WIZM - La Crosse Talk Interviews

Kahya Fox, executive director Habitat For Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region , in studio discussing housing in the city, parking regulations and what’s happening to the Pink Palace on Main Street. Fox was part of a recent housing study released by the city. That study came away with these recommendations: Increase the supply of owner and rental units affordable to households making les...

Carol Abrahamzon, executive director Mississippi Valley Conservancy , in the WIZM studio highlighting the work they do, how they do it and how we can take advantage. The conservancy has protected over 26,000 acres of land in the area and 7,000 of that is open to the public.  Abrahamzon talks about some of the different ways the public can take advantage of what they’re doing — whe...

As Mt. La Crosse celebrates its 65th year, Darcie Breidel has been there more than half that time. The executive director joined La Crosse Talk this week to tell stories, as we tried to convince her to steal the snow machine and bring it to town in July. One of the stories Breidel told was of the UW-La Crosse Marching Band playing and skiing down the hill — a video that just  resurfaced...

La Crosse County administrator, Jane Klekamp, in studio with an update on the homeless plan, how the co-response unit has done this year — pairing police and crisis responders — where the civilian review board is at and how county taxes compare to the rest of the state. We started the show, though, talking quick about how the city is studying have an administrator — there’s...

La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joined to discuss the good and bad after Act 10, new school start times, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ budget listening session and some of the more interesting field trip proposals he’s experienced. Also, proposed an idea to Engel that San Diego State’s women’s basketball is doing — having local elementary students desi...

National Weather Service - La Crosse forecaster Joseph Ricciotti explaining how we get a 50-degree weekend, while temps are about to drop to below zero.  Ricciotti also talked about the potential for snow on Wednesday but steered well clear of trying to predict a white Christmas. Lastly, we hit on new terminology the National Weather Service is using when it comes to cold weather. Ricciotti has be...

Bill Soper, the president of the La Crosse Area YMCAs, joins to reminisce a bit about doing segments for 30 years with Mike Hayes, who passed away last week. We also got a bit of an update on a future YMCA in Holmen, plus how the La Crosse YMCAs have evolved to more than just a place to work out over Soper's time here. Coming up soon at the La Crosse Area YMCAs, Soper talks about the Dec. 14 Jingl...

Drea Higgins, the associate director at the Children's Museum of La Crosse joins to chat about what's happening this month, including a big traditional celebration they do each New Year's Eve — at noon, because they're kids. We also got into some of the special programming that goes on at the children's museum and that's where Higgins introduces us to what must be the best job in all of La Crosse...

Longtime Viterbo volleyball coach Ryan DeLong joined WIZM's La Crosse Talk, as his team continues in the NAIA tournament. We discuss volleyball in the area, the expectations — perhaps unfairly — put on the 15th-ranked V-Hawks to seemingly always qualify for the postseason and how they got here this time around. This is DeLong's 20th year at Viterbo, which moved to a new conference this season and...

UW-La Crosse football coach Matt Janus joined to talk a bit about Round 2 of the Division III playoffs Saturday, ahead of Thanksgiving. Janus and the No. 16 Eagles (7-3) face the third-ranked team in the country, unbeaten St. John's (10-0). That game can be heard on WKTY, beginning at 11:45 a.m. Saturday. Tune in on 96.7 FM / 580 AM See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recall papers are being drawn as you read this, just days after Wisconsin state Sen. Brad Pfaff revealed to the La Crosse Talk audience that one of his favorite Thanksgiving Day foods is that canned cranberry jelly. With Pfaff, though, his first visit to the WIZM studio since winning reelection, we did talk some politics, including childcare and capping insulin costs. Along the lines of Thanks...

