The battle for power in Wisconsin, as the state argues over drawing political maps that are some of the most gerrymandered in the U.S. Common Cause Wisconsin's Jay Heck joins to discuss the process. He has been covering these fights for 26 years. 

The battle for power in Wisconsin, as the state argues over drawing political maps that are some of the most gerrymandered in the U.S. Common Cause Wisconsin's Jay Heck joins to discuss the process. He has been covering these fights for 26 years.&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

The fight to retain power in Wisconsin for the next decade

We talked some glory days and previewed the National Championships with Hall of Fame UW-La Crosse wrestling coach Dave Malecek.

That included the coach, in his 20th season, being brutally honest about what “college days Malecek” would do to the eight guys he has headed to Nationals this Friday and Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Malecek was a two-time state champ at Osage High School (91-9 career record) and went on to qualify for Division I Nationals four times at Northern Iowa, before participating in the USA Wrestling Team Olympic Trials in 1992 and 1996.

Aside from his wrestling days, we get into the eight from UW-L headed to Nationals this weekend and what makes each of those guys unique.

That includes one who graduated from UW-L as a two-time Nationals qualifier — where he took 2nd and 3rd — then went back home to coach his brother in high school for a year and is now back as a grad student and back at Nationals ranked with a 17-0 record.

Over Malecek’s career at UW-L, he’s coached 72 All-Americans, including 14 individual National Champions.

We talked some glory days and previewed the National Championships with Hall of Fame UW-La Crosse wrestling coach Dave Malecek.
That included the coach, in his 20th season, being brutally honest about what &ldquo;college days Malecek&rdquo; would do to the eight guys he has headed to Nationals this Friday and Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Malecek was a two-time state champ at Osage High School (91-9 career record) and went on to qualify for Division I Nationals four times at Northern Iowa, before participating in the USA Wrestling Team Olympic Trials in 1992 and 1996.
Aside from his wrestling days, we get into the eight from UW-L headed to Nationals this weekend and what makes each of those guys unique.
That includes one who graduated from UW-L as a two-time Nationals qualifier &mdash; where he took 2nd and 3rd &mdash; then went back home to coach his brother in high school for a year and is now back as a grad student and back at Nationals ranked with a 17-0 record.
Over Malecek&rsquo;s career at UW-L, he&rsquo;s coached 72 All-Americans, including 14 individual National Champions.

UW-L coach Malecek on prime Dave against his wrestlers: “I’d kick all their butts”

We covered a lot with La Crosse city council president Tamra Dickinson in studio, including infrastructure projects like the old Kmart, a new restaurant in River Point, and the North Side Library’s future use. We also talked about why Dickinson voted against city administrator, where La Crosse is at with its zoning overhaul and the upcoming strategic planning session. 

With the Northside Community Library scheduled to close June 30, and a news conference from north siders on wanting to use the building as a community center, Dickinson talked about the process of potentially declaring the building a "surplus,” and the "expression of interest" phase. 

In regards to the old Kmart, we did a quick recap of its time with Three-Sixty Real Estate Solutions, which let an 18-month extension for the rezoning to expire, and how it now has to essentially start from scratch with the design review and zoning process. 

Also, two big meetings are coming up this month that could have citywide impacts.

A joint session March 18 will tackle a massive overhaul of residential zoning. It’s the first of two meetings intended to simplify the city's code so it's actually "easier to work with" for residents and developers alike, according to Dickinson. She noted the goal is to refine rules on things like "tiny homes" and having multiple buildings on one lot — things that currently force people to jump through the zoning appeals process. Instead of constant one-off exceptions, the city is looking to modernize the code to match how people are actually living and building today.

The other meeting, on March 24, is a strategic planning session that Dickinson says is designed to help the council "focus and vision" for the city's future. Rather than just reacting to the monthly agenda, she hopes this session allows the council to identify long-term priorities—which is also why she wants the city administrator discussion to happen there, away from the pressure of a looming vote.

