La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

State Assembly Rep. Jill Billings of La Crosse joined for the hour. The topics we covered included the DOT's roundabout plan in La Crosse and what she, as a state rep., can do in regards to plans like that. Also hit on funding education and alternatives to a partisan race for county sheriffs. Closed out the show talking about the Gov. Tony Eves tax cut proposals, that the Republicans have called a gimmick -- despite giving out $100 checks to parents at exactly this time with their party's governor. 

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On her birthday, Rick's mom joined to start the show and tell some horror stories about raising three boys. After that, UW-La Crosse political science professor, Anthony Chergosky, Ph.D., in studio. We discussed how politics ruins state fairs and city parades, plus money in politics — the hypocrisy of governor candidate Tim Michels asking for money.

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A potential lawsuit if the city enacts a conversion therapy ban. Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty president and general counsel, Rick Esenberg, joined for a bit to discuss reasoning why they might sue La Crosse. WIZM's Brad Williams joined in that conversation. Before and after that, discussed with callers and texters the student loan forgiveness plan President Joe Biden announced, as well as more on the conversion therapy ban.

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Spencer Hulsey, UW-La Crosse outreach coordinator, in studio to talk science. Biggest topics we hit on were a potential end to PFAS, UFOs may not be "man made," what a black hole sounds like, terrible climate news is great news for paleontology and  we're following moths with airplanes.

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UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow joined. Hit on a lot of topics, led off by some of the details in the Wisconsin Promise plan that was just introduced last week. The program essentially gives students with families making under $62,000 a year tuition free college. We also hit on the UW Board of Regents release of its two-year, $2.5 billion projects list, which includes $237.4 million for UW-La Crosse — the biggest part there and what we spent the most time on, Phase 2 of the Prairie Springs Science Center.  Gow also noted a record in regards to the incoming class this fall and talked about delays with the opening of the new athletic fieldhouse.

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La Crosse Education Association president (teachers' union president) Jesse Martinez joined. Hit on a host of topics, including the number of teacher-contract positions that have left the school district, a new way of grading, how grand it is for teachers to have summers off and teacher pay.

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UW-La Crosse political science professor, Anthony Chergosky, Ph. D., joined. One of the things we talked about was "quiet quitting" and how that's not at all what it sounds like when it comes to work. We got into that category because of another phrase, "nobody wants to work anymore," which doesn't seem quite right, either. 

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Rick's dad joins in the second half of the show to talk about his time in the Navy on the CV-19 USS Hancock Aircraft Carrier, during the Vietnam War, as well as taking the Honor Flight to DC out of Oshkosh last month. Before that, Brad Duellman discussed his dad's Auto & Toy Museum in Fountain City, which has one-of-a-kind items. It will be auctioned off by Mecum Auctions next month. 

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John Siegel joined to talk about why he's running for sheriff in La Crosse County. Among the topics discussed were, of course, Siegel’s reasoning for running, his qualifications. We also talked about Siegel’s family makeup, with three adopted African-American children and a wife who is also African-American, and how that has shaped his perspective. In terms of matters directly dealing with the sheriff’s office, we discussed the potential citizens’ policing board, school resource officers, and the big responsibilities the office deals with, including drugs and guns. 

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Jason Gilman, the planning group leader at ISG Inc., joined to talk about the future of Pearl Street in downtown La Crosse from the riverfront up to 4th street. No curbs, no cars, a ferris wheel? The city is in the planning phase for re-conceptualizing that section of road, ahead of future Wisconsin DOT plans.

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