La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

UW-La Crosse political science professor Tim Dale joined for the first time ever. We hit just about every political spectrum and what or why we're driven to the left or the right. Also discussed voter turnout hitting 68% at UW-L in the 2020 presidential election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel joined. We discussed the potential consolidation of high schools in the city and perhaps buying a new building. Also discussed the state report card that just came out and where La Crosse sits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Council member Doug Happel breaks down the some of the details with the 2022 city of La Crosse budget. After that, because he's also on the Police and Fire Commission, we talk about La Crosse County's plan for some type of police oversight board.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Center Board president Brent Smith joined to talk about the completion of the $42 million expansion. We talk about what updates we'll see — like a new outdoor terrace — and what the new Center means for the city, the area. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky joined. Among the discussion was a new baby on the way, what kind of pregnancy cravings are we seeing ... how many is too many mini candy bars, the 3rd Congressional District race and an idea proposed by Republicans US Sen. Ron Johnson in having the Wisconsin Legislature control its own elections. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Beyer joined the show. She's homeless and living in Houska Park in La Crosse. Spent most of the show discussing the situation with those who are unsheltered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Started the show ranting about Daylight Saving, before Viterbo biology professor and immunologist, Dr. Chris Mayne, talked some of the recent news in the COVID-19 pandemic, including 5-11-year-old vaccinations and getting a booster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse County board chair Monica Kruse joined to discuss them passing a study committee at looking into creating a police oversight board, as well as passing the 2022 budget.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds joined. Started off listening to Rick rant about Aaron Rodgers. After that, got into city issues and spent a majority of the final half of the show discussing the homeless situation in La Crosse. Reynolds not happy with state government essentially ignoring the issue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio, to discuss the Build Back Better social infrastructure bill and how Democrats really don't do a great job promoting. Also hit on how we consume news, Joe Biden and the Wisconsin election investigation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's Matt Rothschild joined. We talked about buying politicians, continuing election investigations and ignoring citizens when it comes to how Wisconsin determines who represents them in office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She wants Ron Kind's seat in Congress. Rebecca Cooke joined, running for the 3rd Congressional District. Cooke's a small business owner, runs a nonprofit for women entrepreneurs and grew up on a Dairy Farm. If she were a Navy Seal, she'd have all the boxes checked. We talked about about healthcare, broadband, water, the Build Back Better plan in Congress now and her opponents, Democrats Brad Pfaff and Brett Knudsen, and Republican Derrick Van Orden.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke in studio. We talked about communities not charging and not even pulling people over for basic traffic violations. Also hit on where La Crosse County is at with a Police Board or oversight board. And we talked about the judge in the Rittenhouse case and some homicide cases coming up in the county.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Al Bliss, from Alliance to Heal, joined to talk about drugs, overdoses and deaths in La Crosse County and what they're doing to help bring those numbers down. After that, city council member Chris Woodard joined to talk about a big vote Tuesday on a $15 million plan for affordable apartments, including some dedicated to the unsheltered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky joins. Along with all things Halloween candy, we do talk about the terrible optics Democrats create around Biden's Build Back Better plan and how Congress removes things in the bill that they literally have as part of their job.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Fire Chief Ken Gilliam joined. Along with talking about best-worst Halloween candies, we did discuss things like electric fire trucks, the new speed bumps in front of the La Crosse Center and bringing the giant rig to call like a heart attack, as opposed to a fire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State Assembly Rep. Steve Doyle joined. Since he's a lawyer, we asked him about the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and a judge ordering the people shot and killed can't be called "victims" but can be called "looters" and "rioters."  Also talked about the Wisconsin election investigations and how bills move (or don't) through the state Legislature heading into an election year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All kinds of government agencies are "fishing" for invasive carp in the Mississippi River here in La Crosse this week. We talked with Randy Hines about that process and about working for the US Geological Survey over on French Island. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked about consolidating into one high school in La Crosse. Would it save money in the long run? Is it worth ending an intra-city rivalry? Also discussed the John Deere strike, CEO pay vs. worker pay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky joined. Briefly discussed some streaming favorites and how crime shows are actually solving real world murders. After that, we talked about the 3rd Congressional District race and a final report that came out on what Wisconsin could do to improve elections. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked to Becky Rom, the national chair for the Save the Boundary Waters campaign, about the recent decision from the Biden Administration putting, at least, a temporary halt on copper-nickel mining upstream from Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Before that, discussed the haunted houses, walks going on in the city and we've solved the mystery on video of the Hatched Baby being vandalized.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The battle for power in Wisconsin, as the state argues over drawing political maps that are some of the most gerrymandered in the U.S. Common Cause Wisconsin's Jay Heck joins to discuss the process. He has been covering these fights for 26 years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked with Tiffany Smith and Marty Wallesar of Hatchery, LLC, about their plans for the Fish Hatchery building on the north end of Riverside Park. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked a bit about Dan Bongino, who is on WIZM before La Crosse Talk PM, and his peculiar hypothetical about quitting his job due to his employer requiring the vaccine. That turned into a conversation about supply-chain issues and backlogs on the west coast, as well as talk about immigration at the southern border.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss Spaceballs, President Scroob and the dystopian society they had where canned oxygen was needed to survive, which is now a reality in stores today. On Earth. Also, La County Democratic Party chair William Garcia talks with us about the Democratic equivalent to Wisconsin Republicans bringing in Ted Nugent to promote hunting sandhill cranes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked about the lawsuit filed against the La Crosse Police Department on behalf of the Badger Project with Tom Kamenick, president of the Wisconsin Transparency Project. He's representing the news site. We also discussed why La Crosse Police haven't released the Hatched Baby vandalism video. Before that, Audra Martine, director of the La Crosse County Health Department, talked COVID, including whether Oktoberfest contributed to a jump in numbers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Charlie Berens joined and joked about La Crosse possibly getting the "Taj Mahal" of Kwik Trips. Also asked him about a couple other city and state issues, like the Fish Labs building in Riverside Park being converted into a wedding venue. We then talk to Kwik Trip about what's actually happening with the "Taj Mahal" KT. Around all that, discussed La Crosse Police being sued and Wisconsin Republicans holding hearings with Ted Nugent on hunting cranes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rookie La Crosse City Council member Mac Kiel and her 8-week old daughter Lilly joined. We talked about some of the bigger issues coming up for the council, including housing, the “get off my lawn” / “not in my neighborhood” mentality and how we spend the Biden Bucks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds joined and hit on multiple topics from housing in the city, to spending the Biden Bucks. We talked Hatched Baby and some development projects in the city, as well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joined to discuss the 925 notable police calls from La Crosse's Oktoberfest, including the stealing of a light pole. We also broke down the multiple stories involving retired Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman's handling of the 2020 presidential election investigation. Other things that were covered: the jobs report, stripping the added $300 a week unemployment benefits, talking cash registers for lonely people and Chergosky makes a blanket statement on whether Senator Ron Johnson will run in 2022.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked with Arianna Cirincione, she's a vet and the Veterans Program Coordinator at Coulee Recovery Center in La Crosse. An event there at noon Saturday is meant to help Afghan War veterans. Part of the discussion was how Vietnam veterans may be crucial to helping Afghanistan veterans recover, after seeing the US pullout of that country that gets immediately overrun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She's a Democrat in a Legislature controlled by Republicans, Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Jill Billings of La Crosse. Discussed how she tries to get bills passed in Madison as the minority party — but no, she's not bribing those on the other side of the aisle with gift cards. "That's illegal," she said.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talked about a slew of things, including a city council member's idea of just doing away with alternate-side parking in La Crosse. Talked about a slew of things, including a city council member's idea of just doing away with alternate-side parking in La Crosse. Also discussed some of the proposals going through committee, like the Fish Labs building in Riverside Park, as well as the new "speed bumps" in front of the La Crosse Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hit a bit of everything today with La Crosse Education Foundation president John Havlicek, from the misconstruing of Critical Race Theory to fit the "outrage agenda" to the benefits of teaching foreign language to students beginning at an early age -- something the state isn't mandating, while it tries to make cursive teaching mandatory. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky joined. We discussed the errors retired conservative Supreme Court judge Gableman has made looking into the 2020 Biden-Trump election. Also talked about Ron Johnson's taxes and, most importantly, we discussed how long you'd sit in a doctor's exam room before you thought they forgot about you. ---La Crosse Talk PM with Rick SolemSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brett Knudsen is the only Democrat so far running to take Ron Kind's seat in the 3rd Congressional District of Wisconsin. We discussed issues with healthcare, broadband, immigration workforce and his likely opponent on the Republican side, Derrick Van Orden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Doyle, 94 District Assembly rep. here in the greater La Crosse area, joined to discuss cursive and civics classes mandates that just passed, banning critical race theory. We also discussed some legislation he's working on in helping kids get adopted, as well as the fight over redistricting in the state. After that, Coulee Recovery Center executive director Cheryl Hancock on the Turned Leaf Family Festival at Myrick Park on Saturday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin's Legislature sending a whole slew of bills through, including forcing schools to teach cursive, civics. Before we discussed that, however, Mayo's Dr. Jacob Erickson joined to preview an Oct. 9 symposium for parents and athletes revolving around youth sports and injury prevention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin state Sen. Brad Pfaff joined. We discussed his unique position of confirming Gov. Evers cabinet nominees, after he was part of that cabinet and "fired" by Republicans. Before that, we discussed a French Island "shooting" and Mayor Mitch Reynolds' drop-the-mic statement on Oktoberfest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky joins. We discussed how partisan politics are so bad, even Wisconsin's DNR is in a right-vs.-left battle. Also talked about 80-year-old's in government — Breyer on the US SUpreme Court and Grassley in US Senate — and how that's probably not great for anybody. Along those lines, Senate candidate Sarah Godlewski, in Wisconsin, called on Breyer to retire. Oh, and there was also a Flordia man story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Fire Chief Ken Gilliam joined. The discussion included whether the recently vandalized Hatched Baby should get inherited by the department, after it was vandalized outside the city's police station. Gilliam also talked about speed bumps on some streets between King and Cass, the situation with the city's new fire departments and how area volunteer FDs are run.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you do the crime, you better be able to pay ... the fine? La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke joined. One of the things discussed was how the person who vandalized Hatched Baby might have to pay. Later we talked how the system favors people who can better afford to do the crime (as opposed to doing the time, or paying the fine). We also talked about the discussion in the county about a Citizens Police Board, as well as where we're at with some murder cases and how technology has affected the system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The homeless situation in La Crosse, as winter nears. Krista Coey from the Salvation Army of La Crosse joined to discuss what they're doing and a new collaboration that's about to open in the city to help those in need.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Erin Morcomb, the lead physician on Mayo's COVID-19 team for SW Wisconsin joined to talk all things virus. That included Monoclonal antibody treatments, long-hauler effects from contracting COVID, hospital capacity in La Crosse, and why we need not worry about long-term effects from the vaccine, despite it getting to the public so quickly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky joined, we talked about 79-year-old Tommy Thompson needing surgery after a water-skiing accident, and his lovable style seems like something missed in the Republican Party. Also talked about the US Senate race candidates in Wisconsin, as well as the La Crosse County Clerk's take on another GOP investigation into the 2020 election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tommy Thompson is 79 and tore his bicep WATER SKIING? Oh boy. Talked about everything going on with the Fish Labs building in Riverside Park with Dan Trussoni from the Parks and Recs office. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She was handing out piggy banks to La Crosse elementary students ... Sarah Godlewski, an Eau Claire native and the current Wisconsin state treasurer joined to talk about running for US Senate in Wisconsin. She's looking to take what's currently Ron Johnson's seat. We hit everything from Jeff Bezos and the billionaire club to politicians trading stocks while passing legislation that affects those stocks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Tyler tells his story of being wrongfully imprisoned at 17 years old for the murder of a white, 13-year-old boy during violent protests by whites against black students at a Louisiana High School. He talks about how he made the best of 41 years in prison and how the state fought over and over to keep him there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spent most of the show, of course, talking about someone stealing the face of La Crosse's Hatched Baby statue, which is located outside the city's police department. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A day after Joe Biden announced plans on vaccinating and testing the workforce to battle COVID-19, La Crosse County Democratic Party chair William Garcia joined to break it down, and answer questions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.