All Episodes

October 8, 2025 14 mins
Today on MetroNews This Morning: 
--An overnight pileup on the West Virginia Turnpike is cleared up
--Updates to lawmakers on flood recovery
--The state's Bureau of Risk and Insurance Management takes a major hit over claims in the Miracle Meadows case
--In Sports the WVSSAC playoff rankings for the week are posted 
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Metro News this Morning, bringing you this morning's
biggest news headlines from across the state.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
It is Wednesday, October eighth, twenty twenty five. Good morning,
I'm Chris Lawrence. Ready to get the day started with
the information you're going to need in West Virginia. We
begin with the forecast calling for a few morning showers,
cooler temperatures, and some sunny skies this afternoon. We'll run
down that full forecast for you in just a moment.
Right now, though, let's get it up to date on
what's been happening overnight across the state of West Virginia.
At the Metro News anchored ask this morning, it's Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Good morning, Jeff, Good morning, Chris, and thank you. Traffic
getting back to normal this morning on the West Virginia
Turnpike after a twelve vehicle crash overnight in Fayette Counting.
The wreck occurred at a few minutes after ten o'clock
in the northbound lanes, about two miles north of Malsey.
First calls by an overturn tractor trailer. There were passenger
vehicles involved and minor injuries reported. State Policing emergency crews

(00:55):
were able to reopen the northbound lanes at just before
three point thirty this morning. The Parkways Authority did put
the northbound detour into place shortly after the wreck. Turnaround
gates were used and traffic was diverted on US Rout
nineteen at Beckley. Read more at wv metro news dot com.
The Morris They Administration telling state lawmakers future of federal

(01:16):
disaster declarations in West Virginia may look differently.

Speaker 4 (01:19):
The Joint Standing Committee on Flooding her to recap on
the response to major flooding events in the southern and
northern part of the state. During interim meetings, Acting Homeland
Security Secretary Doug Buffington told lawmakers that changes at FEMA
could change the way they respond in the future.

Speaker 5 (01:37):
Setting up was called a FEMA Review Council. They have
gone around the country and they're looking at what reimagining
FEMA might look like.

Speaker 6 (01:44):
And we don't know the answer.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
We don't know what the outcome will be.

Speaker 4 (01:47):
A no timeline for the changes has been released. Mike
Nolton for wv Metronews dot com.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
The new executive director of BRIM, that's the state's liability
insurance agency, says the agency's board as a prudent number
of changes in recent months that will hopefully protect it
from any future draining of its reserve fund. Jeremy Wolf
told lawmakers Tuesday. The reserve fund is currently at ground
zero after more than one hundred million dollars is drained

(02:13):
from it in the sexual abuse cases from the private
boarding school Miracle Meadows that operated in Harrison County. Wolf
says the future BRIM has to keep appulse on areas
where it sees the most claims.

Speaker 7 (02:25):
That means the accounts that you have a bad claim experience,
and be proactive and meet with them and do all
that we can do to try to get them to
make the right changes.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
The BRIM board has approved some liability limits in recent months.
Read about those at our story at wv metrodews dot com.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
This morning.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
The challenge of keeping the state's jails in prisons fully
staffed of personnel as an ongoing issue. State Corrections Commission
David Kelly says recruiting and retention is better than it
was a few years ago, but Corrections does have dozens
of retirements the past two years.

Speaker 8 (02:59):
And calendar you're twenty four, DCOR had forty six retirements.
That number represents many years of correctional expertise and experience.
Thus far, in calendar year twenty twenty five, we've already
had forty retirements.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
Kelly also spoke before lawmakers during interim committee meetings Tuesday.
The legislature's monthly meetings will be at Pipestan Resort State
Park next month. Meanwhile, House Thedelgates Democrats continuing their Kitchen
Table Issues tour in the Mountain State. They were in
Charleston last night. We caught up with House may Not
leader Sean Hornbuckleer.

Speaker 8 (03:30):
I loved it, and what I also lood about Charleston
was the diversity of their questions and their concerns, which
is really really good, and so we just want to
keep building on this.

Speaker 9 (03:40):
This is awesome.

Speaker 3 (03:40):
Education and medicaid were among the issues discussed. The Raleigh
County Circuit judges set aside two days of testimony in
connects with the ongoing school entry vaccination controversy here in
West Virginia. The hearing gets underway this morning in Beckley
before Judge Michael Froebel. Metro New state wide corsponding Brad
Michaelheney will be in the court room a couple.

