Talkline | Dec. 26, 2025 - MetroNews Talkline

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Let me be the last to issue a Merry Christmas.
I hope you had a great Christmas Day. We are
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Speaker 2 (00:15):
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Speaker 3 (00:27):
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This it's Metro News talk Line with Dave Wilson and
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Speaker 4 (00:47):
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Speaker 1 (01:06):
Welcome Insigning COVID Insurance Studios. Dave Wilson with you. TJ
is Oounce eight one hundred and seven to sixty five
talks the phone number three or four Talk three or
four is the text line. Jake Link is handling the
video stream today and Sofio Wasik is our audio producer.
She is sitting by at eight hundred and seven to
sixty five talking three or four Talk threeh four. I

(01:27):
appreciate you joining us in one of our great radio
affiliates across the state of West Virginia. Or if you
are watching the Metro News television app Hope you had
a great Christmas Day. Hope you had one too many cookies.
Hope you got everything that was on the list this year,
and if you didn't, there's always next year. Hey. Coming
up this morning Fox News Radios, Jared Halpern will join

(01:50):
us the latest on the strike that the US carried
out against radical Islamist in Nigeria. We'll get an update
on that. Jeff Kessler will join us at the bottom
of the hour. The former Senate President worked with the
late Senator Larry Edgel of Wetzel County, who passed away
on Christmas Eve. We'll talk about Larry's life and career

(02:12):
in public service. Second hour, we'll talk sports with Daniel Woods.
And many of you, whether you want to admit it
or not, many of you this very moment might be
on your way to stores to return Christmas gifts. Now
in twenty twenty five, many of you may be repackaging

(02:33):
those gifts to send back to Amazon, such as Life
in twenty twenty five. But many of you, the bottom
line is you're sending a lot of stuff back that
you went, Oh, I love it. It's exactly what I wanted.
Do you have the receipt? Jessica Rosenthal, Fox News Radio
will join us. And it is Friday. I know it's
the day after Christmas. I know you are still feeling

(02:56):
very jolly, very full, but it is Friday, and we
will commence with Steam Release because this is your last
chance to steam before the new year. This is your
last chance to let twenty twenty five go and get
ready for twenty twenty six, because we'll come back. It'll
be January second when we come back a week from today,

(03:20):
and then it'll be you know, looking to the new year, positivity,
all that stuff as you get ready for twenty twenty six.
So today's your last chance to steam, and we will
commence with Steam Release at eleven thirty three, even though
it is the day after Christmas. All of that said,
welcome to the program. All right over at wv metronews

(03:41):
dot com. This morning, our lead story, Brad McIlhenny made
a trip down into Washington, d C. Where Westervirginia National
Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolf have not been
forgotten and a makeshift tribute to the tragedy that claimed
Sarah Bestrom's life and critically injured Andrew Wolf continue to grow.
Joining us, we'll mention news talk Line this morning is

(04:02):
our statewide correspondent, Brad mcilhoney, Brad, good morning. How long
of a great speriod do you have to wish someone
marry Christmas? After the fact?

Speaker 6 (04:13):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (04:13):
I think through the weekend it's still okay. But I
will share with you I am wrestling with the word
Mary because I believe I only use it this time
of year. So I'm either trying to cut it out
of my diet entirely or to broaden it so that,
for example, on the fourth of July, you may hear
me say Marry fourth of July. I think it's got

(04:35):
to go one way or another, not just.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
Be Christmas Mary. Sixty day legislative session.

Speaker 7 (04:41):
That will be an oxymoron, but you know it might
make us feel better about it.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
DoD you get every have a nice Christmas? Quiet low
key this year? Do you go big?

Speaker 5 (04:52):
Well?

Speaker 7 (04:53):
Not big? So you know I do. I have daughters,
but they are of an age where the adults and
the dogs get up earlier than they do, so anyway,
it was not big, it was it was a little quiet,
but Christmas spent with family, over indulging with food, but
very nice, very nice all around. And now luckily today's

(05:15):
trash and recycling day.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
Oh that is nice when it happens the day after
you can get all that stuff out quickly. Yeah, all right,
well that's nice. Glad you had a nice holiday. Glad
you're able to over indulge. Just a tad, just a tad.
But before Christmas you made a trip down into Washington,
d C. And this makeshift memorial to Sarah Bextrom and

(05:37):
Andrew Wolfe. Obviously, Sarah Bextram lost her life in that shooting.
Andrew was critically injured. But Brad won, how did you
find out about it? And what did you find when
you went to d C.

Speaker 7 (05:47):
M Well, you know, I had heard about it. The
Washington Post had a story a few weeks ago about
this memorial talking to people who were visiting. Sorry I
called it a memorial. It is more of a tribute
because Andrew wolf thankfully remains with us in recovering. But
it's you know, it's still there. It was erected sort

(06:10):
of organically came to be shortly after Thanksgiving. Now we
are in the Christmas cycle. Some of the flowers that
have been placed there are past their prime, but others
appeared to me to be fresh. There were notes placed.
There's a little mailbox where people are invited to put.

(06:32):
There's pen and paper inside and they can put their reflections,
and one of those inside was from a little girl
who expressed her own experience with loss and in particular
wished healing upon the family of Sarah Bestrom and then
as her final note, wish them you know, piece piece

(06:56):
during the Christmas and New Year's seasons. So that was,
you know, a sign that this continues to be a
spot that remains top of mind for people. I spent
about an hour there, unfortunately roughly around the time of
day that this attack would have occurred. I found it,
you know, just emotionally moving to be on that site,

(07:18):
and unfortunately for me, it was to be there and
to connect the images that I was seeing in real
life with the images that we all saw. If you
were on social media or reading the news or watching
it of that incident the day it unfolded, the day

(07:39):
before Thanksgiving, you know, you connect with the same place.
It's It's now a sacred place where specialist Sarah Bestrom
gave her life and where Andrew Wolfe's life will never
be the same again.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
Mentioning Statelide correspondent Brad mac olhinning, you can read a
story wb metro neews dot com went into d C
where this makeshift tribute honor Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew wolf
While you were there, did people stop by? Did did
you have any interaction with passerbys who inquired about the
memorial or stopped to look at it? What were what

(08:14):
was the feeling around it?

Speaker 7 (08:16):
Yeah, well, you know it's been a month and life
has gone on.

Speaker 1 (08:20):
This is this is.

Speaker 7 (08:21):
Near the Farragut West metro stop. There's there's a park
right beside it. It's if you were If you were there,
I don't think you would think it's a dangerous section
of town. It's two blocks from the White House. There
are hotels, shopping areas, a lot of coffee shops, a
lot of traffic going by, a lot of a lot

(08:42):
of pedestrians out on the street. I people would either
walk on by and just go about their business because
they were busy, but some would stop and look and read.
I saw one person do a silent prayer, and I
did not bother that person as she did, so some

(09:02):
people would would just take pictures. I went thinking that
I would approach people if they appeared to be there purposefully,
like if they.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
Were dropping off flowers or.

Speaker 7 (09:14):
If they were cleaning up something. But it appeared to
be more that it was folks who were, you know,
living life just before Christmas and who were maybe just
taking a look for a moment. But I think even
that is valuable, you know, a moment of reflection to
think about the sacrifice that Sarah Beckster and Andrewolf made.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
He wrote about some of the messages, and you talked
about some of the messages that were written and left
any of them in particular stick out to you.

Speaker 7 (09:42):
Well, you know a couple the the suspect is an
Afghan national, and you know that that story in its
own appears to be quite tragic. He was on the
side of the United States under training through the CIA
during the conflict in Afghanistan, came back and did not

(10:04):
appear to be adjusting it all well, obviously to life
in the United States. And there's been a lot made
in national reporting about his Afghan heritage. But there were
signs at this tribute from apparently from people from Afghanistan.

(10:26):
One there's a photo gallery in the story on our
website maternities dot com. One honors fallen hero Sarah be
Extroum and says it's from afghanistans Uzbek community residing in
the United States. There were a couple of other signs
that appeared to be related to another says honoring fallen

(10:52):
hero Sarah Bekstrom from the Tajik American community. Another from
the Hazara American community. So you know that that kind
of struck me that there was, you know, written indication
that that there are other people from from the Afghanistan

(11:12):
area who certainly view this as a tragedy, just the
way we do.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
Mention News state wide correspondent Brad McElhenney. You can read
his story and see pictures of the makeshift tribute at
wv metro news dot com. Brad former Center brasident Jeff
Kessler's going to join us, coming up here in just
a few minutes. But we got word on Christmas Eve
actually that longtime State Senator Larry Edgel had passed away.

(11:39):
Mm hmm.

Speaker 7 (11:40):
Well, and and several statements of tribute for Larry Edgel,
including from the governor just yesterday evening Governor Patrick Morrissey,
our Republican. The political landscape has shifted since Democrat Larry
Edgel of New Martinsville was in the State Senate. But
you know, he Edgel clearly was someone who was respected

(12:04):
by all, including the governor, who on Christmas Day put
out a statement of tribute to the passage of Senator Edgel.

Speaker 1 (12:13):
And you can read about his life and career in
public service as well at wv Metro News dot com.
We'll talk to Jeff Kessler, former Center president, and coming
up at the bottom of the hour, Brad, Glad you
had a nice holiday, good work and are you thinking
about New Year's resolutions yet or is that too early?

