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JANUARY 2013 | VOLUME 13, NO. 1
the free press A
Digest
of
Coulee
Region
Culture
THE MISSING MAYOR
John Medinger may know this city better than anyone. So why doesn't he want to be mayor? [P. 2]
photo by Jacqueline Marcou
A conversation with Bob Treu
PLUS: SOCIAL NETWORKING [P. 2] | COULEE CUTS [P. 7] | THE ADVICE GODDESS [P. 8]
2// January 1, 2013
Social Networking
Second Supper | The Free Press
COMMUNITY
No regrets, no white hat
John Medinger decides not to run for mayor
SS: That’s a big issue nationally, especially in cities, but it’s hardly a sexy issue politically these days. Can a mayor do anything about poverty? JM: A mayor can work on job creation. It’s the key to improving lives. We need more jobs.
By Bob Treu
Contributing editor
NAME AND AGE: Elizabeth Thiel, 20
WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Stillwater, Minn. CURRENT JOB: Dale's Clothing DREAM JOB: Editor in Chief of WWD last thing you googled: Eggnog recipes if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? New York what is Something you want to do before you die: Go on vineyard tours in Napa. What is your biggest pet peeve? People who chew loudly what is your beverage of choice? Diet Coke Cherry celebrity crush: Alexander Skarsgaard What book are you currently reading? "Les Miserable" tell us your guiltiest pleasure: "Gossip Girl" If a genie granted you one wish, what would you ask for? That my dog would live, healthily, for as long as I'm around What one person alive or dead would you want to have dinner with? Anna Wintour FIRST CONCERT YOU WENT TO: The Dixie Chicks what's the last thing you bought? Nail polish what's in your pocket right now?: My phone — Compiled by Shuggypop Jackson, shuggypop.jackson@secondsupper.com
When John Medinger announced he was running for mayor, it was no surprise. After all, Medinger typifies La Crosse politics more than anyone we can think of. He is a native of the city, and he and his wife ,Dee, have been married for 30 years. They have four children. He has worked at a variety of jobs here, including clerking in grocery stores (both union and non-union), school bus driver, substitute teacher, bartender and construction worker (union). He has worked for almost every social justice cause you can think of, including a stint in Virginia as a VISTA volunteer. John served in the Wisconsin State Assembly for eight terms, beginning in 1976, and then served as mayor for two terms, where he won 65 percent of the vote the first time and 70 percent the second. He has also been the western Wisconsin regional coordinator for former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold and office manager for Sen. Herb Kohl. If ever anyone seemed a shoo-in for an office, it was John. And then suddenly he announced a week into the race that he was withdrawing. When we called him to ask what was up, he didn’t answer the call for days. It turned out there was a mistake about the number. When he did call back, he graciously agreed to meet at the Root Note, where we enjoyed an hour of good coffee and conversation. This is a summary. Second Supper: What made you decide to enter the mayoral race? John Medinger: People started suggesting I run more than a year ago. In fact, I was getting strong encouragement from a lot of people, even before Mayor Harter announced he wouldn’t run again. There was this feeling that things were not getting done in the city, so I jumped in. SS: And there’s a good chance you would have won. So why did you decide to drop out so suddenly? That was a shocker. JM: I do think I could have won, but it just didn’t feel right. SS: I have to admit when I heard you were withdrawing, I worried it might be for health reasons, but you look great. JM: No, physically I’m fine, but the pilot light just wouldn’t turn on. In the first week I was already feeling a lot of stress. I wasn’t sleeping well and I felt a bit depressed. It wasn’t anything political; it just didn’t feel right. SS: How did Dee feel about your running again? JM: She really wanted me to run for mayor again. During the recalls I thought about running for the Assembly, or maybe the Senate, and she was not so enthused about that. It would have meant she’d be here while I was in Madison, because her job is here, but she was totally behind the idea of my running for mayor again.
Photo by Jacqueline Marcou
Political veteran John Medinger has decided not to run for mayor. SS: I noticed the number you called from was the Kohl office. So it’s still open? JM: Barely. It’s just me and the phone. SS: That’s sort of strange, like Melville’s Bartleby. How did you get into politics in the first place? JM: My father, Donald, was on the city council for 30 years and I was helping him campaign at the age of 12. At the same time I was a newsboy, a cornerboy, which meant the corner in front of the Hollywood Theater was my territory. Nobody else could sell papers on that corner, and believe me, in those days the streets were full of people. The papers were a dime and I got 4 cents for each one I sold. Some days I made a dollar. But I was also reading the news and trying to learn about issues. SS: So, you feel better having made the decision to get out? JM: Well, I don’t want people to feel I’m abandoning the city. People talked as if I would be the guy with the white hat who would ride in and save things. But there are really good people in the race, so of course it’ll be fine. SS: It sounds as if you might be suffering a little of that Catholic guilt. JM: There’s no doubt that Catholicism has played an important role in my life, but I’m also a child of the sixties. It was a special time for Catholics. Pope John XXIII had opened the Vatican windows to new ideas and then we had John Kennedy, our first Catholic president. He inspired our generation to try to make this a better country. Then Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement came along and that helped shape my thinking as well. SS: You could give me a scoop if you told me who you’ll endorse. JM: I’m not endorsing anyone at this point. As I said, there are good people in the race and I’ll be happy to sit down with anyone and help them. I mean I’ve done this for a long while, and I have experience to share. Besides, endorsements are overrated. SS: What are the biggest challenges the mayor is likely to face? JM: The number one issue is poverty. There are too many people out of work and suffering.
