Talkline | Dec. 1, 2025

Gabriel Markle, Webster County High School Principal, shares his thoughts on the life of Sarah Beckstrom. Revenue Secretary Eric Nelson rolls out November numbers. Hoppy weighs in on the tragic shooting last week involving WV National Guard members. Plus, your texts. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:16):
It's back to work. It's back to school as the
Thanksgiving holiday is concluded, so that means it's Christmas season.
Let's meet News talk Line. We're under what.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Your radio turned on. From the studios of w v
r C Media and the Metro News Radio and Television Network,
a voice of West Virginia, comes the most powerful show
in West Virginia. This It's Metro News talk Line with

(00:49):
Dave Wilson and t J.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Meadows activated so it's network can hold From Charles.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Stand By to David TJ. You'r Metro News talk Line
is presented by Encovia Insurance, encircling you with coverage to
protect what you care about most. Visit incovia dot com
to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Good morning, Welcome into the program, Mettion You News talk
Line from the Encove Insurance studios Steve Wilson in Morgantown.
We'll get connected with TJ. Meadows in just a moment.
Eight hundred seven sixty five talks. The phone number eight
hundred seven sixty five eight two five five. You can
text the show at three o four Talk three oh
four coming up. Hoppy Kerchible join us. Second hour of

(01:36):
the program, Ryan Smells from Washington, d C. I'll also
spend a few minutes later on with Revenue Secretary Eric Nelson.
We'll talk November revenue numbers, phone numbers, eight hundred and seven,
sixty five, eight, two, five, five three or four talk
three oh four. Got a technical glitch we gotta take
care of. We're gonna do that. Gonna take a quick break,
and when we return, we'll talk to the principal at

(01:59):
Webster County High School, Gabriel Markel, where the community is
mourning the loss of Sarah Bextrom, one of the two
National Guard members who were shots over the Thanksgiving holiday
week in Washington, DC. We'll have that conversation when we return,
take a quick break. Back in a moment. This is
talk line from the en COVID Insurance Studios.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
We were built in West Virginia and for West Virginia.
We're investing in our state by expanding our fiber network,
creating local jobs, and delivering high speed internet that truly performs.
Sign up now and get fifty percent off your first
year of service, with plans starting as low as twenty
five dollars a month. Experience the speed and reliability you deserve.

(02:40):
Visit citynet dot net Today, city Net Connects, protects and perfects.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
That's your news line is presented by Encova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
You care about most.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Praierly, the technology was still on Thanksgiving break. Got that
all sorted out now. Please say good morning to mister TJ. Meadows,
who is in the Charleston studios. As a matter of fact,
good morning, TJ.

Speaker 5 (03:21):
Good morning. I went to check my email. I thought
maybe I didn't get the memo after last week.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
That'll be how it happens. I've always have figured I'll
be the last one to know when I'm no longer employed.
Oh good, h good week. Uh, good Thanksgiving with fam
good everybody turkey good. Yeah.

Speaker 5 (03:38):
Yeah, we had a We had a good Thanksgiving, had
all the family together on my side on Thursday, did
my wife's side of the family on Saturday. We always
do two because families are big and all that fun stuff. Uh,
but yeah, it was. It was good to see everybody.
And at the end of it, you know, you eat
leftovers and then you know, obviously some terrible events last week,
so that was kind of you know you were trying
to reconcile the emotion of that and trying to enjoy

(04:00):
your family at the same time. And a lot of
other folks have it a lot harder than we do, obviously,
But yeah, it was a good break.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
How about you.

Speaker 5 (04:07):
Did you enjoy your vacation way?

Speaker 1 (04:08):
Oh yeah, spent some time out in the woods last week,
got to do a little bit of deer hunting. Well,
there wasn't great a couple of days last week, but
there is meat in the freezer though, will be jerky
for well, not for everybody, but for some. And uh yeah,
I had a good Thanksgiving dinner, good leftovers, good football.
We'll get into that a little bit later on, by
the way, over the weekend as well. So it's good

(04:29):
to be back. Good to be back in the studios
and seeing you through the.

Speaker 5 (04:32):
Monitor of course. Yeah, so folks are gonna want to
know your deer story. There was a lot of traction
on the text time last week about did he did
he get a deer? Has he called you in? And
I'm like, no, he's on vacation. I'm not gonna bother that.
The guy was on vacation. He'll tell you the story
when he gets back, so you'll have to do that
at some point.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
I don't know if it's much of a story, but
we can get into that a little bit later on. Obviously,
the news last week going into the holiday, tragic news
out of Washington, d C. Two members of the West
Virginia National Guard were ambushed and shot in Washington, d C.
Of course, one of those members of the Westerginian National
Guard passed away from her injuries. In the Webster County

(05:09):
and Webster Springs community, they are morning the loss of
West Virginia Army National Guard specialist Sarah Beckstrom. Folks who
knew her said she had the biggest hearts. It was
a girly girl, twenty year old from Webster Springs. Joining
us on Mention News talk line this morning is the
principal at Webster County High School where they actually held
a vigil over the weekend. Gabriel Markel joining us this morning,

(05:32):
mister Markle, Good morning and appreciate you joining us.

Speaker 6 (05:35):
Hey, good morning, Dave and TJ. Thanks for having me
on your show.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
How is the community holding up? How is the community
dealing with this just unthinkable tragedy.

Speaker 6 (05:45):
Well, everyone drallying together the amount of support that they're
showing for Samles's family along with each other that's grieving
has been overwhelming in the most positive way. Everyone encouraging
each other. I think the BFW we've had three visuals
for Sarah, and it's always easier. No one should have

(06:08):
to griep alone. When you can grieve with other people,
it makes it easier. But the support local businesses making
blue ribbons, community members making blue ribbons, I mean everyone
is just rallying and showing Sarah that you know, we
we have in her family, We have your guys's back.
If you need anything, let us know.

Speaker 5 (06:29):
Mister Markle, tell us about Sarah and her time at
Webster Springs High School.

Speaker 6 (06:35):
Yes, Sarah was your ideal student, graduated with honors, took
dual credit classes, was a CTE complet in the Health
Science program. And you know, as a person, Sarah was
always happy, had a contagious smile, easy to interact with.
I mean, you couldn't help if you had an interaction

(06:55):
with her that you would also have a smile on
your face. I mean, just always so happy, that positive
energy in the classroom hallway. She always brought that with
her and she made our school a better place with
her presence.

Speaker 1 (07:09):
Talking to Gabriel Markle, he's Webster County High School principal,
talking about Sarah baxterrom one of the two Western and
National Guard members who were ambushed in Washington, d C.
What did she do for the community they're in Webster Springs.

Speaker 6 (07:22):
Oh, Sarah was always involved in everything, and then within
that health science program, they do clinical hours at the hospital,
but they also participate in magical main Street or the
trunk or tree anything like Gad, She's involved in extracurricular activities.

(07:43):
She was a cheerleader, softball player as well. I mean,
Sarah was a busy person. But you know, it's a
tremendous loss for our community. But I mean, as far
as the person, she was unbelievable.

Speaker 5 (07:57):
Gabe. I have to tell you, she really sounds like
the all American girl. I mean, did everything. Sounded like
she befriended everybody. That's really specially you don't see that
as often these days.

Speaker 6 (08:11):
Yeah, she really was. I mean everyone thought highly of her,
all the staff here. I mean it's something that kind
of I think took everyone shocked everyone, But she had
a positive interaction with everyone, no matter who you was
bus driver, teachers. I mean, it didn't matter.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Gabriel Markle joining US Webster County High School principal. Today's
the first day of class, coming back from a Thanksgiving break.
What's the feeling like in the building today, among staff
and among I mean, she was a twenty twenty three graduate.
I'm sure there's students there who knew her. What's the
feeling like there today, Gabriel.

Speaker 6 (08:51):
It's somber. Yeah, I mean she's still you know, young,
twenty years old. You know, always Oliver students of them
as our kids, small community. But it's it's somber right now.
I would that would be the mood.

Speaker 5 (09:08):
Talk to me a little bit about her career plans, specifically,
maybe why she decided she wanted to join the GUARD.
I believe I had read something about a desire to
one day be a part of the FBI. Is that correct?

Speaker 6 (09:24):
Yeah, something that I'm not too familiar with.

Speaker 1 (09:28):
I know she was.

Speaker 6 (09:29):
That was she had joined the guard and I think
it was kind of an opportunity, something that she could do.
And she also had some different part time jobs as well,
and just trying to find her footing and trying to
write direction where she was at and what she wanted
to do, and you know, at that age it kind
of bounce around with ideas. But so I'm not really

(09:54):
for sure you know, exactly where she was heading at
that time. I hadn't spoken to her for you know,
a couple of years. I did bump into her a
few summers ago at Summersville and caught up with her
a little bit, but you know, outside that, I really
wasn't in touch with her.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
Gabrael Markle joining us. He's Webster County High School principal.
The community you mentioned three visuals have been held. How
does that help the community heal? Just to get together like.

Speaker 6 (10:24):
That, Oh, it helps a lot. It helps. You know,
everyone's reflecting on her time here 've been the impact
that she made and sharing stories and you know, just
having somebody there you can grieve with, hug people, know
that you're not alone. You know it's okay not to

(10:46):
be okay during times like this, but you know you're
not going out of the loone. So those visuals that
we've we've held has helped helped the community with this
grieving process.

Speaker 5 (10:57):
Gave Sometimes small communities people label them and feel like
something is missing. But I'm not sure that in a
large city you could have the kind of support network
and the kind of close community that folks there in
Webster County and Webster Springs have talk about that.

Speaker 6 (11:17):
Yeah, No, you're absolutely right. When you live in a
small community, everybody rallies around each other and we still
take care Brian, and if somebody needs something, we're gonna
help out. And so that's kind of what you have here.
As soon as that news broke and it was shocking
to everyone, people started putting planes in place to make

(11:41):
sure that there was support there for the community, but
also that there was support there for the family members
as well.

Speaker 1 (11:48):
DJ, you hit the nail on the head, and Gabriel
you can speak more to this. It's gonna be more
of a statement of a question. But small towns like
the one where I'm from, you know everybody. You're probably
related to half the town or half the county anyway,
or you know somebody who is That support system in
small communities is it's unmatched, it's unrivaled, and it's look

(12:11):
West virgin it's a small state. Chances are we probably
know somebody who lives in Calwen or is from Webster Springs,
or you know has a camp in burg who or
something like that. Yeah, speaking from experience there, Gabriel, But
that small community, it is unique, but offers a support
system that that is unmatched in larger communities.

