Talkline | Nov. 5, 2025

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito discusses the latest on the shutdown and a path toward reopening the government. Lots of talk on the Democrats' big wins in Tuesday's elections with Steven Allen Adams, Ogden Newspapers Columnist and Fairmont State Political Science Professor Greg Noone. Plus, your calls and texts. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Senators wrapping up breakfast with President Trump. This morning, we'll
talk to our US Senator Shelley Moore Capito coming up
a couple of minutes. Also, we'll dive into yesterday's elections
in Virginia, New Jersey, New York. What does it mean
for West Virginia. We'll try to answer that question as
Metro News talk Line is underway.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Radio turned off from the studios of w v RC
Media and the Metro News Radio and Television Network, The
Voice of West Virginia comes the most powerful show in
West Virginia. It's Metro News talk Line with Dave Wilson
and DJ Meadows.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
Activated. Hello, switch WEE can you hold from Charleston.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
To Morgan stand by to David, DJ.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
You're on.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Metronews. Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling you
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Speaker 1 (01:25):
Good Wednesday morning, Welcome inside the Encoba Insurance studios. Dave
Wilson in Morgantown, TJ. Meadows is in Charleston. We appreciate
you being part of the program, listening in on one
of our great affiliates across the state of West Virginia,
or if you're watching on the Metro News TV app.
Ja Clink is our video producer. Ethan Collins is our

(01:45):
operator producers Standing by at eight hundred seven sixty five
Talk eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five.
That is the phone number. You can also text us
at three or four Talk three oh four. Coming up,
we'll talk to us Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
She was at.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Breakfast with the president this morning. What did he have
to say? Is there an end to the shutdown in sight?
We'll talk to Senator Capito. Coming up a couple of
minutes from now. Stephen Allen Adams all good newspapers, We'll
stop by. We'll get into the elections from Virginia and
New Jersey. Yesterday New York as well. Democrats had a

(02:21):
big day. They are waking up big smiles on their
faces this morning. What does all that mean here in
West Virginia. Plus we'll get the latest on snap benefits
and how the state is handling that situation. More on
the election in the second hour as well. Once again,
say good morning, TJ. Meadows in Charleston. Good morning, TJ.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
Good morning, sir. And the more I look at the races,
the more I look at the results, I think the
biggest race last night is the one no one is
talking about. It's Georgia and it's election of public service commissioners.
And we can get into it later, I'll tease that,
but I'm telling you it takes all these other variables
out that were in the other states, and it paints

(03:02):
a pretty clear picture. And it just fascinated me to
see what these normally low level, not a lot of
attention races did last night. Huge blue huge.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
That's not unexpected, though, is it. I mean, we're gonna
get into this a little more deeply, but I would
expect Democrats to have a big election here. It's the
first election after President Trump's re election. I would expect them.
That's Newton's third law kicks in, whether we're talking about
physics or politics. It's it's the opposite reaction to what

(03:38):
we just had several you know, about a year ago,
a year ago at this point. So it's not surprising
to me that Democrats had a big day in this election.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, not surprising in some but these these kinds of
races that I'm talking about, that that typically you don't
get into the national political scene. It's all about affordability,
and I think Democrats are figuring that out when a
lot of Republicans, especially here in West Virginia, they still
want to talk social issues. You saw counties in Georgia

(04:10):
yesterday that are staunchly red go blue to elect these commissioners.
And I'm not talking about urban counties that are central
to Atlanta or the other urban areas of Georgia. I'm
talking counties that are normally you know, out in the
middle of nowhere in the sticks go blue.

Speaker 1 (04:29):
Pordability economy, and this is what we're going to get
into with Steven Adams Bottom of the Hour. Is any
of that applicable here in.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
West Virginia if we're I actually think it's I actually
think it's a bigger opportunity for one of the Republican factions.
Does that make sense because we have multiple Republican factions now.
I actually think it's a wake up call for one
of these Republican factions over the other. But we can
get into that.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
We'll get into that coming up Bottom of the Hour. Also,
keeping an I'm waj our Mike Nolton in Morgantown is
covering this story this morning. Yesterday, the State Public Service
Commission was scheduled to hold an evidentiary hearing on Hope
Gas's eighty million dollar rate increase request. That got put
on pause because there were talks. There are negotiations going

(05:19):
on other places, talks about a settlement in that case,
and they were instructed by the chair of the PSC,
Charlotte Lane, go have your discussions, come back this morning,
and if there's a settlement, we'll discuss it. If not,
they're going to proceed with that evidentiary hearing. Mike Nolton
is covering that case, so keeping an eye on that

(05:40):
this morning in front of the PSC as well. Your
thoughts are welcome if you were paying attention keeping an
eye on those elections in Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, New
York yesterday, your thoughts on what it all means. Happy
to take your comments at three or four Talk three
oh four, eight hundred and seven, sixty five Talk eight
hundred and seven to sixty five, eight to five five
phone number. Greg Noon, political science professor and analyst will

(06:03):
join us coming up in the second hour, and then
we're going to open up the phones and the text
lines for your thoughts on all of the above. Gonna
take a break when we come back, hope to connect
with usent or Shelley Moore Capito. They just wrapped up
breakfast with President Trump this morning. What did the President
have to say? Spoiler alert? He talked about the filibuster

(06:23):
a lot. We'll talk to US center Shelley Moore Capito
coming up. This is talk line from the Cobe Insurance studios.

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Speaker 1 (07:52):
Three or four Talk three or four is the text line.
Eight hundred to seven sixty five Talk eight hundred seven
sixty five eight two five five. Just got an up dates.
It appears they have reached a settlements, they being Hope
Gas and the PSC on that rates increase request. Part
one of the settlement looks like instead of an overall

(08:14):
eighty million dollar rate increase request that has been slashed
to about forty one million dollars. The PSC will have
more to say coming up around one o'clock this afternoon. Again,
Mike Nolting is working on that story. But it looks
like from a quick preliminary reading of all of the
legal ees there, that that rate increase is going That

(08:36):
settlement on that rate increase has been about cut in half. Again,
more on that, Mike Nolting working on that for Wajar
up in Morgantown. Earlier this morning, President Trump addressed US
centers during a breakfast. As the shutdown has entered day
thirty six, it's now a record breaker. Is there an
end in sight? What did the President have to say?

(08:57):
Let's discuss joining us on Metro News talk line this
morning is Senator Shelley Moore Capito. Senator, good morning, thanks
for joining us, Good.

Speaker 8 (09:06):
Morning, nice to be on.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
I'm glad you here.

Speaker 8 (09:08):
I hope it is at home.

Speaker 1 (09:10):
Glad you could join us. President Trump addressed senators this
morning during breakfast. He again said that the filibusters should
be eliminated reopen the government, and then he also talked
about a lot of other bills he would like to
see passed. You have said you do not support eliminating
the filibuster. Has your position changed at all?

Speaker 8 (09:30):
Well, you know, I understand the President's frustration, and he
says we won't get anything passed. Well, we have passed
several bills through the Senate of the Lake and Riley Act,
the Genius Act, and other acts. And I think we
can pass our appropriations bills and other things. So I
think that there are things that we can do and
will do, and they'll be good for the country. I

(09:51):
think his frustration is that if some people, you know,
the Democrats, basically will do any on a simple vote
to keep the vote to keep the government open. They
won't even do that, something that they've done repeatedly when
they were in charge. And you know that's the premise
of his argument. But you know, I'll just echo our leader,
Senator soon And he basically said, I know where the

(10:14):
votes are, and the votes aren't there. Personally, I've already
signed a letter to saying that I would not break
the filibuster. I'm not somebody who signs the letter saying
I'm not going to do it and then turn around
and change my mind. So I am. I am in
the no column right now. I'm one of those that
is not willing to go and break the filibuster because

(10:35):
I just don't think that it's good for the country.
I think it preserves minority rights, it gives a right
to stop things, and we're going to need that someday.

Speaker 3 (10:43):
Do you think the president is sincere in that those Senator,
I mean, he needs some leverage here. I feel like
he's coming in. He's been the missing man, and now
he's going to come in and try to whip this
thing and get it done. But you got to have
some leverage. So he floated snap yesterday that got walked
back very quickly. Is the filibuster that threat just something
that he needs to get the Dems to the table.

Speaker 8 (11:03):
Well, I think, you know, I think that's a good
that's an interesting strategy. And I actually could kind of
cross my mind when he was talking about and he
was like, well, I would I'll respect what you all do.
He said that publicly, But I do think that that
if the if the Democrats would think that right now,
half a year into the president's term, that we would

(11:26):
break the filibuster, that that in their minds, that would
be a devastating thing. So I do think it does
bring him some strength. And now that he's back focusing
on this away out of after his Asian victory lap trip,
which was great, you could be right, you could be right,
this could be a leverage maneuver.

Speaker 1 (11:44):
Sanator Shelley Moore Capito joining us mentioned in his talk line,
so what is the path forward or is there a
path forward to reopen the government?

Speaker 8 (11:52):
I do think there's a path forward and you know,
there are signals that the pass forward, maybe that we
end this this week. The Democrats finally say okay, well
and we'll end this because really it's on them there.
We've given them very simple bills. You know, if we
had passed this on September the thirtieth, or the first
time we voted on it, we would have had these

(12:15):
premium support issues from healthcare. We would have had them
negotiated before November first. So, you know, I think it's
a poor strategy on their part, and they're using people
for leverage, and don't I don't agree with that, and
I think it's it's very unfair, and so I think
we will I think with appropriations bills. There's three bills,

(12:36):
one of which is the Agriculture Bill, which carries the
snap provision in it in terms of the funding aspect
of it. And so we're hoping that there's movement that
we might be able to get to that, you know,
tomorrow for the weekend. I'm hopeful there. I wish we
could do it today and maybe we can.

