Eau Claire Hometown Media

Smart Phones, Social Media and Artificial Intelligence are apart of daily lives and educators are working to find ways to maximize growing and emerging technologies for students. Heidi discusses with Dr. Stacy Hawthorne, a Board Director with CoSN: Education Technology Leadership Association and Dr. Kelly May-Volmar who is with the Desert Sands Unified School District in Southern California. Techn...

On this episode, we meet a family that transferred their family to MACS from another district. Adam Thorson detailshow when their family moved to town they bounced from charter schools to public schools before MACS.  Why did theyultimately make this decision and what is it about the Catholic Liberal Arts model that resonates with them. What type of growth have their children shown? #catholicpodcas...

A local invention that is used worldwide has a rich history and some controversy behind its actual creator is. Local historian Pat Thibado visits the cottage to tell is the FULL STORY of the creation and legacy of the “TainterGate”, something that is used across the globe for over 130 years.

A staple on the area entertainment calendar is theEau Claire Jazz Fest, returning this April. Executive Director Quentin Volk details the numerous educational components and opportunities with top flight musicians for thousands of regional students that weekend. The headliner concerts at The Pablo and the noteworthy Jazz Crawl in downtown that has become the envy of many communities nationwide. He...

Trying to decide which debt to tackle first can feel like standing in the middle of a financial snowstorm. Do you go with the snowball method for quick wins? Or the avalanche method to save on interest? In this Donut Hole, the Money Donuts® crew breaks down the differences, the pros and cons, and how to choose a strategy that works best for you. #debt #creditrepair #moneymatters #financialadvice #...

Ahead of the annual Alumni Weekend coming up March 27thand 28th,  we catch up with retired math teacher, Class of ’74, and new inductee into the Alumni Hall of Famer Tony Reiter.  He shares his memories of MACS as both a student and as an educator.  Why math drew him in going back to his timeas a student and how he was able to show that passion to the future students he would go onto teach.  The r...

On this episode of Running On Air, Adam and Emily invite Luke Alexopolous, from Visit Eau Claire onto the show to talk all things Eau Claire with the upcoming race! As the senior public relations manager for Visit Eau Claire, Luke offers his insights on what makes Eau Claire so special to him, and everyone else who visits or lives in the area. As the interview progresses, Luke explains why people...

In this episode of Dose of Dog , host Heather who is the owner of EmBARK is joined by Emalee (dog groomer) and Kylee (art education teacher) for a conversation about service dogs, dog breeds, and the work these animals do to support their handlers. They discuss breeds commonly used for service work, including the Labrador Retriever and Poodle, while emphasizing that choosing a service dog should f...

Created in response to the HSHS Closures in 2024, the new Chippewa Valley Cooperative Hospital has made significant progress with an exciting 2026 in store. CEO Mike Sanders joins us to provide an update on when the former St. Joseph’s Hospital will be fully-reopened and the long-term vision of a new hospital in Lake Hallie.  What hurdles still remain? The fact this will be an entirely local-hospi...

Gizzae is coming to the Heyde Center April 17th.  This is Chicago’s premier reggae powerhouse, blending the vibrant rhythms of the Caribbean, the spiritual roots of Ethiopiaand the soulful gift of the South Side.  Featuring Grammy-Award winning musicians and decades of internationaltouring experience. Brian “Rocket” Rock joins us to share insight into their band and his Caribbean background We lea...

The future of Hobbs Ice Arena is in doubt...the removal of UWEC Head Women's Basketball Coach Tonja Englund...the success of Stout Men's Hockey...and a stunning local high school football coaching move. #eauclairewi #menomoniewi #stouthockey #uwstout #uwec #uwecwbb #eauclaire #cityofeauclaire #sportspodcast #localsports

The Money Donuts® crew breaks down the biggest mistake people make when trying to become debt-free and why it can leave you feeling discouraged. With a few small changes, you can stop feeling stuck and start making real progress toward that debt-free finish line!

