Gov. Jim Justice Provides West Virginia Administration Update Briefing

hello everyone it's uh Tuesday August the 13th uh thank you for being with us today u i I start off with something that's surely anything but uh good in many ways but uh we lost Pat fraggle and uh he passed away over the weekend and everything you know Pat served in the legislature from 1990 to 2014 uh funeral services you know will be tomorrow and we will be lowering our flags in Charleston and in Harrison County in his honor uh you know Pat was a a staple I mean many many many folks knew Pat and knew him very well and everything I want you to please keep him and his family in all your prayers and everything uh a good man that served this state and served this state admirably so uh Pat thank you for your service and please please everybody offer up their prayers and their thoughts to this great family uh we've got Dr Sher Young on with us and everything she's going to talk about healthy habits a healthy habits competition that we're announcing or launching right now you know that's a contest this fall to recognize and encourage schools to improve uh that that those healthy habits and we're also second secondarily we're going to talk about uh a whole blood program and and the success of that and West Virginia is leading our country in emergency medical care by becoming the first state in the nation to implement Statewide rules for delivering whole blood transfers on ambulances uh Sher you can you can talk about this a million times better than I but but uh we're really proud of all the great work you're doing so Sherry come on and tell us more all right thank you so much governor and we're so proud to be uh serving under your Administration bringing these great things to the state of West Virginia so the first thing I am proud to announce the new West Virginia Department of Health launching the contest uh known as West Virginia healthy habits School contest it's a collaborative effort between the Department of Health and Department of Education and Etna Better Health of West Virginia our primary goal of the contest is to recognize and celebrate elementary schools across the state and um make a remark who are making remarkable strides in improving Health outcomes for their students and their communities the contest also serves to highlight and honor the schools across West Virginia already leading the way in promoting health and wellness many of the schools are already implementing Health Improvement procedures and initiatives what we want to do with this uh program is to highlight those and encourage additional schools uh to make these strides and Empower our youngest West Virginians to be healthy making decades worth of impact by participating in the contest schools um not only have the opportunity to showcase their existing programs but they can use uh their additional support and resources to further enhance their health initiatives the contest will officially kick off at the start of school this year and students will have until November 5th to submit their entries the award ceremony with the top three schools being named uh will take place in December the schools are invited to participate by submitting a two-minute video that highlights the creative approach to promoting health and wellness within their school they can also uh provide a written summary with this video and uh just explaining the the things that they are doing to make their schools healthier and their communities healthier the entry form and video submission link will be made available in late August to coincide with the start of the school year here's some of the contest details so the first prize winner will receive $2,500 the second place winner will get ,000 and the third place winner will get $500 and that prize money is intended to go to further support Health initiatives within the winning schools uh with that they can purchase new sports equipment or enhance their playground facilities as long as they are investing it back into the kids who are doing the great work the judging will be conducted by a panel made up of representatives from the Department of Health Department of Education as well as at a better health of West Virginia for additional information and to uh enter the contest the schools and interested parties are encouraged to go to West Virginia or WV healthyhabits wv.gov and we encourage everybody we encourage all of our grade school participants uh to submit the their injuries we look forward to seeing all the great videos coming forward uh Governor we also have uh another initiative we want to talk about today a little bit more somber but um the Investments that you have made in our EMS Community we cannot thank you enough from everything from the call um answer the call initiatives and the other things that we have done with EMS we are proud to be the first uh state in the nation leading the way in providing whole blood on ambulances so since uh November of 2023 Cabell EMS has been Pro providing the service and as of March of this year Harrison County is also providing whole blood on ambulances this is providing essential care for trauma patients and other emergencies that otherwise may not have made it to the hospital to receive care and so it is it it it's absolutely lifechanging and life-saving by um quickly restoring the blood volume and enhancing the clotting function