Republican red and Democrat blue — that hasn’t always been the case, and a study of both sides of the aisle found that one party liked the other party's color more.

That was part of an intriguing conversation with UW–Madison psychology professor, Dr. Karen Schloss, whose research looks at why we like certain colors, how our experiences shape those preferences and why our favorites can change over time — fall colors, anyone?

Schloss will give a free Badger Talk at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Holmen American Legion, hosted by the Holmen Public Library as part of the Wisconsin Science Festival. Her talk, where the audience can come with questions, will look at the science behind our favorite colors — and why the answer involves more than just personal taste.

On the show, we also get into why the colors of fall can become more appealing as the leaves change and the pumpkin spice flows, how positive and negative experiences shape our color preferences, and what a yellowish-green shade associated with vomit can tell us about why some colors are less popular than others.

In this conversation:

• Why green? Schloss questions why a certain radio hosts might be drawn to a color — and what experiences have to do with it.
• Pumpkin spice: Schloss explains her research into why some people get more drawn to fall colors as the leaves change, while others go the opposite direction?
• The most loved color: There’s a clear favorite in Schloss’s research — and a shade that consistently ranks at the bottom. What makes the difference?
• Can you change someone's favorite color?: Schloss described what happened when her team tried to change people's color preferences in the lab — and whether those changes lasted.
• Colors that communicate: Schloss studies how color helps people make sense of information, from maps and graphs to diagrams — and how the right colors can make those visuals easier to understand.
• Red, politics and blue: While red and blue are affiliated with the two political parties, Schloss did research and found one group actually tends to like the other’s color more.
• Election Day affiliation: Schloss found that people's color preferences became more aligned with their political party on Election Day. Why? The party associations may have been top of mind.

Any school, group or organization that would like to host a Badger Talk, either in person or online, email here or request a speaker online at badgertalks.wisc.edu.

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Everything from the cheese club to UW-La Crosse athletics teams is taking part in year seven of “One Day,” beginning Tuesday across campus.

Lauren Wanders, UW-L’s strategic giving programs manager, was in studio to talk about the 24-hour event, which gives alumni, students, employees and community members a chance to support more than 200 campus causes.

One Day for UWL raised a record $622,000 last year, bringing the total raised over its first six years to more than $2.2 million. This year, the goal is 1,909 gifts — a nod to the university’s founding year. Reaching that number unlocks additional funding for the UWL Fund, which supports scholarships and the university’s greatest needs.

One Day for UWL runs from 9 a.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. To browse campus causes, find matching gifts and make a donation, visit the One Day for UWL website.

Conversation highlights:

• A $62,000 challenge for UW-L football: A former player from the class of 1962 is challenging 62 people to donate to football. If they do, he’ll establish a $62,000 endowment for the program.

• Which campus groups get creative? Wanders gives Murphy Library a shoutout for its fundraising videos and sidewalk chalk, and talks about the friendly competition between campus groups.

• A first-time fundraising opportunity: The Health Science Interprofessional Research Center is participating in One Day for the first time. Wanders explains the community-based research and programming the center supports.

• Students and community: Wanders explains how UW-L’s community-engaged learning program connects students with local businesses and civic organizations, giving students hands-on experience while helping community groups. Mid City Steel is offering a matching gift to support the program.

• The competition goes beyond athletics: The gymnastics team has been successful at raising money, but last year the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences out-raised the College of Business Administration.

• Pancakes at 2 a.m.? Wanders pitches a late-night pancake event as one possibility for getting students involved in future One Day celebrations.

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La Crosse is facing a choice: raise property taxes or use city reserves to cover a $681,000 budget shortfall.

Mac Kiel stopped in studio Friday to break down the trade-offs, what budget cuts could mean for city services and why the decision isn't as simple as it might seem.

We also discussed the city administrator proposal being back for a potential third vote, and that opposition to La Crosse's Flock cameras raises questions about the city's contract and who has access to the data.

• Raise taxes or use reserves? The Board of Estimates recommended one of two options to close the budget gap. Kiel explains the arguments for each and what taxpayers should consider.
• What do the budget cuts mean for city services? Departments have already made cuts, including staffing reductions. Could residents eventually see slower snowplowing, fewer services or other changes?
• City administrator is back: What might change the outcome this time, and what questions remain, and could the mayor offer something else?
• City services declining: Kiel looks at the limits on local revenue, state shared revenue and why decisions in Madison have consequences for city budgets.
• What's next for Flock cameras? The city has an $8,000 line item for the camera system next year, but questions remain about contract termination costs, data access and whether the city has alternatives.

