Talkline | June 25, 2025 - MetroNews Talkline

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Good morning, got a loaded show for you coming up.
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw Hobby stops by and we'll chat
with the United States Energy Secretary Chris Wrights. Mentro News
talk Lines under what.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
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 TJ. Meadows. Activated switch that where can

(00:51):
we from Charleston stand by to David DJ, You're on
to News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling
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Visit incova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
Good morning, Welcome inside the Encoba Insurance studios. Dave Wilson
of Morgantown. TJ. Meadows is in the Charleston Fortress eight
hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk is the phone number.
The text line is three or four Talk three oh four.
Speaker Hanshaw going to join us in a moment later.
TJ and I may have gotten a couple of judges

(01:32):
in trouble kinda sorta we'll explain that story and tell
you about a charity basketball game going on tonight in
Wheeling to benefit the flash flood victims in Ohio County.
Good morning, TJ.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
Let's just be clear. We didn't do anything, and I
neither did the judges. Let's just be clear.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
You wrote about it this morning, you wrote about it
in the commentary, and we'll get into this coming up.
Bott of the hour. Thomas Ryan is the attorney representing
Judge Mary Claire Akers, and our program was featured pro
in the issues that the review committee had with what
both she said and Judge Tim Sweetey said on this program.

(02:10):
So maybe not our fault, but we played a prominent
role well in those cases.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
I appreciate the noting in the order of the Windy
Banter that went on that morning. It was nice to
see that that was noted. However, However, when your goal
is to inspire confidence in the judiciary in West Virginia
and you issue admonishments such as these, and we will
get into those in detail them, you do the exact opposite.

(02:38):
That's my commentary in a nutshell, and I stand by it.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
We'll delve into that topic at the bottom of the hour,
joining us now fresh off interim committee meetings at Stonewall
Resort in Lewis County is the House of Delegates, Speaker
Clay County Delegate Roger Hanshaw and Speaker Handshaw. We'll try
not to get you in trouble too much this morning.
Thanks for joining.

Speaker 4 (02:58):
Us, gentlemen, good morning. Good to have you this morning.
I was, I was fascinated listen in on your your
commentary there.

Speaker 5 (03:04):
I did.

Speaker 4 (03:05):
I did read your commentary this morning, and it's, uh,
it is something that merits some conversation.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
Would you like to you're an attorney, Well.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
We we we we the legislature, and I didn't mean
to hijack the show here with this, but since you
teed it up, you know we we we're a citizen
legislature as as you, as you pointed out in your
your opening comments about us being on inter meetings this
past few days, I'm happy to talk about that. But
we depend on input from the other branches of government

(03:35):
to do our jobs. And that that includes the executive branch,
which administers programs, and it includes the Judiciary, which sees
on the very front line the impact of some of
the decisions that we make and some of the decisions
made by the executive and we we certainly benefit from
candid comments from those who are on both sides of

(03:56):
these issues. So I'm troubled by anything that may have
the act of stifling the ability of our colleagues and
the other branches to give us candid input about what
they're seeing and.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
Experiencing well candidly, Roger, is it a disincentive? I mean,
judges may not want to come forward now having seen
these other judges admonished. So in my mind, it's a
real and tangible disincentive for the judiciary to engage, not
only with you, but with us the media.

Speaker 6 (04:26):
Well.

Speaker 7 (04:26):
And we don't.

Speaker 4 (04:27):
I don't know enough about it yet to say with certainty.
I haven't. I haven't studied it beyond having read your
commentary this morning. But I know that we we are
all we the legislature come from every walk of life, right.
We have lawyers, we have truck drivers, we have public
school teachers, we have physicians, we have farmers, we have
people who don't have child welfare as our primary vocation.

(04:51):
So we have to depend on the informed input that
we receive from people who are in that business and
see it firsthand. Day to day, and very few people
see it more closely and experience it more acutely than
our trial judges. And we benefit from hearing the input
from the trial judges real world experience. So we're going

(05:13):
to be looking at just more closely, I can assure you,
or at least I will be.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
We're going to get into the topic a little bit
more again. Bottom of the hour, the West Virginia Judicial
Investigation Commission admonished Canawlla County Circuit Judge Mary Claire Akers
and Pleasants County Circuit Judge Tim Sweeney and both Rogers.
Since we're kind of on the topic, that we'll move on,
But both of them were trying to highlight the issues
within our child welfare system and foster care system and

(05:42):
CPS workers. Both of them were trying to shed some
light on that and quite frankly get our attention and
yours in the legislature as well through those comments that
were made here on the program.

Speaker 4 (05:52):
And I doubt that not one bit. And I can
tell you, having had personal interaction with both Judge Sweeney
and Judge Acers, that they're they're often the source of
very informed input to us from a very practical perspective,
a very recent perspective that we have benefited from over
the years. So I want to be sure that whatever

(06:12):
action is taken here, if any is appropriate at all,
that we don't put our trial judicial or any judge
for that matter. I keep saying trial judges, but any
of our judicial officers in a position where they feel
like they can't comment to those who were setting public
policy for the state of West Virginia. It's it's a
that's a situation we don't want to allow to develop

(06:34):
because we, the policymakers, depend on that kind of perspective.
It's vastly, vastly important to us.

Speaker 1 (06:42):
How Speaker Roger Hanshaw joining us here on Metro News
talk line. We've mentioned that you're coming off the terms.
What's the benefit of taking these meetings on the road
to a place like Lewis County or you've been to Parkersburg,
you're in Morgantown a couple of years ago, now, I think,
but what's the benefit?

Speaker 4 (06:57):
Yeah, this is a long standing tradition and and it's
one I'm actually happy that we do because given that
we are a small state. You know, we're forty first
in size geographically, but within the confines of the geography
of West Virginia, what you find is that we're a
state that's remarkably diverse, and for a citizen legislature in

(07:19):
which all one hundred and thirty four of our members
do things other than be lawmakers for most of the year,
it's easy to live your life and go about your
day to day work without visiting other parts of West Virginia.
And what you find when you do is that the
other parts of our state may experience issues and deal
with concerns that are really different from those issues and

(07:41):
concerns that you experience in your day to day life.
So this week, the past three days we were in
Lewis County, we were in Weston. We saw an example
of how our state parks are engaging in a public
private partnership to deliver a visitor experience, not only to
West Virginians but to those coming in from elwhere where
that lets us do things that maybe the state by itself,

(08:04):
acting alone, couldn't do. So that alone is a reason
to go out and see a beautiful part of West Virginia.
But we also got the opportunity to send our members
out to some of the employers some of the fastest
growing industrial segments of West Virginia to just hear about
what the challenges are about expanding and growing a workforce,
and for example, the aviation industry, one of the fastest

(08:25):
growing segments of our economy. We also had members visit
some of our state institutions, some of our health care
facilities to just see firsthand from the perspective of the
local community in north central West Virginia, what are the
challenges with adequately staffing and resourcing health care facilities. You
just don't get You can't recreate that experience in our

(08:46):
committee rooms in the Capitol. So we've been trying to
do this twice a year for the past few years.
It works out well. I'm a believer in it, both
as a legislator myself and also as a as a
former government employee. When the legislature was willing to visit
the facilities that I used to staff, it helped us

(09:09):
illustrate to the legislatorwards what some of the challenges were
that we faced.

Speaker 3 (09:13):
Mister speaker, give me some rope here. I want to
frame up a story and give our listeners some background.
There is a piece that appeared yesterday by Katie Coin.
In the West Virginia Watch website, it says West Virginia
delegate denies running Instagram account that made anti semitic remark,
talks about e NT Masters, delegate from the Eastern Panhandle,

(09:35):
and associates his name with an anti semitic remark that
was made a relative of barstool Sports, and their founder
goes on to present some evidence tying Masters to that
account in terms of his ownership. I won't repeat the remark,
but with that said, I'm sure this isn't If it
was a remark he made, isn't the kind of remark

(09:56):
that you want to be reflective of the House of Delegates. What,
if any act will you take regarding this matter.

Speaker 4 (10:02):
Well, let's be clear. You're right, that is not the
kind of thing that we are going to tolerate from
any member of the body. The first thing we have
to do here is ascertained whether it was in fact
made by a member of the body and thus far delicate.
Master's assures me that it is not so. He and
I've spoken. He assures me that the number one, yes,
that is an account with which he was previously affiliated,

(10:24):
but that number two he denies having any connection to
that comment at all. Was surprised to see it, and
when he and I spoke earlier today, indicated that he
actually could not log into the account when he tried
to do so, because apparently the password had been changed,
and he had to seek technical assistance to even be
able to reset a password so he could check it.

(10:46):
So I'm willing to give anyone the benefit of the
doubt here. In past situations where we've had members of
the House demonstrate behavior that's inconsistent with the values that
we want to espouse, we usually see those members own
right up to it and say, well, yes, I did
do that, and I'm not a bit ashamed of it.
And in those cases we do have to take some

(11:07):
pretty swift action. That's not what we have here, Delegate Masters.
Delegate Masters asserts pretty strenuously that his account was taken
over by an external actor, So we're trying to get
to the bottom of that right now. He and I
did speak not long ago this morning.

Speaker 1 (11:22):
Talking with a House speaker Roger Hanshaw joining us here
on Mention News talk line. Just finished up with inter
meetings in Lewis County the last several days. I'm sure
you have seen the pictures in the video coming out
of Ohio County of the flash flooding up and wheeling
in Marion County. Obviously what happened in Welch. There's been
talk and questions asked about the flood Resiliency Fund, which

(11:43):
was created in twenty twenty three but has just sat
empty since then. Will that be a priority moving forward
and where does the legislature stand on actually providing funding
for the flood Resiliency Fund.

Speaker 4 (11:57):
Yeah, we make sure and have continue to make sure
and are going to continue to make sure that we
resource the executive sufficiently to be able to respond to
natural disasters. Guys, it's a recurring situation in West Virginia.
My own district was at the center of one of
the worst natural disasters we've had in recent memory in
twenty sixteen when my own community flooded. So those are

(12:21):
things that I take pretty seriously now with respect to
particular accounts and what's funded where our overarching priority is
just making sure that we're adequately funding the executive brand
so that they have adequate number one, adequate resources and
number two adequate flexibility to grab money from wherever they
need it in order to be able to be responsive.

