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.

A giant mix of politics and holidays on Friday’s La Crosse Talk PM with UW-L political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, that included why the mayor isn’t running for reelection, ending the tradition of buying Christmas presents and politicians, off the last nine months, telling workers to return to the office. Began the show, though, on Donald Trump winning the Time Person of the Year — a list that didn’t include Joe Biden. Plus, how Trump runs on prices are too high and in the very same Person of the Year article, Trump said of grocery prices, “It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up.” We then weaved that into why La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds isn’t seeking reelection. And, as there are still only three on the list, could he get back in the race? We bring that up, too, in discussing how anyone running for the spring election needs to announce now. The deadline is Jan. 7, but the window to get your name out there could close Feb. 20 — the last day of primary voting. After that, speaking of running for reelection, does Rebecca Cooke need to get into the 2026 race for US House in the 3rd District against Derrick Van Orden now? About halfway through the show, we completely changed gears and talked about if families should stop buying Christmas presents for each other, because it becomes just a “tell the other what to get” exchange. We then highlighted the past two Yesterday In La Crosse articles, featuring when the Valley View Mall was essentially downtown La Crosse and how much Mt. La Crosse cost in 1959 — as it is the ski hill’s 65th year. Ended the show with a bit about the cold and walking through La Crosse’s Rotary Lights in Riverside Park and capped it all off on how Wisconsin state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says workers need to return to the office. And that’s coming from a guy who hasn’t worked since March, as the Wisconsin state Legislature is out of session for the last nine months of 2024. 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.

Chi Chi’s making a comeback, local news is not and the time is now to announce a run for La Crosse mayor — all things we broke down on Friday’s La Crosse Talk PM with UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky. We began the show picking WIZM News reporter Brad Williams’ brain about that mayoral election — up to three candidates now — and when the Chi Chi’s closed in La Crosse. The Mexican restaurant is making a comeback. After that, we got into a deep dive on local journalism as WXOW axed a lot of its staff earlier in the week, and how important hometown media is when it comes to local elections — like mayor, city council and school referendums. That conversation also included how there are three candidates for La Crosse mayor (Shaundel Spivey, Ellie McLoone and Vicki Markussen), four years after there were 10. And there really isn’t much time to announce, as the deadline to file is Jan. 7 but the primary to cut the field to two is Feb. 20. Ended the show first chatting about Williams’ awesome Yesterday in La Crosse article on the history of downtown La Crosse shopping, where Sears, JCPenny, Herberger’s and Montgomery Ward were all located. Then we quickly hit on the TikTok ban moving forward in the U.S. 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.

A lot covered with Adam Hoffer, including how much taxpayers would be on the hook if the Badgers fired their football coach, how much Wisconsin loses by not legalizing vices like sports betting and weed, plus Chi Chi’s is coming back and Kmart is almost gone. Hoffer is the director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation in La Crosse. The first thing we tackled is how much of the $40 million owed to Badgers football coach Luke Fickell would be put on the taxpayer if he were fired? Along with the legalizing vices conversation, we also inadvertently made Hoffer a La Crosse School Board candidate, while discussing the recently passed $53.5 million elementary school referendum plan. Began the show, though, ranting about a bunch of different things from fun to dystopian, including the last Kmart closing Chi Chi’s coming back a special animal up for adoption from the Coulee Region Humane  United Health’s CEO murdered on same day another insurer wants to limit anesthesia

La Crosse Assistant Police Chief Jason Melby joined to talk about guns, mostly in reference to the city’s first-ever mass shooting, plus a bit about the parking situation downtown. We also, of course, had to work in some Thanksgiving themes, too.  Spent most of the show talking about guns, using the Deandrew Grant case as an example. Grant is responsible for La Crosse’s only mass shooting. Last year, he drove the wrong way down Third Street, downtown, and opened fire hitting seven people. He was sentenced to over 30 years in prison. But the conversation with Melby hovered around the gun. And not just in this case, but guns in general. Grant was a felon who should not have had a gun. So, we talk about how these guns are obtained, how are they traced back to the person that had them before and what should the penalty be, not just for people like Grant, but also those who sell guns to people who shouldn’t have them. After that, we made the smooth transition to parking. The police are in charge of La Crosse’s parking utility and the city is in a tough spot because it still owes a lot of money for parking ramps and Melby explains how the pandemic completely flipped the model the city had to repay that debt through things like parking permits.  Melby has been with the La Crosse Police Department his entire 32 years in law enforcement. We began the show discussing why he got into this career, in which he tells a story that describes just that.

