is
a welding instructor over at m Tech. They've got a
(01:54):
car show coming up this weekend. It's actually a very
important car show. Free for the spectators, but if you
want to make a donation you can. For car owners.
It is ten dollars. The first one hundred cars get
a free plaque, and all the proceeds are going to
be put in a pool in order to transport their
students to a skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia coming up
(02:18):
later this year. So we'll talk to Don about that.
Going to end the show with a couple of my
thoughts on the warming shelter, the homeless issue, and the
camping ban. That's the roadmap for the program. Let's take
a look at a couple of headlines and then dive
right in. The Mond County Commission's officially backing plans for
(02:41):
the I sixty eight a manufacturing corridor. That's the I
sixty eight extension to the Ohio River. Officials believe that
would make I sixty eight an energy and industry corridor.
The Marianne County Commission approved a similar resolution in August
out more vaccine litigation, this time in Gilbert County, where
(03:02):
a mom wants to send her two children to school
without vaccines. She's claiming a religious exemption. She's asking the
court for a preliminary injunction. A similar lawsuit involving eight
is active in the Berkeley County court system. The state
school Board says the existing vaccination requirements have to be followed.
(03:25):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has an executive order in place allowing
for religious exemptions under the State Freedom of Religion Act.
The latest Metro News West Virginia poll is at wvmetronews
dot com, and it says something that won't surprise a
whole lot of people that West Virginia strongly support President
(03:47):
Donald Trump. Upholster Rex repass says there are a number
of things that Trump has done that respondents say they support. However,
there are a few things the handling of the economy,
griffs and things like that. But at any rate, you
can get the full picture by going to wvmetronews dot com.
(04:08):
Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board. They meet today in Charleston,
and we could get some new numbers on how the
state run health insurance program's doing financially. Governor Patrick Morrissey's
floating some possible changes to that program. It could be
the subject of an upcoming special legislative session. Of course,
(04:30):
one set of legislative interim meetings get underway, coming up
on Sunday. Now, the finance Board they'll meet this afternoon,
I believe that is at noon. A police in Barbara
County say a man pointed a revolver at his wife,
pulled the trigger and gun didn't fire. Seventy two year
old Anthony Mayles been charged with tempted murder and wanton endangerment.
(04:54):
Witnesses reported that he appeared to be intoxicated when he
ever returned home from the Barberacams Fair. His wife hid
the gun. He ultimately found the gun and found her,
threatened to shoot her, pulled the trigger, it didn't go off.
That's when a grandson got involved, attempted to wrestle the
(05:14):
firearm away from him. Now, eventually the team just choked
him out. I think he told police that he choked
his grandpa to sleep. Males being held in the Tiger
Valley Regional Jail. Well, the last time somebody won the
powerball jackpot, that was back in June. The winners last
night Saturday. The jackpot will balloon to one point seven
(05:39):
billion dollars. When we come back, we're going to talk
a little bit about the the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link.
We'll also talk with a representative from West Virginia's West
Virginians against a transmission Line Injustice. That person will be
Karen Newman. We're going to do that next on Talk
of the Town. Light sixty four coming back on AM
(06:02):
fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJAH.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Because Thursday morning, some light scattered showers in the University
City sixty four degrees. Currently on the phone, we've got
Karen Newman with West Virginians against Transmission Line Injustice. Now,
just to set this up, the Gore Dowbs Goose Creek
Improvement Project that runs from Frederick County, Virginia east through
(06:42):
Clark County, Virginia, then into Jefferson County. Now, from there,
the transmission lines would continue into Louden County, Virginia, then
into Maryland before connecting in Louden County again. Now, while
separate from the one hundred and five mile mid Atlantic
Resilience the link the Gordabs Goose Creek Improvement Project would
(07:04):
connect tomorrow at one point in Frederick County, Virginia. On
the phone, we have Karen Newman. Karen, good morning, ma'am.
How are you.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I'm great? How are you?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I'm doing pretty good. Thank you very much for joining
us this morning. Give us, I guess some of the
main concerns for folks in your area about this particular
improvement project.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Please right well, PJM Interconnection, who is the grid operator.
They needed a new five hundred kill vote circuit that
comes from Pennsylvania all the way to the data centers.