(12:41):
So the easiest place for the executive to respond immediately
to natural disasters is often the governor's civil contingency fund.
And there's nothing that's more of a civil contingency than
natural disaster response. So we try to make sure that
we've adequately resourced that fund above all else, so that
that in situations like this, where we see this kind

(13:04):
of horrific, horrific kind of damage to personal property, to
public property, to private property, even up to and including
loss of life, which is as bad as it gets,
we've empowered those who are actually on the ground and
needing to respond to to have the flexibility and the
resources to do so. We we'd like to think that

(13:26):
as the legislature we can swoop in and be helpful.
The reality is we're we're basically just the funding source.
We rely on our partners in the executive branch and
that and that local and municipal governments bluntly to help
us be responsive in these environments. So when that situation
rolls around, we we want to make sure that the
accounts that that have resources in them are wide open

(13:49):
and accessible. I think we've done that without without digging
into what what money is in which accounts? The overarching
question is have we empowered the executive across the spectrum
of agencies to reach out and grab resources where and
when and how they need them. So that's the way
we approach the question, more so than what money goes

(14:12):
in which accounts? The general philosophy as are we empowering
the executive with sufficient resources across the continuum of that
branch of government to be responsive.

Speaker 3 (14:24):
Roger Hanshaw, Speaker of the West Virginia House, joins us
on Metronews talk line. Roger, You're well aware it's been
well publicized about the we call it unrest I don't
have a better word for it that has existed in
recent weeks among the West Virginia Board of Governors, the
WVU Board of Governors. Those instances have been well documented.
It's also no secret that you were a candidate for

(14:46):
the presidency, a job that you ultimately did not get.
There have been i'll call them rumblings that some of
the legislation that went through this past session that essentially
took votes away from the faculty, rep the student rap
et cetera. Some not all, but there have been some
rubblings characterizing that, again my words paraphrasing, as some means

(15:08):
of retribution. I'd like you to address that, if you would.
Do you have anything to say about that legislation or
anything about the process itself.

Speaker 4 (15:17):
Well, I have a lot to say about the situation
at our state's at our state's flagship university, guys, for sure.
But it actually is a much more, much more comprehensive question,
so that there are certainly things that we, as as
the funding body for a meaningful portion of West Virginia
University's budget, take takes seriously. We take seriously the overall

(15:38):
enrollment status. We take seriously, the curriculum offerings, we take seriously,
the financial health of the institution. We were all quite
shocked to learn not this budget cycle, but a budget
cycle a year ago that our university faced a forty
plus million dollar budget deficit. After being told that all

(15:58):
was well, that that's not a situation that that's a
acceptable to us or be appropriate to allow to develop.
So we've we've taken a pretty serious look at how
are we governing and how are we managing all of
our states colleges and universities, because we were pretty sure
the data tells all of us, not just we in

(16:19):
West Virginia, but tell it tells legislators nationally that we're
not going to be able to do business the way
we've done business for the past. Ever, how many ever,
how many decades now ever since we've evolved higher education
away from what it what it was when it was
conceived in Europe centuries ago, to now what it is
in America today, we've we've reached a place now where

(16:42):
we can't just do business the way we've done in
the past. So we were shocked to learn that that,
with no notice to us, we faced a forty plus
million letter budget deficits that led to many of the
curricular changes that we saw reported state wide. You reported
on many of that, or maybe not the two of
you individually, but certainly Metro News was well involved in

(17:03):
reporting all the developments that happened on campus. We take
that very seriously. So all of that, all of that
taken together, caused us to just ask questions about how
are we governing, how are we funding, how are we supporting,
and how are we exercising oversight on all of our
state's colleges and universities.

Speaker 1 (17:25):
Will you support do you support Michael Benson, the incoming
president of WVU.

Speaker 4 (17:31):
Well, of course, he is the president of the university,
and we we as the state of West Virginia, need
West Virginia University to succeed. We needed to be an
integral driver of economic development across our state. We needed
to provide opportunities for the young people of West Virginia,
and we needed to be a world class healthcare provider.
Eighty percent of West Virginias depend on WVU affiliated facilities

(17:53):
for their healthcare. We one hundred percent needed to succeed,
and that means that the president his team have to succeed.
Our job as legislators is empowering the leaders of our
state's universities to be successful, to help drive their institutions
to do the things that are necessary to help create
opportunity for West Virginians, but then also to create the

(18:16):
kind of economic enhancements and the kind of economic growth
that we know universities have the capacity to drive. So
we're keenly interested in that role that universities play just
writ large across the economy, but also for the young
people in West Virginia who looked to these institutions for
their own future.

Speaker 1 (18:36):
House speaker Roger Hanshaw. Roger always appreciate the time kept
you a little longer than we thought, but good discussion.
Appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (18:43):
Have a great day, guys, Thanks you as well.

Speaker 1 (18:45):
How speaker Roger Hanshaw got to take a break back
in a moment.

Speaker 8 (18:49):
We are there for you to care for you at
the Health Plan.

Speaker 9 (18:55):
We are here.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
It all started with a vision.

Speaker 10 (19:00):
We've grown alongside West Virginia, becoming part of its fabric
for over four decades. We've been here through thick and thin,
supporting local families and businesses, proudly serving West Virginia since
nineteen seventy nine, your trusted partner in the community, the
Health Plan.

Speaker 11 (19:17):
Raptors along the Lower Gully have reported sightings of a
pirate on the riverbank. Apparently he's throwing gold coins to
every boat that passes back to you. Carrie.

Speaker 12 (19:27):
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Speaker 1 (19:47):
You're listening to Talkline on Metro News, the voice of
West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (19:53):
Metro News this morning the biggest stories from around the
state of West Virginia when you want them. Chris Lawrence
at the anchor decks, we are ready to.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
Get the bay going with all the information you need.

Speaker 2 (20:03):
In the Mountain State, Jeff Jenkins brings you the day's headlines.

Speaker 13 (20:06):
The annual measurement of the Welfare of Kids in all
fifty state show children in West Virginia faring better. The
annual Kids Count book is out this morning. West Virginia
ranks forty first, moving up from forty fourth last year.
West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Director of Kelly
Allen says been improvement, but more progress is needed. A
study says things are getting better for kids in West
Virginia the areas of housing security, children being covered by insurance,

(20:29):
and declining team birth rates.

Speaker 2 (20:31):
Kyle Wiggs at the sports decks.

Speaker 14 (20:33):
West Virginia trailed from the top of the first on
at LSU. Mountaineers tried to battle back. The offense did
park up, but LSU won the game. Twelve to five
in the Super Regional in West Virginia. Season ends at
forty four and sixteen.

Speaker 2 (20:47):
Metro News This Morning Listen where you get your favorite
podcasts and online at wb metronews dot com.

Speaker 15 (20:53):
Need a break from the headlines and mindless drivel. Metro
News Hotline brings you that much needed afternoon distraction with substance.
My decades in journalism plus a passion for everything from
baseball nostalgia to the latest tech trends mean insights you
won't get anywhere else. Coop brings the pop culture know
how and good natured ribbing while your calls take things

(21:14):
in surprising directions. Tune in for the lively chats that
are refreshingly different. Find us from three to six weekdays
on Metro News, the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 16 (21:22):
It's two hours of sports conversation to wrap up your weekend.
It's the City Net Sunday Night Sports Line. Hey, this
is Travis Joes joining myself and Greg Hunter every Sunday
night from six oh six until eight o'clock. As we
wrap up the sports weekend, we talk Mountaineers, high school,
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The Sunday Sports Line is listener interactive. You could call
or text the show at three oh four Talk three

(21:45):
oh four. It's a perfect weekend sports wrap up on
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wb Metronews dot com.

Speaker 2 (22:05):
Metro News Talk Line is presented by Encovia Insurance and
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Visit Encovia dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (22:15):
Oh lots unpacked. There just a bit and we've only
got about a minute and a half to do it.
Quick take away there teaching anything jump out?

Speaker 2 (22:25):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yeah, So a couple of takeaways on the Master's situation.
Speaker Handshaw is one that is always prudent. He's always
going to undertake an investigation first, and one is presumed
innocent until the evidence proves them guilty. That's what I
would expect from Speaker at Handshaw. So I appreciate the
due diligence on that. I want to hear from Masters

(22:46):
on this comment. The West Virginia Watch reporting indicated that
it tied to his cell phone several other factors. I'd
like to hear his take on it and understand if
the account somehow was hijacked when that happened, when he
stopped using it and better understand the issue.

Speaker 1 (23:03):
You know, I wanted to bring up the flood Resiliency
fund for a reason. That's been a hot talking point,
especially on the Democratic side, and a Delegate Sean Hornbuckles
brought it up. I don't want to put words in
a Delegate Pushkin's mouth, but I think he brought it
up as that fund being there but no money allocated
to it. I checked the bill that was passed and
created it.

Speaker 3 (23:23):
There's no.

Speaker 1 (23:26):
Assigned purpose for that fund, and as the speaker pointed out,
there is money allocated to the executive branch. There is
money available to respond after the fact. Hey, if I
were those guys, I would be bringing it up as well.
I just don't know if that fund would provide the
support that is needed beyond what is already available. And

(23:47):
the quickie rainy day, do we talk about that? Maybe
it's rainy Talclino 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.

Speaker 13 (24:02):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Jeff Jenkins. The fight over
required childhood vaccinations has another court challenge. A Raleigh County
single mother suing the State Board of Education and the
Raleigh County School Board because her child won't be allowed
in school because she's being denied a religious exemption to
the vaccine requirements. Governor Patrick Morsey's son in an executive
order for those exemptions in January, but the state school

(24:24):
Board says it's following the law. Well known religious freedom
attorney Aaron Siri represents the mother. He says, this client
faces some life changing results if she's not allowed to
gain the exemption.

Speaker 17 (24:33):
Plaint of fear is a god fearing woman, single mother
who's just trying to raise her child. She's a nurse,
and without being able to send her child to school,
she will not be able to maintain her job.

Speaker 13 (24:46):
The State Board of Education has instructed State School Superintendent
Michelle Blatt to continue to follow state law when it
comes to vaccination requirements. The Red Cross has now open
locations in Ohio and Marion Counties in connection with recent flooding.
Red Cross execut the director for the Allegheny Highlands Chapter,
Jason Keeling, says the centers are in both Fairmont and
Tridelphia two of those in Tridelphia. He says, they just

(25:09):
want to make sure people who are flooded out have
gotten the help they need. Red Cross has been there
since shortly after the flood happened, but the centers offer
some extra help one eight hundred Red Cross to schedule
an appointment one eight hundred Red Cross. Extreme heat warnings
out for much of the state again today, we're back
to the nineties. You're listening to Metro News, the Voice

(25:29):
of West Virginia.

Speaker 18 (25:30):
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

(25:50):
by opening up hundreds of coal fired power plants, I
am authorizing my administration to immediately begin producing energy with beautiful,
clean cold. President Trump, his energy team, and the EPA
are doing everything imaginable to increase the use of coal
to provide reliable and cost effective electricity. West Virginia's leaders

(26:11):
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 our coal resources for the betterment of all West Virginians.

