Talkline | Nov. 20, 2025 - MetroNews Talkline

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
We've got a busy show today. Hoppy Kerchible makes his return.
He's been gone a couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Especial News talk line we are underway.

Speaker 3 (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 DJ Meadows.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
Act So it's no where can we hold from Charles.

Speaker 5 (00:53):
Stand by to David TJ. You're on.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
Metronews. Talk Line is presented by Incovia Insurance, encircling you
with coverage to protect what you care about most. Visit
incovia dot com to learn more.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Good Morning, Welcome and signed the in Cove Insurance studios.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Dave Wilson in Morgantown, TJ Meadows is in Charleston. Jake
Linker video producer, and Ethan Collins is handling the audio side.

Speaker 6 (01:21):
Things.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Appreciate you joining us in one of our great radio
affiliates across the state of West Virginia and on the
Metro News TVP got a busy show, busy first hour
coming up. Ryan Schmels will join us from DC. President
Trump has signed the bill that will release the Epstein files.
We'll get into that with Ryan a little bit later.

(01:42):
Also a nicely on loan from West Virginia. Watch we'll
stop buy. She has a new story out today. Over
thirteen thousand students in West Virginia are classified as homeless.
We'll get into that story as well as well. There's
a special event going on in our flagship in Charleston, WCCHS.
We'll get some details on that as the show unfolds,

(02:04):
but say good morning to TJ. Meadows in the Charleston
studios this morning.

Speaker 4 (02:09):
Good morning sir, Good morning David. I love capitalism. Days
like today, I love it. I'm looking so get this.
The Dow up five eighty three, the S and P
up one hundred and five, NASDAK up for seventy three.
Why you ask, American technology, American business, and Nvidia killing it,
great earnings yesterday, reigniting the AI game. We're not in

(02:31):
a bubble. This is what we do. This is why
capitalism is great, because this kind of innovation. Look what
it does for everyone's four oz one k Everyone's waking
up happy this morning. It's good day.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
I was hearing a lot of talk and probably you again,
I'm waiting into your territory here, but a lot of
talk to the last couple of days about the AI bubble.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Are we in a bubble? Are we reaching the peak?
And then in video dropped those earnings reports. I think
after the market's closed yesterday, didn't it keeps late after day? Yeah,
and everybody took a collective sigh of relief. At least
that's what I gathered from reading the articles in the
Wall Street Journal this morning.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
Now you're spot on, and look, there are going to
be people. We'll get them on the text line. I'm
sure in just a second. Who are going to say, well,
you know, it's because Nvidia is buying from one company
to the next, and you know they're buying companies that
use their chips, et cetera, et cetera. It's a circular thing.
Let me tell you something. Don't bet long term against
American business.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
Just don't do it, says my unofficial, unpaid financial advisor.
There you go, three four talk three or four. That
is the text line. Westernia University Health System and Independence
Health System have announced plans to merge, bringing five hospitals
into the Doubleview Health System Family, Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe,

(03:47):
and Westmoreland Hospitals up near Pittsburgh. It's an eight hundred
million dollar investment by Doubleview Health System over the next
five years to modernize the hospitals across the Independence Health System.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
For more on the greatest merger.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Joining us on the program this morning as WQ Medicin
President CEO Albert Right, Albert, good morning.

Speaker 6 (04:07):
Hey, Good morning, David TJ. Thanks for having me on today.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
Appreciate you coming on.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
So what was attractive about this merger that WVU Hospitals
WQ Health System wanted to get involved and get up
there in that system around the Pittsburgh area.

Speaker 6 (04:23):
Well, great question. So you know we've we've worked on
and off and had discussions with the Independence Health System
over the last three or four years on different programs
and things we can work together. And over the last
six months it became a pretty significant discussion and detailed
discussion around you know, if we actually integrate together better,

(04:46):
we can actually create a win win. You know, and
remember up here in Morgantown where our flagship hospital, Ruby
Memorial is located. You know, we're about seven miles from
the Pennsylvania border. And as we try to grow our
we call our tertiary quaternary programs at Ruby Memorial. You know,
these solid organ transplants, the pediatric art surgeries, those types

(05:08):
of things that are that are low volume, very complex procedures.
You know, access to population is important for us, and
you know, the Independence Health System brings access to about
seven hundred and fifty thousand patients. They serve, you know,
mostly east of Pittsburgh, you know, out of Greensburg, Pennsylvanian,

(05:28):
a little bit north of Pittsburgh and Butler. And you know,
this will allow us to grow those programs and simultaneously,
you know, expand our scale our group purchasing our peak
health insurance product. And you know, if you erase that
Mason Dixon line and you meet the caregivers and the

(05:49):
patients that the Independence Health System serves, it's very similar
to the hospitals and patients we serve in West Virginia.
So we thought it could be a great, great partnership.
So we're excited.

Speaker 4 (06:00):
So give us a few details on the integration. How
soon will you actually start to integrate these new hospitals
in how will that process go what kind of timeline
should we look for here, Albert.

Speaker 6 (06:11):
Yeah, great, great question, TJ. So, you know, this is
a this is the most complex merger and acquisition we've
ever done. You know, we've we've acquired and integrated a
lot of hospitals over the last decade. But you know,
this is to give you an idea. W Medicine is
about an eight billion dollar net patient revenue healthcare system.

(06:31):
Independence is about a one point five billion dollar net
patient revenue system. So this is a this is a
big system that we'll be integrating. There are a number
of government and governmental and regulatory approvals we will need
to obtain through the State of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Interney
General will have to file a a Heart Scott Redino

(06:54):
filing with the with the US federal government. We anticipate
those will all be go through easily and well, but
it takes about six months. So you know, the first
six months of next year we'll be going through those processes.
You know, then the next three months really from July
first through October first, will really dot the i's and

(07:15):
cross the t's on on finalizing the definitive agreement and
the necessary paperwork filings to make ww Medicine the soul,
you know, member of Independence Health System as it integrates
into the system, and we hope to finalize the agreement
on or around or finalize the transaction I should say,

(07:36):
on around October first of twenty twenty six, and then
after that we'll really roll into the integration with our
epic electronic medical record, but the employees of Independence Health
onto our peak health insurance product and those types of things.
So the whole thing will probably the entire transaction and

(07:57):
integration will really be you know, over the next two years.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
Albert right joining us W Health System President and ce. Oh,
what's the benefit or is there a benefit to WVU
Medicine w hospitals here in Morgantown and here in West
Virginia through this acquisition.

Speaker 6 (08:14):
You know, I think, you know, as I shared, not
only the you know, some of those higher level patients
coming back, but you know they've increasingly you're seeing the
creation of large regional healthcare systems around the country. So
this is this is not a typical with what we

(08:34):
see happening around the country. You know, we want to
make sure that we're a of the size and scope
necessary to always you know, be able to do a
couple of things. One is to meet our mission to
improve the health trajectory of the state of West Virginia
and the surrounding regions we serve. Two is to carry

(08:54):
out the teaching mission of West Virginia University. And third,
and you remember, our health system was created by and
after the state legislature in nineteen ninety six to make
sure that we always have a West Virginia, you know,
regionally headquartered healthcare system. And we want to make sure
we're of a size and scope to make sure we

(09:14):
have great quality and we're financially liable. Because if we
can remain a West Virginia headquartered healthcare system, which we
certainly will, we're going to make investments in West Virginia
and those surrounding areas that you know, we wouldn't that
out of state entities might not make, you know, So
this allows us to reach that size and scale. Well,

(09:36):
we'll be able to make some big commitments to the
Pennsylvania Hospitals of Independence. But all of the projects we
have planned here and in West Virginia. We've got about
a billion dollars of capital projects happening around the state
right now, and if you look at our ten year
capital plan, we've got about about three billion dollars of
investments we plan to make over the next decade. Those

(09:58):
will all continue through this process as well.

Speaker 4 (10:01):
Albert, where do you want to go next? You look
in Virginia and you look in Kentucky. Where do you
want to go next?

Speaker 6 (10:06):
Well, you know, right now we're just going to focus
on this one. But you know, to answer that question, TJ,
this is something that we've an exercise we've talked about
with our board of directors. You know, we drew a
straight line from Morgantown to Bluefield, West Virginia, which is

(10:26):
our farthest away hospital right now, you know, the farthest
distance hospital. And then so we drew that straight line
and then we created a circle, you know, coming up
from Bluefield. You know that in circles all of West Virginia,
you know, parts of southwest Ohio and I'm sorry southeast
Ohio and southwest Pennsylvania, parts of Maryland and Virginia. And

(10:48):
we said, you know, anything in that region, you know,
we think is a realistic conversation for us. Now, do
I ever think we're going to fill that circle up
the way we have West Virginia. Probably not. But when
you look at you know, this, this this acquisition in
partnership with Independence Health System, it that's nicely into that circle.

(11:09):
And those hospitals are closer than you know, some of
our West Virginia hospitals. So we think our formula will
work in this and but we're always open minded to
make sure if we can find a win win partnership.
You know, any healthy organization always wants to be focused
on growth and or excellence, and hopefully both. We believe

(11:30):
this transaction is going to allow us to focus on
growth and excellence.

Speaker 1 (11:34):
Albert, what message does this send the competition, your competitors
and in particular UPMC that w Health System is not
just a West Virginia Health system, that it's branching out
and into places such as the Pittsburgh area.

Speaker 6 (11:48):
You know, I always, I always think Dave and TJ
that our primary focus should be on what are we doing,
you know, to meet our mission as an organization. I
do think, you know, especially because it's over the Pennsylvanian border.
I do think this, you know, is a significant step
for us to share that we're we're very serious about

(12:12):
being a top cortile academic health system, and you know,
so as you know, if we can, if we can
integrate the independence health system the way we have other
hospitals around the state and region, which I have every
confidence that our team will be able to do that successfully.

Speaker 7 (12:30):
I think this.

Speaker 6 (12:30):
Really positions us us well for the future to to
continue to meet our mission. And I hope that I
hope that you know, our patients and supporters around the
state of West Virginia really recognize this as as a
positive step for WV Medicine and the university proper. I
will tell you, you know, President Benson came up and joined

(12:53):
me at the press conference at Westmoreland Hospital yesterday, and
I'll tell you there's a lot of Mountaineer fans up there,
and we had a couple of got near Chance, and
I think there's gonna be a lot more. Remember, you know,
there are a lot of a lot of school age
children in western Pennsylvania, south of Pennsylvania, and a lot
of those kids I think will start to come down
and go to w Remember, employees that have worked for

(13:17):
the health system for greater than three years, we pay
for their full tuition at West Virginia University, and so
you know, we'll accept the seniority of folks from Independence
Health System. So I had, you know, as I walked
around that hospital yesterday, I had you know, I had physicians,
I had environmental services workers asking me about their kids

(13:38):
coming to WV. So I think that will be a
fun by product of all of this.

Speaker 4 (13:42):
That's wonderful. That's that's outstanding a bit in the weeds,
But I want to go there because I think through
your guidance, we can handle it. You talked about the
Peak insurance offerings. I want to talk about how this
merger benefits that offering. We're always talking about the fact
we don't have a lot of private pay in West Virginia,
and I'm wondering if the insurance mixed from these hospitals

(14:02):
will help you overall.

Speaker 6 (14:04):
Well, that was that was a big part of the
attraction for for Independence Health System to join w IS.
They wanted to have access to become an integrated delivery
and finance system, you know, and they like the way
we're setting Peak up to really incentivize us as healthcare

(14:25):
providers to keep patients as healthy as possible and in
the lowest cost setting. You know where it's going to
so so we'll be able to you know, you know,
execute that formula in in the the counties and service
area of Independence Health System. You know where it's where
it's good for Peak is. Remember Peak is we just

(14:46):
started three or four years ago, and we need to
get to a scale that allows Peak to not have
to be subsidized by healthcare operations, which it is today.
And there's kind of two parts to the Peak Health business.
One is our TPA third party administrator, So you know,
we do that for a handful of businesses. We do
that for you know, Martial Health employees, We do that

(15:09):
for Valley Health employees in Winchester, we do that for
w Medicine employees. You know, that part of the Peak
Health business. We've gotten to a scale. We're going to
have about seventy five thousand members on the TPA. That is,
you know, that is actually a profitable service line for
US now and provides great interoperability and the ability to
do you know, different alternative payment models. The other piece

(15:32):
of Peak Health that still needs to grow as the
Medicare advantage product. This is going to be our third
year in West Virginia. We're in an open enrollment right now.
We moved from twenty nine to forty nine West Virginia
counties that will offer the Medicare advantage product of Peak
in West Virginia in twenty twenty six. We are also

(15:53):
going into two counties in Pennsylvania in twenty twenty six,
Fayette and Green County, Pennsylvania. Obviously, long term with Independence Health,
we'll flip all seventy five hundred of their employees over
the peakl TPA a couple in about a year, and
we'll start to I'm sure at some point offer Medicare
and vantage plans up in those counties that Independence Health

(16:15):
currently serve. So this is a this is a great
play and growth opportunity for our Peak Health product, which
I'm very excited about.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
Double Health Systems President CEO, Albert Right. Albert, congratulations, and
we'll look forward to seeing how this all plays out
as usual.

Speaker 6 (16:29):
Great guys, appreciate the time today and keep up the
great work.

Speaker 2 (16:32):
I appreciate it very much. Albert Right.

Speaker 1 (16:34):
W Health Systems President CEO got to take a break
back at the moment talk line on Metro News from
the Encode Insurance Studios.

Speaker 8 (16:42):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawats of new energy capacity by twenty fifty. Thanks to
House Build twenty fourteen, West Virginia's coal plans will be
upgraded to run longer, stronger, and more efficiently, thus delivering reliable,
affordable baseload power. Our families and businesses will be able

(17:04):
to count on. West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton
stated Governor Morrissey's plan to grow West Virginia's energy generation
capacity to fifty gigawatts by twenty fifteen is a dynamic
approach to economic development which will supercharge our state's coal
industry and broader economy. With Governor Morrissey's leadership and the

(17:25):
action of the legislature, West Virginia is once again America's
energy leader. Coal is powering progress. Coal is powering West Virginia.
Brought to you by the West Virginia Coal Association.

Speaker 3 (17:53):
Natural News talk Line is presented by Encovia Insurance, encircling
you with coverage to protect what you care about. Visit
incovid dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (18:03):
A couple of things going on nationally today, Keeping an
eye on the funeral for the late Vice President Dick Cheney,
begins in just a couple of minutes there at the
National Cathedral.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
So that is happening in Washington, d C. As we speak.

Speaker 1 (18:19):
Last night President Trump signed the bill. We're going to
release the Epstein files and probably not learn anything more
than we have learned already. Here's my quick two cents
on that, because I think the other topic we were
going to talk to smells about is slightly more interesting.

Speaker 5 (18:33):
TJ.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
Well, quite frankly it is. Here's and we've already seen it.

Speaker 1 (18:38):
What we're going to see with the release of more
and more files, any names that are associated, is going
to be an opportunity for somebody's political opponents to smear
and imply, you know, you know, kind of assume, maybe
imply things that may or may not be true. We're
going to get a lot of that over the course
of the next couple of years coming out of these files.

(18:59):
Any real information.

Speaker 2 (19:01):
I have serious doubts about. That's my two cents on that.

Speaker 4 (19:04):
What about a guy like Larry Summers, I mean kind
of seems like he deserved it and he's finally paying
the piper.

Speaker 2 (19:11):
Okay, what about him?

Speaker 9 (19:12):
Thank Ei.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
There's some of that, Okay, some of that, But what
about Hakeem Jefferies, whose name is mission for right, in
a soliciting email that probably went what out to hundreds.

Speaker 4 (19:20):
Of hundreds of people. Yeah, but here's here's the other
part of that. Yeah, there's going to be an active investigation?
Is there not? Because Trump told air quotes? Yeah, Trump
told them to look at Clinton. So is that going
to prohibit the release of certain documents? Pam Bondi says
we'll get them in thirty days. But that's very clearly
a provision in this legislation that was passed any active investigations.

(19:42):
And like I told you yesterday, this thing employs too
many people, It gets too many clicks. It ain't going away.

Speaker 2 (19:48):
This probably doesn't get as many clicks. But I find
it slightly more interesting.

Speaker 1 (19:51):
House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to repeal part of the new
law that gives senators the ability to sue the federal
government for millions of dollars if their personal data is
accessed without their knowledge. It was a four hundred and
twenty seven nothing vote, a rebuke of Majority leader Senator
John Thun after he added that provision to the funding
bill that reopened the government. That caught my attention. Now

(20:12):
Will the Senate take this up and do anything with it?
I doubt it, TJ. But the House sending a strong
message just like Mike Johnson said it would.

Speaker 4 (20:22):
This is why people do not trust Congress, because they
pull this kind of stunt and they put something like
this into an appropriation's bill and they bury it hoping
no one will find it, and inevitably it's always found.
They can't learn their lesson. This had no place in

(20:43):
an appropriations bill. I ask you this question, my friend.
Would this have passed the Senate on its own if
they didn't Christmas treat onto an appropriations bill?

Speaker 10 (20:51):
No?

Speaker 2 (20:52):
I don't think.

Speaker 3 (20:52):
No.

Speaker 1 (20:52):
There are already Republicans who say they would vote to
repeal this if it came up in the Senate. And
I rest my case my case. I do wonder does
this play a factor into the next fight to keep
the government open about a month and a half now,
two months from now, when we got to do all
this again in January.

Speaker 2 (21:13):
Maybe?

Speaker 4 (21:13):
But I think more importantly there's a rift now between
Thune and Johnson. We can talk to Smells about that,
but people are writing about it, and Johnson feels like,
you know, he got duped.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
Smells would have to call in for us to talk
to him about it. You know, he's a busy man, TJ.
He's a busy man. It's DC.

Speaker 1 (21:30):
We're gonna we'll let him slide. One day, all right, buddy,
one day coming up. We know she will never stand
us up on loan from West Virginia. Watch Million Niceley
will join us thousands of homeless students in West Virginia.
This is talk Ala Metro News Voice of West Virginia.
It is ten thirty times to get a news update.
Let's check in on the Metro News radio network. Find

(21:51):
out what's happening across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 11 (21:55):
West Virginia Metro News eyeing Jeff Jenkins as seventy three
year old West Virginia base fan. Family owned pharmacy is closing.
Fruth Pharmacy has sold its stores to Walgreens and its
licenses for pharmacy. Fruth owner Lynnfruth says declining drug reimbursement
rates through pharmacy benefit managers, who she calls greedy, helped
force the sale. WW Medicine is going to be adding

(22:17):
seven thousand workers to its system with plans to merged
with the Independence Health system that operates five hospitals in
the Pittsburgh area. WW Medicine President and c you Albert
Wright says, the numbers that come from this agreement will
be good for the home base in Morgantown.

Speaker 7 (22:30):
A partnership like the one way now today gives us
access to about seven hundred and fifty thousand more patients.
You know that now for those higher level services that
are lower volume will end up coming down to Morgantown now.

Speaker 11 (22:44):
Those hospitals are in Butler Clarion, the Frick Hospital, La Trobe,
and the Westmoreland Hospital. If you don't have broadband service yet,
the numbers are indicating that it's getting closer. State Broadband
Enhancement Counsel we got to look WINS. They had some
new numbers in an annual report. There are currently forty
six active internet expansion projects underway in West Virginia under
various funding programs, and the state hopes to hear soon

(23:07):
from the Trump administration on the request for significant federal
funding under the BEAD program. However, the state still remains
the third least connected state in the US. You're listening
to Metro News for forty years, the Voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 12 (23:22):
A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia is now
posted on the podcast center of wv metronews dot com
and the Metro News TV app.

Speaker 13 (23:29):
While there's no cure for COPD, patients can still have hope.

Speaker 14 (23:34):
There are a lot of newer medicines out there to
help manage and decrease the symptom burden, as well as
to help the exacerbations to avoid progression of the disease.

Speaker 12 (23:43):
Listen to Live Healthy West Virginia for candid conversations with
insights for improving your health and wellbeing. Live Healthy West
Virginia is presented by WVU Medicine.

Speaker 2 (23:53):
Time Out, Oh Bry.

Speaker 5 (23:55):
Remember we're a team.

Speaker 2 (23:56):
The place together.

Speaker 15 (23:58):
Listen.

Speaker 5 (23:58):
The winning will take care of itself.

Speaker 15 (24:00):
We just have to get everyone involved.

Speaker 16 (24:03):
In interscholastic sports, we celebrate what makes every one of
us unique and in the pursuit of a common goal,
everyone in the huddle, in the bleachers, and in the
community comes together. This message presented by the WVSSAC and
the West Virginia Athletic Directors Association.