Speaker 7 (12:30):
I got to work off that Christmas food.

Speaker 1 (12:32):
You'll be fine. As many steps as you get in
around the Capitol in January and February, I think you'll
be fine.

Speaker 7 (12:38):
I got to do my Morrissey mile.

Speaker 1 (12:41):
Brad, appreciate it. One more Merry Christmas. Thank you, Brad.

Speaker 7 (12:44):
Oh, thanks and Mary New Year's also appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (12:48):
Brad McIlhenny Metro News Statewide correspondent. Up next, Jared Alpern
Fox News Radio will join us the US carrying out
an attack against Islamist terrorist in Nigeria. We'll get the
latest on that after this.

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A message from the West Virginia Hospital Association online a
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Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
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Speaker 1 (15:24):
Three oh four Talk three or four is the text line.
You can always give us a call. Eight hundred seven
sixty five talk eight hundred and seven sixty five eight
two five five. If you would like to weigh in,
we will commence with Steam Release today. I know it's
the day after Christmas and no, no, you're probably in
a pretty good mood, but it is Steam Release and

(15:45):
I have to buy the bylaws of Metro News talk
Line allow you that opportunity every single Friday. The United
States air strikes that targeted Islamic State militants in northwestern
Nigeria on Thursday marked major excooation and escalation in an
offensive that Nigeria's overstretched military has struggled with four years.

(16:05):
Reading from the Associated Press, US President Donald Trump said
on social media that the powerful and deadly strikes were
carried out against Islamic State militants quote, targeting and viciously
killing primarily innocent Christians. Resident and security analysts have said
Nigeria security crisis of X. Both Christians predominant in the

(16:28):
South and Muslims, who are the majority in the North. Nigeria,
which is battling multiple arm groups, said the US strikes
were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination
between those two countries. The AP, writing could not confirm
the extent of the strikes of the impact. US Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a post on x about this

(16:51):
air strikes said more to come dot dot. The militants
targeted by the strikes. The armed groups in Africa's most
populous country include at least two affiliated with the Islamic State,
an offshoot of extremist group known as the Islamic State
of West Africa Province in the northeast, and the lesser

(17:13):
known Islamic State in the northwest. Although officials did not
say exactly which group was targeted, security analyst said the target,
if indeed against Islamic State militants, was likely members of
the group in the northwest of the country, which became
more lethal and border states last year, often targeting remote

(17:34):
communities and security forces. So that is the latest on
that strike. Let me see anymore here and then the
article gets into Nigeria's political upheaval. Thursday's US strikes were
seen as crucial help for nigeria security forces, which are

(17:55):
often overstretched and out gunned as they fight multiple security
crises across different regions. The military often carries out air
strikes targeting militant hideouts, and Nigeria has embarked on mass
recruitment of security forces, but analysts say military operations targeting
the gangs are not usually sustained and the militants easily
move on motorcycles to new locations through vast forests that

(18:16):
connect several states to the north. So that's the latest
on That came as a bit of a surprise. Look,
it's not often, Number one, you get an attack ordered
on a holiday. This comes on what Christmas Day? Technically

(18:37):
the day after that would have been Christmas Day. Yeah,
comes on Christmas Day. So one that is unusual in
and of itself. But to have this type of escalation
really caught I think a lot of people off guard.
Nobody was talking about it that I'm aware of, or
at least it was not on my radar as things
to watch out for that, hey, we might get involved
in military strikes in Nigeria. Now. We have talked about

(19:00):
the problems and the security and the safety issues in Nigeria.
We have talked about that on this program actually as
a matter of fact, but carrying out airstrikes wasn't on
the radar screen, at least for me or for a
lot of people. They can call a lot of people
by surprise. But that's the latest on the air strikes
there in Nigeria. Coming up top of the hour, Daniel

(19:23):
Wood's going to join us in Studio Metro New Sports.
Daniel Woods will run down some of the top sports
stories for twenty twenty five. Yes, it is the time
of the year where we get into the countdown lists. Now,
I have admitted many times before on this program and

(19:43):
previous ones that I hosted not a big fan of
the countdown lists. But it's the time of year where
you do that thing and you look back, can you
take inventory? We count them down? Both parts. There's a
two part It's a two part series over at the
way website WV Metro News dot com looking at the
biggest sports stories of the year. Joe Bracado counts him Down.

(20:05):
You can see part one and part two right now
at WV Metro News dot com. Also, you may have
missed this. I did because well, I was busy on
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The twenty twenty five Kennedy
Award winner is Brad Mosser from the Princeton Tigers had
an outstanding year, joins Dom Collins as the only two

(20:28):
Princeton Tigers to win the highest award for a high
school football player into West Virginia. So congratulations to Brad Mosser.
We've got a story about that up over at the
website as well. WDV metronews dot com. You can read
about his career as a Tiger. And again, that dropped
on Christmas Eve, which probably flew under the radar for

(20:49):
a lot of folks because well it was Christmas Eve,
there was a lot going on. You have presents to open,
cookies to eat. Debate might have flown under the radar there,
but an outstanding season for mister Mosser there with the
Princeton Tigers in a well deserved honor. We'll talk about

(21:09):
all of that and more. Daniel Woods will join us
coming up in the second hour as we count down
some of the top sports stories for twenty twenty five.
Up next, former Senate President Jeff Kessler will join us.
We'll talk about the life and the career in public
service of the late Senator Larry Edgel, who passed away
on Christmas Eve. He represented Wetzell County for many years.

(21:30):
We'll talk about that coming up. On the other side
of this time, out. This is talk Line Metro News
for forty years, the voice of West Virginia. It is
ten thirty time to get a news update. Let's check
in with the Metro News radio network. Find out what's
happening across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 4 (21:48):
West Virginia Metro News Time. Jeff Jenkins, a long time
member of the State Senate, has died. Wetszell County Senator
Larry Edgell died on Christmas Eve. He was seventy nine.
Edgel served in the Senate from nineteen ninety eight to
twenty fourteen. Governor Patrick Morrissey saying about Edro quote, Senator
Edro devoted nearly two decades of his life to serving
the people of West Virginia, representing his community with integrity, humility,

(22:11):
and a steadfast commitment to the public good. There are
dozens of notes with an opportunity to leave other messages
at the makeshift tribute on the streets of Washington, d C.
Where West Virginia National Guard members, especially Sarah Beckstrom, his
staff Starts, and Andrew Woolf, were shot the day before Thanksgiving.
Beckstrom died the next day. Metro New State White Course
Mound of Brad mclaheeney visited the tribute this week. One

(22:31):
note stood out.

Speaker 7 (22:32):
One appears to be from a little girl. It says,
to Sarah Beckstrom's family, I'm sorry for your loss. The
little girl says, I lost her grandpa when I was younger.
I was so sad, she says to the families of
Sarah Bestrom, I pray that you will be okay soon.

Speaker 1 (22:49):
She was so very pretty.

Speaker 7 (22:51):
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, the little girl says.

Speaker 4 (22:54):
You can read more and Brad's visit at wv metronews
dot com. A member of the House of Delegates says
he's hope lawmakers can take something tragic and turn it
into a positive. Canawa County Delegate Andy Shamblin working on
proposed legislation that would tighten up the state law against sextortion.
A student took his own life in Kanawak County earlier
this year. You're listening to Metro News for forty years,
the Voice of West Virginia.

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We are part of West Virginia and we were not
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And it's not just about taking from West Virginia, it's
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Speaker 3 (24:02):
State of Mind's Episode five now available on Metro News TV,
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Speaker 4 (24:14):
When the West Virginia Parkways Authority put out his travel
prediction numbers for the holiday season, it said today and
last Friday would be likely the busiest days on the
toll road. Travelers will enjoy mild temperatures today. There may
be some rain, however, The National Weather Service says the
Eastern Panhandle will be under a winter weather advisory beginning
next hour into late tonight. Mixed precipitation is possible with

(24:36):
some ice accumulation in the Panhandle. From the Metro News
anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (25:08):
Text line is open at three or four Talk three
or four funds or open eight hundred and seven sixty
five talk. We are live day after Christmas. I hope
you had a great Christmas Day. I hope you're getting
to take some extra time off with Christmas, and you
know today's Friday, and you got the weekend and the
New Year's next week. Hope you're getting to use up
those days before twenty twenty six gets started. You're Jeff

(25:31):
Jenkins mentioned to the east, there could be some icy
conditions as you head up. If you're leaving the Morgantown area,
I sixty eight could be impacted if you're headed east today.
Eastern Panhandle could get a glaze of ice today. Nothing
like what in the northeast is going to get. North
of here, get up into Pennsylvania, head to the northeast,

(25:52):
they're going to get absolutely slammed. It looks like today
and tonight but if you're gonna be in the eastern Panhandle,
watch out for ice. If you are traveling today and
traveling toward the DC area headed east on I sixty
eight or up on the Pennsylvania turnpack ICE seventy, just
be careful if you're headed that direction. Christmas Eve, we

(26:12):
learned of the passing of longtime State Senator Larry Edgel
The Democrat from New Martinsville served in the state Senate
from nineteen ninety eight to twenty fourteen. He served with
former Senate President Jeff Kessler, who joins us on Mechro
News talk line this morning. Jeff, good morning, thanks for
joining us.