So while these two different companies, First Energy and Next
Era are trying to make it be two separate projects,
that's only legally on paper physically, it's one five hundred
(07:47):
killoot circuit that goes all the way down to the
data centers. So here in Jefferson County, the Gordabs Goose
Creek will be using right away that currently has a
one hundred and thirty eight killable line on it. Those
towers are about sixty five feet tall. There are wooden
h frame towers. Those will be torn down and in
(08:07):
its place will be a one hundred and eighty five
foot steel monopole.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
And then I would assume that the lines that are
on the existing sixty five foot tall structures would be
added to that one hundred and eighty five foot pole,
and then the additional lines would be above those. Is
that correct?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yes, that's how it is that they're going to double
circuit it. And I just want to add that currently
that one hundred and thirty eight killo volt line shares
the right of way with an existing five hundred killo
volt line, which are those big metal lattice towers. I
think the ones we have are maybe one hundred and
fifty feet tall. This new pole is going to be
taller than that, and it's like literally right in some
(08:53):
people's backyards because we're much more urban, especially near Charlestown
where this is going through. And you know it's going
to be very destructive and you're going to see it
for miles and more fast growing here and you know
this this will harm our county.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
What are your neighbors saying about it?
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Well, nobody here is in favor of this project, of course.
And you know we've been waiting. I knew about this
project two years ago because I've been attending the PJAM meetings.
But you know, we've been waiting for First Energy to
finally have an open house and give us some information
and show us what these things were going to look like.
And you know, nobody was pleased with the fact that
(09:35):
the size of the towers are going to triple. Also,
PJM has planned a second transmission project that's going to
come along right behind this, and it's called Valley Link
and it is seven hundred and sixty five killables and
it begins at the John Amos Power Station in Putnam
County and it crosses fourteen West Virginia counties before going
(09:59):
through jeff and then it goes on over into Frederick,
Maryland for data centers. Again, this is all for data centers.
And I've got nothing.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I've looked at that Valley link, and you know, that's
really the big one that people are going to be
talking about because you know that one's about two hundred
and sixty seven miles seven hundred and fifty thousand kill volts,
much more powerful.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
And much longer, right and it's going to be the
new two hundred foot wide right away for its entire length.
So in Jefferson County, it wants to parallel that existing
configuration we have, So we'll have you know, a seven
sixty five two five hundreds of a one point thirty
eight all in you know, an urban backyard.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Got Karen Newman with a concerned citizen from Jefferson County
and we're talking about this. I guess network of proposed
transmission lines that have are going are coming to the
PSC And now, Karen, I guess it's in important for
the listeners to understand that the reason that these transmission
(11:04):
lines are possible. Obviously you brought up data centers, but
I think that there's another.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
I guess there's AI is driving electricity demand in some
of those areas in Virginia as well. But at the
same time, we've got a microgrid build and we sure
would like to have people take advantage of that if
you could talk a little bit about electricity demand and
what you know about the data centers and AI.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Right, the data centers. I mean, we've had data centers
in Louden County for you know, decades, and you know
there hasn't been a problem until the you know invention
I guess of AI. And now they all want to
build these AI data centers and they're not really just
storing data. They're thinking and they're you know, coming up
(11:51):
with things and they're scouring the Internet for their answers
and things like that. And that takes like ten times
the amount of electricity as a normal data center. So
you know, they want to keep building those out. However,
Virginia does not have the power supply for them, so
they just simply send it up the pipeline to PGM
And so you have PGM. We need seventy five hundred
(12:12):
megawats for data centers, and you know, you find a
way to get it here. And pjm's only tool is transmission.
PGM cannot order generation in Northern Virginia. So if Northern
Virginia wants to have all the economic development and the
revenue from these data centers, which have made Louden County
the wealthiest county in the nation. Then they need to
(12:34):
supply their own power, not just import it from West Virginia.
So here in West Virginia we want to, you know,
get in on the data centers too. And we have
something data centers need. We have plentiful off the fuel power.
