Talkline | July 21, 2025

GO-WV President Charlie Burd is retiring. What led to the fall of the late-night talk shows? Jack Logar stops by to discuss. Sen. Ben Queen is surprised by pay cuts in one agency. The latest details on a brutal beating that was captured on video and shared on social media. Plus, TBT talk with Brad Howe. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Lots to get caught up on from over the weekend.
Plus we'll get into the TB T Best Virginia. Moving
on in the fall of late night television, lots to cover.
As Metro News talk Line gets started.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
You are surrounded.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Radio turned off from the studios of w v r
C Media and the Metro News Radio and Television Network.
The Voice of 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 (00:53):
So it's network control.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
From Charles stand By to David DJ.

Speaker 5 (00:57):
You're on.

Speaker 3 (01:02):
Metronews. Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling you
with coverage to protect what you care about most. Visit
incova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Good morning, Welcome inside the Incoba Insurance studios. Dave Wilson
in Morgantown, TJ. Meadows back from vacation, He's in Charleston.
Jake Blink runs the video stream, and Sophia Wasig is
on the audio today. Eight hundred and seven to sixty five.
Talk is the phone number. You can text the show
at three oh four Talk three oh four. Those are

(01:33):
the two ways to interact with this program coming up
later this hour. Talk to Mark Lambert, he State Fire
Training Director. He'll give us some more perspective on that
deadly explosion that killed three LA police officers late last week.
Also late night television. Now the Late show is going away,

(01:55):
the others may not be far behind it. We'll get
a comedic perspective on the downfall of what was once
the network giants there of late night television. That's all
straight ahead, Plus Ben Queen Harrison, County Senator in the
second hour, Please welcome back to the program. Fresh, bushy
eyed and is it bushy eyed?

Speaker 6 (02:16):
No?

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Bushy tail? Bright eyed and bushy tail? Any something? TJ's
back about it.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
I'm something, all right, I don't know what I am.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
So the big question that some of the Texters were
asking last week how many rounds of golf and what
was the average score.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
I'm gonna be very transparent with you. I did not
play one round of golf, not one.

Speaker 5 (02:37):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
I went to the range. They have a range there
that is kind of similar to a top golf range.
My son and I went to that a couple of times,
and the kids had so many activities. We got eight
kids on this trip, Dave eight comes. So Dad didn't
get as much golf time as he thought and he
got none at all, which was you know, I was

(02:58):
fine with We had a good time and uh so
I was fine with that, but I did not play.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
See the optimistic view of that is your golf game
is exactly where you thought it would be, right, I mean.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly where I thought it would be.
But you know, it is nice to get out and
just hit a few balls, and I did that. So
I worked on my game a little bit, but I
laid around the pool a lot, caught up on some
things binge, watched some things on TV that I hadn't
got around to, and just whatever the kids wanted to do.

(03:32):
But again, when you have eight children on a vacation,
yeah that can get a little little daunting.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
You got I got things to do when you got
eight kids running.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Around on always a little something. But it was fine.
It don't take me, don't get it wrong. The only
complaint I have and we can get into this later,
maybe even later in the week, but we got to
do something about that turnpike. Brother, We've got to do
something about that turnpike.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Not sure what you would do, But I mean, you
build a four lane highway through the mountains.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
I've got a few ideas that we could One of
them is you ought to just be able to roll
through that toll ploset at seventy miles an hour. If
I can do that on the Express Lane in Charlotte,
North Carolina, and never have to stop and go through
seventy miles an hour, why can't I do it on
sixty four.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
Well, we'll bring it up during a special session.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
How about that?

Speaker 6 (04:20):
All right?

Speaker 1 (04:21):
News over the weekend got a release from go WV,
that is the GOIL, the Gas and Oil Association of
West Virginia, announcing that longtime president Charlie Bird will retire.
He's not going anywhere anytime soon. He'll retire in twenty
twenty seven, following decades of service to the state's natural
gas and oil industry. Charlie Bird joins us on at

(04:41):
Metro News talk Line this morning. Charlie, good morning, Thanks
for joining us.

Speaker 7 (04:47):
Thanks gentlemen, it's a pleasure to be with you this morning.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
So you're going to retire, but not quite yet, Charlie,
you still got some time out there. What went into
this decision?

Speaker 7 (05:00):
Well, guys, I turned seventy two at the end of
this month, and the time the time was right. I've
had a very blessed career in the oil and gas industry.
Chit chatting with my family over the past several months.

(05:20):
It was just a family decision. It was time to
move on and do something else and a good time
for the industry. We're doing well and the new individual
coming into to take my place, we'll have a lot
of momentum behind themselves.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
So Charlie, we'll get into your successor and your plan there.
But sir, you were natural gas. I've known you for
a long time. You were natural gas before natural gas
was cool. Talk about what this industry was like when
you got into it versus what it is now.

Speaker 7 (05:53):
Guys. I came into the industry April first, nineteen seventy three,
fresh out of a to your business college in Parkersburg.
I worked for Hope Natural Gas Company. It was such
a different time. You took a job at that time
and you with full expectations forty years later of retiring.

(06:17):
And that's changed today simply because of the mobility of
the workforce and the desires of companies, particularly those who
acquire and merge, so a little different dynamic if you're
entering the industry today than you did fifty two years ago.

Speaker 1 (06:39):
Talking to Charlie Bird, he is a president of GO
West Virginia, the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, Charlie,
as you look toward the future and what your successor
will be dealing with, data centers are going to be
part of that equation is is this real or is
this the next big, big hype? Like we said all

(07:00):
with uh when Marcella shale was going to be the
game changer and the cracker plants and that kind of
sort of came to fruition, but not quite.

Speaker 6 (07:10):
Well.

Speaker 7 (07:10):
Let me say that although West Virginia did not land
a cracker plant, the the success of the Marcellus drilling
cannot be cannot be challenged. It has been a wonderful
opportunity for the state of West Virginia with regards to
investments and job creation and opportunities created. And I really

(07:33):
have the same sense of optimism for the for the
data center boom that's going to occur in this country.
I believe that the writing is on the wall that
that is our next that is our next great opportunity,
and the I would say to you that electrons will

(07:59):
be the new currency of economic development. So those who
have adequate electric power to provide to these data centers
and these AI facilities will be the grand winners. And
I think Senator Jeffries has certainly worked very hard this

(08:20):
past session along with other Senators and of course the
House of Delegates. Do you know the pass legislation that
sets the stage to begin in earnest the development of
such facilities and natural gas will be right there, and
we want to be part of it, and we will
be part of it.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
One of the things that we've never been able to do, Charlie,
and we've tried, We've had some success, but we've never
been able to keep the gas here. We've always, for
the most part, put it on a pipeline shipped it out.
But we have such a price advantage here given the
abundance that we have. Talk about the importance whether it's
data centers, whether it's some other downstream opportunity. Talk about

(08:57):
the importance of keeping the gas close to home and
how that can really spur development here in West Virginia
and economic activity for us. On the positive side.

Speaker 7 (09:08):
Well, you're certainly correct that the vast majority of the
natural gas we produce in West Virginia, and we last
year produced three point five tree and cubic feet, up
from three point two tree and cubic feet a year ago.
We ship that out of state to those markets that

(09:28):
are thirsty for the natural gas. And here in West Virginia,
a smaller state, smaller population.

Speaker 8 (09:35):
Base, we.

Speaker 7 (09:39):
Must develop in state uses for our natural gas, and
those in state uses have to be power production and
the production of power to serve a downstream industry. The
legislature a couple of years ago, it was very was

(10:01):
very diligent in passing legislation that would allow natural gas
to be used almost directly from a well pad for
certain major projects. And that is so we're just sort
of starting to see some of that in the mix.
But certainly we have vast amounts of natural gas and

(10:26):
we need to find those opportunities to use it here
in the state. Again, we have over fourteen thousand direct
jobs related to natural gas and oil and another sixty
thousand indirect jobs, and those direct jobs have a payroll

(10:46):
of one point five billion dollars annually, and the average
salary is over one hundred thousand dollars. So the opportunities
just are are too important to let it pass by.
Finding uses for natural gas, no matter where it is,
will be important, and of course that will come to

(11:06):
some degree with the future development of infrastructure to move
natural gas to those places that need it.

Speaker 1 (11:16):
What's the biggest obstacle preventing that from happening here in
West Virginia.

Speaker 7 (11:23):
Well, we just have a small you know, we have
a smaller population. There's no question we have ample supply.
It's a it's a matter of attracting the right industry
to those sites that we have that are pretty ready
to go, and we work very closely. I work very

(11:46):
closely Gas and Oil Association with West Virginia works very
closely with the Development Office where who has identified sites
and we are constantly working with them on projects or
on prospects they have for those sites, and always stay
alert to knowing what the energy needs are and our ability,

(12:09):
they are, our members' ability to serve those sites to
create that investment in our state as opposed to going
someplace else.

Speaker 2 (12:18):
Charlie, I want to talk about national policy. Lee Zelden
has made some changes at the EPA that are beneficial
to fossil fuels. We've had Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy,
on this program talking about his bentz when it comes
to coal and gas as well. What does Congress need
to do though, in your opinion, to codify some of
these changes. I mean, the next administration could come in

(12:40):
and do something completely different. No, and there's an element
of uncertainty when we don't have regulations that are firm,
and the industry I'm sure struggles with that. Am I right?

Speaker 7 (12:55):
Well, yes, if you look just historically, you know, from
administration to admit administration, it bounces back and forth many times.
You know, programs that are really working get scuttled for
something else. The fact that you would be awarded a
permit to do a project and have that permit further

(13:18):
scrutinized or even pulled with regards to pipeline expansions or
pipe or natural gas facilities to provide natural gas to
a community is just to me just unbelievable. But going forward,
certainly for the state of West Virginia, because of the
vast amounts of natural gas we have, we have to

(13:40):
find markets for it. So the one thing that would
be very beneficial to us would be some sort of
expedited permitting process across state lines. In intra state pipeline
expansions are us burdensome, then interstate and when we have

(14:03):
to cross the border of West Virginia with a pipeline
to take product to other places, it becomes very burdensome.
So if there was if there was one thing that
could happen quickly, would be would be permitting reforms That
was discussed and has been discussed for the past past
several months last from past administration into this administration.