Kiel is a former La Crosse City Council member, who is an advocate for providing the public with what is happening with city government. She also serves on some city boards and works with the unsheltered population.

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Three donors are funding most of the campaign for Tom Tiffany’s run for Wisconsin governor.

Wisconsin state Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) stopped in studio and talked about getting big money out of our elections.

We also discussed the timing of a bill to eliminate tax breaks for data center construction, given that the Legislature hasn’t been in session since March — even though Republicans, who control the Legislature, could call lawmakers back to pass it.

We opened the show talking about the Brewers, how the Legislature helped fund stadium upgrades as part of a shared revenue deal with municipalities, and why La Crosse and other local governments could use a new deal as costs rise without enough state funding to keep up.

Billings is running for reelection in District 95 and again facing Republican Cedric Schnitzler.

• Can Wisconsin rein in campaign spending? Billings backs a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow limits on campaign spending. What would it take to get it passed?
• Data center subsidies under fire: Republicans are proposing to eliminate tax breaks for data centers after previously approving them. Billings explains why she opposed the subsidies and questions whether anything will happen before the election.
• Why are property taxes going up? Billings says Wisconsin needs to change its school funding formula. Could the state's budget surplus help?
• Local budgets under pressure: La Crosse is considering using reserve funds to cover a budget shortfall. Billings talks about the challenges facing cities and smaller communities across Wisconsin.
• Keeping young people here: Billings points to UW-La Crosse and Viterbo as part of the solution. What else could Wisconsin do to attract and retain workers?
• What could lawmakers tackle next? With the Legislature out of session, we talk about a possible lame-duck session and Billings' priorities if she's re-elected.

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Donald Trump drew a packed crowd to the La Crosse Center back in 2024.

Will Trump return to campaign for Republican governor candidate Tom Tiffany?

On the Rick Solem Show this week, Tiffany, a U.S. House Rep. in Wisconsin's 7th District, was asked about bringing Trump back to La Crosse to campaign with him and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien).

Tiffany somewhat avoided the idea, noting the president makes his own decisions and is focused on congressional races. Tiffany explains why he's keeping his attention on what a governor can do — and lays out his priorities if he wins the November election.

Some of those topics included public school accountability — but would voucher schools be a part of that? He also was asked about an aging deer hunting population and the Wisconsin DNR’s need for funding. Plus, what to do with the state’s $3 billion budget surplus.

We started the show, however, with Tiffany recounting his plane crashing in Lake Wausau — the last time he left La Crosse.

Conversation highlights:

• Will Trump campaign in La Crosse again? Tiffany responds to the question of whether the president could return to the area, where his campaign rally drew a packed crowd and a line to the opposite side of Riverside Park.
• What would Tiffany do with Wisconsin's $3 billion surplus? He explains his approach to tax relief and what he wants to change for middle-class taxpayers.
• Holding schools accountable? Tiffany weighs in on public school funding, property taxes and whether voucher schools should face the same expectations.
• People are leaving Wisconsin — except Dane County? Tiffany is asked how to keep people in Wisconsin, and what Dane County is doing right that could be copied by other parts of the state.
• DNR funding? Tiffany’s response to combating an aging deer hunter population and strapped DNR funding with killing more wolves.
• Reliving the plane crash: Tiffany recounts his plane crashing the last time he left La Crosse and a certain photo he wanted of his bloody face
• Struggling budgets, like La Crosse? With La Crosse facing budget cuts, Tiffany explains what he thinks the state should do about shared revenue for local governments and schools.

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Outdoor enthusiasts getting hyped to watch movies inside might seem like a bit of a contradiction, but the La Crosse Adventure Film Festival is leaning all the way into the irony for its fifth anniversary.

Mike Crawford and Paige Manges with La Crosse Adventure Films, along with La Crosse SOUP’s Kyle Petrashek stopped in studio to lay out a packed lineup spanning four venues from Oct. 13–17.

We overview the four-day La Crosse Adventure Film Festival, what it represents, and how it brings the community together through family-oriented shorts, outdoor storytelling, local conservation spotlights, and a final cinema showdown at the Rivoli.

