Faith, Grit, And County Grassroots

A spark from Valley Forge lands in Fayette County as we trace how faith, grit, and neighborly duty still move a community forward. We open with a bold case for honoring Washington’s prayerful leadership, then bring that conviction down to street level: petition tables at local diners, volunteers frying fish to keep trucks rolling, and a veteran-farmer stepping up to represent voters in Harrisburg.

Larry, a blue-collar Army vet and working farmer, shares a life built on service—convoy missions in Iraq, midnight bottle feeds for a rejected lamb, and a handshake politics that starts with eye contact and ends with keeping your word. He lays out why party power should flow back to the people, not insiders, and how real representation means time, gas money, and zero pay if that’s what it takes. We talk practical steps too: where to sign petitions, how to rally neighbors, and why showing up beats shouting online.

The farm gate swings wider into policy. We dig into the Pennsylvania Veteran Farming Network, a hub where veteran producers compare notes and tap USDA and conservation resources. We tackle poultry biosecurity and avian influenza’s impact on fairs and 4-H, explain why some shows pause, and explore how local economies absorb those shocks. There’s a candid look at grants that sound big but prove hard to access, and a challenge to build funding models that match real county needs. Through it all, the throughline holds: faith anchors character, character fuels service, and service—on a tractor, on patrol, or at a petition table—renews trust.

If you believe neighbors can still change a county, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe, share with a friend who cares about local leadership, and leave a review telling us what you’ll do next—sign, volunteer, or run. Your move.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 1:22

The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of John Marietta and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Feta County recorder of deeds on the fitness or Feta County government. This program is privately produced and funded, and no county resources are used for its production or promoted.

Rallying Support And Local Accountability

GOP Petition Drives And County Factions

SPEAKER_02 2:51

Faye County MAGA Papers, HBJ Radio LLC, Meusers Garage and Tire Center, some of the Foundation Ministries, the Ink Spot, JB Market and Dunbar, Mung's Auto Body and Repair, Fayette County, and the Fayette County actually Fayette Structures. I'm just gonna get right to it here. I'll tell you what, honoring George Washington and everything he's done to get this country started ain't just a polite nod to the past. It's a holy reminder of where the nation found its backbone. Glory to God. That man didn't bow to Britain. He bowed to the Almighty. Out there in Valley Forge, frostbitten, his men were hope hanging by a thread. Old George didn't reach for a bottle, he reached for a bottle. He hit his knees in the snow and he prayed like a prophet. And the Lord heard him, just like he just like he promised in 2 Chronicles 7.14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray. And brother, our first commander-in-chief, did exactly that. Washington didn't march with by fear, he marched by faith. The same faith that splits seas, shakes mountains, and topples tyrants. Proverbs 3 6 says, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. Well, Washington's path went straight through fire and came out freedom. He never backed down. When the devil whispered, turn back, Washington thundered not today. When the odds pound high, God's hand pushed you harder. This nation was birthed in prayer, baptized, encouraged, and anointed in the blood of men who believe liberty was a God-given flame, not a government favor. So settle up, America. On today's Hobile John show, we're gonna light that old fire again. We're gonna talk faith that fights that fights, the patriotism, the praise, and a God that still ain't done with these United States. Let's crank it up. Brothers and sisters, the spirit's moving, and freedom's gone. Um I want to thank everybody for today. I I really do. I really want to I really appreciate all the money text and messages. I mean, my phone's been just going crazy over the last two hours. And I want to thank everybody and all the support. And um I'm not gonna give up. There's no way. Um I wrote a few things, so let's see what it is how this goes. I just wanted to lift my voice and thank everyone who's reached out in the last couple hours with your words of strength and encouragement. Bless you all for standing with me. It does my soul good to know that folks see the truth and what's been exposed here. Especially, especially in our county, and the way these commissioners have carried on. I ain't backing down, I ain't turning quiet, not when the lights finally shining onto the shadows. Together. We'll keep pushing, we'll keep praying, and keep holding their feet to the fire until the truth reigns over this place. Um I can't even hardly do anything on my phone because uh the message is coming in. All these people, uh uh all these people messaging me and thanking me for what I've done and uh how I've exposed them what's going on. Um, and of course, uh, you know what? Uh it it just amazes me. It does. It does that uh the the people are starting to see the light, and they're starting to see how how how people have misused their the money that the county's uh entrusted them with, and uh we're gonna keep on keeping on. And uh I know there's another big story gonna hit about some things in the next few weeks. Uh uh, I've been I've been messaged by uh somebody else, so we're we're gonna let that happen. Um I don't I don't and I'm gonna put this to rest with the Robert Burns things. I I could I could, you know, I told you last Friday I'm gonna put it to rest, and that's what I'm doing. Uh everybody wants uh I got people that think that uh they know better than I do, and they might they might so know that. But uh everything I've been told and everything I've done, I've done with uh Fort With, and and I I haven't hidden anything from anybody. So, anyways, I got Larry Doherty with me. We we do we we got some things going on in the county. One of the biggest things we got going on right now is petition signings for the state GOP that uh go to Harrisburg to represent uh Fayette County for the Republican Party. Larry's running, uh Melanie Patterson's running, uh Dale Custer's running for uh for the um one of the there's three groups of people running. So there's three fractions of Republicans right now, and uh we're gonna find out which one is the biggest one here real soon. Um but uh Larry's Larry Larry's a farmer, veteran. Uh Melanie couldn't be here with us today. It was it was uh she's she's getting ready for another petition signing and she's trying to get her house ready for for the uh TV to come down and check her out. Uh and it's gonna be an important thing for her. Um but um and Dale Custer may be on with us next Friday. It's gonna depend on the weather. So we're we're gonna hopefully we'll get him on. Um I seen a picture of Larry carrying a lamb around. Yeah. So you're the good shepherd? I guess.