Speaker 6 (12:30):
No, No, I absolutely agree with you. And that is
the case when you venture out and you go out
to other places, even in other states, and you think,
well nobody people say well what part of the state
you're from, and you tell them thinking they won't know,
and they know somebody from that area. Like you said,
it's remarkable though, the support here whenever somebody needs something

(12:53):
or going through tough times, how people rally behind those.

Speaker 5 (12:56):
Individuals, those of us that may not be part of
the Webster community, over the Webster Springs community. How can
we help you today? How can we help the family?
Are there any ideas that you have or needs that
you know of that you'd like to share with our listeners,
because I know there are folks listening that would love
to be able to help in some way if they could.

Speaker 6 (13:15):
Yeah. I think the best thing we can do is
continue what we've been doing, and that's just pray for
Sarah and her family. Friends. Sergeant Wolfe is family and friends.
Anyone that's been impacted by this tragic laws and tragic
incident that occurred. Is just pray for them, try to

(13:36):
lift them up with prayer, keep them pray that they
find comfort during these times.

Speaker 1 (13:42):
Principal at Webster County High School Gabriel Marco Gabriel, thanks
so much for joining us, and our prayers will be
with the community there in Webster Springs and Callen and
Webster County as a whole. Thank you very much for
the time today.

Speaker 6 (13:55):
Oh yeah, thank you for having me one.

Speaker 1 (13:57):
Absolutely, we have stories over at the website WDV metronews
dot com. Also, uh, the other National Guard member who
was injured in that shooting, Eric Wolf, remains in critical condition.
This morning, we'll talk more about the events of last week.
Coming up. Hoppy Kirchwell's going to join us at eleven
oh six this morning. You can weigh in as well.

(14:18):
Three or four talk three or four is the text line,
and eight hundred seven six five A two five five.
Let's go to Washington, DC where Fox News Radios Ryan
Schmells is standing by. Ryan. Good morning, appreciate you joining us.

Speaker 7 (14:31):
Hey, good one.

Speaker 8 (14:33):
Obviously you've been thinking about you guys a lot, and.

Speaker 1 (14:40):
We have a terrible phone connection with Ryan. Uh, tell
you what, Ryan, if you can hear me, give us
a call back. Let's see if we can re establish
that is a terrible phone line. He must have been
able to hear me because he hung up terrible phone
line there, So we'll try to reconnect with Ryan. Three
or four talk three or four is the text line?
Eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five.

Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
Being off last week ToJ and hearing about this late Wednesday,
going into Thursday, trying to sort through and very well
done by the way handling that Thursday and Friday, but
just trying to figure out what happened why, and we
still don't quite understand the why. There are certainly theories
that are floating out there. We're learning more about the suspect.

(15:24):
We'll get into that later, but just trying to process
all of that going into what is supposed to be
holiday time of Thanksgi, you know, Thanksgiving. Obviously that was
a lot to deal with here in West Virginia because
you never saw this coming.

Speaker 5 (15:39):
No, you never saw the coming. These are a twenty
year old, a young adult, a twenty four year old.
Young adults who had volunteered by the way, Dave, so
that others could spend time with their thanksgiving families. So
it speaks to the selfless nature of these young people.
And you're trying to process this, and I think, and look,
I'm guilty of this too. One of the ways I

(16:00):
deal with these things is I try to want to
understand and explain them. And I think a lot of
people are reaching for that today, to trying to understand
what was the motive, why did he do this? What
do we need to do? That's natural, that that's human
to try to make sense of this. And I think
sometimes as we talked with with Senator Capito last week,
thing I asked her that was on moment, sometimes you

(16:21):
just you can't make sense of things, and you really can't.
You can't because there is no sense in what happened.
And we struggle with that, and that struggle I think
continues today to your point for a lot of people.

Speaker 1 (16:30):
All Right, we got Ryan back, hopefully a better phone line.
Ryan you there?

Speaker 8 (16:34):
Yeah, how are you guys doing much better?

Speaker 1 (16:36):
Much better? Appreciate you connecting with us the other this morning.
So what's been the reaction in Washington, d C. The
last couple of days to this ambush attackle on the
two West Virginia National Guard members.

Speaker 8 (16:47):
I'm in terrible right. Obviously, everyone's been thinking about you
guys a lot, and then I'll see a factor in,
Like you know, I actually had family members who are
nearby the shooting when it happened, a couple of blocks away.
So I think everyone's a little on right now, in
a little little unnerved. So it's definitely been I think
a rough couple of couple of days for everybody, especially

(17:08):
all back home.

Speaker 5 (17:09):
Ryan. Let me ask you, I assume the National Guard
is still out today. We haven't really got into that
part of the story. We've been trying to make contact
with the National Guard, at least leadership here in West Virginia.
They're obviously very busy. But National Guard back out on
the streets in DC today, correct, they are?

Speaker 8 (17:24):
Yeah, I mean they were. They were there last night
when I was walking down the street, so they've been
still around and still very active.

Speaker 1 (17:30):
The President doubled down he wants more Guard members. What's
been the reaction to that announcement, or at least that
statement from the President.

Speaker 8 (17:38):
Well, of course, I think people are concerned for the
Guard safety right now, but at the same time, I mean,
a lot of folks in this area, especially on the
Republican side, have been very supportive of having the National Guard,
and feel like it's been night and day in terms
of safety in DC ever since the Guard showed up,
and kind of the improvements in terms of crime reduction

(17:58):
that we've seen so far, I made crime go away
by any means. We've still seen a couple of homicides,
and obviously we saw the horrific shooting that happened right
before Thanksgiving. But I mean, most people have been pretty
supportive of having the National Guard here.

Speaker 5 (18:12):
President Trump, the White House saying they want to put
a pause on immigration and asylum applications. Help us understand
exactly what the White House is calling for and what
has happened so far in that arena.

Speaker 8 (18:24):
All right, So, the White House has already put in
a travel band for certain countries, mostly located in Africa
and the Middle East, that are deemed to be possible
high risk areas. Now President Trump's trying to put a
permanent pause, or at least a temporary permanent pause on
a number of those different countries that would include Afghanistan

(18:45):
as well as you know, some other countries too that
are deemed to be a risky country right now for
the United States, And there's questions always about the vetting process,
and I think this one is raising that question about
the vetting process, and it's seems like that could be
revisited by the Trump administration as well.

Speaker 1 (19:04):
Fox News Radio's Ryan Schmell is joining us here Metro
News talk Line. Ryan, we got just a couple of minutes,
but is Congress going to get to work on healthcare
legislation before the end of the year.

Speaker 8 (19:15):
Potentially, there's a couple of plans that are being considered
by both Republicans and Democrats. We're expecting a vote in
the Senate on some type of healthcare plan before the
end of December. Whether or not anything has the potential
for passing, we're not quite sure. There's been a couple plans,
like a two year extension of the Affordable Care Act
tax credits that you know, a group of Republicans Z

(19:37):
and Democrats are put together. Whether or not that's something
that can get a vote and get passage, we don't
know yet. But there's a number of different plans that
are being considered.

Speaker 5 (19:46):
Of course, all of this against the backdrop of a
potential government shut down. What's again in what late January?
Is that?

Speaker 7 (19:53):
Right?

Speaker 8 (19:54):
Yeah? Late January is what we're looking at here. The
idea is to pass the twelve appropriations bills. They've passed
three them so far, they've got nine more to go.
Whether or not we're going to see a vote on
any of them anytime soon is still a mystery. There's
active negotiations going on to try to get some of
these across the finish line. But you know, even if
the House and the Senate passed their bills, they still

(20:16):
have to negotiate the final product, and that can be
a process in and of itself.

Speaker 1 (20:20):
Fox News Radios, Ryan schmells it. Ryan, if you thought
I was gonna let you off this interview without asking
a Lane Kiffin question, you've got twenty seconds waiting for it.
You got twenty seconds for it.

Speaker 8 (20:32):
We rather or die, no matter what. Peop voting all
the way, hotty Toddy.

Speaker 1 (20:35):
Let's go ole, missy ole, miss rebel all the way.
All right, Ryan, best of luck. Let's you know, Lane
going to the going to baton rouge. Good luck to
you in the playoffs.

Speaker 8 (20:45):
Hey appreciate it, guys, Thank you.

Speaker 5 (20:47):
Thank you. Are you surprised you win? Dave?

Speaker 1 (20:49):
Uh twelve million dollars a year. Heck, now me, somebody
comes off for me. Twelve man a year. TJ. I'm
out the door, just fly coming up. We'll get an
update on November revenue numbers. We'll talk to Revenue Secretary
Eric Nelson on the other side of the break. Eight
hundred and seven and sixty five Talk and three or
four talk three four. This is talk Line on Metro

(21:11):
News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia. It's
ten thirty. Let's get a news update. Check in with
the Metro News radio network. Find out what's happening across
the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Jeff Jenkins. Those who knew
twenty year old National Guard member Sarah Bextrom in her
hometown of Webster Springs say she was a lot of
fun and enjoyed helping others. Beckstrom die Thursday night, Thanksgiving Night,
after being shot while on duty on the streets of Washington,
d C.

Speaker 5 (21:39):
A day earlier.

Speaker 3 (21:40):
Seneca Services coworker Amanda rex Road says Beckstrom was more
concerned about others.

Speaker 9 (21:44):
She's such a big hearted person, and you know, with
our office.

Speaker 10 (21:48):
Being so tight knit and our community being.

Speaker 6 (21:51):
So tight knit, she chose to.

Speaker 1 (21:53):
Work in behavior health.

Speaker 5 (21:55):
Nobody made her do that.

Speaker 10 (21:56):
She chose to go in the guards, so she wanted
to help people eat.

Speaker 3 (21:59):
A short whose son Data Bextram for six years is
Bestram started to like Washington, DC and volunteered to stay longer.

Speaker 9 (22:05):
She was scared when she first went down, but then
she just decided to stay. She was really liking it.
She'd gone around seeing the monuments and stuff, and she
was sending his pictures of everything she went to. She
went to the Holocaust Museum and everything, and she was
really following in love with the place, and she just
decided to stay. But I wish she would.

