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Peninsula Pulse April 2-9, 2021

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In this issue

  • Obituary: SSgt. Will Stuart Gonzales, USAF

    September 23, 1994 ~ March 16, 2021 United States Air Force SSgt. Will Stuart Gonzales, 26, died on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 while serving in the 36th Security Forces Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. He left this life while riding his beloved Harley Davidson.  Will was born in Sturgeon Bay, WI, to […]

  • Webinar to Discuss Current DOD Cybersecurity Requirements and Pending Changes

    If you conduct business with the Department of Defense (DOD) or would like to have DOD as a customer, you must know how to comply with its current cybersecurity requirements and with the changes to these requirements that are pending and will soon be the norm for primes, subcontractors and suppliers to receive certification.  The […]

  • Worker Shortage Endures for Manufacturing Sector

    N.E.W. Industries is one of those manufacturers that consistently churns out products on the almost invisible outskirts of Sturgeon Bay’s industrial park. The company has grown twelvefold since Chris Moore – its president, CEO and owner – bought it 21 years ago, eventually relocating it from a 35,000-square-foot Yew Street space into the industrial park. […]

  • Join Glo Door County for Grand Opening

    Experience Glo Door County, 2340 Mill Road in Sister Bay, during its grand opening May 7, 10 am. Meet Drs. Kleven and Straka – board-certified dermatologists – as they introduce their professional skin-care spa and store. Glo Door County will feature a wide variety of facial treatments such as Botox, fillers, microneedling, kybella, skin-tag removal, cryotherapy, […]

  • Sturgeon Bay Utilities Earns National Recognition

    Sturgeon Bay Utilities (SBU, sbunet.com) has earned national recognition from the American Public Power Association (APPA) for exceptional electric reliability in 2020.  APPA – a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities – helps electric utilities track power-outage and restoration data, and it compares these data annually to national statistics that […]

  • Rice Becomes Historical Museum’s New Archives Manager

    The Door County Historical Museum and Archives has hired Steven Rice as its new archives manager. For the past two years, he’s served as the Door County Library’s archives researcher, working with the Door County Archives collection to fulfill research requests from the public and spearhead special projects, including the Door County Speaks oral-history initiative. […]

  • Correction

    In the March 19 Peninsula Pulse story “If These Walls Could Talk: Life above the Baileys Harbor Town Hall” by Patty Williamson, edits were made that incorrectly referred to Leann Despots as the wife of Victor Meyer. We apologize for the error, which was no fault of the writer.

  • Suds with Sophie: Bridge Up Brewing to Serve at New Door County Cherry Hut

    I met up recently with Trent Snyder and Eric Kane to chat about their new venture with Jason and Laura Estes. It’s south of Fish Creek at the former Ray’s Cherry Hut and what was most recently White Cottage Red Door. Now called the Door County Cherry Hut, it’s set to open May 1 as […]

  • The Door County Beer Festival Is Back!

    The Door County Beer Festival, the annual celebration of the brewing craft will return to Baileys Harbor June 19 at Brann Field.  The open-air tasting brings dozens of craft breweries to the peninsula for tasting, conversation and fun. Meet the brewers behind many of your favorite beers, chat with other lovers of Midwestern beer, and […]

  • Bits & Bites: Happy Hour Comes to Roots, McReady’s Celebrates 10 Years

    Coming Up: Happy Hour at Roots Inn and Kitchen Every day in May, 4:30-7:30 pm, Roots Inn and Kitchen will offer small plates and drink specials as part of its new happy hour. The eatery at 2378 Maple Dr. in Sister Bay will open for the season on April 23. McReady’s Celebrates 10th Season McReady […]

  • Wine Trail Cancels 2021 Door County Wine Festival

    The wineries of the Door County Wine Trail (doorcountywinetrail.com) are canceling the June 26 Door County Wine Festival, an annual gathering of the eight Door and Kewaunee county wineries that has become a favorite summer celebration in Sturgeon Bay. “Due to the uncertainty of both the COVID-19 pandemic and summer staffing for each of the […]

  • Leading Scientist on Climate Change: “The Biggest Uncertainty is Us”

