Talkline | Oct. 14, 2025 - MetroNews Talkline

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:15):
Coming up, We're going to talk to Congressman Riley Moore.
He will join us more on the frustrations of the
Hope Scholarship purchasing program. And Ryan Schmels, who's right now
in a news conference with the Speaker. Mike Johnson will
join us in the second hour. It's Metro News talk
Line and we are underway radio turned.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Off from the studios of w v RC Media and
the Metro ne Who's Radio and television network, The Voice
of West Virginia comes the most powerful show in West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
This is metron Who's Talk Line with.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Dave Wilson and DJ Meadows Activated.

Speaker 4 (01:00):
Hello, Jellopop switch network control from Charleston to morning.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Stand by you, David, DJ, You're on Metronews. Talk Line
is presented by Encoba Insurance, encircling you with coverage to
protect what you care about most. Visit encova dot com
to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
Good morning, Welcome inside the Encoba Insurance studios eight hundred
and seven to sixty five. Talk is the phone number
eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five.
You can text the show at three or four Talk
three oh four. Appreciate you tuning us in on one
of our great affiliates across the state of West Virginia.
If you're watching the video stream on the Mention News
TV app, Jake Link is handling controls there, and we've

(01:44):
got Ethan Collins on the audio side. Congress and Riley
more Goan to join us in just a moment. Back rested, relaxed,
bright eyed, and even bushy tailed.

Speaker 5 (01:55):
TJ.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Meadows from the Charleston Studios. Good morning, sir.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
You may have oversold the good morning. It's good to
be back.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
Yeah the bushy tailed monegone just a little bit exaggerated there.
But have a nice break.

Speaker 3 (02:07):
Uh oh yeah, yeah, it was great. Unplugged, hung out
with the kids, played ping pong, Dave did some fishing.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Did you win when you played ping pong?

Speaker 2 (02:17):
No?

Speaker 3 (02:18):
No, I did not. I did not. My ping pong
skills leave a lot to be desired. But I don't
mind losing to my kids. That's fine with me.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Do you get competitive with the kids, Oh.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yes, I'll let them win just to win. No way,
because that's setting them up for failure. That's all you're doing,
is set your kids up for failure. When you do that,
you need to challenge them. I may give them like
some kind of handicap that makes it somewhat equitable, like
if I'm goffing with my kid or something like that,
but no challenge your children.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
I just got an image in my head of you
playing ping pong with your kids, smashing the ping pong off,
ping pong ball off the table, going what what dat them? Five?

Speaker 3 (02:56):
That's more on the pickleball where we do that they
do like pickleball three or four?

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Talk three or four of the text light eight hundred
seven sixty five, talk the phone number.

Speaker 6 (03:05):
Well.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
The government shut down continues today. Yesterday was a federal holiday.
Senators back in DC today will likely get another vote
on that Continuing Resolution, and at this point it's likely
to once again be short of the sixty vote threshold
it needed to reopen the government. Meanwhile, the House remains
out of session, Speaker Johnson keeping the House out of

(03:26):
session after it passed the continuing Resolution along a party
line vote. Joining us on Metro News talk Line this
morning is Second District Congressman Riley Moore. Riley, good morning,
good to talk to.

Speaker 5 (03:36):
You again, Dave, PJ.

Speaker 7 (03:39):
How y'all doing.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
Doing pretty well? The House is out of session after
passing that CR, like I said, should the House be
in session?

Speaker 7 (03:47):
Riley, Well, first spite contention with the party line, but
we did have one Democrat vote for it in the House,
so it's actually was passed bi partisan our CR in
the House. Look, we've done our job in the House
and now we leave it to the Senate to do theirs,
which there is a bipartisan group of senators who have

(04:11):
been voting to reopen the government, three Democrats and almost
everybody in the Republican Conference save Rain Paul. So clearly
there's bipartisan support on both sides of the building to
reopen the government. But they're not going to do that.
Democrats are not going to do that on a clean CR.

(04:32):
By the way, there's a clean CR. Democrats just voted
for this in March. It's not different, it's the exact
same thing. And they've voted for literally almost an exact
same version of this CR, which is a Biden CR,
thirteen times. So there's no gimmicks in this. There's nothing new,

(04:53):
there's no tricks or anything. But we got there's no
King's rally, which you all will see on Saturday the eighteenth,
and our understanding is they're not going to The Democrats
are not going to reopen the government before that, no
King's Rally, which you'll have the Iantifa crowd and the

(05:13):
Prohamas crowd of the Democrat Party showing up and protesting
saying there's no kings which, yeah, got that. It's pretty
clear any idiot knows that. But that tells you who's
kind of leading the Democrat Party right now and why
are we in this situation. Well, Chuck Schumer is scared

(05:37):
the death of a primary from AOC who's so supportive
of AOC boss. It's no King's Crowd. So the end
of the day, it is the left flank of this
party that is driving policy and decision making for the Democrats.
So we're basically held hostage the country is because Chuck
Schumer doesn't know how to lead anymore. He did that

(05:59):
in March and got just totally crushed by his left
flank when he did vote for this cr just in March,
he just voted for this same thing. And so that's
kind of the situation right now. So I think this week,
I don't think you're going to see us come back.
They're not going to fold before the left wing radicals

(06:20):
show up in protests at the No Kings rally here
in Washington, d C. So I think you're going to
be looking at the following week is perhaps when we
see a little bit of whites at the end of
the tunnel.

Speaker 3 (06:35):
In terms of this shutdown, So, Riley, you talked about
the clean cr that in your mind and the way
you phrased that, I think you talked about the thirteen
clean crs. I think it was I hear you saying
that's unprecedented. So if that is unprecedented, then would the
Senate be justified and blowing it up, taking the nuclear

(06:57):
option and getting the government.

Speaker 7 (06:58):
Back open, would it be justified? Certainly? I think there'd
be a justification that they could put forward.

Speaker 8 (07:06):
And that will they do that?

Speaker 7 (07:08):
You mean in what you're talking about is getting rid
of the filibuster. I don't think they're going to do that.
And you hear generally the same talking point as well
as in I'm not saying I disagree with this is
if you get rid of the filibuster now, then you'll
pay the price in the minority. And I think there's
probably in wisdom to that we you know, did get

(07:31):
rid of the philibusters that reallys do judicial nominations and
doing the exercise that and those nominations are going through
with a simple majority rather than the sixty vote threshold
previously required. And you know, at that point, is there
much of a difference in between the House and the Senate.

(07:53):
Not really, it's kind of just a majority rule. But
there are some saying, well, what if you make an
exception here just for funding bills and have kind of
that nuclear option, get rid of the filibuster just for
funding bills. I don't think they're going to do that.
I don't see that happening, but you know, I'll reserve

(08:14):
to be surprised, certainly, mus be surprised in this business.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
Riley Moore joining our second district congressman here in West Virginia.
Let's let's play the hypothetical game for just a moment.
Let's say there is a compromise reach the Senate degrees
to some deal that extends the ACA expanded tax credits.
That would have to go back to the House. What's
the appetite in the House for expanding those ACA tax credits.

Speaker 7 (08:40):
No, that's not going to happen. So it's a clean
cr There's no negotiation on this in terms of including
ACA tax credits. Just to be clear here, this is
a funding bill for the government and has nothing to
do ACA tax credits are a function of the Ways

(09:01):
and Means Committee. This is a tax issue, not a
funding issue. ACA tax credits expire on December thirty first
of this year. Ol sand senment leadership have said they're
open to a conversation and negotiation on that issue after
the clean CR is passed. So that's the way that's

(09:22):
going to have to go.

Speaker 3 (09:24):
I'm watching Speaker Johnson as I talk to you, and
I'm seeing headlines lower thirds. He just said this could
be the lungs shutdown in American history. Juxtapose that with
air traffic controllers who aren't going to be getting paid
and are talking about shutting down, military not being paid,
all government workers not getting a paycheck. I mean, somebody's

(09:45):
got a blink here, Riley. And if we're not going
to blink, and it's got to be the clean CR
and you can't get to sixty, I mean, how long
can we go? Something has to give, doesn't it.

Speaker 7 (09:55):
I guess it's the Democrats that would have to get
We've already passed to build a fund all those things,
as you just mentioned. In the House, we passed it,
and so the Democrats are going to have to set
aside their left wing agenda here for a minute. And
by the way, their CR that they have put forward
is one and a half trillion dollars for health care

(10:16):
for illegal immigrants. Also, at the same time, it's cutting
the Rural Hospital Stabilization Fund, just gets rid of it.
That will hurt us here in West Virginia, and it'll
hurt a lot of rural space across as country. So essentially,
you're saying, hard working Americans are going to lose their
access to healthcare so illegal immigrants can have health care.

(10:38):
I'm sorry, we're not doing that. There's no way we're
not doing that. That's not what's going to happen here.
So if I were them, I would accept the offer
of we can talk about and negotiate this ACA tax
credit issue after the clean CR has passed. That seems
to be pretty reasonable to me. I don't think they're
going to be reasonable until we get past this.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
No. King's rally talking to Congressman Riley more second District
here in West Virginia. Riley not a lot of trust
on Capitol Hill? Would you trust you if you were
on the other side of this saying hey, And it
was the Democrat saying, we'll talk about that after we
reopened the government. Would you why would you trust them
or why should they trust you?

Speaker 5 (11:23):
Well?

Speaker 7 (11:23):
I always trust myself.

Speaker 1 (11:27):
Fair point.

Speaker 7 (11:29):
So look flash back to those other shutdowns in recent
history and the people who have been holding out many times,
the Republicans who have been holding out in terms of
a shutdown, did they ever get what they wanted out
of that?

Speaker 9 (11:46):
No?

Speaker 7 (11:46):
Actually no, no, Okay, So we've seen this story before.
This is the way this is going to go, So
that negotiation is going to have to take place at
to the CR. My guest here is, which is somewhat
in form I think after this rally, you're going to

(12:06):
get the votes together. Schumer is going to get the
votes together to pass this thing in the Senate, and
he will vote, know, but he'll have enough votes to
cover him.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
What would you say to the characterization that both sides
have this wrong, because, to your point, whether it's the
CR that the Dems have or the clean CR, we're
still in a deficit situation. We're still steamrolling toward forty
trillion dollars in debt. I don't see any piece of

(12:38):
legislation that cleans that up. I think that's disappointing. Well,
should folks be disappointed on that?