Speaker 11 (24:22):
The contractor that will repair and repay eight miles of
six lane Interstate seventy nine in Harrison County wants to
get started right away. The AS District four manager El
Gaskin says Mountinger contractors can do some of that work
during the winter.

Speaker 17 (24:33):
We're meeting with the contractors here in the next couple
of weeks. They're want to get started in December because
there's going to be some major drainings. Don't have to correct,
but they're wanting to get all that done this winter,
and I think start paving in the spring. Everything is
be schedled to be done by November of next year.

Speaker 11 (24:48):
It's a nineteen million dollar job. From the Metro News
anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkin.

Speaker 1 (25:08):
We will get to your text probably second hour. We've
got a busy first hour, got some time build into
the second hour. Three oh four Talk three oh four,
eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
That is the phone number.

Speaker 1 (25:21):
Friend of the program, Amya Pharaoll nicely has a story
this morning over at West Virginia watch dot com. There
are more than thirteen thousand homeless students in West Virginia
that according to the West Virginia Department of Education. Another
document from the department put the number of homeless students
for the twenty four to twenty five school year at
fifteen thousand, one hundred and one. Now, there has been

(25:42):
legislation that's been introduced at the Capitol for the last
several years to address this need, but it never really
seems to get anywhere. Joining us from the Charleston Studios
this morning, Friend of the program, West Virginia Watch Reporter
Amelia Nicely, Amelia, good morning, Thanks for coming in.

Speaker 18 (25:58):
Good morning.

Speaker 2 (25:59):
How are you guys to doing great? Doing great?

Speaker 1 (26:01):
So thirteen thousand, First of all, define homeless, and I
know we got to put it into some context, but
are we talking about kids that around on the streets,
kids that don't have any place to go?

Speaker 2 (26:15):
Does it run the gamutes? What does homeless mean?

Speaker 18 (26:18):
It's all of the above that you mentioned. So these
students are classified under federal legislation known as McKenny Vento
that sets the guidelines for how we identify them as homeless.
So this includes kids who may be living in a
car with a parent, living in a domestic violence shelter,
an emergency shelter, but it also includes kids that don't
have an adequate fixed nighttime residence. So that could be

(26:41):
a kid that's CouchSurfing, maybe living doubled up with a
friend or an aunt or uncle, and so it's a
broad definition, but I think it's important to remember that
without knowing where their home is maybe going to be
that night or next week, that is creating instability in
their life and can make it difficult for them to
concentrate in the classroom. I also noted in my story

(27:01):
this is separate from the nearly six thousand kids we
have in foster care. They do not that those definitions
don't cross. So with a lot of kids in our
school system living in unstable environments for sure, and.

Speaker 4 (27:15):
With this classification system, if I understood your piece correctly,
something we haven't always used and we're trying to make
sure that we're properly classifying, is it even larger? I
guess is mine.

Speaker 18 (27:27):
It probably is larger than we realize. This legislation has
been in place for a long time, but it can
be a struggle to identify these children because you know,
they may not want to come forward and say I'm
living on a friend's couch. Yeah, just like we see
in the foster care system, more grandparents raise grandchildren than
the state knows about. Because the grandparents fear CPS getting

(27:50):
involved in the case. Right, So the number is larger,
but the state is always trying to improve identifying these
kids and connecting them with resources that the guaranteed under
McKinney Vento legislation, like a ride to school. If they
live in a shelter and the bus doesn't go there,
this legislation gives them a right to adequate transportation.

Speaker 1 (28:10):
Well, gets the funny aspect of this in a moment,
But how are county school systems trying to get a
handle on this situation and give the students some stability.

Speaker 18 (28:20):
Yeah, so every county has someone who works on McKenny
vento requirements and looks out for these students. And of
course teachers and social workers they can usually tell when
something is going on in a child's life, right, they're
able to spot that maybe the bus driver does, and
so once they identify that these students are eligible for
McKenny vento services. I talked to the mckinnae Vento coordinator

(28:43):
in Cable County and he told me their team of
people works with churches and local nonprofits to make sure
the kids have clothes and school supplies and food and
a ride to school, and so all the things that
that child might need to try to get them in class,
help them be, help them achieve attendance, help them get
to graduation. The counties each do this a little differently,

(29:04):
but of course our schools, we have so many wonderful
teachers who really do want the best for these students.
And in my piece, I talked to a girl who
was homeless just a couple of years ago at South
Charleston High School and a teacher took her in. She
slept in a spare bedroom at a teacher's home so
that she could finish high school.

Speaker 4 (29:22):
Talked about how lucky she was yes, because absent that
she didn't know if she would make it.

Speaker 7 (29:27):
Yes.

Speaker 18 (29:27):
And she actually just messaged me on my way here
and said she was sending my story to the teacher
that took her in and her McKenney Vento coordinator at
her previous high school. She's in college now because she
was so grateful for what they had provided for her.

Speaker 4 (29:40):
She seems like she's thriving in college as well.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
She is.

Speaker 18 (29:44):
You know, her journey was not immediately from graduation to
college because, as you can imagine, graduating without the support
of your family. It took a couple of years for
her to figure out exactly the next step, but she is.
She's now at Fairmont State University. She's doing great. She
was so happy and she really wanted to advocate for
the importance of McKenna vento services and schools.

Speaker 1 (30:04):
Talking to Amelia Nicely on loan from West Virginia. Watch
you can read her story over at their websites. About
thirteen thousand students in West Virginia to classified as homeless.
So McKenny vento, when we're talking about the services that
counties provide, the positions that are required there, how are
those funded.

Speaker 18 (30:23):
So we get federal McKenny vento money to the Department
of Education and they disperse it to counties as they need.
We got about seven hundred thousand this year, but that's
down from more than eight hundred thousand last year, so,
you know, spending coming from DC has been cut for
a lot of education services, so it's really just that
federal pool of money. Now, of course, these kids might

(30:46):
access some services that their schools can provide elsewhere, but
particularly the mckinne vento part of it is just this
federal funding and we do not have a line in
the state budget, particularly for these students.

Speaker 4 (30:58):
So who determines the dollar out location. Is it on
a per student basis or it's just what county has
a need? How does that work?

Speaker 18 (31:04):
I think it's based on need from my understanding, and
the man I talked to from Cable County Schools, the
McKenna VNTO coordinator, he said, the state does a really
good job of helping stretch those dollars and try to
get them to where they need.

Speaker 4 (31:18):
So we've got an infrastructure. Then if we wanted to
put some more money aside, the infrastructure is already there,
could go bolster what they're already doing.

Speaker 18 (31:26):
Yes it could. And other states do provide their own
funding for homeless students, but we don't.

Speaker 1 (31:32):
Milliona nicely joining us. So what kind of legislation has
been on the table? What do you anticipate being on
the table when we can all get back to Charleston
in January.

Speaker 18 (31:42):
Yes, I did a deep dive in the rabbit hole
of bills from years past, and I mean I was
finding bills back from twenty twelve, twenty seventeen that were
meant to health these students that still haven't passed. Some
of them are still being introduced, but two bills that
I have been told we will likely see. One is
from Senator Vensteed's who's a Republican from Greenbrier County. He

(32:04):
wants to set up an infrastructure for homeless students to
be able to obtain IDs, so their birth certificate, maybe
a government ID, maybe a way to help them get
a driver's license. It's partially so that they can get
a job and have access to their records to enroll
in college. It's also a safety concern, he said to me.
He's the director of safety at Greenborough County Schools and

(32:26):
in former law enforcement, and he said, with this population,
especially with couch surfing, he would love for each student
to have an ID so that if they end up
in a different part of the state for a nefarious reason,
police have a way to figure out where their home
base is. And so he's still working on the infrastructure
for that. But Alabama, a very red state, just passed
a bill just like this, and so we'll see how

(32:49):
that goes. His main concern is he does not want
an unfunded mandate, especially in this legislature, so figuring out
how can we pay for that is his question moving forward,
and then Senator Mike Wolfull, a Democrat from Cabal County,
he is going to reintroduce his bill to increase the
number of McKenny Vento coordinators in our school system. So

(33:11):
it's a pilot project, and essentially our more urban counties,
which I know we don't have many of but where
he represents would be considered urban, they will get a
full time at kenny Vento coordinator, and our rural counties
we get a part time. And the goal of this
is just to help our state spot these kids and
make sure they're getting the services they need.

Speaker 4 (33:29):
I defer to your expertise, but if we have the
infrastructure I think you said it was around seven hundred thousand,
give or take, that we had gotten from the Feds
and are using and seem to be using effectively from
what I'm hearing you say, I don't think it would
take a lot of state money to make a really
big difference. I mean, we're not talking hundreds of millions
of dollars here, We're talking a few million dollars here.

(33:50):
Is that a fair assessment on my part?

Speaker 18 (33:52):
I don't want to guess on a price tag because
money you know, ex straw all over. But I didn't
get to see a fiscal knowe on this bill because
it never moved into an education committee.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
Life.

Speaker 18 (34:00):
Ye. But yeah, in the grand scheme of government spending,
this would not be a huge ask, for sure. And
I think one thing that I would say I hear
the most from our educators about what they need besides
the teacher pay raise is mental health support for these kids.
And not that McKenny vento would be used exactly for that,
but I think just connecting this large amount of kids

(34:23):
in our school system that are experiencing trauma with any
type of service to help them. And McKenny vento money
does say it can be used for emergency assistance as needed.
I think anything we can do to connect these kids
with people who are trained to help their trauma, to
help them experiencing poverty is a really critical part for
our public schools.

Speaker 4 (34:44):
I've got young kids, You've got young kids. They can't
a seven year old, a ten year old can't be
expected to do anything in the classroom when they don't
know where they're going to sleep at night or if
they're going to have a meal. Yeah, I'm sorry, this won't.

Speaker 18 (35:00):
Work absolutely, and I think this is the reality of
where we are in West Virginia. I hope we are
not here in ten years. I hope we've made strides
in addressing the opioid epidemic. I hope we've made strides
in addressing our foster care crisis. We've made more jobs
come to the area. But the reality is like, this
is where we are. We have thirteen thousand homeless kids,

(35:22):
and we could take some money and hopefully improve the
services for them while also recognizing I think our schools
are trying their best to meet those kids where they are.

Speaker 1 (35:32):
Yeah, Unfortunately, Amelia, you've covered this more in depth than
I have. I think we're still at the front part
of addressing the impact of the opioid epidemic. These kids
are coming through school and they're going to be coming
through school for the next fifteen years probably. I mean,
before we get on the other side of the opioid

(35:53):
epidemic and there is still an epidemic.

