Talkline | Dec. 11, 2025 - MetroNews Talkline

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Good morning, It's Metro News talk Line. Lots to get
to today, including former Senator former Governor Joe Manchin will
join us. We're under what.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Radio turned Off?

Speaker 3 (00:31):
From the studios of w v r C Media and
the Metro News Radio and Television Network, The Voice Up
West Virginia comes the most powerful show in West Virginia.
This it's Metro News talk Line with Dave Wilson and
t J. Meadows.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
So it's not work control.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
From Charles stand by to David t J.

Speaker 5 (00:54):
You're on.

Speaker 3 (00:59):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling
you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Good morning, Welcome into the program Metro News talk Line
from the Encoba Insurance studios. We appreciate you being part
of the festivities on one of our great radio affiliates
across the state. Or if you're watching on the Metro
News TV at Gangzol here, Jake Link and Zach Carrolchick
heading up the video stream today. Ethan Collins is our
audio producer eight hundred and seven to sixty five Talk

(01:31):
eight hundred seven sixty five eight two five five that's
the phone number. You can text the show at three
oh four Talk three oh four. That is the text
line coming up as the show unfolds this morning. A
little bit later on, we're going to talk about the
judicial hellhole. West Virginia's not on that list, but it
was mentioned several times in the report. Tiger Joyce with

(01:53):
American tort reform is going to stop by. Brad mclhendy
covered the state school board meeting at Hoppy Kerchiebal is
shouting at social media. He'll join us at the eleven
o'clock hour. Good morning, TJ. Meadows from the Charleston Studios.

Speaker 4 (02:06):
Good morning, Hoppy Thursday. I think he should be obligated
when he comes in on Thursday to bring a round
of his hoppy ale.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Well, he might have had some of that, but he
might have that before he writes the commentary.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
You know, I've yet to try it. Have you tried it?

Speaker 6 (02:22):
No?

Speaker 4 (02:23):
No, I need to get on I need to get
on it. I haven't tried it.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
But kerschwill join us eleven oh six. He takes a
look at social media, TikTok ai and the news consumption
of the current and the future. We'll talk about that
coming up second hour of the program. Well this week,
US Army specialist Sarah Bextrom was laid to rest at
the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton. The twenty year

(02:46):
old was a military police officer with the eight hundred
and sixty third Military Police Company in the West Virginia
National Guard. She died on Thanksgiving, a day after she
was shot while on patrol in DC by an Afghan
national Sorry to Andrew Wolf was also shot. He continues
to be treated at a DC hospital and is showing
signs of improvement. Even before the tragic shootings a couple

(03:08):
of weeks ago, there were questions about the deployment of
the Guard to d C, how that came, about, how
the situation was being handled, and how it has been
handled and how to proceed. Former Senator former governor of
the Great State of West Virginia, Joe Manchin has thoughts
and he joins us on Metro News talk Line this morning. Joe,
good morning, Hey Dave, DJ, how you all doing doing great?

(03:31):
Appreciate you coming on. I do want to ask you
before we get into the series. Subjects me first.

Speaker 7 (03:35):
Day, I'm good dumping Dave real quickly I want to
say really wishing all of my fellow West Virginias are
very happy Marry Mary, Christmas, a happy holiday in the
most blessed holiday season. I really want to wish everybody.
I hope they have a great time with their family
and trends.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
I wanted to ask you, we were debating this up
in the press box last weekend. Do you practice the
coin flip? You flipped the coin for the Triple A
champion Ship game Saturday night? Did you practice? Was it
like a first pitch?

Speaker 8 (04:04):
That was my first?

Speaker 7 (04:05):
That was that truly was the first pitch. The coin
is you know, on the collector coins are so very big.
It's not like at the fifty cent piece or I
mean we're got even five to fifty cent pieces or
a silver dollar. Haven't seen them for a while. But
it wasn't a coin. It was basically a historical coin,
you know, a ceremonial coin, and so it's kind of
hard to get a grip on it. So you got

(04:25):
to kind of lay it there and put your thumb
under it and then move your hand up and flip
at the same time. So I think I got it
up and got it down, and they looked at it
and decided it was tails, and away we went.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
We were telling Fred flipped the coin, Fred persinger for
the double a game. We were telling them, you've got
to practice. You can't. It's like a first pitch. You
can't flub this up.

Speaker 9 (04:42):
Yeah, how Fred due?

Speaker 5 (04:43):
How Fred due?

Speaker 1 (04:44):
He did pretty good. He got you know, bent the knees,
got it up, you know, and the perfect height there
he did. Well, it's Fred, that's great.

Speaker 4 (04:52):
All right.

Speaker 7 (04:52):
Well it was cold.

Speaker 9 (04:53):
It was the cold cold eating that night, that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (04:56):
All right, Joe Mansion join his former governor former center. First,
we've been talking about this situation in DC, the deployment
of the West Virginia National Guard. Should they be there?
What was the mission? What was the objective? So, first
of all, from your standpoint, the situation in DC, was
it at a point as far as the crime, what

(05:17):
was happening there in the city that even warranted a
federal intervention in the first place.

Speaker 7 (05:23):
Well, first, let me just say this about any type
of a call up for National Guard. Anytime the President
of the United States declares the national emergency, you don't
question that. You help any way possible. I'll give you
a perfect example Katrina. When Katrina happened and President Bush
at that time declared national emergency, he wanted all troops
anybody that could help. Well, we were asked by the

(05:46):
State of Louisiana, State of Texas could we help, Could
we send troops and general attack it. I talked to
him and we put our groups together while we could help.
We sent See when thirties down, we did, all the
communications tied up, we were invited down. But it is
under national emergency too, so we all would help any
way possible. That's under a Title ten is a nice

(06:08):
you know, that's a status where the president has total
authority to send whoever they want under Title thirty two,
which is the understanding what they're working under now, which
has always been would you desire to do that? This
is a judgment call. I'm not going to second guess
Governor Morse. He had he felt very strongly about this,
I assume, and dealing with the guardsmen there in West Virginia,

(06:30):
they made a decision and that's what had happened. And
so with that being said, only eight states contributed towards that,
and West Virginia has more troops there per capita than
any other state. I think we have ever formed the
troops there, and only thing I can say to this
whole thing, I think it would be a wonderful Christmas gift,

(06:51):
if you will, to the people of West Virginia, if
we could start returning our troops home, if that's possible,
If government get into that to see if that's possible.
We've paid the ultimate price, and I think our state
always gives us all and the most patriotic state in
the nation. But it's time now the other states can rotate.
There's forty two other states that haven't participated at all,

(07:13):
and I'd like to see a rotation there. There'll be
more fair and balanced.

Speaker 4 (07:17):
So Senator, first off, good morning, and Merry Christmas to
you as well.

Speaker 10 (07:20):
Sir.

Speaker 4 (07:21):
Governor Morrissey has said that they're there on a volunteer basis. Now,
given that, should he cancel that and just bring them
all home, or if they want to continue to volunteer,
should he let them?

Speaker 7 (07:36):
Well, yeah, the volunteer basis is always great. When someone
decides on that, they you know, they're still deciding that
to volunteer. The bottom line is, should there not be
a rotation? Should you know? I would look at seeing
there's more than just eight states it should be participating.

Speaker 5 (07:54):
Right now.

Speaker 7 (07:54):
You have Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina and
South Dakota, and West Virginia, Ohio. He has one hundred
and fifty troops there. I don't know if these are
rotating in and out in other states, are participating those things.
I don't know. I'm just saying after the tragedy we've
gone through, losing one of our soldiers in Sarah Beckstrom

(08:14):
and having Andrew Woof critically injured, there's a lot of
trauma going on. I'm sure with the troops there, and
I see him from time to time when I'm in DC,
I'll stop and talk to him, and the spirits are
always highness and that. But I'm sure that whole psyche
maybe changed and it would just be a wonderful Christmas
gesture if that could happen. I don't know if it

(08:36):
can or not, And I'm not second guessing Governor Morrisey.
I'm just saying that this would be a great Christmas
gift for all of us right now, knowing the tragedy
we've all gone through. Because I think everyone's Virginia his
heart is breaking for Sarah and her family.

Speaker 8 (08:55):
I just can't.

Speaker 7 (08:55):
Understand a young woman like this with such a promising
career being cut so short. And with that, you know,
she made a determination that she wanted to be serving
in the military, gets some opportunity to change her life
and be able to have more opportunities in life, and
you don't fault for that. National Guards a wonderful, wonderful
opportunity place to get skill sets in life and new

(09:19):
life assignments. So with that, I encourage everyone to look
at the National Guard. But this is the situation. It's
a little bit different than others and going into I'm
never going in. I would never go into a state
that another not invited me yet. But under Title ten
the president sends you under Title thirty two, you should

(09:40):
be pretty much invited.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
In Talking to former Senator and former Governor Joe Mancham,
when there is an emergency and guard troops, you are deciding,
as the chief executive and the commander in chief in
West Virginia whether or not to send guard troops to
a state or in this case, Washington, d C. How
much does the mission the objective and if that is

(10:05):
clearly defined, way into your decision.

Speaker 7 (10:08):
Oh, you want to make sure you have whatever the
mission may be, and they clarify what they're needing. Do
we have the expertise and skills sets to do that?
Military police? If this is a police, we have an
MP section of that. And you want to make sure
if you have communications, if you have things that we
have as narcotics, all the different specialists that we have,

(10:30):
which is tremendous in our guard and the achievement that
they have accomplished over the period of time. But you
want to make sure that you can fulfill that mission
and be able to support that mission and have the people.
So you look at that, and then you look at
basically talking to your TAG and all your officers to
find out if it's something that we can be of
help to. Is it something that we're going into which

(10:51):
were unwelcome. If it's an unwelcome situation, that makes it
a little bit more strenuous on your troops. You make
some decisions based on that. You can't second guess. Now, well,
the decision has been made, and I understand the decision.
Whether you agree or not, it's been made. I'm just
saying there's a chance now and I think the President
of the United States would understand. We've gone through a

(11:12):
tremendous amount of trauma right now, there's other states that
can participate. Could we bring them home for Christmas?