La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke joins to breakdown the city’s first-ever mass shooting — a drive-by, downtown —  tracking the origin of the gun in those incidents, plus 1,000 felonies in 2024 and the politicization of positions like the one he holds. We began the show discussing an initiative Gruenke is going to bring back called the Citizen Prosecutors Academy, where people can learn more about his position, why they make the decisions that they do and better understand everything that happens after a crime is committed.  After that (7:50), we got into the politics of positions like district attorney and other local elections, and whether those positions should be nonpartisan or even consolidated to cover more regions. Some of that conversation revolved around how it’s not a very coveted job, where 90% of the elections go without an opponent.  The second half of the show (19:25), we began with a bit more on the Prosecutor Academy, before getting into La Crosse County hitting 1,000 felonies for the year (23:20) and what most of those consist of. Plus, how first-time drug offenders are heavily penalized when, perhaps that is too severe. Then we discussed La Crosse’s only mass shooting (27:20), where Deandrew Grant was sentenced recently to 32 years in prison. Grant drove the wrong way down 3rd Street, in downtown La Crosse, and opened fire, hitting seven people. Gruenke discusses his disbelief that the shooting wasn’t more publicized.  Gruenke was also asked about the gun in that situation, and where Grant could have gotten it — as there are no laws that would trace it back to who sold it to him. Plus, how police might want better laws surrounding guns, so they aren’t on edge for every vehicle they pull over, worried that person might shoot them. Another aspect of the drive-by mass shooting was the victims, and just how someone who has hospital bills from being shot is compensated. 

Dr. Bri Spicer, Lifestyle Program Director at the La Crosse Area YMCAs, in the WIZM studio Wednesday for La Crosse Talk PM to discuss a diabetes prevention program she’s overseeing and shame news talk hosts into getting checked out. #Sarcasm. #Kindof The La Crosse YMCA’s National Diabetes Prevention program is for those who have pre-diabetes. Spicer talks about who that is, how you would find that out and all the things that surround being part of the program. We talk about the mental and physical aspects of preventing diabetes, including stress and what Spicer called positive self talk. We also hit on some of the more easily known factors, including nutrition — plus reading food labels — as well as sleep and activity — though we did stump Spicer on sleep OR activity. Spicer said around 50% of people are pre-diabetic. Spicer also talked about a quick quiz to see how at risk for diabetes, which we had her filibuster during the show, while I took the 1 minute test. To find out more about her program at the La Crosse Area YMCAs, click here. 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 scientist, Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio discussing the billions Wisconsin taxpayers agreed to pay for schools, Donald Trump's "outrageous" cabinet, going viral on Wheel of Fortune, The Onion buys Infowars and words that were born the year you were. Began the show with news of President-elect's cabinet, like Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, for example, and why this makes headlines now, but didn't four years ago, when Joe Biden was coming into office. Then we got into the Time Traveler on Webster's (8:30), where you can see what words were born in each year — dating back to before the 12th Century, before talking about The Onion buying Infowars, the outlandish media venture of Alex Jones. Back to some politics, we hit on Republicans reelecting Robin Vos as Assembly Speaker in Wisconsin (20:35), despite his feuding with Trump. Then we talked how the state set a record for tax money to schools (23:30), and if residents are starting to get referendum fatigue, plus will that start to show in the state Legislature. The education secretary has requested a record for school spending for the upcoming budget. Lastly, Ryan Seacrest's first viral clip on Wheel of Fortune, how he blew it and what you should be doing on the gameshow if you want to actually win money.

La Crosse County Board chair Tina Tryggestad in studio fresh off a five-hour 2025 budget meeting the night before, so of course that was a focus of the conversation that also included homelessness and renaming facilities. We also got a bit of a civics lesson from Tryggestad in how the board gets to a final budget meeting, plus some budget details, including how American Rescue Plan Act funding is incorporated and granting certain funding requests from area groups.  We also discussed the Pathways Home plan, which is a five-year plan to end homelessness and we got into some of the details of the Hillview Healthcare Center, which Tryggestad says is not going to be renamed by selling out to a corporate sponsor — something brought up for no reason whatsoever.

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Jill Billings in studio fresh off an election win, where she holds onto her District 95 seat. On the  show we look at some of the numbers and how she did in a voting district that had new boundaries, plus what to expect from the state Legislature over the next two years. Billings points out there's a state Supreme Court race on the ballot just months from now, which could turn the state upside down in terms of voting. We also talk about some priorities going forward, when the Legislature reconvenes next year. 

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio to help dissect the fall election cycle, where we came to the conclusion that every level of government was its own unique situation. From Wisconsin's state Assembly and Senate races to the US House and Senate, to the presidency. Before that, however, La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds may have come up with a great name for a band, as he showed some discontent with the Judiciary and Administration Committee on the idea of creating a working group for a city administrator position.

A day after the election, Democrats Steve Doyle and Tara Johnson, who both won on Tuesday, stopped in studio to discuss whether the new makeup of Wisconsin's state Legislature means things getting done over the next two years. Doyle won by 217 votes in Assembly District 94, while Johnson  is the first Democrat to win in the 96th District since 1985. Also talked about was the money in politics, how Republican leadership framed losses in the Legislature and how to go about tackling issues this upcoming term, including the $4.7 billion budget surplus, school funding, childcare and more. 

La Crosse County and 3rd Congressional Democratic Party chair, William Garcia, in studio, working in sci-fi and politics as the fall election cycle comes to an end. Garcia was a good sport to come on and have a conversation that would remain relevant, even after Election Day is over, so there’s not a ton of predictions going on here but we do talk about impact and philosophy a bit — including Darth Vader, Dark Helmet and other sketchy leadership. So, of course, that meant bringing up my Scarlett Johansson interview this week, where I asked her “Star Wars or Star Trek?,” and while her answer was perfect, we dissected it even more when it came to Donald Trump. As for this election cycle, we got into Garcia’s role as a delegate, where he was one of about 4,000 who selected Kamala Harris to replace Joe Biden, plus all the big names that came to La Crosse County — from Harris and Trump to Tim Walz and Tammy Baldwin, or Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar to Mark Cuban — and his experience with all of that. Before that, though, we hit on the importance of a party controlling the US House or the US Senate and the idea of an electoral college tie.

Just hours after she left La Crosse with her husband, Gwen Walz called back into La Crosse Talk PM. The wife of Tim Walz joined to talk about education, her husband and his advocacy for women and the underprivileged. And, we did ask her if Tim's getting anxious — not because of the election stuff — but because there's no deer hunting in Washington, DC., despite the deer population thriving and the need to reduce that population. 

Two prominent Republicans, fed up with Donald Trump, stop in the WIZM studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM to discuss why they’re touring the country to campaign for Kamala Harris.  Ex-Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan of Georgia and former Mike Pence national security advisor Olivia Troye deep dive into why they feel this is such a crucial time for democracy, and the Republican Party, to vote for Harris and end Trump’s run in politics. Adding to the discussion, UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, who helps analyze the political spectrum of this election Before starting that deep dive, though, we, of course, had to hit on Duncan’s baseball past — a standout pitcher at Georgia Tech and drafted by the Florida Marlins. We talked how he played around the same time Alex Rodriguez was with the Appleton Foxes. And we unlocked a core memory for Duncan, who used to be called “The Vulture” — as he somehow amassed 10 wins and 13 saves one season — and may now be called Vulture again, come the end of this election. Politically, we discussed Trump flooding the media with outrageous rhetoric, and brought up two things he said just this week, including in Green Bay. At a rally there Trump said he’s going to protect all women and “I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not.” We also discussed the “whisper caucus,” which is a group of conservatives done with the Republican Party under Trump and what that means for the future of the GOP. In terms of National Security, we got into Trump sidling up to dictators and how the rest of the world is watching and worrying about the potential outcome of the election with a second Trump term.  And we got into empathy, one the themes from Duncan’s book, “GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party. To wrap up (33:20), Chergosky gave his takes on the unique position that Duncan and Troye have put themselves in, going to multiple swing states, campaigning for Republicans to make that choice of Harris this election.