Speaker 2 (35:55):
It's not over that. I mean, it's still going on.

Speaker 1 (35:58):
You're exactly right of a commented a question to you there,
But we have to address these issues.

Speaker 18 (36:03):
I didn't think about it when I was interviewing both
Senator Deeds and Senator Wolfel. But I meant to say
to them, I wonder if any of the opioid settlement
money could be used to help with these projects, because
it's supposed to go directly to services that are for
kids or families impacted by the substance abuse crisis. So
I wonder if any of that's successible for this.

Speaker 4 (36:26):
Given your expertise in this area. Let's take the emotion
out of it for a second, because I tend to
want to get emotional while we're talking about children. Same,
the cold, hard numbers reality of what you're talking about
now with this program Ballpark. If you don't do something now,
once these kids are adults and beyond, it's a lot
more expensive then for us to deal with the problem

(36:48):
than it is now. I mean, is that a fair characterization?
Do you think?

Speaker 5 (36:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 18 (36:51):
Absolutely? I mean not every child who is homeless is
going to end up in jail, right, But there's lots
of research out there about the poverty to prison pipeline
for kids kids, and yeah, putting kids being in the
criminal justice system or not being not going on to
contribute to our economy through a well paying job like

(37:11):
that all falls back on the state. But I think
we all I always say that I love reporting on
children's issues because it should not be a political issue.
We all want children to be able to thrive, and
we also want our teachers to be able to teach
and be you know, able to focus on that. So
this is an issue that I hope we'll see get
some traction this year in the legislature, but we'll have to.

Speaker 6 (37:33):
Wait and see.

Speaker 2 (37:34):
She's Amelia Paroll nicely.

Speaker 1 (37:36):
You can read her story west Virginiewatch dot com more
than thirteen thousand homeless students in West Virginia. Amelia, great job,
as always, Thank you for coming.

Speaker 18 (37:44):
In, Thanks for having me. Hope you all have a good.

Speaker 2 (37:46):
Thanksgiving shameless plug.

Speaker 1 (37:47):
By the way, Mike Wolfel will join us in the
second hour, and I know what I'm going to ask
him kenopioid settlement money. But used you know you're you're
right in the show for us today, Amelia.

Speaker 15 (37:57):
We appreciate it.

Speaker 18 (37:59):
You're welcome, you know, off today. So I thought i'd
work for you all and I come over here today.

Speaker 4 (38:04):
We're a past Metro News contributor to your list. I
think you've earned it. I think you've earned it.

Speaker 2 (38:08):
Send the invoice to TJ. Meadows.

Speaker 18 (38:10):
Karen, I'll never be as good as Brad, so keep
him not neat.

Speaker 2 (38:14):
Okay, Melia, thank you very much. Always appreciate it.

Speaker 5 (38:17):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
Coming up, we got a big event going on at
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Speaker 5 (39:02):
It's showtime.

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The Holiday hit Maker walks the office halls with West
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Speaker 2 (39:10):
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Speaker 5 (39:11):
Bringing the holiday Hyope here?

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Speaker 1 (39:48):
We will get to your text your comments at three
or four Talk three four and eight hundred and seven.

Speaker 2 (39:52):
To sixty five.

Speaker 1 (39:52):
Talk a little bit later on in the second our
Hoppy Kurchiable makes his return to the program today. He
has been alps and about gallivancing around. We'll find out
where he has been. Got a big event going on
down on our flagship in Charleston, WCCHS today, TJ. I
can see all of the camera angles from the studio there.

(40:13):
I don't even know how to begin to describe what's
in your studio, so I allow you to try to
describe what's going on.

Speaker 19 (40:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (40:21):
So I'm coming down Virginia Street today and I pull
into the parking lot across the way because the ellipse,
I know what it is, had a boy the ellipse
is being used. It's there's no one parking there. There's tents,
some station vehicles, and there's this big old turkey that's
out somebody in a turkey suit, and now here's the

(40:42):
turkey with me as we speak, rob Reeal from ninety
six to one KWS. Hello, sir, Thank you, sir.

Speaker 20 (40:46):
If you've never seen a six foot one inch two
twenty two, twenty one whatever it takes pound turkey wearing headphones,
I don't think anybody's ever seen a turkey wear.

Speaker 4 (40:54):
Headphones at this point.

Speaker 20 (40:56):
But bless the Internet, which is undefeated, that I was
able this time last year to find a full body
turkey suit to wear for our third annual drive through
Turkey Drop. We are collecting frozen turkeys and of course
monetary donations for Union Mission, a statewide organization. We're feeding families.
We are putting turkeys on tables. That is the whole goal.

(41:18):
The turkey is the hardest thing to get donated for
holiday meals because it's the most expensive, it's perishable, it
takes up the most room. Not everybody's got you know
a garage freezer or you know a beer fridge that
they can put the turkey in for even just a
couple of days.

Speaker 2 (41:32):
So you swing through our parking lot.

Speaker 20 (41:34):
You don't even have to get out of your nice, warm, comfortable,
drive safe vehicle. You just roll down that window and
you can hand us a turkey or a monetary donation,
cash check we can do. We've got a QR code.
We could do credit card for you if you've got
multiple turkeys. We've had lots of folks roll up and
we got a couple in the back. Let me pop
the hatch for you, and then we open it up

(41:55):
and there's like a dozen frozen turkeys in there. I
continue to be I say this so many times. I
am not surprised, but I'm astounded by the way West
Virginians take care of West Virginians.

Speaker 4 (42:06):
And that's why we do things like this. What's the
need this year?

Speaker 2 (42:09):
The need?

Speaker 20 (42:09):
According to Jason Quintrel from Union Mission, they are going
to serve three hundred families on Saturday. And I'm not
sure which is the more shocking part of that that
it's three hundred families. That there are so many folks
who need the assistance this holiday season. The need is
even greater in terms of numbers than years past because

(42:31):
of all that's gone on with the shutdown, and you know,
I'm not going to go down the politics, right. Everybody
feels some kind of way about that. But the federal
government is an aircraft carrier and it was dead in
the water for forty three days. So even with an
agreement getting things back up to speed have made things
extra challenging for the holidays. So not only that number
of three hundred, but the fact that they're going to
turn everything around in thirty six hours and distribute on

(42:53):
Saturday so that folks can actually have these things in
time for Thanksgiving. It's an incredibly efficient organization. Union Mission
is and their partners and TJ. I know that's something
that's important to both you and me. The efficiency of
it all so just a herculean effort on all parts
to help our friends and neighbors.

Speaker 4 (43:12):
It really is very efficient. My family and I we
do the distribution every year with Union Mission. I have
my three kids out there, my wife, and there's an
assembly line to build everything out and that includes the stuffing,
the mac and cheese, the canned goods, the drinks, the dessert.
People get there like an hour and a half early
and we package all this together in various assembly lines.

(43:34):
The cars then roll through each line there's usually four lines.
You pop the trunk, a couple people put this in,
a couple of people put that. Then you're on your way.
Happy Thanksgiving, have a blessed day. And it's amazing to
see how it all comes together.

Speaker 20 (43:47):
Henry Ford was not an idiot when it came to
this whole perfecting the assembly line sort of thing, but
seeing how many people come together to make this happen
for other people. You mentioned that you and your kids
are a part of this. I think this is a
great lesson in community responsibility. We hear a lot of

(44:08):
times about it takes a village. Whether you like the
person who maybe made that popularize that term or not,
we know that it takes a community to take care
of one another, and that's something at West Virginia I
think has been doing since the very beginning.

Speaker 4 (44:22):
Quite frankly, all right, Rob.

Speaker 1 (44:24):
We're up against the break. If you are in the
Charleston area, how can you help out?

Speaker 20 (44:28):
If you are here, come to eleven eleven Virginia Street
East and loop through our parking lot. Leon Sullivan is
the closest cross street. I also recommend that if you're
coming off the freeway, if you can't make it here
go to We Feed People dot com and there is
an easy drop down for you to dedicate your donation
to the drive through Turkey drop Rob.

Speaker 2 (44:47):
Appreciate it, keep up the good work and quite a
look on you there, buddy.

Speaker 4 (44:50):
Thank you.

Speaker 5 (44:51):
Sir.

Speaker 1 (44:52):
Got to take a break back to wrap up our
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Uh four to three oh four, texter says Hobby's probably
been homestroking a DVD of January sixth while repeating.

Speaker 2 (46:50):
My precious says the texter. I don't know if he
was doing that. I know he was traveling, and he's back.

Speaker 1 (46:58):
He'll join us, coming up six minutes from now. Well,
he's also got a commentary as he weighs in on
this week's audit report concerning the child welfare and CPS
programs here in West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
We'll talk about that.

Speaker 1 (47:10):
Go get you another cup of coffee, maybe grab a
donut come back. Hour number two Metro News talk line
coming up on Metro News for forty years. The Voice
at West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (47:29):
Metro News talk line is presented by Incovia Insurance, encircling
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Second hour Metro News talk Line from the Encode Insurance
Studios eight hundred and seven to sixty five talks. The
phone number three h four Talk three oh four is
the text line. I promise we will get to some
of your texts coming up. Cabal County Senator and Senate
Minority Leader Mike Wolfl will join us at the bottom.

Speaker 2 (47:57):
Of the hour.

Speaker 1 (47:58):
He was quoted Amelia story about the homeless students across
the state. What has he proposed? What is he going
to be proposing coming up in the legislature. We'll talk
to Mike bottom of the hour. We'll get your text
in as well, I promise. At three oh four Talk
three four. Jake Clnker, video producer Ethan Collins is on
the audio side of things, and TJ. Meadows is in

(48:20):
Charleston in the studios there. Good morning, TJ.

Speaker 4 (48:23):
Morning, sir as I watch Cheney's funeral service. I see
President Bush there, of course, is the president who Cheney
served with. You have Biden not there as president but
as a former VP, along with Mike Pence, Al Gore,
Dan Quayle, all watching and waiting for the service to begin.

Speaker 1 (48:43):
This is probably not the spot to bring it up,
but W was on the Manning cast on Monday night
during the Monday night football game.

Speaker 2 (48:51):
Killed it.

Speaker 1 (48:52):
Killed it as you would imagine between the two Manning
brothers and former President Bush. He killed it.

