Good Friday morning, it is August the 15th of 2025 the time is 723 at our 98.9 WXCO downtown studios at the corner of Washington Street to North Third Street very pleasant start Some few clouds up there, but some sunshine as well temperature at 70 degrees.
I am Chad Holmes.
It is the WXCO morning report
Part of mornings with pack right low here on 98.9 WXO online at WXO FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXO and on the civic media app Also, you can catch our local segments at 22 and 52 after the hours at Between 7 and 9 a.m.
Also on YouTube at our YouTube channel our 98.9 WXO YouTube channel at YouTube comm
Coming up here during our local segments this morning in the second hour of the, uh, program, third hour, if you're calling it, uh, mornings with pack right low, we will be, uh, talking some Wisconsin sports.
Paul McCleck will be joining us in just about an hour's time at eight 22.
Uh, lots to talk about brewers.
They read hot packers getting set for their second preseason game.
High school football ready to kick off next Thursday night.
Scrimmage is going on this morning and this afternoon so and Wisconsin Badgers getting closer and closer to kicking things off So we'll talk about that and a whole bunch more with Paul Mickley coming up at 822 Coming up at 7.52 this morning.
We are going to talk about the latest developments in the Wassa Dropbox case.
Of course, we're coming up on what 11 months?
Since Mayor Doug Denney put on the hard hat, put on the vest, grabbed the dolly and hauled away the drop box because he thought he could do that.
And we have continued to wait and wait and wait and wait to see what's gonna happen.
Well, yesterday some news came in concerning a special prosecuting attorney involved in this.
So we'll give you the details on this never ending saga.
coming up at 7.52 this morning.
Also, as you heard of Pat Crite will talk about in the previous segment, it is another free ticket Friday.
Yep, all throughout the day here on 98.9 WXCO and on the Civic Media Radio Network, a chance for you to win
Tickets to see the Red Hot Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field They will be next Saturday a week from tomorrow Taking on the San Francisco Giants Brewers are on the road this weekend and then on the road early next week before returning home next weekend to take on the Giants and We are giving you multiple chances to win a four-pack of tickets terrific seats at American Family Field to see Milwaukee and San Francisco next Saturday night
And you have right now your first chance to send in your keyword.
And again, the keyword for this show, warnings with Pat Crite Low, is first.
F-I-R-S-T.
Like in first base.
Or first place.
Exactly.
The first place where the brewers are.
I was trying to stay with the baseball, I meant first.
Well, first is first for the brewers.
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So again first So send that in right now through the Civic Media app.
Good morning to Ian Welsh.
Good morning, Achen.
How did opening night go last night?
Of course Ian we've been talking about part of the River and Woods Theatre Company and Their Shakespeare in the Park productions both a production a Midsummer Night's Dream at 2 p.m
Yesterday today and tomorrow and you are in the 6 p.m.
Show which again was the comedy of errors and last night was opening night at Stewart Park How did it go
last night was so much fun?
It was beautiful weather We had a very decent sized audience and they were very Reactive there was a lot of applause and a lot of laughter and after and what a good feedback after the
after the performance as well, but everybody had a really fun time, and I would say our opening night last night was a great success.
It's fantastic,
isn't it?
We get
to do it all over again tonight.
Yep, last night.
As long as the weather is good.
Well, the weather cooperated last night, right?
Is there what I did?
It was actually... It was a little humid, but it wasn't that bad.
It was actually...
Still very very nice out there.
Well looks like you may get similar type of conditions tonight.
There's a It looks like it's gonna be a warm day sunny skies high near 86 heat indices near 90 The rain chances right now 20% so that's that looks like You'll get through your productions today, but then tomorrow again looking like it could be some thunderstorms So we have to keep an eye on that but
possible a rain date on
Sunday, if the weather's bad on Saturday.
Okay, well,
keep an eye on that.
People keep an eye on River and Woods Theatre Company's Facebook page.
I'm sure they'll have announcements on that, and we'll try to keep you up to speed as well.
Absolutely.
But get over there tonight.
Again, two o'clock for Midsummer Night's Dream, Comedy of Airs at six o'clock.
