La Crosse teachers' union president and long-time Central High Spanish teacher John Havlicek joined. Yes, we did talk Celtics but also the emotion of those first days back in school, the difficulties from online learning and the relationships teachers and students build that sort of took a year off -- in a way. But the show started with La Crosse County Democratic Party chair William Garcia with an announcement about the city's mayoral race. 

La Crosse teachers' union president and long-time Central High Spanish teacher John Havlicek joined. Yes, we did talk Celtics but also the emotion of those first days back in school, the difficulties from online learning and the relationships teachers and students build that sort of took a year off -- in a way. But the show started with La Crosse County Democratic Party chair William Garcia with an announcement about the city's mayoral race.&nbsp;

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

Students back in the classroom ...

Caller got parking ticket

Fitting end to unproductive Congress

US House wanted give itself a raise

Will GOP kill filibuster?

New La Crosse mayor candidate

Expectations for Wisconsin Legislature

Will Wisconsin legalize weed

WI tavern league on weed

Public's opinion on weed

Speaker Mike Johnson's future

GOP barely has control of gov

Is Trump or Elon president?

Santa Claus politics

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.

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&rsquo;t pass was the House &mdash; whose members make $174,000 &nbsp;a year &mdash; 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.&nbsp;
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&rsquo;s state Legislature be with new voting districts, a state Supreme Court race that could turn that upside down and a governor&rsquo;s race at the end of the term.&nbsp;
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&rsquo;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.

Is Santa a Republican, and how old is too old to believe, with UW-L political scientist Chergosky

Evolution teaching Spanish

Governor in La Crosse on budget 

School funding, voucher costs

Healthcare in Wisconsin

Does more money mean better students?

La Crosse changes school start times

Cellphones' impact on kids

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.

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&rsquo;s changed of his three decades.&nbsp;
After that, we got into the state&rsquo;s $4.5 billion budget surplus, how Gov. Evers was in town for a budget listening session and Havlicek&rsquo;s takes for attending.
At the midway point, we got into school funding &mdash; as voters in the La Crosse School District just passed a $53.5 million referendum to build and upgrade elementary schools &mdash; 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 &mdash; or better student outcomes.&nbsp;
And that led into a conversation about how kids have changed in Havlicek&rsquo;s time in schools with the evolution of cellphones and the negative impact they have on things as simple as interacting with each other.

La Crosse Central teacher Havlicek on cellphones' impact on kids, voucher school costs, referendums 

Trump named Person of Year

Joe Biden not on Pearson of Year list

Trump: too hard to bring grocery prices down

Why did La Crosse mayor not seek reelection?

Could Mayor Reynolds still run for reelection?

Rebecca Cooke already running for 2026?

Who answers their door? 

Should families stop buying  presents?

When Valley View Mall was downtown

Mt La Crosse cost how much in 1959?

Drive or walk through Rotary Lights?

Homelessness, untouchable in politics

A guy off 9 months rips on work-from-home

Work-from-home is Democrat-Republican?

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.

A giant mix of politics and holidays on Friday&rsquo;s La Crosse Talk PM with UW-L political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, that included why the mayor isn&rsquo;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 &mdash; a list that didn&rsquo;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, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to bring things down once they&rsquo;re up.&rdquo;
We then weaved that into why La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds isn&rsquo;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 &mdash; 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 &ldquo;tell the other what to get&rdquo; exchange.
We then highlighted the past two Yesterday In La Crosse articles, featuring when the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2024/12/06/before-the-mall-sears-j-c-penney-and-herbergers-ruled-in-downtown-la-crosse/">Valley View Mall was essentially downtown La Crosse&nbsp;</a>and how much&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2024/12/13/a-look-back-to-1959-as-mt-la-crosse-celebrates-65-years/">Mt. La Crosse cost in 1959</a>&nbsp;&mdash; as it is the ski hill&rsquo;s 65th year.
Ended the show with a bit about the cold and walking through La Crosse&rsquo;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&rsquo;s coming from a guy who hasn&rsquo;t worked since March, as the Wisconsin state Legislature is out of session for the last nine months of 2024.
<hr>
La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app,&nbsp;<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&nbsp;<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.

Students back in the classroom ...

In 1 playlist(s)

WIZM - La Crosse

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips