Eau Claire Hometown Media

Greg and Rob with the Chippewa Falls Harley-Davidson visitto build excitement for the Great Lakes Hog Rally at the Fairgrounds this June. This will bring Harley-Davidson dealers from all over the Midwest to our area.  Over the course of a weekend, the visitors will take part in dozens of rides around the area seeing the sites and visiting locations. The event was last here in 2024 and was such a s...

How does a company develop a true culture when employees are spread out amongst various locations? 18 months ago,Pillar Bank implemented a program called “Culture wise” as part of the overall initiative of strengthening and getting control of the culture among the seven branches.  CEO Shane Bauer and Director of Compliance Deann Lavalley inform us of what exactly “Culture wise” is and the benefits...

This episode dives into the wild world of dog agency-AKA giving your canine the power to make decisions, voice opinions and run the household more than they already do (in a good way). Heather takes you through the waysyou can give you dog small choices throughout the day that can make a big difference in your relationship.  Fromletting them choose where to walk, to treats to when its just time to...

Adam Bohanan is a Twin Cities based musician and songwriterwhose music draws from soul, jazz, funk and R&B.  He also likes to incorporate, as his bio suggests, nerdy references into his song writing. He and the Adam Bohanan Trio come to the Heyde Center on Saturday March 28th and ahead of thatperformance he sits down with us. We learn about his experience reaching the semi-final stageof NBC’s...

New Fair Executive Director Brian Maki explains how an attempt to simply get a “news scoop” for his previous employer, turned into an accidental job application for his new position. The goal the fairgrounds have in making  the venue accessible to groups to use and stay relevant with lots competition for entertainment dollars #GoChippewaCounty #eauclairepodcast #eauclairepod #thingstodoinchippewa...

As in any physical activity, bumps and bruises can happen torunners.  Dr. Curt Riley is a PT with Phileo Health in Altoona who is no stranger to the running community, working withathletes to keep them healthy and get them back to action as quickly and safely as possible.  He takes us through whatthe most common injuries and what typically leads to them.  We learn habits that can strengthen your c...

Breaking down health monopolies and opening more choices and opportunities is the goal of SolarteHealth. On this episode Dr. David Usher, learns more about SolarteHealth from Director of Growth Partnerships A.J. Sherman.  SolarteHealth is a new health plan that works with independent practitioners who operate in an open market,offering high quality and competitive prices.  Their objective through...

This episodes dives into the powerful role that co-curricular activities play in high school experience.  Beyond the classroom, these programs help students build confidence, leadership skills and meaningful relationships.  Altoona High school junior Annika Nesseth and senior Aleigha Jones tell us the variety of clubs and activities they are in and the benefits they feel they are getting from them...

Hosted by the Phoenix Taproom and Kitchen in downtown Eau Claire, this month's edition features Chase Hoople from Valley Sports Academy taking on Roy Atkinson with the City of Altoona Find out who comes out on top as they answer trivia questions while enjoying a tasty beverage.

Whether bringing a dog into your family for the first time, or adding an additional one to the home, there are essential steps for successfully adding a dog into your family.  No matter what we may playfully believe, a dog didn’t “choose” to live with us.  So Heather takes us through the steps on how to properly welcome them in.  She discusses how preparation,patience and consistency are key.  Lis...

A local basketball official has cried foul of area coaches/players/spectators/administrators and Scott has thoughts on that. Also, there are a couple of local HS basketball games coming up that you MUST attend...and a pet peeve of Scott's now has more context changing his tune a bit #eauclairesportstalk #sportstalkradio #highschoolsportsofficiating #referees #eauclairewi

Accountability is front and center at the Chippewa FallsMiddle School.  With one of the top 10 largest middle schools in the state of Wisconsin, its important for ChippewaFalls to have a one that provides a safe and nurturing environment.  Principal Derek Kunsman and Dean of StudentsCory Hahn visit to give insight into the education and culture that is being developed within the middle school. -  ...

The mayoral race in Menomonie takes center stage thiselection season and it starts with a primary on February 17th.  One of the challengers to long-term mayorRandy Knaack is Grady Richartz and he joins Emilie to discuss why he wants the position.  We learn his background, hiscommunity involvement with groups like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and what his goals as mayor would be. That includes his tran...