Speaker 9 (12:55):
So.

Speaker 3 (12:55):
Bloomberg reporting this morning that this costs the shutdown costs
the US it's economy fifteen billion dollars each week that
it goes on. I'm not trying to let Dems off
the hook here, but this CR, I mean, if you
signed it today, the original one, I think you get
what two weeks. Can we reframe this and let's just
take everything off the table and say, all right, guys,

(13:17):
whether it's a CR, whether it's some of those appropriations bills,
can we find an off ramp here that doesn't blame
one or the other and just actually get the government open.

Speaker 8 (13:26):
I think we can, and I think that's what we're
heading towards. I think that we'll extend the date on
a CR, because you're right the twenty first, we're just
right back at it. We'll extend the day that's subject
to concern on both sides of the aisle. Should it
be December, should be January? You know, that's kind of
an internal point, and then try to pass more of
these appropriations bills. If we pass six or seven of these,

(13:49):
we're going to have funded eighty percent of the government,
and we take that aspect of disagreement under the over
you know.

Speaker 10 (13:56):
Off the table.

Speaker 8 (13:57):
We've passed these bill bipartisan, with two or three dissenting
votes on every single one of them. So these are
very bipartisan bills, and I think that provides the off
ramp for everybody, and then the you know, we'll vote
try to formulate some kind of negotiated settlement on the
on the premium support portion of Obamacare. You know, I

(14:20):
still think we're focusing on the wrong thing here because
if you look at you know, Obamacare premiums have gone
up two hundred and twelve percent. I mean, it's not working.
But for right now, people that are trying to figure
out how they're going to pay for this, the fact
that it's not working is probably the least concerning to
them in that I can't afford this insurance and I've

(14:42):
got to figure out a way to do it, and
we need to help them with that.

Speaker 1 (14:45):
US Senator Shelley Moore Kapito joining US Senator with the
ACA expanded tax credits expiring, and that's been a sticking
point all along. Why not why not make that part
of the negotiating process over the last month to get
the government reopen. If it's something you're going to do anyway.

Speaker 8 (15:03):
Well, I think it's better to do it when the
government's open. I mean that, you know that sounds silly like, well,
of course the government, you need to open the government.
So the government needs to stay open. Why has it
ever closed? And if if we proceed in a I
think in a posture of you can shut the government
down for any policy issue, healthcare or otherwise, then we're

(15:26):
going to be shut down every three months. And so
I think that the simple thing is to not accept
the shutdown as an option to get your way.

Speaker 11 (15:33):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (15:34):
And that's what's happened here and to you know, gain politically.
And and so I think you know the full intentions
of the leader John Thune, the President who said this
as well, we need to look at these premium support
But how much easier would it have been in retrospect
to begin that negotiations. You know, it can't be that complicated,

(15:55):
at least in the short term, you know, October the first,
which we couldn't do because we were in a shutdown.

Speaker 3 (16:01):
Let's get into the specifics of these extended subsidies from
covid era with the ACA. Okay, the way I read it,
it's one side wants to cut them off completely, the
other side wants to remain intact. Tapering would seem to
be a common sense solution where Okay, you get a
little bit, but I guess what it's going to go
down every quarter or every month, or some kind of

(16:22):
mechanism that weans. I guess people off of that support
that they've had. Would you support that?

Speaker 8 (16:28):
You know, I would probably support something gradual. I tell
you that, here's the deal. The premiums go up twenty
percent this year in West Virginia. Only three percent percent
of that is for the extended premium. The other seventeen
percent of that is health inflation, is cost inflation, pharmacies

(16:49):
and everything that's gone into this. We're not attacking the
real problem here. Even if you have insurance through your business,
it's going up for everybody. And so what I would
say is, if you are four hundred percent of poverty
and below in West Virginia, which is approximately sixty to
eighty thousand dollars a year, you're going to get the

(17:10):
full subsidy. There's nothing that's going to be taken from you.
Where your subsidy expires is over the four hundred percent
up to unlimited. Do we want people with unlimited income
to be getting a small subsidy on their insurance.

Speaker 10 (17:26):
No, of course not.

Speaker 8 (17:27):
So we need to get rid of that, and so
where we need to taper is around that four hundred
percent of poverty. Now, I heard you guys interviewing the
Navigator on Monday, and he did a great job explaining this.
And then he said that some people are going up
two hundred, some people are going up twenty. Nobody's dropping yet.

(17:48):
That's what he said on Monday. It may be a
different story on Wednesday, but he did say that those
people around that four hundred percent of poverty, you know
they have a family or a small business or whatever,
they're the ones that we really need to look at
for a tapering concept.

Speaker 1 (18:03):
US Senator Kelley Moore Capito joining us here Metro his
talk long got a couple of minutes left here. In
West Virginia, food banks have been stepping in trying to
fill the void left by snap benefits being suspended. Other states,
state governments are stepping in trying to fund those options.
From a federal perspective, from the Senate perspective, what can
be done to make certain people get the benefits that

(18:25):
they have coming to them so that they have food
on the table.

Speaker 8 (18:29):
Well, I think the courts and the President has agreed
to do this is going to proceed to pay with
for the first half months. The problem is, once your
card gets shut off, how long does it take? So
I thank the food banks and others for sort of
filling that gap. We should not be in this position ever,
and so I would say, you know, I've read things
where it takes anywhere from three days to seven days.

(18:52):
I think it's state to state. I hope we can
have our and the governor will have his people prepared
to do it as quickly as possible. It's the government reopens.

Speaker 3 (19:01):
I want to circle back to the filibuster. Texter made
a point yesterday. I thought it was a grand idea.
If we're going to filibuster, let's go back to mister
Smith goes to Washington. You've got to stand up, you
got to hold the floor, you got to do it.
That's the filibuster. Would you support that kind of a change.

Speaker 8 (19:15):
Yeah, that's called a talking filibuster, and yes, I would
support this. I mean, I think that our rules many
in many cases, are arcane. They are very difficult, and
they consume a lot of time, and that's a problem.
There can be some ways to smooth those processes out,
but I still think the sixty vote threshold will go
to my advantage someday when I'm in the in representing

(19:38):
West Virginia, when I'm in the minority, to be able
to block things like a larger Supreme Court, or representation
from DC and Puerto Rico, or expanding voter rights or
getting rid of voter ID and all these kinds of
things that we know the Democrats are salivating to do.
And so I still think it's a useful tool us.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
Sooner Shelleymore joining US Senator Capito, what do you want
to tell West Virginians now is we're in the day
thirty six, longest shutdown on record.

Speaker 8 (20:07):
Well, I want to say, hopefully this week we'll see.

Speaker 3 (20:09):
The end of this.

Speaker 8 (20:10):
You should never West Virginia should never be in this position.
I have voted to keep the government open at every
opportunity that I have ever had, even with Democrat presidents,
I have voted on continuing resolutions. I will continue to
do this. You've heard me say it's a misery March,
but now it's extremely painful, and I'm concerned about everybody,

(20:31):
and we're hearing from a lot of people, and so
please let us know how we can help.

Speaker 1 (20:36):
Us Senator Shelley Moore Capito, appreciate you coming on this morning.
Well see what happens in the next couple of days.

Speaker 8 (20:42):
Okay, thank you absolutely.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
Eight hundred and seven to sixty five Talk is the
phone number. Eight hundred seven sixty five eight two five five.
That is the phone number. You can also shoot us
a text at three oh four Talk threeh four. We'll
get to your comments. Coming up in just a bit.
Other side of the news break, Stephen Allen Adams is
going to join US capital reporter and columnists from Ogden Newspapers.
He was watching elections across Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, New

(21:07):
York yesterday. But what does it all mean here at home?
And we'll get into the confusion, at least at least
on my part, confusion around snap benefits, who can pay,
how can they be, who can pay, how can it
be reimbursed. We'll get into all of that and try
to sort through it with Steven Adams. Coming up after

(21:27):
the news tam of the Hour, Greg Noon'll join us
political science professor analyst. We'll talk about these elections and
again try to figure out what it all means. As
we start to move toward our elections coming up in
twenty twenty six. This is talk line on Metro News
for forty years, the voice of West Virginia. It is

(21:48):
ten thirty and time to get a news update. Let's
check in on the Metro News radio network. Find out
what's happening in West Virginia.

Speaker 12 (21:55):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Jeff Jenkins, a Trump Administration
how going ahead with plans to find snap benefits, at
least partially this month. As the federal government shutdown continues.
West Virginia's response continues to be funneling state money to
food banks, who in turn get checks to food pantries.
Governor Patrick morris He says he believes the state's response
is working.

Speaker 13 (22:13):
We hear about needs in particular parts of the state
that might run low on food, then we run to
the fire. We make sure that we're setting resources that way.
So we're doing this based on all the information coming in,
and we ask people to use that two to one
one number.

Speaker 12 (22:30):
Morrisey plans to send another two and a half million
dollars out the door for food tomorrow. More than three
hundred thousand dollars has come into food banks in private donations,
which the state is matching mounting their food bank. CEO
Chad Morrison says it's neighbor helping neighbor.

Speaker 3 (22:43):
Everywhere in the state of West Virginia.