so we encourage others to get involved we can learn more about the program at uh West Virginia oems but we encourage people to be heroes themselves while our EMS Community are heroes on the street every day helping at people at their worst time uh people can become Heroes themselves by donating the blood that we need to help get to these individuals and they can do that by going to the redcrossblood donor app or redcrossblood.org to look at donating thank you so much Governor I hope that was the update that you need no doc thank you for all you've done and and over and over and over but uh what an incredible Superstar you are and and uh and I I'm just really proud to be a real part of it and everything and and just trying to help and help in every way we can because uh at the end of the day we just make it better and we've done a lot a lot a lot of stuff together all through Co and everything else it's uh it's been a it's been a real real honor working with you U let me get back on track here just a second uh okay I've lost my my way here just stay with me just one second okay um today I'm announcing that we're all these are grants but here's a neat thing about this you know this is the stop violence against w women Grant and uh it's $1.2 million it's it's Grant funds to 21 projects across the state but now just stay with me just a second because a lots of times that basically what you hear is you know we're giving away grants we're doing this and everything and you really don't really see in many situations the successes that that happen with these grants you know we have uh this uh is it seik Grant you know that helps uh solve sexual assault crimes and think about this we just learned about a 24 year old crime in West Virginia that was solved thanks to the uh sexual assault kit initiative also known as the sa grants you know so with all that being said here you have real live information you know this grant paid for testing and services to link you know this guy you know that has been living in Montana for the last few years and everything and uh with all that being said a crime that was horrible but uh but it's been soled by by the great work of one of these grants and so with all that being said I am tickled to death to announce this $1.2 million for 21 projects throughout the state it just makes us better that's all there is to it it just makes us better uh the Division of Corrections is partnering with University of Charleston now this is neat too you know but I'm thrilled to announce a new partnership between the Department of Corrections and the University of Charleston basically what they're doing is uh you know the programs that we've been already initiate or or or the initiatives that we've already done whether they be you know better pay better benefits you know but now the University of Charleston is offering up 15 free credit credit hours basically you know that to encourage you know that our Department of Correction employees you know in law in law enforcement can can enroll in classes further their education further their ability to get even better jobs and everything this is an an initiative that uh classes will begin on August the 18th and uh you know if you have an interest please apply and everything uh all all this just makes you more in need and more desired from the standpoint of your employment all over the place it makes you better qualified and and with all that being said you know I am one that believes this with all my soul if you work for me and you had a better Al you know a better offer or better alternative to move on in your life I'm tickled to death I'm absolutely the guy that is happy with stuff like that I have run businesses forever but I I will promise you I will promise you if you look forward to goodness for your employees in every way it makes everybody better so with all that being said I truly I truly let me get my phone here just one second sorry you know but I I truly from the bottom of my heart believe with all in me that it makes us all better absolutely the selfishness that some people may have oh no I want to keep everybody right under my thumb because they're doing great stuff for me selfish and everything at the end of the day we want people to continue to do better in every way and so so this is just great stuff thanks to the University of Charles and good idea and everything really will help our Corrections folks take advantage take advantage you know this this is about our DMV you know and and the digital TI titling that uh that they've got in place and everything first in the nation again West Virginia great work out of our DMV uh first state to to be able to digital digitally Title vehicles and everything the greatest example of all this is you know now we're going out and we're continuing to Market all across the nation because you know we could very well take Enterprise for instance you know Enterprise titles their vehicles here they license their I mean they have a license plate from West Virginia here everybody's seeing it it is a billboard for West Virginia you know not only does it really help us bring in millions of dollars and everything to West Virginia it's just great work great work from our DNB okay uh now this is really switching channels but uh I you know I I want to bring you up to date on the early firearm bear season let me tell you this you know you know that I