Spanning The State

During the holiday season some traditions never grow old, like seeing your favorite play or musical like the Nutcracker or a Christmas Carol. However, if your job is to review the arts, can watching and critiquing these shows year after becoming repetitive? What fresh insight can you give on something you’ve seen every year? Arts and Books Editor for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jim Higgins joins Kristin and Brian to discuss how he does it every year and keeps it fresh!

On Monday, a Dane county judge struck down, ACT 10, a landmark state law that protected union rights for public employees in the state. Now these unions and public employees are trying to find a way forward as the verdict is facing an appeal from republican leaders. President and General Counsel for Law Forward joins Spanning the State to explain what happens next, the difference between yesterday’s ruling and the one in July, what parts of Act 10 are still in place, and when will we all get more answers.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Today on Spinning the State: Milwaukee - Walker’s Point shelter gets funds to remain open. Brookfield - Brookfield knife sharpener invited to Japan Greendale - Albino deer spotted.

Brian closes out the holiday week with another solo show. We hear from Debbie Lazaga who gives us an update on some "mating habits" for Wisconsin deer and how it's affecting our travel. Brian then speaks to Tom Burns owner of "The Green Bay House" the ultimate location for tailgating for a Packer game that gives back. Also, some holiday gifts may include a sticker deal to American National Parks. Later Brian spins the state and shares a recap of the important conversations he and Kristin had about men's health in honor of Movember. The deadline is approaching for the Movember contest, text "Mustache" to 855-616-1620 for information on how to participate and win tickets to a Bucks game. Then Brian speaks to West Bend Tap Room Co-founder Kyle Vetter about his fundraiser to raise money for cancer. Then it's time for the Grandiloquent Game show before we all finish the Holiday weekend.

Today on Spinning the State: Peshtigo - Peshtigo Water Committee decides natural fluoride is enough. Caledonia - The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.

Kyle Vetter co-founder of West Bend’s Tap Room talks to Brian about the tragic cancer diagnosis of his wife and fellow co-founder Stephanie Vetter. He shares information about their 1840 Brewery Fundraiser to help support his wife and family through their journey to recovery. If you are interested in donated text “Beer” to the WTMJ hotline at 855-616-1620 for the link.

Tom Burns owner of “The Green Bay House” a home near Lambeau field. Burns tells Brian about how the home went from an AirBNB to a worldwide tailgate destination but that’s not it. He also informs Brian of their Instagram presence, how their home helps support veterans and families, and their Ultimate Tailgate and Raffle event.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Today on Spinning the State: Oconomowoc - Leather Rich fights DNR lawsuit. Casco - Well water tested in Kewaunee County. Milwaukee - Smuckers issues recall at Wisconsin Walmarts.

CEO of Nationwide Trophy Recycling and Total Awards & Promotions Inc. in Madison, Janet L. Gray joins Brian to talk about their business collecting old trophies people no longer want. She explains why it it’s so hard for people to throw out their awards, why they can’t take etched trophies, some of the prestigious trophies they’ve collected, and how you can volunteer your services.

Captain of Fire Prevention West Bend Fire Department, Kenny Asselin joins Spanning the State to talk about holiday fires and how to prevent them. He explains why we see so many oven fires on Thanksgiving, why house fires increase in December, how to safely cook and dry fry your turkeys and more.

Pabst Theater Chief, Kevin Sloan joins Brian in-studio to discuss his 14-year career as the head chef for the local venue. Sloan shares what it it’s like to prepare food for some of the biggest names in Entertainment, some of the weirdest requests from guests, how he and his staff prep their menus, and what it’s like overseeing five different theaters.

Today on Spanning the State, Brian Noonan is riding solo once again. Today he speaks to Brittany Shoenick about illegal lockouts and how landlords are using the illegal practice against their tenants. Brian welcomes Dr. Peter Geiss and Mary Reich of Lake Area Free Clinic for Giving Tuesday to share how they are helping provide healthcare to low-income and uninsured patients. Later Brian speaks to Guinness World Record holder Steve Roppel and his unique skill of gravy guzzling. It's also not too late to enter into Spanning the State's Movember contest, Brian shares how and what you have a chance to win!

Today on Spinning the State: Pacific - Rural broadband project near Portage. Baraboo - Baraboo taxi service may be cut. Juneau - Robotic litter boxes big business.

Executive Director Mary Reich and Dr. Peter Reich of Lake Area Free Clinic in Oconomowoc. They speak to Brian about they Milestone of 100,000 patient visits. Today they share more about the work they do to provide health care for low-income uninsured Waukesha County Residents. They talk about how they help residents who make less than 200,000, the 18 years Dr. Geiss has been treating patients at the clinic, their dental services and how to help them reach their financial goal to keep treating patients in 2025.