Speaker 5 (03:58):
Of days of significant testimony, and of course, this has
been now one of several cases exploring religious exemptions for vaccinations,
but it's the one that has gotten the most spotlight.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
The state's chief health officer and state Board of Education
president among those subpoena to testify. In a mass of vote.
The US Senate has confirmed a number of Trump nominees,
including Kanawa County Say Center Mike Stewart as a top
lawyer for the Department of Health and Human Services and
former Delegate More Capito as US Attorney in southern West Virginia,
and Jefferson County Prosecutor Matt Harvey as the new federal

(04:34):
prosecutor in northern West Virginia. Back to school this morning
at Chapmanville Regional High School in Logan County after the
building being closed for a few days because of a
bad issue. The West Virginia National Natural Resources Police have
confirmed the Metro News they are investigating a complaint about
the bat removal. We have more this morning at our website.
Wheeling City Council has approved a thirty eight percent increase

(04:57):
in water and sewer rates, while at Beckley Watering increase
before the State Public Service Commission has been put on
hole for further review. Now Wheeling will use the additional
money it approved last night to pay for bonds to
finance four major water service projects and six sewer system
upgrades in Wheeling.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
Thank you, Jeff. Coming up in our backgrounder, we will
hear from State Ashington General Jim Seward talking about flood
recovery with lawmakers, and then Daniel Woods will behind with
the check on sports. As the new SSAC playoff rankings
are out, we'll find out who's on top of those.
All still ahead.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
Stay with us.

Speaker 6 (05:32):
October high school football continues Friday Night, presented by Gomard.
You can catch Partnersburg Versus Huntington, Woodrow, Wilson and Riverside,
South Charleston and Saint Albans, West Side of Independence, James
Monroe and Greenbrier, West Or Rohn County and Ravens Wood,
along with Shady Spring and Liberty, plus Bluefield and Nicholas County,
all on Metro News TV. Brought to you by the
Thrasher Group, Marshall University and the Mountaineer Challenge Academy. Dream

(05:55):
the Action live on Metro News Television. Download the free
Metro News television app or visit double v metronewstv dot
com for more information.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
Still ahead, Daniel Woods, We'll have a check on sports
for us, but right now. In our backgrounder, State Agent
and General Jim Sewart says flood victims in both southern
and northern parts of the Mountain State are getting back
on their feet following the devastating flooding that hit earlier
this year. The General gave an update on the Guard's
flood recovery efforts when he appeared before a legislative interim
committee on Wednesday. So it says the Guard spent more

(06:27):
than two point two million dollars on those two flood
responses more in our backgrounder.

Speaker 10 (06:31):
And removed over thirty thousand tons of debris and provided
over seventy five thousand hours of work in support of
the recovery operations. I would say the the most impressive
thing was the interactive interagency collaboration from county city state

(06:57):
in southern West Virginia. As I was saying, that was
our active portion was February fifteenth through March thirty one,
and then we followed on that in a couple counties
with a contractor to continue some debris removal, as as
a few residents in Mingo and McDowell County still put

(07:22):
out a little bit of debris. After thirty one March,
we had a local contractor picked that up. That went
on for about three weeks. But in southern West Virginia
we had three hundred and twenty four personnel working. The
cost was about one point four to nine million dollars
and that has all been submitted for reimbursement to FEMA.

(07:44):
We're still waiting on the check, but it has been submitted.
Seventeen thousand tons of debris removed in total. Logan was
about six hundred and thirty tons, McDowell about five hundred thousand,
four hundred and eighty tons, Mercer forty five tons, Mingo

(08:06):
eleven thousand, three hundred and thirty tons, and Wyoming sixty
two tons.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
Two separate federal disaster declarations came as a result of
those separate flood incidents. Now to the sports desk, Daniel
Woods is in with the update and Daniel the SSAC
out of those playoff rankings again for the week.

Speaker 9 (08:29):
That's right, Chris, A new week of high school football
means an update to the WVSSAC playoff ratings. Top seeds
this week all unbeatens six and oh Morgantown in Quad
A six and oh Bridgeport in Double A rather Triple
A five and Oho Independence in Double A and six
and oh Wahama in Single A. You can find the
full ratings for this week right now at wv Metro

(08:49):
news dot com and tune in for the High School
Sports Line tonight, breaking down the biggest stories in high
school football at seven oh six across the Metro News
radio network on many of these same stations. The Marshall
football team returns this week from its buy. Head coach
Tony Gibson says they took needed steps on defense during
the week off.

Speaker 11 (09:06):
We got some technique stuff fixed defensively, some scheme issues fixed.
I think that's a big thing. I think offensively, those
guys have a lot of confidence right now, and our
stats done a great job of keeping them grounded and
keep getting them better.

