La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio talking the big names headed to La Crosse as campaign season begins, when is it OK not to tip, the La Crosse mayor trying to sway the council on the city administrator plan, and what Wisconsin's state Legislature is attempting to cram into the two months it's going to work this year. We began the show with comments made this week on WIZM by La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey that he wants the city administrator plan to fail in next month's council vote. We discussed the sway a mayor has over council opinion's and how a La Crosse Chamber event highlighted how different cities need different kinds of administrators. After that, we hit on Pete Buttigieg holding a town hall in La Crosse, getting an update from WIZM's Kevin Millard at the event. Then we debated whether this is a "shadow campaign" for a 2028 presidential run, and how La Crosse will likely be a landing spot for the biggest names leading into the 2026 midterms. The second half of the show focused on the Wisconsin state Legislature, which has effectively banned recording its public meetings — unless you're media — even as it rushes to pass bills in less than two months. Earlier this week on WIZM, state Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) said Republicans, who control the Legislature, want to be done for the year by February. One of the bills we discussed was to eliminate tax on tips, which led to a conversation about "tip fatigue." Chergosky cited Dave Ramsey's rules for tipping, and we debated when you should and shouldn't tip. The last thing we talked about was another bill in Wisconsin that would mandate 60 minutes of recess for grades K-6 — a big jump from the current 30-minute standard.

Dr. Carolyn Colleen joins to discuss Viterbo's 21st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day community celebration coming up Monday. Not only do we dive into the event, highlighted by keynote speaker Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, and events running from morning until night, but Colleen also discusses the happenings on Tuesday, when 1,000 seventh graders descend on the university to learn. The conversation explores how these events aim to inspire the next generation through the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

From governments holding invocations — like prayers before meetings — to the best and worst first-date topics, we covered it all with University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky. The conversation comes as the La Crosse City Council voted Thursday to end invocations before meetings. WIZM’s Brad Williams helped open the show with his own rendition of an invocation, before breaking down that council decision and the local history surrounding the practice. We somehow wove the invocation conversation into a talk about first-date topics, as Chergosky shared a story about studying up for the show at a coffee shop only to overhear a couple talking about the exact same thing — religion. Chergosky also shared how his students ended up interested in the topic for an entirely different reason, almost by accident. During one of his classes on Congress, his students gravitated to the opening of Senate and House meetings with a prayer, leading to four distinct types of reactions.

Seven-time log rolling world champion, Livi Pappadopoulos, stopped in studio to talk about how ending up alone balancing on a log in the water can be an amazing third space. All week, La Crosse Talk PM has focused on third spaces — so not home, not work, but that third space where you can be social or feel part of the community. As the director of Coulee Region Log Rolling, Pappadopoulos talked about her start in the sport being far less than phenomenal. She first bugged her dad to let her try it at the YMCA when she was 8 years old, admitting she was "bad" at first and could only stay on for a couple of seconds. She also got a certain radio talk show host to try the sport and, like the world champ, he too was bad at first — but time will tell how much worse he can get. Pappadopoulos' career, though, proves that with work, it can become a lifelong passion. That passion has been passed down, too. Pappadopoulos has a bit of a protegee, in fellow Holmen native Iny Anderson. While the 22-year-old Pappadopoulos is ranked No. 1 in the world, 17-year-old Anderson is right behind her, ranked second. We talked about their rivalry, plus the only female to ever beat Pappadopoulos in a sanctioned event, Ellie Davenport, back in 2019. Another big topic was the history of the sport, which Pappadopoulos knew all about. She explained how a dangerous 19th-century job became a modern sport built on core strength and balance. While it originated with lumberjacks risking their lives on "river drives," it has evolved into a safe, accessible community activity at the La Crosse YMCA and at Coulee Region Log Rolling events in the area. To get involved, new winter sessions at the La Crosse YMCA begin Jan. 18. Pappadopoulos will be there to help and perhaps be ready for the La Crosse Open on June 20 at Pettibone this summer.

Amanda Worman Holmgaard stopped in studio to talk about how The Good Fight Community Center in La Crosse is a third space for kids. La Crosse Talk PM has focused this first week of the new year on third spaces — so not home, not work, but that third space where you can be social or feel part of the community. Worman Holmgaard, the executive director at The Good Fight, tells us how the center isn’t simply boxing. It’s a place for mentoring and education, where they’re holistically supporting kids ages 10-18. While the "sweet science" is a hook for many, Worman Holmgaard explains that boxing is used as a vessel to teach discipline, resilience and self-control. She said for some of the kids, they may come from at-risk or low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and The Good Fight serves as a "home away from home." The center, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this August, offers much more than a gym. Worman Holmgaard talks about how the 6,800-square-foot space has a game room with foosball and gaming computers, an art area, and a lounge, where meals are served daily. She said they also focus on education as a pillar of the program, including using a "March Madness" academic incentive competition, tutoring, and the "Becoming" program, which helps 8th graders transition into high school. We also discussed the logistics for parents, including their robust subsidy program that ensures the $25 monthly fee is never a barrier for a child. Worman Holmgaard noted that while they see more boys than girls, the program is open to everyone — and you don't even need to bring your own gear to get started, or even need to come for boxing at all. 