Speaker 4 (48:59):
I'll just go ahead and say I miss George W. Bush.
I do I miss George W. Bush. I missed those
days when.

Speaker 2 (49:06):
We're talking about the strategy.

Speaker 5 (49:08):
DJ.

Speaker 4 (49:09):
He's pretty good.

Speaker 1 (49:10):
He was always good. He was always good for a saying.
He was always good for a saying. That's when not
to go down that rabbit hole. But it's kind of
when what we do this week SNL was funny, The
impressions were funny. You had Will Ferrell and Daryl Hammond,
all kinds of material, all.

Speaker 4 (49:25):
Kinds Conservatism was still conservatism.

Speaker 2 (49:30):
Uh, back in our day in the nineties, you know
when everything was great, right TJ speaking of back in
the words, joining us in studio back from gallivanting across
the globe, the dean of broadcasts, the host emeritis happy Kerschivill,
who's probably thinking back in my day it was even better.

Speaker 5 (49:49):
No, I was just thinking, how you guys are now
standing like old guys. Come on, man, get with it.

Speaker 6 (49:55):
Man.

Speaker 1 (49:55):
I'm at the point where I'm asking my nephews how
to program electronics. I have reached that now where I've
decided to quit learning new technology and they have to
teach me.

Speaker 5 (50:03):
Now, that's the usual what you do, Like you can't
figure out the TV. Like, give me an eight year
old in here figured out. But you know the look,
every generation, as each generation gets older, has a tendency
to think that things were better when they were growing up.
And maybe some things were, but also some things weren't. Right,
that's true.

Speaker 2 (50:22):
You can afford a house in the nineties, though.

Speaker 5 (50:24):
Well you could. That's that's true. That's true. But I
was just yesterday I was interviewing a doctor at WVU Medicine,
doctor Way, and now at WVU Medicine, I do some
work for them. They do robotic heart surgery, okay, which
is far more effective than it was because still today
they do some and a lot of surgeries don't. What

(50:44):
do they do? They break open the breastbone, right, they
break over in your entire chest. It takes months to recover. Well,
it's a robotic surgery. They can go in between the
ribs about a half inch incision, and your recovery time
is cut in half. So I ask you, old guys,
what kind of heart surgery would you rather have? So
there's Look, it's a wide range of things. Right, some

(51:07):
things are better, maybe some things aren't as good as
they were.

Speaker 2 (51:10):
Still as good as he's ever been, happy, kurtchful. See
how it did the transition? I noticed that got a
commentary overt WV metronews dot com. You wigh in. We
got the auditor Federal audit report on CPS earlier.

Speaker 1 (51:21):
I guess it came out on Friday. We were talking
about it Monday, Tuesday this week. But how the Kennedy
Miller the tragic situation can be a springboard to improve
this system that ultimately contributed to her tragic death.

Speaker 5 (51:34):
And as you guys have talked about, people familiar with
the Kennedy Miller story, the fourteen year old in Boom
County and last year April of last year, authorities were
called to her home. They found her. She was deceased,
She was in a skeletal state, she was malnourished, her
mother and grandparents charge charges have been dismissed against her
her grandfather, but mother and grandmother are facing charges. And

(51:57):
she supposedly is being home school but it looks like
the school had not followed up on homeschooling with her,
and state police have been called to the house and
then they went to CPS, but it's unclear where the
CPS actually went to the house and following up. So
it's this tragic story about the death of this young
girl who kind of fell through the cracks here. And

(52:17):
the story prompted an audit by the Office of the
Inspector General of the US Deprovement of Health and Human Services.
And you guys have talked about the audit. I've read it,
read it a couple of times. I think this is
a I think this is groundbreaking because as you all
have talked about, and we've covered it that in West Virginia,
the Problement of Health Services and CPS haven't said won't

(52:40):
say anything about these cases right well, and they cite
state law and say because of confidentiality for juvenile cases,
they won't say it and they won't say anything about it.
So don't you don't know. You don't know whether CPS
followed up or didn't follow up, or were doing their
job or not doing their job. You don't know. You
don't know anything. Even the Governor's office couldn't find out
information to This report is the first quantifiable review of

(53:05):
what's going on at CPS, and the results are very revealing.
The first thing that stood out to me and I
checked this number like three or four times because I
couldn't believe it. We know there's a child abuse and
neglect crisis in West Virginia, but the agency found, for
one year, starting in the fall of twenty twenty three
to the fall of twenty twenty four, twenty three thousand,

(53:27):
seven hundred and fifty nine reports of child abuse and
neglect cases. I'll think about that for a second. Twenty
three thousand cases. Now that right there tells you. And
also it's confirmed in report that CPS is overwhelmed. They're overwhelmed.
How could they possibly handle that many cases? The report
by the Inspector General goes into great detail about how

(53:49):
there is how CPS workers are not following up in
a timely fashion, how they're not doing the paperwork, How
there's not accountability. And on one hand you can say, Wow,
they're not doing the work they're supposed to do, and
that appears true at the same time, TJ. If if
you're an overworked CPS worker and you get a call
and you've got a child who's in a dire situation,

(54:10):
and your first responsibility is to do something to help
that child, or are you gonna do that, or are you
gonna do the paperwork?

Speaker 4 (54:15):
You're gonna help the child, it's a trioche.

Speaker 5 (54:16):
Yeah, it's a trioge exactly exactly. So to me, this
is this is a quantifying, the first true objective quantifying
of the deep seated problems within CPS that need to
be addressed. Now, the head of DHS was on yours program,

(54:37):
Mayor and talked about some of the steps they've already taken.
So those are positive things. But this, to me is
a report that should be reviewed by all policy makers
and say, now we know, now we know how bad
things are, what do we need to do to do
a better job?

Speaker 4 (54:53):
Should we ask the federal office that put this together?
I think it's fair. We'll see if you do. We
should ask for another audit six months in and six
months after that, and we should be able to show improvement.
Now that we know that we have these problems.

Speaker 5 (55:06):
I would think, yeah, I agree with you. Is that
What is this to me? This is a baseline, right,
We've known anecdotally for years there are problems within CPS,
but you couldn't get any information. So this is a baseline.
And Mayer says they're now making improvements. So in another year,
have another review and say, okay, are things better? Have
you gotten better? And try to put this thing on

(55:28):
a path to improvement, which is obviously badly needed.

Speaker 2 (55:31):
You can have all the policies.

Speaker 1 (55:33):
To me, this boils back to the same thing we
talk about with education, the same thing we talk about
in healthcare. You can have all the policies you want,
all the procedures, but if you don't have the number
enough people, and like you said, TJ, everything becomes a
trios situation where you're trying to deal with what twenty
three thousand cases?

Speaker 2 (55:50):
We got to figure that part. I don't have an
answer for that. It's more salary, more incentive there, How
do you draw more people into a field that is real,
really about having a calling versus you know, the payoff
at the end of the day. I don't know the
answer to that.

Speaker 5 (56:06):
Yeah, well you need more people. Yeah you need Look,
you need more people. The report talks about what everybody's
reported anecdotally. There's high turnover, there's burnout, all kinds of things.
So what do you do there. That's up to people
who know more than we do about how this agency
should operate. Probably more pay you know, is one thing,
and recruitment and something that you do for retention. But

(56:28):
clearly this is a major, major issue. And you know,
I look at that Metro News website every day and
not a week goes by where you don't see a report,
a police report about a really sad abuse in the
leg case right of some child or children that's been
taken out of a home because conditions are horrific. Oftentimes

(56:50):
it's drug related on the part of the adults that
are there. And those are the ones we know about.
Those are just the ones we know about. This is
a when I see those stories, I think that's the
tip of the iceberg. And now you look at this
report and say, well, they got reports, reports that warranted
Fogle ups almost twenty four thousand cases in a year.

(57:11):
This is I under the word crisis gets tossed around
a lot of it my goodness, and West Virginia has
a legal and moral obligation state government. We know that
the primary responsibility for raising kids is the adults and
the parents. But when that isn't happening, then state government
has a moral and legal responsibility to step in and

(57:33):
do the best and do better than they're doing now.

Speaker 4 (57:36):
With everything front and center, the data there, it's hard
to argue with the data. Is there any acceptable reason
he said rhetorically, that the legislature would not act this
go around. There's been one reason, one issue or another
why we haven't moved the needle on child protective services
and past sessions. I would think, copy, you have to
do it this session, and if don't, if you don't,

(57:57):
shame on you.

Speaker 5 (57:58):
Yeah, I would agree, And again the report to look
at it. There it is. And how often over the
last ten years have any and all media organizations ask
CPS for information and the lawyers at CPS in play say, well,
due to state law, we can't say anything about anything
about anything, which again I don't think is accurate because

(58:20):
media are not looking to expose the laves of children.
They're looking to see how the agency is doing and
report on state government and how state government is operating.
That's what media are trying to do and could never
get the answer. Well, now thanks to this audit, you
have this information and every wall makers should read it,
and every wall makers should be outraged and be willing
to do something.

Speaker 1 (58:41):
Says we're thrown around rhetoricals TJ, which we like to
do on this program. What's the legislative fixed though, that's
my question. The legislature shouldn't just do something to do something.
It should do something that's productive. And that's where it's
got to work with Alex Mayer and administration. What's the
need the legislature can identify and a versus what does

(59:01):
the administration need to do to get its house in
order from you know the mess it inherited?

Speaker 5 (59:06):
Well, look, you're right, you call in mayor, who is
who I believe is trying to trying to make improvements
at the agency and you guys have had them on
the show. Is Look, you have committee meetings, you call
in Mayor and say, based on this report, X. What
are you doing about X? Based on the report? Why?
What are you doing about why? Based on this report? Z?
What are you doing about Z? Now you have a

(59:28):
base to operate from to ask questions and expect answers.
And again I give mayor credit. Amer could come out
and just say, look, this is happening because we don't
have enough people. We need thirty forty percent more people.
In order to do that, you got to pay them more,
whatever the answer is. But you have a you have
a place where you can begin to try to get

(59:50):
some answers and to try to make improvements.

Speaker 4 (59:52):
Here's what we need to be on the watch for.
And these comments are reflective not of individuals, but of
collective human nature. I remember when I started my career,
way back when, when I still was young and my
hair wasn't gray. I did an efficiency audit one of
the first things I did after I got out of school,
and one of the objectives was, why have these numbers

(01:00:14):
been able to move? They've never been able to move?
What's going on here?

Speaker 5 (01:00:17):
Really?