Speaker 3 (22:23):
The other West Virginia Guard member who was shot, twenty
four year old Staff Sergeant Andrew Weilf, remains in critical condition.
A recent Facebook post from his mother says he remains
heavily sedated but his vitals are stable. Meanwhile, Governor Patrick
Morrissey and State Agent in General Jim Seward to have
a twelve thirty media briefing scheduled at the state Capitol
to give an update on that attack. That took place

(22:45):
last Wednesday afternoon. You're listening to Metro News for forty years,
the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 11 (22:51):
Planning your financial future doesn't have to be overwhelming. Huntington
Banks here to Colt. I'm Shelley Hustle, part of your
local Huntington Wealth team right here in West Virginia. We
work with people just like you to create smart strategies
for life's big moments and market uncertainty. Tune in for
Money Minutes this Thursday the three forty five one Hotline. Well,
we'll discuss the week's top financial trends and what they

(23:12):
mean for you. Catch Money Minutes Thursday at three forty
five on Metro News.

Speaker 2 (23:17):
Hotline, Now showing on Metro News Television, Peak Health. Your
Doctor's built it, your neighbors love it, and your friends
at Hope Gas Present Episode four of State of Minds,
Hoppy Kerchible visits with Academy Award nominated filmmakery Lane McMillian Sheldon.

Speaker 12 (23:34):
I just felt really a fir and I was like, whatever,
I'm done up until this point. I'm glad it's letting
me hear because this is such an incredible moment.

Speaker 2 (23:40):
State of Minds Episode four now available on Metro News TV,
presented by Hope Gas and Peak Health with support from
Career Industries, only on the Metro News Television app.

Speaker 3 (23:50):
It's December first, and that means we'll get some tax
revenue collection numbers from the state today. The state has
been running a modest surplus. Thanksgiving break is over and
back to work today and school across the state. The
weather could be having an impact this time tomorrow. The
National Weather Service has already posted a winter weather advisory
for nearly fifty of the state's fifty five counties. A
mix of ice and snow is in the forecast the

(24:13):
divisory period from eleven o'clock tonight until one o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
From the Metro News anchored ask I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (24:42):
Text line is three or four Talk three oh four
phone numbers eight hundred and seven sixty five talk eight hundred
and seven six five eight two five five. We'll have
some open line opportunities coming up, mostly in the second hour.
Hobby's going to stop by as well. Eleven oh six
will get his take on the events the track Thanks
events that happened to Washington, DC last week. Also next segment,

(25:03):
Teach and I are going to talk for a minute
or two. Overshadowed by or well, the tragic event's overshadowed
what I thought was going to be the big news
of the Thanksgiving break, and that was the order coming
from Judge Michael Froebel and Raleigh County concerning school vaccinations.
We have at least the first of what will probably

(25:24):
be multiple answers in that. We'll talk about that a
little bit coming up. On the other side of the
break today is December first, which means twenty four days
to get your Christmas shopping done. Just throwing that out there. Also,
it's time for an update on state tax revenue. Joining
us on the program is Revenue Secretary Eric Nelson. Eric,
good morning, thanks for joining us.

Speaker 13 (25:45):
Hey, good morning, David. Thanks for having me. Belated Happy
Thanksgiving to you guys, and again do have to reach
out and say thoughts and prayers with our National Guard
soldiers and the families.

Speaker 1 (25:56):
So thanks, absolutely appreciate you coming on. So, how there
were tax revenues for the month of November.

Speaker 13 (26:04):
Yeah day, So for the fifth month, collections were up.
We collected four hundred and forty three million for the
month which was twenty nine above estimate. That's up about
seven percent. And for the year, we're roughly at two
point two billion, one hundred and thirty million dollars over estimates,

(26:24):
which is about six percent. We were led for again
has been consistent with our prior months by personal income
tax and consumer sales tax collections, which are both up
over estimates. Personal income tax led by hire withholding tax
collections and of note, were for the month of November

(26:50):
we were up twelve percent over the prior November, and
on the consumer sales tax we were up about eleven
percent over the prior November and roughly twenty nine million
for the month. I'm excited about where we are right now,
but still cautionary. And also our numbers this this particular

(27:13):
month were led by a miscellaneous transfer from the treasure
of twenty million dollars that had a big effect and
it was not expected. So happy to answer any questions,
so a.

Speaker 5 (27:27):
Couple of things. Let's do some analysis here last administration,
this administration.

Speaker 9 (27:33):
Eric.

Speaker 5 (27:33):
There are always critics out there who say that the
estimates are artificially lowered, you know, and honestly this is
me speaking. I'm fine with that if that makes us
more fiscally responsible, whatever gets it done. But I want
to talk about the actuals year over year and year
to date. The actuals, not the estimates. The actuals are

(27:55):
outperforming the previous year. That is significant. That means we're
either working more for more income tax or we're spending
more and putting more growth into the economy. Am I
right or am I wrong on that?

Speaker 13 (28:07):
Yes, you're right. So both the personal income tax and
the consumer sales tax, which you know make up two
thirds of our more than two thirds of our income,
are both up over prior years. And we're excited about
that and that, you know, that says a lot for
I think the what's going on in the economy. Maybe
not all areas of the state, but you know, when

(28:28):
you look at the northern and Eastern Panhandles, significant growth
is going on. We expect some of that to continue
as new businesses come in.

Speaker 1 (28:38):
Revenue Secretary Eric Nelson is joining us here. I'll mention
news talk line revenue numbers coming in for the month
of November through the first few months of the fiscal year.
As you start to plot this out, where's the consumer
sales tax in particular trending.

Speaker 13 (28:55):
Yeah, Dave, So consumer sales tax for the year is
roughly collection about eight hundred million, about twenty nine million
over estimates. That's roughly four percent above estimates and roughly
six percent over prior year. So we're pretty excited about that.

(29:16):
That basically says that our state residents has taken the
six percent extra tax cut on top of the twenty
some percent that they had before inter spending it. And also,
I think we have a lot of you know, travelers
through the state that they are spending money here and
helping produce revenue on the consumer sales tax for us

(29:40):
in the state.

Speaker 5 (29:42):
When we talk about this twenty million dollars in access
banking service funds, the Poliser says, attributable to interest earnings
in prior periods. Are we talking about those investments that
the state has made in the market in bonds, et cetera,
And should we infer that those investments are doing better

(30:02):
than we projected.

Speaker 13 (30:05):
So that twenty million basically has to deal with other
funds that the treasure manages and as far as specifics,
I would have to yield the treasure pack. But in essence,
rates have been a little bit higher than projected and
balances in some of those accounts have remained higher as well,

(30:29):
and I think they've had some good results and that's
part of I think his decision or their decision to
transfer twenty million dollars into general revenue. In general, when
one looks at our projections of interest earnings on state moneys,
the trend is down because of lower rates, and we

(30:52):
do expect some future rate reductions from the Fed. I
don't know if we'll see one here in December, but
there's actions for a couple of rate cuts going into
next year, and our balance has continued to decline.

Speaker 1 (31:06):
Eric, I think just about every month we speak to
use the word cautious when we talk about revenue numbers
and the economy. So what is out there that gives
you just a little bit of pause that makes you
use that word cautious. Is that just being is that
just fiscal responsibility, or are there some indicators out there
that at least make you raise an eyebrow.

Speaker 13 (31:26):
Well, I think it's just prudent financing to always be cautious.
And you know what, the State of West Virginia, I think,
first and foremost one of our biggest fluctuating line items
is our severance taxes on coal and natural gas and
cold days like today and what's projected do help in

(31:47):
that area. The other side that I think is some
caution is on the corporate income tax and a couple
of items and the big beautiful bill that expedited some
bonus appreciation and increase small business expensing have basically reduced

(32:09):
some of our corporate net income tax and as we
finished the year and going to the beginning of next year,
I think that will be a concern for us. And
you know, with note, we can look at some surrounding
states and other states in the nation that have gone
away and this is I don't mean to get too technical,

(32:30):
but many states like to match up to the Feds
and match their tax policies with their state tax policies.
We have a number of them, and most recently Pennsylvania
that has done what they call a decoupling, so they
did not match the FED tax cuts on the corporate side.
We still completely matched the FED side, and we expect

(32:54):
to do that going forward, but that is a big
concern going forward, and those with tariffs and interest rates
in general.

Speaker 5 (33:03):
So generally, let's talk about that business income tax at
that corporate net income tax and we'll do it more.
From a philosophical level, I think you and I Eric
probably share the same events. When it comes to economics.
Businesses don't pay taxes, consumers do. Is just get wrapped
up into whatever it's like the cost of goods and
it's priced in. I will say this though, I think

(33:26):
when entities are looking to deploy capital to this state
and it requires infrastructure, that's an input obviously that they
may not have in other states, and that may or
may not be the sole investment criteria, but it's one
more thing I think that we have to continually look
at when we are competing with those other states. Similar
to what you were alluding to there. If we have

(33:47):
a tax that others don't, I mean, odds are it
puts us in a less favorable position for companies that have,
you know, a lot of capital on the infrastructure and
equipment side in order to maintain their business.

Speaker 13 (33:57):
Right, Oh, TJ could with you more, and you know
one of the things of following through and the governor
wants to do this, so if you will, the Trump
corporate taxing cuts cut in our corporate net income tax
cuts is to make it much more competitive for companies

(34:18):
to come into West Virginia and so not only just
the new course, but all of our existing businesses here,
and to allow them to reinvest in the state, which
ultimately leads to greater employment. And I think many positive
things down the road for us all, you know, I
see that going forward. Well, we'll, as we do most

(34:40):
every year, have a bill that one of the first
things we do is to couple up our state tax
code with that of the federal code. So anyway, positive
on many fronts. But Dave, yes, you'll always hear a
cautious tone here.

Speaker 1 (34:57):
So we'll take fiscal being fiscally cautious versus fiscally reckless
any day of the week. Eric, that's a certainly much
better got it. Hey, December is a big retail month, obviously,
with all the holiday shopping going on. What's what's give
us some positive outlook or is there a positive outlook

(35:18):
as we wrap up here?

Speaker 13 (35:21):
You know, we we follow, or I should say the
team follows. And I'm very fortunate to be in a
position with an unbelievable team around me that is looking
at data all the time, and I think we're very
We saw some good trends towards the end of November

(35:41):
as it related to consumer sales tax. We would hope
that that would continue. We just finished a big holiday weekend.
We'll see some of the effects of that here in
a couple of weeks. In mid December, there was a
lot of people out here in Charleston. I hope that
was the case throughout the rest of state, and more
to come as it relates to the middle of the

(36:03):
month than where we are. And then obviously thirty days
from now we'll know much more. And you know, we're
heading into session a little over thirty days from now,
so a lot going on.

Speaker 5 (36:15):
Eric. Two things that may comfort you and help you
sleep a little better tonight. Number One, you'll get my
tax dollars on December twenty fourth at about three o'clock
in the afternoon, so you can bank on that as
a little bit of a catalyst. Oh, they're not much.
And two, to your point about it being cold today,
I mean PJM is rocking. I mean coal is running
almost double the megawatts that it normally does in this

(36:35):
market because of the coal weather. Natural gas is just
shy of fifty thousand megawats. So both good for the state.
That's more resources for more power and that means more
money in the coffers. So that helps you sleep a
little better tonight, my friend.

Speaker 13 (36:47):
There you go, well, absolutely or appreciate that. And you
know we've got two great resources there and hope what
we're a base load for many others, not only in
the state but surrounding us. So appreciate that. TJ.

Speaker 1 (37:01):
TJ. If the state budget is hinging on your tax
dollars coming in on the twenty fourth, I'm worried for
all of us now.

Speaker 14 (37:08):
Buddy, especially since no well I wish, I wish if
anyone's listening, they can Yeah, thank you, Eric, But you
know I tend to love to go to the to
the truck stop on December twenty fourth and get presence
from a white elephant.

Speaker 5 (37:25):
So if that gives you any idea of the amount
of money that you're getting, Eric, you know, but hey,
I try to do my part so.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
Right, Revenue Secretary Eric Nelson with the November numbers, we'll
have a story post it up a little bit later
today at wv metro news dot com. We'll check in
again next month.

Speaker 14 (37:40):
Reic.

Speaker 1 (37:40):
Appreciate it, buddy.

Speaker 13 (37:41):
Thank you gentlemen have a great day.

Speaker 1 (37:43):
See him you as well. Coming up, we got a
ruling from Judge Michael Froebel and Raleigh County concerning school
vaccinations that came right before Thanksgiving. We'll talk about it next.
This is talk line from the en Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 15 (37:56):
Picture a community where every space tells a story. Those
are the communities we're designing at ZMM. Architects and engineers
with a blend of creativity and technical expertise, we design
spaces that inspire, innovate, and ignite change. From cutting edge
educational facilities to community centric gathering spaces. We're committed to

(38:16):
improving lives through design. Let us help you shape a
brighter future for generations to come. Because at ZMM, it's
more than architecture, it's about building your legacy.

Speaker 16 (38:27):
For over thirty years, High Technology Foundation has been committed
to building us stronger West Virginia. Our mission economic diversification.
By fostering innovation and supporting tech initiatives, we pave the
way for a brighter future. From cutting edge research to
tech driven solutions, we're transforming the landscape. Join us in
creating opportunities and driving progress. Let's build a diverse economy together.

(38:51):
Visit WVHTF dot org High Technology Foundation shaping West Virginia's future.

Speaker 2 (39:10):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (39:20):
We will get your texts coming up at three or
four Talk three oh four, eight hundred and seven to
sixty five. Talk is the phone line? Open segment coming
up next hour, Hoppy, We'll stop by the studios at
eleven o six. We'll also talk Brad Howe second hour.
Football season kind of ended with a thud for college
fans here in the Mountain State over the weekend. High

(39:40):
school football championships coming up this weekend. Plus get his
thoughts on the lane train heading to Baton Rouge Mountain
or basketball though off to a good start thumped on
Mercyhurst yesterday. All that coming up in the second hour
Wednesday afternoon, just as you were starting to work on
your Thanksgiving dinners, Michael Probol Circuit Court judge in Raleigh

(40:01):
County issued a seventy four page order granting permanent, injunctive
and declaratory relief to families who want the public school
system to accept religious exemptions processed by the state Health Department.
The judge's ruling affects communities across the state because Frobles
certified a class action for more than five hundred and
seventy families who have sought and received religious exemptions to

(40:22):
the schools, the state's school vaccination laws uh hang on
Froebel's permanent order. Frobol's order permanently enjoyed the West Virginia
Board of Education and local school board from enforcing the
compulsory vaccine law or related policies against the plaintiffs and
members of the class. Specifically, he said the school authorities

(40:42):
should not prevent the children from enrolling in school, attending school,
or participating in extracurricular sports because of their vaccination status.
With ruling, state Board of Education issue a statement saying
it quote suspends the policy on compulsory vaccination requirements as
outlined the West Virginia Code sixteen Dash three days four
depending further proceedings on the issue before the West Virginia

(41:03):
Supreme Court of Appeals. Brad mcwhenny has a very detailed
story summarizing the seventy four page ruling over at the
website wv metronews dot com. So TJ. With all that said,
we at least have the first answer. This is far
from over. Obviously at the circuit court level, we all

(41:24):
knew this was going to get to the State Supreme Court.
That's where it is going to head. But at least
we have the first step or I don't know if
this is the first to the thirty eighth step, but
a step in the process to getting this to the
court where we'll finally get an answer at some point.

Speaker 5 (41:38):
And needs to happen fast. How long have we been
talking about.

Speaker 1 (41:42):
This now, well coming up on a year. I mean
they were talking about this the legislative session.

Speaker 5 (41:47):
Right, yeah, And I don't think the legislature wants to
touch this with a ten foot telephone Paul coming up
in the session. There seems to be at least from
the folks I talked to, very little Will Dave to
want to go back. They have debated this, They're done,
They've said the law is the law. So now I
think if the Court, in its wisdom, was trying to

(42:07):
give the legislature another opportunity by prolonging schedules, I'm not
saying that's happening. But I don't see that happening. So
I think the sooner we get on with this, set
the procedural schedule, and get this thing to court, get
it argued, get it adjudicated fully, I think the better
off we are. I personally, I don't know where you
are on it. I have a real issue with one
circuit judge weighing in on this and affecting the entire state,

(42:31):
when you have other circuit judges such as Judge Lawrence
and in the Panhandle who very clearly said I'm not
violating the law right. So you have conflicting circuit judges.
This thing needs to get to the court, needs to
get there quick.

Speaker 1 (42:45):
This is okay, boy, you open up a big can
of worms. There, you open like four cans of worms.
You're well with three minutes to go. First of all,
I don't know if we're talking to the same people,
or the people we're talking to we're talking to each other.
But I'm getting the same feeling as you are. As
far as the legislature, or at least on the House side.
I don't know about the Senate, but at least on

(43:05):
the House side, there seems to be very little appetite
to redo this again. We had the we had the
conversation last year, we had all the hearings. I covered
some of those hearings down at the legislature. They voted
on it. It failed. I get it. Bill's come back.
But this is this is the exact same legislature. It's
no different, same people. So I at least again that Senate,

(43:27):
or excuse me, the House side of things. I don't
see an appetite to rehash all this out. I tend
to agree with you this is an unsatisfying answer to
j But you can I can see an argument where
instead of having cases in Berkeley County, Jefferson County, Gilmour County,
Work County, you know, you do a class action, you
get all this under one. Let's get one answer and

(43:47):
move forward. I can you can argue that to me.
I can also buy your argument that a judge in
Raleigh County shouldn't be setting the policy for Jefferson or
Wort or Gilmour or you know, pick your county or
one of these suits are. And thirdly, again let's get
this to the Supreme Court. Let's get an answer.

Speaker 12 (44:04):
Work.

Speaker 1 (44:04):
The school year is going to be over by the
time we actually get an answer from the State Supreme Court.
So let's let's get something. Let's figure out what the
extent of the Religious Protection or Religious Freedom Acts. Let's
let's figure out how far that extends. Does it extend
to these exemptions? Does it extend to the general well
being of students across the state. Let's let's get an
answer six months ago so we could move on. But

(44:30):
we did get the seventy four page order from the judge.
What like Wednesday afternoon, right before Thanksgiving, dinner was being.

Speaker 5 (44:39):
Served, so great reading over Thanksgiving?

Speaker 1 (44:42):
Is that what you guys were doing at at the
Meadows House?

Speaker 5 (44:45):
No?

Speaker 1 (44:46):
All right, here's pumpkin pie and we'll start on page
three book the end of the night. All right, coming up,
we'll wrap up our number one. Say you what's coming
up our number two? It's talk line from the Cove
Insurance Studios.

Speaker 16 (44:59):
Met Coal builds the world, and the met Coal Producers
Association is the network that makes it possible. The MCPA
unites America's met coal producers, giving members a powerful voice
in policy, partnership and progress. Producers, suppliers, and innovators come
together here to build relationships, drive growth, and strength in

(45:20):
our industry. Join today, visit metcoal dot com. Met Cole
makes it possible, MCPA makes it personal.

Speaker 1 (45:31):
Some say he's a man of mystery. Others say he's
the holiday hitmaker. No one saw coming. It's showtime. The
holiday hit Maker walks the office halls with West Virginia
Lottery holiday scratch offs and an unstoppable spirit.

Speaker 11 (45:44):
What are you doing.

Speaker 17 (45:46):
Bringing the holiday hype here?

Speaker 1 (45:48):
Enjoy scratch off?

Speaker 2 (45:49):
It's on me?

Speaker 3 (45:50):
Whoa ticket?

Speaker 1 (45:51):
My work here is done? Be the surprise hit maker.
West Virginia Lottery games fun, festive and full of flare.
Please play responsibly. Jackpots are growing in West Virginia. Jackpots

(46:16):
are on the rise every week. Powerball hits Mondays, Wednesdays
and Saturdays. Mega Millions lights up Tuesdays and Fridays. That's
five chances a week to get in on life changing jackpots.
Play in store and online eighteen plus to play. Please
play responsibly. The Powerball jackpot is seven hundred and forty
million dollars. Mega Million's jackpot is ninety millions. So go

(46:37):
ahead play today. Our number one in the books, our
number two coming up. Hoppy Stops by Brad Howe will
be along as well. This is talk Line on Metro
News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (46:56):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Ncovia Insurance, encircling
you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit Incovia dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (47:06):
Second hour of Metro News talk Line on a Monday,
after the long holiday weekend. I hope you had a
great Thanksgiving holiday weekend and I hope you are ready.
Christmas season is upon us eight hundred and seven to
sixty five talks. The phone number eight hundred seven sixty
five eight two five five. The text line is three
oh four talk three oh four. We'll talk a little football,

(47:28):
little basketball, a little all the above. Rad Howe. Later
on this hour, Marshall and Wdview ending the twenty five
seasons mercifully on Saturday. Plus high school football championships are
coming up this Friday and Saturday, which you can listen
to across the Metro News radio network and watch on
the Metro News TV app. Once again, say good morning

(47:49):
to Tjmeadows, who's in Charleston where I will be Friday
and Saturday for those football championships.

