Talkline | Sept. 9, 2025

WV Treasurer Larry Pack discusses the revised budget proposal for the Hope Scholarship. Debra Rusnak, Kanawha County Prosecutor, details a murder case that involved three teens. Harrison County Senator Ben Queen believes the state's finances are in good shape. Secretary of State Kris Warner talks voter registration and Brad McElhinny stops by. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
State lawmakers getting an update on the budget process and
how the state's finances are looking. Epstein files released. If
we learn anything new, we'll get into that. Brad mclhenny
stops by as well. Special News talk line and we
are underway.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Radio turned off from the studios of w v r
C Media and the Metro News Radio and Television Network,
the Voice of West Virginia comes the most powerful show
in West Virginia. This it's Metro News talk Line with
Dave Wilson and DJ Meadows.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
Up switch network control from Charles.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Stand by and DJ.

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

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Metronews. Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling you
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Speaker 1 (01:15):
Good morning, Welcome into the program, Metro News talk Line
from the Encoba Insurance Studios. Thank you for letting us
be part of your day one of our great affiliates
across the state of West Virginia, or if you are
streaming us on the Metro News Television the Metro News
TV app, we appreciate that as well. That is where
Jake Link comes in and plays an integral part. He

(01:37):
is our video producer today eight hundred and seven to
sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty five eight two
five five. That's the phone number. You can text the
show at three or four Talk three oh four if
you would like to weigh in on any number of
topics we will discuss as the program unfolds. Coming up
bottom of the hour, Kanawah County Prosecutor Deborah Resnik will

(01:57):
join us. She and her team were secuting that tragic case,
and it's tragic all the way around for everybody involved
involving the teenagers. The tobacco store clerk who was murdered
during a robbery to teenagers have now been convicted in
his murder. We will talk about that case coming up.
Bottom of the hour. Brad Macoheney stops by. He's covering
the interim Legislative committee meetings, and Harrison County Centator Ben

(02:21):
Queen will join us as well. All of that say,
good morning, TJ. Meadows from the Charleston studios this morning,
Good morning, TJ.

Speaker 5 (02:28):
Dave, morning, Buddy Congress talking about UFOs. They're having a
UFO hearing this morning.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Now we're getting down to the hard topics. Yeah, how
about that, you know, that one should have been on
my radar of all things. What are I talking about specifically?

Speaker 5 (02:42):
Do you know?

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Well?

Speaker 5 (02:42):
I just saw it. Apparently we've got a number of
folks from the Air Force coming in, journalists, witnesses, all
talking about their experiences with the UFOs. I don't know
if the drones are involved or not.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Maybe the aliens can release the Epstein files, just saying
why not, why not bring them into the conversation as well.

Speaker 5 (03:04):
No, No, what you do is you bury the UFO
stuff or the Epstein stuff in the UFO files that
you put out there.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
See what you're saying. I see what you're saying. See see, Hey.

Speaker 5 (03:14):
Am I wrong that I would be intrigued by this though?
I like hearing this stuff.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
No, I'm fascinated by it. I'm fascinated by it. And
it turns out most of the time there's a logical explanation,
but there's like that one thing, right, but they go, yeah,
we have no idea what that was, and that you know,
that's that's where Twitter verse and the conspiracy theories and
the guy with the crazy hair that shows up on
History Channel. Yeah, every once in a while, goes it's fun.
Why is it possible that and then they come up

(03:39):
with something and you're like, well, I guess, I guess.

Speaker 5 (03:43):
So planning on the fly here. Now that I know
you're interested, I'm interested. I'm gonna make it my mission
to figure out who we can have on as a
UFO expert. That'd be an interesting segment.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
It'd be something that's for sure. Well, Halloween's not far away.
Plan for Halloween?

Speaker 5 (03:56):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Uh. Larry Pack again considering his choices to come on
this show. He's the state Revenue Secretary. Earlier this week,
he announced revised maximum projections for Hope scholarship budgeting for
the twenty six twenty seven year. The previous projected number
was over three hundred and fifteen million dollars. That's been reduced.
The estimate now just a little under two hundred and
forty five million dollars, reduction of about seventy million. To

(04:20):
explain more, we welcome the Secretary or the rest Venue
Treasurer to the program, Larry Pack. Larry, good morning.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
Hey, you want Dave, if you want TJ. I'm calling
you from Berkeley Springs, and I don't see any UFOs
out here, sir.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Keep your eyes open, Larry, they are out there.

Speaker 4 (04:38):
Well do I'll do it. I'll look for sure. All right,
How did you, beautiful.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
Morning, How did you arrive at the updated budget numbers
for the Hope Scholarship.

Speaker 4 (04:48):
Well, the budgeting on Hope Scholarship is something that we
continued to work on and revise and look at. So
as the budget season begins, we felt like it was
prouding for us to go back and look at our
numbers and look at our estimates. And we had, of
course a number of discussions with the Department of Education

(05:08):
and kind of came up with the numbers we think
are more likely not to happen. So we were able
to reduce the budget request by about seventy million dollars.
And it really goes down to we're trying to estimate,
or we are estimating the number of students that will
take advantage of the program where the fiscal year we

(05:30):
state fiscal year beginning July one of next year, so
basically the next school year. It's a little bit of
a hard thing to pin down because we really don't
know how many parents and students would take advantage of
the program. I believe this is our best estimates today,
So we wanted to get it out to the legislature,
to the governor's budget team as soon as possible, so

(05:53):
I definitely will take a little bit of pressure off
putting the budget together for next year. We expect to
revise these numbers again, are about this December. We'll go
back again with the Department of ad and look at
the information that we have and they have, and we'll
update these numbers again once we get around in December,
but don't expect to be this significant of a change

(06:14):
next December.

Speaker 5 (06:16):
So Larry, the numbers of the eligible student population dropped
from fifty four thousand to forty three thousand. I understand
it's not a hard and fast science. We don't have
a lot of forecasting history here, so we're doing the
best we can. But what do you think, if anything
that you can point to specifically drilled that number down.

Speaker 4 (06:33):
It's really what we're what we're doing. We're trying to estimate,
or we are estimating the number of private school students
that we think will take advantage of program, and also
the number of homeschool students and micro school students. And
the number that is a little bit harder to depend
down is the number of homeschool students, and that all
relates to how good the data is at the county level,

(06:56):
and then it kind of rolls up the state level
and then they share with us, and so those never
seem to be moving around a lot. And so the
biggest decrease, the reason for the bigot for the decrease
is that we're estimating estimating a lower number of homeschool
students and therefore a lower number of homeschool students that
would take advantage of the program.

Speaker 1 (07:15):
The Hope Scholarship, as TJ mentioned, hasn't been around all
that long, so there's not a lot of data to
go off of each year. Does the estimation of students
who will try to take advantage of this program? Is
it a Are you able to refine that a little
bit more so we can start to get maybe more
precise estimates and start to budget a little bit more
precisely rather than just well what we guess or think.

Speaker 4 (07:41):
I think next year, I think it's going to be
a lot more. We'll get a little more precision to it.
So the next school year is the first year that
all K through twelve students public school students will be
eligible for for Hope Scholarship. So in all private school
and all.

Speaker 5 (08:00):
School.

Speaker 4 (08:00):
So you know, we've we've kind of phased into this
over the last two or three years. We've limited the
amount of students that are eligible for Hope scholarship. But
it becomes universal next year, so that's getting a little
bit harder to estimate. So we feel real good about
this year's estimate. We estimate nineteen nineteen thousand. We think
it'll be a little less than that, so we're trying

(08:22):
to be very conservative. But next year is a little
bit more difficult because of it of the program going universal.

Speaker 5 (08:29):
Two hundred and forty four point five million will be
the need based on the current estimates. Are you hearing
anything from legislators or anyone in that budgeting process about
that number. I know some folks were nervous about three
hundred million. Hopefully this is a little more doable, but
we still have to come up with the money.

Speaker 4 (08:46):
Yeah, we have the money. I mean, basically, what we're
asking for if these numbers hold, is another as an
additional one hundred and forty million over this year's request.
A very doable number in an almost six billion dollar budget.
But sure, there's always concerned about programs, about spending. People
have different priorities as to what they think is the

(09:08):
money should be spent on. So again, I'm a big
proponent of school choice, but I'm also a big proponent
of public school. So we need to be able to
do both. And we can do both. We have the
money to do it.

Speaker 1 (09:19):
Talking to Larry Pack, State Treasurer, talking about the revised
Hope Scholarship budget numbers for the upcoming fiscal year, Larry,
the current Hope Scholarship has multiple revenue streams, a couple
of lottery fund, state funds, and then there was the
supplemental appropriations. It'll be up to the legislature and the
governor to come up with the budget. But how would
you recommend funding the Hope Scholarship.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
I think we funded with general fund dollars. The reason
that we had to go where the governor chose to
go these four different routes is that the way the
payments are required to be the first half of the
school year's payments, they're required to be out on August fifteenth,
which really kind of cuts into our end of fiscal years.

(10:02):
So we really have to fund that first half almost
a year, a year ahead or a budget year ahead,
So that's why we end up spending surplus funds. But
as we go forward, as we get this more built
into the budget, it's it's just gonna be another line
out in in UH in the in the budget going forward.
So I think the governor will build building more of

(10:22):
that into this year's budget, uh for sure. But it
all kind of relates to a new program. We have
a timy difference when the money has to go out,
and basically either way, our our spending, our spending budget,
and our cash flow of the state doesn't necessarily match
up every day, and so so we're trying to plan
cash flow as much as we're playing expenditures. But we've

(10:43):
got the money. We'll have surplus for it. We probably
could spend the first half out of surplus. We will
have the money to do that. So Governor's kind of
looking at that and his team's looking at it. But
it's a great program. It's it's it's really helping a
lot of children around around the state. And at the
same time, we do need to do some work on
public school as a particularly teacher compensation.