Speaker 7 (12:44):
You are right on that. And this is the point
of this, this short term cr is so we can
do the appropriations bills. People have wanted us to go
back to regular order and pass these appropriations bills. We've
already passed all twelve out of committee in the House.
I'm on that committee. We've already passed three on the floor.

(13:05):
We had a motion to go to conference already last
month to start doing these bills. And that is where
we are going to be able to start to reduce
the deficit that you just talked about in this country. Now.
I do want to make a one clarifying point. That
is discretionary spending the appropriations process. That is only twenty

(13:28):
six percent of every dollar that is spent. The other
seventy four percent is in mandatory, which that's what the
One Big Beautiful Bill started to bend the curve on that.
With that one point four trillion dollars in cuts that
we had, you are going to see a reconciliation part two,
one big beautiful Bill, Part two. I doubt they call

(13:49):
it that. We'll probably have some other names that the
President gives it. But you're going to see another version
of that coming down the pike here. Once we can
get things back on track, go through these appropriations bills,
go through the actual process. That's what we're trying to
do is restore regular order here so we stop living

(14:10):
in these crs.

Speaker 1 (14:12):
Congressman Riley Moore joining US Congressman before we let you go.
Yesterday historic day in the Middle East, the hostages returned
to Israel, President Trumps signing the first part of the
piece deal in Egypt. Moving forward, though, Riley, there are
certainly challenges and obstacles to overcome. Are you confident this
can lead to a lasting piece in the Middle East.

Speaker 7 (14:34):
I'm very confident that the President has put forward a
framework that can and establish a lasting piece in the
Middle East, specifically that region.

Speaker 9 (14:46):
Of Israel and Gaza.

Speaker 7 (14:48):
So now we can't control obviously what Hamas is going
to do. We're going to be in the second phase
of this right now, and there's a map out there
you all can look at, just google it. But current
there's different lines of control as things are achieved in
that twenty point plan. Right now, the IDF, the Israeli

(15:10):
Defense Force, the Israelis control fifty three percent of the
Gaza strip. Once the LOSS gives up their arms, then
that line moves that back even further to forty percent
than the fifteen percent control, then to zero percent control,
and so it ratchets back and gives control completely Gaza

(15:32):
back to the Gazans themselves. With Also, you're going to
have an international security force on the ground that are
going to be guaranteeing security there. The US is not
going to have any boots on the ground within Gaza.
There are two hundred US service members inside Israel to
assure that this peace plan is going to plan, and

(15:56):
it's being implemented in the manner that's been laid out,
but there's a law way to go. So right now
we're looking for hamas to disarm, to establishing that international
security force, which has already been well underway. And then three,
we're looking for stabilization in terms of governance, and that's

(16:16):
where you get this technocratic board of governance. I think
it's a board of peace that they've established that is
going to govern the Gaza strips, so all of the
pieces are in place for a lasting piece. I think
this is the best opportunity either side is going to

(16:37):
have here on this, and I think President Trump certainly
deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for this. He is the
pre peace president. He has proven that now multiple times
in this first year in his administration. And I think
this is the best opportunity that we're going.

Speaker 1 (16:51):
To have at this second district. Congressman Riley Moore, Riley,
appreciate you join us. We'll continue to follow see what happens.

Speaker 7 (16:59):
Hey, thanks much, y'all.

Speaker 1 (17:00):
Have a good one you as well. Coming up, we'll
get some of your texts through A four talk three
four and the frustrations with the Hope scholarship purchasing process.
We'll revisit that topic coming up bottom of the hour.
This is talk Line. We're just off and running on
Metro News from the Encode Insurance Studios.

Speaker 10 (17:17):
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WVU Cancer Institute locations means patients can be surrounded by

(17:38):
loved ones during their treatment and not bear the burden
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five WVU care.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
We aren't there for you to care for you at
the health plans.

Speaker 11 (17:53):
The health Plan is still growing, giving you a large
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Speaker 1 (18:01):
Pricing plans that meet your needs.

Speaker 3 (18:03):
Log on to health plan dot org for more information.

Speaker 1 (18:07):
We are.

Speaker 5 (18:09):
To care for you, and.

Speaker 10 (18:12):
We are here.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling
you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (18:40):
Three or four Talk three or four is the text line.
We'll get some texts coming up. So here's a twist
to the National Guard being deployed to Portland story that
you probably weren't anticipating. Protesters rallying against the Trump administration
Portland put the city's quirky and their reverent reputation on

(19:02):
display over the weekend through the streets they chose to protest.
Uh the have you seen this story first?

Speaker 2 (19:10):
TJ?

Speaker 1 (19:11):
Before I get to the punchline here I have not. Okay,
they decided just plug them back in today.

Speaker 3 (19:16):
Sorry, all right.

Speaker 1 (19:16):
Well, they decided to protest the troops coming into Portland, Oregon,
the National Guards troops by having a naked bike ride.
That's right, full on naked bike ride. Crowds gathered daily
and nightly outside the Immigration officials facility in Oregon's largest city.
Recent days have embraced absurd donning, inflatable frogs, unicorns, et cetera,

(19:40):
et cetera. The bike ride is actually an annual tradition
that usually happens in summer, but organizers this weekend hastily
called another event to ride naked as a necessary way
to speak out against mobilization of National Guard troops. Well
that's one way to do it.

Speaker 3 (19:58):
It seems like a good way to end yourself. Were
there any reports of chafing or I mean, let me.

Speaker 1 (20:06):
Read on down though this was not an investigative piece.
Apparently did draw Let's see the annual there's actually an
annual event that draws about ten thousand people each year
riding bikes in the buff. Well, at least they weren't rioting, right,
at least they weren't destroying property except the bike seats.

(20:31):
You do you It's one way to do it, man,
That is one way to do it.

Speaker 3 (20:35):
It's one way to do something.

Speaker 1 (20:36):
I know I would flee the area if I saw
those bike riders coming at me. That would make me
turn around and want to leave. Uh, Texter says Dave
and TJ. You both need to lead a naked bike
ride and five K we'll take that under advisement.

Speaker 3 (20:57):
It didn't turn out too well for Frank the tank
from old when events streaky. I don't think it's going
to turn out too well for me If I do
it's i'll pass.

Speaker 1 (21:05):
You know who's most horrified at the suggestion?

Speaker 3 (21:07):
Who's that?

Speaker 1 (21:08):
Jake the video producer.

Speaker 3 (21:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (21:09):
Probably he'd have to document the whole thing and then
try to figure out a way to get that on
the stream and pass the sensors, which I don't know
that we really have any sensors to.

Speaker 3 (21:20):
Be I thought we had laws against this kind of
thing in this country. Is this another law? Is this
like the TikTok law? We're going to ignore the TikTok laws,
and now we're going to ignore that good bike riding
laws ordinances to prevent such Is that what we're doing
do you.

Speaker 1 (21:33):
Have to have an ordinance that would prevent such a thing?

Speaker 3 (21:35):
After reading this story, you should.

Speaker 1 (21:37):
Probably should, all right? Coming up, homeschool and hope scholarship
families are frustrated with the state's purchasing process. We'll talk
about that next. It is ten thirty. Time to get
a news update. Let's check in on the Metro News
radio network. Find out what's happening across the great state
of West Virginia.

Speaker 4 (21:56):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Jeff Chenkins. The agenda for
this this afternoons Calhoun County Commission meeting includes taking up
the resignation of Commissioner Jacob mccumbers. The thirty nine year
old mccumbers, who has also worked as a school teacher,
was arrested last month on fifty counts of sexual abuse
by a parent, guardian or custodian, who was released after
posting a one hundred thousand dollars bond. This evening's commission

(22:17):
meeting indicates the Commission may be ready to both accept
mcomber's resignation and choose his replacement. Bridge Day is quickly approaching,
the forty six bridge day on the New River Gorge
Bridge in Fayette County schedule for Saturday. State Tourism Secretary
Chelsea Ruby says October's a big month for the state's
tourism industry.

Speaker 12 (22:33):
Thanks for looking for trip ideas.

Speaker 13 (22:35):
I'd recommend looking for the West Virginia Swings, the.

Speaker 14 (22:38):
Waterfall Trail, or even our new spooky paranormal Trail.

Speaker 3 (22:41):
It's back for you too.

Speaker 4 (22:42):
The Lee's which got a slow start on turning vibrant colors,
are beginning to catch up in some areas of the state.
Developers of a new recreational trail system planned for eastern
Kanawa County say they're ready to take the next step.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow for the Appalachian
Outlaws Trail project. Ground will be broken on a welcome
set and a campground. That groundbreaking is set for ten

(23:03):
thirty tomorrow morning across from Riverside High School at Quincy
in eastern Knack County. Today in the state, we started
out to day with more clouds than sun in the
northern parts of the state, clearer skies in the southern part.
It's going to be a little chillier today, but still
temperatures getting into the seventies you're listening to Metro News
for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 15 (23:23):
The high school football season continues Friday night with our
Game of the Week Cable Midland and Parkersburg, presented by Gomar.
You can also watch Princeton and Beckley, Montcalm against Greenbrier, West,
Parkersburg South and Morgantown, Scott and Rhone County, and Winfield
versus Shady Spring, all on Metro News TV. Brought to
you by the Thrasher Group, Marshall University and the Mountaineer

(23:43):
Challenge Academy. Stream the action live on Metro News Television.
Download the free Metro News Television app, or visit WV
metronewstv dot com for more information.

Speaker 3 (23:54):
Attention high school football fans.

Speaker 16 (23:56):
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, and to find
out where your favorite team ranks, simply go to WV
metronews dot com, click on the high School Sports tab,
and then the high School Powererankings. Twenty twenty five Metro

(24:17):
News Power rankings are presented by Tutors Biscuit World. Start
your day the Homemade Way. Visit them at tudorsbiscuit World
dot com.

Speaker 4 (24:25):
The twentieth Class, or the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame,
will be honored tonight with induction ceremonies at the Museum
of Radio and Television in Huntington. Spokesman Tom Wrestler says
the museum is a special place.