Speaker 5 (47:55):
Good morning, sir, Good morning, sometimes you look up and
it's just uncanny. I have News Nation on and I
would swear to you Travis Jones is on News Nation
right now. It's like his doppelganger if it's on him.
I mean, my goodness, gracious.

Speaker 1 (48:08):
Oh, and my remote is just out of reach. You've
got a screenshot that for me? I will.

Speaker 5 (48:14):
It's absolutely unbelievable.

Speaker 1 (48:15):
Always shorts. No, I haven't seen Travis in a week
or so.

Speaker 5 (48:18):
We be talking about operations Swamp Sweep coming to New Orleans.
But I mean, my goodness, gracious, I mean, it's just uncanny.

Speaker 1 (48:27):
Yeah, yeah, you gotta get a picture of that.

Speaker 5 (48:28):
I'm doing it right now or later.

Speaker 1 (48:30):
All right. I mentioned high school football championships are coming
up again this weekend. Metro News Radio Network, Metro News
Television over at ww metro news dot com. This morning,
we have a continuing coverage of the tragic shooting in Washington,
DC last week, the ambush of two members of the
West Virginia National Guard. We talked to the principal at
Webster County High School, Gabriel Markel, earlier, where Sarah Beckstrom

(48:54):
attended school. The twenty year old who has already passed away,
Andrew Wolf the other Remember the National Guard remains in
critical condition this morning after last week's ambush attack. We'll
get your thoughts at three or four Talk three or
four and eight hundred and seven six five eight two
five five. Joining me in studio this morning. Who has
been following this story very closely, as most West Virginians

(49:15):
have over the last several days, is the Dean of Broadcasting,
host Emeritis Hopey Kirchwell, hop good morning, glad you get joining.

Speaker 18 (49:21):
Good morning all, thank you, thank you, thank you for
having me.

Speaker 1 (49:24):
So when this broke this is day before Thanksgiving, went
into the holiday weekend, obviously, what was your reaction, the
initial reaction and then what questions started to come to
your mind as you followed the events and the details
started to emerge of this tragedy.

Speaker 18 (49:39):
My reaction, like everybody else's reaction in West Virginia. A
terrible tragedy, a young life, Sarah Becks from just twenty
years old, and Andrew Wolf twenty four years old, critically wounded.
A horrible tragedy for those individuals, certainly, and then you
think of their families, and the timing would never be good, obviously,

(50:02):
but you think of these families and every Thanksgiving now
is going to be this terrible reminder of this horrible tragedy.
But we also know that, as Governor Morrissey has said accurately,
that West Virginia communities pull together, families pull together, and
that these families will have a lot of support not

(50:22):
only now but hopefully in the future, because that's what
West Virginians do. So that was my initial thought.

Speaker 1 (50:28):
And we're seeing that, guys TJ. We just talked to
Gabriel Markle there in Webster County. We've seen that with
the vigils of the way these communities have come together.
We do that in West Virginia.

Speaker 18 (50:37):
Yeah, we do, and we see it unfortunately too often,
if there's a flood or a tragedy or a minor
accident that West Virginians pulled together. Because we always say
there's only about one degree of separation in West Virginia,
So when something happens to a West Virginian, it's not
as though it happened way far away. It feels very
it feels very personal to West Virginians, and certainly did

(51:00):
in this case for a variety of reasons, not only
because of because of these are young soldiers, and because
of how it happened, in the way it.

Speaker 5 (51:10):
Happened, hobby, I think it's okay to ask questions. There's
already been some criticism of folks asking questions. I personally
think that's a good thing. If we don't ask questions,
how can we learn from this?

Speaker 18 (51:23):
I want to be I want to be careful about this.
I've thought a lot about this since it happened, and
I'm writing a commentary for tomorrow and talking about it today,
and I want to be clear in that. First, the
individual responsible for the for the attack is the Afghan
national I mean to allege you ledged, but I mean

(51:44):
he's He's the one who who did it. So he
is the one responsible. He is the gunman, he is
the shooter. He was either something's wrong with him mentally
or he was radicalized, as Christy Norman said, So he
is the one responsible. But or in addition to it

(52:05):
is reasonable to now question the question the mission, which
many have done since it was ordered back in August,
why would West Virginia National Guard members be sent to Washington,
d C. In the first place for what was described
as a crime crisis or or an emergency in Washington

(52:27):
d C. And apparently it has help with the crime
situation there. But was this really was it necessary for
Governor Morrissey to dispatch West Virginia Guards members to Washington,
d C. And at the time he said he was
proud to join with President Trump and sending the sending

(52:47):
the Guards members there. And we understand the Guards members
who went volunteered, But decisions, especially big decisions like this,
decisions have consequences, and tragically, in this case, the decision
to send West Virginia National Guard troops to Washington, d C.
Had a horrible consequence that led to the death of

(53:09):
one young woman, one young soldier, and the critical wounding
of another. So these decisions have consequences, and that is
something to keep in mind. I'm not blaming Governor Morrissey
for the attack. The attacker was responsible, but Governor Morrissey,
as the commander of the National Guard of West Virginia,

(53:31):
was responsible, is responsible for sending Guards members on what
I think was a questionable mission to begin with in Washington, DC.

Speaker 1 (53:43):
All right, let me unpack that for just a moment.
One of the criticisms hop of the decision was that
these National Guard members weren't doing anything. They were in
relatively safe places. They were picking up litter, they were
changing garbage bags, and I don't think this is what
you're saying. This is part of the reaction that I've

(54:04):
seen out there in the ether, out there in social media.
To now say well, they were put into harm's way
is counter is a counter argument to the argument a
week ago, which was, well, they don't need to be
there because there's no problem and they're not doing anything.
I don't know how to reconcile one with the other.

Speaker 18 (54:21):
Do you understand now, I understand what you're saying, because
you're saying that, wait a minute, they were picking up trash.
How dangerous was that?

Speaker 1 (54:28):
Right? And that was the argument a week ago was
they're wasting time. They don't need to be there. This
is a waste of their time. They should be back home.
And now to say well, yeah, should not have been
put in harms way a week ago, they weren't a.

Speaker 18 (54:39):
Fair point, I think because just because they were doing
certain duties does not mean they weren't in harm's way.
And here's why, and this will be in the commentary tomorrow.
Guard leaders had worried that the uniform military members clustered
in what is basically a confined area, that they were
a soft target for terrorism. The New York Times reported

(55:02):
on an internal National Guard membo where commanders warned that
troops were in a quote heightened threat environment and that
nefarious threat actors engaging in grievance based violence and those
inspired by foreign terrorist organizations might view the mission quote
as a target of opportunity. So by putting all those

(55:25):
Guard members there with I think a questionable mission, clustering
them there in uniform made them a target of opportunity,
a soft target for an opportunity for terrorism.

Speaker 5 (55:40):
Let me build off of that. One of the questions
that I've posed, after talking with a couple of people
who are close to the situation, have military experience which
I do not, is this idea of what condition weapons
were authorized for If these guardsmen were indeed armed, and
I think they should giving what I just I read

(56:01):
the same story you did, saw the same warning that
was put out, so clearly I think they should have
been armed. But the idea of what condition the weapon
was in, if it was in what's called condition three
or condition four, being able to fire it quickly would
have been nearly impossible compared to a condition one which
is it's side armed, its safety. There's one in the chamber,

(56:22):
it's ready to go. When you look at the pictures
that have been posted in the Journal, in the Times,
incredible outlets, so they've been vetted. You see one of
the National guardsmen trying to create distance between him and
that Afghan national that has the revolver. You see him
trying to rack the slide to make the weapon, I
would assume in a position where it can be fired.

(56:46):
I think those are questions that we deserve answers to
because I think it goes back to if we were
putting these these young guardsmen in harm's way, Were we
doing everything that we possibly could and putting them in
a situation where they could defend themselves, and with these
kinds of questions, I'm not sure that we did that.

Speaker 18 (57:07):
And again, I want to be very very clear about this,
because but I do believe that if you are a leader,
you're in a leadership position. And Governor Morrissey is the
governor and he's the head of the National Guard, and
he made this decision very quickly to send those Guards
members there, and I don't think I'm not saying he

(57:30):
deserves blame, but I am saying that he is directly
responsible for the order that sent them there, and had
they not been sent there, this would not have happened
to those Guard members. Leadership Dwight Eisenhower said, leadership consists
of nothing but taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong

(57:52):
and giving your subordinates credit for everything that goes well.
So it is the responsibility of a leader to say
I made the decision to send these men and women
to Washington, d C. Because I believed this. Therefore I
bear I accept some responsibility for this tragic, tragic occurrence.

(58:13):
Now I know how that's going to go over, But
I've thought about this a lot, and I believe it
needs to be said.

Speaker 1 (58:20):
Well, and I'm just trying to understand your thinking here.

Speaker 18 (58:22):
How just yeah, that's okay.

Speaker 1 (58:25):
It's not a matter of placing blame, is what I'm
hearing you say, because we have the benefit of Monday
morning quarterback. Yeah we know the outcome, yes, yes, but
it's a matter of now knowing the outcome, saying I
made this decision. If you're Governor Morrissey, I made this decision.
I accept the tragic consequences that have come with that outcome.
That's not to and I'm not making light of the situation.

(58:47):
That's what we expect out of football coaches. Right, I
made a bad decision on fourth down. I accept the outcome.
This obviously is life and death. This is tragic, and
I'm not trying to I got to relate everything in sports.

Speaker 18 (58:59):
No, I know, but it's about leadership.

Speaker 1 (59:01):
It's about leadership.

Speaker 18 (59:02):
It's about It's about leadership and not about blame, right,
not about blame. It's just about responsibility. I am responsible
for the decision that was made. That's the point that
needs to be made, while being clear that the person
who fired the gun is the person directly responsible for
the death of one guard's member and wounding is seriously

(59:24):
wounding of another.

Speaker 5 (59:26):
I worry about this narrative hopy that I'm seeing on
social media, and frankly I had to tune out yesterday.
I couldn't. It just it really bothered me that it
is unpatriotic to question our leaders. I think it is
absolutely patriotic to ask these kinds of questions and do
so in a civil and responsible way. And when I

(59:46):
see if you ask these kinds of questions, this is paraphrasing,
but this is the argument narrative that's out there. If
you ask these kinds of questions, you're part of the problem. No,
you're part of the solution. You are part of the solution.
We should not be afraid to ask tough questions to
our leaders. And I fear that people who want to
remain civil, that want to have a good dialogue, will

(01:00:08):
find themselves less apt to ask questions based on this
public pressure that's coming forward.