Speaker 4 (11:19):
The Senator, I want to ask a few questions based
on some of the comments you just made, and I
may fumble them a little bit, Joe, because this is
a very sensitive topic. So give me a little bit
of grace here. In terms of you talked about the
National Guard. I think, frankly, back to some of the
folks I grew up with. I grew up in rural
Boom County where there's not a lot of opportunity necessarily,

(11:42):
and many of the folks I went to school with
they used the military. They used the National Guard as
a stepping stone to be able to pay for college,
to be able to better their prospects. So I think
about that sacrifice and how West Virginians have used the Guard,
and I think that's great in the military, Harry. But
then at the same time, as details start to emerge,

(12:03):
I wrote last week about some reporting out of the
New York Times and as well as in the Wall
Street Journal about the condition of firearms, and yes, the
guardsmen were armed, but the fire in arms may not
have been in a condition where they could be useful
to these people. I'm not saying that would have made
a difference in an ambush situation, but frankly, as a
former governor, i'd like your take on should you have

(12:27):
knowledge operationally once you send troops there of what kind
of circumstances that they're in, Because, frankly, and again not
to be too blunt, but frankly, if we put young
soldiers in a situation where they were not as ready
as they possibly could be, and I wrote in support
of the mission, that gives me pause. I feel like

(12:51):
we let those folks down. And i'd like your reaction
to that thought.

Speaker 7 (12:55):
Well, I would like to think that we would not
send any of our troops at one prepared that we
were not saying, any of troops that are unproperly armed
and be able to defend themselves. I feel very strongly
about that, and I would think that wouldn't have happened.
The thing that you're doing, when you send any of
your troops into harm's way, you want to make sure
you can have every opportunity to bring every one of

(13:15):
them back home in safety. Now, with that, say, when
you send them in an area that is unwelcome, you're
going into an unwelcome and a very hostile type of situation.
They could have ramifications such as this is what we've seen.
That's a whole different calculation that goes on there. But
if it's a national emergency and a Title ten, you
don't ask questions. You put your best personnel in the

(13:38):
best place and make sure they're properly trained and properly armed.

Speaker 3 (13:42):
With that.

Speaker 7 (13:43):
You know, again, you have to look at the situation.
This has become a political situation now in what's being
happening in different states, and mostly in areas that they
say that they are blue areas politically not red areas,
and most of the people that are going there are
from red areas. You know, you have a kind of
conundrum going on on. It's not the best of situation. So,

(14:05):
you know, I would like to see some blue states
areas send troops in if they thought it was worthwhile.
If I had a problem with with crime in my area,
if I was in Chicago, I would gladly invite, but
I would use my troops also, I would say I
want I need some extra assistance. Also they have to
be asking the question, what happens when the troops leave.

(14:28):
Am I in good enough shape to keep the crime
down that you've helped me get under control? Am I
getting more assets here? Do I have more training? Can
I recruit more police into this area of whether it
be DC or Chicago or any other area they're determined
to be a high crime area. What's the end what's
the end game? You know, what is the endgame? Can

(14:49):
we reduce crime? Can we make people make sure that
they're going to pay the pay the time for the
crime they commit. You know, we've got to get tough
on crime, and people have to know for real, I
think President they know he's hard, knows he's tough on that.
But still yet we have to be very i think,
very responsibly kept and hold ourselves to accountable for the
actions that we put people in different areas. And it's

(15:13):
just a tough thing. Not I'm of judgment calls. But
still yet you evaluate that you have troops, the professionals
in the Guard, and you mentioned that starting out that
the military of all segments, all branches of the military
and the National Guard has given so many people in
West Virginia, so many people in Appalachia an opportunity, an

(15:36):
opportunity for truly life skills that we change their life
in the quality of their life. And they have basically
signed up most of all Appalachia, but definitely was Virginia.
It's one of the most patriotic states in the nation
for those reasons. Okay, they're not only just patriotic because
they love their country. They have a chance to really

(15:56):
change the trajectory of their life. Those are all good things.
So I'm proud of what we've been able to do
and attract people to disturb their country. I just want
to make sure that we may do everything that we
can and make every decision that's going to be their benefit,
that they can enjoy a quality of life.

Speaker 1 (16:13):
Senator A former Senator Joe Manchin, a former governor, also
joining us here on Metro News talk line bringing the
troops Home. You certainly risk alienating the relationship with the
White House and with President Trump. Is that risk worth
it now?

Speaker 7 (16:28):
I think what no, anything I'm saying. If I got
in a situation like that, and I know that Governor
Morsey has a good rapport with the President, he can
basically if he feels that way maybe the troops don't,
maybe they want to stay. I'm just saying, if there's
an opportunity to evaluate, can you bring them home for Christmas?
Could you ask the President? And I think he might.
He's been very very attentive to do loss of one

(16:52):
of our soldiers in Sarah Berksham, and I think he
might be receptive to something like that. And it shouldn't
be any hard feelings on any side. I just understanding
the situation that we're in right now, and the troops
that are in there, and and the trauma that they're
going through, would.

Speaker 4 (17:12):
You pick up the phone and call the president? As
a former senator, former governor of the state.

Speaker 7 (17:19):
If if Governor Morsey would ask me to do that
and support of what he's going to be asking, if
he would do that, I do in a heartbeat. Yeah,
I think you know this is Governor Morrisey is commander
in chief the National Guard of West Virginia. I was
commander in chief when I was governor. There's some respect
and sam also some civility that should go into this,

(17:43):
and I think that Governor Morsey, if he has that opportunity.
I'm just saying, I'm wishing everybody to Marry Christmas.

Speaker 2 (17:48):
Not it.

Speaker 7 (17:49):
I can't think of a merrier Christmas than if our
troops were able to come home for that in the
rotation of other states that have not participated. That's all.

Speaker 1 (18:00):
Us to Senator and former Governor Joe Manchin. Always appreciate
the insights Mary Christmas, Happy New Year to everybody in
your family. Joe, thanks for joining us.

Speaker 7 (18:07):
Well, Marry Christmas to you all too. I really do
and I appreciate what you all do and keep us
a whole breast of what's going on, not only in
West Virginia but around the globe.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
We appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (18:16):
Thank you very much. Former Senator former Governor Joe Manchin
got to take a break back at the moment talk
line from the Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 11 (18:24):
It's the busiest time of year and your business can't
afford downtime. With city Nets managed it and network services,
we keep your technology running smoothly so you can stay
focused on your customers. From cybersecurity to communications. Our local
experts have you covered. Count on dependable service and responsive
support from a company that's right here in West Virginia.

(18:45):
Learn more at citynet, dot net, citty net Connects protects
and perfects.

Speaker 12 (18:53):
WVU Medicine Nephrology is committed to providing advanced kidney care
at its primary location in morgan Town, Suncrestown Center, and
also at outreach sites in buck Cannon, Clarksburg, Elkins, Fairmont, Flatwoods, Grafton, Kaiser, Moorfield,
and Summersville in West Virginia and Oakland, Maryland. Our expert
team of nephrologists use the latest diagnosis and treatment methods.

(19:16):
Call eight five to five WVU Care or visit Wvumedicine
dot org slash nephrology.

Speaker 13 (19:26):
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.

Speaker 11 (19:42):
Clarksburg, Yes, Clarksburg.

Speaker 13 (19:45):
Explore more at come Home to Clarksburg dot com.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit Incova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (20:16):
Three or four Talk three oh four is the text
line Texter says Governor Morris, he needs to listen to
Joe Manchin. He was one of our best governors. The
troops should come home now. Perhaps Shelley and Big Jim
could also chime in and get this done. Tex says,
Joe Manchin is so smooth. He just took a shot

(20:36):
at our governor and didn't even sound like it. He's
the best, says the Texter. Text says, once again, Mansion
proves he's a Republican. So what is old Joe going
to run for president? Sounds like he's getting ready. I
think his days of running for office are over, but
he still sounds good. And a Texter sends a pretty
decent explanation of titles ten and thirty two.

Speaker 5 (21:00):
Right.

Speaker 1 (21:00):
Coming up next, Brad mcohenny will join us. He was
covering the state school board meeting yesterday. More school closures
were approved by the state school board. There was also
a conversation about declining student enrollment and of course, the
school aid formula. We'll get into that discussion. Brad maclehenny
will join us next. More of your text coming up
at three oh four Talk three oh four. You can

(21:21):
also give us a call. We always enjoy having a
conversation eight hundred seven to sixty five Talk eight hundred
seven sixty five eight two five five, or shoot us
a text at three oh four Talk three oh four.
Well talk to Brad on the other side of this
break open lines a little bit later on this hour.
This is talk Line on Metro News. Metro News for
forty years, the voice of West Virginia. It's ten thirty.

(21:47):
Time to get a news update. Let's check in on
the Metro News radio network. Find out what's happening across
the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 10 (21:55):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Jeff Jenkins. The majority of
county school districts in West Foe Virginia closing school, delaying
the starter school today because of the weather mean while
the State Board of Education is once again giving the
approval for counties to closed schools permanently because of falling enrollment,
The board okay plans in five counties. At Wednesday State
School Board meeting, Rock Cave Elementary in Upshur County one

(22:16):
of those to close. Teacher Amber Anderson asked the state
board not to do it.

Speaker 14 (22:20):
We price could, ever, Jess fybris can a student's future
or tearing out the heart of a community. We the
educators at rock Cape now are students, their strengths, their challenges,
their strengths, and what helps them thro.

Speaker 10 (22:31):
Out the school board is okay. The closings of seventy
schools in the past eight years, mostly because of declining enrollment,
also wins these board meeting. Board members talking briefly about
the sex stortion case from Kannak County, where a fifteen
year old Nitro High School student took his own life
after being the victim of sex stortion. Department of Education
Safety investigator James ag says, there needs to be the
continued education of students.

Speaker 15 (22:52):
Things that come through that Internet and that magic thing
in your pocket, that's the cell phone that always is
attached all of us at all times, is just to
be real hesitant what you click on and what you
respond to.