Speaker 5 (11:06):
We had Brad Smith on yesterday talking about the ascend program. Larry,
I'm sure you heard the announced that Charleston is now
open to attract newcomers to West Virginia. Ninety seven percent
success rate. Yeah, fantastic program. Seems to be really moving
the needle. One of the things you mentioned, though, is
that if you're going to be successful in the long
term and have that kind of retention rate, one of

(11:28):
the factors is schools. You got to have great schools.
Do you see the Hope Scholarship in your opinion, as
playing an economic development role for West Virginia? And if so, how.

Speaker 4 (11:40):
I think absolutely. And you know, I don't know which
comes first, public safety or schools, but that's definitely one too.
As far as the number one or two things is
to state, West Virginia needs to needs to focus on.
So school choice I think really does help. It gives
people different choices, different opportunities when they come to state
is how they want to educate their their children. So

(12:00):
I think it's really important to have that school toys
thing option. But we also need to understand that we've
got like this year, we got fifteen thousand students and
Hope Scholarship rough numbers, but we got two hundred and
forty thousand in public ad So we have to do both,
and we have to do both very very well. Public
school system is under stress, mostly related to we're having

(12:22):
less babies and also our population shifting, so we've got
to do a lot of work there to make sure
that we give the county school systems the tools to
flex and to do make the moves they need to make.
At the same time, we have to keep in mind
that we live in a competitive world and if we
want good teachers, we have to pay them.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
Larry Pack joining us a state treasurer and Larry one
of the criticisms of the Hope Scholarship is that that
money that is being used for these scholarship programs, these
scholarship opportunities, could be used for teacher pay raises. That's
one of the criticisms of this program.

Speaker 6 (12:57):
That is.

Speaker 4 (12:58):
But I think what we see around state, what I
hear a lot of people is that whatever they want
to spend money on is a good thing or bad thing.
In my opinion, they go to Hope Scholarship.

Speaker 7 (13:07):
But we do.

Speaker 4 (13:07):
We spend money, and we've got six billion dollar budgets.
We spend money and a lot of things in West
Virginia that I don't think are core to what a
government must do. So you know we you know, we
run turnpikes and truck stops, and we spend way too
much money doing doing those things. So we're in the
hospital business and insurance business. We're we're not good at that.
We're the DMV right, we can't run anything efficiently. So

(13:28):
there's a lot of places that we could go to
turn things over to private sector. Quit doing ourselves. That
can save save money. I mean, we've got so many regulations.
We've got regulations for our regulations and the rules for
our rules, a lot of redundencies, a lot of things
in state government that we could go and reduce spending
if we want to reduce spending to spend two other things.
But also remember we've got the money. We have never

(13:51):
been more fiscally solvent than we are today in West Virginia.
We should be proud of that. So where you're talking
about our ready day funds, our pensions for we funded
our budget, serve pluses. We got money everywhere. So we
have the cash. We just need to have. We need
to have the will to make the right decisions there.

Speaker 5 (14:11):
You're the state's chief financial officer. Some of those things
you talked about would require legislative change in your role,
can you push for some of those changes in this
upcoming legislative session? Will you? I mean you talked about
the surpluses. Should we should we take another look at
our tax structure, Should we do more tax cuts? Should
we increase teacher pay? If we have these numbers, what

(14:32):
do you think should be on the agenda as we
come into January?

Speaker 4 (14:37):
Yeah, No, we were absolutely continue to advocate for a
smaller government, for a more streamlined government that just focuses
on the core things the government is supposed to do.
We'll advocate for getting out of things that we're not
good at, that we don't have to do that other
folks can do. But yes, as chief financial officer, will
continue to push policies. We have to continue to work

(14:58):
in our tax structure. We need to be competitive. We're
surrounding the states and we're not. So there's just so
many things we can do. But the way government works
and the way it's worked in West Junior for you know,
eighty years, a hundred years, whatever it is, is, we
just we keep adding things, but we never subtract. Every
year we come in, we add this program and that program.
That may be good, that may be bad, but we

(15:19):
never subtract, We never go back. Hey, do we still
need to be doing this? That's that's what we need
to do next. We need to really look at the
things that the government's doing and say, do we really
need to do that? Is that really necessary? Is it
necessary to have five or six different inspectors that goes
that goes into your local convenience store to look at
different things? Do we need all that? But there's so
many things that we could reduce the size of government,

(15:42):
the strength and the fier government. That will save money.
If we save money, then we can do more things
for our schools, for our roads, for our infrastructure.

Speaker 1 (15:50):
State Treasurer Larry Pack always appreciate the conversation. Thanks for
joining us today.

Speaker 4 (15:55):
Good day you guys. Take care find those UFOs.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
It's ken man. We'll do our best. Thank you, Larry Packs.
Treasure comeing up three or four talk three or four
your textebra Resnik, the Kanall County Prosecutor will join a
s bottom of the hour. This is talk line. We're
often running from the Encode insurance studios.

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Speaker 2 (17:23):
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Speaker 1 (17:35):
Three or four Talk three or four. The text line
texter says, if we're rolling in money, can we expect
a substantial teacher and service personnel raise, especially to keep
up with surrounding states wages and the governor's backyard brawl,
asks the texter. I assume that that was in direct
reference to Larry Pack's statement. I try to write it down,

(17:57):
then I can't read my handwriting. We have the cash,
you just got to spend it in the right places.
I think, is I paraphrase, but I think that was
kind of what he said there toward the end ofnet interview.
Oh well, I guess we'll find out in January, won't we.
Ben Queen's going to join us top of the next hour.
He's on the Senate Finance Committee, was in yesterday's committee
meeting about the state's finances. We'll pose the question to him.

(18:20):
I think, well, I can't put words in the Treasurer's mouth.
To j Budd, he said, Hey, we've never been more
fiscally solvent. The Rainy Day Fund's good, retirements fully funded,
We're in good the pensions fully funded, We're in good shape. Okay, okay, Well,
let's see what happens in January when we get to
the budgeting process.

Speaker 5 (18:40):
Well, I have to tell you, you know, you've run surplus,
and granted maybe we're doing that because we've artificially lowered
revenue estimates. Fine, starve the beast. Look, government can never
be as efficient as it should be, so it needs help.
It needs a little push, little nudge, Dave to make
sure that it is as efficient as it can be.
Some of the things Larry talks about the turnpike. Should

(19:03):
we have those breast stops on the turnpike and be
running them, sell them, turn them over to somebody that
wants to take them onto the private sector. Why not?
We don't need that, do we?

Speaker 1 (19:14):
Are you asking rhetorically or I'm just I'm just what
you can.

Speaker 5 (19:18):
Answer if you want. I'm just saying I think there's
always things to look at, and there's always rocks to
turn over, and then you understand what you can and
can't do, and the more you search, the more efficiencies
you find. And yes, we can raise teacher pay. Yes
we could look at the tax structure again. Maybe think
about another tax cut, drive toward that zero percent, give
people more to the money. What do we see when

(19:38):
we do that sales taxes have gone up. That's a
good thing.

Speaker 1 (19:42):
I understand that government is always going to be inefficient, right,
It's just one of those realities of life. But look
at the way budget more. And I say this as
a as a non finance guy, look at your priorities.
Decide what your priority is going to be. Fund those
and then the other things, like you're talking about, do

(20:03):
we need to be in the rest stop business? Do
we need to be in the hospital business? Could somebody
do public employees insurance better than the state? Could? All
of that needs to be examined and looked at, and
then you can you can set priorities. Teacher pay ought
to be a priority, Public employees pay ought to be
a priority.

Speaker 12 (20:21):
Right.

Speaker 1 (20:21):
Foster care foster care, which we haven't even got to yet.
There was an update on that yesterday as well. Could
be a needs to be a priority, should be a priority.
Some of these other things don't need to be priorities.
But you get like Larry said, you get into the business,
you keep adding things and adding things and adding things.
You never take any away.

Speaker 5 (20:37):
One of the best things we ever did was privatize
workers comp Look how well, that turned out turned out
very well. We should be looking for these opportunities, investigating
them continually.

Speaker 1 (20:50):
That's what he is. I would think, well, maybe I
would think, don't go too far. Don't go too far.
We'll put all of these questions to Senator Ben Queen
from Harrison County. He's on the Senate Finance Committee. We'll
talk to him. Coming up at the top of the
second hour. On the other side of the news break,
we'll talk to Kanawha County Prosecutor Deborah Resnik. A guilty

(21:10):
verdicts returned yesterday in the murder trial of Barack Williams.
He was one of the two teens involved in that
murder at the tobacco shop. It was about a year
ago at this point. We'll talk to her about that.
Coming up on the other side of the break. Brad
McElhenny will join us later as well, and we'll check
in with Fox News Radios Jared Halpern. There was some
updates to the Epstein files or something like that. We'll

(21:34):
get into that later as we continue your thoughts at
three or four Talk three or four and eight hundred
and seven to sixty five Talk. This is talk Line
on Metro News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.
It is ten thirty and time to get a news update.
Let's check in with the Metro News radio network find
out what's happening all across the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
West Virginia Metro News Line Jeff Jenkins. State lawmakers will
leave Charleston later today after wrapping up a third day
of interim committee meetings and to leave the capital city
without a special session on the state's health insurance program.
Peia Governor Patrick Morrissey telling reporters Monday, there's not yet
an agreement on what changes should be made.

Speaker 13 (22:15):
We're going to continue to work with the legislature to
make that happen, and at the right point, whether it's
in upcoming weeks or months ahead, we're going to press
for solution.

