WIZM - La Crosse Talk Interviews

Sarah Godlewski in studio to talk about her run for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, her work as the current Secretary of State and former State Treasurer, plus some reaction to JD Vance’s visit to La Crosse promoting the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

Godlewski, a Democrat who launched her campaign last week, outlined what she sees as the role of lieutenant governor, including ideas for things like tackling housi...

La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke joined to discuss the Civilian Review Board getting going, charging 17-year-olds as adults in Wisconsin and an update on the death of 22-year-old Eliotte Heinz.

La Crosse County’s Civilian Review Board has been something in the works for a few years now, and Gruenke describes the type of work it will cover.

Charging 17 year olds as adults stems from a conversation last week with ...

Rock the Vets happens Sunday, and Dustin Lamb stopped in studio to talk about Year No. 8 of the concert series that helps La Crosse’s Freedom Honor Flight.

Admission is $20 for basically eight concerts on two stages. The event kick off at 11:40 a.m. at the Legion Post 417 on French Island.

La Crosse’s Freedom Honor Flight recently said increased costs for flights has made fundraising efforts — like Rock the Vets &...

Moon Tunes co-founder Terry Bauer in studio previewing this week’s show, featuring The Canyon Band. Before that, Hans Mayer and Hot Sauce, with Jessie MacDonald open the show.

Before we talked about them, however, we did joke around about the good ole days, and recapped last week’s show with the Remainders and Phoenix — 71 years of music in La Crosse.

There is handicap parking with rides to the venue. Bauer says p...

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Tara Johnson (D-Shelby) in studio discussing priorities Democrats would like to see in the next session, the Bernie Sanders visit to Viroqua and what she thinks so far of the upcoming governor race.

We also joked a bit about how the Legislature has been out of session all of July and August and now meets back in Madison for eight entire days in September — and 41 total days in session through 202...

Jill Schams, president of the La Crosse Education Association (LEA), joined heading into the first full week of school. We discussed how teachers prepare their classrooms — often at their own expense — and touched on the rollout of all-day pre-K in the La Crosse School District.

We opened the conversation, though, about how teachers build connections with parents.

Then had some fun getting Schams reaction to this story ...

Adam Murphy joins to discuss Milwaukee’s 1,000-year flood aftermath, the energy demands of A.I. data centers and potential Milwaukee candidates in the Wisconsin governor’s race.

Murphy is a Milwaukee resident, small business owner (Big Bang LLC) and holds degrees in economics and political science. We began the show by reintroducing him as our regular political commentator (or political blowhard).

The conversation first...

Wisconsin state Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska) in the WIZM studio for La Crosse Talk last week discussing the upcoming governor’s race, rebuilding Tank Creek Bridge and legislation aimed at treating 17-year-olds as minors in the justice system.

We began the show with a conversation on how legislators continue their work out of session and how bipartisan cooperation has changed compared to years past.

From there, Doyle addresse...

Heather Drievold, executive director at the Coulee Region Humane Society, joins to talk about the animals they have, some of the weirder experiences she's had and the events they have coming up.

One of the latter is Rounds for Rescues, which only has one four-some spot remaining. The golf outing happens Sept. 12 at Fox Hollow Golf Course. Another event, a few months out, is Sip to Save on Nov. 8. A beer and wine tasting at the Cour...

Holmen High School football coach Travis Kowalski joined to help preview the season, as they open on the road Friday at Medford.

The Vikings were 7-4 last year and one of five teams to tie for the Mississippi Valley Conference championship — though Kowalski does reveal who was the outright winner.

WKTY will stream all Holmen’s game this season on its website or search the Holmen Vikings channel on yo...

La Crosse School Superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, stopped in studio Monday, just days before students are in the classroom and summer break is over.

And we discussed just that, as La Crosse is now starting the year earlier after getting approval to do so by the Wisconsin state Legislature — a move that saves the district $200,000, as it no longer has to bus only private school students.

We also discussed the transition of mov...

Chris O’Hearn in studio to help preview the 17th annual Rockin’ the Prairie happens Saturday, a fundraiser for Brice Prairie EMS and Rescue.

The event runs 4:30 p.m.-midnight behind Angry’s Way Out in Brice Prairie (map). It will feature bands Double Take and Last Call. There will also be meat and gun raffles, along with pull tabs and a huge silent auction.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online, at the gate ...

Moon Tunes co-founder Terry Bauer, plus Andy Temte, the lead singer of The Remainders, in studio to talk music, a new album and preview Thursday’s show at Riverside Park.

The Remainders have been performing for 21 years and Temte unveiled their new album, Thinking of You, on the show. It’ll be available for purchase at Riverside. Check out their YouTube page with over 27,000 subscribers.

Bauer kicked things off, though,...

La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey in studio to talk through his new proposal for a city administrator, more ways he wants to connect with the community, and wrapping up bubbler talk — at least for now.

The mayor joined ahead of his public roundtable Thursday at the La Crosse Center from 5-7 p.m. on three issues (register here). He also unveiled a new initiative, “Our City, Your 15,” launching in October, ...

A year ago, they were a win away from getting to the state championship.

Central High School football coach Casey Knoble joined La Crosse Talk to preview this season, as they have a new quarterback in sophomore Tommy Check at the helm, behind a lot of returners on the line, plus Maxim Roberts at running back.

Roberts returns after rushing for 864 yards and eight touchdowns. Check has to replace his brother on offense, who had 51 to...

Laura Benjamin, a Democrat running for the US House in Wisconsin’s 3rd District, stopped in studio last week to talk about her priorities if elected to Congress. Those include tackling the affordability crisis — from raising the minimum wage to having universal healthcare.

She also said she’d like to see the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision overturned, which gave corporations the same free-speech rig...

Central High School football coach Mitch Olson joins to help preview the season, ahead of their opening game at home Thursday against Waunakee. 

The RiverHawks were in a five-way tie for the Mississippi Valley Conference last year and finished 5-5, losing to Holmen in the first round of the playoffs.

Olson takes over this season as head coach, after being defensive coordinator and with the program the past five years.

On the s...

Mac Kiel in studio to help recap last week’s city council meeting, as we focused mostly on the installing of ADA compliant bubblers, plus the capital improvement plan.

The council last week voted on two resolutions dealing with bubblers — passing one to install 18 ADA bubblers and voting down the other to delay removal of old fountains.

We also talked about what was a $49 million capital improvement plan (CIP), and the ...

We talk everything from teaching grade schoolers the music from KPop Demon Hunters to the voucher school system with La Crosse Education Association (LEA) president Jill Schams.

She stopped in studio last week, ahead of teachers returning to the classrooms. We chatted a bit about the LEA’s relationship with the school board, before having a fun conversation about music — as Schams is a K-5 music teacher at Southern Bluf...