Jennifer Hyer, co-owner of Root Down Yoga, joined to talk about her business as a third space. The first week of the new year, with the weather the way it is and people looking toward their resolutions, La Crosse Talk PM focused on third spaces — so not home, not work, but a place you go for community, to be social.  So Hyer talks about the different ways Root Down, and yoga in general, can be that third space. Hyer said Root Down is geared for all skill levels — or people with no yoga experience at all. Plus, there are beginner’s classes, including at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday this weekend (schedule here). Beyond the classes themselves, though, Hyer talked about the other activities — like book club, or hiking excursions — that help make Root Down a more immersive third space.  They first class is free and they do offer an introductory membership. Learn more at the Root Down Yoga website.

Kylie Wiltgen, the senior fitness and wellness director, joined to talk about the the La Crosse Area YMCAs as a third space. La Crosse Talk PM has focused the first week of the new year on third spaces — so not home, not work, but that place you go for community, to be social.  Wiltgen notes that the YMCA is for everyone and almost literally has every age covered from infants to a 99-year-old member. She talks about what the YMCA provides third spaces for youth, adults and seniors, how there are 150 classes each week to members for free. On the seniors side, Wiltgen discusses their Forever Well Programs, including “Tech Tuesday” and “Wise Wednesday” and how they also do field trips — though they’re not all piling into a Y van for that, yet. On the youth side, there’s everything from STEM and music classes to log rolling and e-sports to regular sports. And, for adults, there are open gyms and pickup games for basketball, volleyball and pickleball — plus childcare.  Wiltgen also notes the La Crosse Area YMCAs do provide financial assistance for those who need it. That program is called Membership for All. 

Wisconsin governor candidate and state Sen. Kelda Roys stopped in studio, and we got into discussions on minimum wage, the GOP argument over Tony Evers 400-year "property tax increase "vs. public school funding, and what to do with AI data centers. Before that, however, since we're doing shows all week about third spaces, that's where I began. For those who don't know, a third space would be — not home, not work, but where else you can go to be social, be part of a community. And, once we brought Roys on, we asked about her third spaces, and if — or how — the state might prioritize making third spaces more available.  In the last segment, Roys talks about Venezuela, the Trump administration, the "anniversary" of the insurrection and what she would do as governor in dealing with federal government issues. 

Protein chips, fiber-fortified popcorn, the Midwest "meat and potatoes" trap — those are just some of the topics we discussed with Laura Birkel, a registered dietitian at Emplify Health. Birkel is also 23 weeks pregnant, so we had to ask her what a dietitian does with those weird food cravings. Other topics discussed on the show included a rapid-fire segment on how good or bad these items are for you: coffee, milk, wine, soda, probiotics, and cooking oils. We also dug into the difference between whole foods and ultra-processed items, like why those frozen french fries aren't the same as the potatoes from your garden. Birkell also shared some strategies — not just with our own diets — but how to help get a loved one to eat better. I shared with her a story on how my dad loves corn, biscuits, and potatoes, thinking these things are healthy since he did grow them in the garden (well, not the biscuits).  Lastly, we talked AI and meal tracking apps and how those can be utilized to help people with their diets without becoming overly self-critical.

Third spaces are an ever-growing need for communities, and Jake Erickson leads an organization that’s providing these spaces for kids across La Crosse County. Erickson, the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse, stopped in studio to talk about how their facilities serve as these unique social hubs — but also how they prepare youth for their "second spaces," like school and future careers. With a reach of 5,000 kids a year and 1,000 daily across Holmen, Onalaska, West Salem, and La Crosse, the organization is entering a landmark 60th year. And the biggest thing to happen during this anniversary is the upcoming opening of the 16,000-square-foot Workforce Readiness Center, which Erickson describes as a transformative space designed to help kids from middle school to their early 20s prepare for life across multiple career fields. The center is set to fully open this spring. Beyond the new facility, Erickson discussed the structured and extensive programming that defines the B&G Clubs — running from comprehensive sports leagues to creative art and music initiatives. To learn more or get involved, visit the Boys and Girls Club website at bgclax.org.

We recap the most popular genres at the La Crosse Library in 2025, the most checked out books, whether paper can keep up with eBooks and more with the library's Lindsay Schmitt and Bill Ives. While thrillers remain the most popular genre overall because they are "fast and satisfying," Schmitt said, the single most checked-out book — for the second consecutive year — was Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction novel, The Women. The La Crosse Library's top 5 most popular books of 2025 were: The Women by Kristin Hannah Great, Big, Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Spirit Crossing by William Kent Krueger Nightshade by Michael Connelly The Tenant by Freida McFadden The episode also explored the rise of "genre-blending," including the popularity of "cozy fantasy" and the "romantasy" trend — which Bill jokingly referred to as "fairy smut". Of the surprising things we learned, like how library staff have no required reading list, Schmitt also noted that eBooks are not even close to more popular than print. People are checking out the real thing three to four times more than digital in La Crosse. Getting into another digital style, Ives settled the debate on whether listening to audiobooks is considered "reading." He noted that while it doesn't utilize the same eye muscles, scientific studies show that listening to a story activates the same parts of the brain as physical reading—particularly the areas responsible for imagination and processing oral storytelling. Other topics discussed were some of the not-so-traditional things the library does, like checking out chainsaws, and how both kids and adults can utilize the library as a "third space" with all kinds of different programming.

