...on 88.9 WLSU-FM/HD1, the NPR news and music service of WPR:

Weekdays during Morning Edition (4-9 am),Wisconsin Public Radio teams up with NPR to cover the day's regional and world news. Occasional special reports and extended interviews produced by the La Crosse News Bureau air at 7:50.

Highlights of regional current affairs programming:

WPR's NEWSMAKERS…

NEXT TIME ON NEWSMAKERS...the first in a series of programs focusing on the 2010 elections:

Thursday, September 9, 5 p.m. on Ideas 90.3 WHLA - WPR's Steve Roisum reports on Wisconsin's Third District Congressional primary race among Republican candidates, plus a discussion about the impact of the Tea Party moderated by former La Crosse Tribune political reporter and opinion page editor Dick Mial, with guests Jake Speed of the La Crosse County Tea Party and Vicki Burke of the La Crosse Democratic Party; also a conversation about the political mood of the country with an emphasis on Wisconsin with UWL political science professor Joe Heim, Wisconsin Democratic Congressman Ron Kind, and Republican State Assembly member Mike Huebsch.

Beginning September 30 and continuing through October, we'll present a series of interviews featuring candidates in specific races:

September 30: Wisconsin 31st Senate District candidates incumbent Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) and challenger Ed Thompson (R-Tomah).

In October we're planning to hear from candidates in Wisconsin's 91st, 92nd, 94th, 95th and 96th Assembly races. Watch for details on these and other specials in the weeks to come.

Newsmakers is aired Thursdays at 5 p.m. on Ideas 90.3 WHLA. Interviews will also be available online on the La Crosse audio archives page.

NEWSMAKERS online...

The August edition of WPR's Newsmakers focuses on education funding and its challenges for area public schools. Two administrators - one from Wisconsin and one from Minnesota - discuss the new academic year.

We also explore funding for higher education with UW System President Kevin Reilly, Board of Regents President Charles Pruitt and UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow. They met with a panel of La Crosse reporters recently in La Crosse.

You can find this edition of Newsmakers on the La Crosse audio archives page.

Newsmakers is the WPR La Crosse News Bureau's locally-produced news and current affairs talk show. For more than three decades Newsmakers has been taking La Crosse-area listeners beyond the headlines with extended interviews and in-depth conversations that advance the top stories of the day.

Newsmakers has recently expanded its coverage. This new one-hour version of the show allows greater flexibility and scope in exploring top stories through interviews, features and documentary-style reporting. Historically broadcast on WLSU, the show has extended its audience reach with broadcasts now on Ideas 90.3 WHLA, and through on-demand audio streaming on our audio archives page.

Newsmakers is presenting monthly specials this summer; the series is also scheduled to provide expanded election-year coverage this fall.

Recent editions of Newsmakers- including a look at Wisconsin's new no-smoking law, and a special two-part report on federal health care reform and its impact on the greater La Crosse area - are available on the La Crosse audio archives page.

The La Crosse News Bureau's senior news editor, and Newsmakers producer, is John Davis. The Newsmakers production team also includes reporter Steve Roisum (WPR); and producers John Gaddo (WPR) and Mary Meehan-Strub (director of UW-Extension for La Crosse County).

We invite your feedback, comments and questions. Please email members of the Newsmakers production team (email addresses above); general comments can be directed to WPR Regional Manager John Gaddo.

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Arts & Entertainment Weekly - Friday 8:30 a.m. on 88.9 WLSU

WLSU’s weekly guide to Coulee Region arts events and activities features timely previews, interviews and occasional performances; with host John Gaddo.

Archived reports include an extended interview with the new conductor of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra...learn more here.

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ONLINE AUDIO ARCHIVES available now!

HEALTH CARE REFORM....WISCONSIN'S LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY....AUTISM AWARENESS.....
Details on these and other recent reports from the La Crosse News Bureau, as well as selected WLSU/WHLA programs, are available on our archives page. Check it out here!

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Day to Day Ethics

This recurring series of interviews addresses ethical issues that face people in their everyday lives; learn more about the series at the D.B. Reinhart Center for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University, or listen online to audio archives.

WATCH HERE for updates on new interviews to be heard during various current affairs programs produced by the La Crosse News Bureau for WLSU and WHLA.

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Interviews with Coulee Region Connections producer Mary Meehan-Strub, director of UW Extension for La Crosse County, will be a recurring segment during WPR's Newsmakers program.