Speaker 1 (14:28):
Talking to Charlie Bird, he is longtime president of the
Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, announcing that he
will retire in twenty twenty seven. Charlie, four decades in
the industry, What do you what sticks out to you
the most after all this time?

Speaker 7 (14:44):
You know, thank you for asking. I have been and
I said this earlier in the interview. I had been
so blessed as an individual to to be working with
other individuals who mentored me, taught me uh and the
folks that I worked with for and around they were

(15:05):
just all top notch. I have great leadership in my association.
I have great members who who always answered the challenge
who always answer the call. I just pick up the
phone and make a phone call. And you know, I
don't get told no very often. And the reason for

(15:26):
that is I think there's just a tremendous amount of
respect between the association and its members. And I don't
do very well talking about myself, but I would say
that I have been I have been blessed with I'm
in my twenty fourth year here with the association, and

(15:48):
I don't even have words to express the pride I
take in coming to work every morning and represent this
association for the state and for the nation.

Speaker 1 (16:00):
Charlie Bird, he will be retiring. He's not going anywhere
just yet. Don't get too excited. He'll be retiring in
twenty twenty seven. Charlie Bird, President of Gas and Oil
Association of West Virginia. Charlie, congratulations, and we'll talk again.

Speaker 7 (16:15):
Guys. I'm going to be around long enough that you're
going to have to have me back on one more
time today, Charlie.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
I appreciate it very much. Charlie Bird, the go WV president.
He'll be retiring in twenty seven. Get some of your
texts coming up. Three or four talk three four phone
number eight hundred and seven to sixty five talk. This
is talk Line from the Encobe Insurance Studios.

Speaker 9 (16:35):
A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia is now
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Speaker 10 (16:42):
We talk summer safety, from preventing drowning and heat sickness
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Speaker 12 (17:06):
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Speaker 3 (17:47):
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 (17:57):
A couple of news and notes here before the bottom
of the hour might have an update here. I have
to read that email in a moment. Four names of
being submitted to Governor Morrissey as recommendations for appointment to
the State Supreme Court Vacancy Thomas Ewing Circuit Judge and
Faye County, Dan Greer, judge on the West Virginia Intermediate

(18:21):
Court of Appeals, former Chief Council for the Westernia House
of Delegates, Todd Kirby Circuit Judge and Raleigh County former Delegate.
And Sean Morgan, managing member of Steptoe and Johnson's Bridgeport
Office and former Assistant US Attorney. Those recommendations made by
the Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission following interviews. So it'll be
up to Governor Morrissey to make an appointment to the

(18:43):
State Supreme Court for the position that Justice Beth Walker
held when she retired. June twenty seventh was her official
retirement date, so we'll wait for that appointment. Also hoping
to hear TJ. Hoping fingers crossed to hear from the
White House early this week regarding it disa master declaration
for Ohio and possibly Marian counties as well from those

(19:04):
Father's Day flood. Senator Capito said during a briefing last
week she was pushing the administration. I'd hoped to hear
something by the end of last week and now hopeful
again to hear something early this week.

Speaker 2 (19:18):
It's time. It's time. I think we've had ample time
and look, we can do an analysis on where the
application got slowed. Was it the state side the federal side.
But it's time either declare or don't declare.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
So hoping to hear that early this week from the
White House as well. We are efforting someone, and I
think we've got someone coming up in the eleven o'clock
hour from the Huntington Police Department. You've probably seen the
viral video over the weekend, at least that's when I
saw it was over the weekend. I believe the incident

(19:53):
happened sometime last week too. They look like kids to me,
they're adults. They're eighteen plus. But two men beating up
an individual in the River Park area of Huntington. That
video not only was their video of it, it was
posted to social media that went viral, and we got
an arrest in that case. The individuals were arrested in

(20:14):
flat Woods, Kentucky, or at least one of them was
from Flatwoods, Kentucky. They arrested in Kentucky. They're going to
face charges in Cabull County, and I well, within the
last thirty seconds, I believe we've got somebody coming up
in the eleven o'clock hour. I will effort that further
when we get to the news break. I don't know
if you saw that again. I ran across it over
the weekend, TJ scrolling. I believe the kids call that

(20:36):
doom scrolling through social media, but came across it. It's
it's graphic. It's a tough watch, and people were people
were calling for justice and blow and behold. These two
individuals were tracked down and well, they're going to be
face they are facing charges at this point.

Speaker 2 (20:54):
I mean, look, sometimes the video doesn't give the complete story.
But how to pray? How evil do you have to
be to do something like that? I need to watch
the video. I've been out of pocket, as you know.
I'll do that before we talk to whomever. But some
very disturbing questions need to be asked and answered.

Speaker 1 (21:12):
We will again continue to effort that. Coming up in
the second hour of the show. Other side of the
news break, Mark Lambert's going to join a state fire
training director at the w State Fire and Training Academy.
He's got some context to add to that tragic accident
or what appears to have been an accident involving three
Los Angeles police officers last week who were dealing with

(21:33):
some ordinances out in La Markell. Join us. Coming up
other side of the break and we'll talk late night TV.
That's all as Metro News Talk Line continues on Metro News,
the Voice of West Virginia. It is ten thirty times
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 Western Virginia.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
Metro News.

Speaker 14 (21:57):
I'm Jeff Jenkins. There are at least three public candidates
for the soon to be open chairmanship of the West
Virginia Republican Party. Current GOP chair Matt Herridge will resign
at next Saturday's GP meeting. Herritage is going to spend
more time as Governor. Patrick Morrissey's Commerce secretary, Doctor Michael George,
is one of the candidates.

Speaker 15 (22:13):
I really feel like we are at a point in
the state where we have an opportunity to really help
get our message out there in a way that is
practical and positive.

Speaker 14 (22:24):
Boone County delicate. Josh Hostein has the support of US
Senator Jim Justice.

Speaker 16 (22:28):
I'm a lifelong West Virginian, eighth generation West Virginia, the
son of generations of coal miners.

Speaker 4 (22:33):
As far as I can go back on the mail
lineage of my family, we were coal miners.

Speaker 14 (22:37):
Wes Perry is a retired Army veteran and says he's
excited about the state's future.

Speaker 7 (22:42):
We are in the cusp of becoming the next state Tennessee, Florida, Texas.

Speaker 17 (22:47):
If you look at those three states, they're booming.

Speaker 14 (22:49):
The GOP meeting is this coming Saturday in Morgantown. Two
men who Huntington police say beat up another man last
week are in custody in Kentucky in a wadding extradition
back to Cable County. Huntington police charged twenty one year
old James Clapper of Flatwoods, Kentucky in eighteen year Brock
Mastra of Huntington with malicious assault. It's a Lesday beat
up the man near River Park in Huntington last Wednesday,

(23:11):
and it was recorded and posted on social media. Two
men charged and the shots fired incident in downtown Morgantown
that happened early Saturday morning. You're listening to Metro News,
the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 16 (23:22):
Let no one ever say President Trump isn't a friend
of cold. Posting recently on his truth social account, the
President said, and I quote, after years of being held
captive by environmental extremists, lunatics, radicals, and thugs allowing other countries,
in particular China to gain tremendous economic advantage over us

(23:42):
by opening up hundreds of coal fired power plants, I
am authorizing my administration to immediately begin producing energy with.

Speaker 2 (23:50):
Beautiful, clean coal.

Speaker 3 (23:52):
Unquote.

Speaker 16 (23:52):
President Trump, his energy team, and the EPA are doing
everything imaginable to increase the use of cold to provide
real life and cost effective electricity. West Virginia's leaders must
follow suit. It's time we change the policies keeping coal
from reaching its potential, and let's follow the President's lead
and maximizing this once in a lifetime opportunity to unleash

(24:14):
our coal resources for the betterment of all West Virginias.

Speaker 2 (24:18):
A message from the Friends of Coal.

Speaker 14 (24:22):
A weekend training event put firefighters in front of a
burning pro pain tank. State Fire Training Director at the
WU State Fire Training Academy, Mark Lambert says, we have
propaine all around us.

Speaker 18 (24:32):
Pro pain is very common around West Virginia in various uses,
from the back fort grill to the heating systems.

Speaker 14 (24:39):
Lambert says he hopes to have four more training sessions
and other parts of the state before the year is over.
Saturday's training was in Charleston. We have more at our
website this morning. From the Metro News anchor desk, I'm
Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
Three or four talk three or four of the text
line at eight hundred and seven to sixty five eight
two five five. I believe we'll have Captain Ryan Bentley
on talk line coming up second hour on that Incident's
the viral video of the two suspects assaulting a man
and some good police work to track down those suspects.
We'll get into that coming up second hour. I will

(25:33):
also talk about the fall of late night television. If
you were a Carson fan growing up, or Linno or Conan,
whatever the case may be. The first salvo I guess
has been fired with the late show going away. We'll
get a little perspective on that, a comedic perspective on
that coming up in just a bit. Let's get to
the text line squeeze in a text or two at

(25:54):
three or four talk at three oh four, two years
before he retires. It makes headlines. Probably only Ike Morris
even knows who he is. Wow, says the Texter TJ.
Earlier this year, I went through the express Lane and
Charlotte for about ten miles. I got a bill for
eighteen ninety If that eighteen dollars ninety cents. If that's

(26:15):
the price to continue at seventy, I have no problem
slowing down for my turnpike easy pass, says the Texter.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's not the price. The price in that lane is dynamic.
It changes. If you go through their rush hour, it
might be five bucks. If you go through their Sunday
morning at eight o'clock, it might be fifty cents. So
the price is based on when you actually take that
express lane. My point is the technology exists that the
driver need not stop. It's not an element of pricing.

(26:42):
It's just using the proper technology and those tolls. And
I'm for the tolls. I don't have a problem with
the tolls. Generate a lot out of state money that way,
but use the technology that allows traffic to keep flowing.
I mean, how many people really carry cash these days
in their car anyway? I mean, so easy pass RFID,

(27:02):
whatever that technology is, flow on through. You don't get
the bottlenecks that way.

