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 ...

Show overview

Kyle talks SOUP

LAF overview

Outdoor enthusiasts getting hyped to watch movies inside might seem like a bit of a contradiction, but the La Crosse Adventure Film Festival is leaning all the way into the irony for its fifth anniversary. 

Mike Crawford and Paige Manges with La Crosse Adventure Films, along with La Crosse SOUP’s Kyle Petrashek stopped in studio to lay out a packed lineup spanning four venues from Oct. 13–17.

We overview the four-day La Crosse Adventure Film Festival, what it represents, and how it brings the community together through family-oriented shorts, outdoor storytelling, local conservation spotlights, and a final cinema showdown at the Rivoli. 

And, as sort of the opening act, Petrashek is quizzed about SOUP at Myrick Park, where four local nonprofits make their pitch to the community to win what was raised that night. The four competing this quarter include Mount La Crosse Ski Patrol, Outdoor Recreation Alliance Trails, Horse Sense, and the Coulee Region Humane Society.

Conversation Highlights:


LAF's Origin: How an excuse to gather friends, watch outdoor movies, and get pumped to go outside grew into a massive multi-day local festival.
Why Not La Crosse TACOS? Pitching the idea of secretly serving tacos when people show up expecting soup—and Kyle confessing they actually pulled a similar trick with summer pop-up beer events.
SOUP’s Gold Standard: Kyle explains how one legendary batch of Marge’s chicken dumpling soup completely ruined every future SOUP event for his kids.
A Classic Car Show, LAF Style: Mike and Paige break down the adventure rig show-and-tell at Mount La Crosse—from converted minivans to massive Unimogs—before joking about racing them up the ski hill.
Family-First Outdoors: Focusing on real-life stories of non-traditional families, kids, and four-legged companions getting outside together for the kickoff screening at the Pump House. 
Wiscor Takes the Screen: Highlighting how local public lands and conservation efforts take center stage at Coulee Region Arts with a premiering short documentary.
Playing Film Critic Over Pizza: How Saturday’s big-screen finale at the Rivoli turns the audience into judges, handing out votes (and eating pizza) to pick the festival winners.

Outdoor enthusiasts getting hyped to watch movies inside might seem like a bit of a contradiction, but the La Crosse Adventure Film Festival is leaning all the way into the irony for its fifth anniversary.&nbsp;
Mike Crawford and Paige Manges with La Crosse Adventure Films, along with La Crosse SOUP&rsquo;s Kyle Petrashek stopped in studio to lay out a packed lineup spanning four venues from Oct. 13&ndash;17.
We overview the four-day La Crosse Adventure Film Festival, what it represents, and how it brings the community together through family-oriented shorts, outdoor storytelling, local conservation spotlights, and a final cinema showdown at the Rivoli.&nbsp;
And, as sort of the opening act, Petrashek is quizzed about SOUP at Myrick Park, where four local nonprofits make their pitch to the community to win what was raised that night. The four competing this quarter include Mount La Crosse Ski Patrol, Outdoor Recreation Alliance Trails, Horse Sense, and the Coulee Region Humane Society.
Conversation Highlights:
<ul>
<li>
LAF's Origin: How an excuse to gather friends, watch outdoor movies, and get pumped to go outside grew into a massive multi-day local festival.
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why Not La Crosse TACOS? Pitching the idea of secretly serving tacos when people show up expecting soup&mdash;and Kyle confessing they actually pulled a similar trick with summer pop-up beer events.</li>
<li aria-level="1">SOUP&rsquo;s Gold Standard: Kyle explains how one legendary batch of Marge&rsquo;s chicken dumpling soup completely ruined every future SOUP event for his kids.</li>
<li aria-level="1">A Classic Car Show, LAF Style: Mike and Paige break down the adventure rig show-and-tell at Mount La Crosse&mdash;from converted minivans to massive Unimogs&mdash;before joking about racing them up the ski hill.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Family-First Outdoors: Focusing on real-life stories of non-traditional families, kids, and four-legged companions getting outside together for the kickoff screening at the Pump House.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Wiscor Takes the Screen: Highlighting how local public lands and conservation efforts take center stage at Coulee Region Arts with a premiering short documentary.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Playing Film Critic Over Pizza: How Saturday&rsquo;s big-screen finale at the Rivoli turns the audience into judges, handing out votes (and eating pizza) to pick the festival winners.</li>
</ul>

From SOUP to LAF: Inside La Crosse's ultimate week of food, films, and adventure

It’s the sixth-most expensive U.S. House race in the country — and the price tag keeps climbing.