Speaker 19 (26:28):
Good morning, and Merry Christmas and that guess Happy New
Year now in order.

Speaker 1 (26:32):
I'm trying to figure out, Jeff, I ask Brad this,
where's my grace per How long do I do Merry Christmas?
Before I switched to Happy New Year?

Speaker 19 (26:39):
Well, I think you can put this one in the books.
Twenty twenty five is now behind us. I just got
done clean up a bunch of wrapping paper and stuff
in the garbage bag, so it's time to move on.

Speaker 1 (26:50):
Jeff. I appreciate you coming on. What went through your
mind when you first heard of the passing of Larry
edgel Oh, it was.

Speaker 19 (26:56):
A profound sadness. I mean, I can tell you served
with him sixteen years in the Senate. We both I
was appointed in ninety seven, and we both had to
run then in ninety eight. And I really didn't know
Larry when we both put our name on the ballot
to run for the two seats in the second Senatorial district.
But you know, I found out shortly that we shared

(27:18):
the same birthday, November sixteenth. We both loved the Steelers
and the Mountaineers, and both like the nice cold Miller
Lake from time to time, and you know, we just
hit it off immediately. And over that sixteen years, I
can tell you, I think we probably cast thousands of votes,
and I think we only probably parted votes a couple

(27:40):
of times, because you know, we both felt, you know,
our job down there was to take care of our
constituents and our people. And there was no kinder probably
more general politician I ever ran into. From both sides
of the aisle. You can talk to the the ours

(28:00):
on the other side, and everyone held him in just
such high admiration and respect because he was a man
of his word, great integrity. You know, he spent a
lifetime being a teacher, fifth grade math. I think every
kid in New Martinsville can balance her checkbook because of
Larry edge And you know, it was interesting. I made
him my whip when I first as initially, and his

(28:26):
job is basically go out and count the votes. And
every time I'd look over my shoulder and say, what's
the vote count? Looked like you know, he never made
it a point to ever pass the You know how
the Senate in the House always have a bunch of
kids in his pages, and he always go out of
his way to mingle with the kids. Ask him while
they were going, you know, really make their day special.

(28:48):
So he made everyone's life special because he really did.
He was genuine, authentic and was in just a wonderful,
wonderful man in public servant.

Speaker 1 (28:58):
Former State Center president Jeff Castle is joining us talking
about the life and career of Larry Edgell. I saw
one description of him as soft spoken but effective. Is
that a fair description?

Speaker 19 (29:10):
Oh? Absolutely absolutely. I mean, you know, he, like I said,
he was a lifetime educator, so you know his role
on the Education Committee and his background of mathematics. He
was a natural for the Finance Committee. So you know,
the balanced budgets we had over the years were in
many respects in large part due to his efforts as

(29:32):
a valued member of that committee. And when you're talking
about education issues, he'd spent a lifetime as an educator.
And I've always said, if you're going to build a house,
it's nice to have a carpenter around. So if you're
going to deal with education issues, boy, it's nice to
have somebody that sees first hand the challenges that could
happen inside the classroom.

Speaker 1 (29:51):
You know, when you get to Charleston, some folks get elected.
They get there and it turns out maybe it's not
quite what you thought, But if you get re elected
and you're elected to four terms, Jeff, it's exactly what
you thought it was. So what what kept Larry coming back?
Why did he want to come continue to serve and
be in Charleston.

Speaker 19 (30:09):
His dedication, in his devotion to the people of his district.
You know that he grew up in I think in
that area, and he went to Fairmont State and he
was you know, he had Marshall Whitzel, Ohio Tyler, what
the Doddridge, Richie, the blural areas as well as part

(30:30):
of mand and Marion Counties. And you know, he had
a closeness to the people, and you know when he
walked in a room, you know, he just lit up.
He had a smile that went ear to ear. But
he was so genuine. He would go up and actually
talk to people and looking in the eye, hear what
they had to say. And you know, take that back

(30:51):
to Charleston on the work that he he did this
so effectively in the legislature.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
I asked it, we're talking to Jeffkessler, former State Center president.
Are we missing that today? Are we missing that old
school Larry Edgel type of guy in politics? Not just
at the stakehoub, but in general? Jeff, do we need
more Larry Edgels?

Speaker 19 (31:12):
We sorely, sorely surely, and sorely myth. You know, it's
become so part as a hyper partisan now that you know,
I almost got to the point where I felt that,
you know, I had a D behind my name and
introduced the bill that had a cure for cancer. It
would get voted down. But on the other side, because
they had it D behind it, you know, and they
were in the ours were in control, and that's sort

(31:36):
of the it's an overwhelming mindset of the a lot
of the legislative bodies anymore. It's about good, sound public policy.
It seems to be about staying in power and punishing
the other side. And boy, that's a frustrating. And that's
why I think we're in the situation we're in today,
is that there's not enough focus on public policy. All

(32:00):
the right issues aren't on one side of the aisle,
all the right solutions to issues, so you know, it
really doesn't require it was a great compromiser. He understood
he didn't have all the answers, and sometimes you need
to work hand in hand with the other side to
get things done.

Speaker 1 (32:20):
What do you want people to remember when they hear
the name Senator Larry Edgel, We're just Larry Agile. What
do you want people to think.

Speaker 19 (32:27):
About, Well, just a wonderful, kind, smart, conscientious servant of
the people. He was, you know, a motto of public
service because it really it wasn't about him. I can't
ever see him chasing a microphone or looking for a camera.

(32:47):
He wanted out of the limelight. He didn't care who
got the credit. He didn't care, and he was willing
to step up and take the blame. So you know,
he really wasn't about him. It was about us, and
it was about the people he served. And that's really
the definition of a public servant. He was an epitome
of that.

Speaker 1 (33:07):
We have a story about Larry's life and his public
service right now over at the website you can read
at dou WDV Metro news dot com. Former State Center
President Jeff Kessler. Jeff, good to hear from you again,
and we'll talk again. Sometimes we'll get you on again.

Speaker 6 (33:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 19 (33:22):
Well, my heart goes out to his wife, CC and
his family and his kids, his two kids. He loved
them with all his heart and I'll tell you they
were more devoted and she was more devoted to him
than anything I've ever seen.

Speaker 1 (33:36):
Jeff appreciate it this morning. Thanks so much. All righty,
bye bye, take care. Former State Center President Jeff Kessler.
And again we have a story posted already at the
website dou WDV Metro news dot com on the life
and the career in public service. So former State Center
at Larry Edgel who passed away on Christmas Eve three
or four. Talk three or four is the text line

(33:56):
eight hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk that's the
phone number. Back for more live talk line day after Christmas,
Froneing Co Insurance studios.

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Speaker 3 (36:15):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling
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Speaker 1 (36:26):
Hope you had a great Christmas Day. Hope you got
everything you were hoping for. Hope you got to spend
some time off. Hope you're getting a little extra time off.
Squeeze it in one of those you know, extra days off,
making it a long holiday weekend. The question is there's

(36:47):
got to be you know, I'll look it up during
the next break. There has to be a story, because
this is the time of year we publish these types
of articles. Uh productivity this time of year, how how
little productivity we have a lot of people got an
extra day off today. If you have the day off
and maybe you took it, or maybe your boss was

(37:08):
very kind and say, you know what, take this day.
It's actually another holiday as well. But then you get
into next week. New Year's Eve will be on Wednesday,
New Year's Day's Thursday, and then your second is a Friday.
So really you have two days next week of mild

(37:28):
productivity if you have to go to work. If you
go to work, you know there'll be banks open, there'll
be offices open. Things will be open Monday and Tuesday,
and then sort of the day Wednesday, maybe maybe the
day Wednesday, but that's kind of sort of a New
Year's that's a holiday, and people are getting ready to
go out and celebrate ring in the new year. So

(37:50):
there's got to be a story. I'll look that up.
I'll look one up during the break. That wasn't on
my radar. That's the second time I've used that reference.
Today wasn't on the Bengo card this morning when I
was going through show prep. But I was just thinking
about that during the break that you know, today's kind
of a weird day. Monday and Tuesday. People will go
back to work sort of maybe go to work on Wednesday,

(38:13):
and if you can have the days off. If you
can get the days off, you're probably off maybe Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday next week and then then you hit the New
Year's slog where when we get back to work, so
you know it'll be what the fifth January the fifth
You kind of settle in for the long haul because

(38:36):
there are no major holidays until Memorial Day. That's what
you need a spring break. That's we as adults could
use a spring break. But you kind of settle in.
You settle in the long haul until things start to
warm up a little bit. Text line three or four,
Talk three or four. Many of you, by the way,

(38:57):
are also probably out today returning and exchanging gifts. I
know folks who this is a Christmas tradition for them
to actually take their presence and head back to the
stores and exchange them or return them. Now, in twenty
twenty five, you may have to box it up and
send it back to Amazon to get your exchange. May

(39:21):
not be like it was twenty twenty five years ago,
where you go to the mall, the mall? How old
am I jake? Go to the mall, go to the mall,
go to the department store to exchange the gift. But
the twenty sixth big day for that. The most unwanted
and frequently returned gifts include this is according to Axios, sweaters, socks,

(39:44):
and other wearables that are easy to gift but hard
to get right on size, fit, and personal style. Why
would you return socks? I mean socks or socks right? Sweaters?
I can see why you'd want to return of sweater, accessories, hats, scarves,
and jewelry easy to buy, easy to miss the mark.

