Interview with La Crosse School District Superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, on classrooms reopening soon, how things might be different and what a Wisconsin state legislature could be doing to help.

Interview with La Crosse School District Superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, on classrooms reopening soon, how things might be different and what a Wisconsin state legislature could be doing to help.

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 coming back, what can state legislature do?

Just three proposed AI data centers in Wisconsin are projected to use more electricity than all 2.3 million homes in the state combined.

In fact, the one facility in Mount Pleasant alone will pull as much power as 1 million homes — becoming one of the largest “cities” of energy consumption in the state without a single person living there.

Amy Barrilleaux, communications director at Clean Wisconsin, joined the Rick Solem Show on Monday to help break down the massive, under-the-radar impact hyperscale AI data centers could have on Wisconsin’s energy grid, local water supplies and your monthly utility bills.

 

In this episode:
The Energy Surge: Why the Public Service Commission (PSC) projects a 40% jump in state energy demand over six years — and why 72% of that increase comes from just three data centers.
Your Pocketbook: How multi-billion-dollar utility buildouts for tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle could shift massive financial risks onto everyday Wisconsin ratepayers.
Local Moratoriums: Why La Crosse County and municipalities state-wide are putting pauses in place to evaluate land use, grid strain, tax implications, local health impacts and more.
Land & Water Impacts: The stark difference between temporary solar farm leases and permanent concrete slabs that erase family farmland forever — plus the off-site water drain from fossil fuel power generation.
A Century of Infrastructure in 10 Years: Why rebuilding our entire energy system in a decade for a handful of tech companies requires a statewide pause and a real plan.

Take Action: Clean Wisconsin has launched a statewide petition calling for a pause on unchecked AI data center development until proper regulations are in place. You can learn more and sign the petition here.

Listen live weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Find the pod on Spotify, Apple Podcast or here. Tune in on the WIZM app or on air at 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska)

Just three proposed AI data centers in Wisconsin are projected to use more electricity than all 2.3 million homes in the state combined.
In fact, the one facility in Mount Pleasant alone will pull as much power as 1 million homes &mdash; becoming one of the largest &ldquo;cities&rdquo; of energy consumption in the state without a single person living there.
Amy Barrilleaux, communications director at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/">Clean Wisconsin</a>, joined the Rick Solem Show on Monday to help break down the massive, under-the-radar impact hyperscale AI data centers could have on Wisconsin&rsquo;s energy grid, local water supplies and your monthly utility bills.
&nbsp;
In this episode:
<ul>
<li>The Energy Surge:&nbsp;Why the Public Service Commission (PSC) projects a 40% jump in state energy demand over six years &mdash; and why 72% of that increase comes from just three data centers.</li>
<li>Your Pocketbook:&nbsp;How multi-billion-dollar utility buildouts for tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle could shift massive financial risks onto everyday Wisconsin ratepayers.</li>
<li>Local Moratoriums:&nbsp;Why La Crosse County and municipalities state-wide are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2026/06/18/mader-on-data-center-moratorium/">putting pauses in place</a>&nbsp;to evaluate land use, grid strain, tax implications, local health impacts and more.</li>
<li>Land &amp; Water Impacts:&nbsp;The stark difference between temporary solar farm leases and permanent concrete slabs that erase family farmland forever &mdash; plus the off-site water drain from fossil fuel power generation.</li>
<li>A Century of Infrastructure in 10 Years:&nbsp;Why rebuilding our entire energy system in a decade for a handful of tech companies requires a statewide pause and a real plan.</li>
</ul>
Take Action:&nbsp;Clean Wisconsin has launched a statewide petition calling for a pause on unchecked AI data center development until proper regulations are in place. You can learn more and sign the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/take-a-stand-against-unchecked-data-center-development/">petition here</a>.
<hr>
Listen live weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Find the pod on&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1k1QCGhGrFA5KH9Rxh6fIO">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/la-crosse-talk-pm-wizm/id1445077021">Apple Podcast</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/la-crosse-talk-pm-with-rick-solem/">here</a>. Tune in on the WIZM app or on air at 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska)

Data centers in Wisconsin: What big tech means for our water, air, energy and pocketbook

A look at bicycles, safety, best places to ride, La Crosse’s infrastructure and what’s next for the city with Robbie Young and Andrew Ericson.