Speaker 9 (09:20):
Marshall hosts Old Dominion on Saturday. The West Virginia men's
basketball team's twenty twenty six recruiting class is a bit
bigger today. Head coach Ross Hodge secured the commitment of
point guard Kingston Witty on Tuesday, when he is rated
by most recruiting services as a three star prospect, and
his profile rose quickly this year, gaining nearly thirty scholarship
offers since May. He joins four star and forward Eludium

(09:42):
in the twenty twenty six class for the Mountaineers. In
Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees are still alive,
using a three run home run by Aaron Judge to
tie the game and a go ahead solo shot by
Jazz Chisholm to win Game three of the American League
Divisional Series from the Toronto Blue Jays nine to six.
The Seattle Mariners staked a claim to two to one
lead over the Detroit Tigers, winning eight to four behind

(10:03):
a strong start from Logan Gilbert and a three RBI
day from Cal Rawley. Game four and both of those
series are today, with Toronto and Seattle looking to advance
to the championship series with wins. Game three in both
the National League series are today as well. The net
Los Angeles Dodgers up two games to nothing on the
Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers also aiming to sweep
against the Chicago Cubs and in this week's United Soccer

(10:25):
Coaches pull a distinct West Virginia tent. The WVU men
up to number four, Marshall up to number seventeen. On
the women's side, West Virginia's ranked for the first time
since twenty twenty two at number twenty five. Thank you,
Daniel Tonight, be sure and listen in to the High
School Sports Line on Metro News. Red Persinger, Dave Jacquelin
and Joe Bricato bringing a coverage of fall sports to
the Mountain State, and we'll update on all of the competition.

(10:48):
Listen in from seven to nine on Metro News radio
stations across the state or the live stream at wv
metronews dot com. Now well, today's commentary, here's Metro News
Talk Line co hosts TJ. Metaw Chris. There's no questioning
the good intentions behind the efforts to quote protect West
Virginians by keeping our coal plants running and holding utilities accountable.

(11:12):
But Senator Brian Helton's proposal forcing coal units to run
at least sixty nine percent of the time or lose
their right to rate adjustments fundamentally misunderstands how our power
grid actually works worse, it could raise electric bills and
make the grid less reliable. You heard me right, This

(11:33):
proposal could end up raising your bill. Here's the reality.
Our electric grid isn't political. It's based on engineering and economics.
In PJAM, the regional system that includes West Virginia, power
plants are called on to run in order of cost
and efficiency. The cheapest, most efficient power runs first. That's

(11:57):
what keeps prices low and reliability. How Helton's bill would
flip that logic upside down. It would force utilities to
run higher cost plants even when cheaper ones are available.
Imagine paying an eighty dollars per megawatt hour unit to
run while a forty dollars unit sets idle. That's not accountability,

(12:19):
that's waste, and you would pay for it. If a
coal plant is the cheapest option, it will run. If
it's not, it shouldn't. That's how the system was designed.
But don't take my word for it, take President Trump's.
Even the President, one of Cole's strongest defenders, never ordered
plants to run or meet a certain run minimum. Yes,

(12:42):
his administration issued directives to keep coal units from retiring
and keep them available, meaning ready to operate, but still
subject to economic dispatch. That forty dollars unit would run
first over an eighty dollars unit under Trump's orders. In
other words, the unit would be available when needed, not

(13:03):
running wastefully when they're not. If the President understands and
respects that balance, shouldn't West Virginia legislators. If lawmakers truly
want accountability, the answer is not to arbitrarily dictate when
power plants run. It's to let the PSC, FERK, and
PJAM do their jobs keeping electricity reliable, affordable, and fair.

(13:27):
Helton's bill may sound like it's standing up for West Virginians,
but in reality it could do the opposite, raising bills
and weakening the system that keeps our lights on. The
Legislature should refuse to pass it.

Speaker 2 (13:42):
Chris thanks ToJ and you can read his commentary. It's
posted at wvmetronews dot com. You're West Virginia by the
forecast for the day, cold front moving through the area
early this morning. That's going to bring an end to
the rain and us you're in much cooler classic fall
weather for today through Friday. Going to be chilly enough
tonight tomorrow night for patche frost to form in some

(14:02):
of the sheltered northern and central Mountain valleys for Thursday night.
Frost is also possible in those valleys across the northern Lowlands,
and freezing temperatures likely in the normally colder sheltered valleys
of the north. The good news is beautiful weekend on
the way, dry skies, plenty of sunshine, high temperatures getting
back up into the seventies across the lowlands of West Virginia.
And now you are up today. Have us have a

(14:23):
great day for TJ. Meadows, Daniel Woods, and Jeff Jenkins.
I'm Chris Lawrence and this is Metro News for forty years,
the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
Metro News This Morning is an exclusive production of the
Metro News Radio Network. All rights reserved.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.