Speaker 1 (27:07):
Three or four talk three or four is the text
line eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five
to five. Last week, three deputies were killed in Los
Angeles in an explosion at the Sheriff's Department training facility.
It appears as if they were moving some ordinances and
still not certain exactly what caused the explosion, but Mark
Lambert is the State Fire Training Director at the w

(27:29):
State Fire Training Academy and has experience in this area.
He joins us on Metro News talk Line this morning.
Mark Good morning, Good morning, Dave, glad you can join us.
I know as far as the specifics about this investigation,
those are still developing here. But when you started to
read these stories, how did that relate back to the

(27:50):
experiences you have had in your career?

Speaker 18 (27:55):
We dealt with the same things here, not in any number,
not in a number of but from what I've been
able to read, they found some old what they think
we're hand grenades, I believe, but we would get calls
from Civil War era all the way up to World
War two Vietnam. Somebody would pass away and and there

(28:18):
would be a hand grenade or whatever left, and then
they'd have to call They would find it and they'd
have to call us out to render it safe.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
What is the process? How do you render it safe?
Do you transport it somewhere else, as these officials appear
to have done, and then what do you actually do
to disarm the ordinance? In questions?

Speaker 18 (28:40):
Well, usually you you do transport them somewhere else, and
then through the use of more explosives, you usually just
counter charge and blow them up again. Like you said,
I don't know the real specifics other than one of
the BBC or somebody said it was those things, especially

(29:02):
if they're older, a lot of the chemicals that break
down and they become extremely fragile. Those guys are the
best in the country out there, though. So it's tragic
and I'm curious to see what really happened, because if
there was any group that knew what they were doing,
it would it would be that group there.

Speaker 1 (29:23):
So we're talking to Mark Lambert, State Fire Training Director
at the WU State Fire Training Academy what kind of
training goes into being able to properly handle these types
of ordinances.

Speaker 18 (29:36):
They have what's called the FBI Hazard's Devices School, where
they send civilians from fire and police departments across the
country to train for I believe it's eight weeks now,
and then there's a lot of when you're on that squad,
there's a lot of on the job experience too. It's

(30:00):
completely separate from the military. The military of what's called
EOD people who trained for like twenty months to twenty
four months learning all the other learning all the military
ordinances and those kind of things.

Speaker 2 (30:18):
Mark, I'm not trying to second guess here. I'm genuinely
asking because this is so far out of the world
that I'm in every day. Given that these are military devices,
and given the accident that occurred, I wonder if we
should rethink process and perhaps call in military officials to
actually deal with it as opposed to civilian firefighters. And

(30:41):
I'm not trying to disparage civilian firefighters. I'm sure you
know that. I just I'm wondering if there's a safer
way to do it here or a need to change
the protocol.

Speaker 18 (30:50):
Well, and I'm like you, I certainly don't want a
Monday morning this, even though it's Monday morning. But there's
some issues. It's the military coming in if it's a
police situation with poss comatatis and those type things. So
it's I mean a lot of times they will render
them safe wherever they are, but obviously you can't do

(31:12):
that when you're in an apartment complex. And my guess
is they were taking them somewhere to render them safe
through counter charging them and something happened, you know, chemical
or whatever happened.

Speaker 1 (31:27):
Hey, Mark, for us civilians, when you say render them safe,
do you mean blow them up?

Speaker 18 (31:33):
Yeah, blow them up or some other way take them apart,
make them inert.

Speaker 1 (31:39):
And how dangerous is I mean? For I mean I
don't want to say it would become secondhand or second
nature for you guys who do this all the time.
But how dangerous is that?

Speaker 18 (31:52):
Extremely dangerous? You know obviously right there there's three taking
out a want you just I mean, you don't know.
You're dealing with a lot of old stuff. Like I said,
a lot of it breaks down chemically. You know, those
those guys were the best of the best, and something

(32:16):
bad had to have happened. I'm not sure what I
guess would be something chemical, but as in a breakdown.
But you just you don't know with that stuff, and
anytime you're dealing with explosives, it's dangerous.

Speaker 2 (32:34):
So investigation will be ongoing. Given the type of incident
that we're dealing with here explosives, Will there be any
real physical evidence that we'll be able to look at
to determine if it was chemical or what the process was?
What should an investigation or what will an investigation likely show?

Speaker 18 (32:51):
Well, they I think the sheriff Department or the l
A p DS the lead on it, but they've got
the beyond the at I'm involved, and if anybody can
find what calls that, it'll be those two groups that'll
be able to find it. I can't say that they will,

(33:12):
but I also can't say they won't be able to
determine exactly what happened.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
Mark Lambert, State Fire Training Director at the W State
Fire Training Academy. Mark, thank you for the perspective and
context this morning.

Speaker 18 (33:24):
Thank you. Dave.

Speaker 1 (33:26):
Absolutely absolutely Mark Lambert again, State Fire Training Director at
the W State Fire Training Academy. The Late Show is
going away? Could the Tonight Show be next?

Speaker 2 (33:36):
Let's hope not.

Speaker 1 (33:37):
Maybe maybe not. We'll find out or at least get
one guy's perspective on the issue. We'll do that next.

Speaker 2 (33:44):
Hey there, it's Dave Allen.

Speaker 19 (33:45):
I'd like to invite you to join myself along with
thirteen News in Tonight Live anchor Amanda Baron, each weekday
from noon till three for Metro News Midday, brought to
you by Silango law We'll come to the news from
across the state of West Virginia, the news West Virginians
need to get keep them informed during their workday. It's
weekdays from noon till three Metro News Midday with thirteen
News and Tonight Live anchor Amanda Baron, brought to you

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Speaker 1 (35:05):
If you have not been following the TBT, why not?
The basketball has been fun, The games have been interesting.
The elam ending is great. Best Virginia Beat heard that
last night. To advance to the regional championship game. We'll
talk to Brad Howell. He was on the call both
Friday and Sunday for the Best Virginia Game, so he'll
join us coming up in the second hour. Last week,

(35:28):
Stephen Colbert won't broke the news on his own show
that well he was getting fired. CBS made the decision
not to just get rid of Colbert, but they are
canceling the Late Show and getting rid of the late
night show that's been part of the network for over
thirty years and originates, of course, from the Ed Sullivan
Theater in New York City. Jack Loger is host of

(35:51):
the Jack and Nicki Morning Show. We're on WVAQ in
north central West Virginia each and every morning. He is
a student of comedy and in particular, student of the
late night television shows. He joins us on at Metro
News talk line this morning.

Speaker 8 (36:04):
Good morning Jack, Good morning Dave and PJ.

Speaker 1 (36:09):
So you've been as long as I've known you. A
student of comedy is how I describe you. One who
likes to get into stand up and break down. How
these jokes are done, how the greats have done it,
from Carson to Leno. If you consider Leno one of
the greats, to Conan to a letterman. So when you
hear the Late Show is just going to be canceled,

(36:29):
they're doing away with it, what does that indicate to you?

Speaker 8 (36:32):
Well, first of all, don't slag off Leno. He may
not have been your cup of tea, but the guy
had a good run. He was number one most of
the time he was on the air. This is really
interesting to me because, as you said, I've followed late
night television for a long time. I've watched it, I've
read the books, I've studied it, and this was not
really surprising to me. I mean, everybody knows that late

(36:53):
night TV is basically at the end of the era.
It's just not what it used to be. Conan O'Brien,
who is my personal favorite, he left TBS in twenty
twenty one because he could see what was happening, and
before he left, he even changed his show from being
an hour long format down to just a half an hour,
and then he stepped out and of course went into

(37:14):
the world of podcasting, where he's been pretty popular. But
he knew even then, and so when you find out
what's happened with Stephen Colbert, it shouldn't be that surprising.
But the part that surprised me was that people started saying, well,
he's been taken off the air because he's attacking Donald Trump.
And that's the reason. You know, Trump is a fascist,

(37:34):
he's stepping in, he's stamping out any type of negative
talk against him, any attacks, and you know that may
or may not be. It doesn't seem that way to
me because, as you said, Stephen Colbert even said as
he was leaving, look I'm not being replaced. This is
all just going away, right. So when you look at
the ratings, one of the arguments people have been making

(37:56):
that he's being taken off the air for attacking Trump
is that, well, he's got the number one show in
late night, So how can you argue that he needs
to be taken off the air if he is number one. Well,
it's true that he's number one among the network shows,
but the problem is the size of the audience is
so much smaller than it used to be that the
show is no longer profitable. In fact, in fact, it's

(38:16):
losing forty million dollars a year. So if you look
at where we are now ratings wise with where we
were back during the Golden Mare of Late Night, you know,
maybe thirty years ago or more so, Stephen Colbert is
number one, but he only has two point two million viewers,
and Letterman was averaging over three million viewers when he
had that show. Jimmy Kimmel on ABC is number two.

(38:38):
He's only getting one point seven million viewers and Jimmy
Fallon has tanked the Tonight Show. The Tonight Show was
number one for decades with Johnny Carson and then Jay Leno.
So the Tonight Show is down to one point one
million viewers. When Leno had it, it was averaging over
four million, and when Johnny Carson had it, it had
over nine million viewers. Now, obviously those are different times,

(39:01):
but still it just shows you the erosion of late
night television. People are just really not watching late night
TV the way they used to.

Speaker 2 (39:07):
So Jack, one of the pieces this morning I read,
characterized it this way. People used to hop in bed,
they'd turn on the Late Show, maybe just catch the monologue, right,
That was the way they went to sleep. Nowadays you
don't do that. You're scrolling on your phone and you
get all the content there. I mean, would you agree
with that assessment?

Speaker 8 (39:23):
Yeah. I think what's happening here is a confluence of factors.
I think technology has changed the landscape. As you just said,
people are not staying up to watch these shows. They
watch them on demand. People who even like the shows,
they jump on YouTube the next morning and watch the
highlights from the show, the favorite parts, and then another
factor is you have social media, so everybody has a
voice Now. Instead of waiting up to see what a

(39:44):
late night host is going to say, you can just
get on social media and see endless takes and jokes
from other people, some of which are better than the
jokes on the late night shows. And you can also
get on social media and offer your own take on
things in your own commentary, and then just sit and
enjoy the dopamine rush while people agree with what you're saying.
And then I think the third thing that has to
be factored in here is these shows are much more

(40:07):
political than they used to be. I mean, you can
go political, but you have to hit both sides when
you do that, otherwise you're chasing away half of your audience.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
So well, what about good people, I mean, Gutfeld, long
can it work?