Stewart Park in Wausau.
Yeah, it really is a beautiful park.
And a lot of entertainment, right?
People will laugh people will cry people will be besides themselves with so much wonderful activity.
They say
the laughter is the best medicine and this and these shows absolutely prove it
Absolutely again coming up at 752.
We'll talk about the latest developments in the Dropbox situation involving the mayor of Warsaw 822 will be talking to Paul McLeague about Wisconsin sports coming up
Look at the farm report and then back to Pat Critell.
Mornings with Pat Critell on 98.9 WXCO.
And
welcome back it is the WXCO morning report part of warnings with pack right low on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO dot FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app the time is 753
Currently 70 degrees under plenty of sunshine here on this Friday morning.
We are in the middle of August.
Yep.
Midway through August the 15th day as this month and this year just keeps flying right on by.
But one thing that is not flying right on by is the Dropbox case.
It just seems to- It seems like
the longer we wait the less-
Significance it has.
It just drags on and on, but we had some news yesterday as there was an announcement that there will be a special prosecutor in the State Department of Justice investigation into the 2024 removal of the ballot drop box from outside of Wasa City Hall.
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Tony will serve as the special prosecutor.
Eric Tony.
Eric Tony I say that because Yes, we have heard of him He is a Republican who ran in the last election for Attorney General of Wisconsin I Got a question I'm gonna throw it out there for folks not just in this case but generally
Why is it that when we have special prosecutors, whether in Washington, whether in Wisconsin, that when a Republican is being investigated, they get a Republican special prosecutor, and when a Democrat is being investigated, there is a Republican special prosecutor?
If you go back to Bill Clinton, you go back to other Democratic politicians, there always seems to be the Ken Stars of the world.
Republicans.
And here it's a guy who is a partisan Republican.
He was the Republican candidate for state attorney general in the 2022 election.
He lost a close election to Josh Call, the incumbent, 50.6% to 49.3%.
But Doug Denney must be thrilled.
thrilled to have a partisan Republican named as the special prosecutor in this case.
So this idea met me, oh, hey, this is somehow moving forward.
No.
This is, again, we're looking for equal justice under law.
And I'm not sure how this is going to be equal justice under law.
I don't get it.
I don't... If you're gonna name a special prosecutor, you don't... You name the number one Republican Attorney... District Attorney in Wisconsin.
That is not fair.
That is not fair to the people of Warsaw.
That is not fair in this case.
I...
and independent a candidate for the lawyer instead of having just one side or the other.
Why don't you have someone who can meet in the middle?
How this occurred is that the Marathon County District Attorney, Kyle Mail, said he requested the appointment to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure transparency.
What will happen now is Eric Tony will review the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigations findings, determine whether further inquiry is needed, and decide on any potential action.
This has been a situation that just keeps dragging and dragging and dragging.
Again, it was on September the 22nd of 2024.
So we're coming up on almost 11 full months when Mayor Doug Dini moved a locked absentee ballot drop box from outside the city hall inside his office.
He dressed up in a hard hat and one of those safety vests.
He got a dolly and he brought the dropbox inside.
He cited security concerns, um, lots of outrage from folks who said that he was not supposed to do that.
It has been, it was told to him that he was not able to do that.
But, uh, the continuing investigations on something that seems again, there may be things that I don't know.
I'm sure there are things I don't know, but there seems to be a lot that was right out there.
Either he was able to do it or he was not able to do it.
He was told multiple times that, no, you are not able to remove the Dropbox, and yet he did it.
Tony, in some comments after being named the Special Prosecutor, said, anyone named in the investigative materials is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Well, I guess that's true, but it certainly lays the foundation that
We're gonna get what where this is gonna end up The DOJ investigation is ongoing.
No additional details have been released So again, we're we're coming up on 11 months into this so now we have a new Attorney that was looking into it again Eric Tony and again, I just find it odd interesting and not all that
That does not fill me with great confidence that ultimately we're going to get to a decision that I think is Fair and that's what we want.
I mean
Let's get to a decision that is fair.