Speaker 14 (22:44):
It's been amazing the outpouring of support, and we know
that we're going to continue to need that, you know,
through the government shut down and likely beyond, just because
of the ripple effects that we're probably going to see.

Speaker 12 (22:57):
Read more about the food distribution efforts at metronews dot com.
Stay Supreme Court has dismissed a pill attempts from Assistanville
couple convicted on human trafficking and other charges after two
of their adopted children we are found locked in a shed.
The High Court extended the normal allotment of time to
appeal conviction to Donald ray Lance and Genik Whitefeather, but
eventually they rejected it because they were done with extensions.

(23:19):
You're listening to Metro News for forty years, the voice
of West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (23:23):
What are you doing out there?

Speaker 15 (23:24):
Come on, I saw you at the game the other night. Yeah,
you up there getting mad, acting like we're all out
there making a million a game. Well, let me be
real with you, this isn't the pros. It's school sports
and it's a game, our game, so please let us play.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
School sports fans, remember when you cheer for your team,
make noise for the right reasons.

Speaker 3 (23:47):
This message presented by the NFHS and the NI Triple A.

Speaker 1 (23:51):
And all student athletes in West Virginia.

Speaker 16 (23:53):
Attention high school football fans. If you're wondering where your
team ranks. Each week, check out the Tutors Biscuit World
Power Rankings at WV Metro News dot com. Each Tuesday morning,
Metro News will update the power rankings for all four classes,
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(24:15):
Twenty twenty five Metro News Power Rankings are presented by
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Speaker 12 (24:25):
A former Bridgeport councilman and deaagent fighting misdemeanor charges for
Marion County prosecutors or led to here as working as
a private investigator without a license. Attorneys for LJMXI have
fought of motion to dismiss the charges. It's going to
be a seasonably warm and windy today in the Mountain State.
National Weather Services issue to wind advisory for the eastern
Mountain counties Pocahontas and Randolph, and a red flag warning

(24:45):
for the Potomac Highlands and the eastern Panhandle where there
is a potential fire threat. From the Metro News anchor desk,
I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (25:14):
Error on the host there, I neglected to ask what
was on the menu for breakfast with the president this morning?
Just curious three or four? Talk three or four? Is
the text line eight hundred and seven to sixty five
eight two five five. That is the phone number. We'll
get to some of your thoughts coming up in just
a moment. Elections held across the country yesterday, not here,

(25:36):
almost some people thought there were some elections apparently, but
none here. Obviously Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Georgia among
those folks were keeping a close eye on. And it
was a good day for Democrats, obviously, winning the New
York City mayorial race, winning gubernatorial seats in New Jersey
and Virginia. What does all that mean here, Well, let's

(26:00):
discussed Stephen Allen Adams is the Capitol reporter and columnist
for all the newspapers. You can read his work in
a newspaper near you. Steven, good morning, thanks for joining
us today. Hang on, I gotta actually turn you on, Stephen,
start that again.

Speaker 11 (26:17):
Good morning, yuddy, Thanks for having me on. Gentlemen, good
to be here.

Speaker 1 (26:21):
What were you watching yesterday with the elections?

Speaker 11 (26:24):
Well, I mean, I'm certainly an election and politics nerd,
and I know our elections will be here before anyone
knows it. We already got pre candidates already lining up
the door to start to announce it. I think we
even have a state Senate candidate that's announcing up in
the second district. But we're still a little waste from
our elections. So I had to make do with elections nationwide,

(26:45):
particularly neighboring Virginia. We also had the gubernatorial election in
New Jersey. We had, of course, the New York City election.
So you're looking at Zorhan Mondami up, the Democratic candidate
up there, that over Cuomo, former governor New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo, uh, and the Republican with the red beret.

(27:09):
You've got, You've got Abichail Spanberger that was able to
win the Democratic candidate in the Virginia race. That was
a pretty big deal, uh, Mickey Shurill up in New Jersey.
Even in California, they had a referendum to approve a

(27:29):
new Democratic led redistricting plan, which will be huge because
that's more of a democratic state these days. So they
are bound to start, uh setting that up in such
a way to put more Democratics in the lawmakers in
the in the US House of Representatives. So a lot
of big key elections, I mean Georgia, you mentioned Georgia too,

(27:52):
and some of those elections down there.

Speaker 3 (27:56):
So let's talk about Virginia and start there. A lot
of things going on. I think that could make the
case that Virginia and what happened there is not applicable
to what we might expect in West Virginia. Let's start
with the shutdown. I mean, you look at Fairfax County,
you look at Loudun County, Stafford County, a lot of

(28:16):
federal employees in that area. Going over into DC, the J.
Jones race, the AG race, I mean, this is a
guy who sent text messages saying that the House Speaker
of the State House in Virginia. The guy's kids should
be made to die in order for him to understand
a political point. Virginia still elects this guy. They're not

(28:37):
voting for J. Jones, They're voting against the shutdown. They're
voting against all of these other issues that may not
directly affect West Virginia. We don't have the same number
of federal employees, et cetera. Does that hold water, Steven.

Speaker 11 (28:49):
I think you're on the right track. I've seen the
electoral map of Virginia, and if you look at it,
it's bright red except for some blue spots in the
DC metro area, Arlington, Loudon County, down in the Richmond,
down in the Virginia Beach area, where honestly more of
your population exists in the population that's in those places

(29:13):
or more Democratic leaning versus the rest of particularly rural Virginia.
So I mean, that's really kind of what drove this.
But you look at somebody exit polling, I think was
coming out of those races. The issue number one for
everybody down there is the economy. Whether you're talking about

(29:34):
the shutdown, whether you're talking about the fact that we're
still dealing with higher grocery prices in some cases inflation
left over from the earlier Biden administration and also being
caused in some cases by the Trump era tariffs, a
law of economic uncertainty out there for businesses and entities

(29:54):
like that. So I mean, yeah, I think for sure
people went and no doubt some of these Democratic candidates
had problems. Like you said, the Democratic candidate for attorney
general may just absolutely horrid, horrid comments that would normally
kill any other candidate'sical career. But I just don't think

(30:16):
they were voting for him. The voters there, I think
they were voting on these specific issues and sending I
think a pretty clear message, sort of a bellwether he
will ahead of the twenty six mid term elections, which
I think most experts will see, even at least for
the House of Representatives, that probably flipping back to Democratic

(30:37):
candisas state senter, probably staying Republican but remaining extremely narrow.
But yeah, I think we're going to see similar races
in particularly blue states or purple states. I mean, Virginia's
really more of a purple state than anything else I
think you're going. I think this was a sign of
things to come.

Speaker 1 (30:55):
Steven Allen Adams joining as song to newspapers, capitol reporter,
and columnists. So apply that to West Virginia. If you
are Mike Pushkin, Kunnan County Delegate chair of the State
Democratic Party. Are there any lessons that can be applied
as they start to apply their strategy for the twenty
twenty six elections.

Speaker 9 (31:14):
Sure?

Speaker 11 (31:14):
Well, Delegate Pushkin and the State Democratic Party are doing
the smart thing that you should do as a party now.
As they're looking at these results, they're going on social
media and they're going see, see, we're on the upswing.
We need candidates, we need candidates, and they want to
recruit candidates and they want to have competitive races up
and down the ballot in West Virginia going into twenty

(31:35):
twenty six. That's what you're supposed to do. They call
it a political party, they don't call it a political wake.
So they're excited, they're energized by these results, and they're
going to try to use that for their benefit going
into the twenty six midterm elections. Do I think it
changes anything in West Virginia. Well, you know, Michael Prosser,
with one of the big election outlets, does a big

(32:01):
monthly look at voter registration information, and he doesn't have
November result numbers up for West Virginia, but looking at
October numbers, I mean, and I've been looking at these
things every month that he does or great graphics, and
every time I look at it, Republican voter registration keeps

(32:22):
going up. Democratic voter registration keeps going down, now not
by huge numbers, but it's never a positive number for
Democrats registered Democratic voters in West Virginia. And I think
that is really the proof there that I think that
we're a ways away from these type of phrases outside

(32:42):
of West Virginia really having that much of an effect
in West Virginia will again get more Democratic candidates on
the ballot and really kind of drive that for sure.
But right now, I mean, the voter registration numbers tell
the tale, and Republican numbers keep gowing up in Democratic
or skip going down.

Speaker 3 (33:02):
So to that point, is it more of an opportunity
for one of the factions within the Republican Party we
talked about Georgia. I think Georgia is a much better
corollary for West Virginia and that you look at that
electoral map from last night, I mean there's a lot
of blue in places where there's normally a lot of red.
So if you are the Republicans that last session didn't

(33:27):
talk much about economic development, they talked about all the
social issues. They continue to harp on the social issues.
Yet we're starting to see some Republicans announce you're starting
like Joe Eddie wanting to run against Laura Wakem Chapman,
those kinds of people. We've had David McKinley Junior on
a number of times. He's talking about economy, he's talking
about affordability. So is it as big or even more

(33:50):
of an opportunity for that Republican faction that I would
say is still true conservative and focused on business and
economic development and a portability issues. Is it an opportunity
for them in the primary to kind of kick some
of these other folks that want to focus on social
issues out.

Speaker 11 (34:08):
I do. I do think it's an opportunity.

Speaker 17 (34:10):
Now.