Speaker 8 (40:19):
Well, we can get to that. So, first of all,
Johnny Carson and Jay Leno they hit both sides. To
this day, do you know what Jay Leno's politics are?

Speaker 6 (40:27):
No?

Speaker 2 (40:27):
And I never know Johnny Carson's.

Speaker 20 (40:28):
You're absolutely correct, Okay, So there you go.

Speaker 8 (40:31):
So they managed to come in and hit both sides
and everybody was happy with that. Now, Gutfeld that's an
interesting situation there, and I think the way I have
this figured, so he's number one in late night. By
the way, he's pulling in about four million viewers despite
being partisan. And the question is how is he doing
that when these other shows are losing audience for being partisan. Well,

(40:51):
I think it's because Greg Gutfeld is narrow casting to conservatives.
You can't chase away an audience you don't have. So
network shows they're supposed to be for everyone. If you're
on the networks like CBS or NBC, your starting point
there is everybody is welcome, and you have a politically
diverse audience tuning in. It doesn't take long for conservatives

(41:12):
to figure out that that show is not for them
and tune out. But the starting point on Fox for
Gutfeld is this is for conservatives. So that's the audience
that he has that's showing up and he's giving them
what they want.

Speaker 1 (41:25):
Jack Loger he is a host of the Jack and
Nicki Morning Show over on WVAQ up here in north
central West Virginia. He's a student of comedy and late night.
Is this more of a commentary on network television or
commentary on the way our comedic tastes have changed, you know.

Speaker 8 (41:43):
I really think it's, like I said, a confluence of things.
I think that technology has changed things. Obviously we're all
living in silos. Now you can tailor your entertainment to
whatever your personal tastes are, whatever you're watching on YouTube
or you know, TikTok or whatever you're after. And I

(42:04):
think that it's basically that for the most part. That's
I think most of it. Late night TV is just
going away, and there's talk that Jimmy Fallon I think
his contract is up in twenty twenty eight and he
is looking to get out before they can him. And
I mean bringing in one point one million people on
a show that costs close to one hundred million dollars

(42:26):
to produce. I mean that's not going to work either.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
So Colbert, I mean he's not done. He gets a podcast,
he does something I would imagine, what's what's your crystal
ball say there?

Speaker 8 (42:39):
I think that he might end up because he is.
I mean, let's be honest, he's pretty far left. I
mean there's no question about that. You've seen his show,
right I have? Yeah, Yeah, I think he ends up
on maybe you know, MSNBC or something like that. I
think he could. He could do that and that would
work fine, I think because that's the audience. Nobody's going
to tune into him on one of these networks and

(43:00):
be upset because he's making jokes about Republicans. They're gonna
be mine with that. I think that'd be a good
fit for him.

Speaker 1 (43:07):
We've only got about sixty seconds. It's not the jokes
that Jack Funny's funny. Shane gillis crushed at the SPI's
of the night because he was just making jokes, not
preaching to you about what you should think or who
you should support.

Speaker 8 (43:19):
Right, that's a very good point. Funny is funny, and
obviously I have my my political opinions like everybody else.
But when the people I like get hit by comedians,
I love it. I still laugh because a well craft
a joke is a well crafted joke. Funny is funny,
k And I think, right, yeah, I'm.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
Excusing not to go back to Gutfeld, but but I
kind of feel like he's a party too. If you
look at the way he does his show. He's got
his entourage there compared to like a Kimmel or whomever
that's just doing the one thing and maybe they bring
in the sidekick here and there. I think that's attractive
to people. I think they like the party atmosphere and
there's something there to that.

Speaker 8 (43:57):
Yeah, I would totally agree with that. Stephen Colbert a
lot of time is just sitting at his desk giving
a speech directly to the camera. I meanware of the jokes.

Speaker 1 (44:06):
That's the question we ask every morning on WVAQ with
Jack Loger in I was going to get one in.
I had to.

Speaker 8 (44:14):
Joe was good those little craft and look even at
my expenses.

Speaker 1 (44:18):
Funny Jack Loger he's the host of the Jack and
Nicki Morning show over on WVAQ up in north central
West Virginia. Jack, thank you very much, appreciate a buddy,
thank you, final break of the hour. Back to wrap
up our number one in a moment.

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Mega Million's jackpot is one hundred ten millions, So go
ahead play today A couple of texts here before the
top of the hour. Comparing Gutfeld to the late night shows,
it is like comparing WVU football to Alabama, two different
classes of products. Gutfield is a hack. I think John
Stewart is absolutely hilarious. He could make me laugh with

(46:29):
a joke on any subject, says the Texter. Steven Colbert
and Jimmy Kimmel are two of the nastiest, most hate
filled shows I've ever seen. Gutfeld has a huge variety
of guests on his panel. He has both Trump and
Bill Maher on the same show. Colbert, Kimmel and Fallon.
Never do that three or four talk three of four Gutfeld,

(46:51):
it says Garfield. Believe s Gutfeld is what you're going
for is the most popular one because the vast majority
of people in our country are not woke. Sooner or later,
you all will have to open your eyes to that
that ten percent of the population that woke. Have people
believing that fifty percent of the population is woke. It's
just not true. Coming up, we'll talk to Harrison County

(47:11):
State Senator Ben Queen will join us and we'll talk
about that viral video two individuals beating up on a
man who are now in custody. We'll talk about that
coming up talk line on Metro News, the Voice of
West Virginia.

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

Speaker 1 (47:39):
Our number two of Metro News talk Line from the
Acoba Insurance studios. Phone number is eight hundred seven sixty
five Talk eight hundred seven six five eighty two five five.
You can text the show at three oh four Talk
three oh four. Jake is running the video stream. Sophia
is handling the audio side of things today. Coming up
next segment, we're going to talk to Captain Ryan Bentley

(48:02):
with the Huntington Police Department. We'll get the latest update
on the two suspects who are arrested for assaults after
a video went viral over the weekend of these two
suspects assaulting a man. The video was posted on social media.
They are now in custody. We'll get the latest on
that coming up with the Captain Bentley in the next
segment and bottom of the hour, if you haven't been

(48:23):
watching the tvt or listening to the TBT on the
Metro News radio network, I have serious questions for you.
The basketball has been fun, The game has been intense.
That elam ending is really fun and keeps any team
in the game right up until the final second. So
why haven't you been watching? And best Virginia's playing in
the regional championship game on Tuesday night. We'll talk to

(48:44):
Brad Howe at the bottom of the hour. Once again,
say good morning to TJ. Meadows down in the Charleston studio.
Back from vacation. I can't tell by the lighting. Do
you got a tan their?

Speaker 4 (48:54):
TJ?

Speaker 2 (48:55):
I'm a little brown. Maybe you might say, you know,
I got a little something going on. See tan.

Speaker 1 (49:00):
Some people tan. Some people just turn different shades of pink.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
I used to and now I'm one that gets burnt
very easily. So you know, I stay out of the
sun and keep my hat on all that good stuff.
You get a little older and you don't want to
risk any kind of exposure that will cause you issues.
I will say this, though, you'd be very disappointed in me.
I haven't watched any of the basketball, but I've.

Speaker 1 (49:19):
Had I'm DiscT.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
I've had everything's going on.

Speaker 1 (49:22):
By the way, I was thinking about this just because
you were on vacation and I don't know if you
went to a beach. Did you go to a beach?
Is that where you were?

Speaker 2 (49:31):
Yes, we went to Hilton Head.

Speaker 1 (49:33):
Well, it's Shark Week on Discovery Channel, and we were
watching shark related programming last night, and my wife once
again declares, as she does during every Shark Week, that
we are never going to beach again. And she's never
or at least she's never going into the ocean ever again,
because obviously a great white is going to swim up
on the beaches of the Outer Banks and eat her
as she's in ankle deep water.

Speaker 2 (49:54):
Well, I mean, I think Hilton Head has had two
or three this summer instances of people and I don't
think anyone has lost the limb, but they've been, you know,
severely bitten to the point, you know, we're talking twenty
twenty five stitches I think on one victim that I read.
So it's it's happening. It does happen, but I don't
let my kids go out that deep. And I hope
that mitigates it to some extent. It seems like what

(50:16):
I read crate me if I'm wrong, But the ones
I read are the people that are really way out there.

Speaker 1 (50:20):
Julie Surfers, Yeah, okay, you look like a seal according
to the Discovery Channel from what I watch, and I
probably watched way more Shark Week.

Speaker 2 (50:29):
Than need be entertaining.

Speaker 1 (50:32):
Well, I'll tell you what. Our next guest is probably
too busy to take part in Shark Week, or maybe not.
He is the Senator from Harrison County. Ben Queen, a
friend of the show. Milia Nicely has a story in
Westvirginia Watch dot Com Today, West Virginia lawmakers but seventeen
million dollars in the state budget for a pay increase
for birth to three workers who had not seen a

(50:52):
raise in more than two decades. Well, while most workers
are getting the raise, the state Department of Health is
going to cut pay for virtue dual therapist, who often
provide services to children in rural areas where there is
a shortage of local therapists. According to Amelia's story, that
caught some lawmakers by surprise, including the cenator from Harrison
County who joins us on Metro News talk line this morning, Ben,

(51:15):
Good morning.

Speaker 21 (51:17):
Good morning guys. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (51:18):
So you were surprised when you heard this news.

Speaker 21 (51:22):
Yeah, I mean I'm still a little disappointed. I think
Burke to three was a big winner in this last
legislative season. I think a lot of lawmakers, especially the
new ones, are realizing that birth to three is an
important piece of our education puzzle. It's an important piece
of trying to get our youngsters the services they need

(51:44):
so that when they do hit the public school system
that we're ready to rock and roll. I think we
had a lot of success. We didn't necessarily get the
official pay raise in code like started the legislative cycles,
but we thought that putting it into the budget, putting
it into a personal service line item, truly directing a

(52:06):
pay raise that way was the best bang for our
buck laid in sessions. Now, come to find out, I
think some got a pay raise and some didn't. I
will tell you that's disappointing on face value, but I
think we can get to the bottom of it, and
I think we can. We can make sure that the department
has enough funding to get us through. That tells me

(52:27):
on the surface level that there's not enough funding to
go around for services. I wish I would have heard
that in testimony and Senate Finance. I didn't, but we'll
get to the bottom of it. I think it's good
that we give state agencies the tools to be successful,
and I think we're trying to get better at that.
I think the legislature is trying to become a little

(52:49):
bit more transparent. I will admit that in years past,
the legislature has been a little accusatory. We've we've punished
state agencies if we find something out during a finance heiering.
And the last thing you want to do is show
up to Sendate Finance in February and get your budget
cut because you'll upset some lawmakers. So I think there's

(53:10):
hope here. I do think there's some concern. I don't
want to see our professionals leave, especially birth to three
for those who don't know birth to three is in
the homes. I mean these professionals, you know, therapists, a
wide range of therapists under the age of three go
into the homes, go into folks homes and provide these services.

(53:34):
It's very important not only for the child, but helps
the parents too, help equip the parents with tools and
resources that they can You know, I'm a parent. I
got a fifteen month old. I feel overwhelmed every day,
and I feel like I got a good head on
my shoulders. But making sure that we're ready to go
in our public education system. I think we're solving a

(53:57):
lot of problems before we overwhelm our school system. So
I think a lot more positive than concerned. But I'm
happy that the concern was rased.

Speaker 2 (54:07):
So been a couple of things. First off, pay raise
is long overdue. We talked with a few of these
folks when we were down at the legislature doing the show,
and I was telling Dave this morning, I characterized my
thoughts of that interview. I was an economic heart attack.
I could not believe what these people had been going through.
They'd essentially been taking pay cut after paycut after pay cut,
year after year, with inflation and every other metric you

(54:28):
can imagine. So, yes, pay raise well deserved. What are
you doing though with the State Department of Health. Have
you talked to anybody over there in the leadership to say,
what's up? Guys? Why didn't you tell us more? Why
didn't you give everybody a raise? Are you hearing anything
from those who actually made the decision, yet I had not.

Speaker 21 (54:45):
I think this is just kind of a new news.
I have talked to my colleagues about trying to get
to the bottom of it, trying to figure out We've
heard a little bit that there might be some additional
expenses for the department overall, but I haven't. I have
a meeting set up for the first first of all
August to try to get some of this understood from

(55:07):
the executive level down and figuring out where the legislature
can help.

Speaker 1 (55:11):
Talking to Harrison County State Senator Ben Queen join us
here I mentioned News talk line. Ben, Is this a
case where you need to be specific from the legislative
point of view if you want to give seventeen million
dollars for pay raises? Is it just a matter if
you need to be specific in the language of the
bill or is it a matter of trying not to

(55:34):
micro manage and allow these agencies to use the funding
as they need to to continue providing service.

Speaker 6 (55:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 21 (55:43):
I think we a little bit of both. I think
we just have to have communication. I think, you know,
I think the legislature has had a bad rap I
think we want to scare people. We want to yell
at state agencies, we want to yell at secretaries, and
I think we're getting at their job of building those
communications so that when we fund light items, we want to.

Speaker 18 (56:04):
Know what they're going for.

Speaker 21 (56:05):
I mean, I could tell you that that was a
major priority in centate finance this year, of breaking these
line items up. We want to know what you're spending in.
We don't want to play gotcha, but but I you know,
I appreciate, you know, the leadership of Jason Barrett from
the Eastern Painhandle. He wants to know where this money
is going. He doesn't want to cut budgets. We don't
want to cut budgets, but we want to We want

(56:25):
to be as transparent as possible. And then you know,
legislators get caught off guard. I've been talking about it
everywhere I go, from Chamber of Commerces to different community groups.
I was bragging about a twenty five percent pay increase.
So you know, it's a little awkward when you realize
the department didn't totally follow through with that that twenty

(56:47):
five percent pay increase. But we'll get to the bottom
of it. It's okay. It I could stand up here
in the apartment's not doing their job. But that's not true.
The department is serving thousands of kids. They're overwhelmed. We're
trying to keep the professionals we got. We have really
good professionals, not just in the birth to three level,

(57:08):
but across the board. We can't we can't afford to
have any of these folks in the department leave. And
I'm not saying they are, but I'm just saying if
we're giving some groups ar raises and not others or thing.
We're all the big thing in state government, and I
think it's a legislator's job to make sure that we're

(57:28):
boosting that as much as we can.

Speaker 2 (57:31):
Ben, I want to switch gears talk economic development with
you just a bit. I know that's a topic that
you take a lot of interest in. Look green power.
Some people have said, look, it's a loser and buy
every merit. It probably is. And there's been you know,
I've had some people ask questions and saying, well, you know,
why is the state in that business? Well, I mean,
you get it. I would think you win some, you

(57:52):
lose some, but economic developments in this state that's not
something that we can let our foot off the gas,
Am I right?

Speaker 20 (58:00):
Yeah?

Speaker 21 (58:00):
No, I strive three hundred and sixty five days a
year to try and recruit jobs. Now, when I say that,
that doesn't mean the government needs to throw money three
hundred and sixty five days a year. But I want
to be able to fund our economic development folks, to
be able to have the resources and tools to meet
with these companies, to travel to them if they're not

(58:23):
willing to travel to us. Just hard swept blood and
the ability and give them the resources to recruit these jobs. Sure,
is there an opportunity sometimes to level a mountain to
run infrastructure to pave a road for specific economics development projects.
I am in favor of that. I think that's been

(58:44):
successful in mind that in the woods in north central
west Virginia. I think it's been successful across the country.
We are never going to be able to compete with
the big huge states, and I will consider big huge
states surrounding us too, Right, Pennsylvania, Ohio. Uh, they're they're
in this battle with us, right. The governor wants to
say a backyard brawl. They're backyard brawling us. And typically

(59:09):
their state budgets are larger than us. But we can
be nimble, we can be very resourceful. We can give
our department uh the ability to go and talk to
these people face to face. I UHM not going to
get into the specifics of of the potential deal, but
I I was with the governor himself and his economic
development team just last week talking about recruiting a team here.

(59:32):
They're full throttle that they're understanding to recruit new businesses here.
And I will say West Virginia succeeds. We don't have
the bureaucracy that other states do. West Virginia is is
is truly stepping up and and being able to appear
and being able to talk to these companies when when
when uh, when we're properly funded, when people are in

(59:54):
their place, and and I think it's I think it's
the number one priority.

Speaker 5 (59:57):
Now.

Speaker 21 (59:57):
That's what I hear from my constituents. They want good
paying jobs.

Speaker 18 (01:00:00):
Guys.

Speaker 21 (01:00:01):
You've heard me say that's before I ran for office,
to to bring my college friends back home. They're going
to come back home when a good paying job is
available so they can come home. We've already uh you know,
to raise their kids.

Speaker 11 (01:00:15):
Uh.

Speaker 21 (01:00:15):
In West Virginia. It's a lot easier to raise your
kid in West Virginia than it is in Chicago. But
I think we're doing a good job. I think economic
development should continue to be our priority. But uh that
the awkwered the awkortundity that that you just suggested was
cutting checks to companies. I think we need to revamp
the way we approach that. I know that that the

(01:00:36):
current governor is revamping that process. I can disagree with
him on some things, but but let's let's find out
where we agree and move forward and make sure that
these these companies who want to do business in West
Virginia have the most attention from legislators possible.

Speaker 1 (01:00:53):
Ben Queen Harrison County State Center. Ben always appreciate the
time thank about him.

Speaker 21 (01:00:58):
Thanks guys.

Speaker 1 (01:00:59):
Coming up the late US on the arrest of two
suspects who were caught through well. Social media had a
large role to play. We'll talk to the Huntson Police
Department when we return.

Speaker 2 (01:01:12):
Hey, there, it's Dave Allen.

Speaker 19 (01:01:13):
I'd like to invite you to join myself along with
thirteen News and Tonight Live anchor Amanda Baron, each weekday
from Noontul three for Metro News Midday, brought to you
by Selango Law. We'll cover the news from across the
state of West Virginia, the news West Virginians need to
keep them informed during their workday. It's weekdays from noontol
three Metro News, Midday with thirteen News and Tonight Live

(01:01:34):
anchor Amanda Baron, brought to you by Selango Law on
Metro News, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 22 (01:01:40):
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Speaker 1 (01:02:23):
We'll talk basketball bottom of the hour. Brad Howe will
join us three guys before the game and sports Line.
Also on the Call for Best Virginia on Friday and Sunday,
but over the weekend at least that's when I first
saw the video. Over the weekend, circulating on social media
showing two men beating up on another individual who appeared

(01:02:45):
to be an adult with some sort of mental disabilities.
The video had gone viral. People were calling for justice,
calling to bring these two individuals to justice. Well, the
Huntington Police Department receive that report of the incident involving
a twenty two year old Huntington resident. The two suspects

(01:03:06):
were later identified and apprehended, twenty one year old James
Clapper of Flatwoods, Kentucky and eighteen year old Brock Masdra
of Huntington. Joining us so much a news talk line
with more is Captain Ryan Bentley with the Huntington Police Department.
He oversees the investigations division. Captain Bentley, good morning, thanks
for joining us, Yes, sir, thank you, appreciate you coming on.

(01:03:28):
So when was the police department first alerted to this
incident and to the video that was circulating out on
social media.

Speaker 5 (01:03:36):
The twenty two year old victim reported this incident to
the Huntington Police Department in the evening on the nineteenth,
which was this past Saturday. It did occur on the sixteenth,
but the Huntington Police Department was not involved until the nineteenth.

Speaker 1 (01:03:53):
So where do you go from there. At that point,
the video was circulating out on social media. What went
into this investigation to identify and find the suspects.

Speaker 5 (01:04:03):
Well, obviously we saw the videos, as did everyone out
there on all the social media platforms, and it was
very violent in nature and we didn't like it any
more than anybody else did. It was a horrendous act
and a defenseless man on the ground being repeatedly kicked
and punched and was just very degrading and it was
awful to watch. So we had initially we had a

(01:04:25):
couple of detectives assigned to it right when it came in,
and the number one goal was to get these get
the main two perpetrators identified, which we did that evening,
and we had warrants on them for felony malicious assault
within a few hours. Then we began working with neighboring
agencies because one of the individual's resides in Kentucky on

(01:04:47):
a search to get them picked up on the warrants.

