La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joins to discuss Five Guys in Onalaska opening and how restaurants could really benefit customers, the Brewers needing more bank on beer sales, plus teaching politics. Began the show, though, talking a bit about US Sen. Tammy Baldwin announcing she's running for reelection and the differences in strategy between Baldwin and her count...

John Havlicek joins to talk about details in the upcoming Wisconsin budget, including his public comments and medicaid expansion. Havlicek has been a Central High School teacher for 25 years and we like to use him on the show as one of our "political blowhard." He was at a Joint Finance Committee public budget hearing in the Dells, discussing education. We also talked about Wisconsin not accepting...

La Crosse County Democratic Party chair William Garcia in studio, talking about Tammy Baldwin's re-election, the hypothetical Ron Johnson v. Tammy Baldwin matchup, the potential impeaching political opponents in Wisconsin and guns in Wisconsin schools. Cover the Tammy Baldwin running for reelection news in a couple different ways, including what Republicans might go against her -- like Scott Walke...

Two guest Tuesday, beginning with Happy Plants owner Stephanie Perry, who's shop near TJ Maxx in La Crosse will have a grand opening celebration this weekend — though the boutique is open now. After that, Michael Quam with the Salvation Army joins to talk about the homeless situation in La Crosse, a few weeks after Houska Park evicted campers. Quam talks about how many are staying at the SA curren...

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio, discussing the city potentially cutting services, his demands for action from the Wisconsin Legislature in regards to the state budget, Delta bailing on La Crosse and bringing back “Blue Baby." Spent a lot of time on what the state needs to do to help fund municipalities like La Crosse in the upcoming two-year budget, as the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committ...

It's been gone a year and a half now, but one UW-La Crosse student is taking it upon herself to try and bring back "Blue Baby." Ashlyn Neader joined to talk about her petition to bring back a piece of art in the city of La Crosse called Hatched Baby. If you don't know, Hatched Baby was a 9-foot tall statue of a blue baby's head coming out of an egg. It was created by Wolfgang Auer, a German artist...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio. A whirlwind of a show that dealt with everything from the election recap to the government banning participation trophies to the best MLB mascots to the ongoing politics in Wisconsin's legislature. Began the show with a bit of a recap on Tuesday's election results. From there we talked about a poll of MLB's best mascots — B...

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Jill Billings in studio to discuss the how the public comments in the budget process, La Crosse building projects and the $7.1 billion budget surplus. Spent the first half of the show going back and forth between the building funding/projects the La Crosse School District has and UW-La Crosse. After that, we discussed her hosting an upcoming public comment session on...

School District of La Crosse superintendent Dr. Aaron Engel joins. We discussed the passing of the operating referendum, student walkout on gun violence, future middle school classes being cut, elementary building consolidation. We began with a bit of a sigh of relief from Engel as Tuesday's election saw La Crosse voters turn out 65% in favor of the district's six-year, $60-million operating budge...

La Crosse Education Association president Jesse Martinez joined. With the spring election cycle ending Tuesday, we spent quite a bit of time on the district's six-year, $60-million operating budget referendum on the ballot and the school board race. We also talked about cellphones in classrooms and how the schools and teachers deal with those. And, in the midst of the school board conversation, as...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio talking about culture wars of woke and CRT, the Donald Trump indictment, the arrest of Ulysses S. Grant, and dueling checkouts — self checkout vs. chatty checkout. Started the show talking about culture wars, how nobody can define things like woke and Critical Race Theory and how, when governments take on these battles, noth...

La Crosse School Board candidate Trevor Sprague joins. The big topics with Sprague were transparency from the district, the operating budget referendum and the tough decisions the board will have to make in the future. Sprague is a lifelong La Crosse resident, who currently is a visiting professor of rhetoric and composition at UW-Eau Claire. The Central High School graduate has three young kids,...

