And welcome back and good morning.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with pack right low 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.
We will be joined by Ian Welsh in just a few minutes.
But first, it is again time to learn a little bit about one of our partners here this month because we're so excited for our WXCO holiday giveaway.
We have more than 15 local businesses that we're learning a little bit about.
And then they're also providing a terrific prize for you to win.
And we'll do that coming up a little bit later on in the morning as well.
But we're very happy to welcome across the table Lee Claremont from Winzy and Wonder Toys right here in downtown Washington.
Lee, nice to meet you.
Thanks for coming on in.
Good to meet you too.
Absolutely.
The first question I usually ask is...
Get right to the nub.
whimsy and wonder toys.
I knew I was going to talk a little bit too fast.
When did you start the business?
How did this come about?
This is actually an idea that my wife came up with.
So she runs a nonprofit daycare and is also a counselor at a middle school.
Oh, so she's already got things on her plate.
Oh,
yeah, just a few.
And she really wanted these kinds of toys for our kids because we have a five-year-old and an 11-year-old and there wasn't.
They weren't available in our area and you were kind of forced to order from big retailers online But she really wanted eco-friendly and sustainable toys and so and we also want to try to bring in toys that
you know, have a creative outlet, especially for those younger kids
to
try to keep them off of screens.
Oh, man.
And
so, and we actually partnered with a local creator.
So we have one local creator.
Currently, we're hoping to somehow negotiate to get a few more on board because we don't want to take away from other businesses that do that
because
there's, you know, if you don't know the local area, they
do the
same thing.
So we were focused on the toy aspect.
How long has the business been
open?
We open November 7th.
So we're quite young.
Very young.
Yeah.
And
the whole idea came from Christmas prior so last year Christmas my wife announced we're gonna open a toy store and It's kind of just grown from there.
You said your wife kind of came up with this idea.
What was your initial response?
I was a little shocked at first to be honest because you know, I I've had a few business ideas and I actually in in IT and my hobby is 3d design and printing and so
I thought, well, this could definitely lend into my hobby at some point in the future.
So that's how it all snowballed from there.
Before we talk a little bit more about the specifics of the business, I said to you before we came on the air, one of the intriguing aspects of these discussions I've had are the entrepreneurs that take this risk, that go out there and say, hey, I got this idea, and I'm going to give it a go.
When you've had the first conversation, how difficult has this process been?
Has it been something that has been harder?
Has it maybe been less hard?
The last year or whatever it's been to get you going, what's that process been
like?
The biggest hurdle we had was actually finding a space that was affordable in our budget.
We did have a very tight budget.
All of it was funded by us to start, which is difficult.
And so, because obviously we're raising two kids, and it's an expensive lifestyle currently in our society today, so that was the biggest struggle.
And so, luckily, we're the place we found, which was on 328 Washington.
pretty much just needed paint and a few other decorations to kind of get going.
So our startup cost was far less, which is awesome.
But all the paperwork of getting your seller's license and your permits, it's a lot to handle.
I'm just grateful that my wife did all that,
my wife
Autumn.
So yeah, she's amazing in that aspect.
That is fantastic.
Again, we're talking to Lee Claremont from Wednesday in Wonder Toys on Washington Street here in downtown Warsaw.
We'll get you again the specifics on the location here in just a few moments.
I was looking at your website as I was getting set to talk to you this morning.
And there are some very interesting.
different kinds of toys and gifts and items that really do target, as you said, some of the younger folks.
What are some of your favorites?
Or maybe some that when you've talked to, because I imagine that you've done a little bit of research in terms of saying, hey, talk to different young people or families and such.
What are some of the more interesting items that you
have?
I'm big into the board games and puzzles.
I really enjoy those We have a series of board games by Peaceful Kingdom that are you assemble the hundred-piece puzzle and it actually comes with a light and it becomes a sea confined Only the light can find the things which is really cool.
I've not seen that aspect But I really like the board games that
get you to do things with your kids, right?
And the Peaceable Kingdom games, again, are awesome in this.