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MUSIC PROGRAMS exclusive to 88.9 WLSU-FM/HD1...

The World Cafe - Weekdays, 6-8 p.m.; Saturdays, 6-7 p.m.
Weeknights, from NPR Music, host David Dye connects us with what's new in the world of music; from jazz to acoustic to new folk and contemporary indie pop, David introduces the musicians creating today's music through studio interviews and performances, plus new and classic recordings. On Saturdays, David returns with selected interviews and performances from recent programs on Conversations at the World Cafe.

World Cafe playlists, recent music news, reviews, and much more about all types of music are available at World Cafe and NPR Music.

Jazz Night - Weeknights and Sundays, 8 p.m.
* Sunday through Thursday evenings, locally-hosted jazz & blues from the WLSU music library, including:
...music specials and a wider-than-usual range of styles that intersect with jazz, Sunday nights on The Sunday Jam; and Blues Night on Wednesdays.
* Friday nights feature PRI's Riverwalk Jazz, followed by an evening of recent recordings and classic performances hosted by nationally-syndicated jazz host Bob Parlocha.

Jazz Encores, late night/overnight
La Crosse-area hosts share favorites from the WLSU music library, including selected encore broadcasts from past shows.

The Saturday Afternoon Jazz Club - Saturdays, noon-5 p.m.
David Miller hosts an hour of big band favorites from noon-1 on Swingin' Down the Lane (repeated Sundays at 7 p.m.). And then between 1 and 5, WLSU hosts play favorites from the WLSU music library. Requests are welcome at (608)785-8380

CATCH A GLIMPSE of jazz host Terry Rochester talking with guest Tom Gullion, jazz saxophonist and organizer of the 2010 Driftless Jazz Festival -- see it here on the Festival's YouTube Channel.

Side By Side Jazz is an ongoing series showcasing WLSU's extensive collection of LP recordings, one side at a time; it can be heard Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 p.m.; repeats are scheduled periodically throughout WLSU's weekly jazz schedule.

Sonic Vibrations - Sunday 10 p.m.
The Sunday Jam concludes each week with an hour of electronic music featuring the improvisation and jazz-like influences on contemporary electronic artists; Steve Farley hosts and welcomes your comments or playlist requests by e-mail at sonicvibrations889@hotmail.com

For WLSU's full schedule, check out our daily program guide.

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Other program news...

WPR Network Programming - Information on NPR News and music programming on 88.9 WLSU-FM/HD1, La Crosse, and 89.1 WSSW, Platteville, can be found at WPR News and Music. Please note: local programming preempts some WPR network programs on 88.9 WLSU-FM/HD1; you can hear the entire service on 88.9 WLSU-HD2. WPR CLassical, Wisconsin Public Radio's full-time classical music service can be heard locally on 90.3 WHLA-HD2 and 91.3 WHHI-HD2 or over the Internet, Learn more at WPR Classical.

Details about WPR's Ideas Network programming on 90.3 WHLA-FM/HD1, La Crosse, and 91.3 WHHI-FM/HD1, Highland, can be found at WPR Ideas.

SUPPORTING THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY!

Wisconsin Public Radio supports several arts and performance series throughout the greater La Crosse area – we encourage you to support these events with your presence.

Of special note...

WPR is the media partner for the 2010 Driftless Area Art Festival, September18-19, in Soldiers Grove. This annual event celebrates the visual, performing and culinary arts of the Driftless Area. Learn more here.

Watch here for updates of WPR-sponsored events presented by one or more of our community partners: The Pump House Regional Arts Center, UW-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts, UW-La Crosse Campus Activities Board, the Heider Center for the Arts, Viterbo University, and others -- and thanks!!

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Regional Events and Activities...

Online links to La Crosse-area community, arts and cultural events from around the tri-state area of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa can be found on our Regional Events and Activities page.

WPR IS SEEKING NEWS REPORTER/TALK SHOW APPLICANTS

Wisconsin Public Radio's award-winning news department is accepting applications for news reporter/talk show hosts in its La Crosse and Eau Claire news bureaus.

These positions are primarily responsible for news reporting from WPR's southwest or west-central regions and hosting weekly regional issues talk shows. Position reports to WPR News Director and is responsive to local managers in the regional offices the reporter is located.

Details and a full position announcement are available here.

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THE WAVE IS WRAPPING UP ITS SEASON!