Small business owner Adam Murphy joins to discuss issues surrounding A.I. that often go overlooked, what to expect from the Wisconsin state legislature in 2026 and how YouTube has replaced traditional mentors. The conversation began with the rise of A.I. "slop" videos, plus the technology's potential benefits for healthcare — as well as manual labor jobs like plumber or electrician. Murphy also discussed how A.I. may affect tech businesses, like his own company, Big Bang LLC. Turning to politics, we looked at a long interview with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. Murphy shared his perspective on marijuana legalization — which Vos indicated won’t be addressed — along with proposals to end taxes on tips and overtime. We also deconstructed the GOP argument that “Gov. Tony Evers increased property taxes for 400 years,” contrasting that claim with the reality of state funding for public schools. Finally, we discussed the shift in how we approach projects around the house. We explored the idea that YouTube has effectively replaced our fathers and mentors when it comes to DIY tasks —a change that brings both good and bad consequences, like trying to fix a leaky sink by going to YouTube rather than calling your dad. Murphy is the owner of a small business in Wisconsin called Big Bang LLC, he also ran for US Senate for the Democrats in Wisconsin, and holds degrees in economics and political science.

Mac Kiel is back in studio to preview committee and council week in La Crosse. The holidays pack all the big meetings into one week, highlighted by discussions on deregulating little free food pantries, asking for new proposals for a downtown bike lane and parking plan, and tackling homelessness as the community marks the two-year anniversary of Pathways Home. Kiel talks about her experience working with the homeless, as both La Crosse’s city council and county board — and the community — can attend a Pathways Home update at 6 p.m. Monday in the County Administrative Center. Before that, we discuss how both committees will meet next Tuesday, with Judiciary and Administration starting at 4 p.m. and Finance and Personnel following at 6 p.m., before the full city council will take those recommendations to its 6 p.m. Thursday meeting. We also talked about how the major zoning code overhaul affects the area, including the La Crosse River Marsh seeking a 500-foot “buffer zone,” plus a proposal to end council invocations, which Kiel explains. The biggest topic, however, was the little free food pantries and the "Community Fridge" idea — allowing refrigerators as part of that plan. We end the show with a quick talk on the council asking the Wisconsin DOT to develop alternative plans for 3rd and 4th streets downtown, which could include protected bike lanes or bigger sidewalks. We note that the DOT has held 19 public meetings since 2024 on the Downtown Corridor Study and presented proposals to the council, which were apparently not good enough. The council postponed voting on those proposals for 90 days, ending next month.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio with his Top 5 Wisconsin politics topics of 2025.  From the governor’s race to controversy around judges to the state budget and the government shutdown, Chergosky dissects what he saw as the biggest stories in Wisconsin politics. Along with that, we also talk about whether or not people believe Santa Claus is a Republican or Democrat and at what age do kids stop believing. 

Tacking the complaints and myths about bicycles, bike lanes and parking with Andrew Ericson in studio for La Crosse Talk PM. Ericson sits on the city of La Crosse’s Bicycle-Pedestrian Committee, the MTU Board and the Climate Action Steering Committee.  Some of those complaints we discuss include bicyclists not obeying traffic laws, needing to pay for their own infrastructure and why they should just ride on the road. We also get into some of the bike lane plans in La Crosse, as the city council has proposals in January’s meetings in regards to the Wisconsin DOT plans for 3rd and 4th street downtown.  In relation to that, we also talk about parking, as a lot of complaints about bike lanes through downtown La Crosse takes away on street parking.

Ken Cooper in studio for La Crosse Talk PM to participate in the Festivus tradition, the Airing of Grievances, in celebration of the holiday.  For those who don't know, Festivus is a holiday from Seinfeld, created by Frank Costanza — George's dad — as an alternative to the commercialism of Christmas.

Wisconsin Sen. Brad Pfaff in studio to discuss his New Year’s resolutions for the state Legislature, the debate over property taxes, strategies to address healthcare costs and his outlook for 2026. We started the show, though, with a bit of Christmas spirit, asking Pfaff when his kids first figured out the truth about Santa Claus. After that, we dived into the debate over the rise in property taxes and Republicans targeting a provision put in the budget 2.5 years ago, where Gov. Tony Evers used his veto pen to extend $325 in per-pupil funding to school districts for 400 years if they choose. That argument comes, though, as the GOP-controlled Legislature provided no increase in school aid in the latest budget, signed last July. Building on that, we also talked about a bill by State Rep. Ryan Clancy that would make Wisconsin the first state to shift away from a property tax funding model for K-12 schools. We also discussed some of Pfaff’s bills aimed at lowering rising healthcare costs, including a $35 cap on insulin in Wisconsin and better drug price transparency. Finally, we got his outlook for 2026 — a year where the Legislature is only in session for 17 days between January and March, before taking the rest of the year off to campaign.

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Tara Johnson stopped in studio to recap her first year in office, and explain to us the phrase bill-jacking. Johnson (D-Shelby) also tells a couple of stories — one on what she saw as a useless education bill and another on how a near-unanimous, bipartisan postpartum care bill was stalled by one man, Robin Vos.  Other things we hit on included how Johnson would like the Legislature to be more organized when voting on bills — not fly through 50 in one day with minimal public debate — and if Wisconsin Democrats should get into the gerrymandering fight, if they control all of government. 