Shifting back to more immediate council business Thursday, we got into a $120,000 "beautification" project for 3rd and 4th streets that includes new planters and trash cans downtown and whether that’s logical considering the Wisconsin DOT will tear up all of downtown in 2030. 

Last month, the council saw a city administrator proposal fall two votes short of passing, and Dickinson was one of the no votes but supports the idea. She talked about why, including how the legislation was becoming "hard to follow" with last-minute amendments and five different changes flying around. By voting it down now, she says the council has the "freedom of being able to talk about it without us worrying about it being active legislation," with the goal of bringing a cleaner version back once strategic planning sessions conclude this summer.

To wrap up, we looked at "Renew the Block," a Habitat for Humanity project on Avon Street that Dickinson has been heavily involved with. On March 25, the city will host a presentation at the Nature Place to show other neighborhoods how the project successfully integrated stormwater management and curb appeal — proving that neighborhood revitalization can be a blueprint for the rest of the city.

We covered a lot with La Crosse city council president Tamra Dickinson in studio, including infrastructure projects like the old Kmart, a new restaurant in River Point, and the North Side Library&rsquo;s future use. We also talked about why Dickinson voted against city administrator, where La Crosse is at with its zoning overhaul and the upcoming strategic planning session.&nbsp;
With the Northside Community Library scheduled to close June 30, and a news conference from north siders on wanting to use the building as a community center, Dickinson talked about the process of potentially declaring the building a "surplus,&rdquo; and the "expression of interest" phase.&nbsp;
In regards to the old Kmart, we did a quick recap of its time with Three-Sixty Real Estate Solutions, which let an 18-month extension for the rezoning to expire, and how it now has to essentially start from scratch with the design review and zoning process.&nbsp;
Also, two big meetings are coming up this month that could have citywide impacts.
A joint session March 18 will tackle a massive overhaul of residential zoning. It&rsquo;s the first of two meetings intended to simplify the city's code so it's actually "easier to work with" for residents and developers alike, according to Dickinson. She noted the goal is to refine rules on things like "tiny homes" and having multiple buildings on one lot &mdash; things that currently force people to jump through the zoning appeals process. Instead of constant one-off exceptions, the city is looking to modernize the code to match how people are actually living and building today.
The other meeting, on March 24, is a strategic planning session that Dickinson says is designed to help the council "focus and vision" for the city's future. Rather than just reacting to the monthly agenda, she hopes this session allows the council to identify long-term priorities&mdash;which is also why she wants the city administrator discussion to happen there, away from the pressure of a looming vote.
Shifting back to more immediate council business Thursday, we got into a $120,000 "beautification" project for 3rd and 4th streets that includes new planters and trash cans downtown and whether that&rsquo;s logical considering the Wisconsin DOT will tear up all of downtown in 2030.&nbsp;
Last month, the council saw a city administrator proposal fall two votes short of passing, and Dickinson was one of the no votes but supports the idea. She talked about why, including how the legislation was becoming "hard to follow" with last-minute amendments and five different changes flying around. By voting it down now, she says the council has the "freedom of being able to talk about it without us worrying about it being active legislation," with the goal of bringing a cleaner version back once strategic planning sessions conclude this summer.
To wrap up, we looked at "Renew the Block," a Habitat for Humanity project on Avon Street that Dickinson has been heavily involved with. On March 25, the city will host a presentation at the Nature Place to show other neighborhoods how the project successfully integrated stormwater management and curb appeal &mdash; proving that neighborhood revitalization can be a blueprint for the rest of the city.

La Crosse council president Dickinson on $120,000 beautification project, Kmart restart and city admin future

After nine months of construction, the "pardon our mess" signs at the La Crosse Public Library are finally coming down.

Library director Dawn Wacek stopped in studio Monday to preview the grand reopening of the facility on Main Street happening from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday — with tours every hour. The $3.1 million interior renovation covered about 40% of the building's footprint — all funded through a competitive state grant from the Wisconsin Department of Administration’s Flexible Facilities Program. Wacek noted the funding allowed the library to "fast-track" upgrades without hitting local property taxes or the city's day-to-day operating budget.

