The Coulee Region had a high jobless rate, 50 years ago, Yesterday in La Crosse

A newspaper story in November of 1974 called the jobless rate in La Crosse County “chronically high.” The rate was around 8-10% with thousands of people unable to find work. 

The story blamed labor walkouts and plant closings for the bad local economy, specifically pointing to the closings since the late 50s of three La Crosse factories — Auto-Lite, Northern Engraving, and Allis Chalmers.

Doug La Follette had a new job that fall, but he didn’t want it. The Democrat had just been elected Wisconsin secretary of state — a mostly ceremonial post.

La Follette was bothered that a new elections board had taken the job of supervising voting away from the secretary.

Eventually, La Follette did assume the office, and held that job for more than 40 years, finally stepping down in 2023.

A TV sitcom star came to UW-La Crosse to perform, just before Thanksgiving.

Jimmie Walker, who played J.J. on the new comedy show “Good Times,” appeared on the Main Hall auditorium stage.

Walker’s character was known for his catchphrase “Dyno-mite!”

Also performing on the bill with Walker was the Viterbo choir known as the Hallelujah Singers, directed by Sister Thea Bowman. That was in 1974, 50 years ago, yesterday in La Crosse.