Let the mayor go back to, you know, doing his job, let the folks here go back to focusing on a lot of the issues that need to be handled here in our community.
But I just find the idea that you're going to name the Republican candidate for state attorney general in the last election.
Now the special prosecutor to try and get to the bottom of this drop box issue involving the mayor of Wausau who basically has run.
In office as a conservative Republican does not seem and again I just find the irony that Consistently we get special prosecutors or special investigators that always seem to be Republicans.
We very rarely see a Democratic special prosecutor.
It just seems to be odd in my
Humble opinion very on coming up at 822.
We will be talking some Wisconsin sports with Paul Mickley Coming up next top of the hour news update and then more with pack right low on this Friday morning mornings with pack right low on 98.9 WXCO
And welcome back.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with Pat Krightlow on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app
beautiful Friday morning, plenty of sunshine, middle part of the month, August the 15th of 2025, 70 degrees here at our downtown studios, heading into the weekend.
Enjoy the nice weather now because it's going to change.
Going to get wet starting tomorrow, but we'll have more on the forecast coming up.
But time to look ahead to the weekend, talk some Wisconsin sports.
Paul Mickley joining us.
I'm not used to seeing you in blue.
Well,
I just jumped out.
You've seen a couple of times.
But, I mean, not, yeah, yeah, but I mean, it's, is that a throwback?
Yeah, that's probably one of the all-star
games throwback.
Yeah, looks like a throwback.
No, but busy day, busy day.
You know, it's a good day.
It's a, you have your scrimmage later on today over at Newman Catholic at three o'clock, correct?
Correct.
Folks can come on by and see you and three other squads going at it.
Coming up when I'm done here, I'm gonna head over to DC Everest.
They have a scrimmage involving Wausau West and some others as well.
So if you're a football fan, a chance to go out and just see some pads going together.
Yeah,
it's always a good day, not just for obviously coaches.
It's for everybody in the state of Wisconsin, kind of getting that fall feeling and get to see your teams and get to see where they're at.
life just like anything athletics and sports that goes fast the season goes fast and when you get to the scrimmage it's it's it's it's lifetime
it is for for Newman cardinal football fans out there how have things been going so far in practice
good a great group of kids working hard doing things that you know being asked of them and you know
It's a fun group to be with and every year is a different year, every year is a unique year and you gotta just appreciate the opportunity to be out there and playing a terrific team game.
You got a long road trip Thursday night and you're gonna be in next Friday morning?
It's a long way to go.
Depends on the outcome.
No, I'm kidding.
I'm
kidding.
I never base anything off of
that.
I may be going there.
I don't know yet.
It's a good hike up there, but it's always
good to go.
I'm doing my best to get someone else to go up there.
You know, the one thing about you, Chad, you're always looking ahead and being
prepared.
And I'm one of those guys.
I'm just trying to get through
today yet, which
is a credit to you.
I don't know about that.
But no, we'll look forward to, uh, you know, seeing the cards in action next Thursday night at Florence and also was the West in action against superior.
It's always an exciting time, uh, start of another great year of high school athletics here on 98.9 WXCO.
Um, let's, uh,
That you get away from it for a few I know you like to get away from it for a few minutes I guess we only have a few minutes left here, but the Packers I said I hadn't watched a preseason game in a number of years to be honest with you at last Saturday I'm gonna watch I'm gonna sit down and Get on the get on the coach.
I bought a new coach.
So I this is a comfortable So I had to test the new coach to see how it worked for actually because I real fast
I was to the point I could not invite anybody over because my coaches were falling apart so badly.
It's like, I needed a new couch.
I needed a couple of new couches.
So I got new couches.
They look great there.
They feel great.
So now I can be the party central for football starting again.
So awesome.
That is the coaches are ready to go.
The coaches are ready to go.
So there you go.
But Packers look poor.
I mean, they just look poor.
I mean, obviously it doesn't in the big picture.
Nobody remembers, but they just didn't look very sharp.
And then you get Jordan Love banging his thumb on a helmet and out until the first regular season game.
Is there any reason for concern or is it just a take a deep breath and we'll get ready for Detroit in week one?
