Miscellaneous
In Segment 1, Bishop Michie Klusmeyer of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia talks about having hope in the Christmas season and how important holding on to hope has been throughout the pandemic.Klusmeyer says while churches are going virtual, it’s a time when people are more connected with people from across the world joining local churches on live-streamed services and yet more isolated. He says this Christmas and Advent season is a time to be quiet and listen to the voice of God for comfort.In Segment 2, Joe Stevens with the West Virginia Ski Area Association says wintery weather on the slopes is a-go for ski season. While the ski resorts will be open, safety precautions will be in place to protect guests and employees from COVID-19. Stevens says he has one piece of advice for skiers – “Mask up.”Face coverings will be required in lift lines, on the lifts and other areas. People can go to goskiwv.com for a full list of guidelines at the ski resorts. Stevens says in a normal year, the industry brings in $250 million and 5,000 jobs.In Segment 3, we switch gears to politics with West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael (R-Jackson) to discuss the supermajority in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate.While Carmichael himself was voted out in the primary election in June, he attributes the Republican party’s overall success in the Mountain State’s general election to the legislature’s focus on issues West Virginians care about. He says he believes it’s important for the legislature to work toward making the best decisions for the state.In Segment 4, West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael (R-Jackson) returns to talk about working in public office and what it’s like to make changes to better the state’s future.He also talks about the discussions around phasing out the state income tax, saying the State Senate has led many of those conversations. Charmichael says it needs to be addressed because economists across the country have said it’s the “number one job-killing tax in our state.”