Chad Holmes Show: Monday, January 19 (Kelda Roys interview, MLK in Wausau ’67 speech)

at home show 98.9 WXCO, online at wxco.fm, mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO on the Civic Media app and also on YouTube, youtube.com and the WXCO channel.

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Coming up tomorrow at 8.

34 a.m.

We'll be talking to Missy Hughes, former CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and a candidate for governor in the state of Wisconsin.

And then on Wednesday at 834 Sarah Rodriguez, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, will be with us as well.

So it's a busy week talking to candidates of the gubernatorial race.

And this morning we are continuing our conversation from Saturday, Saturday afternoon, stopping in to our studios as she was in the area for a campaign stop.

is another of the Democratic candidates for governor, Kelda Royce.

Another topic that, here in Central Wisconsin, that is, I think, an interesting topic because I can actually see the thoughts of many people in this topic.

And there's been solar and wind projects here in Marathon County.

and there replaced some farmland and there's some pushback on that.

I see the need for the green energy, but I also understand the folks that may be concerned in that realm.

What is your policy when it comes to maybe wind and solar but then at the same time when you do get pushed back from some of the landowners as well because That can be very difficult and then and some of the visuals are obviously bad as well because you don't want to be pushing people off their land as well It's sort of a broader question maybe in terms of your green policies, but also in terms of listening to people Landowners here in central, Wisconsin as well

Yeah, well, listen, everybody wants to have a voice in their community, right?

And that makes sense.

And one of the big problems we've had with Republican dominance over the last 30 years in the state is the loss of local control.

So I do think it's important for...

local people to have a role in saying we want to preserve the role character of this beautiful area that we have.

That's one of the best things about Wisconsin, right?

It's a driver for our tourism industry.

That said, we do absolutely need to bring more wind and solar and more geothermal online.

These are the fastest and cheapest ways to meet our energy needs and they have to be part of the mix.

We want to make sure that those projects are cited appropriately and that

that we're all getting the benefit, but we cannot continue to have rising utility costs, especially as AI data centers come in and try to steamroll local communities, silence folks and make these backroom deals that actually hurt ratepayers.

We just can't have that.

So wind and solar need to be a big part of the solution.

But I think it really is about where they go and making sure that communities have a say.

And we also have to make sure that

farmers who don't maybe see another way to make ends meet, who are really struggling with this economy, especially with the tariffs and the way that Trump's policies have harmed farmers and rural communities, that they don't feel like they have no other choice than to do, you know,

photovoltaics.

You touch on it, and I was gonna ask you about this, but it's something that really concerns me, personally.

And I think there's a lot of people because it's pretty amazing the amount of change we've seen just in the last couple of years.

I mean, it's coming so very quickly.

And when you talk about changing economies, and that can be a big factor in it, what's your overall take?

Should you become the governor?

Because I do think there is a role for the state, despite maybe what's been happening and watching what they're trying to take away, maybe a little bit of the control as well.

people's lives are going to be changed in such a significant way if it's just left for its own devices.

What are your thoughts on what the government's role is and maybe a governor's role would be in terms of AI in the near future?

Well, I have a unique perspective on this, Chad, because I am an entrepreneur.

My small business is a tech-forward business, and we use technology to make it

easier and more affordable for people to buy and sell homes.

So I think that there's incredible possibilities and opportunities with technology.

I'd love to use it to modernize state government, to make it easier for people to get services.

I think it can be transformative for folks in rural areas.

But I'm also a skeptic.

You know, I'm a parent.

I've got three young kids at home and two young adult stepdaughters, and I've seen how

the influence of tech, particularly big tech, social media companies, has really harmed our kids' sense of self, their mental health, their ability to socialize, and it's harmed our economy.

And remember, these are the same companies that have participated in the breaking of our democracy.

So the idea that we should just roll out the red carpet, get down on our knees and say, hey, whatever you want, just take our water, take our land, take our energy production, outrageous.

I think we need really, really strong safeguards.

We need transparency.

And again, we need that local control to say, we don't want a data center here.

We think we want it to be over there.

And make sure that a blanket no is probably not appropriate or possible, right?

Because landowners can sell their land.

But we absolutely have to make sure that

rate payers are not on the hook for increased energy costs, that it's gonna be Wisconsin workers that are well paid, that are gonna be doing those jobs, and that we're protecting our land, our water, our air, and the role, characters of our community.

Our final moments with Kelda Royce after an information update, right now on 98.9

WXCO.

center off of the strip in the outskirts and in the fringes in the corner out of the grid

And welcome back.

It is the Chad Home Show on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.

It is Monday morning, January the 19th of 2026.

