Harvard leadership program

Mayor's first state of the city

ICE situation

Wanting city admin plan to fail

New downtown bike lane plan

A month away from a vote on a city administrator, La Crosse’s mayor doesn’t support the specific plan currently on the table. Shaundel Washington-Spivey stopped in studio Thursday for La Crosse Talk PM and discussed why he’s not for this iteration of a city administrator.

We also talked about the Wisconsin DOT’s new design for bike lanes and a roundabout on 3rd and 4th streets downtown, the mayor’s trip to Harvard last month, plus the situation with ICE in Minneapolis and the conversations he’s having if they end up here.

A month away from a vote on a city administrator, La Crosse&rsquo;s mayor doesn&rsquo;t support the specific plan currently on the table. Shaundel Washington-Spivey stopped in studio Thursday for La Crosse Talk PM and discussed why he&rsquo;s not for this iteration of a city administrator.
We also talked about the Wisconsin DOT&rsquo;s new design for bike lanes and a roundabout on 3rd and 4th streets downtown, the mayor&rsquo;s trip to Harvard last month, plus the situation with ICE in Minneapolis and the conversations he&rsquo;s having if they end up here.

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

La Crosse mayor on why he wants current city administrator plan to fail, plus his thoughts on new downtown plan, ICE situation

Ahead of his visit to the city Saturday, Brewers manager Pat Murphy joined to discuss coaching — football and basketball — Bob Uecker and, of course, pocket pancakes. Murphy will be the La Crosse Loggers special guest Saturday for their winter BBQ at the La Crosse Center, appropriately themed “An Evening with Pat Murphy.” On the show, we dove deep on pocket pancakes, if he'd rather coach the Packers or Brewers and what he learned from Bob Uecker. 

Ahead of his visit to the city Saturday, Brewers manager Pat Murphy joined to discuss coaching &mdash; football and basketball &mdash; Bob Uecker and, of course, pocket pancakes. Murphy will be the La Crosse Loggers <a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2025/11/12/brewers-manager-murphy-coming-to-la-crosse-for-january-event/">special guest Saturday</a> for their winter BBQ at the La Crosse Center, appropriately themed &ldquo;An Evening with Pat Murphy.&rdquo; On the show, we dove deep on pocket pancakes, if he'd rather coach the Packers or Brewers and what he learned from Bob Uecker.&nbsp;

LA CROSSE TALK PM: Brewers manager Pat Murphy on featuring pocket pancakes in the "Beer District," and if he'd rather coach Packers or Brewers

Legislature only working through Feb this year

GOP ban on recording public meetings

Water Notification Act

Other work by Billings

Wisconsin State Rep. Jill Billings in studio to discuss how Republicans in control of the Legislature aim to wrap up their work for the year by the end of February.

Billings also addressed the recent funding loss for WisconsinEye — a state version of C-SPAN — which has left only the media as the source of video for committee and floor sessions. This comes as the GOP begins enforcing an old rule barring the public from recording these meetings.

We also dive into Billings' Water Quality Notification Act. She explains her decade-long effort to mandate that the DNR alert local health departments within seven days of finding PFAS "forever chemicals," nitrates or other contaminants in area drinking water. We talk of the bill's significant bipartisan momentum and whether leadership will allow a floor vote before the session ends.

Wisconsin State Rep. Jill Billings in studio to discuss how Republicans in control of the Legislature aim to wrap up their work for the year by the end of February.
Billings also addressed the recent funding loss for WisconsinEye &mdash; a state version of C-SPAN &mdash; which has left only the media as the source of video for committee and floor sessions. This comes as the GOP begins enforcing an old rule barring the public from recording these meetings.
We also dive into Billings' Water Quality Notification Act. She explains her decade-long effort to mandate that the DNR alert local health departments within seven days of finding PFAS "forever chemicals," nitrates or other contaminants in area drinking water. We talk of the bill's significant bipartisan momentum and whether leadership will allow a floor vote before the session ends.