love to hunt and fish and and with all in me I know a lot about wildlife and inv and been involved in that forever more our bear population in West Virginia is exploding exploding to the upside and everything and and I'm not sure of all the particulars and everything on how that's all come about but uh our bear population is very very healthy and this is uh this is an announcement that we're going to have an early firearm bear season in West Virginia you know there's two different early seasons one opens on August the 31st to September the 8th in Logan McDow Mingo and Wyoming counties the second season opens on October 5th through the 11th and it's in Boon F Cana Nicholas and Raleigh County so good stuff I encourage you to get out in the woods and absolutely see all this beautiful beautiful nature that God provides to each and every one of us in this unbelievable State okay it's time to get ready to go back to school everyone we know that I know kids have really enjoyed the summer and everything but I know that they want to get back to their buddies and all that kind of stuff too you know I encourage everybody that's uh you know that's been involved and helping with events and school supplies and all kinds of stuff like that you know I I I really U I thank them and every way and look forward to uh to getting our kids back in school and and I I know they've enjoyed a great summer and and still got a little bit of Summer left so we want them to continue to enjoy but at the same time we love it when they're back in school uh the uh the the state of emergency update you know in a new grant program last week I announced that there's a new state state there's a new grant program to help the public agencies who are getting um you know uh and distributing water to our Farmers uh you know we had a really tough go of it you know and now that's probably probably been you know 3 weeks to a month ago and then back on from that maybe maybe we went through about six or eight weeks of brutal brutal weather if you're a farmer no rain absolutely a lot of unbelievable work you know as far as feeding or or taking water to livestock crops got just just devastated burned up absolutely if you're a if you're a family farmer you know I believe you're the backbone of this whole country in every way and we've been in a farming business forever and I can tell you just this our Farmers across the land first and foremost love what they're doing they love what they're doing Beyond Good Sense To tell you the truth let me give you a great great great example the average size Farm in the United States is about 400 Acres now a lot of people get all up setting up you know and say well why should the federal government be giving you know benefits to the farmers and let me tell you this I'm going to tell you this real quick okay the federal government if they've ever gotten anything right in the world they've got it right on the farm bill and the reason they've got it right is just this they've got people all across this country average size Farm 400 AC Acres now just think about it you go to the grocery store as far as you can see the most abundant food supply on the planet you pay 14% of your annual incomes maybe a little bit more now with this crazy Biden inflation but but still what you pay in a percentage of your annual income versus many many many countries across the land and everything on a percentage basis if you're paying 14 or you're paying 16 most the countries ac across this land are paying 35% of their annual income towards food now with all that being said right behind that you have the abundance beyond belief and why do you have all that why do you have all that is these unbelievable Farmers that are a machine like you can't fathom their productivity in the lands of this great country is is off the chart their contribution to our experts exports rather off the chart you know with all that being said now just stay with me the federal government just throws them a bone every now and then and why do they throw them a bone because they got to keep them on the farm they got to keep them there working most of those people now think about this a second if you're in Iowa City Iowa if I can can use that as an example or maybe many parts of the Eastern Panhandle if I can use that as an example your land may be worth pick a number make it real simple in Iowa City Iowa it's probably $10,000 an acre now let's just stay with that to make it real simple if you're a 400 acre farmer your net worth is $4 million now you could tomorrow tomorrow if you had that $4 million invest it in a money market fund or whatever it may be and get a 5% return on your money $200,000 a year in many cases in many many many cases You' got somebody that's driving a 12y old pickup truck and they're making $28,000 a year and they're the biggest and best machine on the planet to be able to absolutely produce more and do more as far as all the productivity all the different things that they do it's amazing totally totally amazing they're making $28,000 they're driving a 12y old pickup truck tomorrow they could sell their land put the money in a money market fund and make 200,000 our government knows that and they throw them a bone because they're the best of the best of the best and absolutely the opportunity that it provides all of us go to the grocery store far as you can see far as you can see