(40:07):
Electronics and gadgets duplicates, defects, and devices that don't match
how people actually live. I think that's pretty much everything,
isn't it? Isn't that pretty much every category of gifts
that can be returned by the numbers. Twenty to twenty
five percent of annual sales are expected to be returned
in twenty twenty five, representing worth roughly a trillion dollars

(40:31):
worth of merchandise, according to data from returns platform Seal,
which factors in last holidays season's return surge. Holiday returns
spike about sixteen percent in November and December when early
shopping collides with last minute buying. The average returned item
typically falls into the one hundred and two hundred dollars range.

(40:52):
Return returns data firms estimate many of those items will
never make it back on this shelves. I guess they
go to the Island of misfit toys, Jake. That's where
the returned items end up. Many of you are doing
it today. Admit it. Admit it. You were looking for
the gift receipt when you open that box yesterday. Oh,

(41:15):
happy Boxing Day to our Canadian friends. He I don't
really know what Boxing Day is, but it's a thing
apparently today North of the border. Eight hundred and seven
to six y five talks the phone number three or
four talk three oh four is the text line. It
is a laid back day after Christmas edition of Metro
News talk Line. We will continue in a moment.

Speaker 21 (41:36):
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ranks WWU Medicine JW. Ruby Memorial as the number one
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(41:57):
hospital can earn for US News Best Hospit Bittles Procedures
and Conditions ratings. For more information, visit wumdicine dot org.

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From all of us here at the Health Plan. We
are planning next year's goals, we are here for you.
Happy holidays and merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Speaker 1 (43:31):
Here it is a live edition to Mention News talk

(43:53):
line day after Christmas. We'll be live Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
next week, best up on Thursday. Back to ring in
twenty twenty six. On Friday three U four Talk three
or four is the text line talking about the decrease
in productivity. This is from the New York Post. Nearly

(44:15):
half of all workers are hoping to get away with
the bare minimum for much of December and Monday get this.
December fifteenth was found to be the last hard working
day of the year. According to new research. Oh mercy,
if you're reading this, many workers are officially in slow
down mode, with forty seven percent almost half of those employed,

(44:39):
hoping they can get by doing very little for the
remainder of the year. The average person polled has used
the phrase that can wait until next year sixteen times already.
This was a couple of days old. This was from
the twenty second A survey of over eleven hundred employed
Americans from Talker Research explored into the year approaches to
work and how mentalities change in the festive season. Respondents

(45:03):
were asked to pinpoint precisely when in December it's acceptable
to take things considerably easier on the work front, with
December fifteenth the average date sided. The most commonly voted
for date, however, was the twenty fourth, eleven percent of
workers saying work should only ease up from Christmas Eve onwards. However,
thirty five percent of workers said it's never acceptable to

(45:25):
ease up on work. Oh, this will be surprised you.
This will surprise you, Jake. Younger generations and gen zers
much more likely to admit their hoping to get away
with doing almost nothing at the end of the year.
Fifty four percent of employed gen Zers and forty eight
percent of millennials say they do this. That drops to

(45:46):
forty four percent for gen xers, and only thirty seven
percent of boomers currently working said they look to do
the bare minimum until the end of the year. I
am I am stunned. That is a generational thing. Uh,
let's see, it's not that people are lazy. It's that

(46:07):
their brains have reached a level of cognitive fatigue from
having pushed decision making for eleven months, which is why
they're looking for a natural break in the workflow. According
to James Robbins, co founder and editor and editor in
chief of Employer Branding News, Uh, okay, all right, so

(46:27):
it has nothing to do with being lazy. Just are
what was that cognitive fatigue? Okay? All right? Say bottom
line is most of you you are trying to get
away with doing almost nothing, and if you're a gen Zer,
well you've probably been doing that most of the year. Anyway.
Like my video producer, Jake, I kid, Jake, Jake works

(46:49):
very hard. You met Jake on Christmas Eve. He works
very hard. I don't know if he's working hard between
now and New Year's but most of the time he
works pretty hard. Three or four Talk three or four
is the text line. Are you trying to get away
with the bare metal? You're returning gifts? Let us know
we will. We will do Steam release at eleven thirty three.
This is Talkline on Metro News for forty years, the

(47:11):
voice of West Virginia. Metro News.

Speaker 3 (47:22):
Talk Line is presented by Encovia Insurance, encircling you with
coverage to protect what you care about most. Visit Incovia
dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (47:32):
Metro News Talkline. We're live day after Christmas. Welcome and
signed the Encoba Insurance Studios. Gang's all here, well most
of the gang. One of the gangs off today. TJ
is out, He'll be back on the second. Jake Link
handling the video stream. Sophia Wassick is our audio producer.
We appreciate you being part of this program. Eight one
hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk is the phone number.

(47:53):
You can text the show at three or four Talk
three oh four. Yes, it is Friday, despite it being
the day after Christmas. We will commenced with Steam release
today because I'm the host and I want to do it.
That's that's pretty much the reason. But it will be
your final opportunity to release Steam prior to the New

(48:14):
Year's holiday. So if you want to release Team about
twenty twenty five, today's the day to do it. You
don't want to carry that steam into twenty twenty six.
What year is it anyway, Just get it out before
the new year. That's my point. Eleven thirty three. Phone
lines will be open, text lines will be open. Eight
hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk three oh four,
Talk three oh four. We were talking about returning gifts.

(48:34):
Today is a big day to either a box up
the gift and ship it back or head to the
department stores and return them. Jessica Rosenthal, Fox News Radio
scheduled to join us coming up in just a bit
to discuss joining me in studio right now. We canned
him onto the Christmas Eve program. He is one of

(48:55):
our metro news anchors, reporters, sports guys, news guy, legal corresponds.
Legendary high school basketball player Daniel Woods joins me in studio.
More thing Daniel, morning, Hey do buddy, I'm doing all right?
How about you nice Christmas. I'm doing very nice Christmas.
Did was Santa good?

Speaker 12 (49:11):
So you it's pretty good?

Speaker 1 (49:12):
Yeah? Pretty good? What was the one big like when
you were a kid? Grown up? What was that one
big gift that still sticks out now now that you're
a grown man.

Speaker 23 (49:21):
It sticks out to me? One because I used it
so much, and two because I have heard the horror
stories of my father putting it together. On Christmas Eve,
I got something that they don't make anymore called an
ESPN game station, and it was like, it's like a
NERF basketball hoop, but it had like six sports. It

(49:42):
had a basketball hoop and a soccer goal, but it
also came with a hockey stick and a foam hockey
puck that you could shoot into the soccer goal. And
it had one of the holes in the middle that
you could throw football into. And they were like, I
don't even remember all the sports, but there were like
six of them. And I mean that was in my
basement for years, in years, and my dad, I've heard,

(50:03):
took took about six hours to put that together, poor Gray.
And it had sound effects from Stuart Scott, so like
a shot and it would go booh yeah, and stuff
like that.

Speaker 1 (50:14):
I had the pool table that would also do. And
it wasn't a full size It was like a kid
version of the pool table, but had the ping pong
table on top of it as well, So it didn't
have six sports, but it was enough to keep you
occupied down in the basement for a while.

Speaker 23 (50:28):
That was actually just just scrolling through Facebook and saw
a mutual friend of the program. John Bowers has one
of those for free on Facebook for anyone out there
looking for one.

Speaker 1 (50:38):
He's trying to get it out in his basement. I
see all right over at wv metro news dot com.
This morning. Top sports stories of twenty twenty five, Joe Bricado,
in a two part series, counts them down. We don't
have time to go through all of them. But what
sticks out to you from twenty twenty five, Well.

Speaker 23 (50:54):
There's, frankly, unfortunately, a lot of negative towards the top.
The number one spot is WVU getting snubbed from the
NCAA basketball tournament. That is, to a lot of people,
the biggest story. To Joe bro and the rest of
the team, that's the biggest story.

Speaker 1 (51:10):
Okay, hang on, Not only is that a big story
because of the snub, but it has that snub has changed,
at least will somewhat change how teams are selected for
the nc There's.

Speaker 23 (51:23):
National reverberations for that because whether you believe there was
some grand conspiracy or not.

Speaker 1 (51:29):
The optics it twenty twenty five, Daniel, of course there
was a grand conspiracy.

Speaker 23 (51:33):
The optics of North Carolina Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham chairing
the committee and then UNC being the last team in
ahead of WVU, who literally every projection that you could
find on the internet, from Joe Lenardi a ESPN to
the guys at Fox to your uncle's blog had WVU

(51:53):
in and they get left out for the chairman's school.
And there is suppose to be a recusal process, but
you know, who's to say. They have codified a much
more strict recusal process. So it's it does change how
teams are going to be selected for the NCAA tournament
moving forward. It's it's not just a West Virginia story.
That's a national story in college sports this year.