SS: I know we’ve lost jobs recently when Bimbo, the Mexican firm that bought the Dolly Madison bakery, laid people off. But I thought the governor’s programs were going to create a lot of new jobs. JM: Right. In fact, we lost so many public sector jobs, private hiring hasn’t begun to make up for that. SS: What were your most important accomplishments as mayor? JM: We did manage to bring in businesses that helped improve the job situation. The brewery closed and it looked as if that whole complex would remain empty, but then City Brewery took over. Then we also helped attract Logistics Health Incorporated. SS: What else? JM: There were things that were complicated and hard to describe, but a lot of what a mayor does, or any good politician really, is just create an atmosphere where people feel optimistic about the future. SS: I think President Kennedy was able to do that, and maybe our current president as well. JM: Hope is more than a slogan; it really defines a kind of politics. It changes things. This has always been a great city, but I wanted us on the map. So we started to look outward. I wanted us to become a world class city with a 24-hour environment. SS: What do you mean by a 24-hour environment? JM: I hoped we’d be a place where something was going on every moment of the day. I don’t think we quite got there, but we’re close. When I was in office we also became sister city to four communities around the world and that helped put us on the map. SS: When I moved here La Crosse didn’t seem to be much of a tourist destination. At first I wanted to go back up north as much as possible, but over time I really came to prefer this region. JM: Yes. If you can’t sell the Mississippi River, you can’t sell anything. But there were and still are real problems in La Crosse. The erosion of the residential tax base is an example. My neighbor recently sold her home for $69,000 and, of course, it’s worth a lot more. That affects the value of my home and the rest of the neighborhood and ultimately the tax base of the city. SS: Yeah, in my neighborhood there are houses that seem abandoned, perfectly fine buildings that are vacant and deteriorating. It’s like La Crosse is following the model of what’s happening to all American cities. When people get some money they move to the suburbs, and as happens in such cases, they aren’t looking back.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Second Supper | The Free Press
MEDINGER
COMMUNITY
The Art RuMBA Review
CONTINUED fROM PAGE 2
Dirk Nelson / "Ungemmed Unhidden" Jan. 14-Feb. 7 JM: As mayor I tried to address this prob- Ben Miller Lobby, Page Theatre lem by working on regional coordination St. Mary's University among local governments, but we ran into tremendous opposition. Places like Holmen Winona, Minnesota and Onalaska wanted nothing to do with it. I mean they seem to feel real animosity toward La Crosse. SS: How do you feel about the city manager issue? We just defeated that idea in a referendum. JM: You know I opposed the idea for a long while because elections are more democratic, but over the years I have seen the city manager idea work in other cities and I’ve changed my mind. To tell the truth, a mayor faces something like chaos most of the time. City Hall needs direction and stability, and a city manager can provide those things. SS: But I have to tell you I was upset when the governor of Michigan started taking over cities, getting rid of mayors and replacing them with appointed city managers. JM: That was horrifying. I couldn’t believe he could do that. But there’s a huge difference between a city manager being chosen locally and the governor coming in and just taking over a community. SS: Can you tell me some of your accomplishments in the state Assembly? JM: The areas where I felt I was able to contribute were Health and Human Services and Criminal Justice. I worked to frame a law that changed the defi nition of death, moving it from the cessation of heart activity to the cessation of brain activity. Then after the Brian Stanley case, where a young man murdered a priest in Onalaska, I was able to tighten up our commitment policies. SS: Do you see yourself running for some office in the future? JM: You know, I really don’t. At least it isn’t very likely. As I said, I thought about it at the time of the recalls and decided against it. SS: So you’re finished with politics. JM: I’ll be active in politics until the day I die, but it will be doing different kinds of things, like working for someone else’s campaign and devoting myself to the issues I think are important. There’s always so much that needs doing.
ON THE COVER
Bob Treu, left, Second Supper contributing editor, interviews John Medinger at the Root Note about his poltical career.
The Top
January 1, 2013 // 3
By Andrew Chulyk Special to Second Supper Dirk Nelson is the quiet guy at art openings, standing off to the side, observing, absorbing and studying people, and rightly so, because he is passionate about drawing and interpreting the human fi gure. His work is not about refl ection of image, but about expression of image. But fi rst, let me explain a little about “monotypes” to those of you unfamiliar with the term. Monotypes began in the early 1600s. They were made by drawing on a metal plate with printers ink and then pressed by hand or press onto a piece of absorbent paper. The resulting image was singular and unique and could not be repeated. It is a “painterly “printing process that allows the artist to concentrate on being creative unhindered by technicality. Improvisation, impulse, chance and gesture all come into play, and it is this process that Nelson chooses to create his fi gures. The human fi gure: Painters and sculptors have forever been fascinated with it, and I suppose if you were to collect every drawing or image of the human fi gure from the caves to present time and put them in a pile, you might end up with an object possibly, well, the size of the moon. And still, artists will endlessly continue to draw, paint and sculpt the human fi gure and explore its inexhaustible supply of inspiration.
