La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joined and we covered just about everything from postponing fall sports to virtual learning to the county axing the COVID Compass and replacing it with nothing for two weeks, while schools were using that.

La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joined and we covered just about everything from postponing fall sports to virtual learning to the county axing the COVID Compass and replacing it with nothing for two weeks, while schools were using that.

Listener conversations about the days events in and around the La Crosse area.  Weekdays from 5-6pm on WIZM 1410AM and 92.3FM

La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

WIZM - La Crosse

Re-opening schools, and postponing high school sports

Politics of District Attorney

More on Prosecutor Academy

La Crosse County felonies

La Crosse's first mass shooting

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. 

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.

Breaking down La Crosse's first-ever mass shooting, tracking the gun, and more with DA Tim Gruenke

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.

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 <a href="https://www.laxymca.org/diabetes-prevention">National Diabetes Prevention program</a> 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 <a href="https://donations.diabetes.org/site/SPageServer/?pagename=Diabetes_Risk_Test">quick quiz</a> 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, <a href="https://www.laxymca.org/diabetes-prevention">click here</a>.
<hr>
La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, <a href="https://www.lightningstream.com/Player.aspx?call=WIZM-AM">online here</a>, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the <a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/la-crosse-talk-pm-with-rick-solem/">podcasts here</a> or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. Bri Spicer on diabetes prevention, which she knows some talk show hosts should really get checked out

Webster's Time Traveler 

The Onion buys Alex Jones' Inforwars

Robin Vos v Donald Trump

La Crosse Schools $53.5 million referendum

How to go viral on Wheel of Fortune

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.

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 <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler/2020">Time Traveler</a> 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 <a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2024/11/14/how-alex-jones-infowars-wound-up-in-the-hands-of-the-onion/">The Onion buying Infowars</a>, 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 <a href="https://x.com/barstoolsports/status/1856156500323860735">viral clip on Wheel of Fortune</a>, how he blew it and what you should be doing on the gameshow if you want to actually win money.

Re-opening schools, and postponing high school sports

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