La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio to help dissect the fall election cycle, where we came to the conclusion that every level of government was its own unique situation. From Wisconsin's state Assembly and Senate races to the US House and Senate, to the presidency. Before that, however, La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds may have come up with a great name for a b...

A day after the election, Democrats Steve Doyle and Tara Johnson, who both won on Tuesday, stopped in studio to discuss whether the new makeup of Wisconsin's state Legislature means things getting done over the next two years. Doyle won by 217 votes in Assembly District 94, while Johnson  is the first Democrat to win in the 96th District since 1985. Also talked about was the money in politics, how...

La Crosse County and 3rd Congressional Democratic Party chair, William Garcia, in studio, working in sci-fi and politics as the fall election cycle comes to an end. Garcia was a good sport to come on and have a conversation that would remain relevant, even after Election Day is over, so there’s not a ton of predictions going on here but we do talk about impact and philosophy a bit — including Dart...

Just hours after she left La Crosse with her husband, Gwen Walz called back into La Crosse Talk PM. The wife of Tim Walz joined to talk about education, her husband and his advocacy for women and the underprivileged. And, we did ask her if Tim's getting anxious — not because of the election stuff — but because there's no deer hunting in Washington, DC., despite the deer population thriving and the...

Two prominent Republicans, fed up with Donald Trump, stop in the WIZM studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM to discuss why they’re touring the country to campaign for Kamala Harris.  Ex-Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan of Georgia and former Mike Pence national security advisor Olivia Troye deep dive into why they feel this is such a crucial time for democracy, and the Republican Party, to vote for H...

Ben Wikler, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair, in studio, right before he sent his kids off to either go door knocking or trick-or-treating. On the show with Wikler (3:15), we took a top-down approach to the fall elections, starting with Kamala Harris v. Donald Trump and then moving on to the US Senate race and then state Legislature battles.  We also discussed some of the policies each race...

Three guests and three different topics including the Mid-West Family, Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Radiothon raising $118,000. Plus, the La Crosse County clerk predicts a huge turnout, but now who or when we’ll have a president. And, the La Crosse teachers union co-president says more awareness is needed for the $53.5 million referendum. Started things off with Abby Ryan, a specialist with...

We did the weave on Halloween and politics with UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio with our traditional trick-or-treat preview. Among some of the topics was, of course, best and worst candy, but also some good poll questions surrounding the holiday: What age is too old to trick-or-treat — and do you have to tell your kids to stop?  Have you ever dressed as a...

Jane Powell, president of the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area, plus voter services chair, Chris Haskell, in studio talking about all the things the League is doing to inform the public this election cycle. We began the show, though, with La Crosse city clerk Nikki Elsen, talking about early in-person voting and how Day 1 went Tuesday.  After that (10:45), with Haskell and Powell, we s...

Fun, informative and kind of hilarious conversation, talking science with Spencer Wilken, who thinks Earth’s new moon is clickbait but Jupiter’s favorite moon is actually news, plus why we keep seeing the Northern Lights. We also gave Wilken some homework: watch Armageddon.  Wilken is a Ph. D. student at the University of Illinois. She believes it’s big news that NASA is sending the Europa Clipper...

La Crosse School Board president, Dr. Juan Jimenez, in studio discussing some jaw dropping numbers to a population study, the district trying to start school earlier, based on its burden to private schools and the $53.5 million referendum. Began the show with a bit of an overview, but quickly got into the numbers presented to the school board Monday from a population study that shows enrollment sh...

The one and only debate for US Senate in Wisconsin, between Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger, Eric Hovde, took place on Oct. 18, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the Wisconsin state Senate District 32 debate between Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and Republican challenger Stacey Klein of Trempealeau. It took place Oct. 16, 2024 at UW-La Crosse.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not long after the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce named Beth Davis its first female CEO since 1868, Tiffany Rice brought in studio two of their panelists for Thursday’s Women’s Leadership Summit. Those panelists are Gundersen Medical Foundation vice president Lindsay Preston and La Crosse Community Foundation CEO Jamie Schloegel. The summit happens from noon-4 p.m. at the UW-La Crosse Bluffs B...

Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz joins to discuss showing up for rural voters, getting legislation passed for working class and if he's mad Saturday Night Live got it wrong. Began the show, though, selfishly talking quick about Winona — where I was a sports writer — and Mankato West football, where Walz coached. Then we got into connecting with rural voters, as Walz di...

Nothing like breaking down the 2025 and 2028 elections with UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, 24 days before the November election cycle ends. We also recapped with WIZM's Brad Williams the vote by the city council not to vote on hiring a city administrator.  Lastly, highlighted some of the "Wisconsin Confessions," on Reddit, like "I don't like brats," and "Culver's...

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio discussing reelection, potential vote on city administrator, veto on Pump House request for more funding and La Crosse Center accounting change. Spent a lot of time going over, in different ways, the upcoming, potential vote Thursday by La Crosse’s city council on hiring a city administrator position. Reynolds talked about the cost of the position versus sa...

We're back! UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, back in studio to talk the $110 million of outside money in WIsconsin's US Senate race, the second TP shortage of the 2020s, Kamala Harris campaigns at the GOP's birthplace in Ripon, plus going 90 mph down Lang Drive. Chergosky also paid a bit of a tribune to La Crosse Talk host Mike Hayes, who is battling pancreatic canc...

Jill Schams and Jesse Martinez, the co-presidents of the La Crosse Education Association (LEA) — or the teachers’ union — in studio, discussing the district’s $53.5 million referendum on the November ballot, school funding in general and how a cellphone ban in schools has worked. Schams is a K-5 music teacher at Southern Bluffs Elementary School, while Martinez teaches 7th grade math and social st...

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio discussing the possible addition of a city administrator, potential parking deregulation and getting the 2025 operating budget passed.  The city administrator (6:30) conversation kind of intertwined with the passing the 2025 operating budget, which took up most of the show. But meetings about adding the city admin position could happen as soon as next week....

William Garcia, the La Crosse County and 3rd CD Democratic Party chair, in studio discussing everything from the policies of Kamala Harris, to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's old Sega Dreamcast to Star Wars The Acolyte being cancelled. We began the show, though, talking about whether Garcia would be continuing his duel roles with the local Democratic parties. Then we got into some of the policies surrou...

La Crosse city council member Barb Janssen joins to discuss committee legislation Thursday to use $270,000 for cleanup and security on city property, plus why the council didn’t appoint a District 5 replacement. Janssen, who has been on the council seven years, including serving as president, also serves on the Finance and Personnel Committee, which meets at 6 p.m. Thursday. One of the items the F...

Wisconsin Sen. Brad Pfaff in studio back on Aug. 26 discussing the lack of vaping legislation in the state, where are we with PFAS help, and having a debate with his opponent. The vaping discussing evolved from the La Crosse School District putting vape detectors in some bathrooms. Federal law is 21 years to buy those products, but Wisconsin's Legislature won't update state law, and it's led to va...

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio, and we hit on a number of things, but the best is where a presidential candidate should stop in La Crosse. If getting in and out for a rally isn't local enough, where, or what business, in the area should the candidate spend some time that people would love? We began the show discussing some intricacies of Donald Trump's L...

La Crosse began clearing the marsh trails and other city properties on Wednesday due to homeless encampments, as council members Mackenzie Mindel and Mac Kiel joined La Crosse Talk Pm to discuss some details surrounding the dilemma. Kiel goes out weekly with the homeless outreach team and updates us, in the second half of the show (17:45), on the council’s decision earlier this month to ban campin...