Speaker 18 (01:00:13):
Yeah, and I saw somebody in the Trump administration criticize
someone who raised the same kind of questions about the
mission and saying, oh, you're politicizing this. This is the
worst thing you could possibly do, because you're politicizing all
of this. And that's to me, that's a strong man argument,
because the mission has always been questioned and that's as

(01:00:33):
you said, TJ's way doing this country. I mean, it's
legitimate to question the decisions of leaders, and it's certainly
appropriate in this case, given the consequences, not to be
a Monday morning quarterback, but to look back and say, well,
there are always were questions about the decision and the
rules of engagement and what they were doing, and it
is it's just an attempt when someone says, oh, you're

(01:00:55):
criticizing the National Guard and you're politicizing this, that is
just a hand handed it attempt to stifle any debate
or discussion about what has occurred. And that's lame in
my opinion.

Speaker 1 (01:01:09):
Can I broaden this out for just we've got three
minutes here? What do we do? And look, there are
a lot of questions TJ. We've talked about the presidential authority.
How far is too far? I mean there's been lawsuits
of whether Governor Morrissey had the authority to send them.

Speaker 18 (01:01:23):
And they decided that he did.

Speaker 1 (01:01:24):
Yes as the cenergy but the mission to quell crime?
And I was thinking about this as you you brought
up that article that they they may be a soft target.
What do we do? There are people, there are good
parts of Washington, d C. There are parts you don't
go right. Any city has that. We can't just accept

(01:01:48):
that crime happens. Well, what do we do?

Speaker 18 (01:01:51):
What is the National Guard? Where they were these National
Guard members who volunteered, were they trained in law enforcement?
Where they sent into Anacostia and Dane parts of Washington,
D C? Were they sent there to do policing or
were they generally in the commons areas where people are anyway?
You know what? So I was talking to Chris Tarwald

(01:02:12):
this morning. He said, yeah, he said it actually helped.
It helped to have them there. But that's been my.

Speaker 1 (01:02:20):
Argument is their presence of authority figures.

Speaker 18 (01:02:23):
Yeah, it quells crime.

Speaker 1 (01:02:24):
They'll go somewhere else. Criminals will go somewhere else.

Speaker 18 (01:02:27):
So but it gets to it, It does get to
the valid point your part, that crime is a problem.
Crime is an issue. The public is concerned about crime.
So generally speaking, if you're doing something air quote that
is supposed to do something about crime, then good for you.

Speaker 1 (01:02:46):
So was this the right answer? I guess yea.

Speaker 18 (01:02:49):
And that gets back to TJ's point, like what's what
what exactly was the mission and what were the rules
of engagement? How are are they handling their armaments that
they had, Where are they a soft target? Were their
warnings out there? And should they end? And should they
have been there in the first place.

Speaker 5 (01:03:11):
Let me pose one additional question too quickly. The Trump
administration is suspending visas for Afghan nationals. They've said they'll
put a pause on other applications immigration cases from certain
areas of the country. I wrote today that I think
a pause is sensible, not an indefinite end to immigration,
but a pause to make sure that we're vetting correctly

(01:03:33):
and we have our processes. I may have gotten that
right or wrong, but I'd love to know what you
think about this temporary pause.

Speaker 18 (01:03:41):
I mean, what do we know about that? He was
an Afghan national. Apparently he worked for the CIA, he
doesn't work for the United States, and when he got here,
was approved to be here and then got radicalized. So
I don't know of saying like nobody from these nineteen
countries now can come in the US for a while.
That's it seems a ted broad I don't know, TJ.

(01:04:03):
I mean this to me sounds like a radicalized, perhaps
mentally ill, lone wolf seizing an opportunity. That's what it
seems like like when there's a when there's a school
shooter by a white guy. You know, we don't go
out and go, okay, round up all the white guys,

(01:04:25):
you know.

Speaker 1 (01:04:25):
So, TJ, you brought this up. We've only got about
thirty seconds here to put a bow on this. You
brought this up. I think very at the very beginning
of the show trying to figure out the why. And
this is an unfulfilling answer. But sometimes the why is
just evil exists. Evil exists fair and there's no justification
for it.

Speaker 18 (01:04:45):
And that's hard for rational people to accept, Like, well,
I wouldn't do it, You wouldn't do it, right, Why
would this person do it evily?

Speaker 1 (01:04:53):
You know?

Speaker 18 (01:04:53):
Yeah, that's a that's a valid point.

Speaker 1 (01:04:54):
All right. Commentary will be out tomorrow tomorrow. Oh, we
got a preview today. Happy Kirch will always a pleasure.
Appreciate the conversation.

Speaker 18 (01:05:02):
Thanks you much, appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (01:05:03):
Got to take a break back at the moment. Talk
line from the Encode Insurance Studios.

Speaker 19 (01:05:06):
Coal based generation remains the backbone of West Virginia's energy portfolio,
insuring reliability, security, and affordable electricity throughout the region. Our
coal plants are engineered for performance, designed to run most
efficiently at or near a seventy percent capacity factor. This
level of operation is not arbitrary. It's based on sound

(01:05:26):
engineering principles, scientific analysis, and has been formally adopted by
the West Virginia Legislature as a reasonable target for optimal performance.
When our coal fleet operates near that benchmark, It provides
stable power to the grid, maintains cost efficiency, and supports
thousands of good paying jobs across our state.

Speaker 17 (01:05:45):
Coal generation also drives local tax revenue that sustains schools, infrastructure,
and community services. Working in partnership with state leaders and
the Trump administration, we're ensuring that our coal fleet remains modern, efficient,
and ready to power West Ride Virginia and beyond for
decades to come. This message brought to you by the
West Virginia Coal Association and Friends of Coal.

Speaker 1 (01:06:25):
All Right, three or four talk three or four. That's
the text line eight hundred and seven to sixty five talks.
The phone number will open up the text line and
the phones coming up. Next segment. By the way, DJH
sent me a picture of the aforementioned Travis Jones doppelganger

(01:06:45):
on would you say News News.

Speaker 5 (01:06:46):
Nation News Nation He was on?

Speaker 1 (01:06:48):
Yeah, that could be his brother, that named trast.

Speaker 5 (01:06:55):
Apparently it's Jason. Uh what is this guy? His name?

Speaker 14 (01:07:00):
Uh?

Speaker 5 (01:07:01):
I just lost it. He's a former Obama, a former
Obama advisor. Jason Furman. There it is, That's who it was.
Now if you look up Jason Furman. No, but that
particular picture with the vest in the way he had
his hair. And I'm telling you, Travis Jones.

Speaker 1 (01:07:16):
Yep, that one's gonna be uh, that'll be saved for
the Christmas party slide show. I don't even know if
we have one, but we will now we will know,
all right, three or four talk three or four. That's
the text line in eight hundred seven six five eight
two five five. We'll get your thoughts on this again.
I'm sure many of you saw the story over the
Thanksgiving holiday weekend, but uh, I know, at least personally

(01:07:37):
TJ being off last week. I unplugged a lot last
week because certainly wasn't aware of the story. But you
know it wasn't diving into any energy policy last week,
or you know, economic news. Not a lot of economic
news out on the ridge in the tree stand.

Speaker 5 (01:07:56):
We all need a break because it's it's getting bad,
especially on Social. I'm about to give up. Well, I
would have already given up if I weren't in this business.
I feel like I have to be on Social, I
would have already. Seriously, I had gotten rid of all
of it, only got it back when I came to
work here.

Speaker 1 (01:08:12):
You know the best part, You know this when you
go one vacation, you take a week off, a few
days off, you realize social media because we get lost
in this world. We're guilty too. You get lost in
the social media isn't it's not real life. People have
real lives and they do things, and their kids do
funny things, and you laugh at that. It's kind of nice.

Speaker 5 (01:08:31):
Tired of all the hatred on social media.

Speaker 1 (01:08:33):
Stock line on Metro News, the Voice of West Virginia.
It is eleven thirty. Let's get a news update. Check
in with the Metro News radio network. Find out what's
happening across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 20 (01:08:46):
West Virginia Metro ne News. I'm Chris Lawrence. It was
another solid month for state revenues. During the month of November.
Revenue officials say the state collected four hundred and forty
three million dollars that beat estimates by about twenty nine million,
or seven percent. Now year today, those collections stand at
two point two billion, and it's a one hundred and
thirty million dollar overest iver six percent. Biggest collections were

(01:09:08):
again in the area of personal income taxes and consumer
sales taxes, which were both twelve percent and eleven percent
above November of twenty twenty four, respectively. The mother now
of a West Virginia Air National Guard Sergeant Andrew Wolfe
says her son is in a DC hospital and remained
stable with good vital signs, although he is heavily sedated.

(01:09:29):
The twenty four year old wolf and fellow West Virginia
Guard member Sarah Beckstrom were shot two blocks from the
White House last Wednesday and was described as an ambush attack.
The twenty year old Beckstrom died Thanksgiving night. There have
been no funeral services announced. Month, there have been several
vigils in Webster Springs remembering her. Randolph County resident Jackie

(01:09:50):
Lewis traveled ninety minutes from Beverly to be there as
a show of support.

Speaker 5 (01:09:55):
I know I'm a long waist from home from here, but.

Speaker 1 (01:10:01):
I have to say it brings you together.

Speaker 20 (01:10:03):
Governor Patrick Morrissey and State Agent and General Jim Sewart
are set to talk more about the situation in a
twelve thirty news conference. You're listening to Metro News The
Voice of a West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (01:10:14):
Now showing on Metro News Television Peak Health. Your doctor's
built it, your neighbors love it, and your friends at
Hope Gas present Episode four of State of Minds, Hoppy
Kerchiful visits with Academy Award nominated filmmakery Lane McMillian Sheldon.

Speaker 12 (01:10:27):
I just felt really affirm. I was like, whatever I'm
done up until this point. I'm glad it's letting me
hear because this is such an incredible moment.

Speaker 2 (01:10:33):
State of Minds Episode four now available on Metro News TV,
presented by Hope Gas and Peak Health with support from
Career Industries only on the Metro News Television app.

Speaker 10 (01:10:44):
The holidays bring the warmth of home and family, But
what if something feels different this year? A messy house,
miss medications, or expired food could be signed your love
when needs extra support, you don't have to navigate it alone.
Bridging re sources West Virginia is your single entry point
for help connecting with care and support services. Visit BRDSHWV

(01:11:08):
dot org to learn how weak and help your family
this holiday season.

