A merger for area church schools, 20 years ago

At the start of 2000, the Catholic diocese of La Crosse announced a school consolidation plan.  La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke said the Coulee Catholic Schools would include school buildings in Onalaska and Holmen, along with a school in Genoa.   

Presidential debates were already being held by both parties, for the open 2000 election.  Bill Clinton’s second term was ending, and Vice President Al Gore was running to succeed Clinton.  Gore was being challenged in the Democratic primaries by former Senator Bill Bradley.  On the Republican side, George W. Bush, John McCain, Senator Orrin Hatch, and businessman Steve Forbes were among the most popular Republicans in the race.  

The New Orleans Saints fired coach Mike Ditka, after the Saints ended their 1999 season with a 3-and-13 record.  Ditka had been with the team for three seasons, including summer training camps at UW-La Crosse.  The Saints would announce later that year that the camp would be moved back to Louisiana, after 12 years in La Crosse.  

‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ was a game show hit for ABC that winter.  It inspired other prime-time quiz shows, such as ‘Winning Lines,’ hosted by Dick Clark, and ‘Greed’ with Chuck Woolery.  Games for big money 20 years ago, 2000, yesterday in La Crosse.