Again, exceptionally cold out there right now in North Central Wisconsin.

Temperature below zero, wind show factors around 30 degrees below zero.

Cold weather advisory in effect for the next 25 hours or so.

So again, if you have any travel plans, be prepared.

In fact, I have travel plans tonight because at this point we are still on for Central Wisconsin Storm Hockey in Eagle River up at Northam Pines High School.

So the storm at North and Pines so I'll trek up north where it's even probably as cold or if not colder than it is here We'll be on the air for that one starting with the pregame show at 6 35 and the opening phase off at 7 p.m That is storm hockey at North and Pines tonight right here on 98.9 WXO online at WXO FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXO and on the civic media app

Again, coming up in the second hour of the program, tune over to the WXCO YouTube channel.

We'll be there.

Also on wxco.fm and the Civic Media app, WXCO part of the app.

Go to the sports to stream and we'll be with you as we are every day 8 till 9 a.m.

Right here on 98.9 WXEL 9 till 10 online only and of course you can get the entirety of the two hours as well in the convenient form of a podcast after 10 o'clock we will put it up as a podcast you go to a WXEL FM go under WXEL news over on the right hand side you'll be able to get it

go to civicmedia.us, go to the WXCO part of the show.

It's probably like WXCO.

You'll see all the stuff that we have on the airwaves.

Go to WXCO news.

You'll be able to get us there as well.

Ian, how was your weekend?

How was the trek down to Madison?

Honestly, it was a really nice weekend with the whole family.

And we stayed over and overnight in Madison.

And then, well, Sunday was a

particularly cold, a little breezy.

We went to the Overture Center and got to see Hamilton and what an incredible show it was.

I mean, it's one thing to watch it on Disney Plus.

It's a whole another experience to see a live in person.

I mean, the whole cast was fantastic.

The music is just like

unforgettable and you know it's one of those shows where you know even in today's time with everything that's going on it's still very very irrelevant and important but just a well done show and a nice

weekend with the family.

Driving

home was definitely a challenge because it was definitely blowing snow and getting cold.

But we made it home safe and sound.

So overall it was a very nice weekend.

Fantastic.

Are you still waiting to find out if you got that role in the Putnam County?

Spelling bee thing.

I forget what the, that was right though.

The 25th annual, the 25th annual Putnam Coney Spelling Bee.

That's right, you got the whole thing.

There you go.

Correct.

And that's for the, that's for Wasa Community Theater, correct?

Yes, it is.

You're waiting now to find out whether or not you got it right.

Auditions and callbacks

are over and today is the day they start making phone calls and calls and making the final decision.

I'm not allowed to say anything until the official cast list is posted tomorrow.

So you're gonna have

to wait a little bit to find out who's in and who's not.

Do you know yet if you got the call?

Not yet though.

You have not got the call yet, either way.

You said you're gonna call it either way.

Yep.

The director is a person who calls everybody.

Whether you're in the show or not.

So she's a bear of good news also the bear of bad news, but

I

Have high hopes for this I keep my fingers crossed in this one.

All right.

All right sounds good.

So best of luck Hopefully you'll get the call that you want and you'll be part of that production as well.

So again very exciting times.

I know definitely All right.

Well coming up at the end of the next hour as well.

We will have our

Number of the day quiz you'll start a new week see even get off to a good start last week you had a passing grade you were two out of five so You passed this week.

We're gonna try to do even better try to get a winning week or a grade or even try to get that second ever perfect week so that is Coming up and again here on this Martin Luther King holiday.

We're gonna hear coming up for most of the next hour

the speech that Martin Luther King Jr.

gave here in Wasaw in May of 1967.

About 1,100 people came.

witnessed that speech.

He made a visit to the University of Wisconsin Marathon County and then he gave the speech at the Eastgate Hall in Marathon Park in Packed House.

About 1,100 people made the 12th 1967 historical event that occurred right here less than a year before the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

So we're gonna do that coming up.

Usually we start at 906 for the second hour.

We're gonna make it a little earlier.

We're gonna start at 903.

So you folks

Be with us in the next three minutes or so.

And we're gonna start up at 9.03 for our second hour.

Have our MLK speech.

Also have Ian's number for the day quiz.

That's right.

And try to get your Monday off to a terrific start.

Indeed.

And make sure tomorrow morning you're back with us in this eight o'clock hour on 98.9 WXCO at 8.35 Missy Hughes.

One of the gubernatorial candidates will be with us.

Cold start here this morning.

Hopefully you're bundled up.

Keep with us.

across the way, online for the second hour, or get us on that podcast after 10.

Chad Homeshow 98.9 WXCO.