Speaker 10 (23:04):
The parents of Bryce Tat have been proactive in talking
about their son's death and warning of sex stortion. Governor
Patrick Morrisey has his first media briefing in about a
week later this morning at the state Capitol. That's scheduled
to start next hour eleven o'clock. You're listening to Metro
News for forty years, the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 16 (23:22):
There's nothing quite like a homemade meal from Tutor's Biscuit World.
We use real buttermilk to craft our delicious biscuits, one
batch at a time and serve them with our signature platters.
Here you'll taste of freshness in every night. From our
classic breakfast sandwiches to favorites like our breakfast wraps, every
meal brings a taste of simpler times. Let Tutors do

(23:45):
the cooking for you or gathering this holiday season. Visit
Tutorscatering dot com for all your catering needs with.

Speaker 17 (23:52):
Steel batteries are included. This holiday season, give a gift
that's ready to go right out of the box for
everything from cleaning up the yard to cutting up firewood.
Steel tools. Check off the wish list and knock out
the to do list, and right now buy select battery
tool sets and get a free extra battery. Visit Steel
USA dot com for holiday deals and gift ideas. Happy

(24:15):
Holidays from Steel offer veld for a limited time only
participating dealers.

Speaker 10 (24:19):
While some Wise Last, a former Parkersburg YMCA youth swim coach,
says prosecutors have enough evidence against them to convict him
of the sexual abuse of children, but David Adams entered
a Kennedy plea to the fox of the case and
not a traditional guilty plea. Oral parents of the youth
victims didn't like it, and complaining during Wednesday's court hearing.
They say they wanted to hear Adam say that he

(24:39):
was guilty. He faces twenty five years in prison at
his February sentencing. A special prosecutor's handling that case. From
the Metro News anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkins, Hey.

Speaker 1 (25:11):
One hundred and seven to sixty five Talks the phone
number three or four. Talk three or four is the
text line. We'll get to some of your thoughts coming
up next segment. Please welcome to the program. One of
the hardest working men in media. He's met your new
state wide correspondent, Brad McIlhenny. Brad, good morning, Good to
talk to you again, buddy.

Speaker 18 (25:28):
Oh hi, good morning. And I like the way you
phrase that because it leaves room for Joe Bricado and
the mini miles he puts on his vehicle.

Speaker 1 (25:36):
Well, he's in the hits.

Speaker 18 (25:37):
He takes for the team.

Speaker 1 (25:39):
Literally, he's the hardest working man in sports media. We
lump you in with the news side. Joe's over on
the sports side. That's how I differentiate you too, Brad.

Speaker 18 (25:51):
Well, thank you. I appreciate it, and I hope to
not take the physical impact that Joe takes.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
Let's hope nobody close lines you during the the legislafe
session coming up. If they do, we will be sure
to get video of it, though, Brad, that's very good.

Speaker 4 (26:06):
Okay, It's kind of two different worlds. It's more of
a tongue lashing at the capital that you have to take.
It's more of a verbal thing than it is a
physical thing. But you know, not to compare the two, but.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
All right, Brad. US Senator shelleymore Capitau had a media
availability this morning. We were just talking to former Senator
and former Governor Joe Manchin on his thoughts about the
National Guard's deployment to Washington, d C. You had the
opportunity to ask the current Senator chellymore Capito, what were
her thoughts on the deployment and the continued deployment.

Speaker 9 (26:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 18 (26:38):
So my thinking with my question was that it would
be in line with the discussion you all were having
at the same time with Senator Mansion and Senator Capita
has expressed her support for the National Guard prisons in DC.
Has said that it's her strong belief that the National
Guard presence has brought down has contributed to a drop

(27:02):
in in serious crime in the District of Columbia. So,
you know, taking that at her word and accepting it,
my thought was, all right, well, then if that's the case,
how long do they have to stay unless something else changes,
unless the District of Columbia is given the power to
better police its own city. Are we looking at an

(27:25):
open ended National Guard deployment? And so that was the
question I asked her. She said, I think it's a
good question. She said, I think it's rather open ended
right now. But she said, but I do think it
will end. She said, I think that working with the
DC Metropolitan Police and with the DC National Guard, they

(27:46):
brought statistics down on violent crime, carjackings, and assaults. She
continued to say that she believes it's been effective and
that she would like for DC to be safe, but
she envisions a day when National Guard members from other
states and from West Virginia will no longer be in DC.
An aspect of my question had been well, how do

(28:07):
you determine that. Should there be a specific endpoint or
some set of standards where you determine that, you know,
the National Guard is not necessary in DC anymore. And
you know, in fairness to her, she hadn't heard the
question till I asked it, but I felt like those
specifics were a little lacking in her answer.

Speaker 4 (28:28):
I mean, to your point, Brat, at what point do
you say that you need to grow the DC Metropolitan
Police to be able to take a care of this,
you know, put money into that, grow those ranks. I mean,
at some point, because whether it's title ten or thirty
two or thirty eight, I'm getting all the titles confused here.
I don't think either of those are permanent in nature,
so I'm going to have to figure it out.

Speaker 18 (28:52):
Yeah, And you know, in Congress has a funding responsibility
for the District of Columbia, which is a you know,
we've talked over and over that's a federal district. So
you know, I think the where this logically leads is
giving DC the tools it needs to police it self
and to ensure that the District of Columbia has the

(29:12):
appropriate level of funding, hoping that eventually the National Guard
can go home.

Speaker 1 (29:18):
At your new state Wide correspondent Brad Mcohetey. Senator shellymore
Capito had a media availability this morning. Brad also on
Capitol Hill, Republicans are trying to figure out what to
do with healthcare. Do you extend the tax credits, which
does not seem like a popular idea among the GOP?
What about health savings accounts? What did the Senator have
to say about healthcare and if they're going to be

(29:39):
able to get something through the finish line.

Speaker 18 (29:42):
Yeah, the Senator is for the Republican proposal, which is
those health savings account Senator Capito. But spoiler alert, she
does not believe either proposal will receive the sixty votes
necessary to get past the filibuster hurdle. So those that
health Care Freedom for Patients Act, which is the GOP

(30:04):
proposal Senator Capitol described as sending forty billion dollars directly
to patients through health savings accounts, you know, to extend
this out a little bit. One thing that Senator capital
projected was was a failure of both proposals today, but

(30:24):
she suggested that there could be temporary solutions before the
Christmas holiday, you know, I think more to come on that.
But the existing ACA subsidies do have a deadline of
December thirty first, and at that point we've been talking
about it and talking about it and talking about it,
people who rely on those subsidies are going to have

(30:44):
their cost spike.

Speaker 4 (30:46):
So Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget reports the extension
of the subsidies over a ten year period three hundred
and fifty billion, with a B dollars thirty billion just
for a year. The Senator likes the HSA option, Brad,
I think you said forty billion?

Speaker 16 (31:03):
Is that?

Speaker 4 (31:03):
Is that what you said the projected cost was going
to be? And yeah, this is fresh, but yeah, forty
I think, Okay, how are you gonna pay for that?
Did you get into the nuts and bolts or the
money's gonna come from because we're broke?

Speaker 18 (31:15):
No, And I have a lot of questions. So, you know,
some of Senator Capito's objections to a current system are
insurance companies as sort of the middleman that makes a profit.
I remain a little confused about. All Right, so we're
going to establish health savings accounts for the people, then

(31:35):
do they buy insurance with those health the money and
those health savings accounts, what happens to people who have
the pre existing conditions that are often part of the
Obamacare conversations. You know, with the health savings account truly
help you if you had a chronic problem or cancer,
or something that's incredibly expensive, and then find only Senator

(32:00):
Capito talks in terms of a concern about fraud with
the existing system. One thing I wonder about is if
the federal government winds up sending money directly to people
through health savings accounts, is that not right for fraud?
And you know, some of those questions that I am
wondering about, we didn't really get into to a very

(32:22):
deep degree during this briefing today. But if both of
today's bills fail, then I think there will be more
opportunities to discuss these matters.

Speaker 1 (32:34):
Mention New state Wide Correspondent Brad mclahenney. Brad mclehenney joining
us Heerio Metro News talk line. Brad, yesterday, you are
also covering the State Board of Education. During that meeting,
closures for more schools were approved. I think it was
five counties in which schools were either closed or consolidated,
and there were thoughts shared amongst the school board. What

(32:55):
were their thoughts yesterday?

Speaker 18 (32:56):
Brad Well concern it's painful for everyone. The the counties
that are closing our consolidating schools are Barber, Logan, Randolph, Rowan, Upshore,
and Wetzel. And they're doing so in general, not because
they want to, but because they've they've lost students. West
Virginia's school aid formula is based on student headcount, whether
you are a rural area where it's you know, expensive

(33:20):
too and inefficient to bus kids over long distances or not.
The local school systems, you know, already decided this is
what we got to do. We only have so much
money coming in the door. And this was a final
step by the state board. But several members of the
state board described understanding the pain the communities feel. They

(33:41):
had almost thirty people giving public statements yesterday, not only
about the school closures but about a range of issues.
The majority of them, though, were people from the counties
that I mentioned, just describing, you know, the pain and
the loss, and you know, schools are contributors to the

(34:02):
community in terms of community identity, in terms of being
able to get kids to a school that is not
farther away than where you're already going. So just a
real painful experience, and it continues. It was the same
thing last year.

Speaker 4 (34:19):
So I listened to some of those comments, and I
sympathize having grown up in a rural area myself. But Fellas,
I have to tell you, that's why you have a formula,
because formulas take emotion out of conversations and they make
things about economics. And I thought Paul Hardesty yesterday did
those people us service by explaining to them that look

(34:42):
the Big Blue Book, this is what it says we
have to do. It is formulaic in nature. There's a
reason we can no longer afford this. They've just earlier
in the week we talked with John Hardy and you mentioned, well,
you know, is there going to be another school in
the Panhandle because they're busting at the seams and they
don't have enough infrastructure there. So it's one of these
where Okay, I can put tax dollars into a new

(35:03):
school where I have growth, or I can figure out
how to consolidate in areas that I don't. And the
economics are hard, but you got to do and go
where the economics point you. Brad and I think kudo's
to Hardesty for laying it out there, because I think
folks need to hear that.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
You know, there was a.

Speaker 18 (35:22):
House of Delegates declaration of priorities that are economic in
nature earlier this week, and it's all interrelated. I mean,
if you're having good economic times, then theoretically you've got
population growth, and then you've got more kids in the schools,
all co mingled. Addressing the school aid formula was not

(35:43):
specifically a part of those remarks by Speaker Hanshaw earlier
this week. However, I do think that there is legislative
interest and knowledge of maybe needing to tinker with that
school aid formula.