However, Nelson’s work is more about the process; what goes on between the hand and the mind expressed through a chosen technique that is as transient as the artist’s models poses. None of the fi gures in his show was drawn from life; they were drawn from the artist’s imagination. Nelson feels his work are more connected to poetry and sculpture as evidenced in the show's title: “Ungemmed, Unhidden," taken from a sonnet by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Nelson’s explains, “My fi gures all express what it means to be human, to be in the process of developing, to be full of uncertainty. I think that drawing and poetry share the “ungemmed, unhidden” quality of being pared down to the essential and uncomplicated. I strive for that naivety or innocence of children.” The sonnet ends with “Look what I have! — And these are all for you.” That sentiment echoes in his work. Using any element or object at hand to manipulate the ink on the plate, Nelson manages to create a series of fi gures that are full of gesture and presence. All standing face front, these “sculpted” human forms, some with arms crossed, others open, all take on monolithic proportion, and in the process become archetypical refl ections that harken back to the earliest human expression. The fi gures seem to emerge or recede from their space, but never allude to why they exist. They are like shadows on a foggy day where you have to strain to make out what is familiar only to have it become unfamiliar then familiar again. And it is through this process, that you slowly become aware that what you may be looking at is yourself. All of Nelson’s work was created at Vitamin Studios in La Crosse.
Presentation focuses on La Crosse Marsh Craig Thompson of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will discuss the La Crosse Marsh at noon Tuesday, Jan. 8, at The Radisson Hotel. The presentation will include discussion of the wetland gem's inhabitants and efforts to ensure its long-term protection and management. Known as one of the Midwest's fi nest urban wetlands, the La Crosse Marsh has both galvanized and divided the community. Historically viewed as an impediment to
progress, the marsh has become one of La Crosse's most notable features. Despite having lost half of its acreage to development, the marsh continues to provide vital environmental services – fl oodwater retention, surface water purifi cation and provision of fi sh and wildlife habitat -- while serving as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts. An optional buffet lunch is available at 11:30 a.m. To RSVP or for information, contact Nancy Hill at 608-782-1753 or nfhill@ centurytel.net.
People of the year 1. Lionel Messi 2. Frank Ocean 3. Nate Silver 4. Gabby Douglas 5. John Roberts 6. Tammy Baldwin 7. Reed Grimm
Albums of the year 1. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City 2. Grizzly Bear, Shields 3. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange 4. Beach House, Bloom 5. Field Report, Field Report 6. Cody SchesnuTT, Landing on a Hundred 7. Cat Power, Sun
the free press 444 Main St., Suite 310 La Crosse, WI 54601 Phone: (608) 782-7001 Online: secondsupper.com Publisher: Roger Bartel roger.bartel@secondsupper.com Editor in Chief: Adam Bissen adam.bissen@secondsupper.com Cover and Ad Design: Jenn Bushman Regular Contributors: Amy Alkon, Erich Boldt, Mary Catanese, Ashly Conrad, Marcel Dunn, Brett Emerson, Shuggypop Jackson, Jonathan Majak, Matt Jones, Nate Willer Second Supper is a monthly alternative newspaper published by Bartanese Enterprises LLC, 444 Main St., Suite 310, La Crosse, WI 54601 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters to the editor to Second Supper, 444 Main St., , Suite 310, La Crosse, WI 54601 or by e-mail to editor@secondsupper.com.
• La Crosse • Sparta • Richland Center • Prairie du Chien Birth Control Services Annual Exams for Women STD Testing & Treatment for Men and Women Pregnancy Testing Emergency Contraception Call for an appointment today!
800.657.5177
Helping create healthy lives and families.
www.optionsclinic.org
4// January 1, 2013
January
THE PLANNER
The Month in Preview Jan. 4 – Jan. 26
paint some barrels. As part of this project, the
KIDS PAINT THE DARNDEST THINGS
to determine the best of the bunch. Winners
@ The Pump House French artist Henri Matisse said this one day: “The artist has to look at life as he did when he was a child. If he loses that faculty, he cannot express himself in an original, that is, a personal way.” That said, some of us (especially self-proclaimed artists) might need a refresher on what looking at life is like for children. The Pump House will be showcasing the art of La Crosse Northside Elementary
will be available for pickup at the library for a small fee of $15 on the Jan. 5 reception at 9 a.m.
Thurs., Jan. 10 TIME TO FUSE
and personal inspirations of child artists who
lots to choose from. So how about fusing some
have yet to look through the Standard Adult
glass? People have been fusing for centuries
lens and who haven’t had the time to study
in order to make little trinkets, jewelry, and
and bite the styles of Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh
plates. But with the rise of glassblowing, fusion
and company. If you have knowledge of art
lost its cool. Time to bring it back. All Glazed
history, don’t bring it; you won’t need it to see
Up! in downtown La Crosse will be holding a
the beauty. Gallery will be in place from the
class on Jan 10 at 6:30 p.m. where you can
4th to the 26th, with a reception on Jan 10
learn fusion techniques and create your own
from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
special glasswork to put on display, wear, or scrape your fork on. Cost is $20 per person.
to raise some money, the public library will be welcoming people with nature in mind to
www.sonicbids.com
of rain barrel graduation ceremony. Barrels
‘Tis the season to start hobbies, and there are
In effort to make rain barrels less ugly, and
start | things to do | winter weather | chill
auctioned off in March as part of some kind
color. This exhibit will show the raw, original,
@ La Crosse Public Library
new years resolution | cabin fever | fresh
will be rewarded. Then, all barrels will be
@ All Glazed Up!