Speaker 1 (52:16):
The governor got involved, the AG got involved, there was
a lawsuit filed over that.

Speaker 23 (52:23):
There was a lot and you know, teams get snubbed
from the NCAA tournament every year, and it's gonna be
interesting because we're talking about an NCAA tournament expansion. Now,
what are those snubs.

Speaker 1 (52:32):
Going to look like?

Speaker 23 (52:33):
But for West Virginia as much as the program has
been through in the last three now four years, because
of the aftermath of what happened after that snub, which
is another of the top five or ten stories on
Joe's list. You have the snub, but prior to that,
you have the end of Bob Huggins' tenure at WVU,
you have the interim Josh Eiler year. Then you hired

(52:55):
Darren Devrees, you get snubbed from the NCAA tournament, then
he turned and goes to Indiana, and you hire your
fourth coach in four years with Ross Hodge. I mean,
that was a gut punch for WU basketball. That was
preceded by a gut punch and then followed by a
gut punch. So it's it's a it's a story that
people are gonna remember for a while.

Speaker 1 (53:17):
Speaking of Darren Devrees, that was Joe's number three story.
Oh the here Darren Devrees leaving and look, I've heard
the speaking of the vast conspiracy theories I've heard the
conspiracy theories. Now I'm not as plugged in obviously, I
got my marshalat sitting here, not as plugged in, But look,
the guy got the opportunity of a lifetime right Indy
when India had a basketball calls you gotta listen. And

(53:38):
I think it was just as simple as that. I think.

Speaker 23 (53:40):
So there's there's a lot of reasons that people have
come up with to draw those conspiracies, like you said,
and I think part of the problem that you run
into with that was Darren Devrees was here for a year,
not a lot of people got to know the guy,
and as a result of that, when someone is a
stranger to you, you're a little bit more open to

(54:03):
being suspicious of somebody. And there's the situation with Tucker
Devrez's injury where all of a sudden he's shut down
and done for the year. So those kind of things
I think lead to the conspiracy. It's one of those
things where it's in the past, and we'll see what
Darren Devrez does in Indiana. Ross Hodge has had I
would say, a good, not great non conference slate for WVU,

(54:25):
and we'll see what they can do in Big twelve play.

Speaker 1 (54:26):
Daniel Woods joining me mentioned News Sports. You can hear
them weekdays on the morning News, does News does some
sports legal analysts as well. I don't know how you
earned that title, but I'm throwing it in there, Daniel.

Speaker 23 (54:36):
I appreciate that I spend enough time at the Kanawa
County Courthouse that I appreciate having that title.

Speaker 1 (54:42):
All right. Beyond WW basketball, what stood out to you
in twenty twenty five?

Speaker 23 (54:46):
This was a year of change in high school sports,
I think is the way that you look at it.
You've got the expansion of state tournament fields coming for
softball and baseball. You've got the baseball tournament which has
been in Charleston for you would know better than I
how long I I can remember, and it's going to
Huntington to Jack Cookfield, which I'm excited for because that's
a phenomenal facility, but it's going to be a bigger

(55:07):
tournament with eight teams. Sam goes for softball. And then
we had the amazing weekend of state championship games that
we had in high school football with it being the
second year in Charleston. Now it's four classes again, an
expansion that you're talking about now for the second year,
and you had three of the four state championship games

(55:27):
come down to essentially the final minute, and the fourth
game you had a team go down by two scores
in the first half, come back and win, and the
running back Kate Gronis from Wheeling Central set a state
playoff rushing record. So it's been a year of change
in high school sports by all means.

Speaker 1 (55:46):
But I think we're still even.

Speaker 23 (55:47):
Going to see in twenty twenty six, with these expanded tournaments,
what that's going to mean.

Speaker 1 (55:50):
You know, I wrote earlier this month that high school
football especially needed the postseason that it had. Not just
the state championships were phenomenal. Even in Class single A,
Wheeling Central pulled away from Claybateel, but Claybtel was up
in that game twenty to seven. Wheeling Central had to
come from behind not only the state championships, but just
the postseason where you had, you know, Morgantown will go

(56:12):
on to win the for a title, had to block
a field goal in double or excuse me, an extra
point in double overtime to get to the semi finals.
You had upsets, You had teams that you didn't expect,
to get as far as they did, get as far
as they did. They needed that coming off the last
two years where we had you know, a year ago
we had the lawsuits and everything got delayed a week.
And before that, you know, people were talking about blowouts

(56:34):
and all state delegates want to get involved in pass laws.
We had a great postseason and you know, there are
things we all don't like four classes. I'm still one
of the guys that done like four classes. But the
product and it's about the kids, about the student athletes,
and it was great competition, it was dramatic, you had upsets,
and high school football needed that. I think in the

(56:56):
state it did.

Speaker 23 (56:57):
And you'll appreciate this as someone who has grown up
in Morgantown, who grew up with when I was a kid,
Glenn McNew was the football coach and then John Bowers
was the football coach at Morgantown High. I have said
for years West Virginia High school football is better when
Morgantown is good, and we saw that this year with
what Seaan Buiser has done building that program. You've got

(57:19):
an all state quarterback in Maddix Twigers a sophomore. You've
got that big school challenger for Martinsburg. And that's not
to take anything away from the Huntington's in the Spring
Valleys that made those state championship games against Martinsburg, but
you know, Morgantown was one of the few in recent
years to go and do it, and to do it
in a state championship game and do it in a
competitive game. And then you know, Triple A at Princeton

(57:41):
Nitria and that's that's one of the best crowds I've
ever seen it late.

Speaker 1 (57:44):
Oh, it was crazy, it was amazing.

Speaker 23 (57:45):
And again it comes down to a great play and
we're going to talk about this, but you get the
state player of the year making huge plays in that
game opposite a WVU commit your double A game. You
get two of maybe the best coaches in the state
of West Virginia regardless of class, in Fred sin and
Kevin Whiteman locking horns. And it's Kevin Whiteman pulling the
last play off, the last page of the playbook to

(58:06):
win in the final seconds. And then, like we talked
about with single A, yes, Wheeling Central pulled away. But
you get a record setting performance from Kid coronas, you
get a Clay Betel program that's never been there before,
that goes up two scores and has a good performance
in that game. Like you said, West Virginia High school football,
with the chaos that we had in twenty twenty four,
needed a memorable twenty twenty five.

Speaker 1 (58:27):
Yeah, and they got it. You can see Joe Bro's
entire list of the top sports moments of twenty twenty
five over in a two part series at wv metronews
dot com. You touched on it there. On Christmas Eve,
it was announced that Brad Mosser of the Princeton Tigers
was the twenty twenty five Kennedy Award. What are the
top football player in the state of West Virginia, And

(58:47):
we got a chance to look at basically all the
candidates for that are most of the candidates for that
down the state championships. But a well deserved honor and
a great career with finishing up with the state championship.

Speaker 23 (58:57):
Absolutely, and that's deserved. I think I don't have the
numbers right off hand, but you have a guy that
basically puts up twenty three hundred all purpose yards something
along those lines and has been a wide receiver his
entire career, and it just comes down to, oh, you know,
there's some guys banged up at running back. We'll put
him in the backfield and see what happens. And he
rushes for eight hundred yards and close to thirty touchdowns

(59:20):
in addition to a thousand yard receiving season. That's absolutely deserved.
Brad Moster has been a really good West Virginia High
school football player the last couple of years, going back
to that Princeton team that made the state championship game
when he was a sophomore. But he took it to
another level this year. Absolutely well deserved, and I do
want to get a quick shout out. We talked about
Mattox Twig from Morgantown before he finishes third in the voting.

(59:42):
He's gonna have something to say about the Kennedy war
the next two years going into his junior and senior seasons.
But then Brennan Wack Wheeling Park running back two time
Kurt Warner Award winner. His numbers were just ridiculously two
thousand yards in ten games. He dealt with some injuries
this year, but he's a two thousand yard rusher in
ten games. I wanted to wanted to get him a
shout out because they didn't make that trip to Charleston.
And I think there may be some folks out there

(01:00:04):
that maybe still aren't aware of just how good he is.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
And it may be just some recency biased, but looking
ahead to twenty twenty six high school football, I'm thinking
about in the big schools. I covered the big schools,
the quarterbacks coming back yet Twig at Morgantown. You've got
Bryan Dick at Martinsburg, got Harrison Helbig at University. He
put up just he was the leading passor in the state.
Did he finish leading passer or he was right? He
was right there. He's close to fifty touchdowns. I mean,

(01:00:29):
just those three guys, there's a lot of talent coming back.
I'm looking forward to twenty twenty six. And you know
we haven't even got out of twenty five yet, right
so am I?

Speaker 23 (01:00:36):
And you're talking about even beyond those guys. That underclassman
group of quarterbacks brought green at Independence, had a great
year and they were the number one team in Double
A for a long time. Anthony Smith settled in really
nicely with that Faremont Senior program and has Division one offers.
You talk about running backs, Jaden Black at GW stepped
in and was one of the best running backs in

(01:00:56):
the state as a freshman. There's a lot of excitement
to be had going into twenty twenty six, and as
we saw it with Frankfurt, even this year, you've got
some of these senior laden teams that there's just underclassmen
that haven't gotten opportunities yet that are going to step
into those roles and there are going to be teams.
I think that's surprised a little bit because there were
a lot of people with that Frankfort team last year

(01:01:16):
that said, oh, this is this is the team that's
gonna get here and people are gonna remember. But we
got a lot of seniors. We'll have to see what's next.
And then they turned around and did it again.