Speaker 1 (24:36):
Everybody that comes in finds something that takes them back
to their childhood or to their grandparents sitting in front
of the radio.

Speaker 4 (24:45):
Seven broadcasters will be inducted into the Hall tonight. Again.
This is the twentieth Class. From the Metro News anchor desk,
I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (25:37):
Three or four Talk three or four is the text
line eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five.
That is the phone number through. All Right, I'm gonna
pull the curtain back here for it just a moment
TJ as happens in live radio, UH, trying to make
a quick connection, and we're going to clear up a

(25:58):
quick communications issue. So here's what we're going to do.
We're going to take an early break, and then we're
going to talk to Katie Switzer Hope Hope Scholarship family.
That's how to deal with some of the frustrations of
the processing procedures to purchase supplies. But we got to
clear up a quick communication problem first, So we're going
to take a quick break. Then we're going to come back.

(26:18):
We'll get that cleared up. We'll get into the interview
a little bit later on. Jared Haupern will join us.
He's covering the latest from the White House. You good
with that, TJ.

Speaker 3 (26:27):
Hey, okay, brother, let's do it all right back.

Speaker 1 (26:29):
In the moment. This is talk line from the Encove
Insurance Studios.

Speaker 16 (26:33):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawats of new energy capacity by twenty fifty. Thanks to
House Bill twenty fourteen, West Virginia's coal plans will be
upgraded to run longer, stronger, and more efficiently, thus delivering reliable,
affordable base load power. Our families and businesses will be

(26:54):
able to count home. West Virginia Coal Association President Chris
Hamilton stated Morrissey's plan to grow West Virginia's energy generation
capacity to fifty gigawatts by twenty fifty is a dynamic
approach to economic development which will supercharge our state's coal
industry and broader economy. With Governor Morris's leadership and the

(27:15):
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 2 (27:44):
Metro News talk Line is presented by Incova Insurance and
circling you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visitancova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (27:54):
All right, we got that all sorted out. We're good
to go. Eight hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk
is the phone number. Eight hundred seven six five eight
two five five. Katie Switzer is a mother of five
and founder of a Facebook group that has become a
forum for dozens of Hope Scholarship family. She has dealt
with the frustrating purchasing system. We spoke to Treasurer Larry
Pack yesterday concerning delays and getting supplies issues with the vendors.

(28:20):
She is well versed in all of the above, and
she joins us here on Metro News talk line this morning, Katie,
good morning and thanks for joining us.

Speaker 6 (28:30):
Hey, good morning.

Speaker 1 (28:31):
So try to put into context and give people an
explanation a little bit. When you receive the Hope Scholarship
as a homeschooling family, it's not as if you just
get a blank check and can go to Walmart or
Target to pick up supplies. There is a system, So
if you can give people an idea, how does that
system work when you're trying to purchase school supplies, textbooks,

(28:52):
et cetera as a homeschooling Hope Scholarship family.

Speaker 6 (28:56):
Yeah, so when you go to purchas things for your
CHILDI log into a portal that the Treasure's Office runs
and it's operated by Student First Technologies, which is our
second administrative company that the state has contracted with for
the Hope Scholarship since it started three years ago. So
Student First Technology started about a year ago. And you

(29:19):
log into the portal, it'll give you information about your
child balance. I have three kids in the Hope Scholarship program,
so there's a drop down so I can choose between them.
And there's two different ways that a homeschool parent can
purchase stuff at the forum or in the portal. There's
a closed marketplace, which is kind of clunky because everything

(29:41):
in there is manually added by providers, so you can't
have a lot of products in there because you can't
really search within a provider or anything like that. So
mainly that's like service providers or people that just offer
like one or two things. And then there is something
they calls theopay, which can only be used on a
laptop on a Chrome browser. So if you want to

(30:03):
buy materials for your child and you don't have like,
for example, air meet at your house, or you don't
already own a computer that can run a Chrome browser,
you cannot buy anything that is material through what they
call the ceopay extension, which is a Chrome extension install
and then you use that to go to like approved

(30:23):
websites that are I don't know if you want to
call them partners or they've been coded to enable what
they call the Coopa extension.

Speaker 12 (30:32):
Go.

Speaker 6 (30:33):
You would split your cart was like curriculum or school supplies,
whatever it's looking for buying, and then you'll hit a
button on the extension that scans the cart, and the
scanning is essentially just sprint shot, so you'll actually watch
them scroll down and if you like, you with scan
because it requires that tab.

Speaker 11 (30:53):
To be.

Speaker 6 (30:55):
Active to the work and once it stands the cart,
the DIY which putting quotes in that relations truly the
eye system, it will give you like everything in the
car is approved or some things are not allowed. It's
kind of unreliable.

Speaker 3 (31:11):
It parts.

Speaker 6 (31:12):
It rejects a lot of things that shouldn't and lost
things it shouldn't. And if you get a rejection on something,
you can put in an exemption text to say, hey,
this is allowed because of you know, this leading in
the parent handbook or whatever. But you can also just submit.
You submit the car once it's been approved or you've
put in your exemption text. Once that happens, it goes

(31:35):
to a person on what they call the fulfillment team.
It goes in a queue, and the person who reviews
it actually has to look at that screenshot and manually
reproduce that order. So like they'll go in and if
you've got you know, ten items on Amazon, they have
to find all of those items and fill a cart
of their own and then use a credit card to

(31:56):
buy them. So the system is really awkward and there's
a lot of room for error.

Speaker 9 (32:03):
In it.

Speaker 3 (32:04):
So, Katie, efficiency aside, and I agree with what you're saying.
It sounds like there could be a lot of efficiency
upgrades and maybe we're working toward that simple question. Do
you believe the state should give you the money and
you should be able to use it without any controls
at all? No.

Speaker 6 (32:19):
I believe that the state should either make it like
a refundable tax credit or a check, but they should
have really strict rules about the academic progress reviews at
the end of the year, because I think part of
the issue is that in the past, before the host Scholarship,
when there were homeschool traditional homeability, works of Education didn't

(32:41):
have any accountability to make sure that they were actually
processing the academic progress reviews in the four grades that
the parents were supposed to submit. They're supposed to do
whatever year really to submit during four different grades. West
in it every year, and the Treasure's office is extremely
diligent about check with the Board of Education to the
point where they were discovering that the Board of Education

(33:03):
were losing a lot of paperwork for both types of
families because families were keeping track of it. So, like
Kathy Krouse did a great job getting the school choice
email setup so that parents could actually document like, look,
I did send this in I did do this because
before it was like, you know, you do certified mail
or who knows what was in that letter? Right, So

(33:23):
I think that I think that the state, in the
interest of trying to prevent fraud, is wasting like a
ridiculous amount of money and resources instead of just focusing
on like, hey, this this family you know didn't verify
their residency or you know, they're not sending in their

(33:44):
academic progress of views and meeting the requirements. I think
that part should be the part that there's like a
zero tolerance policy on for hope, like if you're not
doing your academic requirement, you should not be getting from
prompulsory schooling. And that's where you're gonna see an improvement
because otherwise the amount of micromanagement on the program and

(34:06):
the administrative costs are instant and they're seeing that in
other states too. There's really no system that can manage this.
The other way that I would think might be more
effective is if you had like an expense reporting system
that concur that got into stational savings. About what I
used to work in engineering, so when I went on
a business trip, I would have to submit my receipts

(34:28):
and the concur system would basically scan those and look
for fraud like patterns of fraud or see if I was,
you know, buying movie taments instead of restaurants submitting that
for reimbursement. I think HOPE could work that way too,
where you would submit the receipts and they would be
scanned on the back end. Because the way that it
works now, there's a presumption that parents are committing fraud

(34:50):
before they even make the purchase, because every purchase is
manually reviewed if it's okay, And I think that's unfair
to parents. Academic progress, and why should anyone care what
they're spending the money on, Like we can't use it
for school lunches. I can't use it to just go

(35:10):
to a museum that I want to take my kids
to do. They have to be a provider. Why are
they micromanaging.

Speaker 1 (35:17):
Kids are allowed to you know, Katie, Katie Switzer is
joining us HOPE Scholarship. Katie, we got a little bit
of a bum connection there, But I think I bring
up a good point. Maybe this would be better served
on the back end than the front end where the
state is trying to build in flexibility to the system.
Larry pac talked about that yesterday. But doing it on

(35:39):
the front end makes the whole system and the whole
process awkward and clunky, and.

Speaker 6 (35:46):
The taxpayers to do it like that, everybody's unhappy, right,
It costs a lot. It's really an issue.

Speaker 1 (35:54):
Katie Switzer, Hope Scholarship family, mother of five, founder of
Facebook group that's become a forum for dozen of Hope
Scholarship families, Katie. Where the connections actually getting a little
bit worse as we go on. So we'll let you go,
but thank you for the insights today. Appreciate it.

Speaker 9 (36:08):
Thank you by absolutely.

Speaker 1 (36:10):
Three or four talk three or four is the text line,
eight hundred seven sixty five eight to five five the
phone number. Brad's got a story over at doubledv metronews
dot com. He went through several several dozen emails that
had been sent to the Treasurer's office with regards to
that frustrating process. You can read brand story over the
website again WV metronews dot com. Meanwhile, it was a

(36:32):
whirlwind thirty six hours or so for President Trump, who
flew to the Middle East yesterday was an Israel in Egypt.
Arrived back in the US late last night early this morning,
Fox News Radios. Jared Halpern's been keeping track of the president.
He joins us on Metro News talk line, Jared, good morning,
Good morning, President Trump back in the US after a

(36:53):
whirlwind trip to the Middle East yesterday, a historic trip
to the Middle East.

Speaker 13 (36:58):
Well, it was an important trip because it signified here
the end, at least for now, of this two year
war between Israel and Hamas we saw the early morning
release of twenty living hostages back to Israel. Obviously very
emotional homecomings. President Trump delivering an address to the Israeli parliament,

(37:20):
the Knesset, first US president to do so since George W.
Bush back in two thousand and eight, and then flew
down the Charmel Sheik, the resort town in Egypt where
this deal was broken, to a lot of world leaders
there to meet with the President. And that's because there
are still a lot of details here that are going
to have to be figured out. That's certainly a big

(37:43):
triumph to get this phase one deal complete right, the
hostages home, the ceasefire in place, the Israeli withdrawal aid,
getting in the Gaza, and what seems to be at
least for now, a sustainable ceasefire. But it is the
second phases of this plan that are really going to
require an awful lot of oversight, an awful lot of

(38:06):
international cooperation. As we talked about the governance of Gaza,
what does that look like, what does the security situation
look like? Is Hamas going to actually disarm? Is there
going to be a civilian leadership in Gaza? All of
that is part of this twenty point plan that President
Trump put forward, and that is kind of the next

(38:30):
phase that is going to certainly raise a lot of
questions about what that looks like, how long that might take.

