La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky joins to talk about dismissing the facts you don't like, the A.I. we consume unknowingly and how we should fine people for bad parenting in public. Began the show, though, talking about more impeachment talk by Republicans in Wisconsin and how it's just this perpetuation of 2020 election lies to retain power in the state. After that, we talked quick how this would have been the first year of permanent Daylight Saving, which led into the weird workings of the US Senate, also retaining power, like how Republican Tommy Tuberville is holding up hundreds of military promotions. After that, we have "Certified Organic" stickers — or we used to — but do we need "Certified A.I." stickers on things we consume online? Wisconsin is working on some regulation there, but is it enough? Lastly, we talked about this Georgia restaurant that fines people who are being bad parents. So, we break down just how that would work in regards to the mishap, the age of the kid and the amount a fine should be.

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Wisconsin Farmers Union president Darin Von Ruden in studio discussing the expired farm bill, big farms v. small farms, the giant loss farmers see in consumer spending and how much you pay a kid now to pick rocks. The farm bill expired in September and Congress has yet to pass a new one or some kind of continuing resolution to keep the status quo. Von Ruden noted it doesn’t appear to change much but would love to see huge changes to it. We also got into how for every consumer dollar spent, a farmers’ piece of that has gone from $.44 in the 80s to $.14 now, and why that is. Von Ruden is a third-generation farmer and now produces organic dairy. He has been the union president for 12 years. 

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US House candidate Tara Johnson joins on a Halloween evening. She put up with the half-baked idea of having adult trick-or-treating and what that would look like, while also talking about some of the scary things about the US House of Representatives. Spent the first half of the show trying to have some fun with the holiday. The second half was more devoted to some of the revelations over the past few weeks about the current state of the House and speaking generally about those bigger issues reps in DC could tackle. Johnson was the first woman to serve as the La Crosse County Board chair — doing that nine years — where she was a member for 20 years. Before that, she was the executive director at the United Way in La Crosse.

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La Crosse Loggers co-owner Dan Kapanke in studio, as the deadline approaches for the public to submit potential team names for the softball equivalent to the Loggers. We also talked about the state's $545 million plan to upgrade the Milwaukee Brewers stadium. Began the show hitting on those topics quick, as well as the situation in the Town of Campbell, where they've been on bottled water for nearly three years because of PFAS. Kapanke is the board chair. After that, we talked where we're at in naming the softball version of the Loggers, as the deadline for the public to submit to LaXSoftball.com is Nov. 3. After that, we talked Brewers, as Kapanke is both on a business group to keep the team in Milwaukee and also has a somewhat similar deal on Copeland Park worked out with the city of La Crosse. 

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UW-La Crosse political scientist, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio breaking down how we can get free beer, a US map of the most bought candy in October and what that tells us about Americans, plus some politics — what it means that Mike Johnson is House Speaker, and why he was unanimous — except Derrick Van Orden wasn’t present to vote.

Began the show, though, talking about a Minnesota state House Rep. announcing his candidacy to run against Joe Biden for president and if that’s news or not — because other people have also announced, but this is the first elected official.

Then we got into this map that shows what candy each state has bought the most around Halloween — with Wisconsin being very dull and other states completely baffling what should be reality. 

After that, we dove into the GOP electing Mike Johnson as House Speaker. We discussed how that was the guy that got all but Van Orden’s vote despite Johnson’s far-right views, and why a more moderate member didn’t get the position.

Ended the show with, perhaps, the most Wisconsin of things — Kwik Trip giving out free beer. We didn’t really talk about why they did it, but we do explain what you have to do within the app to see the free beer offers — yes, plural, there are multiple free beer options.

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La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, in studio, as we discussed potentially closing two elementary schools, how the transition to standards based grading is going and what to do as truancy is at an all-time high.

Began the show, though, just talking about how kids are hopped up on Halloween candy this time of year, and also asked Engel — a Battalion Commander in the National Guard — how and the unit he commands are feeling with the continued situation in Ukraine and the escalation of war in Israel. 

In the first segment, we talked about truancy and why it’s continued to be at an all-time high in La Crosse at over 40 percent of students chronically absent — missed 10% of days. This is a trend that’s continued from last school year to now. 

After that, we talked about challenges for students, parents and teachers with standards based grading, which was implemented for the first time this year at the high school level. 

Wrapped up the conversation with school consolidation. The district’s Facilities Advisory Committee will hold its last of eight open-to-the-public meetings. The committee has talked of potentially closing two elementary schools — either North Woods, Spence, Emerson or Hintgen. We discussed the challenges with closing each but why it needs to be done.

The committee will submit its final report to the district on Nov. 2. There will be two public comment sessions on that report Nov. 27 and Nov. 29. In between that, Engel said he will discuss the report Nov. 16 on La Crosse Talk PM.

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Rebecca Cooke, Democratic candidate for US House in Wisconsin’s 3rd District, stopped in studio to discuss getting to voters on both sides of the aisle, issues on farming, unions and her opponent’s absence in DC as a new Speaker is elected. Cooke is one of five Democratic candidates running in the 3rd District to take on Derrick Van Orden, who we didn’t talk about until toward the end of the show. We did get an update on Cooke’s car she puts 100,000 miles on a year to campaign that didn’t have a/c all summer and apparently no rear window — at least for a bit. We also talked about how she tries to get to voters, both in terms of policy but also physically — because of how rural parts of the district are. Some of the issues she sees as important right now are ones dealing with farmers, as the US House let the five-year farm bill expire back in September and hasn’t put forth a new plan, as well as labor issues, especially when dealing with unions. 

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Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region executive director, Kahya Fox, joined to discuss the state of La Crosse housing, from renting to ownership, and what needs to be done. Among the things discussed was whether the city has too many rentals, what kind of housing should be prioritized and what city and county officials can do to spur development. Habitat, this year, set a record with putting 12 families in homes, where owners have to put in 150 hours of “sweat equity,” meaning they have to spend that amount of time helping rehab their new property. The previous record for Habitat was six. Habitat is always looking for volunteers in a number of different areas. More info here.

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Wisconsin state Sen. Brad Pfaff in studio talking brandy old fashioned as the state drink, the fight over helping with childcare and the Senate not confirming Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees. 

Began the show there, with the appointees, as Pfaff has personal experience in that he was fired as the state’s ag. secretary after 11 months on the job because Republicans didn’t like that he said the state should release funding for farmers’ mental health.

After that, we hit on the ins and outs of having the brandy old fashioned as the state drink. This comes a year after we debated a state cheese.

Spent the bottom half of the show, first, talking about the US House of Representatives and why Pfaff chose not to run.

Then we dove into the debate in Wisconsin to subsidize child care and what Republicans in the Senate have proposed.

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UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, in studio Friday for La Crosse Talk PM to discuss how Wisconsin was left out of the Top 50 burgers conversation, who considers themselves midwest, US House Rep. Derrick Van Orden heads to Israel, an Oprah-Mitt ticket and Brewers funding vs. child care.

Started the show with Van Orden putting out a statement that he’s gone to Israel on a “fact-finding mission.” But it comes in the midst of House Republicans trying to elect a Speaker, so it can actually do any governing, let alone help resolve the Mid-East situation.

Speaking of “mideast,” the US doesn’t have one, but it does have a midwest, and there is some confusion as to who lives there. We dissect a recent poll on that.

Before that, happened, though, we did talk about this upcoming book that said Oprah Winfrey floated the idea to Mitt Romney that they run for president.

Later, we ripped on a Top 50 list of the best burgers in the US, that contains no burgers from Wisconsin or Iowa. There’s also a Top 25 Wisconsin burgers list, that’s very Madison-Milwaukee based, which was disappointing.

After that, we spent a minute trying to hash out why the only way Dolly Parton wants to be contacted is via FAX.

Ended the show on how Wisconsin’s state Legislature is prioritizing funding the Milwaukee Brewers stadium, but split on how to help with child care.

Show notes:

— Derrick Van Orden leaves for Israel.
— Brewers stadium funding.
— Who is "midwest?"
— Dolly Parton via fax only.
— Student thinks she's going to U of Miami, ends up in Oho.
— Oprah Winfrey-Mitt Romney ticket.
— Top 50 burgers in the US, but no Wisconsin.

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