Speaker 1 (35:56):
So we'll see.

Speaker 18 (35:57):
The legislative session is now roughly one month away, and
I would be surprised if there's not some consideration of
a change, particularly you know in the House of Delegates
one hundred single member districts, and many of those delegates
are losing schools in their communities.

Speaker 1 (36:14):
It was being tinkered with. It never got out of
House Education last year. Brad I sat through a couple
of those meetings, and it gets down in the weeds.
You start talking about the formula and trying to figure
it out and it gets very awkward when you start
talking about should students count as one student, one and
a half students, a half a student, so on and
so forth. So those conversations are there. Number one. Number two,

(36:35):
the squad formula is the same as it was in
nineteen eighty two. West Virginia is not the same as
it was in nineteen eighty two. I don't have a solution,
but I know you've got to acknowledge the current state
of things in West Virginia. Yes, we're losing populations. Do
we want to continue with the formula that we have
that is really a growth based formula? Are we going
to bite the bullet and say yes, we are going

(36:58):
to build community schools. We know it's not economically necessarily feasible,
but that is what's best for the community. Somebody's got
to reconcile that, and well, they're elected to the House
and the Senate to do those things.

Speaker 9 (37:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 18 (37:10):
Agree, And you know, to my earlier point about these
things being all interrelated. Let's say you're trying to recruit
a business to a community, or to recruit employees and
their families. One of the first things that people are
going to look at is the education system, and as
West Virginia loses local schools, is that a detriment to

(37:30):
that kind of recruiting of businesses or business startups or
the workers who will you know, power those businesses.

Speaker 4 (37:39):
Here's where it gets money. Do you want to put
more money into infrastructure, Dave to your point and make
a conscious decision to do that when it may not
be economical. Or do you want to pay teachers more?
Do you want to pay state employees more? There's a
lot of priorities, Fellas, and it gets really tough in
that trioshe politically, but these tough decisions, Dave, you hit
the nail on the head. But they asked to be there,

(38:01):
They want to be elected. So you're gonna have to
make these tough decisions and not everybody's gonna be happy.

Speaker 1 (38:07):
That's why I say you got to look at the
school aid formula.

Speaker 5 (38:09):
I get.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
Does the formula acknowledge the state of things in West
Virginia today or does it reflect what was happening, you know,
forty four years ago. It seems to be the latter. Brad.
One other thing that came out of that meeting yesterday
was board member Chris Stansbury, the tragic case that many,
many actually teenagers are facing across the country. Is these
sextortion cases, these blackmail cases. He brought that up. Just

(38:34):
summarize his comments and thoughts.

Speaker 18 (38:37):
Yeah, well, I mean it's that's a heartbreaking story, and
I understand and appreciate Chris Stansbury's concern about it. I
will say that, you know, the response he got was understandable,
but not very satisfying if you're looking for solutions, because

(38:57):
what I heard was, you know, to help a in
a situation of sextortion or whatever, they've got to open
up and say that they've got a problem. Otherwise you
just don't know. And I think that's where it starts.
I mean, what do we do as a society. I
guess make sure kids know that they can talk to
us and you know, and be open to any problems

(39:20):
they're having.

Speaker 4 (39:21):
Yeah, I think you have to set the reality, unfortunately,
and you have to have a difficult conversation with your children.
I think that's in the home, and I do think
it's in the school system to say, the unfortunate nature
of the Internet and these apps and things that you like,
this can and may well happen. These people will try
to pin you but you in a corner and make
you feel like you're at the end of the rope

(39:42):
and extort money from you. And I think we have
to start having that conversation with our children and probably
pretty young as well.

Speaker 1 (39:52):
So Metro New state Wide Correspondent Brad mclhenney. You can
read his recap from the state school Board meeting at
wv Metro news dot com and give them a few minutes.
You can read his recap of Senator Capital's comments I
would imagine over at wmetrodes dot com later today.

Speaker 18 (40:08):
And Senator mentioned and.

Speaker 1 (40:09):
Senator man, you're going to be busy today. Brad, you
bear get to work. We bever to let you go.
Senator Justice way in thank you, Brad, always appreciate it.
Met you, New Statewide Correspondent Brad McIlhenny, your thoughts next
to eight hundred and seven and sixty five talk and
three or four talk. Three of four.

Speaker 19 (40:24):
Hospitals drive West Virginia's economy. They produce jobs and create
opportunities while keeping our communities healthy. Employing nearly fifty four
thousand people, West Virginia hospitals rank among our state's largest
and most dependable employers. They provide more than one billion
dollars in community benefits and generate nearly seventeen billion dollars
in total economic impact each year. Hospitals are investing wear counts,

(40:44):
advancing health, ensuring access to care, and powering West Virginia's
economic future.

Speaker 4 (40:49):
A message from the West Virginia Hospital Association online a
WVJ dot org.

Speaker 20 (40:56):
Bad to care.

Speaker 21 (40:59):
Here the game.

Speaker 18 (41:02):
We are here.

Speaker 21 (41:05):
From all of us here at the Health Plan. We
want to make your season bright.

Speaker 22 (41:09):
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 8 (41:21):
Here.

Speaker 20 (41:26):
Some say he's a man of mystery. Others say he's
the holiday hit maker. No one saw coming.

Speaker 2 (41:31):
It's showtime.

Speaker 23 (41:32):
The holiday hit Maker walks the office halls with West
Virginia Lottery holiday scratch offs and an unstoppable spirit.

Speaker 19 (41:39):
What are you doing bringing the holiday hype here?

Speaker 4 (41:43):
Enjoy scratch off?

Speaker 5 (41:43):
It's on me.

Speaker 24 (41:45):
Whoa ticket?

Speaker 2 (41:46):
My work here is done?

Speaker 20 (41:47):
Be the surprise hit maker. West Virginia Lottery games fun,
festive and full of flair. Please play responsibly.

Speaker 3 (42:06):
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.

Speaker 4 (42:16):
To learn more.

Speaker 1 (42:17):
Jackpots are growing in West Virginia. Jackpots are on the
rise every week. Power Ball 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 one billion dollars. Mega Millions jackpot's

(42:39):
seventy millions to go ahead, play today.

Speaker 4 (42:42):
I like the way you said that. It almost sounded
like from Austin Powers. Yeah, they're evil, gonna put the
little uh.

Speaker 1 (42:47):
Yeah, well doctor evil there.

Speaker 4 (42:49):
Yeah a great movie. What a great movie.

Speaker 1 (42:52):
Those are one of those when it's on and I'm
flipping through the channels. Yeah, I will stay there for
a while. I'll do a drive by every time it's on.

Speaker 4 (42:59):
Yeah. Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (43:00):
Texter says at three or four Talk three or four.
I understand the sentiment of mister Mansion and the idea
of bringing our troops home. However, I believe he may
be missing the big picture. As a former senator and
a former governor. I find it hard to believe that
he wouldn't know that the rest of the world does
not think like Americans, especially those that are amongst us
that wish ill wish us ill will. Yes, it would

(43:23):
be nice to have our brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters
home to celebrate this most holy season. However, the enemy
sees that one man can cause four hundred troops to
retreat safe to safety. Unfortunately, these are the times in
which we live. As a former guardsman, I love and
respect each of our troops representing our great state within
the Republic, but we all swore oath to the Constitution

(43:44):
and it does not have an end date. We knew
what was being asked of us when we volunteered. I
think it would be a tactical air retreating God bless
Specialist Backstrom's family in these most difficult times. Fervent prayers
for staff Sergeant Wolf and God bless America. Says the Texter.
I don't think we've only got about thirty seconds here.

(44:05):
I don't think he was calling for an all out retreat.
I think what Center Mansion, former Senator Manshion was saying there.
TJ was there are other states who also have guard troops,
and it shouldn't be on West Virginia's guard alone to
be in Washington, d C. There should be some other
buy in from some other states. That's what I took away.

Speaker 4 (44:22):
No, I agree, and I think he's right. If there
is a national issue, there should be a national response
and all fifty states should figure out how to play
a role in that. I think that's a fair ask.

Speaker 1 (44:34):
Final break at the hour. Tell you what's coming up
in hour number two. This is talk line from the
ing COVID Insertance Studios.

Speaker 25 (44:39):
Building a stronger West Virginia isn't just a dream, it's
a mission. The High Technology Foundation knows economic diversity is
the key. For over thirty years, they've been dedicated to
transforming the state's economic landscape. Conveniently located in the heart
of West Virginia, innovation, growth, opportunity all under one roof.
There's no need to look far for change. It's happening

(45:02):
right here at the High Technology Foundation in north central
West Virginia. Visit WVHTF dot org to learn more.

Speaker 6 (45:09):
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

(45:30):
improving lives through design.

Speaker 26 (45:32):
Let us help you.

Speaker 6 (45:32):
Shape a brighter future for generations to come. Because at ZMM,
it's more than architecture. It's about building your legacy.

Speaker 1 (45:58):
Text line is three or four T three oh four
Texter rights. I was sent to other countries, as were
many of my brothers in arms, to protect other folks.
So why do people here have a problem with protecting
folks here at home? Hashtag America. First, I believe that
trumps some of the National Guard to DC as a distraction.
He didn't like hearing that prices are still high. Texter

(46:22):
says the crime rate in DC was dropping prior to
the National Guard deployment. The crime rate in Huntington and Charleston,
West Virginia is higher than the rate in d C.
Why didn't the gentlemen from New Jersey It's National Guard
troops to Huntington and Charleston, asks the Texter as a reminder,
Guard troops were do you remember when Guard troops were
sent to Huntington. What we had was were doses.

Speaker 4 (46:43):
Yeah, sixth Avenue at the time, you see. Yeah, remember, I.

Speaker 1 (46:46):
Will never forget. I was driving down Third Avenue at
the time. I was filling in for Cotton doing a
basketball game, seeing National Guard Army helicopters flying over the
city of Huntington.

Speaker 4 (46:56):
It's been done before, It's been done. Also, is it
fair to compair per capita to actuals in this? I
think you got to look at actuals, not per capita.

