Good morning.
It is Thursday, the 11th day of December of 2025.
Another chilly start here in downtown Wasa.
We are live from our studios at the corner of Washington Street and our third street in downtown Wasa.
Temperature stands at five degrees above zero.
It is mostly clear out there.
So again, the temperature is dropping down.
Temperatures expected to be around 22 degrees before all this said and done today, which is actually a little bit warmer than what we've seen recently, but we will go into a very chilly
weekend.
So again, heading towards the end of the work week.
Glad you could be with us here on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Walsh.
Ian, good morning.
Good morning Jack.
Looking at the forecast and I know a lot of folks like to start off their day knowing what the weather is going to be like for today and for the next couple of days.
And again, it's a very interesting weather time here in North Central Wisconsin.
We had the significant snow just a couple of days ago and now we're heading into a frigid weekend.
But today some increasing clouds as we go into the day high near 20 degrees tonight mostly cloudy again a chilly evening a low around two above zero then tomorrow.
Mostly cloudy.
Snow is likely in the afternoon.
Not a lot of snow.
less than an inch is expected.
Maybe half an inch is what the weather folks are talking about at this point.
But tomorrow, a high near 19 degrees.
Tomorrow night then, tomorrow night, if you're on the roads at all, make sure you are prepared.
Make sure that you are bonded up.
Make sure you have a emergency weather kit because Friday night, mostly cloudy, a little 10 below zero.
But not only that, the wind show factors will be between 20 and 30 below.
West Northwest winds 11 to 14 miles per hour, gusting as high as 23 miles per hour.
So again, anybody that is traveling on Friday night, be aware of some almost dangerously cold wind show factors.
And then for the weekend, Saturday, mostly sunny, looking nice, but boy, very, very cold, a high near zero degrees.
And again, the wind show factors will be a factor.
Northwest, West Northwest winds 11 to 14 miles per hour, gusting as high as
23 miles per hour so again those wind chill factors will be significant and then partly cloudy on Saturday night lower around 10 below zero and then mostly sunny and cold on Sunday in a high seven degrees above zero.
Winter definitely has made an appearance here in the middle portion, early the middle portion of the month of December.
Coming up in about half an hour or so at 722 we'll be joined by Marathon County Democratic Party Chairperson Nancy Stencil.
Talk about the politics that are going on locally, statewide, nationally.
who knows maybe even internationally so Nancy Stenzo with us at 722 coming up in our final segment at 822 of course we'll have our number of the day quiz with Mr. Ian Welsh that's right he is 2 out of 3 so far this week so we'll try to get him clinching a winning week with a correct answer at the very end of our final segment today and also
Today is a two-for-thursday, a two-for-thursday when it comes to the WXCO holiday giveaway.
Because we are not just giving you a chance to win one prize from a terrific sponsor of the WXCO holiday giveaway.
We are going to give you two chances during the course of this morning.
And how are we going to do it?
How should we do this?
I tell you, it's one of those situations.
You know, why don't we do it right now?
Why don't we get her going first?
Why not?
We haven't done it in the first segment.
For those folks who join us real quick and early, bright and early, dark and early, whatever you want to call it, we haven't done it at the first segment so far.
So we're going to do it here in the first segment, then we'll have another opportunity later in the program.
And our first partner is ISO Games.
ISO Games is another of our terrific supporters.
They are providing a gift card.
They are located at 1720 Merrill Avenue Suite 420.
It is a card and board game spot selling supplies such as Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh products.
I mean, so ISO Games is...
For those gamers out there.
They are the place to go so ISO games on Merrill Avenue in wasa and again We are very fortunate to have 17 different local businesses joining us for the WXEL holiday giveaway Of course during this week you get two chances to win I mean in the next hour pack right low will let you know about the keyword for the text-to-win contest, but this this is simply a call in
So a call in where you don't text, don't use the app.
This is strictly old-fashioned.
You use the digits and call us up.
And Ian, what is the number that we should go with for our winner here this time around?
For the first prize of the day, let's go with caller number four.
Caller
number four.
Caller number four.