SPEAKER_06 8:09

Or just a farmer, one of the two. So you're you're uh you're baby feeding the lamb. Yeah, unfortunately. The mother rejected it, so um every four hours I'm up and at them and making sure it's ready to go and eating good and and uh maintaining the health on it.

Meet Larry: Farmer And Veteran

SPEAKER_02 8:24

So well, uh people don't realize what dedication it takes to raise animals. I mean, no matter what it is, uh uh to keep them, especially people say it's sunshine and out today, but now what we've got to contend with is mud. Oh yeah. And and and uh and you know uh sometimes frozen ground is a little bit better than what mud is because uh you don't it it takes less bedding, it takes less less time to work with animals and keep them clean. And uh I I know uh uh cattle uh they they would they would trudge around in the same and cattle are you know I often think about the movie uh uh that um oh they went to Chicago and uh oh I can't think uh Glenn Ford was in the movie and he would they were they were moving cattle from Mexico up to up to Chicago to the rail or somewhere up to the railhead and they would move them up and uh and um but anyways uh it it was it was it's one of my favorite movies. But uh they uh you you think about cattle want to do the same thing every day in the same way, no matter what the weather is. So they they end up they you end up with with uh ruts out in the field that are two feet deep.

SPEAKER_06 9:37

Yeah, oh yeah. I mean they take the same trail all the time.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

So but um so uh you're going you're gonna go to Harris uh you're gonna be going to Harrisburg um uh after you're elected, um, and then uh you're gonna represent Fayette County in its interest for the Republican Party.

The Realities Of Farm Life

SPEAKER_06 9:57

Well, I mean it it's kind of good to get a uh uh number one, a local boy to to kind of represent in and someone that actually has, you know, boots on the ground and has lived in Fayette County. And uh actually, you know, from my background and things like that, that you know, you know, I you know I sympathize with Fayette County. I know what they need. Uh I feel that I know what they need. And it's just uh you know, it's it'd be an honor and privilege to to go down and represent uh Fayette County um, you know, as a veteran, as a as a farmer. Um, you know, I've I've worked at you know other jobs and things like that as well. So I I'm a blue blue-collar guy, and I have nothing but respect for the voters, and I have nothing but um, you know, uh respect for for the uh for the political gain as far as the um the uh the whole the the the whole big picture of it. And it it's time that we really put things back into the voters' hands, and that that's what I'm here for. Um you know, I I believe in sh, you know, even though it's an unpaid position, it's gonna cost me money and time and things like that, but I believe in doing the right thing, um, as I have all my life uh with the military, with being a farmer and and so forth, is it it's a building block for me. And like I say again, you know, I it'd be an honor and privilege to to represent Fayette County.

SPEAKER_02 11:11

Well, I'm I'm glad I'm glad you feel that way. And uh anybody that would get out and feed a lamb every four hours, uh I can tell you uh back in the day, excuse me, we had we we my wife raised goats, and uh my my wife and my daughter raised goats, and they would they had I don't know, so many goats it was like amazing. I mean we had like 50 nannies, I guess that's what you would call them. Uh and uh and we had uh we had a we had a buck that uh we well we had two bucks actually, and uh, and uh um they usually they they they were big. I I'm thinking they were boar goats is what they were. And um sometimes you'd lose a mother or something and uh she'd be feeding uh they'd be feeding uh the little goats uh in the kitchen with uh baby bottles and uh uh because you know, I mean, and especially this this time of year because actually wet's worse than cold.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Oh it is, yep. It actually is.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

And uh she, you know, we she would uh she would put a she would she had old rugs and things and she'd lay down the kitchen and they'd bring them in and lay them down and they'd they'd they'd kind of nest there. Now now we now we take care of now she's taking care of rabbits. So I don't know what the next thing will be that she she takes care of, but uh um she she my wife loves these things and uh um I think that uh I think it's a good thing that that uh agriculture's in I I was raised, my uncle had a farm. I was actually raised in Dunbar, but in the town of Dunbar, but uh I spent many, many, many hours uh uh in uh Acme, Pennsylvania. And um I I I can tell you that uh I learned a lot of things that I would have never known otherwise.

SPEAKER_06 12:56

Yeah, well my dad always said that uh no matter what you do in life, it's uh you're constantly learning. And uh everything's a learning experience and you have to build on that. And I kind of follow by his guidance on that, and because you know obviously it it's work for the older generation and needs to keep working for the the younger generation.

Service In Iraq And Leadership

SPEAKER_02 13:13

Well, I mean we we uh I of I often think back uh we we we had a bearing go out of the housing in the rear end uh and we had to replace it, uh PTO chef come through a bearing. And uh we went uh uh I was old enough to drive, so I went to I think it was Myredsdale we went and we picked up there was a John Deere dealership over there. The only one had the right bearing, and we went over there, and when we went to size it up, it wouldn't fit. And uh and it was we it was the right bearing. So uh you learn you learn real quick, uh you put but uh the bearing went in the freezer and uh we got out the torch with the rosebud on it and warmed up the rear end enough and uh and slid it right in there. I know that I know that uh I know that I probably shouldn't tell them stories because I don't know that that's probably the proper way of doing it, but that's how we did it, and uh you probably should have machined something, but uh but there wasn't time for that. There was hay to be made.

SPEAKER_06 14:08

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 14:09

I mean uh um fixed uh my father-in-law, I watched him fix I watch him weld a wheel on a well watch him weld a wheel on a uh on on a on his tractor, the center broke out of it, and we welded it back in. And I and I st and I always think about uh we welded the the center of the wheel back in because it broke right you know where the bolt and often thought about man that was probably a dangerous thing because we never even let the air out of the tire. So we were we were we were just wanting to get make sure the hay didn't get rained on. Uh it there's other things that but uh I actually I believe farming farming and probably timbering are probably the two uh pro two dangerous most dangerous things. Uh yeah. And but you've you've done you've done one other thing that uh that was a little bit dangerous too. You went you went to a place where nobody liked you.

We The People And Old Guard Tensions

SPEAKER_06 14:57

Yeah, pretty much. Uh over in Iraq from 03 to 05 where the book push was going on, and uh we used to r run down on Tampa. Uh it was RSP Tampa, so it was all IEDs and things like that, and um we did convoy missions and door kickings and uh uh TCPs, which is uh um pulling over uh uh suspected vehicles carrying insurgents and things like that. Um basically going door to door, arresting insurgents, um, you know, uh fighting it out with them and things like that. So I mean we I did a little bit of everything. Plus, I was uh the motor sergeant for my platoon because uh um I was with the um uh one unit and they switched me to a different unit and um because of the MOSs and uh they needed fillers. And uh they found out that uh I had a uh a um mechanical background for uh the motor pool, so they ended up uh slapping me in for the uh motor pool sergeant, so I was able to uh after we got off missions fix all the broke vehicles.

Voter Power And Representation

SPEAKER_02 16:36

So well, the and and and I I know um um my wife my wife just messaged me where we don't have an electric at home, so the wind must have kicked up enough that it took down the power line. So um, anyways, uh we gotta uh we're we're trying to do something, and I I really feel that it's the right thing to do. Uh we we see we we see that there's a definite division amongst uh and uh amongst several with several different factions here in the county. And uh I think the We the People Movement has to is is taking over, and I think we're moving forward with it. Uh the old guard is uh the old guard is going away, and then uh the people that are attacking me, they're scared of that. I mean that they're exactly as scared of that. That's what it's about. And they're gonna attack all of us. And I know uh they want they want things to be like they used to be. Um and we gotta keep moving forward uh with whatever. Um you know um I I often quote Churchill because he was one of he's one of my one of my favorite people. But he he he was one of the most uh I believe one of the smartest people that ever walked on this side of the dirt. And he always said, if you take time to throw stones at every working dog, you'll never get nowhere. And that's kind of where what we gotta do. We just gotta keep moving forward. Uh we we can't worry about what they're saying and what they're doing because uh half of it's truth and half of it's spin. So that's where we're at.

Petition Events And Community Meals

SPEAKER_06 18:03

Yeah, and and and the biggest thing is is the voters just need to get out and vote. I mean th this is your your right to to have uh good representatives to to you know for for your voice. And that's the biggest thing is that uh you know, Melanie and and Dale and myself, you know, we believe in the uh the uh voices of the voters. Um we're not here for ourselves to make a big show or anything like that. Uh I you know, I was on the biggest show in the world, which was Iraq. Um, you know, and I'm not into that. So, you know, I'm here for you guys as a vote, you know. I'm a voter too, and you know, I felt that the uh the leadership itself needs to be stepped up a little bit in the parties and things like that. And you know, we just we need you the voter supports, and uh, you know, we we definitely appreciate you know all your support and everything. And and you know, I'd love like say, you know, us three would love to represent you in Harrisburg and um do right by you. I mean, you know, my dad always said that you know uh you can trust a person when they shake your hand and look you in the eye, and you know, that's that's honesty right there. And I will guarantee you that you know I'll look every voter in the in the eye and shake their hand, and you can take me at my word.

Veteran Farming Network Overview

SPEAKER_02 19:12

Well, I'm glad I'm I'm glad that that's what we're gonna keep on keeping on. And uh it's important. It's important that we we make these changes. It's important that we take back uh the ground for we the people. That's that's the way I I always that's the way I believe it. Um the one the other thing is uh you get the petition signings that we're going to we're we're having right now. We have we're having one at Rooster's Roost on Sunday at one o'clock. And uh I know I'm pretty certain that everybody's gonna be there on Sunday, unless Dale has a breakdown at the last minute and he has to be working on a piece of equipment or something. Uh, but uh I know I know that uh there's gonna be an actually uh we we've got messages from other candidates asking if they can can bring them. We said, yeah, sure. What why not? Yeah. Yeah, I mean uh we're not gonna close it down uh to to just certain people. So um we're having a petition signing on Tuesday at uh Fiesta at Azteca, and uh I know that there's gonna be a cost for that one, but uh but if you want to come and uh they're gonna they're gonna put out a taco bar for everybody and uh and and uh that that'll be that'll be kind of a neat thing, it'll be a little bit different. And uh then we're having we're supposed to have one, but we're gonna be able to announce it probably next Tuesday when I'm on the radio. Um probably next Friday somewhere. Um but uh with all the fish fries going on, it you know, I don't want to take nothing away from any of the fire departments. So we'll probably be hit going to some of the fish fries and uh doing some things there. I was at uh I was actually out at Butte today at lunchtime, and I really uh appreciate them guys. Uh piece of fish and uh and uh of course I had some pierogies and uh some coleslaw, so that was that was that was kind of neat too. Um they're always very kind out there. Um I I plan on being the Dunboarder uh maybe next week and then uh and probably try to get two of them. I I usually go to Cornersville Township to the fire hall out there also. And then uh we uh of course uh there's uh in Brownsville, there's a couple, two or three we we try to hit to. And yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

Yeah, so uh you like fish? Yeah, oh yeah, I love fish. Yep.

SPEAKER_06 21:27

I pretty much like everything. Is that right? Yeah, pretty much. The Army taught me to to to eat when you could and eat uh and eat often.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

So um I I do I do want to talk to you about one other thing today, and uh we'll we got a few minutes yet. Uh I want to talk to you about the Veterans Farming Network. And that was one of the things that uh we hadn't we haven't touched on for the last few times. Now uh you got a big meeting coming up pretty soon, right?

Poultry Shows, Biosecurity, And Fairs

SPEAKER_06 21:55

Yeah, it's uh actually next Friday um down in I think it's uh Lewistown. Um unfortunately I'm not gonna be able to make it myself due to the fact that uh I've got some um appointments that I have to keep uh on Friday. Some things came up, so unfortunately I won't be able to make it. But um the uh the the uh farming network basically is uh just a whole bunch of veteran farmers that's coming together and then they they brainstorm and everybody learns off of each other for the most part. And then of course the USDA is down there, um, the Department of Ag a lot of times are down there to give insights on different things. The conservation districts are down there uh to show what kind of grants and and things like that that are available for farmers. Um and uh even if you're not a veteran, um, you know, there uh yeah, I know that it's uh by invitation that you know you can probably email them and and ask them that you know you'd like to come down and see uh what they're all about as well. And I'm sure they'll be real really receptive of having more people down there and and and learning about the uh PA Veteran Farming Network as well. Um but there's a there's a lot of good information uh that's gonna be put out there. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss it this time. But um I always enjoy seeing you know familiar faces and new faces that's joined the uh the um program. So but uh like I said, unfortunately I'm not gonna be able to make it this time.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

And um I I know I know um I know that uh you uh you're you also um I know I know you also uh do a lot of different things uh with the fair and the birds and uh the birds and the bunnies. Is that what they call that? Yeah, it's the I mean my my granddaughter's my granddaughter's uh in the that was the bunny but but um uh bunny she's in the bunny club or uh I don't know we're not gonna call them bunnies. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_06 23:42

Yeah, yeah. The the the 4-H group that was originally started was started by um uh two other uh members of the poultry association and myself. Uh I'm no longer a leader just because I'm uh I'm so busy right now that I'm like a dog chasing its tail. But um I'm also uh the vice president of the Uniontown Poultry Association, which uh we put on a buy-selling trades. Um it's a nonprofit organization, and uh we also put on um one show a year. It used to be two shows a year until COVID hit, and then it just got to down to one show a year, and that's if you know the AI thing is uh with the chickens and things like that are is is clear because there's been for quite a few times that we've we've we've had to cancel the shows because of it, and at the discretion of the Department of Ag. Um so but um you know that that's another um board that I sit on as well.

Egg Economics And Farm Resilience

SPEAKER_02 24:34

So I know I I I never realized uh the the how much the um I never realized how how many times that they they they can't have a uh a show because uh a poultry show because of the um different different um I I guess it's uh diseases that are going around and and uh but that affect flocks and uh but uh but when you think about it, um the most I ever had was about 500 laying hands. That's the most I ever had. So uh it was it was a little bit more, a little bit less, and people say, Well, how come you don't know? And I said, Well, if you ever tried to cat count 500 chickens, I mean you you just it's tough. It's tough. And I know how many I know how many peeps we started out with, but uh and and how far they got, and but uh that was the most I ever had. But uh I I was I was particular about who got into my buildings.

SPEAKER_06 25:34

Oh, yeah, well, and that's that's the same way with uh with my farm with the pigs and things like that, because they had a disease going around with PED from Africa and uh wiping out large uh quantities of um uh commercial pigs and things like that. So we were pretty careful with that. Now that's pretty much died down. But the the AI flu, I mean, i th th they keep changing the baseline as far as um you know you know when it's around, you know, a lot of times it it's through the flyways uh with the with the Canadian geese and the wild birds migrating back and forth and things like that. So uh we do the by-selling trades, and there's been times where we've been shut down on that. And and i i it it's more for protection for the for the individuals.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

And that's kind of neat because um you get to see uh a lot of different breeds of chickens uh w that they're that they're selling in the same way that it used to be with because they they just don't have the they just don't have the chick chickens at the fair no more. It's just it just they don't I mean.

Supporting Firefighters And Local Grants

SPEAKER_06 26:32

Well, and that's because AI um uh with the disease and things like that running rampant and and you know I can totally understand the the the the fares uh thing with it as well because you have to protect the the people, you have to protect the the other animals and things like that. So and you know, unfortunately that disease hasn't been wiped out yet. Uh hope you know, hopefully within you know near future it will be, but you just never know. And it's just like this the flu or anything else, they build a resistance to anything that you come up with. So you you got continually have to keep applying you know different medications and things like that. But uh, you know, hopefully this year maybe it at the fair that they will have it, but it it's one of those things during the heart part of the season, it's more um uh more widespread. Uh so you know it's it's one of those things that nobody really knows until the uh the Department of Ag you know sends its blessing down saying, you know, you can have chickens or you can't have chickens this year.

