Tomorrow protest

NO KINGS RALLY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 FROM NOON TO 2 P.M. at the corner of Losey Boulevard and State Road. Peaceful. Impactful. Necessary.

Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

Learn more here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/841702/

Oct. 16 shutdown protest

From Opportunity Wisconsin:

On Thursday, October 16th at 5:30 PM, we will gather outside Rep. Van Orden’s office at 210 7th St S in La Crosse for a Government Shutdown Protest.

Mobilize Event

Republicans have refused to prevent harmful cuts to healthcare, choosing to continue the government shutdown instead. We’ll stand together to demand that Rep. Van Orden restore healthcare and keep the government open. A shutdown means higher health care costs, more strain on food programs, and even more uncertainty for families who are already struggling.

We invite everyone to think about what you would say to Rep. Van Orden if he were here. If you’d like, bring remarks to share with the group — whether that’s a short story about how cuts affect you, or simply why keeping the government open matters to your family.

Please join us and bring a friend. Feel free to bring a candle or sign if you’d like. Our costume suggestion? Chicken theme!

Know your rights/NO KINGS

The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin invites you to a free webinar on protest safety and knowing your rights. As communities prepare for the upcoming No Kings protests, we want everyone to feel confident, safe, and empowered while exercising their First Amendment rights.

This event will also feature a virtual poster-making workshop. Get creative, share ideas, and make your message heard loud and clear.

Wednesday, October 15th at 6 PM
Register here: bit.ly/LWVWI-KnowYourRights-Webinar

NO KINGS RALLY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 FROM NOON TO 2 P.M. at the corner of Losey Boulevard and State Road. Peaceful. Impactful. Necessary.

Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

Learn more here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/841702/

Disability Pride Fest

 

DISABILITY PRIDE FEST 

Sunday, October 19 from 11 a. m. to 3 p. m.

Logan HS (take the #5 bus!)

By, for, and about people  with disabilities, those who know people with disabilities, and those who want to learn more.

FREE and open to all.

Learn more here: https://www.disabilityactionnetwork.com/disabilitypridefest

Visibility event Thursday

From La Crosse Indivisible:

Please join us for our Visibility Brigade this Thursday at 4:00 on the Bainbridge Street Pedestrian Bridge next to Norwood Inn on French Island. Bring your signs and your friends!

Alert! Back door SAVE Act move!

RED ALERT! COMMENT BY OCTOBER 20!

Watch this urgent warning (if you're on TikTok here) and act now!

"[Stephen] Miller is asking the Election Assistance Commission to change the rules so you would need a passport or a birth certificate with your current legal name just to register to vote. This will not only violate the Voting Rights Act, it strips millions of Americans of their ability to vote. Not only does it target women who have changed their last name after getting married, but also indigenous voters with Tribal IDs, older Americans without passports, military families who are moving around often, and rural communities who cannot travel miles just to register.

"Right now, over 235,000 comments have been submitted in favor of this by conservative activists. We have to push back and we have to make our opposition known."

Submit a public comment NOW through Stand Up America

Or Common Cause. 

DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 20!

Re-up: Indigenous People's Day

 

Indigenous People's Day
Monday, October 13

At Myrick Park Nature Place from 9 to 3, including activities, tours, speakers, tournaments, vendors.

At UWL Student Union from 3 to 8 p.m., including tours, vendors, speakers, music, dance.

7:30 p.m. Keynote speaker: Amy Lonetree

###

From the article: "The year was 1863, just shy of the U.S.-Dakota War, and although the Ho-Chunk Nation remained neutral, it gave settlers the perfect excuse. 

"To execute their plan, they formed the Knights of the Forest, a secret society with one goal: 'To banish forever from our beautiful State every Indian who now desecrates our soil.' What followed was one of the most grisly forced removals in the nation’s history."

To Banish Forever: A Secret Society, the Ho-Chunk, and Ethnic Cleansing in Minnesota by Cathy Coats.

Protests Friday

From La Crosse Indivisible:

Friday, October 10th, there will be two opportunities to protest. First, the weekly protest at the La Crosse City Hall. This takes place from 12pm to 1pm every Friday. We usually have about 15 to 20 of us out there, but we always welcome more voices! Come out and show up!

The second opportunity to protest will be at 4 p.m. at La Crosse St. and West Ave. This protest will last for an hour and the theme will be Americans Against Ice. Stop by and Shout it out! 

"We are at the point of moral emergency"

 

"... we can expect nothing more than a combination of cowardice and willful ignorance in our major institutions. The fact that the major media continues to talk as if there will be normal elections in the United States, continues to talk as if Trump has only 3 more years in office, and continues to play 'horse races' between parties about future elections should not reassure you. The media reluctance to say plainly what is true is indicative of how bad things are."

"Donald Trump is preparing to declare martial law."

DVO protest Thursday

 From Opportunity Wisconsin:

La Crosse Government Shutdown Protest

Thursday, October 9

5:30 – 6:30pm CDT

210 7th St S

La Crosse, WI 54601

Congressional Republicans, including Congressman Derrick Van Orden, shut down the government just because they refused to lower health care costs for Wisconsin families. Republicans would rather shut down the government, which is going to cause real pain for Wisconsin families, than reverse their harmful health care cuts or prevent premiums from skyrocketing. Earlier this year they acted quickly to make tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations permanent - now they’re sitting on their hands while the government is shut down because of the crisis they created.

Join us on Thursday, Oct. 9th, from 5:30-6:30 outside Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s La Crosse office to call on Congressman Van Orden to end the government shutdown and take action to keep health care costs down.

Feel free to bring signs and make your voices heard! (No electoral signs please!

Indigenous Peoples' Day

Indigenous People's Day
Monday, October 13

At Myrick Park Nature Place from 9 to 3, including activities, tours, speakers, tournaments, vendors.

At UWL Student Union from 3 to 8 p.m., including tours, vendors, speakers, music, dance.

7:30 p.m. Keynote speaker: Amy Lonetree

###

From the article: "The year was 1863, just shy of the U.S.-Dakota War, and although the Ho-Chunk Nation remained neutral, it gave settlers the perfect excuse. 

"To execute their plan, they formed the Knights of the Forest, a secret society with one goal: 'To banish forever from our beautiful State every Indian who now desecrates our soil.' What followed was one of the most grisly forced removals in the nation’s history."

To Banish Forever: A Secret Society, the Ho-Chunk, and Ethnic Cleansing in Minnesota by Cathy Coats.

John Nichols keynote at 10/18 dinner

 

Join the La Crosse County Democratic Party, keynote speakers John Nichols of the Capital Times & Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez for our annual Fall Dinner Fundraiser!

When: Saturday, October 18, 2025

• Doors open at 5
• Dinner at 6
• Speakers at 6:30
• Raffle drawing at 8

Where: Concordia Ballroom,1129 La Crosse St.

More info and tickets: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/laxdems-fall-dinner-2025

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan Tuesday

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, 2nd CD, will be at the Root Note on Tuesday, October 7 at 2:30 p.m.

See https://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1234791772022565&id=100064752604588

Save the SMRT

Info from La Crosse Area Transit Advocates

At the September 8 La Crosse County Board planning meeting, the County Administrator recommended ending the four-county Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit (SMRT) service at the end of 2025, citing low ridership and a budget deficit.

This action page -  https://tinyurl.com/SaveTheSMRTPage - will have links, info, and updates about the potential ending of SMRT service and how transit advocates can encourage decision-makers to keep it.

The timeline is short, with opportunities to speak coming soon and into early November.

If you support the SMRT

1. Sign the Save the SMRT petition: https://tinyurl.com/SaveTheSMRT  (Link to downloadable version to print and circulate is at action page) Forward the petition link to others who might be interested in signing or helping circulate the petition.

2. Download, print, and post the flyer at your workplace or school, at your local, or at your  place of faith. 

3. Contact your County Board representative by phone or in person and tell them why. If you are a regular or occasional rider, tell your story. If you are a transit, climate action, access and equity, public service, or social justice advocate, tell them why the SMRT is good for our wider community (a talking points document will be available at the Save the SMRT page soon). If you work with clients or patients who use the SMRT to access needed services, carry their stories to your County Board rep.

If you can't talk to them in person or on the phone, email and ask for a meeting or call to follow up. 

4. Spread the word and encourage others to contact their county board representatives.

5. If you are a SMRT commuter, talk to your employer about why the SMRT helps you get to work. If you are a student who uses the SMRT to get to school, talk to your school administrators.

6. Consider writing a letter to the editor or submitting an article for your workplace, school, or organization's newsletter.

7. If you can attend and speak at an upcoming County Board meeting please do. You must be at a meeting in person to speak, but you can view (only) meetings online. Some of the meetings are scheduled at times when many are not available. See details at the action page.

8. If you can help organize others in this effort, please contact LATA.

Climate Action Now

From Citizen Action Wisconsin:

The Climate Accountability Act, Assembly Bill 145/Senate Bill 150, authored by Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde and Senator Chris Larson, requires Wisconsin for the first time to adopt an accountable climate action plan. 