With the NCAA Tournament's first round done, Derek takes a look and how it went down

Springtime is flower time!  Before our own gardens bloom in a few weeks, our area can still get visual stimulation thanks to an upcoming exhibit at the Pablo Center. Erika Crotty visits to highlight the upcoming Fabulous Florals exhibit coming to the Pablo’s Art Gallery March 26th-29th.  She details this mix of live floral arrangements and static art pieces, what goes into it and why its annually...

The boys bring on Frank Leffelman guitarist for 80s tribute rock band, Kanebrake to talk about the upcoming season, and his Facebook page GIG NIGHT IN THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY where you can find all the music going in the area for the week. #localmusic #liveentertainment #livemusic #eauclairepodcast #eauclairepod #musicpodcast #podcastrecommendations #newmusic

Presented by the Northern Wisconsin State FairOn this episode we are joined by Adeline Frank, the 2026 Northern Wisconsin State Fair “Fairest of the Fair” to discuss what it means to serve as an ambassador for one of the region’s most beloved traditions. Adeline shares her own experiences showing photography, baked goods and eventually swine at the fair growing up to then pursuing thisopportunity....

On this episode we meet the Willkom family, with dadTony joined by 7th grader Aubrey and 4th grader Graham.  Tony and his wife are both MACS alumni, and he shares why he decided the school system was the best fit for hischildren too. Aubrey and Graham tell us about their favoriteclasses, subjects they enjoy the most and the things they are learning. #catholicpodcast  #faithandlearning #catholicsch...

Nearly every business has a presence on the web, but howdoes one make sure their site is getting seen and getting results? Keenan introduces us to Derek Entrekin, the owner of local web design agency Edwin Marie.   What does it take to build a powerful online presence in the digital world? More importantly, we learn how all of this is feasible andaffordable for the smallest of companies.  The best...

What does it really mean to be a community bank?  In this episode, Tony Meyers and Becky Rouser with Pillar Bank break down what this means to Pillar Bank and how the bank works to integrate itself the communities they are located in.  From local decision-making and relationship-based lending to reinvesting deposits right back into the neighborhoods they serve. Pillar Bank is located in seven diff...

In this episode of Money Donuts, the hosts dive into the debate of buying the cheap option versus going for the more expensive one. Is spending more always worth it, or can the budget-friendly choice get the job done? The team shares stories, perspectives, and tips on how to decide when to save, when to splurge, and how to strike the right balance in your everyday spending. #moneymatters #financia...

Local author, UWEC professor and all around good guy B.J.Hollars visits The Kitchen Sink to talk with Brit and Susie.  They cover a wide range of topics, including a current project of his surrounding food insecurity.  What do his students TEACH HIM? And what are some of his favorite local eateries. #eauclairepodcast #communityinvolvement #funstories #chippewavalley #podcastrecommendations #wiscon...

Its the Chippewa Valley's Game Show! Hosted by The Phoenix Taproom and Kitchen, listen to this month's episode to see which of our celebrity guests comes out on top Adam Condit (Blue Ox Running) Cullen Ryan (Clearwater Comedy) Zach Johnson (Hot Dish & Headliners Podcast and Shovelhead) #eauclairepodcast #gameshow #comedypodcast #downtowneauclaire #liveentertainment #podcastrecommendati...

Athletics in high school are more than wins and losses,they’re an additional opportunity for education and development.  At CFAUSD, athletics are robust in bothparticipation as well as involvement from boosters.  Participation fees in athletics remain near the lowest in the entire region.  Host Jeffrey Holmes and Athletic Director Mike Thompson, along with student-athletes Allison Widiker and Jack...

With nearly 60 athletes, the Track & Field program isone of the largest co-curriculars at Altoona. Ahead of their upcoming season, new head coach Ali LeCaptain, along with athletes Gabriel Radcliff and Abbie Hoag discuss the program.  What are the most popular events and the process of creating a team-environment.

In a heartfelt episode, we talk with Astri Graceheart, theexecutive director of Home for Good to learn about this non-profit doing work in Eau Claire. We learn the mission behind Home for Good, which is create stability, dignity and hope for individuals and families facing housing insecurity in the area.  The native of Wausau and UW-Eau Claire grad, details how her own experiences as a teacher bro...