Speaker 1 (01:01:25):
You can see the profile on Brad Mosser over at
the website. You can see Joe Bricado's top moments of
a twenty twenty five over at the website as well.
And you can hear Daniel Woods almost every single morning
on the morning news with something sports updates right news
off of the sports sometimes like you know, I get
a court report, it's.

Speaker 23 (01:01:43):
It's sports every weekday. If there's news that I'm covering
of a particular ilk. You'll get some news and then
if Jeffer Chris is out, I find my way to
the anchor desk as well.

Speaker 1 (01:01:54):
Will you come visit me at the Capitol when the
session starts?

Speaker 23 (01:01:57):
I have to I'm kidding, absolutely, absolutely do I I'll
see you up there.

Speaker 1 (01:02:02):
Just come say hello, absolutely and bring donuts you happy to?
All right? It's on my drive home, Hey, Daniel, appreciate it, buddy,
Thanks topping by three A four talk three or four
is the tax line eight hundred and seven sixty five
eight two five five talk line live day after Christmas
back in a moment.

Speaker 12 (01:02:15):
Hospitals drive West Virginia's economy. They produce jobs and create
in total economic impact each year. Hospitals are investing were counts,

(01:02:36):
economic future.

Speaker 13 (01:02:40):
A message from the West Virginia Hospital Association onlinea WVJA
dot org.

Speaker 24 (01:02:45):
Coal based generation remains the backbone of West Virginia's energy portfolio,
insuring reliability, security, and affordable electricity throughout the region. Our
coal plants are engineered for performance, designed to run most
efficiently at or near a seventy percent capacity factor. This
level of operation is not arbitrary. It's based on sound

(01:03:06):
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 that sustains schools, infrastructure, and

(01:03:29):
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 1 (01:04:04):
Three oh four talk three four. That is the text
line steam release bottom of the hour. Even though it
is the day after Christmas. It is your last chance
to steam before twenty twenty six. It's got a Fox
News Radios Jessica Rosenthal. We were talking earlier about today
being a big day, Jessica because all those Christmas gifts.
She kind of smiled and said, oh, I love it. Yeah,

(01:04:26):
those are going back to the store today.

Speaker 22 (01:04:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 25 (01:04:30):
Beginning today, we sort of mark a period of massive
numbers of returns. Ups Interestingly coined the day the first
Monday after the New Year's holiday is like their national
return Day. That's going to get you know, over a
million people sending stuff back that was you know, stuff

(01:04:51):
that was ordered online. But I'll just sharing this with
you because these are the numbers we're talking about. The
national retail federations that holidays fail would luckily a trillion
dollars this year. Overall returns for the entire year twenty
twenty five are expected to be about eight hundred and
fifty billion dollars worth of merchandise. When it comes to

(01:05:11):
the holiday. In particular, the federations predicting seventeen percent of
holiday merch is going to go back. Last year it
was sixteen percent, and that was one hundred and sixty
billion dollars worth of stuff the online orders, though that's
the stuff we apparently send back.

Speaker 26 (01:05:28):
A little bit more.

Speaker 25 (01:05:29):
Nineteen percent of e commerce sales are expected to be
a return, not someone The fifth of holiday gifts purchase
online going back. It's a big deal. Retailers cost them
time and money to reinventory, restock all of these items,
and there's a lot of frauds that apparently happens. Nine

(01:05:50):
percent frauds are apparently fraudulent. Nine percent of returns are
apparently fraudulent. And that's when they get something back and
the thing that they open up, well it's not even
a thing they sell. So somebody will just put something
in the box that the store doesn't even sell, or
sometimes the box will just boxers be empty. So a

(01:06:11):
lot of places when you do the return, when you
ship back or return you know through uki as, orpheedex
or whatever. Sometimes those you will see a fee if
you do that, and there's a shipping fee, but sometimes
the store will also tack on like a restocking fee.
If you if you go return to the frick and mortar,

(01:06:32):
you probably are not going to face a fee. You
might get a gift exchange or gift card. You know
in exchange, you know, to exchange something later on at
a lower price because gets what also happens after Christmas,
a lot of stuff gets marked down, so you won't
necessarily get to return your item and then get like
if this letter costs a buyer fifty dollars, but now
it's worth thirty, you're only getting thirty dollars worth of

(01:06:54):
goods on the back end. There, So a lot of
things keep in mind as you engage and turns this
holiday season.

Speaker 1 (01:07:00):
It makes sense those online orders, Jessica, because you're looking
at a picture online, you think you know what you're getting,
you might not get exactly what you thought, or as
it turns out, the size isn't quite what you thought
because you weren't in the store actually holding it up.
So that makes sense a lot more online orders go back.

Speaker 25 (01:07:19):
Yeah, that's actually a really good point because yeah, you
buy it, but I mean also into and it's such craphy, right,
you just don't know sometimes as somebody who's gonna like
what you're getting them, But you're right, you concize things
for the husband or the wife or the kids. In person,
you can see that it works. If it's a tech
toy or a gadget or something. You're right, it's very

(01:07:41):
different shopping in person, and I guess that's why everybody mobbed,
you know, every place after Thanksgiving, because that there is
still something to say for that. In person shopping and
online can be a diceier tact. I will say the
thing that people wanted the most and the thing that
people apparently bought them most, or I'll let you guess

(01:08:01):
what do you think it was?

Speaker 1 (01:08:04):
Electronics?

Speaker 9 (01:08:04):
Wouldn't gift cards?

Speaker 27 (01:08:07):
Oh?

Speaker 25 (01:08:08):
Of course, by the same people want the most, and
that was what people went out and apparently bought the
most of. So that's good for you're not going to
return that, right, you want to spend that, and for
retailers really hope to also make up a lot of
a little bit more before you know, they close the
books on the end of the year. If you've come

(01:08:29):
in with come to see the gifts card or something,
maybe you end up spending sixty seventy maybe even north
of that. So retailers hope some of this will balance out. Yes,
there are some fraudulent returns, Yes there are you know,
restocking fees, but they're also hoping if you get those
gifts cards, or you make a return that when you
do the return, you will go for an exchange. You
will spend more and maybe that gift card will get

(01:08:51):
them over the top.

Speaker 1 (01:08:52):
Fox News Radio is Jessica Rosenthal. Jessica, thank you very much,
appreciate it.

Speaker 27 (01:08:56):
Thank you know.

Speaker 1 (01:08:57):
This is talk Linel Metrin is for forty years the
voice of West Virginia. It is eleven thirty. Let's check
in with the Metro News radio network. Find out what's
happening across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 4 (01:09:11):
West Virginia Metro News signed Jeff Jenkins. Victims of domestic
violence and abuse and Knaw, Boone and Clay Counties continue
to take advantage of the services offered by the Charleston
whywuc A Rissolved Family Abuse Program Executive director Julie Britain
says a program has served about eighteen hundred people this year,
fifteen hundred of those through the court system. Britain says
they're seeing increases in some programs.

Speaker 22 (01:09:31):
Our counseling referrals, thank goodness, have gone have gone up.

Speaker 18 (01:09:36):
We offer free counseling for victims and survivors.

Speaker 4 (01:09:39):
Read more at wv metro news dot com. Authorities in
several counties save fires had been an issue over the
past few days. A man living in a house that
caught fire in Huntington early this morning got out safely.
That fire happened at around two thirty in the two
thousand block of tenth Avenue. A blazer reported Christmas Eve
morningham Wood County damaged a house on the National Register
of Historic Places. No word what caused the fire at

(01:10:01):
the Tracewell House. A Christmas Eve night blaze destroyed three
mobile homes in Marshall County. No injuries were reported at
Georgia's quarterlong Middle Grave Creek outside of Moundsville, and a
Christmas Day blaze reported at the Marathon gas station in
Raven's Wood. Jackson County. Authorities say that fire began near
a bathroom. Montague County Sheriff Todd Forth is marking the
successes of the current year and looking toward twenty twenty six.

(01:10:24):
He says one of the main things they've been able
to do this year is get the sheriff's department fully staffed,
including the tax office. Forbes says his department will continue
to be highly visible in the new year. You're listening
to Metro News for forty years the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 17 (01:10:39):
There's nothing quite like a homemade meal from Tudor's Biscuit World.
We use real buttermilk to craft our delicious biscuits in
one batch at a time and serve them with our
signature platters. Here you'll taste the 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

(01:11:01):
do the cooking for you or gathering this holiday season.
Visit tutors Catering dot com for all your catering needs.

Speaker 28 (01:11:07):
Hey there, Chris Lawrence here from the West Virginia Morning
News and West Virginia Outdoors, and I want to take
just a moment to thank you from the bottom of
my heart for starting your day with us here at
Metro News all year long. And I hope you and
your family have a wonderful Christmas season and a happy
New Year.

Speaker 9 (01:11:23):
This is Coop del Cooper from hotline around here. We
are all in when making this the best holiday. From me,
Dave and the entire Metro News Hotline crew, we wish
you a very merry Christmas and the happiest of Holidays.