Speaker 4 (01:00:18):
When you dug into it, we called it the old
F nine key. It was a system and you could
just process things through and roll them out just by
hitting F nine. There's gonna be a temptation here. We
have to make sure we clear these effectively and Hoppey,
we just don't rush to clear them just because it's
a big number. Does that make sense?

Speaker 5 (01:00:35):
Yeah? Absolutely absolutely. I mean you're talking about making a
reasoned approach to a significant problem and not just yeah.
I think that makes I think that makes a lot
of sense. And look, some people may look at this
and go, well, this report, it looks like a lot
of paperwork. To me, a lot of forms aren't filled out.
And that is true, except you know, what gets measured

(01:00:57):
gets done. And if you're not doing if you're not
doing the paperwork, if you're not following procedure, then what
there's less accountability. People are fall through the cracks. That happens.
That happens. I mean, think about somebody starting the paperwork
then they leave. Does somebody else pick up the paperworker? No,
they got to go rescue a kid who's in harm's way.

Speaker 2 (01:01:20):
You could read the commentary. It's post it over at
wv metronews dot com. Where you've been the last couple
of weeks high.

Speaker 5 (01:01:26):
I was in Morocco. My wife and I were in Morocco.

Speaker 2 (01:01:29):
We took a that's where the high rollers go.

Speaker 5 (01:01:33):
It was no, you're thinking of Monico, Monica, Monica. No,
we're not the high rollers. But it was an adventure travel.
We went to Casablanca to where bought the capital, to Fez,
to Marrakesh. A couple of quick points. Incredible markets in
the old cities, the Medina's, incredible markets in these old

(01:01:53):
cities in this country. Guys, we go somewhere and go, wow,
that's one hundred and fifty years old. Well there you
get a different perspective. Oh, this was initially a Roman
settlement two thousand years ago. So there was that aspect.
The second aspect that was interesting is they loved Trump.
And you know why they loved Trump because there's a

(01:02:14):
contested territory between Morocco and Algeria. It's called the Western Sahara.
And Trump came out and said Western Sahara belongs to Morocco.
So Moroccans, if Trump were to not run here and
go and try to be king in Morocco, he might do, okay,
because they love They loved them some Trump there because
of where he stands on Western Sahara.

Speaker 4 (01:02:35):
Let me ask you this first off, how many countries
have you been to in your lifetime?

Speaker 5 (01:02:39):
I like twenty five something like that.

Speaker 4 (01:02:41):
I knew it was a large number. How would you
be a different person minus those experiences?

Speaker 5 (01:02:48):
Interesting you would ask that I was thinking about this
this morning, is that in every time I go away,
especially to a place like Morocco, all due respect in Morocco,
I come back with a greater appreciation of many of
the benefits in our country. For this reason, before I
went to before we went to Morocco, there were protests there.
There were citizen protests because they feel that not enough
money is being spent on health and public education. Protesters

(01:03:11):
were arrested and sent to jail. Nonviolent protesters arrested and
sent to jail. The Kingdom is non democracy. And I
come back home and I think Rocco's a wonderful place.
But you know what, in this country where you can
for the most part, peacefully protest, have very divergent opinions
and be safe, I know there are now some exceptions
to that. That is an incredible benefit that we need

(01:03:34):
to cherish and protect in this country because you don't
have it every place around the world.

Speaker 1 (01:03:39):
What do they what do Moroccans, for instance, ask you
what did they want to know from this American who
shows up obviously American who shows up amazed by their
cities and their culture.

Speaker 5 (01:03:53):
In fairness, we were on a private, private tour, just
four of us and a guide. So I think that
the guide, who's a very nice guy, Mohammed, was being
deferential to us because we're the guests. He and other
Moroccans we ran into, who were very friendly. By the way,
it's a very warm country. Almost everybody very warm, indeed,
very very helpful, very welcoming. They seem concerned of how

(01:04:17):
we perceived Morocco and Muslims. It was like they wanted
to put their best foot forward and have us appreciate Morocco,
Moroccan history, the Muslim religion, et cetera. And a point
about the Muslim religion. Sometimes in this country we think
of Islam in a monolithic way. Oh he or she's

(01:04:39):
a Muslim, and we've had bad experiences with radical Muslims. Well,
Muslims are just like other islam Is, just like other religions,
there is a wide variety. There are secular Muslims and
there are devout Muslims. I mean, you would see a
woman who's completely covered, you know, a devout Muslim, and
then next to her is a Muslim woman showing her

(01:05:00):
at least in Morocco. So a wide variety of of
how people practice Islam in Morocco. What a fascinating trip.
Rode a camel, checked a box here, checked the box
on that went to the Sahara layde Lawrence of Arabia
for about an hour. But it's good to be home

(01:05:21):
as always.

Speaker 4 (01:05:22):
Glad you had a good time.

Speaker 5 (01:05:23):
Thank you appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (01:05:24):
Guys, Glad to have you back. Let's see what we got.
Mountaineer women are actually playing tonight. The men's basketball today
this morning, yeah, like right now, right right now.

Speaker 2 (01:05:32):
What men's basketball in South Carolina this week?

Speaker 5 (01:05:34):
Yeah, and going down here. Three guys are going down there?
Are they leaving tomorrow?

Speaker 2 (01:05:38):
All right, it's dangerous territory. You guys are going on
the road.

Speaker 5 (01:05:41):
Field trip, I know, another field trip, Morocco, Charleston, South Carolina.
I was also at the West Virginia football game in
the Phoenix.

Speaker 2 (01:05:50):
You got back in time for that barely, Yeah, wow,
well done. But everywhere jeez, retired life.

Speaker 5 (01:05:57):
Yeah, that's good, good life.

Speaker 4 (01:05:59):
There was a journal in the article the other day
about how people settle into retirement, I couldn't help but
think of Hoppy. They talk about how people some people struggle.
I don't know, hop Er. Are you getting more settled
in retirement.

Speaker 5 (01:06:09):
I just I feel like I'm busier than when I
was working.

Speaker 2 (01:06:13):
Yeah, but it's all good.

Speaker 5 (01:06:15):
It's all good. I'm very blessed. It's all good. And
I appreciate you guys having.

Speaker 1 (01:06:17):
Me on hops commentary at WDV metro news dot com.
Thank you, hoppreciate, thank you back in a moment.

Speaker 2 (01:06:26):
To care for you at the hop jam.

Speaker 4 (01:06:30):
We are here.

Speaker 22 (01:06:33):
From all of us here at the Health Plan. We
want to make your season bright. Whether you're wrapping gifts
or planning next year's goals, We're here for you.

Speaker 4 (01:06:42):
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas. From our family to yours.

Speaker 7 (01:06:49):
Here.

Speaker 12 (01:06:53):
A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia is now
posted on the podcast center of WV metronews dot com
and the Metro News TV app.

Speaker 13 (01:07:00):
While there's no cure for COPD, patients can still have hope.

Speaker 14 (01:07:04):
There are a lot of newer medicines out there to
help manage and decrease the symptom burden. As well as
to help exacerbations to avoid progression.

Speaker 17 (01:07:12):
Of the disease.

Speaker 12 (01:07:13):
Listen to Live Healthy West Virginia for candid conversations with
insights for improving your health and well being. Live Healthy
West Virginia is presented by WU Medicine.

Speaker 1 (01:07:39):
I don't know if you saw this story or not, TJ,
but it's a story as old as time. A Hancock
County man was arrested early Wednesday morning when he allegedly
shot another man. The Sheriff's department reports that Mark Fuller
and another man were shooting rats out of a second
story window of a small caliber rifle. The two got
into an argument, the gun discharge hit the victim. Fuller's

(01:08:02):
charge of want dangement and shooting within five hundred feet
of a dwelling. Yeah, it's that old, same old story, TJ.
Who hasn't spent an evening shooting rats out of the
second story.

Speaker 4 (01:08:14):
My first thought is alcohol had to be involved.

Speaker 2 (01:08:20):
That's probably a safe bet, Probably a safe bet.

Speaker 1 (01:08:23):
That was up in Newell, which is about I think
Newell is as far north as you can get in
West Virginia.

Speaker 4 (01:08:28):
Very tight top of the panandle guys like that give
the rest of us who are firearms enthusiasts. That's why
we have the problems we have. Seriously, if you can't
be responsible with a firearm, you shouldn't have one.

Speaker 2 (01:08:45):
What do you want to do tonight? Shoot some rats
out the window?

Speaker 4 (01:08:48):
Goodness?

Speaker 2 (01:08:51):
Mike Wolfe is going to join us, coming up after
the news. Your text as well.

Speaker 1 (01:08:55):
Three or four Talk three zero four, eight hundred and
seven to sixty five talk. That's the phone number. This
is talk line on Metro News. Metro News for forty
years has been the voice of West Virginia. It's 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 23 (01:09:18):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Chris Lawrence. The nation's Vice
President and Secretary of War have taken a moment to
pay tribute to a West Virginia coal miner killed on
the job. Steve Lipscomb of ELKW died earlier this month
when the mine where he was foreman flooded in Nicholas County.
Lipscomb was a retired Marine combat veteran. Both Vice President JD. Vans,

(01:09:40):
who also was a member of the Marine Corps and
Secretary of War. Pete Hegsath posted words of condolence to
Lipscomb's family on social media and words of praise to
how he he lived his life. Company officials say Lipscomb
died making sure his crew got to safety. His funeral
is Saturday at Herbert Hoover High School. There is sadness
this morning at sisson Ville High School in Kanawak County

(01:10:01):
after a student died in a car wreck. Crash occurred,
according to Kanawak County Deputies Thursday afternoon around four o'clock
on Rocky Fork Road. The victim drifted left of center,
but then over corrected, lost control, and flipped the car
into a ravine, striking a tree. Deputies did not release
the name of the seventeen year old victim, who was
a student at Systamville High Fruth Pharmacy will sell out

(01:10:23):
to Walgreens. The company started in nineteen fifty two and
founder Jackfruth opened up his first store in Point Pleasant.
Company officials in recent years, getting reimbursements through third party
pharmacy benefit managers has been increasingly difficult, and that has
forced a lot of pharmacies to have to hang it up,
including them. The sale will be final next month. You're

(01:10:43):
listening to Metro News for forty years, the voice of
West Virginia.