Speaker 3 (38:37):
Talk a little bit about the broader region and how
the president takes this when Jared and extends it to
the broader Middle East, and what he can do to
bring peace in the broader region.

Speaker 13 (38:48):
Well, so, I mean a lot of what came about
here was the President and not just the President, but
Steve Whitcoff and Jared Kushner, the President's son in law,
kind of leaning on relationships that it had been built
during the course of both of Trump's terms in office.
President Trump you recall his very first trip abroad back

(39:09):
in twenty seventeen was to Saudi Arabia, visiting those Gulf states.
Jared Kushner playing a big role with Arab States to
bring about the Abraham Accords and trying to expand the
Abraham Accords for Israel and these Arab states to recognize
one another and start working with one another. So that

(39:32):
really laid a lot of the groundwork because you had,
in Jared Kushner and in Steve Witkoff, somebody who was
viewed as kind of an honest broker here amongst all sides.
That's always been a challenge when you talk about the
Middle East, and so that seemed to provide at least
the base level of trust that was needed. Speaking with

(39:53):
a lot of US officials here, they say the other
big moment was also an unlikely one when Israel carried
out that air strike against Hamas figures in Cutter that
at the time was viewed by an awful lot of
folks is derailing this entire process. The Trump administration at

(40:14):
the time described it as an opportunity, and there was
some head scratching about that. But the reason that it
was viewed as an opportunity. Is it really heightened Arab
fears that this could expand, this war could widen to
a much larger regional conflict. That in part put pressure
on Cutter to apply pressure to Hamas, and it allowed

(40:37):
President Trump, who was very publicly opposed to that strike,
to put that type of pressure on Israel, And so
it created a moment in which it became a pressure
point for all sides to kind of either relent, you know,
figure out an off ramp here, or see a much
wider regional conflict that nobody wanted.

Speaker 1 (40:59):
Moving forward, Jared, as we start to get into the
next phase, what's the appetite around Washington to financially support
a rebuilding in Gaza.

Speaker 13 (41:09):
Well, right now they're not being asked to do that.
President Trump has said that there's going to be a
lot of rich countries in the area that are going
to fund that. He has talked a lot about the
wealth and the Gulf States, has talked a lot about
the wealth of Saudi Arabia in these other Arab countries.
And so the President has not yet put forward any
sort of proposal that would require Congress to approve funding

(41:31):
any sort of rebuilding Gaza.

Speaker 1 (41:33):
Fox News Radios. Jared Halprin, Jared, always appreciate it, buddy,
thank you.

Speaker 13 (41:37):
Sure thing.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
Coming up next, we're going to set up the eleven
oh six segment, So we're going to set that up next,
so you understand what we're talking about. Coming up at
eleven six. Interested, Curious, you'll have to find out coming
back in a moment. This is talk line from the
Encove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 17 (41:56):
A new episode of Live Healthy West Virginia is now
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and the metro News TV app. A new concussion program
gives VIP treatment to domestic violence survivors.

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When we did a study of domestic violence survivors, the
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They had lost count.

Speaker 17 (42:17):
Listen to Live Healthy West Virginia for candid conversations with
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Speaker 1 (43:15):
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The Powerball jackpot is two hundred and seventy three million dollars.

(43:38):
Mega Millions jackpot is six hundred million dollars, So go
ahead play today. Before mister Meadows went on vacation last week,
he wrote a commentary on energy policy, a thing he
knows something about. You can still read that. It's a
wv metronews dot com fake county cenator. Brianhilton, who's going
to join us coming up about ten minutes from now,

(43:59):
has differing thoughts, but TJ you laid out a position
on where West Virginia should go needs to go when
it comes to energy policy. Please explain, and.

Speaker 3 (44:12):
First let me say I am fuel agnostic. I don't
care if it's coal, natural gas, your grandma's baking grease.
Whatevergets the turbines moving and creates electricity is what I'm
interested in. What the Senator's plan would do, and he
will propose legislation in the upcoming session. Per An op
ed that he wrote a couple of weeks back it

(44:34):
would mandate that West Virginia's coal fired power plants run
a minimum of sixty nine percent of the time. That
sounds good. Sounds good. We got the plants, why wouldn't
we run them. Here's the problem. We participate in a
wholesale energy market, electricity market thirteen other states. You've heard
me talk about PGM. That's what it is. There are

(44:56):
two very different commodities. There's capacity, which is the availability
to make power. You got to have your own plants.
If you couldn't cover your own energy nut Dave in
a crisis, you would be putting that burden onto other states.
They would have to cover it for you. So to
participate in the market, you have to have enough capacity
that if peak demand hits, you can provide it on
your own without help from others. That's the point of capacity.

(45:19):
And then there's energy. So every day, day ahead and
day of, utilities bid in how much they could run
their plants for x amount of megawatt hours at why cost,
and PGM then dispatches all of those plants at a
least cost basis to provide energy to the grid. That
does a couple of things. Yes, your power plant may

(45:42):
not run all the time, but your rate payers get
the cheapest possible electricity out there based on whatever power
plant is most efficient, whether that is powered by coal,
natural gas, renewables, hydro nuke is a big one in PGM. Now, arbitrarily,
making these power plants run sixty nine percent of the time,

(46:05):
you're taking away that ability for West Virginians to get
the least expensive electricity. If our plants have to run,
they may not be the most economic. Who pays that difference?
West Virginia ratepayers Their power bills will go up if
we don't abide to what's called economic dispatch. That's my

(46:27):
issue with this legislation, and that's what will potentially happen,
and in my humble opinion. Probably will happen if we
move forward.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
Read the commentary. This is your homework over the next
seven minutes. You can read that commentary over at the
website wv metronews dot com. Brian Helton going to join
us from the Charleston studios coming up about seven minutes
from now. All right, let me get a text or
two in here, Dave and TJ. All right, maybe I'm
not going to get a text or two in. I

(46:55):
can't read some of these. Yes, they're in relation to
biking in the uh. I'm riding my bike now and
surely not naked. Maybe cars would give me more room
if I were, says the Texter Unicycle. Oh all right,
we're gonna take a break. It's talk Line of Metro News,

(47:19):
the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
Metro News. Talk Line is presented by Incoba Insurance, encircling
Visit incova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (47:40):
Second hour of Metro News talk Line already in progress.
Eight hundred and seven to sixty five. Talk is the
phone number eight hundred seven sixty five eight two five five.
That's the phone number. Text the show three or four
Talk three oh four. Ryan Schmells Fox News Radio. We'll
check out with him bottom of the hour, will get
his take on the government shutdown. Latest. House Speaker Mike

(48:02):
Johnson had a news conference last hour. We'll check him
with Ryan, see if there's any movements at all. Spoke
with Congressman Riley More first hour. He doesn't think there's
any movement at all. In fact, thinks we won't see
any sort of budgeting until maybe next week. We'll get
Ryan Schmell's take in just a moment. Jake l Linkle the
video stream. Ethan Collins on the audio side of things. TJ.

(48:25):
Meadows is in Charles Student back from vacation. Good morning
to J.

Speaker 3 (48:28):
Good morning. I forgot to check the betting site on
the government shutdown. I need to put our ten bucks
in and see which way we go? Long did we
can take you over?

Speaker 1 (48:36):
The under? We took the over?

Speaker 3 (48:38):
I think so. I mean, I honestly, after what Johnson
said this morning, I think it could go past thirty
five days, which is what the last shut down, the
long tenure, right.

Speaker 1 (48:48):
I've seen two dates thrown out there in what I've
been reading. One is the one that Riley Moore mentioned.
Congressman More mentioned was the No Kings rally, so you've
got a political tie in there. But the other is
no number first, TJ. And that's when open enrollment for
the ACA starts, and that's when you would really see

(49:09):
the premium increases, and there might be some pressure then
with that date and people actually seeing what the increase
would actually be, that then there might be an increased
pressure and you might see some movement then. But that's again,
that's November first. That's a full couple of weeks away
from now, so we shall see. We'll see what Ryan
smells if he's taken the over or the under when

(49:30):
we talk to him at the bottom of the hour.
All right, right before we took the news break at
the top of the hour, TJ explained his commentary to you.
You can read that over WP metronews dot com discussing
state energy policy. FAE County Senator Brian Helton, Well, he
disagreed with that assessment and he joins us from the
Charleston studios this morning. Brian, good morning, thanks for coming in.

Speaker 3 (49:51):
Thank you guys for having me. Very appreciated, appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (49:54):
So okay, I'll let you lay out your side of
the story here. Where you do you agree where do
you dis agree with TJ's assessment of the situation.

Speaker 20 (50:02):
Well, I think, first of all, it's important that we
recognize West Virginia is an energy state. We're the second
largest producer of coal. We have an abundance of natural gas,
and so those are the major parts of our economy
that really drives West Virginia. And without our energy and
without good policy, it's a death now on our coffin.
So we have to fight for the resources within our state.

(50:24):
You know, my legislative background this past session, my first
year being in the state Senate, you know, I'm one
hundred percent pro coal. I'm one hundred percent natural gas.
My legislative background speaks for that. I'll continue to be
because those are the things, again, as I mentioned earlier,
that drive our state. So what we're seeing right now,
despite the fact we're such a strong energy state, we're

(50:45):
seeing right now our state get hammered with expiraling utility rates.
We have our people and our rate payers out there
trying to decide whether to buy groceries, pay their car payment,
or keep the lights on. And you know, we shouldn't
be that way when we are such a strong energy
state and we have such an abundance of these great
natural resources, and as I mentioned earlier, we're the second

(51:07):
largest producer of.

Speaker 3 (51:08):
Coal in the nation.