Speaker 3 (22:26):
Morrissey has a few proposals out there, including changing spousal
coverage and creating a PEIA fraud unit. Today's interim committee
meeting schedule does include a meeting on PIA lallmakers are
also scheduled to talk about flooding, jails and prisons. The
next interim schedule for October fifth through the seventh a
new state law requires in God We Trust Science to
be put in public schools and college classrooms across the state.

(22:48):
A ceremony held at the capital Monday after a donation
of a couple of thousands of the signs by two
national groups What Kenny Sander Mike A's Ainger, the bill sponsor, says,
the signs are already showing up in schools.

Speaker 14 (22:59):
Bill want in effect on July eleventh, and some classumes
already have them up.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
Some counties made their own. They're even showing up on
boards of education.

Speaker 3 (23:09):
Several other states have passed similar bills. State Supreme Court
Chief Justice Bill Wooton has appointed former Justice John Hutchison
to the court after the recent death of Justice Tim Armstead.
Governor Morris, who will choose a permanent replacement. You're listening
to Metro News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 7 (23:24):
Get ready for some hard hitting high school football. The
twenty twenty five season continues Friday night with our Go
Martin Game of a Week, Wheeling Central That Williamstown plus
Catch George Washington at Cable Midland, Woodrow Wilson at Parker's
Mark Style and String Valley versus Huntington All on Metro
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(23:46):
Television app on your iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, Roku
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Speaker 15 (23:55):
When we think about substance house disorder in West Virginia,
we need everyone to come to gather and motivate. Change
artists and recovery activists throughout the state have teamed up
to paint murals that inspire hard conversations. It may seem
small that everyone played a role in breaking through stigma
and turning these murals into something vibrant and meaningful. When

(24:17):
it comes to how we think about recovery, it takes
all of us to break through addiction. Learn more at
back to Life WV dot org.

Speaker 3 (24:25):
The State Board of Education will not hold its regularly
scheduled monthly meeting tomorrow. That meeting has been canceled because
the school board will be in court on the mandatory
school entry vaccination controversy. Raleigh County Circuit Jays Michael Froebul
has a court hearing several Wednesday morning. Both sides, including
those seeking a religious exemption and the state school Board,
asked Frobel to stay the case, cancel the hearing, and

(24:45):
send the controversy to the State Supreme Court. Frobel denied
that motion. The hearing is still on. From the Metro
News anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (25:11):
Jared Halvard, Fox News Radio will join us a couple
of minutes from now. We'll get the latest from Washington,
d C. Your thoughts are welcome as well at eight
hundred and seven to sixty five Talk eight hundred seven
sixty five eight two five five. That is the phone number.
Yesterday at Canawha County, Jerry convicted fifteen year old Barack
Williams of them of murder in connection to the twenty

(25:32):
twenty four shooting death of nineteen year old Kaden Martin.
He was a clerk at a tobacco stour in North Charleston.
Williams served as the lookout during the robbery turned murder.
The conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
He will get the possibility of parole. Canawah County Prosecutor
Deborah'snick joins us from the Charleston Studios this morning. Her team,
of course, prosecuted that case.

Speaker 6 (25:53):
TJ.

Speaker 1 (25:53):
Good morning, Deborah, Good morning, Glad you can join us.

Speaker 16 (25:56):
Good morning, Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
So can you explain, I mean, through this case the
role that Barack Williams had because he was the lookout
the night of the robbery and the murder, But did
he have a larger role in this entire incident?

Speaker 17 (26:13):
You know, there is certainly some indication that he and
his co defendant had acting acted in a chain of
events that were to some extent violent events. One was
actually brought up during the course of the trial where
they had shot another female in the face, and so

(26:35):
that did come up during the course of the trial.
So to yes, they worked very closely together, they were
equally culpable, and so we were able to move forward
on a felony murder charge in this case.

Speaker 5 (26:48):
Also joining us Dave in the studio as first assistant,
Adam Petrie, Adam Aldrecht, this question to you, and you
guys can take it back and forth on whoever is
best to answer it. The defense here argued that he
was just a bystander. What kind of evidence were you
able to present that went against that argument.

Speaker 18 (27:07):
Well, we had a lot of physical evidence in this case.
We had we had video of the incident. There was
video cameras inside of the store, and that was able
to pick up and show exactly what Rock Williams did.
And you can clearly see in that video that he
was doing his job as a lookout and that he
was actively involved in participating in.

Speaker 17 (27:29):
This robbery and certainly complacent in everything that was going on.
I mean, it was very clear by the video that frankly,
it was just a heartless murder and he absolutely stood
look out. You could watch him on the video both
observing what was occurring in the store as well as

(27:50):
outside of the store, in the in the parking area,
and then even so much as after it's over going
and getting an ice cream out of the cooler and
stealing it, taking in going home eating it.

Speaker 5 (28:00):
So I want to break that down for a second.
The clerk has been shot, Yes Williams. Brock Williams then
enters the store, Yes, at the front, grabs the ice
cream and walks out, does nothing to aid the clerk
or anything like that.

Speaker 16 (28:13):
Nothing that's absolutely accurate.

Speaker 5 (28:18):
Absolutely it is that cold.

Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yes was murder, the intent was robbery? The intent? What
was the motivation here or do you even know?

Speaker 17 (28:30):
You know, it's very hard for us to try to
look inside the minds of someone else to determine what
their intent is, and frankly, that's something that we don't
always know. What I can tell you is that it
did appear to start off as a robbery, and during
the course of that robbery, the Caden Martin, the victim
in this case, was shot and killed. So I can't

(28:52):
say that they went there with the specific intent to
commit the murder. But what I can say is they
went there with the intent who robbed this store, and
during the course of that robbery did commit the murder.

Speaker 18 (29:04):
Unfortunately for us, you know, the laws in our state
allow that if a person is engaged in an activity
such as robbery, arson, those type of crimes, and someone
dies in the commission of that crime, than anyone that
was involved in the robbery can also and very obviously
can be convicted of the subsequent murder that came with that,

(29:25):
notwithstanding the intent.

Speaker 5 (29:28):
I want to understand the testimony of WILLIAMS. Hampton, who
actually pulled the trigger, pled guilty no trial right pled guilty. Yes,
testified against Williams. Detail that for me.

Speaker 17 (29:42):
Deb you know, it's pretty hard for me to sit
back and detail every aspect of his testimony out of
fear that I will mischaracterize something. I don't want to
put anything out there that is not one hundred percent accurate.
I can say is he did cooperate and did testify

(30:02):
against his co defendant, which ultimately did indicate the level
of his involvement, that he again was complacent, that he
was there fully participating in the robbery itself, being the
lookout in the robbery itself, and obviously the subsequent murder.

Speaker 5 (30:20):
Can you say whether or not Williams hamp that indicated
that it was indeed planned.

Speaker 16 (30:24):
I can't. I am not one hundred percent sure of that.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
Deborah Resnik is joining us. Knoll County Prosecutor Assistant Prosecutor
Adam Peatrie joining us in the studio as well. How
difficult is it to just work a case like this?
A fifteen year old and a seventeen year old are
going to spend the rest of their lives in prison
for order a nineteen year old was killed. These are kids,

(30:49):
These are kids. How difficult is it to work a
case like this.

Speaker 17 (30:54):
You know, having children myself, I completely understand the development
of of children and the level of maturity that a
fifteen year old has, and so it's very, very difficult
because we are dealing with children. We are dealing with frankly,
children who are our products of their environment, and so

(31:15):
we have to take all of that into consideration, but
at the same time seek the ultimate, the ultimate justice here.
We have to seek justice for the family despite the
ages of the perpetrators. As unfortunate as it is in
this instance, they were juveniles. You know, I say many
many times during almost every murder, but particularly a crime

(31:40):
of violence involving a juvenile perpetrator as well as a
young victim, you know, there is no good end result here.
All we can hope for is some semblance of justice
for the family. But three families in this instance, they're
they're forever changed and their lives will never be the same,

(32:02):
whether it be either of the defendants themselves or their families,
or the victim and his family. Their lives have intersected
in such a way that the paths the courses of
their lives have changed dramatically.

Speaker 5 (32:18):
Was Martin's family in the courtroom yesterday. They were did
you speak to them after I did? What did you
say to them or what did they say to you?

Speaker 17 (32:24):
They were very thankful to us for ensuring that we
did get justice for their family. They were, you as
you could imagine, emotional, you know, they have they have
lost someone of great importance to them, and not only
to to lose someone like that, but to lose someone

(32:45):
as a result of a violent crime sometimes that's a
little bit harder. And so they were grateful that we
got the outcome that we did. They were pleasantly surprised
that the jury returned the verdict that they did. And
so all in all, I believe despite the reason we

(33:05):
were there, they were happy with the outcome.

Speaker 18 (33:09):
Adam, anything to add, no, sir, I think dev Carvert
very good. The family was as happy as one could
be under the circumstances. And they were of course supportive
of the prosecution and were there every step of the
way for us. And of course we appreciate that, you know,
we like to have family involvement, especially in cases like this,
so we appreciate their help and and the prosecution as well.

Speaker 17 (33:31):
And they're understanding because people don't always understand the justice
system is not a quick.

Speaker 16 (33:39):
Paced beast per se.

Speaker 17 (33:41):
It is a very slow moving process, and sometimes that
can be frustrating. Sometimes it can feel like we're not
doing anything, like we're just sitting back waiting and nothing's happening.
So for a family to be patient through that process
and understand, you know, we're trying, we're move being forward.

Speaker 16 (34:00):
I know it seems slow.

Speaker 17 (34:03):
Sometimes that's very important to us because we don't always
get that level of understanding and it's not always easy
for us to do our job and do it well
when we're getting that type of outside pressure.

Speaker 1 (34:16):
Deborah Resnik, she is the Kanaala County Prosecutor. Adam Patri
Assistant Prosecutor. Guys, thank you so much for coming in
this morning. We appreciate the insights absolutely.