Speaker 10 (01:10:47):
The high school football quarter finals are here and the
best matchups on the weekend are on Metro News TV.
Check out Ben gomartin Game of the Week as unbeaten
and defending state champs. Bridgeport hosts eleven and oh Chapmanville.
Plus see George Washington in the Eastern Panhandle at Jefferson
and Wahama and Cameron, plus many more. Coverage of the
West Virginia high school football playoffs are brought to you
by the Thrasher Group, Marshall University, and the Mountaineer Challenge Academy.

(01:11:09):
Dreaming the action live on Metro News Television, available on mobile, Roku,
Fire TVs, Mart TVs and online at wb METRONEWSTV, dot com.

Speaker 21 (01:11:17):
Metallurgical cold builds the world, and the met Coal Producers
Association is the network that makes it possible. The MCPA
unites America's met coal producers, giving members a powerful voice
in policy, partnership and progress. Producers, suppliers, and innovators come
together here to build relationships drive growth and strengthen our industry.

(01:11:40):
Joined today visit metcoal dot com. Met Cole makes it Possible,
MCPA makes it Personal.

Speaker 23 (01:11:48):
Well, this did not go as planned. A Handcock County
man is now facing charges after he and a buddy
were shooting rats from a second floor window with a
small caliber rifle. This happened early Wednesday morning in the
northern Panhandle town of Newell. According to debut, he was
Mark Fuller and the other man got into an argument
over the rifle and it discharged, hitting the victim in
the head. Fuller was arrested on charges of one endangement

(01:12:10):
with a firearm and shooting within five hundred feet of
a dwelling. From the Metro News anchor Dance Guy, I'm
Chris Lawrence, match your.

Speaker 1 (01:12:37):
News talk line for the Encoba Insurance and Studios Steamerley's
coming up one day from now tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:12:45):
It's your chance to vent.

Speaker 1 (01:12:46):
Before we go into the weekend, don't forget high school
football quarterfinal playoff action this weekend. We've got you previews
of the four classifications. Joe Bricotto, Greg Carry break it
all down for youav Metro news dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:13:02):
The schedule posted on the scoreboard as well.

Speaker 1 (01:13:05):
Amelia nicely joined us last hour on Loan from West Virginia.
Watch her story dropped this morning. It's a good read,
thirteen thousand homeless students in West Virginia. She gets into
some of the legislation that has been proposed but has
not really been able to get through the legislature. One
of the lawmakers who has proposed legislation in the past

(01:13:26):
and plans to again to address aspects of this issue
is Cabal County Senator and Senate Minority Leader Mike Woffel,
who joined us on Metro News talk Line this morning. Mike,
good morning, Thanks for joining us.

Speaker 6 (01:13:38):
Hey, thanks for having me on.

Speaker 2 (01:13:40):
Guys, appreciate you coming on.

Speaker 1 (01:13:41):
We'll get into some of the legislation you've been able
to you've introduced in the past. But when you see
information like this, thirteen thousand students of West Virginia classified
as homeless, and that doesn't even count the students who
are in the foster care system, what is your first reaction.

Speaker 6 (01:13:59):
Well, my first reaction is we we owe them in education.
Number one. Constitutionally, we're mandated to educate them. They're homeless
through no fault of their own, and they're going to
grow up to live in our be our neighbors, and
so do we want them to be educated or not educated.

(01:14:22):
Let me give you just an example on why I
think we should invest a modest amount of money in
these in these children. Where I live, we have the
new Core Plan going up. As a state. We put
three hundred and eighty five million dollars and I think
that was well spent into new core state tax dollars,

(01:14:45):
and that's going to produce eight hundred jobs. Now we
have fifteen thousand of our most vulnerable citizens. Can we
invest I don't know, just a million dollars a modest
amount because the federal funding has gone down substantially, and
who knows where the Department of Education federally is going
to end up. So I'm going to ask Randy Smith

(01:15:06):
to make this a priority. And you know, we pray
every day in the Senate. Somebody gets up and says
a beautiful prayer, and these are the least among us.
So faith and action, Let's just not give it lip service.
Let's give a hand up to these kids.

Speaker 4 (01:15:24):
A million dollars is nothing, Mike, So you've tried to
pass legislation, Why won't it run. I don't see what
the big deal is with this.

Speaker 6 (01:15:31):
Well, it's not a priority. I mean they don't have that.
They don't have lobbyists. These you know, when you say
six thousand foster care children, those are abused and neglected kids,
no fault of their own, little guys, little children. And
so then you put I think the numbers fifteen thousand.
There's a study that shows at the end of the
school year we just finished last May or June, I

(01:15:54):
think we're up to fifteen thousand homeless children. So why
isn't a priority? Because they don't nate the campaigns. They don't.
I mean, that's just being honest with you. They don't
have advocates. Now, you guys are doing a great job
by shining a light on this, and so to Amelia,
so send it Bill two fourteen. I introduce it every year,

(01:16:17):
never moves, And if you guys keep a light shined
on this, maybe we'll be able to help these guys. Again,
it's an investment. It's economic development in its purest form.
I think you might agree with that, TJ.

Speaker 4 (01:16:30):
I agree with it wholeheartedly. Children are just that they
are children. We have the obligation. I would much rather
take care of children now than have to take care
of adults who are failed later because we failed them
as children. That's pretty simple, taking the emotion out of it.

(01:16:51):
It's pretty simple, it is, and you know.

Speaker 6 (01:16:56):
These little guys would appreciate it and just lost sheep
that are out there. Yeah, I think we can find
the money if it's a priority. And why I just
why it hasn't moved in the past is water, you know,
under the bridge. We need to find a way to

(01:17:16):
do at this time.

Speaker 1 (01:17:18):
Mike Woffle is joining US caval County Center Senate Minority leader.
What would your bill do, Mike?

Speaker 6 (01:17:23):
Basically, we would have in the urban counties and those
that's a term that's defined federally, we would have a
coordinator that would that would make sure that these kids
are in you know, are identified, they're in school, they're
going to get their nutrition. In the rural counties, then
that could be a part time position. You could have

(01:17:45):
somebody being an attendance director and they could also be
this homeless coordinator. So you know, there is federal money
that comes in. It's you know, it was about eight
hundred thousand under the forty year old federal law that's
gone down quite a bit, so you know, it's it's
just that's what the bill would do. We'll just have

(01:18:07):
some dedicated person not wearing seven different hats that would
be in the urban areas responsible for identifying these children
and getting them into an education.

Speaker 4 (01:18:22):
I literally don't know what to say. I mean, this
just seems like a huge fail to me because what
I gathered from a million, what I'm hearing from you, Mike,
and I want I want to get my arms around this.
So let's just call it seven hundred thousand is what
we're going to have moving forward based from the FEDS.
If we came up with another two x that in
private capital or state capital, so one point four million

(01:18:46):
to me, based on the efficiency that I heard Amelia
described in how this program is being used with that
seven hundred k. Now, I mean, that's all we're talking, right,
It's not like we're talking tens of hundreds of millions
of dollars here, right, Am I right or wrong?

Speaker 6 (01:19:00):
Let me say this. You know, we spent a lot
of time on the Ten Commandments last year. Okay, that's
that's okay, But if they're not in school to look
at the Ten Commandments, what good was that was that investment? So, yeah,
these are kids whose parents are addicted, they're you know,
they're just floating around the community and they're staying with friends. Yeah,

(01:19:23):
let's invest the money in them we've got. You know,
here's what I've learned in my eleven sessions. There's always
money for something if the right people want it. Uh.
And you, guys, I mean, you know, thank you for
shedding light on it. And we'll keep talking about it.
But last Centate Bill two fourteen, it was my bill

(01:19:43):
in this past session. Never never was calendar, never was moved,
never was discussed. I mean, you know, at least discussed openly.
So Randy Smith, our president, he's got a big heart,
you know. I think if he's listening today, you know,
maybe he you know, I believe he'll push this. But

(01:20:03):
but I mean, I don't know how you when you
look at what we do for New Core and we
throw money at everything and we do and let's throw
a little small investment. This is the economic development we need, guys.

Speaker 5 (01:20:18):
Do you agree?

Speaker 1 (01:20:19):
Well, Mike, I'll make the same statement to you that
I said to Amelia. We're I think we're still in
the early stages of the impact that the opioid epidemic
has had on kids, kids who were born during the
opioid epidemic, and there's still an epidemic.

Speaker 2 (01:20:36):
It's not over, but we've come off that peak. We're improving.

Speaker 1 (01:20:39):
Those kids are going to school, and they're going to
be in school for you know, probably the next fifteen.

Speaker 2 (01:20:45):
To twenty years. We need to get a handle on
some of these issues like this on how do we
address how do we better serve and address the needs
of these students who are classified as homeless so they're
able to break the cycle, get an education, and they're
able to improve them better. What are their situations. We've
got to get a handle on it now or we're really.

Speaker 1 (01:21:03):
Going to have a major situation five ten years down
the road. We've seen this happen before.

Speaker 6 (01:21:09):
They are your neighbors, they will be your neighbors. They
we need to educate them so they can make their
way in the world and not be a drain on
our system. I mean just looking at it purely, not
from a not from a you know, a moral viewpoint,
but just dollars and cents invest in these in these
little guys, and it's going to pay off big time,

(01:21:31):
and of course it's the right thing to do. You
got I can hear it in your voices. You know
that this is the right thing for West Virginia to do.

Speaker 4 (01:21:40):
So how about this. Let's do a little whiteboarding on
the radio here. And if somebody in the legislature wants
to call me and tell me what I'm missing here,
why this would be a bad idea, then I don't
know what I don't know, drop me a line. With
that said lead of money. You talk about economic development.
Every year people get their lead of money local economic
development assistance funds, whatever that stands for governors contend fund.

(01:22:00):
Surely the judicial branch can shave a little bit. Just
take one point four million and everybody chip a third
of that in from those three contingencies. Boom done funded.

Speaker 6 (01:22:10):
Wilfer will give all his lead of money from this
next year to this period. I commit to it.

Speaker 1 (01:22:18):
Almost forgot to ask you the question I told him.
I would ask you, Mike, could we use opioid settlement
funds for this?

Speaker 6 (01:22:25):
You know? So that has to go through that. I
represent Cable County and the opioid litigation. And that's another
interview for another day. At eight and a half years
of paying so far, we're still we're still fighting for
Huntington and Cabell County. But the money that's come in
and the opioids, you know, goes through the Western First Foundation,
and it is you know, it's subject to grants.

Speaker 21 (01:22:49):
You know.