    Leading climate scientist and communicator Katharine Hayhoe says we have a fighting chance against climate change if we start using our voices to talk about it.  If we didn’t have an impressive ability to fool ourselves about our behaviors, we might exhibit more urgency about climate change and not view it as something that’s too […]

  • Egg Harbor Pushes for a Future Free of Single-Use Plastics

    by Janel Hutchison The Village of Egg Harbor has partnered with the UniverCity Year program (UCY) to take on what could be the village’s most ambitious plan yet as a Green Tier Community: eliminating single-use plastics. UCY is a University of Wisconsin-Madison program that connects university education, service and research activities with cities to further […]

  • Wild Things: Ideas on New Life for Old Line and Baits Could Net Thousands

    Keeping waste fishing gear out of waters and landfills is important because line and baits that are disposed of improperly can harm fish and wildlife.  If you’ve got a great idea for recycling old fishing line and soft baits, here’s your chance to reel in some serious cash: The BoatUS Foundation is looking for the […]

  • Nominations Open for Land Conservation Leadership Awards

    Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts seeks nominations for the 2021 Wisconsin Land Conservation Leadership Awards. Nominees should be individuals and organizations that show outstanding commitment and dedication to protecting Wisconsin’s land, water and wildlife. Nominations require a one-page form and at least one letter of support, but they may include additional supporting letters […]

  • Public-Comment Period Open for Door County Land Trust Accreditation Renewal

    Five years ago, the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded the Door County Land Trust (DCLT, DoorCountyLandTrust.org) the seal of accreditation. This accreditation program recognizes land-conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. DCLT will seek renewal of its status as an accredited land trust. As part […]

  • Education Notes: COVID-19 Protocols Thwart Plans for Prom Dances

    Schools prepare for commencement  Social distancing and high school dances don’t go together. That was the word recently from Gibraltar School Board member Angela Sherman, who expressed regret that the board must prevent two more activities for students this year: a formal prom and a Homecoming dance during the COVID-19-delayed football season. Board President Stephen […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resolution an Important First Step

    Thank you for reporting about the county supervisors’ passing of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resolution [March 26, “County Supervisors Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis”].  When Open Door Pride was formed in 2017, we created a mission statement that read, “Celebrating Our Diversity in Door County with Inclusion for All.” These words expressed our […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Supervisors Should Repeal Declaration That Racism Is a Public-Health Crisis

    The Door County Board of Supervisors, by a narrow majority, has made an extremely serious mistake in resolving that racism is a public-health crisis in society and by inference in the county (Resolution No. 2020-86). The majority on the board have labeled the people and institutions of the county as racist. The view espoused by […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Please Flatten Your Boxes

    I don’t visit the Liberty Grove recycling site every single day, but on the days when I do go, the paper bin is always full. I have to dump my loose paper on top of boxes that haven’t been flattened and hope that they don’t blow all over the yard.  Today there were empty beer […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Pay Attention to Your Community

    Now that the 2020 election is behind us and many of us have been taking a break from politics, I recently discovered that’s not a good idea. You may think your local elected officials care about you, your community and your safety, but if you aren’t paying attention, you may find out the hard way […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Let’s Lead the Way in Affordable Housing

    There is one thing missing in the reporting on the Nelson sale: There is no mention of the folks who call the Nelson apartments home. Are these folks considered necessary collateral damage?  Gary Nelson has provided critically needed affordable housing through the six apartments that he rents, and he has given the renters advance notice […]

  • Letter to the Editor: False Claims about Democratic ‘Programs’

    Before writing his letter, “The Mislabeled Programs Hatched by Democrats,” published in the March 19-26 edition of the Pulse, Mr. Jerome J. Gallagher should have done some basic research.  To start with, his unsupported claim that daylight saving time (DST) is a program “hatched by Democrats” is historically inaccurate. DST in the U.S. was introduced […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Republican Election Strategy Based on Voter Restriction

    Wisconsin State Senator Roger Roth is alleging that Green Bay Mayor Genrich and staff tampered with absentee ballots during the November 2020 election. That election was submitted to scrutiny like no other and passed with flying colors.  Mayor Genrich helped voter access by installing ballot drop boxes in various locations so that voters could safely […]