NEEDED: BEAUTIFUL BARRELS
music | entertainment | theater | fine arts
public will be grading the barrels in February
students who have explored the essence of
Sat., Jan. 5
Second Supper | The Free Press
you know there’s a bunch of dudes with sticks
speakers, and musical performances. Visit frff.
shoving each other around and knocking teeth
org/wpsite for ticket info and a schedule with
out while chasing a rubber snack cake. In other
full descriptions of the films.
words, ice rinks are like those people that play Mozart one minute and Cannibal Corpse the next. Anyway, it’s January, a great time to go
Thurs., Jan. 31
Jan. 11, 12, 25, 26
and see some hockey. The area Junior A Tier II hockey team, Coulee Region Chill, will be
OOHS AND AHHS AND HAHAHAS
RUTHLESS ICE CAPADES
playing four games here this month. Tickets are
@ UWL Cartwright Center
$10 for adults and $6 for children.
What does this city need? A little magic!
@ OMNI Center Ice rinks are amazing places; they might host a graceful figure skating show, then next thing
Or illusion. Whatever you prefer to call it.
Jan. 23 – Jan. 27
Renowned magician, illusionist, and funnyman
FROZEN RIVER FILM FEST
Gob) will be making his way from L.A. to
@ Winona State University If it wasn’t for daily obligations like work, school, bathroom, etc., you’d probably spend a lot more time watching movies. Eventually you’d get sick of the blockbusters, and the Criterion Collection would have nothing more to offer because there are only so many classics. Finally, documentaries would become more prominent on your LCD, and you wouldn’t regret it because documentaries are pretty sweet. There will be more than forty films (on topics that range from Nature to Bollywood to McDonald’s Coffee) showing over the course of a week at the 2013 Frozen River Film Festival. There will also be workshops,
Joseph Tran (no, not Arrested Development’s L.A. Crosse to perform some good old smoke & mirrors. Unlike most magician/illusionist/ entertainers, who are either good at magic and suck at entertaining, or suck at magic and are good at entertaining, Mr. Tran does both, so you won’t have to worry about getting uncomfortable in your seat and feeling embarrassed for him. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. in UWL’s Cartwright Center, and it’s free. Tada!
Second Supper | The Free Press
DiNiNG Out
There are terrible names to give your restaurant and then there’s That Salad Place. It produces the same reaction of embarrassment and silent laughs that one might have when your friend tells you they named their newborn child Apple. Fortunately, after you say the name about a hundred times in your head it starts to grow on you, and the same can be said for their food. Situated in the old Erbert and Gerbert’s location, That Salad Place shines as something just offbeat enough to attract the lunch-going crowds in a downtown La Crosse weary from one too many grills and pizza joints. Inside you’ll fi nd a kitchen/serving area that looks much the same as before but with a new, questionable paint job and more seating. That’s about the full extent of the changes one can gleam from a casual look around the place. But what they lack in a fl air for looks, they more than make up for in the menu and its fl exibility. The idea of creating your own dishes from a list of ingredients provided is nothing new, and everything that That Salad Place serves has been done before. This can’t be refuted. But their ingredients are fresh and crisp, the sandwiches are made rather than reheated, and the soup is quality. If you choose to create your own salad, you get a
wide selection of toppings, dressings, meats and lettuce to choose from, as well as a list of classic salads if all those options hurt your brain. As a complement to your salad, you can also choose from a solid selection of wraps and paninis to round out your meal. My meal consisted of a traditional cobb salad and a ham and cheddar panini, and both were pleasant surprises. The cobb salad was all hard-boiled eggs and bleu cheese, of course, but all of the ingredients were fresh, which is of the utmost importance when 75 percent of your menu is salads. Covering those fresh ingredients was a light, thin ranch dressing that was mixed with the salad rather than poured on top, which was a welcome addition in a world where salads tend to drown in their dressings. As a compliment to that salad, the ham and cheddar panini worked well. Though I put little thought into it at the time, I imagine that one could pair their salad, panini and wrap menus together to get several complimentary combinations. The panini itself was served hot and freshly made, with melting cheddar oozing over thickly sliced deli ham between whole grain wheat bread. Again, as with the salads, though the sandwich itself was competently prepared, the quality of the ingredients were what made it stand out. When viewed through separate lenses, nothing on the menu at That Salad Place is new or all that exciting. Anybody can make a salad, grill a panini or throw some stuff in a wrap. What they do so well lies within the execution of the meals, the fl exible nature of the menu, and the quality of their ingredients. All of which makes That Salad Place a new and genuinely surprising lunch destination in the city.
I Like to WAtch
form, acting selfi shly or stupidly in their relationships with men. Hannah (Dunham) manages both selfi shness and stupidity by dropping Adam (Adam Driver) for a different lover. Adam is not only disabled (after a car accident that was Hannah’s fault), but also smitten with her after a long spell of indifference. That would have been Hannah’s dream come true mere weeks ago, but now she’s uttering extravagant promises to the new guy: “I’m going to make logical, responsible decisions when it comes to you!” Anybody want to lay odds?