A fun show brainstorming a new beverage to commemorate the 94-year-old Lansing bridge explosion, and recapping the 2025 words of the year with UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky. WIZM News Director Kevin Millard shared his experience watching the bridge blow, and we cold-called Todd Wiedenhaft, owner of Skeleton Crew Brew, to see if he could craft a "Blown Bridge Beer." Wiedenhaft didn't skip a beat, pitching an incredible idea. In between, we reviewed Merriam-Webster’s top words of 2025. Some seemed controversial as actual words, like "six seven" and "touch grass," while we got into the politics over some others, such as "gerrymander" and "slop." Lastly, we briefly looked at the 2025 most-searched topics on Google for the La Crosse-Eau Claire area to see what local residents were actually curious about as the year comes to a close.

Mac Kiel in studio with the latest update on La Crosse hiring a city administrator and the recent conversations around that, plus the sale of the Charmant to billionaire Diane Hendricks and what that might mean for downtown. We discuss city administrator a couple different times during the show, first talking about the council structure — plus Kiel geeking out on seating charts — and the idea of adding amendments to the city administrator legislation. Later in the show we talk about the city council working group studying the administrator position and presenting that info to the council. With the Charmant sale to Hendricks, we talk a bit about her work revitalizing the her hometown, Beloit, Wis., and what that might mean for La Crosse. We also talk about the building being in a TIF district and how a sale like that goes through, after the city put money up front to help renovate the building. Other things we hit on included the La Crosse Queen getting a 20-year contract, the airport needing a new director and adding Allegiant Air and — again — needing to regionalize assets the city owns, like the airport and the La Crosse Center. 

Rivoli co-owner Jonathan Gelatt in studio talking holiday movies, theatre etiquette, and some of the unique events they’re having this month, including the hit YouTubers, Found Footage Fest. The Wisconsin-born comedy duo behind Found Footage Fest will bring their best VHS finds for a live comedy show, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday. The duo boasts over 160,000 subscribers on YouTube. On the show, we get Gelatt’s take on whether Gremlins and Edward Scissorhands — now playing at the Rivoli — count as Christmas movies. We also get his review of Dutch, a 1991 “Thanksgiving movie,” featuring Ed O’Neil of Married with Children and finally, Modern Family fame. We also talk about how Gelatt — despite owning a theatre — has never seen It’s A Wonderful Life, but that will change with a free showing at the Riv at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Gelatt will be there to watch it for the first time. On the show he explains why what's widely thought of as the top Christmas movie of all time initially bombed at the box office and the real reasoning behind the movie’s lasting popularity. Have we all been dupped into loving this movie? The theatre is also hosting a holiday kids ' party featuring Santa Claus and the movie The Muppet Christmas Carol, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday. Gelatt talks about some of the unique comedy behind the movie, and how critics say it’s the closest movie rendition to the Charles Dickens’ book. Other things we got from Gelatt were the best places to sit at the Rivoli, plus their new membership club and unique food options. We also hit on some movie theatre etiquette, like talking during the previews.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin executive director Robert Kraig joins to discuss how the state should handle data centers and energy costs. We also talk healthcare at both the state and federal level, and Wisconsin's gerrymandered US House maps, as there are two lawsuits pending seeking to change them. We began the show, though, since Citizen Action is based in Milwaukee, discussing the Bucks potential trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Brewers talk of getting rid of ace pitcher Freddy Peralta — using “small market” as the excuse. Next we dive into healthcare. At the state level, we talk about a recent report showing Wisconsin teachers spending 20% of their salaries on healthcare. Federally, we hit on the US Senate voting down both the extension of ACA subsidies and a GOP plan that would have let people buy into high-deductible bronze or catastrophic plans and receive a direct deposit of up to $1,000 into a Health Savings Account to cover out-of-pocket costs. In the second half of the show, we deep dive on data centers in Wisconsin and how the state should handle their massive energy consumption with more solar power. We also talk about how there’s literally rules against residents creating solar farms and no incentive for power companies to create more solar because it’s not profitable. Lastly, we talk about Wisconsin’s gerrymandered US House maps, as two lawsuits go through the courts that could upend the current lines.

We're back on La Crosse Talk PM with UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky, who helps us take a deep dive into civics vs. politics. Before we get to that, we had to reset after nearly a year away from the Friday slot. The last PM show we did, Chergosky was ironically trying to start a cheese curd war between Kwik Trip and Culver’s. After that, we discuss the top Google trending stories of 2025, ranging from the Epstein files to a new Pope and the Charlie Kirk murder. Then we take a deep dive into civics education as Chergosky explains the Wisconsin requirements to graduate from high school and we watch a certain talk show host fail the questions. We also talk about the difference between civics and politics and how education can further build knowledge on how government works. Lastly, we hit on the Wisconsin governor's race. Joel Brennan has become the eighth Democrat to enter the field, pushing the total number of candidates to replace Tony Evers into double digits.