We have coal and we use it. So you know,
they could come here, but they're not going to as
(12:56):
long as we keep feeding them in Virginia. Just like
a stray cat, if you feed it, it's not going
to go away, right, So if we want them here,
we have to stop feeding them with new transmission lines
from West Virginia. Hearing are coal fired power.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Hey, Karen, you know, I know both of us, between
the two of us, were not experts on the power
generation profile of the state of Virginia. But you know what,
I'm willing to take a stab at it because back
in twenty twenty they passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act,
which in effect phased out fossil fuels. I think that
(13:31):
there are some efforts to get some wind energy off shore. However,
now I've learned just in the last thirty six hours
that due to national security reasons, a lot of those
wind energy projects offshore are being scrapped because they actually
interfere with radar, and this is radar from airports and
(13:55):
also strategic radar used by the National Defense app at
US in order to keep us safe. That's kind of
a developing situation. But what can you share.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
With us that you know, Well, I heard the same
thing you've heard on the news, But I do know
that from some of my work in the Midwest that
the onshore wind turbines in the Midwest they interfere with
weather radar so that the weather radar can't really see
tornadoes and things like that because of the way they
(14:27):
disturb the atmosphere. So it's not surprising to me that there's,
you know, also a problem offshore with those things and
the way they disturb the atmosphere. So in Virginia, I
know they're trying to build offshore wind and they're also
trying to build a huge new gas fired power plant
in a place called Chesterfield, which I believe is somewhere
(14:48):
near Richmond. And so that was how Dominion was going
to try and add to its power supply. But it's
you know, it's it's very little compared to the load
that they are at. I mean, they're just building these
data centers. There is a fact I found there hasn't
been a day without data center construction in Louden County
for the past fourteen years. I mean, that's just stunning.
(15:12):
So anyhow, Chesterfield, Virginia was going to build a gas plant,
and then I saw the other day that Google has
announced it's putting a data center in Chesterfield. So as
fast as they can build the power, the data centers
are taking it. So you know they're going to keep
trying to import from West Virginia and other states.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Now, tell us about your group, But when do you
folks meet and how can people join to be a
part of this if they would like.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Well. WATTY is a group that formed in mineral of
Hampshire Counties earlier this year after the next Era open houses,
and WATTY is kind of expanding. And I am in
Jefferson County and we are actually going to be having
a meeting September fifteenth at six point thirty at a
place called Corner Connection in Charlestown, and we will be
(16:01):
organizing our group to form a citizens group, either like
WATTI or maybe as part of WATTIE. Tony Campbell, who
is the president of WATTIE, will be coming here to
be our guest speaker, and so we are going to organize.
I have we organized to defeat the Path project about
seventeen years ago, and since that time I have worked
(16:23):
with groups around the country, helping them organize and get
educated and defeat projects so it can be done. And
as far as WATTI out in Hampshire and Mineral in
other places, I'm not sure when their next meeting is
because I'm not part of their board or anything, but
I've been working with them since you know, we found
(16:44):
out about these transmission lines.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Okay, Karen Newman's with us. Now, Karen, what if any
conversations have you had with the state local lawmakers? What
are they telling you?
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Most of our legislators here are not in faise of
this project, but we're waiting to see what they can do.
We're kind of get all the people together and you know,
have a citizen lobbying effort and see what we can accomplish.
But you know, we haven't gotten too far along with that.
We were waiting for them to file an application or
(17:19):
you know, file their plans, and I had really not
found any legislators, excuse me, that are in favor of
this plan.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Karen Newman with West Virginians Against Transmission Line Injustice. Well,
we will continue to monitor the what happens in these
particular cases. There are three of them. You've got the
mid Atlantic Resiliency Link, the Gore Dabs Goose Creek Improvement Project,
and then the Valley Link as well. So there's going
(17:53):
to be a lot of actions flurrying back and forth.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Absolutely, we're just getting started with what's going on at
the PSC and we are ready to fight.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Okay, good deal. Hey Karen, really do appreciate your time.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Well it was a pleasure absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Oh you bet, you bet. Take care of yourself. Karen
Newman with West Virginians Against Transmission Line Injustice. Now, coming
up on Sunday over at m Tech off of Mississippi Street,
we're going to have a car show. That car show
is going to fund the travel expenses to get the
students who qualify down to a skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia.
(18:40):
Skills that we're talking about are things like, oh, welding,
things like electrical work of some mechanical work, things like that.
The students, what the students at m tech do. Coming
up next, I've got an eighty welding instructor from m Tech,
(19:03):
Don Robinette, and he's gonna tell us about their annual
car show. How you can support it. Now, if you've
got a car that you'd like to bring, or truck
or motorcycle, ten dollars will get you in to be
able to show off your ride. If you're a spectator,
you can get in for absolutely nothing. But you know,
you might consider a donation to help get these kids
(19:26):
to Atlanta in order to compete on the national stage.
Because talking to Don off the air just a little
bit on Wednesday, this is actually a qualifier for international competition.
So if let's just say welding, for example, the welder
from Mont County, you go down to Atlanta, do well,
(19:48):
you might find yourself competing against someone in Asia for
the world title. So that's next. Don Robinette's.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Welcome back to the program. On the phone with me,
we have Don Robinette and The topic of our discussion
is a car show that is planned by im Tech.
Don Good morning, how are you?
Speaker 5 (20:31):
Good morning? How are you?
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I'm doing wonderful, excellent. Now tell us what you do
over at MTech please.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
I am the welding instructor. I've been over here for
probably about eighteen years teaching the welding part of it.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Okay, good deal. Now let's see this car show free
to the public. It's coming up Sunday, September the seventh.
Where are you going to hold this?
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Hat?
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Don?
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Our car show is held in the front parking lot
here of our school. For those who don't know where
it is, it's right across from the ice skating rink,
but we always have it right there, and hopefully we
have a bunch of cars we get to spread into
the side parking lots.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Okay, now, what's the goal you're raising money? What are
you raising money for?
Speaker 5 (21:09):
All the money that we raised goes to the organization
called Skills USA, which is basically the Olympics for tech centers.
That's the best way I can describe it. So towards
the end of the year, we will send our best welder,
our best automotive, our best carpenter any program that we
have to compete against the others in the state, and
if they win in the state, then they get to
(21:30):
go to Atlanta and they compete nationally against students from California, GLOM, everywhere.
So we get to do that and that's money goes
to them.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So the kids get a chance to go to Atlanta
to compete. It sounds like in an international skills competition.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
It's for nationals, but that if they win at nationals,
then they get to go internationals.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Yes, sir, Okay, all right, So I guess I can't
imagine me as a seventeen eighteen year old being a welder,
let alone being an award winning welder. How do you
teach that skill to those young people or are they
just sponges that want to learn?
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Most of them are sponges that want to learn, and
they understand the opportunities that are there for them once
they get out into the real world after school and
they try to excel at that.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Okay, now we're talking with Don Robinette. He's a welding
instructor over at Intech. They've got a car show coming
up on Sunday and they're trying to raise money in
order to be able to send their students to a
national competition later this year in Atlanta, Georgia. So it
says here in your information, you know, you can bring
(22:44):
your ride or just show your love of cars. So
what kind of cars are you expecting to see on Sunday?
Speaker 5 (22:51):
We have all kinds of cars that show up. It's
really amazing to see. We have older cars back into
the early nineteen hundreds up to new Corvettes or fairly
new Mustang. So it's kind of one of them ones.
If you're happy and you're proud of your ride, please
bring it out and show it off to everybody. And
we even get motorcycles just as well, Just so that's
(23:13):
clear too.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Okay, all right, Hey, you know I was down at
the Strawberry Festival here. It wasn't this year, I think
it was last year, but they had a car show there,
and believe it or not, I saw one of those
dark green nineteen seventy two Chevy Vegas that was in
pristine condition.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Just kind of surprised me that one would last that long.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
Oh no, you would be surprised at the cars that
come over here and the care that these people put
into their cars. I mean, I like to walk around
and just try to figure out how much money is
actually in the parking lot that day with these old
cars and the new ones.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Yeah, that's a that's good thought. Now let's see. The
event is free for spectators, but if you wanted to
make a donation, I'm sure Don wouldn't turn you away.
But there is a ten dollars entry fee for participants.
Tell us how that works done.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
So the day of the car show, you can show up.
There'll be a registration table. They will get you signed in.
It does cost you ten dollars to sign up. They
give you your packets, your voting ballots. They take care
of you right there, and then throughout the day. There
is also food being served. Our culinary class puts on
a great spread of food, so they sell food here
(24:31):
as well.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
And that culinary department has been recognized statewide. They were
down to the state House just a few months ago.