I think you, you got to look at it and, uh,
that wasn't fun to watch that was that was not and if anybody I don't think anybody would disagree with that comment so you will see how
things come up this week.
I think if you had another week like that performance, it wasn't even that you're not winning or you're not doing this stuff.
It's just they looked lackluster.
Basics.
They couldn't tackle.
They couldn't
catch a
ball.
They couldn't, I mean, penalties all over the place.
Those kinds of things that are troublesome if it becomes a...
Yeah, routine, consistent, those kinds of things.
I mean, the floor even said it.
I mean, it's just not acceptable.
And as a coach, you know, it's, you know, in any circumstance, whether it's a practice, a scrimmage or a game itself, there's certain things that are sort of non-negotiables.
And the Packers, a few of those non-negotiables didn't step up on Saturday last week.
If they have another one or two like that, I think there is going to be a concern.
The bells are going to start going off.
They are pretty banged up now.
You know,
we go
through
from
last week until this week and they have five, five, six of those guys starters that are, we won't see until opening day possibly.
So hopefully we'll see them on the opening
day.
So that is a concern also that they're getting bumped up, but that's part of the gig.
It's
football.
You're
going to have guys in and out sometimes and you got to come over that.
It
just, they did not look,
And for when I say prepared, I don't mean because they were going against a team and they weren't scouted right or whatever the case may be.
They just didn't look like a team that was ready to play football.
You know, the old saying, they didn't show up.
I thought that was probably as good an example of that as I've seen in a very long time.
It was concerning.
What did you notice that some of the a packer helmets were extra a padded protection?
I mean I was watching during the game like the great
kazoo from the Flintstones
They were in different helmets because these ones.
Well, there's there's a cushion.
Yeah
Romeo dabs is one of
them.
Yeah.
Nice and soft
No concussions.
No concussions.
Oh, that's right
I don't think they needed the padding because they weren't really putting their helmets into it last week.
No, they were
not.
We're going to have more with Paul Micleg.
We'll talk, we'll touch a little bit on the Badgers as they get set to start off their season soon.
Also, the Brewer is still red hot.
Haven't lost since we last talked, which is always a good thing.
So we'll talk about that and more coming up at 8.52.
And we'll give Ian his number for the day quiz to
wrap it up
as well.
More of Pat Crichtlow coming up after an information update.
The time is almost 8.30.
You're on 98.9 WX.
See you all.
And welcome back.
It is WXO morning report part of mornings with pack right low on 98.9 WXO.
I'm Chad Holmes, Ian Welsh, Paul McLean across the way.
Yesterday I was looking at an article in the athletic and it was an article and again, it's clickbait.
I knew I shouldn't click on it, but I clicked on it because it's talked about the coaches under fire in college football.
And I was surprised that.
that Wisconsin was not listed.
The list of coaches under fire in college football with Luke Fickle.
How's he not in the top five?
I know.
He was not listed as one of the coaches under fire.
And in a sense, I'm trying to be adult about this because I don't want to be one of those people that always is saying, fire the coach, fire the coach.
But at the same time, I think
you want to see more of a fickle DNA this year.
I also saw an article this week that somebody that's been around the team has said, people are going to like the running game.
So obviously in August, I think I said to somebody said, if you're not optimistic in August, then there's a problem.
What's your take here as we go into the batter's season?
Because, man, two years ago, it was like, holy cow, national championship here we come.
And now there's this negativity after what happened last year.
And also knowing that it is a very tough schedule this season as well.
That is, you probably, well, you just summed up the, you just answered the question.
But what's your
feeling about it?
Well, pretty much what you just said.
Two years ago, they had the schedule that was set up.
And when they did not execute that schedule,
that was alarming.
That was alarming because
you
knew what was coming down the pipe and if you weren't gonna make hay when the sun's up that storm was coming and you weren't gonna be able to make it and the storm is here and they started last year a little bit and now it's really ramped up.
The landscape
even since he got hired has changed.
It started before that already, but it really has changed.
You're gonna have the haves and the have-nots.
Is Wisconsin going to be in the have-nots?
