Talk of the Town October 13, 2026

Let's take a look at a couple of headlines and we'll get the program started.

Well, tonight the Taylor County Board of Education will consider the impact and they could possibly set hearing dates for the closure of the Flemington Elementary School.

State Senator Jay Taylor says the proposal's taken the community by surprise, especially after a significant investment into the facility using school building authority funds in recent years.

Now, Taylor County does stream their Board of Education meetings live.

The 16th annual Morgantown Urban Deer Archery Hunt is underway at this hour.

You know, for the last decade and a half, trained local archers have taken aim on growing deer populations to curtail car deer crashes and the illegal consumption of your ornamental and garden plants.

This year, that program has topped the eight-ton mark donations of ground venison to local kitchens and food pantries.

Local coordinator Rick Bebout says the state DNR has been very, very helpful in the success of this local program and suggests, you know, I saw some chatter on social media about some people maybe in the Fairmont area that wanted to start something like that.

Chris Rose, or I'm sorry, Rick Bebout says all you need to do is go to your city council and present the idea to them.

And, of course, you've got a great example right here in Morgantown with the impact of that on both the deer population and the impact to food kitchens and pantries.

The State Department of Health Facilities, they're looking to bring in a private manager for two state-run psychiatric hospitals.

They have rolled out a request for a proposal for operators at the Mildred Mitchell Bateman Hospital in Huntington and the William Sharp Jr.

Hospital in Weston.

Both would remain state-owned but run by private operators.

Now, Mike Folio, don't know if you remember him, but former attorney for Disability Rights West Virginia, came on the program here within the last year talking about some of the conditions at the William Sharp Junior Hospital.

Not to mention, that was the location where the 30-year-old man died.

was undergoing a mental episode, took some folks hostage.

State police had to come in and take care of that situation.

But if you remember right, what Mike Folio told us was that guy went out into the courtyard, got a carriage bolt out of a storm drain casting, and then took that back into the hospital to conduct his assault.

So be interesting to see how a private organization would deal with situations like that.

The 27th president of West Virginia University is set to be officially inaugurated on Thursday afternoon right here in the city of Morgantown.

That happens at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

And finally, Mon County Sheriff's Department, they're continuing their investigation into that fatal Sunday accident on I-68 near the Pierpont exit.

We've got that full report of what they know so far.

You'll find that at wajr.com, along with the names of the folks involved in that crash and the name of the victim who passed away.

Let's take a look at a couple of headlines and we'll get the program started.

Well, tonight the Taylor County Board of Education will consider the impact and they could possibly set hearing dates for the closure of the Flemington Elementary School.

State Senator Jay Taylor says the proposal's taken the community by surprise, especially after a significant investment into the facility using school building authority funds in recent years.

Now, Taylor County does stream their Board of Education meetings live.

The 16th annual Morgantown Urban Deer Archery Hunt is underway at this hour.

You know, for the last decade and a half, trained local archers have taken aim on growing deer populations to curtail car deer crashes and the illegal consumption of your ornamental and garden plants.

This year, that program has topped the eight-ton mark donations of ground venison to local kitchens and food pantries.

Local coordinator Rick Bebout says the state DNR has been very, very helpful in the success of this local program and suggests, you know, I saw some chatter on social media about some people maybe in the Fairmont area that wanted to start something like that.

Chris Rose, or I'm sorry, Rick Bebout says all you need to do is go to your city council and present the idea to them.

And, of course, you've got a great example right here in Morgantown with the impact of that on both the deer population and the impact to food kitchens and pantries.

The State Department of Health Facilities, they're looking to bring in a private manager for two state-run psychiatric hospitals.

They have rolled out a request for a proposal for operators at the Mildred Mitchell Bateman Hospital in Huntington and the William Sharp Jr.

Hospital in Weston.

Both would remain state-owned but run by private operators.

Now, Mike Folio, don't know if you remember him, but former attorney for Disability Rights West Virginia, came on the program here within the last year talking about some of the conditions at the William Sharp Junior Hospital.

Not to mention, that was the location where the 30-year-old man died.

was undergoing a mental episode, took some folks hostage.

State police had to come in and take care of that situation.

But if you remember right, what Mike Folio told us was that guy went out into the courtyard, got a carriage bolt out of a storm drain casting, and then took that back into the hospital to conduct his assault.

So be interesting to see how a private organization would deal with situations like that.

The 27th president of West Virginia University is set to be officially inaugurated on Thursday afternoon right here in the city of Morgantown.

That happens at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

And finally, Mon County Sheriff's Department, they're continuing their investigation into that fatal Sunday accident on I-68 near the Pierpont exit.

We've got that full report of what they know so far.

You'll find that at wajr.com, along with the names of the folks involved in that crash and the name of the victim who passed away.