La Crosse School Board candidate Scott Neumeister joined. We discussed an unwanted endorsement, how he feels the district isn’t giving all the info on a new operating referendum and the tough decisions about consolidation. Neumeister was born and raised in La Crosse and is a small business owner on the north side, as well as a real estate agent. Like he did, Neumeister’s three kids all went throug...

La Crosse County Administrator Jane Klekamp in studio, a few months into the new job. We discussed a slew of things from what is a county admin., to bridge housing to a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant. La Crosse County Administrator Jane Klekamp in studio, a few months into the new job. We discussed a slew of things from what is a county admin., to bridge housing to a diversity, equity...

Wisconsin state Sen. Brad Pfaff in studio discussing a lot of different farming topics, including anti-plant milk legislation (he would call this pro-milk legislation) transitioning farms, farm pollution and ways to fund fixing the roads. Had Pfaff try to explain the dilemma small dairy farmers have and what could be done about that, like transitioning to other crops, hydroponics and whether the s...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky joined. We got into a what's on the ballot, how the legislature manipulates and ignores ballot questions and what we should really be voting on — like state dipping sauce. Began the show talking about how these spring, "nonpartisan" elections are vastly more important than a presidential election in terms of effecting your every day l...

La Crosse School Board candidate Kathi Blanchard joined. She discussed some of the things she sees through her kids withing the district, talked how the board needs to build trust and expressed her views on consolidation. Blanchard is one of eight candidates running for school board with four open seats. She was born and raised in La Crosse, went through the public school system and currently has...

La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke joined to help make sense of the bail reform questions on the spring ballot that could change the Wisconsin constitution, as well as other legislation happening, and a racial equity study that was recently reviewed. Spent most of the show on bail reform, as lawmakers earlier in the day tried to better identify violent crime, even as voters are already...

La Crosse School Board candidate Tim Alberts joined to discuss what he thinks his role should be, public trust, the referendum, and the importance of listening to a diverse group of people. Alberts is born and raised in La Crosse, graduated from Central and has two freshmen currently with the River Hawks. Alberts discussed the importance of passing the six-year, $60 million operating referendum th...

UW-La Crosse Outreach Specialist Spencer Wilken in studio with another segment of breaking news from decades ago -- this time about living with a dolphin -- as well as whether the Romans had potholes and her very popular Reddit thread on the moon landing. First, however, Wilken listened intently as Solem unwound from being off a week, and the news of Wisconsin Secretary of State resigning. Then we...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio to discuss the controversial release of Ranch Dressing ice cream, as well as Wisconsin politics in regards to dueling political tax plans and Legislature salaries and qualifications. Depending on your preference, either Chergosky or Solem had an extreme opinion on Ranch Dressing. Politically, the the tax cut plan discussion...

La Crosse School Board candidate Jerry Wacek joined the show, discussing the old and new referendums in the district and some of his priorities when it comes to schools, including keeping the arts. Wacek is a field tech for an engineering company and he has two children in the district now — third grader and a sophomore. Eight are running for four open seats on the board, with the spring election...

Minnesota House Rep. Gene Pelowski of Winona joins the show to talk about some of the initiatives the state is discussing and putting forward with a $17 billion budget surplus, including free school meals, public school funding and legalizing marijuana/sports gambling. Minnesota flipped to full Democratic control this past election and Pelowski noted that there are now over 2,700 bills going throu...

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio discussing how how the state could change funding cities, the homeless situation in Houska Park, and some development news both near Pettibone Park, as well as the River Point District — the old Mobil Oil site. But, began the show, for some reason, with the hot topic of shoveling your sidewalks.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring in the political science professor, UW-L's Dr. Anthony Chergosky to break down some politics, yes, but also what Wisconsin's state aroma should be. A lot of listeners chimed in with good examples, as well. In terms of politics, we discussed the state budget fight, the $7.1 billion budget surplus fight, and a US House Rep.  from Wisconsin reneging on his promise of a self-imposed term limi...