Ben Wikler, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair, in studio, right before he sent his kids off to either go door knocking or trick-or-treating. On the show with Wikler (3:15), we took a top-down approach to the fall elections, starting with Kamala Harris v. Donald Trump and then moving on to the US Senate race and then state Legislature battles.  We also discussed some of the policies each race features, like Harris' proposals for first-time homebuyers, first-time parents and new small business owners. And what it would take in Congress to get those passed. We also hit on Wisconsin's $4 billion budget surplus and what should be done with that funding. Republicans have been sitting on it for nearly two years with no negotiations between them and Democrats as to how to move that money.   Began the show talking quick about Halloween. what politicians might be the most popular this season, and if it was possible for someone to put on more bronzer than Trump.

Three guests and three different topics including the Mid-West Family, Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Radiothon raising $118,000. Plus, the La Crosse County clerk predicts a huge turnout, but now who or when we’ll have a president. And, the La Crosse teachers union co-president says more awareness is needed for the $53.5 million referendum. Started things off with Abby Ryan, a specialist with the  Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals, talking about the Mid-West Family team-up Radiothon seeing the community bring in so much in donations, and what that money — which stays local — will go toward. After that (5:50), Ginny Dankmeyer is the La Crosse County clerk, and she discussed what their office will be doing on election night, the matter of election security and some predictions on voter turnout and on the presidential race. Lastly (18:35), Jesse Martinez, the La Crosse Education Association co-president, discusses the referendum to building a new elementary school at the Hogan Administrative site, and update State Road Elementary, while consolidating three other schools in the district. But, we also discussed La Crosse requesting from the state that school start earlier, and what kind of input teachers had in that school board decision. 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.

We did the weave on Halloween and politics with UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio with our traditional trick-or-treat preview. Among some of the topics was, of course, best and worst candy, but also some good poll questions surrounding the holiday: What age is too old to trick-or-treat — and do you have to tell your kids to stop?  Have you ever dressed as a political figure for Halloween? How often do you have nightmares after watching a horror film? At what age should you stop dressing up for Halloween? In the political world, we discussed the onslaught of nationally known Democrats that have descended to La Crosse and Wisconsin but, aside from Donald Trump, where are the Republicans — and who are the Republicans? We also talked quick about Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway. And the last topic came from a caller: What happens if you vote early, but your candidate dies? It's actually happened.

Jane Powell, president of the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area, plus voter services chair, Chris Haskell, in studio talking about all the things the League is doing to inform the public this election cycle. We began the show, though, with La Crosse city clerk Nikki Elsen, talking about early in-person voting and how Day 1 went Tuesday.  After that (10:45), with Haskell and Powell, we started the conversation in 1920 — this radical idea of letting women vote — then moved to 2024 and how the League has evolved. We then hit on some of the efforts specifically the La Crosse chapter has done, including the school district’s $53.5 million referendum, taking a stance on the Constitutional Amendment question and, also, how they remain nonpartisan in an ever polarized environment.

Fun, informative and kind of hilarious conversation, talking science with Spencer Wilken, who thinks Earth’s new moon is clickbait but Jupiter’s favorite moon is actually news, plus why we keep seeing the Northern Lights. We also gave Wilken some homework: watch Armageddon.  Wilken is a Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois. She believes it’s big news that NASA is sending the Europa Clipper to the Jupiter moon in hopes of finding water and life. Meanwhile, in Earth’s orbit, an asteroid that really isn’t a moon — though we have spoken in the past about Earth’s actual dwarf moon. Then we got into a conversation about the Northern Lights and stumped Wilken on the matter.  Lastly, two funny things: 1. Scientists discovering a 46,000-year-old female microscopic worm in the Siberian permafrost and bringing it back to life. Plus, in there somewhere — perhaps about the worm — Wilken brought “Will this kill us,” but said it so fast it sounded like “Willis kill us” and brought us full circle to the movie Armageddon again, starring Bruce Willis. 