Speaker 5 (34:25):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (34:25):
Coming up Fox News Radios, Jared Halpern will join us
from DC. This is Talk Linel Metro News from the
and Cove Insurance Studios.

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Speaker 1 (35:55):
THREEO four Talk three or four is the text line.
Harrison County Senator Ben Queen join us at the top
of next hour. Jared Halpurn Fox News Radio joins us
from Washington, d C. This morning. Jared, Good Morning, we've
got updates to the Epstein files saga, which continues. We've
got jobs numbers. What's catching people's attention in DC this morning.

Speaker 22 (36:16):
Well, I think one of the things we're also going
to be looking for today is the White House reaction
to what's unfolding and Cutter, the Israeli airstrikes targeting Senior
Hama's leadership in Doha. The Israeli side of things is
saying that they did update and get sort of the
approval of the Trump administration before carrying out this strike,

(36:39):
and it comes at a time when President Trump had
kind of offered a take it or leave it offer
to Hamas to release the hostages and reach a ceasefire
in Guyza. But Cutter obviously has put out its own
statement they said this was a cowardly act by Israel,
condemning it. Cutter is a very important country to the

(37:01):
United States, close diplomatic relations. President Trump, you ever called,
visited the country during his Middle East trip. There is
a major US military presence in Cutter, and so I
think there will be a lot of questions about what
this attack means in the broader context of reaching an
end to the Warren Gaza and kind of the way

(37:23):
that the US is trying to balance sometimes competing relationships
in the Middle East.

Speaker 5 (37:29):
Jared A House panel released drawings from the Epstein Finals,
apparently signed by Trump. Detail that and what is the
White House saying in regard to that drawing.

Speaker 22 (37:38):
So this is the drawing that the Wall Street Journal
reported back in July. It was part of a birthday
book for Jeffrey Epstein's fifth birthday. This would have been
back in the early two thousands, so before Jeffrey Epstein
had been arrested for any crime. Other people who submitted
to this book were We're other prominent officials, including former

(38:02):
President Bill Clinton. This is a drawing that it's kind
of a crudely drawn drawing of what appears to be
the body of a woman, and it's got this dialogue
in it with what appears to be President Trump's signature.
Now the White House is that it is not his signature.
They have put out, you know, the types of executive

(38:26):
orders and stuff that he assigned to show that it
does not look like that. And they continue to push
back on this story. And you know, we've heard President
Trump obviously talk about the renewed interest in the Epstein
case as a hoax and kind of a way that Democrats,
he says, are pushing to undermine the the success that

(38:48):
his administration is having.

Speaker 1 (38:50):
But I mean, we knew that this isn't exactly new information.
Like you said, the Wall Street Journal detailed this. This
I guess we have an illustration to go with the story.

Speaker 22 (38:58):
Obvious, but the original the original story did not have
the page in question. This was part of a subpoena
that the House Oversight Committee had given to the Epstein estate.
So they gave to the committee a trove of stuff

(39:20):
that had been requested. Among them, as I said, was
this book that was put together by Gallaanne Maxwell. She
is obviously serving a prison sentence in Florida for sex trafficking,
the long time associate and girlfriend of Epstein. And so
there had been a lot of questions about kind of

(39:42):
what has been released, what hasn't been released, what was investigated.
So this was kind of part of that. Democrats on
that committee were quick to release this part of that trove.
And again the White House insists that this is not
the president's signature, this is not something that he did.
So that's been the reaction thus far from from the

(40:02):
White House from President Trump. Obviously, it has created a
new line of questioning in this case, and in many
ways that has been a frustration, no doubt for the President.
As I said, for the administration, they view this largely
as a way for Democrats to distract from other accomplishments.

(40:28):
The White House says, they question why none of this
came out in the four years of the Biden administration,
why none of this came out during the Obama administration. Certainly,
Jeffrey Epstein has been a focal point of the Justice
Department for many years. Trump has said that they broke
off their relationship many, many years ago. A lot of

(40:50):
other prominent officials have said the exact same thing. As
I pointed out, this birthday book has notes from a
host of prominent people via way, Bill Clinton, others that
at least were associated with him in the early two
thousands when he was kind of a major New York figure,

(41:13):
Palm Beach figure, a financier, and seem to have an
awful lot of connections with both political and business leaders.

Speaker 5 (41:21):
Jared, I want to transition to twenty nineteen. This Navy
seal mission that killed North Korean civilians, Trump says, he
doesn't know anything about it. If you could quickly outline
what happened and what the White House is now saying, Well,
with the White.

Speaker 22 (41:35):
House, that's since I did anything other than what we
heard from President Trump last week where he said he
doesn't know anything about it.

Speaker 1 (41:39):
Now.

Speaker 22 (41:40):
This was a report that was in the New York
Times over the weekend. It details this special operations, this
steal Team six operation back in twenty nineteen that was
not successful. This would have been the same time that
the Trump administration, the first Trump administration, was trying to
open up dialogue in nuclear negotiations with Kim Jong Unident

(42:00):
Trump was about to meet with Kim Jong un and
one of the things that was vexing US officials was
that they didn't have a lot of intelligence into the
thinking of the North Korean leader, and so there was,
at least according to this report, a plan devised by
which Navy seals would make their way onto the North
Korean shore, they would put some sort of listening device

(42:22):
in the country, and they would get out of there.
As they were carrying out this mission, the report says
there was a North Korean fishing vessel. The seals on
the ground did not know what that vessel was. They
had no way to communicate with other folks who were
in the water, and so they opened fire. They killed
these people on the vessel. It appears that perhaps they
were only fishermen. They were unable to put the listening

(42:45):
device in because they had to high tail it out
of there. It was all obviously very classified. The reporting
goes on to suggest that there was a similar operation
and carried out back in two thousand and five that
also was not previously reported, and it raises questions about transparency.
It raises questions about congressional notification. In this case, the

(43:09):
reporting says Congress was not notified, the intelligence communities were
not committees were not notified. And so the concern that
was at least expressed by those who disclose this to
The New York Times is that if the public and
lawmakers are only made privy to the successful special operations
rates like the killing of Osama bin Laden, they can

(43:31):
create a false level of confidence for how challenging and
how risky these operations often are, and can perhaps give
can give misguided kind of information on how successful when
you're kind of agreeing to the greenlight of some of
these operations.

Speaker 1 (43:52):
He's Jared Halpern Fox News Radio from DC. Jared, appreciate it,
Thank you very much.

Speaker 22 (43:56):
Sure, thank you.

Speaker 1 (43:57):
Back to wrap up hour number one in a moment.
This is talk line from the Insurance Studios.

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Mega Millions at Jackpot is three hundred and fifty eight million,
So go ahead play today. A couple of texts before
the top of the hour three or four talk three
O four. How can you all constantly dismiss clear and
unequivocal evidence that you voted for a rapist and a pedophile?
Dave and TJ. I'm embarrassed that I once thought, for
a fleeting moment that you had integrity the sex abuser.

(46:30):
Trump claimed he had released the files and is desperately
trying to hide them. Not suspicious at all, says The Texter.
This Texter says, Epstein's victim said in an interview, the
President Trump did nothing yet Democrats are still reaching for
something anything. But wait, what happened to believe all women
curiosity emoji face? Uh hmm, that's interesting, says the Texter.

(46:56):
If that's true the President did not know, which I
don't believe, then there's a serious chain of command problem
with the military. Talking about the seal strike there, How does.

Speaker 5 (47:06):
Somebody know who we voted for.

Speaker 1 (47:09):
I'd like to know how they got a hold of
the Epstein files and found unequivocal evidence of what they're
accusing the president of Look, show me some amount of
of COVID CO evidence will change her. Tomb It's talklineal
Metro News for forty years. The voice of West Virginia
Metro News.

Speaker 2 (47:27):
Talk line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling you with
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Speaker 1 (47:39):
Second Hour Metro News talk line from the Encova Insurance studios.
It's glad you're part of our day eight hundred and
seven to sixty five talks. The phone number three or
four talk three four is the text line coming up.
Brad mclheenny. He's been covering the Interim Committee meetings in Charleston.
He will stop buy and later Secretary of State Chris
Warner will join us. Your thoughts are welcome. Eight hundred

(48:01):
and seven and sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty
five eight two five five and three or four talk
three four. Uh TJ. I was looking during the break
there a story from USA Today discussions of UFOs and
assertions that the government knows more about them than it's
letting on. Well, once again fill the halls of Congress.
A House Task Force on Government Transparency is hosting a

(48:23):
hearing today in which four witnesses will offer testimony under
oath about their experiences with UFOs, as well as their
perception that the military is being less than fully transparent
about exactly what is behind the sightings. I used to
have the X files music on the hot keys. I
don't have it anymore, but this would be an appropriate
place for it.

Speaker 5 (48:45):
Well, hey man, I would love to go there. I
think we do an hour. It's still a solid hour
with on UFOs. But I mean it wasn't the stealth
bombered Area fifty two. I mean that was a UFO
until it wasn't a UFO. There's there's there's always something, right,
I mean, there's always some explanation. I mean, wouldn't we

(49:06):
have Look if if we've been charting space now, I
forget a lot of our satellites like what what I'm
having a moment, but some of the ones we've launched
the way out there now, wouldn't we have found something
by now? I mean, wouldn't we have We've been sending
radio signals into space for years. I mean, wouldn't we
have found something?

Speaker 1 (49:25):
What setting the movie is, it's where they're beaming back
like television signals.

Speaker 5 (49:31):
I think joe Dye Foster, the Joey Foster movie with
first first content? Is it first contact?

Speaker 1 (49:36):
I thought something like that.