They're cooperative, so you work together, you build those communication skills.
Just really love those.
And then I'll tell you, I've been dumbfounded by the one company that makes our wood toys, which is Latoy Von.
Those guys are amazing.
I assembled their kitchen set, which is A, it's all wood.
It's very well designed and built.
But I was shocked that everything was wrapped in paper.
All
the screws come in paper bags.
There's no plastic.
Like it's fully eco-friendly.
It's just, never thought it was possible.
You go to the big box stores.
Nothing's
that way.
No, you're exactly right.
So it's amazing to see those level of care that people are looking at our environment.
And the thing about it as well, and again, I was paging through your website and we'll talk about, we'll give the website address as well here coming up.
But there's such a variety too.
I mean, it seems like you talk about the games, you talk about the kitchen set with the woods.
I was seeing some really cool looking books here.
I mean, there is a wide variety.
variety of items on it there.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
It's we're actually so our first go, you know, we had a limited budget.
Like I said, we kind of expanded went.
Well, can we can we do a little bit more?
And so we we had a number of people asked for STEM kits.
And so we brought in a bunch of STEM projects, right?
Arts and
crafts.
That's big, you know, huge for keeping those kids.
I mean, keeping kids off those screens up until the age of 12.
especially with new research, it's huge.
So the more time you can engage them creatively, helps them with critical thinking, emotional stability.
We will have more with Lee Claremont of Wimsy and Wonder Toys at 7.22.
Coming up next, it is an information update to then more of Mornings with Pat Cricklow on this Tuesday morning.
Good morning from 98.9 WXCO.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with Pat Crite Low here on 98.9 WXCO.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Welsh.
And again this morning we are talking to Lee Claremont from Wimsy and Wonder Toys located right here in downtown Wausau.
Just a bottle block from our studios here in downtown Wausau.
One of the...
cool aspects here downtown.
We've been here a couple of years and we've seen the growth of businesses like yourself now in the last month, month and a half.
I mean, really been pretty new.
Imaginarium across the way.
There's a lot for kids.
And I think that's important, isn't it?
The idea that this business of yours targeting kids, I imagine that's something that means a lot to you and your wife as well.
It does.
Yeah.
I mean, we're, we're really worried about bringing up kids so that they have all those.
the necessary skills to navigate society in the future, right?
And those actually come through play.
So
it's kind of funny.
I talk with other folks and sometimes I think
I'm, you know, we're getting, getting up there here in age.
I said, man, I don't know if I would be able to handle growing up in this era because of all the technology and everything else that's going on.
It's wonderful that you think about that, that, and we've seen studies that if you do get kids away from their screens more, they are happier.
They are more adjusted.
to other kids and the such.
And what has the response been to your business so far?
When people hear about your business, because one of the aspects here, the reason we're having you talk here this morning, the reason you're part of this is because you want to spread the word and make
sure that a
lot of people know about it and pay a visit and see what you have.
But the folks that have come through the doors and people that you've talked about, what's been the response so far?
There's been a really positive feedback.
A lot of people are very glad that we're there.
I feel like us being here kind of makes the downtown shopping area the full gambit of everything you can get.
We've got groceries, we've got clothing, we've got sweets, we've got coffee.
You name it, you can get it downtown.
You don't need to go to the big box places.
Keep it local, keep our economy strong.
really, you know, being able to give that ability, you know, the ability to do that downtown and give that the choice for parents to make a better choice for their kid is really important.
Why is it important to be eco-friendly and sustainable?
Because, I mean, when you, when you start a business, sometimes it's like, oh, whatever it takes.
Right.
But, but this is right there.
I mean, you say it, it says thoughtful play lives here on your website and says, we are locally owned toy boutique providing eco-friendly and sustainable toys.
It's right there.
Why is that important to you?
Well, you know,
Even though I do 3d printing which does use plastics.
I try to use ones that are still eco-friendly, right?
And the thing is is if we don't You know, you look at all of these injected molded plastic toys.
They are forever Right, so they're gonna break you're gonna throw them away the chemicals used to make them which they don't disclose in most cases Are going into our environment, right?