  • Pulse of Philanthropy: Giving Is a Key to Success

    As the fifth of our six children moves into her first apartment this weekend, I cannot help but pause for a moment to celebrate the giving person she has become. This daughter spends hours dreaming up wonderfully imaginative birthday celebrations for others because she knows how much it will make them smile. When she heard […]

  • Sturgeon Bay’s Christy Braun Qualifies for State

    It’s safe to say that Sturgeon Bay Co-op sophomore swimmer Christy Braun was going to be busy at the WIAA State Girls Swim Meet April 6 in Waukesha. During the March 30 Ashwaubenon Sectional Meet, Braun qualified in two individual events and added two relays. She placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke with a time […]

  • Daoust to Play in WBCA’s All-Star Fundraiser Game

    Southern Door student Alex Daoust has been selected to play in the 2021 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association’s (WBCA) All-Star game on July 15.  In an interview with Door County Daily News, Daoust called being part of the Eagles program an awesome experience and mentioned the rarity of its seven-year run as Packerland Conference champions. He […]

  • Bowling League Results

    Majors League  March 30, 2021 • High team game: Innovative LED Solutions 1,134 • High team series: Red Room 3,201 • High game (women): Ashley DeGrave 218, Natasha LeMieux 205, Alisa Rupp 201 • High series (women): Alisa Rupp 544, Natasha LeMieux 526, Kayla Fort 490 • High game (men): Lowell Taylor 289, Jim Schaefer […]

  • Packerland Conference Standings

    Spring Volleyball March 25, 2021 (School, won-lost) Sevastopol 4-0 Sturgeon Bay 3-1 Southern Door 2-2 Kewaunee 1-2 Gibraltar 2-3 Algoma 0-4    

  • Framed

    The shoreline is slowly returning at Whitefish Dunes State Park. Photo by Thomas Jordan.

  • Server of the Week: Angie Dequaine at Fatzo’s Subs

    46 Green Bay Road in Sturgeon Bay When you’re craving a sandwich, You make a Fatzo’s plan, which Would mean you’re graced by Angie Dequaine. She works her magic without a hitch, And when her shift’s over, she gets the itch To run and rollerblade again.

  • Food Boxes Available April 9

    The Door County Food Pantry Coalition, Fire Chiefs Association of Door County and the USDA are teaming up again for the Farmers to Families food box event. Everyone is welcome to pick up food for families, friends and neighbors while supplies last on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees should remain in their vehicle. Farmers to Families is available April 9, […]

  • Peninsula Poetry: Poet Larry Eriksson has fun with language

    Larry J. Eriksson is a writer and poet who splits his time between Madison and Ellison Bay with his wife, Karen. He’s a member of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets (WFOP) and has been a featured reader in the Dickinson Poetry Series at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County several times since the series […]

  • Practice Applied: Julia Redwine’s art is Door County grown

    Shortly after retiring to Door County five years ago from the Chicago area, where she owned an interior-design business, Julia Redwine decided to take a class at Peninsula School of Art. Now she and printmaker Dale Vanden Houten have opened Two Bridges Studio and Gallery, a combination work and exhibition space at 24 S. 3rd […]

  • Wild Ones: Don’t Be an April Fool in the Garden

    No gardener wants to be a fool, and the garden is – according to some historians – the origin of April Fools’ Day. Supposedly, folks were called “April fools” if they were gullible enough to believe that the spring equinox meant winter was over, only to be taken by surprise by an April snowstorm. Other […]

  • Wild Things: Door County Shoots for Three Free Tags

    Kewaunee County goes for four for 2021 deer season Deer hunters in Door and Kewaunee counties will again have ample opportunity to target whitetails this fall. The Kewaunee County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC), which earlier this year voted to aim to maintain the herd at current levels, gave a preliminary recommendation to award four free […]

  • Manners Matter: Choosing Not to Get Vaccinated

    Dear Mary Pat, My parents don’t want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. They’re in their late 80s and have said they’re healthy and not concerned about the virus. They’re cautious, and always wear their masks, and haven’t really been around others too much – or so they tell me. But I’m totally freaking out. I want […]