Speaker 5 (49:38):
Somebody on the text line helped me out, but now
I know the one you're talking about. They beamed back
the images of Hitler ringing in the Olympics, and they've
embedded these instructions on how to contact them. So, yeah,
shouldn't we have gotten that by now? So should something have.

Speaker 1 (49:51):
Hit a man? If you could jet across galaxies move
at the speed of light, and you get to Earth
and you go, they're doing what on the Who's apps?
What are the Epstein files? You'd leave us alone.

Speaker 5 (50:02):
You might just keep on going, which is impossible, by
the way, to travel the speed of light.

Speaker 1 (50:09):
Well, approaching the speed of light.

Speaker 5 (50:11):
Physics has proven that, you know, everyone would age thousands
of years and okay, never mind, I'm losing people. But yeah,
I'm fascinated by the topic though.

Speaker 1 (50:20):
Of course it's all just a distraction to keep, you know,
from the Epstein files.

Speaker 5 (50:24):
Contact or first contact. I'm getting both movies.

Speaker 1 (50:27):
Okay, okay. Meanwhile, all back on Earth and in particular Charleston,
lawmakers got an update on the state's finances yesterday. We
actually spoke to Revenue Secretary Eric Nelson last week on
the show. He told lawmakers the budget's doing okay, and
the officials are starting the process of developing the budget
for next year. They're not painting the dire picture that

(50:48):
we talked about at one point that include a four
hundred million dollar budget hole Harrison County Cenator Ben Queen's
on the Senate Finance Committee. He was in the meetings yesterday.
He joins us on Metro News talk line.

Speaker 11 (50:59):
Ben, Good morning, guys, Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (51:02):
So, how did you feel leaving the meeting yesterday with
regards to the state finances?

Speaker 11 (51:08):
I actually felt good. I mean, we're nearly sixteen weeks
away from you two coming to under the Golden Dome
and joining us for another legislative session. We're two hundred
and fifty million dollars in our surpluses, more than expected.
We've given a billion dollars in tax relief. I felt

(51:29):
pretty good knowing that there's not a glaring hole going
into next budget. I mean, I think that's the whole
point of these interims is to prepare for the twenty
twenty sixth session so that on day one we're not
completely blindsided by big news. Sure, we have Hope scholarship numbers,
we have PIA coming, we got roads to fix, we

(51:49):
have things that will eat up that surplus incredibly quickly.

Speaker 1 (51:54):
But I felt good.

Speaker 12 (51:54):
I felt.

Speaker 1 (51:57):
Incredibly confident.

Speaker 11 (51:58):
When the governor's team share is the amount of transparency
that they do, I think it builds trust, and I
think we're heading in the right direction.

Speaker 5 (52:07):
Ben, I gotta be honest. The budget thing back to
last year kind of felt like we had more ups
and downs than King's Island, man. I mean, it was just,
you know, the roller coaster was all over the place.
You can only cry wolf so many times until people
don't want to listen anymore. I mean, are you are
you worried the narrative will change again? I'll just flat
out to ask you, are we are we going to go?

(52:29):
Are we going to see something different when we get
there in January?

Speaker 11 (52:32):
I've learned that a new administration causes all types of
questions with why agencies spend money, with why we do
the things we do. And I applaud Governor Morcy for
flipping those stones over and putting the legislature on on
on notice that hey, we might have issues on the horizon.
I think both Senate Finance and House Finance did a

(52:56):
very good job of lining those issues out, figuring out
our priorities, understanding where the governor thought we might have
a deficit. I'm you know, I'm pretty proud of the
budget we passed, surely. I mean, I'm all for pay raises.
I think PI needs some tweaks, but you know, I
think we're on the right trajectory, especially with yesterday's report

(53:19):
of a healthy rainy day fund, another healthy reserve fund
that has five hundred million dollars in it. You know,
we're not always going to agree with the governor on everything.
The House isn't always going to agree with the Senate
on everything.

Speaker 1 (53:34):
I think this is healthy.

Speaker 11 (53:35):
I think these conversations in public, going back and forth
and disagreeing on on some things, I think it's healthy transparency.
We celebrate transparency is a good thing, and we celebrate
it as always, you know, positive numbers, but I think
it's okay when you throw everything out on the table
and understand the risks. I think the public wants that,
and I think yesterday, you know, once again, proved that

(53:57):
in nine months we have a little bit, I believe,
a little bit more of a rosy picture heading into
the twenty sixth session where we don't have to totally
talk to agencies just to whack budgets. We can actually
talk about priority spending, and I think that's important.

Speaker 1 (54:11):
Ben Queen is joining US Harrison County Center on the
Senate Finance Committee you mentioned a there was a lot
of talk rumors flying around that hey, maybe September will
be the special session to address peia. That's not happening
during these intercommittee meetings. From your vantage point, do we
even know what needs to be fixed or what is
broken with peia so we can come up with some

(54:32):
sort of solution.

Speaker 11 (54:34):
I think it's great that we're talking about possibilities. We're
talking about possibilities for retirees, We're talking about possibilities with
new hires. I think we're throwing everything out on the table.
You know, as caucus chair of the Senate Republicans, I
got to be a little careful. We got together yesterday
and we continue to hash out what we believe are
good priorities. I think it was a great discussion. Everyone participate.

(55:00):
You know, what what can we do as a as
a team in the Senate to continue to have conversations
with the governor. We can continue to have conversations with
the House. We have sixteen weeks, we got two major
holidays coming up. We're not that far away from a session.
We can go home and talk to folks. I mean

(55:21):
our phones are are are ringing about PEA. We have
a lot of state employees that I believe we deserve
all due respect to make sure that the best benefit
package is going forward. But I don't think West Virginia
is unique to healthcare costs riizing. I think we have
great medical partners that can come to the table as

(55:41):
well and be part of that solution. So, you know,
I'm happy that these conversations are happening. I am you know.
I think the governor has had great conversations, not only with.

Speaker 1 (55:51):
My Oh Capital Wi Fi there he goes, Oh, I'm sorry.

Speaker 11 (55:59):
I think the Governor will us to do something and
understand that we have a lot of possibility to come
to some sort of a compromise or back here in
a month. So I expect these conversations to continue to
have them.

Speaker 5 (56:11):
Just wrapped up the business summit, state leaders from across
West Virginia. There, I was there, I saw you there,
Ben Dave was there. The mood felt a little flat
to me in that I'm not sure the crowd heard
what they wanted to hear. In terms of economic development
strategy moving forward, Chamber came out with their list of

(56:32):
legislative agenda items upcoming. I know you're a big fan
of economic development. Are we going to have more of
a focus there this session and will the legislature get
away from that fair or unfair narrative that we didn't
spend enough time last session on economic development.

Speaker 4 (56:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (56:47):
I think jobs is the number one priority. I think
it's a priority amongst hallways in the Capitol. Just spent
time last night with Western Manufacturers and several of their
board members. People want jobs. We want a healthy economic
development group here in Charleston. We want them to be
able to to go out and recruit as many new.

Speaker 4 (57:10):
Jobs as possible.

Speaker 11 (57:11):
We also have to do a focus on expanding the
jobs we have here. I know there's several just for instance,
manufacturers who could be on the verge of of of
increasing or or doubling their employment. Let's start there as well.
I think the different strategies that the governor has on

(57:31):
economic development, that's that's a new vision. I want the
governor to be successful. I want everybody down here to
be successful, and I at the end of the day,
I want more opportunities for thirty year olds like myself
who are who are making the decision to stay.

Speaker 1 (57:46):
I think the.

Speaker 11 (57:47):
Chamber summit, I believe, was a little bit more positive
than maybe your take, TJ. I think there was a
lot of people there. I think a lot of people
see the potential in West Virginia, and I, you know,
I hope that this coming legislative session that we can
make sure that not only we're tearing down red tape,
but I hope that we can create some sort of

(58:08):
a leverage opportunity for West Virginia. Listen, Ohio, Texas, Florida,
They're all going to have more money than us, But
I think West Virginia can go out there and love
on people a little bit more and have the opportunity
to really put West Virginia on the map.

Speaker 5 (58:23):
Let me jump back in on the money thing real quick, sorry, Dave.
In terms of that, You're right, we don't have the
capital that those states do. We had Brad Smith on
yesterday talking about the Ascend program, which I think is
absolutely wonderful. They're closing in on five hundred people that
it's brought here and they bring a job with them.
He basically funded this thing right out of his own pocket.
Should in the state put some of our economic development

(58:45):
dollars there and double down on the investment that he's
already made. If we're seeing those kinds of results.

Speaker 11 (58:51):
Sure, I think it's a great program. I actually listen
to that interview. I think we are a small part
of that program, and I think Brad Smith is doing
a wonderful job at leading effort. But TJ, I got
a lot of friends here now that I'm in the
kid raising age, who are here struggling to stay. I
got a lot of friends who are twenty eight and
when they see the news that we're giving somebody the opportunity,

(59:13):
they understand that are rising rising tide lifts all boats.
But at the end of the day, what are we
doing to be able to keep these young West Virginians here?
You know, Ever since now having a one and a
half year old, my perspective has changed a little bit.
You know, we have to make sure that young people

(59:34):
feel supportive. That doesn't mean the government supports them. I'd
rather the government not support them as much, but being
able to bring new sexy tech jobs, maybe with the
data center, energy power generation. I'm right in the heart
of gas country, man, oh Man, I just visited a
potential site in my neck of the woods for a

(59:55):
gas generation plant. We got to have these things with
These things are going to bring jobs and are going to,
you know, make sure that our economies have enough money
that goes around to fuel them. But I think the
legislature needs to play it. It's part in making sure
that we are driving down no matter how much money
we we can, we can devote to economic development. Flattening

(01:00:15):
flattening mountains. Remember we used to talk about that in
Harrison County at our airport. We we flatten a mountain
and built eighty acres of develop a land. That's a
big deal for for a community like mine. So I
think we're on the right track. We just got to
keep keep the pedal on the gases and talk about
job opportunities.