When you pick sustainable wood, you know it can be replaced
it can be fixed, right?
I mean, that plastic breaks, you're out.
If it's wood, you have the ability to fix it if something happens.
And with the quality of what we have, I mean, breaking it, I can't say it's not impossible, but I think it's far harder.
Also
something when I was paging through your website and it says, create a play driven by passion.
What does that mean?
I mean, really, we want the kids to be
to tell their own stories, right?
You know, you get those little wooden people in the dollhouse and, you know, they can do that, pretend that really helps them develop on all kinds of social levels.
And so it's really important.
And also, again, I love the fact that you seem not to be limited.
And you talk about magical experience.
I just love the fact that you are allowing these kids to just expand.
their minds, their dreams, their fun, their growth, their learning.
It feels like you guys are not afraid to kind of just say, we're going to go big here.
We're going to really try to do something that's not just, you know, the shopping experience, but something
a little bit bigger.
And I think that's very cool.
Yeah.
I mean, we're, we're continually working, you know, to add to our stock to help the community.
Like.
A number of people said we'd like some STEM things because when we first open, we're...
definitely geared towards younger kids.
We're to the three to six range.
Now we have a number of high contrast toys for babies, which is really good for a young one's development.
We've got STEM kits for older ones.
We've got some high-end art kits to all drive that creativity.
Wimsy and Wonder.
And again, right downtown,
where again are you located?
328 Washington Street.
So we're right between the hair salon, which I think is Cassie's house of hair, I think, and then downtown Optum.
fantastic, just here in our neighborhood.
I
always like that.
whimsy and wonder toys, and you do have a website.
Yep, and currently we're not doing delivery, but we're working on getting all of the data updated so we can get, so eventually we can ship, and we will do, you know, so you can order online and just pick up in-store.
That'll be offered in the future.
But the best way right now is you just getting underway.
Come on by.
Stop by.
Let's take a look around, ask questions, and experience what's a very cool new business here
in downtown Blossom.
Yeah, and a lot of people say that they really like the way the store looks, so, you know, that's an experience in its
own.
Fantastic and again anything we're missing here that you want to kind of touch on before we do wrap it up because I want to make sure that people
I
Like when I look at somebody say anything else hey we covered it all that's wonderful to hear and again as I said to start off I just think it's wonderful when when folks have an idea and a dream and want to take you know take
a business idea, and then take that next step and start it up.
And I know this time has got to be exceptionally exciting when you're first starting, a little bit nerve-wracking, but Lee, I just think it's a fantastic idea, and hopefully it's something that really establishes itself here in downtown Wasa for a very long time.
Yeah, we hope so too.
It was definitely a leap of faith, I think.
So, Lee Claremont, again, from whimsy and wonder toys, finally got it without screwing it up on my tongue there, but whimsy and wonder toys,
here in downtown Wausau on Washington Street.
And by the way, if you guys do, if you come downtown and you say, well, where's Lindsay and Wonder?
You can't find it just top in here at the radio station.
We'll point you in the right direction as well.
But Lee, thank you again for coming on by.
Have a wonderful Christmas season and thanks for being part of our WXCO holiday giveaway.
Thank you so much for having us.
Absolutely.
So we're going to come back in just a few minutes and give you that chance to win by opening up the phone line.
So stick around.
Your chance to win coming up as we continue.
here with the WXCO morning report on 98.9 WXCO.
And good morning once again everyone and welcome back.
It is the WXCO morning reports part of mornings with Pat Crite low on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO dot FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app Currently 13 degrees under cloudy skies in downtown wassup.
The time is 753
Coming up here in just a few moments be ready to call in and win because we will have an opportunity for you to win with the WXCO holiday giveaway and today it is whimsy and wonder toys whimsy wonder toys right in downtown Wasa Pretty much neighbors to us at 328 Washington Street in Wasa
We just heard a lot about it.
A locally owned toy store focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable toys.