Speaker 11 (34:10):
The one thing I think that still kind of hinders
that as the fact that our primary going into twenty
twenty six is closed to independent voters. And I think
that could potentially hurt because usually in a political primary,
the people that are enthusiastic about coming out there to
vote are going to be the people that are gung
ho about the party, gung ho about modern conservatism, which

(34:34):
right now is maga conservatism. That's what's leading the way
at least for right now. So I do think that
could put a damper on that to some extent, But otherwise,
I do think this helps because I do think there's
more people out there that are more traditionally conservative, not
maga conservative, that obviously are silent right now because I

(34:57):
mean the headwinds are kind of against them on social media,
on TV, Fox News, OE and things of that nature.
But I think are more interested in the business issues
and on economic issues and improving the economic climate because
you know, it raises all the ships up if you
can improve the economic climate. And of course we're in November,

(35:22):
we got one more left in this year. Can you
think of any major economic development announcements that have really
come out other than I think the first energy natural
gas power plan. Of course, that's going to be years,
if not a decade or more in the making. There
hasn't been anything, and I think some people are going
to ask, well, wait, what are we doing on the
economic development front? Well, we're doing to grow jobs. I

(35:43):
think there was a wall to help report that just
said that we were the worst in the nation on that.
The Chamber of Commerce, the woke Chamber of Commerce is
somebody that a certain state center has called them are
pushing these things, and it's at some point the voters
are going to want more done on that, because I
think we're kind of hitting a ceiling on the social

(36:04):
issues that we can really be working on right now.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
Well, the social issues, they've won all of them. If
you're a Republican, if you're the bag of conservatives, you've
won all the social issues. I do think Democrats, Steven
are on the right track. They're talking about they're doing
the table top tour, they're talking about economics, they're talking
about economic development, they're talking about affordability. They're on the
right track. But it goes back to where we start

(36:28):
this conversation. You've got to get cadidates, you've got to
get people to run, You've got to differentiate yourself and Democrats,
I would say this, Steve also need to let go
of the social issues because those are losing topics for
them when it comes to elections in West Virginia.

Speaker 11 (36:42):
Yeah, I think that's right, And I think going to
that point, you're right. I think this kitchen table tour
that the House Democratic Caucus has done, with some senators
like State Senator Joey Garcia attending those, I think that's
been a big deal. And I do think that's been
more focused on economic issues, kitchen table issues, and that's

(37:03):
been a smart thing for them to do. And I
think they're making some pretty smart moves on trying to
get things focused on that because that's ultimately what people
care about. And the social issues at this point they
play to an extent with certain pockets. But I mean
the argument I always used to make the Republican candidates,

(37:27):
particularly going into twenty twenty four, is it's a conservative
state with a Republican Party voter registration majority that voted
for Trump like plus forty one percent. So who are
you doing these issues for? There's these issues aren't here
to the levels and they can point to some examples,

(37:48):
of course they can, but to the percentage of these
being major factors in West Virginia, they're just not. People
want to see improvements in their paychecks, more jobs, more opportunity,
and helping get people off the safety net and into
being productive in society, and I think that's what people

(38:08):
care about.

Speaker 3 (38:09):
I want to use one of Dave's illustrations. He likes
to talk about President AOC, and sometimes he gets a
little grief for that after what happened in New York
City last night, electing a Democratic socialist to be mayor
of the financial capital of the world, which I'm still
just kind of in shock about. I mean, AOC's got
to feel pretty good about that litmus test.

Speaker 11 (38:30):
No, yeah, And I think that is going to be
the struggle that really could hurt West Virginia Democrats for
sure going into the next presidential election cycle, which will
be twenty twenty eight. Where do they want to be?
I do think you know you've seen this. You know
Alexandria Acaesio Cortes tour with Bernie Sanders. You know, of

(38:50):
course Bernie Sanders came to West Virginia not.

Speaker 3 (38:52):
That long ago.

Speaker 11 (38:53):
You see that going on. You do see what happened
up in New York City with Mondamie. Are they going
to take the wrong examples and see, all, Okay, we
should be going forward on these more democratic, progressive, liberal,
progressive social issues versus the example of Abigail spamber who's
in the House, who is a former CIA officer, who

(39:17):
is known to be a fairly moderate Democrat. I mean,
she's got some traditional Democratic stances, but also on some things,
particularly in regards to say, the transgender athlete issue, she
takes a more i'd say sent her right stance on
that issue. Or if you look at Kentucky and Governor

(39:38):
Andy Basheer, you know people like that who are Democrats
who are able to win in kind of a red state.
Those are the examples. I think that the Democratic Party
on a national level needs to look to or John
Fetterman up in Pennsylvania. But I know they could take
the wrong lessons from these elections and go too far,

(39:58):
and that's just going to hurt you know, rural Democratic
candidates like in West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (40:03):
Steve Lightning around here two minutes snap benefits. We talked
a lot about him yesterday. There seems to be at
least I'm confused. Can the states backfill into the EBT
program like Maryland has what is Fidelity's roll in all this?
I know I've given you about two minutes to try
to unpack this, but can you clear up some of
the confusion?

Speaker 18 (40:24):
Uh?

Speaker 11 (40:24):
No, but well, someone thinks we use Fidelity here in
West Virginia. Maryland uses a different system. They're going to Fidelity,
I think next year. I'm trying to get an answer
to that. I've reached out the Fidelity now because again
we can't really get a clear answer. We're told that
we can't dump benefits onto EBT cards through Fidelity. As

(40:47):
a state, we haven't been told why that is. So
I've got a request in the Fidelity and hopefully they
can maybe can explain what the issue is. And I
we do kind of need to know because if the
best way to do this is through food okay, I
mean we're doing a good job with that, but I mean,
if there is a way for us to dump funds
on EBT for SNAP beneficiaries, we should do that versus

(41:10):
the food bank thing. But we're trying to get answers
to that.

Speaker 1 (41:13):
Steven Allen Adams, he's capital reporter and columnists for Ogden Newspapers.
You can read his work in a publication near you. Literally,
they're all over the states. Steven, always appreciate it. Thanks
for the time this morning.

Speaker 11 (41:25):
Thanks gentlemen.

Speaker 1 (41:26):
Coming up, we'll get some of your texts we're behind
on a break. Got to take a couple of those.
This is talk longing from the Encode Insurance Studios.

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Speaker 2 (42:46):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
Tax line is three h four talk three oh four.
We're gonna do oh one lines. Last half hour of
the show today, open lines. That's going to be all
about you. Eight hundred and seven to sixty five talk
and three or four talk three or four. Kind of
like a midweek Steamer release, but Steam release rules do
not apply on Wednesdays, so we'll be able to actually,
you know, talk nice caveat. Yeah. Jackpots are growing in

(43:17):
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(43:39):
ahead play today. State Democratic Party just put out a
release congratulating Democrats on their nationwide wins yesterday. Uh State
Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin said, if you're a Democrat
and thinking of running for office in West Virginia. Now's
the time. What we saw last night is that when
Democrats make it about people, about wages, healthcare, schools, and

(44:02):
protecting freedoms, we can win in Republicans in places Republicans
have taken for granted. Voters are tired of being divided
and distracted while their costs go up. They're ready for
candidates who will fight for them. So if you want
to be part of the fight to protect our democracy
and get West Virginia moving in the right direction, considering
put consider putting your name on the ballots to go

(44:23):
to democrats dot com slash run. That a statement from
Mike Pushkin. He will join Dave Allen coming up on
Metro News Middale. Many of the same at Metro News
radio stations about two hours from now. Got to take
a final break for the hour back to wrap up
hour number one. This is talk line from the Encove
Insurance Studios.

Speaker 16 (44:42):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawatts of new energy capacity by twenty to fifty. Thanks
to House Bill twenty fourteen, West Virginia's cold plans will
be upgraded to run longer, stronger, and more efficiently, thus
delivering reliable, of affordable baseload power. Our families and businesses

(45:03):
will be able 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 giggawatts by twenty fifty
is a dynamic approach to economic development which will supercharge
our state's coal industry and broader economy. With Governor Morrissey's

(45:23):
leadership and the action of the legislature, West Virginia is
once again America's energy leader. Cole is powering progress. Cole
is Powering West Virginia. Brought to you by the West
Virginia Coal Association.

Speaker 20 (45:41):
A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia is now
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get screened for lung cancer.

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The sooner you do, the better the outcome.

Speaker 16 (45:53):
Even when we do find cancer, the treatment now is
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Speaker 20 (46:02):
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 WVU Medicine.

Speaker 1 (46:30):
Over at double DV metro News dot com. This morning,
got a recap of the Mountaineers season opening victory under
new head coach Ross Hodge, taking it out Mount Saint
Mary's defense played well twenty turnovers in the win. Last night,
We've got a full recap, highlights, Joe Braccado and his
round of sound over at double DV metro news dot com. Also,
we will have coverage as the high school state soccer

(46:53):
tournament gets underway today. The double A single A bracket
is playing this morning boys, this morning girls later today,
and then we'll have the other classes over the next
couple of days and we'll be crowning champions this weekend.
In high school soccer. We'll have all that coverage for
you at WDV metronews dot com. More on yesterday's elections,

(47:13):
we'll take a more broad view with Greg noon Fairmount
State University political science professor. In six minutes, this is
talklinel Metro News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
Metro News. Talkline is presented by Encova Insurance, Encircling you
with coverage to protect what you care about most. Visit
incova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (47:41):
Second hour of Metro News Talkline emanating from the Encoba
Insurance Studios Dave Wilson and Morgantown. TJ. Meadows is in
Charleston eight hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk is
the phone number eight hundred seven sixty five eight two
five five. You can text the show at three or
four Talk three oh four. Jeff Bonasso's schedule to join
US News Radio. The US Supreme Court is hearing the

(48:04):
tariff case today on whether or not the President can
exert that kind of authority and just start naming tariffs,
setting tariffs. Those hearings are those testimony going on right
now in Washington, DC. We'll get an update from Jeff Manasso. Also,
I'll see if Mike Nolton can hop on with us
from WAJR in Morgantown. He's been keeping an eye on

(48:26):
and covering the Hope gas rate increase request. It appears
as though there has been a settlement reached in that request.
Mike a little bit later on will hopefully be able
to give us the details on that. Once again, say
good morning, TJ. Meadows from the Charleston and Cove Insurance Studios.
Good morning, TJ.