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)

The conversation touched on the new "vibe" of the space, which Wacek described as more modern and flexible. One of Wacek’s favorite upgrades are the "Brody chairs" — semi-enclosed private nooks with built-in desks and lighting. Beyond the new seating, the renovation added several specialized areas, including:


A 100-seat auditorium and classroom space on the main floor.


An updated "CREATE" maker space for hands-on projects.


Eight new meeting and study rooms spread across both floors.


A refreshed public computer area and a second-floor computer lab.


Two first-floor meeting rooms dedicated to community service access.


Renovated, more accessible first-floor restrooms.

We also half joked about one thing that didn't make the blueprints: a coffee shop. Wacek explained the "pluses and minuses" of bringing in a cafe partner, noting that while it's a popular request, the risk of a partner going out of business often leads to "wasted space" in public buildings.

Beyond the renovations, we discussed how the library is pivoting to meet people where they are. Wacek highlighted a new pilot program for "library lockers" at the Main branch, where patrons can pick up materials after hours using a keycode. The goal is to eventually expand those kiosks to the north and south ends of the city to provide access even when the physical buildings are closed.

We also got into city budget talks, as the mayor has made it a focus to tackle that early on in the year. With the library making up about 8% of the city’s total budget, Wacek talked about being "at the table" for 2026 planning and the long-term goal of launching a fundraising campaign to modernize the "desperately undersized" children’s, teen, and tween areas.

To wrap up, we went through some of the books currently featured on the library's new "face-out" display shelving, plus looked at some of the stats from library use the past few years and went over the logistics of Wednesday's reopening, which will include guided tours each hour from various library staffers.

After nine months of construction, the "pardon our mess" signs at the La Crosse Public Library are finally coming down.
Library director Dawn Wacek stopped in studio Monday to preview the grand reopening of the facility on Main Street happening from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday &mdash; with tours every hour. The $3.1 million interior renovation covered about 40% of the building's footprint &mdash; all funded through a competitive state grant from the Wisconsin Department of Administration&rsquo;s Flexible Facilities Program. Wacek noted the funding allowed the library to "fast-track" upgrades without hitting local property taxes or the city's day-to-day operating budget.
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)
The conversation touched on the new "vibe" of the space, which Wacek described as more modern and flexible. One of Wacek&rsquo;s favorite upgrades are the "Brody chairs" &mdash; semi-enclosed private nooks with built-in desks and lighting. Beyond the new seating, the renovation added several specialized areas, including:
<ul data-path-to-node="7">
<li>
A 100-seat auditorium and classroom space on the main floor.
</li>
<li>
An updated "CREATE" maker space for hands-on projects.
</li>
<li>
Eight new meeting and study rooms spread across both floors.
</li>
<li>
A refreshed public computer area and a second-floor computer lab.
</li>
<li>
Two first-floor meeting rooms dedicated to community service access.
</li>
<li>
Renovated, more accessible first-floor restrooms.
</li>
</ul>
We also half joked about one thing that didn't make the blueprints: a coffee shop. Wacek explained the "pluses and minuses" of bringing in a cafe partner, noting that while it's a popular request, the risk of a partner going out of business often leads to "wasted space" in public buildings.
Beyond the renovations, we discussed how the library is pivoting to meet people where they are. Wacek highlighted a new pilot program for "library lockers" at the Main branch, where patrons can pick up materials after hours using a keycode. The goal is to eventually expand those kiosks to the north and south ends of the city to provide access even when the physical buildings are closed.
We also got into city budget talks, as the mayor has made it a focus to tackle that early on in the year. With the library making up about 8% of the city&rsquo;s total budget, Wacek talked about being "at the table" for 2026 planning and the long-term goal of launching a fundraising campaign to modernize the "desperately undersized" children&rsquo;s, teen, and tween areas.
To wrap up, we went through some of the books currently featured on the library's new "face-out" display shelving, plus looked at some of the stats from library use the past few years and went over the logistics of Wednesday's reopening, which will include guided tours each hour from various library staffers.

The fight to retain power in Wisconsin for the next decade

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