Locally made toys and again pretty new just in the last one month and a half or so So an opportunity for somebody to win a $50 gift certificate and something to note that you'll have to go down to whimsy and wonder toys to be able to Pick up your prize.
So again, if you are the winner this morning of our WXCO morning giveaway prize You will have to go to whimsy and wonder at 328 Washington streets in wassall in order to win that prize
and again, a $50 gift certificate to be able to go into Wednesday in Wonder, be able to look around and buy some outstanding, outstanding toys for the youngsters in your life.
Along the way as well is Ian Welsh.
Ian, good morning.
Good morning, Jen.
How are things with you today?
Pretty quiet and the weather's actually going to be pretty good today.
It's actually
going to be
a very comfortable temperature.
In spite of the cool start, I'd definitely be a lot more, you know, typical for the end of, well, certainly we're still in the fall season, but first day of winter is almost here, so.
Yeah, looking at the forecast, today mostly cloudy skies and we have not been above freezing for a while.
And today the high should reach about 35 degrees.
Southwest winds 7 to 14 miles per hour.
gusting as high as 24 miles per hour.
Tonight partly cloudy, a low of around 16.
West Northwest winds 11 to 16 miles per hour.
gusting as high as 28 miles per hour.
Some increasing clouds tomorrow in a high near 32.
And then Wednesday night, if you have some travel plans coming up in the middle of the week on Wednesday night, be aware that dangerous mix could be possible.
There'll be a slight chance of snow and freezing rain before midnight, then likely rain, possibly mixed with snow between midnight and 3 a.m.
Rain likely after 3 a.m.
as well.
Cloudy and a low of 27.
Thursday rain likely possibly mixed with snow becoming all snow after 9 a.m.
And a high of 36 so again It's a normal winter like weather got a mix gonna have some light rain some mixture of precipitation some snow But at least those temperatures are rising just a little bit as we have been getting pretty used to this very cold weather recently plenty of snow out there and It's good news for those folks that like to get out there
get the cross country skis, get the sleds out there, perhaps the snowmobiles and everything that winter enthusiasts enjoy.
So if we live around here, I tell people all the time, if we live around here, I may not personally like the winter weather.
I may personally not like the snow, but at least the folks that do and for the tourism and for the businesses that depend on snow, it's good when we have some snow early on.
Absolutely.
Well, shall we give away a prize?
Absolutely.
Let's give away at today's price.
All right, again, we are in the midst of the WXCO holiday giveaway each day.
We are giving you an opportunity
to call in and win a terrific prize, courtesy of a partner sponsor.
And we've been able to not only give away these prizes, but able to talk about some of these businesses.
Earlier this morning, we had an opportunity to learn more about whimsy and wonder toys.
I'm actually starting to get that right.
It was fun because, uh, Wednesday in Wonder was also featured, uh, with Greg Bach on Matinair on air yesterday.
So we've got a plenty of opportunity here in the last couple of days to talk about, uh, this new business.
Again, we learned it is fairly new here in downtown Wausau and, uh, an opportunity for you to, uh,
Get a taste of winning wonder by going in and winning a $50 gift certificate.
And of course, our number is and you need to call us up.
Do not use the app in this case.
Do not text us.
This is strictly an old fashioned call in 715-814-9330.
That's 715-814-9330.
Ian, what caller should we take this time
around?
I think we should do a core number seven core number seven
you're gonna go deep here gonna go deep all their number seven people that's seven one five eight one four nine three three zero so your opportunity to a call in and win a $50 gift certificate again you need to be able to come into wincy and wonder to pick up that prize so again you just have to go down to wincy and wonder toys and visit it down
Ready to pick up that $50 gift certificate.
That is 328 Washington Street in Warsaw.
So call their number seven at 715-814-933-0.
We will be back at 822.
We'll have our number for the day quiz and a whole bunch more coming up in our final segment with Ian Walsh.
I'm Chad Holmes.
It is the WXCO morning report part of Mornings with Pack Right Low on 98.9 WXCO.
Good morning once again everyone and welcome back WXCO morning report part of mornings with pack right low here on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO dot FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app The temperature is 15 degrees here in downtown wasso overcast guys.