La Crosse Education Association co-president Jill Schams joined La Crosse Talk on Monday to discuss what might change with the school district starting two weeks earlier, plus when to begin the school day and year-round school. We also had to talk best and worst foods on the Thanksgiving Day table.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vince Ristow, president of the La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Board, joins, as they get set for the season. The event happens at the La Crosse Center.  2024 Event Schedule 10am: Doors open 10:30am: Thanksgiving non-denominational worship service 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. – Dinner’s available for dine-in, carry-out, delivery See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The City of La Crosse has unveiled contest-winning plans for Accessory Dwelling Units in the community. La Crosse Environmental and Sustainability Planner, Lewis Kuhlman, showcased the plans determined the best at an event Thursday night. The plans are the result of a contest funded the AARP, whose national organization has made the units part of its livable communities for seniors efforts. Kuhlma...

The city of La Crosse's contractor, which deflects our recycled products from hitting the landfill, won an award for the high percentage of reusable products being captured. Zach Harter with Green Circle Recycling joined WIZM's La Crosse Talk, along with his dad, Gary Harter, owner of the originating company Harter's Quick Clean-up.  Green Circle is the recycling company that is affiliated with Ha...

It's the 60th annual Holiday Fair at the La Crosse Center, and Bri Beining, the marketing coordinator for the Center, joined to help preview the event, which runs Thursday-Sunday. We talk about what you can expect from the arts and crafts show, how Santa Claus will be taking gift requests and some of the special promotions running for year No. 60 — like a free tote for the first 1,000 guests each...

La Crosse city council Rep. Chris Woodard called in to discuss his displeasure with the decision to not add about $105,000 to the 2025 budget and include large-item pickup, plus pushing back a vote on hiring a city administrator until after the mayoral election. At the council's monthly meeting this week, it voted 8-4 not to add large-item pickup back into the budget, after it had been cut the yea...

UW-La Crosse football coach Matt Janus joined WIZM's La Crosse Talk on Tuesday to discuss, not just being back in the playoffs for a fourth-consecutive season, but how this one means just a bit more because these seniors are his first recruiting class. We also talk about the three-game skid the 18th-ranked Eagles (7-3) went through early and how that changed Janus' perspective and got the team bac...

Rotary Lights founder Pat Stephens joins to preview the upcoming holiday display that will go live the day after Thanksgiving in Riverside Park. This is the 30th year of Rotary Lights, which seeks food and cash donations from visitors to be given out to multiple pantries in the area. Stephens talks about how Rotary Lights got started in the 1990s and how it's grown. He also tells us is he's a one...

School District of La Crosse superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joins to talk about what’s next now that the $53.5 million elementary school referendum plan passed, plus we discuss his thoughts on the Trump administration potentially closing the Department of Education. We also brought up the idea of $4 billion in the next budget to fund public education, which is nearly the same as the state’s budg...

Lacey Hein and Johnny Wadzinski from Catholic Charities in studio, discussing how the impact of the city of La Crosse's camping ban has already strained the Warming Shelter in the first two week's that it's been open. The two are encouraging volunteers to sign up, people to bring meals and donations of clothing, cash, and cleaning products. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fun conversation with Aquinas High School football coach Tom Lee, as his team gets set to play in the Division 4 state semifinals and defend its three consecutive state championships. The second-ranked Blugolds (11-1) face No. 5 Racine St. Catherine's at 7 p.m. Friday. We talk about what makes Racine such a tough matchup, how Aquinas managed to pull off last week's victory and we hyped up a coup...

Logan High School football coach Casey Knoble joins to talk about his team being in the Division 3 state semifinals, playing to get to a state to Camp Randall and just coaching life with three young kids at home. Knoble was literally doing this interview from home, his 1-year-old daughter in the background chiming in. The Rangers (10-2) face fifth-ranked Notre Dame (12-0) out of Green Bay at 7 p.m...

La Crosse School District superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joins the morning after the $53.5 million referendum passed in the fall election. Voters in the district were in favor of the elementary school plan with 60.9% of the 34,240 votes cast. The plan:  — $53.5 million referendum question on November ballot for new schools / 8 classrooms, new gym at State Road Elementary — Build a new elementary...

La Crosse County clerk Ginny Dankmeyer joins, the morning after the fall election, and probably running on no sleep. Dankmeyer discusses how election night went from their offices, as every polling place in La Crosse County reports to her throughout election night.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.