Again, the number 715-814-93.
three zero again seven one five eight one four nine three three zero if you go to our Facebook page either or my social media we have announcements about this with a graphic that has this number on it so you'll be able to easily have it at your fingertips but again seven one five eight one four
9 3 3 0 and the fourth caller will get a gift card from ISO games in Wasa So call right now for your chance to win ISO games their first one of two It's a two for Thursday with the WXCO holiday giveaway So call their number for wins at 715 814 9 3 3 0 Information update coming up here on WXCO
you
It is the WXO Morning Reports here on 98.9 WXO.
I am Chad Holmes.
Ian Welsh across the way and giving Nancy a little foo here to start things off.
Marathon County Democratic Party Chair Nancy Stensill across the table.
Good morning Nancy.
Good morning.
Hey and it's always good to start out with foo fighters or U2 or something I bet yeah.
Yeah
there you go.
Earlier this week the doorbell rang here.
And I go out there, and all of a sudden, there's Fred Clark.
He's just paying a visit.
And he stopped on in.
And actually, I'm going to be talking to Fred next week, which will be fun.
But I sat down for a little bit.
And he was saying that he was going to an event that you were part of.
He's one of the candidates in the seventh congressional district in the Democratic side.
And you had talked to me about him previously.
I had not personally talked to him previously.
And he comes across as a good guy.
I'd
like to think he is.
Yeah.
Well,
I mean the thing is I mean We used to think I believe that most of the folks that ran both on the Republican and Democratic sides for the most part were good guys and then Donald Trump came along so it made me And really blew that out of the water.
Yeah, I don't I don't assume anything anymore, but It's like hey, this is actually a guy that seems to be a nice enough fella and and we're just talking I thought hey that he's saying what's wrong here.
He makes I know I know I'm looking forward to I'm looking forward to actually delving
into a number of the issues with him when we do talk next week.
But what was going on earlier this week?
We had a meet and greet for him at our Democratic Party office.
There's several candidates running and he has really come out and hit it hard and he just keeps going.
And then after the event, he did a zoom call rally for the Northwoods and he did it out of our office and they had like, I think it was like 120 people on this zoom the other night.
And he's just very straightforward.
Um, he gave me a call when he got into town, he goes, Hey, where can I go to eat?
Um, where I can just talk to folks.
So I told him about a restaurant and, and he did just that.
And he mingles with.
Everybody he talks to everybody.
He's not reaching out to just Democrats.
So
and and the thing about it is and I think we're kind of touching when we're sitting in the lobby I was talking about you know going back to Jimmy Carter with people thought and then we're talking about because we've had just had on the latest candidate for governor and talking about you know pathways to being elected because right there's some there are impressive people that I would think would be wonderful public servants, but that's only part one Yeah, the part two is trying to get connected with people
And for somebody like Fred I think in front of the other Democratic candidates in the seventh it's gonna be a slow and steady build because yeah again It's a big district number one and you have to just basically try to there's no real easy way to do it, but
That is where you have to start, right?
It really
is.
And, you know, like, again with him, you know, I had asked him, I was several weeks back, I said, hey, how can I help you?
Let me know.
He said, hey, you're not doing something on a Friday night.
Come up in the Northwoods.
He said, we hit this place and that for fish fries.
He goes where the people are so he can talk to both sides.
You know, I think we tend to just talk to our own too much.
And you have to reach across.
One thing that you look at the seventh.
and it's very early obviously it's very very early but one thing that's jumped out very quickly is that Michael Alfonso must have some money behind him.
because every time I watch a Packard game, I see his commercial.
Oh, boy, are there ever, yeah.
I know, but I mean, that's, again, somebody who watches politics, you look at this.
We're all this money coming from, yeah.
And it's a very slick ad, and we're seeing it, and I've seen him on Thanksgiving Day during the Packard game against the Bears last week.
Yeah, I did too.
I saw it also in other areas.
I think Ian mentioned he's seen him on Real of Fortune, which is obviously a program that reaches a lot of people.
People are as well.
You see it on Wheel of Fortune at least once a night.
But the thing about it is, I mean, I get concerned where somebody just seems to be being propped again by big money.