Speaker 1 (47:05):
I do too, I think you do. I'm with you
on that one. I'm with you on that one. All right,
we're out of time for hour number one, but we
have a second hour coming up. And Hoppy is shouting
at social media. We'll talk to him in six minutes.
Talk Line on Metro News, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (47:28):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Incova Insurance, encircling
you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit incova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
Metro News talk Line already in progress. Our number two
eight hundred and seven sixty five Talk is the phone
number eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five,
Text the show at three oh four Talk three oh
four Bottom the Hour, Tiger Joyce with American Tort Reform.
Go to join us. We'll talk about the judicial hellhole list.

(48:00):
West Virginia not on the list, but is mentioned in
the twenty twenty five report. We'll tell you why. Bottom
of the hour. Plenty of time to get into your calls,
text and tweets as well. Eight hundred and seven to
sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty five eight two
five five. You can text the show three oh four
Talk three oh four. Gangsaul, here's that Carol Check handling

(48:20):
the video stream and Ethan Collins running the audio side
of things. This morning, TJ. Meadows is in the Inencoba
Insurance Studios via Charleston Morning.

Speaker 4 (48:29):
Sir, Morning, See the Michigan coach. Can't he had a
bad day yesterday? I was more I would say he.

Speaker 1 (48:39):
Gets fired for an inappropriate relationship with the staffer and
then ends up in jail on an assault charge or
some sort of assault related charge that seems to still
be trickling out.

Speaker 4 (48:52):
Follow this more than I do. Give me the crystal ball?
Who goes where?

Speaker 14 (48:55):
Now?

Speaker 5 (48:55):
What do you?

Speaker 4 (48:56):
What are you seeing? What do you think?

Speaker 1 (48:58):
Well, first of all, let me read the text. Three
or four talk three or four. Hey, now that Michigan's
fire their head coach, do you think they'll call Rich No,
I don't know. But you're not the only one who
has mentioned that sporting. How about this? You're ready for
conspiracy theory? Marshall fans will love this, go for it.
How about this? So Charles Huff just got the job
at Memphis. He's always looking to advance Charles Huff to Michigan.

(49:22):
How about that for a little Martina fans will happen. No,
but I bet he's jonesing for the job already.

Speaker 4 (49:28):
What about refresh my memory? I'm drawing a blank here,
senior moment. The guys that at Bama, Now.

Speaker 1 (49:34):
How do you say the name? Yeah, that's being talked about, right, Okay,
So he goes to Michigan and news to Alabama. We
gotta figure it out. We gotta figure it out. I'm
sure listen, I'm sure there are agents on the phone
all over the country right now. Hey, my guy, my
guy is the perfect guy.

Speaker 4 (49:57):
I will have to find the piece. It was a
video piece. I'll find it and send it to you.
I forget the agent's name, but he's got like eight
of the top ten coaches in the country he represents.
He's like the Kingmaker. Oh, he's college football for controlling college.

Speaker 1 (50:11):
Football right now. Yeah, you know, I'm what you're talking about.

Speaker 4 (50:13):
I can't think this dude is imagine being on his
call list. This week, my.

Speaker 1 (50:19):
Speaking of the Kingmaker joining us so much news talk line.
He does a weekly commentary these days, and today Hoppy
Kerchill weighs in on TikTok legacy news AI and the
young adults might even yell at a cloud or two.
In today's commentary, Hoppy joins this morning hop Good morning guys.

Speaker 5 (50:39):
And before we get to that kind of go to
the mansion interview.

Speaker 1 (50:42):
Hey, I'll tell you what, Yes, but you sound like
you're in a helicopter. Will you, uh, let me put
you back on hold. And Ethan checked that phone line
and let me know if Hoppy's got a good line
or if we need to re establish. Didn't he sound
like he was in a helicopter? He did.

Speaker 4 (50:57):
I was waiting for the traffic report from out at
cheat Laker sixty eight or what's going on?

Speaker 1 (51:01):
I thought he was with Kevin Nicholas up in the
chopper doing the traffic report on pregame.

Speaker 4 (51:06):
There is something ironic about the man who hates pots
lines because they always mess with him, and he gets
one that's bad, even when he's calling in, not hosting
the show.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
Uh, the used to be reliable pots lines. Let's get
a couple of text in here, three or four talk
three or four while we're waiting on Hoppy to re
establish Jimmy Sexton as the agent.

Speaker 4 (51:25):
Yes, thank you very yes, yes, thank you.

Speaker 1 (51:28):
Guys. Did you not see the DC polief chief police
chief step down because there were cooking they were cooking
the crime rate numbers. I did see that, And look,
I try not to get bogged down and this this
probably drives you crazy being a data guy, when you
want to believe numbers and then you realize, well, those
numbers are reflective of how things are reported, and then

(51:50):
things get reported and it may not have been the
actual situation that what happened. You get very bogged down
in that, but at some point you gotta believe some
sort of data.

Speaker 2 (51:59):
Point.

Speaker 1 (52:00):
Boy, I went on a little bit of a tangent there.
Didn't mean to, but I think you know what I'm
saying TJ is crime gets pled from a felony to misdemeanor,
so then it goes into the data bank as a misdemeanor.
It doesn't look like it was as bad as it was.
And then a lot of people are saying that's why
some of the numbers were what they were in DC.
I don't know that for a fact, but I've seen
that reported and certainly commentated on.

Speaker 4 (52:21):
You can fake it short term, but in the long
term that's why you have audits, and in the long
term those controls tend to work and the numbers tend
to correct. So in the short term, were they cooking it?
I don't know. I don't think you can do that
in the long term though, how about that.

Speaker 1 (52:35):
It's the same with the economy, right you can tell people.
You can say, hey, look at the numbers. Stock market's great.
Four one K is great, but if you have to
cancel your vacation, it's not great. Same thing when it
comes to crime. You can go, hey, look, numbers are improving,
These numbers are great. Crime is down, violent crime is down.
But if somebody you know, or somebody close to you,

(52:57):
or you heard somebody gets roughed up on the street.
Somebody gets robbed at gunpoint, somebody got their carjacked. What
are you gonna believe? You're gonna believe what your eyes
tell you, whether or not that matches the numbers. There's
always a macro and there's always a micro. Three or
four talk three or four is the text line. Eight
hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five Have
we been able to re establish with hop? Maybe he

(53:19):
was in a helicopter. Uh, three or four talk three
o four. People are making health insurance decisions now. Everyone
is whining about Peia premiums going up three percent. I
can cite examples of people in the marketplace who will
have their premiums increase two thousand percent. This is not
a typo. Yes, unlike some of our leaders, I can
do grade school level math. To Congress do something, says

(53:41):
the Texter, I don't know what Congress is to do. TJ.
We're talking about healthcare costs which were kept artificially well
they they were artificially lowered through the extended tax credits
that were supposed to be temporary during COVID. Because COVID
shut down everything we were trying to help people out.

Speaker 4 (54:00):
Let's take the break. Have Ethan Collins call Hoppy from
the private line.

Speaker 1 (54:08):
Just got the text as well. Beat you there, beat
you to there? All right, we'll try to get re
established with Hoppy. You know the guy that does a
show for thirty years and now he can't get a
good phone line back in a moment talk line from
the cove Insurtance Studios.

Speaker 20 (54:23):
Some say he's a man of mystery. Others say he's
the holiday hit maker. No one saw coming.

Speaker 2 (54:28):
It's showtime.

Speaker 23 (54:29):
The holiday hit Maker walks the office halls with West
Virginia Lottery holiday scratch offs and an unstoppable spirit.

Speaker 27 (54:36):
What are you doing bringing the holiday high you here?

Speaker 4 (54:40):
Enjoy scratch off?

Speaker 5 (54:41):
It's on me.

Speaker 10 (54:42):
Whoa ticket?

Speaker 2 (54:43):
My work here is done.

Speaker 20 (54:44):
Beat the surprise hit Maker. West Virginia Lottery Games fun,
festive and full of flair.

Speaker 23 (54:49):
Please play responsibly.

Speaker 24 (54:55):
To care for you at the hop game.

Speaker 21 (54:59):
We from all of us here at the Health Plan.
We want to make your season bright.

Speaker 22 (55:06):
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.

Speaker 2 (55:15):
Yours here.

Speaker 5 (55:45):
All right.

Speaker 1 (55:46):
His helicopter has landed and joining us so much produced
talk line this morning, the host Emeritis, the dean of broadcasting,
Happy Kerchival. How did you finally get a solid phone line?

Speaker 8 (55:57):
The uh?

Speaker 5 (55:58):
I see some things haven't changed since I left talk
on him. But by the way, the agent's name you
were trying to think of Jimmy Sexton's Yeah, yeah, he's
the he's the super agents.

Speaker 1 (56:09):
Is that who represents you these days?

Speaker 5 (56:12):
That's I represent myself, which is probably why i'm you know,
overworked and underpaid. But that's fine. Hey, listen, I apologize
for the technical issues here, but I wanted to say
something about the Mansion interview that you all did, because
I thought that he kind of nuanced around a couple
of things. But if you listened, he had two critical points.

(56:34):
The first one is as a you know, he's a
former governor, and what I heard him say was if
he were governor, he would not have sent the guard
unless a it was a national emergency and b that
everybody had some skin in the game, that all states
were participating instead of as red states. That's the first
thing I heard him say. The second thing I heard

(56:56):
him say, which was very clear, is that he was
Governor Marssey to bring the guards men and women home
for Christmas, that they've been there since August on a
and I think a nuanced around this too, but on
a questionable mission. One guardsman has paid, made the ultimate sacrifice,

(57:18):
another critically injured, and it's freezing cold, it's Christmas time.
It's a questable mission bring them home. So we have
a former governor, former usnator calling on the current governor
to bring our guards members home at Christmas, which I
think is very very relevant. And I know this too,
that he made a phone call. I don't think he

(57:39):
got in touch with Marsy, that he'd called Morrissey to
tell him directly that he is calling on the governor
to bring the guards members home for the holidays. I
think those are two significant points that came out of
Yalla's interview with him.

