A bid, a contract, a job hiring ... La Crosse city council member Doug Happel joined to discuss how the city goes about these things, in reference to Mayor Mitch Reynolds pulling an agenda item off Thursday's committee meeting to hire a PR firm. After that, La Crosse Schools superintendent, Aaron Engel, the night before the first day of school, in person for him for the first time here in the city.

A bid, a contract, a job hiring ... La Crosse city council member Doug Happel joined to discuss how the city goes about these things, in reference to Mayor Mitch Reynolds pulling an agenda item off Thursday's committee meeting to hire a PR firm. After that, La Crosse Schools superintendent, Aaron Engel, the night before the first day of school, in person for him for the first time here in the city.

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

One La Crosse high school? Also, city's hiring, contracting process ...

A $1.3 million jail redesign to better handle severe mental health challenges and the future of 111 acres of county farmland in West Salem are two of the big topics discussed with La Crosse County Board Chair Tina Tryggestad.

Beyond the big policy votes, Tryggestad shares a personal connection to the old Shelby ball fields on 33rd Street as the county considers a new lease agreement. Plus, a lighthearted look at why steady, "boring" county government is usually a sign that local operations are actually working.

Key Topics:


$1.3 Million Jail Redesign: Why the county is drawing $1.3M from current budget savings for redesign blueprints—a project expected to cost around $10 million total—to address severe mental health challenges, safely separate inmate populations, and protect jailers.


111-Acre West Salem Farmland Review: Where things stand with 11 concept proposals (RFIs) submitted to potentially build housing on county-owned farmland, and how county leadership is partnering with the Village of West Salem on next steps.


Personal Connections at Hillview Ball Fields: Tryggestad reflects on her adult kids playing Shelby youth baseball on 33rd Street as the county considers transferring the field lease to the School District of La Crosse for Central High School athletics.


Sunsetting SMRT Bus Funding: The practical factors behind ending La Crosse County's financial support for Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit by December 31 due to low ridership metrics and dropped contributions from neighboring counties.


$22.3M ARPA Impact Report: A recap of how federal pandemic relief funds were deployed—including $12M toward the Hillview redesign, transitional housing units, and regional childcare grants.


Why "Boring" Government Works: Rick and Tina open with a lighthearted look at why steady, reliable county operations rarely generate chaotic headlines—and why consistency is the ultimate goal.

A $1.3 million jail redesign to better handle severe mental health challenges and the future of 111 acres of county farmland in West Salem are two of the big topics discussed with La Crosse County Board Chair Tina Tryggestad.
Beyond the big policy votes, Tryggestad shares a personal connection to the old Shelby ball fields on 33rd Street as the county considers a new lease agreement. Plus, a lighthearted look at why steady, "boring" county government is usually a sign that local operations are actually working.
Key Topics:
<ul data-path-to-node="5">
<li>
$1.3 Million Jail Redesign: Why the county is drawing $1.3M from current budget savings for redesign blueprints&mdash;a project expected to cost around $10 million total&mdash;to address severe mental health challenges, safely separate inmate populations, and protect jailers.
</li>
<li>
111-Acre West Salem Farmland Review: Where things stand with 11 concept proposals (RFIs) submitted to potentially build housing on county-owned farmland, and how county leadership is partnering with the Village of West Salem on next steps.
</li>
<li>
Personal Connections at Hillview Ball Fields: Tryggestad reflects on her adult kids playing Shelby youth baseball on 33rd Street as the county considers transferring the field lease to the School District of La Crosse for Central High School athletics.
</li>
<li>
Sunsetting SMRT Bus Funding: The practical factors behind ending La Crosse County's financial support for Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit by December 31 due to low ridership metrics and dropped contributions from neighboring counties.
</li>
<li>
$22.3M ARPA Impact Report: A recap of how federal pandemic relief funds were deployed&mdash;including $12M toward the Hillview redesign, transitional housing units, and regional childcare grants.
</li>
<li>
Why "Boring" Government Works: Rick and Tina open with a lighthearted look at why steady, reliable county operations rarely generate chaotic headlines&mdash;and why consistency is the ultimate goal.
</li>
</ul>

$1.3M jail redesign, next steps in selling La Crosse County farmland with board chair Tryggestad

Did a CNN interview about canceling Thanksgiving actually cost Francesca Hong the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor? 

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio to break down David Crowley’s wild comeback, progressive — and GOP — strategy missteps, and how Tom Tiffany’s general election playbook changes overnight.

Plus, a play-by-play of a five-hour La Crosse city council meeting that ended with no city administrator, but tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars for other priorities, with WIZM's Brad Williams and Kevin Millard helping break things down.

Key Topics:


The Crowley "Comeback:" Did David Crowley need to drop out of the race to pull off a razor-thin victory over Francesca Hong?