The UW-La Crosse men’s basketball team has opened the season right where it left off last year, when it set a school record with 25 wins and got to the Elite Eight for the first time ever. Now, coach JT Gritzmacher has his team ranked No. 3 in the nation and off to a 7-0 start. Gritzmacher joined La Crosse Talk PM to talk about the hot start, hype up his shooting guard Sam Grieger — who's is averaging 24.6 points. But, we also got into some other topics, like should UW-L build a new gym, should the Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo and why he used the letter O for the names of all his children. Gritzmacher is in his third year at UW-L. Their next games are Dec. 19-20 at the Wisconsin Dells Invite. They’re not back home again until Jan. 3

La Crosse County Board chair Tina Tryggestad in studio, discussing a slew of topics, including the cost to plow snow, having the fifth-lowest tax levy, regionalizing assets, funding the SMRT bus and updates to the Hillview Healthcare Center. We also talked about county board elections across Wisconsin. La Crosse County has 30 seats — always up for election every two years.Tryggestad talks about gathering signatures and what candidates must do to run or — for those already on the board — declare they’re not running. In regards to taxes, we hit on the topic a couple different ways. With the 2026 budget recently passing, La Crosse County holds the fifth-lowest tax levy in the state. We worked that into a conversation about what’s on a tax bill and how the area could lower the tax burden — by regionalizing assets. Tryggestad talked about how Western Technical College is taxed through 11 counties, but we don’t do that for things like the airport or the La Crosse Center — entities owned by the city. In the midst of a snowstorm, we also discussed the cost of plowing snow. County figures determine it costs $3,000-$4,000 per hour for the snowplows to run. The county has 26 of those and 440 miles of roads to cover — or uncover. Other topics included the county board figuring out a way to fund the SMRT bus another year and the Hillview Healthcare Center getting its first residents for the transitional housing units called Park Lane Studios. 

City Council President Tamra Dickinson in studio as La Crosse Talk PM returns from about a year hiatus. On the show we discuss a crazy amount of things, including one of the two parks reopening, the Charmant sale needing council approval, the search for an airport director and bringing in Allegiant Airlines. We also hit on the old Kmart lot development status, the DOT bike lanes plan for downtown, hiring a city administrator and closing the north side pool. Dickinson also gives an update on getting new ADA compliant bathrooms installed at Badger Hickey Park on the north side.  In regards to the parks reopening, Dickinson explained how it was a soft opening, with Burns Park first, then Cameron Park in maybe a few months. Both have been closed since early September. Dickinson also talked about the details with Allegiant Air coming to the La Crosse airport, plus Lauren Koss being the interim director and how long the search will be for a permanent one. In terms of things coming before the council, Dickinson talked about the development group needing to rework its proposal on the old Kmart lot, as well as the working group studying the city administrator position getting set to present to the council at a special meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio discussing optics of the Trump-Zelenskyy Oval Office meeting, media bias and why Republicans are now shying away from public town halls.  Plus, Chergosky reignites the #CurdWar between Kwik Trip and Culvers, and we chatted quick about the end of Skype, when the video service should be ruling the world. We began the show by delving into media bias, highlighting billionaire Jeff Bezos's recent overhaul of The Washington Post's opinion section to prioritize "personal liberties" and "free markets," which led to the resignation of opinion editor David Shipley. This move has sparked significant debate about media handling of the Trump administration. Our conversation then shifted to the peculiar televised meeting between Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, VP JD Vance, and the media. We analyzed the unusual dynamics of the event, including whether anyone emerged favorably from the encounter including the journalist who blew his question asking Zelenskyy about not wearing a suit). This led us to examine why Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, are retreating from holding public town halls, claiming paid actors are attending to voice complaints. Chergosky noted that Democrats held a similar stance around 2009 during Obama's tenure and the Tea Party movement. We wrapped up the show saying farewell to Skype and wondering how it managed to fumble what should have been an easy win as the pandemic moved everyone to video calls. Once the only name in that realm, Skype somehow let Zoom take over — when, really, it should have been ruling the world of virtual meetings.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, may have just sparked Wisconsin’s fiercest food fight — the Great Curds War between Kwik Trip and Culver’s. We kicked off Friday's show with this critical debate and circled back often. Chergosky took a firm stance on who has the best cheese curds based on some changes in the Kwik Trip kitchens.  In the spirit of ranking Wisconsin favorites, we also discussed La Crosse-area businesses that made Forbes Top 100 list for customer service, including Kwik Trip, Chick-fil-A, Barnes & Noble, The UPS Store, Five Below, Texas Roadhouse, and the soon-to-arrive Raising Cane’s. From there, we tackled the La Crosse mayor race between Shaundel Washington-Spivey and Chris Kahlow. A big chunk of the conversation centered on the city administrator position, which was a continuation of Thursday's conversation with Dr. John Kovari.  Chergosky discussed whether the position could bring out single-issue voters, how the candidates have (or haven’t) taken a firm stance on city administrator, and why it doesn’t really have political ideologies — unlike everything else these days (even cursive in Wisconsin, for some reason). We also briefly covered the La Crosse School Board race, featuring six candidates, and broke down Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ state budget address. Is it a legacy budget? A reelection budget?

UW-L political science and public administration professor, Dr. John Kovari, joins in-studio to dissect everything from the city administrator's role in lowering La Crosse taxes to working Oompa Loompas into a conversation about TIFs — which might explain why his TIF book is orange. Kovari breaks down TIF (Tax Increment Financing) districts, how La Crosse uses them, and why they're on the spring ballot for both mayor and city council. Oh, and speaking of TIFs, Kovari literally wrote the book on them — Tax Increment Financing: A Practical Guide for Analyzing TIF Risks, Benefits, and Outcomes (available here). He is yet to set up a Pearl Street Books signing. Beyond TIFs, we dig into the pros and cons of La Crosse potentially hiring a city administrator, which is also on the ballot. Part of that conversation included whether the position could help lower taxes. Finally, we discuss regionalizing assets, like the La Crosse Center and the La Crosse Regional Airport and how that, too, could reduce the burden on city taxpayers. Basically, the whole show toyed with the one big question: How do we lower taxes in La Crosse so people actually want to move here?