The time is 8 23
December the 16th of 2025.
Along with Ian Welsh, Ian again, good morning.
Good morning, Jen.
Ian, I want, but we're going to have our number for the day coming up, but I wanted to mention just briefly, I don't want to go into it because a lot of people have been going into it.
I think a lot of people continue to go into it, but yesterday I touched on the fact about the death of Rob Reiner.
And then later in the morning, the president of the United States put his foot in his mouth yet
again.
Saw this
I know and it's like it's just and I'm not gonna go into the details and I don't want to go deeply into it But and I think and I think you probably agree with me and you can add your thoughts on it as well But the president of the United States Needs to be somebody at certain moments that rises above the political fray And it's unfortunate that Donald J. Trump is incapable of doing that.
I will say though
I'm gonna give credit to not just a few, but quite a number.
Republicans who are so your
posts on Facebook yesterday.
Yes, and there's there are a number of Republicans who are supporters of Donald Trump's who came out and said no, this is not right.
He should have kept his mouth shut.
He should not be saying things like this.
It's not about him.
This is a tragedy on every single level and that Donald Trump has to spill base basically what this was about is everything has to be about Donald Trump.
In his mind, he is such a narcissist that everything has to be about him.
So I don't know about him.
It doesn't matter.
Exactly.
So the thing I just wanted to say is number one, I just don't think he's capable of being better than this.
But number two, I am heartened that there are still people of goodwill out there on all sides of the political spectrum that say, Hey, no, no, Mr. President, I may agree with you in certain areas, but no, this is not right.
And you have to be
better than this, even though he's incapable of being better.
It's called a basic human
decency.
We have an obligation to, you know, if somebody passes away and we have a responsibility to be respectful and have empathy for them and their families because
Anyways, because, you know, something like that is not something that needs to be joked about and just made fun of.
And the fact that he did this with just no regard for the situation or the family or just, you know, the incredible legacy of Rob Reiner, because he, the man was a legend.
Famous director and enter and just, he doesn't have.
He doesn't have a filter.
I wish he had an off switch.
You're right.
He has no respect for anyone.
It doesn't involve him.
Like you said, he's a narcissist.
It's not about him.
It's like, no, it doesn't matter.
Who cares about that?
I want to focus on me.
People, this man is not a good person.
Just a bottom line.
Also, I guess one final point is...
You're exactly right.
It should not be about him.
It should be also about the office, about the leadership, about the importance of the office in terms of setting a moral tone for our country.
And he does, he fails on that count over and over and over again.
So it's a tragic story that so many, it made me think a little bit as well deeper that even if you're somebody who is incredibly
Successful in their lives in terms of their work in terms of their finances I mean Rob Reiner his family were set many times over because of the success that he had within his career it shows that The scourge of drug addiction can still be very much part of a family that the son was somebody that had been in rehab dozens of times apparently and and just was not able to kick a terrible terrible drug habit and
Who knows whether or not that had to do with this incredible tragedy, but it shows again that we all face Bridges that we have to cross within families or within our lives and you're right against something really to think about But let's wrap up on a better note here Yeah, the number for the day quiz because we give Ian an opportunity to show his stuff at the end of the show And today it's gonna be based on history
Oh, I love history.
Yeah, this date back in 1773.
The Boston Tea Party took place.
American colonists boarded a British ship and dumped a whole bunch of tea overboard to protest tea taxes.
Oh,
man.
And your number for the day is, how many chests of tea were dumped in the Boston Tea Party?
Okay.
All right.
All right.
Your choices are approximately 100 chests of tea.
Approximately 200 chest of tea.
Approximately 300
chest of tea.
Okay, I gotta go back to my high school history classes, because this
was a- I don't remember even knowing how much to be honest with you, huh?
This was kind of, I would have a hard time with this one.
For all you history
buffs out there, this is a good lesson
for you.
This would be a teachable moment.
There you
go.
But I'm gonna say either 100, 200, or 300 cases.
This is, okay.