Speaker 3 (48:44):
Good morning. I was listening to the President's comments to
that breakfast that the US Senate attended this morning. He
said about the election last night, Dave was interesting, we
learned a lot. Okay, well you know that as you will.

Speaker 1 (49:00):
Let's pose that question to Greg noon. He is Fairmont
State University political science professor analyst. He joins US All
Mention News talk line. Okay, Greg, first of all, good morning,
appreciate you joining.

Speaker 9 (49:10):
Good morning, gentlemen.

Speaker 1 (49:11):
The President said, we learned a lot in last night's elections.
Well what did we learn, Greg.

Speaker 9 (49:19):
Well, we did what we did learn a lot. I
mean it was in knowing certain terms. A great night
for the Democrats in Virginia, New Jersey, New York City, Pennsylvania, Mississippi,
even California. And now. But for me, the biggest takeaway
isn't just a rejection of all things Trump. That's not

(49:41):
the takeaway from me. The takeaway from me is that
there are people that are unhappy, there are people that
are struggling, there are people that are hurting, and when
that happens, people seek change. And so, you know, different
messages from from Stanberg and Virginia than the and it
is from Mandanni in New York City. But the same

(50:04):
point is that people are not happy with where they
are right now.

Speaker 3 (50:08):
Greg, Mostly this morning we've talked about red and blue.
I haven't seen any exit polling on Independence. I'm hoping
you have. What story can we gather from what Independence
had to say yesterday in the vote?

Speaker 9 (50:19):
Yeah, it's it's it's you know, it's just a quote,
the quote the uh uh, the old ragent Cajun from
from Bill Clinton's days. It's the economy stupid. And people
are concerned about there, about the cost of things and
in the cost of living. And most people think that
the that the country is going in the wrong direction,
which is kind of which is kind of a vague question,

(50:41):
right is the economy is a country.

Speaker 22 (50:43):
Going in the right direction or the wrong direction?

Speaker 9 (50:44):
And and and people can express their feelings that their
level of unhappiness is really what I what I gaze
that scale at.

Speaker 1 (50:53):
Is that why? Greg, you could have a far far
left candidate like a zoron Mond Donnie in New York
and a more moderate candidate like Abigail Spanberger in Virginia,
both win in yesterday's elections.

Speaker 9 (51:09):
Yeah, absolutely, And the Democrats have never been accused of
being a you know, an organized cohesive political party. They
definitely have different types of people on there out there
under their banner. And look, macdonnie, he's not gonna win
the governorship for Virginia and Spanburger probably wouldn't win the
New York City mayoral election, but it speaks to the

(51:31):
constituencies of both those places. Spanberger Cheryl and Mikey Cheryl
in New Jersey, they're both very moderate national security portfolios.
Scanberger was a CIA officer, Cheryl was a Naval Naval
Academy grad and a pilot. Whereas Madonnie is offering, you know,

(51:53):
kind of the socialist end of the spectrum of of
you know, free buses and rent control and things like that.
But those are things that are important to people in
New York and you're expressing their front frustration with how
expensive it is. And we've all been in New York
at one time or another. Everything is super expensive, even
just passing through how expensive it is, so he can

(52:13):
speak to that. Where Spenberger and Cheryl we're talking about
about schools and safety and kind of kind of your
traditional front porch topics.

Speaker 3 (52:22):
Let's get into that portfolio from mom Donnie. He's talking about,
as you said, a rent freeze. He's talking about the
city owning more and more housing. He's talking about the
city owning grocery stores, competing with moms and pops and
the big corporations. He's talking about the bus lines, making
those free ambitious agenda. Understand, he's a democratic socialist, but

(52:46):
we're a capitalist society, Greg, can he still i mean,
can he deliver on that. It's one thing to campaign,
it's another to deliver.

Speaker 9 (52:55):
That's going to be the thing that's south from mc donney.
A lot of the things that he is he's promising
and hoping to do. Our things that probably run out
of Charleston, excive you, not Charleston Albany. We get our
state capitals confused from time to time. But things that
that that that Albany has control over. But that but
going back to your point about about it being a

(53:16):
capitalist society, that that really is. Capitalism goes hand in
hand with democracy and so you can't just turn it
into a socialist environment necessarily. With that said, we have
had a lot of things that aren't People wrongly ascribed
as socialism, but we have had a lot of things
such as rent control and rent freezes, you know, the

(53:39):
government getting involved, so the cost of your medication is
not as expensive as the drug companies would like it
to be. So government does exert itself in a way
that could that one argument on the far right is
that it's anti capitalism. But the other argument is, yes,
we all need to live, and we need our medicine,
and we need our you know, we need our our EPI.

(54:00):
So the government does step in when things are going
too far in one direction or another. That's a beautiful
part of our country. It's a pensulum that swings back
and forth and hopefully finds a spot somewhere in the
middle ish that satisfies both needs. But the idea that
the government is going to exert more control in New
York City to make it more cost effective for the

(54:25):
citizens there, I don't think too many people are going
to be complaining about that type of quote unquote socialism.
If you live in New York.

Speaker 1 (54:31):
City, fedoh State political science professor analyst Greg Nuon joining
us here on Metro News talk Line. Greg, if you
were a Democratic consultant this morning on a national level,
and you were looking at last night's results, going over those,
and you were looking ahead to let's say, twenty twenty eight.
Is last night a data point? Is it an indication

(54:53):
that you need to go more zorin Mndani when it
comes to looking for your presidential candidate for twenty twenty eight,
or do you need to go more toward the middle moderate,
get more toward a moderate candidate.

Speaker 9 (55:06):
Yeah, that's a great question. And the reality of it
is what they need to do is continue to have
a conversation of diverse ideas. You know, this really is
the big mistake politically that Joe Biden made in twenty
twenty two. He needed to step aside and open a primary,
and I think you would have had twelve twelve different

(55:27):
candidates talking about everything from left right to center and
let the voters chew on that and decide what they
think is best. So I don't think last night was
a referendum on oh, look at those socialists, how good
they did, or oh it must be a moderating approach.
But I do think that each of those candidates, in

(55:47):
their own way, spoke to the suffering of people, and
at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what
you think you are if you're suffering or suffering, and
people want change and people want a better life. So
I think it's the beginning of the conversation. I don't
think anything was decided last night. I think it's just

(56:08):
a data point. As you say, would it.

Speaker 3 (56:11):
Be smart to really just make it a one issue campaign?
We were talking about affordability. Georgia really stands out to
me because it doesn't have all these other bags around it, right,
all the baggage that the other races, but for this,
but for that kind of thing. I'm looking at counties
in Georgia that are no strategy imagination, urban middle of
nowhere Georgia that are so read in the past. I mean,

(56:34):
it's just unbelievable. Going fifty three, fifty five, sixty percent
for the Democrats in this statewide election of consumer of
public service commissioners. It's affordability. You don't need to say
anything else, right.

Speaker 9 (56:50):
Right, right, exactly. And Mississippi, same thing. They picked up
three Democratic seats that ended the supermajority for the Republicans
in the state legislature. Free democratic Supreme Court justice in
Pennsylvania were retained by an overwhelming margin. And so yes,
I think it really does come down to the economy

(57:10):
and and and really, you know, let's go back to
how how Donald Trump, you know, got himself from politics
and and got elected. He spoke to people and said,
I will make things better for you. I know things
are tough right now. I'll make things better for you.
And and that idea of I want to be able
to afford, you know, a carton of eggs and have

(57:32):
to take out a loan to buy my groceries is
something that resonates. Again, doesn't matter what party you think
you're in or you know you're in. If you if
the bill comes up when you're standing at Kroger's and
it's an absorbitant fee, you feel that great.

Speaker 1 (57:50):
I doubt you've had a time to take a deep
dive into voter numbers from all these different states. But
was the fact that President Trump was not on the ballot,
was not at the top of the ballot, and he
had a unique ability to get low propensity voters out
to the polls on election day? Did that have an
impact on yesterday's results.

Speaker 9 (58:10):
Absolutely. As we've talked about before, Trump, I think is
a once a century type of politician, and when he's
on the ballot, you get people to vote that ordinarily
would not vote. And this is something that the Republicans
need to think about, is what happens in twenty twenty
eight when he's not on the ballot and now you're

(58:33):
trying to trying to get those low propensity voters out there.
I don't see. I don't see who the next guy
is that has that ability to drive, to drive the
uh to drive the voter out there. But I'll tell
you the other things of some of the things that
that Trump was involved in over just the last couple
of days leading to the election. I mean the great

(58:53):
gatsty party that they had, the the you know, the
the demolition of the White House to build this grand
ball ballroom. You know, those types of things. As people
are struggling, aren't funny or cute. That's wait a minute,
what's going on that doesn't represent me. I'm struggling to
make sure that I can get everything I need to

(59:14):
get done for my kids. And we're talking about you know,
ballrooms and gold chandeliers. So that was a dissonance problem, right,
I mean, people just seeing and hearing things that don't
comport with what I thought this guy was going to
help us with. But to the larger picture, Trump is
a motivator during election time when he's on the ballot,
and this something Republicans need to need to be concerned

(59:37):
about in twenty eight.

