La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds in studio discussing pickleball and beer — which is sort of on the council agenda — bringing developers into the city — as all those vacant box stores are filling up — and approving accessory dwelling units.

We began the show, however, asking Reynolds who he thinks the most popular athlete in the U.S. is right now, a few days from the Super Bowl.

After that (5:30), we got into some city council stuff, just touching the pickleball conversation for a bit, before discussing accessory dwelling units (ADUs or granny flats or in-law suites — basically converting your garage that isn’t attached into a living space. And, for some reason, we also worked in chicken coupe regulations into that conversation.

Then we started to get into vacant buildings in La Crosse (14:20). There used to be three vacant Shopkos, a vacant K-Mart and vacant box stores in the Valley View Mall. But then an argument about how to zone areas to better attract developers to the city. 

The second half of the show (22:20), we got into the conversation about pickleball, and a company converting the Bridgeview Plaza Shopko into a pickleball facility and wants a liquor license — but a city committee last week couldn't approve it.

Quickly, we discussed the probability that the school district would have vacant buildings and if the city would want one of them. 

Lastly, we talked about Wisconsin Gov. Tony Every state of the state address and one of those workforce topics being childcare, and how the city continues to see that as a need, though the conversation in the state legislature has died down. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Anthony Chergosky, Ph.D., in the WIZM studio, discussing how Republicans perfectly rigged new voting maps and Democrats screwed up the process, plus all the Taylor Swift political phenomenon and Democrat Dean Phillips getting on the Wisconsin presidential ballot.

Began the show with the Friday news dump from the Wisconsin Supreme Court, allowing Minnesota state Rep. Phillips on the presidential ballot, after the state Democratic Party tried to exclude him, unless he got the signatures. There was a very funny conversation on how strange Phillip’s argument was about the cost of getting signatures.

After that (5:40), the fascination of Taylor Swift in politics — though she has not really inserted herself, yet. But, we mention how Donald Trump just got into the Swifty conversation, and the conspiracy that Joe Biden rigged the entire NFL playoffs to assert the Swift Army.

After that (25:10), we discussed the consultants hired by the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court throwing out the two GOP submissions for new voting maps and taking all the other submissions — and how Democrats should have had one group submit a ridiculously leftist map.

Lastly (34:00), back more funny Taylor Swift ridiculousness, including how she’s gotten the GOP to admit to climate change.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shaundel Spivey in studio, discussing the evolution and programs run by B.L.A.C.K., Inc., He’s the co-founder and executive director of the La Crosse-based nonprofit. We also talked about the La Crosse School Board and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion fight in Madison and beyond.

Spivey is a Milwaukee native who moved here to attend UW-La Crosse, where he got his Bachelor’s in political science and a Master’s in Student Affairs Administration, and never left the city. He’s also working on his doctorate.

We talked about the evolution of B.L.A.C.K. and some of the programs it’s doing that he’s most proud of.

In terms of the school board, we got his perspective from his time there, but also how the upcoming election only has two candidates for three open seats.

We also hit on the fight — which is now over — in Madison, where Republicans coerced the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents into severely rolling back D.E.I. initiatives for already approved pay raises that were behind withheld and building projects that had already gotten bipartisan support.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joella Striebel, the public affairs regional coordinator for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, in studio on reproductive health, how to talk about it, a sex education bill, the abortion debate and free condoms.

Striebel, last week, organized a Gov. Tony Evers’ roundtable discussion with UW-Eau Clarie students last week. So Striebel recapped some of the things Evers discussed and what students had to say about reproductive health.

We also talked about the ongoing fight in Wisconsin over abortion access, as the Legislature debated last week imposing a 14-week abortion ban.That included this state Legislator comparing women to animals. Currently the law is 20 weeks, but that only came after a court fight that struck down the state’s 175-year-old abortion ban.

Also, other news happening in Madison, we talked about a sex education bill proposed called the Healthy Youth Act. 

Began the show hitting on the abortion debate in general and how front and center it always seems to be in and some of the misconceptions of Planned Parenthood. That led into what Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is about.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron in studio discussing some of their priorities, what police in the city are dealing with the most lately, some of the recent shootings and the prevalence of guns. We wrapped up with talk on more roundabouts here, plus changing back the speed liming on Losey Boulevard.

Began the show talking about police priorities, and some of the things they’re dealing with the most.

That led to a discussion about mental health and the new expansion of the co-responder units between city police and the La Crosse County Health and Human Service Department. 

The second half of the show hovered around guns, as the city has seen two shootings — including one homicide — this month. Are guns more prevalent and how far do police go to find out where the guns are coming from. 