Speaker 6 (01:22:50):
I don't want to leave it to those bureaucrats. We
have money for every fair and festival in the state,
and people get in the parades and vote for me
and this and that. Just allocate just that way would work.
I just don't trust the system enough. I think we
just say, you know, let's make this the Year of

(01:23:11):
the at Risk child in the legislature, and let's let's
phony up a little money for them.

Speaker 1 (01:23:17):
Mike Woful, Kabal County Senator sent it. Minority leader Mike
always appreciate it. Thanks for coming on this morning.

Speaker 6 (01:23:23):
Thank you so much. Appreciate you guys.

Speaker 2 (01:23:24):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (01:23:25):
Your text are next three oh four Talk three oh four,
eight hundred and seven to sixty five talk. That's the
phone number and the text line. This is talk line
from the Encovid Insurance studios.

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Speaker 2 (01:24:08):
To care for you. At the Help Game, we are here.

Speaker 22 (01:24:15):
From all of us here at the Health Plan. We
want to make your season bright. Whether you're wrapping gifts
or planning next year's goals, We're here for you. Happy
Holidays and Merry Christmas. From our family to yours.

Speaker 17 (01:24:31):
Here.

Speaker 3 (01:24:46):
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Speaker 1 (01:24:57):
You probably know smoking can lead to cop but can
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but there are are there any new treatments giving patients
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Speaker 2 (01:25:13):
They answer those.

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This disease is more than just a cough, but there
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(01:25:34):
the Metro News TV app. Live Healthy West Virginia aiming
to help everyone live a better, healthier life in West
Virginia and beyond. Uh three or four talk three four?
All right, get to some text here, Hey, fellas sober
are foster care parents? Every case we have been involved
in and know of is opioid related. Yes, CPS is overwhelmed. However,

(01:25:58):
CPS has contracts in play with civilian businesses to handle
the day today administrative burden of child management. CPS still
needs more quality people. My question is, with all of
the money Big Farmer has paid to the state of
West Virginia, has any of that money gone to these
opioid kids? The money foster parents get paid as ridiculous
compared to what is necessary to raise these opioid kids,

(01:26:22):
says the Texter three or four Talk three or four.
My experience with adult protective services has been very disturbing
and frustrating, says the Texter. It's money, money, money, money money.
Let's have another tax reduction. Speaking of taxes, we didn't
even get to that today. Steve Adams is going to
join us tomorrow, Ogden Newspapers. He's got a story out

(01:26:44):
this morning about Governor Morrissey and a tax plan and
wait for it, a special session. Stephen reporting Governor morris
is considering a special session in December to address a
tax plan. Stephen sports that would include a three point
eight eight percent flat personal income tax rate, do away

(01:27:04):
at the income tax credit rebate on personal property.

Speaker 2 (01:27:08):
As I said, we were full up today, but Steve's
scheduled to join us tomorrow December special session.

Speaker 1 (01:27:17):
As Jim Beheim would say, yeah, I don't know about that.
You got a session coming up in January. I mean
literally within weeks.

Speaker 2 (01:27:26):
You need a special session in December to push a
tax plan through.

Speaker 4 (01:27:30):
I wouldn't think so that you can handle that in January.
It's the holiday season. I don't know. I don't know,
and you know me, I'm all in. I'm all in
favor of putting more money back in people's podcorts because
good things happen when we do. That is my philosophy.
But I just, yeah, I don't know why December Why

(01:27:51):
December shoulder shrug.

Speaker 2 (01:27:53):
Emoje DJ.

Speaker 5 (01:27:54):
I know.

Speaker 1 (01:27:56):
The rhetorical questions on this program three or four Talk
three or four. Watching Cheney's funeral, seeing who is respectfully
attending this group is showing what a democratic nation should
look like, respecting those with whom we disagree yet honor.
So where is Trump? Asked the texter. I think it's
all I haven't been watching closely. It's a president. Bush

(01:28:17):
is there. Obviously Cheney served with him. I think it's
all vice presidents.

Speaker 5 (01:28:20):
TJ.

Speaker 2 (01:28:20):
Is it you keeping track of that?

Speaker 5 (01:28:23):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:28:23):
Correct, it's all the vice presidents. Biden is there simply
because he was a vice president prior to becoming president.
The protocol for these things is that the vice presidents
attend a vice presidential funeral. That's why you don't see
Bill Clinton or Barack Obama or Donald Trump.

Speaker 2 (01:28:40):
Texter says, TJ. You just said the first thing I
agree with. I miss George W. Bush, Me too, says
the texter. Maybe we can be friends.

Speaker 4 (01:28:49):
You got you know what the guy's plane. I mean,
you got what you got, and he wasn't everywhere, and
he wasn't trying to do these crazy things, and he
was like kind of the last one that didn't go
off the reels.

Speaker 2 (01:29:01):
Now, on the other hand, not surprised.

Speaker 6 (01:29:03):
TJ.

Speaker 1 (01:29:04):
Miss is a war criminal who increased Did the lights
just go out of my studio?

Speaker 4 (01:29:08):
They did? I can see you though. It looks like
it's Halloween in there. You just need a pumpkin.

Speaker 1 (01:29:12):
If you're watching the video stream, all you can see
is the glow from the monitors. I'll be darn huh.
I'll finish the text. We'll go to break Not surprise, TJ.
Miss is a war criminal who increased the state surveillance
apparatus to spy on Americans and who also got many
men and women and children killed for war based on
lies and oil access. You hardly ever surprise TJ.

Speaker 4 (01:29:35):
What a great use of sarcasm. Kudos.

Speaker 2 (01:29:42):
Jake's trying to turn the lights on. It's not helping.

Speaker 4 (01:29:45):
Can somebody get dat a flashlight?

Speaker 2 (01:29:49):
Gotta take our final break back in the moment talk
line from the very dimly lit in Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 13 (01:29:57):
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Speaker 15 (01:30:28):
Some say he's a man of mystery. Others say he's
the holiday Hitmaker. No one saw coming.

Speaker 5 (01:30:33):
It's showtime.

Speaker 15 (01:30:34):
The Holiday hit Maker walks the office halls with West
Virginia Lottery holiday scratch offs and an unstoppable spirit.

Speaker 19 (01:30:41):
What are you doing.

Speaker 4 (01:30:42):
Bringing the holiday hype here? Enjoy scratch off?

Speaker 5 (01:30:45):
It's on me?

Speaker 11 (01:30:47):
Whoa ticket?

Speaker 5 (01:30:48):
My work here is done.

Speaker 15 (01:30:49):
Be the surprise hit Maker West Virginia Lottery Games fun,
festive and full of flare. Please play responsibly.

Speaker 2 (01:31:13):
Met yours talk line from the en Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 1 (01:31:16):
If you're listening on one of our great radio affiliates,
there's something going on with the lights in the studio.

Speaker 2 (01:31:21):
They've been on there off, there's some of them on.
We got We've got mood lighting going on here in
the studio in Morgantown, TJ.

Speaker 4 (01:31:30):
It looked like Blair Witch, what a show it's been today,
Lights going off, shooting rats out of windows, which absolutely
drives me mad.

Speaker 1 (01:31:43):
Hang on by people. We got a text about that.
Text says TJ. Target shooting rats could be fun. Maybe
the moral of the story is to bring your own gun,
says the Texter. Because they were arguing over the of
the what I assume was probably a twenty two.

Speaker 4 (01:32:00):
Maybe I can go pull the report. I stand by
my guess. I'll just call it what it is. I
would not be shocked if alcohol were involved.

Speaker 17 (01:32:12):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:32:12):
Textor wants to know, Dave if the Bumpus's Hounds from
the movie A Christmas Story?

Speaker 2 (01:32:17):
Eight your turkey? Would you go with Chinese off? It's
Christmas Day? That's probably your only option, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (01:32:25):
Have you ever tried a place I've ever? Yeah, we
That's the only place.

Speaker 1 (01:32:28):
I've seen when we lived in Virginia several This is,
you know, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years ago. Now, wife's family
came over for Christmas and we thought we would go
out to eat on Christmas Eve. I'm like, oh, yeah,
there's there's nothing open Christmas Eve evening, people go, people
going to Christmas.

Speaker 2 (01:32:48):
We had our big dinner the next day there was
nothing available. Now what Wednesday? I think the.

Speaker 1 (01:32:52):
Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The story it's this is about the
time for this story. It's a big pizza day because
everybody's repairing Thanksgiving dinner, so you're not going to cook
dinner on Wednesday night.

Speaker 2 (01:33:03):
It's a big piece.

Speaker 4 (01:33:04):
Makes sense? Makes sense?

Speaker 2 (01:33:06):
Is that what you host Thanksgiving?

Speaker 5 (01:33:08):
Dude?

Speaker 2 (01:33:09):
What do you guys do the day before?

Speaker 4 (01:33:10):
You know, come to think of it, it is typically
because people are coming in. It's typically hustings. Yeah, because
the family can can't get hustons out of state. They
love hustons, and we go to the hustons down the way,
and that's what we what we do. You're reminding me though.
One of the things I love to do on Christmas Eve.
You know, we always do the white Elephant gifts at
my in laws the next day and we have these
stupid games and all these fun things. I love to

(01:33:33):
go Christmas Eve at some point and go to the
truck stop on sixty four there in Day's Valley and
pick out all the gifts from the truck stop just always,
and I may tip the cash here just to say
Merry Christmas, but I love doing that.

Speaker 1 (01:33:48):
I don't know why jackpots are growing in West Virginia.
Jackpots are on the rise every week. Power Ball hits Mondays,
Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mega Millions lights up Tuesdays and Fridays.
That's five chances a week to get in on life
changing jackpots. Play insto our and online eighteen plus to play.
Please play responsibly. The Powerball jackpot is six hundred and
twenty nine million dollars. Mega Million's jackpot is sixty million.

(01:34:10):
To go ahead, play today.

Speaker 2 (01:34:13):
TJ. You have a happy Thanksgiving. You're out tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (01:34:16):
I'll be out all of next week, so I won't
see you before Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family,
and i'll see you on the other side.

Speaker 4 (01:34:23):
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Sarah. I hope you
enjoy your time away.

Speaker 1 (01:34:26):
TJ is taking a day off tomorrow. I'll be solo
and then it'll be all TJ next week because I
have plans of getting up in a deer stamp steam
releas coming up tomorrow eleven thirty three. Yeah, not shooting
rats TJ. That's not the plan.

Speaker 4 (01:34:39):
Good for you.

Speaker 2 (01:34:40):
Talk line on Metro News, The voice of West Virginia,

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Talkline | Nov. 20, 2025

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