La Crosse School Board president, Dr. Juan Jimenez, in studio discussing some jaw dropping numbers to a population study, the district trying to start school earlier, based on its burden to private schools and the $53.5 million referendum. Began the show with a bit of an overview, but quickly got into the numbers presented to the school board Monday from a population study that shows enrollment shrinking. After that, we discussed why the school district wants to start school earlier. It’s state law to start on or after Sept. 1, but only for public schools. Those districts, however, are required to bus private school students, which often start school earlier — as they don’t have to adhere to the same laws. Lastly, we discussed the referendum, and some of the fallout that might happen if it doesn’t pass, plus what comes next regardless of what happens — which could be dealing with the middle schools.

The one and only debate for US Senate in Wisconsin, between Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger, Eric Hovde, took place on Oct. 18, 2024.

This is the Wisconsin state Senate District 32 debate between Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and Republican challenger Stacey Klein of Trempealeau. It took place Oct. 16, 2024 at UW-La Crosse. 

Not long after the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce named Beth Davis its first female CEO since 1868, Tiffany Rice brought in studio two of their panelists for Thursday’s Women’s Leadership Summit. Those panelists are Gundersen Medical Foundation vice president Lindsay Preston and La Crosse Community Foundation CEO Jamie Schloegel. The summit happens from noon-4 p.m. at the UW-La Crosse Bluffs Ballroom, though there may be an even bigger woman in leadership crashing campus that same day. On the show, we breakdown what the summit is all about and actually get into some of the topics that will be brought up to the panel, including misperceptions of women in leadership, expectations of women and finding support. Chamber of Commerce panel at the Women's Leadership Summit Buffet Lunch as guests arrive. Intros: New CEO, Beth Franklin Welcome by Rep Jill Billings Panel of three local women (2 of them will be present at the studio) Dessert/Coffee Bar with Networking Time and Time to visit Exhibitors Keynote Door Prizes (provided by exhibitors) Summit highlights: 20 local small women-owned businesses that will be present as exhibitors promoting their small businesses.  Attendees will have time to visit with them and learn about their businesses and also enter to win door prizes.   Keynote speaker is Gina Glover. Website: GinaConnects - Career Coach and Speaker Her topic is:  Dial Up Your Influence: Specific Strategies that Stick:  We all have an influence on those around us, whether we consider ourselves an influencer or not.  John Maxwell quipped "Leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less." This talk delves into the specific strategies you can use to dial up your influence – with your colleagues, your customers, and your community. Partnered with Downtown Mainstreet and its Taste of Downtown that evening. Tickets can be purchased for that event in combination with Women's Leadership Summit at a discounted rate.   One table will be for seven Guests of Honor, which includes local women doing extraordinary things in the community.  

Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz joins to discuss showing up for rural voters, getting legislation passed for working class and if he's mad Saturday Night Live got it wrong. Began the show, though, selfishly talking quick about Winona — where I was a sports writer — and Mankato West football, where Walz coached. Then we got into connecting with rural voters, as Walz did, when he was the US House Rep. in Minnesota's Republican-leaning 1st District, just over the Mississippi River from La Crosse. Sandwiched in there is a quick question about SNL having comedian Jim Gaffigan playing Walz and how the skit about the Menards rebate was wrong.    We also got into some of the priorities Democrats passed the last two years in the Minnesota Legislature — free school meals, paid family leave, free college for working-class families — and if any of those could be done federally.  Lastly, Walz was asked, 'Who does fall better, Wisconsin or Minnesota?' but he side-stepped the question and offered up another nugget about his recent visit to Wisconsin.

Nothing like breaking down the 2025 and 2028 elections with UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, 24 days before the November election cycle ends. We also recapped with WIZM's Brad Williams the vote by the city council not to vote on hiring a city administrator.  Lastly, highlighted some of the "Wisconsin Confessions," on Reddit, like "I don't like brats," and "Culver's cheese curds aren't good."

