Miscellaneous
In Segment 1, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) discusses the second impeachment of then-President Donald Trump. He says while he does agree Trump’s actions leading up to riots at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 are impeachable, but that it is the wrong timing and that he felt the focus should first be on the transition of power to the new administration.He says it is also important to first remove doubts that Joe Biden won the election and to prove to Americans the election was fair and secure.Manchin also clarifies his thoughts on future stimulus checks are not against stimulus checks, but that the checks should be targeted to those who need help the most.In Segment 2, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) returns to talk about rebuilding the government after several secretaries resigned following riots at the U.S. Capitol. He also says a top priority needs to be getting vaccinations for COVID-19 in people’s arms.“We’ve got to do everything we can to get people a mind set of ‘I’m safe’,” Mancin said.He also talks about the future of coal in West Virginia and how the U.S. needs to be energy independent, using technology to make that energy as clean and efficient as possible in a bipartisan way.Manchin, our host Chief Political Reporter Mark Curtis and guest host 13 News Anchor Lily Bradley also take a moment to remember Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager following a Jan. 15 memorial service for the West Virginia native and American Hero.In Segment 3, Dale Lee, head of the West Virginia Education Associations talks about the West Virginia Board of Education’s decision to return to in-person learning.He says the union should have been more involved in the decisions because the WVEA is member-driven and shares the concerns they have about returning to the classroom before vaccines are more widely available. Lee says he isn’t entirely against a complete return to the classroom, but believes now is not the time and the numbers for it to be a safe environment.In Segment 4, West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Clayton Burch boils down the WV Board of Education’s decision to return to in-person learning. He says the decision came after four hours of debate and open dialogue.He says parents will still have the option to keep their students in virtual school if they choose, but they also wanted parents to have the option for in-person learning following national and state level health officials’ advice that it is safe with a mitigation strategy.Burch says its important to have in-person learning available to students to make sure they have resources they may not have access to in virtual school.