Billings on contaminated water bill, banning public from recording meetings, and the GOP’s wrapping up 2026 in February

Show rundown

Ending prayer before meetings

Downtown bike lanes, roundabout

Changing judge term length

A roundabout and bike lanes in downtown La Crosse, ending “prayer” before council meetings, and cutting judges’ terms to save tax money. Those are the big topics we discussed with Mac Kiel on Monday’s La Crosse Talk PM.

Ending council invocations

After that, we talked about the council voting 9-4 to end “invocations,” which is basically prayer before meetings. Mac, a former council member, shared her perspective on how these moments can feel non-inclusive to those not practicing the faith being represented. The debate compared these religious moments to the council’s moment of silence for the Ho-Chunk people, which serves as a factual historical reminder of the land's history.

The "magical" hybrid bike lanes plan for downtown

Recapping last week’s council meeting, the Wisconsin DOT came prepared for a vote on them coming up with another alternative to the Downtown Corridor Study. The old plans were basically either protected bike lanes down one side of 3rd and 4th streets downtown and losing half the on-street parking, or extending the sidewalks and keeping parking.

But, we discuss the DOT’s new plan, which basically creates the best of all worlds — sidewalk-level bike lanes, keeping the parking, and adding a roundabout at the La Crosse Street-3rd/4th street intersection. This option would only lose roughly seven parking spots, while connecting the 2nd Street cycle track to Vine Street.

Judicial terms and consolidation

Lastly, we discussed how changing a municipal judge’s term from four to two years — which the council also approved — will save taxpayer dollars. By aligning La Crosse’s judicial cycle with the City of Onalaska, the two cities can explore consolidating into a single municipal judge in two years. This would reduce overhead and caseload costs by sharing one judge between both municipalities.

Kiel is a former La Crosse City Council member, who is an advocate for providing the public with what is happening with city government. She also serves on some city boards and works with the unsheltered population.

A roundabout and bike lanes in downtown La Crosse, ending &ldquo;prayer&rdquo; before council meetings, and cutting judges&rsquo; terms to save tax money. Those are the big topics we discussed with Mac Kiel on Monday&rsquo;s La Crosse Talk PM.
Ending council invocations
After that, we talked about the council voting 9-4 to end &ldquo;invocations,&rdquo; which is basically prayer before meetings. Mac, a former council member, shared her perspective on how these moments can feel non-inclusive to those not practicing the faith being represented. The debate compared these religious moments to the council&rsquo;s moment of silence for the Ho-Chunk people, which serves as a factual historical reminder of the land's history.
The "magical" hybrid bike lanes plan for downtown
Recapping last week&rsquo;s council meeting, the Wisconsin DOT came prepared for a vote on them coming up with another alternative to the Downtown Corridor Study. The old plans were basically either protected bike lanes down one side of 3rd and 4th streets downtown and losing half the on-street parking, or extending the sidewalks and keeping parking.
But, we discuss the DOT&rsquo;s new plan, which basically creates the best of all worlds &mdash; sidewalk-level bike lanes, keeping the parking, and adding a roundabout at the La Crosse Street-3rd/4th street intersection. This option would only lose roughly seven parking spots, while connecting the 2nd Street cycle track to Vine Street.
Judicial terms and consolidation
Lastly, we discussed how changing a municipal judge&rsquo;s term from four to two years &mdash; which the council also approved &mdash; will save taxpayer dollars. By aligning La Crosse&rsquo;s judicial cycle with the City of Onalaska, the two cities can explore consolidating into a single municipal judge in two years. This would reduce overhead and caseload costs by sharing one judge between both municipalities.
Kiel is a former La Crosse City Council member, who is an advocate for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MacKielforCityCouncil">providing the public&nbsp;</a>with what is happening with city government. She also serves on some city boards and works with the unsheltered population.

La Crosse mayor on why he wants current city administrator plan to fail, plus his thoughts on new downtown plan, ICE situation

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