That Salad Place 118 South Third Street La Crosse, Wisconsin By Marcel Dunn Special to Second Supper
By Dean Robbins Special to Second Supper Lena Dunham strikes again
Part of me would love to be 26-year-old Lena Dunham: widely hailed as a comic genius when her series "Girls" premiered on HBO last year. Another part of me wouldn’t want to be Dunham at all: forced to show that season one wasn’t a fl uke by delivering an equally brilliant season two. But the premiere episode (Sunday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m.) proves that Dunham has plenty more up her sleeve. The tattooed writer-director-star continues to fi nd fresh laughs, fresh poignancy and fresh idiocy in the lives of her four young characters, who struggle with post-college existence in New York City. In this week’s episode they revert to
January 1, 2013 // 5
DIVERSIONS
American Experience Tuesday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m. (PBS) “The Abolitionists” recounts one of the most inspiring stories in American history. It profi les the 19th century reformers who achieved moral clarity about slavery long before the rest of their countrymen did. William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Angelina Grimke and other fearless abolitionists bravely denounced America’s “peculiar institution” despite being widely denounced themselves. The material is so dramatic that you forgive the preponderance of bonnets and top hats in the extensive reenactments. You’d have to be made of stone not to thrill to rhetoric like this, from the pen of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
The MoNth iN TheAtre By Kallie Schell Special to Second Supper This month, the La Crosse Community Theatre will be moving from its longtime home on Fifth Avenue to a newly constructed venue at 428 Front St. in La Crosse. David Kilpatrick, director of the LCT, says he’s incredibly excited for this change and forever grateful for the community’s support as the construction has progressed over the last year. The theater is being built as collaboration between the LCT and Viterbo University, and both will be using it to share their performances with the community. The new venue will allow for a more spacious, comfortable and theater experience The fi rst show to be staged at the new theater will be the classic Shakespearean tragedy, "Macbeth." Second Supper: How has the construction of the theater progressed? David Kilpatrick: We broke ground in November 2011, and due to the warm weather the construction went fast, much faster than anyone anticipated. In fact, we had to slow down at times. Construction projects are like a large ship, though -- it takes a lot to wind down and a lot to wind back up. Some things had to be cut because of the budget, especially because we’re dealing with private donations from the public. However, there were things I assumed would be cut, like big mirrors on the walls, that were not. Now we’re discovering the fun stuff, like the colors of the walls and the design of the curve. I have discovered that all the computers in the world will never replace the human mind and human creativity though. SS: How many theaters will there be? DK: There will be two performance spaces. The main theater will have 450 seats and will have three levels. The basement will be the orchestra pit. The main fl oor will contain the stage and the bulk of the seating, and there will also be a balcony with 159 seats. The other performance space is the Black Box theater, which seats 100 people. This space will also serve as a rehearsal hall. SS: So, based on what you’re saying, the theatre will be opening on time? DK: It will open on time. We have too many people counting on it; the schedule cannot slip. It will be tight though. SS: Can you tell me more about the performance on opening night? DK: Opening night will be a gala on Jan. 19 and will be open to the public -- limited to 450 people. It will be something of a variety show to celebrate the collaboration of the LCT and Viterbo University, as well as the new building. There will be a mixture of video presentations and speeches, while the entertainment will include musical numbers, and a sword fi ght. SS: Has the community response been positive to the new theater? Do donations continue to come in? DK: Yes, as of today we have exceeded 96 percent of our original goal in the construction of the building. We fully expect the building,
IMPortANt LCT EveNts WHAT: Naming of the new theater WHEN: Jan. 9 *** WHAT: La Crosse Community Theater open house WHEN: 1-3 p.m. Jan. 20 WHERE: La Crosse Community Theater, 428 Front St., La Crosse COST: Free WHO: Open to the public FYI: This is a chance for supporters and the community to see the theater up close, room to room. It is a self-guided tour. There will be people in each room to answer questions. in pledges, to be paid for. Again, we do not want to come into this with a debt. SS: How is the “name a seat” campaign going? DK: We have sold about 200. The ground fl oor seats cost $1,000. The balcony seats cost $750. The box seats, which we affectionately call the Lincoln seats, cost $3,500. In the Black Box theater, seats cost $250. People like the idea of the naming a seat because one then leaves their mark on the theater for 40 years. Where your name will be placed is something of a lottery; we choose, but if you buy, for example, four seats together, then they will be placed next to each other. SS: What are you most excited for? DK: The production technology is really exciting. There will be a better light board and more fl y space. However, something I fi nd really important is the lobby. It really allows for a positive theater experience. Our lobby right now is so frustrating. Everyone is shoulder-to-shoulder and uncomfortable, and the ladies have to walk upstairs to go to the bathroom. Now there will be so much space, and the whole entire west wall will be facing the river. Theater-goers will get a great sense of space and comfort. It’s a beautiful neighborhood. La Crosse should be very proud of what it’s got there.