Speaker 20 (51:10):
You know, we've seen over time and again this is
just uncomplicated and very simple to follow, that coal usage rates,
when they go down, utility rates spike. And about fifteen
years or so ago, West Virginia built our electric generation
with ninety eight percent coal, And since then we've seen

(51:33):
that be chipped away by unfair market distortions and unfair
subsidies towards green energy, which is really.

Speaker 3 (51:40):
How we starting to ship it away. How are they unfair?

Speaker 20 (51:42):
Well, first of all, there's things called renewable energy credits
that go directly to these green new Deal companies to
produce energy that's intermittent, that is unreliable, and again it's
propped up by taxpayer federal subsidies. The money doesn't come
out at the n are, it comes right out of
our pockets DJ and so we have to really focus

(52:05):
on making sure we're not operating in a distorted market.

Speaker 3 (52:08):
So when we.

Speaker 20 (52:09):
Talk about coal usage again it's undeniable. It's not just
in West Virginia again, we have went from ninety eight
percent utilization down to eighty four. During that time, our
rates are up forty percent, but.

Speaker 3 (52:22):
Now NASHUSS has displaced most of that year.

Speaker 20 (52:25):
Nationally, it's even worse, and that's not true. Renewable energies
replaced a good deal of this Nationally. It's worse when
you look at states like California and New York in
some cases over two hundred percent increase in utility rates.
And you know what the common thread there is they've
went away from coal and fossil fuel and they've went
into these so called renewable energies. I call them green

(52:46):
new scams because they're not reliable, they're very expensive, and
so we need to get our coal usage job to
get our rates back down because right now, I think
you'll agree with me, our rates are spiraling out of control.
This PJAM models not working. PJM represents sixty five million customers,
give or take a few in the mid Atlantic, and
when you look the mid Atlantic region, their rates are

(53:09):
double the increase of the rest of the nation. From
twenty four to twenty five, they've went up nearly ten percent,
while the rest of the nation is only five percent.
So we are being penalized for pjam's fossil no fossil
fuel policies, and West Virginia's taken the hit.

Speaker 3 (53:25):
Okay, hey on, let me unpack some of that. Let
me unpack some of that. PJM used more natural gas. Yesterday,
almost fifty percent of the power on the grid came
from natural gas. Fifty percent. They're not anti fossil fuel, Okay,
not at all. And you talked about renewables, so Eia
taro white hours mid Atlantic region, which is primarily PJM.

(53:47):
Only six percent of the tarot wote hours generated in
July the most recent reporting period came from all renewables
that includes hydro. You know what, the most came from
natural gas forty nine percent, nuke twenty seven percent, coal
seventeen percent. These subsidies you talk about, that's capacity, that's

(54:09):
fixed cost. You're mixing capacity with energy. Energy is dispatched
on marginal cost, which is fuel, plain and simple.

Speaker 20 (54:17):
Well, okay, so I understand that we have a different
view of that. That's a short term, day to day decision.
Coal is a long term decision. Now, you know they're
thing you have to consider, but that day today.

Speaker 3 (54:30):
Decision is what goes on people's power bills. Well, and
that's what I'm saying. Well, but that's a short term. Look,
that's a day to day.

Speaker 20 (54:35):
Look, I'm talking about the long term effect of when
we run coal and natural gas.

Speaker 3 (54:39):
Doesn't do anything to change the capacity costs. It's fixed,
it's built into base rate it apps. So you're telling
me that doesn't impact the rates at all. No, that's
we built these power plants. John Amos was built in
the seventies. It's been in the rate base for years,
decades and decades. It's a fixed cost, all right. What
drives it is we have less people?

Speaker 20 (54:57):
Well, how do you explain Okay, well, let's we'll talk
about the less people for here in a minute. Then
how do you explain the fact as coal usage has
went down, rates go up? Not only in West front
correlation cause, but nationally it is causation. It's common sense.
When one goes up, the other goes down consistently. It's
not just West Virginia, it's across the nation. Now, you
talked about jobs and economies. Let me tell you this.

(55:18):
My bill calls that for us to run sixty nine
percent and to mandate that's utilities.

Speaker 3 (55:23):
Follow up is a suggestion, not a mandate. It's the
Public Service Commission suggested, not mandated. You think they code.
If it were code, you wouldn't have to have law. Well,
that's why we're going to put it in code.

Speaker 20 (55:32):
You know why, because this generation, if we go from
our high thirty percent right now to sixty nine percent,
guess what that means.

Speaker 3 (55:40):
That means means we're going to kick a gas plan
off line. It means no, it doesn't help. It does no,
it does not. I means we're going to code. No,
it does not.

Speaker 20 (55:46):
It means we're going to remove renewables from our picture
here in West Virginia. We need, we need to use
what we have TJ because that produces ten more ten
more million tons of coal, three thousand, five hundred jobs, okay,
a two hundred and twenty five. We ever take a
few dollars positive impact to WESTERA And you know what
we talk about not enough people. AEP told me that
under sworn testimony. But you know what, the way we

(56:09):
have more people here is to credit plum. I think
we'd agree that thirty five hundred jobs for West Virginia
if you have more people here.

Speaker 3 (56:15):
Capacity costs would have a bigger denominator, you could spread
it out. But capacity cost is not energy costs. And
that's what you don't understand. And here's why we kick
a natural gas plant off. You know what sets the
market in PJAM seventy four percent of the time. What's
that natural gas? Okay? Great? So if it's the LMP
that's driving it, and we want and were renewables and
we want more that are only six percent based on
this Tabot study, have zero fuel cost, they are always

(56:39):
going to dispatch. So if you run a coal plant,
that is not economic. And I'm like, look, we can
say if that's macro good, fine, I'll get to that
in a second. It is. But the plant you're going
to kick off is not that renewable generation. It's a
natural gas plant. They dispatch seventy four percent of the market.
And that's great, And but you want to kick a
gas plant off for a fuel for a coal plant.

(57:00):
But the points you're missing is these renewables with with
with the rcs with renewable energy credits are distorting the market. No,
they're not pjams. No, fossil fuel policy is distorting the market.
They would still have zero dispatch cars.

Speaker 20 (57:12):
In two thousand and eight, when we saw the Biden
Obama error regulations. We've seen all these required infrastructures put
on call. We saw a tremendous decrease in the amount
of call. And it's and it keeps get chipped, chipping away,
and so we're seeing West Virginia continue. I'm telling you
it's a death now to our coffin if we do
not get our count a camera proposal for you.

Speaker 3 (57:35):
So if if and I believe you're well intentioned, I'm
not questioning your intentions. Same with you, and you've been
very civil to me. I'm likewise, we didn't come in
here at each other's throat. So I want to make
sure people know that absolutely. We talked about some of
our COVID problems we have that aren't related to energy.
Called old age. It's called old age. If this is good,
then let's take the risk off the ratepayer. Let's take

(57:56):
the risk off the utility. Let's do this the bill
that you're going to write. Let's say that any marginal difference,
because I think we would agree based on market rules,
if a coal plant kicks off a gas plant and
that gas plant's forty bucks a megawat hour and the
coal is sixty. I'm making those numbers up, okay, And
there's a twenty megawatt hour per megawat hour difference, twenty

(58:17):
dollars that would go because the coal plant is only
going to get what the LMP is. It's not going
to get its full cost of sixty. Okay, if the
LMP is forty, So there's that twenty dollars differential. That
differential would come back to AEP or First Energy or
whoever owns that plant that is not economic in the market.
They're going to pass that on to their rate payers,
as they should. So let's do this. If this is

(58:41):
a good plan for West Virginia, Let's say that it
would be illegal for the utilities to pass that on.
It would be illegal for the Commission to make rate
payers pay it no new taxes. The state of West
Virginia will cover the difference out of the Rainy Day Fund.
Let's do that.

Speaker 20 (58:57):
Well, let's back up one minute first, okay, because you
you brought something up I think is very important. I
think we both agree that under testimony when I questioned
them and the Energy Committee meeting that a EP when
I said, hey, why are rates so going up? You know,
we we can't afford this anymore. It's getting to the
point where it's unaffordable. Can you explain to me why
these rates have went up consistently throughout the year. We

(59:20):
both agreed on that. The answer was there's not enough
people that live here, so they're taking their fixed.

Speaker 3 (59:25):
I don't agree completely, and I can get into that. Well,
we've got it's on video. That's what they said, That's
what they told us. But here's what they're talking about.
They're talking about the entire rate base. They're talking about
the distribution system, power poles. You know, if you have
a line that runs forty miles and now less people
live on it, it's still got to run forty miles
to whoever's lasting the line, so your fixed costs are
still the same. You have less people paying in, that's.

Speaker 20 (59:47):
Correct, So how do we get more people paying But
you're just talking about capacity now, I'm talking about their
larger economy. You're talking about minute to minute dispatch, day
to day dispatch rates.

Speaker 3 (59:55):
I'm talking on drives the other with new core come here.
If we don't have economic dispatch, I think the answer.

Speaker 20 (59:59):
Is no, listen, I'm I'm I'm a business guy, so
I think I think in terms of the economy, supply chains,
that sort of thing. And when AEP tells us the
primary reason that our rateser hires because less people live here,
my solution is that, well, how do we create more jobs?
How do we get more people here? And instead of
investing in green new deal type deals which economic development,

(01:00:21):
we've done some pretty lousy deals when it comes to
green energy. Were spent a lot of taxpayer dollars on that.
Instead of investing in that, how about we invest in
what works for West Virginia, the stuff our feet, the
coal and the natural you think, you think, I don't.

Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
Agree with your fixed costs, and because I think it's
more than just power points. I know it's more than
just power points. But back to what I suggested, thirty
five hundred jobs. Put thirty five job Put.

Speaker 20 (01:00:43):
The risk on the state. Why should you put it
on me? Put the risk on the state. Well, right now,
the risk is on the rate payers and it's not
a risk that's reality because we have economic dispatch.

Speaker 3 (01:00:52):
Well do you reckon?

Speaker 20 (01:00:52):
I appreciate it, and you're very technical and you're very knowledgeable.
I want to acknowledge that one hundred percent. But the
point here is this PJAM is not working. And we
can talk theory all day, but I'm talking reality. We
used more coal, we paid lower rates, we're on the
PGAM model. We're paying high rates. And by the way,
I think you'll agree with me on this. They told

(01:01:14):
us they're gonna hammer us harder in twenty six who's
they PGM for? What for our rates? Because all these
dispatch rates, all these techniae doesn't set rates, Brian. They
distribute the markets. They distribute. Know it's a distorted market
because of pgm's no fossil fuel dispatching.

Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
We'll agree to disagree. Look, but why not put it
back on If it's a good plan, let the state
bear the risk of it, and if it works out,
the state will get their money back because we'll have
greater GDP.

Speaker 20 (01:01:41):
Well, listen, here's here, here's what's happened. Okay, we have
utilities right now that are monopolistic and literally bring billions
of dollars of profit in AEP. Can you explain this
to me? Why did they incent and give bonuses to
their executives millions of dollars of bonuses? To meet certain
carbonates and standard. It wasn't to get rates down. It

(01:02:02):
wasn't to do this or the other. It was literally
to attack our fossil fuel industry. I mean, you'd have
to ask ap that and explain to me why PJAM
compared to the restination, Why are rates in at Mental
Lank Dublin if they're such a great I know you
love them.

Speaker 3 (01:02:15):
I know you're all about Okay, I get it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:18):
I markets.

Speaker 3 (01:02:19):
You're right, I love markets, man.

Speaker 20 (01:02:21):
Well, I don't like markets that that attack our industries.

Speaker 3 (01:02:25):
In West Virginia. This market worked for years when coal
was in the money, though he brought a lot of
money in. And now that coal's not in the money.

Speaker 20 (01:02:30):
Let's get it back in the money by producer. It's
never going to beat natural gas. Well, well, we want
natural gas, but TJ, here's the reality. Listen, Coal right
now produces eighty five percent of our power. Natural gas
is about eight percent. So listen, we can't self destruct
here with our major utility, with our major energy source.
That was what's driven West Virginia forever. And get into

(01:02:52):
these PJAM models that sound technical and sound great, but
at the end of day, we're paying higher.

Speaker 3 (01:02:57):
Rate last question. I talked to several people the natural
gas in year over the weekend. They hate this bill. Well,
I think think it hurts natural gas. So are you
learning natural gas by passing this bill? Listen, You're gonna
have in different industries, have different interests. I get that.

Speaker 20 (01:03:09):
I support both, and I think you talk to natural
gas people, they'll tell you I'm one hundred percent natural gas,
I have one hundred percent voted for it, ILL one
hundred percent run bills that favor natural gas. But I'm
also going to do coal. So I understand their competing industries,
and that's a good thing. But you know what, we
don't need competing in there. These Chinese technologies of wind
and solar panel dominant. They dominate the windmills, they dominate

(01:03:32):
the solar panels. And you know why, because we're paying
for that. Listen, we're exporting our coal to China.

Speaker 3 (01:03:38):
Dave, you've been patient.

Speaker 1 (01:03:39):
Sorry, Brian, A couple questions here quickly, because we got
to hit the brake and we've got to move on. Sure,
good debate, good conversation today, lively debate. Yep, Why didn't
you just call? Why did you have to go on
social media and attack the integrity of this organization.

Speaker 20 (01:03:54):
Well, you know, I'm not sure what you mean by that.
I mean, listen, we all got to be tough skinned
in this business, you know.

Speaker 3 (01:03:59):
Yeah. Have you looked at my social media? Some things
up called.

Speaker 20 (01:04:02):
I'm sorry if I offended you guys, But again, in
a lot of chances, I'm an echo chamber for what
I hear from my constituents and the people that I represent.
And if that, you know, again, I just say, get
a little tough skin. Let's move on.

Speaker 3 (01:04:13):
Call me out. We'll call Metro News out. I wrote
the piece. Call me out.

Speaker 20 (01:04:17):
Well, we can have another debate about some of these
stories for Metro News. If we're going to do that
in separate segment, I'd be glad to be here and
do that.

Speaker 1 (01:04:24):
Brian, we got to hit the breake. Appreciate you coming
in this morning, and you're going to be proposing the
legislation in January. That's right, all right, buddy, we'll be
looking for it. Thank you for stopping by.

Speaker 3 (01:04:32):
Thank you, sir.

Speaker 1 (01:04:33):
Talk line on Metro News from the Encove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 12 (01:04:37):
At City Net West Virginia. Is it just where we work,
it's home. That's why We're expanding our fiber network to
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(01:05:00):
Get connected with a local company you know and trust.
Visit citynet dot net today.

Speaker 8 (01:05:10):
The West Virginia farmer from dawn until dusk. Through hard work, dedication,
and resilience, these folks supply their communities with a safe
and reliable product. And the West Virginia Farm Bureau while
we are right there with them as the voice of
agriculture in West Virginia. Join us today as we build

(01:05:30):
a better future for all of us. To learn more,
visit us at wvfarm dot org.

Speaker 1 (01:05:54):
Three at four talk three four is the tax line,
eight one hundred and seven and sixty five talk is
the phone number, and get a couple of text in here.
Ryan Schmels joins the spot of the hour. Got a
minute to understand it the way energy works, But I
do know that for the past six months, my family
that gets royalties from natural gas has not gotten any
they have not been drilling our wells. I just don't
get it, lol. Brian Helton's message resonate strongly with the voters.

(01:06:19):
TJ's does not. TJ great job in presenting your side
of this huge issue. You are not talking theory, you
are giving facts correct, and he is not listening to
your facts. If the state took the risk, why would
the If the state took the risk, they would get
busy and solve this problem. Helton wants cold subsidies full stop. TJ.

(01:06:42):
Just tell the guy my dad can beat up your dad,
says the Texter.

Speaker 3 (01:06:47):
I would give anything to be able to say that
because my dad passed many years ago.

Speaker 1 (01:06:53):
Making a dark man. Geez, this is so far deep
in the weeds. We never see the light of day again,
says the Texter.

Speaker 3 (01:07:02):
But it needs to. It's complex. I get it, but
this is what drives your bill. How many people in
the state understand what has to happen and what goes
into making that light come on when you flip a switch.
And we are an energy state. I agree with Hilton
on that you got a lot. You got a lot
in the game here, so understand what is driving your economics.

(01:07:23):
And I'm talking economics, I'm not talking politics.

Speaker 1 (01:07:26):
Texter says, mute, TJ. I can do that. I can.
I don't, but I could, TJ. They say, AEP, what
are your rates going up? What are your rates going up?
They've been going up for years. You do not have
competition with the utilities, so you're in a battle with
no one. They keep raising the rates. Where is it

(01:07:46):
going to go till people start burning their furniture?

Speaker 3 (01:07:49):
Says the Texter, So a couple points. Then let's deregulate
the market in West Virginia. Let's have true choice. Let's
do like we do in Ohio and did for many years,
where you get to if your energy comes from gas,
call renewables. We can have that conversation. And I do
need to point out, Dave, prior to coming here and retiring,

(01:08:10):
I was a policy director for American Electric Power. I
think that needs to be said. I want to be candid,
but my views are my views, not theirs, not Metro News,
not anybody else.

Speaker 1 (01:08:19):
Senator Helton's plan will absolutely hurt the growth of gas
in West Virginia, requiring power companies to burn and spend
more on call without full recovery will prevent building out
new power new gas plans. Uh, this is a golf reference. TJ.
I'll need to go to the ball washer to give
it a couple of strokes. To regain his composure after
that segment so far, the things that make TJ push

(01:08:42):
back on Guest electric generation and Zipper merging good on TJ.

Speaker 3 (01:08:48):
Oh it happened over the weekend. On the drive back,
Dave do I have a story, but I'll save that
for later.

Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
TJ is talking free market capitalism. Helton is a commie,
says the Texter. All right, nice, gotta take a break.
Ryan Smells will join us from Washington, d C. The
latest on what's not happening. This is talk line from
the Cove Insurance Studios or Metro News, the voice of
West Virginia. It is eleven thirty time to get a
news update. Let's check in on the Metro News radio

(01:09:14):
network find out what's happening across the great state of
West Virginia.

Speaker 4 (01:09:20):
West Virginia. Metro News is in Jeff Jenkins. The Association
of American Universities, commonly referred to as the AAU, as
a prestigious list of colleges and universities across the US.
New WV President Michael T. Benson says it's time for
WVU to do all it can to get on that list.

Speaker 18 (01:09:36):
If South Florida can do it, which is a member
of the American Athletic Conference, not even a powered for conference.
But as was in the Big East with US years ago,
why can't.

Speaker 4 (01:09:46):
We AAU is one of the themes that Benson's first
State of the University addresses. Wv's president. He also talked
Monday about reclaiming some ground among high school graduates in
the state.

Speaker 18 (01:09:56):
We want people, we want students to tell us, note
are to our faith. I want to come to Western University.
We're going to do everything we can to get into
these high schools and make the case.

Speaker 4 (01:10:05):
Read more at WV Metro news dot com. The ongoing
school vaccination legal battles in West Virginia will shift to
Knaw County Circuit Court tomorrow, where parents are seeking a
religious exemption, only to be tonight so far by the
County Board of Education. Metro New Statewide correspondent Brad mclaheney's
following the case.

Speaker 15 (01:10:20):
The case in Kanawh County was filed on behalf of
a family of an elementary school student asking for a
temporary injunction to allow the student to attend public school.

Speaker 4 (01:10:29):
Tomorrow's arguments are scheduled despite a case now with class
action status or remaining pending in Raleigh County. More from
Brad at wv metronews dot com Today across the state,
more dry conditions, temperatures in the seventies. You're listening to
Metro news for forty years the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 16 (01:10:48):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawats a new energy capacity by twenty to 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 base load power. Our families and businesses

(01:11:09):
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 gigawatts by twenty fifty
is a dynamic approach to economic development which.

Speaker 3 (01:11:24):
Will supercharge our state's coal industry.

Speaker 16 (01:11:27):
And broader economy. With Governor Morrissey's 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
you by the West Virginia Coal Association.