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joins on Valentine's Day, so of course we discuss those chalk hearts. We also got into voter turnout in Tuesday's primary with the mayor race being on the ballot, plus is Tim Walz going to run for US Senate in Minnesota?  Began the show, though, with Valentine's Day, whether those candy hearts are even good and what ever happened to those candy cigarettes. Later in the show, we negotiate a babysitting hourly rate to watch Chergosky's 2 year old. After that, we hit on voter turnout in Wisconsin's primary election, which comes to conclusion Tuesday and how that could be all over the place. Onalaska has one thing on the ballot, while La Crosse has its mayor and school board. After that, news that 66-year-old US Sen. Tina Smith isn't running for reelection in Minnesota and if Gov. Tim Walz would put himself in that race. That led to a few conversations, including if governor or senator is a tougher job and if governor or mayor is more difficult. We also talked about how political parties might handle having a primary in those races and if that's better or worse in terms of winning the overall election.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in the WIZM studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM, breaking down the mayor debate, while also discussing what you wish you knew before moving to the area and creating fake social media profiles. Less than 12 hours after WIZM hosted the four candidates for La Crosse mayor, Chergosky, along with WIZM’s Brad Williams, spent a good portion of the show covering different aspects of the forum, including the mic drop answer from one candidate and some of the other key questions.  We also hit the La Crosse Reddit question of the day: What do you wish you'd known before moving to La Crosse? The third thing we covered was the controversy of public officials making fake social media profiles to either bash opponents or policy, or talk themselves up, as a story out of Oshkosh shows two school board members doing just that. It’s also something that’s happened in the area, when the Holmen School Board president did something similar. 

On Feb. 6, the four candidates running for La Crosse mayor took part in a forum hosted by WIZM at the UW-La Crosse Student Union. Shaundel Washington-Spivey, Vicki Markussen, Ellie McLoone and Chris Kahlow are looking to push through the primary and on to the spring election. Voting in the primary ends Feb. 18, when the field will be cut to two. Here's the rundown of questions: 3:24 - Opening statements  10:22 - Question 1: Allyson Fergot (WKBT) — What's your opinion of the Pathways Home project and what would you do as mayor to make it a success? 15:18: Question 2: Brad Williams (WIZM) —  How do you see the ideal role of a city administrator who would work alongside and where do you stand on the idea if one is hired? 20:18: Question 3: Chandler Brindley (WXOW) — How do you continue to ensure a safe level of drinking water for the city of La Crosse? 24:40: Question 4: Hope Kirwan (WPR) — In what ways can the city best support La Crosse Schools? 29:53: Question 5: Todd Krysiak (Tribune) — Do you believe there's a need for the city to focus infrastructure updates on a specific type of infrastructure in upcoming budgets and, if so, what type needs the most attention? 34:56: Question 6: Fergot — As mayor what would you to build 200 new housing units a year to keep up with demand, while keeping prices affordable for residents. 40:44: Question 7: Williams — How do you plan to work with the surround communities and could you point to a program where you'd like to see more cooperation? 45:14: Question 8: Brindley — What are your thoughts on charging for a city amenity , like the new $25 a year to use the yard waste site? 49:59: Question 9: Kirwan — Should La Crosse Police be involved in immigration enforcement, assisting federal immigration officers? 52:28: Question 10: Krysiak — How would you hold city department heads accountable to meet your goals for the city, especially since at this time La Crosse does not have a city administrator?  56:22: Closing statements

UW-L political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in the WIZM studio for La Crosse Talk discussing the worthwhile and worthless bill lawmakers propose, like banning cellphones in school in Wisconsin and putting Donald Trump on Mt. Rushmore. We went down a rabbit hole on that latter idea, while I came up with a better proposal — putting Trump on the $1 million bill. That, in a way, actually, already happened, but it did lead to a deep dive on the idea. After that, we got into a more substantive discussion on Wisconsin legislators proposing a school cellphone ban and how this is an example of big government doing something good versus leaving it to small governments, like school boards, to be the arbiter of such things. After that, other proposals by Republicans in the Legislature, including requiring schools to display “in god we trust,” what flags get to be flown, no tax on tips, return to work requirements and curbing the governor’s veto powers. Began the show, though talking about the Super Bowl halftime show with Kendrick Lamar and how that’s triggered 17 Louisiana Republicans worried something might happen.