Speaker 8 (26:26):
A message from the Friends of Coal.

Speaker 13 (26:29):
A Raleigh County mother is charged with child of use
resulting an injury after Raleigh County deputy say she was
yelling that her child had a demon in her when
she held her down and pulled out two of her
front teeth. The daughters five years old. Deputy say they
arrested Rebecca Bailey this week. Investigators say the daughter received
medical treatment, now being cared for by another family member.

(26:52):
Opening before noon today, the new southern portion of the
years Route five twenty two bypass in Berkeley Springs. From
the Metro News anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
Three or four. Talk three or four is the text
line eight hundred and seven to sixty five Talk The
phone number hopping joins the top of the hour. Recently,
two circuit court judges were admonished for what they said
while speaking to the media about child welfare cases, and
in this case, the media is well this program. In
separate June twelfth rulings. The West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission

(27:44):
admonished Knawh County Circuit Judge Mary Claire Acres and Pleasants
County Circuit Judge Tim Sweeney in the Acres matter. The
West Virginia Judicial Disciplinary Council opened a complaint on her
on a March twenty fourth. On March twenty fourth, Acres
replied through her attorney on April twenty fifth and bye
email May thirteenth. Chris Dickerson from the West Virginia Record
first reported on this story last week. It was and TJ.

(28:08):
We brought this up already. The comments were about a
child welfare case that Judge Acres made on this program,
and we were talking to her. That got the Commission's
attention correct.

Speaker 3 (28:24):
And I want to be clear we reached out to
her for that interview. She did not reach out to us.
I think that is important to note in this case.
I'm actually the one that reached out on that particular guest,
and we wanted her to come on to talk about that, Dave.

Speaker 1 (28:39):
And the same with Judge Sweeney. We brought Judge Sweeney
on the program. Remember he ordered the CPS CPS secretary
to come work the cases. They didn't have enough bodies
on the ground, not enough people to work these child
welfare cases, and he was trying to draw attention to that.
So we had them both on. Both got about admonished.
Easy for me to say for theirs here on this program.

(29:01):
Thomas Ryan is the attorney representing Judge Acres and he
joins us on at Metro News talk Line this morning. Thomas,
good morning, Thanks for joining us.

Speaker 19 (29:11):
Good morning, gentlemen. Pleasure to talk with you. Always good
to talk with my friends in Charleston.

Speaker 1 (29:16):
So we kind of gave the cliff notes version. But
why exactly did the Judicial Investigation Commission decide that this
was worthy of admonishment?

Speaker 19 (29:28):
Sure, I think we start with the premise that there
is a code of Judicial Conduct which places strict limitations
on what they call extra judicial statements or public statements
made by a judge out of court. I think we
all agree that is important for the integrity and the
impartiality of the judiciary. In this particular case. You know,

(29:50):
Judge Acres had a hearing which was the subject of
her interview back in March, and the rules provide for
certain except which allow a judge to talk in public
about court procedures, and in the case of the interview
that she had here in March, again on a very

(30:13):
very important issue, she went over the procedure that was
discussed during a public hearing, one of which she opened
up to zoom and I think one hundred and twenty
five people were so attended. And also she memorialized that
discussion in an order, So she was really talking about

(30:33):
what had happened in court, which has allowed court as
an exception in the rule. JAIC, the Judicial Investigation Commission
took Asue with a statement she had when she had
referenced her prior time as a prosecutor here in Kanaw
County as many of us all now, and felt that
that was outside the scope of what is allowed under

(30:57):
the rule.

Speaker 3 (31:00):
So Thomas, as I read this order and this is
the way I would paraphrase it, and this is what
I said in my commentary. We're handing out one hundred
dollars fine here for a ten cent of fence. Speaker
Roger Hanshaw was just on this program. We did not
plan to talk with him about these admonishments, but he
pointed out how deeply the legislature and he himself depends

(31:21):
on what other branches coequal branches of government are saying
in terms of policy and other matters. Given that kind
of comment from the Speaker of the House, this doesn't
seem imprudent or improper to me. Is the code archaic?
And do we need to modify the code to better
fit into today's times.

Speaker 19 (31:43):
No, it's interesting DJ and I had the same or
similar reaction. I mean, one thing, from Judge Ager's perspective,
we don't want to lose sight of the importance of
the underlying issue and moonishments. The judge could come and go,
but the underlying substance is a critical issue for the
state of West Virginia, and she's certainly I think I
can seek role of this. Doesn't want anyone to lose

(32:05):
sight of the importance of that issue.

Speaker 5 (32:08):
You know, with.

Speaker 19 (32:08):
Respect to these rules, they really have not been updated.
The way and the acceleration in which the public consume
judiciary proceedings via social media, via zoom real time. A
lot of the rules that we have, you know, simply
haven't been updated to account for the change in which

(32:30):
the public has access and availability of information and really
the speed and which is consumed so it really does
warrant a look more closely. Certainly in Judge Aker's case,
no one disagrees factually what happened. The interview was obviously
on talk line, and there's no doubt about what was said.

(32:52):
You know, we just respectfully disagree with the legal conclusions,
you know, simply because for one of the reasons you
mentioned that the rules really don't take an account for
the way in which information is conveyed.

Speaker 7 (33:05):
To the public.

Speaker 1 (33:07):
Thomas Ryan's joining us a council for Judge Mary Claire Akers,
who received an ammonishment from the j C over comments
made here on this program. Thomas, it this reads to me,
and I may be naive, it happens from time to time.
This reads to me as a situation where the ji
C looks at the situation there was a complaint filed,

(33:27):
investigation open, they look into it and say, you know,
we're bound by these old rules. We have to do something.
So we're going to slap you on the wrist here
with an admonishment because we're bound by these old rules,
rather than you really did something wrong, but since because
you know you've been good judges, we're going to go
easy on you. This time, I guess I'm asking you
to speculate. But that's how this reads to me, that

(33:49):
you have a group here that was bound by law,
bound by the rules, to do what they did. Is
that Do you see it that way?

Speaker 19 (33:58):
I don't. I don't know they see exactly that way.
I mean, I think they started with the premise, which
we all agree is we really need to have strict
limitations on what judges can say outside the courtroom. But
there are exceptions. And if you remember Judge Acre's interview
I think back in March, I think she said twelve
times during that short interview that there are limitations, and

(34:19):
there were certain questions that she declined to answer. So
she was obviously respectful of the rule and was very
intentionally trying to comply with it. But at the same time,
there is an exception which allows judges to talk about
court procedures, which is exactly what happened during your interview.
And you know, my view, my personal view is rather

(34:42):
than an admonishment, you know, there's an opportunity here to
revisit that rule and provide more clarity so there is
less ambiguity for the judiciary in the public on the
go forward.

Speaker 3 (34:54):
Thomas. If the goal here is to is to create
a deeper sense of trust or faith by the citizens
of West Virginia in their judicial system, then in my
humble opinion, they failed miserably in what they did with
this order, with this admonishment. Good luck. I'm just going

(35:18):
to be frank here. The next time I ask a
judge to come on, they're probably not going to. They're
probably not going to. And anytime people are curtailed, especially
our leadership, our government officials in any level, that's a
corner of darkness. Frankly, I had to dig around to
find out who is even on this committee. When I
go to their website, it's not there. You have to

(35:39):
find it in a report PDF. It changes from year
to year in their annual report. This entire process is
troubling to me that we would want to stop any official, judge, anyone,
from speaking on such an important issue and telling the
people what is going on. So I will ask you
to opine a bit, but I mean the disincentive to

(36:02):
become a judge now, to take a pay cut. We
all know judges don't make what they could as a
private practicing attorney. Doesn't all of this add up to
keep the best in the brightest off the bench when
we want the best in the brightest on the bench.

Speaker 19 (36:19):
You raise a good point because you know, particularly Judge
Acer's case, the actual comment, which is subject to the
admonishment was a reference to her prior experience as a
prosecutor and sort of the channel or gateway that abuse
in the glect cases can ultimately end up in adult
criminal system. Well, I mean, for one, that's a fact, right,

(36:42):
That's just studies have been shown that's true, you know,
and she's simply talking about her prior work experience. To
take issue with that, then it begs the question of
what can a judge say? And you know, I think
that is a rational conclusion if you're sitting on the
bench to say, I'm not sure what I can say,

(37:03):
so therefore I shall say nothing. And again I to
at least in Judge acres Kate, I think this was
a really good opportunity to provide some clarity and because
we believe within the rules as written, again, these are
probably outdated for today's time, she complied with them. But
as long as the ambiguity exists, I think the likelihood

(37:26):
of sort of willingness to be interviewed by judges. Is
going to at least in my view, good degree.

Speaker 1 (37:33):
Thomas Ryan, He is the council for Judge Mary Claire Acres. Thomas,
appreciate the thoughts. Appreciate you coming on this morning.

Speaker 19 (37:41):
Thanks Jim.

Speaker 5 (37:42):
Always good to get Chuck as.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
You as well. Coming up, we'll say you about a
basketball game coming up tomorrow or tonight's. Actually I've been
a day behind all week. It's not been good. But
basketball game coming up tonight's help the flood victims up
in the Northern Panhandle will do that right after this picture.

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Speaker 21 (38:58):
SNAP and Medicaid help West Virginia kids get fed, help
our veterans get by, and help grandparents get the care
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It's just that simple. In West Virginia, we're taught to
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(39:19):
Senator Justice and Senator Capito tell them to do the
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Speaker 1 (39:28):
You're listening to Talkline on Metro News, the Voice of West.

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So the DNR gal was already on the way to
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Well, he hadn't called me back.

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Speaker 16 (41:04):
night from six oh six until eight o'clock as we
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(41:26):
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Speaker 2 (41:47):
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Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (41:57):
We continue to follow the recovery process in Ohio and
Marion Counties after the Father's Day weekend flash floods. The
latest this morning WTRF was the first report WTRF Television
out of Wheeling that a female body had been recovered
some thirty miles downstream on the Ohio side of the

(42:18):
Ohio River. Officials have been looking for a ninth flood
victim from those flash floods. There was no positive identification yet,
but that may very well be the case there. So
we've been following those stories over the last more than
a week now and in Wheeling tonight there is a

(42:38):
charity basketball game that'll be taking place to help the
flood victims in Ohio County. Wheeling Central Catholic High School
will be taking on Wheeling Park High School in a
basketball game six thirty tonight at Central Catholic High School
Athletic Center over on Thirteenth and Jacob Streets in Wheeling.
Joining us on Metro News talk Line this morning is

(42:59):
Wheeling Dark Boys basketball coach Michael Jeby, a coach, Good morning,
glad you could join us.

Speaker 7 (43:05):
Hey Dave, how are you doing?