Speaker 2 (01:04:49):
Can you give us the names of those perpetrators and
their status now? Are they still incarcerated?

Speaker 5 (01:04:54):
It was James Clapper and Brock I mispronounced his first say,
masdra One was from Huntington eighteen years old, one was
twenty one from Flatwood's, Kentucky, and they are currently being
held in a corressions facility in Kentucky awaiting extradition hearings
back to West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (01:05:16):
So, in a situation where there is video of this
of an incident, it gets posted to social media, does
that make the job easier? Does it help you or
does it hinder the investigation?

Speaker 5 (01:05:30):
I wouldn't say. I wouldn't commit one way or another.
We saw it obviously when it was reported. Obviously you
have to look into the clarity and originality of certain videos.
What's been doctored, what's not been doctored. This was very
much a real video, but in this case it helped us.
As tragic as the video was.

Speaker 2 (01:05:50):
Do you have any idea about motive here? Are these
just depraved individuals we're talking about? Any indication yet of
why they would do something like this?

Speaker 5 (01:06:00):
Do There was a dispute, However, to go into that
dispute is still under investigation and there are still interviews
being conducted, so I can't really dive into what the
exact reasons were at this point.

Speaker 1 (01:06:11):
Captain Ryan Bentley's joining US Hunnington Police Department. He oversees
the investigations division, Captain Bentley, somebody had to take the video.
There had been there was obviously at least one other
person there. Will that person face any charges, There is a.

Speaker 5 (01:06:26):
Potential for that. Yes, there are more interviews that need
to be conducted, and our detectives are working on those
working on this case diligently as we speak.

Speaker 2 (01:06:37):
Given the status of the victim, the reports that he
was autistic, would you characterize this as a hate crime?

Speaker 5 (01:06:48):
I can't comment on the victim's condition at this point.

Speaker 2 (01:06:55):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:06:57):
I was about to ask how was the victim doing
through all this? But you just answered that question, Captain Bentley.

Speaker 5 (01:07:02):
Well, as far as is the question you answer is
how he's doing. He is out of the hospital and
he's doing much better. However, he did suffer some pretty
substantial injuries, specifically to his face.

Speaker 1 (01:07:14):
You know, I had a former police officer, and this
is going to be an opinion question. You don't have
to answer it if you don't want. But a former
police officer, retired officer, it's spent years, decades serving as
both on the county side and the city side. Say
when he first got into the business, it was a
different kind of criminal that today's criminals are meaner, maybe

(01:07:37):
have less of a conscience. I understood the characterization a
Captain Bentley that it was a different kind of criminal,
but I don't know how if I can describe that,
can you?

Speaker 5 (01:07:49):
Ah, that would be his opinion. I've been here for
twenty six years working in this profession and there was
some pretty bad criminals back then, and there's still some
pretty bad criminals now. That would be a perspective from him.

Speaker 1 (01:08:06):
Anybody'd like to recognize as part of this investigation bringing
these two suspects into justice.

Speaker 5 (01:08:14):
Now, I'd like to thank all of the concerned citizens
that have reached out to the Police Department offering their assistance. Also,
our detectives who work diligently over the weekend on this
case and along with our partnering agencies specifically Kentucky Dea
Hi to Task for Switch, assisted in getting these guys
in custody rather quickly.

Speaker 1 (01:08:34):
Captain Ryan Bentley oversees the Investigations Division with the HIKES
and Police Department. Give our best to all your officers.
Well done, good job, and keep up the good work.

Speaker 5 (01:08:43):
Yes, sir, thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:08:44):
Appreciate it very much. Coming up, we'll talk basketball. We'll
lighten the mood just a little bit. Brad Howe's going
to join us. He was on the call along with
Travis Jones for Best Virginia's wins on Friday and Sunday
as they look to advance. So our advancing to the
regional championship game on Tuesday will do that. Plus, your
text messages are coming up at three or four. Talk
three or four. This is talk Line on Metro News,

(01:09:05):
the Voice of West Virginia. It is eleven thirty in
time to get a news update. Let's check you in
with the Metro News radio network. Find out what's happening
all across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 23 (01:09:17):
West Virginia Metro News.

Speaker 2 (01:09:19):
I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 23 (01:09:20):
Two men are in a Kentucky jail today awaiting extradition
back to West Virginia, where they will face charges of
beating up a man in Huntington. Twenty one year old
James Clapper of Flatwoods, Kentucky an eighteen year old Rock
Mazdra of Huntington, mar each charge with Malitia's assault. Hunting
To police claim the pair Attacktice have in severely beat
a twenty two year old man near Ritter Park last week.

(01:09:41):
The attack was videoed and placed on social media. Cooperating
authorities in Kentucky arrested the pair Sunday. Meanwhile, in Morgantown,
two men have been arrested in connection with the downtown
shooting from early Saturday morning. Morgantown police said they were
able to take into custody twenty one year old Edward
Austin and Morgantown and twenty four year old Marina Ramirez
of Westover. The shots were fired during an argument on

(01:10:02):
High Street. According to witnesses. Austin's charged with one endangement,
Ramirez charged with the conspiracy to commit a felony. Nobody
was hit but the gunfire. A Botdom County manufacturing plant
has agreed to create an apprenticeship program through Marshall Diamond
Electric in Ellinor and the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center reached
that agreement. Derek Scarborough is the director of the Marshall program.

Speaker 17 (01:10:22):
They started a industrial maintenance mechanic apprenticeship program and seventeen
of their employees are starting that training with us and
they'll be upskilling into these more difficult positions that are
critical for that company and many like it.

Speaker 23 (01:10:41):
You're listening to Metro News, the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 9 (01:10:45):
A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia is now
posted on the podcast center of we metronews dot com
and the Metro News TV app.

Speaker 10 (01:10:52):
We talk summer safety, from preventing drowning and heat sickness
to bug bites and brain injuries.

Speaker 11 (01:10:58):
Pulmets are good if they have been proved into save lives,
whether it's mountain biking, whether it's rock climbing, whether it's
riding at ATV.

Speaker 9 (01:11:06):
Listen to Live Healthy West Virginia for candid conversations with
insights for improving your health and well being. Live Healthy
West Virginia is presented by WBU Medicine.

Speaker 20 (01:11:15):
Hi.

Speaker 24 (01:11:15):
I'm Nathan Atkins with CEC. Why did I choose CEC?
It's simple. As a Huntington native and a Marshall grad,
I'm thrilled to work in CEC's Charleston office getting back
to my community. At CEC, I dive into every engineering aspect.
Learning from West Virginia's best. Being employee owned means that
I have a stake in my future. We're not just
names on projects, we connect with clients, adding personality to
every job. At CEC. We engineer progress in the great

(01:11:38):
state of West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (01:11:40):
Find out what CEC can do for you.

Speaker 20 (01:11:42):
Visit ceci NC dot com.

Speaker 23 (01:11:45):
Best Virginia into the regional finals after defeating her that
Sunday at the Charleston Coliseum, Tray Mitchell had himself a game,
scoring the winning basket. West Mitchell turn around, get in
the middle of the something and finished that day on.

Speaker 20 (01:12:05):
Twenty three for Trey.

Speaker 23 (01:12:07):
Mitchell, Travis Jones, and Brad Howe in the call Best
Virginia to face Elite Nation at seven tomorrow night from
the Metro News anchor desk, I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 1 (01:12:26):
All right, bumper music wasn't there, but it happens from
time to time. We're gonna get Brad Howe on the line.
Eight hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk is the
phone number. In three or four Talk three or four
is the text line. Even the computers having a Monday.

Speaker 2 (01:12:39):
I thought you wanted to meet us sing.

Speaker 1 (01:12:41):
Uh No, No, I don't think. I don't know, can
you sing?

Speaker 2 (01:12:46):
Man? I used to be able to. I used to
do a mean karaoke remember back back in the day
when I was at WVU undergrad, there was a little
place off a Chestnut Streak called Chicken Bones. I don't
know what's there now, but Brian Moe and I used
to do a mean Carrio key host there on Friday
and Saturday nights back in the day. So yeah, I
belt it a number or two in my time.

Speaker 1 (01:13:05):
All right, well we'll call that plan b Let's go
to the text line three or four talk three before
we're going to get brad House talk tbt uh. Here
in a moment, Queen talking about ben. Queen has done
an excellent job with holding the department accountable, with digging
into their line items, more specifically Bureau of Medical Services,
and transferring line item funds to fund other items. A

(01:13:28):
great way for us to take advantage of our nimbleness
would be for our state to invest in people with
disabilities by investing in state agencies whose job it is
to provide vocational services. People with disabilities want to work,
but many times have nobody willing or able to provide
specialized training or reasonable accommodations. Get some more of your
texts coming up. Three or four talk three zero fours

(01:13:50):
the text line eight hundred and seven six five eight
two five five the phone number. I keep telling you,
if you're not watching the TBT or listening to the TBT,
you are missing out. The basketball is fun. The officials
let him play the elam ending quite frankly, for my money,
can't be beat Best Virginia defeated heard that last night
who advanced to the regional championship game out a thirteen

(01:14:10):
point halftime lead and went on to win eighty two
seventy five. Brad Howell is on the call with Travis Jones.
He joins us on Metro News talk Line this morning.

Speaker 6 (01:14:18):
Brad, Good morning, Good morning, Dave. Good to be with
you having fun.

Speaker 1 (01:14:23):
These tvt games have been fun.

Speaker 6 (01:14:25):
See, I'm with you.

Speaker 18 (01:14:27):
I love it.

Speaker 6 (01:14:27):
And listen, we're at the time of the year when
there's not a bunch of live sports going on. And
if you give me basketball and you put the West
Virginia brand on it, you put the Marshall brand on it,
and then certainly when you hook those two up, and
I'm with you, you add the elam ending into these
games and it just it adds a level of excitement.
So yeah, to answer your question, having a blast, I
think that's been two really fun, albeit stressful games for

(01:14:50):
Best Virginia. But it's been a blast so far through
two games.

Speaker 2 (01:14:53):
Why is the elam ending the best thing ever?