The Big River Radio Wave, a unique music and variety show based in Alma, Wisconsin, concludes its special series of summer broadcasts Friday, September 3, at 6 p.m. on Ideas 90.3 WHLA (also broadcast on 88.3 WHWC/Menomonie-Eau Claire and 88.7 WRFW/River Falls).

The season finale features the Wave's performance, August 20, at Arcadia's "Ashley for the Arts" celebration. The program features comedian Mary Mack and her interesting suggestions for new Ashley furniture products...."last river rat" Kenny Salwey who shares a story about meeting a bear....and Wisconsin author/songwriter Michael Perry who joins The RiverBenders on a song from his new CD.

Each show highlights music by "The RiverBenders," a six-piece band that features stellar vocal harmonies supported by accomplished musicians. The main writer for The RiverBenders is Brian Schellinger, Wisconsin native and a veteran singer/songwriter/musician.

Storytelling, comedy, skits and readings are sprinkled liberally throughout the show, hosted by Alma's own Mac Cherry, with program announcer, Al Ross - also an announcer for Wisconsin Public Radio. The broadcast series producer is WPR's John Gaddo, La Crosse, in association with WPR staff based in Eau Claire.

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STORYCORPS IN LA CROSSE!

StoryCorps in La Crosse is history -- but a "living history", of sorts...

StoryCorps staff travel the country year-round recording the stories, life experiences, and conversations of everyday people. The independent nonprofit project whose mission is to "honor and celebrate stories from all walks of life," collected over 100 conversations during its month-long stay, July 12-August 7, at the La Crosse Public Library. These stories are recorded and preserved at the Library of Congress, with selected stories broadcast on Morning Edition from NPR and WPR (heard locally on 88.9 WLSU).

The "living history" aspect of the La Crosse visit is that a series of selected stories from the La Crosse area will be broadcast exclusively on Wisconsin Public Radio in the months ahead. Listen for announcements and watch WPR's e-Newsletter, RadioWaves, and our website for specific details.

You can learn more about StoryCorp's national initiative here.

MANY THANKS to our community partners who have helped make the StoryCorps visit possible, including the La Crosse Public Library, Gundersen Lutheran, Merchants Bank, the Pump House and People's Food Co-op!

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"WORLD PERSPECTIVES" is a collaborative project produced in conjunction with UW-La Crosse. Throughout the year, the La Crosse office of Wisconsin Public Radio hosts tours, class conversations and special program opportunities to assist UWL international students in their understanding of U.S. media, community issues, and the English language.

WPR La Crosse News Bureau producer Steve Roisum coordinated a 2009-2010 academic year project to record a series of student commentaries that reflect their perspectives on home, culture and living abroad. Their commentaries and details of the project are available here.

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HD DIGITAL RADIO OFFERS CLASSICAL MUSIC (AND MORE) FROM WPR

Wisconsin Public Radio has expanded its HD digital radio service to southwestern Wisconsin. These new "high definition" digital broadcasts also serve the adjoining portions of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

HD radio broadcasts result in two significant changes for listeners with HD radio receivers:

* First, it enhances the sound of a station's existing programs by improving the signal to a CD-quality listening experience.

* Second, it allows FM radio stations to add additional channels of programming to better serve listeners who have HD radio receivers. (The station's main programming is heard on HD1, while additional programming can be heard on HD2, HD3, etc.)

Early in 2007 88.9 WLSU-FM introduced the first full-time HD radio signal to La Crosse. In September 2008 WPR upgraded Ideas 90.3 WHLA, La Crosse, to HD. Similarly, Ideas 91.3 WHHI, Highland, has also been upgraded to HD.

90.3 WHLA-HD2 and 91.3 WHHI-HD2 are now broadcasting WPR Classical, the 24-hour classical music service of Wisconsin Public Radio.

88.9 WLSU-HD2 is currently broadcasting the NPR News and Classical Music service of WPR, simulcasting most of the same programs already on 88.9 WLSU-FM/HD1, but offering an alternate overnight classical music service. Additional programs will be added to WLSU-HD2 in the months ahead.

If you are an HD radio listener, we invite your comments and signal reports. Please email them to WPR's southwest regional manager John Gaddo. Also please note that there may be occasional interruptions to these services as engineers and programmers periodically fine-tune these new systems.

Learn more about HD radio and WPR's HD radio stations here. Learn more about WPR Classical, here. And learn more about HD digital radio on a national basis here.