Speaker 25 (43:06):
Thank you?

Speaker 1 (43:06):
I appreciate you coming on. So how did this idea
all come together?

Speaker 7 (43:11):
So you know, with as you know with the June
in the flex days, we've got the summer leagues, to shootouts,
to the camps, the scrimmages. We'd actually had this scheduled,
you know, a couple months in advance. We always played
Central a couple of times at least once or twice,
usually in the summer, especially June, and then all this happened,

(43:32):
you know, in a hurry, you know, the tragedies that
we've lost people houses, It's just been a very difficult
week and a half. So we thought, this game's scheduled,
let's try to maybe do something donations. I talked to
a couple referees, and then you know, Mel Steven's are
on Central, assistant coach Toddler Moriando, They've done a lot

(43:54):
of the organizing and we were all in with it.
So tonight six thirty and you know it's free mission,
but obviously taking donations to try to help out coach.

Speaker 3 (44:04):
I would think too, just with all that has happened
to your point, and the stress, I mean, I think
the emotional stress, the physical stress. People are to the max.
Taking an hour and a half, you know, getting away
watching a little basketball, have a sense of normalcy, I
think that would help as well.

Speaker 7 (44:21):
I think. So it's just been it's been very stressful
our family. We live in Tredelphias. We've seen we drove
through and they're starting to tear down. You know, the
house has been unsalvageable, and you know, just every day
we hit. Took four or five players with me too,
Wheeling University the volunteer yesterday to help out there at
the headquarters. So yeah, just trying to help out as

(44:44):
much as we can. But you're right, ninety minutes of
the basketball game to come out watching billing park Field Central,
you know, maybe take your mind off things for a
little bit.

Speaker 1 (44:53):
We were talking to Fairmont senior football coach Mark Sampson
last week. His guys were out helping the community, said,
but the first thing when that hits is you call
all of you guys. You make certain they're all okay.
So as as this was happening and you realize the
enormity of it, are you doing the same thing just
like I got to check on my guys, make sure
everybody's go okay or see what they need.

Speaker 7 (45:15):
Yeah, about what we know, doubt We checked immediately and
any we had a freshman player that pretty much lost
everything incoming fresh and we had a one of our
seniors was in Valley Grove, not as that much damage,
but you know, had mud and stuff into the first floor.
So just trying to check on them and make sure
they're okay, and just having to deal with something that

(45:37):
was just a small chance of something like this happening,
this splash floud that happened just so quick with no
time to prepare.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
So coach normal game tonight, you're gonna have a little
fun with it. Maybe put a few local celebrity players in.
Gosh darn it, if I didn't have to be in
Buchanan to the world, you know, i'd come up and
hit the hardwood with you. But can we look for
anything like that tonight or are these guys just gonna
be out there ready to play each other, gonna.

Speaker 7 (46:00):
Go We'd like the kid, we'd like the kidnapped eight
last income for about ninety minutes and then.

Speaker 5 (46:05):
To pay to go.

Speaker 7 (46:06):
But uh, he's uh, he's a pretty good player. But
now our guys know they're guys and we have you know,
obviously we've played a bunch of times in the past,
but we haven't played in some sports over the last
ten years. But we're doing the right thing. We're coming
together tonight. We're gonna play, yeah, and have some fun
with it. I mean, kids are gonna play hard.

Speaker 5 (46:25):
You know.

Speaker 7 (46:26):
They obviously had the best player in West Virginia. That's exciting.
He's getting recruited by a lot of schools. And we
have a nice group of seniors that have you know,
stayed with the.

Speaker 5 (46:33):
Program throughout the four years.

Speaker 7 (46:34):
So looking forward to it. And uh, you know, Central's
gym is compact, but I think people will come out
tonight to support.

Speaker 1 (46:42):
How many minutes could you go right now? I mean
you are yeah, right now today. How many minutes could
you go if you had to suit the money?

Speaker 7 (46:50):
I don't, I don't know. I think I could play
a little bit, but I just don't know. You know,
A while ago I was playing in a little three
on three league and then I just stopped. I mean
the last say, I was fortunate playing high school call
for that injury. I don't want to torn utilis ral
at forty five. So it's walking, jogging and lifting right now,
but maybe up and down futureps. I guess Dave, you're

(47:13):
being kind.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
You can cherry pick a little bit coach. That's what's
all about. You still got the shot.

Speaker 1 (47:17):
Just cherry pick a little bit, Just spot up a
spot up shooter man, Just spot up and pass the ball.
That's all you need.

Speaker 5 (47:26):
Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 7 (47:28):
I just worried about injury at this age.

Speaker 1 (47:30):
I guess The game is six thirty tonight. It'll be
at Central Catholic High School's Athletic Center over on thirteenth
in Jacob Streets and Wheeling. A mission is free, but
they will be taking donations to benefit the Triadelphia and
Valley Grove Volunteer Fire Departments. OVAK officials will be there
as well. They will be donating their time to officiate
tonight's game. It's Wheeling Park and Wheeling Central Coach, good

(47:51):
luck tonight and good job, keep up the good work.

Speaker 7 (47:55):
Hey, appreciate everything guys do day.

Speaker 1 (47:56):
Thank you absolutely Waitning Park head coach Michael Jebia and us.
I'll mention news talk line. Got to take a break.
We'll wrap up our number one. We're back at a
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Speaker 18 (48:36):
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.

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Quality met coal in the world.

Speaker 18 (48:57):
West Virginia coal miners produce more met coal than any
other state, and seventy percent of all steel makers in
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As President Trump reinvigorates our economy, he will need a
lot of our high quality met coal. So the West

(49:19):
Virginia Coal Association asked you to join with them to recognize,
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 (49:36):
You're listening to talk Line on Metro News, the Voice
of West Virginia. Listen. I'm a West Virginian through and through.

Speaker 15 (49:46):
Grew up in Bridgeport thirty five years in the Charleston area,
rooted for the Mountaineers. Since well, let's not talk ages.
You won't find a bigger fan of our teams, but
they get called out when they deserve it. Metro News
Hotline is the same for everything, movies, music, local happenings,
my inside knowledge and occasional rants meet Coop's sharp humor,
guaranteed to spark good talk radio. Think you can keep up?

(50:07):
We're your afternoon anecdote to the ordinary on weekdays three
to six on Metro News The Boyce So West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (50:16):
Hi, this is Dave Wilson along with TJ Meadows. Join
us weekdays at ten o six for Metro News Talkline
on this Metro news radio station. TJ. The more things change,
the more they stay the same. That's right, Dave.

Speaker 3 (50:27):
We'll continue to examine and discuss issues important to West Virginia,
hold elective officials accountable, and make certain you have a
forum to make your voice.

Speaker 1 (50:35):
Ary new host, same talk line join us weekdays at
ten o six on this Metro News radio station and
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Speaker 22 (50:47):
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(51:10):
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one hundred and forty million dollars. Mega Million's jackpot is
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three or four Talk three oh four guys at four Star.
General Raising Kine said it is too soon for anyone
to assess how successful we were embombing the nuclear sites
in Iran. How come you all and the President said

(52:38):
yesterday that we were very successful. I'll tell you why.
I said We're very successful, because, well, there's a ceasefire
now and as tenuous as it may be, it's holding
for the time being. I'll call that a success.

Speaker 3 (52:53):
Make sure you get the job done. I'll say that much.
And if we didn't, there's a discussion the point in
the first place, if we didn't do the job right,
I don't know. We'll see I will see this this
early defense report. Not everyone has weighed in yet. So
until that happens and there's a full reckoning, I don't

(53:14):
think this one report out of the Pentagon is fully
credible yet until all of the agencies have weighed in
and there's some kind of consensus. But that needs to
happen soon, and then we need to evaluate what happens next.

Speaker 1 (53:28):
Don't tell Wolf Blitzer. He's already looks like he's already
having a bad day on CNN. I don't know what's
going on. He just looks like he's having a bad day.

Speaker 3 (53:35):
Nobody watches him. That's what's going on.

Speaker 1 (53:36):
It's talk Linel Metro News, the voice of West Virginia.

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Metro News. Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling
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Speaker 1 (53:59):
Second hour of Metro News talk Line Dave Wilson and TJ.
Meadows in the Encoba Insurance Studios. Bottom of the hour.
You'll hear from US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. We actually
spoke to him a little bit earlier this morning. He
is in Morgantown today touring the Nettle Facilities, the National
Energy and Technology Laboratories here in Morgantown, So we had

(54:21):
a chance to speak to him on a number of issues.
And you'll hear that coming up at the bottom of
the hour three or four Talk three or four is
the text line and eight hundred and seven to sixty
five Talk is the phone number. Good morning once again, TJ.
Meadows in the Charles what I said, I call it
a fortress earlier.

Speaker 3 (54:39):
The Charleton Fortress Bureau, Fortress Studio. You know, it's all interchangeable.
I feel bad for bashing on CNN a minute ago. God,
I just I kind of do.

Speaker 1 (54:50):
It's okay, No, you know, we're half the we're half
the audience. We've got it on here.

Speaker 3 (54:55):
So I like CNBC and Bloomberg personally. That's where I
tend to gravitate toward.

Speaker 1 (55:03):
I try I try to have a two or three
different ones on again. Because of the of cable news
being what it is, they are certainly catering their programs
to their audiences. I mean that's clear. It doesn't take
Kojak to figure that out. So it's it is interesting
to see the different perspectives on the exact same thing

(55:24):
that somebody says. And then you know, watch them watch
the lower thirds, watch the scroll. Sometimes the closed captioning
is on and going. Are these networks watching the same
news conference that I just watched?

Speaker 3 (55:36):
It's infotainment. I mean, I think they've admitted as much.
For the most part. I mean, there's some straight news,
but for the most part, a lot of it is infotainment.

Speaker 1 (55:46):
And again, it's like what you ever watch a congressional
hearing on mute? This is when you're really bored TJ.
But you watch it on mute and watch the people
in the background behind whoever's testifying, and watch their faces
and just go, why, wonder what they're thinking right now?
So I can't. Yeah, Wolf Blitzer just looks like he's
having a bad day. I don't know what he's thinking.
He just looks like he's having a bad day.

Speaker 3 (56:06):
We all do. He'll be okay, I have no doubt
of that.

Speaker 1 (56:09):
I just wonder what people who are watching the video
stream right now are going, Gee, look at these two guys, well,
guy's a Marshall fanboy. The others got his Golden Bear.

Speaker 3 (56:20):
Polo on today, Jeeves the Golden Bear.

Speaker 1 (56:25):
Let's see if Hoppy kirchwill can bring some sanity back
to this conversation. Good morning, Hoppy, Good morning man.

Speaker 25 (56:31):
How are you well?