And, as sort of the opening act, Petrashek is quizzed about SOUP at Myrick Park, where four local nonprofits make their pitch to the community to win what was raised that night. The four competing this quarter include Mount La Crosse Ski Patrol, Outdoor Recreation Alliance Trails, Horse Sense, and the Coulee Region Humane Society.

Conversation Highlights:

• LAF's Origin: How an excuse to gather friends, watch outdoor movies, and get pumped to go outside grew into a massive multi-day local festival.

• Why Not La Crosse TACOS? Pitching the idea of secretly serving tacos when people show up expecting soup—and Kyle confessing they actually pulled a similar trick with summer pop-up beer events.
• SOUP’s Gold Standard: Kyle explains how one legendary batch of Marge’s chicken dumpling soup completely ruined every future SOUP event for his kids.
• A Classic Car Show, LAF Style: Mike and Paige break down the adventure rig show-and-tell at Mount La Crosse—from converted minivans to massive Unimogs—before joking about racing them up the ski hill.
• Family-First Outdoors: Focusing on real-life stories of non-traditional families, kids, and four-legged companions getting outside together for the kickoff screening at the Pump House.
• Wiscor Takes the Screen: Highlighting how local public lands and conservation efforts take center stage at Coulee Region Arts with a premiering short documentary.
• Playing Film Critic Over Pizza: How Saturday’s big-screen finale at the Rivoli turns the audience into judges, handing out votes (and eating pizza) to pick the festival winners.

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It’s the sixth-most expensive U.S. House race in the country — and the price tag keeps climbing.

Why is so much money pouring into the race between U.S. House Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) and Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke, and what does it say about the fight for control of Congress?

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky stops in studio to break down the spending and what it reveals about the race.

Chergosky also dissects whether negative ads actually work — a topic his students brought up this week as political advertising floods the airwaves. Why do attack ads stick with voters, and when can they backfire?

We also look at the Minnesota U.S. Senate race and Wisconsin’s governor’s race, including the challenges facing Democrats in Minnesota, where no Republican has won a statewide race since 2006.

We began the show quizzing WIZM's Brad Williams on his memories of La Crosse's Kmart and the ceremonial groundbreaking that happened this week — plus his coverage of House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigning in Sparta for Van Orden.

Conversation topics:

• Groundbreaking at La Crosse’s Kmart: We reminisce about the Kmart days with Williams, who covered the Copper Rocks groundbreaking.
• Van Orden-Cooke cash: Chergosky explains why a small number of competitive races can help determine control of the House.
• Do negative ads work? UW-L students wanted Chergosky’s insight on all the ads they’re seeing.
• Wisconsin's governor's race: The money behind Tom Tiffany vs. David Crowley and the role of national politics in a state-level campaign.
• House Speaker, others campaign in WI: WIZM’s Brad Williams recaps House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Sparta visit for Derrick Van Orden, former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester campaigning with Rebecca Cooke, and who could come next.
• The Minnesota Senate race: Peggy Flanagan vs. Michelle Tafoya, the impact of Minnesota's fraud scandal, and the challenges facing both parties.
• Trump and Obama on the campaign trail: Could appearances by the president or the former president help their parties' candidates in Wisconsin?

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He wants to swing the wrecking ball, but that might have to wait.

Fresh off a couple of groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings, La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey stopped in studio to discuss the old Kmart development, before moving into deeper conversations about the state of the city — from the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old by another teen to homelessness to the budget challenges that often get ignored in Madison.

As the city gets closer to voting on the 2027 budget, we get into the City Council's vote this week against changing its expense reimbursement model to save money. We also discuss the state's shared revenue formula and how it puts municipalities in a bind.

Washington-Spivey also speaks about last week's shooting and homelessness — the impact both are having on the community and some of the ideas for addressing each.

Conversation highlights:

• Kmart's demolition — with a twist: After the ceremonial groundbreaking, could a public demolition event involving sledgehammers or a wrecking ball raise money for charity?

• Homelessness and the city's image: We get into the city's short- and long-term approaches to homelessness — and how concerns about public safety affect perceptions of La Crosse.

• Sharing responsibility for homelessness: The burden often falls on cities like La Crosse, but should other communities do more to help address the problem?

• City Council pay: Why Washington-Spivey wanted to change how council members are reimbursed for expenses — and what happened when the proposal came to a vote.

• Flock cameras: What Washington-Spivey learned from police about the city's license plate readers and how they're used.

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