Crossword ANswers
6// January 1, 2013
Second Supper | The Free Press
DIVERSIONS
The Beer Review
"Spellbound" If it sounds good, do it By Matt Jones
Answers on Page 5
Dank O'So Brewing Company Plover, Wisconsin By Adam Bissen adam.bissen@secondsupper.com
©2012 Jonesin' Crosswords
ACROSS 1 Big ___ (David Ortiz's nickname) 5 Frappe need 8 Main man 11 Italian region big on terra cotta 14 Bashar al-Assad's country: abbr. 15 ___ in "Oscar" 16 Written test involving a sly prison breakout? 17 Instances where everyone sings the same note 19 Carry 20 "C'mon, those sunglasses don't fool me!" 22 Abbr. on a food label 24 "Star Trek: TNG" captain Jean-___ Picard 25 "Pericles, Prince of ___" 26 Palindromic Eskimo knife 29 The right side of the Urals 31 Blue material 33 Attila the ___ 34 Martini & ___ (winemakers) 36 Like some factory
seconds: abbr. 39 Statement from a codependent tent dweller? 42 Half-woman, halfbird 43 Like simple survey questions 44 "Don't do drugs" ad, for short 45 Societal problems 47 Varieties of fish eggs 48 Part of CBS 49 Earth goddess of Greek mythology 51 Suffix after real, in the U.K. 53 Spider's egg case 55 How quickly pachyderms get seen at the hospital? 58 Nobel Peace Prize city 62 How pasta may be prepared 63 Help save people, like a trained dog? 65 Singer Carly ___ Jepsen 66 "CNN Headline News" anchor Virginia 67 Source of Pablo Esco-
the free press
bar's wealth 68 When an airplane's scheduled to take off: abbr. 69 Azerbaijan, once: abbr. 70 Beat but good DOWN 1 "Hey, over here!" 2 Amy of "Dollhouse" 3 Tabloid photographer, slangily 4 Like the freshest fruit 5 Trooper maker 6 They're tough to convince 7 Idle of Monty Python fame 8 Sneaky security measures 9 Down time, for short 10 Actor Davis 11 Broadway show purchase: abbr. 12 Actor Tognazzi (hidden in YUGOSLAVIA) 13 "Upstairs at Eric's" band 18 It's got rings 21 Completely wasted 23 Strawberry in the
field 26 "That definitely isn't looking good" 27 Suzanne Vega song with the lyric "I live on the second floor" 28 Took off the list, maybe 30 Words before "old chap" 32 Brunch drink 35 ___ facto 37 Website for crafty sorts 38 Stats on report cards 40 Likely to sleep in 41 Held by a third party 46 Large pie pieces 49 Driving hazard 50 G-sharp, alternatively 52 Javelin, basically 54 ___ vin (chicken dish) 56 The last two were in St. Paul and Tampa 57 "Up All Night" network 59 Sound at the barbershop 60 Lead-in to O 61 "Yahoo!" to a matador 64 Part of HS
wE have moved! 444 main St., Suite 310, La Crosse, WI 54601 Office hours by appointment only
Back in 1996, David Letterman introduced the world to a movie reviewer whom I will not soon forget: Manny the Hippie. Manny hailed from San Francisco, and according to legend (or a surprisingly sad Wikipedia page) Dave discovered him busking on the streets of Haight-Ashbury. Manny was an enthusiastic giggler, and he spoke to America with a particular patois that was foreign to most CBS viewers but has become entrenched in the modern lexicon. Called on to review that summer’s blockbusters (hello, Independence Day!), Manny essentially had a four-star rating system — good movies were dank, bad movies were schwag, the worst movies were schwiggity schwag, and the best was diggity dank. As a wide-eyed youngster, already up past my bedtime, I had no idea what Manny was talking about. As a droopy-eyed adult, perpetually jaded in the beer aisle, seeing a label boasting of DANK made my purchase decision an easy one. Dank is an Imperial Red Ale from the cultish O’so Brewing Company. “Imperial Red” isn’t exactly an established style, which makes it a perfect selection for O’so, a young brewery that prides itself on innovative recipes that don’t follow traditional styles. An anniversary ale now in its third year, the Dank is a seasonal, but I don’t ever remember it
Soduku
tasting this good. Rich, malty, chocolaty, fresh, spicy and sweet — this is probably the best thing O’so has ever brewed, and at the moment it’s one of my favorite beers in Wisconsin. Purchase: 4-pack of O’so Dank from Woodman’s, $8.49. Style: Imperial red ale Strength: 9.2 percent ABV Packaging: Dank has a simple red and white label, with about 60 percent of its printable space dedicated to block letters D-A-N-K. Appearance: The Dank pours a super-hazy copper color with a thin tan head. Aroma: Partially aged in oak barrels, vanilla notes and an alcohol burn hover at the top of the nose. A deeper inhale brings a rich aroma of ripe strawberries, grassy hops, sweet molasses, toasted malts, fresh biscuits and hints of brown sugar. Taste: For such a big beer, the complexity is impressive. It comes on sweet with notes of pear, caramel, and butterscotch pudding. There are pleasing notes of brandy, but the actual alcohol content — all 9.2 percent of it— is relatively low in the palette, buttressed by rows of rich toasted malts. It tastes breadier than most American red ales, but it has an oaky backbone and a smooth vanilla kiss that comes out as it warms. Mouthfeel: This has a relatively thick mouthfeel but low carbonation, almost akin to a “real ale.” Drinkability: The Dank is delicious and dangerously drinkable. I’d recommend setting at least one aside to cellar before getting greedy with the four-pack. Ratings: BeerAdvocate gives this an 87, while RateBeer scores it an 84. That seems low to me, and perhaps it’s the view of an earlier vintage. Because in 2012, conventional adjectives don’t apply to this beer: This here, it’s the diggity dank.