Speaker 1 (56:33):
If you heard the first three minutes of this hour,
it's debatable, but we are here. How are you?

Speaker 5 (56:40):
I'm well? Thank you, thank you, thanks for having me on.
I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (56:43):
So yesterday Hoppy Governor Morrissey was in Beckley in Raleigh
County and spoke to the media publicly supporting a lawsuit
that has been filed by the mother of a child
denied a religious exemption religious exemption for schoolhood vaccination. Now,
the unusual part of this is the governor is supporting
the mother's lawsuit against the state, against the State Board

(57:06):
of Education and the Raleigh County Board of Education. So
I guess we'll pick up the discussion with This is
the topic that won't simmer down. It keeps coming back
up in various forms, and the HOPI Governor Morriseys is
digging in his heels and decided this is one that
he is going to fight, which fits his personality as

(57:29):
an attorney general and now's a governor is a guy
who is willing to fight.

Speaker 5 (57:34):
What are your thoughts, Well, you're right that the governor
is digging in on this. I mean he's doubling down again,
I guess, crippling down on his opposition to the state
law that requires all children entering school for the first
time to show proof of immunization. As you laid out,
he got behind the lawsuit that was filed in Rowley County.

(57:54):
We'll get to that in just a minute. And he
issued be the Sact of Order when he became governor.
And then they tried to get a wall passed and
support that executive order providing broader exemptions for religious or
philosophical reasons. That failed, even though Republicans have an overwhelming
majorities in the House and Senate. And then I told
the school board that they need to allow for those

(58:15):
exemptions not enforced existing law. In the school board decided
anyway to say no, we're directing the superintendent to tell
counties to follow the existing state law which requires the
immianizations except certain rare medical exceptions. So why is Morrissey
doing this? I think this is strictly about politics, because Maurice,

(58:39):
if you look at his record as Attorney General, he
filed lawsuits and spoke out on a variety of issues
that he thought were using the beneficial to West Virginia,
but also that improved or increased his conservative or right
leaning bonafides, and he has run on that like I

(59:02):
fought for West Virginia, and you know, I fought against
the woke left. I fought against the Obama EPA. And
this follows along because look at that event in Beckley yesterday,
he didn't talk so much about muizations as he did
about protecting religious liberty. So that's how he is framing

(59:23):
this argument. He said, quote, this is about our core
religious liberties. Once you start giving that up, that's a
pretty significant issue for our state and our country. And
when you look at polls, if you just ask people
what you're opinion about muisations, well they're in support of them.
But then if you also wildly but then you asked them,

(59:44):
how do you feel about religious How important is religious liberty?
Well it's very important. So when you frame this argument
as religious and liberty, I think that plays to Morrissey's
base in the conservative base in West Virginia. So I
see this as specifically politically mo evated by Marcy to
increase his conservative right right meaning bonafides for the next

(01:00:07):
collection whatever that is, governor or Senate.

Speaker 3 (01:00:11):
So that's an interesting point. If it's governor, I mean,
I don't know that he needs that help. If it's Senate,
is he banking and already campaigning six years down the line,
or does he get in this thing against Senator Capitau.

Speaker 5 (01:00:25):
I don't know if you would get in against Capitau,
and I think that'd be upill clim for him. I
just think it's a continuation of what he did as
Attorney general and what he does, Yeah, he files suits
or supports lawsuits. This is nothing different than when he
was attorney general. So and the speculation is he has
is all in the Senate run at some point. He's

(01:00:46):
still a relatively young man, so that could come along later.
And also it just helps him nationally. He raises money
nationally too, so it helps him there too. I mean,
this is checking those boxers that appeals to I'm not
saying this far right, but very right leaning interests in
this in the state and in the country.

Speaker 1 (01:01:09):
And well maybe you will answered my question all right,
who is he campaigning to, Hoppy? I mean, you're a
Republican of West Virginia. His conservative bona fides or are
pretty darn well established. I mean, if he's running against
any Democrat, he's going to win the you know, a
Senate seat. So who's he campaigning to? Is it people

(01:01:29):
outside the state?

Speaker 5 (01:01:32):
Well, I think look, when you're in putt acrossice these days,
you're you're always thinking about the next election. There is
no rest for the wicked or the weary, or for politicians,
so they have to be to anyone has to be
thinking about the next election or elections. So you're always
working it. You're always working it. And I was thinking

(01:01:53):
about this and I made this up, but I think
it works.

Speaker 3 (01:01:56):
Is that.

Speaker 5 (01:01:57):
Imagine a political ad for Marcy, you know, going going
forward that and again I just I just made this up.
But he can say, you know, I'm the Republican, I'm
the most conservative candid in this race. I had fought

(01:02:17):
for you. I fought against Obama's EPA and then I
fought for your religious freedom. Well, if you're fighting quote
unquote for religious freedom, how many voters are going to
take the time to go Wait a minute, what was
that about? And was that about imanizations? And how do
I think about childhood imizations? How many voters are going
to really dig down deep in that? So I think
it just again the latest in a line of his

(01:02:39):
approach to campaigning. You know what, Barci does not have
this kind of sense of issue. What did Jim Justice have?
What did Jim Justice have? He had? What likeability? Right, empathy? Likeability?
People liked him, He liked people. Marcy doesn't have that
same kind of appeal. So he's decided. I believe that

(01:03:00):
his appeal is as a fighter for West Virginia values
that he believes, or West Virginia values, And I think
this falls in line with that.

Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
Can you go too far in that fight? You know
something that stuck out to me yesterday he said there's
not one shred of evidence, not one shred of evidence
that a religious exemption would cause an issue. I mean
it seems to me like that's creating a fallacy just
to pontificate. Well, people see through that, because I think
there's plenty of evidence out there hop that vaccines are good,

(01:03:31):
and vaccines have I mean, we don't have measles anymore,
we don't have polio anymore that what more evidence do
you need?

Speaker 5 (01:03:38):
Well, actually, as you know, we do have some outbreaks
of measles, why because some places away from immanization. I
think it's interesting too that I'm not a warrior. He is.
He's a smart warrior, but I think this is a
tough legal kill for this. And again it's not his lawsuit.
It's not a lawsuit by a woman in Rowley Kelly,
which we can also get to in a minute. But

(01:04:00):
that he was supporting is that this is arguing and
Marses Major's argument too that this is about the Religious
Freedom Investoration Act and the state has won. There's a
federal law. This is about RIFFRA, which when riffer has
been tested on something like this, what are the questions
that come up? And that is is the mandate in

(01:04:20):
this case the vaccine? Is it a substantial burden on
religious exercise? And typically that argument fails on immunizations because
of your worriment. Okay, well, requiring umanizations, but that is
not a substantial burden on the religion. Number one. And
the second thing is does the government this is the

(01:04:41):
other part of the test. Does the government have a
compelling interest? And obviously it does right because it has
a compelling interest in protecting and ensuring public health. So
using RIFFRA to try to upend mandatory immunization, I think
is a real legal stretch that typically has not been

(01:05:05):
successful in other parts of the country.

Speaker 1 (01:05:08):
Happy Kurgibile joining us here on Mention News talk line
this morning. Did you catch any of the conversation with
Roger Hanshaw.

Speaker 5 (01:05:16):
I'm sorry, I was actually actually working on the commentary
about this very thing. Hey, could I make one other
point about this?

Speaker 1 (01:05:22):
I don't know now because you didn't listen to our
interview with Roger Hanshaw.

Speaker 5 (01:05:26):
Well, I was working on something. I'm sorry, I believe
or not. I can't do two things at once. I'm
not an interview with Hanshaw, but I was working on
this commentary, and so I am reading the wallsuit. I'm sorry. Well,
then fill me in. What do you want to ask?

Speaker 1 (01:05:38):
No, no, go ahead. What's your point? Well, I don't I
can't ask you questions about things you don't know, Hoppy,
I can't do that. So make your point what I
want to say first time? What was the other points
you wanted to make?

Speaker 5 (01:05:52):
Okay, this is where I'm We're going to wait into
trouble here, So I'll wait into trouble. Then I'll hang
up and lead you guys to sort it out.

Speaker 1 (01:05:57):
Appreciate it.

Speaker 5 (01:05:58):
But the wallsuit, but by the lawsuit by the woman
Rolla County who's trying to get her four year old
daughter in school without the mandatorianizations. And she states, among
other things in the lawsuit that she's not opposed to
medication when an intervention is necessary. But she quote sincerely
believes that God designed her child's immune system with special

(01:06:22):
care and with the well desired ability to counteract disease,
even though it's not fail proof, and to preemptively alter
that immune system would demonstrate a lack of faith in God.
Now you're both religious guys, and TJ I think you are.
In particular, I'm interested in your take on that because

(01:06:44):
I think the counter argument to that is one could
reasonably argue that God has guided the hands and minds
of scientists and doctors who have developed and implemented life
saving vaccines. There's a weighty topic to think about, So.

Speaker 3 (01:07:03):
Dave, I'll jump in on that hoppy God's perfect design,
in my humble opinion, went out the window with the
fall it went out the window with the fall. What
we were designed to be and what God wanted us
to be went awry at the fall, and so claiming that,
I just personally, as I look at scripture and as

(01:07:24):
I read commentaries on theology, I think that argument doesn't
hold water. Given the fall of man and everything from
that point onward. Do we still have divine intervention today? Absolutely?
Does God bless us with gifts and different skills that
people can then use for the betterment of themselves in mankind. Absolutely,

(01:07:45):
But we're not what we were designed to be. So
I don't know personally that that holds water with me,
at least theologically.

Speaker 5 (01:07:53):
You mean you mean her argument, her argument?

Speaker 3 (01:07:55):
Correct?

Speaker 5 (01:07:57):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:07:58):
Well thanks for bringing that up. As did you get
to hang up and we go to a break up?
Appreciate it again?

Speaker 5 (01:08:03):
Well that was that was the that was the existential
art point. I'm going to leave you with.

Speaker 1 (01:08:07):
Okay, all right, Hey, I appreciate it, buddy. And any
advice We're going out of Wesley and tomorrow going to
be meeting some of the West Virgnia Scholar finalists tomorrow.
Any advice as we go to Buchanan, Well.

Speaker 5 (01:08:19):
No advice, you guys can handle. It's clearly, but just
that that I've had the joy of going there for
many years as that scholarship is awarded, and it is
it is a wonderful event. We appreciate our partnership with
our sponsors and with West Virginia Wesleyan. And I want
you to I want you to take notes when you're

(01:08:40):
there tomorrow and watch the face of the young boy
or girl and his or her parents or guardians when
that announcement is made, because in that moment, a life changes.
That is a seminal moment in the life and lives
of those in individuals. And I'm a bit of a

(01:09:02):
cold fish, as you may know it. It makes me weepy.
I want to see that. So I would just invite
you to embrace the moment and be ready tomorrow for
a life changing event, because that's what it is.