Speaker 4 (01:11:37):
Those with the long standing West Virginia State Parks Foundations
say they plan to up their game. They're going to
take a grant and try to do more promotions. Parks
Foundation Executi Director Brad Reid says they want to follow
the lead of Ogleby.

Speaker 29 (01:11:49):
Park, but what we want to do is take that
next step into an Oglebe type situation. So many of
their facilities up there were built with donations, and that's
what we want to do is take this to the
next level across our park system.

Speaker 4 (01:12:04):
From the Metro News anchor desk Guy, I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (01:12:28):
Metro News Talk Long from the Cove Insurance Studios Live
the day after Christmas. Experience Keno in a whole new
way with Dragon Keino Blast. Not only is this ten
dollars scratch off available in store, but you can also
play the online game with I Play, the official West
Virginia Lottery app. Play Dragon Keno Blast today for your

(01:12:52):
chance to win. No matter where you play. The Dragon
slays eighteen plus to play. Please play responsibly. It is Friday.
It is the final Friday of twenty twenty twenty twenty five,
so that means it is your final chance to release
your steam heading into twenty twenty six.

Speaker 15 (01:13:13):
I want you to get up now.

Speaker 26 (01:13:15):
I want all of you to get up out of
your chest.

Speaker 7 (01:13:19):
I want you to get up right now and go
to the window, open it and stick your.

Speaker 26 (01:13:24):
Head out and yell.

Speaker 17 (01:13:26):
I'm as bad as hell and I'm not gonna take
this anymore.

Speaker 1 (01:13:30):
I know you're still probably in a jolly mood coming
off of Christmas Day. You're probably eating some fudge, might
have had ham or turkey leftovers for breakfast this morning.
But listen, you're getting ready to go into a new year.
This is your last opportunity to vince about whatever, whatever

(01:13:51):
happened in twenty twenty five. You don't want to carry
that burden with you into twenty twenty six. You want
to let it, let it off your chest. You know what,
Everything's gonna be better, gonna have a better weekend because
of it. You're gonna have a better start to twenty
twenty six because of it. And this is your final opportunity.
When we come back on the second, there's no looking
back on twenty five. It is all looking forward. So

(01:14:14):
give us a call eight hundred and seven to sixty
five Talk. You can text your steam to three oh
four Talk three oh four. Couple of guidelines, as I
always say, please do not get me fired or sue.
Those things kind of go hand in hand. I would
appreciate if neither one of those things happened today. Also,
you may steam about the hosts and we and well,

(01:14:34):
it's only me today. TJ's off. We will not respond
to your steam. You can release your steam. You can
release steam about Ethan Collins, one of our producers. He
has given permission. And since Jake Link was on the
show on last on the Christmas Eve, you know what,
you can release steam about him as well. But he
works hard, so be kind. Otherwise, it's up to you.

(01:15:00):
It is totally your opportunity to vince and let it
all hang out. Eight hundred and seven to sixty five
Talk eight hundred seven six five eight two five five.
You can text your team two three or four Talk
three oh four. I figured this guy'd be calling in
Junior from Fish Creek. You're first up, buddy.

Speaker 26 (01:15:20):
Boy, saying here, TJ, what's going on?

Speaker 19 (01:15:22):
Brother?

Speaker 1 (01:15:23):
What's going on?

Speaker 6 (01:15:24):
Junior?

Speaker 26 (01:15:25):
Hey? You know what, no returns at Junior's house this year?
You know missus Junior didn't even get me nothing because
he said, I didn't use what she got me last year,
brave marker or anything of that. Anyway, that old highwie
said he's got a big Christmas break coming up. The
boy works eleven hours a week. You know what I

(01:15:47):
call that on the farm. What's up an easy day?
I've never seen the lakes razy gluttonous like, hey, hang
it up? Power and you know what he did? Get
happy to go with him? God bless you.

Speaker 1 (01:16:00):
Happy New Year, boy, Happy New Year Junior appreciated. Eight
hundred and seven and sixty five talk eight hundred and
seven six y five eight two five five. See how
Junior did it. He's going to have a better start
to his twenty twenty six because he was able to
get off of his chest. Let's go to Ron and Dunbar.
Hey Ron, what's your team?

Speaker 6 (01:16:19):
Hey Dane. One thing I don't like is this recruiting
in high school sports. This stuff started about thirty years
ago at Capitally brought in all state football players from
Elkrea or Poka, and they brought a whole girls basketball
team from South Charles. Now you got places like Tay's

(01:16:40):
Valley Christian recruiting kids to play basketball from all over
the world like Africa, Europe, and then the football in Princeton.
That Mons kid, he's the best player I've seen since
our house. I was rooting for Nitrove. That kid was
awesome and he's got like five kids. They brought in big,

(01:17:02):
huge kids are not from Nitrick. So even though I'm
a local guy, I was rooting for Princeton because I
don't like cheating in any way. Congratulations to that moscl kid.

Speaker 1 (01:17:13):
Ron appreciate the steam. Eight hundred seven sixty five Talk
eight hundred and seven six five eight two five five.
To release your steam. The host cannot respond. You may
steam about the producer Ethan or producer Jake, although Jake
probably deserves less steam than Ethan. Eight hundred seven to
sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty five eight two
five five. Let's go up to Tucker County. Dolly, you're

(01:17:36):
on steam. Release Hey Dolly, h Nate Hell you there?

Speaker 5 (01:17:47):
Oh, I'm here, but I'm Donnie. You're not Donnie.

Speaker 1 (01:17:51):
Sorry Donnie got the name on the call screen. No
wonder you were confused, Donnie?

Speaker 27 (01:17:55):
All right, go ahead, Buddy, m is uh Shannon call
has brought this president for the kids. It's called a
uh a gappie dollhouse. It has like two hundred parts.

(01:18:17):
And that certain person needs to come back from the
north poem.

Speaker 1 (01:18:23):
Put us in together, Donnie, that is a legitimate steam man.

Speaker 5 (01:18:33):
I am going to send him a naughty letter.

Speaker 1 (01:18:39):
Well, Donnie, best of luck, best of luck with your
endeavors there, my man.

Speaker 27 (01:18:45):
They're playing where they're they's gotta figure it out sort of.

Speaker 1 (01:18:54):
All right, Hey, Donnie, have a great weekend. Have you
to your buddy?

Speaker 6 (01:18:58):
Hey you brother Marri, same to you.

Speaker 1 (01:19:02):
Donnie in Tucker County. Eight hundred seven to sixty five
talks the phone number eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two five five. That's the phone number. You can text
your steam to three or four Talk three or four.
That's no joke. That is no joke. Santa Claus sometimes
leaves behind gifts that has some assembly required. Sound like

(01:19:23):
Donnie had some some assembly required there at his house.
Eight hundred seven six five talks the phone number, Text
your steam to three or four, Talk three oh four.
You don't want to carry the burden into twenty twenty six,
so let it out before the new year. Cybersecurity is
bringing ultra fast or excuse me, citty net is bringing

(01:19:45):
ultra fast fiber internet to more West Virginia holmes every day.
Right now, get fifty percent off any plan for your
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cittynet dot net. Sitting net connects, protects, and perfects. We
will continue with Steam release. So the day after Christmas
Live edition, I metch a news talk line from the
Income Insurance studios.

Speaker 11 (01:20:09):
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

(01:20:29):
a better future for all of us. To learn more,
visit us at wvfarm dot org.

Speaker 24 (01:20:36):
Picture a community where every space tells a story. Those
are the communities we're designing at ZMLM. Architects and engineers
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(01:20:58):
brighter future for gnerations to come because it coommel. It's
more than architecture. It's about building more legacy.

Speaker 7 (01:21:07):
Bed to care for. Here at the Health Jab, we
are here.

Speaker 10 (01:21:17):
From all of us. Here at the Health Plan, we
or planning next year's goals, We're here for you. Happy
holidays and Merry Christmas. From our family to yours.

Speaker 7 (01:21:33):
Here.

Speaker 30 (01:21:38):
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(01:21:58):
Visit citynet dot com today. City net Connects, protects and perfects.

Speaker 3 (01:22:18):
Metual News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and

Speaker 1 (01:22:29):
Steamerly Final Friday of twenty twenty five. It's your opportunity
to vince before you head into twenty twenty six, because
when we come back on January second, I mean, we're
gonna be here like four out of the five days
next week. But when we come back a week from today,
there's no looking back. It's only forward. We're looking forward

(01:22:51):
in twenty twenty six. All right, text you steam three
h four talk three oh four. You can also give
me a called eight hundred seven to sixty five talk
eight hundred and seven six five eight two five five
to release your twenty twenty five steams. Texting West Virginia
turned Joe Manchin out because he thought, like Jeff Kessler,

(01:23:11):
it is our loss. Merry Christmas, Dave, Today is the
second day of Christmas. You know, two turtle doves. You
are well within reason to continue saying Merry Christmas until
January fifth, which is the twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve.
Keep your decorations up until then as well, says the text. Yeah,

(01:23:32):
I was a little loose to the rules today. I
was curious, what is the grace period post December twenty
fifth for saying Merry Christmas? Is it New Year's Day?
If this Texter says, I can do that through the fifth.
Through the fifth, okay, I would say through the week.

