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

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.

Trump's cabinet, going viral on Wheel of Fortune, WI taxpayers spending billions for schools with UW-La Crosse political scientist Chergosky

La Crosse County Board chair Tina Tryggestad in studio fresh off a five-hour 2025 budget meeting the night before, so of course that was a focus of the conversation that also included homelessness and renaming facilities.

We also got a bit of a civics lesson from Tryggestad in how the board gets to a final budget meeting, plus some budget details, including how American Rescue Plan Act funding is incorporated and granting certain funding requests from area groups. 

We also discussed the Pathways Home plan, which is a five-year plan to end homelessness and we got into some of the details of the Hillview Healthcare Center, which Tryggestad says is not going to be renamed by selling out to a corporate sponsor — something brought up for no reason whatsoever.

La Crosse County Board chair Tina Tryggestad in studio fresh off a five-hour 2025 budget meeting the night before, so of course that was a focus of the conversation that also included homelessness and renaming facilities.
We also got a bit of a civics lesson from Tryggestad in how the board gets to a final budget meeting, plus some budget details, including how American Rescue Plan Act funding is incorporated and granting certain funding requests from area groups. 
We also discussed the Pathways Home plan, which is a five-year plan to end homelessness and we got into some of the details of the Hillview Healthcare Center, which Tryggestad says is not going to be renamed by selling out to a corporate sponsor — something brought up for no reason whatsoever.

La Crosse County Board chair Tryggestad on $206 million budget, homeless plan, selling out

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Jill Billings in studio fresh off an election win, where she holds onto her District 95 seat. On the  show we look at some of the numbers and how she did in a voting district that had new boundaries, plus what to expect from the state Legislature over the next two years. Billings points out there's a state Supreme Court race on the ballot just months from now, which could turn the state upside down in terms of voting. We also talk about some priorities going forward, when the Legislature reconvenes next year. 

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Jill Billings in studio fresh off an election win, where she holds onto her District 95 seat. On the  show we look at some of the numbers and how she did in a voting district that had new boundaries, plus what to expect from the state Legislature over the next two years. Billings points out there's a state Supreme Court race on the ballot just months from now, which could turn the state upside down in terms of voting. We also talk about some priorities going forward, when the Legislature reconvenes next year.

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

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