Newsmakers

Mandatory Cursive- The Wisconsin Legislature is considering a proposal to make it mandatory to teach cursive handwriting in all elementary schools. We talk with a lawmaker who is proposing the change and educators from area schools about the pros and cons of the idea.

WTC Thailand trip- We talk with instructors at Western Technical College about the trip they took last summer to Thailand. The trip is designed to help improve the college's efforts to make Hmong history and culture a bigger effort at the college.

Monroe County Climate Change Task Force- We talk with members of a newly formed climate change task force in Monroe County. Monroe has become the fourth county government in Wisconsin to address the issue of climate change.

Trauma-Informed Care- In this encore program, we talk about efforts to educate people in the Coulee Region to use a trauma-informed care model to recognize and assist people who have a mental illness.

Beer History; Craft Breweries- We talk with the author of a coffee table book on Wisconsin's rich brewing history about some well known and lesser known stories about beer making in the La Crosse area. We also talk with the owners of two La Crosse craft brewers about the popularity of craft beer making.

Creating a Healthier Multicultural Community- We look at a different way to come at diversity and inclusion in the La Crosse area led by white people.

Transportation and Workforce- Our guests talk about the challenges of getting people a way to work.

Affordable Housing and the Workers' Shortage- We talk about how the issue of a lack of affordable housing is an issue as businesses are in the midst of a workers' shortage.

Child Care Shortage- We update a show from last fall. A lack of stable child care is often cited as a reason people struggle to maintain a job. That's caught the attention of many employers in the Coulee Region who are working to find a solution.

Opioid Lawsuit- La Crosse County is one of 71 counties in the state that's a plantiff in a multi-jurisdiction lawsuit against drug makers for their role in an opioid addiction crisis in recent years. We talk about the impact opioids have had on La Crosse County programs and talk about how a possible settlement could be spent.