Joella Striebel from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin talks about Saturday's Women's March: Rally for Reproductive Rights in La Crosse. The YWCA-La Crosse, Cia Siab, Inc. and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin invite the community to join them for the La Crosse Women's March: Rally for Reproductive Rights in the Oct. 2 nationwide mobilization to defend and protect the right to choose.

Joella Striebel from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin talks about Saturday's Women's March: Rally for Reproductive Rights in La Crosse. The YWCA-La Crosse, Cia Siab, Inc. and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin invite the community to join them for the La Crosse Women's March: Rally for Reproductive Rights in the Oct. 2 nationwide mobilization to defend and protect the right to choose.

Listener conversations about the days events in and around the La Crosse area.  Weekdays from 5-6pm on WIZM 1410AM and 92.3FM

La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

WIZM - La Crosse

Joella Striebel  talks La Crosse rally for reproductive rights

He wants to swing the wrecking ball, but that might have to wait.

Fresh off a couple of groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings, La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey stopped in studio to discuss the old Kmart development, before moving into deeper conversations about the state of the city — from the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old by another teen to homelessness to the budget challenges that often get ignored in Madison.

As the city gets closer to voting on the 2027 budget, we get into the City Council's vote this week against changing its expense reimbursement model to save money. We also discuss the state's shared revenue formula and how it puts municipalities in a bind.

Washington-Spivey also speaks about last week's shooting and homelessness — the impact both are having on the community and some of the ideas for addressing each.

Conversation highlights:


Kmart's demolition — with a twist: After the ceremonial groundbreaking, could a public demolition event involving sledgehammers or a wrecking ball raise money for charity?


Homelessness and the city's image: We get into the city's short- and long-term approaches to homelessness — and how concerns about public safety affect perceptions of La Crosse.


Sharing responsibility for homelessness: The burden often falls on cities like La Crosse, but should other communities do more to help address the problem?


City Council pay: Why Washington-Spivey wanted to change how council members are reimbursed for expenses — and what happened when the proposal came to a vote.


Flock cameras: What Washington-Spivey learned from police about the city's license plate readers and how they're used.

He wants to swing the wrecking ball, but that might have to wait.
Fresh off a couple of groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings, La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey stopped in studio to discuss the old Kmart development, before moving into deeper conversations about the state of the city &mdash; from the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old by another teen to homelessness to the budget challenges that often get ignored in Madison.
As the city gets closer to voting on the 2027 budget, we get into the City Council's vote this week against changing its expense reimbursement model to save money. We also discuss the state's shared revenue formula and how it puts municipalities in a bind.
Washington-Spivey also speaks about last week's shooting and homelessness &mdash; the impact both are having on the community and some of the ideas for addressing each.
Conversation highlights:
<ul data-d-component="list" data-d-marker="bullet" data-d-marker-layout="native">
<li data-d-component="list-item" data-d-marker-layout="native">
Kmart's demolition &mdash; with a twist: After the ceremonial groundbreaking, could a public demolition event involving sledgehammers or a wrecking ball raise money for charity?
</li>
<li data-d-component="list-item" data-d-marker-layout="native">
Homelessness and the city's image: We get into the city's short- and long-term approaches to homelessness &mdash; and how concerns about public safety affect perceptions of La Crosse.
</li>
<li data-d-component="list-item" data-d-marker-layout="native">
Sharing responsibility for homelessness: The burden often falls on cities like La Crosse, but should other communities do more to help address the problem?
</li>
<li data-d-component="list-item" data-d-marker-layout="native">
City Council pay: Why Washington-Spivey wanted to change how council members are reimbursed for expenses &mdash; and what happened when the proposal came to a vote.
</li>
<li data-d-component="list-item" data-d-marker-layout="native">
Flock cameras: What Washington-Spivey learned from police about the city's license plate readers and how they're used.
</li>
</ul>

La Crosse mayor on public safety, the city's image and budget challenges

La Crosse School Board President Trevor Sprague in the WIZM studio for The Rick Solem Show discussing the district’s new brand and how they’re competing for students.

We get into the thinking behind the new ‘Grow here, go anywhere’ identity — and why Sprague sees the $100,000 rebranding effort as an investment in keeping students in the district.

We also discuss schools providing childcare, a lack of state funding, and Sprague details the latest meeting among La Crosse County area school board presidents on how one of their goals is to put the cost of school vouchers on property tax bills.

Lastly, Sprague shares two success stories: building a winning Harley-Davidson racing bike and Polytechnic being named an Apple Distinguished School for its innovative work, including with Apple Vision Pro.