Speaker 3 (59:38):
Well, it's plays through a little bit in twenty six
if we have blue and the midterms go blue, and
then let's just say Vance is the guy for sake
of argument, Trump is a guy doesn't like to lose.
And if he views stumping for Vance and being all

(59:59):
in for Van and going all across the country, if
he views that as a de facto stance on his
presidency and he's invested, does that mitigate that him not
being directly on the ballot. Is it enough to make
a difference if you're JD.

Speaker 9 (01:00:14):
Vance, that that's that's gonna be their hope, right. But
the reality of it is is I see Donald Trump
very much invested in Donald Trump. And and you know,
and I'm not I'm not taking shot to the guy,
but we know this guy's history for almost eighty years now,
and if it doesn't impact Donald Trump, then he's not

(01:00:35):
going to be as invested in it. And the fact
of the matter is I don't think Donald Trump and
Vance were as close as sometimes people make them out speak.
I think I think Vance was a useful, useful partner
and the last election. But the fact of the matter
is Trump wants to win, like you said, But if

(01:00:56):
he thinks there was a chance that Vance could lose,
I see Trump distancing himself because he doesn't want to
hurt his own brand. He doesn't want to be associated
with that. So I think it could cut both ways.

Speaker 1 (01:01:08):
If you are a gambling man, Greg Noon, who would
you put your money on as the twenty twenty eight
Democratic presidential candidate today?

Speaker 9 (01:01:16):
Well, thank god, thank god, I'm not a gambling man.
That's the only thing I can tell you. Look, I
mean the names that we've all heard, I mean, Gavin
Newsen had a big night in California last night. I
mean they had think about think about this. They had
an election with no people on the ballot. The entire
election was simply the referendum to redistrict in gerrymander California

(01:01:37):
if if Texas goes through with their jerrymandering, right, So
it was really artfully done.

Speaker 22 (01:01:43):
The campaign was really well run.

Speaker 9 (01:01:45):
So Gavin Newsen is definitely going to be in the mix.
Pritzker from Chicago, from Chicago's Illinois is going to be
in the mix. And then you have any number of
other guys that have been around, whether it be you know,
Cooper and nor Carolina Brishire and Kentucky Kelly from Arizona.

(01:02:05):
I think Spanberger and Cheryl with big knights will start
thinking about you know where they are. I mean Stamberger
Virginia is a one term, five year governorship, so she
will be three fifths of the way through her governorship.
So there's definitely people that are going to think that
they can get in this race. I foresee a really

(01:02:27):
big primary with a lot of different people, a lot
of different ideas, and it'll be interesting how it goes.
But I am not a gambling man.

Speaker 1 (01:02:36):
My friend Greg Noon Fairmount, Fairmont State University, political science professor, analyst,
friend of the show. Greg, always appreciate it.

Speaker 23 (01:02:43):
Thank you, buddy, my pleasure.

Speaker 4 (01:02:45):
Gentlemen, have a great day.

Speaker 1 (01:02:46):
We'll get an update from the US Supreme Court next.

Speaker 7 (01:02:48):
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to building a stronger West Virginia. Our mission economic diversification
by fostering innovation and supporting tech initial we pave the
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(01:03:13):
Visit WVHTF dot org High Technology Foundation shaping West Virginia's future.

Speaker 1 (01:03:21):
We are there for you to care for you at
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The health Plan is still growing, giving you a large
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Pricing plans that meet your needs. Log on to health
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We are there for you to care for you.

Speaker 1 (01:03:45):
We are here, open lines coming up bottom of the hour.

(01:04:08):
Right now, let's go to Fox News radios. Jeff MONASO
the US Supreme Court talking tariffs this morning. Jeff, good morning,
what's the latest?

Speaker 4 (01:04:17):
Hey, good morning to use the Nation's High Court hearing
oral arguments right now over lawsuits from a coalition of
small businesses and Democrat led states. I contend that the
President Trump abuses authority by declaring a national emergency to
impose tariffs or taxes on imports, specifically two categories of

(01:04:38):
tariffs involving a variety of products that are being contested.
The first the trafficking tariffs and goods from Canada, China, Mexico.
You've heard President Trump saying stop the fentanyl or We're
going to teariff you. That's one of them. The second,
broader category labeled reciprocal tariffs and involves the tariffs ranging

(01:04:58):
from ten percent fifty percent on products from virtually all countries.
At issue is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
or IEPA gives the president that authority. The White House
contends it does.

Speaker 3 (01:05:16):
So how many tears are we talking about here? I mean,
it seems like everything has a tariff on it, so
this is going to be pretty wide ranging, right, I.

Speaker 4 (01:05:27):
Would say absolutely. I mean, this is a landmark case.
I don't know how many tariffs are out there, coming
into the country or going out. Lots of them, especially
after Trump's inauguration back in January for his second term.
But look, the High Court if it rules against the
Trump administration, as lower courts have, that could append the

(01:05:51):
president's global trade strategy. Never mind perhaps billions of dollars.
We'd have to return deals we've made with other countries
that brought billions of dollars and investments. I mean they're
all tied to tariffs. It could also expose our nation
to trade retaliation without effective defenses. The White House is
just in case he is planning or preparing for a

(01:06:13):
Plan B should that happen. But we heard from Treasury
Secretary Scott Descent who says that there's much at stake,
but that he believes the ie PA currently being used
is by far the cleanest option and gives the US

(01:06:34):
and the President of the most negotiating authority. Other options
or Plan B if you will. They're more cumbersome, but
they can be effective, like the Section two three two
of the Trade Expansion Act of nineteen sixty two, which
essentially provides a justification on the grounds of national security
for tariffs, as well as Section three or one of

(01:06:56):
the Trade Acts of nineteen seventy four, which regulates unfair
trading practices. Haven't heard what the justices have been sane
or the arguments. I'm following a bunch of different stories
from Chicago Heights action to the cups crash in Louisville,
and but we've got people there and they will be

(01:07:16):
letting us know where where they believe. The wind is
kind of blowing in this case, but a landmark case
that has the potential to to to really hurt the
Trump administration. We'll see.

Speaker 1 (01:07:31):
Jeff, I got about thirty seconds. Can you give us
an update on that ups plane crash. Horrific crash caught
on film, a caught on camera yesterday.

Speaker 4 (01:07:39):
It is it is wild. Yeah, what we what we
know now is at least nine people are dead, sixteen
missing after that crash. This thing was loaded up with
fuel en route to to flight to Honolulu. The depth
toal that number is the number of injured expected to
go up. The NTSB does of agents now on seeing

(01:08:01):
there in Louisville. As the federal investigation is ongoing, the
shelter and place order has been reduced to about a
quarter of a mile around essentially the crash side of
the airport. As investigators get to work.

Speaker 1 (01:08:14):
Fox News Radios Jeff Binasso with the latest. Jeff, thank
you for the update. Appreciate it, buddy, You bet me absolutely.
Coming up, We're going to open up the phones, open
up the text line. There are a bunch of texts
to get to. Three oh four talk three or four
is the text line. If you would like to weigh in,
many of you have on last night's elections in New York,
New Jersey, Virginia as well. Three oh four talk three

(01:08:36):
or four is the text line eight hundred seven six
five eight two five five. That is the phone number.
We're going to do some open lines. Think about it
like it's Steam release for the middle of the week. However,
Steam release rules do not apply. Mike Nolton going to
stop by as well before we clear the way. At
the top of the hour, get the latest on that
Hope Gas rate increase request settlement. Say that five times fast.

(01:09:02):
This is talk line on Metro News for forty years,
the voice of West Virginia. It is eleven thirty. Let's
get a news update from the Metro News radio network.
Find out what's happening all across the great state of
West Virginia.

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

Speaker 1 (01:09:19):
I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 23 (01:09:20):
A proposed rate increase for Hope Gas customers has been
settled in an agreement at the PSC in Charleston. Earlier
this hour, it was announced that Hope Gas will be
granted a forty million dollar rate hike. That amount is
half of the original eighty million the company was seeking.
It was originally projected the average customer's bill would rise
about twenty one dollars a month. This agreement reduces that

(01:09:41):
to about ten dollars a month per household. Kirk Kreuger
is an attorney representing Hope Gas and says the negotiations
were tense.

Speaker 18 (01:09:48):
It was a very difficult exercise and effort by everybody
in the room and people beyond the room. There was
an awful lot of back and forth, sometimes stressful negotiation.

Speaker 23 (01:10:03):
The attorneys announced the settlement last hour. This hour, they
will be presenting it in full detail to the psc
and Charleston elsewhere. The SBA now has some difficult decisions
to make after hearing two days of testimoney from the
superintendents of more than thirty county schools, They're going to
have to decide which of those projects being bid for
a share this year's money will actually get it. Alan

(01:10:24):
Sexton is a superintendent in Boone County and says they're
seeking money to fix the bathrooms at Scott High School.

Speaker 25 (01:10:29):
As a result of a current roofing project, we discovered
plumbing infrastructure issues that warrant a total plumbing renovation in
the building. And while we're doing that, we want to
renovate the restrooms to make them more usable as student friendly.