That's gonna be a question that's going to be- When
there's 18 teams in a conference, there are a lot of have-nots now, isn't there?
That's the thing is, that's what I mean.
You have a pretty darn good football team, a really good football team, and be tenth?
And
what does the
10th record look like with Alabama on there right and especially especially in a big 10 conference now that you know
I really, I can't stand their commissioner.
I hate the way that they're throwing their weight around.
But at the same time, that leads to these great expectations for everybody.
And there's not a lot of wiggle room, I guess, for any of these coaches anymore,
any
sport.
No, I mean, no, I mean, if
every time great guard has a two game losing streak, people are talking about it, even though he has been and, and.
You were on his bandwagon from the very beginning.
I'll give you credit there But every time there's a two-game losing streak for a guy that's been outstanding.
He gets pressure Like it's insane.
It really is it's insane
and that's where we're at.
I mean now both situations were they had you know, Bull Ryan Hall of Famer Barry Alvarez Hall of Famer, so they had I Will say this
Your guy is looking pretty good this year.
I mean, your guy is looking pretty good.
I will admit that.
And I know
they are two different situations,
but.
But you know what I mean?
So it's different than, than if they were, if they were coming off of Don Martin going into this situation, and I'm just, and I actually think Don Martin was a good coach.
But if they were coming off that era, I guess, on Steve Yoder.
Yeah.
Yeah, I remember Steve Yoder.
Yeah, I'd like Steve Yoder to.
But the thing is the expectations were different.
Oh, you went to the NIT.
I can Steve Yoder give them a contract extension.
Yes, how you get fired now you get fired And so if Wisconsin didn't have that because I don't think you get it as much even though they did fire that Minnesota coach in basketball, you know on a late night to coming back from whatever they're coming back So you still have those but the expectation is different.
Yeah, and the thing is are they realistic nowadays?
They gotta look at those expectations different is
is is six and six is Northwestern or
Purdue or some of these other schools they have to have they have to be realistic
Well for Cheryl got himself fired because he did some right, but
otherwise He was in really good shape because every you know they had their down years, but they had their up years So it's like you know up and down
the expectations at every job is different exactly and it should be the state It should be like that because it's not realistic in the 18 team conference You're going to have that means there's going to be 17 teams that don't get first.
Yeah
the odds of winning a big 10 title.
That's
why the big 10 commissioner is trying to get four automatic births for the big 10 in the playoff because then, then it's like, and then he would have these play in games.
So he's trying to make it where like the top eight have playoffs in the big 10 conference.
And I think he's actually doing that to help some of these schools say, okay, it makes a, makes a really good year, a little bit wider swath.
Correct.
So it'll be interesting though.
We know we have time for the Brewers, but hopefully by the time we talk next week, they'll still have it all lost.
If they're four and four, Chad?
I know.
It's a good, when we get back, if they're four and four,
it's good.
Yeah, as long as, even if they just went two out of five, they're still in good shape in Chicago.
Correct.
Right, so
four and four, that's what we want.
You're right.
Anything
else is extra.
But that's Chicago series is the one, you don't want to lose five in a row, that's okay.
That would be a problem.
That would be a problem.
All right.
Well, we'll see you next week
after Florence We'll have some fun and I'm excited for the question here
It's a badger football question number.
Okay Because Ian is three for four this week.
Yes, your number for the day is okay What year was the last time the Wisconsin football program had back-to-back losing season?
So it'll be the second in the back-to-back Badgers had a losing record last year
They have not had a losing record in back-to-back season since what year?
Your choices are.
All right.
1993, 1997, 2001.
1993, 1997, 2000.
You
know that one?
Just do the
math.
Oh, boy.
I hate doing math in my head.
Okay, I'm just gonna take a shot here
93 97 or 2001.
I'm gonna say Final answer I'm gonna say 1997
what do you say?
I would have phoned the friend and said 1993 2001
Barry in 2000 and 2001 both went five and seven
three out of five is not bad Yeah
Well,
we
both are on.
Have a good weekend.
You too.
Happy Friday, everybody.
Enjoy the weekend.
