Talked with Pat Stephens of Rotary Lights on how the Riverside Park holiday display kicked off its opening weekend and what it takes to put on such a thing for the past 27 years. Before that, Bill Soper, CEO of the La Crosse Area YMCA, joined to discuss the new 24-7 plan at the Y, as well as some major building updates in La Crosse and Onalaska. 

Talked with Pat Stephens of Rotary Lights on how the Riverside Park holiday display kicked off its opening weekend and what it takes to put on such a thing for the past 27 years. Before that, Bill Soper, CEO of the La Crosse Area YMCA, joined to discuss the new 24-7 plan at the Y, as well as some major building updates in La Crosse and Onalaska.&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

Working the smores assembly line for Rotary Lights; La Crosse Y goes 24-7

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>

Does Rodriguez quitting WI governor race make Francesca Hong the frontrunner? UW-L's Chergosky breaks down the fallout

La Crosse School Board president Trevor Sprague in the WIZM studio for the Rick Solem Show on Thursday, discussing what comes next with the old Trane headquarters that was recently donated to the district.

The 41.5-acre, 210,000-square-foot building on the south side was once the centerpiece of the school district’s failed $194-million plan to combine Logan and Central high schools.

Sprague puts the high school consolidation notion to bed fairly quickly, before getting into immediate and future uses of the property.

Sprague also addresses the argument regarding the property coming off the tax rolls instead of being developed into something like affordable housing. Additionally, he shares the story of how the Blank family initiated the massive donation, and explains how the district plans to protect and honor a Ho-Chunk heritage site located on the northeast corner of the property.

While a permanent, long-term plan for the massive facility could take up to five years of community feedback to finalize, Sprague outlines some of the immediate, low-cost uses the district is eyeing — including soccer fields, warehousing, and professional development spaces.

Also on the show, Sprague talked about a couple of groups that are meeting to discuss school matters (unofficial names):
Countywide School Board Collaboration (unofficial title): Board presidents and vice presidents from districts like Holmen, Onalaska, and West Salem are teaming up to lobby the county to put voucher school dollars directly on local tax bills for transparency, following the lead of Eau Claire and Green Bay.
The Tech Advisory Committee (TAC): A diverse group of teachers, parents, and experts discussing how to balance screen time in classrooms, including the potential for “no-tech” days, and how the district currently handles cell phone policies.
Indoor Aquatics Center committee (unofficial title): Sprague explains why the school board is hitting pause on a proposed indoor aquatics facility after lukewarm community survey support, and why they are looking for partners.

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)

La Crosse School Board president Trevor Sprague in the WIZM studio for the Rick Solem Show on Thursday, discussing what comes next with the old Trane headquarters that was recently donated to the district.
The 41.5-acre, 210,000-square-foot building on the south side was once the centerpiece of the school district&rsquo;s failed $194-million plan to combine Logan and Central high schools.
Sprague puts&nbsp;the high school consolidation&nbsp;notion to bed fairly quickly, before getting into immediate and future uses of the property.
Sprague also addresses the argument regarding the property coming off the tax rolls instead of being developed into something like affordable housing. Additionally, he shares the story of how the Blank family initiated the massive donation, and explains how the district plans to protect and honor a Ho-Chunk heritage site located on the northeast corner of the property.
While a permanent, long-term plan for the massive facility could take up to five years of community feedback to finalize, Sprague outlines some of the immediate, low-cost uses the district is eyeing &mdash; including soccer fields, warehousing, and professional development spaces.
Also on the show, Sprague talked about a couple of groups that are meeting to discuss school matters (unofficial names):
<ul>
<li>Countywide School Board Collaboration (unofficial title):&nbsp;Board presidents and vice presidents from districts like Holmen, Onalaska, and West Salem are teaming up to lobby the county to put voucher school dollars directly on local tax bills for transparency, following the lead of Eau Claire and Green Bay.</li>
<li>The Tech Advisory Committee (TAC):&nbsp;A diverse group of teachers, parents, and experts discussing how to balance screen time in classrooms, including the potential for &ldquo;no-tech&rdquo; days, and how the district currently handles cell phone policies.</li>
<li>Indoor Aquatics Center committee (unofficial title):&nbsp;Sprague explains why the school board is hitting pause on a proposed indoor aquatics facility after lukewarm community survey support, and why they are looking for partners.</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)

Working the smores assembly line for Rotary Lights; La Crosse Y goes 24-7

In 1 playlist(s)

WIZM - La Crosse

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips