Up North Podcast

Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk to Shawn Phetteplace of the Main Street Alliance about being a small business alternative to the big corporate lobbying giant. And they discuss how Ron Johnson has helped Donald Trump undermine Ukraine over the years, leading us to the recent Russian attacks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk to state Sen. Chris Larson about holding responsible the fake electors who tried to sabotage the 2020 election. Larson and WEAC president Peggy Wirtz-Olsen then discuss a new package of proposals to recruit and retain teachers in Wisconsin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk to Bob Lynk, President of UAW local 578, and Tim Jacobson, Chief Steward, UAW local 578 about Oshkosh Defense jobs not coming to Oshkosh because Ron Johnson won’t lift a finger. Mike Crute joins the conversation to discuss Sen. Johnson’s history of outlandish actions and statements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk to former DNR Secretary George Meyer about how Republicans have destroyed the honor system that guided state Senate confirmation of secretaries and board members. Then, Charles Carlin of Gathering Waters talks about a Republican proposal that undermines the land trusts that enable pristine land to be preserved for recreation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

After introducing Minocqua Brewing Company’s new hard seltzer called Choice, where 5% of the profits go to Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Kirk and Sarah talk to Tanya Atkinson, President of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, about the implications for Wisconsin Reproductive Rights if Roe V. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States.  They then talk to Dr. Morgan Mandig...

Sarah, Kirk and Pat are joined by Congressman Mark Pocan to discuss his call for a federal investigation into Trump supporters who fraudulently posed as Wisconsin electors. Then, state Sen. Jeff Smith discusses the election “fraudit” being done by Republican legislators. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk and Pat are joined by Dr. Kristin Lyerly and former GOP State Sen. Dan Theno to talk about ongoing efforts to build public support for nonpartisan redistricting so that rigged, gerrymandered maps become a relic in Wisconsin someday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah, Kirk and Pat talk to Scott Thompson of Law Forward about the fraudulent electors in Wisconsin and elsewhere who tried to help Donald Trump overturn an election. And Mark Thomsen of the Wisconsin Elections Commission gives a further update and discusses his new weekly radio program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah, Kirk and Pat talk to Ann Jacobs, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, about the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and how the “investigation” by former state Supreme Court Justice Mike Gableman is seen by many as a slow-motion extension of this ongoing attack on our democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah, Kirk and Pat talk to Pastor Kris Kramer about the original lyrics to cherished Christmas songs and how those messages should guide our actions today. The show takes a holiday break and returns on January 5, 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk and Pat talk to Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway about Chief Inspector Gableman’s bumbling election investigation—and Law Forward attorney Doug Poland about the latest moves to prevent gerrymandered maps for another decade in Wisconsin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk about how conservatives used to claim they fought for local control, until they got control of the levers of power. Also, an infectious diseases specialist talks about fighting both the coronavirus and vaccine misinformation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah and Pat discuss ways to shop local with a Marshfield coffee shop owner. And they talk to a Lincoln County Board member about how people can get on the ballot and serve in local government rather than allow Trumpists to dismantle vital local services. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah and Pat talk to Portage Co. District Attorney Louis Molepske and Keith Findley, a criminal law professor at UW-Madison about the Kyle Rittenhouse trial—and how carrying automatic weapons in public is now "normal" enough to warrant a claim of self-defense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk and Sarah talk to retired Wausau executive Lon Newman about why some his city’s elite are still donating to a member of the sedition caucus (Tom Tiffany), and then talk to Matt Rothschild of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign about how the infusion of dark money has hurt Wisconsin’s democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah and Pat talk to the author of a book about labor history in light of a Republican proposal to let 14-year-olds work until 11 p.m. Also, former state Sen. Patty Schachtner talks about how public health experts planned for a pandemic but couldn't have planned for such political denial and obstruction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah and Pat talk to UpNorthNews reporter JT Cestkowski about his road trip covering stories in Ashland, Washburn, and a Culver's where he tried the latest trend in burgers. And a guest from the Ashland area gives background on the controversial Enbridge Line 5 project. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready for frequent appearances by the Pink Panther theme song because Inspector Clouseau's replacement is on the case of the nonexistent election fraud. Sen. Jeff Smith and Attorney Chris Bremer are our guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  The politicians who’ve literally created toxic work environments are finally getting blowback. Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk to a parent who’s filed the latest lawsuit against schools ignoring pandemic safeguards, and to a teacher forced to resign in that same district. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Sarah, and Pat talk to Doug Poland of Law Forward, a group dedicated to protecting Wisconsin from right-wing court assaults on democracy and safety. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Only in Wisconsin could a brewery care more about kids' safety than some of our state's school boards. Kirk talks to his SuperPAC director and an attorney handling the lawsuit being brought against school boards who fail to protect kids from COVID. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Green Day song has never felt more relevant. Guest host Dr. Kristin Lyerly joins Kirk and Pat to discuss a long month and a long summer of watching neighbors fight to prolong a pandemic. Pattie Forsberg discusses her decision to resign from a school board in St. Croix County rather than deal with a recall election pushed by safeguard blockers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Kristin, Kirk, and Pat talk to Rep. Jodi Emerson of Eau Claire about the final state budget bill passed by Republicans in our season finale. They cover the missed opportunities of a squandered surplus. and then review what else we've learned about this session of the Legislature before the summer break. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wisconsin has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to use a budget surplus to fix long-running problems. Instead, school students aren't getting anything extra for education. Heather DuBois Bourenane of the Wisconsin Public Education Network explains the GOP proposal to Pat, Kirk, and Kristin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kirk, Kristin, and Pat talk to Zach Vruwink, city administrator in Rhinelander, and Doug Oitzinger, former mayor of Marinette, about GOP and WMC efforts to block clean-up of industrial chemicals called PFAS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.