Speaker 5 (24:39):
Oh yes, yes, they do wonderful things out here in
the community.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
And now let's see, Don, what time of day is
this going to take place.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
The official car show starts from twelve to three o'clock.
But we have cars that show up early just to
get signed in get their particular spot. So body who
wants to come out and enter it, feel free to
come when you do, and then we'll get you registered
once we're here.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Okay, good now, don last thing that I've got for
you is you know, you pour your heart and soul
into these students to make them the best that they
can possibly be. So this is really very very important
to be able to build up some kind of a
fund to be able to send these top performers off
(25:25):
to be able to compete. It certainly would be very
unfortunate if you had to look at one of those
kids and say, well, sorry, we just can't do it
this year.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
Yes, yeah, that's why we try to do a little fundraisers.
I mean, this is a real nice one because the
school will be open. People can come in and they
can tour whatever program they would like, or they can
tour the whole school just to see how big it
is and what we do offer.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Okay, well that sounds like a great opportunity. And once
again that is coming up this Sunday over at MTech
off of Mississippi Street here in the city of Morgantown. Now,
what time can people start to show up there again, Don,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
One more time. I'm sorry I didn't hear you.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Oh well, what time can people start showing up.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
They can start showing up whenever. We've had cars show
up starting at eight o'clock in the morning. But like
I said, the official car show doesn't start till twelve o'clock.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Okay, good deal. Don. Robinette Will welding instructor. Over at
ind Deck, they're preparing for their car, truck and motorcycle
show that's free and open to the public, happening this Sunday,
starting at ten am. But you just heard Don say,
don't be afraid to show up just a little bit early.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
That's right. We'll welcome anybody at any time.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Okay, good deal. Hey, Don, keep up the good work.
And I do appreciate your time today.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
Oh thank you. I appreciate you talking to.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Me absolutely And we'll be back with more of Talk
of the Town coming up after this on AM fourteen
forty FM oneh four point five w Ejr.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
This is the Talk of the Town.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
Good Thursday morning, Welcome back to talk of the town.
You know, for the last four years, at about this
time of year, Morgantown City Council has began their struggle
with the warming shelter, and this year is no different.
And that Tuesday's City Council meeting, the warming shelter and
other issues regarding homeless population was brought up by a
(27:46):
variety of community members. Well, one of those former Mountain
State Justice employee Lindsey Jacobs. She addressed council with several
questions about the warming shelter, who's going to operate a
where's it going to be, wins it gonna open up?
But before she grilled select members of council about what
they've done for the homeless, she had some other questions
(28:10):
that were framed around the camping band. Now, before we
get to those, these the questions that she brought up
were specifically directed at the existing members of council. Councilors Abuganum,
Michael and Selene and Jacobs wanted to know what they
(28:31):
had done, uh for members of the homeless community. Now,
of course, it appeared to me that she was highlighting
the fact that the the other members of the quorum.
Let's see councilor marked downs that would be Mayor Trumbull,
Deputy Mayor Butcher, and then Councilor hollings Head. It appeared
(28:52):
as if they were in lockstep and were in the
know with what those particular councilors had been doing, and
they wanted them to share their plans likewise if they could. Now,
I would like to point out that this whole iteration
of council got off I guess, you know, whatever you
(29:14):
want to call it, but they all showed up at
an event wearing shirts called the quick Quorn and kind
of put themselves as a group of their own within council,
and now that particular distinction is being recognized by members
of the public now. After Jacob's question those counselors directly,
(29:35):
she then turned her attention to the camping band and
some changes that they would like to see. Regarding that,
we're going to play a portion of what she said
and we'll have reaction.
Speaker 6 (29:48):
Second thing, I would love for you all to start
having a conversation about, and I'm happy to be the
first one to say it on the record, I'd love
for us to start having a discussion about repealing the
criminal penalties of the camping Ban ordinance, and I will
be speaking with many of you individually about why I
think that's an urgent priority for this Council to take on,
(30:09):
in addition to all the things that the many priorities
that I think are exciting that each of you are championing.