Yeah, exactly.
Big, big money.
And probably the strangest thing about those commercials is where he's had a career in construction.
He's only 25 years old.
I mean, what do
you mean he had a career?
And again, we'll let Michael Alfonso speak for himself.
And I'm sure we'll hear lots from him.
But again, one thing that's said is, and that's said by so many Republicans, is how they're fighting for those who are not the wealthy.
He basically says, well, I'm going to work for the fight for the working class.
And in none of their policy, again, I shouldn't be many of their policies.
Seem to be focused not on the working class but on on the wealthy the top 2% or
you talk that it's for the working class, but I Always tell people just go and look at their voting record because everything they do is voting against
Let me ask you because I mean I want to be as we get into this primary I want to be fair to everybody.
We have Fred Clark.
Who else is running again right now for the Democrats in the seventh?
We have Chris Armstrong who hails from almost the Minnesota borders around Chippewa Falls, which are the new enrichment that he's from.
And
there is an attorney.
who just put her head in the ring at Ginger Murray.
Ginger reached out to me on social so that she's working on it.
Hey, it's all about me, of course.
It's all about you.
It's all about you.
But
yeah, she was a former city attorney up in Forest County.
I think she heals out of some prairie.
Okay, how do you look at because you being a party chair, but do you because I mean you were with Fred here Yeah, are you somebody that's willing to endorse in this race or are you gonna kind of I can't do that Basically if a candidate wants to reach out to you.
Yeah, I have you'll be able to reach out to me and I go from there Yep, and that's the thing and I mean one thing that you have to do is reach the people and I think again what that Fred was just walking around downtown I
I found that very impressive that he just needed to say anything.
He stops and talks to anybody and everybody.
Wasn't that all familiar with us here?
So I was talking to him about, oh, yeah, I don't patch it all.
That's all it's like, yeah, absolutely.
So again, it's gonna be very interesting.
I'd like the idea of the, I don't want to have 18 candidates, but I think three candidates where you're able to really talk about those two.
Yeah,
you get a choice and, yeah.
Different people
resonate differently with.
And also I know that some folks are,
Hey, we just want to have a candidate.
We don't want a primary.
Others feel like there should be a primary.
That's a whole different discussion.
I think it's good to have a primary because as a candidate, it pushes you to do better.
More with Nancy at 752.
And welcome back.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with Pat Kratlow here on 98.9 WXCO talking some politics with Nancy Stencil, who is the Democratic Party chair here in Marathon County.
We were talking earlier.
I mean, we were sitting there listening as the latest candidate for the governorship.
Yeah, but number seven and then Mandela jumped in recently as well.
We kind of touched on it about primaries.
And remember the last time there was a, the Senate primary kind of cleaned out.
Right
before.
And it was, it was
kind of odd because I mean, that's one of the things about these long processes.
People lose their, they either raise enough money or they realize holy cow.
Holy cow is going to take me how much money?
I'm going to have to go into debt
here big time
if I want to
continue this.
So it's what's called the, what is it called?
The silent primary is the money
primary.
Yes.
In the end, what do you expect this year to be like?
I mean what what actually and also what do you want to hear because we talk I think a lot of off the air about what we want to see here
Yeah, what
would you like to see?
I want to see something bold.
I want to see something with you know, that's gonna facilitate change Like we're talking about there.
Yeah, like an FDR kind of thing like you don't care what
Have the guts to put yourself
up there and say, this is what I believe in.
Have the guts.
That's just it.
And like we were talking to it, if you look at it, people would say, oh, that would never fly.
But look at what has and it's been accepted now.
And I think that's what we need.
And primaries are good because I think they push candidates to work harder.
to see who's gonna come out.
I don't know about seven of them, but- And I do think
that winning is something that helps somebody.
Because I do think that when you win a primary, that is a bit of a launching pad into the
gym.
It is, yeah.
It catapults you in there that, okay, my message must be good.
I must be doing the right thing.
People elected me, you know.
And yeah, that's where the primary piece comes in because I think-
You know, if you and I were running on the same team and we're running for the same thing, I'm going to be watching what you're doing.