Speaker 20 (01:11:13):
There's another big winter storm developing in the central US.
In West Virginia may see at least some of it.
The National Weather Service issuing a winter weather advisory from
eleven tonight until one o'clock tomorrow afternoon to all but
about six counties of the state. Forecasts say expect to
make a precipitation that could include up to two inches
of snow and a glaze of ice. Will continue to
follow developments. A swath from the Charleston area up through

(01:11:34):
Braxton County is expected to be rain only, no snow
or eyes to Mars rush hour, though may be problematic
for many. From the Metro News anchored ESK, I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 1 (01:11:59):
Sending that is bringing ultra fast fiber internet to more
West Virginia. Holmes every day right now and get fifty
percent off any plan for your first year. Check availability
and join the fiber revolution at sittinget dot net. CET connects,
protects and perfects. You heard Chris Lawrence on the Metro
News update. There snow in the forecast, snow, ice, wintry weather. Uh,

(01:12:26):
we just got to get the first one out of
the way to j That's usually it takes one or
two snow events to remind everybody how to drive in
the snow, and then we're good for the rest of
the winter.

Speaker 5 (01:12:36):
I'm gonna leave at like five o'clock in the morning
tomorrow for work to make sure I can get here
because sixty four will be a parking lot, because inevitably
something will happen. I'll just leave it at that. But
you're not wrong.

Speaker 1 (01:12:48):
The earliest I've ever left for work, so this was
several years ago. We've got a lot of ice up here,
several years ago, and it was cold. We got ice
and then it got really cold, like you know, single digits.
I I was home. I don't know where Jenna was.
Jenna was out of town traveling, and I was home
by myself. Dogs were at the end laws. The power

(01:13:08):
went out. I went to bed at like five thirty
in the evening, had no power, it was dark. It
went to bed and I left for work about one
forty five in the morning to do the sign on
shift on you know, in Morgantown. And it took it
took a while to get to work because it was snow.
Ice is the price snow. You can handle snow, you

(01:13:28):
put on the wheel drive, you go. Ice. You just
can't do anything on ice.

Speaker 5 (01:13:32):
No, I will say, I remember New Year's Eve. Oh,
this has been several New Year's Eves ago. It's when
my nieces and nephews were a little we didn't have
kids yet. You know, there's only so much you can
do with kids. So we took them bowling on New
Year's Eve. Sure, and an ice storm hit a certain
portion of sixty four In my goodness, I mean, there

(01:13:52):
was no traction anywhere, and you couldn't have done anything,
and we have. I mean, Dave, I missed a car
by millimeters and there just avoided the pile up. So
it can't get it can't get nasty. I think, if
you don't have to, if you can work from home
and there's ice on the road, do yourself a favor,
and just not that you can't drive, but watch out

(01:14:13):
for the other people who can't. Right, just do your thing.

Speaker 1 (01:14:15):
I was on you know where seventy nine and seventy
come together up in Washington, PA. Yes, and there was
freezing rain that night. It was on a banked curve
where you kind of make that big sweeping curve. Stopped
because there was I think there was an accident a head.
But I noticed the truck was moving. I go, I'm moving.
I was sliding sideways on the frozen highway and I'm

(01:14:38):
looking at the concrete and you know, interior barrier. They're
going hmm. I'm gonna hit that, and there's at about
you know, a mile and a half just sliding in
the ice. This this is a great evening. I made
a great decision to make this trip tonight. But I
digress three or four talk three h four. I promise
you we'll get to the text line. We'll do that now.

(01:14:59):
Phones are open as well well. At eight hundred and
seven to sixty five talk eight hundred seven sixty five
eight two five five must have caused let me see,
three or four talk three or four must have caused
Hoppy translation bleeding not to blame the president in January
sixth to fourth shootings. I got you three or four
talk three or four. I have to take issue with

(01:15:19):
TJ's commentary today. Why did TJ leave out the fact
that the Trump administration approved the Afghan shooters asylum approval
in April of this year. Why wasn't that part of
your commentary, TJ?

Speaker 5 (01:15:30):
Question mark editor's note. Read the entire commentary.

Speaker 1 (01:15:35):
It is right there, Texters says, I agree with Hoppy
as a veteran, I never heard clearly of why the
guard was sent to the streets of all the cities
other than to reduce crime. An objective. The city leaders
said national Guard not needed, would inflame the citizens and
put the Guard in a highly dangerous situation. As a result,

(01:15:55):
I concluded the governor's decision was purely political, solely to
satisfy President than Trump. May God have mercy on all
of us. May the young lady rest in peace. Texter says,
I agree with Hoppy, but take it one step farther.
Trump is creating the image of a war zone by
sending ice in the National Guard into these cities to
elevate his political agenda. Governor Morrisey decided to join Trump

(01:16:17):
in creating that image for Morrisey's political aspirations. Trump and
Morrisey both now have blood on their hands for their
own personal political agendas. In my opinion, Texter says, I'm
not understanding why our governor is any more responsible for
this deployment than other federal deployments. To say them, at least,
did our governor go around the normal tasking process or something.

(01:16:40):
Go back to what hop said, not to put words
in his mouth, but I agree with the idea. To you, Jay,
this isn't a blame game, and blame games are never
they're never been official to anybody. That's just you're trying
to score points on some level. But when it comes
to responsibility, and we have the benefit of obviously knowing
the outcome here and it's a tragic but as a leader,

(01:17:03):
if your decisions the result is tragic, the result is bad.
You have to own those decisions. That's not to say
you're blamed for it, but you have to own and
you are responsible for those decisions. I think Hoppy has
a point that comes with leadership. Everybody wants to be
a leader until moments where you have to own decisions
or own consequences that we don't necessarily of your making

(01:17:26):
but end up tragic or end up in a negative situation.

Speaker 5 (01:17:31):
And I think this narrative again that I see predominantly
on social media that Morrissey and Trump have blood on
their hands. They didn't pull that trigger, they don't have
blood on their hands. Should they be held accountable for
the decision to leverage the National Guard, Absolutely, But seeing
they have blood on their hands, to me, that's just
a hyperbolic narrative meant to get people bent out of shape.

(01:17:55):
That doesn't help. That emotion does not help anybody at
this point. On the other hand, as I said to Hoppy,
I think anyone who questions this and does so in
a civil and responsible manner should not be chastised for
doing so. That is a good thing. Justice said last
week on the show Dave that he equated it to business,

(01:18:18):
and it kind of it hit home with me because
I'm the same way. Anytime we had an issue in
business that resulted in a fatality, we stopped doing it.
We took a stand down, we looked at our processes
to make sure. So that's where I'm coming at on
this whole idea of let's take a pause and make
sure we're not missing something in the vetting process, et cetera.

(01:18:39):
I think that's responsible. I don't think it's irresponsible. I
do think ending immigration is not the answer. You shouldn't
be guilty by nationality. But yeah, I just think some
of these narratives that are so emotional, that are meant
to blame people, it's just not helpful. And I would
rather just honestly not engage with people who that's what

(01:19:01):
they lead with, because that's somebody trying to stir the pot,
not trying to ask reasonable questions and find solutions. In
my humble opinion, respectfully.

Speaker 1 (01:19:09):
Three or four talk three or four is the text
sign Texas SYS. Let's do away with police force. If
we're going to put troops on the streets or rethink
our National Guard in the state, what's the cost to
the states? TDS Aside Sarah's death, is Trump's responsibility for
needlessly provoking terrorists for political purposes. I take issue with
that provoking the presence of National Guard troops or the

(01:19:35):
presence of law enforcement provoke. We have to be careful
not to provoke terrorist. We don't want to offend the terrorist. Look,
this guy's evil. It's yeah. I say this carefully. If
it hadn't been Sarah Bestrom and Andrew Wolf, it would
have been to other National Guard members, or it would

(01:19:55):
have been to other law enforcement officers, or it had
been just two other people. This guy I was going
to do what he was going to do. Evil, that's it.

Speaker 5 (01:20:04):
Evil.

Speaker 1 (01:20:05):
Like our brains can't wrap we can't wrap our brains
around that, TJ. Because we're normal, whatever sense of the word.
We're normal. Normal people can't wrap their brains around this.
He is evil.

Speaker 5 (01:20:17):
If you listen to people who are from that small
town in Washington, I think that I think it's north
of Scott Dave if I have my geography and at
south forgive me if I have that mixed up. But Bellingham, Washington.
When you read comments from those people that interacted, maybe
didn't know this this guy deeply, but interact, they were
very surprised. So did you know? Noam said he was

(01:20:38):
radicalized here? What did something else snap? More than just
being rapped? I mean, what happened? That's that's why I
think asking these questions and trying to understand this is
so important. I mean, are you did he one day
decide for no reason to get in a car and
drive across country? Or and and did he get to
the point where that evil was able to manifest in himself?

(01:20:58):
What changed? What happened?

Speaker 14 (01:20:59):
What?

Speaker 1 (01:21:01):
I think?

Speaker 5 (01:21:01):
These are all important questions because again I think it
does go back to the vetting process. If there's something
that is a precursor there that could identify the potential
of these kinds of people and something that we missed,
it's worth stopping for a moment to try to figure
that out. But you are entirely correct. This gentleman was
evil and there will always be evil in these in

(01:21:24):
this world. Folks. Sometimes I think want to dismiss that,
and they want to envision this utopia that can exist
where we are all loving and that we all have
the best interests of others and we want to serve others.
That's not happening, and that won't happen. And if you
think that's going to happen, respectfully, you're a naive and

(01:21:46):
allowing yourself to be encompassed by a dream scenario that
will never come true.

Speaker 1 (01:21:51):
More text three or four Talk three four. The governor
of West Virginia should be happy to send West Virginia
National Guardsmen into a cave and lock the door. If
President Trump said so, Hoppy be made. Hopey made a
good point. His decisions have consequences to make those decisions
based on common sense, not his political aspirations. Three or
four Talk three or four. Thank you Dave for your comment.

(01:22:12):
It's hypocrisy. Leaders are responsible. That needs to be said. Well,
how arrogant can we get? Why have police in harm's way?
Our political views, all of us, including Hoppy, taint our judgment.
Sign me up, I'll train and go maintain peace in
our nation. Hoppy doesn't get to comment on this, he
said on This very show that he would rather have

(01:22:34):
an Afghan immigrant in his own neighborhood rather than one
of one of the January sixth he advocated for this
happy and his chronic tds back on the air, I see, uh,
there's a picture of Travis Jones on News Nation in
the middle of all that three or four twel someone

(01:22:55):
else unless you're texting the text all well, thank.