Speaker 4 (01:11:46):
Had he lived, today would have been Charlie Kirk's thirty
second birthday, and Republicans in Harrison County will mark that
tonight where Kirk was shot and killed an assassination last
month as he spoke in Utah. An event this evening
in Clarksburg will Honorees Live set for six thirty in
Jackson Square. Preparations continue in Fayette County for Bridge Day,

(01:12:08):
which comes up this Saturday. Looking for good weather. It'll
be the forty sixth Bridge Day. From the Metro News
anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (01:12:36):
More of your texts coming up in just a bit
three or four Talk three four phone numbers eight hundred
seven to sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty five
eight two five five. After the Columbus Day holiday yesterday,
the lawmakers were released, some of them senators. Back in Washington,
d C. The government shut down continues of Lost count
I think we're on day thirteen or fourteen something like that.

(01:12:57):
Fox News Radios. Ryan Schmells is keeping counting on Metro
News talk line, Ryan, good.

Speaker 9 (01:13:02):
Morning, Hey, good morning.

Speaker 1 (01:13:04):
How are you doing, gentlemen, doing pretty well? Ryan. Speaker
Johnson held another news conference this morning. What the Speaker
have to say?

Speaker 9 (01:13:11):
Well, he was actually pressed pretty extensively by Chad's program
about Adelita Grihalda. She is the Congressoman elects in Arizona.
She would be the final signature on a discharge petition
that would compel the release of the Epstein files. But
so far, Speaker Johnson has refused to swear in, and
he has said that he'll do it when the government reopens.

(01:13:32):
So a couple of things that were kind of separate
from the normal shutdown discussion that we could see.

Speaker 3 (01:13:38):
I think I heard him say at least a lower third, Ryan,
that this is going to be the longest shutdown ever,
something to that effect. Can you elaborate in the I don't.

Speaker 9 (01:13:46):
Remember if you said that, but you know, it seems
like it's going to. I mean, it's already kind of
trending in that direction. If they don't. If they don't,
I'll do anything soon. I mean, nobody everyone's kind of
dug in on where they are and everything, and no
one's any evidence of budgeting. So I mean, look, this
thing is bound to drag on if if something doesn't

(01:14:07):
change soon.

Speaker 1 (01:14:08):
Fox News Radio is Ryan Schmelz joining us. We were
talking with Congressman Riley Moore last hour. He mentioned that
he thought maybe next week, after this No King's Rally
that they were the Democrats will be using this as
a you know, a political folkrim if you will. I've
also read maybe this could drag on till November when
folks actually see the premium increases when open enrollment begins

(01:14:30):
for the ACA. Are you hearing any of that? What
are you hearing?

Speaker 21 (01:14:34):
Well?

Speaker 9 (01:14:34):
The Republicans certainly are pushing that talking point that they
believe Democrats are holding out for this No King's rally
so they can appease their left flank and say that
they're fighting the government shutdown and then as soon as
that they're where they can essentially figure out a way
to open the government back up. But Democrats have denied
that back and forth, and it made it clear that

(01:14:55):
they still want healthcare to be a part of this,
or they want this to be they want, you know,
Republicans to come at table and negotiate. Now, one big
adals to and I think the Democrats are pushing for,
is they like this idea of putting provisions in here
that essentially would stop Republicans or stop the Trump administration
from rescinding spending that they negotiate in a budget, because

(01:15:17):
right now the trust factor is with Democrats is okay, Well,
if we negotiate a full budget for the next fiscal year,
well then Republicans they don't like it, they can just
rescind it because in order to cut spending, Republicans only
need fifty votes to do that in the Senate. And
so you know, I think Democrats just have his lack

(01:15:37):
of trust in this concerned that whatever spending they negotiate
is going to go away at some point.

Speaker 3 (01:15:43):
Ryan. They've said last week it's like groundhog Day. It
feels like groundhog Day. And we talk about this, What
are you looking for, because you're much more in tune
with it than we are, as some kind of precursor
that there could be movement or change. What needs to
happen next to put us on the path that something
actually gives here? Are there any telltale signs?

Speaker 9 (01:16:05):
I mean, if it's Democrats panic, or if just just
a couple of Democrats panic and they decided to vote
for the bill's on the floor, I mean, there's thing's over. Right,
they get eight Democrats voting for the cr then they
don't have to worry about this anymore. It's over. But
they're not there yet. They've only gotten three so far.
They need five more. I think that would probably be

(01:16:25):
something that could move the needle. I mean, maybe Republicans
could put pressure on Speaker Johnson to eventually negotiate. That
could be something. Or or Democrats could do the oppos
and strip start putting pressure on their leadership to do something.
So I mean, there's a lot of things that could
bend one way or another, just we haven't seen it yet.

Speaker 1 (01:16:42):
Fox News Radios Ryan schmell is joining us. But nothing's bending. Ryan,
here we are. It's another day and nothing's changing. It's
ground all day.

Speaker 9 (01:16:50):
Like we said, it's a lot of days avu, that's
for sure, you know. Fortunately, it looks like a Trump
administration was able to move some funding arounds to make
sure that troops do still get paid turn the shutdown.
But outside of that, there's still a lot of other
concerns that people have.

Speaker 1 (01:17:06):
How are folks reacting to the layoffs. I've seen it.
I haven't doesn't feel like it's getting a lot of
traction or a lot of reaction yet.

Speaker 9 (01:17:14):
Ryan, Yeah, Yeah, And I think I think it's because
we probably don't have too much an identification of who
they are and what positions they specifically had. Now with dinner,
as thing is that you have the Maryland Democrat delegation
having a press conference as we speak with on the
firing of federal workers. So certainly I think there's going

(01:17:35):
to be a lot of legal challenges that come that way.
Democrats have said they have like a little bit of
a fun together that would or at least some type
of action plan that that would represent these federal workers
and essentially to get their jobs back as soon as
the government's back open. So we'll see where that goes.

Speaker 3 (01:17:51):
You know, there's this little issue of a trade deal
with China pulled the market's way down again this morning,
although they've rebounded some anybody on the hill paying any
it's engine to that.

Speaker 9 (01:18:00):
Amid all this, I actually got somebody pitching me a
story on that, a podcast guest. So we'll see if
we can, we can get that on air at some point,
but it probably looks like it's not gonna have until Thursday.
So so there are definitely people paying attention to that.
But this is this and the peace deal at Israel,
I think are kind of eating up most of the

(01:18:21):
focus right now.

Speaker 1 (01:18:22):
Fox News Radios, Ryan Schmells, Right, But since you brought
up the peace Dore before we let you go, what's
been the reaction? What's been the talk among members of
Congress after yesterday's historic day?

Speaker 9 (01:18:34):
Seems like it's mostly positive. I mean, you know, President
Trump got commended by Vice President Harris, by President Biden,
a couple others. You know, mostly I think it's mostly
mostly positive, mostly peaceful.

Speaker 3 (01:18:48):
You see Clinton gave him at a boy. You see
what he say back to Clinton, He's like, I've always
liked to Bill Clinton. Yeah, I had to laugh with.

Speaker 1 (01:18:59):
Fox News Radio is Ryan smells, Bryan. We made it
on brand, Hey, buddy, We made it all the way
through the interview, and I practiced restraint and I did
not bring up the ravens.

Speaker 9 (01:19:10):
Why not? Please? You got you gotta put the pressure on.
They need to be they need to be embarrassed, scolded,
everything you need a you need it. We need a
score chers.

Speaker 1 (01:19:20):
You know, people have an oversized opinion of just how
much influence this program has. But I don't know that
we can influence the Ravens. But we'll try.

Speaker 9 (01:19:29):
Now, we'll try every little to every every big count,
every bit count.

Speaker 1 (01:19:32):
All right, Fox News Radios, Ryan Smells. Ryan, always appreciate it.
Thanks for the update, buddy, Yeah, thank you. All right,
got to take a break. We're back. We'll get to
some of your text Three or four talk three or
four is the text line. Eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two five five. That is the phone number.
This is talk line from the Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 11 (01:19:49):
We are there for you to care for you at
the Health Plan. The health Plan is still growing, giving
you a large network of doctors friendly in health for
customer service representatives, and competitive flexible pricing.

Speaker 1 (01:20:03):
Plans that meet your needs.

Speaker 3 (01:20:05):
Log on to healthplan dot org for more information. We
are there to care for you.

Speaker 1 (01:20:14):
We are here.

Speaker 21 (01:20:20):
Looking for a big new game to play. Well, there's
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Scratch off game from the West Virginia Lottery, which gives
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(01:20:41):
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Speaker 2 (01:21:02):
Metronews Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance and circling
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:21:13):
The rest of the show belongs to you. Text line
is three or four Talk three oh four. Phone number
is eight hundred and seven to sixty five Talk eight
hundred and seven sixty five eight two five to five.
Citynet Fiber is expanding across West Virginia from basics to
blazing fast ten gig speeds. They have a plan for you,
plus their new app lets you control your Wi Fi
and set parental controls with Easgo local, Go city Neet.

(01:21:36):
Visit citynet dot net today over at WV metronews dot com.
The latest edition of the Metro News high school football
rankings are out as voted on by the highly esteemed
broadcasters panel that submits votes to that every week. You
can see that at the website wv metro News dot com.
Huntington stays number one in Class for A. This week,

(01:21:58):
Martinsburg moves up to number two to the win over
Morgantown Bridgeport Class three A. Than Independence and Whama are
your number ones. You can see the full rankings at
wv metronews dot com and the s SAC playoff ratings.
Updated playoff ratings will be out later today and then
we can say if the playoffs started today, as if

(01:22:20):
that means.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
Anything at all, what week are we remind me going
into week eight?

Speaker 1 (01:22:25):
Man?

Speaker 3 (01:22:25):
That way fast? It does every year. Every year the
playoffs are like or the championship is is that first.

Speaker 1 (01:22:32):
Week December or first weekend of December? Okay, generally generally speaking,
you know, calendar moves around.

Speaker 3 (01:22:38):
I mean, man, it's knocking on the door, Thanksgiving's knocking
on the door. It's crazy.

Speaker 1 (01:22:42):
Oh, I've already started. You've probably thought about this too,
given h our job. You get into this time of year,
it goes quickly. Right, You've got holidays for me, You've
got football, Basketball's going on. There's so many things we're
gonna turn around. Man, We're gonna be in the rotunda
of the State Capitol with Senator Bird point attis and
we're going to be, you know, into the legislative session again. Yeah,

(01:23:06):
for twenty six which is crazy.

Speaker 3 (01:23:08):
It is crazy. Yeah, because no late start. Governor's not
new anymore.