Speaker 4 (57:53):
Yeah, I think a couple of more things. Hop he
very clearly he didn't hit directly, but this title ten
versus Title thirty two. He made it clear that under
title thirty two it's more questionable. And that's where we
are now. To me, that was the senator saying, why
isn't it a title ten? If it's an emergency, make
it a title ten. I think you could draw that
from his remarks. I also think too, he made it

(58:14):
very clear that as the commander in chief. I asked
him about when you're putting your troops there, even though
they're not under your direct command, do you have some
level of responsibility to understand what they are going through,
how they're situated, how they're operated. I think he made
that clear as well, that you do continue to have
that responsibility. So no, two good points, and I think
overall four or five good points that the senator made there.

(58:36):
How people react to them, that'll be up to them.
But I think he was making those points now.

Speaker 5 (58:42):
I think because it's because it's a former governor, former
senator that said these things. Today, I think now the
next angle is you go to Governor Marcy and says
former senator, former governor Mansion has called on you to
bring these troops home. Will you. That's the next one question.
I'm sorry, Dave Oh, I.

Speaker 1 (59:02):
Was just going to say back to your first point.
I get what he's saying about betting consensus, but to me,
that answers a bit of a cop out, because in
today's environment, there will never be a consensus, especially when
Donald Trump is involved. So if your answer is, well,
we want everybody to be in, that's not going to happen.
You have to make that decision or you're going to
be in, you're going to be out. You have to
make that decision on your own.

Speaker 5 (59:23):
Well, except that, I think everybody would be in if
it were a true national emergency, and I think he
cited Katrina true national emergency. Who what governor would refuse
to help in that situation when it's a true, quantifiable
national emergency. What's happening in DC or some of these

(59:45):
other cities is an issue, crime is an issue, but
it's not a national emergency, all right.

Speaker 1 (59:53):
I don't know if I agree with you that. I
think there are plenty of Democrat governors who would not,
especially with Donald Trump. Donald Trump is the wildcard though.

Speaker 5 (01:00:01):
Huh. Yes, I understand that, and that that politicizes everything,
and that's I understand the point you're making. But I
think there are situations that occur where it is undeniable
that there is a national emergency, and I think we can,
you know, we can identify those things where it's Katrina
or some unfortunately some horrible situation where everybody would agree

(01:00:24):
this is horrific Republican or Democrat.

Speaker 4 (01:00:28):
Let me ask you this. You're very well traveled. You've
been around the world. You go to Paris, you go
to London. I was having this conversation with a Texter.
You see in London you see members of the Metro Police.
They look more like swat team members, but they're the
Metro Police guarding you know, the Embassy, the United States Embassy,
other embassies, et cetera. No one says anything about it.
If we put that in that responsibility with the DC

(01:00:51):
Police and gave them the resources that they need, I
don't know that anyone would bat an eye having that
kind of presence in Washington.

Speaker 5 (01:01:00):
Yeah, you know, I don't. I don't know. I I
I do know that. Look, a couple of things can
just a couple of things can be true. One is,
the crime is a concern. Get that everybody understands it.
The second thing is that we have a long tradition
of the military not being directly involved in law enforcement. Yes,

(01:01:22):
there are occasions when they are when there's a national emergency,
or when you know you're trying to ensure the safety
of individuals, when you're integrating schools in the nineteen fifties.
But typically we do not use the military for law enforcement.
And you know, we just what is it? What is

(01:01:45):
the Latin term everybody uses to posse comatana is to
object to that? So I did look simplest thing. I
just think from that from the beginning, it was a mission.

Speaker 8 (01:02:02):
Uh, it fraught with.

Speaker 5 (01:02:05):
Questionable plans, and I think still today you can question
why why are they there? Why are citizens soldiers from
West Virginia dispatched to Washington, d C. To allegedly deal
with crime? And we see what one of the results

(01:02:26):
is and that is a terrible tragedy.

Speaker 1 (01:02:28):
Happy Kurzwell join us here on Metro News talk Line.
I want to talk about your commentary what against TikTok?
What's what's Why are you yelling at social media?

Speaker 21 (01:02:39):
No?

Speaker 16 (01:02:39):
I don't.

Speaker 5 (01:02:40):
It's just I was looking at Pew research and I
found this fascinating is that young adults, that is, eighteen
to twenty nine year olds, most of them are not
that interested in what we all would call the typical
traditional news politics. Uh, you know, things that occur in Washington,

(01:03:03):
those kinds of They're just not as interested in those
traditional topics. They're more interested in entertainment news number one
second of all. An increasing percentage of young adults get
their news quote unquote from TikTok, which we know is
the social popular or the most popular social media platform
filled with these short videos. Okay, the plus side is

(01:03:25):
they're getting some information, and the other plus side is
that can be curated so they get the information they want.
It's personalized. The downside is the same thing is that
that on TikTok you have not just traditional news or
legacy news. You have influencers, and influencers have a many

(01:03:47):
times have a vested interest, maybe they're pushing a product
or a point of view. And you also have a
lot of misinformation and disinformation that ends up on TikTok
and the social media, even though TikTok has rules against
that and tries to tries to mitigate that happening. So
you got a lot of misinformation and bad information out
there and influencers who have a particular point of view

(01:04:10):
or selling a product, and that affects the ability of
young people to separate fact from fiction.

Speaker 9 (01:04:18):
I think it's hard.

Speaker 5 (01:04:19):
I think it's hard for them, and I think that
has broader implications for democracy and for being able to
make good decisions, good life decisions about complicated issues. So
that's where we are today. And these are look these
people eighteen to eighteen to twenty eight, twenty nine, they
are the next generation of policy makers in this country.

(01:04:40):
And are they going to be armed with good, fact
based information to make those decisions?

Speaker 4 (01:04:46):
Hoppy legacy media, I don't think we've been as prevalent
as we should be. There's not a cron kite on TikTok,
and I confess to you yesterday I'd rather go to
the dentist and get a root canal on TikTok. Are
folks like me to blame that we're not stepping up
and trying to saturate the platform. If that's where the
kids are at, maybe it's on us to go there,

(01:05:08):
even if we don't want to be there.

Speaker 5 (01:05:10):
That's a really good point. And more legacy media are
putting out information on TikTok. ABC News is actually the
leader on that front. So it is up to legacy media.
If that's where people are getting information, then it is
incumbent upon a legacy media to not just say, well,
watch the six thirty network news and instead push out legitimate,

(01:05:35):
legitimate objective news on TikTok where that audience has access
to it. If that's where the audience is, then that's
where they need to go. So legacy media needs to
do a better job on that front. Hmm.

Speaker 1 (01:05:52):
I'm just trying to soak it all in. Huh, just
trying to soak it all in. I mean we're assuming
we were well informed and had all the facts when
we had three count of three news outlets to pick from.

Speaker 5 (01:06:04):
Well, look what is happening. This is all changing pretty rapidly.
I mean you cite like the three networks and that
that was It was that way for a long time.
Then the twenty four hour channels came along. Then social media.
You know that every month two billion people, two billion
people access TikTok, and there's about a million people who

(01:06:26):
put information on TikTok. I mean, think about how that
changes the dissemination of information and the consumption of information.
It's all changed radically just in the last couple of years.
And again the concern is that that a lot of
this stuff that's out there is misinformation, disinformation or is

(01:06:50):
you know, product driven by influencers. And and the poll
also found that a lot of young people trust influencers
more than they would trust whether they would trust a
legacy media. So that and because that, the way the
algorithm work is, you know, TJ if you think that,

(01:07:11):
if you think that vaccines cause autism, and you get
some information on TikTok about that, the algorithm is going
to ensure that you get more videos that reinforce what
you think. Yeah, okay, So misinformation and disinformation can get
even highlighted because of the algorithm feeding you what it

(01:07:33):
thinks you want to know. And I think that's a
danger because then it shuts you off to contrary information.

Speaker 4 (01:07:41):
I don't want to be a laedite. I think technology
is good, especially for these young folks sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.
The parents should be the editor. You know, we used
to sit down at the dinner table, and now we've
gotten so busy we don't do that anymore. But mom
and dad used to talk about the issues of the day,
and you had a counterbalance. I don't know that kids
get that nowadays. I'm not trying to be pejorative of parents.
It's hard, but I think you had you had checks
and balances that you just don't have in today's social

(01:08:02):
media world hobby.

Speaker 5 (01:08:04):
Well, and I think that that also you have we
end up confining ourselves to information silos right where you're
not getting contrary information. And also with with I mean,
you know what's happening with AI and now I think
we're already in the post truth era. But now with
what AI can do, you can be in a post

(01:08:25):
reality era where there are really sophisticated AI creations that
show up on social media to the point where they're
very believable. People believe them right when they could be
completely false. It was one where it was AI generated
where supposedly in Atlanta, and a TV interviewer was talking

(01:08:49):
to a woman who said she sold her food stamps,
sold two thousand dollars worth of food stamps, and how
that thing got repeated.

Speaker 1 (01:08:55):
Go, okay, we're get into the bottom of the hour.
We got to hit the hard break, as they say,
appreciate respective freeth thecommentary at WDV metro Nees dot com.
Thank you, hop thank you. It's eleven thirty. We'll be
back in a moment. It's eleven thirty. Let's get a
news update. Check in on the Metro News radio network.
Find out what's happening all across the great state of
West Virginia.

Speaker 28 (01:09:17):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Chris Lawrence, former US Senator
in West Virginia, Governor Joe Manchin believes the time has
come to bring home the state's National Guard troops from
Washington DC.

Speaker 7 (01:09:27):
Anything I can say to this whole thing, I think
it would be a wonderful Christmas gift, if you will,
to the people of West Virginia, if we could start
returning our troops home, if that's possible, If government Vignia
that to see, if that's possible. We've paid the ultimate price.

Speaker 28 (01:09:44):
And has mentioned from last hour a Metro News talk line.
US Senator Shelley Moore Capito was also asked about it
in a media briefing with West Virginia's press.

Speaker 21 (01:09:51):
We want DC to be safe, but I do envision
a day when other Guard members from other states, particularly
West Virginia, will no longer be in DC.