TV CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Garrison: “I am willing to be persecuted, imprisoned and bound for advocating African rights, and I shall deserve to be a slave myself if I shrink from that duty or danger.” For expressing such enlightened sentiments, Garrison was attacked by a lynch mob, and South Carolina put a bounty on his head. Is it time to carve out room on Mount Rushmore for these national heroes — perhaps right between slaveholders Washington and Jefferson? Answers on Page 7
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Second Supper | The Free Press
Music Directory FEATURED SHOWS Saturday, December 29th Warehouse – Local Bands Showcase • 6:30 p.m. Freight House – Nick Stika • 7:30 p.m. Popcorn – Sum Chunk • 10 p.m. Sunday, December 30th Warehouse – The Disabled, Timeline Tragedy, 64 Squares • 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 31st Root Note – New Year’s Eve Party • 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Trempealeau Hotel – New Year’s Bash feat. The Far Outs (variety Rock) • 9 p.m. Popcorn – Nimbus • 10 p.m. Friday, January 4th Freight House – Brent Brown • 7 p.m. Piggy’s – Third Charles • 8 p.m. Saturday, January 5th Freight House – Brent Brown • 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 10th Trempealeau Hotel – Guitar Logic • 7 p.m. Friday, January 11th Freight House – Rich Wooten • 7 p.m. Pump House – Johnsmith (folk) • 7:30 p.m. Starlite Lounge – Third Charles • 9 p.m. Root Note – Click Track (indie rock) • 9 p.m. Saturday, January 12th Freight House – Rich Wooten • 7:30 p.m. Pump House – Johnsmith (folk) • 7:30 p.m. Trempealeau Hotel – Ryan Holweger & Bryan Wheat • 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 16th River Jack’s – Latin Vibe • 6 p.m.
Saturday, January 19th Freight House – Blue Jupiter (acoustic) • 7:30 p.m. Root Note – Charlie Parr • 8 p.m. Trempealeau Hotel – Electric House of Curds • 8 p.m. Warehouse – Savage Aural Hotbed, Sweat Boys (industrial/electronic) Thursday, January 24th Trempealeau Hotel – Chris Pickering • 7 p.m. Wednesday, January 23rd Root Note – Chris Pickering • 8 p.m. Friday, January 25th Freight House – Paxico (acoustic) • 7 p.m. Saturday, January 26th Freight House – Paxico (acoustic) • 7:30 p.m. Pump House – Peter Meyer (folk) • 7:30 p.m. Root Note – Chastity Brown (indie folk) • 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 30th Warehouse – Miss August, Evelynn, My Deepest Dream (metal)
Weekly Gigs Sunday Popcorn – Innocuous Voodoo (funk) • 10 p.m. Monday Popcorn – Grant’s Open Jam • 10 p.m. Tuesday Popcorn – Paulie • 10 p.m. Root Note – 3rd Relation Jazz • 8 p.m.
Thursday, January 17th Trempealeau Hotel – Jagged Ease (acoustic) • 7 p.m.
Thursday Starlight – Kies & Kompanie (jazz) • 5 p.m. Root Note – Open Mic • 8 p.m. Popcorn – Dave Orr’s Blues jam • 10 p.m.
Friday, January 18th Freight House – Blue Jupiter (acoustic) • 7 p.m. Root Note – Ida Jo • 8 p.m.
Send your music schedule to editor@secondsupper.com.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 "Enlightened" Sunday, Jan. 13, 8:30 p.m. (HBO) Amy is a dim bulb who thirsts for enlightenment. In season one of HBO’s excellent series — created, produced by and starring Laura Dern — Amy set off on a New Age quest for higher consciousness after a mental breakdown. In the season-two premiere, she commits herself to a new quest: bringing down the corporation that has reduced her to a data-processing drone. Dern does a skillful job of establishing Amy as one hot mess. For all her interest in serenity, this woman could explode at any minute, taking out innocent bystanders like
January 1, 2013 // 7
MUSIC
her mother (Diane Ladd) and ex-partner (Luke Wilson). The genius of "Enlightened "is that it creates sympathy for Amy’s crazy stabs at transcendence. In this week’s episode, she justifies stealing confidential documents to expose her company’s corruption: “For two minutes there I felt worth something. Like I was doing something — something real. And I was alive. It felt good to feel alive for once, and not just dead and plastic and numb.” Enemies of the dead and plastic and numb would be well advised to tune in to "Enlightened." For more of Dean's reviews, visit us online at www.secondsupper.com.
Coulee Cuts Memories Click Track By Jason Crider jason.crider@secondsupper.com After a little over a year of laying low and writing and recording, local indie duo Click Track have surfaced with their fresh debut album, Memories, an eclectic assortment of tracks featuring a quite dynamic range of musical influences, all centered around a chameleonic synthesizer, sort of like MGMT’s addictive debut. Click Track doesn’t sound like MGMT, though, and this album is, to put it bluntly, all over the place, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing. Take for example the track, “Lucky 7s,” which opens with some ephemeral synth atmosphere, then bleeds into a simple Pixies-style drum and bass beat that turns into a poppy chillwave chorus before enveloping into a synth part that is vaguely similar to an old Super Nintendo game soundtrack. Or maybe consider the album’s opening track, “Dangerous Children,” a song rife with simple guitar hooks and upbeat drums that gets delightfully interrupted by a pulsing synth rhythm before going on an all-out surf rock binge. This album has all of the tambourine, poppy vocal melodies and buoyant drums you could ask for, mixed with a generous dose of fun and quirky synthesizer. At times, though, this synth rock indie outfit will make you feel as though you’re stuck on the final boss battle of a Sega Genesis game, particularly on the track “March of the Polka Waltz” or in the Mega Man X vibes on “Lucky Number 7s.” But is all of that such a bad thing? One of my favorite tracks on this record, “Driving Through Downtown,” is a pretty delightful amalgamation of Bright Eyes and early Final Fantasy RPGs, and if you’ve played any of the latter and listened to any of the former, you can probably realize how the deep feelings of sadness and longing inherent in both could really complement each
other, and that is the exact niche that Click Track have nestled themselves so snugly into. So what does this band have to offer besides abundant synthesizer and video game nostalgia? Well, for one, the first few tracks have a pretty fun and welcoming indie feel to them, and the second-to-last song, “Tiny Island,” has a rather interesting retro vibe to it, as well. “AKA Lions” opens with an off-putting and quite literal lion’s roar, like the start of an MGM film, but it’s easy to get past once you sink into the jungle background harmonies and sweet xylophone synth melody. And, of course, title and closing track “Memories” will warm the heart of any Modest Mouse fan as the simple guitar hook and vocal harmony are kissed by a warm electronic wave, subtly reminding you of the messy and exciting album you just listened to. As far as freshman releases go, Memories is far from perfect, but it is an exciting first step made by a very promising young band. The big question you may have to confront is whether or not all of the inlaid synthpop nostalgia will bother you, because if not, you’ve got a pretty cool new indie band to foster some local support for.
