Newsmakers

Today on “Newsmakers,” host Ezra Wall welcomes guests to speak about a new center named in honor of Sister Thea Bowman. A Canton, Mississippi native, Sister Thea came to La Crosse in the 1950s to join the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and eventually became one of the leading voices for Black Catholicism in America. Wall speaks with ValLimar Jansen, a nationally recognized singer and composer who portrays Thea Bowman in a theatrical performance taking place April 5 at Viterbo University. Also joining the discussion is Sister Laura Nettles, assistant professor of religious studies at Viterbo. Then, find out what’s going on this spring at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota. Wall speaks with Ed Hahn, marketing director for the center, who lets us know about the spring program series happening weekends throughout April and May for an opportunity to learn about raptors from experts.

This week on “Newsmakers,” we discuss the decline of farmland in Wisconsin. Host Ezra Wall speaks with guests from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Wisconsin field office, the Wisconsin Farmer’s Union, and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. They discuss what factors are at play and what the outlook is moving forward. We then hear about the upcoming “Take Back the Night” event in La Crosse, designed to raise awareness and support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Wall speaks with Tom Berkedal of LevelUP, and event guest speaker Kyle Richard, a former college athlete who was shot while intervening in a sexual assault. The march and rally take place on Tuesday, March 29, at 8 p.m. at UW-La Crosse’s Mitchell Hall.

We discuss water quality and flood mitigation on our “Newsmakers” program today. Host Ezra Wall first speaks with guests about an upcoming symposium in La Crosse called ‘What’s in our Drinking Water.’ The discussion includes how issues of pollution are impacting water, and a ballot initiative which puts water quality front and center. Wall then speaks with the director of the Monroe County Land Conservation Department on efforts taking place to mitigate flooding in our area, including weather stations that have been installed, and how funds from the recent infrastructure law will further help.

On today’s “Newsmakers” program, we speak with guests about the “Human Rights Policing” certification course available through UW-La Crosse Graduate & Extended Learning. Host Ezra Wall speaks with course creator and instructor, Peter Marina (pictured), a UWL associate professor of sociology and criminal justice, and his father Pedro Marina, a retired lieutenant with the New Orleans Police Department. The course is designed to build compassion among police officers and address systemic issues in policing by training law enforcement to uphold each person’s human rights. Wall then speaks with two La Crosse area police sergeants who’ve completed the class and share their experiences.

This week on “Newsmakers,” we hear from guests about the City of La Crosse’s Climate Action Plan 2022. Host Ezra Wall speaks with several guests, including two city officials and the consultant helping to shape the vision. We also learn about opportunities for community input. Plus, Wall talks with Jess Reed, executive director with the Historic Temple Theatre in Viroqua, on the theatre’s first show in two years coming up March 11. Reed shares how the last two years have been and the excitement of welcoming back the same popular group from Ireland, We Banjo 3, that was also the last band to perform March 13, 2020 as things shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We hear from contributing authors of a new book titled Hope Is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic on today’s “Newsmakers” program. Host Ezra Wall speaks with the editor, an associate professor of English at UW-Eau Claire, and how his call for contributing writers resulted in one hundred essays and poems gathered. We also hear from several La Crosse area and beyond writers who read excerpts of their contributions. They each share experiences of their own reflection as they explored hope in the era of COVID-19. This program is an encore repeat broadcast.

We welcome guests from La Crosse’s Enduring Families Project on our “Newsmakers” program this week. Host Ezra Wall speaks with four involved actors, including producer Denise Christy, who cofounded the theatre project involving a public school-based educational program and community-based historical reenactments. With the support of La Crosse County Historical Society, the Enduring Families Project presents positive portrayals of the contributions, struggles and perseverance of early non-white settlers.

We feature La Crosse’s Winter Roots Festival on our “Newsmakers” program this week. Host Ezra Wall speaks with guests involved with organizing and performing at the event taking place Saturday, Feb. 12 at the La Crosse Center. We also hear from members of the Driftless Makers Exchange, as they share details on their artistry and wares which will be available during the festival.

This week on “Newsmakers,” it’s part two of our two-part series on bees. We speak with a conservation biologist from the Wisconsin DNR about the hundreds of native bees in our state, including where they nest and how to help them thrive and prevent decline. We also hear from the agriculture educator with UW-Extension La Crosse who discusses pollinator friendly plants and tips for your gardening and landscaping. Joining the discussion as well is the Executive Director of The Prairie Enthusiasts, who shares what the organization is all about and how their work can positively impact bees. We also hear about their upcoming annual conference “Inspired by Resilience,” which takes place online Feb. 16-19.

It’s a discussion all about honeybees on our “Newsmakers” program this week. We hear from area beekeepers involved with the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association, including one who is teaching an upcoming class in Holmen. We are also joined by a Wisconsin state apiary inspector who discusses the apiary program and what services are available to benefit interested beekeepers. Host Ezra Wall then speaks with local activist and actor Shaundel Spivey about his lead role in La Crosse Community Theatre’s “The Mountaintop,” on stage through Feb. 6. Spivey discusses what it’s like to portray the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the production, and how it ties in to his lifelong dedication to social justice work.