Speaker 5 (01:22:59):
You, I'm doing that. I'm not Dave Allen. I don't
do that.

Speaker 1 (01:23:03):
I knew Dave Allen did that. Three or four talk
three or four and that's a vaccine related We'll get
to those in a minute. Three or four talk three four.
I'm not sure if that's for air or not. Correct
the mistake. Bring our National Guard home or leave them
there in their vulnerable position? Question Mark, it's a volunteer.

(01:23:26):
It's a volunteer basis. Now he had a three fifty
seven four bullets. Four bullets, question Mark asks the Texter.
Texter says, there are always unintended consequences with any decision.
What happened to the two guardsmen is tragic. But how
many countless lives did they save by being in DC
We will never know, says the Texter, and that's kind

(01:23:49):
of been and I said this with Hobby, this was
I guess my argument. I don't know if it's a
good argument. I do know the mere presence of law
enforcement has an impact, whether a National Guard or it's
Metro police in downtown Morgantown. Just the mere presence of
having cops walking the street, walking the rail trail helps

(01:24:10):
curtail crime because you know where criminals will go though
they know where there's no cops or authority figures. So
just the mere presence and it seems to have had
an impact. The numbers reflect that anecdotally. You hear that
from guys like Schmells and Starwalt so.

Speaker 5 (01:24:25):
Well on DC is a federal city. Yeah, it is
a federal city. It's different from Chicago, it's different from Portland.
It's so you know, there is that element of it
that makes it different from other places in the country
that makes the use of the Guard permissible. So we
can debate that if there needs to be a code
change or a policy change. I go back though, and

(01:24:48):
maybe I'm I'm over fascinated with this, and that's why
I would really love to talk with someone from the
Guard and hopefully we can eventually make that happen. If
we were asking these folks to carry weapons that essentially
were in a condition where they couldn't defend themselves, I
have a problem with that. I just don't know, especially
when you read about this memo and these different things.

(01:25:09):
I would like to know what condition those side arms
were in and whether or not that they were in
a position to be able to defend themselves, because if
they weren't, then that goes beyond I think what we're
talking about now and is more of a policy issue
where we aired from a command perspective and ask people

(01:25:29):
to undertake potentially potentially undertake a patrol and where they
could not defend themselves. And different folks have brought this
to my attention that know what they're talking about, and
I would really like to understand the policy position on
that because I think those kinds of questions are going

(01:25:51):
to be important too when it comes to mitigation, which
we obviously can't go back and do anything about now.
But if we're going to continue and you heard Schmel
say that the guard is out again today, I would
hope that we've learned our lesson and that we're taking
any preventative measures that we could to prevent this from
happening again.

Speaker 1 (01:26:07):
We'll get some more of your text. Three or four
Talk three or four will lighten the Show's ed Brad
Howe will join us. Next, we'll talk a little whoopy ball.
This is talk Line from the Encode Insurance Studios.

Speaker 21 (01:26:17):
For the sixth consecutive year, US News and World Report
ranks WWU Medicine JW. Ruby Memorial as the number one
hospital in West Virginia. It's also recognized as high performing
in gastrow entrology, GI surgery, orthopedics, and urology, and in
eighteen procedures and conditions. This is the highest distinction the

(01:26:38):
hospital can earn for US News Best Hospitals Procedures and
Conditions ratings. For more information, visit Wvumdicine dot org.

Speaker 16 (01:26:49):
To care for you at the hejab BiH.

Speaker 22 (01:26:56):
From all of us here at the Health Plan, we
want to make your bright. Whether you're wrapping gifts or
planning next year's goals, we're here for you. Happy holidays
and Merry Christmas. From our family to yours.

Speaker 9 (01:27:13):
Here.

Speaker 2 (01:27:28):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:27:39):
More of your text in a moment, Let's get to
Metro News Sports. Brad Howie's one of the three guys
before the game. He'll be part of the Metro News
television crew this weekend for the high school football championships.
He joined us Sell Metro News talk line, Brad.

Speaker 7 (01:27:52):
Good morning, good morning, fellas.

Speaker 1 (01:27:55):
Football season's over. Let's I don't know if there's much
more to say, whether you bleed green or golden blue.
Football season's over.

Speaker 7 (01:28:04):
Okay, they were there games this weekend, there were.

Speaker 1 (01:28:08):
Two of them.

Speaker 7 (01:28:09):
I'm told Oh yeah, I was told that too. We
can we can move right on.

Speaker 5 (01:28:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (01:28:13):
It was from a West Virginia perspective, just a weird
timing that you had that off week that settled in
right before Texas Texas. Kind of a double wammy off
week when you're not going to a bowl and oh,
by the way, you're playing your best opponent of the
season and a team that's a legitimate national title contender.
So not not much to wrap up from that West
Virginia game on Saturday. Just Tech was clearly the better team.

(01:28:35):
West Virginia didn't didn't do a lot to speak about
and we can just kind of move on and now
it's recruiting season. Dave, Welcome to that time of the year.

Speaker 1 (01:28:42):
Oh, it's my favorite time of year. I love recruiting season.

Speaker 5 (01:28:47):
Is that the silver lining though, Brad for WVU and
that look, Rich can get right down to work just
giving the bowl game, you know, no ball game. We're
going right to work and we can get started.

Speaker 7 (01:28:57):
I think it is TJ in this particular case where
it was such a rebuild anyway and then just stacked
injuries upon injuries upon injuries. Yeah, I think your best bet.
Now just wipe the slate clean and we move on
to recruiting, and that comes pretty quickly here. We'll get
the high school and JUCO class announced here within the
next couple of days, and then the always wild and

(01:29:18):
crazy portal season begins. And it is the one thing, guys,
and we focus so much of a negative part of
the portal and yet it's a situation for West Virginian
in particular, team that needs massive reinforcements across every area
of this team. It is a chance and it does
provide some hope where in past years, if you go
back five six, seven years ago, the hope would be

(01:29:39):
lessened because you would just be left with a roster
that certainly didn't perform up to your capabilities. Now you
have an opportunity, at least in theory, to go in
and rebuild this roster again, second time in a row.
I realized. But I do feel like there are some
advantages for West Virginia versus what it did last time
when rich and this staff was coming in behind the
eight ball in terms of the time of when he

(01:30:00):
was hired. So now you've been evaluating these guys for
a year. Transfer portal guys as well. You've been keeping
an eye there, even though you don't know exactly who
is going into portal. You have a good idea and
you have a good idea of where you're headed there.
So yes, TJ. That's a long winded answer to a
short answer of yes. It is the positive behind a
season like West Virginia's had. Now you turn the page
and start to look to what comes next.

Speaker 1 (01:30:22):
Brad men's basketball back to work yesterday after getting a
break after that stretch to begin the season. Thump, tell
Mercyhurst your impressions.

Speaker 7 (01:30:30):
Yeah, historic defensive performance. You have to go back to
the twenty seventeen season to find the time West Virginia
held an opponent to just thirty eight points. Lakers only
shot thirty three percent, so overall, defensively, I thought it
was absolutely outstanding. Mentioned injuries on the football team. Basketball wise,
you've got over a significant injury in Jackson Fields, who
made his Mountaineer debut last night. Had nine points three rebounds,

(01:30:53):
so it was good to get him back in the lineup.
As West Virginia now has a full complement of players
for the first time, I'm in literally months, so now
it's a chance to figure out which lineups you want
to use. How Ross Hodge is going to mix those
guys in. But you've got your full compliment of players
for the first time, so that's encouraging as well.

Speaker 5 (01:31:12):
Brad, I don't think I've had a chance to ask you,
but you know I've got some games under his belt. Now.
You mentioned coach Hodge there impressions. How impressed are you?

Speaker 7 (01:31:22):
Very and have been, TJ. I've spent a lot of
time over there watching practice multiple times per week, so
I've been impressed from the beginning. I think West Virginia
went from what was a really good coach in Darren
DeVries to another really good coach in Ross Hodge. And
the defensive system I've mentioned it many times is intricate
and it requires a lot, and you're seeing it play
out in some pretty good results on the floor. Now,

(01:31:44):
I do think it's still a work in progress for
this group. Some of it's the introcuries of the defensive system,
but some of it is what I just mentioned of
trying to mix in all of these different new parts
and new pieces learning to play together. So I don't
think West Virginia anywhere close to a finished yet, and
it may not be until we get towards the end
of the season. But overall, I'm really impressed. I like

(01:32:05):
how the assistants work together. I like how they've installed
every bit of the offense in the defense. So I
think Westfordinia is in good hands with Ross Hodge.

Speaker 1 (01:32:12):
Brad, we're up against the clocks, So later this week,
after you've done your homework, we'll do a full hour
breakdown on the Class four A championship game on Friday.

Speaker 7 (01:32:19):
Okay, Deil can't wait. Some good ones coming.

Speaker 1 (01:32:21):
Up, all right, Brad how mention New Sports three guys
before the game, He'll be along a little bit later.
They'll be filming a Three Guys in a mere matter
of moments. Final break back to trav It Up talk
line from the and COVID Shurch Studios.

Speaker 18 (01:32:36):
To Care Here at the Healthy we are here.

Speaker 22 (01:32:43):
From all of us, here at the Health Plan. We
want to make your season bright. Whether you're wrapping gifts
or planning next year's goals, We're here for you. Happy
holidays and Merry Christmas. From our family to yours.

Speaker 23 (01:33:06):
Did you know that Clarksburg Outdoor Amphitheater hosted acts like
Rick Springfield and Scotty McCreary in twenty twenty four Clarksburg, Yes, Clarksburg.
Did you know that the Robinson Grand has played host
international acts such as Postmodern Jukebox Clarksburg, Yes, Clarksburg. Explore
more at Come Home to Clarksburg dot com.

Speaker 1 (01:33:48):
Jackpots are growing in West Virginia. Jackpots are on the rise.
Every week, Powerball hits Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mega Millions
Lights up Tuesdays and Fridays. That's five chances a week
to get in life changing Jackpot's play in store or
online eighteen plus to play, Please play responsibly. The power
Ball in jackpot is seven hundred and forty million dollars.
Mega Millions is ninety million. Have a great day and

(01:34:11):
talk to you tomorrow. Talk Lino, Metro News