Its provisions include requiring the Legislature to pass a concrete and enforceable plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, in accordance with the Paris Climate Accords and the global consensus of climate scientists, and requiring the plan to maximize the economic benefits of climate action for all Wisconsin residents, especially people in urban and rural areas currently locked out of economic opportunities.

• Call your State Legislators and ask them to Co-Sponsor The Climate Accountability Act.
• Call your State Assembly Representative and ask them to co-sponsor Assembly Bill 145
• Call your State Senator and ask them to co-sponsor Senate Bill 150

Learn more at https://www.citizenactionwi.org/climate-accountability-act

Our Diverse Community

October 8 at 5:30 p.m. Building Bridges: Immigrants and Community in Wisconsin

A conversation about current immigration affairs in Wisconsin with Deisy España and Laura Pastrana from Voces de la Frontera.

October 13 Indigenous Peoples' Day 10 to 3 at Myrick Park and 3:30 to 8:30 at UWL.

BEYOND THE BRIDGE documentary and discussion October 14 at 6 p.m. for a powerful and eye-opening cinematic journey with "Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness." This bold and dynamic documentary chronicles a staggering 40,000-mile road trip through twelve U.S. cities, immersing viewers in real-life stories and solutions while asking one essential question: How can we solve homelessness comprehensively?

DISABILITY PRIDE FEST October 19 from 11 to 3 at Logan High School.

The Disability Action Network will host their 4th annual Disability Pride Fest to promote inclusion and highlight the value of people with disabilities to our community. Lots of people in our community are impacted by accessibility barriers and isolation. At Disability Pride Fest, they will actively break down those barriers through socialization presentations, performances, sports, children’s activities, and resource booths. Put simply, the event will celebrate disability culture.

Thursday - Feed back about transportation

 

Ride with elected leaders and area planners on Thursday at 9 a.m. (leave from the City Hall parking lot) to experience the good and the could-be-better of bike commuting in La Crosse during Week Without Driving. Here's your chance to advocate for changes directly to those with the power you make changes. RSVP: tkey@lacrossecounty.org

Also on Thursday, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., learn more and provide feedback about the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation's plans for Highway 16. 

The meeting is at the (not accessible by public transportation) Nature Place in Myrick Park. If you can't make this meeting, visit the link for other input options.

Remember, we were once promised a much different La Crosse Street.

Protest at DVO Office

From Opportunity Wisconsin:

On Tuesday, September 30th at 6:00 PM, we will gather outside Rep. Van Orden’s office at 210 7th St S in La Crosse for a Shutdown Eve Gathering.

• Facebook Event

• Mobilize Event

Ahead of the midnight deadline to avoid a shutdown, we’ll stand together to demand that Rep. Van Orden restore harmful cuts and keep the government open. A shutdown means higher health care costs, more strain on food programs, and even more uncertainty for families who are already struggling.

We invite everyone to think about what you would say to Rep. Van Orden if he were here. If you’d like, bring remarks to share with the group — whether that’s a short story about how cuts affect you, or simply why keeping the government open matters to your family.

Please join us and bring a friend. Feel free to bring a candle or sign if you’d like.

Week Without Driving

From La Crosse Area Transit Advocates:

WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING IS COMING SOON!

Week Without Driving (WWD) is a national event that highlights the challenges faced by non-drivers in our car-centric world and explores the benefits of ensuring we all have access to great walking, biking, and public transportation. 

Please join us by participating in the Week Without Driving Experience or fill out a WWD BINGO CARD (available by September 28) from Sunday, September 28 through Sunday, October 5. Turn in a completed card and be entered in a prize drawing.

And check out the many great local events, programs, and experiences, including group bike and bus rides, a film, panel discussions, and more.

Check out the WWD La Crosse web page at https://tinyurl.com/WWDLaCrosse for more details.

Green Drinks/Renew the Block

GREEN DRINKS

TUESDAY, SEPT. 23 at 5:30 p.m.

Come tour the Renew the Block project that's being organized by Habitat for Humanity. We'll meet at Logan Middle School at 5:30 PM. RSVP:  Nick Nichols, nnichols4896@gmail.com

Here's a synopsis below by our tour guide Kaitlyn.

ReNew the Block is a neighborhood revitalization initiative led by Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region, focused on transforming a single block in La Crosse’s Logan Northside Neighborhood into a model of sustainability and community collaboration.

Location: Avon Street between Sill and Clinton Streets, involving 29 city parcels, Logan Middle School, and surrounding boulevards and sidewalks.