don't ever ever ever turn your back on the farmers what they're doing for this country and for all of us is unbelievable unflat believable so always remember them they do unbelievable work and they're so unselfish it's I mean it's just off the chart Lottery giveaway remember Twin Falls you know from the standpoint of that archery hunt and uh the whet tail frenzy folks down there and that's all I've got right now that's it thank y'all all right thank you Governor we'll now take questions from members of the media first up today is Mark Curtis with nextar media good morning governor and uh staffers and Dr I'm hoping Dr Young is still there because she can address my question I'm I'm wondering about the larger issue here I think it's neat you're having this contest but I think uh West Virginia is number one in childhood obesity number one in childhood diabetes and often we carry these uh diseases into adulthood so what is the overall arching goal to try and stem the tide into those two things and you know one of the difficult things with kids is if you try to say eat this it's healthy they look at it and go oh yuck that's going to taste terrible so there's some convincing to do I think in the school lunch program programs whether it's the the hot lunch program or the food the kids get to take home especially over the summer to make it appealing to make it healthy to make it tasty and again what's the overall importance of this initiative in this contest given the high rates of obesity and diabetes in this state and I'd like you both to address it if you could uh well Mark let me go first I I'll just be real brief and everything but uh you know I I always blame a lot of this on on video games you know long long long ago you know when when I was surely in school you know I was as skinny as I could possibly be and uh and I played all kinds of different sports that's all we did all we all we really all we needed in the daylight was a ball and at night we'd play Kick a can in the alleys and stuff like that and and you know and today it's a different animal that's all there is to it I mean you know kids and all these video games and everything else son the son you know I wish to goodness that uh we would expand our bands and and all the different things where kids are active you know all the different sporting activities and uh you know but uh it there's just there's just so much that that we need to be doing but uh Dr Young is doing an amazing job and I'll pass to her and you know we surely want you know more healthy food we want it to taste good we want you know the other biggest thing is you know we you know Mark it's just so sad it's really sad that you've still got a lot of kids across this beautiful state and everything that uh to be perfectly honest are hungry and we just uh we need to we we really need to try to continue to help there but uh Dr Young please give us more here thank you governor and you're exactly right and to answer Mark's question he kind of answered it himself the fact that we number one in obesity for children means that we need to act now it is so imperative that we get the right education and normalize the conversation of healthy fruits and vegetables and and fresh produce and make that part of the conversation and part of the normal everyday um health benefits of of being a kid um just like I grew up in Wyoming County and and much like the governor we played outside all the time so you know this this healthy initiative is encouraging kids not only to take the initiative with eating healthier but encouraging that activity getting outside and playing and so with the prize money for them to take to the schools invest in equipment invest in whatever programs they have to bring fresh produce back to uh back to the kids that is where we're making that investment so this is something that is near and dear I know to the governor's heart near and dear to our hearts and a top priority of uh of the Department of Health we want to make sure that we are investing in making decades worth of difference and so this is one small start in making that the norm okay doc thank you okay mark thank you next up is Charles young with WV news hi this is Charles young with JV news um Governor I have a back to school question for you um we have several uh counties in the state that are currently contemplating um device ban policies uh policies that would restrict student access to cell phones um I was wondering what you thought about those policies as um a tool to combat the discipline issues that we've been talking about over the last couple years and what would you think about a Statewide version of this thank you Charles we are we are you know discussing we are talking uh you know at the end of the day uh those are local decisions you know I I'm I'm always fired up about uh about giving people local control I think that's good in lots of ways and uh and and but uh but the discussion needs to continue because you know there could be some real real benefits and uh and so so I I think you know we're still in our infancy and we're going to have to uh surely walk before we run and and try to figure this out but uh I I love it that people are working it and and you know and I love the fact that uh that you know there there could be uh there could be local you know uh control that would you know that would maybe give us more insight so uh so you know I I I look forward to continuing the discussions that's for sure all right thank you Charles next up is ailia nicely with West Virginia watch hi Governor I hope you're having a good day um I want to ask you about child care um I've been told by lawmakers and lobbyists that the Department of Human Services needs around probably $30 million to continue providing its Child Care Subsidy as we're switching to enrollment versus attendance-based subsidy and they're going to need additional allocation for this money or they would have to remove some of the kids from the program I reached out to Department of Human Services last week and still haven't heard a response so I just wondered if you're aware of the shortfall and if You' discussed this with DOs leaders Amelia listen I don't know how to be more blunt about this but I sent up my you know I mean I in my State of the State address you know it had in it a a tax credit basically for child care for our Working Families you know it it is it was minuscule in in in in the whole deal you know uh to be perfectly honest you've got lobbyists running all over this all over this the capital and everything all the time and there's issues there but at the end of the day we need to do this and and and you know when I when I when we come back into special session and we haven't gotten that exactly worked out but uh but we need to address the child care issue because West Virginia needs young families I mean come on even the the Trump Vance ticket is advocating for 150% you know basically you know of the current rate which you know in order to be able to increase our federal child care you know federal child care tax credit you know so so it's a problem it is a real problem and and the worst of it all is and Amilia you know this but I don't know why we keep just uh putting our head in the sand about this because you know when you've got young families working like crazy almost you know maybe maybe both of the the the folks are working in the family and and one of them is almost working entirely entirely to be able to pay the child care you know it's just it's expensive the access is not as good as it should be in West Virginia we need to make we need to make it more available and we need to try to to address Bringing Down the cost it's uh and Absolut one way we can do this for sure is give these people a tax break and so so I just I just don't know what we're what we're waiting on but uh we're going to we're going to fight forward as hard as we possibly can hopefully the legislature will see the wisdom to go along all right thank you Amilia next up Stephen Adams with Ogden news yeah Steve ANS of a the newspapers here uh I have a main question but kind of throw back to Amelia's question um whether the legislature deals with that child care tax break subsidy or not that doesn't solve the immediate problem at the end of August which is this between 23 million and $30 million shortfall with which dos could actually do something about today that they would transfer money over so I there's a difference between what you're asking which would require the legislature and what your department could do today on that funding so I uh why why don't you direct the department to to deal with that actual shortfall which is going to happen in August and then the other question I have in regards to the the Green Brier issue and I'll keep this short but you keep saying it's a political issue what's your evidence behind saying it's a political issue for example JP organ Chase CEO Jamie Diamond is being considered by President Trump uh former president Trump for a cabinet level position in the US Department of Treasury if he wins in November so where where's the political part of this can you do you have any evidence of that thank you Stephen let's go back to the first part the first part of your question and everything I'll try to answer them but but uh you know from the standpoint of you know I'm very very concerned that lobbyists are driving this whole boat and uh we you know we talked to the legislature about the budget all the time you know from the standpoint of of the other dollars I would be an advocate uh you know this this doesn't happen because we're in a vacuum You Know It uh it you know there's there's still continued work that we need to do along those lines and everything and and and and we'll we'll you know we'll be absolutely sure that uh that it it is being it is being addressed and is it is being spent in the right way and we're going to uh you know in regard to the the ongoing issue we'll get to the bottom of we'll get to the bottom of it you know immediately so so uh I would just stay tuned and and let us handle that but uh but keep keep in mind lobbyists Drive things here an awful lot I think that's a big part of the problem and and the other situation is just this is we need to get the T Child Care Credit passed that's one thing you're exactly right but we need to do the other as well so uh so let us get to that and as far as the Greenbrier and the political side of this whole thing you know all I would say is just this Stephen you know let's just be fair again okay we had a facility with JP Morgan that was $200 million and through time we paid it all the way down to $9.4 million now that's what happened that's absolutely it and everything and that's where we stand we had an agreement with JP Morgan we