eat fresh! eat local! go co-op! 315 Fifth Ave. So. La Crosse, WI tel. 784.5798 www.pfc.coop open daily 7 am–10 pm
all are welcome
8// January 1, 2013
THE LAST WORD a mistake ending it with him. Then again, I’m living in a culture where women my age are all married with two kids, and I’m getting a lot of pressure to get married. — Confused
The Advice Goddess By Amy Alkon amy.alkon@secondsupper.com New kid on the bloc
I spent the last two years in the Peace Corps in Eastern Europe and just committed to another year. Before my assignment, I was dating a decent guy, but I told him it was temporary. When I was home on leave this summer, it was evident he hadn't let the relationship go. I reiterated that I just wanted friendship, but when I was back in Europe he emailed, asking if I still love him. He’s always been really supportive, and even visited me in my first year, but I again told him I didn’t have romantic feelings for him. He asked for time to get over us. I promised not to contact him until he contacted me. This month, after three months of silence, he messaged me saying he wanted to talk, but now he won’t respond to my emails to set up a Skype date. I miss him terribly and wonder if I made
Assuming you aren’t willing or able to “date local,” this guy is effectively the last man on earth for you, at least for a year. Yeah, sure, you could go on a dating site and pique some new guy’s interest, but imagine the directions for the fi rst date: “Hop a 16-hour transatlantic fl ight, take three buses, transfer to the local mule cart, and tell Szylblczlka to turn left at the second group of goats in the road.” Until recently, even with thousands of miles between you, this guy’s been conveniently located: stuck on you. It sounds like you admire his good qualities — sort of in the way a great auntie appreciates her little grand-nephew’s accomplishments in the macaroni arts. But, romance? Nuhuh. Not feelin’ it. Friendship only. And that’s fi nal. Well, sort of fi nal. Because, while absence, punctuated by the occasional Skype chat, couldn’t make the heart grow fonder, there’s nothing that gins up feeling in a girl like the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of a guy after years of his tongue-dragging, tail-wagging, puppydoglike reliability. Adding to this allure, you’re the single
lady surrounded by all these happy villager couples. This leads to you telling yourself that maybe you’re only now recognizing the guy’s wonderfulness, but what you’re really saying is “I don’t particularly have feelings for him, but he’s always had feelings for me, and I’m kinda lonely over here in Upper Eastern Wherever, where the milkmaid next door just got married at 14.” Paraphrasing Kant on how people shouldn’t be treated as means to an end, “Don’t be a user! That’s, like, so bogue.” Instead, engage in a truly humanitarian gesture — leave the guy alone so he can get you out of his system and go fi nd somebody else. Ideally, she’ll also “miss him terribly” when they’re apart — but not simply because he’s the one man she has contact with who lacks both a wife and the belief that pink #300 sandpaper doubles for White Cloud and a glass of warm water is the week’s bath.
Casing Amy
I’m a straight man who’s become friends with two bona-fide, card-carrying lesbians. One I met hiking and the other is a coworker. Dominique and Angelique (not their real names) are both very attractive. I consider each a good friend, have lunched with them, hugged them, and met their respective unattractive partners (each of whom looks like a man). I know they are not interested in men, yet I continue to have
Second Supper | The Free Press
prurient thoughts about them, and find this continuing attraction to gay women confusing. — Wrong Hots Wait. You’re a heterosexual man who has the hots for hot women who get it on with other women? Weird. And yet, there must be other men out there who feel as you do, considering the vast selection of videos titled “Hot Lesbian Action,” and the paucity of titles like “Two Lesbian Soccer Moms Nuzzle On The Couch While Sharing A Bag Of Kale Chips.” Guess what: You aren’t attracted to gay women; you’re attracted to extremely attractive women, some of whom happen to be gay. (Not surprisingly, when coming up with aliases for your friends, you reach for names that are more stripper than lady fi eld hockey coach.) If you’re content to remain a lesbro — a straight guy who’s friends with lesbians — your lesbian friends can provide you with priceless benefi ts: unlimited insight into the bizarre thinking and behavior of women. Just be sure you always keep a fi rm grip on the bottom line: If they were into men, they’d be dating a man instead of a woman who kind of looks like one. (c) 2011, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon at AdviceAmy@ aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com).
Our February edition of Second Supper | The Free Press publishes Feb. 1. Our advertising deadline is Jan. 25. For information, email roger.bartel@secondsupper.com.
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