Speaker 1 (01:09:17):
You say, cold fish me.

Speaker 25 (01:09:20):
I am.

Speaker 19 (01:09:20):
You know that.

Speaker 5 (01:09:21):
I mean a loose and distance, you know, lacking empathy,
all those kinds of things. But it's will be. You
will be moved tomorrow by that event, I guarantee you.
So I would just invite you to enjoy the day.

Speaker 3 (01:09:35):
I'm hoping to be inspired quite frankly, we talk about
some head stuff. As you mentioned, I want to be
inspired by the next generation, and so that's what I'm
looking forward to tomorrow.

Speaker 5 (01:09:46):
And you will because when I've done it, I've talked
to these people and think, because look, every day, what
do you guys deal with? Problems? Challenges, issues, And you
get there and you think, Okay, here's the next generation.
They are anxious to have their chance. And I think
you'll find that TJ. I have each time I have
come away inspired thinking oh okay, it'll be hy, we'll

(01:10:09):
do Okay, we'll figure it out. They'll possibly fix things
be broken.

Speaker 1 (01:10:13):
Happy Kerchibal the host Emeritis, dean of broadcasting here in
West Virginia. Always appreciate it. Hop Thank you, buddy.

Speaker 5 (01:10:20):
I appreciate you having me on and enjoy tomorrow, and
we'll congratulations to the scholar finals.

Speaker 1 (01:10:24):
Absolutely, we'll do coming back. We'll get some of your text.
Three or four Talk three or four Energy Secretary Chris
right bottom of the hour. This is talk line from
the Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 11 (01:10:34):
Rafters along the Lower Gully have reported sightings of a
pirate on the riverbank. Apparently he's throwing gold coins to
every boat, it passes back to you, Carrie.

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Today with I Play West Virginia Ludry eighteen plus to
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Speaker 21 (01:11:04):
Snap and Medicaid. Help West Virginia kids get fed, help

(01:11:24):
Senator Justice and Senator Capito tell them to do the
decent thing. Protect Snap and Medicaid. Paid for by Mountaineer
Food Bank.

Speaker 1 (01:11:33):
You're listening to talk Line on Metro News, The Voice
of West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (01:11:40):

Speaker 26 (01:11:54):
I'll go out on a limb because people won't like
my answer. Probably, I think there's fewer coyotes than most
people imagine, really, because when number one, when you hear
a family group of them this time of year, the
pups are very vocal. The coyotes are getting They've been
kind of shut mouthed during the spring when they're young,
and it's like a bunch of teenagers. When they get

(01:12:16):
to September, mom and dad can't keep their mouths shut anymore.

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Whether it's hunting and fishing news or just compelling stories
woods and water every weekday morning on Metro News, the

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Speaker 1 (01:13:55):
Text line three or four, Talk three or four phone
numbers eight hundred and seven to sixty five eighty two,
five to five. Just to put a bow on that
final not the final conversation we'll have on vaccines, Kurgiable's right.
More often than not, and in this case he is.
But I will add to his comments this TJ the

(01:14:16):
religious aspect of this argument of this debate is utter nonsense,
because this wasn't even a debate until about five minutes ago,
at least in West Virginia. There have always been those
who didn't want to vaccinate their children for the various reasons,
but they were on the fringe. It wasn't mainstream until
about five minutes ago. This tugs at people's heartstrings, very

(01:14:38):
deeply held beliefs that you should be able to practice
your religion without interference from the government. And when you
tie that to this issue, then you have something you
can appeal to people about. We're not debating, well, I'm
not debating. I think the science is pretty proven on this.
I think there is a ton of data that supports vaccines,

(01:14:59):
childhood vaccine nations. We don't want to go back to
the days of polio and measles and other Now, if
you want to question the vaccine schedule, I think that's legit.
Do we want to re consider medical exemptions. I think
there's an argument to be made there as well. But
to tie this to religious freedom or religious liberty is
simply to tug at people's emotions deeply held beliefs, and

(01:15:24):
really isn't even germane to the larger conversation there, because again,
this wasn't a thing until about five minutes ago.

Speaker 3 (01:15:30):
So I think people will see through it. I think
they have, all right, Yeah, because here's the thing. You
can care deeply about religious liberties, but unless it affects
your religious liberty, most people I talk to various religions,
nobody has a problem with this.

Speaker 1 (01:15:45):
And there are what I think Seventh day advanced advanced
are against medical There are there are a couple of
that against medical intervention. It won't take like novacane at
the Dynasty even that. Okay, I get that, But are
we we're up ending the entire system. I don't think
we're tryings to be done.

Speaker 3 (01:16:03):
Yeah. I think we're trying to hijack EPRA because it's
been kicked around in the Northern District, put up to
the Fourth Circuit. The Fourth Circuit kicked it back down
and says a state court needs to rule on this
first before roll act on it. Don't lose sight of that.
This is really about a starting point, not a resolution.
Because to Hoppy's points, and if his point holds about

(01:16:24):
bigger political ambitions raising money on a national, larger scale.
It's one thing to say I fought for West Virginian's
religious freedom. It's another thing to say that you did
it for the entire nation, and you challenged something in
the Fourth Circuit and you had overarching change beyond your state.
That's what a primary state ruling would do. It would
allow it to get kicked back to the Northern Circuit

(01:16:45):
and eventually back to the Fourth Circuit. I should say,
and I'm guessing speculating, I don't think that that is implausible.
I'll put it that way.

Speaker 1 (01:16:56):
Just want to add this, and we've got to hit
the brake here also. We bring this up every time
that they couldn't get to bill through with the Republican
super majority. Credit the lawmakers, but what credit that they
listened to their constituency. They listen to people in their
districts who said we don't want this thing. And there
were enough of them, a lot of them that heard
from their constituents that said we do not want these exemptions,

(01:17:20):
and they listened to them. And give them a little
bit of credit for that.

Speaker 3 (01:17:23):
And you're playing Russian roulette that nothing happens if you
do get this through, but if something does happen and
we have an outbreak.

Speaker 1 (01:17:30):
This is talk Line on Metro News, the Voice of
West Virginia. It is eleven thirty. Let's get a news update.
Check in with the Metro News radio network. Find out
what's happening all across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 28 (01:17:43):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Chris Lawrence. The Red Cross
is established outreach centers for flood victims in marionn and
o iiO County. The Red Cross of Central Lapalacha setting
those up and will meet with victims to assess needs.
Jason Keeling, as director of the Appalachian Highlands Chapter, we.

Speaker 6 (01:17:58):
Are doing image assessment, so we just need to be
able to verify that their homes had been destroyed or
majorly impacted.

Speaker 1 (01:18:07):
He said.

Speaker 28 (01:18:07):
Fairmount apartment that collapse was probably the most recognized housing
loss and the flood in Wheeling and throughout Fairmont, dozens
of other homes are either destroyed or at least incurred damage.
Those outreach centers are located in Fairmont at the Public
Safety Building in Marion County and the Romans Point Church
in Tridelphia Town Hall in Ohio County, Governor Patrick Morrissey
is set to join Ohio County emergency officials next hour

(01:18:28):
with a briefing about the ongoing recovery efforts, and we
may learn more about the discovery of a body in
the Ohio River over ninth. That discovery made in the
community of Clarington, Ohio, downstream about thirty miles from Wheeling.
Authorities have been looking for at least one missing victim,
eye three year old Sandra Parsons. It's not yet known
if the body found is her. When the temperature hits
the upper nineties, as it will again today, there are

(01:18:49):
only a few options for how to spend your day.
That's one of them.

Speaker 1 (01:18:53):
Into the pool.

Speaker 28 (01:18:53):
We caught up with several folks at Canawan County's Coonskin
Park pool on Tuesday.

Speaker 29 (01:18:57):
That's the only way that you're going to say.

Speaker 12 (01:19:00):
And the heatle it's nice and freezing cold water.

Speaker 2 (01:19:03):
It's close to the out uh.

Speaker 24 (01:19:04):
I like it.

Speaker 1 (01:19:05):
Because it gives you more.

Speaker 5 (01:19:07):
Chances to swim.

Speaker 1 (01:19:08):
You're listening to Metro News the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 18 (01:19:12):
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

(01:19:32):
by opening up hundreds of coal fired power plants, I
am authorizing my administration to immediately begin producing energy with beautiful,
clean coal unquote. President Trump, his energy team, and the
EPA are doing everything imaginable to increase the use of
coal to provide reliable and cost effective electricity. West Virginia's

(01:19:52):
leaders must follow suit. It's time we change the policies
keeping coal from reaching its potential, and let's follow the
President's lee and maximizing this once in a lifetime opportunity
to unleash our coal resources for the betterment of all
West Virginians.

Speaker 8 (01:20:07):
A message from the Friends of Coal.

Speaker 1 (01:20:11):
State Attorney General JB.

Speaker 28 (01:20:12):
Mccusky says he'll ask the US Supreme Court to take
up the lawsuit that has currently put a stop to
the state law banning biological boys from playing girls sports.
Mukuski ask in the High Court to reverse the current
injunction from a lower court judge Arali County mother has
been charged with child abuse resulting an injury after deputies
say she was yelling her child had a demon and,
according to investigators, held down the child, who's aged five,

(01:20:34):
and pulled two of her front teeth. Rebecca Bailey was
charged with this incident last week. From the Metro to
whose ANCHORDSK, I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 1 (01:20:58):
Get some more texts coming up three or four six
talk threeh four that's the text line. Phone numbers always
eight hundred seven sixty five talk eight hundred seven sixty
five eight two five five. The United States Energy Secretary
Chris Right is actually in Morgantown today visiting West Virginia.
He is touring all seventeen of the national laboratories that
are under his department's authority. He was available for a

(01:21:21):
few minutes this morning. We actually talked to him a
little bit earlier today about a number of topics, and
he joined us via telephone even though he's in Morgantown
again touring the laboratories here, the Nettle Laboratories here in town.
Got the opportunity to speak to him earlier today, and
here's a little bit of that conversation.

Speaker 6 (01:21:41):
Good morning. Great to be here and great to be
in the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (01:21:45):
Have you visited before? Is this your first time?

Speaker 6 (01:21:49):
Oh, I've been to West Virginia before, both when I
was young and then you know, twenty years ago I
was here several times as the first talking about the
future of energy, and then at the start of shale
gas arriving in West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (01:22:04):
So you're on your tour of the National Laboratories, You're
visiting the netal facilities here in Morgantown today. What do
you hope to learn as you tour these facilities?