La Crosse County and 3rd US House District Democratic Party chair William Garcia in studio trying to make sense of all the chaos that surrounds President Donald Trump's first days, the Dems' involvement in local races and Goonies turns 40 this year. Started and ended the show with Trump's first 10 days in office. We began with his administration's strategy of overwhelming with chaos. The impossibility of anyone or anything trying to keep track of what's going on. We ended with DEI. Trump blamed just about everything, including DEI, on the nearly 70 dead from an Army Blackhawk helicopter crashing into a passenger jet. In between that, we hit on some of the past and present legislative policies in Wisconsin, including Gov. Tony Evers lowering the standard on lead in water to help replace pipes, as well as the state allowing free tax filing. We also hit on how funding for reading, PFAS and emergency rooms couldn't get passed in the last two years, despite being in that budet. Then we got into the La Crosse mayor forum coming at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at the UW-La Crosse Student Union, plus how the La Crosse County Democratic Party is involved in local elections, like mayor, school board and city council. After that, we paused a bit to chat about our other passion: sci-fi. A new Spiderman series dropped on Disney, but we also talked about the latest Star Wars show Skeleton Crew, as Garcia compared it to Goonies — which actually turns 40 this year.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio as we kickoff the show breaking news that a La Crosse mayor primary debate is coming, plus the news of a media group laying off or firing local meteorologists.  Began the show talking about WIZM hosting an upcoming La Crosse mayor debate between Ellie McLoone (who will be on La Crosse Talk at 7 a.m. Wednesday), Chris Kahlow, Shaundel Washington-Spivey and Vicki Markussen (who was on La Crosse Talk last week Monday).  After that, we discussed Allen Media perhaps backtracking on laying off meteorologists, including in La Crosse, after public outcry. We also conjured up a strange scenario in what could be their plan to replace weather people with some Weather Channel intern in Atlanta, and what that might look like. Lastly, we simply asked the question, "Do we need local meteorologists?" We can access the weather any time, plus there are nearly a dozen employees at the National Weather Service La Crosse, up on the bluff. After that, more weather news, as a meteorologist in Milwaukee was fired for expressing their opinion on their personal social media site of Elon Musk's "Nazi-like salute." Lastly, we talked about a "Captain Obvious" statement from the Walgreens CEO, who said people buy less stuff when it's locked behind glass cases. 

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in the WIZM studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM, despite it being Quitters Day. We discuss what that is, along with a slew of other things: How businesses use amenities to guilt us into shopping The controversies around Facebook/X/TikTok hoarding our data and looming TikTok ban Is this newest Kwik Trip in La Crosse the Taj Mahal of KTs? The genius of Wisconsin’s GOP on the April ballot La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts here, Spotify here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

Katie Kotlowski, the two-time National Champion with the No. 1-ranked University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team, joined La Crosse Talk PM on Thursday. The senior defensive player, who calls La Crosse her hometown, talks about playing on the ice on Wrigley Field last weekend, how she got started in hockey at the Green Island Ice Arena and what she does off the ice through volunteering. Plus, you know, winning titles in 2021 and 2023, losing in the championship 1-0 last season, and who’s better: Badgers hockey or Wisconsin volleyball? Kotlowski has started for the Badgers since she was a freshman. The Badgers (20-1-1) are ranked No. 1 in the nation and it’s not even close. We start out talking about playing that game at Wrigley against No. 2 Ohio State, and also get into how she’s an advocate for mental health and what it’s like playing all five years on a team that always has national championship expectations. La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

He’s the man behind the eats on Abe’s Raves, Abram Dyke, stopped in the WIZM studio to talk everything food in La Crosse. What the area’s doing well, what it needs to work on and why he started the page. How he got started is a pretty heart-warming story of helping struggling businesses. We also hit on what La Crosse does well for dining out, and what it’s missing.  This conversation was a clash of two pallets. Dyke is a little more — or a lot more — cultured than this WIZM host, but he played along nicely, diving into things like the area’s best burger, pizza and fried chicken. Since eating food for a living isn’t quite his thing yet, Dyke works full-time as an ICU nurse so, of course, we had to go after hospital food a bit — though he points out that food is made for a lot of people in little time. Also, if you didn’t get enough of Dyke, he coincidentally will be the guest on Coulee Region Cooks at 10 a.m. Thursday on WIZM. La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in the WIZM studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM, predicting the Top 2025 stories for both La Crosse and Wisconsin. This conversation went back and forth, as we did a bit of a dive on each topic, including the La Crosse mayor's race and adding ranked-choice voting, plus school referendums and when to put those on the ballot, and lastly the top story potentially dealing with the Green Bay Packers. We also got Chergosky's Top 5 storyline predictions for 2025 and the revelation that his 2-year-old daughter likes crusts on her PB&Js.

Instead of having Pam Starcher stop in at WIZM, we took La Crosse Talk PM to her, and discussed how to make yoga a New Year's resolution, right from her studio at The Yoga Place at Fifth and Main streets, downtown.  Stacher has been the owner for a decade but The Yoga Place has been there nearly 40 years and was La Crosse's first-ever yoga studio. For those who want to try and make yoga their thing in 2025, Starcher has a beginner series for eight Monday's from 4-5 p.m. beginning Jan. 6.  So, we talk about her approach to yoga, how to make that a resolution you can keep and the way she makes yoga inclusive for people of all abilities. We hit on how how athletes could benefit from yoga, and how a lot of people wish they would have gotten into it sooner.  We also talked a bit about the studio itself, its location in City Square and how that was the old Herberger's, when all the big box stores used to be downtown.

WIZM's Brad Williams in studio to recap La Crosse's biggest topics of 2024 from the porn scandal at UW-La Crosse to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris campaigns in town and capped off by development in the area. A week ago, we broke down the Top 25 most viewed stories on the WIZM News website, but this conversation is about Williams Top 3 story categories, which was led off with the UW-La Crosse saga involving fired chancellor Joe Gow and the aftermath of Board of Regents learning he has sex with his wife on camera and with adult film stars that makes its way to the internet. After that, we talk about all the presidential campaigns that barnstormed through La Crosse right up until the day before the election, plus the local political headlines, like the mayor not seeking reelection or not having enough candidates running for La Crosse School Board. The last topic to top off 2024 was all the development that happened — or didn't — in La Crosse, including the Macy's getting torn down for more parking, another Starbucks, a Raising Canes, a Panda Express and a carwash. Plus, every Shopko in the area was converted into something, while the old Kmart is still standing and when that might be coming down. And things that didn't happen, like the Kmart getting demolished or Costco going up near downtown.