I'm gonna say a final answer I'm gonna say a 200 a final answer and one with 200 cases of T
Final answer yesterday was the middle number.
We're not gonna do the middle number two days in a row.
Are we?
We never know
never know I have done it in the past but not today.
It's 300 Yeah, the most the biggest number today, so
Well, great day.
You weren't something.
Great day in American history.
The Boston Tea Party.
All right.
Well, you have some work to do the rest of the week.
Yeah, I
got some
catching up to do.
You get back.
You study up and we'll try again tomorrow.
I will.
Absolutely.
Happy Tuesday, everybody.
Have a great day.
Don't forget tonight.
Wasa was hockey at Moseley and out of the sports to stream Newman Catholic basketball at Marathon W.
Been doing hmm.
How long have you been doing since I was
in college so actually professionally since 1995
Wow So this is this is my life
I am a limited in my talent, so I got I tell people all
the time I
tell people it's like I know radio sometimes people think oh it's going you know
technologies catching up as long as it sticks around until I die.
That's all I care about.
Well, and not only that, you know, AI is not really great at carrying on conversations yet.
No, no, no, it is not.
I hate
AI.
I like it for some things, you know, since since I kind of do a lot myself.
What I'll say is I don't like the people behind AI.
There you go.
I mean, this
is again, just about getting the rich, the richer and and frankly, and it's like.
Later today in fact I'm recording an interview with a congressional candidate talk about AI it's like because it's already feels like they're setting up the bailout
Yeah, you
know, I mean you're gonna make it too big to fail and all of a sudden we're gonna be on the hook for it And
it's like no
that's not and also the fact that I hate the idea of of of expression of
Artists being replaced by this stuff.
Yes, you know, and I would not envy a teacher to figure out what's what's the real writing and There
are there are
we we need to be able to think
and
unfortunately a lot of people We need to be using that
Yep, no, I agree completely.
Yeah, but when I have to do a lot of social media posts it
It's very helpful.
See, I just, I just do like the top level.
Every
day on our show, we then, we put out a podcast that puts, you know, our stuff in there and there's a, there's an AI write up on it and I just use that.
Yup.
It's very, it's like, it's a paragraph, but I still feel guilty over doing that.
All right.
Are we ready to roll?
Yes.
Ian, are we ready to go?
Ready to go over here.
All set.
All right.
Whenever you're ready, let me let me actually inhale a second here.
Yep Whenever you're set.
All right, I stand by okay
And we are ready to go again this morning.
It is the WXCO morning report.
Part of mornings with Pat Kratlow here on 98.9 WXCO.
online at wxio.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching wxio and on the Civic Media app plus again all of our interviews including the one we're going to have here in just a moment is also available on YouTube on the 98.9 wxio YouTube channel so you can go back and listen to all of our discussions there as well.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Welsh.
Ian, good morning.
Good morning, Chad.
We will have more from you coming up in just a few minutes.
But first, we're very happy to welcome across the table the executive director of Nami Northwoods here in Wausau, Tracy Schlegel.
Tracy, nice to meet you.
Thank you for coming in.
Nice to meet you.
Thank you for having me.
We've had discussions with Cheryl previously and been able to learn more about the work that you do at Nami Northwoods.
And today we're focusing.
It's a very interesting topic.
And Cheryl actually sent me an article about it.
I was looking at
I told you I'm not gonna try to pronounce it because even though I was a professional I know when when it's beyond my talents.
What is the term that we're gonna be talking about real quickly?
We are gonna talk about anosognosia It's it's a fantastic word to learn it unfortunately means bad things really
and the thing that jumped out right away in reading the article that I've seen is that this is
some of the toughest situations that you have to deal with.
And there's a lot of tough situations with mental illness.
But the idea here is that this is a case where you can tell somebody that they need help in some way, but they just don't, they don't believe it.
Is that bottom line?
That is the bottom line.
Anisognosia is a lack of self-awareness.
It's
not realizing that you might be sick.
I've been drawing a connection lately to dementia because it's a very similar degrading factor in your brain and people get to a point