Speaker 6 (01:22:14):
Well, I have a lot to learn, and what's critical
here is these laboratory Nettle here is working on great
stuff in critical minerals and some science around materials. But
it's also focused on coal and natural gas. And for
a while everyone thought coal and natural gas were out
of fashion, but in fact there are two of the

(01:22:34):
three critical energy sources that run our country and run
our world. So I'm huge fans of coal, huge fans
of natural gas, and very excited to learn about the
advancements and technologies being worked on here.

Speaker 3 (01:22:46):
Mister Secretary, I want to talk about the EPA who
recently rolled back greenhouse gas REGs or clean Power two
point zero. They also revised the mass Rule, as you
well know, would affect coal generation natural gas generation. The
Biden administration said those rules were necessary to address climate change.
Why is now the time to pull them back? And
I assume you're a fan of pulling these back? Can

(01:23:08):
you elaborate.

Speaker 6 (01:23:10):
Absolutely? Look, energy is just the critical infrastructure that enables
our lives. I mean, it's why global life expectancies over
seventy years instead of thirty years as it was just
a few generations ago. So having this modern energy to
make our lives better is just critical. And we've lost
a lot of common sense about that. Cole has been

(01:23:31):
the largest source of global electricity for over one hundred years,
and it has a large lead today and I don't
see any I don't in the next few decades. That's
not going to change. So coal is critical, natural gas
is critical. Having regulations to reduce air pollutants like socks
and knocks and particulate matter from the Clean Air Act

(01:23:53):
that made sense, and we've made tremendous improvement there. Air
is much cleaner today than when I was born. Were
our country. That's awesome, but this obsession over minute changes
in greenhouse gases has just gotten way way out of line,
and ultimately, those match regulations and the clean power plant
they weren't about reducing pollutants. They were really about a

(01:24:16):
political agenda that somehow we're going to move away from oil,
gas and coal and we're going to power the world
on windmills and solar panels. And that's just simply not possible.
So we've got to be realistic and sober about this,
and we've got to stop raising American energy prices and
bring some common sense back into government. That's why President
Trump got elected, and I'm proud to be his partner

(01:24:37):
in that endeavor.

Speaker 1 (01:24:38):
Well, Cole Energy companies are hedging their bets that this
that the trend is in renewables, trends that are in
other energy sources. They're retiring coal fired power plants. How
do you incentivize energy companies to invest in those coal
fired power plants.

Speaker 6 (01:24:55):
Well, I think the first thing we've got to do
is take off the giant regulatory burden. It's made it
so hard to run a plant. You mentioned, you know,
Matts for example. We've done a great job in making
the air cleaner But now, the movement of the regulations
that the EPA the last few years wasn't really about
incrementally cleaner air. It was about making standards that you

(01:25:18):
really couldn't meet. Therefore you became so expensive or couldn't
actually meet those regulations. It was a way to sort
of backdoor close plants down. So look, we've stepped in.
We have AI coming, we have huge demand for electricity growth.
We got to stop closing existing, wonderful, viable plants that

(01:25:39):
are powering our country. I ordered an emergency order to
keep a coal plant open in southwestern Michigan a few
weeks ago, and environmental is melted down. We're going to
keep expensive, dirty coal on the grid. Total nonsense. Two
days later, there was a blackout in the same grid
area in the southern part of Miso, the Midwestern Independent

(01:26:04):
System Operator. A few weeks ago, I kept a plant
open in Philadelphia that was also shut to be closed.
That plant was running yesterday, was running the day before yesterday,
it's running today. When you get peak demand in the summer,
peak demand in the winter, we need to keep our
lights on, we need to keep our electricity prices down.
We've got wonderful operating assets. We need to keep them

(01:26:25):
open and not close them for political reasons.

Speaker 3 (01:26:29):
So, mister Secretary, let's talk about the grid. We're in PJM.
As you well know, they've issued alerts and even warnings
heading into summer about having enough adequate reserve margins in place.
That's a first for PJM. Expand on generation, I mean,
are we facing a crisis in this country? Have we
already went past the tipping point in that we've shut

(01:26:50):
too much generation down to meet that need? Especially when you,
as you said, tack on AI and all these other
demands that are coming on the grid.

Speaker 6 (01:27:00):
You are absolutely right, we are facing a crisis. We
have just gone for the last four years. We just
went the wrong direction, closing dozens of coal plants that
were awesome, reliable suppliers of electricity, whether the wind was
blowing or the sun was shining, whether it was cold
or baking hot out. You need electricity that can deliver

(01:27:20):
when you need it most. Inauguration day, that afternoon, that evening,
very cold, peak demand time. That's what you designed a
group for, is to keep everyone alive, the lights on,
the incubators working in the hospitals at peak demand time.
At that peak demand time, we had forty four percent
of all the electricity in PGM from coal, twenty four

(01:27:42):
percent from natural gas, twenty five percent from nuclear, three
percent from oil. If you're getting a meaningful amount of
electricity from oil, it means the greatest height, three percent
from wind, and zero percent from solar. Think of all
the money, all one hundreds of billions of dollars of
so globally trillions of dollars spent in wind, solar, and

(01:28:04):
batteries and don't for any technology that works. But then
when we at peak demand time, combined, they're three percent
of total electricity delivered, which means they didn't bring squat,
which means the grid had to be powered the same
way it was powered fifty years ago by coal, natural gas,
and nuclear. So we just want to bring common sense back.

(01:28:25):
And you're right, we need to actually not We need
to both stop shrinking our capacity to generate reliable electricity.
In fact, we need to grow it. We need to
grow it meaningfully so we can bring manufacturing jobs back
to the United States. We can lead in Ai. We
have a lead today. We can lose that lead to
China if we continued nonsense policies and electricity. We need

(01:28:47):
to grow fifty to one hundred and fifty giga lots
of new power generation. The first thing we need to
do is stop digging the hole.

Speaker 1 (01:28:54):
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright join us on Metro News
talk line. We talk about West Virginia on these We
talk cold, but we also have an abundance of natural
gas and that was part of the reason the announcement
of the Appalachian Clean Hydrogen Hub was met with a
lot of excitement when that was announced here in Morgantown.
As a matter of fact, the Inflation Reduction Act allocated

(01:29:17):
seven billion dollars for the regional hydrogen clean Hydrogen Hub projects.
Is that a project that still has the backing or
has the backing of the administration.

Speaker 6 (01:29:27):
So energy is critical to human lives, and I say
it's really about two things. About people. That's why we
generate energy to make people's lives better, and it's about math.
Is this a viable way to make people's lives better
and grow the deliverability of our energy system. So hydrogen
and all of the hydrogen hubs will be undergoing the
same business analysis we're doing for all projects at DOE.

(01:29:51):
So The short answer is, I don't know yet. We
will run the math on that. The physics and the
cost of hydrogen is challenging, so you have to have
pretty great circumstances I think to make hydrogen viable. But
we're going to analyze everything all seven of the hydrogen
hub proposals with the taxpayer hat on and a rate
payer hat on. But that analysis has not been done yet,

(01:30:13):
So no breaking news there yet for you. Right now.
The short term thing, the breaking news is the whole
One Big Beautiful Bill that all of the West Virginia
Delegation is working on right now in Washington, DC. This
is absolutely critical legislation. Not only is it going to
stop the crazy amount of subsidies we've spent on energy

(01:30:36):
sources that have been subsidized for over thirty years. You've
got to be able to walk without the training wheels
by now after thirty years. We've got to let real
competition our electricity markets to stop the price rises, stabilize
the price of electricity, stop the overweening government mandates that
have been crushing coal. The One Big Beautiful Bill addresses

(01:30:58):
all of these, takes out wasteful spending on things that
are pushing energy prices up. It removes some shackles off reliable,
dispatchable sources of energy, and it's got permanent reform allow
us to lease on federal lands again, both for coal
mining for natural gas development. So the short term we've
really got to do is get this legislation passed so

(01:31:20):
we can unleash American energy and get West Virginians back
growing again. So much of that manufacturing that's going to
come back to our country is going to come to
places like West Virginia that have common sense regulations, smart politicians,
hard working citizens, and have great local energy resources. I'm

(01:31:41):
quite bullish of what the next few years can bring
for West Virginia, but that takes a legislative progress through
the One Big Beautiful Bill, and of course at the
state level as well. But that's Americans elected President Trump
to bring back common sense, bring back jobs, an opportunity
to our country.

Speaker 2 (01:31:58):
It's just secred.

Speaker 3 (01:31:58):
You mentioned dispatchable energy. You more than anybody would understand
how economic dispatch works in a wholesale market system and
how that feeds our utilities. You also mentioned the state level.

Speaker 5 (01:32:11):
Here.

Speaker 3 (01:32:11):
At the state level, there have been some i'll say
casual or maybe not even some casual efforts to promote
one commodity over the other. I'm thinking specifically coal or
even over natural gas or others. When it comes to
economic dispatch, isn't it best for government to get out
of that role completely? No subsidies for any commodity, no

(01:32:32):
favoritism for one commodity over the other. Let the market
do it, and whatever clears the price, people get the
cheapest energy that way. What would you say to that philosophy?

Speaker 6 (01:32:41):
So I one hundred percent agree with that philosophy. Unfortunately,
electricity markets are just complicated. It's one of my other
goals and this administration goals is to reform for the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and electricity markets right now. I
use the analogy when you've been in for only a
few minutes at a time to sell electricity, it actually

(01:33:03):
ends out massively favoring subsidize things like wind and solar
other suns out and their marginal cost is zero because
they've already had half of the system paid by the government,
and so they drive that price of electricity down when
they can deliver it hit at a coal plant or
a natural gas plant or a nuclear plant can't deliver
steady electricity. Now they have to constantly turn up to

(01:33:26):
turn down, turn up, depending upon the weather and the wind.
We panealize all dispatchable sources of electricity, So you're right,
I want the market to compete. But what we want
the market to compete on is the total system cost.
How much is the all in cost? I hear endlessly
wind and solar they're cheaper, They're cheaper. And my answer is,
how come in every state, the more cheap electricity we

(01:33:49):
put on the grid, the more expensive everyone's electricity bills get.
Those don't go together, and that's that few minutes versus
system cost. But a one hundred percent agree with your philosophy,
and I probably agree with you on the specifics too.
I just don't know exactly what you're referred to, but
I want freedom and I want competition.

Speaker 1 (01:34:07):
US Energy Secretary Chris right in Morgantown today, visiting the
Netle facilities here in town and taking a few minutes
with us a Metro News talk line as well. Mister Secretary,
thank you so much and enjoy your trip to Morgantown.

Speaker 6 (01:34:20):
Thanks for having me. Best wishes for a strong future
to everyone in West Virginia. See you all soon again.