Ended the show with talk about the five new roundabouts on the south side and how the public is handling those. Also, not that this was at all recent, but we also talked about how much police have to deal with people speeding on the 25 mph section of Losey Boulevard.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

City council members Mackenzie Mindel and Mac Kiel in studio, ahead of committee week, where they'll be discussing accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules. We also talked chickens, selling Lincoln Middle School and a homeless update.

Mindel and Kiel are both on the city’s Judiciary and Administration committee, which meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Began the show with a quick rundown, but did talk about chicken coup regulation quick.

After that (6:50), we discussed the recent sale of Lincoln by the La Crosse School District to a group that is looking to build affordable housing, and what that would mean for the city.

We also talked about Transit Equity Days (12:45) in the city, where riding the bus is free, and how Mindel and Kiel are taking council office hours during rides. We also discussed the city’s electric busses and, since it was so cold a few weeks ago, if there were problems, would the council know about it.

Speaking of cold, Kiel then gave us an update on homelessness (15:45) — as she goes out weekly with an outreach team. It also comes a few weeks after the city-county put out their five-year plan to end homelessness, called Pathways Home.

The second half of the show (19:25) consisted mostly of ADU talk, as the council two months ago put off any decision on changing regulations for property owners. In that time, the city held two public hearings on ADUs.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Threw UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, two strategies both Donald Trump and Wisconsin Republicans should have or, perhaps, still could take heading into the 2024 election. 

Spent quite a bit of time on federal politics, including Donald Trump having to pay $83 million in a defamation lawsuit — what was deemed on the show as “Hush up” money, as opposed to the hush money Trump paid to porn star Stormy Daniels.

After that, we discussed Trump’s involvement in tanking a Congressional deal on the southern border situation and how that’s a GOP political calculation. But, that’s where Republicans have it wrong and where the first strategy in winning 2024 for Trump was thrown at Chergosky — even taking a shot at the latest cold open from Saturday Night Live, where it mimicked Trump.

Then, Wisconsin politics, involving the new voting maps, and this is the second strategy thrown at Chergosky, where Republicans could have rigged elections in Wisconsin forever, had they had their act together. This hovers around news a few months ago when the Wisconsin GOP proposed what they called the “Iowa model” for drawing maps.

Before all that, however, does gum stay in your stomach for seven years? That’s how we started the show. And, we ended in the same vicinity, where a story out of Lambeau Field lost and found — found many interesting things, including dentures. Who loses their dentures at a football game?

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin executive director Robert Kraig joined to discuss some of the details on Republicans’ fast-tracked effort to pass what they call Gov. Tony Evers’ maps, plus how they’re trying to put a binding referendum on ballot for a new abortion ban.

Began the show just setting up the interview on both issues, as well as talking quick about President Joe Biden in Superior, Wis., campaigning on the infrastructure bill he got passed by helping get a $1.8 billion bridge built.

After that, Kraig joined and we started with the voting maps issue. While we wait for the state Supreme Court to draw new maps or pick from seven submitted maps, Republicans have already chosen  — saying they’ll take the maps Evers drew. Only problem, those aren’t the maps Evers drew.

Then we got into school funding for a few minutes, as districts across the state are continually forced to make cuts to balance budgets — as we learned the day before when La Crosse Schools superintendent Dr. Aaron Engel joined.

Wrapped up with Kraig talking about Republicans in the Assembly quickly passing a 14-week abortion ban — one that doesn’t have exceptions for rape or incest. The GOP want to put the measure on April’s ballot — which comes months after Republicans denied Evers putting an abortion question on the ballot and the state Legislature passing a bipartisan shared revenue bill that took away local communities’ ability to put any nonbinding referendum on a ballot.

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joins to talk about the news that the district sold Lincoln Middle School, what that deal encompasses and future building plans the school board is in the midst of discussing.

Began the show, however, talking about escalating world conflict, as Engel is a Lt. Col. in the National Guard — for 20 years — and battalion commander. So we talked a bit about how they prepare for everything from floods, riots to conflicts overseas.

After that, we discuss the group that bought Lincoln for $2.2 million and the plan for that historic building.

Then we get into some of the options the school board has been discussing for what’s called the district’s long-range facility plan. The hope is to make a decision on the next steps in that plan by Feb. 19 — after two more regular Monday school board meetings. 

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Habitat’s Kahya Fox in studio to discuss housing, including the city-county homeless plan and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which is back on La Crosse agenda’s next week. 

Two weeks ago, a five-year homeless plan was unveiled called Pathways Home, where the city and county have taken a leadership role, bringing in other related groups to help get to what’s called Functional Zero. Fox and herself have been involved.

Spent a good portion of the show on ADUs, which the city has zoning rules against. The city council, back in December, put a decision on rezoning off for 60 days. 

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.