Robbie Young, owner of Coulee Bicycle Co. in Onalaska, and Andrew Ericson both serve on the city’s Bike-Pedestrian Committee. They stopped in the WIZM studio this past week for the Rick Solem Show to discuss two public comment “open house” coming up on the city’s Bike-Ped Master Plan.

Along with that, we discussed practical advice surrounding e-bikes, where to ride, effective bike locks and why you shouldn’t buy a helmet on Temu.

In this episode:
The Master Plan Living Document: Why the city is introducing a few minor edits to the long-term network vision, including adding the forgotten Goose Green Trail footprint back onto the map.
The U-Lock vs. “String” Dilemma: Why cheap cable locks are basically pieces of string to a thief with bolt cutters, and how to properly secure a frame and front wheel to a robust street rack.
Navigating the Blue Bridges: The real rules of riding the sidewalk versus taking the road shoulder when commuting between Minnesota and downtown La Crosse.
The King Street Greenway Idea: Rick shares a near-biff on a dark, pouring night—highlighting the absolute necessity of rechargeable front and rear bike lights around modern traffic calming circles.
No Mini Bikes on the Cycle Track: The growing issue of kids riding high-powered, pedal-less electric motorcycles that bypass standard Class 1-3 definitions, presenting a tricky enforcement issue for local police and parents.
The 3-Class E-Bike Breakdown: A quick explainer from Robbie on Class 1 (pedal-assist), Class 2 (throttle up to 20 mph), and Class 3 (pedal-assist up to 28 mph), and why Class 1 is the ideal choice for youth mobility.

Upcoming Events:
Thursday, July 23 (2:30- 4:30 p.m.) — Myrick Park Bike Rodeo: Hosted alongside the county’s Safe Routes to School team, this free event is packed with skill-building activities, safety checks, and an introduction to traffic laws to help youth riders build independent skills.
Tuesday, July 28 (Noon-1 p.m. & 5-6 p.m.) — Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Amendment Open Houses: Held at the La Crosse Public Library Main Branch. Residents are invited to review updated maps and provide direct input on potential changes to the city’s connectivity network to help ensure robust implementation and flexibility moving forward.

Listen live weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Find the pod on Spotify, Apple Podcast or here. Tune in on the WIZM app or on air at 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska)