Speaker 1 (01:00:34):
He's been Queen Harrison County Center.

Speaker 2 (01:00:36):
Ben.

Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
We'll see at the capital soon enough, buddy, Thank you bunch.

Speaker 11 (01:00:38):
Thanks than Sea.

Speaker 1 (01:00:39):
Coming up Brad McElhenny with the latest from the Capitol.
This is talk line from the and Coved Insurance Studios.

Speaker 9 (01:00:45):
Rafters along the Lower Galley have reported sightings of a
pirate on the riverbank. Apparently he's throwing gold coins to
every boat it passes back to you carry I Play.

Speaker 10 (01:00:55):
West Virginia's new online lottery app is here, and the
games are full of characters. Start play today at Wblottery
dot com or download the official West Virginia Lottery app
and discover even more ways to win with play on
our new rewards program.

Speaker 24 (01:01:08):
So join the cast of characters.

Speaker 10 (01:01:09):
Today with Iplay from the West Virginia Lottery eighteen plus
to play play responsibly.

Speaker 25 (01:01:15):
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and stabbing sensations in the feet. The Fellowship trained, Board
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Visit Wvumedicine dot org slash pain or call eight five
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Speaker 26 (01:01:46):
Did you know Marvel Production make Clarksburg the Marvel Capital
of the World by acroagot up until the late nineteen fifties,
and today those Marvels are worth thousands of dollars. Clarksburg, Yes, Clarksburg.
Did you know that Clarksburg's Robinson Graham was the first
theater in West Virginia to introduce talking pictures in nineteen

(01:02:07):
twenty seven.

Speaker 27 (01:02:08):
Clarksburg, Yes, Clarksburg Explore more at come home to Clarksburg
dot com.

Speaker 1 (01:02:33):
Betcha News talk line continues Secretary of State Chris Warner
bottom of the hour. Brad mclelhenny is the Metro News
statewide correspondent. He was keeping an eye on all things
interim committee meetings and he joins us on Metro News
talk line this morning. Brad, good to see you.

Speaker 5 (01:02:51):
Oh, hello, Dave, Hello TJ.

Speaker 1 (01:02:53):
We were talking about the finances with ben Queen. You
covered that meeting as well as a meeting with a
Secretary of Human Services Alex Mayor, who told lawmakers about
continued focus on child welfare needs and staffing to make
certain that work receives proper attention. All right, what was
Mayor's update?

Speaker 28 (01:03:13):
Oh, I'm going to drive your ratings. So you know
you heard just now that state finances seem okay, fine,
goldilocks or just just right, not a crisis, not a
rocket ship ride. Similar stories with other aspects of legislative updates.
So I mean, child welfare continues to be a significant

(01:03:36):
issue in West Virginia, tied with drug addiction and the
ability of families to you know to to raise their
children in a solid and attentive manner. Six thousand kids
according to the state's child child Welfare Dashboard in custody
of the state, six thousand kids and Alex Mayor there's

(01:04:01):
a couple of data points that he described. There is
often concern among West Virginians about the children who are
being kept in hotels or in out of state facilities.
So right now, six foster children, sorry, eighteen foster children
in hotels at this moment, eighteen and six hundred being

(01:04:27):
sent to facility out of state. Mayor said that West
Virginia is trying to discuss those complicated issues with experts
and with people in other states who you know, can
lend some advice. But the reason these things are happening,
it's being held in hotels or in out of state facilities,

(01:04:50):
is they are in complicated situations, complicated emotions, sometimes unfortunately
acting out by those and so it's really not just
as easy as as bringing them home. And you know,
to continue with my my hypothesis that the theme of

(01:05:14):
these interims is things are okay, could be better?

Speaker 1 (01:05:17):
Okay, there is.

Speaker 28 (01:05:20):
You may remember when West Virginia had an emergency in
its jail system. Governor Justice called out the National Guard
for staffing in the jail system. At the moment, the
new Corrections Commissioner David Kelly is speaking before legislators, and
I mean, I think I haven't had a chance to
listen very thoroughly. I'm on here with you, but I

(01:05:42):
think the message is that you know that there's not
currently an emergency on that kind of staffing that there
has been, but things are under control right now.

Speaker 5 (01:05:52):
Brad, we've heard before that CPS is understaffed. Did Mayor
give any indication of where we are on staffing levels?

Speaker 28 (01:05:59):
And CP yes, yeah, again doing okay. Child Protective Services
is authorized for eight hundred and ten positions. Sixty nine
are vacant right now, and so you know, Mayor expressed appreciation.
Alex Mayor, Secretary for Human Services for the State of
West Virginia, expressed appreciation for the folks with his agency

(01:06:24):
who are in charge of recruitment and retention. That's about
a vacancy rate of eight point three percent. It's different
in different areas of the state, but that's much better
than it was. And so you know that that staffing
of Child Protective Services would also have been considered an
emergency a few years ago, and it appears to be stable.

Speaker 1 (01:06:46):
Mentioning State line correspondent Brad McIlhenny got about ninety seconds, Brad,
what's the latest legal wrangling as far as religious exemptions
and the state's mandatory school vaccinations laws?

Speaker 28 (01:06:58):
Goes going back to in Raleigh County tomorrow nine am
permanent injunction hearing in Judge Michael Froebele's courtroom. Interesting thing
is both sides, the lawyers representing the families who want
religious exemptions and lawyers representing the state and local school boards.

(01:07:18):
Both of them said that they don't want to do
this hearing.

Speaker 1 (01:07:20):
It should be halted.

Speaker 28 (01:07:22):
They want to just move ahead and focus on the
Supreme Court. That's the ballgame. But Judge Froebell yesterday told
those judges, well, we're having the hearing anyway. We need
to expand the record for the Supreme Court to take
a look at. So they'll be probably hearing from some witnesses,
a little bit of legal jousting. And there's this other case,

(01:07:43):
the aclu led case that originally was filed in Kanaw
County that has been hooked on to the original Raleigh
County case. So Judge Froebell will be hearing essentially two
cases at once beginning nine am tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (01:07:56):
Sounds like you're going to Beckley tomorrow.

Speaker 28 (01:08:00):
Ro Bowl in his courtroom have been kind enough, just
between me and you and the listeners to provide streaming technology,
and I am grateful that they.

Speaker 1 (01:08:08):
Have twenty first century Brad McElhenney living in the twenty
first century. You can read his work over at the website,
of course, wv Metronews dot com. Well, I have that
case covered for you tomorrow, Brad, Thank you very much.
We look forward to it. Hey, thanks thanks Brad. Coming
up state West Virginia Secretary of State Chris Warner is
going to join us. September is voter registration month. We'll

(01:08:31):
talk to Chris. Coming up your calls, text and tweets
as well. Eight hundred seven to sixty five talk and
three or four talk three oh four. That's the phone
number and that is the text line. We will get
some of your thoughts. Coming up just a little bit
later on Chris Warner, Secretary of State, going to join
us on the other side of the news break. Phone
numbers again, eight hundred and seven to sixty five Talk
and you can text the show at three or four

(01:08:52):
Talk three oh four Dave Wilson and Morgantown. TJ. Meadows
is in Charleston. Jake Link on the video stream all
Together its talk line on Metro News. Metro News for
forty years, the voice of West Virginia. It's eleven thirty
times to get a news update. Let's check in with
the Metro News radio network. Find out what's happening across

(01:09:14):
the great state of West Virginia.

Speaker 14 (01:09:16):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Chris Lawrence, the Chancellor of
Higher Education in West Virginia, is hopeful the state can
find a way to simplify financial aid programs, making them
easier for students to navigate in West Virginia. Sarah Armstrong
Tucker also told lawmakers she's concerned about the continued low
college going rate for West Virginia high school graduates.

Speaker 29 (01:09:35):
Tucker appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Education Monday
afternoon to highlight the research her team has done to
begin addressing the problem. She said they have found that
the issue lies with financial aid being difficult to understand,
especially when it comes to eligibility, the process and requirements
Tucker expressed hope that she and the legislature can work
together to find a solution to.

Speaker 24 (01:09:56):
Work cohesively in a way that works better for them
and for our financial aid directors and counselors in the state.

Speaker 29 (01:10:03):
Currently, there are seventeen financial aid programs, each with different
requirements available within the state. On Morgan Pemberton WV metronews
dot com.

Speaker 14 (01:10:11):
The Pennsylvania man who robbed a Wheeling bank is headed
to prison for ten years. Fifty nine year old Frank
Morrison and Braddock Hills, PA. Was sentenced for the robbery
of the United Bank branch in elm Grove in September
of twenty eighteen. He held up the bank and took
forty two hundred dollars in the highest but discarded his
mask and other items in a nearby dumpster. Those were
recovered in DNA on The mask matched Morrison, leading to

(01:10:31):
his conviction. It wasn't his first In Harrison County, a
man convicted of an insurance scam will spend seven years
in federal prison. Thirty one year old Jesse Pumfrey of
Clarksburg was convicted. You're listening to Metro news for forty years.
The boys of West Virginia.

Speaker 8 (01:10:46):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawats a 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 baseload power.

Speaker 5 (01:11:05):
Our families and.

Speaker 8 (01:11:06):
Businesses 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
fifteen is a dynamic approach to economic development which will
supercharge our state's coal industry and broader economy. With Governor

(01:11:27):
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 14 (01:11:44):
A former member of the Supreme Court, Justice John Hutchinson,
will return to the bench for a brief time. Hutchinson
sat on the High Court and then chose not to
run again last year, but he's been appointed to fill
the vacancy created with the death of Justice Tim Armstead
until Governor Patrick Morrissey can name a replacement, and the
State Board of Education Milana the twenty twenty six West
Virginia Teacher and School Service Personnel of the Year tonight.