Speaker 6 (01:14:58):
It's a great question. I think to boil it down
a couple of things. Number One, it eliminates the parade
to the free throw line. So the team that is
trailing in a normal game, the only way to get
back in it is you've got to extend the clock,
and by doing that, you got to stop the clock,
so you have to foul, and the other leading team
goes to the free throw line, and so you end

(01:15:18):
up watching a free throw shooting contest late in regular games.
That's number one that eliminates the elam ending eliminates that.
Number two, when we were talking about this last night
on the broadcast, because you've seen it two different times
in these Best Virginia games, is I think there's some
psychology at play too, guys, in that the winning team
or the leading team at that point, does seem to

(01:15:39):
have a tendency to get a little tight in that moment,
and that each shot they miss when the elam ending
is in play seems to make the team a little
bit tighter. Conversely, the team that is trailing knows exactly
what the score has to be. It's not a race
against the clock, it's a race against the score. And
each team dream the du Bois dream. And then heard
that I thought did a tremendous job in that moment

(01:16:03):
of going absolutely back to the wall, all out and
upping their intensity. So you put those two pieces together
of the psychology and then the effort that is going
into both teams, and I think it leads to a
very just fun and attractive end of game situation.

Speaker 1 (01:16:19):
Well, look at Elite Nation that they come in as
the number one seed, had the first round by and
most of the Court Street Kings, the Ohio University alumni team.
They nerely come back and knock off the number one seed.
So anything's possible here.

Speaker 6 (01:16:32):
Yeah, probably should have knocked off the number one seed, Dave,
if we're being honest with you, Court Street Kings had
bad game. So yeah, it's a really interesting thing. I
talked to somebody over the weekend that's involved in officiating
in and around high school and college basketball, and I
just asked the question of I'd love to hear some
feedback as to why it hasn't been more widely accepted

(01:16:52):
across some other avenues, and I get the tradition that's
in place, and getting it in place an NCACH Division
one may be difficult, but I don't know that I'd
mind seeing it at some other levels, Dave, I think
it makes it a really exciting way to watch a game,
especially at the end.

Speaker 2 (01:17:07):
So do you think that will ever happen realistically, Brad No, TJ.

Speaker 6 (01:17:11):
I think there could be a chance, if I'm not mistaken. Guys,
the NIT tried it within the last year or two
in their postseason tournament. They put it in place, and
I think the more commonplace it becomes, or the more
you see it in TBT play and see how it operates,
you can get into that.

Speaker 15 (01:17:27):
Now.

Speaker 6 (01:17:27):
I assume there's some TV issues there with the TV
in the Division one Games wants to know for sure
what stoppage of play is, know that they can jam
some more commercials in there. But just from a pure
basketball standpoint, it is hard to argue that it adds
excitement to the game.

Speaker 1 (01:17:41):
Talking to Brad Hall, of course, three guys before the
game sports Line, and he's been on the call with
the Travis Jones for Best Virginia's games at the TBT.
What makes this team exciting? What makes this team click?

Speaker 6 (01:17:53):
It's the pressure. Defense is really good. You talk about
Kedrian Johnson and Jared West and that's two of the
best on ball defense you could possibly find. So that's
what drives this team. Their fast paced, their full court
ninety four feet, they're jumping and trapping defensively, and then
on the offense they want to get out and run
a little bit. But I think it's really it's the
defense that drives this team. And that's been a brand

(01:18:16):
for West Virginia for how long.

Speaker 21 (01:18:18):
This group fits.

Speaker 6 (01:18:19):
Right into that.

Speaker 2 (01:18:20):
What's up next for Best Virginia?

Speaker 6 (01:18:22):
Yeah, this Elite Nation team is really good. And I
said yesterday it's a classic TBT team if you're a
college basketball fan and even a diehard, if you go
through their roster, I don't know that there's a single
player that will jump out to you where you say,
oh yeah, I remember him. It's guys from my ownA.
There's some Fairfield, there's some Saint Peter's, and there's maybe
one or two in Alabama and Arkansas guy some power

(01:18:45):
for but not names you recognize. But then you watch
them play and it's like every guy, every guy's a pro,
and every guy they put on that floor does a
lot of things well. They handle it, they can shoot it,
they've got size, they rebound. They're just a really well
balanced group of professionals that knows how to play together.

Speaker 1 (01:19:02):
I'm just going to point out I heard that was
missing Elmore, John Elmore and tav On Kinsey. Just go
throw that out there, rad, you know, just want to
remind you we were down a couple guys.

Speaker 6 (01:19:12):
Yeah, there's no question, and that's and listen, that's a
massive part of it. There's no question Elmore has been
fantastic in this event over time. Kinsley very good too,
So there's no doubt that heard that it shortened their bench,
and then when Tokoto goes out, it shortened their bench
even further. Although he was really struggling mightily against the
ball pressure, so that really shortened their bench, and I
thought that was a factor. I thought heard that's defense

(01:19:34):
really suffered at the end. They just weren't able to
rotate or weren't willing to rotate and get out there
and do the shots. But as I said, Dave, you
can come on and offer up all the excuses you
want that matter and TVT, man, you win in advance,
I don't care who was there, who wasn't you move
on to the next round. And man, I thought it
was a factor. It was definitely a factor.

Speaker 1 (01:19:54):
I thought Ott was going to have to trade the
flip flops for some sneakers and lace them up one
more time. That's how short that bench was getting.

Speaker 6 (01:20:01):
I will give Ods some credit. He did a wonderful
job at the end of flat out standing between the
official and James Reese, who was waiting to inbound it.
I just physically would not move until he talked the
officials into a review. Now, oh yeah, that's way. But
I thought that was a tremendous head coaching job by Ott.
He just said, you know what, I'm not moving. I'm

(01:20:21):
just going to stay in here. You're gonna have to
review the play. I don't know how that was allowed,
but it worked. Nice job on, Brad.

Speaker 2 (01:20:26):
You spent a ton of time in college athletics. No
one forgets that. You know the business of sports. I'm
always looking for the next big thing. Tvt's been huge,
very marketable. Is there any way that the success of
TBT and basketball could translate to another sports. I mean,
could you figure out a way to do this with
baseball or football or is this just unique to basketball

(01:20:48):
and it's a it's a basketball thing only.

Speaker 6 (01:20:51):
Yeah, it's a good question, tjet. I think they've started
a soccer tournament in trying to capture some of that.
I think it and it's a great event. And again
I say, all the time, you're getting high level basketball.
Everybody you throw out on that floor is a pro
basketball somewhere. And we mentioned that with the Dvoys dream.
They came in with a bunch of Division two guys,
but they're all pros and you saw what a great

(01:21:11):
game that was against Best Virginia. I think the challenge
just is is getting all of these guys again that
are professionals, to come back and give their time for
basically what is just a chasing of the million dollars.
Maybe there's some financial incentive here and there, but it's
nickels and dimes compared to what they're making at times.
And the risk of injury is so great. We saw

(01:21:33):
that with a will Vorhees. I mentioned Takado having to
go out with that ankle injury, and again you just
hope those guys that are coming down here and basically
playing for a chance to win a million, which we
know only one team will get, and having to put
those injuries on the line, or potential injuries on the
line when they have pro careers. That's probably the biggest
challenge for this moving forward, is just getting people to

(01:21:54):
compete when they have other jobs that depend on on
their being healthy.

Speaker 1 (01:21:58):
Isn't that part of the appeal though, Brad and some
of these guys are. They have pro careers, but you're
trying to get noticed and here's a chance to play
in front of a national audience. Maybe somebody sees you that.
I think that's part of the appeal of the tournament
to be, you know, maybe go from playing in Israel
to catching on with an NBA G League team.

Speaker 6 (01:22:16):
Yeah, there's no doubt, Dave, I agree with that too,
and I think that's why you still get a lot
of these guys willing to take the risk and go
out and play. And I also think that's why these
games are so intense. I mean, they're really fun. There's
a lot of talking going back and forth, and it
gets chippy, and if you enjoy talking between players between
players and officials. You get Teddy Vallentine repping these games.

(01:22:38):
He's not afraid to trash talk back to players like,
it's just a fun environment. And you've got guys that
are highly motivated.

Speaker 2 (01:22:44):
One we should make them up, and we should make
them up, we.

Speaker 6 (01:22:48):
Should mike them up. I mean, it is really entertaining
guys when they get going. But Dave, I think that's
part of it. Yeah, the chance to be seen is
certainly part of the appeal.

Speaker 1 (01:22:55):
Well, Brett, part of the appeal at least for us
here in West Virginia. You had the best West Virginia
and they heard that w versus Marshall, and even guys
who aren't from either one of those schools seem like
they bought in. They were into the rivalry whether or not.
You know, you got Jacory Williams, he went to Middle Tennessee.
You've got you know, guys playing for Best Virginia, not
from West Virginia. They were bought into that atmosphere.

Speaker 6 (01:23:18):
Yesterday, Yeah, I think you're right, And I mentioned that
to somebody on the way home last night. Marshall's three
leading scorers and clearly three best players on the floor
were non Marshall guys, and same for West Virginia two
of their three leading scores or whether James Reese one
of the most valuable pieces not a West Virginia guy.
But it's also indicative, I think, Dave, of what's going
on in college sports. At the end of the day,

(01:23:39):
you put West Virginia marx on and heard that marx On,
and fans are rooting for the brand, even maybe more
so than the individuals representing those brands. And it still
is fun and I think that's what the appeal is.
And so yeah, it's fun when you see former mountaineers
of different eras get to play together, and I still
love watching that. But I'm also good when teams mix

(01:24:01):
in players from other places. I love that Best Virginia
over the last couple of years has mixed in some
MEC players this year with will vorhees that I mentioned
a former D two Player of the Year Isaiah Sanders,
that played at Fairmont State. I like that and it
adds to it. But at the end of the day,
they're still representing a West Virginia affiliated brand, and as
a fan, I like that and it's ezy to root

(01:24:22):
for it.

Speaker 1 (01:24:24):
Brad how will be on the call tomorrow night, Travis Jones.
They'll be back at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center
for the regional final. It'll be Best Virginia and Elite
Nation coming up tomorrow nights from Charleston. Brad, have fun,
enjoy it. We'll be listening and watching. We'll turn on
this stream and well then we'll turn you in, Travis on.
That's the way to do OKIK.

Speaker 6 (01:24:44):
Just thank you guys for having me. That's how you
do it. Just sync up the stream on the radio
to your TV broadcast and you get the best of
both world.