Speaker 28 (01:10:00):
Capitoaux acknowledge that the true presence has improved safety and
security in Washington. Mercer County authorities of arrested a California
man who was believed to have been caught in the
act of scamming an elderly Princeton woman, thirty year old
Lee Wee of California, was arrested him and deputies observed
him taking a box of money from the seventy eight
year old victim at her Mercer County home. Deputies were
alerted to the exchange by a sheriff's department in Michigan

(01:10:21):
who were also investigating a scam and learned of the situation.
We as believed to be tied to a multi state
fraud ring. Charleston Police have now charged a second individual
in connection with the recent murder. Twenty five year old
Brennan Adkins of Saint Albans faces the charges of murder
and the death of thirty one year old Joshua Walls. Initially,
police charged thirty three year old Jack Roff of Saint Albans.

(01:10:42):
You're listening to metro neews for forty years the Boys
of West Virginia.

Speaker 5 (01:10:46):
Hi.

Speaker 29 (01:10:46):
I'm Zacha project manager with ce C. After graduating from
Glibville State College, I took over my dad's serving business.
It was fulfilling, but with ces came calling, I knew
it was an opportunity I couldn't refuse. With CEC, I'm
reaching clients I never dreamed of and seeing projects through
to completion.

Speaker 1 (01:11:04):
It's more than a.

Speaker 29 (01:11:05):
Job, it's a new chapter at CEC. We engineer progress
in the Great State of West Virginia.

Speaker 24 (01:11:11):
Find out what CEC can do for you. Visit cecinc
dot Com. Premiering December eighteenth, that's seven thirty pm on
Metro News Television. Your Friends at Hope Gas present episode
five of Stateive Minds. Hoppykerchiple visits with Morgan O'Brien, CEO
of Hope Gas.

Speaker 30 (01:11:29):
When you're in it for the long run, right, you
need to make investments that aren't always going to have
I'll call it tangible return.

Speaker 3 (01:11:35):
State of Minds Episode five coming to Metro News TV
on December eighteenth, that's seven thirty pm, Presented by Hope
Gas with support from Greer Industries only on the Metro
News Television app, State Board.

Speaker 28 (01:11:47):
Of Education talked about ways to protect children online. The
matter came up amid discussion of the suicide a fifteen
year old Bran State of Nitro, a student who had
been the victim of what's known as sextortion. They took
his own life after a compromising photo was she used
to extort money from him. Department of Education investigator Jim
Age said, education is the key.

Speaker 15 (01:12:05):
Things that come through that Internet, and that magic thing
in your pocket, that's the cell phone that always has
attached all of us.

Speaker 2 (01:12:11):
Is just to be real hesitant.

Speaker 4 (01:12:12):
What you click on from the Metro News anchored ask
Guy Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 1 (01:12:36):
Funds or open text line is always open at three
or four Talk three or four. Phone number is eight
hundred and seven sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty
five eight two five five. Schedule to talk with Tiger Joyce.
American tort Reform Association West Virginia is not on the
Judicial Hellhole list anymore, but it was mentioned in the
twenty twenty five report. We'll tell you why Tiger Joyce

(01:12:57):
scheduled to join us. Well, he's here now. We're trying
to get connected with him over the zoom machine. In
the meantime, let's get a couple of text in three
or four Talk three four, eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two five five. Texter says it was sad,
but I had a laugh when I saw Dan Bongino
on Fox News admitting that he was being paid as
an influencer to make conspiracy theories. About the pipe bombs

(01:13:18):
in DC. Nowice tasked with helping run the office to
catch such criminals. Irony, says the Texter. Uh, you must
ask them why they fled. Legacy media talking about the
kids think Pentagon papers. We were lied to in our day.
So tired of Hoppy and Mansion's gray beard bs. We

(01:13:39):
have more deaths in our streets year after year than
our military losses overseas. We do not accept losses in
the military. Hoppy clutching his pearls over Trump's use of
military action against drug trafficker track drug traffickers? Why that
was so hard to say? Big surprise, Texter says, Thank
goodness for sensible politics such as Joe Manchin, chelleanmore Capito,

(01:14:02):
and Jim Justice. They typically have done correct things for
West Virginia. How great Hoppy is to explain your interview
to you? Three or four talk three oh four? Joe
Mancher needs to crawl back into his house boats and
float his mess down the river. Does anyone care what

(01:14:22):
the guy has to say? Besides you? All Democrats don't
like him and Republicans hate him, says the Texter. Three
or four Talk three or four is the tax line?
Eight hundred and seven and sixty five eight two five
five is the phone number. Remember once upon a time
when West Virginia was on the Judicial Hellhole List. Well,
West Virginia's not on that list anymore, but it was

(01:14:44):
mentioned in the annual report from the American Tort Reform Association.
Why was West Virginia mentioned, Well, let's discuss. Tiger Joyce
is with the American Tort Reform Association. He joins us
on Metro News talk Line this morning. Tiger, good morning,
glad you could be with us.

Speaker 2 (01:14:59):
Hey, thank you, Thanks very much. Glad to be with you.

Speaker 1 (01:15:02):
So we are very familiar here in West Virginia. We
were on the Judicial Hellhole Report for a number of years.
But what does this report take a look at?

Speaker 2 (01:15:12):
Well, I think and I think you're correct. West Virginia
was unfortunately a feature of our Hell's Report for many years.
But we were happy to several years ago remove you
from the lists. But these are the jurisdictions and areas
of the country where we believe in litigation, the system
just doesn't work properly. We think it's out of balance.

(01:15:33):
Uh and and really in many ways that kind of
in many ways unfair to defendants and civil litigation. You know, thankfully,
thanks to a lot of outstanding leaders and advocates around
the around West Virginia, a number of years beginning a
number of years ago, series of reforms were enacted. The
courts of have generally done a much better job of

(01:15:56):
policing their you know, their their systems, and uh, you know,
so we're we were pleased to remove the state from
the Hells Report, but we did make a brief mention, ironically,
if not a state court decision, but actually a federal
court decision, uh, that affected West Virginia law. And that's

(01:16:16):
that's why the there is a mention of what we
call our actually we call it our dishonorable mention, Uh,
you know, highlighting one particular matter.

Speaker 4 (01:16:26):
So explain that it has to do with Huntington versus Amarasursbergen.
Of course, that that's an opioid case, I believe, which
is a huge issue in in West Virginia. Explain why
that merited a dishonorable mention.

Speaker 2 (01:16:40):
Yeah, So it's it's a little bit of a little
bit of a twisted path I think for you know,
for in the legal system, the uh you had the
you had a federal court case, you know, involving the
opioids issue. And let me just say from the outset,
you know, opioids and the the abuse issues and the

(01:17:01):
problems are a profound public health issue. We don't take
issue with that. The question is more of how the
legal system gets involved in addressing it. And there was
this suggestion was in this case that this was a
what's called a public nuisance, something that if you like
May many many years ago went to law school. You know,

(01:17:23):
public nuisance has traditionally been talking about things like, you know,
denying someone access to you know, to their land or
local disturbances and you know, with waterways and matters of
that nature. But so to dramatically expand it to include
a public health crisis is a pretty significant leap from

(01:17:47):
a substantive standpoint. So the courts asked the West Virginia
Supreme Court of Appeals for a decision what is the
law of public nuisance? And I think somewhat interestingly, they
spring Court of Appeals to decline to provide that. So
the appellate court, the fourth Circuit Us Circuit Court, issued

(01:18:08):
a ruling that significantly expanded the definition of public nuisance.
I think well beyond its traditional notion. So that's the
issue that we highlight. It's that fourth circuit opinion. And
we think that public nuisance, obviously is an important legal issue,
has been you know, it's a very old school theory,

(01:18:30):
but as I mentioned, it traditionally has been you know,
reserved for dealing with local disturbances, use of lands and
waterways and matters of that nature. So we wanted to
focus on that decision. We think public nuisance as a
policy matter is something that I think we think that
the legislature should should take up and properly define.

Speaker 1 (01:18:54):
Talking with Tiger Joyce, the American Reform Association, the twenty
twenty five Hellhole Report is out, and Tiger, you also
mentioned a couple of dozen bills that were proposed in
the legislative session last year. We certainly don't have time
to go through all the twenty six of them, but
what was it about these bills that raised her eyebrow?

Speaker 2 (01:19:16):
Yeah, as I said, you know, we were happy a
number of years ago to remove West Virginia from the
Hellholes Report, and a major catalyst for that series of
reform efforts that were enacted and now are well settled
in the law and the way the system works in
West Virginia. There were two proposals in particular that we highlighted.

(01:19:42):
One deals with so called locality litigation, and it's our
view is that if a state is going to bring
a lawsuit, it should be done through the chief legal
officer of the state, and that is the attorney general.
We mean not always agree with what the ags do

(01:20:02):
in different states, but we are seeing a very wide
uh swath of of litigation around the country, not just
in West Virginia, but around the country where you have
cities and counties and local jurisdictions bringing cases, and I
think that makes it makes it a very unwieldy process.
And we believe that that there should be a system

(01:20:23):
of ensuring that that it that that that the chief
legal officer of a state is properly overseeing and managing
litigation UH on the on behalf of of of the
state of states. So that's one. Another is an issue
that's been been an issue quite for quite some time
UH in UH in West Virginia, and I think it's

(01:20:45):
a it's a place where I think West Virginia is
we would say an outlier, is recognizing a cause of
action or a legal case under what's called medical monitoring.

Speaker 13 (01:20:55):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:20:55):
And you know, if you go back to sort of
the basic traditions, like I was talking about public nuisance
medical for an individual to recover in a lawsuit, he
or she should have to prove damages. They have to
prove an actual injury. With medical monitoring, the notion is, well,
there's the potential for the development of illness or injury.

(01:21:18):
And that's not to say that's not important. But in
terms of allowing an individual to recover simply because he
or she may have been exposed to a circumstance which
could lead to an injury, we think is we don't
think that's good law, and we think that that should
be clarified. And unfortunately, I think West Virginia is an
outlier in terms of its system in comparison to the

(01:21:41):
rest of the country.

Speaker 4 (01:21:43):
Yeah, so few things on that. What about the idea
of preservation over any kind of statute. So if someone
is exposed to a chemical in the workplace and ten
years after that exposure there's a medical condition and causation
is is established, should they then be able to seek damages?