pay him 9.4 million that we're paying on paying on paying on and everybody just happy as they could be you know 9.4 million we were done that was what we that was the agreement that we had in place with JP Morgan now you tell me I mean for crying out loud we had a 15-year relationship you know 15 years why where did it come from why in the world what in the world happened we were never notified Carter Bank was never ask about their position I mean in all honesty why wouldn't you have asked Carter Bank you know if you wanted to sell the note why or sell the $9.4 million obligation why wouldn't you have asked Carter Bank and I'll bet my life on this that it was sold for significantly less than 9.4 million how does that make any sense how does it make one bit of sense in the world now I know all this is complicated stuff but at the end of the day it has to be driven by something it has to be driven by something you know with all that being said I truly do believe that it is a political play everybody in the world that I talk to says the same thing it is a political play you know that absolutely here you know I'm running for the US Senate and in all honesty you know Stephen with all that it carries it carries a terrific burden I mean I truly believe with all in me if I'm not running for the US Senate you'd have never heard about this you'd have never heard about this in 10 million years and we'd have just continue to do exactly what we're doing with JP Morgan and everybody would have been happy in the neighborhood now I'm running for the US Senate and I could be the very vote to flip the whole US Senate now you know I can tell you Stephen and last thing I'd say is just this you know you know when I walked in the door this state was in tough shape and you know we're doing awful dadgum good right now and you know that I've Loved everyone and I've I've had big tears with everyone and I've prayed with everyone you know I've tried to do the right thing every day I've done I've not taken a single thing no salary I've driven over a million miles there's no there's no payment for mileage there's no Insurance there's no insurance cost there's no nothing you know Stephen at the end of the day you don't see pet projects from me you've never seen that you've seen somebody who stood up for West Virginia in every single way I can stand up and I've told you the truth I'm telling you the truth about this situation right here and it's a crying pitiful shame it is a crying shame that today when somebody steps up and they're going to try to be a political candidate they become a Target Target like nobody's business it's a constant Feeding Frenzy but with all that being said you know I I I love what president Trump's doing and I'll Stand arm in-arm with him any day with all that being said at the end of the day I can just tell you that I believe with all my soul all this will get worked out but if you believe this is not a political play I think you're crazy there is no other reason there's no other reason you know and and and all I would do is just sit back and when it's all resolved and everything you know if in fact it is resolved and I do believe that it will be you know if it's once it's all resolved and everything I hope to goodness that you'll rep report that that uh we were all we had everybody all up in arms and we just kept pumping things and pumping things and and and you know if you're a sporting club member or you're somebody in the community you know that loves the Green Brier or whatever like that all you all we do is just make people more and more and more anxious and uh you know I'm not one that's looking for headlines I just you know I but at the same time you know if we don't watch out we make people awfully anxious and we cause a lot of pain and and uh at the end of the day like I said if this is not a political move what could it be I mean what in the world could it be I mean I mean in all honesty everything was just great in the neighborhood honestly you you can you just imagine you had a $200 million facility and you paid and paid and paid and paid every year every month probably on and on and on all the way down to where the agreed upon amount to for the payout was $9.4 million and payments were made made in June significant payments you know and then with all that being said out of the clear blue nowhere nobody nobody told nobody nothing you know it's it's not good it it not good for Carter Bank it's not good for gy justice but it's way way way not good for you know the business of the Green Brier the people of the Greenbrier and all the great work they do all the time all right all right Stephen thank you next up is Kenny Bass with wcsv Fox 11 hi Governor thanks for uh taking the question um since you've already addressed the the financial aspects of what's been going on um I do want to ask about an event going on this week at the green bar the Liv golf tournament is back last year a lot of um publicity because Bryson dambo had such a great final round of course breaking 60 um when you have events like this and not as the owner of the green Barber as the governor of West Virginia can you just briefly touch on how they elevate the state or keep the state in the nation's eye and these types of events seem to have a pretty positive impact well Kenny you know um there's no question whatsoever about the positive impacts and uh good gracious