(01:12:06):
Ceremonies set for six o'clock at the Culture Center in Charleston.
From the Metro News anchored Ask, I'm Chris Lawrence.

Speaker 1 (01:12:31):
Actual News talk line continues. Rich Rodriguez will be addressing
the media later this afternoon. We'll have his comments for
you over at the website WDV metro News dot com. Currently,
we have a story posted from Greg Carey rich rod
announcing it yesterday that Jaheim White and Jaden Brown would

(01:12:53):
be our bray would be out for the rest of
the season. They were injured in that Ohio game. That's
a big loss for the mountain so we'll see how
they respondit. Coming to town this week Backyard Brawl and
Morgantown Saturday, We'll see how the Mountaineers respond to those injuries.
We got a story posted for you over at the
website Wvmetronews dot com. Secretary of State Chris Warner scheduled

(01:13:18):
to join us in a moment right now, let's take
a phone call from Huntington. Victoria has been very patiently
waiting once to comment on Trump and Epstein. Victoria, good morning,
what's on your mind?

Speaker 6 (01:13:30):
Good morning, guys. I do listen to you frequent them
a little bit worse. So I'm going to try to
get through this.

Speaker 8 (01:13:37):
Well.

Speaker 6 (01:13:38):
We've seen a lot of pictures of Trump and Esstein
over the years, in photos, what have you. The world
knows they had a friendship. And that birthday book, I
don't know how old it is, twenty thirty years old,
but Trump is about what eighty. I don't know how
that book is. But when it comes to a signature,

(01:14:00):
my signature itself, it changes all the time. I don't
even write, no doubt the way I did when I
was twenty thirty, forty or fifty. And that being said,
it's not so far fence to think that that signature
that they're denying is mister Trump's. It is his segmatary.

(01:14:22):
I don't know what the fear is behind not, you know,
owing up to his signature. But there's a lot that
they have to get through on these fouls. Anyway, it's
just the beginning, and there was a comment made about
why it didn't come out when Bidamin's office Obama was
in all office, Well why didn't come out when Trump

(01:14:43):
is in office? Didd He has probably did the same
amount of junk from fifteen twenty years and he's not
even really getting time for what he done. You can't
even say he didn't sign a birthday book for him.
But signatures are not going to be the same if
you signed something ten or fifteen years ago. And I

(01:15:04):
wish that he would not call this a hoax because
I feel like when he says something is a hoax,
what is your fear? And are you trying to hide something?
Nothing's never ever a hoax, or they wouldn't be trying
to investigate it. I don't wish bad on anyone, but
let them do their job.

Speaker 1 (01:15:25):
Victoria, thank you very much for the phone call. And
you're exactly right. Your signature changes over time. Everybody changes
over time. And that's where the Trump administration has bumbled
this from the day they got well, when they started
the grift, when he started the grift, release the files,
released the files. We're going to release the files, and
then you don't deliver on the promise. Then Pam Bondi says, oh,

(01:15:45):
I've got the list on my desk. You don't deliver
on that. You created the firestorm, and you've you're handling this.
They have bumbled this from the get go. Why I
try to pretend that this is all made up in
a hoax when you could just say, yeah, the guy
we were acquainting says, I had no idea that this
guy was the monster that he is. Was seems like

(01:16:06):
that's the way to handle it, even But to come up, oh,
that's not.

Speaker 5 (01:16:11):
My Yeah, okay, okay, I don't think they keep fumbling too.
I mean, yeah, Johnson, Mike Johnson got into it. And
this may not be a direct reflection of the Trump administration,
but Johnson was well he was an informant for the FBI.
Did you catch that? And then he tried to walk
that back. Put the files out, Just push the files
out and own it and move forward. That's the only

(01:16:32):
way this is not going away. Period.

Speaker 1 (01:16:35):
No, and again, this wasn't a thing. It wasn't a thing.
Was it a thing during the Biden administration? Well, people
made it a thing because they got clicks and listeners
on their podcasts. And now that you don't deliver on
the promise. It becomes Democrats have something to latch on too.
Republicans who are going to be on this side have
something to latch on too. All right, let's move on.

(01:16:57):
Chris Warner is joining us. He is the West Virginia
Secretary of State. September is national voter registration month. Secretary
of State, Chris Warner, Good morning, sir.

Speaker 12 (01:17:07):
Good morning, calling in from Marion County. Just finishing up
with a group of entrepreneurs, an alliance of entrepreneurs. So
glad to be with you and talk about national voter registration.

Speaker 1 (01:17:18):
Monk, why September? Why is now the time to start
thinking about voter registration?

Speaker 12 (01:17:23):
Well, the National Association of Secretaries of State his determined
September is the month he gives us all anywhere across
the country time to register to vote. If we're not
registered to vote, or if you've changed your name since
the last election, it's time to update that information. But
it's in West Virginia. It's four months before the first

(01:17:45):
filing of the midterm elections in twenty twenty six. January
twelfth is that date. This gives people plenty of time
again to update records. Change their party registration if they
so choose, or register for the first time.

Speaker 5 (01:18:01):
Chris, why do you think we have such low registered voters?
Maybe not in West Virginia, but when I was looking
nationally the other day, the numbers are just they're not great.
I mean, there's there's maybe sixty percent that actually registered
to vote. That seems like such a missed opportunity to me.
Why do you think that is?

Speaker 12 (01:18:18):
You know, there are folks that you know, there are
I guess two arguments that I hear around the country,
whether it's apathy and what we focus on. And I
don't mean to pick on anybody, but you know, legislative
interim sessions going on in Charleston. I'm on my way
to Huntington yesterday for a speech at six o'clock and
here on talk radio they're talking about a baseball going

(01:18:41):
into the bleacher seats and who got the baseball for
twenty minutes. Yeah, I believe quite frankly, there's you know,
there's a there's a lack of leadership, and we need
to focus on what's important and hopefully our legislature gets
focused on businessman in West Virginia.

Speaker 5 (01:19:02):
But as it.

Speaker 12 (01:19:02):
Relates to elections, if it's you know, if it's not apathy,
it's people are happy with leadership that eva currently have
and received. When you talk about voter turnout, we were
at sixty three point seven percent of our registered voters
that voted in the last presidential election. You know, we're

(01:19:24):
doing everything we can to make it easy to vote,
but hard to cheat. It's up to the candidates and
it's up to the political parties once we make it
easy for them to register to vote, to actually get
out and vote for their candidate of their choice. Quite trankly,
it's not the Secretary of State's job to turn voters

(01:19:46):
out on election day. That wouldn't be right, and you know,
we'd be accused of favoring one side or the other.
But we've got to have good candidates, good political parties,
good political action committees if we're going to drop turnout.

Speaker 1 (01:20:00):
Looking to West Vinian Secretary of State Chris Warner, Chris
speaking of turnout, one of the lowest turnouts for any
elections are local elections, city elections, and that was one
of the motivations that the state legislature passed to build
to have cities align their elections with the state elections.
Whether that's May or November. There are some logistical concerns

(01:20:20):
for municipalities making those changes. Has your office been in
contact with cities? Are you helping them make those adjustments
in the time that was allotted?

Speaker 12 (01:20:29):
Yeah, the timeframe we have until twenty thirty two according
to the legislature, and my job is to carry out
the will and pleasure quite frankly of the legislature. But yeah,
we have cities, quite frankly, municipalities where the city is
split between delegate districts and senatorial districts, and so they're

(01:20:51):
mapping issues. And that's why the legislature gave all of us,
you know, municipal recorders and mayors and city councils and
county elected officials to work out those maps and figure
out how they can be incorporated into the general elections
that occur every two years.

Speaker 5 (01:21:13):
Christopher, those that want to run, I think we're getting closer.
It's not that far away. If you want to file
for candidates in the primary election for twenty six, do
I have that right?

Speaker 12 (01:21:24):
Yeah, it's just four months away. January twelfth is the
starting date and it'll end by the end of January.
So again, this is a perfect time to make sure
that you're properly registered. And by the way, now you
know you used to have to go into the county
courthouse to do that, but you can do that now

(01:21:44):
at go vote WV dot com. Go vote WV dot
com and do anything from changing your party registration to
registering for the first time. And again I would remind
folks that when the twenty six elections come up, you
have to have a photo ID, whether that's a military ID,
a driver's license in West Virginia, or a passport or

(01:22:06):
any government issued photo ID to be able to vote
in the twenty twenty sixth election.

Speaker 1 (01:22:12):
You always did poll workers. You want to do your
pullworker pitch.

Speaker 12 (01:22:17):
Will we surveyed. By the way, we just had a
conference recently Canaane had over two hundred election officials. Every
one of the fifty five counties was represented. Their election
division staff were there. And prior to that, I visited
all fifty five county clerks in their offices in their
courthouses and asked them what they were concerned about. Fifty

(01:22:39):
two of the fifty five counties are concerned about having
enough poll workers. So you can also go to GOVOWB
dot com and register to be a poll worker in
your county.

Speaker 6 (01:22:51):
Only.

Speaker 12 (01:22:51):
Cannall County, Putnam County, and Barber County told me that
they didn't think they would have any problem finding enough
poll workers for election day.

Speaker 5 (01:23:00):
So you just don't do elections, Chris, your office handles
business registrations, new business so you see some of those stats.
Give me some good news? Were people starting businesses in
West Virginia?