You're going to be watching what I'm doing to push us forward.
We talk about things that we would not have thought possible.
I don't think we thought possible of a president sending troops into cities like we're seeing right now or bombing fishing ships without any
lawful.
But the thing I wanted to bring up here is,
and I
think part of it is what you've been doing and others have been doing over the past year, there is a backlash.
I mean, even they're trying to add ISIS trying to go into Minneapolis and there's pushback.
There's actually kids leaving their schools this week.
There is pushback and it feels like it's growing.
And I was thinking about this the other day, we're 11 months into the second term.
I mean, we're just barely starting.
But the pushback, I think, is starting to really, I think, be impressive.
That people are saying enough is enough.
Yeah, people are really starting to pay attention to that.
And even like what we saw in Chicago, kids being plucked out of bed in the middle of the night, zip tying children, things like this, enough is enough.
I mean, do we need border security stuff?
Yeah, but we need to do this.
Humane fashion too
Humane is not a word that down
It really isn't it really isn't
and also again it goes back to the Democrats and somehow I think we should say on the air because I'd be talking you know Yeah, is that in order?
There is right now, I think, a good chance that in 2026, Democrats are going to do well in elections.
But ultimately, what does it mean if Democrats don't put out a positive vision for what they want to do?
Just to say Donald Trump is unpopular, Republicans
are
dumb.
Democrats, and right now, unfortunately, I don't get the sense that many national Democrats are willing
to step out there.
Are stepping up to the plate.
There are times where I feel there
One, they're afraid.
Two, they've got big money controlling them as well, like we were talking off air.
And I think it's time that you better start standing up and saying what you're going to be for.
I mean this, we got to get Donald Trump out of office.
You know, it's always the negative, negative.
But what are you going to do when you get in office?
What are you going to change?
And I've been somebody that said, and I think I was kind of semi arguing with you earlier about what Democrats have been able to do, but I do agree 100% is you have to be louder in everything.
You have to be louder in what you want to accomplish.
And then when you do accomplish it, be louder as well.
And that was one of the problems during the Biden administration, because the president and the Congress, which had a very narrow majority in the first two years, did a lot
of really good stuff.
They just quietly passed the salon.
And
we're so shy about it.
And the thing that just drives you nuts.
And I saw this recently, I believe it was like Marsha Blackburn or somebody in Tennessee, again, taking credit for infrastructure that they voted against.
And they have no conscience when it comes to
that.
No, they don't.
But like Democrats will do things that they won't say it.
Oh, like you had said.
Before perception is ever it really you know it really is
perception is reality
Yeah,
I mean because we talked about like you know Donald Trump is probably the least religious person we've had in the office of president
Yeah, and you got a bite who goes to church every Sunday and yet God loves Donald Trump Yeah, yeah, and
You know, to you or I, we look at it as probably the furthest thing from religion in our eyes.
So again, I think we have to be a little less shy as Democrats.
Right.
Would that be the case?
But you know, I have a hard time.
I mean, like you watch Trump, it is so aggravating.
It was a big boat.
It was a large boat.
It was the largest boat I've ever seen.
And I was like nails on a chalkboard.
And I can't imagine like a Joe Biden bragging about
himself.
How about his great for the economy?
A plus, plus, plus, plus, plus.
Giving yourself your own peace prize, yeah.
I tell you, I was like, oh, it's like, that was, it was, that was.
Do something that's actually going to help.
We live in
a world of make-believe sometimes, don't we?
Yeah, we definitely do, yeah,
yeah.
the peace prize that just came from bombing.
Yeah.
Well, does anybody ever question this stuff?
Well, we do.
Pete
Higgs, that should be war crimes.
Absolutely.
Have a good weekend.
I'm going to try to now.
We'll see you in a couple of weeks.
OK.
you
Welcome back.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings 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 as we continue It is the WXCO holiday giveaway.
It's a two for Thursday Gave an opportunity early in the show and now we are gonna do it again
because
we
are feeling very festive here today.
And every day during the WXCO morning report until Christmas Eve, we will give you an opportunity to win a terrific prize from one of our terrific sponsors and our partners here in this event.
