Representative Tara Johnson

Spent time this past week with Athletic Trainers at UW-La Crosse touring the impressive facilities on campus where they prepare future ATs in the Masters Program and provide essential services to student athletes. Go Eagles!!🦅

It’s time for the 22st Irish Fest in La Crosse!!! Happy to have helped kick-off the festivities Friday afternoon. Head down to the fest grounds Saturday and Sunday to enjoy great food, entertainment, kids activities, Highland Games and so much more! 🍀

Such an unexpected honor to be recognized by the Association of Surgical Technologists as one of their Legislative Champions for the 2025-26 legislative session. The “Surg Tech” program at Western Technical College (Welcome new President Kirk Bennett!) is a premier program equipping Surgical Technicians with the knowledge and skills needed to administer the highest quality of care in the operating room for every patient! Thank you. AST, for the award and for being advocates and standard bearers for your profession.

Lots and lots of folks made it to the Fairgrounds for National Night Out in Vernon County. So much to see, learn and do thanks to the many community organizations, business and agencies who participated. What a great evening for residents of all ages to get to know their neighbors better and connect with local law enforcement agencies. And, yes, that’s Sheriff Roy participating in a sack race!

So much talent! I got to see the Viroqua Community Theater’s production of Little Shop of Horrors last night and it was fabulous!!! The talented cast and crew put on a great show and reminded all of us of all the high quality live theatre in our community. Check it out if you can… the final performance is a 2:00 pm matinee today. Special shout out to the Westby Area High School students and alums who gave stellar performances. 🎭

It was a beautiful morning to dedicate the Ho-Chunk Garden and the statue of Betsy Thunder in the Rotary Friendship Gardens in Riverside Park in La Crosse! The project is the successful collaboration between the Ho-Chunk Nation and Rotary with lots of generous support from many community members and businesses. Betsy is stunning! She was a healer for Native peoples and newly arriving settlers who came to La Crosse in the 1860s. It was especially wonderful to hear stories from her descendants who grew up learning of her work as a healer and her many friendships she formed throughout her life. Thanks to Iron Mound who sang and drummed and the Ho-Chunk leaders who gave critical historic context to Betsy and her work as well as the importance of the location - where three rivers meet.

July is wrapping up and that means another round of in-district office hours! Stop in and chat with me this Friday, the 31st, at Stoddard Village Hall at 180 N Main Street in Stoddard to chat from 9 AM to 11 AM! Slots for one-on-one conversations are available now! Follow the QR code or the link below to sign up!

https://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=w.manageSignUp #/64876062/share/

Another third Saturday in July, another outstanding Art Fair on the Green presented by AAUW-La Crosse!!!
More than 75 artists booths filled the courtyard at Viterbo University.  Perfect weather and a stunning setting for hundreds of attendees to wander, appreciate and buy high-quality juried art of all mediums. Such a gift to our community- thank you AAUW-La Crosse - we are grateful!

I had so much fun today in Westby at Sweet Rides and Sweet Pies, a car show and pie sale that benefits the Westby Area Historical Society. Congratulations to winners and a big thank you to all the volunteers who make such a great event happen!