  • Patricia Skalka Releases 6th Installment in Dave Cubiak Series

    The sixth installment in author Patricia Skalka’s Dave Cubiak Door County Mystery series, Death Washes Ashore, will be released April 20. In it, Sheriff Dave Cubiak heads out into the aftermath of a brutal storm on the peninsula to assess the damage and check in with folks to offer help. His assistant calls about a […]

  • Mike Orlock Appointed New Door County Poet Laureate

    Sturgeon Bay poet Mike Orlock was appointed Door County’s new poet laureate during the March 23 meeting of the Door County Board of Supervisors. His tenure will run April 1 – the start of National Poetry Month – through March 31, 2023. He succeeds Nancy Rafal of Baileys Harbor as the county’s seventh poet laureate. Orlock […]

  • David Nielsen Displays Paintings at Martinez Studio

    This spring, artist David Nielsen’s paintings are on display at Martinez Studio, 5877 Hwy 57 in Jacksonport, and Nielsen is at the gallery to meet visitors, discuss his work and show Sandra and Wence Martinez’s work. Some items in the studio, now in its 28th year, are 25% off. Please wear a mask and social […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Petunia

    Meet Petunia (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=46812139), a two-year-old cat who’s available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. After being treated for an upper respiratory infection, this golden-eyed beauty is feeling much better and is ready to find a loving home. She’s a sweet girl who’s affectionate, is always in the mood to snuggle […]

  • DCMC Algoma Clinic Celebrates 20 Years of Service

    Twenty years ago, Door County Medical Center (dcmedical.org) recognized a need in neighboring Kewaunee County and opened a clinic in Algoma at 815 Jefferson St.  It provides family-medicine services; specialty-care services such as ob/gyn, behavioral health, orthopedics and diabetic services; an on-site laboratory; diagnostic imaging capabilities; and daily walk-in appointments.  The clinic has two full-time […]

  • Backpack Buddy Program Serves 221 Children

    For 12 years, the nonprofit Feed and Clothe My People has been delivering nutritional food items to schools in brown lunch bags through the Backpack Buddy Program, which currently serves 221 children, four years old through fifth grade, who live in low-income households.  Schools that collaborate with Feed My People include Southern Door, Sevastopol, Sturgeon […]

  • 100+ Women Who Care Giving Circle Meets April 26

    The next quarterly meeting of the 100+ Women Who Care of Northern Door County (100+WWC) giving circle will be livestreamed on Zoom on April 26, 7-7:30 pm, when the organization will award more than $19,000 to local nonprofits. This will bring its donations since its 2018 inception to $196,000 and from 300 current members. Three […]

  • Sturgeon Bay Students Earn Art Honors

    Sturgeon Bay students Jace Johnson and Adolfo Arvizo have moved on to state-level competition in the Wisconsin Art Education Association’s (WAEA) State Art Show. Arvizo also received special recognition for his portrait in charcoal. A piece by junior Makayla Ash was chosen as the 2021 WAEA State Chair Award winner and earned the Wisconsin Pastel […]

  • Write-in Races: Villages of Egg Harbor and Sister Bay

    Candidates in at least two races across Door County are running write-in campaigns for local seats. In the Village of Sister Bay, Chad Kodanko is running a write-in campaign to retain his seat on the Village of Sister Bay Board of Trustees. Kodanko, first elected to the board in April 2017, didn’t file his candidacy […]

  • Spring Election 2021: Head to Your Local Polling Place April 6

    Elections don’t get more local than the one on April 6. This is the time when voters select those who will run their local school boards and govern their municipalities.  Yet, strangely enough, turnout is lower for spring elections. Only about 25% of Door County’s registered voters have historically cast ballots for the spring election, […]

  • Free Rides to Vote

    The League of Women Voters of Door County (LWVDC) is collaborating with the Door County Transportation Department to help anyone in this county who needs transportation to the polls to vote early or on Election Day, April 6. The LWVDC will pay for the cost of rides to the polls and back home. Schedule this […]

  • Sonny’s Owners Purchase Cherry Hut Property

    The owners of Sonny’s Pizzeria have purchased the property that was the longtime home of Ray’s Cherry Hut on Highway 42 south of Fish Creek. The property most recently housed White Cottage Red Door. New owners Jason and Laura Estes are renaming the property Door County Cherry Hut, and they anticipate a May 1 opening.  […]