Speaker 1 (01:23:12):
Yeah, January one, he's officially not new anymore. All right,
let's get to the text line three or four talk
three oh four again. I will remind you only president
in the last thirty years that hasn't had a government
shutdown was Joe Biden.

Speaker 11 (01:23:30):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:23:30):
You know, it's easy to blame all the Democrats when
the reality is the Republicans are in it just as deep.
And this is like the Ukraine and Russia, Russia saying
Ukraine started the war and then our president waffling back
and forth. I think, even though I'm not a Democrat,
that they are doing the right thing by trying to
hold Republicans' feet to the fire. And I believe the

(01:23:50):
belief about rescinding the budget. Once they do come to
the table and give in, will be rescinded. Anything that
they get in there, they will start all over again.
It is disingenuous on both sides. It's a long way
of saying, yeah, yeah, I get the TJ. I get
the distrust. I understand why one side doesn't trust the other.
Also understand why Democrats are using what leverage they have,

(01:24:12):
because otherwise, right now you're in the minority. Might not
be next year, but right now you are and you
don't have any leverage. This is the This is the
one card you can play with the one thing being
healthcare that in the polling you do better than republic
Not the Republicans are doing great, but Democrats do worse
and most subjects except for healthcare. This is your one thing,

(01:24:34):
and you've got an opportunity here. I get it, I
get the posturing.

Speaker 3 (01:24:38):
I was happy to hear Riveley Moore say that he
would be wary about using the nuclear option and getting
rid of the filibuster. That's good because if we start
talking that. In my humble opinion, man, watch out what
could happen next. Gridlock isn't bad. David should be hard
to get things done. Maybe not a budget, but it
should be hard, for the most part to get things done.

(01:24:59):
So that is a silver lining in our system. And
I was happy to hear that he was not a
fan of blowing that up.

Speaker 1 (01:25:06):
Well, you know what, that would be part of our
spiraling descent, right, because if you do, if Republicans do that,
next time it comes around Democrats, not that mutually assured
destruction should be your motivation. Yeah, but I mean that's
what we're talking, right, It's mutually assured destruction. Yeah, it is,
so all right, let's go to the phones up to
the northern outpost. Bill wants the weigh in on energy.

Speaker 5 (01:25:29):
Hey Bill, Hey, what's going on here? And speaking of energy,
pj you must have had a wonderful vacation because when
you're interview with the state senator there, it sounded like
a lawyer with talking paid by the word instead of
letting each side give a little bit more sentence structure
for their point of view counter point of view. Okay,

(01:25:52):
So on'm googling AEP and PJM. AEP has production and
customer base Arkansas, Texas, Louisa states. But I'm listing the
states Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. Those states are not

(01:26:13):
in PJM. States that are in PJM are Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania,
and North Carolina that are not represented by AEP. So
if you're gonna try to do capacity and you demand cycles,
and you know, back in the years with in the

(01:26:34):
cold business where I was at, you had morning and
evening night shift which usually less less demand than cent,
and then you had peak hours, especially summertime with air conditioning, heating.
There's a whole bunch of wayses fits together, but the
center is absolutely correct. In New York State, our rates
are going to go up twenty seven percent next year

(01:26:56):
and it has to do strictly with a green new
deal windmill or solar panels, solar farms, electric meters, et cetera.
So when when you do point counterpoint, make sure you
get apples and oranges in their separate baskets, because you
are correct about what you're saying, but it's confusing to

(01:27:17):
the audience.

Speaker 1 (01:27:18):
Thank you, sir, Bill, always appreciate it, Buddy, Thanks for
the call. Eight Thanks billing seven sixty five Talk eight
hundred and seven to sixty five eight two five five.
The text line is three or four talk three or
four text or says TJ is spot on. He's batting
one thousand on every single topic since he's been on
talk line.

Speaker 3 (01:27:35):
Thanks Mom, now, thank you three four talk three oh four?

Speaker 1 (01:27:42):
Did you all see the new Pentagon reporter restrictions reads
like a paragraph out of a book of nineteen eighty four,
from nineteen eighty four, or the book nineteen eighty four.
That's what I'm trying to mean. This is where we
are now. I did see. I saw a list, and
I can't got it remembered. You got the list of
how about just the list of organisations that are going
to sign on to the reporter restrictions one?

Speaker 3 (01:28:05):
Who know?

Speaker 2 (01:28:07):
One?

Speaker 3 (01:28:07):
America News? That is it?

Speaker 1 (01:28:09):
Now?

Speaker 3 (01:28:10):
I should tell you something.

Speaker 1 (01:28:11):
Well, And before you jump to the conclusion that liberal
media you got Newsmax, there are considered conservative organizations not
signing onto that.

Speaker 3 (01:28:24):
Washington Times, Yeah, Washington Examiner, Breaking Defense Defense one. I mean,
nobody's signing the thing. Why would you?

Speaker 1 (01:28:38):
Nineteen eighty four? I like the reference. By the way,
the book nineteen eighty four was a good year too.

Speaker 3 (01:28:43):
I'm just saying.

Speaker 1 (01:28:46):
Three or four vantage, yes, good vintage. All right, we'll
get to some more texts coming up. We'll wrap up
today's program. Tell you what might be happening on tomorrow's
edition of the show. This is talk Line from the
en Cove Insurance studios.

Speaker 21 (01:29:01):
Looking for a big new game to play, well, there's
no game bigger than the new Dino sized Jurassic World
scratch off game from the West Virginia Lottery, which gives
you a chance to win up to fifty thousand instantly.
And if that weren't enough, you can enter an our
app for a chance to win a trip to Hawaii
where you could win up to one million dollars. So

(01:29:21):
get down to your local lottery retailer today and welcome
to Jurassic World. Must be eighteen year older to play
played responsibly.

Speaker 22 (01:29:29):
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a mission. The High Technology Foundation knows economic diversity is
the key. For over thirty years, they've been dedicated to
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There's no need to look far for change. It's happening

(01:29:52):
right here at the High Technology Foundation in north central
West Virginia. Visit WVHTF dot org to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:30:19):
Jackpots are growing in West Virginia. Jackpotts 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
in store and online eighteen plus to play. Please play responsibly.
The Powerball jackpot is two hundred and seventy three million.

(01:30:40):
Mega Millions jackpot is six hundred million, So go ahead,
play today. Text line three or four talk three O four.
Let me see did we free?

Speaker 2 (01:30:52):
Oh?

Speaker 1 (01:30:52):
Yes, we read the one. TJ's batting a thousand. I
think uh, Charles Point and White Oaks Development discounted electric
rates subsidized by h R e A customers. If you
live inside Clarksburg, your rates are half h R e A.
That's how Charles Point got the hospital, says the texter.

(01:31:14):
I think if you stop the paychecks to the congressman,
I would be willing to bet the shutdown would come
to an end real quick. I don't know. They're pretty
dug in. They're pretty dug in.

Speaker 3 (01:31:27):
I don't know how many, but many people are doing that.
They're touting on. Don't pay me until you know it's over.

Speaker 1 (01:31:34):
Texter says, deregulate it all right. Did you see the
not reading. Come on. We try to avoid the libelous
stuff for the most part. Uh TJ, you had a
career day. Thumbs up, thumbs up, triple thumbs up on

(01:31:55):
the Emojis there? TJ?

Speaker 13 (01:31:58):
All Right?

Speaker 1 (01:31:58):
Three or four Talk three or four is the text
line coming up on many of the same Metro News
radio stations. It'll be Metro News Midday. Amanda Baron and
Dave Allen will be on the program as well. Mark
Curtis will stop by on Metro News Midday. Brian Payne,
Harrison County Republican Executive Committee. They're having a memorial in

(01:32:18):
Clarksburg later tonight honoring the life and legacy of conservative
commentator Charlie Kirk. Also, Judy Morre will be talking about
Bridge day. Walker Tatum, director of Alumni Engagement at Marshall,
will be on the program. They've got homecoming festivities all
week this week leading up to the homecoming game on
Saturday versus Texas State. That's coming up Metro News Midday

(01:32:42):
with Amanda barn and Dave Allen's there too, Love you,
Dave Boy. Dave Allen takes a lot of grief unwarranted,
most of its primarily from you well, Amanda Barons in
the studio.

Speaker 3 (01:32:56):
What did you just say? Warranted? Warranted?

Speaker 1 (01:33:00):
Fair enough, it's fair enough. I was going to hit
with them. Was that last week? I was going to
hit with him? And a man is asking a question
and Dave Allen says, this is Dave Allen and a
man is like as if he couldn't tell the difference.

Speaker 3 (01:33:12):
This is a fair point, Amanda, very quickly, give me
your best Dave Allen impersonation. Can you do that TJ's
Dave Villain?

Speaker 1 (01:33:19):
You need more logan eese in there, Amanda.

Speaker 3 (01:33:22):
Now, I don't do that day, don't make that face.
I'm watching them through the class.

Speaker 21 (01:33:26):
I love you.

Speaker 3 (01:33:26):
You only teach people you love. This is true, true.

Speaker 1 (01:33:30):
Let's go with that. Sure, all right, guys, David Amanda
coming up a couple of minutes from now. I want
to quickly mention here before we go to j longtime
broadcaster in the mid Ohio Valley, Dave Saint Peter. He
had done high school football, a lot of play by
play for W three R Radio and Saint Mary's had
called high school games. Longtime broadcaster you know the name,

(01:33:51):
you know the voice in the middle High Valley. He
was a contributor to Metro News high school game Night
as well. Just found out this morning he has passed away.
I'd been battling cancer for the last couple of years,
but he was a true local radio guy. He loved
going local high school sports, high school football, high school basketball,
and was doing his best to try to get back

(01:34:11):
to the radio booth this year. But he was one
of those old time, longtime local radio guys. And I
know if you are in the mid High Valley, you
know the name, you know the voice, and wanted to
pass along condolences and to his family. Dave Saint Peter
passing away. Been battling cancer for the last couple of years.

Speaker 3 (01:34:32):
Very sorry to hear that.

Speaker 1 (01:34:33):
All right, that's going to do it for us today.
David Amanda coming up next. We'll talk to you tomorrow
morning at ten oh six. This is talk Line on
Metro News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.

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