Howard Monroe And The Morning Show

Marshall County will be the site of a major coal-to-gas project by Consol and SES Energy. It's a major coup for the Mountain State. Waste coal will be turned into methanol and gasoline.

The Intel has a good overview here. Governor Manchin and Senator Rockefeller spoke with Hoppy Kercheval on Statewide Talkline here on WVLY today. Listen here.

It will be a lot of construction jobs. About 60 permanent jobs. Good news for coal miners, too.

This sounds like a project with an eye on CLEAN coal:

One of the main concerns with a coal-to-liquids plant is the amount of carbon produced during the gasification process. Consol and SES said the front-end engineering design will include a carbon management strategy focusing on carbon sequestration underground.

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The issue of metro-government---a combined city/county operation of some sort--just won't go away.

It has been a pet project of Hopeful City for a couple of years now. They think there is an economic development advantage for the City of Wheeling and Ohio County to consolidate their efforts. (HC admits there won't really be any dollar savings from combining of services or other economies of scale).

Maybe we'll never know....

It's frustrating and depressing.

And it's probably true.

Wheeling Mayor--and State Senator--Andy McKenzie told me this week that he doesn't think we will ever know who's to blame for the debacle of the Wheeling Tunnel work last year.

TOPICS TACKLED TODAY ON TALKRADIO'S MORNING SHOW

THURSDAY

We talked with the NEA Teacher of the Year Mike Geisen. An 8th Grade Science teacher who says he gets his students involved by using humour, music, art, and games as part of teaching techniques. He says students need to be the center of teaching--not test scores. Check for the podcast.

Jesse Jackson should have known better. He was in the enemy camp (Fox News) and had a mike on. Then he takes a whispered slam at Obama. I was a guest on Statewide Talkline discussing this today

The girl has been dead for a dozaen years. Her mom dead for 3. And NOW, the prosecutors say they've decided Jonbennet Ramsey was NOT killed by her parents. Thank you Tabloid Justice.

WEDNESDAY

Hoppy Kercheval was on the show and  broke the news that Rich Rodriguez is going to pay his entire $4 Million buyout

I still want to know when someone in the State of WV is going to demand that we get some answers to the debacle of the Wheeling Tunnels.We continue to get delays and little information.

Barack Obama put his family in front of the cameras this week. I'm not sure it's a good idea. The Access Hollywood interview painted a great picture of a close family, at ease with each other. Good stuff. But in the world of politics when you start using your kids as part of your "image", it usually ends up biting the kids in the butt.

Elliot Spitzer's hooker wants to be a reality TV star. How low can reality TV stoop? (Don't answer--it was rhetorical).

TIME TO SLOW DOWN?

Anyone who has ever ridden with me knows I'm a strict "follow the speed limit" guy. None of this "they always give an extra 10 before they stop you" stuff for me. 55 means 55, not 60.

Maybe I'm not in as big a rush to get where I'm going as everyone else.

I like a new proposal to make a national speed limit. Virginia Senator John Warner reminds us that in the '70s we imposed a nation "55" limit and saved 2% nationwide in fuel consumption. That was 167,000 barrels a day at that time. Which is about one-third of the (low end) predictions for the oil that drilling in the Anwar could produce.Since there are a lot more vehicles on the road now, the savings would be greater.

It's a far cry from ending our dependence on foreign oil, of course, but could be part of a rational series of steps of nationwide conservation and reasonable increases in production that could go a long way to making us less dependent. Maybe throw in a little alternative energy research--coal to liquid/gas included--and you're on the way to a comprehensive energy plan.

Are YOU willing to slow down?

(Don't forget to click the comment link below and write your thoughts.)

The Old Order Changeth.....

A festive night at Wheeling City Hall as new Mayor Andy McKenzie and his Council took oaths of office.

A packed house filled Council chambers. State Senator Ed Bowman, Delegates Orphy Klempa, Tal Hutchins, Jack Yost, the Ohio County Commissioners, Chamber President Terry Sterling, and dozens of family members and friends watched Judge James Mazzone deliver the oath.

A powerful prayer from Pastor Amico brought the Lord's blessing into the Chambers.

All of the new members spoke of their enthusiasm, excitment, and desire for change. James Tiu had a small speech prepared. Don Atkinson thanked his wife and family, and then teared up.

It's been a long time since I've seen such a strong show of support and felt such overflowing enthusiasm, optimism, and ideas.