La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

Central High School Spanish teacher John Havlicek, the former teachers' union president joined. We talked about La Crosse teacher pay, building consolidation and rifted a bit about when we should be teaching kids a foreign language, among other things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky helps break down what we saw at the US House commission hearing on the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. We also hit on some Friday news dumps that included a Wisconsin Republican governor remaining on the ballot, the Wisconsin Republican "investigator" into the 2020 election having a spat in court over withholding public records and the free sch...

Retired long-time UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Joe Heim, spent the hour with us. We hit on some broad ideas surrounding the Jan. 6 commission's prime-time TV hearing, which isn't being aired on FOX but is on every other channel.  Is it political or historically important? What are some comparisons in history to this hearing? Before that, we discussed how unusual Wisconsin's s...

Jared Flick from the La Crosse Parks and Rec. Department joined to talk about some of the things going on this summer (pools are open), but also how those things all end in the summer, and how if only the city had a giant indoor facility that could be utilized year round. Also talked about two other things: La Crosse Police busting a pill lab and the EU mandating all electronics use the same charg...

La Crosse School Board president Juan Jimenez joined to talk about the recent survey results asking community's opinion on supporting a $195 million referendum to consolidate, basically, to one city public high school. We also discussed the dozen teachers that commented at the board meeting over compensation. Before that, Parks and Rec. project supervisor Jim Flottmeyer updates us on two Riverside...

Disappointing, La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds has yet to do his homework and watch the show Reacher. We will do a review on that when he does. What we did discuss was the street projects going on in town, new firework regulations -- for the puppies, and maybe some people -- and fines, the 467-page city council agenda, and the city’s reaffirmation on being climate neutral by 2050. See omnystu...

Newly elected La Crosse Education Association president Jesse Martinez joined. We discussed how La Crosse students have been helped by the federal free school lunch program, which is ending this month. We also talked about the need for teacher raises. That conversation continued in the second half of the hour with calls and texts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Godlewski is looking to take Ron Johnson's seat in the US Senate representing Wisconsin. One big issue we hit on was the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Godlewski, though, is also the Wisconsin state treasurer. We start the show breaking down a couple of things the state is doing through her office and add to how the US Senate could also be helping. Isn't helping but could be, as we discuss how...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Tim Dale, joined the show. His expertise is in the "philosophy of politics." We discussed how things like the Texas elementary school massacre or the overturning of Roe vs. Wade become hyper politicized.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joined. Of course we broke down the breastfeeding mother who saved her pet goose from an eagle swooping away with it. Before that, we talked about how long voters can stand candidates attacking each other in their party, before the primary is over and they can attack the "other side." We see this in the Wisconsin GOP governor race an...

Tom Nelson is a county executive where Rick's parents currently live. He's a former state Assembly representative in Wisconsin and running to take Ron Johnson's seat in the US Senate here in Wisconsin. On the show, we hit on student debt relief vs. corporate tax breaks, state taxpayers funding pro sports teams and foreign companies and the idea that a US Senate seat is America's easiest job becaus...

UW-La Crosse finance professor, Dr. Adam Stivers, joined to talk about what's happening with cryptocurrency, which appears to be in a free fall. We also discussed the stock market and how that's swung like a pendulum, up to and through the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse School District superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joined. Among the discussion was the revised plan for School Resource Officers in schools and the proposed $194.7 million building referendum the community was just surveyed on. We also talked about how times now vs. the 1990s have changed in terms of preparing students for "life" and some of the programs, schools the district has to offer...

Discussed the shooting death of a 15-year-old Logan student and some of the recent history on similar incidents for most of the show. Did start off talking about how the downtown cameras helped me out with a hit-and-run. A caller did chime in to complain about the southside gauntlet that is the creating of a roundabout at Hwy. 35/14/61. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse's Dr. Anthony Chergosky joins. We discuss the idea of a political party endorsing candidates in a primary. We also took some calls on the vitriol in politics, the name calling. Capped off the show on a couple weird McDonald's stories and a Minnesota US House candidate demanding to be on Survivor — yes, the show Survivor — because "racism." See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Ben Wikler, the Democratic Party chair of Wisconsin, talking only good things about Republicans heading into their state convention this weekend. Among topics, we discussed the Republican candidates for governor, Ron Johnson and Great Replacement theory. After that, WIZM's Brad Williams joined to discuss replacing the Hiawatha statue, as well as some history of the GOP endorsing governor candidate...

UW-La Crosse outreach coordinator Spencer Hulsey joined. We discussed how the new Prairie Springs science buildings will not include a planetarium and there are no plans on replacing it — therefore the public is losing its planetarium. Also discussed, on this date in 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, and the US House held a committee on UFOs. What would aliens look like? See omnystudio.com/lis...

Shelly Fortner, the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse executive director joined. We talked about the Kane Street gardens, how tough life is for those in financial distress and a bit on the baby formula shortage.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crescent Sgt. Michael Ernster joined to talk about the black bear that visited town last night. Before that, Matt Rothschild with the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign talking about the US Supreme Court decision that will allow more unchecked cash to flow into politicians' pockets. We also discussed Republicans wanting to dissolve the Wisconsin Election Commission -- maybe, as long as they get power...

Central High School Spanish teacher and La Crosse Education Association outgoing president John Havlicek joined. We discussed how the upcoming $192 million La Crosse School District referendum, teacher raises and all the economic situations surrounding schools goes back to state funding — or lack thereof.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds joined for the hour. He did not, however, do his homework and watch Reacher on Prime. We did talk about No Mow May and joked the city should pass legislation to allow creeping charlies. Also hit on the state's 20-year plan to fix La Crosse Street, privatizing the La Crosse Center and powering the city's electric busses with poop (or methane gas). See omnystudio.com/l...

Started the show, ranting about a recent story one one Wisconsin 3rd District US House candidate getting caught with a loaded gun in his bag at the airport. After that, talked to another 3rd District candidate, Rebecca Cooke, about multiple things going in the area and beyond, including the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade and corporate price gouging, but blaming it on inflation -- despite rec...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky is now a father. We discuss the rights a man has during what was his wife's 27-hour labor. Can you sneak out to get something to eat? After that, we talked about how someone bought a 2000-year-old priceless piece of art at a Goodwill.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lee Rasch, executive director of Leader Ethics Wisconsin, joined to talk campaign financing and ranked-choice voting. After that, WIZM's Brad Williams stopped in to describe the protest at the La Crosse County courthouse over the potential Roe v. Wade overruling by the US Supreme Court. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First, we talked with 95.7 the Rock and the Rock Foundation's Jean Taylor (6:15) about Big Bikes for Little Tikes, which happens May 14, trying to make the wish come true for 5-year-old Rhett Carroll. After that, Star Wars fanatic Jon Weisbrod joined (18:00) to talk May the Fourth, as we geek out on everything from the movies, the cartoons and all the Disney series.  See omnystudio.com/listen...