Speaker 23 (01:10:41):
You're listening to Matter News for forty years. The Boys
of West Virginia.

Speaker 6 (01:10:48):
To every referee, umpire, and judge in high school sports,
we want to.

Speaker 13 (01:10:53):
Say we see you.

Speaker 6 (01:10:55):
We see everything you do for us that goes unnoticed.
We see the puzz it of role models that you are.
We see the way you get unfairly criticized just for
doing your job. The truth is we couldn't play without you,
so thank you for investing your time in us. Thank
you for protecting the integrity of the game. No matter what,

(01:11:17):
we hope you always know how much we appreciate you, because.

Speaker 15 (01:11:21):
Without you, this is just recess.

Speaker 6 (01:11:24):
It's not really a game. Thank you for always making
it possible for us to play the sports we love.
Want to save the students in your community.

Speaker 24 (01:11:35):
Sign up to become an official in West Virginia at
High School Officials dot com.

Speaker 23 (01:11:44):
Groundbreaking this hour in Huntington for an expansion of the
city's wastewater treatment plant. Officials so the Huntington Sanitary Board
say that project's been several years in the making and
will improve safety at the plant, among other things. The
one hundred and ninety six million dollar project is due
to be done by twenty thirty two. Wind picking up
in the Mountain Stay today ahead of an approaching front,
particularly east of the Alleghady Mountains that's creating conditions for

(01:12:07):
a forest fire. In the eastern Panhandle, a red flag
warning has been issued there. From the Metro News anchored desk,
I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 1 (01:12:31):
Open lines eight hundred and seven sixty five. Talk is
the phone number. You can shoot us a text at
three h four Talk three oh four. Last night's elections
in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Georgia. Your thoughts, government shutdown.
We talked to US Senator Shelley Moore Capito coming up
back in the first hour. He's just saying, coming up.

(01:12:55):
Mike Pushkin, State Democratic Party Chair will join Dave Allen
on Metro News Midday in the twelve o'clock hour on
many of these same Metro News radio stations. When it
comes to cybersecurity, citynet has you covered. Their expert team monitors, detects,
and protects your network. Twenty four to seven. Keep your
business secure with Citty Nets cyber Suite Solutions. Citty neet connects,

(01:13:17):
protects and perfects three or four, Talk three or four
and eight hundred seven to sixty five. Talk the phone
number three or four, Talk three or four. The text line, gentlemen,
your guest from Fairmont State was interesting but a bit
bland and predictable. But I applaud you for having an
academic instead of a political hack. However, he overlooked the
nine hundred pound gorilla in the room. He said, the
Republicans need to figure out what to do in twenty

(01:13:40):
eight when Trump is not on the ticket. You cannot
find me one elected Republican right now who will admit
out loud in public that Trump will not be on
the ticket in twenty eight. That is a serious problem,
says the Texter. For whatever it's worth, I will say
Trump will not be on the ticket in twenty eight.

(01:14:00):
He can't be, and I'm pretty sure Mike Johnson has
said as much as well. Oh, you know, I understand
what you're saying, Texter. I do get your message there,
but he's not gonna be on the ballot three or
four Talk three oh four. It took a while, but
I think Trump voters are not believing his lies anymore.

(01:14:25):
West Virginia when you lose your health care, this is
the woman to blame. Talking about Senator Capito, New York
City will definitely be fun to watch three or four
talk three oh four. The question is what are the
Dems going to do without Trump on the ticket? Who
will be their next Hitler asks the Texter, let's go

(01:14:47):
to the phones, Jerry, and Poka wants to weigh in
hate Jerry.

Speaker 22 (01:14:52):
Well, they talk about referendums. Well, it looks to me
like the Democrats are seeking to u buy elections by promising,
just like Mama Donnie or whatever his name is in
New York. You promise them everything going to be free,
and they're going to get the votes. Now, how are

(01:15:12):
you going to pay for it? It's you know, it's
strange if you go to Disneyland and they make it
to where they can't charge you for anything. How long
is Disneyland going to stand our utilities in West Virginia,
on the other hand, or buying up defunct utilities around
the state, gas, water, sew or whatever and then wanting

(01:15:36):
to pass the cost of upgrading them on to the
current customers in a large way so they can maintain
their profit levels. I have no problem with them taking
them on to improve them. But it's not a guaranteed
income for the investors, and that's what they're trying to

(01:15:57):
get out of it. The more they go in debt,
the more they have to charge. And they got a
facinity Jay can charge you profit somewhere or another. We
got to stop this game playing with utility so they
acquire more base at the cost of the existing base.
It's crazy.

Speaker 1 (01:16:15):
Jerry appreciate the phone call, Buddy, eight hundred and seven
to sixty five talking three or four talk three oh four.
Back to his first point.

Speaker 3 (01:16:22):
That's nothing new.

Speaker 1 (01:16:23):
Politicians have always over promised and under delivered on the
campaign trail promised the world. And then here's something Chris
Diarwaldt taught me, uh tj is that no matter who
is running Mondamie Trump doesn't matter. Things never move as
far as you think they're going to. They'll move a

(01:16:44):
little bit to the left, and then they'll come back.
They'll move a little bit to the right, and then
they'll come back. Because much of this country is kind
of somewhere a little bit center right, a little bit
center left. That's where most of the country is. Nobody
can ever do what they promise they're going to do.
So excuse me if I don't have a big hot
take on yesterday's elections, whether it's New York, Georgia or
Virginia or any election, because they just tend to move

(01:17:07):
a little bit this way, a little bit that way.

Speaker 3 (01:17:11):
Mom, Donnie will never be able to do what was
on his platform. Let's take rent control. How many times
has rent control failed? What happens? Developers pull their capital,
They put it somewhere where the free market controls what
return they're going to get. He says, they don't have
enough housing in New York City. What developer is going
to come in and build new housing when you have
that kind of artificial price control on you? Textas right,

(01:17:34):
our callers right? Excuse me, You're right, they'll pull it,
can't do it. When's the last time the government built
anything efficiently? Do you ever see the video that Stossel did?
It might have been New York City, It was somewhere
in New York I think where the government was building
restrooms at a park, spending millions of dollars to put
up a cinderblock, building sector plumbing. So I mean, come on, people,

(01:18:01):
thirty dollars an hour, Dave, did you see that? That's
what Madammie wants to raise the minimum wage two thirty
dollars an hour. You want to pay eighty four dollars
for a cheeseburger, that's a good way to do it.
Or you want to have robots make your cheeseburger, You're
gonna get one of the other. Buddy.

Speaker 1 (01:18:16):
If I'm paying eighty four bucks for a cheeseburger, that
better come from a cow that has been massaged. I
had spa treatments and that what wagon? Don't they is
it wagoo? Before they look they massage?

Speaker 3 (01:18:29):
Yeah, I think so. And then, if I'm being honest,
i've had it. I can't tell the difference between that
and a really good steak. I wasn't paying for it.
Somebody else was and they said, hey, go ahead, So
I was like, okay, I'll give it a whirl. It
was good, don't get me wrong, But I didn't tell
that much difference from like a prime cut a beef
to that.

Speaker 1 (01:18:46):
That's the best way to have a wagoo wagoo beef.

Speaker 3 (01:18:49):
Yeah, somebody else paying for it.

Speaker 1 (01:18:51):
Back to the text line three or four to talk
three or four why is no one seeing those advocating
for socialism and be the leader to bring it on
are very rich. You get to say I'm one of you,
and their electric cheers them on.

Speaker 3 (01:19:02):
Mom.

Speaker 1 (01:19:02):
Donnie used the Obama phrase in his speech, redistribution of
wealth to most That means taking what you worked for.
Socialists are bringing other countries' failure to the US. To
the first point the Texter makes, I yeah, I see
that too. The ones pushing the redistribution socialism, democratic socialism,

(01:19:24):
most of the ones I see aren't exactly coming from
a rags to riches story. They're starting with riches. They're
starting with riches. Even Bernie Sanders is not a poor man,
not at all, not at all. Three or four talk
three h four. I have been saying for weeks that
the design of that ritzy ballroom and all the gold
all over the office are very bad optics. I don't

(01:19:47):
disagree with you again, you know my feelings in the ballroom,
I don't care. But if you are struggling, if you
are work, struggling to pay the bills, as Greg Neon
pointed out, it's a bad look. It's a bad look.
If you're building a ball you're splashing gold leaf all
over everything. And meanwhile, cost childcare is going up, cost
of groceries remains high, cost of utilities are high. You're

(01:20:08):
struggling to make ends meets Yeah, I can. It's it's
a bad look.

Speaker 3 (01:20:14):
Can't stand the Lincoln bedroom. Have a donor stay there
if it's not top notch. Gotta have a you know,
gilded bathroom, don't.

Speaker 1 (01:20:20):
You h well, you know only the best DJ. In
my opinion, the presidential lawyer John Souer is not doing
well before the Supreme Court this morning. I haven't been
able to listen in on those arguments, been trying to
watch some of the closed captioning. But I'll take your
word for it.

Speaker 3 (01:20:37):
Can I give you the reality of that. It doesn't
matter what the court says today. The White House has
a bag of tricks all ready to go on that.
They've been very vocal about it. As long as Trump
is president, we're gonna have tariffs. It doesn't matter what
this court says about it today. Three four are bad.
That's what it is.