you know I I just think I almost think you know why in the world am I doing this I mean really and truly at the end of the day it's uh you know you you're constantly going through pause and like well what in the world am I doing and why am I doing this I mean you know when we announced that the live tournament was coming to to in the greatest golfers of all time when we announced that and everything that we had them and we had them in place and everything in all honesty we had we had people basically you know criticizing from the media standpoint and everything says well you know you know lives bad lives bad lives bad and everything else and blah blah blah blah blah you know Saudi Arabia lives bad and everything else on the sun well and now you know that seems to have passed in West Virginia has gotten a lot of recognition and they're now getting a bunch more recognition and at the end of the day I I you know I do believe that it'll be it'll be tough to to hang on to this tournament and everything from the standpoint of just the the simple fact that uh you know they want they want to move to bigger bigger bigger cities and everything and White Sulfur Springs and West Virginia is probably not the big city that are looking for but we're really blessed to have had them a couple years and I hope we can continue but uh it'll be tough to hang on to them you know Kenny I'd like to add just one other thing and that's just this is when we had the green bar classic or the you know the tribute to the military and everything at the Greenbrier and the PGA Tour there you know Kenny what was the net result of that the net result of that was it cost me and and our family I think in excess of $110 million I brought it to West Virginia and I brought it to West Virginia because of all the goodness not only that we have in this unbelievable State I thought it would surely help the green bar but with all that you know on on top of all that I knew it would really really really do good stuff for West Virginia it's a big price tag I mean a great big blow along the way you know when I when I decided I was going to run for governor the state of West Virginia had a sponsorship there a m750 th000 a year sponsorship man I absolutely refused to take it you know that's all there is to it I just said no I'm not going to do it just like I've done on every single thing that I've turned to here without any question it is absolutely wonderful for Chelsea Ruby and her group to be able to do a lot of great marketing about West Virginia with the the Liv tournament here or the PGA tournament here or the or the New Orleans Saints or whatever it may be you know I mean just think about the things whether it be NBA teams you know it' be the Cleveland Browns the Denver Broncos all the different you know you know Tom Brady and the new New England Patriots and on and on and on every single bit of that makes us better in West W Virginia I mean do you really think that tourism has exploded in West Virginia and done what it's done just because we just showed up and we just rolled off the pickle truck we didn't do that we didn't do that we worked it we worked it in in in a very very diligent way and everything and lo and behold the results are absolutely right in front of us I mean literally tourism is exploding in West Virginia because we brought people to this great state and they got to see just how great this state is and we've done it whether it be the folks on the rivers or the folks at Snowshoe or the folks wherever Timberline all the different places all across this state Harper Ferry the crafts all the different things we have absolutely brought people to West Virginia and they've seen absolutely how great this incredible state is and lots of good things are coming out of it okay thank you Kenny next up is Beth Sergeant with the Gazette mail hey Governor hey uh I sorry I missed some of the beginning of the briefing so I apologize if my question is repetitive um as you can see I'm here at the tendy State Park who's getting a new swing for the 250th anniversary of the battle Point Pleasant but anyway so I am on the road so I do apologize if I missed the question um my question is about the special session um you know since earlier this summer at the revenue event you said you're going to call one I was wondering why has that not happened yet and is there as of today a specific impediment or many impediments to that happening thank you sir oh Beth I you know I it's surely not uh you know a shortcoming on our side you know it's It's just tough to get It's just tough to get everybody to agree you know when they're not going to be on vacation you know when when you know I mean through the summer it's been really really tough to get everybody kind of coralled up you know a little bit of you know hurting cats and trying to figure out what to do but uh we've got plenty of time and uh you know but but you know we we we just got to we just got to get it done and get everybody together and everything we'll get it done but uh but it's uh it's it's been a it's been it's just been tough it's always tough in the summer to uh to get everybody dialed in and and to get everybody together thank you Beth next up is Curtis Johnson with WSAZ good afternoon Governor thanks for taking my question um we are hearing of major changes to the ssac quad classification system potentially moving several