The owner of Pearl Street Books, Beth Hartung, and La Crescent’s public library director, Jess Witkins, stopped in the WIZM studio to discuss, what else, books, including the best of 2024, book bans, reading as a New Year’s resolution, and what’s changed in popularity over the year and years. This is part of a series of La Crosse Talk PMs about New Year’s resolutions, as we discussed a couple of different strategies to help get you reading more — and how to stick with it.  We also talked about a shift in popular genres over the years — including to fantasy to horror to unsolved murders — plus what’s been most popular in 2024 and what is a must read this year, and ever. We discussed book bans, how Wisconsin and Minnesota have handled those and making sense of why they happen. Other things we hit on included buying used and the two instances when you should buy new, plus reading physical books versus a digital copy.  Hartung has owned Pearl Street Books downtown for three years, and talked about some of the events she’s been holding there to make the store more inclusive and a third space. Witkins has been with the library systems eight years and talks about programs they have and what’s been popular to the public there, lately.

Claire and Phillip Mitchell kickoff a La Crosse Talk PM series on health, as the new year approaches and we all start thinking about resolutions. The two own Mitchell Holistic Health in Onalaska, a clinic that tackles health issues in various ways, from physical therapy to functional medicine to life coaching. The Mitchells are headed into their fifth year at the clinic, and we talked about their origins stories, that hovered around Claire’s health battles, and led to Phillip deep diving into those issues.  All that sort of sprouted the clinic, where Claire as a nutritionist and Phillip a physical therapist, plus the rest of the team, can address people’s needs in ways that regular clinics won’t look at. A lot of the conversation hovers around what they describe as functional medicine and how your body can be inflamed — not like the inflammation that comes from a sprained ankle — and the three-tiered way they help people overcome their issues.  We also discuss the kind of people their clinic is for — whether that’s someone with a sports injury or people with everyday chronic pain — and what it takes to get them healthy and, perhaps just as important, keep them on track in what could be a lifestyle change. Afterall, this is a new year's resolution show, and most of that battle is sticking with the plan.

Two conversations about homelessness on Monday's La Crosse Talk PM with city council members Chris Woodard and Mac Kiel.  La Crosse’s two big committees meet next week Thursday, Woodard discusses a resolution he’s authored that — simply put — requests the state and federal government’s help in addressing homelessness. After that, Kiel joins to talk about the warming shelters being full and how the council’s “camping ban” has affected the homeless. Plus, we discussed the need for a surge shelter and how that should have coincided with something like a camping ban. She also broke down the city’s policy on using the Main Street library as an emergency shelter.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in the WIZM studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM, discussing whether Santa is a Democrat or a Republican, how old is too old to believe, is Elon Musk or Donald Trump the president, and will the next two years of the Wisconsin state Legislature be less productive than the last. Began the show with a caller complaining about alternate-side parking rules, after she received a $0 ticket, and using police to hand out tickets when they have better things to do. After that, we talk of the news that the US House could only fund the government again for a few months. It kicked the can down the road to now the next Congress to fund the government. One of the funding bills that didn’t pass was the House — whose members make $174,000  a year — giving itself a pay raise. We recap how this Congress has been the least productive in modern history, especially in the House. That debacle began with a historic record 13 votes to make Kevin McCarthy the Speaker, kicking him out, and not ever passing a government funding bill or a farm bill.  After that, we quickly hit on a new La Crosse mayoral candidate has filed to run, bringing that total to four to replace Mayor Mitch Reynolds. Then, from an unproductive Congress to just how productive will Wisconsin’s state Legislature be with new voting districts, a state Supreme Court race that could turn that upside down and a governor’s race at the end of the term.  Part of that conversation was about how the Legislature was unable to do much with a multi-billion-dollar state surplus to pass any meaningful legislation on PFAS, rural hospitals, marijuana legalization, childcare or the state’s 175-year-old abortion ban. After that, we went back to Congress, and the future of now-Speaker Mike Johnson, and whether Musk or Trump is running the country, after Musk tweeted to kill the first US House government funding bill. Finally, we discuss a couple of YouGov polls in regards to whether Santa Claus is a Democrat or Republican and how old is too old to believe in the big guy.

Central High School teacher John Havlicek in studio discussing, in his over 30 years, how kids have changed because of cellphones. We also hit on the $4.5 billion state surplus, as Gov. Tony Evers was in La Crosse on the budget, and how school funding leads to better student outcomes. We started, though, with Havlicek teaching Spanish and how or whether that’s changed of his three decades.  After that, we got into the state’s $4.5 billion budget surplus, how Gov. Evers was in town for a budget listening session and Havlicek’s takes for attending. At the midway point, we got into school funding — as voters in the La Crosse School District just passed a $53.5 million referendum to build and upgrade elementary schools — and how much the voucher school system costs taxpayers and the district. We then got into healthcare for just a bit, before discussing a listener question on how more money means better students — or better student outcomes.  And that led into a conversation about how kids have changed in Havlicek’s time in schools with the evolution of cellphones and the negative impact they have on things as simple as interacting with each other.