(01:23:54):
I would say by next Tuesday, I will have transitioned
to strictly just New Year. I'm just looking for the
social guidelines here, guys three or four talk three or four. Well,
seems Boxing day is boxing the returns, particularly for Amazon. Lol. Yeah,
a happy Boxing Day to our Canadian friends three or

(01:24:18):
four talk three or four. Retired boomer here one, My
late father worried about the retirement of Jack Fleming. Tony
would never be as good in time. My father hung
hung on every word Tony spoke. Tony was the Mountaineers.
In short, Hoppy laid the foundation for the program. You
and TJ must now take the program, must mount make
the program yours. Wishing you all the best. In twenty
twenty six two, West Virginia has been tasked with upgrading

(01:24:42):
airports within the state. In my opinion, upgrade airports, but
build an international airport in the eastern part of the state.
Dulles International can't grow any further. There are metro trains
that run from DC the DC area to the eastern Panhandle.
Now regional airports could feed into the new airport, says
the Texter. David, this work report, I'm gonna slow down.

(01:25:05):
Thanks for the information, says the Texter. Yeah, we were
talking earlier. Most over half of employees cited December fifteenth, fifteenth. Jake, you,
December fifteenth is the day where they say yep, yep,
bare minimum. From here on out, bro stop talking. Read

(01:25:26):
the steams, says the Texter. My steam is a lack
of peppermint mocha coffee creamer available in Morgantown. I have
searched every store. It's Christmas time and I can't enjoy
a delicious peppermint iced latte. Despicable, says the Texter. Text team, Dave,
think when you talk about West Virginia football, not mentioning

(01:25:47):
the Vienna kid Brenton Strange is a mistake. Co Jaguars. Yeah,
Brent Strange having a great year tied in for the Jaguars.
Parkersburg High Product. Let's go back to the phone's eight
hundred and seven Talk eight hundred and seven to sixty
five Talk eight hundred seven six five eight two five
five Denver in Parkersburg, Hey, Denver, what's your team?

Speaker 22 (01:26:10):
A little bit about football? I'm glad that the like
you said, somebody else is challenging Smartinsburg, you know. And
that's a good thing. But there's too many teams in
the playoffs. There's twenty Club four A teams and sixteen
of them in the past. There's too many. It's wonderful
that the semifinals the finals were close. That's great. But

(01:26:31):
in the first round the last two years, Postsburg and
posts bugs out has dropped on the bus and went
five hour trips to Martinsburg. And did you give up
sixty or seventy twine against them? And how is that
helping anybody? How's that helping the team to do? That's
not good for long au for the team. This year
will only be eight teams and each and that's plenty.

(01:26:56):
I think fifteen teams out of twenty don't deserve to
be in the playoffs. That's eighty percent of the change
in the playoffs. That's just too many out things.

Speaker 1 (01:27:04):
Denver. Appreciate this team. Merry Christmas, Buddy, appreciate the phone
call as well. Let's go to Morgantown, Jim, you're on
steamer lays.

Speaker 26 (01:27:12):
Dave.

Speaker 18 (01:27:13):
There used to be some toys out there that caused injuries.
Lawn darts were pulled from the market because they were
causing fatalities. Cabbage patch dolls had a snack time cabbage
patch doll that were biting the fingers off of kids.
The market figured out a way to get those toys
off the market because parents stopped buying them and they
started suing the companies that made them because they were

(01:27:35):
injuring their children. Now, this is the reason I'm calling
is because the vaccines have zero liabilities. You cannot sue
the manufacturer for your child being injured by a vaccine,
and they do injury kids, even if it's rare. The
thing that I would like to see happen is that
that liability law be taken away from from Congress to

(01:27:56):
boote that down so that the market would self correct.
If these vaccines are safe and effective that children are
mandated to take, there should be zero laws that protect
those manufacturers from being sued.

Speaker 1 (01:28:10):
Jim May I also applaud you being able to tie
lawn darts to vaccines. Well done, Well done. Good Steam
eight hundred seven to sixty five Talk three or four
Talk three oh four. Last call for text, last call
for phone calls, last opportunity to Steam in twenty twenty five.
This is talk line from the Encode Insurance Studios.

Speaker 14 (01:28:30):
the holiday hit maker. No one saw coming.

Speaker 15 (01:28:35):
It's showtime.

Speaker 14 (01:28:36):
Virginia Lottery holiday scratch offs and an unstoppable spirit. What
are you doing.

Speaker 15 (01:28:44):
Bringing the holiday high here? Enjoy scratch off? It's on me.

Speaker 4 (01:28:48):
Whoam ticket?

Speaker 15 (01:28:50):
My work here is done.

Speaker 14 (01:28:51):
Be the surprise hit maker. West Virginia Lottery games fun,
festive and full of flare. Please play responsibly.

Speaker 12 (01:28:58):
Hospitals drive West Virginia economy. They produce jobs and create
in total economic impact each year. Hospitals are investing were counts,

(01:29:19):
economic future.

Speaker 13 (01:29:24):
A message from the West Virginia Hospital Association on MINA
WVJA dot org.

Speaker 8 (01:29:29):

(01:29:51):
State's best days are ahead and Intero Resources is just
getting started. Visit and Taro Resources dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:30:16):
Last Call for Phone Calls, slast Call for texts the
final Steam release of twenty twenty five eight hundred and
seven to sixty five Talk and three or four talk
three four. At WW Medicine's Heart and Vascular Institute, excellence
is not just a promise, it is proven. Our advanced
heart surgery program ranks among the top three percent of
the nation by the Society of the of Thoracic Surgeons

(01:30:39):
and was named a high Performing hospital by US News
and World Report. With multiple areas of distinction in medicine,
we lead with world class outcomes and groundbreaking procedures. Visit
WW medicine dot org. Slash Heart Texter three or four
Talk three of four Text Team, I checked out December
first overachiever here text team. Is the end of the

(01:31:01):
year a good time to buy a vehicle? Or are
dealership's just gaslighting? US three or four Talk three four.
Day of the Doh has done it again on I
sixty four near the Huntington Mall on the new section,
there's a dip so bad that my wife's head hit
the ceiling. They need some new engineers day for once.
No Seinfeld means no wise cracks. I just want to

(01:31:23):
wish you, your wife, and the whole state of West
Virginia a happy new year. But watch out next year,
says Phil. We have extreme weather events now every week
and Waco president who claims climate changes a hoax. The
prediction now is a six foot sea level rise by
the end of the century that wipes out all of

(01:31:44):
East coast cities. The president has got to go now
for the sake of our grandchildren. Hey, Ethan, did you
hear about the new sports drink You combined alphabet soup
with metamucil. It's called letter rip, says the Exeter text team.

(01:32:06):
My steam is people who wear Marine Corps clothing who
were never in the United States Marine Corps Text Team,
Hey Dave, the problem of affordability is the most dangerous
problem facing Americans. Once again, we are being driven towards socialism.
When housing and healthcare are both unaffordable to the disappearing
middle class. The next generation is delusioned, disillusioned. Excuse me,

(01:32:31):
the loss of freedom is only a generation away. Merry Christmas,
Thanks love the show. Text Team, Merry Christmas, and Happy
New Year. The other guy, it's your pale dale Lee
May Taylor. Bless us this new year. From one swifty
to another, says the Texter. Jake's mom got a ride.

(01:32:52):
His hair looks like the end of a dirty mop.
I'm sure Denver's okay with every West Virginia high school basketball, baseball, softball,
soccer team making the state playoffs every year, cabbage patch
dolls biting off fingers three or four talk three or four? Do?
I got time? All right?

Speaker 5 (01:33:12):
Uh?

Speaker 1 (01:33:12):
Donnie and Tucker County. What's your steam? Donnie?

Speaker 27 (01:33:16):
Hi?

Speaker 26 (01:33:16):
Brother?

Speaker 5 (01:33:17):
I want him to bring back yard guards.

Speaker 1 (01:33:23):
I'd be okay with that.

Speaker 27 (01:33:25):
Yeah, you just.

Speaker 5 (01:33:26):
Don't throw them up in the air like we used
to when we're his kids and waiting for him the
land like you know you used to shoot a bowl
out of Chimney Hall or something and wait for it
to land. You know, you're ran like hell, like all
that movie with Adam Sandler, the.

Speaker 1 (01:33:46):
Good Old Days. Donnie, Appreciate it, buddy, experience keynote in
a whole new way with Dragon a Keynote Blast. Not
only is this ten dollars scratch off available in store,
but you can also play the online game with I
Play the official West Virginia Lottery app. Play Dragon Keno
Blast today for your chance to win. No matter where
you play, The Dragon slays eighteen plus to play, please

(01:34:07):
play responsibly. We're back Monday morning. We'll have live regular
shows Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, best of on New Year's Day.
And we're back here January two. Once again, big thanks
to Sophia Wasick on the audio side today, Jank Blink
running the video stream. Appreciate you guys coming in to
day after Christmas, and of course all of you who
took time to text and call really appreciate it. Have

(01:34:30):
a great weekend, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. We'll talk
to you Monday morning at ten oh six. This is
talk Line of Metro news, the voice of West Virginia,

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