Episode Highlights:
The new brand: What the district is trying to accomplish with a new name, logo, colors and “Grow here, go anywhere” motto.
The enrollment battle: La Crosse has gained more transfer students than it has lost — but the numbers tell a more complicated story.
The child care equation: Could the public schools play a bigger role in helping families with young children?
AI vs. story time: We joke about having AI read to your kids while you're doing the dishes — and get into why early literacy still starts at home.
A Harley winner: Central students built and customized a motorcycle for a flat-track racing competition — and won.
Apple Vision Pro: How Polytechnic is using the tech in a project that earned the school international recognition.
Voucher transparency: La Crosse area school boards want taxpayers to see the cost of voucher programs on their property tax bills.

La Crosse School Board President Trevor Sprague in the WIZM studio for The Rick Solem Show discussing the district&rsquo;s new brand and how they&rsquo;re competing for students.
We get into the thinking behind the new &lsquo;Grow here, go anywhere&rsquo; identity &mdash; and why Sprague sees the $100,000 rebranding effort as an investment in keeping students in the district.
We also discuss schools providing childcare, a lack of state funding, and Sprague details the latest meeting among La Crosse County area school board presidents on how one of their goals is to put the cost of school vouchers on property tax bills.
Lastly, Sprague shares two success stories: building a winning Harley-Davidson racing bike and Polytechnic being named an Apple Distinguished School for its innovative work, including with Apple Vision Pro.
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The new brand: What the district is trying to accomplish with a new name, logo, colors and &ldquo;Grow here, go anywhere&rdquo; motto.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The enrollment battle: La Crosse has gained more transfer students than it has lost &mdash; but the numbers tell a more complicated story.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The child care equation: Could the public schools play a bigger role in helping families with young children?</li>
<li aria-level="1">AI vs. story time: We joke about having AI read to your kids while you're doing the dishes &mdash; and get into why early literacy still starts at home.</li>
<li aria-level="1">A Harley winner: Central students built and customized a motorcycle for a flat-track racing competition &mdash; and won.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Apple Vision Pro: How Polytechnic is using the tech in a project that earned the school international recognition.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Voucher transparency: La Crosse area school boards want taxpayers to see the cost of voucher programs on their property tax bills.</li>
</ul>

La Crosse School Board president Sprague on the new branding campaign, students building a racing Harley

No wrecking ball on the old Kmart in La Crosse yet, but Jeremy Novak from Three-Sixty Real Estate Solutions stopped in studio to talk about when that could finally happen, what's next for the $64 million Copper Rocks development and why the project has taken more than five years to get to this point.

Novak, Three-Sixty's vice president of development, also talks about the housing shortage in La Crosse, why the old Kmart site isn't being turned into single-family homes, and how a major state loan helped move the project forward.

And we have some fun brainstorming ways to take down the old Kmart, which closed in 2018.

Episode Highlights:


Demolition timeline: Heavy equipment won't be on-site this week, but when could the building finally come down?


$64M scope shift: What happened to the original plans for Copper Rocks — and what does the project look like now?


La Crosse housing demand: How did the 2008 housing crash help create today's shortage — and why haven't we caught up?


The single-family debate: Why isn't the old Kmart site being used for traditional houses — and what would those homes cost?


State funding boost: How a major state loan helped move the project forward.


Site layout & future tenants: What will the five-building development look like — and what kinds of businesses could end up there?


The mystery tenant: Three-Sixty already has a signed commercial tenant. So who is it?

No wrecking ball on the old Kmart in La Crosse yet, but Jeremy Novak from Three-Sixty Real Estate Solutions stopped in studio to talk about when that could finally happen, what's next for the $64 million Copper Rocks development and why the project has taken more than five years to get to this point.
Novak, Three-Sixty's vice president of development, also talks about the housing shortage in La Crosse, why the old Kmart site isn't being turned into single-family homes, and how a major state loan helped move the project forward.
And we have some fun brainstorming ways to take down the old Kmart, which closed in 2018.
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li>
Demolition timeline: Heavy equipment won't be on-site this week, but when could the building finally come down?
</li>
<li>
$64M scope shift: What happened to the original plans for Copper Rocks &mdash; and what does the project look like now?
</li>
<li>
La Crosse housing demand: How did the 2008 housing crash help create today's shortage &mdash; and why haven't we caught up?
</li>
<li>
The single-family debate: Why isn't the old Kmart site being used for traditional houses &mdash; and what would those homes cost?
</li>
<li>
State funding boost: How a major state loan helped move the project forward.
</li>
<li>
Site layout &amp; future tenants: What will the five-building development look like &mdash; and what kinds of businesses could end up there?
</li>
<li>
The mystery tenant: Three-Sixty already has a signed commercial tenant. So who is it?
</li>
</ul>

Joella Striebel talks La Crosse rally for reproductive rights

WIZM - La Crosse

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