schools to lower classifications this was there was already skepticism about the state's move to a qua a system back in December I asked you then about the changes and you said you trusted the ssac now we're hearing a review board see things differently it's been several months and football season is right around the corner you're a coach do you still trust the ssac new classifications and a side question we are hearing the changes from the ruling in moving some schools to a lower class may only apply to football should that ruling apply to all sports soccer and cheerleading come to mind well Curtis I do trust the ssac um you know to be perfectly honest uh you know they there's lots and lots of intrical parts of stuff that that Curtis doesn't know and that I don't know that they deal with all the time uh you know if if you were to ask you know a coach and you were to ask somebody that's been involved in athletics for a long time are you happy with this and everything I'd probably say no you know uh from the standpoint of of other sports other than football I know you know our girls basketball team you know uh or and I think I think as well as football and boys and whatever you know we have moved down a classification from from quad a to triaa uh I didn't like that I don't like that you know and uh and you know I know there's great teams in Triple A as well as in Quade but uh but with all that being said uh you know I didn't like that and I you know and I think they're trying they're trying to you know as best they possibly can you know to uh to get it right but uh uh you know I I think the the Cy the county superintendents you know are surely are always actively involved with the leadership of the ssac and they and uh and so so you know I I trust that the ssac you know as far as I'm concerned they always seem to get it right and uh and and you know there's surely argumentative things just like my my opinion and you know that I just said you know from the standpoint of the basketball team that I coach I I didn't like the fact that we're going to move down a class and and it's all due to enrollment and all that I get all that but uh but it it's still uh you know I didn't like it okay Governor Curtis thank you back to you Governor okay uh let me just look really quick here Pat fragel and you know just uh and the family and I'm hope I'm pronouncing Pat's last name correctly and everything but again you know here was a loyal servant for 24 years in the state of West Virginia please remember him please remember that family in in your prayers and uh let me just look real quick and see if there's anything that uh that I'd like to go over again but you know I I I just say to to all the great kids of the state of West Virginia and everything you know I know that uh I know you'd like to have summer all the time but at the same time summer would uh would get really boring and uh there's lots and lots and lots of uh excitement to be back with your buddies in in school and and the learning process and we want to make you better and better educated and and I and I've got to stop just a second and thank our teachers and thank you know all of our service Personnel our cooks and bus drivers and everything because what you do and looking out for our kids and teaching our kids is uh is amazing in my book you know I I I got to say this last thing I've said it so many times it's unbelievable but all you got to do if you're if you're one that hadn't been in a school in a long time go go and go and talk to the kids that in the classes and absolutely talk to the teachers and what you'll find is you'll find this as sure as I know my name you'll find that the kids love their teachers and you'll find that the teachers love their kids and you'll find in the community that the community loves its school and so with all that being said sure we can get better and we can do better and better and better and we try all the time to make it better but if the kids love the teacher and the teacher loves the kids and absolutely the community loves at school we got a bunch of good stuff going on in our communities and in our schools don't you forget that and really and truly I I just pause just a second to thank Kathy for all the great work that communion and schools is doing and and now the the therapy dogs and on and on and on but uh there's lots of people doing great stuff in our schools and there's lots and lots and lots of really kid really great kids and uh and I've yet in my life to see one kid one that absolutely would sit there and say you know I wanted to be a lawyer I wanted to be a doctor I wanted to be you know a great welder or whatever it may be and I didn't ever have a chance cuz I was held back and everything and the school's no good and all that kind of stuff I'm telling you if there's if if you really want it and you wouldn't want it bad enough and everything you know there's absolutely absolutely great future and great great great abilities within our schools right now so so let's just uh We've made a lot of improvements in the last few years and everything and got rid of that crazy a through F grading system and on and on and on but uh lots and lots of good good stuff going on in our schools in my book so teachers service Personnel all you folks that are making it happen every day and students you know enjoy going back to school and thank you for all you do