And I think that there are many other people that
are gonna start pushing you toward repealing the criminal penalties
of the camping ban as well. So that the thing
I'd love to hear about tonight is what conversations are having,
not just from Danielle Brian who you know, I feel
(30:30):
like there are seven members of council and a couple
of you talk about housing and the warming shelter and homelessness.
What are the rest of you doing? Where are you
on this issue? There are seven of you, and I
see you look to Danielle and look to Brian, and
I know you two, you know a couple of year
are new, so I know you're getting your sea legs
(30:51):
under you. But there are seven of you. What are
you all doing?
Speaker 2 (30:54):
You got your camping ban?
Speaker 6 (30:55):
Where are you at?
Speaker 2 (30:57):
I'd like to hear from you, And I've been third
ward Counselor Louise Michael. Of course wee'z she was. She
proposed the camping ban initially last year, and she's fought
very hard to see this through. And if you talk
to Wee's and you go back through meeting minutes, what
you'll find is is that Weez was responding to multiple requests, comments, situations,
(31:25):
incidents that have been reported to her by business owners, residents,
and people that frequent downtown, including members of the university community.
Wee's responded like.
Speaker 7 (31:39):
This, somebody's in the public seems to think that there's
other council members here that don't care about the Unhauser,
don't do anything.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
That's just false and it's insulting.
Speaker 7 (31:53):
I personally know that Jenny, Joe and myself have done
things behind the scenes, and you know, Franklin and just
s of tired of it. The camping ban, every word
that camping ban was on the ballot for people to
read in the community. They chose to keep it, So
(32:14):
to go and change it and mend it is to
me again an insult to the people of this community.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
That chose to keep it.
Speaker 7 (32:27):
So, you know, I just I just it's just not
right to come in here and take pot shots as
some of these council members. I know them personally. I
know what I do. You can mock me and mouth
me I I don't get it, or you take shots
(32:48):
at Annie over there forgetting the stats and then come
after us. It makes no sense. We're all trying to
make this batter and help people. We do our own
different things. Brian does something different, Danielle does something different.
I'm sure Jodie and Mark do.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
But I'm just tired of of you.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
So that's the end of my report.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
And I think the message here is that what we's
isn't hearing from Lindsay Jacobs, is that Lindsay Jacobs wants
the same thing from all seven council members. We don't
want individual thought, we don't want and we want you
to do what we want you to do. Something else.
I think that you might hear out on the street,
(33:34):
not sure if it's true, evaluating this and picking up
information as I go, but they'll tell you that the
reason that the homeless traffic up on Scott Avenue at
Hazel's House of Hope, the reason that that has grown
is because of the camping ban. Others will tell you
that that's not the case. In fact, I received something
(33:55):
from a Texter that says that the reason that the
the homeless activity has increased upon Scott Avenue is because
the city is now paying over time to the police
to patrol the streets at night to stop the open
flow of drugs, and it's working now. I'm sure that
(34:17):
there are many different stories and everyone has something something
to offer to this, but to come in and criticize
efforts that are being made without maybe offering help or
an idea or a suggestion, I think. I think you
(34:38):
get what you get, and that's pretty much what the
Texter says here. That people get the government that they
vote for, and that certainly doesn't pay Morgantown City Council
or any elected body in this city with one brush.
I think we can all work harder and do better,
and I'm sure that this homeless issue, like it does
(35:01):
each year, it'll get worked out just some years or
maybe just a little bit less ugly than others. We
can hope that this year will be the same. I
know that Mayor Daniel Trumbull says meetings are set next
week with Catholic Charities of West Virginia as well as
a Morgantown Police Department, Morgantown Community Resources, the board that
(35:25):
manages Hazel's House of Hope. I would assume that the
county would be involved in that effort, and I would
assume that the county would want to support this effort
again this year. But I don't know if anybody's really
contacted the county yet. I can't really verify that, and
I think that that's an important part of addressing this
(35:48):
problem in order to give the public maybe peace of mind,
and also the people that use that shelter. You know,
the latest point in time, the latest pit count or
a point in time homeless count said one hundred and
fifty homeless people occupied this county. My last check, we
(36:09):
have definitely less than fewer homeless beds.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
In this city.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
The texture has an opinion, but don't know if I'm
going to share that, but I will be back to
wrap things up coming after this
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