Why is so much money pouring into the race between U.S. House Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) and Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke, and what does it say about the fight for control of Congress?

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky stops in studio to break down the spending and what it reveals about the race.

Chergosky also dissects whether negative ads actually work — a topic his students brought up this week as political advertising floods the airwaves. Why do attack ads stick with voters, and when can they backfire?

We also look at the Minnesota U.S. Senate race and Wisconsin’s governor’s race, including the challenges facing Democrats in Minnesota, where no Republican has won a statewide race since 2006.

We began the show quizzing WIZM's Brad Williams on his memories of La Crosse's Kmart and the ceremonial groundbreaking that happened this week — plus his coverage of House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigning in Sparta for Van Orden.

Conversation topics:
Groundbreaking at La Crosse’s Kmart: We reminisce about the Kmart days with Williams, who covered the Copper Rocks groundbreaking.
Van Orden-Cooke cash: Chergosky explains why a small number of competitive races can help determine control of the House.
Do negative ads work? UW-L students wanted Chergosky’s insight on all the ads they’re seeing.
Wisconsin's governor's race: The money behind Tom Tiffany vs. David Crowley and the role of national politics in a state-level campaign.
House Speaker, others campaign in WI: WIZM’s Brad Williams recaps House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Sparta visit for Derrick Van Orden, former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester campaigning with Rebecca Cooke, and who could come next.
The Minnesota Senate race: Peggy Flanagan vs. Michelle Tafoya, the impact of Minnesota's fraud scandal, and the challenges facing both parties.
Trump and Obama on the campaign trail: Could appearances by the president or the former president help their parties' candidates in Wisconsin?

It&rsquo;s the sixth-most expensive U.S. House race in the country &mdash; and the price tag keeps climbing.
Why is so much money pouring into the race between U.S. House Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) and Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke, and what does it say about the fight for control of Congress?
UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky stops in studio to break down the spending and what it reveals about the race.
Chergosky also dissects whether negative ads actually work &mdash; a topic his students brought up this week as political advertising floods the airwaves. Why do attack ads stick with voters, and when can they backfire?
We also look at the Minnesota U.S. Senate race and Wisconsin&rsquo;s governor&rsquo;s race, including the challenges facing Democrats in Minnesota, where no Republican has won a statewide race since 2006.
We began the show quizzing WIZM's Brad Williams on his memories of La Crosse's Kmart and the ceremonial groundbreaking that happened this week &mdash; plus his coverage of House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigning in Sparta for Van Orden.
Conversation topics:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Groundbreaking at La Crosse&rsquo;s Kmart: We reminisce about the Kmart days with Williams, who covered the Copper Rocks groundbreaking.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Van Orden-Cooke cash: Chergosky explains why a small number of competitive races can help determine control of the House.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Do negative ads work? UW-L students wanted Chergosky&rsquo;s insight on all the ads they&rsquo;re seeing.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Wisconsin's governor's race: The money behind Tom Tiffany vs. David Crowley and the role of national politics in a state-level campaign.</li>
<li aria-level="1">House Speaker, others campaign in WI: WIZM&rsquo;s Brad Williams recaps House Speaker Mike Johnson&rsquo;s Sparta visit for Derrick Van Orden, former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester campaigning with Rebecca Cooke, and who could come next.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The Minnesota Senate race: Peggy Flanagan vs. Michelle Tafoya, the impact of Minnesota's fraud scandal, and the challenges facing both parties.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Trump and Obama on the campaign trail: Could appearances by the president or the former president help their parties' candidates in Wisconsin?</li>
</ul>

UW-La Crosse's Chergosky on millions spent on Van Orden-Cooke race, plus do negative ads work

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>

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

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