In this episode, Brit and Susie are joined by Angela Roe,Partnership Manager at Feed My People Food Bank to talk about the critical role she and her team play in fighting hunger across our communities.  She works to connect communities over a 14-county radius, identifying where food insecurity exists and both establishing new pantries and assisting existing ones.  They also dig into the evolving n...

Join Zach and Nick as they sit down with Zac Neal of To Be Alive (TBA), singer and guitar player of Neal Brothers Acoustic Duo, and drummer of their band Shovelhead. Hear about recording and the first of hopefully many hotdish exclusive announcements. #musicpodcast #musictalk #supportlocalmusic #hometownsounds #eauclairemusic #chippewavalleymusic #newmusic

Railroaders' head girls basketball coach Michelle Peplinski returns to share insight as the team readies for the postseason later in the month. We also discuss the rise in opportunities for girls to participate in sports both directly and indirectly and why the nurturing and supportive culture of girls sports in Altoona has created strong participation numbers. Michelle also shares with us wha...

We hear the personal perspective of the McDonellCatholic School system with Beth Leahy and one of her kids, her oldest Cate (age 5).  Beth shares the experience of amother with a budding family, what drew her into the school system, how the balance of play vs. curriculum played a vital role. We learn the benefits mom has already seen from her daughter. The impact of the virtue-based lessons thatst...

Saving Money isn’t about getting rich, its about being ready. Lisa Lyon and Brooke McLaren with Pillar Bank joinus to provide some ideas to create good habits from different perspectives.  From stashing away a set percentage of thatpaycheck to 401Ks  Brooke provides some suggestions from a Gen Z demographic while Lisa tells us what savings couldlike for the Gen X generation.   They let us know why...

Now in its second full year in operation, Summit Academy inMenomonie has established itself as an education option for families in the area. The Principal Jen Cimino sits down with Emilie to discuss how the vision for the school has played out, what enrollment numbers are and plans for the future.  She goes into detail on the curriculum and the ways the school is held accountable.  She also touche...

One of Eau Claire’s master of the pen BJ Hollars joins the podcast to highlight the area’s writing scene.  A prolific writer and creator, BJ is the Director of Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, author of numerous books and one of the creative forces behind the award-winning documentary Rubber Hit the Road and the  upcoming Kings of Kubb.                The rise and role technology plays in the releva...

The postseason nears for area high school hockey,including for RAM Hockey, with head coach Mick Podruch sitting down with us to give an update on the season.  Hediscusses ways the team has had to deal with adversity, the excitement of playing a toucher schedule to ready for the Division I level tournament and spotlights some of the team’s key contributors and strengths. We also discuss the introdu...

This Fall, ReforMedicine unveiled its exciting addition toits offerings, with Derm Direct, a dermatology clinic.  ReforMedicine Physician Assistant Lori Arndtjoins the show to highlight Derm Direct and the services offered. She has years of experience in diagnosis and treatment of skin ailments. This is not a cosmeticspace but instead a medical practice.  Derm Direct will be able to treat many ski...

Incoming CFAUSD Superintendent Dr. Brad Saron discusses why he wanted this job and what the next few months will be like ahead of his official start date of July 1st.  Fromacademic and personnel priorities to community engagement.   We find out his background, including hisprevious time in the district administration office, and why he felt this job was worth leaving a similar position in another...

What potentially sets your dog off and how much they can handle before stress takes over? Like us as humans, dogs too have items that fire them off and a limit before it has an adverse impact. From doorbells and strange guests, to otherdogs in the area to decorations on a neighbor’s lawn Heather breaks down common triggers and explains how a dog’s threshold can change.  She discusses spotting earl...

Coach, competitive runner and previous Eau Claire Marathon winner Danny Docherty is this episode’s guest with Adam and Emily.  A well-known name in Twin Cities running circles, Danny has run at the collegiate and professional level and while still running also coaches.  They discuss how one enters the “elite space”.  What were the stages and setbacks Danny experienced on his way? He also provides...