WIZM News |General News & Views | U.S. National News

A traffic stop in the George Street area leads to drug possession charges for a La Crosse resident. Jackson Forty-three-year-old Paradise Jackson faces multiple charges of having drugs in his car and his home. A police officer stopped Jackson on Monday for failing to obey a stop sign, and a search inside the car revealed crack cocaine and marijuana. Fentanyl was discovered during a later search at Jackson’s residence. Jackson has been on probation, following previous drug charges. He is in the county jail, under a $25,000 cash bond, with his next court hearing set for April 8th. The post Drug possession charges follow traffic stop in north La Crosse appeared first on WIZM 92.3FM 106.7FM 1410AM. [TheTopNews] Read More.

The new director of Downtown Mainstreet in La Crosse makes a pitch at City Hall for the Sunday Market proposal. Chad Honeycutt tells the neighborhood revitalization commission that the new outdoor market planned from May through October at Cameron Park is designed as a way to bring people downtown, for more than just market activities. “Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., is my revitalization point for this downtown,” said Honeycutt during a commission meeting on Wednesday. “This is where I start our ascension, where I think about growing this section” and combine different economies.” Honeycutt says the market will be broken down into zones. “We have a wellness and exercise zone,” he says, “we’ll have group-led different things,” such as tai chi and Salute the Sun, as well as a music zone with deejays and a piano, along with traditional farmer market features. DMI will run the weekly outdoor event independently from the Farmers Market, which is moving to Pearl Street this season. The Sunday Market begins the week after Memorial Day, and runs to the last Sunday in October. The post Sunday Market plan for La Crosse gets thumbs up from Downtown Mainstreet director appeared first on WIZM 92.3FM 106.7FM 1410AM. [TheTopNews] Read More.

A homicide trial is scheduled in December, for a Genoa man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and setting fire to her home. Jurors will be chosen for the Matthew Sierra trial on December 14th, and the trial is expected to last the rest of that week. Matthew Sierra The 38-year-old Sierra has pled not guilty to homicide and arson charges, in the death last November 13th of Alexis Pickett and her unborn child. The victim’s body was found after fire crews were called to a fire at her home near George Street. FILE: Alexis Pickett was found dead after a fire on Taylor Street in November. Pickett reportedly was pregnant with Sierra’s baby. Prosecutors charge that Sierra set the fire, and then sat watching the fire in his car afterward. The original criminal complaint was dismissed because of a lack of details, and was resubmitted by the district attorney’s office. The post Sierra homicide trial in La Crosse County planned for December appeared first on WIZM 92.3FM 106.7FM 1410AM. [TheTopNews] Read More.

A couple of ideas we’ve been talking about for years on WIZM are now being put into action at La Crosse City Hall. Jenna Dinkel, an associate city planner, joined the Rick Solem Show to discuss La Crosse bringing back the iconic “Hatched Baby” or blue baby, as well as a the reimagining of Pearl Street in downtown La Crosse.  Listen live weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Find the pod on Spotify, Apple Podcast or here. Tune in on the WIZM app or on air at 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska) Hatched Baby was vandalized back in 2021 and the city had to take it down. But artists have now restored the 9-foot-tall artwork and we are brainstorming the best places in La Crosse to place it. FILE – Hatched Baby back in February of 2019 outside of La Crosse City Hall. (PHOTO: Rick Solem) After that, Dinkel talks about the reimagining of Pearl Street downtown into, what we’ve been saying on the show, is La Crosse version of Madison’s State Street — a pedestrian-only street. The city has three concept plans for how it could change Pearl Street ahead of possible construction in 2029. Pearl Street “Concept A.” (RENDERING: City of La Crosse website) Pearl Street “Concept B.” (RENDERING: City of La Crosse website) Pearl Street “Concept C.” (RENDERING: City of La Crosse website) Pearl Street “existing conditions.” (RENDERING: City of La Crosse website) The post Blue Baby set to return and the reimagining of Pearl Street in La Crosse appeared first on WIZM 92.3FM 106.7FM 1410AM. [TheTopNews] Read More.

Skip Ad In this video, author Pao Lor discusses his journey from Laos to Wisconsin, detailing his experiences as a refugee and the cultural adjustments he faced along the way. He spoke on Wednesday morning with Sean Dwyer on La Crosse Talk about his newest book. “Bamboo Sun,” delves into his search for identity and the American Dream amidst these challenges. Lor highlights his transition from remote tribal villages through war to refugee camps in Thailand, then to Long Beach, California, and eventually to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Surprisingly, when asked, he said the bigger cultural shock came from the villages to the refugee camps than from Thailand to America. “It was a relief to be in a different place, even though it was extremely, extremely different. But at least you knew you were in a safe place. So being safe in knowing at least now you know had an opportunity to get an education to improve your life. I think in many ways that trumps the culture shock aspect of it,” he said. In the conversation, Lor reflects on the differences he experienced, from the unfamiliar sight of grass and snow to finding solace in playing soccer, which opened doors to mainstream America and expanded his world. Lor eventually became an educator. He is now an Associate Dean in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The book is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Wisconsin bookstores. The post WATCH: Author Pao Lor discusses new book “Bamboo Son” appeared first on WIZM 92.3FM 106.7FM 1410AM. [TheTopNews] Read More.