Speaker 1 (01:24:51):
That's right, Brad, How three guys Sports Line. He'll be
on the call with Travis of the tvt.

Speaker 18 (01:24:54):
Thanks Brad, Thanks guys.

Speaker 1 (01:24:56):
Rest of the show is all yours. We'll get to
the text line three or four Talk three oh four.
Phone numbers eight hundred seven to sixty five Talk eight
hundred seven, six five eight two, five to five. This
is talkline from the Encove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 25 (01:25:07):
WVU Medicine Children's has been named the number one children's
hospital in West Virginia by US News and World Report
for the fourth year in a row. We're the state's
largest group of pediatric primary specialty and high risk maternal
care providers. And we're home to the state's only pediatric
cardiac surgery program and pediatric Epilepsi Monitoring unit. Trust the

(01:25:29):
top children's hospital in this state, and the team at
WVU Medicine Children's Visit WVU kids dot com.

Speaker 20 (01:25:37):
The free Metro NEWSTV app is the place to watch
the voice of West Virginia. See talk Line with Dave
and TJ. Sports Line with Tony coreedis three Guys Before
the Game and coming soon. The Morning News, Metro News
mid Days and Hotline with Dave weekly right on your
smart TV or streaming device. Get the Metro News Television
app from the Apple App Store or Google Marketplace. Metro

(01:25:58):
News Television is powered by Danny Cabbage, mc GO, Maright,
Little Window Marine, the stite team at Welton HANSWMD Group,
and Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration.

Speaker 3 (01:26:20):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:26:30):
Three Oho four Talk three oh four guys, Stop the BS.
We all know Colbert's removed. What's political? The Big Orange
baby can't expect any kind of criticism, so stop bs
and people says the.

Speaker 2 (01:26:44):
Texter economics trump politics. Sorry, who's going to lose forty
million dollars a year and do that year after year
after year. Now, two things can be true at the
same time, But who's going to lose forty million dollars
a year? Come on, give me a break.

Speaker 1 (01:26:59):
On somebody's TDS is getting in the way of logic.

Speaker 2 (01:27:06):
I missed you, buddy, I was here.

Speaker 1 (01:27:11):
Let me see three or four TiO. I would rather
hear TJ sing than the lousy bumper music you guys
use these days.

Speaker 18 (01:27:16):
Are you sure?

Speaker 2 (01:27:18):
Are you sure?

Speaker 1 (01:27:19):
A cappella is hard to do?

Speaker 12 (01:27:20):
TJ?

Speaker 2 (01:27:21):
Get a barbershop quartet thing going or something.

Speaker 6 (01:27:24):
Well.

Speaker 1 (01:27:24):
I tried to get a TV team put together, a
TBT team put together last week for next year's events,
but we're pretty sure none of us would make it
out of the warm ups. And you know, the worker's
comp would just be way, way too expensive.

Speaker 2 (01:27:41):
I have to tell you, I would be very interested
to have some of those guys miked. I don't know
a technology would allow that while they're out there getting
rough with each other, and you know it might have
some problems, but it'd be worth a try, be very
interesting to hear.

Speaker 1 (01:27:54):
It'd be interesting, and you wouldn't be able to put
ninety percent of it on the air. You'd have to
you'd have to go old.

Speaker 2 (01:28:01):
School, and you could stream it.

Speaker 1 (01:28:06):
Do you remember the days of early satellite television? Speaking
of streaming early satellite television, we could get the back
haul of these national broadcasts. You would have the coordinates
and you would be able to watch you know, behind
the scenes that you can't do that.

Speaker 2 (01:28:19):
Now, but you had the really big dish to do.

Speaker 1 (01:28:22):
That the unofficial West Virginia State flower or tree or
whatever it is. And that's what that reminds me of.
Where you can get the back hall and you could listen
to the announcers talk to each other during the breaks,
and you'd hear all the off color comments they would make,
and that that's kind of what that would be.

Speaker 2 (01:28:37):
Doesn't ESPN still do that on occasion something like that
they used to? I don't know if they still do,
Like they put it on like ESPN two or one
of the like or something.

Speaker 1 (01:28:47):
In a while. They do what they got the Manning
cast now three or four Talk three or four Update
Epstein files, on when we will get the new or
hang on, let me get through this one, update the
Epstein files, and on when we will get a new
state health director.

Speaker 2 (01:29:07):
We did update the Epstein files on Friday. Tulcy Gabbert
put out a distraction. That's your update.

Speaker 1 (01:29:12):
Shoulder shrug emojio on both of those. By the way, TJ,
what's good in Hilton Head, I'm going there for the
first time next week, asks the Texter.

Speaker 2 (01:29:20):
A lot of great places. Hit up the Earl of
Sandwich one of the best burgers you'll ever have. Nectar
is a wonderful place for breakfast. Hilton has a silwer
pace than most places. Unfortunately, it's getting a little more commercialized.
I guess that's good and bad. But yeah, there's a
few recommendations there for you. One Hot Mamas is some
great barbecue.

Speaker 1 (01:29:39):
Texter sinds in late night or in late show fashion.
The top ten reason Stephen Colbert is fired. I will
not read all of them, but they're funny. I have
never never been funny. Stopped reading Dunesberry got caught watching
Fox on his work computer, and the number one reason

(01:29:59):
he's Stephen Cole.

Speaker 2 (01:30:00):
Give her Rich Letterman's new show that he's got, that
that series he does on Netflix. My next guest, I
have not. It's pretty good. You would like it because
I like old school stuff. I think you do too.
It's a it's a blast of the past, but it's
modern at the same time.

Speaker 1 (01:30:13):
Several years ago, in fact, I think this was during
the pandemic, when everybody was scrambling for programming. Sirius XM
was running old Johnny Carson shows. Nice's just twenty four.
It was a Carson channel twenty four to seven. It
was just old Carson shows, which they were an hour
and a half when he was doing the show. So
it was great. If you had a sizeable commute to

(01:30:34):
get to work, you just listen to old Carson and
they were fun. And here's the thing, the jokes held up.
The jokes were still funny.

Speaker 2 (01:30:40):
Yeah. I love the documentary. I forget. I think America
Experience did it on him. Have you seen that by
chance on Johnny Carson?

Speaker 6 (01:30:48):
I have not.

Speaker 2 (01:30:49):
Oh, you would love it. Go. I think it's on Prime.

Speaker 1 (01:30:52):
All right, top, I'm jotting these things down. You gotta
watch Letterman's new show, Carson's documentary.

Speaker 2 (01:30:57):
You're welcome.

Speaker 1 (01:30:58):
I got to take one more break as well. Three
or four Talk three or four is the tax line.
Eight hundred seven to sixty five Talk eight hundred seven
sixty five eight two five five the phone number. We're
back for more. To wrap things up in a moment.

Speaker 22 (01:31:10):
We are there for you, to care for you at
the Health Plan.

Speaker 26 (01:31:16):
We are here. It all started with a vision. We've
grown alongside West Virginia, becoming part of its fabric for
over four decades.

Speaker 2 (01:31:26):
We've been here through thick and thin, supporting.

Speaker 26 (01:31:29):
Local families and businesses, proudly serving West Virginia since nineteen
seventy nine, your trusted partner in the community, the Health Plan.

Speaker 16 (01:31:38):
A lot of attention has been directed towards something President
Trump calls clean beautiful coal. That phrase often describes the
clean burning aspect of West Virginia coal, but there is
another type of coal, metallurgical coal, which is used to
make the steel our economy depends on, and West Virginia
has some of the highest quality.

Speaker 1 (01:31:57):
Met coal in the world.

Speaker 16 (01:31:59):
West Virginia coal miners produce.

Speaker 2 (01:32:01):
More met coal than any other.

Speaker 16 (01:32:02):
State, and seventy percent of all steel makers in the
United States rely on West Virginia met coal. This accounts
for two hundred billion dollars in economic impact throughout the
country and help sustain over a half billion jobs. As
President Trump reinvigorates our economy, he will need a lot
of our high quality met coal. So the West Virginia
Coal Association asks you to join with them to recognize,

(01:32:25):
honor and salute our West Virginia coal miners. They built
this country and will play a vital role in rebuilding
the economy that will power the twenty first century. A
message from the friends of coal.

Speaker 1 (01:32:55):
Mentionews Midday coming up on many of these same Metion
News radio stations. Stave al Amanda Bear and will join you,
take you till three o'clock, Dave Weekly and Hotline, and
then the Metro New Statewide Sports Line with Kyle Wiggs
and company coming up. There's your schedule through the rest
of the day, three or four Talk three o four
Texters says Metro News is resident two time OVAC Tournament MVP,

(01:33:18):
ready to lead the Metro News TBT team to the
million twenty twenty six. We do have some young guys
that could give us some minutes. I mean, we got
Daniel Wood. Daniel Woods, you know, Luke Wigs could maybe
give us a few minutes. I got a couple of
part timers slash interns working for us this summer. We're

(01:33:39):
on those Morgantown girls basketball teams. Sofia, Sofia's point guard.
She's on phones today. Got Mia, she was a shooting guard.
So there's your one and two. You put Daniel on
the post, and now we're getting somewhere.

Speaker 2 (01:33:52):
I love the enthusiasm. I think we probably start with
the softball team first and work our way up from there.
Play a couple of charity games or something.

Speaker 1 (01:33:59):
I don't know. Those can get intense.

Speaker 2 (01:34:01):
I plet me tell you what most intense softball league
I ever played in was the Church Softball League. That's
years of bab bruth Ball, Senior league, little league, high
school baseball. It was intense.

Speaker 1 (01:34:11):
Brother played in a league down in Parkersburg at the
now defunct ovc Ohio Valley College. I filed out a
couple of times, filed out a couple of times. Turns
out they you know, downfield blocking is not allowed to basketball.

Speaker 2 (01:34:27):
Who knew? Who knew?

Speaker 18 (01:34:29):
All right?

Speaker 1 (01:34:29):
Mentioned news midday coming up. We're back tomorrow morning at
ten o six seven. Fantastic day until then, for TJ.
Jake and Sophia. I'm Dave. We'll talk tomorrow morning. This
is Talk Linel Metro News, the voice of West Virginia.