  • Free, Virtual Strong Bodies Course to Teach Strength Training

    UW-Madison Extension’s Health and Wellbeing and FoodWise program is hosting Strong Bodies: free, online classes held April 12 – June 10. Classes in this evidence-based strength-training program will be offered weekly on either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday, 9 am. No experience is necessary.  Strength training has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such […]

  • Celebrate Creativity and Nature through Art-Therapy Workshop

    Spring is the time to celebrate creativity, nature and you, so join the Circle Artemis virtual workshop to explore a fun, nature-themed art-therapy prompt April 9, 7-9 pm. No artistic skill is needed to benefit from this event.  Jodi Rose Gonzales, a credentialed art therapist and environmental artist, offers Circle Artemis every six weeks. The […]

  • Hike This: Seven Hikes in One: The Brachiopod Trail

    Constructed in the 1990s after high water levels closed the beach nestled in Whitefish Dunes State Park, the Brachiopod Trial’s incredible biodiversity is shown off through seven distinct natural environments that visitors pass through on its 1.5-mile loop. This wheelchair-accessible trail is as beautiful as it is fascinating, with plenty to offer hikers, birdwatchers and […]

  • Explore Times of Future Past Festival at Winter Park June 26-27

    Step into the past – or the future – at Kewaunee’s Times of Future Past: A Festival for Any Era (futurepastfestival.com), June 26-27, 10 am – 5 pm, at Winter Park, N3787 Ransom Moore Lane in Kewaunee.   Meet people from the pages of history and fantasy; enjoy comedy and music shows; and learn to waltz, do […]

  • Obituary: Dale J. Krueger

    July 12, 1939 ~ March 21, 2021 Columbia, SC-During the early morning hours of the 21st of March 2021, Dale J. Krueger of Columbia died in his home.  He was the son of the late Donald and Helen Krueger of Carlsville, Wisconsin. Dale was born in Door County, Wisconsin, on July 12, 1939.  He always […]

  • Fyr Bal Festival Canceled for Second Year

    The Ephraim Business Council will not be holding the Fyr Bal Festival in 2021 out of concern for the health and safety of the community and visitors. It was a difficult decision to postpone the event for a second year, but the council looks forward to safely bringing back the music, artisans, games, dancers, chieftain, […]

  • Crossroads to Host EGGStravaganza, Fish Tales Lecture

    Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan St. in Sturgeon Bay, in collaboration with the Door County Historical Society, will host EGGStravaganza on April 3. During this annual celebration of eggs, kids may hunt for more than 1,000 eggs, 12-3 pm.  At 1 pm and 2 pm, Crossroads will offer outdoor demonstrations and experiments focusing on […]

  • Obituary: Richard Edward Farrell

    May 7, 1939 ~ March 19, 2021 Richard Edward Farrell, 81, of Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, and formerly of Ottawa, Illinois and Elgin, Illinois died peacefully at home on Friday, March 19, 2021. Richard Farrell (Dick) was born May 7, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois, the first of nine children to George and Eleanor Farrell. Dick and […]

  • Obituary: John Walter Ehrfurth

    July 14, 1952 ~ March 23, 2021 John Walter Ehrfurth, 68, Fish Creek, diedn Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The son of the late Walter and Marilyn (Lom) Ehrfurth, he was born on July 14, 1952, in Green Bay, WI. John was a graduate of Green Bay West High School, Class of ‘70 and obtained his […]

  • Obituary: MaryAnn “Mitt” Austin

    August 28, 1925 ~ March 21, 2021 MaryAnn Austin, affectionately “Mitt” to all who knew and loved her, of Washington Island, WI, died at age 95 in the loving arms of her family late Sunday night, March 21, 2021. Mitt was born August 28, 1925 in Kenosha, WI, the daughter of Gustav A. and Edna […]

  • Obituary: Scott W. Anderson

    May 3, 1966 ~ March 25, 2021 Scott William Anderson, 54, of Sturgeon Bay died at his home on March 25, 2021.   He was born May 3, 1966 in Sturgeon Bay to Ceylon and Marilyn (Kinnard) Anderson.  Scott proudly served his country in the U. S. Marines from 1984 to 1988.  He was currently working […]