Speaker 12 (01:23:11):
Hey, the good news is we register over twelve hundred
new businesses every month in West Virginia. Now, the issue
that we all need to see, and one of the
things we're cross training our employees for, is to help
those businesses have an early win in West Virginia. If
that means finding the right governmental entity that could help

(01:23:34):
out and provide financing. If they have an early win
in year one, we think that we have a much
better chance to sustain that business and keep it going
in West Virginia. So it's a matter, quite frankly, of
working with those that have a dream, have a plan,
and want to make sure that they get the help

(01:23:55):
they need. Whether our office provides that in the regular
course of business, or whether we are a liaison to
the Department of Commerce or to the Economic Development Authority
or the Department of Economic Development. We want to be that,
so that's why we're cross training our workers at the
West Virginia One Stop Business Center. There is one physically

(01:24:15):
located in Charleston, one in Clarksburg, and one in Martinsburg.
But you can go to our website and register your
new business. Do everything online, whether it's two o'clock in
the afternoon or two o'clock in the morning when you
get off of midnight shift. So we're really proud of
what we've been able to do and taking the nine
thousand most asked questions about starting a business or filing

(01:24:38):
your annual report, and you're going to get the same
answer two o'clock in the afternoon. We should get at
two o'clock in the morning. Using our chatbot.

Speaker 1 (01:24:47):
Is Chris Water or West Virginia Secretary of State. Always
enjoy the conversation, Chris, thanks for joining us.

Speaker 12 (01:24:53):
Hey, thank you all very much for having me today.

Speaker 1 (01:24:55):
Absolutely, Secretary of State Chris Warner coming up. We'll do
some open lines. Eight hundred seven and sixty five. Talk
is the phone number eight hundred and seven six five
eight two five five. You can text the show at
three oh four Talk three oh four. I think I
think the Secretary of State was chastising talk radio for
talking about the Phillies Lady with the baseball. Well, I've

(01:25:17):
got a story about the Phillies Lady with baseball and
the business of the baseball. Right up your alley, TJ.
I'll bring it to you next.

Speaker 5 (01:25:26):
I can't wait.

Speaker 1 (01:25:27):
Cityet Fiber building West Virginia for West Virginia is expanding
to be in more communities every day, from simple browsing
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Visit cittynet dot net and connect with a local company
you can trust. Talk Line continues from the and Cove
Insurance Studios.

Speaker 7 (01:25:43):
Football season is here. Get Mountaineer football coverage and watch
live high school football games every week by downloading the
Metro News Television app. It's Metro News shows all day,
including talk Lines, sports Line, three Guys Before the Game,
Metro News, Middays Hotline, and our new feature State of Minds,
right on your small TV or streaming device. Get more
information at WV metronewstv dot com. Metro News Television is

(01:26:05):
powered by the University of Charleston, the West Virginia Department
of Tourism, Dan Caabatoriota, the WVHDC Foundation, WVU Medicine, and
Trojan Landing, Marine and Power Sports.

Speaker 19 (01:26:17):
We are there for you to care for you at
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Speaker 20 (01:26:22):
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Speaker 1 (01:26:36):
We are there for you to care for you. The
plan We are here.

Speaker 2 (01:26:58):
Metro News Talkline is presented by Encova Insurance and circling
you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:27:10):
Three oh four Talk three oh four is the text line.
Eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two five five
is the phone number. I'm sure you've all seen the
video it went viral over the weekend of the infamous
Phillies lady taking the baseball away from the guy and
the kid, and then the kid gets the goodie bag,
and so on and so forth. She's now become the epitome.

(01:27:30):
I think they call her. Phillies Karen is what this
woman is being referred to now. Well, are you familiar
with Darren Revel TJ.

Speaker 5 (01:27:37):
I am not.

Speaker 1 (01:27:38):
Darren Revel is a sports business reporter, and he'll get
into the nitty gritty of whether it's contracts or memorability.
He's really good on memorabilia, what things are worth. So
he asked the question, how much how much is the
home run ball really worth? If you're going to become
the villain of the entire internet, how much is that

(01:27:59):
home run ball worth? Harrison batter of the Phillies. So
apparently there was a memorabilia company that offered the woman
five thousand dollars for the baseball if she would inscribe.
I'm sorry on it. But Revel went deeper TJ. He
looked at other Harrison Bader home run balls, which, at
least publicly, the most one has ever gone for is

(01:28:21):
four hundred and fifty dollars. That was a home run
ball when he was with the Yankees, game one of
the twenty twenty two ALCS. Now you can go to
team shops at the stadiums. They'll sell game used balls
anything from like fifty bucks to maybe one hundred and
fifty maybe two hundred dollars. If like Aaron Judge hit
a home run and they can verify. However, when it
comes to this baseball, because it was taken out of

(01:28:42):
the stadium, the MLB cannot authenticate it. So the most
Darren Novell can put on this baseball maybe fifty bucks maybe,
but you would never be able to verify that it
was the infamous Karen baseball. So all of that for
pretty much nothing would be the answer.

Speaker 5 (01:29:00):
Someone wanted to give me money, I'd take it off
their hands. That's about it.

Speaker 1 (01:29:05):
Oh you, I'd have to pay you to take the baseball.

Speaker 5 (01:29:07):
Oh absolutely, Look man, yeah, you know, it's probably time
to show her some grace. Everyone needs grace. But you
know why people are doubling down on her. It was
one thing with the kid, but when you watch the
video out, she keeps going further and further. She's flipping
off the crowd, she's arguing with other fans defending her position.

(01:29:29):
She kept going and going and going. You just didn't
know when to quit.

Speaker 1 (01:29:34):
It's a baseball. It's a baseball. I love to catch
one at the ballpark. But when you're a kid, kids,
that's that's huge. Let the kid have a baseball. What
are you going to do with it? Grief.

Speaker 5 (01:29:47):
I digress, and the dad I'm sorry, but my interpretation
of the rules he wanted fair and square. Whoever gets
their hand on it doesn't matter where it's hit in
front of men matter More unwritten.

Speaker 1 (01:30:00):
Rules in baseball, more unwritten rules.

Speaker 5 (01:30:03):
Would you agree?

Speaker 1 (01:30:04):
Yeah? Yeah, just because the kid got the I mean
the kid. It was for the kid. It wasn't like
the guy was going to take the baseball.

Speaker 5 (01:30:11):
So they positively identified this lady because they misidentified her
first ruined someone else's life and they had to put
it on Facebook. No it's not me, I promise, and
she validated that it wasn't her, and then her employer said, Nope,
that's not her. Karen doesn't work for us. So I
guess they finally found out who the woman really was.

Speaker 1 (01:30:29):
The the memes have been outstanding, by the way, based
off that I've seen memes where they've put Elizabeth Warren
out there taking the baseball, which is kind of funny.

Speaker 5 (01:30:38):
The best one I've seen is the one where they
superimpose the Phillies lady over that HR executive in Boston
that the guy had his arms wrapped reund you know
what I'm talking about.

Speaker 1 (01:30:48):
H Yeah, Coldplay kiss cam.

Speaker 5 (01:30:49):
Yeah, Yeah, that's the best one I've seen.

Speaker 1 (01:30:51):
Guy sent me one yesterday with Phillies Karen stealing the
marble rye outside of the Rosses apartments. If you know,
you know, if you know, you know, I know there's
at least one guy out there listening right now, belly
laughing at that IDEA good three h four talk three
or four is the text line eight hundred seven sixty
five eight two five five. Let's get to some of
those text messages. Texas, says President Trump, now saying the

(01:31:14):
Epstein fiftieth birthday card and letter withdrawing is now a
dead issue. Sorry, just saying it does not make it true. Yes,
this is Trump has. I think Starwalt was the one
who brought this up weeks ago to j Trump has
has always had this ability to go, no, that's not
a thing, and then folks will go, Okay, that's not
a thing. Not happening with this, not happening with this.

(01:31:34):
He can call it a hoax all he wants. It's
not going to go away. Nobody bats a thousand, not
with this, and not with an issue that you personally
campaigned on releasing the files. All right, gotta take a break,
Final break. More texts coming up talk line from the
and Cove Insurance Studios.

Speaker 8 (01:31:53):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawatch of new energy capacity by twenty 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

(01:32:14):
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 fifteen is a
dynamic approach to economic development which will supercharge our state's
coal industry and broader economy. With Governor Morrissey's leadership and

(01:32:35):
the action of the Legislature, West Virginia is once again
America's energy leader. Coal is powering progress. Coal is powering
West Virginia. Brought to you by the West Virginia Coal Association.

Speaker 24 (01:32:52):
Building a stronger West Virginia isn't just a dream, it's
a mission. The High Technology Foundation knows economic diversity is
the key. For over thirty years they've been dedicated to
transforming the state's economic landscape. Conveniently located in the heart
of West Virginia, innovation, growth, opportunity all under one roof.
There's no need to look far for change. It's happening

(01:33:14):
right here at the High Technology Foundation in north central
West Virginia. Visit WVHTF dot org to learn more.

Speaker 1 (01:33:35):
Jackpots are growing in West Virginia. Jackpots are on the
rise every week. Powerball hits Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mega
Millions lights up Tuesdays and Fridays. That's five chances a
week to get it on life changing Jackpot's play in
store and online eighteen plus to play. Please play responsibly.
Powerball jackpot is thirty three million. Mega Million's jackpot is

(01:33:55):
three hundred and fifty eight million, So go ahead play today.
Tjnging to read this text exactly how it is written.
I'm scared who gives a shirt? More important life lessons? Okay,
I don't know who does give a shirt. You're not
taking the shirt off my back, this texter says. Missus

(01:34:16):
Choate is grinning that she is dave. I literally bent
over belly laughing. When you know you know l ol,
says Phil, as if you didn't know it was Phil. Yeah,
I knew it was Phil, and.

Speaker 5 (01:34:29):
You can't read that. No, I don't comment on my
personal life. I'll leave it at that.

Speaker 1 (01:34:38):
I'm out, leave it on a high notes.