SPEAKER_02 27:31

So well, Joe Berish sent us a comment. He said that he said that we're we're his two favorite rednecks. So um uh uh and I know Joe just got out of the hospital. I mean he he's been he's been uh banged up pretty good. Banged up pretty good. Uh and he he's he's he's been he's been a good friend of mine with a lot of other people and he was one of the few. He he's always messaging me. And uh but uh um I I wanted to thank him uh for all he's done for me over the past few years. Um we got uh we I I got I got to meet another acquaintance of yours uh uh just the other day. Well I I've knew him for years, but I I get I just never com knew that both of you were gonna be d uh were were close friends and it makes sense because he uh he raised uh pasture uh lambs and uh I think he did some hogs too as Roger.

SPEAKER_06 28:24

No, I think he was uh mainly just uh goats, sheep, and he had a lot of chickens.

Rethinking Grants And County Funding

SPEAKER_02 28:28

He did have a pile of chickens. Yeah, he sure did. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He had a portable chicken. Uh and um it people don't realize that uh what it cost to feed uh I know what it cost me to feed 500. I mean I know I know I know w and then you you keep them out on pasture because uh that that makes the eggs that much better because they're eating they're they're they're looking for worms and grounds and bugs and all them kind of things. But then it then sometimes it uh they they get a little wild on you and you gotta you gotta start you gotta start uh it's like an Easter egg hunt when you start. But when I tell you I gathered eggs in five gallon buckets, I did. And uh my my wife was uh she she was a jovial sport about the whole thing. She uh she cleaned all the eggs and packaged them and I had two different stores that would buy them off of me, and then uh well we had we had we had a fire uh because uh I guess I stood up for the uh I guess I stood up for some things and and people took people uh realized that uh that I was starting to become a force, so they tried to burn me out. Um but anyways, uh we never we never did find out who did that. Um and that's the other thing. I always tell everybody about the EMS workers and uh and the and the firefighters and how how valuable they are and how we need to uh to support them as much as we can. That's why I talked about the fish fries earlier on the show. Got to get to these fish fries people and help these guys out. They only make a couple bucks on every meal, but you get a couple three hundred meals every week and uh pretty soon you can afford to buy tires for the fire truck.

SPEAKER_06 30:01

Oh, absolutely. And and the thing is is that the grants for the fire departments and things aren't aren't out there like they used to be, um, unfortunately. I mean when you look into it, you know, the um the the the grant money is is down somewhat and the the the the grants that they do get and uh is minimal. I mean it it's minimal considering what the the cost of the equipment and the things that they have to replace on a continuous basis. I mean, so yeah, they definitely need all the help they can get.

Closing Thanks And Life Maxims

SPEAKER_02 30:28

Well, um when I I was talking to somebody uh it wasn't fire department, it was another entity, uh, and they they they got a they got a gr they got a grant a couple years ago, and uh it was for it was for a couple million dollars. And uh they've only been able to access a hundred thousand dollars of it, and and and they're gonna lose the rest of it because you had to be able to produce uh at the time uh they were told that they were gonna be able to get uh matching funds from uh a couple different places and they weren't able to do it. And a lot a lot of times you see there where they're gonna do these grants to build things and and and and uh you see uh the different uh political people saying uh uh making a big deal about uh how they did this and how they got grants for that. Uh when it comes right down to it, uh the it's it's the dollar amount, the grant doesn't match the dollar amount that they actually receive. And uh it's it it's it's just the way it's just the way the structure is, and that's why I always always think like if we if we could if we did away with the grants, because that's still tax money, we would be able to still do a lot more with the money that was in the county. I mean to figure out how to a different way of uh generating revenue. But anyways, uh uh we're gonna go about 30 seconds left, and I think Nick, uh I don't know if he left me or or uh he forgot about me here. But uh um we'll we'll have to see what's going on. Here he comes. So uh um I'm gonna thank you for coming in.

SPEAKER_06 31:59

Well, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 32:00

Get out, get everybody out to sign your petitions, and I'm gonna close the show like I do every Friday. Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Memories are sweet, cherish them. Faith is being tested, stand firm. Time is precious, make the most of it. Trust God and take the rod. God bless each and every one of you, and God bless America. I am John Marietta, and I am the hillbilly, and I think that's a good question.