Greta Sheuer the Smurf collector isn’t the only Guinness World Record Holding Wisconsinite. Steve Roppel currently holds the world record for… Gravy Guzzling. He joins Brian on Spanning the State to tell us more on why he chose this record, his comeback to take the title back, and other world records he has broken.

Attorney with Legal Action Wisconsin, Brittany Schoenick joins Spanning the State to about Legal Lockouts in Milwaukee county. The practice of illegal lookouts is illegal in Wisconsin, and landlords across the county have been taking advantage of it. Shoenick tells us more about what this practice is, how to tenants can protect themselves, and more.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Today on Spinning the State: Green Bay - Packers Foundation awards 1.5 million. Wisconsin - New Wisconsin themed hotel coming to Dells. Franklin - SnowGlobe Holiday Festival.

This might come as a surprise to a lot of us, but the amount of income that Wisconsinites pay in taxes has been steadily declining, and is now at its lowest rate, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum. The report measured Wisconsin’s “tax burden,” an expression that encapsulates the ratio of state and local taxes a person pays relative to their income. Mark Sommerhauser, Communications Director for Wisconsin Policy Forum joins Brian to further explain what they uncovered about Wisconsin’s taxes in the report.

Scott LoMurray, CEO of Sources of Strength joins Brian to talk about how their program has helped Wisconsin teens deal with their mental health issues. He shares how the program was created, how they got other teens involved to encourage participation, what’s behind the proven research that their program works, and how their curriculum has also helped curve suicide risk.

The State of Wisconsin is one of the states in the country when it comes to funding for Special Education. Currently, many schools have to find the money on their own to offer the proper educational services. The question now is if there is more funding, will it benefit not only the special ed programs but all students. Alan Borsuk, Senior Fellow in law and Public Policy at Marquette Law School joins Brian Noonan to answer questions on what happens now if WI gets the funding it needs.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Today on Spinning the State: Green Bay - Music from The Last Waltz to be played 11/26 Ripon - Ripon College receives the largest donation ever. Williams Bay - World’s largest glass Christmas tree on display in Williams Bay.

In the early 1945 the nation was exposed to what is call one of the greatest public health achievements in the 20th century, Water Fluoridation. This is the act of adding fluoride to local public water systems to help prevent tooth decay. Now some Wisconsin counties are considering removing it from water supplies. To learn more about the risks and what this means for the public, Brian and Michael speak to Wisconsin Dental Association President Dr. Tom Reid.

Dr. Mark Ehlers a Urologist at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee joins Brian and Kristin for Movmeber to spread more awareness about men's health. Dr. Ehlers shares what listeners should know about testicular cancer, how to conduct self exams, when to see a doctor, and more!

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Today on Spinning the State: Milwaukee - Frontier airlines adds non-stop flights from Milwaukee. Ootsburg - Documentary about Phoenix steamship sinking having screening.

There are many worries the come to mind when you get behind the wheel, especially when crossing paths with someone driving under the influence. With the legalization of cannabis around the country and the legal access to Delta 8 and Delta 9 products in Wisconsin, this has been a bigger concern. Scientists have been studying the affects of delta products in a new pilot study. Heather Barkholtz is an assistant professor in the School of Pharmacy at the UW-Madison joins Spanning the State to share what they have uncovered, what the goal of their research is, and how they have been conducing their research.

Of all the distilleries in the country you would think there would be a Native American owned, especially in Wisconsin. But that was not the case up until now! Curt Basina Owner of the Copper Crow Distillery joins Kristin and Brian to talk about this major achievement. He shares how they decided to open the distillery, the significance of the name, why they play music to their barrels, and what you can expect from their taproom.

About 12% of American businesses make it past their 25th anniversary. The percentage drops even lower for those that go further. Owner of Kegel, a German Austrian heritage food and culture store, Julian Kegel joins Spanning the State. He talks about how their business has lasted so long, how they evolved from a prohibition-era store to what they are now, and how they plan to celebrate 100 years next month.

Today Kristin and Brian check if Wisconsin Schools “made the grade” for their annual report card. They speak to Quinton Klabon, from the Institute for Reforming Government to understand what these grades mean. Then they speak to Laura Lyons, comedian, and host of “Iconically Ill”. She shares her harrowing story of recovery and the lingering effects of long covid. Later they spin the state and reminisce on an old shock jock joke that left parents frazzled for a certain Christmas must-have gift. Then they speak to Journal Sentinel Food Critic, Rachel Bernhard about the ins and outs of her job, her upcoming event, and more!

