Yesterday in La Crosse

There was other news on 9-11 of 2001

Published

5 years ago

September 11, 2019

On the day that New York and Washington were attacked in 2001, La Crosse residents had the north-south corridor and Roger Harring Field on their minds.

Writers to the La Crosse Tribune wanted the DOT to stop planning for a north-south road through the marsh, arguing that the idea was voted down in a referendum three years earlier. The corridor plan is still on the drawing board now.

Letters to the paper also objected to the restoration of Harring’s name to the football field originally dedicated to veterans. Former UW-L chancellor Judith Kuipers had approved the renaming in honor of Harring in 2000. Then the coach’s name was removed, but new chancellor Doug Hastad reinstated the name.

Drivers in Wisconsin were paying the highest prices for gas in the U.S. at $1.84 a gallon…BEFORE the terror attacks. On the night of 9-11, La Crosse gas stations saw a rush of cars at the pumps after prices were suddenly raised above $2 per gallon.

CBS anchor Dan Rather opened his newscast that night by telling viewers “You will remember this day as long as you live.” September 11th, 2001…yesterday in La Crosse.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.