La Crosse Regional Airport opens doors to aerospace enthusiasts

The Brief

A legacy rooted in Speltz family

ALTURA, Minn. — For more than a century and a half, the Speltz family has been farming at Beaver Oak Dairy. With a dedication to agriculture being long and established in their DNA, the Speltz family was recognized as a Sesquicentennial Farm. Today, the family farm is owned and...

Westby cooperative celebrates first-in-the-nation cottage cheese manufacturing upgrade

Westby Cooperative Creamery operates out of a cheese plant built 100 years ago on Main Street of its small community in Vernon County. But now inside of the century-old building is cutting-edge technology that will help the farmer-owned cooperative capitalize on booming demand for cottage cheese. The creamery on Wednesday...

Vernon County launches ‘Driftless Bound’ to attract new workers and families

VERONON COUNTY, Wis. – Vernon County is officially launching Driftless Bound, an innovative workforce attraction initiative offering up to $12,500 in cash relocation incentives to encourage working individuals and families from outside Wisconsin to move to the area and establish primary residency. Funded through a $100,000 Talent Recruitment Grant...

Allen Media renews ABC affiliation agreement for seven stations

The Walt Disney Company and local television broadcaster Allen Media Group has reached a new deal that extends the carriage of ABC network programming on seven Allen Media-owned stations. The agreement covers KITV (Channel 4, ABC) in Honolulu, KEZI (Channel 9, ABC) in Eugene, KDRV (Channel 12, ABC) in Medford,...

Upgrades come to Wisconsin’s only cottage cheese maker

WESTBY, Wis., (WLAX, WEUX) – A major dairy upgrade is coming to Wisconsin’s only cottage cheese manufacturer. Westby Cooperative Creamery is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the installation of its new cottage cheese equipment. “We have brand new, state-of-the-art, enclosed vats. This is the first of its kind in the United States, as […]

Westby Cooperative Creamery unveils $14 million equipment upgrade

WESTBY, Wis. (WKBT) -- Westby Cooperative Creamery cut the ribbon on a $14 million equipment upgrade designed to meet increasing demand and speed up cheese production.

Decisions on liquor licenses tonight at council meeting

La Crosse’s City Council could decide tonight on liquor and tobacco license renewals for three businesses. The council’s monthly meeting is this evening at 6 p.m. At the city’s Judiciary and Administration Committee meeting last week, the operators of Del’s Bar and Bennett O’Riley’s argued to keep their licenses, despite reports that both bars have repeatedly served underage customers in the past year.

Prairie Moon Nursery Began With a ‘Neighborhood’, Now Offers Native Plants Across North America

For more than 175 years, native plant communities across North America diminished as agriculture, cities and industry expanded. Prairie remnants survived in railroad rights-of-way, ditches and on land that wasn’t farmed, but some species became rare, or even lost. In the 1980s a few visionary Minnesotans began collecting, growing...

La Crosse Winter Farmers Market moves to Valley View Mall

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The La Crosse Winter Farmers Market will be held at Valley View Mall starting in November, according to an event posting .

Mathews Archery Announces Transition to Employee Ownership

Mathews Archery, based in Sparta, WI, officially transitioned to employee ownership as it reaches its 35th year in business. “From the beginning, I’ve always believed that people come first, and business comes second,” said Matt McPherson, founder, CEO and chief engineer. “Take care of people, give them the opportunity to do something meaningful, and the business will take care of itself. Becoming employee-owned is a natural extension of that belief and gives the people who have poured so much into Mathews the opportunity to share in its future success.”

Mathews Archery Announces Transition to Employee Ownership

Mathews Archery, a leading designer and manufacturer of premium archery equipment, announced that the company has officially transitioned to employee ownership, marking a significant new chapter in the company's history. The transition marks an important milestone for Mathews as the company approaches its 35th year in business and reflects founder,...

"Candy Man": Community remembers longtime Sweet Shop owner Bill Espe

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) -- Known throughout the La Crosse community as the “Candy Man,” Bill Espe spent his life working in the longtime business, which has served the area for 105 years.

La Crosse Winter Farmers Market moving to Valley View Mall

The La Crosse Farmers Market is moving to a new location this winter: Valley View Mall. The market and mall made the announcement on Friday morning. It will local farmers, vendors, handmade goods, and products. “We are elated to bring the La Crosse Winter Farmers Market to Valley View Mall,”...

‘Natural’ American cheese? Wisconsin company says it’s made a low-ingredient alternative

Every summer, Rudy’s Drive-In in La Crosse brings diners back to another era. Carhops zoom by on roller skates, balancing frosty mugs of root beer and baskets of food that are paid for with cash. On the griddle inside is another piece of nostalgia: golden slices of American cheese...

La Crosse F&P Committee advances major mixed-use development and acquires Girl Scout building