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio discussing reelection, potential vote on city administrator, veto on Pump House request for more funding and La Crosse Center accounting change. Spent a lot of time going over, in different ways, the upcoming, potential vote Thursday by La Crosse’s city council on hiring a city administrator position. Reynolds talked about the cost of the position versus savings it would do with city, how the 2012 referendum that voted down the proposal was an outlier and what he expects the city council to do at the meeting. Also talked about Shaundel Washington-Spivey’s announcement to run for mayor and brought up multiple times — and almost got Reynolds to reveal — if he was seeking reelection.  Next month the 2025 budget will be finalized and one thing that may have help with that is some changes in accounting at the La Crosse Center, which Reynolds breaks down.  Lastly, we hit on his veto last month of a request from the Pump House Regional Arts Center, downtown, for more funding, which the council could override Thursday. The Pump House is a city-owned building that just did over $300,000 in renovations, but ended up asking the city for an additional $13,290.03 — which Reynolds vetoed and he explains why.

We're back! UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, back in studio to talk the $110 million of outside money in WIsconsin's US Senate race, the second TP shortage of the 2020s, Kamala Harris campaigns at the GOP's birthplace in Ripon, plus going 90 mph down Lang Drive. Chergosky also paid a bit of a tribune to La Crosse Talk host Mike Hayes, who is battling pancreatic cancer.  We also hit on the Brewers blowing Game 3 of the wildcard to the Mets and how it's that stupid mascot Grimace's fault, as well as just being back on La Crosse Talk PM, with WIZM shuffling some in the absence of Hayes. The two big political stories we got into included outside money in the US Senate race in Wisconsin, where $57 million is being spent on Democrat Tammy Baldwin and $53 million on Eric Hovde — on top of Baldwin spending $42 million on her own campaign, and Hovde spending $20 million.  Then we hit on Harris campaigning with Republican Liz Cheaney in Ripon, Wisconsin, where the GOP Party was birthed. The toilet paper shortage stems from people freaking out about the longshoremen's strike, which will not be the "October surprise," as they've delayed it until January. And, lastly, La Crosse police arrested this week a 19-year-old driving 90 mph down Lang Drive near Menards during "rush hour." 

Jill Schams and Jesse Martinez, the co-presidents of the La Crosse Education Association (LEA) — or the teachers’ union — in studio, discussing the district’s $53.5 million referendum on the November ballot, school funding in general and how a cellphone ban in schools has worked. Schams is a K-5 music teacher at Southern Bluffs Elementary School, while Martinez teaches 7th grade math and social studies — and Spanish emersion — at Logan Middle School. We began the show with a quick overview, but also getting to know Schams a bit, as she's never been on before and she teaches music, which is fascinating to some talk show hosts.  After that (8:20), we got into the La Crosse School District's $53.5 million referendum and whether LEA supports it. The overview of that plan would be to: Create eight new classrooms and a new gym at State Road Elem. Tear down the Hogan Administrative site. Close Emerson and Spence elementaries and move those students to a new school, built on the Hogan Administrative site. Close Hintgen, consolidate most of those students to State Road's school. We also talked about school funding in general interweaved into that conversation. Lastly (33:15), we discussed the cellphone ban that Logan MS had last year, how that went. The school, along with Logan High School have cellphone bans this year.

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio discussing the possible addition of a city administrator, potential parking deregulation and getting the 2025 operating budget passed.  The city administrator (6:30) conversation kind of intertwined with the passing the 2025 operating budget, which took up most of the show. But meetings about adding the city admin position could happen as soon as next week.  We ended the show (26:45) discussing parking deregulation in the city, which had a committee meeting last week through the Neighborhood Revitalization Committee.

William Garcia, the La Crosse County and 3rd CD Democratic Party chair, in studio discussing everything from the policies of Kamala Harris, to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's old Sega Dreamcast to Star Wars The Acolyte being cancelled. We began the show, though, talking about whether Garcia would be continuing his duel roles with the local Democratic parties. Then we got into some of the policies surrounding Harris, before taking a break to talk about science fiction and Walz's Dreamcast. Ended the show taking some texts, which mostly hovered around the economy, "Bidenomics," and Harris.