• Community Collaboration: Designed in partnership with residents and Logan Middle School students.
• Environmental Improvements: Installation of permeable paver pathways to manage stormwater. Planting shade trees, native plants, and fruit trees to create a community orchard. Creation of pollinator gardens and rain gardens.
• Educational Enhancements: Development of an outdoor classroom, walking path, and food forests for Logan Middle School. Student involvement in design and planting efforts.
• Home Repairs: Exterior upgrades including new gutters and landscaping. Critical repairs focused on safety, health, and energy efficiency.
• Art & Culture: A community mural at Logan Middle School, designed by students and painted by a local artist.
• Fundraising Component: Supporters can sponsor customized permeable pavers (small, medium, or large) that will be installed as part of the pathway, symbolizing their commitment to sustainability and community development.

The initiative blends stormwater mitigation, urban agriculture, education, and home repair to create a replicable model for sustainable neighborhood transformation. 

Come tour it with us and talk about the future of neighborhood revitalization during Green Drinks on Tuesday, September 23^rd at 5:30 pm! 

Drinks are not allowed on school property, so we will be tailgating in the parking lot (city owned) and potentially adjourning to a local bar (Fish's) right around the corner. Can't wait to see you there! 

SUN Day Part 2

"The solar revolution means that power can be decentralized, democratized, distributed far more justly. So it makes perfect and hideous sense, given the nostalgia of authoritarians for their version of a golden age (of exclusion, exploitation, and inequality), to tie themselves to the past, with the heavy anchor of all fossil fuel's problems." -  Rebecca Solnit, Meditations in an Emergency newsletter.

 ###

"U.S. solar capacity has grown more than 180 percent over the past five years, and it has accounted for most of the new generating capacity added to the country's grid in the past year as companies found solar—frequently paired with battery storage—the cheapest and fastest way to meet energy demand."

###

"Plug-in 'balcony' solar, already widely adopted in Europe, allows households to generate their own clean energy by simply plugging a certified solar system into a standard wall outlet. By updating outdated regulations, Vermont can open the door to affordable, at-home solar for renters, condo owners, and homeowners who have long been left out of the clean energy transition."

 ###

"Think about it this way: When you rely 100% on the electrical grid and utility provider for your power, you're totally at the mercy of their energy rate increases. But when you install solar panels, you suddenly have your own source of energy production.

"Solar panels obviously have an upfront cost, but once you own them, the energy they produce is eternally free, and maintenance costs are very low and predictable. 'That scenario provides you control over the resource and what it costs you,' Rosenblatt said."

City Administrator - Public Input Sessions

La Crosse's City Administrator Working Group will host public input sessions in the next few weeks. According to a News 8 report, "The proposed city administrator position would assume some mayoral duties and carry an estimated salary of $248,000 including benefits."

[In the City of La Crosse, according to the US Census as shown on the City's Market and City web page, the median per capita income is $27,398 and the median household income is $46,438. Just for reference. Updated (2023) information shows a median per capita income of $34,356 and median household income of $53,803, with 21.6% living under the poverty line.]

Read more at  https://www.wizmnews.com/2025/09/10/committee-studying-la-crosse-city-administrator-plan-sets-dates-for-public-hearings/

and

https://www.news8000.com/news/local-news/la-crosse/city-administrator-work-group-prepares-for-public-feedback/article_a8a646e4-13a8-40e0-ada4-ba7d96a10784.html

There are competing proposals - a City Administrator position that would report to the City Council, an idea the Council has been working on for quite a long time, or a Director of Operations position that would report to the Mayor, proposed by the Mayor recently but nixed by the Council.

Public input sessions:

September 30: Noon & 6 p.m., Black River Beach Center

October 6: Noon & 6 p.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park

October 8: Noon & 6 p.m., online

October 14: Noon & 6 p.m., Hmong Cultural & Community Center on Ward Ave.

Hmong New Year Sept. 20-21

 

"The Hmong New Year (Xyoo Tshiab, or Noj Peb Caug)—is far more than a celebration; it's a powerful tribute to tradition, community, and renewal. Rooted in centuries-old customs, this vibrant gathering honors our ancestors, gives thanks for the past year's blessings, and welcomes a future full of hope and opportunity.

"Over an unforgettable weekend, our community comes alive with traditional music, lively dance shows, and delicious Hmong food. From dance competitions to high-high-energy soccer and volleyball tournaments, every moment is filled with energy, connection, and cultural pride.

"This isn't just an event—it's a cultural homecoming, a place where generations come together, identities are celebrated, and our heritage is shared with joy and meaning. The Hmong New Year is where our story comes to life—and everyone is welcome to be part of it."

This is the 43rd annual Hmong New Year in the La Crosse area and the 50th anniversary of the national Hmong resettlement journey. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/25laxhny