The "Thanksgiving" Breakthrough: How a 2020 tweet and a viral CNN interview with Caitlin Collins became the turning point that reached casual voters.


The Progressive Sitting-Out: Why Bernie Sanders and AOC opted not to endorse Hong, and what it signals about the national power struggle within the Democratic Party.


GOP Primary Mind Games: Did Republicans attack Hong too early, and did seven-figure "reverse psychology" ads in Madison and Milwaukee backfire?


City Administrator Denied: Brad Williams breaks down the 5-hour La Crosse City Council marathon that came up one vote short of a two-thirds majority.


French Island & TIF Debates: The city's move to spend $90K fighting French Island’s incorporation, plus a $600K study for a permanent public market.

Did a CNN interview about canceling Thanksgiving actually cost Francesca Hong the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor?&nbsp;
UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio to break down David Crowley&rsquo;s wild comeback, progressive &mdash; and GOP &mdash; strategy missteps, and how Tom Tiffany&rsquo;s general election playbook changes overnight.
Plus, a play-by-play of a five-hour La Crosse city council meeting that ended with no city administrator, but tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars for other priorities, with WIZM's Brad Williams and Kevin Millard helping break things down.
Key Topics:
<ul data-path-to-node="8">
<li>
The Crowley "Comeback:" Did David Crowley need to drop out of the race to pull off a razor-thin victory over Francesca Hong?
</li>
<li>
The "Thanksgiving" Breakthrough: How a 2020 tweet and a viral CNN interview with Caitlin Collins became the turning point that reached casual voters.
</li>
<li>
The Progressive Sitting-Out: Why Bernie Sanders and AOC opted not to endorse Hong, and what it signals about the national power struggle within the Democratic Party.
</li>
<li>
GOP Primary Mind Games: Did Republicans attack Hong too early, and did seven-figure "reverse psychology" ads in Madison and Milwaukee backfire?
</li>
<li>
City Administrator Denied: Brad Williams breaks down the 5-hour La Crosse City Council marathon that came up one vote short of a two-thirds majority.
</li>
<li>
French Island &amp; TIF Debates: The city's move to spend $90K fighting French Island&rsquo;s incorporation, plus a $600K study for a permanent public market.
</li>
</ul>

Did Thanksgiving Cost Hong the governor's seat? UW-L’s Anthony Chergosky breaks down a wild election

Fresh off a wild, razor-thin Democratic primary for governor, Wisconsin State Assembly Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) stopped in studio to unpack what just went down — and where state politics go from here.

Plus, we dive into new state safety funding for UW-La Crosse dorms, policy realities on property taxes and marijuana, and a deeply personal story about a "Star Trek" clinical trial that saved her mom.

In this episode:


Primary Fallout & Strategy: We break down David Crowley’s dramatic primary victory over Francesca Hong, how key endorsements shifted momentum late, and what messaging actually broke through to nonpolitical voters as Democrats turn their focus to Tom Tiffany.


Reaching the Unaligned Voter: A candid look at voter instincts on the ground, how past communications can haunt candidates, and what the primary results signal about the state of the party.


Policy Realities & Revenue: The debate over legalizing marijuana, and the hard math behind funding universal childcare without a New Mexico-style oil boom.


Local Action & UW-La Crosse: Securing state funding for new fire sprinklers and alarms in UW-La Crosse dorms, local development updates, and her mom's "Star Trek" cancer trial.

Fresh off a wild, razor-thin Democratic primary for governor, Wisconsin State Assembly Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) stopped in studio to unpack what just went down &mdash; and where state politics go from here.
Plus, we dive into new state safety funding for UW-La Crosse dorms, policy realities on property taxes and marijuana, and a deeply personal story about a "Star Trek" clinical trial that saved her mom.
In this episode:
<ul data-path-to-node="2">
<li>
Primary Fallout &amp; Strategy: We break down David Crowley&rsquo;s dramatic primary victory over Francesca Hong, how key endorsements shifted momentum late, and what messaging actually broke through to nonpolitical voters as Democrats turn their focus to Tom Tiffany.
</li>
<li>
Reaching the Unaligned Voter: A candid look at voter instincts on the ground, how past communications can haunt candidates, and what the primary results signal about the state of the party.
</li>
<li>
Policy Realities &amp; Revenue: The debate over legalizing marijuana, and the hard math behind funding universal childcare without a New Mexico-style oil boom.
</li>
<li>
Local Action &amp; UW-La Crosse: Securing state funding for new fire sprinklers and alarms in UW-La Crosse dorms, local development updates, and her mom's "Star Trek" cancer trial.
</li>
</ul>

One La Crosse high school? Also, city's hiring, contracting process ...

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