Speaker 1 (01:34:27):
That was Chris Right, us Energy Secretary. He's in Morgantown
at the Netle facilities today. We've got the opportunity to
speak to him a little bit earlier. We'll get to
your text got a phone call to take as well.
Eight hundred and seven to sixty five talk and three
oh four Talk three four. That's the phone number and
the text line. This is talk Line from the Encove
Insurance Studios.

Speaker 29 (01:34:46):
When it comes to your child's heart, you want care
that you can trust close to home. At the WU
Medicine Children's Heart Center, we treat a full range of
pediatric heart conditions with advanced diagnostics. As the only tertiary
care pediatric heart program in the state, our expert team
is here for your family every step of the way.

(01:35:08):
Called eight five five WUK or visit WU kids dot
com slash heart.

Speaker 1 (01:35:15):
You're listening to Talkline on Metro News, the Voice of
West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (01:35:22):
Metro News this morning. The biggest stories from around the
state of West Virginia when you want them. Chris Lawrence
at the anchor desk, we are ready to.

Speaker 1 (01:35:29):
Get the big going with all the information you need
in the Mountain State.

Speaker 2 (01:35:32):
Jeff Jenkins brings you the day's headlines.

Speaker 13 (01:35:35):
The annual measurement of the Welfare of kids in all
fifty state show children in West Virginia faring better. The
annual Kids Count book is out this morning. West Virginia
ranks forty first, moving up from forty fourth last year.
West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Director of Kelly
Allen says been improvement, but more progress is needed. A
study says things are getting better for kids in West
Virginia the areas of housing security, children being covered by insurance,

(01:35:58):
and declining team birth rates at the sports desks.

Speaker 14 (01:36:01):
West Virginia trailed from the top of the first on
at LSU. Mountaineers tried to battle back. The offense did
park up, but LSU won the game twelve to five
in the Super Regional in West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (01:36:13):
Season ends at forty four and sixteen.

Speaker 2 (01:36:15):
Metro News This Morning Listen where you get your favorite
podcasts and online at wb Metro News dot com.

Speaker 15 (01:36:21):
Need a break from the headlines and mindless drivel, Metro
News Hotline brings you that much needed afternoon distraction, both
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everything from baseball nostalgia to the latest tech trends mean
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culture know how and good natured ribbing while your calls

(01:36:41):
take things in surprising directions. Tune in for the lively
chats that are refreshingly different. Find us from three to
six weekdays on Metro News, the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 16 (01:36:51):
is Travis Jowes joining myself and Greg Hunter every Sunday
night from six o six until eight o'clock as we
wrap up the sports weekend. We talk Mountaineers, high school,

(01:37:13):
your favorite Metro news aphilia or watch the show at
wb Metronews dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:37:33):
Metro News Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:37:43):
Jack Box from the Millions here in West Virginia and
who does not want to be a millionaire? Get in
the Powerball drawings Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mega Millions drawings
are Tuesdays and Fridays. Will you be the next Big Winner?
Play in store or online with Iplay Today eighteen plus
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(01:38:04):
hundred and forty million dollars. The Mega Million's jackpot is
three hundred and forty eight million dollars. Let's go to
the phones. Donnie in Tucker County has some thoughts on vaccines.
Hey Donnie, Yeah, Hey.

Speaker 25 (01:38:17):
How you doing?

Speaker 1 (01:38:17):
Dave doing great?

Speaker 25 (01:38:19):
All right? Well, I got a problem. There is some people,
you know, the uh everybody that loves God and all
that they let their kid die because he's appendice shruptured
and they said it was up to God. Is that right?

Speaker 1 (01:38:42):
Well obviously not, Donnie, No, that is not right.

Speaker 25 (01:38:47):
The kid could have got attention. But I don't agree
with these people that say it's up to God.

Speaker 1 (01:38:58):
Well, Donnie, Hey, Donnie, appreciate the phone, and I think
most people are with you and TJ. You were alluding
to this a little bit earlier in your analysis. The
idea that you don't have to do anything, I don't
find that anywhere in scripture that you're going to be
miraculously healed. Well, we have great doctors, we have great facilities,

(01:39:22):
and the Lord can work through them to help heal you.
Whatever the malady is. To sit by and do nothing
is a complete fallacy and misreading of whatever scripture you
may be finding that in. In one's humble opinion.

Speaker 3 (01:39:38):
This is a convenient argument to try to make if
you want to further this for political purposes, as hopyhit
On and oftentimes Dave. Convenient arguments, unfortunately are weak, and
I find the argument weak. It's one man's opinion.

Speaker 1 (01:39:53):
Donnie. Appreciate the phone call Buddy, eight hundred and seven
to sixty five, talk and three or four talk, three
or four is the text line. If they really wanted
a fair playing field and the market manipulation, West Virginia
would have a gas fired power plant, no market manipulation.
We have gas fired power plants now, they are the

(01:40:13):
ones that I know of. There's one in Pleasants County.
It is a natural gas power plant. But it only
comes on to Jay when like situations like right now,
where the market or the grid is about at capacity.

Speaker 3 (01:40:27):
It's a peaker. Yeah, they're called peakers, and a lot
of these plants are older, they were built for that purpose. Yeah,
I'll have to look. I don't know that we have
a full tilt base load running all the time natural
gas plant. And to the Texture's point, with the price
of gas as cheap as it is, begs the question,
you know, why haven't we done that. One of the

(01:40:49):
problems is somebody would have to pay for that new
construction of that plant, but have to go into some
rate base somewhere, and you know, can ratepayers afford that?
A whole different question there.

Speaker 1 (01:40:59):
Dave and t Yeah, I used to have a gas
backup generator. It was expensive and a lot of trouble.
I now keep backup batteries, which are so much easier
and cheaper. Seems coal steam generators are too expensive to
maintain as backup generators. It's your wheelhouse, TJ. You offer
a thought on.

Speaker 3 (01:41:16):
That, you know, Here's here's my particular thoughts. Generations are great,
buy one if you want one. Are they maintenance heavy? Perhaps?

Speaker 1 (01:41:25):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:41:26):
I don't have one. My equation on that is, how
often does your power go out? Your power goes out
a lot. Investment in a backup system makes sense luckily
where I live, where we don't have a lot of trees,
lines are underground. You know, I don't have a lot
of outages unless the car hits pull and I can't
justify the investment. Texter says, good show today just proves

(01:41:48):
even a blind squirrel can find a nut every once
in a while.

Speaker 1 (01:41:53):
Appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (01:41:54):
That's a good one.

Speaker 1 (01:41:55):
Thank you. Well, take the compliment. However, we can get
them all right back to wrap things up to hey,
what is happening the rest of the day and coming
up tomorrow. We'll do that right.

Speaker 30 (01:42:03):
After this holiday weekend, get away to the sixty third
Annual Mountain State Art and Craft Fair July third through
the fifth at Cedar Lakes. Shop for handmade Appalachian crafts,
enjoy live music, heritage craft demonstrations, a quilt show, and
don't forget the great food. Then enjoy the fourth of

(01:42:24):
July at America's largest small town Independence Day celebration in Ripley.
It's all happening in beautiful Ripley, West Virginia. Once you
do it you'll be back.

Speaker 21 (01:42:34):
Snap and Medicaid help West Virginia kids get fed, help

(01:42:55):
Senator Justice and Senator Capito. Tell them to do the
decent thing. Protect SNAP and Medicaid paid for by Mountaineer
Food Bank.

Speaker 1 (01:43:04):
You're listening to talkloind on Metro News, the voice of
West Virginia.

Speaker 22 (01:43:11):
WV metronews dot com the only website you need to
stay informed in the Mountain State. Get the latest news
and sports story, information on the great outdoors, and never
miss an episode of your favorite Metro News programs and
podcast including Talkline, Hotline, sports Line, and Three Guys Before
the Game. Make a bookmark now and visit WV metronews

(01:43:33):
dot com first thing every morning to find out what's
happening all across the state. WV metronews dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:43:40):

Speaker 23 (01:43:55):
And I knew he had a major thing over on
front of your boat. I said, Lenna, go ahead and
pudd over on the see what a measurement again? And
he went over and laid it on a thing. He
really quiet a little one here. Well, bull, he's a
might as well not call me.

Speaker 24 (01:44:08):
A So the dnr GW was already on the way
to check yours out officially.

Speaker 23 (01:44:15):
Right, Well, he ain't called me back, and that's that
reason we can't fish, and cause he ain't called me back.

Speaker 2 (01:44:20):
Whether it's hunting and fishing news or just compelling stories
woods and water every weekday morning on Metro News of

Speaker 16 (01:44:40):
It's the City that Sunday Night sports Line. Hey, this
night from six oh six until eight o'clock as we
wrap up the sports weekend. We talked Mountaineers High School,
The Sunday Sports Line is listener Interactive could call or

(01:45:00):
text the show at three oh four Talk three oh four.
It's a perfect weekend sports wrap up on your favorite
Metro News affiliate or watch the show at wb Metronews
dot com three.

Speaker 1 (01:45:26):
Oh four Talk three oh four. Why do you always
refer to Christianity as the only religious exemption? Freedom of
press doesn't mean just people will work for a new station.
Freedom of press refers to everyone. Freedom of religion is
just that freedom of worship, freedom to worship whatever God
or gods you want to worship. Stop referring to religious
exemptions as only the Bible. I can answer the question.

(01:45:49):
That's the one I'm familiar with. Number one. Number two,
it's West Virginia and we're I haven't seen the statistics lately,
but I'm willing to bet ninety five percent christian is
the overwhelming religion of the state. So that's why, that's why,
that's we're talking to the majority of the people there,
the vast, vast majority.

Speaker 3 (01:46:10):
But more broadly, I'm not aware of any religion that
has a problem with vaccines.

Speaker 1 (01:46:18):
Three or four Talk three or four, we're out of
time for text. Actually coming up Metro News Midday on
many of these same radio stations across the state, Dave Allen.
Katy Coin going to join Dave. She is the reporter
for West Virginia Watch had the story about the delegate
in Berkeley County with the anti Semitic Instagram account that

(01:46:39):
or at post on Instagram that was connected to him.
I get that in the right order, I think. Anyway,
Katie will be on to explain that with Dave Allen,
and I believe they've got some audio with the governor
from yesterday's news conference in Beckley. Fred person of the
Second got an opportunity to speak to the governor as well.
So that's coming up Metro News Midday on many of
these same radio stations. We will be in Bacan and

(01:47:00):
tomorrow on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan for the
West Virginia Scholar Program. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon.
We will be there to join them. So's TJ. I'll
see you in Buchanan tomorrow. Look forward to it, all right,
join us at ten oh six. Until then, have a
great day. This is talk Line on Metro News, the
voice of West Virginia.

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Talkline | June 25, 2025

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