(01:22:04):
So maybe they can't do it upfront through medical monitoring.
But if it's concluded that Lord forbid, they come down
with cancer or something that can be attributable to that exposure,
how do you find the sweet spot? I guess, tiger
is what I'm asking in that kind of an instance.

Speaker 2 (01:22:18):
I mean, those are fair questions I think to ask,
and I think that you know, as a general matter,
you know, we would say that a particular set of
circumstances may may may merit a particular kind of outcomes
along those lines. But to simply issue a blanket policy
statement that anybody who's been exposed to something, you know,

(01:22:39):
if you allege that it could lead to something that
you're going to recover immediately. I think one of the
members of the Supreme Court of Appeals, when this first
game came about, referred to it as the beast Boat
Fund because money would be awarded to an individual. And
this was not these not my comments, This came from
one of your sitting justices. Uh, at the time, you

(01:23:01):
get money, right now, what are you going to use
it for? It didn't even require that the funding be
used for that that monitoring, or that that medical treatment,
or or or observation or testing. So I think there
there may be ways to do that in particular circumstances,
but it would be fact specific, I think, And that's

(01:23:22):
how that I think going forward, that's how that should
be should be viewed. So I think from our perspective,
that would be a potential sweet spot. But to simply
say here's money, you don't even need to use it
for this purpose, and oh, by the way down the road,
you may develop an illness. Uh. You know, I think
that's I think that that that goes too far, way

(01:23:43):
too far in the other direction.

Speaker 1 (01:23:44):
Final question, what could land West Virginia back on the
judicial hellhole list?

Speaker 2 (01:23:51):
Yeah, well, I think that that U. I we we
typically follow. If there would be a single matter that
I would highlight, it would be to seemingly do what
your neighbors in Pennsylvania.

Speaker 14 (01:24:04):
UH.

Speaker 2 (01:24:05):
And now we're seeing in Illinois issuing UH decisions or
passing statutes seeming to invite litigation into your jurisdictions. That's
that's probably the single most important thing UH that we see.

Speaker 7 (01:24:19):
UH.

Speaker 2 (01:24:19):
Yet Governor Pritzker signed a bill that that is almost
like an invitation UH to to bring litigation UH in Illinois.
Pennsylvania's law provides some provides a similar scenario. But I
think as a general mindset, it's to think in terms
of litigation as a way to solve all of society's problems. Obviously,

(01:24:41):
you know, litigation and in our in our judicial system
is vital to to the way we operate on a
daily basis, and we need to have balanced rules, but
it should not be a system, uh, you know, to
resolve all of society's disputes. As I mentioned with with
regard to theublic nuisance question, the opioids issue is a

(01:25:03):
public health crisis and the elected officials and public health
officials should be in the forefront of addressing these issues.
To think that some lawyers operating on a contingency fee
basis are going to do that work, I think is misplaced.
And we think that we should ensure that the civil

(01:25:24):
justice system serves its intended purpose, not these broader purposes.

Speaker 1 (01:25:28):
Tiger Joyce, American Tort Reform Association, thanks for the insights today, Tiger,
appreciate it. Thank you very much, coming up your thoughts.
Three A four Talk three four and eight hundred and
seventy sixty five talk. This is talk line from the
co Insurance Studios.

Speaker 19 (01:25:41):
Hospitals Drive West Virginia's economy. They produce jobs and create
opportunities while keeping our communities healthy. Employing nearly fifty four
thousand people, West Virginia hospitals rank among our state's largest
and most dependable employers. They provide more than one billion
dollars in community benefits and generate nearly seventeen billion dollars
in total economic impact each year. Hospitals are investing wear counts,

(01:26:01):
advancing health, ensuring access to care, and powering West Virginia's
economic future.

Speaker 4 (01:26:06):
A message from the West Virginia Hospital Association Online a
WVJA dot org.

Speaker 30 (01:26:15):
The West Virginia farmer from dawn until dusk. Through hard work, dedication,
and resilience, these folks supply their communities with a safe
and reliable product. And the West Virginia Farm Bureau while
we are right there with them as the voice of
agriculture in West Virginia. Join us today as we build

(01:26:35):
a better future for all of us. To learn more,
visit us at wvfarm dot org.

Speaker 3 (01:26:54):
Natural News talk Line is presented by Encovia Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you do you
care about most. Visitancovia dot com.

Speaker 4 (01:27:03):
To learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:27:04):
Ww Medicine is home to West Virginia's first and only
multi organ transplant center, making heart and kidney transplants at
an academic medical center a reality for people across the
states and the region. Eight hundred and seven to sixty
five Talking three or four Talk three oh four up
to the northern Outpost, we go, Bill, what's on your mind?

Speaker 2 (01:27:23):
Bill?

Speaker 9 (01:27:25):
Well, thank you so much for allowing me a little
bit of time on your radio, because I'm tired of
plowing snow three days in row, and you've got about
a foot here in the last two days.

Speaker 1 (01:27:34):
Are you using the green shovel though, billt yes, the
powered green shovel.

Speaker 9 (01:27:42):
It works just fine with a cab and the heater there.
It just does. That's what you gotta have day when
you're up here in snow country.

Speaker 8 (01:27:50):
Hey.

Speaker 9 (01:27:50):
First, according to Fox Business here, about a week ago,
the NC two a cent or where the college coaches
I guess, set a record two hundred twenty eight million
dollars in buy out contracts of D one coaches this year.
I'm not sure the economy is all that bad if
fans want to pay money for somebody that's not there. Okay. Second,

(01:28:14):
and most importantly between hopey and YouTube. And I called
in after a veteran's day about the oath that military
people bake and also the oath of the president. I was,
I'm old enough. I'll be eighty next month. I'm old enough.
We had civics in grade school and then in high school.
When up set up for the oath of office of

(01:28:34):
George Washington, the British were still having their friends quote
unquote in various parts of this country that might cause
a problem. So in of the oath. When the militia
was created, you had to have an oath to the commander,
so you could have domestic enemies at that time. As

(01:28:57):
we've grown farther along World War one, World Work two,
the Vietnam or even after nine to eleven, the enemies
for the most part were oceaned away. Here is my
problem with how copy describes social media. I haven't heard
anywhere on the legitimate or the regular media, lelegacy media, whatever,

(01:29:19):
even the cable define what a domestic enemy is. Now,
is that that evil person that shot Sarah Bestrom was
radicalized quote unquote from some place in Washington State and
came there on a mission. If the person who shot
Charlie Kirk was radicalized by some social media and shot him.

(01:29:44):
If the person who tried to assassinate President Trump and
Butler were radicalized, you have domestic enemies. And if the
media does not want to say assign a label to
whatever they think domestic enemies are, then the media will
not have a good standing on social media because sexfluencers

(01:30:07):
that heard that, because of whatever social media platforms out there,
that you can create quote an unwanted suicide. So I
think the media has a part here to define what
is a domestic enemy.

Speaker 1 (01:30:24):
Hey, Bill, appreciate the phone call, as always want to
get a couple of other calls in. He does raise
a point, and TJ. We certainly don't have time here,
because time is an issue. The individual who is charged
with killing Sarah Bestrom and shooting stards Wolf received asylum.
He evidently got through the vetting process and something happened

(01:30:46):
after he got to the United States. So my question
is what happened and is that happening to others? Are
others becoming radicalized once they're here? I don't hear a
lot of people talking about that. I haven't heard a
lot of reporting on that. I don't know the answer
to that, but that is a question of mine, and
I think Bill raises a pretty good point.

Speaker 4 (01:31:05):
That's one of the trade offs in the free society
as far as how we quantify or how we define
a domestic enemy. That's not the media's job. It's Congress's job.
And there are a ton of laws at the federal
unstate level that do just that. So you know, Billy,
go ask your congressman why they're not better defining domestic enemy.

Speaker 1 (01:31:25):
If we're lacking Gary in poker, keep it quick, Gary, Uh.

Speaker 8 (01:31:31):
You know me and you have talked before in person.
But here's the thing, me, one Hoppey Saints has gone
clear over the left side, so I disregard him completely.
Second thing is the National Guard deployment would not have
happened in any city in his country if the mayors
and governors were doing their job. The only thing that
Trump is doing is sending in additional help to bring

(01:31:54):
law and order. People need to get that through their head.
Law and order has broken down, and people from all
over the country travel through those So it is the
national problem because from West Virginia, I can go to
New York of California and run into these groups of
crazy individuals. So he is correct in deploying the National Guard.

Speaker 1 (01:32:17):
Gary, I'm up against the clock, got take final break
back in a moment.

Speaker 27 (01:32:21):
Coal based generation remains the backbone of West Virginia's energy portfolio,
ensuring reliability, security, and affordable electricity.

Speaker 4 (01:32:29):
Throughout the region.

Speaker 27 (01:32:30):
Our coal plants are engineered for performance, designed to run
most efficiently at or near a seventy percent capacity factor.

Speaker 4 (01:32:37):
This level of operation is not arbitrary.

Speaker 27 (01:32:39):
It's based on sound 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. Coal generation also drives local tax revenue

(01:33:02):
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 Virginia and beyond for decades to come. This message
brought to you by the West Virginia Coal Association and
Friends of Coal.

Speaker 26 (01:33:21):
Located in the heart of West Virginia, Bridgeport is the
place to play. Endless indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities, including
the Bridgeport Complex, coupled with a dynamic food scene make
Bridgeport the perfect getaway destination for couples and families. Explore
unique shopping and pick from a wealth of lodging options
to find something perfect for your needs. Explore the heart

(01:33:42):
of West Virginia in Bridgeport. Learn more about all there
is to do at Greater dash Bridgeport dot com.

Speaker 1 (01:33:57):
Of course, jackpots are growing in West Virginia. Jackpots are
on the rise every week. Power Ball 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

(01:34:18):
play responsibly. The Powerball jackpot is one billion dollars. Mega
Millions jackpot is seventy million. To go ahead, play today,
Chris diar Waltz schedule to join us tomorrow and of
course Steam release coming up at eleven thirty three your
opportunity to vent get it all off your chest until
tomorrow for Zach and Ethan and TJ. I'm Dave, see

(01:34:41):
you later. Talk line on Metro News, The voice of
West Virginia,

All Episodes

Talkline | Dec. 11, 2025

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

The Burden

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Talkline | Dec. 11, 2025