And we're going to go with Homestead on 52 here for this one.
And
Homestead on 52 on Highway 52 in Wausau.
And they are providing a Friday fish fry.
So if you're somebody that would like to get a Friday fish fry from Homestead on 52, they will provide that to you.
So again, we're going to open up the phone lines right now.
You will pick up the price at Homestead at 52.
So again, on highway 52 in Wausau, so make sure that you're able to do that and then enjoy.
So what we're going to do is we're going to take call their number five, call their number five here for this time around.
So our number to win is 715-814-9330.
That's 715-814.
9 3 3 0 call their number 5 to win a fish fry a Friday fish fry from homestead on 52 part of the WXCO holiday giveaway and So and by the way if you're in the midst of Answering the phone here for this contest in
and
we get to the last couple of minutes.
You're gonna have to ask the person
Wait for a moment because you'll have to come back and do the night for the day So but in the midst of answering that phone make sure you take care of business, but then
for the last couple of minutes, we got to take a few moments for the number for the day quiz because people would be very upset if we did not do that before wrapping things up.
Oh, absolutely.
But again, call their number five here at 715-814-9330 to win a Friday fish fry courtesy of Homestead on 52.
A reminder that coming up later today, we have high school hockey.
It is the start of the marathon cup tournament.
Wausel West has won eight
consecutive Marathon Cup championships, and they will try to start the road to number 19 tonight, taking on East Merrill United in a semi-final.
Wastel West against East Merrill United, Marathon Cup semi-final.
You can tune in starting with the pregame show at 5.06 and the...
Opening face-off at 530 right here on your home for high school sports 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app So again high school hockey with the Warriors tomorrow night.
We have a high school basketball twin built as the Wausau West will host DC Everest both in girls and boys basketball Coverage will begin with the pregame show at 535
The girls tip off at six, followed by the boys after that.
And then on Saturday, we'll have the second round of the Marathon Cup Tournament, whichever game Wausau West is in.
We're hoping that they're in the championship round.
But the championship game is at 730.
The consolation round is at 530.
And that will be on Saturday.
Wasall West Hockey at the Marathon Cup Tournament right here on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.
Don't forget as well that if you miss any of our broadcasts of high school sports, you can get them.
wherever you get your podcast.
We put up our broadcast as podcast.
If you go to Spotify or wherever you get your podcast, just subscribe to WXCO Sports and we will
then you'll be able to get all of the previous broadcasts.
And you can also get those broadcasts as podcasts at our website, wxco.fmandcivicmedia.us.
So again, we are very proud to be the only Wausau radio station that still provides live play-by-play of high school sports with the Wausau West and New Macathic High School here on 98.9 WXCO.
Ian, have you got a moment to do this?
Yes, I do all right.
Let's do it then.
Yes
our number for the day Okay, we've been talking about Christmas trees because it's that time of year people
in their
Christmas trees Our number for the day today is the number of Christmas tree farms in the US
Okay,
Christmas tree farms in the United States of America.
How many are there?
Okay, what are my choices your choices are 15,000 okay 20,000 or 25,000
15,000 20,000 25,000 number of Christmas tree
farms in the United States of America
Okay,
there's people this time of year go off and The folks that like getting the real thing not the artificial ones,
but
the real Christmas trees number of Christmas tree farms in the US 15,000 20,000
or 25,000.
He has two for three so far this week.
Okay.
He has already got a passing grade.
Now he's looking for a winning week.
All right.
Final guess.
I am going to say there are 20,000 Christmas tree farms.
A final answer I'm going to say a 20,000.
There are 15,000 Christmas tree farms in the United States.
So five thousand over two out of four That means it's on the line tomorrow.
Can you get a winning week?
Pressure is really
on pressure will be on but
I know you'll rise to the occasion.
Yes
Thank you.
Have a great rest of your day.
You too, Chad.
Happy Thursday, everybody.
Stick around to get an information update coming up and then more of Mornings with Pat Krightlo.
We'll be back tomorrow morning.
Paul Mickley will join us to talk Wisconsin sports and a whole bunch more here on 98.9 WXCO.