Speaker 1 (01:20:52):
Three or four talk three oh four.

Speaker 3 (01:20:55):
Let's see.

Speaker 1 (01:20:56):
Blaming democrats does not fund health insurance, net benefits or
lower cost for West Virginians. The GOP has had a
super duper majority since twenty sixteen. Y'all own this mess.
Fix it, says the text, conflating national and state issues.
There TJ. A democratic socialist getting elected in New York

(01:21:17):
City the financial capital of the world. Is that a
response to the failures of the financial system? Moreover, the
failures of barely regulated Capitalismjay.

Speaker 3 (01:21:28):
No, next question. No, I mean, look, it's not. I
just think it's ironic. We love to talk about how
capitalism has failed a percentage of people in this country.
What about the ninety plus percent of people? Whatever it is,
different sources that capitalism has raised up. Is anybody in

(01:21:49):
the masses worse off? Everybody today that's alive, for the
most part, lives better than what folks did one hundred
and fifty years ago?

Speaker 11 (01:21:57):
Why?

Speaker 3 (01:21:57):
Because of capitalism.

Speaker 1 (01:22:00):
It's the reason whatever device you just use texture to
text in is the reason that device exists.

Speaker 3 (01:22:06):
Right, exactly exactly innovation and.

Speaker 1 (01:22:11):
Barely regulated capitalism. TJ. You worked over in the private sect, Well,
I guess we're tees still technically in the private sector.
But you worked over in the energy sect. Barely regulated,
barely regulated. I'm not sure I understand that definition. If
the texts trying to insinuate there aren't regulations on capitalism,
there are a ton of regulations.

Speaker 3 (01:22:30):
You can't go to the bathroom without a permit from
about twenty five different agencies.

Speaker 1 (01:22:34):
I mean, yes, it's heavily regulated, Texter says, some strong
winds and parts of north central west Virginia to day
Richie Gilmour County line heavy substantial spurts, says the Texter.
Thanks for the update. I changed from Democrat to Independent
and will now change to Republican just so I can
vote against the big fruit cake in the Republican primary.
I still vote mostly Democrat in the general election, says

(01:22:57):
the Texter. That is a variable that I have I
quite given a lot of thought too. Steven Allen Adams
pointed out TJ Republican numbers still going up, Democrats going down.
That's usually a pretty good corollary toward you know, election success.
But if how many people are like this Texter, I
want to be involved in the process, But in the
general I might vote Democrat. I don't have a good answer,

(01:23:19):
and I really haven't put much thought into it, but
I think it's an interesting, interesting point that Texter raises, I.

Speaker 3 (01:23:24):
Need to look at the rules to make sure I
don't miss any deadlines. But as an independent, I'll probably
get down to the courthouse and register as Republicans so
I can vote in the primary, because I think we
do have two very different factions in the Republican primary,
and I want Republicans that are going to talk about
economic development. They're going to talk about ways to bring
more businesses to the state. These issues that matter, and

(01:23:49):
those that just want to focus on social issues they
need to go. So if that's what I have to
do as a registered independent, I'll do it.

Speaker 1 (01:23:57):
Texter says, I've seen the lights go out on Broadway.
I saw the empire state lay low. The city gave
up on democracy. They just stood and cheered as they
let it go. Apologies to Billy. Joel says the Texter
McDonald's was on Trump's breakfast menu with Argentine beef. Since
it's well done. Well done. Capital caused the problem taking

(01:24:20):
away Snap and gutting Medicaid. We all know that submissive
Shelley will roll over and let Trump. Can't say that,
but she has said multiple times, including today, not going
to get rid of the filibuster. The vote one, the
votes aren't there two. It is a horrible precedent to
set I think she's I mean, don't you. I think

(01:24:41):
she's right on that. The how many times has Stywalt
explained this to us in his very stirewaltin way the
framers of the Constitution, it was meant to be difficult
passing legislation was meant to be difficult. Otherwise fifty one
percent majority rule is not a good thing. And then

(01:25:03):
you're going to, I mean, a couple of seats swing
and now we're going to completely change policy again. A
couple of suite seats swing this way, and now we're
gonna go back that way. The legislation should be difficult.
It should take buy in from both sides, whether we
like that or not.

Speaker 3 (01:25:18):
And if you are term limited and look that perception,
I could see Trump hanging around long enough, sticking his
nose into the next presidential election with the little Now,
you never know, Marco may step aside, so I could
become vice presidents and then j D may. You know,
I could see him doing that if he absolutely had to.
But he's not going to be president. He's not going

(01:25:38):
to be on the ballot to your point the next
go around. Yeah, I don't know, three or four talk
three oh four.

Speaker 1 (01:25:48):
I'd like to point out to Senator Capito that much
of the government is in fact not shut down. It's
up to her to make certain that the rest of
the government is actually working. Democrats would love to do
away with the filibuster when they again, when they regain power,
they will make Puerto Rico and Washington d C state's
medicare for all, et cetera.

Speaker 3 (01:26:06):
Et cetera.

Speaker 1 (01:26:07):
Yeah. There again, that's why if you are a Republican
you break that glass, there's no putting it back in
the box. Uh TJ. You imply Trump is playing three
D chess or at a minimum, checkers when he's negotiating,
But we all know he's playing marbles.

Speaker 3 (01:26:23):
I mean, he's gotta have leverage though, right, if he's
gonna come in and take this thing over, which is
how I read the tea leaves, doesn't he have to
have some kind of leverage? And if the Senate is
openly cutting off the threat of the filibuster, then no
wonder he's talking about snap and not sending it out
then walking it back at the podium. I mean, what
does he have Dave, he's got to have some leverage

(01:26:45):
and Trump.

Speaker 1 (01:26:46):
Go back to what Greg Noon says, Trump is very
interested in what's good for Trump.

Speaker 3 (01:26:52):
Yeah, it doesn't.

Speaker 1 (01:26:53):
I don't think he really cares if the filibuster is
gone and when he is out of office or three
years down the road, two years down the road, if
Democrats regain control of the Senate, well, he's out of office,
what does he care. He's moved on. They can do
all of these things with you know, a fifty one
percent vote, if you know, fifty one votes in the Senate,

(01:27:14):
because it doesn't impact him at least. That's the way
I see this, Because if he was concerned about the party,
if he was concerned about fifteen years in the future,
he would see the danger in doing away with a
filibuster because then it's just simple majority, and then you know,
it becomes even more of a mess and less functional

(01:27:34):
than it already is.

Speaker 3 (01:27:35):
If that's possible. Stywalt call me crazy last Friday for this,
but we are. We're kind of like halfway down the
rabbit hole with what's going on in the Senate. If
they did break it, I still think the silver lining
is you'd have no better time, no more momentum than
you've ever had to repeal the seventeenth Amendment and get
the Senate back to what it was supposed to be,
and then maybe maybe we wouldn't find ourselves in these

(01:27:59):
kinds of messes all the day. Time.

Speaker 1 (01:28:00):
More of your thoughts coming up. Eight hundred and seven
to sixty five talk and three or four talk three
oh four Mike Nolton going to get us an update
on that hope gas rate increase request and a possible
settlements details coming up. Next to this is a talk
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Speaker 1 (01:30:09):
More of your texts coming up right now, let's go
to Mention News Mike Nolton, WAJAR and host of Talk
of the Town on WAJR Morgan Tewn. Prior to this
show yesterday, there was a scheduled evidentiary hearing in front
of the State Public Service Commission in concerning Hope gases
rate increase request. That was an overall eighty million dollar

(01:30:31):
rate increase request. Mike, good morning. First of all, it
appears the PSC and Hope Gas have reached a settlement.

Speaker 3 (01:30:39):
So what's the settlement.

Speaker 10 (01:30:41):
Well, good morning, gentlemen. And yes, that is a fact.
They have reached a settlement. And this lowers this base
rate increase from just about eighty million dollars down to
forty one point two million dollars or just about a
twenty one percent rate increase for customers. Now, that rate

(01:31:02):
increase will take effect February the twenty fifth of next year. Now,
all of the systems that some of that Hope Gas
has acquired, they have added what's called a legacy charge
to those bills. That legacy charge will stop the day
before the rate increase takes place. Now.

Speaker 9 (01:31:26):
Also, as a part of this deal.

Speaker 10 (01:31:28):
Hope Gas has agreed to pay two hundred thousand dollars
a year to the West Virginia Dollar Energy Fund. And
the hearing is still going on right now, and it
appears that there will be no changes for FARMTAT customers.
But there are some customers out there that are considered

(01:31:50):
free gas users. Those are people who have decades old
leases with companies that might not exist anymore, and they're
they are working out some details as to how those
people will be handled.

Speaker 3 (01:32:06):
Mike, I'm trying to listen to this at the same
time too, You right, still going on. I'm trying to
pick up bits and pieces. But this legacy fund. Can
you give us a sense of how much of an
issue that was in these negotiations? And is that what
it sounds like? Just moneys to bring things up to speed?
Where do they need to be?

Speaker 10 (01:32:25):
Absolutely? And I think that this rate increase kind of
takes the done, not kind of this rate increase takes
the place of those legacy surcharges and now gives them
the capital to be able to address those those lines
that they have acquired. And yes, DJ, that was important,
very important to Hope Gas w ajrs.

Speaker 1 (01:32:48):
Mike Nolting is covering the hearing as we speak. Mike,
we appreciate it. We'll look for the story over AWV
metro news dot com later today. Have a great day guys,
you as well. We'll wrap it up in a moment.

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