Today on Spinning the State: Hallie - Solar array in Hallie adds clean energy to Chippewa Valley. Racine - Racine school district expanding mental health access. Sussex - woman featured on Food Network Cookie Challenge.

Journal Sentinel Food Critic, Rachel Bernhard joins Kristin and Brian to chat about her latest event “Inside the Journal Sentinel”. She shares how she began her career as a food critic, why life on the job is like when dining out now, her favorite dishes, how she thinks Milwaukee did as the host of the latest season of Top Chef and more!

Laura Lyons, Comedian, and host of “Living Iconically Ill” joins Kristin and Brian to share her journey recovering from Covid after it left her in a comma for almost 4 months and now chronically ill. She shares how she has found comfort and growth through her podcast and comedy shows, as well as how her experience has led to sharing more stories from those who also suffer from a chronic illness.

School Report cards on Wisconsin schools were released this week. In the report 84% of WI schools met or exceeded expectations. This year assessment scores were also updated to accommodate for DPI changes to the Forward Exam, PreACT, and ACT tests. Quinton Klabon, Senior Research Director for Institute for Reforming Government joins the show to further explain why these report cards are important, why they chose four specific focus areas to measure their gradings, and what this means for the future.

Kristin Brey and Brian Noonan give a update on local politicians; a complaint filed against Supreme court Justice Michael Gableman, Eric Hovde’s ranking after conceding to Senator Tammy Baldwin, and Congressman Sean Duffy being selected to be the head of the Department of Transportation for President-Elect Trumps cabinet. Later they speak to Heidi Gould of the Jewish Community Pantry for Giving Tuesday. Then they chat a little about Broadway before Spinning the State. Then Wisconsin Workforce Unions have been making the rounds in headlines, they discuss what changes have been happening and what companies have been unionizing lately. Then they close the show with a unique Guinness World Record holder and Wisconsinite.

Today on Spinning the State: Watertown - School District shifts to more restrictive policies for transgender students. Brookfield - Oscars Frozen custard destroyed by fire. Kenosha - Kenosha United students kick off charity week.

Guinness World Record holder, Greta Scheuer joins Spanning the State to talk about her legendary Smurf collection. She talks about how she began collecting, how much she has spent on the collection, what it takes to be a Guinness Record Holder and how she beat her own record!

Heidi Gould, Director of the Jewish Community Pantry. She talks about how thy are gearing up for the holidays and how important their work is as the number of people facing food insecurity in our community is growing. Gould also shares how to donate, their need for trained volunteers, and the other local Jewish organizations the pantry is affiliated with.

Kristin Brey and Brian Noonan kick off the week speaking to Congressman Grothman about the government’s recent hearing discussing UAPs aka Aliens. They then chat about Wisconsin Legislators plans for their next session. Later they speak to Alexander Shur of Votebeat to get a recap of the oral arguments in the case of Meagan Wolfe and the WI Elections Commissions. Then they speak to Journal Sentinel Reporter Sophie Carson to discuss how President-Elect Donald Trump’s immigration plans may affect Wisconsin Immigrants.

Today on Spinning the State: Milwaukee - Ancient indigenous mounds found in MKE cemetery. Superior -- Superior school chief honored — with a nod to improved graduation rates. Wisconsin Rapids - Wood County Sheriff’s therapy dog turns 1.

Journal Sentinel Reporter, Sophie Carson joins Kristin Brey and Brian Noonan to discuss the how President-Elect Donald Trump’s immigration policies, and mass deportation plan will affect Wisconsin Immigrants. She explains, the likelihood of this happening, how Wisconsin will be impacted, and what this might cost for Americans.

Votebeat Reporter, Alexander Shur joins Spanning the State to give an update on this morning’s hearing where the Wisconsin supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case on whether Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator, Meagan Wolfe can keep her job.

Wisconsin’s 6th District Republican Representative, Congressman Glen Grothman joins Kristin and Brian to talk about a recent hearing where government committees discussed the topic of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). Congressman Grothman shares why we are now having these meetings, are they talking about UFOS and Aliens, that else they uncovered from these hearings and more.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.

Kristin Brey, the founder of As Goes Wisconsin, and longtime WTMJ host Brian Noonan are skilled at taking the complex and making it digestible. They will take you behind the headlines of the day’s biggest stories from across Wisconsin. Fans will hear the stories being told by those who live and cover those communities firsthand for the most accurate and relevant information.