A look at bicycles, safety, best places to ride, La Crosse&rsquo;s infrastructure and what&rsquo;s next for the city with Robbie Young and Andrew Ericson.
Robbie Young, owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.couleebike.com/">Coulee Bicycle Co.</a>&nbsp;in Onalaska, and Andrew Ericson both serve on the city&rsquo;s Bike-Pedestrian Committee. They stopped in the WIZM studio this past week for the Rick Solem Show to discuss two&nbsp;<a href="https://forwardlacrosse.org/events/bicycle-and-pedestrian-master-plan-amendment/">public comment&nbsp;</a>&ldquo;<a href="https://forwardlacrosse.org/events/bicycle-and-pedestrian-master-plan-amendment/">open house&rdquo;</a> coming up on the city&rsquo;s Bike-Ped Master Plan.
Along with that, we discussed practical advice surrounding e-bikes, where to ride, effective bike locks and why you shouldn&rsquo;t buy a helmet on Temu.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li>The Master Plan Living Document:&nbsp;Why the city is introducing a few minor edits to the long-term network vision, including adding the forgotten Goose Green Trail footprint back onto the map.</li>
<li>The U-Lock vs. &ldquo;String&rdquo; Dilemma:&nbsp;Why cheap cable locks are basically pieces of string to a thief with bolt cutters, and how to properly secure a frame and front wheel to a robust street rack.</li>
<li>Navigating the Blue Bridges:&nbsp;The real rules of riding the sidewalk versus taking the road shoulder when commuting between Minnesota and downtown La Crosse.</li>
<li>The King Street Greenway Idea:&nbsp;Rick shares a near-biff on a dark, pouring night&mdash;highlighting the absolute necessity of rechargeable front and rear bike lights around modern traffic calming circles.</li>
<li>No Mini Bikes on the Cycle Track:&nbsp;The growing issue of kids riding high-powered, pedal-less electric motorcycles that bypass standard Class 1-3 definitions, presenting a tricky enforcement issue for local police and parents.</li>
<li>The 3-Class E-Bike Breakdown:&nbsp;A quick explainer from Robbie on Class 1 (pedal-assist), Class 2 (throttle up to 20 mph), and Class 3 (pedal-assist up to 28 mph), and why Class 1 is the ideal choice for youth mobility.</li>
</ul>
Upcoming Events:
<ul>
<li>Thursday, July 23 (2:30- 4:30 p.m.) &mdash; Myrick Park Bike Rodeo:&nbsp;Hosted alongside the county&rsquo;s Safe Routes to School team, this free event is packed with skill-building activities, safety checks, and an introduction to traffic laws to help youth riders build independent skills.</li>
<li>Tuesday, July 28 (Noon-1 p.m. &amp; 5-6 p.m.) &mdash; Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan&nbsp;<a href="https://forwardlacrosse.org/events/bicycle-and-pedestrian-master-plan-amendment/">Amendment Open Houses</a>:&nbsp;Held at the La Crosse Public Library Main Branch. Residents are invited to review updated maps and provide direct input on potential changes to the city&rsquo;s connectivity network to help ensure robust implementation and flexibility moving forward.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
Listen live weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Find the pod on&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1k1QCGhGrFA5KH9Rxh6fIO">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/la-crosse-talk-pm-wizm/id1445077021">Apple Podcast</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/la-crosse-talk-pm-with-rick-solem/">here</a>. Tune in on the WIZM app or on air at 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska)

Can they ride those there? Talking e-bikes, La Crosse's infrastructure and safety with Robbie Young and Andrew Ericson

With Sara Rodriguez abruptly suspending her campaign for Wisconsin governor, does that make self-described Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong the leading candidate?

The Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor was completely upended, and UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joins the Rick Solem Show to help break down the fallout.

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez is out of the race, a candidate who dropped out announced online mid-show he’s coming back and retiring Gov. Tony Evers might endorse now, of all times.

We also talk about Rodriguez’s reasoning politically and actually for dropping out — all dealing with campaign money in one way or another — and how the other candidates look financially.

Other things we discussed:
The “Scott Walker Loophole:” How Tiffany is sitting back flush with millions in cash from just a couple mega-donors while the Democrats are in total disarray.
Pour One Out for the Marquette Poll: Why polling director Dr. Charles Franklin apparently halted phone calls mid-survey because the race changed overnight.
The New York vs. Wisconsin Reality: Why the “Median Voter Theory” means what works for progressives in big cities faces a completely different hurdle in a statewide purple race.

With Sara Rodriguez abruptly suspending her campaign for Wisconsin governor, does that make self-described Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong the leading candidate?
The Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor was completely upended, and UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joins the Rick Solem Show to help break down the fallout.
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez is out of the race, a candidate who dropped out announced online mid-show he&rsquo;s coming back and retiring Gov. Tony Evers might endorse now, of all times.
We also talk about Rodriguez&rsquo;s reasoning politically and actually for dropping out &mdash; all dealing with campaign money in one way or another &mdash; and how the other candidates look financially.
Other things we discussed:
<ul>
<li>The &ldquo;Scott Walker Loophole:&rdquo;&nbsp;How Tiffany is sitting back flush with millions in cash from just a couple mega-donors while the Democrats are in total disarray.</li>
<li>Pour One Out for the Marquette Poll:&nbsp;Why polling director Dr. Charles Franklin apparently halted phone calls mid-survey because the race changed overnight.</li>
<li>The New York vs. Wisconsin Reality:&nbsp;Why the &ldquo;Median Voter Theory&rdquo; means what works for progressives in big cities faces a completely different hurdle in a statewide purple race.</li>
</ul>

Students coming back, what can state legislature do?

WIZM - La Crosse

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